Welcome to Gaia! ::

(So are you not going to Duro, Cel?)

Try writing this from scratch four times! I had to ********' IE...

The Twilight Ranger surged through hyperspace, safe on its course while it's owner slept, the White noise making it easier for him to stay unconscious. like many veterans sleep did not come easily to him, and like many soldiers he was less reliant on it, but like all beings he still needed it, and so sleep he did. He dreamed though. He dreamed of dank trenches and dark worlds whose only light was the expanding energy of explosions and the captured chaos of blaster bolts. He dreamed of friends long dead and enemies who should be. He dreamed of the Jedi and the Sith and the horrors they wrought. He dreamed of war. He dreamed of death.

And then he awoke, opening and closing his eyes several times to bring the world into focus. "We'll be coming out of hyperspace in several moments, you'd better get ready," Said ICIS. Archaras nodded blearily, rose slowly and readied himself.

He walked to the cockpit and collapsed into the pilot's chair, reviewing the sensor logs and Star Maps until, with a lurch, the Ship returned to normal space, and then with another one, it's Sublight Engines engaged as Archaras eased the throttle to half it's limit.

Then alarms began to shriek for his attention.

"There are four Talon class Fighters converging on our position with shields up and weapons charged! They are ignoring out hails, so it's my bet that these are Pirates or some other unsavory types intent on doing us harm!" The AI cried as she activated the shield generators and flash-charged the turrets.

"Focus your fire on one of them at a time. It'll be easier to kill them one at a time then keep all of them off us simultaneously," Archaras shouted as the opposing craft entered range. The turrets weren't charged yet, so evasion was his only option. He brought the Ranger into a sharp spiraling dive as the Talon's fired, their crimson darts passing uselessly over the ship. They adjusted their fire however, and were soon bracketing the transport with fire.

The cockpit shook as the shields absorbed the damage, but the Turrets were charged now, and ICIS began to reply with her own Emerald needles. Archaras leveled out, bringing a charging Talon into the center of his viewport.

"Focus on the others. This one is mine," He grunted as a chirping tone filled the cockpit and a red box began to close around the ship on his HUD. The smaller vessel fired at the transport, slamming into the forward shields. Archaras was undaunted however, and grinned widely as the box closed over the Talon and the chirping changed into a steady whine. "Goodbye," He said as his thumb stabbed the trigger on top of his flightstick.

A single Concussion Missile streaked from the underbelly of the Corellian made Freighter. An orange arrow that was the avatar of the Echani's displeasure, the missile caused the Talon much consternation, which attempted to evade. It failed miserably, being transformed into a rapidly expanding ball of gas and flame for its trouble.

The other trio of fighters began more attack runs, and Archaras swept into a Barrel Roll to present a rotating shield profile, while ICIS targeted one fighter with three of the ships four guns. She hammered into it with a barrage, pounding through its shields, and tearing through its armore, destroying the cockpit and turning the once pristine fighter into an impotent lump of spinning metal.

The other craft began to redouble their efforts, and the shields of the Ranger were beginning to buckle and Archaras was forced to perform ever more impressive feats of maneuvering to avoid their fire, while ICIS picked at them with her guns, forcing them off, and due to there only being a pair left, occasionally granting brief respites for the shields to recharge.

They began more attack runs, and one of them streaked in front of the fore viewport, and ICIS burrowed into it with all four turrets. The blasts shattered the already weakened shields and savaged the enemy ship, reaching into its guts and destroying one of its Ion Engines, which piledrived into the its reactor, which detonated, turning the ship into a sphere of yellow and orange flame.

Its compatriot broke off and began to run, and Archaras turned to follow it. In a few more seconds it was nothing but a field of debris and slag.

Archaras sat back into the pilot's chair with a sigh of relief.

"Were there any identifying marks on them?" The officer asked.

"None, which pretty much rules out pirates, as they generally broadcast their sigils with pride in an attempt to intimidate their victims. They were probably syndicate-based, mercenaries more likely than not. They were obviously experienced, so they were probably hired," Responded ICIS.

Close his eyes while letting out a sharp breath of frustration, the Echani added, "The moment we touch down I want you to access the holonet and dig up everything you can on Lynch Engineering." ICIS responded with a acquiescence as she activated the autopilot for the third planet in the Aduba system...

***

The Twilight Ranger touched down at the newly renovated Tan Aduban spaceport, which now had an honest landing tower and docking bays reminiscent of Mos Eisley. Archaras landed the craft himself for the added alacrity, and rose, already prepared and walked to the loading ramp, as ICIS intoned "Accessing HoloNet."

He was greeted at the bay by a Rodian, who despite his respectable suit, still seemed dishonorable. All he said was "Lynch Engineering thanks you, we'll take care of the cargo." Archaras nodded and silently instructed ICIS to secure lock the ship once she had ejected the cargo. He strolled out of the bay as the Rodian and a pair of Labor droids began to pick up the recently ejected cargo crates.

Once he'd left the starport ICIS whispered in his ear "Lynch Engineering is a weapons and engineering concerned by one Roman Lynch. Lynch is believed to be the crime Kingpin in this sector. He is semi-autonomous from the Hutts. He pays the protection in return for non-interference. It appears thathsi rivals have been more oactive in attempting to disrupt his operations of late, which explains the ambush. He's got his hand in almost every illegality around here. He's a good operator, and hasn't gotten caught yet, so as far as Legality is concerned we're in the clear. However it appears we've run a cargo of Blaster Gas for a powerful criminal."

Archaras shrugged. Such was the way of the rim, and Archaras didn't particularly care. He did however, make a point to avoid any more contracts with the word Lynch in them, as getting killed was definitely not part of his plan.

He strolled down the main street of the Frontier-City, looking for a good bar where he could relax and await his payment...

"Yes milady"He said following her. He had no intention on traveling with a sith, even a dead one.

With the Aldera Ballet hooked to the corvette, a somber ceremony took place within.

Many wookies gathered around, as Chenahab talked of the late Bear. < He was brave and true to the ways of our people. He did his duty. And thus, we now lay him to rest. > the large wookie said with a mournful woof.

Freya bowed her head in respect, as several wookies gathered around Bear's coffin. "Your sacrifice will not have been in vain," she gently said, in an almost whispered tone that seemed nearly unlike her.

With that, the wookies then lifted Bear's coffin to the other main airlock. With a somber wail, Bear was laid to rest within.

The wookies then left the airlock.

With that, Bear was laid to rest among the stars.

Freya then led the way back to the Aldera Ballet, and the hatch that would take the group to it. "Now, we can go." she told the others, giving Zell a gentle pat on the shoulder, looking on respectfully to the visage of the now ejected coffin outside, carrying the wookie whom died bravely to save her life.

Freya then looked to Zell before heading to the cockpit. "He died saving my life. It's the least I owe him," she quietly said. With that, she then went to release the clamps that attached the Ballet to the corvette, before taking off.
"Next stop, Rodia,"

(( Sorry to keep seeming as though I change my mind, people! sweatdrop Since Des will be back before Nos, it makes more sense, plus Rodia's closer. That said, edit your posties accordingly, and I'll do the same. ^^;; ))

(( The Ballet also has an airlock. 3nodding And, his lightsaber's broken, otherwise Angel would've used it. As for me, Freya ganked his blaster and a few armor pieces. mrgreen ))

"So, we're going to pick up Luger on the way to Aduba Three, then?" Rusty queried Freya.

"Yeah." she replied, not missing a beat to the cockpit.