Star Wars - DRK-1X and its Mistress

[shadowbloodmoon]

The old Rodian watches as Derek gives the ship a once over, careful to make sure the android doesn't break anything. As the ship's internal systems come online one by one, Derek can see that a lot of slicing had to have taken place in order to get some of the systems to communicate properly with the main computer. Whoever had this ship last knew what they were doing though. It seems as if each new piece was hand fitted to the ship, almost as if the ship itself were evolving.

As he is running diagnostics of the ship, Derek notices a discrepency in one of the command strings. Though all ships have a particle shield generator to prevent hull damage from micrometeorites and other stellar debris and they also have low level ray shielding to prevent stray spatial energies and stray blaster shots from hitting the hull, Derek has found out why the ship seems to have an odd energy makeup. It's fitted with a modified capital-class shield generator.

The old man waits for a while before speaking, "Told ya she's still in running condition.'

DRK-1X echoes Dofina's response to Derek. "It's certainly better than running around in this thing. I might have a chance to move around more. More importantly, no one will look for us in it."

[sblock=OOC]It's a YG-300, a very old model. As in about 2000 years. This of course makes it obvious to Derek that the 100k ly that he mentioned is very understating it. The layout is pretty simple. The center of the ship, from front to back, goes as follows: bridge, central computer and navigation, medbay, quarters, mess, storage, engineering. The port and starboard sides are both the cargo sections, each separated into three holds. Six in all.

Judging from the condition the ship is in, it has been pretty well maintained. Many systems have been replaced and upgraded, so much so that the only thing that seems to be original is the hull itself. Even that is debatable. As far as a good trade, considering that the ship is still in good condition for its age and that many of the systems are newer and more contemporary, this is a pretty decent ship. Giving the guy the Sorrow and the cargo pod would more than pay for it. Unless you count the hidden shield generator, then you'd be under about 5000 credits. [/sblock]

 

[Ambrus]

[sblock=OOC]The ship is two-thousand years old?!? Holy cow!

I knew that ships in the Star Wars universe had long operational life-spans, but I hadn't figured that twenty centuries was possible. Heh. It's like this guy is offering to trade me his antique roman chariot for my vintage 57 Chevy. Finding replacement parts for her must be quite the challenge. [/sblock]The human replica droid silently transmits a response to its Mistress as it finishes its diagnostic routine. "I concur. This small, nearly abandoned station will likewise be a good place to discreetly dispose of the Ari's Sorrow. It would seem that our small vessel could easily disappear amidst the clutter of this facility for several decades."

Satisfied with his analysis, Derek powers down the ancient freighter's systems and stands to speak with the venerable rodian. "Quite the ancient relic you've got here. Amazing that she's still serviceable at all really. It's clear that she's been well maintained over the past two millennia at least. The retrofitted engines and sensors make her comparable with a last-century period ship at worst.

Our vessel is a modified M12-L Kimogila class heavy fighter. She's been largely converted for civilian use; most of her military equipment having been sacrificed for creature comforts. She still has a pair of IX-4 laser cannons on the wings though and has been retrofitted with a small shield generator for added safety. The engine has been tweaked for speed and its hyperdrive is fairly fast for a ship of its size. On the inside, it has a foldout sleeping rack and small refresher along with a small storage compartment able to hold up to 150-kilos of cargo. The cargo pod itself can haul an additional 30-tons of cargo.

All in all, she's a good, tough personal shuttle for someone who's worried about safety. She might be just what you need if the trandos ever get to be more than you can handle. Like I said, there's not really anything wrong with her aside from the fact that she needs to be refueled. You're welcome to take a closer look at her if you like.

Although she's not the most recent model, she's certainly newer than this two-thousand year old tub. If taken with the cargo pod I'd say you'd be coming out ahead in this deal. How about you top off this freighter's fuel and expendables and we'll call it an even trade?"[sblock=OOC]Assuming that the eager-looking rodian is as anxious to complete the transaction as he is, Derek is going to suggest to 1X that it take the opportunity to have the four B1 combat droids activate and transfer themselves along with all of the other cargo aboard the vessel (including the remote processor) to the cargo pod. If she would prefer to remain incognito, Dofina might also want to don either her flight suit or some other concealing clothing so that they'll be ready to receive the rodian to inspect the fighter. After that they can either fly the cargo pod to the freighter's hangar bay or vice versa so that they can transfer all of its cargo from the pod to the freighter more quickly. The goal is to transfer all this stuff discreetly in such a way that the rodian never gets a good look at the contraband stuff like the weapons, battle droids or even Dofina herself.

BTW, what's the freighter's designation?[/sblock]

 

[shadowbloodmoon]

[sblock=OOC]Heh. You'd be surprised how long ships last... The Katana-fleet was lost quite some time before it was found again. This one was just really well maintained. As far as its designation, it doesn't have one. The registration code and such are missing. It needs to be registered or have a transponder with a registration attached installed. [/sblock]

The old Rodian thinks for a moment, his brow furrowing, adding to his already ample wrinkles. "Nah. I already know enough about what you've got there. I'll take her. Let me get to the central control room and I'll set the station to replenish this thing's tanks and consumables. I don't have a registration for her though. You'll have to get that through the nearest Republic port." With that, he begins to walk away, towards the central room where Derek first met him. As an afterthought, he tosses the access key to Derek, who catches it deftly in his hand.

DRK-1X and the other droids located in the Ari's Sorrow begin the long process of relocating the cargo to their new home. As they do so, they notice the station coupling refueling probes to the ship and conveyers starting to run, getting the vessel ready to fly. Mistress Dofina decides to accompany the droids, donning her recently acquired flight suit upon request from DRK-1X.

 

[Ambrus]

Derek catches the keys and nods to the venerable rodian. "Thanks. Oh, you also wouldn't happen to have any fresh food around here would you? We've been eating nothing but processed foodstuffs for the past several weeks and have grown rather tired of it."

DRK-1X first directs one of the med droids to disconnect and transfer the remote processor from the Ari's Sorrow to the freighter's computer-core room. With its two repair-remotes and three tactical remotes in tow, the diminutive probot then quickly crosses over from the fighter to the freighter itself. Then, with a silent command, it directs the three tactical remotes to search the ship's interior for anything anomolous. The two tiny repair droids are to commence with the task of physically marrying the unit to the freighter's computer core while 1X busies itself with handling the software related integration issues. Once their task is complete, DRK-1X will dispatch the twin repair remotes to carefully search the freighter, beginning with the computer room and cockpit, for any damaged systems in need of their attention. The remotes are to report back to 1X any defects they discover.

Once they're off, 1X will marry itself to the remote processor via its scomplink probe and begin to direct the five med-droids through the cargo transfer process. The first thing to be transferred aboard are the four folded combat automata which the med-droids are to discreetly carry beneath piles of other equipment from the Sorrow's storage compartments. As soon as they are safely aboard and out of sight from anyone in the hangar bay, DRK-1X transmits their activation signal. The probot then directs the med droids to begin moving the bacta tanks out of the cargo pod, through the hangar bay and into the freighter's cargo holds. The four combat automata are to remain aboard and help in the loading process while securing the tanks within the holds.

Derek, meanwhile, will remain largely in the hangar bay to help supervise the refueling process while directing traffic and keeping an eye out for the rodian should he return. If he has the opportunity, the human replica droid will try to take a look around to see if there are any other pieces of equipment which he might wish to trade for. It's assumed that Dofina can find her own way out of the fighter and onto the freighter.

As the operation nears completion, DRK-1X will recall the twin repair remotes to receive their reports and then dispatch them to the engine room to pursue their examination of the freighter's key systems. Derek will finish up with the refueling process and hopefully finish speaking with the rodian so that the group can get back underway soon thereafter.

OOC: Unless there's something else which catches Derek's attention or something which the rodian or Dofina wish to do while we're here, then feel free to narrate our departure from the station. After having reviewed Four's journals does Dofina have a better idea of where she might like to go next?

 

[shadowbloodmoon]

The process of changing ships goes off smoothly, with not but time holding the new owners of the ancient freighter back.

The repair droids report that other than the non-standard wiring patterns and the things that had been mentioned and found by Derek earlier, the ship looks to be in working order. They report that they do not trust the wiring diagrams, but it seems that it technically does not cause problems.

In between watching the droids move items from one ship to the other and looking for other things that might help them on their journey, he notices that Dofina has also made her way to the freighter. Before boarding, she looks at him more closely and then climbs the ramp.

There is a lot of junk in the station and just about anything could be found here, but nothing immediately stands out to be essential to Derek and his charge.

The refueling and restocking process is almost complete when the old Rodian appears with a crate on a carryall.

"It's not the greatest, but it's better than foodstuffs. Got it when a Corellian came through not long ago. I'd recommend using the fusion cooker on the ship before eating it though. Unless there is anything else I can do for you, your ship's about ready to go."

As he waits for an answer, one of the droids comes over to DRK-1X holding something in its manipulators. It reports that it found a book on the ship. Not a holobook. A book, with paper pages and handwriting.

Dofina hasn't yet indicated anything as to where she might want to go next, as she presumed you were going to take her into hiding. But after this part, there will be more to that.

 

[Ambrus]

Derek walks over to meet the old rodian, curious to see what he'd brought for the droid. Bending down to examine the crate and its contents he asks: "What is it exactly?" Assuming it's fresh food fit for nemoidian consumption, Derek will transmit a signal to its counterpart aboard the freighter. The HRD requests that the probot remotely instruct one of the medical droids to collect and deliver a canister containing an appropriate amount of bacta to the rodian out in the hangar bay (say a few hundred milliliters depending on the approximate value of the crate). The medical droid is then to collect and carry the crate into the freighter's galley on its return trip.

Seeing that the cargo has been successfully transferred to the freighter, Derek turns to watch as the last of the medical droids trundle their way up the vessel's entry ramp. Turning back towards the venerable station custodian, the human replica droid motions towards the empty freighter and cargo pod. "She's all yours. Take good care of her; she's a good ship who's seen us through a few tough scrapes. Good luck to you friend." Derek nods to the rodian and then turns to board his new vessel.

******

With their last task largely complete, DRK-1X issues a few last instructions to its droid pool through the remote processor before disconnecting, retracting and stowing its scomplink probe. Deploying its manipulator arms, the probot accepts the proffered book, holds it up before its primary photoreceptor and begins scanning its contents.

******

Once back aboard Derek closes the entry hatch and makes his way to the fore. Seating himself in the pilot's chair, the human replica droid leans back and deactivates his motivator. Focusing his code inwards, Derek begins removing his fighter-craft specifications database from his neural network's active memory and then transferring it to his archival memory banks. In its place, the HRD transfers a space transport-craft specifications database into its active memory before reactivating its motivator. With its sensors and servos back online, Derek's eyes flicker open to regard the control panel before him. Reaching out the HRD begins tapping buttons and flicking switches, bringing the two-thousand-year-old vessel to life. Flicking on the ship's intercom system, the droid addresses his passengers: "All-hands, please be advised that we'll be lifting off momentarily."

When ready Derek taps a button, causing the vessel to lift off of the deck and to turn towards the hangar bay doors. Once they're open the ancient freighter slowly maneuvers out into the void once more before its ion drive activates in a flare of light, propelling the freighter onward. Being underway, Derek reaches back and activates the freighter's nav-computer and begins updating its star-charts with current sensor-data as he prepares a new hyperspace jump.

******

DRK-1X heads off in search of Dofina. Finding her, the diminutive probot offers her the bound tome. "Report: I found some reading material for you should you desire a diversion. Suggestion: We should however first discuss our next course of action. Inquiry: Is it your desire that we attempt to sell our cargo?"

OOC: Might you be able to suggest a few possible destinations that 1X and Derek might consider as good prospects for the sale of their cargo of bacta and tanks? Ideally, it should be out of the way and independent from the empire, but with good sale prospects.

 

[shadowbloodmoon]

The old Rodian smiles and waves as Derek makes himself the last of the crew to board the freighter. The crate contained a large amount of prepackaged foods and sealed produce containers. Each one of them are marked as supplies for some outpost on Herra IV, clear on the other side of the galaxy.

DRK-1X peruses the book, careful to not tear the old pages. It appears to be a journal of sorts, the language is old Corellian but the name Arin Bereen keeps appearing throughout. From what X can translate, the last entry reads as follows:


I don't know if I can handle this much longer. It's been three weeks since the last transmission from the station. It's been two days since Margix died. She was the last of us, and quite possibly the best of us. I guess that makes me the last of us. The lights have all but failed, so if anyone finds this, pardon my writing. I suppose using my own blood for ink was not the brightest thing either. I needed to talk to someone though. It may as well be you dear reader. Uh-oh. There it is again, that sound. That horrible sound. It's like a warning. A useless warning. This is likely to be my last writing. I can't ask for anything from you reader, except to search out my family and tell them what happened here. Tell them what went wrong. Tell them..."

The writing ends and a quick analysis of the ink tells that it is indeed blood that the writer used on the page.

Derek realigns his systems to interface with the ancient vessel and as he does so, he finds that it seems to have a personality. It seems to 'talk' to his programming as he gives it commands. The ship follows each command willingly, almost fanatically.

Dofina takes the book and gives it a once over before tossing it back into what looks to be a 'to-do' pile. "Hmm... Depends on how much it's going to cost to hide me from the Empire and whatever else is out there trying to kill me. I'm thinking that we should get rid of as much excess and anything that ties us back to that facility as soon as possible." She stops as she listens to Derek's announcement.

"I suppose I should get to know this pilot you've hired for me." With that, she heads towards the cockpit as the Unnamed Freighter blasts off out of the hangar bay.

other than the systems I mentioned prior, there isn't much out there that X or Derek knows about that aren't at least touched by the new Empire. Doesn't mean they don't exist, just that the two of you aren't aware of them. If anything, Fendamir is closest and you should be able to get a decent price for all of the stuff you wished to sell.

 

[Ambrus]

Knowing that the Corellian system was independent before the war, and that only a few scant weeks had passed since the conflict had ended, the two droids feel confidant that the fledgling empire hadn't likely had the time to extend its reach into that sector yet. Several overpopulated worlds in close proximity would both help to obfuscate their presence there while simultaneously presenting a larger market for the valuable cargo they wished to sell discreetly. Having ascertained that their mistress had no particular opinion concerning their next destination, Derek and DRK-1X soon reach a consensus and the HRD begins programming a hyperspace transit locus into the freighter's nav-computer.

When Dofina decides to head off to the cockpit to speak with Derek, DRK-1X follows close behind and begins discussing the much dreaded meeting between the HRD and their Mistress with its counterpart via comlink. The two droids confer about what tact to take with the nemoidian noble during the interview. Just as she arrives in the cockpit, Derek finishes double checking his astrogation computations on the readout in front of him and uploads the program into the flight-computer. Pulling off his helmet, the dark skinned human replica droid half turns to regard Dofina. "Please strap yourself in. We're about to make the transition to hyperspace." The HRD silently transmits a similar warning to the various droids throughout the ship, waits a few seconds for the nemoidian woman to finish strapping herself in and then gently pushes the hyperdrive throttle forward.

 

[shadowbloodmoon]

Dofina promptly returns to her seat and straps herself in. She waits for the jump to lightspeed and upon feeling the change in velocity from ultrafast to less than, she again unstraps and heads towards the cockpit, expecting DRK-1X to tag along.

"Okay, now that we've got some time to ourselves before we arrive, I want to know more about you." She points to the HRD, who is busy piloting the ship.

 

[Ambrus]

Uncertain how to respond to the nemoidian woman Derek at first regards Dofina impassively from his seat, blinking a few times in accord with the algorithm which governed the seemingly random timing of such humanoid involuntary physiological responses. Very soon the droid's emotive node registers significant levels of self-doubt and uncertainty. Derek becomes painfully aware of his lack of experience in affecting humanoid body-language and mannerisms as his motivator signals its readiness to relay his neural-network's instructions to his multi-limbed body's abundant servo-motors. Since it's counterpart had few means to physically express itself, DRK-1X had been ill-qualified to program the human replica droid to physically express itself. Also, the probe droid's own cheap sexless monotone vocabulator simply couldn't compare with Derek's own exquisite masculine multi-tonal vocabulator.

The two times he'd interacted with organic beings on his own Derek had kept his face hidden behind a mask to avoid being recognized. It had also saved him the bother of having to execute facial expressions. The droid blinks three times more and then slowly stands to face its Mistress. How to greet the woman? His humanoid behavioural database indicated that, among that species, a proffered hand was appropriate amongst peers; but Dofina was neither human nor his peer. The 4º military database Derek had inherited from its counterpart indicated that saluting was appropriate when greeting a superior officer; but the nemoidian wasn't a military officer anymore than he himself was. After a few seconds of internal debate, the human replica droid sends a signal through his motivator causing his servo-motors to tilt his head into a curt nod.


DRK-1X, in a subtle attempt to keep its Mistress from steering the interview, floats into the cockpit to hover between the two bipeds. The probot gestures towards its counterpart with one manipulator arm. "Report: Mistress, may I introduce you to Derek Onyx. We first met on an independent station in the Dantooine system while I was busily trying to acquire resources with which to attempt your rescue. He has proven to be an excellent pilot and resourceful companion throughout the mission." For its own part, DRK-1X attempts to balance its fundamental need to report accurate information to its Mistress with its personal desire to keep the particulars of its counterpart's nature obfuscated.