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.