Private Places

[Rinea]

"Y'ain't with the law, are ya?"

It was a good question, and Sana definitely leaned in the right direction, but strictly speaking? "No," she answered.

There was no verbal response to the mercenary's follow-up statement. Rinea leaned back in her seat, closed her eyes, and entered something not unlike a meditative state to pass the time. Of course, if Sana were to engage, she would still offer a response. She wasn't asleep, nor was she unaware.

Although even the rock and rumble of engines roared did not seem to disturb her. So, perhaps it would appear that she was asleep.

 

[Sana Kinree]

That was it?

Sana expected a lot more out of the Chiss. Up until just a few moments ago, she'd seemed bubbly. Then all of a sudden she heel turned; clammed up. Maybe that wasn't the right word. She'd grown much more serious. Then she fell asleep.

That was it.

The human took another drag of her cig, before she swiveled her chair back around to face her cockpit's view port. Pre-flights were done, at least. She figured that at the least, she'd get the ship moving.

It wasn't long before she'd cleared the spaceport, and the ship had started flying towards the duo's destination. The flight would be uneventful, Sana more or less busying herself with chainsmoking and occasionally checking her equipment as they got near their destination.

Sana didn't get nervous often, but she tried to mentally prepare for every possibility. If it was a sting, she'd know where her first blaster bolt was going.

 

[Rinea]

They arrived at Carida, a world near the core known for its military tradition. Weapons research and war industries were at the heart of the planet's economy. With the loss of the Deep Core and the Galactic Alliance on the collapse, it has recently become a hotbed for illegal arms sales.

With Rinea's assistance, the light freighter was cleared to land at a docking facility at a company town located in the mountains.

"All I ask is that you don't start any fights," she said as they stepped off the loading ramp.

There was no one else in the docking bay. Not even a starship maintenance droid.

Rinea kept walking. "We're here to acquire a package," she explained, "and I already sent my associate ahead of us. We'll meet with her first to get a clearer picture of the meeting spot."

Their path led to a maintenance area in the spaceport. Aside from a few suspicious glances from guards and civilians, neither of them faced any trouble. When they arrived, there was already a door left open.

She leaned into the doorway and whispered. "Craza, are you there?"

Sana Kinree | Craza

 

[Sana Kinree]

Touching down in the spaceport, Sana was immediately put off by how quiet it was. She was used to at least some annoying idiots running around and trying to greet her. She understood that some places warranted privacy, but not even a maintenance droid? Not even a gonk? It seemed fishy.

She didn't intend to start any fights, but that didn't mean she wasn't ready for one. Her hand hovered just above her holster on her hip as she walked, eyes scanning their surroundings for various points of cover, "Roger, boss."

Sana calmed a bit when the guards and civilians appeared, her hand resting more comfortably at her side as she met Rinea at the doorway. Holding her position, she waited for a response from the woman's mystery associate.

Craza

 

[Craza]

It's expected for most people to find safety in numbers. Less chance of being jumped in an alleyway if there are plenty of witnesses to see it, but the thing about someone like Craza is that she's always been efficient enough for that concept to not matter. She's not quite rudely interrupted mid-sentence, but Rinea's temple goes cold with the telltale sensation of blaster metal pressing against it. You know, if she's ever seen a gun that up close before.

It stays there, like a warning, maybe even a teaching moment? Just for a few seconds. The inner machinations of this blaster whir back down to idle, no longer fed power by said associate wielding it. "Oh. False alarm. Sorry, boss, never too careful."

Now in full view after she steps away from a blind spot right next to the door to this maintenance bay, Craza's inconspicuous sleeve stretches out to offer her boss a handshake. A simple courtesy, or a part of her business mindset- It juxtaposes the gun she just pressed to her boss's forehead completely, like it hadn't even happened. She wore a long-sleeved jacket with a high collar, some manner of uniform shirt underneath, and perhaps most oddly of all, a worker's hat she thought might help her blend in with the rest of the maintenance personnel here. If there were any left, that is. It's within her understanding that this was meant to be the quietest hour available...

With her gun placed back into its holster, Craza took her cap off so the newcomer behind Rinea could see her whole face. She already knew what role they played in the assignment somewhat, but she still couldn't help throw just the littlest tease at the new face anyway: "Who's the eye candy?"

Rinea | Sana Kinree

 

[Rinea]

Rinea saw the infrared heat of Craza moments before the blaster touched her skull.

She stood, unfazed, and was glad to see her trust wasn't unwarranted. She didn't keep twitchy gun jocks in her company.

"One can be too careful, Craza," she retorted.

The Chiss brushed away the handshake. It was unclear if it was intended to be cold or just a tongue-in-cheek response to the barrel placed on her head a second earlier. Her attention followed the Cathar's to Sana.

"Some acquired help," Rinea answered. "She's our ride in and out..." She gestured between the two. "Sana. Craza." Simple as simple introductions could be.

She gave them a brief moment of pleasantries, but not enough to give them a flow. "I trust you were able to get a good look at things?"

Sana Kinree | Craza

 

[Sana Kinree]

Sana's blaster was in her hand in an instant, pointed at the barrel that was touching her employer's skull. Truthfully, if whoever holding it decided to actually pull the trigger, there wasn't much she could do. She let out an annoyed sigh when things de-escalated, internally pissed at herself for letting the new face get the drop on them. If anything happened to the blue one, she'd be out of pay; the rest of it, at least.

When the two spoke, she finally lowered the barrel of her blaster, flashing her teeth in a dangerous grin towards the cathar, "Nice t'meet ya. Do us both a favor and keep that thing pointed away from our boss."

She gestures for the Cathar to continue, eager to get this deal done and over with. She didn't like being outnumbered by people she didn't know or trust.

 

[Craza]

"Noted." She kept her acknowledgement of Sana's words simple, deciding to get right to the point. After she took a quick glance out the door they both came, the Cathar pulled it in, not to fully close but to make sure folks from outside wouldn't get too curious.

Craza made her way to a storage crate she'd propped up in the center here and pulled out a holoprojector, turning it on to reveal an orthographic view of their target - or at least, the oubliette-class ship carrying the target - tucked underneath the cover of another building in this side of town. "Our meeting point's a 10 minute walk from here, at a temporarily closed ship-assembly factory. Our quarry's already there, but they're as jumpy as I am." It's true- Craza was tapping her foot pretty briskly. Not loudly, but still.

She shrank the hologram with a gesture of her hand, revealing the full schematic of this port, as well as where the prison ship was docked at: this assembly factory some blocks away. She then expanded the hologram by opening her palm inside it, zooming in on the still images of the guards posted up around the ship: "Four escorts, all armed. Long guns. Someone who I assume is their superior is waiting around by the ship's ramp." She then pointed at various vantage points within the building's second floor: "Two elevated metal walkways connecting to exits. Possible ambush points." She didn't think that last point was gonna come up, but you never know... "...Just in case."

Rinea Sana Kinree

 

[Rinea]

Rinea couldn't help but smirk a little when Sana Kinree stepped up to assume the job she was hired for.

Though, as always, Craza remained uncanny and unflinched, as her job required. Rinea eyed the holoprojection and listened as the cathar explained the situation.

"The escorts are only a problem if things go sideways," she remarked.

As to the possibility of an ambush, she considered the transaction and her memory of the steps up until this point.

"Craza, you will sit back and watch the walkways. If anything happens, shout and cover our exit."

Her attention turned to the human. "Sana, you're with me. While our package is valuable, I don't expect a betrayal. The way things are going in Alliance space, I think they'd be eager to profit and not look back."

With that said, Rinea waved the two along as she made for a quick march down the hall. When they arrived at the small shipyard. It was a large, open bay with two small freighters under construction. The oubliette-class took up the rest of the space, with its engines warm. Either they just landed or they were prepped for takeoff. Maybe both.

The Chiss gestured to Craza--the sign for her to stay back and keep an eye out. She nodded curtly to Sana and sauntered towards the meeting spot.

Indeed, there was a total of six people.

Four guards with long rifles. A uniformed prison officer at the center, and behind him, a figure in prisoner's attire with a bag over their head.

Craza | Sana Kinree

 

[Sana Kinree]

As Craza gave her report, Sana's eyes scanned the map of the hangar, pinpointing places to take cover should the need arise. She had to admit that she expected some sort of strings to be attached, but it still surprised her that their target was a person. Something to ask about later, she supposed. For now, nothing had changed.

She walked with the others, scanning for trouble as the two spoke and she received her orders. Stand there, look tough, and be ready to fight if and only if her boss is wrong about her betrayal expectations. Part of her hoped she was.

"Easy enough. I'll keep'n eye out."

That being said, she made sure that her blaster's safety was off and that the strap keeping it in place on her holster was unfastened when they approached. She'd be ready, if needed.

As Rinea approached the deal, Sana watched the various guards intently as she accompanied her. She was sure that she wasn't the only one there that was twitchy. There were beads of sweat on the other guards, she noticed. They seemed nervous.

Pursing her lips, she lay in wait. The calm before the storm.

Craza Rinea

 

[Craza]

"Understood. I'll keep my com-link open." Craza tapped on her earpiece, then turned the holoprojector off in the midst of them all walking to their destination. One hand to a pocket, then to the blaster holstered at her hip, to check its safety, and make sure she can get a good grip on it should things escalate.

As though it'd been practiced a thousand times before, the walk to the nearby shipyard, as well as the subsequent split in this group of three was completely wordless between director and chief. Even before Rinea gave her the signal, she felt it coming- A boon of her good reflexes, perhaps.

Nevertheless, Craza took the path less taken, doubling around the back of the shipyard instead, to 'unlock', which is to say pick open, the access hatch for the stairs leading up to the roof, and by extension the second-story entrance leading to those metal walkways. She wasn't gonna head inside, just... Meander around this area, keep watch. High vantage points that might give someone a good view of the inside through the windows, like elevated exhaust vents, or air filtration units that're large by nature; It's only after she's covered all potential angles to the inside that she's satisfied.

Craza tried the one door to the walkway- Locked... Could mean no one's been up here, or they covered their tracks well. So she picks this door open too, but only leaves it slightly ajar to peek inside. She can watch the drama below unfold from up here, a hand to the big iron on her hip, just in case...

Rinea Sana Kinree

 

[Rinea]

Rinea made her presence known and sauntered up to the party. It was the uniformed man at the center who greeted her. His guards, while serious, had not brandished their weapons.

"I thought you said you'd come alone." He opened.

"You said the same, and neither of us behaved. Isn't that how this goes?" She countered.

It was the sort of back-and-forth to be expected on a job like this. Posturing. Seeing who is really who, and what each side might get away with in the negotiations. Rinea peeked over the man's shoulder at the prisoner - at her package.

"Is that him?"

The man nodded. "Yeah, that's him... You know you weren't the only offer on the table. I'm doubling the price."

The Chiss rolled her eyes and used this faux frustration as an opportunity to glance Sana's way. When she did, her expression steeled a little, a silent signal that things might get ugly. When she turned back, her distraught and annoyed expression remained.

"Come on... We had an agreement... I can afford to add," she pretended to think about it. "Say... twenty percent on top?"

The uniformed man stepped forward. "Thirty."

Rinea was about to close the deal and let things be good and over with when another voice spoke up from atop one of the ships being constructed.

"How about I take him free of charge, and you all get to live."

A mercenary by the look of things. Sporting Black Sun iconography on his heavy armor, and holding a very big gun. It didn't take long for things to break out into a firefight. Rinea ducked behind a crate and seethed.

She started to bark orders. "Don't let the prisoner leave! We need him!"

Craza | Sana Kinree

 

[Sana Kinree]

Finally.

As much as this complicated things, Sana had to admit that she really didn't care for the intricacies of deals. The posturing, the money that changed hands, and any amount of negotiating between those two points were delays that meant that her pay took longer to get.

On the other hand, flying blaster bolts, taking cover, and brawling were things that Sana actively enjoyed. She didn't make a habit of seeking these things out, but there was an undeniable adrenaline rush that she always found herself enjoying when the dust settled. With her orders having been given, the merc gave a small grin as she brandished her blaster and returned fire in the direction of the black sun mercenary. They weren't accurate shots, but they packed enough of a punch that the resulting sparks and fire from their impact would suppress the man into cover.

After firing six shots, she ejected the still hot plasma casing from her break-action and let it fall limply to the ground as she deposited a new one. Her legs moved just as much as her hands did, taking her in the direction of the prisoner they were trying to acquire. With the ship in the center of the room still sporting hot engines, she knew that it was likely that the deal might've been off entirely and that their trade partners might try to take the merchandise and run. As such, as she approached the man Rinea had been speaking with mere moments ago, she shoulder checked him, sending him tumbling into the dirt as she quickly wrapped a muscular arm around the prisoner. She knew that if there was to be retaliation, using the prisoner as a faux body shield would bring hesitation in the enemy ranks. She half-dragged half-carried the prisoner into cover behind a couple sheets of scrap metal, a snarl on her lips.

Hopefully that Cathar's position up top would help push things into their favor.

"Got the cargo, boss!"

Rinea | Craza

 

[Craza]

If it looks like an ambush, smells like an ambush, and sounds like an ambush...

"Oh, for crying out loud!"

It never fails. One moment the deal's going through with maybe just one or two hitches, and the next, endless rain of gunfire. Another to add to the tally, she supposes... Regardless, her mission mates needed suppressing fire and she was going to give it; From her vantage point on the second floor, even. The walkway was now occupied by Craza, tucked against the railing even if that doesn't help cover her much, but hopefully the one Black Sun merc noticed her;

She intentionally made herself a target by pulling out her blaster and emptying the first canister's worth of shots toward the roof of this mid-construction ship, propping herself on the railing to stabilize her aim. Not that she was looking to hit him, at least not yet... But a third not-yet-seen member of Rinea's troop, using her vantage point to try and nail him? Try keeping your helmeted head out in the open like that.

"I'll cover you, merc- Get clear!" She howled at Sana, her head gestured at the merc and the skittish prisoner she's got with him, to get the hell out of dodge if they could. Curiously, she chose not to her blaster reload right away... Instead she unclasped a cylindrical object from the tool belt hidden underneath her jacket; A flash grenade.

Priming it with the button at its top and tossing it into the open exchange area they were all just standing in moments ago might give them a chance to make some moves, but it also leaves Craza open. She already laid suppressing fire, so hopefully the Black Sun merc got the message and doesn't poke his head back out to point that very big gun somewhere scary.

Rinea | Sana Kinree

 

[Rinea]

Rinea managed to provide some suppressive fire with her blaster. Thankfully, the corrupt prison guards were more interested in shooting at the Black Sun than at them...

Or at least that was before Sana Kinree skilfully swept in and stole the 'package' right out from under them. It'd spare Rinea the need to pay anyone else, save the merc.

The Black Sun interloper tossed a fragmentation grenade where the corrupt officer and his lackeys had scrambled. Two of 'em didn't survive, another was badly injured, and the other two scattered. This meant the wildfire thug could turn his attention onto the three and the prisoner. Or at least he would've, if Craza didn't manage to chuck her flashbang into the fray.

The Chiss wasn't prepared for the bright flash or loud noise. The latter she could handle, but the former were particularly bad on her species' very sensitive eyes.

"Agh!" She covered them with one arm. Too little too late.

Rinea scrambled behind a crate and hunkered down. The Black Sun mercenary recovered quickly and proceeded to rush Sana and the prisoner.

"You're not getting away!"

He threatened with his brandished repeater and fired a reckless spread of plasma. His arc was wide and wild, aimed at everyone and everything. Stray rounds made their way towards Craza, too, and killed the wounded prison guard who had only been crawling for safety.

 

[Sana Kinree]

As the various gears started turning in this machine of chaos, Sana's mind remained focused on the task at hand: protecting her charge. Gripping the bagged head of the prisoner, she kept them low as she ran further back into cover, letting shrapnel and super heated plasma fly overhead. With the warning for the flashbang, she closed her eyes and averted her gaze as she tried her best to protect her ears. Unfortunately without a dedicated headset, the merc's hearing was ringing nonetheless after the flashbang went off. Fighting the disorientation and the bile rising in her throat, she rose up to see the Black Sun merc rushing her position.

Leveling her blaster, she ripped a shot directly into the opposing merc's knee, the sheer force of the impact sending him spinning to the ground with a hail of expletives. As the plasma of her shot burned through his armor and into his skin, she put the man out of his misery with a couple quick shots to his chest. Ejecting her limited magazine, she fitted a new one in her blaster before she looked for various threats. Her ears still rang as she spoke, resulting in the merc speaking far louder than she intended to.

"There anyone else we gotta worry 'bout?"

Rinea | Craza

 

[Craza]

Having thrown the flashbang herself, Craza could place as much effort into minimizing the impact that would have on her own body, but then again, her distance to it was greatest. Thrown from the second floor, landing on the first, next to her allies? They might be in a bit more trouble. She doesn't have the equipment to mitigate the loud, echoing bang of it going off, but she did cover her eyes at least.

As though a singular inch-thick layer of wind suddenly battering her eardrums, Craza grits her teeth through the ringing pain it causes for long enough to give some of these plasma arcs the merc shot her way, even if by sheer coincidence, a chance to transform the railing she's crouched on into swiss cheese, and her too, had she not scrambled up to her feet to dodge out of the way. Uneven footing caused by the walkway losing more and more of its structural integrity caused her to stagger, and one loose bolt nicks her on the back of the shoulder, much to her hissing distaste. "Tsk-" She was tempted to reach back and cover the wound with something, but it ached just to move her arm altogether, so she decided to keep going, throwing a quick glance backwards to see that Sana was already taking this Black Sun merc out.

A couple minutes later and Craza arrives at the first floor, blaster pistol in hand, in the midst of a reload, checking her other two companions and the prisoner for injuries beyond a temporary blinding in Rinea's case. Usually, it's only five to fifteen seconds on most with regularly sensitive eyes... "Unless the officer's still alive and coming back for this guy, we're alone and should get the hell outta here." She said, tucking her eyes into all the hidden corners of this shipyard- Behind crates, below work-in-progress fighters, anywhere that an undesirable might be hiding, just in case.


Rinea | Sana Kinree