Another Milk Run

[Matt the Radar Tech]

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DENON, LANDING PAD #3774-8-73AA3

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[member="Riamah"] | [member="Fedrig"]

The planet Denon was an impressive place to visit, especially being considered an ecumenopolis world similar to Coruscant, with its entire surface covered in city growth. And while not as large as the latter, Denon still had lots to offer and an endless sea of interesting sights to see. Given its location in the Inner Rim, that meant a lot of tourists from the Outer Rim, who more or less used it as one of the cheaper alternatives to Coruscant. And it made sense, really, since things on Denon were still well-priced, connections were readily available, and job opportunities were basically everywhere - and all without the Coruscant premium price tag. Win-win, if Andan had anything to say about it.

The Star Trader touched down on its designated landing pad, amid millions of other ships using the planets allocated bays. The traffic lanes were obscenely busy, with all manner of repulsor and ion propelled craft moving in every direction, following multi-leveled lanes of varying heights to avoid collisions. There were hundreds of thousands of tall skyscrapers, many reaching up beyond the shorter buildings around to pierce the clouds, giving a spectacular view of the cityscape from almost any vantage. Andan had been to Denon a handful of times, but every time he still took a moment to appreciate the city world, especially as the sun began to set, casting the buildings into an orange-red hue. It was so unlike Talus, Andan's homeworld, which almost seemed to be the antithesis to everything Denon was.

As it was, traversal through the traffic checkpoints - both in orbit and planetside - had taken a considerable amount of time, the Corellian not envying the flight controllers the monumental task of directing the numerous vessels around the planet. As a result, Andan was skirting very close to the scheduled time of meeting his client. He checked the chronometer on his flight panels, as he began the post-flight shutdown sequences. His co-pilot, the 3PO droid CeeCee, worked beside him, thin silver fingers likewise pressing buttons and switches in a well-practiced - programmed? - manner.

"I shouldn't be too long, CeeCee," Andan said as he stood from the pilot's seat, stretching his back with a groan. It had been a long flight. "We took precautions to avoid being followed, but we can't account for everything, so keep your optics peeled and try to avoid using the turrets if you can."

"I make no promises, Captain," CeeCee said mechanically, silver head tilting as orange optics regarded the human. "But I assure you I will remain vigilant in my guarding of the ship. Will you require me to maintain contact while you traverse the city?"

From over the back of his chair, Andan grabbed his belt and holster, securing them around waist and thigh respectively. He double checked his holstered blaster, before nodding to CeeCee, as he concealed his backup weapons. "Yeah, let's keep a burst frequency transmission going, so you can decipher anything I don't understand. Plus, if things turn sour, you can begin prepping the ship."

"Copy that, Captain. Good luck."

"It's always good," Andan said with a wink, as he adjusted his jacket and walked out of the cockpit...

SOMETIME LATER...

Andan ducked his head as he passed through a low doorway. He paused just inside, brown eyes narrowed, as he peered out into the street. Not wanting to take chances, the Corellian had gone with his gut and had decided to play it safe, by taking time to disrupt the path to his destination. The smuggler didn't want to be followed. So he had doubled back, skirted around, made several city level changes and had kept his eyes out for reoccurring faces; it was a skill Andan had become quite proficient in, given his occupation, and he took such methods seriously.

After all, an unobservant smuggler was a dead smuggler. Or worse, a Kessel-bound smuggler.

With one hand on his heavy blaster, the Corellian stepped further into the alleyway and proceeded to walk down the darkened length. It was quiet, or as quiet as one expected amid a city world, and it was all Andan could do not to draw his weapon just in case. Still, he had been in far more nerve-wracking situations than this, so the bravado remained steeled and Andan pushed on with reaching the meeting point. Midway, several individuals exited an adjoining passageway, speaking lowly to one another, before moving on. Andan listened, waiting, but couldn't see anything else amiss, so he continued on another several meters. The silence was deafening--

"Is everything okay, Captain?"

Andan bristled, cursing under his breath.

"Damnit, CeeCee," The Corellian hissed, shaking his head. "Not right now. I'm at the meet. I'll contact you shortly."

Then Andan saw the indicated door.

He knocked four times...

 

[Riamah]

This was only the second time Ra had been to the surface of Denon. The Metal Lords had been on a large station above the world and they still had some small presence there. She had worked on the station recently to have a few changes done to her story. In theory, if somebody or something scanned her, she wouldn't be the Ra from Vjun or who she really was.

Having once already been down a path of being hunted, she was going to try something different this. Instead of faking her death, she was going to have her past changed so she was no longer the same person historically. With as many people in the galaxy as there were, surely there were others that shared her name or one close enough they could be confused.

She had reached out to an old contact. They had agreed to meet on the planet at a specific location Ra knew to be a safe location. Their meeting was about to begin and she heard the knock on the door. Letting out a sigh, she wasn't entirely sure this was going to work out totally. Having some hope it would though, Ra opened the door to her contact.

Motioning him to join her, she stepped aside to allow him to view the unoccupied room. She was the only one present inside. Once he was comfortable coming in, she closed the door behind him and took a seat at the table there.

In the room, there wasn't much in way of furniture or other organic comforts. It had been created by droids and as such, they had little care for any organics that might need to be here. The table and its chairs were about the only thing for them. Ra had added a couple of other items, such as a cooler to keep food and drink. Since she didn't need to stay here long, there was no bed.

As for Ra, she had on the table a small bag with a few personal belongings and was dressed in something that allowed her to blend in with the regular population of Denon. Professional business attire and nothing that stood out to draw any attention to her.

"Thank you for answering and agreeing to meet with me, Andan. It is greatly appreciated. Would you care for something to drink?"

Waiting on his answer, she did turn to reach into the cooler for a drink for herself. If he declined, she would take no offence and they could continue with finalizing their plans.

[member="Andan Solo"] [member="Fedrig"]

 

[Vulpesen]

Vulpesen's tail twitch as he stood on his rooftop his tail wrapped around his dark clad figure. Around him he could sense the various presences in the area, focusing his talents on the heartbeats around them. Himself. His squad of guards, each one perched in a position similar to his own. The man making his way towards them. And of course, [member="Riamah"] herself. He hadn't been there when her home was attacked. And like a fool she had dismissed his men. There was still a scowl on his face when he thought of it. The VSF existed to be put in danger. It was their job to overcome it for those that they were charged with protecting.

Seeing [member="Andan Solo"] walk down the street caushed a bit of nervousness to run through te Valde. Still, he had yet to sense any deceit from the man. In truth, he was simply tired of those he cared about going unprotected and snatched away in the moments he wasn't there.As the door opened, to allow Solo in, Vulpesen left his perch, jumping down to quietly land behind and slip in just before Ra closed the door. "I really hope you know what you're doing," he murmered as his hand moved to his mask, turning on the comlink to the ten men outside the building. "Keep an eye on the streets. Let me know if anyone gets close."

Team Composition

Spoiler

Captain Corren Harlow: Wolf
Lieutenant Relovan Vixos: Coyote
Sergeant Corranthus Garlan: Wild Dog
Sergeant Zerrek Terris: Shepherd
Corporal Illoris Carrow: Wild Dog
Private Karrosil Garlan: Husky
Private Harroyar Kurnasiv: Wolf
Private Olurok Aryos: Jackal
Private Vereo Groleon: Shepherd

 

[Fedrig]

Fedrig was on the hunt. He had been given an assignment of tracking and retrieving a Force User, someone called Riameh or something like that. It didn't matter too much the name, all that mattered was that he tracked down the right person. Using the photograph he had of her, he was able to locate the target to Denon. It was interesting being here but he was here and in full armour, he knew that he would need it when facing a powerful Force User. They were potentially deadly and definitely would not be coming willing with him. Things were never that simple when you were a bounty hunter. Instead he was interested in seeing if he, with the Force, could capture someone who did have it.

Sitting down, his armour with his helmet on, Fedrig was scoping out the local area. Nothing showed more than he was a Mandalorian in full armour, while many were bounty hunters, Fedrig was pretty unknown in the grand scheme of things so he doubted that people would suspect him on the hunt for this Ria woman. Looking over the notes he had made of the recent activity, Fedrig knew that she was in an apartment nearby and that people entered her apartment. While she had been careful, he had been persuasive, well aggressive as some would say, in getting the information to locate her. On him, he had a blaster rifle, several pistols and two vibroknives. His big gun was left at his home, wasn't practical for a mission like this. He needed to be aggressive but as agile as he could in his armour.

[member="Riamah"] | [member="Vulpesen"] | [member="Andan Solo"]

 

[Rocho]

[member="Riamah"] [member="Fedrig"] [member="Vulpesen"] [member="Andan Solo"]


Rocho stepped out of his freighter and onto the ground. He didn't particularly care about the planet itself, he was here for the hunt. Sure, he was an imperial knight, but before that he was a Trandoshan. And that meant he was a hunter by nature, Jagannath points would decide his fate. And hunting down bounty's was the best way to do that. He had been doing this long enough to know how to find someone, pictures, names, specific activity. And then of course there were the snitches. Almost every planet had them, people who looked out specifically for people with bounties just to get someone to pay them to know their location.

But finding them wasn't the biggest issue, he'd manage to get this far and expected he could close in soon enough. The real issue was the requirements of the job. They wanted them alive, and it was a force user. Sure he thought it would count. If he could manage to capture them. If however they defeated him, not necessarily by escaping but in some way. He'd really hate to lose the points he might have gained. He doubted it would count for a full defeat, but still.

​But, there would doubtless be others on this hunt. Which meant he might have competition. Course, he was perfectly fine with sharing the bounty. It was getting the job done that was important to him. But he was flexible. Though he did have to question if it was someone he should be going after, considering the person posting the bounty also wanted people that he was allied with. Oh well. Time would tell. Right now he was on the hunt.

He got to as high a position as he could and breathed in, he was armed to the teeth (so to speak) and at present was using his sniper rifle to go searching. He wasn't just searching for his target, he was also searching for those searching for his target. And he was focusing, meditating, feeling for them, they had the force and that meant unless they were hiding it they were going to be far​ easier to find due to his own sensitivity. He perhaps was mostly untrained...so far. But he knew how to feel with it, he was a hunter after all.

Soon he could ditch the sniper rifle and get on the move, whether because he'd sense her, see her, or be able find someone else who might be after her. It was just a matter of time and patience. He didn't need to be the first to locate her, just to bring her in. Being first just meant more points.

 

[Matt the Radar Tech]

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DENON, SAFE HOUSE

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[member="Riamah"] | [member="Fedrig"] | [member="Vulpesen"] | [member="Rocho"]

When the door opened, Andan looked toward the redhead and offered a lopsided grin. Given no real reason to suspect any kind of ambush or betrayal, the Corellian walked into the safe house - well, safe room, more accurately - and peered around, his right hand resting casually on his thigh holster top. He noted the few belongings, and the attire Ra wore that was significantly less conspicuous than what she could wear, and felt things were lined up well for a successful extraction from Denon.

"No problem, Ra, anytime," With his back to his friend, Andan heard the thanks and offer for drink, declining as he turned around. "Not right now, I don't think it--whoa?!"

Another individual had stepped through the doorway in the smuggler's wake, to which Andan drew his blaster pistol in a flash. The holster on his thigh had been modified, improving his draw speeds, and within a half-second the chromed weapon was pointed at the unknown individual. The Corellian's brown eyes narrowed as he poised his finger over the hair trigger, his demeanor calm, if surprised, before he spoke...

"Hey, buddy, how 'bout we stop right there, huh?" Andan said, his voice low, adrenaline kicking through his system. "You know this guy, Ra? Or did a bounty hunter just crash the reunion?"

It was an awkward situation. Definitely not an ideal one, especially with Andan having hoped for a quick and simple trip to his ship, to whisk Ra to relative safety. But first the pair had to deal with whatever - or whoever - this was...

 

[Riamah]

She was totally aware that Vulps was present with her. After the stunt she had played on Vjun by dismissing the guards he had there, he had insisted on staying at her side. Who knows how many were with him today. While she had hired him and his men to be her guards when they were needed, it was up to him today to decide how many were present.

When Anden arrived and Vulps joined them, she nodded to both of them. She chose to speak to Anden first to help ease his nerves. Accepting his answer of no to drink, she brought one for Vulps and tossed it to him. That was something about them, they could eat and drink pretty much anything they wanted and never even feel the effects.

"He is a friend, Anden. Meet Vulpesen. He has been an almost constant companion for a couple of years now. If he's not around, he is no more than a holocall away. He's no bounty hunter crashing this party, though I have the feeling there will be. One reason I wanted to keep this whole thing quiet."

Looking at Vulps now, she nodded her head with some confidence.

"Anden and I go back a long while, even if we haven't kept in touch exactly. We worked together when I was just getting started as a merchant."

He was a few years younger than her and had been one of the youngest on the crew. Ra had been far from the oldest. Slowly her crewmates had gotten ships of their own and moved on. Anden had been one of the last to go before their captain had been killed. Some personal information had been passed onto him before this meeting and that detail had been one of them.

"Vulps, meet Anden Solo. So how do you two think it is going to be the easiest to get me out of here in one piece?"

[member="Andan Solo"] @Rocho @Fedrig @Vulpesen

 

[Matt the Radar Tech]

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DENON, SAFE HOUSE

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[member="Riamah"] | [member="Fedrig"] | [member="Vulpesen"] | [member="Rocho"]

Andan waited a moment, hesitant to move, unless verbally greeted... but then he realized the pair didn't have the time to waste. Chances were that, despite being cautious, Andan may still have been followed. And that presumption is what usually kept the smuggler out of too much trouble. Right now though, slowing down on such a large bounty seemed like a bad idea. And bad ideas were bad.

"Look, I'm sure you're a nice guy," Andan said to Vulpesen, as Ra had introduced him. "But we need to move. So you can come with us, or distract. Either way, Ra, we need to go..."

Moving toward the door, Andan peered out and made sure the alleyway was clear. He didn't see any immediate threats, so he stepped out and motioned for his companion to follow.

"I have a detour in mind, I've got someone I trust to introduce you to," Andan said, before taking off at a quick pace. "He's not far, come on."

SOMETIME LATER...

After several minutes of jogging, Andan stopped and looked back to Ra.

"Alright, here he is," The Corellian said, huffing a bit from the run. "His name's Chance, he's solid. Since I might be followed, I'm going to let him take you on his ship, while I try and lure anyone following away... don't worry, if it's one thing you can trust, it's his love of credits. He'll make sure the job gets done."

Pointing to a nearby hangar door, Andan kept an eye out.

"If I don't see you later, good luck," The Corellian said with a nod. "Chance'll get my payment to me. Go on, stay safe, clear your name."

And with a final smirk, Andan continued moving down the street, heading toward his own ship, where he would depart and try to lead any bounty hunters on a futile chase...

 

[Vulpesen]

Nodding to [member="Andan Solo"] it took Vulpesen a moment to realize that his hopefully friendly smile was being hidden behind the passive face of the his mask which stared silently at the man. "A pleasure to meet you Mr. Solo. Lead the way, I've got some boys around here that can prove themselves as an ample distraction without me." Heading off with the pair, Vulpesen would take to the roof tops, keeping an aerial view of his charge while his men moved their positions as needed. Passing through alleys, or jumping on rooftops, their formation during stopping points and their destination would remain relatively unchanged, with their positioning only changing as their new area demanded. If anyone decided to follow the real quarry over the decoy, they would find her to be a rather hard target.

[member="Riamah"]
[member="Rocho"]
[member="Fedrig"]

 

[Rocho]

Rocho kept a look out then, after some time, the type of time he was used to as a hunter, he finally grinned, "Hello there. I see you've got company." He said to himself as he scoped in on [member="Riamah"], running with [member="Andan Solo"]. But it wasn't an escaping pace, it was a traveling jog. There were others with them as well, including [member="Vulpesen"] who seemed to be quite the acrobat. He snarled, if he took her down now, he'd just lose the body. Then what good would this be. Well, he'd have succeeded in killing the target. But he wanted them alive. He groaned, that made things far more difficult. But, he was a hunter, sometimes creative methods were necessary.

They were a distance away, but he quickly scoped out the area, he should have time, but he'd have to move fast. He rushed off boarding his speeder, tossing the sniper rifle in, he wouldn't need it. And rushing away, he had to move fast, before they might change paths, but he couldn't attract attention too soon. She might need to live, but her friends didn't. He pathed his way around them, far around them to avoid suspicion. Curving back in a loop so he could come at them from the other side at an angle. That way, if their goal location was in that direction, they wouldn't have as much a chance to keep running.

Unfortunately, it was not fast enough, he caught a glimpse of them getting to a hangar. He had to act fast. So he did one of the things he was good at, he charged, opening the roof of the speed he stood on the seat with one foot steering with the other. A risky move, but not the craziest thing he'd done. In his right hand, the Hekler'Kok TDL-1 "Tempest" he fired two off swiftly into the air, aiming to land near [member="Andan Solo"] (but not close enough to kill him. It was supposed to be shocking, might send debris his way though. The second was aimed at the hangar itself, destabilize their target, and they might not want to go in. As he sped forwards he brought up the Force Pike for his other hand dropping the grenade launcher back in the seat and leaping out of the speeder aiming to close in on his targets.

He could feel the force sensitive now, good, that could make things easier. He was focused, and that meant he was more powerful, and more aware. But unfortunately, he was also at the disadvantage. He needed the woman alive, they however, did not need him alive.

 

[Riamah]

The silence of Vulps wasn't surprising. He was here for a job and not to make friends. So his silence, she didn't take as rude or anything like that. Anden seemed to be a little put off by this though. She would have to explain things to Aden when the opportunity came up. That didn't happen though and he mentioned they needed to get moving.

Just before they left, Vulps spoke up and indicated he was pleased to meet her old friend. She had worked with both of them for a good amount of time. The men he had were picked by him and would be there to help protect her along with him. She had helped bring some of these men out from the Netherworld and in a way they oweed both of them this second chance at life.

As they exited, Vulps took to the rooftops to keep an eye out for anybody following. She stayed with Anden.

Nodding and following him, they jogged for a bit, he stopped and said he was going to pass her off to somebody else. A person he trusted. His word was good to her.

It soon became clear they had company. Hopefully Vulps and his men would be able to take care of whoever it was.

"I will see you another time, Anden. Thank you for helping me out here."

Giving him a quick hug and peck on the cheek, she continued into the waiting hanger.

@Rocho @Vulpesen @Andan Solo @Fedrig