Take me out to the Black

[Vaudin Miir]

Vaudin Miir had been a senator for a long time, head of internal affairs to be precise, but there comes a time when a man has to be honest with themselves and he was never meant to be stuck on the ground. Vaudin Miir was born among the stars and they never stopped calling for him to home, needy bastards ain't they? Vaudin longed for his youth, the old days of adventure and treasure hunting with a barely decent crew. He had gotten a ship for a few thousand credits, the old days had paid damn good after all, and his crew was loading up at the shadow port space station not far off the Hydian way. The Ship, an old Ordo-Class frigate, was not the prettiest design but for this run he needed a beast of a ship and though it was slow, it was one of the toughest hunks of junk in the galaxy.

Vaudin stood at the docking port as the crates of equipment passed his senses keen for trouble as he supervised the loading and boarding of the crew. They were getting paid well so he trusted them as far as credits allowed but when you were going after a little known weapon called a MCPS, you had to keep on your guard for unwanted attention. He was careful to not let on the main prize but he didn't conceal that the target was an old imperial weapons facility and dead orbital fleet near the Maw cluster. He checked off names as they reported in on one window while he checked off supplies on the other. This was going to be a big haul, and he didn't want to go in without backups of everything they might need and the republic vault of confiscated goods didn't need everything, right? Course not.


[member="Thost Keshann"]

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Vaudin Miir"]

Thost Keshann did not have any special set of abilities. He wasn't especially strong - in the Force or otherwise, but contrary to most others he was very interested in learning. Studying and finding out all that he could about a myriad of different subjects. It's why the Sith Acolyte was exploring ancient tombs, frequenting the largest libraries in the Galaxy... and signing up for an expedition to the Maw Cluster. One of the most interesting places in the Galaxy, to be sure, so it wasn't a surprise that Thost had signed up.

Deciding to arrive on the Shadowport a week before the actual mission would start had been a boon to him... mostly because it had been quite tough to find the damn thing in the first place. So instead of a week early Thost arrived three days early, meaning that if he had tried to be more 'on schedule' he would have definitely missed the entire thing.

It also meant that being there three days early gave him the opportunity to explore. Which he did. Extensively. Keshann found out a lot about the underworld in those three days. Enough that it gave him the idea that there could be profit to be had, maybe. If he had been interested in a thing like that, of course.

Finally then the day of the expedition arrived. He stepped into the private hangar bay, the Ordo-class Frigate dominating the medium-sized bay and already filled with people bustling here and there, getting ready for the expedition. One in particular stood out though - or rather, it was his less impressive statue amongst the hardy and gruff that stood out.

The fact that he was walking around with a digital ledger and writing things down, combined with his species told the Acolyte that this was probably the captain.

"Vaudin Mirr?" the Falleen addressed the Iktotchi as he walked up. "Thost Keshann, I signed up for the expedition to research an abandoned imperial outpost near the Maw?"

Earnest, honest. Naive perhaps. But was that the real Keshann? Or just a foil of the more illusive thing.

 

[RC 212]

[member="Vaudin Miir"] [member="Thost Keshann"]

Expeditions. It was something Eliza or Ellie was interested in more than anything else. She spent most of her days since leaving the Chazwa shipping Company begging for jobs and picking up odd's and end here or there. Most of the time it consisted of moving items from point A to point B.

Freelancing was good for credits to keep her old and rust YT-2400 afloat, but what happened when she got a surplus?

She spent it in gear and extra fuel, and did things like this. Plumb dark places for fun.

She had only just arrived today. A short scrawny and relatively unassuming girl, dressed in a hoodie and some dirty trousers came through the door to the meeting point. Her twin Westar-34's jingled on her hip and he smile was bright and beaming.

She locked brown eyes with the alien folk and nodded.

"I was here for the expedition. You are the folks running that correct?"

Then she blushed, face turning a bright cherry red.

"Oh I'm sorry uh.... my names Eliza. You guys can call me Ellie."

Manners were important, and she hated forgetting them.

 

[Acaleus Thorn]

The AT-120 landed near the inmense frigate. Venus strecht her shoulders while Acaleus prepared his weapons. Two wrist lightsaber and a Skorpion Evo "Need to know if they are looking to hire people. If they say yes, drive the ship into their hangar" "Aaalright" The assassin walked outside and into the cargo bay. Crates were being carried into the cruiser as Acaleus approach to the owner of the expedition.

He stopped between a fallen and a girl "Name is Acaleus, are you hiring any mercenary for this trip? Ive got a ship and a crew on my own" said expecting to get the job. These were hard times. War and hunger were spreading through the galaxy as the battles between jedis and siths were never ending.

[member='Vaudin Miir'],[member='Thost Keshann'], [member='Eliza Raxis']

 

[Vaudin Miir]

[member="Thost Keshann"] [member="Eliza Raxis"] [member="Acaleus Thorn"]

Vaudin looked at the new comers and checked his list of crew members. He was glad at least a few showed up on time otherwise he would have to get under way short handed. He always liked falleen, the women mostly of course but they were a solid bunch, always paid their debts. His list was checking out for the youngster as well. he didn't know how she had gotten through without putting down her age but since he had grown up on a ship and learned nearly everything he had needed in life by doing it he saw no reason to turn her away now. She also had decent manners, and that was something he was known to lack.

"Keshann, Science officer, room 32, deck 1. Welcome aboard." Vaudin said plainly.

"Raxis, Eliza," He looked at the girl's young face and back to his datapad, "Room six deck two, You'll be working in maintenance for now. Welcome aboard."

Vaudin looked back up to see the new comer walk up and ask if he needed mercenaries. He didn't but then you never knew what could happen. His eyes went out of focus for a moment as he centered himself and began plugging factors into the scenario. The force didn't tell him much on command but he got a response this time. He kept it to himself.

"Alright, bub." Vaudin said focusing on Acaleus, "Security officer, room 12 deck 2. grab your gear we leave in about four hours."

Vaudin spoke up to the whole group making sure to meet their eyes one by one. He was Captain here and that was that he needed them to be clear on rules.

"I'm Vaudin Miir, Captain to you for the duration of this expedition. You follow my orders if you have a better idea you tell it to me straight no bantha ch..." he looked at the girl, " No bantha poodoo. You want to be a hero and hot shot? Kick rocks. You want to do your job and collect your pay? grab your kit and get settled in. Clear?"

 

[RC 212]

[member="Vaudin Miir"]

Ellie stared at him, taken aback by his harsh tone. She nodded, remembering the Spacers code. The Captain of the ship was the boss and guests should treat it as such. With a nod she walked past him, keeping the smirk off her face. Mechanics was her baby, something that she loved. It beat the hell out of running and gunning.

It was a quick jaunt to her room. the cabin was bit crowded, and the bed old. She flipped the mattress, pulling her old lightweight blanket out and throwing it down. In the corner was a sink and a caf maker.

Caf that'd be great right about now.

Ellie threw her backpack on top of the bed, items inside clinking and jostling and turned to the caf machine. She poured the grounds, the water from the sink and then hit the start button. As soon as that was done she would go see what she was working with, but for now, she was hungry.

Ellie pulled a single ration bar from her pocket and bit the end of the package, tearing it open like an animal.

"Hmmm!"

She began to scarf down the bar. It tasted like crap, but it was full of protein, fiber and vitamins.

 

[Acaleus Thorn]

Venus landed the ship inside the cargo bay and get up of the pilot sit, then walked towards the bedroom inside the frigate. When she opened the door, she saw Acaleus laying in one of the two beds watching a movie, while there was some bags, both empty and full "I store the clothes. Please dont think that im a pervert....Pink? Really?" "You are lucky that im tired enough to punch you on the testicles" said throwing herself on the remaining bed.

"I got to talk with the captain. Need to know how much is going to take to arrive. Weaponry and the crew, those kind of things" "Do what you want" said Venus with her face on the pillow. The assassin stood up and got out the room without his weapons, although he didnt need them. He got lost for a moment but he managed to arrive to the control room "Alright, i dont like to work without information. So tell me everything i need to know for doing my work, captain?...Sir?...Damnit im not going to get use to it" said smiling

[member="Eliza Raxis"] [member="Vaudin Miir"]

 

[Thaddeus Wyse]

[member="Vaudin Miir"]

A multitude of realities intersected themselves for one defining moment.

In this parallel crux, this shard of possibility and opportunity, a whole lot of things happened at the same time and paradoxically didn’t happen at all at the same damn time. It was confusing and only a single person was aware of it all transpiring, she had already entered the freighter in the shoes of one Thost Keshann and was already trundling calmly along to Room 32. It was almost as if Keshann’s entire existence had been written out of this particular situation, and in his stead two new people were written in.

Cerita Sarova was green and sciency enough to pass for Keshann in this reality, so her name replaced his.

"Yes, Commander Captain Sir!" a shout sounded at the back of the crowd assembled to listen to Vaudin’s speech. Most of them had been silent at the end of it though, so when a greenhorn shouted over their heads… they turned as one to check him out.

Gabey was the polar-opposite of Sarova though.

His shades rested lazily on his nose and a silly grin rested on his expression, a whole lot of resting, really. His eyes went from the distant figure of the Captain to the questioning looks of the crewmembers.

“Hey, how y’all doing!” Some of them rose their eyebrows, others shrugged to their friends and more than half of them grunted, spat on the clean floor and started head towards the ship.

Gabriel shrugged too, with no companion in sight it was more to himself though.

“Nice people.” Once again speaking mostly to himself.

 

[Attrion Harnol]

Attrion smirked under his helm as he emerged from the crate in the storage bay, it was getting pretty cramped in there. They haven’t found me yet, he thought to himself as he peered past a shelf to see if anybody was coming this way. His nimble frame had allowed him to hide in one of the mining crates being loaded onto the ship without anyone suspecting him inside. He stretched his limbs and gave a low chuckle, I’ll be in and gone before anyone notices me, that haul is as good as mine, he thought as he climbed back into the crate, Time to make some money…

 

[Edwin Setyl]

Edwin himself volunteered for the trip the moment he heard of treasure hunting. He imagined all the hidden knowledge of the lightside developed by Sith of old out there in the galaxy, still hidden from plain sight. Or simply hidden for the matter. His fanaticism with wielding great power through the lightside, to show fellow Sith that power can be from that polar of the other one was getting to him. He frowned as he came to realize his career as a pilot was becoming almost secondary. Edwin needed a ship, perhaps not now, but one day, in due time. For now though, his focus should be on all the potential knowledge he could obtain. He couldn't help to lick at his pale lips underneath his helmet. He nodded to [member="Vaudin Miir"], fully acknowledging their places in this. He looked at the ship, a massive hull for sure. Shame they were never refitted to be patrol crafts. Edwin's eyes also rested at the... other guy. He frowned at his... charisma. Edwin knew for sure there would be trouble on this ride. He was never one for small talk.

He turned to the Captain. "So," He stated. "Where shall I be on this beauty?" Edwin had always loved ships, regardless of age and size. He knew they were all built for a purpose, whether people recognized that purpose to this day didn't really matter to Edwin. He, for sure, wasn't going to forget their purposes.

 

[Attrion Harnol]

The ship had to have been nearing its destination soon, all Attrion had to do was wait. But then again, he'd never been one to wait around...
He's grown bored, holed up in a tiny, cramped box and so decided to go exploring. Of course, the fact that he was trespassing on a ship full of armed and dangerous crew member presented a serious problem, he laughed at the challenge all the same. He'd hidden his amour and weapons in separate crates which he now equipped and took off down the nearby corridor, peeking around every door to make sure nobody was coming his way. He witnessed the captain of the expedition address the rest of the volunteers and walk off when the conversation had finished. Attrion decided to follow the Captain...