Terrors of Tatooine: Between Sand and Sky

[Archon Xris]

Tatooine's underworld has broken out in open warfare. Thugs and assassins serving the infamous Lorka the Hutt have been attacking the troops and operations of rival crime lord Ranon Djelkh, a vicious Devaronian who is seeking to replace the Hutt as the premier crime lord in this part of space. Not a night passes by without at least three or four gunfights between the groups and body count is growing.

It all began rather simply enough, the group was hired to pick up a package from an agent on Tatooine and ship it to Bestine. Pick up and deliver they said. Nothing to worry about they said. Well no one was expecting that Tatooine would break out in gang war. Most smart folk would be indoors before the sun set or at least well armed to protect themselves from the gangs running amok about town.

The only 'law' in Mos Eisley was provided by Lieutenant Harburik and his band of merry thugs. Known for his hate for alien species, and his rumored history as a former Imperial officer, many consider him the greater problem than the warring gangs. The law would take bribes from both sides and loot the dead to boot.

Bottoms Up was the cantina run by a fairly stout human called Alik Saleem. The stay on Tatooine had gone longer than the group had hoped. The contact had yet to show up, but the alien band and excellent drinks made the wait a lot more bearable.

The cantina was packed again tonight, just like it had been for the last few nights. Somehow you got the feeling that the contact was missed in the crowd when a harried looking human slides into the booth next to you.

"Sorry, I'm so late," He says glancing about nervously. "Ran into a small spot of trouble on the way here. But those are the breaks in our line of work, eh? Anyway, everything's been taken care of. You're in Docking Bay 14, right?"

The man had the Docking Bay correct, but there was only one small problem. He wasn't the contact the group was waiting for.

 

[Verz Horak]

 

[Verz Horak]

Verz watched the man approach them, and he knew enough to know this wasn't who they were waiting for. He put his hand to his waist and pulled out a Mandolorian Iron knife, and pressed it against the man's throat.

"Who the feirfek are you, and how did you find us?"

(sorry bout the blank one. used my main by acident lol)

 

[Archon Xris]

The smuggler's look of confidence slowly turned into a look of absolute dread. "This can't be happening!" He practically shrieks. All around the cantina, people turn to look in your direction. Oblivious to the blade pressed against his throat, the smuggler goes on, his voice a horrified whisper. "I've already sent the container to your ship! I have to stop it or I'm a dead man."

He slams his drink on the table and pushes the blade away as it were a nuisance, not really caring about the fact, that his skin where the blade was pressed was nicked before bolting toward the front door, with the entire cantina crowd staring at him, then suddenly stops and looks back at you, wild eyed. "Your ship is in Docking Bay 14! Right?" he shouts, "Oh! I'm a dead man!" Before dashing out the front door.

Around you, the cantina has gone silent. Everyone is staring at you. Gradually they turn back to their own business, and the music starts again as though nothing has happened. You have a feeling you had better get back to your ship as soon as possible.

 

[Verz Horak]

Verz gets up, and puts a few credits down as a tip.
That di'kut better not touch my ship.
He leaves calmly, as if it was an everyday occurance to have his favorite knife up against someone's neck. He thanked the bar keeper, and walked into the harsh desert winds just outside the cantina. He walked towards the docking bay, and pulled out his Verpine shatter pistol, hidden under his cloak. He walks to the dock owner, shows his proof of ship ownership to the guard, and walks into the dock with his Verpine drawn.

 

[Archon Xris]

Their reaction is a sure giveaway that something was wrong. As they kept looking over your shoulder to the docking bay hangar. They gave your credentials a cursory glance and quickly retreated into their office. From the guard house to the docking bay was a fifty foot walk, devoid of any cover, then a short flight up a set of stairs and into the docking bay where your ship was parked.

 

[Verz Horak]

He activated his helmet's sensors and preforms a radar ping, looking for the "contact". Next he opens an encrypted comm link to hos old R3 droid.
"R3, make sure no one gets access to the ship. Only open it of I am there and give the order"
He rushes up the stairs with his Verpine drawn and ready, loaded with high kinetic, metallic rounds. He spots the man arguing with his R3 and shouts at him.
"Hey you! Get away from my ship!"

 

[Daxton Bane]

The R3 responds and informs you that there are three humanoids trying to get aboard the ship but it has refused them access. It also reports that they have attached some sort of device on the external portion of the ship.

Verz had just drawn his weapons and was at the foot of the stairs when three thugs burst out of the hangar door, clearly in a hurry. All three humans clearly were not expecting to see anyone here and reached for their weapons, surprise and anger clearly expressed on their faces.

 

[Archon Xris]

(sorry forgot to switch to my storyteller account)

 

[Verz Horak]

(it's ok)

 

[Verz Horak]

As soon as Verz saw the thugs reach for their weapons, he fired at each of them, killing one, and leaving the others gasping in pain on the ground.
"R3, power up the engines and guns. Be ready to get us out of this pit of osik."
He fired again at the thugs, not caring he was in the open. He had total faith in the ability of his father's Mandolorian iron armor to protect him.

 

[Archon Xris]

Catching them off guard he took them out with ease before their weapons could clear their holsters. The closest one had a third eye oozing out of his forehead, while the other two got nicked in the legs. Shooting a second time, reduced their number to just one breathing bleeding enemy when a loud explosion came from inside the hangar bay itself.

 

[Verz Horak]

He left the last one gasping and turned swiftly around, looking for the source of the explosion.

 

[Archon Xris]

Quickly entering the hangar bay, he scanned the surroundings to check for possible ambushers but found none. Then he saw the source of the explosion. The idiots placed a shaped charge against the ship's airlock in the hopes of breaching it. Aside from that Verz could see no additional damage, which meant that although he could still fly his ship, he wouldn't be able to leave the atmosphere without serious catastrophic effects.

 

[Verz Horak]

"Those DI'KUTS!" He roared in anger.
He opened the inner door and checked for damage. He then walked over to the only living thug, and dragged him to his ship, and tied him up. He then waited for the thug to wake up.

 

[Archon Xris]

The inner door wasn't breached, but you couldn't say for how long the seal would last if he tried to leave the atmosphere. Damage like this required that the outer door be sealed to prevent a breach.

Stalking to the remaining thug, he tied him up even as he moaned about his wounds. "Who the frack are you? Do you have any idea whose crew you're messing with? You are so dead man."

 

[Verz Horak]

He pulled out his knife and put it under the thug's chin.
"You are going to answer my questions, or I'll feed you to the nearest Sarlaac piece by piece, got it?"

 

[Archon Xris]

The man's eyes were wild with pain and fear as well as whatever drugs were in his system but the cold reality of the knife on his flesh seemed to entice him to be cooperative.

"What the frack do you want to know?"

 

[Verz Horak]

"Who sent you?"
Verz punctuated his question by pressing his knife hard enough against the man's skin to draw a single drop of crimson blood.

 

[Archon Xris]

"Oh you didn't know?" He spat out sarcastically. "Oggun sent us. Oggun Bantha-Horn the Devaronian. Man when he and the rest of the crew get here there won't be enough left of you to fill a box. You better fly out of here while you still can tin man."