Kadira gripped the edge of a table, fighting to keep her balance as the Vanguard bucked violently. Apparently the new hyperspace route hadn't been the best of ideas.
Ran stumbled, catching the back of a chair and sending a pointed look in Kadira's direction before continuing the briefing he was giving them. More information had come in about the Ordinance base when they had stopped on a small moon to refuel, allowing them to plan out the rescue in more detail.
"Laniff, you'll have full credentials that will check out in the Imperial systems. All you have to do is find Blok and break him out. After that, Kadira and I will cover you to get to the ship. Kadira, I want you as a sniper. I wouldn't put it past Coorta to take a distance shot to get rid of Blok. Speaking of Mashiri, what can you tell us about her, Laniff?"
Laniff crossed his arms slowly, his expression unreadable thanks to his red and orange helmet.
"I don't know much," he warned. "She's too good to leave a large trail. I know she doesn't tend to leave witnesses. Your friend Tyron was lucky she wanted to leave Kadira a message. I can tell you that Coorta looks at hunting and killing as one big game. My guess is she thinks you and Ran are worthy adversaries, and so has chosen you as opponents. In her mind, you lost the last game when Dain outsmarted you. But my guess is Coorta still thinks you might end up being entertaining." Laniff sighed slightly. "I've been after Coorta for a long time, but you are the only ones I've seen her leave alive after one of her games. I have a suspicion that she has something especially nasty planned for you. A lot of people think she's crazy, and frankly I wouldn't be too quick to disagree. But she's still incredibly dangerous. I've uploaded everything I have on her to the Vanguard's data system," he tilted his head at Ran, his voice taking on a slight hint of amusement. "And no, the toys I used to get that info weren't even close to legal."
The Vanguard dropped suddenly out of hyperspace, the green and blue globes of Onderon and Dxun clearly visible in the cockpit viewport. Kadira saw Laniff visibly slump in relief in the copilot's seat, looking over at her accusingly.
"Sorry Laniff, but last I checked I can't control how smooth a hyperspace route is," Kadira said, raising her hands as if to ward off an attack. "Besides, Ran is the one who said to try out the new route, so go glare at him."
"I don't care. Just get us grounded so I can kiss the soil," Laniff retorted gruffly, leaning back in his seat. Ran entered the cockpit, looking just as relieved to be about to land.
"Kadira? Next time we'll take the normal route," he said, rubbing his face with one hand. "I'd rather not get smashed to pieces on the return trip."
::Identitfy your craft and intended landing site, pilot,:: the official sounding voice came from the Vanguard's comm, saving Kadira from having to think of a comeback. Instead she leaned forward to answer, motioning Ran to be quiet.
"This is the Vanguard, requesting permission to land in Iziz."
::Your business?::
"Bounty hunting," Kadira responded smoothly.
::Permission granted. Two fighters will escort you to the landing site, recommend you do not deviate from their course.::
"Copy," Kadira responded, turning the ship smoothly to follow the two small fighters that were to be their escort. She set the Vanguard down smoothly, settling her helmet into place and listening to her suit seal before she rose from her seat. "So how are we going to pull this off?" she asked, her voice completely different once more. The vocoder imbedded in her helmet made her sound slightly menacing. " 'Cause no offence Laniff, but you don't really look like someone they'll just let onto an Imperial Ordinance base."
Laniff glanced down at his dented and scratched armor, which bore more than one mark from a blaster. "I don't know, I think it says 'Weapons specialist'," he replied evenly.
"I'd say more like human target," Ran observed, doing little to hide the faint smile that touched his face.
Laniff tilted his head, seeming to study Ran from beneath the expressionless visor of his helmet. "So you do have a sense of humor. Good to know."
Ran didn't reply, instead ducking out of the cockpit. When he came back carrying a stormtrooper uniform, Kadira crossed her arms.
"And you complain when I do something illegal. I think this stands a little higher in the Empire's 'don't list' than an audio tracer."
Ran just smiled, holding out the uniform and looking much too amused. "Congratulations, Laniff. You've just been accepted as a full-fledged stormtrooper."
"Lucky me," Laniff replied, removing his helmet with a sigh.
Kadira glanced up from fiddling with her new jetpack, watching Ran pace back and forth.
"Ran. You're going to wear a groove in the floor," she said dryly, looking back down to the jetpack. The rocket's sighting apparatus wasn't linking up to her HUD, leaving her to fiddle with it while Ran served as Laniff's advisor. "He knows what he's doing, so quit acting anxious."
"The last time we came up against Dain she outmaneuvered us. That is not going to happen again," Ran replied sharply, continuing to pace. "Besides, I'm not anxious."
"Ran. You're still pacing."
He ignored her and she sighed, turning her back to him. "Sithspit, you're making me nervous," she muttered, continuing to work on the jetpack. In truth, she was continuously checking Laniff's status on her HUD, thanks to the tracking beacon they had placed on him.
::Checking in,:: Laniff's voice came in through the comm imbedded in Kadira's helmet as well as Ran's comm. ::All's well so far. Wherever you get your credentials, aruetii, you ought to pay them double whatever you're currently paying. Everything checked out smooth as you please.::
"They're being paid enough, believe me," Ran replied dryly.
::Though I will say, I don't envy these stormtroopers. This armor is karking horrible.::
"Focus, Laniff," Ran admonished.
::You're not the one with a blind spot the size of a bantha,:: Laniff retorted. :: But no word on Blok yet. I managed to get on a patrol, I'll see if I can find him. Any word on Coorta or Dain?::
"Nothing," Kadira chimed in. "I've been running scans on every ship that docks here and I have a couple informants who will let me know if she slips past. No news yet. If she docks here, I'll know it."
::Keep me updated, vod. K'oyacyi.::
"K'oyacyi," Kadira responded before shutting off her comm.
"Translation?" Ran asked, causing Kadira to glance up at him grimly.
"It's used as a goodbye. It literally means 'stay alive'."
"Then K'oyacyi to all of us," Ran said grimly, looking back to the hologram of Onderon that still hovered in the data room of the ship.
A/N: Sorry if this one reads a bit choppy, had a rough time writing this one for some reason. Reviews are greatly appreciated :)