Ask Bring Me The Bill, Please

[Natalie Hope]

Natalie followed Vanya out into the corridor. Crowded, of course. If ever there was a curse for Natalie's lust for food, it would be this. She couldn't blame Vanya for thinking that she was only interested in the cheesy meat pie, as it was definitely a Natalie move to try to score some from the guy. The downside of being a hangry foodie, Natalie guessed; always after food no matter the time or situation. Good thing her active lifestyle kept her fit.

"Yeah, they'll probably be able to parse all the data the droid gave me too," Natalie said, flashing a grin Vanya. Minor set back was all it was. Natalie turned to the droid. "Take us to the security office."

"Certainly!" It led the way, with Natalie staying close behind, keeping close to walls whenever possible as well. The last thing Natalie needed was to get surrounded in a big crowd and have gear start disappearing from her belt without her knowing. Thankfully the trip wasn't far, and they were walking into the security office within minutes.

The office itself was a small round room, holo-screens covering the walls to the ceiling. The security officers sat in a circle, with the director in the middle able to keep a close eye on any given screen at any time. The actual enforcers were apparently in a barracks nearby. It was quite the impressive setup, if Natalie had any say in what impressive security looked like. The director, a rather large Mon Calamari, turned toward the pair of Jedi with his fishy look of something-is-fishy. Indeed, Mon Calamari man, fishy indeed.

"I'm Natalie, and this is Vanya. We're investigating the pirates and lost our only lead in a crowd," Natalie said. The Mon Calamari nodded.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Head of Security Vroet. About time we got some reinforcements for the pirates. Who's your missing lead?"

"Iman, he's a Weapons Specialist up in operations," Natalie said. Vroet nodded again and motioned for his team to get to work. One of the holo-screens fixed on the command center where the two Jedi had just been to keep tabs on if Iman returned to his station. The screen below it began scrubbing through the footage. The others were flipping through screens and cameras, trying to catch a glimpse of Iman, who's employee file came up and displayed for all with a portrait and everything.

@Phoenix

 

[Vanya]

Vanya, too, was keeping an eye out as they headed for the security office, but in her case she was looking for her prey. It was a game of cat and mouse now, and Vanya... was probably a bit more excited about it than she should have been. "Something, something, Jedi don't crave thrill..." yeah, well, Vanya wasn't doing this just for the thrill... it was just a happy little accident.

Alas, her target did not appear during the course of this particular trip and they were at the security office in short order.

Vanya gave a nod of respect as Vanya introduced her. Yes... he certainly was giving them fishy looks, although he seemed to lighten up once he heard they were Jedi.

Vanya watched as everyone went to work, and once again marveled at what technology could do. They were flipping through cameras throughout the station, looking for the man, although it seemed there were plenty of places the cameras didn't see.

The Nightsisters did without technology, and relied on the Essence for everything they did, and Vanya knew that if she had spent more time with the man, she could have tracked him. "Could have" and "if" weren't very helpful here, though. As it turned out, she couldn't do that.

Instead, she tapped impatiently against one of the consoles as they searched then started tapping her foot. She wasn't trying to appear impatient, she just was a bit impatient.

She tried to think of something that she could be doing to be less worthless than just standing here, but there were too many docking bays to cover and too many un-watched areas like bathrooms and even random corridors for them to be able to cover on foot.

Maybe we should go out looking while they search here. Maybe the Winged Spirit will lead us to the right spot, she said, the look on her face telling Natalie that she was going to stab herself if she had to just stand here doing nothing while their target might be escaping.

We can leave our comm data with... she almost said "squid face" but realized that was completely inappropriate and offensive. ...the security team so they can reach us if they find anything, she said.

@TheDudeMike

 

[Natalie Hope]

"Good idea," Natalie said with a grin. She turned to Head-Fish-Face, waiting for him to pull out his comm device so he could take her number. Hopefully the man had enough sense to not use it for anything not related to official business. There was nothing worse than getting a GalUber and having the driver text you a meme they thought would start a conversation. Would be even worse with Head-Fish-Face- She definitely wasn't about to spring that trap. No way.

"Alright, they have my comms," she said, turning back to Vanya as Natalie put an EZPod in her own ear. It would make life a whole lot easier when answering the the damn thing if she didn't have to physically hold it. With any luck, soon she'd be holding a lightsaber! Or punching a pirate! The fun things that made being a Jedi fun! Didn't take a rocket scientist, which there were an assortment of up here, to know that Vanya was probably feeling the same way.

"Where do you wanna check first? My vote is the nearest bathroom." And the bathroom she would check if that was the plan. Thoroughly. Can't hide in the men's room from Natalie; she'll go in there and drag you out. Wouldn't be the first time, probably wouldn't be the last. The surprise on the guy's face was always so entertaining.

"Sometimes I wish the bad guys would just hold a sign that said, 'here I am, the bad one," Natalie said, shaking her head.

@Phoenix

 

[Vanya]

Vanya set out almost immediately, practically jumping out of her skin to get on the move. There was a very real argument for "moving without a direction is no more helpful than not moving" but Vanya really didn't want to hear it.

Sure, Vanya said with a shrug, heading directly for the nearest bathroom. While they weren't quite lucky, they did just about get the next best thing (18/20).

Vanya bent down and picked up the man's comlink. Or at least, Vanya was pretty sure it was his comlink. It had just been left there in a hurry, and it had a picture of the man and some pretty-looking alien girl together in some lovey-dovey pose.

She scrolled down and found the last number dialed before passing the comlink to Natalie.

Here, call the pirates. Maybe pretend to be the guy's girlfriend whose looking for him. Your best "scared girl" impression, hurry, she said, handing it off to Natalie and already dialing. Neither of them were really the "scared girl" type, but Vanya's accent was more likely to raise flags than Natalie's.

@TheDudeMike

 

[Natalie Hope]

It was a good thing when Vanya agreed to check the bathrooms. An even better thing when Vanya found the comlink. That was definitely the guy, and that was definitely a sweetheart of his on the comlink background. Natalie knew because she had a similar background when she had a boyfriend back in highschool. Until he puked in her hair at prom, that was. Such a special night- ruined by spiked punch.

"I have wanted to do this my entire life," Natalie said, turning a wicked grin to Vanya. She took the comlink and looked through the contacts, choosing the one that looked to be the most important. Was it by name? Of course not! Natalie was from the streets, she knew what people hid things under in their comlinks. If a man is texting his pizza man, the man is no good- find a new one. Keep the pizza man though. Pizza is delicious and useful. The comlink dialed once and then opened, with a rather gruff voice answering with nothing but a grunt.

"S-sorry," Natalie started, putting on her best scared girl impression. Complete with a valley accent. It was like a play; this just wasn't for fun or credits. Bummer that. Ships were a nice prize though. Natalie's eyes met Vanya's, any nervousness or anxiety Natalie felt disappearing in an instant. "I-I don't know who else to call. Iman is in trouble."

@Phoenix

 

[Vanya]

Vanya was trying to suppress a smirk as Natalie just immediately fell into the role as the scared valley girl. Not that Vanya knew what a "valley girl" was, but Natalie was doing a great job. And not only that, she was doing it so eagerly.

Yeah, yeah, he's with us. Look, just meet out at docking bay 86 and hang the comm up. We don't need anyone overhearing us. Now go! the man on the other side said.

They had their goal, at least, and that was the "in" that they needed.

Internally, Vanya was just a touch apprehensive, though. They had no idea what they were going to be walking into out there, and that wasn't a particularly good thing.

So we recon the hangar, see what we're up against, and adjust accordingly? she suggested as soon as Natalie hung up the phone. Most pirate groups weren't... gargantuan organizations, but the fact that the Bilbringi government had decided to bring in outside help did lend itself to the idea that they might be up against something outside the ordinary.

 

[Natalie Hope]

Hook, line, and sinker. Natalie wasn't a fisherman but with the way the pirates fell for her impression, she was thinking about getting into it. Ever get cat-fished by a hangry Jedi and her stabbing prone friend? Natalie flashed a shit-eating grin toward Vanya as she hung up the comlink up and pocketed it. If Natalie hadn't worn the armored get-up, she had half a mind to just walk into the docking bay as a distraction, still playing the scared, innocent girlfriend. What could she say? It was her starring role; it was hard to put up.

"If I remember correctly, most docking bays have maintenance walk ways around them," Natalie said, remembering hiding on them numerous times to skip classes on Starlight. "Might be able to get a good vantage point from them." They could sneak up onto the walk way, scope the docking bay out, and hop on down if needed to start negotiating more aggressively. But there was also an alternative.

"I did wear armor, and it wouldn't be the first time I've aggressively recon'd something by walking face first into it," she offered. Vanya could find a vantage point, Natalie could draw them out. It was far more dangerous, but options are options. One doesn't simply throw away fried meat stick because cheesy meat pie is on the table. You weigh your options and decide which one would be best to go with your ramen, obviously. "Unless you want to see more innocent, scared Nat, but I'll need a change of clothes I think."

Natalie looked down, poking her blast vest. Normal clothes would have been much, much better.

@Phoenix

 

[Vanya]

Vanya nodded at Natalie's idea. The other Jedi may have mentioned playing the part of the scared girl, but Vanya knew her well enough to know she'd rather go in lightsabers swinging.

I'm about out of patience, she admitted with a shrug.

We can take the catwalk, see what we see, and then probably attack them, she said with a snicker. She knew how these things usually went.

They headed off in that direction in short order. The toughest part was getting the maintenance hatch to the upper door open, but a quick tug with the Force sent the door open after a few more moments. The Force was so convenient.

Making her way out onto the overhanging bridge, Vanya saw at least a half dozen pirates below.

If we take them out and recover info on their base of operations, we can give it to the authorities who can clean up the rest, she suggested.

 

[Natalie Hope]

"I guess scared Nat will just have to be retired," Natalie quipped, feigning despair. "And with it illustrious acting career." Her mock despair shifted into a shit-eating grin. She gave Vanya a nod and went with her. Stabbing things would be more fun for the both of them, anyway. But what about acting AND stabbing things? Oh now that was a thought! Actor Nat wasn't retiring just yet, just taking a small break for business.

"Hangar Bay 86," Natalie said, calling the security's comlink. It was a quick message only, and she hung up without any further mention. Vanya and Natalie could handle half a dozen pirates by the time security arrived- they'd handled a lot more before. She turned to her friend with a nod. "I'll take the the three closest to us. Doubt Iman knows much about the operation outside of the shipyards but might be best to keep him and one pirate left alive so they talk. Preferably knocked out so we don't have a Molly repeat." Natalie rolled her eyes at the name. Fucking Molly.

She put a hand on Vanya's shoulder for a second, and then launched herself over the side of the railing. It took a bit of Force for her to hit the hangar bay floor on her feet, but the thud drew the attention of the pirates as she sauntered toward them. "What the? Who the hell are you?"

"I-I'm just really scared and don't know what to do," Natalie said, putting the innocent, scared, valley girl accent on again. Realization hit the pirate squad all at once, and Iman in the center was practically wetting himself. Natalie's lips spread into shit-eating grin as she took her hilt from her belt and thumbed her azure lightsaber blade to life.

It was a dumb idea to stand in one spot after that, especially since the pirates were now pissed off, unlike Iman who was the opposite. Natalie burst into a sprint at an angle, putting Vanya's three behind her own so they couldn't feasibly shoot at her. Her own three hesitated for only a second, but started aiming and shooting their blasters. Half of them Natalie didn't need to bat away, but the ones that were going to connect she batted to the floor with her lightsaber as she speedily appraoched.

Righty and Lefty took a step each in their respective directions to create some space from Centery. Natalie was gunning for Righty, though and shifted with him. When she arrived, she had to bat a blaster bolt from Lefty back at him, but used the movement to shift into horizontal slash with a slightly upward angle, severing Righty's arms at the shoulder and cutting through his upper chest. Another bolt deflected, this time from Centery. Natalie was on him like cheese on a cheesy-meat-pie, utilizing a staccato double slash through the man's hip and chest.

Lefty started yelling a battlecry, Natalie assumed to try to hype himself up or to keep from running away. Either way, he was lucky number three. Natalie spun her lightsaber, deflecting every bolt thrown her way until she reached him. Her spinning blade cut through his wrists, and then stopped so that she held her hilt in a reverse grip. The pommel found a new home smashing into the pirate's face, followed very quickly by Natalie's left hook. Lefty crumbled, knocked cold and handless but not dead.

@Phoenix

 

[Vanya]

Natalie did the good work, and Vanya... was able to just kind of settle in and watch the party.

In short order, Natalie had chopped everyone up, and Vanya just provided support, using the Force to yank one of the men's aim off course as Natalie closed in.

And then it was all silent. Everything seemed almost peaceful after a few moments, and Vanya went in to poke around instead. She started rummaging through the data in the hangar.

I think I've got something, she said, raising up a datapad with launch coordinates for a small, nearby space station.

Base of operations, I bet, she said. Now they could hand it back to squiddy and be on their way. Easy peasy.

@TheDudeMike

 

[Natalie Hope]

While Vanya poked around for evidence and data, Natalie got to tying her captured pirates and pirate helper up. They were knocked out, and only two out of the half a dozen that had originally filled the docking bay. After Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dumb were taken care of, Natalie made her way over to Vanya to look over what she'd found. Natalie gave her friend a grin .

"Let's get it to FishMan so they can take care of it. Pretty sure the overseer won't be so grumpy with us now," she said. The two trekked back to the security office. The moment the Mon Calamari head of security had the datapad, he put all the data up on display around the room. He even called the overseer for them, letting the grumpy-ass know that the Jedi had solved their pirate problem.

In turn the overseer agreed to provide the Jedi ships, and the put in a good word on the planet itself. Natalie had to do most of the talking, per the Jedi duo's tradition. It was a mission success, all things considered. Natalie even got her cheesy-meat-pie.

@Phoenix
/endthread