Ask Stolen Flower

[Xim Zhan]

Stolen Flower: Smoe Jith has terrible luck or is bad at gambling and a hard time letting go of a loss. While touring Tatooine, Smoe lost his starblossom class star yacht in a bet against a Gand smuggler named Bizger Myst. Bizger is a paranoid pilot but can be found in one of the major settlements of Tatooine. The client has already paid half upfront and requests that we try to just return his ship to him in Corellia with as little amount of bloodshed as possible. He knows that's asking a lot from Mandalorians but that's why he is paying so well.
——————————

Descending the gangplank of the long-haul freighter, Xim Zhan squinted behind his T-shaped visor. His golden beskar’gam reflected like the surface of the two Tatooinian suns. The starched sands scratched across the worn duracrete beneath his boot as Xim turned to his companions. “Ahh Mos Espa. Trans-galactic port of smugglers and low lifes across the Rim. Home of gambling, pod racing and the finest flea market this side of the Hydian Way.” Xim set off into the bustling cityscape. Sources said that Bizger Myst had made a business hub for himself here; all they had to do now was find it. How hard could that be?

A lot more difficult than one would expect it turned out. “Come on,” Xim waved at his two companions, “Lets get a drink.” He had been hoping for some sort of flashing sign or maybe the New Alderaanian Royal Engineering made vessel would be sitting at the neighboring loading dock.

Ducking in the first open air cantina, he saw, Xim spun about and waggled a finger at @Wer Tracyn and @Dar'Manda. “Best behavior. Remember. Limited bloodshed and no unwanted attention.” he growled, as if he did not need reminded that a trio of Mandalorians would draw unwanted eyes simply by existing in public, especially armed to the teeth.

Plopping himself down in an empty wooden chair that groaned in protest, Xim ran a finger through the dusty sand that coated the table. At least they were in the shade. From within the stoney structure of the open air cantina, a rather gruff and rather unhappy looking Chevin shoved a scantily clad woman with bright green hair in the direction of the Mandalorians. “Maybe the waitress can give you her comm code Wer. Looks like your type,” he joked, “or,” he paused, “tell us where to find a Type 4 Alderaanian Fuel Cell Converter?”

@Mythos @tNarzen

 

[Virgo Armegedon-Lok]

As the echoes of her boots clanked against the gangplank in her decent, she thanked Kad Ha'rangir that she couldn't see her homeworld for what it truly was. Twenty years it had been now since she survived her family's holocaust, twenty years since she left this world behind. And she cursed herself for taking this job that brought her home. For twenty years, Virgo Armegedon had laid dead, lost upon the sands of time and forgotten. Simply stepping upon its sands threatened to revive her.

But now, with no choice, she stepped upon it as if it meant little more than the dirt it produced. At least, in appearance. Beneath the white veiled robes and Beskar'gam that she adorned as Dar'Manda. And beneath her helm, silence, even as the others spoke. A tribute to her role as a Mercenary, where no words needed to be spoken except through action. All she needed was her cursed sight. For her survival laid solely upon the whim of Kad Ha'rangir and her necessity to him.

To be honest, it was kinda funny to see and witness the actions of the others with no sound able to pierce her shielded helm. A small enjoyment she often found tranquility in. But if her sight truly cursed her soul, then it was tribute to play upon her role and let her sight be her only guide. Taking a seat next to the two after entering the Cantina, she sat stoic and unwavering in her silence as her gaze shifted about. Not just visually either. For Virgo Lok had trained her mind's eye to see entirely in three hundred and sixty degrees.

As the Chevin shoved the waitress their way, Virgo tapped @Wer Tracyn on the knee before pointing and her body made a silent movement resembling a fit of laughter despite none coming from her.

@Narzen @The Mad Hammer

 

[Wer Tracyn]

“I’ll always agree to that plan” Wer commented on the idea of finding a drink as he came down the gangplank. Like most blue collared workers that Wer had found himself among during his youngling years, the red plated Mandalorian had acquired that well-known condition called ‘thirst’ that only alcohol could fully quench. Expensiveness didn’t matter as much, just as long as it dulled the nauseated nerves after a trip through hyperspace.

“Though couldn’t the job have been on some sand hole that wasn’t under the light of twin suns?” Wer added as he followed suit.

At the two’s comments, or pantomime in the case of Dar’Manda, towards Wer talking to the waitress coming their way, Wer rolled his eyes as he took off his helmet and placed it on the table, showing off his large chin and messy black hair.

“See, you two think that’s funny because you think I have no charm. But the thing is, I have more charm than the rest of you combined. Take notes old man, you could use the tutelage of a pro like this one.”

Wer turned towards the waitress and put on his biggest smile the Mandalorian could conjure, flashing white and slightly bent teeth.

“Hey there pretty thing…” Wer started. “I’d order a breath of heaven, but I see we already got one here helping us, so how about three Ryloths and some company?”

Spoiler

OOC D20 Roll for charming/Investigation: 7: Partial Success

The woman flashed a forced smile. She had been working late, and this was not the first time she had heard this pick-up line. Still, she was working, and at least the clod looked decent enough compared to some of the more regulars. She nodded and returned later with the drinks and gave one to each. Wer, still filled with his own self-deluded confidence, continued.

“You wouldn’t happen to know where we might acquire a… what was it again?” Wer looked at the gold plated Mandalorian and waved his hand over as if requesting help in remembering. “Oh right, a…Type 4…Alderaan Fuel…cell thingy?”

The waitress raised an eyebrow at the question. Clearly, this one was not the most fluent in starship jargon. She looked to the other two for clarification.
@Mythos @The Mad Hammer

 

[Xim Zhan]

“A Type 4 Alderaanian Fuel Cell Converter. Comes in on those fancy luxury yachts rich boys with no sense of decency jaunt around in to impress all the ladies and hide their lack of natural charisma.” Xim explained as pleasantly as he could, all the whilekicking Wer under the table with his not-so-subtle jab.

OOC: Knowledge check for waitress
Result: 92

“Oh one of THOOOOOSE.” The waitresses eyes lit up. “Not too many of them around. Your best bet would be to try over in the entertainment district.” She gestured beyond the back of the cantina, deeper into the sprawling city. “Rumor has it some idiot offworlder lost one playing dice a few weeks back. I think it is sitting in some sort of junk lot over there somewhere until it can be scrapped out.”

Xim could not believe his luck. He just hoped they were not too late. Stealing a ship was one thing. Stealing all the parts, putting it back together, and blasting out of Docking Bay 94 was quite another. He hoisted his drink in a toast to the waitress. “Many thanks ma’am. Vod, tip the girl. She has more than earned her wages this day!” Fishing a straw up under his helmet and beneath the rubberized seal, Xim took a drink. Jawa Juice! He smacked his tongue against the roof of his mouth in disgust. Who drinks this stuff? He found the whole idea of grounding those stinking halflings into juice a rather foul idea, even for a people with a reputation as violent as his own.

Now all that remained was to find the entertainment district, find the ship and whatever parts were missing, steal the ship out from whatever watchful eyes were guarding such an impound lot/scrap yard, and take it Corellia. With any luck, the trio would be sipping cocktails aboard some rich or’dinii’s ship before the sun set on the following day.

@Mythos @Narzen

 

[Virgo Armegedon-Lok]

Virgo's platinum hair fell out as the pressurized seal of her helm hissed with its release just about the time that Wer used his pick up line, her scolding eyes darting his way in an almost lethal manner as she sat her helm aside. She didn't need to say much, but as the waitress walked away to get their drinks, a smirk crossed her face.

"A breath of heaven? Really?!" She questioned in a soft tone with a chuckle and a slap at her knee. "There is really no hope for you at all, ner'vod. I may be a soulless, but you're definitely hopeless."

As the two questioned the waitress upon her return, Virgo took her drink with a silenced nod as she propped her leg up on the joint of a nearby chair and leaned back comfortably as she swirled her drink around before downing it in a single gulp. She chuckled at Xim's reaction, reaching over to pat the Mandalorian heartedly upon the back as he fought to swallow. Throwing a few creds to the waitress, Virgo ordered another round with payment included. As she walked away, Virgo turned back to the two.

This time as she spoke, however, her tone had grown even softer as if a mere whisper. "So it is still here? What do you two think the odds are of us getting offworld in it?" It wasn't to say she doubted their skill. They had the means. But this was technically enemy territory and they were the only means of success. One mistake and it could cause repercussions farther than expectations. "Kad Ha'rangir wills it, but Arasuum can be a tricky bastard with even the truest of fates."

 

[Wer Tracyn]

Again, Wer rolled his eyes at Dar'Manda’s comments. As the waitress brought back the drinks, he gave the woman a wink and casually sipped on his drink. He winced slightly as the sour taste flowed over his tongue, but downed it quickly. Anything that attacked his liver via his stomach and bloodstream was a healthy counter to space sickness.

“Thanks again, sweet thing. Maybe if things go alright, I’ll stop by for another glance from you” Wer told the waitress as he pulled out a few of the last credits he had on his person. Unfortunately for him, credits in his hands were usually more greasy than a Jawa’s armpit, and came and went faster than a corellian freighter. Still, the woman seemed happy enough to receive a tip.

At the female Mandalorian’s question, he shrugged slightly with a grin on his face as he drank the next round given to him. “I’d say very decent. I mean, have you met us? Fate has nothing on us. We simply go in, demand the ship, and leave with it. Little intimidation here, little bit of talk with gun in hand there, bingo gungan bongo, we are on our way. Who’s going to mess with three Mandalorians armed to the teeth?”

@Xim Zhan @Mythos

 

[Xim Zhan]

“Aye,” Xim heartily agreed, slamming his mug of unfinished drink on the table. With their tab paid, the gold-plates Mandalorian pilot gestured out into the searing light of Tatooine’s twin suns. “Lets go find us a ship.”

Trodding through the windswept sand, Xim and company made their way from the landing pads, loading bays, port authorities, and all that catered to the off world, discrete, and legitimate traders and travelers that journeyed through Mos Espa.

It took a good twenty minutes of meaningful walking to find themselves in the entertainment district, deep in the heart of the city. Here, the seedy side of the city was on full display. Slavery, prostitution, gambling parlors and spice dens openly proclaimed their individual iniquities. Many doorways had armed guards to show that they meant business. Instinctively, Xim’s hand drifted toward his blaster, just to reassure himself that it would remain where it was until he needed it. In such an area, pickpockets and cutpurses were sure to follow anyone who looked like they might have a healthy satchel of coin. High above in towering spires, the rich and wealthy engaged in activities and entertainment, both legal and otherwise.

As they walked, Xim did not see their quarry anywhere. This did not seem like a place to engage in starship chop-shopping, and a ship that size was not one that could be easily stashed beneath a tarp or behind the facade of a building. And still they continued to walk on, the crowds of delinquents giving the trio a wide berth.

An hour and a lot of walking later, they had exhausted the entertainment district; but there in the distance, at the edge of the district, were towering solid fence panels about what could only be described as a junkyard. Coils of electrified razor wire encircled the top edge. “If that ship is anywhere,” Xim pointed, “I’d bet she is somewhere in that sprawling expanse.”

“We just gotta get past the guards.” Xim nodded toward the seeker droids that dipped in and out of sight as they tirelessly patrolled the scrapyard. That was not to mention the armed guards at the gates and moving along the perimeter.

@Narzen @Mythos

 

[Virgo Armegedon-Lok]

"That's exactly why we should be cautious." She replied to Wer as she finished her second glass, letting the warm sour taste of her homeworld bring forth memories of old, a brief flash of her mother and father playing with Scorpio as a toddler. As she swallowed, he concluded her warning. "Arasuum grants us complacency and a false sense of invulnerability. Be mindful. Being the best makes you a target for the rest."

With her helm replaced, she leaves her final warning in silence with her vod as grabs her gear and prepares herself for what truly laid ahead. Her vod couldn't and wouldn't be able to understand the tale that life had dealt her. How Kad Ha'rangir had rescued her from a life under Arasuum and the complacency she had knew. She was born and raised in peace upon these very sands, and even became a woman under these twin suns that now glimmered upon their Armor. It was the aftermath that revealed the stale life she had known. First in her parent's retribution. And then in the loss of her husband. She would never be weak again.

That was the meaning of ner'vod to her. To be amongst others of Kad Ha'rangir whom know the reality of life and the hardships that it wrought. For those whom found strength to remain true in the devastation of the Crusade. To become Harbingers whom spread the realities of life and Arasuum, to be the silent voices of Kad Ha'rangir in the chaos of reality for those willing to hear. It wasn't about good and evil. It was about being the best version of one's self in the Fires of Mandalor'. And she felt this existed within Rancor Squadron.

And yet, as she walked the streets of her homeworld, despite the distance to her family's homestead, there lingered a remembrance of that subtle peace everyone sought at one point or another within their lives. And in it, that urge to return or linger. That was Arasuum's greatest trick, a false sense of utopian perfection. It was in it that weakness and complacency bred. And why Kad Ha'rangir called for such Crusades. Not for the Mandalorians that answered with hearts of freedom, but for the Galaxy that pleaded for it. For a better tomorrow, for the betterment of the meek.

As the trio traversed the last remnants of the Entertainment District, she paused for a brief second, gauging the area and the what reach Arasuum held even here and the attention that the three drew. Just as she had warned, being the best made them targets for the rest. Whether such attention drew Blaster shots or fear in remembrance of what her people could do, it mattered little. But as Mandalorians, they were but a sore thumb, and stuck out as such. It would be hard to pull this job off, because Mandalorians could not trek anywhere without drawing such attentions.

Secretly, beneath her helm in silence, she pondered if had they already drew too much as Xim pointed out the security. Would they be able to get past without following eyes or unwanted attention, even if they continued to be unnoticed by those they saw? Only time would truly tell. Grasping both her rifle and Beskad, she offered Xim either option. A well placed shot could penatrate a droid's matrix, or the weight of Beskar could dismember a droid's reaction. But either way, their presence would likely become an alerted position.

@Narzen @The Mad Hammer

 

[Wer Tracyn]

Wer simply nodded at Dar’Manda’s comment. He felt such talk was mostly true, but directing it at him was meaningless. He knew how much of a target he was. Much of his boisterous nature came from the fact that he knew he was a target. If he was going to be a target for others, he might as well take certain comfort in it.

Still, being such a target made him paranoid at times, and rightfully so. Even as he walked the streets with the others, his hand never left the blade at his side. The one benefit of coming to such a remote planet like Tatooine was the fact that carrying such a weapon like the chainsword was not only permitted, but actually brought favor from certain groups. It intimidated those who were in the know, and even those who didn’t know, the weapon was intimidating by looks alone.

“That would be my guess too” Wer commented at the guess of the target being in the scrapyard. Wer thought a moment and then…

“If you two can distract the guard droids, I can cut a way through the fence. After all, this thing ain’t just for show” Wer tapped his chainsword. “Unless you two have a better idea?”

@The Mad Hammer @Mythos

 

[Xim Zhan]

A trio of Mandalorians standing outside a fenced in scrapyard and eyeballing it not so discretely was sure to draw attention,

OOC: coun flip. Heads-noticed. Ta-unnoticed
RESULT: tails

and yet, somehow, it did not.

Xim looked left and right. This far off, there was nobody to be seen, with the exception of a rather past-her-prime twi’leki female and an unidentified cloaked stranger engaging in a less-than-discrete spice sale with a little more tongue action than usual. As for the droids, apparently Mandalorians were not a categorically classified threat.

Xim slowly nodded at Wer’s suggestion. “Virgo, you go left,” he pointed down the way toward the distant gate; calling their partner by her given name, “I’ll go right. If any droid or person comes along, you know,” he smiled beneath his helmet as he indicated Wer, “distract; but keep it low key. We don’t need any Syndicate forces coming to see what happened.” No disintegrations and all that jazz. Looking at Wer, Xim nodded slowly, “Gotal’ur banar” before moving off through the sand, fishing his blaster from his hip and sending a laser bolt into the air. The blaster’s single shot echoing along the fence line.

OOC: d100 to see if Xim creates a distraction
RESULT: 90

It barely took a Hutt’s breath before the armed Mandalorian elicited a response. The whirring hum of the floating seeker swarm beyond the fence was a cacophony of sound as whatever distant droid sentry took note of the shot fired by the armored man, signaling his neural-linked compatriots who swarmed to keep a swarm of eyes on the trespasser within concern’s range. Meanwhile, a pair of the armed sentries began to run to intercept the now charging gold-plated Mandalorian, their heavy carbines trained on Xim.

@Narzen @Mythos

 

[Virgo Armegedon-Lok]

Even if Xim's words were lost upon Virgo's ears, his figure wasn't. She nodded at his pointing and made off toward the gate after sheathing her Beskad. When she drew near the Gate's entrance, she let loose a resounding plum of her HB-4, and yet, unbeknownst to her, Xim had done the same. Only, he drew more of the attention.

Spoiler

D20: 7

Her attempt was partially successful, turning a few of the security droids her way, but in the raging dust that was Tatooine's wind, she found her distraction valuable. What tried to locate her, couldn't see her, and a few of the droids chalked it up to atmospheric debris.

 

[Wer Tracyn]

As the two went to work on distracting the droids, Wer crept up quietly to an unguarded section of the fence. Sneaking up was easy enough. Xim’s actions especially were noisy and noticeable. While Dar’Manda’s left something to be desired, they had the effect Wer needed.

Unhooking his blade from his waist, he activated it momentarily. The teeth quickly sliced through the metal easily enough, and with the distractions from the two sources, none of the security droids noticed the momentary noise. Within moments, Wer had sliced a hole large enough for any human to step through.

“Way’s clear, though hold one sec…” Wer used his comm to the others as he stepped inside and dodged for some cover.

As he turned a corner around a pile of junk, one of the patrolling seeker droids came into view. Wer stopped momentarily out of instinct, then jumped forward, dropping his blade. Hands outstretched, he hoped to grab the thing and smash it before it noticed Wer and called for help. It wasn’t that big. Wer had seen similar droids in the mines he worked when cave-ins occurred. They were fragile enough that the attention drawing Sawblade wasn’t necessary

Spoiler

D20 roll to quietly disable the droid.
Result: 16

Wer’s hands wrapped around the droid swiftly and easily. Without hesitation, Wer brought the thing down into a piece of scrap metal next to him. Once, twice, he smashed the thing until it sparked and died.

Wer smiled under his helmet and tossed the broken droid up and down in his hands.

“I wonder if i could get this thing working again…” Wer mused quietly, then ducked under some scrap.

“Alright, way's clear. Got a little hidey-hole even” Wer whispered through his comms to the others.

 

[Xim Zhan]

“Good for you!” Xim hissed into his comm, fully realizing that his distraction may have worked too well. Looking at the charging swarm of sentry and security droids, Xim shuddered; he’d be lucky to not make the holonews with his little stunt. “You better hurry up!”

Xim turned back toward the entertainment district and broke into a sprint, his heavy boots pounding the ground. Firing a round over his shoulder, he activated his jetpack and launched himself skyward up above the street and landing in an open window of a rundown apartment building.

OOC: roll d20 to find something useful
RESULT: 9

Landing in the window, Xim charged into the abandoned apartment. It was apparent that squatters has taken up residence here, but fortunately they were gone. Looking over his shoulder, Xim was confident that the security bots could not fly; but he was unsure how far the floating ball-droids would pursue him. Kicking his foot through piles of junk, rubbish, and belongings, the Mandalorian found a weighty length of durasteel pipe, a chunk of duracrete hanging off one end. Holstering his sidearm, Xim picked up the pipe just as one of the tracking spherical droids buzzed into the window. Swinging the pipe, the concrete end connected with the droid with a splintering crack. In an instant the droid sparked and crackled as it’s photoceptor went dark and it was caved in half, arcing back out the window through the air with the momentum of Xim’s swing.

“Somebody give me an update. Not sure how long until local goons arrive. I’ll try and hold them best I can.” He called into his comms

@Narzen @Mythos

 

[Virgo Armegedon-Lok]

Despite Virgo's attempt at distraction had little success, she rolled with the punches. She quickly spun on her heels and made a beeline back toward @Xim Zhan with her HB-4 in hand. The dusty haze was beginning to lift and her mind's eye quickly caught sight of her vod entering the apartment's window. But she also caught sight of the five pursuers. Raising the scope eye level in her sprint, she fired, sending forth an unhindered round toward the sentry droids that would only resound moments after the shot.

Spoiler

D20: 16

The shot was not only a success, but proved more fruitful than anticipating. Just as the bullet tore through metal and fiber, it rang true through the other two that stepped directly in his path as their gaze followed the two floating surveillance droids that followed Xim into the building above. Not waiting around for more to show up, and knowing Xim could handle the rest, she knew it was time to reconnect with @Wer Tracyn.

Throwing her rifle across her back, she withdrew her Beskad from her hip. It was time for Mandalorians to do what Mandalorians do best.

 

[Wer Tracyn]

"OK, OK, moving forward, keep your helmet on" Wer hissed back in the comm. Slowly, but surely, Wer continued to move forward. Thankfully, with all the action occurring outside the junkyard, no one was really paying attention to the inside of the junkyard.

"Well, well, ain't that a beautiful thing" Wer commented through the comm. There before him, the starblossom yacht stood like a pearl in a trash heap. Several ASP-series labor droids surrounded it, working on moving several pumps and clamps, preparing for the command to start demolishing the ship and tear it apart for scrap parts. While the ship itself laid open and easily approachable, Wer noticed one major hinderance.

"Looks like the thing is clamped down" Wer commented. "One hell of a gravity lock that's gonna make flying the baby impossible. Looks like the droids surrounding it are draining the fuel lines as well."

Wer raised a hand to scratch his chin under his helmet. "Those droids are ASP-series. We used to use them in the mines. Very limited in programming, shouldn't raise any alarms unless we interfere in their work. I should be able to handle the fuel, but that gravity lock is gonna be tricky. Only person who'll have the password is the owner."

Wer glanced around. Within a few moments, he spotted his answer.

"Darmanda, you in the Junkyard yet? Look's like there's a maintenance building at the far side of the yard. Credits to crystals that the manager of the junkyard keeps his passwords over there. You get it for me, I'll get the fuel running, and we should be able to take off in no time. Just watch out for those searcher droids"

@Xim Zhan @Mythos

 

[Xim Zhan]

Xim stared out the window, seeing Virgo make her way into the junkyard, “Looks like she is heading your way Wer.” Suddenly a shot exoded the crumbling duracrete next to the window he was standing in. “Whoa! Standby. Looks like I’ve got company.” He shouted as he spun back behind the cover of the wall letting his makeshift club clatter to the cluttered floor. “Great. More droids.” “Looks like I’ve got the security sufficiently distracted. Can you blow up the grav lock? Maybe find a turbocannon lying around or something.”

Xim grabbed his rifle, crouched and sent a trio of blasts blindly overhead toward the droids; sending the message that he was still there and still a threat. The floating spherical cam droids seemed to have opted to not get booted into next week, again.

Outside, several more security droids seemed to materialize from within the scrapyard; the watcher bots slowly taking up positions about the apartment, intent on not letting the interloper that was Xim escape. Not that this was something Xim could really note from his position; but as he chanced a glance the flurry of blasterfire that zinged around and through the window was enough. Thankfully they were far enough removed from the top engineers of the galaxy that these droids internalized sites were not entirely accurate. Thankfully, because Xim valued his head where it was.

“I wish I had some grenades,” he sighed into his comms to no one in particular. Crouching, Xim made his way to the door and out into the hallway. It was equally littered with refuse. “What a mess. Who lives here?” He pondered aloud as he began to move through the dim hallway. Maybe if he could make the roof, Xim hoped that maybe he could make an escape before the droids below breeched the secure access point of the rundown apartment building. E-11 held in his hands, Xim moved quickly and cautiously trusting that his vod could handle getting the ship closer to ready for thieving.

@Narzen @Mythos

 

[Virgo Armegedon-Lok]

Virgo crossed through the cut fence and made her way through the junkyard quiet as a mouse, her blade gripped tightly as she shifted from debris to debris, careful to avoid the localized droids who had remained and taking cover when the searcher droids hovered overhead. This was her greatest skill, infiltration, and she was an ace at it. It wouldn't take long before she would regroup with Wer across the yard.

Some of the sentry droids that had arrived near Xim's location found their allies in waste on the streets below and had began to wonder off in search of what their programming suggested as a second shooter, but by then, she was untraceable as she came up behind Wer and tapped the 'vod on his left shoulder.

He didn't have to say anything. She was growing accustomed to working with him and Xim. Her gaze shifted from him to the ASPs and the Grav-Lock and then to the maintenance building and she knew almost instantly what he would want her to do. With a nod, she was off again, taking post up near some crates he had managed to secure himself behind before disappearing around them.

Spoiler

D20: 6 - Limited Infiltration Failure

Roughly about half way toward the Maintenance Building, one of the searcher droids managed to spot her ducking behind an old X-Wing on the far left of the Junkyard, swirling above as it flew to investigate. Only, as it neared the X-Wing, it couldn't locate her as she hid in what remained of it's fuselage. Zipping around continously, it hovered and scanned for her position. In one fell swoop of her blade, she took the Droid down as her Beskad cleaved it in two.

Continuing on, she made her way toward the Maintenance Building.

 

[Wer Tracyn]

"Nope, not unless you want to damage the ship" Wer commented on the idea of simply blowing up the Grav Lock. "I might be able to hack it open, but that could take hours."

Wer glanced and saw Dar'manda moving towards the Maintenance Building.

"Looks like she's on her way to get the codes though. Xim, you don't need me to come back there and save your ass, right? Or are you getting too old for our line of work?" Wer joked through the comms. In all seriousness, he was debating whether or not to go back and help Xim.

Wer stood and approached the ASP-series droids. As he predicted, the things ignored the Mando, programmed only to focus on their job.

"Hey! Bolt Heads! Stop working!" Wer shouted over the droids.

One of the droids did indeed stop, only to say "Negative" before turning back to its job.

"Figured it wouldn't be that easy. Alright then. Hey! Give me lead command droid's attention!"

The droid who did stop earlier dropped the fuel line hose it was holding and approached Wer. Its diminuative body looked up at Wer like an annoyed Ugnaught awaiting orders.

Spoiler

OOC: D20 roll to get droids to stop working and to refuel the ship.
Result: 15

"Can you cease work on the ship?"

"Negative" the droid replied.

"Why?"

The droid didn't respond.

"Oh that's right, you guys can only say two words, right?"

"Affirmative"

"alright. Come on Wer, you've handled droids before, this should be easy. Can you restart your order sequence of dismantling the ship?"

"Negative"

"Darn. Can you refuel the ship so I can make sure you did it right?"

"Negative"

"Figured that wouldn't work. Come on Wer, think..."

Suddenly, Wer snapped his fingers.

"Is the gravity lock on the schematics for dismantling the ship?"

The droid paused as it processed the question.

"Negative"

"Ah ha! which means you don't have the latest schematic for the ship, do you?"

"Negative"

"Alright. Then you will need to enter this command: revert ship to previous state, including with fuel, and then enter standby for properly updated ship schematic."

The droid paused a moment longer. Wer began to sweat under Tatooine's twin suns.

"Affirmative" The droid finally replied and turned back to the others. With some beeping in binary, the droids updated their commands and began to refuel the ship.

"Haha! Wer to everyone, the ship is being refueled as we speak. Once we get the Gravity lock, we can get this baby out of here. "

@The Mad Hammer @Mythos

 

[Xim Zhan]

“You just focus on getting that grav lock off. I’ll be fine.” Xim grumbled as his knees ached withbevery step he took up the rickety wooden stairs towards the roof on the towering apartment building. “Somehow.” He added to himself as he continued to look around the vacant, but clearly used structure.

What Xim did not know, was that the apartments housed the slaves of a particularly nasty criminal warlord and all of his people were out working the sands during the day.

Finally, he reached the top. 29 stories up and his aching knees matched the groan that escaped the Mandalorian’s lips as he saw a rusting metal ladder that climbed upward into the dark. “Only one way to go,” he muttered as he placed a hand and foot on the ladder and began to climb, testing each before trusting it with his full weight.

Below, the droids battered the door, finally gaining access. A half dozen of the security bots charged in, their focus singular: get the interloper. They made their way up the stairs, thundering a call throughout the building announcing their arrival; and driving any hidden children deeper and quieter into their corners.

Of course, Xim could barely hear any of this just below the ceiling as a stuck hatch barred his way from gaining access to the roof. Xim’s gauntlets clanged against the hatch as he beat on it, eventually forcing the weathered shut by the dry winds and sands of Tatooine. With a screech the door swung open, caught by the winds and slamming into the roof. Xim pulled himself up and out Into the hot sun-scorched air. Xim yanked the hatch cover closed behind him, kicking it into place once, twice, three times for good measure.

Turning about, Com walked to the edge of the building and stared down across the sprawling scrapyard below. He could see the ship, their target, and he could see @Wer Tracyn and @Dar'Manda. Keying his comms, Xim called down to his brethren, “Looks like you got a handful of Gammoreans, eight, yeah . . . eight piggies heading your way about the aft end of the ship. Big. Ugly. Probably smelly. Looks like they’ve got a GONK and an E-Web of some sorts too.”

Xim’s eyes continued to scan the piles of junk, heaps of old starships left to be worn by the sands of a forgotten world. Nothing worth noting until Xim took in the big picture. What looked like a wall of junk suddenly came into focus. Over 3700 feet long, once shimmering white worn to a dull gray, sat the remains of a droid-controlled pocket ship. “Hello there,” Xim called out to no one in particular, his comms still on before he absentmindedly flicked them off “I wonder if you still work?” Afterall, there were droids aplenty; all it would take is getting the thing online again, if possible; and finding droids to crew it; and ensuring the droid brain worked and was not hostile; and making sure the thing could actually fly; and . . . ; and . . .

It seemed a shame to come all this way for only one ship.

@Narzen @Mythos

 

[Virgo Armegedon-Lok]

It wasn't as hard as Virgo would have thought to find the password needed as she entered the building, most laid out upon a nearby command console for the entire world to see. Along with blueprints for most of the ships they salvaged or scrapped on a nearby desk. Virgo took note of both, folding a few of the blueprints and placing them in her robed armor before opening the command console.

Spoiler

D20 Roll: 11
Partial Success

It didn't take long for her to place commands to disengage the grav-locks from the console. A few inputs here, a few modified commands there, and soon it would be ready and hovering in place. All @Wer Tracyn had to do was ensure the ASPs kept following his logics at least long enough for her to get there. And yet, what she hadn't counted on, was the underlying security protocols that were set in place when the grav-locks were disengaged.

Klaxons began to alarm and that the Searcher and Sentry droids would turn back toward the Yard, discontinuing their pursuit of @Xim Zhan in the moment she stepped away from the console in disappointment. Heading out the door of the Maintenance Building, she caught glimpse of the inbound Gamorran's headed in their directions and quickly pulled forth her HB-4 to lay down suppressing fire until Xim and Wer were able to complete their quests. The countdown had begun and she was making her way to Wer's position as promptly as she could.