As Desh walks by the guards, he grabs the barrel of the one with whom he'd been speaking, giving it a forceful shove towards the floor. "You should be careful where you point that… someone'll get hurt."
Desh waits until he has some distance between himself and any of the guards before he responds to Juce's hissed warning. He covers his response by acting like Jerrn was slipping, hefting the big man up a bit to cover his activating his comm. "I think the mando we saw on that holovid may have just arrived. If he's after this bounty, too, he could complicate things. Don't suppose anyone can slice into their maintenance systems and shut down his lift?" He gives Jerrn a rough smack to the side of his head, raising his voice to carry, "Stay asleep, jedi!" Then his voice drops once again. "Hell, if we can hack into the local security feed, we could somehow insert some of our information into his security clearance and ID information… that could really make things interesting for him."
Not wanting to raise any suspicions, Desh gives the seemingly-unconscious Jerrn one more heft before continuing on their way to the appointment destination. He gives the quiet signal through the comm that they're past the initial checkpoint.
Juce gabs for the mouse droid and firmly catches it with one hand and flips it on it's back drawing a drawn out sqeel of protest from the little guy.
Quickly popping it's carpace open Juce produces a pair of clippers, shearing vires and re-connecting them with an expert hand.
Juce: probably unnecessary; thats a basic job, dc11 or so. Keeping your roll makes it a dud.
As the racers stare after the intruders, Jeriko saunters by the landspeeder. Glancing into the open cockpit, he sees there are no other bodies inside.
The vehicle is a military version of the common landspeeder (think of a jeep rather than a convertible).
He can see there is only a single, but excellent quality, secure activation lock on it (DC30), but no other security.
A protocol droid whirrs up and says; "Mighty Motta begs your forgiveness and asks that you enter and partake of the festivities before you discuss our mutually beneficial arrangement."
Six nods, and gives Jerrn a mild shove to get him moving again. Looking around at the festivities, he can't help but notice the lithe dancers and other female entertainment adorning murky lair. Hutts are ugly as sin, but they have good taste. He notices a Pa'lowick escort in negotiations at one of the tables. Then again, maybe not.
As Six and Desh drag Jerrn into the huge chamber where the party is being held, you can't help but admire the artistry that went into holding the event.
Perfect lighting, not too bright, not too dim; refreshments out of the way but within easy reach; good looking slave attendants; large holoprojectors showing exiting angles to the races being held right now.
And center stage, Motta the Hutt. Reclining in his hovercouch, all the rich hobnobbing about in his orbit, vying with each other for the favor of an Emperor. Or so it seems to you.
The only thing you have against it is the faint oily sheen of corruption on everything around you. You swear you can even feel it against your skin.
You see Motta's eyes light up as they fall on you.
"Ah! Is this the rare prize you promised?" He calls out as he sweeps some of the slower attendees aside and moves his hovercouch to approach you.
"He will have a lightsaber if true. Give it to me!"
Finishing with re-wireing the mouse droid and placing the detonator inside it, a hurried job Juce knows, 'Let's hope this works.' and closes it up again, places it on the vents behind him and sends it wirring off chirping happily. Watching it go Juce checks it's connection to his brace comp, satisfied he actually gives a small grin at the prospect of putting the thing under the hutts hoverchair.
'Back to business.' "Hear you. Checking." he replies to Jeriko's concern and pulls up the security feed, looking for the mandolorians.
Jerrn pulls himself tall, despite captivity. "Ah give you one last chance, Hutt. Release me and you can still walk away today with yer life. Otherwise, Ah see much sadness fer you."
Distracted, Juce lets the mouse droid go before arming the detonator, and it rolls off chittering indignantly.
Quickly he starts scrolling through the security feeds he has access to; stopping as he comes across one of the two figures in Mandalorian armor sweeping through an intimidated security guard station into the Grand Ballroom.
It is your brother. ()
In brief, he is in politics, trying to revive the old glory of the clans with him as their head.
Is it coincidence that he is here along with you and your father's armor at the same time?
You don't know the other one; not with her helmet on anyway.
On hearing Jerrn's speech, the Hutt gives a basso prufundo laugh; his mound of flesh wobbling like a greasy pile of jell-o.
The protocol droid speaks; "Lord Motta accepts that this is a Jedi, since no others would fail to collapse in awe at his majesty."
Motta holds out his hand to accept the lightsaber.
Desh uses the Farmboy's little speech as a distraction, giving the lavish room a quick scan and filtering the information through his tactical training.
Desh uses the time to draw out Jerrns' lightsaber, too. He begins to give it to the slug, but pulls it back, "The cred's here? Bad business to give over the goods without the payment."
Juce utters the most profane curse he can think of at the sight of the mandolorian. Gazing at the screen for a moment he finally tunes into the group, "Yeah... umm... One of those mondolorians is my brother Kast, if you can call him a mandolorian that is. Don't know the other one, recommend haste."
Finishing his message he turns back to the computer screen, wondering what he should do by way of greeting his ambitious sibling. Making up his mind he starts tapping away at his screen.
A slight air of mischief in his voice, Jeriko calmly replies over the comm, "So would you like me to blow up his heavily armed speeder or should we just steal it?"
"Steal it." Juce replies curtly after a moment of silence.
Juce stays his hand and moves off to get into postition.
Jeriko feels confident about beating the security on the landspeeder; as if he had done so before. But for the life of him, he just couldn't remember...
Juce rolls quietly another fifty meters and three security breaks before he finally stops before an armored maintenence hatchway.
This is where it starts to get a little tricky; breaching this hatchway reqirest defeating two security systems more or less simultaneously.
Meanwhile, out in the ballroom, the partygoers abruptly fell silent and parted before two heavily armored Mandalorians as they strode towards the Hutt's hoverplatform. A dozen guards swirled around them keeping the two covered; the leader did not even appear to notice them.
They stopped a precise two meters away.
Motta stopped laughing long enought to turn to face them.
"Mo-Tta" the synthesized voice croaked from the armored leader. "It's time you paid."
Jeriko grins outwardly at Juce's decision then whispers into the comm, "Does anyone have eyes on them? It'd be slightly awkward if they were to step out of the turbolift just as I was starting to work."
Once he gets confirmation that the Mandalorian pair are occupied, Jeriko slides easily into the pilot's seat and begins to work on the security device. A spark of recollection lights his eyes as he recalls seeing the same model device in a senator's speeder back when he and his mother were on Manaan. Precisely recalling the override equation she used to bypass the system, he checks the serial number of the device, runs a few quick calculations, and then inputs the factory override code...
Desh reveals an unusual level of restraint in the face of the Mandalorian interruption, biting back a demand that the newcomer wait his turn. It's a delicate enough situation without bringing more unwanted attention, he thinks.
He is, however, unable to suppress a grunt as he lets Jerrn's lightsaber, still in his hand, fall to his side.
"Does anyone have eyes on them? It'd be slightly awkward if they were to step out of the turbolift just as I was starting to work."
Six mulls over the cost/benefits of Jeriko's current fascination. He could blow this whole thing - but it may be handy to have a ride outta here handy...
Six responds with two comm clicks - Affirmative.
Jeriko grins outwardly at Juce's decision then whispers into the comm, "Does anyone have eyes on them? It'd be slightly awkward if they were to step out of the turbolift just as I was starting to work."
Maintaining his mute persona while watching the Mandolorian goings-on, Six responds affirmative with two clicks on the comm.
There is a tense minute as Juce works two separate security locks, both physical and electronic.
With a soft *pop-SNAP* they disengage under his hands and he eases the hatchway to one side.
Beyond was a cylindrical chamber about five meters in diameter and five high. A softly glowing red grid covered the durasteel deck down below, shedding light on several recessed weapon emplacements covering the floor level.
The sides were otherwise perfectly smooth. Overhead the roof showed covered machinery, cables and hardpoints of various types.
And then wait for his friends to do their part.
Up in the ballroom, there is a dead silence as the implacable mandalorian faces off against Motta. All of a sudden the avuncular sleazebag is possessed of a titanic force of personality and intelligence. You don't believe he is a vulnerable as he appears now.
Motta rumbles something you don't catch.
Then the protocol droid pipes up. "Mighty Motta wishes to know why you are disturbing his guests at this time."
The mandalorian replies; "I have done as you asked for a year, Motta; it is time for you to do as you agreed. I want the armor. Now."
There is a tense silence.
Which is broken when Motta give a giant guffaw and speaks back.
The droid translates; "Mighty Motta is grateful for your reminder of your mutually beneficial relationship Major, and agrees it is time. He begs that you await him in the courtyard while he deals with his new aquisition. It will be produced forthwith."
The mandalorian turns on his heel and proceeds to the exit without another word.
Motta turns back to you and speaks directly to Desh.
The droid translates; "If you bring a true Jedi, he will have a lightsaber. Mighty Motta wishes to inspect it before completing the exchange."
Motta holds out his hand expectantly.
Motta turns back to you and speaks directly to Desh.
The droid translates; "If you bring a true Jedi, he will have a lightsaber. Mighty Motta wishes to inspect it before completing the exchange."
Motta holds out his hand expectantly.
Securing his grip on "the prisoner," Six nods approval to Desh, a slight jerk of the head towards Motta encouraging the Feeorin to proceed with the Hutt's wishes.
Use the Force:
Jerrn's eyes tighten for a moment as the Force flashes past. He looks appraisingly at Motta for a moment.
Desh watches both of the mandos walk away -- and ensures that neither will turn back around -- before offering Jerrn's lightsaber back up to the Hutt. He nods back to the door through which the two mandos just exited, humor shading his voice. "Interesting friends. Always a gamble dealing with a Mandalorian." He tries to make a show of looking at where the female mando just left, seemingly unable to resist one last joke at their expense. "I think the girl liked me. Maybe I met her before… forgot to call her back after a few drinks, no?" As he says 'met her before', he taps out a quick set of staccato beats into his team's encoded commlink. The combination gives them a clear, if careful warning… there may be a problem, the female may recognize me.
He switches back to the task at hand, once again hefting the jedi for emphasis. "We gonna do this? I know it ain't your problem, but my boss aint' gonna be happy if we don't get this taken care of quickly. He's an impatient business man… I'm sure you know the type."
Reaching out in the Force, you cannot seem to find any Force Users. But beyond, in the background flow, there is... a disturbance. Like lots of tiny raindrops on a glass smooth lake.
The viewers holoscreen is split three ways.
In the first; Juce is upside down under the ceiling, working in dead silence to attach a liquid cable dispensor. A droplet of sweat rolls into his eye. As he blinks it free, the tool slips and starts to fall...
In the second; the lightsaber drops into Motta the Hutt's hand. He brings it up to his alien eyes as he fondles it. Then he ignites it suddely; a bar of coruscating light. He sweeps it up...
In the third; Jeriko looks up as the door handle from the Courtyard to the security entrance rotates from the "closed" to the "open" position...
CUT TO COMMERCIAL
*Jumps up from sofa and runs out of the living room*
*takes a piss, groaning loudly*
*grabs a soda and shuffles ouside for a smoke*
*shudders as he comes back in from the rain, taking his coat of*
*settles back down in front of the screen with a soda and popcorn, waiting impatiently*
*Jumps up from sofa and runs out of the living room*
*takes a piss, groaning loudly*
When the door to the courtyard bangs open, there is no one in the open cockpit of the military landspeeder.
On the other side, Jeriko's boots can be seen quietly being drawn under the chassis.
_____________________________________
In the machine chamber, Juce trips the cable dispensor and drops abruptly. Reaching out in a desperate snatch he grabs the tool in midair just as he trips the brake. He stops barely a half meter above the softly humming floor.
____________________________________
In the ballroom, Motta swing the lightsaber around to cut through, not Jerrn, but the neck of the protocol droid. As the head tumbles across the polished floor (a despairing "my lord!" coming from the head), Motta laughs with a deep booming sound and says something to the guests. Another protocol droid shuffles forward and says; "Look it is Motta the Jedi!" Nervous chuckling fills the room.
Turning back to you, Motta turns the saber off, then waives you forward as he moves off.
"Come" the droid translates, "It is time to get you your reward." The beheaded droid, now carrying its head in its arms, follows.
"Come" the droid translates, "It is time to get you your reward."
Desh nods, his frowning visage hidden behind the mercenary helmet's dark visor. He follows the slug, half-dragging Jerrn. As they pass out of the crowded room, he quietly and discreetly taps the signal into the team's comm. Desh. Objective 2 Met.
Thing was, as much as Desh hated social settings, that had been the simple part of the plan. He gives one look back, watching to see if any of the room's security follows them.
Jerrn holds his head high as he is pulled along after the Hutt. Still, he lets out a slight sigh, glad that the specter of a Hutt Sith was not one he has to face this day.
Keeping his cool Juce stays still for a moment to let the swinging pass and his heart settle down and then slowly and carefully makes his way back up the rope to get into position.
Well now, isn't this fun, Jer? Sure it is! Stealing from a Hutt and fleeing the Exchange, and in the middle of all that spontaneously ripping off a pair of heavily armored Mandos who crashed the party? Say what you want about this backwater dustball, you never had fun like this back on Manaan.
He cocks his head slightly as he listens to the comm clicks from Desh.
... Did that mean they've been made or that things are proceeding as planned? Either way, I'm stuck under a speeder surrounded by Team Ugly Boots, so it does me little good.
Jeriko can see the boots of the Mandos from where he hides under the landspeeder, marching rapidly towards him.
They stop just next to the speeder and start talking in rapid fire Mandalorian.
------------------------------------------
Desh, Jerrn and Six pass by where Baniss pretends to unload his cart and follow Motta out of the ballroom and down a main corridor.
But, Motta passes by his office. Something is wrong. He should have stopped there!
Proceeding down the corridor to the very end, Motta waves a hand and an armored door slides open. In a circular room a dozen Gamorrean guards scramble to their feet from a game of Pazaak. Motta waives his hand and the guards scramble back against the wall, leaving room in the middle for you.
__________________________________________
As Juce reattaches himself, the ceiling wobbles, causing him to swing back and forth.
--------------------------------------------
Motta waives his and again and a pedestal rises out of the floor. Motta takes a crystalline key from around his neck and plugs it into the pedestal.
Motta guffaws as he punches in a code.
The successor protocol droid translates; "Mighty Motta wishes to show you your reward in person."
_____________________________________________
In Juce's room, the glowing grid on the floor dies suddenly. The turrets retract into the walls and seal up.
A thin line in the floor suddenly widens, and both halves of the floor retract into the wall.
Down further, another set of forcefields and floors also retract, then another beyond them, then another.
It's time.
Desh's unease, which had been mounting since they passed Motta's office, reaches a climax when they enter the room full of Gamorreans. He shares a quick look with Six, trying to keep the edge of violence out of his voice, "Not sure the boss is gonna be happy gettin' paid in green skins. Maybe we could go pick up the payment?"