Escaping the Indefatigable (Ask)

[Cyril Khan]

The Alderaan Planetary Penitentiary stood a few dozen kilometers outside of the city of Aldera. It held the most dangerous criminals the planet had to offer. While other Republic prisons held much more vicious criminals and were significantly larger, the one on Alderaan was extremely well designed. The prision grounds had only seen a few escapes in its lifetime, and every successful attempt was quickly ended. The set up of the penitentiary was the source of its invulnerability. Even the most intelligent prisoners could not devise a plan to break out of the grounds and leave the system untouched.

The Alderaan prison system wasn't too impressive for the outside. It was surrounded completely by one layer of stun fences. The fences were designed to knockout anyone that came too close; if someone was knocked out, the fences would soon after be shut down by the guards and the unconscious body would be retrieved. These fences were typical in most penitentiary grounds, and these were definitely not what made the prison so difficult to escape from.

The prison was surrounded by a thick layer of durasteel wall. The wall stood twenty meters tall and was five meters thick. With only one way through the near indestructible obstacle, the penitentiary was intimidating for any escape artists dreams. Tunnels would prove impossible; the bulk wall was buried deep into the ground to prevent such construction. The only opening in the wall was blocked by the prison entrance; three guarded, locked durasteel doors oversaw all entrance and exit of the facilities. Outside of the entrance building was a series of stun fences; the only way in or out required these potent impediments to be shut down.

The prison side of the entrance building was the low security courtyard. This space, named Courtyard A, was the exercise area for two of the cell blocks. Within the thick metal wall, five prison blocks stood. The four corners each held a single cell block while the fifth was located in the center. Each building had three levels and could house two-hundred fifty inmates. The middle level of each cell block held the dining area. The top and second floors each held one hundred criminals, while the dining level housed fifty. This setup was considered the most secure design for the buildings.

Courtyard A accessed only two cell blocks. These buildings held the lower security inmates. Block A was to the the courtyard's right and Block B was to the left. Each of these prison houses has a higher security courtyard for captives with poor behavior. These yards connected these lower security blocks with the high security buildings, Blocks C and D. Block B was connected to D by Courtyard B, and Yard E connected Blocks A and C. Between Blocks C and D were two fitness spaces. These two yards, D and C, were the high security exercise yards of the complex. Every single courtyard in the penitentiary was surrounded by stun fences to preserve order.

The central cell block housed the inmates placed under maximum security. This cell block was surrounded by a single set of stun fences, creating a small area for exercise. The maximum security courtyard could only be entered from the high security yards C and D, and only if the security gates had their stun fields turned off. The maximum security building was the same design as the other blocks in the penitentiary, but the rules of the build were different. While the other prisoners were allow four to ten hours of time in the courtyards or outside their cell, the maximum security inmates only were allowed out into the courtyard for one hour at a time twice a day.

This set up of the prison was nigh unbeatable by any captive, but it was not invulnerable. Prisoners had escaped from the complex a few times; however, they never got far in their attempts. Four guard towers with anti-vehicle turrets stood outside the metal walls. If a ship tried to carry off any prisoners, the towers could shoot them down with ease. Even if a criminal made it away without being shot down, they would not make it into hyperspace before being stopped. The prison offices in the entrance building contained a communications facility; any escape was instantly relayed to any security or Republic ship on duty. Thus a convict's vessel would be stopped and taken over rapidly after escape.

This unfortunate setup was the home of one inmate. Grawll Mei had been put into the maximum security building after being convicted for multiple counts of manslaughter and second degree murder. His cell was located on the top level and he was watched carefully due to his tremendous size and strength. What was more depressing was the fact that his time on the courtyard was ruined by the constant presence of seven or more guards with stun batons. No one wanted to risk the Togorian going wild on them when he was "loose."

Grawll sat within his cell and rested in sadness. It wasn't his current state that was depressing. He had attempted to redeem his honor by killing the people who removed him from his home world, and by doing the action he had, he had ruined his honor. He couldn't think of a thing that could save his respect now. While being locked up was torturous for him, the pain of knowing he lost his honor permanently was worse. However, he tried to not let this bother him too greatly; he didn't want to remain in this prison forever; he knew he could escape, even if he couldn't redeem himself.

 

[D-Despario]

Alderaan Planetary Penitentiary... To Sarias Harik, the prison inspired little worry. He was not a wanted man after all, though after his mission was concluded he probably would be.

He was currently on duty watching prisoners exercise in the maximum security courtyard. He was dressed in the uniform of a prison guard, but was not, in point of fact, a member of the prison's security forces. He was actually a mercenary, and he was here for a reason... To break out a particular prisoner named Grawll Mei.

A few weeks ago, Sarias had arrived on Alderaan, seeking mercenaries to add to his crew. He had heard of the Togorian prisoner from an inebriated prison guard in a local cantina, and he had been intrigued. Upon further questioning of the guard, he had learned that Grawll Mei was being held in the Maximum Security lockup, for murder and manslaughter. Sarias decided then that he was going to break this Togorian out of prison and make him his second-in-command. If the creature was willing that is.

He had used his knowledge of slicing and fabrication of Identification to create a guard persona within the prison computer. The fabrication would stand up to the most rigorous of investigation, as he had also created a civilian database entry, and even a birth certificate. Should anyone suspect that he was not who he appeared to be, an investigation would prove his falsification as truth.

Since his actual arrival at the prison, he had only seen the enormous Togorian from a distance. The being was incredibly strong, and few went near him. Sarias had kept his distance, observing him. He had easily learned when Grawll was scheduled to be in the yard, and he was now waiting for that time to come.

A quick glance to his wrist chrono revealed that Grawll would soon be taken out into the yard for his daily exercise. When he was, Sarias would carefully approach him and tell him to do something to get put in solitary. It was the only way he would be able to talk to the Togorian without a possible audience.

 

[Cyril Khan]

A guard approached Grawll's cell and opened it. Several more, armed with large stun batons, rushed to the scene in case the Togorian attempted to escape. The large being was led from his imprisonment towards the turbolift. This was his hour for exercise. He wasn't too enthusiastic; if he did anything too athletic, he received plenty of jabs with the batons. Considering the fact that everything the Togorian, except sitting, could be considered dangerous, he had received many burns from the electrical control weapons.

Grawll wasn't upset that he couldn't do any form of exercise. He didn't mind sitting and observing the place that imprisoned him. He could see nearly all of the prison through the maximum security stun fences. If he slowly walked around the maximum security cell block, he could see the entire facility. Also, being surrounded by guards wasn't too bad. If he relaxed and made himself seem like he was no threat, he actually could listen to stories and rumors about the complex. He knew plenty about the place that held him, and he was intelligent enough to realize he wasn't smart enough to escape on his own.

 

[D-Despario]

"Beta group, return to your cells." A voice announced over the P.A. system. Obediently, the group of prisoners that Sarias had been watching began shuffling back inside. Sarias watched them go from the edges of the group, holding his stun baton at the ready. Attacks on the guards weren't unusual, he himself had had to fend off two attempts. He had quickly learned to keep ready for anything.

No such attempt occurred this time, and soon the prisoners were inside. The voice came over the loudspeaker again.
"Delta group now entering the yard."

Sarias watched as a smaller group of prisoners, perhaps ten nonhumans, entered the yard. Delta group, he had learned, was composed of the most dangerous sentient beings in the prison. The hulking Togorian was one of them.

 

[Cyril Khan]

Grawll entered into the courtyard and quickly went to his usual place of rest. The guards around him knew the drill by heart; the Togorian would sit for a few minutes and then move on to his next place. He didn't usually make any more threatening movements anymore, and no one threatened him. The fact that he had multiple counts of death related crime and his strength was intimidating to even the worst criminals. He didn't go out of his way to draw attention to himself or interact with anyone.

 

[D-Despario]

Sarias watched as the Togorian separated from the rest of the group. He waited a few moments, then he sauntered over to the massive sentient. His stun baton was held loosely in one hand as he cleared his throat to get the alien's attention.

"Togorian, prisoner 5634, I need to speak to you." he said calmly. Logically, the Togorian would listen to him, seeing as he had little else to occupy his time.

 

[Cyril Khan]

Grawll did not move or react to the approaching guard. One human, even with a stun weapon, was not too much trouble to deal with. The little weapon the runt held wouldn’t be too effective at first; he could deal with the pain, and it would take a few seconds to incapacitate the brute. In such amount of time he could throw the puny being halfway across the courtyard. Even with these odds, the giant did not make any action. He treated the guard like a stinging bug; if you don’t bother it, it won’t bother you; likewise, it is just a pest.

The words of the guard passed away unheard. The Togorian saw no reason to reply or acknowledge the human. It would take more than a job title and simple necessity to get the massive feline to speak willingly.

 

[D-Despario]

Sarias frowned, the Togorian was ignoring him. He supposed it was logical, he was disguised as a guard after all. And as a guard, he really must seem rather harmless in the eyes of the prisoner. There was little incentive for the big alien to listen to a word he had to say. As a guard at least, but he was here to break the antisocial Togorian out. In order to break Grawll out of prison, Sarias would need a chance to meet with him alone and with little chance of being observed. In short, he needed to somehow get Grawll to be sent to solitary.

He stepped a tiny bit closer to the massive Togorian. Catlike species were usually known for their sensitive hearing. If Grawll could hear a whisper from him, then the meeting between the two of them for the purpose of escape could be arranged.

“I’m here to help you,” Sarias whispered in a almost nonexistent voice. “I need you to do something to be put in solitary so that we may speak uninterrupted.”

 

[Cyril Khan]

Grawll once again sat unmoved. He heard what the guard said, but he refused to act. He was planning an escape from the beginning, and he didn't want himself to be watched more than he already was. If this man was playing him to see if he would react to such statements, the Togorian would find himself in a horrible place. It didn't take much intelligence to realize that. It was a gamble to take this guard seriously. Even so, he released a small growl to reveal he had acknowledged the man. It was a slight warning to the man. However, the growl resulted in a sudden movement by the guards. They all activated their stun weapons and prepared for a possible attack.

 

[D-Despario]

Sarias took an involuntary step back as the Togorian growled. He was impressed to say the least, this being was definitely the right choice for a second-in-command.
The guards nearby were closing in on Grawll, brandishing their stun batons. Sarias knew if Grawll attacked one of them then he would be placed in solitary for several hours. His plan was working, and it would succeed whether the massive Togorian attacked the guards or the guards attacked him.

One of the guards tapped Grawll's arm with his stun baton, singeing his fur and sending a jolt of energy into his nervous system. This would not be enough to stun the Togorian however, as the baton was on low power.
"Prisoner 5634, stand down now!" The guard snapped.

 

[Cyril Khan]

The instant the stun baton touched his hide, Grawll instantly reacted. In an instance he had his large hands on the guard's wrist; the Togorian held not only the hand but part of the weapon too. The guard yelled in terror, fearing that his hands would be lost to the razor sharp claws. However, the huge feline didn't need to wield such weapons to break the bones. His powerful grip tightened suddenly; the recognizable snap sounded as the hand and weapon flattened. This guard was no longer a problem.

This action did not go unpunished. The moment Grawll's hand gripped the guard's, the other security officials rushed to jump the feline. Within moments, seven high powered batons had fallen the giant to the ground. It took even more bodies to carry the beast out of the courtyard. In the rush to deal with the criminal, the wounded guards lay on his knees still screaming as blood rushed from where the bones protruded.

 

[D-Despario]

Medics and additional guards in riot armor rushed into the yard. The medics took the man with the crushed hand to the infirmary, while the riot armored guards with stun blasters regained order in the yard. The prisoners were all sent back to their cells, with the exception of the massive Togorian. He was sent to solitary for attemting to kill a guard.

One of the guards was strangely calm as he helped carry Grawll Mei to the solitary cells. Sarias helped the guards secure the massive Togorian in his cell, then he was delighted as one of the officers ordered him to stand guard outside the cell. Everything was working perfectly, very soon Grawll would be alone, and then Sarias could discuss his plans for escape with the creature.

The other guards left, and Sarias Harik was alone outside of the creature's cell.
"We're alone now Grawll Mei," he said through the tiny opening in the metal door.
"I suppose you're wondering why I wanted to have a moment to speak with you privately. Well, its really simple. I have an escape plan, and I want to help you escape from this prison."