The Winds of Change, Episode I: An Unlikely Alliance

[Lillianne Crasse]

<div align="center">Episode I

AN UNLIKELY ALLIANCE

Chaos has swept through the Republic as
the New Galactic Empire is formed by former
Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. Jedi who once
protected the Republic have fallen in battle and left
the worlds to the mercy of the Emperor.

There has been opposition to this change
in rule as a few under the leadership of
Bail Organa have arisen. In reply, the
Stormtroopers have begun their sweep of
all the Galactic worlds in an attempt to
crush the Rebellion before they take root.

Criminals of the Republic have found their
purses to be heavier than normal as rewards
for information pertaining to these Rebel groups.
Yet, not all are so willing to give up such information...</div>

Characters Involved:
Kat Llywell (Profile)
Vic Kindor (Profile)

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

Kat sat in the cantina tapping her fingers waiting for her contact to arrive. The Imperials were growing more and more strict along the trade lines sanctioning taxes on goods passing as well as tolls along the way. Most of the good smugglers knew alternate routes to cut down time and cost for each shipment, but taking such a dangerous route opened you up to all sorts of pirates and patrols. She'd barely escaped one such patrol having taken heavy damage to the ship. It had resulted in a late arrival, but she would be damned if she didn't get more than just shed blood on this trip.

Running a hand through her thick red hair, she picked up her glass ready to swig another of the foul tasting liquor or at least what the Hutts call liquor as the Bith group began to play another tune. Tipping the glass up, she realized it was empty. So much for them being anxious to get their shipment, she thought as she slammed the glass down and pushed it across the table to the other empty glasses. How long had she been here now? Believing they weren't about to show, she threw some credits on the table leaving no tip and began to slide out of the booth right when she heard a click and felt a barrel of a gun at the back of her head.

"Don't move a muscle, Sweetlips, or I'll blast that pretty head of yours right off your shoulders, came the heavy accented Huttese from a Zabrak.

Kat knew when you don't mess around with people. When a gun is placed at your head is just one of these such times. Raising her hands and laughing lightly, she decided to play along.

"Ok, so I'm late. I know it, you know it so why don't we just sit down and talk about it. I'm sure we can think of an arrangement both of us will like."

She felt the gun press harder against the back of her head and closed her eyes feeling her temper rising at being treated like this.

"Look, I'll tell you where your cargo is once you sit down and take that rusted piece of junk you call a blaster away from my head. You blow my head off, which I admit I'm liking that idea, and you won't get a thing."

"I'm thinking you don't have a thing. You probably dropped the cargo just like you did to those Republic scum. Think I don't know about Hope?"

Ok...that was it, she thought. Now he'd gotten personal. "I don't care if you know the Emperor himself. If you blow my head off you get nothing...nada....zip. Got it?"

She heard the chuckle as the zabrak slowly took the blaster away and moved to slide into the seat across from her at the booth. His blaster now was pointed at her forehead...not very trusting of him.

"There. That's better, but I do wish you'd lower that thing. I promise you I have the cargo just like you specified and it's safe at the docks."

"It better be for your sake, Llywell," he said. "I have heard things have gotten rougher along the trade lines. You would not be the first to double cross me but you would be the first I'd make an example of."

"Gee, thanks, Signub. That really hits me right here. I didn't know you cared so much about me," she said while putting a hand to her heart. "Now you know the drill. Where's the money?"

"Not the way it works, Kat. Where's the goods?"

"Well, considering you've just tried to blow my head off, I'd like to see the money first before you know anything of the goods. Just because times are tougher doesn't mean the rules have changed."

He sat there staring at her for a moment looking her over before licking his lips and leaning forward. "You don't give up the goods and you don't make it off this rock. There are several right here on Nar Shaddaa that want your head badly."

"They can get in line...the money?" She raised a thin eyebrow never flenching from the man's words.

Finally, he started to move his hand and pulled a pouch off his belt and threw it to her. The blaster still was aimed at her head as she pulled it open and plugged the datastick into her datapad. Nodding her head satisfied that it was all there. She finally broke out into a smile again.

"Now, we're in business. Docking bay G-34. As always your men unload."

Lifting a comlink to his lips he gave the orders in Huttese to his men and then waited for a confirmation. Once he was assured all was in order and she wasn't lying, he stood up and chuckled again.

"Always a pleasure doing business with you, Kat."

Nodding her head to him, she watched him get up and leave before finally letting out a huge sigh and dropping her head to her arms. That one was the closest she'd seen in some time. He'd taken a cut off the top of the original offer, but it was one she could live with. She was late afterall.

The waitress came around asking her if she needed anything, Kat chuckled and shook her head no. She needed to line up more work and get off this hole before the Hutts realized she was here.

 

[Lirreka]

TIE-fighters, They might look stupid but you couldn't deny their speed. Vic banked his Z-95 Headhunter around sharply losing them as he ducked the starfighter around the aft section of the docked star destroyer. Laserfire strafed past his cockpit as he twisted the yoke sending his fighter peeling beneath the ungainly star destroyer. He skimmed along the surface of the capital ship hoping to shake off pursuit long enough to get the hell out there. Corellia was no longer a safe place for him or the Rebellion. Thankfully He'd managed to warn them here. Shoving the throttle to max the fighter shot out from beneath the capital ship heading for the quickest way out. If he'd had another ship maybe he'd have targeted the Ties but not in this thing. It just didn't have the fire-power he liked. His Astromech beeped indicating he was clear for hyperspace and he punched it. The small fighter vanished in a flash.
"Well, that's one less place to get things. It's gonna be a long cold winter, Ditz..." He muttered to the Astromech.

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

As she walked through the streets of Nar Shaddaa, her eyes darted everywhere making sure there wasn't a bounty hunter just longing to get a hand on her. Up ahead to the left, she saw a couple of Imperial officers and ducked into a building just before they started heading her way. Those suckers were everywhere you turned lately. Why the Hutts didn't just blast them out of the sky when they had the chance she didn't know. Then again, the Hutts knew when to milk those that had power and the Galactic Empire definately had the money to be milking.

As she walked through the building, she saw several other smugglers here. Looked like she had just found the right place. Scowling at some and nodding her head to others as she passed, she listened in on the deals nonchalantly. Many of the persons here were wanting to smuggle persons off the moon and to a Rebel safehouse. Finding a person stupid enough to do just that was always hard. Kat prided herself on never carrying passengers. With the rigorous checkpoints and the number of bounties out on persons carrying rebels, it wasn't worth the risk. It was much easier to hide a crate full of illegal weapons or goods than to hide a smelly, sickly rebel who could sneeze or fart at the wrong second and give everything away. No, thank you.

Just as she looked out the door to see if the Imperials had passed, she heard a girl approach her from behind and tug on her shirt.

"Excuse me, miss?"

Kat turned around and looked at the young woman. She couldn't have been more than 17 by the looks of her and skinny as a rail.

"Look. I don't have the credits to lend you so if..."

The girl shook her head and raised a hand to stop Kat before she said much more. "I don't need your money. I need your help. You are a shipper right?"

Kat turned around to face the girl fully and crossed her arms at her elbows. "You could put it that way I guess. You have cargo that needs to be shipped? and before you even ask, I don't do passengers."

The woman smiled at Kat and shook her head. "I heard you were the best. There's a shipment of supplies that needs to get to Alderaan. I know it's a great risk to even ask it of you, but we can't risk to ship it ourselves. If you can do it, we'll offer you a rather large sum of credits."

Kat's eyebrow rose with this though she still was suspicious. "How many credits are we talking about? Things aren't easy out there and we're talking about going through alot of red tape to even get as far as Alderaan."

"More than you could even imagine," the woman said.

Kat slid a hand to the back of her neck and rubbed it while smirking. "I don't know about that. I can imagine quite a bit."

"Please, Miss Llywell. I don't trust this with anyone other than you. If you don't do this, then the shipment doesn't get there."

Kat looked the woman in the eyes and sighed. She never picked a side of this war and times were growing very difficult on the jobs. She didn't know how much longer she could keep the Flaming Comet in the air on what money she did have. Kat still couldn't shake the hostility she felt toward the Republic for all the times she ended up in prison either. Yet, facing a Republic prison was a million times better than the Empire's facilities and their ways of getting information out of you. Shuddering even at the thought of the last time, she finally nodded her head.

"Alright. You've got 12 hours before I leave to get it loaded. Dock D-34. Your people load and unload and I'll take care of the rest."

The woman smiled and hugged Kat while Kat seemed not sure what to do. Slowly, she put a hand on the girl's back and patted it gently.

"Don't be late or I'll leave without. Got it?"

The woman nodded her head and smiled brightly as she ran off.

Sighing, Kat looked back out the door and shook her head. She was getting soft in these times.

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

As the hours passed, Kat found herself aboard her ship doing a security sweep of the vessel making sure her last employer hadn't left any suprises behind. It was less likely to be found if you stayed at your ship than walking about the streets. Names of ships and ID's could always be forged just as papers could. It was harder to get your face changed and erase memories from the minds of others.

As she was tweeking the engines and fixing a few things aboard, she heard a knock against the hull and peeked her head out of the floor to see who was there. Her grease streaked face and tossled hair seemed to shock the woman standing there as she came in. Kat recognizing her hopped up and brushed her hands on her flightsuit pants and moved toward her.

"Usually my employers don't meet me at the docks. Is the shipment ready?"

The girl moved past Kat though and began to look around the inside of the ship seeming to be uncertain of her judgement of the smuggler at first. Kat realizing she was about to lose a job quickly followed after her.

"Look, I know she doesn't look like much, but you won't find another ship of her class faster. She'll get the job done. You can be certain."

The girl turned to Kat and seemed to look a little relieved. "I don't doubt you or your reputation. I just wanted to take a look first. This cargo is precious."

Kat started getting a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. Something wasn't sitting well about this shipment at all, yet she had to take it. She had no other choice.

"Cargo's cargo. I got tie downs so crates won't get crushed. Relax. I'm a professional."

The girl looked at Kat as she tried to keep the sale and then moved back out of the ship waving the crew forward to start loading the crates. Kat watched carefully as numerous large crates were moved into the cargo area taking up almost every inch of the bay. Still there was that feeling in the back of her mind. Kat moved to the side grabbing a crowbar and moved toward a crate in the back prying the top off to look inside while the crew were busy doing other things.

Flipping the top of the crate off and letting it clatter to the ground, she heard the girl running back to where Kat was with an angry look upon her face.

"What do you think you're doing?" she cried as she grabbed the top and looked to see what Kat had done to the cargo.

The look inside had given Kat what she needed though. Inside were nothing but rations and medical supplies. The way the girl was acting made it seem as if she was toting other things across. Holding her arms up and stepping back as the crew came to secure the top again to the crate, Kat rose to her own defense.

"Hey, hey, hey. Take it easy now. I was just making sure. I know how desperate people are to get family members and other refugees off Nar Shaddaa. I'm putting my ship and my own butt on the line for this cause of yours afterall."

The girl glared at her and then moved away while Kat watched her leave and grunted at the girl's reaction. Muttering to herself as she pulled her hair back, she walked around the crates and kicked one.

"Awful protective of a few measley supplies if you ask me..."

Moving out of the ship, she closed the cargo door and turned back to the woman and her crew.

"Alert the crews at our destination that they'll have the goods in three days." She held up the fingers and said it again just to make sure the girl got it. "Three days got it?"

"They'll be there."

Kat looked at her for a few more moments and then shook her head. "Alright then." Mock saluting the girl, she smiled. "Have a good one and stay away from the men in uniforms."

As the girl left, Kat returned to the cockpit and closed the ramp doors behind her. Sighing, she flipped a few switches warming the engines up as she went through preliminary flight checks. Once all was set, she engaged the thrusters lifting the ship off the platform and moving toward the comfort of the black.

Piece of cake, she thought.

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

As the ship rose up into the atmosphere and finally emerged in the black depths of space, Kat took an easy breath and chuckled to herself. She had thought at first that being on Nar Shaddaa for as long as she had been would welcome trouble. Yet, it seemed she had slipped the notice of the Hutts and the Empire. Moving away from the gravitational pull of the moon and further away from the smuggler's paradise, she was just about to punch the codes for hyperspeed when the ship was rocked by an explosion against the hull.

"What the..."

She checked sensors and saw two fighters closing in on her position fast.

"Great. Just bloody great. Never can make a clean getaway can I? Nooooo. Damn Empire has to always catch me with my flightsuit down," she mutted to herself as another blast hit the hull of her ship.

Pulling shields up just barely before the ship took another hit, she saw a transmission come across the comm.

Halt in the name of the Galactic Empire and return to Nar Shaddaa's orbit. Any further acts will be conceived as a hostile action and will result in the destruction of your ship.

"Like hell I will," she called out to the empty cockpit.

Kat scoffed at the message not even giving it consideration. There was NO way she'd fall into Imperial hands again. Giving her answer in the best conceived manner she could, she finished entering the coordinates and punched the hyperdrive vaulting the ship into hyperspace.

Laughing at the slip she'd just given the Empire, she double checked the status of the ship and cursed as she saw a few hits had damaged the engines. She knew she couldn't stay in hyperspace for long without overheating and the ion trail they were leaving behind was enough for any less skilled pirate to pick out.

Getting out of her seat and leaving the cockpit area, she started moving back through the corridor when she heard the sound of whispering and scurrying feet. Pulling her blaster out, she slowly walked toward the cargo area and peaked her head around the corner. Listening carefully, she waited to hear the sound again. Within the matter of minutes, it was there again along with a definate whisper of "shh" following it.

"Whoever's in there come out with your hands up nice and slowly," she ordered.

Nar Shaddaa was known for many scavengers and such to board the ships and hitch rides or even steal parts beneath your nose. Yet, most were smart enough to get out before the ship took off.

"I'll only ask you again to come out with your hands up or I'll come in shooting with no questions asked."

Slowly but surely a man appearing to be in his 40s came out holding his hands up. By his dress, she could only guess that he was an aristocrat.

"Please, don't shoot. We mean you and your ship no harm," he called out to her.

"Who the hell are you and how'd you get aboard my ship?" she ordered him clearly losing her patience as more began to step out and even come out of the very crates in her ship. Moving her blaster to each face that appeared, she saw women, children and men all coming out of from all corners of the cargo area.

"We're members of the Republic. We mean you no harm, please, lower your weapon."

Kat wasn't buying it. She'd specifically said on numerous occassions no passengers and the girl had duped her. "You've got to be kidding me. How many of you are aboard?"

A woman stepped forward and began to take control of the situation or trying to do so as Kat's blaster turned and aimed toward her. "There are twenty of us total. It was the only way we could ensure our arrival to Alderaan. The people aboard this ship are very va..."

"Very valuable to the Rebel forces yeah yeah I've heard the spill before," she interrupted the woman. "The next planet we stop at, you're all getting off. I don't care who you are. End of discussion."

Another man with the military uniform of the old Republic army stepped forward at this shouting at her. "You can't do it. If you drop us off, they'll find us and kill us."

"Look, I can sympathesize with you not wanting to die and all, but I'm not risking my own life to save some fools with a fleeting notion that will die off in a few months. You can't fight the Empire and win. The Republic's gone...learn to adapt or be crushed. It's not my problem."

The horror on their faces and the stern look of the military man grated on her nerves as she pushed past them all. "Now I have a ship to fix before we have pirates or the Empire on our tails."

The man in the uniform grabbed her arm, and Kat looked at him dangerously as he spoke. "You will take us to Alderaan. You can't be so callous and self-centered to leave us behind to die."

"Look, flyboy. I didn't sign up to rescue refugees and help the Republic out. My job was to transport cargo...CARGO...not people. Now as far as I can tell, this is still my ship and I will do as I please. Now the longer you hold me up, the more time we give them to find out trail and come after us so unhand me now before this gets ugly."

Scowling the man let her go and Kat straightened her flightsuit. Pushing past them again, she made her way to the engine room to check out the damage.

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

Doing what repairs she could, she heard the people mulling about in the cargo area of the ship as they argued back and forth about something. How could you work under all this stress and noise. Throwing her hydrospanner in the toolbox, she replaced the panel and hurried back up to the cockpit. They weren't getting anywhere in hyperspace as far as repairs went. With the ion trail they were venting behind them, she couldn't go to any planet without tipping them off. They were better off in the middle of space somewhere where patrols were fewer and further between.

Hearing them hush as she stormed past them mumbling curses in Huttese as she went, she made her way back to the cockpit to see the military man behind the controls.

"She's venting pretty badly," he informed her.

Glaring at the man, she looked at him with a sarcastic look on the face. "Really? Hmm. Thanks for telling me something I already knew. Now get your arse out of my cockpit and back with the others." Turning back to the controls, she pulled the lever back and watched as the starline began to streak and appear before them again.

"What are you doing? Are you mad?"

"Look, mister whoever the hell you are. I can't go anywhere until we get the ship patched up. Now you can either come back here and help me or get out of my way."

Not even awaiting a response, she hurried her way back through the ship knowing that until they got the engines fixed they were sitting ducks for any attack. Slowly, the man joined her and seemed to be helping her out afterall. Thankful for his help but unwilling to say it to his face, she turned to look at him surveying his work before turning her attention back to the engines and telling him what she needed him to do.

***Time passes***

Within a couple of hours, they had made alot of progress though damage was still pretty extensive. There was not much else that could be done without replacement parts. The good thing was that they had patched up the leak though. Just then, she heard the sound of a little girl patter into the room.

"Um, lady? There's a ship approaching."

Kat dropped her instrument and wiped her hands on her pants as she quickly left the engine room and headed out to the viewer to look out. The other passengers were looking as well. Looming over them was a Star Destroyer.

"How long have they been here?" Kat muttered as she quickly headed toward the cockpit.

A voice answered her though she didn't recognize it with bad news....10 minutes. That was long enough to get a full sensor sweep of the Flaming Comet. Quickly the man who had helped her in the back sat in the co-pilot's seat and waited for her orders. Normally, she'd protest, but they would need all the help they could get on this one. Flipping a few switches and pulling the engines back online, she heard them sputter but not engage. Cursing and trying it again, they sputtered again.

Kathryn Llywell, you and your ship are ordered to stand down and prepare for boarding. Do not attempt to run or we will take further actions.

"Great....they've got a lock on us now."

She tried the engines again and finally got them to engage. "Calculate the jump to Alderaan now. We need her ready to jump soon."

The man nodded his head as she punched the engines in an attempt to outrun the destroyer. She had to get far enough away from them before they could get a tractor beam on them. Hearing the engines groan as she widened the gap between them, the ship rocked as a tractor beam was engaged.

"They've got us," the man beside her replied.

"Redirect power from shields and secondary systems and divert them to engines now!"

In the back of the ship she could hear the panicked voices of the people in the cargo bay as women and children began crying. All their wailing was making it even harder to concentrate. The redirecting of power seemed to work at first as the ship began to move away from the destroyer, yet, it the engines were straining. She didn't know how long they could hold on without losing everything.

Blaster fire then erupted around them as another ship entered the sector. Checking the sensors she could tell by the size of it that it was a pirating vessel. Good ol' pirates always there to steal you away from the Empire. Knowing the distraction would help their cause, she revved the engines again while taking her left hand and redirecting a few more systems. A warning light came across the console, but it wasn't enough to stop her from trying.

With lightning accuracy, the pirate ship began to bombard the Empire's vessel destroying the tractor beam and loosening Kat's ship from their clutches. In response, the Star Destroyer let out a squadron of TIE fighters.

"Get those shields up. How soon on a jump?"

"I'm working on it," the man told her as she looked at the screen and began to take evasive actions against the TIE fighters.

Weaving back and forth as the ship took pounding upon pounding from various sweeps of the fighters, Kat tried to weave her way through them and avoid as many hits as possible. An alert on the dash showed her the shields were failing and she knew they'd have to make that jump soon or they were as good as toast.

"We can't hold off any longer. I need those coordinates!"

"There!" the man said as he punched them in.

Not waiting any longer, Kat pushed the lever up and leaned back whispering a prayer to someone, whatever god would listen, as they ship vaulted forward and disappeared leaving the pirates and the Star Destroyer to battle it out.

Letting out a sigh, Kat looked over at the man and patted him on the shoulder. "Good job. Thanks. This doesn't mean I'm not still mad about you being on my ship though."

The man chuckled and nodded his head. "Understood."

Leaning back in the chair, she closed her eyes and rubbed them hard. She felt as if all the energy had just faded out of them. Yet, the sound of the whooping and joyous cries as the man slipped out of the cockpit and went to advise the others filling the air, brought a smile to her face. Once again they'd thwerted the Empire...but for how long.

**Time passes again**

As the proximity alarm sounded, Kat pulled herself out of a nap and slowly opened her eyes. Before them laid Alderaan, a beautiful sight to behold for sure. Bringing the ship into orbit, she transmitted with the tower below and got her coordinates for landing. In moments she'd finally be rid of these people. It would be back to life as usual. First on the agenda though was checking the damage done to her ship....something she was dreading completely.

 

[Lirreka]

*Alderaan was a shining beacon to Vic but it was also a deadly lure too. While it did have many friends and allies who would be willing to help it out it was also firmly in the Empire's grip. He ditched the Headhunter on the docks, one of the people there would see it firmly 'lost' in the otherwise busy port. With Ditz beeping happily behind him Vic walked out of the bay. His first stop would be the Ruptured Rancor, a low dive by Alderaan standards favored by freighters and 'short hold' merchants. It also was a drop for the Rebellion.

*Pushing the door open he sauntered in with the swagger befitting a fighter pilot. He had a hood up to hide his face as he straddled a barstool*

"Some Lum in a short round."Vic ordered. Lum was common as dishwater but a 'Short Round' was not. More like a tall bowl it almost was never ordered along with Lum. That much would knock a man out for certain. The 'Tender looked up at Vic and nodded jerking his thumb towards the back of the cantina.

"Take a seat in the back, I don't wanna have to trip over your drunken arse all night." This growled response earned a chuckle from the surrounding patrons. Vic smiled and followed his directions.

*The booth all the way in the back was all but isolated. Just perfect for what the Rebellion wanted. After being served a small hatch opened up in the back wall allowing Vic to slip through. He walked along a narrow corridor and entered another room, this one filled with activity, Rebel activity. Fleet movements of the Empire were being marked and updated. Reports were being handed over to the man in charge, that happened to be Kodos Roi, A former Republic Senator from Anaxes. He smiled when he saw Vic*

"Glad you made it off Corellia, Vic. That was a close call."

"That it was Chief but that's old news, what's the word?"

"Not good I'm afraid... suffice to say we need you out in on the Rim, there's rumor of a jedi cell out in Hutt space. you're the only one we got that's ever been able to deal with the Hutts and not get sold to the Imperials."

"I'm on the next freighter out, Sir. You can count on me." Vic snapped a salute to the man he respected and exited the control center by another route. He had a ship to find. Bringing up a comm link he contacted his droid.
"Ditz? Start checking the ship registries here in port. we need a ride to the Rim." The droid beeped his response...

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

The ship had arrived a short time ago and Kat was pacing around the ship checking out the damage done and cursing at all the repairs that needed to be made. The contact she had been waiting on since their arrival hadn't shown either. Uncertain if these Republic scum who had duped her had the guts to even face her, she paced around the ship one more time giving her a once over and cursing in every language she knew.

The refugees helped move the crates out of the ship while watching her with a wary eye. They seemed to be giving her a wide berth sensing her temper and knowing that the comraderie they had experienced shortly after the battle was lost now. Kat's mind was on getting off a Republic held world. Just being here made her skin crawl as the number of personnel passing eyed her...some officers she even recognized.

Finally, she heard someone approach her from behind and interrupt her as she was spouting off a few curses about Bail Organa.

"Miss Llywell?" a male voice asked.

Spinning around on her heels, she immediately took a finger and began to poke the person in the chest.

"'Bout freakin' time you showed up? Do you have any idea what I've been through to bring you...you...you filthy rebels your precious cargo?" It wasn't want she really wanted to say but the attention she was drawing to herself on the docks was enough to cause her to pause a little.

"We're sorry for any hardships you may have endured, but..."

"Endured? You've got to be kidding me. You LIED to me about what you needed shipped KNOWING the answer before you even asked. Yet, you high and righteous Rebels couldn't stand to be turned down. Well, wake up and smell the roses! The Empire's in charge now and not the damned Republic!" she said in seething anger.

Turning her face back to her ship, she looked it over again and pointed to her vessel.

"Look at it! Just look at it! I can't fly it out of here like that. I can't even draw enough energy to pull her off the ground. You said you'd pay well but the stakes have risen now. Never trust the government, you always hear. Yet, I believed you to be desperate enough to not pull off some scheme like this. Thirty thousand on top of what you promised. You owe me that much," she demanded.

The man scoffed outraged at this offer not believing what Kat was asking for. There was no way the Republic could afford that much money in a time of war such as this.

"That's madness!"

Kat turned back around and moved toward a female who had been aboard the ship dragging her back to the vessel. "You'll pay it or every single one of them go back to Nar Shaddaa...better yet, I'll turn them over the Empire and get a whole lot more than that."

 

[Lirreka]

Vic arrived on the docks, Ditz awaiting him. The astromech beeped and buzzed at him.
"Are you certain it's her?" He asked and the droid beeped his affirmative and sputtered on.
"That much damage hmm? Well It sounds like she's over a barrel." Vic grinned. "Oh this'll be fun. Comeon Ditz.."

Vic walked along the hangar bay following the sounds of distant arguing. Yeah it was her alright. No one had a temper like she did... Eventually he came upon her and her battered ship.

Kat turned back around and moved toward a female who had been aboard the ship dragging her back to the vessel. "You'll pay it or every single one of them go back to Nar Shaddaa...better yet, I'll turn them over the Empire and get a whole lot more than that."

"Now is that really what you're going to do?" Vic piped up before anyone else could speak.

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

The voice was enough to cause her to stop as she gazed out across those who had gathered and finally found the man it had originated from. The pause was enough for the girl to jerk her arm out of Kat's grasp and get away. A simple smirk rose on Kat's face though as the man stepped out of the crowd.

It was him...the very man that had ruined the good scheme she had running on Coruscant and made her turn to the same means the other smugglers had taken to survive. She had the good life until this one was put on her trail.

"Well, well...if it isn't Vic. I figured you'd be long dead by now."

The sarcasm in her voice and the way in which she looked at him seemed to tell their captive audience these two had a dangerous past together.

"You don't know how I've longed for the chance to run into you again..." she said as the smile faded from her lips. All previous concern over her ship seemed to have been forgotten.

The man who was trying to deal with her moved over to Vic whispering to him. "We can't pay her what she's asking. It's preposterous." He then darted a look back at Kat clearing his throat while looking at her warily.

 

[Lirreka]

"You're still holding a grudge about Coruscant aren't you? Now you know just as well as I do you got off easy for that. You could have been in a Republic Jail right about now if it wasn't for me."

As the man whispered to Vic he nodded.
"Don't worry about it, I'll handle everything, Get your people out of here and shoo off this crowd."
He walked towards Kat.
"You're mad, I can see that but I can pull some strings and get your ship back to tip top shape in no time." He smiled at her, oh yes that smile the one that says 'Oh yes you gonna trust me even though you don't WANT to trust me right now.'

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

She laughed at him and his comment. Just who did he think he was now? He didn't have the power he once had. He knew and she knew it as well. She'd been played once before and she'd be damned if they were going to play her again.

"Mad? Mad doesn't even begin to describe what I am. I did what I had to do to survive on Coruscant. Besides, it wasn't like those rich corporations I ripped off lost so much money. A shipment here and there....harmless though their cargo brought me quite the credits. Yet, you just had to ruin it all and look at me now. Forced to run with the common smuggler trash...those who don't even have the skills to pull off many of their runs. Oh you taught me a few things alright. I learned how to escape the system and how to survive all these years. WHat happened to you though? You're nothing but a washed up officer with no government to serve. You have no control over here. I want my money...no strings...just the money. I can do without your help."

 

[Lirreka]

He listened to her rant and rave, the comments washing off his back easily. He knew full well what he was now, and more importantly what he fought for. Her heated words wouldn't change that fact. He remained silent until she ran out of steam and threat.

"Okay cards on the table time. You want your money? You deal with me, it's as simple as that... You don't like that, tough, that's how it is. You're not going to sell those people to the Empire and we both know it. Get em off your ship so the repairs can start."

*He crossed his arms and looked at her. She may have well changed since their last meeting but so has he.*

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

She glared back at him with her eyes narrowing. He was right. She knew if she even tried to hand these persons over to the Empire they would take her right along with them as a traitor. The Empire at first had cut strings for smugglers finding them to be of use, yet those times were ending. They were just as wanted if not more so than when the Republic were still in control. It was a staring contest right now.

The man who was her contact seemed to watch them both uncertain of what to do as they continued to stare. Finally, Kat dropped her gaze and turned her head to the side to call into the ship.

"Alright, people. Out. All of you."

Turning her face slowly back to the front and bringing her gaze to Vic, she raised an eyebrow at him and moved to the side as the people started pouring out of the ship. Vic was a tricky one and she wasn't about to trust him. She knew his type and knew it well. He'd been the thorn in her side for years and she was bound to get revenge against him.

 

[Lirreka]

He nodded as he watched the people file out, looking to her contact he nodded again.

"Okay get the repairdroids to work on her ship. I'll voucher the cost." He held up his hand as the man started to speak "I said I'll voucher the cost now chop chop.." He turned back to Kat

"See? Everything's getting done just like I said it would."

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

Suspicious of just what was going on here, she watched Vic handling the contact. This was all sitting with her uneasy. That familiar feeling in the pit of her stomach that had hardly ever steered her wrong in the past was nudging at her now. Vic was tricky, very tricky at that. He was up to something, Kat was sure of it.

As the droids moved to her ship, she walked up to Vic keeping her eyes on the people behind him. Standing close to him she began to speak in a low voice that only he could hear.

"I don't know what you're up to, but you're up to something. If anything happens to my ship, there will be hell to pay."

Slowly, she turned her head to face him letting her eyes show him how much she still hated him for all he had done. Then, just as she had walked toward him, she took a few steps away from him making him think she was done.

"Oh, one more thing..." Saying nothing else, she quickly turned around and unleashed a vicious right hook toward his jaw. Feeling bone meet bone and blinding white pain at the contact, she let out a curse while cradling her injured hand.

"Damn, it didn't hurt so much when I dreamed it."

She turned her gaze

 

[Lirreka]

The punch while not anticapated wasn't entirely a surprise. It did stagger Vic back several steps but thankfully didn't knock him down. Rubbing his jaw and frowning at her.

"Nothing's going to happen to that ship of yours other then it getting repaired." He qualified. "You should be happy about that because I'm certain there's going to be repairs made on things that this run didn't damage."

 

[Lillianne Crasse]

Still cradling her injured hand close to her body, she glared at him for his response.

"My ship has held together through worse. She may look like a bucket of spare parts, but you won't find many faster than she is. Besides, I didn't ask for your help. I only asked to be paid."

Wincing as she tried to flex her fingers and shake the pain out, she glared at him one more time before turning away.

"I'll be in the cantina."

Slowly, she moved off. Two passerbys had stopped to watch the two of them for which in return they got a glare from her that sent them moving on.

 

[Lirreka]

Vic watched her walk off before turning to call the repair master over.
"Get it fixed as quick as you can, stock it for a long haul." He hands the man a datastick "Here's the pass codes to a warehouse on the west side of the port, get the shield generator and turbo-laser prechargers in the warehouse and install them on this ship. Do it quick and quiet... This is Organo business." He whispers the last to the man. His eyes widened and he nodded, putting three more crews to work on the ship immediately. After that Vic followed Kat, He had to keep her occupied while things were fixed. She wasn't going to like it but it had to be done. As he walked Ditz rolled up along side him and beeped at him.

"I know what I'm doing Ditz, She's the best pilot for the job.. Go keep tabs on the work, let me know when things are ready."