Ask Taking Terminus

[Malus]

Spoiler: OOC Note

Open to two opposition and one Sith ally. 48 hour posting limit. Please try to keep things balanced.

Malus hated pirates and Terminus was full of them. Or, at least it used to be. After the Gauvian Death Gang tangled with the old Droid Gotra, there wasn't much left on the planet besides those who wished to disappear. Terminus was an arid planet with plateaus and rolling hills with tall grass with a few lakes here and there- it was almost perfect for getting away from the galaxy.

But Malus was not here to escape, no, the little green alien was here to re-discover and claim the high-value data caches for the Empire. Panoptes, Malus's tactical droid pilot, had already found one on his scanners after they touched down on the planet's dry surface. When the hatch door of the Keshir I opened, Malus inhaled and closed his eyes. These caches would prove to be very beneficial to the Empire. Who knows what kind of secrets they held!

The plan was simple; find the data cache and download it's files onto his datapad and then use it's computer to find the locations of the other caches in the area. Malus opened his eyes and exhaled, walking down the hatch with his walking stick which made a donk, donk, donk, with every step.

If Panoptes was correct, these caches would be located in bunkers. Malus could see one off in the distance, almost hidden by the tall grass. There might still be remnants of the Droid Gotra down there that still might harbor hate for fleshlings. Malus would need to be one his toes for this mission. Regardless of whether or not he was going in alone.

 

[Xukas Mangle]

The sounds of insects dance through heat laden air, dry, grassy surroundings serving to blanket distant structures of jagged form. The beast that steps from the confines of his personal Interceptor is one that might appear out of place for such a task, for why would a brute seek the knowledge of these ancient caches? But Xukas was no mindless animal, no feral creature with a taste only for blood. His eyes glowed with a crimson cunning, an intelligence that seeped through piercing depths. If this data can prove useful to the Empire, then he will do all he can to help retrieve it.

Nostrils flare as the canine draws in surrounding scents, ears flicking like radars at the touch of dry wind. He's draped in his brass lined, red leathers, though notably, he is missing the decorated mask that so often adorned his fanged maw on such missions.

Bare paws prick dusty earth with coiling nails that tear through blades of grass, as long strides carry the dark furred Shistavanen toward the shuttle that possessed his ally. Malus was a small thing, tiny in comparison to the looming wolf that peers down at him with dagger-like eyes, but Xukas is not one to underestimate others on size alone. He knows next to nothing of Malus, but he supposed this little outing so far from Imperial Space would prove useful in revealing the other's personality.

He eventually comes to a halt just a few feet away, his lightsaber resting with a glint at his belted hip, as the hulking male parted toothy jaws to speak.

"Daar pruzaan kos balaan nii." The brute speaks in his native, Shistavanen tongue, vocals like a deep tumble of thunder. "We are a long way from home, but I understand that these data caches hold great knowledge." There is a thoughtful glimmer to his shining gaze, as Xukas twists his angled skull to peer at the bunker that rose above the tall grass in the distance. No doubt, that would be their first destination. The wolf blows out a breath, large claws glinting in the sun that showers his muscled frame in a bronze glow. Finally, he utters his growling words again.

"The grass is tall. If need be, you may climb atop my shoulder." Xukas offers simply, because he doubts the little green fellow would be much of a burden at all. He probably weighed little more than a loth cat.

---

@Charles

 

[Djin Baurr]

As the Briikase Peyn completed its second circle around one of the major landing areas on Terminus, Djin smiled, punching the thruster to try and beat his 'high score'. He had only recently arrived over Terminus, tracking down a more elusive bounty who had fled to the nest of villains in an attempt to evade capture.

Terminus was a hotbed of crime, piracy and much more.

It was therefore an ideal place for those trying to avoid unwanted attention to lay low. However, as he looked out of his cockpit, and spotted an approaching imperial shuttle, Djin grew concerned. Imperial entanglements are the last thing we need, he thought to himself - worried that the Imperials would disrupt his mission.

Watching as the Imperial ship touched down, and its occupant disembarked, the hunter opened his comlink channel and brought his ship up high above the target zone. "Imperial vessel, this is the Briikase Peyn. You are interfering with an active warrant. Leave the area, immediately." he instructed, opening his targeting computer, and locking onto their now empty shuttle.

 

[Malus]

Spoiler: OOC Note

Posting to keep this going. I'll wait for someone to join Norbs and if not, I'll give him some NPC back up if I can't get someone else to join.

Xukas was a magnificent beast- one Malus was lucky to have on his own side. They made quite the interesting duo as well. A huge wolf with a small green gremlin. Maybe they could use their polar opposites to each other's advantages. When Xukas offered to carry Malus, he bowed his head with respect towards the refined beast. It would've been a long and tiresome journey to make his way through the much taller grass.

"Thank you, Xukas." Then, Malus hopped onto Xukas's shoulders. But before they could get a move on a starfighter hovered over the bunker they duo was heading to, threatening them to get off planet. Malus narrowed his eyes and opened his own commlink, "Briikase Peyn, hrm? Mandalorian, you are, yes?" Malus was fluent in several languages that he had picked up on during his long life and Mando'a was one of them. Whether this bounty hunter was just a fan or an actual Mando, Malus wasn't going to give up this mission so easily.

"Business of the Empire, you are interfering with. Warrant or not, our own rights to be here, we have." Then, he shut the com off so he could speak with Xukas. "A ship, have you not?" If Xukas had gotten here by means of another ship, then losing the Keshir I would not tax the little green alien at all. "Sir, they have their weaponry locked onto the shuttle." Panoptes came over Malus's com. The T2 Super Tactical droid had shut the shuttle off but remained inside. Malus wasn't sure he wanted to lose such a valuable droid.

"Exit the ship, you shall. Leave it behind. Need it, we may not." Malus ordered. As the droid exited the shuttle, Malus opened his com with the bounty hunter again. "Perhaps a negotiation, we could commence. Help each other, we could, yes? Hrrmmm, warrant for whom, have you been tracking?" Panoptes stayed on the edge of the loading ramp in case things went sideways. Malus was not going to give this planet up to a lowly bounty hunter, however, and he hoped Xukas had the same vigor.

@Nor'baal @Nevermourn

 

[Xukas Mangle]

A rumbling sound of acceptance rises from the beast's throat as Malus leaps to his shoulder, and he's pleased to know that Malus seemed respectable enough. It would appear the wolf would be in pleasant company for the time it took to find these old data caches. He takes a few steps away from the shuttle, blades of grass tickling his knees, before ears pick up on the roar of an approaching vessel that seemed to make the Sith's very bones hum with vibration. He snorts out a breath of discontent through flared nostrils as shining eyes dart up to peer toward the encroaching craft. How bold, to demand that they leave. Their paths need not even cross. Xukas cared little for whatever poor fool the hunter was seeking, he and Malus had not come to disrupt law enforcement in the area.

An ear twitches as the Champion that perched lightly upon his shoulder spoke a reply into the commlink. Mandalorian. Xukas did not know the language himself, but he had a handheld translation droid for that. With the knowledge of Malus, however, it seemed such a device would be unnecessary.

As the other Sith cut the commlink connection to address the hulking Shistavanen, Xukas let out a contemplative growl in quick reply. His Interceptor was built for one, but Malus was small, very small. If it was necessary, he was certain his craft could fly them both off the planet, though it certainly wouldn't be the most comfortable ride in the galaxy. Finally, the canid speaks, "I fly an Impetus-Class Interceptor. It is built for one, but we will make do if we must. Of course, we could always borrow some unfortunate pirate's vessel." Xukas informs with a cruel twist of his muzzle, an expression of devious excitement.

He knows well enough that when Malus orders one of his droids out of the shuttle, that they'd all but be abandoning the ship to the hunter's guns. He also knows that the destruction of his fellow Champion's ride did not have to mean the two would be stranded at a dusty shadow-port for the rest of their lives. Resourcefulness was part of being a Sith, and neither had made it past their training without hard work and dedication to their beliefs. He's at least pleased when his companion speaks into his commlink again in an attempt to negotiate with the hovering fighter. Was there any reason they could not be reasonable? The hunter sought a sentient, and the Sith sought data caches. Neither were required to step on the other's toes, it would seem.

"Let us hope he listens to reason. I'd rather not be distracted from our purpose for long." The dark furred wolf admits to the other Champion. If they had to stop and kill this fool of a bounty hunter, then they'd be in the backwater of the galaxy for far longer than Xukas had initially planned, and he's certain that Malus is just as eager to get what they had come here for as he was.

---

@Charles @Nor'baal

 

[Harleen]

Harleen was actually about to take off from the planet, she'd been in the area meeting up with some seedy types for some shady business, when her all bands comms fired up..

"Imperial vessel, this is ...(crackling noises)... interfering ...(more crackling)... active warrant. Leave the ..(short crackle).. immediately..."

Ooo what's this?.. Harleen whispered to herself as she skittered over to her scanners, a single blip faded in and out on the screen about half a kilometer away. Looking up her droids had all clamored around her, Fire it up! Let's go see what's shakin! She said as she quickly jumped in the pilots chair, her gang of droids all bounding to their appropriate stations, a half moment later the Skipray Blastboat lifted into the air and she punched the engines as a lone starfighter of unknown make came into view.

Her all bands comms opened up again as another voice, speaking.. oddly.. came over, first something about a Mandalorian, then some crackling and then Business of the empire... Harleen was intrigued, the only mandalorians she'd met had been deserters, even so they were quite efficient, and very technical. As Harleen closed in, more crackling came over her comms as someone told someone else to exit a ship.

All she knew at the moment was starfighter had a real Mandalorian onboard, and somewhere else, presumably on the ground, was at least one empire trooper with a speech impediment.

All exterior lights from her ship were off, and as she drew closer she sent a Hail to the starfighter, attempting to open a secured line..

@Nor'baal @Charles @Nevermourn

 

[Djin Baurr]

As the assorted hails came in from the ground, and a third hail from an erstwhile ally, the Mandalorian kept his finger firmly over the fire control. He ignored the inbound communication from Malus, imperial business or not, he had work to do, and the Sith was intruding. As the comm from Malus came in, he fired a proton torpedoes at the man's prone ship, turning it into a ball of flame and mashed durasteel in a matter of moments.

"I warned you." he mumbled to himself, his outbound comms now turned off. Drawing his vessel back up in a banking motion, he headed higher into the sky, watching his scanner for any new threats to appear. Opening the line to Harleens ship, he spoke quickly "Guild business. I'll split the reward down the middle if you help me take care of these Imperial ratbags?"

 

[Malus]

Malus sighed with disdain as he watched Panoptes narrowly avoid the destruction of their seemingly only exit off this planet. However, as Xukas had implied, pirates plagued this planet and an explosion like this was sure to draw attention. For now, the only thing that mattered was that Xukas and Malus found a way to get to the bunker. That meant having to split up. So, Malus jumped off the back of the large wolf-man into the tall grass where he would be unseen to the naked eye. Panoptes, however, took initiative by using the carcass of a shuttle as cover so he could watch and give notes on the enemies movements to Malus and Xukas.

"To the bunker! Quickly now!" Malus yelled to his Sith companion. It appeared that there was another petty bounty hunter looking to aid the Mandalorian. This wasn't great. The fact that a Mandalorian was interfering with Imperial business was not going to sit well with the rest of the Empire. Malus had a good memory and the Briikase Peyn was going to stick in his head like glue.

The little green alien darted in the direction of the bunker, using the Force to aid him in speed and power as he leaped through the tall grass. From above, they would most likely be able to see his movement, but Malus was elusive- the Force was his companion. Speaking of the Force, if Xukas could do something to hinder the two bounty hunters to give them just a few more seconds, then this mission might go a little easier. Once inside the bunker, Malus would also be able to send an emergency transmission to a few secret nearby Imperial systems to give the two Sith some aid.

@Nor'baal @Mad Dog @Nevermourn

 

[Harleen]

Copy that Mando.. Harleen said, aiming her ship towards the big wolf, it wasn't the biggest wolf she'd ever seen, but still big. Whoever these Imperial Ratbags.., as the Mando put it, were she had suddenly been placed against them with the promise of coin, a typical occurrence..

Harleen led with a fired Concussion missile and a torpedo aimed where the wolf stood, that would probably be enough, but she littered the area around it with fire from her heavy laser cannons, as well as the dual light laser cannon, this way even if the wolf tried to dodge hopefully she'd punch a massive hole in it with the laser fire. If he got through it, somehow, Harleen would follow it with constant fire from the dual light laser turret.

She wasn't broadcasting but still receiving comm traffic, anything said she'd hear, but no one would be able to hear her laughing as she continued to press the firing, lighting up the air and especially the surface where the wolf was with intense laser fire.

@Charles @Nor'baal @Nevermourn

 

[Djin Baurr]

Oddly, there was very little resistance as the two pilots fired. He turned his ship back, the smoke of the destroyed imperial shuttle off to one side of his viewport, and fired a missile down into the bunker, seeking to displace the Sith and draw them out into the open to they could be engaged on foot, more fairly - if they didn't withdraw or surrender that is. A missile would make its way toward the bunker, levelling it on impact, the structural integrity of the shelter rendered ineffective owing to the open door the Sith planned on entering through.

"Let's see if we can get them to back down. Would be a shame to kill them." he remarked over the comlink to his newfound ally.

 

[Harleen]

Harleen watched as the armament of her ship made contact with the big wolf(@Nevermourn) in truth she'd never seen a person pop like that, it didn't even try to avoid the fire.. she almost felt bad for it, her intent was to scare it off and engage it again later, but as it exploded and parts of the thing went everywhere she grimaced a bit before turning her attention away from the dead wolf(autohit due to no response) to where her counterpart had fired his missile, it seemed to have once been a subterranean structure of some sort.

Keep the ship up.. she ordered her droid before running and jumping out of the side door of her ship, using her jet pack to slow her descent as she flew over to the area where the Shistavanen has been standing, walking past multiple severed limbs to find it.. There you are.. she said when she found the torso, it's head still attached, and it seemed to have lucked out and kept one of it's legs as well. Harleen took the lightsaber from its hip, if it was still alive it wasn't a threat anymore.. both of its arms had blasted off as well as one of its legs...

Harleen fired up her hey pack to reach a tree top nearby, calling on her comms encrypted channel to her new friend, Hey Mando, you got a read on that little one? The big one is down for the count... Harleen said as she looked about the area.

@Nor'baal @Charles

 

[Djin Baurr]

Striking the bunker*, his missile tore through the Siths erstwhile shelter, causing it to detonate in a plume of smoke and fire. The shockwave would not doubt cause sufficient damage to Malus to take them out of the fight**, as he brought his ship down to land, and made his way down the exit ramp, his rifle in his hands.

"No sign of them, they've either been taken out, or they've fled the scene. Will try and close in on the bunker, see if they're been knocked out by the blast." he comm'ed back to his colleague, his finger hovering over the trigger, alert as he could be.

*autohit due to timeout
**giving you leeway here to write incapacitation if you prefer

 

[Malus]

After the missile destroyed the bunker, Malus needed to a new plan. This wasn't the only bunker on the planet, just the most convenient one at the moment. Well, before the two bounty hunters arrived. Malus was still in the tall grass and never actually made it to the bunker in time, but Xukas seemed to be incapacitated from assault launched on him. So, Malus went to aid his furry friend only to find that a smaller furry fiend was toying with a lightsaber that did not belong to them at all.

Malus wrapped the Force around the rat's body, pulling towards himself with his lightsaber ignited and at the ready. Malus would then jump towards Harleen and slash at her torso before evading back into the tall grass and deactivating his lightsaber and grabbing Xukas's lightsaber for his own safe keeping. There wouldn't have been much time for the rat to react, so hopefully his quick attack struck true. However, there was still the Mandalorian to worry about...

@Nor'baal @Mad Dog

 

[Harleen]

The rustling of the foliage alerted Harleen to the presence of the small Sith, it was even shorter than she was the sudden ignition of the things saber lit the area, though Harleen was able to ignite her newly obtained saber just in time to parry the incoming blade, protecting her chest from getting slashed, then as it attempted to retreat, Harleen waved the lazer sword in a striking slash aimed for the small alien's legs.

If she were successful in lobbing off the creatures legs she'd make an attempt to leave this creature in much the same state as the wolf by removing one of its arms as well, aiming her lightsaber for his that had held his own lightsaber.. if successful in removing the thrid limb Harleen would obtain the second lightsaber with her free hand.

@Nor'baal @Charles

 

[The Gatekeeper]

OOC: With a timeout and one player no longer a member on one side and two timeouts/an auto hit on the other, this thread has been Voided and Locked.

@Nevermourn @Nor'baal @Mad Dog