The afternoon passes slowly into evening. The occasional spacer, miscreant or vagrant passes but the street remains largely deserted and their pursuers do not return. Bane, Xizran and Stro'to drift in and out of sleep fitfully, while Layla remains seated cross-legged, eyes closed in meditation. As she meditates a faint blue light emanates from her hands which she slowly moves up the wound on her stomach, which appears to slowly but miraculously heal, leaving not even a scar. Fennec remains seated with her back against the wall, watching Layla with interest for some time, though she makes no comment on the Twi'lek's efforts. At length she she closes her eyes, but her finger doesn't relax from the trigger of her rifle and every hour or so she opens them to check the chrono on her datapad. Midnight eventually arrives, by which time all save Stro'to are awake and feel refreshed, albeit a little stiff. Layla's wound has almost completely healed.

OOC: Fennec Kang healed 9 points of vitality.
Layla Secura healed 31 points of vitality.
Bane Malar healed 9 points of vitality.
Fennec Kang healed 1 wound point.
Layla Secura healed 5 wound point.
Bane Malar healed 1 wound point.
Stro'to healed 1 wound point.

"Neat trick," Fennec admits to Layla as she moves past to give Stro'to a rough nudge with her foot, "Time to wake up."

As she speaks she withdraws her final medpac, spraying once last mist onto the damaged armor on her partially healed shoulder and jabbing the kolto injector into her arm. Tossing it into the corner of the room she readies her blaster rifle and moves through the gloom over to the stairs.

OOC: Fennec Kang rolled 15 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 9. Treat Injury.
Fennec Kang healed 2 wound points.

Bane withdraws a medpac of his own, watching Fennec as he attempts to emulate her actions and cursing as he once more sprays liquid everywhere except onto his wound. Withdrawing his own final medpac he gives one more attempt, adding a puddle of kolto to the other mixture of dried liquids which cover the mats beneath him.

"They really do hate me," he laments as he rises resignedly to follow after Fennec.

OOC: Bane Malar rolled 5 using 1d20 with rolls of 5. Treat Injury.
Bane Malar rolled 7 using 1d20 with rolls of 7. Treat Injury.

Stro'to seems to have no trouble doing the calculations here as to who is the most qualified medic, and looks hopefully in Layla's direction, making a pitiful noise as he jars his shoulder.

"I do not suppose such a gifted healer as yourself is also able to heal others?" he tries, somewhat shamelessly given their history.

"It isn't as simple as something like injecting kolto," Layla explains as she follows after Bane, "I might be able to try healing you once we reach Kadon's, but it is a lengthy process and requires time and concentration. At least it does for me anyway. I was by no means considered gifted in the art of healing."

"You seem to be skilled enough to me," Bane says skeptically, glancing at her healed stomach.

Stro'to looks like he wouldn't have minded some healing before he arrived at the place of a vigilante who wants him dead, but the Twi'lek only looks crestfallen a moment before turning to the next most qualified option in line.

"Fennec...?"

"Don't even dream of it, Stro'to, she's my minion not yours," Xizran sneers.

Fennec smirks as she unlocks the door downstairs and peers out into the dark street outside.

"Try to remain hidden and not trip over anything," she says softly, with a look at Stro'to and Bane which suggests that this might be too much to hope for from the pair. She activates her stealth field generator before cursing as she trips on the rusted lip of the door in the gloom, quickly catching her balance as she glares at Stro'to and Bane as if her misfortune is somehow their fault.

OOC: Fennec Kang rolled 14 using 1d20+12. Hide.
Fennec Kang rolled 14 using 1d20+10. Move Silently.

If Bane is grinning under his helmet he isn't grinning for long, as he activates his own stealth field generator and is careful to step over the lip of the doorway, but fails to anticipate a screw jutting out from the door jam which catches on his belt and causes him to trip backwards and crash against the wall.

OOC: Bane Malar rolled 7 using 1d20+3. Hide.
Bane Malar rolled 10 using 1d20+5. Move Silently.

Layla is careful to avoid all the potential hazards revealed as she moves out into the street after the others.

OOC: Layla Secura rolled 14 using 1d20+6. Hide.
Layla Secura rolled 11 using 1d20+7. Move Silently.

Xizran follows behind Fennec, stepping cautiously. He walks quietly, apparently agreeing with Fennec fully on the need to avoid attracting attention.

OOC: Xizran rolled 18 using 1d20+10. Hide.
Xizran rolled 26 using 1d20+10. Move Silently.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:53, Mon 28 Mar 2022.

Stro'to limps along weakly after them too, clearly struggling (or pretending he is) to keep up with the others, his skin ashen and his good arm supporting his injured bad one, which he seems to have used some warehouse packaging to make a makeshift sling for.

OOC: Vek Stro'to rolled 30 using 1d20+12. Move Silently.
Vek Stro'to rolled 14 using 1d20+12. Hide.

Fortunately the street appears to be deserted and they see no sign of danger or their enemies as they set off down the street. They keep to the edges of the streets and alleyways as they pick their way cautiously toward the Saaral District, avoiding the busier or more well lit streets as they go.

"Hold up," Fennec murmurs, pausing as footsteps approach, along with roisterous laughter.

A moment later a party of a dozen or so inebriated looking Nikto pass, one of them pulling out his blaster to shoot a very inaccurate blast at a vrelt skulking in the shadows. The blast misses the creature by about a meter as it scurries off in alarm while the Niktos guffaw at their companion's poor marksmanship. They appear to be too inebriated to notice the party as they pass down the center of the street and are soon lost from sight.

OOC: Nikto Thugs rolled 1 using 1d20-1. Spot.

"At least someone is having a good night," Bane mutters as they continue on once more.

Fennec shoots him a dark glance as they press on once more. The continue for the best part of an hour, picking their way carefully through the streets, and whether through luck or provenance they see no sign of their pursuers for the entirety of the journey. They reach the Saraal District and the streets about them become busier, with the distant sounds of blaster fire, shouting and screaming becoming more frequent.

"Not far now," says Layla, who has begun to lead the procession, "Just a couple more streets."

Turning the corner, they find themselves in a wide street lined with run down parts dealers for swoops and droids. Most are closed and quiet, save for a small garage outside which a small stall with flashing neon lights advertising fried Rodian eel and Nilluk strips. A bunch of half a dozen Rodians are gathered around a table nearby, playing Pazaak, while a couple more converse nearby and another leans against a battered swoop. They watch as the party approach, falling quiet but making no effort to stop them. It is as the party have almost past that the Rodian by the swoop bike addresses them.

"You are Stro'to, yes?" he calls to the Twi'lek crime lord in Huttese, "Kelbo think you look like him. Kelbo heard there is bounty-"

Kelbo doesn't get to finish, as Fennec's blaster rifle swings up in a flash, blasting him in the chest and sending his smoking body careening over the swoop and onto the ground behind. The rest of the Rodians hastily rise, reaching for their weapons.

OOC: Layla Secura rolled 25 using 1d20+6. Initiative.
Fennec Kang rolled 21 using 1d20+7. Initiative.
Rodian Thugs rolled 21 using 1d20+2. Initiative.
Stro'to rolled 13 using 1d20+6. Initiative.
Xizran rolled 12 using 1d20+6. Initiative.
Bane Malar rolled 7 using 1d20+3. Initiative.
Fennec Kang dealt 14 points of wound damage to Kelbo.

"You didn't even let him finish," Layla scolds Fennec as she ignites her lightsaber and takes up a defensive stance in front of the others, "For all we know he was going to offer to assist us."

"I thought you said you'd spent some time in Worlport," Fennec shoots back critically as Layla bats away blasts which fly about them.

OOC: Rodian Thug dealt 7 points of vitality damage to Layla Secura.

"In Layla's defense, my slave quarters are a far kinder place than the streets," Stro'to points out, raising his blaster and blasting a second Rodian through the chest.

OOC: Vek Stro'to dealt 14 points of wound damage to Rodian.

"Only because everyone knows the resale value of mistreated slaves for anyone who will get bad press for buying one is abysmal," Xizran sneers.

He seems content to let Fennec do the work, since he mostly makes sure he's behind her and points helpfully at a Rodian whose leg is sticking out from behind cover in case she's missed it.

OOC: Xizran rolled 13 using 1d20+9. Aid Another check (DC 10).

"Even in Worlport not every Rodian is a thug," Layla argues stubbornly as she continues to parry the panicked blasts from the Rodians who are still standing.

"But the chances of us running into one of the three Rodians who aren't is pretty slim," Bane chimes in as he blasts another of the thugs.

OOC: Bane Malar dealt 16 points of wound damage to Rodian Thug.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:46, Fri 05 Aug 2022.

Fennec blasts the leg pointed out by Xizran before shooting the Rodian in the head as he stumbles out of hiding with a cry. She then takes down another of the thugs who attempts to dart out from behind the table. He collapses with a garbled wheeze.

OOC: Fennec Kang dealt 15 points of damage to Rodian Thug.
Fennec Kang dealt 19 points of damage to Rodian Thug.

"How many of them are there?" Stro'to says, blasting another in the chest.

OOC: Vek Stro'to dealt 23 points of wound damage to Rodian Thug.

"Who cares? More bodies is more energy cells, we needed more supplies," Xizran says indifferently, pointing at another Rodian's exposed shoulders.

OOC: Xizran rolled 18 using 1d20+9.  Aid Another check (DC 10).

"Good target practice too," Bane says lightly as he blasts down another of the unfortunate thugs.

OOC: Bane Malar dealt 19 points of wound damage to Rodian Thug.

Fennec blasts down the remaining pair of Rodians, as smoke and the smell of ozone waft in the sudden silence of the night, broken intermittently by a low buzz from the neon lighting.

"So," Fennec addresses Layla as she casually blasts a surviving Rodian as he feebly attempts to rise, "You mentioned your contact was nearby?"

OOC: Fennec Kang dealt 16 points of wound damage to Rodian Thug.
Fennec Kang dealt 8 points of wound damage to Rodian Thug.

(Stro'to seems to find he has enough energy in him after all to go search those Rodians' pockets for loose credits.)

Bane seems to feel Stro'to has the right idea, quickly moving over to assist the crime lord in his efforts. He scavenges a number of energy cells and makes a triumphant noise as he discovers a pair of battered but functional medpacs.

OOC: Bane Malar rolled 16 using 1d20+2. Search.

Layla glances reprovingly at Fennec, and doesn't seem much more impressed by Stro'to and Bane.

"Yes," she says after a moment as she sets off once more, "Just a couple more streets."

The party set off down the street, as the distant sounds of shouting and blaster fire grow more frequent from the streets about them. The party do not come across any further resistance however, and within a few minutes they find themselves outside a small, run down convenience store. A flickering neon light above the door reads 'Aldo's', though the light in half the 'd' appears to not be functioning.

Layla frowns as the approach the store front, signaling for the others to halt.

"Something is wrong," she murmurs in a low voice as she moves cautiously forward.

OOC: Layla Secura rolled 22 using 1d20+6. Hide.
Layla Secura rolled 19 using 1d20+6. Move Silently.

"It's been that kind of day," Bane mutters back resignedly from where he crouches obediently in the shadows.

The door to the store stands ajar, revealing a dingy and grimy interior lit by florescent lights, only half of which actually appear to be functioning. Closely packed shelves of various foodstuffs and out of date appliances line the shop, several of which have been knocked over, their contents scattered across the floor of the shop. There is no sign of any merchant in the store and a smoky haze hangs in the air.

"It would appear your safe house is not so safe," Fennec points out dryly as she follows after Layla, ignoring the other other's instruction, "This wasn't the same place you sent those slaves who everyone saw leaving Stro'to's palace, was it?"

OOC: Fennec Kang rolled 18 using 1d20+14. Hide.
Fennec Kang rolled 14 using 1d20+11. Move Silently.

Layla obstinately ignores her as she moves into the store, unclipping the hilt of her lightsaber from her belt as she does so. She picks her way through the shelves towards a counter at the rear of the store, her expression grim as her gaze alights on an Aqualish merchant slumped against the wall behind the counter, a pair of blaster wounds in his head and shoulder.

Xizran helps himself to a packet of durochips, checking the used by dates on a few of them until he finds one that isn't out of date. If he's bothered by the dead body, he doesn't look it.

"So. Is the door at least working? I don't care if your contact is dead or not as long as nobody is going to come here looking for us."

Stro'to, who has a sleeve of his robe up to shield himself from the smell, makes a much more dubious noise.

Fennec glances back at Xizran, frowning.

"For all we know this place is being watched," she says, peering suspiciously out into the darkness outside, "Or else whoever attacked the place could still be here. You should remain hidden until we have secured the area."

OOC: Fennec Kang rolled 29 using 1d20+11. Spot.

"Indeed," Bane says as he surreptitiously crouches to stash an out of date comlink and a few energy cells in his pouch.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:58, Tue 29 Mar 2022.

Layla glances reprovingly at Xizran and Bane as she moves past the counter and into a small storage room beyond.

"There is an elevator in here," she informs the others in a low voice.

The cramped storage room consists of three walls lined with shelves, one of which appears to have been torn off the wall and leans lopsided against the corner of the room. Into the wall behind it a pair of elevator doors have been built. A security panel next to the doors appears to have been sliced, with wires hanging loose from the panel.

Layla presses the door control above the panel and the elevator door slides open readily enough.

"Are you two coming?" she says impatiently over her shoulder to Xizran and Bane.

"...I suppose if the elevator is working, I'm coming. It looks like their power is still online so someone must be alive down there," Xizran says grudgingly, moving forward.

"Anywhere is better than a place that smells of rotting Aquilish," Stro'to hastens forward to join Layla.

"The advantages of a sealed helmet with a filtration system," Bane responds, sounding pleased with himself as he scoops up a last pack of datacards and hurries after the others.

Fennec waits for Stro'to to enter before stepping in after the Twi'lek.

"Once we reach the lower level I will take point," she informs Xizran as she moves to the front of the procession, blaster rifle raised.

The lift gives a shudder and begins to descend. It only seems to trundle down a level or two, as it comes to a stop a few seconds later with a violent jolt and the door slides open. The party find themselves in a darkened durasteel basement lit only by the occasional flicker of sparking wires hanging from a shattered panel in the roof above. In the intermittently lit gloom the party are able to make out several crates of supplies which lie scattered against a wall to their left, while a shattered terminal has been built into the wall at their right. Beyond these a pair of corridors branch off from both the left and right of the room. Stro'to and Layla's Twi'lek eyes are able to make out a series terminals which line the far wall. None appear functional. In the center of the room rests a large holotable which appears to have been blasted repeatedly. Numerous bodies are strewn about the room, with a Sullustan slumped by one of the terminals and Wookiee lying lopsided across the holotable. A smoky haze hangs even heavier in the air than in the store above, and the smell of ozone and decaying flesh is almost unbearable.

Layla looks visibly nauseous. She presses a hand to her nose as she stares in bewilderment out into the room.

"I don't understand..." is all she is able to manage.

"Your side lost," Xizran summarizes callously, taking another durochip. "Fennec, I don't think we can count on these ones assisting us to get off-world," Xizran nudges a body with a booted foot. "Perhaps our next step is to see if anybody had any hangar codes on them?"

Stro'to mumbles something that is rendered incomprehensible due to both hands and a sizable handful of robes firmly covering his mouth and nose.

Fennec nods to Xizran, also not appearing overly affected by the smell.

"This place reminds me of the undercity back home, just without the rakghouls" she says dryly as she advances to crouch beside a Rodian corpse slumped between two crates.

"One gathers that is an improvement?" Bane surmises idly as he sidles past Layla to pick his way over to the Wookiee. He seems to have no trouble seeing in the gloom.

"Definitely an improvement," Fennec replies with feeling as she rises from the Rodian to move over to a Duros corpse nearby.

Layla appears to recover herself, and, with one hand still pressed against her nose she uses the other to draw her lightsaber as she swiftly moves toward the center of the room, using the weapon's light to examine the features of the bodies as she passes.

"There must be someone still alive in here," she says, sounding more desperate than convinced.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:08, Tue 29 Mar 2022.

"Bane would be the ideal person to ask," Xizran says, sounding like it pains him to admit Bane may be ideal for anything. "Since he is the one whose helmet presumable is outfitted with the IR sensors and will therefore be able to tell the difference between a warm being and a dead one."

"Very decidedly cold so far," Bane replies dismissively, making an irritated noise as he examines the floor around the Wookiee, "If anyone sees a bowcaster anywhere those things are worth a few thousand credits in the right markets."
This message was last edited by the player at 10:29, Tue 29 Mar 2022.

Layla ignores the bounty hunter, disappearing down the corridor to their right as she continues to search the bodies.

"Whoever killed him probably looted it, if he had one to begin with," Fennec informs Bane unencouragingly. "Does this place even have a hanger?" she adds to Xizran as she moves on from the Druos to the body of a badly mangled Gran.

"Well, they must have landed on this cesspit somehow. If they don't have one here, that just means there's even more chance their ship survived and that we can probably steal it."

"True," Fennec allows continuing her search, "Do you think it was the same enforcers as the ones who are pursuing us?"

"Uh, I'm going to go with a 'yes'," Bane says grimly from behind the holotable, staring down at a Rodian body dressed in a dark exoskeleton identical to the ones worn by the attackers at Stro'to's palace and the docking bay.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:05, Tue 29 Mar 2022.

Layla reappears a few moments later, hand still placed on her nose and lightsaber held ready.

"Kadon is dead," she says flatly, "We should leave this place. It is not safe here."

"You think?" Fennec replies sardonically, "However we need a ship to get off world. Do you know if Kadon had one stashed away somewhere?"

Layla shakes her head.

"I know he didn't have one here at his hideout. And I wouldn't know the activation code anyway. Whoever killed him had already thoroughly searched his body, so if he had any kind of datapad or code cylinder it is long gone."

"Yes, unfortunately these guys seem to have done a thorough job of ransacking the entire base," Bane laments, peering into an empty crate labeled 'medical supplies'.

"My condolences for your loss," Stro'to murmurs. (Just what this loss is remains unspecified, but it's clear this is directed at Layla, not at Bane.)

"Well, I doubt he flew every minion on his own private cruiser, or paid them so poorly not one of them had so much as a landspeeder. Even if they stole his ship, I highly doubt they stole everyone's. Bane, get searching, and Fennec, see if you can find anything useful on the terminals about rent paid for public parking space or vehicles impounded for speeding."

Fennec nods, moving over to the terminals on the far wall and trying a few of them.

"No power," she asserts, crouching beneath the desk upon which they rest to examine the cables.

"Thanks," Bane replies to Stro'to, apparently deciding the Twi'lek's comment is directed at him. He then moves over to examine the wires with Fennec.

"What does this wire do?"

OOC: Bane Malar rolled 8 using 1d20+5. Repair.

"How would I know?" Fennec retorts, "But the wires are all plugged in so the problem must be somewhere else."

"These wires must lead somewhere," Bane replies, tracing the wire back to the wall and tapping it thoughtfully, "There must be some kind of generator room around here somewh-"

"We need to leave," Layla cuts Bane off, clutching Xizran's arm convulsively.

OOC: Layla Secura rolled 23 using 1d20+2+3d6. Farseeing.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:41, Wed 30 Mar 2022.

"Yes, you mentioned that," Fennec replies dismissively as she gives one of the terminal screens an experimental smack.

"No, we really need to leave," Layla replies, quickly releasing Xizran's arm as she becomes aware of her grasp on the Falleen, "Our pursuers know we are here. They are on their way."

Xizran doesn't look like he particularly minds being grabbed by 7/10 female twi'leks. He also doesn't look like he's interested in being shot at by more enemies, however.

"I'm not immediately seeing how we're going to have a better chance of living if we do run. We're on foot, injured, with no supplies, and if we leave this building then we will show on their holocams. Does this place have better exits than the public streets?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:33, Wed 30 Mar 2022.

"None that I know of," Layla says, still moving towards the elevator, "But I don't see that we have much chance of surviving if they corner us here. I don't know what kind of security holocams they have set up but the sooner we leave the more chance we have of escaping them."

"If we can return to the surface then we could cut our way out the back of the shop?" Bane suggests.

Fennec glances skeptically at Layla's antics, but she also doesn't seem to feel like now is the time to take chances.

"We should leave," she says, rising swiftly to move towards the elevator, "We can find a place to hide for now and then appropriate someone's speeder once we are clear."

"You know how to hot wire a speeder?" Bane says dubiously as he follows after her.

"I'm sure I can convince the owner to give us the access code," Fennec says over her shoulder, holding up her blaster rifle meaningfully.

Xizran snorts.

"I may or may not know how to hotwire a speeder. Not all of us were brought up with silver durospoons and got chauffeured everywhere we went in life."

"Twi'lek of many talents," Bane says approvingly as they pile back into the elevator.

The elevator door closes and with a jolt it begins to ascend. Their ascent seems to take much longer than their decent, but soon enough it comes to a stop and the door opens and they find themselves standing in Ando's storeroom once more.

As the party move out into the shop they find themselves face to face with a fair skinned young with dark shaggy hair and a moustache. He wears a nondescript orange flight suit and carries a heavy blaster in his hand. He narrows his eyes at the party as they enter, raising his blaster as he casts a sidelong glance at the Aqualish's corpse.

"What's going on here?" he demands warily.

"Listen buddy, I'm feeling generous so I'll give you one chance to move aside," says Fennec coldly, levelling her blaster rifle at the man.

Layla frowns reprovingly at Fennec as she moves forward to stand between the pair.

"We didn't do this," she glances at the Aqualish, "But the people who did will return soon. I suggest you get out of here before they do if you do not wish to suffer the same fate as poor Ando over there."

The newcomer frowns as he lowers his blaster slightly, though he does not move.

"I need to speak to Kadon," he explains.

"Kadon is dead," Layla informs him solemnly, "We are friends of his," she adds, deciding Kadon isn't exactly in a position to object to her being liberal with the truth, "If you know him then you have even more reason to leave this place."

"We are wasting time," Fennec interrupts from behind, "We should-"

Fennec breaks off as a blast shatters the transperisteel shop window behind Biggs, striking the wall a few centimeters above Layla's head. The party hurriedly duck behind the counter as more blasts fly through the shattered window frame, striking shelves, durochips and the wall panels behind them.

"Who are you people?" Biggs asks from behind a shelf a few meters from the counter where he crouches, flinching as a blast strikes a packet of fizz-candy on the shelf beside him, spraying him with the expired, rock hard balls of candy.

"Helpless, innocent bystanders in danger of being shot, much like yourself," Stro'to says, ducking his head down a bit further so that somebody else sticks out more than he does.

"We're sitting mynocks here, especially if they decide to start throwing grenades," says Fennec as she attempts to peer over the counter only to have two blasts force her to duck back down, "If we are going to cut our way out we'd better do it quickly."

"We won't get far without a distraction," Bane says grimly as a stack of old holovids collapses off the counter and across the floor beside him, "And I'm out of grenades."

"I've got a speeder parked out front," Biggs calls over the blaster fire, "But good luck getting to it."

"Can it fit all of us?" Fennec calls back, considering the option.

"We can always leave someone behind if there's not," Xizran says pointedly looking at Bane.

"It's a four seater," Biggs informs them, "It'll be a squash but we'll all fit. We just need to find a way to reach-" he breaks off, ducking a bit lower as a chunk of metal from the self above him is completely blown off and thrown against the wall behind to clatter noisily on the ground.

"I can buy you some time," Layla says resolutely after a moment, drawing her lightsaber to the surprise of Biggs, "I will try to protect you for as long as I can."

"Or I might have a non suicidal idea," Bane says, taking hold of her arm to halt her from rising, "Speeder guy, pass us that pack of Quay novelty orbs on the shelf there would you," he instructs as he grabs a pack of wroshyr incense sticks from behind the counter, before reaching over to an old conservator on the wall behind the counter to withdraw a couple of ancient looking dishes wrapped in aluminium.

Biggs stares a moment longer at Layla's lightsaber, before obediently darting a hand out to grab the pack of three orbs and tossing them to Bane.

"You're a Jedi?" he asks Layla in disbelief as he does so.

"It's a long story," Layla replies to Biggs as she watches with interest as Bane swiftly unwraps the meals and tosses aside the half mouldy contents as he flattens out the aluminium wrap.

Fennec also watches Bane work, though with more skepticism than Layla as she fires a few random blasts over the counter to keep their adversaries at bay.

Bane opens the Quay novelty orbs, punching a hole in each with the muzzle of his pistol and tipping out the contents to just leave the hollow plastoid balls. He then inserts a couple of wroshyr sticks into all three balls before wrapping each in the aluminium.

OOC: Bane Malar rolled 23 using 1d20+8. Demolitions.

"Smoke grenades," Fennec says approvingly as Bane withdraws a fusion cutter from his pack and prepares to set them alight, "But good luck getting them to reach the speeder."

OOC: Fennec Kang rolled 19 using 1d20+10. Demolitions.

"I can help there," Layla says, deactivating her lightsaber. As Bane sets each of them alight and hurls them as far as he can over the counter she closes her eyes, stretching out a hand before her as each of the makeshift grenades seems to glide as if carried by an invisible current through the shattered entrance of the store and across the dark street beyond to land in the entrances to the streets from which the blaster fire emanates.

OOC: Layla Secura rolled 27 using 1d20+7. Move Object.
Layla Secura rolled 16 using 1d20+7. Move Object.
Layla Secura rolled 27 using 1d20+7. Move Object.

Bane's grenades seem to be a success, as smoke quickly begins to stream out of them and soon the gloomy street outside is obscured in a thick, smoky mist. The blaster fire continues, though with much more randomness as they are able to make out shouts and curses in the distance.

"Now's our chance!" says Fennec as she leaps nimbly over the counter and begins to move towards the exit.

"Lead the way, "speeder guy."

"Nice work," Biggs compliments Bane as he hurries after Fennec, and then to Xizran, "This way!"

OOC: Biggs Onasi has joined the party.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:02, Sat 02 Apr 2022.

Stro'to seems only to happy to hurry after him.

Layla follows Fennec over the counter, her lightsaber igniting once more as she blocks blasts while the others exit the shop.

Biggs passes Fennec as he bounds out into the street, leading the way over to where a faded blue TT-6 landspeeder looms out of the haze and gloom at the edge of the smoke. He leaps in, punching in the access code as the vehicle roars to life.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:24, Fri 05 Aug 2022.

"You a decent pilot?" Fennec barks as she leaps into the rear seat, returning fire into the smoke.

"You could say that," Biggs replies as he readies the speeder before glancing over to where Xizran, Stro’to and Bane hurry across the lane, Layla bringing up the rear.

Xizran dives into the back passenger seat, narrowly beating Stro'to to the good spot that is least exposed to blaster fire as he clambers in.

Stro'to curses fluently in Huttese as he clambers in, ducking down, trying to make himself less of a target.

Bane clambers in between Fennec and Stro'to at the rear of the speeder, trying unsuccessfully to find a spot where his head isn't completely exposed while Layla squeezes in beside him, facing the rear of the speeder with her lightsaber held ready.

"All right let's go!" she calls to Biggs.

Biggs nods, and with a burst of speed the landspeeder sets off into the streets. As they set off they hear a roar behind them as two landspeeders appear out of the smoke in pursuit. Both are cutting edge TT-8 models, the first piloted by a Trandoshan and the second by a Duros, both dressed in dark exoskeletons. In each speeder are several other mercenaries, all armed with blasters who open fire as they pursue. Biggs weaves skillfully left and right across the street as he pushes the speeder to its maximum speed, but the newer models piloted by their pursuers slowly gain on them. Fennec returns fire at their pursuers who also begin to weave back and forth to avoid her blasts, while Layla parries the few blasts which do come close to striking any of the exposed party members.

Biggs glances in the rear camera at their pursuers before turning sharply down an alleyway to their left, skillfully avoiding a pile of crates with decimeters to spare as he weaves his way through the narrow street before turning sharply out into a wider street. The Trandoshan and Duros manage to emulate his piloting feats, negotiating the obstacles in the alleyway to emerge into the street some thirty meters behind him.

"Who exactly are these guys?" he frowns as blasts continue to fly about them.

OOC: Biggs Onasi rolled 37 using 1d20+18. Pilot.
GenoHaradan Agent rolled 30 using 1d20+10. Pilot.
GenoHaradan Agent rolled 33 using 1d20+15. Pilot.

"No idea," Layla replies as she parries a blast which comes perilously close to striking Bane's exposed head, "But they clearly don't like us."

"Happy to swap with you if you like speeder guy," Bane says tersely.

"It's Biggs," Biggs replies equally tersely as he continues to weave, "And I've got this under control, thank you."

As he speaks, Biggs directs their speeder down a couple of streets towards the center of the city. The traffic becomes busier, despite the lateness of the hour, and soon they find themselves hurtling up another alleyway towards a busy main street. Landspeeders, swoops and speeder trucks rumble back and forth as they approach. Biggs narrows his eyes but does not slow down. Moments later he exits the alleyway at full speed, weaving his way across the traffic to a loud series of beeping and cursing. The Trandoshan speeds out after them, narrowly dodging a passing speeder truck which gives a deep, long beep before successfully negotiating his way through the traffic after Biggs. The Duros pilot is not so fortunate, and has barely time to give a curse of alarm before the truck plows into the side of his speeder which explodes in a ball of flame.

OOC: Biggs Onasi rolled 28 using 1d20+18. Pilot.
GenoHaradan Agent rolled 25 using 1d20+10. Pilot.
GenoHaradan Agent rolled 16 using 1d20+15. Pilot.
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 01:22, Thu 31 Mar 2022.

"Ha!" Fennec says with a cruel grin as they shoot into an alleyway on the other side of the street.

The Trandoshan gives a snarl as he increases his throttle to maximum and closes the gap between the speeders. A Gran in the passenger seat of his speeder fires a blast which grazes the side of the left turbine of Biggs' speeder, leaving a dark mark of carbon scoring along the side.

"There goes my security deposit," Biggs mutters darkly before turning smoothly around a sharp corner, the Trandoshan in hot pursuit.

"You missed your vocation. You should have gone into professional swoop racing," Stro'to says, clinging for dear life as they pass between an air buss and a tall building, clearing both by inches.

Xizran looks like he agrees, but since Stro'to said it first, he's not going to admit it.

"Take that alleyway over there!" Layla calls to Biggs as a blast passes perilously close to her left lekku, to strike the wall of the alleyway beside them.

OOC: GenoHaradan Agent dealt 13 points of damage to Layla Secura.

Biggs nods, directing the landspeeder skillfully to the left as they speed into the narrow alleyway pointed out by Layla. Behind them the Trandoshan curses as his speeder tilts dangerously to the side as he attempts to follow Biggs. He is forced to slow in order to regain control of his vehicle before accelerating off into the alleyway, some hundred meters or so behind.

OOC: Biggs Onasi rolled 28 using 1d20+18. Pilot.
GenoHaradan Agents rolled 15 using 1d20+10. Pilot.

Layla glances up at a hydro crane which is in the process of lifting a large slab of duracrete twenty meters or so above the alleyway. With closing her eyes and hand she reaches out with the Force. She frowns as the mechanism holding the duracrete rattles violently but refuses to give way.

OOC: Layla Secura rolled 9 using 1d20+7. Move Object.

"What are you doing?" Bane hisses as blasts continue to whizz about them as the Trandoshan accelerates after them once more.

"The hydro crane," Fennec points out, realizing Layla's plan. Raising her rifle she takes aim at the mechanism, her lips thinning as her blast misses the mechanism by half a meter.

Bane glances up, nodding as he raises his rifle to take aim. He curses a moment later as he loses his balance, his blast flying far wide as he stumbles backward to land heavily on Stro'to.

Stro’to groans pitifully as Bane lands on his shoulder.

“Ow…..”

“Can’t you pilot more steadily, Biggs?” Xizran complains (somewhat unfairly), clearly having no difficulty deciding where the blame belongs in this scenario.

"Yeah Biggs," Bane grunts as he attempts to untangle himself from Stro'to's robes, "Some of us are actually trying to stop our pursuers here..."

Biggs is too preoccupied with dodging obstacles in the alleyway to shoot the pair a reproving glare.

"Perhaps you might try asking your friends back there to stop shooting at us for a minute?" he calls darkly as another blast whizzes centimeters past his head.

Layla meanwhile, furrows her brow as she continues to concentrate on dislodging the block of duracrete through the Force. A moment later the mechanism holding the block buckles and gives a loud crack as the block of duracrete plummets into the alleyway to slam onto the ground some twenty meters behind them, effectively sealing the alleyway.

OOC: Layla Secura rolled 21 using 1d20+7. Move Object.

The Trandoshan snarls a curse as he hastily brakes, his ship skidding and spinning as it crashes sidelong into the duracrete slab and its left turbine ignites in flames. The Gran groggily manages to pull himself from the vehicle while the Trandoshan leaps up onto the duracrete slap to fire a series of wild blasts at Biggs retreating speeder. He then hurls his blaster down and slams a fist on the duracrete with another curse.

"Well," says Biggs as he turns down another alleyway and then reduces speed to drop in alongside the traffic of the main street, "I have to say, this was not how I imagined the night would turn out."

"Welcome to Ord Mantell," Bane says grimly as they turn down another street and drive off into the gloom.

OOC: End of Chapter IV...