2007-10-05 - More Than Meets the Eye I, Amalfiel and Ksar

Concurrent with More Than Meets the Eye I.
The stars here are not as brilliant as they are in the depths of the Core, but they are still more dense than anywhere along the Outer Rim. The sharp blue-white of Corellia's sun stands as a beacon leading further into the system, and several orderly lanes of starships follow the path passed the barren binary planets marking the boundary of Corellian space.
A single long cabin, with space for about twenty passengers or a similar number of crates. The cockpit itself is open to the cabin, though entrance can be barred (somewhat) by a flexible transparisteel plate. The interior is sparse and simple, the seats unupholstered, the crash webbing old and slightly frayed. An archaic chop stamped on one wall is but a single visible reminder of the age of the Telos class shuttle design. Perhaps this one is a first-run Telos; perhaps it is four thousand years old.
Amalfiel sits toward the rear of the cabin, scowling to himself. And he does it so beautifully, too, what with his pouty full lips and his wide, sparkling eyes. "Damn shoddy, if you ask me," the pretty little fellow is muttering to himself, running a hand through one of his many waves of multicolored bangs. "I feel like I'm going to be thrown out into space. Four thousand years old! These Telos shuttles are a hazard. It's 'case CEC is cheap. But the cost of tickets!"
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE:</FONT> The Plague enters the area.
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE</FONT> - Outskirts of the Corellian System: ElysiumComing out hyperspace too close to the system, Tuil frowns and realizes he still has a lot to learn about commanding a spaceship. Requesting the crewers of Tarkin's vessel to steer the gunship back out into the designated space lane, Tuil looks out the viewscreen at the Corellian star in the distance.
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE</FONT> - Outskirts of the Corellian System: ElysiumIndeed, Tuil does have a lot to learn. But that's all right. Tarkin and his Jedi friend aren't around to look over his shoulder with their sharp, critical eyes. The last orders from the imposing Tarkin were that he and the once-Jedi were not be disturbed. Important matters to discuss, it would seem. The crew have taken to listening to Tuil, though they do have something of a critical eye for his work.
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE</FONT> - Outskirts of the Corellian System: The PlagueIf the Elysium has come out of hyperspace too close to the system, The Plague has come out of hyperspace too far from it. Appearing with jarring abruptness, the tiny Unaani starfighter falls from an enlongated streak into a blunt dot of durasteel on the outskirts of Corellian space... and there it lingers, sunlight engines for the moment idle.
Ksar Antilles sits towards the front of the cabin. He relaxes in his seat, his head back and legs up on the armrest of the seat ahead of him. However, the Corellian keeps a firm eye on the shuttle's cockpit and the pilots inside.
Amalfiel is frowning irritably. He points at the old Telos chop stamped on the wall and says, "This thing's gotta be three thousand years old! I didn't know I was going to be in a hunk of junk like this."
Amalfiel says, "Does CEC -ever- replace its old ships?"
Ksar turns his head only enough for his profile to be visible to those behind him. With a cynical tone, the hardened spacer pronounces: "everything flying in the Republic these days ia hunk of junk. Its a sign of the times."
Amalfiel shrugs a bit, peering at the hard-faced spacer. His eyes glint; he flicks a hand through his hair, which is voluminous to the point of being scary. "I've seen some KDY ships that weren't too lousy, and Sienar still makes decent stuff. It's just Corellia that's making no-good junk. Take the YT-series ... when are they going to replace the 1300?"
Ksar noticibly jerks in his seat upon hearing the slight against his home planet's ship building. "Hey pard, if it isn't broken, you don't fix it. Any good spacer knows that."
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE</FONT> - Outskirts of the Corellian System: The Plague tries to startup, but its sublight engines only sputter. The small fighter begins to drift in a lazy, directionless helix.
Amalfiel sneers, tossing his mane like an overgrown pony. "The Telos class was introduced during the Snaravian War," he says, "for small-scale sublight shuttling between Procurator-class warships. Anybody who knows his Corellian history knows that. Only reason they're still around is because they were overproduced something fierce."
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE</FONT> - Outskirts of the Corellian System: Elysium"Republic shuttle, this is CR95 Elysium, Lieutenant Lindo of the Republic Navy. Please respond."
Amalfiel hears the crackle of the transmission from the cockpit and gives a visible jump. "A gunship is hailing us?"
One of the pilots glances back, scowling at the busted cabin door which makes it impossible to screen the passengers off from the pilots. "Nothin' to get jittery about."
Ksar sits up in his seat and turns to look squarely at the man behind him. "Only reason they're still around is because they work." The Corellian smiles with satisfaction at seeing his cabin mate uncomfortable. "What's the problem with you pard?"
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE</FONT> - Outskirts of the Corellian System: Republic Transit Gamma II"<static> CR95 Elysium, this is Shuttle Gamma II flyin' under Corellian colors. You need somethin'?"
Amalfiel bites his lip and settles back in his seat. "There's been rumors of piracy lately," he says, a bit unwillingly. "Lots of rough Rimmers and toughs hanging out where you'd least expect them. Ord Mantell's been half-infested with 'em, as if things weren't already bad enough."
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE</FONT> - Outskirts of the Corellian System: Elysium"Affirmative, Shuttle Gamma II. We are reading a distress signal and request your assistance."
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE</FONT> - Outskirts of the Corellian System: Republic Transit Gamma II"<static hiss> Oh, sh-- ... <hiss> Distress signal? You gotta be kidding me. Where are the CorSec rescue ships when you need 'em? <static hiss> ... Fine."
Ksar turns back to face the front of the cabin. "Hey pards, turn up the com, I want to hear what's going on out there."
One of the pilots mutters a curse. "Dammit. Careless gits. Ain't nobody knows how to fly these days."
THe other squints back at Ksar. "Say what, pard? You want the com turned up?" He grins a bit sourly and twists a knob until the hiss of static is almost deafening. "Looks like a distress call," he yells over the hiss.
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE</FONT> - Outskirts of the Corellian System: Elysium"Gamma II, we read you and will assist. Please remain on this frequency."
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE</FONT> - Outskirts of the Corellian System: Republic Transit Gamma II drifts closer to The Plague, maneuvering its boxy body on a gradual-approach spiral. Its sublight engines glow a little more brightly as it adjusts its approach vector.
"Elysium, we're moving closer. What now?"
Not bothering to plug his ears, the Corellian sits back in his seat and smiles at the pilot. "Doom on you, pard. Doom on you." Turning to look back at his cabin mate. "Corellian ships may be one thing! Corellian pilots," Ksar jerks his thumb towards the cockpit, "you gotta love 'em."
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE</FONT> - Outskirts of the Corellian System: The Plague suddenly lights sublight engines. They roar to life and the snubfighter banks along the flank of Gamma II's flank. Laser cannons in the nose of the snubfighter light up in a quick volley of rabid fire across the shuttle's bow.
"<crackling> Now you lower your shields and prepare for boarding, Corellian trash-heap. Ha ha!" a gruff voice chortles over the com frequency, "Unless you want me to laser you and your pretty passengers out of the sky."
There's another bout of crackling, "And Elysium-- thanks for the help-- but before you come close take a good reading on my torpedo banks. Navy scum. You come within turbo-laser range, and you'll have pod full of dead civies on your hands."
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE:</FONT> The Plague fires its 2 Laser Cannons at Republic Transit Gamma II but misses it.
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE</FONT> - Outskirts of the Corellian System: Elysium maneuvers slowly behind the shuttle towards the snubfighter.
"What's this?!" The com cuts out.
Amalfiel yelps and leaps to his feet with a cry of surprise. "Is this shuttle armed?" he demands, with visible agitation.
"Two laser cannons," the pilot says sourly. "But we'd be smarter to let him board us -- that's just an Unaani fighter. Room for one passenger. I'm powering down and charging up my stunner."
Ksar bolts out of his seat at the flash of lasers through the cockpit's viewports. The Corellian enters the cockpit and steadies himself against the flight couches. "What kind of Corellian are you! Get us outta here. Or step aside and let me do it."
The pilot turns round in his chair, sullenly staring at Ksar. "What kind'a Corellian? An old one. And I want to get older. Let the bastage board us, it'll be fun."
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE</FONT> - Outskirts of the Corellian System: Elysium comes to life as its sublight engines ignite. The gunship shoots forward quick and as it nears the snubfighter, its turbolasers open up for a full sweep.
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE:</FONT> Elysium opens fire with its Turbo Laser Batteries.3 Turbo Lasers fire at The Plague for 2 hits, critically damaging it.
Amalfiel, twitching with excitement, flounces toward the pilot's cabin, braids whipping out behind him. "Cowardice!" he cries. "We should attack them. That's the only thing to do."
"Fun? Like a watching a wookiee tear a droid apart kinda fun? No way of knowing what kinda goodies he's going to bring aboard. Lets get outta here while we got a ship and engines to do it with."
Amalfiel says, "There's no way this bucket of bolts could outrun a Stinger starfighter! We should attack!"
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE</FONT> - Outskirts of the Corellian System: The Plague"Holy <crackling> ... " comes the gruff voice over the comsystem.
The Plague wobbles suddenly in its path as two pairs of the heavy turbolaser blasts strike it across the bow. Sparks flie from the fore of the fighter, and reactive gas vents from a side cable.
"You <crackle> Navy <crackle> Ahhhhhh! Sonofa<crackling>! You think I'm joking?!" the gruff voice screams.
Desperately, the ship swings about, punching up its thrust. The gas comes out in a wider stream from the internal pressure, but the Stinger swings about to face the shuttle and a blue torpedo blast issues forth from the launcher.
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE:</FONT> The Plague launches a Proton Torpedo at Republic Transit Gamma II but misses it.
The pilot's fingers go white-knuckled on the steering yoke as he jerks the Telos shuttle's flight path away from the Proton Torpedo which hurtles past it in a blaze of white fire. "Holy sonofabitch!" he gasps. "That bastard! Where the hell are the escape pods?"
The other pilot grunts. "Ain't got no escape pods, pardner. Got lasers."
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE:</FONT> Elysium trains its Tractor Beam on The Plague and reels it helplessly into its docking bay.
Amalfiel says, "Fly into that docking bay, pilot! I want to hold this bastard accountable personally! I'll pay you!"
"Fire all weapons and blast us outta here!" Ksar screams.
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE</FONT> - Outskirts of the Corellian System: Elysium swings around and its tractor beam fires up and locks onto the Stinger fighter! It's a firm lock and the snubfighter is reeled in!
Amalfiel says, "No! Fly us into the corvette!"
Amalfiel says, "I want to blast that bastard in the face!"
Amalfiel brandishes a gleaming high-powered snub blaster. The safety is on, but it could be thumbed off at any second. "Piracy is against the law. Punishable by death. We should punish!"
Amalfiel leans forward and grabs ahold of the transmitter uplink.
"You'd probably vomit at the sight of someone's face burned off by a blaster." Ksar leans forward to get a better view out of the view ports.
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE</FONT> - Outskirts of the Corellian System: Republic Transit Gamma IIA different voice, younger and smoother: "Hey! Open your docking bay and let us onboard. That bastard tried to kill us!"
Amalfiel says, "I've stalked and shot waraguls and makoneks."
Amalfiel says, "I'm no stranger to blasters."
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE</FONT> - Outskirts of the Corellian System: Elysium"Sorry about that, Gamma II. Lieutenant Lindo has left the bridge. This isn't a Navy vessel. I can't open the docking bay for you. This is a private vessel," the technician says, looking over his shoulder at Tuil as the young Officer heads for the turbolift.
Amalfiel visibly fumes, shaking his fist at the corvette. "Dammit. Another Corellian ship robs me of my rights. Always, it's a Corellian ship! Always, it takes away what's mine!" His over-pretty face contorted with rage and mottled, Amalfiel shakes with anger. "I will have my revenge!"
Ksar straightens up next to his cabin mate. Without hesitation he swings his arm around to viciously slap the man hard across the face.
<FONT color="#FFFF00">COMBAT:</FONT> You lash out at Amalfiel with your fists!<FONT color="#FFFF00">COMBAT:</FONT> Amalfiel parries Ksar's attack with his Golden Swizzle Stick.
Amalfiel steps rapidly back, whipping out a short golden rod and blocking the blow with a cry. "Damn, you're fast," he says, backing away toward the rear of the cabin with his braids flopping behind him. He points the rod at Ksar, eyes narrowing. "Was it something I said?"
"You little runt!" Ksar rubs his arm where the rod it. The Corellian warily watches the other man retreat. "Stay back there where you belong or I'll give you the beating you deserve, rod or no rod."
Amalfiel sniffs haughtily, tossing his hair. "You big Corellian bully," he says irritably, "you're just looking for an excuse to beat on me. It's the Mantell accent, isn't it? Like red cloth in front of a bull bantha. You hear it, and you start denying basic sentient rights!"
Ksar turns back to the pilots. "Turn up that damn com again. I don't want to listen that." The Corellian looks back over his shoulder. "Shoot me in the back you'll be sorry pard. Just watch it."
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE</FONT> - Outskirts of the Corellian System: Elysium rocks subtly in space as it jettisons an escape pod.
One of the pilots scowls. "That ship just launched an escape pod! I'm hailing them."
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE</FONT> - Outskirts of the Corellian System: Republic Transit Gamma II"Private ship Elysium, you just launched an escape pod."
Ksar leans forward for a better look.
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE</FONT> - Outskirts of the Corellian System: Elysium shoots The Plague out of its hangar, into space. Before the snubfighter is more than a couple hundred meters from the Corvette, the tiny ship explodes inside the Corvette's shield radius. The shockwave buffets the ship, rippling the hull and blowing some fuses.
Amalfiel averts his eyes from the flash of the explosion. "Dock with the CR95," he says eagerly. "That looks like serious damage. There could be casualties. Fatalities, even."
Ksar sneers at the explosion out in deep space. "What a lousy pirate. If I'd been over there..." The Corellian trails off. "I agree. Time to dock."
<FONT color="#FF0000">SPACE:</FONT> Republic Transit Gamma II enters Elysium's docking bay.
Amalfiel, already at the back of the ship, hops out as soon as the exit lift is lowered.
Ksar slaps both pilots on the back. "Pards, you done good. I'm gonna go take a look and keep an eye on that other one."
Continued in More Than Meets the Eye II.
Category: October 2007 RP Logs
Category: Chapter I