The Roon Run- Smugglers/Open

[RC 212]

Location: Kwenn

[member="Thalia Kaia"]


They were on it again. This time Zorlac had updated the manifest and given him a better shot. He was still about ten thousand credits in the hole from the first time, but the thought of losing his prized smuggler made the Hutt's stomach turn. Nar Shaada had paid off about half of that debt and now he was playing errand boy for the rest.

Dak Caren his scrawny little first mate sat secondary to Kaia, a young girl he had taken on at port. They going to run the Mara Corridor straight into the heart of the beast. They were headed to the Techno Union Capitol world with about two thousand disruptor rifles hidden in crates below the decks. Where they were going to, Jack didn't much care. He suspected local Swoop gangs set up by another Syndicate.

The spacer ran his hand through the mop of hair on his head as the Kessels Pride lifted off, engines burning a bright contrail against the sky. They were a few minute from jumping. It was going to be a long jump too, which made him a little uneasy, but Jack never showed nerves, and never counted odds.

Moderation was for cowards.

"Ready Dak?"

"Ready Skip, who's this?"

"Ah Kaia why don't you introduce yourself to young Dak here. I'm sure the squirt would love to hear you talk. He chatters up a storm. While you're at increase burn to sixty percent and change heading to ,mark zero five by six five."

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

"I'm Thalia nice to meet you." She said sticking her hand out to the young boy.

[member="Jack Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Thalia Kaia"]

"H-h-hi!" Dak managed to stutter out.

Jack almost died in laughter, trying to keep his stoic composure straight as stone. The kid was probably so full of hormones it wasn't even funny. He had to drag the poor first mate out of many brothels lately, right before the owners figured out he didn't have the credits to pay up. Pushing all that aside Jack kept his eyes on the dash and the nav computer.

But the nav computer was crap.

"Dak thought I told you to update these charts!"

"I did."

"No you didn't kid, computers still karked."

He'd have to do another gut jump then. With nimble fingers the spacer fired up the hyperdrive, letting it whir and whine as it struggled to life. The ship was getting old and he was getting impatient with the failing hardware. He; slapped the pannel a few times and let it rip with full burn out of atmosphere.

At the same time he was feeling ahead, using his knack for navigation to decipher the best path. The Nav computer was nearly shot, so they were jumping on instinct, yet again. So far he'd completed half a dozen jumps this way. His gut usually never failed him, except for when they nearly ended up as bug splat against the side of Nar Shaada once.

"Alright I think I have the bearing."

He was doing that weird thing again where he just envisioned the route in an abstract way, not even using the computer.

"Hit the hyperdrive Kaia."

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

Thalia hits the hyper drive and then turns back to Dak "So whats your story kid?" She asked looking at him.

[member="Jack Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Thalia Kaia"]

"I uh..." Dak was way to coward to let it out. Faced with a brothel the kid would tear it up. Faced with a simple young girl, and he was a mess. Jack would have to talk to him later, but for now he simply shook his head and cut her off.

"I need ya to focus Kaia, just in case."

There was any number of issues that could arise from a hyperspace jump. Gravity anomalies, pirates with grav mines. Mostly he was concerned about pirates. One fell swoop and they could be yanked from hyperspace and set upon. With ho lawless the Mara Corridor had become it wasn't a hard stones throw.

Sensors were reading alright, so Jack rose from his seat, giving the two the cabin and retreated to the galley. Once there he opened a dull steel cubby and pulled out a bottle. This ought to get the kids spirits up. How old was he anyways?

Jack couldn't remember. Might have only been fourteen when he picked em up. Poor guy was saved from an Orphanage. With a really nasty headmaster. Jack was something like a surrogate father or uncle figure, and his only family. As far as Jack knew the id was his only family too.

"Alright Kid, here, have a drink."

He passed the bottle to Dak who began drinking heartily.

"Guess you can too Kaia."

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

"I'm good thank you I have a history of getting wild when I drink." She says as she starts to focus on the console "You can call me Thalia." She says to the man

[member="Jack Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Thalia Kaia"]

"I'm just gonna call you kid. Since you're both kids to me."

Jack had a real old soul. A smugglers soul.

Just then the alarms blared and he felt a lurch again as the Kessels Pride was ripped out of Hyperspace. Literally ripped, because he almost fell over and had to hold onto a nearby handhold. This was about to be bad, and Jack had a real bad feeling about it.

"That's not right, we had another hour at least."

Rushing to the cockpit he glanced wildly about. The scanners were going crazy, the dampeners were damaged the ship was bleeding coolant. What had happened? They'd ran into a grav mine, and it wreaked havoc on his ship!

"Dak put down the bottle and get the girl the blaster. We're about to be boarded!"

There was two options here. They could fight or hide. So far Jack didn't see anything out there which was bad sign number two. The best option right now was to hide, get pulled in and then ambush the search party once their guard was down. To them it would appear as an abandoned ship. With hasty fingers he killed the power, killed everything including the life support.

"Lockers in the back got space suits. C'mon."

He ransacked the locker, tossing them each a suit and an oxygen tank and then zipped up tight, ramming the helmet on. There were scant few second he guessed. Between Dak and himself they managed to move the decoy crates and rip open the smugglers hatch.

"You first kid," he said turning to Kaia.

"Keep that blaster close."

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

Thalia was unsure of what had happened but she knew from the sound of Jack's voice that it was bad and they needed to move but it was not herself she was worried about but Dak as they moved through the ship after the power had been killed and she grabbed onto Daks hand to make sure she could find her way. When they finally did make it to the lockers she took the space suit and zipped it on and then the helmet came last before the oxygen tank. now she had no way of knowing what going to happen but she went for it anyway she jumped down.

[member="Jack Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Thalia Kaia"]

Whatever was about to go down he was ready. Jack followed her down into the hatch and pulled it swiftly shut, just as he felt a tractor beam latch onto the vessel. The only tell was the single crate moved off the hatch but hopefully the bluff would hold. He could hear torches cutting at the airlock. A silent rage burst inside him. They were cutting up his ship!

Hands gripped tight on the blaster rifle he was silent as a mouse. Then the airlock failed and he heard boots across the floor. The steady dull beating, Clunk, Clunk, Clunk as they marched into the ship. They were disciplined for sure. He could hear it in their steps.

"Keep real quiet." He whispered.

"Nothing on here cap'n, looks derelict."

"Well someone was here. Tear it apart, search every hole. I have a feeling someone is on board and I don't like it."

Jack waited now. He needed them to split up before they could counter attack. Popping up through the deck in a midst of enemies was idiocy.

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

Thalia kept her hand on Dak as they waited for the troops to split up she could see only Dak and Jack she could also hear her own breathing she tried to quiet it hoping not to give them away to the enemy the air was very cold and she had began to shiver a little and then the footsteps receded in either direction she was hoping that they could get out of this hole soon and get the airlock back to working order so it would not be so cold

[member="Jack Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Thalia Kaia"]

It was sounding like they were splitting up now. The footsteps became farther apart and Jack tapped Dak on the shoulder, giving Kaia the nod. Inside their helmets the internal comms would crackle to life, Jacks voice rinign in their ears.

"Alright kids listen up. When I pop the hatch I'm goign to rush the cockpit. Kaia and Dak you guys clear the deck. As soon as we get clear, I'm going to fire the thrusters and pull away. Should be able to seal the airlock and then it's a shorthop out of here."

He wasn't exactly sure how fast they could execute. But it was worth a shot and the best course of action. They were pirates, and pirates tended to be undisciplined. plus Jack had an extra trick up his sleeve. He focused hard, envisioning the guards moving farther away fro each other. He had a knack for influencing minds. Ho he did it was beyond him, but if he wished it hard enough, it happened.

"Split up, c'mon split up."

They started walking farther and farther apart.

"Alright lets go."

Boom!

The hatch burst open and Jack hauled himself up through the floor, flying to the cockpit at top speed. Despite being the galaxies worst shot there was no way in hell he could miss at this range. Ten meters away the first pirate turned around, a shocked look in his eyes. Jack wasted no time, pumping two rounds into his chest and laying waste to the assailant. Twin smoking holes in his chest opened up, and he swept the corpse aside with a savage kick.

"I got the Cockpit, clear the deck!"

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

As soon as the hatch is popped Thalia popped up into the smoking hallway and as Jack took off down the hall Thalia grabbed Dak who is bright red probably because her hand on him but she said "Dak focus and I might do something with you later but now focus." She says as she raises her blaster "Oh OK." He said and then she looked at him and leads the way around the corner and right then she runs into the soldiers she shoots one and he grabbed his chest which had begun to bleed a bright red and his chest smoked and then the other she shot he fell to the ground but continued to twitch as his body goes into cardiac arrest. As the leader of the squad watched his second go into cardiac arrest he threw his hands up and begs for mercy from her.

"For now you live." She said

So she tied him up and put him in the closet. Then she proceeded around the next corner she felt like she could take on all of the pirates in the galaxy especially with Dak beside her. When she rounded the next corner her dead sprint came to a halt as she ran right into the back of another pirate who turned around and attempted to shoot her but she was faster he caught a blaster bolt to the chest and the other she hits over the head with the butt of her blaster. Then she comes to the captain who seems to have gotten his blaster caught on his belt. Shooting the captain in the leg she confiscating his blaster and half carries him to the cockpit

"Here's our pirate captain." She says as she holds her gun to the back of his head while he is on his knees. Even with all her running she was still shivering.

[member="Jack Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Thalia Kaia"]

The emergency airlock slammed shut, sealing off the void from their vessel and not a moment too soon. Too much frost was starting to build up inside. As the compartment was emblazoned in battle Jacks focus was absolute. He was not losing this cargo, or his ship to pirates. With a few more taps on the console the vessel roared to life, streaking off as the engines boomed.

The docking tube connecting the pirates to their vessel crumbled, and shattered, shards spinning away and glinting in the light of the stars. They were almost home free. Just as he was closing his eyes envisioning the route the girl interrupted him. He was a bit perturbed, and annoyance flashed across his face as his lips pressed together thinly.

He whirled on the pirate captain and swung his blaster rifle up over his shoulder, space cowboy style.

"What do you got to say for yourself bub."

"You can't get away scum, we'll board you yet! Even now we are firing on your position!"

The Kessels Pride was rocking and a fresh set of sirens were erupting as her shields arced bright blue against the matte black contrast of darkness. They were indeed taking fire, and he was at the mercy of Kaia. The more pressing issue was escaping. With a snort of disgust, he flipped around and engaged the hyperdrive, envisioning his original location, letting the force guide the ship into the rift. They lurched hard, and the hyper-drive fired once, and then twice, sputtering.

"C'mon baby, don't fail me!"

Whoosh! It spun a full cycle and they lurched again. blasting straight into hyperspace.

Jack wheeled again, steely brown eyes assesing the captive pirates.

"Normally I'd just kill them. However we are in hyperspace and I don't want dead bodies on my ship when we dock. Knock them out, and tie them up. I'll just sell them when I get to port. It's what they would've done to us anyways."

Dak moved about, following the girl and Jack sank into the seat, kicking back. Except this time he was much more alert.

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

Thalia thought they were going to freeze to death until the airlock had sealed and the engines roared to life she then removed her helmet flipping her hair. She looked at the captain and then she snarled at him and then punched him square in between the eyes looking at Dak who was staring at her in lust. She looked at him and winked

"Help me move this guy then I have a debt to settle."

She half picked the unconscious man with help from Dak, they moved the prisoners who might she say needed to lay off the cheeseburgers. Then they returned to the cockpit which by this time had mostly thawed out. She then took a seat and spun around and started shivering as she looked at the boy in front her

"What do you wanna do?"

[member="Jack Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Thalia Kaia"]

Two hours later: Location- Roon

Hyperspace ceased and he was woken from his slumber. Was he sleeping? Sure was. Whatever had transpired between Kaia and Dak was lost on him. He rubbed his eyes once or twice as the comms began to light up and the cabin lights came up full blast in the cockpit.

"Unidentified Vessel, state your name and business."

This was the part where the manifest came in. Except it wasn't a bunch of stupid produce which nobody needed. With a few quick taps Jack opened up the comms and fired the Shipping manifest off over shortwave. It was tagged as salvage haul, headed to the government scrapyards.

"I'm Captain Jor Kel. My ship is the Sand Washer and I'm here on a Salvage run."

Silence. He didn't feel any kind of bad feeling this time though. That was a positive thing. And he was rewarded for his patience with a crackling burst back from the orbital patrols.

"Roger that Sand Washer, clear to land, welcome to Roon."

"Whooooo!, we got in!" He roared across the cabin.

"C'mon you two, get your shebs up here and help me land this bucket."

One more message was shot, but encrypted, to Dejjii his contact on the ground, and the Kessels Pride began to break the atmosphere.

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

Thalia had just been pulled in for a hug because he had requested that she tell him her life story and she did but when she got to the part about the first order and her parents her eyes swelled with tears from the memories about it and she couldn't hold back. She had then started to cry full on but she finally managed to get herself under control just before she heard the hollar from the cockpit and she stood up abruptly and then she realized Dak had been holding her hands and she blushed. She then took off still holding Dak's hand she took off in a dead sprint up to the cockpit nearly tripping in the process

"Were here boss."

[member="Jack Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Thalia Kaia"]

Kessels pride was cutting through the spacelanes, dodging the traffic with Daks capable hand at the yoke. Meanwhile in the back Jack had already moved the cargo crates of decoy salvage out of the way and had begun lifting rifle crates out the deck with a crane. This was a mega haul, since he was in deep debt. However all these rifles were expensive, and combined with the Pirate slaves they were going to fetch a nice price.

As the Vessel touched down he felt a rumble beneath his feet and rush of euphoria flood his veins. That gloating lighthearted feeling gave him zeal and he slammed the levers, completing the last crates loading onto a hover trolley. The engines were powering down now, their dull whir jarring the vessel into sleep. Jack hit the ramp release with a concentrated focus from across the room, moving it with his mind.

"Nice work kids."

He was greeted with the sight of Dejjii, his contact. As he strode down the ramp he slung the rifle over his shoulder again and nodded to the Rodian. Rodian it was always rodians in the business.

"Jack ol' buddy!"

"Dejjii! Got a nice surprise for you. You got my money?"

"Ayy ayy yeah I got your money space dog. Whats the surprise?"

"You'll see."

Armed swoop riders appeared on the scene, grabbing the hover trolley and moving it down the ramp. This wasn't like the Nar Shaada run. This port was secret. No customs, no law, no nothing. The small circular bay was all but abandoned too, which was odd.

"Here, now let me see the surprise?"

"Sure thing hold on one sec."

He opened the bag, setting his rifle down on the deck and doing a quick inventory. They were credit chips stacked neatly in rows and bound by some kind of archaic string. Jack counted half a Million by itself. Both eyebrows shot up and he whistled, a grin cracking his worn face.

"Alright. Guess Zorlac will be happy."

He waved up at the ramp, shouting to the Kids.

"Oya kids! Bring down the prisoners!"

 

[Nei Laa]

((Never mind xD Jack posted right before I did, so I rescind. Sorry!))

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

Thalia grabbed the captain of the pirates by his arm chicken winging it behind his back. She then looked at Dak who had their other hosted up over her shoulder luckily it was a smaller man. She held her man and looked back at Dak feeling a strong connection with the kid. She did not know why she was older and had more experience but he was the reason that she had been able to defeat the pirates she was trying to keep him safe.

"You got him Dak?"

Dak nodded at her and then they were off they walked the prisoners down the ramp to where the captain was standing.

"Here they are captain."

[member="Jack Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Thalia Kaia"]

As the Pirate captives came down the ramp Jack had a smug look on his face. The pirates themselves? Not so much. The captain was enraged and swearing, kicking and trying to escape. Dejjii whistled in a weird Rodian way and two of the swoop gang came over and knocked him on the head with the but of their rifles. The captain crumpled to the ground, passed out cold.

"Ahh so they look good. You selling?"

"Eh."

"Thought you were against the slaving business Jack?"

He pressed his lip thin, and fidgeted with his fingers on his belt a bit. It was evident even though the pirates had attacked he was not comfortable having this conversation with Dejjii. And the Rodian was very shrewd, picking up on that little tid bit fast.

"This is a special case. They hit us with a Grav Mine and ransacked my ship. On top of the damage."

Jack motioned behind him with a sweeping motion to the port side of the vessel, where black scorch marks adorned the hull. A few lucky shots had gotten through, melting the antenna to slag and leaving deep black rivets in the hull. It wasn't crippling, but it was a little unsettling.

"I see. Ok then Jakcie Jack. I'll give you en large a head. They look strong and capable. Probably make good Gladiators in the Ring."

"Ummm..."

For a scant second he wanted to back away from the deal. He hated pirates, but he hated slavers even more. But the money was tempting. This was one of those moments where the Captain could be deceptively tricky. He waved two fingers from the blaster rifle over his shoulder in a subtle fashion. Focusing hard on what he wanted to hear, and trying to drive the thought into the Rodians mind.

"You want to give me twenty large a head."

Dejjii laughed.

"Ha ha ha ha Jackie boy. I've been in this business a long time. Hokey force mindtricks ain't gonna work on me."

He grimaced, grip tightening on the rifle.

"Don't worry m'boy, you and I, we have a good relationship. I'll overlook your little attempt this time. Fifteen large a head?"

"Deal."

"Grandok, bring the man his Credits!"

Another swoop gang biker came over with a second case, adding it to Jacks first and he scooped it hungrily. There were six heads which was ninety thousand bonus credits. Profits seemed to be looking up.

"We done here?"

The remaining prisoners were already being cuffed and moved away into the shadows.

"Yep, pleasure as always. Ever wanna fight in the ring, come find me!"

"Sure." Jack shook hands and turned to Dak and Kaia.

"Wanna grab something to eat?"