At Jorm's recommendation, Calsera will spend time familiarizing herself with each of the vehicles - particularly the various fighters. She's flown a lot of different ships in her time, so it doesn't take long.
Calsera looks over at Ganet. "My teeth are just fine. Wanna see?" Something about her smile implies that she just might bite...
"Heyya, Dak! Thanks, and try not to burn down the Sword while we're gone." As Eritram's designated arm-decoration, she picks up a piece of the jewelry and attaches it to her left ear.
"Oh, if we dent 'er, you'll never know." Dak laughs as he waves and heads out at a fast-step, presumably to avoid being nice for too long.
Jorm's rousing speech is thoroughly overshadowed by the tedium of shuttling over to the Dragon, last minute astrogation updates, settling the fighters into the modified freighter's cargo hold, and Mandall being a danger to all around him with that sword.
Vandal Squadron is itching to get going when they finally get the green light. "Garrick", Maso's inside man, got a message through. The convoy's left Bespin. A short hyperspace jump will put the Dragon over Nar Shaddaa in time to stop 12th Wing's simulated attack on Naga's convoy. Punctuating the greenlight code, Echo and the six slave TIEs leap into hyperspace. They're smaller ships with overpowered drives; a few seconds' headstart will translate into a few minutes once over the Smuggler's Moon.
Having ensured that the fighters are loaded and ready to move, Ty heads to the cockpit. He knows that they'll be jumping soon, but it's still going to be a bit of a wait until Nar Shadda. Upon reaching the cramped control room, he pulls a portable sabaac set (including cards, scrambling computer, and unrollable interference field mat) out of a travel bag that also contains several days worth of clothes. "Anybody want to play a few hands?"
Once the ship is loaded, Cat snuggles down into the cockpit of the V-wing for a quick nap while they warp over to Bespin. Knowing that they'll need to get to work as soon as they get there, Cat wants to be in position to act right away. As she sees it, seconds are going to count here if they're going to make the illusion work properly.
Aurelia glances at the small pile of...Hapian bobbles...and grins. She picks up one of the swords, toying with it idly for a moment before also retreiving a necklace, nodding.
"Mom would like this..." she says, mostly to herself, and wanders back off. She has a look of determination and actual direction that those who have known her long enough recognize as a scrounging mission in the works. She returns awhile later carrying her usual duty-bag, having changed into an actual respectable flight suit, and stores it in the fighter's somewhat small storage compartment.
Cat's nap is tragically interupted by her starting to remove the "Remove before flight" tags from the V-Wing.
Aurelia grins into the cockpit and shakes her head. "Nah, stay there. Just checking everything over once more."
---
Nar Shaddaa, the Smuggler's Moon. In the "wretched hive of scum and villainy" competition, Mos Eisley's got nothing on the Vertical City. The dark side of the moon looms in the Dragon's viewport, sprinkled with millions of lights, a tiny galaxy of strife, scum, and shivs in dark alleys.
There's a space battle, right on schedule. Streaks of green and red arc between four surviving slave TIEs and the Naga convoy. Two harried Y-Wings are trying to keep the TIEs from pounding two Gallofrees. It's hauntingly familiar. In the distance, Echo is doing an uncanny job of impersonating an Imperial Carrier.
The open channels are a jumble of the convoy's distress calls, negotiations with passing starship crews, and taunts from local traffic.
*- etting fed to the rancors out here! Naga himself will reward you!*
*I ain't messin' with the Empire, man, good luck!*
Jorm can't help but smile at the Echo's carrier impression.
"If I didn't know any better..."
(OCC: This would be a good time for the GM to unleash a REAL Imperial attack against us...if he were a bastard.)
"Dragon Flight," calls Jorm into the comm, "prepare for launch. Heart and Flame will stay behind to guard the Roost. Scale, Claw and Wing drive off the attacking Imperials, but under no circumstances are you to engage the carrier. Repeat, do not engage the carrier. Heart and Flame will provide backup if necessary."
Jorm powers up the bomber's engines and other systems. "Ready Eritram?"
Ty powers up his systems, then scans his instrument panel. "Three engines, lit and green. Taking up defensive position." He eases on the repulsors, then moves out into space, taking up a position a few hundred meters off the dorsal stern. "Heart, Flame. I'll cover the rear if you want the bow."
Ty powers up his systems, then scans his instrument panel. "Three engines, lit and green. Taking up defensive position." He eases on the repulsors, then moves out into space, taking up a position a few hundred meters off the dorsal stern. "Heart, Flame. I'll cover the rear if you want the bow."
"Negative on stationary watch, Flame." calls Jorm getting the bomber into space "Set up patrol around Roost one klick out."
"Roger that, Heart." Ty opens up the throttle a tad and begins a patrol pattern, tending toward the battle, but allowing sensors to keep an eye on the surrounding traffic.
"Already there, Heart," Calsera replies, firing up the V-wing's engines almost the second the call comes in. The moment they had popped out of hyperspace, she had been alert and waiting with her finger over the button for the order.
The second the bay doors open, Cat launches. Immediately, she begins vectoring for the beleagured ship and the TIE drones. Let's see what this old heap can do...
The Vandal pilots' flight harnesses take the brunt of the launch, a giant's invisible hand jostling their bones inside the cockpit. A brief turn of the throttle and the Miy'Til, V-Wing, and Headhunter scream towards the staged furball.
Mandall's there first, pushing the Z-95 as hard as it'll go. It takes what he gives it and has enough power to vape one of the slave TIEs on a lightning-quick attack run.
Cat and Aurelia are right behind him. It's sad, really - the outcome would've been the same had the TIEs not been throwing the fight. Two quick bursts of cannon bolts and two more TIEs are rapidly expanding, their components settling in for a months-long voyage into Nar Shaddaa's upper atmosphere.
Dak and his crew on the Echo get the hint, and the sensors paint the Imperial Carrier turning tail for hyperspace as the remaining slave TIE loops around and makes for one of the Hutt Y-Wings at full burn. You can assume that that was Mixon's idea. Fragile snubfighter or not, a TIE Fighter at full speed will deal devastating damage in a collision. The Y-Wing's just not nimble enough to outmaneuver the TIE. Both fighters shred and explode, leaving the single Y-Wing and its two Gallofree transports behind.
*Thank the Maker! We'd be sarlacc bait if you hadn't stepped in!*
Aurelia grins into the cockpit and shakes her head. "Nah, stay there. Just checking everything over once more."
---
Awhile later Aurelia is strapped into the cockpit of the sleek - and freshly painted- Hapian fighter, following closely behind the two more experienced pilots. It's been awhile since she's been actively behind the controls of a fighter - she does just enough to be considered offically a member of Vandal squadron and keep her status (and hazard pay) as a pilot. And much of that is in sims or on low-risk patrols. Still, with all the advantages, and the fact that they "got the drop" on the TIEs, it doesn't take much talent to produce a swift, clean kill. She finishes with a brief victory roll once the carrier flees into hyperspace - look the part, look the part - then closes with formation with her two comrades.
The Y-Wing wiggles its engines in response to Aurelia's roll, shouting across the clear channel: *Look at 'em run! They're not even launching fighters!* The Y-Wing pilot exults in her assisted victory as the Echo makes its jump back to the Sword of Alderaan.
The lead Gallofree tightbands their good samaritans. *Thanks, friends. We appreciate the help but we're not stupid. Nobody takes on the Imps - not even Hapians - unless they want something.*
Screaming through the void, Calsera angles her V-wing for one of the TIEs. The droid brain piloting it pulls a basic defensive maneuver, but Cat isn't shaken so easily. She rakes the TIE with her laser cannons, slicing it up like bantha steaks.
Aurelia and Mandall each take out a TIE as well, and the last does a suicide crash into one of the Y-wing defenders. Calsera does a flyby of the Gallofrees, wagging her wings as she goes.
Hearing the remark from the Gallofree and knowing that pirates aren't known for their discipline, Calsera replies, "That's simple - we're looking for work. And the Imps don't hire freebooters like us."
*I promise nothing, but patch through your leader and hold pattern.*
As the Naga convoy, reduced to two transports and a solitary fighter, gets back into position, eight more small craft of various type soar up out of the moon's shadow. They're about 20-30 seconds away from optimal range. Sensors paint them as two Skiprays, three more Y-Wings, and three Headhunters.
A hard voice, edged with that tone one gets from the military, broadcasts from the first Skipray. *This is Braxis Dane, Naga's military advisor. To whom am I speaking to?*
Eritram silently listens to the exchange between Calsera and the freighter captain. Gesturing for Jorm to open a comm channel Eritram clears his throat.
"This is Prince Shan Yu. I have a....proposition for Mr. Naga, and I expect you recommend a meeting with us immediately. Don't make the mistake of assuming this is a request - you have seen how...efficient my warband is."
Eritram almost forgets to mention it, "The price for our services will be moderate, but remind him that refusing to work with us puts us in a position to be hired by his enemies. We do him a favor by giving the offer to him first."
Eritram gestures for Jorm to cut the comlink. "You think that was arrogant enough? Believable Hapan Prince?"
(OOC: I heard mention of Asian overtones for Hapans, if "Shan Yu" isn't acceptable I can think of something else)[/i]
fanchergw
