Chapter 3: Archaic

[Drake 53]

Takeshi finished his breakfast as everyone else started showing up in the cafeteria. He left the hall, ignoring the stares from other patrons, and made his way to one of the larger hangars on-site, used for unloading cargo. He had gotten word that the first transports from Altagak were arriving this morning.

Once there, he found three transports berthed side-by-side. Tak guessed that they were from the old base as they were the only ones being offloaded. He walked over to the first of the vessels. The cargo containers were mostly labelled EQUIPMENT and several were marked MEDICAL. The second transport was being offloaded with crates of ordnance and reserve fuel tanks. The third was offloading cargo marked PERSONAL. Tak nodded to the shipping master, who returned an uneasy nod, then walked up the ramp. At the front of the cargo hold was an area that had clearly been partitioned from the rest of the cargo. All of the base droids were there. The astromechs were sitting idle in their charging stations.

"Revenant Squadron astromechs, power up and form up," he commanded.

The several droids, that had remained behind when their owners had left for shore leave, activated. With a mechanical symphony of beeps and chirps, the astromechs detached themselves from their charging stations and drove over to group up before Takeshi.

"I hope you all had a refreshing sleep," he said. "Unfortunately for you guys, we won't be able to bring you on our mission.

The droids replied with a cacophany of disappointed raspberries and drawn out robotic sighs.

Tak half-smiled. "Don't worry, though. You'll all be put to use here at HQ, helping to find us a new location for our base." He started back out through the cargo hold toward the ramp. "Revenants, roll out."

The train of astromech droids followed him out of the hold.

[Ayingel 24]

Szen took a minute to let everything sink in. "Oh." She picked at her food some more. "I guess that all makes sense, now." She looked up at the Captain and her husband. "You look different than I thought you would after having kids."

Edited June 30, 2008 by Ayingel

[Vergere 1]

Brier's voice gentling, "What else do you want to want to know, Szen? I don't want you afraid of me or uncomfortable."

[Ayingel 24]

"I'm not. I guess I know the situation now, and things make sense...No, you've explained it enough." Szen felt slightly uncomfortable now that she had completely calmed down. "I really am sorry about just now."

[Vergere 1]

Brier smiled her best Corellian smile. "I was expecting it, sooner or later. Although somewhere besides the cafeteria would have been nice. Don't be sorry."

[Mara 29]

Kaden had nodded that he was doing well and then quieted down when Szen burst in on their table. He sat eating, quietly, already knowing the relationship between Brier and Zak from earlier on Corellia.

Edited July 1, 2008 by Mara

[Andy 60]

Aston dashed into the cafeteria, having overslept and rushed to get here. He hadn't tidied his hair, which was still damp and no real surprises there.

He grimaced at the food available; all the good stuff had gone! Although, on reflection he admitted even the bad stuff looked better on Coruscant than it had done at Altagak. He grabbed a plate of whatever looked edible and joined his squadmates at the table.

[Mara 29]

Kaden smiled over at Aston and moved over his chair to make room as he joined them at the table. He hadn't seen much of his brief, former wingmate after they had returned from Ithyari.

[Chickenman 9]

Aeric walked in, grabbed what he hoped was some sort of on-the-go food in a packet, and strode over to the table. He didn't take a seat.

"Captain Fae?"

Edited July 1, 2008 by Chickenman

[Vergere 1]

"Yes?" Brier turned to face him.

[Andy 60]

"Morning," Aston greeted Kaden while trying hard to keep a grin off his face, "so I hear you had a good workout in the sims..."

[Chickenman 9]

"Is the ship prepped and ready to go?"

[Vergere 1]

"Yes... we had it taken care of overnight." Brier glanced at Zak, who nodded. She looked back at Aeric.

[Chickenman 9]

Aeric nodded. "Excellent. I'm going to start loading gear and such." He turned to the squadron. "The rest of you have a good breakfast. Don't take forever though. I want everyone in the hangar at 0800." He tore the top off of the food packet. "Aston, as you know, you'll be flying with Arlan and Tak in Tak's ship. Jaim, you're ferrying Jya. Everyone else on Brier's ship. "Again, have a good breakfast." He looked down into the packet. "And don't anyone try this stuff." With that, he was gone.

[Ender 8]

Jaim grimaced. "Oh, please don't, Nima. I had enough of intoxicating liquids and pretty women last night, thank you."

He then glanced around at his tablemates once Captain Tunon had left. "Well, who wants to lay creds on how many dirty looks I'm gonna get from Arlan before I fly off with Jya?"

[Vergere 1]

"And with that, ladies and gentlemen, I think Zak and I are going to head back to the ship as well to make sure everything goes smoothly." Brier nodded and stood, as did Zak, and they took their trays to the garbage before heading to their vessel to do a last minute check on it.

[Drake 53]

When Takeshi reached the hangar floor, he stopped, turned around and waited for the droids to line up in front of him. "Okay," he said. "Proceed to droid processing on level 47. You'll be dispatched from there."

The group of astromech tweedled almost in unison and set out toward a nearby droid access port. Tak's droid, Sixxa, paused in front of him then made a warbling noise as it rocked back and forth on it's legs.

Tak smiled and patted Sixxa's dome. "I'll miss you too, buddy. See you when I come back. Keep Layla's astro company, too."

Sixxa whistled cheerfully to itself as it trundled after the rest of the droids.

He watched them go for a couple seconds before turning his attention back to the transport. He went back up into the cargo hold and found the shipping container labelled PERSONAL - LT. TAKESHI BESKAR. He also found the container belonging to Layla. He loaded both onto a spare hoversled then set it to follow him down the ramp.

"Where are you going with those?" asked the shipping master.

Takeshi dug out his ID card and handed it to the man. "Just saving you the extra trip."

The man nodded then handed the ID back. He stooped down and used a handheld device to scan the barcodes on the sides of the cargo. Next, he tapped a few commands into his datapad. "Alright. That cargo has been cleared from the manifest. Just make sure you get that hoversled back to me. It's a pain having to wait for the system to requisition me a new one."

"You got it," said Tak, already walking away, sled following at his feet.

***

Once back in his room, Takeshi opened up his container. He dug out his utility belt and fastened it around his waist, then grabbed some spare blaster packs. He also fished out a backpack which he tossed on the bed. Next, Tak opened Layla's container. He grabbed a change of her clothes, a weapon or two, and her bag of tricks. He stuffed them all into the backpack.

He barely noticed the small droid climb it's way out from beneath his clothes.

"Finally," it said, causing Tak to turn his head in light surprise. "I thought that I would have to claw my way out."

"Teroch," said Takeshi. "Long time, no see. Where have you been hiding?"

"Aside from in here?" said the spider-like droid. "Well, I was around during the attack on the base. I ran into some mercenaries that were on their way to the computer core. I melted their faces."

Tak nodded. "With your acid spray?"

"Yeah."

"Are you going to come along on this mission?" Tak asked.

The droid tilted it's head. "And that mission would be...? I've kind of been stuck in this box."

"We're going on a rescue mission to Corellia to save Layla."

"Ah yes, your girlfriend," said the droid. Then, with a hint of sarcasm, "And here I thought the New Republic didn't make it a habit of saving their lesser pawns."

Tak frowned. "They don't. However, brass decided it was high time to take down Archaic...the ones who captured Layla."

Teroch skittered out of the crate and onto the floor. "Luckily for you, the NR went with that plan...otherwise they would never have sanctioned a rescue."

"I would have gone on alone," Tak said, conviction in his voice.

"Of course," said the droid. "We Mandos never leave a man...or woman behind."

"So will you come then?"

The droid started out the door. "I might," he said, as the door closed behind him.

Takeshi shook his head. He closed up the two containers then grabbed the pack full of Layla's things and left the room. On the way to his ship, Tak sent a message to the rest of the squadron informing them that their personal belongings from the base were being sent back to their rooms.

[Chickenman 9]

Aeric must have been walking slow, wrapped up in his thoughts, as Brier and Zak caught up with him on his way to the hangar.

"Oh. Hi guys."

Edited July 1, 2008 by Chickenman

[Vergere 1]

Brier smiled faintly and slowed to talk to Aeric as Zak headed on into the ship. "Hey... Everything okay?"

[Chickenman 9]

"What? Yeah. I suppose." He frowned. "Usually I'm worried about losing pilots before a mission. But this one's a little different. We're starting off down a pilot. That pilot could already be dead. If not, she could be tortured or disfigured, or any other atrocity. And even if we do save her, what if I lose other pilots? What if I lose two or three or four or more pilots, all to save one? Or even if I lose one? Is an Atuarre worth a Layla? Is an Arlan? Is a Nima? Hell, is a Jaim?"

He looked up. "Sorry. Guess I just needed to get that off my chest.

[Vergere 1]

Brier nodded and motioned that they keep heading to the ship. "Don't apologize. It's perfectly fine." She clasped her hands behind her back as they resumed heading to the ship, Brier slowing to the same pace Aeric had been at. She sighed. "It's hard. It always is." She looked over at him from the corner of her eye. "What do you think? Is it worth losing one to save another? Two or three to save one? Regardless to who they are." She looked over at him a bit more. "Gut feeling."

[Chickenman 9]

"It's a dilemma in the strictest sense of the word. Your house is burning down, do you save the twin with the bedroom on one side of the house, or do you save the twin in the bedroom on the other side of the house? What do you choose as the father, or mother? Is one pilot worth two or more? No. Is one pilot worth another pilot? No. I don't think so."

[Vergere 1]

Brier nodded slowly. "So then how do you feel about sending in your entire squadron to save one person that was purposefully singled out to be kidnapped, and not someone who had absolutely nothing to do with this?"

[Chickenman 9]

"I don't know. It's a question of ethics versus doing what's right. I know they're supposed to be the same. But ethically, I shouldn't be risking a dozen people to save one who might already be dead. On the other hand, it's the right thing to do."

[Vergere 1]

"So which is more important? The right thing to do, or the ethical thing to do?"