"Yeah, well, you met her. That's Maya right there. I'm Allerick Hosh, former starship designer turned outlaw."
"Since we are introducing ourselves, my name is Alistair," the man says simply, "Alistair Cray."
He looks at Colvin first and then at the young woman who is still a stranger to him, his eyes staying on her a little longer. "A... 'smuggler' I believe Allerick called you?" The question is accompanied by a smile.
Shaking her head, Kess answers, "Despite what Allerick believes about me, I am not a smuggler." She pauses to give Allerick an annoyed look. "My name is Eyva Varik, and I'm a spacer, not a criminal. Well, until now, at least."
Stone continues to monitor Maya periodically. He determines that she should be conscious and able to talk by the morning.
The apartment has been stocked so you should be able to hold out here fine until then.
Colvin pauses for a moment thinking to himself. "That is Maya, huh, well I guess I already earned my first pay then. I can take the first watch, seeing as how I just arrived on the station there should be no one that will recognize me. Once Maya wakes up we can talk business. If no one has any questions I will head out and come back in say three hours for someone else to take a turn." Colvin places his backpack down in a corner and heads towards the door.
Shaking her head, Kess answers, "Despite what Allerick believes about me, I am not a smuggler." She pauses to give Allerick an annoyed look. "My name is Eyva Varik, and I'm a spacer, not a criminal. Well, until now, at least."
Allerick shrugs. "Deny it all you want, lady, you got the look of a criminal. Or someone with a lot of guilt. Trust me, if I see it, other people see it too. You're too transparent. And I'm getting some sleep. Getting shot at tires me out." Allerick takes one of the bunks, pausing to reload his blaster before nestling down for the night.
"Now now Allerick," Alistair says in a teasing tone, "one should never judge a book by its cover, right? Any one of us could be said to look like a criminal."
Pausing for a moment to think, he then seems to ammend his previous statement. "Well, any one of you anyway. I am but a simple traveler doing odd jobs here and there to earn the credits necessary to continue my traveling. My aim, or rather my lack thereof, should be proof enough that I am harmless."
Colvin laughs, "I am sure we will all get along just fine then, all of my best friends are criminals. I am going to head out now and keep my eyes open, like I said I will come back when I am ready to be relieved."
Colvin heads outside and scouts around for a good place to watch the house and not be seen: Stealth
and begins to monitor the area: Perception
Taken aback somewhat by Allerick's response, Kess bites her lip and turns away. Am I really that easy to spot? But if that's true, why haven't I been picked up yet by the ISB? I don't get it. Speaking again, but turning back to Allerick as he readies for sleep Kess says, "Maybe you're right, Allerick. I do have guilt on my conscience, but not because of smuggling. Let's just say...that I have reason to act like I do, and the Empire is a part of it."
Allerick shrugs. "May be and may not be, but we just attacked COMPNOR agents, all bets are off and we are definitely in the stew now." He rolls his eyes and shrugs. "Might be a time where I miss the good old days where I just had a corp trying to kill me."
Colvin's watch goes along pretty uneventful. Who is next on watch?
Kess will take next watch. She silently exchanges nods with Colvin as he heads back inside, and finds a spot to begin her vigil.
Alistair rests, intending to be the next one to stand watch once the young woman gets back from her turn.
This place is well secluded and the night passes by without incident.
In the morning, Maya awakes - a bit worse for wear but able to speak after she drinks and has a bite to eat.
Maya notices the scrutiny from the apartment inhabitants while she eats. "Tell me what happened at Gundarks and we can go from there..." Maya offers.
"Well, you stumbled up, half dead. We shot COMPNOR agents, we ran here. Not too much to tell."
"An acquaintance of mine on Corulag told me that if I came out this way you may have some work for me. I was coming to the cantina here on the station to look for you when I heard the sound of blaster fire. I saw someone go down from my vantage point. I did not of course realize the person shot was my contact. Once I realized you were a woman that was shot in the back by several agents I decided to help out. Let's just say something about that does not sit right with me. Anyway that was what I saw so the question now is what's next?" Colvin leans against the wall gauging Maya's response.
Maya considers the responses and proceeds with divulging information.
"To start, I’m a member of Alderaanian Security and part of Bail Organa’s personal security detail. I was sent here to collect a vital shipment for the Resistance. I got here before the cargo arrived and I’ve been trying to keep a low profile. Once I heard the cargo arrived, I contacted Switch, but it looks like the Imperial presence has stepped up here lately too. They KNOW something’s coming through this station soon, but they don’t know what it is or where it's coming in." offers Maya.
"Switch has received and is storing cargo for me, and for the people I represent. It was shipped all the way from the Deep Core. I was sent here to contact Switch once the cargo arrived, recover the cargo, and deliver it to Alderaan – to Senator Bail Organa."
"I must trust you and I implore you to help me. It’s too dangerous to stay here for much longer, but everything depends on you. I need you to get to bay V14 and get my cargo for me."
With that, she looks to each of you for your reaction.
Setting a smirk on her face, Kess says, "Much the same for me. Definitely worth my time. I'm all in."
"Sounds both a worthy cause as well as a fun one, so why not?" Alistair offers with a friendly smile and a shrug. "Besides it is bound to make some rather unpleasant people unhappy sooner or later and that is always a good thing."
Pausing for a moment to think, he then adds, "But what is the shipment? Or, what is probably a better question to ask, can we even trust each other? It is not like we have known each other for more than a few days, or even that for that matter."
Colvin laughs out loud then settles down to a chuckle. "Empire - Republic - I don't see much of a difference from my perspective. If you are paying I'm in. It sounds like this could be lucrative, the greater the danger the greater the reward. I think I already proved pretty reliable with a Blaster so what are we talking here Maya?" Colvin has an excited gleam in his eye considering how much he can take in for a job like this.
Maya takes everyone's response in stride, noddiing appreciatively at the responses.
To Colvin she responds, "I believe the concept of altruism escapes you." and she chuckles. She pauses for a second and then continues, "To start, I can offer you transport off of this station, which is convenient considering what you did already to help me. In addition, the universe is vast, which which will present opportunities on your journey, and Senator Organa is a person with the means to provide a substantive fee if you decide to work for him."
She looks to Allerick,"And you my paranoid associate? What of you?"
"Sounds both a worthy cause as well as a fun one, so why not?" Alistair offers with a friendly smile and a shrug. "Besides it is bound to make some rather unpleasant people unhappy sooner or later and that is always a good thing."
Pausing for a moment to think, he then adds, "But what is the shipment? Or, what is probably a better question to ask, can we even trust each other? It is not like we have known each other for more than a few days, or even that for that matter."
Responding to Alistair's questions, Maya has this to offer. "First, I was not told what the shipment was, only that it is very valuable and must be kept out of the Empire's hands at all costs. Switch can surely tell you more since he has collected and holds the cargo."
Considering the second question, Maya states "Second, I was working to build up a team that I could trust until I got all shot up. It seems that we have no choice at this point since we have to move quickly."
How can we convince this, Switch, that we are doing this errand on your behalf?
Maya laughs, although it is a bit weak in her condition. "Switch is an information broker. Nothing goes on in this sector, let alone this space station, without it reaching his ears. I'm sure he knows more about you than I do by the time you have an audience with him. Just tell him you are agents working on my behalf and he will deal with you."
Allerick shrugs, a look of fatalistic resignation. "At this point I can count a corp and COMPNOR among my enemies. Might as well add the Empire, right? Plus, a wealthy hoity toity Senator might have a need for a brilliant starship designer, right?" Allerick brightens at the prospect of employment that doesn't require kill to shoot people.
"So it would seem to be decided then. First we meet this Switch and then we leave this station behind for greener pastures. Shall we be on our way?" Alistair proposes simply as he adjusts his shoulder pack, his back leaning against the wall.
"Sooner we get going, the better. Don't want to start mixing it up with the Empire until we're ready."
Maya provides you with basic instructions on how to get to cargo bay V14 when you are ready to depart.
Let me know if you desire anything else before you go.
"Altruism is for people like the Senator who have enough credits to afford to BE altruistic. I accept the offer as it seems more than fair to me. I am happy to see you are feeling better, see and here you thought I was just pure mercenary." Colvin grins and reaches for his backpack just in case he may need anything on this litle adventure. "I am ready to go when everyone else is."
"Let's get moving. The faster we move, the better chances we have of getting out of here."
Allerick takes point after loosening his pistol in his holster.
Perception:
Taking a moment to check his pistol and knife before putting one hand under his coat as if making sure of something, Alistair moves along, his pace matching that of the others in their small group.
"So, have you traveled a lot Eyva?" His question an attempt at small talk, the man keeps his eyes on his surroundings however.
When you finally arrive in the vicinity of the deep storage bays you find that you've entered a very neglected part of the station. Many of the lights have burned out. Blaster marks and carbon scoring mar the walls, ceiling, and floor. The area reeks of ozone and electrical fires, and pools of coolant litter the hallways at regular intervals. This areas is the exact opposite of the posh Blue Deck where the humans and Imperials tend to reside.
After winding your way through a near-labyrinth of decrepit corridors, you come upon bay V14 which is guarded by a trio of Gamorreans wielding vibro-axes. They are grunting and huffing which equates to conversation for them. Both Alistair and Allerick were able to spot them before you are seen.
With the guards distracted there are a number of ways you could approach the situation, but one of them has to end in you getting through that entrance...
What will you do?
"I don't see why not, though I don't speak Gamorrean. I will fast talk them, the rest of you cover me. Sound like a plan?" Colvin whispers to the group.
Responding to Alistair, Kess says, "A bit. I've been jumping across the galaxy since I was 11. Not much to say, really. I do what I can, and try to avoid the Empire when I have to."
When they reach the bay, Kess says, "Good luck getting anything out of them if you can't speak their language. It might be easier to simply knock them out and move on."
"Gammoreans respect strength, right? So show them strength!"
"Well I figured if they charge me you guys would shoot them. We can take them out, but if they are Switch's "men" he might be annoyed at having to pay to replace them. If we all agree Blasters blazing I am in." Colvin smiles and winks at Allerick.
"You two seem to be the confrontational types, yes?" Alistair notes with a soft sigh. "I do not particularly like fighting if it can be avoided, but I wll help out if it cannot."
Putting his hand on his pistol's handle, he adds, "I am not all that good in a shooting fight though, if the last time is any indication."