A star system is a big place. With the ability to travel through hyperspace, one tends to think about space on a much larger scale. However, even within the orbit of a single star, perhaps only a few light hours across, there is a large amount of empty space.

The Mirial system was far from important in many ways. It is off the Hydian Way, far enough that traders bypass it. Ships bound for its inhabited planets tend to arrive close to the star, in astronomical terms. The outskirts of the system see little traffic.

There is a ring of asteroids drifting in relative serenity around the system. The stones range from microscopic to near-planetary, but they are all airless and uninhabited. No one goes near them except en route somewhere else.

Today the belt has more visitors than usual. Eight starfighters and a freighter are resting on a large asteroid as it hurtles through space. The fighters are X-wings marked with the red symbol of the Rebel Alliance. They are speaking via tight-band radio comms, and only infrequently.

The newly-gathered Beta team is aboard a scavenged light freighter. The Rebel engineers have repaired it to flight-worthy status, if not much past that. They have added guns and shields to make it serviceable in combat, although it's no gunship. The mission requires a cargo bay, however, so you're stuck with it.

A tight-beam transmission comes from Red squadron leader. It's a recorded message, which you play.

"Team, we're expecting the first target to enter the system any minute now. Let's make sure we're all on the same page.

"The Empire and the Corporate Sector Authority are going to be using this system to conduct an exchange. The Rebel Alliance needs supplies, and putting strain on the relationship between the CSA and the Empire is a bonus.

"We don't know who's going to arrive first. Whoever it is, the same plan applies. Red Squadron and the freighter engage fighter escorts and disable at least one transport vessel. We'll leave choice of targets to you, but decide quickly. Once we've established Space Superiority, the next phase of the plan begins.

"Red squadron will keep the area secure and eliminate any additional hostiles. The freighter will dock with the disabled vessel. The crew will go aboard with a view to Resource Acquisition. Likely there will be more cargo than we can take, so you'll have to use your judgement once you're on board.

"Those are the primary objectives for the boarding party. There are additional secondary objectives to pursue at your discretion."

At this point a holo appears.

Mission Objectives:

Primary:
Space Superiority: Destroy or Disable all military vessels. Disable at least one cargo transport vessel.
Resource Acquisition: Enter the disabled cargo transport vessel. Transfer the most valuable cargo onto the smuggler freighter.
Secondary:
Combat Victory: Subdue the crew and any security.
Intelligence: Do a rip-slice of the ship’s computer
Personnel: No fatalities or injuries that result in time lost for recuperation.
Political Support: Leave distinctive Rebel markings on the vessel. Use the ship’s communications systems to broadcast a pre-recorded message to the system.
Tech-Procurement: Secure any prototype technology or blueprints
Support: Fulfill as many objectives as possible.

"We're going to try to wrap this up as quickly as possible, before the other party to the trade gets here. If they arrive before we're ready to leave, we'll hold them off until the ship is loaded. Then we make for the system's edge, and jump to hyperspace.  Aim for the pre-arranged rendezvous."

If Red Leader is right, you have a few minutes to make any final preparations.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:05, Sat 17 Nov 2018.

Jess drew a shuddering breath of anxiety and double checked that her blasters were both fully charged and in working order. She snugged the black leather jacket tight, lined with synthetic meshes it was the closest thing to armour she had. The heavy blaster slapped against her hip, its much smaller counterpart was tucked into a fold in her boot, concealed but if needed she could have it out handily. She hoped that the traders were the first to show up and any hired mercenaries valued their lives more than a handful of credits....

Zakharo checked his rifle over again. There wasn´t much to do while the freighter was enroute to their hopefully soon-to-be disabled ship. He was excited and anxious at the same time like every time he´d been sent on a mission. But that only made him feel alive. He waited at the entrance/exit to where the freighter would be docking with the enemy vessel. He would probably be one of the first to enter the vessel so he checked his rifle for the fourth time in 20 minutes. 'Scope clean and calibrated. Power pack at full charge. Stock extended and locked. Safety is on so remember it when the time comes.' Zakharo thought to himself. He had also had a vibrosword for close combat but the last mission completely destroyed it so now he only had a combat knife that a friend lend him. But that was better than nothing.

Zev was in his element behind the controls of the freighter. He rather be in one of those gorgeous X-wings, but he’s a team player so as long as their thwarting the Empire’s plans, he was more than happy to do his part. The freighter was a little persnickety, but he was handling it alright for now. He checked out the ship’s scanners again, hoping to be the first to catch their arrival in system.

Zev wasn’t too sure about name of this freighter. “The Siren’s Call” seemed to be a little ominous for the task at hand...

In the copilot's seat of the frieghter, Seku shifts back and forth in an attempt to make the chair spin. The chair wasn't designed to spin however, so it just rocks back and forth a little as the Twi'lek moves her weight on it. It isn't entirely clear that the chair is supposed to rock as much as it does, but the freighter isn't in the best shape so maybe that's to be expected.

Seku is wearing a nondescript leather jacket over a loose shirt, a pair of durable pants, and combat boots. The jacket has epaulets that give it a vaguely naval aesthetic. Combined with the bright red sash she has tied about her waist, she thinks she looks the part of the dashing pirate which is in keeping with today's mission. There are no obvious weapons on her person although she did briefly toy with the idea of trying to borrow a vibrosword from someone in order to really pull the whole look together.

With a sigh, she looks over at the Duros pilot: Zev Barris. There was enough time to get to know everyone on this new team at a cursory level while the engineers fixed up the freighter and in the time they've been parked out on this rock waiting for their prey to arrive, but she still doesn't feel like she knows any of her teammates. "So just as a disclaimer, I'm not exactly much of a pilot. I'm mostly sitting up here to operate the comms once we've disabled the ship. If you need me to do anything else, feel free to... uh, point it out." She smiles at the Duros before twisting her head around to take a look into the back of the ship and the others.

Looking at Jess that´s with him in the cargo hold. "Let's try to do this with as much precision as we can muster, yeah? I'd much rather shoot to incapacitate than to kill." he said. "But if it comes down to us or them, make sure it's us on top, yeah?" Zakharo grins.