Open Shadows and Wraiths

[Zorya]

Zorya stood unflinching, her dark eyes absorbing the grim tableau before her. The roiling discord painted an almost corporeal fresco on her senses. Her nostrils filled with the pungent odor of sweat, oil, and raw fear, an intoxicating blend that made her pulse quicken. The cool surface of the hangar floor beneath her boots thrummed with an underlying vibration, a reminder of the conflict brewing just outside the deceptive tranquility of their impromptu assembly.

Her gaze, alight with an unholy fire, fell upon Vako. His demeanor betrayed an undercurrent of shrewd caution that was a mark of survival in the lawless expanse they inhabited. She admired it, not for its virtue, but for the promise of a worthy adversary it carried. The Sith knew that such games of power and deceit often drew out the best in people, igniting the raw, primal spirit within.

O'bog, his petite form animated with an infectious energy, fluttered in the stifling air, his glassy eyes darting between the Mandalorian woman and the Toydarian. "Ye heard 'im, lasses," he croaked, his tiny fists clenched in a facsimile of earnest determination. "We got ourselves a right royal shambles to set right. No tellin' what those bloody ne'er-do-wells are up to!"

The Ximpi's strident declaration echoed through the cavernous hangar, followed by a silence so profound it seemed to swallow the noise of the outer battle. A faint smirk curled on the edges of Zorya's lips. Her arm lifted in a commanding sweep, the motion as fluid as the undulating shadows cast by the flickering overhead lights.

"First, we got to handle those food-grabbin' Harkors, right?" O'bog squawked, his chubby finger pointing towards the direction Vako had indicated. "Then, we clean out those loot-hoggin' bilge rats. Lastly, we got to ensure no barge-sized escape pod makes it outta here with our rightful plunder."

His unblinking gaze returned to Vako, a wry grin stretching across his face. "How's that for a plan, mate? Hope ye got your runnin' boots on."

Meanwhile, Zorya took a step forward, her eyes gleaming with a silent promise of unyielding determination. Her senses were filled with the palpable anticipation of the battle to come.

@KaraLi @Morse

 

[Sarine Lark]

And I'll survive, paranoid​

I have lost the will to change

And I am not proud, cold-blooded fake​

​

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Sarine ran through the numbers in head head, using Vako's information about motives and locations to try and piece everything together. Her initial instinct was the same as Maelis'. The smaller group on their own would be easiest, in theory, but it was Vako's mention of them thinking they'll be there for a while.

That meant...

"We don't have time for a siege," the Mandalorian stated. "If they load up the barge and get out of there before we have time to handle the kitchen folks, then we lose the goods. We need to disable the ship first, or make sure there's no one able to use it. The other group will wait for us." Sure, there was more people and if they gave it time, that group would reduce their own numbers for them, but they had the prize.

"If the tank stays here with some backup and we send a small force to keep the kitchen pinned down, we should be able to sneak in and use the chaos in the warehouse to pick them apart, then work backwards and clear the kitchen. Worst case scenario, the kitchen flanks us but I'm pretty sure their little alliance here is done, so even just a few blaster shots should keep the kitchen group in line."

There were openings, of course, and it wasn't the smartest plan. It was, Sarine was pretty sure, the best plan to get the stuff they wanted.

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I will shut the world away​

@Morse | @Aberforth

 

[Vako Yizok]

The small alien seemed to speak for the silent killer that stood before him, and that struck Vako as quite odd. He had not seen that sort of a relationship before, much rather it was typically the reverse. He'd known a few that were happy to keep such pets around, but not for their articulate natures. It gave the Toydarian a moment to wonder if he was actually the brain and she the brawn... or if she spoke for him somehow.

Maybe the spoke through a pheromone?

Either way their seemed to be disagreement with the small and loud Ximpi, as it opted for a course that seemed to be the reverse of the preferred.

"The food here wasn't very good anyway." Vako announced dryly, and squinted while gritting. "Let them keep it. We should mop up the warehouse."

Vako looked back at the repulsortank. "The Falchion can hold here. She's killed her share of fighters, she won't struggle with this band."

Vako then flew quickly to the air and beside the tank. "Chu'tra ta sa te' zul a. Eh co vetre it ta!" He yelled to the driver and gunner in Hutteese. He wanted them to watch to the kitchen, and fire a few blasts there every few minutes to remind it's occupants what waited for them.

The repulsor tank rumbled and thundered forward, several laser shots smacking against the door establishing the reminder.

Vako returned to hover just above eye level with the attackers.

"The warehouse it is." Vako spoke. "I hope you know how to use those." Vako looked down at their blasters.

Though they were outgunned, they may just have the best advantage they could have hoped for... a united front.

@Aberforth @KaraLi

 

[Zorya]

In the maelstrom of competing strategies, Zorya observed with detached calm, a tempest of thoughts swirling in the silent abyss of her mind. Visions of twisted metal, searing blaster fire, and echoing screams painted a harsh tableau of the impending conflict.

The scent of lubricants and solvents permeated the air, mixing with the acrid tang of burnt circuitry and blaster scorched durasteel. It was an aroma of warfare, a perfume of chaos that belied the superficial tranquility of their hangar sanctuary.

O'bog, however, radiated a gleeful aura of anticipation. "We have ourselves a merry ol' plan, do we?" he cackled, his minuscule fingers idly toying with a spare bolt he'd found on the hangar floor. His mirth-filled gaze landed on Vako, a glint of roguish merriment dancing in his glassy eyes. "Don't ye worry about our aim, mate. We're quite the dab hand with these here blasters."

Swooping down to perch on Zorya's outstretched arm, the Ximpi turned to the Mandalorian woman, Sarine. "Alright, lass. Seems we're leadin' the charge. Ready to make some noise?"

As he spoke, Zorya's hand closed around her blaster. It was a mere tool, bereft of the righteous fury of her concealed lightsaber, but its cold durasteel surface pulsed with a promise of destruction. She held it aloft, a silent affirmation of her readiness.

The Sith's gaze, as sharp as a cortosis blade, met Vako's. There was an untamed tempest behind those eyes, a storm of willpower and determination that bore no signs of wavering. Her lips curled into a grim smile, a wordless pledge of unwavering resolve.

O'bog fluttered from Zorya's arm, a living beacon of defiance. "Alright then, to the warehouse we go! Let's see if we can't ruffle a few feathers and spill some unsightly guts!"

With that, the Ximpi led the charge, Zorya's intimidating figure right behind him, her blaster held firm and ready. Their movement was but a ripple in the tense atmosphere, yet it carried the inevitability of a crashing wave. They were moving, and nothing in this hangar, or the entire rim, was about to stand in their way.

@KaraLi @Morse

 

[Sarine Lark]

And I'll survive, paranoid​

I have lost the will to change

And I am not proud, cold-blooded fake​

​

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Sarine laid out her battle plan and waited. If she was honest, she expected someone to speak up. To explain why it was flawed. To challenge and throw it away.

Instead, the others signed up and she couldn't help but grin. Apparently she hadn't forgotten all her father's teachings, or at least she had remembered just enough to come up with a terrible plan described well. Either way, they were storming the warehouse and the girl was more than ready to be part of that charge.

At Vako's words, she shrugged and gripped her blasters a bit tighter. "Not my preferred method of fighting," she admitted, "but I'm not running in front of all of your blasters to knock someone's head in." Besides, they were heading into a target rich environment. Even her questionable aim should manage just fine.

As soon as the other woman and her... pet? Companion? Friend? charged, she was right behind, making sure to keep low and with her hands near the sides of her head to offer herself the protection of her beskar vambraces.

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I will shut the world away​

@Morse | @Aberforth

 

[Vako Yizok]

The path forward was wide and open. Vako's crew led the slow methodical movement forward. They were not themselves the most tactically proficient, but with Vako's guidance they had become more than just the street thugs and raiders that he had found them as. They had weapons at the ready and took it step by step, moving from the exceptionally bright blue hue coming from the ceiling of the well lit hanger, and stepped through an immense corridor frame.

Here the asteroid showed itself through fallen panels of durasteel on the walls. The lightening was not quite as good as it was one in the hanger, but still quite adequate for what they needed. It was certainly good enough to see the bodies up ahead.

They had been moving for only five minutes, and it was clear that they were already late to the party.

They passed no fewer than six corpses in an uneven trail leading to the warehouse. Some appeared to have been running away and shot in the back, so the danger still existed in the direction that they moved.

Vako recognized one of the bodies that lay upon the ground. "That's Vihilla." Vako pointed out. "Seems his idiot right hand got tired of hearing good ideas."

The moment of reflection was broken by the echo of eruption of blaster fire. It was not directed at them, but rather it was coming from just ahead.

"And that's the warehouse." Vako commented, noting a porthole ahead of them where a light was flickering and the red and green dancing of blasters could then be seen.

An approach would find the two gangs on opposite sides of the hanger, and the escape pod hatch directly between them, the loot of all their raids still not entirely loaded in the middle of empty stores and shelves.

@Aberforth @KaraLi

 

[Zorya]

In the dark hallway, highlighted by the rapid gunfire, the terrible scenes of the ongoing fights were clearly seen. The smell of blood mixed with the scent of burnt metal, all signaling the disorder that was taking place just out of their view.

A wave of expectation coursed through O'bog's delicate frame as he surveyed the fallen corpses. "Such a dreadful waste, ain't it?" he murmured, a rare note of solemnity inflecting his voice. "Could've saved a few blasts for us, ye heartless gobs."

Zorya, standing silent in the middle of the escalating chaos, felt a twinge of unease. She was no stranger to the battlefield, but each fight left its own distinct mark on her mind. Her grip on her blaster tightened, her knuckles turning white.

"This be our stage, lads and lassies," O'bog announced, an eager fire flickering in his eyes. "Our performance be the key between them shootin' us or each other." He turned to Zorya, his gaze imploring. "Ready to play our part, are we?"

A brave smile appeared on Zorya's face, her eyes reflecting determination. She gave a silent nod, her focus on the disorderly scene ahead. She was the calm in the middle of the storm, standing firm against all odds.

With a loud cry, O'bog rushed into the chaotic warehouse, with Zorya right behind him, walking steadily. Amidst the turmoil, they made their way through, firing their blasters and never losing spirit.

Their arrival was like a sudden explosion, a bright and chaotic spectacle that shifted the balance of the ongoing fight. Between O'bog's bold moves and Zorya's precise actions, the warehouse soon became a whirlpool of confusion, the rival gangs put aside for a moment in the face of this new threat.

@KaraLi @Morse

 

[Sarine Lark]

And I'll survive, paranoid​

I have lost the will to change

And I am not proud, cold-blooded fake​

​

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Sarine couldn't help her eyes wandering over the downed bodies. She was a scavenger at heart and already she was cataloging potential things of value on the various criminals. Nothing worth calling home about, but certainly a few credits worth adding to the total haul.

No doubt their pockets were light, but the blasters and armor left behind...

Shaking her head as they moved closer to the storehouse, she put it out of her mind. They needed to survive first, and that was a goal she intended to keep. Figuring out everything else could come after they dismantled the resistance to that singular objective.

"Don't die," she said to her companions just before Maelis rushed forward. Sarine had a different method, cutting towards one side and working her way around to flank one of the groups. Between everyone else in front of them, her two blasters behind would be able to make short work without needing to worry much about retaliation. And if anyone was hiding back there, she certainly wasn't worried about a melee.

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I will shut the world away​

 

[Vako Yizok]

It was quickly evident that Vako and the two attackers had different thoughts on how best to go about such an attack. The silent one rushed in with her small winged speaker, one screaming, the other silent as a tomb, directly into the fray. That was a decision that Vako would not precisely have made so lightly armed and hardly armored, but that result had yet to be seen. The other girl made a dash to a flank, moving quick but quietly in order to take one of the groups by surprise. While not something he would not have thought to try, his form and fashion rested more towards the former.

"Light em up, boys!" Vako roared, taking flight high above the others and moving beside a high shelf. He got above the swinging warehouse lights, making his movement harder to see. From there he unleashed a hurdle of heavy blaster fire, while his gang unleashed the same.

Vako was less in favor of precision movement and more in favor of overwhelming force applied quickly. The shock factor of heavy blasters typically got most to give up or run away. And when he was holding a vantage point that looked down on a foe, that generally left them needing to run.

To say the flurry of new blasters entering the fray made quick work of their adversaries would be an understatement, the result was almost immediate. It look a fraction of a second between trigger squeezes, and so long as one had held their blaster before they would leave destruction in their wake.

Some of the pirates tried to turn and run, others twisted looking for better cover. But it simply was not enough. They had thought only to be fighting each other and for that mistake they were washed over quickly.

The hanger went from raging flashes and sound to dark silence.

Vako returned to the floor, looking on the half moved carts as the battle concluded carrying the quarry.

A fair amount of credits, boosted ship parts, a small horde of spice, a nice holding of speeders... and of course... a flotillas worth of cloaking devices.

They now approached a very important moment, and for that Vako was happy to have a majority.

"So... what's the divy?"

@Aberforth @KaraLi

 

[Zorya]

In the eerie calm that followed the violent storm, O'bog fluttered down from his master's shoulder, the echoes of their victory still resounding in his ears. The scent of scorched metal and spent blaster rounds filled the air, a stark reminder of their violent confrontation.

"Yer all lookin' at this treasure trove like it's some holy grail," O'bog crowed, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "But I'd wager my left wing, Zor– err, I mean, Maelis here, she ain't got no interest in this shiny claptrap."

Zorya, shrouded in her silence, offered no confirmation or denial. Yet, there was a distinct hardness in her gaze, a look that could cut diamonds, fixed solely on the spoils before them. The haul was impressive, but her eyes betrayed no trace of greed. It was not the credits, the spice, or the speeders that drew her attention.

"Cloaking devices, that's what our lady wants," O'bog announced, his voice echoing in the cavernous space. He flapped his wings, zipping up to one of the devices and giving it an approving nod.

The metallic, almost otherworldly hum of the devices stirred something deep within Zorya, a resonation that echoed in the very core of her being. A shiver ran down her spine as she reached out, not with her hands, but with her senses, feeling the pulse of the cloaking device, the promise of unseen paths it held.

"She ain't got no time for your bargaining and your divvying," O'bog huffed, the impatience evident in his tone. He turned to the Toydarian, his wings fluttering with defiant audacity. "So, if you've got any sense in that bulbous head of yours, you'll give her what she wants."

Zorya stood impassive amidst the chaos they had wrought, her focus unyielding. It was clear that her intentions were not negotiable. The cloaking devices were her sole objective, the reason she had put up with this ragtag group. Everything else was just white noise. She was willing to give the others their due, so long as she claimed her prize. Everything else was negotiable.

@KaraLi @Morse

 

[Vako Yizok]

The tiny translator for the murderous raider that stood before him spoke a very plain message, and Vako was very receptive. He'd seen people with that kind of skill before. They were uncommon on the the rim, and they tended to be attached to ancient orders. Jedi and Sith were things he'd seen in action before, and seldom did someone move the way that they did without some sort of training. As far as he could tell both of them were on the run from goverments out to kill them. If she was either Jedi or Sith that meant that she did not have much to lose and wouldn't hesitate to murder Vako and his crew.

Fortunately, Vako had spent a lifetime in these sorts of circles and knew when to test his luck, and when to walk with it.

Vako nodded in an exaugurated fashion, a flat expression on his face. "Best thing for everyone." Vako said. He did not desire to contradict the mouthy pixy if front of him, but insults were just part of normal business on the rim.

"Boys... take the lot, leave them the left racks."

The cloaks were combersome and heavy. Some had been installed in the ships in the hanger, and that was something that he could leave the two pirates to play with. Vako had a hoard of plunder and he would fly on it.

With little else to say Vako and his crew went to work, moving to their ship, with the direct intention to leave. If their paths crossed again, it would not be because he gave them a way to reach him. Either way it was cut, these raiders would have killed him in the rock had he not reached out first, so as far as he was concerned they were even.

@Aberforth @