Ithiria steps in after paying the pigs. Shaking her head as she does so. Her eyes scan the room, stopping on the desk and her brain tails twitch how did he get such a desk as that flashes through her mind. She ignores the thugs sort of, her mind noting them and keeping track of them.


Switch continues, “And now… drinks! What would you fine organics enjoy?”

She shakes her head once again “Nothing for me thank you good sir” as she await’s the others orders.

Once everyone has ordered and the seats are brought out she stays standing and looks at switch “We are here to collect a shipment you are holding for a friend of ours” said in a very calm voice

Switch, Ara soon realized, was one strange droid. All but the simplest automaton developed quirks if left unattended: a stutter when speaking, a reticence before performing a basic task. And any gear-head knew that to be the algorithms in the personality matrix re-writing themselves. But it was only in a handful of droids that those personality quirks were allowed to develop to their full extent.

‘No wonder he hides himself away. The Empire would order a memory wipe as soon as they saw him,’ Ara mused as her pale eyes roved over the customised ebony coverings on the droid.

“Corellian spiced ale, if you have it,” she replied after Switch offered them all a drink and a seat. Ara perched herself on the small crate that was quickly shuffled before the droid’s large desk, her eyes still drinking in the sight and mannerisms of the strange droid that had greeted them.

“Her name is Maya,” she added shortly after Ithiria had spoken, in case Switch misunderstood.

The heroes settle themselves into Switch’s den and drinks are served.

“And now… drinks! What would you fine organics enjoy?”

Ithiria shakes her head at the offer, “Nothing for me, thank you, good sir.”

Switch tills its head slightly at the Twi’lek female, “Hmmm…” He is about to say something, but Ara interrupts with her own request.

“Corellian spiced ale, if you have it.”

“Make it two,” Mars added gruffly.

The protocol droid’s visual sensors brightened a bit, and if it could have smiled, the companions were sure it would have. “A fine choice. And, of course, I have it.”

The droid’s Twi’lek servant moved in to serve the guests, bringing Ara and Mars their drinks first before lingering by Ithiria. “I have brought you something special. A little reminder of home, and something to calm your nervous twitch.” He places a glass into Ithiria’s hands. The liquid inside has layered colors of neon orange, blue, and purple. The drink carries distinct scent that does indeed remind the Jedi of home.

Switch makes a sound from its voicebox that sounds like it is clearly its throat. The Twi’lek bows slightly towards the droid, “My apologies, master.” Turning back to Ithiria, the Twi’lek gives her a wicked smile, “Enjoy.” He then returns to his place, but keeps his eyes locked on the Jedi.

[OOC: Feel free to comment, Geraint]

Switch moves the conversation to business. “Now, what can I do for you? My services are available to anyone who can pay. What would you like to know?”

Ithiria, still standing, begins the conversation. “We are here to collect a shipment you are holding for a friend of ours,” she states calmly.

Switch keeps his eyes on his standing guest, while Ara adds, “Her name is Maya.”

Gently, Switch speaks to Ithiria, “Please ma’am, sit. You have nothing to fear, unless you intend to hurt me. But you are beginning to make me even nervous with your standing, please.”

[OOC: Again, Gereint, feel free to comment, though I’m moving the story forward regardless of your action… though your actions may have an impact on your negotiations.]

Continuing, Switch said, “Ah yes, Maya…” he looks up towards the ceiling as though remembering a fond moment in time. Looking back at the companions, “Yes, yes. I am indeed holding some special cargo for Maya. Now, the information you need to locate this precious cargo, that will cost you. So… what shall we set the price at, hmmm?”

R5-B8 whirls and chirps at Switch’s side, to which the protocol droid replies with an incredulous tone, “R5! I could never charge such honoured guests that price. It must be something more reasonable… something… Ah-ha! I’ve got it!”

Turning back to the companions, it states, “One thousand credits… One thousand credits and I shall release to you the location of this cargo and you can do with it whatever pleases you. One thousand credits… unless you would like to trade in another currency…”

“What are you suggesting, Switch?” asks Mars, seemingly uncaring.

Again the droid’s eyes seem to light up. “Ah, well… I would be willing to trade in information. You check in with me regularly, from time to time, and pass on to me information of interest to myself. I’d be will to decrease my eminently reasonable fee of one thousand credits by two hundred credits for each of you who is willing to supply me with information of interest? What do you say?”

Ithiria Takes the drink from the twi’lek, using her lekku to thank him and quickly checks him out as his back is turned and smirks before looking back to the droid.

Gently, Switch speaks to Ithiria, “Please ma’am, sit. You have nothing to fear, unless you intend to hurt me. But you are beginning to make me even nervous with your standing, please.”

She sits down holding her drink and sniffs it like a wine connoisseur before taking a sip. And once again thanks the twilek with her lekku. She intently listens to his offer.

“I think information can come easily, and your request is fair” she says calmly.

A few words surfaced unbidden to Ara’s mind as Switch and his astromech accomplice made their intentions clear: ‘Everyone’s a chancer and everyone is in it for the Game.’

‘Jack Bullet, P.I.’, she remembered with a grin, fondly recalling the hero of the crackly holovids she had a crush on in her adolescence. Sometimes it seemed, brainless if handsome holovid actors out-thought the brightest of philosophers.

“I wasn’t planning to return to Impy space anytime soon. Knock off another 50 each and you’ve got a deal.”

“Oh,” Ara added a moment later, with a wink, “You can tell R5 that I only frack banthas on certain weekends and select Imperial holidays.”

Switch presents his offer, and the companions seem in agreement.

“I think information can come easily, and your request is fair,” Ithiria says calmly.

“I wasn’t planning to return to Impy space anytime soon,” comments Ara nonchalantly, pausing as though thinking. “Knock off another 50 each and you’ve got a deal.”

Mars simply grunts his agreement.

“Oh,” Ara added a moment later, with a wink, “You can tell R5 that I only frack banthas on certain weekends and select Imperial holidays.”

At this, Switch laughs. It is haunting, artificial sound, but the best his voxbox can accomplish. R5 chirps and beeps as though muttering to himself**, but the protocol droid interrupts him with a light rebuke. “No need to be rude, R5. She played you well enough. Maybe teach you some manners… or at least how to keep some of your thoughts to yourself.”

Turning its attention back to the companions, Switch considered their counter-offer, “Two hundred and fifty credits for this type of information hardly seems right, even with your promise of information.” It ponders a moment longer, “Three hundred twenty-five. Three hundred twenty-five credits, plus your promise to bring me back some information of interest to me. Three hundred twenty-five credits… it’s the best I can do. I’m really just giving away the information for that price.”

“Deal,” nods Mars.

Switch’s visual sensors light up again as it leans forward in its chairs and claps its hands together, “Most excellent!”

Ara, being the keeper of the credsticks they had received from Maya, moves towards Switch to make the transaction. R5 gives the woman a beep and whirl as she approaches**. Switch takes the offered credstick while apologizing, “Ignore him, ma’am. He’s just a bit awkward in mixed company.”

To this, R5 gives a loud chirp to Switch****, but the protocol droid ignores it. “See what I mean?” Switch says, while processing the credstick at its computer. Within a moment, the transaction is complete. “There. Done.” says Switch lightly. Ara receives the stick back and returns to her seat.

“Now,” continues Switch. “About this cargo…”

The droid is interrupted, however, by the sound of blaster fire and squealing noises coming from outside the door.

Everyone in the room comes alive at the sound. Switch stands up and looks over at its twi’lek servant, nodding for him to head to the door. The twi’lek draws his blaster and makes his way over to the side of the door just as it opens.

A bulky Chevin, flanked by four humans with blasters drawn, strides in, obviously agitated. “Ganga Lor!” Switch says pleasantly. “How nice of you to drop by!”

“So, you thought you could hide your deal with the offworlders from me, droid?” the Chevin shouts in basic. “I’m tired of not getting my cut! Turn him into a scrap heap, boys!”

The human thugs turn their blasters on Switch and the companions.

[OOC: A couple of comments, noted by the *s in the IC text:

** R5’s comment roughly translates as “Frackin’ fleshling thinks she’s funny…”
*** R5’s comment roughly translates as “Frackin’ sack of bantha dung, should shrove my probe so far up your …”
**** R5’s comment roughly translates as “Frackin’ doorbell.”
A now some notes about this combat scene:

1) Prior to the doors opening, you have a full round of action to prepare for battle. ( i.e draw weapons, move, etc, etc)

2) The four human thugs and the Chevin have their blaster pistols drawn. The human thugs are also armed with vibro-axes. The Chevin has no other noticeable weapons.

3) Switch [no noticeable weapons] has the Twi’lek standing by the door [with a pistol and vibro-dagger], R5 [no noticeable weapons], and three thugs tucked behind crates [2 w/ pistols, 1 w/ blaster rifle, all with vibro-daggers].

4) I’ll try to prepare a battle map either tonight or tomorrow night. Send me a PM with anemail that can receive large files, if you’d like to receive it.

5) May the Force be with you! ]

Things weren’t going well. In a matter of weeks Ara had gone from a having a home and something approaching a family to being on the run from the Law. Half the people she had run into had tried to bleed her for the few credits she had to her name, and the other half has either tried to shoot her or tussle in bed.

‘Well at least there’s Alderaan to look forward to,’ she reminded herself half-heartedly, as she again found herself diving for cover. Short of the grazed knee and the ‘thunk’ she made as she clattered into a polythene canister, it would have been something of beauty.

R5 whirled and beeped its mirth. The pale-skinned Arkanian waved a finger in response.

“So, you thought you could hide your deal with the offworlders from me, droid?” a nasty-looking Chevin snorted, after the blast doors to the cargo bay were forced open. “I’m tired of not getting my cut! Turn him into a scrap heap, boys!”

Blue lips settled into a frown. “More blood that will soon be on my hands,” she whispered to herself, even as she reached for her blaster and prepared to open fire.


OOC: I figure that Ara can’t re-assemble her pilfered blaster carbine in a round, so she’ll be using her bog-standard blaster.

Ithiria Sitting there listening and nodding, letting her eyebrows rise at the R units beeping and wondering just what the hell he said stands hearing the blaster fire, and draws the only weapon she brought with her, A silver cylinder that looked like A stun baton and holds it at her right waist.

“So, you thought you could hide your deal with the offworlders from me, droid?” a nasty-looking Chevin snorted, after the blast doors to the cargo bay were forced open. “I’m tired of not getting my cut! Turn him into a scrap heap, boys!”

Ithiria sighs and moves between them and Switch blocking their line of fire her thumb hovering over a button on the baton “I would suggest You boys turn around and leave or Pay Mister Switch here His cut for letting you live”

OOC; since switching a Lightsaber on is a free action its still thumbed off, trying to make them worry lol about a stun baton lol

[Ganga'Lor and the Twi'lek Servant]

Chaos erupts in the room as everyone looks for a target and many dive for cover. Switch's Twi'lek servant, as of yet unseen, takes aim at Ganga'Lor as the Chevin moves for cover with one of his thugs. The Chevin lucks out as his thug takes the blaster bolt straight in the chest and slumps to the floor.

Seeing itself in danger, Ganga'Lor looks to eliminate the Twi'lek threat. His first shot goes wide of his mark, glancing off the durasteel crate beside the Twi'lek. His second shot slams into the Twi'lek, knocking the servant off his feet.



[Ithiria and a couple of Thugs]

Ithiria moves to pursue Ganga'Lor herself, but finds her way blocked by two of the thugs. "Hiya, boys," she says coyly.

"You coming over t' play?" sneers the one.

"Hope you like it rou.." began the other, but his words were cut short as Ithiria's lightsaber, now ignited, stabbed through his chest with lightning speed. With eyes wide, the thug drops to the floor.

With quick reflexes, the second thug drops his pistol and draws his vibro-axe. With a roar and a mighty swing, he comes at the Jedi. The axe-head comes within an inch of her arms, but the graceful Twi'lek girl dodges the blow.

The thug's mighty-swing-turned-mighty-miss leaves him off balance. Using the advantage, and putting her full force behind her strike, Ithiria cleaves the man in two, the lightsaber cauterizing the wound as it goes -- no blood, no gore. Just a man in two parts on the floor.



[Ara and a R5-B8]

Ara'ala dives for cover as the chaos erupts around her. Tucking herself behind a group of barrels, she finds herself beside R5-B8. The astromech had thought the barrels provided a nice cover too. The droid beeps and chirps at woman [ "Don't just sit there! Shoot something, you useless bag of flesh."]

Drawing her weapon, Ara mentally preparing herself for the blood she is about to spill. Sneaking a peek around the barrel, she spots one of the thugs taking aim at Mars. And while her slender arm was quicker than the thugs, her aim was not as good -- a glance blow to the man's shoulder which caused him only to wince, before he fired a devastating shot on Mars. Ara quickly took a second shot, this time hitting the thug in the gut. Seeing the man drop, she ducked back behind the barrel again.

As she did, two blaster bolts slammed into the barrels, just above her and the droid's head. R5-B8 is already chirping Ara's thoughts [ "Hey! Didn't those shots come from our guys?... Aw, come on, now! What the frack is going...], but the droid was silenced as two more bolts slammed into it, the destroyed processors sending a shower of sparks over Ara.



[Mars and a couple Thugs]

As Ganga'Lor and his gang enters into the bay, Mars kicks the cratehe's been sitting on over and draws out his weapon kit. "Show time."

Within a matter of moments, the gun is assembled and loaded. However, when he looks up, the mercenary finds himself already a mark. Knowingly, Mars closes his eyes and braces for the bolt's impact. The shot hits him in the abdomen, burning through his armor and clothing. The pain alone nearly causes the soldier pass out.

Letting out his breath with a fierce yell, Mars returns fire, but the shot is terribly wide. A second bolt strikes his shoulder with nothing near the force of the first -- hardly noticeable compared to the burning pain in his belly.

With another roar, Mars takes a second shot, putting the bullet into the thug's throat, ending his life with a gurgle. The other thug is downed by Ara's blaster.



[OOC: Whew! Wow! This combat scene is a long time in the coming... sorry about that.

Now... some notes about this scene.

1) I made a mistake in my previous post: six thugs entered in with Ganga'Lor, not four. Sorry about that.

2) I'm sending you a battle map shortly.

- The big light blue squares are vent shafts. Fall in one of them and your character is big-time dead. Careful.

- The darker blue-ish squares are patches where the floor is very damaged. Walking through these squares counts as difficult terrain.

- The grey squares represent crates and barrels useable for cover.

- The brown squares represent either Switch's desk or the drinks cabinet.

- Each square is five by five.

- AT stands for Allied Thug... though they're not really (more on this below)

- BT stands for Bad Thug.

3) This scene is actually two rounds of combat rolled into one.

4) Ithiria took out BT#3 and BT#2 [Crit roll on the 2nd one ]. She also took no damage. There is no one standing in her way of pursuing Ganga'Lor now.

5) Ara'ala took out BT#4. R5-B8 is destroyed beside her, obviously from AT#1 and AT#2. Currently, the barrel provides no cover from their shots. She has taken no damage.

6) Mars took out BT#5. He took massive damage from that first shot [24] and that second shot nearly ended him [7]. He's moved down the condition step and has 2 hps remaining. You can both tell he is severely wounded.

7) Switch traded shots with BT#6. Both hit, neither is down. Switch didn't notice that AT#3 was also taking aim at him when AT's rifle jammed up... but Ara'ala did!
Bad Guys remaining: AT #1-3, BT#6, Ganga'Lor
Good Guys remaining: Ithiria, Ara'ala, Mars, and Switch.

9) I return on Saturday. And I hope to post an update on Saturday or Sunday as well.


Sorry for the delay again. Looking forward to your replies.
Ayrn
EDIT: Cleaned up the weird signs and symbols in my post...

“Oh, you got to be kidding me!”

A hail of blaster bolts slammed into the barrels that Ara was crouching behind. The lithe Arkanian only just had time to register that it was her own side that had been firing upon her, before the unfortunate R5 was hit. The little droid’s head span, steam erupted from its cooling vents, and with a final high-pitced squeak its heuristic processor exploded in a shower of sparks.

The blue, swirling tattoos that lined Ara’s cheeks twisted into an angry scowl. She was not best pleased. R5-B8 had been far from the friendliest rust-bucket of a droid, and probably deserved its fate. But the stark truth was that they were all supposed to die here, and Ara was sick of being picked on.

“Pick on someone your own size, you chuff-sucking leeching kath-mutts!” she bellowed, firing off insults almost as quickly as she fired off the blaster in her hands.”


OOC: I figure Ara is pinned down by A1-3 so she’ll just open fire on those bozos.

Ithiria recovers form her strike severing the man in half, spinning back up like a master saber wielder she looks around seeing ganga running, but her own allies down and others firing on her friends, mars down injured and hopefully no one would be taking a shot at him instead picking on live targets, he mind flashes back to her training Defending those who need it, and those who can not defend themselves, If one flees justice will come later her masters voice echoed in her mind.

The thought of allies turning on each other made her kind of sick to her stomach as did killing normal’s, she was a Sentinel, trained to hunt and destroy Dark Jedi and sith, not common back yard thugs, Clearing her mind, her choice made up she charges two of her “allies” concentrating as she closes to make this quick##, her saber sweeping for one and hopefully not putting her off balance for the other one, not caring that ara could now see her blade.


## Activating Battle Strike
OOC: going after AT1 and 2 trying to distract them and the others from mars, the twi’lek if still alive and more importantly ara.

ROUND #3
Ara’ala and Thugs #1 & #2
With the sudden realization that they had been betrayed, Ara’ala spun around, spewing forth a mouthful of curses as she squeezed her trigger. The laser bolt slammed into the thug nearest her and sent him spinning to the floor.

This is where the pale blue-skinned woman’s luck ran out, however. The thug still standing had gotten a lock on Ara’ala, and fired off his pistol. The blasterfire caught the Arkanian in the shoulder, burning through her maintenance uniform. The pain was a terrible, hot burning.


Ithiria, Switch, and Thug #3
The third thug, with his rifle clearly jammed, tossed it aside and drew his vibro-dagger. Rushing towards his unsuspecting “boss”, the thug jammed his dagger into the Switch’s back. Sparks flew as the blade sawed through the droid’s circuitry.

Ithiria, seeing her own foes down and her informant being attacked, rushed to aid the droid. Running passed Mars, she leapt onto Switch’s desk and, as though almost bouncing, she leapt over the droid and thug, landing dramatically behind them both.

Switch, seizing the opportunity, grabbed the stunned thug by the wrist and drew the dagger out before it could damage anymore of its wiring. Before the thug could react to the crushing sensation in his wrist, the Jedi had stabbed her lightsaber into the his back and drawn it up and out, slicing through all the man’s vitals. The thug fell to his knees, gagging on his own blood, before finally succumbing to his injuries.


Mars, Ganga’Lor, and Thug #6
Mars was hurting. Pain wracked his entire torso, and he found it very difficult to move, much less aim. Through his hazy vision, he noticed the Jedi Twi’lek move past him, and saw the thug in front of him make a move to protect Ganga’Lor. Trying his best, he raised his rifle and fired off a round at the thug. It went wide of the target, ricocheting off the wall and skimming over Ganga’Lor’s head. This infuriated the Chevian, and the crime lord got the mercenary dead in his sights, his shot sure to take out the sluggish Mars.

Just not my day, Mars thought.

However, fate had other plans for the moment, and Ganga’Lor’s bodyguard’s timing couldn’t have been any worse. Just as the thug moved into a kneeling position in front of the Chevian, Gang’Lor squeezed the trigger. The blast burned a clean hole straight through the thug’s head. Muscles which held the thug in the kneeling position gave way as his synapses were melted, and the man crashed face first into the ground.


ROUND #4
Ara’ala, Thug #2, and Ithiria
The Arkanian mechanic continued her shoot-out with the thug, the pain in her arm only increasing the venom of her curses. Taking solid aim of the thug, she squeezed her trigger, looking for the pig to go down.

Nothing happened. Her pistol merely made a high pitched whine and then powered down.

The thug, seeing his opportunity, stepped away from the crate to get a clear shot at the woman. The blaster shot caught her square in the chest, slamming her into the barrel behind her, causing her to catch her breath as the pain threatened to overload her mind. Her head lolled around for a moment as she sought to breathe through the pain that continued to wash over her.

Ithiria, seeing her companion in serious trouble, leapt forward towards the now exposed thug. The pig didn’t even see the Jedi coming, so busy it was with gloating over the injured Arkanian. Giving a half spin, her head tails wrapping around her, Ithiria brought her light saber to bear on the thug’s neck, severing its spine. With a raspy squeal that seemed to fill the room, the last of the thugs fell dead to the ground.


Mars, Switch, and Ganga’Lor
Ganga’Lor hadn’t quite noticed yet that all his men were dead, so focused was he on ending Mars’ life and destroying Switch. While the crime lord watched his bodyguard fall to the floor, Mars lined up his shot and breathed through the pain.

CRACK! The round left the barrel and, before one could blink, punctured through the Chevian’s thigh.

Ganga’Lor, howling in pain and anger, leveled his pistol at Mars one last time. PZZZZOW! PZZZOW!
And that was the end… two shots fired: one from Ganga’Lor, one from Switch.

Ganga’Lor’s shot left first, hitting Mars once again. This time the pain and injury was too much for even his mind and body to take. The hazy vision went black for the mercenary, and he went to join his father in the place of the dead.

Switch’s shot hit a moment later, slamming into its rival. The blaster bolt punched through Ganga’Lor’s major artery, causing blood to pump out in great spurts as he grasped at his chest.

===========================================================

[OOC: Alright, rounds 3 and 4… and the combat scene is finished…

Some notes:

1) Mars is dead…. so are all the baddies.

2) Ara’ala took 27 points of damage and slid down one step on the Conditions Track. [meaning that without 8 hrs of complete rest, Ara has a -1 penalty on pretty much all her rolls] Her blaster is busted as well. (You had critical fail, thug had critical hit) You can use “Second Wind” to gain back 8 hp immediately if you like.

3) Ithiria took no damage

4) Switch took some damage but seems to be okay… from a quick glance.

5) R5-B8 is heavily damaged and likely destroyed. The Twi’lek bodyguard is unconscious.

Ara was flying. She soared through the air; her body almost parallel to the ground. But it was not because she had snorted a particularly rich vein of spice. She had been shot.

She slammed into a durasteel canister with an ugly thud. Her heart fluttered wildly. Dark blue, viscous blood seeped through the ruined maintenance uniform she was wearing. And, for a moment, the world span endlessly.

“Ow,” she remembered to say a few second later, her mind struggling to keep up with the pain and shock of being hit.

Blue eyes squinted open. They were all dead, or very nearly so. The only ones standing were Switch, busily trying to extricate a dagger from amidst a tangle of flashing circuitry, and Ithira, standing proudly with a lightsaber. Ara blinked suddenly. Ithiria was still holding a lightsaber.

“Either I’ve gone mad, or the galaxy has and no one bothered to send me the memo,” the Arkanian grumbled as she gathered her strength and wobbled precariously to her feet. She was badly hurt but she could struggle through the pain, she realized. Unfortunately the same could not be said for her (not very) trusty pistol, which was now a crumpled mess in her hand. She removed the targeting scope attached to it with a ‘click’ and threw the ruined pistol at the body of the nearest thug. It smacked satisfyingly into the man’s nose. Ara tried to raise a smile, but settled for a scowl.

“So where’s Mars…” she began to ask, but then stopped. Ithiria was standing over the perfectly still, unmoving body of the Mandalorian. “Oh,” Ara added, her trembling hands reaching for the comfort of a cigarra.

‘Only two left,’ a voice in her head muttered, as she lit the smoke-stick and drew hungrily upon it. Ara had seen so much death in such a short space of time that she no longer felt horror. In fact she no longer felt anything but a numb emptiness. She had yet to decide whether that was a blessing or a curse.

“I might be able to fix your friend,” she gestured towards R5 with a billow of smoke. ’At least I can do something right.’

Ithiria Deactivates her lightsaber and returns it to its holster on her back, before looking around and down at the remains of mars., she mutters a prayer for him before looking to ara. Seeing the wounds on her body she moves closer as the woman lights a cigara, and places her hand on ara’s shoulder. “Do not worry for mars, he was mandalorian and died as a true mandalorian should, in battle” with that she moves off to chec on the unconscious twi’lek


OOC: Vital transfer on Ara when touching shoulder, and using FP to negate the damage to myself.

IN THE STORAGE BAY
Switch surveyed the devastation and death that surrounded it, the vibroblade still humming in his hands. “All.. all.. all lost,” he stammered in his mechanical voice. “Mus.. Mus.. t re.. re.. start ag..gain.”

Ithiria had helped Ara’ala up gently and they both went to look for Mars. The still form of the Mandalorian shook the Arkanian a bit, already shell-shocked numb by the death around her, some of which were by her hand.

“Do not worry for Mars,” comforted Ithiria as she placed a hand on the Ara’s shoulder. “He was Mandalorian, and died as a true Mandalorian should… in battle.”

They regarded the Mars a moment longer, their thoughts silent, before the Jedi moved off to check on the Twi’lek bodyguard. Ithiria found him unconscious, but stable. His chest, though scorched from the blaster fire, moved up and down rhythmically. Ithiria did not move the Twi’lek, however, concerned that it might jeopardize his health.

While the Jedi looked to the other Twi’lek, Ara’ala lit a smoke-stick and glanced over at R5-B8. “I might be able to fix your friend,” she said to Switch as she exhaled, trying to keep her hands from trembling. While the cigarra took some of the edge off the pain her breathing was still ragged from the wound she sustained.

The protocol droid was sitting at its desk again, however, its focus on the screen. “N.. not much t.. time. M.. must com…plete tr.. tr… tr.. trans… action,” it stuttered. Its hands whirled unsteadily over the keyboard. “Y.. yes! Help, if.. if.. y.. you can.”

Ara’ala eyed Switch suspiciously, as she moved towards R5-B8. Just as she was about to check the astromech out in more detail, however, Switch’s head spun towards her. “W.. Wait!” it cried.

But it was too late.

R5-B8 was apparently fitted with an anti-tamper/ auto-destruct feature – very uncommon for its type, though not too surprising considering who it worked for. The explosion sent Ara’ala fly back into the durasteel containers, knocking her unconscious.

Ithiria, hearing the explosion, raced to find her companion. “Ara!”

[OOC: Zoom to black…]


MOISE’S CANTINA, THE PROMENADE
Karra Liadon had been stuck on this station for over six weeks now. ‘Travel Restrictions’ had been the excuse given to her, but she knew better. Prejudice! she thought. Imperial propaganda! She had come to know it well, having tasted it in medical school. The thought burned her, gnawed at her.

What had supposed to have been a way-stop on route to her next contract had turned into a lengthy lay-over as no one was will to take her on board. Well… not for a reasonable price, at least. Even Delgas’ Medical Supplies on the Promenade wouldn’t hire her on… said she wasn’t the help they were looking for.

It had been then that she had met Hako’ib. The Twi’lek was a majordomo for a local information broker on the station, a guy by the name of Switch. Hako’ib said that maybe Switch could be in need of the Cather’s services. Karra had told the Twi’lek that unless his boss was offering a ticket of this station, she wasn’t really interested in some shady deal. Hako’ib said he’d pass on the information, but that she may want to reconsider in light of her current circumstances.

That had been five weeks ago. Sitting in Moise’s, that’s what Karra was doing right now – reconsidering.

And it was at that moment fate seemed to move in her favor. Her datapad beeped, indicating that she had received an incoming message. Tapping the screen, the pad came to life and she quickly opened the message – it was from Switch himself… with an offer of work:

..........Mis Liadun, got wrk you may b intrestd in.

..........Servces requird: Surgery
..........Compnsatn: Trp to Alderan

..........Meet me inn N14 Storge Bay now!

Closing the pad, Karra didn’t waste a moment. Paying her tab, she quickly gathered her gear and made for the meeting spot.

[OOC: Fade to black…]


BACK IN THE STORAGE BAY, SOME TIME LATER…
Karra was putting her surgical equipment back, while Ithiria sat beside the now sleeping Ara’ala. Nearby, the Twi’lek bodyguard also lay, resting peacefully.

The Cathar medic had arrived just in time, and while the Jedi had first not known what to make of Karra, Ithiria quickly entrusted Ara and Hako’ib into her care. And while the Jedi had not promised Karra a ride off the station, she did say that it was a distinct possibility. The hope was enough to move the medic into action.

“Two minutes, I’d guess,” said Karra to Ithiria. “They should be waking up soon.”

Almost to the second both the Arkanian and the Twi’lek began to stir. Questions of “what happened?” and “who are you?” and others like them were answered gently by both the Jedi and the medic. Brief introductions all-around were made, and Ithiria explained to Ara the “deal” made with Karra – a ride to Alderaan when they got picked up with the package.

Talk of the package reminded Ara of something else, “Where’s Switch?”

Ithiria merely nodded over behind her. There, slumped with its head against the desk, was the protocol droid. “Not sure, but I think the thug must have really messed up its internal systems with that dagger.”

Concern and frustration was expressed about how they were going to proceed from here, seeing as Switch had never gotten around to sharing the location of the package they were looking for.

It was here that Hako’ib offered his services… for a price. “Get me off this station,” he stated, “and I’m pretty sure I can find the information you need.”

Ara’ala and Ithiria considered and discussed their options in private before responding to the Twi’lek. Seeing no other way, they accepted the bodyguard’s help with the condition that they received the information upfront.

Moving the now disabled droid aside, Hako’ib sat down at Switch’s computer and punched at the keys. Twenty minutes later he had all the information he needed, which he shared with his new companions:

• The cargo is in the main docking bay on Blue Deck, a section of the station heavily traveled by Imperial loyalists and one of the few places where Imperial ships dock.

• The cargo is in fact an Alderaanian Security Agent, frozen in carbonite for transport from the Deep Core world of Empress Teta.

• Switch apparently also has a crate of Corellian rum that is supposed to be shipped to Alderaan. Hako’ib knows the contact on Alderaan and believes that the crate could fetch up to five hundred credits. The crate is on the same deck as their cargo, and can be carried by a single person.


[OOC: Alright… it’s a little railroaded… and rough… but it gets you altogether. Here’s some additional thoughts and information for you.

1) Switch is disabled right now. Should Ara attempt to fix it, she’ll find that he’s beyond her experience at the moment.

2) You are all at full health again. I will update the sheets later.

3) I’ve left the last section here rough because I didn’t want to put words in your characters’ mouths. You should feel free to add some conversation to the above.

4) Beyond that, you all need to work out a plan on how you’re going to get your hands on the cargo on Blue Deck.

5) I’m on vacation starting now, until Sept 3. I may be able to answer questions prior Monday and Tuesday, but after that I will be without internet access (camping and all). I hope to sometime between Thursday, Sept 3 and Friday, Sept 4, and then again on Wednesday, Sept 9, and then we should be back on track as my work schedule kinda slides back into a routine. Please have a plan in place and posts up before Sept 3.

Thanks! And may the Force be with you! … you’ll need it… ]