"Boss, I know you're in there..." a female voice could be heard on the other side of the door. "You know you can't escape this, right? The sooner you come out and deal with it the sooner you can go back to whatever it is you want to do." She makes it sound so simple... "I'm not moving till you open up this door and come out to do your job!" the voice next cried out and for a few minutes after that nothing except blissful silence followed. Wonder if she gave up already?

The door slowly and ever so silently cracked open. An amber eye could barely be seen surveying the situation outside from still inside the room. Need to move fast now... think I'll ask Ryzho to hide me in the tech's rec room. The door cracked wider until a blond head stretched out from inside and turned to check the corridor. "Hiya boss!" the same voice from earlier casually spoke again and Seth Qorbin sighed in defeat as he turned to face the Human female leaning against the wall next to him.

"Aria, thank the gods!" Qorbin limped outside the room. "I'm not feeling so great..." the Ensign coughed a few times as he turned away from his room and the woman that was still waiting for him. "I may have been poisoned... better go check and make sure at the infirmary", Seth managed to utter between coughs as he kept distancing himself more and more.

"Boss, that didn't work the first time you tried it... Do you seriously think it will have any chance at all now?" the woman calmly inquired and upon turning his head backward Seth realized she was following only a couple of feet behind him. The man suddenly started walking normally, his cough disappearing as quickly as his unsteady feet, "It was rather ingenious if you think about it. Knowing me, would you have believed that I would try the same trick twice, especially considering I got caught the first time around?" Seth explained with a big smile on his face.

"Knowing you boss, I've learned not to take any chances", the woman steadily replied in the same tone of voice. "Now come on, you've got work to do", she instructed. The reply exchange would've no doubt sounded quite strange should anyone have bothered listening to it. Orders were after all supposed to come from the top and drop through the chain of command rather than rise against the currents...

"Were I to be given a choice between undertaking a suicide mission and dealing with that infernal creature then I'd choose the suicide mission in a heartbeat. Hell, I'd volunteer for yet a second one just to be sure I would not have to deal with that bastard afterward... You know, it's times like these that I miss that Neimoidian weasel aboard the Warrior. He was easy to deal with - a small bribe here, a subtle threat there, some vague promises to complete the picture... Not to mention the fact that the fellow seemed to like it when you were accompanying me..."

The latter remark made the Razors SXO shudder ever so slightly - though still enough for the more senior ranked officer to notice. "You're still going boss. Dychtuq threatened this is the last day", Aria maintained her composure as she spoke and Seth knew then and there that he truly had no way out of it. Not unless some dreadful enemy would suddenly jump in the system, forcing everyone to their battle stations. The Ensign stopped and waited for a few seconds, just hoping he could hear some blaring alarms. Never an enemy invasion when you actually need one, the man frowned as he picked up the pace again.

~~~~~~~~~~

Ten to fifteen minutes later the two Starfighter Corps members stood before a door labeled LOGISTICS. "Let it be quick", the Wing Commander prayed as he pushed forward, stepping inside the busy room, his SXO following close behind.

"Ahh, Qorbin! Nice of you to come and pay us a visit. Check it out everyone, Javelin's Wing Commander sees it fit to honor us with his presence. Let us celebrate!!!" a short and stocky Human male greeted the new arrivals as soon as they entered.

"Hello Dychtuq, I see you're still as spry as ever. It truly warms the heart to see you in such good health, surrounded by so many friends and colleagues and ---"

"Cut the bantha crud Qorbin and let's get down to business. Unlike some people, I actually have work to do here."

"Ah Dychtuq, how I've missed your sophisticated manners... Why just on the way here I was telling CWO Zane how it's been too long since I've last had the pleasure of your company. You know Dychtuq... we should do this more often", Seth grinned as he looked straight in the other man's eyes, rather enjoying the fact that he was also looking down on him in the process.

"I see your recent promotion hasn't changed you Qorbin. I can't tell you how much this pleases me", the shorter Human also smiled and for the briefest of seconds Seth wondered just what was going through the other man's little skull.

"Had I known how much you cared I would've most certainly invited you to the party. Ah, but then again a hardworking fellow like yourself - no way you would've found the time for it, would you?"

"We'll never know now, will we Qorbin? Anyway, enough of this crap. Take a seat and let's talk business."

The Ensign pulled the chair closest to him and followed the other's instructions. Normally the man would've sprawled on the comfortable leather seat - same way he did almost any other place, with any other occasion - but this time around Seth chose to remain upright, knowing full well that doing so would add a few extra inches to his posture... something that would no doubt make the other man feel more uncomfortable about.

"Hand it over!" Dychtuq suddenly asked and stretched his arm forward, obviously expecting something from the Wing Commander. "Let me see if I remembered taking it with me", the blond Onderonian spoke before turning to his SXO. "CWO Zane... have I remembered taking it with me?" the man asked as he gave the woman a knowing look. The Razors SXO merely sighed and handed Dychtuq a small datapad that the man took, not before giving Qorbin a disgusted look.

"Let's see here..." Dychtuq murmured after starting reading through the contents. "Three Avengers, nine Interceptors and five Bombers!? Frak it Qorbin, you think fighters grow on trees?" the small Human blurted out.

"Well the galaxy's such a large place... who's to say there aren't any huge trees bearing small starfighter fruits?" Seth innocently replied, lightly raising his shoulders in the process. "I'll be more than happy to shove some of 'em huge trees up your gaping arse Qorbin if you keep this up..."

"If that's the case then I'd like to make a last minute addition to that list - a large jar of lube. I'll leave you to fill in the reason and subsequent application of the item", Seth nonchalantly replied, knowing full well that he still maintained the advantage - at least for the time being at any rate.

Dychtuq however did not continue that argument, the man instead choosing to further keep on reading through the requisition list he still clutched in his hand. "Four shield generators, two engine blocks, five laser cannons, one missile launcher and... three hundred ninety seven concussive missiles!? Dammit Qorbin, just because you and your flyboys can shoot these missiles in combat doesn't mean you have to shoot them. Not all of them at least! If only High Command would hurry up and approve my motion of having pilots pay for the ordinance they use... Oh, I'd so love to see you explaining this to the rest of the halfwits that over-rely on missiles to get the job done..."

"You know Dychtuq... I just realized something", Seth intentionally made a longer pause before continuing "397 sounds like such a boring number. We should round that up to 400. Yeah, 400 has a much nicer ring to it... 400 concussive missiles - sounds right about perfect! Doesn't it sound right about perfect, CWO Zane?"

"Yes sir... right about perfect, sir!" the woman replied in a dry yet steady manner, deciding it would be much easier for her if she just played along her CO's mind games. "And you called us halfwits Dychtuq..." Qorbin interjected next, his head shaking lightly from side to side.

"One of these days Qorbin... Mark my words, one of these days", Dychtuq muttered as he begrudgingly returned his attention to the datapad. Alas the other items on the requisition list looked rather harmless - some new uniforms, a couple of flight suits, two crates of Corellian Ale, a few standard issue blasters, some... "Corellian Ale? Corellian Ale!? What the frak are you trying to pull Qorbin?" the man finally snapped after his brain finished processing the unusual request.

"Dychtuq, you haven't read the newest Imperial studies yet? I'm surprised. I truly am, just look at my surprised face", Seth faked a surprised expression before continuing "According to some of the best scientists across the galaxy Corellian Ale is the new miracle beverage. One single sip of the substance is equal to a whole bottle of treated water. Not only that but it can also be used for medicinal purposes too, like disinfectant and -"

"Shove it Qorbin, you're not gonna have the military supply you with alcoholic drinks no matter how full of shit you become. Not now, not ever... The VEN still has principles after all", Dychtuq stated all sure of himself, feeling quite good for finally winning an argument.

"Meh, guess you're right... It was a nice try though, right?" the Ensign sighed disappointed and slouched a bit. "Is there anything else you'd like to add or modify to this month's requisition form?" Dychtuq asked, his tone miraculously sounding more improved now. "Nah, that's it... here, let me authenticate it", Qorbin spoke and reached out with an electronic pen to sign himself on the datapad's surface. "Well, guess our business is concluded Dychtuq", Seth slowly rose and even slower made his way to the exit. "See you next month", the man called out before stepping outside, Aria right behind him.

"Finally, thought it was never going to end", Seth spoke after twisting his body for a bit, trying to get the blood flowing properly once more. "Nice job with the booze, Aria. Worked like a charm", the Ensign happily smiled at his executive officer. "Thanks boss, though in truth I just forgot to remove it from the official list and add it to the unofficial one", the Human female explained.

"Aria, we're still going to get the booze right?" the blond Naval officer asked more seriously but seeing the woman's calm expression and slow nod he instantly calmed himself. "Excellent!" Seth mused out loud as he turned to make his way back to his quarters. He still needed to take care of the salary issue for the pilots under his command - give them the creds, receive his cut for subsequently providing them with booze, spice and some other exotic items and then pay off the suppliers. Terrible things could happen should the latter fail to receive their pay on time after all...

OOC:

WC: 1922

I considered writing an AAR but decided against it, believing that would sort of contradict the whole purpose of this system - where one member writes down one or more posts and another member or more then read through said post(s) and check for any grammar, spelling, logic and canon issues as well as the objectives for the cert/skill(s) of course.