Endregaard - Mid-Day 6 -
The Scimitar lands near the wreckage that was a spaceship. The Hutt is not here nor does the ground reveal that any sort of Hutt like creature was moving about nearby.
A quick search of the area reveals a few things of interest. The dead body was dressed in Jedi Robes, his style of lightsaber was old, a pre-Sideous Jedi Order build. However, the kyber crystal was removed as the blade casing itself was damaged in the explosion. The droid is, or was, a Jedi Training Droid. Its head was removed as was the arm and one leg, the rest of it is so much scrap metal. Finally, a set of footprints, one foot being dragged leads away from the woods and end in the grass several dozen meters from the destroyed ship. You surmise that there was a speeder here that was flown away. It seems that at least one crew member of this ship was injured but survived!
The navicomputer on the ship was intentionally destroyed by a lightsaber, nothing is recoverable, well, unless you wish to spend significant time here trying...
Praxis cracks his neck, "No Hutt here. We should probably get a move on..."
Coruscant - Skydome Botanical Gardens -
The Sith woman laughs at the Lurmen's statement but the laugh is cold and tight devoid of mirth, "Perhaps...".
She turns to Rylla, "So now we know that the little one has at least some utility. What of you Human, I have slain so so many humans clutching their little blasters in their lifeless fingers... is that what makes you special, do you have a favorite little blaster?"
"Agreed. Let's get out of here."
Taras fights the urge to ignite his lightsaber and slash at the console in frustration. It would serve nothing, and probably only look somewhat foolish to the others.
"Let's just go. We can always kill Jedi later."
Rylla keeps a straight face on. No sense dying on the first day of a new assignment. As annoying as it was, soldier training did have its benefits.
She opens her vest to show a perfectly concealed ion blaster, then the other side to show a heavy blaster, then she pulls her stun baton from one boot, before sliding it back in, and perhaps the most miraculous, she does a quick flourish of her heavy jacket (similar to a duster) she wears over her flight suit. Perhaps it was a trick of the light but one moment she was making a flourishing gesture, and the next she was leaning against a Heavy Repeating Blaster Rifle, almost as tall as she is.
"I only bother with little when I have to. For the most part, this guy takes care of most of the work."
Phedra points towards the door.
"Forward 2B, let these two fight like Loth over who has the bigger weapon, we are on to more important things"
Coruscant - Skydome Botanical Gardens -
Darth Talon grins as if she is amused at the idea that an oversized blaster rifle would be any more effective than a regular sized one.
As Phedra moves forward, Darth Talon ignites her lightsaber, "How dare you move forward without my consent worm!" She practically screeches at the Lurmen and its Droid.
Endregaard - Mid-Day 6 -
The Scimitar lifts off from the planet's surface.
Cardis activates the cloaking device (-10 Perception Checks to find us).
"We should head for Toydaria. Any chance to find the Hutt is better than failure."
2b does not stop in his trudging step as he heads towards the botanical gardens. as the droid walks forwards, Phedra dangles down and stares into the Sith's eyes, unnaturally large primate orbs show no fear at this situation.
"You could strike me down, but you won't. You are obviously not the one who called us here, otherwise you would already know who we are. Yet you are trying to figure out why we are here, that means someone higher has called us... either the Emperor or his Voice, and you would not want to interfere in such a call. You are rash, not dumb."
Coruscant - Skydome Botanical Gardens -
Darth Talon grins wickedly at the Lurmen's comment and de-ignites her saber.
"Proceed", is all she states.
As Phedra and Cylla enter the gardens they find them devoid of anything living but plants. The atrium itself is beautiful, hanging flora from countless worlds hang here with plaques indicating species and planet of origin. Some have been cultivated here since the Old Republic it seems.
Except for the small light that hang over the plaques, the only lights on in the building lead up a set of glass stairs seemingly illuminating the way forward for you both. There are other doors and stairs but each is dark suggesting they would not be the way to go to reach this meeting with, well whoever you are meeting with.
It is silent except for the sound of your breathing when a scream rings off of the walls, "No, no please noooo".
Endregaard - Mid-Day 6 -
Biggs whistles, "Wow, a cloaking device. Damn, maybe I should avoid Nar Shadda and start working for you guys..."
The Scimitar rises off of the ground and avoids detection from the IRD's scanning the surface.
With a small smirk, Cardis says, "I don't know that you'd like some of the complications that can arise from that."
Endregaard - Mid-Day 6 -
Following the advice of the girl the Sith slew in the administration building, the agents manage to escape Endregaard without detection and without discovery. Smooth in and smooth out. Unfortunately, this was the only part of the missions that went well.
Cardis sets coordinates to head back through the Tion Cluster the way they entered.
In only a few days, the Scimitar exits hyperspace not far from Toydaria. The space station that the group landed on for their last meeting gleams in the sunlight.
Biggs speaks, "So, now what?"
Praxis frowns at the man, "Are you always so talkative?" Which is amusing as Biggs has not said a word since the group exited Endregaard!
Phedra's display of cool logic and composure impressed Rylla, though she'd never let it show physically. She moves forward with her fellow summoned, perhaps a bit more confident in the other's abilities.
As the screams ring off the walls, Rylla readies herslef to reach for her blaster. It was probably unnecessary, but profesionalism was her strong point.
"I have the emissions and signature of the ship that blasted off Endregaard. Now we scan for it, and see if we can find it." Cardis begins a sensor sweep, looking for any ship traffic that matches the signature of the ship.
"Oh goody... more melodrama." 2b trudges on in silence.
Toydaria Space Station -
As Cardis tries to detect the emissions of the ship that blasted off of the planet of Endregaard the Scimitar comes up with no reading.
The ship is hailed as it closes in on the space station.
"Hunter's Pride. Please land in docking bay Y 23".
Coruscant - Skydome Botanical Gardens -
You follow the lights on the stairs and the halls as a ship with no sensors would follow a lighted runway.
Soon enough you find yourselves in thE exhibit labeled:
As you step into the room, you observe one of the plants clearly eating someone as they scream in horror, hovering above the plant is another sentient, a bothan, who is also pleading for his life.
The Sith Lord standing on the platform responds calmly, "Your life need not be forfeit, simply tell me what I wish to..." He turns at the entrance of the two of you.
This Sith Lord needs no introduction, it is Darth Wyyrlock a Chagrian and the most trusted servant of the Dark Lord the Emperor Darth Krayt. Steward of the One Sith Empire.
Whatever this is, it is important if the second in command of the Empire summoned you both here!
"Ah, you've arrived a bit later than I expected else I would not have begun my interrogations.
Regardless welcome. I have been told that both of you have a specific set of skill that will be useful to me. I trust a new assignment is something that both of you are interested in obtaining at this time?"
"I go where I am needed. M'lord."
Sighing, Cardis looks to the Sith. "I see no reason to avoid landing, apart from sitting on the ship for however long. Your thoughts?"
"Better to try and avoid trouble for now. It would probably take longer than its worth." Taras frowns, but he knows it's best if the team goes back into stealthy operations mode. Flexing their muscles a bit--metaphorically--had been a welcome change, but moving openly here would be slow and dangerous.
Rylla nods.
"Absolutely, sir."
Noss watches as the station grows larger though the cockpit window, I agree, let's see what we can find out on the station... "
Cardis activates the communications and says, "Acknowledged. On course to docking bay Y 23."
He then flies into the station.
Coruscant - Skydome Botanical Gardens -
"Excellent. There is a group of specialists that I believe I would like to have you all work with. Tragically, their fourth team member was slain on a side assignment. An assignment which none of the Sith Lords had assigned to her.
It seems that someone was able to slice into our communications systems and send a coded message to her while on assignment already.
However, the slicer erred in their subversive tactics and left a trail for us to trace. A terminal, deep in the heart of the seedy underbelly of Coruscant itself was utilized to perform the slicing.
I would like the two of you to journey to this location and once in place, strike at this unknown agent.
We will be releasing some information that we trust this agent will find interesting as bait thus bringing the womp rat out of their little hole. Have you any further questions before I send you to meet with Darth Talon?"
Toydaria Space Station -
Cardis lands on the Space Station and as the Sith and Biggs exit the "Hunter's Pride" the doors to the station slide open and a human with three wookies greet you.
"The Mighty Zonnos wishes to know why you have returned here despite your failure to complete the mission he entrusted to you? No hard feelings of course "Collective", not every bounty is fulfilled but there is no payment for you to be had here".
"Yes, one question. Alive or dead?"
"And how would he know the mission is a failure?" Cardis asks quietly.
"Lost focus on the mission. Pity." Rylla comments. Her lips twitch downward at hearing such a rookie mistake. Whether smuggling or fighting, get distracted was a sure way of getting killed.
"No questions sir."
Coruscant - Skydome Botanical Gardens -
"Alive if possible, dead if you reasonably believe that the Slicer is acting alone".
You journey to the exit after the Sith Lord dismisses you. She grins, "You have done well, continue to do well and you shall be rewarded by the One Sith.
Now, I have arranged for transportation to the bowels of this wretched planet. Have you what you require to complete this mission or do you need time to gather equipment?"
Toydaria Space Station -
The human laughs as do the wookies, "Because Wise Zonnos spoke with his Brother just yesterday. Is not the fact that the younger Hutt is alive to speak at all not definitive proof of your failures?"
"How did they speak?" Taras asks. His voice is as quiet and calm as Cardis's. "And why?"
One of Rylla's personal tenents was to be ready at any time. It was rare to find her unarmed and having been called to receive a mission she had most everything she needed to leave. But she was a pragmatist.
"I wouldn't be opposed to additional supplies, a bit of creds go a long way for information tracking. However, I can work with what we have if haste needs to be made."
Phedra does not wait for Rylla to get her answer. Prodding her droid in the direction of the door.
Voss crosses his arms in front of himself, and nods, growling "Right, why would Zonnos be talking to his brother? "
"Wise Zonnos didn't double-book this, did he? If so, I'm going to be rather annoyed."
Toydaria Space Station -
"Via Holonet not that it should matter to you", the human replies to Colvin.
He crinkles his head in confusion at Salacious' question, "Do you not speak to your siblings?"
Finally he turns to Kadavo, "Mr. Spectre. Popara hired a group of mercenaries to rescue his son. Another party, we are not sure who hired them, was hired to retrieve spice. That party was led by a man named Dengar. They were the ones that lifted Mika to safety".
Coruscant - Skydome Botanical Gardens -
Darth Talon grins, "Looks like your partner has all she needs".
She tosses you a credit chip and bids you follow the Lurmen.
As you both walk down the path to a waiting transport. The transport is nothing sleek, it was clearly chosen so that it could enter the undercity without arousing too much suspicion.
It lifts off once you both step on. The operator opens the comm from the cockpit, "I have been instructed to bring you to the undercity. When we arrive, I shall provide you with a datapad that tells you all you need to know. Thereafter, I will leave as the operation calls only for two operatives according to Lord Wyyrlock.
However, you can call me back when, if, needed with a commlink that is built into the datapad".
The transport proceeds, through the tinted windows you see the upper city speed by.
The other ship that escaped the blockade. Sithspawned Hutts.
"Ah, that would explain it. Incidentally, I suspect the mercenaries Poppara hired to rescue Mika were actually a group of Jedi. We made sure they wouldn't leave the planet. There was another ship that left the planet shortly before we did we suspected carried Mika. They took a different hyperspace route out of the cluster. We thought to cut them off if they returned here. After all, a high-speed hyperspace chase through an unknown hyperspace route is rather suicidal."
Pausing and cocking his head, Cardis continues, "You know, if Zonnos had given us more than that one route through the cluster, we might have been able to catch them and prevent Mika's return. Or if we'd been told Poppara's actual location, we could have intercepted them there and destroyed them. So, I suppose Zonnos didn't really want his brother dead. Of course, if he is genuine in that desire and he tells us both Mika's and Poppara's current locations..."
Toydaria Space Station -
The human chuckles as the wookies grunt in dissatisfaction with what Cardis says, "I was not privy to what Zonnos shared with you but I can assure you, no one but Poppara has full access to all information in this Hutt family.
If you wish to attack Poppara and his forces with just the five of you I shall give you their coordinates. However, slaying Mika now would arouse suspicions. He did not die on the planet from a crash or the plague as could have been the cover story. Zonnos would be a suspect and his influence over the Family minimized if not outright decapitated..."
At the word "decapitated," Taras turns slightly to Cardis and asks a question through the Force. Attack? Deep down, he suspects it may not be the best plan of action, but he's growing tired of these servants and their arrogance. Cutting them down would be immensely satisfying. And while the group was supposed to leave Poppara alive, there was no mention of Zonnos... and revealing his treachery could even levy them an audience with Poppara.
Cardis smiles at the human and shakes his head, both in amusement at the human's words and in response to Taras's question. "You'd be surprised by what we can do when we have access to a galaxy's worth of resources. Now, would you kindly provide us with their locations? As well as whether there is a cantina here we could relax in before leaving?"
Rylla gives a curious look to her current partner, her eyes rolling over the girl and her droid. She also checks the credit chit so she can add it to her mental inventory.
She seems very soldier-ish, but I wonder if a casual approach would be more effective.
"Phedra," she says simply, looking at her new companion. "My specialty lies in heavy weaponry, dealing with the populace, and general information gathering. I have training in computers and general mechanics."
"The reason I'm telling you this is that I want you to know my general skillset as I'd rather be alive than keep secrets. Having a brief assessment of my abilities will let you know what to expect and what not to."
Phedra scalpers around to perch on 2B's arm as he continues to trundle out of the gardens. Big primate eyes taking in the whole of her new companion.
"I can see why they teamed us up. As I said back there, I fix things. People, droids, ships... all the same. Just a collection of parts, all tubes and wires. Other than that, I'm quick and quiet when needed. Gun belongs to 2B here. I reprogrammed him to be a long ranged specialist as well as a nurse. Figured he would be more useful that way." Phedra takes a breath and affixes Rylla with a kinder look than she has shown herself capable of up til now. "Anything else you want to know? Now is the time to ask. Assignments I get stuck on tend to have survival rates in the signal digits."
"What I hear is you're a survivor. Good. I'd hate to fill out more paperwork."
Rylla smiles, mostly confident in her new partner's abilities. To become completely confident, she would have to see her in the field herself.
Toydaria Space Station -
The human shakes his head, "Very well, it's your funeral. Nar Shaddaa.
Any cantina within the station will do I suppose. The Hidden Umbaran or The Hairless Wookie'll provide you what you need.
I believe that concludes our business". He and the wookies take their leave from the landing platform.
As you begin to make your way into the station, Cardis' comm plugged into his ear, boosted from the ship, comes live. He hears a voice he has not heard in some time, Darth Stryfe, "Cardis Rin, Darth Wyyrlock bid me contact you. The Infiltrator is no longer in the Tion Cluster. Has your mission met with success?"
Coruscant - the Undercity -
The transport comes to a stop on a small pad. As soon as you are both off, the transport is up and off once more.
Phedra, datapad in hand, uses the unlock code provided moments before by the pilot. It seems that the station sliced into is just outside of a "night" club, as if there is any other time of day or type of club so far from the sun, called the Outlander. Not a bad choice of terminal, lots of traffic nearby and likely lots of people using it as a result.
The Outlander caters to a rough crowd sort of an anything goes place. It is only a kilometer to the west from this drop site.
"Seems we've drawn some attention." Rylla mutters to her companion. "No need to concern ourselves with the locals yet, hmm?"
If no objects, she leads to the Outlander.