Ask Natural Affinity

[Max Dram]

CELESTE RIDGE IMPERIAL ARMY BASE
Endor, 08.30hrs local time​

Lieutenant Maximums Dram was nervous.

It was not a familiar feeling and definitely not at this intensity. He fought silently beneath the surface to keep focused, though most of his preparations were in hand. The only thing he was struggling to control was himself.

Soldiers busied themselves in the yard outside the command shelter, running back and forth carrying out his orders. They moved like black ants across the square of packed earth, busily perfecting the nest they had worked so hard to build.

Max leaned over the rudimentary holomap on the command table, his military uniform straining against freshly pumped muscles. Endor was the perfect training ground and he and his men had been here for three weeks now. The fresh air and hard graft had done him good, keeping him in peak condition.

"Is the perimeter complete?" he asked. Their camp was not yet quite as elite as its occupants.

"Yes Sir" his adjutant replied. The private was a dry man who didn't believe in using more words than necessary. "All six watch towers are staffed and the final guard fence has just been completed".

"Good" Max thrummed the table. With only eighty men and commensurate equipment, he could not move mountains. But they had made good progress in a short time; taming their small patch of forest high on the slopes, establishing a three-sided perimeter with a steep rocky outcropping at their back. It was a secure position to defend and a sound springboard from which to advance.

"Ensure the men form up well back from the landing zone" he ordered "and I want every one of them, aside from the watch and the spotters. Remind those on watch to keep their attention outward".

The adjutant saluted and marched out into the compound, barking orders to assemble the men. Max watched him go with a brief sense of satisfaction. He was in his element here, leading a military operation. Indeed, it was not military matters that gave him pause. It was the fact he had two passions in his life, one old, one new, and they were about the meet for the first time.

The corner console chimed and his comms operator swung around in his chair. "We have incoming in the south-east quadrant Sir. An Imperial ship".

She was here.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

It was as if their dinner on Raxus had been ages ago. Just a few days after he had left for Ankus, Celeste had left for Rattatak and had thus spent quite some time there. It had been a hard and rocky road and so much had changed for her that it would take ages to explain. The planet had changed, but was now brought under the Imperial banner. The resistance they had met had to be shattered by sheer Force, which had ultimately led to the capitulation of the capital and thus the official takeover.

Right after Rattatak, Celeste had noticed that Altair had sent for a champion to accompany him to Tibrin and so she had volunteered, unaware of how frosty their first meeting again after quite some time would have been. It had left her so unbelievably frustrated and made the mission more complicated for her than she had first imagined, so that she had returned with quite some dammed up anger that had required some counter measures. She could no longer ignore how much she had changed within a few months, but it felt like they were mostly good changes as she felt stronger than ever and she knew well how much Vahliri had helped her grow...

But now a new chapter was finally about to begin again and she had to focus on the mission at hand. Whenever time allowed it, Celeste had sent message to Lieutenant Dram, discussing the further details of their shared endeavor. Overall, their contact had been reduced to a minimum though as he'd been just as busy as her and so today posed the actual reunion after all those weeks without much contact.

She was clad in her Sith uniform, her lightsaber clipped to her hip and her ship on its descend towards the coordinates Max had transmitted. She surely hadn't missed the name the base had gotten and it had immediately made her smirk. She was grateful for all the efforts he had already put into establishing the camp and while she had experienced all kinds of emotions throughout the last weeks, she was now mostly happy to see him again. They didn't immediately have to move and her plan was to do some more scouting first, while simultaneously getting settled on the surface before they'd actually strike. Expansion in the sector would take time, but gaining the perks of Endor's fertile surface was a first, valuable step.

Celeste initiated the landing maneuver while she could already see the base getting closer from the viewport. She didn't dwell on the memories she had gathered here, regardless of how vivid they still were. Instinctively, she could feel the marks on her back burn once again though, the pain briefly causing her to wince even though they were usually not causing any more physical pain, but they were an absolute psychological reminder of her transgression that flared up every now and then. Never again...Endor was a strategically driven aspiration. But it was personal, too.

The moment her ship touched the ground right by the provisional landing bay, she unbuckled the seat belt, switched off the engines and the according switches, grabbed her back from the compartment and moved towards the ramp. The thoughts that had quickly been stirred up faded away and she could feel a slight hint of genuine positive excitement kick in as she pressed the button to lower the ramp. She was not only excited about getting started here, but it seemed like feeling his warmth again would bring the soothing she needed. Endor was the first step of their shared goal, but for now there was something else blending in with her ambitions: The desire to simply hold him close for now and take a deep breath of fresh air the forest she was familiar with offered. They had a reputation to maintain here, but she had seen the shelters and was confident that they'd get a chance for an actual exchange.

@Alhon

 

[Max Dram]

Max stood to attention at the foot of the landing ramp, a clean shave and a fresh pair of combat fatigues ensuring he was a picture of Imperial excellence. His adjutant stood behind him, calling the ranks of men surrounding the ship to attention.

Celeste was not his senior, but nor was she his junior; they were of equivalent rank and status for now. Her arrival arguably didn't require a formal reception, but Max had ordered it be so, so it was so. Every man in the compound would undoubtedly defer to Max over an unfamiliar Sith in any case, but the Lieutenant intended to extend that deference to Celeste herself, showing the men the respect he expected them to give her.

They had kept in touch as best they could, but she still looked different as she stepped down the ramp. He supposed she was bound to. Her honey blonde hair and sharp poise were the same, but she had a more solid, dangerous look about her. The cocktail dress he remembered had been exchanged for black and crimson armour that still followed her figure well, but reminded all of them of her true nature. That and the lightsaber hilt hanging at her belt.

"My lady Sith" he said in welcome, restraining the warmth in his voice "welcome to Celeste Ridge". He inclined his head with a knowing look, hoping she would appreciate the name. This was to be her conquest after all. "The base is secure and we have much to show you. Perhaps some refreshment first, then a tour and briefing with my officers later?"

He motioned back towards the command shelter, intending to lead her where they could speak privately. Several weeks was a long time in the field, he had to know how she was, what she had been through, and most of all that she was as pleased to see him as he hoped.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

As she walked down the ramp she carried herself with grace and dignity, her expressions focused and determined, just like everyone would expect it from the Champion. They had waited for her here, so that her arrival would also signal that the mission would soon move into the next phase and she was met by the Imperial soldier he was currently overseeing here at the base. There were obviously more than a platoon as the men she commanded had been sent down as well, helping tomprepare before the leadership, here both Max ans Celeste, would order them to proceed.

The first face she obviously saw was Max', which made a soft smile tug on the lips of the otherwise so composed expressions. Her gaze quickly scanned the mostly unfamiliar faces, although the young faces of two privates in the back seemed oddly familiar at first glance, but she paid them no further attention as she locked gazes with the good-looking blonde man right in front of her. "Lieutenant Dram, it's good to be here" she replied, the slightest hint of warmth fading into her formal tone, probably unrecognizable for the surroundings men. She inclined her head politely, not reacting to the name just yet although it was obviously his doing. "Perfect, and this sounds like an excellent plan".

He immediately started leading her to the command shelter and she could feel some focused, scrutinizing gazes still on her as they walked. Sure, they were obviously curious to meet the Champion that had called for the conquest, but as some might even know her story, she was sure they eyed her with special curiosity. They soon entered the said shelter and as no one, not even his adjutant had followed, they were left to themselves. Without hesitation, she softly yet determinantly cupped his cheeks and got on her tiptoes, first rather softly, then more passionately letting her lips melt against his. After a moment, she pulled back, looking into his eyes with a slightly mischievous, yet somehow changed, dimmer sparkling look. "It's good to see you again...It has felt like an eternity". While she had placed those words even softer a few weeks ago, there was a colder note to it, which was obviously not directed at him, but a result from the last endeavors she had attended.

@Alhon

 

[Max Dram]

The command shelter was a modular, temporary construct they had assembled from the expeditionary supplies, but it at least had a thin pneumatic door. No sooner had it closed behind them than Celeste stepped close and took Max's face in her hands, her soft lips joining with his own. So she did still feel the same.

She stepped back after a brief moment, a mischievous glint in her eye, but the Lieutenant was not done. He grabbed her by the hips and pulled her close again, the cold armour in his grip unable to dull the warmth of another kiss. She was like a drug really - more potent than any other he'd tried.

"You're damn right it has" he replied, gently letting her free. The several weeks had felt much longer, but the only compensation was the time it had given Max to lay his preparations.

"You look good - your old stomping ground obviously suits you. How did it go?" She was everything he remembered, though he suspected much had happened to them both.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Despite everything that had happened and all the time that had past it seemed like the chemistry was the same. Just like a magnet, one attracted the other or physically pulled the other one close, Max as determined as ever, but obviously she was not complaining.

It didn't surprise her that it had felt the same for him and she was also happy that he reciprocated the desire to be to be close to her like this. "My old stomping ground?" she amusedly added, the tension that had been built up within her slowly fading away. "Well...it was a twisted homecoming, and as always, there was even more work than expected. The planet is secured now, but I'm still thankful for the change of scenery. It was little bloodbath over there". Some casualties couldn't have been avoided, as they had tried to resist. She didn't regret a thing, yet the decrease in numbers wasn't optimal. Rattatak would come back to its full strength and potential, but it would take a while.

"How have you been? Everything went well on Ankus?". She was actually a little surprised by how quickly her mood had lightened, but perhaps this was the effect he still had on her. The shelter offered some privacy, although she wouldn't have minded even more. They weren't here to rush things on the surface after all, so it seemed like they'd have the night more or less of, with only the tour and the briefing on the agenda. Also, there was another important point on her list, but she wouldn't tell him just yet, however the slight smirk that betrayed her lips was already hinting at how she was having a little secret.

@Alhon

 

[Max Dram]

A bloodbath. It was quite a hard hitting word for such a pretty little lady to utter, but Max saw the steel in Celeste's eyes when she spoke and sensed she could be harder than anyone imagined.

"You should be proud of yourself" he said, walking around the holotable and sitting back lazily on the empty comms chief's chair. "Securing a planet isn't easy, let alone one as determined as Rattatak to resist law and order". He knew first hand the scale of such an achievement. "I'd love to see it sometime".

A small rumble sounded in the distance outside, no doubt his men blowing up another outcropping or obstruction in the vicinity. They were putting more roots down here every hour.

"The field agrees with me" he replied, holding his arms wide and smiling as if his fulsome appearance was itself an answer to her question. "Ankus was a success you'll be pleased to know, we brought those pathetic elephants into line". The peaceful Cragmoloids had put up a poor fight in truth and Max had almost been a little disappointed. "and I've been enjoying myself here - at Celeste Ridge". Again he chuckled to himself at the name. He was having it hammered above the gate in standard Imperial font.

"But I'm glad you're here Celeste" he said, in a more serious tone "I'd rather not be lightyears from you even if I am building something for you. Now you're here, we can finish it together".

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Her light blue eyes followed where he was going, however she remained on the same spot for now. He praised her, even mentioned how she should be proud and to some decent extent she definitely was. There was, however, still this rather cold emptiness that she had first felt when the fire rained down on them

While there hadn't been any reluctance within her, it had taken a moment though until she had overcome this mental inhibition that had caused her to just watch the first tribe to get exterminated without reacting much.

Just a few moments later though, this dark, twisted hunger inside her had started to draw from the burning flesh, the tormented cries, the exploding structures and most importantly the despair and terrors her victims had felt. "Oh I am. It has definitely affected me, but in good, helpful ways. I've grown a lot and it feels good to be back".

She started walking over, abusing the gesture he had used to emphasize what he was saying and just slipped into his arms, gracefully sitting down on his lap."I'll take you there after we're done here" she added with a smirk, before tending to his own story.

"The success suits you, just like this uniform. It really seems like you've done well...yet I'm glad I could join you now" her tone was growing softer. "Thank you for all the efforts you have invested so far. I can't wait to continue this together here". With that, she leaned in, now much more passionately and more demanding. They both deserved a little break, even if it was just for a little while, so she would embrace their reunion to the fullest.

@Alhon

 

[Max Dram]

There was a new fire in her when she spoke of having grown from her experiences on Rattatak. Max could only imagine what they might mean. He was aware Sith powers were many and varied and that they grew in force and mastery over time. Not for the first time, or the last, he wondered just what the woman in front of him could do.

She came toward him, stepping between his open arms to sit in his lap. Her promise to take him to her world when they had achieved their goals on Endor was welcome. He was looking forward to it already and would relish the chance to see her at work in her own environment.

Her passionate approach was all the thanks he needed for his work on Endor and he leaned into it himself, gently pulling her around so she would straddle him, their bodies locked closer and closer together.

The door chimed.

Max cursed inwardly, breaking from a long kiss to compose his voice. "Yes?!"

His adjutant's words came over the door comm "The compound is ready for inspection Sir when you are".

"The lady Sith and I will attend you in a moment" he replied, as calmly as he could. "We are just concluding a confidential briefing".

"My apologies Sir, I will tell the men two minutes".

The comm went silent. Max looked up into Celeste's eyes, a look of resignation on his face. "Duty" he snorted. "Why did I ever say it was my top priority".


@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Max said nothing for now, simply enjoying their newly won proximity and the passion that enticed both of them alike. There was nothing for her to add, so she was just reveling in the moment until they were suddenly interrupted by the Imperial at the other side of the door. She pulled back, turning her head and listened before she faced him once again, an eyebrow raised in a rather impressed manner.

"Confidental briefing, huh? And here I am, thinking I would be the master at deception" she teased him with a smirk, leaning in once again, their lips passionately melting against one another and just adding to that tension that was just starting to spread quickly. She continued the kiss for a little while longer before she pulled back, fighting that desire to continue even further.

"But you're right. Duty calls" they both knew this wouldn't be easy, but Celeste could absolutely be disciplined if needed. "Lead the way, Lieutenant Dram". She slowly got up, her gaze almost provocatively and demandingly lingering on him for a little while longer before she smoothed back her uniform. "No lipstick this time, so you're good to go" she added amusedly, reminding him of their last encounter before she tried to take her mind off him for now. "Before we attend the inspection, let us quickly pass by my ship please". She was purposely not telling him what, or rather who, but he'd find that out soon.

@Alhon

 

[Max Dram]

Max smiled back at Celeste, his mood already improving again now they had a final minute or two of undisturbed peace. "Would you rather I had told him what was actually going on in here? If he didn't faint, he would more than disapprove".

They readied themselves to head back out, Max smiling when Celeste gave him the once over and seal of approval. "No lipstick you say, far from out of practice we're obviously getting better at this". He straightened his own uniform and unlocked the door, leading her out into the courtyard.

The adjutant snapped to attention and fell in behind them, surprised as they veered first towards Celeste's ship. "Have you forgot something?" Max asked in a low voice, as they walked "or perhaps you've brought me gift?".

Once Celeste had attended to her errand, he would show her the camp facilities. The men better be on point. He would accept nothing less.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

He hadn't changed a bit in the last weeks and it just added further to the improvement of her mood. She enjoyed the lightheartedness and the constant teasing and joking just kept the mood light and uncomplicated, something she was yearning for.

"Well this would surely be something. But I doubt it would have positively affected our reputation". She replied with a smirk as they walked towards the door, however not opening it. "Absolutely...We'll continue this later". Regardless of whether the others would notice, continuing this wouldn't be bad at night as they were not neglecting any duties or so, however now they had to get some work done.

"Not forgotten something...as for the present, I can't predict how this meeting will look like..." she was not going to disclose details yet, but some light teasing was fun. Oh he had no idea what she had in mind.

They strode over back to where her ship was parked and pushed the button that lowered the ramp, still not revealing a single thing, however she thought some words of warning made sense after all. "Don't be afraid" she softly said, taking his hand and pulling him down into a squatted position if he didn't resist. With that, she used the Sith words "Asha, stai!".

Immediately, the running of two massive paws rushing over the durasteel ground could be heard and not a second later did the almost fully grown, sand-colored Rattataki Saber Wolf charge down the ramp. She seemed like she would dash right through them, however suddenly came to an abrupt halt as she realized that something was off and there was a stranger pretty close to her owner.

With the fluffy ears tilted backwards, she started baring her teeth, rather misstrusting of the new face unless Celeste softly said, "it's okay. Go check him out at least" with her energy calm and a smirk on her lips. The wolve stepped closer, carefully sniffing at Max' hand before the tail slowly started wagging and she licked Celeste's hand. "I wanted you to meet my loyal companion" she told Max, scratching Asha's chin.

@Alhon

 

[Max Dram]

"Meeting?" Max was both intrigued and a touch anxious. There was clearly something or someone to meet on Celeste's ship and Max had not banked on her bringing anyone with her. He was not particularly fond of unknown quantities.

He braced himself for anything as the ramp lowered, from a senior Sith to Rattataki troopers. What he did not expect was for her to take his hand and encourage him into a crouched position. At her call, pawed feet sounded on the hard metal and a large saber wolf came bounding out, screeching to a halt in front of them both, teeth bared.

Max was impressed the way Celeste was able to bring the sandy coloured predator to heel. It had clearly been trained well and allowed her to pet it fondly.

Her loyal companion. Max reached out and ruffled the wolf's fur coat "that makes two of us. Nice to meet you Asha". The wolf seemed to warm to him but Max was under no illusions how deadly she could be to an enemy. A little bit like her owner.

"Well a very pleasant surprise" he said, standing up "she seems great to have around. Shall we walk - perhaps the armoury first?" he motioned towards the stout structure by the eastern wall "Asha is welcome to tag along".


@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

It was her natural missttust that kept Asha wary, although as Celeste reached into the wolf's mind through the Force, she could easily soothe her further and remove that mental blockage that resulted in the inhibited behavior. Asha, too, could sense that her owner was not threatened by the Imperial and that they seemed to get along rather well anyway, so the positive excitement returned and Asha, after having licked Celeste's hand, tail now wagging faster, moved on to Max, attempting to lick his left hand if he wouldn't retract it before she would enjoy being pet by him as well.

"I think she's happy to meet you, too" she replied with a warm smile on her lips, his comment having resulted in a soft chuckle before. Celeste felt and saw how some of Max' soldiers eyed the scene carefully, some not sure what to make out of the massive, however right now friendly beast that was just cuddling their Lieutenant, but they'd get used to it. It had gotten a little uncommon that Sith brought Sith spawn or war beasts wwherever they went, but Asha was actually more than that. She was indeed a pet, too, and well, a very uncommon one as well as the Saber Wolves were only native to Rattatak and the large wolf was surely a sight to behold.

"She is. She's still being trained as she's currently in her late teenager years, but she doesn't show any signs of unjustified aggression" Celeste explained. While she was obviously fiercely protective of her, the instinctive missttust made her rather defensively focused, unless Celeste commanded otherwise. "Sure, lead the way" Asha was obviously glad to be able to tag along, however Celeste internally instructed her to walk at her heel through the animal bond and thus, without any words, the wolf dutifully walked alongside her, examining the camp just like Celeste did. "Have you already stumbled upon Natives in those parts?" she curiosly wanted to know, following him to the armory. She was indeed impressed by how quickly he had managed to set it all up, as the camp looked like it had been around longer than a few weeks.

@Alhon

 

[Max Dram]

It was clear Celeste knew a lot about the saber wolf and Max listened keenly. He knew the Sith had marshalled all manner of creatures against their enemies in times of old and his own people did the same on Adumar. He liked the idea immensely. Predators like Asha would only bolster the Imperial war machine and perhaps in time more could be bred and trained. Yet another way their talents and vision could be combined for the Empire's glory.

"As you may know, this place is teeming with life but the native Ewok, Dulok and Gorph populations are the only ones organised enough to present any threat. Even then, we're talking about stone-age technology, but we all know the history here so we don't underestimate them".

He gestured beyond the walls, to the three sides of the mountain sloping away from the camp. "We've got solid rock at our back here and no immediate threats in the vicinity. But go any distance in any other direction and you run into small settlements of each. Most have run if they've seen our scouts, but we'll need regular patrols to clear them out in full".

They reached the armoury and Max paused, turning to Celeste. "This base is secure and can hold against anything out there. What we can't do is push out further without sustainable power and supplies. There's a river four klicks east of here that we can dam and draw power from - securing that will guarantee the Empire's hold here". He cast a glance around the base, confident he'd laid the foundations for an Imperial presence that would never be shifted. "More of that at the briefing".

They walked on and Max pointed out the features of the base. "The armoury here and the command shelter on this side are our only permanent structures, built from the modular expeditionary kits we brought with us." He pointed at the three canvas structures on the opposite side of the compound "Mess tent, barracks and latrines. Enough to serve a hundred men or more".

They arrived at the main gate at the centre. "With the perimeter fence and six watchtowers we've eyes all around 24/7 and a secure footprint. Our regular patrols down the mountain are already starting to leave a trail. Before long, it'll look like Celeste Ridge has been here years".

He thumbed his belt loops, looking down at her with pride. "I hope it meets with your approval?"

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

As their tour began, Asha obediently walked with them, however Celeste allowed the curious pup to do her sniffing. Asha was used to all kinds of terrain, yet she seemed overly excited about the Forest Moon. Surviving in the rocky desert might have run in her genes, but since Arla and Celeste had done their best to socialize them properly and to expose them to as many as different influences as possible, new biotopes didn't scare her of. The moderate climate wasn't a problem either as only the cold was difficult for them to deal with as their heat adapted fur offered not much protection.

Celeste followed Max around, curiously listening to what he was explaining about the camp and their first experiences here. The Ewoks in their bright tree village and the different settlements all arlund the moon were surely numerous, yet he was right about their advancement in the technological sector.

While Celeste was not actively involved in the Imperial Diplomatic Core right now, she hadn't lost her diplomatic touches entirely. She was decent in Ewokese and surely conversational, so they wouldn't have to wipe them out just like that, given their compliance, obviously. As for the other native species, she had only read that they were more aggressive, but just as underdeveloped like the rest. "Yes. Never underestimate the enemy and we should find a way to avoid wasting our own resources" she replied, taken the fact into consideration that they were still on a forest moon and no actual planet with a fully organized government.

Their conquest here differed from her, and probably his usual missions and razing all of the forest to the ground wasn't the goal. They could make use of all nature had to offer and Celeste knew about the value of Natives. They knew their planet best and gaining subjects was always helpful. She followed him towards the armory and noted how well he had prepared all of this. Clearly, the execution of the first steps had also been successful and he was not only in full control of the situation, but also continuing to analyze and assess all vital parameters properly. While she was maintained composure, there was still a pleased smile on her lips as she observed everything she was showing her.

It was obvious that he was fully dedicated to their shared goal and she appreciated all of his efforts greatly. This was still not the setting to express masses of genuine gratitude, but she was not just answering that with a curt nod of approval either. "Meeting my approval? I'm impressed, actually. Your platoon seems very organized, have you had the same men under you for a while now?" Celeste had learnt how much established routines could change. A well-coordinated, funtionating could truly be a game changer and she had a feeling hat so far, just the same applied to the two of them.

He looked proud and he could absolute be proud. "Well done, Lieutenant. It seems like you have laid the perfect foundation for our conquest". So far, he had been the one that had already put plenty of effort in all of this while she had still been involved in a different fight. They had developed those ideas together and she was grateful for his support, but it was good to see that he wasn't doing this because she had presented this idea, but because he seemed all about this as well.

Loyalty was hard to find these days, yet she didn't doubted his a bit. "After having secured this base and its surroundings, it seems like we could already press forward soon. If you've got an estimated number in mind, I can call over my own men and women as reinforcement. I know the barracks are not large enough to host a whole legion, but Rattatak is close by so they could hop over whenever". As this was no invasion, they obviously wouldn't need masses, but some backup was never a bad idea.

@Alhon

 

[Max Dram]

Celeste seemed suitably impressed with the base and progress to date. Her remark about not wasting resources was an interesting one. "If you have anything particular in mind - any way we might avoid wasting limited resources - I am all ears" he said, genuinely interested in her insights. As self-confident as he was, he accepted he could not have considered everything.

He motioned for them to head back towards the command shelter. "Most of my platoon have been with me for over a year now, almost all at least several months" he replied. "We about have the measure of each other". He didn't miss her reference to our conquest which was generous of her, though he had to admit he enjoyed the thought of some credit and reward for the hard graft he had put in.

They reached the command shelter as she raised the matter of troops. Max had not considered that her return to power on Rattatak might mean there were forces she could call on now, for this mission. "I believe we have the men we need here to take the river" he replied "and once we can generate power from the river we will have effective control of Endor in the long term".

He turned to the adjutant. "Correct, private?"

"Yes sir" the man replied, glad of the opportunity to be needed again. "We're already strong enough that no grouping here on Endor could dislodge us - but currently we are exposed if the Republic, the ISC or anyone else were to arrive. Without sustainable power we cannot produce further weapons and supplies, nor maintain long distance communications that would be needed to call for help".

The man paused, bringing up a holo display of the river site. "This river is four kilometers east of here. If we can secure it and dam the watercourse here" he indicated a pinch point "we can install hydroelectric generators on this slope and use controlled releases to power the advanced infrastructure I mention, making us able to resist any hostile attack".

Max nodded, turning to Celeste. "There's just a slight issue" he keyed the coding to bring up biosigns. A large cluster immediately appeared along both banks. "There is a substantial Ewok village bordering the river. We need them gone to make way for our damn and power plant".

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

"I was considering personal resources. If we can avoid as many casualties as possible, it's better for us in the long-run. I can be quite convincing. So we might not immediately have to make them leave through Force" she was not expecting it to be likely for them to accept the foreign intruders, yet, with the right way of approaching them, they might manage not to waste too much energy and efforts in dealing with them.

Together, they made their way back to the command shelter while strategizing further. It soothed her to learn that they had been together for quite a while as she had seen enough disobedience and backstabbing that she was wary about new collaborations...however, that was also why it was so ironic that she already put trust into Max. So far, the leap of faith had turned out to be appropriate, but of course they were still in the stage of getting to know each other better.

"Good. Then I'll inform my troops to wait for further commands in case we need them later" she answered, her gaze still lingering on Max before it flicked over to his adjutant. She attentively listened to what he outlined, pondering on his words for a moment before she disclosed her thoughts: "While this is true, I don't think either of them would step in. They're too focused on their own little war. The FWA, however, could get wind of this, but it's also unlikely that they'd interfere with a neutral planet. They're also weakened and afraid as their scattered position isn't optimal and they might end up getting caught between two fronts. Securing the river should still be our top priority". Celeste had plenty of political insights and obviously had the war between the ISC and the Empire in mind as well, but as there was simply to much going on, especially with the Killik who were still around, she didn't assume anyone would bother 'helping' Endor. They were not invading and there was no need for aggression yet. But yes, they needed the river.

"Ewoks you say..." she studied the map. It seemed like things were already getting interesting. She turned back to Max "You can leave that to me" she was never one to lean back and let those under her do the work and this would be no different. There were countless ways to make them leave and she was prepared for a broad variety of circumstances.

"The sun won't any time soon, so we could deal with them immediately" she suggested, turning to Max again and slightly tilting her head to the side. "Feel free to come with me. You wanted to see me in action, didn't you?" she said to him, a subtle, but playfully teasing tone underlying her voice, only for him to catch. If only the two of them would go, the Natives probably wouldn't feel threatened per se.

@Alhon

 

[Max Dram]

Max was glad of Celeste's political insights. They provided valuable context and would help them quantify the risk presented by hostile factions much more accurately. If it was smaller than thought, all the better.

"Then the sooner we move, the more progress we might make before that situation changes" Max observed. Celeste was a direct line into events in the galaxy; an excellent addition to what came down from Command and the ISB.

Her offer to deal with the Ewoks personally was intriguing. Taken together with her earlier suggestion that she could be convincing, Max assumed she planned to negotiate with the furry cretins. It was unconventional and likely to fail from what he knew - why would the Ewoks voluntarily leave their home - but then who knew how a three foot tall teddy bear thought. The Lieutenant had studied many races and peoples, but the Endor natives were not ones he yet understood well.

"If you believe you can deal with them, then let's try that first" Max agreed "and of course, I couldn't let you go alone". Apart from it being poor strategy to send your best assets into the field unprotected, he harboured some concern for her safely. The Ewoks were not dangerous, but there were creatures both sentient and not on this world that most certainly were. Whatever her powers, it would be madness to let her go alone.

"I and a couple of men will head out with you" he said "just in case. The rest of the unit can continue their work here. With any luck, we can take the river without the time and risk involved in an attack".

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

There was not much more to say as they would have to figure out whether anyone would get wind of this after all. She really didn't expect anyone to be bothered by this, yet they wouldn't know for sure, so he had a point. "Yes. So let's get going. I'm ready" she agreed, nodding readily while quickly glancing down to Asha.

She too was ready ans usually responded well to getting some action, however there was still the question of transportation. Celeste had spotted a couple of speeder bikes, yet obviously there was no way a Saber Wolf would fit and so she would have to run. It wasn't too bad, but it would leave her a little drained.

It was a good thing that the Saber Wolves were used to cover vast distances by foot though as the desert of Rattatak was seemingly endless and the next herd of prey was often far away. Asha would probably arrive after them, but she didn't plan on driving right in anyway. They could stop half a kilometer away and cover the spare distance via foot, giving Asha a chance to catch up.

Celeste truly wasn't sure about their compliance, but while she had phrased it carefully, she was obviously ready to do whatever it would take. There were countless of options of how this first meeting would go, but she was absolutely confident they'd find the quickest way.

"Good. We should travel lightly but still be prepared. I don't expect this potential conflict to escalate, but their numbers usually get underestimated". It was obvious that their forces were superior, but meeting them like this obviously brought the risk of being outnumbered in an unpleasant ratio.

Not that she hadn't gotten enough action in the last few weeks, but she was looking forward to gaining the first field experience with Max. This would also show how well they could work together while actually being in the midst of a conquest and not just involved in the planning and strategizing. "We're taking the speeder bikes, right?" she was asking for a clarification as they could choose a ship as well after all, however, traveling through the thick forest was often better done via bike. Her lightsaber was already clipped to her belt, so she was indeed ready to go and would only wait for their little troop to assemble.

@Alhon