Corporal Jaenna 'Star' Caldwin touched her finger to the green star tattoo on her left cheek. Her skin was burning up, sweat was beading on her forehead, her heart was racing, her breathing was shallow. Those sea-foam eyes were wide, brimming with salty tears. Jae's other hand rested on the desk, fist clenched, knuckles turning white. The girl felt as though everything was about to fall down on top of her, as if she couldn't stop anything. She was helpless, broken, worthless. She shouldn't be here... She should be with them. Her family. The only family she knew after her care giver, that old Gungan, had been slaughtered by her own biological parents. The family that had taken care of her. The family that had given her the name 'Star' that had she had eventually climbed to the top of, brought them together and gave them the name 'Star Struck'. That's where she should be right now.
"Jae... We need you. Come back, for just a little while. Ku... He needs you too." The image if Takii, the worry evident on his face even through the pixels of the holoimage, pleaded with the raggedly breathing Stormtrooper.
Kulip, also known as 'Ku', or 'Kay', had apparently disappeared over the last few days, no signs of him could be found. None of the gang could find him. Takii had said that even the records of him on the Net had been mostly erased. Which obviously... was a bad sign. It didn't necessarily mean he was dead.
But something bad did happen to him.
"Jae. Please." Takii said. He went to open his mouth again, but was cut off by the sound Jaenna slamming her clenched fist down on the desk.
Her eyes were shut tight.
"I'll be there tomorrow, Tak." She reached towards the button to end the holocall with the hand that was touching her cheek, and pressed the button. The image shut off and Jae was left there, staring at the blank screen that showed only the desktop of her laptop, which was a picture of a tribal star, the emblem of the Star Struck gang.
Without wasting any time, Jae began to send messages via her Laptop to a few select troopers.
Quote:========================
Time: 2000
To: SSGT Ron, LCPL Havock, SFC Kanderin Draken
From: CPL StarFruit
Subject: Help
========================
MESSAGE BEGIN
I need to head back to Coruscant for a while. My gang, Star Struck, is in trouble. Their active leader has gone missing. He's a very good friend of mine. I have a feeling that our rival gang, another gang of hackers, is behind this.
So, I would like you three to come along to Coruscant with me.
It would mean a lot.
I'm inviting another Squad Leader, too. Saphira from Iron Horse. I have a feeling she could be beneficial to my... well... personal mission back home.
Thank you.
~CPL Jaenna
MESSAGE END
========================
"There. One message sent..." Jaenna sighed and ran a hand through her auburn hair. A sigh rolled out over her pale pink lips as she readied her finger tips at her keyboard once more, trying to think of how to appeal to the SL that she had never really met or spoken to before.
"Ugh..." Another sigh and she finallt began to type.
Quote:========================
Time: 0900
To: GSG Saphire Striker
From: CPL StarFruit
Subject: Help
========================
MESSAGE BEGIN
Look. I know we've never really spoken before, but Havock knows you, and likes you as person. So you must be pretty cool.
I'm heading off to Coruscant to deal with some really bad issues that a large group of my friends are having. I'm taking Kand, Ron, and Havock with me as well. I'm hoping that you agree to tag along as well.
Please. Think it over and contact me with your answer.
MESSAGE END
========================
"There. Now... to wait."
She wasn't going to start packing until she knew that she was going to have some help, or not. Even if they ended up not going with her, she would make the trip herself. She has her own freighter in the hanger after all. Jae was pretty sure that she would to pilot a simple freighter to Coruscant by herself..
A nervous laugh rose from her mouth as she stared at her desktop.
Maybe not.
The girl needed her friends to go with her. She needed the friends that she had made in the ARMY to go with her to help her family on Coruscant.
She needed them.
Corporal Jaenna 'Star' Caldwin sighed once more, and rose from her desk chair. Making her way over to the couch, she thought about Kulip. Her friend. The friend that was like a brother to her. Her first love. Now... He was missing. And it was her job to find out what happened to him.
The Corporal laid out on the couch, and soon drifted off to sleep, her eyes shut tight, her hands behind her head, and her chest tight with fear for her make-shift family.
