En Garde!, Guard Duty--Confederate Mission

[Memory Liles]

Guard Duty
Planet:Coruscant
Required: If rank of Lieutenant or higher, may go alone. If rank is lower than Lieutenant, must go with at least another officer.
Target: Capital City Senatorial Apartments
Comments: Some Confederate leaders are gathering for a meeting on Coruscant. Make sure that no harm comes to any of them.
Reward: 1,000 credits


-

Memory landed her Mankvim-814 Light Interceptor on the pad atop the Senatorial Apartments on Coruscant—the kind of docking bay the middle class would give an eye to park in. A water-clear dome opened when she’d descended, then closed above her like the mouth of a great, transparent fish. There were only three other small vessels occupying the pad. Memory’s stood apart from them—after all, she piloted the ship of a soldier, not the luxury crafts of the Confederate elite.

A man in confederate uniform came out to greet her, offering a salute as he did so. “Captain Liles?” he asked.

Memory saluted back. She liked this guy already—he didn’t stare at her hair or the blue spots lining her face. Then again, the dimming light in conjunction with her black hat likely hid them. “Here to relieve you, I presume?”

“I’m just getting things in order,” the man subtly corrected. “Please, this way. You’ll be watching the Tiger Suite, floor 79 of 80. It’s important you get familiar with the layout.”

“Agreed,” Memory said as she followed the man down a stair well and into the building. A lift opened for them, and Memory took to initiative of hitting the button for the correct floor. “I studied the floor plan before arriving.”

“Good,” her fellow answered.

“What was your name?”

“Lieutenant Maxwell, Sir.”

Memory nodded, forgetting for a moment she was a captain, and therefore the senior officer. She’d gotten the promotion only shortly before leaving the Confederation due to illness. After so long, it felt odd to have the title back in her hands.

The lift doors opened, revealing a short hallway with only one door, the etching of a tiger’s head over a security screen. Maxwell said, “The code is 150789-4505-3332. Do you need to record it?”

“Got it,” Memory said. After receiving a look of doubt from the lieutenant, she repeated it back verbatim. He nodded, though didn’t seem surprised. She frowned. She liked wowing people with her keen sense of never-forgetting.

Maxwell stepped aside to allow Memory access to the security panel. She typed the numbers in, then heard a complication of electronics buzz and peep as the door unlocked. It slid to the side. Maxwell knocked on the doorframe and announced, “Captain Memory Liles on duty, Sirs.”

Three men in refined casual wear sat on two plush couches in the living area, and they all stood at the introduction. Memory recognized one from her days as a corporal, the other two by photograph.

“This is High General Cava, High General Alcowitz, and Lord General Merriam,” Maxwell said, gesturing to each man in order. “With your permission, Sirs, I will be resigning for the night.”

Lord General Merriam nodded, and Maxwell left, leaving Memory alone with her superiors.

Memory saluted and took up her military stance, a posture that had been drilled into her so firmly she did it without thinking. “The pleasure is mine. It’s an honor to meet you. Are there any special considerations I should take before resigning to my post?”




((Do the higher-ups have any specific instructions for Memory’s guard duty?))

[Lysander Odakota]

((They indicate that the east hallway has a significant amount of floor to ceiling windows that should be considered a security threat. Other than that, the Generals don't seem to give Memory much attention, trusting she'll do her job or suffer the consequences. She is dismissed.))

[Memory Liles]

High General Cava gestured to the east hallway, the one that led to the study and ultimately the sleeping quarters. “There’s a significant amount of floor to ceiling windows. As I’m sure you know, glass isn’t the most stable substance.”

Memory nodded, ignoring the “obvious” tone on her superior’s voice. “I’ll be sure to make it a prime focus, Sir.”

Cava nods. “You’re dismissed.”

Memory salutes one last time and walks through the suite as though she lived there. The others treat her as an unseen ghost, which is how she liked it. Getting chatty with high generals and the like would not only be potentially awkward, but distracting.

She surveys the front room, noting the false fireplace in the corner. Holographic flames silently licked the air, and a heat fan underneath provided warmth. Beside the front room was a large kitchen area, largely unused since the officers likely had their food prepared and then delivered to them. She inspected the walls and floor, as well as a small circular window looking out onto the city. A difficult entrance for anyone—she didn’t think it would be a problem. Guard duty was generally light work anyway, especially for a mild conference like the one these men would be attending. The hardest part of the job would be staying awake—though she had taken a nap earlier and had swallowable steroids in her pocket, should she need them.

She walked the eat hall, noting the windows, all on the left side. One had a two-lock handle that led onto the balcony, which held a round table and four chairs. Memory tapped her knuckle against the glass. It was thick, but still glass. She checked the locks on the door before surveying the study and each bedroom.

Back in the hallway, Memory dropped the small back she’d brought with her and unpacked her A-280 blaster rifle and E-11 blaster rifle, slinging the first over her back and taking up the second in her hands. Though she didn’t expect excitement, there was no reason not to be ready for it. She’d even brought her stealth unit, which one rarely used in confined spaces.

She walked the hall, glancing to the front room where the men were standing, finishing their conversation before a night’s rest. She wondered if they wore spider silk, too. Men of their position had to, even if just a precaution.

She stood against the wall as the men passed her, saluting each one, getting a nod in response. She noted which room each took, then stepped out onto the balcony to scan the city. She memorized it out of habit. Returning inside, she locked the door and made her way to the entrance, double-checking the locks and activating the alarm system. Then she walked her rounds until she had a monotonous route. Once her superiors were asleep, she opened their bedroom doors, since Cava and Merriam has left theirs closed. Standard protocol for protecting persons.

Memory continued her rounds.



((Does anything suspicious happen as Memory walks the suite?))

[Maris Kala'myr]

((Nothing happens for at least three hours. The only company Memory has is the cold night and the odd chirping of insects. At around the three and a half hours Memory sees a shifting shadow in the far distance. It may be nothing. Or it may be a deadly assassin coming to claim the lives of the Confederate brass.))

[Memory Liles]

The hours passed.

Memory walked the hallway, the kitchen, the front room, E-11 ready. Watching out the windows, counting the same four lights on the alarm system, humming to herself only when she was far from the bedrooms. By the second hour, she entertained herself by grapevining instead of walking. She wanted to raid the fridge out of curiosity, but didn't.

She looked over the lights of the city each time she passed the window. Coruscant was her home planet, afterall, and the bright lights always comforted her. She missed them desperately during her stay on Concord Dawn. The planet was lovely in its own way, but Memory's heart always returned to the artificial, overly-bright lights of Coruscant. She painted them more than anything else, when she had time to paint.

She glanced into the bedrooms of each sleeping officer. Merriam snored, but the others were silent. Then back through the hallway, the kitchen, the front room. Counting the lights on the alarm. By the time hour three hit, Memory helped herself to a quick glass of water and drugged herself on steroids.

The alertness of the drugs had just begun to sink in when she saw something outside the large windows--a shadow, only visible because it blocked the city lights behind it. it was in the distance--creeping along the rooftop of the skyscraper adjacent to the hotel. Still, who would be stalking the rooftop at this hour?

Memory pulled out her comlink and contacted the first-floor security, those who worked for the hotel and not the Confederation. "This is Lt. Liles in Suite 79. Could you adjust your cameras to the McKey Building Roof to the east and tell me if you can get a lock on any movement or people there?"

Clipping the comlink to her wrist, Memory adjusted the strap of her blaster and moved to the side of the window, gun ready. She watched the rooftop, listening for anything inside the apartment.



((Does hotel security reply? Does Memory see anything of note on the McKey Building?))

[Lysander Odakota]

((The hotel security replies in the affirmative that they can do as requested. They report not seeing anything. Then report that their security feeds seem to have gone dead for a moment. They will try and rectify the situation and get back to her.

No more movement to be seen on the building, but there is an access ladder that Memory notes leads down to an outdoor maintenance catwalk that connects that building to the one she and her charges now occupy. She is free to have a bad feeling about this if she so desires.))

[Memory Liles]

“We don’t see anything suspicious, Captain,” came a low man’s voice over Memory’s comlink. There was a long pause, likely because security was rescanning the area. “No, oh, kriff.”

Memory’s heart leapt. “What? What do you see?”

“No, not that, Captain,” came the reply. “Our security feed just went dead. Hold on.”

A nervous itch grew inside Memory’s stomach. Feed went dead? Either that’s a krifftacular coincidence, or someone wanted it to. This job was supposed to be light. The damn datapad said so. Now Memory was suspicious. Any normal person wouldn’t pay too much attention to the minor malfunction, but she’d been in the Confederation long enough to know when things were suspect.

She peered out into the “dark” Coruscant night. She didn’t see any more movement, but that did little to comfort her. Blaster ready, she scanned the window.

She saw something she didn’t like.

The opposite building had a narrow maintenance ladder than ran up its front. Whether it reached the ground, Memory didn’t know. She didn’t want to go outside to check—that would leave the door open. She was starting to wish she hadn’t come alone.

Suck it up, Mem, she told herself, lifting her comlink to her lips. “Roger, let me know when the system comes on. I see a ladder on that building. Where does it lead?”

A pause, then the same low voice answered, “Heads down to a catwalk that connects the buldings—they have the same owner, so it simplifies things.”

Indeed. “Is that system up yet? If not, send a couple pairs of eyes out there to watch. It will be worth your while, trust me. I want contact as soon as they’re out.”



((Does the feed come back on? Does security send men outside, and if so, do they see anything?))

[Lelouch Villa]

((The feed remains dead despite all attempts to fix it. It seems to be some sort of interference, as the cameras are still registering as 'working' despite the fact that they're clearly not.

The men are sent outside, report seeing nothing at first. Then one says 'Wait--' and no further contact is able to be established with them.))

[Memory Liles]

“We’re sending three out, Captain,” the voice said dutifully. “They’ll be contacting you shortly.”

Memory pinned her comlink to her collar, freeing up her hands. She readied her E-11 and kept her eyes open, watching any movement, wishing she were out there as well. Within moments, voices piled through her comlink.

“So far, so good,” said a young voice, male. “I see the ladder. It’s empty.”

“Yeah,” said another male voice. A pause, then, “Coast is clear—wait—”

The comlink cut out.

“Hello?” Memory said, louder than was necessary. “Hello, can you hear me?”

Nothing.

“This is Captain Liles, can you hear me?”

Static.

“Kriff,” Memory muttered before charging down the hallway towards the sleeping quarters. She reached her hand into each room and switch the lights on, the bright white-yellow of them burning her dark-adjusted eyes. “Code orange, sorry Sirs!” she shouted as she went. “Code orange, suspicious sighting. I need all of your awake!”

High General Alcowitz didn’t wake when the artificial lights of his quarters went on, so Memory went into his room and kicked the bed post until he stirred—she didn’t dare shake him or pull off his covers. She may be his appointed protectorate, but he was still her superior by a wide margin. “Wake up, Sir. Code Orange. Suspicious sighting. I need you awake.”

Seeing the three men awake and climbing out of bed—Merriam especially lively—Memory sprinted back to the hall, peering out the glass, looking for movement. Grabbing her collar-pinned comlink in one hand, she attempted to get back in contact with the first floor.

“Can you hear me? I’ve lost contact with your scouts. I need that feed!”

Does anyone reply to Memory's comlink shout-outs? What is the reaction of the superiors, and does she see anything else suspicious?

[Maris Kala'myr]

The only response to Memory's comm is busts of static. She can draw what conclusions she wants from that. The reactions from her superiors was what one would suspect from being roused from sleep. They are annoyed and panicked, but cognisant to the threat around them. One draws a blaster pistol from beneath his pillow and throws on a dressing gown. The others seem content to wait out whatever the suspected threat is. Captain Liles was placed in charge of their protection for a reason and they trust in her judgement for now. Little else is appended to the list of things that seem suspicious this evening.

[Memory Liles]

Cursing, Memory turned down the volume of the static, making it just loud enough that she’d hear a voice should one try to contact her. Lord General Merriam had pulled a blaster and followed her gaze out the window.

“What’s going on?” he asked, his voice clear of sleep. He spoke in a low, paternal tone, hiding his worry well.

“Suspicious sighting, and my connection to both building security and scouts has been coincidentally cut off.” Seeing High General Cava and High General Alcowitz in the hallway, she ushered them with one hand into the living area, back to the chairs they had been sitting in upon her arrival. This was the safest place for them—all together, far from the window. No one was getting through that door. The alarm would go off far before the lock gave out. As far as Memory was concerned, the window was the central threat.

This is ridiculous! she thought, returning to the window, keeping an eye on the window. She ensured all the lights were on—perhaps, should there be an intruder, it would be enough to keep him at bay. Part of her wanted to claim she was overreacting, but there were enough small mishaps to keep her worrying. Too many coincidences. Please, please let them be coincidences.

She readied her blaster and watched the balcony. Her superiors chatted quietly in the main room, Merriam brandishing his blaster with a trained hand, eyes watching. His presence made her feel slightly more comfortable. But the Lord General aside, she needed to rely on her own competence. No better way to get back into the Confederate groove than slaughtering a couple rogues looking for a newspaper headline.

She shut off the light in the hallway alone to rid herself of the glare off the window. She waited, tense, trigger finger tingling. Good thing I spent all my free time in target practice . . .

Does anything happen? Does anyone contact her? Could they possible survive the night?? DUN DUN DUN.

[Lysander Odakota]

((Eventually the comms come back on. The man Memory talks with informs her that two of the guards that had been sent down to check things out had been shot--one dead, another unconscious and in the infirmary now--and the third is missing completely.

Memory doesn't get much of a chance to talk to the man, though. Suddenly headlights fill the window she's been watching so diligently. A speeder is hurtling through the coruscant air straight towards the window. With no time for Memory to respond in any effective manner, the speeder crashes into the window and slides haphazardly into the hallway. Several armed men and women--five in all--pile out, blasters at the ready. A couple seem dazed from their entrance, but they are definitely a threat.

Think fast, Mem.))