Into Space
Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 9:12 am
((From June to November I had been out on a West Pac cruise. I had written this to pass the time and eventually included some of the guys I worked with. It was never finished, but... I might write more in the future. I hope you guys like it, so enjoy.))
Into Space
Clone Red Listening Post, Talus
As soon as Tuskano walked out of the Armory a light rain of snow hit him, coloring his red armor with white dots. Born from the planet of Tatooine, of Tusken decent, Tuskano never grew tired of seeing that snow.
It always seemed to snow more up at the outpost, but that could be a good thing... harder to see the outpost. Tuskano grinned underneith his mask at the thought and walked up the stairs seeing a familiar VT-49 that was tightly parked, filling the whole landing platform.
Tuskano glanced over to where another red amored figure was directing droids, carrying the last of the supplies to the cargo ramp of the False Hope. The figure turned and gave Tuskano a thumbs up. Tuskano gave a thumbs up back to his old friend, Pappeto and walked off the landing platform to check in the meeting room for the others.
"Hey there Nebless, all the gear is almost loaded up. It's going to be a long trip."
A bothan in a neatly pressed Imperial uniform with a potbelly turned from a radar screen and gave a big grin to Tuskano, reaching over and pulling a female human over to him, hugging her. Tuskano chuckled, seeing how Nebless and his wife, Annr were always were happy with each other, a perfect couple. He looked around for the Clone Red mascot, a Massiff and found him being feed by Sno-man in the corner of the room.
Sno-man stood up and gave Tuskano a big wookie hug, the boffa treats falling from his arms and into the happy mouth of the Massiff. Tuskano gave his friend a firm hug back and they released. Tuskano turned as another hand patted him on the back, seeing Quat and another human who recently joined called Don'Olsvaldo.
"Wish we could all go, but the Base wont hold on its own huh?"
"Yep, though you should still be able to broadcast off and on. With how deep your recon will take you it would take awhile though", Olsvaldo stated, a grin on his face. "Don't worry, your Arc will be in safe hands", Quat added.
Tuskano gave each a friendly pat on the shoulders and then heard the sound of a harder snow as the front door opened for a few seconds letting someone in. Pappeto entered, pulling his helmet off and grinned.
"The snow picked up. We best be taking off now, all the gear is in."
Nebless nodded and stepped up to the two giving them a handshake with Annr hugging them afterwards.
"Good luck you two. Your journey will take you far from the farthest spacelane, so you will be on your own. Remember to send reports back. With Pappeto's navigation skills and your piloting Tuskano, you guys make a good pair. ...Safe travels."
Both saluted and headed outside, Pappeto following behind Tuskano, slipping his RIS helmet back on. The wind and snow made visibilty near impossible but also helped hide their ship signiture from the local authorities.
Tusk and Pappy took their respected positions and powered the ship up, giving the False Hope life. The False Hope eased out its tight parking spot and taxied forward letting itself float above the edge of the cliff that the outpost rested on. After a few seconded of checklists the VT-49 increased its speed and rose into space.
Tuskano activated the IFF scambler and the False Hope bore one of its many personalities, this one as the Dieting Scarlac II. Soon afterwards, a human voice filled the comm.
*static* "Your clear to hyper Dieting Scarlac, safe travels."
Tuskano nodded to Pappeto, seeing the local authoraties finish their scan and had passed them on. Pappeto nodded back and Tusk began tapping a few buttons jumping the False Hope into lightspeed, away from any spacelanes.
Hydian Trade Route, Outside of the Deep Core
At the edge of the Deep Core, the ISS False Hope began it's carefully plotted course through the area once long ago thought of as impenetrable. It's frame skimmed the corners of nebula, saving time as well as staying out of the spacelanes while using the nebula to mask it's engine trails. Pappeto sat at the navigation's chair carefully monertering the ship's voyage through the core that he himself had plotted. Tuskano was up and running system checks during the short hyperspace jumps making sure all systems were normal and giving accuate readings.
"Alright, 1 minute to jump to real space." Pappeto warned. Tuskano finished his check on the power reader consol and returned to the pilot's chair, nodding to Pappeto he was ready. "Ok... exiting in 3... 2... 1... we are out of hyperspace." Pappeto checked his readings and nodded to himself as they exited at the right coordinates. Tuskano began to do a quick scan of the sector as Pappeto ran up the next coordinates.
"Area is clear... hold on that. One trade ship at 7 O'clock, 20 degrees up." Tuskano reported.
Pappeto nodded while heading down to the scanning room preforming a cloaked scan of the sighted vessel, "Trade ship noted, ...scanned and clear." Pappeto headed back up top, checking the time of the uploading coordinates for the next jump. "Ahh, coordinates are now set, ready to jump on your mark."
"Copy, adjusting angle of approach." Tuskano began to turn the ship 10 degrees to the left and slightly up, doing a double check on the next coordinates. "G2G, jumping... now." Tuskano punched the button and the False Hope's view port began a bunch of colored lines yet again.
"The Unknown Regions... known only for the emptyness it gives. It's a large sea of space where preditors drift aimlessly aboutlooking for prey." Pappeto (aka Operative Geezer) during False Hope's voyage into the Unkown Region.
Unknown Sector Between Koormacht Cluster and Unknown Regions
Three weeks passed by and the ISS False Hope emerged from it's last hyperspace jump, long out of the maze of stars within the Core and finally out of the Koormacht Cluster.
"Activate the IFF scrambler Geezer, make us dissapear." Tuskano said through the ship's comm. Pappeto was already down in the systems room grinning to himself as he made the final adjustments and then headed topdide. "Activated, we'll look like drifting garbage dumped from a cruise ship."
Tuskano nodded, "garbage heap aye... tuning power down to a minumum." Tuskano flipped a few switches and twisted some knobs causing many of the green indicator lights on the center consol to turn red. With power output lessened, many of the secondary systems deactivated, including such systems that would give False Hope away as a ship, like shields and engines. Engineless, the ship continued it's mission under forward momentum while rolling slightly portside, heading in a straight line at a steady speed.
Deep Within the Unknown Region
"Sensers are picking up a station 3k away on our starboard side." Pappeto said over the comm during a shift change, squinting at the consol's readings readings within the sensor room.
"Any more info on it?" Came Tuskano's question.
"No, we are too far out. We will be passing it if you don't adjust course 20 degrees to starboard and pitch down 15."
"Copy... did you save the data from that last Dunelizard pirate gang that passed us three days ago?"
"Yea, I did."
"Ok, format that so our IFF scrambler throws that out as our signature."
"Sure, give me a sec... we will be a close formation of fighters in a few." Pappeto began to adjust a few settings at his station switching the False Hope's signature from its previous disguise as drifting garbage to a 5 ship pirate gang. "We be pirates now. You may adjust course now."
Tuskano acknowladged and activated the main engines and powered them up to half speed, steering the False Hope to face the unknown station.
A few minutes passed by and Pappeto's voice sounded over the comm. "Data coming in. Small outpost called Managaha Station... registered to a Saipan trade company. Must have gone broke, I never heard of them. Not reading much else from it. There is some power readings from it, as well as alot of structural issues. Like from a attack... and it is also drifting."
"Copy. We'll clamp to the hull outside the section that looks to be a set of airlocks. Then I'll suit up."
"Copy. I'll yell if we have any issues."
Tuskano turned the engines back off and positioned the False Hope to ready magnetic clamping procedures to the station's hull as Pappeto adjested the IFF scambler to show nothing, using the station's signature to mask their presence.
500 meters.
400 meters.
100 meters.
10 meters.
A heavy bump was felt throughout the ship as the magnets on the underside of the extended landing gear met the hull. "Good to go." Tuskano mumbled as he checked the readings and left the cockpit heading down the ramp to the the airlock where his gear waited.
30 minutes later, Tuskano was in his pressurised suit and waiting in the airlock. Pappeto gave his friend a thumbs up through a small window and pressed a button on a nearby consol that opened the airlock's door and then headed to the sensor room to moniter the various systems. Tuskano floated out the hatch and activated his helmet cam, giving Pappeto visual from his station. He slowly made his way across the station hull and approached the nearest airlock, opening a panel that looked to be controls to the door.
"Geezer, any systems online?"
Back in the False Hope, Pappeto was checking the readings. "Nothing Ghost, not anywhere near you. I also don't think there is any pressure in there either."
"Going to cut my way through then." Tuskano opened a tool pouch and pulled a cutting laser out begining on the corners of the door. Finishing his work, Tuskano waited for it to shoot off incase there was indeed pressure within. It didn't move. Tuskano pulled at the door. Yep, no pressure Tuskano thought as it easily swung open, breaking its hindges in the process. Tuskano let it drift into space and focused on what was inside, turning a flashlight on. Tuskano played the flashlight across the deserted room and then floated in.
"I don't think we were the first ones here Ghost." Pappeto said over the comm, commenting on what he saw through Tuskano's helmet cam.
"Agreed, though everthing could have been sucked out. The other door to the rest of the station is open. Pappeto was quiet as Tuskano began to search the station.
Hearing only his breathing, Tuskano went through a set of bulkhead doors that at one point separated the living quarters and storage facilaty. He choose one way at random and began to go down a hallway lined with large doorways every 50 meters. Tuskano stopped at the fourth door and reached into his bag for his cutting tool, starting on the bottom of the door.
"We have 4 ships inbound Ghost. Looks to be a raiding party from how their fighters are armed." Pappeto said out of nowhere.
Tuskano cursed in his native tougue and began to retraced his route back to the ship double time. "On my way."
The "We Frak Shit Up Gang" 1k from Managaha Station
"Cobbler" Alchien, a short human, sat at the controls of his Vaksai starfighter, one of the only things he loved beside women and booze. He checked to see if he was still on the comm frequency his gang usually used.
"1k away from Managaha station guys... thats the 10th time we passed by that wreak."
The gang's Kimogila bomber pilot, Obanion El Dorado, quickly responded. "Lets frak it up then! I have new missles that need testing!"
Alchien grinned at the thought of massive explosions then addressed the other intercepter pilot and the rest of their four man gang. "Dean, you got wingman duty. Usual tactic, then El Dorado and Gripe Slayer will open up on what core that station has. When it blows and makes pretty colors, others should come to investigate. Nothing ever lasts out here. We hide in the remains and ambush who ever comes. I remember there was a few ships that we scanned a sector away.
"Gripe Slayer" Larock frowned as he listened to the comm chatter within his Rihkxyrk attack fighter. "When were you ever in the position to give orders to us Cobbler?"
"Hey, soon Big G will hand over Squad Leader to me. Just wait and see." Cobbler responded, grinning happily under his closed flight helmet.
"Keep talking like that and you will be the target of a stray missle."
"Well... that is what my chaff is for." Cobbler smartly said back.
Another voice came through the comm. "Are we going to be blowing the station soon? I'm growing old here."
"Dean, shut it and go play wingman with Cobbler before I have El Dorado throw you into space. We will be beginning." Snapped Gripe Slayer, annoyed. "El Dorado, you take the core with your stuff after Cobbler and Dean take out the armor protecting it. I'll use my missles on the backup generator to the main's right. Go now."
Cobbler fired off his Vaksai's boosters shortly followed by Dean in his Scyk enroute to the station at attack speed. Dean looked up from his flight control indicators and squinted, trying to make out the station's details. Something caught his eye... a turret?
"There is a small turret near what looks to be a observation window... near the set of airlocks." Dean reported. Cobbler looked up and looks in the direction Dean reported.
"Ha! That looks like a outline of a ship. Not reading anything from it, just from the station. It looks like a Imperial scout ship."
Obanion El Dorado spoke up. "They must have hooked up to one of the unpressurised airlocks, then were all sucked into the station when they opened the door." He cackled at his joke, half drunk off his ship's supplied oxygen.
"If there is Imperial hardware, we should take it. They make good toys." Gripe Slayer said after considering the worth of Imperial technology. "Hold off the attack and do a flyby. I'll fly around the other side with El Dorado and we'll do a visual there. Could be more."
The four ships split into two groups and Cobbler and Dean approached the quiet vessel. "Begining a scan around the ship's area... maybe I will get something." A moment passed by. "Yes! I got it! Lots of systems still online within it. And it is one of those fancy Decimators if anyone is interested."
The Decimator immediatly shot forward, pressing its engines to their fullest.
"It was a trap! Its trying to get away!" Dean shouted on the comm.
Gripe Slayer loudly let a string of curses out as he U-turned his fighter to head back to Cobbler and Dean's location closely followed by El Dorado. "Don't loose it! We are coming back!" Gripe Slayer roared.
The escaping ship fired one of its high energy turrets at the intercepters, narrowly missing them thanks to their manuverability. The Decimator accelerated more as it put more power into its massive engines.
"Dean, fire at it's engines. We'll disable it." Cobbler ordered. Both Cobbler and Dean fired their fighter's blasters and the Decimator rolled attempting to avoid the shots. Those that didn't miss picked away at its sheilds. "It's too strong, must be overloading all its systems." Dean said after depleting his capacitor.
The Decimator returned fire, throwing off Cobbler and Dean's pursuit as it sprayed the area that they were flying in seconds before. They turned back on their target ready to return to the chase, but as they did, the Decimator greatly accelerated as it jumped into lightspeed.
"We... lost it." Cobbler reported over the comm to Gripe Slayer and El Dorado, whos fighters were unable to keep up with the fast interceptors.
Gripe Slayer let out a loud sigh and thought through ways to fix this breach of their reputation of always catching their prey. No one got away from their gang... no one out runs them and lives.
"I am going to comm Big G and request that we get extra stuff and leave our hunting grounds." Gripe Slayer finally said.
"Go for it." Cobbler responded.
Gripe Slayer was already activating his long range comm systems as Obanion El Dorado positioned his Kimogila bomber and began to randomly fire the smaller missles into the station.
The Camden, a captured cruise ship within the Unknown Region
While never a criminal himself, Olsen often wondered why he dealed with them on a daily basis. Could it be that he was good with the "paperwork" that was involved when his boss dealed with customers who failed in paying back their loans? Could be. The sound of the office door sliding open brought Olsen from his thoughts as Baiocco, one of the office employees under Olsen, came in.
"Comm call to G from a guy called Gripe Slayer. Should I forward it?"
Olsen looked up at him, hearing the familiar call sign. "Larock? No, I'll inform him personally, thank you." Baiocco nodded, handed Olsen a datapad and left. Olsen checked the info on the datapad and left the office as well, heading to his boss's office. He rang the door buzzer twice and waited untill the door opened before entering.
"G, you have a comm call from Mr. Larock." Oslen said to a human facing a window on the other side of the large room.
Big G stopped drinking a alcoholic drink and turned to Olsen and glared at him. "Why don't you have him leave a message, I'm busy."
Olsen frowned, nodding, and began to head back to his office.
"Hey! Where do you think your going? You have a comm to forward to me, put em through." Big G said, a slight grin on his face.
Olsen chuckled and headed to Big G's desk and attached the datapad to a cord, allowing the datapad to transfer the datapad signal to the room. Olsen headed back to his office letting Big G have his conversation in peace.
Big G put the comm call on speaker before accepting the call and took a sip of his drink. "Larock, what do you have?"
A voice replied back with some slight interferance. "Currently interested in Imperial technology?"
"Always girl, do you have some for me?"
"Possibly. We located a lone Decimator class with good stuff. It had hid itself from our sensors and we were only able to spot it visualy. It had th- Stop laughing, I am on a comm call."
Big G blinked. "Who's laughing?"
"Dean... rest of the gang is blowing up a station at the momment."
"Ahh... tell his to stop laughing or I'll fly over there personally and punch him in the face."
Some mumbling was heard over the comm as Gripe Slayer happily relayed the threat over the gang's comm frequency.
"When do you plan to give me this ship?" Big G said after getting tired of hearing static.
Gripe Slayer's voice came back, done with relaying the threat. "That's the thing, it left the sector. We need more fuel to go after it. I would say... under two weeks."
Big G frowned, he never understood why people would tell him they were going to give him stuff they didn't have yet. "A droid supply ship will be sent your way escorted. If your lucky it will reach you untouched. You double cross me on this and you will be dead men within the day. I expect to see you within 2 weeks, I may have something for you as well."
Big G ended the comm call with nothing else to do but wait. He looked down at his empty glass. When did I finish that? Big G sighed and ordered a new drink looking back outside a nearby window seeing a sun that the Camden was currently passing. After some thought, he pulled out a lawnchair out and set it infront of the window, laying back in it and falling asleep.
The "We Frak Shit Up Gang"
"Supply ship enroute to us and we got two weeks. How is the station blowing up?" Gripe SLayer swung his ship around to face the rest of the gang. Large sections were breaking off the station ahead of them.
"I fired a few missles and it is just crumpling on itself. There is not even any major explosions like they have in the holos." Obanion El Dorado said, disappointed at the display.
"We don't have time to do a ambush so lets just leave it. We will fly towards our supply ship so we don't have to wait as long." Gripe Slayer said.
"We'll fly ahead to pick it up faster." Cobbler responded, deciding to use his fighter's advantage. Dean followed closely behind almost as if to race. Gripe Slayer sighed and put his Rihkxyrk to full speed, barely 3/4 of what Cobbler and Dean were putting out thanks to his three sets of high powered blasters and missles. El Dorado followed, taking the rear with his more heavier weaponry as the gang flew to their supply ship.
ISS False Hope[/b]
"We are two sectors away from our current position." Pappeto reported still charting their route away from Managaha Station.
"Copy that. Make a note of those fighters. We don't want to run into them again." Tuskano said. It was a close call back there, last we need is for it to happen again, he thought.
Tuskano glanced at a nearby screen that monitered the engines and frowned under his mask noting most the readouts of the starboard engine was in red, indicating something was wrong. "I am going to have to check the engines... we really don't need a encouter like that to happen again." He flipped a few switches as he started to cut power to the engine.
Pappeto looked over at the screen and made a face. "That engine may be no good anymore. I'm not a mech, but seeing all that red tells me something went really bad."
"I'll take a look at it now, just make sure we don't run into a asteroid field or something." Tuskano calmly stated as he rose up from the pilot's chair and began to make his way down deck.
The lounge was a mess as Tuskano came down. Tuskano headed to the engine access and grabbed a toolbox from a nearby repair locker. He pulled a flashlight out and opened the access panel looking inside and was greeted by the smell of burnt wires. He frowned and made his way into the access to preform a more detailed inspection of the engine.
Two hours later
Tuskano's voice sounded over the ship's comm within the cockpit where Pappeto waited. "Well, engine is done... lots of melted wires, cracked engine mounts, alot of fod over the place, and two worn hubliners. If I looked any more I know I will find more downers. We will have to replace this in a station... if we tried to land on a planet entering the atmosphere with one engine, there will be alot of what if's."
"So we have to find a station then."
"No, I think there is a star destroyer nearby somewhere out here. If you remember, we are schedualed for refueling in a week."
"So we have to wait a week... and try to make it to the RV point before we get attacked again. Lets do it."
[b]The "We Frak Shit Up Gang": Day 6 on search for the Decimator
"I need to stretch my legs." Obanion El Dorado stated.
"We all do. We never had to to a search like this in a long time." Gripe Slayer said agreeing. The gang had to pass up so much targets to conduct their search in a speedy fashion it was almost nervebreaking to think of it.
"We are passing another mass of junk. Looks like fighters and more... junk. Scanning for any power signatures." Cobbler said over the comm.
"Roger that... we hang back and you and El Dorado go in." Gripe Slayer ordered.
Cobbler slowly flew in, taking lead as El Dorado and his Kimogila followed close by.
"Dorado, I am reading mines in the area, watch yourself. You can't detect them until they are really close."
"So thats why you are rolling so much. I thought you were just having fun." El Dorado said as he increased his attention to his scanners.
Suddenly an explosion consumed the side of Cobbler's fighter and forced it to roll violently to the side. Cobbler's helmet banged against the sides of the safety harness of his seat as he struggled to regain control of his ship as it rammed into the wreakage of half of a unknown fighter. Then the mines started to go off, filling the space with explosions.
El Dorado gunned his bomber forward ignoring the nearby mines he set off, confident that his shields would hold. He flew out of the masses of explosions and garbage that hid the unknown attacker and turned around, ready to blow anything that shot at him with his missles. Ater a few seconds the explosions died down and the quietness resumed.
Gripe Slayer broke the shocked silence. "What happened!? Answer me now!", not in the mood to loose anyone today.
Cobbler's voice came back. "Mines like I had reported before. But I thought I was avoiding all of them. I think they all were just remote detonated."
"Can you get out? I am going to have Dorado blow everything."
"Uhh, yea. Ok good, I have control now. Let me just first fly around this ship... and this ship... and this... thing ...ok, I am clear, fire away."
El Dorado let his missles loose, letting the mass of junk have it, followed shortly by Gripe Slayer, Dean, and Cobbler. A ship shot out, though slower then the last encounter...
Two hours ago onboard the ISS False Hope
Pappeto slouched in his chair within the sensor room monitering the sector the False Hope was in. For the past week he had watched those screens. This time though, instead of empty space, the screens were reading hunks of destroyed ships floating everywhere, possibly from a past gang war. As Tuskano had said, this perticular spot was near the RV point where they were schedualed to do a in-space-replenishment with a Imperial Star Destroyer that was currently assigned to the area.
Pappeto winced as he heard a bang in the room that was once the lounge. Tuskano must have tossed another broken part out of the engine room, making it slowly look like the inside of a junk shop as he readied the engine for removal and replacement. Pappeto had offered to help but Tuskano had wanted to do the job with his own methods as he wanted Pappeto to watch the radar for either the Imperial Star Destroyer or any hostile ships.
Pappeto checked the status of the bombs they had hidden within various destroyed ships, their heat signitures masked by the more obvious mines that they had deployed afterwards. All checked good and Pappeto nodded to himself, glad that they were not the cheap type that would easily go off.
Then the radar started to beep as it began to pick up a ship within the area, though still 10k out and moving at a lazy speed. After a few flipped switches and buttons pressed, the long range scanner started feeding information to the screens about the ship. It was a YT-2400 with nothing special on it but 2 droid turrets. From the course it looked to be taking it would not be going near their location.
Pappeto relaxed and then looked around the room, stopping at his set of instruments that he had removed from the lounge away from Tuskano's work. A lighbulb went off, filling his head with a idea on how to pass the time. He quickly got up and went down to the ship's berthing to grab something he never used from his rack. He returned back to the sensor room holding a H-pod and a set of earphones. Putting one of the ear pieces in his right ear and activating the H-pod, he started to listen to a song from a band he personally knew called "The Fuse". He leaned back in his seat and continued to watch the radar screens while humming to the song.
The radar then beeped again, interupting Pappeto's relaxation while he was in the middle of the second song. He scowled and did a scan of the ship-no, four ships. Pappeto's eyes grew wide as he read the familiar information. It was the pirate gang on the hunt.
"Tusk! Your friends are back!"
A curse was heard in the engine room and Tuskano jumped out and went to where Pappeto was.
"My one engine wont give enough to let us run, and the ship doesn't have enough firepower to take them evenly. Did you ready everything just incase?"
Pappeto nodded. Along with watching the radar, his other job was to move their amor, weapons, as well as uploading data from the ship into the False Hope's ecsape pod's memory core. "All our gear along with the classified data and software are in there."
"Good, then prepare to abandon ship. Prepare a virus to wipe the ship's memory. I don't want pirates with a working Imperial ship." Tuskano moved to a consol and began readying a self-destruct sequence, pausing the timer at 5 minutes. Pappeto went and made sure all classified data was already in the escape pod or destroyed.
Tuskano crossed his arms and watched the radar, almost as if he was hoping the fighters would just turn and leave. They didn't. Almost as if in reponse, the four fighters turned in the direction where the False Hope hid. Could it be they spotted something? Could the engines be leaking plasma and left a trail? Tuskano did not like the though of that. If they made it past the mines, they would be on top of the False Hope in under 20 minutes.
Tuskano rubbed at his mask in thought as he watched 2 of the fighters break off to scout ahead. Pappeto finished the inventory as all that was left was the ship itself and the virus that was waiting to be released. Pappeto watched the screen with Tuskano as he waited for him to make the call.
"Set mines to all go off after 1 minute, the virus in 5, and rest the self destruct to 10. I will go up and rig the flight controls." Tuskano then went up to the bridge and began to program autopilot and turret control commands as Pappeto began to set and reset the timers. Pappeto finished and waited in the escape pod for Tuskano. Seconds later Tuskano came down and got into the escape pod. "Start the timers." Tuskano said and rested a finger near the launch button as both Operatives waited for the mines to go off.
YT-2400 The Blazing Nebula, 10k away from the ISS False Hope's location
A faint sound of music was heard throughout the aging YT-2400. A single orange haired human was sitting back in the lounge within the ship where the music was the loudest. Denton, or what he enjoyed being called, "The Brain" blinked as he leaned backup to reach a bottle of Correlian ale and downed the last of it. This is the life, he thought. Flying through space without a care for nothing, and with no one bothering him. At least for the next four days til he reaches his destination to drop off his 50 crates of ale. He even was able to haggle 2 boxes for himself to keep.
A beeping was heard. Ahh, the Nebula must have picked up another ship in the sector. I guess it's time to go to work and see whats up. Denton picked up a half empty bottle of Correlian ale and headed to the cockpit. He sat down in the pilot's chair and turned to talk to his copilot... and ended up looking down at the cursed copilot's chair that was void of any copilot. Oh yea, he was muggled and went missing at the last port, Denton thought.
"That one lasted... two ports." Denton said allowed. The copilots he hired never lasted long enough due to their experiance and the places the Blazing Nebula took them in its work. "Oh well, destined to live the ship life without a crew." Denton said to no one in perticular.
He checked the readout on the main consol to see if the Nebula was able to see what type of ship it picked up. It never gave detailed info, especialy at 10k away. Denton looked at what info it got. Four fighters of various classes. Denton's eyes grew more alert at the possibility of them being pirates and put a finger on the circut breaker that would activate the ships 2 droid defense turrets on just in case. He glared at the radar screen daring the fighters to change course and charge at him, ready to steal his crates of ale. They continued going in a straight line. Guess they are looking for bigger fish to kill. Denton slowly moved his finger from the turret controls and sat back in his chair as the Blazing Nebula continued to fly on autopilot.
Denton got up and went up to his top deactivated turret and climbed into the gunner's chair. He pressed a button giving the turret life and swung it 180 degrees around to continue to watch the fighters as they snooped around. One of Denton's favorite games was to watch stuff at a distance and drink, laughing at his live entertainment. It passed time, as well as increase his mood in long flights such as this. He could easily just jump into hyperspace but he hated computers, and he wanted to keep things simple.
The four fighters soon entered what looked to be the sight of a old space battle, it littered with wreaked ships. Maybe they did find something, he thought. In mid-drink from his ale he spotted a small explosion. From his distance it was a red dot, but no doubt it was a explosion. Denton cheered and almost hit his head on the top of the glass turret bubble. Soon more explosions followed and gave Denton a small light show. "Ha! Those idiots must have gone into a minefield! Serves them right!"
He then spotted another ship, bigger then the fighters, shoot out from the far side of the explosions. The fighters spotted it and began to pursue it, firing. Denton cheered it on as if he was watching a podrace. "Run! Run you stupid ship!" Denton wished he brought up more ale, maybe some food... but he dared not to go down and miss the rest of what happens. This was a rare showing of how lucky ships can get out in areas such as this.
As if the space god had changed his mind, an explosion appeared upon what seemed to be where the engines were, causing the fleeing ship to slow dramatically. Denton moaned as if his team just lost and watched as one of the fighters aproach the ship, then latch on to the airlock. Hopefully that ship's crew is good at close quarters combat, Denton thought.
A few minutes passed and the ship detached itself and began to fly slowly. The bigger ship followed the fighter as if attached by a harness. Denton squinted his eyes trying to make out the details but he was too far out. He dared not change course as he suspected the fighters to be watching him. The rest of the fighters flew in close formation, protecting their prize. They turned and began to fly out of the sector. Denton smiled, "What a show". He headed down to the cockpit to attempt to watch the departing ships through his radar as they were now out of eyesight.
Another ship was on radar, seemed the fighters had towed the ship to it and it was now heading off. "Now, if that ship they just caught was a cargo ship... that battle sight would be the best spot to hide the cargo... if its captain used his brains." Denton pondered on this. A minute passed and Denton grinned. "Wouldn't hurt to explore". Denton turned autopilot off and turned back.
He pressed his ship to it's fastest speed. His ship may not live through a fight but he perfected it with speed and agilaty. He won a few freighter races... they could get pretty interesting, especially through asteroid fields.
Soon he could make out the details of the wreaked ships. He was familiar with a few and checked the radar again. No one was following him, a good sign. Must mean those fighters got what they wanted. He checked for any power souces in the area. He slowed the ship and circled the area that the explosions had cleared all the space junk from. It was fairly big, most likely it was alot of firepower he had witnessed. A small power source lit up on his radar. Denton watched and nodded at his score. It was drifting, meaning it was a container of some sort.
"They don't call me the Brain for nothing", Denton said as he flew toward his mark. He spotted it through his viewport. A escape pod drifted before him, it's beacon calling for help.
Kinda hard to fit that in the cargo bay, last he needed was to crush his precious shipment. Only one spot... the Blazing Nebula's escape pod. Without a thought, he launched it with a press of a button. A consol nearby indicated the CAD's had gone off. With that done, he cut the engines and faced his ship 90 degrees and activated a mini tractor beam installed just for the job he was about to preform.
The Nebula drifted slowly towards the escaped pod. When the tractor beam was in range it began to line the escape pod up to attach. The escape pod slowly started to drift to the hatch and Denton made his way down to greet his luck. As he waited infront of the hatch, thoughts formed in his head. Instead of cargo, could it be starving people? Spice? Credits? Slaves? Empty? A trap? Useless cargo? Denton threw the last option out, it couldn't have been useless cargo otherwise they wouldn't have made the attempt to save it.
With the possiblility of a trap, Denton pulled a pistol from a holster on his waist. Denton frowned at the little gun, how that was to save him from a possible attack was beyond him. Why he even had it was another question. Denton looked around the surrounding room from another possible weapon as it was too late to go back to where he kept the bigger guns, then looked back to the hatch as it suddenly beeped, indicating it had pressurised. With no other options, Denton made another quick look around the room and grabbed the first thing he saw... a empty ale bottle. Denton smashed the bottom off and held it as if he was going to enter a bar fight. He faced the hatch with his pistol in his left and the bottle in his right and he hit the unlock button with the butt of his pistol and braced himself.
He never expected to be looking into the wrong ends of two modified carbines, held by two mercenary-like beings covered from head to toe in blood red armor.
The "We Frak Shit Up Gang" within Big G's droid supply ship, enroute to the Camden
El Dorado waited in his Kimogila as he waited to be cleared by the droid supply ship to land. He hated knowing that he was flying the workhorse of the gang. His engines had to be powerfull to push his ship with all it's missles and with that, he was the guy who had to pull the now disabled Decimator back to the supply ship so they could take it back to Big G. If they didn't disable the engines during the chase, he could have flown it.
It seemed so simple though... scatch that, almost simple. Obanion thought back to the events that had happened so fast. He was sure the others in the gang were thinking back as well, trying to recall what had happened.
Cobbler got hit by a remote mine.
The rest of the mines exploded.
During the explosions, Obanion flew out and fired at everything after Cobbler got out.
The Decimator flew out, trying to escape.
They followed and disabled it, along with it's turrets.
Obanion latched on to the airlock and entered with the rest of the gang securing the area.
Obanion entered with zero resistance.
A quick search reveiled a timer that was suspected to be to a bomb.
Locating wires, Obanion defused the bomb with two minutes left.
Obanion got back to his ship and towed the Decimator back to a waiting supply ship escorted by his gang.
It was too simple, but where did the crew go? Was it the ship itself that was running? Obanion El Dorado shaked his head and slowly taxied his Kimogila into the supply ship's small hanger as he got cleared and landed in a corner. He jumped out of his bomber and headed to where the rest of his gang had gathered.
Gripe Slayer nodded as El Dorado made it over. "Now that we have our catch, we head back. It is unfortuant that the ones flying this ship were not on board. I really wanted to see us kill a few souls as we captured this ship, but I have a fealing they are most likely already dead. There is nothing out there for them. So far, we just have one standing order... we are not to go into the Decimator. We don't want to mess anything up. What Dean?" Gripe Slayer, annoyed, looked to where Dean was with his hand raised.
Dean pointed to the shot up Decimator, parked on the other side of the hanger with a "you missed something" look on his face. A large hole where the escape pod would be was empty.
A smile formed on Gripe Slayer's face. "I have this urge to punch you... but you seem to be usefull for anything... you just earned yourself a nickname... Dean Wrench. Well then, they are still waiting for us to kill them out there. I'll ask G if we can get the last 10 minutes of the ship's log so we can see where it could be heading to. We will be back in business soon. Let's call it a night, we have a while to kill before we make it back."
With that, the gang split, each heading to do what they wanted as they waited for the supply ship they were on to take them back to the Camden.
The Blazing Nebula
Denton stared at the armored intruders, eyes wide. Not knowing what to do, or what their intentions were, he stood rock still... his hands still grasping the pistol and broken bottle, staring at the ends of the guns pointed at him. Both their carbines... wait, the short guy had one of those Trando hunting rifles with a obviously modified hand grip and Denton knew how powerful those were, and didn't want to feal it at close range.
He slowly moved his eyes to stare at the taller armored being who was wielding a Sfor carbine. Not wanting to feal what that felt like, he dropped both of his weapons and gave a big grin.
"Hey, you caught me guys... just don't take my ship or what's in it. Here, you can have that as a mommento." Denton pointed at a half filled crate of Ale chilling in the corner of the room.
Denton frowned as the two intruders were not in a joking mood. Their guns continued to point at Denton. The shorter one then finally spoke through his RIS helmet he was wearing, it's built breather masking the sound of his actual voice.
"We are not taking anything, though we do need to have you follow a ship. If you don't, we will tie you up and take it over. We have to follow it now. Are you the only one on board?"
Denton continued to stare at the guns. "Umm, no. There is a army of Stormtroopers in my closet." The guns didn't waver, finally convincing Denton to play nice. "Just me."
The one who spoke nodded and lowered his rifle. "Good, let us head to the cockpit then, I have a ship signature for you to upload. And call me Pappy, I have a fealing we can be good buddies."
Denton gave a nervous chuckle, his senses still giving him a fealing of danger. The taller one lowered his carbine slowly and continued to stare at Denton through his helmet as if looking into his soul. Pappeto glaced over to his friend, " Oh, and this is Tuskano, you could be friends with him too." Denton gave Tuskano a big grin and wave and began to make his way to the cockpit slowly, leading Pappeto and wanting to get away from the creepy masked man.
As soon as Denton and Pappeto left the room, Tuskano made sure the escape pod hatch was locked and then opened a nearby panel that connected to the launch controls of the escape pod to make a few security adjustments. After that, he began to do a sweep of the ship, checking for any traps or listening devices.
After a brief walk down the passageways Denton and Pappeto entered the cockpit. Denton made a vauge motion, sweeping his arm across the room as if doing a tour. "And last but not least is the cockpit, the main control room of the ship where the flying, communication, as well as dining occur. That is the end of the famous five minute tour of the Blazing Nebula. We will now be taking questions that anyone in the tour may have."
Pappeto chuckled as he looked over the various instruments of the cockpit from where he stood, finaly spotting the one he needed. He then pulled out a small data storage chip and motioned it to Denton. "Here, intstall this to that and have the ship read it. The the last estimated jump that the ship signiture on here took is what I want your ship to follow." Denton took the chip and moved over to the console to install the device under the watchfull eyes of Pappeto. After a few moments the task was done and Denton stood back and Pappeto nodded in satisfication as the Blazing Nebula immediatly changed course to where the ship that had picked up the fighters once was.
Tuskano entered the cockpit and kept to the back of it as Pappeto began to explain in further detail what was to be expected for Denton and his ship.
"Just to make things clear, we are not interested in stealing your ship or what is aboard it. You can have it back as soon as we are where we need to be and be on your merry way. Expect it to take as little as... let's say 3 weeks or so, but no more then a month. With me so far?"
I guess that guy won't be getting his shipment of ale, Denton thought. "I am in the middle of a shipment and the guy on the end will be very pissed at me. I can't afford to be losing customers. But, if the payment is good..." Denton stopped at his hint of paying, a thoughtful look on his face towards the two.
"Are you a gambling man Mr... I never did catch your name." Pappeto waited until Denton finally answered.
"Denton, and yea, off and on."
"Good. Let me just say it would depend on where our ship turns out at. If it is at some big place... take what you want, we won't stop you. But, if it is at some run down place, there may not be much. If it does come down to that, we could just be simple and pay you with a conciderable sum of credits. Either way you would get something out of it."
Denton thought this over. "It must be a very important ship then yes?"
Pappeto shrugged and said simply, "Just your top of the line modified Imperial hardware. You should know how important somethings from the Empire are."
"Imperials huh? Out here? All the gangs would swoop down on them if they set one foot in the Unknown Regions. It must boost some good stuff."
Pappeto slowly nodded and glanced to Tuskano and got a idea. "Yes, this perticular one we are after sports some good IFF systems, makes it practally invisible to radar. Maybe we could lend you blueprints if you are really good. You could smuggle out here more efficently if you are not seen."
Grinning, Denton liked that idea. Able to fly under pirate's noses and not get seen. He liked that idea. "I'm in then, you got yourself a ship."
Pappeto grinned back and gave a firm handshake to their new addition to the team. Tuskano had already slung his carbine and gave a handshake as well, which was unlike him. But, with the recent loss of his Decimator, he must have been in a very good mood that they would have a chance to get it back. He knew he must have been torn with giving the destruction order and he was quiet the whole time in the escape pod whatching the moniters and radar.
"I have to do a few things, be right back." Tuskano said and then slipped off. Pappeto nodded and then shortly told Denton that he would be back as well as he had to take his armor off. Before he left, Pappeto gave Denton one of those I-dare-you-to-try-something stares. It was just a few seconds but Denton believed he got the message.
"Frak", Denton simply thought. He continued to sit in the cockpit.
Back in the escape pod Tuskano had already shead his red colored armor off. Keeping the red bodysuit as well as the face mask on, he had put some baggy pants on and then pulled a brown hooded robe over it all. He then pulled a few items from his satchel and placed them in pockets in the inside of the robe. He just finished locking his satchel up in a locker when Pappeto entered who had apparently already taken off what was concidered armor while he had walked from the cockpit. He then threw on a jacket and headed back out after giving a nod to Tuskano.
Tuskano then closed the escape pod door after he had left and then powered up one of the communication computers. After entering a few passwords, he began to type.
TOP SECRET
0538 EMPIRE STANDARD TIME 16 September 5 ABY
FROM OPERATIVE GHOST
TO MASTERMIND
COPY TO CLONE RED INTEL BASE
SITUATION REPORT #36
AT 0100 6 OCTOBER 5 ABY, FOUR PIRATE FIGHTERS OF SAME IDENTIFICATION AS DESCRIBED IN EARLIER MESSAGES, LOCATED IMPERIAL SCOUT SHIP "FALSE HOPE" DECIMATOR CLASS MODIFIED WHILE IT WAS WAITING FOR A IN SPACE REPLENISHMENT FROM NEARBY IMPERIAL STAR DESTROYER "AQABA". AT TIME OF AMBUSH OPERATIVES WERE PREPARING SHIP FOR ENGINE REMOVE AND REPLACE WITH IFF OPERATING AND HIDING THE DECIMATOR WITHIN THE DESTROYED REMAINS OF AN OLD BATTLE SITE, POSSIBLY FROM A LONG FINISHED GANG WAR. OPERATIVES HAD ALSO PLACED MINES AROUND AREA ALONGSIDE MINES FROM DEAD BATTLE. SECOND SET OF MINES HIDDEN WITHIN VARIOUS SHIP WREAKS.
BY RADAR TRACKING, PIRATE FIGHTERS WERE SPOTTED BEFORE FIRING RANGE. IT IS UNKNOWN HOW DECIMATOR WAS FOUND. ONLY CONCLUSION AT TIME IS BY VISUAL AFTER EXPLORING BATTLE SITE. CAPTAIN OF THE DECIMATOR ORDERED ABANDON SHIP AND FOLLOWED DESTRUCTION OF SHIP PROCEDURES DUE TO THE DECIMATOR BEING UNSUITABLE FOR COMBAT. JETTISONED ESCAPE POD LOADED WITH SAVED INTEL AND OPERATIVES DURING MANUAL MINE ACTIVATION USED AS DISTRACTION. THE DECIMATOR, UNTER AI CONTROL, LEAD PIRATE FIGHTERS AWAY FROM ESCAPE POD LOCATION AND FORTY SECONDS LATER WAS DISABLED BY PIRATE FIGHTER'S WEAPONS.
SHIP DETONATION WAS ABORTED BY ONE PIRATE FIGHTER WHO BOARDED DECIMATOR AND LIKELY ABORTED DETONATION MANUALY. THE DECIMATOR WAS TOWED BY TRACTER BEAM FROM ONE FIGHTER WHILE THE THREE OTHER FIGHTERS PROVIDED ESCORT, TO NEARBY CARGO FRIEGHTER EQUIPPED WITH HANGER TO HOLD BOTH FIGHTERS AND DECIMATOR. ALL BOARDED AND FRIGHTER MADE JUMP TO HYPERSPACE.
EARLIER SCANS UPON FRIGHTER FURTHER IDENTIFIED IT TO BE UNDER DROID CONTROL WITH NO ORGANIC CREW AND POSSIBLY OWNED BY ONE OF THE MAJOR GANGS IN A NEABY SECTOR DUE TO ITS SIZE AND DROID DEFENCE SYSTEM.
APPROXIMATLY ONE HOUR WAIT UNTIL PASSING YT-2400 "BLAZING NEBULA" PICKED UP ESCAPE POD WITH OPERATIVES. OPERATIVES USING YT-2400 WITH FULL COOPERATION FROM CAPTAIN TO FOLLOW DECIMATOR TRACKING DEVICE.
K. EM'ASEP, SFC
TOP SECRET
Satisfied with his report, Tuskano began typing up a fake spam message to hide the main message within and after he was done he sent it in fragments to the communications building at Major Robert Rogers Military Arsenal, Mos Eclipse, Lok.
The "We Frak Shit Up Gang"
Gripe Slayer sighed as he came into the main hanger where his gang's ships and their trophey sat for the hundredth or so time. He lost count how much times he went into there to clean his Rihkxyrk (which usually ended up with him sitting on top of the fighter watching holo videos) or do checks for the sake of having something to do. The past days aboard Big G's droid ship had blurred together thanks to the compliment of alcohol found in the living spaces of the ship, most likely as thanks from Big G himself.
The rest of the gang had looked to be in the same mood as Gripe Slayer whenever he had ran into anyof them amoung the droid ship's dull passageways. From the way things had went the droid ship was obviously not built for speed but to just get whatever it had from point A to point B. Gripe Slayer had just started watching one of his holo videos in his quarters when the whole ship shook slightly as it exited hyperspace.
"About time", Gripe Slayer said as he got up from his bed and shuffled over to the one window the room had to peer out. The clean, white painted nose of Big G's cruise ship Camden was able to be seen. Looks like the gang won again, Gripe Slayer thought to himself. He couldn't wait to get paid and get some off time. He needed it, as well as his gang. He went over to where he had his stuff laid out from his bag and started shoving them back inside, not forgeting what was left of the complament alcohol. As soon as he was done, he put his flightsuit back on and threw his bag across his back and headed out of his quarters to get his gang prepared.
The Camden, docking bay 56
Big G entered the observation room just as the droid cargo vessel pulled in and begin unloading procedures. He crossed his arms and watched as his prize hovered out assisted by acouple of repulser lift droids the size of speeders. He frowned as he saw the state the ship was in and made a note to inform his lead mechanic that this was to be top priority. He continued to watch as the Decimator was hauled through a set of hanger doors out of the docking bay to its own hanger. The observation room's door opened and Big G glanced to the window's reflection to see who it was. His gang of the moment entered the room wearing cleaned flightsuits.
Gripe Slayer spoke first. "Like your new toy?" Big G then turned shaking his head, "You could've shot at it less. I'll have to show you how it's done next time. So... you said no one was aboard? Easy catch?"
Gripe Slayer had wondered this, perhapse it was too easy. In isolated space secters like the one he worked within, they always came with a price. "Correct... no one was aboard. And, it was too easy, all needed to be done was deactivate a bomb. We never did see the escape pod missing until we had it in the hanger."
Cobbler spoke up, "They'll never last in the void. We were far from any of the spacelanes the smugglers take. It was in an old battle site so it could have also ran into debris."
Big G chuckled, "I wouldn't believe that, things could happen. If they turn out to be alive, I'll gun you all down... fair?" The four pilots nodded, fealing uneasy. Today was not the time to break G's good mood. "Ok, you guys can go, I'll think of a reward. This is an above average job that is need of a reward better then the average credits" Big G finally said.
The WFSU gang filed out of the observation room, wanting to get to where their bunks were and forget about the day, leaving Big G to his thoughts. As they made their way to one of the main passageways, questions formed in their minds.
"So... if he isn't going to pay us credits, how are we going to restock on supplies and ordinance for our ships?" Dean wondered aloud.
Obanion answered as that had crossed his mind as well. "No, we'll still get all that. That we should get regardless."
Dean nodded, the question making much sence. "I wonder what we'll get paid then. New ships?"
"Never! I would just use it for spare parts to make my own better. Nothings replacing my fighter!" Cobbler said. "He should give us a ship of our own so we don't have to fly back here all the time to repair or refuel. Maybe give us that droid ship we were on... but better then that."
Gripe Slayer grinned. "I like the idea of a base of our own. But G wouldn't give us that, he wants to limit our advanment. I doubt he would want us to be mobile."
"We could always seek work elsewhere, or just play pirates on the smugglers and joy riders with our own rules." Obanion said out of nowhere.
"No, we stay employed here no question asked. We need food and a roof over our heads and I don't like the sound of living in my fighter. Talking like that can get you killed here." Gripe Slayer said, laying down the law. Last he needed was a bounty hunter after him sent by Big G. Things were going smoothly here and it was hard to find a job, much less for employers that paid decently.
Obanion El Dorado nodded, but that thought still lingered in the back of his thoughts. Even though work here was good, there was still that thought that he could do better. When that time came, he planned to take hold of it and have the rest of the gang do the same.
Finally reaching the ship's quarters, the gang split to do what they pleased until Big G called them again.
The Camden, maintenance control room 49
"Chief" Deckert always thought of himself as mysterious. He even concidered himself to be one of those laser sword wilding jedi, though he had no formal training and never owned a lightsaber. Even though he worked in the maintenance department, his signature clothing was a brown robe. Nowadays he would often think he saw a desk move, or a chair roll a few millimeters during his "training" sessions he would have on his time off.
He entered the spacious room and sat at his consol surronded by datapads. After logging in, he checked the ship lists and a new name caught his attention. "A Decimator?! Why wasn't I told of this?" He logged off and was just about to call about the new ship when the lead mechanic entered the room.
"Chavez, you know anything about a decimator?" Deckert barked.
"Olsen came in a few minutes ago before you came in with a datapad Chief. It may be that one... there." Chavez pointed to a clean datapad that was separated from the rest on Deckert's desk. Chief picked it up and read its contents. "Its from G himself. I'll be back, hold tight. Have everyone wait in here after tools are checked." Chief got up and walked out the door with the datapad.
Chief wondered why G had wanted to brief him personally. "It must be a new toy, I hate to see the list of gripes and maintenace action forms on this one", Chief mumbled to himself. He made his way to Big G's office and was let in immediatly.
"What's this about a decimator G?" Chief asked, getting down to the point of the conversation. He hated being surprised with new ships. Not like they appeared alot, but having a new one appear on the list of ships needing repair was very unexpected. He had phases to scheduale, 14 through 56 days preformed, a conditional inspection had to be done on that one ship due to a asteroid strike... his list could go on.
"This perticular ship is now your first prioraty. It has to be repaired and sent to the restoration department as soon as its funtional check flight is completed" Big G finally said. The long list of inspections and repairs of other ships in Chief's mind went down the drain at that statement. Big G continued as if reading Chief's mind, "I'll get other crews on the rest of the ships you had, your only focus is on this ship. There are some MAFs on it already and it is expecting a new escape pod. I think after a month the majority of the gripes should be fixed. I'll forward you all the details to your shop."
Chief nodded, already thinking up a system on how to finish this job without wasting time. "I'll have my guys get on it then right away. I'll let them know now on this." He turned to leave and the doors opened on their own to let him through as he went back down to his maintenace shop. Big G watched him go satisfied, yet a question suddenly popped into his mind. I never did press the butten to open those doors for him, how did they open? He shook the question off and went about his duties.
Back at the shop, the maintenance crew was already waiting for Chief as he entered through the front doors. "Well, by order of G we have new prioraties. The phases and work on the other ships that we were planning to continue today are no more." Chief continued walking to the other door in the shop that lead through to the hangers and checked outside to locate the new ship. He spotted it at the end of the hanger near a Ixyien undergoing exterior framework repair and went back into the shop to continue his brief.
"What we are now focusing on is a Decimator that just came in within the last week I think. We have around a month to get it FCF ready. I want the phase coordinators to get a agenda planned out for it. You guys see the gripes yet?" Chief headed to his consol to check the gripes himself as he waited for a confirmation on his question.
Five seconds later Chavez spoke up. "I checked it after you had asked about a decimator. Most are inspections but after those I think we will gather up the gripes." Chief nodded as he read the inspections himself. Most were phase and conditional inspections involving battle damage. "Are tools checked?" There were nods as the maintainers said they had. Chief took his robe off as he began to prepare himself to inspect the ship. "Ok then, leads get your workers ready for ship inspections in accordance with what you guys have listed and begin those. Phase coodinators, stay in here. Lets go." With that, the maintainers checked out their toolboxs, put themselves "in work" for their assinged MAFs, and headed out to the decimator to begin the starting inspections. Chief stood behind with Chavez and a Electrician by the name of Schriener to begin forming a workable agenda.
Into Space
Clone Red Listening Post, Talus
As soon as Tuskano walked out of the Armory a light rain of snow hit him, coloring his red armor with white dots. Born from the planet of Tatooine, of Tusken decent, Tuskano never grew tired of seeing that snow.
It always seemed to snow more up at the outpost, but that could be a good thing... harder to see the outpost. Tuskano grinned underneith his mask at the thought and walked up the stairs seeing a familiar VT-49 that was tightly parked, filling the whole landing platform.
Tuskano glanced over to where another red amored figure was directing droids, carrying the last of the supplies to the cargo ramp of the False Hope. The figure turned and gave Tuskano a thumbs up. Tuskano gave a thumbs up back to his old friend, Pappeto and walked off the landing platform to check in the meeting room for the others.
"Hey there Nebless, all the gear is almost loaded up. It's going to be a long trip."
A bothan in a neatly pressed Imperial uniform with a potbelly turned from a radar screen and gave a big grin to Tuskano, reaching over and pulling a female human over to him, hugging her. Tuskano chuckled, seeing how Nebless and his wife, Annr were always were happy with each other, a perfect couple. He looked around for the Clone Red mascot, a Massiff and found him being feed by Sno-man in the corner of the room.
Sno-man stood up and gave Tuskano a big wookie hug, the boffa treats falling from his arms and into the happy mouth of the Massiff. Tuskano gave his friend a firm hug back and they released. Tuskano turned as another hand patted him on the back, seeing Quat and another human who recently joined called Don'Olsvaldo.
"Wish we could all go, but the Base wont hold on its own huh?"
"Yep, though you should still be able to broadcast off and on. With how deep your recon will take you it would take awhile though", Olsvaldo stated, a grin on his face. "Don't worry, your Arc will be in safe hands", Quat added.
Tuskano gave each a friendly pat on the shoulders and then heard the sound of a harder snow as the front door opened for a few seconds letting someone in. Pappeto entered, pulling his helmet off and grinned.
"The snow picked up. We best be taking off now, all the gear is in."
Nebless nodded and stepped up to the two giving them a handshake with Annr hugging them afterwards.
"Good luck you two. Your journey will take you far from the farthest spacelane, so you will be on your own. Remember to send reports back. With Pappeto's navigation skills and your piloting Tuskano, you guys make a good pair. ...Safe travels."
Both saluted and headed outside, Pappeto following behind Tuskano, slipping his RIS helmet back on. The wind and snow made visibilty near impossible but also helped hide their ship signiture from the local authorities.
Tusk and Pappy took their respected positions and powered the ship up, giving the False Hope life. The False Hope eased out its tight parking spot and taxied forward letting itself float above the edge of the cliff that the outpost rested on. After a few seconded of checklists the VT-49 increased its speed and rose into space.
Tuskano activated the IFF scambler and the False Hope bore one of its many personalities, this one as the Dieting Scarlac II. Soon afterwards, a human voice filled the comm.
*static* "Your clear to hyper Dieting Scarlac, safe travels."
Tuskano nodded to Pappeto, seeing the local authoraties finish their scan and had passed them on. Pappeto nodded back and Tusk began tapping a few buttons jumping the False Hope into lightspeed, away from any spacelanes.
Hydian Trade Route, Outside of the Deep Core
At the edge of the Deep Core, the ISS False Hope began it's carefully plotted course through the area once long ago thought of as impenetrable. It's frame skimmed the corners of nebula, saving time as well as staying out of the spacelanes while using the nebula to mask it's engine trails. Pappeto sat at the navigation's chair carefully monertering the ship's voyage through the core that he himself had plotted. Tuskano was up and running system checks during the short hyperspace jumps making sure all systems were normal and giving accuate readings.
"Alright, 1 minute to jump to real space." Pappeto warned. Tuskano finished his check on the power reader consol and returned to the pilot's chair, nodding to Pappeto he was ready. "Ok... exiting in 3... 2... 1... we are out of hyperspace." Pappeto checked his readings and nodded to himself as they exited at the right coordinates. Tuskano began to do a quick scan of the sector as Pappeto ran up the next coordinates.
"Area is clear... hold on that. One trade ship at 7 O'clock, 20 degrees up." Tuskano reported.
Pappeto nodded while heading down to the scanning room preforming a cloaked scan of the sighted vessel, "Trade ship noted, ...scanned and clear." Pappeto headed back up top, checking the time of the uploading coordinates for the next jump. "Ahh, coordinates are now set, ready to jump on your mark."
"Copy, adjusting angle of approach." Tuskano began to turn the ship 10 degrees to the left and slightly up, doing a double check on the next coordinates. "G2G, jumping... now." Tuskano punched the button and the False Hope's view port began a bunch of colored lines yet again.
"The Unknown Regions... known only for the emptyness it gives. It's a large sea of space where preditors drift aimlessly aboutlooking for prey." Pappeto (aka Operative Geezer) during False Hope's voyage into the Unkown Region.
Unknown Sector Between Koormacht Cluster and Unknown Regions
Three weeks passed by and the ISS False Hope emerged from it's last hyperspace jump, long out of the maze of stars within the Core and finally out of the Koormacht Cluster.
"Activate the IFF scrambler Geezer, make us dissapear." Tuskano said through the ship's comm. Pappeto was already down in the systems room grinning to himself as he made the final adjustments and then headed topdide. "Activated, we'll look like drifting garbage dumped from a cruise ship."
Tuskano nodded, "garbage heap aye... tuning power down to a minumum." Tuskano flipped a few switches and twisted some knobs causing many of the green indicator lights on the center consol to turn red. With power output lessened, many of the secondary systems deactivated, including such systems that would give False Hope away as a ship, like shields and engines. Engineless, the ship continued it's mission under forward momentum while rolling slightly portside, heading in a straight line at a steady speed.
Deep Within the Unknown Region
"Sensers are picking up a station 3k away on our starboard side." Pappeto said over the comm during a shift change, squinting at the consol's readings readings within the sensor room.
"Any more info on it?" Came Tuskano's question.
"No, we are too far out. We will be passing it if you don't adjust course 20 degrees to starboard and pitch down 15."
"Copy... did you save the data from that last Dunelizard pirate gang that passed us three days ago?"
"Yea, I did."
"Ok, format that so our IFF scrambler throws that out as our signature."
"Sure, give me a sec... we will be a close formation of fighters in a few." Pappeto began to adjust a few settings at his station switching the False Hope's signature from its previous disguise as drifting garbage to a 5 ship pirate gang. "We be pirates now. You may adjust course now."
Tuskano acknowladged and activated the main engines and powered them up to half speed, steering the False Hope to face the unknown station.
A few minutes passed by and Pappeto's voice sounded over the comm. "Data coming in. Small outpost called Managaha Station... registered to a Saipan trade company. Must have gone broke, I never heard of them. Not reading much else from it. There is some power readings from it, as well as alot of structural issues. Like from a attack... and it is also drifting."
"Copy. We'll clamp to the hull outside the section that looks to be a set of airlocks. Then I'll suit up."
"Copy. I'll yell if we have any issues."
Tuskano turned the engines back off and positioned the False Hope to ready magnetic clamping procedures to the station's hull as Pappeto adjested the IFF scambler to show nothing, using the station's signature to mask their presence.
500 meters.
400 meters.
100 meters.
10 meters.
A heavy bump was felt throughout the ship as the magnets on the underside of the extended landing gear met the hull. "Good to go." Tuskano mumbled as he checked the readings and left the cockpit heading down the ramp to the the airlock where his gear waited.
30 minutes later, Tuskano was in his pressurised suit and waiting in the airlock. Pappeto gave his friend a thumbs up through a small window and pressed a button on a nearby consol that opened the airlock's door and then headed to the sensor room to moniter the various systems. Tuskano floated out the hatch and activated his helmet cam, giving Pappeto visual from his station. He slowly made his way across the station hull and approached the nearest airlock, opening a panel that looked to be controls to the door.
"Geezer, any systems online?"
Back in the False Hope, Pappeto was checking the readings. "Nothing Ghost, not anywhere near you. I also don't think there is any pressure in there either."
"Going to cut my way through then." Tuskano opened a tool pouch and pulled a cutting laser out begining on the corners of the door. Finishing his work, Tuskano waited for it to shoot off incase there was indeed pressure within. It didn't move. Tuskano pulled at the door. Yep, no pressure Tuskano thought as it easily swung open, breaking its hindges in the process. Tuskano let it drift into space and focused on what was inside, turning a flashlight on. Tuskano played the flashlight across the deserted room and then floated in.
"I don't think we were the first ones here Ghost." Pappeto said over the comm, commenting on what he saw through Tuskano's helmet cam.
"Agreed, though everthing could have been sucked out. The other door to the rest of the station is open. Pappeto was quiet as Tuskano began to search the station.
Hearing only his breathing, Tuskano went through a set of bulkhead doors that at one point separated the living quarters and storage facilaty. He choose one way at random and began to go down a hallway lined with large doorways every 50 meters. Tuskano stopped at the fourth door and reached into his bag for his cutting tool, starting on the bottom of the door.
"We have 4 ships inbound Ghost. Looks to be a raiding party from how their fighters are armed." Pappeto said out of nowhere.
Tuskano cursed in his native tougue and began to retraced his route back to the ship double time. "On my way."
The "We Frak Shit Up Gang" 1k from Managaha Station
"Cobbler" Alchien, a short human, sat at the controls of his Vaksai starfighter, one of the only things he loved beside women and booze. He checked to see if he was still on the comm frequency his gang usually used.
"1k away from Managaha station guys... thats the 10th time we passed by that wreak."
The gang's Kimogila bomber pilot, Obanion El Dorado, quickly responded. "Lets frak it up then! I have new missles that need testing!"
Alchien grinned at the thought of massive explosions then addressed the other intercepter pilot and the rest of their four man gang. "Dean, you got wingman duty. Usual tactic, then El Dorado and Gripe Slayer will open up on what core that station has. When it blows and makes pretty colors, others should come to investigate. Nothing ever lasts out here. We hide in the remains and ambush who ever comes. I remember there was a few ships that we scanned a sector away.
"Gripe Slayer" Larock frowned as he listened to the comm chatter within his Rihkxyrk attack fighter. "When were you ever in the position to give orders to us Cobbler?"
"Hey, soon Big G will hand over Squad Leader to me. Just wait and see." Cobbler responded, grinning happily under his closed flight helmet.
"Keep talking like that and you will be the target of a stray missle."
"Well... that is what my chaff is for." Cobbler smartly said back.
Another voice came through the comm. "Are we going to be blowing the station soon? I'm growing old here."
"Dean, shut it and go play wingman with Cobbler before I have El Dorado throw you into space. We will be beginning." Snapped Gripe Slayer, annoyed. "El Dorado, you take the core with your stuff after Cobbler and Dean take out the armor protecting it. I'll use my missles on the backup generator to the main's right. Go now."
Cobbler fired off his Vaksai's boosters shortly followed by Dean in his Scyk enroute to the station at attack speed. Dean looked up from his flight control indicators and squinted, trying to make out the station's details. Something caught his eye... a turret?
"There is a small turret near what looks to be a observation window... near the set of airlocks." Dean reported. Cobbler looked up and looks in the direction Dean reported.
"Ha! That looks like a outline of a ship. Not reading anything from it, just from the station. It looks like a Imperial scout ship."
Obanion El Dorado spoke up. "They must have hooked up to one of the unpressurised airlocks, then were all sucked into the station when they opened the door." He cackled at his joke, half drunk off his ship's supplied oxygen.
"If there is Imperial hardware, we should take it. They make good toys." Gripe Slayer said after considering the worth of Imperial technology. "Hold off the attack and do a flyby. I'll fly around the other side with El Dorado and we'll do a visual there. Could be more."
The four ships split into two groups and Cobbler and Dean approached the quiet vessel. "Begining a scan around the ship's area... maybe I will get something." A moment passed by. "Yes! I got it! Lots of systems still online within it. And it is one of those fancy Decimators if anyone is interested."
The Decimator immediatly shot forward, pressing its engines to their fullest.
"It was a trap! Its trying to get away!" Dean shouted on the comm.
Gripe Slayer loudly let a string of curses out as he U-turned his fighter to head back to Cobbler and Dean's location closely followed by El Dorado. "Don't loose it! We are coming back!" Gripe Slayer roared.
The escaping ship fired one of its high energy turrets at the intercepters, narrowly missing them thanks to their manuverability. The Decimator accelerated more as it put more power into its massive engines.
"Dean, fire at it's engines. We'll disable it." Cobbler ordered. Both Cobbler and Dean fired their fighter's blasters and the Decimator rolled attempting to avoid the shots. Those that didn't miss picked away at its sheilds. "It's too strong, must be overloading all its systems." Dean said after depleting his capacitor.
The Decimator returned fire, throwing off Cobbler and Dean's pursuit as it sprayed the area that they were flying in seconds before. They turned back on their target ready to return to the chase, but as they did, the Decimator greatly accelerated as it jumped into lightspeed.
"We... lost it." Cobbler reported over the comm to Gripe Slayer and El Dorado, whos fighters were unable to keep up with the fast interceptors.
Gripe Slayer let out a loud sigh and thought through ways to fix this breach of their reputation of always catching their prey. No one got away from their gang... no one out runs them and lives.
"I am going to comm Big G and request that we get extra stuff and leave our hunting grounds." Gripe Slayer finally said.
"Go for it." Cobbler responded.
Gripe Slayer was already activating his long range comm systems as Obanion El Dorado positioned his Kimogila bomber and began to randomly fire the smaller missles into the station.
The Camden, a captured cruise ship within the Unknown Region
While never a criminal himself, Olsen often wondered why he dealed with them on a daily basis. Could it be that he was good with the "paperwork" that was involved when his boss dealed with customers who failed in paying back their loans? Could be. The sound of the office door sliding open brought Olsen from his thoughts as Baiocco, one of the office employees under Olsen, came in.
"Comm call to G from a guy called Gripe Slayer. Should I forward it?"
Olsen looked up at him, hearing the familiar call sign. "Larock? No, I'll inform him personally, thank you." Baiocco nodded, handed Olsen a datapad and left. Olsen checked the info on the datapad and left the office as well, heading to his boss's office. He rang the door buzzer twice and waited untill the door opened before entering.
"G, you have a comm call from Mr. Larock." Oslen said to a human facing a window on the other side of the large room.
Big G stopped drinking a alcoholic drink and turned to Olsen and glared at him. "Why don't you have him leave a message, I'm busy."
Olsen frowned, nodding, and began to head back to his office.
"Hey! Where do you think your going? You have a comm to forward to me, put em through." Big G said, a slight grin on his face.
Olsen chuckled and headed to Big G's desk and attached the datapad to a cord, allowing the datapad to transfer the datapad signal to the room. Olsen headed back to his office letting Big G have his conversation in peace.
Big G put the comm call on speaker before accepting the call and took a sip of his drink. "Larock, what do you have?"
A voice replied back with some slight interferance. "Currently interested in Imperial technology?"
"Always girl, do you have some for me?"
"Possibly. We located a lone Decimator class with good stuff. It had hid itself from our sensors and we were only able to spot it visualy. It had th- Stop laughing, I am on a comm call."
Big G blinked. "Who's laughing?"
"Dean... rest of the gang is blowing up a station at the momment."
"Ahh... tell his to stop laughing or I'll fly over there personally and punch him in the face."
Some mumbling was heard over the comm as Gripe Slayer happily relayed the threat over the gang's comm frequency.
"When do you plan to give me this ship?" Big G said after getting tired of hearing static.
Gripe Slayer's voice came back, done with relaying the threat. "That's the thing, it left the sector. We need more fuel to go after it. I would say... under two weeks."
Big G frowned, he never understood why people would tell him they were going to give him stuff they didn't have yet. "A droid supply ship will be sent your way escorted. If your lucky it will reach you untouched. You double cross me on this and you will be dead men within the day. I expect to see you within 2 weeks, I may have something for you as well."
Big G ended the comm call with nothing else to do but wait. He looked down at his empty glass. When did I finish that? Big G sighed and ordered a new drink looking back outside a nearby window seeing a sun that the Camden was currently passing. After some thought, he pulled out a lawnchair out and set it infront of the window, laying back in it and falling asleep.
The "We Frak Shit Up Gang"
"Supply ship enroute to us and we got two weeks. How is the station blowing up?" Gripe SLayer swung his ship around to face the rest of the gang. Large sections were breaking off the station ahead of them.
"I fired a few missles and it is just crumpling on itself. There is not even any major explosions like they have in the holos." Obanion El Dorado said, disappointed at the display.
"We don't have time to do a ambush so lets just leave it. We will fly towards our supply ship so we don't have to wait as long." Gripe Slayer said.
"We'll fly ahead to pick it up faster." Cobbler responded, deciding to use his fighter's advantage. Dean followed closely behind almost as if to race. Gripe Slayer sighed and put his Rihkxyrk to full speed, barely 3/4 of what Cobbler and Dean were putting out thanks to his three sets of high powered blasters and missles. El Dorado followed, taking the rear with his more heavier weaponry as the gang flew to their supply ship.
ISS False Hope[/b]
"We are two sectors away from our current position." Pappeto reported still charting their route away from Managaha Station.
"Copy that. Make a note of those fighters. We don't want to run into them again." Tuskano said. It was a close call back there, last we need is for it to happen again, he thought.
Tuskano glanced at a nearby screen that monitered the engines and frowned under his mask noting most the readouts of the starboard engine was in red, indicating something was wrong. "I am going to have to check the engines... we really don't need a encouter like that to happen again." He flipped a few switches as he started to cut power to the engine.
Pappeto looked over at the screen and made a face. "That engine may be no good anymore. I'm not a mech, but seeing all that red tells me something went really bad."
"I'll take a look at it now, just make sure we don't run into a asteroid field or something." Tuskano calmly stated as he rose up from the pilot's chair and began to make his way down deck.
The lounge was a mess as Tuskano came down. Tuskano headed to the engine access and grabbed a toolbox from a nearby repair locker. He pulled a flashlight out and opened the access panel looking inside and was greeted by the smell of burnt wires. He frowned and made his way into the access to preform a more detailed inspection of the engine.
Two hours later
Tuskano's voice sounded over the ship's comm within the cockpit where Pappeto waited. "Well, engine is done... lots of melted wires, cracked engine mounts, alot of fod over the place, and two worn hubliners. If I looked any more I know I will find more downers. We will have to replace this in a station... if we tried to land on a planet entering the atmosphere with one engine, there will be alot of what if's."
"So we have to find a station then."
"No, I think there is a star destroyer nearby somewhere out here. If you remember, we are schedualed for refueling in a week."
"So we have to wait a week... and try to make it to the RV point before we get attacked again. Lets do it."
[b]The "We Frak Shit Up Gang": Day 6 on search for the Decimator
"I need to stretch my legs." Obanion El Dorado stated.
"We all do. We never had to to a search like this in a long time." Gripe Slayer said agreeing. The gang had to pass up so much targets to conduct their search in a speedy fashion it was almost nervebreaking to think of it.
"We are passing another mass of junk. Looks like fighters and more... junk. Scanning for any power signatures." Cobbler said over the comm.
"Roger that... we hang back and you and El Dorado go in." Gripe Slayer ordered.
Cobbler slowly flew in, taking lead as El Dorado and his Kimogila followed close by.
"Dorado, I am reading mines in the area, watch yourself. You can't detect them until they are really close."
"So thats why you are rolling so much. I thought you were just having fun." El Dorado said as he increased his attention to his scanners.
Suddenly an explosion consumed the side of Cobbler's fighter and forced it to roll violently to the side. Cobbler's helmet banged against the sides of the safety harness of his seat as he struggled to regain control of his ship as it rammed into the wreakage of half of a unknown fighter. Then the mines started to go off, filling the space with explosions.
El Dorado gunned his bomber forward ignoring the nearby mines he set off, confident that his shields would hold. He flew out of the masses of explosions and garbage that hid the unknown attacker and turned around, ready to blow anything that shot at him with his missles. Ater a few seconds the explosions died down and the quietness resumed.
Gripe Slayer broke the shocked silence. "What happened!? Answer me now!", not in the mood to loose anyone today.
Cobbler's voice came back. "Mines like I had reported before. But I thought I was avoiding all of them. I think they all were just remote detonated."
"Can you get out? I am going to have Dorado blow everything."
"Uhh, yea. Ok good, I have control now. Let me just first fly around this ship... and this ship... and this... thing ...ok, I am clear, fire away."
El Dorado let his missles loose, letting the mass of junk have it, followed shortly by Gripe Slayer, Dean, and Cobbler. A ship shot out, though slower then the last encounter...
Two hours ago onboard the ISS False Hope
Pappeto slouched in his chair within the sensor room monitering the sector the False Hope was in. For the past week he had watched those screens. This time though, instead of empty space, the screens were reading hunks of destroyed ships floating everywhere, possibly from a past gang war. As Tuskano had said, this perticular spot was near the RV point where they were schedualed to do a in-space-replenishment with a Imperial Star Destroyer that was currently assigned to the area.
Pappeto winced as he heard a bang in the room that was once the lounge. Tuskano must have tossed another broken part out of the engine room, making it slowly look like the inside of a junk shop as he readied the engine for removal and replacement. Pappeto had offered to help but Tuskano had wanted to do the job with his own methods as he wanted Pappeto to watch the radar for either the Imperial Star Destroyer or any hostile ships.
Pappeto checked the status of the bombs they had hidden within various destroyed ships, their heat signitures masked by the more obvious mines that they had deployed afterwards. All checked good and Pappeto nodded to himself, glad that they were not the cheap type that would easily go off.
Then the radar started to beep as it began to pick up a ship within the area, though still 10k out and moving at a lazy speed. After a few flipped switches and buttons pressed, the long range scanner started feeding information to the screens about the ship. It was a YT-2400 with nothing special on it but 2 droid turrets. From the course it looked to be taking it would not be going near their location.
Pappeto relaxed and then looked around the room, stopping at his set of instruments that he had removed from the lounge away from Tuskano's work. A lighbulb went off, filling his head with a idea on how to pass the time. He quickly got up and went down to the ship's berthing to grab something he never used from his rack. He returned back to the sensor room holding a H-pod and a set of earphones. Putting one of the ear pieces in his right ear and activating the H-pod, he started to listen to a song from a band he personally knew called "The Fuse". He leaned back in his seat and continued to watch the radar screens while humming to the song.
The radar then beeped again, interupting Pappeto's relaxation while he was in the middle of the second song. He scowled and did a scan of the ship-no, four ships. Pappeto's eyes grew wide as he read the familiar information. It was the pirate gang on the hunt.
"Tusk! Your friends are back!"
A curse was heard in the engine room and Tuskano jumped out and went to where Pappeto was.
"My one engine wont give enough to let us run, and the ship doesn't have enough firepower to take them evenly. Did you ready everything just incase?"
Pappeto nodded. Along with watching the radar, his other job was to move their amor, weapons, as well as uploading data from the ship into the False Hope's ecsape pod's memory core. "All our gear along with the classified data and software are in there."
"Good, then prepare to abandon ship. Prepare a virus to wipe the ship's memory. I don't want pirates with a working Imperial ship." Tuskano moved to a consol and began readying a self-destruct sequence, pausing the timer at 5 minutes. Pappeto went and made sure all classified data was already in the escape pod or destroyed.
Tuskano crossed his arms and watched the radar, almost as if he was hoping the fighters would just turn and leave. They didn't. Almost as if in reponse, the four fighters turned in the direction where the False Hope hid. Could it be they spotted something? Could the engines be leaking plasma and left a trail? Tuskano did not like the though of that. If they made it past the mines, they would be on top of the False Hope in under 20 minutes.
Tuskano rubbed at his mask in thought as he watched 2 of the fighters break off to scout ahead. Pappeto finished the inventory as all that was left was the ship itself and the virus that was waiting to be released. Pappeto watched the screen with Tuskano as he waited for him to make the call.
"Set mines to all go off after 1 minute, the virus in 5, and rest the self destruct to 10. I will go up and rig the flight controls." Tuskano then went up to the bridge and began to program autopilot and turret control commands as Pappeto began to set and reset the timers. Pappeto finished and waited in the escape pod for Tuskano. Seconds later Tuskano came down and got into the escape pod. "Start the timers." Tuskano said and rested a finger near the launch button as both Operatives waited for the mines to go off.
YT-2400 The Blazing Nebula, 10k away from the ISS False Hope's location
A faint sound of music was heard throughout the aging YT-2400. A single orange haired human was sitting back in the lounge within the ship where the music was the loudest. Denton, or what he enjoyed being called, "The Brain" blinked as he leaned backup to reach a bottle of Correlian ale and downed the last of it. This is the life, he thought. Flying through space without a care for nothing, and with no one bothering him. At least for the next four days til he reaches his destination to drop off his 50 crates of ale. He even was able to haggle 2 boxes for himself to keep.
A beeping was heard. Ahh, the Nebula must have picked up another ship in the sector. I guess it's time to go to work and see whats up. Denton picked up a half empty bottle of Correlian ale and headed to the cockpit. He sat down in the pilot's chair and turned to talk to his copilot... and ended up looking down at the cursed copilot's chair that was void of any copilot. Oh yea, he was muggled and went missing at the last port, Denton thought.
"That one lasted... two ports." Denton said allowed. The copilots he hired never lasted long enough due to their experiance and the places the Blazing Nebula took them in its work. "Oh well, destined to live the ship life without a crew." Denton said to no one in perticular.
He checked the readout on the main consol to see if the Nebula was able to see what type of ship it picked up. It never gave detailed info, especialy at 10k away. Denton looked at what info it got. Four fighters of various classes. Denton's eyes grew more alert at the possibility of them being pirates and put a finger on the circut breaker that would activate the ships 2 droid defense turrets on just in case. He glared at the radar screen daring the fighters to change course and charge at him, ready to steal his crates of ale. They continued going in a straight line. Guess they are looking for bigger fish to kill. Denton slowly moved his finger from the turret controls and sat back in his chair as the Blazing Nebula continued to fly on autopilot.
Denton got up and went up to his top deactivated turret and climbed into the gunner's chair. He pressed a button giving the turret life and swung it 180 degrees around to continue to watch the fighters as they snooped around. One of Denton's favorite games was to watch stuff at a distance and drink, laughing at his live entertainment. It passed time, as well as increase his mood in long flights such as this. He could easily just jump into hyperspace but he hated computers, and he wanted to keep things simple.
The four fighters soon entered what looked to be the sight of a old space battle, it littered with wreaked ships. Maybe they did find something, he thought. In mid-drink from his ale he spotted a small explosion. From his distance it was a red dot, but no doubt it was a explosion. Denton cheered and almost hit his head on the top of the glass turret bubble. Soon more explosions followed and gave Denton a small light show. "Ha! Those idiots must have gone into a minefield! Serves them right!"
He then spotted another ship, bigger then the fighters, shoot out from the far side of the explosions. The fighters spotted it and began to pursue it, firing. Denton cheered it on as if he was watching a podrace. "Run! Run you stupid ship!" Denton wished he brought up more ale, maybe some food... but he dared not to go down and miss the rest of what happens. This was a rare showing of how lucky ships can get out in areas such as this.
As if the space god had changed his mind, an explosion appeared upon what seemed to be where the engines were, causing the fleeing ship to slow dramatically. Denton moaned as if his team just lost and watched as one of the fighters aproach the ship, then latch on to the airlock. Hopefully that ship's crew is good at close quarters combat, Denton thought.
A few minutes passed and the ship detached itself and began to fly slowly. The bigger ship followed the fighter as if attached by a harness. Denton squinted his eyes trying to make out the details but he was too far out. He dared not change course as he suspected the fighters to be watching him. The rest of the fighters flew in close formation, protecting their prize. They turned and began to fly out of the sector. Denton smiled, "What a show". He headed down to the cockpit to attempt to watch the departing ships through his radar as they were now out of eyesight.
Another ship was on radar, seemed the fighters had towed the ship to it and it was now heading off. "Now, if that ship they just caught was a cargo ship... that battle sight would be the best spot to hide the cargo... if its captain used his brains." Denton pondered on this. A minute passed and Denton grinned. "Wouldn't hurt to explore". Denton turned autopilot off and turned back.
He pressed his ship to it's fastest speed. His ship may not live through a fight but he perfected it with speed and agilaty. He won a few freighter races... they could get pretty interesting, especially through asteroid fields.
Soon he could make out the details of the wreaked ships. He was familiar with a few and checked the radar again. No one was following him, a good sign. Must mean those fighters got what they wanted. He checked for any power souces in the area. He slowed the ship and circled the area that the explosions had cleared all the space junk from. It was fairly big, most likely it was alot of firepower he had witnessed. A small power source lit up on his radar. Denton watched and nodded at his score. It was drifting, meaning it was a container of some sort.
"They don't call me the Brain for nothing", Denton said as he flew toward his mark. He spotted it through his viewport. A escape pod drifted before him, it's beacon calling for help.
Kinda hard to fit that in the cargo bay, last he needed was to crush his precious shipment. Only one spot... the Blazing Nebula's escape pod. Without a thought, he launched it with a press of a button. A consol nearby indicated the CAD's had gone off. With that done, he cut the engines and faced his ship 90 degrees and activated a mini tractor beam installed just for the job he was about to preform.
The Nebula drifted slowly towards the escaped pod. When the tractor beam was in range it began to line the escape pod up to attach. The escape pod slowly started to drift to the hatch and Denton made his way down to greet his luck. As he waited infront of the hatch, thoughts formed in his head. Instead of cargo, could it be starving people? Spice? Credits? Slaves? Empty? A trap? Useless cargo? Denton threw the last option out, it couldn't have been useless cargo otherwise they wouldn't have made the attempt to save it.
With the possiblility of a trap, Denton pulled a pistol from a holster on his waist. Denton frowned at the little gun, how that was to save him from a possible attack was beyond him. Why he even had it was another question. Denton looked around the surrounding room from another possible weapon as it was too late to go back to where he kept the bigger guns, then looked back to the hatch as it suddenly beeped, indicating it had pressurised. With no other options, Denton made another quick look around the room and grabbed the first thing he saw... a empty ale bottle. Denton smashed the bottom off and held it as if he was going to enter a bar fight. He faced the hatch with his pistol in his left and the bottle in his right and he hit the unlock button with the butt of his pistol and braced himself.
He never expected to be looking into the wrong ends of two modified carbines, held by two mercenary-like beings covered from head to toe in blood red armor.
The "We Frak Shit Up Gang" within Big G's droid supply ship, enroute to the Camden
El Dorado waited in his Kimogila as he waited to be cleared by the droid supply ship to land. He hated knowing that he was flying the workhorse of the gang. His engines had to be powerfull to push his ship with all it's missles and with that, he was the guy who had to pull the now disabled Decimator back to the supply ship so they could take it back to Big G. If they didn't disable the engines during the chase, he could have flown it.
It seemed so simple though... scatch that, almost simple. Obanion thought back to the events that had happened so fast. He was sure the others in the gang were thinking back as well, trying to recall what had happened.
Cobbler got hit by a remote mine.
The rest of the mines exploded.
During the explosions, Obanion flew out and fired at everything after Cobbler got out.
The Decimator flew out, trying to escape.
They followed and disabled it, along with it's turrets.
Obanion latched on to the airlock and entered with the rest of the gang securing the area.
Obanion entered with zero resistance.
A quick search reveiled a timer that was suspected to be to a bomb.
Locating wires, Obanion defused the bomb with two minutes left.
Obanion got back to his ship and towed the Decimator back to a waiting supply ship escorted by his gang.
It was too simple, but where did the crew go? Was it the ship itself that was running? Obanion El Dorado shaked his head and slowly taxied his Kimogila into the supply ship's small hanger as he got cleared and landed in a corner. He jumped out of his bomber and headed to where the rest of his gang had gathered.
Gripe Slayer nodded as El Dorado made it over. "Now that we have our catch, we head back. It is unfortuant that the ones flying this ship were not on board. I really wanted to see us kill a few souls as we captured this ship, but I have a fealing they are most likely already dead. There is nothing out there for them. So far, we just have one standing order... we are not to go into the Decimator. We don't want to mess anything up. What Dean?" Gripe Slayer, annoyed, looked to where Dean was with his hand raised.
Dean pointed to the shot up Decimator, parked on the other side of the hanger with a "you missed something" look on his face. A large hole where the escape pod would be was empty.
A smile formed on Gripe Slayer's face. "I have this urge to punch you... but you seem to be usefull for anything... you just earned yourself a nickname... Dean Wrench. Well then, they are still waiting for us to kill them out there. I'll ask G if we can get the last 10 minutes of the ship's log so we can see where it could be heading to. We will be back in business soon. Let's call it a night, we have a while to kill before we make it back."
With that, the gang split, each heading to do what they wanted as they waited for the supply ship they were on to take them back to the Camden.
The Blazing Nebula
Denton stared at the armored intruders, eyes wide. Not knowing what to do, or what their intentions were, he stood rock still... his hands still grasping the pistol and broken bottle, staring at the ends of the guns pointed at him. Both their carbines... wait, the short guy had one of those Trando hunting rifles with a obviously modified hand grip and Denton knew how powerful those were, and didn't want to feal it at close range.
He slowly moved his eyes to stare at the taller armored being who was wielding a Sfor carbine. Not wanting to feal what that felt like, he dropped both of his weapons and gave a big grin.
"Hey, you caught me guys... just don't take my ship or what's in it. Here, you can have that as a mommento." Denton pointed at a half filled crate of Ale chilling in the corner of the room.
Denton frowned as the two intruders were not in a joking mood. Their guns continued to point at Denton. The shorter one then finally spoke through his RIS helmet he was wearing, it's built breather masking the sound of his actual voice.
"We are not taking anything, though we do need to have you follow a ship. If you don't, we will tie you up and take it over. We have to follow it now. Are you the only one on board?"
Denton continued to stare at the guns. "Umm, no. There is a army of Stormtroopers in my closet." The guns didn't waver, finally convincing Denton to play nice. "Just me."
The one who spoke nodded and lowered his rifle. "Good, let us head to the cockpit then, I have a ship signature for you to upload. And call me Pappy, I have a fealing we can be good buddies."
Denton gave a nervous chuckle, his senses still giving him a fealing of danger. The taller one lowered his carbine slowly and continued to stare at Denton through his helmet as if looking into his soul. Pappeto glaced over to his friend, " Oh, and this is Tuskano, you could be friends with him too." Denton gave Tuskano a big grin and wave and began to make his way to the cockpit slowly, leading Pappeto and wanting to get away from the creepy masked man.
As soon as Denton and Pappeto left the room, Tuskano made sure the escape pod hatch was locked and then opened a nearby panel that connected to the launch controls of the escape pod to make a few security adjustments. After that, he began to do a sweep of the ship, checking for any traps or listening devices.
After a brief walk down the passageways Denton and Pappeto entered the cockpit. Denton made a vauge motion, sweeping his arm across the room as if doing a tour. "And last but not least is the cockpit, the main control room of the ship where the flying, communication, as well as dining occur. That is the end of the famous five minute tour of the Blazing Nebula. We will now be taking questions that anyone in the tour may have."
Pappeto chuckled as he looked over the various instruments of the cockpit from where he stood, finaly spotting the one he needed. He then pulled out a small data storage chip and motioned it to Denton. "Here, intstall this to that and have the ship read it. The the last estimated jump that the ship signiture on here took is what I want your ship to follow." Denton took the chip and moved over to the console to install the device under the watchfull eyes of Pappeto. After a few moments the task was done and Denton stood back and Pappeto nodded in satisfication as the Blazing Nebula immediatly changed course to where the ship that had picked up the fighters once was.
Tuskano entered the cockpit and kept to the back of it as Pappeto began to explain in further detail what was to be expected for Denton and his ship.
"Just to make things clear, we are not interested in stealing your ship or what is aboard it. You can have it back as soon as we are where we need to be and be on your merry way. Expect it to take as little as... let's say 3 weeks or so, but no more then a month. With me so far?"
I guess that guy won't be getting his shipment of ale, Denton thought. "I am in the middle of a shipment and the guy on the end will be very pissed at me. I can't afford to be losing customers. But, if the payment is good..." Denton stopped at his hint of paying, a thoughtful look on his face towards the two.
"Are you a gambling man Mr... I never did catch your name." Pappeto waited until Denton finally answered.
"Denton, and yea, off and on."
"Good. Let me just say it would depend on where our ship turns out at. If it is at some big place... take what you want, we won't stop you. But, if it is at some run down place, there may not be much. If it does come down to that, we could just be simple and pay you with a conciderable sum of credits. Either way you would get something out of it."
Denton thought this over. "It must be a very important ship then yes?"
Pappeto shrugged and said simply, "Just your top of the line modified Imperial hardware. You should know how important somethings from the Empire are."
"Imperials huh? Out here? All the gangs would swoop down on them if they set one foot in the Unknown Regions. It must boost some good stuff."
Pappeto slowly nodded and glanced to Tuskano and got a idea. "Yes, this perticular one we are after sports some good IFF systems, makes it practally invisible to radar. Maybe we could lend you blueprints if you are really good. You could smuggle out here more efficently if you are not seen."
Grinning, Denton liked that idea. Able to fly under pirate's noses and not get seen. He liked that idea. "I'm in then, you got yourself a ship."
Pappeto grinned back and gave a firm handshake to their new addition to the team. Tuskano had already slung his carbine and gave a handshake as well, which was unlike him. But, with the recent loss of his Decimator, he must have been in a very good mood that they would have a chance to get it back. He knew he must have been torn with giving the destruction order and he was quiet the whole time in the escape pod whatching the moniters and radar.
"I have to do a few things, be right back." Tuskano said and then slipped off. Pappeto nodded and then shortly told Denton that he would be back as well as he had to take his armor off. Before he left, Pappeto gave Denton one of those I-dare-you-to-try-something stares. It was just a few seconds but Denton believed he got the message.
"Frak", Denton simply thought. He continued to sit in the cockpit.
Back in the escape pod Tuskano had already shead his red colored armor off. Keeping the red bodysuit as well as the face mask on, he had put some baggy pants on and then pulled a brown hooded robe over it all. He then pulled a few items from his satchel and placed them in pockets in the inside of the robe. He just finished locking his satchel up in a locker when Pappeto entered who had apparently already taken off what was concidered armor while he had walked from the cockpit. He then threw on a jacket and headed back out after giving a nod to Tuskano.
Tuskano then closed the escape pod door after he had left and then powered up one of the communication computers. After entering a few passwords, he began to type.
TOP SECRET
0538 EMPIRE STANDARD TIME 16 September 5 ABY
FROM OPERATIVE GHOST
TO MASTERMIND
COPY TO CLONE RED INTEL BASE
SITUATION REPORT #36
AT 0100 6 OCTOBER 5 ABY, FOUR PIRATE FIGHTERS OF SAME IDENTIFICATION AS DESCRIBED IN EARLIER MESSAGES, LOCATED IMPERIAL SCOUT SHIP "FALSE HOPE" DECIMATOR CLASS MODIFIED WHILE IT WAS WAITING FOR A IN SPACE REPLENISHMENT FROM NEARBY IMPERIAL STAR DESTROYER "AQABA". AT TIME OF AMBUSH OPERATIVES WERE PREPARING SHIP FOR ENGINE REMOVE AND REPLACE WITH IFF OPERATING AND HIDING THE DECIMATOR WITHIN THE DESTROYED REMAINS OF AN OLD BATTLE SITE, POSSIBLY FROM A LONG FINISHED GANG WAR. OPERATIVES HAD ALSO PLACED MINES AROUND AREA ALONGSIDE MINES FROM DEAD BATTLE. SECOND SET OF MINES HIDDEN WITHIN VARIOUS SHIP WREAKS.
BY RADAR TRACKING, PIRATE FIGHTERS WERE SPOTTED BEFORE FIRING RANGE. IT IS UNKNOWN HOW DECIMATOR WAS FOUND. ONLY CONCLUSION AT TIME IS BY VISUAL AFTER EXPLORING BATTLE SITE. CAPTAIN OF THE DECIMATOR ORDERED ABANDON SHIP AND FOLLOWED DESTRUCTION OF SHIP PROCEDURES DUE TO THE DECIMATOR BEING UNSUITABLE FOR COMBAT. JETTISONED ESCAPE POD LOADED WITH SAVED INTEL AND OPERATIVES DURING MANUAL MINE ACTIVATION USED AS DISTRACTION. THE DECIMATOR, UNTER AI CONTROL, LEAD PIRATE FIGHTERS AWAY FROM ESCAPE POD LOCATION AND FORTY SECONDS LATER WAS DISABLED BY PIRATE FIGHTER'S WEAPONS.
SHIP DETONATION WAS ABORTED BY ONE PIRATE FIGHTER WHO BOARDED DECIMATOR AND LIKELY ABORTED DETONATION MANUALY. THE DECIMATOR WAS TOWED BY TRACTER BEAM FROM ONE FIGHTER WHILE THE THREE OTHER FIGHTERS PROVIDED ESCORT, TO NEARBY CARGO FRIEGHTER EQUIPPED WITH HANGER TO HOLD BOTH FIGHTERS AND DECIMATOR. ALL BOARDED AND FRIGHTER MADE JUMP TO HYPERSPACE.
EARLIER SCANS UPON FRIGHTER FURTHER IDENTIFIED IT TO BE UNDER DROID CONTROL WITH NO ORGANIC CREW AND POSSIBLY OWNED BY ONE OF THE MAJOR GANGS IN A NEABY SECTOR DUE TO ITS SIZE AND DROID DEFENCE SYSTEM.
APPROXIMATLY ONE HOUR WAIT UNTIL PASSING YT-2400 "BLAZING NEBULA" PICKED UP ESCAPE POD WITH OPERATIVES. OPERATIVES USING YT-2400 WITH FULL COOPERATION FROM CAPTAIN TO FOLLOW DECIMATOR TRACKING DEVICE.
K. EM'ASEP, SFC
TOP SECRET
Satisfied with his report, Tuskano began typing up a fake spam message to hide the main message within and after he was done he sent it in fragments to the communications building at Major Robert Rogers Military Arsenal, Mos Eclipse, Lok.
The "We Frak Shit Up Gang"
Gripe Slayer sighed as he came into the main hanger where his gang's ships and their trophey sat for the hundredth or so time. He lost count how much times he went into there to clean his Rihkxyrk (which usually ended up with him sitting on top of the fighter watching holo videos) or do checks for the sake of having something to do. The past days aboard Big G's droid ship had blurred together thanks to the compliment of alcohol found in the living spaces of the ship, most likely as thanks from Big G himself.
The rest of the gang had looked to be in the same mood as Gripe Slayer whenever he had ran into anyof them amoung the droid ship's dull passageways. From the way things had went the droid ship was obviously not built for speed but to just get whatever it had from point A to point B. Gripe Slayer had just started watching one of his holo videos in his quarters when the whole ship shook slightly as it exited hyperspace.
"About time", Gripe Slayer said as he got up from his bed and shuffled over to the one window the room had to peer out. The clean, white painted nose of Big G's cruise ship Camden was able to be seen. Looks like the gang won again, Gripe Slayer thought to himself. He couldn't wait to get paid and get some off time. He needed it, as well as his gang. He went over to where he had his stuff laid out from his bag and started shoving them back inside, not forgeting what was left of the complament alcohol. As soon as he was done, he put his flightsuit back on and threw his bag across his back and headed out of his quarters to get his gang prepared.
The Camden, docking bay 56
Big G entered the observation room just as the droid cargo vessel pulled in and begin unloading procedures. He crossed his arms and watched as his prize hovered out assisted by acouple of repulser lift droids the size of speeders. He frowned as he saw the state the ship was in and made a note to inform his lead mechanic that this was to be top priority. He continued to watch as the Decimator was hauled through a set of hanger doors out of the docking bay to its own hanger. The observation room's door opened and Big G glanced to the window's reflection to see who it was. His gang of the moment entered the room wearing cleaned flightsuits.
Gripe Slayer spoke first. "Like your new toy?" Big G then turned shaking his head, "You could've shot at it less. I'll have to show you how it's done next time. So... you said no one was aboard? Easy catch?"
Gripe Slayer had wondered this, perhapse it was too easy. In isolated space secters like the one he worked within, they always came with a price. "Correct... no one was aboard. And, it was too easy, all needed to be done was deactivate a bomb. We never did see the escape pod missing until we had it in the hanger."
Cobbler spoke up, "They'll never last in the void. We were far from any of the spacelanes the smugglers take. It was in an old battle site so it could have also ran into debris."
Big G chuckled, "I wouldn't believe that, things could happen. If they turn out to be alive, I'll gun you all down... fair?" The four pilots nodded, fealing uneasy. Today was not the time to break G's good mood. "Ok, you guys can go, I'll think of a reward. This is an above average job that is need of a reward better then the average credits" Big G finally said.
The WFSU gang filed out of the observation room, wanting to get to where their bunks were and forget about the day, leaving Big G to his thoughts. As they made their way to one of the main passageways, questions formed in their minds.
"So... if he isn't going to pay us credits, how are we going to restock on supplies and ordinance for our ships?" Dean wondered aloud.
Obanion answered as that had crossed his mind as well. "No, we'll still get all that. That we should get regardless."
Dean nodded, the question making much sence. "I wonder what we'll get paid then. New ships?"
"Never! I would just use it for spare parts to make my own better. Nothings replacing my fighter!" Cobbler said. "He should give us a ship of our own so we don't have to fly back here all the time to repair or refuel. Maybe give us that droid ship we were on... but better then that."
Gripe Slayer grinned. "I like the idea of a base of our own. But G wouldn't give us that, he wants to limit our advanment. I doubt he would want us to be mobile."
"We could always seek work elsewhere, or just play pirates on the smugglers and joy riders with our own rules." Obanion said out of nowhere.
"No, we stay employed here no question asked. We need food and a roof over our heads and I don't like the sound of living in my fighter. Talking like that can get you killed here." Gripe Slayer said, laying down the law. Last he needed was a bounty hunter after him sent by Big G. Things were going smoothly here and it was hard to find a job, much less for employers that paid decently.
Obanion El Dorado nodded, but that thought still lingered in the back of his thoughts. Even though work here was good, there was still that thought that he could do better. When that time came, he planned to take hold of it and have the rest of the gang do the same.
Finally reaching the ship's quarters, the gang split to do what they pleased until Big G called them again.
The Camden, maintenance control room 49
"Chief" Deckert always thought of himself as mysterious. He even concidered himself to be one of those laser sword wilding jedi, though he had no formal training and never owned a lightsaber. Even though he worked in the maintenance department, his signature clothing was a brown robe. Nowadays he would often think he saw a desk move, or a chair roll a few millimeters during his "training" sessions he would have on his time off.
He entered the spacious room and sat at his consol surronded by datapads. After logging in, he checked the ship lists and a new name caught his attention. "A Decimator?! Why wasn't I told of this?" He logged off and was just about to call about the new ship when the lead mechanic entered the room.
"Chavez, you know anything about a decimator?" Deckert barked.
"Olsen came in a few minutes ago before you came in with a datapad Chief. It may be that one... there." Chavez pointed to a clean datapad that was separated from the rest on Deckert's desk. Chief picked it up and read its contents. "Its from G himself. I'll be back, hold tight. Have everyone wait in here after tools are checked." Chief got up and walked out the door with the datapad.
Chief wondered why G had wanted to brief him personally. "It must be a new toy, I hate to see the list of gripes and maintenace action forms on this one", Chief mumbled to himself. He made his way to Big G's office and was let in immediatly.
"What's this about a decimator G?" Chief asked, getting down to the point of the conversation. He hated being surprised with new ships. Not like they appeared alot, but having a new one appear on the list of ships needing repair was very unexpected. He had phases to scheduale, 14 through 56 days preformed, a conditional inspection had to be done on that one ship due to a asteroid strike... his list could go on.
"This perticular ship is now your first prioraty. It has to be repaired and sent to the restoration department as soon as its funtional check flight is completed" Big G finally said. The long list of inspections and repairs of other ships in Chief's mind went down the drain at that statement. Big G continued as if reading Chief's mind, "I'll get other crews on the rest of the ships you had, your only focus is on this ship. There are some MAFs on it already and it is expecting a new escape pod. I think after a month the majority of the gripes should be fixed. I'll forward you all the details to your shop."
Chief nodded, already thinking up a system on how to finish this job without wasting time. "I'll have my guys get on it then right away. I'll let them know now on this." He turned to leave and the doors opened on their own to let him through as he went back down to his maintenace shop. Big G watched him go satisfied, yet a question suddenly popped into his mind. I never did press the butten to open those doors for him, how did they open? He shook the question off and went about his duties.
Back at the shop, the maintenance crew was already waiting for Chief as he entered through the front doors. "Well, by order of G we have new prioraties. The phases and work on the other ships that we were planning to continue today are no more." Chief continued walking to the other door in the shop that lead through to the hangers and checked outside to locate the new ship. He spotted it at the end of the hanger near a Ixyien undergoing exterior framework repair and went back into the shop to continue his brief.
"What we are now focusing on is a Decimator that just came in within the last week I think. We have around a month to get it FCF ready. I want the phase coordinators to get a agenda planned out for it. You guys see the gripes yet?" Chief headed to his consol to check the gripes himself as he waited for a confirmation on his question.
Five seconds later Chavez spoke up. "I checked it after you had asked about a decimator. Most are inspections but after those I think we will gather up the gripes." Chief nodded as he read the inspections himself. Most were phase and conditional inspections involving battle damage. "Are tools checked?" There were nods as the maintainers said they had. Chief took his robe off as he began to prepare himself to inspect the ship. "Ok then, leads get your workers ready for ship inspections in accordance with what you guys have listed and begin those. Phase coodinators, stay in here. Lets go." With that, the maintainers checked out their toolboxs, put themselves "in work" for their assinged MAFs, and headed out to the decimator to begin the starting inspections. Chief stood behind with Chavez and a Electrician by the name of Schriener to begin forming a workable agenda.