Log Date: 10/22/98 Log Cast: Leia, Han, Saris Log Intro: The continued presence of NR forces in Caspar space has proven unfortunate -- due to apparent NR involvement in the shooting of the Imperial ambassador to Caspar, Morganna Tazecks. However, suspicions are running high amongst certain NR personnel as to who exactly was responsible for that little incident, and one particular hostile young man -- one particular hostile former Imperial -- ranks highest on the list of prime suspects for having arranged the entire affair, at least as far as the head of the NRI and Princess Leia are concerned... ---------- From outside the ship comes Leia's strident call: "Han, that sensor array's transmission coil is loose again...needs more rust and spit to fasten it!" You head down off the entry ramp of the _Falcon_. Landing Bays -- Main Deck The cruiser's landing bays are large enough to facilitate a full complement of X-Wing, Y-Wing and B-Wing fighters. There are several marked and unmarked shuttles laying in wait as well, doing their best to avoid the bustle of the area. A blue magnetic barrier holds out the void of space, protecting the giant cove in the side of the ship. -=-=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=-=- => Leia => Saris => STARFIGHTER: Corellian YT-1300 -- Millennium Falcon => STARFIGHTER: Alliance A-Wing Starfighter -- Ghost 4 => STARFIGHTER: Slayn and Korpil B-wing -- Ghost 9 => STARFIGHTER: Alliance A-Wing Starfighter -- Ghost 6 => STARFIGHTER: Incom T-65B X-wing -- Ghost 2 => STARFIGHTER: Slayn and Korpil B-wing -- Ghost 10 => STARFIGHTER: Incom T-65B X-wing -- Rogue 3 => STARFIGHTER: Alliance A-Wing Starfighter -- Ghost 3 => STARFIGHTER: Sienar Lambda Class Shuttle -- Tydirium => STARFIGHTER: Incom T-65B X-wing -- Ghost 1 => STARFIGHTER: Incom T-65B X-wing -- Rogue 7 => STARFIGHTER: Incom T-65B X-wing -- Rogue 8 => STARFIGHTER: Incom T-65B X-wing -- Rogue 5 => STARFIGHTER: Alliance A-Wing Starfighter -- Ghost 5 => STARFIGHTER: Incom T-65B X-wing -- Rogue 1 -=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=- ut leads to Entry Ramp -- Triton. tarboard leads to Main Corridor -- Main Deck . Han_Solo enters Landing Bays -- Main Deck A dark head pokes into view from up the _Falcon_'s ramp. "What?" calls down the baritone voice of Han Solo, in tones of gruff query. Leia turns around from the direction in which she is walking with Saris and indicates a dangling metallic coil from the ship's underbelly. "Unless it's supposed to look like that?" she queries wryly. Saris Saris sports a brand new and very clean-cut outfit of fine Casparian tailoring. An embroidered ivory turtleneck clings to his upper torso, which is surrounded by a courdoroy vest with elegant hand-carved buttons, adding a splash of tan to the ensemble. The back of the vest is wide and seems to cover a small strap that reaches around his shoulder, but is for the most part concealed. His khaki slacks are neatly pressed and the end at a pair of fine leather shoes. A neatly trimmed beard and crystal green eyes make Saris a very handsome man indeed. A small satchel is either flung over his back or rests at his side (depending on how he is standing) and he looks around with mild curiosity. He's average for a human, broad shoulders and slightly athletic-looking. Those who could take a guess would figure him to be around his mid-twenties, in human years. The most striking feature is his forward chin, which sticks out strongly from his otherwise plain face. His hair is blonde, rustled (but stylish) and falls to his eyebrows. Leia Brown. The color, in its richest state, is found first and most noticeably in her large eyes and lustrous hair, juxtaposed as it is with the flawless cream of her complexion. Her features, too, lure the attention of observers thanks to their subtle beauty and refined demeanor: she is every inch a princess. And yet...and yet...now and again, that noble bearing may slip in favor of the tomboy who coexists with the princess inside so diminutive a frame; the change is apparent in the quirk of her expressive lips or the mischievous twinkle in her gaze. Still, gentlewoman or gamine, she wields her authority and blaster with equal grace, speaks with eloquent elegance, even certain multilingual curses, and remains a tiny armada in female form. Her attire marries comfort with elegance in the form of a full-skirted dress in bleached muslin; the sleeveless, round-necked garment is topped by a swing coat dyed Alderaanian blue. A silver belt traverses her waist, the only accoutrement to her simplistic ensemble. -=-=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=-=- => Lightsaber Giving a friendly nod to the familiar brown-headed ex-scoundrel coming down the ramp, Saris gives a wave. Solo blinks once in the direction of Leia and Saris, his brow crinkling a moment. He recognizes the other man of course, but Solo's only greeting is a distracted nod -- for most of the Corellian General's attention has already shot to that dangling coil. Muttering a startled and blistering oath, Han leaps down off the ramp and scrambles under his freighter's hull. Walking ever so slowly, Saris begins to explain, "Captain Dauthus and I have begun a dual-effort investigation on Caspar, looking into any possible lead we may have. While he is running the outwardly investigation, doing most of the official work, while one of my Agents and I are asking around incognito," he explains. Leia's lips press together, then she nudges Saris and moves in Han's direction, murmuring discreetly to the man beside her, "Speaking of the investigation and all, Saris, let's let Han hear what we're saying. He knows about Stalh as well." Saris solely raises an eyebrow in response, revealing his apparent interest. He turns and walks with Leia in the direction of Han. The Corellian's hunkered his lanky frame just under the edge of the _Falcon_'s hull, and is peering with narrowed hazel eyes up at that sensor array. The coil is, indeed, dangling, and Han's repair strategy seems to involve one part stuffing the thing back up in the general vicinity of where it's supposed to be and three parts muttered curses in six different languages. As the Princess and her companion approach him, bits and pieces of those curses can be picked up: "Freggin' substandard... I just _fixed_... don't _do_ this to me, honey, you're not supposed to fall apart just _sitting_..." Saris lets out a small, "Eh-hem." "If you'll excuse us for interrupting a session with your sweetheart," Leia drawls with that voice she uses only when coming between Han and the _Falcon_, "Saris and I need to discuss something with you." Hazel eyes return their distracted attention to the others, and Solo blinks a few times out from under the ship. "Can it wait?" he asks, even as he whips out a multitool from a pocket and starts fiddling with the sensor coil's connectors. Saris interjects politely, "General Solo? It won't be that long, I promise." He looks up at the infamous Falcon. "You can get back to work on her soon." he offers with a warm smile. Leia smirks, holds down a retort that would likely earn a glare from her husband, and explains, "We're discussing the attempted assassination, Han, and what's going on about it. I'm in fact considering paying her a visit today sometime." Saris turns to the Ambassador, as if a light were flashing above his head. "Dauthus and his team spoke to her yesterday, Leia. She's not exactly happy about it. She said we should 'control our citizens' a bit more carefully," he adds in. Saris has jumped right into conversation without even asking Han if he was done with the Falcon. Han blinks between Saris and Leia, his attention visibly, if reluctantly, growing more focused upon them. The multitool still dangling from one lean hand, the Corellian steps out from under the ship, straightening up to his full height. "What do you need to ask _me_ about?" he wants to know, brow a bit furrowed. "I mean, yeah, if it's one of our people that did it, we need to investigate, but it wasn't one of my men, at least according to the reports I saw...?" Saris looks to Leia, giving a non-worded glance that seems to say, "Should you ask him, or should I?" Leia gestures to Saris as though to say, "Go ahead; be my guest." "What do you know about Stalh, Han?" Saris asks straightfowardly. "I mean, your general opinion and impression of the fellow," he furthers. He crosses his arms, spreading his legs shoulder width apart, standing under the mock-awning of the Falcon's disc-shaped fuselage. The General's face goes a bit hard, his gaze sharpening. "I know he's got the attitude of a rabid vronskr, and I'd like to slap some sense into whatever idiot let him into our Diplo corps," Solo replies promptly. And he adds with a smirk, "He's got an even worse problem with authority than _I_ do, from what I've seen." Reluctantly Leia allows, arms folding across her slender frame, "He has problems with authority, yes, and mine to be precise, but his politics cannot be used as fodder for accusing him of anything. We have to approach this very cautiously: I'm afraid our friend Stalh has a rather loud mouth." Saris smiles. "A loud mouth? He works for IGNews. I'm sure he hears most of what comes through my office almost every day. As for attitude, I can agree with that." He gives pause, remembering what he had been briefed about earlier. "That reminds me... We have some new evidence to bring to light. Leia, I'm not sure if you got my request to the High Council or not. Have you?" Solo snorts aloud, putting in, "That loud mouth of Stalh's damned near got him shot by the Marines who showed up when the Rodian jumped me." "That's what I meant by proceeding cautiously, Saris," Leia replies without much pleasure. "If we detain him and can't prove anything, it'll be all over the news and do more damage than we can immediately contain." Sighing, she leans against the _Falcon_'s landing strut and adds with a frown, "I'd had a bad feeling about him since the day we met." Saris . o O (I remember back to the day when he arrived on Calamari, and locking him up for days and days.) Saris takes Leia's more diplomatice view with a nod. "I see your point, Councilor. However, I don't necessarily believe him to be a suspect yet. I just want to see him answer a few questions under oath, to see where his real loyalties lie." Saris lets out a sigh. "We found a receipt for dinner moments before the shooting, Han. Both Lt. Garat and Stahl's signature were on the bill." Solo lifts an eyebrow. "That's _real_ fascinating," he drawls, "especially since from what I've seen, our buddy Stalh seems to have it in for the Ambassador." A loud beep emits from Saris' pocket. "Oops, that's me. They need me on Caspar, Councilor." He turns to the Corellian, offering a curt goodbye. "Han." He looks at them both. "If you either of you have anything you feel I should know, please contact me, ok? Leia nods her concurrence with Han as she pushes away from the strut and smooths down her dress's lines. "Of course," she tells Saris before he departs, then, once the young man has disappeared, she turns toward Han and states privately, "I think Stalh is in this to his neck...and I'd love to prove it." Han looks down at his wife, his expression intent, speaking of thoughts clicking into place behind those hazel eyes. "He hates her -- Tazecks, that is. I remember how he was acting after you and Lando left me in Karrde's joint that one night. Used words like 'despise', even." "I know, I know." Leia shakes her head while her frown deepens, and under her breath she swears, "I wish we'd never let him join the Corps. Do you have any idea how much damage this is going to do us if the wrong rumors are spread? It's as though Stalh's mission in life was to dis...credit...us...." Blink. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking....?" rumbles Han, his weathered features going even more intent of expression. Leia nods with jaw setting: her temper, which is a fairly significant force of emotion, is digging its way into her expression. "Yes, as a matter of fact I am." "We _know_ he was Imperial...." Han's hand comes up, his forefinger absently stabbing the air as comprehension -- and not a little bit of annoyance -- blazes across his countenance. "Have we just been _particularly_ stupid, or is his story that solid?" Likewise raising a hand, Leia corrects briskly, "Not stupid. Trusting. Too trusting, in my estimation." She hesitates and grits her teeth, willing patience in a soul that is too often abrupt in its gut reactions. "All right, as I told Saris, we have to be careful or he'll shoot a galaxy-wide load of bantha fodder about us across the news net. We need to dig around more deeply, and we need to do it now. I'm going to find Mon Mothma." "And I'll... somehow... keep me and Chewie from going to rip his arms off," growls Han, frustration welling across his eyes with the rest of the edgy emotions already there, the look of a man who wants to do _something_ and isn't above that something involving violence. [End log.]