Star Wars: Enemies of the Empire - Unexpected Allies

[Noir]

Click here if you want a true opening crawl

 

ENEMIES OF THE EMPIRE

"UNEXPECTED ALLIES"

 

A plague has broken out on Finnare,

an agricultural planet in the Outer Rim.

The Endless Odyssey, a chartered transport,

 races back from the Dyvixx  system on a mission of

mercy with the necessary medicines to combat the plague.

 

The simple trip, interrupted by an unexpected encounter with

Imperial Customs, had the Endless Odyssey being detained for a

full surprise inspection in the docking bay inside the Customs Frigate.

 

What  should have been a routine run-in with the Empire was anything but,

when unbeknownst to the crew, the lone passenger turned out to be a Jedi who's

mere presence has ensured that the entire crew was placed under Imperial arrest...

 

 

 

The door to the brig opened and out stepped an older Imperial officer, flanked by a Stormtrooper, as he approached the desk.

"Captain Mar?" the brig officer asked curiously.

"I am here to collect the new prisoners for the transfer." the older officer explained with a calm authority to his voice.

"Transfer? I was not informed of this. I will have to check it out." the brig officer stated.

"I am collecting them by order of Inquisitor Cynis. I am to rendezvous with her to hand over the prisoners so that this ship can stay on patrol. Where there is one Jedi, there may be more. And it seems she is rather eager to meet this 'Jedi'." Captain Mar explained before adding, "But by all means, contact her and verify. I am sure the Inquisitor will enjoy having her orders questioned."

"Well, if it is by order of an Inquisitor. I... I am sure it still in subspace. No reason to hold up her transfer." the brig officer said with a hint of a nervous smile.

"Very well then." Captain Mar responded and turned to head down the cell may, motioning for the Stormtrooper to follow.

 

The first cell opened and he stepped in with the Stormtrooper behind him causing Zaylee to swing her legs off the bench and too the floor.

"Please. I did not know she was Jedi. I thought she was just a charter to collect medical supplies. I'm a simple cargo hauler. This is just a big misunderstanding." Zaylee pleaded, flashing her big, teal eyes at the older officer.

"That will be for the Inquisitor to determine." Captain Mar said as he held out the opened binder, waiting Zaylee to place her wrists within them.

"Inquisitor?!" Zaylee exclaimed, looking up at the man with wide eyes.

Captain Mar gave Zaylee a quick wink as a small smile could be seem creeping out from under his thick mustache. The gesture caught Zaylee off guard, giving her a moments pause as she felt strangely comforted.

"Fine." she relented and placed her wrists in the binders, which the officer closed, but seemed to forget to lock.

Catching on and feeling more secure now, Zaylee played along,

"This is just a big misunderstanding though." she sighed.

 

Kel could hear the footsteps in the hall and pushed on the small wall plate behind the outside controls that he had been working at prying off. He then moved to the bench and pulled his legs up with his back to the door, pretending to sleep a moment before the cell door slide open.

"Huuhh?" he murmured and turned to look at the door to see the Imperial officer stepping in while out in the hall beyond stood a Stormtrooper along with a bound Zaylee.

The officer opened the binders and held them out, a gesture that Kel was familiar with since his youth. Casually he placed his wrists within the binders which were then closed, but not locked, around his wrists. Kel looked down at the binders and then up to the officer who winked and then to Zaylee over his shoulder, who gave a slow, small nod to her crew mate.

Kel nodded in return and played along, walking out of the cell and falling in line behind Zaylee as they walked to the last cell.

 

The door opened to reveal Kay kneeling on the floor with her eyes closed and hands, held together by the binders, resting in her lap. After a moment her eyes opened and she rose to her feet in a single, smooth motion.

"So you are the 'Jedi', hm?" the officer asked from behind his mustache as he stepped into the cell and looked her over.

"You do not seem that impressive to me." he added and grasped the binders, lifting them up to inspect them.

In the hallway Zaylee and Kel watched and met eyes with Kay, giving her a small nod as the officer unlocked, though did not remove the binders. The gesture caught Kay's attention who looked at the officer curiously, only to have her gaze met with a wink.

"Now move along. We do not want to keep Inquisitor Cynis waiting." the officer said, leading the prisoners out of the brig, and collecting a box with their personal effects on the way, with the Stormtrooper following behind.

'Cynis...' Kay thought, feeling like she had heard the name long ago, but uncertain of where exactly....

 

Once in the turbolift the officer turned to the tree prisoners and dropped his calm, authoritative demeanor for a moment.

"I am Captain Mar and we are breaking you out. I managed to get the medical supplies and things moved to my ship. With luck, we can make a clean escape and still get those meds to Finnare before they realize what happened." he explained quickly.

"Sorry, but leaving in your ship would draw too much attention." he said to Zaylee with what seems to be sincere sympathy.

"And do not worry, Hiroki here is one of us." he said, motioning to the Stormtrooper who nodded.

"The rest are on board, prepping the ship. When the door opens, just follow me and keep acting like prisoners until we are safe on the ship."

 

The turbolift doors open revealing the docking bay with the Endless Odyssey at the near side of the bay, the ship obviously of Mon Calamari design. Beyond the Odyssey, at the far side of the bay, sits an Imperial Customs Guardian Light Cruiser. At a steady pace the 'prisoners' are led across the bay in single file to the ramp of the bulky Imperial ship, a sharp contrast to the grace and smooth lines of Endless Odyssey. With a sigh and a heavy heart Zaylee looked back at her ship as she walked up the ramp, fearing she may never see her ship... her home... ever again.

 

Imperial Customs Guardian-class light cruiser (stats in spoiler)

Spoiler

Imperial Customs Guardian Light Cruiser
A common Imperial system patrol craft, it is quite capable of handling common freighter and smuggler traffic, although it is totally outclassed when sent up against capital ships. These ships are common in lightly populated, isolated systems where the Empire needs to maintain a presence without underwriting the expense of assigning a larger vessel to patrol duty.

Craft: Sienar Fleet Systems Guardian-class light cruiser
Type: Inter-system customs vessel
Scale: Starfighter
Length: 42 meters
Skill: Space transports: Guardian cruiser
Crew: 16 (3 can coordinate), gunners: 4, skeleton: 8/+10
Passengers: 6 (prisoners in brig)
Cargo Capacity: 200 metric tons
Consumables: 3 months
Cost: Not available for sale
Hyperdrive Multiplier: x1
Hyperdrive Backup: x 10
Nav Computer: Yes
Maneuverability: 1D
Space: 9
Atmosphere: 400; 1,150 kmh
Hull: 5D
Shields: 2D
Sensors:
   Passive: 30/1D
   Scan: 60/2D
   Search: 90/4D
   Focus: 4/4D+1
Weapons:
4 Laser Cannons
   Fire Arc: 2 front, 2 turret
   Crew: 1
   Skill: Starship gunnery
   Fire Control: 2D+2
   Space Range: 1-3/12/25
   Atmosphere Range: 100-300/1.2/2.5 km
   Damage: 5D

 

Once on board Captain Mar opens the box and begins handing back the blasters and personal effects, allowing the items to be replaced with the removed binders. The last item he withdraws from the box is the lightsaber. He holds it in his hand, looking at it thoughtfully for a moment.

"I wasn't sure I would ever see one of these again." he said as he handed the ancient weapon to Kay.

"I served along side some Jedi in the Clone Wars, just so you know. I found the Emperor's story about the attempted coup rather hard to believe because of it." he added.

 

After a short walk down the corridor they arrived at the bridge. It was larger than the Odyssey's, allowing for the load to be shared among several crew and had a cold, practical design common to Sienar Fleet Systems. Sitting at one of the consoles was another Imperial Officer, a much smaller, rather thin man looking to be no more than twenty years old.

"The preflight check is complete, sir. We are ready to depart at your leisure." the young man said before he turned to look at the Captain and his guests.

"Hello ladies, oh, and gentleman. Welcome aboard.If you would be so kind as to stay out of sight until we exit the bay, we should be on our way directly." he greeted as Captain Mar walked past and took his seat on the bridge.

"Control, this is Customs Cruiser IC-532 requesting permission to depart." Captain Marr announced into the comm.

"Uhhh.. IC-532, we do not seem to have you listed for departure at the moment." a voice replied.

"We are on a goodwill mission to Finnare. You can check with the Commander." Captain Mar calmly replied.

"Hold IC-532." the voice stated.

With the comm off, Captain Mar spoke over his shoulder,

"I convinced the Commander that having the Empire deliver the medications would help with goodwill in the sector. He was going to come along to do so personally, but I suggested that he be here to receive the Inquisitor and I could play a holo-message from him instead."

"IC-532, you are cleared for departure." the voice finally answered, relieve the growing tension on the bridge.

"Affirmative. IC-532 out." Captain Mar replied.

The ship's engines hummed as it lifted from the deck and slowly drifted forward passing through the force field and into the space beyond..

"Wait IC-532. Didn't you load prisoners? Where are you taking them? IC-532, you are to return immediately." the voice commanded over the comm.

"Looks like the caught on." the thin officer said.

"Everybody grab a hold of something!" Captain Mar exclaimed and a moment later the ship took a hard dive and turned to skim the underbelly of frigate toward the engines.

"They have no tractor beams to the rear, but the guard fighters are sure to be incoming. Angle the deflector shields double rear. And Captain Zanne, take the controls if you would while I calculate the jump to Finnare." Captain Mar directed as he moved over to the NavComputer.

"Even if we make the the jump to hyperspace, they will expect us to be heading to Finnare. So if we are going to deliver these medical supplies, then we need to beat them there and we might have to fight our way out." the thin officer said as he raised and adjusted the shields.

"So the rest of you get to the laser cannons. There are two forward and two turrets. TIEs should be incoming any minute now.." Captain Mar explained.

 

[z-Roki Fuja]

Cannons and turrets. Roki’s face screwed up in distaste. He much preferred blasters; though he’d tested high enough to qualify to be trained as a TIE fighter, he hadn’t scored high enough to secure a spot.

That made his choice easy; he had no ego about his ability, so he moved to one of the forward cannons. He’d let someone who had a better chance at hitting a TIE claim one of the full-arc turrets.

He hopped into the seat, then pulled his helmet off and wedged it under a console. If they lost gravity, it wouldn’t become a danger to others. It felt odd to be going into a fight without the headgear, and he rubbed some sweat off his golden skin with a glove. It was even odder to think that he was probably wearing the uniform for the last time.

Shoving aside the unimportant thoughts, he powered up the cannon, grabbed the yoke, and waited patiently for a target

[Kayda Vayawn]

So many questions, who was this Captain mar who seemed familiar, too many questions which will have to wait. She stepped up behind Captain Zanne's char, and gave a look at the controls and readouts

"Where do you want me Captain?" She asked Mar with a side glance.

Zaylee gave a quick glance back at the woman looking over her shoulder, the woman who had cost her her ship. Tight lipped she turned back to the controls.

Captain Mar caught the look  and answered Kayda as he punch buttons.

"Take one of the rear turrets."

Wasting no time  Kayda  headed back to the gun tunnels. Dropping into the first she came to she strapped herself into he seat and began arming the guns.

The system wasn't vastly different than those she had trained on during the war so she had it up and running in seconds. From behind her she heard a shout filled with excitement.

"Here, They Come!"

Looking at hte targeting computer and opening her senses she was as ready as she could get.

[Kel Uno]

Kel was still more or less unclear entirely what had happened. Vayvawn had seemed, just off, just a tad off, but then so many passengers on board the Odyssey would have some cause to be off, or hiding something. Kel had been one of them, after all, so he'd seen no room to judge. Then the inspection came over. Imperials, bureaucracy and stern looking men with their fancy datapads and snooty upturned noses.

Aggravating as an over-eager protocol droid - and not much more human like, Kel privately mocked in the safety of the confines of his head. Then all of a sudden, Captain Zaylee and her slicer, shunted forcefully into the confines of cells. Seriously, though. A Jedi. That was the crime. Having a Jedi as a passenger. Because the Empire oh so very much said Jedi didn't exist. Their Force wasn't real.

Just legends and fantasies - that apparently made you an enemy of the state by association. Apparently, there was something there after all.

And then the Captain and his stormtrooper guard who spring them at a moment's notice and apparently want to help with the aid mission. Who were they really and what was their angle in this?

For now though, Kel had to run for the other turret, and initiate the gunnery console.

[Zaylee Zanne]

Zaylee's head knew the Jedi wasn't at fault - not really - for the loss of her ship, but her heart felt otherwise. The loss of the Endless Odyssey was so abrupt, so recent, that a part of her couldn't help but resent the Jedi. Why couldn't Kayda Vayawn have found another ship to book passage on?

Ship or no ship, she wasn't about to look a gift droid in the vocabulator and question why Captain Mar and company was breaking them out of Imperial custody. All that mattered was that they were out. Now, they had to stay out.

"Gotcha, Mar," Zaylee said in her high, sweet voice, slipping into pilot's chair, more animated than she'd been ever since being arrested.

A face more suited to smiles frowned in disgust as she adjusted the chair so she could reach the control console more comfortably with her tiny stature. The harsh and ugly lines of the Sienar Fleet Systems ship had nothing on smooth and elegant design of her Mon Calamari built ship and she was hardly as familiar with it as she was with her own, but she had no intention of being held in Imperial custody again, so soon.

"Let's fly!" Zaylee growled cutely, punching the acceleration and maneuvering so the bulk of the ship wouldn't obstruct the turrets from the imminently encroaching TIE fighters."

[Noir]

"IC-532, Halt! You are to stand down and return immediately!" the voice from flight control on board the frigate demanded over the comm.

"Jam their comms. Shut him up and we do not need those TIE fighters coordinating their attack runs either." Captain Mar said without even looking up from his work at the nav computer.

"Aye sir." the other officer replied and quickly began to manipulate his station's controls.

"We have four contacts closing fast! Three aft and one forward." the thin officer said into the ship's internal comms as the targeting consoles in each of the laser cannon stations begin to display the targeting data for the four TIE fighters closing rapidly and entering weapons range.

"These just the are the guard fighters. Hopefully we can make the jump before the frigate turns around and scrambles any other craft." the thin officer added over the internal comms.

Just he finished speaking the entire ship shook from the impact of the first shot from one of the TIE fighters.

"That was just a warning shot and we're not going to get another so fire at will!"

Click here for combat thread to get a review of combat and declare actions.

 

[SalmonMax]

Within her stateroom, Arcata Kedir heard the captain's voice over the intercom and looked up at the grille with an annoyed glare. How had Captain Mar managed to stay alive all this time if this was the best he could do? The ship shuddered around her, and she stood up from the too-small chair anchored by the too-small table in the too-small stateroom. She was a little on the tall side, slim of build, with smooth, regal features and striking dark eyes set on fair skin with dark hair cut to regulation shortness. Everything about her seemed neat and pressed, each movement precise and considered.

She took up her weapon belt and pulled it on as she left the cabin and strode down the narrow corridors of the ship as the engines cycled up and acceleration tugged at her. A glance at the tactical display on the panels in the common room told her that only the forward cannons were unmanned so far, so she headed to the bow of the ship and cut to the left. The hatch into the gun's control room slid open, and she stepped through and dropped into the acceleration couch linked to it.

Her commlink beeped in her ear, signaling it was linked to the ship's intercom network. "I hope you have more of a plan for when we reach our destination than 'lets beat them there,' Captain Mar," she said in clipped, Imperial accent. "The Inquisition has access to far faster ships than this."

The targeting array came up, projecting its HUD into her eye. The forward cannons had a limited field of fire. She expected hitting with them would be more a question of timing than aim. There was a rumble in the hull as a TIE fighter rocketed past; the impacts of its thrusters on the shields making a distinctive roaring, squealing noise.

Well, there'd be time to worry about that when they arrived, she supposed. Now was the time to make sure they actually got there.

Wait for it...wait for it...now!

Her cannons bucked, kicking out glowing bolts of charged particles and plasma. Arcata scowled slightly to herself as only the last couple of bolts in the burst managed to scrape across its left ion engine, scoring the white metal black and letting coolant stream out behind it.

That would slow it, but it wouldn't stop it. She'd have to do better.

[z-Roki Fuja]

There was an art to fighting, one which Roki didn’t always achieve but which he always strived for. He calmed himself, not fixating on the battle to come but on the moment, the now. The yoke was hard in his hands; his feet rested comfortably on the braces. His breathing was calm and steady as he stilled his mind to peace.

Peace to do war. It was an odd paradox but his drill sergeant had been right; it had always worked and always served him very well.

His sensors flashed, warning that the TIE was coming. Roki turned the yoke sharply and brought the cannons to bear on the distant oncoming blip.

That is another man or woman just like you.

The other cannon fired, coming close to the fighter. He sighted on it, his fingers tightening around the triggers.

Just another man or woman, doing their job.

Roki felt his feet push into the braces harder.

Just as all the Rebels I have killed, he thought and fired. The beams tore through space and lanced into the TIE. Roki felt no satisfaction, only a grim determination that he would be alive at the end of this -- but alive or dead, he was free.

 

Spoiler

Attack roll: (TN 20)
Carver *rolls* 5d6: 6+5+1+4+5+2: 23

Damage: 5D
Carver *rolls* 5d6: 2+2+5+4+5: 18

Hull Soak: 2D
Noir *rolls* 2d6: 3+4: 7

Total 11 damage

 

 

[Zaylee Zanne]

"Get that jump plotted, Mar!" Zaylee demanded in a voice rising higher with excitement and anxiety. "I can't slipping them forever!"

The blocky profile of the Imperial Cruiser was a far different shape than the elegant bow design of the Endless Odyssey that she was far more practiced with, but she had to admit the bigger ship had an envious amount of speed, if not any more responsive. Zaylee juked to the left and right, trying to keep her Shields interposed between them and the TIE fighters to her rear for as long as possible while avoiding the oncoming Laser Fire.

Zaylee threw herself into piloting the ship, purposely thinking only of that so she didn't have to consider what she was doing on a ship full of turncoat Imperials and whether or not the they had truly turned their colours.

[Kayda Vayawn]

Kayda triggers off a single volley at the fast approaching TIE fighter, the bolts streaking by the imperial fighter peel back the curtain of time in her memory. Another place, another time but the same enemy just dressed differently. She recalls similar Battles in similar settings, and the voice of her master calling across the years.

"Concentrate and Focus Kayda, Like your lightsaber, the gun must become an extension of you. Everything else must be put aside, there is only you and your target, until you and the target become one."

The memory calms and comforts her she hadn't thought of Otoko in many years. She smiled with the thought. Closing her eyes she took several deep breaths centering and opening herself to the force. when ready she opened them and waited for the perfect moment.

[z-Roki Fuja]

The TIE was still incoming, and Roki retained his calm center. He suddenly knew that this shot would be the one that would kill the TIE; it was a feeling he got from time to time. Sometimes, he just knew that he was going to succeed.

The crosshairs aligned on the white blip and he squeezed the triggers. The lasers flared and he had a split image vision of the streams of death meeting the fighter. Then a bright explosion lit up space and his heart sank, even as his fingers loosened on the yoke.

He heard someone whoop excitedly over the intercom but he ignored it. He might have known the person in that TIE; he might have been one of the people he tested with, or he might have been someone that Roki passed in the hallways. He grimly looked for another target to destroy.

 

Spoiler

Attack roll: (TN 21)
Carver *rolls* 5d6: 5+3+4+6+4+2: 24

Damage: 5D
Carver *rolls* 5d6: 4+5+5+1+5: 20

Hull Soak: 2D
Noir *rolls* 2d6: 2+4: 6

Total 14 damage

 

[Kel Uno]

The TIE entered the cross-hairs and Kel mashed the triggers. The flat-winged fighter twisted around, evading what seemed a clear shot like it was a parsec away. Kel groaned in frustration, before blowing out a few times to get his head back together. It always did look so much easier and straightforward on the holos.

Ok, you can think this through. The TIE's was moving at a trajectory of...

Kel worked through the rough approximations in his head before re-aligning for a second shot. This time, more confident, he fired. The laser bolt promptly speared right through the cockpit of the TIE as it came out of a turn - and was replaced by one big fireball in space.

[Noir]

"Got it! Make thee jump when you're ready." Captain Mar said to Zaylee who reached out and yanked back the lever to engage the hyperdrive.

Tthe stars outside the cockpit became strake of light as the ship slipped into hyperspace, leaving behind smoldering debris while the last TIE fighter shot, his lasers passing harmless through where the Customs Cruiser had been before it lept away into hyperspace...

 

(You call can post the rest of your combat action results if you like and then there will be time while in hyperspace to talk and get to know each other.)

[Noir]

Once  in hyperspace...

"Let's all meet in the common area so we can talk. I am sure there are plenty of questions you want to ask." Captain Mar said over the internal comm.

Captain Mar stood up from the nav computer as the thin, young officer rose as well. 

"I'll show you the way." he said to Zaylee, motioning down the corridor.

Captain Mar walked into the small common area of the ship and took a seat. The area had a couple of table and benches with a handfull of chairs and served as briefing room, mess hall and lounge. He got himself a mug of something dark and hot to drink and sat back in one of the cairs, finally relaxing a bit as the other officer took a seat as well, offering one to Zaylee too. Captain sipped his mug as he waited for the questions to come his way.

[Zaylee Zanne]

Zaylee tugged her brown coat straight then hurried to keep up with Captain Mar's long stride, the short heels of her scuffed boots striking the deck audibly in her haste. She acceoted a mug of espcaf from the officer who wasn't that much larger than she was then slumped in one of the chairs and ran her hands through her red and blond hair, slightly damp with sweat. Their escape had been short and furious, but also highly unexpected.

The shipless trader took a sip of her beverage and grimaced, finding the bitter espcaf missing about a wookie's fist worth of sweetener for her taste. She looked up at Captain Mar with large, direct teal eyes, her gaze taking in the other members of his crew that had seemingly joined him in mutiny? Treason? Whatever it was, it was a death sentence if the Empire caught them and Zaylee didn't think they'd overlook any mostly innocent trader captain found in their company.

"Not that don't appreciate the... hmm... release from Imperial custody, Captain Mar," Zaylee began tentatively in a high sweet voice that grew higher and sharper as she continued, "but why in all the dark space between stars are you doing this?! You and your... crew? And getting me and my crew - such as it is - stuck in the middle, minus my ship?!"

[SalmonMax]

"Remain calm, Miss Zanne," said Arcata as she paced across the too-small common room to find a seat. "Hysteria will not help you understand. Your ship was flagged and impounded. Our inestimable Captain Mar lacked the skills and connections to remedy this without attracting too much attention, and so we were forced to use a ship that could support his thin ruse at least until we were clear of the docking bay. In this, his plan was successful."

She glanced at the captain. "Barely."

[Kayda Vayawn]

Kayda didn't feel exultation at the destruction of the fighters, though she was relieved that they made the jump to lightspeed without further loss of life. She was shutting down the gun and unhooking herself when the captain called for them to come to the common area.

On the trip from Finnare  to Dyvixx  and on the return journey up until their capture, she had remained, for the most part, alone in her cabin limiting her contact with the crew not form the fact that once she had been a jedi but more for the reason that she had simply lived alone and with as little interaction with others for so long. But now circumstances have changed that.

Kayda entered the common area and took up a place out of the way which gave her a vantage to watch the others. She recognized those who had been with her on the Oddyssy, and made a effort to memorize the new faces. Captain Mar still seemed to lurk in the shadows of her memory but she was sure she either knew him at some point in her past or at least had seen him and that image impressed in her enough to remain after all the years. She watched the exchange between the dark haired woman and Capt. Zanne following Zaylees question to the man calling himself Captain Mar.

Interjecting before Mar or anyone else could Kayda spoke with a melodious voice designed to sooth and and calm yet carry.

"Perhaps, Captain...Mar, since you seem to know who we are and what our business was, you could inform us as to who you are and explain as Captain Zanne so colorfully put it why in all the dark space between stars are you doing this?"

[z-Roki Fuja]

Roki shut down the cannon and sat in the silence of the bay for a moment. He emptied his mind, letting himself think of nothing but the white lines of the hyperdrive blurring past the window. Mar’s voice over the comm interrupted his emptiness. “Let's all meet in the common area so we can talk. I am sure there are plenty of questions you want to ask.”

“Acknowledged,” he said, watching the stars for another second. All of this empty-mindedness had a purpose: to not think about what was coming. He didn’t know what his future would hold, or where he would go now. Home was Imperial now, and eventually word of what he’d done would get back there. Probably not to the Rebels, either; he was their enemy and they’d never trust him. He’d dreamed of being free to chart his own future but now that it was before him, he didn’t know what to do.

Rising, he grabbed his helmet and walked to the common area. He was just in time to hear the Jedi ask her question.

“A man or woman turns from doing bad things and you question them?” He hadn’t meant to speak so sharply, but he’d expected something more like gratitude from these people. He dropped the helmet on the floor, something that would have been unthinkable to him just a few months ago. “Is it so hard to believe that we are tired of blackening our hearts and destroying our humanity with the Empire?”

[Kel Uno]

Kel got up when the call to join in the common area came in. Well, this was going to put a real dampener on a simple delivery mission. The Captain was gonna flip over the loss of the Eternal Odyssey. What Kel knew since the couple of years he had wound up working for the female trader was that it had a particular sentimental value. Well, spacers probably did in general for their ships, but this one was special.

Possibly the unique Mon Calamari build.

Kel got in to hear the riled up tones of Zaylee and the Stormtrooper guy getting snitty. Right, time to lower the tensions for the good of everyone's health. "Look, not that we don't appreciate you springing us - it's just that we're not exactly used to pure altruism in our line of work. That and the way you've done things rather turns us into enemies of the Empire, if by association."

Kel tugged at his headband awkwardly. "It's not a position we'd been looking to be in."

[Noir]

Captain Mar glanced over at Arcata and shrugged before Roki's response and the sound of his helmet hitting the deckplate echod in the room.

"It's okay, Roki. They have every reason to be concerned." Captain Mar soothed with a calm patience as he sat down his mug and looked over those assembled in the common area.

"By being caught with a Jedi on your ship, you were already enemies of the Empire. There was no way you were ever going to be free again once Inquisitor Cynis arrived. She does things like that, just to be safe. So when giving the choice of being a prisoner of the Inquisition or a free, if hunted, man, I think the choice is pretty clear. I am sure Inquisitor Cynis would be over in a jiffy to pick you up if you felt like turning yourself in though. Captain Mar explained.

"Look. My name is Addo Mar. I joined customs, Republic Customs, before many of you were even born. I seved in the Clone Wars, fighting for the Republic, and in the process met and served along side several Jedi Knights. They were all noble beings and, at least from what I saw, took no joy in the war or combat, but knew it was necessary to preserve the Republic. So when Chancellor Palpatine announced they had attempted a coup, I found it hard to believe, but I have learned most anything is possible."

"So the Empire came to be, and I returned to my job at Customs, now Imperial Customs. The uniforms and ships may change, but the job is the same. Spice runners, slaver and pirates are still spice runners, slavers and pirates and I had joined Customs to protect people from the likes of them, the look of the uniform or crest on the side of the ship didn't really change that. 

"I began to notice that under Imperial Customs many penalities were overly harsh, inspections were carried out with a rudeness, arrogance and intimidation. We are here to protect the common people... The travelers and shippers and so in.. not frighten and harass them. So I spoke up and voiced my concerns. As I did though, I began to notice that some of my old colleagues, who I am sure felt the same and spoke up as well, began to either be arrested for treason, sedition or what have you, or simoly disappeared. Granted, I think some just left, probably eventually joining the Rebels, but I suspect that just as many, if not more, vansihed into the cluthes of the Imperial Security Bureau."

"So I figured it out in time and shut my mouth. It seems I did it just in time to avoid a visit from the ISB, but the damage, at least to my career, was already done. I may have avoided arrest, but I had made no friends in the new Imperial Customs hierarchy, so no futher promotions were in my future."

"I kept doing my job though. It was still an important job, and I was still protecting people. I figured that at least I could try to train some of the new blood properly. It was an uphill battle though, with all of the propaganda, and influence from their peers. Tal here," Mar said as he patted the young, thin officer on the shoulder, "say through it all. He is one of the good ones who join to protect people, like I had."

"So I did my job, just as I always had. I overlooked small infractions, like small frighters with some illegal modifiactions that I know were only done to protect themselves from pirates. I protected the people, got to know many of the transport captains in the sector and chased pirates all across the sector. I did my job as I say fit andmproper, and that won me no favors with my superiors."

"I did what I could for years, making the little bit of diffrence I could. And then I heard that a Jedi was in custody and Inquisitor Cynis was on the way to... collect them. I remembered the noble Jedi I had the distinction of meeting and serving with i. The Clone Wars, and knew that they are what the Galaxy needs now, more than ever. I was not going to let a Jedi be tortured or executed. So I decided it was try to try and make a real difference, and if I died in themprocess, then at least I knew I had died trying to make the galaxy a better place."

"Over the years I had met or heard of others like myself around the mess and so on. Troublemakers, they called us. I never really spent time with them, because that would surely draw the attention of the ISB. But today that had to change. I went around the frigate and collected those I felt I could trust, Tal and Roki. ...and Arcata, of course, and hatched this plan to spring you. If you were friends with and helping a Jedi, then that was good enough for me. And if not, then Inquisitor Cynis still would have made you wish you were dead. I was not going to leave anybody to that fate."

"I knew those medical supplies still needed to be delivered, so I convinced the Commander tomlet me deliver tham and earn some goodwill for the Empire. He sent along a holo message to play as well, making sure they would know it was from the Empire."

Mar turned to Kayda and said, 

"I hope you do not mind, but we will have to deliver the meds with the holorecording so the people think it is from the Empire, otherwise they may be arrested for associating with a Jedi. It is best you are forgotten by the people. Sorry about that, but from what I know of the Jedi, I am sure it is more important that thempeople get the meds than know who they were rewlly from." he said to her before taking a moment and continuing with his story.

"The delivery of the medical supplies gave a legitimate reason for the ship to depart. That was the first step. The meds were all loaded onto this ship and then Roki and I went to the brig. We bluffed our way in and collected all of you, got you all onto the ship while Tal and Arcata prepped it, and then made our escape before Inquisitor Cynis arrived. Now we are all here, on our way to Finnare to drop off the meds in the name of the Empire, unfortunately."

"Once the meds are delivered, we will have a very hot ship and need to figure out our next step. I have some ideas though. I have been chasing smugglers and pirates across this sector for thirty years, so I know a few people, places and things that the Commander and the other Imperial new blood do not." Captain Mar said with a confident smile.

"Like this hyperspace route. It's an old smuggler's route well off the heavily traveled shipping lanes. Normally the trip to Finnare is a seven hour trip, with a top of the line hyperdrive. We should be there in two." he added.

[Kayda Vayawn]

28 minutes ago, Noir said:

Mar turned to Kayda and said, 

"I hope you do not mind, but we will have to deliver the meds with the holorecording so the people think it is from the Empire, otherwise they may be arrested for associating with a Jedi. It is best you are forgotten by the people. Sorry about that, but from what I know of the Jedi, I am sure it is more important that them people get the meds than know who they were really from." he said to her before taking a moment and continuing with his story.

"The delivery of the medical supplies gave a legitimate reason for the ship to depart. That was the first step. The meds were all loaded onto this ship and then Roki and I went to the brig. We bluffed our way in and collected all of you, got you all onto the ship while Tal and Arcata prepped it, and then made our escape before Inquisitor Cynis arrived. Now we are all here, on our way to Finnare to drop off the meds in the name of the Empire, unfortunately."

"Once the meds are delivered, we will have a very hot ship and need to figure out our next step. I have some ideas though. I have been chasing smugglers and pirates across this sector for thirty years, so I know a few people, places and things that the Commander and the other Imperial new blood do not." Captain Mar said with a confident smile.

"Like this hyperspace route. It's an old smuggler's route well off the heavily traveled shipping lanes. Normally the trip to Finnare is a seven hour trip, with a top of the line hyperdrive. We should be there in two." he added.

"A wise decision Captain. When i left I took everything which was important, I learned long ago not to make attachments to places and things, or people."

She glanced at Roki and the woman, Arcata, before continuing.

"As for seeming ungrateful, please forgive. But the empire was born out of treachery and betrayal which I felt first hand. A modicum of caution is called for."

[z-Roki Fuja]

“My apologies if my words were harsh,” Roki said, taking the implicit rebuke in Mar’s words to heart. “We have all chosen to risk our lives today, in one way or another. I understand what you're saying." They didn't know that he was safe, anymore than he knew they weren't Imperial plants.

“Like Mar, I used to trust in the Empire,” he stated. “They saved my people from being destroyed by a Hutt. I joined them, believing that they had the best interests of people at heart, but in time, I found this wasn’t true. I have been asked to do things that I cannot do anymore. Mar rescued me before my disloyalty and doubt was found.”

He reached down and loosened the straps holding his forearm guard in place. For the last time, he began to shed his stormtrooper armor, wondering if this was what a butterfly felt as it emerged from the cocoon into a new life.

[Noir]

Captain Mar noticed Roki beginning to remove his armor and opened his mouth to suggest he stop, but instead just took a drink from his mug. The young man's body language and demeanor told the Captain a great deal. He could understand how Roki would want to remove the armor, arguably the most well known symbol of the Empire, and leave it behind him. For now the Captain would stay in uniform though, appearances had to be kept up for the innocent people of Finnare if they were to have a chance of being spared Imperial fury.

"The medical supplies are in the cargo hold, the ship is undamaged, you are all on board and nobody is hurt. All in all, I would say it was a good escape." Tal said with a smile.

"But even still, Inquisitor Cynis will know there is a Jedi around." Mar reminded.

"Sorry about your ship though." Tal added with a more somber tone.

"But we can keep an ear open. A ship like that is likely to be sold off, so if we are lucky we can find out when and where, or at least who ends up with it and we can work from there. Greasing the right palms at BoSS (Bureau of Ships Services) can work wonders." the young ensign offered, trying to give Zaylee some hope.

[Zaylee Zanne]

"I'm not hysterical, legs," Zaylee told the much taller woman sharply, but sounding more petulant than anything, possibly due to her high soprano or the shape of her mouth. "Just... , let's say, upset, I lost my ship, my home." The tiny woman gave a bark of laughter then swallowed a big sip of bitter espcaf. "I had a bad feeling about that run to Finnare, but how often does a chance for profit and good intentions together come around, right? Didn't think it would cost me the Endless Odyssey though."

The little transport captain listened with narrowed eyes as Captain Mar and the stormtrooper - sorry, former stormtrooper, explained their reasons for turning from the Empire. She had to admit, Roki? looked a lot less intimidating and a good deal more appealing out of the iconic white armor and wearing a black body stocking. Zaylee stifled a giggle under a muted snort - for some reason, she'd always pictured Stormtroopers as being completely naked under their armor, probably to make them seem less threatening in her mind.

She sighed, then stood up to pace the common area with brisk, animated strides. She nodded at Captain Mar and Roki and if her grin was still crooked, at least it appeared more genuine too. "Yes, well, I'm glad you've done something about the... situation the Empire has put you in, really, but like Kel said, we've never really expected help from others, especially when it comes at risk or cost." Her crooked grin grew wider and she shrugged. "At least Finnare is still going to get those medical supplies."

Zaylee hadn't known Kayda was a Jedi when she had booked passage, and she would admit to herself if no one else that if she had known, she didn't know if she would have let on her ship or not. She was rather nonplussed that Captain Mar seemed only to be helping her and Kel because he believed they had been friends or helping the Jedi, so she wasn't exactly going to disabuse him of the notion, but she couldn't bring herself to warm up to Kayda yet. She didn't know what she felt in regards to the older woman, so she just tried to circumspectly ignore her for the moment.

Her deep blue-green eyes sharpened on Tal, her smile turning fierce, but her nod was grateful. "Oh, I assure you, I assure you all, I haven't given up on getting the Endless Odyssey back. And if we can't find someone... amendable at BoSS, Kel might be able to tickle something out of their systems if we can get access to them for a nanosecond."

Zaylee passed by the table and reclaimed her mug of espcaf and took another sip, her attention turning Arcata, maybe with the tiniest frown of envy for the woman's elegant height, and of annoyance for how easily she had dismissed the loss of her ship. She gestured at her with her mostly empty mug.

"What about you, Arcata was it? Your reasons for being on this ship more or less the same as Captain Mar's and Roki's?"

[SalmonMax]

"Effectively," replied Arcata. There was nuance, of course. Mar struck her as hopelessly lost to nostalgia, pining after days that were long gone and weren't coming back. Roki...her eyes lingered on him for a moment, and not simply because his bodysuit revealed the extent of Imperial physical conditioning in their training program. It was too soon to say if he was like Arcata herself, or simply not emotionally competent to deal with the stress of combat.

In any event, all that would be lost on this Zaylee person, she was sure.

"The Empire has become corrupt, whatever the intentions of its founders has been. I remain loyal to the people of the Empire, but not to the corrupt elements." She paused and gazed levelly at Zaylee. "Unfortunately, the corrupt elements are very difficult to avoid while still working from within. My solution is to move beyond."

She clasped her hands together and squared her shoulders. "Now, we should expect complications on arriving. The Empire knows what to look for, and has a good estimate on where we'll be. If our Captain's Mar's optimistic opinion on our time of arrival is accurate, that will give us no more than a head start. We will need a solid plan to execute by the time we exit hyperspace, or our dramatic escape will only have delayed our capture."

[Kel Uno]

"We?" Kel keyed on the unconscious tone of command and decision usurpation in the newly defected Imperial's voice. Something that he'd heard on Corellia - and it didn't go away overnight. The tone that irritated a certain black-haired, independent slicer, since the only authority he really answered to was his shorter, high-pitch voiced captain: She who Pilots the Ship and Pays Kel. 

And Zaylee's goals, while perhaps a tad on the sentimental side, were far more preferable to whatever this band of renegades were thinking about. "Look, now I could be wrong about this," his look towards Zaylee suggested Kel was pretty sure he wasn't: "But what Zaylee and I are going to do is finish the delivery, then snatch another, more discreet ship and head out. Enemies of the Empire or not."

A complication to their trading life, but Kel already may or may not have been wanted by the Empire before, when that bad job and rotten partners had forced him to flee Corellia. Hadn't caught him or the captain in two years. It was a big galaxy, and the Empire would still have more concerns with people who actually knew stuff, and the Jedi herself than her one-time transporters.

Kel could already feel the looks of Mar, Arcata, Roki... and he wanted to cut off the platitudes at the head. "Hey, we don't like the Empire - but really, don't fool yourself. It's what His Imperial Excellency Palpatine wants it to be - durasteel hand and all - and I'm not keen on taking on him or his minions if I can help it. Whatever you guys intend to do after this isn't going to be in line with us."

[z-Roki Fuja]

“All we need is a head start,” Roki pointed out as he bound his armor together by its straps. It made it into a noisy but more compact bundle to carry. “Time enough to drop the supplies and leave to a non-Imperial or Rebel-claimed port, where we can part ways and scatter to the stars. That is all we need. We’ll be harder to find, once we are separate -- a smaller group draws less attention.”

A part of him wanted to ask to join them, but the only way he’d be trusted again was to find people who had never known him or his past. He’d have to shed his old life like a skin, and find one anew. It shouldn’t be too hard, he told himself. He’d always been lucky.

[SalmonMax]

"Hmm, yes," Arcata mused sarcastically. She turned a little and paced across the room to a viewport in the bulkhead. It wasn't much of a window, but she could see the stars in it. "I suppose that would be the easy thing to do...ours is an alliance of convenience, after all."

"However, you haven't made enemies of 'the Empire'; a faceless, monolithic force that is nevertheless finite and can be avoided. You have made enemies with Inquisitor Cynis." She pronounced the name with thick irony and barely concealed grinding of teeth. "She is brilliant, perceptive, and known even by other Inquisitors as being utterly relentless. By now she has complete files on each of us, and is likely already organizing the search. She will not stop until each of us is in her grasp, or dead; the only way we will pass beyond her power."

Arcata turned to face the others.

"It's not just about this one Jedi, you see. She will assume, for the purposes of the investigation, that we are all willing accomplices, and can lead her to still more of them. Imperial Security is not limited by the boundaries of Imperial territory, and the Inquisitors have fewer limits still."

"Go where you like. Lead what lives you can lead. She will find you."

For a moment she was quiet, then added, "With me you have a chance. I've been trained by Imperial Security. I know their methods. Cynis herself is at the moment insurmountable, but she is only one being in the end. She relies on her networks of spies and informants, and those I am confident I can keep ahead of."

Another pause, then Arcata looked at Mar. "Captain, what's our ETA?"

[z-Roki Fuja]

“We’ll be there in one hour, twenty-five minutes,” Mar said calmly. “We won’t arrive in the system along a major route, so we’ll have that advantage.”

Inquisitors were problems, and from what Roki had heard, Cynis was a bad one. He’d never met her, but the mention of her name often garnered a reaction. There had been one old trooper who had visibly flinched anytime her name had been spoken, compulsively looking over his shoulder and reaching for a sidearm. The guys had done it for fun, but the trooper had never gotten mad. Roki had asked him about it once, and he’d said, “I’d rather fall for that a thousand times than not realize she’s behind me.”

Roki stepped across the room and stopped in front of Arcata. Looking into her eyes, he said, “How do we know that you’re not working for her now? Is this a clever plan to draw out malcontents as well as recapture a Jedi?”

[SalmonMax]

"Finally," said Arcata, meeting Roki's accusing glare evenly. "Someone's asking the right questions. Aside from the fact that it would be a very strange sort of operation...since if they'd known enough to plant me, they'd have already known our plan and could simply have stopped us from escaping in the first place...you don't. In this case however, we've little choice but to work together. You need me to help you keep ahead of the Inquisitor's agents, and I will need a ship that I don't have to pay for passage on. That sort of thing leaves trails that can be followed, witnesses and records that can be traced."

She smiled, a chilly expression. "I'm afraid we're quite stuck with each other. Misgivings notwithstanding."

[z-Roki Fuja]

She had a point. Roki didn’t like it, but she had a very good point. “Fine. Sticking together is a good idea. But you are not in command.”

He knew Imperial Intelligence. Those bastards would worm their way into a simple mission and turn it onto its head in a heartbeat. They always had their reasons, but you could almost guarantee that their reasons were never of benefit to you.

She raised one glossy eyebrow, cold as a Hoth spring. He didn’t give her a chance to challenge that, turning from her and addressing the others. “We need to go into hiding, so now’s the time for suggestions on where to go.” He really hoped no one said Hutt space.

[Kayda Vayawn]

Kayda listened and thought If what the Intelligence officer said was true then things were much worse than she had feared.

"Captain Mar, is what Arcata said about this...inquisitor true? If it is we may be putting the people in the settlement in worse danger by going there now."

Voices of protest started but she raised her hand.

"Hear me out, please. If this Inquisitor knows who we are and she does at least know who you are, then she knows our destination. If we deliver these supplies and leave we will be leaving the settlers at her mercy. And from what Arcta describes she doesn't have much mercy. Also this ship is to distintive."

She glances at Kel.

If nothing else it needs to be striped of imperial marking and something done with its transponder codes. I suggest we drop out of hyperspace find a neutral out of the way place to do that and where i can find another transport. I can take the supplies and in a day or so make my way back to Finnare. One or two extra days won't make that great a difference."

[Noir]

 

2 hours ago, Kayda Vayawn said:

Kayda listened and thought If what the Intelligence officer said was true then things were much worse than she had feared.

"Captain Mar, is what Arcata said about this...inquisitor true? If it is we may be putting the people in the settlement in worse danger by going there now."

Voices of protest started but she raised her hand.

"Hear me out, please. If this Inquisitor knows who we are and she does at least know who you are, then she knows our destination. If we deliver these supplies and leave we will be leaving the settlers at her mercy. And from what Arcta describes she doesn't have much mercy. Also this ship is to distintive."

She glances at Kel.

If nothing else it needs to be striped of imperial marking and something done with its transponder codes. I suggest we drop out of hyperspace find a neutral out of the way place to do that and where i can find another transport. I can take the supplies and in a day or so make my way back to Finnare. One or two extra days won't make that great a difference."

 

"I think we are getting ahead of ourselves a bit now." Captain Mar said as he raised a hand, urging everybody to settle down.

"What Arcata has said does fit with what I have heard about Inquisitor Cynis." Mar concurred before taking a drink from his mug and setting it back on the table.

"There is no disguising this ship. This model, the Guardian Light Cruiser, is built solely for Imperial Customs, well-known by any spacer, and illegal for anybody else to own. We cannot pass it off as some tramp freighter or anything else for that matter. Removing the markings would no good at all, and would likely hurt any value we might end up getting out of her." Tal explained to the Jedi and the rest of the motley, if temporary, crew..

"The meds have to be delivered soon." Captain Mar emphasized as he leaned forward, cupping his mug in his hands on the table and slowly turning it with his fingertips..

"In a few hours Inquisitor Cynis will have that system positively swarming with patrols and probably every Interdictor in the quadrant. They will be stopping and searching every ship coming into or out of that system, trying find us, as it is the best lead she has to go on at the moment." Mar explained, which drew a nod from Arcata.

"That is why we have to deliver them now, before the system is crawling with Imperials. And we are going to be delivering them as Imperials 'on a mission of mercy and goodwill' complete with a recorded holo-message from the Commander himself. None of the locals will see really even see anybody, especially any of you. All they will know is that the med have been deliver by the benevolent Empire. So the Inquisitor should have no reason to particularly interrogate them, or blast them from orbit, and ruin the goodwill that was just earned, when they wouldn't even know they had anything to do with us. Inquisitor Cynis is relentless, but no fool." the Captain said as he leaned back in his chair.

"If we were to somehow arrange for another ship to deliver the meds, then they would arrest that crew, just as they did you, and interrogate them to find us, effectively signing their death warrants. And if you accompanied the med, Jedi, then you would be right back in her clutches." Mar said as he looked over the new faces on his ship.

"That is why we have to deliver them and do it now before this very, very small window of opportunity slams shut on us." he explained, his voice heavy with age and experience.

"Once the meds are delivered and we are out of the system, then we can talk more about our next step. For now, we need to work together and deliver this meds to save these farmers from a plague. Sound good?" the veteran Captain asked from behind his mustache.

 

Spoiler

Interdictors are a class of ship that any freighter captain knows well. They are a special type of Imperial capital ship equipped with 'gravity well projectors' that can stop a ship from entering hyperspace, or yank one out of hyperspace, within their area of effect. They are used for surprise inspection and to stop raiders from fleeing.

 

[Zaylee Zanne]

"Good enough, Mar," Zaylee agreed, giving the former Imperial Captain a nod. She wasn't convinced they needed to stay together, but she could understand Mar's reasoning about this being their only opportunity to see the medical supplies delivered. "And yes, we will really need to talk," she added, giving Arcata a hooded look, "about what we do after Finnare."

The sensible part of her insisted they should just cut and run - any dealings with an Imperial Inquisitor would only be bad, and likely fatal at this point. But she had pride enough in herself as a trader captain to want to see her commission completed, whatever the circumstances, even if they wouldn't get the rest of the payment.

On the other hand, like Tal said, this ship was too hot to hold onto to, but even if they couldn't find a shadowport to offload such a hot commodity as a piece, they could still sell it for its component systems and scrap metal almost anywhere that didn't ask too many questions questions, though they'd take more of a loss. Still, hopefully enough to acquire another ship that didn't need to much work done. I'd like to strip some of the systems from this ship to the next, blinding stars, even for the Endless Odyssey, but we'd never have the time, of get enough for what's left of the Cruiser to even get another ship...

Zaylee's eyes went to Roki, wholeheartedly agreeing with him about Arcata and her not being in command, then shot him an impish grin as she replied to his inquiry as to where to hide. "Why pick anywhere in particular to hide? There are thousands of hyperlane traderoutes, in and out of Imperial space, and millions of ships plying them. We get a freighter and keep moving, keep flying, just another anonymous tradeship among the multitudes. And Kel here is handy with transponder codes and ship identification codes, just in case. Harder to find than being bound to any one planet."

Her suggestion was based on pure, unbiased logic and had nothing to do with her familiarity and comfort with ship life and finding the idea of being trapped planetside with someplace that had stars-forsaken weather on it utterly dreadful. Arcata didn't open her mouth, but a shift in her posture suggested to Zaylee she was going to come out with some smarmy rebuttal to her suggestion and the shorter woman's bluish-green eyes flashed.

"You, you Imperial Spook, are a bitch," Zaylee said in brusque, if sweet sounding, directness. "And saying - claiming - we need you to avoid Inquisitor Cynis isn't making me trust you more."

[Kayda Vayawn]

Once the suggestion of a Jedi even a Padawan would have carried the weight of an order and been followed without question. The realization that this is truly a new world and one which she has been absent from for a very long time settles with heavy weight on her shoulders.

"As you say Captain. I just hope you are right."

 

[SalmonMax]

Arcata gave Zaylee her frosty smile. "I require neither your friendship, nor your trust. I will help you because it is in my best interests to do so. I've made an investment in you. I intend for it to pay off. If I'm in your company, that means guiding your steps and keeping the Inquisitor's eyes off of us. If you were to decide you're better off without me, then the only use I would have for you is to make you a distraction, leading the Inquisitor away from me as I make other arrangements."

"It's your choice, of course. I'd much prefer the first, but I have all contingencies planned for."

[Noir]

Captain Mar nodded to the Jedi and sighed the back and forth between Zaylee and Arcata.

"I think it is best to simply say that all of us working together, at least for the foreseeable future, is mutually beneficial to all of us. It's that simple. Right now though, we focus on the task at hand. Once that is done and we are safe for a moment to catch our breath, we can plan out next move." the middle-aged Captain explained in a calm, cool tone.

"If we are lucky, then we can be in and out of the system before anybody else shows up." Tal hoped as Captain Mar typed into the console on the table, activating the holo-display

Above the table in the various shades of hologram blue appeared a map of a solar system with 6 planets, their orbits and an asteroid belt between the forth and fifth planets. A small label of "Finnare" appears next to the fifth planet as the major hyperspace corridor is highlighted near the other side of Finnare's orbit from its current location.

"If we are unlucky, then they will be waiting for us. Standard Imperial Procedure will depend on how many and what kinds of craft they have. If just a single vessel, then they will be in orbit around Finnare waiting for us. If it is a big capital ship with fighters, then you can count on them being scrambled. If there are more ships, then somebody will be to watching the major hyperspace route where it enters the system, hoping to catch us when we exit hyperspace. They will likely not be watching the right spot though, as this old, smuggler's hyperspace route is not in the Imperial navcomputers and enters the system at a different location than the normal route." the savvy old Captain explained as he typed into the control panel again and a second hyperspace route is highlighted much closer to to Finnare's current orbital location.

"So if they are waiting, it should at least buy us some time." Tal commented.

"If we are really unlucky, then they managed to get one or more Interdictors into the system, either at the edge trying to yank us out of hyperspace prematurely and catch us totally unprepared, or in orbit around Finnare to trap us there if we do make it to the surface. Or maybe both... But if we do encounter an Interdictor over Finnare, then I have a few tricks to deal with them." the wily Captain reassured with a grin.

[z-Roki Fuja]

“It if is an Imperial Star Destroyer,” Roki added, “they’ll deploy walkers and ground troops to the surface. If we do land, we’ll need a plan to deal with them as well. Of course, if you did plot a fast course, we might beat them in and out.” Roki knew that wasn’t full-proof. There was always the possibility that there was a ship in area that was now ahead of them, waiting for them.

Despite the personal risks, he didn’t have any problem delivering the supplies. This was one of the things that he’d joined the Imperial Army to do. He’d instead become a white-armored bully, helping those who helped the Empire and crushing the rest under his feet. Better to die helping others than live in fear.

[Kayda Vayawn]

Looking at the holoprojected maps and listening to all the contingencies then looking around at the assembled crew, Kayda takes a deep breath and sighs inwardly, before speaking to no one in particular.

"I got a bad feeling about this."

[Noir]

Eighty minutes later...

The glowing lines streaking by suddenly shorten into single points of light as the hyperdrive disengages and cruiser drops out of hyperspace. Off in the distance a large, yellow star burns, illuminating a verdant, green-blue world graced with a single ocean. From your vantage point high above, it is obvious that the land mass of the planet is covered with massive, rolling plains and almost entirely lacking of any sort of mountainous or arid regions.

 

Spoiler

Finnare
Type: Terrestrial
Temperature: Moderate
Atmosphere: Type 1 (breathable)
Hydrosphere: Moderate
Gravity: Standard
Orbital Position: 5th of 6
Terrain: Plains with few hills and mountains
Length of day: 26 Standard hours
Length of Year: 312 local days
Sapient Species: Primarily Finnari (near-humans) and Humans
Starport: Limited service
Population: 200 million
Planet Function: Agricultural world
Government: Local councils
Tech Level: Mixed
Major Exports: Food
Major Imports: Droids, Medicine
System: Fina
Star: Fina
Orbital Bodies:
Name        Planet Type
Geth          Barren moon
Gavriel      Barren moon

"That's Finnare." Captain Mar's voice rang out over the ship's intercom, "And it looks like we are first ones here."

"Stay alert though and make sure those laser cannons are primed. We are not sure what could show up, or when." Tal's voice cautioned on the intercom a moment later.

"Shields are raised, Sir. Forward and aft." Tal told the Captain as he manipulated the controls.

"Ensign, head to the hold and wait for my signal to unload the supplies. And make sure the holo-recording is playing when you unload them." Captain Mar instructed Tal.

"Aye sir." Tal replied and exited the bridge.

"I am already plotting our jump out. I have some ideas of where to go next." Captain Mar said to Zaylee with a small, confident grin.

Once in the cargo hold Tal removed his cap and put on goggles and one of the spare, glossy black, Naval Trooper helmets, rendering himself another faceless Imperial. He then strapped on a  gun belt and checked the blaster, hoping he would not need it. With his disguise complete, the young ensign peeked into one crate and pulled it off the stack, setting it aside and securing it.

"All set, Captain." Tal reported over the intercom from the cargo hold.

"Acknowledged." Mar replied and then looked over to Zaylee.

"Okay, you have the coordinates for the med drop off. We have two options for delivering the meds. We can land and offload the pallet, but that means stopping and possibly making ourselves an immobile target. Or we we can do a drag & drop where we lower the ramp, fly at a somewhat slow speed with the ramp brushing the ground and slide off the pallet. I will leave it up to you as to which you are more comfortable with." Mar said to Zaylee, letting her decide what she could handle.

"Drag and Drop. We'll be in and out before the Imperials can blink. It would be no sweat in the Endless Odyssey, but I can swing it in this clunker... I think." Zaylee replied.

"Well the scopes are clear for now, so at your leisure." Captain Mar chuckled.

Zaylee nodded and hunched over the controls, guiding the ship toward the planet as it grew bigger and bigger before them.

"Hang tight. This is gonna be fast. It might not be pretty." she cautioned over the intercom causing Tal to grip the handhold more tightly.

Zaylee coaxed the Customs Cruiser into the atmosphere and soon the lush prairies could be seen below with the tall gasses blowing in the wind like an emerald ocean. Then the first fields came into view, massive farms manned by small families with the aid of agricultural droids. The farms became more and more common until a settlement came into view on the horizon, built into and around a broad hillside.

"There's our target. Tal, activate the holo-recording and lower the ramp. We are going to do a drag and drop. Hold for my signal. ETA 30 seconds." Captain Mar informed on the intercom.

Tal pressed the button on the holo-recorder and an image of the frigate commander appeared and began to speak,.

"Greeting people of Finnare. Please accept these critical medical supplies in your time of need, courtesy of the Empire. The safety and security of all..

The lowering ramp drowned out the sound of the pompous commander as the wind whipped through the cargo hold, prompting Tal to clip the safety line to his belt. The ship quickly slowed and dropped down, skimming the main dirt street toward the medical center with the ramp kicking up a trail of dust behind the ship as it dragged light on the ground. 

"Now ensign." Captain Mar signaled and Tal engaged the repulsors on the pallet and gave it a push, watching the supplies slide down the ramp to the street, chasing after the ship as the pallet gradually stopped.

"The package has been delivered. Now let's get out of here." Tal notified over the intercom as he raised the ramp.

The large cruiser buzzing the street was quite a sight to the onlookers and no less so to the kava birds perched on some of the roofs which were apparently spooked and took to the air just in time for the cruiser to plow through them.

"What the..!" Zaylee exclaimed, and jerked the ship to the side, narrowly avoiding the flock of birds, but sending the ship toward a higher part of the hillside which the ship's current rate climb would not avoid.

"Pull up! Pull up!" Mar shouted as the hillside grew ever closer.

"I am pulling up. This thing handles like a durasteel brick!" she cursed and yanked back on the controls trying to increase the angle of climb until the hill could no longer be avoided.

The entire ship shook as the belly of craft brushed the crest of the hill on its way into the open air.

"I said it might not be pretty." Zaylee reminded, half jokingly, trying to push down the little rush of fear that had welled up inside her moments earlier.

"That you did." Mar laughed, letting off his tension.

The crew breathed a collective sigh of relief as blue skies filled the view ports once again and Tal made it back to the bridge. He took his seat with a small bit of nervous laughter, having been unsure of how well the little freighter captain could handle the ship.

Gradually the blue sky gave way to a black starfield as the ship slipped back into space and began to put distance between itself and the planet, waiting to break free of the planet's massive gravity shadow so the jump to hyperspace could be made.

In an instant a ship dropped out of hyperspace before them, it looked like an Imperial Star Destroyer, but with four massive orbs protruding from the top and bottom of each side of the hull.

 

Spoiler

Click HERE for some theme music.

"That's an Interdictor alright. I can't imagine the course they plotted to get here this fast!" Mar thought aloud.

"Sir, they are scrambling their fighters! Inquisitor Cynis is not playing around!" Tal exclaimed.

The entire ship shook and Zaylee could feel the ship's controls pulling slightly toward the massive capital ship.

"We're still in the gravity shadow of the planet and they just brought their gravity-well generators online. Damnit!" Mar cursed, hitting the console with his fist.

"Make for the asteroid belt at top speed, it's our only chance. Even if they follow us they will not be able to keep the gravity wells up or it will draw the rocks right to them. And start some evasive maneuvers. If they get us in a tractor beam, we're done for." Mar barked.

"We have a dozen TIEs incoming! I sure hope your gunnery last time was not a fluke!" Tal hoped over the intercom.