Óglaigh na Iarndóideanna
Member
Fag an Bealach
Posts: 203
Affiliation: Óglaigh na Iarndóideanna ~ Warriors of the Iron Fists
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Post by Óglaigh na Iarndóideanna on Jul 3, 2018 2:03:40 GMT -8
A ship slipped effortlessly from hell and was gone
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Adrien Draykon
Retired High Councilor
The Smuggler King
Posts: 720
Traffic Light: Orange
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Post by Adrien Draykon on Jul 24, 2018 21:31:19 GMT -8
The Shadow glides gracefully through the canyon toward the hidden hangar of the Thieves' Den. With everyone on board and even picking up a handful of strays the ride over felt crowded for most as nearly everyone wanted to stay in the common area closest to the ramp with only Adrien and Trent in the cockpit. Adrien sat next to Trent and pointed out which cave was the entrance. "That one." When Trent nodded Adrien continued, "The entrance is tricky, you'll have to swing around and then straighten up, there's a few twists and then the hangar will be there." He patted Trent on the shoulder and headed back to the common area to talk to everyone directly. "I'm gonna have to ask that everyone to leave their weapons aboard the Shadow. It's nothing personal, but this is our home you're entering." He didn't mention that there were children there. He looked around to everyone in the room, even his crew members, "Everyone." He then gave a pointed glance at Liya as he continued, "You'll be safe. You have my word." He doubted his word would mean much to Liya, but there it was.
As the ship flew into the hangar and set down Adrien headed toward the ramp and lowered it to see Rachael at the bottom. He walked down the ramp and wrapped his arms around her, it was clear there was something different about this hug, like he needed it. He looked at her and she could see the sadness in his eyes immediately.
"What happened?" She spoke thoughtfully as she placed a hand on his cheek.
He shook his head and forced a grin, "Later, ok?" She nodded and he walked on. Heading toward Mack, Dax, and Ryder who were all standing ready as security, he greeted each of them in his own way Mack with a handshake, Ryder a fist bump, and Dax a pat on the back. "Where's my brother?"
"He's in the office."
"Anything exciting happen since I've been gone?"
"Not a thing, it's been quiet here for months. At least since the last time you were here."
Adrien nodded and smiled "Good. You and Dax should be happy to see some of our guests by the way." He looked back at the ramp then moved on hearing the clapping of little feet to the hangar floor.
"UNCLE ADRIEN!!!"
Neah, Rachael and Ethan's daughter, was running toward him as fast as her little legs would carry here. She was only three but she'd been talking before she could even walk and she remembered everything so he did his best to watch what he said around her, sort of. "Neah!" He held his arms out and caught her as she jumped toward him, he lifted her over his head and she giggled uncontrollably. He held her and the first genuinely joyful smile he'd had in weeks crossed his face. "You're getting so big!" He hugged her tightly. "You been kicking Eli's choobies at hide and seek?"
She nodded with a big smile on her face "Uh-huh. I'm the best frackin hider in the skips."
Adrien looked around to see if Rachael heard what she said or if Ethan was around and then he sat her down, kneeling beside her. "Damn right you are." He winked and gave her a high five before she ran off again. Adrien smiled and shook his head then continued on toward the office. He didn't see Ethan, Ace, Spaz, or Eli around but he assumed that Eli and Spaz were playing a game somewhere and Ace was in the office with Tobias.
Back at the ship Rachael was greeting everyone coming off.
"Hello everyone, my name is Rachael Lurov. As I'm sure Adrien said we ask that you leave all of your weapons on board the Shadow. They'll remain there for the duration of your stay here. I'm sure you're all tired so we have rooms being prepared for you to get some rest. We have everything you should need here but if you require something else please let me know and I will head into town to get it. You are welcome to leave at any time, however this place is difficult to find when you know where you're going and the way back isn't exactly safe."
Adrien had already made it to the office by the time anyone was coming off the ship, he didn't see Ace but Tobias was working on something. "You gave up the adventure of the stars to sit around here and do paperwork?"
"Well someone has to do it Little Brother and it sure isn't going to be you."
"You know we're smuggler's right? We don't really need a paper trail." Adrien quipped.
"I'm aware. This paperwork helps keep up the appearance of legality and keeps you flying around unhindered."
"But the adventure!" He jokingly plead.
"That's your problem Little Brother, He stood up and walked around the desk your head is always in the stars." He closed the gap between him and Adrien and saw the same thing that Rachael saw "What happened?"
The tears almost immediately began to fill his eyes once more and as much as he wanted to say what had happened he could barely speak a single word, "Connie..." was the only word he could force out before he began to break down and Tobias grabbed him, wrapping his arms around his brother to console him despite his own shock and pain from the news. Adrien didn't need to say anything else as he buried his head in his brother's shoulder and Tobias himself began to tear up.
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Post by House of D'Ordinii on Jul 25, 2018 11:01:08 GMT -8
==Doc Chop SL== <<107 PP; S18 Sector, Midnight Shadow>>
So far, Curjas has one met one other member of the crew. That being the being that had secured his passage on board for a rather sizeable sum of Nova Crystal & work as a medic. He would need to meet the others sooner or later, he supposed. He could feel the distaste for the lesser beings already. There was another on board the ship, that (if her armor was any indication) came from the same clan as he did. That could be trouble if he wasn't careful, but she looked more like she belonged to the old clan than the more populous version it was now. Since no-one was bleeding out at the moment, he was content to watch them for the time being. Not the least to see who would be brave enough to approach him.
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Isabelle Eoura
The Organization
"Be one with the shadows."
Posts: 192
Affiliation: The Draykon Crew...for now
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Isabelle Eoura on Jul 25, 2018 20:27:34 GMT -8
Midnight Shadow - Common Area
Moving from the bar to the ship and now to this place didn't leave much time for Isabelle to rebut what Liya had said and at this point it would seem petty to bring it up again. She wouldn't give that kind of satisfaction to anyone, especially not Liya, she'd never live it down. But of course she couldn't let that misinformation slide either.
I screwed up an op?! I screwed up an op?! The nerve!
As she was removing her weapon she caught herself giving Liya a sidelong glance and looked away. She debated whether or not she should remove all of them, some she had you would never even know where there, but ultimately decided to do as Adrien asked, gaining trust now meant more latitude later and that she could use. So in addition to her belt she removed her bracer and bracelet then set them in their own corner away from the other's belongings. She looked around the room spotting Aedon and Dr. Logan. Her lips formed a small but mischievous smile and she walked toward the doctor.
"Dr. Logan?"
Her sultry tone accentuated the provocative look in her eye as she stepped into his personal space and looked up into his eyes with suggestively.
"I'd like to talk to you more about your book when you have the time. I've always found your theories to be completely fascinating."
She raised her hand and placed it on his chest, and her expression changed instantly to convey not only her interest but to show that she was impressed, her hand moved to his bicep then she quickly withdrew as if she were embarrassed.
"Ooo, a tall, handsome guy with brains and brawn? Liya's missing out if you ask me."
She leaned in and whispered the last part, even standing on the tips of her toes to be closer and brush up against him then she stepped back.
"But I can't decide if you'd look even better without your glasses. Hmm. Maybe."
She appraised him for only a moment before she turned around and walked down the ramp and out into the hangar.
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Aedon Gavin Montrose
The Organization
Enjoying a well-aged bottle of scotch...
Posts: 356
Affiliation: "Veritas" Crew
Traffic Light: Yellow
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Post by Aedon Gavin Montrose on Jul 26, 2018 3:26:40 GMT -8
The group was already going well off the beaten path to get to Adrien's little "getaway". Aedon wasn't even certain he'd been out this way before on the Skips, and he'd done his best to navigate the whole kriffing asteroid field in his little one-seater fighter he'd had back in the day. That someplace like this was even here on Skip One was a surprise all of its own. Na'me, Aedon's Bothan compatriot, had said as much about halfway in, noting that the ship hadn't had to engage its artificial gravity as much as it had overworked the inertial dampeners. That was when it had dawned on Aedon - they'd never left Skip One. They'd gone well, well off the beaten path, true; but they still remained on the asteroid itself. Aedon was damn near jealous that he hadn't thought to put his Crow's Nest in such a place. He figured that the main mining complex and the strip was as good as it was going to get there. Chalk it up to Shaggy to find someplace where he could conduct his affairs without having to put up with the likes of the Syndicate or any other little back-biting krifftards that decided to run amok on the asteroid.He patted Trent on the shoulder and headed back to the common area to talk to everyone directly. "I'm gonna have to ask that everyone to leave their weapons aboard the Shadow. It's nothing personal, but this is our home you're entering." He didn't mention that there were children there. He looked around to everyone in the room, even his crew members, "Everyone." He then gave a pointed glance at Liya as he continued, "You'll be safe. You have my word." He wanted them to what? What sorta cockamamie insinuation was that blonde little kriff-stick making about the--Oh. Nevermind.Looking around, Aedon could see why Shaggy would make that suggestion.Between the Fel crew and what smugglers tended to do when in the midst of each other, it was a good idea for any and all of them to be as unarmed as possible. With the exchange between Liya and "Amy" still playing out in his mind (for the obvious reasons), Aedon saw multiple explanations why having them unarmed would be an excellent idea. The Zeltron wasn't a trained soldier, though, even as much as he did to keep his body in fighting shape. Having his weapons with him might put them on equal footing for half a second if they were disarmed, much less so if they had any kind of weaponry. Still, he did as Shaggy asked, regardless of his dislike of having to relinquish his weapons. He almost felt as though they were too soon parted from him, after having had to fight so hard to get them back from that crazy Nautolan "vigo" that he'd had to put down. He noticed Na'me's own hesitation to remove his pistols from their holsters - the twin Mandalorian heavy blasters gleaming in their own way, specially taken care of by the Bothan over his many long years of carrying them. The fact that Aedon watched as he took out not just one, not two, but three hold-out blasters following that as well as two thermal detonators and a poison grenade -- it was almost like something straight out of the holovids.
Aedon exited the ship after stowing his weapons away in an obscure corner of the main area, taking the time to look around at the large, open hangar.It reminded Aedon a lot of the Crow's Nest; the way that the bay stretched on, and the bulkheads near the entrance housing the atmospheric shielding leading out into the cave. It seemed ominously-dark outside the hangar, and Aedon couldn't help but shudder a little at how stark the contrast was.*
*Apparently, that wasn't the only thing that was a contrast. As Aedon turned back to view the rest of the scene playing out in front of him, he had to wonder what he was bearing witness to. His Bothan compatriot had come up alongside him as Aedon laid eyes on the woman who had come out to meet them. The two of them were conversing so casually, Aedon viewed the exchange much the same way as he would a good con.Nudging Na'me, he leaned over to whisper in the Bothan's ear.
"Yeah...she must be one of the front-runners...the face for their little op."
Then came the next little oddity..."UNCLE ADRIEN!!!"Neah, Rachael and Ethan's daughter, was running toward him as fast as her little legs would carry here. She was only three but she'd been talking before she could even walk and she remembered everything so he did his best to watch what he said around her, sort of. "Neah!" He held his arms out and caught her as she jumped toward him, he lifted her over his head and she giggled uncontrollably. He held her and the first genuinely joyful smile he'd had in weeks crossed his face. "You're getting so big!" He hugged her tightly. "You been kicking Eli's choobies at hide and seek?"She nodded with a big smile on her face "Uh-huh. I'm the best frackin hider in the skips." Aedon suddenly found himself...confused. Here he was, in Smuggler's Paradise, on the edge of Wild Space, watching Shaggy hoist up some cute little runt like it was a karking Care-mark vid.His brow furrowed as he did his best to come to terms with the scene before him.
"And, uh...this one's a little grifter...uh, yeah...she's the one who..."
Rolls his eyes as he folds his arms in front of him "Oh, give it a rest, Gav..."
Aedon was about to protest, but he saw out of the corner of his eye that the woman had broken off from her exchange with Adrien to come over and talk with them.Back at the ship Rachael was greeting everyone coming off. "Hello everyone, my name is Rachael Lurov. As I'm sure Adrien said we ask that you leave all of your weapons on board the Shadow. They'll remain there for the duration of your stay here. I'm sure you're all tired so we have rooms being prepared for you to get some rest. We have everything you should need here but if you require something else please let me know and I will head into town to get it. You are welcome to leave at any time, however this place is difficult to find when you know where you're going and the way back isn't exactly safe." *Well, congrats for that little understatement, sister...* Aedon didn't want to admit it, but this whole situation had suddenly gone and made him ridiculously-uncomfortable. First, this whole thing was just supposed to be some small meet-up to vet the intel given to them. Now, it had become a getaway spot that Aedon was having a spot "prepared" for him to...rest?! So, what? It was gonna be some kinda "stay-cation" that Shaggy had come up with? How the kriff would that even work? He noticed the shift in Na'me's temperament, also...although it was less of agitation and more like full-on relaxation.The Bothan was sitting there rolling his shoulders, reaching up to grasp the area next to his neck as though he was relieving the built-up tension of days gone by. Aedon shot him this look of disbelief before shaking his head and turning back to notice that Adrien was moving on, going into the complex itself. Taking advantage of the gap in the conversation, Aedon eased past the young woman who had been acting as their liaison.His intention was simple - find Shaggy and figure out what the hell all this was going on for. He wasn't expecting this whole "weekend getaway" feel that they were going on about, and the idea that he'd have to spend any more time than absolutely necessary with Malora was less-than-appealing.
As he approached, he overheard Adrien and another male in a sort of lighthearted exchange. Aedon was about to enter in when he felt the sudden change in the emotional spectrum. Stopping himself short, he decided to wait a moment and do his best to be respectful while still being a total prick and listening in... (...) "What happened?" The tears almost immediately began to fill his eyes once more and as much as he wanted to say what had happened he could barely speak a single word, "Connie..." was the only word he could force out before he began to break down and Tobias grabbed him, wrapping his arms around his brother to console him despite his own shock and pain from the news. Adrien didn't need to say anything else as he buried his head in his brother's shoulder and Tobias himself began to tear up. Aedon simply stayed there next to the cracked doorway, leaned against the wall. His countenance shifted, the long, violet locks of his hair overshadowing his face as he stared off into nothing - and yet, everything.So it seemed as though Shaggy had been through his own losses recently. That must have been the difference in him that he'd felt earlier. One that Aedon, himself was quite familiar with. Well, given that they'd obviously be spending some time in each other's orbit in the near -- well, now...he figured he'd eventually get a chance to talk it out with him. In fact, he'd make it a point to do so. The smuggler vocation wasn't much of one that allowed for camaraderie amongst itself. Most times, in fact, you often found yourselves on opposing sides. Still, the Ring wasn't something you broke so easily. And Aedon...well, he was still part of that Ring.
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Johnathan Castle [Retired]
The Organization
Machines got ta talkin'. I got ta listenin'. Ever since then, I've been fixin'.
Posts: 157
Affiliation: Draykon Crew Mechanic/Bartender Extraordinaire/Organization Mechanic
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Johnathan Castle [Retired] on Jul 26, 2018 20:14:13 GMT -8
It had all happened so fast, it was still a bit of a blur in Castle's mind. He had finished up his shift and was about to leave for the night when he had been approached by Silas about coming with the rest of them, to a more secluded location. Lo and behold, he had been brought to the Midnight Shadow, the vessel of none other than Adrien Draykon. While Castle didn't know him, he knew of him. The vessel itself was what really had captured his eye. Even before he had boarded the vessel, he noticed she was sporting a modified SRB42 sublight engine. The directional cones on the sublight exhaust cover gave that away. The duralloy hull was obviously protected by upgraded shielding, as the lack of serious scoring indicated she was well protected. Depending on the budget available at the time, would determine which one they were running. The sensor array, jutting up a few meters down from the cockpit was the typical array that belonged to an ANq-51 sensor array computer. Which gave the ship all kinds of options in terms of silent running and being able to 'poke' her nose out. Aside from the addition of external lighting, Castle hadn't been able to tell what other juicy upgrades the aged Wayfarer was sporting. A casual glance into the engine bay as he had crossed the common room had given him a peek at an SSP05 hyperdrive generator. While a nice piece of equipment and relatively easy to maintain, this one was missing the service access hatch, which could only mean whoever had been digging around in it last, couldn't find the problem. Provided Draykon was willing to hire him on, he'd fix that first. The other thing he noticed, during their brief flight, was how delayed the inertial compensators were. A quick tweak to them and even he, himself, wouldn't notice them kick in. Aside from that, until he could comb through the entire ship, the Midnight Shadow certainly seemed to be in good working order. The mildly cramped ride to wherever it was they currently were, was no issue. He noted two Mandalorians. One male, one female. Two fiery females, one more willing to 'play' with her food so to speak, than the other. Despite her beauty and seductive technique, Castle had made a mental note to avoid her. The more upright looking fellow, with glasses, seemed way too out of his element here. Probably a philosopher or science type. One used to lab work, not field work. The woman that had broken the glass earlier had remained silent the whole trip. Aedon and his Bothan compatriot, Na'me, both seemed more perplexed at where they were heading, rather than concerned. Taking his cues from Aedon, he wasn't overly concerned either. Until either Aedon started fidgeting in his pocket, or the fur on the nape of Na'me's neck bristled, there was no real danger. All in all, this was quite the motley crew assembled here. Brains, brawn, boobs and blasters. A fortunate (or unfortunate, depending on how you looked at it), combination to have. And enough of the latter to wipe out an Imperial firing squad with ease. And then they landed and began to disembark...
Moving from his standing position against the counter, he followed the fellow with the glasses out of the ship. Not having any weapons on him, he wasn't too concerned with the rule of leaving weapons on the ship. Usually never armed, Castle was never one to engage in a fight unless he absolutely had to. Taking in his surroundings and breathing in the metallic tinged air, he knew they were still on Skip One. He had noticed that, regardless of where he went on the Skip, the air tasted the same. A bad scrubber that no one bothered to deal with, most likely. Aside from knowing that they were still on Skip One, he had no idea where on Skip One they were. Once the introduction speech was finished and some of them began to disperse, Castle, hands in his jean pockets, walked over to Na'me. Knowing the Bothan from his days flipping spanners for Aedon, he was one of the few Castle actually knew within the group. Casually approaching the Bothan, watching his ears rotate ever so slightly in his direction, he spoke.
"Na'me. Been a while. Keepin' busy and staying out of trouble?"
More than likely, he knew the answer to that question. Aedon, despite his ability to run a business legitimate or otherwise, attracted trouble. Maybe it was the hair? Whatever it was, the Bothan was quite handy to have in a fight. Be it fists or blasters, the Bothan knew his stuff. Castle could recall a few times where Na'me had saves his choobies from some frakkers that wanted to go after an unarmed passenger. Right now, though, Castle was merely making small talk before he popped a question to the Bothan.
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Aedon Gavin Montrose
The Organization
Enjoying a well-aged bottle of scotch...
Posts: 356
Affiliation: "Veritas" Crew
Traffic Light: Yellow
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Post by Aedon Gavin Montrose on Jul 26, 2018 21:32:11 GMT -8
The tan-furred Bothan had been wandering outside the ship for a few minutes now, noting Aedon's sudden departure from the group. He'd thought about following, but decided instead to let the violet-plumed lad wander -- a decision he was sure to regret later. His ear twitched when he sensed footprints approaching from behind. Light, spry...familiar...and then, the voice that accompanied the footfalls spoke, and all was made clear.
"...You could say that, but, we both know you'd be lying if ya did." The two of them shared a knowing glance, considering their understanding of who Na'me associated himself with -- the purple-haired stick of lit thermite, Aedon Montrose. "Every once in a while I'll ask myself 'Why didn't I just duck that day?'"
The inside joke was one that Castle knew well -- as the Bothan had taken a shot in the shoulder for the Zeltron back when they were in the middle of a heated conflict between them and the Syndicate. As a matter of fact, Castle was one of the ones who helped pull him back off the main firing line so Logann could patch him up. It wasn't a fond memory, but still, it served as a reminder that the two of them had shared plenty of history together. Castle was even responsible for getting the "Veritas" back to its former glory, for which Na'me kept finding himself thanking the mechanic repeatedly. The lot of them had separated on amicable terms, considering that Aedon had somewhat lost his interest in putting together another crew after the Syndicate conflict. Otherwise, they might have likely found themselves still working together on the Consular-class vessel.
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Karana Malora
The Unfair Advantage
I don't believe in a no-win scenario.
Posts: 246
Affiliation: The Fel Crew (Unfair Advantage)
Traffic Light: Orange
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Post by Karana Malora on Jul 27, 2018 19:00:01 GMT -8
“This the line?” There was a small but sacred spot in Karana Malora’s icy little heart reserved for the joys of poking (sometimes physically) Aedon Gavin Montrose 's proverbial ‘bear’. The more misery she could inflict on her old rival and frenemy, the more grief she gave him, the happier that spot grew. Usually.
Today, that favorite past time was in the back seat, as was everything else that didn’t pertain to the main matter at hand. The smuggler, having left all her weapons (well, except the knife in her boot. The hell was she supposed to cut her fruit with?) aboard as instructed, had charged around the corner intent on the ‘give-and-get’ of information with zero allowances for distractions. But something about the way Montrose was propped up against the wall outside the mostly closed doors made her pause.
Ugh. Leave it to Purps to successfully sidetrack her.
She edged towards him. Luminous blue eyes peered up at him through his shadowing curtain of violet hair, narrowed suspiciously as she studied his face and tried not to look like she was smelling garbage. No easy feat. In fact, she failed spectacularly, nose wrinkling. “The hell’s up with you?” Less concern, more dark curiosity. “You look like you’ve got cramps or something.”
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Aedon Gavin Montrose
The Organization
Enjoying a well-aged bottle of scotch...
Posts: 356
Affiliation: "Veritas" Crew
Traffic Light: Yellow
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Post by Aedon Gavin Montrose on Jul 27, 2018 23:14:31 GMT -8
If it wouldn't have been for Malora suddenly walking up and entering his field of view, Aedon would have likely spent the next long while being hounded by his own demons; recalling the sheer loss of so many that he knew. He'd have to get rid of the gut-wrenching reflex that resulted from actually having been helped by her some other time. For now, the light returned to his eyes as he put together what she'd just said. Between the "line" quip and the one about him having cramps, he suddenly found himself unable to withstand the desire to retort.Adding on his usual smirk, he let fling his playful banter.
"Yeah, just waiting for the 'fresher..." He feigned mild discomfort, then continued "Ya gotta let me get in there first, though...cuz the moment you get in there and drop trow, well..." The smirk spreads to a full-on smile "Pretty sure everyone's gonna take off running for the hills, Mal."
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Liya Tawaza
The Unfair Advantage
Posts: 772
Affiliation: The Unfair Advantage
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Liya Tawaza on Jul 28, 2018 20:42:58 GMT -8
Leaving the Skip One I knew behind and travelling (by spaceship, no less) to a different, even more secret part of the space rock was not at all what I had in mind when I agreed that we needed a private meeting place. We needed a place to ourselves, but not by cutting us off from our resources on The Red Cred or hidden elsewhere on the Skip.
But the decision was made, and I was left with three irreconcilable facts.
Irreconcilable fact number one: Fel was alive, he had the means to contact people, but he hadn’t contacted us. What the frip did that mean? The options were not appealing: mental illness, mind control, amnesia, spite, ego, a major change in character (positive or negative), etc. Or maybe he just thought WE were dead? Imperial Intelligence loved it’s fake news when it came to mentally torturing someone into desperate actions, after all. The sooner I saw that data chip, the better. The ride could have been five seconds, and that was still too long.
Irreconcilable fact number two: Isabelle had reappeared from wherever the universe had been hiding her for the last five years. When I had parted company with the thief, halfway across the galaxy, I had assumed I’d never see her again. And I was fine with that. At the time, I’d wanted to ring her neck after the job went sideways on us, but I wasn’t that person anymore. Deep down, I didn’t want her dead. But I wasn’t sure I wanted her HERE, either. And why in space was she using an alias? Did Adrien even know her real name?
I spent most of the trip to the Thieves’ Den keeping at least one eye on Isabelle, but maintaining my distance and an awkward silence. This was between me and her, and we didn’t need a large audience in a cramped space for that. Besides, neither of us was going anywhere for awhile. We could sort out our issues later, preferably alone and with plenty of professional courtesy.
Turning away with a slightly sick feeling as my old partner began hitting on the Doctor, I stared out at the fast-approaching canyon, both critiquing The Shadow’s pilot as he navigated the twists and turns, and committing them to memory in case I ever had a reason to come back … or we needed to leave on our own, without Draykon’s permission. I couldn’t know for sure what was waiting for us, or whether he intended to, er, control our departures.
Glancing around the crowded common area, my eye caught Adrien’s Mandalorian woman again. I’d have to take her out first, if there was a fight. I wondered if she was a Fett. I didn’t know much about clan insignia, but I did know that no orders from her boss, an outsider to the Mandalorians, would stop her if she knew who I was, and that would make today a thousand times worse. But it was too late now, and anyway she didn’t seem to recognize me. I’d let Malora handle Ade. That would leave me against … too many others. Not to mention trying to avoid friendly fire from the inexperienced Doctor.
But the ship was touching down now. I raised one eyebrow questioningly at the no-weapons request, but then let out a sigh, and proceeded to deposit my gun belt, two DL-44 pistols, a tiny holdout pistol, a length of braided steel cord, a couple of paper packets that might have been squashed ration bars or might have been thermal detonators covered in old ration wrappers, a three-inch steel nail, and two razor blades into a storage locker. It was overkill, some of that stuff didn’t really even count as a weapon, but if I really needed something, I’d do what I always did: improvise. Throwing it all down now was almost in itself a threat of future action.
At the bottom of the ramp, I found myself staring in wonder at irreconcilable fact number three. Draykon hadn’t brought us to some secret hideout. He had brought us to his HOME. A woman, who clearly meant the world to him, but not as a mate. Children running about freely, indicating this was a safe place. Children who called him “Uncle,” even. This was his family.
I stood, blinking several times, momentarily stunned by this unexpected extension of trust, and the very existence of a Draykon family. I’d seen a lot of strange things on the Skips, but this one topped them all. When our old friends Mack and Dax gave me a wave, I exchanged a somewhat distant smile and nod, only half aware of their presence.
As Draykon disappeared, and the woman who had introduced herself as Racheal began greeting the guests on a more personal level, I finally snapped out of it, wormed my way through the other gawking smugglers, nudged Malora as she stood trading barbs with the purple-haired one, and asked in a low voice, gesturing to our surroundings, and the people inhabiting it.
“What the frack… did you know about all of this? Or any of it?”
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2018 8:54:09 GMT -8
Given that Adrien has yet to explain exactly what the nature of his business is with the brunette and her friends, Neassa is no more than mildly surprised when it is decided to gather everyone that had assembled in the Red Shi*t up - tensions, unanswered questions and all - and relocate to, unsurprisingly yet again, somewhere that Adrien does not bother to reveal until after they have all arrived.
The trip to their mystery destination is quick enough, and predominantly filled with silence of one kind or another from nearly all of the Midnight Shadow's passengers (Izzy, being Izzy and unrestrained by social conventions or prevailing moods other than her own, nautrally enough continues to flirt about as subtly as a vibrohammer to the face with Specs for whatever reason it is that she has chosen to focus her attention on the nebbish looking human, if there actually is a reason beyond Izzy amusing herself) - Neassa's own silence a watchful one as she studies her captain's guests. Nor, Neassa notes while surreptitiously watching everyone, is she the only one that elects to surreptitiously watch everyone (though the fact her face is hidden beneath her buy'ce does make it far easier for her to be surreptitious than those with exposed faces and eyes that reveal what or who they are watching more readily). Her watching does not reveal much, though Neassa does think she catches the tall, intently watchful woman with Adrien's brunette friend looking her way more than once, indicating either an aruetii's fascination with the Mando'ade, or possibly concern that someone from a culture so often associated with bounty hunting might be someone to worry about for the obvious reason. Given their associations and probable vocations, Neassa would not be surprised if there were bounties on more than one head on the ship. Guessing that the other Mandalorian aboard the ship, who is a fellow silent watcher for the duration of the trip to their mystery destination, is yet another new addition to the crew (with the bartender of the Red Shi*t, amusingly enough, being another new addition for some reason she assumes will be made evident sooner or later) Neassa gives him a nod of greeting when it seems their gazes briefly meet.
Unsure whether Adrien's prohibition against weapons is a comment on his level of trust in his newly formed crew, in his guests, or perhaps in both, Neassa complies all the same before disembarking along with the others that do so. The welcoming spiel that Rachael, who tellingly greets Adrien more like family than a boss, gives them all after Adrien himself heads off alone without, unsurprisingly, any explanation, doesn't really explain much, though Neassa is starting to get quite accustomed to not being given much at all in the explanation department at this point, as frustrating as it is to be kept in the dark so often.
While she is relatively certain that there is no need to stay on alert, Neassa lingers near, but not obviously so, the office Adrien makes his way to after disembarking from the Midnight Shadow, figuring that if there is any trouble to worry about her captain will be right smack dab in the middle of it. Using eye movements and facial tics to operate her buy'ce's systems, Neassa uses her helm's various sensor suites to begin mapping the area, giving names (or, when she does not know the names, amusing nicknames) to the various lifeforms present so that she can keep track of everyone's movements even if she does not have eyes on them.
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Post by House of D'Ordinii on Jul 30, 2018 9:16:45 GMT -8
==Doc Chop SL== <<107 PP; S18 Sector, Midnight Shadow>>
After trading nods with the other Mando, Curjas settles down a bit. If he had been recognized, the reaction would have been much less quiet. That being the case, he might as well get himself introduced to the closest thing on the ship to a properly sentient being. The first few steps almost turn into a stumble as the servos in the knee joints of his armor sporadically lock up, but once he is moving they smooth out again.
Making sure the other mando spot his approach (it was both unwise & rude to try & sneak up on a warrior), he waits until she is finished with her obvious recon of the area.
-Curjas (In rakatan) Greetings ...
He realized his mistake quickly enough, but even old of the older members of the clan would still recognize the language, if not speak it.
-Curjas (in mando'a) Greetings, sibling. I am Curjas, though most end up calling me Chop for some reason. What name do you go by?
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Karana Malora
The Unfair Advantage
I don't believe in a no-win scenario.
Posts: 246
Affiliation: The Fel Crew (Unfair Advantage)
Traffic Light: Orange
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Post by Karana Malora on Jul 30, 2018 15:38:27 GMT -8
"Yeah, just waiting for the 'fresher..." He feigned mild discomfort, then continued "Ya gotta let me get in there first, though...cuz the moment you get in there and drop trow, well..." The smirk spreads to a full-on smile "Pretty sure everyone's gonna take off running for the hills, Mal."Malora almost laughed. Almost. “Well yeah, I guess you’d know what it’s like when I go first.” The smuggler clapped him on the shoulder a little too hard. “Y’know, since you’re always lagging one step behind me,” Mal finished, face deadpan. She opened her mouth to sling another particularly brilliant retort in his face when Liya Tawaza’s elbow nudged gently at her arm, sparing Aedon Gavin Montrose anymore grief. For now. “I knew OF it,” she admitted to her friend, her eyes still fixed on her much-loathed verbal sparring partner. “Didn’t know where it was, though. Figured we’d never see it. Guess I was wrong.” She’d lingered on the ship after everyone had left, so she’d missed a lot of the ‘show’ that had most of the visitors scratching their heads in wonder. Not that it would’ve made much of an impact on her anyway, in her current state. In a distant corner of her mind, Mal knew she was being horrible, knew everyone present (well, except maybe Montrose) deserved better than her cold, foul, jumpy one-track-mind attitude. Knew but couldn’t care, not at the moment, not after three years of existing on fumes, barely hanging by hope’s strings. ‘Existing’, because what they’d been doing couldn’t possibly be called ‘living’. Living was Galdaart Fel in the pilots chair. Living was fighting with Wade over the last jar of pickled Brekka beets (and losing the ensuing arm wrestling battle). Living was sitting around the galley table with Liya Tawaza and Daniel Logan, cleaning their weapons while they laughed at Logan’s ‘Kark, Marry, Kill’ answers. It was Wrench rolling around the deck anxiously twittering about how broken everything was. It was burning sky with at least partial cargo in the hold and the promise of credits, or walking shoulder to shoulder down the landing ramp ready to face whatever shit the universe threw their way. Together. That was living. Not this. This had to end. Mal cast a glance at the half-closed doors. She couldn’t hear or see anything beyond, but intuition told her it wasn’t a good time to interrupt Draykon. That, and she’d heard it was kind of rude to be invited to someone’s home and then just barge in anywhere she pleased. Good thing she wasn’t overly concerned about rudeness. The smuggler looked at Tawaza, nodding at the room beyond. “Ready for some answers?”
Mal grabbed Montrose by his collar. “Let’s go, Barney,” she snapped, referencing the popular children’s holoshow featuring a bubbly, musical creature with vibrant purple fur as she unceremoniously half dragged the spacer towards the door. “We’ve got a date with Draykon.” Kicking the doors open wide with her foot, Mal shoved Montrose through them and clomped in after him, expecting to find the self-proclaimed ‘Smuggler King’ sipping his best liquor at a desk or something. Finding him locked in emotional embrace with his brother was… a little jarring. It took a minute, but something in her gave pause seeing so…vulnerable? It was weird, and upsetting, and worrying on a level she’d been out of touch with for many months. Her mask of severity broke momentarily, but she quickly patched it up, folding her arms over her chest and leaning on one hip as she forced herself to stare at the Siblings Draykon. “We gonna talk or…?”
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2018 18:07:38 GMT -8
Having spent enough time among aruetii, who don't always exercise the restraint her fellow Mandalorian evidences when approaching her, that she can truly appreciate having one of her own people around, Neassa puts as much warmth in her tone as said tone coming from her buy'ce permits as, having been allowed by her vod to finish her work mapping the area and the beings within it, she turns her head to address him in Mando'a, Neassa, and though she is usually one to stick to the terse end of the conversational spectrum, even adds a somewhat formal but clearly sincere, Well met, vod.
Keeping an eye on the movements of the various blips representing the various beings in the immediate area - her captain's brunette friend (represented on her HUD by a dot designated as "Hammer") currently accompanying the Zeltron (indicated on her buy'ce's HUD by a tiny blinking blip with the designation "After Burner") that, based on the expressions and body language of just about everyone that she saw interacting with him in the Red Shi*t, appears to have an uncanny ability ability to annoy just about everyone he comes into contact with save for his Bothan buddy (indicated by a blip designated as "Fuzzy"), into a room where Adrien (represented by a dot with his name over it since it is one of an ever dwindling few names of those she knows given how many beings her captain appears to be wont to collect along the way) and an Unknown lifeform (cleverly indicated by a dot with a numbered question mark over it) had been alone for a few moments - in case things go sideways, Neassa asks Curjas in Mando'a and with the inflection that makes the question more literal than casual so that he knows she is using the question to cover as many of the initial meeting of another Mando'ade questions as possible without the need to ask them all individually, Me'vaar ti gar? * Hopefully, Neassa muses after asking the question, somewhere in Curjas' reply will be a clue as to how he managed to earn the nickname "Chop", which might suit a cook well enough, but could bode ill were it a reference to the medical skills of a baar'ur. **
* What's new with you? ** medic
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Daniel Logan
Member
Posts: 74
Affiliation: The Fel Crew and the Galactic Museum on Coruscant
Traffic Light: Green
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Post by Daniel Logan on Jul 30, 2018 19:35:54 GMT -8
There was a lot to unfold and everything had happened so fast that Daniel didn't even have time to react. First they were just standing by the door in the bar and then over by the table. Starting from the moment Daniel had introduced himself he was ignored by the majority of the people sitting there, flattered by an extremely attractive redhead over his book, then basically told by Liya that he was nothing but a glorified passenger to her; which if he was being honest with himself stung him a great deal and only further cemented the feeling that he didn't belong out here. But, of course as stated, he didn't have time to react before they were rushed off aboard a strange ship and flown to a strange canyon before landing in a strange hangar. Daniel had kept to himself for the entirety of the short trip, even away from Karana and especially Liya. But he didn't sulk, if he had learned anything out here it's that no one cared about your problems.
When the ship landed he was anxious to leave but waited at least for a few others to go ahead of him, long enough to have his attention stolen once again by 'Amy' in the most ego boosting way possible. She knew all of the right buttons to push too: his book, his theories, that he wasn't just some smart guy. He of course didn't know she was pushing his buttons, he was just extremely flattered once again and it felt good to be viewed as something other than a passenger signing the next paycheck.
Daniel wasn't used to this kind of attention, especially from someone like Amy, and though he didn't notice it himself she he was smiling like an idiot the whole time she was talking. "Well, I--I mean, I'm always available to uh talk to err I mean, you know, discuss my um-a work to willing ears." Willing ears? Really? He thought to himself just as she was about to walk away. Her last remark left him standing there with an even bigger, dumber smile.
He took his blaster off and set it on the table, noticing that everyone else seemed to put theirs in a special place. It made him really take in the lack of trust that everyone seemed to have but he wouldn't be that way. He refused to be that way. He took his glasses off and dropped them into his shirt pocket and with squinted eyes he slowly and carefully descended the ramp and into the very blurry hangar. He could see the woman who had made the announcements and greeted them and he took a moment to stop next to her with a smile, which was still slightly dumb. "Thank you so much for your hospitality." There was a genuine tone in his voice and with a polite nod he walked on into the hangar.
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Post by House of D'Ordinii on Jul 31, 2018 9:10:53 GMT -8
==Doc Chop SL== <<107 PP; S18 Sector, Midnight Shadow>>
Since he had never meet her before, the greeting was obviously an introduction for him to fill in. He wasn't really sure where to start, or more correctly, where would be safe. He certainly wasn't going to start blabbering about chopping up aruetii for spare cash. That was what got him chased out of the Imperium in the first place, with a minor bounty on his head at that. Then again, he could probably start at the very beginning, that was a fairly safe topic.
-Doc Chop When was the last time you visited aliit'yaim*? It was not that long ago that the aliit'alor's** father opened the mind vault. I am one of the Rakata freed from that safeguard made by the original Infinite Empire. I admit, I am still getting used to being a mandalorian. & to seeing races I am used to as servants running the galaxy. I assure you though, Despite the remove in time, my medical skills are still sharp as before.
* Clan Home, Lehon in this particular case. ** Clan Chief, currently Aya D'Ordinii
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Aedon Gavin Montrose
The Organization
Enjoying a well-aged bottle of scotch...
Posts: 356
Affiliation: "Veritas" Crew
Traffic Light: Yellow
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Post by Aedon Gavin Montrose on Aug 2, 2018 2:49:58 GMT -8
Mal grabbed Montrose by his collar. “Let’s go, Barney,” she snapped, referencing the popular children’s holoshow featuring a bubbly, musical creature with vibrant purple fur as she unceremoniously half dragged the spacer towards the door. “We’ve got a date with Draykon.” Kicking the doors open wide with her foot, Mal shoved Montrose through them and clomped in after him, expecting to find the self-proclaimed ‘Smuggler King’ sipping his best liquor at a desk or something. Finding him locked in emotional embrace with his brother was… a little jarring. It took a minute, but something in her gave pause seeing so…vulnerable? It was weird, and upsetting, and worrying on a level she’d been out of touch with for many months. Her mask of severity broke momentarily, but she quickly patched it up, folding her arms over her chest and leaning on one hip as she forced herself to stare at the Siblings Draykon. “We gonna talk or…?” She pulled him in close, and that was her first mistake. Actually, her first one was when she decided to bring their old rivalry into the equation. *Always lagging behind, Mal? We'll see about that.*
It only took a half second, but Aedon's pickpocketing skills landed him his quarry. She still kept her belongings in the same spot, it seemed, thinking that no one would dare be brazen enough to go for her bra strap. Kriff that notion. All's fair when you're in the game. Within his grasp was both the plasteel-cased disc he'd gotten from Kaarn and Shaggy's little addition to the intel, along with a credit chip that Malora had.*
*After being "shoved" through the doorway, Aedon tucked his new gains in the palm of his hand as he shrugged off Mal's grip on his jacket. Adjusting his clothing, he walked in ahead of Malora and saw part of the scene that he'd tried not to barge in on.Shaggy was there, standing next to his brother, undoubtedly perturbed by their interruption of his likely-only moment where he could feel vulnerable without having to put on airs for anyone. And here Aedon was, along with the "Picture of Patience" - Kriffin' Karana Malora - bursting onto the scene in record time to make things as awkward as galactically-possible. So, seeing as he was being forced to play the role of battering ram, he figured he'd accept said role gracefully.Producing his newfound possessions in true grifter form (each item held between the spaces of his fingers like sabaac cards on display), he decided to chime in after Mal so blatantly blurted out her question.
"...You mean about this, right? Or, we could get us a round of drinks -- Mal's buyin'..."
Whatever reprisal he'd likely face from this would be worth the result. Mal needed to be shown that you can't bludgeon your way through just because you're having a rough go of things. It wasn't fair to those around you who are dealing with their own hell.
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Adrien Draykon
Retired High Councilor
The Smuggler King
Posts: 720
Traffic Light: Orange
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Post by Adrien Draykon on Aug 2, 2018 15:23:24 GMT -8
Only a second or two had gone by when the brothers were so rudely interrupted. Adrien with his back to the door didn't see who it was but Tobias looked up immediately with red eyes and the brothers pulled away from each other. Tobias stepping around Adrien, looking squarely at Karana and clearly angry.
"What the frack are you doing?" He paused for a moment looking between the three intruders, "Any idea what a closed door means?" Tobias snapped. Adrien meanwhile had taken a few steps forward, away from everyone, with his hands sweeping down his face to wipe away the evidence of his weak moment then ran his fingers through his hair as Tobias continued, "Is this how you treat people who are trying to help you?" He returned his eyes to Karana, "Is it?!" He raised his voice but did not shout. He turned to look at Aedon, "And you. With what happened to your crew I think you of all people should have a little empathy." He turned looked between the three of them once again, "We invited you into our home so you could rest, so that we could help you get a plan together in a safe place, and then help you find Fel." He stepped forward not quite in Karana's personal space, not yet. "That wasn't my idea mind you, that was his." He pointed at Adrien and then squared back up to Karana.
"Tobias." Adrien said quietly.
But his brother continued on, "Regardless of what it cost him, regardless of what it cost us, and he didn't do it for Fel or for her (Liya), he did it for you! And you have the nerve to just barge in here and act like we owe you a chat?" By this time he had stepped into her circle and was looking down at her, the hurt and the anger all the more apparent up close. "Do you even know what--"
Tobias felt a hand on his shoulder "Toby." Adrien interrupted and Tobias turned to see his brother standing there beside him, looking him in the eye and shaking his head, "It's ok." Tobias nodded and stepped back with a final look at the three.
Adrien turned to the others with the same sad look in his eye as Tobias, perhaps even worse. "We'll talk, I promise." Then his eyes met Karana's, "I promise." His gaze lingered a moment longer before he looked down and away from her. "Give me the night and I'll be back at it tomorrow." He didn't demand or order, it sounded more like a request or a plea than anything. Tobias on the other hand had already walked back to his desk and sat down, still staring at Karana, Liya, and Aedon.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2018 22:03:05 GMT -8
Able to figure out where Curjas calls allit'yaim by context even though some of what he speaks of is a mystery to her due to her limited knowledge of the past or present Infinite Empire, Neassa answers his question to her, It's been a while, explaining briefly, I spent some of my youth there.
Unsure how to respond to Curjas's statements about getting accustomed to being a Mandalorian or to seeing species he is or was used to seeing as servants, Neassa sticks to what, for her, seems like less loaded territory, asking conversationally even as she tenses imperceptibly when the sound of raised voices can be heard coming from the office where Adrien had disappeared to, So, how is it you've wound up out here as our medic? Relaxing somewhat when the shouting subsides, at least for the moment, Neassa may allay any concerns Curjas has about her trying to pry into his past when she follows the question by hazarding a guess in an attempt at humor, Wanted to see more of what's become of the universe since you were, what was it, removed from time?
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Post by House of D'Ordinii on Aug 3, 2018 17:17:34 GMT -8
==Doc Chop SL== <<107 PP; S18 Sector, Midnight Shadow>>
They were starting to edge into more dangerous territory. But with how long ago she said it had been since she had visited, it was likely safe to blur any details to just this side of believable.
-Doc Chop (in Mando'a) The transition was a rough as a strill's backside, but after a few close brushes I managed to settle into my new life. It helped that my focus in the old Empire had been the treatment of the slaves ... servants. It meant I had a valuable skill the Clan needed. Unfortunately I had pushed right to the edge. When I had a disagreement with a later client, I was given the choice of spending some time in the wider galaxy or in a small box at a labor camp. I chose to go exploring.
The best lies were always a rewording of the truth. The general story was more or less accurate. Though in truth there was much less time between his 'settling' & the fight than his story implied. It also suggested that the option to go wandering was an officially offered one, instead of one he managed to gain by running fast enough. He wasn't enough of a threat to waste resources tracking down, after all. & he had been able to figure out that if he spend a long enough time outside the Clan's space, he would be considered to have served his term anyway.
-Doc Chop (in Mando'a) So how about you? What brings you out this long & this far?
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