Log:Every Clime and Place

Every Clime and Place

OOC Date: May 14, 2020
Location: Sullust
Participants: New Republic, Narsai Ordo, Ezret, Rey, Zorii Bliss, Ektor, Nova Korell, Elrych Cometburn, Barad, Greez, Vhe Tenara, Hadrix Kora, Kryll Red, Poe Dameron

The ambush came suddenly, with jetpack troopers angling overhead firing into the ashen ground, pocking up dust, dirt, rock, and debris. The mad scramble for the two speeder skiffs was heralded by a yell (yelp) from Poe Dameron, who stumbled aboard SKIFF ONE and promptly slipped and fell over as shots rained in. "GET ON THE SKIFFS! WE ARE LEAVING!"

Crawling across the opening as chaos ensued around, Poe makes it to the operating console and slaps the controls, firing up the repulsors beneath SKIFF ONE, to get it off the ground. "Come on! Comeoncomeoncomeon!" He yelled at the device, hazarding a glance back. <<"Zorii! YOU GOT THE OTHER, RIGHT? REMEMBER DEATH CANYON? REMEMBER HOW I SAID WE WEREN'T DOING THAT AGAIN?">> A slap to the side of the console, and BB-8 arrives, rolling in behind Poe with a warble of noice. "I /KNOW/ we're being shot at, buddy.. just.. hang on!"

<<"WELL.. ">> Poe said, with some forced humor. <<"WE'RE DOING THIS.">> The engine suddenly roared, kicking up a lot of black smoke into the air. Poe growls. "Finally!" A glance back, and Poe grimaces. "HANG ONTO SOMETHING!"

Zorii leaps behind the controls of the second skiff when the trap is sprung, "Come to Sullust, he says.. enjoy the soggy wet swamp climates and engage in shadowy cold war activities.. it'll be a gas..." Her gently distorted voice calls through her helmet, speaking to nobody in particular as she kicks the vehicle on, whips it around to let anyone boarding do so..

Then rockets after Poe, <<"If this is your idea of a date, Poe Dameron, we definitely need to discuss the particulars of how you treat a lady.">> Despite the words she's saying, she's definitely already having a blast. This is right up the Smuggler Queen's alley.. Running from law enforcement aboard skiffs full of illegally transported weapons?

Check.

Low chance of survival piloting clunky, if fast, speeders through hazardous environmental obstacle courses?

Double check.

Among those helping with the skiffs is Vhe, the wild hair of the Ysanna drawn back into a layered braid to keep it from her face. Even before the call comes, something tingles at the back of her neck and the first few shots from above zing down around, kicking up dust and smoking as the blaster bolts sear the ground. She turns her head and is quick to move, booted feet digging in to launch her forwards towards the back of a skiff, She drags herself up into the back of Poe's and makes room for the rest as she pulls out her stunsaber.

It snaps to life with a white hum as she holds it down to the side off the skiff while her other hand clamps down on the rail beside her. Her knee presses down into the back and she braces for the sudden acceleration that is to come. Already her heart beats heavily in her chest.

"We are DOING this!" Ektor echoes Poe with a cackle, sounding FAR too entertained and comfortable for someone being shot at in a First Order ambush. The reformed (?) pirate hurry-limps for SKIFF TWO, clambering on board and falling onto the deck with a clatter; when he pops back up an old blaster pistol of dubious legality is held in one hand. "What is the galaxy coming to, when an honest illegal arms dropoff gets heat, yeah? It's a sad, sad state of affairs, ain't it?" he 'laments' with a broad, crooked grin.

Elrych had been checking, double checking, tripple checking the tie-down rachet straps that held what they came for in place. The hairs on the back of his head stood up just before the laser blast hit. He shutters, hunkering down as he grabs his Lightsaber from his belt, ignighting it much like his compatriot; Vhe. "Ah Kriff!" He runs, jumping up onto the skiff, turning to make sure Vhe and others get on... Though it might be a certain Tionese pilot who needs the most help. "Get on you dirty smelly piRATe." He grabs the back of the void armor and attempts to Yank him aboard the rest of the way.

"I know this place doesn't have any wildlife, but really, it's just too..." Nova had started to say from her spot near the second skiff, but the sudden peppering of bright kill-shots into the area from above silences her. "AMBUUUUUUUUSH!" she shouts, dashing for the skiff. "Get to the vehicles! You heard the man! WE! ARE! LEAVING!"

She vaults over the skiff's rail, ducking under the Scarff mount's lower lip and manning the turret at the vehicle's rear. Bringing the gun's power supply online, she swings it up and begins firing at the jumptroopers, heavy red blasts joining the pink rain, but going the other way. And grazing two of them who forgot not to bunch up, sending one falling and sparking into the ground, and the other flying wildly off on an out of control jetpack.

There are plenty more where they came from, though. "They've got a lot more guns than we do..."

Taking a glance to the further skiff which Dameron has just boarded, Kryll leaps up onto the one that Zorii is piloting. He quickly unslings his E-11 carbine up into a readied position and finds a spot on the skiff that he'll be able to provide cover fire without interrupting the rear gun.

<"You told me once that you were good at this, and it appears I have accepted your offer to be a rear gunner. I need to have words with Dameron after this, so let us make sure we all get to the destination."> Kryll states, his helmet augmenting his voice as he speaks over the noise of the engines.

Elrych had been checking, double checking, tripple checking the tie-down rachet straps that held what they came for in place. The hairs on the back of his head stood up just before the laser blast hit. He shutters, hunkering down as he grabs his Lightsaber from his belt, ignighting it much like his compatriot; Vhe. "Ah Kriff!" He runs, jumping up onto the skiff, turning to make sure Vhe and others get on... Though it might be a certain Tionese pilot who needs the most help. "Get up you dirty smelly piRATe." He grabs the back of the void armor and attempts to Yank him upright and steady.

Barad heaves a big armload of the stuff they'd been 'exchanging' into the back of SKIFF ONE and within a split second heaves his own lumpy roundish self right on in behind all that. It's Evac time, there is no doubt. Should be ... entertaining. Barad's big 'ole floopy ears flatten and flutter in the sudden jetwash and he narrows his big 'ole soft brown eyes to avoid the kickback of pebbles and soot. And then he grabs a hold of something, and holds on FOR DEAR LIFE as it starts. 'Entertaining' would seem to be spelled 'death-defying' today. Who knew?

Money talks, former allegiances are growing less important and someone put out a notice for 'sharpshooters needed'. Have rifle, will travel. Now it's led to clambering onto skiffs at a rush.

Hadrix's cape blows out as he is carried on wings of fire, the jets of his pack carry him over to land with a heavy thud. <<"Alor'Ordo - taking up long range operations.">> sending private comms to the tinier Mandalorian as his draws the massive EZ-Snap over his shoulder and begins to set up, tapping controls to direct data feeds to his AR display and to his eye.

Jawas are, specifically, desert-dwelling scavenger creatures, which by stereotype are short, smelly, cowardly, incredibly good at fixing things, and kleptomaniacal. Luckily, Greez is only three of these! Unfortunately, 'short' and 'cowardly' are on that list, making her not too great at combat. The other one is being good at fixing things, and with the amount of blaster bolts being fired at them, she's working FAST. The sheer amount of firepower being slung makes her almost nervous, in fact. With Poe driving the skiff, the Jawa - and her tiny translator droid, pinned to her flight suit - start yelling in tandem. Greez, in Jawa, and the droid... Stating that it does not feel comfortable translating such horrendous language. However, it does inform Poe that Greez has said that 'banging the console just makes things more difficult'. And there were some other expletives in there as well, towards Poe. Such a dirty mouth!

Ezret is a surprised but adaptable Nikto. Having just been standing around near the skiffs, feeling slightly out of place, he dives to the ground at the first sound of blasterfire, just trying to reorient himself for a bit, before getting up and sprinting to the nearest skiff. While a bit panicked by the sudden turn of fortune, there's also a feral grin on his face as he jumps and grabs hold of whatever he can on the skiff.

Rey had been on the perimeter of this situation, watching from the outskirts and helping where she can, but when the action started to build and the tension started to rise she arrived from the side of it all. She sees Poe shouting and is at a full sprint toward his skiff, the tabards of her clothing whipping around her legs as she runs!

When she reaches the skiff with Dameron she sudden leaps into the air and twists her body around into a side sweeping spin that ends with her landing on her feet upon the skiff.

Rey reaches to her side and beneath her bag to grab the hilt of her lightsaber. She whips it up holds it with both hands before her chest as she swipes the activator causing the golden beam to snap on with a ghostly growl!

<<Understood,>> the voice comes on the Mandalorian's channel, a friendly IFF broadcast to the Resistance channel. << I'm going to be social and get closer...>>

A rush of thrusters and the smaller figure rushes past the sniping giant, gracefully sweeping through the sky. There might be hostile jet troopers out there, but the red armored Ordo woman was scything across the skyline intending to intercept, her blaster pistol in her hand. Her eues do glance towards the skiffs and the blazing lightsabers among familier faces, but she adjusts course toward the pursuers.

Time to see if the First Order training matched up to a childhood among Clan Ordo!

The speeders take a sharp decline down as both engines roar in response. It's SKIFF ONE that immediately hits something. The entire thing shakes like crazy, throwing Poe off the console and over the top of BB-8. He scrambles back up to the chorus of alarms going off. "I CAN FIX THIS.." He screams at console, although SKIFF ONE is taking the rear most position of the two. Black smoke trails from the skiff as it sputters but keeps trucking. "HeyheyheyHEY.." He points at the chittering Jawa. "Happy chitters, okay?! We got this!" Focusing on the path ahead.

MEANWHILE, behind the pair of skiffs, launches an entire SQUAD of 15 jetpack mercs. Readying their weapons to fire, they use their helmet HUDS to acquire targets. Simultaneously, 13 SPEEDERS driven by STORMTROOPER SCOUTS begins to give pursuit after leaping over the embankment and landing smoothly. Their distinct white armor and ANGRY FACE helmet's giving the two skiffs the stink eye, and they motion for their riders to open fire with an iconic <"BLAST EM!">

"Blast'em he says." Zorii is whipping the speeder around curves at speed, glancing over her shoulder periodically to see what kind of opposition is giving chase. "Oh, that's all?" It's sarcastic. The first obstacle presents itself and Bliss grips the throttle to shove it back as the speeder comes to the curved stone ediface, then forward when the front of the vehicle angles upwards to launch them up and over.

Landing with a beautiful, if fishy tailed, wiggle that leaves her unable to capitalize by smashing one of the speeders into the side of the canyon. <"I know you're watching, Dameron.. you see that landing? Did you /see/ that landing?"> In Zorii's world, you ignore your failures and celebrate only your successes.

Ektor rattles along in the skiff, staggering toward the front to holler over the rushing Sullustan wind to the bronzium-helmed driver: "Hey- nice driving- Can you ask Poe if he remembers telling me not to bring the bombs? Cause I could REALLY use a bomb right about now, yeah?" In the course of firing off a wild flurry of bolts at the scouts on speeder bikes (one of whom is blasted off his ride by what looks like dumb luck), he adds, "ANYONE NEED A DRINK? I COULD USE A DRINK."

Poe's driving jostles and has the act of sending Vhe down onto her ass and then back up again and luckily her grip on the side and then her leg shooting out to plant her foot in that low squat so she does not end up flying free of the bed of the skiff. SHe hisses between her teeth as she squares up, checking the others to be sure they have no lost anyone with a quick scan of her eyes.

The Ysanna lifts her hand holding onto the stunsaber and extends those fingers she can towards the nearest skiff. Her amber eyes narrowing upn her intended target. For a mometn she falters and Vhe struggles to grasp it and give it a quick turn. It veers and slams into passing rocks, hoping to bring the number down.

"We can drink later!" Elrych says over the roar of the wind and the engine of the speeder as Zorii drives them. His blade hums, but that's not what attacks. His free hand comes up, much like Vhe's in the other skiff. Perhaps he felt what she was doing, but just as she's taking down her own speeder with the manipulation with her gifts in the force, he too is reaching out and doing the same.

His hand closes into a fist, the front part of a speeder jolting violently down as if an invisible arm of a giant had grabbed it. Then the Jedi throws his arm, as if striking with a stick, sending that Scout Trooper careening into the canyon wall, enveloped by flame. The Corellian twirld his lightsaber around, ready to defend against any blaster fire.

<Let's compare notes later, Kryll. For now, just keep those jetpackers off of us,> Nova replies, flexing her knees instinctively as the skiff launches, then again when it lands. A stand-up mount isn't the best choice for this kind of flying, but at least they have something heavier than small arms. <Nice, Zorii,> she adds, knowing the woman from recent stories. <Just keep it up!> She peers over the sights, firing two shots at one of the closer speeders. Both hit squarely, the first knocking the speeder off course, the second detonating the engine fuel with a blinding flash! < Scratch one! But we've still got one /big/ guest list back there.>

Steadying himself in the skiff, Kryll raises the carbine and waits for the jetpacks to hit the peak of their arch. A quick toggle of his gun from kill to stun, and the bolts fly downrange. The first shot misses low, but Kryll adjusts, firing the second shot square down main street; knocking the jetpacker out midflight. The jetpack on the now unguided manbomb's cuts out, and he simply falls at speed towards the ground with a solid whump of dust. Not paying attention to that however, Kryll tracks a second target, landing a shot in the leg but not dropping him out of the fight, or the skies.

Happy chitters? Poe Dameron wants happy chitters from Greez? She peeks out from inside a panel, where she's already re-routing wires for efficiency, and chitters back at him in Jawaese indeed. "POE WANT HAPPY CHITTER?! POE GET HAPPY CHITTER WHEN GREEZ HOME." And her droid, of course, dutifully translates. Because of course it does. There's no cussing, in that one! "STOP HIT ROCKS, POE!" And to that end, she finally attaches the two wires she was looking for - giving the skiff a boost the to turning thrusters! Maybe now, Poe won't get them all killed. It may overcharge the engine a bit, which will need repair later... But honestly, as long as they survive, that's the important thing.

Barad holds on for dear life, reorienting himself to face the back of the speeder. Actually, first reorienting himself face - upright since he bascially just dove face - first into the speeder to get on board before things got hairy. And, well, by goodness, they're hairy now. Barad, himself well - equipped with fur, perhaps prefers the term "fuzzy" to 'hairy' ... but in either case, he preps his MedKit just in case someone get shot here. "Just in case," in -this- case, meaning, "Oh, yeah, that'll probably happen." It usually does at times like these!

Set in position, kneeling with the rifle shouldered. AR brackets are forming rapidly as he looks for a target, <<"Watch your back out there, Nar'ika. It's thick.">> Hadrix's voice rumbles and Gripper ejects from her port on his back to hover and survey as well, feeding him more data.

<<"General Dameron - extended operations in position. Alert me of priorities at your discretion.">> another comms channel used and one of his selection indicators goes green.

<<"You have him?">> Gripper questions, <<"Got it... Oh six.">> <<"You're showing off.">> <<"It's my charm.">>

Sullust would be one, one would think, the only place this rifle wouldn't show off its discharge - but the shockwave of the rifle report causes his visage to shimmer, shoves him back a centimeter and erupts in a star being birthed from the overcharged tibanna chambers and kinetic discharge amps focus the beam. Sending the blast coring through the craft's operator leaving only what's left from the sternum down shortly before the speeder strikes jutting stone and becomes one with the fires of the volcanic planet.

<<"Vehicle neutralized.">>

Ezret grunts loudly as the skiff he is on starts with some ...interesting maneuvers. He spends some noticeable effort just making sure that he is securely placed on the skiff before taking stock of the situation. At first, he instinctually palms his pistol as he eyes the pursuing speeders and jetpackers - before realizing that many of the others on the skiff are resorting to alternative means of participating in the fight, leaving the skiff's gun unmanned. Growling lowly to himself, he pulls himself over to man the gun before taking aim, his teeth bared in a fearsome grin. With a howl, he fires, turning one of the pursuing speeders into a ball of fire.

With the golden blade on and growling with a haunting hunger, Rey sweeps herself across the skiff after Poe slams it into debris. "Careful!" She chides him, still on her booted feet she swirls herself around as the chase grows hotter! The young Jedi hears the sound of their pursuers incoming. "Stay sharp, here they come!" She warns the others, with blaster bolts starting to fly moments there-after!

Out of the corner of her eye she catches the sight of Vhe's focusing, she feels the rush through the Force and then looks back to see the speeder that she'd focused on become slag against the canyon wall. Rey looks back to Vhe and nods once to her. "Well done!" She shouts over the rushing wind!

Her eyes look back to the incoming enemies as she stands defensively behind their skiff's driver, with saber ready for their enemies!

A red blur of Beskar among the Jet Troopers, Narsai weaves and banks, blaster pistol in hand. Heavy bolts firing, her first shot misses it's mark before she flares her pack and grips her weapon with both hands. The next hits her mark, lancing into the head of the winged trooper and sending him spiraling away to crash into the dirt.

It's getting chaotic back there, and Poe is focused on driving. Despite his old and now BUSTED speeder, he watches in awe as Zorii lands her in front of his and speeds away. It prompts a laugh, and he turns back to look at Rey. "DID YOU SEE THAT?! HAHA! She's a MADWOMAN!" Referencing Zorii Bliss, of course. <<"I saw it!">> Poe says back, standing in a wide stance as he guides the speeder around another narrow bend, and they enter a cavern briefly. Spitting back out on the otherside. Speeders still giving chase are closing on Poe's skiff, but the sudden burst of thruster power ROCKS EVERYONE ON SKIFF ONE! "WOAH, THIS THING REALLY MOVES! NICE GOING, PAL!"

Everything seems to be getting better, despite the sudden rain of blaster fire everywhere, but BB-8 comments about more company.

The Skiffs cut around a narrow bend and sail right over the top of a molten lake. IT IS HOT HOT HOT HOT! "WHAT DO YOU MEAN.. /MORE COMPANY/?!" Poe asks, alternating looks from glancing ahead, and to the orange and white droid.

Just as BB-8 relayed, a pair of large skiffs round the bend, jumping over a dune and landing just to the right side of SKIFF ONE, and another at the left side of SKIFF TWO. A series of grappling lines are fired into Zorii and Poe's skiffs, pulling them closer to the larger ones where their PIRATES can board them.

<"The weird drunken pirate Resistance pilot wants to know why you didn't let him bring bombs."> Zorii says to Poe, never one to miss an opportunity to make fun of Ektor. Nobody should. Honestly, the whole nomming system should be changed and /require/ one insult of to Ektor or the nom doesn't get cycled. There's plenty of chaos to contend with though. Blasters flying all around them, obstacles to dodge.

One tiny little creature running around her feet yammering up at her, "KIKI TU TITI MIA! BABU No tiki ta!" Zorii spares a glance down, frowning behind her black shield. "Babu says there's mo- oh there they are..." Mirroring BB-8s. Her's is just a droid engineer with a hand held scanner. "HEY-HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEY!" Arms up, flailed out, motioning to the incoming boarder skiffs!

"Yeah, I see'em..." Throttle back, twist the control, throttle forward.. "Hold on back there! We're about to do something fun!" Fun sure does sound like stupid when she says it like that. Even more so when she jerks the control again and slams the side of their skiff up against the front quarter-panel of the boarding skiff. "Rubbing's racing, mother kriffers..." Knocking FO boarders off into lava!

"Babu no tiki ta..."

"I don't think a medic would help them anyways, Babu..."

Rey's call out to her causes Vhe's head to turn and with Poe managing to level out their movement she gets up just a bit to try to find a vantage. There is a movement, her stunsaber in hand whipping about and up to send the intended red bolt for Greeze flying back at their attackers with a blinding sizzling screech before the collective thunking of lines draws her attention. Joining the other side of the skiff in a a few steps she grabs hold the railing.

Glancing up at the pirates boarding, she tries to see around the strands of hair whipping around her face. With one hand achoring herself she hauls back with her white saber, bringing it down hard upon the lines. Two full strokes causing the blade to make muted FWOOM sounds as it clears the air and slams into and severing two of those connections. The resulting fall causes her to knuckles to go white.

Ektor laughs harshly at Zorii's report. "That's RIGHT." Mention of about to do something fun tilts his head to an angle and pushes one brown up before the idiot grabs frantically at the railing to avoid falling off his feet. Another laugh follows. "Boarders- are you rekking with me, right now? What, you Hutt-suckers gonna tie on bandanas over your heads and swing over on ropes or some drek- rekk me, they are swinging over on ropes and some drek." Of course, Zorii's maneuver sends most tumbling to their fiery doom, leaving only one solitary boarder on the deck of Skiff two. Ektor peers at the guy for a long moment, one mismatched eye larger than the other. "You people are drek pirates, you know that?" he informs the boarder, before blasting them away.

Elrych watches as the large boarding skiffs appear, "Woah..." He looks to one and then the other, "That's... that's a lot of guys." There is a moment of thought as he takes a breath and waits for it to get a bit closer. When Ektor brings his fire to the one boarder gaining way onto their skif, Elrych launches himself into the air. His Robes flow as he flies across the gab between the two Skiffs. Landing then wih he light tap of his boots, the Jedi hefts a powerful swing towards one of the enemy. It cuts through a railing instead. His Repirsal in more accurate, slicing one and then another. He turns to face the remaining, squaring off with them. "Then we take the fight to them!" A wicked grin comes over his lips.

<Just keep that up, Kryll!> Nova calls, trying to watch their pursuers. So the shadow that falls over the skiff as /another/ skiff comes vaulting into the canyon is the only warning she gets before there are /crazy people trying to board their skiff/! <Uh-oh...>

Zorii's on the job: A quick maneuver, and four of the five boarders tumble into the fiery pools below! Ektor takes care of the last with a burst of fire; that wild shot, though, burns past her into the railing of the skiff below the gun mount. <Careful, Ek! We're on here too!>

One problem over, she turns her attention back to their pursuers. The canyon is forcing some of them to bunch up, especially after those skiffs made their dramatic entrance. One speeder had fallen back nearly into another. Nova eyes narrow, and she smiles fiercely. <Feel like a game of dominoes, boys..?>

Her shot hits low on the foremost speeder, knocking out its main turbine. Suddenly thrustless, it falls back... straight into the tailgater behind it! Both fall out of the sky spectacularly. < Scratch two and three!>

Standing his ground on the skiff, allowing Zorii to do the driving while he handles the gunplay. Return fire illuminates his armor as it flies past, but none are able to hit the mark. As he prepares to line up a shot on the jetpack crew, another skiff comes into play, and Zorii seems to turn the tables. If being charged, counter charge. With most of that crew disembarking into an unfortunate end, he watches Elrych jump over to the new skiff and start dismembering people. A slight pause, a fraction of a second while he considers something, and then raises his rifle to fire into one hostile's left leg, and then a second into the arm of one getting close to Elrych. <"I trust Jedi have been trained to drive a skiff."> he states to Zorii and Nova, before turning back to start tracking the jetpack team again.

Barad eyes the twelve new "Passengers" (i.e. boarders) already on SKIFF ONE. "*Gulp* --- That's no good." Barad worries. Barad eyes the *TWENTY MORE* boarders on the other skiff, about to add their numbers to the twelve already here. "*Double-Gulp* That's ... even worse." Well, Barad does a little quick math, and chucks his non-lethal grenade at the twenty. ONe marginally ginormous "**GLOOORRRRRRURMOHPPHHHHFFFF**" later, a large number ("17") of them are wearing pink. "Pink Goop," not a fashion statement. And stuck to the skiff for ... well, for what one hopes is long enough for us to escape! The boarding process from the other skiff now slows down to near - Airline - speeds . . . .

• SPAKSPAKSPAK* Blaster fire stitches up the rerebrace and shoulder pauldron of his right side and Hadrix snarls, looking briefly for his attacker - making a guttural sound that rattles his vocalizer before he follows his AR display again.

<"Te'Mando'ade kar'taylir val nu'liser shukalar buruk, a'par buruk'ika val'liser mav'ashie teh chaab"> said to himself, away from comms, a calming mantra to keep him on target. A swirl of lights circle another speeder before becoming hard brackets to either side of it. The fire from the skiffs is being used as tracer fire, the sorcery as indicators where he needn't put his attention. Then he sees Babu running around one. Sweet Babu. Sweet... magical Babu. Priority defense target recognized.

DISTRACTIONS. His target moves out of angle as he squeezes down the firing stud. The shake of the report rattles his teeth and a plume of liquid hot lava (magma has no surface contact. Science) flying up in the wake of the enemy craft.

<<"Pay attention, Hadrix.">>

<<"Go analyze something">>

With the skiff that she is on having gotten that big boost - Greez is a good mechanic, like she says! - Greez is merely looking for other ways to help them survive. Does that mean more efficiency? At the moment, no. It means trying to unload some blaster bolts into the boarders. It's just... She's not -good- at that. It's a clear miss, but maybe it'll distract the guy so that he gets hit by someone else. The Jawa audacity!

Ezret's roar of triumph at downing a speeder and his immediate move to target another one are thrown off by the skiff's sudeen acceleration, tumbling him around the turret. With a slight groan, he pulls himself back up only to be immediately greeted by another surprise: a surge of heat and then a sudden boarding action. These get him back on the ball very quickly, so to speak. "Not today!" he roars coarsely, Again, his first instinct is to go for his blaster and the invading pirates. The others seem to be doing very well though, and Vhe's hacking of the boarding cables suggest that he instead turn back to the turret. Back behind the gun, he points it straight at the adjacent pirate skiff and with a vengeful smirk pulls the trigger, setting the other ship alight. "Boom."

When the blaster bolts start streaking through the sulfur-stenchy air, Rey's lightsaber sweeps up and growls aggressively as it strikes down all three bolts and sends them flying away toward the sky and down toward the molten fields beneath their skiff!

"I saw it! She's amazing!" Rey concurs with Poe, turning for a moment to look ahead with her hood whipping in the winds behind her shoulders. It's the sound of the enemy speeders catching up to them and launching their boarding lines that draws Rey's gaze back. She watches Vhe rush in to engage them, she sees Elrych's blue blade in the distance as he does the same from the other Skiff and she reaches out with her left hand try to send a telekinetic wave to thrust against their enemies that would dare to board their skiff!

The resulting rush through the Force that binds all things, causes three of the foolish boarders to be hurled - kicking and screaming - down to their perilous fates below!

One handed piloting, Zorii grips her cross holstered blaster and half turns in her seat to fire over her shoulder at one of the flying jetpackers. Snapping off one, then another shot, the second of which actually hits. "I'm pretty sure Jedi are trained at doing everything." She answers Kryll, turning back to her seat, holstering her pistol to resume keeping them from dying against lava and/or wall.

Boarders are everywhere and as the skiff continues to roar forward, she stares as they all cluster one as those up above them are starting to pepper shots their way. She turns about, bringing her blade down in the hail of fire to slam one red bolt back at their foes. She is not quick enough to aid further and she catches her breath as several of their companions are hit by the onslaught.

Ektor hollers back at Nova, "Sorry, Moonbeam, sorry about that- I didn't hit your belt, did I?" His good eye is drawn by Elrych going on the offensive and boarding the would-be boarders. "HA. That's rekking GREAT." Kryll is answers, "I don't know about ALL Jedi, but THAT one can drive alright. I mean, he's Corellian, so he's trash, but for a Corellian he's pretty good, yeah?"A

Ektor hollers back at Nova, "Sorry, Moonbeam, sorry about that- I didn't hit your belt, did I?" His good eye is drawn by Elrych going on the offensive and boarding the would-be boarders. "HA. That's rekking GREAT." Kryll is answers, "I don't know about ALL Jedi, but THAT one can drive alright. I mean, he's Corellian, so he's trash, but for a Corellian he's pretty good, yeah?" Blasting merrily away at the pursuing scout troopers, the Tionese rebel drills two of the remaining bikers.

Elrych turns his head back towards Kryll. A single brow raises before he Corellian gives a grin, "AHah! If you only knew." Turning back towards the one last pirate on the Skiff, he points his blade towards him. He reaches out with the force, poking at that brain pan of his. "Sit down, shut up... and don't you dare move..." Then he starts walking back towards their skiff, "No need to fly this one... Get back on ours and we'll cut it loose." At least one guy was alive to tell the story of what happened to his grand children... and didn't get told to jump into Hot Lava... reading is important.

More shots striking his plates, forcing him backwards with the force of it, heat and kinetic dissipaters spreading out the impact before he turns to absorb the rest. It hurts. It'll bruise and he's sure that the durasteel mesh in his rib bones is going to make him uncomfortable for hours. Bionic eye blazing as he reads telemetry readouts and setting up lead-points, the Big Mandalorian growls to himself as he sights through his built in suit magnocs.

SHOOONK! The barrel is glowing and his gauntlets are beginning to heat up from the rapidity of his attacks. Zeroing in on a connection seam on the side of one speeder.

The explosion is fantastic when the fuel manifold is ruptured and the heat ignites the rest.

<<"Neutralized.">> Hadrix's rumbles over comms again.

< I think he's got it covered, Kryll,> Nova replies, taking aim again, swaying with the motion of the skiff. Another shot, another speeder going down in flames. < Surely these guys are smartening up by now! You can't get paid if you're dead!>

She barely hears Ektor's question, busy with her fight. <Huh? I don't think so,> she replies, shifting again with the motion of the skiff... and that's about when her blaster-burned belt snaps, its weight dragging the lower half of her suit down when gravity takes hold. She glances down at her pink athletic briefs and sighs. <Then again, I guess thinking isn't my strong suit. Thanks a lot, Ek.>

Kryll watches as Elrych secures the other skiff, and turns about, tracking more jetpack users as they keep up the chase. He opens fire, sending several bolts into the hostiles and downing two more. This time though, he watches as they fall into lava, and takes a serious moment before considering changing the setting on his carbine. He shrugs, and continues the anti jetpack suppression fire. <"Multiple contacts down, Dameron's skiff still has hostiles on board. Bliss, can you bring us a little closer to provide more accurate support fire?">

Barad has his Medpac all ready to treat Greez for what looks as if it would be horrifying injury. But! Then! *Whhzzzmm Whooeerrmrrrrmm* Two Lazor Swords! The day is saved! Greez' Day remains unblemished. Nice. Barad shrugs and nods and hunkers down to treat his own burn then! A cleanser - beam, Synthetic skin - spray ... both quick-drying. Well, it'll leave a scar, but, hey, well, Barad already has a few.

Too many people shooting! Thank heavens for the Jedi on board, that can save the Jawa's bacon! She's done tinkering with the skiff proper, and instead decides that perhaps it's a good idea to help somewhere else. Scampering from one end of the skiff to the other, she heads for the aft turret. There's some comment to Poe about not crashing again, but it's almost lost over the sound of blaster fire, and lava, and... Well anyway, she gets to the other turret and starts mucking with it as quickly as she can. Dials, knobs, even getting into the control panel! The speed she works at is impressive, and the turret should have the ability to fire more rapidly now! If perhaps overheating if used too much.

Ezret is still feeling himself for a moment at blasting the opposing skiff when blasterfire heads his way, perhaps as retaliation for his gunnery. While he is able to duck and dodge most of them, one seems to nearly strike true - before being deflected. He breathes a slight sigh of relief and lets out a grateful grumble before taking retaliatory action of his own. Seeing that the resident Jawa has supercharged the skiff's turret, he attempts to take pull off two shots in quick succession. While the one aimed at the lone remaining enemy speeder goes just slightly wide, the second snipes a jetpacker straight out of the air.

As the Boarders start to invade their Skiff, Rey's left hand snaps back to her lightsaber's leather wrapped hilt and she holds it high and at the ready as the blaster bolts sweep toward her!

She pivot steps and dips her growling blade around to sweep it left, right, then twirls it up and over her shoulder as she bats it back behind her to send all the blaster bolts away from her, and three of them back at their original shooters, splashing the super heated gases against their bodies, causing sparks to shower all around them as they're dropped into the lava fields below.

"Keep it up!" Rey shouts to the others. "Stay sharp and don't let them intimidate you!"

There's a lot for the Jetpack troops to focus on on the skiffs, Jedi, Resistance fighters, the unfortunate Greez and the ever-adorable Babu. Not the mention the outrageously bounty'd Rey...but ignoring Narsai was not going in their favour!

Swooping among them from above, a blast slams into a trooper, rupturing his tank and sending him plummeting into the ground in a horrific tumble, she sweeps left, strafing by two more with a pair of shots that end the lives of two more and send their out-of-control packs colliding with each other. The last? Narsai's form barrel rolls around, her weapon reaching out to press under his chin before she fires and -kicks- out her legs, sending his airbourne corpse spiriling away while the Ordo continues her aerial hunt with a joyful woop over the comlink.

Poe has been having a fight for his life near the helm. The sound of the iconic DL-44 goes off a number of times, each subsequent hit (or miss) just as distinct made by the glare of red lances spilling back bodies from the helm door way of his skiff. "Not today, pal!" Poe yells at the last one, before sliding the smoking handcannon home at his side. "See, Bee-Bee-Eight, didn't even break a.. DREK!" He jerks the stick, moving the skiff away from a certain wall to avoid absolute death. "I meant to do that, okay? What? I DID!"

The Jetpackers have had enough, and the last speeder with the FO Scouts on it peel away, their heat resistance shields no longer capable of sustaining the lava lake.

Both Poe and Zorii navigate their skiffs with a great deal of experience, weaving between outcroppings and disappearing into a cavern of molten rock only to emerge out the other end. The rounded the final bend, and up ahead they can see the city lights of Piringiisi. <<"I told you we'd pull it off, Bliss. That was amazing!">> Poe was unaware that there were still more boarders on his ship, but thankfully, his crew seemed to manage it. Poe increased their speed and took them off the lake, angling toward the ashen mountains and dunes toward the city, and the final meeting point of the Sullust Resistance. His hair? Crazy.

The mercenaries break away and Vhe is ready to to move and engage the last two when Rey's golden saber sweeps down and manages to catch the last two still up. Their bolts go flying back and the intiate goes still, looking around quickly with brush of her hand to the strands of hair that freed themselves from the collected braid down her back. With no more threats about she turns the stunsaber off and comes about to lower down next to Barad. She tilts her head and reaches out to place a hand on his shoulder if he allows. "They are all gone, will you be okay?" She glances down to his wounds, frowning as she looks to the others. "Anyone else harmed?"

Her voice is loud enough to be heard as she rocks a bit with the movements of the skiff.

Bliss glances back as the speeders pick up speed after breaking away from whatever's left of their pursuit, <"Yeah, truly engaging and eye opening experience, Dameron. Ten of ten, would smuggle illicit weapons to swamp world again."> She murmurs into their shared commfreq, pulling the dented, probably smoking, Skiff up beside Poe's as they near the secondary meeting. "Everyone good back there? Ektor, did you screw anything up?" "Babue no bik beyoooooo.... tiki?" "Babu says you probably screwed something up."

Ektor hollers back to Nova, "You're welcome, yeah? I don't pink these guys is too bright, yeah?" A pause. "THINK, I don't *think*. I might've said pink, but I meant think." When the remaining attackers prove him wrong by fleeing, Ektor shouts after them, "YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. Go back and hide underwear ever rock you crawled out from!" Zorii is talking. Did he screw anything up. "Probably. Why?" A shrug to Babu. "Listen, I know it SAYS 'do not disconnect', but tell me straight: that's like some engineering joke, yeah?"

Elrych gives a glance over his shoulder to make sure he's not leaving anyone on the boarding skiff (other than the guy he just zombied with the Force), before cuting the cables wih his lightsaber. They spark before the other Skiff difts back and away and they're gaining distance from one another. Thick black rimmed glasses, deeply tinted and reflective from the Lava bellow, that cover his icy blue eyes look up towards the retreating jetpacks and speeders. A smirk crosses his lips as he moves towards the fore of the Skiff, yelling across at the others. "You guys okay? Vhe?" He knew she was alright, but it felt good to chck just incase.

Whether or not the Jawa is still freaking out is hard to tell. She's got her visor down! Hard to see her face. The enemies are fleeing, or dead, and she checks her flight suit for damage. Nothing. Then, she's headed over to Poe, to puts her hands on her hips and look up at him, chittering in Jawaese. Luckily, the droid she has translates for her, relaying the message rather than giving a direct translation, now that it's calm. "She says that you need to learn to drive, and does not appreciate this being shot at business. She also states that she's not dead, and that is a surprise... But is willing to work with you again. But she expects to be paid fairly, of course." And then, the Jawa kicks at the console near the steering column. Which for a split second, gives a burst of speed, enough to lurch it only the tiniest bit. "And now, she says that the skiff will need full repairs once it is safe. Or sold, to an unsuspecting buyer. The skiff will only last another two days in its current state before overheating and... Oh my... Exploding. Or so she surmises."

<Ek...> Nova mutters, trying to duck down in embarrassment. Of course, what she's embarrassed about is below the turret ring and in full view, so it doesn't do any good. And she can't let go of the turret grips without losing her balance. <Let's just get these things delivered and get away from here.>

Kryll watches as the jetpackers disengage, and lowers his carbine to a more relaxed position. <"They have had enough, check the skiffs for trackers before heading to the final destination."> he turns to move towards the front of the skiff where Zorii is driving, nodding to Nova along the way. <"Minimal damage to the skiff, it should be fine for the trip."> Then he is looking to Ektor, his full helmet covering his face and the experessions as the man speaks about pink, and underwear? Did he say underwear? A shake of his head to dismiss the thought and he simply turns his gaze to the horizon, looking for any other ships which may attempt to intercept. As the skiffs get closer together he looks overtowards Dameron, and though does not yell across the divide, words are still needing to be said at some point soon.

Barad sighs out a long happy breath: "Wheeeeeeeeeew." Well, that's over. And "All's Well that Ends Well," eh? Barad nods. Barad thinks so? And Barad agrees. The dull simmering ache from the burns are irksome, but the adrenaline is keeping the worst of that at bay for now. And so, for the remainder of the voyage, Barad closes his eyes to half - slits, breathes in and out slowly, and enjoys the sensation of the wind whistling past his face, fluttering his big 'ole floopy ears in the breeze with the speed of their passage. Yeah! If this were a car, Barad would totally stick his head out the window. ***BECAUSE: It's AWESOME to SmeLL - ALL - ThE - PaSSiNG - ThiNgS - MoRE-FaStER!!*** Ahem. But ... it's not a car. And thus there are no windows. And so ... he doesn't have to do that. Barad just rests in the back of the speeding skiff, enjoying the rush of air and the welcome lack of incoming blasterfire. Everyone is still alive. Good Day. He'll take it.

Targets moving out, green showing on his optics - Hadrix stands as his system sends signals to his rifle, causing the barrel extenders to slip backward and the pressurization chambers begin to cycle down.

<<"Alor'Ordo, area secured. Exfiltrating. Meet you back at the Laar.">> No waiting for accolade, great or small, the Mandalorian backs away to turn and lift into the air once more, trailing blue flames behind as he thunders away under the power of his pack.

Ezret is still flush with battle-thrill-rage, eyes hunting the next FO or pirate target, when he realizes that the sounds of combat have stopped, the landscape behind them clear. He remains alert behind the turret, but it's clear a bit of wind has been taken out of his sails, so to speak. Pausing for a few moments to look at the scenery being passed by, he finally turns to check on the rest of the situation. The familiar form of Barad, clearly having taken a hit, is the first to draw his attention, but he knows there's not much he can do to help. So instead, he takes a seat on a railing by himself, just watching. Victory on this day, at least.

With the last two boarders firing on Ezret and Greez, Rey lunges backward and glides across the desk of the skiff to intercept their blaster bolts! A raise of her right elbow and then a sweeping outward motion of her left hand and she bats both of the bolts right back to the shooters, knocking them down in to the hazards below.

The golden beamed saber is raised up then as Rey turns around to look to Greez and Ezret. "Are you hurt?" She asks them both, lingering her stare for a moment before she looks off toward their fleeing attackers. "I think we're safe for now."

Rey's thumb sweeps over her lightsaber's activator and it swirls around the hilt, pulling the blade back inside of it. She reaches out with one free hand to take hold of a metal railing on the skiff then for balance.

"Good driving!" Rey shouts up to Poe before looking out to visually scan over the other skiff and it's passengers with strands of her dark hair whipping about her face.

The Resistance was clear, boarders tumble off skiffs into the sand beneath her and the Jet troopers? Those that remain were scattering. Behind her T-Visor? Narsai was grinning like mad. This sort of chase and ariel battle? What a rush!

There's a lift of her hand, a salute to the group the Mandalorian had been overwatching before she climbs skywards and peels away.

<<Affirmative Hadrix, I'm on my way.>>