When you need a Friend - Call me (FWC, ML)

[Theo Vereen]

The Thranta Class War Cruiser was nearing Metal Lords space ever since early this morning a message had been broadcast over and over from Denon.

A broken message about rogues, attack, assistance none of it made sense but since it was Metal Lords and that [member="HK-36"] was a friend of his mothers' he did not waste time in sending a patrol towards their space. He was preparing to order the ship to cross the border and make it's way to Denon.

What would he find there? Droids warring on Droids? Rogue Droids warring on Droids either way he felt outnumbered before even getting there. Droids he had nothing against them but he did have concerns they could be stronger and faster. That could put his people in harm's way Alderaani were willing to die for peace but were they willing to die for droid peace if necessary.

He felt eyes around the bridge slowly glancing over at him. "yeah...we need to look into it. Its our duty to a group who have helped us in the past. We don't just abandon friends no matter what." He shrugged surely they understood it the meaning of friends, of loyalty..yeah he saw it in their eyes they got it.

"Ok take us to Denon and let's announce to them that we are on our way"

The trek across the expanse of space would feel like forever.

"3 hours till we make Denon Sir."

Theo could only nod.

Spoiler

[member="Alasdair Sitra"]
[member="Alessandro Waak'Tu"]
[member="Alexander Sannes"]
[member="Andulf Nicholas Teraan"]
[member="Bazette Royalblaze"]
[member="Brad Solo"]
[member="Cal Sedaire"]
[member="Camellia Swift"]
[member="Delila Castillon"]
[member="Draco Vereen"]
[member="Dresden Verbrennung"]
[member="Elpsis kerrigan-alcori"]
[member="Fiore de Noir"]
[member="Gilamar Skirata"]
[member="Hadleigh Purkis"]
[member="HK-36"]
[member="Jada Raxis"]
[member="John Ash"]
[member="Joza Perl"]
[member="Kaida Taldir"]
[member="Kosu Goram"]
[member="Liliane"]
[member="Lucien Dolos"]
[member="Maria Natalja"]
[member="Matthew Calderon"]
[member="Myles Davorak"]
[member="Nima Tann"]
[member="Rashae"]
[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]
[member="Sirius Nova"]
@taryc ap'lrae
[member="Tek Sidereal"]
[member="Thalia Rist"]
[member="Vaena Askari"]
[member="Vanja Del'Vaan"]
[member="Von Kyux"]
[member="Allana Badeaux"]
[member="Relina Zhan"]
[member="Songbird"]
[member="Acaleus Thorn"]
[member="Cecile Miraxus"]
[member="Cato Fett"]
[member="Tahiri Veya"]
[member="Chekīta Kaie"]
[member="Jyoti Nooran"]
[member="AceReplica"]
[member="Gabriel Sionoma"]
[member="RadioWhisper"]
[member="Cecily Demici"]
[member="Noah Corek"]
[member="Duke Heston"]
[member="Ty Ax'lah"]
[member="Minna"]
[member="Damian Starchaser"]
[member="Thom Betna"]
[member="Marina DeVoe"]
[member="Orn Pharr"]
[member="SN-1411"]
[member="Sor-Jan Xantha"]
[member="AD-8"]
@ra'a'mah
[member="Jim Pehico"]
[member="Mercutio"]
[member="Duke Kyle DeVoe"]
[member="Lord Mettallum"]
[member="Tavi Riley"]
[member="Errreembuhr"]
[member="Jaius Sovv"]
@queen stardust raxis

 

[Chekīta Kaie]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Chekita was unsure of the position they where in, let along what was going on with the Metal Lords, true it was not uncommon to be given assignments with so many unknowns, herself having been in that salutation a few time, though that did not mean she liked it. Even with the prospect of an upcoming battle and a chance to stretch her battle limbs again going in blind was a large no no in her book, more so with other people on the chopping book.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Standing to the side in her black camo battle master armor Chekita's eyes fell on [member="Theo Vereen"] as he conversed with some other personal, the skull faced pattern over the T shaped visor common for Mandaloian(ish) armor to have probably looked a little intimidating. "Any word on what we are doing here"? she asked in a muffled low voice, the answer would probably be no, but it was best to ask and not get your answer then never ask and not know for sure.[/SIZE]

 

[Theo Vereen]

[member="Chekīta Kaie"]

Theo shook his head, "no everything out is garbled and makes no sense. These Metal Lords aren't usually so cryptic. Least in my experience. The one [member="HK-36"] is a friend of my mother's but I don't know him or any of his....friends. Have you seen them?"

He came close once to meeting them but at the last minute they had pulled his ship back and nothing came of it. He couldn't mention that through all the gibberish came the words rogue. The thought of a rogue metal lord was a bit chilling. Afterall they weren't organic they were droids. Sentient droids.

Guess it couldn't be too bad, sentient droids, clones rights, the galaxy was changing. He didn't mind change not at all. He minded the unknown and this is what they were looking at, the unknown.

 

[Chekīta Kaie]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Chekita returned a small shake of the head, "Na un, never really went into Metal Lord controlled space before, let along meet one, but driod are supposed to be smart, so I am guessing it is bad news that we can't get in touch with them properly". Whatever had happened must be a serious case though for the core worlds under the Metal Lords, as such Chekita tried to prepare as much as she could, but alas there was always, always one thing that slipped the mind or could not be prepared for, and with sentient droids, well that could be anything.[/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt] "So we going in loud and proud, or would it be wise to send a small team down to scope things out, call for back up if needed and avoid any butt fuckings"? Last thing she wanted was this whole thing to be an elaborate trap of some kind that resulted in everyone abroad this ship winding up dead.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt][member="Theo Vereen"][/SIZE]

 

[Theo Vereen]

[member="Chekīta Kaie"]

"You're right. It's bad news." He smiled at Chekita, "I think a nice little group that doesn't make a lot of noise should go in and see what's the scoop"

He winked at her indicating they maybe they should be the group afterall they were standing there listening, and he suspected they both had the idea about not being idle.

"You want to go Ms. Kaie? Shall we check it out?" He had only worked with Laira in the past so working with someone else would be new. He watched her face she was serious and if she didn't know what she was doing she wouldn't be here. That was a comfort she wouldn't have to be told everything, and she'd have suggestions.

He turned to head towards the door, was she going to come with him? He felt that for certain she would.

 

[Chekīta Kaie]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Chekita would have returned a smile of her own, but she was always smiling and not like Theo would be able to see her face anyways, "Secret ops coming right up should get a suppressor for this one". One thing she could do though was get the message though the small wink, great minds thought alike it seemed, "Of course I would like to go, I am not decked out in armor for no reason, though perhaps I should change into something more subtle, my old outfit may be a bit better then my current". Sentate commando mix Mando armor was not the most sneaking for of attire, her older ACS suit would do much better, more so with its sensors scrambling abilities and what, good for avoiding droids. "Give me 15 and I will join you for departure, best not keep the metal lords waiting any longer[/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]".[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt][member="Theo Vereen"][/SIZE]

 

[Theo Vereen]

[member="Chekīta Kaie"]

"Oh I thought the armor was just to draw attention really. You know decorative. a Girl thing" He was teasing her of course he knew very well that she was ready to go fight in her armor. But he also knew they needed to blend in, well as much as they could down there by themselves. They didn't look like droids, at all.

"Great, meet you on the fight deck" He nodded as he made to get ready. Blaster yes, and maybe one of those new memetic cloaks though he did think them a bit girly it might come in handy. Yeah he would pull one from the lockers before boarding.

They would be silent and try to fit in, great minds did think alike it seemed. He didn't want to be stuck on board and neither did she.

He stood by the shuttle ready to bo, leaning back he rested watching for Chekita to join him.

 

[Chekīta Kaie]

[SIZE=10.5pt]"I will not lie sort of an art person, my favorite painting material though is usually blood, but in my off time I try and make my clothing as sinister looking as possible". She knew the man was joking and so too was she, well mostly, the part about the making her clothes look sinister was correct, and the blood part as well, though she was really the artsy type, well not compared to some Mandalorians that is, now they, they had taste. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Parting ways Chekita quickly made her way to the armory, swamping out the high class battle master armor for her old black camo colored outfit, "Wearing this makes me feel a few years younger, hmmm a bit tighter then I remember, may have to adjust the straps a little after this op". Grabbing her carbine, side arm and other gadgets the Mandalorian made her way back to the main hanger bay, now wearing the more body armor looking outfit with a balaclava in place of a helmet, walking over to [member="Theo Vereen"] as he stood near the shuttle.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]"Locked loaded and ready to roll, we goo to head out now or we waiting for someone"?[/SIZE]

 

[Theo Vereen]

[member="Chekīta Kaie"]

"Blood you say so your favorite color is red? That color has lots of meaning, anger, pain, love" Theo smiled, "Well I wish I knew which color I favored the most. Blue, green, deep purple, maybe even a burnt orange." He glanced to Chekita again.

He was waiting looking up to the ceiling and whistling a soft tune as he looked there. It was an intricate pattern for certain, not real artsy but the criss cross pattern had an elegance to it.

Her voice broke through his ceiling gazing, "We are good to go can you fly?" He could pilot but he was secure enough in his own skin to ask someone else if they wanted to take control.

 

[Chekīta Kaie]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Joining [member="Theo Vereen"] once more she decided to answer the question posed before their small parting, "Well red is one of my favorite colours, I have definitely been around quite a lot of it, though purple is a close one as well, not sure why, just like purple", probably one of the few girl things about the tom boy Mandaloiran "As for flying I have a good hand around it, just don't expect any ace stunts and what not, ain't that skilled as of yet", she remarked in a rather lazy but humors tonne, combat boots clanking against the metal floor as shr strode towards the Theo. "If ya want I can take the wheel, not really bothered how we get there, as long as I get to have some fun with my gun".[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt][member="Theo Vereen"][/SIZE]

 

[WD-334]

Denon​

​

Again they had been struck A force against the Metal Lords had attacked them, and with such ferocity. The military of the Metal Lords had taken a great hit, some had gone rogue. But the main at fault...the Exiled One. The Banished Lord. The name rang in the droid brain of WD-334. It was because of that Banished Lord WD had a new body, and lost it's ships. The Banished Lord had turned the droid on it's own, and the Metal Lords since then had been thrown into disarray. And WD felt at fault somewhat. For letting it's guard down.

Aboard one of @Ra'a'mah's merchant ships, the droid remained in one of the holds, a space large enough to hold his massive body. It's body based more for on ship action was deactivated, needed no use for now. They had barely escaped, the Merchant Fleet. This was one of the only things that remained since the large scale attack. When it had happened, they had sent for help from the FWC. And still they waited, in case rogue forces caught up to them.

[member="Chekīta Kaie"] [member="Theo Vereen"]

 

[Theo Vereen]

[member="Chekīta Kaie"] | [member="WD-334"]

"I bet you do a lot of good things with your hands" Theo didn't know why he said that but he did and it was too late to take it back. "Red for mandalorians has a meaning though honor your parent...are you honoring a parent if you don't mind my asking." He began walking they needed to move along and figure out what was happening.

"Ace stunts..you mean no loop da loops, well color me disappointed" he smiled. He was trying to be funny and be relaxed. Whatever was happening you just didn't know what the outcome would be and if this was his last day he wanted Chekita to have a good memory of him not something stuffy and stiff.

He laughed again, "you know in ranger school they make us sing this song, 'this is my weapon this is my gun this is for fighting this is for fun." He didn't stop to wait to see if she got it, "you can fly I'll watch." he wanted to watch as they made their descent see if anything stood out, or screamed look at me for a clue.

 

[Chekīta Kaie]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Good things with her hands? that was a very suggestive comment, earning a many a raised eyebrows in a 'oh' fashion, many would probably be a little creeped out, but Chekita decided to play along. "I can do a lot of things with my hands, some best left unknown", she replied in a rather odd tone of voice as she walked into the shuttle, "As for honoring my family, well half and half, recently after the many civil wars that forced my imitate family to leave Mandalore I decided to return as a new heir took control over clan Awuad". [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]"Well excuse me or not being a stunt pilot, more better and bringing thee things down then flying them, but perhaps I can take lesson", it was not like she lacked for time, more just focusing on other more intimidate skills. Taking a seat in the cock pit her eyes scanned the controls, getting a feel for how to fly the craft, letting out a small laugh as the small rhyme that the 'rangers' apparently used. "Oh that is a good, I am guessing one is an actual weapon for war, the other is a weapon for the bed room"? It made sense, more so with some men referring to their junk as lightsabres or heavy blasters, loaded and ready to fire.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Powering up the engines the craft lifted off the hanger bay floor, idling towards the exit and into open space, "Just a word of advice, keep your weapon to yourself during the mission, being good with my hands is not something I just give out for fun".[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt][member="Theo Vereen"][/SIZE]

 

[Riamah]

Knowing they were beaten, Ra instinctively knew the Metal Lords needed to leave their holdings behind. Time would be there when they could return and retake what was theirs, after they recovered though.

The attacking droids had focused on the battle and warships. Her small fleet wasn't a threat so it was left alone. She had no real armaments or weapons, just enough fighters to keep her fleet safe under normal conditions. Conditions weren't normal right now though and they were fleeing.

A message had been sent to the Free Worlds Coalition for potential assistance, but they were unsure if it was heard or going to be answered.

Within one of her holds, was the deactivated Metal Lord of WD. In a way, it might be because of him they were fleeing. Not a personal fault, but something that had happened to him before. Nothing Ra had a clear understanding of, but an idea only. Either way, he was fixed and had a new body to work with. He was himself. How many others had made it, she did not know either. HK had disappeared and took his fleet with him. Maybe in pursuit of the enemy that brought this fight to them or something else only he knew about.

Denon had been the first place hit and that is where Ra took her fleet. Here the enemy had already left and for now, it was safe to be there.

[member="Chekīta Kaie"] [member="Theo Vereen"] [member="WD-334"]

 

[WD-334]

WD-334 knew it had been some time since the hit against the Metal Lord forces around Denon. With it's 3PX protocol droid body nearby, WD began to activate itself through it to speak to @Ra'a'mah. The droid then stalked through the ship to where it would find her. It took some time as it did not know where exactly the human woman was. But eventually, the droid found her aboard the ship they were on. It bowed towards her, and let her know it was there with a low toned beep.

"Help, has it arrived yet?" the droid asked to her. It could not guess how she must have been feeling, for the droid did not have feelings like humans did. It lacked emotion. "Our forces are low. Another strike will surely destroy us." And WD-334, with none of it's own ships left would be able to do nothing to help unless they were boarded. Even then the droid's battle body was still a tad bit too large to fit through most of the ship.

[member="Chekīta Kaie"] [member="Theo Vereen"]

 

[Theo Vereen]

[member="Chekīta Kaie"]

Best left unknown he almost stepped over to say oh really well..maybe you can show me...but then he decided to pass on that comment. no nope no he wouldn't do it. "YOu're an Alor tough gig from what my father says. My family has ties to Mandalore as well but because most of my family has a touch of the force well we got the message so we haven't returned." He had never been to Mandalore and he had heard his parents talk about it.

Mostly though he listened to his Tia she had stories that made you want to see it. Tia Rianna, Civil War, and loss of Mandalore all in one sentence made him sad took away his sarcasm for a moment or two. Life was so short at times never knowing what was around the corner. His Tia had not seen the death of her husband.

He laughed though when she got to the stunt pilot, "Well brush up for next time." He smiled he was teasing still of course.

"Yes Mam I don't take it out on missions unless....well necessary. We can tend to business it's all good." It had worked getting her talk and breaking the ice.

Yeah, "maybe we can get a signal from them."

Once in the ship he started looking for a signal, "Didn't HK have this merchant fleet?" He couldn't understand, "What do you think of a wide band call seeing who is out there?"

[member="WD-334"] | @Ra'a'mah

 

[Chekīta Kaie]

​Got the message, yes the whole banning force user thing for the Mando Empire, for a warrior culture one would think having an elite group like that would be a good thing, but discrimination and all, was it due to all the past wars? She honestly did not know, her own family breaking ties with the empire until the new Awud clan leader themselves cut off from the rising faction, but that was talk for another time, now was work and flirt.

​"I will brush up on my flying skills if there is someone who can teach me, as for your weapon, well if we do get into a situation where that IS necessary I will not complain, after all many things can happen on the battle field". ​Leaving with that is was back to the task at hand, [member="Theo Vereen"] hypothesising about getting a signal out, ​"might as well give it a go, even if we don't get a reply from HK or a metal lord it someone else who may know a thing or two could catch wind". Reaching over she turned on the ships communication array, giving a small nod to the man, permitting him to speak.

[member="WD-334"] (licks) [member="Ra'a'mah"]

 

[Riamah]

The message HK had initiated in transmitting continued to do that along with one from Ra herself. Hers may not have been a call for support for a conflict, but a call for aid none the less. Homes would be needed to be found for herself, her people and other droids with her. A request to meet at the wreckage of what was left the Denon space station was sent and here they waited.

Her fleet had remained almost unscathed since it wasn't devoted to war. The ships she had as part of her fleet were filled with what refuges she was able to rescue from their previous holdings. Those that wanted to come with her. The organics really didn't have a home anymore so most of them came with her.

Their various calls and messages were sent almost on repeat and communications were left open to reception. Nothing having been sent to the Metal Lord's Merchant Fleet, Ra had no idea anybody was on the way.

Turning to WD as he approached through the body of another droid, Ra listened to him before answering. At the moment, she was in more of a shocked state than anything else. During the various attacks, she had maintained a level head and clear thoughts. She didn't allow her feelings to cloud her judgement and kept them in check. Even if she had wanted to lash out, they did not know what she was and that needed to be kept secret.

She shook her head before speaking, "no, we have heard no word yet on help. I brought us back to Denon since it is already destroyed. There's no logical reason for the Banished One to return here. My friend, I think we will be safe for a time here. At least until we learn if our call for help is being answered."

Letting out a sigh, if he would have had emotion or been an empath, then he would have felt just how sad Ra was.

[member="Chekīta Kaie"] [member="Theo Vereen"] [member="WD-334"]

 

[Theo Vereen]

[member="Chekīta Kaie"]

Theo shook his head ok she could give as good as she got, "I can teach you fly loop da loops. As for the weapon....time will tell" Theo turned to begin putting out the wide band message. If anyone was out there they'd get a hit of the signal.

He had a little problem how to word this so that he got the right response.

Hmm.

"This is the Coalition Task force looking for HK-36 or anyone from the Metal Lords. Is anyone within the vicinity?" Ok it was eloquent or diplomatic but it was to the point. Now they'd have to see if they got a message.

@Ra'a'mah | [member="WD-334"]

 

[WD-334]

WD-334 in it's protocol droid body stood by @Ra'a'mah's side. That was when a transmission was received. WD tapped into the ships mainframe to hear it. Then the droid glanced to Ra. Did she wish to answer? The droid stepped back, giving her the chance to. This was her fleet after all, and WD for now was just along for the ride. "It is the Coalition...our help has arrived." But with the shape the fleet was in, and lack of military ships one would see that they were not in the best position. "Shall I greet them in the hangar?" If so, it would greet them in it's main body that could fit. It always felt more comfortable in that chassis.

[member="Theo Vereen"] [member="Chekīta Kaie"]