It had been a while since Riqimo had any need of his security clearance, in fact so long he kind of forgot what level he had exactly.  Even longer had there been a need for the VE's elite kill team, the Advanced Recon Commandos.  As the small green bar of light glazed over his left eye, Riqimo resisted the urge to sigh lest he need to endure the tingling feeling a second time.  His ID checked out, no surprise as it was his eye after all, and the door slid open to the more or less secretive area of the VE intelligence sector on Tadath.  The guard on the other side slid a still warm from printing identification card through the two centimeter high gap under a large sheet of blast-proof glass along with a datapad and stylus, "Sign in here please."

The Second Lieutenant did as he was told and then clipped the ID card under his name badge before continuing down the hall towards room C42, to which he knocked lightly before being admitted to the office of an intelligence officer whom he didn't know the name of, nor was likely to ever learn the name of.

"Welcome Lieutenant," he smiled in the usual fake courtesy style of the VE Intelligence, "I know it's been a while, and you added in a small roster addition, but ARC is now to be re-engaged."

Riqimo returned the phony courtesy without a touch of sarcasm in his voice, although it certainly was there, "We're ready at the whim of the moment, no need to give us two seconds to brush our teeth, sir."

The officer ignored the comment, "Ever crashed a wedding?"

Riq blinked, "Uh, no, sir.  I really don't get much off time, and besides I am not much for weddings."

"Ah, unfortunate," another sly smirk escaped, "You'll be wedding crashers this time around, wedding of a young New Republic Senator to the daughter of a former Imperial noble family."

"And you want us to shoot this wedding up because?" Riq had done some immoral things for the Empire before, but murder at a wedding was a little below his bottom line.

"This marriage will unite several Imperial faction planets with the New Republic, and the noble family is still Imperial aligned.  They were practically forced into this marriage.  So they appealed to us."

"To shoot their daughter?" Riq gave a bewildered look.

"To kidnap her and bring her safely to Imperial space far from the NR, namely the Vast Empire."

"And I assume we're going to pose as a terrorist group, demand ransom, et cetera, and pretend to kill her so there's no trail?"

"Very good Lieutenant, you'd make a fine Intelligence Coordinator someday."

"Or you guys are just too predictable," Riqimo winked as he rose from his seat and left before the officer could respond.

---

"Wait, so we're crashing a wedding?" Aeos was walking beside Doc as they headed off towards the Storm Barracks from the just finished briefing he gave the ARC team.  Ae was the newest member of the team, but Riq knew she was far from being the most inexperienced of the bunch, and he knew far too well not to underestimate her.  She was his PA after all and he had made that mistake a couple times too many.

"Aye, on Coruscant.  New Republic Senator groom, unwilling former-Imperial bride." Riqimo nodded as they stepped into the turbolift that would bring them to the parking garage.

"Doc!" Arn squeezed into the turbolift just as the doors closed, his right sleeve catching in the door.  Riqimo winced as he saw the potential disaster.

Surely enough the lift started to lower, gaining speed, and Arnaut clunked against the ceiling, losing his sleeve in the process.  Another clunk came as he fell back to the floor.

As if nothing happened Arnaut bounced up and didn't miss a beat in asking his question, "Forgot to ask, guns, blades, all that, what we bringing?"

Riqimo chuckled as he saw Aeos' blank stare at the unusual squadmate, "Well, nothing, we can't risk out cover being blown on civilian transport.  We will purchase anything we need in the black-market of Coruscant."

"Not even a thermal?" Riq could see the disappointment in Arn's eyes.

"No thermals, I know you want to blow the toilet up on the shuttle, so no." Riq rubbed his eyes remembering that incident, only it was with a smoke grenade thank goodness, else they might have lost Rizzit...

"Stun?" Arn was desperate.

"Nothing. Not even a toothpick." Riqimo sighed.  Once we're planet-side on Coruscant, we have quarter of a million republic credits at our disposal.  I'll let you pick something out then."

Arn nodded in defeat before catching his reflection on the turbolift walls and realizing he still had his left sleeve and it just didn't look right with just one sleeve on his uniform.

Aeos' blank stare somehow grew blanker as Arn ripped off his other sleeve.

"Like the fashion statement there Arnaut," Riqimo chuckled as the doors opened to the parking garage, "I'll meet you later at the hangar, Aeos and I got to get to the barracks, lock up our offices and get our stuff together."

After receiving the news that he still had his spot in the ARC squad, Marka found himself somewhat at ease; a feeling that didn’t usually arise at the mention of a Lambda mission. They tended to be highly dangerous, under frankly ridiculous circumstances, in situations sticker than the mush served to new recruits in the mornings. Of all the narrow escapes Marka had been through in his entire life, it was the Lambda missions that seemed to have presented him with the most unlikely of the lot. Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling of relieved stability at the idea.

Being transferred around and what not had gotten the better of the young soldier, not allowing him to find his comfortable niche yet. He’d not had time enough to settle into one place, but going back to the ARC meant a position he was familiar with, something he could fall back in to with relative ease. And although he’d barely had time to rest, the mission was still not a damper on Marka’s spirits, especially once he heard Aeos had joined the squad; having a friend to work with was delightful news.

So, though somewhat bitter at the thought of being unarmed, the Raider trotted off towards the hangar in the only civilian clothes he owned; a dark brown button-up shirt, tan pants that he tucked into his own dark brown boots, and a knee length brown jacket, worn and dirty. There was a small tear in the fabric at the back; the result of the knife wound Marka gave its previous owner. The blood had washed out nicely.
  Of course, Marka thought he looked ridiculous, though he knew he looked completely normal. But time had burned the image of stormtrooper armour into his mind, seeing it as almost the only thing that suited him anymore. But at least the civilian clothes were comfortable enough.

Striding through the halls of the base, Marka noticed, as he always did, the fervent bustle of life. But things had been changing in his eyes, images were altering. He was seeing these people in a new light, noting their enthusiasm for a hectic, unstopping lifestyle as somewhat wise, in its own destructive way. The way they moved, precise and swiftly, spoke leagues about their determination to do the best they could with what they had. A while ago, the soldier would have watched them and silently chastised them for their lack of control over their time and lives, for always being too busy to settle themselves and get their jobs done effectively. Now though, he saw their actions for what they were; emotionless and productive. And he was not sure whether or not he agreed with their approach to life.
  Since his return to the Stormtrooper Corps, Marka had come to both hate and appreciate different things. The lengthy, violent ordeal underground painted a prettier picture of nature and open air, whilst dwelling thoughts and painful memories fought the desire for solitude. Never in his life had Marka loved the world itself, in its physical form, and never had he hated the depths of his own mind so intensely.

But now there was a mission to be done; objectives, expected complications, unexpected complications, split-second decisions, strategic execution... enough to keep the mind racing for every strained second of awareness.

Arriving at the hangar, Marka noticed he was the first of the squad there that he could see. The loading ramp of the shuttle was down, but there didn’t appear to be any activity inside. Shrugging this off, he swiftly made his way on board, taking a seat close to the entrance. He leant back, let his body settle, and rested his gaze upon the ceiling; its unassuming, lifeless character allowing his mind to wander.

Aeos had met Arnaut on previous occasions, the whole business of the cleoggie still fresh in her mind-how could she not remember Arnaut. Though the Arn she experienced today was different, more relaxed, and a bit of the emotional defenses were lax in the presence of Riqimo. The latter had a tendency to expose that effect in his troopers however.

Currently, Aeos was lounging inRiqimo’s office, drifting about his desk aimlessly, while fiddling around at the few odd ornaments he hand in his office. Right now, she was gazing through some type of glass paper with small veins of violent and crimson fluids that shifted through microscopic vacuum channels inside strange yet stiff fabric.
“Put that down,” Riqimo chided at her like as if he were reprimanding a child. Grinning impishly Aeos did as she was told, and placed the square object back to the wall; she skipped back to the chair that opposed Riqimo. Ignoring his dry gaze, she plopped down on the chair, pushed it back, tipping on the edge of the support beam, and propped one boot against the edge of his desk.
“Can I help you?”  He asked after several minutes of data checking.
Aeos shook her head, while her eyes bolted across the room lazily.
“Shouldn’t you be packing?”  He asked after another few minutes, clearly finding Aeos’ presence a liability currently.
“Nope, already done packing,”
“Oh, get out, you,”  Riqimo snapped at her lightheartedly. Giggling Aeos bolted from her seat, getting the best from her boss this time.
Back in her temporary quarters, Aeos simply darted into the small room, grabbed her duffelbag, before bolting out again. She was already dressed for the occasion in a simple beige three-quarter pants that were neatly ribboned to her dark brown boots. A burgundy sash tied around her small waist followed with a simple black polo neck jersey was finally rounded off with a grey, military-fashioned jacket.
For a moment, she cruised around outside in the halls. It took Aeos only a few sheer short minutes, and suddenly she was lost. She was temporarily moved to the quarters here,-away from the comfortable barracks that belonged to Jester, which of course was located on the opposite side of the base.

Cursing at her luck, Aeos cruised about for another few minutes, completely remaining oblivious to the small wrist-comm in her hand, which could’ve been her map, had the golden-haired female thought of it.
Two voices up ahead, still hidden behind the corner of the corridor sounded, one being distinctly familiar.
Arnaut! she thought happily. Her minutes of wandering through the corridors were ending. He wouldn’t mind showing her.  Aeos dropped in a short yet energetic sprint to catch up with their already fading voices.
“Arnaut!”
One of the males turned around, followed by an younger one.
“Ah…ya?” he asked frowning lightly, slightly befuddled with Aeos interrupting  his conversation.
“I’m lost,” she muttered meekly.
Onyx eyes stared at her blankly.
“I see, well, we’ll eventually reach the shuttle, just tag along, the dashing fellow next to me is Tanus, Squad Leader of the Black Jack squad-”
“Ooh, I’m his boss,” Aeos interrupted grinning impishly yet again,
“Technically,” Tanus muttered, winking at her,
“But at the end of the day we all still report to Doc,”
“True, you crushed my hopes now, I was so hoping for an personal servant to order around,” Aeos mumbled feigning disappointment. The men only chuckled.
Shifting the weight of her duffelbag from one shoulder to the other, Aeos silently fell in behind with them as they continued their stroll, much to the frustration of the hyperactive female.

A mission with no weapons and wearing civilian clothes? Namyr frowned deeply, half wondering if the higher ups were trying to see how ridiculous they could make a mission before the ARC squad got killed. A deep furrow appeared on Namyr's face, it was going to be hard blending in with the rest of the civilians, after all being a six foot tall, Lethan Twi'lek made it hard not to be noticed anywhere. Sighing Namyr finished her packing, she grimaced at the thought of leaving her blades behind, but they never said anything about mailing weapons to a PO Box she had set up in a false name. Carefully she packaged her blades in a normal looking box, wrote out the address. After grabbing her duffel bag she went to the mailing office, with a quick bride to keep the box from being inspected, Namyr was on her way to the Hangar.

Usually she would feel a rush coming up on the ship that would drop them down on a mission. But noting the ship's weak shields and even weaker weapons, she doubted that this ship wouldn't even hold its own against a pirate ship. Biting her lip, Namyr picked up her medkit replacing it with her duffel bag and went onto the ship to inventory it. Distantly, she could hear the laughing and playful banter between Aeos, Arn, and Tanus and she suddenly felt old and out of place. Aeos was a bundle of energy everywhere at once and sometimes hard to follow. Namyr was often confused with the woman's almost constant state of hyperness. Namyr herself was almost always cool and rational during missions. It would take time to get use to the newest member of ARC. Namyr set to work checking off her medbag, making sure she had everything she needed. A fake ID that she was a doctor of some sort would allow her to carry everything in the bag. She glanced up at the sound of footsteps in the ship. She saw the outline of Riqimo and looked up again staring at him. She really did try not to laugh, but a low chuckle escaped from her lips. The poor guy, she knew from his complaining he hated civilian clothing due to never finding any adult clothing to fit him. After she let out that chuckle, Riqimo's mouth turned into a frown. Namyr's own face took a look of almost pity.

"At least you didn't end up buying children's clothing this time," she mentioned looking at the baggy shirt and the pants just barely being held up by a belt.

"I'm glad you didn't decide to go completely Twi'lek for this mission," Riqimo said noting the drab brown clothing she was wearing.

Namyr shrugged, "You know me, I like surprising you," from her medbag Namyr pulled out a medium sized sewing kit, "Now come here, let me at least put a few stitches in your shirt so you don't look so baggy," she rolled her eyes as Riqimo seemed to try to decided whether or not to trust her on fixing his shirt or just let it stay how it was, "Come on give it here, your chest is nothing new to me," she said and Riqimo handed her the shirt.

Tanus sat his duffel down beside him and looked at Arn as he told his story. He was doubled over in laughter and had to wipe tears from his eyes. Every so often he looked over to see Marka’s expression, which was even more amusing given that he was trying to contain hot caf in his mouth and the cup in his hand. When he was done, Tanus was holding his stomach; it hurt from laughing. He looked up and wiped the tears from his eyes and looked at Arn. He wasn’t smiling, but had a sullen, steel-faced expression, like he was deep in thought. Tanus could only imagine what it was, but guessed it had something to do with the ARCs. Tanus looked out the viewport and saw techies running around the shuttle. He looked in his duffel and saw his clothes, and a frown came to his face when he realized he was going in weaponless. As he zipped up his duffel bag, Doc came in followed by Aeos and Namyr. Tanus and the others nodded and Doc had a seat.

“Well, as you all can tell, the ARCs have been called in for a special mission. Now, the only ones that really know what’s going on is myself, Aoes and Arn, so I’ll fill the rest of you in. Intel got word of a wedding on Coruscant between a formal Imperial noble family and a New Republic senator. Now this would all be fine and dandy, but the family is being forced into the marriage, probably to show unity between both the New Republic and the Empire.”

Doc paused, as if thinking of something. Tanus watched him carefully. Doc soon waved the thought off it seemed, and continued on.

“So to fix that, the Vast Empire has graciously called upon the services of the ARCs to crash the wedding. Basically, we are whisking the girl off planet to a safe haven and getting the New Republic off her trail. To do that, we have to get inside. I’ll be acting as a New Republic colonel, with two of you as my bodyguards. The others will have to get in as other personnel, whether it be delivery or otherwise. The reason I asked you to bring no weapons along is because we’ll be buying things on planet, by way of the black market. Having said that, we’ll be starting off in the red light district and making our way into the main city. I still have a few contacts, so getting our gear shouldn’t be all too difficult. Now, as we’ll be in the city. Tanus is going to be directing us around, given that he is our resident urban warfare expert.”

All eyes fell to Tanus, and Tanus didn’t really respond; rather he couldn’t. He was incredibly flattered, but at the same time knew the stakes. He nodded and looked back to Doc.

“Well, that’s about it. We have quite a long trip to Coruscant, which will take about eight hours. I want you all well rested and ready, so sleep if you need to, and keep the noise to a minimum.”

Doc looked at Arn; Arn smiled and waved at everyone.

“Well, that does it. Good luck ladies and gentlemen. Keep a low profile and we should be safe. We’ll be taking off shortly, so strap yourselves in for a long trip.”

Doc got up and went back to the front of the shuttle. Tanus sat back and Marka and Arn looked at him. Tanus looked at them quizzically.

“What is it?”

Arn leaned forward with a smirk on his face. “So, you’re the urban warfare expert. Well, let’s just say I had to take refuge in a brothel and I had no clothes with me, what would your course of action be?”

Tanus got ready to slap Arn as all three of them started to laugh. Maybe this mission wouldn’t be as bad as Tanus thought.

‘This feels wrong, I think I remember this place...’ Riq mused, walking down a bright strangely familiar path of a fairly sparsely forested woods.

Brushing away his stark, featherlike brown hair from his eyes, he timidly looked up from his feet and stopped.  Before him rested a long stoic table with countless of puffing and tooting tea pots, with two unusual characters sitting opposite to each other. Both seem vaguely familiar...

He held his breath and watched them from afar amidst the lush green pasture behind the den.  Brief flashes of memory came, this was a tea party... he had one with those folks before... in a dream of course.  This was a dream too... wasn’t it?  He wasn’t quite sure...  One wore a gigantic hat that came down deep over her face, hair jutting out vigorously from underneath the hat, almost bucket style.  He never saw her face since the hat and hair never really gave much of a view.  The second person looked somewhat like the offspring of a Wookiee and a Twi’lek.  She had the alluring form of a Twi’lek, and the shaggy Wookiee coat over that.

Riq shuddered slightly, “Perhaps if I leave now, they won’t notice I was here,” he turned only to be startled by a less mangy feline that went so steadily by the name Merrick in all of his dreams.  He never knew quite why that name came up... but the axe shaped smudge of darker fur on her left side might explain it.

“Or perhaps you should face your fears just like before,” her infamous grin stretched abroad, “I highly doubt you’ll want another bloody mishap on your hands.”

“Of course not, Merr! But! But–”

“The only but you should be talking about is your rear which should be sitting itself on one of those chairs,” she huffed; tail limberly swaying from side to side.

Riqimo sighed heavily, his face slightly pale and distraught with decision, “Of all the battles I must face, I’d be gladly to choose any other than this... the other time I met with them didn’t end quite so well...” he peeked a look over his shoulder.

“What, afraid of confronting a love?” she cackled loudly.

“Shut up! They’ll hear you, you stupid cat!” he crouched low, smothering her lips with both his hands.

She gave way and ceased her tongue from further speech. Silence followed and it gave Riq time to calculate the meaning of the words she just spoke. Heat rose to his face and he violently whipped his gaze to hers.

“And what exactly do you mean by love? You’re crazy!” he hissed.

“I know. You don’t need to tell a mad cat she is mad, goodness. Are you sure that Psyche Ward released you?” she provoked him, determined to get him to see his ‘friends’.

“Merr!”

“Oh come off it, Riq! It was a joke, honest.”

“Honest?” he inquired, raising a brow.

“Good God, Doc, your worse than the momeraths!” she screeched, apparently on purpose.

Riq winced, “Shhhh–”

“RIQQY!” a familiar voice rang happily behind him, “He’s arrived, Hatty! Look! Look!”

Spinning around, Riqimo managed a fake chuckled and politely waved at the two. Quickly he spun right round again, preparing to give a good beating to the cat. But there he found a mere gleaming smile and her manic driven laugh as it vanished before her eyes.

“May God have mercy upon your soul, because I sure as hell won’t once I find–”

“Oh Riqqy! We’re waiting!”

His lips pursed and eyes closed, “Someone help me...”

“Good heavens! How you’ve grown!” the Twi’Wook giggled charismatically, “Don’t you agree, Hatty, maybe another inch on him?”

Riq slouched in a very un-gentlemanly like manner upon the red velvet embroidered chair. When he heard no response, his subtle blue-green eyes slightly rolled up to see the mad woman squirming in her seat.  At first he immediately recognized her outrageously large hat, towering high above the party. And then he couldn’t help staring as he caught a glimpse for the first time of a young face accompanied by untamed hair and glacial eyes that shifted anxiously as they seemed to never dare cross way to Riq.

‘She seems... far younger than I remember her... She looks… she looks… okay I guess,’ he couldn’t reverse the fact that he was staring.

“Oh don’t bother about her, dear!” the Twi’Wook chortled, shattering his thought.

His gaze struck back to the brown furry Twi’lek.

“She’s been acting like this ever since I invited him to the tea party! Honestly that hat maker!” She waved her arms violently about in the air.

Riq turned his attention to observe the agitated female again, but suddenly he caught her in a mesmerized state, dreamily watching him instead. Endless seconds later she found herself caught red handed and quickly looked away.

Gasping softly he reached for the nearest cup of tea and downed it, looking up to the trees and sky as Riq smiled profusely within his beverage.

To his dismay he had finished all the tea with almost one gulp so without looking elsewhere but the table he searched and searched for a kettle filled with piping hot water. But an even more dreadful predicament fell upon him... Within all the dozens and dozens of kettles and tea pots, he found not one full container.

The Twi’Wook watched with amusement at first then stood and pushed in her chair, “All out already? Sorry, dear but it looks like I’ll have to get some more. And while I’m at it I’ll whip up a batch of my delicious cream puffs and cheese danishes! How’s that sound?”

The table just about flipped over as the Hatty leaped from out of her seat.

“I’ll aid you!” she cried.

Riqimo swallowed loudly, ‘Oh please do that.’

“Don’t be ridiculous you fool! You’ll leave our guest all by his lonesome!” she walked away, stepping onto the back of her porch and into her cottage, “You two play nicely now!”

‘Damn her manners.’ Riq glared hotly as she shut the door.

“Riq?” a tender voice echoed through his thoughts.

It was the first time he heard that voice, but it sounded all too familiar, perhaps the haunting of another dream he couldn’t recall.

He faced her again but looked beyond her, too afraid of what absurd question she might come up with, “Yes, Hatty?”

“Do you… Well it is t-that… Can you–” she stuttered heavily with her words.

Finally he summoned the courage to look at her, it was a pitiful sight. She fumbled with her fingers; her head dipped low in shame as his heart ached until he could stand it no longer. With more boldness he ever held in any fight, this took the most out of him. He slowly raised herself from his seat, walked around the enormously narrow table to plop down beside the woman in the hat.  He didn’t make it, instead tripping on the tablecloth that lingered considerably farther off the edge than it should have stumbling face-first at the cobblestone patio.

A flash of searing pain shook through is face and disappeared suddenly as he lurched forward.

Forward? Into the stone? Riq slowly uneasily opened his eyes to a shuttle, beads of sweat barely formed on his head and his hands clenching the seat tightly.  Oh, a dream, right, right... I need to lay off the drinks more..


“Ladies and Gentlemen, we’re just about to our destination, I suggest you fasten your seatbelts tightly for when we enter the planet’s gravitation, it’s a bit bumpy usually,” the pilot’s voice shouted out from the cockpit, waking the other ARCs from their sleep.  At least the ones in front of him.  He wasn’t going to risk glancing back to see if any of those behind him caught the fact that he woke up from a strange dream that might have well been a nightmare if it continued on.  The dreams usually turned out that way, and they had a horrible streak of lingering through the nights...

OOC:

Yes, I'm insane, I don't need you all to tell me that

And I skipped us straight to planet, no boring long hyperspace trip for us, just a time jump to where we can start to land at the red light district of the planet