Tendrils Are Green

An unusually tall woman – think REAL tall, green skin, aggressive tattoos, purple eyes- in a shiny white plate pressed her back into the wall, surveying the situation around the corner. The traps and the cords in her neck stood out as she strained to see. "Four hostiles, Sgt. Jorgan. Three o'clock is yours. On my mark!"

She tapped out the count on her rock-solid quad, thick as a Hutt: "Three, two, one, GO!" Her companion made it around her with a predatory grace and opened fire. She stepped behind him, rolled a gigantic canon in front of her, leaned back, braced herself and let the pulse sweep over the screaming Black Sun thugs. The metal and plastic burned noxiously when the returning blaster fire hit the white armor, but the woman stood her ground, unwavering. To follow the pulse, the explosive charges from her cannon poured over the knaves. One of them lost his nerve in the roaring flames, and peeled from the group to try to cut through with a vibrosword, away from the towering maiden. His luck held long enough for him to leave a nasty scratch on Aric's armor, but it got lost immediately between its many mates. Aric took the butt of his rifle to the man's head, crushing a side of his skull into bloody pulp. There was more than battle fury in his gesture. There was a palpable frustration.

"Target's down, Lt. Dur," Aric growled at his CO.

"Acquire the supplies," she commanded briskly, avoiding his strange eyes (think an improbable angle, shooting upwards at the corners; but not improbable with his cheekbones). Aric hesitated for a fraction of a moment.

"We are the BEST of the BEST!" She yelled at him. "We are the HAVOC SQUAD! We can do it!"

"YES, SIR!" Aric yelled back, without moving an inch.

"Damn it, Aric! If your CO tells you to go get the damned thing, you damn well get the DAMN THING! Now HOP TO IT!"

"Yes, Sir," Aric muttered and charged a huge pot of dirt with a vengeance. It was topped by a dainty vine studded with some bright orange flowers. Growling, the fierce Cathar warrior pulled the plant out, showering the CO's white armor with dirt in the process.

"The potted plant is ours, Sir! HURRAY!"

"Loose the root bulb!" Lt. Dur replied dryly.

"Understood, Sir," Aric said and a dangerous growl rose in his throat, "NO ROOT BULBS, SiIR!" He snapped the stem off. It broke, but did not give, a bundle of green strings holding it together. Aric ripped his service dagger out of the sheath, and slashed at the enemy viciously. The steel severed the stubborn greenery. He threw the roots back over his shoulder, fixing Glean Dur with an incinerating stare. Glean noted that the seemingly casually tossed roots hit the now empty pot square in the middle. He thrust the fragrant mass of green and orange into her arms: "Your flowers, SIR!"

Lt. Dur held the armful of the leaves and petals to her chest. The orange of the blooms set off the purple of her eyes, and the green of her skin. She took a careful sniff. "Well done, Sergeant Jorgan! Why I have half a mind to put you up for a medal."

Then Glean squeezed the blooms into her pack, crushing the whole thing into green goo.

"For the Republic! Move, move, MOVE!"

The potted plants and villainy all over Coruscant shook in their boots and planters.

/

"You requested to view the surveillance tapes showing anomalous behavior of the Havoc Squad, my Lord?"

Becchino nodded: "Must I repeat myself, Lieutenant?" With a crisp bow, Lieutenant started the recording. Becchino watched Glean Dur and Aric Jorgan's assault on the potted plant in silence. Then she turned to her subordinate: "Thoughts, Lieutenant?" Malavai Quinn paused. "I analysed the actions of the Squad, my Lord, and I nearly eliminated courting behavior. The possibility is still there, but I am inclined to believe that the plants may have a medicinal value. " Becchino nodded: "Republic scum is always searching for the ways to upstage us. Lieutenant, I want you to-" Quinn bowed again: "Of course, my Lord. From now on, I shall most carefully examine the local plant specimens. If you think that's the best use of me." Becchino slowly turned her head and looked her Lieutenant up and down. Unreadable. Again.

"Stick to collecting scraps, Lieutenant. It suits you."