Star Wars OPEN Star Wars: Black Sheep (Always Accepting New Players)

IC: Jocelyn “Joy” Sunwalker, Anais Corrin
Landing Pad
Naboo

Jocelyn was shooting at the stormtroopers providing covering fire for the retreating Rebels. She had been shocked when she saw Lou, all covered in blood. At first she was concerned that she might have been hurt, but then saw the body of the trooper.

Joy was glad to see that Anais had joined them. The problem remained how to sell it to Flagg and then to Wellings. But need to take things one step at a time.

The lightsaber shocked her, she almost forgot to take cover from a stormtrooper shooting at her. Though things started falling into place, seeing that it was Amber wielding it. That incident in the hangar made more sense now. Was that a Gungan holding a battle droid head?

"We've got our ride Sheep, let's go!"

That was her cue, she signalled Anais to cover her. Jocelyn ran towards the gunship trying to keep a low profile. She stopped at the gunship’s bay door and started shooting at the remaining stormies allowing for Anais to join them. So they both entered. Jocelyn tried to smile at her ex, then seeing Lou and Ianna she smiled at them too.

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik , @Vehn , @galactic-vagabond422 , Anyone

 

Maxime “Max” Pallas
Loading dock, Naboo wedding villa
Winning friends and influencing people…

I am absolutely SURROUNDED by idiots! Max had had enough. Amber’s sulks, the prisoner’s shrill protests that he was on the Sheeps’ side, Ethan’s pretense that he was somehow more noble than the rest of them…she was done. The Bandits wouldn’t have put up with this poodu. She looked around. No sign of Akiva, and she’d also had enough of this stupid growling fluffball chewing her thumb off. She brought up her hand, used her other hand to prise the small creature’s jaws open, freeing herself, then stuffed it into her pocket, fastening the clasp shut. Chak was squeaking in impotent fury, but Max was done caring.

“We’ve got our ride, Sheep! Let’s go!” She looked up, startled, and almost laughed. Flagg had taken over the gunship. Okay, it wouldn’t get them back to the Intrepid, but maybe they could make it to the Valkyria, which obviously wasn’t coming for them.

She looked around again. The prisoner was ignoring her orders, and was trying to lift Amber. Kayn was on the other side. Max shook her head in disbelief. Seriously? Red hair, a bad attitude, and she had males swooning over her. Incredible. Might be something to remember in the future. Could be useful. She looked at Malek, who was also watching the unconscious girl anxiously. His skin was gray, sweaty, and the hand with the blaster was shaking. She could see a lot of blood oozing from his shoulder. She marched up to him, slapping the hand with the weapon away from her. “You’re going into shock,” she said flatly. “And don’t ever point a weapon at me again.” Like he'd ever have the stones to actually use it.

She walked past Kayn on to the ship, looking around and finding the first aid kit. “Here,” she said, passing it to her flight leader. “Can you give Vet a hand?” she asked. “He’s hit. Looks like he’s bleeding out, subclavicular artery.” She saw the Devaronian look uncertainly at Amber. “She’s only stunned,” Max assured him. “She’ll be her usual charming self in about fifteen minutes. I wouldn’t worry about her. I’ve got to secure the prisoners.”

Now she went to the Imp, who was standing looking down at Amber. She slapped a pair of binder cuffs from the dead Deathtrooper over his wrists, and punched him hard at the small of the back. Now she checked him carefully, searching for hidden weapons, commlinks, the small devices that could be used to disengage the binders. She was thorough, she'd hidden enough stuff herself to know both the obvious and not-so obvious places to look. Finally satisfied, she took his commlink, datapad, code cylinders and everything else he had on him. She'd have to turn them over to Wallings in the debrief, but not until after she'd had a look herself.

“When I tell you to get on the ground, you stay on the ground until I tell you otherwise, understand?” she said coldly. And then, with a sudden evil inspiration, she beckoned to Harley, the new girl. “Hey, can you guard the prisoner?” she asked. “If he moves, shoot him.”

Harley’s eyes lit up. “Sure thing, toots!” she said happily.

The rest of the Sheep were straggling aboard. Max paused at the body of a dead stormtrooper, retrieving another pair of binders, then walked up to the young Imperial woman who had followed Sunwalker on to the ship. She smacked them on to the woman’s wrists. This Imp resisted, and Max had to use her entire body to slam the girl against the side of the gunship to get the gun away from her. Joy’s jaw dropped, and she opened her mouth to protest. “Don’t you know you’re supposed to take weapons away from prisoners?” said Max. To the woman, she said, “Over there. Next to your buddy.”

TAG: @TheAdmiral, @The Real Kyp Durron, @Anedon, @Mitth_Fisto, @Sarge, @Bardan_Jusik

 

IC: Kayn "Irked, Yet Impressed" Balzroth
Last Ticket Out

Max certainly has a cool head, and good command presence, thought Kayn. Not the best at dealing with people, though. A snicker sounded in the back of his head. Shut up, Paladin, I ain't go time for no ghost.

“And don’t ever point a weapon at me again.” said Max. Kayn shook his head, that was too much.

"For crying out loud, Max, you just shot Vixen, and you're complaining about a squadmate pointing a weapon at you? Here, you take the medikit and patch up Vet. Or else you can put your arms around him and hug it out until you each say one nice thing about the other. Your choice."

And if she can deal with that, I'll probably recommend her for a promotion when we get back to the ship.

TAG: @Mistress_Renata @Anedon and all the riled up Sheep in the pen​

 

Ic MacKenzie Hollymander
Ouch......on the deck.


Looking down at Amber, he thought briefly about the conversation they needed to have, but that was for later. He knew it was going to be a tense one to say the very least.


“She’s only stunned she’ll be her usual charming self in about fifteen minutes. I wouldn’t worry about her. I’ve got to secure the prisoners.” Suddenly someone was putting a pair of trooper cuffs on him, he looked up at the woman, the same one who’d taken Amber down and he’d disobeyed earlier. She clearly was not a people person. A woman of actions that were speaking louder than any words could as she then proceeded to relieve him of anything and everything he had and thumped him in the small of his back! He knew the drill and duly collapsed to his knees before sitting and resting against the bulkhead beside the flopped body of his sister in law. ‘Could have just asked’ he mused as he squirmed at the ache left by her fist, ‘then again, she would expect me to disobey again.’ He watched her with his possessions, there was something there that was personal, special, he hoped she’d not lose or break it. He tried not to sigh again, this was horribly disorganised, messy, dangerous and for him, frustrating. ‘Patience’ he told himself, all he needed to do was be compliant and patient.



Tag Anyone nearby who has something to add

 

~IC~ Cassim Arturo (Captain Cassell “Skipper” Wystari) and Jacqueline Nought (Flight Officer “Harley” Quin)
Location: Naboo Villa, Landing Platform

Out of the frying pan and into the furnace.

Cassell grimaced, he dropped and slammed his back against the broken statue's base, he grabbed Harley's hand and pulled her down with him.

"What's the big idea?" She protested, "We're missing the party!"

Several scarlet bolts whizzed overhead, impacts could be felt on the other side of their cover. What he would do for a blaster right about now…

"When you said 'after party', not what I had in mind, sweetheart!" He retorted

"Your horoscope said to try new things!" She laughed gleefully and leapt back up.

He pulled her back down to safety. She landed half-atop of him. "If ya wanted a kiss, save it for the mistletoe, Mr S. We've got company!"

Confound her! The young rascal! Can she not see she was going to get herself killed, or worse, someone else in the squadron. They were down two members already…

He looked over to the rest of the squadron as they engaged in battle for the landing platform. Each beat shown with crystal clarity to his eyes as time seemed to slow down enough to reflect upon the cacophony taking place.

Poor Ianna, the young lass looked traumatised in her once splendid, but now ragged gown. At least the Commander was true to his word and kept Ianna safe by bringing her from out in the open and over to cover… only for him to go back out in it.

"How can I be your ballerina bodyguard when you won't let me?" She tried to break free.

"What are we supposed to do, huh? Ask them to cease fire while we garrotte them with my sash?" Cassell countered to Harley. "We're unarmed. Think smartly, our positions, the assets and geography…"

She poked her tongue at him but before he could say anymore, there came a sound he had not heard in what felt like another lifetime: The snap-hiss of a lightsaber.

Amber? What are you doing, lass? He thought sadly as he saw her with Ethan, purple blade in hand. She went from wanting to keep her history a secret to baring it all to everyone about her, worse-to the enemy during the fledgling level of her abilities.

"Why do redheads get all the fun?" Harley pouted.

Glancing passed Lou, who had arrived to tend to Ianna, he spied Kayn laying down suppressing fire, Zara, Akiva and Max not far off, the Boss and the droids… a couple in Imperial uniform… recognised Joy's face but not of the other by her side… He furrowed his brow, trying to garner the significance of that. Everywhere he looked everyone was performing out of character to their assigned aliases. With guests too who would be a liability to the squadron, compromising their identities...

If they follow proper protocol, they should be alright… however, if today was anything to go by, protocol had been thrown out the window already. Like this statue they were covering behind. Fraternising with the opposition, shooting up a landing platform, bringing 'guests' with them as they escape… who knows who else watching? That question kept nagging at the back of his mind as the skirmish played out. The snipers were proof that their activities here are compromised. There was no way he was going to add to that chaos and expose the squadron to further harm by making a big play. Why risk their identities and leave a trail of breadcrumbs back to the Intrepid? They need to keep their anonymity. Why risk it all here?

A shot from Max had brought Amber down, in doing so, her actions had taking more squadron members out of the fight to tend to her. Whose side was everyone on? Pirates! A band of misfits! At least the Boss was on top of things, securing the gunship. There was still hope yet. A way to salvage things.

"Jacqueline…" Cassell used Harley's alias and got her attention.

She frowned, her expression serious.

"What ever happens, follow my lead." He said to her.

"Can you be any more specific?"

As the last trooper dropped, the smell of ozone permeated the air. Cassell stood up, his hands raised in a non-threatening way. Harley slowly rose too, mimicking his actions. Her eyes to him and to the destruction she had missed out on participating in. Her gaze went back to him.

"Don't be alarmed…" his eyes flicker to the one called Mixer, to Joy and to the others. "… we mean you no harm, just simple guests… a good samaritan if you will. I wouldn't advise harming us… though I know you won't allow us to leave."

Harley did a double take, wide-eyed look as he brought his wrists together.

"I suppose I am to be your prisoner."

---

Harley kept chatting as they were brought alongside the gunship. "Yeah, he's pretty wealthly, loaded actually… might want to-hey!" She glared to Cassell who nudged her with his elbow. Speaking from the side of her mouth. "I'm trying to save our skins."

"Duly noted." Cassell muttered under his breath.

It wasn't long before Cassell found himself cuffed. He took a spot next to Commander Hollymander. "Sorry you had been dragged into this…" He said apologetically. "...the kindness of strangers... We both had honourable intentions. However, the distressing damsels turned to be sirens, luring us close and dashing our ships across the rocks."

TAG: Commander MacKenzie, everyone else.

 

IC MacKenzie Hollymander
Trussed up.



MacKenzie turned to eye the man, it was clear to him at the start of all this that he was one of the Rebels, now he was giving those around him the impression he wasn't. Cannot hurt to play along, there just may be a method to his madness. "That would be an understatement." he muttered back.

Looking around at the group assembled, he saw another Imperial who seemed to be out of place, the fact she was bound as he was gave it away. He wasn't aware of any other infiltrators, but that did not mean there weren't any. He knew the woman's name and rank thanks to his steal trap memory but was not aware of anything she'd done in the past to indicate she may not be all she looked to be.

"Seems to me we are not the only ones." he added nodding in Anais direction. “I suspect the lady is the real deal as opposed to ourselves.” He added under his breath.




Tag @Corellian_Outrider @Adalia-Durron (if she wakes)

 

~OOC~ Brief joint post with @The Real Kyp Durron, thank you for that

~IC~ Cassim Arturo (Captain Cassell “Skipper” Wystari) and Jacqueline Nought (Flight Officer “Harley” Quin) + Commander Hollymander MacKenzie
Location: Naboo Villa, Landing Platform

Cassell looked to Harley, she gave him a wink in return. Somehow she had worked her silver tongue and got the role in guarding them. He looked over to who the Commander spoke off, the unknown Imperial that had been with Joy, and inclined his head as an acknowledgement to her.

"Possibly, you can never tell about people, can you?" He murmured back to the Commander. "Take Ms Nought… came highly recommended. The best at what she does."

"Oh? What does she do?" MacKenzie looked to the Zeltron guarding them.

"I haven't the faintest." Cassell answered deadpanly. "Still working that out myself."

"I'm a psychiatrist, dummy." She flashed her teeth and gave a patronising smile.

"I'm sure you got your next patient lined up." He inclined his head in the direction of Lou.

She looked over and smacked her lips. "Sure, I can pencil her and a few others into my schedule."

TAG: Commander MacKenzie, everyone else

 

IC: Akiva Lurell 'Wolf'
Leaving the Wedding, out the back door and into the mincer

As they fired their last shots to take out the stormtroopers Akiva nodded to the woman who had stepped out to help them. "We're not going back." was all she said as she shifted her blades holding up the death troopers body to let it drop to the floor.

Others were scrambling to take advantage of the way out Flag had secured, and that was now clear from some good shooting. Still, looking over she smelled the burnt husks that spoke of someone other than stupid humans dying in this conflict. Other than Imperials. Looking at the freshly dropped body and noted some more weapons on his person, eyeing a couple in particular she bent down. Taking his thermals. . . no wait, that red glow was a sonic imploder. Perfect.

Sprinting over to the downed members, who besides the outspoken she did not really know, but they deserved to keep their families safe. Their privacy secure, even in death. She set a bomb and with a flourish of her free arm blades she opened the downed members, implanted a set bomb inside each body, and then nodded her farewell to these comrads. Ninety seconds should be enough time. "Ninety to pop." She called out as she saw Chak, "[Playtime over.]" she barked out which let the little fellow know to let go and return to her as fast as its eight little legs would carry it as she joined the others on the transport.

It was time to go.

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik , @Everybody

 

IC: Maxime “Max” Pallas, Eliana “Mixer” Saeli
Aboard the Imperial Gunship, Naboo wedding villa

Max had obtained the rank chits from the other Imperial prisoner, but Sunwalker intervened when she started to search for weapons, glaring at her. Max shrugged, and boarded, more than ready to be gone. Someone had taken care of Malek, she noticed. He was bandaged, and his color was better. Tehanis was propped up against a wall. Max bent to take her pulse. Her heartrate had slowed to normal, and it was strong and steady. Lightly, Max rested her fingertips on the girl’s ribcage. Breathing shallow but steady. She’d probably be awake by the time they reached the Valkyria.

She looked at the prisoners, and did a double take. Wystari was there, on the floor, between them. Max looked at Harley.

“It’s okay,” said the Zeltron. “We just got another prisoner!” She winked at Max, while Skipper looked up at her meekly.

“Um…” Max looked uncertainly from one to another. “He’s a civilian. We’re only taking Imps.”

“He surrendered to us,” said Harley, “So now he’s our prisoner!” She leaned forward and whispered in Max’s ear, “It’s okay, Toots, Puddin’s got a plan!”

A plan? That sounded ominous. Max looked back at Skipper, who raised an eyebrow slightly. What are you up to, old man? She sighed, too tired to argue. She’d been on her feet for five hours, setting up tables and chairs, hauling heavy trays of food and drink up and down two levels, dragging trash around… and that didn’t include all the work she’d done that was actually mission-related. “Fine,” she said, wondering why the senior officers weren’t doing all of this. “You know the drill…confiscate weapons, comms, datapads, any identifying markers and hold them to turn in when we get back.”

“Rogah, wilco!”

Max looked at two other civilians who had somehow gotten aboard. One was the Gungan she’d spoken to earlier. He was damp, as if he’d been swimming, and he was surveying the team warily, with the head of what looked like a droid tucked under his arm. A large…creature…lounged at his feet, with its tongue hanging out. Next to him, the catering manager was there, almost quivering with tension, her eyes darting from person to person.

“Our quarrel isn’t with civilians,” said Max. “We’ll find a way to get you somewhere safe before we bug out of here.”

At her words, Eliana laughed slightly; nervous but relaxing at the thought of finally being away from Naboo. At least until it's free from the Empire. "I haven't been around so many people since the Rebel Cell I was with was betrayed." Eliana shrugged, but her eyes seemed sad. "You are Rebels right?" She said with a smile and then she held out her hand to Max.

"Eliana Saeli. I wasn't expecting anyone else to be after the Empire tonight." She tilted her head toward Buddy. "It's nice to know we're not alone." There was uncertainty in her voice, like she didn't quite believe this was real. "But security on Naboo with be doubled after this, it won't be so easy for the Rebels to scale a full attack just yet."

It took Max a few moments to process all that. "A Rebel cell? On Naboo?" she said. "We were told there weren't any. We were told we were on our own once we touched down."

Eliana shook her head. "The rebellion didn't like us much. We are loyalists to our queen. And we were more violent then the Rebellion liked." She sighed, shaking her head. "But they’re gone now."

"Mine, too," said Max, thinking of Hoth. The woman was a puzzle. She could be an Imperial spy, this would be the perfect way for them to slip one of their people in undetected. Her last comment, about Rebel plans for a full scan attack, could be a way to try to fish out information, and could have slipped info about the event to the Rebels to give her a chance to infiltrate. On the other hand, she could be exactly who she said she was. And would the Empire sacrifice so many of their best and brightest just to allow a spy an in? Max had seen 2 Grand Moffs and 4 sector Moffs, along with the Grand Admirals of the Seventh and Fourth fleets. They could have used a smaller raid or event to infiltrate her. Max couldn't decide. Still, Eliana was from Naboo, which Max found interesting.

Palpatine was from Naboo, a Dark Jedi. Most people didn't believe this, but Max knew better. She and a few others felt that the Clone Wars had been a false flag operation, designed to raise him up as the Emperor. And yet, it was the Naboo Crisis that had brought him to power as Chancellor. Could that have been the true start of the false flag effort? She didn't know enough about the Naboo Crisis to be able to figure it out.

Max sank to the floor with a heavy sigh, wincing at the twinge from her wound. "So, why 'Mixer'? Good at bartending? I hope?"

Eliana grinned shyly. "It was from a clone that taught us at the Academy. Before I escaped." He was tall, grey haired and a sharpshooter. "I have an affinity for languages, so mixer comes from that." She shrugged. "I don't know how good at bartending I'd be." She looked around the the ship, trying her best to stop shaking. They seem nice but what if they turn me over to the Rebel Command? Executing Imperials doesn't exactly go over well with them.

The two young women fell silent as the pitch of the engines increased. They were more than ready to leave.

TAG: @BobaMatt (since Bolo is standing nearby), @Bardan_Jusik, Anyone

 

IC: Bolo Lappie
Imperial gunship

Bolo snorted. A little bit despite himself, of course, but a little bit not. He swiveled an eyestalk to see the rebel women had fallen silent. He cleared his gangly throat, allowing the back of his head to rest against the bulkhead. "'Rebel cell on Naboo?'" He groaned. "'They're gone now?' You humans are all the same. Doesn't matter where you're from. But the Naboo especially. You should know better. 'They're gone now.' Fah! Did your precious fighters ever bother looking in the swamps? Did you forget Amidala already? The Theed resistance and the Keren cell were dilettantes playing soldier. My people have been resisting oppression for a thousand years and you never come to us until it's too late. Then we die for you in droves. And for what? To wind up second class citizens on our own planet again."

He exhaled deeply. He'd spoken too much, but there was no way out but through, now. "I fought under General Binks, and when the Clone Wars came here I fought again. I've been banished from the bubble cities, but...if I were still there I know we'd be fighting the Empire all the same." He sighed. "I mean this is a lake villa! On a lake! We're amphibians! What were you thinking?!"

He was exhausted. He just wanted to be home. Pep was sniffing around, now. Bolo sniffed, too. Depleted, staring at the floor, he muttered. "Does someone here have a voorpak? It smells like voorpak. Pep might...he's eaten voorpaks before, so be...careful or whatever..."

TAG: @Mistress_Renata, @Bardan_Jusik, All

 

IC: Eliana Saeli
Imperial Gunship

Eliana listened with sympathy, nodding once he was finished. "If there are other cells I don't know about them. We hid in the forests, going to Theed would have been to risky." At the mention of Amidala; Eliana said a silent prayer. We need a leader like her again.

"Queen Amidala was the best Queen Naboo ever had. My commander told me about her." And then, "I'm sorry we didn't think of you and your people sir." There was a sincere tone to her voice as she spoke.

Tag: @Bardan_Jusik @Mistress_Renata @BobaMatt

 

~OOC~ Thank you @The Real Kyp Durron for this joint post, it was fun.

~IC~ Cassim Arturo (Captain Cassell “Skipper” Wystari) + Commander Hollymander MacKenzie
Location: Naboo - Imperial Gunship

Remaining silent, MacKenzie watched as the woman who'd shot Amber checked her pulse and breathing. Her concern did not seem to be on a personal level, more of a 'if I kill her the Brass will be angry' kind of level. As she moved away talking to the second woman who'd come down the hidden passages with him, he began to look around at the rag tag group now on board the ship. Hardly a 'crack team' and he began to wonder if he'd made the right decision for the right reasons in surrendering his cover.

"You'd think we be leaving now before the garrison comes down and rescue us?" Cassell muttered under his breath.

Beneath them the Engines began to rumble and without attracting attention by turning to face the man he lowered his chin to his chest and muttered "I think we are."

"Oh good, it makes you wonder…"

"About?"

Cassell sighed "...about this band of pirates and about what in blazes is going on."

He couldn't help but turn to the man with a raised eyebrow. Something wasn't right but it wasn't for him to question that, not yet anyway. Lowing his eyes again he shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine at this point."

"Now, the Red Claw bandits that operate over near the Corporate Sector... very elusive." Cassell started. "Very few who encountered them live to tell the tale... rarely more than one survivor, the rest wiped out or taken as prisoners, sold as slaves…"

MacKenzie closed his eyes, he needed to think for a moment before he responded. Slavers this group were not, he knew exactly what they were, who they were. "They're Rebels." he said honestly deciding it was the best policy.

"...the Zygerrians on the other hand, they have the monopoly on-" Cassell stopped at what the Commander had said. "Rebels? Nonsense. Rebels are more professional than that. If they were, we would know. Going by those charges, Naboo based operation and upstaging a political wedding here, I believe they part of the disgruntled mining group from one of Naboo's moons otherwise they would have blindfolded us."

"Don't give them ideas." He suppressed a smile, clearly this man was as confused by the behaviour of the group he was more than likely a part of. "Rebels are often sloppy from my experience, they run on passion. In my experience at least." he said. He knew it to be partially true, depending on the Cell.

"Since you are an Imperial Commander," Cassell inclined his head. "I defer to you in that regard of experience. I am just a humble showman." He paused to reflect and then sighed. "Ever been to a Kybuck race?"

This was the most confusing conversation. What had racing to do with their current situation? "I have, not the most enjoyable experience." he muttered honestly. "I find sports where animals are abuse distasteful."

"What brutes would harm such beautiful creatures?" Cassell scowled. "I assure you, Commander, my Kybucks are well cared for."

Still very confused as to where this conversation was leading MacKenzie chose to play along. “I am pleased to hear that, the ones I saw were not so fortunate. Beaten to achieve their goals.”

“Those poor souls should have been treated better, needed to be set free. Probably outside of your jurisdiction, but there are other organisations that can handled these cases of mistreatment. Awareness is the first step to prevention." Cassell looked over to Amber's unconscious form. "Now, I handle a clean race. The animals well pampered, you'd think the handlers are their own personal servants. We were thinking about touring further, but it comes down to venue and costs. Even though we have been requested, I don't think Malastare would be a good idea with the pollution."

Malastare? He looked up and at the older man. “Pod racing is the main sport there, did not know they ran Kybucks there?” Was he attempting to tell him something? Malastare was still Imperial held, was that the next target? It made no sense if it was.

"Of course, however, they view us a novelty act for their main attraction. Like the gladiatorial arenas feeding prisoners to the beasts in between staged battles." Cassell grumbled. "Rather head to Rishi instead…"

Rishi? MacKenzie accessed his memory. ‘are we on a galactic tour?’ he wondered ,but said nothing as he was no longer sure as to what end this small talk was leading.

"...there's clean air, jungle, good water sources. I guess a bit like here but more tropical than pastoral fields and lake countries. People are nicer... less…." He leaned in and lowered his voice. "...self centred and uptight." He straightened back up. “If you don't mind me asking, how did you end up with this gig?"

‘Gig?’ he questioned internally, never had he considered his position a ‘gig’. This was getting weird; this man was weird. “I joined the Imperial Navy when I was 18.” He stated simply, a cover was still a cover till it was exposed, and until the Alliance saw fit to have it exposed, he would keep it.

Cassell furrowed his brow. "I meant the wedding, mate."

"Oh, apologies. Hard work and dedication to the Empire."

"Ah… All for protecting the citizens of the galaxy, no doubt." Cassell arched his brow.

“Of course.”

Cassell nodded. "A good head on your shoulders. Others should be following your good example. I wonder if the young Miss there would say the same about herself." He meant the other Imperial that was brought with the group.

MacKenzie wasn't sure who he was referring to, there were several he could point out that needed someone to set them a good example. "Who do you mean Sir?"

"As far as I can tell, there's only three of us bound." Cassell furrowed his brow. "Speaking of which, how long before we are noted as missing and rescued?"

Glancing over at the young Imperial Pilot he really had no idea. He knew her name, rank and squadron, but that was as far as it went. As for someone noticing, that all depended on what was going on upstairs in the grand ballroom. All the alarms led him to believe it would be at least a standard 30 minutes before people started to look for guests missing, or Officers for that matter. He was still unsure of his standings right now and chose to remain 'in character'. "I have no idea."

Cassell nodded gravely then leaned his head back to rest. "As interesting as it would be to watch the scenery…" He closed his eyes. "...wake me up when we get to wherever it is."

‘Wake me up? Who is this man?’ He was no ones personal alarm clock and he’d done nothing but almost put him to sleep himself with his inane conversation. ‘Not much longer’ he mused. “As you wish Sir.”

"You should rest too, recover our strength... we might need it soon enough."

TAG: Open

 

Bolo Lappie
Imperial gunship, Naboo...

"I'm sorry we didn't think of you and your people, sir."

Bolo sighed heavily, rubbed the back of his neck, allowed his face to soften. "You ruined my whole thing by being nice about it." He looked around, addressing the other woman. "Look, I've said it otherwise, but...I need to get back to my ship. I might be able to pay you back for your help when we get there. You remember me, right? From the Otoh Gunga? The Imps won't expect any trouble from me, so you can just drop me off somewhere..."

Pep kept sniffing. Where was the voorpak smell coming from?

TAG: @TheSilentInfluence, @Mistress_Renata, @Bardan_Jusik, ALL

 

IC: Maxime "Max" Pallas
Imperial gunship, Naboo wedding villa

Max listened to the Gungan's comment with interest. He had been at the Battle of Theed? She wondered what he knew about Palpatine's role in creating the crisis, but dismissed the possibility. The Gungans had fought against the Separatists. The answer, if any, lay with the Trade Federation, although none of the leaders of that time had survived. She was also surprised by his bitterness. Hadn't there been a peace treaty between the Gungans and the Naboo? And there had been a Gungan among the Senate representatives, she thought. That was pretty much where her knowledge of the start of the Clone Wars ended.

The tall amphibian sighed. "Look, I've said it otherwise, but...I need to get back to my ship. I might be able to pay you back for your help when we get there. You remember me, right? From the Otoh Gunga? The Imps won't expect any trouble from me, so you can just drop me off somewhere..."

"Yes," said Max, "I remember your ship. If it was my decision, I'd be happy to drop you off, but I'm not in command. It's up to our officer. He's busy at the moment, but once we're safely away from here, you can talk to him."

TAG: @BobaMatt, @TheSilentInfluence, @Bardan_Jusik

 

IC: Ethan Malek
Imperial gunship


Ethan knelt down next to the still unconscious Amber. Max harsh words against him still echoed in his mind and he had troubles keeping his anger under control. How shall we ever work together when she shocks our squad members and shoots insult after insult at me? But again he knew he couldn´t focus on this now. When they returned to the Valkyria he would report on her behavior, until then he had more urgent matters to attend to. He had seen how Max had briefly checked on Ambers status, more to be sure she wouldn´t face any consequence for any potential injuries than real sympathy for the woman she had stunned. Ethan knew that most stunners didn´t lasted long so his squad mate would hopefully weak up soon and it would probably be the best if he told her about what had happened than someone else. But he needed to take care of his own wound first, his left arm felt numb and he was unable to move the fingers on that hand. Standing up he looked around the gunship and thanked fate that he had once served onboard such a vessel and thus knew where the first aid kit was located. Quickly making his way through the other squad members he moved to back to the ramp and quickly found the lid in the durasteel to his left. Thanking the imperial discipline, that the kit was still in its place he took it with his right hand and made his way back to his wing mate. Kneeling down again he opened the kit and took the small flask of bacta, before beginning to tend his wound with it. The initial pain faded slowly as the medicine began to do its work and close the wound, he knew that once they were back at the Valkyria he should have a real doctor have a look at it and he needed to go easy on arm and shoulder for the next week but it would hopefully have no lasting impact.


Returning his thoughts to Amber, Ethan noticed the imperial who had carried her into the gunboat talking to Cassel. For a moment Ethan was confused why Cassel had his hands tied, but he figured that it was likely a ploy to get the other captives to open up to him.

Tag: @Adalia-Durron, @The Real Kyp Durron, @Corellian_Outrider

 

IC: Zara Yaren
At the gunship

"Ninety to pop," was Akiva's only warning as the last few hit the gunship, and had Zara picking up the pace, head down in the last rush for the gunship. A quick glance took in those inside-- two Imps in cuffs, including the security chief she'd met earlier, and for some reason, Wystari? She looked over at Quin, guarding them all, but the woman seemed to have things under control. Hollymander was confusing; he was an Imp, but he'd been helping... sort of. Or there was something else going on, at least. Maybe it was best this way, just to be safe. The blonde Imp she didn't know at all, but seemed to have something to do with Joy. Everyone had their secrets. And plots. And plans. And now they were in this mess.

Zara took up a position at the door, crouching down but keeping her hard-won bottle and blaster near at hand. Small-arms fire might have slowed but that probably just meant they were bringing out the big guns now that their rebel crew was on a gunship. For a moment, the world swayed as if the gunship had launched; she blinked the feeling away and put a hand to the side of the door for stability. Don't fall out now.

"If you're all done frakking around we're going to need more cover," she called over her shoulder. "We're not out of this yet."

TAG: Any

 

Ic MacKenzie Hollymander
Deck of the Gunship



Putting his head back against the bulkhead he watched silently, taking notes mentally. There was a rather gutsy looking Twi’lek giving orders and clearly at that, she’d managed to motivate a few to help her defend the now rising ship. The group with him weren’t any good to anyone, with he and the older man bound and the waiter wounded there was little chance they’d be asked to participate in a firefight. So the Entertainment were both Rebels, and waiters and several in Imperial uniform but none of them trained ground assault experts by any means. There was no point in him saying anything, as if they’d listen to him at this point anyway? He shifted his weight and noted the turnkey opening, as expected back-up weapons were in storage behind him, but wasn’t his place to let them know that. Lowering his gaze and to the side, he saw Amber’s eyes flicker open. He wondered who was going to tell her she was shot by her own team, and decided he was glad it wasn’t him.


Tag. @Adalia-Durron @Corellian_Outrider @Anedon

 

IC: Kayn "Door Gunner" Balzroth
We Gotta Get Outta This Place, If It's the Last Thing We Ever Do

Zero finally hopped in to the gunship, rifle in one hand, bottle in the other. I'm going to have to talk to her about that. Later. He was happy to see that all of his B-flight wingmates had made it out of the clusterfrack of an infiltration. Along with some prisoners, apparently. And why was Skipper in binders? He must be up to something. Fine, I can play along with that.

"I can see why we might want to nab some officers for hostages or interrogation, but what's the point of grabbing this old fop?" he asked rhetorically, then turned his back, settling in on the opposite side of the door from Zara. Crouching and keeping as much behind cover as he could, he pointed his rifle outside at the sprawled Stormtroopers.

Did one of them move? Or was it just a shifting shadow, a trick of the light? He squeezed off a round into the white-armored body just in case.

"All aboard that's coming aboard! Next stop, anywhere but here!"

TAG: @Rebecca_Daniels @Corellian_Outrider and the whole penned in flock

 

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IC: Beskaryc Taab
On a wing and a prayer, over the lake, Naboo

With the Marines well on their way to to spaceport, and the Valkyria, Taab took to the air with his jetpack, angling towards the villa on the far side of the lake. Two other gunships had approached either side of villa, and were now hovering near the large balconies there offloading additional troopers onto them and possibly taking on passengers before they lifted off headed back towards the garrison. Taab didn't have time to concern himself with those though as the sound of blaster fire echoed out towards him, though he wasn't the target. No, the Stormtroopers were too bust engaging the Rebels on the loading dock to even take notice of the lone flying Mandalorian that was coming their way. Making sure his blaster carbine was ready, Taab considered his tactics. There was no time for anything fancy, so that meant simple and to the point. Land between the Sheep and the stormtroopers, and then eliminate the latter. He smiled grimly. It was just the sort of plan he liked, short and easy to remember**

The Mandalorian gained altitude and circled high above the dock, setting up the best route for his combat landing when a blaze of purple on the dock caught his attention. It was the Emperor's Hand! Taab readied the rocket mounted on the back of his jetpack and ensured his flame projector was fully primed. He had barely survived his last encounter with her years ago, now in round two he would finish her off. Targeting the woman in his HMD (Helmet Mounted Display) he prepared to launch the rocket at her from long range as she impaled a stormtrooper on her blade...

Stormtrooper?

That wasn't right. Taab wouldn't put it past the Hand to murder her own if it forwarded her own perverse goals, but such intentional fratricide made no sense here. He looked closer and was astounded to recognize that the red haired woman with the jetii'kad (lightsaber) wasn't the Hand at all, it was Vixen! "She's a jetii?" he murmured to himself even as he altered his attack vector, and disarmed his jetpack mounted warhead. As a Mandalorian he didn't care much for the jetiise, but he had worked with them in the past from time to time. Looked like past was prologue now he figured as the Sheep managed to take care of many of the Stormtroopers on their own and clamored onto the gunship landed on the loading dock, taking it.

No need for me to land now Taab thought, pulling up and away from the loading dock, thinking he would instead escort the hijacked gunship to the spaceport. Once again his thought's were premature as the locked doorway from the villa to the dock blew open from the inside, the heavy door itself flung through the air before landing on the dead form of one of the fallen stormtroopers. By all right any explosion forceful enough to send the door flying like that should have been followed by a rather significant ball of flame and dust, but there was no fireball, instead just a single figure emerged from the now torn open doorway. An angry red haired woman in a mauve gown holding a glowing magenta blade. This was the Emperor's Hand.

She walked casually through carnage and out onto the dock, now flanked by a dozen stormtroopers who began firing on the gunship! Blaster bolts peppered it's hull even as some of the Sheep inside, Taab couldn't see who, returned fire, taking down some of the troopers, though the Hand remained untouched. Right, the Mandalorian thought, knowing what he had to do.

Calling for full power to his jetpack, Taab screamed out of the sky and hit the ground hard, on the dock between the Hand and the gunship. Tucking into a roll he tried to dissipate some of the shock of the hard landing, but the twinge in his knees let him know he'd be feeling that in the morning. The woman stopped her advance and the sound of blaster fire tailed off around them as she considered him coldly.

She recognized him of course, and remembered that he had barely bested her in their last meeting years ago. He was older, slower now, and without the edge of experience. Now she had grown more powerful, and knew to aim her lightsaber strikes at the joints between his Mandalorian armor plates rather than hit them dead on. He fired at her again and again, yellow shots which she batted away with ease. She walked slowly towards him, attempting to close the distance without but he kept stepping back, though at least he had stopped his useless barrage. "This won't end like the last time for you Mandalorian," she said with a sneer. Behind Taab the repulsorlift engines of the gunship screamed as the craft began to lift off. "This time I will have my revenge." The gunship clawed for the sky and the Hand reached out her hand to stop it. It was then that Taab produced the detonator for the explosives placed around the villa. "I doubt it." was all he said before he mashed down on the button.

Mara's eyes widened in surprise, she knew this was coming eventually but had allowed herself to be focused solely on her new prey. The building behind her exploded in a fireball larger than what she could have imagined, far larger than the bombs alone could have caused. She found herself lifted up and into the air as the force of the explosion threw her off the loading dock and into the water.

Taab meanwhile had also been pushed back by the force of the explosion, but he had lit off his jetpack as he pressed the detonator to avoid the brunt of the explosion's shockwave. Even so he was caught unaware to the power of the thing and he tumbled midair for a few moments before he managed to stabilize himself. The Sheep must have placed their bombs somewhere to cause a massive secondary that big. Looking down he saw the explosives had not only tossed the Hand and her troopers into the lake, they had ripped apart the bodies of the two fallen Black Sheep. There was nothing left of them to recover. He hovered over the water looking for a signs of the Emperor's Hand but saw nothing. Weighed down by their armor the troopers had no chance of swimming towards the surface, and the Hand, he knew, could hold her breath longer than he could stay so aloft. Giving the surface of the lake one last glance then, he he left following after the commandeered gunship, satisfied he had done his part.

OOC: **From Pirates of the Caribbean

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IC: Commander Flagg (NPC)
Trying to get the gunship in the air, Naboo

Flagg hadn't been following the conversations going on back in the troop bay, nor the machinations that followed. Instead he'd been concerned with counting off the Black Sheep as they clamored aboard. Once he was satisfied they had everyone, he began to lift off. Of course that event had coincided with the arrival of yet another lightsaber wielding red head, this one clearly not on their side. Taab though appeared from the sky like a thunderbolt, interposing himself between the woman, her stormtroopers, and the gunship, which gave Flagg the chance to lift them off the deck.

It took time though, a bit more time than Flagg had hoped and he realized that the craft was horribly overweight. Looking back to the troop bay he realized they were overloaded, but there was nothing to do about that now, though he considered tossing away the hostages. It was then that he realized that several Black Sheep were bound as well. Shaking his head he dismissed the thought with a sigh, there must be something afoot, with this squadron there always seemed to be something afoot. Applying full power he raised the gunship up and off the deck, nosing forward to gain speed, and with it eventually hopefully a bit of altitude. His maneuver kept them in the air, but led them right into the sites of the now standing AT-AT which towered over the causeway at the front of the villa.

"Oh kriff!" he screamed as it took a shot at them, barely missing the mark though the blast caused the craft to shudder. Several more shots rocked the gunship as the AT-AT bracketed them. There was nothing Flagg could do, none of the remaining weapons on the gunship could do as much as scratch the paint on the armored behemoth, and he couldn't hope to move quickly enough to evade their fire for long in the overloaded gunship. This was going to take a mir..

A moment later a massive explosion rocked the villa, causing the gunship to lurch, right out of the AT-AT'S last burst of fire. At the same time a series of smaller explosions seemed to rack the AT-AT's legs and feet. It too wobbled for a moment, before that wobble became a full bore swaying action. Seconds later the AT-AT collapsed under it's own weight, falling over onto one of the attending AT-PTs while debris from the villa's explosion crushed one of the other remaining AT-PT's.

Stunned by the sequence of events it took a moment for Flagg to realize they were still airborne, and seemingly airworthy, if not a bit slow but free to maneuver without pursuit. Taab meanwhile was using his jetpack to fly alongside the gunship and he gave Flagg a shrug as if to say he had no idea what had just happened either. For his part, Flagg wasn't going to question their good fortune.

"Let's get to the spaceport."

TAG: @Adalia-Durron @Sarge @Rebecca_Daniels @Mitth_Fisto @Mistress_Renata @zark @Anedon @Sarge221 @The Real Kyp Durron @galactic-vagabond422 @Corellian_Outrider @TheSilentInfluence @TheAdmiral @Vehn @BobaMatt

OOC: Assume all surviving player characters (and their droids/associated secondary type characters) have made it aboard the gunship. Only the two dead black Sheep characters were left behind. Next update will see us at the spaceport and through to the Valkyria.

---

​

IC: Emperor's Hand (GM restricted use NPC)
Waterlogged and unhappy, Naboo

Feeling their presence depart, the Emperor's Hand kicked her way to the surface and swam towards the beach. Once again the Mandalorian had delayed her long enough for her quarry to escape, once again he had beaten her. Her.

Pulling herself onto a small sandy beach she surveyed the scene of destruction. The entire villa had come down, killing nearly all of those in attendance. Moffs, Grand Admiral's, Generals, political advisers and civilian policy makers. Many had perished, and their loss would set back Imperial efforts in this sector for years. The Hand's eyes blazed. She wanted to go after these rebels, they had a Jedi with them after all and of course there was her own burning desire for revenge.

The Emperor's will restrained her though. "Everything is going according to my design." his words echoed in her head. "The woman is too young to be a Jedi," the word came out elongated and dismissive, "and the Mandalorian is too old to be of any consequence." There was no mention of the significant Imperial losses and the Hand realized that they too had been a part of the Emperor's plan all along. The arranged marriage between two powerful families was a threat to Emperor's power base. He knew the rebels wouldn't be able to resist an attack, especially after they had hit a convoy in the same system. He had allowed the attack, knowing full well the rebellion would bear the brunt for the civilian casualties and he would still rid himself of a political annoyance.

"Others will attend to the lightsaber wielding force presence and the Imperial Navy will take care of their pathetic little band." There was no objection from the Hand, even though she desperately wanted to go after them herself. "Meanwhile you need return to my side, I have need of you elsewhere."

TAG: No one.

 

IC: Ianna Mcear
Naboo

The young woman was quiet, this despite the conflict within her own team being thrown around. From Max acting as if she was in command when no one had given her such place, or the sudden appearance of the Imperial Security Chief whom she had been with and had gotten her out of that room. She knew he was with them and someone needed to tell Max that, but, she couldn't get up not that Max would even listen to her. Not that anyone would listen to her. She sat in her ruined dress smile still on her face. More stormtroopers rushed out a woman with a blazing sword in her hand.

Blaster bolts flew back and forth as Flagg got the overloaded bird into the air. It rattled but, the young woman remained unmoved. Out of the side she could see the hulking form of the AT-AT as it fired another shot. Part of her knew that the next one would be the last, that it would be the end of them all. She didn't flinch, staring out the side, down the barrel of the cannons as they drew a bead on them.

'Goodbye daddy.' she thought just as the moment came…

There was an explosion but, not one from the gunship going down. It was the charges, they detonated, this moved her. She rushed to the open sides of the gunship leaning out the side holding on to one of the straps. The wind whipped her long hair still in a tight braid though a few rogue strands had come loose, what remains of her skirt rustled in the harsh breeze. Clearing her vision with her hand she saw what they had wrought. Behind her was a bellowing fireball and black smoke rising into the sky.

It was over. This mission was done. She turned around seeing all her friends, they had made it out. They might have lost some but, they were still alive. The smile deepened a little chuckle left her throat.

"Mission Accomplished." She shouted the first words she had spoken, since seeing Lou covered in blood, a bit of which stained her cheek. She threw her fist into the air. They had beaten the odds, they had gotten out of that place, they had detonated their charges. They fulfilled their orders the morality of them could be fought over later right now they needed to celebrate, to be glad that they were alive.

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik @Adalia-Durron @Sarge @Rebecca_Daniels @Mitth_Fisto @Mistress_Renata @zark @Anedon @Sarge221 @The Real Kyp Durron @Corellian_Outrider @TheSilentInfluence @TheAdmiral @BobaMatt @Vehn

 

Bolo Lappie
Trying not to fall, Imperial Gunship, Naboo

Heeding the lady's advice, Bolo, pushed his way to the cockpit, taking advantage of his elastic frame to squeeze.

"Let's get to the spaceport." The voice was a little familiar. Poking his head in, Bolo started to introduce himself, but stopped. The pilot of the gunship was the Imperial hunter from before. Bolo heaved a sigh. "Was anyone at that party even really an Imperial?" He set Tarpals' head down on the control panel. "Look, you know who I am. I need to get to the Otoh Gunga. Maybe I can repay you guys from there or not, but this really isn't my fight. But before that...I want to get out of here as much as anyone. This is planet is my home. How can I help?"

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik, All

 

IC: Ethan Malek
Imperial Gunship

Ethan didn´t respond immidietly, he was still shaken from the explosion. His hands shivered, realizing that he had failed, that the atrocity had been comitted. He asked himself if he could have prevented it, but Max had been right at the end he was a coward, too afraid to go through with any of the plans they had discussed. And now the blood was on his hands as well, the blood of guests and soldiers alike, even Callions. For a brief moment the old soldier lowered his head and spoke a silent prayer for their souls. They had been his enemies and many of them had been responsible for crimes against the galaxy and their deaths should be a pleasing turn of events but Ethan´s heart was filled with guilt. We are soldiers, the voice of his old drill sergeant echoed in his head, we follow a code, we honor the rules of war. If we loose them we will bee no better than those who we fight, murders who only care about takeing lives. Ethan had allways tried to stick to these words but the galaxy had changed, he wasn´t in the ORSF anymore and they weren´t fighting pirates to keep colonies safe. He was now part of a galaxy wide war, a war in which neither side honored any rules, were only victory mattered. Not for the first time he wished he had just returned to Eriadu after the Clone Wars had ended. What am I doing here?

Forcing his thoughts back to the present he tried his best to ignore his doubts, at least for the moment. Amber, his wingmate, his friend, needed him now and he couldn´t allow himself to brood any longer.

"Max stunned you, just after you saved my life," he began to explain. "She believed your lightsaber could attrackt unwanted attention and saw this as the best solution. She has taken your blade."

He made a pause.

"Kayn and this imperial," he pointed at the captive next to Cassel, "carried you inside this gunship, we are leaving the planet."

Again he paused, then he said, "they detonated the bombs. My... Our hope was futile." He stopped as sadness again overcame him and he couldn´t continue. They had promised each other on the Interpid that they would find a way, that they would do the right thing, but they had failed.

Tag: @Adalia-Durron