Ask The Job on Pzob

[Covax]

The first man dropped like a sack of spare parts as he was hit with Covx's blaster. The towering merc then jumped for cover behind a near by tree. Trying to keep fire away from the bike if he could. From there it was utter chaos. A storm a blaster fire rained down on them, and for a moment he lost sight of the girl just after she started to return fire.

Suddenly she was in the air, pouring fire down on a group of thugs. While others continued to march in his direction. Peaking around the tree see could see at least 3. Quickly then, he plucked a thermal detonator from a pouch. Armed it, and tossed it toward the thugs. Seconds later the explosion would vaporize one, critically injure another, and send the third over his bike head first. Covax shot him twice to put him out of his misery.

Getting up from his tree, he could see the other group of three were burned but not dead. Since they were distracted Covax tossed another grenade. Finishing what Zai started. Getting his rifle off the bike now, he took measured aim. Shooting the heads off pig men as they came around the gates of the old base. 1, 2, 3....4. After the fourth they seemed to finally get a clue and take cover. It would have been funny if bolts weren't wizzing by his head at the same time.

Covax tired to reach the girl on a open channel then. "Still alive Cupcake?"

@Sicadorito

 

[Zaia Krodas]

The sound of an explosion and the screams of men cut short told Zaia that the man was just fine. And then, just as she flew backwards and drew her blasters to shoot, she saw another grenade coming right at the three men who were frantically trying to get rid of the flames. Within a matter of seconds, there was nothing left but a few tattered rags. She winced at the sight.

Behind her, Gamorreans were being picked off one by one until they finally had the brilliant idea of finding cover. A few blaster bolts flew in Zaia’s direction, courtesy of a couple more men who were just rushing out into the clearing. Unfortunately for them, she was able to dive out of the way behind a broken-down ship and send a couple of bolts in return, and soon enough the fire had ceased. Then, she heard a crackle on her comlink and the voice of her companion. If she could call him that.

“Call me cupcake again and I’ll-” A boom from nearby and a piece of metal from the ship nearly falling down on her head cut her off. She rolled to the side, and once she was up again she glanced over at the outpost doorway. Her heart dropped when she saw that they had brought their own grenades out, and were throwing them in the direction of her and the man. It was such a waste of weapons, in her opinion. There were only two of them, and yet the pirates were throwing away their bombs like they costed nothing. If only she had that much money to burn.

“Hey! Are the bikes still intact?” she yelled into her comlink, trying to be heard over the explosions. By now the pirates had thrown three, maybe four of their grenades, and she was only really worried about the state of the speeders. There was no way she was going to drag those spare parts back to his ship by hand.

@Taz

 

[Covax]

"Oh, good. Still.." He tried to respond. Before an explosion suddenly tossed dirt and rock everywhere. Covax dove for cover, or at least out of the way. For some reason he didn't expect the thugs to have explosives, or at least not to be chucking them around like candy on Life Day.

Activating his own jetboots, the merc suddenly leapt into the air, landing on a small nearby building. Firing both his rifle and pistol from the hip now. With limited success. But it did draw the fire away from the bikes. As he landed he holstered the pistol again before aiming for the leader at the door. Managing to put a bolt through his arm before he could toss the grenade.

The explosive would drop suddenly and roll toward two other thugs. Then, BOOM. There were only a couple remaining now and they were nearly ready to flee.

"The bikes are fine, thanks for asking."

@Sicadorito

 

[Zaia Krodas]

Zaia blinked in surprise as she watched the man fly onto a nearby rooftop and shoot one of the pirates in the arm. There he was, saving the day once again. After the grenade detonated, she came out from behind the smoking metal heap and pointed her blasters at the remaining five men standing near the entrance. Upon seeing her, they immediately dropped their weapons and ran in the other direction, jumping into the bushes and pushing their way through the undergrowth of the forest. Clearly they’d had enough fighting for the day.

After they were gone, Zaia cautiously made her way towards the entrance of the outpost. The broken down ship that had provided her cover had been pretty much blasted into bits, and she doubted anything in there was salvageable. Might as well look at the outpost itself to see if there was anything inside. Maybe she’d find something she could use for herself too.

“I’m going to check this place out. There might be something you could use in here,” she said as she put one of her blasters away. She kept the other out though, just in case.

She peered inside, and noticed that the main hall seemed to be empty. Although it was dark and a little difficult to see, it didn’t look like there were any tripwires or sensors either. Though she doubted that a band of pirates would have had those installed anyway. At the end of the hallway, she saw a large door that presumably led to the main hangar.

“You coming?”

@Taz

 

[Covax]

Covax gave a sound of disapproval or perhaps disappointment as the last of the thugs seemed to have had enough. Dropping their weapons and running for the jungle. He shot a few bolts over their heads, just to make sure they hurried along. Then jumped down from the rooftop with the assistance of the jet boots again.

Now standing in the middle of the smallish complex, he looked around a moment. For it's age, it's wasn't bad. A little work and it could be a nice place to hold up. He thought on that for just a moment, then was brought back to the here and now as the young woman asked if he was coming.

"Yeah" he affirmed.

The merc followed after the Mando into the main structure of the outpost. As expected, a roomy common area. Likely were these thugs spent most of their time. The place was empty, save for old empire era furniture, and a few scattered weapons. The main command and comms area were likely be tower, a staircase at the far end of the room led to it.

Round the common area were a couple of small rooms, storage closets and a wash room. The place wasn't much, but Covax could see the same potential in it as the thugs likely did.

"Not bad."

@Sicadorito

 

[Zaia Krodas]

After looking around the structure, Zaia could see why the pirates decided to choose this place for their base.

“Not bad at all,” she agreed as she put her blaster back in its place and plopped down on one of the seats in the common room. It would be nice to relax for a bit, even if it would only be for a few minutes before they had to bring the spare parts back to his ship. Might as well make the most of it. Taking off her helmet and placing it on the hologame table, Zaia turned back to the man, giving him a slight smile.

“This place would make a nice base, don’t you think? It’s spacey, hard to find, and quiet for the most part. Unless the pirates come back, but I doubt that’ll happen anytime soon,” Zaia commented, picturing the running pirates once again in her mind. She turned back to the man again, raising her eyebrows.

“By the way, I never got your name,” she said as she leaned back in the seat with a grin.

@Taz

 

[Covax]

Covax did nearly exactly what the young woman had done. Putting his weapons away as he looked around and finally walked up to the table. Taking the helmet off to place it atop the bolted down furniture. Running his hand over his fair for a moment.

"Not likely anyway. Local thugs like that look for the easy way. Truth be told, I'm a little surprised they bothered to fight as hard as they did." He replied. "Oh? yeah, the name is Covax. You know, I think you're right. This would make for a good little base of operations."

@Sicadorito (Sorry it's short)

 

[Zaia Krodas]

Zaia nodded in agreement at his statement, and smiled when she finally learned his name. Covax. She’d remember it. She always did for those who fought beside her.

“It fits you,” she said. “Sounds tough.” She still couldn’t believe that she’d thought of ambushing him earlier. Good thing she hadn’t made that decision— she’d seen what he was like in a fight, and the pirates could attest.

She sat up and placed her elbows over the table, resting her chin on her fists. “So. Are we planning on staying the night here or heading back to the ship with the parts? ‘Cause if you want to do the latter before nightfall we’ll have to work fast.”

@Taz

 

[Covax]

Covax couldn't resist a half smile as the young woman gave him a smile of her own. "Thanks, I kinda like it myself" he mused. He still wasn't completely sure what to think of her. But he was warming up to her company, after all she was a pretty good in a fight and a credit to the name of her people.

"Much as I'd like to get back to the ship, I'm not sure we'd make it back before nightfall. Plus this place is in pretty good shape, and the pirates left some good supplies. May as well take it easy for the night and move out at first light." He replied, taking off some of his gear to set beside before the holotable. "If you want to bring the bikes in a grab the gear bag off mine. Should have some food stuffs and a couple bottles of water and bourbon. I'll see what shape the rooms are in."

Assuming she would agree, Covax went to work looking around the interior of the building. Making a mental note of the supplies and weapons left behind. Then went into the rooms used to privet living area. Clearing out the thug's crap to leave it bare bunks before Zai would come back with the gear and bed rolls.

@Sicadorito

 

[Zaia Krodas]

“Alright, sounds like a plan to me,” Zaia said with a grin, sitting back up again. Once she stretched her arms, she pulled herself up from her seat and put her helmet back on. “That I can do.” After Covax left to look around the other rooms, she picked up a rope that she found near the entrance of the room and headed back outside to retrieve the bikes.

She found them where they’d left them before, though they looked a bit more beat up now than she would have liked. The one that she was on earlier was grazed with dark gray, courtesy of the pirates’ blaster bolts. Well, at least it still worked, she thought as she started it and turned it off again.

After she finished tying the bikes together, Zaia headed back to the entrance, keeping an eye out for any pirates who might have remained. None appeared, and so she fastened a knot so that the bikes were tethered to a metal pole just outside the door. On the way in, she grabbed the gear bag that Covax had mentioned, heading inside to find the man.

“Here’s the stuff,” she called once she entered the common room and plopped the bag on the table. “Did you find anything interesting? Or a place to sleep?"

@Taz