"I like to Save my Judgements until i see them in a situation where they reveal their real selves." She replied looking out to the streaking stars of hyperspace. "Perhaps this mission will show me what i need to know."
"Perhaps." Shadow said looking out also. Shadow remembered his first trip into hyperspace as a child. Shadow had been scared out of his skin when he saw the stars moving so fast. He thought that they might hit one, but there had been others to help calm him down. Now in a sense he was all alone.
He looked at K'Nala and had to admit she was beautiful. Beneath that though, was a person who only focused on hate and other unwanted emotions. He wondered what it was like to focus on hate all the time, never being happy or at peace. He at first imagined that they would be tired since anger took energy to fuel, but that wasn't the case for the Sith he had met so far.
Shadow found hate to be a useless emotion for him. It clouded thinking and logic, which most of the time resulted in death if not kept in check. He looked back out into hyperspace and wonderd, what use was hate when it was more likely to destroy you than it was to help you?
"Thats the one," replied Richard as took it off her "Thank you." He then placed in the reconditioned one in to replace to new one he had removed earily. He then placed the metal lid back on and turned a lever on a pipe above which caused some steam to released from a pipe above the hyperdrive engine.
Raze dusted off her hands. "Well, it'll be a few more hours until we get to Nar Shaddaa, so I'm heading off to check the autopilot, then I'll take a snooze." She started to leave. "But I'll get those rations to you first."
She left and went to the common room and quietly fetched Logan's rations from the galley. "Where do you want these?" she asked him upon her return, as Logan was busy doing various adjustments. "Should I just set them here in this empty corner, out of the way?"
((OOC: The empty corner where Jack 'might' still be standing.))
"Errrm, yes please." Richard replied to her offer while he tried to fassen a lose nut on the side of the hyperspace engine using a wrench. After doing so he pulled the same either as before which realised more steam.
Vanir, not getting an answer from Trando decided to leave, seeing Reisa or Raze as she liked to call herself. She was striking and stunningly beautiful, for a half Falleen. Although so was K'Nala. He knew how to deal with women and their temptations, he had killed many women before and was fit. He then walked up to Richard, the Engineer.
"Hi there." He simply told Logan.
"Ello," Richard said as he clicked a switch on a small computer panel on the wall "You might not wanna stand there. I pulled that lever and steam come sout where your standing. It's harmless but really annoying and causes your eyes to water...I think. Anything I can do for you?"
"Oh." Vanir said, stepping back to the entrance.
"I would just like to know you and my crew better and maybe, who knows, pick up some repair skills?"
"You want to know me?" Replied Richard as he once again pulled the same lever and more steam was realised "Ask whatever questions you like and I shall answer. However I'm not really that interesting so I'd hate to bore you."
Why does he want to know about me? Either he's interested or he's reconing to see if I'd make an easy kill Richard thought to himself.
"Well, you could begin about the history of your life if you don't mind." Vanir said.
"Actually, he does mind," Raze said to Vanir before Richard Logan could answer. "Captain," she added almost as an afterthought. "And as your First Mate, I believe its my duty to inform you when you are stepping out of line. Sir."
She stared at him coldly, and her skin began to tint with blue hues. "Mr. Logan's profile given to you by Count Dooku was quite complete. I have no doubts as to his qualification, loyalty, or to his dedication of duty to the mission. And neither should you."
She set the E-rats down on the floor and turned to go. "I'll see you later, Logan." And she stormed out, heading for the bridge.
Hmm, quite a First Mate, Vanir thought, walking to his room. It was larger than the others, after all, he was the captain. He sat down on his desk and wrote down what happened in his Captain's Log until now. He then layed down on his bed, looking up, hands behind head.
Raze was irritated. Irritated by her Captain, but even more irritated at her inability to keep her skin from flushing hues of blue. "'Pick up some repair skills,'" she grumbled quietly, as she stormed down the corridor towards the bridge. "Yeah. Right. He's the one that's going to need 'repair' if he keeps prying his nose into..."
She paused as she passed through the common room, thinking that it was best not to berate the Captain out loud in front of any of the crew. No matter if he is a prying, nosy little nerfherding Sith-loving Spice-smuggling low-life assassin with a head too swelled with self-arrogance to fit up a Hutt's...
She stopped dead in her tracks. She had reached the bridge. And K'nala was there. And even though she was pensively staring out the window, Raze knew that K'Nala was aware of her presence.
Crap, she thought. I sure hope she's only able to read feelings, not specific thoughts. But what she said was, "Well, K'Nala, Count Dooku said you were skilled, but he didn't mention that you were a pilot as well. So seeing how you obviously have everything under control, I'll just retire to my quarters until it's time to drop out of hyperspace."
Raze turned and left quickly. She didn't want to get on K'Nala's bad side. Ever.
As she headed to her quarters, her skin hues began to return to normal as she began to think about the reasons why K'Nala was in the cockpit. And what she thought wasn't good. Her room was next to the Captain's but she paused just outside his door.
"Damn," she said under her breath, cursing herself for wanting to share her thoughts with him. But after a moment of hesitation, she knocked on his door.
Vanir laid in bed, thinking. Raze was really angry about that. Maybe she was enamored by Richard. Nah, she is too much of a woman. He sighed and then someone knocked on his door. He got up and opened it, outside was Raze.
"Oh, it's you," Vanir said, sighing, "come on in then."
Raze entered the Captain's room. She'd only been in here once, and that was when they had been going over the crew manifest and supply rations. She glanced at the chair by the Captain's desk that she had sat in then, but decided that it was better to stand this time.
"Captain," she started. "I came to...." The word stuck in her throat. "Apologize. It was wrong for me to verbally berate you in front of Mr. Logan. But you were out of line for trying to bully him into talking about his private affairs." She paused a beat. "I served with Mr. Logan aboard another vessel some time ago. He is very dedicated to his engines. He will not let you down, if for no other reason than he wouldn't want to see this ship sent off to the scrapyard." She paused again, slightly unsure how to continue. "So, I'm sorry.
"I've also been thinking about our 'on-board advisor,' K'Nala," she continued, finally getting to the real reason she had decided to talk to him. "I encountered her on the bridge. Just now. At my station. And I suspect she knows how to pilot a ship, which makes me feel slightly more uncertain about her." She frowned slightly. "If she does know how to fly it, it means neither one of us are 'indispensible' to her."
Jack stepped into his room and turned off his stealth field generator.
"That is the last time I ever use my stealth generator for useless purposes like that. Trying to talk to a Jawa is more entertaining than listening to that conversation." He sighed and lay down on his bed. After a minute or two, he fell asleep.
Jack was still peeking through the ventilation shaft of Secura's hotel room. "I thought Jedi were always on watch?" he though as he saw the Jedi sleeping in her bed. He looked around and saw that her lightsaber on top of a desk next to the bed. "Hmm, I wonder what she could do without it." He made his move and quietly opened the ventilation shaft and lowered himself into the room. He stayed low as he sneaked towards the desk and grabbed the lightsaber. "Now let's see how good you really are." he thought.
He threw the lightsaber into the ventilation shaft where it disappeared into the darkness with a loud noise.
He turned to see the Jedi waking up, surprised by the presence of the intruder. When she reached to the desk next to her, she couldn't find her lightsaber.
"Lost something?" Jack said grinning.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" The jedi asked.
"Who I am, is none of your concern. I would have killed you in your sleep, but I wanted to know how you Jedi can fight without using a lightsaber." Jack answered and he tossed his own katana towards her. "Fight me."
"I have no desire to kill you assassin, but I will if you do not leave me with another choise." the Jedi said as she caught the katana.
"Save your breath and start fighting me." Jack answered. When he pressed a button on the side of his wrist armour, his daggers slide out of the them and he held them up in a combat stance.
The Jedi understood that there was no reasoning with Jack at the time and made the first move. Jack held his daggers up in a crossed position, catching the katana right in the middle. He used a swift kick and pushed himself upwards, to remove the katana from the Jedi’s hands and caught it. “Lost your weapon after your first strike already? I would have expected more from a Jedi.” Jack said disappointed. “Try it again.” Jack held the katana loose in his hand as he knew the jedi would be able to use the force to retrieve it. As expected, Secura pulled the katana right out of his hand using the force and wielded the weapon again. “I hope you wield your lightsaber better than that!” Jack taunted, trying to make the Jedi angry. Secura did not say a word when she struck again. This time, their weapons collided in mid-air and they withdrew their weapons to prepare for the next attack. Jack raised his daggers to prepare for the next attacked, but the Jedi pushed him back using the force and jumped towards him, holding the katana in her hands while she aimed at him. Jack was surprised by the Jedi’s trick. But it was foolish to jump at him like that. He quickly used his legs to set off against the wall and dodged underneath the Jedi. “Need the force to win a battle? Fine, have it your way then”
Jack said, as he lowered himself into a combat stance his father taught him. It was a unique combat stance, held in his family of assassins and learned through decades of assassinating. Jack was having difficulties trying to predict the Jedi’s movement before, but now it was both ways. Secura sure as hell looked surprised when she saw the combat stance. “Last round, Secura.” Jack said “I won’t be holding back now…”
They continued to fight for almost ten minutes. It looked like the fight was going to go on forever, but at one point, the Jedi tripped and nearly fell backwards. Jack decided to use the opportunity to finish the fight and kicked Secura against the wall when she was trying to regain her balance. When she tried to get up again, Jack quickly manoeuvred towards her and held one of his daggers against her throat. “You lose.”
“Please…don’t”
Jack couldn’t believe his ears “A Jedi begging for mercy?” he thought. He just stood there, holding his dagger up to her throat, not doing anything. He looked her in the eyes, but he couldn’t get the strength to cut her throat. He wanted to finish the mission and leave, but he couldn’t cut her throat either. Trying to hide his moment of weakness, he used the current situation to his advantage so he could remove the evidence of her investigation. “Where is it Secura?”
“What…what do you mean?” She said, with her voice trembling. Secura didn’t dare to look him in the eyes anymore.
“The evidence of your little investigation, what else?”
“What are you talking about?” she said with tears coming down her eyes.
“Don’t lie to me Secura!” Jack yelled, he was really getting angry now and he dragged her through the room.
What happened after that, no-one knows….
Shadow left the bridge and went back to his own room. When he entered his room, he went to his weapons locker and got out his shotgun, one of his favorite weapons. It worked excellently against Jedi and anything else that got close enough. He took it apart, cleaned it up even though it already looked spotless, and then went to work on the other weapons.
After that he tested his rechargeable shields, did a bit of exercising, reading, and just about every other thing he could think of to keep himself occupied until he decided to go to sleep. He took off his cloak and shirt and then went to bed.
He dreamt that he was in a place that was dark and cold. The ceiling was high enough to fit two AT-TEs on top of each other and still have room. The walls were a brown color of sorts and it looked like he was in a corridor. Then the monsters came.
They came in small numbers at first, but then they started coming in waves and the only thing keeping him alive was his running. He couldn't fight because he had no weapons and he was a child again. Running, a cross between a screech and a roar splits the air behind him. His breaths became ragged and his legs were getting sore. He would have easily outrun those things if he were an adult.
The monsters resembled mutilated versions of people he knew, or people he had killed in the past. They kept coming and coming until they caught up with him. One of them jump from about fifty feet away and landed right in front of him. It whipped its tentacle and sent Shadow flying into the swarm of monsters. He felt what felt like a million needles stabbing into him and felt his mind getting dimmer.
Then the scene changed. He was now in a white facility in a bed. He heard two people talking.
"Will he stabilize?"
"Yes, but whatever happened to him left some mental mark on him. He was babbling nonsense about monsters and resisted his handlers. They had to subdue him with a tranquilizer."
"Poor kid... Will anyone take him? Assuming that his parents are dead too."
"We'll just have to wait and see."
Shadow woke up breathing hard and sweating. It was all just a dream, Shadow reminded himself. He wasn't back in that hospital, and he defiantly wasn't at that hell hole of monsters, thank the force. After he calmed down a bit he went back to sleep, thankfully dreamless.
"Well, first off, i'm also sorry, i shouldn't have peeked my nose in his affairs." Vanir said.
"And so K'Nala is a pilot, is she? Hmm, we have to be wary about her Raze, if she decides to kill us or not, we have to be wary. I know how Jedi are, and i know how Sith are."
Jack woke up in the middle of his dreams. "That memory will haunt me till the end if it doesn't stop coming back." he though as he got out of bed. "No point trying to get some more sleep, we should be close to Nar Shaddaa by now." He got his assassin armor out of the locker and put it on. It took about five minutes before he finally got the armor on and it certainly reminded him of his days as an assassin. He inserted his daggers into his wrist armor and placed the katana in a holster on his back. After that, he grabbed his stealth field generator, connected it with his armor and grabbed the blaster rifle out of his locker. "Better get to the bridge" he murmered before he left his room and went to the cockpit.
Raze sat at in the pilot's seat, staring at the display in front of her that showed they were just about ready to exit hyperspace.
After her conversation with the Captain, she had retired to her quarters. But she hadn't slept very long nor very deeply. Vanir was right. They all had to be wary with K'Nala on board.
An alarm on the navigation console beeped. They had reached their destination. She knew some of the crew were still resting, so through the ship's loudspeakers she said, not shouted, "Now exiting hyperspace."
She took manual control of the ship just as the streaky stars of the hyperspace vortex smoothly slowed to a stop. And there, nestled amongst the clean shining stars was....
"Nar Shaddaa," she said aloud. "Galactic cesspit."
She sensed a presence behind her and glanced over her shoulder to see Jack standing in the threshold dressed in all of his assassing regalia. She glanced down at her own simple clothing--tank top and leather pants and her holster belt with her blasters in it. "Gosh," she said to him as she sent out an automated request to the Hutts port authority for a landing pad. "I'm feeling a little 'undressed' for the occasion."
Vanir walked to the bridge and put his arms over the chair, noticing Raze and a armoured Jack.
"Nice armour Jack," Vanir told him," and i believe that is the Smuggler's Moon. Anybody knows which section of Shadda the Hutt lives?" Vanir asked.
Shadow woke up when he heard Raze's voice and got ready. He equiped his Stealth generator, shield generator, and got both his Shotgun and Assault Rifle. Nar Shadda wasn't a place that Shadow had fond memories of.
He headed to the bridge and said "I've got a contact with Gualla in the Refugee sector and Gualla lives in the Business sector nearby."
Trando overheard Vanir's question and answered.
"Last time I was on Nar Shaddaa, I never met any Hutts," Trando told him, "Last time, all I saw were thousands of Mercenaries, Bounty Hunters and citizens."
"Well," said Raze, "since he's helping the Republic, and probably more into trading arms and materials than slaves and spice, I'd say he probably lives on the outskirts of the Business Sector, nearer the Refugee Sector. It's a cheap source of skilled labour," she explained. "And probably the only sector where we'll find a 'free' landing pad."
Her console bleeped again, giving her the permission and co-ordinates for the landing pad in the Refugee sector. "And, look!" she said, deadpan. "That's exactly where we're landing. What a coincidence."
She looked at the Captain. "You'd better get your 'boys' ready in the common room, Captain. It's getting a bit 'crowded' in here," she said, frowning. "And I'm sure K'Nala knows how to find our Hutt, if this lot doesn't."
"Alright then," Vanir said, then turning his attention to the comlink, "Men, gather in the Common Room, ready, we are almost landing."
Shadow shook his head and left the cockpit. He bet that everyone was thinking about walking right up to the Hutts front door and breaking the door down. First, since they didn't listen to Shadow, they don't know exactly where Gualla lives. Second, if they just went up and did that, any Jedi nearby would be alerted to their presance and possibly their intentions. That could mean heavier ressistance at the outpost.
And they couldn't just walk up to the contact with every single person in the party. The Jedi wouldn't need the force to tell that they were up to something.
All in all, the captain and first mate need to think more in-depth.
Hearing the announcment, Seth puts on his armor and gathers all his weapons. Once ready he heads for the common room where the crew begin to gather. He sets himself down on one of the chairs and waits for the rest of the crew.
K'Nala awoke from her meditation as she heard the call from the ships pilot, This would be an interesting time to observe the crew. She stood up and placed on her outer black robes and raised the hood over her head. The Dark Jedi walked out of her room and sat on a chair at the edge of the common room.
Jack leaned against the wall in the common room as he observed the crew gather there. "So, what's the plan? Who will be scouting the area and does anyone have any other intel about our mission he or she might want to share?" he asked.
"Well, as we all know Hutts always have a plan to deal with people and their demands, so im not gonna just barge in their making all sorts of demands. We need to find some way of neutralizing his defences." Seth says trying to get the conversation underway.
Shadow stood up from where he was inspecting his Shotgun and said "I worked for Gualla the Hutt for about two years before I joined Dooku. I have a contact here in the Refugee Sector by the name of Shirque. He's a Qurran that basicly gives Gualla labor for credits. As for Gualla himself, he lives in the Bussiness Sector last I saw him, which was about a year ago when I was on a mission here from Dooku. I can contact Shirque and have him arrange a meeting with Gualla. I think he would be willing to help out an old friend who saved his hide from a Jedi once. If not, well, than I suppose K'Nala or Doc might be able to convince him otherwise."
"Well Im up for that idea, if it means not shooting our way into a hutt stronghold than im up for it. The last time i tried that i ended up being chased into each of corner of the galaxy" he says while looking back on his memories.
"Will all of us be able to meet with him? or will some of us have to wait, some Hutts dont like a gang. If you need me to wait outside ill have no problem doing it.
"Well, we could all go for the contact, but I feel that he might feel uncomfortable around our innocent little crew. As for Gualla, I don't think that he'd allow us all in there."
"I think the best idea would be for me to go meet the contact, arrange a meeting, and then have at least two others go with me to meet Gualla. The rest of us could wait outside, go search for any Republic affiliated watch dogs that may be watching all of Gualla's meetings, or just explore whatever there is to see on this foresaken moon until it's time to leave." Shadow said.
Trando had already prepared himself with his usual equipment and was listening to the others.
"Perhaps I, should go with you Shadow," Trando told him, "I'm a Medic and Hutts are usually that type of species who send their bodyguards to attack their guests. I think there will be some casualties. It's up to Vanir though."
"I don't give a rats ass wether I go or stay here. But you'd be better off with one of the gunners went with you. They'd be better if think's got a bit different." Said Richard before taking a bit out of his E-Rat.
"Shadow, I think you should take K'Nala, she's the perfect person to have with you if things go bad. Jack, You should go aswell, you could use your stealth generator to stay hidden and provide back up if things go bad, ive no doubt that your skilled enough to stay there unoticed". Seth sat up, waiting for peoples opinions on his idea.
"Has nobody listened to me?" Trando asked, "A medic is hell of alot better than a gunner. Since when has a gunner ever cured someone?"
"Well, I don't want to get into any engagements too early on in a mission, so having Jack in the backround might not be a good idea since Gualla has Kath Hounds. I believe K'Nala and Doc should be the ones to come with me." Shadow said.
"Well whatever, I want to be doing something, instead of being cooped up in here." Trando told them all.
Vanir, who was walking to the Common Room, heard the rather "heated" conversation between his crew.
"Alright crew, settle down. Since this seems the best option, Shadow, Doc Trando and K'Nala will arrange the meeting with the Hutt. Also, wear civilian clothes, we don't want to draw too much attention." Vanir told them.
"Everybody agrees?"
"Sure thing Captain," Trando told Vanir, "Thing is, what will you be doing?"
"Me? Well, you are quite the curious one Doc." Vanir told him, "I haven't got good memories from Nar Shadda so i'll probably stay at the ship. But if i do get out, i'm guessing i'll hit the local cantina, as unlikely as it is though."
"Or..." Seth says turning to Vanir "You can forget the Cantina and we crack open my bottle of Zairona Ale." A large grin spreads across Seth's face. "Yeah thats right, Zairona Ale, as rare as you can get and banned in several systems. I picked mine up in my travels and decided to keep it for a special occasion and it seems we got time to burn." Seth gets out of his chair and heads for his room, shortly he returns with a bottle in his hand. "So.....what do ya say?"
"I say don't celebrate anything yet." Jack interfered "We need to make sure the republic won't notice us. I'll keep my eye out for anyone who might possibly be watching the Hutt. One thing does bother me about this mission. IF Gualla has any jedi watching him, we might have a problem. I happen to know Jedi are capable of sensing force sensitives when they are nearby. What will we do if they sense K'Nala?" Jack said as he turned and faced the Dark Jedi, looking her straight in the eyes.
"Well, Jedi and Dark Jedi are also capable of hiding their strength in the Force and i believe K'Nala is capable of doing. Although, if a fight erupts, we can also kill the Jedi and make Gualla squeal." Vanir said, laughing.
"So no one wants to drink with me" Seth says with a dissapointed look on his face. "Oh well, ill keep until the end of the mission" he says while putting the bottle in one of the compartments.
"Jack, you want company, theres nothing better to do. Im in the mood to crack a few heads".
Alone in the cockpit, Raze listened to the crew’s conversation through the ships com systems. Dooku had made sure that every common area of the ship could be monitored, bar the fresher. Raze had ripped out that circuit as soon as she had discovered it.
It sounded like the mercs were making a plan, which included taking K’Nala off-ship. Good, she thought.
The landing pad lights came into view, and she put down the landing gear and lowered the stabilisers. In a few moments, she had manoeuvred the ship into position and landed the ship as soft as a footstep in sand. “Lady and Gentlemen,” she announced with a smooth professional voice through the ship’s intercom. “Welcome to Nar Shaddaa’s Refugee Sector, home of Hutt’s, harlots, hustlers and hangovers. We are currently located at Hanger C, bay 2, landing pad 4. For those of you departing the ship today, the outside conditions are moderately muggy, tolerably smoggy, and unpleasantly smelly, and the local time is 16:32. Thank you for flying with us on the Carnage, and have a nice day.”
Raze put her hands behind her head, and leaned back in her chair. “I need a drink,” she said to herself, and she began to run the list of reasonable local cantinas in her head.
"So it is settled then. K'Nala, Doc, and I dressed in civilian cloths will go meet with Gualla. Jack and Seth will make sure that our meeeting isn't watched while Raze and the Captain stay here and watch the ship." Shadow said. When the ship touched down, he said "And now to go arrange the meeting. I would prefer to go to this one alone, if you guys don't mind."
"Go ahead, I'll go scout our surroundings while you're gone." Jack said and he started walking out of the room. He missed life on Nar Shaddaa and wanted to see the planet again.
Shadow left the room and went outside. When he got outside, he engaged his stealth generator, pulled his hood on, and started running. It felt good to stretch his legs. Even though it was still around the time of late afternoon, it was still dark on Nar Shadda due to the fact that the planet always had dark clouds hovering over it, giving it a darker and more desperate feel. That also made it a bit cold out. The air wasn't really better than that of the ship, but at least it wasn’t air he had already breathed.
He ran into an intersection and took a left, deactivating his stealth generator as he passed through a door. When he passed through the door into where Shirque keeps the refugees cooped up, he was met by two Gamorrean body guards, one green and the other grey.
"Hey, you! Your not allowed here!" said the green one said, both of them stepping in front of him.
"Yeah! Unless you pay up a little-" the grey one was saying until he was cut off as Shadow aimed the Shotgun at his head.
"Please let me go see Shirque." Shadow stated more than asking.
"Yes, of course!" the Gamorrean said stepping aside. His partner did also.
"Thank you for cooperating." Shadow said and moved along. He decided to activate his stealth again and bypass the guards all over the place until he reached Shirque's office. "How are you doing Shirque?" Shadow asked deactivating his stealth.
The Qurran just about jumped out of his skin for a moment and his guards trained their blasters on Shadow. He motioned them to stand down and replied "I'm doing quiet well Shadow, though your visit was unexpected."
"It never is, but to get to the topic of my choice, I need you to arrange a meeting with me and Gualla." Shadow said.
"May I ask for what purpose?"
"Sadly, no."
"Are you going to bring anyone else with you?"
"A male Trandoshan and a female Human."
"You-, never mind."
"What?"
"Forget I even started to say something. I can arrange for a meeting at 4:00 tomorrow morning, at his 'palace'. I swear that Hutt never sleeps."
"Very well, how’s the business going?"
"Quite well, recently the demand skyrocketed and I'm making quite a fortune."
"Well, it was good talking to you Shirque. I would recommend getting projectile weapons for your guards incase a Jedi decides to check out your line of work."
"Noted and denied." Shirque said smiling. They would end every meeting with that joke.
Shadow left and decided to take a small walk once he left that part of the sector, the Gamorreans giving him a wide berth. The meeting wouldn't take place till tomorrow morning so it wouldn't hurt to take a walk.
As he watches Shadow leaves the ship, Seth heads to his dorm to get the final part of his armor, upon arrival he picks up his laser knife and puts it in a pocket on his right leg. Once finished he heads out of the room and down the corridor until he finds Jack.
"So...You coming or do you wanna meet up when the meeting begins?" he says while surveying his fellow crewmember.