After seeing his and Cat's shots do not more than minimal desired effect, Eritram is rather upset. Half at himself and half at Calsera (and half at the transport - he never was overly good in math) he shouts:
"I AM trying to do just that! Now keep this damned bucket on course so Ill get a lock-on.
If you want him taken out so badly, allow me to use the torps and lets be over with it!."
Ganet got some generalized info from the other mechanics, and shares it with the rest of the team. He's a bit wary of the charity cases they've taken on, but feels it's the right thing to do.
"So, knowing what I do about this outfit, when comes the time when we smash faces, crush dreams, and rain fire on this crummy little backwater?"
"I'm trying. Believe me, I'm trying. Of course, I'm also trying to avoid the hot laser death coming our way..."
Something occurs to Cat. "Your call, but don't torpedos create big explosions that are likely to be noticed by those ground-side? Disabling the freighter seems a little stealthier to me..."
"You're the expert, Eritram, and I trust your judgement. If you feel it's the best way to stop them, then do it. We'll deal with any ground-side issues as they happen."
In the third-rate sensor pit at the Imperial base, the only technician on duty was refilling his drink at the autochef. The brief but noticeable spike in the scopes goes unnoticed.
---
Eritram lets a torpedo fly. Screaming towards the freighter, the warhead dusts the YT-2400's engine bank. Shredded hull plating and icy crystals from the atmosphere feeds rapidly expand in a cloud of ionizing fire. Stricken, its engines offline and systems in disarray, the freighter "goes limp" for lack of a better term. It can't even hail Cal and Eritram to announce its surrender.
However, what appears as the solution to their immediate problem soon becomes postponing the inevitable. Without engine power, the freighter will be caught by the moon's gravity well. The ensuing crash and possible explosion will be picked up on scopes across Tanteldra, assuming anyone with half a decent sensor bank is listening. Eritram does some quick calculations and guesses that the freighter has four, maybe five minutes.
She looks over at Eritram. "What now? The only thing I can think of would be to slice it up with the lasers so that it hits the moon in smaller pieces. Of course, that's likely to be highly uncomfortable for those inside."
Returning to the ship, Jorm takes note of the new passengers.
He heads over to Dutch. "I have a lead on where the Imperials are getting parts for their shuttle. I wanted to check in before investigating." He gestures toward the new passengers and says "Where did we pick up these two?"
(Edited by Aihal the Silent at 3:48 pm on Aug. 23, 2005)
Feet propped up on an ammo crate, Dutch shakes his head at Jorm's question.
"Ask the samaritan over there..." thumbing the blame towards Aurelia.
"...She felt the need to spend the Republic's hard earned money on a couple of locals. Command's probably going to be pissed at the transaction, but quite frankly...I don't give a damn. My only concern is that we get that shuttle as quickly and quietly as possible then get the hell off this rock. This base may be run by a bunch backwater, no-good Imperials but the fact remains that we're no closer to getting that shuttle then when we got here."
Dutch sits up and gives his back a stretch before getting back to business.
"So, tell me about this lead you've got and it better not involve buying any more damn townfolk."
"Apparently the Imperials are obtaining the parts for their shuttle from a Droid named Birdie Six, a local merchant droid specializing in mechanical parts. I fed the local who provided this information a story about looking for high-grade power converters. We might be able to get to the Imperial Dockmaster through Birdie Six."
Jorm pauses and looks over at Aurelia. A half smile flickers across his face. "And I seriously doubt Birdie Six keeps townfolk in stock."
Seeing the freighter fall towards the moon's pull Eritram certainly feels quite unhappy
"Damn! I forgot gravity!
I'd hate to cut up some people who could be scavengers or perfectly fine travelers that wanted to help us. We GOT TO think of something else. How long till impact?"
Calsera considers for a moment. "I figure no more than a few minutes...
"Think we could try to push them out of the gravity well? Maybe nose up real gently, then push them away? It'd sure muck up the paint job, but might work."
"If Birdie Six can get me..I mean us...to the Dockmaster," says Jorm almost as if to himself "We might have a shot at the shuttle. We could bluff our way into his good graces by offering to repair or upgrade the shuttle in exchange for some parts -- Aurelia is probably the best mechanic within 10 light years and I'm not exactly Bantha Fodder myself. That would get us access to the shuttle. The mechanical and computer aspects of hijacking shouldn't be too tough. Of course there might be guards. We'd have to get out pretty fast. First priority would be to take out the comm tower. Then the sensor tower if we have time. A couple of shots at the landing field, specifically toward the Dagger might throw off suspicion. Then Eritram and Calsera can finish the job."
Jorm pauses for a moment. "I just said all that out loud didn't I?"
Aurelia's glare at Dutch could probably freeze the air between them if she put much more effort into it. She looks at the rest of them, shaking her head.
"These two were...bought...as part of a deal. Seems now a local Imperial Commander is under the impression that we're a crew who might...overlook...some of the more restrictive trade regulations. He's interested in dealing with us since we used the Rebellion's hard earned credits to fatten his pockets for the time being. It makes him an alternative source for a second shuttle, a convenient fall man, or a way to further inconvenience the Empire."
She glances back at Dutch. "Not to mention doing what this whole Rebellion thing is about...actually making people's lives better. Command can yell at me all they want."
Up in the black, Eritram arms the tow cable launcher. It was a stroke of luck the B-Wing even had one - there were plenty of tinkerers in Vandal Squadron and their accidental foresight was coming in handy. His shot flies true, grappling the YT-2400. Calsera braces against the jerk and eases the throttle up, careful not to break the cable or pull off what it's attached to.
Red indicators glare evilly from the console but Calsera tugs the bloated, dead freighter out of the moon's gravity well and into a stable orbit. The YT-2400 floats silently, unable to curse or thank the Rebel pilots.
---
(whoever wants to be on scene, you're there)
Jorm finds BRD-6's "Ship-Shape Shack" easily enough. The battered wooden door creaks open onto a bronze droid, spattered with rust. It's arranging hydrospanners on a wall rack lined with tools, from post-holers to diagnostic scanners.
"Can ah hep you folks?" it says, the drawl strange to hear from the tinny voice modulator.
Birdie Six actuators whir as it nods and walks stiffly to a crate of meticulously-well-kept converters - the pickings are sparse but seem to be in good condition. "Here is what I have. If you need something that's not in stock, let me know what it is and I will try to obtain it for you."
Jorm and Aurelia look over the parts. Birdie's offerings would work fine for your run-of-the-mill freighter, or could even be jury-rigged for something like a bomber or blockade runner or Imperial shuttle. It's possible the Imperials don't get their parts from Birdie, but given the rather poorly-supplied look of the base, they might have a ground crew worth their spice.
There are several moments of tension as the question of whether they will be able to tow the freighter out is decided. Lights glare red and metal groans ominously while the B-wing threatens to tear itself apart.
Finally, the freighter slows, stops and reverses it's fall. Calsera pulls it into a stable orbit on the backside of the moon, releases, and returns to their previous hiding place. The freighter will work its way around to the planet side of the moon in a few hours, but they should be long gone before that happens.
Quote: from CrazyIvan on 12:19 am on Aug. 26, 2005
She glances back at Dutch. "Not to mention doing what this whole Rebellion thing is about...actually making people's lives better. Command can yell at me all they want."
Dutch gets up in Aurelia's face.
"First off, don't eyeball me! That'll only get things broken and I can't afford to have any member of my team laid up in the infirmiry. You'll have to excuse me for being the Grunt of the operation, but so far your little purchase has done nothing more than guarantee alot of paperwork when get back."
He glares at Aurelia with the impression that he's only enforcing the chain of command and re-establishing the Alpha Male role he's been tasked with. Dutch points at the two locals then looks back at her.
"They're your baggage. Something happens to anyone on this mission because of them, it's you who'll be owning up."
---
Dutch waits outside the droid's shop, eyeing up the local dregs and sorting out who might be a problem if things got dicey.
Jorm takes a moment to examine the various items laid out before him. "These are all very nice standard power converters, but I was looking for something with a bit more punch to it. I understand that you supply the Imperial outpost?"
DatonKallandor
