Not On My Watch. [Open]

[Simone]

There were three rules Simone learnt in the early months of her life on Nar Shaddaa. Three very simple, life saving rules to surviving in a criminal city. Number one: Always carry three weapons. That was the minimum. She found herself mentally checking hers, the combat knife in her boot, the one resting across her belt at the small of her back and the hidden blade up her sleeve. She didn’t like guns, she didn’t like the noise of them or the smell that lingered in the air after they’d been fired, or the fact that any fool could pick one up and end lives without a second thought.

Unfortunately for Simone, smugglers, pirates and crime lords loved guns. Loved firing them at the zeltron too. Today would be no different if her informant was telling the truth. Slave trade was always rampant on the smugglers moon, but with wars making refugees of thousands, slavers were making a quiet fortune plucking people from refugee camps. It was impossible to stop it, but every now and then, opportunities arose to disrupt operations and leave the slavers out of pocket.

The shipment in question consisted of over a hundred minors. Aged between 5 and 15. The majority of them would wind up in the sex industry, destined for a life of assault and misery. Never again would they know any real comfort. The whole idea made Simone feel sick. As the child of a whore she’d seen first hand what the industry did to people and how it damaged children. She felt her anger rise up in her chest, her face hardening as she passed into the industrial district, tugging the collar of her jacket up. Rule Number two: Fight with your head not your heart. You had to learn when the fights were good to pick, to charge in with anger alone wasn’t good enough. Mistakes were made, people died and missions failed. Sometimes it was better to swallow the anger and punch them in the back of the head when the opportunity presented itself later on.

And it always presented itself.

Her destination, was a warehouse, owned by a rodian slaver, Kolvin. Her informant told her that Kolvin’s arrogance was getting the better of him, security was low because what were a bunch of scared kids gonna do? The shipment was due to packed into a cargo hold the following morning, with Kolvin’s ship due to depart at noon. The window was huge, almost too big. Too easy.


She dropped a message on the Underground lines, asking for extra eyes, hands and weapons. Rule number three?

Don’t bet your life on what your informant tells you.

 

[Marcus Lok]

It seemed like the war in the galaxy had not vanished since the dissolution of the clans, but had only grown more prevalent. With each drag of his finger, new scenes of fire and bloodshed illuminated themselves across the Holonet, and he knew just as well what all this would create. It had already reached him and many others on the smugglers moon who had to commute to their dealings underneath the artificial light of the Vertical City's walkways. Small and humble dirty faces, peering through the night at anyone who might spare a chit though many often walked on. He was no saint, and though many a hand had reached for him in recent months begging for the smallest sum, he often shrugged them away. He didn't know why he did it. Maybe the years on the moon had pushed him away from giving hand outs so easily. At any rate, he couldn't help but feel those hungry eyes eating away at him, and a shroud of guilt surrounded him whenever he avoided those beggars from foreign worlds.

Tonight his conscience had gotten the better of him and, having read the unknown patron's message, he had altered his plans for the night.

He raced towards the industrial district on a whining black speeder bike which illuminated all of jagged metal outcroppings and smoke stacks that seemed to cover this stretch of city like a thick blanket. He stopped a few blocks from the warehouse that had been mentioned, dismounting with a sniff and a grimace. The burning smell of sulfur and the sound of machinery permeated onto the dark streets themselves. More than likely all the humans had gone home, leaving the night work to any Makurths that were poor enough to take the shifts. He had often seen them come to the bars and smaller cantinas in the early morning looking for anything strong enough to break up the chemical taste in their mouths, though they knew it was in vain.

He began to walk, keeping his eyes away from the Duros being held up by a burly looking Weequay with a cheap looking vibrodagger. Whoever this contact was, they certainly had an eye for venues. The sight of a few more passing thugs made him press a reassuring hand against one of his OM-P's. At least they hadn't been swiped, but he didn't have very high hopes for his speeder unless this mission turned out to be a quickie.

Soon, he saw the objective, a grungy looking building with a couple of broken windows along the walls and a few guards smoking out front. He was a good distance away from the structure and, with little in the way of a plane, he decided to wait there and see if the person who'd dropped the message came around.

[member="Simone"]

 

[Svante Selanno]

* A Few Hours Earlier*​

The Chum Bucket came swooping down through the Nar Shaddaan atmosphere, gliding gently down to the surface. The atmospheric turbulence tossed the small Imperial lander around a bit, but Svante has handled it in a lot worse; a LOT worse. Dropping slowly through the clouds, Svante could begin to see the warehouse coming into view. He hated the sight of it.

Just this one last job he thought to himself. Below him in the main hold stood his men and a small group of 15 or so slaves, and all of them were minors. Svante knew he wasn't the most moral person in the universe, but he also knew that selling children into slavery was just evil. An evil person, Svante was not. But he had scores to settle, and the scumbag Kolvin was going to put a bounty on his head had he not agreed to make this delivery for him. Oh, how he'd love to put a blaster bolt right in the middle of that smelly Rodian's head. The warehouse was close now. Svante brought the 'Bucket around to the front as he set her down; he could see a number of figures come out of the main doors waiting for him. The slimy Hutt-spawn was leading the pack himself. As the lander gently made landfall, Svante powered it down and joined his crew in the hold.

"Okay guys, I know we don't like this kark, but I'm done working with him, so play nice," Svante ordered. He looked solemnly at the disheartened children in the ship, "I'm sorry chaps...it's nothing personal." He threw on his blaster pack and slug his rifle to his side before slamming the exit ramp release. As the ramp lowered, the ugliest Rodian head you have ever seen came into view.

Kolvin stretched his arms out wide as if inviting him for a hug before speaking in Huttese, "Selanno! Hey, my fav buddy! You delivered!"

"We're not friends, Kolvin," Svante said as he shook his head, strolling down the ramp, "I'm just squaring us off. This is the last one. No more"

"Whaaa? But you've been so good to me Selanno, you're my best help." the Rodian said, resting his hand on his hip. "You've gotta stay on with us! I have more jobs for y-"

Svante cut him off, "No. No more jobs, me and the boys, we're taking a break. A holiday." He watched as the slaves shuffled off the lander, heads hanging low, off into the warehouse. Kolvin's men kicked the ones who stumbled, and pushed them to get them to hurry up. Svante sighed, "Ya, we're done with these kinds of jobs."

Kolvin just chuckled and threw his arm around Svante, taking him on a walk, "Okay okay buddy. I'm sad to see you go though. Hey! I have an idea. You and your boys go for your holiday, okay? And after, you come back and see me, ya?"

Svante stopped the two and pulled the dirty Rodian in close, "Look bliksem, we're done. No more." He looked sternly into Kolvin's black soulless eyes, trying to convey how serious he was.

He responded more coldly this time, "Fine. But you're not leaving with that and the credits."

Svante pushed him away as he marched back towards the 'Bucket, "C'mon boys, we're done here." He could hear the Rodian laugh behind him as the lander's ramp closed shut. Jumping back into the cockpit, he powered the lander up, prepping it to return the Sojourner. Seeing Kolvin wave goodbye to them, Svante took the 'Bucket up and away.

While mulling over his anger, his first mate Rhysyll came on over the comlink, "Hey boss, I got something for you here that I think you'll like. Was checking the Underground for jobs...and it looks like someone's planning a hit on someone you really don't like..."

Svante brought the link up on his display as he put the ship on auto-pilot, reading the message he grinned, "Okay boys. As soon as we get back up, I want you to take the Sojourner down for resupply and refit. It needs it anyway. I'm gonna take the 'Bucket back down and see what I can do to get revenge on that dirty little Rodian...."

[member=Simone] [member=Marcus Lok]

 

[Simone]

She walked around the warehouse, keeping to the shadows, scanning the perimeter. Aside from a handful of guards on the ground at the entrance there were at least a dozen in various spots on the roof. Sentries with high powered rifles. Low security my ass, she thought. Kolvin wasn't stupid. Simone had hit his little regime before and he knew this was too good an opportunity for her to miss. The whole thing stank like a trap, but if she could out think them then the trap would be avoided. Another handful of guards covered the rear entrance but apart from that all seemed to be relatively simple.

If you could call around thirty guards a simple task. She wondered away from the entrance, keeping it within view and waiting a short distance away. Another message pinged across Underground channels. A set of coordinates and the words pink and blue. If they couldn't identify her that way then they weren't worth having around. She leaned against a wall, tugged a cigarette out of her jacket pocket and lit it.

Eyes watching the warehouse from the shadows, contemplating her options while she waited for recruits.

[member="Svante Selanno"][member="Marcus Lok"]

 

[Marcus Lok]

Marcus glanced down at his wrist-bound datapad, pressing a finger to the small icon that bore promise of yet another message from the unknown organizer. A set of coordinates and two colors that could refer to just about anything underneath the neon advertisements of the industrial district. He followed the pathway set to him by the navi-system until he saw a dim glow coming from a shrouded alleyway. The visual immediatly clicked as he approached, the light from the cigarette clearly illuminating the nearly synthetic colors that adorned the alien. He looked towards the warehouse before crossing the street, taking care to move calmly so as not to draw any unwanted suspicion. He took up the wall just next to her, tugging his jacket ever more closely around his form.

"So you're it? I didn't know dancers took up this kind of work."

Honestly, a Zeltron hadn't been what he had expected. He hadn't known many to take to the streets and cause havoc, at least in the open. He knew many more that would take the life of manipulating their Hutt 'Masters' over a life of vigilantism. Maybe it was a one time thing?


[member="Simone"]

 

[Simone]

Combat boots, tight pants a shirt and leather jacket...yeah Simone looked every bit a dancer. She took a long drag from the cigarette and flicked it away into the street, watching it bounce casting amber sparks that were caught up in a soft breeze. She exhaled and turned her head to look at the newcomer.

"Do I look like a fething dancer to you, sunshine?" she retorted icily.

[member="Marcus Lok"]

 

[Marcus Lok]

Clothes often meant little to estranged Mandalorian. He knew that people would dress to convey how they would like to be seen, this was as true on the Smuggler's Moon as anywhere else in the galaxy. Of course, he knew not to go and muscle drinks away from those few men with bandoliers wrapped about their arms, but looks could be deceiving. Perhaps she was an A-Grade assassin. But he'd not heard of any assassins in a rush to save refugees in quite some time.

"The hair doesn't scream killer. Lookin' like you just walked out of a candy factory, honestly."

A smirk and an affectionate yet careful bump to the shoulder would hopefully break the tension before the work began. He'd be ready if she tried anything, but the fact that she was dropping open Comms to every bum in the sector showed she might want to keep him around long enough to get past those guards.

[member="Simone"]

 

[Svante Selanno]

Svante left his crew on the Sojournerp/i] and made his way back down planetside in the AAL; another turbulent journey down before he once again see the warehouse coming into view. He slid the 'Bucket down a narrow alley a few blocks away, making sure Kolvin and his boys didn't spot it coming in. He threw on a rugged cloak over himself to somewhat hide his gear, and started on down the street.

Pink and blue, pink and blue, Selanno just kept saying to himself, it couldn't possibly be? He grinned to himself and laughed at the idea that he'd run into the same Zeltron that he had on Corusant a few weeks back. The galaxy isn't that small, he thought again.

He pulled his jacket and hood up as it started to drizzle.

Drip.
Drop.

Drip.
Drop.

It hadn't taken long before the light pitter-patter became a heavy downpour. The dirty atmosphere of the planet made for an even nastier rainfall. Sticking under the awnings and balconies of the buildings above, he tried his best to stay dry. As he came closer to the coordinates dropped in the last message, he seen her. Svante laughed out loud and shook his head as he approached the Zeltron who was conversing with another man. "Couldn't get enough of me the first time, eh Simone?"

[member=Simone] | [member=Marcus Lok]

 

[Simone]

Simone did not laugh. She looked down at were he had bumped his shoulder and then back at him. She contemplated the various ways she could cause him pain for a moment before opting to leave it to her imagination and not make it a reality. Like or not, she needed firepower. "Next time you want an icebreaker, I suggest something less centred on gender stereotypes." She pushed herself off the wall as another approached and swore under her breath. "Of your despicable charm? Apparently not, Selanno."

She turned her attention back to the warehouse and sighed. "Alright," she said "There's thirty guards in total, a dozen on the roof, the rest guarding the front and back entrances. You should know that this is a trap, Kolvin and I have a history and he'd like very much to stop my interfering if he can." which he can't, she though with a smirk. "We're outnumbered and outgunned, but If we can draw them out with a decent enough distraction we should be able to get in. Any direct hit on the building itself risks injuring the kids so that's out of the question. I reckon I can shut the power down in this sector for about five minutes, would give us enough time to set something off nearby and draw there fire. Thoughts?"

[member="Marcus Lok"] [member="Svante Selanno"]

 

[Marcus Lok]

Well. She didn't seem to appreciate his comment that much. He was only slightly surprised when she took the joke as a poke towards her sex, when it was in fact directed at the much more innocent fact that she was a Zeltron! He kept quiet though, pointing out the fact wouldn't give him any more points on the board.

He shifted his gaze to the newcomer. The familiar greeting could only denote that they knew one another upon some level, though from her response it didn't sound as though they were any type of friends. Unless 'With Benefits' was the accompanying title. Perhaps she wasn't as cold as that exterior left him feeling? Either way, he wasn't too inclined to chase the topic.

"I got a couple of 'dets. Could set 'em off a ways and bring everyone out with the blast. I'm guessing you'll be the one getting the kids out of here?"

He hoped she would be... Or the friendly sleazebag under the hood. He certainly had no way of getting the ankle biters clear and he hoped the overall plan wouldn't be to let the kids loose on the streets. It would be a preferable, however, to anything that would be going on once they were shipped off-world.


[member="Simone"] / [member="Svante Selanno"]

 

[Ryan]

Warehouse:

The annoian bounty hunter licked the air, tasting the scent of sweat and other bodily odors that seeped from the children huddled in their cages. His four eyes gazed upon them with predatorial delight, his four arms clasped and folded across his chest. Xar Barca was a mountain of orange scales, heavily corded neck with large limbs and tail to match. His mouth was filled with razor sharp teeth and a slit tongue that aided in his sense of smell, much like a snake. Like all Annoo-dats, he had hornes spiking from his scalp along with jet black long hair that bristled over his armored shoulder pad and the hilt of his oversized falchion strapped to his back. He must looked like a monster to the children, something horrible from stories told to them.

Though the thought would of been reinforced by the mere fact that Xar Barca captured most of them for his employer, Kolvin. Many of the abductions ended bloody with the four armed lizard killing the adults that tried to protect their younglings. Such a natural instinct to risk ones life for the offspring, protect their continuance of blood line and future of specie and culture. The annoo-dats knew such well, for their history was filled with such instinct that they conquered an entire world and species just to save their own.

He looked up from the children, studying the plethora of guards his employer had at his disposal. Just pawns, meat for the grinder. There was another Job that kept the bounty hunter around. He was to kill or capture a zeltros by the name of [member="Simone"] , supposidly this female has caused much headacks for the boss and needed to be handled by a professional.

 

[Svante Selanno]

She pushed herself off the wall as another approached and swore under her breath. "Of your despicable charm? Apparently not, Selanno."

Svante just smiled as he sauntered over to Simone and her new friend, "What, no hug?" he laughed to himself.

She turned her attention back to the warehouse and sighed. "Alright," she said "There's thirty guards in total, a dozen on the roof, the rest guarding the front and back entrances. You should know that this is a trap, Kolvin and I have a history and he'd like very much to stop my interfering if he can." which he can't, she though with a smirk. "We're outnumbered and outgunned, but If we can draw them out with a decent enough distraction we should be able to get in. Any direct hit on the building itself risks injuring the kids so that's out of the question. I reckon I can shut the power down in this sector for about five minutes, would give us enough time to set something off nearby and draw there fire. Thoughts?"

He listened intently to the information, coming up with some concerns of his own, "Thirty? There wasn't that many here earlier. Didn't know Kolvin had enough change rolling around to buy that kind of muscle...if I had known that I woulda brought the boys with me to do this." Debating his options, he also added as he brought out his rifle, "Outnumbered maybe...but I'd like to see those bliksem outgun me." he laughed as Svante ejected the single magazine to run his power pack into the rifle.

I got a couple of 'dets. Could set 'em off a ways and bring everyone out with the blast. I'm guessing you'll be the one getting the kids out of here?" He hoped she would be... Or the friendly sleazebag under the hood. He certainly had no way of getting the ankle biters clear and he hoped the overall plan wouldn't be to let the kids loose on the streets. It would be a preferable, however, to anything that would be going on once they were shipped off-world.

"Ya, ya, that would be good," Svante grinned, "And I can fit up to 20 or so of them kids in my lander, plus whatever you have planned Simone." Selanno scanned the two people in front of him trying to get a read if he was going to die today. He wanted to atone for his earlier actions, but Svante knows he's not wanting to go on a suicide mission.

[member=Simone] | [member=Marcus Lok] | [member=Xar Barca]​

 

[Simone]

Simone's eyes narrowed and she swung them to look at Sellano. Earlier? so he'd done a deal with Kalvin himself had he. She contemplated raising it with him. She knew he was a smuggler, running round and getting paid by the powers that be in the crime world but dealing in children? He woul have some questions to answer later, that much was for sure. "You assume he's paid them." she commented. "Kolvin doesn't pay until the job is done, though I think you already know that."

Simone judged him harshly, but she needed his gun and his ship so she held her tongue. "I've got a handful of contacts waiting to receive word to intercept the kids and get them to safety. Watch where you shoot and cover their exit. The sentries are gonna be the biggest problem." she nodded at Selanno's rifle. "Two dets is perfect, one to draw them out then another to cut them off." She reached into the satchel at her side, producing a pair of night vision goggles for them both.

"I'll give you five minutes to yourselves into position before the power goes out. As soon as its down, you move. Assuming we all make it, we'll rendezvous in the Rancor later." The wasn't what Simone would call a suicide mission, so long as they moved quickly, hit hard and fast they could be in and out. She smiled at them both. "I'll be on comm frequency four-two-nine, I'll count you down." She adjusted the collar of her jacket. "Good luck." she said, eyes on the warehouse for a moment before ducking away from them.

Disappearing down an alley Simone quickly found what she was looking for. A steal box that would grant her access to the cities mainframe and power if she would get into it. She tugged a fusion cutter from her belt, glance either side of her and set to work. "Guardians, what's your ETA?" she spoke softly over the comms. A crackle of status answer her before a man responded. "Three minutes."

Simone smiled as a section of the box fell way with a clank. She pulled her datapad from her bag , tugging choice wires from the station before her and connecting them. Kick starting the programme on it to begin slicing through the cities firewalls. A glance at her watch. Two minutes to go. The datapad let out a soft chime, confirming its entry. "Two minutes and counting till blackout."

[member="Svante Selanno"] [member="Marcus Lok"] [member="Xar Barca"]

 

[Svante Selanno]

Svante nodded in acknowledgement of the plan, and set off to get into position. He hoped the rain would disguise his movements as he worked his way closer to the warehouse.

Opting to cover the rear, he readied his gun as he slid down an alley, coming just a block from the warehouse. Through the downpour, he noted two guards guarding the door with one patrolling up on the roof. It wouldn't be hard to take the rear down, but he knew as soon as the gunfire started, everyone would be on high alert. Svante hoped that Marcus' det explosions would be more than enough to draw attentions away so he could move into the warehouse without too much resistance.

He leaned against the alley wall as he waited for Simone's call over the comms.

[member=Simone] | [member=Marcus Lok] | [member=Xar Barca]​

 

[Kiyron]

@Simone @Svante Selanno [member="Xar Barca"] [member="Marcus Lok"]

Kiyron strode through the downpour, rain running down his armor. SIS, Underground, they had closer connections than many imperial governments liked to think. Perhaps even more than some of the SIS officers thought. Kiyron watched them all though and he paused, adjusting his helmet to see through the rain and the gloom. Child slavers. His lip curled in disgust.

That was the contact. He paused several feet away from the Zeltron.

"You put a call out. What's the plan?"

He had seen the warehouse and it could end up being difficult to assault, especially with the kids inside. Quite a few guards, even on the roof.

"I can offer sniper coverage. Clear off the roof."

It would be easy enough to do it silently.