Late Night Bitching [LN10]

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"Su cuy'gar burc'ya," she said while her right hand reached for her scrambler. She keyed it and the connection flickered once then stabilized.

"Clear channel on my end. What do you have?" she asked, her tone sinking quickly to the professional cadence she affected as Watcher.

[Nekoinu]

"I'd demonstrate with this but it's the only one I have." Orar stashed the grenade back in a case before continuing. "I'll be sending that to the Fixers for reverse-engineering. Might take awhile but we might have gotten something from that botch job."

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"Oh? What are it's projected characteristics? Forward to me the Fixer working on it and a copy of the data on a subchannel," she said, leaning in slightly to try and get a better look at the grenade.

[Aphr Ahaya]

Durasay smiled at the pink twi'lek. Nodding his head, he finally placed his jacket on the back of a chair. "Yes, she did. I hope I'm not interrupting a family affair."

He looked down at her. Now kmowing what he did, he could certainly see the resemblance.

"A hell of a week."

"Not that I know of, Hala is here as well" Aphr said with a shake of her head "and you've brought drinks, so I'm sure even if it was we can make an exception!" She giggled "want a glass? I've not had Pantoran wine before, but I think I had a bit more than I should have of the bloodwine at the Huttball gathering, so please don't be offended if I only have a little. I've never been much of a drinker, but after this week I think we all need it."

[Durasay Mixo]

"The Huttball gathering was going to get rowdy. I tried to limit myself there, before coming here." He smiled at the young twi'lek, before grabbing the bottle again. "Would you like me to just open the bottle? Or serve it in Pantoran Military style?"

He smiled wider, "It's impressive when done. We just need a sharp blade.'

[Moyr Ahaya]

Moyr had other things to contemplate but she kept partial attention on how Hala's conversation was going.

[Nekoinu]

"It's a prototype of a highly contagious bioweapon. The specifics are beyond me; I don't even have any research data. It could be said that it's a miracle I even got this."

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"Be careful with that.... but I think I understand what that is now," she said softly, staring at the screen.

"Well done," she added with a sliver of a smile.

[Moyr Ahaya]

Moyr acknowledged it, in the corner of her mind that was now not scheming against Zash. It was a mixed blessing, one that could deny them an advantage if it found itself into wrong hands. And without research data it would have to be researched again, so it ultimately likely would fall into wrong hands.

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"You did well burc'ya. Is there anything else? If not, attach your report on the subchannel and return to whatever festivities you have," she said flatly.

[Nekoinu]

"I will be sending the package to Fixer-15. I am sure his expertise in the medical and biochemistry field will prove invaluable for the cause."

[Moyr Ahaya]

Moyr waited until the conversation was over, then removed the headset and looked at Hala.

"He was ours all the time? Curious. What are you going to do about this?"

[Aphr Ahaya]

"The Huttball gathering was going to get rowdy. I tried to limit myself there, before coming here." He smiled at the young twi'lek, before grabbing the bottle again. "Would you like me to just open the bottle? Or serve it in Pantoran Military style?"

He smiled wider, "It's impressive when done. We just need a sharp blade.'

"Ooh, can I see Pantoran Military style?" Aphr was very interested "I've never seen it before, and it sounds fun."

She quickly located a knife and offered it.

[Durasay Mixo]

The Pantoran took the offered blade, and pointed the bottle away from Aphr, down the direction of the loading ramp.

"All Pantoran bottles of icewine are made for this, helps keep their effervescene. But it also let's me do..." He ran the blade up the length of the neck, until it came bebelow the fluting of glass just beneath the cork.

Pop!

In a flash, he struck the blade against the fluting with enough speed that it broke cleanly, the cork and glass combo flying down the ramp, hitting the bulkhead!

The wine began to bubble up, and he passed it to Aphr. "No glasses in trenches!"

[Col. Hala Moraal]

Moyr waited until the conversation was over, then removed the headset and looked at Hala.

"He was ours all the time? Curious. What are you going to do about this?"

"Well done," she said. "Attach your report to the subchannel, and get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be interesting."

She leaned forward and turned off the terminal before turning to Moyr.

"He was. And given the reports I received that someone was digging into his clan, nor could we identify who it was, then I simply caused as much noise with plausible deniability as I could so as to expose neither of us."

[Moyr Ahaya]

"I mean this sample. Until my master gets back to work I would be even slightly reluctant to give it up into intra-institutional circulation."

Moyr tapped her fingers on the rim of the console.

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"Your master will return in due course. Given how little we know, we need to begin delving through what little we have to bring any information into operational readiness," she answered simply.

[Moyr Ahaya]

"Your belief in the inherent correctness of how institutions work sometimes baffles me." Moyr puffed. "Sure, make someone research it. Just it's best to keep the circle very small, and not let this thing out into some grabby hands."

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"Agreed. The group will be no larger than it needs to be, but that is the way of all things," she nodded.

"Compartmentalization is important."

[Moyr Ahaya]

"Maybe. Yes. But still. I like to look at it from a more holistic perspective." Moyr seemed a bit scattered in her thoughts, slowing down when speaking. "...Thank you for coming there, after the attack. How did you even know?"

[Aphr Ahaya]

The Pantoran took the offered blade, and pointed the bottle away from Aphr, down the direction of the loading ramp.

"All Pantoran bottles of icewine are made for this, helps keep their effervescene. But it also let's me do..." He ran the blade up the length of the neck, until it came bebelow the fluting of glass just beneath the cork.

Pop!

In a flash, he struck the blade against the fluting with enough speed that it broke cleanly, the cork and glass combo flying down the ramp, hitting the bulkhead!

The wine began to bubble up, and he passed it to Aphr. "No glasses in trenches!"

"Eep!" Aphr said as it suddenly went pop! She quickly collected the bottle, giggling "that made me jump!" She got the hint from Dura, and quickly brought the bottle up to take a mouthful of the drink before putting it back.

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"Maybe. Yes. But still. I like to look at it from a more holistic perspective." Moyr seemed a bit scattered in her thoughts, slowing down when speaking. "...Thank you for coming there, after the attack. How did you even know?"

"I was with Dur," she said, turning her head aft instinctively, "He knew. Sadly, no glimmer of your power seems to shine within me. Times like that though, it would be nice. More than that, but especially then."

[Moyr Ahaya]

"The relationship between Durasay and me... has become special." She said it calmly, and it didn't carry romantic undertones, at least not any obvious ones. She also didn't explain too much after that. "I have a strong suspicion that my Master has a tendency to carve some space in the awareness of his operatives through careful conditioning and Force use. Perhaps I will learn how it works one day, and will be able to mark you with my more permanent presence."

[Col. Hala Moraal]

"You don't think hollowing out my mind would reduce my effectiveness?" Hala asked warily.

[Moyr Ahaya]

"I was considering a room in a compound but then it is you who bemoaned lack of spiritual connection. I can't endow you with the sensitivity, Hala." She sighed. "Though it's ugly business if done crudely and wholesale. I've seen a few attempts at possession lately."