Ask Guild Wars: Ace of Spades

[Corran Velt]

Beyond the comforts, luxuries, and security of the Core Worlds were the boundless dangers and equally boundless riches of the frontier. The Velcar Sector was no different. Asteroid fields in the area contained immense amounts of profitable minerals. Located beyond the boundaries of any current galactic government made it that much more tantalizing for independent prospectors and mining companies alike. All these operations required a constant flow of workers, supplies, and equipment. Not to mention export of their captured resources.

Few laws, uncharted logistics lanes, and lots of loot proved too tantalizing for raiders to pass up. Among the many, many other issues caused by this dangerous mix, groups of starfighters had been ravaging the various freighters coming and going from the sector. Usually hauling ships away for the prize inside. Sometimes not. A hastily established coalition of shipping companies contacted the Sector Rangers to help restore some order. Find out who the raiders are, where they are striking from, and ruin their day. That's why Lieutenant Corran Velt was strapped into the cockpit of a TI-3A D-Wing Starfighter floating amongst various orbital rocks. The old and odd ship had been kindly offered from the ad-hoc armories of the shipping companies as a tool to rid the area of raiders, which he had accepted given he lacked access to anything better. It was only the third time the blond ranger had ever sat in the cockpit of a fighter craft. Only the second time for an actual mission. His piloting skills for anything smaller than a freighter left a lot to be desired.

Thankfully, as personnel-strapped as the Sector Rangers were, he was able to call in some help. "Squadron Leader Asuchi, do you read me?" Corran adjusted some frequency knobs on his console. Asteroids sometimes played havoc with communications. "Come give me a flyby if you can hear me, over." The inexperienced pilot twisted his head to look out the canopy of his own D-wing in an attempt to spot her. With any luck, and maybe some help, maybe this ugly craft would make it home intact. So would he along with it.

@Bex

 

[Rylee Asuchi]

"You sound like you're talking to me through a Gonk droid's charging port" was the response from Rylee Asuchi. The squadron leader wasted no time in delivering the flyby the lieutenant had requested. Coming from behind the old D-Wing, the Pantoran's X-Wing rocketed over the top of Velt's starfighter, tilting from side to side as the X foils adeptly avoided the rocks and minerals floating aimlessly in the space around them. Pulling hard left on her controls, Rylee circled back around and lined herself up alongside Corran's borrowed ship.

Looking out of the cockpit to her right, she would see the blonde haired sector ranger sat there in what looked to Rylee like it should have gone on the scrapheap years ago. From beneath her helmet, her golden eyes looked over to him and she gave a single wave of greeting.

"Please don't tell me that you own that thing" she started, "Look, next time you go shopping for a ship, you tell me okay? By the look of that old rust bucket we could be looking at some time later today, but I'm sorry lieutenant I'm booked up until next week so you'll just have to wait."

For the Pantoran, this kind of conversation was par for the course in her line of work. Her squadron would constantly tease each other over pretty much anything. They were a tight knit group. Strange then that the squadron leader was here alone, but it was a necessary step. Join Lt. Velt on this mission, get a feel for what the Sector Rangers are about, help make a decision as to whether her future was still with the Pantoran military, or forge a new and unexpected path, free of the restraints she had currently to carry out justice in the galaxy.

This was now her third meeting with Corran. The two seemed to get on well and Rylee was eager to see what his piloting skills were really like since he last mentioned he could do with a few lessons from an expert. The old D-Wing had already lowered her expectations somewhat, but the Pantoran would try not to let sub-par tools cloud her judgement of her companion's piloting technique.

@TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

Sleek and sharp like a dagger, a T-70 X-wing blasted into view. It deftly turned sharp among the debris and settled in formation next to the much less exciting D-wing. Corran smiled big as he caught a glimpse of Rylee waving at him. He waved back with a gloved hand. Her confidence in piloting was heartening. "No, Squadron Leader, it's a lease," the Sector Ranger teased back, "In better shape than the last Y-wing I flew, if you can believe it. You can thank the shipping conglomerates for the rental." Compared to the rust bucket rebel bomber flown during the Zygerrian operation, this hulking D-wing might as well be a high-end racing speeder. It fortunately had some similar dimensions to the YT-1300 at least, in some regards.

Lieutenant Velt flipped a couple switches to look at the ships' sensors. A single blip weakly pinged in a clearing among the asteroids. "On your sensors, can you see that blip? That's the distress signal from a transport group that got raided most recently. No crew left aboard. We'll start our investigation there and hopefully find a trail." With the toggle of a his control-stick and pressing a few buttons, the engines of the D-wing flickered to life. Nothing too sudden lest the novice pilot nosed into floating space rock. Corran guided his fighter over a large hunk of asteroid and then gradually rotated sideways to avoid two that floated close together. From Rylee's perspective it would appear that the blond ranger was giving ample space between ship and terrain. Like he was use to piloting something much bigger.

Slow-going was an apt description of their travel time. Corran was getting the hand of the controls and kept the thrust down to something manageable. Sort of like a kid in driving school during their final test. But nevertheless the pair got there. Two large transports had clearly been shot to pieces here. Their cargo holds blasted open. Goods stolen or destroyed. Various chunks and bits of starship floated by. A damaged screw even bumped off the D-wing's canopy. The whole scene was... grim. "You see anything like this before?" Lieutenant Velt asked, staring out into the cold carnage. "I'll start looking around for something that points us in the right direction." The oblong fighter began thrusting through the mess of it all - searching for the trail.

@Bex

 

[Rylee Asuchi]

Rylee identified the blip on the radar but chose not to rely on her ship's instruments initially. The pilot was much more intrigued by her companion's flying skills and waited until he started moving so she could simply follow him towards their destination. Watching the lieutenant move off and delicately position his D-Wing light years from any obstacles was highly amusing. It was obvious he had no experience with small craft. She patiently followed along behind him, choosing not to comment on his lack of speed until they finally reached the blip on their radars.

"If you went any slower I think you might go back in time" came the Pantoran's voice over comms as once again, she lined her X-Wing up alongside the Sector Ranger. Turning her attention now to the scene before her, she saw the decimated transport ships. Two large starships reduced to piles of floating junk by volleys of cannon fire. In response to the lieutenant's question, Rylee replied "Sorry to say I've seen this picture before."

The Squadron Leader was not lying. In her military career she had seen several big transport ships obliterated in the midst of battle on both sides of conflict. What she neglected to mention however was that she and her squadron in more recent times had been guilty of assaulting criminal vessels of this size upon intercepting them too. The difference was, the cargo hold was usually left in tact to ensure they could deliver any goods to those in need back home on Pantora. The hit here was more symptomatic of common pirates who would infiltrate the cargo hold directly and make off with whatever they could get their hands on that still held some value.

"Most of the fire was concentrated on the cargo hold, it's possible we're dealing with pirates" she said, letting Corran know her thoughts, "Without some kind of tracking beacon we're going to need to keep an eye out for other hits and follow a trail. Keep your wits about you lieutenant, they could still be in the area."

Rylee was now keen to track down these perpetrators but having seen the damage they'd caused to the two transports, she started to grow concerned regarding the D-Wing and it's pilot. The old ship could make Corran an easy target and the lieutenant clearly wasn't a confident fighter pilot.

@TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

Rylee's jest at his expense elicited a small chuckle. He warned her that he was inexperienced. Flying a transport was different than flying a starfighter. Bigger ships felt more weighty. Took more forethought of when to turn and how much time it took. Starfighters slashed that thinking time to mere seconds. Controls were more responsive and a minor adjustment could send the craft into a sudden roll or turn. So yeah, of course Corran was going to take it slow an asteroid field. The rest of the Pantoran soldier's analysis was focused on their surroundings. Not much to go on at first glance was her take.

"Could have been pirates," Lieutenant Velt mused aloud, "or someone posing as pirates." Out here in the 'resource rush' of the Velcar Sector, plenty of factions had been shooting at each other. Free miners, industrial concerns, and black-market prospectors. Adding pirates into the mix seemed just as plausible. It wouldn't make sense for the transport companies to be targeted by any other group than space bandits. All those digging for riches needed to ship those riches elsewhere, right? Nothing could be ruled out entirely though.

The D-wing drifted carefully through the wreckage. Corran panned his head from one side of the cockpit to the other looking for the barest hint of a clue. "We know one thing for sure. They didn't hyperjump out of here. No route that doesn't end up being pancaked against a rock." That meant Rylee's warning was doubly important. Whoever struck these and other transports were likely in the area. But where would they head to? Something dark bubbled against the canopy. Oily and round, it slid across the top before drifting back into space. Another one slid by. Then another. Liquid of some kind. The ranger leaned over the console and adjusted the sensors. "Squadron Leader, I think I found something. Some sort of chemical leak. Maybe a damaged engine from another ship. You can pick up an ion trail leading away too." Someone had taken damage and limped away from the fight. Wither it was a survivor or a raider was anyone's guess. Based on the wreckage though, Corran would've placed his best on the latter and he was a pretty good gambler. "Let's check it out."

@Bex

 

[Rylee Asuchi]

Piloting her X-Wing a safe distance from the old D-Wing as Corran searched through the debris, Rylee had her attention focused on what may be happening around them. There lay the difference between herself and the sector ranger. Velt had his eyes on the details, the evidence and the clues, but the soldier Asuchi had her eyes peeled for suspicious activity. All it would take was for the perpetrators to reveal themselves and the Squadron Leader would leap into action.

So far however, there was no movement besides the floating hunks of wreckage and leaking starship fluid. The lieutenant drew Rylee's attention towards the ion trail leading away from the leaking chemicals. The Pantoran decided she would take the lead this time, carefully avoiding the oil that was trickling over Corran's borrowed fighter - there was no way she was allowing it to spoil her X-Wing's paintwork. As they followed the trail, Rylee continued the conversation.

"What have your boys in the shipping conglomerate told you about these attacks?" she asked, "Were these ships given any kind of security detail or escort to protect the cargo and workforce?"

The Pantoran made sure that Corran was following close by before picking up a little bit of speed to ensure he was not too easily separated from her as they followed the ion trail. Based on the fact it would be difficult to jump to hyperspace in this area, Rylee suspected that they were following the trail of those responsible for the attack on the transport ships. Whether Corran anticipated the same outcome, she did not know, but the Pantoran was already gearing up for a dogfight long before anything material came from their investigation.

@TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

Four red engines acted as guiding lights for Corran as he steered behind Rylee's sleek X-wing. It cut through space like a knife. Even from where he sat, it was obvious there was an experience pilot behind the controls. The subtle tilts and angles. Deft handling between floating obstacles. If he could learn even half of Rylee's skill, maybe he could be something of a starfighter pilot too. Having a nicer ship might help too. Lieutenant Velt had flown (more like a joyride) a Dagger, a Y-wing, and now this D-wing. None of them felt right. Could be because flying a Corellian light freighter felt second-nature at this point. Or maybe flying something as refined as an X-wing might feel better at the controls. He'd have to ask Rylee for her opinions on that.

"There was no need for awhile," Corran answered, "Transports dropped off supplies, picked up resources, and left. Credits made all around. Additional security would have cut into the profits. They did start using bulk haulers with defensive turrets as tensions began to ratchet up. But then the raids started occuring." He rotated his ship at an angle to avoid hitting some chunks of rock. "For the companies, we're the additional security. Experienced, impartial, and best of all - free." Being a former space trader himself, Corran knew how these things worked. Sometimes taking a loss of a ship or cargo was cheaper than hiring mercenaries or escorts. Raiders can't hit every freighter anyway. Some ships will always get through. Better to press your luck for money than hesitate and get nothing. If he were them, he'd turn to law enforcement too. Good business savings and maybe solve the problem for good.

The pair of space fighters kept following the chemical and ion traces for a time. It grew fainter as they followed. Someone who didn't want to be found wouldn't be stupid enough to leave a literal trail to wherever they were hiding. Likely had a droid aboard who fixed the leaks eventually. Their only clue eventually faded entirely. Corran sighed heavily, glancing between visual scanning and the sensors themselves. All blank except for the countless asteroids that made up the belt. "Blast it," he mumbled without the commlink on.

Bing.

A giant sensor shadow pinged loudly. It took up almost the entire scanner screen. The ranger practically fell out of his seat if not for the harness keeping him secure. "What the?" He scrambled to get a closer look at the console. There was nothing. Corran opened the comm again, "Rylee! Did you see that!?" He was so flabbergasted that he even used her first name. His hands anxiously fumbled with the knobs on the sensor suite, changing through the various settings to pick up whatever it was. Something of that size could turn them into space dust with a blink. After a few dizzying moments, it seemed the ping was merely a technical error. Lieutenant Velt was beginning to lean back, dejected, until...

Bing.

His mouth slowly fell open as his eyes rose to meet what the scanner had already seen. Above them two massive asteroids had collided - sandwiched together into an oblong shape. But between them was something artificial entirely. A Berex-class carrier had been severely wrecked by either getting stuck between the two or intentionally being lodged there. It's engines were thorough smashed and the entire front half of the vessel bent at an awkward angle. Chunks of the hull were split open. Most sections didn't have power. But some still did. Including the circular command section. "I think... we found them."

@Bex

 

[Rylee Asuchi]

Though she did not respond to Lt. Velt immediately, Rylee reacted badly to the news that these ships had only been provided with minimal security at best once the attacks started happening. She swore to herself in the cockpit of her X-Wing before she unmuted her comms with Corran.

"If I ever speak to anybody from the shipping conglomerate you're going to have to do something spectacular to stop me from ramming my boot so far up their ass that they'll need to floss with my shoelaces" she growled, "If these people willingly sacrifice their workforce to make a quick profit they're no better than criminals and I certainly will not be dragged in to act as an unpaid security force."

The Pantoran was angry now. As far as she was concerned her mission was now to determine whether there were any survivors from the attack that needed their help. If they came across an enemy vessel, so be it, but there would be no holding back.

As the two piloted their fighters through the floating debris and space rocks, something shocking appeared on the scanner. Corran's voice came through on his crackly comms relay, clearly having seen the same thing she had. A blip the size of a planet had momentarily filled the screen before vanishing.

"Keep calm Lieutenant" she said, now with more composure than she had displayed beforehand. Her tone had turned more professional and much more what you would have expected from a Squadron Leader. Rylee kept her eyes on the scanner to ensure what she had seen wasn't just a glitch, but the same blip appeared again. Looking out of the cockpit, she saw nothing directly in front of her, but as she raised her head she saw what Corran had found. A shipwrecked cruiser.

"There's power on the bridge of that ship" was the next thing she said as her golden eyes scanned the scene. It was the one thing that stood out to her amongst the floating engine wreckage and remnants of the ship's hull. "If there are survivors we need to find a way to rescue them."

@TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

When Rylee got worked up, she got worked up. Only the the injustices of pirates or the conflict with the Sith got her energized. Well, more like the possibility Corran was keeping secrets from her. Squadron Leader Asuchi's diatribe against the transport guilds had him silently nodding. Shipping was a race-to-the-bottom business. Whoever could ship the most cargo the fastest and cheapest got the deal. He knew the ins-and-outs of bulk trading. The risks and the rewards. Corran disagreed that the actions of corporate types made them criminals - free miners and independent shippers took the same risks - but he understood how she felt. He tilted his head from side to side, weighing thoughts on a mental scale in his helmeted head, about being unpaid security. Sector Rangers were paid a meager sum to protect and serve. That counts for something. The real question was if he could stop her from thrashing the conglomerate executives. Rylee was a fierce one.

The impassioned young woman gave way to the professional Pantoran pilot as soon as a contact was detected. Her stoic 'keep calm' felt like a chastisement. Lieutenant Velt grimaced in his cockpit. He was the serious one more often than not. The possibility the ship was civilians who got stranded was an interesting one. Corran rotated a knob on his console to help his sensor array cut through the asteroids and other debris. Not many shipping companies he knew had large carriers like that. On the other hand, plenty of companies had formed their own militia forces to fight among the rocks. "Could be survivors. Could also be pirates. A crashed ship like that wouldn't be a bad secret base to launch raids from," the ranger postulated, "Only way to find out is to get closer."

Careful maneuvering through the tangle of asteroids brought the D-wing closer to the carrier. It's own signature became more stable. As damaged as it was, the outer hull lacked any markings. Suddenly a staticky voice erupted from in both cockpits. "Incoming cra-zzzz. Identify yourselves or we will open zzz-ire!" Some of the words faded in and out or were buzzed out entirely by static, but the message was clear. Corran immediately opened his commlink for all bands, "This is Lieutenant Velt of the Sector Rangers. We are looking for survivors from the wrecked convoy nearby. Provide your identification code immediately." Unsettling seconds ticked by. Interference could have disrupted the message. Or worse, these were the raiders and the duo were going to have to fight for their lives. Corran's hands gripped the controls slowly tighter. If he had to kill, he would.

With a cackle, the commlink sparked to life once more. "Oh thank-zzzz-Gods and all the stars. TSLS Guidance, vessel code CXTV-433-B559. We're glad to-zzz-you, Lieutenant. Approach ship following coordinates. Easiest pa-zzz through the asteroid field. We'll have zzz-etter communication link as you get clo-zzz. Out."

Corran didn't realize he was holding his breath until the message ended. A massive sigh eased the tension in his chest. "Affirmative Guidance, we will approach." A few delayed moments later, both fighters received mapping directions that followed a zig-zag pattern through the spatial obstacle course. It certainly made him feel better. Following a line was a lot more comforting than free-handing it. A gloved finger flipped a switch to return to Rylee and Corran's 1-to-1 comm channel. "Squadron Leader Asuchi, we are cleared to approach. You might actually have some butts to kick after all," the ranger joked.

@Bex

Spoiler

We got lucky for this round. Dice rolls came up in our favor.

 

[Rylee Asuchi]

The Squadron Leader was pleased to know they weren't in any immediate danger following TSLS Guidance's conversation with Corran but it remained possible that they were being lured into a trap. Any turrets the ship had would still be able to open fire upon them as they approached and that was without taking into account who they might find should the pair board the shipwrecked cruiser. Unfortunately the only way they could confidently assess the situation was to approach and trust that the people they were dealing with were not deceiving them. In response to the lieutenant's last message regarding clearance, the Pantoran said, "Try to hide the movements of your ship on approach. Even if the coordinates they've given us enable us to traverse this rubble without incident, we won't have any legs left to kick their asses if they decide to open fire on us."

With that, Rylee engaged her X-Wing's engines and set off through the maze of debris strewn through the space before them. It would not take long to reach the cruiser, but this kind of close quarters flying was tricky and to make the wrong move could lead to their own ship's being damaged or worse, stranded like the Guidance. It would have been easier for the Pantoran to open fire at the asteroids and blast them into smaller pieces than to spend time twirling through it, but she was mindful that any display of aggression at this point could get them both blasted to kingdom come.

Unlike before, Rylee did not wait around for Corran to make his way through. Her mindset was that if their two fighters stayed too close together, they'd create problems for each other traversing the obstacles and make it too easy for the Guidance to take them both out if they really were dealing with unscrupulous people. For a seasoned pilot such as herself, the Squadron Leader managed to make it through the belt unscathed though she'd had to close her X spoils and concentrate in order to avoid hitting anything.

Having made it to the other side, Rylee waited for Corran to catch up before asking "So, what's the plan? We board, talk to the most senior crew mate and assess the situation from there?"

@TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

If Lieutenant Velt didn't know any better, he and Rylee had switched personalities. Usually the Pantoran was the one making quips or jests. Now it was all business. Corran nodded to himself in appreciation of her diligence in the field. Becoming Squadron Leader wasn't a fluke - not that he ever questioned her abilities. "Copy that, Squadron Leader," the Ranger replied in monotoned agreement. Not getting shot to pieces by a stressed gunnery crew at best or secret pirates at worst was better than the alternative. He watched as Rylee's ship passed by the D-wing's fuselage. Picking up some visual pointers in using asteroids as cover would be easier from behind anyway.

Four red engines acted as a bright follow-the-leader for him to follow. They stood out against the black void of the stars and immense flavors of brown space rock that took up the rest of the view. Staying to the path transmitted by the downed carrier was challenging enough with the additional burden of keeping 'cover' between the ship and their fighters providing that extra level of difficulty. Corran kept glancing down at his controls and sensors to determine his bearings. Movement wasn't second-hand nature like it was for the Crimson Venture. He glanced up to follow a sudden angle turn when he realized that those four red engines were waaaaay out ahead. "Guess the training struts are coming off early," the blond human said to himself with a quick up-down of his eyebrows and a puffy-cheeked exhale.

Getting through the rocky, orbital maze took Corran much longer than the more seasoned Pantoran. As much as the marked path was 'stable', debris still drifted. Each pass behind, under, or over an asteroid, the ranger did his best to use it as a shield. Though more than once a last second maneuver was needed to avoid collision. If Rylee and her X-wing were a finely sharpened blade, cutting through the miasma, Corran's D-wing was a dented hammer. Once finally beyond the rock-strewn field and into the relatively clear space nearing the TSLS Guidance, the blond pilot felt so much pressure leave his shoulders that he was practically weightless. Flying that old Y-wing in combat was easier than this.

"Correct. That's our next course of action, Squadron Leader Asuchi," Lieutenant Velt replied, "We'll need to find out who is alive, Who's in charge, and who did this to them. If that wreck can still fly out of here, that's even better." Half the job of law enforcement was information gathering. Discerning between fact and fiction. Rylee made have been the ace between the two, but that was a field Corran had honed over time. He reopened the frequency the three shared and updated the downed ship's on their situation, "Guidance, we've made it through. Can you read? We request permission to come aboard."

There was no delay or static this time. "Yes, Lieutenant Velt. Crystal clear. You have permission to land. Come at the starfighter deck from an angle. It's a little bent. Things are a little crowded in there, so watch where you put down." The Sector Ranger nodded though no one could see it. "Copy that, Guidance. Please send your commanding officer to greet us. Over and out." The crew of the derelict would know that wasn't a request. If they were raiders, they likely would have had a problem with that. Either this was an elaborate trip or the pair had actually found survivors. Getting an understanding of their situation and timeline of events would be critical. "Squadron Leader, care to do the honors?" Corran offered, giving her the go-ahead to land first. Not that he could have stopped her otherwise.

@Bex

 

[Rylee Asuchi]

"Such a gentleman" was the reply from Rylee, who wasted no time in approaching the cruiser. The starfighter deck was easily identifiable but was in bad shape. Where the ship was wedged between the asteroids it had bent upwards on one side. Whoever they had spoken to from the Guidance was right, it certainly was crowded. Many of the fighters in the hangar that had been on the upturned side of the ship had rolled and crashed into other ships on impact. There was just a mess of mangled machinery. The Pantoran located a spot she could safely land her X-Wing. The last thing she wanted was for her fighter to end up like one of these other craft but there wasn't much for it if they had any chance of helping survivors.

Exiting her X-Wing, she instructed her astromech - which she nicknamed Sunny - to stay there and guard it. If there was any sign of trouble, the droid was instructed to pilot the ship out of the hangar to avoid it being damaged or stolen. She hoped it would not come to that, but it paid to have a back up plan in these situations. Rylee then head over to Lt. Velt who had managed to set the borrowed D-Wing down in an available space.

"If this cruiser really is stranded, we're going to need to find out what the state of play is with some of these ships" she said, approaching the sector ranger and eyeballing the mechanical graveyard around them, "There's no way we can ferry people out just with our starfighters. We'd better hope that something around here still works."

The duo then made to leave the hangar. At the entrance to the main ship, they were greeted by just one person. For Rylee this was already a bad sign. Her mind was divided between two possibilities. The first being that the crew were in such a bad way that they could not afford to send more than one person to greet them. The second being that they could be drawn into a trap. There was no knowing how many others were still aboard and if they were friendly or foe. Rylee unclipped her blaster. She wasn't going to take any chances and if these were really just civilians, Corran and Rylee were their only ticket out of this jam so they would have to forgive the caution.

@TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

Landing aboard the downed carrier was a finicky task. The large vessel had taken a beating and landing anywhere that wasn't a flat starport pad was tough enough already. Add in torn durasteel floor panels, carbon-scored hull plating, and an entire squadron of fighters smashed together like some sort of mangled anti-war monument and any pilot has a challenge on their hands. Rylee still made it look easy as her X-wing settled down on a clear patch of the hangar. Corran had to take his craft through the shield very slowly and hover in place just to ease onto the extended struts. When the engine powered down, the novice starfighter pilot exhaled with puffed cheeks in relief.

The lieutenant set aside his flight helmet and climbed out of the cockpit and nearly lost his footing. His arms jutted out to their full wing-span and he found his balance with a wobble. Because of the damage and cramped landing pace, the whole thing was at a slant. As Rylee approached, she would see the blond man walking up to the front of the flat D-wing like a gymnast on a balance beam. When he neared the 'nose' of the ship, he sat down gingerly; dangling his legs over the edge and swung them casually as if sitting on a bridge. "They look good enough for scrap," Corran replied to her assessment, "We'll have to see what options are left." He lifted himself off the metal flat of the fighter's front and dropped to the floor right next to Rylee feet-first. It wasn't a far drop but he landed on his feet without faltering nonetheless.

One being stood at the exit of the hangar to greet them. A Bothan only taller than Rylee by the slimmest margin. His uniform was nothing military, but something of civilian make for a professional ship crew. A functional jacket with corporate logo on the sleeve, a rank insignia, and pants tucked into boots. Though most of it was grimy and disheveled, including the hair about his snout. "Welcome aboard the Twin Suns Logistics Ship Guidance. I am Petty Officer First Class, Communications, Camdus Oro." Corran nodded in acceptance of the greeting, "I'm Lieutenant Corran Velt and this is Squadron Leader Rylee Asuchi." He gestured to the Pantoran with an open palm. "Petty Officer? We were supposed to be meeting the commanding officer." Camdus met the Human man's eyes squarely. "I am the commanding officer. We've sustained casualties."

Corran knew civilian market ranks from his years aboard a freighter. To have one of the communications officers in charge was a sign they the crew had sustained significant losses. Or the Bothan was lying. "I'm sorry to hear that. Can you take us to the command bridge? We need to get a readout of the situation." The Petty Officer First Class turned about and opened the door in front of which he stood. "Yes, right this way. We'll have to take a roundabout route through the mess hall. Some portions of the ship were destroyed."

Much of the internals of the Guidance were not much different from the hangar bay. Blown out consoles, blackened with ash hallways, and dimmed, flicking lights told a story of thorough damage. The journey wasn't a straight shot in any sense. Some walkways ended in collapsed ceilings or sealed bulkheads. Abrupt turns were common. Along the way, Corran drifted back a bit and leaned over to whisper to Rylee, "Petty Officer First Class, Communications. And I thought your title was a mouthful." He stifled a small chuckle.

The mess hall was anything but. Compared to the rest of the carrier, it was practically pristine. Benches and tables parted by a single path down the middle. Nearly every seat was taken by a member of the crew. It might as well have been literally all of the survivors. Some hunched over to whisper to a comrade while other groups stared at the new arrivals. Mostly Rylee for obvious reasons. Lieutenant Velt glanced over to her knowingly. His eyes warned, I have a bad feeling about this.

@Bex

 

[Rylee Asuchi]

There was something unsettling to know that the highest ranking officer left aboard a ship of this size was so far down the chain of command. To begin with the Pantoran took what the Petty Officer told them at face value, she had no reason to question it as there was no way for the pair to know how many survivors there were on board. She remained silent whilst Corran handled the formalities and followed along behind Corran and the Bothan as they were led to the mess hall. On the way, Lt. Velt commented on the Petty Officer's rank and the Pantoran's own. In response, she pinched him hard on the arm.

Eventually they appeared in the mess hall. The contrast between this room and the rest of the ship was striking. Looking around at the crew seated at the tables, Rylee immediately became more suspicious than she had done upon meeting the Petty Officer. Almost every seat was taken and yet somehow, all senior ranked offices aboard this cruiser had perished in the same accident? Sure, it was still a mathematical possibility, but the chances were still slim for a ship this size. The Pantoran's golden eyes caught Lt. Velt's glance. Seemed he was uncertain about what was happening here too, but she could not tell if his concerns were more in relation to the number of survivors they would need to help, or if he too had suspicions.

Getting straight to business, Rylee turned to Camdus Oro.

"Okay Petty Officer Oro, let's cut to the chase here. What happened to cause this ship to get wrecked? And what happened to the commanding officers?" she said, staring the Bothan down. The Squadron Leader should perhaps have been more sympathetic in a situation like this but her gut was telling her to question everything about this situation. If these people really were innocent and in need of help, they would have nothing to hide. It was important to Rylee and Lt. Velt to thoroughly scout this situation too as the pair were vastly outnumbered here and if they had in fact been lured into a trap, the Pantoran was not going to give them the satisfaction of getting the drop on her.

@TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

Camdus Oro had led the pair through the valley of stares without saying anything. Lieutenant Velt, after seeing Rylee's brief glance back, subtly looked over his shoulder at the other beings at the various benches. If something was afoot, they'd have to play their cards right not to get into a disadvantageous and dangerous situation. The Bothan had reached the door at the other end of the mess hall when Rylee decided to... play their entire hand. Corran internally winced as she jumped upon Oro with direct and pointed questions.

The Bothan practically jumped out of his own fur. He abruptly turned around and put his hands up defensively in the face of the serious Pantoran, "There's no need for such intensity. I can easily explain." Camdus put his arms back down to his sides rigidly before continuing, "We were part of a convoy heading out of the sector. The Guidance was to provide support but we got pulled away but a fake distress signal. Before we realized, the ship got slammed by two large asteroids and shot to pieces by pirates. I... fear what happened to the convoy itself." Lies had tell-tale signs. Lack of details. Repeating the question. Telling a story in reverse. Grooming behaviors such as playing with hair or pressing fingers to lips. Fidgeting and more. So far, the Petty Officer didn't show any distinct giveaways. Lieutenant Velt listened and observed the Bothan, absentmindedly rubbing his shoulder where Rylee had pinched him. Still hurt. She was stronger than she looked. "The Command staff? They were... lost in the initial attack," Oro continued, "You saw lots of damage on the way in. We're lucky many of us survived as it is." One of the Bothan's hands rubbed the fabric of his pants between thumb and index finger.

Corran kept his face stoic, only nodded periodically along with the Bothan's answers. Years ago he wouldn't have been able to tell any difference but experience warned him otherwise now. He observed Oro discerningly and saw some nervousness in the alien's brow. Miniscule but visible. The Bothan's eyes, quicker than a blink, looked over Corran's shoulder. Uh oh.

In a flash and without warning, the Ranger swung his fist behind him in a wild haymaker. A man took the full brunt to the side of the head and flew to the floor unconscious. A second man stumbled over his knocked out comrade. Too slow. A straight jab to the jaw sent him tumbling backwards onto a lunch bench. It was only now that Corran realized they were wearing crew uniforms. Others at various tables began to jostle and shout but couldn't rise from their seats. A cadre from various spots around the mess hall stood up and began heading towards the isle; advancing on the Ranger and the Pilot.

"Rylee, look out!" Corran shouted. The man from before pushed off from the lunch table with gritted teeth and charged. He tackled the Ranger hard around the waist, slamming Corran's back against the wall and knocking the wind out of him. While still coughing roughly from the blow, Lt. Velt brought his fists together and slammed them down like a sledge against the assailant's back. The man gagged in pain, falling the ground. A swift boot to the face sent out cold. Rylee and Corran were in for a brawl now.

@Bex

 

[Rylee Asuchi]

The pilot listened to what Petty Officer Oro had to say. There was no point asking the question if she wasn't at least going to listen. Nothing that the Bothan said seemed particularly suspicious but it was all things that the pair would need to investigate further, either by interviewing other survivors to corroborate these statements or by assessing damage on board. As a military woman used to being in the field, she was not versed in the art of investigation and detective work like her Sector Ranger companion. The Pantoran had flashed her eyes in the lieutenant's direction, to get some kind of indication from him as to what he thought, following the Bothan's answer.

Unfortunately, Rylee's gut instinct about this scenario appeared - at least for the moment - to be right. Corran did not have time to convey any information as the second Rylee looked at him, he had spun and knocked out somebody that had sneaked up behind him. The ranger then threw a second man into a lunch bench with considerable ease. It was clear to see that Lt. Velt was a strong man and very capable of handling himself.

Upon hearing Corran's warning, Rylee clocked two more men running towards her and Petty Officer Oro. Whoever these people were, they had made a grave error of judgement. The Pantoran had not left her X-Wing unarmed, and besides her K-16 Bryar pistol, had her A280C Blaster Rifle strapped to her back. Considering the numbers, Rylee opted for the weapon most likely to handle the situation effectively; the A280C.

Swinging the rifle around from her back into her grasp, Rylee raised the sights to her golden eyes and planted two bolts each into the oncoming assailants. Their bodies dropped to the floor with smoking holes in their chests. Petty Officer Oro yelped and moved away from her, clearly frightened. An additional group of five attackers followed them in an attempt to subdue both Rylee and Corran, but with a far greater degree of trepidation now that the Pantoran had introduced lethal force.

"Go ahead assholes, make my day..."

@TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

Corran took deep gulps of air as he recovered from facing down two foes in sudden physical combat. Off to his right, the grunts and thuds of men getting hit by Rylee was encouraging. Seems they underestimated the Pantoran soldier. He glanced over just as she unslung her blaster rifle. A hand shot out as if it could reach her from many feet away. "No! Wa-!" Too late. Screeching red blaster bolts plunged into the targets with a sickening hiss. They slumped dead on the sterile white tile floor. Everyone still trapped at the tables tried to take cover as best they could in panic but to limited avail. A soldier killing attackers in self-defense wasn't the issue. It was putting several rows of possibly innocent crew at risk. One missed shot and someone else would be dead.

Worst still, five other attackers that rose up immediately darted behind rows of people who were still seated. Using them as shields from hostile fire. This is why the Sector Ranger manual recommends non-lethal stuns if possible in these kinds of situations. Times like this made Corran wish he still had his stun baton. Bounding at full tilt in pure instinct, Lieutenant Velt rushed down the center isle cocking back his left arm like a cannon. The sudden assault and rapidly closing distance startled the enemy taking cover behind living men. One on the left squatted down, holding the shoulders of the seated being in front of him. Corran's fist rose over the first being's head and then dove down like a bird of prey diving off a cliff. Connecting square in the face, the would-be attack gurgled and fell to the ground, shocked but not unconscious.

Seeing this solo confrontation, another assailant just across the isle on the other side threw his arm around Lieutenant Velt's neck in a choke hold. The Ranger's hands dug into the man's grip but it was too strong. Already his windpipe was closing shut. The two were so entangled Rylee wouldn't have a clear shot either. Arms weren't working. Time to use legs instead. Corran braced a boot against the edge of the lunch table in front of him and shoved hard. The sudden energy sent the two hurdling backwards onto the table behind them. People sitting on the benches made sounds of surprise, pain, or worry at the struggle now in their midst. The arms formed an organic noose around the Ranger's neck had loosened just enough. Corran shot his head forward and rammed it back into the man's face. Normally such a blow would be exceedingly painful for Lieutenant Velt too, but the nerve-poison that sent searing pain through his entire body during the fall of Headquarters had dulled what injury felt like or other types of hurt just didn't compare.

The chokehold released almost immediately upon impact. Corran pushed himself off the table, coughing, spun around and raised his fist to finish what his head-butt had started when a deep growl shouted, "HOOOOSTAGES!" Fist seized in the air as if halted by a tractor beam. "We've got hostages! Make any more moves and we'll gut one!" Near the other end of the mess hall, the remaining three assailants crouched behind other people in crew uniforms. The one speaking, a gruff looking Weequay, held a knife to a hostage's throat. The other two lacked weapons. Lieutenant Velt refused to move, retaining his grip on the groaning victim before him, and waited to see if demands came or Rylee figuring a way out of this.

@Bex

 

[Rylee Asuchi]

The cry of objection from Corran was cut short and even if she had heard it in full it was too late. Two bodies had already hit the floor and were it not for the fact the assailants had scrambled to take hostages, the rest would have soon followed suit. The Pantoran's golden eyes fixed upon the Weequay holding the knife. She lowered the A280C. As much as Rylee would have had no issue shooting him stone dead too, now an innocent person had been taken hostage, she could no longer risk using lethal force. Any stray shot could result in the death of a civilian and she could not live with that.

"What is this? Amateur hour?" Rylee asked, cocking her rifle against her shoulder and rolling her eyes at the Weequay, "What good is it gonna do you to harm any of these people? It's only going to land you in more trouble. You've attacked a Sector Ranger and a Pantoran Military Officer in the line of duty and I think it's fairly safe to assume that you are the ones responsible for this cruiser being stranded here in the first place."

Rylee slowly walked closer towards the enemies. She did not move her weapon and she even held her hand out as she continued talking, to prove that she was not about to start blasting again.

"Why don't you put down the knife and come chat? If you do, we might be able to come to an arrangement that results in you leaving this place without being in a body bag" said the Pantoran, now swinging her rifle onto her back so she was no longer an immediate threat. It was perhaps not the best method of negotiation, but the pilot wasn't exactly trained in that particular skill. If you wanted to know how to fix a starfighter hull, Rylee was your girl, but hostage negotiation was a new one.

@TerranSteel

 

[Corran Velt]

Lieutenant Velt unflinchingly kept his statue-like position as the stand-off settled in. Tension gripped the air in a giant's fist. Even the man in Corran's grip laid out on the table refused to do more than breath weakly. Hostage situations always took a delicate touch. One wrong move or word and a peaceful neutrality became a chilling bloodbath. Rylee's approach proceeded with the finesse of a battering ram. Insults, accusations, and the ending on the death threat was a nice touch. The Ranger closed his eyes only long enough to sigh through his nostrils. There really was a difference between soldiers and Sector Rangers.

The hostage-takers didn't take kindly to what had been said about them at all. "Eat kriff, lady!" The knife-wielder shouted back, "We've got all the cards and I'd split this ones if you talk like that again!" The crewbeing yelped as the blade pressed a little too close to their skin. A tiny thread of crimson dripped down their neck. This was trending towards the bad path quickly. The attackers wouldn't release their hostages because they would be sent to the afterlife by Rylee's skilled aim. The Ranger and the Pantoran couldn't approach the attackers less a hostage or two die before they could get there. Only one solution remained.

"Alright, you win," Corran said aloud, lowering his fist and stepping away from the two men he had just accosted. The one on the floor weakly climbed to his feet. The one on the table laid there for a moment, nursing his bleeding lip, before standing up. "If you wanted us dead right away, you would have brought blasters," Lieutenant Velt declared as he put his hands behind his head and began backing up towards Rylee. The goons glanced at once another, communicating with their eyes worries and schemes. Finally the knife-wielder issued their first demand, "Toss aside your weapons! All of 'em! Then we'll come get you!"

The blond ranger glanced over his shoulder at Rylee for only the blink of an eye. "Do as he says, Squadron Leader. Set aside your weapons." As preposterous and intolerable as that likely sounded to the Pantoran soldier, if she saw things more than through her iron-sights, she would see Corran's real intent. Because he of his lifted arms and hands behind his head in a position of surrender, his jacket had risen up just enough to expose two concussion grenades that clung to his belt below his lower back. Each moment, the Lieutenant drew closer as he pedaled backwards towards her. All it would take was one. A loud bang combined with a blinding flash would disorient the assailants and likely almost every one of the seated crew. But it was non-lethal and gave the Pilot and the Ranger a window to counter. The timing would have to be perfect. When all the goons approached down the isle and clustered together as much as possible. Corran could only rely on complete trust and faith in Rylee.

@Bex

 

[Rylee Asuchi]

The Pantoran raised her eyebrow at the response from the Weequay. Okay, so her attempt at aggressive negotiations hadn't worked. Now what?

The tension was starting to boil over and Rylee's intense hatred of these pirates grew further the second she saw the blood trickling down the hostage's neck. It caused the pilot to think twice about what she would say or do next. Fortunately, she didn't need to as Lt. Velt piped up. Unfortunately, the words coming out of his mouth, Squadron Leader Asuchi was vehemently against. "He wants us to WHAT?" she thought to herself, staring at the blonde haired ranger, "If he thinks I'm going to hand my weapons over to this scum he's got another thing coming."

After an excruciating moment during which Rylee looked between Corran and the pirates with her teeth firmly clenched she gave in. She didn't want the death of an innocent on her conscience. "You had better know what the kriff you're doing lieutenant" she growled, dropping both her blaster rifle and pistol on the ground as if she were a petulant teenager. Lt. Velt then raised his hands above his head in surrender. Rylee squinted at the back of his head, annoyed, but that was when she noticed what the ranger was hiding under his jacket. Clipped to his belt were two concussion grenades. Corran was slowly inching back towards her, presumably under the guise that it would be easier for the pirates to round them up that way, but the Pantoran knew if Velt's plan was going to work, it would have to be done quickly and with no mistakes.

When Corran had reversed enough, Rylee looked around at the beings they knew so far to be enemies. The Weequay had yet to move an inch from his hostage but the other two looked to be making moves towards them now they had surrendered. For this to work, Rylee had to act now, whilst they were still in roughly the same spot. Stepping towards Corran's back, she reached down and grabbed one of the concussion grenades firmly. "Is that a bomb in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me?" she whispered towards his shoulder, before yanking the grenade off his belt roughly and launching it over the to the far end of the mess hall.

The impact was instant. There was a flash followed by a loud crack like the sound of a whip. Many of the crew seated at the bench yelled and tried to cover their eyes. The Weequay and his accomplices were disoriented, having momentarily abandoned their grip on the hostage in order to rub their eyes. "Now Lieutenant! Go!" shouted Rylee, shoving him in the back before scooping down to grab her weapons.

@TerranSteel