Polis Massa Bound

Posted on Fri Jan 29th, 2021 @ 5:00pm by Spacer Talon Kolani
Edited on on Sat Feb 27th, 2021 @ 7:26pm

Mission: Episode 2 - The Empire Rises!
Location: Cockpit aboard the Rusty Rancor
Timeline: After "Panic! At the Techno Pt.2"

As the YT-1300 modified light freighter Rusty Rancor made its way through the Hyperspace lane it was committed to, Captain Talon Kolani sat in the pilot's seat, checking various readouts around him as the freighter sped to its next destination.

After the recent run-in at Port Nowhere, Talon was glad that not only had they managed to get the job done for which they had been hired, but also that they'd been able to get out of there with everyone alive and in one piece. He took it as a bonus that they'd also picked a couple more passengers who had not paid for passage but for now, he was just happy to alive and in one piece as well.

Alema Rhae made her way back into the cockpit and the Twi'lek co-pilot handed Talon a steaming hot drink before she sat down at her console and flipped a few switches that called out for attention.

"So, that seemed to go well," she said with a small wry of sarcasm in her voice before taking a sip of her drink.

"Yeah, that seemed pretty touch and go there for a while, but I think that we've made it out in one piece and without anyone tracking us," Talon answered before taking a sip of his own drink. He checked the scanners once more and was happy that they didn't record anyone on their tail.

Talon looked over at Alema before asking the question that was burning in his mind. "So, in all of the din, I meant to ask, where are we going, oh trusted co-pilot of mine?" he asked with a curious smile.

Alema flicked a switch and the destination came upon the databank screen in the centre of the main flight console. "Somewhere I thought would be good for all of us and give us somewhere to lay low for a while: The Polis Massa Asteroid field," She explained. Talon leaned in and ran a check on how old the information that it held was. satisfied that this was only days old, Talon sat back.

"Ah, good old Polis Massa," he began. "I'm so glad that I managed to win that landing bay licence off Caveel on Nevaro when I did, this little out of the way the place has come in handy two of three times and I don't intend to let it go again." Talon sat back and rested his feet up on the console, in a flat spot where he had done this many times before and worn the flat spot in.

"Is Caveel still mad at you for cheating him out of that in the game of Sabacc you played him? I swear he didn't seem to happy when we left in a hurry that day," Alema added in before taking another sip of her drink.

"He was...slightly frustrated, I'll admit that... but then he shouldn't have tried to cheat me out of the cargo haul of spice I had on a previous game...that guy is always trying to give me a hard time when we run into him...and all because I'm the better pilot form the family business that he got fired from..." Talon let loose a small smile before he relaxed a bit.

"Well, let's hope with the recent action we had at Port Nowhere, that it doesn't attract any attention to us from him, that's the last thing we'll need whilst we have passengers on board, especially since we also have both Mando's and Jedi aboard..." Alema offered.

Talon nearly spat out the next mouthful of drink. "Hold on, we picked up more Jedi...as well as Hud? Oh wow, well I wasn't expecting that as part of the plan. It's a good thing that Polis Massa is out of the way on the Outer Rim...that last thing I need to do is attract more trouble out here, things were going well after we picked up Lucian."

"Cool your heels, flyboy, I'm sure they don't mean trouble for us. Hell you've also had Mando's on board for the past few hours, think yourself lucky that they haven't caused any issues either," Alema reasoned with him.

Talon nodded as he agreed with her. "Yeah, those Mando's back there came in handy, it's no wonder they know what they're doing in a tight spot or a firefight, especially with their Mandalorian ways and all that hokey religion stuff. its good to be out of Port Nowhere in one piece." Talon then leaned forward as he saw a saved message in the communications system.

Looking over at Alema, Talon pointed to the readout. "So, whois the voice mail from?" he asked.

"It's Krail, you know, I hate that slimy no good piece of bantha fodder, why do you have to deal with him again?" She asked as the Twi'lek made her feeling quite clear about this particular colleague of Talons.

"Why? I owe him, big time," Talon started to explain. "Krail maybe be an untrustworthy source but he saved my life back when I worked in the family business...in fact, you put him in a room with Caveel...just watch those two go for each other, they hate each other so badly...I'm just grateful that Krail is on my side...sort of."

Talon recalled a quick flashback of when Raynar Krail helped protect him from bounty hunters looking to secure the family assets one night...but still cursed the day that it cost him a whole shipment he'd had to pay back for in return. Talon flicked on the play switch on the message and listened to it intently, signing it off with a smile it was complete. Alema noticed the smile as she continued her various checks and adjustments of the ships onboard systems.

"So, what's the good for nothing slimy hound said this time?" she asked, in a semi curious manner. Deep down, Alema was still unsure and curious what this debt was that he owed to the Feeorin engineer, but she also knew that sometimes, Krail came in handy.

Talon flicked off the comm panel and turned the seat to face her. "Remember the Scarlet Star? The J-type Nubian Star Skiff that used to belong to the family business?" Talon asked before carrying on.

"Yeah, what happened to her?" Alema returned the question.

"I managed to buy her back a while ago from being in private ownership. Krail has been working on her with his team of engineers and getting her modified for use as a... higher class of transport vessel...with a few optional extra's should anyone decide they want to take her away from her rightful owner. He's just confirmed he's received the last payment I sent him and that she is almost ready for use," Talon explained.

He took a breath as he realised that he would soon have a larger ship to start to ferry more people around the galaxy, meaning more profits for the business and that could only be a good thing in the current climate...or so he hoped.

"Shes mored up in a private bay within the Sluis Van shipyards and Krail has been working on her there, once she's ready, we'll need to make a rendezvous outside of the system. Last I heard, the Sluis Van were not on the side of the Republic...but we'll cross that river when the time comes. The Rancor is more than doing her fair share with us two at the helm and we're doing well of late."

Alema snorted as she listened to Talon set out the next step in his grand plan.

"Just be careful, flyboy, you never know what the galaxy with throw at you next," she said. "Right now you've got a hold full of Passengers that include Jedi and Mando's, just make sure you land carefully when we arrive at Polis Massa," she warned, just before a blue flashing light and siren started wailing on her console.

"Talking of which...we're nearly there," Alema reported. She activated the ship-wide comm system straight afterwards. "Attention all passengers, stand by to drop out of lightspeed, we'll soon be landing at our next port: Polis Massa, flight crew out," she said.

Talon took hold of the piloting yoke as he prepared to take over the controls once they dropped out of Hyperspace. After checking her controls and the timer to the Hyperspace buoy, she looked across and nodded to him. "And in three...two...one....now!" Alema said.

Talon pushed back the Hyperspace throttle and re-engaged the sunlight engines, guiding the modified light freighter into the private spaceplane that he owned and slowly making their descent towards the landing bay that he also owned, care of cheating Caveel in that game of sabacc all those years ago. As he adjusted the speed of the ship on their course, the Landing Bay marker picked up the arriving ship and started to send out its customary signal.

Talon reduced speed on the sunlight engines and then cut them out as they got closer to the bay, takin them in on thrusters only. As he entered the final stage for landing, he flicked the comm switch again, "All passengers, strap in and stand by, we're about to make out landing at Polis Massa, flight crew out."

Moments later, the Rusty Rancor eased to a clean landing in docking bay 94 at the Polis Massa Starport on the outer rim, making what was a safe habour for now whilst they took stock and worked out what was happening in the galaxy at that time...