Outland Mining - Flight 1217 - Blue Star Pirates

[Master Buggie]

Softly clacking his mandibles in thought as he waited for the shipment of supplies to be loaded by the ship's squad of loader droids, Buggie couldn't wait to get off the ground. Most recently, he and Storm were on their way through Imperial space with supplies due for an important Blue Star Pirate operation. There was opportunity elsewhere, and the goods that were the majority of this haul were destined for the operations on Coruscant, where the world still was wracked with issues following the liberation. Since this shipment would serve to benefit the Galactic Alliance, the benevolent group had agreed to loan a few ships as escort.

Besides the squad of pilot droids in each of the two Action Vs, Buggie would be accompanied by his usual co-pilot Gary Storm. A former stormtrooper and former Antarian Ranger whose loyalties apparently only lay with Buggie, Storm had settled in as the regular pilot of the Outland group of freighters. Nim Drovis, where Buggie and Storm waited now, was a rainy world, one that he had become quite accustomed to in his numerous visits to the supply depot there. This planet was seemingly insignificant enough that the Imperial scrutiny was low enough for even the Blue Star Pirates to use it as a pick-up location for many of the goods and wares it needed. The supplies that the pirates required were made available for pickup here, and this convoy run was no exception.

As the loader droids began to herd themselves back into the transports, Storm announced, "Looks like we're all loaded up."

"Let's get going, then." Buggie replied, as he proceeded toward Outland 02, "We can't be late on this run."

---
Transport Vessels:Action V Outland 01 - 320 RU
Action V Outland 02 - 320 RU

Pilots:
Action V Outland 01 - x4 RX-24 Pilot Droids
Action V Outland 02 - x4 RX-24 Pilot Droids; Master Buggie

[Annan Rainwalker]

Jedi Knight Annan Rainwalker.

Master Rainwalker.

Annan Rainwalker, Jedi Knight.

Clad in black robes as a tribute to his Master, Han Xin, the once-Padawan flexed his mechanical fingers, his prosthetic hands still aching with that dull pain even after all those Galactic Standard Months since his mission on Handooine. He was reflecting deeply on how the the past year in his life had gone by. Before having spent the past few months as a Padawan under the tutelage of Master Han Xin, he had escaped his Imperial-occupied home world, Lah`mu, only to find himself on Naboo and accept it as his new home once he had been discovered as being Force-sensitive by Jedi Master Buggie.

The same Jedi Master who was now working for the Blue Star Pirates, and whom 'Master Rainwalker' was escorting on this mission to deliver supplies to Coruscant.

Man that had a nice ring to it! 'Master Rainwalker'. Of course, he was no Jedi Master yet, as he had just been knighted days prior, but it was still customary to refer to all Jedi by the epithet of 'Master', out of respect. So that was what the younglings and the Padawans had begun to call him. Even those Padawans who had been Padawans with him. Now they were forced to call him 'Master'. Oh, it was a killer for his poor Padawan friends to have to call him Master until they passed the Trials themselves.

'Master Rainwalker' did not even realize he was dancing in his seat until his security droid Bigweld 2.0's voice cut through his comm-link.

<“K7JP to Ani,”> the giant droid's voice projected across the cockpit of the Mahmudiye. <“All Cargo has been loaded onto the Mahmudiye's Hold. Zula said she's almost ready as well.”>

Annan coughed himself back to attention, schooling his features into one of complete Jedi serenity, as he pressed the comm button. “Right, get in here and contact Master Buggie. Tell them we're ready, Zula'll be prepped by the time you'll get here, and where the Sith is O.M.5?”

<“Probably still double-checking the Cargo in the Hold,”> Bigweld responded. <“May I ask why again why we're working with hostiles?”>

Annan frowned. “Master Buggie is not a hostile.”

<“Master Buggie is a pirate.”>

“Just get in here,” Ani groaned.
____

Transports

CEC YT-2000 Mahmudiye Scintillance
==> Annan (PC) + Bigweld (SEP-unit) + O.M.5 (RX-24 Pilot Droid)
CEC YT-1300 Mesudiye Effulgence
==> Zulara Rainwalker (NPC) + Drop (BB-espionage unit) + RX-24 Pilot Droid

[Zechs Merquise]

Zechs bobbled along in space with the great beyond in full view of his TIEs cockpit. There was a first for everything, and this day was decently that. It was pirates, jedi, and hims. There was no Ohs or Mais. They were both back at the ranch doing something that thought was more important. Sleeping most likely.

Still, here he was. He was out there again. He was doing something again. It was almost like he had been forced into it by his sheer unability to say no to some things. Luckily, no one had figured out that, so it was only mildly abused by those ignorant of the inability processed by his immediate self. Thankfully, he wasn't the only one.

Bob was flying an Assault Gunboat he had borrowed from Zechs. Bob wasn't one for words. He'd fly along and do his thing. If it was quiet, he'd get some knitting done. If it was violent, he'd get some killing done. If it was indigestion, Zechs would want a new Assault Gunboat.

But that was enough about that. It was rambling thoughts of nothing to fill the time till they were underway or something along those lines. Zechs couldn't be blamed for not being sure. He had only just arrived, and his TIE-A was purring just right.

[Lady Kota]

She sat in wait, there was intelligence that a pirate shipment was coming this way. Kota awaited for them to peer from the said route. Hopefully the intelligence would pan out, but it was unclear if it was. Also it was unclear if she would be joined by any other imperial or not. This could well be a solo attempt at the pirates cargo, which could end badly for her.



Raider
Yt-2000
Pilot Droid
Yt-2400
Lady kota

[Rhoden Carbine]

Rhoden sat in his YT-2000 freighter, Jorvan and Haly were manning the turrets. Inferno Squad had received information not too long ago that a pirate convoy would be passing soon. With nothing else on their plate at the moment Rhoden, Jorvan, Haly and one of the Starwing pilots had decided to investigate.

Rhoden didn't know if anyone else was going to be joining their little strike force, if it could be called that, but he genuinely hoped so. He didn't fancy their odds against any sizable force. Rhoden leaned back, grabbing his cup of tea and taking a deep drink. Now he had only to wait.

[Corran Vellar]

A Tie Defender and ATR assault transport dropped out of hyperspace at the designated coordinates and moved into formation with Task Force Inferno and the Grand Inquisitor. Piloting the Tie-D was Agent Double Cross who had received the same reports as the small team that had already set up. The agent had already prepared his Force Mask to prevent any potential force users from noticing his presence.

"Grand Inquisitor, Task Force Inferno," the Agents modulated voice spoke into the comms. "Agent XX reporting, I'll be taking up position on your six Inqusitor." The Tie-D shifted over to sit just behind the YTs of Lady Kota. "ATR will be on your six Inferno, we'll follow your leads." The ATR, piloted by Agent XX's HK unit as well as a team of pilot droids moved into position with Mr. Carbine's team. "Let's hope your intel is good."

He was definitely ready to pinch the BSP in the teeth after the raids they had pulled on Solar Wind Industries.

[Professor Mors]

Vassyl chuckled to himself in light of the intelligence agent's remarks. Despite various setbacks and intrusions into Imperial shipping lanes, the anti-pirate task force hadn't lost a shred of its original vigor. And, if the Infernos' intel proved reliable, the Captain and his cohort could be on the very precipice of a large contraband bust. Though their odds were split evenly between fact and fiction, it was a bet worth taking, and offense worth launching. The various instruments within the cabin of the Proudclad hummed with a moderate, audible pulse, as if to mirror the internal excitement of its owner. Doren hadn't many opportunities to use the XM-1 in combat, and although pilot mortality hung over him like a slow-spinning blade, the thrill of a old-fashioned dogfight was not lost on his sentimentalism. Nonetheless, he was no flying ace, but any experience was better than no experience. Dipping the chassis over towards a familiar form of an XG-1, the Captain comm'd the ready signal to his longstanding Anzati comrade, and awaited their potential score.

Raiding:
XM-1 Missile Boat Proudclad - Doren Vassyl, RX-24 Pilot Droid, Flight Simulator
XG-1 Assault Gunboat Firefist - Walkko Frass (RX-24 Pilot Droid x2)

[Master Buggie]

Once the transports had broken into orbit, Buggie keyed in the communications system to address all of the escorts and reported, "Outland Group is in position to begin the jump to hyperspace."

With a gesture toward Storm, Buggie signaled that his co-pilot was to begin beaming the coordinates for the first jump to lightspeed.

Buggie continued, "Our first jump will be to the Perlemian, where we'll travel Rimward until we hit Gizer. Escort group, that's where we'll run into trouble, since we'll be entering Imperial territory. If we encounter a patrol, the plan is to cover the transports until they can get away, with you following shortly afterward. From Gizer, it's the Perlemian the rest of the way, but again, this will be Imperial territory."

Buggie glanced to his right and saw that Storm was giving him a similar gesture, indicating that the convoy's navigation computers had received the proper coordinates. Now that everyone had been briefed, Buggie suggested that the convoy jump on his mark. With the transports already in position, the convoy entered hyperspace together.

"While we wait for our first stopover, I'm going to go check that stabilizer in the aft section," Buggie announced to Storm, as he rose from his seat.

[Annan Rainwalker]

Jedi Rainwalker, bearing the constant dull aching pain in his hands, sat back in the co-pilot seat as O.M.5., his RX-24 Pilot Droid took the YT-2000 Mahmudiye to breach orbit. From the radar panel he detected the YT-1300 Mesudiye to be directly behind him, piloted by his aunt Zulara, who had Drop with her as well as her own RX-unit. O.M.5. received the coordinates from Master Buggie, and his transmission played across the cockpit, before they all jumped to hyperspace.

<“So this is what we have become now. From defenders of peace and justice in the Galaxy to smuggling with... smugglers,”> Bigweld 2.0 commented from beside Ani.

Jedi Rainwalker scratched the back of his prosthetic limb absentmindedly. “You're not a Jedi, Bigweld. And they are not smugglers. They're pirates."

Bigweld 2.0 turned around from where he was standing beside O.M.5 next to the pilot seat, staring up at Ani with unblinking white photoreceptor units. <“I'm your security droid, which makes me a defender of a defender of peace and justice in the Galaxy,”> the droid argued back heatedly, <“And pirates are worse than smugglers. Smuggles smuggle. Pirates loot and plunder, make you walk planks, dance around with jars of dirt in their hands, and trap starships inside bottles.”>

“..."

Insert cricket chirping sound.

“... You... you watched Pirates of the Perlemian: Dead Twi'leks Tell No Tales without me, didn't you?"

<“Barbossa di--”>

Annan took that meant to make a mighty leap out of the co-pilot seat straight towards Bigweld's deactivation switch.

“NO SPOILERS!!!"

[Zechs Merquise]

Zechs followed along in a muted silence broken only by the breaths supplied by the TIEs flightsuit. He waited, and on the mark, he engaged his hyperdrive. It was hyperspace that made the hyperspace-less TIEs grand. It was much nicer to wait out even the short trips in the comforts of a Star Destroyer's hanger. It always let him stretch if he needed to. This was a high speed coffin.

Still, it wasn't that bad. He was doing something. That was always nice. He couldn't nap, because there was no droid to monitor things. No, he had to pay attention. It was both a blessing and a bore. He couldn't be that picky. It was what it was.

Why he was here didn't matter. He was told to go somewhere and follow along until cargo was delivered. The details were for those of a much higher pay grade. Zechs didn't miss being amongst them. Life was simpler this way. Life was less bogged down by those dark orders of sending men to their deaths. Instead, he got to be one of those men going into the fray to possibly meet his demise.

But who was he kidding. Escort duty was normally a bore, and he had readouts to watch.