[05.05: As though we were smugglers, not poor honest men?]
[Down into the vaults to dances long ended…]
"Is he….are they….dancing?"
"Yes…." Kara Zor-El muttered to her friend, arms folded across her chest as she watched her boyfriend her business partner act like fucking morons "…yes, they are. Idiots"
"Could you guys….not make us all look like drunken teenagers for a minute?" she muttered to them as she stomped over with a sigh. They were in Shamballah, the Golden City, and, after blowing up some stuff, had found ancient computers and libraries that made Callum and Quinn disturbingly happy. Even if everything was broken looking and covered in dust down here as the hovering drones illuminated the underground vault with pale light. Ancient computers that were dead now, since they'd been trying to kill them, and savage orcs they'd…allied with?...led in religious crusade?...when they'd moved the ships and strike force into the city itself.
"The silence is golden, To books I am beholden, I know…"
"Oh no, your way too fucking happy about this" Kara murmured, Callum singing back as he waved around his cane at the ruined library. She though pinched the bridge of nose at the response, even if she was a….little…amused at the antics for a bunch of old scrolls and half-rotted books. Babs found it hilarious….because of course she did as Kara shook her head as Callum came over, half-hugging her and giving her a peck on the cheek.
"Ah, but this is quite the find for the bibliophiles amongst us….and the techies in Quinn's case. Arcano-Tech my dear Kara! Ancient Atlantean Arcano-tech!"
"Dead stuff too Boss-man…" Barbara offered poking at the dusty ruins with a batarang "…and do you even *speak* ancient Atlantean?"
"Nope!" Callum replied cheerfully spinning his cane, gesturing at the nearest ancient stone shelf "But, time and effort perhaps with shed the light of knowledge on us all!"
Kara groaned "You are such a nerd sometimes!"
His arms went around her waist from behind, breath close to her ears as she rolled her eyes but smiled "So are you Kara about your tech stuff…sometimes"
"Hmmm" she replied as he gave another peck, this time on the other cheek, before releasing her and wandering forward, twirling his cane while humming "…so, what's so good about all this stuff then?"
"Pre-sinking Atlantean colony….not sure how it got here….but…" he grinned, being the drama queen he tended to when he got excited over certain things as he made a 'ta-da' gesture at the filthy, battered, ruined library as he flared multi-coloured magic "…minor or no, it's a lovely little goldmine for a merry little mage such as little ol'me!"
She shook her head again, sighing, and looking at Quinn "And what's got you so excited Mr. Science? You're not going to try sing at me too are you…"
"Hey, I'd like boys to serenade me!"
Kara glanced back at her smirking friend "Oh shush you!"
Then back to Quinn who was making happy noises while poking at a golden-silver box of some sort as dust he shoved aside filled the air "Dimensionalfluxdriveregulators…"
Rapid-fire mumbling was the response 'Great'
She shook her head "Shouldn't we be focusing on the barbarian horde coming our way?"
"Hey!" Callum huffed out in amusement "We are preparing! Can't you just allow us our moment of archaeological amusement?"
"Hey guys!" Zatanna's voice greeted them, the woman coming forward dressed sensibly for once in trousers and jacket rather than like she was attending a strip show…as the stripper…and clapping her hands "Oh, that's a lot of books!"
"I know right!" Callum replied cheerfully "Pre-sinking Atlantean colony looks like!"
"Uuuuuuuuuu" Zatanna made a happy sound, clapping her hands together again, then looking at the books behind not-glass as she mumbled more not-words "Uuuuuu…..is that?"
….and then her idiot and the recently arrived idiot were, once again, doing a 'happy dance' as Kara's hand found her forehead. There was a whole city to explore and now the old woman was moving about like a teenage idiot while Kara's boyfriend did the same….all while Lex Luthor With Hair mumbled insanely over some ancient technology. Barbara patted her shoulder, voice happy and cheerful "See S, you are the sensible adult in the room sometimes…"
--
{This is your Eye in the Sky with your daily weather report!}
Nathan Anderson was glad of the coffee, it had been a long day so far as they cleared the 'Golden City' below them…
'Golden City my ass…' he thought as he stand in his rough command centre as the various feeds were displayed for the world around their ships "…broken down, dusty, ruin is what it is below, and a pigsty with mad computers above'
"Any change in movement?"
The young woman on the sensors today was Brewster, and she was, like her two fellow Sunnydalers Jonathan and Rose, very good at her job now. So it was no surprise that the images and map overlaps popped up almost before he'd finished speaking, and she'd managed a reply "Doesn't look like it Chief, they're camped again up north of us, and here…."
More images flashed up, this time of the 'Great Stone' as it was named, and the 'fortress' around it "We see they've called away fighters from the defences"
Nathan sipped his black coffee, then nodded, adjusting the images to his liking "Looks good, even if it's a bit hazy so far up…"
"Sorry Chief, Captain's orders…"
He waved the girl's apology off "It's okay, I agree with his caution actually. They may look like a bunch of barbarians but they've got magic as well, and a store of more modern weapons as it seems to my eye"
"Why do not crush them now?"
Nathan glanced at the 'aide' for the day, the pyromaniac girl Azula as the girl stood, studying everything as usual while under the watchful eyes of his guards and the rest of the bridge crew during her few hours 'helping' at the Captain's command "Hmmm….we could I suppose, be overkill though and…well, seems the senior officers want to punish certain individuals rather than this..."
He gestured at the screens showing aerial feed from the drones "Rabble as a whole. That and I do believe the Captain wants to make our….hmm….new allies not utter dependent on us, say if we destroyed all their enemies and then left….annddddd then we return to see they've fallen apart without us"
"What did they do to anger the…" the girl question actually sound curious, though the tone was "…heroes…" momentarily showed her views on that subject "…to such ways. The Captain I can understand, and Mister Mallory, but the Captain's lover and the Star Girl are…"
She waved her hand again and Nathan gave an amused snort, taking another sip of the strong black coffee he needed before replying "As I understand it, the Sorceress daughter of The Warlord as they call him summon them here to fight their war…"
Nathan gave a snort at that "Mistake Number One there. Then, when they'd won the fight for the savages, the girl betrayed them and forcibly banished them…and that nearly killed one or two of them I believe. You've seen our Captain's usual feelings towards oath-breaking and backstabbing?"
"Heh"
Nathan nodded "Yes, exactly that. But you have to remember we, should….and we can't get complacent either…have overwhelming firepower so we have options thanks to that. Isn't that right Brewster?"
"Yes Chief…" the girl at sensors replied not looking up from the controls "…we can let them come to us, then raid their Great Stone base, get what we want, and then come back here to fight the battle"
"Win the battle one hopes, as we're here to win not fight" Nathan chuckled back watching the progress of the main orc body, though it was more a large caravan with women and children with it as they migrated to their new home "…but yes, that is the plan. We don't want to run around destroying this place, since the ruins and ancient cities are worth exploring apparently….at a future date as we won't be staying here for months"
He sighed, watching the maps and estimated marching time "Speaking of. Set time for Operation Rocks Fall Phase One at twenty-six hours from now, and this location here, we'll deal with these fine fellows from maybe LexCorp once we deal with the others…."
--
{For the War God!}
It was hard to drag myself away from the ruins we'd secured, but sadly I had no time to indulge in such things despite my enthusiasm as the two armies began to converge on the city of Shamballah. Securing the place had been surprisingly easy when one had two ships and a number of magicians, though the hard part had been turning that around and then repairing ancient, broken, artifice to ensure the safety of those arriving within its walls. Or what approximated defensive walls anyway, as what had been here, long ago, likely depended on magic and technology to defend itself judging from the scans.
Now a familiar….yet long unheard….or never heard…song filled my ears as I strode forward, in human form to remind certain folks of the reasons for their punishment as Kara hovered in the air nearby alongside Stargirl. In my ear the words spoke that Nathan was underway with his raid, using tranquilisers and stun weapons to seize the now sparsely defended giant Kryptonite Rock. The Thunder Child remained, invisible and nearby, as I came out onto the walls to gaze upon two armies beginning to form up. They hadn't even realised we were here yet, nor the fact my magic had worked its way into the grave…
"Lord Captain…" Ulank, the High Priest of these united tribes said to me from behind as I gazed out at the colourful display of banners. Sure we could destroy it with a bomb or two, or my magic…or our undead….or our…
I turned and smiled at my fellow Priest of the Shrouded Lord "Ah, it is time it seems. So, I think it's best I make myself visible to our brave Warlord and his treacherous daughter"
The red-skinned orc bowed to me as I drew power to myself "As you command Lord Captain"
Flight was a useful spell, but not against a fellow magic-user of note as I tapped my communicator "Kara dear, Stargirl, I do believe it's time for us to make statement"
Then I raised my gloved hands, cane rising as I called upon my servants to rise, ancient bones and rotting armour standing at my command. Now our 'weak force' had risen in numbers for our enemies as my magic sang and I felt my opponent begin to draw forth her own strength "Forward my Undead minions! Forward to War!"
They wouldn't last long…
Fireballs lashed out, powerful flashes of flame and light…
…not long at all…
But that merely meant I had time to pinpoint the Sorceress, preparing my spells and standing up, an illusionary giant forming distant from my position…..
"HELLO AGAIN! REMEMBER US?"
--
[05.06: As though we were smugglers, not poor honest men?]
[Don't look upon the bouncing ball, or else you'll have terrible fall…]
'So they did have a Dark Wizard' Jennifer Morgan thought unhappily as they stood on the fields before the walls of the Golden City of Shamballah. The Red Orcs were too organised for one, and now the filth of ancient death creeping towards them was the sure sign of a Necromancer on the other side. Worse….they were somehow, already within the city without suffering at the hands of the mad computers that had come active when they had been forced to abandon the city in the wake of Deimos's conquests. If they couldn't take back their city, then how had these savages…
She raised her hands, standing proudly as the wind flapped her dress as she summoned the glorious touch of sorcery in cold flames that encased her hands as her eyes glowed. Then bringing her hands together she sent forth a blast of flame into the walking dead things that were shambling, slowly, towards the warriors that had come to serve Father's cause. While the Red Orcs were larger in number, that had never really won them battles against the Warlord before, but the undead, weak as they were, could be a danger that tipped the balance when the clash of arms occurred.
Warriors cheered as she stood at the fore of the host, destroying the monsters…and some few likely admiring her figure. It was certainly nice to be admired so, as no man wanted to approach the Warlord's Daughter, or The Witch as she'd heard whispered when they thought she wasn't able to hear…but now she could stand tall, showing her power and her body as beyond Them, and not the reverse. Power flashed, the soulless monsters fell, and she sought out the…
"HELLO AGAIN! REMEMBER US?"
….and then suddenly a misty image was in the sky and speaking. A horrifying image as the young man in the white suit stood flanked by two blonde girls in blue, white, and red costumes that Jennifer knew all to well unfortunately. After all, they had been the source of her shame these past two years, the breaking of word that had angered her Father so much. For a moment she faltered, starring in shock at the vista suddenly appearing before her eyes as the massed ranks of orcs roared out challenges, banging weapons off shields as she saw two of the figures come forward, flying slowly in the sky….
Where a loud rumble of thunder echoed out over the valley, the light dimming suddenly as the bright sun the orcs so hated was faced with a rolling, rumbling, wave of dark clouds. Magic filled the air, and Jennifer forced herself to calm, raising her arms again, blazing light in each, as she felt the unease ripple out through the ranks of warriors. So she fought that darkness, that shadow that was spreading over the lands where the armies stood, driving up power into the sky, light warring with darkness…
Dispelling it as the rays of the sun came once more through the clouds as she staggered, breathing hard at the effort it had taken to disperse the worst of the dark black-grey cloud cover. Not disperse it entirely unfortunately as the shadows and darkness lingered over the city itself and where the Red Orcs host stood. Jennifer allowed herself a moment to bend forward, hands on her knees, as she recovered her breath while Father's warriors let out a triumphant cheer while catapults and archers dealt with the remaining dusty skeletons in rotted armour that were marching at them well ahead of the orcs that stood idle…waiting.
"THIS IS THE PRICE OF BETRAYAL!" the voice of the White Devil echoed out across the battlefield, yet his illusion was gone, and Jennifer could not see, nor feel, him anywhere nearby "YOUR SORCERESS…HELLO JENNIFER DEAR!...AND HER FATHER SUMMONED US TO YOUR CONFLICT…..THEN BETRAYED US WHEN THE BATTLE HAD BEEN WON. NOW YOU ATTACK OUR ALLIES AFTER WE HAVE THEM OFFER YOU PEACE. WE JUDGE YOU UNWORTHY. OF NEEDING PUNISHMENT FOR YOUR SINS!"
Her heart froze, words starting to form on the tip of her tongue…
CRACCKK-THOOMMMMMMMMM
….and stared in horror as a massive ship appeared in the sky above the Golden City, just hovering in the air without trouble….
"AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU ARE TRAPPED AND OVERPOWERED!" the smug voice of the evil mage continued from wherever he was hiding as Jennifer trembled in horror at the situation. Father would understand too, as he, like she, were from a civilized land like America while all the warriors likely *only* saw dangerous flying galleons of metal. Terrifying….but doubtful they understood the true danger….
CRACCKK-THOOMMMMMMMMM
….as another massive flying monster appeared to the rear of their host "AND TRAPPED! NOW, IF THE GUILTY PARTIES THROW THEMSELVES AT OUR MERCY, THEY MIGHT EVEN RECEIVE SUCH…."
The voice paused, another, feminine one speaking a second "LIKE, GIVE'EM A CHANCE TO FAIL"
Before the devil was back "AH, IT SEEMS STARGIRL WOULD OFFER YOU A FIGHTING CHANCE! NOW, WE CAN SETTLE IT WITH A DUEL MAYHAP? IF YOU WIN YOUR ARMY WILL BE DISARMED, BUT ALLOWED LEAVE! IS THAT NICE! BUT…..IF YOU CHALLENGE AND FAIL….WELL YOUR PUNISHMENT WILL BE QUITE SEVERE…."
"MAGE'S DUEL!" she shouted back at the same time as Father called out acceptance of the challenge as well, even if much was unspoken in that threat. Throwing themselves on the mercy of a Dark Wizard?
'Not likely!' she thought standing brightly lit in the sunlight as the ranks of the army wavered, the very basic order Father had given them disintegrating as she watched them all…be useless basically. Deimos's mercy would not have been pleasant, and even a duel might buy time to figure something out…or simply throw the enemy into chaos by slaying the Devil in White….
"Figured you'd say that M'dear Oath-beaker" said Devil in White replied suddenly appearing, coming into existence a little distance ahead of her and the army like mist taking shape. One gloved hand held a cane, while the other rose up to his white hat to lift it off his head, giving her a dramatic bow as warriors either pressed away from him, or waved weapons threateningly "Unpleasant to see you again! Now, let's see about…"
Power surged into her hands, and she raised them swiftly, sending forth a blast of energy to incinerate the Dark Wizard…
Then blinked as her magic rolled over the spot, the Devil in White emitting a startled cry before vanishing "That was easy…"
"OH MA GAWD!" the Devil in White's voice spoke from right beside her, and she swung, her eyes going from the smoking crater, as her Father's warriors fled in every direction. And there, hands pressed against his cheeks, was the Devil in White, face and tone a mockery of shocked horror "YOUSE KILLS HIMS! YOUSE BASTARDS!"
"Raagghhh!" she howled out, blasting him again with her power, not noticing the darkening skies, nor the rumble of thunder that suddenly came. Twice more she 'killed' the Dark Wizard as she hovered in the air, jerking around and moving as the Warlord's army dissolved into chaos; vaguely aware that the two blonde women had descended to fight Father and one of his champions. Eyes blazing with righteous anger, and magical power, Jennifer rose up into the air as the rain suddenly began to pour down from the heavens alongside flashes of lightening and roars of thunder. That wasn't pleasant a feeling on her bare legs, arms, and cleavage but she stood strong against it as she flashed out a blast of energy to reveal her foes location as the lighting flashed again….
"COME NOW! YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT! DON'T LOOK AT THE BOUNCING BALL!"
…and there was the voice again, and she spun in that direction as a small sphere flew through the roaring rain, and her eyes followed it a moment….
Wessshhhhhhhhttttttttt
"Aagghhhhh! Aaagghhhh!" she cried out, hands going to her face as the sphere flashed….somehow…after bouncing off a rock, and her worlds spun and was filled with sound and pain. Everything spun and blurred as she hovered around drunkenly, unsure of where she was….barely noticing she'd slammed into the grass, throwing her arm up to stand and…
Whap!
"Raaghhh!" cried out again as the world continued to spin as something painful rapped her butt. Though Jennifer, even blinded and confused, immediately lashed out with her power in that direction "ILL OU! I ILL OU!"
{Now-now dear} the voice whispered into her mind as she desperately tried to get her bearings once again as she realised she'd lost a shoe, and the rain was hammering her hair and skin. Only to then endure another whack as she'd turned fully in the opposite direction and retreated a few steps {All you have to do is surrender and take your punishment like a good girl. Why your Daddy and his friend are already down, getting a, literal, spanking in dear old Dad's case}
…she blasted flames out in a corona of power…
{Good show!} the whisper in her ear returned, a hand patting her shoulder as if he was right beside her {If I was standing beside you, the damage it would have done! But I wasn't so, so sad, to bad….now, give it up and we'll only punish you. You did try to murder us in that Banishment…}
"AAAGGHHHHHH" Jennifer roared out, drawing on her reserves of power and sending blasts of magic in everything direction, followed by a flaming eruption of fiery destruction with herself at the centre as the hand squeezed her butt….
{Oh dear} the whisper stated as the hand rested on her shoulder, and she blinked, eyes a little clearer now…and seeing nobody standing there despite the hand on her shoulder {You lose….Taser Time!!}
"Noo…..wait!" she managed to get out as something pricked her right side and then there was pain as electricity slammed into her and she shrieked out….
The magic hit her a second later, her concentration broken, and then she fell into darkness…
--
[05.07: As though we were smugglers, not poor honest men?]
[Dictating the Peace is a negotiation of a sort…]
It was a true downpour, the raindrops hammering down around me…as I stayed dry within a cast protection spell for the moment. Wasteful perhaps, but I was putting on a show even if my audience likely couldn't see much right now thanks to worsening weather. Strangely I felt stronger in the storm
'Then again….Waterbender and Water Elemental Affinity now' I reminded myself with amusement as I swirled my cane, the pointing at the fallen witch as I gripped my cane-sword just below the hilt. The gemstone on the hilt pulsed brightly and her unconscious body rose upwards to hover above the ground even as I put away the taser. Then out came bindings, and I stayed invisible, Illusion-Me standing a distance away and repeating my gestures as wrists were bound behind her back, hands mittened and locked to a warded collar on her neck before adding the face mask and gag. No point in taking chances with her after all, and once I'd rendered her blind, deaf and mute despite her unconscious state, I finished with an injection of a potion of my creation.
Moving her to 'stand' her against a nearby rock with my magic, binding her too it as the stone 'melted' and 'flowed' around ankles and waist. Apparently, she went commando in that…. skimpy thing she called a dress, and I decided against that level of unintended humiliation right now as I carefully adjusted the now waterlogged material to cover her properly once more. That done I floated her pedestal along behind me, a bright 'chain' of illusionary light, to Illusion-Me, coming from her neck to my cane as I walked back towards where Kara and Courtney awaited as the rain stopped as the Fortune's Chance came above us. Certainly darkened everything in the shadow, but it was certainly drier…and the shadow problem was easily dealt with a flash of light into the air that I'd learned from the College of Winterhold.
"AND THAT MAKES THREE!" I announced dramatically as Illusion-Me and my captive were illuminated like a bright halo to the scattered crowd that had been the enemy army, Kara standing triumphant over Travis Morgan, also bound, while Stargirl held a powerfully built black man in the air with chains of golden astral energy "I DO BELIEVE WE HAVE WON THIS CONTEST OF STRENGHT! LAY DOWN YOUR ARMS SURRENDER!"
'They won't be coming back from this defeat any time soon' I though with a nod as the waiting shuttles with my armed security descended from the sky above and shaken and hollow looks on the humans faces indicated the fight had gone out of them. No one dead either from the looks of it surprisingly, I'd suspected a few unfortunately, especially after the wild, blind, blasting of the bound witch, but it seemed we were looking at injuries only as the roaring victory chant of the Red Orcs filled the air with the rain off the ships. That was the key sometimes, to break the enemy without actually fighting….or in this case massacring this lot of Conan the Barbarian extras.
Not when a skinny blonde girl had, literally it looked like, manhandled and spanked their Warlord leader as if he was a bold child….while another skinny, colourfully clad, blonde girl beat up the other high ranking manly-man with equal ease. And now…I was strolling into their camp with their magical trump card casually restrained, walking like I hadn't a care in the world as Illusion-Me whistled and twirled his cane. Intimation didn't have to be direct threats, or screaming war-cries, but mere confidence as Kara held her captive before me, and Courtney descended from the skies above as the orcs, the better 'disciplined' ones at last, moved forward with encircle the stunned enemy.
"See you really should have just surrendered when we'd asked you nicely…" Kara told the man she held like child would hold a cat by the scruff of the neck now she was at full strength here thanks to her light armour "…and where did it get you? Nowhere buster!"
"Indeed, just remember…" I replied, well Illusion-Me replied, tipping his had as the rain storm gave way to light as the temporary spell effects came to an end "…you dragged us into this fight, and your daughter here screwed us over. That level of oath-breaking and back-stabbing would normally get…" Illusion-Me pointed the cane at the Witch "…her dead for one, but I'm feeling merciful, so we'll discuss punishment along with the terms of your new peace treaty with our friends, the Red Orcs"
"First a tent" my Kara stated, gesturing at her and Courtney's rain soaked forms and the now muddy field we all stood in "…you know, and there….kind of out it right now"
"True, true" I agreed with a nod glancing at the two stunned men, and my captive certainly wasn't in a talkative mood right now. We could do this in style after all, with a victory parade….and making sure our 'allies' didn't get all murder happy….
--
{Old times come again …}
Ulank watched in awe as the great throngs of the united clans roared out their approval as the wagon holding the Dread Sorceress standing in her golden chains was drawn through the streets with half the defeated warriors of the Warlord behind her. She was still unnerving though he found as he stood on the decorated wagon, hand on the chains to hold her Demon Magicks at bay should she attempt to use those powers, however unlikely that may be. The Warlord himself was at the head of the procession into the great city of Shamballah, the city they now ruled.
Even if it hadn't been their victory, but that of the Gods and the Outsiders, it was a sign of strength for the Priesthood he led, and that things could be different. Why they hadn't slaughtered the foe was strange, but the Warlord's army was broken in spirit, for many moons to come, and Ulank could understand they would be useful to use a shield to others foes, such as the lizardmen. But, getting rid of the Dread Sorceress, however possible, was rather vital, though Ulank knew simply killing her off…was a terrible idea should the Warlord live. Vengeance would give great power after all.
'And their freedom is paid for by the power and gifts of the Outsiders' he reminded himself firmly thudding his staff off the floor of the wagon and sending a flash of colourful flame out to earn cheers of the crowd, as well as be near enough the Dread Witch to threaten pain. She startled as sparks flecked near her exposed right hip, gagged mouth snarling something, likely vile, at him and Yestnak as his fellow priest did the same thing on the other side as the crowd cheered louder…
--
{ …or are another's memories in a fresh form…}
I was…strange I'd admit, to sit like this, in the great hall of an old ruined city, amidst crude banners and totems to 'new' gods, and 'old spirits' to the locals. Strange indeed as Kara sat with me, and the others of my crew, as we feasted with the orcs of this land, with redder skins than grey faded flashes would recall…including some drunken goblins dancing a distance away. Of course, it wasn't anywhere near as strange, and certainly less pleasant for, our 'VIPs' for the evening despite drinks and food for them. All under the watch of our crack security team and our powerful, and currently stuffing her face, White Dragon.
"These are…our…halls…" the shapershifter woman Shakira growled weakly as she stared about in confused horror at the halls full of drunken orcs, the chains on her ankles and wrists clinking. They were VIPs after all! And very untrustworthy ones at that, and we were negotiating a peace treaty at the barrel of a gun in truth…but one could show my more savage brethren burn-rape-kill was not the answer to the situations at hand. I was going to reply, as I finished drinking from my goblet, but Stargirl huffed back for me.
"Would rather be in a cage, huh? You picked this fight after attacking us the last time!"
"That…was…" the catty woman started to growl back weakly, eyes flicking to the equally restrained witch beside her father, the Warlord…
I sighed "Now, now, times have changed, and this place was won in the exact same way you took it before, and held most of your lands…by Might make Right hmmm? Well, that and we have our own pound of flesh to take for your very nearly killing us, after kidnapping and making us fight your enemies. So, feeling sympathy for you is quite….difficult I'm sorry to say"
"And what is this…" the Warlord Morgan, actually, of America not this land asked tiredly, but defiantly "…some sick game before you kill us? Go ahead, get it over with then! You won't see any of us beg!"
Kara gave a snort "Hey were not savages, were heroes"
"And in this case taking our due without simply killing you all…" I replied cheerfully "…so, we've taken the big green magic rock. That's ours now, no negotiations as we'll be selling that to pay for damages done due to our abduction. Compensation so to speak…"
I pressed on as faces looked ready to reply, chains clinking as a firm glance from Kara still the woman Shakira and the man Machiste "…and this lovely city of course. You're giving up your claim to it, but you've still got the valleys north of here where you MADE US FIGHT, overwhelming odds I might add, and that's plenty for the numbers you've got. Oh, and don't attack our new friends here of course, and we'll hold them to it as well, because we will be back in a few months, or a year or two, and breaking the treaties…"
I smiled "Would make us mad let's say"
Then waved my free hand at Travis and his daughter "Now, that's compensation. Punishment is in order for guilty parties here. Now, if dear Jennifer here, WHOSE VERY MUCH AT FAULT, accepts her guilty then I won't simply banish both of you back to where you belong…no collecting two hundred pounds, no returns, no magic"
"No…" the till now silent wife of Warlord Morgan stated "…the city…I can lose, but not…we cannot live…without…"
"Tara, I…." the man started to reply, but was cut off by the miserable look of the white-haired witch…
"It was I, I alone at fault…" her voice was a whisper of pain, exhaustion "…Father knew not of my efforts to banish thee"
I nodded still smile in a friendly way "Why! What's this? Honesty?"
"Sounds like it Callum" my Kara replied giving the VIPs a glare "…but if you do the crime, you do the time"
I nodded "Indeed, so Jen dear, what are you willing to pay for that crime? Banishment back to your real home, your magic bound perhaps? Some few years as a statue here in lovely Shamballah? Servitude to these orcs perhaps? Ourselves? Death? Exile to a deserted island for a few years? Throw yourselves on our, already spent, mercy after spitting on it at every step so far?"
I leaned forward, face cold "I'll let you name your punishment dearie. Choose wisely if you don't want us to choose your fate for you. Don't worry, you have till the morning, doesn't she Kara my love?"
"Oh yes…" Kara agreed looking at the defeated woman, at her friends and family, then sighed "Look, we're not monsters, we are heroes…some of us aside…take your punishment and I'll make sure you're treated fairly…"
--
[05.08: As though we were smugglers, not poor honest men?]
[Saying goodbye to Shamballah…]
--
[Trader's Journal: Day 1272]
[Current Dimension]
Skartaris, which appears to be its own demi-plane of sorts
[Current Location]
Shamballah, The Golden City
[Trading Report]
1 X Giant Rock of Green Kryptonite 'the Great Stone' acquired from defeated enemy
1 X Indentured Penal Contract Employee Sorceress acquired {not for resale}
56 X Atlantean Tomes, unknown writings, good condition, acquired
3 X Sealed Library Shelves Atlantean Scrolls, acquired.
2 X Crates of Laser Pistols and other assorted energy weapons, varied condition, acquired.
6 X Mister Handy crew-created 'Educator Model' sold to new Orcish state of Shamballah
8 X Mister Handy crew-created 'Scholar Model' lent to them to help with above, and to excavate the ruins
6 X Protections, modified with heavier armour for superior melee resistance, sold to Shamballah
Engaged long term contract to 'train' crews for Red Orcs, also towards finding possible new world for them to settle. After the Rachni get theirs of course. To be discussed at later date.
[Diary Entry]
Not exactly how Kara would put it, but we've essentially acquired a slave. Now, being fully truthfully, Jennifer Morgan is a Prisoner on a Working Contract with our company. And, one where we're having to write up a firm 'Employee Handbook' on for her rights and making sure we punish her, but don't abuse her either. Essentially, it's a version of the SHIELD one we used for Bane and Jade, except it's with a Geas, a divine backed soul-bond, and a technological collar and tracking implant. Because we total control over her now, so she's our responsibility;- means ensuring things are kept within the punishment allocated, nothing more.
That's been my 'day' for the past, two?, three?, days now. If she's wasn't a Sorceress, well, myself, Nightmare Nurse, Zee, Tirdelk, and Faralda, but mostly me as 'team leader' wouldn't have had to spend all that time locking off any loopholes in the 'Contract' with her. Now, the benefit for me is that I'm going wring every bit of magical knowledge from our new minion in the decade she's signed herself up for, along with stripping down every bit of her workshop and library over next few days. It'll be the only times she'll be allowed use her magic anyway, at least for the foreseeable future, and once we're setup with her cage she'll be starting a very active training regime and work schedule. Kara's got a new maid basically.
Revenge, or Justice as Kara calls it, can be both satisfying and, importantly, enough Profitable. Stargirl even agrees, as while we have been sinned against the fact is dumping her on the Justice League might just be revolving door prison time. Same with banishing her, and stripping her of her magic, since she's apparently come back the second, and found her way here the first time without magic. So, well sort out work schedules and lock up times to handle it. This is a working ship after all, no pleasure crew for her.
Beyond that issue for us we've enforced a peace treaty on both our allies, the Red Orcs, and the humans under Warlord Morgan, whose daughter is now our prisoner-hostage for years to come. We've left Mr. Handys and Protectrons with our allies to 'encourage' them to secure the city, and not make war on everyone, and sending the humans off a fair distance away to settle in their valleys. That's Morgans ones anyway, as the slave-owning human city states to the east are fair game as we all expect to raid in this direction with things as they are. Or the lizardmen and mutant folk to the north – the result of this place, and perhaps the 'Great Stone' over the long term.
Now, that is a concern, and moving the population, of Orcs I mean, might be a long term plan to deal with the 'small demiplane, limited resources' situation here. For later, and we've a got a city to excavate as well – also, unfortunately, at a later date. We can't continue to linger here, maybe a week, two at the most, before we have to move urgently. We've an auction to get to after all, even if I want to invest months into digging into the so-called Golden City. For now we've taken what's easy to grab, and whatever our bonded sorceress knows as useful, and return at a later date.
So, to help with that, and to educate our allies a little towards civilization, the robots we're leaving them can start the process of cataloguing what's down here. The goal would be to return in a year, hopefully, and begin proper excavations for a few months, and have a ready list of things to go after would be useful. I think after this voyage we'll spend a year at least actually taking time work on our existing finds. Need to stabilise our operations, and continue to expand our sparse trade network staff. Right now we're depending too much on hires we only see for short periods on return trips. That and ensure our Shadowguard are ready to handle threats to those portal routes.
Such as the, tiny in the greater scheme of things, base camp operation we're fairly sure is LexCorp, who've been very discretely supply the laser weapons, just as they were with Deimos. We'll hit the place tomorrow evening, capture and staff and databases intact if possible, and then shut down the portal their using. It's fairly they can't use said portal much, for whatever reason, as there's not much of an operation here. It's the Great Stone he want's, wanted now really since we took it, and considering the size, and Luthor being Luthor according to Kara, if he could send in an army for it – he would. So, hit them hard, fast, and take them with us as prisoners till we return and can hand them over. Either that or leave them here, but that's dangerous in its own way so probably no.
--
[Trader's Journal: Day 1274]
[Current Dimension]
Skartaris
[Current Location]
Fortune's Chance, hovering in the mountains
[Trading Report]
Does the raiding of a small hidden base camp count? Computers, weapons crates, and what not.
[Diary Entry]
Figured out the problem for ol' baldy, beyond having to run a low scale criminal enterprise with scientists and a portal that only opens for very brief periods, and then closes for much longer ones. Now it won't be opening again for quite some time, oh, such a long time – unless someone unseals it anyway. So, yeah, Lexy boy and his 'Legion of Doom'….
Honestly, Kara's Lex is one of the fucking moronic ones. Imma SuperVillaz, witz me own clubx ouse! Yeahaw!
Yeah, exaggerating, but getting that giant green radioactive rock was one plan, but they were also studying the portal to try figure them out. Only a small team in place, six scientists with eight guards in a cave complex that didn't give them the ability to resist Kara and magic backed up by drones. Not when they weren't expecting us and relying on secrecy and lizardmen patrols looks like. They camp is in the territory of one of their larger tribes, and one that's got the best weapons after Deimos's army fell apart. Easy see why, even if Luthor seems to have given up on that side for the portal study instead. Well, tough luck for him as that's shut down for now, and he'll have no idea what occurred for months!
So, happy times there, and I'm content in what's on those computers in their little base. Kara and Quinn, and Barbara, are currently stripping those encrypted files of everything their worth after a bit of helpful mind control for passwords off the staff. Between that and what Jennifer had stored away for a rainy day, and what we grabbed from Shamballah, it's been a very good day so far. We reached a decision not to stay much longer, another two days rather than week planned, as we've driven off the Warlord, we've Jennifer locked down, and now binding Oaths before the Shrouded Lord for the Orcish priesthood. Who rule the city now, so let's see can they keep their word for a year or two – they've given us twenty brave volunteers to join the crew, so that training is starting under Nathan. Need to ensure they've discipline before fully mixing with the crew.
Beyond that the crew are in good spirits between the easy victories, getting more to trade, and the general positive view of harsh but fair punishment of our new guest and her Father. Yeah, and the big pile of magical scrolls, tomes, and artefacts helps with the magical members – while Quinn and the Mechanist, and Tirdelk, can't help but yap about the Shamballah computers, even if they're broken. Prisoners are on the Thunder Child, beyond the one we're playing Warden too, as there's more room aboard, and they've got an enemy weapons store to use as a prison. Winning!
All in all this has been a quick, successful, trip and despite that I'm eager to get on the move as our Planeswalker guide feels similar to myself and Zee in that we've a long journey ahead, and the longer we stay – they longer we'll be tempted to stay. Which is a genuine concern with me as I *really* want to get at those ruins, but I agree, we've dangers ahead to face, our holds are full, and we've dealt with the main threats here – and even got our revenge. Justice is served, we have a job to do. And yes, I am trying to convince myself as the temptation is there, especially as I grill our prisioner for information, the start of a long process, and the desire for more knowledge grows. In the future. I've months, years, to wring every drop of knowledge of her lands and magic from her after all. Now though I need rest. Slán.
--
[05.09: As though we were smugglers, not poor honest men?]
[Experimentation on the long journey to the auction…]
Having a proper laboratory, and actual staff now, made things much easier these days Quinn Mallory found as studied the data from the 'Great Stone' they'd collected. Kryptonite, a giant rock of the stuff in fact, along with data they were still ripping from the captured 'LexCorp' computers, was certainly interesting to study….though why the radiation healed the locals of Skartaris was still a bit of mystery. All while being instantly fatal in this amount to an unarmoured Kara.
'And apparently causing cancer as well to Lex Luthor according to Kara?' Quinn wondered as he sat back in his swivel chair….
"Realise something?" Isabel asked, her little flying robot Sparks at her shoulder as she came over to him and the others with a tray of mugs, cut sandwiches, and a pot of coffee. Dressed in her workclothes rather than her Mechanist armour, which she'd worn religiously till she'd gotten used to deal with him and the others. He could relate, people were….hard….to understand, let alone deal with, and he'd had the urge to wrap himself in armour sometimes as well to shut out the glares and strangeness. So it was good to have a few people who could relate to him both an emotional as well as intelligence level in how other people were at times.
"No, just thinking…" he replied honestly, face scrunching up in thought "…on why this radiation is supposed to heal up some people, kill others…and it's weird alien radiation? Maybe it's just one of those things, but Callum and Kara don't want to sell if it's too dangerous either"
Though that was within fairly small limits really, but it was there, and the other reason was the more data they could provide the better the selling price….possibly, that was beyond him he found at times. All that mattered really was the data and the SCIENCE! after all, and the money was a means to an end….along with the, probably impossible, task of undoing his terrible mistake. What SCIENCE! hath wroth, SCIENCE!, could undo he felt, and the more of the mysteries of dimensional travel, then the better he could do in the future, without any more awful errors in the doing.
"Yes, it is strange, even down to the fact it's slightly different to the samples from the alternate verses…" Isabel replied after a moment, sitting beside him as he accepted a coffee, with Zyanya and Ichicka following to get their own mugs "…and it's output is very high, isn't it?"
"I have a theory" Ichika Higashi, the Japanese scientist from the universe of the Justice League, and therefore the most 'experienced' with strange rock from a cultural perspective "The lands of the Skaratarii?, Skartorans?...has mutated folk, and I think some of that might be the Great Stone. Some humans have greater resistance than others to it, and over time…"
The woman gave a shrug, arms moving out and gesticulating "Mutant-folk as they called them"
"Oh, Coffee, Excellent…" their goblin member, walking on his waistbelt attacked spider-leg things, stated energetically as he came over after finishing the work he was doing on a energy system for the new 'standard infantry rifle' Callum and Nathan wanted "…are we discussing the strange green rock, yes?"
"Well, I was thinking on it and got asked questions" Quinn admitted taking a delighted sip of the coffee, and then devouring the small triangle of a sandwich "Ohh….forgot it's been hours since I've eaten"
"Always the way" the mad goblin agree using a mechanical limb to snag a coffee and a triangle as his small legs dangled in mid air thanks to the spider-legs having them at human height "Maybe all humans weak to green magic rock died, not know. It's a strange thing, but not easy to replicate or acquire so bad for a power source…just a bit for some emitters"
Quinn shrugged at that "We're keeping a small bit, Kara's said it's fine, but you've to…"
"Yes, yes, armour design, nearly finished….we have time on our way to work on that"
"True Tirdelk-san" Ichika agreed with a nod as they took their break, before the woman glanced at Quinn "…and is there word on how long we shall be in the Bleed?"
Quinn waved his free hand side to side before using it to raid another little sandwich "Days more at least. Come on, you know how it is by now, these dimensions aren't easy to move through at the exact same speed, not like a Slide Drive or a Portal"
And that was the truth as travelling by the Bleed-drive, through Not-the-Bleed-but-like-the-Bleed dimensions meant that time AND space warped in weird ways. Journey times could be hours or days from point to point, or days to weeks, and not always the same when they got back home in terms of time passed. Never too far off overall, but always a discrepancy in time travelled versus time passed at home on Earth. Not that it was a big problem, but it was an irritant he found. He sighed though, thinking on the destination.
"Not that we'll stay long there, Callum hates the place, and we've had…trouble there the last journey"
"Yes…" the goblin muttered "….just what we need with my idiots; an active, insane, Magic God in the mix. Oh, well, the coin is good at least…"
--
{Testing follows experimentation for safe equipment deployment…}
Wsssht Wsssht Wsssht
Nathan lowered the blaster, looking down the target range as the armour covered target retracted…
"Well, it is resistant as promised"
"Not impervious though Chief…" Annabelle Durant, his aide, offered looking at the damage to the new Light Armour, the 'Black Order' plate underneath the outer nanofibers faintly smoking through damaged areas "…but looks good enough me, especially with the integrated HUD. Even if it's a bit…old fashioned looking"
"Blame the Captain and Mister Mallory" he replied with a snort of amusement as he inspected the damage caused to the suit, the expensive suit, for light security and exploration purposes in the next 'verse "They like their worlds style of infantry armour…and honestly I don't disagree, they were ahead of us. I'm sure they were of yours too"
Annabelle frowned, then sighed "Yes…you should have seen some of the junk they gave us"
Nathan gave an amused snort that it seemed that the Justice Alliance 'verse' was just as bad as that of his Justice League one as the Captain called it. It was once he'd gotten to the like of the in-theory 'more primitive' League of Aquitaine that he'd realised how under-equipped he and others in the Marine Corps had been relative to the world without heroes. So, now, the goal had been to ensure the best equipment was available, from Power Armour to this 'Light' armour, to his boys and girls.
"I know, sadly…" he mused securing the weapon in his hand "…well, at the very least we now know can make the lower range Androsynth variant armours without major problem. It'll keep teams alive outside the Power Armour if worst comes to worst"
He glanced at her "…and how did training go?"
Annabelle frowned "Better than fear, worse than desired, to be honest. They are listening, but a heckuva lot of bad habits to knock out of'em….but they've got the melee skill we need once we get them all into heavy armour and resistant shields"
'Not what I'd ever though we'd need….but sword and shield would be a big help in some places' Nathan noted with a nod, acknowledging that the biggest demand of this job was knowing what fighting style to apply. Or, in this case, ensuring that they had options for dealing with more medieval worlds, or ones where guns were far less effective in a fight. There Armoury was coming along nicely after all, and, as much as the Captain wanted to rush through the next 'verse, they would acquire some more blasters and other heavy energy weapons and armour to it soon.
So he nodded "Engineering is working on that, slowly, and once we hit a port of that nature….we'll buy what we need to, cost dependent. We just need to make sure there's no crew troubles, or problems when we, inevitably, get into a fight again. Next thing is we'll have to move a few of the teams back and forth with the Thunder Child so they're all up to the same standard"
"Expecting trouble Chief?"
He gave an amused chuckle at that "Always, but when we get we'll be dealing with these Crosstime bastards as well as the fucking cannibal cavemen, so we'll need to ensure crews are up to their jobs. Let alone the fact all the warnings we've been given about this Rock place, and the fact we'll be target before and after we sell of our cargo"
Then paused, rubbing his beard "Right, I also need to see the training schedule and how our prisoner impacts it, Captain's training with Azula and Zuko now, but I want to do team exercises before we arrive"
Annabelle smiled "Never though Star Wars would be real"
"Or as hard to handle…" Nathan grumbled with a shake of his head "…in and out, that's the plan, and then we get to the really dangerous stuff apparently…"
--
{Then test and test some more…}
"CHARGE AT 0.06%" the ring announced as I ended the channeling energy into it, frowning as the dull ring turned an emerald green "WARNING: POWER LOW. EMERGENCY ENERGY RESTRICTIONS ADDED. NEW USER DETECTED…..SHUTDOWN FOR POWER CONSERVATION ACTIVATED"
…which it promptly did seconds later as I floated it within the 'magical faraday cage' as I though it, frowning, then faintly smiling as I let out a breath. Seemed my efforts had achieved some success, though recovering a Lantern to go with the Ring was needed for the later steps I suspected…
'Hmm….head to Dead verse Oa perhaps?" I wondered idly sitting back into the chair, hand on my chin as I fell into thought. Using the ring was…feasible it looked like, but it'd always have the vulnerability of simply not working on many planes, along with the whole constant Will thing. In the end all wanted was the capacity to store knowledge and perhaps a few weaker abilities, like the environmental shields and the AI, so perhaps duplicating some of the functionality…
Beep*
"Outis here?" I asked at the alert warning, touching my communicator, Zee's voice from the bridge coming through to my ear "Problem?"
"Nope Callum, you might want to get up here in….oh the next hour or two. We're coming near to a breach point into our target dimension. Figured I'd let you know"
I smiled "Thanks Zee, I'll be up shortly and alert Kara and Quinn, we'll have a meeting of Senior Staff in…oh, say seventy minutes to discuss options…"
--
[05.10: As though we were smugglers, not poor honest men?]
[Guess who just back today…]
"Thunder Child emergence is completed…" Rose called out from her sensor station as I looked out at the mass of stars, as well as the asteroid field a short distance, relatively speaking, from where we'd entered this dimension "…and the breach is closed….no active energy signals in the systems we've entered showing up on sensors or visual scans"
I nodded "That's good, any idea where we are based on the star charts we purchased last time?"
"Too soon to know for sure Captain…" she answered and I nodded again, sitting forward in my command chair and watching the data come up on the system we'd entered "…but it's somewhere out on the Outer Rim or Wildspace at a glance"
"That's unfortunate" Quinn muttered, and I gave shrug.
"Most likely, it's gonna be a divil of time getting into the Deep Core to where we want to go and…"
Rose's voice interrupted my murmur of a reply "Copy that, we're way out on the fridges Boss….no named system from the charts, unexplored route maybe?"
"Thanks Rose, start plotting a route….no, multiple routes if you can…from here to the Core, and Jonathan..." I commanded after a shrug from Kara and an indifferent look from Quinn "…deploy the drones and let's see if there's anything useful in this system for us while we plot out our travel plans"
"Aye-Aye Boss" came the reply from the two as I sat back, letting out a sigh as a crude map was brought showing our estimated location relative to Old Republic Starcharts we'd acquired previously. Well off to the Galactic South-East, on the 'bottom' of the galaxy as the locals saw it. It was hard to tell exactly since what you saw….wasn't what was there exactly either when one looked out at the distant stars as the Force and Hyperspace operated a bit like a Mirage in the desert, or the horizon at sea but with magic mirrors throwing off distance. I really hated this fecking annoying dimension.
"We should probably run our mimic drive tests and weapon tests while we're here, same with the Thunder Child…" I said to Kara and Quinn "…so we can be sure everything's in working order"
"I say we take our time here if we can…" Kara replied gesturing at the empty system on the various displays and screens on the bridge "…get our bearings, make use Faralda can guide the Thunder Child at the same speed as us for one"
"Yeah…what I was thinking…" I admitted as we started getting more sensor data "…might even be stuff worth mining in the asteroids…"
--
[Trader's Journal: Day 1297]
[Current Dimension]
Star Wars Galaxy – Era of the Old Republic, Jedi Civil War
[Current Location]
Fortune's Chance's, Unmapped System Outer Rim
[Trading Report – Survey & Mining]
We're not really setup for actual deep space mining operations, but we've managed to collect some small ore filled asteroids and collecting helium and hydrogen from the system's gas giant. Chief Engineer Sanchez and here team have then processed the materials and gas and fed that into the Androsynth fabber to make some simple trade goods for our next port of call. Which is Ryloth, home of the Twi'leks, and the nearest system on a major hyperlane that we can access with the Mimic drive. Nothing too advanced, but we should have enough in our holds to sell to get credits to buy things like Ryll, a minor, but potentially addictive, item for Asa and possibility samples of other things like, illegal, Spice. Blasters, Armour, Colony Equipment, and other advanced things we'll purchase in the Inner Rim or Core as we make our way towards a vergence we can exploit.
[Diary Entry]
Well, we're here, and we're getting ready for the next leg of our journey. Irritatingly we're way out of the way from where we want to be, or where I want to be as many of the crew are annoyingly eager to take a few days 'rest and relaxation' on the upcoming world. I'm less enthusiastic of that particular plan let's say, but we're going to have to stop along the way no matter what I want, so we'll do short stop overs as we try to dodge Republic and Sith patrols. Anyway, we do, badly, need to get an update on the current war situation – that's kinda important after all.
But that's that for tomorrow, or the day after, as things have been busy aboard the ship the past few days as plotted our arrival, and now route through the hyperlanes. Glad to have Babs here to help with that. Firstly has been the training schedule of our wayward Jennifer Morgan, like army boot camp for the moment, with an assigned Mister Handy modified for discipline thanks to Babs and Nightmare Nurse. Kara's going to use her as our maid, but I want some basic training in place before that woman is allowed out of her cage for anything other than training in the gym, or when I'm strip-mining her mind for knowledge. Something that'll take months or years I expect.
Now I'll admit I've taken plenty of free time amidst that 'busy' period to be with Kara, or simply to work on my side projects. I think I'm starting to make a slow breakthrough on the Lantern Ring, with charging anyway, and being acknowledged as a user, though that's only due to magical faraday caging it, and 'charge' means mere seconds worth of power. So I need a Lantern, and I'm thinking we'll hit Oa of the Dead DC universe for the Central Battery to study when we get back from this mission. I've already told Kara about the Ring, and while she's not exactly enthusiastic she just sigh and wave me off in an exasperated manner before we went to bed after talking on it.
Other news;- we're getting through the LexCorp data pretty swiftly now, and they've got a decent amount of data from studying the lands of Skartaris, but especially of the natural 'portals' that emerge back to DC Earth. Understandable as the actual location of the demi-plane is quasi inside that Earth?
Either way it's making Quinn and his team happy, and leading to greater knowledge of dimensional mechanics that we can trade to the good Bear Professor back in Sigil. Yeah, yeah, Ursine Scholar, but he's a talking bear whose a Professor, so, yeah I'll say it as it is. Even if not it's good to know for handling future trade routes as 'Natural Portals' are more common than our breaching drives on the ship, and most dimensions lock out anything bigger than a person or a group of people. Even here, on this journey, the fact we've two ships instead of one is pushing up our energy consumption for both of us above per-ship usage when we came here the last time with one. Important to remember for balancing future missions and their energy costs then.
Other than that I've been training and history lessons with Azula, and continuing my training and 'soul healing' sessions with Zee. Azula's making progress, as is her brother Zuko I find, and their Uncle Iroh has been useful in dealing with some of the 'assistant roles' we've got on the bridge and in the library, though his main focus has been the canteen with Chao. Same with the Orcish members we and Thunder Child we took on – young and ambitious members of their tribe and, despite some troubles, have learned to integrate with the crew. Always the nature of culture clashes, especially with Patriarchal or Matriarchal societies dealing with their opposites, or societies like mine where genders are more or less equal.
--
{Them wild-eyed boys that had been away…}
"…move that butt and shake those ti…"
"Why do I put up with you two as friends?" Beverly Brewster muttered, placing her face in her palms as Rose half-sat, half-danced, on her left while sang along to the 'song' while the almost green alien woman danced on the stage. Jonathan was her right, and being far less enthusiastic about the situation than female friend, but still…the dynamic duo had dragged her here to the Spaceport Cantina, Or bar and strip club as it could be best describe.
"Because we're Team Sexy Sunnydale Nerds!" Rose beamed back sort-of-dancing into her side, then laughing when she grabbed her drink from the recently arrived tray of colourful shots brought over by a scantily clad male Twi'lek that caused Brewster to glance anywhere but at the purple skinned alien "Come'on, Come'on, victory drink time"
Brewster gave a snort of amusement at that, grabbing the Imperial Sunrise shot as it was called, a shimmering rainbow of red, orange, and black in a shot glass as Jonathan did the same beside her "One….Two….Three…down…"
…and it was a glorious admixture of sweet and burning at the back of her thought Brewster found as the three of them downed the small drinks in a swift motion…
…then grabbed the other glass as the burning came in her mouth, taking a large gulp of the 'cooler' beer like alcohol "Ohhhh….whose idea was this?"
"Yours?"
Brewster let out a huff, sinking back in the couch and seeing the strippers, or 'dancers' as they were politely called then here, that worked in this supposedly 'classy' place. Oh, yeah, that'd been why she wanted to get drunk "Oh, yeah, it was….think the alcohols starting to kick in"
"Ahhh….but whose going to be the sensible adult amongst us then!" Rose whined and Jonathan gave amused snort at that.
"That would be guys with the guns from security that the Captain made watch all of us"
"Thank God for that…" Brewster chuckled letting out a happy sigh as food, not the usual snack foods they were used to too…but they'd gotten the uncomfortable injections off BDSM fetish Doctor Asa as well as the magic spells from the Captain or Zatanna to protect them from disease and poison from the whole alien planet situation they were in "…as I am getting drunk and relaxing if you've dragged me to this place"
"It's awesome / Best idea ever" echoed back from the two on either side of her as the Twi'lek woman lost another garment and moved in ways that Brewster suspected would break her back if she'd tried. Instead she let out a soft groan, taking another drink.
"Says you two, and your girl chasing"
Jonathan blushed awkwardly at that, but Rose shrugged, with an amused smirk as their male friend replied "Um, well the….guys over there are…in...you…know….and he's….big?…girls like that….right?"
"Well I don't, we're time team Get a Girlfiend, right" Rose smugged back holding up a hand in front of Brewster…
…only to be high fived without thinking by Jonathan as Brewster rested her head on the couch behind her and groaned at the "High Five!"
"Oh my God you two are the worst"
"You know you love us cuz we're awesome"
Brewster groaned again softly at that from Rose "Shaddup would you both"
"Fine, fine, you're no help on the hunt" Rose giggled then let out a happy sigh as she took another drink "So, other things then….right, so, looking forward to magic dungeons and dragons spaceport?"
"As long as we don't have to go into any dungeons I'll be happy…" she answered honestly then took another gulp of the sweet tasting alcohol "…but I'd like myself a magical ring of protection from undead and evil"
The nightmares came sometime after all, though being on the ship had eased them massively and…
Two hands touched her knees almost simultaneously, giving a squeeze of support, and she gave a nod of thanks to her two best friends….who understood what she'd gone through. Some were so eager to return home…but Brewster was going to get wealthy, setup a nice place somewhere there wasn't any demons, or undead, or cannibal aliens, and have a husband, and a family, and do boring things like computers and cooking while smiling happily each day.
"Same here" Jonathan agreed, and she gave a gentle playful elbow in reply, causing him to grin "…and some magic books too. My lessons are really coming on Amelia was saying, and I was hoping to go Winterhold for a bit when we get back, if I could get you two to tag along…"
"Buy me another round and I'll listen" she hummed back in amusement….
--
[05.11: As though we were smugglers, not poor honest men?]
[Haven't changed that much to say…]
Ryloth was a strange inhabited world I found, being tidally locked, with a chunk of the world always in sun…and another chunk always in eternal night. And it had a functioning, if murderous, ecosystem and mountainous spaceport, so it was just the place to stop and find out what was going on in the galaxy beyond our entry point. All while enjoying the glorious natural wonders of the world, from the strange forests, to the floating windswept rocks we were looking at right now from the roof of the Mako;- if I was going to be stuck with business, than I'd enjoy some sights while we were here.
It certainly was a natural wonder as promised, as the fee to risk our lives indicated, and I sat silently a little while beside Kara and Zee watching the winds somehow keep the large rocks in the air. Off further lay the 'Bright Lands' where the sun never set and everything was a great big desert of death that I certainly wouldn't be getting any closer too. Amusing enough our little crew was having a 'picnic' on the tent we'd setup from the side of the Mako, with two of the modified Humvees park with us, sensors on the ground level nearby because the winds in the sky were too strong for our merry little drones.
"Soo….we all agreed on the convoy idea?" Kara asked as I drank my juice "It seems to the safest way right now"
"Yeah, I think so…" I agreed with a nod, even if it did keep us here a few more days "…as everything we've heard indicates the Republic's in ruins, or in a bad way anyway from the Twi'leks view. At the very least it discourages pirates without us…"
I gestured with my free hand "…giving ourselves away again…hopefully"
Which meant avoiding 'standing out' too much by trying to burn energy to avoid using the local hyperlanes….as pirates were everywhere, along with Republic and Sith Empire warships that were effectively pirates as well. Or at least that's what the locals at the spaceport had indicated along with the various ships backed up at the spaceport and in orbit. In a way our arrival was a 'lucky coincidence'….and oh did I not like that…in that there was a convoy, informally, organising to head towards the Inner Rim. Unfortunately, it was our best option, and the Fortune's Chance was loading itself with Ryll and other local goods for later trade.
Kara gave an amused snort "You should be bit more optimistic Callum, what is it….the Force and…"
"Fuck the Force, it's out to get me quite clearly" I replied with a chuckle, though I honestly meant it as I'd plastered every anti-scry and anti-divination ward I knew on myself "But I'll be properly paranoid instead, and we'll get to, and through, a Force Vergence"
"It would be nice if we could investigate and study…"
I looked at Zatanna "No"
She smugged back at me, sipping her tea "…and see if we could look up some ruins and…"
"No"
"…because there's so much to learn. Like in the movies…"
"No" I stated in a monotone, and she and Kara laughed at my expense as I let out a forlorn sigh. My crew just wanted to enjoy themselves, from the group here enjoying the sighs, to Team Big Game Hunters off hunting the murder insect of the planet, and the most sensible ones drinking it up in the spaceport under my security teams constant watch. Only the fact the other merchants and smugglers in system were doing the same encouraged us to do so, albeit with our guard constantly raised…
--
[Trader's Journal: Day 1309]
[Current Dimension]
Star Wars Galaxy – Era of the Old Republic, Jedi Civil War
[Current Location]
Fortune's Chance's, Ryloth Orbit, preparing to depart
[Trading Report]
34 X Containers of Ryll, a medicinal mixture of various chemicals, acquired
10 X Containers of Agri-produce, Republic of California, sold
2 X Containers of Machine Tools, made using Androsynth fabber, sold
6 X 'hover-speeders' acquired
1 X Container of Electronics, Republic of California, sold
2 X Protocol Droids acquired
[Diary Entry]
Finally ready to move, five days here is five too many in my view. But we've sold our goods, bought our drugs, as well as two droids to help with the Inner Rim and Core, and gotten our 'legitimate traders' documentation in order thanks to Barbara. Ah, Batgirl it is so wonderful to have you back;- there aren't any cases for to solve, thankfully, but your hacking and computer skills remain fantastic even in a galaxy far, far, away. I accept Ryloth's basically just past twentieth century for most tech levels, but she got us what we needed, and I handled the 'paper' side for the 'chit' devices they use. Republic standard goes millennia apparently.
Got to see the sights I suppose, along with having several of my crew healing up in the medical bay because they decided to try hunt down and kill an alien-tentacle-insect murder thing. And they're all super happy about it because there was a reward, and they killed it, and then second one that turned up, and everyone things their fucking awesome. Drawing attention to us. Ya'know, like I didn't to have happen?
Well, what's done is done and we're forming up to take part in a convoy up the hyperlane with a bunch of neer-do-wells and honest traders. Which is which is hard to tell, but they've got a cruiser and two lighter warship-traders along with us, so on we go I guess. Fourteen vessels of various shapes and sizes, including our two, and departing for Druckenwell firstly, and then we'll make our way from there as both major hyperlanes have the Imperial forces on them and there's fighting. Maybe. Probably.
In other news we've bought some basic technical information, but the majority of things in this happy little horrible verse is black-boxed in various ways. And I mean simple things down to colony equipment and star-fighter designs, and if you don't have the 'codes' or changing 'technical inputs' then the stuff stops working, or just breaks down. Intentionally I suspect, and that would explain the tech collapses that'll come in the future as things start to breakdown, or ships staying in service for centuries, or millennia as best I can tell in the case of the 'bulk-cruiser' leading our little convoy. Anyway, time for me to go to the bridge.
--
{But man, I still think them cats are crazy…}
"And things were going so well" I grunted out as I saw the ships ahead of our little convoy moved through the Herdessa system "Weapons up and active, target them! Signal the Thunder Child to do the same and share targeting data"
We weren't setup for this level of warfare, not really, but the missile systems on our upper deck began to move, opening up as our targeting systems lit up just like the rest of the ships in the convoy. The railguns did the same as they targeted the distant pirate ships, while the close-in energy weapons and aegis missiles moved to target the fast moving starfighters. There was no 'feeling' on the bridge as the railguns fired in anger, emitting blasts of blue-white energy in their recoil as the order blessed steel guns fired their slugs as the channels filled with people shouting and begging from the other ships with us.
"Keep us in close to the Thunder Child, don't let them break up our formation" I ordered as I found us thrust into an unwanted battle, and while our sister ship was more the warship….she wasn't massively up-gunned yet either. Still our two ships were firing within seconds, even as the convoy's formation…
"Rao dammit, they're breaking everywhere" Kara muttered beside me as the formation fell apart before the first exchange of fire hand been completed. The old 'cruiser' Novarus Lady was firing her heavy blasters….but her engines were burning forward and away from a fight, with nothing being said to anyone else in the convoy despite generally being 'convoy admiral' till now. Kara tapping my arm, pointing at the sensor feed and star maps "We need to protect that ship there, it's unarmed and full of families"
"I know…" I stated back unhappily , as the comm over to the Thunder Child buzzed and I answered "Faralda, your systems up and running?"
"We are firing at the brigands as you'll have noticed" came the terse toned response of the Altmer as her image, sitting in her chair just as I was, and the sensors showed them doing just that "Who is in command with the other vessels?"
"No one it seems, broken at the first blow" I replied coldly "I need you to follow our lead, we'll coordinate with the Rylla Shadow and Yestinada and try break away. It seems to be every ship for itself….promises aside"
"Understand Battle-mage Captain" Faralda replied and I turned my attention to Kara, ordering her to do that coordination part, and act as the shouty Captain, as I submerged myself into the ships systems and guided the weapons with my magic. Or the Force, damn it, but the starfighters were making a deadly mistake with us I knew even without my aid;- these vessels had been designed to deal with Kryptonians and Lanterns, up close, and the first two raiders died before they even knew they were targeted. The launched torpedoes were intercepted, though our own 'light' missiles weren't as big a threat to them as I'd have liked.
Still between us and the Thunder Child a dozen pirate fighters died swiftly, with the emerging pirate capital ship targeting the fleeing 'escort' of the convoy as the other ships fled in ragged groups. We were serving as a sort of rally point for two or three, who were lightly armed at best, as we broke away from the gravity wells stopping their hyperdrives. Not ours, but I wasn't willing to sacrifice the civilians on those boats, instead having our team shout at them to stay in formation with us as we swatted aside enemy fighters and the occasional torpedo fired our way. My magic sang as I guided death and destruction, joined after a few minutes by Zee and Amelia, in a song to crush our foes. Relieved as we accelerated past the speed of light along with the other ships for the possibility of a safe port at Mon Gazza….
--
[05.12: As though we were smugglers, not poor honest men?]
[They were askin' if you were around…]
"Did we just rescue a damaged ship full of orphans and alien cheerleaders?"
"Uh-huh, yep, we did apparently do just such a thing, though their more like scouts mixed with dancers.. The Force is not exactly subtle" I replied the Quinn as I pinched the bridge of my nose as we stood on a liveable, but barren, world where said ship full of 'pretty problems' was needing help repairing its engines. I could almost feel and hear Zee rolling her eyes as she came up beside us, gazing out at the windswept landscape where our ships had set down to help with said repairs, with the Thunder Child staying in orbit as guardian.
"Stop blaming 'The Force' for everything while we're here Callum"
"Because we're in a hurry and now we're escorting a free trader with their families aboard, oh….and a ship of orphans and not-quite-cheerleaders. Which, obviously, will slow us down"
Zee let out an exasperated sigh "Would you like me to get your tin-foil hat now, or later Captain-Sir?"
I gave her a glare "It's an active magic field, let's not forget that either"
"Or….let me suggest this…we're heroes and we stepped in to help people. These things happen afterwards sometimes"
"Hmph, maybe, maybe not" I grumbled in replied arms folded across my chest and shaking my head in disagreement. Mon Gazza was out now, for a variety of reasons , but mostly to do with a Republic fleet being in vicinity as we'd jumped closer to the system, along with other possible forces nearby. Considering the situation of being ambushed, and then getting less than pleasant news at our last stop about raids in neighbouring systems….settling down on this barren, dead, world to help with repairs seemed the best approach to take.
"The whole galaxy is at war, and we are trying to travel through a warzone…" Quinn quasi-agreed with a shrug waving his hand from side to side "…even if your right we'd still have the same problem. It's either that or have left that lot behind"
I sighed, rubbing at my chin "Fine, that is the truth as well I guess….no good deed and all that I suppose. Looks like we're going to be taking the slower route to get to where we want to unfortunately"
We could try and bull our way through of course, but after our last problem here many, many, months ago now…well, I didn't want to get too near the mutinous and battered Republic military or Jedi either. Nor the Sith, or wannabe Sith either of course, but we still had to sneak in like smugglers to get various things and to ensure we knew where we were going. Typhon was my current choice, largely as I had no idea how to get to Endor, or Rakata Prime, where we might have two orbital vergences to move through from our reading of various 'source' materials.
Unfortunately 'fan knowledge' didn't translate well into actual knowledge, much like early maps of the Americas by European explorers, combined with the wonky physics of the galaxy in what you saw wasn't what you got., made this journey…irritating to say the least. So I stood watching as we made 'temporary camp', again, so repairs could be done and our next journey leg plotted out. Our Planeswalking Pathfinder was reasonably confident we'd be able to 'jump' beyond this realm to the 'next level' without major difficulties…assuming we got from A to B in the first place. Now, though it seemed I had to go talk to a Twi'lek Captain about her ship and going somewhere other than planned…
--
{How you was, where you could be found…}
The Blood Diamond, like it's Captain, had started out serving the weak and decadent Republic, but since Arnod Krant and crew had chosen to serve a worthy leader it had been a loyal warship of the Empire. Which, currently, meant hunting down a very strange ship and possible Republic spies and scouts in the run up to what looked to be major engagement. The loss of Revan would not break the Empire nor its cause, even if Arnod wasn't as sure of the skill of Malak in his more silent moments….but it was still better than the corruption and nepotism that had threatened to return…
…after all they'd bleed to crush the Mandalorian threat…
He resisted shaking his head, instead glancing at his Executive Officer, Juylot of Palymya, who approached with a data-pad in hand "Have we any further track on our target?"
"Unfortunately no Sir…" she replied calmly tapping at her data-drive "…but interrogations of the pirates, and analysis of the data torn from theirs and the merchant-ships drives has been completed and sent to us"
"Hmm…so, are we on a ghost chase or is there a Jedi to deal with?"
"Most likely a Jedi Sir as per High Command's belief" she answered as the bridge crew went about their task in the usual professional manner "Orders are to pursue and capture, as it is believed to be a renegade, or perhaps a non-Jedi Force User of some power with an apprentice, or potentially multiple Jedi…capture if we can, but we are to ensure they do not aid the Republic if we cannot"
Arnod nodded at that "If we find them of course, our current mission takes priority understandably with matter as they are. I have a strong suspicion our mystery Jedi have gone to ground in some nowhere system and will make their way to…where they are going…by some smugglers routes"
Juylot glanced at him "Not to the Republic Fleet we are to face?"
"If they had been, they would have already gone to them..." he clarified accepting the offered data-pad to peruse in more detail "…after the pirate battle. Instead what we've seen indicates they are avoiding the Republic's assembled forces as well, nor do I recognise the ship designs. Hahhhh…..a mystery to be investigated when we've captured I imagine. Right, begin plotting us a course towards this sector search pattern, and have Flight Commander Avargill prep his squadrons for combat deployment sometime in the next six hours. Even if find nothing there's an old resupply base in this system here that we can deal with during the search"
She saluted him before moving to do as commanded as he edited the next few jumps for a secondary search and strike pattern "By your order Captain"
Things were at a critical juncture right now with Revan gone, but the Republic still reeling badly. If they could follow up with a few big victories…the whole rotten edifice would come crumbling down, and perhaps give enough time for Darth Malak to prove himself to be smarter than Arnod feared he was. Together he and Revan had been invincible, making their force unbeatable…now there was only one fracture point, albeit a very powerful one, and if the new Dark Lord fell…
'Then our unity will shatter faster than you can spit' he thought with unhappy sigh wanting to shake his head at the problems that had crept into High Command since the disastrous loss of the Dark Lord weeks ago to a Jedi led strike-team. Right now though his Capital-class warship had to deal with far more problems than he'd like, and now hunting down dangerous Jedi had been added to the mission load. Ideally, he wouldn't find any trace of them, and it'd pass to some other poor Captain to deal with while his task-force went about the more pressing task of slowing down the Republic's efforts to reinforce this Sector of space.
--
[Trader's Journal: Day 1314]
[Current Dimension]
Old Republic Star Wars
[Current Location]
Fortune's Chance's, unnamed system
[Trading Report]
Some spare parts and time spent with the merchantships Rylaa Shadow and Yestinada 'Yesti' for short.
[Diary Entry]
Frustrating isn't it?
We're currently landed on some barely habitable ball of dirt in some system with a big long number and letter stream to serve as an identifier. Got ambushed as part of the blasted convoy, because the supposed 'escorts' did a runner, so we're no serving as guardians to two small passenger-freighters that are pretty useless in a fight, but at least have decent engines. That and we're coming up to the Battle of Mon Gazza based on reading our datafiles on 'canon/legends' history of this dimension and just general observation of the sensor data of nearby systems. So, yeah, the Force at work I bet.
Change of plans then, we're just about done helping fix up our two 'allies' in exchange for their star-charts, which includes various 'not on the grid' jump routes. Now, that means things are going down in the Core, especially if Revan has being Mind-Raped to the Light already, and the fact big offensives are likely on the way from the Republic side. Or both sides really. All I know is that the Republic winning at Mon Gazza sets off a cascade of smaller offensives exactly along the area we want to be travelling on, along with lots of fighting, and there isn't galactic communications to give up to date info.
So, new plan. We're going to Malachor and jump through that vergence instead of our planned one in the Deep Core. Largely because it's safer and faster to get there in it's nightmarish, bizarre, way as we can go through Hutt space with the appropriate bribes of course. Which I'm willing to pay right now after a very long talk with my senior staff, and just general chatting with our two guarded ship Captains. Now one's a Twi'lek woman, but she's inclined towards it as she's a fear our whole route was sold out, and we get them to Bothan space and they'll be happy.
That and I don't want them knowing where exactly we're going in case the Republic looks for us as there are, um, rumours about our ship and a certain incident the last we were here. Nothing too detailed thank the Shrouded Lord, but after our recent setback I'm now wary of going into the Core as this'll be another red flag for us right now. Our 'odd' weapons compliment has already drawn interest from our fair Captain Yes'tazi for one, and she's not Republic inspectors in the middle of a war.
So, Hutt-town here we come, buy our black-market blasters, armour, and equipment, and then come out 'behind' the Sith Empire to the Dark Side Murder Maelstrom that'll allow us to jump planes. In terms of 'jumping' that'll make it a fast, albeit 'turbulent' dimension jump according to our Pathfinder, and we'll have to ramp up the shields here. Thankfully while inside the ships we're actually in alternate dimensions, so I shouldn't have to worry about Azula relapsing after all her progress, or Zee going crazy or something. Anyway, time to get going, dangerous road ahead.
--
[05.13: As though we were smugglers, not poor honest men?]
[Told'em you were livin' downtown…]
It was strange how travel through the territories of the gangster-slaver giant slugs was the safest in the galaxy right now, but I wasn't going to complain. Not with our journey into the heart of that territory being much easier than the first leg through Republic territory…where I was fairly sure we were being hunted, with people *asking* about our ships and the sudden eagerness of our brief travelling companions had in getting free of our company over Bothawui. It hinted at problems, and we hadn't lingered more than a few hours before paying our bribes and taking the 'safe route' to the nasty ball of corruption before us.
Nar Shadaa was hardly the place I wanted to go, but compared to the other places we could go for….well, I sat on the bridge watching us descend to the spaceport as it was the best of bad options really. We were smugglers, or at least suspects, to the Republic apparently, so best to act the part on the smugglers moon and avoid any…misunderstandings with the locals. So, we were well-armed and dangerous smugglers in their eyes…hopefully anyway. We'd find out shortly I noted as the crew called out the various responses to spaceport instructions for us to land.
'Then again Kara's at full power if need be…as am I' I noted as I largely stayed quiet through the, now increasingly familiar, procedure. Funny how such wonders as faster-than-light travel and spaceports could seem almost old-hat in what I thought of as easy FTL dimensions. Home Base Earth wasn't one of those sadly, though it was FTL-capable….just far more energy intensive and dangerous than the likes of here which somewhat of dimension travel variant in reality. Easy to see when the obit around the moon where filled with small 'light freighters' which seemed like the mobile-homes mixed with long haul trucks in space.
"No shore leave here I imagine?"
"Oh no, no we're not…" I chuckled back darkly to Barbara's amused statement "…we're doing an organised, well-armed, shopping expedition, taking on fuel cells, and then we are departing as soon as we can. And even with that it'll be a day or two too long spent here"
"Yeah Babs, it's like Gotham was a small planet….except worse somehow"
I rolled my eyes at Kara's statement, while Barbara gave a snort as we watched the ship touchdown on one of the spaceports landing areas. "Har har har….but it actually seems to be unfortunately…."
"Yeah, kinda…" I agreed with a shake of my head "…and we are not exactly the law either, so no superhero vigilantism please? There will be bad, bad, things here, and we aren't staying around to fix them, so lets try not get involved outside self-defence"
"You've already given the speech Captain…" Barbara mused back to me with a glance, arms folded across her chest "…three times, now?"
Kara nodded "Three times, yeah"
"Well then, consider this a reminder then…" I answered with a shake of my head "…now, how stands Nathan's security team?"
Barbara nodded "Teams are ready to deploy Boss-man, Faralda's ship is the same, and we're scheduled for an hour from landing to exit the ship"
I nodded, it was good to see we were getting properly professional in all our preparations these days, after quite some effort and training. Considering where we were that was a good thing, and I got up, leaving the bridge to Quinn and Jonathan to command, as myself, Kara, and Barbara made to head for the lift outside now that we were landed. While we couldn't go in like an invading army, we could send out a number of decent sized escorts to do out thing. Supposedly it was how things were done in the 'bad parts' of the 'bad moon' and when we went up into the nicer areas, where such armed bands were not allowed, I'd rely on our 'out of context' powers to see us through if worst came to worst…
--
{Drivin' all the old men crazy…}
"Slug-throwers and melee weapons….a few blaster. Curious mix…" Pashdan muttered watching the potential targets from range, nice safe range of spider-droid long-range camera, as he and his team of three planned out their next move "…and big, well-armed, ships. With the interest in our friends here I'm leaning towards this not being a good job to follow through on"
Orlyua wanted to take it up of course, girl was young and ambitious after all, eager to make a name for herself, and still to green not to recognise the 'Danger! Danger!' pirate warnings written all over this potential contract in his view. So, best let the riff-raff have their go at the targets for a snatch and grab, see how badly they got mauled, and then make their decision whether they should follow through. Patience, which being an old, live, bounty hunter hand brought him, was needed here and now, not youthful enthusiasm. So he ignored her silent grumble, instead glancing at Glashan at his controls.
"Are our test subjects still following?"
The young Kiffar nodded, hand on his chin, eyes focused on the screens of various hacked security cameras in that area of the wards "Looks to be, pretty well armed too….but sloppy I think. If they succeed I'd give us high odds of taking the prize off of them, certainly look easier than the danger of engaging our mystery gang here"
Pashdan studied the screens, showing movement in the shadows of an ambush in a crowd, if violent, area of this ward's promenade "Doubtful they will"
"Same thought here Pash…" Glashan agreed with a slurp of his vile tasting sugary concoction "…but one can dream of easy credits right?"
"As if there's such a thing….there's always a cost hidden away somewhere, especially here" Pashdan murmured, then paused "…ah, seems they're about to start. Decent spot to ambush them at I suppose"
Then frowned deeply "Personal shields?"
"That's….yeah, he should be down…" his slicer slash engineer muttered suddenly as he focused in the spider droid on the fight that'd suddenly erupted, civilians silently screaming and running on scream. Stunners and tranqs looked like….used off the bat on the primary targets, and blasters to kill the guards…but the stunners had been ineffective somehow. Frown even more deeply as he leaned forward and studied the chaos erupt Pashdan looked for the armour, or energy flare…but couldn't see any as the white suited and hat wearing figure went for cover after, somehow, deflecting a stunner with an invisible barrier. Then nodded.
"They're bantha poodoo, complete mission flub" he stated sitting back into the chair as 'ancient slug-throwers' tore into one the idiots who'd gone into with the stunners. Then shook his head "Well…this jobs not going to be worth it all"
"Huh… Boss?"
He glanced at his quasi-apprentice, her lekku moving in confusion as he pointed at the screens "Those aren't pirates, those are either ex-Republic Troopers, Revan ones that didn't leave with him, or some planets version of Senatorial Commandos, and custom weapons…kriff, this is Politics. And we don't want to get involved in…."
"Kriff…Boss!" Glashan stated sitting up straight as he brought up and image, this time of another figure emerging from behind the 'distraction' of the idiots who'd just gone in to get themselves torn up in a matter of seconds. There, gleaming on the screen was a lightsaber, a baleful crimson along with what had to be Sith Troopers…
"Yeah Kriff" he muttered in agreement with his partners in crime, glancing again at their security measures and perimeter alerts. Seemed they weren't they only ones thinking of using such a trick to distract and judge, only in this case coming in after the distraction immediately. Last thing he wanted now was to get between mad Jedi and their prey….
….but it was a damned good idea to get all the tactical data he could from the show at least. That might be worth something to make…
Blinked at what happened on the screen, glad there wasn't sound all of a sudden….
"Well….good thing we didn't take this job on then"
--
[05.14: As though we were smugglers, not poor honest men?]
[The boys are back in town…]
Glitz, glamour, and horror described the Promenade of Nar Shadda I found as we walked along the colourfully lit, yet somehow dark, streets. The whole place was like a hellmouth to my other senses, a particularly active one, yet it wasn't unfortunately…as then we just leave from here. Not that I should complain as this was the place to get all the black-market gear that we wanted. It was certainly full of all sorts very things I found as we'd just exited a weapons store with a very nice case with a pair of expensive blasters and various modifications that could be fitted to them.
'If it wasn't for the crappy dimensional energies this'd be a rather pleasant trading spot' I thought with amusement as I whirled my cane as we walked. It wasn't overly hostile as best I could tell, which would be easier to deal with, but just…. pervasive, and psychosomatic and reality warping; a bad combination for annoyed mages like myself. Thankfully we were getting there on our purchases, from Nathan's desired weapons, to various colonisation tools and sensors currently being loaded aboard the Fortune's Chance back at the spaceport proper.
"Are there strippers everywhere here?" Barbara grumbled to me and Kara as we walked along, and I glanced in the direction she was looking., and….yep there was yet another dancer. Male this time it looked like, and also reptilian…maybe…
"Tut, tut, Babs, starring are you? What would Killer Croc thing?"
"Wha…ewwww….like…double ewwww!" she garbled back at me after a moment of confusion, followed by a shudder "Now you've put that image in my head….agh!"
"Heh, that's for your earlier comments my dear" I chuckled back humming as we walked, Kara giving an amused chuckle as well and patting the 'armoured mercenary' a pat on the back. The fourth member of allowed group Oscar from the security team, dressed in the same armour as Barbara as they were our 'bodyguards' while we shopped. This 'upper area' was less willing to allowed small free traders march about with small armies to protect them apparently….no big shock there really. If I were the Hutt in charge I'd be the same with what appeared to be the influx of refugees from the Republic according to the various people talking, and posters up with 'helpful guidance' around.
'Or do what we say….or else' I thought seeing another of said posters, well electronic bulletin board that shifted through a variety of things as I glanced as that them as we passed by one. The usual warnings and death threats that seemed to be everywhere on it, and of course the never-ending list of fees and not-bribes that were of course a constant here. Considering the fate of Evocaii….well, it really went to show how bad the Republic was right now that people were fleeing here to refugees at all…
"Callum" came the sudden whisper interrupt from Kara and I came back on guard and alert, as did Barbara and Oscar as my girlfriend tensed up. I tapped my cane off the ground, eyes scanning for whatever it was she had caught…though that could be distant from here too easily "We have trouble incoming"
I glanced around, gloved fingers touching my hat as I noted we were in a fairly open area, decent ambush spot…
"Then over this way I think…" I replied, tapping my cane as we walked quickly, but hopefully nonchalantly, over to where there was a degree of shelter for defence, and wouldn't get the crowd of people nearest to us killed in the crossfire, then smiled as if nothing was wrong, glancing at Kara "…any idea what incoming the trouble is?"
"People talking about attacking us…" she replied softly as she moved her head side to side, fists clenching and then unclenching as she made ready for a fight. I nodded, bringing my cane to rest on my shoulder as Barbara and Oscar made ready as I readied my prepared spells on rings, cane, and amulet. Also hating this dimension and resisting the urge to go 'I told you so!' that came with the place…and then stepping forward into an illusion as invisibility took hold and I extended my other senses into the abyss of corruption yet order all around me…
Wssshttt Wsssht Wssshtt
"Cover, Cover!" Oscar called out as 'I' tanked a blaster bolt that really went through the illusion to impact the pillar just behind 'me' as the next illusion of 'me' went for cover as requested. Real me, also taking shelter, frowned as I noted the stunning nature of the shots at me and Kara, and the clear killing shots aimed at the 'bodyguards' of Oscar and Babs. If that was the case….
I drew my revolver in a smooth motion as people in the crowd around us ran and screamed, desperate to get out of the way as idiots in armour raced forward to close with us, weapons in hand. Not exactly the most merciful way to deal with them, but my weapon came up at the nearest and I sent a round into the weapon holding arm of the woman….exploding it in a gout of gore and alchemy. Oscars rifle had come up as well, sent a loud, to the crowd's terrified confusion, snarl of automatic fire back at the enemy while Kara….
Thump
…well, entering melee with an unhappy Kryptonian was a spectacularly bad idea on the best of days, even if to deliver some sort of high powered electro-stun baton-thing to one. The armoured man simply got smashed into the wall with casual ease as Kara grabbed him, slamming him once, then twice, off the not-concrete wall behind her before dumping his body on the…
'Hmmmm' I paused as 'I' held to cover, sending illusion shots back at the more distant attackers….because something else was at work now, reaching out as people nearby of various species…
….wandered off in a daze as an ominous s pressure descended despite the fire-fight…
I frowned, waving a gloved hand in the air to paint invisible symbols before me, shielding my companions and hopefully avoiding a whole pile of mind controlled regular folk coming after us. It wasn't quite enough to dispel the sorcery, yet, as I wasn't about to charge in against a sorcerer I couldn't yet see. Nor would should I show my magic yet, instead focusing on my defences, that if an attack came I could counter-attack with merciless power, or defend my companions and…
'There we go'
There was a…noise…in the air, Kara wincing, as did I, before my hand tapping an invisible rune and dispelled the whispers in the air on us. Or, to be more exactly, the false whispers as aliens and humans dropped, or continued to walk away from the area as if nothing untowards was happening…as if there wasn't a firefight in the middle of the Promenade. Well, a firefight that had been ending till I 'saw' with my arcane senses the oncoming threat. Then the crimson glow-stock gave it them away anyway, along with the overly dramatic cloak they wore over what looked like armour, a force of oddly armoured men with rifles seeming to materialised from the edges of the whispering mist now around the Promenade.
'I' strolled forward as there was little point in my illusion 'hiding' my magic as actual me actually did hide, but gesturing with a hand to slam the last remaining crudely armoured attacker into a wall as Illusion-Me replicated the gesture….then other 'me's' stood or sat like ghosts around the Promenade. This was well coordinated, powerful, and aimed at us in particular as two heavy war droids of unknown make unlimbered behind the….
'Hmmm….Sith Troopers I believe…but not as in the photos we saw' I noted as I watched the enemy magic-user slice one of the injured attackers….the original ones…in half as the air vibrated and screamed with shadows of dark energy. This wasn't like the last time, and I fell back on my training as the…woman it seemed judging by the armour…gestured at 'me' and…
Competent indeed.
…my illusions vanished as I was revealed by faint lines, like I was a ghostly blur rather than wholly solid. I nodded to no-one "Kara, dear, I do believe our restrictions are no longer needed. I'll deal with laser sword person, can you eliminate the droids?"
"Thought we were laying low?" she replied back, though I could hear the dark amusement there.
"We were…then the imbeciles attacked" I replied swiftly with a sigh, despite how strong this one looked to be worryingly enough. The whole area of effect thing they had going, a horrifying mind-wipey 'notice-me-not' type of magic that was trying to knock us out being one sign of that. Still my powers held me calm as Kara just…
Blinked forward and a droid exploded into shards of metal, a blur of destruction as she went from one side of the street to the other in a move that startled even the sorceress. Just a moment though, as the armoured, cloaked, figure jumped forward with her lightsaber, one hand…
Pain*
"Dispel" I growled as massive pressure tried to hold me still, to paralyse me with a Hold Person of the nastiest kind I'd ever felt, like being shoved into an Iron Maiden. Then it was gone as my free hand grabbed cane in a easy motion, the hilt holding one moving as Barbara and Oscar sent, deflected by magic, fire at that charging sorceress. My cane-blade slid free, its magic and energy resistance meeting the glowing slash so I didn't have to test would the lightsaber have better luck with my Energy Immunity spell than I'd expected. Instead I met the blow, a flash of energy as blessed metal blade met energy blade and magic clashed with the Force in a swirl around us as the second droid was torn asunder.
Block.
Parry.
Dispel.
Block.
Dispel.
…and then a blur of invincible girl slammed into the back of the Sith Lady, staggering the witch as I took advantage of the attack and blocked the glow-stick with my blade. Then slammed the butt of the 'sheath' part of my cane-sword into her armoured stomach and ignited lightning directly into her body as I bypassed her defences. Impressively she still tried to fight back…
But Kara was a physical Goddess, and I was slamming down on her 'Force' abilities to prevent her using that power to defeat my lover. Not, down she went as Kara slammed the witch to her knees, armour breaking and tearing as one hand held the ones head firmly. I beamed down pleasantly on our defeated foe, resheathing my cane as Kara tore the lightsaber from broken fingers.
"Well hello there! Now that wasn't very nice was it?" I smirked as all her troopers were unconscious, her droids destroyed…and us now on a time limit as her bounded field collapsed as I slammed at her mind by bringing up gloved hand to her face "So, who are you and who do you serve?"
…and then another presence, Dark and Powerful fought back from beneath that power, the eyes flashing glowing red-white…
But I slammed down the brakes on any explosion of power "Nah ah ah! That isn't very nice at all! I repeat dearie…WHO ARE YOU? WHO DO YOU SERVE?"
"Bri…an..a….Em…pero…or…"
Something clicked, the face, the files from a certain game whose timeline was well ahead of this, of Dread Masters and a wannabe God Emperor. Horror. Fear. They rose up…
But I smiled in a friendly manner as the other presence burned, the woman silently screaming as I went for the desperate bullshit option as we GOT THE HELL OUT OF THIS DIMENSION RIGHT THE FUCK NOW after I did something stupid and distracting "Ah, our super-secret Emperor-chan? Is that YOU Tenebrae? Or Lord Vitamin, or is Val-korribban yet, or…whatever the hells it is your going by now! You aren't supposed to be failing horribly at trying to take over the galaxy for another few decades now, in canon! Anywho, poor showing, poor showing old chap….so, bye-bye now! Good luck on your whole Force-God thing!"
Then I nodded at Kara, who gave me a confused look as she knocked the Dread Master unconscious. We really, really, really, reaalllyyyyyy….had to leave now after all…
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