...but I have to admit to myself that were Terrin here, he would have been after all of them a long time ago, profits be damned..."

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Now I raised my head in surprise.

"A ship?"

Ok, Yaoksi ol' pirate, now didn't that just sound stupid as hell. Of course a ship, didn't he just say that?!

"I mean-- a ship!"

I slammed my goblet on the table, trying to keep from looking too happy. I mean, this was a serious matter we were discussing, but here he was, my own personal knight in shining armor, come all this way to not only repair my own ship, but to offer me the use of one in the meanwhile.

All I had to do was make good on my own offer, which was soon to follow. I mean, I most certainly did not make the statement I had just to weasel transporation from him...

"You've got a deal. I would love to join forces and help you hunt for your friends; seems the least I can do seeing as how you've come all this way to help me like you have.

"However--"

I paused a moment, remembering Kiara.

"There's someone else who's come quite a distance to speak with me too; speaking of which, if you will excuse me a moment, I think that's her now..."

Rising I went to the 'phone, ran the comm, stopped a moment to ponder. I turned to Aaron.

"I'm to meet with her in an hour; it's about-- it's about Nassy..."

I trailed, my eyes growing dark with painful memories.

"Would you care to join me?"

It only seemed fair to ask, since after all we were both attacked on his ship.

Like Terrin was on mine...

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...that is, supposing a Verpine with ship specs needs such a thing. At any rate, I'd be willing to wait it out. But then again, if you want someone along who knows a bit about this stuff, I'd be willing to come too.

Your call."

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"I'd welcome your company."

With that I returned to the 'phone, sent an affirmation winging on its way, and then turned back to Aaron.

"If we leave now we can get a good seat."

Aaron didn't seem to mind so, recapping the Whyrene's and setting it back where I kept it, I headed toward the door.

"Have fun storming the castle, ol' Cricket," I called over my shoulder, smiling at the dead silence which ensued.

Never bother a Verpine when he's reading.

Then we were out the door and en route to the Blue Asteroid, winding our way through the warren that was Piringiisi.

[ 11-05-2005 11:55 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Yaoksi Joao ]

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Hell, she thought, I hope he finds me, or I find him...

Frowning at that, Kiara ordered a small mug of a liquor that had origins on Ryloth, sat back, and simply waited, keeping a keen and hopeful eye out.

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Without thought, I shoved the little furball into the alcove as far as I could, pressing myself too him as though trying to shield him from something.

A moment later, the entire wall next to which I had stood next too exploded into tiny chunks of stone, the attack upon us cutting up too 2 inches into the rock.

I cursed, and fumbled for my DIssuader, finally getting it out.

I poked my head around the corner, and ducked back as I saw that umbaran bastard shoot again with the Flechette, tearing more of the stone apart.

With a curse and a prayer, I came out and fired a burst of shots into the air, not caring but hoping that they hit him.

I grabbed Bon, and ran from the alcove down the street. At the sound of a third hiss, I threw Bon down with myself as the crowd in front of them practically disintegrated as millions of tiny blade fillaments tore into them, leaving naught but a red mist and small fragments of bodies where they had been.

Bastard imperials! I cursed as I pulled Bon up to start running again, just getting around a corner as the true impact of what had happened hit survivors and witnesses.

The screaming began....

[ 11-07-2005 12:12 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Commisar Stern ]

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An incredible boom tore through the air, echoing with terrible promise off the volcanic rock through which we sauntered. It was followed by a split second of utter silence...

Then all hell broke loose.

I paused like a gandy-rak in headlights, shooting a look of shock and concern Aaron's way.

"That sounded like it came from the Blue Asteroid--" I gulped in a low voice; then instinct took over. Before I knew what I was doing my feet were pounding pavement, blaster in hand, as I tore down the rock corridor we were in toward the intersection I could see just up ahead.

Then the screams began, giving wings to my feet.

I ran faster, when a dark shape came flying around the turn ahead, not looking where he was going because he was too busy looking behind him.

It was that, and the flechette launcher he was clutching, that sent the gears in my brain into overtime, and I suddenly knew what had happened.

Not why, mind you; that would come later. Just who.

I didn't give him any warning, but put down my head and tackled him. He was big and as ugly as are all Umbarans I've ever known, and his panting breath was about enough to send me sprawling away from him. But I just held on, gagging, and took him down.

"Aaron, a little help here, buddy!"

It wasn't long before I was joined by another set of stong hands. Together we wrenched the weapon from ol Ugly and managed to hold him pinned down until the authorities came.

Which, thank the gods of the universe, was in fairly short order.

Then it was the usual: name, why are you here, where do you live, what is your blood type and can you offer up your firstborn kind of thing... until at last, convinced we were innocent, they were satisfied. A passel of 'em took the Umbaran off to the clink, and I turned a worried look to Aaron.

"That still sounded like it came from the Blue Asteroid..."

With that I set off running again, rounding the corner and coming upon a scene from hell.

Injured sentients of all races were laying about in a variety of attitudes, surrounded by more blood than should ever be seen in a public thoroughfare. I shuddered, staring at the shattered wall of the facility, watching as med-droids hummed here and there, doing their business.

Pursing my lips, Aaron keeping right up with me, I just kept going, shouldering my way through the rubble and disarray and finally gaining entrance into the little bar.

There at the door I stopped, casting a look throughout the place, searching for the lady Twi'lek who I was supposed to meet.

Gods I hoped she was okay...

[ 11-07-2005 12:28 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Yaoksi Joao ]

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...and therefore was knocked completely out of her seat and to the ground with a pile of stone and rubble that caused her booth to crumble as well under its weight. For a long moment she was simply stunned, only somewhat aware that the stone was, at least for a few moments, flying over her in chunks to make contact with the ground and other various places. Then, for a strange and eerie moment, all was quiet...

...and the screams began. Though Kiara was befuddled, she was aware enough to realize that there was trouble, and that she appeared to be in some of it. Partially trapped under what once was the tabletop of her booth, Kiara began to flail and struggle, trying to free herself...

...when a pain shot up one of her two legs. The pain was searing enough that she screamed unconsciously, suddenly feeling totally helpless...

...and totally alone. "Help...please...!" she managed, the pain intensifying. "My leg..."

And she could say no more, the pain now taking her breath away.

[ 11-07-2005 09:59 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Kiara ]

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Particularly when that voice is crying for help.

I shot a quick look around, my eyes finally settling upon the vision of a female Twi'lek trapped under the remains of the booth she had been sitting in. While the table itself wasn't that heavy, the chunks of duraplaster and cement from the destroyed wall that were sitting on top of the table were... and were doing a quite efficient job of holding her pinned to the floor. Even in that nanosecond that I found her she threw back her head again, her lekku twining about, a grimace of pain upon her face.

I wasted no more time, but moved quickly to her side.

"Easy there, I'm here to help, just lie still a moment and we'll get this thing off of you--

"Hey Aaron, I'm going to need some more muscle here, this stuff ain't like my grandmother's dumplings!"

With that I turned back to her, placed a comforting hand on her dirty shoulder.

"Just a few seconds more, Ms--"

I paused, considered; a lightbulb went on over my head, I cast a fast look around.

"Ms. Roch'ella?"

[ 11-07-2005 10:09 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Yaoksi Joao ]

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She recognized the voice.

"Captain Joao?" she queried, clenching her teeth as she did so.

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"Yaoksi," he said, "I think her leg is broken."

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"Yeah, it's me. I wish our first meeting could have been under better circumstances--"

My guilt-ridden apology was interrupted by Aaron. I looked down at Kiara's leg, nodded in grim agreement.

"Yeah, buddy," I agreed in a low voice, so she wouldn't overhear and get worried.

"And on top of it all, I think there's an infection setting in. She's getting hot."

I turned a worried gaze to Aaron, to see it mirrored there, plastered loud and clear across his own features.

"Let's get the rest of this stuff off of her, but be careful! Relieving the pressure suddenly can be just as painful as having it applied to begin with, and she might have some internal injuries."

Aaron merely set his lips into a grim line. Together then we slowly and carefully removed the remainder of the rubble that lay on her torso and upper extremities. I shifted my weight to run a light touch over her body, smiling in apology for the seeming intimacy. Then I went back on my haunches.

"While only a med-droid can let us know for certain, I don't think there's anything else wrong internally. Just the broken leg.

"Was there any pain inside of you anywhere that I touched you?"

I directed the last query to Kiara, needing this information for the med-droids. Speaking of--

"Aaron, I know there's a ton of injured outside, but why don't you go see if you can scrape up a droid. I don't want to move this lil lady until I'm certain it's safe to do so."

With that I turned back to Kiara, lightly brushing some grit and rubble from her dirty but otherwise attractive features, taking care not to touch her lekku.

[ 11-08-2005 12:55 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Yaoksi Joao ]

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She trailed, then continued with "But I'm not feeling so well. Why is it so cold in here?"

Quieting at that Kiara shivered a bit, hoping a med droid would come soon. Being a dancer in a Hutt's palace, she knew all about strange attacks that happened...sometimes for certain reasons and other times for no reason at all. She wanted out of here before anything else further could happen.

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With no further word than this, Aaron got up and went outside, at first trying to find an unoccupied med droid. He had no luck at that, so he shielded his eyes and looked outward, hoping to find some sentient medics who might be overseeing the droids. After a few moments of searching the chaotic scene, Aaron finally found what he was looking for. Once he explained that a Twi'lek inside the Blue Asteroid had an infection setting in from a broken leg which was otherwise of no apparent concern, the medic nodded and agreed to take a look himself.

Aaron began to lead him back towards the Asteroid then heard a few booms and bangs somewhere in the distance. He paused a moment, frowning and looking at the medic. "I sure hope this sort of thing doesn't happen often here," he said darkly.

The medic simply returned the look. "No. And I hope that it doesn't start doing so," he replied.

Aaron nodded, leading the medic then the rest of the way in to where Kiara laid next to Yaoksi, her skin starting to pale a bit due to her fever. Yaoksi moved away in order for the medic to get a closer look...

...and Aaron pulled him aside. "Look, buddy, there's something strange going on here," he said quietly to the other man. "When I went out to look for help, I could hear some banging and booming from a distance. I don't like the sounds of it."

--------------------

I cocked an ear streetward, hearing the sounds of disorder seeming to grow louder. Which, unless the unknown perpetrator or perpetrators had an escalating weapon, meant that they were drawing closer.

"I really don't like this -- look, if the lady here is deemed fit to travel, what say we skedaddle out of here. I sure hate to leave Devil when all hell is breaking loose--"

I paused, torn between saving our skins and that of my beloved ship. I frowned then, a determined look coming into my eyes.

"And I'm not going to leave her."

I cast another look at Kiara; a fresh grimace was plastered on her paling face as the medic applied a hypospray of something to her shoulder.

"Look, I'm going to the dock and board her; ain't nobody nohow going to keep me from my ship. I'll be fine, I have food and weapons; don't worry about me.

"You-- you go on ahead and take the lady and K'kihl to a safe place; I'll contact you when all this brouhaha has settled down, and we can get back together on her repairs."

I moved to the door and took a peek out, then pulled back quickly.

"Damn, there's troopers out there!" I muttered, coming back to Aaron and pausing beside him.

As a little redhead of my past acquaintance used to always say,

"Hell's Seven Circles!"

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“They’re here! It’s starting! Don’t you see man, the oppressors are here to.. to oppress! The troopers are running wild, the red guard will be kicking in baby’s teeth and soon the Tyrant himself will be walking among us! We need to get to the HQ, man, the HQ! It’s too late to be stupid, man, we’re up loony creek without a pod racer, man! Follow me, I’ll take you to HQ! The time for action is NOW MAN!”

...and like something really major is going on. I don't care to be here myself. I could take her somewhere to safely recover while you hang on your ship...

...but she did come to speak with you. And I suspect K'khil is the safetest of all of us right where he is. You think they are even going to let you in the spaceport to get to the Devil right now anyway?"

As Aaron finished his query, the medic rose from Kiara and approached them. "I gave her an antibiotic for the infection that will set in shortly. She will be feverish for a while longer, but the fever will break as soon as the meds take effect. Other than that she has a few cuts, some scraps...

...and a good broken right leg. I gave her a painkiller for that; she won't be feeling anything for a while. Are you planning to take her to a safe location while all this activity dies down...

...or shall I call for someone to take her to an infirmary while she recoups a bit?"

--------------------

But having just been shot at by a guy with a lethal crowd killer? I was willing to believe I could consume acid and walk through a force field if I could just survive.

"Lead on you crazy furbag."

--------------------

Bit by bit the Sullustan authorities were augmented by more and more troops, who quickly set up a perimeter throughout the spaceport to make certain no more havoc was raised there.

The Major in charge of the ground troops frowned to see the amount of damage therein, grimaced at the number of ships either destroyed or maimed by what he thought to be due to the recent actions of Black Sun.

"Send troops out into the city!" he barked to a nearby Captain.

"Sullustan authorities are going to need all the assistance they can get, judging from the amount of damage I see here."

"Yessir!" came the crisp reply, and soon even more troops were spilling out into the warren of the underground city.

The Major turned to his other officers.

"Make certain no one comes or goes without proper identification and docking codes. We don't need anyone trying to loot or destroy any more of these personal ships."

"Yessir."

This order too was immediately carried out, until at long last a modicum of order returned to the spaceport.

That did not mean that it had returned to Piringiisi, however...

[ 11-09-2005 10:32 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by The Empire ]

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“Madness out here, man! Madness! Come on, man, the rebellion awaits!”

Bon ducked and slid into the opening, disappearing from view. A few seconds later his head popped back out, eyes wider than ever.

"I suppose your magical rebellion is in your cellar eh? Going to lead an army of rodents to destroy the 'oppressors'?"

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I wavered between logic and stupidity, and settled for proof. Sidling back to the door, I took another peep outside.

More troopers were swarming the rock warren we were in, directing citizens to depart the premises.

I scooted back inside.

"I-- I think you're right, pal," I admitted, albeit grudgingly.

"There's enough troops out there to sink a battlecruiser; I'm willing to bet that they've clamped down on the spaceport and nobody is going to be going anywhere soon until they're satisfied they've come up with some answers."

To what questions--? Ahh now, but that was the 74 Thousand Credit Question now, wasn't it?

I sighed in defeat, then glanced over at the Twi'lek. She didn't look so hot.

"Well, unless you can think of anything better, I suppose we could just go on back to my place. Unless you think you have strings enough to pull to get us off this blast furnace of a rock and somewhere better. I could always have K'kihl keep an eye on things here."

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... and I already have that ship coming in to pick up the Devil. I've already agreed on letting the ship pick up some other ships for disgruntled tourists with damages...

...and the Sullustans like that. Keep the patrons happy. We just might be able to get out on the ship that's incoming, I think...

...and get to the Hornett. We can decide what to do from there, and perhaps get her some better medical care," Aaron said, nodding towards Kiara. "the Sullustans and Impys who are taking care of all the wounded are going to be busy for a while, after all...

...and according to our medic, she's at least stable. If I can get back to a comm and make the arrangements, we can get the hell out of here, and soon. After all, the ship to pick up the Devil is very likely already enroute."

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I drew in a breath, mentally wiping my hands.

"Sounds good to me; let's go back to my place, tend to this lady a little, advise K'kihl as to what's happening, and you contact whoever it is you need to.

"Then, if the fates are with us, we all depart together--"

With my ship, damn skippy!

"--for Hornett."

With that I motioned for the med droid to follow, and stepped out into the rock corridor outside the blasted remains of Blue Asteroid.

We were of course approached by troopers, but they had only to take one look at the stricken lady with us, hear our words as we vowed and declared we were heading straight home, yessir, and they waved us on.

Soon we were right back where we started from, right down to a glass of Whyrene's in hand.

The med droid settled Kiara on my couch, covered her with a quilt, rapped out a few more general care orders, and left to go tend to the more seriously wounded.

"You know where the comm is, pal, and when you come back I'll have this waiting for you."

I waved the goblet meaningfully as I went over and sat down on a chair near the couch, sipping my drink and watching over the lady Twi'lek.

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