Log:Rebellion: Heist Heist Baby I
Rebellion: Heist Heist Baby I
OOC Date: May 12, 2023
Location: Chandrila - Heolstar City
Participants: Rieve Selki as GM, Colo Nell, Valeska Kora, Hadrix Kora, Lira'una, and L'orera.
The Holo-message had been typically Rieve...
"Darlings! It is I. I know my request for your company was somewhat... mysterious and devoid of information, and now you find yourself languishing in a rather plain apartment with nary a clue as to why you're here!"
Indeed, the flickering figure of Rieve wavered and sputtered before the eyes of those so gathered. Clad in his flowing robes of the blue-est of blues, the Hapan sought to inform and illuminate.
"So here we are where it all began... Chandrila. I was shot fifteen years ago down on the street below, and now? The streets are back to normal, people suffer under the unjust and unfair and frankly evil reign of the Sith who flooded the streets with horror and terror all that time ago. So... while I regret I shan't be there to enjoy your company."
The hologram winks, bows with a flourish, and blows a kiss to each and all.
"I want you to perform a most daring heist... the businesses in question are all loyal to the occupation, they have flourished under it, thrived even! Three banks, a nightclub, and a store of antiquities... yet your target will be the armoured grav-truck that collects their weekly takings, and if I calculated correctly? They begin that very journey in one hours time, so feel free to trail and examine and make the best plan you can, because we are going to hit that truck once you've worked out the details! The details are encoded within this message... caf is provided! Do clean up after yourselves!"
And the message ends... leaving those so gathered here no doubt enlightened as to their summons. Plan a heist. Simples!
---
Even the familiar, blue-y form of holo-Rieve can't distract Colo from caf that he's already 'providing' to himself. With his helmet off, armor on, and cigarra stuffed between his lips, he strikes quite the, er, striking look all considered. It's disrupted only by the audible slurping from a caf-cup as he tilts it back and feeds his misery over being on Chandrila, mixed in with the Sith. At least he's not alone.
The Corellian's eyes peer to his confederates as the message winkles out of existance and leaves him chewing his gums over the end of his cigarra. The smoke plumes outwards with a brief exhale before he sets to work: "Leave it to Rieve to leave the planning to someone else. Mh. So. First order of business..." He muses aloud, trailing his eyes from one to the other present. "How many stops of that train are we gonna be risking allowing?"
---
Val has done what Val does best: comandeered the cushiest chair she could find and plopped her shebs right into it. When the recording finishes playing, she looks around to those assembled. Three Mandos and two young, unfamiliar women. Oh, yeah. Those are good odds.
"We should clear the route of surveilience. Find out where their spotters are on the ground and in the air. I'm no good with computers, but I can spot pretty damn well, yeah?" She idly kicks her foot in thought, pondering a bit more. Colo poses his question and that gets a smirk from her. "You know me. I say let them get the whole haul on board before we take it. What do you all think?"
---
Click-click--click-click-click. As she watched the holovid of Rieve, Lira'una -- lavender Twi'lek extraordinaire -- was /sitting/ atop a meter-tall spider-looking droid (though it had only four legs), her legs crisscrossed and her long black cloak dangling over the edge of it. The catch was that it seemed to be struggling a little under her weight, and every little shift of her balance (of which there were many, since this was not a Twi'lek that liked to sit still for very long) seemed to cause it to take a step in one direction or another.
She had arrived with L'orera and 'Skitter,' the droid in question, carrying a duffel bag that she dropped off to the side. And once the holovid is over, she breaks the silence of the room by providing a quick little applause of his recorded performance, her purple lips beaming a smile at the where the transmission used to be.
But then the others are speaking, and she folds her hands in her lap, her whole body swaying as the spider droid keeps shifting to compensate.
"I mean, we're here for /all/ the funds," she chimes up, looking from Val back to Colo. "So I'm with it." She pauses, then, looking around. "Lira, by the way. Unless we're supposed to have codenames. And then.. like.. I guess.. dibs on Tiny Purple."
"Get. Off." The spider's vocoder finally grinds out the words in angry basic.
Lira sighs, slipping lightly back off and onto her feet again. "Fine. Geeze."
---
Sith, New Republic, Corp-Sec... they all paid, the conflicts of the worlds outside of Mandalore Sector were of little concern, just that the credits spent. So now Al'Verde Kora was present, standing with his hands hanging from his thumbs hooked into his combat webbing - relaxed enough to not have his hands resting on a weapon grip or two.
<"Maximum yield if we let it run to the full extent, all five. Can hit it when it has its fifth pickup... either when its leaving or in transit.">
Hadrix's helmet was on, features obscured, identifiable only by familiarity - personal or by rumor. The fangs, horns and bones adorning his armor were distinct. At his side floated Gripper, the ID-10 unit bobbing above his right shoulder, her voice a cultured woman's. Accented much like his, Aristocratic Coruscanti.
"Surveillance and sensor support are easy enough. I can slice if we need."
---
Lira brought a friend. A skittish, wide eyed Mirialan who is doing her level best to blend in with the bland wall. A hardened combat veteran, she is not. She doesn't look like she could fight her way out of a wet paper sack, much less a heist.
What the hell is she -doing- here, besides drinking caf, the mug held in both her hands.
She, of course, is giving Lira the side-eye the whole time she's sitting atop the droid. She's being very ... extra. Business as usual, honestly. "I'm ... I'm Rera, I'm with her," she nods towards Lira. "I'm a ...medical professional. I don't ... fight. Or sneak. I make sure people don't die."
She is going to be -such- a liability. Her eyes flicker across the Mandalorians, her eyes glinting with not-quite terror. She is certainly intimidated.
---
"All the funds..." Colo mutters, more jaded than joyous. His eyes flutter-flick from Lira to Valeska and back again to the spider-queen herself, soon dethroned. The concern doesn't fade even as the others speak to introduce themself, whereupon he joins the chorus. "Colo," He intones to the Mirialan in particular, introducing before he proves himself unafraid to play contrarian a spell.
"The more pickups means more danger. And if we're looking at five plus a medic?" He considers, counting the AWOL Hapan amongst their number. "Then we might want to take it a little...easier. The less blasting the better, right?" He quizzes, shooting his look in particular towards the other, male Mandalorian present. "What I mean is: maybe we should consider that getting away with a significant haul is better than none?" The gambler: voice of reason.
---
Valeska raises a gloved hand in casual greeting. "Valeska of the Clan Kora. That big guy there is Hadrix Kora, our clan's second in command. You've already met Colo Nell, also of Clan Kora. I had planned to stay out of the whole Sith Empire thing but ya know. Rekkers had to go and make it personal, yeah?" The Dantooine accent is as thick as ever, but as cordial as Cajun-esque intonations can be.
Without her helmet, the crimson-painted Mando looks over the two women with a discerning eye. For those that knew her, Valeska has taken on more and more of her mother's intense gazes as she's gotten older. It is L'orrera her hazel eyes fall on and finally the Mandalorian rises from her cushy seat. She holds a hand out to quell any immediate reservations the young woman may have, but that doesn't stop Valeska from walking around her once... once. Scanning. Judging, even. "You're the doc?" Flat-toned at first, a frown on her lips. A flick of a glance towards Hadrix then back to L'orrera. "You're with me. I'll keep you covered, but you will need to keep up. I think I have some armor that will fit you, too."
To the rest of the group, she says: "Tell me where the rendezvous point is and I can meet you there."
---
"Best medical professional I know, too," Lira'una chimes up after Rera's introduction, her leather-wrapped lavender lekku curling against the the black of her hood, a pleasant smile worn on her lips. She wasn't going to mention that she was also the /only/ medical professional she knew.
Then Colo's speaking, and Lira's blinking, looking over at him. Her arms fold over her stomach, the midnight black of her cloak swallowing her petite frame.
"Does it, though? I mean.. are they picking up more security along the way or something? Do we know where the truck is /going/ after the last stop? What are the chances that there's like a /big stretch of nothing/ that would be a perfect ambush location where we could stop the truck and take everyone prisoner?"
She smiles a little, hopeful purple smile, but then she shrugs, watching Valeska circle her friend like a predator even as she's withdrawing a little datapad and adapter from inside her robe (robes are useful) and plugging it into the available dataport. She types a few things and sighs, shaking her head... apparently not having any luck at all at figuring out where all the palces were on a map.
She does glance back over her shoulder, though, to check on Rera.
"Armor for her would be good," Lira puts in her two cents. Even though she wasn't really wearing anything that could be considered armor, either. Then again, armor made it difficult to be an acrobatic little Twi'lek in.
"I think my datapad's broken. I can't seem to find Chandrilla. That's where we are, right? With one Ell?"
---
<"Colo. I'm here and Val'Ika. We could take four times their number and not grow tired... and I don't need to go in blasting. That's why I have blades and these."> lifting his hands, Hadrix's head turns towards Colo, fists flexing before his fingers hook into two crossing bandoliers over his chest, hanging there.
<"Gripper and I can work on tailing, navigate to the final pick-up point. Anyone who can keep up, happy to have you with.">
At the mentioning of her name, Gripper's upper torso rotates and her holoprojector engages - taking information linked from Hadrix's systems as he blink tabs in his hud and his right hand lifts form where it had hung, slightly, fingers working rapid fire against his palm.
<"One entry and exit for the truck unless they have some sort of secret passage crafted in parts of the city, we'd have to move particularly quick due to proximity to the base and due to Sith personnel who frequent the club. But there is plenty of cover and concealment for us to maneuver."> positions being highlighted around the map, including several green icons, <<"Plenty of potential slicer ports as well, to access local surveillance.">
Helmet turning towards the others, silence reigning for several heartbeats before, <"Val and I could drop in, the rest of you in support position. Colo doesn't make it as personal as Val or I, perfect escort for the Medic... Depending on how quick you move"> visor suddenly on Lira, <"We could have you with Val and I... My kids can have my ship ready, she's fast... Swoop in to pick us up with the goods..."> a low rumbling sound in his externals before he offers, <"Thoughts?">
---
Rera looks -incredibly- uncomfortable at the scrutiny she's getting. Especially when Valeska walks around her like some kind of predator. The girl tries to shrink herself even more, but that's not really possible. She is well out of her depth and element here. She starts a little when she's spoken to, nodding. "Y-yes. I'm pretty skilled with a medkit and the more ... primitive methods of healing if necessary."
A-armor?! Her eyes widen, taken aback. "I've never...I don't know if..." She babbles, trailing off. Still, she just nods once. If anyone here can protect her, it's one of the Mandos.
She'd much rather be on their team than on the other side.
She looks at Lira, futzing with her datapad and having trouble. "Have you tried turning it off and then back on?"
---
The sizing-up goes without Colo's interference. He figures Valeska knows her bit and finds that suspicious confirmed with his paramour's insistence on flying protective wing to the medicilan. As for Lira, he squints rather more intently. From this expression, his voice flows as calmly as if he's describing a mathematical equation: "Each stop has its own security team to cover each delivery. The three banks each load their own contingent, then the others down the line. Beyond that, sure, there's a stretch where we can probably hit them all at once, but..." And here he trails off, shrugging within his armor to hear Hadrix out.
What burbles forth draws a brief sigh. "And that's what I mean. One entry and one exit, and they're not going to be just...empty. I think we don't quite have enough info, yeah?" He offers up. Colo finishes his caf in the next gulp of air and seems dead-set on ensuring his cigarra burns a while longer. Even so, his feet are already aimed for the door and, ostensibly, the speeder that yet awaits them below. "I think, either way, if we're gonna slice and get more info, we're gonna need to get movin'. I'll get her warmed up," The Corellian promises, amidst crossing his fingers over what -type- of speeder the thoughtful Rieve has outfitted this journey with.
--
A hand rests on L'orrera's shoulder in an attempt to reassure her, feeling a kinship with the young woman. Believe it or not, she was once in this girl's shoes. "S'all good, yeah? You'll thank the armor when things go sideways." When. Not if. A pat-pat on the shoulder and she nods to Lira. "I'm pretty sure I got something for her."
Hadrix's plan hits the room and try as she might (she doesn't), Valeska cannot find anything wrong with it. "Sounds good to me. Change of plans, kid," she says to L'orrera. "You're with Colo. That's my husband, yeah? He'll take damn good care of ya. Stay close to him. You can tell by the cologne."
As Colo heads for the door, so does Valeska, catching him before he gets too far and bringing her forehead to his. "Don't get into trouble without me, yeah?" Then the helmet is placed on with a hiss of air compression. <"Ori'vod, could you keep me updated on your location? I'm going to slip past the goons and pop by the ship for the armor. I'll catch up with you all from above.">
---
It appeared that Lira had been doing some amount of pretending that Hadrix wasn't in the room -- which was sort of like pretending the room didn't exist. She hadn't even looked over when Val introduced him. It wasn't that she was being overtly /mean/ about it. But.. you know how it makes you /feel/ better not to look at the rabid dog that's snarling and about to eat your face off? That's mostly what it was. It was more comfortable not to look at the man that had presented her with a human skull the last time they'd met because she /still/ didn't know how to handle that, even after talking to Orin.
"You know what? No.. I--" She was about to answer Rera when she glanced back at that mountain of a helmeted Mandalorian and his droid's holoprojector. "/That's/ what I was trying to do.." So, she unplugged that datapad and slipped it back into an inner pocket of her robe, watching and listening.
"I can move," she says her first words to Hadrix, nodding up at him with a small, almost timid smile on her lips. "So can Skitter. We'll stay with you." A pause, then, as she keeps her gaze on him. "I'm sorry.. about last time, by the way. Maybe after we can..."
There's a little shrug of her shoulder, a hopeful lift of her eyebrows, and then she moves over to the duffel bag she'd dropped earlier. Out of it, she pulls a cloth mask that she stuffs into a robe pocket and a stun baton, which she clips to her belt. She's just doing that when Val says that Colo is her husband, and she looks between the two of them with an even broader smile. She moves to climb into the car, Skitter following along after her, those blue eyes of hers lingering on Colo.
"So /that's/ your wife," she comments once she's climbed in, the spider-droid climbing in and folding up at her feet.
---
<"I'm bad at peopling."> given in answer to Lira as if that explained everything
Following to the air car, and using clan comms to give Valeska a beacon to follow, The Boar-Wolf of Ealor's choice of seat is in the rear passenger cabin, rather than up front. If something required rapid exit, he'd rather it not be with a sudden blast of air current by the driver.
And knowing him, it could call for a sudden exit at the drop of a hat.
<"To be very clear, Col'ika, your plan is viable. But if we're going to be taking an armored grav-truck, one hundred thousand credits would do very little for the people contracting us. Half a million or more... that guarantees our pay... possibly more work. Also, I think you've been part of the family long enough to know how much we prefer the long odds... Not that you allow people to give you the odds.">
A touch of humor from the big man? Hadrix is already going through his equipment, though, from the massive personal wookiee rifle he has to awkwardly get into the car, to a variety of pop out compartments along his vambraces, cuisse, breastplate and even the rim on the sides and back of his helmet. Knives... knives... more knives... the distinct spherical shape of a Thermal detonator... and small-arms strapped all over him, including one that looks like an E-11, as if he had a paired set - but then the one has what looks like a fuel tank mounted to it.
Like a flamer weapon.
---
Rera manages not to flinch when Val touches her. She's impressed with her self. She's still not used to strangers touching her. "I ...I highly doubt you were just like me," she says, her lips twisting wryly. "If I don't botch this enough that you put a blaster bolt through my head, maybe I'll tell you," Most of, "my story."
Certain details will, of course, be omitted for the safety of everyone involved. Mostly her own and Lira's.
DOWN AT THE CAR
Rera gets into the back seat, joining Hadrix. Her body language is incredibly tense. This is as close as she's ever been to a fully armed and operational Mandalorian. It's terrifying. She draws a deep breath through her nose, slowly letting it out, and then again. Calming herself enough that her shoulders no longer hunch.
---
So the journey there is smooth. This is indeed a luxurious ride. Colo has a fine grasp of its handling, and there's nary a bump, nor a shudder, this ride is as smooth as freshly churned blue milk. Traffic passes on by at a nice pace, there's no honking, just the steady drift of cars from one air-way to another. Infact, you arrive at just the right moment. The exact moment the armoured Grav-Truck pulls free of the High Security Depot for Heolstor Armoured Securities. The Grav-Truck is a plain grey in colour with a red stripe that sweeps about the blocky vehicle, powered by eight repulsors that give the large vehicle its lift. It is a ponderous vehicle that takes some time to get up to speed. Slowly, slowly, slowly... the first leg of the journey is indeed absolutely normal. There's nothing untoward in the traffic, there's just the idle glide of air-traffic as the various lanes of trafflic make their way through the city streets at varying levels.
Indeed, the first stop is what you'd expect. The armoured grav-truck slowly glides into a descent, and draws up before the ranging spire of the Outer Rim Holdings Bank, and on one exits the front. However the rear doors open as you draw near, and two guards decently armoured and armed with rifles jump out of the empty truck... one stays at the rear, the other enters the bank. Indeed, such is the efficiency of the bank, that even as you begin your final approach, that the bank is already wheeling out six hexagonal stacks of creds on a small grav-bed. Six stacks? Well. that's 60,000 creds already. Two guards loading... one guard watching... however many at the front. Once loaded? The three guards enter the grav-truck, doors close, and the grav-truck begins it's lumbering ascent once more.
---
Colo's never one to depart -too- quickly. Like at a fancy party where one lingers near the dear to say goodbye for a good fifteen minutes, the Corellian knows how to take it easy, be laconic, and most of all to say his departures--brief though they are--to Valeska. He smiles warmly both at the mention of his unique choice of scent and his counterpart's affection. Completing the gesture of merging their two, inky scalps for a brief time is but second nature to him and he presses in close with a nod. "I always bring the trouble to your walkway, you know that..."
Promise made, he departs before long, albeit with his helmet still clipped to his side rather than mounted up. Colo keeps his eyes clean and clear as he starts their provided air-car up after a -thorough- check of the exterior that eats away a full minute of their precious time. The Corellian's aged properly to the point that he's now a speeder-head, curse him, and so he damn near swoons over the sleek exterior and the hue of it all. Hopping in and revving the engine to the point the repulsors lift them up proper-like is of secondary concern to the appreciation the vehicle deserves, cut in only long enough to answer Hadrix's words. "Some of us are doing this for the Cause rather than for pay. I won't turn my nose up at the credits, but..." Colo offers with another, gentle shrug. "Val and I have our reasons."
From there it's only Lira's comment, curious as it is, that draws a smile to his lips and a peek over at her as he sees the gang into car. The smooth confidence of his comment comes but a beat later. "That's my wife." What else need be said? Maybe one thing. "Hands and rocket-packs in the vehicle at all times, please..." He urges them as he sets them off.
From Colo's vantage point, then, he chooses to keep his mouth shut and his eyes on the road ahead. The lower level beckons to him and he wheels the air-car into motion at a good, spy-worthy distance to tail the grav-truck. He makes it seem more effortless than it is, but for a kid who grew up in Coronet City? It's more practice than luck.
---
Valeska slips through what was once Heolstor City with the ease of someone who has trained well for this sort of thing. Taking the skies also helps because most patrols don't think to look up. Aerial surveillance? Well, that's another matter, but she manages to slip past the occasional hovering droid or monitoring camera. She makes it to the starport unmolested.
Popping by the ship they came on, likely the Woor'tra, Valeska offers a wave to Kar and the the girls as she passes by. <"Just pickin' something up, yeah? Expect to hear from your dad in little over an hour?"> She checks the time real quick. <"Maybe less. Depending on how things go.">
After a quick slip into her quarters to grab a set of armor and a headset communication for Lira, she exits out and takes the skies once more, using the high buildings and rooftops to stealthily maneuver around the city, following Hadrix's guidelines.
As she goes, she is scanning the route, marking every camera she finds and highlighting some of the ones that will cause the most trouble. <<"Plenty of cameras on-route,">> she says to those that can hear her over the comms, assured it will be conveyed to the others. <<"Gripper will have no issue with those. But there are some on the truck I am detecting that are... trickier. Self-contained on the truck. If we want them deactivated, we will need access to the truck to do it. Colo, how fast can you work?">>
---
Riding shotgun with Colo driving, Lira seems perfectly content in the passenger seat, watching out the window at the buildings and the other cars they pass. It's easy to lose track of your thoughts when things are so smooth -- to lose track of where you are and what you're doing. She'd never been to Heolstor City, before. In fact, she'd never been to Chandrila before. Everything was /exceptionally/ nice, compared to Nar Shaddaa.. more like a really big New Vertica, really... (That is to say, Lira loses track of her thoughts).
Until the grazy spider-droid-dog-like-thing was crawling up out of the floorboard and halfway up into her lap so it could turn its head out the window. Actually, it was remarkable how canine it was acting in that moment, but it was scanning out, watching the grav-truck for a few moments.
"Hey!" Lira complains, pulling her robe out from underneath one of its feet. The space was cramped, but at least the droid wasn't panting and drooling on her.
"Twelve shielded repulsors," the spider-droid's menacing vocoder recites mechanically. "Vulnerable to ionization."
"Oh." Lira blinks a couple of times. "I.. guess I haven't gotten used to how useful you can be, yet. I guess I should... be paying more attention." And then, drawing in a breath, she lets it out slowly and closes her eyes. Because that was going to help her pay more attention.
---
The Cause.
The big man is quiet at that, though any who knew him well enough could likely feel the expression behind his helmet. It wasn't that the man was immune to Causes. He was a zealot, only that his cult had shifted from that beaten, quite literally, into him from infancy to the culture that he had embraced just before the Battle of Exegol. A lifetime ago for some.
<"Val's I am sure of, knowing her parentage... Yours... I'm unsure. But causes don't spend and I have fuel, munitions and medical bills..."> not to mention three children whom he dotes on.
The note about the truck making Hadrix's head dip as if he'd nodded off, but the red glow behind his visor gives away that he is, apparently, reviewing things, left hand working now, tapping at his palm. <"At the final stop... if we can get close enough to when they're loading the final cargo... they maintain a watch while the fetcher works while adding another guard at each stop."> right hand moving now as if sliding beads on an abacus mounted to his thigh.
<"We could... Trac'tra nynir..."> Lightning Strike, <"Val'ika and I on point, with Lira... Colo with L'orera... Point team secures access to truck entry, clears a way to the cab. Get Colo in position to pilot us out while we secure the truck and dispose of those who refuse to surrender.">
Like he was talking about emptying a bin.
---
Rera tries to do her part. She peeps out the windows and glances in the mirrors, golden eyes narrowing slightly in thought. "That antenna on top. If we can...get someone up there, we can jam their communications," she says quietly.
Then she starts as she realizes she just spoke a complete, non-stammering sentence about DOING A CRIME. Her cheeks darken as she realizes this, and she takes another calming breath. She's good at those.
She goes quiet after, her piece said.
---
The journey to the second stop is much the same as the first with Colo's smooth driving, with the luxurious car kept on a lower strata of traffic to the grav-truck itself. Indeed, this allows for the armoured grav-truck to sweep in low ahead of Colo and his team, and indeed Valeska soaring about up high, before finally pulling up before the second stop. The Bank of Thynne, a bank that seems to cater for a select clientelle. Again the back doors swing open, and yet this time? There's something different. Two guards now stand watch. Weapons poised, and eyes scanning the immediate vicinity, while the third enters the bank, before returning with another guard and another nine hexagonal stacks. Nine stacks? 90,000 credits. Time is of course taken to load, with the single guard and the lifter droids stowing the creds once more. The extra guard remains in the grav-truck, and the the others soon follow. Guard count has increased by +1. Again the truck begins its ponderous glide upwards... turning, banking, and sweeping along and away...
---
The buzzing of comms doesn't distract Colo much from his duties. So accustomed to tracking dozens of variables at once, the presence of spider-droid, of Lira, of a new face in the back-seat, of keeping the grav-truck in his line of sight while being mostly out of his quarry's? It all goes swimmingly and Valeska's voice chirping in his ear doesn't harm that in the least. He sweeps a digit downwards to cut the vocoder on his helmet so he can speak to Valeska en route. "No doubts as to Gripper's abilities there; it's mine I'm still figuring out, Uj'alayi. I think I can break it in...four minutes?" Colo always overestimates, just to be sure.
The same level of assurance sinks into his voice as he shoots a skeptical look Hadrix's way in the mirror, amidst the buzz of Lira's spider. "It's Val's parentage's why it's a cause I'm following, brother." That assertion made, he sets his mind back to the task, albeit with an acknowledging nod to Rera. "Worthy idea. I think Valeska might be suitable for that. Or...she can carry you?" He suggests to the Mirialan with a hasty smirk.
As he's tailing the grav-truck, he calls over to Hadrix again, nodding with the other Mandalorian's assessment. "Think you and Val can hang that -and- plant something on top to jam 'em? Last thing I want is us getting a reverse-heist on the way out."
---
Valeska lands on a rooftop to steady herself a bit and to duck past some security droids as they drift past further down, scanning the area. Once they are gone, she spies the hoverBuick and starts running across the roof. <<"I'm going to fly on ahead. Get to the endgoal and see what I can find while you guys keep tailing. Just gotta--DREK!">>
One foot to the edge of the building, Valeska leaps into the air with the confidence of a bird. The jetpack chooses this moment to flare to life! --then sputter and fail. She gets a moment of lift then she is falling, falling... onto the next building.
Good news, she landed on a flat surface. Bad news? <<"Nearly twisted my rekkin' ankle, you sonofa--">> The rest is spat out in very angry Bothanese as she starts running from rooftop to rooftop trying to catch back up.
---
Lira laughs softly from the front seat after L'orera's observation. "You're getting into it, Rera." She didn't open her eyes, though. She really just seemed to be enjoying the trip, the pleased little curl of her lips, the spider-droid riding half in her lap as it continued to focus its gaze out the window.
"I'm with you, Hadrix. Someone's gotta help you work on your people-ing. Maybe I can help a few of them keep their heads." Of course, though she doesn't turn around, there's a smile in her voice.
Skitter speaking up again has Lira opening her eyes again, though. "Tracking beacon access located at vehicle lower panel. Syncing location to local comms," the spider intones in his dark, brooding voice, and transmitting the 3D model with the target location for the tracking beacon to the group's updated intel data.
"The truck's tracking beacon? Or control for the contents?"
"Unclear," the droid answers.
"Has everyone else noticed that we're picking up an extra guard at every stop? The truck's starting to fill up." The Twi'lek's blue eyes look over to Colo in the driver's seat and she offers an almost sheepish smile. "Turns out, they are adding guards as we go..."
She clears her throat.
"Not recommending a plan change. Just.. pointing out the obvious."
---
<"Aye, Lira. They've been adding since the start... Means they'll be nice and clumped if we throw a cryoban in the truck before we go in... or if we use a repeater.">
One massive wampa paw moves to pat Rera's shoulder, <"Good thinking, Verd'ika.">
Gripper, receiving data from Hadrix's feeds, is using her own considerably more powerful encrypted broadcaster to send information to Valeska via clan comms.
Hadrix keeps where he is for now, seeing the adjustments and increases at each stop. As predicted and expected. Nodding to himself... or no. He's not quite nodding. His head is moving as if he were listening to something.
<"Lira... when we get close for the final drop, when we may be making our run at them... You need to loop an arm through the bandolier going right to left across my chest. I'll secure you, if you intend to arm yourself."> still bopping to whatever he's listening to, <"Colo, it's a good point. We could get her down there... Both of them are small, and I have my anti-gravs as well to air-drop... I was going to have you fly L'orera down, but we may need to change that if you need Val or I to. But someone will need to cover her until its jammed, while you get to the cab...">
So either he or Valeska. If Colo is driving.
<"We need to get ahead to the fifth stop, so that we can position. When they are loading is their weakest point and I don't want to play catchup in the middle of a combat drop."> still bopping, <"There are considerable cover points that we can position at. Hard and fast. They're all ex-military by the look of them. But they're aruetiise ex-military... so it'll be cute.">
---
Rera smiles a bit at the praise from her friend. Regardless of the fact that this is a crime. It's a crime against the Sith Empire, and those guys suck. A lot. Worth it.
She tilts her head slightly, looking at the truck. A thought occurs to her. Something she read in the archives. A power that can show weaknesses in vehicles and droids. The Mirialan takes a deep breath and tries to sink into the Force. To let it show her things.
It won't.
She reaches with her feelings, straining and gritting her teeth so hard that her jaw creaks. A trickle of blood drizzles from her nose as she focuses and strains, her whole body quivering until she just lets go. She slumps back against the seat, jumping as Hadrix pats her on the shoulder. Her head feels like it's full of wool, and she thumbs the trickle of blood away from her nose.
She doesn't even try to explain.
---
The grav-truck sweeps low, laden with its abundance of hexagonal stacks of golden cred chits. Oh the beautious bounty of ill-gotten wealth that will serve the Rebellion well. And piss off several institutions that have bowed low to the Occupation of Chandrila. The ride forces all traffic into a couple of lanes, with the Grav-truck plowing ahead, and a catching up Colo in the wake. With his array of assorted passengers, there's a certain bouncing of glorious ideas and even a nosebleed.
Val might well find her own path somewhat obscured, though given the path of the others, her route is assured. Into the yellow-lit tunnel, the journey sweeps on for a good few minutes, likely a blindspot, but also a deathtrap... but for whom? Finally the light of the day blares once more! Out into an industrial-esque area, droids and workers milling about, and up ahead, that fabled grungey club of grit and loud throbbing music.
The truck pulls in as it ways does, gliding to a thunderous halt as debris and litter is cast aside by the repulsors, before powering down. At this point? Well eight guards within. Two in the front, and six in the back. The six get out, and four take up positions to watch and observe. The other two go inside... and soon three emerge, lifter droids too, and eight hexagonal stacks of creds. It's been quite the haul on this scouting mission.
As Hadrix observed before, there's gantries and pipes, walkways and such at varying levels. It's a hard spot to guard.
---
If anything's going to set Colo's sense of alertness off into a fit of pique, it's Valeska yelping something over their mutual comms while she's where he can't see. The Corellian's heart skips a thump for the second or two it takes her to render another, swear-laced verdict on her current state. Just a mishap with her damnable jump-pack, another reason for him never to trust heights. He grips more visibly tight upon the wheel and gets back to work.
"I recall a most prescient fellow predicting them picking up extra guards at each stop. Do you recall his name?" He quizzes as he looks to Lira. The spike of anxiety gives way to the oldest trick in the book--pretending to be confident when he's about to gamble. The curl of a smile shoots at the Twi'lek and is joined by a self-satisfied wink. "Handsome fellow, too, I recall." The un-subtle reminder of his genius so-rendered, Colo seems content to keep his mouth shut and quietly agree with the elder Mandalorian's commentary. Hadrix gets a knowing peek in the mirror, but then he's back to angling them towards the grav-truck and its damnable last stop. "Over-confidence will be your downfall...Don't get cocky, eh?"
He advises even as he chucks his own advice right out the open top of the air-car. Colo works the pedals with more verve, smirking as he peels the air-car effortlessly into a parking space for them, out of sight and sound of drones, droids, or cameras. "Careful of the cameras, eh? The club's look to be working well, but the ones on the street look like they've received the tender care of Sith 'administration'. Stick near those where possible."
---
Cursing at her electronics works at home and cursing at her equipment and weaponry works in the field, too. She leaps from another building and hits the trigger, bringing her jetpack to life then pumps more fuel into it, pushing it to high gear. She manages to catch up finally, spotting Colo moving into a nice spot to park. Then again, the Buick already has four people in it...
<<"You guys seein' all the guards, too?">> Of course they are. <<"I'm at least in the sky again and I got the armor, heading down to join you so that the doc can get kitted up.">>
---
<"If they kill me, they'll have earned it."> his voice has dropped octaves, the sound that the Kora's are familiar with, the big man beginning to psych himself up. For the two sensitive to the flow of emotions and the force there is a pit at the core of the man. Something primeval that had been smoldering like carefully tended coals, a pure unmitigated rage that blazes to life when the first traces of adrenaline hit Hadrix's bloodstream.
Something that might blaze out of control were it not for the ironclad reigns that envelope that creature kept contained by the Massive Mandalorian. That is the Mandalorian.
'That time again...'
'We're doing this my way.'
Tensing some before Hadrix shifts to bodily lift Lira, depositing her in his lap before he slides for the hatch, <"Arm in the bandolier, other hand grabbing your wrist. Wrap your legs around my right. Don't worry about the jets..."> they weren't going to be on long... Then he's reaching for Rera and pulling her up as if to give her a nice big one armed snuggle. <"L'orera... Grab the bandolier going left to right. Loop your arm, grab your wrist with the other hand. Wrap your legs around my left leg."> leaning forward so that Gripper can bring in her legs and then socket herself into her cradle on his back.
<"Don't scream."> switching to comms <<"Val'ika, focus on my beacon. Be ready to move quiet... Or if L'Orera can't armor up... well. We'll figure it out.">>
Giving only enough time for his instructions to be followed, or not - he has arms that can grab tight... He tips himself out of the air car, <<"Colo, you may need to air-drop. Let Val or I know if you're in trouble.">> calm as a pond in a valley. His jets are only on for a few moments, to change his angle before he is falling with both young women in a headfirst drop.
Altitude Warning
'You know I'm made for this...'
'So am I.'
'You hesitate...'
Meters ticking down rapidly.
Altitude Warning
'I act.'
'You're weak, we know that.'
"Shut up... I keep you locked up." speaking aloud, not aware but low enough that his helmet only bobs, his mic not picking up.
Altitude Warning
Nearing position another puff of his jets and he rotates, falling like a meteor until... he isn't. They're not. They're falling, but the descent is controlled, kept in check by the anti-gravs in his armor system. Keeping their plummet to something manageable and then almost... unreal when they slow to a nigh stop centimeters above the ground, touching down and slipping towards shadow to get the others positioned as well as himself.
'Sooner or later...'
'I hate you.'
'I hate you more.'
---
"..Of course you have grenades," Lira points out. Though after only a brief pause, she kind of bobs her head to the side. "I should probably get some grenades..." Because, really, what Jedi /didn't/ carry around ample grenades?
Colo's reaction gets a quirk of a playful grin from the lavender Twi'lek, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "It slips my mind, but he /was/ familiar somehow..." Her eyes lift to the roof of the car and she shakes her head. Then her attention is back on Hadrix when he addresses her again.
"Yes, sir. Bandolier. Right to left." She pauses. "Do you need me to cover Rera while you and Val run point? You could drop us off together that way..." Asks the Twi'lek with nothing more than a stun baton and a robe, compared to the doctor, who was apparently going to get a suit of /actual/ armor. It was fine, though. She was one with the Force. And the Force was with her. At least.. she hoped so.
She /really/ hoped so, because in the next moment, she was plucked toy-Twi'lek-style out of her own seat and into the lap of the big Mandalorian with a squeak of surprise and a tightening of her lekku around her shoulders.
"Skitter, stay with Colo. See what you can do to help," Lira said, doing as Hadrix instructed and looping her arm through the bandolier, her legs around his. Before she grabs her wrist, she reaches her hand across his chest to touch Rera's arm, giving a gentle squeeze. "We're going to be fine," she assures. She had no way to know that, but heights bothered the professional aerialist not at all -- apparently even at the prospect of those heights being propelled by the rocket pack of a man that carried a human skull around with him. "Peace." It was just one word. One simple word of the Jedi Code. One little reminder for her herself as much as her friend not to let adrenaline take over completely.
Of course, Lira hadn't missed that pit at the Mandalorian's core opening up -- or trying to. The darkness. The rage. She says nothing at all about it, however. She brings her hand back to grab her wrist, and in the next moment, they're flying.
The ground coming up so fast made Lira tense. This was easier the last time she'd done something like this, when she could feel the Force breaking her fall. The Mandalorian's jetpack made it feel like they were in unrestrained freefall until it felt too late.. and then there was the firing of the jets. The breaking of the descent. The hover. And then, once more, sweet, sweet ground.
And then she's checking on Rera, sticking close to her and following Hadrix into the darkness.
---
Rera is only a little shocked when Hadrix pulls Lira into the back seat and gives her instructions. She's -real- shocked when he gives her the same, but mirrored. Golden eyes go wide, but at this point she's in too deep to back out. She can't be a coward now. The pensive look on her face is telling, until it isn't when she gets a fit of the giggles. She shoots a look at Lira that says 'This is less scary than Nar Shaddaa'
She does as she's told, though, looping her arm through the bandolier, grabbing her wrist and clamping her legs. She smiles slightly wanly at Lira's touch. "Peace." Everything seems to go fine. She bites her lip hard so she doesn't scream as they plummet. It's terrifying and exhilarating. She just lets it happen, and then her legs slip. Not a lot. Not enough to doom them all, but enough to scare the poodoo out of her. She bites her lip even harder as she makes herself not scream. She doesn't even have the focus to reach for the Force. With the feelings radiating from Hadrix, she's not even sure she wants to. They might infect her. Twist her. She's never felt fury that strong. Never.
They fall for what feels like eternity, the Mirialan shaking the whole time. When they finally stop without dying, Rera untangles herself and staggers away, falling back against a handy wall and sinking to the ground, arms around her knees.
Somehow, she looks even greener than usual. It's hard to say whether it's from the terror of the fall, nearly slipping or those feelings coming from Hadrix.
---
A small fortune to some is being loaded into that grav-truck, under the watchful gaze of those guards. A single member of the night club staff watches on lazily as if this is just another collection, puffing on a cigarra and sweeping their hair from before their gaze. Each and all momentarily oblivious to the eyes upon them...
---
OOC Notes for next part.
Group is setting up to ambush current collection.
7 guards outside the truck, 2 inside.
Creds on the table: I rolled...
60,000 90,000 80,000 100,000 30,000
For a total of 360,000 creds.
---
