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Wade walked the corridor to the loading ramp of the ship, and saw the nervous little Cinder. "Don't worry, kid, not everything that happens out there is bad." He said as he passed by. He stepped on out and up next to Maeris, once again assuming the familiar stance in which he rests one hand on his belt and the other on his gun. "So, is the recipient of the package a new or old acquaintance?" He asked Maeris, while keeping an eye on the newcomers.
Wade saw the image and instantly recognized the man in it, albeit younger than he should be. Much as he was years ago when they were both younger. Curious, however, as he'd never seemed to be the type vain enough to alter his holo-image to simply look younger, but to disguise himself. Usually, a younger or older appearance isn't a disguise. Think, why would you alter your appearance to look like yourself? Perhaps if someone else had seen me before, but not in some time. Would that be it? Could Tertian have chosen an appearance that would be universally identifiable amongst those in the crew who've met him? If so, its a clever ploy. Alternatively, that could have been someone impersonating him from a holovid of him, not knowing his actual age. He would have to work through the probabilities later, focus on the situation at hand. Glancing around he searched for any recognition by the rest of the crew. Little Cinder's was the most obvious. He took another look, this time at the insignia, but didn't recognize it. Instead, he did his best to memorize it for research later, when he had time to himself. Wade wished he could have actually heard the message instead of just seeing the image and the insignia, but such are situations in the field. Get what you can, use it to the best of your ability, and get the job done. "So, how's about we figure out our next step?"
"Any Problems?" "None yet, but there's always the road ahead." Wade replied to Maeris as he got up. "From what I hear, it seems Bellarin's authorities are less lax than those here in Noctis. With a particular eye for shipments by train." He stretched and popped his neck. "My question right now is if what the Captain sent me over the comm is true or some joke."
"Thank you." Wade said as the droid rolled away. He knew most wouldn't bother, but he did anyway. Stepping back outside, he found his way back to the street play. Whoever wrote this thing is horrible.
Wade made his way back out of the ship and to the main entrance, but then turned back for a moment and looked for the little droid he met earlier. "Droid, I need a favor. Can you send me a comm if anyone other than this ship's crewmembers enters this docking bay?"
Pausing in front of Wade, the dented droid scans him while emitting a discordant series of beeps and chirps. Then the droid continues to roll along its way towards another cargo bin. Wade strode up to the ship and into the ramp, he placed his hand on the slugthrower in its holster, but didn't draw it. He walked into the ship and made a quick check to see if anything had been disturbed. He hoped he was just being paranoid.
"I see," Wade said. "Your time has been as informative as I imagine it is valuable." He added before finishing the last of his lum and giving his comm frequency. "I think I'll stop imposing upon your good will and time. Good day." He nodded as he walked back towards the bar. He left the cup and credits for his drink by the tender as he made his way back out of the red doors. She's definitely one of this world's movers and shakers. He thought. She knows how to conduct business in a manner that gets the point across without saying anything that be held against her. She almost sized me up right off. This was a dangerous game before, but without the resources I had back then... He stopped that line of thought, dwelling would help him none. He needed to focus on the here and now. That synthene is becoming more worrisome every minute. Two probabilities. Either its hers and that's that; or its not hers, but she intends to make it so. The problem is that without more information the odds are even. I better go back to the ship. Just in case.
She stops for a moment, and smiles. "Of course, opinions are free. If you'd like to talk business, it might cost something, depending on the types of business arrangements you might be after." "Its possible," Wade said. "I'm considering a small job for a day or two while I'm planetside, keeping things simple for now, if it doesn't conflict with my current employer's needs. Perhaps I can leave my comm frequency, and if you hear of any work you can contact me, for a finder's fee."
Wade glances back over his shoulder as he notices the Twi'Lek look to newcomers. He noticed the captain, amongst others, walking in. He turned his attention back to the Twi'Lek. "So, you're more along the lines of the local "Go-To-Girl" or Information Broker, right? That must mean you know just about everything going on in this hemisphere."
The large Twi'lek woman looks at Wade as if she were eyeing her next meal. "You don't have the scent of the opiated yet, nor do you have the build of a rock breaker. We have heard there's an Imperial ship topside, so you can't be a messenger from my supplier... whom I do not know, and you aren't looking for, are you? Now, you could be an Imperial agent, but you wouldn't be interested in a simple provider in this two-bit town. So I ask myself, what kind of pinkskin offworlder just walked in to my parlour? Are you here for business or for pleasure?" "I don't see what's wrong with a little of each, provided they're compartmentalized to avoid one interfering with another." Wade said as he took a seat. She was a very cool-headed individual, professional. He recognized she acted on a give and take system. "My name is Wade, Wade Macton. Right now I'm contracting as fighter escort for a cargo freighter. But, I also handle- odd jobs, on the side, as long as they don't interfere with my contract. Might I assume this establishment is yours?"
Wade ruminated for a bit, working out the details of his surroundings and the locals. The Twi'lek woman stood out the most, probably because she was watching him. He thought for a moment more, deciding that a direct approach would get him the results he needed, allowing him to size her up by her reaction. He picked up his lum and walked across the room. "So, was there anything you needed, or just trying to figure out the new guy?" He asked as he stood before her.
Wade drifted into a building with red doors pumping out Duro styled music like most life support systems generated atmosphere. He could get by, the noise was of no concern. He ordered some lum and took it with him to a seat. He chose a place that gave him the most advantageous view of the room while remaining seated alone. He sipped the lum but he drank in the surroundings. As he gazed about, he checked for exits, obvious or otherwise, aside from the entrance he'd used*. Next, he looked to see if any of the crew's recent guests were inside*. Best to be aware of a possible threat than not to bother even looking. It is almost time. Wade thought. He'd stayed away from Imperial data to keep his enemies from back-tracing his location. Several months time had passed and he should be suitably "lost" to keep suspicion to a minimum. He needed to prepare to make his move. He'd need to gain contacts, turn some assets to himself, and acquire the necessary equipment. But first, he needed to get the lay of the land, feel out around himself. No good would come of plodding through like an undomesticated bantha. It would require care, precision, subtlety, and tact. That began with him using his locale and current resources to their utmost. It began here, in this region of space, and in that ship with that crew.
Wade stops as he overhears the message on the captain's comlink. "Huh, I guess that all that's left for me is to find the nearest bar."
"Captain, I think it might be wise if one of us went along with this doctor friend of yours? I might even be able to ferry him and his supplies in my fighter."
Wade tapped a few controls on his comlink, sending a signal to the Longshot to initiate a low-level power-up, eliminating that step from the startup sequence. He then moved to stand by one of the landing struts, with a grip on his slugthrower and his other hand resting on his belt. If it came down to a fight, he could use the strut for cover before making his way to his fighter.
Wade arrived at the ramp about the same time as Soz and saw the three men on the ground, he walked off the ship and right by them. "I think I'll take a look at the ship real quick," he said to Soz and Maeris as he walked by them. "That last jump was a little rough." Wade's real purpose however was to get outside the ship in case these men meant trouble, he hoped that his shipmates realized that. He never trusted sudden and unexpected alterations this late in a job, so he watched the three as he slowly walked around the ship.
As he figured, there wasn't much in the local databases about the ship. Recently assigned to the sector with her captain. Cursory information at best, name and service number, he'd need to hit up some of his contacts for something more in depth. This all means he's either new to command, got caught doing something and is being punished, or he's just a mediocre CO; after all, you gotta put someone out here on the fringes. Perhaps Wade will get the chance to size him up. He went back to the cockpit to check if there was anything that he could take care of for the time being. "So, anything anyone needs a hand with?"
Wade sat at the computer and began to carefully access the local data networks to learn what he could of this dreadnought, the Sunhammer and her captain. He didn't expect much more than a name and modest history to be serving out here on the fringes.
Wade walked through the ship and passed the ship's master having a subdued discussion with its commander. The looks on their faces gave the impression there was a disagreement, probably about the cargo. This left Wade curious as to the legality of their shipment, but that wouldn't be new on this ship. And if these things helped Imperial Citizens, all the better. "Well, aren't they fancy?" He said shaking his head. "Looks pretty, huh?" He added, in a wry, mocking tone. The formation reminded Wade of an argument he'd had with one of his flight instructors who insisted on regular practice of maneuvers only useful for parades, instead of instilling more experience in combat tactics. That man couldn't seem to grasp that these kinds of tight formations were only impressive until someone discovers that something as simple as two hand-grenades wired together could wipe out half a squadron. Wade needed to do something other than dwell on the complacency of some Imperial officers. It would probably do him some good to see what information he could find out of this dreadnought's captain, and the best way to do that would be to access a computer.
Wade depressurized the cockpit and opened the hatch after powering down the ship's systems. He was going to have to find a better way back and forth from his fighter than crawling across the hull of this transport. He slipped inside the airlock and pressurized it, then took his helmet off. He always found it amazing how being in one of these things even for a few minutes made someone sweat so much. Oh well. Wade headed to his cabin and quickly changed into his regular clothes and slipping his holster on, then left for the cockpit.
"You're suggesting to me that the Imps are cookin' up some trouble?" "I'm saying an Imperial Officer who has earned his rank doesn't even hit the 'fresher without already having some kind of plan on how to zip up his fly. He likely figures us to thank our lucky stars and proceed as if nothing happened."
He paused for his statement to settle. "I figure there's one of four things happening right now. He suddenly received flash orders cutting this short; he believed our bluff; he wants us off guard and will have someone inspect us dirtside; or his presence here is a coincidence and he's here to escort a transport, initially mistaking ours for it." Wade pulled an uncomfortable fold out of his flightsuit. "The last two are the most likely, as they both explain why those TIEs are still weightless. The first is the least likely due to sheer improbability, while the second is only likely if he's very dumb."
Wade was in his cockpit in the midst of his fighter's startup sequence when the familiar sight of an Imperial Dreadnought through his flight helmet tore his attention away. The other fighters scattered and retreated, apparently they were smart enough to realize when they were in over their heads. TIEs began to launch. But they were escorting a shuttle, an assault shuttle. Wade recognized what would be next: they intended to board. He quickly resumed his startup sequence, he may yet earn his pay today. Almost as suddenly as he saw the shuttle launch, he saw it turn back to the dreadnought as the TIEs began to hold position. Something is not right here. He completed the startup sequence and activated his like to the mothership's internal intercom. After all, he was still docked, and by using it, he wouldn't broadcast any signal that the dreadnought could trace. "Captain, something's very odd here. They should've been inside and counting the fillings in our teeth by now."
I'm pretty sure that Resolute, Resurgence, and Valiant are cannon names of specific Star Destroyers. I think Triumph could be one, but it could be as the Triumphant. Adamant might be one, as well.
A little off topic, but are there any FarScape fans in here?I've never actually seen the show, but some of my friends keep raving about it. Why do you ask? I'm noticing some similarities between the crew of Moya and our group. The lead characters are all escaped prisoners or simply on the run(most for unjust reasons) from an oppressive military regime(the Peace Keepers), who decide to take flight to the "Uncharted Territories" as a means of evading the PKs. The whole series has the characters go through a series of moral gray areas just to survive. Such as: a character agreeing to marry a princess to avoid the PKs; the whole crew plotting the robbery of a "Shadow Depository"(think of it as a Swiss bank built by criminals for other criminals to store their ill-gotten gains) in order to garner enough currency to buy a batch of 10,000 as a means of rescuing one crew-member's estranged son; as well as allying with old enemies to serve a common cause; then allying with current enemies to oppose a common foe. Just ignore the shoddy FarScape video game that came out. Oh, other than my desire to make sure the languages she knows are appropriate to have learned from the pirates and to know if the multipurpose tool is a viable item, I wanted to ask about skills. I had to give Cinder two knowledge skills because of the limitations imposed on what skills she could choose given her class and backstory (survival makes no sense in a person who panics if under an open sky, for example). I was wondering if I could switch Knowledge (Physical Sciences) for Acrobatics...I think Acrobatics fits with the character background better (hiding in small spaces or crawling through them to make difficult repairs) than Knowledge (Physial Sciences), but Acrobatics isn't on the scout class skills list. If it would be okay to take Acrobatics, please let me know. Otherwise I'll keep it as is.Just wondering about the answer to my previous questions. :) Bocce might be a good language, its an artificial language constructed to be speakable by the majority of sentient species in the galaxy.
A little off topic, but are there any FarScape fans in here?
Okay, basic character profile up. Expect alterations.Ooh, look who showed up at the party wearing the same dress... :) Luckily, my history as an intelligence operative has taught me to prepare for all eventualities. :P Too bad there aren't any pictures of SW minis I could find.
Okay, basic character profile up. Expect alterations. |
