The Justice strikes back--AKA: Going William Wallace (pm for invite)

[Ashalah Ky]

Ashalah advanced into the warehouse, quickly joining up with [member="Niyla Alura"]. She approached from behind one of the men, about to smash him in the skull with the butt of one of her pistols. He went down under Niyla's fist, upheaving his breakfast. "Yuck is right." Ash agreed as she blasted him. He wouldn't be having any more breakfast. Now he was just a pathetic corpse in the middle of his bile.

Hearing the cries, Ashalah's attention also went to the door. "There," she moved forward. She didn't need backup, she could handle this ragtag band of hardly trained fighters alone. And she had Niyla with her, who seemed more than capable of handling things on her own as well. However, there was something else stopping her from bursting into the room, guns blazing. "How do you want to do this?" She turned to the Zeltron. "If we charge in there, firing blind, we might hit a hostage. This place has awful lighting." It was impossible to tell who was who in the darkness.

 

[scarletsurf]

Niyla looked to Ash as she spoke to her, then back to the door. "Well I always rush into things without thinking, so really i don't think I am the best person to be asking this."

"That said..." She spoke sounding ...semi-confident.

The zeltron then pulled a small device off of her belt and turned it on, which even in this daylight brightly lit up the hall in a 360 degree fashion. The device was used as smuggling tech for placement in shipping crates to flashbomb sneaking eyes as an alarm mechanic.

"I could roll this under the old door and then when it flashes up we could go in and take them out?" Niyla grinned a bit and ran a hand through her tainted hair, which was kinda gross and sweaty at the moment.

It was the sun in this shack compared to outside. It was probably coming from whatever those guys were smoking while they banged the women. All the more reason to get in there and shut it off.

[member="Ashalah Ky"]

 

[James Justice]

It was a slaughter to watch these foolish abductors and villains die. To James, this was nothing less than vindication for the atrocities that these horrific people had committed. He blasted away, sending a few men in their early twenties to their deaths. As their carasses fell he let out a savage roar of delight. A blaster bolt smashed into the spacer's chest, sending him back a step. The heat had been absorbed by the blast vest under James' jacket, however the force knocked the wind out of James. It didn't make any difference when he shredded the shooter's body with a trio of shots. What remained, fell to the ground in a burning mass. Blood oozed out onto the ground.

James saw Niyla and Ashalah move into where he felt the captives would be. He was confident they could handle it. For now he was content making an example of the captors and drawing their attention. One peered over from behind a wall, rasing his weapon to shoot at James. The spacer swatted the thug's pistol aside, countering with a punch. The man reeled back. Before he could recover James grabbed a tuft of his hair and began kneeing the fools head in. Blood splattered with each blow as the sound of crunching cartilage filed the air. With the blood a tooth or two broke off and fell in the dirt.

"Mercy, mercy," begged James' victim, extending his hand and stopping the oncoming knee.

In reply, the space whipped the coward's head around, snapping its neck in three places. As the fresh corpse went limp and collapsed on the ground, the ravaging spacer's eyes roved across the compound, looking for his next victim.

[member="Niyla Alura"]
[member="Ashalah Ky"]
[member="stardust"]
[member="Ryn'Dhal"]
[member="Dia Torr"]
[member="Dion Kayl"]

 

[Davin Jusik]

[member="Ashalah Ky"][member="Dia Torr"]@stardust@Dion Kayl[member="Ryn'Dhal"]

Objective B- Rhyming and Stealing

Gunship Echo
(Playing over loudspeakers- https://youtu.be/_CTYymbbEL4)

The stars looked similar wherever one traveled in the galaxy, sure one could argue the difference in constellation position, but essentially, Space was Space. It was across the vast unforgiving gulf that so many sentient beings traveled through and bet on. Some going as far as to make the most hostile environment their home or profession. A realm of extremes, where innumerable corpses had drifted into a star or burned up in an atmosphere.

Djark and his small squad would likely be adding to that number today. His EVA suit fit snuggly as he adjusted his weapon and stood to address the small group before him.

Coms on.

"Remember folks, watch the bulkheads, pick your shots, and try not to burn out any civilians, we aren't exactly sure if they have anyone on board. If they're smart they'll put them in suits and bargain, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Oh, and don't fucking steal too much you degenerates, at least half of that crap has to make it planetside."

Sporadic chuckling was heard in that uniquely electrical fashion that followed radio chatter. There were three Misfits (Including Jack) and a few miscellaneous mercs that [member="James Justice"] swore were up for this special brand of bloodletting. They were nervous. As they should be, combat was a random beast in itself, throw in the perils of space.... a tear in one's suit could mean a painful death.

"Two minutes." The pilot said with a neutral tone over the coms, temporarily interrupting the music. They were flying in fast, back to the sun. It helped with their approach, threw off sensors. The small thieving frigate wouldn't know what hit them.

Djark controlled his breathing as he flicked the safety off his blaster rifle.

"Up." The Sgt. said with a hint of authority as the squad obeyed, line hooks jingling as they did.

"One minute."

A few of the group could be seen shrugging and shifting through their suits.

"Thirty seconds."

The tension was nearly visible. The boarding was actually one of the more dangerous parts of this sort of raid. If the pilot didn't handle it perfectly the enemy might have a chance to get away, or worse.

The lines jingled as the vessel connected with the other. Metal clanking against metal, a system shock that would temporarily disable the engines.

Seizing control of their airlock.

The lines detached as the squad went screaming through the newly opened door and into the awaiting thieves, blasters firing as they went.

 

[Writer]

Objective A: Relief to the Poor

There were a lot of things to do – considering the state of the Galaxy, one of those things was to give back to those who had given so much to her while she had been apart of a Republic that was what it was meant to be. The citizens of Alderaan were at a point where they could respect what some within the Republic were suffering through and the people of Alderaan were good natured, which is why she didn’t come alone. Refugees from the war-torn planet came along the transport which carried food and medical supplies from Alderaan Biotics and other companies which were just getting back on their feet. Alyesa had gone around to each company she could on her home world and asked they donate what they could spare without harming their income – and she got more than she expected.
And now she was here – doing what she had been doing for a while now, giving back to those in need.

As soon as the ramp to the transport opened, the Royal Guards would take up position as a precautionary measure more than anything else. Not against the people but more against the individuals who might try to ensure that the work that Justice Shipping was doing – was for naught. Alyesa was seated quietly at the back of the transport, taking inventory on a datapad as supplies began to get loaded off by massive loadlifters and volunteers from Alderaan. She had to make sure she was able to account for the donations – and give back something to those who helped.

It was just the right thing to do.

When that was done, then she’d help pass out supplies, bandage people who needed medical aide and even go as far as feeding those who were too weak to feed themselves. Alyesa sighed heavily at the thought – the thought alone was crushing to her heart but it was war. War wasn’t pretty, and in this type of war, there was no winner. It wasn’t the same as when the One Sith would run their war machine through a planet, no, this was worse.

Far worse.

 

[Ryn'Dhal]

Ryn felt mortal terror screaming through the Force from the opposite end of the building. It almost made his stomach lurch. But, what he felt several floors above, succeeded where the previous sensation failed.

Two emotions. One was terror, but not of death. Of pain. Of a specific type of pain. Something irreversible but enduring seemed to be about to occur. The second sensation seemed to waft from the potential perpetrator. Greed, selfish desire, and a perverse sense of self-righteousness radiated from the villain.

Ryn wasted no more time. A blur, darkness within darkness, he tore through the warehouse. He caught a sidelong glance at [member="James Justice"], and two other women ([member="Niyla Alura"], [member="Ashalah Ky"]) as the masked padawan blitzed past them and up some stairs without a single word. He had to make it. He had to.

After what felt like an eternity running, with those sensations assaulting his mind, Ryn arrived at the door to the room that the sources were within. He didn't stop. The door soon found itself firmly embedded in the wall opposite the doorway, and Ryn looked in horror at the scene unfolding. A woman was bound, in a very compromising position, clothing in disarray, with a man above her, greedy lust painted across his face. Ryn was so thoroughly traumatized by the sight, that he didn't even register the blaster being leveled at him. He reacted too slowly. Much too slowly. A hand extended, the Force leaping forward to send the cretin into the far wall, but not before the first bolt leapt from the barrel.

A cry of pain from the padawan would be audible down stairs, as a nice, neat, partially cauterized hole came into being upon Ryn's abdomen. Rather than allowing the monster another shot, Ryn closed the distance swiftly, and with a firm boot, he planted the bottom of his foot multiple times into the mans face, only stopping about four or five stomps after consciousness left him. Turning to the woman and her torn clothes, Ryn would untie her and give her his cloak to cover herself.

"Follow... Me... I'm with the.... Rescue..." He panted through the pain. He suspected the shot likely damaged something semi-important inside.... But, he'll be able to heal that once they were clear of the building.... He hoped.


[member="stardust"] | [member="Dia Torr"] | [member="Alyesa Organa"] | [member="Djark Slove"] |

 

[Dia Torr]

As the rest of the party rushes in for the hostages, Dia darts around the perimeter from cover to cover, surveying any possible exits and taking care of any stragglers who were outside the complex and got any bright ideas of acting like heroes. After knocking down a pair of such stragglers, she ducks down behind the crate she was using as cover and looks towards [member="James Justice"], with a smile on her face and heavy breath.

"Your company do this everyday, Justice?"

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

Stardust darted around killing all the bandits without a second thought ....no mercy....no words

However she heard a scream and immediately darted to it as she looked around and ran into a room seeing [member="Ryn'Dhal"] standing their with a smoking abdomen "ryn!" She yelled and ran up to him checking his wound"poodoo.....lets get you out "she said and got on her comms to [member="Rose Blade"] " rose we need medical evac asap at my location we got a wounded and several others that need med evac be advised their may still be bandits in the area"she said and looked at ryn"we gotta get you our"she said and looks to the women"follow me now we gotta leave"she said and put a arm around ryn as she raised her pistol"your a idiot....you froze "even if she didn't see it she could tell....call it combat experience"
[member="James Justice"] [member="Salvor Arnex"] [member="Dia Torr"] @ashahal ky

 

[Writer]

Alyesa continued her inventory as the loadlifers pushed the massive crates of goods off the transport - a task she had to admit, was one for a droid. She'd chuckle softly and rise from her seat, placing the datapad where she was once seated before she moved passed the droids and out into the open. As she made her way down the transport ramp, her guards moved to follow but Alyesa raised a hand and caused them to stand firm in their position. She scanned the horizon of the particular location she had landed - a refugee camp of sorts, outside the city and similar to the ones she had set up for those who had come back to Alderaan. The scene for her was quite familiar and in turn, it didn't really unsettle her in the slightest. The most unsettling part was the people clamoring around the volunteers who were handing out food and supplies - or the people who began lining up to recieve medical treatment. Those were sights of war that she never truly liked, granted, she was an individual who produced weapons of mass destruction but at the same time - she did what she could to atone for her sins.

She'd raise a hand and cause the Sergeant of the Guard to run down the ramp from his post and stand next to her, leaning in to listen. "Sergeant - I want you to recon the area and ensure that there aren't any stragglers, wounded or otherwise helpless people out there." She gestured towards the buildings outside the camp. "It's about a half a kilometer away, take a small group of men with you - if fired upon, defend yourself accordingly." He stood to his full height and saluted her briskly before running back up the ramp to relay the orders to some of the other men. Shortly after, they ran down the ramp and towards the buildings a short distance away - no one would be left without assistance.

[member="Ryn'Dhal"] | [member="stardust"] | [member="Dia Torr"] | [member="James Justice"]

 

[James Justice]

James caught a man fleeing by the throat as Ryn ran into the factory building. A barrage of blaster fire came at James from behind a few crates. The spacer pivoted his captive, who took a shot right over his liver, spraying the ground with bile and half-charred blood. As the wounded man screamed in agony James whipped his DeathHammer and fired at the assailant, one shot ripping a gaping hole in his shoulder, a second in his throat and a third all but decapitating him. The disfigured and dying man collapsed on the ground, grabbing what was left of himself and struggling for life.

"God damn, empty," James spat, seeing his contact HUD's readout.

His captive put up what was left of his strength in a wild struggle. James smashed his pistol butt into the man's skull, cracking it. The second shattered it and made another corpse. Tossing it aside like a diseased blanket, James flicked the blood off his free hand. He tossed the empty gas cartridge aside, letting it clatter across the dirt. He turned to Dia and gave her a gentlemen's smile, as if he had not just savagely killed a man with his bare hands.

"Every day, miss," he popped a second carriage into the blaster before a blaster shot tore into his side. "Fething hell!"

The spacer turned angrily as he clutched his side, the weak point in a blast vest. A gunman with a rifle stood in one of the windows. James raised his pistol and laid down a line of rapid fire that cut it to shreds. As the body clattered to the ground, James activated his wrist comm, "[member="stardust"], Chicka, Ash, did ye stop for caf on the way or what?"

[member="Alyesa Organa"] [member="Dia Torr"] [member="Ryn'Dhal"] [member="Djark Slove"] [member="Niyla Alura"] [member="Ashalah Ky"]

 

[Ryn'Dhal]

As he and [member="stardust"] descended the stairs, the masked padawan growled through his masks com. "She came for me... Scum had a woman upstairs... Nefarious activities were to ensue... Then I happened..." The padawan would shrug himself off from star's shoulder. "And I'm sorry Master.... I must politely decline... As long as there are captives, I've no intention of leaving here short of unconsciousness."

He'd continue down the stairs. He sensed presences below the main floor. "James. I think there's a basement. Works not over." His voice was significantly less melodic than normal. He was angry. He was hurt. And most of all, he wanted justice for the women. He realized up stairs that these men were the worst. The victims did not deserve what these men sought to inflict. No one deserved that. Death was preferable. Ryn held a hand over his abdomen, and concentrated as he walked. From behind him, stardust would be able to clearly see the hole starting to fill itself in with fresh sinews of flesh, veins reconnecting, and eventually skin (and fur!?) regrowing. As he reached the ground level, the padawan locked eyes on James, those golden eyes narrowed for the hunt.

"I think you've converted me James. These men... That they'd even attempt such unspeakable horrors... They cannot be allowed the opportunity to repeat such crimes..."

[member="James Justice"] | [member="Alyesa Organa"] | [member="Dia Torr"] | [member="Djark Slove"] | [member="Niyla Alura"] | [member="Ashalah Ky"]

 

[Rose Blade]

Echo jumped out of hyper space of what was left of the medical corps fleet of none effected. They had received a transmission for the ground. Echo was sad again when she heard star say roses name. She had recently lost her and she was still trying to cope with it every ways she could but it still wasn't enough but now. She stuck to star that's what rose had wrote as her will was she would be transferred her papers to stardust. But of course no one knew she was a slave even when she was very talkative around rose and the band but that was due to she trusted rose and was given permission too. As the transmission ended a captain responded. "This is captain blood or rage squad we are coming to your location with medical supplies and doctors please secure any patients that need our doctors to look at once we get to the surface we will do a sweep and please tell any communication soldier if there are any friendly's out there.

The closer they got to the surface the more echo didn't want to go onto the battle field she was never meant for combat maybe self defense but that's about it. She looked around the room seeing the clones getting ready for a fight if they every were need to. Double checking their equipment making sure the soldier in front of them packs looked secure. Even a few went to the back opening the door to were the speeders were getting on them and starting them so once they were low enough they would drop and scout in teams of two.

Once they were low enough to the ground they dropped the speeders sending to scout the raiders village. The closer they got to the village she could feel the everything that was killed or had been killed it made her even more uneasy about going to the ground. As they hovered near the last building stardust's comms was pinged from. The blast doors rapidly opened revealing bloody body's everywhere she hadn't seen this much dead body's sense she was taken by rose but this still didn't even begin to be the amount she had seen that day. Echo hopped down from the drop ship as the soldiers started to check each body for vital signs and dragging the ones that were dead into a pile in the center or the village. Rose walked into the building seeing more bandits waiting in what looked like a living room. They hadn't heard the ships but that was at their expense they turned around in surprise. The soldiers filling the room and gunning them down as they stand echo just watched as the body's drop to the ground. The screaming ended by a transmission from the cruiser. "Ma'am we ran scans on the village and there seems to be a very large area underneath the village it's self. It might be something to look into.....That's all for now." She walked into the room were star was in. The soldiers started to check the basic needs. After a few seconds they started to lead them out of the room onto the drop ships.

The remains of medical corps fleet:

Spoiler

The Siege Breaker (1)
H-SDV1 "The Truck" (8)

[member="James Justice"]
[member="stardust"]

 

[Ashalah Ky]

Ash followed @Ryn\'Dhal and [member="stardust"] down to the basement, wondering if [member="Niyla Alura"] would follow them. They had finished killing the men in the room. Disgusting what some men were capable of and willing to do. It absolutely sickened her, and it no doubt sickened the others on this rescue mission. At [member="James Justice"]'s comment, she felt a twinge of resentment. She had been busy dealing with a man who did not want to go down without a fight. He fell, but when Ash turned to deal the next death, there were none. The shadowy apprentice had pretty much gone guerrilla on the entire room.

But now they were on the main floor, face to face with James before they made their descent. The way the masked shadow being talked and acted, it was clear he was the most distraught by these men's actions. Stepping forward, Ash laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "And they won't. We'll stop them." Staring up at him, she gave a warm smile that was hidden behind her own blackened visor.

 

[Dia Torr]

Convinced that all the entryways are clear, Dia regroups with the rest of the party. That was a hell of a fight, Dia thinks to herself. Should really team up more often.

"Yeah, we'll get 'em. We took care of all these guys up here no problem, how hard can it be down there?"

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

Stardust let go of [member="Ryn'Dhal"] and smiled"if you say so"she said standing by him as she heard the drop ships from [member="Rose Blade"] (aka echo) land nearby"OK guys lets get the women on board and get them medical help"she said as she escorted the girl that ryn had saved outside and onto a ship

Then she looked back at [member="James Justice"]"I'll be heading back got now James to help off load people alert me if you need my help"she said as the ship filled and lifted off

 

[James Justice]

James watched the bodies be picked clear. He pressed a button on his wrist comm unit summoning Reed as he watched his friends move across the battlefield. Battlefield? No, more like a butchering ground. He sighed and shook his head. Some were foolish, some were angry, and chose the paths of evil, believing they could hurt the innocent without retribution. They would see otherwise, he would make sure of it. For too long he had lived a double life. On one hand he was a successful businessman, on the other, he was nothing more than a criminal like this--a criminal for the people.

He looked to Ryn and gave his feline friend a pat on the shoulder and a gentle smile, "Mate, sometimes we have to do dark things. Sometimes heroes must fall. Sometimes we must fight fire with fire because darkness be the only thing that these devils understand. Sometimes we must make an example of them to save the others. Sometimes, that be what we must do," he gave the fellow man a pat on the shoulder, "Take care of yeself."

He was acutely aware of the pain in his side. It was just a fleshwound. He had other business to tend to before he could seek medical attention.

***​

The others had left. James was here on the slaughtering grounds. Alone with the dead. The sun was setting with red embers. He glared into it. Had he really done the right thing? Should he have shown mercy? He had brutally slaughtered many of those here with his bare hands, some in barbaric ways. He saw the moments of their lives passing away. He knew he had done horrific things--but sometimes good men had to do horrific things. Horrific things for the weak or the bad men would destroy them. But then--did that make him a bad man?

Reed gave a cheerful chirp behind the spacer. James turned to see his faithful yellow batter friend, "Ye ready mate to beam this up?"

The droid gave a whirl of agreement and activated his holorecorder, using his slicing techniques he hacked into every frequency of the holonet.

The staticed figure of James Justice stood on the slaughter ground, carrion behind him were delving into a some of the many bodies that were scattered across the ground. For some the cause of death was indistinct, for all they were mangled beyond recognition.

"My name is James Justice," the spacer shouted loudly. "Today a group of ner-do-wells attacked a village and carried their woman. Today we slaughtered them. Their bodies lie here, rotting. Their mothers will not be weeping for them. Their fathers will shed no tears. The galaxy be glad they be gone."

He leaned in close to the holorecoreder, "Freedom is protected. The people are protected. I will hunt those who violate it down and put slugs through their skulls. I will crush every one of ye and stack ye bodies to monuments. I will show no mercy. Ye need to know this; the people--they are protected. We will fight to the last and strike every one of ye down if we have to. We will show no mercy for ye show no mercy," he clenched his hand, the dried blood on it showing, "Ye blood will be on me hands."

[member="stardust"]
[member="Dia Torr"]
[member="Ashalah Ky"]
[member="Ryn'Dhal"]
[member="Djark Slove"]
[member="Alyesa Organa"]

((OOC: this does not have to be the end of the thread. Just a PDA James wanted to make ))

 

[Ryn'Dhal]

Some time had passed, and the strain of the days events took its toll on the padawan. He'd left from the immediate vicinity of the others, stopping off at his ship long enough to 'change' away from prying eyes.

Sheathed in his much larger, much more lethal, monstrous feline form, the massive black beast stalked silently through the woods. He'd find James, preparing his speech, as his droid prepared to project it live. Reaching out through the Force, Ryn let James know of his presence, and slowly stalked closer to the angry gentleman scoundrel as he gave his passionate speech. For added effect, to convey to the would-be evil-doers how dangerous James could be, the massive 410 kg stalked up to the mans side, obviously no threat to the man, but menacing to all who were witnessing the speech live.

As James finished, "Ye blood will be on me hands." the massive beast would butt his forehead against the blood-encrusted fist, a sign of solidarity with the angry near-human, before looking at the droid, in turn seeming as if the massive beast was looking dead into the eye of every villain out there watching the holovid, and released a terror inciting gut wrenching roar. The sound was a promise. Those long, dagger-like fangs protruding from the beasts mouth would bring painful ends to those willing to enact such atrocities upon the weak and defenseless. The gentleman scoundrel, and the beast, would not let harm to these people go unpunished.

[member="James Justice"] | [member="stardust"] | [member="Dia Torr"] | [member="Ashalah Ky"] | [member="Rose Blade"] | [member="Alyesa Organa"] | [member="Djark Slove"] | [member="Niyla Alura"]

 

[Dion Kayl]

Dion stood sentinel at his post on the perimeter of town and watched the sunset; things had been calm all day. Tranquil, even. The biggest disturbance had included a farmer's cart, freshly laden with goods courtesy of Justice Shipping, breaking an axle as it passed; Dion had single-handedly lifted the wagon up while it was being repaired by some other guards, and chatted with the farmer while doing so-- they discussed things like weather patterns, soil types, and dealing with pests, and when the farmer was finally back on the road, Dion realized that he'd temporarily felt as if he were back in his old life. It was a bittersweet feeling.

When [member="James Justice"]'s message broadcast, he watched it on a small holo-projector with the other guards, and he heard the echoes of [member="Ryn'Dhal"]'s distant roar. It was a passionate speech-- Dion hadn't known about this side of his employer, and it worried him a little. Having been far away from the slaughter, Dion hadn't borne witness to what exactly happened, but James painted an image of the bandits as utterly savage and beyond redemption-- as pure evil-- and himself as a relentless arbiter of justice. A defender of "freedom."

Dion wasn't sure how to feel about all this. Sure, he owed James a lot and felt that the man was doing a lot of good work for common folk in the galaxy, but now he was talking about high-ideals... the cyborg wondered very much where all this would lead.

 

[Kiber_Thaxton]

Objective B: Privateering for Justice Shipping's allies

~

Kiber was supervising the reclaimation of stolen goods into one of Justice Shipping's YZ-900 freighter vessels. All of a sudden, he received word from one of the guards that droids were heading for them, to steal the reclaimed goods back for their master. Warning the crew to get ready, the seven other crew came down the ramp and stood with him, armed to the teeth.

This was his first assignment for Justice Shipping and he was already being thrown into the deep end - this is how Kiber liked it. More and more messages came through and the droids were coming closer to the ship. They were heavily armed and would stop at nothing to take back the appropriated goods, which had originally been the property of a wealthy merchant.

"Alright everyone, stay on your toes. These droids will stop at nothing to get through us to get at the goods. We will have to protect them at all costs. Anyone who feels they are not up to the job can step down with no questions asked," not one of the crew backed down.

"That is what I thought," Kiber said rather proudly, standing firm and waited for the droids to arrive.

 

[Dia Torr]

After the party had returned to the port, Dia sits in the bridge of the Eternal Corsair, drinking some whiskey and looking over the various orders she had received. Some spices, some food, medicine, grains, really a lot of the bare basics. Reflecting back on the day's events, she thinks about how, well, good it feels to do some good for other people. Even a scruffy self-important privateer like herself had a heart, after all. She still wasn't too sure about James' message. The man was good, let's not get ourselves wrong, but Dia's just a courier. Point A to Point B is all she knows, nothing about revolution. But the only thing to do at this point is go forward, right?

The Twi'lek shuts off her tablet, sets down her glass, and heads to calibrate the ship for launch.

Cause or not, she had work to do.