Private An Ancient Man and a Demon

[Westenra Mina]

"Sir! Concentrated Slicing Attack!"

The Nautolan Pirate wheeled around.

The Lights of the Ship flickered out and so did life support.

"Multiple backdoors detected. Losing control of security on Multiple decks." his underling reported while the crew scrambled to adapt, putting on armored space suits and breath masks as the temperature began to drop.

"No choice now..." He grumbled, getting his own space suit on. He got on his encrypted link.

"We can't keep the astromech out of the central computer." He told the crew in engineering. "Sever hard power flow to the computer. Even their astromech needs the computer on the other end to have power to control it. If we can't control this ship systems neither will they."

They all went silent at this. Once the power to central computer was cut, they would not be able to restore it easily. It was a double edged sword. The Astromech could no longer manipulate any systems, but restoring power would be of immense difficulty.

"Start preparing a fighting retreat." He ordered.

"On my Mark...now..."

There was a rumble as vibroswords physically severed the power feeds to the central computer. Within seconds all power across the ship went dark. Gravity control was severed.

The temperature began to drop, slowly but surely.

Lynda used her repulsorlifts as gravity and life support was severed in their area.

"Careful, Master Vanagor. A cornered rat can be more dangerous than a charging Rancor. With their backs to the wall, they are liable to resort to anything now..." Lynda cautioned. "Unless them severing power to the computer was part of your plan also...I don't suppose that astromech has a way of charging the computer from where it is..."

The ship was rocked by explosions from the exterior.

Lynda's comlink beeped and she listened to the information on the other end.

"The Interdictor Cruiser just fired on and destroyed the Hangars to the ship. No ship can dock on it now without a boarding device." she answered.

"I'll head to the power section..." Ceru said. "Or the ambient heat and oxygen will only last a few more hours."

"C'mon, Ceru, give it up! You might have had a chance to keep the station to yourself when only you knew, But even if you restore power you're still outnumbered."

"You want this ship too."

"Not to the point of madness. For me, its just an asset, something to be used in a limited fashion, given how outdated it is. Its main value is in its unsecured nature. A big fat castle where years of low intensity ops can be planned and conducted... she said, floating after Vanagor. "But if necessary, I can walk away. You can't. Too much of yourself is invested in this technological terror."

"I have come too far to be stopped now..." Ceru growled, floating away from them and pulling open a now powerless door with telekinesis, and floating through...

"Well, that could have gone better." Lynda muttered to Caltin Vanagor

 

[Caltin Vanagor]

“We have plenty of tomorrows to compensate for the wrongs made yesterday.”
― Efrat Cybulkiewicz​

This again? Now?

Caltin did indeed anticipate a shut down of central power of the ship, he knew this because of the slow drop in temperature. When the remark about the “cornered rat” was made, he did not look back, but Vanagor simply responded.

True, but which of us is cornered? Us, or them?

There was no use stopping Ceru at this point. He would be found again in the future and would be addressed at a better time. Right now they had more important matters to attend to.

Let him go. He still does not get it. When we are younglings, even to the point as Padawans we are taught to trust in the Force. The Force will tell, and show us the best options to committing to and completing any task if we only listen to it. Right now he is ignoring the path and walking his own. If he were to be taken, he would never return to the person he was. He is not ready. His only survivable option is to continue the course we are on.

Translation - He’s nuts.

With a smirk, he reached out and pulled the blast doors in front of them open, physically so as not to waste his energy.

My other droid “Roller”, he put in a system virus. Had we still had ship power, not only would that virus be attacking every system on the ship. This would not only be rendering everything “he” was not controlling “useless”, but broadcasting out to the Concord Navy. So, yeah… I was expecting this, just not so quickly to be honest.

He sighed.

Even if he gets away with everything. This ship, this station, they have been identified and located. Sorry, I know you wanted this ship, but it had to be done.

Then the beep on his comm-link came. Caltin did not go for a response, simply a nod to himself.

Do you need a ride? My ship is coming in…

Yes, he heard her when she mentioned the landing bays being destroyed.

TAG: Westenra Mina

Spoiler: Personal effects

"Vanguard" (Secondary - Long Handle)

"CONSERVATOR" (Primary - Long Handle)
HK-88 Robes, Battle Armor,Toraynor-Henkan(mind crystal added) Advanced Jedi Utility Belt
Starship: Spectre, (NC-1000 X-wing (Jedi Variant) in the hangar, Dilorian, and Bike both in the cargo bay, the late Karki Eusith's Armor, Shield, Temple Guard Lightsaber mounted on the wall)
Sanctuary Island

 

[Westenra Mina]

"Jedi, I could be blind and I couldn't mistake you for a rat." The Demon chuckled darkly. "Tell me, did they inject the vegetable shake into you at birth or did you have to breathe it in through a mask?"

Her head tilted to one side as he said exposing the station had to be done.

"Oh, don't worry...you think this is the only one?" Lynda asked. "This station is evidence of a Shadow Fleet. Why, not too long back I was aboard an old Battleship that probably dated back to the era this thing was made in. That old Interdictor outside is from roughly the same era as well. Outer Rim is crazy with stuff like this..."

Her bloodshot eyes blinked as he offered a ride off.

"Thanks but I already have a means of getting off the vessel..." The Demon of Jedha replied, floating ahead of him.

It was dark ahead, and Lynda's white Lightsaber Blade was out, along with her sword as she scouted ahead.

"No activity so far... they're trying to avoid an encounter as long as possible..."

Lynda stopped, saw the blinking lights on the deck, the walls, and ceiling, for the next four passages ahead...

"Mines..." she said, sniffing the air.

Plastic explosive. Mercury based tilt fuzes. Real primitive...but deadly sensitive..." she cautioned, pointing them out.

"I've seen people use these before to counter Force Users. They try and affect it with Telekinesis, the switch triggers. Any jostling, any at all, could trigger the mines. And with so many in one place...it could trigger a massive explosive decompression in this section. It wouldn't surprise me if they had a remote way of setting the mines off, something non-electronic...but I have a way through, a quiet way, if you'll be patient."



Caltin Vanagor

 

[Caltin Vanagor]

“We have plenty of tomorrows to compensate for the wrongs made yesterday.”
― Efrat Cybulkiewicz​

The thought of a rat is nothing more than a metaphor.

He let her go on about the possibility of a Shadow fleet. He didn’t care. There was no sense in dwelling on what might be when they have to deal with what is going on right now. That was the annoying part about dealing with others that were not of the Force, let alone Jedi. Sure, he was loaded financially but this whole “material need” brought down people in the worst way sometimes, look at what it was doing to Ceru.

The dark hallway, the flashing lights. He knew what they were, but the layout was wrong. Whoever set these up were amateurs and he could wreck them with little effort. The thing is though with the ship already in the condition that it was, there would probably be multiple hull breaches if he did. So discretion would be the better part of valor.

Waving her by, he simply said.

I need to go your way to get to where I need to be anyway, I’m sure… so yeah… I can be patient.

Trap? Maybe. Either way he wasn’t lying when he said he would follow her lead for now.

TAG: Westenra Mina

Spoiler: Personal effects

"Vanguard" (Secondary - Long Handle)

"CONSERVATOR" (Primary - Long Handle)
HK-88 Robes, Battle Armor,Toraynor-Henkan(mind crystal added) Advanced Jedi Utility Belt
Starship: Spectre, (NC-1000 X-wing (Jedi Variant) in the hangar, Dilorian, and Bike both in the cargo bay, the late Karki Eusith's Armor, Shield, Temple Guard Lightsaber mounted on the wall)
Sanctuary Island

 

[Westenra Mina]

"Status Report..." The Pirate Captain asked from the comfort of his bridge.

"Temperature is dropping rapidly now. In two hours it will be unsurvivable without space suits." his Nautolan underling replied through the Holoprojector. "That damned Astromech really caused havoc. Our slicing equipment was about ten years behind it.

"The ship unfortunately broadcast the location of this station. It likely won't be long now before the Navy shows.

"Unfortunate. I shall have to order the deployment of the interdiction mines, and try to delay them as long as possible. If worse comes to worse, we still have the hostages. They'll let us go or the Hostages die."

"The Mines seemed to have delayed the Demon and the Jedi."

"I don't expect that to last for long. Retreat into the ship further. If he wants you, he'll have to chase you."

"Our short range scanners indicate the one we first encountered aboard the vessel is heading to engineering. We believe he intends to restore power by any means necessary."

"We may have to cut a deal..." The Captain hissed.

"I don't think any of them would cut a deal with us. We're on the defensive."

"So is the one with the sword and the coffin. He teamed up with them because he was outnumbered. But I am observing his body language from the footage we captured. He's clearly not friends with the other two. I think if we hadn't come along he would have been dead. Or captured. Neither of which are desirable."

"What do you want us to do."

"Approach him diplomatically. Alone both of us are at a disadvantage. Together...we stand a much better chance of getting rid of these bothersome types."

"What incentive do we use?"

"The fact they will kill him rather than let him have this station, the same way they will kill us. We can team up for the moment, then settle chit with one another once the first two are dead. He'll take Caltin, and then we handle the Demon."

"Should we tell him about the hostages?"

"Not yet. We talk to him with selfishness first. More likely to work." the Pirate responded. "Get the sonic turrets in place. No telling how much time the mines actually bought. If worse comes to worse, we'll let the cold and lack of oxygen do what we can't. But under no circumstances are you to engage them directly unless left with no other choice."

He shut the transmission off and ordered their pilots deployed in old imperial fighters to try and intercept and find Caltin's ship. In the meantime, He went to check on the Prisoners.

Each had been put in the deepest, most secure part of the ship, an entire battalion between anyone and their prison cell, all heavily armed. A guard assigned to each, constantly pointing a blaster directly at them. At the slightest hint of a ship breach attempt, all the hostages were to be immediately killed. They were a mixture of pregnant women, children and the elderly. All the hot buttons. A potential PR disaster if the one they tried to blackmail using them messed up.

"Have you made certain to keep them all on the verge of dehydration?" The Captain asked a guard.

"We've kept them on minimal food and water rations. The old and young are especially sick now."

"All the more dangerous for anyone who would attempt to extract them." The Captain mused, folding his hands behind his back. "Have the explosives been installed in all major passages leading directly to this section and Engineering, like I asked?"

"All mines and det charges have been strategically placed and fitted with Anti-Handling Devices to inflict maximum damage on borders." The guard answered.

The Captain nodded approvingly.

"Good. Carry on. Remember, if even one defies you even slightly, beat them unmercifully."

"Credit to the prisoners: None of them are that stupid." the Guard replied coldly.

"How disappointing." The Captain chuckled...

Meanwhile...

Ceru had been moving as fast as he could to reach the engineering Deck when he spotted a Pirate in a space suit ahead waving a white flag.

"I want to talk." The Pirate called out. "I am unarmed..."

Whatever was left of Ceru's honor stayed his hand.

"I offer one minute. Talk."

"That Jedi and the Demon are going to spoil everything. Even if you cooperate with them, they won't let you have the station. You know this."

The coffin holding Warrior was silent at this.

"You know I'm right."

"I didn't get into this to fight the SJC."

"Do they care? No. To them, you're just a madman trying to gain control of an unsecured warship. They'll kill you rather than let you take it."

"You'll just use it to commit acts of theft and more."

"True. But I come with an offer. A temporary truce. We team up just long enough to kill the both of them, and then we can settle our differences with one another afterward."

Ceru thought about it. Was silent a good thirty seconds...

Ten minutes later...

Ceru was escorted in by the Pirate to the latest holding area of the Pirates, now relocating deeper into the vessel. Turrets had been set up, It was much colder now, and he found himself having to draw on his Force Discipline more to maintain his body temperature and breath control.

They instantly trained weapons on him but the Pirate escorting him held up his hand as the flashlights on their blasters were trained on the floating Ceru.

"Don't fire, don't fire! He accepted the truce!" The Pirate exclaimed.

The Nautolan Mercenary stepped forward, deeply paranoid and keeping his shotgun on him.

"We'll handle the Demon of Jedha. You handle that Jedi. That's the deal. After they are dead, we can kill each other to our hearts content."

"Tell me what you have in mind..."

The Mercenary led Ceru to a small tactical map of their current position.

"Our portable scanners show the mine Field stopped the both of them momentarily...but I don't expect that to last. So while they are attempting to locate an alternate route we try and cut them off between the mine Field and the path they just made to it. And we make them more desperate by sabotaging the air locks in their section from the outside. This will lower the oxygen and temperature faster. That is when we strike."

Meanwhile...

"We'll have to be extremely careful for the next few minutes..." Lynda said, bloodshot eyes focusing on a power conduit close by and carefully beginning to open up the panel.

"Capacitors in these things still have power..." She muttered, carefully unscrewing or cutting the mechanisms free with the tip of her blade. She eventually got them free, along with a few power regulators and circuits, and floated upward to a security Force Field Emitters, carefully cutting the devices free of their mounts, rewiring the devices, removing certain parts, taking parts from the droids they had destroyed, hands working with unnatural fluidity, using the wires from a power regulator she had deliberately sabotaged to spot weld the rickity device together, making an ad hoc remote activation switch from a circuit board.

The finished device was the size of a basketball. And she floated past Caltin and sent it floating forward in the empty space between the mines above and below, and to the sides. She hit a switch and a crude, purple stasis field sphere that in encompassed a first small section of the mines ahead.

"The stasis field will slow the passage of time for the mines. Specifically, their tilt fuze circuit, delaying the time before they can send the signal to activate if disturbed. I float it ahead, and you crush the tilt fuzes. We have to do it quickly, because I'm not sure how long the power will last."

Caltin Vanagor

 

[Caltin Vanagor]

“We have plenty of tomorrows to compensate for the wrongs made yesterday.”
― Efrat Cybulkiewicz​

Sensible, yet deceptive. I like it.

He did, it was a prudent plan, especially considering how rapidly the temperature was beginning to drop. They had less and less time to get going, but there was no rush, there couldn’t be because that would open the door for mistakes. Mistakes were not going to be acceptable because they were getting into life threatening conditions. Of course trusting in the Force makes it easier for this type of calm.

Miracles can happen.

A green light flashed on his vambrace. Pressing a few buttons, Caltin put his comm-link in his ear.

Line is secure.

“Master Vanagor. You are needed for your Council meeting. Please return as soon as possible.”

Acknowledged.

As he crushed the fuses of those mines, the big man let Lynda get to safety before he moved through. There was a tiny smile on his face because he knew that “The 103rd”, Liram Angellus elite tactical wing was in the area. This also meant that @Ewan “Raider” Isaacs and his “SCAR” teams were not far behind. While the Jackal fighters of SCAR teams stayed well out of sensor range, the Elysian strike fighters of the 103rd were stealth fighters on multiple levels. They were also ace combat pilots. They knew how to “not be seen” even with current tech, so the pirate fleet had no chance of finding them until after they were hit by the weapons systems. More importantly the message meant that “The 9th Fleet” was not far away.

Once he was through to safety on his own, Caltin shot a glance at his counterpart.

That was code in case these pirate idiots were listening in. My friends are here, these guys left me no choice but to pull the trigger on it. Now let’s keep moving down this path that they think that they are forcing us to take so we can get their little ambush over with. 20 credits says that Ceru will be with them. Or they still have a card to play... I'm thinking "hostages".

No, Caltin did not know what they were planning, or doing, but he had been in countless battles, seen countless tactics and maneuvers. When he recognized something, he recognized it. Caltin was also a good student and astute judge of a situation, this was true Jedi training and meditation, not “go in, fight and leave” like others may think. No, he would not survive long in space, but he could survive long enough to get to his ship (if not far away) with the right decompression.

TAG: Westenra Mina

Spoiler: Personal effects

"Vanguard" (Secondary - Long Handle)

"CONSERVATOR" (Primary - Long Handle)
HK-88 Robes, Battle Armor,Toraynor-Henkan(mind crystal added) Advanced Jedi Utility Belt
Starship: Spectre, (NC-1000 X-wing (Jedi Variant) in the hangar, Dilorian, and Bike both in the cargo bay, the late Karki Eusith's Armor, Shield, Temple Guard Lightsaber mounted on the wall)
Sanctuary Island