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« Last post by Syren on May 03, 2024, 09:44:32 PM »
“Under the sun
It’s not what they can see
Until it’s done
Your secrets safe with me.”
-Mr. Little Jeans
Corporate Sector
Etti IV: Surface: Mondder
The group is reunited with Alka atop the Gellar Tower.
They find her in an elongated stretch, using the small sill as a makeshift barre. She brings her arm across the air in a graceful arch and smiles. While relief is the shared emotion, Dane realizes how close he came to actually losing her and chides himself for foolishly thinking that pushing her away would save her. She is and always will be a target. He was foolish to think otherwise.
After the requisite embraces, something Shendo shies away from, the group retires to the casual comfort of the conversation circle in the living room to debrief about the attack. Alka walks them through it, careful to avoid her rescuer in outlining the escape but reinforces that she never actually saw her attacker.
“You mentioned you have a…admirer,” Taarek says. “Someone leaving you notes and flowers and gifts. Could this have escalated beyond admiration?”
“This seems too brutal but there is a lot going on. Maybe I missed it. Still, cutting the power, the flying knife fiasco, bisecting my service droid – it all feels so, you know, intentional. Personal.”
Demaris is quick to home in on the more esoteric aspect of the story, “Flying? As in, operating independently?”
“Yes.”
“That seems more like a telekinetic attack…”
“Or the Force,” Shendo chimes in darkly.
Roman folds his arms, “Perhaps this is not a stalker or a corporate rival.”
It resonates and settles over them in a moment of silence with implications their foe is working with more power than the average executive in these parts. Something more to consider. The conversation then shifts to the aftermath; the slain security team, the spectacular mess, and the literal writing on the wall. Dane groans.
“We had to obscure the message. It would raise too many questions if left undisturbed and someone found it.”
Alka levels her gaze, “We wouldn’t want that now would we? Considering we have our first board meeting in a few days, I don’t think I have to tell you how completely fucked we are going to be if this is made public. Someone could be setting us up to fail.”
They saw how quickly the board took action against Balthazar Nash once his part in the demise of their legacies was revealed – i.e. fabricated. While Dyre may be dead, Aguilar would gladly sacrifice them both if it brought him even a whisper of closure with Ples. Retribution in the form of making their respective holdings vulnerable. Gellar capitalized on that with Nash and now Dawning.
What is it they say? Turnabout…and all that.
Taarek breaks through their mental spiral, “If you believe this was intended as a direct threat, it is something they could leverage. I mean, extortion isn’t out of the question, right?”
“Right. This is a classic move. Hold it over our heads while we try to draw them out and negotiate terms. Only one problem with that. If all they wanted was currency they would have demanded it by now.”
“I do not like this,” Demaris says solemnly.
“What’s to like?” Alka hisses. “We are well aware of how things went down last time. The goal of elimination was preceded by shockingly violent actions against those closest to The Four. They want you dead, Dane, but they want you to suffer first.”
The iciness of her words catches his breath yet they all know she is not wrong.
The things they had seen and read painted a haunting picture of Karen, Melanie, Kimber, and Valerie being stripped of those they loved before ultimately falling victim to it all themselves. Made for good Holo. However, the pressure of a potential sequel in what is now known to be a series of horrific cycles seems quite a bit less glamorous as part of a lived experience.
Roman surveys the group, “Then we protect both. We split up the detail to cover Dane and Alka, each with a Jedi to accompany them. It gives them the greatest chance.”
“At the very least it would give Gemma and Riley some runway to figure out a better way.”
“Not that you have much faith in that,” Alka mutters.
He holds her stare, “We don’t deal in faith, babe.”
Demaris muses, “I would give anything to forfeit such an outcome so I think you are right about more focused coverage. But I do not wish to speak for others.”
“We will do what we must to protect them. We swore it.”
Roman runs a gloved hand over his helmet, “That we did.”
Shendo nods. These people are insane. He has come to care for some through their fight for survival in a galaxy that now fears and hunts them. Although he has learned much about himself and his gifts, there is a madness in their methods. The lies the Republic told to put them in danger are just as dangerous as the ones Gellar and Dawning told this Direx Board. He can see the distinction in judgment but begins to wonder if one set of lies predicated all the others. Yet here he is, still alive and kicking. He figures he should stay the course.
Once settled, the groups are formed: Demaris and Taarek will stay with Dane while Shendo and Roman watch over Alka.
“Between the board meeting and rehearsals, you shouldn’t have too much trouble I hope.”
“If you don’t wander off again in a huff.”
“Justifiable huff! My father is set to stand trial for a murder he didn’t commit and you were hardly what I would call comforting.”
Demaris slowly paces the length of the room, “Have we considered Dawning’s predicament may be part of this as well? After all, hurting Alka would hurt Dane.”
“It does destabilize her support network. Keeps her close.”
“How very reassuring.”
Roman stands by her side, “It is not a judgment, Alka. Whoever is doing this knows you are Dane’s weakness. They may be counting on it making him reckless, pushing him to further compromise himself to protect you.”
“Strategy wise,” Taarek cuts in. “It makes sense.”
“I will not be a pawn in a game I didn’t even want to play!”
Dane cringes, “Maybe a bit late for that. Do you think anyone unwittingly involved in the prophecy wanted this? Gemma called it. They cast these roles long ago and everyone around them is fair game.”
“Always so helpful.”
“You think I like this? Here I am still butt crazy in love with you and these assholes want to use you to get at me? It’s insane!”
“I’m sorry, what now?”
Taarek shakes his head, Roman and Shendo look away awkwardly, and Demaris bites her lower lip.
Dane throws his arms up, “Oh, don’t stand there and pretend like I’m doing all this for selfless reasons. I’m Dane Gellar for fucks sake! I love you – I am in love with you – and I don’t want you to suffer because my fate is foretold or whatever.”
Alka has never wanted this boy more than she does right now but stares daggers at him anyway.
“Alright,” Roman says lowly. “We know what we must do. We need to keep you both safe and we will.”
Demaris sighs, amused by the declaration, but weary, “Speaking of, we’re going to need more of the Force vaccine if Shendo and I are to provide such protection without being tracked through our Force signatures.”
“I got you. I’ll have Irulan send some over.”
“Much appreciated. You know, this would have mitigated a lot of damage had it been more accessible during the Republic purge of the Jedi.”
“I…didn’t think of it that way.”
“Big picture, Dane,” Demaris says, voice free of any scorn. “You may be central to the plot but it is not only you who risks harm.”
“That’s not what I…”
“I know. I am only reinforcing what you already feel. A call to action to stop what is coming. I believe Gemma and Riley will find a way but until then those we know and love will continue to be targets for agents of the prophecy. We must do what we can to protect them all. You are not naïve, Dane. Neither am I. Lives will be lost but we must minimize the damage the prophecy has the potential to cause however we can.”
He nods, despite not quite believing it himself.
Dane excuses himself to hit up Irulan for the meds, finding a quiet moment in his office. Formerly his father’s. It is not nearly as stately or impressive as the one at the Gellar Estate. He would generally head downstairs to his actual office for official matters of business. This served as more of a safe space, something away from the corporate chaos below. Dane had more recently used it to play virtual multiplayer games but often found himself in his father’s old chair, staring out into the bustling cityscape beyond the massive windows.
He taps on the console and sees a message alert…from Gemma. As usual these days, she leads with an ominous tone.
Dane – something happened on Corellia. You need to be careful.
-TBC
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