The run: Part 1

[Siah]

There was no time for a reaction, when Renn threw the detonator it had sailed perfectly to the plasteel window. A weak point on any spacefaring vessel, it was the perfect target.

Seconds before the explosion Myshak had only one thought, "Why did I not recruit someone like him?"

The pirate vessel lost all systems. Emergency lighting was providing a feint glow at best. Corridors were dim and gloomy. There was the distinct smell of smoke in the ventilation system. THe first explosion had ripped out the bridge of the vessel. A secondary explosion followed Renn's offer to Looms. The main drives were undergoing a cascade failure that would blow in less than a minute.

Looms stared incredulously at the confident armoured Mandalorian. He shook his head as if trying to wake himself from a groggy dream. He struggled to his feet with a grunt. He nodded weakly at Renn and pushed himself down the corridor to the aft section of the vessel. Warnings started to ring, life-support was now offline. Oxygen was thinning fast with the fires burning.

There was one way off this ship and that was through a small module near the rear cargo hold. Looms pointed, "One escape pod... can hold us both... it cannot release if the ship loses power. We need to move fast!"

A third explosion rocked the ship back and forth. Looms stumbled, ripples appeared in the bulkheads. The durasteel began to buckle like cheap plastic.

 

[Rob the Player]

Renn almost fell over after that last explosion. They really did need to move before they were sucked into space. With a nod, he quickly followed Looms to the pod. Grobu's bounty should be able to pick them up once they get out. After a few stumbles, they made it to the pod, but something caught Renn's eye. The cargo hold. As fast as he could, he grabbed a single box and threw it in the pod with Looms. He jumped in after it, and pushed the release. The pod was pushed out into space, just out of harm's way. "I hope that wasn't too bad." He looked at Looms. "By the way, don't try anything bud. Technically, you owe me." Renn put out his hand for Looms to shake it. "Fair?"

 

[Melomex]

Verguxa noticed an escape pod shoot out the ship. "That better not be anymore lizards" he muttered, steering the ship towards the escape pod. He lined the escape pod up to the docking bay, wires shot from his ships docking bay to snag the escape pod. "Oi, Ithorian, get a gun or something, if those are lizards..." Verguxa said, opening the airlock to the escape pod.

 

[Siah]

Obeying Verguxa, Siah walked to the docking bay with his typical measured pace. Once connected to the pirate ship, it now held the escape pod with Renn and Looms. The Ithorian stood calmly by as Verguxa disengaged the airlock. With his loose-fitting robes and craned neck, he looked every bit the bored Ithorian. Behind this façade, he was reinforcing his senses through the force. Still unable to tell who or what was aboard the pod, he could tell that there were two forms of life.

Looms gave Renn a toothy grin. He was still in pain and had to endure the pod's ride by clenching his teeth together. He took the Mandalorian by the hand and gave it a firm shake, "I will honour our understanding, Jedi." The large Trandoshan let out a small hiss as he slumped up against the pod's cushioned wall.

The airlock hissed open a brief moment later. Siah was standing peacefully in front of the door as it slid open. He saw Renn and a large Trandoshan, unable to discern the nature of their having escaped together. He did notice that the lizard was injured and it seemed that Renn had no intention of hostilities.

Siah nodded to Renn, "I am pleased to see you're safe." He pressed the commlink, "Young master Renn is now aboard with an acquaintance."

The way to Coruscant was now clear...

 

[Rob the Player]

Renn smiled under his helmet. When the airlock opened, he was happy to see familiar faces. "Well that worked out somehow." He climbed out and grabbed his mysterious crate he stole from the pirate ship. "By the way," Renn distractedly gestered towards Looms. "He's on our side now." He took off his helmet which revealed his scruffy hair. "I found this. I call dibs." He picked up the box and carried it back to the cargo hold. Once there, he opened it up to see what was inside.

 

[Siah]

Siah smiled at Renn, he saw the Mandalorian was excited about his catch and Siah was intrigued to find out what it was he had found. Unfortunately, now was not the time to hang around or bring up Renn being a Jedi. This would have to be done carefully. For now, the Ithorian tended to the Trandoshan's wounds, the lightsaber had done a lot of damage to the shoulder muscle. Siah informed Looms that he'd have limited mobility in the arm, unless he underwent surgery. Using small increments of Force Heal, he surreptitiously assisted Looms' recovery process.

Half an hour later Siah peered into the cargo hold from around the doorframe. He saw Renn was bent over his new acquisition, "What do you have there, Master Renn?"

 

[Rob the Player]

Renn was surprised when he saw an assasin droid inside the crate. It was folded up so it could fit, and it even had an old blaster rifle at the bottom. "Why the hell would the pirates have one of these?" There was a note inside that said not to activate the droid. Renn shrugged and started to fiddle with it to see what would happen. He had already gotten it to stand up and talk when Siah came around. It's orange eyes lighted up and it began to speak. "I am HK-50. What are my orders?" Renn couldn't believe he actually got it to work. "This is one of the last hunter killer droids. They fought side by side with Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders long ago. I thought they all died." He looked at his new companion. "I'm Renn Starfall, your new master. The Ithorian is Siah, the Zabrak is Verguxa, and the trandoshan is Looms. We are on a mission to deliver cargo, so it must be protected at all costs." Renn handed him the blaster. "Patrol the area and destroy hostiles." The droid nodded. "Yes sir." It started to hum to itself, and proceeded to patrol the ship. "Hope that worked." Renn said. "Steer clear of him, I don't want you to get shot. I think I might call him Hunter."

 

[Siah]

The Ithorian nodded ponderously. He knew very little about gun-wielding droids and didn't quite have a handle on any appropriate response. With a sidestep he moved out of the doorway for the droid to pass.

"Are you sure that's a safe thing to do?" Siah asked the Mandalorian. He looked down the corridor after the droid, while a slight frown crossed his brow. Siah hoped that the droid would indeed protect the cargo at all costs.

Grobu's Bounty was a few moments away from the Coruscani sector near the Galactic Core. The radio frequency was getting busier and busier with more and more traffic. Imperium vessels, in their thousands, popped up on the sensor grid.

"D5-Mantis, this is Coruscant Control. State your approach vector and reason for approach. Are you authorised to travel in the Imperium Logistics and Command Sector?" The voice over the comms was very matter-of-fact. Siah had provided the Zabrak with the authorisation codes. They would need clearance to dock with the Imperium Customs and Excise Space Station, in sector H67.

 

[Melomex]

"We have cargo, we got to land here" Veguxa slurred "and can you use normal word, not overcomplicated Imperial words? I ain't the brightest in the bunch". Verguxa stopped the ship outside the atmosphere.

"Oi Ithorian, can you tell this nerf hearder the authorisation codes?" Verguxa yelled drunkenly at Siah "I don't know how this stuff works, I haven't docked on a planet legaly in ages".

 

[Siah]

Siah made his way to the cockpit. He found the pilot mouthing off to the Imperial Officer over the comms. The Zabrak were known for their quick temper and hot-bloodedness, however Siah felt that those characteristics might be just what is required on this journey. With a measured countenance Siah nodded to Verguxa. He had a deep respect for his piloting skills and valued the risks that he had taken with his ship thus far.

Pressing the ship-to-ship comms on the control console the Ithorian spoke in a monotone, "I am Siah Toan, of the herdship Ithor's Savior. I am transporting cargo from the planet Ithor to Naboo. Authorisation codes are IT453-NB892, we required access to the Custom and Excise Space Station orbiting Coruscant." Siah took a step back from the console. He trusted the force, yet he couldn't shake an uneasy feeling...

The reply was curt, "D5-Mantis Grobu's Bounty, you are permitted to dock at the CE Station in sector H67. Docking bay 6."

And so the journey continues...