Ask Rocks and Stars

[Chant Sindhu]

Station Theta-7, Hoth asteroid belt, Outer Territories​

Chant Sindhu awakened with a gasp. Sitting up the blue Mon Calamari looked around in her barely lit cabin room. Seeing that she was alone Chant sighed, bowing her head. Stang it happened again. Her right hand began to shake and she struggled for a minute to make it stop.

Sighing again this time in frustration, Chant got out of her bunk. Grabbing a comms the spacer activated it. “Ness how long before we reach our destination?” The answer is a sentence of beeps and a squeak. Nodding before rolling one of her shoulders, Chant replied.

“Sounds good I’ll be on the bridge shortly.”

After a few minutes of getting her flight jacket and pants on, Chant walked out from the cabin. She went past the main hold, straight for the cockpit. The door slid open and revealed a green painted astromech who greeted her partner with a happy chirp. A grin escaped her.

“What would I do without ya old girl?”

Ness replied in droidspeak, projecting what sounded like a humorous tone. With an surpassed chuckle Chant took her seat before starting out at the blue and white lights of hyperspace. Such a sight never ceases to be beautiful to her. Checking the controls and systems and once satisfied she remarked.

“Looks like we'll be at Theta Station shortly. Hope you’re ready for oil bath Ness.”

Once Ness gave her an affirmative, Chant Sindhu pulled their freighter out of hyperspace. Once they did however the pair were greeted with an unexpected sight. What was supposed to be a thriving station on the outer edge of the asteroid field was instead wrecked. The remains of destroyed vessels floated nearby.

Ness let out a click, projecting concern while Chant exclaimed. “By the tides.”

@The Good Doctor

 

[Aden Archer]

Aden was at the helm of his U-Wing the Bravebird, with it on it's way towards the Hoth system. Soon they would be out of hyperspace. Aden took a big sigh as his should would be ready to emerge, readying himself to engage in combat if needed.

He received picked up a distress call from Station Theta-7 while previously near Bespin that they were being attacked by pirates. And 'coincidentally' as the stars might have it he was tracking a pirate leader around the Anoat sector that's being a big menace. The pirates were getting more and more bold it seems looking at their puck. Going from harrasing regular civillian vessels, attacking tibanna gas shipment's? Then suddenly the distress call stopped abruptly, nothing on the other end.

The space-born pilot would put on his helmet and then shortly after Aden would find himself in real-space. "Wow" He looked at the devastation around the station. Signs of battle everywhere, damage on the station, carcasses of destroyed ships lying around.

No visual of any pirates and going by sensors, no sign of them. Maybe they came and went? Or maybe they are inside the station. But soon Aden would get a ping on his ship's sensors, a new vessel that emerged from. "Someone else arrived. Lets check it out" he would say to his own droid. With that, the Bravebird would accelerate and veer towards the vessel. Soon, he would be able to see it's a lone freighter. Aden would open a hail towards the vessel. "Attention freighter, this is Aden Archer of the Bravebird. Identify yourself." he said, being stern.

Maybe they are a pirate, maybe they are looking for the pirates like Aden himself, or perhaps they were enroute he oblivious to what occurred here.

@Minuteman75

 

[Chant Sindhu]

In the cockpit Chant stared out at the devastation. Her mouth was gaping and body was shaking violently. No, no not again no. Whimpered the Mon Calamari. The very sight nearly consumed her in terror as she hyperventilated. Ness, who noticed what was happening to her partner spoke in binary.

At the sound of the astromech’s voice, Chant finally calmed down. Though her left hand still trembled ever so slightly. Sighing she glanced back at the droid next to her. “You’re right, Ness. Thanks for that.”

Before they could do anything else, their sensors lit up with an approaching vessel. Wait, is that a U-Wing?! Alarmed Chant raised the shields and prepared to turn her ship around when they’re hailed. Raising her right eye in question at what the voice on the intercom said she nonetheless replied.

“Uh...this is Chant Sindhu, captain of the Lee-Char.”

Suddenly suspicious of this stranger, she added in a more firm tone.

“State your intentions or we’re going to have problems.”

@The Good Doctor

 

[Aden Archer]

The her words and tone, were understandable. After all, Captain Sindu found Aden first in the middle in the midst of a destroyed mining facility. Aden would then reply to the Lee-Char's captain. "I'm with the Bounty Hunter's Guild in pursuit of the pirates who have done this and investigating what happened" He really was. "I trust you hadn't have any part in this. I can transmit my transponder codes, as a gesture of good will." to show that that he is indeed legitimate.

But before he can do much of anything, a few laser cannons shots from the base would be fired at both Aden and Chant. The Bravebird would take a hit but would be able to survive with it's shields active. But after that, Aden would push on the throttle and turn to avoid more laser cannon fire. One shot would miss, the other would be poised to hit Sindhu's vessel.

"Those came from the facility." and with that, from the stations hanger four new ship signatures came to life. Four Morningstar Starfighters would emerge from the hangar and begin at full speed towards the 'trespassers' on their new turf. They are decently fast and it wouldn't be too long before they would be in range to engage with the two vessels. Two of them would go for the Lee-Char', and the rest going for the Bravebird. "Looks like they set up shop here. Lets take this pirate scum out together shall we?" he would offer to team up to dispose of these pirates.

Cooperation would be in her best interest seeing as they are attacking her as well. While the offer is extended does that, Aden would also prepare to engage the pirate fighters, he would bring his craft around as he prepares to engage the pirate vessels.

@Minuteman75

 

[Chant Sindhu]

A bounty hunter huh? Those space rats probably pissed off a crime lord somewhere to warrant that kind of attention.

Keeping that opinion to herself Chant instead with a scowl answered in a voice that clear her contempt for all pirates. “I’m no pirate!” Subsequently the freelancer waited for the transponder code when Ness beeped out an alarm. In that instant Chant pulled the ship’s controls to the right hand side, twisting her freighter away just as the hostile fighters began their attack run.

Laser fire struck, causing the cockpit but the shields held true...for now. Gritting her teeth Chant sped left and right and vice versa while being pursued. Ness clicked and whistled. “I know, I know. Just hold on, old girl.”

Like mynocks the duo of pirate fighters went after the Lee-Char while the rest hunted the Bravebird. Diving away in a barrel roll to dodge from, another barrage Chant heard Aden’s offer. Moments later he got an answer back.

“Deal!”

Swerving to the left, barely missing a chunk of wreckage as the twin pirates fighters continued their pursuit, Chant called out to her astromech. “Ness get on the top turret. Let’s show them what we’re made of.” Acknowledging in an affirmative click Ness rolled out of the cockpit. The ship violently shook upon being hit again.

“Hold it together Lee-Char. Don’t fail us now.”

@The Good Doctor

 

[Aden Archer]

The pilot of the Bravebird didn't expect too much from this pirate rabble, but at least the Lee-Char's captain is on board with dealing with them as well. As Aden was moving in to engage the pirates that were going with him, intending to meet them head on. Well, not exactly anyway, as he would be met with incoming laser cannon fire from the base and the two morning stars from his front. They wouldn't quite connect as Aden would go to half speed and pull down on the yoke, doing a hard, tight loop to evade the rest of the cannon shots.

Aden would fire return fire, firing a laser cannon salvo of his own at a fighter that that was attempting to evade now that it got out-maneuvered. It can try as it might, but it can't escape. Even though those ships have sturdier hull instead of shields, it can not withstand a whole salvo of laser fire, and it would explode in a fireball. "One down..." Three more to go for now, and there is still those annoying turrets on the station, but they can be maneuvered around, the fighters are the more pressing issue. The Bravebird would then maneuver to go after the remaining one, and the other one seems to have a like idea.

Since some time had already passed, he would real quick as how his new temporary partner is doing "You doing ok Sindu?" Now Aden would have the other pirate starfighter he's engaging in his crosshairs... but no his own ship was screaming that he had a missile lock on him, not wanting his ship badly damaged or destroyed by a missile, he'd speed up and veer up and keep on it until he'd do another loop until he'd now be heading downwards, he'd escape the lock though.

@Minuteman75

 

[Chant Sindhu]

The Lee-Char spinned as it made a hard right while continuing to be under fire. From behind the twin pirate fighters soared after their prey. Each unleashed a barrage, forcing the light freighter to swerve from one side to another. Most of the shots missed and some struck its back. Inside the cockpit Chant grimaces upon seeing the shields decreasing.

Cmon Ness you can do it. Thought the pilot as she grew more desperate than before.

As if in reply the top turret activated swifty angling its sights toward the attackers. Ness with a loud whistle pulled the triggers, letting loose a stream of laser shots. In response the pair dodged repeatedly. Seconds later however, three bolts clipped one wing of the pirate fighter on the left. It dropped, spinning out of control before crashing and exploding into a piece of wrecked hull.

“Keep it up girl!” Chant called out in the intercom before her astromech replied with a click and two chirps. In retaliation the remaining fighter increased thrusters, gaining on the Lee-Char while subsequently both starcraft near the field of asteroids up ahead.

Getting Aden’s latest message she was about to retort when an alarm rang out in the cockpit. “Missile lock!” She cried out, veering the Lee-Char upwards to the right narrowly avoiding collusion with several space rocks. The pirate missile was fired but moments later it slammed into a speeder-size asteroid and ignited. The pirate pilot didn’t have time to scream before his starfighter was torn to shreds by the resulting shrapnel.

Some of it cut at the left side of the Lee-Char’s hull, tearing the shields as well. As Ness let out a squeak, Chant dived avoiding further damage. Heart pounding she sighed. Remembering Aden the freelancer messaged.

“Got rid of my mynocks. Heading your way.”

Turning the ship around, Ness called to Chant in question.

“Yes I’m well aware that we could make a break for it now. But I made a deal and I intend to keep it.”

@The Good Doctor

 

[Aden Archer]

"Affirmative" Aden replied to his newfound acquaintance. Aden was still trying to make that last bogey disappear, but he doesn't want to stay in once place and let him shoot him down, that would be too easy after all. Aden was tracking the other ship and aiming to maneuver around to bring his weapons to bear, and the other vessel was doing the same on the opposite end Then the two would meet head-to-head, and they would both be firing their laser cannons rapidly at each other as they would joust in the void, striking the front of eaech other's vessels. Their courses are locked, even if they would break off they would still take damage and miss-out on destroying the other.

Aden had one advantage though and he'd make good use of it: He'd switch shields to double-front, doubling the defensive power of his shield. With that, although the Bravebird would take a good amount of damage to it's shield, some of it bleeding into the hull itself, with sparks flying and the hull rumbling. Aden would keep cool and hold it together and in the end it is the pirate starfighter that would be destroyed, exploding.

With that done, the space station would start firing another salvo of laser cannon shots from it's turrets at the two ships. They didn't send any more fighters after them though. The Bravebird would weave around as it would try to go towards it's hangar. "I think the pirate leader is inside, going after him. Coming with?" he asked, he intends on getting the captain so he can be turned in. The pirates are still occuping the station, even maning it's guns, even had an assortment of starfighters in it. He still thinks they set shop here to be their newest hang-out spto

@Minuteman75