Pondering his sanity(Imperials)

[Derric Starr]

"Options...?"

The ships pilot and command officer looked around at the small crew that he had aboard the Night Runner. This was not a situation they were looking to find themselves in.

"We could run, might even make a jump to lightspeed if the navcom can calculate a short enough jump. But I think we're in for some rough treatment at the hands of the Empire. We should abandon the..."

"No."

"Recruit this is not your call."

"With all due respect Commander, this is a Galint operation, the suspected individual aboard the fleeing ship is a priority target. Whether friendly or otherwise once I'm aboard with anyone who wishes to join me you may resume command of your ship. I can't afford to let this opportunity pass by for the Alliance and her allies."

"This is not going to end well Recruit. But we have our orders, how do you suggest we proceed."

For the rest of the crew the conversation must have seemed odd if not entirely beyond rationality. A recruit of the Galactic Alliance, literally the lowest rank of the entire military giving a commanding officer orders. Galint the private nickname of the Alliance intelligence branch, it was the reason for his authority in this situation.

"Trade me for your freedom, sell me, whatever it takes to secure my passage aboard with whoever volunteers and your safe passage away. I'll secure my own escape route if necessary. Besides what's the worse that could happen, I die...

Again!"

[Dastan Imatari]

Perlemian trade route,
heading toward Kashyyk

Back again in the navigator's seat in his YT craft, he scanned intel reports while in hyperspace. Thankfully, the Sith had HUMINT and SIGINT placed in most populated areas, especially systems following major trade routes. Hitting the next jump point, Dastan was able to download more updated information about this stolen sith craft's location.

He didn't find anything about the location of the transport- but he did find out about an imperial blockade that was around the last known location of the craft he was looking for. He banged his hand on the dash and cursed. He cracked his neck before punching the intercom button to send a message through his ship.

"Sep-1, do you know if we have any cover ID's we can use and prep quickly for Imperial Space?"*

Dastan's voice would crack over the speakers placed throughout his ship. Sep-1 was Dastan's security droid. It acted as a secondary gunner, as well as general craft security when landed and in space. Though when there were no prisoners aboard, or incoming enemy craft, it acted as another secretary for Dastan's whims.

After a moment, a digitized baritone voice replied- "Not quickly, Master. We have identity cards, but we would need to stop and fish for a ship registration."

Dastan dropped his head back into the headrest in a sigh. He pushed the intercom button again.
"How much time do you and 3p0 need?"

"It would take an hour, maybe two."

Dastan's lip curled back in a snarl, "We don't have that kind of time. Make it a half hour."

He quickly began getting updates about the area around Kashyyk, but heard nothing of a sith transport vessel. At least, not yet. This may be more trouble than it's worth. Imperial blockades could mean bad news. He burned with frustration and ran a hand through his short hair. But someone is stealing from the Sith. It may be an insignificant hijacking, or it could be someone trying to undermine or impersonate... The options began to run through his head, weighing if it was worth it- passing through a blockade of some of the best security in the galaxy with fraudulent documents...

[Professor Mors]

Doren sat in silence for some time as he processed this new information. At this point he was fairly disinterested with who the perpetrator might be, and thus devoted the whole of his focus to charting out their next move. He first considered the possibility of an assassin bent on executing key personnel, but quickly dismissed the idea. If they were here for him, or some other member of the staff, there were much more cost-effective ways of going about it. No, whoever this was, they probably arrived by pure happenstance. But, if they had some other destination in mind, why would they allow themselves to be captured so easily? Vassyl's eyes narrowed as he meditated on this conundrum, before he reached the only possible conclusion: this person was on the run from some other, unknown party. Such being the case, they might have seen the Rage as a potential opportunity to swap spacecraft or hide in plain sight, in the interest of throwing their pursuers off the trail.

The Commander's arm shot out like lightening across the comm terminal, as he swiftly called back to Kota, "M'lady, station one of the squads outside the foreign shuttlecraft and take the remaining troops to the main tractor beam terminals. Whoever this is, I don't think they plan on remaining our guest for much longer. Escape is their primary prerogative, and I've no doubt they'll sabotage any system that threatens that objective". Even if this interloper was planning to steal a ship for his own purposes, the tractor beams were a blaringly obvious obstacle. Vassyl looked down at his chrono and figured the maligned murderer would probably arrive at his destination before the Grand Inquisitor. Even then, using the most crass of methods, it would take time to disable the terminals, time that Kota would wield to her advantage. Still, with that other unresponsive transport gunning ahead, Doren knew well that things were only about to get more complicated.

Turning about to face his XO, Vassyl loudly shook a somewhat distracted Vincent Torbough from his thoughts, exclaiming, "Lieutenant! Lock the docking clamps on the captured freighter and prepare to seal the ventral hangar doors. Send three engineering teams to disable the craft's hyperdrive as quickly as possible; time allowing I may also require them to install a tracking device". The lieutenant yelped a hurried "Yessir!" in response, before marching off to fulfill his orders. Doren meanwhile was already bellowing further commands to the other officers regarding the other hangar bays. He careful dictated all non-combatant vessels to be placed in holding, and insisted upon extra security measures for all reserve TIE models. Only the return racks and a single starboard side hangar would remain active in case of emergency, as well as the eventual acquirement of the lone shuttle still looming in the system.

"I want the escape pods disabled on all decks except for three consecutive units nearest the starboard hangar; explosives are to be placed and concealed within the cabin of two of the said three", Doren continued, garnering concern from Lieutenant Torbough, who offered back, "Explosives Sir?". Vassyl nodded with an unerring assurance, his expression glazed over with serious undertones. "Given the handiwork of the intruder, I strongly suspect we are dealing with a Force user here. If that is true, and they attempt to retreat using the active escape pods, they will most likely detect the threat and select the unaltered unit", Doren explained, with Vincent concluding, "Which would confirm that aspect of their identity". "Precisely", Vassyl added, "In either case, we can pressure them with the explosives or our point defense batteries: though I do not think they will make it that far". The commander then shot a steely glance back out the main viewport at the distant ship, and coldly remarked, "Lieutenant Clemens, hail the vessel again. Inform them that if they do not respond within the next three minutes and cooperate with the escort, then they should prepare to be boarded". Doren had enough internal matters to deal with, if this transport was going to cause problems, then they would suffer the consequences.

[Annan Rainwalker]

Aboard the shuttlecraft Night Runner
Near the Imperial I Class Star Destroyer Rage
Kashyyyk system, Mytaranor sector

Master Han Xin observed the exchange between the Alliance officials with a passive face. It was quite a charming sight, he considered, as he saw the Wayist give away orders to his own commanding officers, but the Master had seen his fair share of strange things during his four-or-so decades. Master Xin had worked with Recruit Starr a few times before, particularly on Coruscant a short while ago, so he was vaguely aware of his abilities. If his Padawan felt something - he did, Xin could sense something of a mix between amusement and wonder - he kept his emotions to himself; he had been taught by the best. The Padawan's aunt too was intrigued, but refused to say anything.

All three of them raised their eyebrows at the 'die again' comment, but as far as Master Xin was concerned he chose to investigate into the details of that affair another day. Zulara thought the Wayist was showing off, and Ani just thought Recruit Starr was referring to surviving multiple near-death experiences.

Bigweld 2.0 gave Annan a look, and the Padawan signaled him a go-ahead, before the large digitigrade, black, modified SEP-1 unit with the head of a KX-unit, walked over to the discussing officers.

<“If I can present my services, Sir,”> the gun metallic droid spoke through his vocubulator. <“I am a Security Droid, hence I specialize in strategic analysis,”> his photoreceptor units blinked. <“I compute a 23.81% probability that the commanding officers aboard that Imperial I Class Star Destroyer could respond positively to an offer of trading several powerful Force-sensitives to Imperial imprisonment,”> a giant pollex pointed behind him in the direction of Master Xin, Annan, Zulara, and the Wayist. <“... for the safety of one ship - a ship thenceforth devoid of such powerful Force-sensitives who would have only proven to be hindrances in Imperial law enforcement further down the road. I should know; I was once a reprogrammed Imperial droid. But then I blew up, and was assembled anew...”> as the Droid began to mumble to himself under his standard vocabulator amplitude, a few glitches in his programming unveiling themselves, his suggestion finally registered to his partner and owner.

“WHAT?!” Annan yelled from behind the Droid. He had instructed him to assist in planning, not use them as bait.

Master Xin's sharp mental command to 'shut up' through their Force link did its magic and the Padawan grit his teeth, breathing his annoyance at his droid and the nervousness of impending doom into the Force.

“Don't worry, son,” Zulara whispered to Ani. “I won't let those big bad imps hurt my baby boy.”

“Quiet, you,” Annan whispered back, embarassed at his outburst.

<“In any case, that 23.81% is a significantly higher alternative than the meagre 3.27% chance we have of surviving a TIE-squadron in this shuttlecarrier, that one in particular,”> Bigweld 2.0 pointed at the blinking red dots arranged in a perfect V-formation, that had lit up not a moment prior in the holoprojection above the repulsortable around which the commanding officers, Recruit Starr, and the Droid himself were gathered in discussion. <“Then, there's the 54.12% probability that we're about to be shot out of spa--”>

“I volunteer myself and my Padawan for this as well - I see Recruit Starr is already agreed to this suggestion,” Master Xin cut the Droid off from behind.

Zulara nodded her head as well. “And my baby doesn't go anywhere without his Mummy,” she grinned, pointing at the Padawan.

“ZULA!!!”

[Neive Undant]

Neive looked over the catwalk that ran from doorway to doorway in front of him, the generators for the ship's many needs surrounding the metal walkway. Neive thought for a minute, before quickly taking a peek at the flow of the force.
He looked over the path that the force was taking as he moved a small path of its works to him, while also examining the path itself. Soon, he had found what he was looking for: The generator that controlled the tractor beam and secondary weaponry on the destroyer. With his almost boosted force connection, now he could almost see the tractor beam itself, but knew what he had to do, and that he didn't have the time to observe.(Alter flow)

Neive jumped onto the railing of the catwalk and hopped to the generator he saw, and quickly moved to the switch and turned it off. However, he needed to ensure that it stayed that way. Neive took a small sphere out of his compartments he held on his armor, and set it on the switch. A thermal detonator, almost like a proximity mine as he set it. If a soldier came to it, not only would it blow, but half the ship's power would go with it. Perfect, Neive thought. Now it was time for him to leave. He jumped back to the catwalk, before almost freezing.

Neive looked down the hall, and could feel the presence... something was out there. Something evil, but he couldn't tell who or what. He couldn't find any force sensitivity, but he knew that this figure walking towards the generator room was there for a purpose: To completely obliterate the Dathomiri. (Life sense)

Neive quickly ran out the other doorway of the room, one goal in mind: Find the escape pods. If nothing else, he could at least make it to a nearby planet and get an unmarked ship out and away from the blockade. Worst comes to worst, he may be on the planet for a few days while he hid from the imperial forces.

[Lady Kota]

With a someone on board that needed to be found, the tide of this battle was about to turn. Kota opened herself to the force, with her presence able to be felt she didn't have time to wonder who was thinking what. As she approached the trackor beam, she sensed him, but she also sensed something else. "Stop no one enter." She said as she motion for them to get back and go around. There was a bomb, clearly, but she knew they were still above. "Hiding on the catwalks, your bomb is nice but I'm afraid it won't go off." She said through her mask. Kota carefully turned the detonator off with the force and brought it to her(telekenisis). "Where ever you think you are heading I assure you have no chance. Why don't you just come down and we can discuss this." She said. She didn't know if they would or not, but she put the bomb away out of their site just in case.

[Derric Starr]

"I don't like this plan, but I'm inclined to agree that we'll have better chances of leaving the system if we hand over a group of volunteers. I'll make the call since you have agreed to this plan."

The commander returned tot he controls and activated the comms.

"Imperial vessel this is Mairdin Vor bounty hunter and Captain of the Night Runner, my crew and I have in our possession a number of personages we believe to be of interest to the Empire. We are preparing to fall in with your escort and cooperate."