FROM A SIM WITH MIDDOUR AS TYCHO, AND ALISON AND VICKIE AS RANDOM IMPS

Col. Tycho Celchu returned to the window of his room and stepped in. He ran a hand through his matted hair, "Damn, I haven't run that hard in days..." He made his way to the 'fresher and washed up quickly. Toweling his hair, he picked up his comlink and called Doc.

"Celchu to Anreson."

*

Lt. Dr. Amanda 'Doc' Anreson picked up and threw her jacket up against the bulkhead, for probably the fifth time since she returned to the Moonryder. "I cant believe that happened! Now, they know I'm here, and I've gotta lay low." She sighed then spun to face the droid, "And I can't sit still like that Wily!"

Her comlink chirped, and she drew it out from her pocket and thumbed it on. "Anreson."

"I see you've been busy today," came Tycho's voice through the device.

"Well, I've never been one to sit about. You were out a bit too, I saw."

"I'd like to talk to you about it."

"I'm listening," she sat back down on the edge of the bunk.

"Be here in ten," he told her.

Anreson stood and put her jacket on, "On my way."

"Celchu out."

She thumbed off her comlink and turned to the little green and silver droid. "I'm going out, and I'll be back later, Wily. Keep an eye on things for me."

The little droid whistled an affirmative.

* *

Soon, Anreson was standing before the door to Celchu's room. She knocked quietly.

Tycho tossed the towel into the 'fresher as he opened the door. "Come on in, Lieutenant."

She stepped into the doorway, "Thanks for not trying to shoot me this time."

"I aim to please," he told her with a smile.

She chuckled and moved in further as Tycho palmed the door shut. "So, I'm here."

"You got caught, Lieutenant... and almost got yourself killed."

"Dumb luck," she muttered.

He offered her a seat at the desk while he sat at the foot of the bed.

She nodded and took the seat, leaned back, and looked at him evenly. "That was nice shooting at the cantina, by the bye."

"Thanks," he said with a single nod. "I think we have more problems than just a few drunkards at the cantina though."

"I agree."

"The Rogues are in a bind, I can see now why I was led here."

"So you've finally decided that you were led here then, by the recurring dreams I assume." She tilted her head slightly as she spoke to him, "They're also here looking for something.... Or someone."

"I managed to get a piece or two of conversation as well," he sighed.

"What'd you get?"

He pulled out his blaster and proceeded to clean it. "Dana has been captured."

Anreson frowned, "I didn't know that."

"There are also stormtroopers here.... Lots of them."

"Sith... so, how do we pull this off?"

"I ran across them last night while I was snooping about. There is an old burned out hotel... that's where they were. I don't know why though."

She thought a moment, "Maybe that's why the Rogues are here?"

"There are stormies all over the galaxy, why should they be here versus anywhere else?"

"Who'd think to look for them here? I mean," she shrugged. "Think about it."

He stood and put the blaster in it's holster. "I think something else is going on here.... Something we don't know about."

"When do we start?" She asked as she got to her feet.

"Tomorrow. There is a Circus I think you and I need to go check out."

"Do you want me to meet you here, or there?"

"Here. I want to do a bit of planning before we leave."

"Sounds good to me.... First thing in the morning then?"

He yawned, "Yeah. Get some sleep, Lieutenant. You'll need it."

"You too, Celchu," she nodded. "See you at first light." She went to the door and palmed it open.

"Oh, Lieutenant?"

She turned at the door, "Call me Doc."

"Next time.... Don't follow so close," he smiled.

She laughed. "I was out of practice. It won't happen again," she tossed him a grin as she left.

Tycho nodded and palmed the door shut after her.

Anreson went back to the Moonryder. On the way, she tried to piece together all the information she'd both gathered and been told, in her mind. Once she was on ship, she headed straight to the pallet. She kicked off her boots and told Wily to wake her before local sunrise. She was asleep almost before she hit the pillow.

* * *

Tycho flopped onto the bed and tried to get some sleep, knowing that tomorrow would arrive all too soon. It was not long before sleep took him, and the nightmare resumed almost immediately.

After only a few hour-long minutes, he bolted upright in the bed. Sweat streamed from his body, and his sheets were damp with it. This is ridiculous!

He got up and grabbed his cloak. After tucking a few extra blaster clips in his vest pocket, he slid out the window and headed, not unlike a shadow, for the roof.

* *

Twenty minutes later, he arrived at his destination, the old burned out Hotel. He watched it from the woods and saw nothing unusual, until a movement caught his eye. He spied two troopers in stark white armor on a third floor balcony. He leaned back against a dirt embankment. I hate being right.... Especially when I don't know why I'm right.

He drew out his DL-44 and switched the selector over. Getting up, he slowly made his way to the side of the building.

Two troopers were at a table just inside the treeline, they had abandoned whatever post they were supposed to be patroling and had broken out a deck of sabaac cards. With their helmets removed, they played by lamplight. Tycho crouched in a mud puddle just outside their field of view.

The first one stretched, "Is it my deal, or your deal?"

The second yawned. "Yours."

First dealt the cards. "I hate this duty. It's so boring. Why are we even here?"

Two picked up the cards and sighed. "Because Warlord Hard-On thinks there are boogeymen in the forest."

"Yeah, right," One chuckled.

*

Tycho groaned, How in the sith do I get around these two? He thought for a moment, then got an idea. He reached into his leg pocket, and pulled out a deck of cards he always carried. He pulled out the aces.

*

Two put as many cards down on the table, then froze. "You hear that?"

One turned to look, "Hear what?"

Two broke wind loudly, "Ahhh, that."

"Sith, man, what did you have for dinner?" One asked while waving a hand in the air before his nose.

"I dunno," he sniffed, "Smells like nerf."

*

Tycho tucked the deck away again and silently crawled towards the two troopers.

*

"You want any cards?" One asked.

"Yeah, two," he slid a couple across the table.

*

As the two troopers were concentrating on one another, he flicked the aces to the foot of one of the troopers, then moved off silently.

*

One threw down two cards. Two picked them up and leaned back.

"And I will take.... Three," One dealt himself three cards.

Two smiled and nodded to the other, "Whatcha got?"

"Pure Sabaac!"

"And I almost had an Idiot's array to beat that," he sighed and looked downward. "Hey, what's that?" He pushed his chair back a bit and looked at the floor, and the other trooper's feet.

Tycho moved quietly past the treeline and headed for the small electronics shed that appeared out of place, next to the old Hotel.

One slid back, "What?"

"You cheater!" two pulled his blaster out. "Gimme back my money."

"Wait a minute. That isn't mine," he picked up the card, "Look! That isn't mine!"

"Like I'm gonna believe you," He held out his free hand. "Money. Now."

"I won fair and square," One protested. "It isn't my card!" he pulled his own blaster.

*

Tycho took a datapad out and hooked it into the computer port, slicing his way through the security system. He soon succeeded, and slipped into the shed, closing the door behind him. The shed was like a small hutch, cramped with all sorts of data equipment, including holocam controlls. There also seemed to be a ventalation duct, most likely leading through to the hotel.

*

"All I want is my money back, Okay? Just hand it over."

"Why? Just so you can lose it to me again?"

"At least then I know I lost it myself, and not to one of your cheap tricks."

"I don't cheat! How do I know you didn't plant them there? Huh?"

*

Tycho jacked his datapad into the computer port and reached for another, jacking the second pad to the first and cross wiring the encryption circutry. He used the second pad as a viewer, and scrolled through the holocams menu, looking each over.

*

"How would I plant a card at your foot without you knowing?"

"Yes, how *would* you do that? Why don't you just show us, cheater."

"I'm not a cheater, cheater!"

"Sith for brains!"

"Nerf Lover!"

*

Tycho found Dana in a cell, then noticed a recorded cam-sequence marked private priority.

*

"Fat Arse!"

"Pickle Breath!"

*

He sliced the encryption and got it to play after a few seconds. He set his second pad to record, just in case it was important.

The holo played and Tycho watched in horror. Emperor's Black Bones!!!

*

"Rancor Bait!"

"Hutt Drool!"

"Ewok Lover!"

*

Tycho's jaw clenched and his fists tightened angrilly. They'll pay for this!!!

*

"That was only one time!" Two charged at the other guard to tackle him. One rolled with the tackle and attempted to throw the other off.

*

The holo finished playing, and Tycho unplugged the datapads. He sat there a moment, jaw still clenched in anger. Don't worry Siee... we'll get you out.... Somehow.

*

Two tried to get on top, and aimed a punch for the unprotected space in One's armor. One pulled a fist back, and it connected soundly against Two's face.

Two fell back and growled, then went to sit on the other trooper's head, and let out a rancid odour. "Ahhh."

*

Tycho hit the trees and worked his way back silently. He heard the sounds of a scuffle and smiled inwardly. Take that, you loafers!

*

"Oh gods..." One choked and coughed violently as Two wiggled his rear in his face. He pushed him off and punched him.

"Ow!"

"Don't EVER do that again!"

Two rubbed a hand against his cheek. "So, what did it smell like?"

"Nerf... you were right."

"How about this," Two grinned. "Let's redo the hand..... Oh, and I'm dealing."

"Okay, fine. Deal," One tossed the cards to him.

* *

Tycho reached the street and hailed a cab. He told the droid-driver to take him to his ship then pulled out his comlink.

"Celchu to Anreson!"

*

Anreson woke up, blinking in confusion at the sound of Celchu's insistant voice coming from her pocket. She flailed a hand to her side and brought it out. "Anreson. What is it?" she asked groggily. "You told me to sleep... you change your mind?"

"My ship.... Now! Celchu out!"

She was awake immediately at the urgent tone of his voice. She threw her boots on, tossed her weapons in their holsters, and emergency medkit into her pocket. After telling the droid to keep watch, she dashed down the ramp, locked up Moonryder, and headed to Tycho's ship at a dead run.

------END-----