Adelle Bastiel
Member
Right or wrong? I can hardly tell. I'm on the wrong side of heaven and the righteous side of hell.
Posts: 338
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Post by Adelle Bastiel on Apr 29, 2013 15:19:49 GMT -8
Adelle raised an eyebrow. "This one does. But this, prettiness, is a conversation best had behind closed doors."
Metal clinked mutely in the maelstrom of noise and chatter as she placed down enough creds to pay for her drink and Jago's. She deftly ducked through the maze of bodies, heading back to the hangar where her borrowed tri-wing shuttle—the Silver Claw—sat. The inside was spartanly decorated; being a CorSec ship, it had to be. Spartan was versatile and forgettable, neutral, diplomatic, and above all, it made spotting the abnormal very easy. Adelle made a brief sweep of the area with her eyes and through the Force, looking for a ripple or anomaly but found none. Good. Her hand pushed in a button and closed the boarding ramp, her other hand gesturing towards the lounge area of the shuttle.
"The Corellian governor has a problem," she said when the groans of the ramp closing had died down. No use mincing words. "Namely an assassin. The last attack failed to claim him but critically injured his daughter instead. You and I are on security detail, essentially."
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Adelle Bastiel
Member
Right or wrong? I can hardly tell. I'm on the wrong side of heaven and the righteous side of hell.
Posts: 338
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Post by Adelle Bastiel on Apr 29, 2013 13:50:33 GMT -8
"When you learn you're not the only one that can charm the pants off anyone," she retorted. The barkeep served a small glass of a strong, pleasant-smelling scotch and she made short work of it. The sooner they got down to business, the more time they had to work on their cover.
"I'm inviting you to a party. I can't say much in an insecure location, but think of it like a working vacation. Travel, clothes, lodging, all provided." She leaned an elbow against the bar, facing him, with a crooked grin on her face. "What do you say? I'm counting on you being able to clean up nice. Oh, one more thing. How well can you dance?"
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Adelle Bastiel
Member
Right or wrong? I can hardly tell. I'm on the wrong side of heaven and the righteous side of hell.
Posts: 338
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Post by Adelle Bastiel on Apr 29, 2013 12:16:05 GMT -8
Adelle's first response was to say "No." Her injuries were great and Morgan didn't need to see them. She didn't need to be reminded of how reckless she'd been, how far she strayed from the Jedi teachings while on Coruscant. But looking at Morgan, and the need in her eyes, killed any negative reply on her tongue. The girl's emotion was palpable and with lesser control over her own empathy, she would've felt its ache just as intensely as she felt the stabbing pangs all over her body. Her side, especially, simply hurt from the pressure of Morgan's hug earlier, however gentle it had been. Adelle nodded once, both at once grim and gentle.
"Don't look," she said. "It's not pretty."
She submitted to the medics' hands as they guided her to a room and escorted her to a examination table. Her breath whistled through her teeth as they deftly maneuvered her arms to pull the tanktop off, the sharp chill of the table sending goosebumps all over her skin. Achingly slow, they unwrapped the bandages around her and tossed the bacta patches aside. Bruises mottled her skin, much paler from not having seen sunlight in a while, like strange green, black, and purple spots. Black stitches bridged hot red flesh above her left hip, a bright stripe on the older burn scar, and under her right arm. The aides pulled up her left pant leg, a dark bruise ringing her shin. Sheesh, her body looked like a war zone. She could only imagine what her mind, so much more scarred than her skin, looked like to an outsider.
The doctor came in with his expertise and confidence, his insectoid eyes neutral but disapproval rolling off him in waves. That's right: he'd ordered her to fade away in a bed until her body was whole but weak from disuse. His light tridactyl hands tilted her chin, critical bottomless eyes looking over the bright pink lines that crossed the bridge of her nose and left eye, and dug into her cheek. The same hands moved her arms, had her lift them, move them, as the Vratix watched the muscles in her torso work. Adelle gritted her teeth as his cold hands smoothed over the darkened skin on her leg, choking down the growl that threatened to abandon her. She took in deep breaths of sterilized air, of latex and bacta, and the curious scent of the Vratix examining her.
"We have told you to rest," he said. "You do further damage to yourself."
"I can't sit still," Adelle said. She went to run a hand through her hair but thought better of it.
The Vratix clicked and hissed, a sigh she guessed. "These wounds will reopen if you are too active. We suggest bacta immersion for quicker recovery."
"No." Adelle suppressed the shiver that tried to rattle her spine. "No immersion." She couldn't face that just now.
"Then we advise that you listen to us and rest. We will give you these—" One of the aides handed him a sling, and the other a leg brace. "—To speed your recovery. We have no kolcta to administer or we would surely use it, restless Jedi. We must also advise looser clothing. It will be easier to remove without straining your injuries."
Adelle eyed the two offered medical aids with a scowl.
The Vratix hissed again. "These will speed your recovery. We believe the easier you are on yourself, the sooner you will heal."
She allowed the aides to dress her in a loose hospital gown, planning to ask Aerandir if he had some spare clothes that would fit the Vratix's prescription. They eased the brace around her leg and secured it tightly under her cargo pants, then slipped the sling over her head and gingerly set her right arm into it. Kriff, this would limit her mobility quite a bit. What was she going to do with her time now? She grunted once as they placed fresh bacta patches against her skin, ice cold. When they finished wrapping up her ribs like she was some ancient mummy, Adelle slid off the examination table slowly, stretching her legs. The brace's weight around her leg would take some getting used to.
The Vratix placed his hands against her shoulders, softer than feathers and firmer than a Zabrak's. "We do not feel it is in your best interest to attempt to heal yourself. Your body craves rest and exertion through the Force will only wear it out more."
Fantastic. What was she to do in the meantime? Nonetheless, Adelle inclined her head and reached out with her good arm to grip one of his elbows. "My thanks."
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Adelle Bastiel
Member
Right or wrong? I can hardly tell. I'm on the wrong side of heaven and the righteous side of hell.
Posts: 338
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Post by Adelle Bastiel on Apr 28, 2013 22:11:56 GMT -8
****
05:00 hours CorSec headquarters, Coronet City
Adelle stood to attention, painfully aware of both the Director in front of her and her father in a corner. His scent was hard to miss, even if he was half-hid by shadows: alcohol and slugthrower oil were a rather unique combination. But her eyes remained focused on the holo-display in front of her. A layout of one of the civic halls, where a ball was to take place. The governor had planned a political event to rub elbows and make friends, ones with deep pockets and large fleets. Security was on high-alert but it seemed it wasn't enough.
"A few weeks ago, an assassination attempt was made on the governor's niece," the Director said. "We believe it was an attack on the governor and that she intercepted it by accident. Nothing has been released to the media yet. We want to keep everything as normal as possible. She is still in critical condition but she is expected to make a full recovery. Our problem is the gala. It is expected that she will attend. Again, we want things to be as normal as possible so we need you to go undercover."
"As his niece," Adelle said.
"Precisely. Your mission is to find and eliminate the threat but your first priority is the governor's safety."
Adelle nodded her head. "I understand. I accept this mission."
"Good." The Director turned off the holo-display and pulled out a datapad. "You will be given full access to the guest list, menus, staff list, security personnel, and surveillance measures. Ordinarily, you would be provided a partner, but all our agents not currently deployed are on security detail. The governor has explicitly requested the aid of the Jedi in this and as our liaison agent, I trust your judgment. He or she will be paid for their services, and expenses fronted by the government. Can you make a recommendation?"
She looked up at the ceiling, the dark tiles illuminated by bright fluorescent lights. Who could she call on short notice? Someone with a sense of adventure, certainly, or this would just be tedious. Someone with a strong sense of honor and protection. Preferably someone that had leads on the underworld of Corellia. Someone like a short Jedi Master with white hair. Adelle smiled and turned her gaze back to the Director.
"I think I can," she said.
----
19:34 hours, a week later The Onyx Dragon, Yavin Station, Yavin IV
The crowd moved like a living entity, writhing, laughing, breathing and drinking as one. Pilots, Jedi, mechanics, travelers... They were all one here. Adelle slipped into the throng without disturbing the strange rhythm and atmosphere. Smoke fogged the room and lingered in her nostrils. She covered her nose and mouth with a hand, her sense of smell far too sensitive for its strength. It still made its presence known despite her efforts, and the tang of alcohol could not be blocked out. Much as she would like to indulge in a drink herself, she was here for a purpose. On a mission, as it were. Her two-toned eyes scanned the crowds, analyzing body types, her ears filtering voices, until she caught sight of a shock of white hair. With a small smile of triumph, she weft her way through the mass of bodies and laid a hand on the shoulder of what looked like a spacer.
"Hang here too long, you're going to get ugly," she said jokingly. "I've a proposition for you. Interested?"
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Adelle Bastiel
Member
Right or wrong? I can hardly tell. I'm on the wrong side of heaven and the righteous side of hell.
Posts: 338
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Post by Adelle Bastiel on Apr 28, 2013 20:04:33 GMT -8
Finally. They'd made it back. Even better, Adelle hadn't passed out. Now if she could only make it into the medbay, things would be good. She walked into the hangar and instantly smelled three new scents that stood out from the usual workers. One smelled like the stale air and fish, another smelled like duracrete after a rainstorm, and there was a third that smelled like dried rain and grease with something ... subtle beneath it. She couldn't quite place it, which bothered her. The newcomers were easily spied. A Mon Calamari, a young human female, and what was probably a droid. Its body language... It appeared almost organic.
"Mama, do you want me to go to the medical wing with you?"
"It's going to be very boring," Adelle said with a tight smile. She could worry about organic droids that didn't smell right later. Her injuries demanded attention.
"I would, however, be most grateful if you could show me the way. I don't use medbays often."
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Adelle Bastiel
Member
Right or wrong? I can hardly tell. I'm on the wrong side of heaven and the righteous side of hell.
Posts: 338
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Post by Adelle Bastiel on Apr 28, 2013 16:46:57 GMT -8
She said nothing, merely waited for Morgan patiently. Truth be told she was dreading going back to the base. That meant heading to the medbay, changing her bandages, dealing with the doctors that wanted to know why she wasn't using a sling or leg brace, blah blah blah. A necessary evil, if she wanted to get back to 100 percent but that didn't mean she liked it. There was also the matter of walking back to base. Her strength had been sapped a lot by her injuries and it would take a while to make her way through Felucia's jungle. Sore, tired, in pain... Not what she wanted to be when she got back. Adelle shook her head. She was already sore, tired, and in pain here. Might as well be comfortable.
Adelle stood slowly, half-staggering as her left leg protested having weight put on it. When Morgan made the offer of a race, she gave a wan smile.
"I'm afraid I'll have to forfeit before we even start," she said. "Maybe another time. You two go on ahead. I'll meet you there."
Slowly, she made her way back to base, following Jake and Morgan with Rush setting a gentle pace. Even then, Adelle had to stop and sit down every few minutes, making the trip that much longer. Corellia's nine hells, she was going to heal and soon. This was agonizing in more ways than one.
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Adelle Bastiel
Member
Right or wrong? I can hardly tell. I'm on the wrong side of heaven and the righteous side of hell.
Posts: 338
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Post by Adelle Bastiel on Apr 28, 2013 14:30:36 GMT -8
She watched in silence as Morgan played in the water with Rush, the waves of pure, innocent joy washing over her gently. Empathy: a pain in the butt sometimes but incredibly wonderful at others. The wind carried the deep scent of lake water, the spongy scent of fungus, and the solid scent of fertile earth to her. The trees whispered together, plant roots crept deeper into the earth, and the heartbeats of animals rippled in the Force. It wasn't Corellia, but somehow it was home. Adelle felt more than saw Jake shift closer, his scent just a bit stronger with his new proximity. The surface of his mind quivered: restlessness? Nervousness? His question confirmed what she guessed. Adelle smiled warmly, both amused and flattered. She was no beauty but somehow the boy found her worth his admiration.
"Used to. There's something... cleansing about water," she said. "Like you can dive in with all your troubles and walk out without a trace of them. Nothing's solved but you feel lighter."
She turned her head to look at him, tucking her right leg under her. "What about you? Do you like it?"
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Adelle Bastiel
Member
Right or wrong? I can hardly tell. I'm on the wrong side of heaven and the righteous side of hell.
Posts: 338
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Post by Adelle Bastiel on Apr 27, 2013 19:34:27 GMT -8
The bubbling stream of words seemed near endless but Adelle smiled to see Morgan in high spirits, even if she was troubled beneath the surface. And while Jake said nothing, she could feel his thoughts were just as endless and quickly shifting as Morgan's words. It took her breath away, and with it some of her energy, but oddly this arrangement was no less peaceful than when she had meditated silently by herself. She listened to Morgan chatter away, the breeze cool against her skin and the wounds on her face. They stung a bit but she had endured worse pain. Far worse. Really, it was just nice to sit and do nothing. Not meditate, not run, just nothing but sit and feel and smell everything around them.
"Do you wanna go swimming with us, Mama?"
Adelle's focus snapped forcefully back to Morgan. Swimming... She barely suppressed a shudder. She couldn't handle being submerged just yet. Hence why she was healing the slow way. Adelle forced a gentle smile and shook her head gently. "No, I'm alright. It'd be bad for the bandages."
Would that she could though. It'd help with her fractured bones.
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Adelle Bastiel
Member
Right or wrong? I can hardly tell. I'm on the wrong side of heaven and the righteous side of hell.
Posts: 338
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Post by Adelle Bastiel on Apr 27, 2013 13:14:25 GMT -8
Quoting is harrrrrrrrd.
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Adelle Bastiel
Member
Right or wrong? I can hardly tell. I'm on the wrong side of heaven and the righteous side of hell.
Posts: 338
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Post by Adelle Bastiel on Apr 26, 2013 20:38:17 GMT -8
Morgan's body, however slight, still had weight and her fractured ribs made sure Adelle knew that. She took a controlled breath in as the contours of the child's body brushed against the gash in her side. Had she cleaned all the blood crystals out? It didn't feel like it. Something to take care of later.
"Mama, I'm glad you're back. I missed you..."
Adelle smiled. "I missed you too." Although I wouldn't have wanted you anywhere near that place.
Jake came out of hiding, clothed, and sat on Morgan's opposite side. He grinned like a cheshire cat, if a bit sheepishly. Adelle couldn't resist a lop-sided grin and reached out gingerly with her good arm to tousle his hair.
"So what brings you two out here?" A mischievous gleam shines in her eyes. "Swimming?"
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Adelle Bastiel
Member
Right or wrong? I can hardly tell. I'm on the wrong side of heaven and the righteous side of hell.
Posts: 338
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Post by Adelle Bastiel on Apr 26, 2013 19:18:01 GMT -8
She smiled again as the akk licked her hand. Hooray for one small triumph and not getting mauled! Adelle met Morgan's gaze, her own silently communicating that she hadn't missed the ripples disturbing Morgan's inner psyche. But with that message was also the reassurance that she would be there if and when—and only then—Morgan decided to talk to her.
"Mama, would it hurt if I sat next to you?"
Adelle took a deep breath, testing the pain in her side as her muscles expanded. The wound throbbed but it was nowhere near reaching her pain threshold. Moving her hand from the akk dog's snout to invite Morgan, she said "No, not at all."
She paused. "Although I think Jake might be getting a little uncomfortable hiding behind those bushes."
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Adelle Bastiel
Member
Right or wrong? I can hardly tell. I'm on the wrong side of heaven and the righteous side of hell.
Posts: 338
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Post by Adelle Bastiel on Apr 26, 2013 18:20:50 GMT -8
A dog. Adelle valiantly hid her grimace. Of all the things Morgan could bring to her, it had to be an animal. She had the worst luck with beasts on a good day and her patience was sorely lacking today, despite her previous meditation. But, for Morgie's sake, she would grin and bear it. When the dog showed up, Adelle smiled genuinely. Something trembled beneath Morgan's mental surface when she explained where she had gotten the dog from but Adelle did not pry. The girl would open up to her when she felt like it.
"And has he been a good boy?" she asked, holding her left hand palm up for the dog to sniff and get used to her. Her arm tensed, just in case Rush decided her fingers looked tasty. Easy, Adelle. They can sense emotions. Her muscles relaxed a bit, but only a bit. She still had terrible luck with the beasts.
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Adelle Bastiel
Member
Right or wrong? I can hardly tell. I'm on the wrong side of heaven and the righteous side of hell.
Posts: 338
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Post by Adelle Bastiel on Apr 25, 2013 21:20:13 GMT -8
Morgan's arms encircled her and Adelle reached out with her good arm to return the hug. "I'm happy to see you too, dear."
"Did you beat the bad guy, Kor— I mean Mama? Are you okay?"
Adelle let her hand slowly drop as she stared out at the lake. That was why she was out here; trying to heal the new damage done to her mind. Had she found the being responsible for her abuse and kidnapping? Yes. Had she killed him? Yes. But had she truly beaten the "bad guy?" She wasn't sure. There were too many painful memories for her to sift through rationally and analyze, too many moments she wanted to forget. And the second question was no more easily answered. No, she was not okay. Her body ached from the torture she'd been put through. Cracked ribs were still healing, her broken leg barely mended whole again, the gashes above her left hip and below her right arm still flared angrily, and the cuts on her face still felt raw. Worse was the mental damage. The addiction newly fed; the paranoia; the heart-shatteringly clear memories. Nightmares frequented her at night and haunted her during the day. It would be a long, slow road to recovery and patience was not her virtue.
"I'll be okay," Adelle said with a tight smile. It sounded more confident than she felt.
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Adelle Bastiel
Member
Right or wrong? I can hardly tell. I'm on the wrong side of heaven and the righteous side of hell.
Posts: 338
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Post by Adelle Bastiel on Apr 25, 2013 20:38:32 GMT -8
Adelle smelled Morgan's distinct scent long before she heard the cacophony the child's motions created, a sweet earthy smell at once similar and separate from the landscape around her. The fresh scent of sun-warmed cotton followed it; she should've guessed Jake was with her. A smile touched at the corner of her lips. Those two were bound to be doing something they didn't want the adults to see. This would be interesting. Adelle stood up, less fluidly than she would've liked to, and waited for Morgan to come running out of the trees. The child did, as clothed as one of the beasts of the jungle. Jake ran out right behind her, similarly dressed. Not surprising, really.
"Mama?!"
She grinned from ear to ear. Force, that word still sounded weird to her ears.
"Um... hi!"
"Oh— er— uh— Hey there, Kory."
Aaaaaand there was Jake. His smooth recovery and bold stance quickly gave way to bashful hiding. Adelle laughed, her side splitting with pain but she couldn't stop laughing. Once her laughter subsided, she eased back down to the ground to sit. Much easier on her recently battered body.
"Have I spoiled your fun?" she asked Morgan playfully.
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Adelle Bastiel
Member
Right or wrong? I can hardly tell. I'm on the wrong side of heaven and the righteous side of hell.
Posts: 338
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Post by Adelle Bastiel on Apr 25, 2013 19:28:14 GMT -8
The smooth surface of the lake mirrored the sunlit sky, royal and robin's egg blue mingling above. Clean air, rife with fresh scents, brushed across her skin and into her lungs with every slow breath she took. Coolness seeped up from the ground beneath her crossed legs, creeping into her bare soles and through her olive drab cargo pants. A playful breeze flipped a strand of brown hair into her face and toyed with the long braid down her back. Noises from the creatures in the jungles tickled at her ears but not once did her sharp eyes open to find the creatures that made them. For once, in a very, very long time, Adelle could meditate peacefully. And after Coruscant, she needed this.
Violent eyes, screams of the dying. Fire in her body. Her mind twisted, lost, crashing in on itself.
Adelle took another deep breath, the images dissipating like dust blown away by the wind. The Force was a river, a life-giving current, empowering her and her mind, smoothing over her imperfections. She could feel its curves around her, the ripples from other beings, and faintly, the undercurrent of a familiar presence. Adelle smiled but did not stand as she would have weeks ago to seek Morgan out. One, she was still far too sore and she was comfortable here, and two, Morgan would find her, she was sure. The child usually had.
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