"To Platform 85, Main Hanger, go I now to await you and the team; out is K'kihl."

Flipping off the comm-switch, the insectoid engineer clambered swiftly to his chitinous feet. He paused a moment, casting a look about himself.

A brief pang of regret came from nowhere to hit him square in the Verpine equivalent of a solar plexus.

The Hornett, without me she shall be...

That thought was swiftly cast aside though, to be replaced by an image of one who needed his assistance far more direly than the huge SSD, with its massive engineering crew, ever could.

He shot a fast look down at himself, his dexterous appendages darting about his work-belt, making certain every tool he needed was there.

Even his hydrospanner. He hoped another one would show its face; one could never be without enough hydrospanners....

Satisfied that he was as ready as he ever would be, he nodded and left, soon arriving at the designated location where he began to wait, as patiently as he could, for the others to get there.

Yaoksi needed his help, and time was a-wasting...

[ 09-13-2005 03:51 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by K'kihl ]

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

The Lieutenant at communications saluted mentally to the General, then turned toward his panel to carry out his order. Swiftly keying in a few strokes, he brought up the private communications frequency given to them by Jedi Petrolu.

He then set about setting forth a call.

"Jedi Shawn Petrolu, Jedi Shawn Petrolu, this is Sormontato, currently in Tatooine space.

"General Ahem requests your return at your earliest and swiftest convenience, reply when able, over."

Over and over the call went out, winging into the void, seeking in all directions, assured of a response.

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

Dat looked to Shawn, nodding, one eyebrow cocked. Then he turned back to the navboard of the ship, his hands going to play about several switches. Gracefully, they returned to realspace...

...and Shawn's wristcomm immediately sounded. Frowning once again, he immediately hit the accept button, knowing that there were few who would be making use of his frequency. The message of the Empire immediately came to his ears...

...and Shawn's look actually darkened further as he sensed something he couldn't quite place his finger on.

He glanced back to Dat, then Nefrai. "I am in charge of the Jedi Praxeum's dealings on Tatooine, and this sounds urgent. And not only does it sound urgent...

...I sense something in all of this. How convenient it was for us to come out to make a course bearing just in time for me to receive this?"

He trailed a moment, his look turning serene. "Tatooine is enroute to our destination, and we will have to meet with the Empire soon enough. Why not do it at their behest, and let them know we are trying to search for friends on K'eel Doba while we are in the process? This will make our journey that much more simplier."

Sensing agreement from the others, Shawn hit the reply button.

"This is Jedi Petrolu. I am currently away from the Praxeum on Tatooine, but my destination will take me right by your location. I am on the way."

Sending the message at that, Shawn turned to Dat, who was already in the process of making corrections to their hyperspace path. In moments the ship reoriented herself under his command, and spread her wings into hyperspace once more.

Enroute to Tatooine, and from there to K'eel Doba, as already planned. Shawn was determined of this.

(((OOC: Follow Shawn, Nefrai, and Dat to Expecting the Unexpected in the CSWU. Thank you.)))

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

And all that aside, she was simply a beauty. Her nerf-skin seats and marble-decking bespoke of her luxury classification, and Aaron bought her immediately.

But, as it was with all the EE employees and owners, Aaron still hadn't found a ship that pleased him quite as much as his lambda-class shuttle had. Of course, Terrin did have that nice little yacht with the black outer hull.

Wonder what happened to that thing?

Jerking himself from his thoughts, Aaron looked to the waiting Verpine. "Sorry it took a while to gather everyone...

...but the supplies have already been loaded, so now we can be on our way. I for one am ready to get out of here...

...it's been too long since I've gotten away."

Using a command code then, Aaron opened the hatch of his yacht and strode inside, dumping his bags and heading for the cockpit to warm the engines.

She purred like a tigress. Damn, he loved this ship...

Once she was ready, Aaron flipped the communit on. "This is Captain Barnes, requesting clearance from the main hangar bay and transferring command to Commander Garrison."

The main deck crew responded immediately, and only a minute later clearance was granted.

That was all Aaron needed. Though he wasn't quite the pilot his late partner was, Aaron still had some piloting skill, and took great joy in feeling the Oasis spread her wings beneath his touch. As soon as they cleared the Hornett's gravitational pull, Aaron pulled up the coordinates for Sullust from the navcomputer, and keyed them into the hyperdrive.

"Everyone hold on, we're blasting out of here."

Reaching out then, his hand went right to the hyperdrive controls, and he pulled them...

...and space stretched out into starlines and then faded into hyperspace. Aaron smiled.

"It's been a long time," he said, then looking over to cock a brow at the Verpine. "I don't suppose you'd care to check everything we loaded onto this baby and see if you've gotten all you need to repair the Devil, cause I'd sure like to go back and make sure they loaded the Whyrene's reserve I requested..."

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

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

Aaron was jarred from the deep recesses of slumber by none other than the insistent beep of his comlink. He turned over in the bed and grabbed the commlink, thumbing the accept button. "This is Captain Barnes," he said groggily.

"Sir, the transport has reverted to realspace and we are approaching the Hornett."

Aaron blinked the remainders of sleep from his eyes and sat up, ruffling his hair a bit with his free hand before responding. "Allright, I'll contact the Hornett and get clearance. Our arrival should be already anticipated. I'll have them contact the main bridge with clearance codes."

"Yes sir."

"Barnes out," Aaron ended, closing the connection then keying in the familiar secure frequency to the Hornett's control bridge. "This is Captain Barnes," Aaron began. "The transport has reverted, and the bridge needs clearance codes. I need a docking area ready for my ship the Oasis, and I need a repair docking area prepared for the Devil May Care. I also need the medcenter ready for a Twi'lek with a broken limb."

"Already on all three of those requests, sir. We are prepared for your arrival, and clearance codes are being transmitted immediately."

"Very good. I'll see you on board the SSD."

Terrin's SSD, a little voice commented in Aaron's head. He did his best to ignore it.

"Barnes out."

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

...although her owner would never be the one to fly her to that spot ever again. At this thought, Aaron simply sighed and closed his eyes a moment, then opened them hearing someone step next to him and stop there.

Aaron turned to see Yaoksi, who had no doubt already been over to where the Devil had been berthed with K'khil. In the meantime, Kiara had been taken to the medcenter where the medics would look after her injury.

"Perhaps we should find a private place to begin discussing just what we are going to do to search out the others?" Aaron queried then. "And, come to think of it...

...we should get back with Shawn Petrolu, and see if he has made any further progress. This information will at least give us some clue regarding where we need to start...

...but then, if a Jedi can't even find them..."

Aaron trailed, his eyes turning distant again, "I just don't know where else to begin."

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

Shawn, this is Captain Aaron Barnes, now aboard the Hornett. I wanted to establish contact with you to see if you have made any further progress...

...and to see if there might be any way in which I can help. Please respond ASAP.

Finishing the statement, Aaron again reached for the communit, and selected the "send" button. This would in turn relay his message out to the appropriate comm frequency where it would wait to be accepted by the recipient. Only a few moments later Aaron's communit lit up, indicating a received message. Thinking nothing of this for the moment, Aaron took a sip of his Corellian Ale, and pressed the accept button...

...which caused a computerized voice message to play.

Transmission to the following communications frequency failed. Reason: Unable to locate frequency, user unknown.

Along with that followed the frequency which had failed to receive--Shawn's frequency. Aaron blinked in surprise and concern, looking to Yaoksi.

"His frequency should be in operation, I spoke with him while we were still on Sullust. What could be causing this now?"

He frowned, his look darkening slightly. "As the Jedi are so wont to say...I have a very bad feeling about this..."

[ 01-02-2006 09:37 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Aaron Barnes ]

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

ic:

Suddenly out of hyperspace came a rogue transport. The marks unintelligeable on the ship. Aboard the ship Miguel stood at the bridge. Droids on either side operated the heavy machinery as they progressed.
Sir, we have intercepted a transmission.

"Jam their frequencies."

Miguel spoke with an automatic tongue accustomed to the understanding. Weary traveling accross the galaxy he grew weary of searching for the lost Dark Jedi Temple.

He had grown accustomed to running into many types of people. However much his wisdom of the Galaxy grew, it meant little importance to Miguel.
Sir, frequencies jammed.

Miguel grabbed his forhead with an aching headache.

"Fine than patch through our transmission."
Yes sir.

Miguel took a few painkillers before turning to the audio screen.

...when here came a little cloud to dampen our day.

I frowned at Aaron's disclosure as I shifted in my seat.

"Yeah, it's strange," I admitted, setting my glass down and leaning forward to rest my elbows on my knees. My hands dangled between my legs; I tossed a quick glance downward to study them for a nanosecond or so before meeting Aaron's disturbed look with a direct one of my own.

"I don't know what would be preventing Shawn from receiving, actually, unless somehow, for some inexplicable reason, your signal is being jammed?"

I shrugged and pursed my lips thoughtfully as I reached for my drink once more.

"The interesting attendant question to that being, of course, just who would be doing that, and why."

I took a slug, mentally berating myself for harboring such goofy suspicions, although anyone having gone through what I had in the past few years did indeed have every reason to harbor them, truth be known.

That's when Aaron's comm bleeped once again, demanding our instantaneous and undivided attention.

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

...irritable. Aaron only frowned more, momentarily looking at Yaoksi as if to say, "Well, doesn't this just sound wonderful?" before pushing the reply button on his comm unit. He removed all traces of the frown from his face and put on his "diplomatic" one, the tone in his voice now calm and cool and very businesslike...a technique he'd learned from Terrin.

"This is Captain Aaron Barnes aboard the Hornett. Just who are you, and what is the nature of your business with me?"

Sending the message off to its intended recepient, Aaron waited...

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

"This is Miguel Borimas, freelancer, owner of the Vigorous Blade. Where lays your alliance?"

Miguel's eyes narrowed, attempting to determine foe or neutral. There was no friends in times of war. Anyone with half a chlorion would realize this before engaging in combat.

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

Where lies our alliance--? What in all the known universe was this guy yammering on about? Where did he think he was, back in the day of Palpatine or something--?

Now, granted, the fact the there were impy blockades everywhere anyone skated around in this ol' galaxy anymore -- well, at least it seemed like it -- might just go leading insecure types into believing there was some kind of major coup d'etat in place...

Ok. So there had been one, my bad. But to my knowledge there hadn't been too much of a ruckus pertaining to said coup; I thought back to what I had experienced on Sullust, and had to admit the Impys seemed like they were there to help, not hinder.

I just shot Aaron an incredible glance, and took another slug of the drink he had provided, and waited to see just where all this might lead.

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

He turned to Borimas. "Ummm... alliance?" he queried, quite honestly not knowing what the man was referring to. "I'm just the owner of a ship-building industry that builds and supplies to the highest bidders.

Ok, well that's not entirely true. You have been a supplier for Imperials...

...and particularly for Admiral Pallaeon. But he hasn't shown himself in ages, and must be close to if not in retirement by now...

"Are you in need of a ship or ship supplies, or is there someone or somewhere I can direct you to?"

[ 02-19-2006 11:22 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Aaron Barnes ]

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"A Shipbuilder you say? If you have no alliances, speak of whom you support."

It was true Miguel needed directions, but not from your average citizen. He would need to meet much more influential people, or pherhaps far more stupid.

Miguel turned activating the ion cannons as they charged up, in the event of an attack they would not be left behind.

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

Or is there some other reason you have contacted me...? came the mental addendum.

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

"Allow me to explain myself. I formerly served under Admiral Actar." He lied, "I need to speak with the leaders of the Empire." He finally spoke a word of truth.

Sending off his response, Aaron looked to Yaoksi, who was listening intently. Off the comm and away from prying eyes and ears, he then spoke his thoughts aloud. "Is it just me," he asked Yaoksi, "Or is there something entirely wrong about this scenario? A man, who supposedly worked for Actar, needs to speak with the Empire and doesn't seem to know where to go to do just that?"

An insistent comm beep interrupted Aaron's query. He turned to it, immediately knowing from the way his comm unit was lighting up that the message was coming from the deck of the Hornett. He accepted the incoming message.

"Sir," an officer on deck began, "The ship now in contact with us is activating her weapons."

Frowning, Aaron then pursed his lips. Then he hit the send button, and responded. "For the moment, stand down. We're in an SSD. Certainly he knows his little ship couldn't stand a chance or create any major damage to us. Stay on the alert, however. At the first sign of attack, I want us ready."

"Very well sir," came the reply from on deck.

Aaron again turned to Yaoksi. "Apparently, our... friend also doesn't know that much about the capabilities of an Eclipse-class SSD, either..."

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

"Yeah, I agree," I said slowly, unable to help frowning to myself at what appeared to be so obvious a discrepency in this guy's statements to us.

Ok, lies. Never was I not the one to call a ronto a ronto.

I leaned back, trying to relax but unable to keep from remaining tense.

It never rains but it pours...

"Yeah, that's strange that he wouldn't know how to contact any Imperials, especially since he claims to have been in the employ of the Empire. Unless the key word in all the above was his use of the term was.

"Maybe he fell from grace or something, and knows something we don't, and he's trying to find his fleet to bring some kind of information to them. Or--"

My eyes darkened as another thought struck.

"We're getting set up for something; don't you think it's rather strange that he came swooping into our space out of nowhere? I mean, that in all the galaxy, he managed to find us? Who else would know where we are?"

I fell silent, reached for my drink, froze. Then I simply crossed my arms, leaving it sitting where it was. For if something nasty was coming down the pike, I sure as hell didn't need fuzzy senses adding to the confusion.

[ 02-20-2006 01:49 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Yaoksi Joao ]

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...absolutely no one knows where the Hornett is without giving us a comm for business relations first. And that, much to my dismay, smacks of betrayal and mutiny."

Frowning, he opened the channel to Miguel then. "Tell me, how did you come to find us in this fairly uninhabited region of space anyway?"

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

And more importantly, why. Not to mention the connection that person would have to this guy and his presumed former acquaintanceship with Admiral Actar.

[ 02-20-2006 04:42 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Yaoksi Joao ]

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"I picked up energy readings in the areas, I told you before what I am searching for, the Empire."

Miguel waited a moment, looking around at his ship, he knew it wouldn't be able to get past any blockades such as Coruscant.

He flipped up a clear case revealing a small red button which he pushed. The back engines of his ship made no apparent signs of distress. From the inside the engines exploded and the ship leaked smoke through exhaust.

"You say you are a shipbuilder. I need to reach Coruscant. My ship's hyperspace capabilities are destroyed. I need to make ship repairs and speak with the Admiral.

Is it possible for me to board passage on your ship and take me in to Coruscant?"

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

"If you have repairs which need to be made," he then spoke up, rather logically, "I can use my tractor beam to tow you to the nearest shipyards and we can make arrangements for the repairs you need there."

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

"Er, can we inquire as to what exactly happened to your hyperdrive capabilities? Oh yeah, and how you just managed to find yourself within the perimeter to pick up our energy sigs?" I asked, waggling my brows at Aaron as if to say,

Hey. It's worth a shot...

[ 02-20-2006 10:12 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Yaoksi Joao ]

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"First of all, fine the tractor beam will do, if you'll just take me and my ship to Coruscant that would be fine.

And to the second person aboard your ship, I will tell you that while my ship may be a pile of scrap, it still has your up to date scanners and technology. My hyperdrive malfunctioned, I beleive there is a leak in the fuel tanks. Anyway my ship will be going no farther.

If you could tow my ship in, take us down to Coruscant and I could get it fixed it would be the last you'd hear from me. I can assure you."

Miguel flipped off the reply switch, shutting down the engines allowing for the tractor beam to pull them in.

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