Aedon Gavin Montrose
The Organization
Enjoying a well-aged bottle of scotch...
Posts: 356 
Affiliation: "Veritas" Crew
Traffic Light: Yellow
|
Post by Aedon Gavin Montrose on Apr 3, 2014 18:50:35 GMT -8
Castle was taken aback by the abrupt manner in which the two men had reacted to his offer. Which was surprising. Castle had run in enough shady crowds to know how to handle them and act accordingly. Perhaps there was something about these two men that made this seem of a different sort. Their true nature would be revealed soon enough, with a few more questions that is.Castle smiled, though it was more of a forced, wounded grimace. The direct stab at his abilities and not knowing how to handle a ship would extremely uncalled for, however at a different perspective, Castle could see why the Zeltron made the stab at him. He gathered himself up again, replacing the wounded grimace with a genuine, lopsided Corellian grin."Well I don't have a ship but I do have food and medical supplies. Mostly the standard stuff you'd find at a clinic..and a few things you wouldn't. As for this Syndicate you speak of, I am probably more in the dark on the subject then you are."Castle shifted, hesitant on wanting to proceed with correcting the uninformed Zeltron about his abilities."And your comment was well placed, but misinformed. I have worked on nearly everything, from the millenia-old Hammerhead Cruisers to Imperial Star Destroyers and practically everything in between. I have seen it all, worked on it all and most importantly, made it working again. So long as the main drives are still intact, it doesn't matter what shape your ship is in, I can get it flying again. And that's not me overselling myself, it's fact."Johnathan crossed his arms over his chest and locked his hazel eyes with the Zeltron, as if to taunt him into slamming his abilities once more. Without breaking eye contact he finished speaking to them."So, with that said, I extend my offer of aid once more. Question is: will you accept? We both have nothing to lose and everything to gain from this offer. And I'd like to make the comment, with all due respect, you ever disrespect my abilities as a mechanic again, you'll be picking up your teeth with broken fingers. Are we clear?"Castle shifted his gaze to the Bothan, as he was certainly armed. He had noticed the rather sharp yet discreet movement for a concealed sidearm as he had approached. He then shifted his gaze back to the Zeltron.
*Did this guy just...threaten him? Was that what had just happened?Before Na'me could offer a retort, the Zeltron Captain didn't just grin...he laughed. Hard.
"Wow," He chided "That was...that was awesome." He looked at his Bothan companion. Pointing toward the newcomer, he chuckled again and then spoke. "I like this guy!" Looking back toward the mechanic, he grinned and gave a nod. "The name's Aedon. Aedon Montrose." Pointing toward his compatriot, he continued. "This fella here is Na'me He're; also known as the 'Kothlisian Killer'. I'd love to introduce you to the rest of my crew. C'mon..."
The last few words were more-sullen, but he still gingerly walked away toward a cordoned-off area toward the back of the complex. From the way it had been set up, it looked much like a cemetery. Stepping into the area, he turned back to where Na'me and the mechanic were standing by. The Bothan was visibly shaken, his face twisted into a snarl as he couldn't bear to look upon the makeshift graves of his fallen comrades. Aedon, however, stood resolute. Propping himself up on his cane, he tapped the end on the ground. Suddenly, several holoprojectors all sprang to life.They revealed several images: one of a tall, dark skinned Hapan who had a shaven head and a goatee, the next a stunning, olive-skinned female Twi'lek, followed by a pair of red-headed twin boys somewhere in their teens, a beautiful blonde with eyes as blue as sapphires, and finally, a rough-looking sandy-blonde guy with glasses. Each one of the projections were set on a loop, small windows of time that were put on display from various holocaptures that the crew had put together over the years. They were all silent, simply flowing through their movements with a reverent, quiet pose.Aedon motioned with a nod toward the first image.
"The Hapan's Atlas--"
"Aedon, don't--"
The Bothan's protests were cut off by the Zeltron interjecting again.
"He, ah...he was our Chief of Security. Liked to play 'daddy' to the lot of us. Acted like he had a lot more sense than the rest of us, too. Heh...look where that got 'em."
"Kriff! Aedon, I said stop!"
He continued anyway.
"The Twi'lek? Her name was Kinsey. Sweet-talker, that one. She was from Ryloth. You know the cliche stories, right? Slave escapes, winds up in trouble, 'gallant knight' comes to her rescue...she joins his crew, and ends up dead. Again, what a comfort, eh?"
The Bothan, by now, was growling. It didn't stop Aedon from continuing.
"Then, you got the Wonder Twins - Jesse and Jordan. Damn kids could pilot my boat better than I could...they'd been with me right up until their seventeenth birthday. They killed 'em both, right here, in this very room."
His gaze shot to the mechanic, and with that, his voice rose, his tone carrying with it a bit more sharpness.
"You starting to see where I'm going with this?!" He pointed to the last two graves. "Tom Helix, the 'four-eyes' over there, you see 'im?" His finger shook and wavered for a moment. "He was the brains of this operation. Broke seventy interstellar trade laws just to get us a job, and always covered our tracks. What good did all that do him?! They riddled him so full o'holes that his own sister couldn't identify the body!" With one last point of his cane, he acknowledged the final grave. "Then you've got her...that's Salora Minx. The one who was responsible for that contraption sitting in my hangar now. She, just like everybody else, is dead!--"
"AEDON!"
"You sure you wanna fall in with the likes of us?! 'Cause if ya have that kinda death-wish, I'm sure some kriff-tard on this rock will give it to ya a lot quicker than the slow, painful death you'll be getting from hanging around with us!" His voice was shaky now, and he struggled to get his next words out. "Make no mistake, man - we're shells of the people we used to be. And their ghosts will forever haunt this place. Each one of them deserved to live a dozen times over what I have! So, go ahead and knock my teeth out. Drag me across the floor, skewer me alive! Because as far as I'm concerned, I shouldn't even be here..."
"Oh, kriff this..."
The Bothan reared back, slugging the Zeltron right across his cheek, sending him sprawling to the ground. Before he even had a chance to recover, Na'me had his collar in a vice grip, and backhanded him again for good measure.
"Is that really how you want to honor their sacrifice?! By putting them on display and then spitting on their memory?" Dropping Aedon to the ground, Na'me took two steps back and found that the Zeltron was simply lying there, not offering any resistance in return. "They deserve far more than that, Gav! They need a voice to cry out for them, to avenge them! Are you or are you not going to be that man?!"
Before he could answer, Na'me had already turned to the mechanic and shot him a burning gaze.
"There's a hidden room in the medcenter toward the back. The Syndicate's thugs didn't even know where it was. Keypad's hidden behind the respirator, code is 'TK-421'. Help him get his sniveling, shriveled hide into the spare bacta tank in that room. Should have enough for one more full round of treatments. You do that, and you're in. I don't give a kriff what he says, otherwise. We good?"
He barely waited for a response from the young-looking mechanic before turning back to Aedon. Pointing a very-angry finger at him, he spurted one last thing out.
"Get your damn head outta your choobs and snap back to reality, Gav!" Starting off in the direction of the door, he shouted back over his shoulder as he carried on. "I'm gonna go see what else I can dig up on the Syndicate's movements. Take a gorram time-out, ya stupid kid..."
The room was suddenly silent again, save for the humming of the holoprojectors around the makeshift graveyard. Slowly, they too began dying out, leaving the two of them alone in the room. Aedon remained on the floor, although he had found the strength to sit up.Turning his head to the side, he spat a small glob of fresh blood to the floor. Apparently, the Bothan had connected quite-well with his punch... |
|
Johnathan Castle [Retired]
The Organization
Machines got ta talkin'. I got ta listenin'. Ever since then, I've been fixin'.
Posts: 157
Affiliation: Draykon Crew Mechanic/Bartender Extraordinaire/Organization Mechanic
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Johnathan Castle [Retired] on Apr 3, 2014 20:01:36 GMT -8
Everything had happened so fast, Castle's head was still spinning. This guy, Aedon? That was his name. Aedon, Aedon Montrose, was seriously messed up. Obviously he had stepped in it, real good too, for this 'Syndicate' to gank nearly is entire crew. It was pretty hard to take in, but he strengthened his resolve and endured it. After all, he had approached them, therefore anything appearing as though he would have rather been anywhere else but there would be taken as an insult and disrespect. Not the option he was going for. And, to top it all off, the Bothan finally slugged the Zeltron as his frustration and anger had peaked. It was a pretty good shot too, Castle had to admit. Good follow through and extremely good form, as if there was some kind of training behind it. Like military....or in this case former military. He'd have to ask the Bothan later where he'd served. But for now, he had been given a task to prove that he was in. Get Aedon to the medcenter and get him soaking in a bacta tank.
Castle stepped forward and extended his hand to help pull Aedon to his feet.
"Name's Johnathan Castle."
With a small grunt and a little more effort than he was expecting to exert, Montrose was back up on his feet. And rather unsteadily at that. Castle then ensured the Zeltron was going to remain vertical.
"You good, there Skipper?"
From Castle's interpretation, the Zeltron appeared to have managed a meager nod of his head.
"Good. Now lets get you back there and soaking in the tank. And while you do so, perhaps I'll run back to my place and bring us some food, and something for you that'll speed up the healing of your leg. Bacta may be near miraculous, but what I've got will mend you up better than new."
With that, Castle moved in and pulled arm up and over his shoulders in order to assist in walking him to the door at the back. Once there, Castle pushed the respirator aside, revealing the concealed keypad. 'TK-421' was then entered. The door slid open with a soft, whisper quiet whoosh. As the unlikely duo entered the room, lights flickered on and powered up. The tank was directly in front of them. Castle then abandoned Aedon as he began preparing the tank for an occupant.
While he was a mechanic, he also knew his way around a bacta tank. Having needed it many times throughout his varied career. He was certainly no stranger to pain and injury.
Castle finished prepping the tank. The screen flashed once, then winked green.
"Alright, you're up Skipper. I've programmed it to run the full cycle, though it may cut short due to power restraints. While you do your thing here, I'm gonna run back to my place for a few things. I'll meet you back here in about twenty minutes or so, provided this tub does its job right."
Castle didn't wait for a response. He stepped back out through the door and closed it behind him, leaving Aedon to do his thing. He then exited the cordoned-off section and headed back down the main concourse towards the apartment blocks. Upon finding and entering apartment G-32, Castle moved to a storage room and gathered up a backpack. He went to the fridge unit and gathered up some extra sandwiches and the few beer he had remaining. It wasn't much, but it would suffice. He then moved to the refresher. Inside a cabinet was a small burlap pouch. Castle opened it, to ensure the contents were still as they were when he left. Inside the pouch was a yellowish crystalline substance, almost like sand. In reality, it was actually ground up Kolto. One of the most powerful healing agent in the known universe. Very hard to come by all the way out here, Castle had made sure he rationed it as best he could, saving it for only the most grievous of injuries. He closed the pouch and placed in within his backpack. On his way back out of the apartment, he grabbed his personal datapad and ensured his key-card for the apartment was still safe in his pocket. With everything gathered up, Castle locked up his apartment and made his way back down the main concourse to cordoned-off section where he had left the Zeltron Captain.
|
|
Aedon Gavin Montrose
The Organization
Enjoying a well-aged bottle of scotch...
Posts: 356
Affiliation: "Veritas" Crew
Traffic Light: Yellow
|
Post by Aedon Gavin Montrose on Apr 7, 2014 1:53:02 GMT -8
Aedon, assisted by the mechanic - Castle, as he had introduced himself - traveled the moderate distance across the once-grandiose complex toward the medical complex in complete silence. The strong metallic taste was still in his mouth. He hated that taste, because it usually followed him losing in one way or another. The pain was nothing. Aedon had endured pain before. Alcohol would dull that - well, if he ever got his hands on some again, it would. He hated the Bothan right now. Not because he got clocked by him, but rather, because he was right. Aedon had gone and done it again. He'd given himself back over to the despair that he'd felt, knowing he was responsible - in whatever small or large way - for the deaths of his crew. He would talk to an old friend from time to time, staring at them through the bottom of a bottle. They would tell him that he wasn't to blame, that his crew 'knew the risks going into this'...none of it helped. He felt as though he knew otherwise. That's why he was so willing to insult whoever crossed his path. He hoped some fool would be 'merciful' enough to pull the trigger and end him.Entering the complex, Aedon watched for a few moments as Castle opened the hidden room at the back of the med-center. Stepping inside, he began sliding his jacket - torn and patched together again - off his shoulders, listening to the mechanic explain his plans for the time he would be gone. Moments later, he watched the man ease on through the door, shutting it behind him.
It deadened him a little to realize that this was how he perceived reality much of the time. Small, fleeting moments would register; then the rest of the time, he would delve back into his own personal hell. He considered it his penance, to remember the fallen. He considered these people to be his family. And in his mind, he had failed them. No, it was worse than that. It was betrayal.Aedon continued to ready himself for the bacta chamber. It involved him removing almost all of his remaining clothing, save for the bare essentials. Scars upon scars were revealed. Aedon wanted nothing more than to be rid of them. Once he was well enough again and able to get off this rig, he would go and search some of his old safehouses. Root out his old contacts. See if any of them could help him get back on his feet enough to really start making a difference. As soon as he was physically ready, Aedon activated the one small medical probe droid that resided in the hidden area. It began running a diagnostic on his physical body, and then gave Aedon the assessment. There were still several dozen hairline fractures that the bacta treatment would mend fairly-easily. However...there was one break which never healed correctly. Aedon's femus-majora, his thigh-bone. Aedon sighed when he considered what this meant.*
*It meant a surgical cast. It meant a good amount of time in the bacta tank, and it meant having to reset the break and a small amount of surgery. Another scar. Lovely. Stepping into the tank, the surgical cast lowered. It was a metallic "leg-brace" of sorts, one that sealed around the area-in-question and was interlaced with circuitry and machinery. It would serve as a bio-compartmentalization device, surgical device, and recovery device all in one. As the brace clasped over his leg, he heard the machinery securing it into place. What followed was horrifying and comforting at the same time. Aedon placed the oxygen mask over his head and affixed it correctly. Depressing the internal start-stop mechanism, the glass shield that went over the bacta container slid into place. Then, Aedon began to feel the cool, tingling sensation of bacta hitting his feet. It wasn't too much longer before it traveled up his side, past his elbows and chest, and then started hitting his jawline. This was when Aedon usually had an anxiety attack. However, he just let the sensation wrap him up, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath - for (what he realized was) no reason at all. Then, he felt his body begin to float. His leg was deadened, and then the surgical process began.*
*...About an hour goes by, and the procedure is soon finished. Now, it was merely a matter of recovery in this tank. Aedon couldn't see very well through the bacta serum, but he thought he'd noticed Castle re-entering the room. Or, at least he hoped it was Castle.That he hoped it was someone he'd only recently-met was disheartening to the Zeltron. However, it was good to know that he had people he could count on again. He only hoped that he was able to be counted on, as well. As far as history was concerned, Aedon had his moments. But if recent history was to be introduced, Aedon didn't like the man's chances.*
*It would be just under an hour before the bacta treatment would finish. Aedon wondered what it was the man had gone to get, and if it was something that could actually help. If it was to be implemented with his treatment, Aedon wasn't even certain how it would be introduced. However, he figured the man knew. Or, at least he hoped Castle did...
|
|
Johnathan Castle [Retired]
The Organization
Machines got ta talkin'. I got ta listenin'. Ever since then, I've been fixin'.
Posts: 157
Affiliation: Draykon Crew Mechanic/Bartender Extraordinaire/Organization Mechanic
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Johnathan Castle [Retired] on Apr 11, 2014 20:45:51 GMT -8
Castle hadn't been gone too terribly long. However, he had decided to take his time as so not to make Aedon feel as though he was rushed. Castle eagerly awaited the chance to work on the Zeltron's ship, but was trying hard not to seem to excited about it. The truth of the matter was, this was going to be one of the biggest jobs he had ever undertaken. Not to mention it had been some time since he had actually worked on a larger vessel. In recent jobs, he had been busy repairing and servicing light duty freighters and snub fighters. Anything larger then that, and he was usually accompanied by one or two workers and some service droids. Droids. Now wouldn't that be a sweet deal. Having his own personal droid. Preferably an astro-mech. Or something that was good at maintaining ships as well as assisting him in larger jobs. Eventually that would come. Everything came in its own due time, with the right amount of patience as well as ambition and effort. One day, Castle hoped to own his own repair/refit platform. Preferably a mobile one so he could travel the universe and repair all manner of vessels. And one day it would happen. But for now he had to focus on the here and now. That's what was important. Until he was the owner and manager of his own slice of the galaxy, he would continue to be content with taking on jobs that allowed him to continue living the way he did.
Castle re-entered the med center. Aedon was still floating in the tank. Castle checked the timer. Just under an hour remained. Until then, he would wait. Castle pulled up a chair and set his backpack down on the floor in front of the desk. He pulled up a chair and sat down. He propped his durasteel toed boots up on the desk and retrieved his datapad from his pack. He began scrolling through the various diagnostic readouts and hastily scrawled notes. It was something he enjoyed doing. He was able to learn as well as create his own way of doing things. He stifled a yawn and proceeded to read his datapad.
While Castle wasn't one to sit down and waste time while there was such a daunting project on the horizon, he really hadn't been given any other tasks to carry out. His current task was simple. Assist Aedon with this, then he was at least given a foot in the door. Unfortunately he didn't know exactly how much of a guarantee the Bothan could provide him. Aedon seemed to be the head of this operation, or whatever was left of it. Despite how tough the Bothan may have been, there was obviously a limit to what he could do. So hopefully by doing this, he'd managed to earn some kind of merit with the purple haired Zeltron and the Bothan. Until he knew for certain where his standing with these two actually was, he was better of just treating them like a potential customer. It was his best option.
He stretched out a little further and leaned back in the chair until he was comfortable. As he read, he felt his eyes begin to droop. He was exhausted and he hadn't slept proper for the past several nights at least. With little resistance, he dozed off into a light sleep, while his newly acquired friend continued his bacta treatment.
|
|
Aedon Gavin Montrose
The Organization
Enjoying a well-aged bottle of scotch...
Posts: 356
Affiliation: "Veritas" Crew
Traffic Light: Yellow
|
Post by Aedon Gavin Montrose on Apr 15, 2014 18:23:06 GMT -8
Aedon - still floating in the ever-shrinking bacta tank - recalled how long it had taken Na'me to even put together the treatment for him. Gathering up the bacta, getting the power allocated for this single room, the water? Even disregarding his own health just to do so. What did Aedon ever do to inspire this much loyalty in his crew? And for what reason? To what end?! Every question burned into his psyche again and again. Even now, he watched as the self-proclaimed mechanic reclined in a chair not far off from the tank. Aedon couldn't really tell, but it seemed like Castle ended up...asleep? Well, Aedon thought, at least he found the safest place to pass out. Hidden room in the back of a ruined complex? He could have fared far worse...*
*Still, the Zeltron couldn't help but wonder what made this man so eager to help them. Surely it couldn't have been just the challenge of working on an old vessel? As ripped to shreds as the "Veritas" was, Aedon didn't even want to think about how much it was actually going to take to get her space-worthy again. It struck him to his core, thinking that she may never sail the stars again.Just then, Aedon felt a displacement. The pressure from the surgical cuff had lessened, as he watched the machinery remove it from his leg and pull it back toward the side of the tank. A sudden, cooling rush of bacta flowed over the recently-applied surgical area, and Aedon could begin to feel the healing process taking shape. The miracle of bacta was just that - its healing properties were somewhat of a miracle. Instead of the weeks it took to heal a broken leg, it could be done in hours. It was well-known for bringing people out of their most-desperate situations. Some batches had been recorded having results as amazing as bringing someone out of a long coma. Regardless, with the stuff surrounding his healing body, it wouldn't take long for him to feel good as new. And with that, Aedon knew, he would be revving for a chance to take the fight back to the Syndicate.
The numbness of the anesthetic was beginning to wear off, replaced by...nothing. Aedon no longer felt the stinging pain that once resided in his leg. Or the soreness in his ribs, his neck - anywhere. It was all just...gone. Even as the tank began to release the fluid back through the filtration systems, emptying the tank, Aedon still felt fine.He was hoping that it wasn't a dream. That he wasn't about to suddenly be overcome with all of the pain, the constant reminder of the nightmarish attack on him and Na'me. But, no...it remained as it was. He felt whole again.A new sense of strength and purpose began to alight upon him. As his feet touched the floor of the tank, he tensed and flexed his leg muscles repeatedly. No fatigue. As the water lowered past his head, neck, and shoulders, he moved the matted hair away from his face, rolled his shoulders, stretched them. Not a single hitch felt in his collarbone where the spurs were located. He felt invigorated. Sliding the mask off from over his face, he watched it retreat upward. He ran his fingers through his hair, sweeping the long violet locks toward the back of his head. When he breathed, the sickly-sweet scent of the bacta filled his senses. It was enough to make him cough involuntarily. He hated that smell. But he couldn't argue the results. He was whole again.*
*It only took a few minutes more for the tank to disengage. The treatment finished, Aedon stepped out of the tank and grabbed a nearby towel while the medical droid re-examined him. He did what he could to dry his hair, wipe the fluid from his body. A shower would come in handy nicely - later.For now, he needed to address the mechanic in the room. As much as he may not have wanted to admit it, Castle had been a great help. Even IF Aedon hadn't wanted him to be. Regardless, he couldn't very-well ignore the man, now could he?
"Hey...ah...Castle, was it?" He waited for the acknowledgement from the man. "Uh...just wanted to say thanks. Y'know, for the assist. And for putting up with me for earlier. I realize it, ah...it couldn't have been easy..."
Not the most-graceful way to begin a conversation, surely...but for now, it would have to do...
|
|
Johnathan Castle [Retired]
The Organization
Machines got ta talkin'. I got ta listenin'. Ever since then, I've been fixin'.
Posts: 157
Affiliation: Draykon Crew Mechanic/Bartender Extraordinaire/Organization Mechanic
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Johnathan Castle [Retired] on Apr 21, 2014 19:14:27 GMT -8
Castle had dozed off for what felt as only a few minutes, when it reality it had been just over an hour. That explained why the Aedon was finished with his bacta treatment. Man, he must have needed the sleep if he was able to doze off so easily. Mind you things hadn't really been ideal for the last while either. That played a huge part in everything.
Castle lowered his feet off the desk and spun the chair around so he was facing Aedon.
"There's no need to thank me for helping another person in need. If anything, I should be thanking you for not trying to twist this situation around and earn the maximum gain out of me. As for earlier, it was a little over the top. Not surprising considering. But, we're alive. We've good company and...." Castle leaned over and rummaged through his pack. He pulled out two sandwiches wrapped in a thin, clear plastic package. He set them on the desk and rummaged in his pack once more. He withdrew two brown glass bottles. He pried off the tops of each and extended his hand out to the Zeltron."...good food and something cold to enjoy."
With his free hand he plucked on of the sandwiches off the desk and handed it towards the Zeltron.
Beer and food. Certainly Aedon was hungry as well as thirsty. Mind you a beer probably wasn't the best thing to have right after a bacta session, but beggars couldn't be choosers. Especially given their current situation.
|
|
Aedon Gavin Montrose
The Organization
Enjoying a well-aged bottle of scotch...
Posts: 356
Affiliation: "Veritas" Crew
Traffic Light: Yellow
|
Post by Aedon Gavin Montrose on May 1, 2014 16:40:55 GMT -8
"Twist the situation"? Oh, but the Zeltron had never even thought to do that. Now he was, though. Oh yes...now it was definitely on his mind. But how, exactly, would he take advantage of the man? He couldn't, in good conscience, press-gang the poor lad into doing his dirty work for him. And he certainly wasn't looking for a human shield or cannon fodder. There was something about the kid's swagger, though. That grin on his face when he smiled. It looked distinctly-familiar to Aedon. When it had suddenly hit him, Aedon allowed a little smirk to cross his own features.When offered the beer and the sandwich, Aedon graciously accepted them. The first solid food in just over two days, as well as a long-forgotten taste of alcohol? Aedon sipped a small swig - it was crappy beer, granted, but still alcohol. He allowed a satisfied exhalation to exit his lips before unwrapping the sandwich, talking to the mechanic as he did so.
"Heh, well...I never said I wouldn't try and take advantage of your offer. To be honest, I think you might have bitten off a little more than you'd care to chew. My girl's been gutted pretty badly. What they couldn't fit into a hoversled, they scrapped pretty decently. Wanted to make sure I'd stick around for quite some time, as a warning to other fools who'd dare cross their precious 'Syndicate'..."Taking a quick bite of the sandwich, he chewed and quickly swallowed. It was a good sandwich, that much was certain. "But, I'll tell ya what - if you can help us to pull this off, get her space-worthy again, I'll make sure you're compensated for your trouble. Won't matter wherever else in the 'verse you go, either. You'll always have a solid favor from me.
He took another bite of the sandwich, and continued washing it down with the beer.It wouldn't take long for him to finish those off, either. Another three or four bites and a couple of swigs later, and they were polished off nice and neat.Setting the wrapper and bottle off to one side, Aedon reached across the med-bay table to get his t-shirt. This exposed his scarred back to the mechanic, who would notice not only the fresher scars that denoted his more-recent poor treatment, but the deep-set scar tissue that seemed to tell another tale from a long time ago - surprisingly on the Corellian's home planet. Sliding the t-shirt over his torso, Aedon turned back to where Castle was sitting.
"Regardless, man...this will be a lot of work for both of us. But, you can find some solace in knowing that I'll be taking on the slighly-more-dangerous job here. I've got to run down the Syndicate on their own turf and rot them away from the inside. I'm gonna make these kriffers pay for what they did to me and mine, and then it won't be long before they're the ones who are delivering a 'message'..."
The look in his amethyst eyes was enough to tell the tale - he meant every single word of what he had said. The Syndicate would know exactly what it meant to lose everything they held dear...Aedon swore it.
|
|
Johnathan Castle [Retired]
The Organization
Machines got ta talkin'. I got ta listenin'. Ever since then, I've been fixin'.
Posts: 157
Affiliation: Draykon Crew Mechanic/Bartender Extraordinaire/Organization Mechanic
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Johnathan Castle [Retired] on May 1, 2014 18:28:01 GMT -8
As Castle sat and listened to Aedon speak, he simply ate his sandwich and drank his beer.The Nerfsteak Sandwich was delicious, as always. Unfortunately he didn't have any left after he had packed up the last of the ones he had. Not that it was a big deal. He now had a much larger prospect on the go. Fixing the 'Veritas' and making her space worthy again. A daunting prospect, but certainly a challenge.As Aedon finished his sandwich and beer, Castle washed down the last bite of his sandwich and spoke."You say I'm in over my head. I say that I haven't come across a project I couldn't handle, start to finish. Your girl may be hurtin', but that don't mean I can't get her flying again."Castle had spoken that with strong conviction.And it happened to be the truth. Sure he had encountered large, seemingly impossible jobs before hand, but he had always managed to get it done, equal to or greater than the customer's expectations.Castle watched as the Zeltron rose up and turned to fetch his shirt, exposing his heavily scarred back. Inwardly, Castle cringed. On the outside, however, he merely averted his eyes.The injuries sustained to create such wounds, those would have ruttin' hurt. And Castle was certainly no stranger to it. From smashing up his knuckles, to slicing open various parts of his body, to breaking bones, Castle had endured every grievous injury he'd ever inflicted. But he never scarred up that bad. Sure, his hands bore evidence of a labour intensive career, but those wounds...they were something else entirely. Castle made a mental note on asking Aedon about them at a later point in time. As Aedon finished, Castle stood up, putting his bottle and wrapper off to the side."Look man, I understand the desire for vengeance. But let's get back on our feet first. One step at a time. If I'm still around come the time you decided to enact this vendetta of yours, then I will tell you this. You do what you gotta do. You give me a home and and a job, I'll keep your ship running a peak efficiency until the day we part ways. And I can guarantee that as long as I'm looking after her, she'll outlive us all." Castle's face was grim but determined. He was a man of his word, so long as the arrangement between them was respected and upheld, Castle would keep his word.
|
|
Nux
Member
fixin' to cause some hurt.
Posts: 49
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Nux on Mar 3, 2015 8:23:07 GMT -8
She entered the bar, her every worldly possession strapped to her back, and scanned the few faces hardy enough to dare rest their haunches in such a place. She met every glance, glare and leer with open eyes, and not an ounce of fear. There was little to say, unless someone made a wrong move. Then there would be even less to say. To her standard garb of skins she has added a long overcoat, covering much of her appearance, though her shock of platinum-blonde-white hair stood out to anyone bold enough to stare.
She made her way swiftly to the bar, standing beside a spacer nine-tenths unconscious from drink, and dropped a handful of coin on the bar-top.
Whiskey.
|
|
Aedon Gavin Montrose
The Organization
Enjoying a well-aged bottle of scotch...
Posts: 356
Affiliation: "Veritas" Crew
Traffic Light: Yellow
|
Post by Aedon Gavin Montrose on Mar 3, 2015 8:46:06 GMT -8
Aedon looked over his schematic again.The Syndicate had been quite-thorough in the dismantling of Aedon's holdings on the Skips. Already, several of his former businesses had been turned into fronts for the criminal element's lesser-known seedy dealings. He had already found out that two of them were being used for xeno-trafficking. No race or species was safe from inclusion. His two apartment complexes had been transformed into spice dens and all other manner of unsavory trade. The Zeltron had overheard that organ-harvesting was the latest addition to their list of atrocities.His fingers traced the lines of the holoboard that he had put together. Going from picture to picture of all the lesser-known thugs that the Syndicate had employed to be the visible element of their organization, each image began pulling up the current intel on their prospective target.Most of them were nameless. Aedon's information-gathering wasn't even altogether the best. Most of his old contacts on the Skips had been bought out...or..."removed" from the Skips. That made his blood boil. This was the kind of thing he had fought so desperately to get away from on Coruscant. Criminals and their lack of respect for the living. For all that he had done to remove himself from that life, it had somehow managed to find its way to him again. It had taken the people he had cared about away from him. They would pay dearly for that. Aedon had already made that vow several months ago. And now, after all of the planning and resource gathering he had managed to do, the Zeltron former-captain would finally have an opportunity to strike back.*
*He hated having to consider himself a "former" anything. The fact that his once-astonishing vessel had been torn apart - much as his own life had - was abhorrent to him. Even after the three of them had parsed everything that remained in the ship out, they had only managed to come up with seventy feet of undamaged electrical wiring and conduit, a few dozen undamaged circuit boards, twenty or so power diffusers, and a handful of scrap-worthy readout screens. The skeleton of the vessel had remained intact, although it was damaged in several places that would nearly render it entirely-inoperable. Castle had done what he could to strengthen the integrity of the frame, but without the proper tools or parts, that task had proved to be quite daunting. Aedon was determined, though. He would get it all back. And the Syndicate would owe him interest for every second his livelihood was taken away from him.The strewn-out holoboard flickered for a moment as it was being updated. Someone had just entered a new tidbit of information for him. Aedon could only suppose that was Na'me, his Bothan first mate and chief gunner of his former vessel who was doing the recon he couldn't do. After all, a violet-haired Zeltron that was formerly a big name on this asteroid was something of a "sore thumb" that tended to stick out. But the Bothan had a few tricks from his days as a Sith Commando that gave him a bit of an edge in that regard. It was training that was beginning to prove itself here and now. A picture came across his screen that held a name by it.Beran Karuso. One of the Syndicate's lieutenants. A Lorrdian male that had taken over the spice den that was once The Crusty Crater Condos. Aedon had wanted to change the name, but the owner had specified in his bill of sale that the name stayed. Rather than get tied up in galactic litigation, he complied with the inane request. Mr. Karuso didn't seem to care for that particular "Paragraph 4, Line 3" adjustment. The new name for the condos had been so eloquently-chosen to be "The Dusk Den". It may have sounded better, but Aedon spat out the name every time the words formed in his mouth.*
*Apparently, the Dusk Den was about to undergo its weekly payout. Karuso was supposed to be in charge of the money transfer from the Den to wherever the Syndicate was holding its hard currency. Aedon was half-tempted to let him lead them back to their vault. However, that would be an operation for another time. For now, Aedon was content with putting this intel to immediate use.As he was deciphering the intel, he grabbed a bottle of water nearby and drank from it. The clear liquid tasted remarkably un-Scotch-like, but Aedon had come to terms with the reality that he wasn't going to be drinking anytime soon. This healthier lifestyle had proven beneficial for him, though. He exercised twice as often now, not feeling sluggish from the night before when he had actually drank enough to give his two livers pause. He had returned to fighting form, back in his days when he would fence with his rapier and toy with his opponents. He felt decades younger. And the best part? He now had a reason to use all of that newfound vibrancy.*
*As he was sifting through the new information, he heard an entry into the underground area that they had started keenly referring to as "The Bunker". It was a small basement area that was hidden within the Crow's Nest near the second tier of the apartment complex. Aedon had set it up to be a storage room, with a few basic amenities and the stockpile of cots that the former mining operation had used during their time on the Skips. Aedon had put together a few of those supplies and sold off the rest to give him some much-needed financial support for this deadly campaign he was setting himself up to undertake. As Aedon heard the footfalls behind him, he turned to see Na'me gazing just beyond him, his focus intent on the screen in front of him. Aedon turned back to look at the board as the Bothan spoke.
"Oh, good. You got the info I sent you."
"Yeah...just going over it now. Nice work, by the way."
"Yup. Got ya a present while I was out, too."
The Bothan tossed him a bottle with a shampoo lid on it.
Speaking in a nonchalant manner, the Zeltron answered. "Oh? You shouldn't have."
"Don't mention it. It's that hair dye you were asking about. Should help that 'I just got hit by a paint truck' look on top of your head disappear."
"...And it's black. One of my favorite colors. Nice."
Na'me laughed for a second.
"I just figured I'd have a lot less leg-work to do if you didn't stand out so much..."
"Ahh...so now we see the reason behind it."
The two of them could have continually traded verbal jabs for quite a while. However, the time for useless talk had come to an end. Aedon focused in on the description of Karuso. On the details surrounding the transfer.
"So, you're sure he's gearing up for the long walk?"
Na'me nodded. "There's been an increase in his security detail over the past few days. This particular part of their outfit is sloppy compared to the rest of the Syndicate, but they know the value of increasing their ranks." He jutted his chin toward the board, and opened an intel file with a vid capture using his datapad. It was a layout of the complex, complete with a vid showing two different time-spans. "The first vid has two of his goons, armed with blasters and stun sticks guarding the doors, and there's another guy...here, in the alley. The second vid has them armed with rifles, and they've doubled the guard. There's a small transport parked 'round the side, two more have joined Alley Boy, and they've even got an overwatch." He zoomed the vid in on the roof, showing a human male carrying what looked to be a sniper rifle. "That's a slug-thrower, Gav. They've got an expert up there."
Aedon rapped the desk in front of him.
"That's fine, I suppose. Looks like we'll just need a top-down approach, then. Access one of the adjacent rooftops and make our way over to them."
The Bothan shook his head. "That'd almost work, except for the fact that they have over twenty armed guards inside the building managing their daily operations."
"So...what? We hit them in transit?"
"That could work. I was also thinking we may want to just take out their gunner from a different vantage point and then sweep their casual guard posted outside. We would just have to wait for the money to walk out the front door and hit it before they got inside the transport."
Aedon looked at the Bothan incredulously."You mean, when their guard's at their highest?"
He shrugged. "Sure. Nothing that a good gas grenade won't fix." When he saw Aedon's look, he pointed back to the screen and spoke more-sharply. "Hey...you saw it yourself. They're getting complacent. They think they've got all the angles figured out--"
"--One could sympathize..."
The Bothan shot him a deadpan look. Aedon knew he shouldn't joke like that, but, he had to try and cope with his demons somehow. Making light of their situation seemed to be the only way it helped. When the Bothan let loose a half-grin, though, he knew he'd only struck a deadened nerve.
"Regardless of how you look at it, these guys won't be ready for us. And if we're lucky, we can get through this without getting killed."
Aedon paused for a moment, lost in thought.
"If I remember correctly, there were three exits from the building, right?"
"Yup. The front, the one in the alley, and the makeshift delivery bay out back. They've been bringing the money out the front door every week - like I said--"
"--They're complacent. Right." He continued looking over the information. "There's too many variables and too few of us. We'd need someone to use incendiary weld-patches on both the front and side doors so they only have one place to funnel out of. We're gonna need a couple of extra players in this." He looked back to Na'me. "Have you gotten a message to Logann?"
"A couple of weeks back, yeah. My contact told me that he's responded and should be on his way back here. Although, since they've locked down our hangar, he'll have to land at the main docks. That may tip off the Syndicate that we're consolidating again. They've got eyes at pretty much every access point. Even if their guard's down, they're not that stupid."
"Let's hope for a moment that they are. What about our supplies?"
"I've gotten my hands on as much as I can spare. Thanks to our little hideout, I managed to keep a few things stowed away from the old days. My old collection of guns have been serviced and should prove useful. Believe it or not, we still have friends that support us on this rock. Drelldel and Hilo, down at the Red Shift, had a few choice words to say about their new 'partners'...they want them gone about as much as we do. Gave me two crates of weapons, and a case of gas grenades. They're also pledging to send along some automated defenses when we can manage to get a foothold here."
Aedon grinned.
"Almost sounds like we're gearing up for a war..."
"...I think we are, Gav...I think we are..."
|
|
Nux
Member
fixin' to cause some hurt.
Posts: 49
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Nux on Mar 4, 2015 7:36:04 GMT -8
The liquid arrived, and burned its way down her throat. She motioned for another, and the barkeep was quick to oblige. Tilting the glass back, the thick material of the shotglass came in contact with her chipped tooth, and she swirled the liquid around in her mouth, ran her tongue over her teeth before swallowing the amber liquor. While she did so, she glanced around the establishment once more. He wasn't here. The one she sought. Great. Not like there were many habitable places outside where she could hole up and stake the place out. Besides, it wasn't her style. She motioned once more for the bar-keep, who filled her shot glass without asking, and when she held up a fifty credit note he eyed it hungrily, but with enough sense not to try and snatch it from her grasp. He leaned in under the pretense of cleaning a glass, and she said what was necessary, no more.
Looking for the Captain of the 'Veritas.' Was told he might be here. Any help would be appreciated.
The corner of her mouth pulled itself into a thin smile, and her clear blue eyes sparkled in her very best interpretation of flirty friendliness. She hated turning on the charm, but being a female with certain assets had its moments.
...of course, if it all went South, she could always take the other route and kill every man present without really breaking a sweat. And that would be fine, too.
|
|
Aedon Gavin Montrose
The Organization
Enjoying a well-aged bottle of scotch...
Posts: 356
Affiliation: "Veritas" Crew
Traffic Light: Yellow
|
Post by Aedon Gavin Montrose on Mar 7, 2015 1:19:51 GMT -8
The "Hole-in-the-Wall Cantina" that was nearby the Crow's Nest was a modest enough little establishment. It held a small bar area, along with a myriad of tables littered about the single room with chairs sparsely populating them. A few booths lined each wall, also, as to offer a slightly more-private seating arrangement for those so-inclined. Tonight was a slower night than usual, and the patrons that were within the bar were about the standard, usual crowd. When the young woman had walked in, there was the usual accoutrement of onlookers. Some were greedily eying the woman over as she sat at the bar.The Devaronian barkeep that had been serving the pretty lady was, indeed, listening to her request while under the pretense of cleaning a glass. However, when she stated her reason for being in the bar, his "cleaning" stopped. His once-welcoming smile faded for a moment, and then was soon replaced with a much more sarcastic grin. He chuckled with his gravely tone of voice, and began walking toward the other end of the bar. Looking back over his shoulder, he scoffed when he spoke his words.
"...'Captain', she say...no...no 'captain' there...heheheheh..."
And with that, he simply continued his steady pace walking toward the other end of the bar. Another voice, however, answered her from behind. His voice was cold, steely, and seemed to carry effortlessly across the small cantina.
"I think you may have picked a poor time to visit, lady...and if you're here looking for him, you may find yourself in poor company, as well."
The sound of several stools being pushed back from their tables followed his sentence. It was also accompanied by the sound of more than a few blasters being primed, although none of them were being directly-pointed at the woman. The one thing she would notice, however, was that neither of the sounds were coming from the direction of the voice. Apparently, he seemed to feel right at home in his seat rather than being boisterous like some of his thugs.
|
|
Aedon Gavin Montrose
The Organization
Enjoying a well-aged bottle of scotch...
Posts: 356
Affiliation: "Veritas" Crew
Traffic Light: Yellow
|
Post by Aedon Gavin Montrose on Mar 12, 2015 18:18:07 GMT -8
The Crow's Nest - Main Concourse
The courtyard of the Crow's Nest was a fairly-open section of flooring. Back when Aedon had performed the renovations he could finally afford, it had several holoprojectors that lit up the expanse with various displays of vibrancy and wonder. Now, it was simply a dull, listless courtyard with grey, dusty floors and a lack of activity. And that's why the two beings who were standing in the midst of it were so seemingly, mind-bogglingly bored. One of them was a wide-eyed Trandoshan, his rust-red, scaly skin denoting his incredibly reptilian features. He stood on high alert, scanning the perimeter for any sign that there had been traffic moving through this section in the past long while. The other was a rather-lanky little Twi'lek with pea-green skin and burn scars on his lekku - the two lengthy head-tails that protruded from the sides of his skull. Both of them were carrying blaster rifles and stun-sticks. It was obvious that they were on the hunt.
"This is the absolute last place I want to be right now..."
The Twi'lek turned toward his fellow thug and scoffed.
"Hmph...perhaps if you did a little less complaining and a little more looking, you'd be able to get back to that little Zeltron tart you were eying at the casino. Eying, I remind you, and yet failing miserably to impress."
The Trando snarled at his compatriot.
"...You had better watch your tone, Illgrie. Every time you open that fat, green mouth of yours, the Vigo tends to get angry, remember?"
Illgrie pursed his lips, his tone becoming more-venomous.
"Just shut up and watch out for that little worm and his furry kriffing sidekick. You heard the boss, Endo -- their crew looks like it's getting back together. We're here to remind them that it's in their best interest to scatter like the little bugs they are."
The Trandoshan grinned, grabbing the charge lever and cocking it back. The whir of the tibanna gas being charged resounded in the chamber.
"...And bugs tend to get squished 'round here, right Illgrie?"
"You are abso-tively right, bud."
The two of them let out a chuckle that echoed throughout the large, empty space. They resumed their search, walking purposefully into the complex a little further.
|
|
|
|
Post by Logann Renji Montrose on Mar 13, 2015 1:21:19 GMT -8
*Logann took long strides on his march toward his old home, hands folded behind his head with a lopsided grin.* *It was a fairly common walk for him, but he was putting on an extra bit of calm and easygoing as he did so this time, mostly to show that he feared no one, and no Syndicate punks were going to make him act subtle; not that anything in this galaxy could. And he knew the eyes of the Syndicate were everywhere, and he wanted them to see that he didn't give a rat's ass about what kind of "power" or "threat" they possessed.*
*But he did falter when his eyes found the Crow's Nest, formerly a bright and bustling hub of activity, now basically a slum. No beauty, no decoration, just... trash. His interlocked fingers loosed and his smile fell into a frown, his eyes taking this all in.* *He was definitely going to kick some teeth down some throats after seeing this. So much work and effort and life had been poured into this place, and these bastards had only come in to tear it down and piss on it.* *But his smirk returned and he held his head high again as he continued his march, as though nothing was different at all.*
"Home sweet home! Where we belong!" *It was a deliberate choice of words.* *He waited for the response from his new crewmates, particularly a sarcastic one from Treya, but when none came, he shrugged and continued to march inward. Voices from the courtyard stopped him, and he quickly raised a hand to stop them and crouched down near a wall, listening to the words spoken.* *The voices carried easily to him, speaking about some "Vigo" and referring to Aedon and Na'me, as "that little worm and his furry kriffing sidekick." As well as insinuating that the Veritas crew were "little bugs" that needed to be squished.* *Logann scowled and grit his teeth, growling softly. He started to reach for his sword and creep into the open so that he could give them a piece of his mind, but a very large and rough on his shoulder stilled him.*
"I've got this, boss." *He then walked past him into the open, following them into the opening of the complex. He moved as swiftly and silently as possible, impressively so for someone of his large size, then, when he was right behind them, he let his foot fall, hard, causing a loud thump as he leaned down to peer over them.* "'Little bugs,' you say?" *he asked softly. Then suddenly he wrapped his extraordinarily large arms around the two thugs' necks and lifted them up off the ground, teeth bared as he roared,* "TELL ME, WHO ARE THE LITTLE ONES HERE?!"
*Logann watched, admittedly perhaps a little nervous at Brick's first run-in with Syndicate filth, but the man would be fine. More than fine, as it turned out, which caused Logann to grin and make his own way in, walking past Brick with his hands behind his head again before turning to face the two hostages.* "Look, I know we've never met face-to-face, but that doesn't matter, because I know how honored you must be to be able to bask in the manly sheen of Logann Montrose!" *He closed his eyes and smirked as he gestured toward Brick with an upturned palm.* "Brick here's pleased to meet you guys as well, he's heard all about your exploits! You might say he has a crush on you." *As Logann chuckled, Brick let out a maniacal guffaw.* *The punks must have been crapping themselves by now, and that thought pleased Logann, but he wasn't done quite yet.* *Opening his eyes, he turned to face the crooks, chest thrust outward and arms folded.* "But he also has a point." *He leaned forward, as though appraising the two crooks, and raised an eyebrow with a curator's gaze as he stroked his chin.* "You guys kinda do look more like the 'little bugs' in this equation. Better hope you're not the ones gettin' squished..."
*His lips curled to reveal a sadistic grin, met with more of Brick's roaring, manic guffawing...*
|
|
Aedon Gavin Montrose
The Organization
Enjoying a well-aged bottle of scotch...
Posts: 356
Affiliation: "Veritas" Crew
Traffic Light: Yellow
|
Post by Aedon Gavin Montrose on Mar 13, 2015 19:43:36 GMT -8
Outside of the Crow's Nest
The alleyway was dark. Perfect cover for the five Syndicate henchmen that waited within it. They watched from across the way as the group of individuals from the "Veritas" crew made their way inside the terminal. The smallest of them, a scraggly Cathar by the name of Desarr, looked back toward the rest of the group with a hungry snarl across his face.
"See, Arden? What did I tell you? All leetle mice find the...heheh...cheese..."
The man he referred to, Arden, sauntered forward from his spot on the alley wall. His arms folded in front of him, brandishing a familiar blaster in his left hand as he tapped it across his shoulder. And then, his other left hand came from behind his back, coming to rest on a hip holster carrying another of the pistols. As Codru-Ji go, the man was a specimen. Possibly one of the best gun-slingers the Syndicate had under their employ. He wore a vision-enhancing visor over his eyes, the green light dashing back and forth, screening for targets. His attire was loose-fitting, but didn't get in the way. The typical shirt and spacer-pants combo, with a bit of leather worked in at the knees for transitional gunfighting. As he looked across the street into the front door of the complex, he smiled.
"...How about we go and say 'hello,' then?" He stretched his neck. "Might do me some good to put a bolt or two into some actual flesh. It's been a while..."
The five of them started their walk across the street. The Codru-Ji stood among the lot of them, allowing the Cathar and one of the other thugs - a Rodian - go in front of him. The two following him were the Noghri Twins, Ghet and Tal. They were all armed, but Arden was wielding the special prize - the former blasters belonging to Na'me He're. As they continued on inside, Desarr and the Rodian were the first to step through the front door into the former foyer. Most of the glass had been smashed out, and so the scene in front of them was fairly plain to see. The Cathar drew his light repeater blaster rifle and held it at hip level, aiming at the larger male. The Rodian, with his concussion launcher, entered and saddled the rather large weapon onto his shoulder, scanning the perimeter. As Arden entered, he drew the two Mandalorian heavy blasters with his top arms, and a pair of Westarr blasters with his lower, training two on one, and two on the other. There was still a considerable amount of distance between the lot of them, but the Codru-Ji didn't want to chance a counter-attack without reason.*
*The two Noghri were instructed to stay by the door, heavy repeaters leveled and at the ready in case any of the other "Veritas" planned on entering. As soon as they were all fairly planted in their places, Arden spoke up.
"I'd suggest you put my men down...if you play nice, I might even kill you quickly..."
The two soldiers in Brick's hands were - indeed - squirming. And the Trandoshan even looked a little bug-like, his large golden eyes wide with fear. The Twi'lek seemed to be wriggling his hands downward, though...as though reaching for something...
|
|
|
|
Post by Logann Renji Montrose on Mar 13, 2015 23:48:07 GMT -8
*Logann heard the voice clearly, but couldn't see its origin. He peered around Brick's side, and was now able to spot the trio that had entered.* *A Rodian, a Cathar, and a Codru-Ji... Was this some kind of a trap? Well, no matter, they would just have to reverse the trap, something Logann thought he was good at; his old cohort Brick was here, so he could get away with anything.
Wait... were those Na'me's guns? Had Na'me— No, Na'me was too good for that, and his bro would have given him some sort of alert if that had happened. So, a chance to show the Syndicate they were nothing, and a chance to reclaim Na'me's guns? This would go excellent. He analyzed the three again briefly, noting their equipment. The four-armed Codru-Ji was the biggest threat, with a gun in each hand. The one with the concussion launcher was the next. The Cathar with the rifle? He was nothing. Logann already had a plan.* *He analyzed the targets once more, then looked up at Brick. His gaze lingered there for a second, then he gave a nod with a grin.*
*Brick had been remaining still, turned slightly so that he could see the newcomers over his shoulder, expression once more a hard scowl.* *They were in a bit of a pinch, but he knew Logann; Logann always had some kind of plan or a scheme. And Brick was often essential to those plans. Which, if the grin and nod said anything, was to be the case as well here.* "Put them down, you say?" *Brick lowered his arms, as though about to actually release the goons... then he gripped them both by the collar.* "AS YOU WISH!" *He then spun around with impressive speed, lifting the Trandoshan over his head and hurling him into the Codru-Ji.* "YOU MAY HAVE YOUR BUGS BACK!" *he cackled, lifting the Twi'lek and chucking him at the Cathar, bellowing with sadistic laughter all the while.
Logann took the time to whip out his concealed Adjudicator slugthrower as he rushed around to Brick's other side, hoping the large man's actions had caused enough of a distraction to allow Logann to plant his feet and take several shots at the Rodian, first at the arm that hefted the launcher, then at the torso.* *Kriff, this felt good. This entire plan could fail and they could end up dead or worse and he would die a happy man, fighting for what he believed in, what was right, making the biggest scene with his old buddy Brick.
But then, no he wouldn't die happy; not until he was reunited with his brother. This scene couldn't afford to go south.*
*Brick hadn't sat idle either, dashing forward after the Twi'lek presumably collided with the Cathar. He slammed his massive palm into the Cathar's chest and lifted him up the wall, reaching with the other to smack the rifle out of his hands.* "TIME FOR A CATNAP!" *he roared, drawing his arm back and jamming his elbow up into the Cathar's chin. He then turned to face the Codru-Ji, fully prepared to use the Cathar as a meat-shield should he open fire...*
*Treya, meanwhile, was not keeping idle. She had crept up toward the cleared-out lobby, keeping out of sight, a small holdout blaster pistol in her hand. She'd peered sideways through a broken window, observing the confrontation, simultaneously appalled and impressed by Logann's bravado. But it was also foolish; she smelled the trap from miles away. The boy was too foolhardy and cocky.* *She crouched down and crept toward the corner, peering over it, and sure enough, there was the backup: A Cathar with a rifle, a Rodian with a concussion launcher, two Noghri bodyguards, and a Codru-Ji.*
*They were screwed. If this all went south, perhaps she could have Lanky slice into the ship they came in on and she'd get them out of here, instead of somewhere they clearly didn't belong. But instead, she heard more roaring from the big man, who'd exaggerated the request to put the men down by, from the sound of things, hurling them at the men.* *She smirked, amused, but there were still two Noghri stationed at the door. She had to take care of them if the boys had any hope of surviving. And Noghri weren't easy targets...*
"You sure that'll work?!"
*Treya nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the voice behind her. She turned to see Truman sitting against the wall, datapad out, a wire attached to a control panel while Cal crouched down beside him, staring at the screen. Treya scowled, then shushed them while hissing,* "Keep it down or our cover's blown!" *These were the guys Logann picked for a crew? At least the big guy had muscle and energy...*
"Both ya'll keep shut!" *Came Truman's own harried hiss as he furiously tapped and swiped away at his datapad schematics.* "Like I'm 'bout to do with this here door... ... success!" *As he made a final tap, a soft, affirmative beep sounded as did the sound of a mechanical door sliding shut. Truman smirked and chuckled.* "Hoo boy, I hope none was standin' in that door when it went 'swoosh'!"
*Treya had to admit, she was impressed, but now she had to check on the scene. She held her gun behind her, other hand gripping her wrist to appear as though she merely had her hands folded behind her back, as she peered around the edge once more to analyze the situation...*
|
|
Nux
Member
fixin' to cause some hurt.
Posts: 49
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Nux on Mar 17, 2015 10:51:12 GMT -8
"I think you may have picked a poor time to visit, lady...and if you're here looking for him, you may find yourself in poor company, as well."
The sound of several stools being pushed back from their tables followed his sentence. It was also accompanied by the sound of more than a few blasters being primed, although none of them were being directly-pointed at the woman. The one thing she would notice, however, was that neither of the sounds were coming from the direction of the voice. Apparently, he seemed to feel right at home in his seat rather than being boisterous like some of his thugs. You sure you want this? She stood ready, looking at ease -- hands hanging loosely at her sides, weaponry clearly on display along with her physique, which could (and often did) provide conflicting emotions in the opposite sex. It wasn't something she took for granted, but it was a nice bonus when it happened. She had come ready for a fight, and she hoped this man and his henchmen wouldn't disappoint. |
|
Aedon Gavin Montrose
The Organization
Enjoying a well-aged bottle of scotch...
Posts: 356
Affiliation: "Veritas" Crew
Traffic Light: Yellow
|
Post by Aedon Gavin Montrose on Jan 25, 2016 16:33:37 GMT -8
*Logann heard the voice clearly, but couldn't see its origin. He peered around Brick's side, and was now able to spot the trio that had entered.* *A Rodian, a Cathar, and a Codru-Ji... Was this some kind of a trap? Well, no matter, they would just have to reverse the trap, something Logann thought he was good at; his old cohort Brick was here, so he could get away with anything.
Wait... were those Na'me's guns? Had Na'me— No, Na'me was too good for that, and his bro would have given him some sort of alert if that had happened. So, a chance to show the Syndicate they were nothing, and a chance to reclaim Na'me's guns? This would go excellent. He analyzed the three again briefly, noting their equipment. The four-armed Codru-Ji was the biggest threat, with a gun in each hand. The one with the concussion launcher was the next. The Cathar with the rifle? He was nothing. Logann already had a plan.* *He analyzed the targets once more, then looked up at Brick. His gaze lingered there for a second, then he gave a nod with a grin.**Brick had been remaining still, turned slightly so that he could see the newcomers over his shoulder, expression once more a hard scowl.* *They were in a bit of a pinch, but he knew Logann; Logann always had some kind of plan or a scheme. And Brick was often essential to those plans. Which, if the grin and nod said anything, was to be the case as well here.* "Put them down, you say?" *Brick lowered his arms, as though about to actually release the goons... then he gripped them both by the collar.* "AS YOU WISH!" *He then spun around with impressive speed, lifting the Trandoshan over his head and hurling him into the Codru-Ji.* "YOU MAY HAVE YOUR BUGS BACK!" *he cackled, lifting the Twi'lek and chucking him at the Cathar, bellowing with sadistic laughter all the while.Logann took the time to whip out his concealed Adjudicator slugthrower as he rushed around to Brick's other side, hoping the large man's actions had caused enough of a distraction to allow Logann to plant his feet and take several shots at the Rodian, first at the arm that hefted the launcher, then at the torso.* *Kriff, this felt good. This entire plan could fail and they could end up dead or worse and he would die a happy man, fighting for what he believed in, what was right, making the biggest scene with his old buddy Brick.
But then, no he wouldn't die happy; not until he was reunited with his brother. This scene couldn't afford to go south.**Brick hadn't sat idle either, dashing forward after the Twi'lek presumably collided with the Cathar. He slammed his massive palm into the Cathar's chest and lifted him up the wall, reaching with the other to smack the rifle out of his hands.* "TIME FOR A CATNAP!" *he roared, drawing his arm back and jamming his elbow up into the Cathar's chin. He then turned to face the Codru-Ji, fully prepared to use the Cathar as a meat-shield should he open fire...*
*Treya, meanwhile, was not keeping idle. She had crept up toward the cleared-out lobby, keeping out of sight, a small holdout blaster pistol in her hand. She'd peered sideways through a broken window, observing the confrontation, simultaneously appalled and impressed by Logann's bravado. But it was also foolish; she smelled the trap from miles away. The boy was too foolhardy and cocky.* *She crouched down and crept toward the corner, peering over it, and sure enough, there was the backup: A Cathar with a rifle, a Rodian with a concussion launcher, two Noghri bodyguards, and a Codru-Ji.*
*They were screwed. If this all went south, perhaps she could have Lanky slice into the ship they came in on and she'd get them out of here, instead of somewhere they clearly didn't belong. But instead, she heard more roaring from the big man, who'd exaggerated the request to put the men down by, from the sound of things, hurling them at the men.* *She smirked, amused, but there were still two Noghri stationed at the door. She had to take care of them if the boys had any hope of surviving. And Noghri weren't easy targets...*"You sure that'll work?!"*Treya nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the voice behind her. She turned to see Truman sitting against the wall, datapad out, a wire attached to a control panel while Cal crouched down beside him, staring at the screen. Treya scowled, then shushed them while hissing,* "Keep it down or our cover's blown!" *These were the guys Logann picked for a crew? At least the big guy had muscle and energy...*"Both ya'll keep shut!" *Came Truman's own harried hiss as he furiously tapped and swiped away at his datapad schematics.* "Like I'm 'bout to do with this here door... ... success!" *As he made a final tap, a soft, affirmative beep sounded as did the sound of a mechanical door sliding shut. Truman smirked and chuckled.* "Hoo boy, I hope none was standin' in that door when it went 'swoosh'!"*Treya had to admit, she was impressed, but now she had to check on the scene. She held her gun behind her, other hand gripping her wrist to appear as though she merely had her hands folded behind her back, as she peered around the edge once more to analyze the situation...*
*The Cathar was doomed from the start. Considerably the weakest link in the chain, he didn't even notice as the Twi'lek came flying at him. All too late, it would seem, as the Twi'lek's meaty frame made contact with the Cathar, sending them sprawling to the wall. No sooner had the Cathar shook off the initial shock of the impact than he found himself being death-gripped by the large male travelling with the Zeltron, staring him down through his wide-open eyes. He never even heard the punch-line that the man delivered, but certainly felt the brunt of it when his elbow connected with his chin. First the pain, then he saw all the stars in the galaxy, and then, nothing.*
*The Rodian - despite being a brutish sort - was far more-sprightly on his feet. No sooner had the xeno-tossing began than the large being started moving briskly toward one of the turned-over tables in the lobby area. His body quickly went to a kneel, even as the bullets seemed to fly by his head. He felt the impact of one slug to his shoulder pauldron, heard the resulting "PING" of the bullet contacting the metal, and that allowed him just the right amount of information to spot his target. The blue-haired Zeltron had planted his feet there, not twenty meters in front of him, and was seeking to end the fight then and there. If Rodians could grin, then that's the expression he would have had on his face; as no sooner had the Zeltron's feet been planted than the Rodian had leveled the launcher, placed the barrel on the table, and squeezed the trigger. The "PLOP" sound echoed across the hall as the round flew, hitting the ground in front of where the Zeltron was standing.*
*The two Noghri guarding the door were - indeed - surprised when the door slid shut behind them, effectively cutting them off from their friends inside and leaving them to wonder what had just happened. One of them began trying to get the door codes to work while the other drew his stun-pike, giving it a flourish as his eyes scanned the perimeter outside the complex.
Hole-in-the-Wall CantinaShe took another drink from the short glass of whiskey before her, let the liquid clean her palette and slide, warm and velvety, down her throat. She didn't look up at the sound of chairs being pushed back and weight being shifted (incidentally she pinpointed sound from four different locations, plus the man's voice behind her.) She shrugged out of her overcoat, letting it fall to the floor of the dive, and cracked her neck. You sure you want this? She stood ready, looking at ease -- hands hanging loosely at her sides, weaponry clearly on display along with her physique, which could (and often did) provide conflicting emotions in the opposite sex. It wasn't something she took for granted, but it was a nice bonus when it happened. She had come ready for a fight, and she hoped this man and his henchmen wouldn't disappoint.
"It really doesn't matter what I want, lady. I'd rather not have to contend with you at all. But, my superior's orders were clear -- anyone comes asking for that little purple-haired shavit, they've gotta be taken to him. So...can we do this peacefully? I'd prefer it that way." |
|
|
|
Post by Logann Renji Montrose on Feb 5, 2016 19:25:06 GMT -8
*Something nicked at Brick just as he turned toward the Codru-Ji, just in time for his meat shield to intercept a single bullet.* *It felt like someone just lit a match in his abdomen. He'd taken a shot, then, but it was merely a minor nuisance. For now. That just meant they'd have to deal with their targets a little faster, then treat their injuries later.* *Spying the fallen light repeater rifle on the ground, Brick stuck his foot under it and kicked it up, grasping it in a free hand and leveling it at the Codru-Ji before opening fire.
Every shot went wide.* *He knew he should have invested more time in arms training, but he was going to blame it on trying to shoot a rifle with one hand. Which was probably also accurate, but as far as he was concerned, it was the entire blame.* *So instead, he chucked the rifle at the Codru-Ji's head, hoping to use the distraction long enough to get in close, still clutching his Cathar meat-shield, for a physical altercation, roaring all the while.
Logann, meanwhile, had barely managed to dodge the first shots that came his way and attempt to find a better vantage point for his attacks.* *Too close. Even though the bullets had missed, he'd felt them whiz past his torso. Logann knew pretty well what those blasters were capable of, and he did not intend to be on the wrong end of them. Which was why he had to get them out of that Codru-Ji's hand, at any cost, and hoped Brick was on the same page. First he'd have to take care of the rocket coming at him— Wait, what?!*
*Logann's eyes widened as he dived, but the explosion sent him and rubble flying across the room. He landed on a pair of wooden chairs, which splintered and burst under his weight. Groaning, he kicked the table above him over, peeking up to fire a few potshots off at the Rodian's last known location.* *Wait a minute. What good would a table do against another rocket?!* *He kicked the table forward, backing away before grabbing the ruined top half of a chair and slugging it in the Rodian's direction, not caring how little good that would do before firing off a few more shots.* *Kriff, his right foot hurt...*
*One Noghri was distracted with the door, attempting to get it open, while the other flourished a stun-pike. Was that all they had for defense? And yet, they were Noghri, and Treya would do well not to underestimate them. Still, if they were alone on this assignment, it was probably in their best interests if she tried to do something.*
"Stay back," *she hissed to the two behind her, as she pressed her back against the wall at the corner, holding her blaster at the ready. She took a deep breath before exhaling...
Then she spun from around the corner, firing two shots at the Noghri with the stun-pike and a third towards the defenseless one, before ducking back into cover.* *As the pistol switched from her right hand to her left and her right hand found the hilt of her katana, she waited. If they were intending to fight hand to hand, she would match them, if they so desired; that was, if they hadn't fallen to her blaster bolts. Which was very well possible; she'd heard the legends of Noghri bodyguards, after all. She just hoped the two buffoons stayed out of the way...*
|
|
Aedon Gavin Montrose
The Organization
Enjoying a well-aged bottle of scotch...
Posts: 356
Affiliation: "Veritas" Crew
Traffic Light: Yellow
|
Post by Aedon Gavin Montrose on Feb 6, 2016 16:13:33 GMT -8
Crow's Nest - Hidden Bunker/Main Concourse
Aedon and his Bothan compatriot were just finishing up taking stock of their inventory when the first shots rang out. The pair looked up from their stockpile, brows furrowed as the second volley seemed to be fired. Aedon's eyes widened even as he turned back to the terminal screen and depressed a few keys to bring up the camera view of the interior concourse. It looked as though Logann was standing in the middle of the concourse's main floor, and then, he watched as his brother dove out of the way, only to be caught by some kind of blast and flung clear across the way towards Terminal B.Immediately, the Bothan snarled and Aedon moved back towards the crates to remove two blaster pistols. Dashing back towards the exit, Aedon caught a glance of Na'me looking closer at the screen. He appeared to be squinting.
Eyes shooting wide open "...That kriffing little Hutt-spawn!"
Aedon tapped the metal barrel of the blasters on the rail of the ladder.
"Hey...we gotta move!"
Tearing himself away from the screen, the Bothan looked to the center bunker support beam. Two crates were stacked up next to it, and standing vertically on it was what Na'me sought - a MerrSonn high-impact sniper rifle. Grabbing the beast, the Kothlisian darted towards the ladder, where Aedon was already making his way up.
Meanwhile, outside, things appeared to be heating up. The Codru-Ji, Arden, appeared to have made contact with one of his targets. Just as it appeared that the "target" was rather...resilient, to say the least. The hulking mass appeared to turn sideways in time for his second volley to miss, tagging the Cathar in the process. It mattered little to him - the cat had served his purpose. There was a light whimper from him just before he stopped breathing. Then, surprisingly, the walking meat-log decided to pick up the rifle. Perfect, he thought, this kriff-tard's gonna waste me. Every shot missed, though. Every single one. And what's more, the humanoid Basilisk then decided to cock his arm back and throw the gun!Now that, the Codru-Ji could deal with. Focusing fire on the rifle, he pulled all four pistols to bear on it. Just as soon as the gorilla had loosed the weapon, one-two-three blaster bolts made contact with it, causing the rifle's vent-chamber - filled with Tibanna gas - to erupt into explosive flame and fragmentation.*
*If that weren't enough to give the lumbering hulk pause, Arden would continue backpedaling, dealing fire at his target all the while.
The concussion launcher had worked as well as the Rodian could hope for. Even when he heard the satisfying "CRASH" that resounded when the blue-haired pale-skin made contact with the tables, the being was already cocking the weapon and loading another concussive shell in it again. He then hesitated, ducking down as he saw a piece of chair in the air, coming toward him--*
*--And then landing, several meters away in the spanse between them.*
*Had the pale-skin misjudged the distance? A certain amount of vertigo was to be expected from the concussive wake of the blast.The Rodian cocked his head a little to the side, staring curiously on even as the incoming shots seemed to spread a little wide. He was just about to level his launcher back toward his hip when suddenly...
--ZOTT--
A fresh, smoking hole appeared in the Rodian's skull, just below the center frill ridge, right between his eyes; the Bothan, on the level above the targeted Montrose brother, grinned as he pulled his eyes away from the scope. The Rodian's fleshy mass collapsed to one side, falling on top of the concussion launcher and triggering the weapon, causing it to release its payload directly into the overturned table in front of him, releasing a blast that made various table and body parts fly in several directions.It wasn't a moment later that Aedon dropped down beside his brother, a fierce look in his eyes. Clasping Logann on the shoulder, the Zeltron did his best to reassure him.
"You all right there, lil' bro?! Hey! You okay?!?"
Aedon noticed the dazed look on his brother's face, coupled with the extent of his bumps and bruises from the launcher. He began glancing him over, trying to assess if there were any further injuries to his person. In the meanwhile, Na'me sat up top, sighting down the other assailant in the building...
The Noghri outside that seemed to be scanning the perimeter, Ghet, caught the glint of the pistol just as the young girl revealed herself.The first two shots rang out, with which the bodyguard took two steps to his right, spinning the force-pike and catching the first two shots on the shaft. It then flashed the blade back the opposite direction, catching the third bolt right on the flat of the pike, leaving a searing, red-hot metal which smelled of burnt ozone and singed chromium. With a sadistic grin in the general direction of where the shots rang out, the Noghri spoke in broken Basic...
"Is that all you do? Hide in shadow? Face mighty Ghet -- you no survive..."
He then let loose a cackle, which sounded like a garbled cough.A sad attempt at Noghri humor, at best.
|
|
![Johnathan Castle [Retired] Avatar](http://storage.proboards.com/3615323/avatar/NmWbGCPvPSTvjOvgymqJ.jpg)
