Public This is a Robbery!

[Stevru Klamat]

LOCALE:

Interior Stairwell, First Coruscant General Bank, Coruscant

GOAL:

Thwarting a Robbery (Objective 3)⠀

TAGS:

Ma'lur'kek'thwin

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The man in black needed to die. As insane as the Twi'lek had seemed, she'd taken her roll as hostage taker seriously enough that she hadn't killed anyone, as far as he could tell. The man in black, on the other hand, had shot someone in cold blood. For all he knew he'd find more corpses on his way up the structure. They cursed themselves for letting him go, but balmed the anger of it with the knowledge that he'd gotten the hostages out of the lobby. Such an action would, at the least, ensure that the civilians would not become bargaining chips when this whole thing inexorably went sideways on the robbers.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀They were aware, in a vague sense, that someone might be following them, but so much of their attention was focused forward, on what was ahead, that the clearing of the reptile's throat took them by no small amount of surprise. The armored figure spun, pistol in hand, finger hovering over the trigger. Their weight shifted slightly as they paused like that, singular eye, hidden beneath their helmet, scanning up and down the newcomer. Ssi-Ruu, he was aware of them largely as an anatomical cutout, a series of instructionals on essential organs and resiliant scales.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"I am neither. Good is relative. Innocents are dead, civilians have been harmed. Someone has to answer for it. I intend to see to that."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Without amplification, their voice was a low, husky growl, still raw from being half strangled by the Twi'lek. The blaster remained pointed at the Ssi-Ruu, finger not quite on the trigger.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"What about you? Are you a thief?"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀They placed emphasis on the word thief. As though the answer would determine what happened next. Though, strangely, it seemed like something shifted in their head, clicking into place.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"If you're here for loot I won't stop you. All of this is insured. And I haven't a care for protection of wealth. But I warn you, despite the meddling of some third party, portions of the security system remain functional. I'm an intruder in and of myself. Get caught on camera and this might not look good for you."

 

[Eaton Waters]

What he needed was more time, that was not something he really could just make though. Eaton was more than happy to take his time if he didn’t have the Alliance breathing down his neck. Sometimes it was worse than hiding from Sith or Mandalorians. They tried to be good, but they were becoming too big, and that meant they were making mistakes. Being harsher than they should, working to defend and having the chance to translate even small challenges as a war party.

He doubted that the bank was going to be destroyed from orbit, but… well, anything was possible. Once, he heard, a pirate showed up and the ranking Force users were about to create a spirit bomb just to deal with the one.

As he worked, the SCOMP was clicking the pieces into place. The alarm and call for help was going out still, but the lockdown? Averted.

“So, anyone listening, no lockdown, but… authorities are still alerted. Can’t seem to roll that back.” Time to get moving.

On his feet and up the stairs again. Knuckler taken from his satchel and placed on.

He didn't want to kill anyone, but an injury would slow the others down.

 

[Ma'lur'kek'thwin]

Interior Stairwell, 2nd floor	:LOCATION​
Be a nuisance	:OBJECTIVE​
Mando, open	:TAGS​

Neither, huh? Fat chance of that. Everyone fell on one side of the line, regardless of the moral landscape. There were no shades when it came to those who enforced the law, capital L. Putting aside the thought, Ma'lur stared down the barrel of the blaster with only a flick of nasal tongues to mark her acknowledgement. He's used it. Recently, too. So, not just a pretender in predator's clothing. Good. It'd make the pair of them all the more deadly for it.

"Maybe," came her reply, equal in low tones and raw growls, though hers came naturally, and not as a consequence of being choked by a rabid Twi'lek. "I'm more interested in which heads upstairs are worth the most." She could scarcely call this a serious situation any longer, the majority of the known hostages seen out the door and away from danger, but that didn't mean she couldn't crack a lopsided smirk and roll her ridged brow. The hunt excited Ma'lur, and this was shaping up to be a good one.

Watching the barrel as the Mandalorian continued speaking she weighed whether or not it would be worth snatching for the weapon. Obligated as she had been by bank security to leave her weapons outside the building, taking his felt awfully tempting. As he warned her, Ma'lur's shoulders rose and fell, palms up in easygoing indifference. "I'll make do somehow." A beat, obsidian eyes flickering with one membrane, then another, focus moving to the sounds of conflict echoing down from overhead. "If you mean to see to anything, we best get going."

 

[Stevru Klamat]

LOCALE:

Interior Stairwell, Second Floor, First Coruscant General Bank, Coruscant

GOAL:

Babysitting. (Objective 3)

TAGS:

Ma'lur'kek'thwin

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The only 'good' he served was the greater one. But now wasn't the time for a philosophical discussion, and her thoughts were entirely her own. Unlike the Jedi, he wasn't inclined or equipped to intrude on the interior thoughts of other sentients beyond dead reckoning and torture. After another prolonged moment, he drew his blaster away from her, scanning the stairway below them for anyone else deciding to tag along.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"If you value your life, I'd suggest you leave now, claim whatever bounty might be on the Twi'lek's head."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The notion of claiming bounties was one he'd scarcely considered when he'd entered the building. Truly, he hadn't considered much. He was here on a whim. He chewed his lip under his mask. His singular eye crept up the stairwell, it was getting loud up there, exchanges of blaster fire rather than the random sporadic shots of a force pushing it's way through corporate security. It was strange... buildings like this were designed to partition themselves when the alarms went off, trap whoever was smashing and grabbing between sets of durasteel security doors. That could only mean that whoever had set off the fire suppressant foam was still in the network.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Stay low and out of my way. I can't be responsible for both your safety and my duty."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Curt, as was his way, though. He reached into the medical kit on his hip, and tossed her a small packet. Two bacta pads and some spray skin, contained within a semi-transparent pouch of heavy plastic. There were clear serations where it was intended to be torn open. A sign of good will from the stoic 'savior'.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"In case you get hit."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀His singular eye crept up the stairway again, the lense of his cybernetic adjusting, aperture narrowing as he peered upward. Nodding in agreement, he started back up the stairs, swapping one of his pistols for a nasty looking vibro-hatchet, held in a reversed grip near the head as a makeshift truncheon.

 

[Markus Drex]

I arrive in a small office on the ground floor; the air duct ends here. I look at the grate and, just like before, I use a lightsaber to slice it in two and make my way out.

As a pirate, the loot I've stolen will significantly inflate my bank account for the rest of my days. However, it's not quite over yet. I need to meet my accomplice outside to make a quick and simple getaway.

All I have to do now is exit this duct. I jump, and then I'm in the office.

I glance at one of the machines and decide to download some additional data with my hacking device. This way, I'll also have the entries and exits of various employees as well as the banking records. I'll get some transactions too; I need to make sure everything is clean.

Benefiting from my stealth, I quickly peek into the main hall. I can see the armed group in question, the Twi'lek, and others fighting.

All things considered, my place is better here than in the midst of all that chaos. While they're busy fighting, I take the opportunity to open the window to the outside and jump out of the bank.

I meet up with my accomplice, who's waiting in a discreet corner with a bike, and I pass him the backpack without hesitation.

"Was the haul good?"
"Pretty good, let's get out of here."
"It's going to be complicated, there's a security cordon all around the building. I don't know if you're aware, but we're surrounded."
"Don't worry, it will work out. We're heading to the Arcadia. Follow the plan Urielle send us."
"Ok, i hope you have lot of money."
"Dont worry, for that's."

I get on the moto, and we start up with a racket that's hardly discreet. I activate a small device that surrounds the bike, so the snipers trying to shoot us from the other end of the building run into a technical problem.

My colleague accelerates while I rummage in my equipment pouch for a real grenade this time. I prepare to throw it at the security cordon to force our way through. The shield I deployed prevents the sniper shots from reaching us. We both have motorcycle helmets on our heads to hide our identities, it's very practical.

 

[Ma'lur'kek'thwin]

3rd-12th floor inner stairwell	:LOCATION​
Save the day!	:OBJECTIVE​
Mando Buddy, open	:TAGS​

Ma'lur caught the heavy plastic pouch and turned it over in hand while he spoke, considering whether or not to hand it back. Grunt. Free medical supplies didn't come often, and with that thought in mind she slipped the given bag into one of the pouches snug at the base of her tail. "Don't worry, metal man," she assured him with a jagged grin as she stepped ahead of him up the stairs, "you stay out of my way and I'll stay out of yours."

Driving up one level then the next Ma'lur focused on checking the access doors of each one for hostiles, propping open the doors long enough to get a good sniff of the rooms beyond before choosing to move onto the next. True as the Mandalorian's words had been, security remained active in the form of surveillance, but not much else. Fire suppressant systems had been activated sporadically throughout the levels she glimpsed- sometimes without any discernible reason. Beyond that, though, not a sign of sheltering employees nor those responsible for the chaos. As the two of them eventually broached the twelfth floor the Ssi-ruu stopped short, pawing at the air between her and the Mandalorian.

"Wait. Something smells off." Easing up the final steps black smoke and acrid soot caked the walls, a wash of gritty reality clinging to what once represented the pristine, the powerful. Ma'lur indicated the open access doorway, its doors blown open, hanging in shrapnel fragments from within their housings... Or else embedded into the ceiling, floor, and walls of the stairwell. Forget smells off, this looked off. What kind of robbery blew the doors OUT of a level and into a stairwell? "Look. Exit blast, not entry." Ma'lur's scute-heavy brows furrowed, a clawed toe kicking away a fragment of the door. Nasal-tongues darting wildly hither and thither she struggled to grapple with the information they gathered- and what gaps remained thereafter.

Another staccato bark of exchanged fire overhead, closer to them- whether by merit of their ascent or the source's descent remained undetermined- drew her focus back outward. The Ssi-ruu picked her way through the debris and stepped into the blown open doorway. More soot and smoke, though where the latter came from did not make itself readily apparent, through sight or smell. A once-over of the corridors beyond yielded no injured nor nefarious foes, though, and so Ma'lur pulled back to take up the rear. "No one here either." Still... The fact that a charge had been used to get INTO the stairwell and not INTO the bank's interior lingered in her mind.

Maybe those responsible for the mayhem had just used it to make their escape. It didn't have to be anything more than that, did it? Even if that floor in specific had nothing of note that she could see or smell. Even though there were still hostiles further floors up. Maybe it was a cover. A smokescreen. No amount of spinning it over in her head right that moment would find an answer and so Ma'lur thrust the thought aside and kept climbing, the report of weapons-fire growing louder, closer with each step.

Stevru Klamat​

 

[Stevru Klamat]

LOCALE:

Interior Stairwell, 12th Floor, First Coruscant General Bank, Coruscant⠀

GOAL:

Hunting Robbers.⠀

TAGS:

Ma'lur'kek'thwin

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀She was hardly in any position to be making those kinds of statements, let alone demands. No. In such presumptions lay the path to death. It was better to assume that she knew how to handle herself, that her confidence was warranted, and... despite his distrust... that he'd found an ally in his fight against the scum that threatened the innocent. It was in this vein of thinking that he'd move to grip her shoulder, palming a skeletonized blade into her hand, the simple knife fashioned from durasteel, finished with a nonreflective, matte coating.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Regardless of whether or not she took the blade, he would do as he was bidden, following in her wake, moving up the stairs with his back to the wall, moving sideways as to present a narrower profile to any would-be ambusher, blaster pointed to their rear. His movements were smooth, even, and sure, like a predatory animal. Though there was a distinct tension in his shoulders he couldn't seem to shake. Rage, at all of this, rose again within his chest, threatening to swallow up his better sense. Each open doorway was another vision of vacant, foam soaked chaos. Each landing a firefight that failed to happen.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀He was about to lift his voice to give word to his misgivings, to state outright to his newfound companion that none of this made sense, when her words caused him to immediately pivot on his heel midway up from one step to the other, blaster trained on the doorway in question in an instant, focus narrowed to a pinhead as his adrenaline spiked, prepared for the hail of blaster fire that would see his newfound ally dead and him likely injured beyond fighting shape, despite his beskar.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Mmm."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀A wordless sound of both acknowledgement and curiosity. He gingerly advanced to join her at the doorway, poking his helmeted head around the corner before pushing his vibro-ax back into it's holster. Running gloved fingers along the edge of the blown in door. This had been done with some sort of high explosive, but not a cutting or breaching charge. Which indicated a lack of specialist equipment in the perpetrator. Eyes tracked the spalling pattern of torn durasteel, and again found the doorway, peering inside.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"This robbery doesn't make any sense. They have a sizeable crew with at least two intrusion specialists that I'm aware of... and yet, the application of their network intrusions seems random, as though it's occurring without consultation with the others."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀He kicked at a bit of debris, letting out a low snarl of frustration, as though to express himself more succinctly than the overabundance of words he just spoke ever could.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"The Creed dictates that one does not speak unless they know, but I am forming a picture within my mind. A messy one at that. The more I see... the less I understand."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Letting out another grunt, he taried at the doorway a moment longer, before looking back to the Sii-Ruu. Despite his initial annoyance with her presence, it was better he not do this alone from a tactical standpoint, though he didn't find it to his liking on a personal one. His feelings mattered little. There was duty to be done. And point to take.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"In the event of contact, I will suppress, you will flank."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀He didn't wait for confirmation on her part, setting off with a redoubled pace born of anger, before slowing with a sound of subvocal self chiding. To fall to anger was as sure a death than to fall to blaster fire. Which there was no shortage of above them.

 

[Markus Drex]

"Are you really planning to use that grenade?"
"What, you think it's a bad idea?"
"Tell me, how do you plan to throw it with the kinetic energy of the motorcycle?"
"Yeah, you're right, it's a bad idea. Any other suggestions?"
"Use telekinesis!"

Is he crazy? It might be worth a shot, but still, lifting a motorcycle with telekinesis? It's not impossible, of course, and it's actually quite easy compared to a spaceship, but there are so many factors to consider. Plus, we'll look absolutely ridiculous. Luckily, my device blocks sniper shots, or else we'd be dead and buried by now.

We approach the checkpoint at full speed. The guys in front of us want us to surrender, which we obviously do not. So they point their weapons at us.

"I hope you have a Plan B, my friend. I'm not feeling this one."

"Don't worry, I'll handle the front. Make us fly."

Focusing more on the force, I connect to the motorcycle through a brief meditation and begin to apply telekinesis. Controlling a moving motorcycle is quite complicated.

All I have to do is take advantage of the motorcycle's speed. I close my eyes to concentrate further and lift the motorcycle vertically with telekinesis. The initial speed of the motorcycle naturally propels us forward, which is why he insisted on accelerating just before we crossed the checkpoint.

The police forces stare at us, wide-eyed; they certainly didn't expect this. The motorcycle flies over the barricade, and my colleague takes the opportunity to give a rude gesture like middle finger hand. Just to insult them as we pass, which is definitely being filmed live.

So much for discretion, but a flying motorcycle powered by telekinesis, reminiscent of a certain scene, isn't discreet anyway.

I also make a rude gesture at the camera as the motorcycle lands on the other side. We crash to the ground and endure a series of shots from law enforcement trying to stop us. We then speed through a series of narrow alleys, making tight turns, sometimes even hairpin turns, until we reach the extraction point where a spaceship awaits us. We board with the motorcycle, and the ship takes off.

Soon, we reach the atmosphere of Coruscant and jump to hyperspace to head back to our headquarters. So for us, it's a successful heist with a spectacular exit. We've got a nice loot, and I've got enough to pay my two friends guys we are three happy friends now! for this smoothly executed operation.

 

[Ma'lur'kek'thwin]

Upper floors, inner stairwell	:LOCATION​
Criking GET YOU ("Save the day")	:OBJECTIVE​
Hacker Thief, Mando, open	:TAGS​

“So, anyone listening-"

Ma'lur's scenting tongues flicked out, paused when the voice came over the open channels on her earpiece, then retreated. From behind the Mandalorian she peered up the remaining levels, keen sense stretching to their capacity. Had she heard what she thought she had? She reached out and snatched her ersatz companion by the belt, pulling him back into a corner on an inbetween level with a finger pressed over her mouth in a silent shh.

"-no lockdown, but… authorities are still alerted. Can’t seem to roll that back.”

The words came to her in stereo despite only possessing one earpiece, which could only mean one thing. Ma'lur exchanged a glance with the Mandalorian and moved her shushing talon to indicate above them. "Whoever is on open air is only a couple floors above." Quiet as could be, the Ssi-ruu considered darting out of the cover of the corner and making a quick pursuit of the source, but he'd only just said 'I'll suppress, you flank'. That put her in a backup role, and though it pained her to let someone else take lead, Ma'lur steadied herself and cocked her head. "What's the plan?"

Eaton Waters | Stevru Klamat​

 

[Stevru Klamat]

⠀

Locations⠀ Upper Floors, Interior Stairwell, First Coruscant General Bank, Coruscant
Objectives⠀ Providing Covering Fire
Tags⠀ Ma'lur'kek'thwin Eaton Waters

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Divergent feelings plagued the lone Mandalorian. While he was abundantly aware that he, and by extension, his companions presence here was a product of the robber's apparent disorder, the disorder itself frustrated himself on a number of levels. Least of which was the notion of taking pride in one's work. More so than that, though, was that in certain ways, disorderly amatuers were more dangerous than an old hand due to their sheer unpredictability. It was from these internal concerns that he was shaken when his newfound companion tugged at his belt. His first instinct was annoyance, until he turned to face her. He was as silent as she bid him to be, going so far as to lower himself to one knee, following her gaze upward.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Open air? It dawned on him, suddenly, that she was wearing a comm earpiece. Cursing himself for the oversight, he turned his helmet comm on, combing through the channels until he came across what sounded like the right frequency. Authorities alerted? No way to roll it back? Whoever this was... were they aware their comrades had rammed something through the front of the building? No amount of canceled alarms would un-alert the authorities now. They sounded... somehow not how he expected. Whoever they were... they did not strike him to be of the same sort as the man in black.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The plan? He could see her, torn between moving ahead with all her speed and power, and deferring to the tactical plan he'd presented. His eyes narrowed slightly, and he rapidly assessed the situation, head turning from the noise above, then back to her. Of what he recalled of his lessons of the Ssi-Ruu, one fact stood out above all else. Never let them get close. Withdrawing his second pistol, he spun it about in his palm to extend it to her.

"Safe, Stun, Semi, Auto."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀He spoke in hushed tones as he adjusted the pistol's selector knob, turning it to the blue circle which represented stun.

"I'll cover you."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀When... or if, she took the pistol, he'd holster his remaining one, before seizing his rifle again, flicking it over to semi-auto, prepared to follow her as she ascended, against the exterior of the stairwell, angled in such a fashion to ensure he'd see the enemy before they saw him.

 

[Ma'lur'kek'thwin]

Upper floors, inner stairwell	:LOCATION​
Save the day	:OBJECTIVE​
Open	:TAGS​

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀A potent member of her species, Ma'lur embodied the wariness of the phrase 'Never let them get close'. A body born and bred for battle, honed from a rough edge in youth to the finest spear-tip one could ask for on two (or four) legs? Any Ssi-ruu worth the salt in their blood could be. She just happened to be- in her own opinion- one of the best of them, and while she could no more hear his thoughts than he could her own, they shared the sentiment as she continued to smother her impatience as the seconds ticked by and footfalls grew more distant.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

"Safe, Stun, Semi, Auto." - "I'll cover you."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Her flinty gaze tracked the proffered sidearm, surprise crawling over her features even as her brows drew tight with newfound conviction. Dreams of big bounties in her immediate future, Ma'lur snatched the pistol up and slid it into an empty holster, nodding. "Thanks. Try to keep up." A grin hung in the air long after the Ssi-ruu bolted out of the corner, taking steps three at a time, galloping on hands and feet. Despite her size and weight, she took each hairpin turn with agile precision, and before long she put a backside silhouette to the sound of retreating footsteps.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀There you are, you little RAT.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Ma'lur slowed enough to match the- sniff- not-quite-human's pace with a little extra to close the distance, drawing back up onto two legs so she could pull the blaster, and barked out, "Try to run and I'll shoot. Try to fight, and my friend will take it personally." Barrel trained on the part-human's midsection she closed in on him with each step. And sure, she could take it personally if the hybrid fought their attempted capture, but wriggly sorts like him- she could smell wily coming off him like bantha crap- were more focused on self-preservation than anything else. The Mandalorian probably would be a better choice for non-lethal force if having the hybrid outnumbered wasn't enough.

Stevru Klamat | Eaton Waters​

 

[Eaton Waters]

The payday was up ahead. With the lockdown stopped, but the Alliance on the way, it meant he had to act quickly. Eaton had no idea what they’d do. Probably drop an army of Jedi on the place out of a Star Destroyer, threaten to level a whole city block if the teams inside didn’t surrender. A bit messy, if anyone were to ask him. But the thing was, he didn’t care. He knew once he was outside of this building, he’d blend in, as well as anyone with a bit of pearlescent skin could, and disappear. Once he got to a speeder? Then he’d be truly gone in the wind.

The trick was, he was really far behind. Rushing the stairs, he definitely kept running a hand over his necklace, the one his sister swore would help him protect himself. But in the chaos of all that was going on? He was hoping to do what he always did, and just stay down, stay hidden.

But that wasn’t what he was going to be able to do. ‘Try to run and i’ll shoot…’ Eaton put his hands up immediately. Definitely looking more the light-weight hacker type than anyone fighting he had his SCOMP in one hand, and his other hand was free and open. “Whoa whoa… Same… same side?” He hoped. He’d have to make sure they were here to rob this place.

Or he’d have to make sure he sounded pretty convincing as to why it appeared he was helping rob this place.

Ma'lur'kek'thwin Stevru Klamat