Log:Resistance: A New Home (station infiltration)
Resistance: A New Home (station infiltration)
OOC Date: April 13, 2018
Location: Ichren System
Participants: Leia Organa, Rey, Devii, Chimera, Ambrosia Greystorm (GM)
The Briefing
[Ambrosia Greystorm]
"The task ahead is not cut and dry, but it will not be forgiving of missteps or of hesitation. The people occupying this station are not regimented soldiers. They are civilians. Mercs. Pirates. They will not play by any rules of engagement nor will they be keen to peaceful negotiation, I'll wager. The force waiting for us inside is made up of hardened criminals. Thieves. Sellswords. And yet, the line separating some of us from them may feel admittedly, regrettably, like a fine one. Especially today.
"In the days of our fallen Republic, these types of risky endeavors were typically assigned to SpecOps. BlackOps. Taskforces like the Kimrath Claw. Off the record, out of earshot, far enough away so as to not soil the pristine face of our government." She takes a pause there, roaming eyes settling on no one in particular while her tongue probes free some of last meal's scraps from between teeth.
"Aren't many of us left who remember those assignments, who could rise to the challenge again. That duty falls to those of us here. The torch is passed to YOUR generation to preserve the spirit of resistance against tyranny and right now, that means securing ourselves a home and ensuring that NO ONE is going to tell tales to the First Order about this station. Our potential base for future operations.
"Do you understand what I'm saying? " Ambrosia passes her solemn stare around the room, searching for squirrely expressions, signs of doubt. "We will offer them the chance to surrender their arms, forfeit their occupation and join our fight...but only once. Any who exhibit signs of aggression and take up arms to oppose us are to be considered enemy force. Do not hesitate to act, because they certainly won't. The option of capturing the whole lot and evicting them to a far-away place is not a sustainable resolution. With dreams of big credits glittering in their eyes and vengeful thoughts dancing in their brains, they would likely whisper in the FO's ear one irresistible story and set of coordinates in exchange for pardon.
"I don't have to tell you that we cannot - MUST NOT - risk exposing any potential new home to the outside world. Especially the First Order. We cannot suffer a third, great loss. Can't afford to. The survival of our future rides upon discretion, upon eliminating security risks.
"Should we succeed in taking this station, no member of Res personnel is permitted to disclose the activities we embark on here. Matters pertaining to this system are now sensitive in nature and that means hiding our interests here from anyone and everyone who isn't 'us'. I don't care if you've a bed-buddy, a child, a parent, or business associate in the civilian sector to whom you confide, but you are to tell /no one/ of this location. Even our allies. Even former comrades. Not without clear and irrefutable approval from the shiniest of Brass.
"Anyone in violation of this secrecy order will answer to me. And when I'm done with you, the General will do as she pleases with whatever scraps are left. Copy? "We've sacrificed too much to throw it all away now. We must clear this station, we must clear it well. If any among their ranks wish to convert and submit to our entry then they will be brought aboard our dropship and held securely for processing. Realistically, very few of those inside will take kindly to our intrusion and are gonna defend every square inch of their territory with tooth and nail. Close-quarters combat awaits. Be prepared for a messy fight, but keep in mind we need to keep this station in relatively functional order. No detonators, no heavy repeaters inside. Don't think they'll think twice about scuttling their base if they feel overwhelmed, so I want a team scanning for incendiary devices as we go."
[Devii] Devii dosn't speak, she dosn't need to. Her affirmation to the Generals words are heard in the resounding voices of her small squade made up of privates and recruites. Greenhorns, some of them still working on getting their grouping tighter in her bi-weekly target practice and fireteam operational tactics course. She turns to them and looks them over with a harsh amber gaze before turning back to the General, nodding, and pulling down the blas visor of her helmet and bringing the HUD online.
[Chimera] With precision, Chimera checks over his rifle, then where two additional powercells are hooked at his waist, sighting down it briefly to check the scope then lowering it as the tall droid carries it easily. "If you come across a suitable input terminal, alert me and I will attempt to slice into the station's systems. It's possible I may be able to assist by following security cameras, or by overriding doors as needed." he says in his resonant, harsh tones.
[Leia Skywalker] Leia is like a phantom in the briefing, standing near to the back of the exchange with her hood up, head bowed, and arms crossed. When the brief is concluded, she makes her way over to the General and leans in to whisper quiet words, wishing to remain anonymous for the time being. Just another woman, no fan fare, nothing said to draw overt attention to herself.
"Rey and I will attempt to negociate slightly ahead of the main force. If they don't acquiescent to our parley... we'll give you a sign." Her eyes scan from the corner of her hood, "Use the time to get your people into advantageous positions."
[Rey] Rey is standing on Leia's right side with her steel-blue colored hood up over her head and her eyes forward. She's occassionally leaned over and whispered something to her mentor and friend but otherwise has remained motionless and not spoken up or out. When Leia does though she nods her small pointed chin once in affirmation of the other's words. "We're ready to help." She softly adds as well before giving the room, and all those within it, a quick look-over. She's been on a crash course of-late learning how these sorts of operations work, the last one had been a bit messy but they'd survived in good shape, overall! 'Hopefully this place doesn't smell as bad as the last.' she tells herself.
End Brief - Fast-forwarding to the 'now' now!
[GM]
The space station may be a welcoming sight to behold soon enough as the magnificant thing orbits 'round the resident moon, deep within the Ichren system, far off the beaten path. But right now? It's a hive and all around it the SFC and piratical pilots are swarming like opposing taskforces of angry bees. The small but scrappy naval force that's ferried these fighters so far looms nearby, preparing their own attacks, headed up by none other than the Renegade herself. While the chaos unfolds, two dropships must eventually separate out from the fleet, leave the safety of Renegade's shadow, and barrel on into the fray. A well armed Sentinel cruises directly into one of the landing slips, using its own tractor beam to draw itself in securely while a small contingent of fighters helps to ensure the other - a freighter - makes it to its docking point.
The view of the Sentinel and the beating it's taking disappears from view as /transport/ zooms frantically for another part of the station, near the zenith. A stray blip of enemy fire rocks the shields once, but it seems that the bulk of piratical firepower is directed toward the big scary Resistance gunships and starfighters. Before long, the freighter gives the station a kiss, sucking onto an airlock and locking down with a vac-sealed hickey that will hopefully hold against whatever this fight will throw at it between now and then. As ordered, the pilot transmits a pre-recorded broadcast to the station, as does the Sentinel. It is an invitation to "Lay down your arms and join the Resistance in the fight against the FO. Any who do wish for this pardon are to report to hangar Beta" (which is where the Sentinel has braved heavy fire to land before undoubtedly unleashing its own volley of hell. Gotta love targeting computers.
Ambrosia's been quiet for most of this ballsy sprint for the station, but listens closely to one and all. "Found a rough - really rough - schematic of this station from its old days as a tourist magnet. It ain't much, but it's a start and I've uploaded it to your suits. We need to get to the Command Center and from there we'll have easy access to all surveillance systems and can track any leftover pirates as needed. Make our lives a lot easier." When the ship finally stops vibrating and they get the 'green' to go, she steps up to the plate to be first feets out. "Gimme two shakes to ensure this here access is clear before you and Rey go wandering. They know we're here...can bet our asses there's a surprise." Her pistol comes up in hand, visor down, and with a deep breath....pushes the button.
[Devii]
Devii waits with her small unit to disembark through the hicky hatch way that Amber is now checking. While she waits she studies the rough schematic and archetectual plans of the station. It helps her think and stay calm after the rough ride and close calls on the ride here. (THere were bound to be some of those right?) She would hate to have gotten blown up before killing som pirates. They may not have be FO Troopers but they were scum none the less. Unless they joined up of course. Then she might have a soft spot for the few.
[Leia Skywalker]
Only once the Sentinel has docked with the pirate base does Leia reach up to remove her hood by unclasping the cloak that it's attached to. It's pulled off in favor of evo-suit. She doesn't appear to carry any weapons aside from a long silver handled cylender which she holds in her right hand pointed downwards towards the deck plating.
"Understood." The General says to... the other General with a clipped nod.
[Chimera]
Chimera rocks back and forth, seemingly unconcerned during the rough landing, his metal knees bending slightly to take the impact when the ship lands, but otherwise simply watching the door, waiting for it to open. His rifle remains in a ready position, not leveled to fire but ready to do so should a target present itself. The movement of the hood causes him to turn slightly, his triple optics noting Leia's motion. "General. This will give them time to prepare and get over the suprise of our arrival. It would be more efficient to simply storm the facility while they are still attempting to move to their anti-boarding stations and remove any obstacles to the command center. Once we hold it, perhaps they would see the foolishness of continuing to oppose us and be more willing to surrender." The droid's tone is casual and cold.
[Rey]
Rey fusses around in her satchel on her hip for a moment before she-to looks up and nods her head a single time. "I'm ready." She announces, giving a glance toward Devii and then over to Leia. "Hopefully some of them see the light of reason and lay down their arms. It would be even nicer if we got some recruits for the Resistance out of this, I would say... But I suppose that is far fetched if they feel we're invading their home."
After a light frown is given, Rey's eyes go over to the old wardroid in Chimera, she hasn't worked with this droid before so this should be interesting. "Whatever saves lives, I'm all for." She has to add onto the droid's statements.
[GM]
"Well," Ambrosia observes with a low mutter as she steps one cautious foot after the other out the airlock hatch and into an eerily quiet setting. Too quiet. Her mumbles broadcast over the armor's comm system, "They've certainly got eyes on this access point, and maybe the couple minutes it's been since we dropped outta hyper was all they needed. Wonder if that surveillance operates on more than just their primary."
It's pretty obvious why Greystorm's come to that conclusion. The main power's been cut, reducing bare-eye visibility to what little the spastic flickers of emergency lighting allow. The sound of a complainive backup life support system churns periodically overhead.
"Eyes open, Dagger team. We're in the hot seat now so watch your steps. If it were me, I'd have rigged this bitch to blow."
And oh, the places one could hide such a device! The walls in this perimeter corridor are showing their age. Bulkhead panels have been stripped away here and there and whoever was doing the patch job on conduit within didn't bother to replace them. Dark stains mar what was once pretty and pearlescent. Blaster burns? Caf? Blood? All of the above? Hard to say. Colorful sparks spit feistily from what's either an unfinished job or a new problem.
What's more unnerving is the occasional flutter of movement from those walls and ceiling. Who goes there!? Shadow barnacles. (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Shadow_barnacle) These creepy silica-moochers seem to have taken over much of the structural elements in here, batting their gill filaments, waggling their wormy little bodies salaciously in and out of protective pods in response to the lightest touch of breath...one's in the process of shifting its anchorage and undulates lazily along, unfazed by the intrusion.
[Leia Skywalker]
Once the button is mashed, Leia steps through the open bulk with the aqua blue blade of her lightsaber extending outwards with a snap-hiss that illuminates her in erie glow as she ascends on whatever trap has prepared for them.
Firstly she's pointing out towards a barely visible beam of light in the darkness, "Trip wire." Said over her shoulder as she advances, stepping over the trap, with her saber held up to retreat away the wormy appendages of the black barnicles. No attempt to harm her, she does not attempt to harm them in response.
She turns a little and looks back towards Rey, motioning towards the path what might lead them directly into the bees nest.
[Devii]
"General, let us clear the route ahead before you venture too far. It dosn't look great out there." Devii says as she moves through the hatchway, giving a wink to Rey as she does so. One the other side, her rifle up and at the ready and her body in a bit of a crouch, she fans out with her squad. She holds up her hand suddenly, a halt order as Leia suggest and she makes a silent hand signals to the others so they can avoid it as the continue along.
[Chimera]
The tall tactical droid's optics flicker at that familiar sound and sight. Ah, memories. Fortunately, not to be used on him today, but on pirates much more deserving of it, being that they're in the way to acquiring this station. "I can attempt to disable some of the charges, if you can mark them." he rumbles quietly, hunkering down and raising his rifle to cover the two advancing.
[Rey]
Rey's eyes instantly go to the Shadow Barnacles because she has not ever seen anything like that before. Its not until Leia speaks of a 'trip wire' that Rey looks back to her elder and nods softly once. "Dastardly." Rey quietly mutters before glancing over to Devii and hearing the woman speak of clearing out the area ahead. Rey has her own lightsaber held tightly in her head, but the hilt is not activated and it yet remains dormant in the girl's grasp as she proceeds further, following along and observing.
[GM]
"Why don't you start with this one?" Greystorm grumps helpfully with a point to the wire she steps one foot cautiously over, then straddles to mark it clear as day for any greener meat straggling along in the rear. The wire connects to a sensor one one side of the hall and some sort of remote on the other. At a glance there isn't any actual explosive device, so...what is it? If Chimera can work his magic, they ought never know.
"Forces be with you, and whatnot," she murmurs to Rey as the girl slips past her to follow the boss lady. "We're gonna keep along this route to command, sweep as we go. If they've half a brain, any of the occupants ought to be on their way to hangar Beta, by now."
[Leia Skywalker]
Leia nods to Amber, then turns towards her designated path of advancement. She only gets a handful of steps, however, when something omenous tingles up her spine... She spins with her hand out-stretched towards the device where the droid is tinkering to errect a flickering blue glow over the tripped trip wire with her head tilting slightly as it explodes beneath.
Saber held out and down, Leia turns without a word to keep moving forward with a glance towards Rey. "If we can avoid hurting these people, we will. Even if we can't, no reason to kill them. Medical crews can replace an arm... but not a life."
[Chimera]
Chimera nods, stalked over to check the wire, then leaning down slowy as he follows it towards one end to the explosive there, before he extends tools and starts working. Unfortunately, the device has a backup trigger against tampering....and triggers as a result as the droid tries to throw himself backwards out of the direct explosion.
[Devii]
Devii turns as she hears the explosion and pushes up and against the wall. "What the hell?" She shouts, unsure of what the heck exactly just happened. "Everyone still got their bit and pieces?" She asks.
[Rey]
Rey glances back to Amber and gives the General a quick and decisive nod. "You as well." She softly states, before she turns back to keep up behind that of Leia who's now in the process of spinning about to... save them? Or just the droid? Rey observes and winces at the contained explosive might--that is a power she still has not come close to understanding through the Force. "Right." Rey quietly says.
When the last Skywalker is turning again, Rey does a double-take glancing back, then moves to catch up with her, whispering loudly. "Its another morality question, isn't it." She asks/says to her. "If we let them go knowing that we're the Resistance, they rat us out to First Order informants and this base becomes exposed before its even established. If we... silence them, then we're no greater than the foes we're attempting to fell."
Rey looks back to make sure the others are still okay from that contained-blast. "Isn't... the best solution, then, to lie?" She continues, putting her eyes forward again onto Leia. "If they believe we're pirates, then there's nothing to gain by sharing our location."
[GM]
The wire doesn't 'explode', persay, but it is most certainly triggered and remote box flashes twice beneath the shimmery shield, signal sent. But sent WHERE!? You can bet Amber's gained the wings to fly in that moment anyway, having been blown up enough times in her nine lives thus far and content to not repeat the experience. She lands somewhere alongside her new buddy Chimera, where she first gives him the 'eye' once recovered from some palpitations, then sends a little nod of appreciation in the direction of Leia's turned back.
Meanwhile, there's a minute disturbance under their very feet. A hidden cache compartment is alive with treachory! There's one resident pirate (one of many) who isn't willing to give up this nest of villainry that they stole fair and square from the dead agents of that touring agency. The Cathar's slim, she's nimble, and she's got her dagger in hand, prepared to hamstring some intruders. Veeeeery stealthily a floor panel near Devii's feet lifts up just high enough for a slim arm to snake out, but the grate skids just briefly in its frame, causing the tiniest of sounds to betray her position!
"Hey!" Amber shouts, Kashan coming up fast again in hand to both point and take aim.
[Devii]
"You alright back there Chimera?" Devii asks of the droid as she checks herself and her troopers before moving along and into the next area, "Too bad we already sent an all call over the general FRQ to surrender and join the 'cause'... Looks like we're just going to have to kill everyone, good lookin'." Which may not have to happen if they just imprison them or pay them off... but let's face it. The Resistance wasn't made of money. The Miralan dosn't hear the grate and that arm is about to snake towards her and cut something deep. However, Amber's shout catches her attention, "Hey What..." And then she jumps back as her gaze follows the finger to the attacking enemy. She reels back, bringing up her rifle to fire once.
[Chimera]
The super tactical droid rolls back to his feet in a boneless manuver that demonstrates the flexibility of droid kneecaps versus humanoid ones. "Not a detonator, it alerted someone..." he rasps tersely...then at Ambrosia's warning his rifle snaps up as Devii leaps back, giving him a clear shot as he opens fire as well on the moving vent, sending a blaster bolt snapping at the figure moving inside.
[Leia Skywalker]
"Maybe." Leia agrees with Rey's assessment of the situation with a brief nod, brushing her saber to the sides to urge off any attempts for gross worm things to grab her in a continued effort to keep their grubby nasty slim off her because no. "Every situation is a learning experience. You do the talking and I'll follow your lead." She says to her young companion.
Never doing telekinesis because someone doing the something can't read.
[Rey]
Rey's gaze drops back when she hears blaster fire and she can see the sparks fly from the connection of the bolt to its target. She releases a sigh before she returns her gaze to Leia in the direction that they're progressing downward. "What in the name of the Force are these things." She says in regard to the Barnacles. "I hope they're not poisonous..."
The combat behind them gets another faint exhale as Rey holds her lightsaber ready at her side, ready to draw and wield to protect them both. "I have a bad feeling about -all- of this." She mutters.
[GM]
The Cathar slumps back into her hole, still clutching the blade like a lifeline. There's not much life to cling to, really, but her yellow eyes keep focused on the blurring, green face above and pointed teeth bare with a spiteful (if a little weak) hiss.
"What you just saw," Ambrosia steps /around/ the compartment with a sort of admiring look downward at its barely-conscious occupant while directing a word of advice to a couple of Corporal Keva's young squad members, "...expect more of that. This is /their/ playground."
And, perhaps on cue with Rey's bad feels, the faintest of eerie, animalistic yooooowls echoes in the distance. How far away? Which direction? Who knows. It's certainly disconcerting enough of a sound though to get BG Greystorm's feet in motion again. "C'mon. I dunno what that was, but I don't wanna be confined to a narrow space when we find out."
After a time, the team comes to a pretty drastic change in scenery along their progression through the station's labyrinth. The next blast door they are due to pass in pursuit of the Command Center is OPEN.
Meanwhile, barnacles are continuing to get down to some imaginary beat and hopefully not in the mood to spawn. Last thing any woman wants in her hair is arthropod gamete spores, right?
[Devii]
"NOPE" Devii says as she comes to the open blast door. She points to the thing while looking back to the General, Amber that is. "That... THAT is a trap. It has to be. Who leaves a blast door open during a seige." She hefts a sigh and looks belong. Then to Rey, "Hey... can you know... like sense anything?"
[Chimera]
"She has an excellent point." Chimera rumbles, keeping his rifle trained on said blast door in case anyone comes charging out yowling. Or screaming, or whatever. Mostly, someone coming out is going to be shot, and if they live through it General Skywalker can convince them to surrender. Other than the brief comment, the droid stills, staying alert and watching.
[Rey]
Rey's brown eyes go a bit wider beneath the hood she wears when she hears the animalistic howling inside the dark corridors. "Rathtars." She murmers, completely unsure of whether or not that is TRUE, she just gets that sensation and flashes of her past.
It's Devii's words that draw Rey back and then she flickers her eyes toward the open hatchway. With a moment of concentration, the young woman speaks again with a nod. "There are people in there." She announces softly. "I cannot tell how many or precisely where they are... but I can feel them."
Rey's eyes focus again and she looks to her teammates. "I think we're in for a fight." She warns them, ready to enter the chamber with her weapon at her side.
[Leia Skywalker]
"Did you say Rathtars?" Leia glances towards Rey with narrowed eyes, expression hollow and distant as she reaches out to see if the feeling her companion felt is true to form.
[GM]
"What a warm invitation," Amber murmurs in agreement with Devii's initial assessment and passes a look over both shoulders to folks. "It most certainly /is/ a trap, yes. Perhaps it's also an opportunity to 'negotiate', in case these folk are hard of hearing. Maybe we accept?" Her tone doesn't /sound/ like she thinks they'll play nice, but in she goes, treading veeery carefully and half crouched to the first piece of potential cover while holding her blaster aloft all harmless like.
Behold. This spacious atrium of sorts still bears resemblance to the posh and pleasurable casino it once was in its tourism days. The ceilings vault twice or thrice as high as the hallways traversed thus far and elaborate chandeliers hang in darkened stillness. Sabacc, Holochess, Chance, and other gaming tables litter the floor around a central, raised stage. There are no performers parading about but a light, jaunty tune plays softly overhead from source unseen. Layers of dust have collected here over the years but there is evidence that the current occupants still partake in SOME forms of entertainment here.
Bits of trash are strewn about - food wrappers, liquor bottles...is that a -- maybe it's just a deflated party balloon? (It's not) The stage is dirty, too, signs of recent fighting marked by congealing red. "Looks like they've kept it classy, at least," a smirking Greystorm whispers aside to Devii just before a knife thrown from /somewhere/ twa-a-a-a-angs into an ornamental pillar alongside her head.
Pirates! There are three of them, all taking advantage of table cover around the room.
[Devii]
Devii makes her way in cautiously in a low crouch as well, moving slowly from cover to cover as she does so. There is respite for a moment as she studies that 'deflated balloon' "Classy... well I don't think there's any other way out of..." Thuddddd from the knife as it vibrates on impact. Orange eyes go wide as they find the culprite. Rifle comes to bare and a shot if fired as the Resistance Corporal moves back into cover.
[Chimera]
At the arrival of the knife as the pirates behind the table make themselves known, Chimera snaps offs a shot with his battle rifle, the blaster bolt slamming into the table in a spray of burning splinters but failing to penetrate to do any damage to the pirates behind it, as he dodges to the side to take cover as best he can behind one of the sabbac tables. "Throwing knives is SO inefficient..." he says absently, peering over his cover as he raises his rifle in preparation for his next shot...
[Leia Skywalker]
The paths converge!
Leia arrives on the other side of this little showboatery with Rey in tow and slides to a stop behind/front of the group of pirates. "Well, looks like there'll be no negotiations."
Said with a frown, hand jutting out to send unseen waves of the Force towards one of the tables, saber whipping around in hand as she advances. "I strongly suggest surrender." To the Pirates, "Last chance."
Leia Skywalker depresses the button on her lightsaber's handle and with an electric snap-hiss a bright blue beam leaps forth and growls with a hungry fury!
[Rey]
Rey's eyes are all over the interior of the room as she brings up the tail-end of their little traveling party here within this dark star base. "Wonderful smell." Rey mutters before she glances over to Leia. "Rathtars, yeah... its how I met Han.." But her voice trails off just after saying his name and then she realizes that they're in some serious poodoo here.
"Careful." Rey is whispering as blaster shots ring out and then she crouches and moves around behind some cover not far from Leia speaking about the negotiations. "I guess we're going to be doing this the more aggressive way then." She mutters before peering over her cover. "We don't want to harm anyone else!" She calls out to the pirates.
[GM]
Amber ducks just a little bit lower now, save for the one hand creeping back up there to take hold of the knife and waggle it free to add to /her/ collection of sharps. "Don't make me throw this back!" she barks aloud. Only a bluff, of course. She likes this knife, she's keeping it. "Do as the lady says!"
"AUGH!" Devii's shot fires true and puts a sizeable hole in the half-dressed pirate that they won't be recovering from. That one is down, the other two are now caught between a pair of chicks wielding light sabers - JEDI!?!? - and a handful of probably angry soldiers/droid. One seems unsure about the situation, peeping up her blue face from behind the splintered table to size Leia up, then the flash of Rey that slinks by.
"PEEDUNKY!" she screams it a farce, challenging their good intentions while her remaining partner fires his syntherope grapple hook at a ceiling fixture and embarks on a speedy ascent! He pops a few hasty rounds off at the troopers as he goes. Where is he going? Not really anywhere to flee to up there....So why do it?
[Devii]
"ARE YOU RETARDED!" Yells Devii as the pirate screems herbattle cry, one of the blaster bolts stricking her right in the lower left side. She gets sent flying back and right into the table of loot which spills all over her armor. She's a mess now. "Hell no..." She grows and rises from th ashes of undercooked meat and awful smelling things. "I will not die here..." SHe must be working on adrenalyn because one could swear they could see her insides through that blood black and red burnt wound. She takes aim and lets another shot loose towards one of the enemy. Sweat drip down her green face, her breaths heavy, white teeth grited behind black lips which blood drips down slowly. She coughs and falls back again.
[Chimera]
"Their mental acuity IS in question..." Chimera rumbles. The sudden rise of the pirate on the ascension line draws a quick snap shot at him, but the wild movements of the man causes the blaster bolt to go screaming past him and slam into the wall in an explosion of fiery metal on the other side of the room instead. As Devii falls back, without prompting Chimera moves to draw fire away from her.
[Leia Skywalker]
Leia watches them challenge her authenticity and attempt to retreat in a direction with no retreatable escape... Her brow furrows at the overtly assanine of it and reaches out to pluck the retreater right out of the air with an out stretched hand. "This is silly... just surrender... no good can come of fighting on now. Nothing will be solved or proven."
[Rey]
Rey hasn't activated her lightsaber as of yet, instead she's listening and observing, looking to see where she might help most. She sees Devii take a shot which makes her eyebrows furrow a bit and she winces for the woman's pain, Chimera moving to protect her though...
When Leia grabs the pirate with the Force, Rey stands up more prominently to observe. "Order your friends to drop their weapons." Rey adds on. "We're going to take this facility either way, we'd prefer to do it without a trail of bodies with severed limbs in our wake."
[GM]
The merc-on-a-line is suddenly no longer ON his line but is kicking and flailing and cussing. "Nobody orders Zeb to do NUTHIN! An' if you know what's good fer ya, you'd jus...jus..." he appears suddenly more nervous and less pissy. The doubter, on the otherhand, is on the floor in a heap, rendered quite mortally wounded from a wound similar to Devii's. In answer to that question of 'why' did the merc choose to fly, a hint of pungent, rotten stench materializes seemingly from nothing at first. The faint whrrrwhrrrwhrr of a rolling wine bottle comes from somewhere behind the troopers, probably unheard over the sounds of blasterfire and screaming. And then? Then there's a steamy puff of air breathing practically down Rey's neck. A low, rumbling purr of sorts vibrates deeply in the bristly chest of the creature looming there.
An Asharl Panther (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Asharl_panther), perched motionlessly atop a currency exchange table, peels back its muzzle to further expose the tusk-like fangs and fiery red gums as it draws in her scent. The twin sensory tendrils sway alertly from atop the shaggy shoulders in sync with the long, whip-like tail. The beady little eyes set deeply into leathery folds on its earless face appear cloudy, perhaps impaired. When the nostrils flap widely open to draw in another shuddering breath, they reveal many glistening pores within. Occular vision may not be so important, afterall!
"Corp---shavit!" Greystorm scurries over to tug a medpac off her belt, rips out a wad of formerly sterile gauze and stuffs it against the hole with a less than motherly touch without really even LOOKING at it, because she's looking, no, gawking at something else. "Hold this and stay put!"
[Devii]
"Oy, General, Give me a stim and get me back in there!It's a damn flesh wound!" It's not and she crumples over in pain at the exersion. Another shot like that and she's be dead for sure or at least need some new innards. The Mirialan does as told though, not like she can really move otherwise. She keeps her weapons trained betweenthe enemy left and REy's new friend. "I swear if you hard a single hair on her lovely head..." She whispers.
[Chimera]
"I lack the medical training to assist." Chimera starts to say, before the growl alerts him to the new arrival as he turns. "But, under the circumstances..." At least, he believes the Jedi are likely to be able to handle it for a moment...long enough for him to reach down and scoop Devii up and pull the other soldier back away from the creature and into cover since she's immobile, slinging his rifle temporarily to do it.
[Leia Skywalker]
Leia watches the flailing figure do his thing, but her attention is on the furry friend they've just made. With a flick of her wrist the pirate is sent flying out of th way while she makes her way over to Devii to lay one hand upon the woman's shoulder and send out waves of healing energy through that touch. "You'll be fine.. just stand back." Which will probably go ignored, but that's the nature of things.
Back to Rey, "Thoughts on how to approach this?"
[Rey]
Rey is watching the events unfolding before her when she gets that 'tingle' on the back of her neck that literally means something in this instance... Slowly she turns around to peer out from beneath her hood just as a string of panther-drool rolls off the hem of her hood and drips down in front of her to hit her on the wrist.
The young Force-user's eyes go up to look at the very-close-panther right into its snout. "Hello..." She says softly to it as she tries to turn fully to face it and raise her right hand up (no lightsaber in this hand) she doesn't extend the hand TOWARD it, she just keeps its up like a mime with a wall in front of them.
Rey tries to control the panther with the Force, she tries to hold it in place... to keep it from striking her since it could bite her head off right now.
"Handle?" Rey quietly asks. "Does anyone have any food for it that isn't me?" She asks, everyone who can hear her!
[GM]
"I don't think it eats ration bars, Rey." Old Amber's no zoologist by any means, but she's goin' on gut feeling based on the size of those chompers. "How bout you toss it far enough away that we get out of here like the poor man was tryin' to say and seal the door. I'll 'handle' it later." Like via computer, or when she's got a bigger gun with a longer range.
The panther sprays a sticky mist of saliva as it issues complaint against immobility by way of a screechy growl.
[Devii]
"Wait..." Devii says a bit distantly, Leia's healing technnique having some sort of soothing or calming effect on her to the point she is complacent with Chimera's actions. "The raw meat on the table... the raw meat..." She says sleepily.
[Chimera]
Chimera tilts his head at Devii, quickly grasping her thoughts as he moves to grab one of the larger hunks of rare meet, then throws it into a corner of the room. "Over there! Perhaps it will distract the beast long enough for us to move on!"
[Leia Skywalker]
Leia weighs the full situation with a frown and then glances towards the tactical droid. She's off, sliding towards the meat in the center of the table to hurl a chunk out in the direction Rey sent the cat flying, "This situation has gone off the reservations. Unless someone has a bright idea, I'm strongly encouraging we shoot this out the airlock."
[GM]
The Asharl panther gets a boost in the direction the first chunk of meat was thrown, how 'bout that!? If that weren't opportune (and confusing) enough for the beast, another chunk kersplats there at its feet. Well...all right. The tail whips once to let the universe know how perturbed it is but just before some old broad who's sharing in Leia's sentiment can pull the trigger, it bows its head to snuffle around the shank chunks and gives it a slurp. Then a bite. Now it's eating, here's our chance, FLEE!
"Like I said," Ambrosia urges as lowly as she can still be heard, eyes trained on the monster cat. "I'll handle it later. For now, it's happy so...Let's go!"
[Devii]
Devii uses Chimera or one of her underlings as a crutch as they advance forward. Though she keeps to the rear and lets the other less/non wounded lead the way to the security station.
[GM]
At long last and probably one or two more pirates later, the infiltration team arrives at their destination - the Command Center. This door is NOT open. It appears to be locked from the inside, of course. Ambrosia narrows her eyes at the keypad. "Chimera, you wanna plug in to this thing and coax it open? Or..." a less than discreet stare goes to the cylinder in Leia's possession.
[Leia Skywalker]
Leia deactivates her saber and hangs it from her belt loop and looks over at the droid, "I think the droid deserves a mulligan for the trip wire."
[Chimera]
Chimera tilts his head at Leia. "So kind of you." he notes dryly, shouldering his rifle as he moves up, then lifts his hand, the fingers folding back to extend a input jack that he slides into the door. His optics flicker. "...not an issue. Be ready." He glances over to the others. "3...2...1..." And he twists, the door unlocking to slide open.
[Devii]
Devii raises her rifle, ready as the door opens. Even though she's practically leaning against another soldier for support.
[GM]
When the blast door at last gives way, there is no eruption of opposition from within. There is, however, the souring smells of death. The metallic tang of fresh blood hangs heavy in the air and a simple glance around the center will identify the 'why'. A handful of corpses are strewn about the floor, some of whom were victims of violent overkill. They are all dressed in the same patchwork armor as the rest of the pirating crew encountered thus far, men and women alike. Trandoshan, Nikto, Farghul, and some human. Whoever commited the slaughter was an equal-opportunity killer.
Greystorm eyes the ghoulish scene with a slow, appraising nod. "This wasn't us. Chimera...find a terminal that suits you and see if you can't pull up some surveillance and run a search for anything that moves. It's time we've got the upper hand here to give our landing crew a little relief. Everyone, careful not to touch the bodies. If I were a pirate and failed to repel a boarding party, I'd play my last card and make it count." She creeps forward, anticipating that 'who done it' to show themselves sooner rather than later.
The command center is a large room and filled with many communication cubicles, surveillance screens, and multiple work stations dedicated to monitor other aspects of space station life. It's a compact maze in here, plenty of places for wiley pirates to hide and make their last stand. Ya know...if they weren't dead.
[Devii]
Devii moves into the room with one of her Privates, they find an empty chair for her to slump down in for the time being. "Secure a perimiter..." She commands before looking over towards the other side of the room. THere are a few bodies in chairs there. "Did ya'll here someone laugh or am I just loosing too much blood." She points her rifle in the general direction as she swivles in her chair.
[Chimera]
Chimera turns his head back and forth slowly as the group starts to move into the room, his optics sweeping over the carnage. And as he was programmed...he starts running scenarios. And two seconds into that, he says, sharply, his deep voice urgent in tone. "Back. Out of the room. These bodies have had something put inside them. It's a trap." He starts backing up. "Quickly!"
[GM]
"Ah...fancy that. The /droid/ gets it. Mostly."
The voice comes from the Commander's station - a console outfitted to manage all others, the sort that comes with a brass plaque to emphasize the occupant's importance. There's a mountainous hulk of a body slumped there in the chair, but it stiffly reanimates. Slowly, cautiously, unhurried. "They're not gonna blow....not yet."
With a grunt, the undead pirate pivots the seat around to size up his guests with a contemptuous smile. To his left is a messy, messy vibroblade, propped against the console, tip possibly embedded in the floor panel. On his right thigh, a Czerka. His pale skin is sickly looking, almost translucent from decades spent in the confines of artifical light. His hair is a crazed mop of greying red and face pockmarked with so many scabs that it's a face only a mother could love. The permanent sneer affixed there by one crooked trail of scar tissue doesn't do much to boost his charisma.
"I see you've met Lika," he remarks, head nodding to the girl whose robes are spattered with tell-tale drool. "Ain't she a peach?"
"Well, I'll be...." Ambrosia murmurs under her breath, arm swinging her pistol 'round to level in his direction now that she's backtracked so far to the door at Chimera's behest. One corner of her lip upcurls to mimic his mirthless smile. Suddenly, she doesn't seem keen on going anywhere just yet. "I'd forgotten 'bout you, Zeb. You uh...you the proprietor of this fine establishment, now? What say you to a drink, if you got'em, mm? Just one."
[Devii]
Devii blinks and blinks some more. "Okay... if you're all guna get a drink, we're going to head out and you two can visits and reminsce or what ever." She starts to stand up find herself unable to and grows with a sigh. "Private!" And oneof her men rushes over. She puts and arm around him and he lifts her u, thetwo ofthem heading out.
[Chimera]
As Devii is pulled out of the room by her troops, Chimera withdraws as well, warily, until he's close, his rifle coming up to point sort of towards Zeb. Not directly. Yet. Though he's certainly plotting the simplicity of just shooting him in the head while he's still talking. He might have a deadman's switch, of course....and he's not sure of his targeting to be positive he could kill him with that first shot. Luckily....Jedi. "You know this individual?" he says to Ambrosia.
[GM]
'Zeb' turns a hard, less smiley eye onto Greystorm. It takes a minute, but recognition does set in. "Aye...it /is/ you, you scrappy old broad. I been watchin you move on the vid. Years aven't been kind, 'ave they? Not cruel enough, I reckon, on account of yer standin' here." Then, for the other Res troopers' benefit, he turns his eyes off Amber for a moment to explain their relations. "See she kilt my wee brother in cold blood, she did. Right atop his favorite whor--"
"What's an empty nester to do but go back to work?" Ambrosia slides her readied stance forward just a hair. "Sides...the man died happy, which is more than you can hope for now. Best case, we end it here. If you wanna do things the /hard/ way, we'll bundle you up live and deliver you to one of your many 'friends' for more traditional justice, mm? How many bounties you up to now, anyway? Last I knew, you were wanted in six systems....looks like you've made ammends with somebody here though, right? Have this magnificant palace among the stars..."
Zeb laughs sardonically and shrugs a shoulder, shakes loose his left arm and out slides a tiny device into palm. It's a remote. "Well, hell. We all die for a cause, don't we? Them," he motions to the nearest corpse, "me, you...all of you." His roaming gaze lingers on Devii's assisted exit, namely the shape of her calf spied around the back of the Private. S'a shame, too. Yer a right pretty one. Liked to have saved you." His lips warp into a lecherous grin before smacking a wet air kiss in her direction. "Maybe next lifetime."
And with that, he puts the remote into his mouth and cradles it delicately between tongue and teeth. Bushy brows wag tauntingly as he stands and Czerka slips into his grip. It fires at some hapless Private, cocked from the hip while he lunges forward to take a viscious swipe with his lethal weapon at his old friend.
[Chimera]
All through Zeb and Ambrosia's conversation..well, Zeb's ranting, and Ambrosia's witty comentary...Chimera seems to still, his optics watching the other man. But even as he does...he taps into his com unit, then begins rolling through frequencies. Searching for the little beacon from that remote. And when he finds it, he promptly floods that channel and those nearby with white noise, before raising his weapon. "General. His remote is jammed. Feel free to end him." the droid says in a cold, resonant tone.
[GM]
The heavy blade WHOOSHES down past Amber's shoulder as she side steps at the last moment and swings a lil kick to the back of his thigh as he lumbers half a step by. Bodily trash talk's what that is, just buying time. His left leg lashes back out and catches her in the forearm which was thrown up to soften the blow to her belly. Still hurts, though. And then the droid has done something amazing that for this one moment in time, one tiniest fraction of a blip in galactic history, makes her general dislike for all things automoton a little less. Maybe a lot less, considering they are all still here, in more or less one piece.
"Nah," she waives the offer and toggles her blaster with a flick of the thumb. "He'll hate this more." *PEW*PEW*PEW a few blue bolts of light rapid fire at the big guy as he readies another swing, but only 1 connects. It's enough to turn his legs to rubber and render grip useless. Although Zeb's still quite conscious and sputtering through the broken nose he'd landed on, he's not in much shape to argue.
[Chimera]
Chimera steps forward, keeping his weapon trained on Zeb. "Very well general. I'm sure broadcasting his current situation will be sufficient to break the resistance of any remaining pirates in the facility. He may be of more use that way than he would be as an objective lesson." The droid's head turns, those green triple optics looking to Ambrosia. "With your permission, I can link into the command system to assume control of the station. I would recommend that the bodies here be ejected out the airlock and safely detonated when they're clear of the station." Because his last attempt to disarm an explosive went sooooo well.
[Ambrosia Greystorm]
"I concur," Ambrosia nods curtly to Chimera and motions for him to proceed with technological magics while she steps over Zeb to inform those who evac'd that they've been conscripted into corpse-clearing duty. "Maybe we get the cat to wander into the same one..." wishful thinking spoken aloud on her way out. Also on the way out is another stun blast for good measure to poor Zeb who's days of raiding and mayheming are over. This station is Resistance town, now. Time to do some housecleaning.
Over the course of many hours, the surviving members of both infiltration teams scour the rest of the station under guidance from Chimera's surveillance. All pirates who gave up their fight before it started have been secure on board the Sentinel-class dropship and are presumed unharmed.
