Ask The Last Straw

[Sskaar]

Ord Mantell
Bright Jewel System, Mid Rim

Deep within Ord Mantell's northernmost continent lay a ring of mountains, and the molten valley that lay between them could easily have been mistaken for Mustafar itself. Sskaar hadn't the faintest clue why Black Sun preferred to build its hideouts and strongholds in places of strong volcanic activity, but he wished the syndicate would find more scenic places to build its power base.

The ring of buildings he was able to see from where he was crouched in the mouth of a cave overlooking a river of molten rock were just the tip of the iceberg. He knew there was an entire network of shielded facilities buried in the mountain. Months of investigations had led him to this place, after Black Sun harassed Iridonia, Vrogas Vas, and Fornax—all world bordering the Jedi stronghold of Ansion. Sskaar suspected Black Sun might be wanting to make a move of Jedi territory, either on behest of the Sith Empire or because they perceived the Jedi weak after much of the galaxy had abandoned them. In either case, the Jedi could hardly turn a blind eye.

The Trandoshan Knight had long lost track of the time. He was carefully watching the guard shifts, looking for holes in their routine, weaknesses in their route to exploit. But Black Sun ran a tight ship. It was hard to find any holes from his vantage point. And yet he knew they could not last long. Someone had to slip up eventually. The Jedi Path was patience, endurance, fortitude. Eventually, the Force would provide a way in. @Zay

 

[Crix Dolan]

Crow eased the beatdown speeder truck across the single-lane bridge toward Cayman Craw’s hellscape of a palace. Lava wept craggy maws scattered across the compound. Now that he thought about it, this might be the most on the nose villain’s lair he’d ever been to.

"Fitting place for Barlo’s killer to live…” he thought.

The cargo in the truck was routine. Every three weeks the compound gets a delivery of hand towels. These towels were delivered directly to the main kitchen in the heart of the base. All Crow had to do was get past the initial inspection. He was closing in on the main gate and the guard waved him over.

“Hey Mur—Ey, you’re not the normal guy!” said the guard.
“Murry’s kid was sick, so I took his route. Wanna check the truck?” said Crow behind his Ubese helm and voice scrambler.
The Guard considered that for a second, “Is Luna…. Is Luna gonna be alright?”
Crow’s head cocked to the side like a confused bird, “Er… yeah, she’s just got the flu.”
“Oh, that’s good. Nah, go ahead. If you’re doing Murry a favor, I’m sure you're a good guy or girl… I– I can’t tell with th—”
“Thanks,” called Crow as he pulled off.

The gate slid open and let him in. Snipers were posted on both sides of the gate and the center had an energy-shielded turret. This was a suicide mission. Even if he got Cayman he’d never get out and he knew it… It’s why he’d come…

Crow checked his driverside mirror as the gate closed behind him. Step one was done. He reached up to his comm and said, ”Beegee, I’m in.”

A moment later, a package was transferred to his personav. His droid had infiltrated the base weeks ago as a diagnostic tool and had taken two weeks to compile a cohesive map of the base. Once he delivered the towels, he’d park the truck and get to work on his real objective…

 

[Sskaar]

The delivery speeder proved to be the act of providence from the Force that Sskaar had been waiting for. Its inspection drew the perimeter guards' attention and the Trandoshan was able to slip out from his hiding place and slither down the obsidian slopes towards the Black Sun headquarter. The only real problem was the snipers in the tower above, but for a Jedi, the matter was simple.

Sskaar pinched two of his claws together and waved them up at the towers as he crept along the outer wall. His weapon of choice was a deviation on the standard Jedi mind trick: a fog that made its victims' minds heavy and clouded, as if they had consumed an entire keg of alcohol just moments before. Falleen were not always easy to manipulate with the Force, but Black Sun put those with the least resistance to it in a uniform and stuck them outside. An error in judgement that spoke to the haughtiness of the species. It left them vulnerable to infiltration.

While the guards and the driver were distracted with their common chatter, Sskaar climbed into the cloaked back of the speeder and buried himself amidst the cargo. It was a crude plan, he would admit. An illusion that would fall apart under the slightest scrutiny. Fortunately, the driver was a smooth talker, and the truck was waved in with little real inspection. A mere moment later, they were inside the compound, heading to the unloading dock, no doubt.

Sskaar used the Force to extend his perception beyond the confines of the truck. Life buzzed all around him, but the driver's mind was like a black cloud. Death weighed heavily on his thoughts. It was an oddity that stuck out to the Trandoshan Jedi like a thorn between his scales. This man did not belong here.

"Halt," a voice outside the truck said. Sskaar recognized a Falleen accent, and determined that the truck must have reached its next checkpoint. "We'll need to see a manifest," the Falleen continued, "And you'll need to declare a destination. Which shipment are you exactly?"

@Zay

 

[Crix Dolan]

The speeder truck idled along the illuminated path. The volcanic ash was so thick without the beacons along the loading track, it would be impossible to navigate the throughway. Crow’s personav displayed an arrow that stretched and retracted in pulse-like frequency as he made his way to the loading dock behind the compound's commissary.

Crow could feel his hands tighten on the steering wheel as he rounded the final corner and was stopped by a slender Falleen dressed in a spotless white chef jacket and black slacks, holding a datapad. The familiar surge of adrenaline shot through his body as the possibility of confrontation leered from his periphery. The Black Sun Chef raised his hand and called out, “Halt!”

The speeder truck came to a stop, and Crow lowered his window and let his hand drop to the butt of his DE-10. “We’ll need to see a manifest,” said the Falleen with a voice that couldn't have been more apathetic if it’d come from a torture droid. Crow bobbed his head reaching for Murry’s manifest. “And, you’ll need to declare a destination,” he said only looking up to scan the leger.

“I’m heading to the loading dock behind the commissary, designation Zeta 113,” stated Crow. The Falleen frowned as his eyes flicked over the information then asked, “Which shipment are you exactly?”
“Towels,” replied Crow.
“Towels?” asked the Chef.
“Towels,” replied Crow.

The man punched in the information hesitantly then both men looked at each other for a long moment. So long, in fact, Crow nearly pulled his gun. Then a melodic chortle broke their staring contest. A surprised frown tugged at the Falleen’s lips, “Huh, yeah. You’re good.”

The Falleen handed the manifest to Crow and stepped back waving him on. Crow rolled up the window and pulled away. As the window closed he returned his weapon to stun. He backed the truck up to the loading dock, set the parking brake, and slipped out of Murry’s truck. The old gunslinger was dressed in blue pinstriped coveralls tucked into his boots. Over the coveralls, he wore a navy bomber jacket that hid his gun.

Promises were hard to keep. He promised to make someone pay for his family, he promised Barlo it was just one last job, and he’d promised Murry that he’d finish his delivery. None of which he was able to keep. The only promise he had left reeked of singed flesh and burnt ozone.

Crow approached the back of the truck and smashed the lock. A hiss of compressed air lifted the door revealing plastic bags filled with smaller plastic bags filled with nylon kitchen towels. He slid to the right and pulled the bag he’d marked. His brows knit together. Where in the hell was his gear bag?

“Oi, cannae ave the towels?” came a gruff voice from behind. Crow grabbed a bag and turned handing it to the surly Ardennian. The little primate slung the bag over his back and called back, “Thank ye!,” then with an absent waving of a free hand added, “Throw tha rest over ‘ere.”

A wry grin tugged at Crow’s mouth, maybe he’d be able to keep one of those promises after all.

@Malon

 

[Sskaar]

Now Sskaar truly was in a pickle. The driver had undone the trunk and was now emptying its contents. He had seconds before he was discovered. There were no Falleen around, only the driver, the monkey presently walking away, and the Trandoshan — who was much larger and stronger than both.

The Ardennian was the easy part. Its body and mind were small, and it did not have the Force. Sskaar didn't need to exert much power to cloud its mind so heavily that it dropped in a heap, its towels beside it. The human was going to be a bigger problem. His mind was more sturdy, and wracked with emotions too complex to untangle in the moment. Sskaar would need more Force to put him to sleep, but if he raised the alarm before the Jedi could do that, it would be all over quickly.

He thought about the lightsaber that was growing heavier on his hip. He could use it to threaten the trucker into silence. But they would almost certainly be discovered that way. Then again, he didn't need to activate the blade to use the weapon as a threat. So, Sskaar kept himself flat to the bed of the truck until its owner had removed enough of the towels that the big lizard was visible. Then, he pointed his unactivated lightsaber at the man, and covered his jowls with one of the thick claws of his free hand.

"Ssssssshhhh!" the Jedi hissed. "Be quiet and don't sssay anything. We can resssolve thisss peacefully."

In truth, that was very rarely the case; but Sskaar hoped this once he could trust his instincts.

@Zay

 

[Crix Dolan]

Crow pretended to be gathering bags as he returned to looking for his gear. The nylon satchel must’ve slid further into the truck during the transport. He snuck a peek at the Ardinnian then promptly took another. The little guy was face down on the ground, and the big bag of towels he was carrying nearly covered his whole body. Crow was about to call out to him when a shadow flitted across his periphery.

The Gunslinger had his DE-10 in his hand before he’d even come around. His emotionless helmet hid the surprise smeared on his face as his gaze landed on a Trandoshan holding a lightsaber. Crow didn’t move. Of all the days for there to be some religious nut job stowed away in the back of his truck on a suicide mission. The gods really were spiteful bastards…

“Shhhhhhhh!” hissed the big lizard, Crow continued not to speak. Just held his weapon at the ready, and listened.

“Be quiet and don't sssay anything. We can resolve thisss peacefully.”

Crow didn’t move. He kept his aim steady at center mass, the space between them was so minuscule that his missing would be nearly impossible. He had the advantage, so why hadn’t he just pulled the trigger and killed this interloper? Better question, why hadn’t The Trandoshan just killed him?

In Dosh Crow said, <<If you’re here to strike against Black Sun then let us walk together. If you’re here to stop me,>> he shrugged, <<Then peace was never an option.>>

This was taking too long. The passed-out Ardinian couldn’t be the only member of the kitchen crew working and the longer his absence the more likely they’d have company.

@Malon

 

[Sskaar]

A thousand responses flitted through Sskaar's mind, because the reality was the stranger's proposition wasn't that simple. But learning that he was against Black Sun was a start. There would be opportunities to find out why and what he was going to do later, when they weren't so exposed.

The Force screamed in warning. People were coming, though he couldn't tell their species by their jumbled thoughts. It didn't matter, anyways. No matter who came upon them, it wouldn't be good. Sskaar clipped the lightsaber to his waist and and quickly threw some of the towel bags over his large figure as he climbed out of the truck. It wasn't enough to completely disguise him as a fellow off-loader, but perhaps, to the untrained eye, it would do.

"Go with it," Sskaar hissed at his companion-by-circumstance. Just as two Falleen in worker's clothes emerged from a corridor ahead of them.

These two were not in the more regal uniforms worn by the Black Sun crime bosses, nor in the light armor worn by their enforcers. They may have just been lesser workers, second sons of important Falleen families. Neither one paid the human any attention; both of them were, however, transfixed by the Trandoshan they saw. Trandoshans were a rare sight on this side of the galaxy.

"You two don't look near done," one of them said, still looking square at Sskaar. "Inspection crew'll be coming through here in a minute. I'd get that truck unloaded if I were you."

Sskaar put the Force into his voice when he replied. "Thanksss, we got thisss. No need to linger."

Both Falleen looked momentarily dazed, then the one who had spoke said: "They've got this. No need to linger."

And they were gone as quickly as they had come. Sskaar used the moment's reprieve to whirl on the human. "We can anssswer each othersss' questionsss later. I take it you have a plan to get out of here? We'll have company ssshortly."

@Zay

 

[Crix Dolan]

The Trandoshan clipped his saber to his belt and scrambled, grabbing the plastic bags with sudden enthusiasm and hissing, “Go with it.”

Crow didn’t know why but he did. He holstered his weapon in a smooth gesture that looked more like he was straightening his jacket than hiding a gun and bent to grab a couple of bags when— “You two don’t look near done,” Crow froze, the sudden pang of fear lanced through him threatening to send him spinning for his weapons, but he smothered that spark with the boot of his heel. If he was going to inflict real hurt on Black Sun, he had to be patient so he decided to listen to his new friend.

“Inspection crew’ll be coming by here in a minute, I’d get that truck unloaded if I were you.” Crow ignored the guy and kept working. He lifted two of the larger bags and tossed them over to where the Ardinnian was still out cold under the bag he’d been carrying. Then reached back in for another two, while still looking around for his gear bag.

The Trandoshan replied, “Thanksss we got thisss. No need to linger,”

Crow chuckled thinking, If anyone said that to me, I’d linger immediately. He tossed two more bags out and then spotted an obscured black shape behind another bag. Crow breathed a sigh of relief. Then the falleen repeated what The Trandoshan said, and Crow had to stop what he was doing and look over his shoulder.

Had he heard that right? Had this Black Sun member just thought to themselves, YEaH NooO NeeD tO LiNGer!

Crow’s mouth dropped open in disbelief behind his helmet as he watched the pair turn and walk away, disappearing deeper into the kitchen. Maybe he’d gone overboard for this job. Maybe back on Zeltros Cayman Craw had gotten lucky. He shook his head in disbelief as The Trandoshan asked about his plan.

“I’m not interested in answering your questions,” he let that settle between them, “I’m here to take down Cayman Craw. That’s it,” Crow was resolute in his objective. Running into an unlikely ally wasn’t changing why he was here.

Crow leaned over and pulled the black duffle back toward him. He unzipped it to reveal the rest of his dear. His gunbelt with both of his DE-10’s and three thermal detonators, a pair of old jump boots, and finally his personal round shield were all neatly tucked into the bag. Crow quickly donned the gear while saying, “Yeah, I’ve got a way out, but I doubt you’re gonna like it.”

The Smuggler connected his personav to his HUD and a minimap of the fortress came into view. The directional beacon urged him north, but Crow knew he needed to get there with as little altercation as possible, so it was into the vents they went. To the right of the delivery truck on the stone ceiling was a grated vent large enough to fit a body. Into his com he said, “Beegee, I’ve got a friend and I’m heading your way. Objective one is complete.”

To The Trandoshan he said, “We’re going up, so I hope you can jump.”

Crow trotted a couple of steps and then exploded from the floor. He caught one of the cross bars on the grate and then pulled himself up and in. He crouched out of the way so that his partner could make it up. From his vantage point, he could hear the voice of someone coming from the kitchen, but he couldn’t see them yet.

“Charlie, da hell is taking you so long with those towels?”

@Malon

 

[Sskaar]

"It might do you sssome good to at leassst tell me what you're doing here," Sskaar argued as they pressed ahead. "Can't really consssider usss alliesss otherwissse."

The Trandoshan never got his answer. Instead, the stranger pointed to a grated ventilation duct. Clearly it was his intention they escape through it. There was just one problem. Sskaar was nearly as wide as he was tall. To be blessed with a muscular figure something few of his kind could claim, and in most circumstances it was handy. Not this one.

He was about to protest when a voice out of the kitchen made him spin around. There was no time for a clever mindtrick this time, so Sskaar reacted instinctively and lashed out with a Force push. The back of the intruder's head struck the wall behind him just hard enough to knock him out. He crumpled to the floor in a pile of tangled limbs.

"Fine," Sskaar groaned. "Climbing it isss."

With the Force in his clawed feet, Sskaar leaped and grabbed hold of the grated duct. It was a simple thing to remove the duct's lid and slide it out of the way. The vent was as tight as the Trandoshan imagined. His arms were trapped at his side and he had to push with considerable might to squeeze through the narrow shaft.

Once he was sure his companion was behind him, he did his best to project his voice beyond his hulking, blockade of a frame. "I'm going to need sssome guidance. Where are we going?" He suspected the human would be less than forthcoming and decided to loosen his tongue. "It'sss bessst you tell me. Unlesss you want to turn around and go back. One wrong turn and I'll become the galaxy'sss biggessst ventilation clog."

Given the direction they were going, the Jedi Knight suspected he knew their destination; but he still wanted to know why. Who was this unlikely ally he had found? Why were they so desparate to get to Black Sun's leadership?

@Zay

 

[Crix Dolan]

Crow followed closely behind the Trandoshan. He couldn’t believe how much this guy talked. It felt like he had some new probing question or need with every inch they covered.

“Ten meters more, then go left, it’ll open into a larger system and we’ll be able to stand. I’m not explaining anything to your ass,” Crow hoped that would buy him some time to think without interruption.

This wasn’t going to end well for him, he knew that. The brutish lizard above him didn’t. The path opened a little and The Old Smuggler grunted with effort. Crow wasn’t a good guy. He might have been once, but that was a lifetime ago. The man he’d been when Denon was invaded died the night he watched his friend tortured and killed. But killing an innocent? Had he really fallen that far?

Crow stood facing the robed Trandoshan. He could hear his own breath under his mask as he caught his breath.

“I’m here to kill Cayman Craw,” that should have been pretty obvious since it's what he'd already told the being now blocking his way. “If you try to stop me, I’ll take you down first, then Craw. Doesn’t matter to me,” as he spoke his hands dropped to his twin D-10’s. This wasn’t the place to blow his cover, but this was the second time this guy had gotten in his way. Was it really smart to let him interrupt this mission a third time? Crow calmed down. Maybe he could give this guy an out. Let him walk and refocus on the job at hand.

“You can take that corridor, it’ll drop you about fifteen meters from where we entered. You can go that way,” and he gestured toward another path shrouded in shadow, “And you’ll drop into their vault. Careful, lots of guards that way.”

Crow shrugged, “Or you can keep your kriffing voice down and help me take out the prick running Black Sun’s Op in this sector.” His hands hung loose and ready to draw, “So, what’s it gonna be?” He'd never been good at controlling his temper...

@Malon