Ask Picking At Carrion

[Dhari Rast]

Hyperspace. A couple of minutes before exiting above the planet Nimban.

It was said that great stories often had rough beginnings.

Whoever said that was a complete scumbag.

Dhari Rast reclined in her captain's chair, gazing at blue-white rods through the stained viewport, listening to the ominous rattling of a ship that shouldn't be spending this much time in hyperspace. Small jumps, yes, she would have preferred that, Blacklight's hull would have preferred that, even the kriffing Hutts would have preferred that. Because, although speed and efficiency made her employers drool - well, more than usual - it seemed like they had swept that criterium aside in exchange for the guarantee of their shipments' eventual arrival. A recent development which, coincidentally, made Dhari's travels across Hutt Space a little easier.

It was... debatable, however, whether the Hutts were still her employers or not. She had been contacted by her regular Cartel contact through secure transmission, and yes, the shipment of ryll which rested in large crates in the Blacklight's cargo hold had been picked up at a secret location on Klatooine that the Hutts seemed to use more often lately. But Dhari hadn't seen an actual Hutt in many standard months. The fact that the traditional underworld overlords had fallen from their pinnacle still baffled the smuggler. An underworld without a Hutt in charge? Now, that was a unsettling thought.

Still, the jobs kept coming, even if they arrived to her by proxy. Never really had a lot of contact with those slimeballs anyway, she thought. But I kinda miss 'em. So much more grease with them around. Everyone loves some good grease.

Light's flashed on the navicomp's display in the cockpit. Soon, the Blacklight would be exitting hyperspace - above the planet Nimban, if the ship's navicomp hadn't gone faulty again. Then again, if the navicomp was faulty, total obliteration from impacting a floating space object was more likely than arriving in the wrong place. Another reason to get this shipment to its destination. I need a kriffing upgrade.

Dhari sat up straight in the captain's seat and clasped the stick with her hands. That peculiar feeling of being vacuumed out of hyperspace took hold, and the blue-white rods retracted into little bright dots as the Blacklight came out over a terrestrial planet. Nimban was... kind of backwater. It wasn't Dhari's final destination, but she was meant to pick up a small shipment of glitterstim from a Cartel location on-planet before heading to the Mid Rim. She didn't expect trouble, but these days - with the Cartel reeling and the other Syndicates picking at them like carrion birds - you couldn't be too careful. With her senses on alert and her mind open to the ripples of the Force, she banked the Blacklight around and down towards Nimban.

@Catbert @Rhogar

 

[Taldorak Trenessar]

Nimban. The shittiest backwater world in a slew of shitty backwater worlds. It wasn't the ideal spot for well, anything, but.. Crymorah nerds had dialed in on some big Hutt shipment. This one, was way unlike the rest. Less jumps, smaller chances to get them. Sounded like a really big haul.

So who do you call when you want to go to an ugly backwater to mess with a worms money? The sludge at the bottom of the barrel. And that, to Tal, came in the form of Kel Dryden. Could one say that Tal really only invited Kel along for his badass ship because his was in the shop? They could, but he'd argue it was all lies and definitely slander. Besides, sludge needs to stick together and though he has climbed a rung, pay grade in power didn't mean that Taldorak forgot his humble and murderous beginnings.

So, despite being -the- Captain, he wasn't in the Captains chair. Not that he minded, the other seats were pretty damn comfy. Which, really helped when you waited. Now, the Crymorah nerds didn't have a whole lot of concrete Intel save the name of the ship: Blacklight. It was the kind of name Tal could respect and as such, he brought a blacklight to check Blacklight with, once it was under his control. Aside from that, the egg heads and seven routes as possibilities which meant seven teams waiting.

"Kel, I really hope this Hutt lover comes through this way. If not? I will -literally- die of boredom. It's been like.. kriff.. a day? Since I killed someone. A whole twenty-four hours." Tal would say as he spun around in his chair. His weapons had already been cleaned a dozen times. Luckily for them, the proximity alarms would alert both men to the arrival of a ship to the planet.

@Catbert @Casmer

 

[Kel Dryden]

It sounded easy on paper: "Intercept a Hutt ship called the Blacklight over Nimban. Take the cargo and deliver it to Crymorah to get paid. What you do to the ship and the pilot is up to you." But on taking a closer look, that whole op stunk. For more than one reason.

For starters, it had been a while since Kel used the Black Swift for piracy. Most of it had occurred when Kel himself had been flying for the Hutt Cartel, and the Swift was their property. Since then, the ship had become Kel's home. And any chance of getting it damaged wasn't worth it. Why bother with the risky and murderous business of piracy/bounty hunting and make enemies, when you could haul illegal substances and get set for life?

Secondly, the Blacklight was supposed to make a pickup. And of course, Crymorah wanted whatever the Hutts had stashed on the planet as well. The problem was, they didn't know where the stash was. And so it fell onto Kel and his new unlikely associate to find it. Oh, and speaking of the associate...

The associate wasn't his choice. Nor was the job, actually. But one dropped name, and whatever excuses Kel had in mind for not taking part in that mess were gone. "One doesn't really say "No" to Preef Callo or his agent and live long after that." That is how Kel had helped the Rodian gunslinger with a heist on Coruscant. Or the showdown on Kessel. Or ended up an enforcer with the Crymorah Syndicate. Kel couldn't really complain: Preef treated the people he trusted like family; definitely much better than the Hutts. But it also meant that the Swift and Kel's life were no longer entirely his own.

On the bright side, the "new blood" among Syndicate enforcers wasn't too bad, if only a little murder-happy. Kel would've offered Pazaak, but they had to keep an eye out for incoming ships. The Blacklight could arrive at any... Kriff, there it is!

Kel's feet flew off the dashboard, the relaxed tone and posture gone immediately. A flick of the switch, and the Swift's engines powered up, sending it towards Nimban, but on a different trajectory. He didn't go for the intercept course just yet. "Man the turret, Tal," the long-forgotten excitement and thrill of the hunt were slowly kicking in once again. AMS-8500 was a good ship—if only a little too mainstream and low-tier—but the Swift was better. It had to be.

Kel's plan was simple: pretend to be just another ship heading for the surface. No "intercept course" just yet; only "fly casually" until the Blacklight's pilot would land the ship or get close to the edge of the radar range. The Swift's speed would hopefully allow it to remain inconspicuous at first, and move in quickly when the time comes.

@Casmer @Rhogar

 

[Dhari Rast]

As the planet Nimban grew to fill most of the Blacklight's viewport, Dhari was still looking through the side panels both left and right, trying to get a glimpse of any ships that could be on her tail before her tail caught the wrong end of a proton torpedo. Nothing. Well, not nothing, per se. There were some ships leaving and entering the planets atmosphere at all times, concentrated primarily above the capital city's current placement. It wasn't Coruscant, however, and so Dhari trusted that the relative scarcity of space traffic would enable her to notice any potential pursuers before the poodoo hit the fan if they came in hot on her.

The Force rippled through her body, very subtlely. She told herself there was no need for a bigger commitment to it. It was a safety precaution, nothing more. Can't go around like a kriffing Force sponge. That was how people got loopy. Dhari had met her share of Force-users with their heads firmly stuck in the clouds. They made for interesting, albeit frustrating conversation partners, but they rarely survived the realities of a dangerous lifestyle for long. No, if dangers lurked somewhere around her, she was sure that a small foot in the door of the Force-kitchen would make her smell the cake before it was served.

Besides, everything felt fine. It was supposed to be easier to sense anything out of the ordinary in vacuum of space. Something about the absence of all the thriving, pulsating life on-planet. And she couldn't feel any threats standing out from the relative smooth 'surface' of the Force as it presented itself in space. Now, there was a possibility that the threat was simply too far away for Dhari to sense. Nah, she thought as she felt the familiar vibrations upon entering the outer layers of Nimban's atmosphere, the length of the H-jump should have ruled out most of the dangers. And I would have been attacked as I came out of hyperspace, all blinded and vulnerable and shit. That's how I would've done it.

Shortly thereafter, she was piloting the Blacklight through dense cloudcover, relishing the sensation of the tug of the winds that gave planetary flight its distinct taste. It had to be a sentient thing, that comforting feeling of being inside the gaseous dome that made a planet be more than just a floating rock in space. It's good to be back, she thought. She had got into the habit of saying it whenever she reentered an atmosphere. Didn't matter where. In her line of work, you should be happy for every return you got. Didn't matter where.

One hand clasped the stick while Dhari bent over and retrieved the datapad from the backpack resting against the base of the instrument panel. Deftly maneuvering the datapad's connector into the navicomp, she uploaded the coordinates for the Crevasse. She sat upright again. Bit of a way to the destination. Once she was close to the Crevasse, she wouldn't have to rely on the navicomp. She had flown the tricky gauntlet before, and she had the Force to lean on. But there was a reason why the Cartel had chosen such a remote and unapproachable location for the depot. It required some nimble-fingered pilots to make it through unscathed - which ruled out most of the planetary police forces. Which also meant that whoever made it to through was either working for the Cartel - or a pilot skilled enough to warant Dhari's suspicion.

@Rhogar @Catbert

 

[Taldorak Trenessar]

Tal would pop up from his seat. Turret? Nobody ever needed to be asked twice to man a turret. He may need to be asked a few times to restrain from firing the turret, but beyond that, nope.

"So here's the real question, Kel. Once they land, are we going hot? Or do you want to play it sneaky? I don't much care either way, I can do both. Regardless, I'll have my fun." He shouted from the turret bay.

He hoped for loud. He brought his ion Cannon just for that. Hell, why not. Even if it is stealth, he'll still bring it. Never hurt to be prepared.

Tal kept his visor focused on the scanners as he quickly did a once over of the controls. It was different than the Dha'karta so he wanted to make sure when showtime came, he was more than ready to bring the hurt.

@Catbert @Casmer

 

[Kel Dryden]

Kel's reply would come with a slight delay, through the ship's intercom: "Depends on where they land. If it's in the wilds, then start blasting as soon as the ramp is lowered. Their shields will probably be offline then. Go for the engines, and they'll be grounded." It was a good idea to talk tactics in advance; and luckily, the enforcers had that chance. "If it's in a settlement, we play it sneaky."

So far, their prey seemed unsuspecting. Just as it was about to reach the edge of the radar range, Kel steered the ship in the direction of the Blacklight, speeding up a little. Either it wasn't going at full speed, or the Swift was indeed faster. The latter meant that it could catch up fast, if needed. If it weren't for the karking clouds and being that close to the ground...

Kel had to speed up if he didn't want to lose their mark. And so he did, bridging the distance on the radar a little. Although he kept it respectable, the Swift would remain among the few ships on Dhari's radar. Fewer and fewer remained as the Blacklight moved farther from the usual air traffic routes.

Somehow, Kel had a bad feeling about that. According to the map, they were moving towards a pretty treacherous area. Somehow, it seemed familiar, but the pilot couldn't quite put it. "Nimban, Nimban..." he mumbled, forgetting that his passenger could probably hear him. The habits of working solo for so long died hard. Then it dawned on him. "Kark."

He had been on Nimban before, when he was old enough to work for the Hutts off-world, but too young to pilot a ship yet. That trip was among the hundreds or thousands Kel had taken, so the planet didn't stand out. But now that he recalled the particular trip, he remembered the struggles that the Cartel pilot had to go through when flying to... the Crevasse, was it? That, and there were mentions of some hardasses being in charge. But Kel had seen too many of those to remember those particular ones from Nimban.

"Better strap yourself in," he added on the intercom without much enthusiasm."I think we may be in for some turbulence." Flying in the atmo posed extra challenges, and dangerous terrain could make things even riskier than Kel would've hopped. That bounty would better be worth it.

@Casmer @Rhogar

 

[Dhari Rast]

Dhari made the Blacklight dip underneath the cloud cover for just long enough to see the mountains ahead. As she did, the landscape of Nimban presented itself below. Brown and sandy and arid, this part of the planet looked much less densely inhabited than the coastal cities and the super-metropolises Dhari had seen from a distance further north, on a previous visit. Looking at the mountains ahead, it was easy to see why.

They were massive. Rising from the ground like Coruscanti skyscrapers, too tall for their peaks to be contained underneath the clouds, they stood like sentries guarding the northern part of the continent from the south. Of course, not all of the southern part of the continent was arid, but even from the altitude the Blacklight was flying at, the rain shadow cast by the mountain range covered ground for as far as Dhari's eyes could see. There was a way through to the north, she knew, a narrow corridor of treacherous hills and high ground. The research that she had done prior to the job showed that most pilots preferred to fly the corridor instead of over the mountains. Seeing as most pilots would be heading to and from the resource-rich lands south, beyond the rain shadow, to the urban areas in the north, that all made sense.

But Dhari was no regular Nimbanese pilot. To get to where she was going, the mountains were unavoidable. The Mirialan patted the instrument panel of the Blacklight. "Don't bail on me, okay?"

The mountains took up more and more of the viewport's space until it was time to rise up into the cloud layer again. Dhari pulled back gently on the steering wheel; the Blacklight responded by veering upwards, into the clouds. Immediately, Dhari leaned over and flicked a switch, engaging the ship's external proximity sensors. Most pilots could rely on such sensors and their skills alone on the flight through the cliffs and crags of the mountains, but Dhari had to think that most would prefer to slow down if they did so, so as to give themselves a reaction buffer in case they had to perform evasive maneuvers. Dhari, however, had no plans of slowing down.

Pushing the throttle lever forward and feeling the push of the sublight engines, she opened herself to the Force - her own internal proximity sensors, as she jokingly called it to, well, her droids. Her mind and body filled with information, 'nudges' from the Force that permeated everything, telling her when to bank right, veer left, rise to avoid a pillar shooting up from above, and when to pull back a little on the throttle out of fear of losing control. Meanwhile, she utilized the ship's proximity sensors and what little information her eyes could gather through the viewport to supplement her Force powers. Theoretically, she should have been able to fly the route on her Force powers alone, but that would require a level of surrender to the Force that Dhari could not allow herself. She couldn't get... lost, again.

She was, however, leaning into the Force enough to notice a faint rippling through it. A tension, perhaps frustration, and a concentrated focus that echoed faintly. At first, Dhari dismissed it as one of those mysterious 'Force-things' that happened to people like her. Many unexplained things where emitted from the Force. A lot of it made very little sense. But the sensation didn't disappear. It lingered. And when the Force lingered, it usually meant - such was Dhari's experience - that other living beings were causing it. Somewhere, either in front of her or behind her, someone was flying the route through the mountains. Likely it was simply another smuggling vessel, but it did make Dhari a little alert. It reminded her to stay on her toes.

After a while of tense piloting, the proximity sensors chimed up less and less. That was one sign that she was nearing the other side of the mountain range. She'd made it past the sheer cliffs and crags that formed the narrow gauntlet cutting through the mountains, and now dropped into a series of broader valleys with more space for flying. Another sign that she was nearing the other side of the mountain was the rain that had picked up. Before long, the strong mountains winds whipped rain onto the Blacklight, lash after lash. Dhari's hands were gripping the steering wheel hard. It was by no means easy flying - there was just less shit to crash into.

One last valley to cross, a swift banking up and over a peak, and began her descent. It took her a while, but eventually she cleared the cloud cover and could see the ground below through the rain-spattered viewport. Forest-covered foothills leading away from the mountains, and in the distance a vast area that lay at a decline towards the oceans she knew lay ahead. Another ten minutes, and she was right above the area. Even with all the greenery covering it the area, it was easily noticeable that the entire slab of land formed a depression in the surface. As if a slab of the ground had long ago broken free from the land around it and slid into the sea far ahead. And cutting through it, like a sabercut severing a thigh: the Crevasse.

Lush and lawless, all in one, Dhari thought. Anyone that knew its reputation wouldn't be fooled by the beauty of the place. It was like the maw of a giant beast, leering up at her. And Dhari was about to fly straight down its gullet.

@Rhogar @Catbert

 

[Taldorak Trenessar]

"Wilds, blast, actual base, sneak. Clears with me." the Mandalorian mused. Of course it was a good plan. He was almost offended that Kel felt the need to tell him where to shoot, he thought it was obvious, but he'd refrain from commenting on it. After all, no point in beefing with your team.

Tal entertained himself by humming some old War Chants, the ones his Clan elders taught him. Despite his hatred for his Clan, he missed the simplicity of his old life, the sense of wholeness. However, had he never left, he'd never gain his current notoriety. Never known this new life.

The friends, the spice, the dalae. He removed a Holo, this time, it was one of his family. There was no smile beneath his helm see, only a grimace. The past was gone. This was now.

His reverie was further more interrupted by Kel.. talking to himself? He couldn't make out the words, but he did hear the kark. "Dammit Kel.." he mused to himself. "No gravy til after the op. Kriff.."

He'd kept the weapons systems cold so as to not alarm anyone else on the trip they were flying hot. When word came to buckle up, Tal was grinning. Sap'r didn't raise no fool, Tal was always strapped. And in more ways than one. He couldn't help but admit, however, that the planet had some pretty parts, but it was best for leave after the hijacking, homicide, dash.

@Catbert @Casmer

 

[Kel Dryden]

Kel's worst suspicions came true as the Blacklight headed towards the mountains. Even more surprisingly, its pilot decided to navigate through the mountains at full speed instead of slowing down. One crazy karker. But despite that, it didn't seem like the Blacklight was gaining distance on the Swift. Apparently, Kel's ship was indeed faster, and the enforcer didn't even need to fly it at full speed to keep up. With a flip of the switch, the proximity sensors kicked in. Kel may have acquired the feel for the Black Swift's dimensions over the years, but ignoring a perfectly good navigation tool would be a waste.

It was a new route for Kel. Unfamiliar, highly technical. The planet's atmosphere meant that the pilot could go harder on the throttle that in space; if need be, the air resistance would allow the ship to slow down faster. But it also hampered maneuvering. Not to mention that thre wind and the dripping rain on the windshield and the turret dome would hampering visibility and making the trip even more challenging and dangerous.

Had Kel been flying a slow and bulky transport, he would've taken it very slow through an unfamiliar passage. But the Black Swift was different... Its afterburners granted it an impressive speedboost, while enhanced maneuvering jets ensured that it retained good maneuverability. In many ways, it was closer to a heavy fighter than to a light freighter. It took some getting used to, and flying it at full speed through the gauntlet would've been a challenge for the unprepared. Kel pulled the throttle lever a little, keeping the speed just slightly above the Blacklight's to hopefully gain on it.

Maybe then, when the Blacklight would land, he'd have a chance to go all out...

@Casmer @Rhogar

 

[Dhari Rast]

The descent into the Crevasse was painfully slow. Once Dhari had made sure there were none of the planetary police patrols around, she had guided the Blacklight into the chasm, alternating between a hovering vertical descent and a flying descent at a very shallow angle. Being a result of Nimban's tectonic activity, the layout of the relatively narrow fissure often changed in between Dhari's visits as parts of it collapsed and fell away from the sheer sides in the tremors. Navigating it was best done with incredible care for one's own ship. Littering the bottom of the Crevasse, unseen in the darkness that reigned there, were the remains of many freighters whose pilots had not been careful enough.

The Mirialan stared out of the viewport. The sides of the Crevasse, steep cliffsides separated from each other by approximately 500 meters, were slick and glossy after the day's heavy rainfall. The Blacklight's headlights shone out in front of it, two beams of light laying claim to a small amount of the darkness. But as the Mirialan leaned over to the left and looked down, she could see the lights of the settlement growing in size. Focussing on the Blacklight's proximity sensors and using her knowledge of where she had entered the Crevasse to figure out where she was in relation to the landing pads below, she gently, slowly, deliberately guided her ship closer.

In that instant, the Blacklight's commlink beeped. Dhari accepted the call.

"Move out of the way, Blacklight. You're right on top of our outpost."

Dhari recognised the voice. "Banna. How're you holding up?"

"Quit it, Rast," the gruff voice replied. "Turn around and find a spot on the upper platforms like everyone else."

Just then, the Blacklight passed the first landing pad, a metal construction that looked like scaffolding protruded perpendicularly from the side of the Crevasse. Leading away from the landing pad, on towards smaller metal plateaus lining the cliffside, were walkways, some of which were protected by a railing whilst others were left exposed. The Corebound cantina did not stay open twenty-five hours a day for nothing; if spacers got too juiced up, they were recommended to sleep it out on the cantina floor rather than attempt to find their way back to their ships along the treacherous walkways.

"Can't do that," Dhari replied. "Got business with the Pitlord. Sending through the ship manifest -" Dhari punched the numbers into the commlink, "- now."

For a moment, only the slight crackle of the comlink could be heard. Then, a tentative: "Alright... fine. But the entrance to the lower platforms is still through the portal, Rast, and you're still on top of us, so turn the kriff around."

"Sorry, Banna," Dhari replied. "This way's faster. Plus, the Blacklight is tiny. She can squeeze through."

"Don't you kriffing do it, Ra-"

Dhari switched the comlink off. "Sorry, buddy," she muttered. She knew that Banna would most likely get in trouble for allowing her to enter the lower platforms this way, but she saw no other way. Using the portal, a narrow vertical 'ventilation shaft', named after the massive kilometer-wide transport cylinders on Coruscant, was only big enough to allow a few ships in it at a time. She would most likely have had to wait in a queue. And she couldn't do that. She wanted to be out of sight as fast as possible. The awareness she had had earlier as she dropped into the valley had grown to something resembling a bad feeling in her gut. Of course, that was kinda how the Crevasse tended to make her feel. The sensation of being swallowed by the earth was inherently uncomfortable. But she couldn't take any chances. Not with a shipment as large as hers.

Mind returning to the task at hand, she used every trick in the book - both Force-based and piloting-related - to maneuver the Blacklight into the narrow space between one of the platforms protruding from the wall and the outpost built on a large rock pillar rising from the floor of the Crevasse, somewhere in the darkness below. As she passed the outpost, she looked out of the viewport's side and waved at a Devaronian who made a very rude gesture towards her. An instant later, he and the outpost was gone, and with the platform now well above her, there was once again more room to one side to fly a little easier.

Dhari switched the comlink on again. "Drinks are on me in The Corebound later, Banna."

"You're a kriffing di'kut, Rast."

Dhari didn't know what the word meant, but she recognised its origin. "I wouldn't be going around stealing word from the Mandalorians, Banna."

"Oh yeah? You're a smuggler, Rast. All you do is stealing."

"Technically I'm not stealing," Dhari responded. "I'm only transporting stuff that other people have stolen."

"Yeah yeah, well, see how that explanation fares with the Pitlord."

With that, the comlink connection was cut. A frown crept onto Dhari's face. Wonder what he meant by that.

Shortly thereafter, Dhari reached the lower platforms. Like the ones above, they were illuminated by artificial lighting and looked like scaffolding. As Dhari put the Blacklight down on one of the landing pads, she felt it move underneath the freighter's weight. Or maybe she was just imagining that. Her uneasiness had grown to sit firmly like a knot in her guts. I kriffing hate this place, she thought. She decided to get this over quickly. Talk to the Pitlord, have the cargo brough to her landing pad, enjoy a cold beverage in The Corebound on the upper levels while waiting, load the cargo, and the get kark out of here.

@Rhogar @Catbert

 

[Taldorak Trenessar]

The once beautiful scenery of the planet would shift slowly into what the reality was: This planet was osik. Tal would decide to ignore the hideous landscape, which wasn't truly hideous now, it was just.. boring. Though it held an earthy beauty. But, forgoing the rather bland scenery, he would take the opportunity to pull out his datapad and look through the 5S database on the 'Crevasse'. Details were limited, but a name stuck out that he had heard before in a Spaceport once or twice "The Corebound". A bar. Now that was something Tal could get down with. Some drinks, some dancing, maybe a hit of spice or two.. no no.. just the first two. He was a professional after all.

Setting the datapad down, he'd exit the turret bay and to his storage locker, quickly changing from one set of beskar, to another. Seemed like they were going to land and his current set might be a little familiar on the planet and not in a good way. The ebony look and skull would give him a more intimidating appearance, one fit for blending in or at least not immediately drawing conflict.

Returning to his gunner seat, he'd lounge again, just whistling a tune as he awaited what lie ahead. From what he could tell they were drawing extremely close to the Crevasse and hopefully now they could have some fun upon arrival. He'd activate his intercomm. "Kel, if you're a smuggler after a long trip.. what's one place you'll go before pushing on? The bar. I say we head to the Corebound, its a little bar here. I'll keep an eye on the pilot, you locate the goods. Then we can maybe get the drop on him once he leaves the bar." was he looking to impress Kel with his sudden knowledge of where they were? Absolutely not. Up until about five minutes ago he thought the bar was a myth and hopefully, his companion didn't expect him to know more about their current location. Little did he know, he was absolutely wrong about the identity of the pilot.

@Casmer @Catbert

 

[Kel Dryden]

— Flight control, this is the Black Swift. Requesting permission to land.
— Hold your horses, Black Swift. Your arrival isn't scheduled, and you aren't on the list of regular... Kriff, stand by!
— Wait, wha...

Things had just got a lot more complicated. The Blacklight wasn't picking up cargo in the wilderness, but rather at an outpost. It meant that "guns blazing" were a no go—no doubt that the place had AA guns, weapon platfroms, or a squadron or two. Not to mention various thugs and spacers on the ground who might want in on the bounty... Or, more likely, have some beef with the hunters. And now they were denying him landing?

Before Kel came up withe the reply, something else changed. The Blacklight slipped between a landing platform and an outpost in a rather reckless maneuver, darting towards one of the landing platforms below. A clearly reckless stunt; and a very good shortcut, according to the holomap of the Crevasse and the settlement. Kel couldn't do the same without drawing the ire of flight control. On the other hand, the Blacklight must've done just that, and created a lot of trouble for someone in the process.

— Hey, I know you're busy and all, but I can't just hover around while some daredevil wannabes keep stunting around. If they wreck my ship along with Bochaba the Hutt's collection of antiquities, he'll hold you personally responsible. Just give me whatever platform to land at, and I'll sort it out with your boss.
— Aargh, fine! Platform D-15. What the Pitlord does to you isn't my problem.

Kel exhaled and wiped his forehead, before letting the Swift slide towards the destination, supported only by the maneuvering thrusters. Before long, it was resting on one of the top platforms. That was the good part. The bad part was that the Blacklight was somewhere down there, closer to the bottom of the Crevasse. And there was little to no cover from the rain.

Tal's advice over the intercom made Kel wonder. A part of him just wanted to take off, fly away, and intercept the Blacklight on the way out. But it was a gamble. The pilot could get spiced up on the outpost and spend days down there. No, they needed to nail that Hutt slime right there, in the Crevasse. But Tal's plan didn't work either. Drawing unwanted attention by starting a fight at the outpost was out of the question. But there was a part of that plan that spurred Kel's mind in the right direction. And even made it seem like the duo could still pull it off.

"You're right, we'll need to find the pilot. Problem is, he landed elsewhere, so we can't just track him yet. Need to find out who flies the Blacklight, and where to find him," Kel informed Tal of the recent developments. "Finding the goods ain't a problem, they'll bring them right onto the ship. We find the ship and track down the pilot. When the goods are there, you have the pilot fly the ship wherever we want at gunpoint."

To Kel, it was like a solid plan. If done right, nobody would be the wiser. Pleased with himself, the enforcer turned off the engines, letting the Swift rest for a while. The legs and back thanked him with ache for all the hours he had spent in the seat. Upon stretching up a little, Kel grabbed his coat, made sure that all his gear was in place, and headed towards the ramp. Before stepping out of the cockpit, he'd turn towards the astromech fiddling with the navicomputer: "Raise the ramp while we're gone and keep the ship safe, Nyx."

@Casmer @Rhogar

 

[Dhari Rast]

Immediately after the Blacklight touched down on a landing pad on the lower platforms, Dhari sent a message through to the office that housed the people overseeing the loading and unloading of cargo on the Pitlord's own level.

<Captain Rast, piloting Blacklight... Landing pad: B-9... Unloading: N/A... Loading: Covert shipment, sending through the manifest next>.

She transmitted the cargo manifest to the office and waited. Before long, a message came back:

<Loading will commense in 2 hours. Await further instruction>

Two hours? Dhari looked out of the Blacklight's viewport at the artificially illuminated darkness of the Crevasse. There was still that odd feeling lingering in her guts. She wanted to get off Nimban as quickly as possible, but there was little she could do about it. There were too many people crammed into the Crevasse, and most of them would be of the very seedy kind. Dhari preferred the isolation of the vacuum of space. It too was a palpable darkness, like the Crevasse. But it was entirely different. Quiet. Welcoming.

Dhari pinched the bridge of her nose. The echo of a headache reverberated in her skull, faint and familiar. "I need a drink," she muttered. Usually that did the trick. She exitted the cockpit and left the Blacklight through the lowered landing ramp. Her ears were enveloped in the sounds of moving machinery and the yells of dockworkers even before her eyes had adjusted to the cold lighting. She looked up, at the sheer muddy sides of the Crevasse and the catwalks that snaked up towards the level above. A look of resignation settled on her face. They better have their Corellian ale on tap.

*********
A little later, Dhari entered The Corebound, feet shuffling on a floor dotted with little blue neon lights. The familiarity she felt as she reached the cantina's main room almost embarassed her. She had been here many times before, most of them back when she was still travelling with Yivit's crew. Now, she was here, by herself, carrying her future in the Blacklight's cargo hold. The weight of the situation dawned on Dhari, and the steps to the elliptical bar and the green-skinned male Twi'lek standing behind it felt long and arduous. Dhari realized that she hadn't seen the Twi'lek before. Oh well, The Corebound's staff probably came and went like the cycles of Nimban's moons. Dhari couldn't imagine anyone lasting long in the Crevasse. Except for Banna, of course. And the Pitlord.

Dhari ordered a Corellian ale, waited at the bar until it came, and slumped down at a table nearby. She looked briefly at her datapad. Another hour and a half to go. She sipped the ale, massaged her left temple. The headache wasn't getting worse. Neither was it getting better. It lingered, reminding Dhari of the price of being around other people. I'd cut the blasted connection if I could. Only I can't. She looked around, trying to take her mind of it. The cantina was half-empty. Couple of old-timey spacers playing a round of sabacc with dingy-looking cards; some off-duty dockworkers eating whatever passed as food in The Corebound (she had never dared to try it). Dhari's eyes stopped briefly on a being in tell-tale armor. It was Mandalorian armor. Don't see many of those around anymore. She looked away, however, so as not to be rude.

Before she had finished her first drink, the comlink chimed. Dhari sighed and answered it. "Yes?"

"The loading of your cargo will commense as planned," a cold, curt female voice said, louder than Dhari expected. She scrambled to turn down the volume to a more privat level. "The Pitlord wishes to have a word with you before you leave. He will be at the landing pad when my men start loading. Don't be late." With that, the woman signed off before Dhari had the chance to reply.

"Kark," exclaimed Dhari, clearly frustrated. "All that for one kriffing maneuver."

@Rhogar @Catbert

 

[Taldorak Trenessar]

Already heading for the ramp, Tal would nod in affirmation of the plan. "See? We got a great idea going here. You find the ship, I'll do what I do best, locate people. Meet me at the Corebound when ya got something and hopefully by then, I'll find the ship." He didn't wait for Kel to agree or disagree. He was just down the ramp and shuffling to the bar to hopefully, a nice cold corellian whiskey.

He would do his best to ignore how muddy or dingy the place was, haran, in his mind, he felt the only thing that could pretty this place up was an orbital bombardment or two. Being a Mandalorian gave him the benefit of two things: People moved out of the way and people really moved out of the way. One guy went so far as to throw themselves over a railing and slide down mud instead of invading his personal space. It. Was. Awesome. He'd definitely have to come back and kill the Pitlord one day, the amount of respect he was getting was great!

*************

If there was one skill Taldorak could put on the resumé, it would be his uncanny skill to find the bar in every new place he went. It didn't matter if it was his first time there or what, if it had a bar, he would sniff it out like a dog.

Unfortunately, this place was really lacking in the Dalae department.. so it would likely become a rather.. droll night. Sighing as he crossed under neon lights and a burlesque sign, he'd step through the bar doors as they slid open. Music, chatter, it all stopped upon seeing that black dyed beskar. Taldorak would cast a glance around the room before crossing to the bar, pausing behind one of the Sabaac players and glancing at his cards. "He's bluffing. Call him." He'd say before continuing onto the bar. The older spacer would curse before folding his hand.

Reaching the bar, Taldorak would lean on the counter, his gaze fixed on the Twi working there. "Corellian Whiskey, leave the bottle." The twi practically shook as he nodded his head fiercely, hands shaking as he disappeared into a back room to procure a bottle. "And a glass, with two cubes of ice. If I see three.." Tal would let the threat hang in the air for a moment. The kid hurried, dropping the first glass but managing to not drop the second. This was fun. The kid even counted the ice cubes as he dropped them in and slid the glass over. Tal would set down a stack of creds, way more than what the bottle would be worth. "You see the pilot of the Blacklight, you let me know. You tell them I'm here.. well.." he'd look back to the patrons who had resumed, as normal, before looking back to the kid. "..not enough in here to stop me." Once again the kid nodded his head quickly. "The rest is your tip." He'd then pat the Twi's cheek before heading for a table.

Like he decided earlier, it would be a droll night.. or at least it was until fifteen minutes later he saw some hot little green number enter. About kriffing time. Something to look at. He'd watch her move about all the way until she glanced his way, and he offered a slight nod. That was it, he was gonna go in.

Rising to his feet, he'd see her answer a comm, no bother. He timed his approach perfectly with the end of the comm and he'd set his bottle and glass down across from her. "Finally, someone who doesn't look like they're trapped here." He'd say with an audible grin.

@Casmer @Catbert

 

[Kel Dryden]

Kel was confident in his plan. So much so that he didn't even wish to argue with the trigger-happy Mando about going to the cantina. In truth, finding the ship also meant finding the pilot sooner or later. And if Kel could get on board, he wouldn't even need a pilot. A part of him wished that he had brought a slicer along for this mission. Someone like Scratch of the Zaa Fenn family, or Kel's old crewmate Pidge Batana.

Doesn't matter, Dryden. You've come a long way. You can do it solo. A smirk crossed his lips as he realized something. Running up the ramp and back into the ship again, he'd soon return with his helmet on. It lacked the intimidation factor of a Mandalorian design, but it would protect the head, and more importantly, conceal his face. Now to find that ship...

***​

Kark this place. And kark the walkways in particular. The treacherous passages to other parts of the outpost didn't mix well with the rain. Although Kel didn't much show it—in large part due to the helmet—but he was very glad to have the jetboots on him. If he slipped up, he'd at least have an off chance of slowing down the fall.

After half-an-hour of searching, we was also starting to admit that Tal's idea wasn't half-bad. Sure, the cargo would go to the ship. So finding the ship was the logical first choice. And there were a lot of landing pads to check, but only one cantina where the pilot would likely appear and then lead you to the said ship. Only if Tal manages to find the pilot.

So for the time being, the scoundrel made his way towards the lower levels, in the direction where the Blacklight disappeared. Going through all those landing pads would be a royal pain.

@Casmer @Rhogar

 

[Dhari Rast]

Dhari had hoped to enjoy her Corellian ale in peace. Passing time in the Crevasse, especially at this early time of day, was inherently a boring matter. But the Mirialan smuggler preferred even the agony of watching the minutes creep by on the cantina's chrono display to a conversation with the Corebound's patrons and the kind of conversation topic they usually brought to the table.

So, when she felt the presence of an individual closing in on her table from somewhere to her side, Dhari silently prayed that they were simply getting up for a piss. It quickly became clear, however, that they weren't. Dhari closed her eyes even before the individual slipped into the seat across from her. She expected the wiff of day-old beer and bar snacks to waft across her face any second now. She waited, but the odor never came. Her nose twitched up and down in excitement.

"Finally, someone who doesn't look like they're trapped here."

The voice was distorted, clearly twisted by the voice scrambler of a helmet. Dhari's eyes widened slightly as she opened them. Across from her sat the individual in Mandalorian armor that she had noticed earlier, when she scanned the room. Her hand was tense as she reached out for her ale, took a sip.

"Oh, I think we're all trapped in one way or another, or else we wouldn't be in this place," she said.

She wondered what the Mandalorian wanted. Dhari hadn't had a chance to look at herself in a mirror before she disembarked the Blacklight, but she could only assume that she looked like, well, a spacer who had set down in a muddy chasm with a fresh coat of space dust still evident on her flight jacket. But they all looked like that, she supposed.

"We don't get a lot of Mando's around here," Dhari said, mustering a bit of playfullness to coat her voice in an attempt to disguise her unease. "Did you take a wrong turn?"

@Rhogar @Catbert

 

[Taldorak Trenessar]

A distorted laugh would respond to the closed eyes. "Don't worry, I'm not whoever it is you were dreading. Unless, well.. that was a Mandalorian. If it were, I can pretend I'm not for a little bit." Even with the helm, he'd try to let some sort of playful tone accompany his voice. Noticing how tense she looked, he'd even slide her glass over for her. Kriff, he really hoped it wasn't the skull on the helm making her worried. He'd nod his head in thought as she spoke. "Yeah.. well.. I guess, though unlike the guys playing Sabaac, I think we have ways off this rock. Pretty sure they were talking about the number of months they'd been hanging out here." It was disgusting, this place.

"Unfortunately, this was one of the planned stops. Heading to Mandalore from Roon. Figured I'd stop off here, see the legendary Corebound." He would reach up, one hand breaking the seal on his helm with a sharp hiss before he lifted it up and set it down on the table beside him. The sides and back of his head were shaved with thick braids adorning the top of this head where they were bound and tied into a single braid that hung below his shoulders. Numerous tattoos were visible peeking out of the underlay of his armor with a Clan sigil tattooed into the side of his head. His beard was trimmed down and bound into a single braid as well, with two thick scars on his face, one near his right eye, the other starting just below the left and carrying down his cheek, neck, and disappearing into the underlay. "How about you? Just passing through? Or did I peg you wrong and you're on year twelve of your lifetime sentence here?" he would ask with a laugh. He would lift his own glass to his lips and take a long pull from it, before setting it down to refill it.

@Catbert @Casmer

 

[Dhari Rast]

"I'd be a fool not to dread a Mando, wouldn't I?" Dhari said. She leaned forward, lips pursed somewhere between a smirk and a smile. She gestured to the Twi'lek barkeep for a refill, and he came running with a pitcher of Corellian ale. The Mandalorian slid her glass, now refilled, back across the table, and Dhari took a sip. A bit of foam caught the edge of the glass as she set it down on the table, a little harder than she had been meaning to. She licked her lips.

Her eyes flared up as the Mandalorian removed his helmet. He looked like trouble, and, boy, did Dhari like trouble. Besides, there seemed to be a pleasant hum about him. Not in the Force - Dhari wouldn't dare open herself to it with this many people around - but in the energy that is shared between living sentients. Call it intuition - Dhari was fairly certain that the Mandalorian didn't pose an immediate threat to her. She could hang with people that weren't immediate threads. At this point, that was probably the most she could ask for in terms of company.

"Passing through," Dhari answered, leaning back against the back of the chair. A needle of pain shot through her skull. She winced, hands shooting to her temples, rubbing them. "Would have thrown myself into chasm long ago if I had to serve time in this shithole." She saw the Twi'lek glaring at her, offered him a shrug. Then, she tapped a finger in the air, towards the Mandalorian, the other still rubbing at a temple. "You're wrong about the Corebound, though. The word is 'infamous', not 'legendary'. Infamy is a better currency in these parts anyway. But I suppose someone like you would know all about that, wouldn't you?"

The pain faded to a throb. Dhari crossed her arms, feigned a smile. "Bit of a headache," she explained. "Roon, did you say? Wouldn't have picked you for a spice smuggler."

@Rhogar @Catbert

 

[Taldorak Trenessar]

Oh... this one was a charmer. He liked that. Maybe this trip wouldn't be a waste after all. So as she leaned forward, so did he. And when he took the next sip from his glass, he made sure his eyes would hold hers. He'd then set down the glass after a swirl, refilling it in the process. "Hmm, yeah.. I guess that checks out." This girl was definitely vibing with him and he could dig that. Hell, he was going to!

As she leaned back and winced, he scratched his jaw. "Ya okay, dala?" he'd ask, letting some genuine concern enter his voice. He hoped she wasn't dying of an aneurism or else it would make for a real awkward second act. "Drink too much? Or too little?" he would take another sip as he leaned back casually, eyes scanning the bar for whatever slime covered filth was working for the Hutts.

When she spoke again, his eyes would flit back to her with a laugh. "I cannot blame you for that. I would kill everyone here and then myself. Just for good measure." he watched the gesture, his gaze drifting to the Twi'lek as he rolled his shoulders and signaled for another round. "I could settle for infamy, hell, nothing beats the guy that threw himself into the mud earlier to avoid me. It was kinda funny."

He didn't seem to believe the headache excuse but he would nod his head. "I don't peddle spice." but he definitely ingested it. "Some Mandalorians like to live on Roon."

@Casmer @Catbert

 

[Dhari Rast]

Dala. The word was unfamiliar. Likely a word in Mando'a, the language of the Mandalorians. It could mean anything, but judging by the tone in the Mandalorian's voice, whatever it meant it was meant in kindness. She smiled and waved a hand dismissively. "Could be a teeny tiny spice withdrawal. I haven't had a bump in days." That was not true. There was spice enough in the Blacklight's cargo hold that the Cartel wouldn't know if she had a taste or two while it was in transit. But it was the only explanation Dhari could think of that didn't involve coming clean about her Force-sensitivity. And she wasn't stupid enough to give that away to a stranger.

Dhari nodded towards the table where the gambling spacers sat. The Mando's comment had been morbid, but it rang true to a certain degree. "Perhaps it would be a mercy to kill them," Dhari said wistfully. Her tone and expression was gone in an instant, though, and she leaned back, chuckling at her companion's tale of the guy that threw himself into the mud. "Kinda funny? That's the kark that makes life what it is. The little things in life, you know? That's what infamy gets you: a lot of those little things."

"Why Roon?" Dhari asked. "It's not known for its Mandalorian presence, is it? Does your clan live there?"

@Rhogar @Catbert