[fic/rp] across the galaxy

[morally_cryptic]

[ooc: Just prompted by a little mental image of Anakin "stargazing" that popped to mind earlier.]

On Coruscant, it was impossible to see the stars, even if one was looking out from the Council room at the top of the Jedi Temple. An unfortunate side effect of so much light from so many buildings and various forms of transport speeding around the airways. Not to mention that there was simply so much starship traffic, one likely wouldn't be able to tell the lights of ships from the field of stars behind them anyway.

Anakin had discovered this unfortunate fact not long after he came to live at the Jedi temple. He'd thought that, surely, so close to the center of the galaxy, the sky would be full of stars to see that he'd never been able to see before on Tatooine. Instead it turned out that perhaps the only thing that was better about Tatooine than Coruscant was that the desert planet was so sparsely inhabited and that the skies were so clear. Even out on the Rim, the sky was full of stars and the spiral arm of the galaxy could be clearly seen arcing across it.

He didn't try to watch the night sky on Coruscant anymore, but he still kept up the habit of at least looking for a moment whenever he found himself on a new planet. At the center of the Republic, however, he has to content himself with substitutes.

Which is why he can be found in an empty classroom surrounded by a holographic rendering of the galaxy. He's been spending all afternoon, so far, carefully marking off different star systems in various designated colors. Technically the entire exercise could be done by a computer but that wasn't Anakin's purpose in doing it. It requires concentration, but it doesn't require him to spend much effort in actually thinking so the whole activity is almost meditative.

The first batch of colored systems is simple: yellow for those that Anakin has already been to. Naboo might possibly be a subtly brighter yellow than all the rest, as if he'd lingered on that one for a moment longer than the others. He'd once told Qui-Gon he was going to see them all and certainly he had a better start on most other inhabitants of the galaxy, but it was still extraordinarily minute compared to the sheer number of systems represented on the map.

The second batch are green, signifying systems where battles of the Clone War have been fought and the Republic retained (or gained) control. Another group are blue, for the Separatist-won battles.

And finally, there's a sprinkling of red dots across the galaxy, mostly concentrated Rimward, and these are for those systems where battles are currently raging. Places he should be where he could be doing some good and making a difference. Staring at those flashes of red, it was almost enough to have him just commandeering a starfighter and heading out somewhere...anywhere. After making sure orders somehow just happened to make it through the system so that Rex and the 501st would be meeting him, of course.

But it wasn't, quite, enough. Contrary to some people's beliefs, he did have enough self-awareness to recognize that any action along those lines would likely not end well. That didn't mean he didn't still feel the temptation and it's that thought that has him swiping a hand through the starfield and systematically clearing everything out again until only dots of yellow remain on the map. He stares at those longest before they're wiped clean as well.

Comments

Seeing as how you added RP to the FIC tag...

[master_obiwan]

At some point after Anakin clears away the colour coding, but before he shuts the hologram down completely, Obi-Wan is there at the doorway. He knows that Anakin knows he's there, but still, it's rare for him to get a chance to simply observe his friend while he's occupied with something else, so he says nothing.

No need to ruin the moment of serenity, after all.

I may have done that on purpose...

[morally_cryptic]

Of course Anakin senses Obi-Wan's presence, but if the older man seems content to wait, he isn't in any hurry to finish here. His former master doesn't feel expectant, after all...just present.

But it's not too long before he finally shuts the hologram down and turns to regard Obi-Wan. "Please tell me we have a mission."

Making something up. Take it and run with it as you will.

[master_obiwan]

Obi-Wan would have classified the tone of Anakin's question as carrying a plaintive note had it been anyone else asking besides Anakin. The frustration at being bound to the Temple coiled behind the words is more what Obi-Wan picks up on, and he smiles wryly.

"We have a mission." A beat. "If you call investigating strange disappearances a mission, that is."

o7

[morally_cryptic]

It's truly amazing how quickly the swift peak of interest suddenly drops into something resembling disappointment and certainly Obi-Wan can sense it as easily as he hears the frustration in Anakin's tone.

Still, at least it's something so there's still curiosity to be satisfied, "strange disappearances?"

[master_obiwan]

Obi-Wan does pick up on the momentary excitement and the resulting depression in Anankin, and he offers a look of apology for not having something better to give him.

"The planet Taris is a member of the Council of Neutral Systems," he replies. "Not very exciting, save for the fact that ships traveling to the planet have begun to go missing. The reports come from the planet itself; expected arrivals never actually arrive, and those sent to investigate find nothing. Now, it is entirely possible that these ships simply change course and go elsewhere, but the Tarisian government has a check-point system set into place to ensure that all incoming ships are not in violation of their neutrality."

Obi-Wan enters the room and reactivates the hologram of the galaxy. As he picks out Taris from the stars, he adds, "That is to say, no warships or those looking to cause trouble from either the Republic or the Separatists allowed."

When the Taris system is in place around him, Obi-Wan puts in several way-points that form four concentric circles around Taris, with the inner-most circle being about 150 million kilometers away from the planet, and the largest almost four times that.

"Each check point is serviced by space stations that move location in accordance with the current hyper-lanes available. Once a ship is beyond the first check point, there are sensors that keep track of it to ensure it's compliance with the assigned route through to the planet; recently, ships that make it beyond the third check-point don't always make it to the fourth, and those that make it to the fourth don't always make it to the planet."

[morally_cryptic]

Anakin frowns in thought as he watches Obi-Wan explain the situation. Sometimes, he thinks, it's a little funny that systems that want to stay neutral still end up asking the Republic for help though they can't take sides, of course. But now probably isn't the time to bring up Mandalore. Still, it's something that he finds rather irritating, to say the least. Then again, at least in this case, perhaps they'd change their minds about the Republic if they receive Jedi help. There was that, at least.

"So they're effectively being blockaded by something they can't explain?"

Wonderful.

[master_obiwan]

"In a manner of speaking, yes," Obi-Wan confirms. "The request for aid was given directly to the Jedi Council from the Leader of the Neutral Systems; it will be a covert investigation until it is deemed that a military solution will be necessary."

In other words, proof of Separatist involvement needs to be confirmed before a formal request for aid can be made to the Republic.

[morally_cryptic]

They know each other well enough that Anakin can hear what's not actually being said so he just nods thoughtfully and stares at the hologram of the system some more. "So what rust bucket are we flying out there?"

Covert does imply they aren't taking Jedi starfighters, after all.

[master_obiwan]

"Procuring transportation would be your department," he replies. "And the Temple quartermaster will provide us with appropriate attire. Our cover story will be finalized once we've had a chance to analyze the data provided to us from the Tarisian government regarding the types of craft that have been most affected by this."

[morally_cryptic]

"One disreputable freighter coming up," Anakin says with an easy grin. Though quite likely with a few modifications under the metaphorical hood. After all, they might have to get moving in a hurry.

He looks up from the hologram to raise his eyebrows, "so what did you think of our guest?"

[I don't remember which thread started first but I'm pretending the thread Anakin currently also has going on with Dia where she's talking about her convo w/ Obi happened before this one.]

[master_obiwan]

"One that's not falling completely apart this time, okay?" It's a humble request.

Ah, yes. Their guest. "She's very confused. Eager to please, but more because she's bored and she knows that the only way to have the Jedi aid her in alleviating that boredom is by getting us to trust her." He shrugs. "She's civil, but so is Ventress, when the mood strikes her. We'll see how things go."



[Okies :) and Obi's sad that Anakin didn't think of the Temple Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies^TM during the dessert convo. Unless he's never had them and they are still a legend for him.]

[morally_cryptic]

Anakin sighs, "it was one time!" And he didn't exactly have much to choose from.

Then he smiles a little crookedly, "you only say that because she likes you more than me." Ventress, that is, not Dia'ndria. Not that Ventress seemed to actually like anyone. Ever. "I only hope Dooku doesn't get wind of her." Now he's back to Dia.

[master_obiwan]

"Let's keep it that way, hm?" Obi-Wan softens the comment with a teasing grin.

"I can't imagine why she does," he says, making a face, referring to Ventress. "And Dooku finding out about her," Dia, "would be bad, yes. I warned her that she was vulnerable to manipulation from the Dark Side; we'll see how much she takes the warning to heart."

Was going to make a new post but then I got lazy

[morally_cryptic]

They'd gotten settled in well enough and granted enough freedom that no one looked too askance at them if they were walking around without escort.

Anakin had thought they might actually be asked to do the job they'd signed on for, but apparently there was little need for that service yet. Either that or someone didn't trust them with such things yet. Or Kista thought they'd do better at doing their real job by staying here. Which wasn't necessarily wrong.

That said, it did seem things around the place were growing steadily more tense, more people and things arriving but nothing really seeming to go back out again.

For his part, Anakin was growing increasingly convinced if anyone there was tipping off the Separatists it was Malco, Jade's right hand man. He was definitely in the position to do so and of the few things he'd actually heard the man say, a good chunk of it certainly seemed to echo Separatist rhetoric. Coincidence? Perhaps. But that's not what Anakin's gut said.

Sitting down beside Obi-Wan in the caf area, Anakin raised his eyebrows, "is it just me or is this place starting to feel a little like a ticking detonator?"

Then disregard my last email ;)

[master_obiwan]

Obi-Wan was a little surprised that they'd been so readily accepted on such short notice; whether Kista had managed to convince Jade, and anyone else in charge, that the Jedi-pretending-to-be-merchants were trustworthy, or that these people were really that desperate for transports and pilots played a contributing factor to that acceptance remained to be seen.

For the most part, Obi-Wan tried to read between the lines, looking as much at what Kista didn't tell them as much as anything. And unfortunately, what he was able to see seemed to support Anakin's instincts on the situation.

So when Anakin asks his question, it's only a cursory glance at the people around them that's needed for Obi-Wan to agree. "From what I can gather from the whispered rumours, word is getting around about possible trouble."

And by that he means that Kista's secret misgivings about the Separatists were no longer secret. Or, at lest not as secret as he'd like them to be at this stage of the game.

[morally_cryptic]

"All it's going to take," he mutters, "is for the wrong person to get the wrong idea or for something bad to happen," or both, "and fingers are going to start being pointed."

And blasters, most likely.

[master_obiwan]

"Any ideas on who this wrong person is, yet?" Because his own list is a little too long, and he'd really like to narrow it down by cross-reference.

He's keeping a wary eye on those gathered, making note of who's present and who's not, and how many of those are on that list.

[morally_cryptic]

Anakin nods in the general direction of Jade, being shadowed by Malco. "Him," and then another nod to a small cluster of merchants from the same ship who'd been there "helping" for some time, "them," and one more at an older Tarisian woman who seemed to be involved in various technical operations for the group, "her."

"How about you?"

[master_obiwan]

"Add them," a nod to the dynamic duo that served as their guards, "and him." this last was a communications specialist, that worked with the tech-op Anakin had pointed out.

[morally_cryptic]

"You really think they're smart enough," he means the guards, "for something like this?"

Looks could be deceiving, sure, but that would be some serious deception, he thought.

[master_obiwan]

"No," Obi-Wan admits. "But I believe that fear of one's master can be easily overcome with promises of vengeance. I think Malco's capable of making that promise, and those two have some modicum of fear of both Jade and Kista."

[morally_cryptic]

Anakin makes a thoughtful sound of agreement as he flashes a look over the guards again.

"Wonder what the ladies have on them." Because, despite how capable both Jade and Kista appeared to be, Anakin highly doubted it was fear of what they could do to the guards physically.

But it might be worth knowing their motivation if they were indeed involved.

[master_obiwan]

"I haven't the faintest idea. We'll have to ask Kista the next time we get a chance. Otherwise, I think we need to find a way into the comm center on our own. I would very much like to see what calls have been going out, and who's been calling in."

[morally_cryptic]

"Too bad we don't have Artoo." But there hadn't been a compelling enough reason to bring the droid under their cover story and no reason to think that they'd need the astromech unit's services anyway. So they'd have to get into the comm center on their own merits. "You don't happen to be feeling particularly homesick for Thyferra, do you?"

Not that it would make the powers that be more likely to let them actually use their comms, but it might be excuse enough for why they were trying to get in there. "I don't know that they'd believe I have a new wife with a baby on the way I'm worrying over every night," he says, wryly. "But you have more practice being a father." So to speak.

[master_obiwan]

It takes several moments for Anakin's words to sink in. Once they do, the Jedi's blinking and giving his companion a rather incredulous look. It's only decades of training that keeps him from sputtering or otherwise drawing any more attention to himself as his mouth works for a fraction of a second before being pressed in a thin line, brow furrowing in contemplation.

He can't think of any real substitution to Anakin's suggestion on why they might want to be heading anywhere near the comm center, and it pains him ever so slightly.

His nose wrinkles in his disgusted-deafeat expression and his sighs. "Remind me never to complain about that droid ever again." Because if he'd been with them, Obi-Wan wouldn't have to do as Anakin suggested.