Leah's report- as one might expect- is an organized, concise retelling of the events leading up to, including, and following the firefight at the compound. Reading through it, it's not difficult to imagine she probably filed many like this during her time with the Alliance. Reports that were probably examined, picked apart, and sealed away with parts forever hidden away from prying eyes.
#RedrockAgency – July 27, 2019
It outlines the reason for the operation: Fasha Bar'adon of House Bar'adon put out a bounty for the return of Tara. Given the dangers of the Terminus, Leah deemed it imperative to hit Fasha first before someone recognized the brand and Fasha caught wind of Tara's location if she was to maintain tactical superiority. It then details the lengths she went to in setting up the meeting: The fake alias. The burner omni-tool. The backstory about
only being on Aite for a short time for work - an effort to both authenticate her own lie to Fasha as well as get the point across that he was on a timer to come and retrieve Tara while selling a long term lie to anyone who may come after him that searching for her on Aite would be a dead end. The hunt through old Redrock reports to find a suitable site for the meeting. One that was remote enough as to not attract attention and prevent any
collateral damage. And then it goes into the fact that she brought Nathan onboard to assist her with a plan of action, having decided that his expertise in explosives might give them the edge in the event that they find themselves confronted by a large force.
The report of the firefight is sterile. Clean. Devoid of the mess that comes along with any engagement. Just a neutered recounting of events. A general outline of the injuries sustained by Redrock, pointing towards Halisi's report for a more in-depth analysis. Even the way Fasha was dealt with is made to look clean on paper. No mention of how scared he was. How he begged for his life. His execution is delegated to a lines that serve as
little more than a footnote. 'Once the target had officially released all of the slaves (And Tara) from his service, he was eliminated. He attempted to pay for his own release with 100,000 credits that were turned over to Sandbeck along with the liberated slaves with instructions to divide the credits up amongst them once their rehabilitation had been completed. His (Fasha's) body was buried at the compound along with those who fought
The site was scrubbed and cleaned up as they awaited any sign of reinforcements before returning home. The report concludes on what seems to be her own analysis of the operation. The sort of notes that seem to be in place to answer the questions she's sure whoever might be reading it might have. It states that she believes to be in the clear from any retaliation from House Bar'adon, having left them with no trail to pick up on. It also
notes that the only potential security breach would have to come from the rescued slaves themselves, but she's confident that after some time with Sandbeck that will be of no concern.
Vasquez has mostly been silent while looking over the reports, focused on Leah's and Halisi's accounts. While she seems to have calmed down, a scowl has remained etched into her face as she read, ocassionally breaking for coffee. It's with a frustrated sigh that she finally puts the datapad aside on her bedside table, running a hand through her hair as she leans her head back against hte pillow that she's propped up for a
Jason glances Vasquez' way when she sets down her datapad but his eyes quickly turn back to his own reading. A few more minutes pass in silence as he wraps up and compacts the datapad to toss it on the nightstand. He's seated with his back against the headboard, one leg hanging off the side of the bed. With a sigh of his own, he reaches for his coffee. He doesn't take a drink immediately, instead resting it against his lap as he
Vasquez ' hand remains for a moment, cradling her head. Eventually she breaks the silence: "What was she thinking...?" she mutters with a shake of her head, letting her hand drop.
Jason looks down into his coffee, brow furrowed slightly. He takes a quick sip before setting the cup back on the nightstand, the contents long since having cooled to room temperature. Vasquez' question is met with a small shake of his head. "I just-... why wouldn't she ask for our help...?" he asks in confusion, that seeming to be the thought that's been nagging at him as he sifted through the report.
Vasquez lets out an empty snort, shrugging faintly. She brings a hand up to her mouth, rubbing it briefly across hte lower half of her face as she looks out across their room. "I-... I don't know. I don't-... I've made it clear that Redrock would help if needed. Of course we would!" she exclaims with a look towards Jason. "There was no reason to go behind our backs like this..." she sighs, turning to her side in the bed to study
Jason as she shakes her head again, the gesture lazy with her head still against hte pillow, obviously exhausted by the whiplash of coming home to this. That it all feels so unneccessary just frustrates her all the more.
Jason draws in a breath, leaning his head back against the headrest. He tolls it to the side lazily to look Vasuqez' way, wearing a bit of exhaustion on his face after the long trip home. He studies her for a few moments in silence. Seemingly unable to come up with no better answer, he merely sighs again. "...They were trying to do a good thing." he says. It's an observation, as if that might be some small consolation to both of
them. But, while it might be true, it doesn't seem to do much to help him make sense of it, resulting in him tilting his head back so he's looking up towards the ceiling. "I just don't understand why she wouldn't come to us!" he repeats his sentiment, frustration coloring his voice. Frustration and confusion.
Vasquez seems a little amused by Jason's outburst, spirits lifting briefly as she reaches out to place a hand on his leg, but her frown soon returns. "I fully intend to find out tomorrow..." she mutters. "I thought better of Mercier than to pull a stunt like this, she's always been reliable... she has to realize how stupid this was. How reckless."
Jason draws another deep, frustrated breath in through his nose. The hand on his leg turns his attention to it. "Yeah..." he agrees in a whisper. Stupid and reckless. Like charging into the fortified base of a terrorist organization with a handful of people because they've taken someone you love. But that had been different. He had no other choice. Nobody else to turn to. "And after what we just went through to bring Li home she
has to know she's got plenty of people willing to be stupid and reckless with her. I just-.." he swallows, trying to dispel a bit of that frustration with a shake of his head. It seems that it's less about what she did that's bothering him. It's how.
Vasquez gains a faint smile at Jason's words, although it's tinged by the weight of everything that comes with that particular topic. She squeezes his leg gently, scooting a little closer with a small nod. "We look out for each other in Redrock, she has to have known that, I-... and she waited until we were away. I don't-... is this-... did she think I wouldn't authorize...?" she trails off, scowl reappearing as her gaze falls to
Jason furrows his brow as Vasquez' mind starts wandering, quick to cut off her thoughts with a sharp shake of his head. "No." he says, a synthetic hand slipping over top of hers. He gives it a small squeeze. "No." he reaffirms, sounding quite sure of that much, "She knows if she came to us that we'd be right there by her side, Linda. I mean, if she doesn't know that by this point, then she sure as shit hasn't been paying
Vasquez lets out a quiet sigh, nodding a couple of times to herself and glancing off towards the datapad again. "Just doesn't make any fucking sense..." she says quietly. "I'm calling her in first thing tomorrow morning to explain herself. I don't-..." Her hand rubs across her face as she grunts. "This is way out of line. And it seems like she got several people to go along with it..."
Jason's gaze lowers to the bed and he gives a few small, distant nods. "...I'll talk to Ten." he volunteers with a glance back Vasquez' way. After Rakhana, Ten should've known better than to go behind their backs like this. He was already on thin ice. But he doesn't bring that up to Vasquez. It would only further aggitate the situation. "See what he has to say about it."
Vasquez nods in acknowledgement, not saying anything right away. Her gaze just wanders their room for a moment, head leaning back against her pillow-stacked-against-the-wall. "It's pure luck nobody died..." she mutters as her mind goes to the injured. "They didn't even have a damn medic with them. It's a mess as it is with the injuries..."
Jason gives another few distant nods. "...But they're alive." he says simply with a shrug, casting another glance to her, forcing a small, tired smile into place to try and expel a bit of the frustration. "And, from the sound of that report-..." he pauses, giving a slight tilt of his head and drawing a breath as his brows lift, leaving it unspoken that Leah is a terrifying creature, "...it seems like they covered all their bases
and tied up any loose ends as best as they could." He shifts his hand to try and grasp Vasquez', interlocking his fingers with hers. He falls silent before getting to his point, gaze lowering briefly before he speaks up. "I... think Ilyna did the right thing by waiting to tell us." he says, his tone turning apologetic as if having assumed Vasquez won't like hearing that.
Vasquez sucks in her cheek, and odd expression on her face as she looks down at her own legs, caught halfway between a scowl and a smirk. She ends up letting out a quiet snort, staring straight ahead for a moment before letting out a drawn out sigh and letting her head fall back against hte pillow again, free hand rising to cover her face. "Fucking hell, I can't believe I agree with you..." she admits in a grumble, sounding
Jason snickers at Vasquez' admission, releasing his grip on her hand, raising it into the air, and pumping it a few times in victory. "Ladies and gentlemen, mark this moment on your calendars! Linda! Vasquez!" he coughs a quick 'Wolfe' to add on to the end of her name, "...Has admitted that I'm right!" he announces to an invisible audience. He levels a proud, smug smile at his wife as he looks down to her. He seems to bask in it
for a few moments before his smile grows more restrained. "...Maybe you should let her know that." he adds, sounding a bit reluctant to do so.
Vasquez turns her head to look at Jason, watching his theatrics with an unamused expression, but there's an underlying hint of affection underneath it. She did mean it. The past week had been amazing, and the thought of it being cut short over what happened... it's clear that Ilyna didn't know until afterwards anyway. "Don't get used to it..." she mutters. Jason's addition causes her eyebrows to furrow, gaze falling away. She
wrestles with the suggestion for a moment before letting out a quiet sigh. "I-... yeah, I'll talk to her." she concedes, but there's an obvious discomfort there.
Jason simply nods, his smile growing a bit more sincere once more. There's plenty more to say regarding the shaky ground beneath Vasquez and Ilyna's friendship but- as much as he'd like to see that wound mended- he doesn't want to push his luck. Take the victories where you can. He lets silence settle in as he shifts against the bed's headboard, the day's traveling having taken a bit out of him. The sudden drop right back into
their crazy lives took a bit more. He shoots a small glance towards the bathroom before looking back to Vasquez. "Considering taking a quick shower if I can pull my ass out of bed." he says through a grunt. "Now, I know it doesn't live up to your standards." he teases, "No hot tub. No stone countertops with matching tile or rain-... forest-... drop-...?" he stammers through a furrowed brow. "...fancy-ass showerhead. But if
we huddle up real close there's a chance we might both be able to get under the stream." he continues, reminded of the downgrade in water pressure. He gestures towards the bathroom with a quick nod of his head, lopsided smirk crossing his face, "Whaddya say? Join me?"
Vasquez ' discomfort seems to lift as Jason begins to speak, a bit of amusement entering her face as she lazily watches him make his pitch. Her first reaction is to decline - she's tired and frustrated after the events of the evening - but she doesn't. Maybe she's still feeling a bit extra intimate after the honeymoon or maybe it's the promise of the dull, comforting pressure of hot water to soothe her headache and wash away some
of the fresh stress. She always did love the shower. Instead she lets out a quiet grumble, nodding faintly as she prods Jason's leg with her knee to make him get a move on.