EXGAL HUNT: The Snubfighter Job (much money/prize, piloting free-for-all)

[Ashin Varanin]

(source)​

NEAR THE EMPIRE OF THE HAND​

NEAR THE UNKNOWN REGIONS - FRINGES OF THE AETEN NEBULA​

Word trickled out through the underworld. The Empire of the Hand was after a very specific deep-space lockbox, and not above hiring private contractors to get it. The lockbox was small, equipped with a magnetic clamp and an activation comm for easy pickup...and located inside a very dense field of debris and asteroids. Only starfighters could get anywhere near it.

Safe return of the lockbox would yield the payday of a lifetime. But to get the lockbox, one would need to pilot a starfighter through the debris field, get close to the free-floating lockbox, stop to pick it up via tractor beam or the box's magnetic clamp -- and avoid getting blown away or driven off by all the other starfighter pilots around.

Because the Empire of the Hand appeared to have bitten off more than it could chew. The word had gone out to an awful lot of people, not just through underworld connections, but through Companion Esk. This location was close to a jump point where explorers could come in from the Worlds of the Tusk.

Suffice it to say, there was a decent chance that just about anyone with a starfighter might try to take the lockbox for themselves.

Significant participation in this thread counts as 1-3 short threads for the Extragalactic Exploration Challenge.

Don't wait on me. This is between you guys. Just play fair and don't drama.

 

[Thessa Kai]

[member="Ashin Varanin"]

A razzle filled the cockpit, this time significantly less cramped due to the missing Dashiell gambling addict. The Galan finally had some room to breath again without unwanted spice or rogue family members involved. The modified X-wing cut through space like [member="Judah Dashiell"]'s homemade butter.

The man could cook.

"Let's not mention the crash, Sparky. Judah fixed her up just fine, didn't he?"

The R2 unit beeped and booped in her headset. "Yes. Judah knows exactly where we are this time. And don't worry, we don't have any intention of handing over this lockbox to the Empire. I don't care if they say it's reformed. An empire is still an empire. Engage shields; we're about to drop on those coordinates."

 

[Garza]

Rumors of a lockbox floating out in space reached far out. I was half surprised that every pirate team in the Galaxy tried to go after this with their plethora of ships. However, I was here. While my hands were on the controls, I let my right hand lift up and push some of the silver locks of hair out of my face. In the middle of a Hyperspace, and on my way to a close point just to where the outer Galaxy of Tusk was literally a jump away. I readied myself for some action. It has been a while.... years in fact, since I have had a real starfigther raid. Hell I was a Knight the last time I used a personal starfighter for something other than flying from one end of the galaxy to the next. A little beeping in the cockpit of my ship told me that I was close to coming out of Hyperspace.

I flipped on the switches for the armaments on Stryker to be ready. I was almost in this alone. Maybe a few others who I knew here would maybe team up. But other than that, the prize was in my eyes. I allowed the lights behind me to flash and flicker showing me that I was nearing the end of the tunnel. Smiling, I broke from the lights and came to an almost shuttering halt as I almost ran smack into a rather large ghost ship. Swerving around it, I came up to right myself again. Well in space you didn't really right yourself as it was more so just becoming level with the environment.

"Now I remember why I hate flying."

However, I knew I was nowhere near the box. Now I had to find it.

if I were a Lockbox, oh where oh where would I be?

[member="Ashin Varanin"],

 

[Cyrus Corr]

[member="Ashin Varanin"] [member="Rennek Corr"]

When rumors of a small lockbox worth a lot of money reached Cyrus, he immediately informed Rennek. The two set course for an area outside, but close to, the debris field nearby the World of Tusk.

The Okyaab exited hyperspace close by the debris field. Cyrus left the cockpit, heading down to the cargo bay holding his starfighter. It wasn't anything stellar, but he was hoping it would get the job done. His starfighter was a BR-0100, bought from some shady Rodian, who insisted it had only seen a few battles. Luckily, Rennek was able to help tune it up to something more than a heap of scrap that "had only seen a few battles". He opened up radio comms with Rennek, which he hoped would take the controls of the Okyaab.
"Rennek, you at the helm? Look out for anybody else that might be out here. If we heard about this, no doubt lots of others heard about it too."

 

[Rennek Corr]

[member="Cyrus Corr"]

Rennek sat comfortably at the control console causally gazing out into the debris field his brother and himself had found themselves about to search. "One helluva battle." Rennek thought before his brother blarred over the comms. After hearing his brothers orders he replied back with. "I'm at the helm, I'll fire up the sensors to max and let you know of any activity on your own ships heads up display." Rennek set the engines to low and re-routed most of the ships power to shields and sensor relays, ensuring that most of what was out there would be spotted, and also no-one could possibly catch the ship strung out alone without protection.

 

[Cyrus Corr]

[member="Rennek Corr"]

Cyrus nodded to himself, entering his ship, speaking to himself, "Come on baby, see me through this..." He started to run a few personal diagnostics on the ship, ensuring it wouldn't bingo fuel on him midflight, ensuring his shields wouldn't malfunction, but most importantly, making sure the stealth feature worked. The stealth feature on this ship was the entire reason he even considered taking a shot at this, because matched with his piloting skills, he was sure he had a fair chance at snatching this lockbox. He responded to his brother in the cockpit, "If you start taking any fire, tell me or something. I don't want to lose the Okyaab. Oh, and you, of course. Once I snatch this lockbox thing, we should just jump randomly away, and make for somewhere friendly." He finished his diagnostics on the ship, shutting the cockpit, waiting for the seal. He lifted off, making sure to be extra careful on his exit due to the extremely tight fit. He managed to exit the hangar, sighing. "I don't think I'll be able to land the ship back in the hangar. That might complicate things, but we'll deal with that when we get there. Alright, Mother Duck, this is Predator Hunter Killer Guy, beginning my sweep of this god forsaken debris field now..." He kept the comms channel with his brother open, just in case anything were to happen. He initiated the stealth technology, flying carefully into the debris field, taking it slow for now.

 

[Rennek Corr]

[member="Cyrus Corr"]

"Alright Baby Duck, I'll be right here if you need me." Rennek replied. He let out a breath of relief as Cyrus pulled out of the cargo bay, after just fitting the BR-0100 into the hanger he felt good to know that they didn't manage to scuff the paint of their Okyaab. Turning back to the sensor readings again, the readout he found himself so intently staring at, waiting.. for something, anything.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Thessa Kai"]

Hello again, said an inhuman voice, coldly amused, and then it was gone.

 

[Cyrus Corr]

Cyrus maneuvers deftly through the field, keeping a keen eye on both the drifting debris and out for any small lockbox like items adrift in this field. He chuckles, "Like a needle in a haystack..." He continues through the debris field, opening up scanners, hoping to find something of interest, or be alerted to someone else prowling around out here..

 

[Nyxie]

Word indeed spread quick, even to the reaches of the newly-united colonies and capitals that were the small but humble United Crystalsong Commonwealth. The Dryrie Starfighter was still in development, but there was one company that vowed its help by proxy of the Ri'essi Union having joined the CC's umbrella. Now they had an array of fighters and light attack craft to choose from.
Mistress Kurah had thought very tactfully about how she would approach the situation as well as the imminent leak of information outside of the underworld where it was purposed. She brought with her one of the late-model Gypsy-Class shuttles, easily on par with an interceptor but superior in several notable fields. She also approached alone, but not without allies. A second-gen SEWACS had already scanned the bordering space for anomalies just before operation start and her wingman and formal commander, [member="stardust"] in the Dryrie 01, was specially outfitted with a Ventus Fighter Interceptor for this mission.

Kurah sought to take advantage of a brilliant and unpredictable cat and mouse tactic that any resistance would encounter later. Their mobility and armament was arguably the most superior in the particularly tight operational environment they were entering and would be able to lock up with a lockbox or small crate with relative ease, rushing off before they could be spiked by firearms locks. The Ri'essi Union needed whatever was in that lockbox, for it would no doubt benefit the people and colonies greatly.

"Listen up, oh-one, because I'm only going to say this once. The Ri'essi Union has issued an executive order from Fleetmaster command to retrieve the lock box in this sector at all costs. It matters naught who hitches it first, so long as it is returned. There is a large reward in it for any Commonwealth pilot that can accomplish this mission. From here on out, you are free to pursue the objective as you see fit. However, it is best if we focus on the same targets and formations until all hostile threats are dealt with. Over and out."

The lone Gypsy rushed ahead, beginning a thorough scan of the debris field in order to begin tracking down the exact coordinates of the lockbox.

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

Stardust looked around scanning as she listened to [member="Mistress Kurah Rrusho"] "understood oh-two and yes I think it would be good if we both focused together instead of just splitting up" she said looking at her scanners she picked up some movement "oh-two I have sonething on radar should we investigate it" she said into the comm
[member="Cyrus Corr"]
[member="Rennek Corr"]
[member="Darren Shaw"]
[member="Thessa Kai"]

 

[Cyrus Corr]

[member="stardust"] , [member="Mistress Kurah Rrusho"] , [member="Rennek Corr"] ,


Cyrus speed along the debris field, continuing his visual scanning. He also had the ship running a scan, when he noticed something. "Rennek, we got uh... movement out here, but it could be debris, dunno. Keep an eye out, might want to warm up those turrets." Cyrus shut off his broadcasting comms, continuing his precise sweep of his sector of the debris field. He sighed, making sure the stealth systems on the ship were operating correctly. He didn't want to be caught out here with his pants down...

 

[Nyxie]

Mistress Kurah continued to inspect the ongoing mass sensor feed for a few moments before replying over encrypted comm.
"Dryrie One, switch to the encrypted communication network displaying on your HUD... now. It is broadcasting directly from the Gypsy's advanced hardware to your IFF, thus it is highly unlikely that anyone will be able to decrypt it - unless they are also flying a Gypsy. I see the other blips as well. Our ROE is Full-Open, you are free to pursue and engage targets at will. I advise keeping emissions and engine thrust to a minimum, as well as staying close to trains of large debris while traversing the field. It will make you nearly impossible to detect. Over."
Once the verbal message had been relayed to [member="stardust"], Kurah fixed the MMSHMD-01 Alpha helmet over her head and flicked on the electronic visor display. It significantly improved her vision as well as outlining the debris and obstructions in orange, bogeys in yellow, bandits in red and Dryrie One in green. It also displayed all sensor data feeds directly to the bottom left corner. The helmet virtually was the HUD, and more.
Kurah had followed her own train of thinking and hugged closely the various segments of debris, rock and metal that floated aloft the sector. Her scanners continued to track the on-and-off blips of other bogeys in the sector, as well as continue to conduct a full-scan search for anything like a small, cubic lockbox.

[member="Cyrus Corr"], [member="Velok"], [member="Rennek Corr"], [member="Darren Shaw"]​

 

[Rennek Corr]

[member="Mistress Kurah Rrusho"] / [member="Cyrus Corr"] / [member="stardust"] / [member="Darren Shaw"] / [member="Thessa Kai"]

============================================================================================================

Rennek sat still looking over the Sensor readout as it were, he stopped for a moment when he saw two unknown blips appear on his sensor. Rennek cleared his throat before broadcasting to his brother.

"Looks like we got two hawks in sector, watch out."

Rennek stopped and leaned over towards another control console in the helm of the Okyaad, he pushed a series of buttons and thus the ships automated crew came online, as well as balancing out power between all the ships systems. The robotic army manned the majority of the crew, except for Rennek of course.

"Looks like they are competitors, if they think they are gonna get that box then they are in for something else."

Rennek had blared the message to his comrade over a secure channel, he also updated Cyrus's HUD to track the two threats. The last thing Rennek did was set the droids to blast anything that wasn't him or his brother that came within range.

(EDIT: Fixed a boo-boo.)

 

[Cyrus Corr]

Cyrus somewhat flinched when his HUD suddenly updated, but he nodded, continuing his sweep. He sighed, looking carefully around for the threats and any particular small shapes. He thought of something, opening up his comms channel to his brother. "Hey uh, bro? I got a kinda sorta good/bad idea... still thinking it over." Cyrus continued through the debris field, speeding up slightly, though this wouldn't affect the stealth tech. He started warming up the weapons systems...

 

[Nyxie]

Anyone who had, for some inane coincidence or reason, been on the same channel that were standard out of the factory for the Gypsy-Class and used by TRU assets would have only heard the first sentence to leave Kurah's mouth, with the rest having been broadcast through an encryption none had the algorithms nor equipment to decode on hand. Conveniently enough, each Gypsy was also a droid of its own, in some sense. By the time anyone would have been alerted, the Gypsy had already disappeared from sight and sound, masked by the expanses of debris obstructing much of the open space there as Kurah had strategically intended.
Kurah's Gypsy-Class continued to slowly creep forth, unseen and underestimated crawling beside the larger chunks. She had hoped none would accidentally stumble upon her, but she had [member="stardust"] to cover her back in the event someone did, and the finest HUD and Visual System par none that were ever made to date. RRDI had made quite the profit patenting and designing them, and it remained one of the few things that really made each model they made top-tier. The scanners continued still, sifting through the debris. Kurah's range was cut considerably short by the clutter, but the near three hundred and sixty degree sphere her rotodome afforded her made the work less tedious than her counterparts had faced. Good strategy and planning had paid off, as she was the only one prepared, or so it seemed.

[ --- Gypsy-Class :: RotoDome / FST; Time until Complete Sensor Map: 2 of 5 --- ]​

​

[member="Cyrus Corr"], [member="Velok"], [member="Rennek Corr"], [member="Darren Shaw"]​

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

She switched to the encrypted network and looked around blinking as she updated her HUD to match [member="Mistress Kurah Rrusho"], she stayed close following her ship while looking around"rather not fight just yet gotta conserve ammo ya know"she said with a small laugh and then cleared her throat to be serious again"find anything yet"she said after a couple of minutes
[member="Darren Shaw"]
[member="Cyrus Corr"]
[member="Rennek Corr"]
[member="Velok"]

 

[Cyrus Corr]

[member="stardust"] , [member="Mistress Kurah Rrusho"] , [member="Rennek Corr"]


Cyrus sighed heavily, reclining slightly back in his pilots chair. Bad idea it was... then he realized how much of an idiot he was, and opened up the private comms channel to his brother. "Hey, Rennek, I got an idea. You know that idea I had before we jumped in? With the uh, whole comms thing? Why don't we try that out now?" While he waited for a response, he sat back up in his chair, idly looking over the controls.

 

[Rennek Corr]

[member="Cyrus Corr"] / [member="stardust"] / [member="Mistress Kurah Rrusho"] / [member="Darren Shaw"] / [member="Thessa Kai"]

======================================================================================================================

Rennek sat silently as he waited for the transmission from his brother to end. Pinging the comms link on the package wasn't a bad idea he thought to himself, surely it was far better than scanning out an entire debris field.

"Alright, I'm gonna set the Okyaab to ping that package, make sure you're ready to pickup that lockbox."

As Rennek was transmitting to his brother he set the Okyaab to fire off comms signals on a secure line that would update his brother to the location of the lockbox.

 

[Meraki Stomm II]

Meraki's index finger hovered above the trigger. His weapon, although fully loaded, would be useless in the eyes of a force-sensitive warrior. Tapping his scaled-finger on the device in his right hand, a broken data-pad rose to the flat surface of the magnetic device. He pried it from the magnetic grip, however unsafe that would be.
The data-pad felt either rough or soft; hard to tell with scales. A tinted screen, although cracked, displayed a harsh set of numbers unknown to Meraki.
"Three... five A?" He muttered. "Can't make head to tail of this blasted device."
Meraki launched the data-pad to the east wall, resulting in a smashed and unreadable device. The Trandoshan did not waste any time in procuring information.
He peered through his binoculars into the distance of the unrecognizable. Never again would he complete a favour for a bounty hunter.