[Anaxes] A Ranger's Rescue

[Sander Zebb]

(+5) Rescue a member from local law enforcement lock up before scheduled execution

"And that's twenty!" Sander grinned as he turned his last card. His opponent let out a frustrated sigh and his little human hand reluctantly shoved the credits over to Sander's side of the table. "Kriffing Alien," the human man gritted his teeth and for a moment seemed to consider pulling a blaster if it wasn't for the shiny Sector Ranger badge on Sander's chest and the barrel that was already prodding against his knee. "It was a good game, friend-" Somehow it had felt wrong to pre-emptively pull out his blaster and aim it at his opponent, but fortunately the Abednedo's suspicion proved to be accurate. "Let's not ruin it."

His father, the Secretary of Defense for the Republic, had warned him about the political and cultural situation on Anaxes but Sander had refused to trade assignments with a human just because the latter would receive a warmer welcome on the former Imperial planet. As it was, a fellow Sector Ranger who moonlighted as a guild-licensed bounty hunter had been arrested on Anaxes over a parking violation. When they discovered him to be a Rodian, however, they went on a frantic search and found witnesses stating he shot a human and also another human incased in carbonite on his ship. His sentence was swift and biased as only an Imperial court could be.

Sander had rushed to Anaxes when he received word of the conviction and even enlisted the help of an Amaran called Marion Kestrel, knowing that this was a job he was unlikely to pull of alone. Marion was supposed to meet them in this Pazaak Den, which saw a more than usual amount of aliens like themselves, in order not to get noticed by local law enforcement too early.

 

[Marion Kestrel]

"Well, it's not the flashiest gambling joint I've been in, yet that doesn't mean I won't be able to make a killing here anyway." Marion gave a crooked smile as he stepped into the Pazaak Den, dressed as he usually had been during his pirating days against the Zyggerrians. Long, thick trenchcoat that housed his usual store of grenades, also concealing his blaster while his vibrocutlass protruded from his other hip. He rested his hand on the hilt of said weapon, comforted by it's feel and it's presence, and his stance just held a kind of swagger only a pirate could have. He made a show of looking around before spotting Sander, the man who had asked for his help to save another Sector Ranger. Now that he was a Republic Lieutenant, Marion felt that saving the life of another defender of the law was an important thing and something he would be proud to help with. To be honest, even as a pirate he still would have done so. He was an outlaw who believed in justice, something that made his former peers scratch their heads in confusion.

As he sat at the table, seemingly joining them on their game, Marion had to stop himself from swaying on his feet. He was still recovering from his first mission in the Grand Army of the Republic, a bridge-building mission to hunt a creature alongside the Mandalorians and prove that the Republic was worth their time. He had successfully done so, protecting the Mandalorian he had gone with at the same time, but the horrifying Sith Abomination they had ended up going against had wounded them both. The cuts to his arm and torso had healed just fine, the concussion was taking a bit longer. He had to fight through it, though, as a man's life was at stake. An innocent man, at that. "I hope you don't mind me joining in, gents. I've got near my weight in coin and I'm willing to bet it all to take yours. Unless this is a private match?" He looked between the two as if he didn't recognize either. It was all an act, of course, but the least attention that they could draw to their true motives the better. Besides, the Amaran had a bit of guilty pleasure at seeing the human squirm in his distaste for the two aliens. Karma could really be a motherkriffer.

@Ecclessey

 

[Sander Zebb]

Well, it looked like Marion was still very much the pirate as opposed to an officer in the Republic's Navy. Sander did his best to ignore the raising of the eyebrows among the human onlookers and when the Amaran finally reached him he smiled ever so slightly, "I'm afraid my friend here has already run out of credits-" Sander said casually, prompting the human to relinquish his seat and walk away. "-but this establishment isn't really to my liking-" he nodded towards all the disapproving humans around them who all clearly could not enjoy themselves simply because there were aliens present who pretended to be their peers in society. "-so why don't you join me in a gamble with much higher stakes." Sander didn't wait for Marion to play along with the act, for they both knew that the referred to gamble was breaking a fellow alien out of jail and what they gambled tonight were their very lives.

Pocketing the credits, Sander got up so every patron could see the badge and the blaster that he only now holstered again. He didn't like these kind of establishments and yet he was drawn to them.. why he couldn't quite fathom, but a drink and a game of pazaak just didn't feel right if he didn't have a dozen murderous stares aiming in his direction. Finally letting out a grin, the Abednedo walked out and onto the street, where he turned towards Marion when he was sure no one could hear.

"You fully understand what I'm asking of you, Marion? If not then this is the moment for you to return to a more friendly planet."

@Insalius

 

[Marion Kestrel]

Marion gives a look around the Den, having already noticed the disapproving glances and barely veiled stares of animosity, yet still needed to make a show of things. He sighed dramatically, shrugging as he stood back up. "You'd figure you would find civilization on a planet like Anaxes. Guess I was wrong. Oh well, I'll take my money elsewhere, then." Standing up, again fighting off a sudden dizzy spell, he followed his companion for this mission out of the drab gambling pit and off to be where they could be by themselves. He knew the code of what Sander had said, also confirming that he was indeed who he said he was, and when they were out of earshot and view the Amaran's face became grim with the responsibility of their task. "Trust me, this kind of thing isn't worse than anything I've been through. I was a slave most of my pup years. Anyway, what's the plan? Or do we make it up as we go?" He wondered how long the two would have to enact a plan, if there was one. Sometimes racists had very itchy trigger fingers.

@Ecclessey

 

[Sander Zebb]

Sander took Marion by the arm and walked further down the street until they could see a modest high-riser glistening in the evening sun. "We'll wait for nightfall when there's less personnel and then I'll go in to distract security with my badge-" he hoped it would work, considering he was an alien and the Sector Rangers couldn't always count on support from local governments. However, it was the Imperial Senate that created the ranger service and perhaps their loyalty to the old Imperial Republica gave Sander enough authority to waste their time. "-while you slice your way through a side door and sneak to the holding cells." It was risky, but Marion wouldn't have to worry about the camera's if Sander's distraction worked, which, all in all, does make breaking someone out of jail a lot easier.

The abednedo ranger was happy that, knowing the risk, Marion was still willing to help. They had no back-up and could bring the Republic in a right spot of bother if they got caught, especially considering Sander's father unsuccessfully tried to have Anaxes join the Republic just last month. If they failed the mere scandal might oust Mida from his position as Secretary of Defense.

"Position yourself in the alley close to that side door-" Sander told Marion, "-I'll signal you when I'm inside."

With the plan explained, Sander split from Marion and made his way to the police station where he sat down in the waiting area pretending to take a long time filling out the required forms. It took about thirty minutes for the personnel change and Sander got up barely a minute after the new security officers were positioned in the control room. "Hello," he smiled as he pushed the filled-in forms across the desk, "-I am Sector Ranger Sander Zebb, here to interrogate the rodian in your custody. Please show me the holo-evidence of his arrest and summon the arresting officers."

"H-hello," the young female officer seemed both irritated as confused when no such visit showed up on her datapad, "Those officers went home for the night. Eh, Sector Ranger you said?" Sander nodded and did his best to appear impatient. "That's right, as you can see-" he pointed at the bright badge pinned to his tunic, "-then show me the footage from the interrogation at least." He was lucky that she was new, for his serious tone of voice and his apparent authority swayed her to buzz him through, "If you'd come during the day we could've-" she began as way of apology over the lack of surplus personnel in that station, "-then I would be too late. The Rodian is scheduled for execution isn't he?"

There wasn't anything else said until they entered the control room, "Greef, Leo-" she addressed the two security officers in charge of the screens and holo-terminals, "-this Sector Ranger is here to see the evidence in that rodian's case." Both men turned away from their screens and towards the Abednedo in the doorway, who, unbeknownst to them, tapped twice into his communicator. Go, Marion. Now



[[OOC note: Slicing into their systems requires three posting rounds.]]

@Insalius

 

[Marion Kestrel]

Marion had been slicing Zyggerrian systems for near his entire adult life at this point, something DEFINITELY not learned via legal means. However, this was a case where this skillset was completely needed. He waited patiently for the signal, trying to keep out of the way and seem like a harmless beggar or vagabond if anyone DID pass. The less that he was noticed, the better. Entitled or racist people tended to ignore those lesser than them, unless they were in a mood to pick a fight with a harmless person to make themselves feel better. Thankfully these humans just ignored him, probably figuring that a non-human wallowing in apparent filth was getting just what they deserved. Sure, he'd probably need a bath afterwards, but he'd trade a few minutes of being uncomfortable for the life of an innocent man. That was when he heard it, the double-tap on the comms that told him it was his turn to shine.

Moving over to the console next to that side door, Marion took out his slicer's tools and disassembled the panel as needed to start his work. He was partially in luck, this model was one of the older ones. The good part of the luck was that these systems were exactly in line with what he was used to working with. The bad part of the luck was that these systems could be incredibly finicky and prone to just resetting or shutting down if someone looked at them cross-eyed. Oh well, Marion didn't have his choice in the matter. He began to work as fast as he could, resisting the urge to look into the camera he knew was positioned above him. He trusted Sander to do what he could and he wouldn't let the Sector Ranger down, not if he could help it. He grimaced as his head swam at times, a result of the concussion. He hoped it wouldn't slow him down or cause him to mess up.

@Ecclessey