Mercenary Crew: Age of the Rebellion

[steven]

"They have awards for that?" John took a deep breath "Well I guess we'd better go and say 'hi'."

[Rexraptor2000]

Ulim went into cover as soon as the shot went off. He peeked out of his cover, straining his eye to see where the shot came from with no luck. Then he saw Sage wounded and on the ground, but was reluctant to leave his cover due to the fact that the sniper was still out there. Then he saw Raze stand out of her cover and felt like yelling at her for her mistake, but decided to wait to correct her since she hadn't been shot yet and neither had the wounded Sage.

 

He ran out to Sage and tried to put the alien, who was his own size, over his own shoulders so he could take him inside the ship.

[Master_Archon]

Otak saw everyone duck for cover, hiding behind crates and such. He just knelt on the ground, breathing deeply. He saw one of the women get up, then he saw Ulim do likewise, but Otak motioned for Ulim not to come over.

 

Otak stared at the ground awhile, little to his knowledge that his hunter was now in the street with them. He had come out a low hanging window that was open, still stealthed, and approaching from behind. Otak didn't know of his presense, yet.

 

The man was now at the far side of the street, to Otak's right, he approached quietly, and proffesionally, coming in on Otak's right, but a little bit behind him. But one thing the man didn't count on was Otak's sense of smell, and the man reaked of adrenaline pumped sweat, at least to Otak he did. He also detected the faint sent of testosterone permeating from the man's sweat, obviously the presence of the women created this, but to Otak, this strong, yet faint hormone only made it easier to pinpoint his assailant.

 

The man was now only a few feet from Otak, one more step forward, then Otak sprang around at the man, catching him entirely off guard. The man let out a yelp, and his stealth flickered off as Otak tore the man's belt off. He was wearing rather simple civilian clothes, and he had his sniper rifle slung across his back. In his right hand he held a simple vibro blade, obviously he was going to quietly slit Otak's throut, then slip away, and get paid.

 

But seeing the man only made Otak angry, he was one of the many crime bosses proffesional mercenaries. But for this man there was little mercy, before what any of the other people knew, Otak lifted the man up by his throut, screaming, and then he squeezed, crushing his throut. The man wasn't sceaming anymore, but he wasn't dead, and he was letting out a horrible gurgling sound. Throwing the man to the ground, he pulled him up to his knees, then getting behind him, he dug his claws into the back of the man's head, then putting his foot on the man's back for leverage, he started to pull, the man's eyes opened wide, and he deftly swung the vibro blade.

 

After enough pulling the man let out one last horrible gurgling scream, before his head came off, with some of his upper spinal cord dangling from the head. Otak lifted the head, and let out a triumphant barking roar. He lowered the head, and averted his attention to the two women, who he still thought were in on all this, and wanted to kill him. He stared at the one who had gotten up first, obviously this one was the matriarch, he approached her slowly, and with his free hand he shoved her shoulder, his species way of giving a challenge with body language.

 

He thought, if she wanted him dead, then she would have to face him. He let out a common clicking growl from his throat, which showed his anticipation. Surprisingly enough, his wound had stopped bleeding so much, but he still blead rather badly, though to him it seemed just a distraction, though the pain was immense, his mind was too set on the moment to pay any attention to it.

[JasraLantill]

Raze gave a quick glance at her shoulder that the alien had just shoved, then stared back at him.

 

Having her Falleen father's ability to release pheremones, Raze's sense of smell was also heightened beyond what was normal for humans. She had sensed someone approaching them, a male human, but before she could even pinpoint his location, the wounded alien had suddenly sprung into life. He killed the stealthy intruder in a most horrific way, and now was holding the dead man's head in his hand. Now, feeling somewhat sick at the sight, she swallowed back bile.

 

Oh, I sincerely hope that he's not offering that guy's head to me as some sort of gift, she thought.

 

From the corner of her eye, she noticed Jack and Zam had just arrived on the scene. Ulim was near the alien now, too, apparently attempting trying to help his 'friend', but the creature had brushed him off with the arrival of the stealth-sheilded dead man.

 

Raze wasn't sure what the alien wanted, or why he was here, or more importantly, what he was planning to do next. But she certainly didn't want hers or any of her crew's heads to be dangling in his other hand anytime soon.

 

It was becoming clear to her that this alien understood physical communication better than verbal, so in order to protect her crew, including Rita, from any harm, Raze decided she'd take a chance.

 

She began to release what she would term as 'calming' pheremones, usually reserved for special occasions for when she wanted human males to be more 'agreeable'. She hoped that it would have the effect of soothing the obviously agitated alien, at least long enough for her and Rita to get further away from him. But this alien wasn't a human. And she wasn't even sure if it was a male. Her choice could have disasterous results, but she had to take that chance. It was a captain's job to look after their crew.

[Master_Archon]

Otaktay was beginning to regain his full mental senses, he stared down at the man's head he had taken, a thing he hadn't done in a long while. He stared back up at the woman in front of him, seemingly standing up to him, not looking down in submission, which was common of denying challenges.

 

He just now realized with his returning senses, that humans didn't quite understand his species way of body language, or speech for that matter. But he issued the challenge, and to turn away from it would show cowardice, which was something he had never shown. So he could only wonder if this woman would accept his challenge, or figure out how to turn it down.

 

But just then something tickled his nose, a sent, an enticing sent, it was pungent, yet had an aura of perfume. He sniffed the air, his shoulders relaxing, then he opened his eyes, his gaze resting on the matriarch, and he realized it was her, and she was doing it willingly, very odd, and very confusing. He let out a slightely different clicking growl, this time indicating curiosity. He was dumbfounded, a sent controling human, unheard of, yet there she was doing it right in front of him.

 

Otak let out a clattering, trilling sound, his species aquivalent of laughter. He let out a deep sigh, the pheremones relaxing him, but then something struck him, what if this was a trap, what if she was doing this to calm him down enough to kill, or capture him? He jerked upright again, letting out a low threatening growl. He puffed out his chest and put his thumb up to his chest, and let out a light bark. He shoved her shoulder, only a little harder this time, and stepped forward, only inches away from her, he stared down on this seemingly fragile being.

 

He growled, and stood his ground, the pheremones permeating intensly in his sent region, making him feel drugged, but he wouldn't let this slow his vigil. But then an idea came to him that was near brilliant! If this human, a rarety as she was, could secrete sent at will, then maybe she could also detect sent better than most humans? He didn't back down, but he decided to ask her a question, or at least try to communicate, with smell. He slowly knelt down until he was eye level with her, maybe only two or three inches from her face. He secreted a musk, often used to attract mates, or alert other male Yautja that might be in the area, the musk was normally only detectable to sent inclined creatures, such as canines, or other Yautja, hopefully she would smell it.

 

Though the purpose of the musk was one track, it's smell in general could be changed slightly, to change the message the musk was meant to give. He secreted his to indicate his feelings on the matter at hand, it indicated a small bit of fear, much frustration, and extreme confusion, with a hint of...questioning. He only wondered if she'd get the message and respond in some way, or else he'd have to carry through with his challenge.

[Writer]

"Doesn't speak basic, does it..." Rita muttered, feeling rather foolish despite having hotly disagreed with Raze when she stated such. She peered out from behind a stray crate she'd used for cover, observing the exchange between Rita and the stranger. Slowly, cautiously, she drew her blaster, knowing it was well out of the alien's sight range and wanting to be prepared in case something were to go wrong in the... silence?

 

Rita wrinkled her nose in confusion. What are they doing? she wondered as the alien towered over Raze, but then halted there. It almost seemed as if they were... smelling one another. Rita shook her head in disbelief, but managed to keep quiet for once. Smiling slightly as the amusing thought took her, she told herself Zam and Raze would both be proud of her.

[JasraLantill]

Raze slowly raised a single eyebrow as the musky odour touched her senses.

 

Oh…no. Erm... pretty sure it’s a male now…, she thought.

 

She immediately recognised the scent as similar to mating pheromones used by Falleen and other reptilian-like species.

 

But perhaps, it has a different meaning where it comes from.

 

The alien slowly knelt down until it was eye level with her, maybe only two or three inches from her face.

 

Then again, maybe not. Oh, by the Black Stars! Please don’t let it be considering me as a possible mate!

 

The scent changed. To her keen senses, it became more acidic and thinner than before.

 

Fear? It’s afraid? Nearly three meters tall and holding a severed head, and it’s afraid? Of us? Yeah, right!

 

It changed again—crisper, more biting.

 

Frustration? Confusion? Yeah, you and me both, pal.

 

The fragrance grew heavy for a moment, then began to disperse.

 

Wondering are you? Wondering what?

 

Raze took a more critical look at the alien. Large, muscular, heavily armoured--obviously strength was paramount in its culture. Armed, but mostly with melee weapons--battle was also important. Its wound still bled, yet it had readily attacked and killed the stealth-cloaked man--courage must also be held in high esteem. And of course where strength, battle, and courage go, honour must follow. And where there is honour, there is….

 

Pride. Oh, great. Just great. Another one who won’t give up because of pride. Definitely a male.

 

Raze figured that the alien had assumed she was the leader, and that the shove he had given her had been a challenge. He was looking for either submission or a fight, and his over-inflated male sense of pride would not allow him to back down.

 

Raze only had a blaster, and she knew that the alien could slit her throat faster than she could draw on him. She had pride, too, but she was also practical.

 

She didn’t cower. She didn’t bow. She didn’t take a single step backwards. In her mind, and most likely in his, any of those actions would be a sign of weakness. And although she wasn’t as physically strong as the alien, or half of her crew for that matter, she wasn’t weak. She was a captain.

 

Slowly, very slowly, and without flinching or lowering her head, she averted her gaze to the ground for a moment, then she looked over at Ulim, then Zam and John, and lastly Rita, before slowly raising her eyes to look at him solidly once more.

 

The meaning? I refuse your challenge to me, but I'm not submitting to you in front of my crew.

[ForceFightWMe12]

Suddenly, a blaster shot rang out and a dark circle appeared on the side of the alien's helmet, dropping him instantly. Travis stepped out from a secluded spot, an indifferent Bif following a few feet behind him.

 

"Stun, of course." the gunner explained, waving the blaster in his hand. "Looked like the brute was giving you trouble, figured I'd give him a time out."

[JasraLantill]

Raze looked down at the wounded, unconscious alien at her feet, then looked at Travis. "A mercy stun?" she asked him. "Why, Travis... I didn't know you had it in you."

[ForceFightWMe12]

"Ha ha." Travis answered sarcastically, spinning his blaster beforee slipping into the holster at his hip, his other hand in his pocket. "I wasn't sure how hard this guy's armor was -- I figured if it didn't work, he might not try and rip your head off quite as quickly if I hit him with a stun bolt instead of a real one."

 

He looked over at the fallen alien and nudged its head with his foot. It wobbled limply. "Hm." he muttered, "Thought a monster like him might actually be a bit more fun."

[JasraLantill]

"He's not a monster," Raze chastised Travis, lightly smacking him with the back of her hand. She knelt down beside Otak and studied him for a moment. "I think he was afraid and confused. Definitely aggressive, but then again, he's a male." She eyed him over. "I think."

 

She had tried to have a non-violent ending to the odd situation, but things didn't quite work out that way. She dipped a finger in the puddle of green blood, then frowned slightly. Falleen blood was green, too. She sighed.

 

"Well, we can't just leave him here like this," she said, concerned. She turned to Ulim.

 

"Ulim, you said he was your 'friend'. Get him on board and put him in the medical bay. But, stay with him. I don't want him to wake up, freak out, and damage the ship.

 

"Bif? Hope your medical archives are up-to-date. You've got a patient. Oh, and see if you can determine what sort of projectile he was hit with. I certainly didn't see it exit, or see it around anyplace, but there's an exit wound here," she said, pointing to Otak's shoulder.

 

"Travis? Think you can rig up some sort of restraining apparatus in the med bay for our new friend? I don't want him to think he's our prisoner or anything, but neither do I want him rampaging around the ship trying to rip our heads off when he wakes up." She thought a moment. "Something flexible, but strong."

 

She then turned her attention to Rita, Zam, and John. "All right. Show's over. You've got cargo to load, and I've got credits to collect." She rose, intending to go to her quarters on board and relay the payment information to Phee. "I'll join you in a few minutes."

 

She looked down at the severed head of the dead man, still clutched in Otak's clawed hand. "And would someone please get rid of that before someone comes looking for him. We don't need any more trouble from the locals."

~~~~~~

((OOC: Just thought we should move the thread along to the cargo phase now. But please feel free to respond individually to Raze's 'orders.'))

[ForceFightWMe12]

Travis nodded, watching as Ulim began carting the giant thing into the Eclipse. "I still think it's a monster." he told Raze, grinning faintly as he followed the pair, headed up the ramp.

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

 

Several hours, a dozen old battery packs, stims, chems, and half a million experiments later, Travis had a break through.

 

Flexible but not breakable, eh? he thought, grinning to himself at he looked down at his creation. I think that's doable.

 

He picked up the amber-colored, goopish substance, and pulled at it. It stretched a bit, but the more pressure he applied, the harder it was to move it. And even better...

 

Picking up an extra scrap of the material, he rolled it into a ball. Allowing it to drop to the ground, he smirked when it automatically bounced up again, right back into his hand. This could be fun...

[starmark2k]

"Oh yeah get the Pilot to move the cargo." Zam complained as Raze walked off.

 

It wasn't long before a large irspeeder landed near the Landing Pad and placed the Cargo on the floor for him, Rita and john to move. The most notable peice of was a large Crate about 3 meters long and two meters wide with enough depth to transport ships parts. Zam looked down at it and noticed the Words 'Do not open' in huge bold letters written on top of it. "What's the bet it's a bomb."

[Master_Archon]

Otak had seen what the woman did, after she detected the scent. She averted her eyes, but did not lower her head, or back down, or move away. She looked to those around her, and he realized she was trying to be strong infront of her...clan, if you could call it that. He nodded once and stepped away, giving her some space, but he was not backing down; this woman had pride, something he hadn't seen, or felt in a long time. For he had lost all pride when he was given the clan taboo tattoos, and exiled to rome this galaxy.

 

He admired this woman, she was strong, though not physically, inwardly, she was...a leader. For this, he respected her even more than he had before, for he respected women, being raised from birth to do so, and tought not to kill women, for it was dishonorable, and even though he was exiled, his clan had respected him enough to not label him as a Bad Blood, and he wasn't about to act like one.

 

He had challenged her out of necessity more than anything, and he only felt he had to carry through with his challenge because his culture dictated it, ever since birth it was bored into his slightly primal mind. But now she had denied the challenge, and he felt no need to carry on further with it, though he saw she didn't want to show weakness by backing down, he didn't either, so, he didn't.

 

He was about to say something in his language when something that felt like a glop of...numb, hit him. He fell to his side and lay there, the numbness spreading through his body. The last thing he smelt was the matriarchs pheremones still clinging in the air, and the last thing he saw was a man come out of the shadows with a blaster, he talked to the matriarch a bit, then nudged his head with his foot. This guy was cocky, and Otak burried this man's face deep in his mind, before his vision faded. The man acted arrogant, and fought like a coward...he would die miserably by Otak's hands!

 

Even though he could barely smell, and he no longer saw, he heard rather well.

 

"Thought a monster like him might actually be a bit more fun." He heard the cocky man say, Otak's suit's voice mimicry system hearing, and recording every word of the following conversations it could pick up. Then he slipped into full unconciousness, as he felt himself carried up a ramp by Ulim.

 

Several hours later he drowsily woke up, the stun shot wearing off. He tryed sitting up but found himself strapped to a table...with goo!? He struggled to get up, but the substance only tightened, and wouldn't let him go, yet it slowly relaxed after time, so as not to continually crush, and strangle him he thought. He looked around, no one was around, not even Ulim, who he heard before his unconciousness was supposed to watch him.

 

He looked at himself; he was on a table, in what appeared to be a medlab, or somthing, and the substance holding him down was across his chest, and upper arms, and across his ankles. He growled, 'cowardly pigs!' He thought to himself. He noticed that his armor hadn't been removed, infact, not even his honor mask had been removed, yet his wound was treated, rather proffesionally, though it wasn't standard to his anatomy. Obviously whoever treated him didn't understand his species biology, but they still did a good job, he would have to find out who treated him, so he wouldn't kill him.

 

He noticed that everything removable from his body, besides mask, armor, and hunting mesh, had been removed. He looked at his right arm, his wrist blades were still there, which was a good thing, because any conventional, human, or nonhuman means of removing his wrist blades would have ended in his death, he was the only one capable of removing them without death. He looked over to his left, his plasma caster was still on his shoulder, though he understood why, his armor would have had to have been removed to take that off, and, well, his armor hadn't.

 

He wasn't surprised though, without the plasma caster on, it just looked like a large armored snail shell on his shoulder, no one would expect it to be a weapon if they didn't know it was one. He moved his right forearm over and opened his wrist computer panel on his left wrist, he read his suit signs, no power had been removed from his suit, which was a big mistake. Obviously these people didn't know much about Yautja technology. But then he heard something, looking over a bit he saw a person, though he seemed...emotionless, cold. Otak had seen androids before, but they were still rather new to him, but from what he could tell from his cold, emotionless expressions, that he was an android.

 

Then he noticed Ulim, who had been a bit hidden from his sight, at least he thought he saw Ulim, he wasn't sure, he felt, wierd. He struggled against his bonds, but to no avail, he was weak and drowsy, obviously from some sedatives used in his treatment. He found that his hands were bound as well, so even if he activated his wrist blades, or his plasma caster, he'd only be able to do so much. He struggled against the goo even more, getting angry.

 

"[You cowardise money whores! LET ME GO!!]" He barked out in his language.

 

At this he let out a long roar of rage, it echoed in the ship, he riggled, riled, and squirmed, but his captors just stood by. He let out a moan and stopped, he struggle only tiring him.

 

"[Where is that tratorous woman, that, 'leader', of your, huh? You know? I'd really like to tear her eyes out, shove them down her throut, and tear her arms off with my bare hands!]" He said towards Ulim, at least, he thought it was Ulim, he was seriously drugged. "[Erm, spots? Huh?] He said, seeing spots, and being in the stupor he was.

 

((Okay now?))

[Writer]

"Betcha it's not," Rita shot back. "I've a hundred credits, says it's not a bomb. You wanna match that, Zam?"

[starmark2k]

"OK SureShot Hundred creds it is" Zam said as he walked around to pick it up. "C'mon lets move it inside and i'll set up some kind of scanner while we're enroute"

[Writer]

Rita laughed. "Bomb scanner?" she asked, lifting one end of the crate. "Oh, that'll be fun to see!"

[steven]

"Zam, I wait to tell you that most bombs have some sort of blocker or trap when it comes to scanners. Anyway, I bet 200 credits on whatever's in their, is living. Like some sort of animal or perhabs a disease of somesort."

[Rexraptor2000]

Ulim had been reading from a data pad when Sage had woken up and gone into a fit of rage. He looked up at him and said "You shouldn't struggle, as you will only tire yourself out that way. As for the Ship Master, Raze, she is currently occupied. But I imagine that you wont be let loose until you change your manner and intentions."

[The Doctor]

Bif stood over the struggling alien, passing a disc-shaped instrument over the alien's chest as it struggled against its restraints. It snarled as he brought the insturment over its face, but he ignored the protest. He tilted his head.

 

"I assure you that there is no need for concern," he said. "The Captain will no doubt free once your injuries have been tended to, and you have answered her questions."

[JasraLantill]

While the cargo was being loaded, Raze was transmitting her banking details to Phee. It would take a few minutes, and so she decided that she’d update her journal. She hit a few buttons on her console.

 

“Current date: 35.09.15, 1748 hours,” said an automated voice. A lens on the console began to glow. “Recording….”

 

“We’ve landed on Nar Shaddaa. Same old sweltering cesspit that it ever was. We needed a job, so I looked up an old contact of mine. Barrus Phee. After a little delicate negotiation, Barrus came through with one of his ‘exclusives.’ Sounded like a fairly easy and fairly lucrative offer, albeit it a Core job. Trouble is, I made the mistake of bringing along Rita.” She paused. “Needless to say, she opened that big Corellian mouth of hers again. So… now we got a ‘special’ package to deliver as well. Payoff’s good though. Fifty-eight thousand credits.” She paused again, and grinned slightly. “Fifty. Eight. Thousand. Just had to repeat that because it sounds so sweet. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a job that lucrative. Hopefully, Ulim was able to get information on the Empire’s activity ‘hot spots’ from his contacts, and we’ll be able to avoid any Imperial patrols on the way to the Core.

 

“In other news, on our way back from Phee’s, we encountered an unidentified alien species banging on our ship. And just when we were about to ask him what he was doing, he sort of attacked us.” She paused. “No, strike that. He didn’t ‘sort of' attack us. He charged us, and then ended up attacking some stupid mercenary that was sneaking up behind him wearing a stealth generator, and killing him by ripping his head off. Literally.” She shivered. “Totally disgusting.

 

“I’ve no idea what species he is, but he’s huge, and muscular, and with all that aggression, I have to assume that he’s a male. When he got nose to nose…” She paused again. “Well, nose to olfactory organ, I attempted to calm him with some pheromones. Initially it seemed to work, then it backfired. But just when I thought for sure he was going to rip my head off, Travis popped out from the ship and stunned him. Should probably give him a bonus for saving my neck, but then again, he’s cocky enough already and that might make him worse.

 

“The alien was wounded by the idiot merc, so after Travis stunned him, I had Ulim take him to the medical bay for Bif to tend to him. Travis made up some sort of elasticised ‘goo’ and so we used that to restrain the alien until he’s recovered.”

 

A loud roar echoed through the ship. Raze cocked an eyebrow.

 

“Think he’s recovered. I’ll go and check on him, see what he wants and why he attacked us. Hopefully, Bif has observed enough to be able to translate for me as the alien doesn’t seem to speak Basic. End log.”

 

“Recording stopped,” said the automated voice, and the lens light faded. “Entry saved.”

 

Her console bleeped. She looked at the screen, then grinned.

 

“Seventeen thousand four hundred credits,” she said satisfactorily. She let out a sigh of relief. “Time to get this ship loaded and on our way.”

 

She headed to the med bay. The alien was, thankfully, still restrained by Travis’ ‘goo’, but also still agitated, despite Ulim and Bif’s attempts. Still, Raze kept her distance from him.

 

“So,” Raze asked Bif and Ulim. “How is our ‘guest’ faring? Any progress on finding out why he’s so agitated and why he seems to want to kill us?”

[ForceFightWMe12]

"Judging by the fact that he's still trying to rip through my indestructable bonds and roaring like a rancor with a toothach, I'm guessing not." Travis said, appearing behind her, checking to see what all the commotion was about. He spun his new ball on his finger, rolled it over his arms and shoulders to his other hand, then shot it back to the first to spin it again.

 

"The good news is, I found a name for my new invention." a grin came to his face, "Elastoplastacrete."

[JasraLantill]

Raze watched Travis' juggling antics with curious interest.

 

"The good news is, I found a name for my new invention. Elastoplastacrete."

 

"Elasto-what-what?" Raze asked.

[ForceFightWMe12]

((Ah, one liners. How I love them so :xp))

 

"Elastoplastacrete." he repeated, "It stretches like elastic, sticks like plaster, but won't break, like duracrete. Elastoplastacrete."

[JasraLantill]

Raze nodded. "Ah ha," she said, deadpan. "Well, it seems to be working keeping our 'friend' here from harming himself, or others. Maybe you should look into patenting it when we get to Core."

 

She glanced over at the alien. She felt sort of sorry for him, stuck in a strange place and immobilised with Travis' elastoplastacrete. No doubt had their situations been reversed, she would be agitated as well.

 

Raze looked at Ulim, and then Bif. "Bif, could you determine what sort of projectile it was that wounded him? And do either of you know what species he is and how to communicate with him?" She let out a tired sigh. "'Cause I'm damned if I know what to do with him. I mean, if we let him loose in his present state of agitation, he's liable to do some pretty heavy damage--to us and the ship. We need calm him down and then find out why he was banging on the ship and what he wanted. Then we can consider letting him loose."

 

She frowned a bit, then looked askance at Travis. "We can get him loose from that stuff at some point, right?"