Log:The Hutt Cartel: The Knoxian Museum Heist

The Knoxian Museum Heist

OOC Date: February 11 2021)
Location: Knoxian City, Planet Knoxian
Participants: Mandl, Mydas Gryph

From a Nesst-freighter in Knoxian's stratosphere, senior Cartel fixer Mydas Gryph monitors the situation as it occurs on the ground while wearing a suit of Mandalorian Doomseeker armor. Having set up the thieves for this job in a vehicle near the 'Battle of Knoxian City Memorial Museum,' Mydas presses a button on his right vambrace to open communicates on an encrypted frequency.

<<This is Watchtower, come in Codex,>> Mydas communicates, utilizing pre-arranged code-names.

Mandl *flips their own switches.* "Watchtower, this is Codex-- encryption ... nominal, transmission secure." They check the levels again, idly. "Entering Knoxian space. How is their planetary security force?"

Mydas utilizes a HUD within his helmet and shakes his head. <<"Meager. Very, very meager. Underfunded, understaffed...>>" Mydas side-shrugs. "<>

Mydas presses several buttons on his vambrace, to communicate various signals with his own 'inside men' in the museum.

<<You're a go for your heist, Codex. May the gods of my people favor you.>>

Mandl has been through the museum once before, casing 'the joint,' surreptitiously dropping smoke-loads and flashbangs in flowerpots and next to cases that looked as if they might create noise and mess, dropping tear-gas or plain smoke at choke-points. As they strap their "heist gear" on, they review positions and the intensity of their powder-loads...

On cue, ion and frag explosives detonate near all-eight corners of the large museum. Alarms blare, museum visitors scream, and security panics for a moment before the entire security team of forty human men and women fall into their oft-practiced protocols.

Mandl spends the time a Bith needs to confuse a computer, which is-- impressively small. Tapping a series of keys on their wrist-comp they download a number of fractal impossibilities into the source-code for the security cameras, resting assured they'll wink out to contemplate their digital navels for... a while yet. That done, they (literally) hoof into action and sprint for the lift!

Mandl kneels before the panel, six-fingered hands going into a rhythm and a repetition few computers can withstand-- their species are feared for the power of both their brains and the quality of their own digital craftsmanship, so "some museum's security" is, in the end, no match for Dr. B'rot. They hunt and peck, skill and cunning against the brain of a... mere... building.

• BLIP*

There's no dramatic noise of the dying of machinery or power when Mandl deactivates all power in the building--simply the flickering of lights for two seconds and then a blackout. The guards panic and hurry to call for reinforcements from their network...but their outgoing calls cannot happen due to the downed network.

Mandl calmly selects their next target, 'the basement,' positioning themselves against the lift wall and raising their blaster. When the door opens, they should have a moment to figure out what resistance awaits...

In the main hallway of the basement corridor, several qudra-pedal, doglike security droids patrol the the main corridor but do not yet cross the pass of the elevator. Near the security room itself, four guards are in a literal panic.

Mandl suddenly brandishes the form of an Adhesive Grenade and with the press of a button, Mandl activates it!

The droid dogs immediately spot and identify Mandl as an intruder, and alarms blare out of loudpspeakers mounted to their ribcages. They rush towards Mandl, and when their within their specified attack range, they leap towards Mandl.

The droid dogs neither hear nor see Mandl as he swiftly moves through the corridor, if they had, they would've immediately leapt at him and raised alarm to the guards.

Mandl sends a grenade skittering down the corridor, spinning, bouncing merril-*PAFF,* and the foam quickly envelops any canine-shaped impediments to their progress...

The droid-dogs actually emit a high-pitched, dog-like whine from the speakers built into their respective ribcages. However, the path forward is open, with the security office straight ahead but the intersection to Vault 2 lies ahead, before the security office.

Mandl raises their wrist-com to their mouth: "Security disabled, vault's in front of me. What do I need to look out for?" They listen, careful...

<<"We've got inside people, don't worry who or where they are. However, there's a few droid dogs at the Vault that you might have to deal it. Deal with the dogs, and my people will take care of the rest since you've already shut down the building's power down.">>

"<<There's more dogs at the vault, so my people say,>> Mydas communicates. <<"I'm trying to disable some of the vault's security protocols because my insiders are moving slow, but it's...going slow.>>

Mandl connects a box on their chest to the terminal, typing so fast there's a danger of smoke, but-- *fzzt, fzzt* "Damn you, hardened systems!" They slap their knee, rather than the console. Never know about that. Asking Mydas: "... are your inside men still working? My anti-security interface just crapped out on me."

Though Mandl doesn't see it, when the slicing attempt at the vault fails, Mydas alerts the 'inside man' in the security room. The 'inside man'--a man who owes a substantial sum of money to the Hutt Cartel--receives the communication from Mydas, he pulls out his blaster and fires on the two other guards, killing them instantly.

<<"You don't have to worry about reinforcements,>> Mydas communicates to Mandl. "<<Try to slice it again, but hurry before more of those damn droid-dogs catch up with you.>>

Mandl awaits the recharge, frantically reconnecting the wires and initiating the pulse-- readyyy, steadyyy-- *zzt, ZZT.* Success...?

The vault's security terminal shuts down in the same manner as the rest of the building, reboots, and each of the four maglocks disengage. The double doors of the vault slide open, and inside are two stacks of boxes, but only one of the boxes contains the prize of the heist.

As Mandl requests aid with the boxes, one of the remaining droid dogs in the lower level turns into the vault's corridor. It doesn't yet spot or hear Mandl.

<<"The inventory ID number you're looking for is HD1-989,>> Mydas communicates.

Mandl takes the selected crate, creeping quietly back to the elevator with their prize. Upon taking the lift back up and exiting the elevator, Mandl flits from alcove to awning, darting between exhibits, struggling to keep arms around the box while looking unassuming. 'Pause, go. Pause, go.' They snake toward the door, closer... closer...

As the guards scurry about the main floor of the musuem while the visitors are escorted out, one of the many guards suddenly spots and calls out to Mandl.

"You! Hold it right there!" and then he fast-walks in his approach towards Mandl.

Mandl leans closer to their wrist, juggling the box a little: "Mydas, any last-minute suprises would be... great right about now." They move further away from the guard, shuffling the box in their limbs...

Mandl says, "This load has been earmarked as the property of my people, and as their authorized representative I am merely returning their rich... cultural heritage..."

The guard narrows his eyes towards Mandl, and then shakes his head towards him. "Moron. Give me the damn box and follow me out." Mandl *stamps* a hoof. "You'll have to make me."

<<"That's an insider,>> Mydas communicates to Mandl. <<"He'll get you over the finish line.>>

Mandl sighs, resigned. "Yes, Officer, of course." They deliver the goods, and follow appropriately downcast.

The insider guard leads Mandl through the main floor of the museum until they reach the outdoor steps. However, by this time, local police forces have arrived in armored speeders. They begin speaking to individuals as they exit the museum.

Mandl just sticks like glue to 'their guard,' careful not to appear too apprehended or too casual...

No one within the current police presence stops the insider guard or Mandl, and the guard leads Mandl into the street before handing the box back to Mandl.

"My debt's paid. Now get the hell off of our planet," the guard tells Mandl.

<<"I'm listening in. That's last of the obstacles, Codex. Proceed to the drop point-->> Mydas presses several buttons on his right vambrace. <<"--and your pay's been transmitted. I'll remain in stratospherical orbit to see to the completion, though. Let's hope you can do business for the Cartel again soon.>>

Mandl shrugs. "All in an evening's commerce," they reply. "Codex out."