[color=C0C0C0]
The rain fell hard as the citizens ran navigating their way into nearby shops and homes. Already drenched, she tucked herself underneath a nearby bridge. The echoes of the under levels surrounded her. She had gone too deep, too quickly. Wyler had warned her to not over step but she didn’t listen. That was her father coming out. Too stubborn for her own good. Thinking she could get away with it. Wrong. Her hand wiped away the water as she heard boots hitting the bridge above her. Troopers. Slowing her breathing, she closed her eyes, counting the seconds. Tick. Tock.

[color=AE91B8] [i] “Ryloth..Onderon..Rodia…Atollon…Castilon..” [/i][/color] Her lips moved but no sound came. [color=AE91B8][i] “Dantooine…Mapuzo…Raada…Hoth…Sorgan.”[/i][/color]

The comms were static but enough for the bucket heads to get their orders. They moved on. Aellyn waited, listened before making her move. 

The hum of Coruscant was a song she knew by heart. But tonight, that familiar tune was sour, a mournful lament for a life she was leaving behind. Panic set in her throat as she navigated those familiar under levels, the stench of synth-meat and despair thick in the air. Each shadow cast upon a wall threatened with a promise of capture, each distant footstep came across as a threat. Her heart pounded against her chest, a frantic beat urging her onward, toward the appointed rendezvous point. Her escape was planned but yet felt like a gamble. This was their world yet the thought of living under their rule was a fate worse than death. So she ran, fueled by hope, even if it meant venturing into a vast galaxy of unknowns. 

[hr]
Aellyn pulled off her coat, carefully folding it and placing it on the edge of the lower bunk she claimed as her own. The offloading was short, Jet had most of it done by the time she, the kid and the pilot joined. The bike she lent was placed back in the cargo hold where she had found it. Making a note to buy a better one if they had the time.  As Jet and Fel made their quiet exchange, she stepped toward the kid. 

Exhaling, she hoped the news she was about to give would be a welcomed one. [color=AE91B8] “So my contact, the one that picked up the doc yesterday. I asked him to peek in on your brother on Lotho. Heard you call out to him while we left. I’m sorry we didn’t have the time to get him. I know how close you both must be….. “ [/color] 

Zane looked up from the crate he was offloading in the machine shop area as Aellyn said the words he had been keen on hearing ever since he’d had to leave home. When the thought finally registered, it was as if every synapse in his brain was suddenly firing. His feet carried him into the other cargo bay, his breathing quickened, he felt his heart beginning to race like crazy. Excitedly, he began asking her question after question, [color=cyan]”Wait…you mean Marcus? You sent him to look in on Marcus?! Did…did he need a description? What if he doesn’t know where to look? Did he say how soon he was gonna be able to go after him?”[/color] 

Aellyn formed a soft smile. [color=AE91B8] “Whoa kid, slow down. My contact has a way of..finding people. He will know where to look. Don’t worry.” [/color] 

His eyes darted back and forth as he felt the room starting to spin around him, the thoughts in his mind going a million parsecs a second. Suddenly realizing how much he was tossing her way, the kid spat out just as excitedly, [color=cyan]”Wh-...hold up. I should…th-...thank you, Miss Aellyn! This means so kriffin’ much to me! I just–”[/color]

[color=AE91B8] “Please..it’s just Aellyn. No need for formalities.” [/color] She paused for a moment. [color=AE91B8] “...and You’re welcome..” [/color] She motioned for the kid to follow her as the headed toward the cargo hold to put the supplies away. 

[hr]
Fel watched as Jet departed, shedding his armor as he went (both literally and figuratively.) He was happy the spacer seemed to listen to him, or that he was able to come up with words that made sense to him. Jet had the ability to be just as stubborn as the pilot, and Fel was worried that if it hadn’t worked, his friend would have been in the engine room, working with a stump and a prayer. Stranger things had happened. But as it stood, Fel found his mind turned back quickly and sharply to their next mission. He wasn’t a mathematician (that was Wrench’s department.The old R2 was basically a rolling calc) but if they played the game well, and if he reached out to a few contacts that owed him a thing or two, hell – if he’d wanted to, he could’ve bought a new ship for his take. Several, even. 

But Fel knew – at least in this case, there was no point in playing it close to the chest. He had to bring in the crew for their opinions, and they’d have to hire outside help on this one. They’d all be spending a long time mining spice if it went sideways, and even though he was content most of the time to play the boss, when they were potentially trading their lives for a score, he wasn’t so rigid in his convictions that he was willing to dictate every facet of this one. Especially since they were all skilled operators in their own way. 

As the sun cast its shadow on the desolate rock, she found herself in the kitchen. Before plowing through the pile of scraps that morning, she had found a small vendor selling a batch of vegetables somehow the farmer had grown in the harsh land. Aellyn overpaid but the thought of having something other than chili, excited her. She washed and cleaned each vegetable before chopping them up and sliding into the pot of boiling water. Next, the meat, if she could call it that. She never asked what it was but figured it was the same cat that tried to eat Jet earlier. How ironic, she thought. The aroma started to fill the ship as she let the stew simmer. 

Fel moved quietly into the galley, beside her. She glanced sideways to him, her brow raising concern. He stirred the pot, pointed to spices, even suggested some which she allowed. [i] “Ugh.” [/i] Her inner voice was shouting. Aellyn watched him closely, trying to figure out how else he was going to ruin this meal. He dug deep into their dehydrated stores and produced actual garlic (how long had they been waiting for the right dish to use this, worth its weight in spice), hydrated it, and then spent time chopping and dicing it finely, sliding it into the stew. There were certain meals that just needed garlic, rare or not. And whether or not Aellyn knew it, Fel thought of this as a peace offering. He knew it was pretty thin, but it was a real gesture of friendship.

[i] “Garlic?!?” [/i] She had enough. [color=AE91B8] “Okay, stop…that’s good there.” [/color] She picked up a spoon, testing it. Kark. Maybe it was better. [color=AE91B8] “Alright..time to eat. Before you decide it needs anything else.” [/color] Shooting Fel a look, she yelled out to the other crew that the meal was ready. 

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