Imperial Entanglements

[Kairon Rees]

Rusty Nacelle
Scuttle Anchorage
Unnamed System
[member="Allyson Locke"]

The shadow port of Scuttle Anchorage was one of the least well-travelled of these hidden hubs of commerce. Recently they’d been reducing the flow of traffic in and out. Yet another group of Imperials had recently banded together the local systems under the resurrected banner of the Pentastar Alignment and started cracking down on crimes. Rumours of a raid were rife.

Kairon Rees and the crew of his ship the Quintessence meandered through the market stalls. They’d completed their trades, dropping off a cargo from a friendly trader of stolen goods from Black Sun space and had picked up a new load.

“This looks awful,” [member="Asmus Janes"], his young nephew, complained.

“The Rusty Nacelle?” [member="Jarrick"] said incredulously. “Solid bad, good regulars.”

Asmus sighed. “You mean old veterans who like to grunt war stories at each other.”

Kairon chuckled at the pair and walked through the door. It was a little on the dark and dank side in here, but the beer was good and it didn’t tend to see much in the way of violence. Mai, their cathar stowaway/crew member shot past him and headed for the bar. The colourful, foul mouthed creature was always quick to get served.

Asmus came to a halt. Kairon could see he was scanning the occupants. “I might…” he started.

“You’ll stick with the rest of us,” Kairon cut him off firmly. “Might be younger and prettier folk elsewhere, but there’s lots of talk of an imperial raid so we stay together tonight. Got it?”

 

[Allyson Locke]

The talks of imperial raids always drew the young Corellian Smuggler to the fray. Allyson being a good smuggler dipped into the cantina and looked about. She had learned a bit of secrecy along the way, thanks to Ember and things that went on with the Underground. Secrecy kept you alive and Allyson was quite fond of being alive. It was a good thing to be living and not 6 feet under or off floating in space somewhere without oxygen. The latter of course was one of her biggest fears and caused a chill to shake down her spine. Lowering the hood she wore over her head she shook loose her brunette hair and then pulled it back into a low ponytail.

Several things needed to happen in a short amount of time. She needed to get a drink, get information, possibly grab another drink and get more information. The more she could find out about this Imperial raid the more cash she can possibly make out with. Cash was good and so was screwing with the Imperials. Grinning happily she just imaged herself taking a bath with all the credits she could possibly make.

The mental checklist in check, she quickly wandered to the bar to get something to drink. Like all Cantinas, if you were one, a cute girl and two, well a cute girl - you got your drink first no matter how long the fella next to you was waiting. “Corellian Whiskey on the rocks, unless you have the aged 25 year one then no ice on that one, it's perfect the way it is.” The bartender shook his head at her request and then slid her the normal whiskey. Frowning, the 25 year one was her favorite, but with all that had happened on Corellia - she figured she’d have to wait another 25 years for one to even pop up. Groaning, she had to make sure she survived another 25 years.
Sipping the drink she finally was able to snag a seat at the bar top. She needed to listen and find whispers. [member="Kairon Rees"]

 

[Kairon Rees]

[member="Allyson Locke"]

"Do you know who that is?" Asmus asked, gesturing towards the new arrival with his thumb. The crew of the Quintessence were sat on the stools at the bar.

"No," Kairon said quite firmly.

Asmus started to slip off his stool before a hand shot out to grasp his upper arm in a vice-like grip.

"I mean...no!" Kairon said emphatically.

"What do you mean no. No just means one thing Kairon," Asmus replied with a wry grin.

"Depends on the question and in this case that means: no I don't know who she is and no don't you go harassing the poor girl. We stick together and wait for the cargo to be loaded, understood?"

"But can't I..."

"No." Kairon reiterated.

With a sulky face Asmus swivelled around to face the bar once more, hunching over his beer.



Just a handful of parsecs away the Imperial fleet assembled. Here in dark space no sensors would find them. If they'd gathered over an inhabited system someone would have noticed them and informed the shadow port. The Impstar and its escort slowly aligned itself down one vector. Stormtroopers marched out onto pristine, black decks as they filed into their assault shuttles. As one, the fleet leapt into hyperspace. They would be on the anchorage within minutes.

 

[Allyson Locke]

Cantinas were all alike loud and there were more people just drink than with actual information. Frowning Allyson took another long sip of the whiskey, she was still somewhat upset that a place like this didn't have the finest Corellian whiskey one could offer. It was a minor detail, but still a pretty serious detail to the young smuggler.

The bar didn't provide anything decent, which she figured but it was a good place to start. She was a two drink Tracy and after two she was pretty much done. That was of course only on mission days, if she was just out to have a good time the girl would properly destroy the bottle the barkeep had along with the bottle she brings herself. Two drinks weren't anything, but it gave her a motive to be in the bar outside of her own more 'professional' motive. The bar was not working, so it was time to mingle.

Stepping away she caught a glance toward the men where one was grabbing the other. It made her raise an eyebrow and she made a mental note to keep an eye on them. She decided to listen to that little voice in the back of her head, the one Kaili told her to listen to - something about the Force and intuition. Sticking her tongue out about the whole thing she found conversation with a Chiss, who seemed to be part of the Imperial Navy. He seemed rather thrilled to try and impress her with this bit of information.

She continued to work it hopefully get him to either buy her the second drink or spill the beans on the incoming imperial shipment hoopla. [member="Kairon Rees"]

 

[Kairon Rees]

[member="Allyson Locke"]

"So how's my ship running?" Kairon asked Jarrick.

"You mean my ship?" Jarrick replied. "Perfectly well, better now I have some professionals on board."

"Aaand who owns that business?" Kairon asked.

"Malia. So I fail to see how it's your ship any more?" Jarrick replied with a cheeky grin.

"Was mine first," Kairon grumbled.

"You stole her, that doesn't count," Jarrick retorted.

"Bah, now she's gone to talk to that chiss," Asmus chimed in. Both older men turned to face him.

"What? Oh for goodness sake lad," Kairon said with a shake of his head.

"Just let him go play Kairon," Jarrick laughed.



In hyperspace the shuttles were sealed. Flight deck controllers moved into place to guide them out. The fleet was just minutes from reverting to realspace and blockading the shadow port.

 

[Allyson Locke]

“And that’s how I graduated number 45th out of my class of 1200.” The Chiss lad continued talking about flight school and all the like. He bragged about his trophies and things of that like. It was obvious that he knew nothing about what Allyson wanted even while she tried to hit towards the possible delivery. He brushed off her attention about what he did and instead continued to talk about what he did in the past. Achievements got the girl right? Allyson fought the urge to roll her eyes as he began to tell her how many target dummies he could take down in a minute and forty-four seconds. Everything sounded so boring and she thanked the Force that she wasn’t born on an Imperial planet.

Are all Imperials this boring? I feel my situation just shriveling up… Of course her thoughts weren’t conveyed on her face. Instead she showed the most interest in everything, even smiling and ooo-ing at the right moment. Compliments like, “Wow that’s amazing” and “You should totally get a promotion” filled her part of the conversation. She moved slightly so that she could catch a glimpse of the group of men that had rough housed - well not so much rough housed but showed a bit more of a show than the Imperials that had been doing, especially ol chatter mctalkabouthimself.

“Barkley had NO idea I was there!” Laughter ensued and she followed in suit and took the opportunity to roll her eyes and catch the gaze of someone looking at her. Raising her eyebrow, she took a sip of her whiskey locking eyes with the fellow smuggler, Asmus. The look was quick, but enough for him to take notice if he was still looking in her direction. When her look would move away from him, it would be an eye roll mostly because the Chiss began to tell the same story as he told her when she first walked over.

Great, I find the biggest moron in this whole place...

[member="Kairon Rees"]

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Allyson Locke"]

The faintest ghost of a smile crossed his lips as emerald eyes met that look. As she rolled her eyes he dipped his brow and turned back to the bar.

As soon as his face was out of her view that very controlled visage became one of exasperation.

"Oh please, come on," he hissed to the captain.

"No."

"Looks she's right there, you'd be able to see us," Asmus countered.

"No chance. The moment our backs were turned you'd vanish off with her to somewhere with bright cocktails, dreadful music and dancing," Kairon responded.

Asmus shrugged, he had a fair point. "Come on, is there really much of a chance of an Imperial..."

Asmus paused mid thought at a scream from outside the bar. "Stormtroopers!" someone shouted. The volume of the furor rose and there was the sound of a stun blast. Asmus turned on his stool. He could see flashes of white through the crowd of people rushing past the bar.

Someone was gesturing through a viewport at a familiar wedge shape in space just off the spacestation.

"Lock down!" Dajick, the gran proprietor called, slamming a red button. Shutters slid down into place sealing the bar entrance.

Another man had a comm to his ear. "The Imperial have blockaded the anchorage, they're landing troops!" There was a banging against the metal shutters that had fallen across the threshold of the bar. A silence fell upon the crowd.

"Open that door!" came crisp, clipped tones. All eyes in the bar turned to the chiss who was now on his feet posting a pistol at Dajick.

"Bad move boy," Kairon said softly. The pistol was turned to face him. Asmus had slid off his stool, carefully moving to the side. His elbow surreptitiously moved his long, forest green jacket back to leave his blaster within reach.

 

[Allyson Locke]

Thank the Force the Imperials showed up. Allyson was starting to grow bored of the Chiss’ stories. Everyone was in a panic, but she stood there with her lips on the rim of the glass taking the rest of her whiskey in one gulp. Glancing around she watched as the Chiss stood and demanded the doors be open. Rolling her eyes, she grabbed a nearby empty bottle. “Force you were boring.” Flipping the bottle in her hand, she held it by the neck and then smacked it upside the man’s head.The Chiss officer fell from where he stood and there was even more of a panic. Fumbling over the Chiss’ unconscious body, she pulled out a data pad and a comm. Shoving them into her leg pack, she searched for someone in the chaotic crowd.

Remembering the guys that she had spotted earlier, they seemed to be like her kind of people. The type that would be interested in stopping this whole Imperial fiasco. Wandering and pushing her way through the crowd as they demanded their freedom and their protection. As she worked her way through, she began to work her magic, Mechu Deru allowed her to use the force to worm her way into the tech she held in her hands, the men she had seen earlier seemed trustworthy enough and aware just like she was.

Getting to them wasn’t the easiest thing in the world, but when she did she smirked and tossed the comm towards the man she had locked eyes with. “That Chiss officer’s comm, probably get some details from it, if you’re the type of people I want to be with, I’ll hand this over so we can stop the blockade” Shaking the datapad she smirked.

“So we working together hotshot? We can celebrate later…my treat” A wink and a flirtatious smirk followed her proposal. Her focus of course was on Asmus, she assumed for the most part he would be open to hearing what she had to say. [member="Asmus Janes"]

 

[Kairon Rees]

[member="Allyson Locke"]

Asmus' had a look of awe etched into his features, but that turned to something else when Allyson addressed him directly. He made a show of unclipping the safety catch on his holster and gave a firm nod. Kairon once again found himself shaking his head at the lad. He was a foolhardy boy at the best of times, worse still when being egged on by something young and pretty.

"Hang on now," he said, raising both hands for calm. "That out there is an Impstar. Ain't got half the firepower between every boat moored on this dock to even put a dent in her. Now we dislike the imperials as much as the next crew, but with the hand we've got we've gotta fold and run," Kairon said. He turned to the owner behind the bar, who was checking a screen that showed the scene outside. A group of stormtroopers had given up on the sealed bar and were continuing down the passage. They seemed to have a goal in mind, probably a group who'd arrived early to get to the docking controls and lock down the ships.

"Dajick, you got a back door to this place?" he asked. "Need to get to the Quin 'fore those bucket-heads lock the docks down."

"Sure, I'll let you out, but not letting anyone back in until the trouble's done with!"

 

[Allyson Locke]

Frowning, she had expected more out of the men. They seemed scared and she was wanting to make some sort of dent in the Imperial fleet. She knew it was somewhat suicidal and usually when heroes get involved in things people die, but if she didn't get involved who was going to stop this? Grabbing the Comm she figured the old guy was out and had his mind made up already, but there was the young guy who seemed to want to help out. Smiling, Allyson handed Asmus the comm. “Old guy there seems scared, but you on the other hand. I bet you’re pretty brave” Another sweet smile. “I just need to get on that ship somehow, if I can get on it - I can disable it from the inside rendering it useless.”

A small beep came from the datapad and she looked down. She flipped her finger through the pad and then pocketed it. “Seems like our friend there was someone important, he got a few messages and they’re probably looking for him.” Allyson was the one that knocked him out, which meant she would be on the footage and that was never a good thing for her. Looking towards Kairon again, she frowned. “So we’re just supposed to let this happen? Not fight back?” She didn’t get it, she didn’t understand how people could just stand by and let this sort of thing happen.

“I can’t let that happen. I’m going to figure out a way to shut this down. I have a plan and could really use the help.” She smiled, in some sort of attempt to get her way on this matter. Even if they didn’t help, she had to do something especially with carrying a knocked out officer’s equipment. If they found her and she couldn't fight them off - she probably wouldn’t be getting out of Imperial Custody anytime soon.

“Come on, it's our chance to make a difference.” [member="Kairon Rees"]

 

[Kairon Rees]

[member="Allyson Locke"]

"Don't much see how calling me scared is going to help your cause little one," Kairon replied. A section of the wall had slid away, revealing a secret entrance to the maintenance sections of the station.

"You'll come out behind the Fir Tree Bazar," Dajik explained. "Not far from the docks."

Kairon gave him a curt nod, but turned to find himself blocked by both the impetuous girl and his own nephew. He growled with annoyance. "Look, I'll fight, but like I said I don't see that I have the cards in my hand to do so today. You don't fight the battles you've already lost. Look, that's the way out of this bar," he said, pointing towards the opening, "The only way. So you'd best explain your plan as quick as you can. At the very least we'll get you back to your ship before they lock the place down."

Inviting no further arguments he stepped past the pair. Jarrick had already moved ahead of them to the door. He kept a short barrelled scatter blaster on his tight and alreay had it in his hands as he went through the opening. The old Eriadu military veteran new his game. Kairon was no soldier, but a decade of pirating meant he knew a thing or two about picking a fight in cramped conditions. Mai was also a seasoned fighter. Asmus...well he was a good shot and enthusiastic, but just a bit green and foolish. If Kairon didn't keep his eye on the boy he'd run off with the lass and get himself shot.

 

[Allyson Locke]

This was where her smiles and pretty face stopped working. The man wanted a plan and she really didn’t have one that was foul proof. In so many words, she didn’t have a plan. She had an idea, but it mean that there was huge risks and possibly high reward. She didn’t have long before the old guy decided that his time was being wasted and he wanted to be back in his ship and taking off. Allyson once again showed him what she picked off the Chiss. “We have access to everything that is going on. I can slice with the best of them among other things mechanical. We need a few things before we can get up to the ship. Me and uh…” she nodded towards Asmus who hadn’t given her his name yet. “Him and I can take out a couple of troopers, take their armor and board the Impstar.”

Looking towards the ceiling she continued to think as fast as she could. “We just need someone, like you and my droid to pilot the ships and get us out of there once I slice into the system and render the ship useless. Of course they will be trying to abandon the thing or fix it. Either way we can pick off what we want from the ship and then get the heck out. With their ship down they will have other choice but to leave.” Nodding Allyson was quite satisfied with the plan she had thought up. The difficult part was going to be getting the armors off some Stormtroopers and getting off the ship.

The rest of it was easy and just relied on how good Asmus’ shot was and how quick she could slice into the system. The rest was totally easy. “Sounds good eh?” A smile spread across her face and she hoped that adding the smile and her decent looks helped seal the deal with the old guy and the hot shot next to her. If this didnt' work, she had a sob story worked up to hopefully get this going. She was a smuggler with a help the little guy complex...she had to get this done with or without the man and his crew's help. [member="Kairon Rees"]

 

[Kairon Rees]

[member="Allyson Locke"]

Kairon regarded the girl carefully. He thought as he walked, heading through the opening and into the maintenance shafts. Walking as carefully as he could, his boots still seemed to make too much noise on the metal decking beneath them. "Right, none of this will matter if the rest of the people on this station can't get to their boats." He growled softly to himself. Why was he putting them all in danger again. Because it was the right thing to do, he reminded himself. It was what [member="Malia Afredane"] would have done.

"We have for the docking control tower and try and stop the stormtroopers taking it. That frees up the docking pylons and gets us uniforms. You have between now and the first blaster shot to convince me you can slice a whole Impstar with a thousand subsystems and military grade security."

 

[Allyson Locke]

"Ehheheheh. Easy stuff." Allyson of course wasn't fully sure if she could slice through most of the Subprograms and military grade firmware. To be honest, she wasn't all that amazing with slicing, but she had an advantage that most slicers didn't have. The machines especially ships would talk to her. Shrugging she followed, she needed the small droid to make his way to her and to lock up the ship.

A small comm came from her pocket and she gave the orders in binary. The droid trilled back and would soon make his way towards them. "You're going to be amazing uh mister...?" Ally just remembered that she never introduced herself. Seeing that none of the men would probably do so if she didn't she rose her hand and pianoed her fingers in a wave.

"Allyson and you all are?" [member="Kairon Rees"]

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Allyson Locke"]

An awful big boast that, Asmus thought. Slicing a starship wasn't exactly easy work. He'd got into the guts of the code behind the Quintessence. All the locks between the various routines that ran different ship functions. And that was on a run of the mill freighter.

Still, she was awful pretty. She'd expected him to be brave, not Kairon. She'd probably seen him free up his blaster when the Imperial brat had been mouthing off. Right now he was willing to believe she could pull this off. No one would be stupid enough to go boading an Impstar without having a solid plan right? Thinking that thought, whilst considering doing exactly that himself to follow a pretty girl didn't quite register for Asmus.

"That's Kairon, that's Jarrick," Asmus said, taking the opportunity to move closer to Allyson. They were moving into the dark and gloomy maintenence passages, weapons free. "When it hits the fan, do as they say," Asmus advised gravely. "They don't look much, but they know their business. Jarrick's a war vet, very handy. That's Mai, she's...well she works with us and is quick on the draw.

"And I'm Asmus," he said, giving her half a bow. "Pleasure to meet you. We're all smugglers," he added with a hint of pride.

"Boy!" Kairon called from up ahead. "We can't be smugglers if you keep telling everyone we're smugglers! Every fething time we meet someone..." Kairon continued, mumbling the rest of that sentence at a volume the others couldn't hear.

"We're going to have to leave at the next hatch if we want to cut off those troopers!" Jarrick announced.

 

[Allyson Locke]

Allyson followed the group as she tried to work in her head how she was going to pull this off. What she had volunteered to do was basically suicide, on top of that the system that were in ships were crazy complex. The thought of it made Allyson gulp – if the troopers didn’t kill her these guys might. Determination returned to her face as she made small fists and shook them in front of her, she needed to talk herself up. She could do this; she was Allyson Locke the best Ship Mechanic that ever lived! She was Corellian, ships were in her blood and all that jazz.

Her concentration was broken, by the guy who was pretty cute. She listened and glanced remembering the face and the names of the people he introduced. He gave her a warning letting her know just to listen, which a part of her wanted to think she was better off not listening, but if it helped her survive then it was worth listening to these guys. A soft chuckle and a returned bow as Asmus introduced himself finally after the group. “So polite”

The lad was interesting, he seemed so open with information. Allyson mused over his revealing of them being smugglers, Allyson was one as well, but she was wiser not to mention that part of her background. Looking towards the golden boy of the group she grinned. “I’m not a smuggler, I’m just a girl wanting to stop the Imperials.” And steal any information she could get her hands on when she slices into their ship. She thought quietly and continued on towards the point where they were headed. “So what were you doing in the cantina? There were rumors of the Imperials showing up here – you guys could have been long gone before hand”

[member="Asmus Janes"]

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Allyson Locke"]

Asmus offered a slow incline of the head and a sultry smile. "People desperate to shift cargo, very low prices. Our ship is still being loaded. Bad timing I guess, but if we get..."

"Shh!" Kairon waved them to a halt. He slid open a maintenance hatch and Jarrick went through first. Asmus pulled his blaster free from its holster in the most assured manner he could manage. Wouldn't do to look unprofessional in front of Allyson after all.

He emerged in a long wide corridor, several passages branched off its length. Asmus followed Jarrick's wave and kept his eyes trained down to right.

"They'll come from that way...if we got ahead of them," Jarrick said. "Mai with me, you three take cover down that end. When they reach the crossroads open fire!"

Asmus waved Allyson out into the open before following Kairon down to the far end of the corridor. His uncle slid out a spare crate and placed his blaster behind it. Then he stood out in the open with his hands in his pockets.

"You two stay in cover," he said to Asmis and Allyson. "When I give the word start shooting."

Only a moment later Asmus heard the precision cadence of stormtroopers marching. His uncle feigned surprise and raised his hands where they could be seen. It was a good ploy. The troopers had plenty of civilians to march past on their way to the docking control. Kairon could keep his eyes on them and alter the rest of them before darting back behind cover himself.

"Move aside," Asmus heard a stormtrooper call in an off-hand manner. Kairon smiled and took a half step to one side.

"Now!" he shouted.

 

[Allyson Locke]

This was the fun part, Allyson took cover near the man that seemed to try and be a bit more flashy than he should. She blinked and wondered if this was his special way of showing off or something. Either way they needed to focus, but she did catch a few glances here and there. Her hand rested on her blaster which was holstered for the time being, a finger ran along its side to flip the safety off. She waited for the queue. Which was something she had never really thought of.

Mostly because she usually worked alone.

The man named Kairon seemed to act as a decoy causing the troopers to actually slow their pace and become sitting ducks. It was an interesting tactic and one she mentally logged into her internal journal. With the troopers there and Kairon now out of the way, the signal was given. Poking herself out far enough to see and get a clear shot, Allyson opened fire with the small blaster in her hand. She was a good shot, not something utterly amazing, but a good shot.

Several bolts flew towards the troopers and even more flew over her head and around her. Ducking back into the cover, she quickly did some changes to the gun and opened fire once more on the troopers. “How many more of these guys are there?” There were a lot from what she could have seen, but then again she never really dealt with the Imperials face to face. [member="Asmus Janes"]

 

[Asmus Janes]

[member="Allyson Locke"]

"Just seven now," Asmus replied. He'd counted them out with his first glance over the metal crate he used for cover. He tried to sound like this didn't bother him, but there did seem to be a lot of troopers. Asmus didn't have Jarrick's experience in the field. Didn't appreciate that even nine men caught in the open in a crossfire were as good as dead.

Asmus leant out of cover, bringing his blaster arm up nice and straight. He gently coerced the trigger back twice in quick succession, allowing his arm to slowly drift upwards. Two smoking holes appeared in the midriff and upper chest of the nearest trooper. The one next to him was caught by a bolt from the side corridor from Jarrick's compact scatterblaster.

"Five," he corrected, flashing Allyson a cocky smile and feeling it this time. She was bold as anything and really very pretty. Such a sender face, but thick full lips. He'd follow her blindly anywhere. A good job his crew was around to temper his foolishness.

 

[Allyson Locke]

[SIZE=10pt]Allyson watched utterly impressed with Asmus. The guy was far more capable than he looked, she did regret not talking to him at the bar, they could have had quite a good time. Though the Imperials would have ruined it and she would probably have been left at the bar. Frowning at that thought she decided to help out with taking out the last five troopers. Peeking out from her cover point she shot two quick shots towards the heads of the troopers. Their armor was strong, but direct connection to the lenses of the helmets provided a weak point. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“Three” She looked over her shoulder and smirked towards the male smuggler. He did have a cute, yet cocky smile. Those were the smiles that got Allyson into trouble and usually ended up getting her stranded somewhere. Her attention returned to the last three and she went gung ho with it. Standing fully out of the cover she opened fire hitting each in succession. Smoke trailed out of her blaster and she brought it near her lips and blew the smoke. “Zero!”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Looking at Asmus she grinned and put her blaster back into the holster. “Guess it’s time to move on yeah? See what we can salvage with their armors.” [/SIZE][member="Asmus Janes"]