Private Pigs in a Blanket

[SOMNOL-716]

//LOCATION: NAR SHADDAA, ORBIT
CURRENT OBJECTIVE: RELAY POSSIBLE MISSION
CURRENT MOOD: VIBING//
THEME
​

Music could be heard leaking from the cockpit of the Cutter.

The tune was jazzy, ponderous, allowing time for the instruments to play off each other with a honey-smooth lull, like old friends talking on a back porch. There was no hurry for a resolution, the music seemed content repeating melody and countermelody, point and counterpoint, continuing in a lazy circle. Within the elegance, there was something a little less elegant.

//Hmm... mmm... mmm-mmm...//

Somnol absentmindedly hummed along with the piece given to him by Hound, with limited success. He was accurate to the millimeter when it came to body positioning and combat, he had upgraded himself with that in mind, but his vocal modulator had never received such treatment. His robotic tone was just a little flat, and very clipped.

After piloting the ship out to the upper edges of the atmosphere, he had dived into the Shadownet, looking for opportunity. There was plenty of it on Nar Shaddaa, despite it's current occupation by the Silver Jedi. The trick was finding something worth their time, something that paid well, and something that didn't end with treachery by the bounty-poster. It was more difficult that Somnol thought it would be. Barely anything fit his search parameters, no matter how much he adjusted them.

But finally, he found something worth their while. Better yet, something that would take them away from Nar Shaddaa. Which was a good thing; Hound's crew hadn't exactly been making friends on Nal Hutta's moon.

Somnol projected his voice over the comms, sharing his find. //Hound, if we could meet at your earliest convenience in the common room, I may have a line on our next objective.//

SOMNOL-716 exited the cockpit, and ducked into the common room, injecting his scomp link into the projector in preparation. His neck twitched slightly as he connected, and he chided himself and his shoddy hardware. The droid began to throw up random bits of information on the bounty into the room, including a recording ready to be played, a few files on the target, and a planet, wreathed in lush flora.

Gamorr.

- Iella Sunscream -

 

[Iella Sunscream]

She was laying on her bed, doing something suicidal actually. A loaded firearm was held to her head, holding the trigger, and depressing it until just about the point that the hammer would strike the bullet. She hadn't been doing it the whole time like some psycho, and had just started a few moments before she heard The Hound call out to her. Iella would stand, CP-01 still in hand. She would create a little space in her waistline at the back, sliding the weapon there and moving out into the common room. Seemed Sommy was already jacked in, with a job ready for them. She knew Bao had things to do, but the truth was she missed the stoic borderline psycho woman. Even if she had less emotions than a Porg on a slow day. Visible ones anyway... The woman definitely had some.

Iella would smooth past the droid, moving to get a food portion, and pop it in a microwave. A few seconds passed, and she pulled out a full breakfast tray. Moving then to start on some coffee. Her hand over had long subsided, and all she had been doing was thinking about what to do next. Inadvertently thinking about her parents. Why the hell did Sommy have to bring them up all randomly anyway...

"Oh go right ahead, I actually like being the one that's listening to the mission run down. What's the recording?" She asked, gesturing with her now full cup of coffee. and moving to slide into a seat; she clasped her hands together, mumbling a few words, then began to chow.

SOMNOL-716

 

[SOMNOL-716]

Somnol nodded to Hound as she entered, acknowledging her presence. He appreciated her punctuality. It was something that his previous employers had sorely lacked. After she had hunkered down and gotten comfortable, the droid gave a singular awkward thumbs up. //I will attempt to inform you of all the required details. Initiating playback.//

In the middle of the room, the blue, holographic form of a well-dressed Ishi Tib woman apparated, flickering a few times before solidifying. "Hello, fine lawmen and hunters of the Y'Toub system," she said, in a scratchy voice, eyestalks bobbing as she bowed slightly. "I'm Macau, a bounty broker under the employ of the Hutt Council on Nar Shaddaa. I come bearing good news."

"One of you is going to acquire a healthy handful of creds."

The Ishi Tib gestured to the side, and a holographic face of a man appeared. Lighter hair, fine features, and the cocksure grin of a fool who thought he escaped the Hutts. "This is an open bounty on the head of one Pipi Tulala. I say, 'on the head' rather literally. This idiot is wanted dead. Specifically, my clients want his head impaled on a pike outside their next gala."

The face disappeared, replaced by the make and model of a unwieldly, but expensive looking star yacht. "Pipi here is a ship thief. A ship thief who stole from the wrong people. He flew off with the Swamp Glory, this Minstrel-class space yacht. Once he realized he couldn't sell it in Hutt Space, the poor fool dipped."

The holographic form of Macau gestured to a new projection, of the planet Somnol had pulled up before. "Luckily, we know he has friends on Gamorr. Tulala has traditionally worked with the Gyuh Clan, and he's likely in hiding at their stronghold until the heat dies down, and he can sell the yacht. You're not gonna let that happen, are you?"

"There's a caveat; The ship is very valuable to my clients. Any damage to the yacht in the acquisition of the target will be subtracted from the total of the bounty, up to seventy-five percent. Please don't blow up the ship. A bonus will be provided if you can pilot it back to Nar Shaddaa in one piece."

The Ishi Tib's voice took on an air of showmanship. "Now, you sorry lot! Go out, and show this buffoon how to get filthy rich. I wish you the best of luck."

Somnol ended the transmission, and without prompt, opened up the other files. They were mostly reiterations of what was said in the recording, and specifications on payment.

//This was posted recently. If we left soon, with the Cutter's hyperdrive rating, we would likely be among the first to arrive on Gamorr. If you believe we should take the job, that is.//

- Iella Sunscream -

 

[Iella Sunscream]

She barely looked up at the screen, but two times. She was focused on stuffing her face. Though, she was listening intently to what was being said. So they wanted someone's head. Literally. Good thing she had SOMNOL. She had done some pretty gnarly stuff to people, and would likely do so in the future, but there was something about the removal of heads that made her gag. Maybe if it was one clean sweep, but if any sawing was involved... And nicks in th-.. She stopped eating, breathing in slowly.

"Yeah, yeah I do think we should take this job... Get us there Sommy. First..."

She added the last part, then took a long slurp of coffee. First thing in the day, and already beheadings were on the table; what kind of life was she leading really.

"If they're serious about the.. Beheading thing, you mind handling that bit; I gotta' thing... Not about the severed head, just the act of it; the bone.. Sinew, crunchy sound.. I'll throw up"

She admitted, not finding any reason to pretend like she wouldn't, least of all to him. Aware he would probably bring it up at the most random of times. In any case, she would pick up her tray, and move to the cockpit, sitting in the pilots chair, and resting her tray above the console to the left of her. She hadn't been lying about SOMNOL's music being calming, and figured it was better than playing with firearms till she mistakenly blew a piece of her head off.

Not to mention, Sommy was surprisingly good company for a semi-deranged murder droid.

SOMNOL-716

 

[SOMNOL-716]

When the woman confirmed they would pursue this particular thread, Somnol released his scomp clamp, wrapping it's connective cord around his hand to keep it safe. He turned on his hips, about to return to the cockpit, but rotated back as she addressed him again. How odd.

//It is all just parts, Hound. Squishy, squelchy, squirmy parts, but parts nonetheless. If it distresses you, I would be more than happy to disassemble them for you.//

He followed Hound to the cockpit, reattaching his scomp link to the ship's systems. The sentience of the superheavy bomber was laughable at best, but SOMNOL-716 liked to think they had an understanding. He also liked to imagine the Cutter liked his tunes, but he knew the ship didn't have to computing power for such an experience.

It was a few brief moments until Somnol used the ship's astrogation systems to chart a path to the planet. As he began to coax the ship into hyperspace with one hand, he turned up his music with the other.

- - -

//LOCATION: GAMORR
OBJECTIVE: ASSASSINATION
CURRENT MOOD: FOCUSED//
​

The Cutter exited hyperspace over a beautiful world, cloaked in greens and browns. This was a place unspoiled by the toxic grip of civilization, a stark contrast to the smoke-choked moon of Nar Shaddaa. Here, the living overtook the dead, the strong overcame the weak, predator rips apart prey.

Somnol could only hope they were the predators, and not the aforementioned prey.

The droid didn't have to do much to get ready, besides make sure his systems were repaired. One of his elbow joints was still sticking, but aside from that, he was in perfect working order.

Somnol spoke to Hound, dispensing a few spare tidbits of knowledge as he maneuvered the ship towards the correct coordinates. //The Gyuh Clan Fortress is in the middle of a Coolsap bog, if my research is to be trusted. There would be plenty of places to hide the Cutter, but scraping and defrosting the gunk off of it later would be troublesome.//

//There will likely be a small army of Gamorreans between us and the target. Then, there is that Swamp Glory business to deal with. How shall we proceed?//

- Iella Sunscream -

 

[Iella Sunscream]

Iella was leaning over and scooping up the last bits of food, munching away until Somnol started explaining the stuff she was just talking about. Well... Hell... That's what she paid the damn droid for. Speaking of which, who in the bantha poo asks for an actual head? Usually people just want the guy dead. A little picture, at most a finger; usually just a little bit of blood, to verify... Head on a pike would be a first for her. As Somnol plugged back in, she would throw her feet up on the console, one by one, a thud of metal, then of leather briefly scuffing against leather.

"Well, that is why I pay you the big bucks Sommy..."

She said, folding her arms and getting a haphazard nap in listening to Somnol play his usual tunes. Perhaps entering a slight state of lucid dreaming until he woke her to prepare for landing...

(Insert Generic Star Wars screen-swipe here)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mission: Assassination
Target: Pipi Tubala
ROE: Operators Discretion
Equipment: x1 NK01 Fujita Rail Pistol , x1 "Icepick" w/ shoulder strap, x3 Shive Knives , x4 Cryoban Cells , x4 Spare Railgun munitions clips , Wearing a duster/overcoat concealing most of her form, but her feet; where the shiva knives are visible in the interior knife holser within her right boot.

She stood leaned over a chair, holding on as the ship moved through the atmosphere. "Wish they were nowhere near the Swamp Glory... I'd tell you let em' taste the Ansons." She loosed a sign then, resting her head ginger on the back of the seat as she thought about it. Well...

"I'm not scraping, or defrosting Chit... Least of all in a bog. Land us a little outside. As far as a method of moving forward? Hell, step by step; kill anyone that outright gets in our way. I see no reason to argue with thieves... Thieves are killers"

She said, seeming as though within that commentary she was remembering something personal. Her eyes had been scanning the grounds, and would point out something he probably already knew. Snapping her fingers, and pointing to the port-bow.

"Port-Bow, about one kilometer, you can put her down there; ground looks solid." She said, looking back out through the viewport with a grin. She hadn't even asked how much this job was paying... Hells, she just liked it...

SOMNOL-716

 

[SOMNOL-716]

//As you wish,// Somnol stated, bringing the ship down towards Gamorr in a lazy arc.

The Cutter sliced through the lower atmosphere of the green planet, as the droid tried his best to keep their descent smooth. It wasn't perfect; the handling of the superbomber left much to be desired. Once they got within the vicinity of their intended target, Hound pointed out a landing zone, and with a brief nod, Somnol negotiated the ship down, landing gear striking solid ground. Thankfully. They may have missed a mud patch by only a few meters.

Somnol was quick to return his scomp link to it's resting place at the back of his head, and exit the ship. He scanned their makeshift landing pad, rotating three-hundred and sixty degrees, confirming that it was safe for Hound to exit.

//The area appears to be secure,// the droid said, pointing towards the ship's right. //The Coolsap Swamp is that way. We have... quite the trek ahead of us.//

Best-case scenario, Sommy figured, they walked for a while through a frigid molasses of tree sap and murky swampland while pulling leeches out of his circuits. Worst-case scenario, a patrol of Gamorreans found them in said frigid molasses.

- Iella Sunscream -

 

[Iella Sunscream]

She left The Cutter, only canting her head from the sun just slightly as her eyes quickly adjusted. She would then look all around, scanning out into the distance, at different levels of thermal imagery. Not looking for anything in particular, but simply looking out for anything obvious to her highly enhanced line of sight. Sommy started speaking, and Iella would look in the direction he pointed. "Nothing wrong with a little workout, but remind me when we get back to get us some speeders... Or maybe a speeder. I dunno' yet." She had begun walking at that point, pulling the duster over herself and beginning their long aforementioned trek.

She made no attempt to grab for her equipment, or check to see if anything was still there from that point on. She simply trusted it would be...

"Sommy, I think I should tell you... Well, hell maybe I shouldn't but I will anyway. My real name is Iella... Iella Sunscream"

She said, stepping carefully as she stepped, scanning the ground in front of them all the while just for a second opinion, aware SOMNOL would've probably caught any sudden changes in geography before she would, due to his entire vision being based off of it. She would've likely come to the same conclusion shortly thereafter, but still; better to be safe than sorry.

SOMNOL-716

 

[SOMNOL-716]

//A speeder would have certainly been an intelligent purchase before faced with the muck. Oh, I'm going to need a long oil-bath after this.//

The Coolsap Bog was far from a pleasurable experience for any parties involved.

Trees grew together in thick clumps, surrounded by sour-smelling peat and the rare section of solid ground. It didn't help that many of the trees exuded a viscous sap that chilled the air, stung the hand upon contact, and froze the water it touched. There were enough roots, ice clumps, and solid footing to pick one's way across the swamp, but any stray steps would land oneslef thigh-deep in mud, which clung to the leg as they attempted to pull it out.

Somnol had one such experience on their walk, where his leg was plunged beneath the ground, and after a moment of struggling, was able to force himself up and out.

Somnol turned to Iella, stepping backward along a safe path, each foot somehow finding the perfect resting place. //I will update my memory banks, 'Iella, Iella Sunscream',// he said, performing the action even as he said it.

//I do prefer it over 'Hound'. It makes you sound more dignified, rather than a dog on a leash. I do wonder why you felt the need to adopt the previous name.//

Meanwhile, someone was watching within the swamp. Someone just out of sight, cloaked from sensors by the thick foliage, watching their every move with great interest, and growing ire. And when it was time, not a moment before, the serpent would strike.

- Iella Sunscream -

 

[Iella Sunscream]

She was taking a particular amount of care through here, not that she was particularly scared of anything; in fact she would charge her fears head on for lesser reasons. Something about her upbringiing, something SOMNOL, or anyone else was so far away from learning. The type of thing you buried, and left buried for good. One day you had to dig it up, but no day ever seemed like a good day for it.

"You've got enough credits for six oil baths in a row Sommy, why didn't you get one before we left?"

She asked him, raising an eyebrow as she glanced back briefly. Balancing across a log she jumped down into the soft earth; a gathering of critters scattering away from her feet.

"Yugchk.."

She strolled on, glancing off to the right and staring for a moment, she had gotten the weirdest gut feeling just now, and truly couldn't call it. Like she wasn't supposed to be here...

"Well, one day I'd like to retire from all of this and actually be called you know... Iella Sunscream, and not The Hound, or Babyface... Or whichever crap moniker I give, that isn't the point see? The point is no one knowing who you really are.. That's all."

Iella responded, stopping then and feeling a shiver run through her entire body.

"Now come on this place is giving me the creeps something fierce..."

SOMNOL-716

 

[SOMNOL-716]

//I did not have mud wedged in my joints when we were prepping for this mission, Iella,// he said, more irritated at the unresponsiveness of his limbs than his employer.

The insight into her name gave SOMNOL more questions than answers, which was par for the course thus far. He dedicated his processors to wonder for a moment why she felt the need to keep her name secret, but couldn't put it together. He resolved to ask her about it after they were done with this objective. Assuming they were both operational by the end of it.

Finally, after an hour of slogging through detestable swampland, artificial yellow lights could be seen in the distance. Getting closer revealed the silhouette of the fortress. High walls, rising stoically fifteen feet into the air. Over them, bright floodlights washed the swamp, whose trees had been cut away and curated from the edge of the walls. From beyond the wall, one could barely make out the bubbled structures of multiple buildings, but the whereabouts of their target, or the ship, were invisible as of yet.

And, of course, guards walked the tops of the walls. Large, hulking boar-like folk with green skin, plated armor, and armed to the tusks with heavy blasters and vibroaxes. Gamorreans, through and through.

He wasn't quite sure how they would get over the wall without being spotted. He looked to Iella, and offered a half-hearted suggestion. //Would you like a boost, perhaps?//

- Iella Sunscream -

 

[Iella Sunscream]

She slowed a bit, eyes easily zooming ahead and taking a good stock of the scene they were approaching. "Woahkay, Mr. grumpy-joints.." She would deadpan him lightly, eyes returning to her normal field of vision. She took a few more steps, then moved to a kneeling position, staring ahead for a while; and biting her bottom lip in contemplation. When Somnol mentioned wanting a boost, she would roll her eyes lightly...

Then look up at him. Back to the wall, then glance back towards him...

"You think you can yeet me up there? I'm a little heavier than I look..."

Iella said, ignoring the fact that he was no longer using her moniker. She supposed it was to be expected, she just didn't want him using it around people that could've possibly held a grudge against her. In their line of work it was an ever possibility. Iella reached around her back, sliding the Icepick to her front, and loosed the strap somewhat. She didn't prime the weapon, but flicked on the range-finder, pointing it at the nearest guard, with an immaculate firing form.

"Good News, they're in range of this weapons platform, I can return fire accurately; bad news that about twenty-eight meters of open area... We'll have to move quick, and maintain a low profile as long as we can. As soon as the shooting starts, we split on them"

Iella said, letting the Cryoban rifle hand, and using hand signals to accentuate what she was saying; aware he was more reactive to movement, that sound. Her hands separating like the wings of a bird.

"Push hard, and don't stop... We meet back in the middle of where we're starting."

She balled a fist, lightly thudding it into an open palm.

"You good with that?"

She asked, giving him the option to second guess her. After she asked, she would slowly look behind them, flicking a night-vision mode into her eyes, and scanning the tree-line quickly for movement. She couldn't shake that feeling...

SOMNOL-716

 

[SOMNOL-716]

SOMNOL was, in fact, more responsive to movement rather than sound.

In the absence of normal vision, his world was processed by motion and heat sensors, vibrations and sounds his colors. Everything he 'saw' was hued by a thousand intricacies, which where lost if one only saw the world through their eyes.

At the same time, without context, the hand-symbols that Iella made were rather humorous.

Somnol's head tracked the fluttery gestures, to an annoying degree. Every subtle movement she made was perfectly in sync with a slight tilt of his faceplace.

Still, he got the message, as he produced two blaster pistols in his hands. They were nowhere near as deadly or expensive as Hound's, but he figured they would get the job done. //You have assigned me a task. I am perfectly 'good with that'.//

His tone had lost a little confidence. He was rather worried about what would happen if they were overwhelmed by the Gyuh Clan's forces, but he trusted Iella's methods, and both of their skill.

As Iella looked back into the woods, all she would see was the rare small, skittering creatures. Bugs and bats and rats and snakes, things that posed no threat to the pair. But it didn't explain the feeling. He began to count them down.

//Three,// he said, engaging his legs, and bending them slightly.

//Two,// he said, turning the safeties off his blasters.

//One,// he said, his voice dropping to dangerous levels.

He looked to Iella, pausing to let her speak them into action.

- Iella Sunscream -

 

[Iella Sunscream]

When SOMNOL had counted two, she flicked the safety off of the her weapon, and lowered her profile. They had reached -1 though before Iella glanced to him and realized though he had counted, he was still waiting for her directive.

"Move.."

She said, moving along; She wasn't necessarily sprinting, but simply maintaining pace. Periodically, her weapon would raise, scanning the position and level of readiness the guards had. Nothing so far, and she was closing. Her weapon scanned then, suddenly at one of the guards who seemed to be peering in her direction. She raised and fired. The cryo-round flash freezing his face on contact. Hid body convulsed, and he fell back. She maintained her movement, ponytail shifting and bouncing with the effort.

When she hit the wall, she started moving towards Somnol, going to the middle point like she had asked him. The sound of commotion above and inside an indicator that perhaps the corpse had been found. Though, with them standing right below the wall, they would have to look over to verify the position of their intruders. As such, she was aimed directly up, sweeping the wall incessantly. Nineteen rounds of death left in the magazine...

"I'm suddenly getting cold feet about getting yeeted up there... But lets do it..."

SOMNOL-716

 

[SOMNOL-716]

Somnol dashed the moment Iella created the first hints of sound in her throat.

His movements as he split from Iella Sunscream were slower than he usually would be, as his ambulators got stuck in the cool moss and grasping mud beneath them. He couldn't quite see the guards on the walls clearly as he moved, but he felt his employer's rifle's blast to his side, just as cold as the bog around them, hitting true upon an unwitting Gyuh Clan enforcer.

Somnol grew even more alert. They would likely notice something was wrong soon. It would truly be a battle towards their prey.

The droid hit the wall with a soft clang, and raced along it's edge to meet with Iella once more. She said something, but Somnol didn't let his movements be affected by her statement, even as he quipped back. //We are in a Coolsap Bog. Perhaps you stepped in some cool sap?//

Somnol cupped his hands, and prepared to throw her up, easily strong enough to help her clear the jump, even if the landing was up to her. Once she hit the top, she would suddenly realize that two Gamorreans were looking around, having apparently noticed their suddenly-chilled clanmate dead on the ground. They wouldn't have spotter her yet, perhaps she could get the drop on them. Or sneak by, if she preferred.

All that was left to do was figure out how Somnol would get up. He cradled his chin with a finger.

He hadn't thought that far ahead.

 

[Iella Sunscream]

What about the Coolsap bog? She glanced at her feet, realizing what he was getting at... She simply stared blankly for a moment, in a sense of dull disbelief at what he was suggesting. She really needed to get him to trust her. Fix some of his noodle as it were. She was surprised she hadn't asked yet, but in all honesty he seemed fine without it. Also, she was still unsure about what would happen if he was operating at 100%. After all, he was clearly built for war, or assassination at the very least. He could easily adopt a personality that wasn't friendly. She would hate to go toe to toe with him; she noted he seemed to be able to recreate moves with ease. Long ago she had simulated a fight with him. She would literally have to shoot him, and likely eat a round or two to do it. It would've been a shootout; strongest body won. Though of course she would take the shot from outside of thirty meters; sorry for knowing too much Sommy...

Her eyes faltered then, letting the rifle swing around to her back.

"Alright, now or never"

She said, resting her foot there and thrusting up; using his momentum, and jumping with the motion, putting pressure on his hands to maximize her vertical thrust. She came up a little short to clear, but would be able to put a foot on the edge, then drop into a crouch; weapon finding her hands again and scanning both vectors before taking cover. She glanced about briefly, noting a large entrance on the opposite side of the fortification. It was made out of wood... Made sense, with the Forest that they had cleared out around it. She looked over the edge at Sommy, and offered him some hand-signals to relocate him in its direction.

For now, she would wait; aiming at the pair of Gamorreans; but not engaging them just yet, she would wait to see what Sommy did when he got to the gate first.

SOMNOL-716

 

[SOMNOL-716]

Somnol stood there a moment, struck by his own inept planning circuits, before noting the hand signs Iella shot down at him. He was able to parse their meaning, which was a feat in and of itself, since the droid wasn't particularly proficient with casual body language.

The labor droid snuck along the edge of the encampment as best he could, dropping low whenever a patrol passed overhead. His wires were certainly drenched at this point, and if Somnol was even slightly joking about the oil bath before, he knew he needed one now. After a tense minute of dodging from hiding spot to hiding spot, the droid made it to the gate.

SOMNOL-716 observed the structure for a moment, noting it's organic wooden composition, as well as a duo of guards watching the top. Thankfully, they hadn't been alerted to the death on the other side of the camp yet, although Somnol doubted that would be the case forever. He had to make his move now, but thankfully, he had already computed a plan.

The Gamorreans watching the main gate would be shocked from their stupor by a shimmering humming sound. One peeked over the edge of the wall to see the droid stabbing his arm-blades into the soft wood, one above the other. He began to climb that way, limbs moving in an unnerving, spider-like fashion as he quickly scaled the wall, flipped over the edge, and with three clean moves, cut them both to ribbons.

Seeing into the encampment, there were a few things of note. There was a main building, fashioned of durasteel and dome-like in structure, with guards patrolling around it zealously. There was a side-building, likely a barracks or armory of some kind. A few smaller domiciles lay disconnected to it all, and Gamorrean children could be seen playing in the far distance.

Most interesting, however, was a large star yacht, painted in greens and browns, the name plastered along the side in a crude hand; 'Swamp Glory'.

The pair would lose their element of surprise soon. They had to make a move.

- Iella Sunscream -

 

[Iella Sunscream]

With SOMNOL now atop the rampart as she was, it was time to start the party. She shifted, then switched covers; getting a better angle. Her weapon was lowered briefly, sliding one of the Shiva Knives from her boot and looking at the duo. She clicked the activator twice, setting it to detonate on contact, and performed a skillful spin to it, holding by the blade for just a moment before hurling it. A beautiful headshot, that ended with a deafening explosion. Thermal Detonator level. They were vaporized in the blast. She may have killed someone's parents, but it was of note that they were thieves, after all. You reap what you sow. Iella knew that would ring true for her one day too, but hell; it was what it was.

She jumped over the partition, landing with a thud and regaining her form and composure; moving forward quickly, scanning the area and moving through the flames of the explosion. They didn't have time to play about this, as she wasn't sure exactly what kind of retaliatory Force they were expecting to encounter.

"Pipi Tulala!"

She yelled out, turning and dropping to a knee as one of the domiciles opened. Someone fired a blaster, and she fired seven rounds from her main weapon in response, the sound the person made... She grimaced, hearing them fall and quite literally shatter. Moving to her feet, she checked the round count. Seven left.

For now, she would move into cover, and glance behind her to see where her trust labor droid partner was. The last she saw him, he was making cutlets out of some poor Gammies.

SOMNOL-716

 

[SOMNOL-716]

Iella had failed to consider two important factors about the pair's target. For one, Pipi was a ship thief by trade; he loved piloting and vessels. And two, he was an incorrigible coward.

Somnol heard his employer's challenge, and drew his own pistols, pointing them towards any Gamorreans he could sense. His movements, as always, were precise. The way he aimed, moving the blaster speedily through the air before stopping it abruptly and firing as soon as his arm stilled, belieing a knowledge of himself and his surroundings that escaped everyone but the steadiest of aims, people that knew themselves in-and-out.

Point. Zap. Point. Zap.

The two hunters were machines of death, quite literally in both of their cases. Somnol dared to let himself believe that they would be able to cut through the swine to their target, using nothing but brute force.

Then the Glory began to move.

The ship's engines engaged, and before Somnol could react, the star barge lifted into the sky, turning as if to make an escape. SOMNOL-716 knew he would never be able to make the leap. He didn't have the mechanics in his legs to propel him that far.

But maybe, just maybe, Iella was close enough.

Meanwhile, within the mayhem, someone was able to scale the wall. Someone was able to weave their way through the camp, and someone was able to smuggle their way aboard the ship before it was too late.

It was truly a race now.

- Iella Sunscream -

 

[Iella Sunscream]

Iella continued up the pathway, weapon lowering as she pushed towards the vessel, then rising again to aim at good hiding spots. Indeed, her mind was on grabbing him. Fulfilling the hidden adrenaline addict that hid behind relatively soft features. Pressing on, she would pause suddenly, a warning tick clicking within her vision as the ships engines cut on. It would appear she had made a mistaken assuming he would just come out and let himself be taken in... It was quick, but there was a chance. Iella moved briskly, hopping up onto a nearby crate with a light grunt, then carrying along for a while. Iella as well wasn't entirely sure she could handle the jump herself, but she was going to try it. She swung the rifle to her back, taking the leap of faith, and barely missing the rear bay of the ship.

When she landed, she would quickly slice into the ships systems using her implant, seeking to unlock the door by force; simultaneously, she used the ships holo-net signal to send one to their own. Quickly charting a flight path back towards SOMNOL, though it would probably take about twenty minutes before the ship got to him... Depending.

SOMNOL-716