Ask Coruscant Good Intentions: The Ghost Leak

[Corran Velt]

Senator Soygun York's office was imbedded deep within the towering edifice of an office building across the street from the Senate. The skyscraper practically shared a courtyard with its more public and prestigious neighbor. Despite the morning being sunny and clear of clouds, Lieutenant Velt couldn't shake the feeling that a shadow was cast over him. In his hand was a datapad containing their orders and all the court documents and subpoenas any law enforcement officer could need for an investigation. Having the Prime Minister of the Free Worlds Alliance at least distantly connected to the case helped. Two blasters, holstered and secure, hung from the blond ranger's hips as a means of defense. He always carried ever since the fall of Sector Ranger headquarters. Corran was dressed in more than his usual exactness. His jacket was secured up the collar, shirt tucked in finely to his pants, and pant-legs finely pressed and tucked into his polished boots. Not a crease in sight. He looked more cadet than Sector Ranger. Only his blond hair remained rebellious, despite immense efforts to tame it today.

All this effort was an attempt to prepare for possibly the most auspicious moment of his career. Meeting Lieutenant Trys Aran. The Sith Hunter. A living legend among mortals. Even capable of coming back from the dead. When the order came down that he would be working with his long-time hero, Corran was both elated and fearful. He didn't even know she had returned. What was she like? What had happened to her? Would she think the blond ranger was incompetent? What if he was incompetent? Could she teach him all the things that made her invincible? All this internal fretting unintentionally helped pass the time. He had arrived much earlier to be ready to greet Trys.

So, Corran would wait outside the lobby of the tall office tower, glancing through the notes and information on his datapad absentmindedly. Blue eyes would occasionally glance upward. He didn't want to be caught off-guard when she arrived. In fact, when Trys did arrive within a socially appropriate distance, Lieutenant Velt would snap a rigid salute and say, "Lieutenant Aran. It is a pleasure to work with you, ma'am." The salute was probably unnecessary considering they were off the same rank. But he didn't think they were the same. She was better. The best, even. But anything short of that disciplined greeting would have been a muddled, bashful 'hello' that might as well have asked for an autograph. It wasn't the time for such things. They had evidence to collect.

@Sreeya

 

[Trys Aran]

The revving of engines could be heard as a speeder bike zoomed into view (BUT STILL UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT). Without having a speeder to worry about, it could be parked easily along the street directly in front of the building (NOT BY A FIRE HYDRANT). Trys smoothly cut in between two parked speeders (LEGALLY), switching off the bike. She took her helmet off, chaining it to the bike as she swung a leg over to stand.

She generally wasn’t in the habit of wearing her uniform for non-combat gigs, but her badge was visible at all times. Trys was adorned in a white shirt, a black leather jacket and form fitting pants that tucked into boots. She had sunglasses on, her ears sporting a few studs along the length of them.

Trys walked towards her partner for this mission, staring blankly as the man quickly saluted. She briefly considered him, the eyes and the hair triggering memories. She knew he had met him before, but she despised how fuzzy her mind was. Trys decided she needed to start all over again, especially since the man already looked slightly flustered for some reason.

“Lieutenant Velt, likewise,” She said as she reached within the folds of her jacket, revealing the heavy blaster that was there, “Mind if I have a smoke?” Trys asked, waiting for his answer before she would draw out a cigarra. She knew she wouldn’t be able to smoke the entire time they were inside and she wanted to get it out of the way now.

“I remember you but I don’t believe we’ve worked together,” She said, smiling apologetically in case she got that fact wrong. He would have been briefed that her memory was slightly fuzzy. It was part of why she willingly chose low key assignments over her usual aggressive Sith hunting missions.

“So you got any theories on this?” He seemed the type to analyze every last detail and have a brief ready to go. She decided she could spare herself some extra reading.

@TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

There was no denying the two Sector Rangers were visibly different in nearly every way. Trys was much more casual in attire and Corran noticed a certain aura of street toughness about her. Maybe it was just the studs and sunglasses. Despite being a few inches shorter, the woman felt towering and powerful. So powerful in fact that the man couldn't deny her request to partake of a cig. "No, go ahead." Normally he would have refused sternly. He disliked the unhealthiness of smoking. But something about being in the shadow of the Trys Aran forced him to be more agreeable. "Just smoke in the designated smoking area, please," Corran gestured to a nearby bench with a small depository for used cigs. Well, somewhat agreeable.

Reports of the legendary ranger's memory having faded must have been exaggerated. She claimed to recall him, but they had only been in the same place once before. "Oh, it was years ago, I'm sure. An off-the-clock meet with many rangers," Lt. Velt replied with some subdued shyness. If being in the same bar counted as 'meeting.' Right after the Corellia Station massacre. He had gotten riled up after one cup of alcohol and spoke too fiercely. Corran had changed a lot since then, thankfully. Mostly from hard experiences. Like the razor-thin scar that ran diagonally across the man's nose and clipped the corner of his eyebrow. A reminder of an enemy Trys had defeated and he had not.

Despite that legendary status, the Sith Hunter had already surprised him a great deal. Corran had expected her to be immediately commanding and no-nonsense but she seemed... polite. Nice even. Her apologetic smile was disarming in a way he wasn't prepared for. The young man was innocently staring at her when Trys requested his opinions on the case. Lieutentant Velt quickly cleared his through and lifted his datapad, part-shield and part-notes, to review his own findings. "Given the timeline between the closed session discussion of Senate policy and the leak of the information, Senator York would not have had much time to send the information very far." Corran craned his neck to look upward at the office building. "That means the leak had to be transmitted over a short distance either by digital message over the holonet or vocally to a staffer or aide to leak to the media on his behalf." He lowered his gaze back to Trys, but quickly hid behind the datapad once more. "We'll have to explore both possibilities. Find evidence of a digital hand-off or a vocal one by witness admission or discovery."

With routine precision, Lieutenant Velt rested the datapad against his hip and his other arm went straight as a board. It was an attentive rest as he waited for Trys to digest those thoughts and finish her cig. He dared not rush her, but nevertheless, he offered the next step, "The office in question is on the 16th level. Ready to proceed, Lieutenant Aran."

@Sreeya

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys gave him an amused look as she walked over to the designated area to have her smoke. This also meant that he had to walk along with her to prevent shouting across from several feet away. She parsed through his analysis as she puffed on the cigarra, smoke billowing from her nostrils as she watched the speeders zoom by for a while.

“Did we clear the media outlet itself?” Trys asked as she finished off the cigarra and properly disposed of it. She turned to glance at Corran, “The footage that came from the supposed leak was complete with a political analyst breaking it down and translating what the proposal meant and the implications. That’s some very quick analyzing on live data coming in, don’t you think?”

What if the deal had been done with an interview exclusive for a bribe with that specific news channel? She chewed on the thought for a while as she stepped into the building and the lobby. Trys knew that information would be difficult to get after the fact - If York planned to do the leak, he would have ensured that his tracks were covered. The two Rangers had to present their badges and a warrant before they could proceed further.

Trys stepped into the repulsorlift, putting her and Corran in close proximity. She couldn’t help but notice the man was oddly nervous around her. She cast him a sideways glance, quirking an eyebrow, “You all right, man?” Had she done him wrong and simply couldn’t remember?

@TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

Corran chewed the inside of his cheek in thought as the pair of rangers made their way into the office ground floor lobby. The Media. He hadn't considered that angle. It seemed plausible on the face of it, but some holes remained. "But what's the motive for leaking his own policy like that?" Lieutenant Velt mused aloud, not particularly looking for a reply. Soygun York would have needed to find a friendly source, write the plan ahead of time, and then assume negative blowback. All plausible, but why? It got him detained. Was it to drum up support of common voters? Antagonize neutral planets? Politics wasn't the man's strong suite. Investigations was more his thing. Stopping at the repulsorlift doors and pressing the button to summon it, Corran finally just shrugged. "If it was pre-planned, we still might be able to find records of that plan in the Senator's office. At least notes of what to do." Something like that wouldn't go undiscussed.

After the pair boarded the elevator, the blond ranger tucked his hands behind his back in a parade-rest stance and kept his head up. In the awkward silence (well, it felt awkward to him), he felt the urge to glance at Trys out of the corner of his eye but refused to give in. That self-restraint went unrewarded as she still asked after him. Corran did a double-take at Trys before lowering his eyes to the floor, "Me? Y-yeah. I'm fine." It wouldn't take a seasoned cop to see that was a lame cover. Momma Velt always said honesty was the best policy. The young man took a shallow breath and relented to his instincts, "It's just... you don't get to meet your heroes every day."

Ding.

The repulsorlift doors slid open with a shhhhh and a woman greeted them from behind a modern-style desk. "Hello there, how can I help you today?" Corran took no time being the first one out of the elevator and flashed his badge as he neared the counter. "Hi. I'm Lieutenant Velt and this is Lieutenant Aran." He gestured to his current partner with an open palm. The cordial demeanor of the receptionist began to slip away into confusion or concern. "We are going to need access to... everything." Corran presented the datapad in his hand that offered the first of many, many subpoenas and court documents.

@Sreeya

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys answered almost immediately when he asked about the motive, “It wouldn’t have come out otherwise. It was a closed door meeting, so only the final vote would have come out. The Senators likely would never have voted for York’s proposal. A leak gets it out and lets the smaller planets see him as some sort of martyr that attempted to fight for them,” It was a crazy plan, but she could see how it had its appeal. And now that York was dragged away kicking and screaming, it only cemented his appearance as some sort of hero of the people.

The elevator ride was all right until Corran spoke again. When he did, she fully turned to look at him, eyes widening. Before she could process what he said, the doors opened and she looked forward again. Her face was blank, shifting attention back to the task at hand.

The woman behind the desk looked flustered after Corran showed the documents. She couldn’t really deny anything, so she stepped out from behind her desk and led the way, “Right this way to Senator York’s office,” She said leading to a large corner office, “His aides usually sit at the open desks near there.”

Trys took in sight of everything, catching a few workers staring at them both. It was clear that tensions were high, and a few people were whispering amongst themselves. She had a bad feeling about this, and she leaned in to quietly mutter to Corran, “We need to split up. They’re going to try and pull a fast one,” She could already see some of the people beginning to move or look as if they suddenly had to go on lunch break.

@TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

Senator Soygun York as a martyr? Come to think of it, the politician had practically egged on Corran's detachment to physically detain him for all the galaxy to witness. He had shown restraint then, opting to escort the Senator out of the halls of power and to be booked at the station rather than perp-walk him out. Not out of clever political cunning though. More with an eye towards history. How democracy lived or died based on respected traditions. The blond ranger was momentarily thankful that he had read a trove of history texts throughout his life.

Power-play schemes aside, the two rangers needed to find the truth. Evidence proving the guilt or innocence of Senator York possibly sat within reach on this floor. To the suggestion? Command? Order? Of splitting up, Corran nodded once in firm agreement. "Right. You take the Senator's office and I'll search out here. If you finish before me, rout back to provide support." Compared to the slightly anxious man in the repulsorlift, the blond ranger's countenance turned into the raw professional. Blue eyes focused; voice stoic and deep. Precise and clear.

Stepping forward to stand at the front of the open desks, Corran held his badge aloft for all to see. "Ladies and Gentlebeings, please take a seat. I'm Lieutenant Velt of the Sector Rangers." Those sitting remained so, one or two others that had stood up or turned to move froze in place. "We are here to review some data packets and documents, maybe conduct an interview or two. If all goes smoothly, we should be out of your hair shortly." The male ranger began walking slowly down the isle between the open desks, scanning from side to side as he spoke. Times like this, the scar on his face paid dividends. It made the clean-shaven younger man look more intimidating than he otherwise would. Corran's eyes settled on the standing aides who hadn't moved an inch. His gaze transformed into a withering stare. "We would appreciate your cooperation," he said aloud to everyone but more pointedly to those not at their desks, "Refusal could lead to charges of interfering with an investigation, destruction of evidence, or possibly being designated an accomplice. Bad marks on otherwise aspiring careers."

The standing aides returned to their seats. Either through implied threat or self-preservation, they decided it was best to not make a sudden move. With the immediate threat of misplaced loyalty purging all the servers dissuaded, Corran leaned over the nearest desk and asked for files or notes pertaining to the case. Collecting evidence from them all might take some time.

@Sreeya

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys nodded in response and went over to the senator’s office. Thankfully, this space was empty of people, though she worried it would also be empty of information. The desk was impeccably clean, and she opened up cabinets and drawers to look for details. The search wasn’t going too well as she only dug up mundane papers and notes.

She almost gave up when she noticed a sticky note attached to the side of a cabinet. The note had a date on it that was the same day of the leak, along with a name and phone number. It was vague, but it was good enough for a lead. Trys grabbed it and was about to make her way over.

Meanwhile, one of the aides that began to return to his seat positioned himself so his back was against a wall. He didn’t stick out whatsoever, but his hand came across the fire alarm. He casually pulled it and looked around shocked when everyone else did, completely hiding that he had done it.

The entire building had a loud alarm blaring, along with an intercom announcing that everyone needed to evacuate. Trys walked out of the senator’s office right as the commotion began. She cast a bemused look over at Corran, the sticky note still in her hand.

“The hell is going on?”

“Sir, you really need to let us leave!” One of the aides shouted at Corran as other parts of the building began to follow normal evac procedures.

@TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

Flashing lights rhythmically blinked and the alarm constantly rang in alert. Through the din, a stoic automated voice requested all personnel to vacate the premises and wait for emergency services to arrive. Corran had been leaning over the shoulder of an aide when the startling electronic warning began. He rose to his full height and quickly took stock of the situation. A few of the office-dwellers glanced around in wide-eyed uncertainty. Others had stood up. Trys was coming down the isle from Senator York's office.

Oh no.

Trys was approaching from Senator York's office. The whole investigation had been derailed by the interruption of a building emergency and she looked displeased to him. The male ranger opened his mouth to reply to Lieutenant Aran but the exclamation of a panicked civilian too precedence. As much as he wanted to keep all the possible witnesses (or accomplices) here, the rules could not be flouted. Corran raised one of his arms and spoke over the noise, "Ladies and Gentlebeings! Form a single file line and proceed to the stairwell, head down to the plaza and wait across the street! Leave all belongings behind!" He pointed to a man who tried to grab something from his desk, "Leave all personal belongings behind! No item is worth your life!" Senator York's staff did as they were told, some more eagerly than others, and began filing out of the office. Lieutenant Velt gestured them outward with an extended palm, as if guiding in a landing craft on a tarmac.

When the last person passed him, the blond man began swiveling his head frantically in a rapid search for anything that could pertain as evidence. A couple of hard-drives laid on the desk just across the isle. Without hesitation, Corran scooped them up and tucked them into his jacket pocket. With any luck, they might contain evidence of something.

Lieutenant Velt then strode up to his counterpart, leaning in slightly to talk loudly over the bellowing alarms, "Got what you came for, ma'am!? We should be evacuating with the civilians!"

@Sreeya

Spoiler

Flubbed it up

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys watched as the aides were filed out, though her thoughts were elsewhere. She was shaken out of those thoughts as Velt suddenly shouted in her face. She cast him an alarmed look for a brief moment before answering, “Yeah I got a name and number!” She shouted back, feeling silly, “Let’s evacuate!”

She followed behind him as they all filed out. Trys hadn’t missed Velt grabbing the evidence and putting it in his pocket. She could only hope that between her findings and his, they would be able to piece something together. The alarms made her ears hurt, and she still wasn’t convinced about the timing of all this. It was far too convenient.

The employees were all standing outside. Trys saw a few dip into the crowds and scuttle away. Her eyes narrowed as she walked over to a lady that looked like a supervisor, “Excuse me, what are your accountability drill practices?”

“Huh?”

“How are you keeping track of who is in or out of the building during a fire emergency?”

“Oh um.. We were just… caught off guard so we just-”

Trys sighed, "Fires don't generally give you ample warning, m'am. I'm going to be issuing a citation for building code violation."

She shook her head and walked back towards Velt.

“Our hopes of pinning this on a specific person probably just went up in flames,” Trys stated, entirely oblivious to the pun she just made in light of the emergency. She brought out the note she had found earlier, showing him the name and number, “Name mean anything to you? The comlink area code looks Corellian unfortunately.”

Going off planet sounded like a pain, but Trys would always see a job through.


@TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

Once safely outside, Lieutenant Velt ushered a few denizens across the street or further away from the building while Trys made her way to talk to someone else. Too many were standing around gossiping and gawking. Drills were intended to dissuade this kind of behavior. After all had been nudged to safe distances as mandated by standard emergency regulations dictated, Corran turned around to look at the towering offices. No smoke billowed from windows. Flames were no where to be seen. Everything looked as it should besides the flaring lights, buzzing, and automated voice over the speakers. The blond ranger rested one hand on his hip and scratched the back of his head with the other. If there was no damage to the building ongoing, that means someone pulled the alarm themselves. This was no drill either. Corran began scanning the nearby populous for possible culprits, but there was no way sure way to know. He could always get a manifest of employees later.

While scanning the crowd, the male Sector Ranger spied his current partner writing up a manager. If pride could manifest into fireworks, the Coruscant skyline would be lit for hours. There was no sight more incredible than Lieutenant Trys Aran, the Sith Hunter, taking the time to proper cite infractions despite the chaos. Wow. Corran was practically beaming until the female ranger approached. He wiped that smile off his face nigh immediately. Best to keep professionalism in check.

Her assessment of the situation was unfortunately accurate. The blond ranger could only nod slowly in agreement. Sometimes investigations don't go as expected, but this one was particularly important. Powerful people were in play and the Sector Rangers coming up short would certainly harm their reputation at the least. Hopefully those thumb-drives amounted to something. When Trys offered up her own discovery, Corran tilted his head at an angle to read. Along with avoiding standing too close to the beautiful and legendary woman. One wrong shoulder-bump and his teeth would be tasting pavement, he assumed.

"Laxran Yullus..." Lieutenant Velt read aloud, "Why does that sound familiar?" He looked upward for a moment, as if the answer would appear on his forehead. An idea must have revealed itself as the man lifted a finger and said, "One moment, Lieutenant." Corran fished out a datapad and began scrolling; his blue eyes moving about and searching the screen. After the Corellia Ranger Station massacre, he had actually spent a few months on the planet. Mostly administrative work given the... abrupt shortage of manpower following that disaster. Reading helped pass the time on a world where he didn't know a soul.

"Ah ha. Here it is." Tilting the datapad for Trys to see, an article titled 'CORONET CITY GARBAGE ROUTES - ARE THEY EFFECTIVE?' Just below the headline was the author. None other than Laxran Yullus of the Coronet City News. "They're a local reporter or something. Mostly doing small time stuff like high school sports or parades. Usually had a column next to the crossword puzzle. Not sure what they'd have to do with a Senator's office on Coruscant though."

@Sreeya

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys was already grumpy from having to write up a citation. As she walked back, the blond man had a shit eating grin on his face. She had already spotted him before he quickly stopped smiling, earning a quirked eyebrow from her. What was this guy’s deal? When she showed him the note, she expected to have to do some digging, but Velt apparently recalled the name.

She stared at him blankly as he asked why the name sounded familiar, “Maybe it was written on the bottle of a stool softener?” She suggested dryly, not one for vague speculation. Trys brought out a datapad to attempt looking the guy up, Velt apparently doing the same.

“Kriff it,” Trys said as she brought up her comlink, dialing the number on the sticky note. The comlink rang for a moment as she looked over at the datapad Velt brought up. Her eyes quickly scanned over the article, quite surprised that they were able to find a lead at all. The number finally went to voicemail and she clicked it off.

“All right, man, looks like we’re going to Corellia,” Trys looked up at Velt, “I don’t have a ship so unless you got one, we’re taking the public shuttle.”

She was already walking towards her speeder bike. Trys swung her leg over it, grabbed her helmet and looked up at the blond dude, "You comin' or what?"


@TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

As Corran tucked his personal datapad back into his pocket, his fellow ranger declared they were going off-world. "Corellia?" He asked with wide eyes and a raised eyebrow. Trys didn't answer his question as she was already marching away. The blond ranger jogged to catch up but frozen in his tracks just as he did so. She didn't have a ship. To get off-world they would need a ship. His ship. The place where he lived. Blood drained from his face. Storming another Outpost Blue would have been preferable to having his hero stay with him unprepared.

The stupefaction was shattered by Trys's sort-of-question-sort-of-command. Blue eyes gave the speeder bike a nervous look-over. He could simply take a taxi, like what he arrived here in, but what would the Sith Hunter think? Her opinion trumped all. Even reason. "Y-yes, Lieutenant Aran," Corran answered as he swung his leg over the back of the speeder, "We can take my ship. I'm a pilot. The Crimson Venture is docked not far from here." He looked down on either side of the bike looking for a set of handles or grips to hold onto. Nothing could be found. Then it hit him like a turbolaser. Trys. He'd have to wrap his arms around Trys Aran's waist. His heart didn't speak a beat. It stopped beating. Desperately, the young man tried to avoid the awkwardness with an earnest desire for safety. "Do you have a spare helmet? Or harness?" His voice sounded parched. No matter the outcome, an imperiled fan would be forced to cling to his idol all the way to his YT-1300. Both afraid and amazed.

----------------------------------------------------------

Coruscant to Corellia is a short hyperspace jump. This time felt like anything but. Lieutenant Velt had tried to spend most of his time at the helm. It was easier to be professional there. To look busy. But even then he couldn't escape the personal interactions made impossible to avoid by the Sith Hunter boarding his ship. Sure, she had her own cabin and refresher the whole stay, but everything else was out in the open. How obsessively clean the ship was despite its venerable age. The long wall of holo-books in the common area that ranged from historical treatises like Republic and Rebellion: How the Outer Rim Influences Galactic Governance to every conceivable book of laws he could possibly get his hands on. Sector Ranger rules and regulations were also prominently visible. All organized alphabetically. What he cooked for their meals. So few had ever boarded his ship and seen how he dwelled and now Trys Aran was one of them.

Corran shuddered at the thought of ever learning her opinion.

The Crimson Venture had set down in one of Coronet City's many spaceports in the mid-afternoon. Clouds blanketed the sky except for a few pockets that sunlight defiantly shone through. A variety of transportation options beckoned passersby to take advantage of their services. Lieutenant Velt looked up from his datapad to his fellow Sector Ranger. "Should we check Laxran Yullus's place of work first, ma'am?"


@Sreeya

 

[Trys Aran]

The journey had been rather uneventful. Trys wasn’t exactly the chatty type, but she had come out of her quarters a few times. Velt acted like he would vomit anytime she came around, so she took the hint to give him a wide berth. Trys had neither patience nor desire to inquire what mental or physical issues her mission partner had, so she focused instead on logging investigation details and sending it back to HQ.

She couldn’t deny that she was surprised at all the rulebooks that lined his ship. Trys picked one up to read through it only for nostalgic purposes as it had been given to her when she first became a Ranger. She had been so young back then and with a criminal record. Trys looked up from the book only when she could have sworn she heard Velt audibly squeak at seeing her read a rulebook. Trys promptly put the book aside as Corran quickly shuffled away as if he hadn’t been there.

At some point, both Rangers were notified of the York press release. Unfortunately, they were already in the process of landing and couldn’t exactly avoid it.

They touched down on the spaceport moments later and Trys unbuckled her seatbelt. The exit ramp was lowered and she was about to answer Corran’s question when a flood of reporters abruptly surrounded them. Trys sighed and rubbed her temples.

“Is it true that you both planted evidence?”

“Why did you pull the fire alarm, Mr. Velt?”

“Hey are you the Trys Aran? Did you fight a Sith?”

“Tell us why you searched the office without a warrant!”

"What are your opinions on the effectiveness of Coronet City garbage routes?"

@TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

A great throng of journalist, newspeople, and reporters rushed to pair of rangers almost as soon as their boots touched the platform pavement. Questions of every kind bombarded and accosted them. While Corran had been shy the entire flight to Corellia, seeing Trys rub her temples lit a protective courage in him. Not because it was her, but because anyone in discomfort was something he refused to ignore. Instinctively standing between Trys and the mass of reporters, Corran stuck out his hands to keep them at a distance. He'd never been in a situation where he had to reply to the press before. So he fell back on what he knew - what the regulations recommended.

"All I can comment on is that the investigation is on-going and all standards and ethics are being rigorously met." Someone bumped into him, but the lieutenant stood firm as a mountain. "If you have further questions, please see the comments delivered by Chief Hudson of the Sector Rangers. Thank you." With what the guidelines recommended spoken nearly verbatim, Corran began motioning for the crowd to make way for the officers. He motioned for Trys to follow right behind him. Plenty of "excuse me's" and "pardon us" along with great strides parted the sea of journalists. Many of them closed ranks behind the two Sector Rangers and pursued after them with ceaseless queries. Lieutenant Velt scanned about for an exit. Anything to get away from them and avoid a public incident. A brief ray of sunlight glinted off the hood of a speeder. He shifted his gaze and saw that it was a robo-taxi. One of those driven by an astromech.

Wasting no time, the blond man bade a beeline for it. He continued to ignore the questions bombarding them. There was no time for this circus. Once they neared the transport, Corran opened the door and offered Trys first entrance. It was the polite thing to do and the quickest. As long as she boarded, he would follow as well and slam the door behind him. Muffled questions and requests for interviews bounced harmlessly off the glass. The astromech rotated its head around and beeped a few times. "Where to? Anywhere but here," he groaned. Shrill beeps responded in protest. "Fine, fine. Coronet City News offices. Quickly, please." A high and low beep confirmed the order and the speed lifted from the ground and zoomed out into traffic.

The speeder ride seemed practically silent compared to horde they had just escaped. If Trys weren't here, Corran would have slouched and sighed in relief. Professionalism refused to surrender so easily though. Especially in front of the most famous ranger in the galaxy. He glanced out the window for a few moments; enough time to compose himself and swallow any embarrassment. "I'm sorry about that, Lieutenant Aran." The blond ranger chewed on the inside of his lip for a brief moment before glancing at her and then to his lap. "I'm sure that happens all the time to you. I had hoped to... avoid all that. For you."

@Sreeya

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys was still clutching her head by the time Corran stepped up to address the reporters. Seeing so many reporters and microphones in her face sent a flood of memories back. She saw glimpses of the Sith that had hunted her, the one that murdered Rangers on live Holonet. She remembered being in the medical bay after she had helped in his capture. She remembered going on Holonet to trigger all of that to begin with. Anxiety built up within her, and she felt sick to her stomach.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she quickly worked to collect herself, thankful that Corran had the situation handled. Trys barely kept it together enough to follow after him, body moving on autopilot as the sounds of the crowds blurred into the background. She slid into the transport, still reeling from earlier.

Unlike Corran, she did sigh in relief, shaking her head as her mind began to clear. Trys glanced over at him when he spoke, her eyes wide in surprise for a moment. However, that look quickly disappeared, replaced by her usual calm demeanor.

“Get used to it, Velt,” Trys said as she rolled down the window and reached for a cigarra to calm the nerves. She ensured that all the smoke escaped and none of it wafted towards him, though he would notice the slight tremble in her hand. Trys tilted her head towards the window, staring at the sights passing by, “Your name is on its way to becoming a household one.”

She was still shaken from the influx of memories. Curiously, whenever her memories took a downward spiral or the Eternal’s darkness began to creep in, glimpses of sunshine and green eyes popped in to yank her out of it. Trys shook her head, both thankful and irritated that the stupid tattooed Jedi still took up real estate in her mind.

After a while, they arrived at the office building. Trys forked over the credits for the cab, sliding out of it after Corran did. She looked around to see if any reporters were around before she took out her datapad and updated their investigation log. Trys finished smoking the cigarra and tossed it into a nearby bin, glancing up at the building.

“No warrants for this place, so we’ll have to ask questions till someone tells us to kark off,” She shrugged before she started walking.

@TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

He hadn't really expected a reply. Maybe a shrug, a nod, or a scoff. Trys was starting to seem the type. But what she said caused Corran to shake his head in surprised disbelief; his brow furrowed and mouth slightly open as his stare drilled into the back of the seat in front of him. A household name. His name. Jedi and Sith ending their feud seemed more likely. But... Trys Aran, a hero the galaxy over, had offered the possibly. Could she be wrong?

No. No. She must be joking. No crime family had been rounded up at his command. No Sith had fallen by his hand. Corran Velt wasn't special. Trys was just kidding. Relief flowed out of him in a long exhale. "Oh, I don't know about that, Lieutenant," the blond ranger said meekly before turning to face the Sith Slayer. What he witnessed next almost shocked him as much as her prediction about his career. A lit cigara pursed against the female ranger's lips. Smoke wafted outside through an open window with a casual puff. As polite as that was, the smell still drifted to him. Lieutenant Velt clenched his jaw like a vice so no ill-opinions fled his lips. He hated cigaras. They were a corruption. Reduced lung capacity. Cancers. Stained teeth. Everything cigaras touched became faded, prematurely aged, and brittle.

For the first time, the heroine of the Sector Rangers, the person Corran had idolized ever since the Sith terrors began, had a flaw. The veneer of perfection dimmed only but a little. Trys Aran was mortal. Like every day people. He wasn't sure if that made him feel better or worse. As sky-blue eyes stared at the cigara, something subtle was noticed. Only barely. Her hand trembled. The young man's stiff jaw loosened in empathy before slowly turning his head away, as if to respect her privacy. It seems she was not only mortal but also very... human too.

The Coronet City News building was less grand that one would have suspected. No towering, rotating globe. No artistic fountains. Just a few large transmitter antenna atop a long three-story building. Only the large holo-letters displayed across the ground floor entrance indicated anything unique about it. Lieutenant Velt put his hands on his hips and glanced around the grounds as Trys updated the log. Good. Documentation was more critical than ever - especially if the press were being used as a cudgel by those under investigation.

"Affirmative, Lieutenant," Corran replied stoically. It was to be expected. They were off-world and out of the original court's jurisdiction. Sector Rangers have a long heritage of making due and getting by. This would be no different. He hoped there was enough charisma between the two of them to make some headway. That or a law-abiding citizen or two willing to lend a hand.

Inside the lobby sat a white and grey desk with a male Twi'lek typing away. No one else was around. Fitting for a workday as journalists were out in the field or at their desks on the higher floors trying to meet deadlines. "How can I help you?" The Twi'lek asked politely. Corran tapped the badge on his chest, "I'm Lieutenant Velt and this is Lieutenant Aran." He introduced her with an open hand in her direction. "We'd like to speak to Laxran Yullus, if we could please. Are they in?"

@Sreeya

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys caught the twi’lek glance her way and then back to Velt. He immediately looked uncomfortable and looked around. For a moment, it appeared as if he wouldn’t say anything at all. Moments ticked by.

“Hey,” Trys said, her tone softer than usual, “You won’t get into any kind of trouble. We just wanted to verify something we read on an article for logistics.”

The man looked slightly more relieved, but the tenseness didn’t fade entirely. He finally sighed, “Laxran has been missing for several days. We’ve tried contacting his family, but no one has seen him. There should be a missing person’s report filed by now. I’m...not really supposed to talk about it.”

The twi’lek glanced around uncomfortably again. Trys had to keep from uttering an expletive. They didn’t have any warrants this time and they couldn’t do any snooping. On top of that, this entire thing looked even more sketch. Was Laxran on the run? Or did something happen to him? She thought for a moment before looking at the receptionist again.

“One more question,” Trys thought over her words carefully, “Does this media group work with diplomats or political figures a lot?”

@TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

The curt and gruff Sith Slayer was surprisingly gentle with the civilian. Likely years of experience on coaxing information out of people without the option of force. Honey attracts better than sour or something folksy like that. What news Trys had fished out of the receptionist wasn't good. Laxran had disappeared seemingly without a trace. Work didn't know their whereabouts. Family didn't know either. Scenarios began to form in Corran's investigative mind. Most dramatic options were kidnapping, murdered, or running away from the law. More mundane ones were slipping away for a secret romantic getaway or writer's retreat. Without additional evidence, determining out of those was the most likely was flipping a credit chit.

Another thing seemed to bother Corran too. The way the Twi'lek nervously looked about. He was so far helpful, but why was this disappearance so important to remain under wraps? Laxran Yullus was a small time reporter. Or so it seemed. Lieutenant Aran's follow-up question was clearly one the receptionist felt more comfortable answering. "Oh yes! CCN always follows local and galactic news story. We pride ourselves on getting the scoop directly from the source." It sounded more like a company slogan than a real answer. Nuggets of information could be chiseled out though. Lieutenant Velt raised his hand casually as if asking a question at school. "Have you been covering all the major political events recently? So much has happened with the Galactic Senate, formation of new governments..."

That trailing question dimmed the Twi'lek once more. He slumped his shoulders and looked over his shoulder. "We have had to assign stories to journalists who normally wouldn't tackle such big news. Stars, we had our local sports crew trying to get the full specs on Emryc Thorne's first ISC agenda." As if attempting to recover the networks image, the receptionist perked up once more and proudly declared, "But we do whatever it takes to get right to the source! That's how CCN keeps its edge our readers want." Corran cast Trys a sideways glance. If she caught it, she'd likely recognize the subtle message barely hidden in the gaze. Laxran might actually have been reporting on Senate news despite being a relative small fry. But what had they found or gotten mixed up in?

Once Trys had finished up any final questions, her more rigid partner would enter his name and contact info onto the desk's check-in terminal. "Thank you for your help. Give us a call if Laxran returns to work. We'd appreciate it." Corran turned to walk away but paused to point back at the Twi'lek, "For the article on logistics."

@Sreeya

 

[Trys Aran]

Trys walked out of the building with Velt after that, no closer to their objective than when they arrived. She sighed once they were away from the doors. Both of their datapads would beep with alerts about a new Holonet broadcast that came up. Trys watched it, the feed about another Senator coming clean about leaking to the press.

Trys paced around a little, frustration beginning to seep into her face as she finished watching. She had worked on putting together a steadfast resolve in all her years of working as a Ranger. However, the incident with the Eternal had set her back quite a bit so more of her walls were down than usual.

“We’re right back to kriffing square one,” She said, unable to keep the frustration from her tone. Trys turned her head to look at Velt, “Rangers are being dragged through the mud, people in the galaxy are dying and we’re here doing kriffing bullshit like chasing down some Senator that leaked some bantha shit to the press.”

She shook her head, walking over to sit down on a curb. Trys placed her elbows on her knees, drawing out another cigarra. She placed it between her lips and drew in smoke. She exhaled slowly and spoke without looking at him.

“I ain’t some sort of hero, Velt, so let me clear those illusions right now,” Trys said flatly without looking at him, “The heroes are the people out there fighting and risking their lives every day. I thought that was me, but I got karked up just as easily. And it’ll keep happening until we know how to face off against the real threats out there like the Sith.”

@TerranSteel