Private Type A

[Delila Castillon]

"Path engines for pirates makes sense - they are pirates, it could very well be stolen. However, I don't see much to steal out here ...yet you have a point. Not to mention many in shipping could be out this way trying to avoid the Core worlds. "

Delila took jobs often avoiding the Core. Yet she could see why those with more legitimate business would also start drifting towards Levantine Space.

On edge from their little hiccup in hyperspace, she slid back into her seat in the lounge where Jared Starchaser had flipped her pazaak card. Eighteen, excellent luck. Not that she had any quarrel with Starchaser chosing a job for her.Credits were credits and being out on her own meant there was no safety net, nothing to fall back upon.

"Eighteen. I think I will hold." A small pause. "I'm sure your ship is large enough to hold farm beasts for a trip."

 

[Jared Starchaser]

The Sanctum had a lot of worlds. Places people could disappear to, and mostly, avoid the wars of the galaxy. Sure, someone could find their worlds, but were they going to? Rarely. If you knew where they were, sure, or if you were damned good at astrogation and feeling the gravity in hyperspace. It was what brought the first explorers out here. As for pirates? A path engine could get people all over the place. “I mean, its bad, if they do have it. Disappear from the main galaxy and become our problem. Suppose its why the Levants still hire mercs and have our patrols.” He nodded.

Jared was a Core boy, but he preferred it out here. When he looked back at the table, and the 18 on it, he shook his head.

“Yeah yeah yeah… I guess it is up to you. And it depends on which ship, I suppose. And which beasts.” What was she going to put him into? A ting in the Force gave him a bit of a tug towards the cockpit. “I think we’re going to, unfortunately, call you winner. Unless you want to go double or nothing. And we’re about to hit real space, and actually see what we’re up against…” Jared stood and turned back for the pilot’s seat.

"Strap in."

Delila Castillon

 

[Delila Castillon]

"Nothing major, just a herd of nerfs. It will be nice to see a pretty boy like yourself trying to wrangle them. I may even record it for my personal amusement."

What Jared Starchaser didn't know was she wasn't going to make him go through with it. Half of the fun had been unexpectedly winning and watching him bemoan his luck. Or he may be stubborn enough to actually go through with it. Truth he told, she didn't expect to encounter him again after this assignment, so she wouldn't even know what job he took on next in all actuality.

"We can always double or nothing later. Business first."

The redhead took her place in the copilots chair, strapping in as they approached real space. She always did - the crash years ago made her wary on safety. Besides, it only took one moment to unhook from the restraints. Her green-blue gaze looked over the control panels as they reverted, and good thing she was watching. Alarms immediately filled the cabin.

"Proximity sensor is off the charts, picking up something big."

Jared Starchaser

 

[Jared Starchaser]

Nerfs, on his ship? He just spent the past year rebuilding it. Sure, parts were cheaper when he got them, and labor was mostly free. But it was still his home, his ship. The Warden shook his head but still laughed. “I am not all that pretty, still know how to get my hands dirty.” Not that he preferred it. He was a pilot first, and a hunter second. A rancher… well, that was last.

“Well, at least you’ll be there to witness it, can’t be all bad.” He said, more in passing. Would hold her to seeing it, at least. And then they could talk more. Compare how to survive in this wild galaxy.

Maybe he’d get lucky on the next draw and hit 20. But then they’d be loading her ship up? Or… well, maybe that and doing a bit of a fact finding mission for the Levants. So many worlds were still so disconnected. And that was something he could help… But did she even have the right path engine?

Hitting real space the rented ship went through a lurch as they entered the system. “What is it?” Jared was looking at the screen then looked up, used to his haulcraft and its bubble cockpit, to see what was above or to their side. “Anything?” He said as he steadied the ship and made to be as controlled and heading to the planet as possible. They didn’t need to look like heroes right away.

“Hopper, what do we have for guns on this thing…” Always good to be prepped.

Delila Castillon

 

[Delila Castillon]

"Not sure....its not super close but its certainly making its way towards us..."

Delila checked a few sensors, flipping back and forth, trying to determine what the threat could be, if anything. Sometimes it was just wayward cargo ships or massive passenger liners that tended to pop up and cause alarm, at least in her experience. This wasn't either one of those though, unless it was repurposed.

"Scans indicate a Tuz-class battlecruiser. Haven't seen one of those in awhile...absolutely massive too, drifting this way. A governmental patrol ship? A religious sect? Not many can afford to maintain those out here. I would say pirates but they would have already plucked us out of the sky by now...we're just coming into range."

Dells paused and looked up from the console to Jared Starchaser .

"Perhaps just fly casual."

 

[Jared Starchaser]

Jared was still looking for the ship. But it was either too close, or too oddly placed to be in his visual scanning. Stopping himself from looking a fool, he got back on the controls, and hit one to stop the frakking alarm. He was here to deliver the goods, and well, help the settlers out however he could. His mind was on his lightsaber, but he also had the goods, and his co-pilot to worry on.

She wasn’t going to die in this ship, at least.

“Isn’t that a Mon Cal design? Whats it doing out here?” Not a huge surprise, Levants had many a Mon Cal inspired starcruiser, but this one was a Silver Jedi ship, he thought. Couldn’t be a good thing. “Doubt the Levants can afford a ship that big as a patrol ship. Tends to be the Ruistos.” He looked back at Dells as he rose an eyebrow. Yeah yeah, he could fly casual.

As he continued on his course, the ship started to hail them.

“Cargo ship. Identify yourself and purpose on Raevana.”

Jared looked to Hopper and Delila and grabbed the comm. “This is cargo freighter Aurek Seven. On route with foodstuffs and medical supplies.” Calm, collected. And actually, surprisingly for a Starchaser, not a lie.

Delila Castillon

 

[Delila Castillon]

"No...not a patrol ship. I wonder if its a refugee ship. Or a settler's ship."

The alarms thankfully stopped and Delila watched the sensor readings. It didn't appear they would be fired upon, which so far was a blessing. Didn't mean they wouldn't be boarded in short order but that would be a bridge they could cross when they came to it. They didn't even know what the ship was or who it was with or what it stood for.

At one point she was shoot first, ask questions later type. Age and experience had tempered her to stop and ask a few questions.

"Old spacers have told me there are settlers in these parts. Manifest destiny types. Real rough stuff too - off grid to the extreme because the infrastructure isn't there. This is an expensive ship but doesn't mean they didn't pool money to use it. Or buy it. Settling takes a lot of equipment and cargo. Makes sense they would have such a large vessel."

“Cargo ship. Identify yourself and purpose on Raevana.”

Dells waited while the other vessel was to answer. A question tossed to Jared Starchaser .

"Raevana is having problems? I haven't been this way in some time."

 

[Jared Starchaser]

“Hopefully a settler’s ship. Could always be worse.” Part of him wanted to reach out to the ship to see what it was in the Force. But he didn’t have the time for that. And who knew what or who was watching for him to just do that. Shaking his head, he eyed over at Delila for a second. He had a sneaking suspicion they’d be getting boarded. Not what he wanted today to go like.

As he identified his own ship, or well, their ship, the larger vessel was scanning them. Hopper pointed it out at first and Jared nodded, shushing the excited explorer droid. Flipping a few switches, to spool the engine for a burst, he wanted to make sure they were identifying a landing zone.

“See if you can find anywhere to put down. Somewhere we can find again, or send the locals to. I don’t like the look of this ship.” He said to Delila as the larger vessel loomed and the radio crackled.

“Cargo shuttle. This is Followers of the Bryn ship Darkness Rises.” Jared looked at Delila and rolled his eyes. Calm but also in a mocking way. “Power down your shields and prepare for boarding.”

“Seems like.” He said as he pushed the ship forward, and the tractor beam caught them, like he suspected. “Powering up still… Hold on.” The engine was pulling power from shields, but it would hopefully be enough to break the tractor lock. "Now!" Jared said as he hit the throttle again, the ship leaping, Struggling...

Delila Castillon

 

[Delila Castillon]

"Oh a cult ship. What fun."

Sarcasm laced her tone. They were settlers alright but certainly the wrong kind they wanted to mess with. Dells had never heard of them but who in their right mind followed the Bryn? If they were boarded it would spell disaster. Certain death. The ship was far too large to actually take on the crew and she didn't have her weapons cache.

"Hold on...."

A few touches on the controls and she plunged them into darkness. She cut the power to everything but the engines and rear shields. The vessel sputtered and shook for a moment while it tried to escape the tractor beam then suddenly shot out like a rocket. They were free from the constraints of the Followers of Bryn.

Delila didn't change the power settings. Not yet. They still had to get away first.

"Head to the far end of the planet. Where there is more vegetation."

 

[Jared Starchaser]

“Never frakking fails…” Jared muttered under his breath. He tried to be cool and collected as often as he could, bt it didn’t always work that way. The sometimes-saboteur-sometimes-hunter was always ready for a fight, but he preferred to avoid them as long as he could. Was why he’d turned to fighting monsters that weren’t sentient. These ones? Well…

Maybe not too far above, if they worshipped the Bryn’adul.

And what they were in wasn’t the sleek shuttle, or even one of the Starchaser tuned freighters. Jared rolled his eyes. He definitely summoned this, thinking it’d be a blue milk run. Looking over to his co-pilot, he nodded. As the ship plunged into darkness, he was watching the engines. Pushing the throttle, they launched. Grabbing the controls, even if a ship this size did pilot itself half the time, Jared looked over.

When she spoke, Jared nodded, and listened. “Far side. Got it. They’re going to be tracking us. But can drop the supplies, maybe they’ll follow us.” Still completes the mission. "Can you prep a drop? And then go find your weapons?" Jared grinned at her. "Hopper, get a tracker on the supplies."

Delila Castillon

 

[Delila Castillon]

"Yes, they'll follow us but we have an advantage. We can disappear into the thick vegetation. It's going to scrape up the ship but we will be visually obscured. Theirs ship is too big to set down close. They may have freighters though."

Unbuckling herself, she had brought items from Solitude over. Not enough to go against a large vessel for of cult followers. Just enough to keep herself out of trouble. Maybe pass a gun over to Jared Starchaser but nothing crazy. Not liking being out of her crash webbing, there were a few shaky steps in the cockpit. It was still dark.

"I'm not turning on life support either. Take less breaths. We'll be fine til we get to the surface."

Leaving the cockpit, she had placed the few weapons she had brought along in the cargo hold. Time to prepare to drop the supplies and leave the borrowed ship very,very quickly.

 

[Jared Starchaser]

Advantages were always nice. “Yeah, and well, got me behind the stick here too.” Jared couldn’t help but grin. He was self confident but not to the point of folly. He’d been in simulators since he was five years old, mostly old SoroSuub ships, or TIE models before he took up the Tachyon Rising and other vessels. Some near 25 years later, Jared was a natural with any starship. Or, really any vehicle.

“Through the vegetation, got it.” He changed his grip on the ships’s controls, as he looked at her. There was turbulence, and he was doing his best to make it so she would be fine to walk.

“I got the ship,. Move.” He was being short, but only in the way to make sure he wasn’t taking up too much air. The ship entered atmosphere and Jared kept speeding to the tree tops, just above them, looking for a clearing to get the drop fo supplies, before luring the cultists into a place where he and Delila stood a chance.

Delila Castillon

 

[Delila Castillon]

Heading back to the cargo hold, Delila didn't mind the bluntness or brusque nature Jared Starchaser was displaying. It was a tense situation and one they were trying to survive. Carefully reaching the cargo hold, she set to work quickly. Straps were quickly unhooked from the crates they had carefully secured before they left. Without much regard, they were thrown to the side.

Deafening noise hit the ship as they dipped into the vegetation. Rocking back and forth, it was difficult to control movements as she worked. Unlocking the cleats from decking floor, the supplies were free. Now it was just a matter of dropping them - hopefully it would get the cultists off their six and put their attention on collecting them.

She felt a little bad the settlers would be missing supplies but such was the nature of life out this way. Harsh. Unpredictable.

"Hey, Starchaser, anytime! Open the cargo hold and I'll push it out."

Dells had no idea where they were. Or what it looked like outside. If she opened the cargo hold and started dropping, Starchaser may not be in a position to find somewhere for them to go. Patience was key if they wanted a good chance of actually getting out alive.

 

[Jared Starchaser]

Deep breath and a refocus. “Any chance you think they’ll take us as bait?” He was hoping that was going to be the case. If not, they could always come around and take out the pirates. Jared had a soft spot for settlers, those looking to make a living for themselves out in the depths of space. It was why he was working as a Levant Sentry, taking the fight to the raiders and the monsters that affected settlements that couldn’t help themselves. A rugged blaster system, and his lightsaber against whatever he found.

When he had a ship and a swoop bike? It gave him even more ways to protect others.

“You strapped in?” He called back, looking over his shoulder, not that he’d see all the way into the cargo hold, but the muscle memory of it was what he was doing, speaking to someone else. He felt the tree hit the shields and he rotated the ship slightly as he pushed the throttle. Once he was satisfied she was strapped in, he reached up to hit a control that opened the cargo door. “Keep the most valuable one.” Just in case they started stealing, he wanted to get something to those that needed it.

Jared started to get the guns warmed up as he kept flying low.

Delila Castillon

 

[Delila Castillon]

Delila didn't have time to answer. Strap down? How else would the cargo get out the back? She wasn't a fool, just don't get close to the edge. Delila figured there were dampeners that would keep in her in the ship just long enough. Carefully, she worked on pushing out the first cargo section. A good heave towards the end of the vessel and the repsular lifts would do the rest.

"First one away!"

She would wait a moment before dumping out a second cargo section. They had a third but that was the best one. The one they would need to keep and not waste on a potential getaway. Perhaps in a very much life or death situation but they weren't there just quite yet. Moving towards the wall, she slapped the ramp closed, dumping cargo was always quicker than expected.

The little borrowed milk run ship shook as they hit the trees. Not wanting to risk it, she stopped to strap into a jump seat in the cargo hold. It was difficult to tell when Jared Starchaser would set down the vessel. She couldn't see. Didn't know if their little diversion worked. Basically she was relying on him to make the judgement call and she would act accordingly from there.

Shouting up front and asking questions would only distract.

 

[Jared Starchaser]

Jared was watching from the cameras. It was splitting his attention which wasn’t, well, the greatest. The fact that they were being chased meant he wasn’t able to focus on Delila but he could see the cargo being dropped. He heard and saw the first one go as he pitched the ship to the side, shields up, but the pirates seemed to be less interested in firing as they saw the cargo dropping. Jared looked to his droid, and heard a beep, one that reflected the fact that the droid was taking a positioning snapshot.

When he heard her, he changed their direction gently, looking to get them over another partial clearing in order for the other to be dropped. Looking at the vid of the cargo hold, he nodded. She had this she was tied in. Another laser blast hit the shields before the second container dropped. Another beep from Hopper.

Jared reached forward and started to close the cargo door, before pitching the ship to head for higher atmosphere. The ships were moving away from their tale, and he could use this to get them.

“Need you in the guns.” He called as he took the ship almost into the clouds before turning it’s hulkier size, in a starfighter maneuver, in a ship not built for that, around quickly to get behind the enemy.

Setting a trap, as long as he and Delila could work together well enough.

Delila Castillon

 

[Delila Castillon]

Listening to his instructions, she started to unbuckle herself despite the wild maneuvers he was pulling. Her last vessel, the Saegassum, was a massive modified cargo freighter that had been painstakingly put together to pull off more wild maneuvers in the sky. This vessel didn't seem much different, as it wasn't built for what wild moves he was trying to pull off.

"Doing my best!"

Getting there was the challenge. It was a bit slide around the corridors to get to the turrets. It wasn't a matter of controlling them. That was second nature as her job as a copilot - running the guns. It was only taking a few seconds to get things online and familiar. Most were set up very similar unless it was a military vessel.

"Hope you know what you're doing."

Targeting on, she focused on the Followers of Bryn ship now in front of them. Cannon fire was focused on taking out one of their engines. If she could cut out their maneuverability or power, they would be in a much better position to either lose the ship or knock them out of the sky.

Jared Starchaser

 

[Jared Starchaser]

Fighting pirates was easier than fighting a full military. Jared had his ships and fighters and did what he could, but he preferred to see if he could get away from them. The Warden had zero intent on allowing the pirates to make it away with the product. They were for the settlers. And that meant he was going to have to be a bit aggressive. Something he was well versed in. Jared had no qualms in firing on other ships, or using his lightsaber on the parties that deserved it.

The ship’s inertial compensators were really garbage but well, they shouldn’t be pulling these moves in atmosphere anyway. “Going to line us up for some good runs on the pirates. Hope you’re as hot in the guns as you say.”

Didn’t want to miss a shot and lose the delivery that they were literally paid to deliver. “Just take them out before they get the goods, or us.” Jared said, falling into himself, and feeling the air. Not quite a leaf on the wind, but he was a bird of prey making the dive. Feeling the wind, feeling the resistance, and where he should be.

He was a Warbird, after all.

Delila Castillon

 

[Delila Castillon]

By now she was used to the controls inside the turret. Basic but it had been some time since she had manned the guns in a ship that wasn't the Saegassum. Muscle memory was taking over in the foreign environment, training kicking in as it should. Dells was feeling better about their chances - marginally. The other ship had many more crew members and she assumed many more guns. Always a concern in the back of the mind.

"Just focus on flying!"

Delila never liked when anyone spoke too much during these tense situations. In her mind she wanted the pilot focused - just an old fear from her time after the crash, even though that had been her fault. Perhaps a touch of anxiety or superstition there.

Focused in her own task, she put one of the turrets on automatic fire, locking the Follower's vessel in as an enemy target. The main cannon she was controlling, and Jared Starchaser was now full steam ahead running into the vessel, as if playing one big game of nuna. She knew the front shields would be active and at full power, making things even more difficult. Instead she focused her fire on an aft engine, rapidly firing into the core.

Thunk Thunk Thunk

On the fourth thunk the aft engine exploded brilliantly and black smoke trailed from the back of the pirate's vessel.

 

[Jared Starchaser]

Focus on flying? Oh, is that what she wanted him to do? Jared couldn’t help but laugh when he heard that. The Warden of the Sky was basically born to pilot starships. And this one was no different. It was bigger, sure, larger than his smaller haulcraft and bulk freighters, but it wasn’t all that large.

Just ungainly in atmosphere. Still, as he was in control, Jared got them into position behind the ships. His hands were a white knuckle grip on the controls as he searched down the ship. Waiting for himself to be lined up, he was about to call for her to be ready but then he heard the lovely sounds of the ship’s cannon. Watching the shots, he kept the ship as lined up as he could, trying his best to predict what he was seeing before him.

When the engine exploded, Jared grinned. Nice shot he thought, but knew calling back, he’d be lost, and he didn’t actually have the intercom turned on yet. Pulling the ship from his pursuit, he watched the other vessel on its way into the forest below.

“Lets mark that location, figure we will need to send a team to collect whatever records they can. Hopper, where were the boxes dropped?”

The droid beeped and hooked its SCOMP into the navigation and gave Jared a few pings. And as he read the screen he was informed which button was the ship’s intercom. Good. Flipping that switch, Jared spoke again.

“Not bad for a retiree!”

Delila Castillon