The Meeting

"No." Darana responded, "There isn't enough time." Then as an
 afterthought, "Besides these..these 'supporters'" she spat the word
 out with distaste, "are expecting to deal with the Alliance. Not us.
 The first thing we must do is eliminate the Alliance's ability to
 negotiate in anyway with these people." She paused considering
 multiple paths of action, "Eric."

 "Yes Darana."

 "I want you to bring Kyra in. Avon, you are going to find and kill
 Rose.  Rachel, you are right it won't be easy to find him or get to
 him.  However, we have permission to work closely with the main
 Imperial Intelligence Office and their resources. Rook, Avon, and
 Eric will find him. Rook, you will arrange for extra ground support
 from Imperial Forces.  This could get nasty in a hurry."

 A thought struck Darana. It was so obvious and simple. As she spoke
 a smile crawled across her mouth, "I should have thought of this
 earlier Rachel. Eric, not only will you bring in Kyra but SHE will
 lead us to Rose. She should have access to that information or at
 least get access to it."


 "And my assignment, Master?" asks Shade, a note of resignation in
 his voice. He suspects his responsibilities towards Lilith's Hell
 will require him to stay here. But, he is torn between two things he
 wants/needs to do.

 Darana's jaw visibly tightened. She was about to remind Shade that
 he was one among several she had not yet specifically named; nor was
 the plan entirely final, when Takara spoke up.

 "Didn't you hear? You get to stay home and mind the house while the
 rest us go gallivanting around the galaxy. "

 "Takara" Darana warned. She pretended not to hear, but an all too
 familiar grin started to appear on her face.

 The veins of Darana's neck began to stand out and a distinct flush
 became visible in her face.

 "You could start with trying to kill those crows that have been
 raiding the  east garden. I keep using them for live target
 practice, but the rest of their kind don't seem to be getting the
 point and they keep coming back. Speaking of which," she turned
 towards Darana, "When do I get to start shooting at live beings
 again? My people skills are deteriorating"

 Shade was the first one to speak, and despite his comments being
 directed at Takara, he insisted on addressing her in the third
 person, mostly because it annoyed her. "You choose a strange way of
 responding, *Master*." His eyes are blazing in anger at the
 presumption Takara takes. "Why she is still alive and a member of
 this house continues to be a mystery to me." All of the force
 sensitives feel the anger being barely kept in check. Some are even
 amazed Takara still breathes.

 "Oh come on. Admit it. You'd miss me if I was gone."

 "I never miss my target."

 "ENOUGH" Darana exploded, barely able to speak. "Get out of my
 sight.  Both of you now." How dare they quibble like children when
 such odds were at stake. "I thought I had trained them both better
 than this." She had not intended too, but in her anger both her last
 thought and her feelings were telepathicaly broadcast to the entire
 room.

 Takara reacted as if she'd been physically slapped in the face , her
 whole demeanor transforming from amusement to stunned confusion
 almost instantaneously. *What did I do?* she thought, not daring to
 speak the words out loud as both Shade's and Darana's anger fought
 for dominance of the room.  Briefly, her eyes scanned the assembled
 faces, and it became obvious that no one was going to answer her
 silent question.

 Only Rook looked up at her. She had failed to notice him trying to
 get her attention as she goaded Shade. Now he maintained a steady
 gaze and shook his head imperceptable.

 Except Darana of course, but right now that was the last person she
 wanted to make eye contact with. Shade also hadn't moved, which was
 probably a good thing.  It would give her a running start before he
 got up. Literally.  Maybe all the way to the other side of the
 galaxy if she was lucky.  On that image came another, more chilling
 thought. Both of them were angry. Truly, purely angry.  Whether she
 was the sole cause of it (which she seriously doubted) was
 irrelavant. It was something that she had never exprienced in this
 magnatude before, and in that flash of revelation that would've made
 a religous person proud, she suddenly got the strength to rise from
 her chair and say the following with voice that didn't sound at all
 like her own.

 "Well, I guess I'll be going then."

 With that, she turned and left the room.  Then the building.  She
 kept her comlink turned on, but she doubted there would be anyone on
 it for awhile.

 Grinding his teeth in anger, Shade slowly stands and walks from the
 room.

 Darana's gaze never left the pair as they exited the room. Takara,
 she could tell, left the building, upset and confused. While Shade,
 on the other hand disappeared into his anger, untraceable through
 the Force.  She still didn't trust herself to speak, naturally
 reverting to telepathy.

 "Where were we?" She asked, trying to focus her thoughts again.

 Without missing a beat Eric spoke up, "Avon will make preperations
 to Dispatch Rose, I will bring in Colonel Matthews, Rook will
 arrange for extra ground support and Kylie and Rachel are to
 continue in their efforts to locate Serris."

 Darana nodded, "Good, Shadow...Silver, Corwin you will work with
 Eric, Sidra, you, takara, Klaw, and Katrina will  prepare the Star
 destroyers and our own forces." She was once more centered on the
 mission, "Eric, speak to Ralf and see if he can prepare an airborne
 Gas. It will need to knock out humans and other alien forms but not
 kill them. I DO NOT want the risk of Serris dying from it. " Darana
 stopped lost in thought. anything further could wait until more
 information was available. No need to organize too much too
 prematurely.


 Darana glanced around the room, "Any questions, suggestions,
 thoughts or concerns?"

 Rook unsteepled his fingers to rub his temples a bit.  "I do not
 believe bringing in Kyra Matthews will be such an easy task.  Do you
 have a plan?  Who are you taking with you?"

 Klaw looked at Darana with a mixture of confusion, curiousity and
 fear.  He had never before seen Darana this angry, or at least not
 in this way.  "What will need to be done to prepare star destroyers
 and our own forces?  I agree with Rook.  Someone should go with
 you.  I volunteer."

 "Sidra will give you instructions on what to do Klaw." He was so
 young, so innocent in many ways. Darana vowed not to make the same
 mistakes with Klaw as she had obviously made with Shade. "I am not
 going anywhere, Eric is. Rook "s Kyra Matthew is currently mind
 controled by and reporting to eric, I do not beleive getting our
 hands on her will be as difficult as before. However, I leave that
 in Eric's hands with your assistance and the others I assigned to
 him. Eric, your thoughts?"

 Sidra, as usual had sat quietly throughout the meeting, wearing her
 sunglasses to keep that feeling of separation she so treasured.  She
 never usually had much, if anything at all, to say at these
 meetings, and simply listened to everything and accepted any orders
 from Darana. This time she felt it necessary to speak up, even at
 the risk of angering Darana further.  Before Eric could say
 anything, Sidra spoke.  "Darana," Sidra said, "I apologize for
 interrupting, but I have a concern." Surprised, Darana turned to
 Sidra.  "Yes, Sidra? You actually have something to say?" Sidra
 could sense the anger still boiling around Darana, but spoke
 anyway.  "Yes. You told Klaw that I would give him instructions on
 what to do.  But the entire time I've been with you, you have been
 training me as an assassin.  I don't know anything about Star
 Destroyers.  The only time I was ever on one, I was in its brig. I
 am more than willing to do whatever you ask of me, including this,
 but at the risk of making you even more angry, I have to point out
 that I'm not entirely sure of what you ask of me, either.  I will
 need a briefing on the mission."

 Darana gritted her teeth. It wasn't Sidra's fault. Nothing to be
 angry at her about. "Quite right. Oversight on my part." She
 considered the next actions carefully, "Very well Sidra, you and
 Klaw will work with Rook." She eyed him carefully, looking for any
 reason he would not be able to comply, "As a captain, he has had
 extensive command training."

 Sidra looked over at Rook, then back to Darana.  "My pleasure," she
 said flatly. "I have utmost faith in Rook." Then she relaxed back
 into her chair and went back into her "I'm invisible" mode.

 "All right, we have work to do." Darana barked, "Let's get to it." 
 She knew they still had quesitons and concerns, but Darana wanted no
 further delays. She had no doubt that they would bring any further
 issues directly to her.  

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