Ask Bars, Sabada And Nar Shaddaa

[Leh'Min'Ayd]

Shuttle. Trouble. Bubble. Hubble. Lambda and sabada. Just put the pedal to the metal and throttle that throttle as Leh’Min’Ayd chugs on fun like a bottle of lemonade.

“HERE COMES THE JUICE! WOOOOOOT!”

Away they go and oh don’t worry about any oopsy buddy. The Leh’Min’Ayd thinks and thinks mistakes and accidents often lead to some of the most exciting and hilarious events anyway.

“LIKE A TRUE NATURE’S CHILD! WE WERE BORN, BORN TO BE WILD!”

Like what if the purple girls had to abandon ship and eject out of the cockpit and parachute onto some moon’s surface? Wouldn’t THAT be totally awesome!?

“WE CAN CLIMB SO HIGH! I NEVER WANNA DIE!”

Okay maybe not. Well not yet. Bet! Keep in the seats at the moment as the Lemon sings. Another one of her favorite activities next to dancing and flying oh yep!

“BOOOOOOORN TO BE WIIIIIIIIIIILD!”

Well that was wild. Four sensors for an escort. TIE fighter-something-or-others. Lem doesn’t need the Force to sense a disturbance with these four ships of course. But um Lemon didn’t really feel like listenin’ this moment so whatev.

“Tamache Tamache it rhymes with Apache an X-Wing that took on three TIE’s during the Battle of Endor I think it’s pretty catchy and now we have four and sorry buddies but CAN’T CATCH ME!”

Leh’Min roared to nobody of course except her best friend. After all she was just playing pretend at the end. So excited, so very excited, having the time of her life, feeling like she’s that Apache pilot.

“Woohoo!”

So Leh’Min pretended she was a dogfighter or catfighter or whatever fighter as she pressed some buttons as if to shoot at those TIE ships annnnd the buttons actually worked. Good thing the cannon’s laser missed its target? Heh?

“...Oops…”

@Interdictor | @Lexta Kato

 

[Lexta Kato]

Lemon's singing was officially bordering on annoying. Lexta, however, had other problems. Like the fact that the laser cannons had just fired. The shots went wide, which wasn't shocking, considering she hadn't been aiming at anything. "<Aka, deacti ventel contama gunnery...>" she muttered. Suddenly, green bolts danced around the canopy. The Twi'lek swore-something she had literally never done in her life-and pulled up hard on the stick. The little airspeeder nosed up so hard Lexta got tunnel vision, and before she knew it, the front of the ship was pointing defiantly toward space. Their pursuers hadn't expected such a motion and sluggishly followed. She maneuvered the T-47 in a hard left turn that brought them in a head-to-head approach. The TIE tried to break off the attack, but grimly, Lexta depressed the trigger. Two red shots streaked from the twin cannon, the first barely missing. The second, however, punched right through the strut securing the cockpit to the left solar panel, disintegrating it in a violent flash of light. The other fighter spun away towards the city, iconic screech now more of a desperate warble. By now, though, the other three enemy fighters had closed in behind them, and Lexta leveled out and desperately evaded the incoming fire.
@Die Shize

 

[Leh'Min'Ayd]

“Uhhh super sorry eheheh!” Leh’Min rubbed the back of her head after whatever had just happened. “Slight weapons malfunction! We’re fine! We’re fine!” She lied. Wasn’t fooling anybody at the moment.

“WAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!”

Singing a new tune now and she always thought she had a good voice but now she has no choice.

Leh’Min squealed as Lexta pulled up hard on the stick and green bolts whipped past the ship like the wind. Was it intended to be a miss? Were the TIE’s just warning this airspeeder like a blow across the bow?

The fighters followed after the speeder. Apparently they didn’t want to let this innocent ship go. Granted, at least one purple pilot had made the mistake of pressing the wrong button so…

“OH GREAT NOW I REALLY THINK THEY WANNA KILL US OH NO”

Leh’Min’s trigger finger was an accident! Now Lexta was actually blasting back at them! At least one of them had only lost the wing. Last thing these girls need is the whole world after them.

“WATCH IT WE GOT THREE ON OUR TAIL”

Leh’Min is perfectly aware that she isn’t helping by stating the obvious or able to do much anyway but hope and pray. Eyes glued to her screen, at least she can focus on their movements.

“THEY’RE SPLITTING UP AND WE'RE A SITTING DUCK!”

She was never great at pilot jargon despite her games.

“UHHH ONE BEHIND US, ONE ON THE LEFT, ONE ON THE RIGHT AND I’M TOO YOUNG TO DIE”

@Interdictor | @Lexta Kato

 

[Lexta Kato]

Lexta didn't respond to any of Leh's various exclamations, intent on not getting shot. Taking advantage of the TIE's inability to turn well in atmosphere, she rudderd the T-47 to the left and nosed down, roaring between the towering structures towards the less populated, junkier section of the planet. The enemy fighters tried to follow, but they were hampered by their wide solar panels, which restricted their maneuverability. Skimming so low over a street that the bottom of the airspeeder almost scraped the paint off of a passing hoverbus, Lexta deftly evaded the blasts coming in from behind them. As it turned out, whoever was chasing them didn't bother pulling their punches, which became apparent as one of the shots that missed slammed into the side of an office building, sending glass, fire and smoke in all directions. That just infuriated Lexta. Pulling up into open air, she led their pursuers up to about eight thousand feet before yanking the airspeeder into a Cobra maneuver. The little ship's fuselage went from cutting through the air to becoming a giant airbrake, and it violently and suddenly slowed. The TIEs, not expecting such a maneuver, roared past them. Recovering from the Cobra, Lexta mashed the trigger. The first TIE was struck in the left solar panel and veered wildly out of control, while the second exploded dramatically, ejection seat making it out just in time. The third pilot, however, was extremely skilled and dodged every shot she could throw at him. The chase began to once again descend towards the city.
@Die Shize

 

[Leh'Min'Ayd]

Spoiler: Music IC

Her music just wouldn't quit! Unfortunately for Leh’Min all those days spent playing space games weren’t enough to prepare her for this day. Oh, sure, she had flown in and flown a ship before, albeit with rather limited experience, and it was barely a ship to begin with.

From the sky and unto the skyline. Why why why!? WHY did the Lemonade have to press those dumb buttons!? STUPID STUPID STUPID. It was all she could do at this moment to stay sane. Well, that and to keep the lunch in her stomach from coming up as upchuck or sommat.

“HOLY ROLY POLY I HOPE NOBODY WAS IN THAT BUILDING”

Hopefully nobody was behind the window that shattered from from the fighter's blaster but whatever she had windows of her own to worry about at the moment. Fortunately her companion was one hett of a pilot!

“GREAT SHOT KID THAT’S ONE IN A GAZILLION”
There goes the TIE with the missing solar wing thing.

“YA GOT ‘IM”
There goes the TIE with the explosion and the seat.
“WOAH YA REALLY GOT ‘IM”

There goes the third TIE dodging the shots of she who shall be so known as TIE Fighter, Fighter of TIEs—except the TIEs already ARE TIE Fighters sooo— ah whatever. GO GO GO.

“BANK UP OR PULL UP OR SOMETHIN' WAAAAHHHH”

Leh’Min cried right as their opponent blasted at a bridge that blasted into pieces with support beams crashing downward like it might smash the airspeeder’s wings!

@Interdictor | @Lexta Kato

 

[Lexta Kato]

Lexta ignored Leh's various cheers and encouragements through gritted teeth. That Togruta was the whole reason they were in this mess in the first place. Instead she focused on bringing the enemy pilot down. Said pilot was making her job unnecessarily difficult. The TIE seemed to dance and weave perfectly around her shots, expertly evading every trick she used. Then the scumbag blasted away at the bridge, downing it suddenly. That was what crossed the line for the Twi'lek. A small growl rose in her throat and she roughly shoved the throttle forwards, pushing the little airspeeder to full power. They raced through the falling debris, barely managing to avoid them all in time. Then the two ships were on the other side, and the deadly dance recommenced. The enemy ship weaved and rolled, but Lexta pressed on, until finally a shot nicked the left solar panel. The damage was minor, but it would slow him down.
@Die Shize

 

[Leh'Min'Ayd]

Despite their predicament, which Leh’Min would state in retrospect was totally the fault of no owner’s manual in the cockpit, but sparing blame to the owner, she could actually only congratulate Lexta for being such an expert pilot despite her age.

She earlier evaded cannonfire and now debris. Maybe she is the true Apache. Her speeder sped ahead as Lemon waaah’d as much as woohoo’d. The adrenaline was burning inside her like a fire, higher and higher, and while she didn’t really want anybody to get hurt she couldn’t ignore the burn either.

“HE’S TURNING!”

Leh’Min jabbed her finger at the ship as if her companion might see her from behind and realized that wasn’t terribly effective.

“TUNNEL! THREE O’CLOCK! HIT IT!”

It looked like a generic tunnel to funnel public traffic but more for vessels like theirs or maybe she just missed a sign that said maintenance or somethin’.

“I THINK! IS IT STILL TWELVE HOURS ON THE CLOCK ON NAR SHADDAA!? AWW SABADA!”

@Interdictor | @Lexta Kato

 

[Lexta Kato]

Lexta watched the TIE in front of her steer towards the tunnel. Well, that was his last mistake, she thought darkly, pulling the T-47 into a turn slightly tighter than the one her opponent had made. This allowed her to get a good side shot and a lead on her target. The twin heavy cannons on her airspeeder sent blasts clawing out towards the enemy ship. The TIE, unable to evade due to his proximity to the tunnel, violently disintegrated in a shower of sparks and flame. The ball cockpit, suddenly without lift but with plenty of speed, collided with the floor of the tunnel and skidded, bouncing and grinding along until it was deformed beyond any recognition. The T-47 pulled into the tunnel and out the other side. In the distance, she could see several freighters and a few smaller ships racing towards the scene of the dogfight. Probably first responders or police. The Twi'lek pushed the airspeeder into a gentle dive, descending below the higher buildings down to the lower levels. As the adrenaline subsided, Lexta suddenly facepalmed. She had just shot down three TIE fighters, of which at least one pilot was dead. Said fighters had targeted civilian property. [abbr='Why?]"Qato?"[/abbr] she mused out loud.
@Die Shize

 

[Leh'Min'Ayd]

Leh’Min’Ayd, tempted as she was considering what these TIE fighter pilots had done, didn’t actually throw her hands up, never mind throw up. There was no cheer. No celebration. No dance beneath make-believe fireworks. And there sure wasn’t any music in the ship any longer.

Leh’Min silenced it. She needed peace and quiet for this. No, not Lemon, but her companion. Lexta. The pilot. The Apache fighter. Her violence wasn’t expected. This situation wasn’t to begin with. The circumstances? The events that led up to it? It wasn’t Lexta’s fault if bein’ honest. It’s mine. I’m the dumbass.

A dumbass who had killed before and would potentially do so again but, yet again, Leh’Min wasn’t in the pilot’s seat for this. She wasn’t the one whose fingers pulled the trigger except for her dumb accident.

“Hey, we’re okay.”

Leh’Min’Ayd attempted to reassure her friend. She couldn’t gauge Lexta’s tone, whether she was upset by what happened or just bemused by how quickly events developed, but the Togruta would take the blame either way.

“You’re okay. Ya did great. Ehhhhmmmm as in you fired in self-defense. And, for whatever it’s worth…” She sighed, eyes to the skyline then to the sky. “...I’m sorry, okay? The Leh’Min’Ayd is honestly sorry…”

@Interdictor | @Lexta Kato

 

[Lexta Kato]

Lexta set the airspeeder on autopilot, letting it cruise over the tops of buildings steadily. Then she slumped back in her seat with a sigh. What started out as a joyride had ended in a dogfight. Adogfight where Lexta had shot down four fighters and kiled at least one person, maybe more. She wondered for a moment who had been piloting those ships. Who were they? What were their hopes, their dreams, their fears? Did they regard her flying as that of a skilled pilot or that of a terrorist? Her train of thought was interrupted by Leh's voice. The Togruta was trying to comfort her. "<Leh…es koa eramti. Koa sabbe. Ichi somana suhhi weaponsystem. Es mana quanti…quato? Quato effe damiga coli abre koa nicte? Quato shosha vio fremus tritiuum akal?>"
@Die Shize

 

[Leh'Min'Ayd]

Weapons system. Was it just a malfunction? Lexta had mentioned that she did switch it off. Then again, she had been repairing her ship when both kids had met each other. Or maybe Leh’Min was just that big of an idiot that she had actually managed to bypass the restricted systems without even knowing it.

Whatever the case, either way, she would take the blame no matter what her friend may say. That was just the lemon’s way.

Then again, Lexta had a good point. Even though Leh’Min’Ayd’s mistake was just that, an accident, those TIE fighter jerks shot back as if the ship behind them had actually intended to attack attack attack!

“Yeah what the hett? What’s up with that?”

Leh’Min slumped back in her seat with a sigh.

“Hummm it was that shuttle, wasn’t it? They were protectin’ it or sommat. Humm maybe we should investigate? I mean they did start this chit. Ahem. In a manner of speaking I mean. Hum I guess I actually started it but hey you finished it! You did what must be done! Wanna stick o’ chewin’ gum? I’ma shut up. Yup.”

@Interdictor | @Lexta Kato

 

[Lexta Kato]

Lexta was silent fora long moment as she thought. It just doesn't make sense. Maybe Leh is right. "<Dunn cadea, isa imagi sha. Damachi internus civika aben mincu samaca,>" she said finally. The shuttle was a place to start, certainly. If they checked her computer back at her garage, they would be able to find out the destination of the Lambda. The Twi'lek sighed.
@Die Shize

 

[Leh'Min'Ayd]

Okay. So, not only were they both on the same page about how to play, but Lexta hadn't exactly placed all the blame on Leh'Min'Ayd or the Lemonade and hold the lemonade so that was great. She had already mentioned her forgiveness for the accident, yes, but O how minds could change.

"Hey so maybe if we check your computer back at your garage we'd be able to find out the destination of the Lamb—Lamp—Lampoon—Llama—oh I dunno I forgot what it's called and never knew my mama how about some music as we move it?"

Spoiler: Music IC

@Interdictor | @Lexta Kato

 

[Lexta Kato]

(OOC: Sorry for the late post, I thought I had replied!)
"Lambda," she corrected, "<Aber sek, ichi sudo amiciko.>" Lexta disengaged the autopilot and banked into a gentle left turn that sent them down one of the less reputable streets on the planet. She gave a barely visible nod to Lemon's comment about music, and soon the song was filling the cockpit. "<Soma, wikee bamika Nar Shadda?>" A simple question to fill the time.
@Die Shize

 

[Leh'Min'Ayd]

Spoiler: Music IC (Recurring)

“Lambda, Lambda, it rhymes with…huh…”

Struggling to think of that one, if not oblivious to her companion’s question, Leh’Min erupted into a jig to the music. Couldn’t help it but, what the hett, it was easy to groove and engage in conversation too.

The streets they were flying the Nameless ship in weren’t very pretty. At least they hadn’t exploded like that one office building did though. Well, the window, as far as that goes.

“Hummmm what brought me to Nar Shaddaa?”

Lemon bopped her shoulders this way, shifted her elbows that way.

“Soooo there was this restaurant I heard about, right, kinda got some hummus or sommat, bit of a dip, spread, or savory dish made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, lemon juice, and garlic?”

Maybe Lexta didn’t know what the hett this dish was till that moment but what the hett sabada and there’s your rhyme for Lambda.

“Turns out the restaurant only serves ADULTS oya they don’t SERVE teenagers and the owner called me a KID and told me to get the hett out actually he said get the HECK out whatever the hett that meant and did I mention he called me a KID and I’m like I can’t even BELIEVE it oh hey is that a Herglic?”

Lemon pointed into the distance.

@Interdictor | @Lexta Kato

 

[Lexta Kato]

"<Agrim ferrica,>" Lexta said, making a right turn. They were only a half mile or so away from her home. [abbr='Why did they only allow adults?]"<Merima facimit esse?>"[/abbr] She noticed Leh point off into the distance in her rearview mirror and wondered why she did that.

A few minutes later, the airspeeder pulled into Lexta's garage. There were a few harsh lights hanging from the ceiling, and off to the side a pile of parts that was a speeder bike in the past sat on a large durasteel workbench. Lexta shut down the T-47 and popped the canopy. [abbr='here we are,]"<Amicabunt sum,>" [/abbr] she said, clambering out of the ship and picking Mouse up before placing him on the concrete ground.
@Die Shize

 

[Leh'Min'Ayd]

"Something to do with said adults getting drunk and it being no environment for anybody under a given age limit."

It was an honest answer but caused Leh'Min to spend those few minutes questioning what that age limit even was. One species' age of adulthood was not the same as the other. Such as Humans and Hutts.

"Nice ride, nice place," Leh'Min'Ayd proclaimed as she stepped into Lexta's garage. It wasn't anything fancy and the girl liked that rustic feel to it.

"Now let's see what we can uncover about this jerk Lambda, sabada," she hovered with promise over Lexta's shoulder and her computer. "You got a hot pocket? A banana? Somethin'? My stomach." She patted it. "Agh. Headache."

Then Leh'Min'Ayd fell forward into Lexta as if she had slipped on a banana, or as if to faint.

@Interdictor | @Lexta Kato

 

[Lexta Kato]

Lexta let out a noncommital hum to Lemon's statement as she slid into her chair in front of her computer. Quickly, she turned it on and brought up the flight logs for this area of Nar Shadda. Suddenly, Leh collapsed onto Lexta's side, causing her to yelp. "<Kefe, oken sokam? Uchi...Ich hafte ramen oko fridge,>" she said, pointing towards a small fridge as she helped Lemon lean against the table. Once she was sure Leh was okay, the Twi'lek scanned the list until she found what she was looking for. "<Akula. Esse fugabit... vili tramit.>" She frowned. "<Kotor mishten valu tramit TIE escort. Nikto emtrey vilento vili.>" She rested her chin on a fist in thought. "<Saba er golento Nal serviceyard. Abico ferru tam?>" Lexta might not be a seasoned investigator or bounty hunter, but she was no fool. Being born and raised on what was essentially the criminal version of Coruscant, she was well versed in cover businesses, shady deals, and impromptu chases through streets and the air. Of course, none of them had ended in someone dying, but she would have to think that over later.
@Die Shize