Shanda looked up from her meditations as the others argued in the nearby cockpit, her sightless vision looked on listening intently though she had nothing to really add, she could contradict Hectors assessment of what the Sith had detected but it really wouldn't matter. "We go in together." her voice was soft yet clear, her gaze glancing towards the huddled group intently, "Yes the sith could be tracking any of us force sensitives. Quite frankly the one in the ship we passed used enough energy of the kind one would use in a thermal detonator to light a candle, it was by sheer luck that my own mental defenses warded off his scan."

Sighing softly she unfolded her legs and crossed towards where the others had gathered. "Hiding the ship is a good plan but we should stick together, with an invasionary force landing planetside we'll need everyone we have to make it back."

Oriana peels her glasses off her face in one smooth motion, locking her dark eyes on the approaching form of the red-robed Jedi.

"No offense, Consular, but Captain Komad's in charge once we hit the ground.  If she says we keep the Skyfisher safe and ready for dust-off, we keep the Skyfisher safe and ready for dust-off." There's steel in her usually charming tone, and it doesn't take a Jedi to realize what Oriana thinks about this plan to leave their only way off this planet alone and undefended.  "...and she's just said we keep the ship safe."

"We can compromise and set her down on the manor's landing pad, and keep the engines hot there.  If we just need to retrieve Ussol and get the hell out, that's the fastest way, and if we all need to get the hell out in a hurry, that's the only way.  Stranded and on foot in the Corellian countryside isn't where we want to be."

As she finishes, she turns to Hector briefly, catching his eye and adding in a quieter voice, "Trust me."

Seely hesitates just a moment.  She looks to Oriana and Hector, realizing that they'll both be on the ship, and that she will not.  The Sith will be down here, soon.  That means that if the operation runs too long, she's going to be in the care of some very unlikeable fellows.  It's enough to raise suspicion in her, even if she forces it down for appearances.  Trusting those two to man the ship and not to simply make lines as soon as possible is tantamount to suicide with no prior data on how they act when things get heavy.  Essentially, she's killing the squad if she lets those two stay in the ship...

Trusting a squadmate is the key to survival, but that barely worked in the Republic military...

She sighs, however, at the realization that no one else here knows how to fly the ship.  Essentially, she has to trust them or risk everyone dying on the ground without a chance to escape.

Taking a moment to collect herself, she lets herself speak again.

"Understand, of course, that I don't like splitting up our squad or leaving our ship in a situation where it could have to fly away and leave us on the ground to remain safe, but we don't have the luxury of just leaving the ship here unattended," the Captain says, "It's going to be a quick in and out, if we can really help it.  Be synced to my comm-link in case they aren't jamming this close to the surface...and remain at the same site unless you have to move out fast."

The Jedis 'gaze' was unwaivering, Orianas look was not missed but nor did Shanda shrink from it. Sightless face tilted up staring firmly at the woman, a small usual smile playing at her lips, "You misunderstand my dear. I am not objecting to a very sound plan of leaving our escape route defended. Nor do I question the good Commanders authority. I merely suggest the choice of who remains be...reconsidered."

Hector sighed.  This was getting them nowhere.  At least Seely seemed to be on board, somewhat.  It was obvious they needed someone to stay behind, she saw that much.  Where they put the ship down didn't bother him that much - if it was at the manor, they would only be in danger if the place had some heavy AA guns.  Beyond that, small arms fire wouldn't do much against the ship.

"We touch down at the manor, then.  If Oriana takes the lower gun, we can deal with any defenders that take offense to our doing so," he said, before looking across at Shandra.  "And who would you suggest replaces us?  Should the pilot and engineer head into the manor, while one of our most combat effective choices remains behind?  Heh, I thought Jedi were supposed to be wise." Hector sighed, and kept his eyes ahead.  They had dipped down low now, the forest not far below them.

"Listen, Jedi, you're the ones who think we need to be here.  I'm here to fly the ship, and Oriana is here to keep it flying, and maybe provide her technical expertise where necessary.  Bringing us inside a place that may or may not be crawling with Imperials is tactically moronic."  He looked back at the Jedi, then at Seely.  He could guess at why she was suggesting a reconsideration, given their backgrounds, and frankly, the thought was insulting.  "No one knows what's inside that place, why we're going there, or what we're supposed to do when we get there.  The only guarantee you have is that I will be here with this ship to get you off the planet.  A smuggler's word is his life."

Shanda turned to regard Hectors words tilting her head slightly to the side as she studied him for a moment, "Actually I would have suggested myself since my combat ability is likely less than either of your own. Coupled with Orianas technical ability or your own improvisional skills I would not wish to hold the group back with my own more specialized skills. Coupled with the fact I can likely disguise the ship with another illousion it would make a sound choice to help protect the ship. But if what you say about your word is true, then I retract my objection."

The ship is about halfway to the coordinates the Jedi provided.  The temperate planet below is really quite green for a world so reliant on industry.  There are roads and other signs of civilization, but also plenty of trees and even the occasional river snaking through.

[Private to Duran; Hector Terrachova; Oriana Cy'Kast; Seely Komad; Serina Ryo: It is at about this point that you realize you've seen not a single ship leaving the planet's surface, neither with your eyes nor on the long-range sensors.]

"Enough," Seely states strongly before either of the criminals can get a rowdy in the face of the Jedi's...mysteriousness, "Hector, I do not doubt that Oriana is important to help you fly the ship, but I must express my doubts in the wisdom of leaving two people who have no particular loyalties to the Republic in charge of a ship with no particular motivation to stay..."

"Criminals.  That's the word you're dancing around."  Oriana scowls up at the Twi'lek, her glasses still dangling from her fingers.  "So what, our word's not good enough for you?  What about General Garza's word, is that good?"

"I hate to break it to you, but we're here to babysit this squad and ferry it from Point A to Point B, on General Garza's orders.  Part of said babysitting means not putting you down someplace that we can't get you out of.  If there's that many Imperials - hell, any Imperials around the Manor, we need to pull back and try a different tactic.  Hell, we don't even know what, specifically, we're here for, yet you're all just dying to run in blindly even if the place is crawling with Imperials."

The muscle at the edge of Oriana's jaw twitches, her teeth clenching momentarily, as she adds, "And I do not appreciate being treated as some kind of expendable anchor."

With that, she tosses her glasses on the console and spins around in her chair again, only to squeeze her eyes shut and take a deep breath.

Serina watches the argument go from one side to the other and finally decides to add in her own two credits.

"Look, it's not my call to make. But personally, I don't think leaving them behind is the worst of ideas. Granted there's always a chance they decide to take off on their own. But personally I think that chance is relatively small, they don't seem the type. But most of all, if they are going to do that. I'd rather know now. I'd rather face an entire world of imperials with a squad that has my full confidence then face anything with a squad I can't trust."

She glances over at Oriana and shrugs

"Having said that, I do think we need to bring one of them along. Not because they might run off, Like I said, I rather doubt it, and if they did, better now then later. But my concern is that if the four of us go in alone, who's going to talk to palace security if they don't invite us in readily? I don't think the Jedi spend much time learning how to deceive and miss-inform. And I've always been a bad liar. We might need someone who doesn't blink and give themselves away while... adjusting the truth? I think the droids and Hector could manage the ship in our absence, couldn't they?"

Noting a distinct lack of rising starships from the planet's surface, Hector swung around to view Seely directly.  "So we're not trustworthy because we do not bend over whenever a Republic Officer walks by?  Because we don't blindly follow the orders of a superior we may have never met before, and will never meet again, just because of some fancy pin on their jacket?" He sighed, and shook his head.  He looked to Serina, the medic, passing over Shandra who seemed to have accepted the logical choice.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence.  That said, think about the situation for a moment.  First, Corellia is an ally to the Republic when last I checked.  The Sith fleet adds merit to that.  So, if we land and don't find Imperials, why do you need to lie to get in?  You're from the Republic, with Jedi - why do they have any reason to turn you away?  If they do have a reason... you're better off using force than deception; you'll be walking into a hornet's nest either way."

Hector looked back to Seely now, seeming rather disappointed. "Sorry, Captain, but you just lost my vote of confidence.  Part of being a leader is earning the trust of those under you, and more importantly, trusting them yourself." With a glance to Oriana, he smirked.  "Plus, I don't see how taking her down as a hostage makes any more sense.  If I can't be trusted to stay to begin with, what's to stop me from leaving even if you take her with you?"

Seely stares in the face of that scowl, refusing to flinch throughout the response.  She focuses on formulating her words and on keeping a steely, military expression, but can't help a slight frown.  Sergeant Ryo stalls her from shouting, however, but Hector's words remind her that she is the lone bit of authority here.  That means, for better or for worse, she is responsible for everyone who dies, no matter whose fault it is.  She hesitates, however, for there is one voice that has been silent, this far...

Duran waited and waited and waited. No one was listening they were all just talking, this was going badly and there was no time for this. He waited a little longer for anyone to take control and then let out a small sigh as he focused his mind.

The force sensitives of the room felt a brief tug on the force. Suddenly Duran ran up the side wall, ran, all the way up to the roof hung there for just long enough for it to look wrong and then dropped from the ceiling flipping around to land on his feet his lightsaber hissing out and crackling through the air as he said, in a calm voice,"Stop it!"

With a smile he snapped the lightsaber off,"Right, now that I have everyone's attention. Firstly we're on a world that is about to be plunged into war, there is no more time for secrets, worries or concerns. If we are not focused and together there will be no team, no mission and no success."

He glanced from one to the other,"I am no diplomat, I only have plain words for you. For all of you." He pointed at Hector and Oriana,"They don't trust you because you came to the table in cuffs, you are conscripts not volunteers as far as they know, would you trust yourselves if the situations were reversed?"

"There is no time for secrets and in fighting, we have a bigger and more powerful foe. I trust her." His finger pointed at Oriana while his eyes gazed at the others,"For two reasons, I can find her anywhere on the planet and if she tried to run the Sith would notice, just like he would notice me."

He looked at Oriana with an apologetic smile, he didn't want to give away her secret but this was something that needed to be done, he'd have preferred to talk to her first though,"Now, we can keep worrying about who we can trust and who we can't but I trust the force, and the force has brought us together and it will keep us together. The Force is with us."

Looking at Seely he said,"Now, what is the best plan, not worrying about trust but about getting the job done right? That is why we are here."

08:05, Today: Duran rolled 29 using 1d20+11. Acrobatic.
08:02, Today: Duran rolled 24 using 1d20+15. Use Force- inertia.

Serina watches Duran take to the roof with mild surprise, wondering what he plans to do there. But she doesn't respond until he activates his lightsaber and an involuntary shiver runs down her spine and her left hand moves to hold her right wrist as if in pain. She takes a step back while her fingers caress an invisible line on her own skin not saying anything because she had already known the decision would be made by Seely, she just wanted to add her own thoughts since everyone else had. So she is ready to do whatever Seely decides is best.

Seely looks to Duran, perhaps slightly awed...though a little worried at his foolishness.  Seriously, the cockpit was probably only about half as tall as a person her height.  Her eyes go to Hector as her mind struggles to comprehend the Force.  Years of commanding and teaching have taught her well enough to not stumble when the iron is hot.  That means moving past the argument and not allowing those criminals the pleasure of a response to their argument, "The order is such: Hector, you and Oriana will land this ship close to the target zone, and you two will stay on the ship as we complete our mission on land.  What you do with the ship is your own discretion, but you will do well to recall that we may not have comms and that you should linger as close as you can as long as you can.  Anyone who wishes to stay will also stay on the ship, but I better hear a damned good reason, like the one Shanda gave."

She steps to one wall of the cockpit to be able to have her back to no one, "For those of us who are going ashore: we're going to find out what the deal is with this person of interest, do what we need to do regarding him and any others there, and get back aboard this ship when we're done.  That last part is most important."

In the back of the mind, she's already formulating backup plans to deal with the fact that Hector and Oriana have even less reason to remain behind.  They are not expendable, but that's precisely the problem; if they were so expendable they wouldn't be here.

The hiss of Duran's lightsaber igniting reached Oriana's ears before his words did, triggering something instinctive deep down in the primal recesses of her brain that were concerned with survival.  Not a half second passed from that first hiss of crackling plasma, to the distinctive heavy *schnick* of a safety being flipped off.  Having spun around in her chair, Oriana levels a veritable hand cannon in the padawan's direction.

She stares at him over the barrel of her blaster, maintaining the pose for a long moment past when Duran shuts off his lightsaber, before dropping her arm and grumbling, "Don't ever do that in a cockpit again."

As he talks, she spins her blaster around in her hand and re-holsters it, turning her attention back to the console in front of her.  Now that they're close to the landing spot, she has more important things to deal with, although she listens intently to Duran and then Seely in turn.  Oriana merely nods when Seely instructs them to stay with the ship, but she can sense the hesitation in the Twi'lek's voice.

She starts to reassert what Hector had previously said, about a smuggler's word, but at this point it was just going to fall on deaf ears.  They'd learn once they came out and saw the Skyfisher still waiting, and not before.

Given the sort of lifestyle Hector led, his reaction to the young Padawan's actions wouldn't come as much of a shock to everyone.  His hand moving in a blur, he had his own heavy blaster in hand and aimed at Duran as he landed with lightsaber lit.  Only after it was clear no attack was coming from the action did he realize that two blasters were aimed at the man - one from him, and one from Oriana.  She had good instincts, that much was clear.

Holstering his weapon, Hector shook his head.  Thankfully, Seely spoke up before he could call the Padawan out for his irresponsible action.  Swiveling back around, he took hold of the controls once more, and adjusted their course just a bit.  On the scopes, he could see the manor getting closer.

"We have our orders then," he announced, rather pleased that Seely had found it in her to agree with him and Oriana. "We touch down in a minute or two, so get yourselves ready."

"In the future, we will not ignite any lightsabers in the cockpit, either." Seely's direct experiences in dealing with dark Jedi were relatively few and far between, but it didn't take a genius to know why the lightsaber end of that action was wrong.  Even if Duran was a capable warrior, she knew that even a Jedi could fumble.  After all, that addled master had sent them to this planet just in time to be caught in the invasion.  Fate of the Force or not, they could have organized a crew of Republic specialists for this.

"Make ready, all of you.  Check your weapons, outside of the cockpit." Leaving the cockpit, she goes to get the helmet and her gloves to her flight suit.  There'd probably be no need for the extra protection, especially if their target wasn't the hostile, but the planetary invasion could always aggravate the issue.

With the drawing of weapons Shanda watched impassively, glancing to Duncan she let a soft chuckle escape her lips, nodding to the others she rose to leave and turned to regard the pair over her shoulder, "I do apologize for my own distrust. Neither of you have shown a merit for it beyond the complications of the first briefing. I trust in your word Hector." Turning the Consular slipped form the cockpit to finish her own preperations in meditation readying herself for the trial ahead.

Duran looked at the two blasters for a moment, and there was a sense that he was going to do more with his lightsaber but in the end he turned it off and hung it at his belt. Waiting till the guns were away he smiled, nodding to Oriana that he shouldn't use it in the cockpit again,"Hopefully I won't need to..."

He knew that he had more than likely upset more than one person with his actions but he was prepared to accept that to get them to work together. He smiled again at Seely's command about lightsabers, his goal achieved. He of course was wearing everything that he had brought with him, other than a tool kit that he didn't plan on carrying with him.

Coming to stand between the two pilot chairs he put a hand on either shoulder of both of them and said softly,"I trust you both." He looked at Hector, a slight bit of doubt creeping in his voice,"At least with the ship."

Chuckling at the irony of trusting him with his transport off planet but not with a woman he hardly knew at all, who was also very handy with a blaster. Putting his hands down he dropped to his haunches till he was at the same level as them and said,"Does this ship have encryption and a scrambler? If so we may need to match up so I can talk to you. I only have a short range comm but no one is going to hear it."

X2 pipes up in a few woeful tones, stepping back and forth between "legs" nervously.

[Private to group Binary: "Query? = duration of stay | X2's circuit capacity = not primed for danger"]

When Duran's hand settles on her shoulder, Oriana swivels her head around.  Up close, and without the usual orange mirrors blocking the way, the depths of her dark eyes appear jaded and wary, although her stoic expression does shift into a slightly tired smile after a moment or two.  Had she been that young not so terribly long ago?  She felt a lifetime older, especially at times like this, when everyone was so eager to rush headlong into danger.

Not the fun kind, either, she muses internally, her eyes flickering to Hector and lingering there briefly.  Fast and dangerous, indeed.  The corners of her mouth twitch, and she breaks into a grin, as her attention settles on the Jedi once more.  "Glad someone trusts us.  Our word is good, even if the rest of us isn't," she teases, tactfully avoiding commenting on Duran's addenda regarding his trust only being extended to the ship.

"I wouldn't worry about encryption.  If those Imperial ships get in close enough to listen in, they're going to jam us, scrambled or no.  If they do that, we'll have to rely on you or Shanda getting in touch with us, which I know you can do."  Oriana twists around and fetches her glasses from the console, slipping them back onto her face with one hand, while deftly moving Duran's hand from her shoulder to the back of her chair with the other.  Free to stand, she does so, taking a moment to stretch her arms behind her back, and roll her head around, oblivious to the close proximity of the Jedi in her personal space - or more likely, not giving a damn.

"I'm going down to the ion, in case our welcome is hot."  She glances down briefly, taking note of Duran's hand on Hector's shoulder as well, barring her way.  Without waiting for either of them to move, she plucks the Jedi's hand up with her left, rests her right hand on the pilot's shoulder for balance, and deftly maneuvers herself through the minimal opening created.  Her fingers slip free gradually as she walks away, settling into her usual unhurried stride.

"Short, I hope, little guy.  They're just picking something up on the surface," she pauses to reassure X2 before continuing on down to the ventral turret, giving the little droid a fond rub.  "We're staying on the ship."

Her eyes surprised him, what had made her so jaded so quickly? What made an intelligent woman like her loose the spark and enjoyment from her life. Her life must have been hard.

He was going to say something about how the scrambling and encryption would be important to start with but she moved to quickly for him to say anything. Sitting on his haunches he suddenly had a full grown woman standing only inches away from his face.

Then she put her arms behind her back.....

All his attempts to forget what he had found in her cabin were for naught, his face went bright red and his mouth fell open and he made to stand up but not in time his second hand was pulled away from Hector and she rubbed herself against him.....

Okay she pushed past but he wasn't sure it was intentional but that didn't make it's effects any less with the way his usually disciplined mind diving into areas that had always been so easy to avoid before this.

What was happening to him?

He stood, wavering a little and dropped down into the co-pilot's chair and closed his eyes. Entering into a little emergency meditation to regain his centre, of course the chair was still warm and this made it take a little longer.

Finally he glanced at Hector, hoping he hadn't noticed his lack of composure,"Suppose I should be going...."

Serina doesn't pay a lot of attention to the following conversation. With Seely's decision the matter is closed to her. She'll do as she's told and if the worst should happen and the ship isn't here on return, they'll do with that when it happens. In truth her attention is more focused on her right hand, which she finally released and is flexing slowly for half a minute before pulling her attention away from that and towards the others going off the ship.

"I don't think it'd be a good idea to bring along my whole surgical kitt. Might give the wrong idea. Perhaps we should simply take out the medpacs, we can all stuff em in our utility belts or pockets, or wherever people want to stuff them. As long as they are within easy reach"

X2 beeps a few times back at Oriana.

[Private to group Binary: "X2 = delighted to hear that | Query? = presence of danger in subsequent missions | Query? = permission to take leave"]