Unhappy People (Open)

[Zach]

Terminus, a backwater planet filled with the filth of crime even in their most active galactic spaceport. The scum of all organizations filled there, defiant of any system of law other than their own unofficial ring leaders. While they never abode by common standards of the former Galactic Alliance, the oppression of the Sith Imperium was no greater deal. At the end of the Hydian Way, branching from the Corellian Trade Line just at the end of Imperial Space, Aleyah Rhydon's stolen freighter drifted along the hyperspace route, coming near the edge of the Outer Rim with as many crew as she could save back on Manaan. The surviving former slaves under her care all suffered from various injuries or illnesses, their immune systems all diminished from continued exposure to infection. Those that survived long enough to receive aid found ways to be productive, learning parts of their commandeered vessel or maintaining a level of activity since their recent freedom. The aspect of no longer being under the thumbs of slavers felt almost foreign, victimized by the treachery of deception and betrayal for the last ten years.

It wasn't by off chance that the former Jedi Youngling ran into the independent bounty hunters in the heart of Manaan's established neutral territory. Aleyah had hoped traces of the Rebellion or the Order would be more prominent, but only a fool would hope to find signs posted in their front yard. It was a miracle alone she was able to acquire the small amount of medical supplies, given that the galactic monopoly of military uses for all resources caused a major recession in general economics. It was no wonder that the civilian unrest of Terminus had become so unruly. Rumors of disorganized efforts against supply lines varied from all around that sector of space, despite its distance from the front lines of the Sith's hand. While establishments of crime and rioting union workers might draw the attention of the immediate authorities, it was the much less organized effort of insurgency that Aleyah took interest in.

The stolen freighter exited from hyperspace just above Terminus, the lights sparkling off the surface of the starport's city with the millions of active citizens. Aleyah wondered how many of those millions weren't simple thugs and criminals, but actual civilians caught in the backlash of the galaxy's troubles. All life in the galaxy had known the past twenty years to be stricken with travesty, now but a dwindled glimmer of hope among hundreds of horrendous bonfires. The Sith was a threat to all, especially those forced into the repressed society where no diplomat cares to tread, no representative to fight for their rights, or any established force to defend them in a time of need. These were people just like her, with nowhere to run from their own miserable lives, and no means of changing it for themselves. Maybe if Aleyah could make contact with the less grungier bands of able bodies, a formal line of communication could be put in place. If not amongst other planets on the Rim with civilian unrest, at least she could put effort to helping the scattered people around the planet of Terminus.

 

[Zach]

Aleyah had just begun to descend to Terminus Starport and opened hailing frequencies when a transmission immediately coursed from the communications console. At first, there was a brief static overlay that seemed to muffle the source of the signal, but it instantly flared to life as it overrode the stolen freighter's opened comms, forcing its way to the top of an ocean of different communication frequencies and ship identification codes. The ship's sensors weren't spectacular, but it seemed as though the broadcast was being manually enhanced so that it couldn't be missed this far out in the Outer Rim. The transmission must be controlled from somewhere, put on a loop at certain times as instigated propaganda to rally support among those left in the dark. This was the perfect place for Aleyah to follow up any leads on Rebel survivors.

We've been fighting for so long, so long that we can barely remember a time when we weren't fighting. So many have died, so many gone. Remember you are not alone, there are pockets of Rebellions all over the galaxy.

It is important for us to remember that the Sith are capable of suffering defeat. Remember the Battle of Manaan, where Defiance Squadron, the pioneers of this very Rebellion took a stand and held their ground against the mighty Sith Empire. The Sith can be killed, we have learned that. Take your time, hold your distance and do not let go of your trigger until you are certain. If you hear the whine of TIE fighters, seek cover, follow the evacuation plans that you've put in place. The Stormtroopers are well armoured, but lack mobility and range of movement. Stay behind them, and where possible, eliminate silently with extreme prejudice. Above all else, stay alive. We will come for you. You have no idea how important you all are to this Rebellion, and how important your actions are for the entire Galaxy.

The Sith have begun to tighten their grip on our homes, they're becoming more creative in ways to try and stop us. They have started going as far as even treating worlds with kindness, but this is done with a black, empty heart. They seek only to control us.

But we are planning something.

This is Terrsyn Pearot. If you are seeing this, you are the Rebellion.​

Terrsyn Pearot... The commander over the Rebel Dawn, presumably. It was no surprise that the story of Manaan's holding against the Sith stood as a major point of influencing morale. The story of the failed siege alone kept countless slaves alive in the heart of Hutt Space, with nothing other than their physical value to put merit to their worth. It was only the continued survival and efforts of the Rebellion that allowed them to keep fighting, with the hope that they would someday come to free them. It was of Aleyah's own sacrifices that she found herself at Terminus, her own losses to continue forward. If not for people that kept pushing, there would be no rebels to come save the day. Perhaps once she made contact, made an assessment of what resources to work with, she could lead a team to free more of the helpless slaves. It was a known danger to lurk near Hutt Space, but even more dangerous to overly provoke the Imperium. With as little as she had to work with currently, the Rebellion couldn't be much better off. They would need the manpower to organize any kind of cooperative effort, even if it meant relying on the common civilians forced into lives of crime as the backbone of their cause.

As Aleyah finished processing the hope instilling broadcast, she navigated the pilot down to the starport before engaging autopilot, allowing the small freighter to dock itself flawlessly. Much like Manaan, Aleyah intended to venture the planet alone. It wouldn't do to leave the ship unattended anyways, given the rumors of homeless slums that crowd the landing bays' areas. Hundreds of the civilians in sight through the blastshielded glass could be thieves just waiting for an opportunity, scoping out the new arrivals to the backwater planet for valuable prospects. Not that the freighter she piloted was very valuable, but any form of transportation might be considered something worthy enough to steal.

The young woman made her way to the docking ramp where she would exit the ship, and to her surprise, was met by the hulking muscles of a former slave's back, blockading her way forward. Aleyah's first reaction was annoyance, that this overlarge brute stood in her path, after he and so many others had been saved by her. If not for the recently applied kolto, they might have lost twice the number after escaping the slavers' clutches. It was even more surprising when he turned to face her, a sad expression on his face. Aleyah had her mouth open, about to demand that he reposition himself, but found herself only gaping foolishly. Suddenly, she didn't know what to say, and was cut off by the man's own words.

"I can't let you go alone this time, Aleyah..." the slave said in a strong, but soft voice. He was nearly bald, with only a few strands of hair trailing from the sides of his ears into a short, bushy beard. He was dark of skin, tall in nature despite growing accustomed to slouching so his head didn't graze the ceiling. He was particularly muscular for a slave bound without exercise, but she assumed he'd always had that type of body. "Last time you were almost hurt - on Manaan," he continued, falling silent as if that alone justified his means. A brief memory flashed through Aleyah's mind as she recalled passing the man when she came aboard the ship before departure. She was rattled and frightened, but she'd gained a lead. It was the danger of bounty hunters that the slave feared for her, that they were all fugitives in one way or another when it came to the Sith, the Imperium, or the Hutts.

Aleyah stood still for a moment as she considered his protective speculation, but could find no fault in having a single companion with her in the crime streets. At the very least, he would fend off the more excited individuals at the site of a young, untouched woman. "Alright... But don't slow me down, and I won't ditch you," she said without regret. If he proved to be helpful during a pinch, Aleyah would remember the service, but her first priority was to establish some means of identification with with civilians that weren't out to get everyone. She needed those just willing to fight enough for the right reasons. Smugglers and mercenaries could get a lot of jobs done, but their loyalties were scattered, wherever it best suited them. Right now, Aleyah needed not only to differentiate between those she could trust and those she couldn't, but above all else to maintain discretion. She could not risk the local authorities or Imperial troops or representatives to catch wind of her intentions. It wasn't likely they would be able to pick her out from a crowd, though. She wasn't anyone drastically important, but traveling along the massive hulk might stand out. For a moment, she realized the man had never told her his name. She looked at him inquisitively, expecting an introduction, but it never came. Perhaps it was better they weren't personally involving each other, and at least they could just keep an eye on each other and not travel side by side.

It wasn't until she nodded and opened the airlock seal to send the entrance ramp descending, slowly reaching the ground floor as the mechanics creaked against the automated hydraulics, that she realized just how packed the hangar bay was. She could see crowds of people moving in and out of the areas, making their ways to different ships for trade exchanges and cargo transport. The very chaos right before her feet though was something different. It was almost as if they were being herded in a certain direction. It was then that Aleyah spotted the sea of security uniforms on the other side, pushing the scum of Terminus even closer to her ship as they stampeded back. She wondered if they were doing an inspection or merely passing through, shoving the unimportant aside to accomplish their own high and mighty tasks at hand, but it wasn't relevant. The ship had passengers, but not a captain on board. They would be of little interest to the guards, except... identification papers... At least she knew where to begin; Aleyah and her nameless accomplice would need to find a forger.



Upon arriving at Terminus Starport's orbital range, Aleyah received a mass forwarded broadcast transmitted from the Rebel Dawn, supposedly the last frontier of the Rebellion. This recording was added to a list of leads for the former Jedi to follow in search for the Jedi Order and Alliance for a New Republic. It was upon reaching Terminus's surface when a fellow former slave from her ship insisted on accompanying her.

 

[Zach]

It wasn't hard for Aleyah and her companion to immediately kept swept up by the crowd. As soon as they stepped down from the boarding entrance of their small freighter, the paths of ragged citizens split into several branches colliding into a single maze as they avoided the column of authorities. She found it astounding how disdainful the people had become, shunning those who were meant to serve as a role of protection, but ultimately cause the unfortunate series of events that lead up to the elevated rates of crime. Even here, almost as far from the Imperium as you can get, the scars of galactic famine have left their mark in time. The ominous uniforms that half-assed their march through the streets looked almost as decrepit as the shaken citizens that scurried out of their way, gruff like the common criminals that snidely looked down their noses. It was an instantly unsettling scene as Aleyah took in her surroundings, the silent behemoth only a few feet behind her as they made their way for the primary route intersection by default.

Most trajectory paths from the intersection led to a major field of industry or provided service in some form of work or another. These were all lower and middle class areas of residential determination. Many of the different sects mass produced certain products for the wealthier tier, but even the considered 'upper class' was held a dismal state of financial affairs. The only ones to be considered truly successful were the organized crime lords with enough sense and rationality to avoid getting caught in an uncontrolled firefight. The loan sharks, the debt collectors, the average thuggish independent parties - they were all somewhat together, but never as a means of dismantling their mildly corrupt government, in comparison to the Sith. Still, aside from those working within any number of the syndicates, there were those few independents that made their profits in skills useful to everyone. People that could be considered neutral ground were the best contacts to make when it came to staying under the 'official' radar.

Upon reaching the major intersection leading to different parts of Terminus surrounding the starport, Aleyah's companion had begun to drift slightly towards the neighboring shops between each exiting route. She remembered her experience on Manaan, playing a revolving game of cat-and-mouse with the two bounty hunters. Upon a series of dupes and subtle tricks to hinting at each others' targets, the three of them maneuvered Ahto City's trade district as a first means of catching a lead. It had worked before, and with a place as clustered as Terminus, it would likely work again. If anyone would have any familiar talent in falsifying documents, they would certainly have a profession in precision handiwork. There was a possibility of certain designs of trademark that might stand out as a means of identifying who she might be looking for, but anyone that was good at their side-work wouldn't be open to discussing it with any passing customer in the day. First, she would need to scope out the area.



Aleyah and her nameless companion began their search for a forger and signs of the civilian resistance in the mid-section market of shops between an intersection of numerous exiting highway lanes.