The long red shadow (closed: Drun and Em)

[Will]

Vàli Valtiere stood on the windswept plateau. The harsh gale ruffled his midnight hair and his cloak, red like the very thing he drunk from his hipflask at that moment. He looked at the sky, scanning for the smuggler. If she were any good, she should be here soon...

 

[Emma Lou]

Jenileigh had not become a smuggler, but coming in the expected way. This time was no different either. She watched him for a few seconds looking toward the sky before walking up behind him.

"It would not have been a wise idea to come down that way"

 

[Will]

''No, it would not. If i had seen you, you would have failed.'' He turned to face her. He took the datapad, and pressed a button. a holo flickered up, with words. 'She is that good'. Vàli smiled. ''Take to your ship, and follow me.'' He walked up the boarding ramp of his large ship, and took off, into the night sky.

 

[Emma Lou]

Jeni shrugged and headed back to her ship. As she was walking up the ramp of The Invincible she pulled her long blonde into a ponytail. This certainly was going to be interesting. She powered up the ship and took off, following the pirate.

 

[Will]

The ships dropped out of hyperspace before a huge ship. Larger than any known Sith ship, it's bladelike prow sliced through the black nothingness of space. A small section on the prow opened, and Vàli expertly tucked his ship inside. He landed in his special dock, the ship ready for quick takeoff. He got out, waiting for Jeni. His honour guard were already there.

 

[Emma Lou]

Jenileigh took a wild guess that she should bring her ship in by his and if she was wrong...well she would move it. She brought it down easily and shut off the controls. She walked down the ramp and came to stand in front of the pirate.

"If I am going to be working for you then I at least want to know your name"

 

[Will]

''Vàli Valtiere, at your service. If you worked for PARASOL corporation, project 626.'' He said with a bow and smirk. ''Follow me.'' He walked down the main hall, lined with his highwaymen in skull masks, reminiscent of the ancient 'bloodied hand' pirates millenia ago. He came to the main bridge. ''This is Captain Heinrich Von Poppleopacus. There is no better captain i have ever met.'' The gaunt man in the blue longcoat nodded his head, his long brown hair falling in front of his eyes. He flicked it out of the way, and returned to his work. ''This is the Bridge, as you can tell. Ordanance command station, engine feedback, tac-maps, the works.'' He walked over to a console beside the Captain. ''This is the command console for the two railgins that emblazon our hull. This has ripped through Sith flagships before, and will do so again.'' He turned to her, to see if she had any questions.

 

[Emma Lou]

Jeni was very impressed by the ship. She had never been on anything this nice before.

"What have you heard about me?"

 

[Will]

''Ah, a good question. I have heard that you are the best smuggler in the known galaxy. I also heard you never give up on your jobs, and that you like money. Three things i like.'' Vàli smiled as he walked down the long spinal corridoor, turning left suddenly, showing a huge mess hall. He left, showing the training centre. ''Above us are the rooms. But first the ship hospital.''

Dr. Dooreh greeted them, giveng them a tour of the advanced medical facilities more at home on a minro hospital than a ship.

 

[Emma Lou]

Jenileigh was still impressed with all this. She had every assurance that if anything happened to her they would take care of it without a problem.

"So what exactly will I be doing?"

 

[Will]

''Well, we are pirates pure and simple. We'll be raiding anything that comes close that is deemed 'fair game'. A refugee migration ship is not fair game. A republic, Sith, smuggler or Mandalorian ship is fair game. We abide rules. We also give 65% away to less fortunate individuals. Many have joined us at a young age, we made such an impact. You will be the 'shade', my second in command. Will you join us?'' He extended a hand in a handshake gesture.

 

[Emma Lou]

How could Jeni say no? She put her hand out and took his.

"Why not"

She was overwhelmed by all this right now. She had never imagined this would happen or that anyone even knew her name.

 

[Will]

''Excellent. Welcome to the ship.'' Vàli turned suddenly, and hit a bleeping button. ''Problem, Captain?'' He asked.

''No sir, game. Republic convoy. Very rich materials. Shall we take them?''

Vàli smiled. ''A Vàltiere never backs down from a prize. That's the family motto. Let's get 'em.'' He turned to Jeni. ''Looks like you'll be put into a baptism of fire. Let's go.'' Vàli was already typing rapidly onto a datapad, transmitting mission details to all the highwaymen under him.

 

[Emma Lou]

Jeni had to admit that she was actually scared. She was a smuggler, not a pirate. She was not going to complain though. She could not see how this would be too hard so she would give it a try.

"I love baptisms of fire"

 

[Will]

Vàli stepped into the hanger. His highwaymen were scrambling their ships. In ones, twos or threes, they entered, bulkeheads, cockpits and hatches slamming shut. Vàli swept to his own ship, easily the largest, and entered. The blue light of the negines came to life, and the clamps of the launch cradle disengaged. ''On my mark.'' He sent to all the ships. The huge blast doors opened, and the first of the lumbering convoy floated past. ''GO!'' He roared, and his ship fired out, the first of many, swarming the convoy. ''I will lead the team assaulting the main defence. Shade Jeni will lead the force for crippling the convoy. Take out their engines and weapons.'' He expertly guided his ship, cutting through swathes of fighters, dodging the huge ruby bolts of turbolaser fire. He came up to the first destroyer, the smallest battleship in the replublic ship. He smiled, typing out attack vectors for his battlegroup.

 

[Emma Lou]

Jeni made her way to The Invincible and took off into the laser fire. She had briefed her squad on what they were gonna do on their way to the ships. She had taken two men with her to man the guns.

She was a good pilot and they were great shooters. This is gonna be easy, she thought to herself as she dodged the turbolaser fire. She needed to take out engines and guns, guns first. She brought them in close and took out two of the guns on the biggest ship first.

 

[Will]

Vàli spiralled through the hull of the destroyer, recently broken in two. The fighters either peeled off, or hit the hull. He spiralled up, and saw something that made his eyes widen for a second. A Republic third rate ship of the line. The huge turbolasers probed the Red Shadows' forces, knocking out a few of the slower ones. ''Shade Jeni, i need half your battlegroup with me. Now.'' Vàli drew up tactics, and propelled his ship in a downward arc, coming up below the mighty battlecruiser. He deployed his cannons, ready to strike through the main defence.

 

[Emma Lou]

Jeni heard Vàli say he needed half her battle group. She obliged and sent them to him.

"Copy that"

The other half was working on taking out the engines and guns of two of the smalled ships, while she worked on the engines of the one she had just taken the guns out on.

 

[Will]

The cloud of ships orbited the battlecruiser. They dove and ducked, dancing the dance of death. Vàli took out a multitude of close defence guns, dancing across the very shields of the ships. ''Take out the batteries.'' He ordered his men. ''How is the crippling coming along Shade?'' He asked Jeni, his eyes not leaving the ship before him.

 

[Emma Lou]

Jeni swung The Invincible around to help the others in her battle group.

"We have two ships down. Do you need any help?"