Star Wars - DRK-1X and its Mistress

[shadowbloodmoon]

Dofina thinks for a moment. "I did tell someone to stay behind, as I was intending on leaving to go to another facility before returning back to that one. However, those plans changed when the Empire came in. The DNA locks were a fail-safe that allowed us to shut down specimens if they got out of hand. Shutting them off would allow more freedom for the specimens when commanded to do things, but it also limited the amount of control the transponders would have. I don't think the specimen would have killed that scientist though, at least not without a command from someone else. Our DNA-locks put off a pheromone that discourages them from attacking us. Someone else ordered it to kill him."

"Hmm... You said that that journal entry was dated a few months ago, I believe it highly unlikely that there are still any survivors hiding below."

The once noble woman only shakes her head and smiles at your apology. "As I said. If you were any other droid."

"I don't know who they would be either, and if I am going to disappear for a while, going about finding that out would probably be detrimental to that prospect. As curious as I am, I think you are right in that we should err on the side of stealth. We will need to procure another ship before we head back into populated space, if that is indeed where we are going. Then we'll need to dispose of this one. I don't suppose you have another ship waiting for us somewhere?"

 

[Ambrus]

"Someone else ordered it to kill him."

"Statement of concern: I find it disturbing that one such creature may have killed the scientist less than a meter from me and yet I was unable to detect it or even its method of attack. Report: The nemoidian simply started to expel blood from his mouth as he spoke before crumpling to the floor and dying. Inquiry: How could I endeavour to protect you or I from a creature I can't perceive? Would it be possible to build a new tranceiver?" For a probot who was designed and equipped with a slew of state-of-the-art sensor systems, the thought of being unable to perceive a threat was evidently proving to be a rather distressing one.

"We will need to procure another ship before we head back into populated space, if that is indeed where we are going. Then we'll need to dispose of this one. I don't suppose you have another ship waiting for us somewhere?"

"Report: Unfortunately no. At the time I judged acquiring a second vessel to be too time consuming an endeavour to undertake before setting out in search of you. Statement of intent: My plan had been to rescue you, escape the cluster safely, retrieve the transport pod and then seek an isolated and independent starport in the fringe where we could covertly sell our cargo, the pod and this vessel and in turn acquire a new vessel; preferably something larger for your comfort. I was waiting for you to recover before deciding where to proceed to however. Inquiry: Do you have any suggestions Mistress? Preferably somewhere you won't be recognized?[sblock=OOC]Phew! That pretty much covers everything I'd been hoping to discuss with Dofina. It took a fair bit of back-and-forth typing to get through it all but I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. As far as I'm concerned once we hammer out where we're heading you can narrate the rest of our trip as you see fit.

It's weird to play for months without having one's character talk and then turn around and spend a few weeks with nothing at all but chit chat.[/sblock]

 

[shadowbloodmoon]

[sblock=OOC]hehe. Yeah, but think of it as keeping things interesting and on your toes... Oh wait, X doesn't have toes. Hrmm...[/sblock]

"New transceiver? I doubt it. You know more about that stuff than I do. I just did the genetic portion of the work. Then again, if we put those skills together, we might be able to come up with something."

She stops for a moment, considering the scene X describes. "Perhaps the creature had already done its work and what you saw was the remnant after effects. I imagine that if it was still attacking the scientist when you arrived, it would have come after you too."

Dofina mulls in her mind as to where would be a good place to hide for a while. "Well, we'll have to turn the stuff we sell into physical money. After that, there are lots of places out there I'm not known. We'll just have to find one. We could follow the tradeway towards the outer fringe systems. Maybe the Trask Cluster. Last I heard, there was an isolationist colony there, but not much else. Unless you know of some place better. If you think of something, let me know, I'm going to look over Four's journals."

The Nemoidian woman goes about her self-assigned task and begins to review the collection of journals and notes that you gave to her from Four. This gives you plenty of time to consider any other routes or plans you want to make before arriving at the site of the cargo pod.

 

[Ambrus]

"Well, we'll have to turn the stuff we sell into physical money. After that, there are lots of places out there I'm not known. We'll just have to find one."

"Report: I already took the liberty to sell some of the surplus bacta and one of the tanks. We currently have nearly 100 000 credits in capital; enough to finance the immediate purchase of a new vessel if desired."

DRK-1X falls silent as its Mistress turns her attention to reading her deceased daughter's records. Sinking down to the floor, the diminutive probot sets down the medkit it had been holding and begins unpacking its contents. With but a thought, 1X activates its MSR-X module and relinquishes access to its motivator to the sub processor. With a recovering patient on its mind, the black spherical droid quickly sets about the task of checking Dofina's progress and attending to her fading injuries. At the helm, Derek iddly checks the fading gravimetric readings from the distant cluster's fading hyperspace shadow.
[Sblock=OOC]Here I have to admit my less than stellar (heh heh) knowledge of the Star Wars galaxy at large. Since they've got some time to research and consider the matter, can Derek and 1X think of a better place to head towards where they could lie low while unloading the bacta tanks and bacta for cash and perhaps shop around for a new vessel without drawing undue attention?[/sblock]

 

[shadowbloodmoon]

Dofina nods absently as you mention the idea of buying a new ship. As she progresses with reading the journals, the MSR-X sends back data regarding Mistress Dofina's vital statistics. At present, she seems to be recovering more quickly now, the effects of the drug are long gone and her physical wounds are just going to be sore spots. There will be some scarring, but nothing serious at the moment. The crushed bones in her joints are knitting together nicely and again will simply be sore spots for her in the future.

The two droids converse silently over some ideas as to where else they could go in order to sell of their goods and possibly acquire a new ship in the process. A number of options come to mind:

Yavin IV. A space station orbits the small moon of Yavin that is run by the ninth generation descendant of a Rodian merchant family. Aside from Trandoshan slavers that visit the area every so often, it is a pretty quiet place.

Corellian Core Systems. The Corellian system is home to numerous shipbuilding firms that sell to the highest bidder and were run independently from the Republic and presumably the Empire.

Nal Hutta. If there was ever a place to hide from the Empire and do business of any kind, this place was the core of it.

Sullust. The Sullustans are also known for their shipbuilding capabilities, but are also known for their mercenary business practices.

Fendamir. Not necessarily a place for ships, but the outpost there is well known to be a sort of neutral ground for underworld operators. Like many places, it is rumored that anything can be had there. For a price.

Sandrell. Not much is known about who owns this planet, but many spacers go there to do business 'on the side.'

There are many other places out there under similar parameters, but these come to the fore.

 

[Ambrus]

OOC: Yavin IV sounds like a nice neutral out-of-the-way place to start. If we can't manage to sell all of the bacta and tanks for a fair price there then we should at least be able to trade the Ari's Sorrow for a temporary vessel. Once we're safely aboard a different vessel then it might be okay to risk going to a large trading center like the Corellian Core Systems where we could have our pick of whichever vessel we'd care to purchase while being able to unload the bacta tanks at our leisure. DRK-1X will suggest this idea to Dofina.

 

[shadowbloodmoon]

Dofina looks up from her perusing of Four's journals as you mention the plan of going to Yavin IV first. "Hmm.... Well, if that station is still there, we might just be in business." She doesn't say anything else and returns to her reading.

Not long after, the hyperspace alarm tells you that you are nearing your destination. Pulling back on the hyperthrottle, Derek safely brings the ship into realspace. There, not more than fifty meters ahead, is the container.

The scanners indicate that the space out here is pretty empty and that the container looks to be intact.

 

[Ambrus]

Having arrived at their destination, Derek and DRK-1X confer briefly via comlink as the human replica droid begins to manoeuvre the fighter into alignment with the free-floating cargo pod. With the goal of docking the two vehicles, the dark-skinned droid taps a few buttons on the pilot's console, causing the Ari's Sorrow to begin its slow approach towards the pod. Meanwhile, the black spherical probot floats over to Dofina to interrupt her reading once more. "Statement of apology: Please forgive my interruption. Report: We've arrived at the pod and have begun docking manoeuvres. Statement of intent: Since you've indicated your desire to have the bio-samples and research data destroyed as soon as possible, by your leave I will signal the medical droids aboard the pod to proceed with that task before we return to hyperspace."

Assuming Dofina has no objections, DRK-1X will proceed to deploy its scomplink probe and marry it to the fighter's computer access port so as to access its remote processor directly. With but a few silent commands, the probot transmits the activation signal for the pod's resident droid pool. Once it begins receiving the droids' telemetry, 1X instructs the units to fetch the sample case aboard, open it, remove the mainframe key-card for safe-keeping and then unseal all of the bio-samples containers. The probot then has the droids jettison the unsealed case out of the cargo pod before resealing the pod and deactivating themselves once more.

With the cargo pod in tow once more, Derek manoeuvres the fighter around until it is facing the free-floating samples case. Bringing the small vessel's weapons online, the human replica droid targets the case and opens fire with a rapid-fire barrage of blaster fire. Bolt after bolt of destructive energy tears through the small metal case, vaporizing the delicate bio-samples and research data cards within. Even after the case is reduced to floating debri, Derek takes a few last carefully aimed shots to fully atomize what remains of the jetsam.

As its counterpart is occupied with his target-practice, DRK-1X has turned its attention from the remote processor to the fighter's nav-computer. The probot runs through a few carefully executed hyperspace transit simulations while preparing a new jump program. When ready, 1X uploads the program through the ship's computer to the pilot's console. Seeing that they are once more ready to depart, Derek begins to manoeuvre the Ari's Sorrow around towards their far distant destination. The diminutive probot in turn retracts its scomplink probe back into its chassis before turning to its Mistress once. "Report: The samples case and research data have been obliterated Mistress. By your leave Mistress, we are also ready to re-enter hyperspace."

Assuming his Mistress has no objections, Derek soon pushes forward the fighter-craft's hyperspace throttle once more, causing the stars outside the forward viewport to lengthen into streaks of light. The trio are thus en-route towards Yavin four.

 

[shadowbloodmoon]

Dofina, seemingly engrossed in her reading of Four's notes and journals, sends DRK-1X on its way with a slightly perceptible nod. When she gets to a stopping point, she looks up. "All of it, X. Destroy all of the samples."

As the locking seals seat into place, a small case floats out into the nothingness of deep space. Turning the ship to face it, Derek depresses the firing buttons, causing Dofina to bolt upright. After seeing that it was only her loyal droid doing as she had asked, she settles down and returns to her reading, once again nodding when DRK-1X indicates that they are ready to depart.

Soon after, the ship, now loaded down with the mass of the cargo pod, is rocketing through hyperspace. They are on course for Yavin 4.

Unless there is anything special you want to do other than chat with Dofina before exiting hyperspace at Yavin 4, I'm going to fast forward a few days...

It takes some time to reach the remote planet of Yavin. Though technically within the new Empire's jurisdiction, there haven't been any major settlements here for quite a number of years. It is on a minor trade route however, so it stands to reason that a businessman would tend to make some sort of profit from unwary travellers in the region.

The station isn't very big. The two droids estimate that it could probably service ten small ships at most. There don't seem to be any of those ships out here though. As you get closer, an automatic landing signal transmits, sending information on which docking bay to enter.

 

[Ambrus]

As cautious as its counterpart, the human replica droid seated at the helm of the Ari's Sorrow uses the vessel's long-range sensors to scan the region of space around the small space station suspicious. Once satisfied that there's nothing unusual about the place, Derek transmits a signal to acknowledge the landing directives and begins maneuvering towards the indicated hangar bay. While its counterpart pilots the fighter, DRK-1X makes itself busy by interfacing with the ship's nav-computer so as to program a micro-jump out of the Yavin system in case something it couldn't anticipate should occur on the station.

As the Ari's Sorrow manoeuvres through the large hangar bay doors, Derek keys the landing gear deployment switch while DRK-1X turns to address its Mistress. "Suggestion: It may be safer, at least until we've rid ourselves of this vessel, that you remain largely out of sight Mistress. To that end, I believe it may be wise for Derek to head out onto the station alone to see what other vessels may be available for purchase or trade. We could remain here while monitoring his progress and conferring with him via comlink. Inquiry: Do you concur Mistress?"

As 1X speaks to the nemoidian woman, the Ari's Sorrow touches down gently onto the station's deck with a mild shudder. Derek begins shutting down the vessels various systems. The HRD then reaches over to retrieve the face-concealing helmet it had worn during his last station excursion from a storage compartment while waiting to hear its Mistress' response to 1X.

[sblock=OOC]So the primary goal here is to sell or trade the Ari's Sorrow for another hyperspace capable vessel. It doesn't really have to be anything special, the plan being to eventually trade it in for a better vessel once a better selection is available. The secondary goal is to unload some bacta, tanks and droids if there's any market for the stuff out here. If there isn't then we'll likely just hold on to it all until we're in a better location to look for buyers. Naturally, Derek will also be keeping an eye out for other possible items of interest (a small supply of Rhyll spice along with a few personal affects for Dofina would be good) and general news about galactic goings-on.[/sblock]