Open Space and Hyperspace

OOC: Galaxy's End Casino in Orbit of Coruscant

Zion bowed his head in respect for Amber's loss, another casualty incurred by his defiance of the Cinn Ion on Alderaan. He owed her a debt of gratitude for all the years she had worked in servitude and how had he repaid her? years of isolation and the death of her family. He was about to apologize to her for it all, when she suddenly yelled to watch out and he felt the medal under his shirt lifting up and out of his collar.
He quickly spun towards Braenden, bringing his arm in front of his body and angling the throwing knife so the tip was pointing at Braenden, ready to fight. He really hoped it would not come to that, especially considering he had no clue how many others there were and he was minimally armed and armoured for a fight of prolonged length. For now there were questions to ask and answers he needed
=Zion Morviael=
How did you know that was with me? Are you here to try kill me?

OOC: Galaxy's End Casino in Orbit of Coruscant

Amber held her ground and kept her saber pointed at Braenden, even as he jumped back a little and answered Zion's questions, confirming that he was the head of the Morviael Family, a fact which her father had informed of when she was growing up. She turned her head a little and looked to Zion for guidance as to what to do
He had always been the more... strategic thinking one and this was his mission. She merely dropped in to make sure he was safe, not that she thought they were safe, despite Braenden's claim he was not here to kill Zion. That said, he could be the bait and someone else could be waiting to kill him
=Amber Caird=
What's the plan?

OOC: Galaxy's End Casino in Orbit of Coruscant

Braenden nodded with gratitude as Zion agreed to hear him out, even if it was under forced terms and a less then ideal situation. Given the stakes on the line, both the Farghul's health and his own safety, he didn't want to waste time giving too much detail or getting a great deal of agreement or get into an argument over why he needed Zion's help
=Braenden Morviael=
For years I have been forced to sit by and do nothing but watch as you have become the man you are today on your own, something I respect you greatly for. I could do nothing as you were hunted and killed as traitors, a fact which grieves me deeply. Had I the chance, I would have come to your aid and fought alongside you, something I may yet accomplish, for you see Zion, war is coming, a war neither of us can stop.
But we can help finish it, but I need your help to do that. While I have loyal men amongst the ranks of the Cinn Ion ready to move, I can't do anything until one vital piece is removed from Brithomar's control, which only you can do. Deep in Brithomar's dungeons, is a girl whom is related to both of us. She is my last daughter, until she is out of his control, I cannot risk moving against him... perhaps I lack the courage you would have if it had been your sisters, but that is why I need you. You can free her and then I can strike Brithomar down and we can end this madness.
I will do my best to ensure you can get into the dungeons. I will give you what ever you want as reward, I will even give up my life, if it means she may live free and without fear. I've made a lot of mistakes, many of which I will pay for one day, but this one is a wrong I intend to make right. No matter what you decide to do, I have just one request, do not tell Caoimhe anything I have told you today... She knows nothing of Shayla's current imprisonment, a fact I have kept from her since the day Shayla was taken from us not long after her birth...
Braenden then pushed a button on his control pad for the YT-1930, which caused a cargo elevator to lower behind him, which had a hover dolly with the machine loaded onto it already. He then stepped aside since there was nothing else to say on the matter of needing Zion's help
=Braenden Morviael=
Now take what you came for and be gone, I wish you great luck Zion and hope that the Farghul recovers. Amber, you should go with him, as there will soon be nothing left here for you and Zion will need help, no matter what he chooses to do.

OOC: Galaxy's End Casino in Orbit of Coruscant

Zion felt a great upwelling of mixed emotions as he listened to Braenden first compliment him on the man he had become, before lamenting how he regretted not having been able to help him in the past, before pointing out that war was coming, a fact that he had known for years. He had seen and experienced first hand, the many skirmishes the Cinn Ion had made on the Cinn Dao, so he knew that sooner or later the Cinn Ion would be ready to begin an all out war. If it was a war the Cinn Ion wanted, then it was a war the Cinn Ion would get, and he would be there fighting against them to make sure the Cinn Ion lost.
Braenden then went on to explain that someone named Brithomar, from the sounds of it he was some sort of leader of the Cinn Ion where Braenden was based, was holding a relative of his and Braenden's captive, to use as a pawn to ensure that Braenden co-operated and did as he was told. A sentiment which he could sympathize with, after all if it had been Hikari and Akari in Shayla's place, he would have done the very same thing that Braenden had done in complying with Brithomar's orders.
He sighed heavily as he knew he was about to agree to another rescue operation that would put his life in danger, but if it meant saving one of his family members and ensuring an end to this forsaken war that the Cinn Ion wanted to wage, then he had no choice but to agree. Besides as much as he wanted to hate Braenden, he was just like Zion in wanting to make sure his family was safe. He just hoped he was getting himself lead into a trap
=Zion Morviael=
When war comes, and we know it will, then I shall help you free Shayla so that we can end this and our debt will be settled. But make no mistake, should you betray me, then there will be no where that you can run to or hide that I won't find you and make you pay...
He then turned to Amber as she stated that she would follow him, despite all the losses he and his family had inflicted upon her because of his actions. He nodded in gratitude
=Zion Morviael=
Well I guess you've made up your mind and there is nothing else to it. I guess we best be off then...
He smiled at her, before moving bast Braenden and grabbing the hover dolly which he pushed over to the elevator, taking it down to the floor level and pushing it two bays across to where his new ship sat. He pulled out his datapad and pushed a couple commands before the freight elevator of the ship lowered. Zion pushed the dolly onto it and waited for Amber to get on as well before raising the elevator up into the cargo hold of the Barloz. He moved the dolly off the elevator and powered it down before making sure it was secured to the cargo bays floor
=Zion Morviael=
Rightio, time to leave
Zion then lead the way through to the front of the ship and into the cockpit, at which point he got into the pilot's seat and powered all the systems up, doing several system checks. Although he had left his suitcase behind, he would call back later and get them to send his case to Honoghr so that the room was free for use again. He then activated the repulsor lifts as he retracted the landing gear, before easing the ship out of the hangar bay and then slowly raising it up through the corridor and up through the shield.
The ship sat there suspended for a moment above the Herdships hangar bay ring, as Zion input the hyperspace co-ordinates for Honoghr, before slowly powering up the ships engines, causing them to pass over the surface of the ship and away from Coruscant. When they were a safe enough distance away and the hyperdrive was warmed up, the ship disappeared in a flash of light as it made it's way through hyperspace back to Honoghr

Vaal Asteroid Fields, Vaal System

The Vaal system was the ideal location for a hideout. Abandoned since the imperial times of old, this ignored system had a number of asteroid fields with plenty of safe places to hide within, along with a habitable planet that was full of vicious beasts. Nobody cared about this system, and that's exactly what Garon liked about it. As he guided his ship through one of the outermost asteroid fields in the system, relying on his point-defense systems to take out the smaller rocks and flying around the larger ones as he navigated through it's obstacles towards one large asteroid in particular. Unremarkable in shape, it looked every bit as normal as the rest - which it was - except for the fact that hidden deep within one of it's massive canyons, disguised with rock from the asteroid itself, was the refitted bridge of an old imperial star destroyer form at least 20 or more yeast ago.

Garon had purchased the seemingly useless hulk from a junkyard for a couple thousand credits, claiming he needed it for spare parts, and moved it here, putting lots of time and effort into repairing it, fitting it with basic life support systems, gravity generators, and the like, and turning it into a small little home away from home, a place to take his 'work' when he didn't want to take it to Concord Dawn. It wasn't much to look at, and most certainly wasn't among the galaxy's top hideouts, but it sufficed for his purposes, and it provided him with a place to hide when he needed it most. If all went well on this mission, it would do well for was he had in mind.

Eventually he landed in the makeshift landing bay on the underside of the structure and disembarked, met immediately by three diverse figures who he'd hired to help him with this particular task. Stepping out of his ship, clad in his dull dark gray beskar'gam, he strolled straight up to his associates without a word of welcome and asked matter-of-factly, "The lizards?"

"All four secure on their frames, sir. We even brought an olbio tree with us, roots intact and all," the Rodian, Pangau, answered him directly, expecting no warm welcome. This was the way Garon preferred; they were his hired help - the best they could expect was pay and meals.

Turning his head to the other two, a Bith with a severely scarred face - Lomthai - and an hulking Aqualish who never spoke - Araga - Garon then asked, "And the supplies?"

Lomthai answered and Araga remained silent. "Stun grenades and batons all on board the ship. Tranquilizers too, just as you ordered." Araga nodded his assent as well, the most response anyone ever seemed to get from the guy.

Looking from each of his hired hands, Garon finally said, "Let's not delay any longer then. We have a Jedi to catch, and our destination is on the other side of the galaxy."

The Bith and Aqualish nodded and turned toward the larger transport in the hangar, but the Rodian remained where he was, saying, "Sir, I took the liberty to unpack and set up the torture devices you had us bring in."

Garon stood there in silence, eyeing the Rodian intently, wondering whether to thank him for getting that tedious task out of the way or put a blaster bolt between his bulbous eyes for 'taking the liberty'. Instead he opted for the middle approach. "Very well," he said, then turned toward the ship, the matter being completely over in his mind. It was now time to focus on the mission at hand - and a difficult mission it would be.

The Corellian Run on Route to Geonosis

In the Swirling mass of hyperspace Captain Jones was having a good week. He had been assigned a rather simple, but useful task. He had been ordered to take the MMC-ICS Monsoon, the ship whose bridge he stood on now, the MMC-NB-SCMC Cruel Mercy, & the MMC-NB-SCMC Jupiter Rising. With this small fleet he was to establish a trio of Resource Extraction Platforms. It had been, all things considered, an easy & promising start to what looked to be a very good new job. Even if someone had been foolish enough to try to take the ship, the only access to the command area of the Monsoon was a single airlock at the top of the bridge super-structure, a fact that few, if any, would know. Besides, anyone stupid enough to try would have to fight a off the escort first.

Suddenly, everything started going horribly wrong. Alarms began to roar as the hypnotizing swirl of hyperspace shattered into the harsh solidness of realspace. Looking out the forward viewport, Captain Jones could see at least two large ships, surrounded by a swarm of fighters. They were close ... FAR too close. The had dropped out nearly on top of the waiting ships.

-SenOp
Captain, I have a sensor lock on a Victory-Class Star Destroyer & an Interdictor-class Cruiser. Sensors are still recalibrating, but odds are high that they have a fighter escort. They also have us in an artificial Gravity Well.

By this point, Mr. Jones had all but soiled himself as his perfect week just took a rather nasty turn for the worse. Screw the odds, he could SEE the fighter escort. Some small & unimportant part of his mind kept going on about how he had been trained for this, knew what he should be doing, & should be issuing orders right about now. However, the rest of his mind was rather occupied with the fact that he could see the other ship's guns slowly swinging around to point in his direction.

-SenOp
Sir, Orders? ... Sir?

By now, Mr. Jones had begun to giggle slightly. He also needed a new pair of pants, something that quickly became obvious to those nearest.

-SenOp (Closed Comm-message to the Escort)
Captain Jones has been relieved of command. Captain Trevik of the Cruel Mercy is now in command.

Luckily for the fleet, Captain Trevik had paid a little more attention during drills. Within seconds of his 'promotion' he was barking orders. Unfortunately, the Jupiter Rising was on the far side of the Monsoon. A quick order later, & the Jupiter Rising began a sweep that would quickly grant it line-of-sight to the other ships. The Cruel Mercy, however, had a beautiful view of the possibly (nearly definitely) hostile ships.

-Captain Trevik
Unidentified ships, this is Captain Trevik of the MandalMine Collective, Naval Brigade Strike Cruiser Cruel Mercy. State your intentions.

At the pirate ships open fire without a word, 'captain' Travik begins shouting orders to his crew.

-Trevik
Tac-Com! I want firing data 30 seconds ago.

-Tac-Com
Sir, sensors are still re-acquiring data from the unexpected drop. We need another fifteen seconds before we will have data.

-Trevik
Fire teams, open fire at the Interdictor. At this range you shouldn't miss, even without firing data.

The weapons of the three ships soon began to thunder & shudder as the gunners swung around & unleashed their fury at the ship holding them captive. Their shields were holding for the moment, but they wouldn't stay up for long under this attack. With a touch of luck they should be able to break the shields of the Interdictor by the time that the first strike fell, leaving the other to hopefully damage the gravity well generators.

-Trevik
All crew, prepare for Ragnarok Protocol.

A small shudder went through the crew of the three ships with that announcement, & everyone began to strap themselves securely into their crashseats.

The Cruel Mercy began to shake badly under the fire of the larger ship. The Jupiter Rising got a breath of respite, due to the other ship being blocked off, but there was still the main enemy ship to content with.

-Def-Com
Sir! Shields will be failing with the next barrage or two.

-Trevik
Copy that. Cruel Mercy AI, Activate Ragnarok Protocol. Target is directly ahead.

-Cruel Mercy AI systems
Voice print confirmed. Ragnarok Protocol active. All hands secured. Drives full ahead. Impact in three seconds.

With a series of shuddering thuds, several chunks of the ship broke off & began racing away from the ship. Most were roughly the size of a escape pod, but the largest was the entire bridge tower. The modules would head out away from the battle, jumping to hyperspace as soon as the sensors detected a clear path. The now AI controlled ship lurched forward as the engines began to redline, pushing the ship directly at the pirate capital ship. At this close, a contact would be nearly guaranteed. Once contact was made, the reactor would overload from both the redlining engines & shock of impact. The impact & explosion would completely destroy the Strike & would also deal a fair amount of damage to the enemy ship.

The Monsoon gunners had a bit of a surprise as the ship shuddered from impact & fighters began to stream by overhead. There was a moment of shocked pause before the point-defense guns began to send out a deadly stream of fire at the pirate fighters. On the bridge of the Monsoon, the crew was staring in disbelieve at the data read-outs popping on on their screens. that last attack had damaged the release systems that would allow the bridge to break off from the rest of the ship. the bridge crew was trapped here.