Pre-TL: Tarisian Express

[Minuteman75]

Planet Taris, Outer Rim Territorties ​

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Yellow fog covered the swampland like a thick blanket. Despite the appearance it was early in the afternoon and underneath the fog was a long rail train pushing on using front lights to reveal the path ahead. It’s destination one of the many skyscrapers populated by Taris’ elite class, specifically owned by the Doge Corporation.

Inside the rail cars, squads of private security consisting of mostly humans with a few combat droids patrolled the compartments. Sited in the front car, Rani Hitchen, a middle aged war veteran in a gray armor sat in the command chair bored out of her mind. Rubbing her temple with two fingers she muttered

“This crap is beneath me. As soon as this job is done, I’m leaving for Nar Shaddaa. There more action there.”

Little did the merc realized that two mid freighters descended toward the train from above. Using the red lights all over the rail cars to keep track of their quarry from the dense fog the unknown vessels subsequently reached them. At the rear of the train ships’ bay doors opened up, revealing numerous armed men and women from various species.

Soon several speeders carrying more were flanking the train on each side.

Soon few by few they began to jump on each top of the cars that their transports passed. At the middle one Kuro Sawa hit the metal ceiling rolling for a moment before getting up. A stocky Sullustan in tan overalls slipped and hit his face on one of the plates and fell side ways off the train screaming to his death. Sweating despite not wearing his typical jacket the Freelancer looked away drawing both of his dual blasters.

He couldn’t help but think. Let’s see how the rest of this operation goes.


@Ecclessey
@TWD26
@Taz

 

[Eccles]

Preef jumped downed after the stocky Sullustan, the man's death giving rise to his heart as it was now thumping in his throat. Unlike the Sullustan, the young rodian landed firmly on his feet and hunkered down, grabbing the train with his left hand for extra stability. He let the yellow fog, which was oddly warm, drench his tunic as he looked around for someone giving a signal.

The blaster pistol on his belt seemed extraordinarily heavy and with his heart thumping in his throat he was getting the feeling that he barely had control over his limbs. This was something else than robbing a homestead on a far off Outer Rim world, he knew. There was no way he'd be a faster draw than the people on this train. Consciously he took his blaster pistol from its holster in preparation, but it felt heavier than usual and he was reluctant to raise it up in the fear that he wouldn't be able to.

Spotting a human (@Minuteman75) not too far away, probably jumped right before the Sullustan, Preef raised his head into the man's direction. "What was the signal again!?"



@TWD26 @Taz @Minuteman75
OOC: CS Preef Callo (subject to change)

 

[TWD26]

The thick putrid fog clung to the air as Elom ducked his head through the mist. He had always heard the planet was a dump, but now that the pirate had finally laid his eyes on the planet and the smells that came with it, and he wasn't impressed. This job better be worth the credits, it's going to take a few trips to the washing facility to get this stench removed. His teeth clenched as he throttled the engine on his speeder to scream ahead. Once it was readied, the pirate would close his eyes for a moment, before leaping from the speeder and onto the side of the rail car. Clunk, the man rolled onto his side--he was alive.

He'd take a quick look over the railing, watching as the Sullustan fell into the deep depths of the muck below. Stupid Kriff, he'd sneer before pulling away and sliding over towards a Rodian and a freelancer. "Where's this 'mastermind'?" His patience was growing thin.

tag: @Taz @Minuteman75 @Ecclessey

 

[Taz]

How in the kriff did he let himself get talked into this job. Like the rest of his odd bunch, he had heard that Taris was a dump. And it truly was. Vyn moved threw the yellow fog that reminded him of something a Dewback threw up. Not only that, they were pulling a train job. On the move. The mando could swear on his favorite pistol that he had heard of another outfit trying a similar job. He was pretty sure most of them died in the effort.

"To late now", he thought to himself.

As the pirate made his jump, Vyn followed. The mando his the roof of the car a little harder then intended. Causing him to fall to one knee and catch himself with a hand before he kissed the durasteel with his helmet. Once recovered. Vyn stood up and pulled an old short barreled ion rifle.

"How about we find a way inside and work out the details from there!" he demanded.

@Minuteman75 @Ecclessey @TWD26

 

[Minuteman75]

As the train continued on and the yellow fog irritated him Kuro heard the questions being bombarded at him by a Rodian and another human in a militaristic outfit. In his personal opinion he admired the bold approach to the robbery but not the lack of preparations.

Their employer, a green Nikto gangster named Tet Veel was in such a hurry that he assembled any hired gun he can get with promises of riches and threw them into this endeavor quickly as possible.

Somehow I doubt he expecting many of us to live. Less people to share the reward is probably what that Bantha frakker is aiming for. Kuro Sawa concluded but he had no time to swear at the sleemo. That will come later assuming they survive this half baked scheme. The Mandalorian among them suggested they focus on getting inside first then discuss a plan.

Best thing I heard all day.

Gesturing for the trio to follow him they made to the rear of the centermost car. Meanwhile other robbers were doing the same in the other cars while the speeders drove alongside the train. The two freighters finished uploading the men flew overhead.

However, one of the rear train cars’ doors slid open and out came a young clean shaven guard. As soon as he stepped out the sentry spotted the speeders and some of the brigands. Mouth gaping the guard then call on the comlink.

“Sound the alarm we have intruders.”

As soon as he said those words he was shot in the face and fell backward dead. Too little too late the train’s commander received. Cursing at her lack of foresight Hitchen sent out the alert, blaring at all stations and issued a command.

“Get the kriffing turret up now!”

Seconds later a two gun turret emerged from the middle car. Twisting it opened fired on a blue speeder on the right flank, blasting it into nothing and killing all of its four occupants. Soon the turret was searching for a new target. Alarmed Kuro cried out. “Get off the top now!”

He slid down the ladder and reached the door now locked. Kuro withdrew one of the pistols, pulling out a charge. The freelancer planted in the center of the small entrance. “Time to improvise.” He called out to the others signaling them to prepare to storm in.

Meanwhile the turret on top continued to blast at the other speeders and the freighters dive away into the fog.


@Ecclessey
@TWD26
@Taz

 

[Eccles]

Preef heard some shouting and then the yellow fog turned into one big kriffing mood lamp as the speeder to his left turned into a ball of flame. Preef barely noticed the turret, or more accurately he didn't dare pay attention to them, as he flattened his body on the roof of the train and crawled towards the human. "Blow it!" he cried desperately and three long seconds later Kuro Sawa's charge detonated and the door of their compartment slid open.

For someone who just moments ago feared that he wouldn't have the strength to raise his blaster, Preef proved quite agile as he grabbed the side railing and swung through the door into the train. It was more luck than skill, for it was the first time the young rodian had even been on a train before, or did anything so risky as to go swinging from a high-speed train. Regardless, Preef now found himself in some kind of storage compartment with a small kitchenette and it didn't take him long to realize he was there for a job.

"Kriff masterminds, Kriff details and kriff the kriffing plan-" he said, trying to regain the same level of confidence he showed when he had accepted this job in the first place, "-it's time to channel my inner Tutch Hall." The name belonged to the human outlaw who was shot a few days ago on one of the elite's skyscrapers. Tutch's gang had consisted of three gunslingers and one of them was a rodian.

Grabbing his blaster pistol firmly in his right hand, Preef opened the door to the compartment proper and stepped in all confident "Hands up! This is a robber-" it was a storage compartment.


@TWD26 @Taz @Minuteman75

 

[TWD26]

The smell of burning steel filled the pirate's nostrils as the door exploded open, in which a brash young rodian had taken to swinging in with no regards to himself. Was having the intelligence of a Kowakian part of the hiring requirements. His teeth clenched as he shook his head, Don't leave a job like this in the hands of some aliens. The former naval officer followed the rodian into the room, his blue eyes narrowing as he made out the room through the smoke--it was a simple compartment cart, the real targets were up ahead.

"You kriff the plan, and I'll make sure a blaster ends up in the back of your head," he'd say in a thick core world accent, "But keep it up, you seemed to have gotten that power droid to comply with your stick up."

The pirate clenched the rodian's back with a slick smirk as he moved past the man, pulling up his crimson scarf to cover his face. He'd pull out a slicer's tool, and begin to slice into the door that lead from the compartment towards the train carts ahead. "If this rail is as advanced as they advertise, then they'll be alerted to the pressure changes from that blown door." He responded through the scarf. "I imagine they'll be heading this way soon enough." He tapped on a few more buttons before the slice was complete and the door to the next cart swooshed open. "Go! Go! Go!"

tag: @Taz @Minuteman75 @Ecclessey

 

[Taz]

To Dax's great surprise, the Sullustan listened. Realizing a good idea to get the kriff out of this poo colored fog when he heard it. The would be ringleader of this motley crew signaled for them to follow and move to the rear of the center car. Being the only one with armor on, or at least visible armor, he would of assumed that he was to be the first to the door. Instead the mando took the rear. Mostly to allow one of the others to take the first bolt. Not that he would admit it aloud.

Suddenly then entire mission was going to poodoo. A speeder exploded beside the train and one of the transports broke away to evasive action. A twin barrel light turret was now split him off from the rest of the team. The speeder had gotten it's attention for the split second but that would change soon enough. As the others got off the top of the train car, Dax ran for the turret.

The mando let his legs come out from under him, sliding toward the turret. Pulling a grenade from a pouch as he slid. When his boot slammed into the turret, Dax popped onto a knee. Charged the frag, sticking it between the barrels and jumped. Turning to catch the rail with both hands as his body slammed into the side of the car, his pistol falling to the abyss below.

The grenade would explode, damaging the barrels. Meanwhile, a window opened beside Dax. A guard's head then suddenly appeared. The mando swung his body to kick the guard in the face and back into the window. Then followed after. As he tumbled inside he, Dax found he was off the auction block and into the fighting pit. Guards and guns all around him.

"Evening fellas, this doesn't look like the dinning car." He head from the flat of his back.

@Minuteman75 @Ecclessey @TWD26 (OOC yes I realize I'm using my old mando name now)

 

[Minuteman75]

The Rodian doesn’t lack confidence I’ll give him that. Let’s see if he lives long enough to back it up.

That’s more credit Kuro could give in comparison to the so-called mastermind who hiding in the leading freighter outside. As if on cue Tet Veel caller on the commlink. “What’s taking you karkers so long?!” Rolling his eyes in disgust the freelancer quickly answered through clenched teeth.

“We’re inside boss and working our way to the objective. The middle car wasn’t the spot as your informant claimed it was.”

“Don’t get me excuses Sawa-

Immediately Kuro Sawa turned off the commlink for the time being. “Go to the hell you cowardly bastard.” He murmured to the gangster, arming himself again with both pistols while following his two compatriots.

At the next door Elon proceeded to operate on it with his slicing tool. At the pirate’s observation that the guards will be coming this way Kuro nodded. He had suspected as much but it couldn’t be helped.

As soon as the second door slid open Kuro charged in. At the same time rushing down the center of the car filled with metal crates were three human guards and two combat droids. Sliding over to one crate on the left Kuro opened up with four laser bolts to provide covering fire for the others to enter and join the firefight.

Meanwhile in the next room up ahead the Mandalorian found himself facing three armed guards and another one swearing while his now broken nose courtesy of the intruder. “Bad move smartass.” The leading sentry remarked.

@Ecclessey
@TWD26
@Taz

 

[Eccles]

Preef overheard Kuro Sawa (@Minuteman75) say that this compartment wasn't what they were looking for and that was the only thing that kept him from blasting open crates at random searching for loot. They were there for the bigger riches, he knew, so he shouldn't get distracted by a good pair of boots hidden somewhere at the bottom of a trunk. That was still something he had to learn...

The young rodian followed Kuro Sawa into the second compartment, his blaster arm outstretched in front, and immediately started blasting when the human did. Completely ignoring cover Preef managed to land two shots to the chest of one of the human guards and only then moved to hide behind two stacked crates that covered his full height. "No use dying to protect the rich!" he shouted in a vain attempt to affect the morale of the other two humans, knowing enough about droids to know they wouldn't bite. "We'll put it to far better use!"

Preef peeked around the crates and noticed one of the droids not quite having enough room to hide, for four was quite the crowd in narrow quarters, and thus the Rodian carefully leveled his blaster with the droid's left shoulder and pulled the trigger. A mere moment later and the droid's left arm and its rifle fell awkwardly on the durasteel floor of the compartment. <<Statement: Malfunction, loss of balance. Malfunction, dropped weapon. Malfunction, loss of arm.>>

That left only two humans and one droid. For this compartment at least.
@TWD26 @Taz @Minuteman75

 

[TWD26]

The door had barely swooshed open before the human and the Rodian jumped into the frey, only to be met by a group of armed security. The pirate peered through the open door way, watching as both his companions took fire and returned them in the heated display of violence. With a slight huff, the former officer quickly stashed his slicing kit away and to the side. He'd reach down, pulling two blaster pistols from his side, and taking a deep muffled breath before swiveling out into the door way.

He raised his two blasters in the direction of the end of the car, noticing that two men and a single droid were left standing. Thinking little, he'd quickly begin to squeeze the trigger on his blaster pistols, sending one shot from each down range. He'd strike one of the men in the chest, while the other shot went far down range and into the wall behind the men.

The combat droid prepared fire and sent several shots past the heads of his companions and in his direction. The aging captain would quickly attempt to take cover behind the door, but took two shots to the shoulder as he did so. "Blast..." his teeth clenched as he slumped back behind the door. "I'm not dying on this stupid train."

tag: @Taz @Minuteman75 @Ecclessey

 

[Taz]

The suddenly blaster fire in the next car would be to the mando's advantage. The guard with the broken nose and well as one of the three armed guards would turn to the door of the car taking on sounds of combat. This left a tiny opening for Dax. Quickly dropping his arms and flicking his wrists to activate this gauntlets. His left, firing a bola launcher into the face of the leading guard. Knocking him backward as he started to fire his blaster wildly.

His right wrist would fire a dart into the forehead of the other guard. Plunging a home brew of knock-out poison into the man's blood stream. Dax then quickly rolled over and kicked out the legs from the third, causing him to fall backward onto Dax. The mando put the guard into a headlock with his left arm, and pulled his right arm around to spray and pray the rest of the car.

He would managed to kill the broke nosed guard and the knocked out guard before the leader fired into the meat shield atop the mando. Then the guard as well as Dax would dive or roll for cover behind near by creates.

@Minuteman75 @Ecclessey @TWD26

 

[Minuteman75]

His fellow raiders did not disappoint. Within a minute most of the security team were down. Still they need to push up. We don’t have time to waste with these slime balls. Kuro Sawa waited behind cover until the remaining guard and droid were occupied with firing on the others before making the next move. Pulling out a metal sphere with one hand from his vest he called out to his partners.

“Throwing a grenade!”

Priming it for three seconds Kuro tossed the small bomb toward the last two defenders. The human panicked and rolled out of the way but his machine counterpart was not so lucky. Midair in front of the droid the grenade exploded, tearing its head and shoulders into pieces.


What’s left of the metal sentinel collapsed sideways. The guard tried to get up Kuro beat him to it and fired three bolts into the former’s back. Not one to celebrate so soon Kuro gestured to Preef and Elom.


“Cmon our prize should be in the next room.” Just as he ran toward the next door Kuro raised a puzzled eyebrow, hearing blaster shots inside their destination. Keeping his blaster at the ready he cautiously opened the door.

@Ecclessey @TWD26 @Taz

 

[Eccles]

The human's grenade took care of the security forces in their compartment and the second Preef affirmed it he rushed back towards the door, "You alright?" he asked the older looking human, knowing that a shot shoulder didn't really helping getting off a speeding train before it reached its fortress-like destination. "You gonna have to suck it up, old man, or your share ends up like that Sullustan's." Straight into the pocket of whichever kriffer planned this debacle of a heist.

Helping the human up to his feet, Preef pulled him along to the next compartment. He didn't quite know why he helped him along, but having someone owe their lives to you never hurt when you needed an extra blaster, so that was certainly a factor.

The commotion behind the door was obvious and when Kuro Sawa opened the door Preef raised him blaster to eye-level and stopped supporting his wounded compatriot in favor of a better shot. "Drop your blasters! This is your only chance!" the young rodian shouted as he entered the compartment, "You tested a Mandalorian and failed, now you're outnumbered." Preef couldn't help but be impressed at the body count the Mandalorian managed to rack up in such a short time and it bolstered his own confidence exponentially. "Don't be a hero."

@TWD26 @Taz @Minuteman75