Private Lurking the Zone

[Levi]

Hyperspace Reversion Point, Colundra Sector
Judd - Jacen Nimdok​

---

The parameters of the life for the Outrider crew, though ill-defined, held one constant: the inconstancy of liquid capital. Rich men one day, paupers the next. Hence the need to always be on the job. And few paid out better than some good old fashioned piracy. Levi hadn't overseen an operation like this in decades, but when the opportunity presented itself, he fit back into that old life like a glove.

As for his crewmates, well, it depended on how patient they could be.

"This is the spot," Levi confirmed, as the ship fell into position, seemingly in the middle of a nondescript void. "Now sit back, relax, and keep your eyes peeled. You may not think it, but piracy is a lot like fishing." Which was to say, a lot of waiting. "The Perlemian's usually a busy spot. But given current galactic politics, and that we're sitting on the very end of the trade route, it seems we've found ourselves a quiet little nook to lay low uninterrupted. It's a little strategy we like to call, 'Lurking the Zone'."

Their target was a research vessel, the Albedo, returning from an expedition to the Ring of the Rapture, far out in the hinterlands of Wild Space. Levi had been tipped off regarding its mission, and the prospective value of its recovered samples, during their last shadowport stop. The Ring was eons old, and difficult to get to. The simplest jumping off points were the Hydian Way, or the Perlemian Trade Route. The Albedo had taken the latter, and would presumably do so again. Technically, the Hydian was closer, but the halfway point of that route was suffering a teensy problem called a full-scale zombie invasion. So, their best bet was the Perlemian, and relying on the tolerance of the Empire of the Lost to traverse through their borders.

But they had to reach the hyperlane first if they wanted to get back. And doing that meant exiting hyperspace at the Colundra Sector, and reprogramming their route before they could reenter. That was when Levi, Judd, and Jacen would strike, undoing all that hard archaeological work for a quick monetary high. "It's areas like this that are the worst defended. Just outside of a faction's turf, especially one like, say, the Sith or the Empire? They don't have much influence over the area, but it ain't like any local law enforcement is gonna pop up and try to swing their stick around either. Not when a much bigger and meaner army could clamp down on them at any second. Perfect opportunity to for us to clean house, don't you think?" Bonus points for the entry point being dangerously close to both the Sith and the Empire.

Levi literally rubbed his hands together with brimming greed. As he reclined in his captain's chair, a tooka jumped into his lap. The new ship cat, Tilly, had already proven her value in keeping the ship clean ever since the gizka incident. Jacen said he could take care of such things on his own, but Levi didn't totally trust him with that. Also, it was gross when he ate things. It was cute when Tilly did it.

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

Jacen listened intently to Captain Levi’s lesson, though it was difficult to do so long as Tilly was in the same room. When the tooka wasn’t hiding from him, she was hissing at him, and when she wasn’t hissing at him, she was stealing his prey.

The teenage vampire had come to appreciate the gizka population, which provided him with a steady supply of food. Alas, Levi wasn’t content with the vamp eating all the rodents, so he brought the cat in as pest control. Sure enough, the gizka went down—and Jacen had a harder time finding lunch while they were in space. It was almost like Levi wanted the boy to start biting his fellow crewmates.

"It's areas like this that are the worst defended. Just outside of a faction's turf, especially one like, say, the Sith or the Empire? They don't have much influence over the area, but it ain't like any local law enforcement is gonna pop up and try to swing their stick around either. Not when a much bigger and meaner army could clamp down on them at any second. Perfect opportunity to for us to clean house, don't you think?"

“Sure.” At least this pirate crew was finally doing some actual piracy for once. “What kind of booty do you think we’ll find?” There was a certain testiness in his tone, like he was daring Levi to tell the truth. He expected the Devaronian to exaggerate their prospects, promising treasures like usual only for their exploits to yield a modest fortune that they always burned through too quickly.

Judd Levi​

 

[Judd]

Judd let his hands cushion the back of his head as he leaned back in his chair, resigning himself to hours, if not days, of boredom.

He didn't mind a little monotony, mind you. One didn't pursue medicine without a little patience, and there was nothing he liked more than some peace and quiet. But he didn't like the tension that came with waiting for a target. He couldn't relax. Not truly, not without risking them missing their shot.

It was times like these that he secretly appreciated Levi's experience. He'd played doctor for a few pirate crews, had even acted as a bit of extra muscle on boarding crews, but never on the planning end.

“What kind of booty do you think we’ll find?”

And then there was Jacen. Judd sighed, letting his beady eyes roll in their sockets. "Not like we can pick and choose," the Dowutin huffed annoyedly. "As long as it ain't more vermin." Judd sent a dirty look the tooka's way, as if he considered it a pest alongside the gizka. He'd never signed off on getting a pet.

Then, the medic let his disinterested gaze scan over Levi. "I've never raided a ship with such a small boarding party. Got any plans for that, Captain?"

- Levi - Jacen Nimdok -

 

[Levi]

"I suppose it depends on how successful their expedition was," Levi replied, stroking his beard with one hand and Tilly with the other. The cat glowered at Jacen as he spoke, "I don't know much about this Ring of the Rapture, but I do know it's old and abandoned. And old and abandoned things are usually chock full of priceless goodies."

"Not to mention whatever they brought with them." Which brought him to their next point, as Judd questioned the effectiveness of their small boarding party, "The target itself is relatively small. They're not backed by any government, it's an independent venture. Meaning we shouldn't have to worry about pissing off the Alliance again. At least, not anymore than we already have." More specifically, there wouldn't be any military backup or guard presence. "Still, if they've done their due diligence, they ought to have a few mercs or escorts on board. So don't get too comfortable."

"My hope is that, from what I've heard, one or more of the investors is taking part in the excursion personally. We could get a hefty ransom for a rich brat like that." Maybe if they were really lucky, he would be stupid enough to have brought some of his fortune with him.

Only a few moments later, a ship popped out of hyperspace. It was a moderately sized vessel, a little bigger than the Outrider II. And on the side of its hull was the name: Albedo. Levi grinned. "To your stations, boys. Ion weapons. Disable the ship, and we can board without issue." Levi pushed the engine throttle forward, and the pirates began to lurch towards their quarry.

Jacen Nimdok - Judd​

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

Levi mentioned the ships were returning from the Ring of the Rapture. Jacen had heard of it, but didn’t know much beyond the basic, rather threadbare dictionary definition: that it was an ancient space station that had served as the headquarters of a long-dead (or at least mostly-dead) religious cult revolving around hyper-rapture.

Under normal circumstances, Jacen would’ve been reluctant to halt the study of history and potentially put priceless artifacts at risk. On the other hand, Levi and Judd would have gone after them anyway even if he refused to get involved. Best if Jacen was there to protect the goods.

Judd was grumpy, but then he was always grumpy. He did ask a good question, though—would their tiny three-man crew be enough to raid a worthwhile ship? Levi’s answer was less than reassuring, but the odds were still feasible.

Right on cue, a ship lurched out of hyperspace. Jacen turned to the scanners, watching the freighter appear as a blip on the screens. “Yo-ho, yo-ho, a pirate’s life for me.” He flashed a fanged grin, already heading for his favorite turret.

This part of the job, he never got tired of.

The boy swung down into the gunner chair, taking hold of the controls. Ion weapons would fry the Albedo’s shields, and then they would board her. Simple enough. Maybe he ought to have felt more worried, considering what was at stake, but as he powered up the guns, took aim, and pulled the trigger, the exhilaration overcame any sense of trepidation he might’ve felt. This was going to be fun, he was sure of it.

Judd Levi​

 

[Judd]

At least they weren't going tusks-first into an Alliance vessel, Judd could concede. His experience was in big fleets, where the goal was to intimidate, ransack, and abandon. This venture would require a bit more... convincing, on their part. Shouldn't be that difficult.

Independent researchers? No way they had enough money to hire anyone of value.

Judd had been prepared for days of lying in ambush. It was a pleasant surprise when immediately after discussing their target, it appeared. "Lucky break," the Dowutin growled, an avaricious grin splitting his craggy face. He was already lumbering his way towards his station when Levi gave the order.

It was far easier to aim and fire his cannon now that he'd acquired his cybernetic, copper hand. It worked in tandem with his natural one, squeezing the trigger with reckless abandon. He'd never been all that good with ship weapons, but he was passable enough. Ion blasts from both cannons scored the Albedo's hull, a lucky shot from the vampire plugging into one of it's thrusters. The whole research vessel seemed to shudder.

"Hyperdrive down!," Judd shouted, a hint of congratulations and menace in his tone. "They aren't goin' anywhere."

- Levi - Jacen Nimdok -

 

[Levi]

Whatever doubts the men had about Levi's plan seemed to fade away at the prospect of plunder. Once the target was in their sights, everyone headed to their stations and played their parts. The Outrider II dove into range, attempting to take the Albedo by surprise and shut them down before they could mount a defense. Jacen landed on ion blast right down the thruster, "Nice shot!" Levi commended, swinging back around for another go.

The Albedo lurched to follow, but with only one sublight engine working properly, it made an awkward swerve. Before long, the two ion cannons were enough that the ship had begun to fully lose motion. As a last act of defiance, the fired a pair of seeking missiles at the pirates, "Here we go," Levi put the thrusters on full throttle, taking them away from the Albedo for a moment to engage in evasive maneuvers, "Hold onto your seats!" The missiles pursued them like relentless hounds, through each weave and spin, getting closer each moment "Damn things just won't give up!" Trying to shake a tracking weapon in deep space was a pain, given the lack of physical obstacles.

"Dumping flares!" The captain flicked a switch, and the ship launched an array of pyrotechnics that diverted the missiles away from the hull. One of them exploded, the shockwave still rocking the Outrider II unpleasantly. The other seemed to spiral off continuously into space. "Whew," Levi chuckled, returning toward the Albedo, which now floated lifelessly in the void, "Alright. Get your boarding gear ready boys. Time to meet our neighbors."

Jacen Nimdok - Judd​

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

A lucky hit! Jacen whooped victoriously when he saw his shot hit the Albedo’s thruster. With the hyperdrive disabled, the ship wouldn’t be able to escape.

Captain Levi brought them around for another go—but this time, the Albedo fought back. Two seeking missiles rocketed toward the Outrider II, forcing them into evasive maneuvers. Jacen was held down by crash webbing, but his lanky limbs flailed about as they spun and lurched away from the pursuing missiles.

"Dumping flares!"

Jacen grit his teeth as he felt the ship shake. One of the missiles had been destroyed, while the other was diverted from its course. They were alive and un-exploded. Everything was fine.

But not for the Albedo, which now floated lifelessly in space. Jacen scrambled to unbuckle himself from the webbing. He wasn’t sure what exactly counted as “boarding gear”, but he assumed it involved weapons and armor. He suited up and headed for the airlock.

Judd Levi​

 

[Judd]

Judd grit his teeth, holding tightly onto the controls as the Outrider II swerved through space, dodging some unknown obstacle the Dowutin couldn't see. Still, he opened up his comms as the ride evened, a characteristic barb in his voice. "Couldn't've done that any smoother, Cap?" Even so, he was smiling.

Some part of him did love this. Some small, shriveled corner of his heart.

The brutish medic was quick to extricate himself from his seat, and after grabbing his things, plodded to the airlock. He'd stuck on pieces of durasteel armor, in a patchwork mismatch across his body. In his organic hand, a blaster pistol, his copper replacement balled into an anticipatory fist.

Jacen was attempting to rush past him. Judd clicked his tongue, his hand falling on the boy's shoulder. "Nuh-uh," he grumbled, pushing him back. "You go in behind me."

- Levi - Jacen Nimdok -

 

[Levi]

"Not if you wanted to get out of that with three still-organic limbs," Levi was grinning as he quipped back. He brought in the ship to dock, then joined the crew in the airlock. He checked his blaster pistol, which hummed low with amping energy. Judd was naturally heading in first. He was decidedly more blaster resistant than the other two. "Ready boys?" The devaronian nodded, and slapped the button that opened the door.

They were immediately met with an empty hall. Quiet. No resistance of any kind. Levi quirked an eyebrow, and slowly ushered Judd ahead. They stepped inside, and still nothing arrived, "Hm. Maybe this place is even less defended than we thought!" The captain chirped. He was about to say something else, when a sound finally began to grow from around the corner. It was a strange, tinny sound. It sounded like something… rolling?

Suddenly, a destroyer droid spun into sight. It quickly deployed, a shield surrounding its chassis, as it unloaded down the hall, "Me and my big mouth!" Levi complained as he rolled into one of the hall's small alcoves.

Judd - Jacen Nimdok​

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

Just shy of the airlock, a sudden hand on his shoulder yanked Jacen back as if he were an excited puppy on a leash. He craned his neck, looking up at Judd through a pair of goggles (one of a host of useful gadgets he had picked up during their travels).

"Nuh-uh. You go in behind me."

He sighed, but didn’t argue. Better to let the old geezers risk their necks first.

Levi opened the door and they poured out. The corridor was surprisingly empty; you’d think that they’d be lying in wait for an epic shootout. That would’ve been awesome—and probably deadly. Maybe this was for the best.

But as they headed further down the hall, Jacen began to feel like something wasn’t quite right. He opened his mouth to say he had a bad feeling about this, but didn’t have the chance. A droideka appeared from around the corner and opened fire on the pirate crew.

Jacen dove for cover in the skimpy safety of the opposite alcove, red bolts scorching the space where he had been standing. He fired in short bursts, his aim rough and unfocused, spraying the general area rather than directly targeting the droid.

Judd Levi​

 

[Judd]

"Let's do this," he barked, raising his blaster at the airlock door, a burning hellfire in his orange eyes.

It opened with a quick hiss, revealing no defensive formation waiting for them. There was nothing but an empty hallway. Judd took a cautious step forward, none of his fiery focus cooling. Years of combat experience had taught Judd that the unexpected was dangerous. Death could come from...

"Hm. Maybe this place is even less defended than we thought!"

If the Dowutin hadn't been so lazer-focused, he would have facepalmed.

Finally, an enemy rolled around the corner, releasing a salvo of blaster fire towards the pirates. The two squishier members of their crew managed to evade the attacks, and Judd took a heavy shot to his chest armor, grunting at the sting of it. He rushed forward, and pressing his body into an alcove.

They didn't exactly have the armament to deal with a destroyer droid. They had to make a play.

"We need to move!," The medic barked out towards his crew, with all the bite of a millitary man. "I'm gonna push! Cover me!"

Sometimes, the only way to get out a bad position was to charge. Waiting until there was a lull in the firing, Judd plodded out, moving from cover to cover. The droid started to inch backwards, it's sensors thoroughly trained on the brute, sending it's stream of fire his direction.

- Levi - Jacen Nimdok -

 

[Levi]

The pirates were immediately forced to cover, trading a few haphazard shots with the security droid that amounted to little. Judd, being the least squishy of the three, was the first to make a real move. As soon as the droideka ceased fire to cool its overheating blasters, he pressed forward.

"C'mon!" Ushering Jacen along, Levi followed suit, using the droid's focus on Judd to avoid any more shots. He continued to harry it with blaster shots to keep it from getting too comfortable, and to give Judd the opportunities he needed to keep going.

Jacen Nimdok - Judd​

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

Through the chaotic sounds of blaster fire, Judd's rocky voice still reached Jacen's ears.

"We need to move! I'm gonna push! Cover me!"

The boy blinked, wondering if the Dowutin had gone crazy. How were they supposed to cover against that thing?

"C'mon!"

There was no time to think. Jacen did as he was told, afraid he would be left alone. A fate worse than death.

He left the safety of the alcove and ran. The droideka's guns were cooling; it wouldn't be idle for long. He squeezed off a few extra shots at it, following Levi's example, and gave Judd plenty of room to do his thing.

Judd Levi​

 

[Judd]

With the help of the crew, and a healthy amount of durasteel plating, Judd managed to close with the droid. Running so hard, the Dowutin slammed into the shield, his momentum causing him to ricochet past. The droid seemed a little staggered by the monumental hit, even as the bubble absorbed most of the impact.

But now, Judd was behind it.

The droideka tried to inch around to face him, but it was far too late. Slowly, the pirate loomed past the shield, and plugged a blaster bolt into it's head, which finally did the trick. The destroyer collapsed, it's shield flickering out of existence.

Judd sighed, taking a moment to assess the damage he sustained, frowning a little at a blackened hole in his arm. He'd have to clean that later.

"These things are valuable, right?" Judd looked between Levi and Jacen, not a thought of thanks on his mind. "If they're rich enough to use destroyers for protection..."

"I gotta good feeling about our haul." He grinned.

- Levi - Jacen Nimdok -

 

[Levi]

With the constant peppering of blaster shots and a moment to act, Judd was able to flank the droideka, punch through its shields, and deliver the coup de grace. It fell like any other machine.

"Nicely done," Levi stood up and sighed, letting himself relax in the newly returned silence. Judd noted that a destroyer droid would be a relatively valuable security measure. The captain wasn't exactly an expert on droid economics, and simply shrugged, an optimist smirk crossing his face. It was certainly more advanced than your bog-standard security droid. A good omen indeed.

"Shouldn't be long to our destination then. Let's be off," Levi raised his blaster, and pushed on down the hall, "Other than the one destroyer, it doesn't seem they have much more in stock. My guess is they're all holed up in the bridge."

Jacen Nimdok - Judd​

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

Jacen watched in awe as Judd thwarted the destroyer, plugging it in the head with his blaster. “That was astral,” he whispered.

"These things are valuable, right? If they're rich enough to use destroyers for protection... I gotta good feeling about our haul."

Had Life Day come early this year? They’d have to wait and see. His optimism and faith in piracy restored, Jacen beamed at the bright prospects ahead.

"Other than the one destroyer, it doesn't seem they have much more in stock. My guess is they're all holed up in the bridge."

“Do we have a plan for taking the bridge?” Jacen asked. “Or are we just winging it?”

Judd Levi​

 

[Judd]

Judd snorted like an annoyed ox as Levi complimented his work, though the Dowutin's snarling frown curled up into a self-congratulating smile at the praise, and the younger man's awe.

Of course he did it. Did they expect anything else?

“Do we have a plan for taking the bridge? Or are we just winging it?”

Judd chuckled a little under his breath, readjusting his grip on his blaster. "They'll be locked up good and tight. We slice in, wave our blasters around, and if they're smart, they'll let us take whatever we want." No need to reinvent the wheel, he thought. People had been pirating defenseless ships for tens of thousands of years.

Walking down the halls of the ship for a few slow minutes was quiet, almost ominous, though Judd didn't feel anything approximating fear. Reckless greed had overtaken any thought of caution. At least, until he saw the door to the bridge. It was indeed locked up tight, but it was also...

"...Welded shut," the pirate said, after a moment. He squinted at it suspiciously. "From the outside. That was fast."

- Levi - Jacen Nimdok -

 

[Levi]

"A tale as old as time," Levi affirmed Judd's strategy. In fact most ships didn't bother to put up a fight at all, if they even could. Better to just let the raiders take what they want and leave them with their lives intact. Cargo and credits were rarely worth the risk of death. Any pirate who butchered all his captives was a fool; That kind of reputation spread, and from there on out any one they tried to rob would fight to the death. And a that point, the pirate was taking an unnecessary risk.

Levi did not like the idea of dying for something so foolish. But he also really liked money. Hence where he was now.

They followed the way to the bridge, but as Judd noted when they arrived, it was welded shut. From the outside. "…Quite curious." He looked around, "Judd, have anything to cut it open?" He turned to the younger pirate next, "Jacen, you and I will try to find another way in. Savvy?"

Judd - Jacen Nimdok​

 

[Jacen Nimdok]

The two older pirates seemed to agree that they should avoid a massacre. Jacen could get behind that—though if he managed to sneak a little nibble in too, no harm done.

However, upon reaching the bridge they found that the door had been sealed off. “How’d they do that?” the boy asked, perhaps naively. After all, if they were all inside, how could they have welded it shut from the outside?

"Jacen, you and I will try to find another way in. Savvy?"

Jacen nodded, amused by the use of pirate dialect. “Could try the ventilation system.”

Judd Levi​