U-Wing and Sabine

[childofrebellion]

He couldn’t move, there was only the cold and he woke up trembling to see the faint lights of the medbay. His side hurt as he sat up and pulled on his boots, shirt, buckled on his belt with blaster before getting his jacket on and hugging it against himself. Somewhere would be warmer, the ship would be and Kay would understand if he was sleeping in there instead of his bunk. He took a breath and stood up before heading towards the hangar and trying not to hit anything.

The door that should have led to the hangar went to Milliways and he went to the elevator, there was a U-wing down there. All the distances seemed longer and he kept resting his hand on his blaster, no Imperials would find him down here. Finally he made it to the ship, opened the door with a lockpick and then laid down on the seats and fell asleep, not an easy sleep but rest. Sometime later he wakes up and stretches with a wince before leaning on the open door of the U-Wing, maybe sleeping in the garage of Milliways wasn't the wisest of ideas.

Comments

[explosive_artist]

Sabine came in riding the joy of acceptance and headed straight for the garage, hoping to gloat at Jay and the drones. She finds the drones easily enough, but Jay seems to be hiding or misplaced.

"Jay! You around?"

The drones buzz around her head, trying to tell her something, but she just doesn't get their binary. She should change that at some point.

"Jaaaaaayyyy!"

[childofrebellion]

Cassian recognizes her voice and tries to neaten his hair as he looks for her, "Sabine?"

[explosive_artist]

Hearing her name, she spins and finds Cassian instead of Jay.

"Oh, hey. How are you doing?" she asks, practically beaming as two of the strange egg-shaped drones fly about her. Then she catches sight of the ship and tilts her head. "I don't think I'm familiar with this model of ship. The tech looks like it's from our world, but I haven't seen this type before. Are you repairing it or something?"

[childofrebellion]

He gives the drones a cautious look, they look too much like the droids used for surveillance for him,

"Its a U-Wing, not a lot of them were made but its what I usually fly. I was just looking it over."

Then he yawns and rolls his shoulders, he did sleep but he'd forgotten how that position isn't that comfortable.

[explosive_artist]

She takes in the look he gives the drones, nodding at his words while doing so.

"Hey, Heckle and Lock. Would you guys do me a favor and patrol the area to make sure we aren't disturbed or that anything or anyone is listening?"

The drones flash pin-point lights and then fly off.

"I think that's a 'yes'. U-Wing huh? Is she a fighter or a freighter?"

[childofrebellion]

When they go, Cassian gives a nod and watches them go, debating how much to say,

"They look too much like surveillance droids, the small ones used in big cities for me. She can do transport and fighting, two laser cannons and more can be attached when the door's open. Good at getting in and out quickly when needed."

All true but doesn't let on that only the Rebellion has them. If she doesn't know that, he won't tell her, there's still too much he doesn't know about what she's doing.

[explosive_artist]

"Hmmm, I can see that. These guy are good though." She can sort of see how Cassian would see Imperial in the drones, even if they are completely the wrong color scheme.

(She's very sensitive to colors and design.)

Looking over the ship again, Sabine nods in appreciation. "Seems like a versatile ship. Good range as well?"

[childofrebellion]

"I know, so is Jay. It is, not the longest but pretty good. Do you want to see the inside?"

This one's set up is similar to the one he tends to fly most of the time.

[explosive_artist]

"I'd love that, as long as the weapons system is part of the tour."

Sabine approaches the hatchway and prepares to enter, once Cassian moves aside. "I saw something awesome today. Some anti-Imperial graffiti which I didn't leave behind. The first for the system I'm in right now."

[childofrebellion]

"How out in the open was it and what was it?"

That's a good sign and a complicated one depending on where it was. He moves to the side to lean against the inside of the ship near the communications array.

[explosive_artist]

"Down low, below knee height and out of the line of sight within a stormtrooper's helmet. Read 'Impies Go Home'. Not original, but it's a start."

As she talks, she looks around at the ship. The layout is different than the Ghost, more long than boxy, but it seems a good ship.

[childofrebellion]

"I wonder if a child wrote it and starts are important,"

Its the kind of thing he'd done when he first started fighting. Where he slept, there's a little mess.

[explosive_artist]

"If it was a child, I hope they are careful," she says, a little worried. Not that an adult wouldn't be in just as much danger if a trooper caught them.

"How common are those surveillance droids the Empire is using? I don't think I've seen them in my system."

[childofrebellion]

"Me too. It depends on how close you are to a base or a place of importance. 'Trooper patrols are more common but surveillance is another layer of protection. Next time you're near a base or government building, look for them,"

He tries to know where they are and their patterns before any sabotage or assassination mission. Kay's useful because he can walk unnoticed by them.

[explosive_artist]

"Do you know if they're independent or if they work linked to a system? Do they record or stream a live feed?"

[childofrebellion]

"It depends on the model. The larger ones are more independent,"

He doesn't have his data pad on him or he'd show her but he describes the basic models and how they operate.

[explosive_artist]

"That's good to know. Do you happen to know their ranges? Do they need to stay on their patrol route or can they break off to follow a target?"

This is definitely something to bring to Hera.

[childofrebellion]

"I do but don't have it all on me. What else do you want to know and what will you do with it? Bar can act as a dead drop or we could arrange a time to meet,"

Cassian knows she wants to do and he's happy to help but also information as that will allow him to provide the most useful intel.

[explosive_artist]

"Just specs and what to watch out for. I'll share it with my crew." She pauses to consider her growing suspicion that there might be other crews acting against the Empire, but decides against it.

"A dead drop is a good idea. I think it'd also be prudent if we avoid specific details of our crews. Can't spill what you don't know."

"I do want to help, but not at the cost of my friends. If that's okay with you, I'd be honored to share what I can."

[childofrebellion]

He nods in approval to hear her say that, names need to be protected,

"Yes, that keeps everyone as safe as possible. Are you still in the Mid-Rim? I can get you the best specs for that area."

[explosive_artist]

She shakes her head.

"Outer Rim, but I think we're starting to see tech from the inner galaxy creeping out. Newer models of military vehicles at the least. I wouldn't be surprised if surveillance is next."

"It'd be good to keep ahead of the game."

[childofrebellion]

Cassian sits down on one of the seats in the body of the U-Wing, trying to think of which systems have activity,

"Outer Rim, yes and especially if there's any show of force going on. Then you'll see newer models and more 'troopers on the ground."

[explosive_artist]

"In return I could pass on cargo shipments or troop movements we hear about heading coreward? You're still Mid Rim, if I remember right?"

[childofrebellion]

"Yes, I am and any movements you know about are useful. Though be careful as you watch,"

The punishments for spies are always harder than against those who are seen as angry most of the time.

[explosive_artist]

She gives a smug smile.

"Don't worry, I'll be careful. I'll be getting intel from word of mouth and the like. I can slice when I need to but it's not my strongest skill. They won't catch me doing anything so blatant."

[childofrebellion]

Cassian gives her a long look, he must have been that certain and smug once, but he can't remember it,

"But what happens if they do catch you? They only need to be lucky once."

[explosive_artist]

"My crew will break me out," she finds herself self replying without much thought. Startled for a moment, she finds she believes it. "They'll do it, but you're right. I shouldn't needlessly risk their freedom or worse."

[childofrebellion]

"And what happens when you're held?"

He holds his hands together to keep them from trembling. Draven taught him what to expect when caught, those were hard lessons and he doesn't know if he's the right person to teach them to Sabine.

[explosive_artist]

She thinks for a moment, and ends up pulling from the 'trooper manual since she's never been caught yet.

"They'll restraint me, bind my hands. In front if they don't see me as a threat, behind my back if they do. They'll likely put me in a holding cell, or lock me in a transport if they can't move me right away."

Warming up to the problem, she leans against the wall of the ship. "They'll have taken my blasters and any weapons, and likely any tech they don't recognize...no, they're lazy. They'll just take it all. Which would leave me with my armor and not much else. Unless they're as new binders issued, I should be able to get myself free, then I could wait until they open the door to move me. But if they're following protocol, they should have one trooper with a blaster set to stun while the other enters the cell."

[childofrebellion]

He nods and listens, he knows these rules, always a good place to start,

"How much they follow protocol depends on where you are and who's in charge. You'll be able to tell that near the beginning, a commander trying to make a name for themselves will gloat and tell you what to expect. Do you have any experience with torture?"

[explosive_artist]

"How clean and organized the base is will tell you a lot as well; both about the commander and the personal present. Trick is figuring out if the commander is lax or just has poor control over his troops."

She swallows at the thought of torture, but it is a very fair question and one she hadn't considered. Heck, she's not even sure if Hera and Kanan have considered it.

"Just what I've read in manuals," she says slowly, both caution and worry in her voice.

[childofrebellion]

"I hope you won't have to deal with it but its good to be prepared. Pay attention to their expectations and how to use them. They tend to think of every rebel as working on their own or maybe part of cell. That means they never ask the right questions. And sometimes that means doing something that may feel weak but you need to be alive for your crew to find you,"

Its not exactly the lessons he was taught but he's a lone operative, the rules are different for him.

[explosive_artist]

As he talks, she shoves off the wall to pace a little. This talk has her nervous and a little resentful, if she's being honest. It's good to think on it, but that doesn't mean she likes it.

"How do you keep from giving them the right intel?"

[childofrebellion]

He watches her pace and wonders her thoughts, he can see that she's nervous but there's more he can't read. His hands hurt from how tightly he's been holding them together, he opens them and watches a tremble start.

He stretches his hands and ends up twisting one of them into the mesh seat he's sitting on, "The aim is to not give them anything if you can. If they want pain, give them a reaction to that, it keeps you from having to talk. If there's a language you know that's not well known, use that. Lies can become leads so find ways to not say anything they can use."

[explosive_artist]

She continues pacing and frowns more at his words.

"So it's best to try and not talk? I've heard offering conflicting information was a tactic that could work."

[childofrebellion]

"It can be, but I've found it can be dangerous. The more lies you use, the easier it is to be caught in them,"

That was one of his earliest lessons in hiding and later in intelligence, keep it simple.

[explosive_artist]

"Other languages I can do easily enough. And I can see how reacting to the pain might give them a false sense of security. If you aren't toughing out the pain, they'll think they've broken you right?"

She continues pacing but also drums her fingers on her belt.

[childofrebellion]

"Maybe not broken you but that they have the upper hand,"

Which is the part that matters, as it buys time.

[explosive_artist]

She nods again. He makes good points but this conversation has turned dark in ways she wasn't ready for.

"Strategy," she murmurs, just for something to say. She finds herself getting more anxious considering torture and decides she really doesn't want to think about this right now. Not after riding the success of seeing that graffiti.

"Thanks for the talk." She turns towards the hatchway. "I should go find Jay."

With a wave, she adds, "I'll keep an ear out and pass on anything I learn."

[childofrebellion]

He watches her and nods, he hopes she will think about it and that she never has to put this conversation into practice,

"Yes, exactly. Good luck."

Then he slowly stands up, he should either try and sleep or get up and do some work.