The Dauntless- Thursday

[notconflicted]

Of course things had been quiet for too long.

They were on their way back to Coruscant when Antares pulled Sia and Jessica into one of the conference rooms to detail what looked a lot like a Sith attack on an Imperial colony on Ord Cantrell this morning. There hadn't been any military presence there, and the accounts came from survivors of the attack, who didn't have the experience with Sith to know exactly what it was that they were dealing with.

When Antares finished his briefing, he ended with, "Based on their previous attacks, they seem to be focusing on Imperial space."


[For the Spider-bestie.]

Comments

[notconflicted]

"That does encompass more than half the galaxy these days," Sia pointed out, picking up a flimsi to study.

[craftyladyparts]

"Braggart," Jessica teased before turning to Draco. "The previous attacks, have they been civilian planets, too? Have they hit any military targets yet?"

[thegoddamnworst]

"All civilian, so far," Antares answered. "It would be easy enough to believe they were random, except they're all clustered in the Outer Regions."

[craftyladyparts]

"Are the attacks progressing toward anything in particular?" Jessica checked. "Please don't say the capital."

[notconflicted]

"There isn't any reason to go to the capital," Sia said, shaking her head. "It's symbolic at best at this point."

[craftyladyparts]

"Symbols have power," Jessica pointed out. "I make my troops wear spiders on their armor for a reason."

[thegoddamnworst]

"Commander Drew is correct," Antares said, and it might be the first time they'd ever agreed on anything. "The Sith once held Bastion themselves, and it's how we were eventually able to return to power. There are plenty of reasons they could choose it to make a statement."

[notconflicted]

"Yes, I remember," Sia said pointedly. "If Bastion was a target, if the Sith chose to make a statement, would the people of the galaxy at large be any worse off than they were after ten years of political upheaval and Sith rule? We haven't been to Bastion in a year, it's capital in name only. Right now, the Imperial capital is where I am."

[craftyladyparts]

"You're not wrong," Jessica said. "But there are still plenty of people there that we need to defend. If the Sith are attacking population centers and we have a sense of where they're going, we should get in their way and try to stop them."

[notconflicted]

"All right, then how many people do we send and where?" Sia countered. "We lost a lot of Knights, we have a few squadrons, anything more than that would require the rest of the Triumvirate to sign off on it, and you know they won't. And if we send a squadron without actually knowing something is coming, then we're potentially taking them away from other places around the galaxy where they are needed."

[thegoddamnworst]

"We can spare a couple of Knights for the capital city. That's where they would be most likely to strike," he said, and added, "if they are needed."

[craftyladyparts]

"I think that makes sense," Jessica said. She wanted to offer Spider Squadron's assistance, but didn't think that would go over well right now. "And for that record, that's me agreeing with Draco. I think something that rare deserves consideration."

[thegoddamnworst]

Was it possible to look long-suffering while his expression somehow didn't change at all?

...Antares was sort of managing it, actually.

[notconflicted]

Sia was quiet for a moment, finally setting the flimsi down. "Look into where Knights are stationed, and whether anyone can actually be moved. Once you do that, I will make a decision."

That was a compromise, right?

[craftyladyparts]

"Thank you," Jessica said.

And then she held her hand up to Draco for a high five.

Honestly he was definitely more of a fist bump type, but there was a non-zero chance he might find it threatening.

[thegoddamnworst]

"Absolutely not."

He wasn't even looking at her.

[craftyladyparts]

"Leaving me hanging," Jessica muttered.

The hand wasn't going down until it was slapped or they were in different rooms.

[notconflicted]

Sia knew after all this time to ignore that.

"All right," Sia said, standing, with Antares following suit, "then until we get that information, we're done here."

[craftyladyparts]

Jessica clapped her hands together as they left the room. "Okay, back to my squad, who know a good high five when they see it."