Ellie Ordo
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Post by Ellie Ordo on May 1, 2014 8:17:10 GMT -8
"Never enough time." *Ellie whispered beneath her breath. There never was enough time it seemed. Her attention turned back to Tag when he mentioned getting a cup of caf. She doubted it would keep her awake. Not with how tired she was already.* "Yeah. I think I'll take a cup."
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Ander Tagira
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Post by Ander Tagira on May 1, 2014 11:15:19 GMT -8
Tag nodded as the couple stepped out of the lift, its doors sliding shut behind them. Here and there, crew-members of the Firestorm wandered about, some on duty, some off. Almost every species in the Galaxy was represented within GALSAF, Kel Dor, Wookiees, Barabels, Chalactan, even Bpfasshi. Their commandos came from every walk of life, most accepting in some small part the style of Mandalorian culture the organization had crafted over the last few years. Ellie would be able to see the cultural influence easily wherever she looked. Rather than being written in Galactic Basic, all the wall panels, signs and display screens within the ship exhibited the stark characters of written Mando'a, which was spoken almost ubiquitously by the commandos themselves, regardless of their species or homeworld.
The Black Operative led Ellie to an antechamber attached to the main mess hall, approaching a table stacked with square tanks the size of a man's torso. Beside them was a box of flimsy cups of plast, and open containers holding pouches of cream, sugars and other flavored condiments. Tag grabbed a pair of cups from the box to the side and opened the release valve on one of the tanks, filling them both. He handed one Ellie, steam rising in coils from the surface of the light brown liquid within. Helping himself to a pair of cream and sugar packets, Tag took a seat at one of the small tables within the room, which lacked any presence but their own. Good, he thought to himself, not wanting to be interrupted or overheard. As he sat down and tore open the pouches of sugar and cream, adding them to his cup, Tag looked Ellie over as if he were reassessing her. A good soldier knew when to admit they needed help, and a smart soldier sought it when possible.
"This mission's more than just another job to you." Tag said suddenly, stirring the contents of his cup with a small plast straw he'd drawn from a paper box on the table. "It's personal." Tag continued, setting the straw side and sipping at his caf. The liquid was hot and soothing, a lightly spiced blend from Mandalore's famous Oyu'baat cantina within the capital city of Keldabe. He regretted GALSAF's decision to withdraw from the Mandalorian Holy War almost solely on the basis that their supply of the caf blend would be hard to come by after relations between themselves and the Clans had deteriorated.
"Tell me...Ellie," Tag began, the sound of the woman's first name feeling odd on his lips, familiar as he was with the false names of his fellow Black Operators. "What does this Jedi have to do with you?" He asked, sipping again at his cup. "Are they a friend? Family, perhaps? Don't be surprised, I'm trained to read between the lines. On some worlds, I'd be qualified to practice medicine, on others I could teach university level linguistics. It's not hard to tell when someone's holding back, Ellie." Not typically the sentimental type, Tag was surprised to find himself hoping his inquiries didn't bite at Ellie's emotions, or draw a negative reaction from her. The identity of her quarry was of no tactical importance to Tag or the organization itself, but he couldn't help attempting to sate his curiosity. Ellie had spoken little enough about herself to give him reason to wonder, and intelligence gathering had become as much his hobby as it was his trade.
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Ellie Ordo
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Post by Ellie Ordo on May 2, 2014 17:13:36 GMT -8
*Ellie thanked Tag as he handed her the cup of caf. She sat down at the table and began to take in the surrounding area. Her attention returned to the man across the table when he began to ask more personal questions. She withdrew slightly and stared down at her cup of caf. Hesitating slightly as she cursed herself for revealing to much already.*
"She's..." *Ellie stopped. She was what? What could Ellie really say that wouldn't reveal to much. Closing her eyes, she let out a small sigh before opening them again and looking across the table.* "She's..my twin sister. The better half of me, and also the smarter one."
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Ander Tagira
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Post by Ander Tagira on May 8, 2014 12:55:49 GMT -8
Tag sipped from his caf as Ellie revealed her connection to their target. So it was family then. "I wouldn't say the smarter one, Ellie." He said, shrugging. "Case in point, look where she's at versus where you're at now." Tag heard his words with another set of proverbial ears as he spoke them aloud, cringing slightly. Ellie could easily take offense to his comment, though he meant none. Quickly, he aimed to draw her mind off his previous words. "We'll get it sorted, to be sure. Tagira claims he can't make any promises, but I can. For good or ill, we'll get you down there and do our damnedest to get her back." Tag swiftly brought his cup to his lips and drank more deeply this time, the liquid burning his tongue and throat. He coughed and swallowed the pain as best he could, setting his cup down and feeling like a fool.
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Ellie Ordo
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Post by Ellie Ordo on May 9, 2014 17:00:18 GMT -8
*Ellies eyes narrowed in a glare at what Tag said. Even his promise did little to soften her features.*
"My vod got captured because of me. I'm the reason she's where she's at now. I got shot down over Ryloth. She rescued me from pirates and almost got us off world. My stupid decision to keep going in an act of vengeance lead to her capture. I'm going to right that mistake, it's the least I could do." *She let out a sigh and sank back in her chair.* Thinking back, every time we've gotten into trouble or injured, sometimes almost killed. It was always my ideas that got us there. My adventurous side always urged me forward. She was always there to try and talk me out of some of the dumber ideas. But..in the end I never listened and she got caught in the crossfire while trying to be the one with reason. That's why she's the smarter one, she thought first the acted. I sometimes act first then think."
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Ander Tagira
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Post by Ander Tagira on May 9, 2014 19:25:00 GMT -8
Tag missed very little, though few could have missed the scowl that formed on Ellie's otherwise pleasant features. The only response she offered, however, was an explanation providing evidence that her sister truly was the "smarter one." She outlined her history with her sibling briefly, and he listened politely, sipping more carefully from his cup. When Ellie spoke of her shoot-first mentality, Tag honestly had no way of sympathizing with her. Careful planning wasn't even second nature to Tag anymore, it was first, as much a part of him as his own beating heart. But while he couldn't very well imagine what life would be like rushing head-first into every situation, he could at least appreciate the trouble it could cause.
"Is there any gear you want to pick out before we SP tomorrow?" Tag decided it was time for another topic of discussion; the topic of family was making him uncomfortable, and it wouldn't do Ellie any good to end the night on such dark musings. "We've got just about anything you'd want in supply."
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Ellie Ordo
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Post by Ellie Ordo on May 10, 2014 17:16:04 GMT -8
*Ellie shook her head.*
"No, I have what I need. I've been trained to survive combat situations with as little as possible. Besides, I collected quite a bit of gear from my ship earlier. Right now I just want some sleep. That's something I haven't gotten in days."
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Zimmy
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READY for ACTION!
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Affiliation: GALSAF
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Post by Zimmy on May 10, 2014 21:36:12 GMT -8
Zimmy wormed his way through the ship's innards, finding his way to the mess. There were several dozen other troopers forming a queue at the far end of the hall, so he joined it's rear ranks, standing patiently with his helmet in his arm. A younger trooper stood in front of him, shifting nervously. Zimmy remembered those first days; the first couple of nerve-wracking missions after his training. GALSAF was constantly recruiting and newbies like this . Zimmy reached out, tapping the soldier's shoulder.
"Hey, don't worry. You're gonna be fine. What group are you going down with?"
The young woman turned around. She wrung her hands subconsciously. Her speaker warbled.
I'm with the assault team. First dropship in with the walkers.
Zimmy smiled gently, the points of his canines poking his lower lip.
"Just remember to keep your head down and listen to your squad leader and you'll be fine. You look like you know how to handle yourself."
The young woman straightened up a bit. The voice that rattled from her com sounded more confident than before.
Yes, you're right. I was just psyching myself out.
"The first drop is the hardest. You get used to the anticipation by the third or fourth."
By the time they had finished talking, the young trooper had grabbed her food and Zimmy followed suit. He loaded a plate with a couple of doughnuts, some fried poultry, a heaping helping of greens, a fish of some kind and some sliced and diced fruits and berries in a light syrup then followed the line towards the drink fountains and caf dispensers. He poured himself a cup then flipped out a second. He always went into combat extra caffeinated. The adrenaline didn't jar him as much when he did.
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Ander Tagira
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Post by Ander Tagira on May 12, 2014 11:35:38 GMT -8
Tag frowned slightly, given the impression Ellie was more than perturbed by his comment. Or perhaps simply tired, as she said. He dipped his chin in acknowledgement. "I'll show you to our sleeping area." He said, draining his cup of caf in a final gulp. Standing, Tag crushed the container and tossed it into a trash receptacle on their way out. The sleeping area was back near the recreation rooms and took no more than a couple of minutes to reach. When they arrived, Tag showed Ellie inside, where their gear was already staged for the coming operation. "Well, here you are." He told her, pointing to a bunk near the middle of the chamber. Tag's own was near the door.
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Ellie Ordo
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Post by Ellie Ordo on May 12, 2014 18:12:53 GMT -8
*Ellie followed Tag to where she would be staying for the night. She entered the room and looked at her bunk then back at Tag.* "Thanks. It's been a while since I've slept on a bed. Sounds much better then the trying to sleep in an assault vehicle." *Without another word, she began pulling off her armor. She tossed each piece at the foot of her bed. Underneath she wore brown cargo pants and a black t-shirt. She kicked off her boots before sitting down on the bed. Rolling up her right pant leg past her knee, she readjusted the knee brace that she had received on Endor.*
"Lets hope the recon team has some good news when they report back. This planets a dangerous place, one with a lot of hiding places from what I've heard."
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Ander Tagira
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Post by Ander Tagira on May 14, 2014 10:59:19 GMT -8
Tag nodded as he stripped himself of his armor and bodysuit. "You're right. Felucia is a hellish world, full of death caused by the very life that fills it. Ironic, I think. We'll have to be careful down there." The recon team had sent up several updates in the several hours, but nothing significant had yet turned up. As Ellie laid herself out on her bunk, Tag allowed his eyes to strafe over her figure. She rolled up a pant leg and adjusted a brace wrapped around her knee. He nodded towards her as he removed the tight-fitting smallclothes beneath his bodysuit and sat down on the thin mattress of his bunk. "That's not going to slow you down, is it?" He asked, yet unsure if he should be concerned. Ellie hadn't appeared to be suffering any injuries when they had brought her and her companions aboard, but Tag wouldn't risk the safety of the infiltration team to assuage the conscious of a single person.
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Ellie Ordo
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Post by Ellie Ordo on May 15, 2014 6:11:05 GMT -8
*Ellie gave a nod about being careful. Between the wild fauna, hostile natives and the Sith slavers. Being careful was going to be a challenge. But it was a challenge she was more then willing to take. She glanced down at her knee before rolling her pant leg down when Tag asked if her injury was going to slow her down.* "No, it wont. I've been running and fighting on it for several days. So it wont bother me." *She laid back on her bunk and folded her hands across her stomach. Her blue eyes stared almost vacantly at the ceiling as she thought about not only the task ahead, but everything that would happen after. If they survived that is. Closing her eyes she let out a sigh and tried to clear her mind.*
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Ander Tagira
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Post by Ander Tagira on May 15, 2014 14:23:12 GMT -8
"That's good to know." He replied, suddenly less concerned about Ellie's ability to perform. Tag sprawled out on his bunk, the cool recycled air of the chamber brushing over his naked skin like a thin sheet. He let his eyes close after a moment, and soon he was fast asleep. He slept best just before an operation, perhaps his subconscious knew when he needed it most. As he drifted off, the details of the mission ran through his mind and he began feeling more relaxed than he had in days. Soon he would be waking once more, ready to administer the justice that GALSAF was becoming known throughout the Galaxy for. It was a comforting thought.
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Ellie Ordo
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Post by Ellie Ordo on May 15, 2014 17:48:26 GMT -8
*Ellies mind slowly drifted off into sleep. Subconsciously it searched for any sign of her sister. Even in her sleep, the strong force connection between the two should have allowed Ellie to find her sister. Even at such a close distance, she was having problems finding her. She would catch blurry images, incoherent speech and sporadic feelings. As bad as it was, she would find her twin. All these emotions she was feeling would aid Ellie in her search.*
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Ander Tagira
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Post by Ander Tagira on May 18, 2014 13:09:26 GMT -8
Tag woke suddenly, knowing it was time. The chrono of his datatablet was beeping dully along the edges of his groggy senses, which sharpened with every flash of the device. He reached out and pressed a key on the tablet's screen, silencing the alarm. He stretched, feeling the stiffness in his muscles and joints fade away pleasantly. Tag reached for his bodysuit and began pulling the leggings over his feet, standing as he did so, fastening the armor-woven suit over his naked body.
"Ellie." He said softly. When she did not stir, Tag made his way to her bunk and rested a light hand on the woman's sleeping form, shaking her gently. "Ellie. Time to wake up. Es-Pee is in two hours." He turned away and retrieved the plates of his armor, fastening them to his bodysuit while waiting for the woman to wake. Their gear had been taken to the hangar bay in advance of first call by commandos from another unit who would not be joining them in the mission. Picking up his helmet, Tag pulled it over his head and brought the rest of the BOG Unit up on comms.
Everyone up? He asked. After a moment, someone answered. Been up for an hour, mate. Get your arse some chow and meet us in the hangar bay. We leave in an hour. It was Slag, one of the other Operators. I thought we weren't leaving for two? Tag asked confusedly. Es-Pee got bumped up for some reason, I've already sent the recce report to your buy'ce. Read over it while you eat, we'll see you in twenty minutes. Tag thanked the other man and checked the file waiting, marked on his HUD. The recce team hadn't found much they didn't already expect, but Tag would brief Ellie on the details while they made their way to the hangar bay. The rest of the team was waiting, and the larger force had already gathered, completing their final pre-op checks on weapons, vehicles and gear. Tag grabbed his rifle and clipped it to his shoulder plate, letting it hang there while he turned to check on Ellie.
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Ellie Ordo
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Post by Ellie Ordo on May 18, 2014 18:24:30 GMT -8
*Tags voice brought Ellie out of the depths of her mind. She was rested, but more mentally tired from her failure to locate her twin in the force. Rubbing her eyes she turned to Tag.* "I'm up. Don't worry I'm not sleeping through this." *She stood up and quickly put on her armor and grabbed her rifle. Picking up her buy'ce in one hand, she grabbed the Siths lightsaber with the other. She held the blade in an opened hand, studying it. Determination and hate filled her eyes as she gripped the cloth wrapped handle of the blade. She stashed the lightsaber in a sidepouch of her belt and turned to Tag.* "I'm ready. And Tag, please don't tell the others who the Jedi is, or what I am. Not yet at least. There's a lot on my mind right now. I just want to take it one step at a time."
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Ander Tagira
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Post by Ander Tagira on May 18, 2014 19:41:31 GMT -8
Tag had been turning toward the door when Ellie spoke, her voice soft and vulnerable, almost pleading. He hadn't thought to share her admissions with anyone, though he understood her need to solidify his loyalty on the matter. He looked back at her, garbed in armor as she was, looking slightly less the warrior she had when they'd met, but only in that brief moment when she asked after his silence. Her eyes were limned with determination and anger, a soldier's two greatest allies. She could be one of us, Tag thought to himself as he looked the woman over. She was skilled, he could see clearly enough, devoted, and she sought absolution for her self-percieved sins. These were the greatest traits GALSAF sought to nurture in its commandos. After a moment he nodded. Of course, Ordo. Your business is your own. I'm sure it took a lot just to share it with me, a stranger. It is no right of mine to repeat it. For most cultures, surnames were formal, given names familiar. Yet amongst GALSAF's commandos, surnames were often given more weight, and were more personal, used between fellow soldiers. Tag and his fellow Black Operators no longer had such divided names. Their names were their callsigns, and after having run so many operations by them, he'd grown to believe that no other name was necessary. He was Tag, and Ellie was Ordo now, and his use of her surname expressed a developing camaraderie between them. Tag was accepting her, as vod. He knew in time the others would as well; they would see in her what he did. We better get going. Tag muttered, wishing the vocoder of his helmet didn't give such a metallic tinge to his voice. He grabbed his smallpack and made for the door, intent on grabbing some food and caf before they headed to the assembly area within the hangar bay.
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Ellie Ordo
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Post by Ellie Ordo on May 18, 2014 20:14:38 GMT -8
*Ellie gave Tag a nod of thanks before putting on her helmet. A frown graced her features as she followed the man out of the room. The constant thought of what happens next kept coming up in her mind. She shoved those thoughts down and brought herself to the here and now.*
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Ander Tagira
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Post by Ander Tagira on May 18, 2014 21:45:36 GMT -8
Tag led Ellie out of the room, the two dropped by the chow hall just long enough to grab a hot meal and a cup of caf before heading to the hangar bay several levels below. When they arrived Tag was finishing his caf, tossing the cup into a garbage receptacle just inside the main hangar entrance. The bay was a whirlwind of activity. Commandos rushed back and forth grabbing last minute pieces of gear, loading equipment into nearby gunships and vehicles, checking weapons and armor. Tag veered left, toward the BOG's designated assembly area, marked by yellow lines on the deck. Within the large, yellow square, two LAAT/s gunships were hovering just above the deck plating, black as space, engines thrumming contentedly. Both troop bay doors were retracted, the rear hatch open as well. Hoover was standing outside of the nearest of the gunships, looking over the equipment being lashed into the back of the vessel's cargo area. Tag waved casually to the man as he approached, searching the collection of gear packs sitting on the deck for his and Ellie's.
Ready to go mate? Hoover called to him, looking away from the gunship's rear end. Tag nodded, grabbing his pack and tossing it into the troop bay, followed by Ellie's own. Then he began loading the rest of the gear, helping Gaunt and Soviet ensure it was properly strapped down. Weapons followed, loaded into the lockers that lined the walls of the gunship's interior. As they continued loading gear, Tag tried to remember the last time GALSAF's Black Operations had been deployed in full force. It had been ages, over a year to be sure. BOG commandos normally deployed in pairs, conducting espionage and secretive operations all across the Galaxy. There were only ever ten of them at a time, not including their unit commander, Delmani Altic, who Tag had yet to see in the hangar bay.
Is Altic coming with? Tag asked Soviet, who was helping him load weapons into a nearby locker. He should be here in a minute, said he had a last minute convo to hold with the Admiral. The other man replied, shutting the locker with the press of a key and opening the next. Hoover and Gaunt were at the back of the vessel, pushing a pair of speeder bikes into their housings within the gunship's cargo space. Medical equipment was next. Tag looked out of gunship as they finished loading the last of the weapons. The rest of the main unit was mounting MAT-TE walkers between the mag-locked arms of their assigned LAAT carriers. From across the bay, Tag caught sight of a man approaching. His armor was the same mottled greenish-brown as Tag's, though his helmet was a deep blood-red, and trimmed in black. A Verpine Assault Carbine was hanging from the shoulder plate of his armor.
Altic, long time, no see. Tag rarely knew what the old clone was up to when he was away, often for months at a time.
Is everything ready to go? The man asked, giving no hint he even heard Tag's greeting. Tag nodded in reply. Running final checks, is all. Altic looked over at Ellie, the T-shaped visor of his helmet glinting dully in the light of the hangar bay. This is the Mando woman. He stated, his Concordian accent thick. Again, Tag nodded. She'll be coming with us. Altic said nothing for a long moment, then stepped forward and tossed his bag into the gunship. If she must. He said suddenly, the reaction to a foul taste seemed to touch his tone. Tag ignored it.
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Crystaall Sehefadu
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Post by Crystaall Sehefadu on May 19, 2014 12:59:49 GMT -8
*Crystaall sighed as she walked through the ship, her droid following from behind. Many people were prepping for the Felucian mission and a lot of those preppers were running like crazy to make sure everything was in order. Wearing a slick tight suit coated in a glossy black, Crystaall spotted the Mando woman she was meant to aide. Of course Ander had given her specific directions, so the GALSAF communication device she was given was hooked in her ear. The anger on her face was clearly there, and it lookec like most of the soldiers were avoiding her, even thoughbthey had trained to fight force-users, and she was one of the people who taught the talented ones. R4 followed behind his master, hoping her temper didnt force her to get thrown off the ship, her temper being that of ridiculous. Crystaall's brown hair was down and flowed against her back as she turned to walk toward Ellie and the people she was with. Her hands crossed back and forth, nicking her utility belt which held her 2 lightsabers and twin pistols. Stopping close to the gunship Crysaall pointed directly at Tag.*
-You, commando, I need to know where the infiltration team is supposed to be. Your commander has neglected to tell me where they are-
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