Brawln and Cheen

Talanis brings Brawln and the unconscious Nomi Amersu back to Rogue Ronto and tells them to lie low while the Mechanics' Guild finishes its work on the ship and the others get up to whatever trouble they're going to get up to out on the north mining platform. The hyperdrive installation process has moved on to a point where most of the work is taking place on the exterior of the ship, so Brawln and the droids pretty much have the place to themselves. All of Brawln's various devices are still hooked up to Vocho's HoloNet relay, so after a while there's not too much to do besides check in on everything he's missed over the past few weeks of being incommunicado. It is in the middle of this catching-up process that the long-range commlink built into the Shadowlander terminal Brawln's mother gave him begins to chime. The identification code on the message says it's Cheen who's calling him, all the way from Kashyyyk.

Brawln picks up.

"Cheen? How are things on Kashyyyk?"

A note of concern reaches his voice as he makes a mental note to check in with his mother.

Cheen is a perceptive guy, and seems to pick up on Brawln's concern. "All of us here are doing as well as we can be with the Empire getting a clawhold on our lower branches. But you told me to tell you if my people noticed anything unusual happening down at that Zaltin Corp factory, and well, we've finally got something worth sharing. Well, several somethings, actually. But I'll give them to you one at a time.

"Not a lot changed for a while after you left. It still seemed like they were working on getting the place set up - putting up the buildings, assembling their team, that sort of thing. Before you ask, nobody's seen that Kaminoan around since you left. I doubt she leaves the facility much, if at all. Physical security's gotten tighter since the construction process got closer to being finished, so we had to mix up our strategy a bit." Brawln gets the sense that Cheen is being cautious about saying what exactly that strategy is.

"Earlier today we intercepted some chatter that was different from what we've been hearing. The factory's supposed to get ready to receive a special delivery any day now. Something some lieutenant they just posted out here wants for a project he's working on. And it's weird - two living beings, frozen in carbonite. I didn't even know they could do that to people. This the kind of thing you'd want to know about?"

"I didn't know they could either. But unless this is a widespread practice, I know who they are - and the Empire wouldn't risk killing them. At least, I don't think they would. Hard to know who or why they were taken as they were. I have to say, Cheen, this is exactly the kind of thing I want to hear about."

Brawln grimaces. "Cloning and Force users though...that makes no sense to me. Why would the empire send Force users to a cloning facility? Doesn't the Empire hate Force users? Sorry - " Brawln cuts in before Cheen has a chance to respond. "I've been alone a bit lately and talking to myself - or my unconscious friend here...you remember Nomi, right? Anyway, point is I'm getting used to one-sided conversations."

He shakes his head for a moment. "Was there more?"

"Of course I remember Nomi. She's unconscious? I hope she'll be okay." The concern in Cheen's voice is genuine, but quickly he seems to deliberately set it aside, clearly knowing there's nothing he can do for her right now.

"These people the Empire is sending here - they're Force users? Didn't know there were many of those left, after what happened to the Jedi. Or that the Empire had any of their own. It's a puzzle for sure. But it seems like you know a few things that I don't, which is good, because maybe that will help you make more sense of the other part of it. Not too long after the transmissions started flying about the how and where and when they'd be dropping off these folks in carbonite, we overheard another message to this lieutenant that was...well. It's not very long, so it's probably just easiest if I play it back for you."

A playback icon pops up on the screen of Brawln's tablet. He taps it and hears:

"Lieutenant Iscandar. You're out of your jurisdiction. I don't know what gave you the idea that processing these prisoners was still within your authority when you have already failed once to contain them. Regardless, the lapse will be dealt with. I'm on my way to Kashyyyk to take charge of this operation. Be prepared to hand them over to me when I arrive, or be prepared to face the consequences."

Brawln recognizes the speaker's voice right away. It's Lilikai Singan.

Brawln stares, incredulous after hearing this exchange. "Cheen, this is bad - very bad. I don't know how you got these things, but you need to pull back now. We are going to come and try to help, if we can, but that facility...I thought it might be used for cloning an army, or a workforce or something. But I know those people, and they're not scientists - not administrators. Those people are fucking dangerous. So that facility - it isn't a science facility."

Brawln's tone becomes bitter, mocking. "Meant to bring healthcare to the Wookiees of Kashyyyk." Brawln's fists clench and for a moment it looks as if he might hit something, but he lets out a breath and continues in a calmer tone. "The last time I saw Major Seth Iscandar - it was at a detention facility called the Citadel. This factpry you've got your hooks into - at best, it's going to be full of some very dangerous people. But they built it on Kashyyyk for a reason. And I'm gonna figure out what that reason is."

He pauses for a moment and looks, almost fearfully, back at the screen. "Unless that's not all of it...is there more?"

"What, that's not enough for you?" Cheen jokes, but his pasted-on smile suggests it sounds hollow even to him. "No, Brawln, that about covers it. I'll pull my people out like you said. We've been careful. I think we'll be fine. When you do come to Kashyyyk, come and find me, okay? We might be able to do something else to support you once you're up in our tree."

Brawln smacks his chest with his fist. "When we get to Kashyyyk, you'll be the first one we find. Thank you so much, Cheen. I don't know what we would’ve done without you."