Huu guided his fighter in on the other side, giving the bigger ship proper air cover, knowing Beyn would follow him as he sent a comm message specifically for the furry Jedi++We might want to scan the planet for our target...I'm going to assume he's hiding himself but you never know, I'd like your opinion though...you are better at subtle.++

Let the humans talk to each other, they did have other things to do.

"If you like the sandblasted look, then yeah - painters a-plenty," Star Dandy chatted back, with a laugh. "I don't call Tatooine home, friend, but given the weather I doubt there's many down there that have the time to care about keepin' up a good paint job."  He chuckled a bit more, before shifting away from the joking attitude to answer the actual question that was posed.  "Usually only a day or two.  They can last a while longer I've heard, but only when accompanying bigger weather movements.  Other planets have thunderstorms and snowstorms, Tatooine has sandstorms.  Usually they shift around too, following the currents.  That one's not moved much."

"I'd be willin' to wager that's no normal sandstorm," Gates chimed in, having been lost in a moment of thought. She chuckled, the sound coming through easily on her comm line, "Point taken, Dandy, love. Ain't nothin' we can't fix with a little paint and manpower. I've been itchin' for a new look anyway." Particularly after their last engagement, she wasn't sure that Aquila's standard grey and yellow were still appropriate. Something new, for their new role, perhaps...

++Already on it, Huu++ Beyn's voice came across the commline to the other Master, sounding rather far away. The Cathar followed the other fighter by reflex, his mind stretched out like a net towards the planet already. He had been searching for Force-sensitives on the surface since the humans started talking.

"'fraid I'm not an expert on sandstorms, but Logic says you're right," came the Captain's reply.  Shortly after the agreement, the freighter shifted slowly to one side, angling a little more directly onto it's proper course.  Then, it seemed to accelerate, if slowly.  "Looks like we're in the clear - thanks for the cover, Aquilas.  And Three - I meant what I said about that drink.  I don't go back on my word, an' after this, i owe you one.  The company... well, that's a bonus." The freighter's engines flared bright as the hyperdrive began to kick in. "Shoot straight, Aquilas."  Star Dandy's last transmission came through a moment before the freighter stretched and disappeared into the stars beyond.

Private...[Private to Beyn: While you are unable to pick out any single Force-sensitive beings other than your own squadmates, you do notice something odd.  There's what feels like a dull yet insistent throbb emanating from the northern hemisphere, around the region occupied by the sandstorm.  It keeps a regular rhythm - a steady, low pulse of energy through the Force, neither distinctly dark nor light.]

It didn't take long for the Pirate Fighters to make their move once Star Dandy had jumped out.  Their move was about what everyone would have expected of them - with their prey now out of reach, leaving them with only a flight of Aureks that had more bite than cargo and salvage, the pirates turned tail and headed off.

For the time being, the four Aureks had the space around Tatooine to themselves.

Hex snorted and shook his head,"I thought the roguish flirtatious freighter captain was just a cliche...apparently some people still think it's a real thing." Shaking his head he chuckled,"So, La.....One, where are we headed? Into the storm which is likely not natural or to a port..."

Gates just laughed, "Roguish, flirtatious captains aren't exclusive to freighters, Decrilla, keep that in mind." She lingered in place for a handful of moments, watching the pirates to make sure that they were actually bugging out, before she angled her Aurek towards the planet and set it on the correct heading to go to, "Mos Espa. That was Havoc's last mention, so that's where we start."

"I would avoid that storm, at least until we alter the markings on these fighters a bit... and perhaps even then I might suggest an approach by foot," Beyn chimed in, his voice rumbling over the comm. "I cannot call it distinctly dark or light, but there is definitely a good deal of Force resonating in that area."

Hex smiled and nodded, even if it wasn't seen,"Sounds good...forming up." He was more than a little interested in stripping the markings off the ships, that would be something he's rather rebellious nature would be thrilled to do, then he'd need to see what trackers they had on them...he was sure they did.

Chuckling to himself he wondered what the penalty was for stealing a vehicle from his current employers...likely not very good, but as long as they were facing the Sith they didn't need to worry about that.

Sith, he found his good humour evaporating rather rapidly at that thought. Sighing he shook his head, this was going to be a long, long battle he was going to have to deal with these feelings....one day, not now.

Huu Shie was quiet, his eyes flickering between the various screens that showed the surface of the planet and the screen,"We must try and screen ourselves as well...if that is result of some force user they will be waiting for other force users to alert them by being clumsy, lets be very, very careful."

In the relative privacy of her cockpit, Gates just laughed, "Yeah, you guys have fun with that screening thing. I'll be more worried about getting these Aureks altered up a bit than whether or not some Force user is readin' our thoughts. Can't really stop that," she shrugged, not that any of them could see her, sending her Aurek cruising towards Mos Espa. "Come on, fellas. Let's go. No point lingering out here until those guys come back with friends."

"Yes, that..." Beyn rumbled quietly, turning his little fighter to follow the lead one, "That may be more difficult than we previously imagined. Master Huu and I, of course, can shield ourselves - more or less." But there was little he, at least, could do about the others. His abilities with the Force simply didn't work that way.

--Some time passes--

The trip inbound to Tatooine was spent in relative peace.  Once Star Dandy disappeared into hyperspace, the pirate fighters had quickly fled, leaving the three Jedi and one Republic Pilot in peace.  The flight down towards Mos Espa was a quick one after that, the Aureks making good time.  The starport of Mos Espa, it turned out, was not quite the bustling hive of scum and villainy that Mos Eisely was known for... nor was it completely quiet.  Fortunately, there was plenty of room for a quartet of small, single-seat fighters.  Securing a landing pad designed for light freighters - big enough for all four - you are given clearance to land.  Hangar fees were not discussed, and the man you spoke with over the comms seemed largely disinterested on the whole... on par for a spaceport on Tatooine, for those that had been here before.  Generally, it was assumed that the fees would be negotiated in person.

As the four of you touch down, you note that aside from a pair of Rodians lounging by the fuel pumps at the far end of the hangar, you are left alone.  None approach immediately, giving you time to stretch your legs and plan your stay.  After a few minutes however, you catch sight of a short, portly fellow - human, with a ragged beard and one lazy eye - approaching from the bay entrance.

"Fee's 50 creds per day, paid up front.  No refunds if ya leave early, and if yer stayin' longer, check in for it before hand.  Fee's doubled for unregistered stays.  Fuel's available too."  He began speaking from the far end of the bay as he approached, his voice carrying startlingly well despite his apparent disinterest.  Once he was near enough, he stood with thumbs in his strained belt awaiting an answer.  He didn't seem to care who was in charge of the group.

"Reminds me of home...ish," Gates laughed, pulling off her helmet and tossing it into the seat as she looked around. Before she hopped down from her Aurek, practically ignoring the steps on the ladder to the small craft, she grabbed a black leather jacket from within the cockpit..

"Strike that 'ish', definitely reminds me of home," she grinned, shrugging into the jacket as she watched the scruffy human - clearly the portmaster - saunter their direction. The black leather jacket paired with her custom-fitted flightsuit to give her a rakish air, made all the more nonchalant by the shaggy blonde hair that she ruffled a hand through while waiting for the man to reach them - doing nothing but making it look more of a mess.

Even before he had finished talking, she had already unzipped her flightsuit a couple of inches and reached inside, smoothly pulling out a credstick and tossing it in the fellow's direction. "That should cover us for tonight an' tomorrow."

"Didn't even negotiate....", muttered Hex, as he gathered his gear out of the cockpit of the little starfighter, how they fitted a hyperdrive in these little things he'd never know but it was what it was and they were lethal in flight..that he already knew.

Strapping his weapons to his armour he slipped his helmet under his arm and his shades back in place before looking at the 'dock master' for lack of a better word,"Any suggestions on where to stay? Or more importantly places not to stay?"
This message was lightly edited by the player at 17:19, Sun 31 May 2015.

Huu climbed out of his own cockpit listening to the younger pair talking already and he sighed, straightening out his black robe and making sure his rebreather was in place with a twitch of his cybernetic hand. Sighing he became acutely aware just how much like a Jedi he looked as his robes flowed into place, perhaps this was not the best kind of place to look so but he was what he was and he would always be so.

Grabbing his small amount of supplies he fell in a pace behind Gates, this was something he wanted to let her take the lead in and see what happened.

Beyn had spent entirely too much time cooped up in his cockpit. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy being there - he most certainly did - but he was too large of a being to spend that much time folded up into such a tiny space. So it was that he crawled slowly out of the cockpit, stretching as he unfolded his bulk over the open edge, even going so far as to knead his paws against the side of the Aurek.

"Much better," he grumbled as his feet finally hit the deck plating. Much like his fellow Master, he knew full well what he looked like. Beyn just didn't care. His role within the Temple had sent him to worse places than this, and he had never really needed to hide in any of them - even when tracking quarry that was expecting Jedi. In his opinion, people were often very bad about not seeing what they didn't want to see, and the truly uneducated masses tended to think of Jedi as myths and legends, and not believe that the creature talking to them could possibly be one.

The man eyed Gates warily for a moment, before his gaze tracked to the other three members of the squad.  Kel-dor were not a rare sight on Tatooine, for their homeworld featured similar climates... Cathar, on the other hand, were.  From a more humid world, most tended to stay away from places like Tatooine.

"I'll 'ave ye for two days then.  Either clear our by this time on the second day, or have payment for further time 'afore then," he said, closing an oil-blackened fist around the credstick - after checking to ensure it was of the right denomination, of course.  His squinted grimace turned on Hex next, and he offered a compensatory shrug. "If you've the creds, anywhere will take ye in.  And goin' by the looks of you lot... well, you c'n go where ye like, so long as you're willin' to pay for any damages ye cause."

As if he sensed the man's stare, Beyn returned a toothy grin, and then took the time to casually inspect the claws on the end of each of his fingers. It was true, this wasn't the sort of place he would have chosen to come to, and getting the ever-present dust out of his fur was going to be a right pain, but it could be worse.

"Come on, Hex, Gates..." he rumbled, starting towards the exit. Of course, it wasn't like he really felt the need to tell either of the young humans to get going. Instead, it was a calculated move on his part to give their names - such as they were - to this fellow and the Rodians in the distance, instead of his and Huu's.

"I like that - 'stay where we like'," Gates flashed a quick grin at Hex, and then nodded to the dockmaster. "Two days it is, then. Speakin' of damages," she smirked at the portly gent, lacing her words with a pleasantly threatening tone learned first-hand from Jace, "I trust nothin' of ours is gonna get damaged between now and then, 'cause I'd hate to have to return the favor."

Huu Shie's facial expressions were under his mask and eye covers so the roll of his silver eyes at Gate's posturing was not visible or detectable which was perhaps for the best,"Is there anywhere with accommodations for a Kel-Dor?"

It was unlikely and he was mostly used to wearing his breather all the time but it never hurt to ask, even if he did have to pay just a little bit extra.

Hex' grin matched Gates, clearly enjoying the idea that their very apperance was enough to get them whatever they liked and it was surely coincidence that Gate's final words coincided with the sound of Hex slamming cocking his blaster rifle and sighting down the length of it at a wall nearby to check they hadn't been unaligned in the time they'd been stored.

Clearing his throat he slung the rifle over his shoulder and came to stand half a step behind Gates and on her left side,"Yeah...we need these babies in good shape, would make us pretty annoyed if they weren't...."

Pushing his shades up his nose with his free hand he looked around and echoed Gate's again without realizing it,"'stay where we like'- yes that will work."

Though outnumbered and clearly outgunned, the grumpy dockmaster looked to each of the four in turn, nodding as if to acknowledge their individual threats or greetings.  As Hex capped off each with his own, the surly fellow uttered a low chuckle, his bearded visage twisting in what might have been amusement, provided the right angle and lighting.

"I'd work on that a bit if I were you.  Far scarier folk th'n you lot come through 'ere near daily," he said.  "Don't piss no one off, an' nothing will happen to yer ships.  Make that mistake though, an' you're liable for any damages done t'my bay.  You'll see no harm done by me, but I make no promises f'r those ye cross."  With his point made, the portly dockmaster looked pointedly to the Kel-Dor.

"Don't get many of you folk 'round here that I can recall.  I wouldn't count on it."  He returned his thumbs to his belt and looked around once more.  "If'n there's nothing else, I'll be about my way."