Marching Orders

NRCV Audacity -- Ready Room

This part of the Audacity has been designed as a situation room for high-ranking officers to discuss unfolding events in privacy. A large table is the focal point of the space, surrounded by ten high-backed, synthleather seats. Mounted into the tabletop, fold-up computer monitors allow for subspace conferencing from ship to ship, and even system to system. A holoprojector is also featured in the table's center.

Most of the colors in the room are a light, creamy shade of off-white, with much of the furniture being similar. A screen at the forward end of the room can display combat information piped in from the bridge, as well as visuals from holorecorders on the exterior of the ship. The room's setup is rounded out by the New Republic Crest displayed prominently in red on the port wall, and the ship's DEDICATION plaque near the room's entrance.

The ready room is emptied save for Leia, a pot of strong caf, and a handful of mugs arranged around it. The screen at the forward end of the room displays several images of the system, each 'square' an image of continuous feed from the holorecorders mounted on the exterior of the ship. Leia is standing before this screen, a cup of caf cradled in her hands and a pensive expression on her face.

Caf. STAT. The pot that was kept by the technicians was in the process of brewing, which was something that Drax Rendolen didn't care to wait for. It was a concession; considering theirs was always the strongest one could get their hands on. The Alderaanian settles for the backup location. The doors to the Ready Room open and Drax pokes his head inside. The inviting smell tells him that he hadn't wasted his time in coming to the room and the sight of Leia simply tells him that there is some sort of higher power guiding his movements on this particular day. Bastard! Where the hell was it in the past? The rest of him enters the room and he goes straight for the pot of life-giving nectar, taking a mug and promptly filling it. Cupping it in both hands, he pulls the mug up and takes a sampling of it.

"Strong as durasteel. Black as night. Bitter as the day is long. Undiluted and unadulterated, nothing to get between you and the caffeine," Leia murmurs i a voice just loud enough to carry to the new arrival in the room. She doesn't need to turn and lay eyes on the man in the room, her senses are enough to sense an old-familiar presence even though it has been.. had been a very long time since she'd seen him last.

The woman had, since childhood, always been like that. She would say something and it would disarm him entirely. Even now, Drax's guard drops for a moment as a thoughtful grin forms from his lips. It was good to see her again. She reminded him of simpler times. "Thank the Force... I could really use some right about now." Turning from the pot, the former General looks over the readouts for a moment before looking at the woman. "How do things look out there?"

"Astrologically speaking? Astronomically speaking? Tourism speaking? Or do you mean the action in theatre? All are valid questions," Leia remarks in return. "Astrologically speaking, I would say that the stars are definitely not aligned for a romantic interlude for anyone on planet. Astronomically speaking, we're just another bright blip in the night sky. Tourism wise," she gives a slight shrug, "I wouldn't put Dac high on the list of vacation spots anytime soon. As to the action in theatre," she gives a slight tilt of her head towards the images, "we're maneuvering and posturing."

To the initial questions, Drax shrugs his shoulders and nods in general to the cluster of inquiries. He listens as she answers each of them in turn and finds himself surprised with how detached he feels from everything. "For what it's worth, I wish everyone the best of luck. I don't think there's much for me to really do here." The urge to have a nicostick with the cup of caf was overwhelming. This, he knew, was not the time or place for it. "I'll probably be moving along later today." It was almost difficult for him to say to the woman. Almost. But, he had been convincing himself it was time to move on for the past few days and it was getting easier to do.

"It is often true that it is not the destination that matters, but the journey itself," Leia replies, her words perhaps not seeming to entirely tie into the conversation at first. "Something brought you back, Drax. It brought you here, and now, in this time in this place of all places. You could have returned a month from now, a year from now, and you would've been received the same way. With shock. Amazement. Wonder. Joy," and a brief smile curves her lips upwards as she adds that last word. The look in her eyes, however, remains pensive and she studies Drax for a silent moment. "It is not I that you have to convince that you must be moving onward, old friend. It is yourself. But you're running from the one thing that you can't run from, and no matter how far and how long you continue on this path you will never set aside your own memories. Your own experience. The things that make you restless, that give you wandering feet, that make you crave your next drink or your next buzz, are merely an echo of that which drives you onward."

The course of the conversation alters the Intelligence agent's mood, causing his grin to fade as the woman's words hit home. "Leia, I've been restless all my life. I don't touch spice and what I do on my time is my business. Whatever I came back for, it wasn't to get analyzed. Please, spare me that. I've gotten enough of it each time I'm pulling out of the game before I lose my last chip. Right now, I really don't think I have another hand left in me at this table." He pauses for a moment and takes a sip from his caf in an attempt to calm his nerves some. "A nicostick would do wonders right about now...," he thinks to himself. "I've lost enough already. I don't have any more to give, right now." His guard was back up and the cool demeanor his profession demanded of him when out in the field took the place of the grin he had previously worn.

""This guy's walking down the street when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep he can't get out. A doctor passes by, and the guy shouts up, "Hey, you, can you help me out?" The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down in the hole and moves on. Then a priest comes along, and the guy shouts up, "Father, I'm down in this hole. Can you help me out?" The priest writes a prayer, throws it down in the hole and moves on. Then a friend walks by. "Hey, Joe, it's me. Can you help me Out" And the friend jumps in the hole. Our guy says, "Are you nuts? Now we're both down here." The friend says, "Yeah, but I've been down here before - and I know the way out." Leia turns slightly and stares at Drax again, "I know the way out, if you want it. Purpose."

At first, when Drax realizes the story that Leia was telling, a grimace appears on his face. He pulls his mug of caf up and polishes off what is left of it before sliding it onto the table next to him. He couldn't keep his composure with Leia... He just never could. She was destined for politics from the moment she was born. A pained, almost panicked, look appears when she finally lays the final statement on him. He shakes his head lightly and bites at part of the inside of his mouth, wishing he hadn't come here. That she wasn't the face of the New Republic right now. That he could just cash in his chips and walk away from the game. But things never did work out the way he wanted. "And what purpose do you propose? I'm not climbing back into a cockpit or stepping out on the front lines or doing interrogations anymore. I'm done with that. So what do you propose?"

Leia studies Drax for another silent moment while finishing the last of the caf from the cup she's been holding between her hands. She walks towards the table and pours another cup for herself, holds the pot aloft slightly to silently inquire of Drax if he'd like more to drink as well. The feed from the holorecorders continues to display on the forward screen and she turns her attention back to it before setting the pot back down. "The action here will not end in a day or a week. This will be an ongoing crisis for so long as there is contest here over the world, over it's shipyards, over it's people. You aren't meant for this one, Drax."

It is unbidden that he heads towards the ready room, the usual place where he conducts the more tedious aspects of his duties as XO of this vessel. After all, reading administrative memos, equipment and personnel requisition and confirming or denying this or that is not a job to be done on the bridge. Yet, when he enters, Rasi is greeted first by the strong smell of caf, a hand quickly brought up to his nose to shield it from the scent of the beverage he has never learned to stand. "Pardon me, Madam, I was not aware that this was being used.", the apology is offered as quickly as he spots the two people already here, and Rasi awaits only the permission to depart before turning on his heels and heading away.

As much as Drax didn't want to commit to staying in the room, he wanted to stay awake for a while longer even more. A quick, assertive nod is dished out in response to the silent inquiry. His gloved hand takes hold of the mug and holds it out, ready for the woman to pour another mug-full. "Then what is it that you have in mind? What is it that I am meant for?" The opening of the door grabs the former General's attention as his head snaps off to the side and appraises the man who has entered. He recognizes him quickly as the same fellow he had run into several days ago on the flight deck and turns back to the fellow Alderaanian to allow her to respond to the young officer.

"No pardon is required, Commander," Leia replies with a faint smile towards Cen, "this is your ship after all," she adds before gesturing towards the pot of caf with one hand, an offer if he should so be inclined. Her cup is lifted, the contents sipped from, then lowered slightly before she continues, "Drax, if you haven't been formally introduced this is Rasi Cen, one of the best naval commanders that the New Republic Navy has been blessed with in a long time. It's his tactical outlines and bold moves that kept us from having to capitulate at the first brush of combat. No matter how he wants to play it down, he's a blessing to us." She tilts her head again slightly and continues, "Drax, you're one of the most seasoned and experienced agents. I'm in charge of NRI at the moment and if you want it, I have an assignment that would fit you. It's dangerous. It's challenging. And if you misstep you might well forfeit your life. "

"No, but thank you Madam.", Rasi's attention next turns to Drax, the man from the other day, a quick nod given to him, whether or not more is required on future occasions will have to be determined soon. "Madam, the plan has at its basis Rear Admiral Quix and the Blue Reef's Captain, I have had only a slight role in it. My best achievement is just bringing this plan to your attention and subsequently to that of high command.", no being shy that, Rasi is simply not one to accept praises and compliments when they are not earned. Makes the earned ones worth less in his book. When talk changes to NRI and that sensitive subject, Rasi simply quiets down, walking to a nearby cabinet of sorts and putting down the datapads he had with him on it.

Drax turns to the young naval officer and bows his head slightly. "Words like those from the Chief of State..." The Alderaanian throws on grin for show and whistles lightly. "You'd better watch out before she promotes you so high you're stuck behind a desk pushing papers or in meetings all day." His attention turns back to the Princess, however to continue the line of conversation they had begun earlier. He snorts imperceptibly, a short burst of air through his nose that is a hair more than what is normal, in response to the assessment of what she had in mind for him and at the fact that she was, in fact, the present director of NRI. It was strange, an elected official and the sitting Chief of State to be heading it up. Plausible deniability just went out the window and so did a certain degree of oversight into the highest office in the government. One could say that they balanced each other out, if one was so inclined. "Sounds like the usual. I signed my waivers long ago. What do you have in mind?"

Leia fixes a studied gaze at Rasi for a silent moment then says, "I know how to spot talent, Commander. And you have it, in spades. Pass the credit all you like, but remember that it has been noticed and greatly appreciated." She finishes her second cup of caf and sets the empty mug on the table, "There is a religious political movement gathering speed on Trandosha. The powers that be aren't sure what to do about it. And, being the usual long-sighted folks that they are, they've decided to bury their collective heads in the sand and ignore it until it goes away. Fortunately, or unfortunately? the NRI has decided to let the hysterical folks do their usual routine. I've been sorting files and attempting to discern who would be the best possible agent to attempt to insert into this movement. And I think you are the right one to offer the mission too. It's an offer, Drax, not a command. "

"If I may interject, anything on Trandosha risks the integrity of the defences on Kashyyyk and that entire sector of the border. I believe that we should at the least know what is behind this and an NRI team at the least should be dispatched." Now that he has said that, the man settles back and leans against a nearby bulkhead, waiting for his turn to be addressed. Rasi frowns for a quick moment, "If I may interupt Madam, may I require the help of NRI for an operation down on the planet?" He did not address the comments about his supposed-skill or anything of the sort, a mere nod given then, if a superior says that he is skilled, then he is skilled and that's that.

Drax gives a sideways glance at the younger man and nods his head in agreement with Leia as she speaks. "Own your achievements and don't be bashful about it. Brass doesn't like it." The man amused himself when he caught himself saying that. It was something that bugged him when he was dealing with junior officers and yet he had stated it as if he were still a pilot in Archer Squadron. Looking back to Leia, he nods his head slowly and pauses for a moment while weighing the situation. "I'll do this one. And I'll think about where things will leave us when it's done." Rasi's comments cause the older man's head to turn in his direction. "I don't think that a 'team' is necessarily what's in order for Trandosha. The smaller the numbers, the better in a situation like this. A careful, artful stroke is what is needed..." As he speaks, he slowly starts to turn his head back to his old friend and he nods his head to her, "... and that is what will be done. I'll play my part, see how deep I can go, and will relay back what I find."

"If I have the assets in the right place, they're at your disposal, Commander," Leia replies to Rasi with a measured nod. "As you can see, Drax, his read on the current tactical situation here in theatre, plus system awareness, is so modestly displayed. I'll stop embarrassing him, however," she adds after a moment. She studies Drax for another one of those silent thoughtful moments, an expression of almost grim understanding forms on her face for a moment. "If you go in alone then there may be no way for you to send the flare that you need an extraction."

"He's got his eyes on the map, there's no denying that. A good head on his shoulders." The newer cup of caf had largely been ignored by Drax this whole time; his attention had being on other matters for so long that he had forgotten about it entirely. Remembering its presence, the former A-Wing jockey draws it in and makes up for lost time by taking a quick, long gulp of it. Pulling it away, he starts interjecting immediately, perhaps a bit too quickly as he fights to finish swallowing. "I'm not taking anyone with me." He shakes his head and continues, "I did that last time and it didn't work out well in the end. If you feel the need, send someone else on their own as well. I don't want them knowing about /me/ and I don't want to know about /them/. I don't like getting my cover blown by someone who can't stay frosty. I'll check in regularly. If we go more than a few days without a heartbeat to my handler, then you can hold the memorial service. If I need any assistance, I'll gather what I need in the field and use blinds. We don't need to tip our hand by showing too much of a presence."

"Your mission, your rules," Leia replies with a slow nod. "This is not a one way mission, Drax. Keep that in mind."

Drax finishes his mug of caf and sets it on the table near the pot that had filled it moments ago. He eyes the contraption for a moment and again nods his head. "It never has been before and this won't be either." A short chuckle comes from his chest before he looks back to Leia with his classic grin on his face. "After all I've survived; I think I can handle a run to Trandosha." His hands search his pockets for a moment and they come back with the nicostick he had been waiting for this entire time, but no lighter. He leaves the 'stick in the corner of his mouth and makes his way to the door, pausing there for a moment to look back. "Like I've been saying for years, Leia. I'm invincible. Write that down in my file for the next director. And can you tell them not to count me out until they see a corpse? Governmental efficiency is getting to be a bit much." The pilot tosses a wink at the woman and then throws a mock salute to Rasi. "Cen. Keep up the good work." And with that said, he steps back and out of the room. Once outside the ready room, he brings his lighter up and fires off the nicostick on the bridge. She had said no smoking on the flight deck, right? Clearly, this wasn't the flight deck.