The Scribe's Apprentice: Tools of the Devil

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il slumped somewhat in the chair normally occupied by Dan, going over a myriad of datapads that had somehow accumulated atop his normally clean and uncluttered desk. Authorizing and denying requests for any and all goings on, her brow knit in thought as she methodically went through each and every document.

Long gone were the simple days of the early Rebellion, when she had so willingly followed him into the thick of battle. Now, for all outward appearances she was his council, his Jedi aide. Those that had been with the Alliance since those early days had noted her return with recognition, knowing that she would be alongside their commander in a much different capacity; no longer were the two so at the forefront, but now they had become a part of the higher echelon of command.

And now, lost in the official duties of her post, the Lupine found herself missing the days when things were so much simpler; when all she had to do was point a blaster and pull the trigger. Memories of those long gone days made her all the more frustrated at the drudgery of what Dan dealt with in his post.

She blinked heavy eyelids while leaning back in the chair. Her patience at having to deal with such normalities was wearing thin. Tossing the 'pad to the desk, the Lupine gave a muttered curse under her breath.

"I miss the old days," she finally said aloud.

[General Dan]

Dan smiled at that.

"War getting too impersonal for your taste?"

He stood with his back to her, looking at a wall full of mementos collected during his decades of Rebel command. He glanced over his shoulder at her.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

s'Il shifted her glare up from the datapads to him. She stared for a moment, then felt herself lean forward so that she could rest her elbows on the desk's surface. Amidst the stacks strewn about, it was careful work to navigate any spot of free space. She sighed.

"It is all so shallow. It seems meaningless compared to what we used to do. Back then it was nowhere near this convoluted with official necessities or pointless busywork."

Her gaze went back to the mess on his desk. Picking one of the 'pads up, she thumbed it on and began reading through its' contents for a few moments before slowly rising to stand.

Making her way to where he stood, she placed it into his hand along with a stylus.

"Here. You need to sign this."

[General Dan]

Dan took the pad, glanced it over, and ran his thumb along the bottom. His biometric signature appeared on the document, making it's edicts official.

"The price of success I suppose. Still, I suppose from a high enough vantage, even the daunting things seem small."

He took a seat opposite her.

"Perhaps we need perspective?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Watching him sit, s'Il made a pained face before she too chose to occupy a seat.

"I have plenty of perspective," she offered in mild resistance. She was tired; hours spent pouring over datapads was more exhausting than she would've originally thought.

"But if you're of the mind that I need more, then by all means educate me."

[General Dan]

"I've been thinking about something bold, actually."

The corner's of Dan's mouth turned upward.

"The Empire has been teetering for a while, we should really strike them when they're off balance. A brazen act of sabotage deep behind enemy lines might be just the momentum shift we could use."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

An unimpressed stare was sent his way for short amount of time before she lowered her gaze and began picking at the nonexistent grime that she imagined was beneath her fingernails. They were clean, but habits were habits.

"Then send the Kroenen Lupine."

She visibly settled herself deeper into her chair. It was evident that she didn't necessarily fathom the thought of leaving the Dauntless.

"For all of my complaining, I do have work that needs to be done here. You know that as well as I."

[General Dan]

"I'm asking you to come with me."

A twinkle gleamed in his eye.

"You think paperwork gives me thrills either?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Now that was enough to give her pause, and s'Il looked at him from over the tops of her eyes.

"Come with you?"

He had her attentions now, that much was obvious. Using that moment, the Lupine rose gracefully from her seat, moving to sit beside him. She still fussed with her nails, but her intrigue was easy to see despite her attempts to mask it.

"Tell me more."

[General Dan]

"I want to blind the eyes of the giant."

Dan paused for a moment, fiddling with a datapad until he found the subject he was looking for. He passed it off to s'Il.

It was a picture of a brunette-haired female Imperial.

"Look like someone familiar?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The woman certainly looked familiar; s'Il had read enough about her to put a name to the face.

"Esalis."

She stared a moment longer at the image, a minor sense of disbelief at what he was proposing descending over her thoughts. She shoved the datapad back into his hands.

"No. Absolutely not. I may be disgruntled about the current state of things, but I'm not stupid.

"What if you get killed? Or captured?"

[General Dan]

"Such little faith in me?"

Dan quirked an eyebrow.

"We're both hard to kill. Decades of doing what we do are evident of that. But beyond that, you and I are the most powerful people in the galaxy. Do you doubt this?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"I doubt your sanity at times," she grumbled.

But, he knew that she would follow wherever he led. He knew, and he would do as he wished, with her at his side no matter what manner of protestations she may offer.

With a groan she leaned back, letting her head fall so that she stared upwards. Reaching up, the Lupine ran a slender finger along the periphery of her scar in idle thought.

"Will I at least be able to rest before you drag me away on this little crusade of yours?"

[General Dan]

"How about Schwartzweld?"

Dan smiled.

"Besides, you left our bait at home. I think the Director would be keen on finding the good Colonel once she knows where he is. No need to venture to the heart of the beast. We can have her delivered on our terms."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Fixing him with sidelong look, s'Il made a face that seemed to chastise more than anything. For all of the time that she'd spent with his true self; for all the harsh words he'd spoken to her as master and apprentice, it was a mannerism that she was unable to completely break away from. She had to wonder if raising a child had anything to do with the look she was giving him now.

"You're not making sense. 'A brazen act of sabotage deep behind enemy lines' is what I believe you said, and Schwartzweld is not in Imperial territories."

[General Dan]

"No it isn't. However, what I have in mind requires the help of somebody who can help us reach the soft underbelly we want to strike. Director Esalis will help us open many doors. Think of what we could do with that access."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

It was an ambitious thing that he was proposing.

Pulling her legs up, she curled them beneath her while mulling over the prospect. She stared at his hands with a neutral gaze.

"I don't want her near our home at all."

[General Dan]

Dan nodded.

"Then we'll choose our setting. All we have to do is give Karrnage enough slack in his leash, and he'll contact her."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"You really think that he will?"

Shifting her gaze to the myriad of mementos along the far wall, s'Il gave a sigh as she allowed her mind to take her back to the moment when the poison-tipped barb on her tail met his flesh. It had been such an experience to watch his eyes, wide in panic and uncertainty, and she had to wonder how he'd taken to her gift. She wasn't entirely sure what to expect, and only suspected that the venom inside of her was now active. But, as she had come to realize, fate had been mocked with the birth of Teagan. Her House was not to be destined to a hollow death.

No, especially not now. With an idle thought she wondered if she'd even need Karrnage at all anymore.

House Losstarot would thrive once more. It was only a matter of time.

[General Dan]

"Don't get me wrong, he's a man of science and you're a near limitless find for him, but I don't think he's forgotten where his meal ticket is."

Dan crossed his arms as he thought about Karrnage and his situation.

"In his mind, he's pulling this little notion of you apart, and there's a part of him that thinks he can put it in a bottle, and make more of it. That's a scientist for you."