Log:The Perfect High pt 1

The Perfect High, pt 1

OOC Date: June 18, 2018
Location: Oba Diah
Participants: Hopp Nooram, Zhu Yan, Fennix Lash, Ryo Odessa, Netep Muri, Usha, Maireni

Flying in on a rental ship, something unsuspecting and cheap Hopp found from a man who smokes herb out of the toe of an old boot, the mining colony of Oba Trieta looms large in the viewport as they swoop in towards the outskirts of town. "Alright, so... so let me lay it out for you, okay," the old coot is saying as the repulsorlifts engage and the craft lowers to the dirt. No landing pads here. "We're here because I've been- you know, I've been looking all my life for, the... the- the PERFECT HIGH, okay, it's- it's something of a dream of mine, see, I- I- it hits like a hammer and takes you up over the edge like making love to a- a- a dwarf star, or- or- this kid's mother, she was probably something else," Hopp points at Muri, there, before ranting onward. "But- but- that's not important. What's important is, we're here for- it's called Sansanna spice, alright, and it- you can only get it here, so, they're real greedy about it, and- you know, that's where you all come in."

The landing gear thumps heavily into the earth, spraying up a cloud of dust into the viewports and leaving the crew of wannabe drug addicts and/or mercenaries free to disembark and begin the infiltration once the old man is done ranting. "So, first thing is, we gotta get past customs. Then we hit the mine. Then we get the spice, then we get back on the ship with the spice, see? Then we fly the hell out of here and- and- you all secure yourselves a sample of the finished product, if and when I ever get there before I'm killed by a Snivvian with a grudge, and- and- and maybe I've given the Snivvian lots of reasons to have a grudge, okay, but- you know, I guess all I'm saying is I don't think you could hold it against her." Gathering up a belt with a gun on it, he straps it around his old man pot belly, thin fingers working the buckle as the landing ramp descends and almost immediately boots begin to thump up it.

A pair of Trandoshan enforcers appear behind the sound, heavy rifles held at the ready. "What'z your buzinezz here? Only authorized perzonnel may land."

"Tell 'em, boss," Hopp calls vaguely from the rear.

Zhu Yan was here, mainly because it was a terrible, terrible idea, and also because this Perfect High business would either make him really high or really rich. Por que no los dos? He was loaded for Grom, because someone had told him that he was a meatshield, and he was okay with that as long as he was a sturdy meatshield. The approach of Border Patrol was one he had dealt with many a time before, and he handled it with the practised ease of a professional smuggler.

"HEY!" yelled back the individual formerly known as Hal Seiser to the Trandoshans down the ramp. His voice, booming from the voice modulator in his helmet and backed up by the weight of the really really really big gun he was carrying, had all the authoritarian menace of a Stormtrooper and the indignance of someone who really, really didn't have time for this sithspit. "Do you know who you're talking to?! This," and he gestured at Usha in a method most upset, "is Lady Wynssa Starflare, First Duchess of Zeltros, and you got authorization paperwork sent in to you for her anonymous vacation cruise TWO WEEKS AGO!" Wow, way to spoil the secret, man. "So you better go find it because you are CRAMPIN' her VIBE!"

Drug dealer? Mercenary? Fennix Lash likely fits the bill for the former, while if the latter classification includes those willing to do almost anything for money... well... he gets double marks. Currently the eldest of the notorious Ryn siblings is reclined in a seat on the rental ship, his feet kicked as far out in front of him as they'll reach and his hands with their fingers interlocked behind his head. The shock of snow white hair has been swept upward in a meticulously styled "flame" appearance, and his handlebar mustache looks as fabulous as ever, curling a full three turns at either end of his mouth. Greedy eyes peer toward Muri and what he believes to be a charming smile is on his lips as he winks to the woman. "Don't worry, toots. Ole Fenny will get us in and out in no time flat. That sammysanna slice will be in our pockets before the old man has a chance to fart his way across this ship and wonder if he should check his pants in the refresher," he brags. As if to back his own claim, he pulls a gaudily gem-clad hand from behind his head and fingers a few of the perforations on his nose and blows out a melodic wolf-whistle for himself.

"Lady Starflare," Ryo says, buying into Yan's lie as he reaches over to offer the Zeltron lady and arm to loop her's through. He'll wander down the ramp and come to a stop behind Zhu Yan, looking down his nose at the guards.

Oba Diah...Muri's got like, thirteen seconds of memory about this place. Nineteen, full of hopes and dreams to score it big, mopping up somebody else's mess in an engine room when she opted to take a break and get some 'fresh' air. Made it four steps off the ramp before her captain caught her by the collar and tossed her ass back inside. Then they were off, loaded, prepared to unload in the name of getting druggies loaded, cept they didn't make it past the next customs official aaaaand.....

Netep's self-preservation instincts kick in a beat too late (or soon?) to drop that memory trail in time to hear Hopp's commentary 'bout her mater. Gross, no way. Noooope. But...elements of truth, probably? "There /are/ five of us kids," the Lorrdian/Ibhann'I mutt shrugs a shoulder with rakish grin. Eyes turn to Fennix. Also a nope. Then it's show time. She's barely visibile at first, peeping around the armored tank that is Zhu before he goes marching down the ramp. Once exposed, her gaze flits back up the ramp. "S'a bit dusty out there, m'lday. Perhaps you'd like a freshened glass of water before we begin?" And she's busting ass to procure said water before they get too far ahead.

Sansanna spice is almost like an urban legend. Usha had seen it once as a young girl on the stained hands and face of a particularly fucked up Sullustan, but never again since then. So when the crazed old scientist said he knew where to get it, she sure as hell was along for the ride.

Dressed in her finest vacation jumpsuit, her gun stowed somewhere in her bag (not the best place for it but wtvr), she angrily stomps down the ramp after Zhu. Cooling herself down with a handheld fan as she plays along with a grumble, "I am VERY vexed! This was all supposed to be sorted out long before I arrived here. Who will I be banishing to the Zeltros sex farms for this grave error?" Roughly she grabs Ryo's arm and calls to Muri, "I most certainly DO expect a glass of water. Fetch me it at once! I don't understand why no one is ready."

"Lady Ztarflare?" The first Trandoshan looks to the other in confusion, not able to recall any anonymous Zeltron nobility scheduled for a visit to this dusty hole in the ground, and steps back to consult with his compatriot. "What would a fine piece of pink azz like that be doing in a place like dizzz?" Is it audible? Roll Listen at 100 to find out.

"Not zzuure but look at her, it iz clear zhe is zome kind of junky... Zeltronz izzz all the zame," the other reasons in reply, slitted eyes staring unblinking at Usha, aka Lady Starflare. Stepping forward, he announces to all and sundry, "You may pazzzz but we will be keeping cloze eyezzz on you."

"Wonderful, you- you really- great work, chief," Hopp grunts, stretching long, bony arms skywards as he heads past the guards towards the mining colony as a whole. "We'll be on, you know, best behavior and all that, what with Lady Starflare and her 'appetites'," the old coot grates, making air quotes with two bony fingers on each hand.

Oba Tietra is a small mining colony, made up mostly of worker's shacks, prefabricated shelters with one room only, cranes, bulldozers, and stevedores making up most of the scenery. The landscape itself is rocky, hilly, with a big hole up ahead where the spice miners have elected to strip the ground entirely rather than the old tunnel method. A big billboard depicting a lush forest hillside proudly declares, "To be left as good or better than before!" with some graffiti of what are either eyes or boobs spraypainted over it in bright yellow.

"Finding the mine, that's gonna be easy, okay, but, you know, what's /in/ the mine, that's what we're after, see, so, keep an eye out for any sort of sealed container," the old coot relates quietly, crafty hands already flexing in anticipation. "It's- the spice is orange, that's how you know it's not just, you know, a rock. Because it's orange, and not just a rock." A long finger points at Usha. "Make sure you keep it going, Lady Starflare, I'm- we're gonna need you to be properly noble. And all of you, get to makin' like you're a retinue or- or whatever they call it on Zeltros. Probably something sexual, they- Zeltrons love sex."

From alley corners and short towers set on rooftops, the colony's guards observe, all marked with a yellow mark, what is either eyes or boobs. "...Is that really their syndicate emblem? Kriffing hell."

"My apologies, your Grace," WHOOPS ZHU YAN YOU USED THE WRONG ADDRESS, "but unfortunately the locals are imbeciles and should probably be shot but hey that's not my call to make." Because if it were, there'd probably be enough dead lizards to give a Twi'lek a conniption. He stalked through the streets, eyeing up the boob-graffiti, and looking every bit the bored-but-capable bodyguard even though he was paying jack-all attention to pretty much everything. He was a bit short though. He listened to the old man's badgery talk, not real hard, until he got to the last bit where he just randomly tuned in.

"Zeltron sex." Sharp nod. Flat voice. "That's what I'm here for."

"It /is/ hard to find good help these days, isn't it, dear?" Ryo asks of Lady Whatever her name is. His free hand moves up to gently shift a few wayward strands of his hair back into place, his nose still /very/ snooty. As the good Lady's aide, he reaches over to calm the woman, giving her a couple of reassuring pats on the arm as he trails behind Zhu Yan.

"Did someone say water?" Fennix pipes up, hurrying up from the rear and producing a surprisingly nice looking flask from inside of his gaudy purple velvet coat. He extends it toward Usha with a broad smile, sweeping into a deep bow as he holds it out to her. "Can I be banished to the zeltron sexy farms? ... Please?" he says hopefully, not quite catching on to the fact that that is supposed to be bad.

Water water water! If this were Hopp's personal craft, Netep might be more worried about the integrity, er, purity of the dihydrogen monoxide being poured from the potable reservoir she finds in the galley. Cuz you know, weird science. Even so, she angles the metal cup this way and that under a glare of overhead lighting to check for any larvae or whatever before trotting back to the entry corridor and down the ramp to her mistress's heels. Where Fennix is already offering who knows what.

"Lady Starflare," she pops up on Usha's /other/ side from ole Fenny, around Ryo, and does a quick pivot on toe to keep from being trampled whilst facing the pair. "If your feet should grow tired, perhaps the locals might lend you use of a cart, yes? I see they've plenty of empties to spare...what with all these idling about." Her eyes lock fastly on Usha's, then Ryo's for a moment before darting a pointed glance to her right - their left - at one such cart a few meters away, while her left elbow gives Fennix a bit of a nudge. There's a container on it that MIGHT be appropriate for transporting spice. Maybe.

Lady Starflare holds her chin up defiantly as if she has been looking down on people all her life (cause she has) while the Trandoshans size her up. "Excellent, I'm glad that this place has such high regard for the safety of a Duchess," she says in response to 'keeping close eyes' on her. Speaking of which, the combination of the Trandoshan's back handed compliments and Hopp's direction to be more regal makes Usha stand up a little straighter and her butt stick out a bit more. It's deeply uncomfortable, but they can keep their eyes on THAT.

She continue on Ryo's arm, her eyes widening curiously at Fennix's flask. Her nostrils flare as she withstands the desire to have a drink, but shakes her head instead opting to take the metal cup from Muri instead. Her eyes dart from the girl to the cart and back to the girl. "Uhh...yes! My feet are just /exhausted/ from this long journey. You - Ryn boy." She points to Fennix again. "Go get me that cart or I won't walk another step! And then you - " she points to Ryo "Can massage my feet. Get to it, everyone!"

Where has Maireni been all this time? Taking a nap. See, she grew up with Nix and Yoska always around, which means she can basically pass out and nap anywhere. So it's hard to say exactly where on the ship she crammed herself, but she comes plodding down the ramp with that just woke up hair -- not that different from her regular hair -- and some eye boogers that she's rubbing at while looking around. "We /finally/ here?" she asks, giving the guard eyes an eye with the one that's not currently hidden behind a fist. "That took forever!" She complains, but honestly she has no idea how long it was, because she was out cold. Did she dress for this occasion? About as well as she ever dresses, which means she's got on some aggressively yellow shorts, and a bright blue top that was attacked by scissors so the sleeves were removed, also it's about two sizes too large so it droops off one shoulder. Her boots are tall, and blue, and have probably been seen on Yoska more than once. Also roughly thirty rings, and half as many bracelets. Does she know the plan? Does she even know what is happening? Probably not, but to be fair she might not know it had she been there to hear the plan. For the moment, and what might be the first time in her life, she does the smart thing and keeps her mouth shut.

"Her ladyship can banish you wherever she likes for all I care," Hopp grumbles at Fennix, stroking the handle of his blaster pistol thoughtfully, beady black eyes squinting around from under his wiry grey brows. "After your idiot brother and your- damn, there she is. I thought- oh well, maybe we can banish her while we're at it," a bony hand waved toward Maireni. His role in all this seems to be Crotchety Advisor, so he stalks over to where Usha is making demands on his stilt-like legs, crossing his arms over his chest and barking "Go help your worthless brother!" at the other Lash, mumbling at Usha, "Yeah, I wouldn't let either of these kids touch you, but, the- the- this one's like some kinda certified masseuse or something, I'd bet any money, you can- just look at that face. He's had a class."

The Cart, for there is only one in the small bubble of awful here, does indeed have a few containers atop it that look as though they'd work for carrying something like spice, and they're sealed, and why would you seal rubble? Right?

Zhu Yan was the greatest indignant-yet-bored guard ever. He just stood there, sighing, almost frustrated at the antics going on. GOOD JOB YAN. "You all know your places, let's go!" He was the Sergeant Rock to Leftenant Crotchety Advisor and Captain Lady. "Lashes, get on the cart! You're the engine today, so make like eopees and push! Cowboy man, assist Her Ladyship on to the cart and if her feet are still hurting in ten minutes, you're on latrine duty!" he pointed like a man who was trying to herd cats. "Funny-eyes, those containers are the ones we need so stack 'em up!" He refused to explain that, from his OTHER job, he'd hauled thousands of these things. "And you had all better make sure Her Ladyship is comfortable and rested or I will shoot you myself!"

Fennix blinks, looking blankly at Usha for a moment as he is told to fetch the cart. Even more so when Muri reaches out to elbow him. "What the krif do I look like he-" he begins to complain indignantly, looking across toward the cart in question and back to Usha. He blinks. He looks at Muri. Blinks. Back around to the cart and stares at it for a few seconds as his busted gears try to spin inside his head to connect the dots. Finally he says, "Oh. Well why didn't you just say so?" He moves over toward the cart, grumbling all the way. When he reaches it, he places his hands on it and goes to push it, only to sigh when it doesn't move. "I knew I was going to end up getting dirty doing this. These are my good clothes!" Spitting into his hands, he claps them together because he doesn't really know how that works, puts them back on the cart and hunkers down. The cart still doesn't move... but a high pitched squeaker of a fart does lilt into the air as the Ryn puts his shoulder into the side of the cart and heaves for all he's worth.

Ryo Odessa offers a subtle nod to Netep before Usha's commanding him to rub her feet. He clears his throat and stares at her flatly for a moment. Begrudgingly he says, "Why of course, my Lady." He pauses and looks at Hopp, lifting a finger to poke him in his bony chest, "I've had /several/ classes." He leans over and whispers something into Usha's ear before delivering the most sarcastic of smiles.

Her task of being water girl at end, Netep takes a small step away from her ladyship and sweeps a sly eye around the premises, noting a few of those boob-eye-signet wearing guards lingering about. She, too, goes to 'help' the two Ryn move the cart but instead of breaking a physical sweat, she endures a mental one. She's small. She's a fast talker and that's how she survived those 8 months of labor sentence, and she's really no desire to relive the experience. Course, get busted by the PYKE themselves and she won't have to worry 'bout suffering any labor, right? Just death.

"Min Larel..." she address a container softly, leaning unhelpfully against the /side/ of the cart while her left hand migrates away from it and up to the top to finger the little handle there. She hesitates, then hops up onto the cart. Sorry Fennix. "I'll clear the rubbish!" she announces and makes a show of tossing out some pebbles and actual bits of trash while /leaning/ on that container. Her left hand keeps working it until the seal is loosed with a tiny hiss and she can lift the lid a smidge to reveal a glimpse of what's inside. Orange. ORANGE. Her hand snaps the lid back into place with an exhaled whoosh of breath she didn't know she was holding. Score.

Usha's feet. Let's take a moment to describe them, shall we? The thing about drug addicts is when they've completely tore through the veins on their arms, they move on to other vascular parts of their body. The dark needle scars found on the crook of her arm match the dots that appear on the veins of her feet. Couple that with her penchant for wearing stupidly uncomfortable footwear and you got yourself a bruised, bunion-y, magenta fiesta. Felicidades Ryo.

Her dimply smile comes out when the gambler whispers into her ear, to which she replies, "I'll worry about that later."

Maireni glaaaaaares at Hopp, and also Usha for some reason, then back to Hopp. She dances forward to try and give the guy a swift kick to the shin, but it's a real weak attempt, and then she quickly scrambles away to the cart that she's supposed to be helping with. "So what's the plan here?" she asks Nix in what she hopes is a low enough voice so that the others won't hear. "We're snatchin' some scratch from these lame lothcats, right?"

Hopp is kicked in the shin by the bratty Ryn kid, and with a wheezy yelp, he stumbles back, long arms pinwheeling to keep himself from falling while he glares furiously at the retreating Maireni. "This is- do you see what I'm talking about!" He grates to no one in particular, pulling a cig from somewhere and lighting up with his janky homemade blowtorch of a lighter. "You just docked your pay, alright, so- so... ohhhh baby," distracted as Muri pulls the lid briefly off the goods, beady black eyes sparkling with dreams of The Perfect High. "That's the stuff, alright," he puffs, stalking towards the cart and patting the railing. "Lady Starflare, your chariot awaits, I- we- climb on board, and we'll- shit, I never thought this would happen, this is going /really/ well, FOR A PLEASURE CRUISE," the old coot stipulates loudly, lest he arouse suspicions. "Everyone but the Lashes get on the cart, okay, I- we need to get this thing back to the ship and grab some- some cushions for her pamperedliness."

"Oh my god," groaned out Zhu Yan. They were stupid. They were all stupid. Or foolish. Or whatever. You gotta STAY IN CHARACTER guys. Ugh. "YOU TWO ARE SO WEAK YOU MAKE MY TWO-MINUTE NOODLES LOOK LIKE A HOUK LUCHADOR." Were Houk luchadors a thing? They were now. He trudged over to the cart, shoved his way between the two Lash siblings, and applied pressure. "YOU GOTTA USE MUSCLES THAT YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW YOU HAAAAAAVE!" he bellowed out, channeling the Drill Sergeant routine so damn hard. He was vibing so good right now. With something actually resembling strength from the diminutive man, he managed to get the cart rolling! Just for good measure, he tapped a thumb-mounted control and his jetpack let out a short angled burst, pushing him and the cart forward and, because Zhu Yan is an idiot, sending smoke under, over, to the sides, and probably inside the cart as well. Good work buddy.

Ryo Odessa continues to grumble as he gets into the cart along with Usha. He takes her feet out of her ridiculous footware sets to work. Squeeze squeeze rub rub etc. Well practiced in foot massages, the Festian man works away dilligently, disgusted all the while.

Fennix is still shoving at the cart, trying valiantly to get it moving. When Mai comes over and starts to get the thing moving, he laughs aloud and calls out, "See! And you though we were worthless!" And then... there's a rock. It scotches the wheel and the cart comes to a standstill that shove as he might, he just can't get it over. "Well... alright. I guess that's that. Let's just go home," he says toward Mai, and then the Yan appears. He gives it one more go, and thankfully the cart starts to move. When the smoke erupts, he leaps back, yelling, "Hey! I said these are my good clothes!"

"Cushions! Oversight of course to not have brought some out the first go 'round. My apologies." Netep makes a little show of dusting the top of a container off to give Usha a proper throne up there, and parks her own ass on the side rail like the riff raff she is. For about eight seconds, then Yan MAGICALLY acquires a spurt of strength that lurches the whole thing forward with a little more umph than before and it's with wide eyes that she almost disappears over the side. Almost. A hasty scrabble of hands and tuck of her core keeps self more or less upright then folding into a controlled descent into the floor of the cart. The smoke's just icing on the cake by then and she fans it away while firing an unappreciative glare around at the 'help' back there.

Usha fans herself patiently and adjusts the sunglasses over her eyes. "Honestly, what is taking SO. LONG." Despite Hopp's good mood, she's determined to keep up the facade of a disgruntles aristocrat with a most incompetent staff. Coughing at the smoke, she climbs aboard the cart and sits atop the container as if laying an egg. Though she's completely unaware of how golden that egg is.

"Yes yes, excellent work. I will find a way to reward everyone with free .... hand jobs ... later." People do not actually say this on Zeltros, but Hopp said up the sex. "Though they might have to be dry. I apologize in advance." And from here on out, she's in full relaxation mode, lounging back as Ryo peels off her boots and she lights up a cigarette. Ryo's skills make this rather easy to do and she melts in her seat as the massage begins. "Whoa...," she mutters hazily and asks her long-time family friend, "Did you ever do this for my mom?"

When Yan rolls in and starts talking about how they have to move the cart, Maireni stops pushing, because he's obviously got it under control. Right? At first she continues to act like she's pushing, but the act is given up and she simply steps back to watch him do all the work instead. "Who invited this guy?" she thumbs in Yan's direction, but it's hard to tell whether she's annoyed or impressed. Maybe both, she does love a good bad idea.

Hopp had clambered up in the cart almost immediately after instructing the others to do so, leaving the Lashes to do the pushing mostly because it amused him to put the smallest and mouthiest members of his crew in the most demanding position. Until Yan pitches in and spoils the fun, and then throws in the jet- "Hey!" It's too late, though, by the time Hopp realizes what the hired gun is doing, there's already smoke filling the air, sending the old fart into a coughing fit despite the fact that he smokes cigs all day long every single day. "Quit it, you idiot! You'll-"

"WHAT GOEZZZ ON HERE?!" A loud, reptilian voice demands over a loudspeaker. "Thizzz iz not approved Zeltron debaucheriezzzz!"

"Hit it!" Hopp grates loudly, waving his arms wildly and pulling his blaster from his belt before continuining to wave his arms wildly. "You'll never catch us, you- you slimy scaley sons of /eggs!/"

Leave it to Zhu Yan to follow a bad idea with an utterly terrible idea. "PUSH, YOU SWINES! HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THE FACE OF YOUR FATHER?!" he bellowed out, short bursts giving them momentum, right when the reptilian voice blasted across the loudspeaker. Welp, that was it, cover blown. Time to make do on the whole kill-all-lizards business. He let go of the cart and racked the charging lever of the heavy repeater which THANKFULLY was held on via a strap. Good work Yan. "I told you..." and whatever he was saying next was cut off by the sound of WHUMPH WHUMPH WHUMPH WHUMPH emerging from the comically oversized barrel of the comically oversized rifle as bolts sailed into exactly the empty space around the control tower that he was trying to avoid. There was something to do with "authorization" and "handjobs" and "sithspit" and who knows what else.

Fennix looks toward Mai at the sound of the voice on the loudspeaker. "This is it, sissy," he whispers toward his dear sister. "We play this right, we get out of here with the super spice, /and/ a ship. We can leave these losers behind. I hate to lose my girlfriend but... if we have enough spice I can sucker in another one." He looks back to the cart and whispers, "On three. One...." He stalls, considering for a moment, as if he isn't sure what follows one. "Three!" he says loudly, charging at the cart. He doesn't make a move to help shove the thing, but leaps high as if to snatch one of the crates from the cart. He underestimates how heavy they are, however, and rather than performing a hurdling snatch, the crate rolls and pins him down on top of the cart.

Ah, bork it all. "Nooram!" Netep chastises his useless flailing as she herself tucks and rolls over the side of the cart to throw her luck in with the Lashes. Sigh. The little nomad throws her shoulder into it, which isn't worth much apparently. For a moment there it felt like all the boot-scraping, hard-gruntin, capillary-bustin pushing she's more or less peddling in place was making headway, but then a fuzzy blur goes sailing by and a *thunk* adds to the weight of the already heavy thing. "What kind of piece of junk is this!?" she complains through gritted teeth, voice pretty much drowned out by the WHUMPH WHUMPH WHUMPH of Yan's repeater. "Any loader, trailer, hauler without repulsor setting are sssshhhhhhhaaaaav. I mean," *pant* *pant* "What are they dragging this behind, kriffin rontos?"

Who dare ruin Usha's zen! This has been the ultimate most perfect mission so far. But when their cover is blow Lady Starflare takes back her barefoot and instead uses it to kick Ryo out. "Push the /kriffing/ cart, you wench!" OKay maybe she's still kinda in character. Digging through her bag, she pulls out her blaster and aims for a Trandoshan guard. But it goes as expected and completely misses her target.

"You'll- don't mess with Hopp Nooram!" Hopp yells crazily towards the Trandoshan guards who have come pouring out of the prefab shelters to rain blaster fire on the cart, firing a wild shot at the nearest one and knocking it stumbling back with his stun-heavy blaster pistol. He's got an MD, do no harm and all that. "I'll kriffing kill every last one of you! I'll- I'll smash your broodmates' eggs! I'll sell 'em on the- they go for big money!"

Something someone said (Muri) registers through the fog of war and the old coot blinks at her. "What? Of course it does, just- you know, open that panel and turn it on. 'Scanti scavvers, you kids want me to do everything for you?! What do you- what do you think I'm paying you for, Muri?! Huh? You little pile of snark! You're- think for yourself every now and then!"

Meanwhile, atop one of the shelters, the guards are in the process of setting up what looks like an Imperial E-Web turret. Probably because it is one, bought dirt cheap at Deega's Surplus Emporium.

Being on the ground in an urban area when a firefight that is totally not your fault breaks out is a bad place to be. Zhu Yan had at least come to this conclusion. He had spied the E-Web and though, oh dear, that looks like a terrible evening. FWOOMPH went the jetpack, sending him careening into the skies. Up he went, to a low-hanging balcony, and landed hard, bending his knees. Clear line of sight, homies! "KEEP YOUR FILTHY BLASTER BOLTS OFF MY HANDJOB!" he roared into his helmet, sending his static-y voice bounding between the streets, as he let loose with the heavy repeater and tore strips of concrete out of the street and absolutely no strips of metal or flesh out of the E-Web emplacement.

Ryo Odessa goes falling out of the cart and lands with an 'oof'. How dare she!? That jacket is genuine, fair-traide rancor foot. He stands up from the ground and slips his tiny little blaster-boi out of his coat pocket and begins firing wildly at...well anything really.

"WHA-OH!" Oh kriff. Netep shuts up and hunkers down, dropping her center of gravity even more while 'pushing' in attempts to just totally disappear off the guards' radar. Become one with the cart, Muri. Ignore the bolts of red death vaporizing the dust under your feet, Muri. Her efforts in pushing are slacking off, not that they were substantial before. Focus instead has turned to groping around for that stupid panel while trying not to get fingers shot off. Or her head.

"Okayoayokayokay...." Muri fumbles it open and stares at what's looking back at her. A bunch of unlabeled switches and dials. And by 'bunch', we're talkin' three. UNLABELED. All black. One has a hint of color - yellow - that hasn't been rubbed off by presumed years of oily, dirty miner hands. "COME ON!" she thumps the cart on either side of the panel like she was knockin' sense into the dope in charge of equipment upkeep. Label your shit, guys! Then, because some of these shots raining down on them are striking too close for comfort, she picks one already and flips the switch. Pushes a button. It does not go forward. It goes up, but then in reverse, leaving her clinging to the backend, heels dragging the dirt while she tries to correct their directionality...

Usha aghs as she takes a hit on the shoulder. "Some more pushing would be great right now!!!!" she yells at the rest from inside the cart. Having taken fire, she's a little bit more hesitant now to retaliate. And she very gingerly peeks out to shoot at who's shooting at them. She's too trying to duck again that she doesn't even see her target and the shot goes wherever the hell it wants.

The cart goes UP, pushing everyone inside it flat against the floor, and Hopp fires wildly into the air anyway, like some kind of lunatic old man, which, arguably that is who this group has followed to this crime syndicate-run planet where trespassers are likely to be shot on sight. Some kind of lunatic old man. "Muri! Get that-" The cart jolts into reverse. "MURI, you little- you green-haired catastrophe, get this cart back on ground level and get us moving PRONTO," he yells, dragging his head upward over the railing, frizzy grey hair stuck up in all directions. "We need to get on the ship /now/ before they- you know, figure it out and do the same thing! Then we can't get on the ship!"

It's a valid concern, because while many Trandoshans are still firing at their cart, some are starting to try to hoof it past the Lady Starflare's woebegotten retinue to intercept their escape vehicle. Meanwhile, the E-Web, unharmed by the Rocketman's attack, has begun to spit hot fiyah back at the jetpack-riding fellow, pewpewpewpew.

Uh oh. "I'm coming!" bellowed Zhu Yan, a sentence that was hilariously rare in his personal life but let's not go there. FWOOMPH, up he went again, sailing through the air like Elton John, and landing on the cart once more. There was a crate with a Ryn under it but he ignored it. Up went the rifle, and with a single WHUMPH he put a hole through one of the men running towards their escape. "Get the frack down, Your Ladyship! Schuttas are e'rrywhere!" he exclaimed, crouching next to Greenie and asking, "Do you need me to drive this thing? Do I have to do everything?!"

Ryo Odessa has resorted to running in circles around the cart, continuing to fire wildly at the enemy force. Is it effective? Of course it is. He's Ryo Odessa.

"IM TRYING!" Muri yells back, clinging like a flea to the cart while her feet fail to find purchase on anything but air and the occasional swipe of axel. While she's hung up there, pushing buttons and possibly making the situation worse before it gets better (with one finger offered up in reply to Yan) one of those schuttas pegs her for the easy target she is and just about dislodges the woman from the cart with a well-placed shot. It catches her a bit below the shoulder. Her yelp pain coincides with the sudden DROP of the cart back down. She's done what needs doing with a couple fingers on her left hand just before grip's lost all together. Not that it's far to fall.

So PUSH Muri finally does, now that the cart's hovering just a bit above the ground like it ought to and she can shove the thing in the right direction and ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun it toward the ship. Awkwardly run, kinda hunched to the right.

The cart is being pushed this way and that and for better or worse Usha is along for the ride. She's doing her best to shoot given the conditions, but her aim is flying everywhere. So she literally takes a blind shot, and HEY waddya know! She gets one!

Muri's fiddling brings the cart back closer to the ground, and everyone inside's stomachs will get taken on a nice little trip when the inertia kicks in, before they're sailing along towards the ship at SPEED. "Muri! You- you did it Muri, I- I always believed in you, kid, for like, a whole five seconds right before it happened," Hopp tells her, right before the cart smacks into the landing ramp. "We did it! Hahahaha! You- you lizards should have stuck to- to- you'll never catch us now!" Leaping from the cart, he gestures towards the containers, grabbing onto the side of one with a bony hand. "Team lift! We can get a couple!"

Pew pew pew pew pew! PACHOW! PACHOW! The angry guards in their multitudes fire back and it looks like one is coming out with some kind of rocket launcher there.

Quickly, the spice is loaded aboard and with everyone inside (this time) takes off in a cloud of dust, a rocket sailing high off the stern. JUST LIKE EVERYONE IS GONNA BE SAILING HIGH ON THIS SPICE.