Nothing Is Ever Easy!

[Via Dolorosa]

The Scavenger I cruised through hyperspace toward the planet of Felucia, where a downed luxury yacht crashed; and fell silent a couple of weeks later. Most governments had marked the yacht lost, the people aboard dead. But one certain businessman felt otherwise, putting out feelers via the holonet to anyone willing to risk life and limb to locate the vessel and bring back information; and his family if possible. Normally Captain Wren didn't pursue such rescue operations, but this businessman was flipping the entire cost of the expedition.

Wrook was sitting in the ship's crew room tinkering with some mechanical device, whilst the others continued to debate the reason for this mission around the table, engaged in a round of drinks. "Don't get me wrong, boss. I'm all for reuniting family but are we sure this man's wife and kids are still alive," the Twi'lek Car'a said. "She has a point, Captain. This is Felucia after all," Jakko chimed in supporting Car'a.

"I'm under the assumption all aboard are dead. And those that didn't die during the initial crash, well, are long dead now," Aisling said taking a drag of her cigar. "However, the man is paying us quite well to bring back information, maybe someone of his family, but let's not overlook the big picture."

"And that is," Car'a asked filling all three of their glasses before gesturing to Wrook if he cared to indulge. Wrook roared lightly, returning to his work. "That we are the first salvage team to poke around the ship. Imagine what we can find? Better yet, we are getting paid by an outside source to do so. Either way, we are making creds."

"If we don't get eaten by a rancor first," Jakko said gripping his mug with a big hand.

 

[Via Dolorosa]

"According to the intel the computer collected from our first run about, there is no direct landing zone near the crash site," Aisling briefed. The other members of her crew, including Wrook, rumbled. "I know what you're all thinking, and I'm sorry, but we will have to walk to the crash site after we make landfall. Jakko and I will scout ahead. Car'a and Wrook, you two prepare the salvage droids and transport equipment. Once we make visible contact, we will contact you. Alright, let's make some credits."



Felucia, Day 1


"This heat is brutal, Captain. How much further to the site," Jokko asked shifting the weight of his knapsack. Glancing down at the holomap in her hand, Aisling scrolled through connecting the site to their current location. "We are about an hour away in our current pace." The two Mandalorians picked up the pace. One to get to the site quicker, and two, to get inside and away from the bearing sun that was making effort to cook them alive inside their armor.

Stopping on the edge of the jungle, a few hundred yards from the first signs of the wreckage; Aisling scanned the area for any of the planet's predators. A devastating crash site with so many bodies strewn about would be a top-notch buffet for Felucia's carnivores. "Alright, Jokko, bring the others." Aisling began moving toward what appears to be the back end of the ship, scanning the area religiously, while Jokko finished up the call when a roar washed through the jungle on the opposite side of where the two Mandalorians stood, sending small bird-like creatures skyward.

"I hate to temp fate, but please don't let it be a rancor," Jokko announced pulling his rifle out from behind his back and tightening the knapsack more securely around his waist. Aisling, herself, drew both her pistols walking toward the ship in a more brisk pace with Jokko on her heals. "Warn the others there is something out here, Jokko. You and I need to get inside the wreckage!"

 

[Via Dolorosa]

Crouched down back-to-back in a rather cramped section of the wrecked vessel, the ground beneath them shook slightly whilst the sounds of pounding feet drew closer. Tightening her grip on her dual blaster pistols, Aisling said, "Did you remember to bring any thermal detonators, Jokko?" Propping his rifle against a sheet of scorched metal, Jokko rummaged through his knapsack pulling out four thermal grade grenades. Tossing two to Aisling he replied, "You know me, Captain. I always come prepared."



Back At Scavenger I


Running with an overly pressing disposition, Car'a ran to the cargo area of the ship; where Wrook was busy getting the scavenger droids prepped for the ensuing march. Entering the hold Car'a bellowed, "Wrook! Jokko and Aisling are in trouble. Something about something big in their immediate vicinity!"

With a even louder bellow, Wrook grabbed his bowcaster from the side of the hold, putting the droids back into stasis mode. "Grrr Wrrr Brrr," the mighty Wookie howled, heading out the opening in a mad rush. "Hey! Slow down you big lug! My leg isn't completed healed from the last outing," Car'a said struggling to keep up with the one hundred percent Wookie. In her mind, she wished she made a stronger case to the Captain to bring speeder bikes.



Back At The Crash Site


"When this thing crosses into our view, I'll unleash hell upon it whilst you toss your grenades. Then we switch up if that doesn't do the trick," Aisling announced sliding closer to the small opening. The two had cover, but not enough to prevent the claws and strength of a hungry rancor to rip the metal apart.

"Captain, look!" From the opening, an adult sized bull rancor was charging in their direction, it's eyes fixed on something else. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking," Jokko asked smiling behind his helmet. Aisling did. Hungry rancors were known to eat anything, including one another if their stomachs decreed it. Hopefully, she thought, the two would rip and tear into one another; weakening the survivor enough for them to finish it off. They both knew that Wrook and Car'a were still far away to help, but all they needed to do was survive long enough for back-up to show.

 

[Via Dolorosa]

Two mighty roars emerged, one after the other, followed by a thunderous clash. The ground shook violently, the protective shell with the two Salvagers were stationed rocked back and forth; until it split. Where the split occurred, a muscular leathery leg emerged digging into the ground to stall being pushed back. Another roar and the owner of the leg moved forward, revealing an opening on the other side; passable by moving across quickly.

"Move! Move! Move," Aisling screamed, leading Jokko across to the other side where they watched from a different vantage point two full grown bull rancors locked in a battle fueled by hunger. Time passed as the two mighty beasts fought until one was wounded so bad it fled, whilst the other bleeding profusely crashed to the jungle floor; breathed once then died. "Hmm. I thought the other one would have gorged himself on it's dead friend," Jokko commented. "Perhaps the wounds the other was inflicted outweighed the need to feast. Notify the others to bring the droids and equipment, we need to hurry up."

As day was turning to night, it was decided the others would come at tomorrow's first light. "Well, we have hours to kill. Do we explore or do we sit?" Looking down the dark corridor, Aisling contemplated the choices. It would be fruitful to get a start right now, but in the end she decided best to wait. "No, we settle here for the night. When the others get here, we explore and salvage what we can. We also need to figure something to do with that dead beast, it won't take long for other predators to come."

Drawing his sharp blade Jokko said, "Start a fire, Captain. We are going to eat like Gods tonight."

 

[Via Dolorosa]

Felucia, Day 2




Aisling stirred, waking up before the sun rose. Checking Jokko, noticing the man was snoring loudly, she gathered herself moving down the dark corridor; using the nightvision application on her T-visor. Most of the corridor was ruined, with several doors lying askew. Since she was making a preliminary search of the area, she marked the doors that required mechanical prying before moving on.

As she walked, she caught a glimpse of something moving from one room to another via the hallway. Removing her blasters, Aisling moved cautiously toward the room where she saw the entity enter. Peeking around the corner into the room, she took stock of the area noticing there wasn't much of anything of worth; minus the thing she saw. Stepping carefully into the room, avoiding stepping on debris to alert whatever it was that she was here, Aisling began searching the room.

Coming to a ventilation shaft, where the grate seemed rather misplaced, Aisling drew down on the grate saying, "Come out of there." Behind the grate a stirring sound radiated seconds before small hands pushed aside the grate; followed by a small female child of ten crawled out. "You have to be kidding me?" Holstering her blasters, she removed her helmet crouching down next to the trembling kid.

"Hey buck'o. My name is Aisling Wren and I mean you no harm. What is your name little one?" The little girl bit her lower lip, her eyes scanning back and forth before saying,"Caitlyn Monroe." Aisling's eyebrows rose up in unison. By fate, she had found the businessman's daughter; but was she the only survivor. Reaching out a hand to the girl Aisling said, "Come, you must be starving."

 

[Via Dolorosa]

The crew stood together, while the young girl remained inside part of the wrecked ship, debating on what to do with the girl. The droids, programmed by Wrook and Jokko, where already working; tearing away sheets of metal to allow the crew, when ready, to begin searching this area of the yacht. "Well, obviously, we can't leave the girl but what are we going to do with her," Jokko said, whilst everyone was thinking it. "I think for now we take her back to our ship and one of us watches over her until we are done," Aisling replied, earning nods from everyone.

"So who draws the short straw," Car'a asked. That was a very good question Aisling thought. Everyone in the crew was important and since they didn't bring along hired help outside the droids, those who remained behind would be forced to work twice as hard to make up for the lacking crew member. "Okay. Wrook stays since he is our resident mechanic. He alone knows more about the mechanics of these small vehicles. Car'a stays cause she is our computer, droidish whiz."

Jokko, with his helmet sitting snug between his body and massive forearm, began to laugh. "Well it makes since that I'm the obvious choice since I was once a Father," he said putting on his helmet. "Jokko, I didn't mean..." Waving his hand he quickly added, "I know Captain. I'm not offended, really I'm not. Besides, it will be refreshing to have a conversation with someone other than you blokes."

After Jokko left with the child in hand, the others went to work. "I have marked several rooms for searching. Wrook and I will inspect those. Car'a, you move ahead deeper into the ship trying to see if you can unlock any doors or mark those that require a power source to open."

 

[Via Dolorosa]

Aisling and Wrook entered he marked rooms, having the droids dismantling from them the parts that would bring in credits; smiling together as the droids dragged them out to the carrier droids that would make the painstaking journey of taking them to their ship. Wrook, growling, pointed to a hole in the metal when they reached the last section. Aisling examined it whistling. "They were shot down. This is no ordinary crash but who would risk shooting down a citizen yacht?"

Roaring again, Wrook tightened his furry muscles. "Sith," Aisling spat. The crash was no accident but a calculated attack that meant one thing; there was something aboard the Sith either wanted or wanted to remain lost. "Car'a," Aisling spoke into her comlink, "Be careful doll. The Sith are involved, we think."

Car'a replied back, "Uh, boss. You need to see something." Wrook and Aisling ran toward where Car'a was, based off her directions, stopping next to the Twi'lek. "What is it," Aisling asked, then looked at what the girl was pointing at. Under her helmet, Aisling cringed then contacted Jokko. "We have a situation, mate."