Treasure Hunting (Open)

[RC 212]

Terrarium 16.​

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Near the Core Worlds​

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It was a quaint little station that had slipped the map. Over the years she had been lost, thought sunk by Pirates or even drifted far away off the edges of the map. Word had it that it had survived the Dark Harvest event and held clues in her belly as to the origin of the viral goo that had befallen so many worlds.​

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A single grid coordinate in space has made it's way into your hands. Freelancers and Salvager’s flock to the station, aiming to claim her good as their own.​

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What will you do?​

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There was too many stars to count, and Ellie couldn't begin to fathom counting them all. In fact she'd given up long ago. Between jobs as her normal courier self she was down on her luck. But that was about to change, and fast. Her main concern had been moving packages and goods from point a to point b. Now it was salvaging whatever made this station such a staple gossip among the local starports.

"R79, set the stabilizers in full. Keep us low burn."

There was a lot about space she didn't know, but what she did know was how to navigate it. And well.

*Beep-bop-bop-beep!*

"No keep the burn low, we need to save fuel."

Within moments she flipped her switch, reverting to real-space in a flash. Greeted by the magnificent sight of a sprawling station. But there was something amiss, something odd.

"Scanning now."

BEEP BEEP

"One Sith Patrol. Greattttttt."

 

[Nate Phantoms]

He had been watching the One Sith patrol for two hours now, on a recon mission to understand their flight capabilities and tactics. It was boring, and he hated sitting around when he could be blowing those fool's out the sky, and then things got interesting, another ship came out of Hyperspace, and his radar went crazy. He rose in his chair, looking out his view port.

"What the hell? They're gonna get smoked... Time to save another life,"

He spun in his chair, rerouting auxiliary power, 50% to engines, The other half to his cloaking mechanisms. He spun back around, flipping multiple switches lightning fast, using the Force to heighten his speed. Once all was ready, he cloaked his ship, and pushed forward towards the other ship. Using a trick he got when he was a Merc, he set his comm array to the other vessel, but changed it to Morse code. He turned on the comm, but since it was in Morse code, talking wasn't available, so he tapped on his radar instead, sending a series of pings on the other ship's scanners a message;

Don't move, turn of all power except for the gravity and oxygen,


[member="Eliza Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Nate the Bounty Hunter"]

Twas then that the morse code broke through and Ellie chuckled. She'd run from First Order on Belsavis and even stolen some of their goods. A One Sith patrol was formidable, but not impossible. Besides she had tricks for this kind of thing.

With a smooth gesture she flicked the power down to low and grinned into the vastness of space. Fire flashed behind her eyes and her own scanners booted up, sweeping the debris field, the station and the entire patrol. The other vessel was playing dead, which worked fine for her. A perfect set up for an ambush.

Two fingers tapped a message back as she spoke back towards the the unidentified vessel.

"Prepare for ambush, you'll know the opportunity when you see it."

The CropDuster had a few odd's and ends, but nothing beyond laser cannons.

But she did have crybaby canisters.

"R7, release decoys, activate on my mark."

One hand pushed the throttle as her feet worked pedals, keeping their angle straight and true. The YT-2400 dipped and swerved under the debris in a beautiful loop, flying below the station.

"Mark!"

Twin steel canisters rocketed out from both ends, streaming away into the darkness like spinning tops falling from a flat surface. All at once hundreds of pings crisscrossed and exploded on her scanners, the canisters scrambling signals and faking a small armada of fighters.

"Alright, here we go!"

 

[Nate Phantoms]

He got the message, smiling, he finally got to kick some One Sith ass, and many more at that too, for there were more patrols incoming, they wanted in on this old supply station. He saw the ship swoop underneath the station, and saw two canisters soar out behind her, and his scanner went haywire, it looked like a entire fleet had just come out of Hyperspace, and the One Sith Comm channel; went crazy as they all tried to figure out what the hell just happened.

"Hmm, not a bad idea."

He slammed on the throttle, sweeping in behind the Patrol, he primed his cannons, preparing to reroute power; 75% thrusters, 25% cannons. He waited for the first ship to move, and he scanned the row of fighters, anxiousness flooding through him.

"C'mon, lets go you little pansies,"

[member="Eliza Raxis"]

 

[Jsc]

An X-Wing Recon Custom exited Lightspeed into the system nearer the home star. It was a new member of the Kathol Outback. Sam Rivers. Here to inspect the cordinates to a lost space station and do a little head hunting.

"Okay R2. Let's... Whoa."

Her scanners were picking up a large number of radar signatures. Though, the heat sigs and IFFs were coming up blank. Was it an error?

"R2. Run those numbers again. I'm seeing a ton of vessels in our fly space?"

~ Dweep dwoo! ~

Sure enough. Nothing changed. Her radar was still showing multiple pings but her HUD wasn't giving her any real locations. No ion trails, no com chatter. Nothing.

"Let's bring her around and get some eyeballs on it. This is very strange indeed."

...

Rivers hit the gas and circled her Starfighter around the mess of Crybabies. Making an easy note that she was really sharing the airspace with [member="Nate the Bounty Hunter"] , [member="Eliza Raxis"] , and a horde of very confused Sith Patrol Vessels.

"Good grief!? What a mess this is!?"

She switched her ship's IFF to an old Omega Pyre signature. Ha. Now that would be confusing indeed.

 

[Bryce Bantam]

The Starr jumped back into real space with her new normal flair. Ever since installing the new hyper-drive it had been one adventure after another in engineering bodgery. At least no major system were affected, BB though as the scans of the new system came up on his command screen.

"Kark, we got hostiles! Wait another H wing. The Vixen? That's Nate's ship, and who is that with a Omega Pyre signature, are they still even a thing?"

The battle was about to be joined but for BB he was more interested in the YT-2400, the ship appeared to be in distress and floating helplessly. BB ordered Starr to flank speed toward the ship in distress with shields charged. Nate and the other ship would need to handle their business, BB was aiming to help the ship that seemed to be in distress.

 

[RC 212]

[member="Nate the Bounty Hunter"] [member="Sam Rivers"] [member="Bryce Bantam"]

Flames exploded across space as the Patrol opened fire after taking a blazing broadside from her new found friends. The deep lit up with sparkling explosions as debris whizzed in spiral patters across the battle space. The Patrol was spooked, pouring fire in every direction. Ellie grinned, twisting the yoke this way and that, strafing along the underside of the station.

"Looks like we confused em folks! I'm headed in there. Early bird gets the worm!"

*Beep boop!*

"Odd, Omega Pyre? Thought they went out of style?"

*BEEEP!"

"Whoa!"

Ellie juked hard right, pitching the Crop Duster into a fantastic end over end roll.

"Re route power to deflectors, keep em off us!"

She was searching the underside, looking for a perfect entrance. Anywhere to land and evade the Patrol was good enough for her. She was a delivery girl and an explorer. The YT-2400 was a rust bucket and ill suited to head to head.

Then she spotted it. A ventral airlock.

"Well I suppose that would work."

The Crop Duster came around for a second pass, and then slammed her reverse thrusters. Ellies quick hands roved the panel flicking switches in a rhythmic but fast pace. Lights died, the engine died and then the shields died. A docking tube extended to the airlock, and the Crop Duster went black.

 

[Nate Phantoms]

He slammed on the throttle, his newly installed engine roaring, sending him flying forward, his cannons blazing. He was tearing rough the ships like a hot knife through butter. He was giddy, and his scanners indicating another patrol was coming, and with that, a minor class star destroyer. That's wasn't going to be fun, especially now that [member="Eliza Raxis"] was out, and hopefully found what she was looking for. He thought to himself as he blasted his way through space. The best approach to stop the One Sith from taking the station was to meet them head on in the docking bay, where the shoulders of be cramped shoulder to shoulder, easy targets.

"Alright, Eliza is already ahead, but I think we should take them on in the docking bay, we are sure as hell outnumbered but they'll be cramped into the tight corridors, and that's where we pick them off... holy hell? Is that Bryce?!? Yes! BB, did you get that? You know how I am with my rifle, but that's my opinion because that cruiser is going to rip us apart."

[member="Bryce Bantam"], [member="Sam Rivers"]

 

[Jsc]

...a minor class star destroyer.

Sam noted the warp signature on the arriving vessel to the home star. A light star destroyer. Oh. Poo. And yeah. No fighting that in an X-Wing. Ha,

"Nope nope nope."

Rivers looked at her scope and easily surmised the situation. When a star destroyer appears? Yeah... You scrag dat kark and run. The moment a OS cruiser entered their system airspace she knew their game was up. That station was doomed. She activated her ship's drive for a quick escape to Lightspeed.

"See ya suckers!"

The Omega Pyre ship was out'y five thousand.

*exit thread*

 

[Nate Phantoms]

He flipped multiple switches as he noted that Sam had turn tail 'n ran, not his problem more ass to kick for himself, and Bryce, who always kicked ass with him. The cruiser opened it's hangers, and squadrons of One Sith ships flooded out into space, he sent concussions missile in an endless volley at them, watching them dissipate. He had the crazy idea of zero G jumping onto the cruiser, and taking out it's main weapon system, if he didn't, the station would be torn to shreds once they entered. He set the ship on it's course, engaging stealth mods so he could run back to his room, slip into his void suit and make the jump.

"Hey, Bryce? You wanna wreck some havoc real quick? I'm taking out their main weapons systems, so you can go make sure [member="Eliza Raxis"] is still alive, and secure all other entrances but the docking bay, Hold them there for a while, I'll make it in a few."

He placed on his helmet, priming his rifle and making sure his light saber was with him. He opened the docking ramp, the aft of the OS cruiser below him, without a moments hesitation, he vaulted out of the ship, and watched it soar back towards the station.

[member="Bryce Bantam"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Bryce Bantam"] [member="Nate the Bounty Hunter"]

In the dark there was a crackling sound as the glass inner tube of her glowstick shattered, bathing the cockpit in a neon orange light. Her breath was crystallizing which meant she had only a few moments to get into her space suit.

She jumped to her feet, pitter pattering at a trot to her gear locker and ripped it open. It was a drill she had rehearsed thousands of times, mostly to escape customs patrols when she had to dump cargo, or look like a derelict. She had a bad habit of hanging on the underside of the ship when they searched it, and hoping they wouldn't impound it.

"Suit, boots, gloves, Helmet....Seal....Check!"

She named each piece putting it on, a mantra that helped her focus.

"Alright, rucksack.... there!"

One gloved hand caught the strap and hoisted the thirty five pound rucksack up over her shoulders. She fit it like a glove. Last she scooped up her twin sawed off shotguns and made way to the hatch. The meter reacted green which was a good sign. Air on the other side at least.

It swung open, she turned the handle and pop!

She found herself in a dimly lit hall way, with nothing but rusty grey walls with the occasional carbon score for miles n' miles.

"Well time to explore."

 

[Bryce Bantam]

Dude was nuts, trying to take out a cruiser.... But what did BB expect, Nate was nothing if not creative... OK well downright crazy at times but that was one of his many charms.

"You're crazy Nate you know that right?... and for the love of the force don't get yourself killed."

No other words needed to be spoken, BB's time was limited and if he wanted to save that person on the remote station then he needed to act fast. Ordering Alexia to pilot the ship near the docked freighter he engaged his own minimal void suit and armor and prepared to jump over to the station. Not anything as reckless at Nate, a more controlled exit to the station below using the Starr's Force cylinder projectors to control him to the station.

Landing softly on the outer hull BB watched as the Starr headed out to a more safe distance to hide while BB went to work. His orders were to stay hidden till he found the crew of the disabled freighter then to race in a rescue them. A simple plan for a complex and frankly insane situation. He only hoped he had time to do so before the One Sith troopers came looking for them....

[member="Eliza Raxis"] | [member="Nate the Bounty Hunter"]

 

[Nate Phantoms]

He mag-boots made him feel like he was wearing blocks of lead instead of boots, and he batted not being able to use his speed as he pleased. The Starr soared over head, and his brow furrowed, where was Bryce then? He answered his own question as he spotted his young friend on the hull of the station, but almost got knocked over by a spinning turret on the starboard side of the OS cruiser. The barrels smacked him in the back, and with a growl and a powerful but slow swing, he severed the turret in half, kicking the dislodged piece out of his way.

"Yeah I know, but you really should check and make sure that the docking bay is functional; someone is going to have to hold them back while you go do... whatever it is your doing, and I still think that we should cram them into the bottle neck, whip their asses while we're at it too..."

He leaped through the zero gravity, landing on top of the sensor array cruiser, and he had a wicked smile on his face, and thrust the blade of his lightsaber deep into the hull, more importantly, shutting down the ship's sensors and some power in the corridors below. He struggled to move it, making a semi-circle in hull, but one he was down, the circle fell towards, and the hole created a vacuum, a few crates and the occasional solider flying out into the abyss that was space. He repeated the process, a dozen holes now in the ship. He finally made it to the bridge, where he used the force to pull some shattered OS fighter ships into the bridge, sending wickedly sharp pieces of metal through the bridge.

"There, that'll give us some time, real show about to happen kids,"

[member="Bryce Bantam"], [member="Eliza Raxis"]

 

[RC 212]

[member="Bryce Bantam"] [member="Nate the Bounty Hunter"]

There was much commotion. The station was rocking under the impacts of what she guessed were either blaster hits or actual collisions. Ellie stumbled a few feet as the very metal beneath her feet groaned and buckled, vibrations rattling her teeth. Whatever was happening was not good. The station was old, and too much more might break it apart.

Which meant it was time to move. With one of her twin sawed off in one hand and her glowstick in the other she took off running. The only sounds were the dull thumps of spacers boots echoing off the walls. The farther she went, the more carbon scores and blood trails there were.

"Wow this looks like a fun time."

She skidded to a halt, brown eyes scanning as she came to a four way.

There were no markings, no signs, but her gut began to tingle. Both ids fell heavy over her eyes as she breathed heavy shallow breaths.

Calm down, control yourself....

Her breaths began to come deeper and paths unwound in her minds eye. She traced them one by one, letting the myriad of muticolored threads fall away until she found the one that resonated the most. It was telling and pulling her with it's energy, as if some invisible cord sought to drag her towards her final destination.

Ellies eyes snapped open and she grinned.

She was on the right track to something. Again she took off, shotgun bouncing in her hand, glowstick up high...

 

[Bryce Bantam]

Meth she was on the move, BB had made his way aboard the station and seemed to be trailing the girl he was trying to help. Removing his mask he breathed in the stale air, it was cold too. Most likely the life support was working at low power if at all. Lights were out too. BB took up a large metal flashlight from his kit in one hand and the scanner in the other.

Before he moved he activated his wrist comm and signaled to Nate.

"Girl is moving deeper into the station, I have no karking idea why but I'm going in after her. Nate no heroics ok, distract that ship then get the kark out of here. I'll be joining you shortly."

[member="Nate the Bounty Hunter"] | [member="Eliza Raxis"]