"We will sit back, for now, and let Ashlyn handle himself. Koruusk, you be ready to stand up a moment's notice, to act as if I'm sending you to the bar to tell the bartender what drinks we'll be ordering."

Cyril, for his part, lays relaxed on his seat whil still keeping himself firmly in character.

Allen just sits there, glancing at various things around him, his hand twitching each time as though he were itching to try out his toolkit on them.

Ashlyn slouched a bit in a comfortable position.  "Maka'wati Bularg."  He ordered without hesitation.  He glanced left and right at the attention he had garnered and just grinned.  His fingers drumbed on the bar as if he had a whole lot of adrenaline and nowhere to vent it.

After waiting fruitlessly for someone to serve them the group finally realise that nobody actually waits the tables (or at theirs anyhow) and order their drinks.  Time passes and still nobody shows the slightest bit of interest in them.  Clearly nobody plans to approach the group.

"Look around," Cyril Hyquin says to the group. He points out the scene playing all around them with his eyes. At the entrance, the Blood Axes who just arrived immediately turn around and make a hasty exit, while the multitude already in the bar were filing off to a corner near the bar that hid them from view. Slowly, but surely, the Blood Axes were making themselves scarce.

"Something is about to happen, and I fear it is going to happen to us. Make haste, everyone. Stand up and walk calmly to the bar and make it look like we're just going to pick up Ashlyn - but keep your weapons ready to be drawn. We must follow the crowd that disappeared that way, but of course, we may not be welcome."

"Also, I noticed this place sure has alot of cameras and other security elements then your standard dive.  I wouldn't be surprised if we were being watched by more than the patrons of this bar."  Xil stands up and heads toward the bar as directed.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:31, Wed 07 June 2006.

"Indeed.  I feel as if we don't belong here and everyone else does as well."

OOC:  Was hoping for another response or two but guess we move on!


The group slowly stand and saunter over to the bar.  Some patrons give the group a quick glance but nobody seems to pay them much attention.  Regrouping with Ashlyn the team saunters around the corner.  Around the corner is a door that leads tot he restrooms and a small archway that leads into a smaller area.

This area is only graced with 3 tables.  Two of the tables sit empty whilst the third has four people playing a hand of sabaac.  All of them have heavy pistols sitting freely in holsters and several stun batons rest on the tabletop.  A door can be seen at the back of the room.  A large sign says 'Employees only'.

One of the sabacc players, looks up from his game with a frown.  Chomping on a cigar stun he growls at the group.

"This is a private area.  Yer got no business in here.  Get out whilst all yer limbs still work."

Cyril steps forward, bidding Koruusk to step beside him. He needed the imposing figure of the Trandoshan to give his speech a little more credence.

"We came in the hope of finding employment with the Blood Axes," he says, locking his gaze on the one that blocked their path. He turned his eyes to the direction of the sign and continues, "'Employees only' means we've come to the right place."

The cigar-chomping man slowly rises from the table and moves over until he is less than a handspan from Cyril.  His cigar smoke blows directly in Cyril's face.

"Perhaps you didn't hear me stranger.  I said you should get out.  The Blood Axes get hundreds of wannabes wanting to join every day.  Unless you got something special that will impress me, you better start walking before the boys teach ya how to bleed."

Cyril represses the urge to cough from the puff of smoke. He keeps his eyes locked  on the man's before replying.

"What do you want to know?" he asked monotonously. "That we 'liberated' some shuttles from some backwater planet, or that we 'tore down' some buildings that were in our way? Sit down, and I'll tell you all about it."

With that, Cyril begins to narrate a believable story, a story that had some ring of truth in it. After all, except for a couple of parts that he had to keep secret, it had been based mostly on his own experience on the field.

The guards seem to grow more interested as Cyril weaves his tale.  Blasters are slowly holstered and batons lowered as Cyril clearly impresses his audience with his tale.

The guard before Cyril takes a step back.  "Well you certainly sound like you know your stuff stranger.  Maybe there's a space for you in the Blood Axes after all."

He sits back down.  "But first you have to prove yourself.  Call it an initiation of sorts.  There's another organisation onplanet, the Yorzek.  Bunch of Trandoshan slaver scum.  Slavery is a dirty business and it draws too much attention to us.  We want their operation dealt with.  There's only a dozen or so of 'em and they only have an old freighters and a couple of fighter escorts."

"Blow 'em out of the sky, stab in an alley, I don't care.  Take 'em out.  Bring me proof of your deeds and I'll present ya to the Blood Axes for potential initiation.  You keep whatever plunder you get from the Yorzek."

"Interested?"

Allen straightens up.  "Sabotage would probably be better.  They wouldn't know who did it."

"Agreed." replied Cyril to Allen's remark. He silences himself for a few seconds, as if contemplating, before turning and deferring back to the man that gave them their assignment. "We'll take the mission, but we'll need to know everything you know about them. It'll be the last time you'll need to remember them anyway."

Cyril then begins to interview the man, trying to glean as much reliable intel on their targets as he possibly could. He knew they would have to return to their base of operations before undergoing the mission, and he wanted to make sure there would be a lot less surprises in store for them than if they simply charged in.

Xil pipes up.  "This would be a good opportunity for me to do some sniping."

The guard laughs.  "Fool.  You want them to know who did it.  This group is an annoyance to us little more.  However the Blood Axes have rules.  We can't attack them.  Its an honour code that prevents all out war between rival groups.  However if you guys destroy them, you not only remove a thorn we can't but you gain a reputation onplanet.  Its the reputation that will earn you a place with the Blood Axes.  You may even acquire yourself some merchandise, depending on how clean you deal with the scum."

"The Yorzek have a small private field on the north side of town.  I'll pop the co-ordinates on a datapad.  That's about all I can tell you.  You wanna earn our respect you have to do it yourselves."

He hands a datacard to Cyril then return to his game.

Cyril took the datacard and slipped into one of the pockets of the jacket he was wearing for a disguise. He gave a slight nod to the Blood Axe as the man went back to his game.

"We will return when the mission is complete," he replied, before turning around towards the exit of the bar.

"Let's go, Crusaders," he said, as he walked past the others of his team, leading them out. Once outside, he began to head directly to the their rented hanger, but about a hundred meters away from the bar, he slowed his walk to form a line with the others.

He began to order them, "Like Exilim, start thinking about what your role in the mission will be. Assume that we may still not have the others around to assist us. We will be returning to the hanger to prepare.

"Exilim, I want you to make sure your rifle is good and ready - if the location is indeed an open field, our best bet at eliminating each target is for some of us to sneak in to flush them out of their hideout, where the rest will lie in ambush just outside their doorstep, with you providing fire-support from a distance.

In fact, your primary targets will be their starship pilots, as well as any that try to escape in their transport. It is imperative that not one starship leaves the ground - in fact, I would prefer to have that transport scrapped, along with the hideout, of course."

Xil perks up with the thought of getting to tag others from a distance.  "My rifle is always ready, but I will give a good once over just to be sure.  Does anybody else with us have any good long range marksmanship skills?"

A hoverbus carries the group back to the transfer station outside the local starport where the Talon's shuttle is berthed.  Nobody pays much attention to the group as they arrive and head to their hanger.

Inside they find Tania at work serving the shuttle while Mark is busying himself at one of the local data terminals.  Zyra is not present, nor is Jamie's team.  Assumedly both are still out on their respective assignments.

The commander looks up from his data sifting to take in Cyril's team as they enter.

"You're back quicker than I expected Mister Hyquin.  Have you completed your mission successfully"  His tone is direct and probing, clearly suggesting Cyril will have to reply in the negative.

Cyril does not drop either of his facades for a moment, and responds rapidly to the Commander. In fact, he doesn't even bother to salute anymore, since his cover holds technically the same rank as the Commander's, planetside.

"Phase 1 is halfway through. We have contacted a local gang, called the Blood Axes, and sought employment with them in order for us to infiltrate the underworld. They are willing to admit us if we take out a group of Trandoshan slavers due north."

Cyril Hyquin hands over the datacard for the Commander to peruse.

"The intel we gathered from the Blood Axes says there is a rule around here that prevents each of the known groups from openly conflicting with each other, thus the need for outsiders such as us. As well, it may be of note that the slavers we have been hired to eliminate are in possession of a startransport and several starfighters, but our main objective is to simply wipe out the dozen or so members of the group...

... and to make sure everyone knows that it was the Crusaders that did it. We are regrouping to rearm - if we have any spare demolition charges or grenades, we would like to requisition them. We intend to make an explosive impact."

Cyril takes back the datacard after the Commander finishes with it.

The commander slides back into his seat.  Instead of becoming jovial at the valuable info he seems to become more reserved.

"Your team has done well Mister Hyquin.  I take it you see these Blood Axes as a major player in this area or else there would be little benefit in gaining their trust.  Can you be sure this is the case?"

"We have an opportunity here, one I am undecided in how to exploit.  We are here on a reconnisance mission.  Wanton assassination was never our mandate, not that we truly had one.  We have no durisdiction here to play lawmen.  Our 'employers' do not have the right to do so in this system.  If things go badly we will be seen as little more as pirates ourselves."

He gazes off into the distance momentarily before looking back.  "This will not be something I can decide for all of us.  If we proceed it will be with everyone's input."

"In the meantime we must investigate further.  What if we did take out this pirate group as the Blood Axes want.  What then?  Will they truly welcome us with open arms.  You say there is some sort of non-aggression pact among the pirates.  If we go in and eradicate a group, what would the others say if the next day we were welcomed into another?  There would be open war."

"If war were to break out, it would be to our advantage.  However I see it as more likely that the Blood Axes would deny knowledge of us or at worst try to kill us to maintain their 'Pirate Laws' as it were.  Maybe Zyra will be of some help there."

He seems to drift momentarily as his mind begins to account for variables and contingencies.  Remembering his place, he turns to Cyril.

"Talk to your team as well as Tania.  See what plans you can come up with.  As soon as Jamie's group returns we'll pursue this further."</b>

Xil proceeds to the shuttle to get his rifle.  He takes out the case and opens it, peering intently at the contents.  After a moment, he closes the case and walks with it over to his group leader, waiting for instructions.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:44, Tue 08 Aug 2006.

Cyril nods after the Commander makes his thoughts known. He turns his head a bit to see Exilim taking out his rifle from the shuttle he decided to keep it hidden away in first. The weapon was certainly going to get a lot of use, soon.

"All right, Crusaders," he says to his group, as he walks to one of the tables. "Tell me what you brought, and how you intended to use them."

Mark busied himself sending several messages.  Afterwards he stood and watched as Cyril questioned his team.  He liked the way Cyril was taking charge but his men seemed not to be taking the initiative.  This was a dangerous sign for he needed quick-thinkers for the challenges ahead.


"Mister Hyquin.  I have recalled the other team, based on the data you have given us.  When they return we shall discuss how best to implement this.  So you and your team need to start planning.  I want recommendations on how to proceed, not just a tally on what's been done."