Shadows of Bankor

After his hasty departure from the meeting, Astin was really of the opinion he needed to cool his head. So he went riding in the desert, skirting its edge so as to not risk getting lost. Though in all honesty he might not really mind getting a little lost right about now.

It waa hot almost unbearably so, but he didn't much care he likely wouldn't be there long.

((People are welcome, but Astin is on a speeder. So keep that in mind.))

"Thanks for letting me tag along," Mia finally said. She had figured Astin could use a little silence instead of tons of words.

"Can't let a lady wander around the desert without a ride." Astin replied voice pitched to carry over the sound of the drive.

"Is that the sort of line you use on all your, uh, prospects?" Mia asked, laughing afterwards.

"I usually don't ride around the desert looking to pick up women, so I haven't really got a chance to test it out yet." He marched a eyebrow. "Think it would work?"

"Well literally, it would work," Mia answered, "But what you really meant, well, if she's dying of thirst and you rescue her, then maybe?"

"I suppose it could, not sure I really like the idea of going around saving people to get laid though." Seemed a bit too much like having ulterior motives to him.

"I wasn't suggestion it. Just felt like it could happen." Mia pursed her lips. "Do you really believe we're all going to die if we overthrow the Imperials here?"

Now it was time for the real reason for this conversation it sonit seemed. "Probably. We're a small group and honestly one that might not have the majority of the populace on their side."

"Even if we take that ship we won't be able to protect Bankor, we'll be outnumbered and out supplied. You only have to have one look at Coreilla to see that. If we escape this mess we'll be labeled terrorists at best, and they'll likely turn this planet to a publicity stunt. Spend some money, move in some imperial supporters make it a paradise liberated from the hands of rebels."

"Turn popular support aganist us more then it already is and make this even harder in us." He shrugged. "I'm not saying we shouldn't fight, but we need to look at the possibile repercussions of our actions. Our lives aren't the ones we're betting after all. It's the people of planets like this. Me, you, everyone back there are just the pieces in play."

"Yeah. I've watched it shift back towards the Imperials ever since that ship came back," Mia answered, "They've treated us better. But it won't last. As much as I wish it would."

Mia nodded. "That's why I'm hoping to unite the galaxy, not just Bankor. If we don't convince the other planets to join us, then we'll die."

"And you think capturing that ship will actually help with that? Even if we accomplish the thing, what are we going to do with the thousands who crew it?" After all it's not like they really had any holding facilities.

"No, no, I never planned on taking over that ship. I don't think we'd be able to control it. I just got a little carried away because the idea was exciting," Mia admitted, "When I wanted it to be our path to hope or whatever, I meant that I wanted to use the codes from it. Before, I wasn't sure where to get the codes I need but now... it's so close."

Mia looked up to the sky and smiled.

"I don't look at the ship as my defeat anymore. It's hope that I can turn their weapons against them."

"You might want to tell that to the rest of the group back there then. The majority seemed pretty set on trying, forgetting the fact that the old lady said that while they had ships, they are short on manpower." Astin offered with a sigh.

"Which could mean they don't even have enough people to man the warships they have."

"I mean it's a cool idea, and somehow all these ideas have worked." Mia shook her head. "The Force is with us, or something. I don't really get it but somehow it works." She pursed her lips and thought back to Petrus and his obsession. "Kind of how like the good guys always seem to win in Warrior's Heart even though it doesn't make a lot of sense.

"But yeah. I don't know where we'd get all those people to." Mia sighed. "You know, I kinda wish Mr. 'I am such a sexy spy' was actually a defector. Then we'd know if we could convert more of them. Instead we just have to cut them up with laser swords."

She shook her head. "I want a laser sword."

"I'd attribute it to luck more then the force myself. I mean the force doesn't seem like some sentient being, and from what I've heard and seen it can be used for bad or good. Heck from what I've heard if a Jedi messes up they can pretty easily become a bad guy. Honestly it seems to me that relying on it to be on our side is just plain dangerous." Astin shrugged. "Course I'm not really a religious man." As for the statement about Warrior's heart, he didn't watch the show so it kinda went over his head."

It was heartening to hear that he wasn't the only one to notice something was wrong with that fellow, still he couldn't help but fight off a grimace. "I wish he'd hurry up and stop playing that 'I'm a defector' card, it's starting to get a bit insulting.

"As for the laser sword? I don't think I can help you there."

"Isn't the Force kind of a, well, force of luck in itself? You know, for being a bunch of studious sorts, Jedi are pretty bad at explaining to us common folk what it really is even before, well, things went bad."

Mia shrugged. "Maybe we don't give him slack cause we both got no desire to get into a guy's pants. But, as it is, at least we didn't die from having him around for three weeks."

"I dunno? According to Floats the Force makes a person special, but also makes life harder on them? Like they can't really handle a breakup without entering crazu stalker mode. So that's why they don't date folk? So not sure I'd really group it in with luck. Never heard of luck making someone a stalker."

Astin smirked at that. "Oh, I figured he wasn't working for the imps a few weeks ago. I'm sure tempted to tell whoever he us working for off though. And that he can shove his help up his ass if this is how he plans to provide." That was followed by a low sigh. "That would probably get the rest of the folk back at the meeting pissed off though."

"Can't really stand this relying on stuff like the force, and hope, and not common sense."

"Really? That sounds like just an excuse," Mia said, "Oh man, maybe I shouldn't encourage Petrus to date his crush."

The blonde sighed. "Yeah, well, maybe we'll run outta all that luck and we'll die. I'm going to go through with what makes sense to me. We aren't outnumbered but we are divided. If we get everyone in the galaxy to hear us and join in, then we'll be able to oppose the Empire. If other worlds start doing what we're doing, then the Empire can't bring down everybody. It'd take a lot of time and we'd grow stronger and stronger.

"Shoot, I just hope we aren't the ones they decide to crush. They totally could make examples outta us and from there, well, maybe we'd be martyrs for the galactic fight."

"Yeah she talked about how attachments were bad for em, and about at one point in time the Jedi order was having a bunch of incestuous force babies amd it caused a big ruckus. " Astiin Shrugged. "Personally I think this Petrus fellow needs to get laid, at least with all this breast staring at I hear he is doing... Up to you what to tell him though."

"I'd argue about that not being outnumbered part, right now we are way outnumbered. This rebellion thing that is, it don't matter how many people don't like the empire if they don't stand up and fight them. And as we were saying earlier, at the moment a lot of folks don't think they are all that bad. You're right though how this whole divded thing needs to end though. Heck even in the small group we are we can't all get along." Astin knew he would blame, but he wasn't going to say it out loud.

The last part caused him to smirk. "Folks would need to know about us to be martyrs."