Juragga gnashed his teeth and kept his head down.  He wanted to loom menacingly at the stormtroopers, but that was the last thing he should do now.

He did keep close to Karra, though, hoping his presence was comforting.

The officer, a mere captain by his insignia, gives Shard a withering look, which changes to one of mixed fear and loathing as he suddenly realises that the only people of her rank who would speak to him are, under the circumstances, probably ISB.  He decides to play it safe.

"Series of explosions reported, here and in Sections Four, Seventeen and Twenty.  Seventeen is, of course, adjacent to this Section, while Four and Twenty are further removed.  Eleven explosions reported so far, spread around the globe.  Command has activated all stormtrooper units, and fielded damage control units in the affected Sections.  Damage control in currently unaffected Sections has been place on standby.  Sir."

Karra and Haarmon both stood close to Juragga, the young woman doing her best to look casually interested in the fire, which appears to be spreading up the tower.

Rhijans returned, snapping a salute at Shard (and all but ignoring the Captain completely.  "As best I can ascertain, this isn't directly connected to our mission.  But with our target's reputation, I can't rule it out."  It was a cold, critical analysis...calculated to both reassure the captain that he wasn't the target of an ISB operation and terrify him that something worthy of ISB attention had popped up under his command.

"That many?"  Shard's eyebrows rise.  There's no need to state the obvious - this is a well-planned, well-managed attack.

Perfect.

Her eyes flick to Rhijans as the 'stormtrooper' gives his report. "We have eleven explosions, here. If they're not Juragga's work," she muses, "they're at least connected to his presence."

With that, she returns her gaze to the captain.  "Eleven.  Detonations.  What did you say your name was, captain?" Without waiting for that information, she continues.  "You - no, we have a serious problem, here." That bone thrown, the older woman gestures toward the columns of smoke.  "Bad as this is, my information puts a rebel saboteur - a very specific saboteur - here.  Now.  His last attempt against the Empire brought down a Star Destroyer."  Her voice tenses on the last two words.  "A very important Star Destroyer."

She leans close, her face grim.  "I can assure you, captain, as bad as this may seem, if Juragga is involved it will only become worse.  This?" She draws herself upright.  "Is a pittance by comparison, but may - may! - be connected.  Where is your commanding officer?"

Standing quietly in the background, Haarmon called up Juragga's official rap sheet on his datapad and, with a small cough, handed it to the captain. "Just in case you're not up on current events. This is what we're dealing with. So. You know. Chop chop."

And he took a full step back to show that he was politically hiding behind Shard.

The Captain's eyes scan the list, and his brows lift even as the rest of his expression falls.  He glances at the nearby Wookiee, then back to Shard.

"Captain Danal, Sir.  Admiral Hreckas is in charge of this sub-quadrant, Sir.  He travelled to Section Seventeen when the first attacks were reported there, almost an hour ago.  To my knowledge, he is still there.  Captain Tondash and myself were left in joint command here, in the Admiral's absence."

A bead of sweat appears at the Captains hairline, and... dawdles... down his face.

"Tondash may be inside there, Sir." he gestures towards the nearest burning structure.  "A labourer reported seeing something suspicious, and Tondash went with a team of stormtroopers to investigate.  I have heard nothing from him since the explosion."

Inside his helmet, Rhijsns offered a tight-lipped smile...he had no idea who was behind the attacks, but he approved of their work...as long as it was only Imperial personnel getting caught in the blast.  Sabotage was tricky, but there were some people who were far too indiscriminate in their approach...collateral damage was no problem for them.  Rhijans could be ruthless...but he tried to avoid dragging innocent bystanders into the situation.  It was one thing if they were Huttese minions or overzealous local consrabulary...but the workers here were largely conscripted labor and would gladly have chosen to be just about anywhere else in the galaxy.  They didn't deserve to be targeted...

At the moment, though, they had no idea who else may have been caught in the blasts.  "It sounds like the situation here is worse than was reported to us," he said to Shard...even with the flat modulation 9f the helmet, his voice carried a clear accusatory implication, that the command staff had been deliberately withholding information.  He'd originally intended to remain quiet and anonymous...but the Captain had apparently bitten hard on the ISB cover, and that gave them some extra room to operate.

"We need to work fast, if we're going to get ahead of him."  Again, apparently directed at Shard...but entirely aimed at securing the captain's full cooperation right away.  He was middle management, apparently unaccustomed to taking charge...his CO was occupied in another sector of the station and the fact that the other captain had gone in to investigate implied that he had been the decisive one, not the man in front of them.  If that all held true, this captain would easily relinquish in the face of an authority figure acting decisively.

Danal's eyes flick towards Rhijans, then back towards Shard as he, perhaps, sees a chance to save his career...

"Since time is of the essence in preventing further attacks, is there anything I can do to help?  Do you need more stormtroopers to assist in your search for this... " he consults the datapad, "... Juragga?"

Haarmon shook his head. "Stormtroopers? To chase the Juragga? You use a hammer to slice your steak? Nah, nah. Huntin' and spottin' is what this freakshow is for," he jerks his thumb at the real Juragga, "What the lady officer here needs is to move quick and not spend half her time re-telling this same story to every inquiring mind that crosses her path. So while we make tracks, can you get on the horn and spread the word to the teeming multitudes to just let her get done what needs doing?"

He looked up at Shard like a spineless sycophant might, begging for a little of that sweet, sweet validation from whoever got the shiniest badge.

Rhijans resisted the urge to step 9n Haarmon's foot, or kick him in the shins, or nudge his side...something to get him to stop talking.  The door had been opened wide for Shard to request detention and interrogation, the captain primed to unquestioningly agree to it...

He could only hope that Sha4d got her foot in that door before Haarmon succeeded in kicking it shut.

Externally, all that was seen was a stormtrooper looking at an officer just a little too long, with a cock of his head that indicated that even the blindly devout stormtroopers could find the outburst questionable.  But his body posture managed to convey more a mixture of disappointment and disgust than surprise.  Hopefully, the effect was more an impression of resignation for an officer that refused to follow protocol than surprise at the decidedly un-Imperial language.  They were supposedly ISB, after all...ISB didn't operate within the normal parameters of the Imperial military...

Sometimes, it's best to let things flow.  Shard waits and watches, stone-faced, while Haarmon rapid-fires information and Rhijans slips in some tight support.  But she doesn't miss Rhijans' 'expression' of disapproval, and figures it's time to step in.

"Hold on that," she states, raising one hand to Haarmon before facing the officer.  "Captain Tondash may or may not be alive."  Her gaze slips to the building, weighing damage.  "If they are, I doubt they are functional.  That puts you in sole charge of this sub-quadrant, Captain; I suggest you continue under that idea." 

Something of a carrot, there; a chance for the man to distinguish himself.

Her eyes narrow slightly.  "Contrary to what my subordinate states, in his own particular idiom, there happens to be something with which we require assistance.  Najdo Hedine - a technician working here.  My sources indicate he has possible connections to Juragga.  I need him detained."  Her tone hardens and she leans a touch closer.  "Alive, captain.  Alive and unharmed.  No accidental falling down a repulsorlift shaft, no cursed 'he tripped and fell'.  If by some poor choice of your people he gets his hands on a blaster, well..."  She rocks back, considering.  "That's why our soldiers wear armor," Shard finally muses.

"Otherwise?"  She shoots an exaggeratedly weary look at Haarmon. "As noted, if I can rely on you to deal with any roadblocks some functionary might throw in my path, that would be helpful.  I don't want my presence bandied about on open comm; Juragga has used highly skilled techs in the past, and they may have access to our communications." Shard's dark eyes frost over as she finishes with one of ISB's more common thoughts, one she suspects never ceases to put sweat on the brows of loyal Imperials.  "And there is, of course, the potential for spies...moles..."

"...traitors."

A thin smile cuts across her spare face, wintery but now unthreatening.  "When you detain Najdo, captain, tell me and no other; if word spreads and our quarry hears, they will not hesitate to eliminate one of their own."

The poor Wookiee couldn't help but cant his head from side to side at every mention of his name, trying his best to follow WTF people were talking about.

Rhijans decided the time was good to grease the wheels just a little bit more.  "There is also a chance that some of the Wookiees might be able to identify him.  We should look into that angle, as well..."  While he said nothing that gave any indication of what Shard's rank might be, he adopted a deferential tone when addressing her that subtly indicated that she was very definitely a figure with great authority.

Danal looks confused, right from the moment that Haarmon starts talking.  Then Rhijans and Shard seem to contradict some of the information...  But, like any good Imperial, he knows better than to question instructions from anybody who might be connected to the ISB.  Even someone like Haarmon... who, for all he knows, could be the commanding officer's personal interrogator...

Instead, he nods, and puts the instructions into what he considers to be order of priority.  "Understood, Sir.  Najdo Hedine, unharmed, and brought to you only.  Officials to be told to give you all possible cooperation.  Wookiees, rounded up for questioning."

Of course, all the talk of spies and traitors gives him pause for thought.  "Everybody will be given the bare minimum information that will allow them to carry out their part in this operation efficiently.  All communication regarding your investigation will be carried out via courier to reduce the chance of interception."
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:00, Sun 03 Jan 2021.

Haarmon had thought he was pretty clever, finding a good in-genre reason to get everyone out of their way, but then was abashed as Rhijans gave him a withering look (he could feel the look even from inside the helmet) and Shard stomped all over his plan with a way, way better one.

Out of my depth, he thought, story of my life.

As Shard reprimanded him, his face flushed in very sincere and not-at-all faked embarrassment. And he looked at the ground and his shoulders slumped and he shut the heck up.

"Well-summed up, Captain Danal." She offers him an appraising look.  "And well-considered.  Danal," she muses.  "Won't forget this name."  Clearly there's approval in the tone, but an ISB officer choosing not to forget a specific person might bode ill if things turn out poorly.

One might want to make sure everything that goes in the report is positive.

"If you can manage Hedine, captain," she continues, "then give us a direction for the Wookies and rendezvous with us there once you have him.  The only way we'll find Juragga is through multiple, simultaneous angles at the same time.  You can expect his plans to have layers, layers already underway." Her brows draw together slightly, in part because the older woman notes the despondent Haarmon. "Swiftly, Captain Danal."

Poor Haarmon; clearly he's kicking himself.  Shard knows the feeling well, having been there herself.  How many times has Rhijans, or Juragga, or Haarmon himself saved her from a moment of indecision or a poor choice?  She can't even begin to count.

Most of their cursed plans start with Haarmon, a fact she needs to remind him of...once the captain gives them direction.  And she's going to cursed well need him to come up with another one to help get the Wookies off this void of a planet.

"The largest contingent of Wookiees are working on a classified heavy construction project in Yard 329." Danal points, "It's about two kilometres down that service road, and on the left.  There's heavy security there, Sir, but by the time you get there the stormtroopers will have instructions to let you in if you give them the correct code."

He taps a brief string of text into the borrowed datapad, and holds it out for Shard to read, before erasing it. 

"I will go and retrieve Najdo Hedine now, Sir."

Inwardly, Rhijans nodded.  For not having any significantly solid way to broach the subject, getting information on the Wookiees...and access to them...was playing out smoothly.  Let's hear it for bureaucracy... he thought in dry irony, as he looked off in the direction the captain had pointed.  Two kilometers was a bit of a hike, especially in trooper armor...but it was doable.

So focused was he on the prospect of finding and freeing Wookiee slaves... maybe even his family!... that Juragga didn't even notice Haarmon's distress. His muscles coiled and bunched beneath his pelt and he had a hard time standing still in a submissive posture.

"As you say, Captain Danal." Shard offers him a tepid salute, clearly already focusing on other things...but still remembering his name.  She raises her hand to shoulder level and pokes a half-curled finger in the direction indicated with a twitch of her wrist.  "Let's move.  And contact Team Two, tell them to meet us there."

Marching in that direction, she shoots a quick glance around the group.  Hedine-The-Sister seems to be holding together, at least.  Rhijans is...more inscrutable in his armor, were that possible.  Haarmon appeared knotted, and as his teacher, she knew that look.  Juragga...

Knotted isn't so bad a word for him, eithe. Wookie language does depend somewhat on body language for some subtle contexts, and this one was glaringly obvious; Shard didn't need to be a linguist to read Juragga now.  Far enough away from the officer and anyone who might have heard?  Check.  "Juragga," she states, calmly but not whispering; given the chaos, he wouldn't hear anything of the sort, and a whispered to a Wookie might attract attention.  "We've got a good chance here, so let's keep it cold as the void.  No dismemberments.  Yet."

Something she has seen before; and, honestly, would rather not again.

Then Shard's eyes flick to Haarmon.  "Sorry about that, Haarmon.  Normally it's your ad-libbed idea that carry us, not mine."  Slowly, the older woman lets out a long breath.  "This whole cursed plan is easily halfway your plotting, I need to do some work."

What was that sound?  Teeth grinding audibly? Almost like glaciers cracking.

Not trusting himself to reply, Juragga merely nodded fiercely.

Rhijans dropped into escort position...three steps behind and a half-step to the right...of Shard.  "Team Two, we're en route to Yard 329.  Rendezvous with us there."  Nice touch, he thought appreciatively.  ISB was the stuff of nightmarish legend, so planting the seed of doubt that there may actually be a full operation happening right under that station leadership's noses...well, a little paranoia would play well into their hands.

Ad libbing a bit, he continued, "All other teams, continue as previously ordered."  Let them wonder just how many ISB were aboard...and what those previous orders might be.  With an inner nod of satisfaction, he stayed in step with Shard as they moved out.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:04, Mon 11 Jan 2021.

The air is rank with the stench of burning insulation, and other construction materials that aren't withstanding the fires.  The group move quickly onwards in the indicated direction.

And nobody stops them.

Part of that could be due to the ongoing emergency - everybody around them is just too busy to pay attention to them.  Or it could be due to the unusual combination of a Wookiee, a stormtrooper, and Shard's uniform - nobody who spots them knows what that might mean, and they don't want to risk finding out...

The walk towards 329 goes pretty quickly, and smoothly...

Haarmon gave Shard a weak smile and a nod, "Sure, sure," he said, "I totally get it. Can't ride the edge without falling off now and again, you know?" But he did feel a bit better.

He stayed close to Juragga as they hupped along. "It's cool Rags, stay frosty. We're doing this. We're for realsie reals doing it."

Haarmon's attempt drags a strained chuckle from Shard.  "You walk so close to the edge, even for us, that you're pretty much dangling.  How you keep your balance, I have no idea," Shard finishes with a rueful shake of her head.  She doesn't miss Juragga's enamel-cracking fury, but Haarmon gets there first; he and Juragga go waaaay back. The young man is best likely to convince the Wookie to keep from doing anything that will make Shard wish for a bottle with which to drown the memories. Rhijans goes with her idea...which makes it a good one, to Shard's mind; she relaxes from 'thin-steel garrote' to 'instrument string'.

Then he takes it a step further, and Shard cannot help but smile behind one raised hand; she had considered using 'Team Five', but hadn't any idea what might be reasonable.  "All teams" left it to the knowledge -- and imagination -- of anyone listening in, which is best.

Mostly, she keeps her eyes ahead, seeking obstacles to step around (inanimate) or stare down (sentient) as they approach their goal.  And tries not to cough, the corrosive reek of burning plastics clawing at her throat.