Open Ryloth Roadside Assistance

[Corran Velt]

On a forested mesa that sloped gently into the jungle sat a venerable YT-1300 Light Freighter with faded crimson paint outlining it features; from the intact front pod all the way to the engines. Some paneling looked new but others look decades old. Very little life could be seen from the steel grey machine, except for faint red lights meant to alert aerial help. Below on the ground, a ramshackle camp had been established and a faint blue light emanated from it.

“I am in the middle of nowhere.” Corran grumbled to himself as the datapad on the empty crate illuminated his face. His emergency transponder had been signalling for 24 hours local time and not a single ping had been sent back. It had taken a while to adjust the dish manually on the Crimson Venture to get an accurate reading of his location. What little signal the ship could lend him pointed to a potentially dangerous problem. The Ranger’s location, through the static, was just north of the planet’s forested middle band. Rumors claimed the most dangerous of beasts lived there, but what did he know? A settlement could be over the next ridge but… so could a predator.

“I wouldn’t be in this situation if I had known you needed maintenance before I purchased you!” The human yelled at the sleeping ship, which did not reply in kind. That wasn't entirely fair. He also wouldn't be on Ryloth if he hadn't come out here looking for clues on the murder of his father, and officially, 'patrol' for the Sector Rangers. Still, he wasn't entirely ignorant. In a secured up jacket on his person, he kept his tall-tale badge hidden from site and a blaster tightly hosteled on his thigh. For 12 hours he had scoured the hull to see why the left side of the engine had failed. In atmosphere, without thrust, you couldn’t get to orbit. Corran knew a little about repairing transports, but the Crimson Venture’s problem eluded him. He wouldn’t abandon the ship, he knew that, but he needed more experienced help.
“Hence the beacon.”

All there was to do was wait.

 

[Ember Blaze]

'I have been out here for three days now.' Ember thought to herself. She was in the outer rim, searching for a rather elusive scientist. She was growing bored of the monotony of just sitting in space. Looking over to her right, she flipped on her communication dish and searched for nearby distress signals. 'I'll just respond to one, then I'll come right back.' She thought, knowing that was a lie. She was going to have to find this scientist another way, a more active way.

To her pleasant surprise, there was a nearby emergency responder active. Smiling despite herself, Ember headed off to Ryloth. A few hours later, Ember was in orbit around the planet. She quickly located the approximate location of the transponder and sent off a quick ping to let whoever was there know she was on her way. Ember pushed her ship deeper into the planet, and a few minutes later she landed a few kilometers from the transponder's location.

When she finally found the location, a seemingly well kept YT-1300, Ember approached cautiously. In the distance, she saw a man that appeared to be talking to himself. 'Strange, maybe he hit his head during landing?' she thought. Taking cover behind a nearby tree, Ember placed her hand on her lightsaber, ready for anything, before yelling "Hey you! Did you call for planetside assistance?" She was sure this was the right place, and that this man posed no threat. But they were quite aways from civilization, and Ember wanted to be as cautious as possible.

 

[Zad Ruzed]

Music OOC

Spoiler

Letters danced across the display monitor of the cockpit, words strung together by hands not of his own, and not by any hands period. As they popped up one after the other, Zad’s smile broadened at the droidspeak translated onscreen.

I’m not saying that I see myself in a hat, you know, just that I have to give credit where credit is due, and lekku looks good enough on a Twi’lek so why not on me?

Zad chuckled at the question, but Wayne was far from the mark. “And where would you get those head-tails you crave so badly? Are we talking about snipping them off or black market purchase? I agree that you have to give credit where credit is due, but, I can’t remember ever getting a single credit from you all the time we’ve worked together. In fact, I’m pretty sure I do most of the spending for both of us.”

...

“If you’re speechless, you don’t actually need to type the effect of being speechless, you know.”

Want to read a joke?

Zad rolled his eyes and decided it probably was better not to hear another droid joke. Hands on the controls, he banked his courier through Rylothian sky. It was smooth cruising so far, with little headwind in more ways than one. I doubt he'll be expecting me, no matter Wayne’s suspicions. Surely I’m early enough. He’ll never see me coming. He breathed in deeply, tasting hope at the back of his throat, before it mingled with the aftertaste of flat beer that tasted like what he imagined the oil tasted like around one of Wayne’s suspicious circuits.

Ping-ping, ping-ping!

“Huh…” The display monitor caught his attention again as it pinged to life, though this time it wasn’t courtesy of a droid speaking. No, this was something else. Distress signal. Not too far. With a click of his tongue, then one more click for good measure, Zad let good grace get the better of him and decided to check it out, without pinging back.


Some time later, the Iron Justice broke through the clouds as the courier descended toward a forested mesa. There were two ships here, both recognizable at a glance: a YT-1300 Light Freighter and his own BD-510 Stargale Light Courier.

From the cockpit, Zad made out the red lights that blinked out the call for assistance. Or, in reality, they’re warning lights—warning for the wise to not get too close or fall prey to the snakes. Scavengers and such weren’t unknown for such deceptions; luring would-be do-gooders in for a trap. With two ships, there were at least two safer scenarios here: both were immobilized and only one was sending out the pleas, or the other ship had simply responded to the same beacon.

Whatever the circumstances, the distress seemed to be legitimate enough, and there was only one way to find out for sure. Circling his ship over the site, Zad initiated landing, placing his vessel a comfortable distance away from the other two ships. Grey and crimson stood against both pink and gold and Zad’s own black and grey.

The cockpit opened and the planet’s air wrapped itself around Zad’s face like lekku. Of which, the first thing that the Ranger did was turn to the droid. “Stay in the cockpit.” Wayne beep-booped back something worth little less than an eyeroll for a response and Zad promptly exited, his rifle coming with him, slung over his back. His pistol was at his hip and his badge upon his breast, both hidden beneath his trench coat.

“Hello!” Zad called out to the other two, not that his own ship from in the sky wouldn’t have already gotten their attention. “What happened? You all right?” He asked the man, and the man and the woman both, at the same time as asking with his eyes whether one of them was here for the same reason that he was. The universe is coincidental like that.

 

[Corran Velt]

Corran had been unsuccessfully digging through a neglected tool box for something, anything, that would inspire him to know which section of the Crimson Venture to check to get the old ship off the ground when an audible beep chirped from the datapad. Looking up with a start, he immediately darted over for the datapad and felt a sense of relief wash over him as a responded ping to his signal had indeed collected. That natural sense of relief was soon replaced with the logical realization that the responder could be anyone; from slavers to pirates. Out here on the Rim, it was a roll of the dice.

A skiff soon glided over the terrain and forest canopy. The Ranger shaded his eyes with his hand to get a better look at the craft as it landed a ways off. It was pink and gold. “Too small for a crew of pirates. Eccentric bounty hunter maybe?” He made sure to tuck in his shirt and adjust his jacket make himself presentable, as his habit.

It wasn’t long before a voice called out to him from the trees. Was that a woman’s voice? Corran restrained his natural instinct to reach for his weapon. Whoever the woman was, she likely had him dead to rights already. The novice Ranger couldn’t make out her location at all. He slowly turned around, placing the freighter to his back, hands on his hips. The screech of another spacecraft sounded off, outside of his vision. It sounded close, but he dared not turn his head to look suddenly. “Yes ma’am. That would be me.” The rusty-blonde-haired man spoke with a Coreward accent that betrayed his origins. “I’m hoping to avoid any trouble.”

Another male voice soon joined Corran’s, inquiring on his status. “I think we are doing well. Just a little thruster trouble. The name’s Corran, to the both of you kind strangers.” At least, he prayed they were kind strangers.

 

[Ember Blaze]

Watching as the man turned around, Ember decided that he was no threat. Above her, the sounds of another spacecraft made itself known. Turning her attention back to the man, Ember walked out from behind the tree. Laughing, Ember said "Ma'am? I haven't been called that in some time. I bring no trouble, I am only here to help."

There was a noise behind her, then talking. She turned around to see another man, likely the one from the ship that just passed by. Ember listened to the man she first met introduced himself as Corran. It was her turn next, so she said "It is nice to meet you Corran, I wish it was under better circumstances. My name is Ember. I came to see if I could help." Looking at the latest arrival, Ember said "What about you? Are you here to help?"

She knew there was no reason to distrust the man, and did her best to put it out of her mind. She was still a bit shaken from an incident on Ord Radama. Ember watched these two men, hoping she could help them, but still wary of what was to happen next.

 

[Zad Ruzed]

Another male voice soon joined Corran’s, inquiring on his status. “I think we are doing well. Just a little thruster trouble. The name’s Corran, to the both of you kind strangers.” At least, he prayed they were kind strangers.

Zad nodded at the other man’s, Corran’s, answer. It seemed simple enough, even if the problem might prove to be more complex. When the woman spoke, Ember, Zad listened to her no less acceptably, if no also no less attentively. Whatever her stance had showed, her speech suggested that she was indeed here for the same reason that he was. Well, there goes one scenario. Still one or two more to go.

"It is nice to meet you Corran, I wish it was under better circumstances. My name is Ember. I came to see if I could help." Looking at the latest arrival, Ember said "What about you? Are you here to help?"

“I am indeed. Zad is the name." He half-smiled in greeting to the both of them. “Picked up the distress signal while I was flying atmosphere. Figured I’d check it out.” His smile broadened, singling out Corran with his gaze. “Good thing for you. Now you have six hands instead of two. Those are good odds, partner.”

With that, Zad took another look at the light freighter, viewing it a little more closely and a little more nakedly. It seemed a mishmash of polish and tarnish, with a clean crimson trim against a steel grey body, and otherwise no obvious sign of damage. Whatever had done it, it apparently wasn’t blaster fire.

“So what happened?” Zad inquired casually, reaching into a coat pocket before slipping a cigarette between his lips, flicking a lighter and inhaling smoke that left an aftertaste of burnt chocolate to override the oil-beer.

 

[Corran Velt]

The woman’s voice was soon put to a face as she stood apart from the tree trunk she was hiding behind. Corran felt the tension in his shoulders ease as the woman laughed and pleasantly said she was here to help. As she approached, the Ranger got a better look at her. A few years his senior, but certainly youthful in appearance. The brown robe seemed a bit odd but they were on Ryloth and that wasn’t uncommon in the Outer Rim in general. She seemed unarmed, as he couldn’t a blaster anywhere, but small pistols are always a possibility.

The other newcomer, Zad, stood a good few inches taller than Corran himself complete with broad shoulders to give weight to his frame. With a duster matching his stoic features, the other man looked every bit the frontier wanderer. Contrary to Ember, the glint of a blaster rifle barrel over the second man’s shoulder meant he was armed. His intentions seemed nonviolent, however, and being armed on the Rim is about as common as breathing oxygen. The smoking made him instinctively wiggle his nose for a brief moment. Detestable stuff.

“When it comes to the frontier, I think ‘good’ circumstances are often hard to come by,” Corran replied, “but it’s wonderful to see some helpful individuals still exist in the region.” An entirely professional, but courteous grin, welcomed them both.

Corran didn’t necessarily trust either of these individuals – they could still jump him during repairs – but he figured since they didn’t arrive together, his odds were pretty good that at least one of them wouldn’t leave him in a shallow grave on Ryloth.

“I purchased the Crimson Venture from an estate sale some time back. Some midlife crisis for a wealthy being, I think, before they gave up on it. Trying to recapture the dream of that ship that made the Kessel Run in 12 parsecs.” Corran gestured between some of the restored or replaced paneling and that of the aged variety. “I had finished my business up on Ryloth and as I was making my way to orbit, the impulse engines flickered on and off before finally dying. I glided her down here. My best guess is the original owner didn’t quite get around to fixing all the internals yet.”

The downed pilot calmly tapped one of the landing struts with his boot before looking up at the hull above him. “I’ve checked the fuel drive pressure stabilizer and the power core still reads in the green. I can’t think of what in between those two isn't working.”

 

[Ember Blaze]

Ember had a knack of finding herself in these types of situations. She was on some planet with complete strangers, again. She knew that most people would dread being in her position, but Ember loved it. For her, every day was a new adventure, each stranger she met was a new friend.

The latest strangers to cross Ember's path were Corran and Zad. 'I wonder what the Force has in store for us.' Ember thought, patiently listening to the men talk. Corran explained his problem, the impulse engines were acting up. Ember did not have much experience with ships, outside of her own BD-510. 'How hard could this be?' she thought, confident that the Force would guide her.

"Have you checked the parking break?" Ember said, grinning at Corran. "I don't know about you Zad, but I don't have a lot of experience with this type of ship. The only thing I've really heard about it was when I was on Nar Shaada some time ago. Some Trandoshan was complaining of needing a new ion flux stabilizer for her ship. Have you checked that?" she said, clearly out of her depth. Ember could handle herself very well in a fight, or negotiate on par with any politician. But mechanics is the one area Ember always struggled with.

Ember stood for a few seconds, looking over the grounded ship, before saying "Are you sure you weren't sabotaged?" This far out in the galaxy, one could never rule out such tactics. Ember hoped that this would be an easy day and that Corran would be off the ground and on his way soon.

 

[Zad Ruzed]

Ambience

Spoiler

​

“When it comes to the frontier, I think ‘good’ circumstances are often hard to come by,” Corran replied, “but it’s wonderful to see some helpful individuals still exist in the region.”

Zad nodded his head knowingly. He knew the truth about the 'frontier' all too well even before he ever became a Sector Ranger. It was the raw wild of the galaxy, the tested and testy space between the stars and the untamed souls that sailed it, that gave a special kind of credit to those odd, sometimes out of place, moments of genuine help like these. Genuine, as far as I can tell. The more the three of them exchanged words and looks, the more that he was getting the impression that things were basically as they seemed. For now.

“I purchased the Crimson Venture from an estate sale some time back. Some midlife crisis for a wealthy being, I think, before they gave up on it. Trying to recapture the dream of that ship that made the Kessel Run in 12 parsecs.” Corran gestured between some of the restored or replaced paneling and that of the aged variety. “I had finished my business up on Ryloth and as I was making my way to orbit, the impulse engines flickered on and off before finally dying. I glided her down here. My best guess is the original owner didn’t quite get around to fixing all the internals yet.”

The downed pilot calmly tapped one of the landing struts with his boot before looking up at the hull above him. “I’ve checked the fuel drive pressure stabilizer and the power core still reads in the green. I can’t think of what in between those two isn't working.”

Listening to the tale behind the crash of the Crimson Venture, it was Zad’s turn to grin. The ship in story was a ship of legend among both sides of the laws. Ahhh, the Millenium Falcon. That ship will fly for millennia more before anyone forgets it. Corran went on with his explanation. The part about the original, wealthy, owner not keeping the vessel in working condition brought a blink or two on Zad’s countenance. Didn’t get around to fixing it, yeah, or didn’t get around to telling you that he was selling you a broken boat. Whatever the case, the cause was what mattered right now as far as the sitting ship went. Zad weighed the possibilities in his mind, considering the more obvious ones that Corran had already tapped into, with boot or wrench, such as power core and fuel drive.

"Have you checked the parking break?" Ember said, grinning at Corran. "I don't know about you Zad, but I don't have a lot of experience with this type of ship. The only thing I've really heard about it was when I was on Nar Shaada some time ago. Some Trandoshan was complaining of needing a new ion flux stabilizer for her ship. Have you checked that?" she said, clearly out of her depth. Ember could handle herself very well in a fight, or negotiate on par with any politician. But mechanics is the one area Ember always struggled with.

Ember stood for a few seconds, looking over the grounded ship, before saying "Are you sure you weren't sabotaged?"

Ember spoke her piece, and she wasn’t alone with her spread lips. Parking brake. Cute. Her next words included Zad himself. For some reason, he wasn’t all too surprised that the robed woman was out of her element with the 1300. Many people didn’t know much about it, except for the legend, the ship being more vintage than visionary in today’s time. An antique for wealthy buyers and sellers.

He squinted his gaze at Ember’s mention of Trandoshan, ion flux stabilizer and sabotage. He hadn’t had much luck with Trandoshans, the ion flux stabilizer was more on the money than she appeared to realize, and sabotage was not far off the mark that Zad himself was heading toward. Corran might have had enough time to nod or shake his head at Ember’s query on that note before Zad added his two creds.

“I know enough about ships, not enough about this one, but I have to wonder if the chap who sold it to you knew it wouldn’t get you very far.” Smoke escaped his lips as he studied the Crimson. “One wrong part and the right energy flux can bleed back into the power core and cause a surge. If a faulty signal gets to the fuel distributor, you might not see that in the stabilizer. Your power core might still be green. Because some other component at the wrong place and time overheats and ruptures. True for most ships, I guess, but maybe doubly so for this piece.” He shrugged.

“Then again, it could be as simple as a bad coolant pump or coil or, as the lady mentioned, the ion flux stabilizer. Better off taking a look and going from there.” Which means inviting at least one of us into your ship. He searched for Corran’s gaze at that thought, and said nothing.

 

[Corran Velt]

Corran let out an amused huff from Ember’s ‘parking brake’ comment. The Ranger admitted to himself that she was growing on him. He thoughtfully nodded at her story on the Trandoshan and ion flux stabilizer. The robed woman’s suggestion at potential sabotage cused Corran to be visibly taken aback. Could I have been someone’s target? Was I discovered as a Ranger or worse, my father’s killers? His paranoia rose to meet his thoughts.

Zad’s comments brought him back down to the ground. The rustic man in a dark duster laid out a pretty convincing argument that the ion flux stabilizer might be that very component that was the issue. It was an old ship. If nothing else, Zad knew his stuff and Corran respected him for it, if not outright thankful. Though he also gave credence to it being any array of issues without seeing the interior for himself.

Resting an elbow in one hand and stroking his chin with the other, Corran looked deep in contemplation as he stared off into the middle distance, hmmmming to himself. “I believe you are right,” he finally said to the two of them, “I think we should check, but the issue does sound like the-”

Before the downed pilot could finish his thought, a chitinous clicking began to slowly rise to a gurgling crescendo. Emerging from the shadows of the canopy, not far from where Ember initially revealed herself, came the pukish-brown color of a native Gutkurr. Its mandibles opened slowly, dripping saliva, as its scythe-like arms fidgeted in anticipation. It seems that the emergency lights over the past night had brought unwelcome attention. A broken pole-arm protruded between one of the ridged-plates on its back. The insect-like monster snarled hungrily and charged.

“Get behind me!” Corran shouted as he raced ahead of the other two, drawing his blaster from its holster. He stopped about halfway the distance between the Gutkurr and the ship and leaned onto his right leg, both hands gripping the Power 5 pistol. One pull of the trigger sent a red bolt of energy into the forehead armor of the rushing creature. The organic plating absorbed it completely. The roaring beast closed the distance, but Corran sent a second laser bolt into its thigh. The shot rang true, leaving a scorch mark and solid hole. The carapace seemed to be weaker in different parts, as if the Gutkurr had not fully reached maturity. The creature’s murderous maw snarled in pain but it had already gotten too close.

Corran emotionlessly said, “Oh k-”

With a frenzied swing of its appendage, the forearm collided with the man and sent him flying several meters. His body slid along the ground of the mesa before coming to a rest. The monster wheeled on its still standing prey, Ember and Zad, and charged once more.

 

[Ember Blaze]

Ember listened along to Zad, but after 'energy flux', Ember knew that she was very out of her depth. 'Can I really be much help here?' Ember thought, concerned she would just be a third wheel. Corran responded to the suggestion and seemed shocked at the implication of sabotage.

She was no stranger to sabotage, having run a few jobs back on Coruscant. 'If I am going to be able to help, this is how.' Ember thought, excitedly. She let her eyes wander around the ship, looking for any signs of sabotage. She had barely started inspecting the hull when Corran abruptly stopped talking.

Feeling something wrong, Ember turned just in time to see a sickly brown creature run out of the forest, from the direction of her ship. "Oh stars, what is that?!" Ember exclaimed, unsure what the large insect charing at her was. It had small arms and claws that looked as if they could rip right through her.

Ember ignored Corran's order to stay behind him, having felt the creature's deadly intent through the Force. She was not about to let someone else fight her battles. Ember reached into her robes, placing her hand on her lightsaber, but did not draw it. Her hesitation was momentary, as it did not matter if she trusted these two enough to reveal herself. Ember could fight as a Jedi, or watch from the sidelines hoping the others could handle this beast. The choice was easy for her.

She pulled her lightsaber and lit the blades, taking her stance. The yellow double-bladed lightsaber cast it's light across Ember and everything around her. With her free hand, Ember reached out towards the creature. She felt through the Force, looking for any vines or roots she could use. None were close enough to be of use before the creature was upon her. That left only one route for Ember to take.

She started running towards the creature, watching as Corran was battered out of the way. She would help him later if she could. A mere meter away, Ember fell to the ground, sliding underneath the beast. She swung her blade at the creature's arm, leaving a smoldering cut where the blade made contact. She was unsure if she took the arm off or not, the momentum of the two taking them further apart.

Ember rolled to her feet, ready to make her next move.

 

[Zad Ruzed]

Zad let his cigarette linger between his lips as his gaze was tethered to the Crimson Venture, analyzing this and that to determine whether that or this could be the problem with both this and that before he would ever step foot inside the ship. Corran needed to extend enough trust to either or both of these strangers who had parked their ships beside his if he hoped to get out of this one, and he seemed ready to do just that. Apparently, however, they wouldn’t get the chance.

Music OOC

Spoiler

​

Just then, a horrible noise scratched Zad's ears as he turned to face the source in a heartbeat. He wasn’t alone as his two acquaintances ogled in the same direction, and clearly none of them were alone. Gutkurr. Druk. By the looks of it, the big bug had no intention of shaking hands as it readied its claws and spurred forward.

Zad responded by seizing his rifle and pressing the butt against his shoulder, just as Corran barked for both him and Ember to get behind him. You serious? Captain Heroic evidently was as he bolted forward and fired a bolt at the creature, which remained as unfazed as ever. He had at least stolen Zad’s attention enough to where his own finger hesitated on the trigger, cocking a brow at his would-be defender. The Gutkurr gave a cry at the next bolt that hit its thigh, and now Zad’s focus was on Ember or, rather, the yellow embers of her twin-bladed lightsaber. A Jedi. No kidding. She hastened forward opposite the Gutkurr, the latter of which swung its clawed arm and battered Corran aside.

At that moment, Zad entered the game, finger holding down the trigger of his A280C. A handful of bolts flew one after the other into the creature’s skull, hoping to at least distract it. He did. Its murderous red eyes fixated on him while the Jedi slid toward it and swung her blade. The creature shrieked in anger and agony as its limb flew away from what was left. Blaster bolts against a Gutkurr’s carapace were one thing, but a lightsaber through one of its thin arms was another. Following up on that attack, Zad took quick aim and released three bolts from his muzzle. The Gutkurr had its mouth opened wide as it screamed, and there was its soft spot. There was no chitin down its throat or up the roof of its mouth. It fell silent, then fell to the ground without another twitch.

Zad lowered his weapon and looked first to Ember, the only other person who hadn’t taken a hit. He banked on having her see to Corran and expected as much as he held his ground—for good reason. "He okay?" His speech was slightly muffled by the cigarette sticking out between his teeth. Whatever Ember's response or Corran's, Zad looked around without much reassurance of their situation.

As far as he knew, the carnivorous Gutkurr attacked in packs more often than not, and either this dead one had been lost or was scouting ahead for its friends. Sure enough, a chorus of clicking and hissing rang out from within the trees, along with the odd screech. With that, Zad leveled his rifle once more, ready for anything.

“I got a baaad feeling about this…”

 

[Corran Velt]

Corran’s vision returned as he blinked slowly; his mental faculties fighting through the potential concussion as he regained consciousness. The blue sky of Ryloth greeted him. As he sat up a sharp pain jolted through his torso. “Oh yeah, that’s going to need some bacta,” Corran groaned to himself. Zad called out on his condition. The stranded pilot raised a hand weakly. “I’m alive and,” a sharp cough interrupted the sentence,“… and conscious.”

Propping himself on his elbows, the bruised man finally was able to see what had come of the nightmarish gutkurr and the two acquittances. The end of Zad’s rifle mirrored the cigarette sitting in the corner of his mouth. A short distance away lay the dead creature, eyes lifelessly staring with a scorched maw. It was impressive shooting, far beyond Corran’s current skills. The predator’s right claw had been severed almost to the shoulder and barely a cauterized stump remained. No blaster rifle could have done that…

That’s when he saw Ember crouched in a battle stance. She held the weapon so famously mastered by only those of the Force. The faint glow of her lightsaber gave her a golden aura with Corran’s fuzzy vision only adding to the angelic effect. The injured man didn’t have time to look on in mystified disbelief for very long.

The chittering and gnashing of the fallen gutkurr’s hunting pack reverberated from the trees. They hadn’t lunged yet. The pack was likely hesitating because of their dead kin and assessing this tenacious prey. Their pause gave Corran enough time to slowly and carefully rise to his feet with his eyes never breaking contact with the hissing trees. He held his injured torso with his arm while his free hand grasped tightly around the grip of his blaster. One soft step towards the Crimson Venture. “Get to the ship,” Corran spoke in a low voice, “We will be safer inside.” Another soft step, one foot crossing over the other. The hissing and snarling from the shaded trees stopped. It was silent as a winter night.

Almost instantly, four gutkurrs burst from the wooded shade in frenzied unison, roaring, snarling, clawing forward towards their human meals. Just as instantaneously, Corran belted for the passenger ramp of the YT-1300. His run was a struggling gait, nearly hoping on one leg, but he still managed to fire off a few laser bolts towards the thrashing mass of predators. “Get to the ship!” He shouted, “The bottom turret! The turret!”

Corran was certain his sidearm couldn’t kill one of these monsters without a direct hit into the eye or mouth, but an underslung laser cannon on a ship could kill almost anything and with less exposure to have his limbs torn off. His only prayer was that the gutkurrs didn’t get to him first. The adrenaline-fueled run enabled Corran across the few meters to the passenger ramp, oblivious to the actions of the others. He snagged his datapad and hobbled up the ramp with labored breath. “Come on!” He yelled, hoping the others were right behind him.

 

[Ember Blaze]

Ember watched in amazement as Zad took down the creature with such ease. She had done her part, taking off the arm, but he took it down. Before she could congratulate everyone on their part, the sounds of hissing left the trees. Ember could feel the sheer force of the hissing before she realized what was about to happen.

Thankfully, Corran and Zad were faster to react than she was. Zad was already aiming his rifle towards the noise, and Corran moved as fast as he could towards the ship. This time, she was ready to follow his command to get into the ship. Lightsaber still out, Ember backed away from where the dead insect lay, ready to break out into a run if it was needed.

Four more of the large insects burst from the tree line, charging at Corran. He was able to fire a few shots at the oncoming horde, but he could do nothing to stop them. 'I don't know if I can handle four, or even just two.' Ember thought, considering her options. "I have an idea, get back to the ship as fast as you can!" Ember yelled, hoping Corran and Zad would listen. Checking the distances between her and the insects, Ember knew this would be a close call.

She reached out her hand towards the creatures, using the Force the feel for the plant life along their path. This time, she found what she needed. Ember poured the Force into the root of the plant she had chosen, guiding its rapid growth upwards. A few feet in front of her, the ground started breaking apart, green vines making their way upward. Ember looked up, ready to give the plants the final push to accomplish her goals. She hadn't even noticed that Corran made his way onto the ship.

Ember started to count down, watching as the beasts bore down upon her. "Five ... Four ... Three ... Two ... now!" She let the Force flow through her, and into the vines. She guided them up, right into the insect's paths. Without enough time to stop, they ran right into the wall of vines she had made. All that was left was to pin them down. By now, Ember was straining from using the Force. Sweat dripped down her face, her outstretched arm shaking slightly. But she did not stop, and soon, each of the four insects was trapped within the net of vines.

She did not know if more were coming, but Ember knew she did not want to be here to find out. "That will hold them for now, but we have less than two minutes to get out of her." Ember said towards Zad. Ember walked up the ramp of the YT-1300 and collapsed onto a nearby seat. Holding her head in her hands, she said "I just need a minute, that took a lot out of me."

 

[Zad Ruzed]

Music OOC [Recurring]

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Corran’s initial message was received loud and clear. Getting to the ship or, really, any one of the three ships, sounded like the best plan. These creatures were tough but they could not breach metal as much as blaster bolts could not breach their bodies. Zad had only succeeded on that front due to a set of favorable variables.

Their heads were huge and protruded forward, and when the one had opened its maw to shriek in pain, stunned from having lost its limb, getting a bolt inside was easier than aiming for a headshot on another Human. The Ranger had been in a firing position all the while, and only one bolt of the three that coughed from his muzzle needed to soar past those menacing teeth and penetrate the brain. It was a clean shot. But I’d need a hundred lucky ones to take down four of them.

When the silence broke, a barrage broke from Zad’s rifle. The shots were shrugged off, no surprise there, but he didn’t like standing there and not firing. If anything, he was annoying them, and that was well and good, because the more they focused on him the less they focused on his injured firing partner and the only woman in the outfit.

“Get to the ship!”

“You first!” Zad called across the field after spitting out his cigarette. With that, he began backing up and firing, glancing behind to see that Corran had found the ramp, but he was alone. Ember was doing her own thing, whatever things Jedi did when battling gutkurrs. Her turn to bark at Zad to get into the ship, he was beginning to feel more cooperative. What’s she gonna do, fry the kriffers!? Not quite, but when the earth began sprouting in a seasonal timelapse, he could only imagine what would happen next.

Gleefully, he watched a wall of vines tear the ground asunder so that the gutkurrs smacked into them. The Jedi was clearly struggling, and Zad wondered what her next trick would be. It turned out to be the same as his: Run.

"That will hold them for now, but we have less than two minutes to get out of her."

“Moving!” He shouted, spinning around to dash toward the ramp. Two minutes was plenty of time to seal the ship and jump inside the seat of a turret. One last look from the ramp revealed that the gutkurrs were still tangled up, so Zad rushed onward toward the ventral cannon, all but leaping into the chair.

Communication headset fitted over his face, he swiveled the gun into position, took aim and held. Wait for the vines to break. More minutes be merry. "Gunner in the chair!" He called into the headset. "Probably best not to burn our friends free though. Stand by." Under two minutes and counting, every second counted, and the more time they had to execute the next phase of their plan, the better. As soon as the drukload of gutkurrs would rear their ugly heads, though, the mighty force of a laser cannon would give them all the greetings that they never gave their gracious guests.

 

[Corran Velt]

Corran had been leaning on the bulkhead near the command panel for the ramp, catching his breath, when he saw Ember outstretch her hands. Seemingly fearless, the robed woman let the ferocious native insects close in on her. In what seemed like mere moments, roots and vines burst forth from the soil and entangled the screeching monsters. They struggled and snapped at the air with their dagger-like teeth, trying to escape in their temporary confusion.

Ember came up the ramp, sweat dripping down her forehead and promptly collapsed on the circular bench in the galley. With her head in her hands, Corran could only guess at her true level of exhaustion. Zad finally brought up the rear, rifle blaster still in hand and no worse for wear. It had become readily apparent that the man was cool under pressure. With the last friendly aboard the grounded freighter, Corran slapped the button to retract the ramp. On command, the gangway began to rise up slowly on its hydraulic struts.

The sound of descending boots against metal ladder rungs indicated that Zad had taken no time making his way to the cannon at the bottom of the hull. Hobbling over to the engineering suite in the galley, Corran slid on the headset and rerouted power from the emergency beacon and warning lights to the manned gun pod. The ship had been powered down for some time and without the possibility of flight, every laser needed to count.

“Power to ventral turret,” Corran stated rigidly into his headset, “Energy readings stable. Engage targets.”

 

[Ember Blaze]

Ember sat on the bench, trying to rest and rebuild some stamina. Plant surge wore her out, but not usually to this degree. 'Maybe it was the number of vines that I manipulated.' She thought, making a mental note to practice on larger groups of plants in the future. Though she hadn't seen him, Ember heard Zad run into the ship, apparently going to the ship's guns by what he was saying. The sound of the ramp closing soon followed. The turret was their only option after all, with the thrusters being down.

Ember looked up and watched Corran at the consoles as he rerouted power to the turret. She stood up, not knowing if she was needed, but she knew now was not the time to be resting. It was still hard to move, and with each sluggish step she took, she started to feel better. She followed Corran to the panel, asking "Is there anything I can do to help?"

From outside, Ember could still feel the rage of the insects, its burning intensity directed at the ship now. The vines were slowly losing the fight to hold the insects down, and it was only a matter of time before they broke free. Still, Ember hoped that Zad would be able to take them down as painlessly as possible.

 

[Zad Ruzed]

Music OOC [Recurring]

Spoiler

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Just then, one of the gutkurrs, howling in frustration, sliced its scythed arms in an X and cut its vines in two. It wasn’t alone. One of its friends had been jerking its head from side to side, round and round in a frenzy as though its dinner were caught by the throat. With a vicious tug, it managed to rip the binding foliage from its grasp. While this was happening, Zad spotted two other gutkurrs already sprinting from the broken barrier toward the ship. On their faces, rage and hunger looked much the same. Theirs would yet be a surprise meal. Meat to the grinder. Let’s spin it, then.

“Firing!”

Zad’s finger held the trigger and the turret came to life. A hail of cannon bolts burst forth, tearing into the charge of red eyes and razored teeth. The gunner’s seat swiveled, taking the gun this way and that way in a horizontal sweep, raining hail down upon the gutkurrs. Even with the speed of the beasts, they had only an empty field between them and the ventral turret. Their exoskeletons sported some impressive strength, but it wasn't enough. When all was done, the scene amounted to little more than a host of condemned souls, naked and empty-handed, rushing toward a firing squad.

The turret halted fire, dying down with the creatures outside. Zad’s finger relaxed on the trigger, his battle-glee fading from his face as a smile sunk into a frown. Is this how it happened? Is this how they went? Just like that, huh? All for nothing. A final charge. And then the rifles took them. Blinking himself back into focus, he spoke into the headset with as much passion as a dead gutkurr.

“Got ‘em. They’re down. Repeat: Enemy’s down. We’re okay... For now, anyway.” They're might be more out there, just waiting for their moment.

With that, Zad took off the headset, left the gunner’s seat and made his way to where the others were. He found them in the galley. Not just Corran, but now Ember appeared to be a little worse for wear. Jedi stuff. Takes its toll, I guess. Nothing like having a good gun at your hip—or in your hands, even if the gun’s on the other side of the glass, taking out gutkurrs.

“How’re we holding up?” He asked with casual concern, leaning against the doorway. Knuckles tapped the hull. “And the ship?”

 

[Corran Velt]

Corran felt the presence of someone behind him and a voice asking if she can help confirmed it was Ember. He turned his head to reply over his shoulder, but was cut-off by the sound of repeating blaster fire from below them. The ship quivered from the blasts accompanied by pulsing red light coming up from the ventral pod, like some portal from hell opening and closing rapidly. In quick staccato, the rhythm of death swept across field outside.

When the guns went silent, so did everything else. No sounds of claws scraping against the hull or shrieks of hungered violence. The impassive Zad over the headset confirmed the worst was over: all targets down. Corran could feel the tension and adrenaline both begin to drain. He took off his headset with a relieved sigh before swiveling around to finally respond to the robed woman.

“Unless you’re willing to scrap bug viscera off the hull,” Corran teased dryly, “the best help you can do is catching your breath.” The man winced after taking a deeper breath than expected.

When Zad came up the ladder from the ventral turret, it truly meant the danger had past. The frontiersman had done commendable work. Corran would have to thank him later. He’d have to thank them both later for ultimately saving his life. If he had known they were more than capable, he wouldn’t have charged a gutkurr.

“I can’t speak for Ember, but I think I’m-“ Corran groaned as he adjusted in his chair, “… I’m fine.” He pointed to the engineering suite behind him with a thumb, “As for the ship, unless something worse happened to it, has been correctly diagnosed. You were mostly right about the ion flux stabilizer. It isn’t operating. When I was adjusting power distribution, though, I realized that it wasn’t working because the power converter connected to it had blown. A simple fix, really. Just… a tad ashamed I didn’t think of it sooner.”

Corran rose from his chair, using his arms to push off and steady himself. He walked a few steps toward the rearward engine section of the ship before collapsing against a wall, holding his torso.

With the adrenaline wearing off, the pain in Corran’s abdomen became acute. His jacket felt constricting, putting pressure on his wound. Cautiously, wordlessly, the injured man reached up and undid the clasps that kept his jacket buttoned up. His breathing was staggered by the effort, but with a final tug of effort, the garment came undone. The glint of a badge reflected back at the other two present. “Velt…” He began, in shallow breaths, “Corran Velt is my full name. Sector Ranger.”

No matter who these people were, it was all out there now.

 

[Ember Blaze]

The sounds of laser fire, and the death that followed, flooded Ember's senses. She knew that it was what needed to be done, but she still felt sorry for those insects. They were not acting out of malice, only instinct. Ember listened to Corran explain that he found the problem. "That's good, I would not have been much help for that kind of mechanical work." Ember said, smiling weakly. "I am fine, I just need some time to rest." She said, in response to Zad's questions.

Ember watched as Corran got up and started trying to walk towards where the engine was. He may not want to admit it, but he looked hurt. After he unbuttoned his jacket, Ember saw the tale-tale badge of a Sector Ranger. "I haven't met a Sector Ranger before." Ember said, as she stood up and walked over to Corran. "But then again, not that many people I've run into have met Jedi's before." Ember gave Corran a wry smile.

She placed one hand on Corran and looked at Zad. "What about you? Have any secrets you want to share?" Ember felt her hand on Corran, feeling his presence in the Force. She found the wounded area, the damage clear in the Force. Ember began pouring in life energy through the Force and into the wound. Slowly, the wound began to heal. She stepped back from Corran, saying "That is about what I can do for now, but it should help with the pain."