FROM A SIM WITH MIDDOUR AS TYCHO, ALISON AS SIEE, TYCHO AS HAGGRON

Tycho pocketed the comlink and got out as the cab stopped. He got to his ship quickly, and Ugh unlocked it. Running up the ramp as it descended, he met Ugh in the crew cabin. He jacked the two datapads into the ships computer. "Ugh, I need you to verify authenticity on these." The droid complied and beeped quietly as he went to work.

About a minute later, Anreson dashed up the ramp to the ship, palming the door shut behind her. "What is it?"

Tycho turned to look at her, "Sit."

She took a place, "What's going on, Celchu?"

He waved a hand for her to be quiet, "Shh." After a minute or so of silence, "Well, Ugh?"

The droid chirped an affirmative confirmation.

He sighed, "Sith!.... Okay, replay file 2105 on the main monitor."

The droid complied.

"Watch, Doc."

Anreson's eyes widened in horror as she watched Siee Janson's torture unfold before her eyes. "Oh gods!"

Tycho sat with his eyes closed. "The timestamp indicates this happened just as you and I were talking in my room."

She jumped to her feet, her hands balled into fists at her sides, "Where are they?! We have to get her! Siee needs medical attention NOW!"

"Stop it, Ugh!" The droid turned off the holo, and he turned to face her. "I scrolled through the security-cams, and providing those two idiots in the woods didn't kill eachother.... We have about three squads, or so, of stormies to handle."

She frowned, "Three squads?"

"I counted about sixty or more. Palpatine kept his squads at twenty-four a piece, I don't know about this joker."

Anreson paled slightly and sat back down. "Three squads versus you and I isn't going to work, even if we were Corellian. Do you know where the rest of the Rogues are?"

He thought for a moment, "I thought I saw Mirax hanging around that Circus, and a Gand. It could be them."

"You know, if Wes sees this, he's going to flip."

"Well, you're the Doc, so you can tell him if you want. I don't want to be near him, or Fel either for that matter, when they see this."

"I don't want to be those monsters when they get a hold of them.... But, I won't pity them a bit."

Tycho sighed, "Either way, the Rogues' cover is blown."

"Like the Death Stars," she snorted. "We've got to get her out of there before something worse happens."

"Gotta think of a plan," he stood and began pacing.

"We can't do this by ourselves, Celchu; and if their cover is blown, and they don't know it..." her voice trailed off in thought.

As Tycho continued his pacing, she leaned back in the chair with her arms folded before her. "Unless.... We can sneak in and out before they know it."

He grabbed one of the datapads and held it out to her, "Here."

She looked up at him as she took it, "And?"

"You're Ex-Intel, I found your transfer file. You have a better chance than I do at getting deeper into that complex. The security codes, and holocam routines, are stored in that datapad."

"And if, gods forbid, I'm caught? What'll you do then? We need the rest of the Rogues. I know about you guys, you can do the impossible. I'm just one woman, if I fail, who goes next?" She frowned as she looked up at him from where she was seated. "I'm not worried about my skin here, don't misunderstand me. I just want to be sure that kid gets out of there alive, Siee has a lifetime ahead of her."

Tycho bent down and put his hands on the arms of her seat, leaning to look her eye to eye. "You can't fail.... If you're to be a Rogue now, there is no failure. You got me, Lieutenant?" his eyes narrowed.

Her eyes grew hard with determination, "Where's the stronghold?"

"I'll take you there. I'll cover your back and watch your entrypoint." When she nodded, he moved his hands up to grab her by both shoulders. "If you hear anything at all... anything, run straight for Wedge. Don't worry about me, got it?"

"Sith, Celchu. I don't know where to find the General. I lost their trail back at the hotel, remember?" she glared back at him.

"The Circus! Just find him!"

She pushed his hands away from her shoulders as she stood. She pulled her holdout out from it's hidden holster at the small of her back, and set it for kill. After she hid it away, she checked that her vibroblades were in place, along with her pocket's emergency medkit, and laser scalpel. Finding all in place, she looked up at him, "Let's went."

He nodded, "You'd better have your droid take your ship out of here, Ugh will keep mine handy here in case we need it." He turned to speak to his droid, "Get ready to fly this crate, we may need you." The droid tootled happily and headed off to the cockpit.

Anreson pulled out her comlink, "Wily, take the ship back to Coruscant base, I'll get you later." He gave her a querious whistle. "Just do it!" At his whistle of acceptance, she shut off her comlink.

Tycho grabbed a couple of Thermal Detonators and a blaster-carbine, "Let's go!"

* *

She silently followed as he opened the hatch and ran down the ramp as it closed behind them. Minutes later, the two sat on the edge of the treeline, near the electronics shed at the broken down hotel.

Tycho noticed that the two card-playing troopers had left. "There is a ventilation duct on the backside of that shed.... That's all I have for an entry point, unless you want to knock on the door," he whispered to her.

Anreson rolled her eyes and shook her head. "In I go," she whispered back, then turned to stealthily make her way to the shed, Tycho following silently behind her.

When she reached the shed, she pulled out her laser-scalpel and sliced through the grate's fastenings. She looked over, nodded once to the Alderaanian, and slipped in, pulling the grate shut behind her.

With his back against the wall, he loaded the carbine and pulled out the Thermal Detonators. May the Force be with you...Doc, he thought as he kept watch for signs of trouble.

* *

Anreson was pleased to find that the ventilation duct went below ground then up again into the main hotel. Silently she made her way through the maze looking down into each room she passed.

SIEE!? In the room now beneath her, the young girl lay on her stomach, on a hard cot. It looked as though she were barely breathing. Her clothes, what was left of them, hung from her body in bloody rags.

Holding the grate so it would not fall, she used her laser scalpel in a beveling cut to break through. "Gods, what did they do to you?" she whispered. Once the grate was cut free, she pulled it into the shaft and set it beside her. She looked to be sure the room was empty, then lowered herself through the opening to stand on an old beaureau. From there, it was a short hop to a chair, and then the floor.

*

Outside, crickets chirped undazedly and a light breeze made itself known.

*

Anreson pulled out her comlink, already set to communicate with Tycho, and double clicked that she had successfully found Siee. After putting it away, she pulled out her emergency med-kit. I hope there's enough... she thought as she moved to check the girl's life-signs.

Siee rolled over quickly, grabbing the hand that touched her, and twisted it hard. Instantly she slumped back against the cot from the effort.

The Ralltiirian took in a hissing breath, "Siee, don't," she shook her hand to get the feeling back. "I'm here to help."

The young girl's eyes barely opened, "Jag...."

"No, it's Doc Anreson," she whispered as she took out a phial of bacta. "C'mon, sit up a little and drink this," she moved to help the girl to a seated position.

*

Tycho heard some footfalls, two people. He pulled his hood down and huddled against the wall, becoming one with the shadow. Two troopers walked by, too busy talking about who owes who more money to notice him.

They passed by uneventfully, and the wind soon picked up. He was thankful for the breeze, the nervousness causing him to sweat like a Hutt on a sunspot.

*

Siee took a swallow of the healing fluid and coughed, "Nasty...."

"Bacta was never meant for dessert," Anreson smirked. "Now, finish up kid."

She swallowed the rest of the bacta without protest. "How's... my brother... he here?"

"He's safe, and sound... and nearby," She told her as she helped the younger girl to lay back down. She pulled out some antiseptic and began to clean the wounds, gritting her jaw angrilly.

Siee hissed at the stinging sensation, "Haggron... he knows... Jag..." she groaned.

"I know," she affirmed the girl's suspicions quietly. "Save your strength, I'm gonna get you out of here," she said as she continued cleaning the numerous wounds.

"Can't," she shook her head. "My... my leg hurts...."

Finishing the cleaning, Anreson pulled out a bacta-anisthetic salve and began to rub it in gently. "I can probably carry you." She smoothed it over the wounds, including the ones on her neck.

"No... get others... another girl..."

She took out some bacta bandages, and began to dress the torso wounds first. "I know that too, we'll get her out of here too."

"I will... slow down... tell Jag I'm sorry...."

"You can tell him yourself," she moved to dress the wounds on Siee's legs and hips.

After a few moments, the Taanabian girl lay a weak hand on the woman's arm, "You have to get the others... I'm fine."

She soon finished dressing her arm, "If you're fine, I'm a three-headed-Hutt." Gently, she turned siee's head to dress her neck wounds.

"Do you sing too?" Siee tried to smile.

Anreson couldn't help but chuckle, "Sometimes." She put an arm benath the girl's shoulders. "Care to get started, Siee?"

"If I try to get out of here," she stared hard at the Ralltiirian doctor, "I won't make it past the door...." She coughed, "And Haggron will escape..."

"Who say's we're using the door? We're going out the way I came in...." She paused as she heard footfalls beyond the door. They stopped and muffled voices floated through. "Sith!" she whispered vehemently.

"Go.... Tell the others I'm sorry... and," she grimaced. "Tell Jag and Wes I love them...."

"Tell them yourself," she told the girl again as she began to get Siee to sit up. "I'm not leaving without you."

The door's old computer could be heard as someone typed in the codes.

Siee pushed her away weakly, "Get out of here.... Just get help," she hissed the words.

Gently, Anreson lay the girl back down. "We'll come back for you... I promise." She climbed up the beaureau and jumped to pull herself back into the ventelation duct in the ceiling. Quietly she replaced the grid, and waited. Maybe, just maybe, when the 'visitors' left, she could get Siee out after all.

She watched intently as Siee rolled onto her stomach to hide the wound treatments from sight and both woman lay still as the door slid open.

Anreson recognized Haggron from the stolen security holos, and fought to keep herself from vaping him where he stood in the doorway.

He then walked in carrying a box, while two stormtroopers stood guard at the door. "Well, I see you still breathe.... Belin has not lost his touch."

"Maybe I'm just tougher than he estimated..." Siee whuispered.

He tossed the box to the foot of the bed. "I have brought you some new clothes.... I'm not entirely without heart."

"Do they have a diagram for Belin to follow, on where to cut me next time?"

He pulled a stool up beside the bed, "Now, we won't need Belin anymore. I have... something else in mind for you."

From her place hidden in the ceiling, Anreson frowned.

Haggron carressed Siee's cheek with the back of his hand. "I can offer you.... So much more...."

Siee flinched slightly as she gave him a cold stare.

"The rewards of service.... Are vast and many," he told her with a slow smile as he ran a finger down her chin.

Siee pulled her head away, "Good pay followed by a quick death at the end of a blaster? No thanks."

With his right hand, he pulled an Imperial uniform from the box and set it beside Siee. His left hand grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. "I will have you.... You have already given up your friends... you might as well wear the uniform," he grinned.

He put a hand lightly on her shouler, "Many a woman would love to be my consort.... You would do well to accept."

SithSPAWN! Anreson's mind screamed as her hands clenched into fists. Hang in there, Siee....

"I would hate to think of you suffering the alternative."

Siee spit straight into his face, "I'd rather spend a week with Belin's instruments."

Haggron wiped off the spittle with two fingers and smiled as he licked it, "You're so sweet."

"You're sick."

He grabbed her by the arm and dragged her from the bed. "YOU WILL COME WITH ME.... LIKE IT OR NOT!!!"

Siee howled in pain as he dragged her through the doorway. "Let me go! Let me--" Her words were cut off by the door slamming shut behind them.

*

Anreson turned and quietly, swiftly, began to move her way, unerringly, back the way she'd come. Find General Antilles, and get her out of there FAST! she told herself. She soon slipped out of the shed grid and took off running for the circus, not even looking to see if her rear guard was still around.

Belatedly she remembered him, and as she ran she pulled out her comlink. "Aborted!" she hissed.

*

As Tycho mused that the sun should be due to break at any minute, he saw a shape run past him out of the duct. Huh?!

His comlink went off before he could stop it. He heard her message, but so did everyone else... namely the two stormtroopers standing nearby.

He smiled, "Uhmmm.... Hi guys!" Before they could react, Tycho pulled out the blaster-carbine and vaped them both, one catching his deathblow in the faceplate, the other in the chest.

Then he turned, and ran like a hawkbat out of Kessel. Blaster fire erupted from various windows of the old structure, and Tycho dodged them as he made it to the treeline... and to safety. Losing any chance of pursuit in the forest, he headed for his ship.

*

Anreson zipped quickly through the early morning streets to the edge of town, and the circus. As she reached the edge of the circus, she stopped running, leaning her hands on her knees to catch her breath while looking frantically around for Wedge, or any Rogue who might be able to take her to him.

-------ENDSIM------