Nothing ever came easy with investigations. Corran couldn't help but dwell on the open-ended chase of trying to hunt down loose ends that didn't want to be found as he followed Lieutenant Aran out of the CCN offices. They could spend days or even weeks hunting down one journalist and could be a dead-end or worse; a splintering of more threads to follow. Add in the unstable ground of politics and a case like this was starting to feel weighted against them from the start. A beep from the male ranger's pocket interrupted that train of thought abruptly. Trys was the first to fish her device out. He followed suit and couldn't believe his eyes.
Senator Victola Maroo of Humbarine confessed to... everything. Premeditated Leaks to a specific journalist. Attempting to misdirect an investigation. All in the name of making the FWA more open and transparent. How the Senator spoke made it sound sincere. An honest confession. But so much of it didn't make sense. Why would Humbarine, a Core World, seem to be repeating the same talking points as small world senators? What was the motive for suddenly coming clean now - a change of heart? There was something else too. The slander surprisingly levied by Senator Maroo against the Sector Rangers. It sounded so familiar. Like he'd heard it before somewhere.
All of these suspicions did not lead anywhere immediately as the exacerbated outburst by Trys pried Corran's eyes from the datapad. Her gaze she leveled at him was withering. He pulled his head backwards slowly, like an animal recoiling into its shell, while slowly tucking his hands into his jacket pockets. Seeing the Sith Slayer so publicly vexed was intimidating. In a way, Lieutenant Velt felt guilty. It was his fault. He had somehow bungled the case and all their work seemed dashed against the rocks. When the female ranger walked off to smoke, Corran returned to his full height and removed his hands from hiding. Being out of the direct line of fire helped.
He stood a few steps behind the frustrated Aran. Unsure of what to do or say. Would he risk redirecting the anger of the Sith Hunter back upon himself? She lamented that the Sector Rangers were unprepared for serious threats... and that she wasn't a hero. Sky-blue eyes opened wide in shock. That can't be. The idol he envisioned clashed with a command by the idol herself. Clear those illusions right now. It was an order from Trys Aran. About herself. It was unthinkable to defy her.
Corran's hands curled into fists.
He did.
From behind her back, Trys would hear a voice as solid as steel, "You don't get to decide that." The blond ranger stepped in front of her, withstanding the cigara smoke and staring her down. Gone was the passive, shy young man. Before her now stood a Ranger Lieutenant, defiant and broad. "You don't get to decide if you aren't a hero. That title is bestowed upon you by others. To toss it aside so easily is worse than spitting in their face!" Something about he said that so pointedly made it feel more personal. Closer to him than the nebulous 'others.' A stern index finger accusingly jutted towards the street-wise woman. "And we all-" A blink-of-an-eye pause occurred as he quickly thought of a word to dodge the swear, "-mess up sometimes in the line of duty. Like this!" The index finger turned to his own face and traced the scar plainly. "I faced down a Sith in the basement of HQ as it burned. I failed then too. But I only attempted it because you proved it could be done." Intensity in Corran's shoulders began to slacken. His arm slackened and returned to his side.
A small inhale helped regain his composure. "We have to do things, Lieutenant Aran, no matter the slander or bile or disdain. Justice doesn't require the Sector Rangers to be liked. Just that we try."
@Sreeya
Senator Victola Maroo of Humbarine confessed to... everything. Premeditated Leaks to a specific journalist. Attempting to misdirect an investigation. All in the name of making the FWA more open and transparent. How the Senator spoke made it sound sincere. An honest confession. But so much of it didn't make sense. Why would Humbarine, a Core World, seem to be repeating the same talking points as small world senators? What was the motive for suddenly coming clean now - a change of heart? There was something else too. The slander surprisingly levied by Senator Maroo against the Sector Rangers. It sounded so familiar. Like he'd heard it before somewhere.
All of these suspicions did not lead anywhere immediately as the exacerbated outburst by Trys pried Corran's eyes from the datapad. Her gaze she leveled at him was withering. He pulled his head backwards slowly, like an animal recoiling into its shell, while slowly tucking his hands into his jacket pockets. Seeing the Sith Slayer so publicly vexed was intimidating. In a way, Lieutenant Velt felt guilty. It was his fault. He had somehow bungled the case and all their work seemed dashed against the rocks. When the female ranger walked off to smoke, Corran returned to his full height and removed his hands from hiding. Being out of the direct line of fire helped.
He stood a few steps behind the frustrated Aran. Unsure of what to do or say. Would he risk redirecting the anger of the Sith Hunter back upon himself? She lamented that the Sector Rangers were unprepared for serious threats... and that she wasn't a hero. Sky-blue eyes opened wide in shock. That can't be. The idol he envisioned clashed with a command by the idol herself. Clear those illusions right now. It was an order from Trys Aran. About herself. It was unthinkable to defy her.
Corran's hands curled into fists.
He did.
From behind her back, Trys would hear a voice as solid as steel, "You don't get to decide that." The blond ranger stepped in front of her, withstanding the cigara smoke and staring her down. Gone was the passive, shy young man. Before her now stood a Ranger Lieutenant, defiant and broad. "You don't get to decide if you aren't a hero. That title is bestowed upon you by others. To toss it aside so easily is worse than spitting in their face!" Something about he said that so pointedly made it feel more personal. Closer to him than the nebulous 'others.' A stern index finger accusingly jutted towards the street-wise woman. "And we all-" A blink-of-an-eye pause occurred as he quickly thought of a word to dodge the swear, "-mess up sometimes in the line of duty. Like this!" The index finger turned to his own face and traced the scar plainly. "I faced down a Sith in the basement of HQ as it burned. I failed then too. But I only attempted it because you proved it could be done." Intensity in Corran's shoulders began to slacken. His arm slackened and returned to his side.
A small inhale helped regain his composure. "We have to do things, Lieutenant Aran, no matter the slander or bile or disdain. Justice doesn't require the Sector Rangers to be liked. Just that we try."
@Sreeya