The Ryloth connection...

[RC 212]

Ryloth Space.

[member="Cross Ikon"] [member="Corvetta Salvo"] [member="Oka Osaa"]

"Alright here we go." Colap leaned back and ran a gloved hand through his hair. He was clad in his armor today, a gray catlike suit. His Westar-35 hung loosely on his gunbelt and of course a signature cigar was blazing away in the corner of his mouth filling the cockpit with smoke.

"So here's the deal gentlemen, we have to get any patrols they might have on Ryloth. I believe it's systems authority or Black sun, not really sure. Once we get there, land at Kal'adin and unload the cargo, then we walk as richer men than before."

This was one of the more riskier ops that Colap had taken on. With a retrofitted Action IV it would be hard to handle any major skirmishes but the weapons were all hidden and he had a bout a thousand pounds of junk and salvage in the cargo bays, just above trap doors. Below the trapdoors in the hidden hangar was two kilos of spice.

Reaching down to his belt Colap grabbed a flask or Correllian whiskey and tossed back a swig.

"Anyone else want a drink before I punch the throttle,?" He asked, a dvilish grin splitting his face.

 

[Cross Ikon]

I tapped at my ever-present bottle of whiskey and cognac.

"I always drink before a fight. Keeps my mind solid."

I grinned at the thought of Black Sun officials.

"Captain, the Novas are actually currently allies of the Black Sun. I believe I will be very able to bluff our way past any officials they have here, with the possible exception of the Vigos, who know I don't have this kind of clearance."

[member="Colap Ticon"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Cross Ikon"]

Colap grasped the controls and punched the throttle full tilt. They were just entering the edge of the Systems Authority space coming off the Coreelian run hyperlanes. Colap nodded as cross spoke, never taking his eyes of the sensor panels.

"Thats good because we may make a quick exit through there and hide at Tortuga Station for bit."

They were sailing smooth. The reactor held a ta hundred percent not even near a redline thanks to the Advanced coolant that Colap had pumped her full of earlier. The cargo in the back rattled and pinged. The familiar feel of space rushing by set Colap at ease as they crossed the boundary. He kept a wary out for a patrol.

"Got about an hour before we reach orbit."

 

[Oka Osaa]

"Nah I'm good." Oka said looking through the window. This was going to be easy enough but this is the first real job he has had being in the Novas.

[member="Colap Ticon"] [member="Cross Ikon"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Cross Ikon"][member="Oka Osaa"]

As they crossed the border region Colap still kept his eyes dead locked on the scanners. No one would take him for a surprise attack, even stealth could be detected by density readings, which were also displayed.

The Interceptor plunged onwards into the Darkness. No patrols had even been spotted and Colap felt both relieved and worried. If there were no picket patrols maybe there were other things going on that could be a threat to the mission. The thought of Reavers, abominable flesh eating mutilated pirate types crawled across his mind...

Still they sailed, and the orbit of Ryloth began to come into view. This was too easy so far.

"Alright thirty minutes to the southern pole. I'm gonna enter on the tip of the pole where it's harder to detect vessels, all the electromagnetic activity makes everythign screwey, including this ship. Hold on when we go, might be rough."

 

[Cross Ikon]

"Never a dull moment in space... Except the 'black space' part."

I sat down and strapped in.

"Hope there aren't any Reavers here."

[member="Colap Ticon"]
[member="Oka Osaa"]

 

[Oka Osaa]

"Reavers are the least of my worries. Let's just take a breather and hope that the security has had too many donuts." Oka said jokingly as he strapped in as well.

"Aye aye captain" He said as he announced the position.

[member="Colap Ticon"]
[member="Cross Ikon"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Oka Osaa"][member="Cross Ikon"]

Colap nodded at the two and strapped in himself then pushed the throttle all the way. As they came into the planets orbit the metal of the ships began to screech and groan and buckle under intense g forces. Colap lit a cigar with his free hand and kept one hand on the yoke, wrangling it like a python in a sea of flames.

On the console alarms began to blare and a klaxon sounded across the bridge. Flashing red lights whirred and screeched.

"We're going in fast and hot gentlemen, hold on to your arses!" Colap roared over the din, sweat flying from his forehead and smoke billowing from his mouth and nose.

He gritted his teeth as flame began to form on the interceptors skin, super-heating the cabin. They were plunging through the atmosphere like a fireball now, and she was getting dangerously close to melting.

"Kark!" Colap roared. He slammed the engine controls and deactivated the thrusters, re-routing the power to the coolant pumps so they redoubled their efforts in attempt to cool the reactor. Now they were dropping by pure gravity at terminal velocity. Coming back out of it was a gamble that would take some perfect timing and skilled piloting.

All of which were in good supply here...

 

[Cross Ikon]

"Next time, I swear we're taking one of the Dragons. I don't care how conspicuous they are. The landing shields are way better than any interceptor's."

I gritted my teeth and took a pull at my whiskey as the semi-flaming Interceptor kept falling into the atmosphere.

"Dammit, dammit, dammit."

[member="Colap Ticon"]
[member="Oka Osaa"]

 

[Oka Osaa]

Oka decided to meditate as the ship crashed into the atmosphere. It wasn't the smartest thing but it defiantly wasn't the worse thing to do. Coming out of meditation, he saw everything shaking and bolts rattling. It sounded like an old transport ship. All they could hope is that nothing would get damaged. Even though credits weren't worth anything to him, keeping a bundle was fine.

[member="Colap Ticon"]
[member="Cross Ikon"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Oka Osaa"][member="Cross Ikon"]

Colap looked over at the white faced admiral and laughed hysterically. As the ship continued to drop and the edges of his vision blurred he smashed the cigar out on the dash board and glanced over at the altimeter. Beads of sweat dropped like bullets as the hot cabin baked them slowly alive.

"Relax ya'll, I've done worse to this fine bucket of bolts."

Colap took another drink still wrangling the controls and then slammed the emergency thrusters. Their descent slowed with a jolt and he almost puked all over as his stomach came up in his throat. With a few more switches he disengaged the extra power to pumps and switched them back to the main engines. The beastly interceptor groaned like a dragon as the g forces pulled at her sides and Colap pulled with all his might on the yoke.

Slowly the nose tipped up and they evened out. They were now on a completely flat trajectory racing just above the mountains and sparse trees of the dark side of Ryloth.

"Few more minutes gents, just beyond that mountain range is the hangar."

 

[Cross Ikon]

I sighed as we finally leveled out, and I was able to relax. Trusting a ship I hadn't personally specced out myself was hard. But booze could fix almost any stress.

"I believe you, but this flight would have been way smoother on the Duchess, and we could've landed anywhere without getting stopped by the Suns."

I took a huge gulp of whiskey, and sighed contentedly.

"At least we won't be doing any more fancy flying once we hit the ground."

[member="Colap Ticon"]
[member="Oka Osaa"]

 

[Oka Osaa]

After hitting rock bottom, or so it seemed, Oka finally felt it was okay to unstrap his seat. He stood up and looked out. "I've never been to Ryloth. I mean I have a thorn of Ryloth but that's the closest I've ever been. See." he said pushing a button on his right armor piece. A two-bladed blade opened up. It sure looked cool to Oka. He needed proper training on how to use it though. But he also had to focus on the mission.

[member="Colap Ticon"]
[member="Cross Ikon"]

 

[Cross Ikon]

"I'm not all that good with knives, but I totally make up for it. With guile and some guns."

I grinned at Oka and the smuggler.

"And booze. Booze, most of all."

[member="Oka Osaa"]
[member="Colap Ticon"]

 

[Lysle of the Hydian Way]

Slavers. Lysle wasn't a friend of theirs but business was business. At the end of the day, they paid good. They would get what was coming for them eventually, but for now, they can waste away their lives drifting through an oasis of narcotics and highs. Lysle moved from a large dome where his Tachyon remained hidden under a large brown tarp. He walked down the corridors, placing a hand to his ear as he hailed Sigourney and the other Ravens in the area. "They're almost here, get ready."
"Y'know," the forked tongue voice of a Trandoshan murmured to Lysle, "Remember our deal. We want the shipment half price."
"I haven't forgotten, Roi," Lysle interjected, spinning on his heels to deliver a thumping jab at the reptilians chest, "Just don't get in the way." The Trandoshan snarled, looking as though he would curl his clawed fingers around Lysle and choke the life out of him, always quick-to-anger. He wouldn't, Lysle was his supplier and most weren't dumb enough to kill someone like Lysle on a whim. The smoothly dressed crime lord brushed his hands at his sides, checking the Razer Net pistol was still there, along with an ELG-31 blaster pistol. "They're coming," Roi said, motioning him down a corridor and into the shadows of a secondary hanger that was similarly domed. Lysle was here on business, and business was good. He heard one of his fellows had a person of interest onboard, and Lysle wasn't throwing away a chance like this. Lysle waited with his entourage of Trandoshan slavers, whilst other Ravens flocked to the area.

[member="Sigourney Xanthius"]
[member="Colap Ticon"]
[member="Cross Ikon"]
[member="Oka Osaa"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Cross Ikon"][member="Oka Osaa"][member="Lysle of the Hydian Way"]

Colap focused on guiding the vessel through the treacherous valleys of a rather large mountain dodging spires and weaving between canyons that seemed to never end. This admittedly was not the best vessel to fly in tight quarters due to it being nothing more than a dursteel box with engines and fancy toys.

"Ryloths alright. It's the homework of the Twi'leks. One side is the darkside, cold frozen and below zero. The other side is covered in lava and its above frying temperature so if you go outside on the surface, you'll die." Colap finished cheerily.

The cave came up on his right and he whipped the intereceptor around firing her reverse thrusters. She slowed with a quickness and he let her gently glide into the darkness.

"Most of the Twi'leks live underground but a few live right on the split between the two sides."

They flew deeper and deeper until Colap saw the tunnel open up into a cavernous city. The lights below illuminated the whole cave and it bristled with activity as the populace went about their business. Colap knew the worst was past now. He manoeuvred over to the designated landing pad, an enclosed dome space farther up the cave wall and began to set her down.

"Alright guys do me a favor. Grab the controls for the cargo arm and start moving all that junk in the back off the trap doors while I set 'er down will ya?"

 

[Oka Osaa]

"Good to know and I'll get to work. Cross can get the small crates and I'll get the large crates." he joked. Oka walked to the cargo arm and thought that he didn't need it. He had the force after all. He used to force to pick up crates and let Cross use the arm. "This way, it'll be easier."

[member="Colap Ticon"]
[member="Cross Ikon"]
[member="Lysle of the Hydian Way"]

 

[The Upright Man]

The footsteps of Lily Rose echoed down the corridors. They were heavy and loud, thumping down the metal walkway. The Bounty Hunter was armed to the teeth. She strode in her ALS-X1 experimental reconnaissance armour, an MP77 heavy blaster pistol in hand. Launched over her shoulder was a duffel bag that she had brought with her. The bag would be heavy for most people, but she had been heavily modified and now was part Keshiri, part machine. It contained an AMR-1, CZ-838, Class-A thermals, Z50 grenade launcher, Force-Breakers. Among her variety of gadgets, whipcord launcher and a single force containment collar. Lily entered a room that overlooked the domed spaceport, she crab-walked across the room, making sure to keep low from being seen. A nutrient frame hung from her back. She brushed against the curtains and peered outside, watching as the vessel came into a landing. She brought her anti-materiel rifle upwards and slapped it down on the window sill. She peered down the scope and watched. The Jedi Killer had a variety of trophies hanging from her belt. The decapitated head of a Kaminoan padawan, Kuan Le, the scalped heads of a Twi'lek padawan, Jora Vao, and Nautolan Jedi Master, Hasjo Hallu. She got the intelligence, knowing who was on board. Oka was a name she had heard of. He got around it seemed. The nutrient frame would make her all but invisible to the force.

[member="Oka Osaa"]
[member="Colap Ticon"]
[member="Lysle of the Hydian Way"]
[member="Cross Ikon"]

 

[Sigourney Xanthius]

Sigourney stood in silence beside her debonair companion. They had a simple mission ahead but it didn't hurt for the Zeltron to be as armed as possible. Mere precautions but it was better to be safe than sorry. The weight of the nutrient frame was barely noticeable on her back as she took muted steps towards their target in the hanger. Sigourney mentally checked that she had all that she required. A 434 DeathHammer blaster pistol was holstered on her hip. Her hand grazed her belt making contact with several grenades. Among them she had force breaker grenades and EMP grenades. It never hurt to be cautious in her line of work. The force breaker grenades were handy should she ever come in contact with a Jedi. A bounty hunter could use all the advantage they could get when in contact with that kind of enemy. Her partner in business had informed her that there would be others to assist them. All they had to do now was wait. Their target would almost walk straight into their arms.

 

[Cross Ikon]

Before grabbing anything, I cocked all my guns. My pushgaunts were on over my gloves, and my odd Jawa-zapper thing was readily available inside my sleeve. Most importantly, my 'Vorpal' and all my other guns were in place. My jacket was buttoned up, and my hat was on tight.

I was ready for nearly anything.

"Oka, take it slow. Something bad is going to happen. I guarantee it."

[member="Oka Osaa"]
[member="Colap Ticon"]
[member="Sigourney Xanthius"]
[member="Lily Rose"]
[member="Lysle of the Hydian Way"]