Ask Sweet Release

[Crix Dolan]

Freedom.

The great lie. The grand unobtainable idea. The dream sold to the downtrodden by the bastards who really ran the galaxy.

The one thing Crix wanted more than anything else.

“Let’s move, this is done,” Crow said, wiping blood from his vibroknife.
“Aye boss,” said Trix, a scraggly weequay assigned by the powers that be to watch The Devil of Denon’s every move.

Crix stowed the weapon and pulled out a ratty pack of cigarras. He lit one up while examining his handy work. It made him sick. He couldn’t even remember who this was or why they needed to die. Not that it mattered.

He was a dog, not a master.

“Oy, looks like the next one is on Omega Station, your old stomping grounds, no?”
Crow looked at the Weequay but didn’t say anything.

Trix’s expression was a pointed sneer. He was always poking, always prodding, always temptempting Crix to come at him. That was his job after all. Keep Crix in line or kill him. Crow could remember when his ambition had burned as bright as the man following him. All that had manifested from the fire of his revenge was failure and disappointment. Crow found he wished Trix the same.

Some time later…

Crow and Trix sat in a booth across from one another. Trix’s shit eating perma-grin rested in it’s usual place.

Crow blew out a plume of smoke, “So, you gonna give me what I need or are we on a fucking date?”
Trix held his hands up in a mocking surrender, “I was just waiting for the right time…”
“Quit fucking with me, Trix, I’m not in the mood.”
“You never are…” complained the Weequay.
Crow ground his teeth, knuckles going white on the butt of his blaster hidden just under the table. Before Dolan could add anything, Trix said, “Our mark is Terra Landris.”

The words hit Crow like a bucket of cold water to the face, but he knew better than to react. That niggling smile on The Weequay’s face spread into a contemptuous sneer.

“Think you can do it?”
“I wouldn’t be here if I couldn’t,” Crow replied.
“Good, I’ll follow. You know this place better than me anyway, don’t ya Devil.”

Crow didn’t respond. He just got up and made for the door, The Weequay hot on his heels, running that flapping gab of a mouth the whole way. Inside, Crix was desperately trying to find a way out of this… but he wasn’t coming up with anything other than the obvious…

@Phoenix

 

[Terra Lanris]

Terra bent over the counter of her private fresher at the Afterlife, and panted. The illness had been getting worse over the past two months, and by all accounts she only had a few more of those months left. To the rest of the galaxy, there was no information about her condition. She maintained her meetings, wore enough make-up to cover the paleness that had begun to settle over her skin, and tried to wear clothes that masked the nearly-twenty pounds she had lost.

She had fought her way through the streets of Corellia, gained control of Omega, moved up in Crimson Dawn, and apparently none of it could buy her a cure from her genetics. She was going to die a slow death as her muscles wasted away and eventually suffocate within her own body. Another cruel trick played by a galaxy that didn't care two bits about anyone who lived in it.

Kriff you, too, she thought to herself, taking another deep breath and standing to her feet. She half-walked, half-stumbled out of the fresher and back toward her desk to review the list of shipments that had been made and dumped over the last week. Her mind was a fog and she wondered sometimes to herself why she had continued on with this life. With so little time left wasn't there something else for her?

No, she knew the answer to that question. She was here because there was nothing else for her. No parents, kids or husband, and maybe it was better that way. No one to mourn her. Even Crimson Dawn would grind on without her.

Imagine her surprise when she looked out to the floor of the Afterlife to see none other than Crix sitting in one of the booths. It had been... years since she had seen him. He had dropped off the face of the galaxy and never responded to her messages, and she had thought him dead on some job in the backwater.

She blinked from behind the one way glass before tapping away on a comlink to have one of the guards let him into her office. She didn't recognize whoever his companion was, but she was sure a friend of Crix was a friend of hers as well.

 

[Crix Dolan]

Afterlife had been a safe haven to Crix once. A place where his life had turned around, where he’d entered as a broken killer and left an Enforcer with a purpose. Funny how life twists fate to it’s whims. He found himself standing, staring at the one way glass knowing Terra’s office was on the other side.

Trix nudged him, “Not getting cold feet are yeh? Let’s be on with it, eh?”

Each step toward the door felt like a lifetime. Time slowed as the stress of the situation began to trigger Crix’s full submergence into his alter ego.

Crow’s racing heart began to slow as his eyes scanned the room. He spotted the guards hanging around on the perimeter and knew where the security cameras were. His slow hesitant steps gained predatorial purpose as his eyes settled back on the door.

The Enforcer stepped up to her door and knocked. He felt the Trix’s heavy blaster in his back.

“Don’t want ya getting any cute ideas, Crow.”

@Phoenix

 

[Terra Lanris]

Terra had been a sabaac player for most of her life, and she liked to know the cards that her enemies were holding. In this case, she had no idea what it was that brought Crix back to her door.

The door slid open as they arrived at it, and Terra stood there, though two guards also stood at either side of the door. Elite members of the Blue Stars and ones that had served as Terra's personal guards for years now as was befitting of her position.

It's been a long time, she said, standing at the door. Although it had been a long time, Crix might notice that something about her seemed different. Perhaps just a bit less pep in her step or swish in her tail. She intentionally avoided using his name as she didn't know what he was going by these days, and her eyes flicked smoothly over to Crix's companion, standing suspiciously and with a look on his face that gave Terra an uneasiness in her stomach.

And who is this? she asked over the thumping of the music. She didn't invite them inside yet but her head tilted slightly to the side in curiosity... or something more?

 

[Crix Dolan]

The two guards eyed them with interest. That made the blaster at Crow’s back all the more enthralling. This was it. This was exactly why he needed to get out of this business. He’d been so fucking close before that botched job on Ettin IV.

Trix sneered at the guards politely as they awaited the door to open. The time between Crow’s knock and Terra’s answer stretched out between them and the guards. The one on the right was getting ready to tell them to fuck off when the door opened and Crow’s eyes landed on Terra’s.

“Yeah it has…” he managed.

He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but there was something off about her appearance. She was still beautiful, but her cheeks seemed sunken in. She was thinner than he remembered. He felt a frown start to form on his brow and let her follow up question wipe it from his face.

“This is Trix. He’s uh, a colleague of mine,” the expression on his face was impassive. “You mind if we come in? Gotta job I was hoping to chat about.”

 

[Terra Lanris]

Terra looked at Crix, and couldn't help but tell that something was... off. He didn't look happy to see her, and though he mentioned a "job" it wasn't the kind that seemed to have him excited or hyped up.

Her eyes flicked over to Trix, and something about him gave her the bad vibes. She had been in this business long enough to be able to get a sniff of people quickly. Although she kept her face straight, her eyes flicked back over to Crix who didn't look... happy.

Would you all excuse the two of us for a few minutes. I'd like to catch up, she said, looking over to Trix and then to the guards flanking the door. When all else failed, she could still fall back on just spending a few minutes alone with someone. She was still a ranking member of Crimson Dawn and administrator of Omega to boot. Those titles had their perks for however much longer they lasted.

 

[Crix Dolan]

Crix thanked the stars above that Terra continued to NOT be an idiot. The Denonite felt the pressure of Trix’s blaster dissipate as the weequay kissed his teeth in irritation. In a voice only loud enough for Crix he said, “Good luck,” but the tone said, don’t fuck me. Crow didn’t respond as he stepped through the door.

The Enforcer stepped past Terra into her office. The sharp hiss of compressed air let him know the door was closed. He didn’t turn around. She’d see the Czerka barcode on his neck. His mind was reeling as his loyalty to his friend went to war against the life of his child. There shouldn’t be a question. It should be the kid, end of story, but his kid’s life had been dangled in front of him for so long that the only thing that kept Crix going was faith… and faith didn’t get you far in their neck of the galaxy.

“Well, I’m sure you’re wondering what the fuck I’m doing here…” he said, turning back to look at her with his patented shit eating grin slapped across face. He knew they wouldn’t have long before Trix started causing problems so he pulled out a smoke, lit up, offered her one and got right to it, “Imperial Czerka has me by the balls, Terra.”

He reached up scratching his head, “They’ve got my, kid.”

Crix took a drag, letting the problem coalesce between them, “I don’t kill you, I’ll never see him again.”

Curiously, The Enforcer had told her all of this without drawing his weapon.

“So, how do you want to do this?”

@Phoenix

 

[Terra Lanris]

Grin or not, Terra looked at Crix and practically saw right through him. He was anything but happy and anything but relaxed. There was far too much at stake even if she didn't know what that meant yet.

The tattoo on his neck and the words he said brought the pieces together... kind of.

Her eyebrows drew down into a frown and she clenched her teeth together momentarily before taking the offered smoke. She was already dying, it wasn't like this was going to make it any quicker. In fact, maybe it'd be better if it did make it quicker.

So what? You're here to kill me? Then you really think you're going to see your son again? That Czerka will ever let you out? That the guards around Afterlife and Omega will let you get back to him if I'm dead? she asked. It wasn't said as a threat so much as a business-like evaluation. Without her to call the guards off, even if he killed her, it wouldn't likely end well for him. And then there was the fact that they both knew that Imperial Czerka wasn't something anyone could trust.

She wondered to herself which of her business dealings had caused her to be put on their list. Her mind quickly churned through a dozen different things. Ways to get herself out, ways to punish Czerka... ways to help Crix. She knew he didn't want to do this: it was written on his face and in his body language.

She took a seat at her desk and leaned back, giving off the impression that she was unconcerned. It was perhaps too far to say that, but she didn't feel she'd lost all control of the situation. Not yet.

And your friend is here to make sure you finish the job? So he's the one I should have killed? she asked. She didn't used to believe in no-win scenarios, but her illness had begun to make her reconsider. But she didn't believe that this was one of those.

 

[Crix Dolan]

Crix’s eyes were hard. He sloughed off the play. He was a good talker but he wasn’t going to convince one of the Crimson Dawn’s most influential members to give up the ghost. Her tone told him everything he needed to know.

“They named him,” he said, “They named my fucking son,” An uncharacteristic growl would enter his voice, “I want their blood.”

Crow was starting to demand prominence, but Crix wasn’t interested in handing over the keys. He wasn’t interested in killing his friend. He wanted his son, he wanted Imperial Czerka to pay for what they’d done.

He wanted… out.

The revelation hit him in the gut nearly stripping him of breath. He covered it with a drag on his cigarra. He breathed in, blowing the smoke out of his nose. It didn’t matter what he wanted. He wouldn’t fail his child.

“Trix is their eyes. If he misses a check in and I don’t show up with your head, my kid is gone,” he swore, turning away from her. The frustration of the situation mounting as his options started to run thin.

“How can we fake it?” he said turning back to her, “C’mon Terra, you’re the brains, we know what option A and B are, what are we missing?” he asked, desperation poisoning his words.

@Phoenix

 

[Terra Lanris]

Terra could sense the desperation in Crix's voice. She could feel it as much as hear it. She couldn't imagine having a son, but from everything she understood, people would do anything for their children. She supposed she couldn't blame Crix for wanting to do the same.

Hmm, she said, not particularly happy about what she heard about Trix. He seemed like a nuisance, and one they would have to deal with.

The question of option C was one that had many aspects to evaluate, not the least of which was the fact that Terra was dying. While simply rolling over for it was something she wasn't sure she could bring herself to do, there were other options.

Tell me about your son's situation. Where is he? How do they keep him? Do you even... know that he's still alive? she asked, the final question a far more difficult one to ask. She'd heard of people being strung along by the "life" of a loved one only to find out months later that they were dead all along. Terra wanted to know.

@Zay

 

[Crix Dolan]

Crix listened to her line of questioning and felt his desperation getting the better of him.

“I get to hold him,” he said, emotion starting to catch in his throat. “Everytime I finish a run. I get five minutes.”

He didn’t expect her to get it, but the only thing that had kept what was left of “Crix” alive were those scant moments in time where he got to hold his son. Otherwise, well, Crow was getting harder and harder to ignore. Crix just couldn’t bring himself to believe he could do the things he’d done as Crow and that denial was proof of his weakness.

“And before you ask, yes I know he’s mine,” he said. Of course, he couldn’t be sure. Everything he’d been shown had Imperial Czerka’s stamp on it, but when he looked into that little boy’s face he saw Kara’s eyes and his crooked grin.

Crix ran a hand through his hair taking another drag on his cigarra. His gaze fell on her again, and now he couldn’t deny she looked frail. What was he doing? He knew he couldn’t kill Terra. They’d known each other too long. Hell, he’d taught her how to shoot. Granted he’d been pretty hammered by the end of the lesson, but she was still alive so something had to have stuck.

The Enforcer felt his initial adrenaline filled panic subside. He blew out a plume of smoke.

“Alright—”

There was a sudden pounding on the door, “Oi, the FUCK is going on in there!” demanded the muffled voice of Trix.

Terra’s guards could be heard intervening.

The powder keg was lit.

“Fuck.”

@Phoenix

 

[Terra Lanris]

Terra couldn't quite imagine what it was like to have a child and be separated from them. She didn't know what Crix was going through, but she'd seen enough desperation in the world to know that people would do anything for their children. Unspeakable things.

I'm going to help you break him out and disappear, she said, as if she hadn't just stated that she would pick a fight with Imperial Czerka. If she died so that he could get his son back or she died because Czerka was angry that she had picked a fight then it would be a better way to go than let the disease ravage her body.

Her planning was interrupted by the banging on the door outside, and her eyes turned toward the door like fire. There was a flash of rage at this "Trix's" very existence, and Terra's jaw clenched. He needed to do check ins? That meant he needed to be alive, but Terra knew that sometimes there was a fine line between being alive and wishing you were dead. She knew people who could bring him from the former to the latter.

I'm going to have him detained, she said, declaring it and planning to order her guards to do just that unless Crix stopped her. He could still provide "check-ins" if necessary as long as he was alive... and in excruciating pain.

 

[Crix Dolan]

Crix’s expression was a contorted scowl of disbelief as Terra made her statement.

Terra said she was going to have Trix detained and Crix shook his head, “Terra, I know nothing. They keep me in the dark and feed me shit!” he was yelling, the emotion bubbling out of him after years of pent up rage, “Even with your help, I don’t know where to start!”

He sighed, taking a drag off his cigarra. It was hopeless. He was stuck. It was her or his kid, and he knew he wasn’t strong enough to make this call.

Terra kept her cool, which he both appreciated and despised, stating she’d detain Trix. He ran a hand through his hair, his frustration reaching it’s peak.

The muffled voices rising in volume just outside the door. His fists clenched, knuckles white as he squeezed. It was too much, this was too much, he could feel himself tethering on the edge of a full spiral– Then he was still. His hyperventilating breath slowed, regulating to a normal cadence.

Crow looked to Terra, “Bring him in,” he pulled his blaster, holding it behind his back as he turned to face the door.

“I have a few questions that need answering,” his voice was gravelly and his eyes were devoid of any of the emotion from earlier.

@Phoenix

 

[Terra Lanris]

Detain him. Bring him in alive, she said into her comlink. The door leapt open a moment later, and Trix was hauled in by the arms, stun cuffed and patted down for his weapons.

Trix. We didn't get to make proper acquaintance earlier. I'm Terra Lanris, she said, doing her best to exude utter calm. She wasn't feeling quite as calm as her exterior portrayed.

I understand you like to take children, she said. Once upon a time one of her partners had tried to get her into the flesh-trafficking business, but it had never taken.

Here's how this is going to work. You're going to keep sending all clear check-ins to your people back at Czerka or I'm going to make you wish that you were dead, she said, turning to Crix to let him continue with whatever interrogation and information they needed. Personal vendettas and favors were bad for business, but Terra was beyond the point of being able to save herself or her business anymore.

@Zay

 

[Crix Dolan]

The door lept open and there standing in it’s opening was Trix. The contemptuous sneer plastered across his face told Crow the dumb piece of shit didn’t realize what he was walking into.

Terra’s statement about kids sucked the sneer right from his face.

“Wha?” he started before one of the guards shut him up with a back hand.

Trix’s eyes whipped around to Crow fury replacing shock, “You know the fucking deal. I don’t report, your kid is gone!”

Crow didn’t respond. Instead he holstered his blaster and found a smile tugging at his lips that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Terra made sure to explain what was expected. Crow began stepping forward making it clear he’d be asking the questions. Trix’s eyes flicked between Crow and Terra, to his credit, he didn’t show outright fear, instead he laughed derisively, “I ain’t gonna do shit, you stupid bit—ARRRRRGH!”

Before Trix could finish his insult, Crow took a knife and planted it through the top of the weequays boot. The howl of pain that ripped from his jaw brought Crow’s smile to his eyes.

“I’m not gonna tell you anything, fucker!” he wailed.

Crow pulled out another knife. You really couldn’t have too many knives in this line of work. Trix’s tone wavered.

Crow looked to the guards, he knew he should have known their names, but he didn’t, “Would one of you pull up a chair for our guest. I’d love to keep him as comfortable as possible,” his eyes flicked back to Trix, “Wouldn’t want your legs to hurt.”

One of the guards begrudgingly obliged and The Weequay was set down in a plush office chair. Crow didn’t apologize for what he was about to do. Trix started to speak and Crow put the second knife into his other foot.

The Weequay screamed.

“I’m sorry, were you going to say something? I didn’t mean to interrupt, but I hate leaving a job half done.” said Crow.

The Enforcer stepped over to a chair against the wall and dragged it across the floor stopping in front of Trix.

“I’ll give you one chance. You tell me how to find my son and I’ll let you leave here with just the knives in your feet,” as he spoke, Crow pulled a mean looking knife from his boot, “If you so much as stutter at me in the wrong tone and I will take a piece of you. I’ll start easy, nod if you understand my rules.”

Sweat was already beading across Trix’s forehead. His chest heaved like he’d run a parsec and full speed. Tears pricked the tough guy's eyes as he slowly bobbed his head.

“Good,” Crix looked over to the burlier of the two guards and said, “You, hold his arm at the elbow and wrist,” then back to Trix, “I like to start small,” The Enforcer pulled a whet stone from his utility belt and drew the razor’s edge of his knife across it with a soft gasp, “Where is my son?”

Thirty minutes later…

Trix was quivering slouched in the chair. Sweat glistened across his face. Ten fingernails littered the ground by his feet. They were accompanied by three fingers. The deep brown skin of the Weequay had turned to ash. Crow wiped his blade on a handkerchief as he rose from his torturer’s chair and looked to Terra, “Alright, we got a target, let’s go.”

Their target was the ship that transported Crix’s child from wherever Imperial Czerk kept him hidden to Raxus. Trix had been kind enough to share their route and graciously offered to follow his protocol to the letter while in Terra’s care.

@Phoenix

 

[Terra Lanris]

He's even stupider than he looks, Terra sneered as Trix started making threats. It seemed Crix was already well on top of things, though. She was going to make threats, but with all the pent up rage inside Crix, she didn't even need to. They had passed beyond threats and into "violent action."

Terra nursed a drink while the "action" unfolded.

---​

They got their target faster than Terra had expected, but Trix - and whatever loyalty he had - could only stand so strong in the face of being mutilated.

The fact that it was a ship they were going after was all the better in her mind. Eclipse specialized in ship boardings, and Blue Stars had proven themselves adept as well.

I'll get a team together, she said. She'd pay them out of her own pocket for that matter. She had the money and no more time to spend it. Maybe she could still help a friend before everything fell apart. Or go out with a bang on her terms for that matter.

What kind of resistance should we be expecting? she asked. At the end of the day, this was still an operation that Crix was far more familiar with than she was. The ship - she assumed - would require at least a handful of smaller craft to board and taken. Boarding actions were difficult, but she'd also wager that IC wasn't used to being attacked. Hopefully they wouldn't really be ready for it.

Once the details were worked out, she started heading to her ship an the docking bay that would act as their staging area for the attack.

Crix, there's something I should tell you, she said. She didn't really want to tell him, but she thought he deserved to know. Or maybe he didn't... he had shown up to kill her right? And then promptly not followed through, though.

I'm sick. It's terminal. There's no treatment, she said, the words just blurted out and in the open as quickly as possible. It was a conversation she wanted to be over, and there was no point in lightfooting around it.

@Zay

 

[Crix Dolan]

Trix’s body was wracked by shaking fits as the shock of his mutilation left him ashen faced and wide eyed. Everything about him was different. Crow was satisfied with his work. He’d have assumed the Weequay would have lasted longer, but big talk normally led to a short walk. Crow finished wiping the blood from his knife then returned it to his boot. He hadn’t removed the knives pining Trix in place. He’d leave that for the guards.

Terra’s voice captured his attention and he nodded. They’d lucked out on the information, so when she mentioned getting a team together he recommended, “We have to do this as low profile as possible, Harken and his boys still around?”

Harken and Crix went way back, waaaaaaaay back. The old pirate had taught him the basics way before Crix was known as Crow or The Devil.

Crow didn’t care who she chose ultimately, he trusted Terra and knew she’d make the most logical choice.

Unfortunately, he didn’t have a good answer to her second question, “They keep me on a short leash,” he said with more than a little disappointment in his tone, “I haven’t exactly earned their trust,” he said with a nod back to Trix.

He considered it a moment longer before saying, “I can’t see them investing this much into keeping me in place. I’m not that big of a deal, if I had to put money on it, I’d say they’re flying a minimum security his face screwed up as he crossed his arms over his chest, “Two maybe three beefy fighters, and a light or medium freighter— Just depends how their covering it.”

Worst case scenario? He greatly underestimated his “worth” to this company and is sending them directly to their deaths.

Crow was mid-drag on his cigarra when Terra’s tone shifted from business to… on guard? His eyebrow cocked and he fixed her with a sidelong stare as they made their way into the docking bay.

Crix blinked. The impact of her words caught him flat footed. Smoke leaked from his mouth as it hung open suspended in shock as the truth behind her appearance sunk in. His eyes dropped from her to the ground as shame washed over him. He’d given her his word and then failed her. She’d been suffering… he’d been wrapped up in his own shit.

That’s the way it goes though isn’t it. Tragedy is like life snapping it’s fingers in your face, reminding you how important it is, only to ask for the check and fuck off without leaving a tip. It was bullshit.

Finally, gaze still locked to the ground, he bobbed his head. He took another drag on his cigarra, buying himself a little time, then glanced her way and asked, “How long?”

As he asked the question he stopped walking. His posture would make clear he wasn’t moving until they finished this. Crix wasn’t the kind of guy to bandy about well wishes and pleasantries. The truth was always more healing than a pretty lie. He’d failed to be there for her in the past, he wasn’t interested in failing her again.

@Phoenix

 

[Terra Lanris]

A few months. Less if this goes badly, she said, referring to the particular mission they were putting together. It was simply a hard fact of life that there was no avoiding or sidestepping at this point. She was going to die just like everyone else who had ever lived.

There was a very real part of her that hoped she would die on this job. Helping a friend, going out on her own terms... there were worse things. If it wasn't this, then she might still opt to go out on her own terms some other way. She had no interest in withering away into oblivion until she couldn't even wipe her own nose anymore.

Better to go out on a job like this getting your son back as far as I'm concerned, she said. She pulled out her comlink and started messaging Harken as much because they needed him as because she wanted to distract herself from this conversation.

He'll be there. Harken. We'll have his men, and a handful of ships from Blue Stars and Eclipse. Maybe they'll surrender before any fighting even starts. Overwhelming force, she said.

Come on, let's get a move on. You want to see your son, don't you? she asked.

@Zay

 

[Crix Dolan]

A derisive chuckle dropped from his lips as Terra answered. He’d expected no less from her, but that didn’t stop him from remembering the bright-eyed smuggler he’d met on Dac. Even now, knocking on death’s door, she was as ambitious as ever. He blew out a plume of smoke. He saw the defiance in her eyes. It was like she was daring him to feel bad for her. He would, but like the coward he was, he’d never tell her.

“I won’t argue, thanks,” was all he could think to say. If they actually pulled this off, he’d be sticking by her until the end. What tatters of his remaining honor still survived wouldn’t let him turn his back on her. Even if she wasn’t helping him get his son back.

Terra assured him Harken would be there and he couldn't’ help, but breathe a sigh of relief. Harken was one of the most dangerous pirate captains Crix had ever met, and his anonymity spoke more for his prowess than anything else.

“Agreed, once we get through this, I’m buying you a drink,” he said, not giving her a chance to argue before turning and heading down the hall.

Some time later…

Terra’s ship dropped out of hyperspace surrounded by the team she’d instructed to be there. Crix was used to being in the captain’s chair, but that wasn’t his place. His eyes were locked on the starscape before them. Any second the ship they were waiting for would snap into existence and it would be on. Deep down he felt bad for anyone that got in his way because Crow wasn’t going to leave anyone alive.

@Phoenix

 

[Terra Lanris]

The formation of ships floated idly in space, waiting for their prey to arrive among a belt of asteroids that had long orbited the nearby planet. Prison ships like these simply floated through Imperial-controlled space much of the time, but there was no reason for any of their ships to be flagged. After all, slicers and smugglers were on her payroll that could provide any sort of fake ship signals that she needed.

All units, report in, she said, waiting for the "troops" to sound off before the enemy ship dropped out of hyperspace. Boarding and conquest was a typical fair for both Harken and Eclipse. Both typically required the cargo alive and benefitted none from simply destroying the ship.

When they get here, we'll... was all the further she got when a light began to flash on the console in front of her, indicating a ship was dropping out of hyperspace.

This is it! she declared over the comms and she had to force her body not to tense up.

And then she realized they were in for more than she had expected. It wasn't just a small ship or a basic transport that dropped out of hyperspace, but a full-on Raider covette.

Kriff, Terra spat, realizing that this probably carried more than just Crix's son, and enough to put up quite a fight to their assortment of raiding vehicles.

Block their escape vector, target the bridge, raiding team get ready to board, she said, starting to guide her own ship in as the Raider opened fire with its cannons at the incomings ships. Here went nothing...

@Zay