Log:Black Squadron: Waiting in the Shadows

Black Squad captures the Queen's spy.

OOC Date: September 31, 2021
Location: Kaadara Bay, Naboo
Participants: Black Squadron, Chani Tahn, Ulani Kalgaav, Bors Thul, Ektor, Shemar, Rune, Karé Kun, Poe Dameron

Night has arrived, and the life of Kaadara is in full swing with neon lights from beachside vendors, bars, and resorts. The air here is dry, breeze cool and moderately comfortable, and the skies are cloudy with pockets of open air where the jade moon of Rori shines through. For the past two weeks, Black Squadron has been monitoring the encrypted channels for suspicious communications following a ruse. Captain Kun asked Chani, if the Queen would create a mission that would deploy her royal starfighter corps back to one of the regions where pirates were allegedly occupying. The ruse was that the mission would not actually take place, only that the Royal ministry would go through the motions of making it sound and seem legit to trigger the spy to reach out to their contacts.

The line was cast, and Black Squad had a bite.

After tracking the call between a member of the Royal Advisor Committee, Black Squad followed her to a meeting point she designated with her contacts. She was to take her family yacht out into the bay and await to be boarded by to relay her message in person. The transmission implied this was some sort of arrangement, or exchange; Black Squad was to find out.

It's nearing midnight, and the squad observes the yacht departing the pier and pushing out into the bay. Up above, the Ghost makes use of its sensor equipment to maintain a covert overview of the area, providing real time footage in thermal imagery of the beach, bay, and surrounding area. Comm-it, the communications ID-10 droid, was also airborne, acting as a relay to comb through comm traffic and tap the team into anything local that might be of some use.

Emerging from the edge of the beach and out of a beach safehouse is Captain Kare' 'No Joy' Kun. She is dressed in a black jumpsuit and has an A280 CFE collapsed assault rifle slung across her back. She walks briskly out to the boathouse to prepare their infiltration dingy. They were waiting for word from above that it was time to make their approach.

<<"This is No Joy.. comms check..">>

Chani Tahn is not dressed in the tactical equipment that the operatives of the New Republic special operations team are wearing. She's shed her feyd-cloth robe and traded in her cream garments for something so deep and rich in the hue of brown that it approaches the color black. It matches her eyes in that way. With the robe abandoned, Chani looks more dexterous. Black leather boots and a black leather belt accent her inner robe, outer tunic, tabard, and loose leggings in ebony. The only thing lightly colored about the young Jedi is the metal cylinder that's fastened to her belt. Taking a note from Black Squadron, however, has led Chani to dirty it up for the purposes of removing its reflection and shine. It's still metal, but it no longer glints.

Chani follows the Captain a few moments after her brisk crossing of the sand. She attempts to mirror the steps as much as possible, meaning their footsteps are broken up into more vague shapes. Repeated stepping in such a position will indicate that there's been a passing, but the number of those involved will not be discernible. Making it into the boathouse, Chani remains quiet while Captain Kun asks for a comms check. The gentle lapping of waves teases at the dock.

Field training is fast training and in only two weeks, Ulani has learned a great deal in regards to navigating the world of encrypted messages and airwaves. Tonight she is playing relay with Comm-It and Ghost above; taking the information feed to the ground team. Isolating the most important of the information and compiling them together, she has spent the last two weeks getting a sketched idea of what they're looking at. And tonight that sketch is quickly being painted in.

<<"Techie here, No Joy. I read you.">> Her voice goes quiet again; listening to the others calling in while her eyes remain on the thermal reading of their area. In particular, the departed yacht floating about in the bay in the middle of the night. Not suspicious at all. Nope.

<<"Buhbors, No Joy, reading.">> Bors is hunkered amidst bushes, dressed down in black - checking data on his monocle while surveying the area. EE-3 resting in the crook of one arm and his blade in its hangar on his hip. Looking to the boat house and then back out to the waters itself.

Maybe he should get a yacht. He doesn't have a yacht. He's almost forty, he needs yacht.

Alderaanian Problems.

He says nothing else for the time being, though, content to keep position until it's time to move or if something suddenly makes a requirement for a much more exciting action from the Lord Thul. But despite it all; he's got that damned grin on his face, it's really a gorgeous night out.

The little things.

<<"I hear you, Joy,">> Ektor drawls lazily in response. Off comms, he rambles easily, "Been awhile since I was on a boat. Like.. a *boat* boat, not a.. space boat." The bomber pilot adds, unnecessarily. "Any body wanna do some fishing, after? Like, for real fish, not- ya know what, don't even worry about it," he cuts off his own further unnecessary qualification. <<"We hear you, Joy. Did I already check in?">>

<<"Nugget, No Joy, loud and clear, over.">> Shemar is where he's told to be and has on his trooper gear as it's the stealthiest kit he's got. He too has an A280 slung over his back among other things tucked about his person. He's already performed the jump up and down thing before he arrived to make sure his kit is as snug, balanced, and secure as possible so that nothing will make noise when he's moving about. Anything shiny has also been darkened.

Boots in the sand, Shemar looks over the others and then moves to lend No Joy a hand with the dingy. Might be he eyes Chani but merely gives her a polite nod, saying nothing.

They hadn't used comms much among the Jedi, typically the members were able to shout what was needed, or near enough a whisper would suffice. It wasn't that he was unfamiliar with communications devices, he just rarely used them. As such, the young Jedi could be seen fiddling with his over ear communication pieces before it was secured into place and his time to report in. <<"Uh... Rune checking in, I copy you all clearly.">>

Like Chani, the Ysannan has ditched his normal light brown and cream colored apparel, choosing more chocolate browns and blacks for the covert mission they were to be undertaking. The cylinder clipped to his belt needed no adjustment, the metal casing a deep charcoal black of its own. The Jedi Initiate looks over the group, a wavering smile flitted toward Chani when she appears in the boat house, the nerves of his first true mission with Black Squadron bubbling just below the surface.

<<"Ghost copies.. you guys look warm down there.">> Says Poe, who is working from the tactical room aboard the Ghost. <<"Be advised, we have movement approaching from the sea channel.. it's a dark boat looks like.. fast mover. Comm-it, hone in signal trackers so they can tap into comms, buddy.">>

Kare' opens the boat house door with a key and makes a motion with her gloved hands. <<"Black Squad.. on me. Tion..you checked in twice, so you get to drive the boat. Techie, get us a bead on comms.. try to narrow down the audio on that boat. Nugget.. Buhbors.. pointmen, you're on the front. Let's go!">> This is said in a hushed voice. Kare' waves for Chani and Rune to join her, they'll make up the back of the dingy with the drunk Tionese operator driving them toward the yacht.

The quick, polite nod extended her from Shemar after the side-eyed glance receives gently hiked brows and nothing else. Whatever might be said can be said when their attention isn't focused on the mission at hand. Captain Kun motions at Chani and she slips near the edge of the craft in question. Back of the boat it is. It's not her first time on one. The rocking motion from the waves does little to disturb her, especially given the widened stance she adopts in her crouch to compensate for the constant change. Chani looks unsettled, though. It's just not the waves that are doing it. "We should be careful. I sense danger. Not.. immediate. Just.. danger." Ancient religions with mystical powers can't do everything, it seems. To a special operations team, that's not even that much of a helpful statement.

Poe mentions the new player entering the game board and seconds later, said player shows up on Ulani's screen. But only barely. <"Huh... it's kinds small for a--- right!"> Orders are coming down the pipeline. The rather short pipeline.

The call to action beings Ulani to her feet: grabbing her datapad first and her rifle second. Priorities. Rushing out of the boathouse to join the others on their chariot, Ulani plops into the seat behind Ektor and pats him on the shoulder. "Hard to read at night." A joke!

Then a more serious tone. <"Getting interference, No Joy. I don't think it is jammed, but the range is creating too much static. I don't have a bead on their frequency yet."> And there's danger abound! Ulani glances to Chani with a concerned pinch of her brows.

OH! In front! <<"Buhbors, Ghost, copy.">> moving at a measured clip to get to position at the very front. He's too pretty to be shot up, up front, after all. Perish the thought!

Unslinging his carbine as well, because having a scope to check through is just as handy as a boomstick. For a change his nattering is at a minimum, but it's a stealth entry right now. No need to get chewed out by Jessika later when people bring up his talking. But he can think! And think he DOES.

Setting up shop, kneeling at the prow, magnificent as he ever can be knowing that with Tion driving he doesn't have to worry about suffering when they crash, because also... he's up front!

<<"Buhbors, team, movement on the target vessel, but it's closed top. Armed. Two figures on a smaller craft incoming craft; size indicates potentially concealed additional. Eyes open.">> flicking his weapon optics, sweeping from the yacht to the other craft he's indicating on visual.

"You get me the nicest drek, Joy," Ektor cracks with an audible grin as Kare assigns him handling of the boat. Settling comfortably at the back of the watercraft, he looks a bucket of booze away from being on vacation. Alas, instead of a bucket of booze, he has guns a d a demolitionist kit. And probably also booze, so not that different from a Tionese vacation. He guides the boat out into the dark. The water is choppy, bringing up whitecaps atop the waves, driven by a rising breeze. There are a few moments where it feels like- with juuuuust a bit more speed, the boat could skip-jump and go airborne. Ektor chuckles under his breath, but manages to resist. He muses aloud, "Storm coming in, before long." A crooked grin goes to Chani. "Careful? What language is that?" To Kare, he adds, "I'll hang back enough to keep their visual down. We wanna let them meet first, then take the boat, yeah?"

The rigid inflatable is at least light weight and easy to carry to the water quickly. Shemar grabs one side and helps haul it out and then when they get it into the water, he'll hop in and take one side of the bow area as ordered.

Once people are on board and not josting the RIB too much, Shemar slips his A280 off of his back and uses the scope on it to help him do a careful pan of the yacht. Shame he hasn't been issued lowlight or IR optics beyond what his scope can show him. <<The top deck is open on the yacht and there's a woman pacing up there, over.">> He has settled his center of gravity as low as he may and keeps a hand on the boat to steady himself when he doesn't need it for his rifle.

The radio chatter from Ghost comes and goes and when the door is opened Rune peers from inside, trying to spot the offending dark boat that was announced. The time to move is given and the novice Force user listens for his assignment, the waved hand of Captain Kun denoting where he is requested to be. Rune slips into the boat, taking a moment to steady himself with the shift of the craft under his feet. Once 'settled' he makes his way to the back, holding onto the side as he moves, and snapping an uncertain glance to Ektor and Chani after he arrives at his designated position.

Rune hunkers down in the boat, calling to the Force to help steady his nerves, but receiving only a backlash of emotion that pours through his connection. "I have a bad feeling about this." He mumbles to no one in particular, his sense of danger picking up on everything around them. It only intensifies when they pull from the relative shelter of the boat house, the choppy waves doing nothing for his calm or his stomach, the latter tumbling and turning as they skip over the surface of the water.

"That's the plan, Tion. Smooth and steady for now, let's not give them a reason to look this way." Kare's hard gaze locks ahead as the growing lengths of spiky blonde hair move at the whims of rushing wind. Tion was right, she felt a storm coming and it ached down in her knees.

<<"Copy Buhbors.. stand by...">> Poe says, clearly rolling around up high in a rolling chair, going from terminal to terminal. He chews noisily on a piece of something that occasionally hot-mics the comms. <<"Alllllright, got it. I have positive I.D. on two figures located on the stern of the fastmover. Good eyes, Buhbors. Stand by, Nugget--">> Another rolling sound.

<<"Confirmed, positive I.D. on the female located on the yacht.. top deck, pacing. Be advised, this female is our objective. Capture alive. Deadly force is authorized against the other crew, but alert me before you engage.. I'll have to jam the area so no comms go out; how copy?">>

Kare' nods her head. <<"Copy, Ghost. Stand by. -- Comm it, we're getting some chop, boost your range.. Techie can't find your signal.">> Kare' orients her rifle to her front and leans out the side of the boat as they approach, scooping up some water and unceremoniously slicking her hair back.

Comm-it makes droid speak over the channel. Meanwhile, the team has made it half way across the bay and have roughly 500m left to reach the yacht.

The general warning of careful will have to do. Chani's gaze flits from member to member of the gathered team. She'd returned what nods had been given her way, but the only person she's truly familiar with here is Rune. His echo of her sense of danger confirms for her that it's not just the anxiety of the stealthy nature of the task they're undertaking. There's nothing to do but wait at this point. Black Squadron has identified who they're after and there are other situations arising. Chani feels the tension rising. She crouches lower in the boat to best minimize her profile. Her hand dips forward to rest against the deck, offering further support against the motions caused by the combination of open water waves and the speed of the craft.

To Comm-It's question, Ulani nods out of habit as she answers. <<"Yes, I can hear /you/ fine, Comm-It. But I'm not getting your signal. I think that storm is--- ah. There we go.">> With her datapad on her lap and the brightness of the screen as low as she can legibly make it, Ulani keeps her head down and hunkered behind the driver's seat of the boat. It is in this half-curled in position that she weaves her way through their targets' encryption.

<<"Team. Ghost. I've got ears.">> There is a pause as she listens. <<"There's a lot of people on the boat now. At least a dozen...">> She connects the feed to the rest of the Black Squadron team allowing them to hear the ongoing exchange:

--"Where's my son?" A woman is heard asking. "He was supposed to be part of the deal. I get to see him safe, and you get your information."

--"We make the rules, Ms. Renee," a gruff voice in reply. "You'll see him when you see him.. now give us the details of the mission."

--"I will not. This is not part of the deal."

--"Then we'll get the info another way.. get her!"

Ulani's head shoots up. <<"They're moving in!">>

There is only a moment that Bors turns to look at Rune - dares even to reach out as if to put a finger on the man's lips. <<"No.">> shaking his head as he murmurs on comms, <<"No bad feelings pish tosh on mission.">> Language Bors.

The Alderaanian swivels back, response or no, to continue his scouting in short order. Watching the fast mover through the scope, trying to get a read on that - giving a few silently ticked off seconds before swinging back to the yacht and back again. Bite tabbing his mic to keep his self-talk from getting back.

More dock-shanties.

"Don't activate the couplings, don't lollygag abaft; if you see a fightin' ship it might be your last..."

It helps keep his timing, trying to keep it spread equally between. But it stops when his head cants to one side. <<"Buhbors, Tion, Ghost - we need to get moving - someone just called out on the yacht. I think someone else is attempting to beat us to the punch.">>

Falling quite in suit with what Ulani's report.

Ektor advises Rune lightly, of his bad feeling, "You get used to it after awhile, yeah?" When Kare affirms the plan and emphasizes not to draw any eyes their way, he kills several seconds of time and any worry that theirs might be a boat full of elite special forces operatives by turning the craft in a lazy circle before resuming course. "See, that's a top secret maneuver I just used right there. Cunningly designed to trick anyone watching us into thinking it's an idiot taking a joyride, yeah?" Wink at Kare. He nods to word of the target being taken alive. "Got it, board the ship, capture the princess." As the water briefly smoothes out, the boat speed increases on approach to their mark as the details of the audio are heard. "Let's do this, yeah?"

Riding up in the prow with Bors, Shemar is mostly quiet, listening to the others and keeping his eyes peeled as they head out over the dark water. As others have eyes on the craft approaching the yacht, he's keeping eyes on their quarry, <<"Seems the gal on the yatch has company. Several people joining her up top, over.">> A frown over the news about the incoming storm. He also listens in on the info Ulani patches over their coms.

Most of his concentration is spent on not relieving the contents of his stomach, knuckles white as Rune clings to the side of the boat. Wide eyes are locked on the target ahead of them, the Ysannan's heart lifting and falling with the prow of the boat while the darkly clad group hops over the waves. He attempts to reach out again with the Force, trying to delve into the yacht itself to discover how many might be on board. Instead the surge of nausea chokes out his grasp and he braces lower, wrestling with some semblance of dignity throughout this whole mess. Their first mission had to be his first time on a raft. At least he hasn't thrown up... yet.

The attention given by Bors draws his gaze and he nods twice resolutely, swallowing the dread he feels, eyes closing while trying to center himself in the moment. Words from the rest of the team help, especially the call to action that echoes in their comms, and the mission becomes the focus. Rune's head lifts as his eyes open, narrowed gaze now honing in on the boat that rises before them. Unconsciously his hand slips to the metal at his belt, fingers closing over the hilt while they zoom ever closer to their target.

<<"Ghost, No Joy here.. Jam it, we're hitting the deck running-- No time to--static-->>...explain." Kare' says, edging up to a crouched height as Ektor brought them along side the stern of the yacht. Kare' latches onto a cleat to hold them in place. "Jedi.. get to the objective and safeguard her.. we're about to open fire. Black Squad, weapons free.. get up there and drop these pirates. Move, move!"

Kare holds the boat in place, making it possible for the whole team to offload before she intends to follow.

The back of the yacht has a wide base that's close to the water. A central stair case dominates a central path way that leads up AND down, though the path up goes to the top deck while the one down leads to a door and the interior of the ship.

Up top, fifteen (15) pirates give chase to a woman in fine clothing and have managed to not only capture her but pin her down to the deck to search for the data sliver she allegedly has. She screams as they are not gentle in looking for this item, and she tries to crawl away only to be hit for her effort.

Pirates take notice of the company immediately, "Boss.. people with guns!"

"Well, what are you waiting for?! BLAST THEM!"

Kare' curses out loud then. "DREK.. Waste these hutt suckers!" But the pirates had the jump on them.

Get to the objective and safeguard her? Chani can do that. Once Captain Kun brings the craft to a halt next to the yacht by grabbing onto one of the cleats so they are close together, Chani murmurs a quiet response. "On it." By on it, she means really on it. Adjusting into a wide-footed stance with her knees almost up to her chest, Chani jumps. It is not a mere hop. Aided with the strength of the Force, she leaps into the air with more than enough distance to clear the first floor of the yacht and then the second. The dark tabard of her clothing whips in the wind and Chani twists forward into a flip to bleed excess momentum. The young Naboo Jedi lands on her feet on the deck near the Royal Advisory Council member. She recognizes the woman as the Political and Economic Advisor to the Queen of Naboo. It's a prestigious position, which makes the betrayal all the more keen. That's not a problem for the moment.

The problem for the moment is the fifteen men who are on the deck with her. The hackle-raising shiver that wants to make her tremble races up her spine and Chani sees it happen before it does. It's nothing but a glimpse. A fleeting moment two seconds into the future. She reacts faster than any normal human should. Lightsaber drawn off her belt, the weapon is activated in a loud snap-hiss and the sudden flooding of dark blue illumination against herself and the deck around her. It's like a beacon of light in the surrounding darkness, and it growls almost as if hungry when a sweeping deflection from left hip towards right shoulder turns into a left sidestep that allows the second blaster bolt to zip right by. "Release her and surrender."

Their boat draws up and Ulani is in the process of putting her datapad away, her hands shaking a little as she does so. Battle nerves are still a very real thing, but it is the conversation that has rattled her. This poor woman. Her son. It's a hostage situation and she's in danger! Scrambling to join the others, Ulani stumbles and nearly falls onto the deck; her eyes catching the flash of red coming her way with no means of dodging it.

A flash of green and the bolt bounces away; her wide eyes looking up at Rune. Before she can say a thank you, a second shot whizs past her; a harbinger of the third that hits her in the left leg causing her to cry out in a shock of pain and surprise. Dropping to a knee, she returns a stun ring back, but it misses her target and flows out into the bay until it dissipates.

Weapons free. Lethal force.

Father give me strength. Mother give me the will to forgive myself.

Much akin to Alderaan before, cleaving to peace and peace alone cannot be the way to live or more worlds like Alderaan, Hosnian Prime and Kijimi will become historical marks. Eyes narrowed as the blasterfire is incoming, how is he on the ship? When did he board? Instincts; what a rush?

He is only momentarily aware that he's put a round into the chest of one of the pirates and more cognitive of the second shot going wide, digging into the deck to melt metal and set duraplast to a thin liquid mass melting down between plates.

<"Mother give me the strength."> aware of the sounds of others calling out around him, lightsaber sounds, pain sounds. As long as figures are in sight he is dropped to a knee to present a smaller target, keeping towards defilade as best he can while tracking foes set before him.

Ektor climbs up the yacht exterior with the ease of someone well accustomed to climbing up watercraft the hard way, and with plenty of upper body strength. He pauses a moment as Chani WTF JUMPS past him in a blink, craning his neck to stare up. "...holy drek," he mutters, before realizing, "Oh, drek!" that she's gonna be up there alone if they don't hurry. Hasty-hobbling up the steps, drawing his blaster and ducking instinctively as blaster fire screeches toward them, the reformed (?) pirate opens fire wildly. His shooting form is awful, but his aim is excellent and Ektor burns down a trio of targets in as many instants. "You are some *drek* pirates," he informs the enemy, hollering above the din.

As soon as the RIB pulls up against the stern of the yacht, Shemar puts out a hand to steady them as they begin to debark. <<"Wilco, No Joy.">> Then he too hops over a rail, A280 in hand but staying low and moving. He'll use what cover he can as they head for the upper deck.

He's ordered to go up, but first a quick look down to make sure nobody's going to shoot them from below, then Shemar's heading up as well. In this situation he's aiming and firing even before he can get to cover on the upper deck. The A280 fires off a single bolt in a bright flash of leaping light, nailing one of the pirates. The fellow is knocked back, stumbles and falls over the railing.

Rune's line of thought is very much the same as Chani's, 'Get to the boat, protect the innocent.' and the Jedi Initiate stands in preparation to jump. However the streaking bolts of energy that blast from the yacht give him pause and, in a quick motion, the Ysannan draws his lightsaber and bathes the crew in a glow of emerald. Two attacks draw near and he steps forward to place himself between the shots and the team, the line of green turned into a fan while he spins the blade about in the air. One shot makes contact with the saber, deflected back to the pirate who sent it and the second flies wide. It's the third he's unable to redirect, the red bolt slipping past his protection to strike Ulani solidly in the leg. "I am sorry." he mutters, a noticeable wince reflected in the glow, before he turns from his injured teammate to stare down their foe. Rune's teeth are clenched, his weapon bared and, like his friend before him, he leaps into the air. A single flip later, he touches down on top of the ship and the two young Jedi are back to back, lightsabers presented, ready to defend against the horde.

Kare' makes it up the stairs after taking two steps at a time, and slides into a kneeling shooting stance. Her weapon is shouldered and fired in almost the same instant, and the bolt that crossed the distance to hit her intended target barely had enough time to manifest as a red color before it slammed into the forehead of the pirate and bursts from the back of the cranium in a display of pulverized misted blood. A sweet smell of pulverized blood fills the air as the breeze from the storm picks up.

Nine (9) pirates remain, and the team have a lot to contend with. Chani and Rune are nearest two, one still straddling the woman, Ms. Renee, trying to fight her for the data, and the other aiming his pistol right at them to fire. "Die!" The man screams!

Ektor is promptly charged by a man who has an intention to tackle the large, burly pirate and slam him to the deck. Two big guys in a pirate brawl!

The others pick their shots and try to kill the people interfering with their pirate operation.

Kare is quiet in the heat of the moment, focused on handling the threat! No other thought enters her mind as she shifts from the target she killed to find another.

It's a large yacht in the middle of an open bay on the beautiful, airy planet of Naboo. Yet it all feels so claustophobic. There are people everywhere and with each passing breath, several of those people are turning into just bodies. With a limp, Ulani pushes herself to keep up with her squadmates, sidestepping quickly to press against the cabin of the yacht to smartly get out of the way of another shot.

She fires again; her stun blast finding a target with the clutching, paralyzing wisps of blue light sending them crumbling to the deck. But alive.

One of the men screams at her to die. Chani's response is a calm, "Please drop your weapons." She encourages them to do so by stepping in to the group. It's not a frontal movement. Chani side steps forward and carves a blaster rifle in two with an upward, diagonal cut that mirrors the movement she'd used to deflect the first shot fired at her. Her feet adjust, carrying her in a side step that allows her to flick her blade down in a short chop through another. The weapons are turned useless. Chani's broad sweep to catch another in a backhanded, chest towards shoulder slash misses the mark wide, even if the combatant with weapon in hand wasn't scrambling back away from the thrumming blade that's rendered a pair of his compatriots weaponless.

<<"Buhbors, Techie, if you can - make for my position. I'll provide cover.">> Bors bites out, trying not to look her way for now - focus on the mission at hand. Better to let those with medical training look in while he does what he, perhaps most ironically, is best at.

Ducking when blaster fire spaks round him, creating small fires and wispy curls of white smoke that sets him into some sort of wild holodrama scene; not that he has time to pay much mind to that while focusing on getting the sand back in his craw. Heaving himself to one side and then bouncing back out. One blaster bolt takes a pirate in the leg, sending them to the deck to skid, first, then roll until they slam against the railing board - allowing their fellow enough of a lead on where the shots are coming to get clear of the next and forcing the Alderaanian's head down under another crimson dart barrage.

<"Would thou lot LISTEN and throw down arms!? This would be ere simply done!!!">

Ektor isn't slammed to the deck, but the (drek) pirate does slam him into a railing, grabbing at Xer's pistol. Ektor teies without success to throw the other man overboard, before hauling back and punching his foe in the face. PIRATE BRAWL. Ektor cackles through a fierce grin as teeth are bared in exertion, wrestling for control of the blaster against the rail of the top deck. The idiot seems to be enjoying himself.

All heck is broken loose. Shemar doesn't have much cover up here on the top deck of the yacht but nothing he can do about that. He keeps his rifle up, legs braced every time he pauses to take a shot. It's strange to feel the yacht swaying beneath his boots, feel the wind picking up as the storm rolls in closer. He fires away, taking another pirate down with the powerful shots of the A280.

It's a bit of crazy in a fairly confined space. Jedi waving light sabers around that Shemar is being careful NOT to get any closer to than he has to, Ektor and a pirate going at it hand to hand, throwing down on the deck. Lightning flickering overhead as shots are being fired at close range this way and that!

Shemar notes that Ulani stunned one. In the chaos he can't even see if the woman they came for is still all right or not, but the active hostile bodies are thinning fast!

It appears they didn't take Chani's requests to heart, the blaster fire and command to die being the opposite of what was asked. The shots erupt around them, all nine of the remaining pirates opening up on the team as they board. Fortunately those attacks miss, the hiss of boiling water announcing some of the bolts' fate as they streak off into the night. Chani moves forward to deal with a few on her side and Rune moves in tandem, stepping in the opposite direction as the emerald blade spins about his form and he wades into their attackers. With a consistent thrum and three well placed strikes, a trio of pirates fall lifeless, their bodies collapsing to the deck of the ship, weapons clattering into the dark.

Kare' tumbles just as four pirates shoot in her direction, leaving carbon scores where she had been a moment before. Rising back up, she observes the eradication of the rest of the pirates, minus the two Chani spares by disabling their weapons. Only one foe remained, the one Xer gleefully toys with in a fist fight. Kare takes aim, setting the reticule of her optics on Xer's head for a moment.

When he swings, clobbering his enemy with a devastating punch, Xer's head moved just right and revealed his opponent's face. Kare fired, and the shot zipped past Xer and clobbered his opponent with a follow up that both shocked and instantly killed him, reducing the contents of his head to be ejected in the form of a mist. He fell loudly back in a heap of dead weight and Kare' lowered her weapon. "I missed."

It's not clear what she meant by this, but it seemed intended for Xer, who Kare' was well known for butting heads against. "Buhbors, Nugget.. secure those two by Ms. Tahn. Restrain, search, and set them aside.. get that stunned huttsucker, too."

Kare' waved an IFF strobe for the Ghost, and the static in their comms lifted. <<"Objective secured, Ghost. Come below for extraction. We'll send them back with our liaison, over.">>

<<"Roger.. coming down in a few moments.">> Poe replied.

Kare adds on, <<"Be advised, we have a few live ones and a mess to clean up. We're going to medevac Techie, rest will stay with me to sort this drek out. Over.">>

<<"Roger.">>

Kare starts kicking weapons away from the dead bodies as everyone gets their bearings. Ms. Renee, the objective, sits up and rubs her wrists and tries to touch her bruised face. "hHHhhrnnn.. oww.. who are you all?" She struggles to stand up, clearly shaken and injured.

It's over. Chani depresses the activation stud on her lightsaber and the blue blade seems to retract back into the metal hilt held only in her right hand. Her palm and fingers continue to tingle after and her wrist relaxes now that it no longer needs to compensate for the subtle gyroscopic motions produced by the power being focused through the crystal within. "Please do not move. You are under arrest by order of the Royal House of Naboo. We will escort you to Theed, where you will be turned over to the Royal Security Forces." Chani's calm remains, no matter the vigorous firefight they'd been through just moments before. If anything, she sounds disappointed, and that much is evident through the sad look in her eyes and the ton eo fher voice. It's for the woman they've rescued that she speaks, but the pirates she's disarmed get to hear of their fate, too. Maybe. Chani glances to Captain Kun. "Do you want to ask the Queen regarding taking the pirates with you? Their knowledge of greater activities in the area might be beneficial."

Then silence. Relative silence.

Releasing a breath held prisoner in her lungs for a bit too long, Ulani is quick to power down her rifle and nudge it to swing around and rest across her back by the sling. The skirmish over, she still complies with the last order received with no small amount of relief. Drawing up next to Bors, Ulani leans her weight against him, drawing out her datapad once more to double-check the comms. Best to make sure there aren't any nasty surprises heading their way. Ghost would've told them, surely. But it never hurts to check.

In regards to the woman -- Ms. Renee -- she opts to leave the talking to those who are better suited for that kind of questioning.

With the prisoners secured for now, and Ulani resting up against him, Bors takes the time to put an arm around to help take weight off of her injured leg, <"You get used to it, I nary limp anymore despite the ragged nature of my leg."> giving the award winning grin through his helmet visor. He can't help but check again, then once more. Weapons cleared of prisoner reach. Hands secured.

<"I'm to say that this yacht party was lacking in proper form though."> looking around again, <"There's no tasties to sample. Inexcusable."> Now he's hungry.

Ektor looks back over his shoulder after that blaster bolt sizzles past and annihilates his dance partner. When Kare deadpans that she missed, Ektor barks a sharp, abrupt laugh, making a rude gesture to Kare with a broad grin. He adds over the comms, <<"Also, Joy just made a joke. Over.">> He chuckled again, voicing, "Gonna secure belowdecks once we're done up here, yeah?" He kneels beside/between the shoulders of one captured pirate, securing hands behind the back before meticulously searching for weapons, hidden backup weapons, and the weapons hidden in case the other backups were found. He doesn't interrupt the process to voice aside to Chani and Ms. Renee, "If they got a hostage, time is gonna be.. real short, yeah? A gang gets a hand lopped off like this, they gonna be pissed." He has no opinion on prisoners, that's for others to worry about.

<<"Roger, No Joy. On it.">> Shemar finds no more pirates shooting at them. He's lowered his A280 and then steps through the body strewn deck to go where he's directed. There's a quick, worried look to Ulani to check her condition after hearing Kare call for 'medevac' for Techie. Then he's focused on two he and Bors are to secure.

"Face down on the deck, NOW!" Shemar orders one of the fellas he's got his rifle pointed at. He keeps the guy covered until the pirate is prone, then he steps over pulls out the equivilant of flexible plasteel zipties to bind hands behind the pirate's back, rifle hanging by it's sling. In a few moments their prisoners are secured and ready to load.

A look to Rune, "Thanks. Your deflections of shots was really appreciated." A pointed look to Ulani.

Rune peers past the illumination of the green glow extending from his fist, hazel eyes on the search for any further threats that need to be dealt with. Seeing none, the pirates all being waylaid or killed, the button on the hilt is depressed and the emerald column recedes into the black cylinder he clutches. This is replaced on his waist and he looks to Captain Kun as she communicates with Poe in the sky. The quiet that fell over the area is deafening, the outburst of blaster fire and the hum of lightsabers suddenly lacking. He looks to the rest of the group, a measure of concern for the one who was struck, and his lips pull into a thin line. A solumn nod is given to Shemar, "I wish I could have stopped the second."

Rain begins to fall as a search light cuts on, accentuating the drops of rain that fall through its glare. The light belongs to the Ghost, which has expertly rotated into view /nearly/ silent as the crypt. At this range, no technology in the galaxy could conceal the sounds of its repulsorlifts. The ramp opens and something leans out before leaping from the 25m above to land on the deck below. It's not human, for its mechanical body of blue and red is seen, laced with the bones of fallen trophies and carrying an arsenal of weapons. Its beak like head jerks one way then the next.

<<"GREAT DESTROYER, BE ADVISED, ALL ENEMY ORGANICS ARE MALFUNCTIONING OR LACKING THE APPROPRIATE THREAT THRESHOLD INDICATORS! YOU TOLD THIS UNIT THERE WOULD BE PLENTY OF ORGANICS TO ERADICATE! WAS THIS FAULTY PROGRAMMING WITH YOUR OBSERVATION MOTIVATORS.. DOES GREAT DESTROYER REQUIRE MAINTENANCE?">>

Kare' spits over the side of the yacht and chuckles. "BONES.. escort these three to security aboard the Ghost. Do NOT kill them. Say it back to me.."

Mister Bones says in Kare's voice, played back: "Do NOT kill them."

"Good boy." Kare's shakes her head and turns her attention to Chani. By now the gusts from the hot repulsors whip Kare's hair about. "We will send them back with you so her Majesty can keep them. I must ask that you tell her Majesty that if this is to become a story of any sort.. it should not include the New Republic's involvement. This is a Naboo win. We would like to respectfully request to question these three, but we understand if her Majesty prefers to have them questioned herself. Xer's right, though. If her kid's out there.. we don't have long. Regardless, we move forward with the next phase of our plan. Let me know how it goes, yeah? Oh..Good work. I've never seen anyone move like you and Rune before. That was impressive as hell." Kare gives a two-fingered salute and steps back as Poe has finally brought the Ghost ramp in a place where people can climb aboard.

The politician who was instructed not to move complies quietly, keeping her bearing and waiting for Chani to prompt her to move. Mister Bones is not so gentle. "GIVE ME AN EXCUSE, ORGANIC FILTH!" He announces, shoving them forward with the butt of his shotgun.

"Alright people, toss the dead bodies in the boat, collect the weapons, and let's take this bang-boat back to the pier. Nuggest you're with Tion. Sweep the lower decks. Buhbors and I are on body detail. I like hearing him sing while he works."

"Hey Rune.. Can you go with Ms. Tahn? The added security aboard will be needed. Also.. make sure Bones doesn't kill the prisoners. He has a slippery trigger finger..."

"CORRECTION.. THIS UNITS PHALANGE IS OPERATING IN APPROPRIATE PARAMETERS." Bones raises a mechanical hand and makes an errrrcheeeee errrrcheeeee noise of a well oiled hand. Slippery indeed.