Log:Black Squadron: Do Not Lose Them Pt I

Black Squad chases terrorists across Cloud City

OOC Date: November 2, 2020
Location: Cloud City, Bespin
Participants: Rey, Bors Thul, Ektor, Elrych Cometburn, Mandl, Jessika Pava, Poe Dameron, Black Squadron

The VCX-100 named Ghost appears beneath the massive station settled in the cloudy pocket of the gas giant Bespin. Putting all context aside on why they're here, the view is a spectacular one dominated by the grand spire at the bottom of the hovering station. Poe Dameron is at the controls of the Ghost reaching forward to guide back on their impulse speed. BB-8 warbles a worried sound and Poe frowns. "Happy beeps, buddy. Come on now. Everything will be fiiine."

"Alright guys.. I'm looking for our contact. They have access to a secret landing where I can set you guys down. Word is we have a contact in the area of this local mining facility that has first hand knowledge of the complicated corridors, and more intel on a hostage situation we've been asked to take care of. Major Pava will lead you in and you guys will go from there." The craft continues to fly along the underside of Cloud City drawing closer to its main spire. Below, swirling clouds of sandy tan and red hint at the crushing forces of gravity that linger beneath them. A terrible fate, to be sure, yet Poe can't help but feel trapped beneath this massive station wondering when its propulsion system, or whatever kept it in the air, might give out and them to the crushing depths of the gas giant's core. "Happy beeps," Poe says to himself while making a fist of a shaky hand.

<"Did you just say everything will be fine?"> Major Jessika Pava cues up over the communication net while being queued up at the Ghost's tethering hatch to go from the ship to Cloud City. "I hate it when he says that.." She murmurs it more to herself more than anyone else around her, but given the enclosed space, others might. Jessika's not the nervous type. Even despite General Dameron's insistence everything will be fine, she waits for the signal to go. She's completed her checks long before this. The only thing she's been doing is waiting. Waiting for the moment to go. Her left arm hangs limp by her side. The right rests against the curve at the top of her Blaster Carbine's pistol grip, forcing it to weigh down against her harness.

Mandl's team of suboordinates, contacts and allies has indeed provided an out-of-the-way platform for the landing-- the lights flash an agreed-upon code of pulses and colors to signal: "safe harbor, your stop, all ashore them that's comin' ashore." While Dr. B'rot may not have unquestioned control of the Bespin City Guard, mechanics and gas-filtration engineers and janitors can accomplish much! The red-suited Bith awaits touchdown, leaning cinematically on a cane topped with a custom-shaped lump of coal. The engineers and miners and sanitation crew mill about the background, ensuring safety and secrecy both...

Elrych was in his Robes. He'd fit in with the populace more than likely but ws certainly an unfamiliar face. The dark green hood of his cloak was up over his head as he peered out the viewport into the brilliant swirls of Bespine's upp clouds. "You think maybe there's lightsaber crystals in the heart of this giant? I read that with the right ship you can zip in and out, lightspped skip to the heart and grab one."

The Corellian had been spending too much time in the Library lately. Godo or bad, he had been learning a lot. He wasn't sure what motivated him, the force's pull was strong. Yet a meeting with a young Senator had spured him into hard research. So far, what ever it was he was looking for was elusive and elsewhere. A practive for his patients and willpower over frustration. Perhaps the Force was just testing him.

There is a look to Jess and nod when she says she hates when he says then. A glance with blue eyes to Mandle before he nods an affirmation and follows.

"Come on: happy beeps, Jess," Ektor drawls with a crooked grin. He checks the charge on his pistol, finds it a bit low, and visibly debates replacing the blaster pack, before shrugging. "It'll be fine, yeah? Arright, which way we going to do the thing?"

Elrych was in his Robes. He'd fit in with the populace more than likely but was certainly an unfamiliar face. The dark green hood of his cloak was up over his head as he peered out the viewport into the brilliant swirls of Bespine's upper clouds. "You think maybe there's lightsaber crystals in the heart of this giant? I read that with the right ship you can zip in and out, lightspeed skip to the heart and grab one."

The Corellian had been spending too much time in the Library lately. Good or bad, he had been learning a lot. He wasn't sure what motivated him, the force's pull was strong. Yet a meeting with a young Senator had spured him into hard research. So far, what ever it was he was looking for was elusive and elsewhere. A practive for his patients and willpower over frustration. Perhaps the Force was just testing him.

There is a look to Jess and nod when she says she hates when he says then. A glance with blue eyes to Mandle before he nods an affirmation and follows.

The City in The Clouds. And he is now found shelled and armed rather than drenched in silk and robes to enjoy himself and the views. Alas the calling has its requirements and to be so close to paradise but not enjoy would be one of them. "Later." murmured out the window before he swings up his EE-3, slipping the strap over his shoulder in order to let it hang with his hand on the grip.

"Nary a fear, M'lady Major - what that we would find worry in our Lord General's well wishing is a self fulfilling prophecy of woe. Even if his tidings are made on the edge of nerves I go forth in confidence that we shall have success. Be it by gentle negotiation or wild display of arms and immolation by plasma bursts!" Great. Bors is in a good mood. A bit of a kick to his step and a particularly cheery sparkle to the Lord's smile as he settles against one of the jump seats, awaiting landing and the go to disembark.

"Mother and Father, I should have wished we came at sunset!" looking to Ektor, "But knowing the Major I have but only yourself and Elrych to enjoy the company of for a dance ere the end of daylight which is fraught in two particular pains. One I don't wish to dance with either of you, but I think Lord Ektor might not care should the mood sweeps him and from hence I will know only terror and pain." waggling his brows.

Rey's hood is up, she's wearing a grey spacer's jacket over her shoulders though that covers up the rest of her otherwise white clothing. She glances over at Elrych when she hears his comments and shakes her head. "Lightspeed skipping only leads to destruction and misery." She replies, hoping Poe didn't overhear that somehow.

She moves to stand up and reach for her bag to drape it over herself as she follows the others, listening to them speak, but otherwise staying mostly quiet for the time being. She's never been to Bespin before, though she's heard Threepio and Artoo talk about it here and there while they gab at each other like old people in a hair salon.

Seeing the prompt, the Ghost appears in short order with its frame panning up in orientation in order to come into view. The hatch the team is waiting at has a light that goes green, signaling it is safe to depart the vessel. There is a small gap from the ship and the hatch threshold and the platform they are stepping onto where Dr. B'rot is awaiting them. That gap shows the swirling clouds below, and the platform they step on is windy, whistling loud. This is not a place one should test-spin their weapon on their finger, Ektor.

"Alright Jess, your contact's name is Dr. B'rot. They should be waiting for you upon disembarking. They will have the full scop of the situation. I'll remain on station should you need any remote support. Dameron out."

"They're lying to you, Elrock. Even a lightspeed skipped jump into crushing gravity is still a second in crushing gravity. All it takes is one little crack in the hyperdrive or for an engine cell to rupture.. One little glitch in whole system and then you're nothing but some red mist pushed out through all the orifices of your body. Psychics suck." She may not have a doctorate from some fancy university regarding any of this stuff, but she knows at least one person on this ship who would trust Jessika when it comes to what might be crazy enough to work and what will lead to pretty much instant death. She has, more than once, been the thumbs up or thumbs down deciding factor on a few plans in her time.

Bubs waxes poetic about something and Jessika fixes him with a brow-knitted stare that both expresses her obvious refusal to do the mental gymnastics required to discern what he means and, simultaneously, that he should probably shut up. "Don't jinx us, Bubbles." She groans half a second later when he addresses Ektor as Lord Ektor. "And don't get him started. Now he'll be all over the place demanding people call him Lord." Children. She's babysitting children. The youngest person in the entire group, and sh-- well, no, Elrych's younger than her, she guesses. This entire mental trip is visible on her face, at first detailing lamentation and then some semblance of, 'Yeah, alright. That's fine.' Deep breath in. Slow exhale out, just to the point she can hear it as noise somewhere between her ears.

She disembarks first, Poe's voice filling her ear. "Doctor Tor'b?" It's a trick, of course. If it's not their guy, maybe he'll mess up and agree to a name he shouldn't. It's little tricks of the trade like that which display her paranoia. That and the way her hand's shifted since disembarking so that her gloved finger rides along the trigger well and her hand is fully seized around her weapon's grip. Play time is over.

Mandl *clears throat,* demure. "If your Bith pronunciation is substandard, 'Mandl' is acceptable." They extend a hand for a shake? If touching be unwelcome, it becomes a leading-gesture seamlessly enough. 'Inside,' they beckon wordlessly, leading the group and explaining: "The concentration of... hostile elements... is in two sectors, ore-processing and one of our dockyards. These militants clearly wish a pipeline of loyalist hands leading product from ingot-to-hold without interruption." A pause beside a nearby terminal lights up the contested sectors easily enough, and a 'primary path' with secondary veins of alternate (although more circuitous) routes snake off the main pipeline.

"Oh no Lord Buhbors, you see. Xer like's to dance. Specifically like a fairy. Well, one time anyways. Unfortunatly such suggestion only lasts for a certain ammount of time." The Jedi looks over his shoulder at the Tionese pilot and wink, lips curled into a very cocky yet uniqely Corellian smirk. He glances to Jess and Rey as they issue their warning, causing him to purse his lips in mild disapointment. "You're both right but... still. The darring dshing young and brash Pilot in me /really/ wants to try it someday."

He steps off after Jess, not bringing his lightsaber out just yet. No need where there's no threat and a possiblity to talk your way out of a situation.

Who was he kidding, this was a Black Squadron Mission.

"B'rot... sounds like an insect pesticide."

When Mandl speaks up he presses his lips into a line again, taking his lightsaber into hand but not ignighting it. He should have known better.

Ektor's face runs through a wide array of expressions as Bors soliloquies: from confusion, to amusement, to worry, and back to an even deeper confusion. "Arright, no lie, did anybody understand what he just said? Anybody?" Back to the Aldaraanian. "Was.. you asking me out?" A dumb chuckle to Elrych. "Rekk you, I made that dance WORK." He then needles the Major, "More like, 'oh LORD, Ektor', yeah? Yeah? Come on, that was funny. I know you're laughing on the inside." A grin aside to the nearest person, who turns out to be a Jedi. "She secretly loves it." A knowing nod is given to Rey before he disembarks with a limping swagger. He'll shake hands if Jess doesn't! With more enthusiasm than Mandl would probably prefer, but..

Jessika's looks is met with his constant grin, though his cheek dimples some and he tilts his head at her... just so. "By your leave then, Major. I shall be our luck charm as has become my place. Carbine shouldered and still yet a bit of jaunt in his step while his eyes flick from point to point while he responds to Ektor,

"Oh no, sirrah - I have no intention of courtship with you - I am sure that such a thing would be seen as ghastly by our Lady Major whom would smite me, first, as I am 'the new guy' as it were. Forfeit would my life be and I have much to do, yet." nodding to the Bith as he speaks, eyes turnung to Rey - noting the appearance from news feeds, wanted posters of old, but never live before.

"Star above, M'lady. I had not recognized you at first. A pleasure. Call me Buhbors. Or Bubbles as my Lady Major has deemed me this day in her infinite patience, and wisdom."

"Mm." Rey softly comments after Ektor, glancing at him and smirking. "I keep all my greatest loves a secret." She teases back at the other before she looks forward to see Jess moving onward, her hands going to her satchel strap that crosses ove her body. She steps over the gap, taking sight of the nothingness below. "Elrych, if you ever attempt that feat, at least tell us before you do it, so we don't make too much food that night and wonder where you are." She additionally teases him before jus following along, not yet feeling any desire to draw any weapons.

Rey looks up to Bors and shows him a sincere smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I hope you'll help me keep everyone inline tonight, and not attempt to go grabbing gemstones in the hearts of gravitational compactors?" She asks with a smile. "Bubbles is a fun name too, I like it." She adds on a second later.

A single hatch leads into the heart of the station and maze of corridors. The walls, like the door, are an onyx shade with bright white lights. The lights are not overwhelming because they are small, like buttons you might see in a cockpit, and clearly the product of good engineering decisions where someone said 'a little bit goes a long way.'

The places Mandl has indicated using the map place the team /beneath/ the production facility, so their first task is finding a way UP. Then a point of entry that might afford them a strategic advantage.

Behind them, the Ghost's hatch closes and backs from the platform entirely. Lowering down it disappears from view though the roar of its engines detail its departure and fade in sound.

With any hope, Mandl will be able to guide the team where they need to go.

Jessika makes hand contact with the Bith, but it's not a shaking of hands. It is, in fact, almost absent-minded the way that his extended hand is treated, first in the way that she gently bumps the base of her fist down on top of it, then bumps the bottom of the Bith's hand with the top of her first on the way back up. It's a gentle tap from there, right to the palm, followed by a little explosion noise replicated by the placement of her tongue, the slight puff of her cheeks, and a spreading and wiggling of her fingers as if they were the flying sparks afterwards. "Call me Testor. Lead the way, Doctor." She doesn't like being herded, but herded they must be. At the far back of the troop, Ailee's cords deploy to grasp onto the walkway.

After a simple heave over, the droid rolls forward, silent but keeping a watchful eye. Ailee only proceeds forward once they're brought to a terminal, and then she's rolling up to Jessika's side. "Do you mind if my droid downloads a copy of this map and these marked sectors? Those tunnels will get confusing when we're down in the mix. Any other information you can provide? Numbers? Armaments?"

Mandl indicates the 'droid is more than welcome to copy the maps, nodding. "The standard corridors are, at most, three persons wide-- main areas widen to account for trucks and carts. Count on at least fifteen hostiles-- that is a standard shift-complement. Blasters don't present an immediate danger, but the danger increases as more tibanna enters the mix. The more weapons-fire, the less you will want to be present to maintain all your arms and legs in working order." They consider, coolly. "... there is a 'droid-sized service corridor, but Dr. B'rot cannot guarantee it is safe or advantageous. They may have enough foresight to countermand it."

"Sounds like Buhbors got a crush on you, Testor." Elrych says as he follows along, nodding towards the Doctor, "Doctor..." He says in that stiff and brooding sort of way that's expected of a proper Jedi. There's a look over his shoulder to Xer, a snerk escaping him before his attention falls on Rey. "Not to worry. I'm not leaving you guys any time soon. Who'll annoy you all otherwise with my charming wit and off color humor."

He pauses to listen to the docrot. "Huh... alright... I think I got a braething mask. Stang tibanna Gas in a pain." As if he had had experiance with it before.

Ektor gets a smile as Mandl mentions a cramped, risky option. A slow look and crooked grin slide aside to Jess. "You're thinking it, yeah? I *know* you're thinking it.. let's do it, yeah? They'll never see it coming.." A short cackle follows.

Mandl offers, with some trepidation: "You may leave the navigating to a 'droid? Maps and computers are natural friends, but: Mandl is also willing to lead the counterinsurgent force, if you will have Dr. B'rot. 'Bad for business' is 'bad for Mandl.'"

"Likened to herding Loth cats, m'lady." Bors responds to Rey as he keeps with Jessika's lead. Listening to Mandl speak and trusting the Major to keep them on the right path. He should be pondering method and procedure... But it's Rey. He can't help it.

"M'lady might I say that the rose of Bespin's cloudy glow suits you as backdrop and that were I be a citizen I would feel you would belong among the clouds." free hand flourishing as he offers a half bow while he strides. Carbine brought to low ready posture as he shakes his head and brings his thoughts to the present.

Pay attention Bors.

Well we are.

To the mission.

Yes. quite right.

"Fie on that, Elrych - The Major is beyond the reach of mortal men. I would not insult her to say she was within reach of even my most strenuous attempt at affectionate attention - for she is the sun and we are the grub-worms beneath the stones she bakes to cooking heat with the fire of her feared gaze."

Rey is near the back of the group with her hand son the satchel strap yet still. Her hood is up and two loose strands of brown hair are framing the sides of her face from beneath the white fabric. She glances over to Bors and his flowery words to offer him a bright smile. "You're good at that." She says. "You must've taken a class, or read a book, I assume?" She asks, just because she's not great at such banter, and is just trying to play along.

Her stare does sweep forward though as she listens to Mandl's rundown of whats to come, it sounds... troublesome, but they'll make their way through it, they always do.

"You hear that, Ektor? The ma--.. Bith said no bombs. Too much boom." What's the standard on that? Jessika corrects herself, ever conscious of identifying someone as they should be. "Droid-sized service corridor, you say?" Ailee bleeps an indicative and Jessika surveys it on the display. Ektor sounds like a kid on Life Day and Jessika's hand makes some general sweeping, shooing gesture at him, not even glancing at him in the process. It's an easy gesture to read, like some parent discouraging their child from interrupting while they're on the holo-call. Yes, yes, she's got it. Cramped as it may be, she sees it for what it is. Their golden opportunity. "Great, we'll take it. Does it come in red?" It's a rhetorical question.

Ailee finishes downloading the available information and Jessika braces her left hand on her hip while considering. "Alright, listen up! Stop hitting on the lady, Baubles. And.. me." She has to give him a look again, once more almost refusing to take the time to decipher the flowery loopholes of his language. Shaking her head slightly at the end, she gestures with two fingers towards Elrych. "Elrock, you're on point when we go through this thing. If anything bad comes at us down the corridor, like, I dunno, blaster fire, you and Rey are our best bet. Rey, do you mind taking up our six? Figure the rest of the team will move in the middle, and if necessary, we can follow either or to safety should something go down in the tunnel."

She glances to Mandl, then, eyebrows hiking. "You sure you wanna get into this fight? Bad for business may be bad for Mandl, but I'll tell you what else is bad for Mandl, and that's a shot to the.. face.." She briefly wonders if that's what Bith call their dominant features and stumbles through the end as a result. She gestures with her left hand at her own, trying to indicate, in general, the brain housing group as what she means. From gesturing at her own to vague gestures at his, then back to hers. ...He gets it, she thinks.

Mandl does explain to Jessika, with only the faintest air of 'why yes, this is printed on a card I keep in my space-wallet!' "Do not trouble yourself with Mandl's pronouns-- you may use both, neither or any, it is of no consequence to Dr. B'rot. An adorable wasting of time to this Bith. But yes, we-- we have 'faces.'" Mandl indicates their frontally-loaded skull area, with eyes and nostrils and a respirator-covered... thing...

"See Buhbors, Testor is a really pretty Gal. you know, a little rough around the edges but I know why you'd like that. It's what I like about Vhe." He winks back at Buhbors. "See you can't tell her she's the shining star and all that romantic stuff. You gota just sing to her, you know. Show her a smile and sing." He turns back nod nods to Jess, winking and smirking as he passes her.

Taking point as ordered he starts to sing, "Put your head on my shouuulder..... Hold me in your arms... bayyyyy beee. Squeeze me oh so tight, show me... that I'm the one you love." A longing look back to Jess, clearly fake and amused.

Unfortunatly for Elrych, his abilities were hampered by the mission and just how serious it was. While his normal charms were acceptional, at least in his own head, his singing was off key and the acoustics were just not great in here. The pimple on his chin wasn't helping either. He still had his lightsaber in hand of course, ready for anything that approached.

No bombs? "Yeah, yeah, I heard the one with the face," Ektor answers Jess. "No bombs, there, I said it-" Then Elrych tries singing, "Never mind, that was definitely a bomb. And a dud." A firm hand on Elrych's shoulder guides the Jedi toward the droid chute. "Come on, kid: that death trap of an access hatch is way safer than you standing here, yeah?" A crooked grin.

"I grew up in the Courts, M'lady." Bors notes to Rey, following her gaze, "And I am oft loathe to abandon the language of them." brows closing together as he addresses Jessika next "And have no fear, M'lady Major - I make no intention to 'hit on' as you say. I speak only truths." But he quiets none the less, with an expression showing he is looking considerably pleased with himself... Until Elrych sings.

By the Mother...

He blanches and looks to Rey, again "Might thee save me from this clearly deepest of the Corellian hells with thy blade of fire?" tapping his hear, "Through here. For assurance of affect. I shall be your grandest admirer for your kindness in granting me the swift release so that I nary be made to endure such again." humming to himself,

"Funny is it not that proper speech is given title of flirting and never expected to be simple truth." a wink before he is humming again. No bombs, careful of the tibanna. He can worry about that later when he must. For now there is precious time for enjoying the moment.

Mandl asks, of Bors' companions: "... has anyone brought a protocol 'droid? Mandl needs all that in Galactic Basic?"

Rey's eyes dart forward to Jessika, who gets a soft expresison from her along with a nod of understanding. "I've got the flank." She replies to Jess, one of the people she's knonw the longest from the Resistance days. Her eyes soon there-after dart back to Bors who gets another soft smirk from the Jakkuan-raised woman. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry, I left my fire sword at home." She teases back in good humor before she does look once more around at their situation. "Don't worry though, I brought a sharp spoon. We'll be fine." She says in a loud whisper further to Bors. A look is then given to Mandl. "I left my protocol droid at home as well." She says softly to them also (but that one is true.)

The route they take is one that's mapped to be a shorter. Shorter how? An air lift. Stepping into a pressurized tube typically used by droids, the group must trust physics. One at a time, they go into the shaft and the pressure air 'shoots' them upward in a groan and hiss! The air slows at the next level, preventing them from just SMASHING into the ceiling at full force. The door hisses open, and the corridor is dark and full of terrors..

There are no lights in this droid service route because droids did not need them. THAT is where Ailee came in handy. Not only had her light come on, she traced the path to the service entry and paused, whipping its head back to focus on the GREAT DESTROYER, warbling affirmation to proceed.

When given the command, the droid prods the hatch open, the door widens enough for a bi-pedal maintenance droid to pass through, and the production center on the otherside is much, much larger.

Ugnaught workers waddle arouns snorting and SQUEEEING at one another in their snorty language. There are other beings here too, working conveyor lines that lead from the fiery refineries. It is HOT in this room, and like Mandl indicated, there are fifteen (15) BAD GUYS patrolling the production lines with high-powered custom blaster rifles.

At present, there is an argument between a small blue Ortolan and a tall human. "I don't care how hot the refinery is. You will produce this ore quickly, and now, or we'll start killing until production improves. The Ortola makes a sad noise, its trunked head dipping down in defeat and worry. Something must be wrong for it to be so hot, right?

For the first time in forever, Jessika Pava remembers to bring her droid along. It turns out to be a great idea, because Ailee proves invaluable. She eases their passing, and when Jessika starts to slip out of the maintenace corridor, she's a little stunned by the size of this production center. She also hates it, immediately. It's hot, it's smelly, and the telltale mucous-snorting, spittle gurgling, wee-squealing language of Ugnaughts begin filling the room. A vein in Jessika's eye throbs. Her trigger finger itches. She hates that noise. So much. Staying crouched low, she moves into a position outside of the corridor, hoping to find both cover and a place to view the situation at hand from. She makes motions with her hands, indicating for her compaions to do much the same. Maybe, for once in their entire lives, they can resolve something without fighting. Jessika wouldn't put money on it, but there are Jedi present, and they abhor that whole senseless killing thing, so she's trying to respectful here.

Mandl, huddled at a console in the dragon's belly, remembers their role-- a portly Bith, but a master miner nonetheless! Quickly, efficiently they wield their expertise: in this instance, halting the plans of those who would turn Bespin to nefarious ends. It ends here, it ends tonight. It ends... now.

Of course once one Elrych is properly shut up and returned to seriousness he's quiet and collected. Taking up point, he pauses at the exit to the droid shaft and lets Jess out so she can make a sweep. He raises an eyebrow to her reaction reguarding the Ugnaughts but makes a note to probably question it later. He keeps as low as her, head bobbing as he hell toes his way behind her to some cover. Squinting while looking at the human arguing with the alien he attempt to reach out with the force to gett a better read but the machines and ugnaught sounds are far too distracting. More training have he must.

Ektor slips to one side as they emerge from the dark access corridor into the miserable HEAT of the smelting chamber. Old blaster in hand, he takes a few unhurried paces to the left, to give himself a better angle on the blaster toting brigands oppressing one Ortolan. Under his breath, inaudible to anyone not next to him, "It's okay, little blue guy. We'll kill em good for you, don't be all sad like that."

A wider twisting smile at everyone's declaration that his speech is indiscernible, but he does quiet as they grow closer. Walking in shadow and keeping low when they find their way to the production center. An ortolan made sad is such the wrench the heart of any who has an iota of decency. Lips moving slowly and a whisper barely audible running from them.

"Listen to my voice, close your frightened eyes and hide behind the Mother's love for you. Fear is only a choice; one that we all must make some day. So know thou are not alone in this." his fingers cup and lift a bead of polished, dull, gray stone to his lips before it is dropped again. He looks to Jessika's motions and raises his hand, touching his brow and then his heart before he juts his head towards the goon. A 'Trust me' look before he steps forward.

Gone is his posture of the soldier on approach. His blaster is shouldered in casual stance of a man in full confidence as shoulders square, strides lengthen and the air of a man used to facing down galleries of vipers and crouching predators settles around him.

Mother give me calm. Father give me strength.

"Gentlebeings - your unlawful affair is one that has garnered the attention of those who would see you cease this and some are those who would take such extremes to end it with an unmistakable finality. I would not see you harmed, let alone slain. For even on some level you too must consider life precious, if only your own it is still a treasuring of it." smile flashing to blinding brilliance, "Know your life is as dear to me as my own. Life must persist and I give this chance to let us all know its glory and the chances that come with each new hour. My friends. Lay down arms and we shall find time to laugh and the middle ground - rather than another battleground reeking of blaster exhaust and echoing with the screams of the wounded. Embrace life with me and we may yet all return home hale and healthy. Stop these actions, please."

One of the things best about being on a new world for Rey, is that it always reminds herthat she's not on Jakku anymore. She's not... doing that terrible routine any more, she's away from that, she'd found an escape, and though it had been an, eventful journey, to say theleast, she's happy to be here to see this new location as they travel together. Even if she's focusing on keeping her mind where it is, in the now, to search for hidden danger.

As it happens though, Danger is not so hidden, but rather obvious in this moment. As the others move to address the large group of armed men, Rey just stays back, peering out of her hoode and glancing to Jessika for direction before looking to.. the others, Bors speech certainly draws her attention.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Rey says quietly to Jessika.

The refineries shut down in a sudden and provoking way. The man who had been arguing with the Ortolan stomps forward pointing with his free hand. "WHAT THE HELL IS THE MATTER WITH IT NOW?! FIX IT! GET IT BACK ONLINE! WE DON'T HAVE TIM--" He's cut off by the projecting voice and the room grows unnervingly quiet.

The compelling speech of the Alderaanian noble strikes many of the evil-doers at heart. Choosing life over death, and in the face of a group that /seemed/ to materialize out of no where without them even knowing it. The surprise prompts 8 people to drop their weapons on the deck, and the miners picked them up. This is cause for alarm as the remaining seven, including the one who did our innocent Ortolan buddy bad. "What are you doing, people?!" He declares. "WE OUT NUMBER THEM! OPEN FIRE.. KILL EVERYONE!"

Black Squadron moves like a well-oiled machine. Infiltrating from the droid service corridor, Jessika watches as the individual members of her team move into advantageous positions. There's a factor here, though, outside of her control, and Jessika feels the pit of her stomach drop when she spies the Bith, Mandl, moving towards one of the control consoles around the room. Not just moves towards it, but accesses it and begins a shutdown of what she assumes to be the refineries workings. Oh, no. This is going to turn into a slaughter. They're not all ready, yet, and if the blaster fire gets one of them pinned down.. Jessika feels the tension of this ordeal and it makes her want to crawl out of her skin. She looks for some semblance of extra advantage.

And that's when she locks eyes with Bors Thul. He kisses one thing, kisses the other, and makes gesture with his head towards one of the individuals. Jessika stares blankly athim, not at all reading anything the Alderaanian is trying to intimate with his gestures. Maybe he'll get that message with the blatant confusion spelled out across her face and the way her shoulders are lifting up in a shrug, as if to say, 'What the drek are you talking about?' What, indeed, Bors Thul. What, indeed, for Jessika seems to suggest she understands him half as well as the time he deserves, and half as much as the time that he expects. He strolls out and Jessika's hands tighten painfully on her blaster carbine. Rey speaks up. Jessika glances towards her.

"I hate bad feelings!"

She hisses it, low, because they shouldn't be making too much noise.

It.. goes better than she expects, but also ends exactly as she expects, and as soon as the seven remaining hostiles set to the task of opening fire, Jessika doesn't wait. No sooner has the man shouted to kill everyone that her carbine barrel snaps up and she does just that. This smaller platform is easy to control. Almost scarily easy to get a shot lined up and two shots squeezed off to leave her target crumpled up in a heap, reducing their number to six.

Mandl's frantic work at the console was interrupted by 'a cambat,' where the doughy Doctor did their damndest to dissuade devilish-- shot some fools, yo, thereafter seeking cover behind dense mining equipment in a poorly-lit corridor-- safety first, and all!

Elrych rises forth from the Cover as soon as only some give up the fight. Without hesitation he reaches out with the force, hand stretched out. One of the still armed men slams face first onto the ground and slides violently forward and up a wall. He stays there. With his other hand, the one holding his lightsaber, the red button is pressed and the neon blue mephite blade comes to life with a unnerving squell before it creshendos into a soft whisper of a humm. "That is probably not a great choice..." He offer with honesty, his hood still up, the blue of his blade masking a glow across his otherwise darkned face. The white hot glow the blades center reflect deeply in his already icey blue eyes.

"All I heard was 'open fire, kill everyone', yeah?" Ektor hollers back at the remaining hostiles, naturally *while* opening fire and blasting away merrily. He drops one gunman with a air of blasts, before scorching the wall beside another's head. "Listen, I know the one with the face was all 'too much tibanna in cambat gets bad', but I see it like this: if we shoot enough NOW, that's less shooting later, yeah? So the more we shoot, the less gets shot. Basic math, right there." Ektor may not understand math.

One needn't be a Jedi to feel the disappointment that is the core of Bors when the remaining number lift arms at the war cry of the defiant. Blasterfire begins raining around him and smashing into the bodies of those choosing to fight. Bors backpedals while his arm swings down, carbine spitting fire into the ceiling before the second cuts down one of those still standing after being struck by his comrades.

"Mother guide my spirit to find forgiveness for the lives that I must take to preserve others. Father guide my hand that it be the righteous and the aegis for those who cannot take up arms. Let me be wicked so they remain pure. Let me seek redemption so that they need not."

The words have been heard before but they're spoken with feeling and not by rote. His rearward movement is mixed with a dive for a cover position to get behind, back resting against cool metal and his head falling back to thump quietly.

"Or we could just shoot at one another like savages! Thank you! Good talk!" eyes rolling skyward.

Rey's heart sinks when not all of the men decide to leave, she's well aware of where this manner of thing turns to, and generally its not good, for them. She watches the fighting break out and tries to head it off before more bodies hit the ground. "We're not here for this!" Rey shouts out to a group of their foes, attempting to lace her words with an effort of compelling their minds to run away. "Leave this place!" She adds quickly, but even so, she knows it didn't work, she can feel it having slipped through their minds and not taken hold.

A heavy exhale escapes her lips as she reaches for her blaster adorning the outside of her right thigh, taking the weapon by its black handle and drawing it out of the leather holster.

Despite Rey's valiant effort to affect the minds of those who chose combat, fear took hold as they witnessed the quick slaying of their friends and without the support of those who had surrendered, they knew they could not defeat this squad. "Rekk this.. come on.. get back to the boss. LET'S GO!" They backpedal, moving toward the open corridor that led to the dockyards, like Dr. B'rot had said.

Black Squad gives pursuit, chasing down the wide and well lit corridor that expanded into a hangar bay. They arrived just as a large air-speeder truck hatch closed. "GO, GO, GO!" Someone yelled, slapping the side of the speeder to encourage the driver to launch. WAHHHHRHHHHRHRRNNNN! The engine roars, impulse thrusters going blue as it propels into the open air outside the station.

Black Squad's choice of ride to pursue? You guessed it.. a series of dinky looking, outdated CLOUD CARS!

Jessika's at a full sprint down the hallway after those attempting to flee. She knows that the chances of being able to stop them once they flee in whatever method of transporation awaits is going to get significantly lower. Especially if there's more than one. <"TESTOR TO GHOST. THEY'RE ESCAPING OUT A HANGAR NEAR THE ORE REFINERY."> Maybe Poe can cut one off. She's yelling, of course, because she's taking big, deep breaths as she runs, left arm sawing through the air, right keeping her blaster carbine from bouncing around and smacking against her torso. Better a just slightly slower speed than her weapon rebounding up and off its single-point clip to smack her in the face. No one wants to be smacked in the face by their blaster.

She could stop and consider and stare, jaw-dropped, at the relics of the past sitting before her. Or she could just go after them. Ailee rolls beside her, effortlessly keeping up on their way to the ships. <"GOING TO PURSUE."> There was no real other option here. Jessika almost goes sliding right on by the ship when she attempts to stop, so great is her momentum. She scrambles for the steps nearby. <"Pair up! Last one flies solo!"> Whoever makes it to her first gets to go with her.

Mandl scrambles to their nearest Cloud Car, belatedly tumbling into their seat! Restraints on! "... ach, this. This is a thing now."

Elrych bolts as soon as the enemy starts to retreat. He's fast, clearly having a lot of experiance running in the past. In fact, it's what he used to do quite a bit back on Corellia as a kid. He gathers the force to assist in his speed, a gradual increase to the ammount already flowing through him. He arrives not far behind jess, exstinguishing his saber and hopping into the other seat of her speeder. He's got a smile, "Sweet ride Testor. You sure know how to tread a guy." Cheesy wink and smile.

Ektor sees the truck escaping. Looks, and sees the old cloud cars. A slow smile bends his lip as the Tionese pirate hollers, "Orange Squad!" with irritating enthusiasm as he hurry-limps for one of the cockpits. He's not even sure which one does what. "Tell me these things got bombs, yeah??" He hurry-hobbles toward the last one, calling to the Bith, "Hell *yeah*. This is a THING, now! Powering up annnnnnd WE'RE OFF." He didn't even put the safety harness on!

Bors registers Jessika shouting, panicked flight of escaping thugs and then the open air. Mother and Father - this view. Bors is actually caught up in it for just a moment, the noble admirer of all beauty looking up, "This planet. Really - I hate to have to fight here." looking out on a view of gentle rolling clouds both of the planet's own makeup and of giant jellyfish creature farts that are chased after, to be collected.

So that people can shoot... exploding fart beams. At other people. We're shooting fart beams at each other people. FART BEAMS.

But back to Jess's dulcet bellowing. Pairing up... Flying solo. In those. Oh,

"No no... that's not a ship that's a carnival ride with guns." sighing but charging forth, following after Rey while Elrych 'Meep Meep' Cometburn surges past and ahead. "My lady! Wouldst you prefer to shoot? If not I shall be none displeased, but I am a most apt flyer!" Gentleman.

Rey is just behind Jessika and Elrych, though she stammers a bit when she sees the air vehicles that Jessika has decided to take to the skies in. "What. are those?" Rey calls out as she keeps running, her hood coming off of her head and falling down over the braids set in toher hair. She picks one and scales the service ladder to walk along it.

There comes a grumble from the woman in white, as she settles in to the starboard side of one of the pods. "Everything about this design makes absolutely no sense." She loudly states about the Cloud Cars while she jams the canopy lever causing it to close and running her eyes over the controls to get comfortable with it.

"This, forward, this back. Oh my, this should be... fun?" The cockpit powers up around her and she tries to get the comms on, <"We're ready."> She looks over to see Bors across from her on her literal wing.

The squadron of Cloud Cars has a sudden tail as the shadow of the Ghost appears above them. It maintains speed for now, her pilot seen just barely through the transparisteel cockpit canopy. <<"Hahahaha! AHHHHHHHHH!!!">> Poe's voice wheezes and coughs with laughter before the comms cut, then hot-mic with more laughter. <<"---Bee Bee Eight... HAhahaha! BUDDY!.. Quick! Get a picture!! AHHH! HAHAHA!">> His mic cuts off again. The Ghost stays behind the team for a moment then moves up as they clear the underbelly of the great Cloud City and round about to the top, moving for the city-top, and a secret base hidden somewhere on the station.

Stay tuned for the next episode of ORANGE SQUAD.