The Jedi Temple, Atton's Coruscant, Early Tuesday Morning

"Okay, so what was the big thing you couldn't do without m--"

He hadn't meant to stop talking mid-sentence, but it was hard not to, when you walked your usual walk into a usually-almost-empty Temple and found a whole bunch of military bigwigs staring back at you, Carth-karking-Onasi at the front. Atton's eyes darted to Mical, and then to Visas, who was standing to his right. "Is this an intervention?" he asked.

Mical startled. "No! What would make you think that?" he said. Atton was about to point out that it had been a joke, Mical, but the guy was already talking some more. "The Republic is planning an assault on the pirate base you helped unearth, but there has been a slight... hiccup."

"As you know, Senator Immoan was kidnapped several days ago," Onasi said.

You know what, that was actually news to Atton-- and the fact Onasi didn't know it would be news to him meant someone had been lying to him about Atton's whereabouts. He glanced to Mical again, but the man's face was an earnest blank. Yeah, bet the military brass bought that one, too: Mical, too earnestly Jedi to tell a lie. Well, Atton knew better-- but he also knew the benefits of subterfuge, so it wasn't like he'd ever put in much effort to disabuse anyone of the notion. (In fact, anyone who'd ever heard Atton complain about Mical would think the opposite.)

"We have reason to believe he's being held hostage within the base by some fringe ex-Sith elements who have infiltrated various piracy groups in the region," Onasi finished.

Atton rubbed his forehead. "And you want me to go in and get him out," he said.

"According to Jedi Mical, you're the most qualified," Onasi agreed. "We need this op to be completely quiet, or we'll risk the life of the senator."

"You're afraid there might be Force-sensitives among the ex-Sith," Atton realized. Fantastic. They needed him to be the can't-be-read guy. "Okay, fine. When do we leave?"

There were Mical's eyes on him again. "Wouldn't you like to hear the entire plan?" he asked.

Atton shrugged. "You can tell me on the way," he said. "I figure you people have been running your engines for long enough."

That earned him a nod from Onasi. "There's no time to waste," Onasi said. "After you break out the Senator, Jedi Marr and her Padawan will join you, followed by an elite unit of Republic soldiers. We'll take down the base and secure the ex-Sith." He crossed his arms. "Let's move."

As they walked towards the hangar, Mical pulled Atton aside quietly. "The location of this base is top secret," he said softly, "But if it is what I believe it is, there might well be a h--" He paused, as if realizing who he was talking to, "...important Jedi artifacts tucked away near the core. I'd prefer it if our Republic allies didn't hear about it, just in case we might tip off the Sith. But could you--?"

"Yay, Jedi artifacts," Atton muttered. "It's not like I still have bitemarks from the last set you had me hunting down, or anything."

"Is that a yes?"

"Would you ever stop bothering me if I said no?"

"Atton--"

"Yes."

Despite all that, it still felt good to be back on the job. It was funny how that worked. Onasi called for everyone to turn their comlinks off; Atton followed suit accordingly.

[[ nfb, nfi. iiii will be gone for Gamescom until Friday, atton will be incommunicado as a mission once again goes stupidly awry. everyone else is laying low. ]]