1.0 - Acquisition: The Hyperdrive Specialist

"Didn't stick around to see where they were headed. I felt it was important to report back, and didn't want to tip anyone off that we know about the bounty. Given the price, I wouldn't be surprised if more than one group of hunters is independently working on this. A Klatooinian who knows Reebo sold the information on Mala to a rep for Tirello. I also know that Reebo, and the Klantooinian perhaps, want to keep a low profile and need to maintain an appearance of neutrality between the hutts. Maybe we can leverage that to get out of this."

Mala is too worried to engage in the conversation in any meaningful way.

do you think they'll try something tonight? do we need to post a guard?

I thought we all agreed you would change your comm notification tone!

Mala takes a deep breath

sorry.. sorry. I'm a little on edge right now.

Akhrirar looks at Mala blinking a few times and is about to say something but his eyes soften and he just checks the message notification.

Lin's face is uncharacteristically serious, "You don't need to worry Mala. We won't let anyone take you." Then his usual mischievous grin shines out, "C'mon, lets get our credits!"

Looking over his commlink for the message Akrirar's nostrils flare slightly.

He's still calling me Ack Vat? I never understood that guys obsession with horror movies where they actually kill people in them. And why do I have to look like one of the ‘monster killers’? he thinks to himself.

"Dockmaster wants to meet up so he can set us up with a facility area for repairs with no interest for two weeks so that's a trap. Also I have word of another job out in the sticks of the Outer Rim but we're going to have to hit that one in a hurry if we want it. Considering our welcome here I figure dropping off our mark tomorrow and getting out as quickly as possible would be best. Fix what we really need and find a waypoint along the way to finish up repairs just not here." Akhrirar lets the others in the crew know while setting his commlink to vibrate and putting it back in the holster.

"If we can set up a meeting with Reebo about the facility use close to the drop time to discuss facility usage away from the drop location by a bit that might be great since it's a great option to get us ambushed and not go..." with a sigh the group hears him mutter aloud as he tries to peace out a solution, "Don't have the resources to make it happen..." shaking his head, "No offense Mala but it'd be nice if we can fake your death and imply we need to dump the body where it can't be found, go drop off our mark, get paid and leave while they're on a goose chase looking for the body."

It was a bit morbid but this job rarely stuck to being the good guy and at times ethics were not even in a grey area but tucked away someplace. His hands clasped to together his thumbs ran over the ridge above his eyes.

Looking around he looked at the crew, "Any idea on how to make it look like we killed Mala, in public possibly?"

There were too many loose ends to get it to work he figured but they might be able to figure out something.

"Screw all that, and screw tomorrow. We go to the contact TODAY. Drop off the mark right now, get our creds and bug outta here! On our terms. We tell Dockmaster we'll head over to the repair bay in a few hours to keep him off our backs. Mala, you stick close to me and Akhrirar.

Call him. Now."

I should have our NPC inalled and working by the time you all get back. Fuzil chimes in. In fact by my calculations it should be better then the one we had before. If things go sour ... let me know and i will have the FTY ready for lift off.

"I'm with Lin on this one. We've got knowledge they don't know we have. They're trying to slow us down, so we speed up. Play against, not into, their plot. Also, in any further conversations with Reebo over repairs, throw him off Fuzil. Convince him things are wrong that aren't, and that the things that are wrong are working fine. The last thing we need is them knowing precisely where to fire a shot to disable the ship when we blast out of here."

I look to Akhriar, "No fake deaths, no fancy plans. Keep it simple. All of our other jobs go sideways fast because they're a rickety tower of contingencies and hopes. This isn't a few thousand credits we're fighting for here, it's Mala's life. No games, just clean and direct action." After a brief pause, but before anyone else can chime in, I add, "Call the contact, set up the exchange for an hour from now. If they're pushy, tell them we can renegotiate the price given our need for urgency. Also, secure that other bounty. We should secure work while we can, as I expect future work will soon be difficult to come by."

Others might notice that while normally, Acaatha says very little, this situation has brought out an urgent authority in her.

So.. what am I doing in all of this? they know I'm here, so a disguise isn't going to do much to hide me.

"You're with me and Akhrirar. No matter what, you stick with one of us!" Lin loosens his blasters in their holsters and turns to Akhrirar. "Who is our contact? We need to find his home or office and get to him right away."

Akhrirar ground his teeth. He wanted fly off at Lin since he didn't seem to get it before Acaatha joined in as well...Fuzil still needed time and Mala was beside herself. Renegotiation wasn't really the best of words as much as severely discounted if the employer thought they could get away with paying much less... Acaatha was right though it was Mala's life. Technically it was all their lives. Credit didn't mean that much to the dead.

He rubbed the back of his neck his claws slightly raking his neck as his hand moved to stroke his jaw line his jaw set.

"Bolting for the most part is an option... It makes us look bad and the client can either reduce how much they're willing to pay out or just state the contract to be voided... Fuzil what is the bare minimum amount of time you need to get us up and able to hit hyper space if needed? At this point I'm okay with putting a blaster to the mark's head and have him help you if need be. Also I'm going to need a list of parts that would take the longest to requisition, longest to install like over a week, and possibly controlled items that are rough to find even on the black market. If we're doing this we'll need to make it look like we'll really be here for some time I'll contact the dockmaster once we compile the list so it looks like we're going to be here three weeks or so. In the mean time I'll call my contact about the other job and see what I can do about a quicker drop off." he finally states after a long silent pause.

"You're going to calm down Mala because we'll need you and your hands calm in case things go south and we get injured or so you can get out of the way so you don't come to harm." Akhrirar states looking at her, "You can't be our common sense and voice of reason if you're thinking about things we can't control. Best case scenario I deliver the mark solo and we can give the bounty hunter the slip worst case they have our mentality and don't stop coming once they get a hint of the mark. Mala's life isn't the only thing on the line people... This is a bounty hunter, I run and think of things differently than most, if you throw out morales and ethics there's a chance a bounty hunter doesn't seem to mind putting an explosive charge on the side of someone's ship to breach and getting the mark in the chaos. It's all your lives on the table. That's part of why bounty hunters work the way they do, their reputation."

Akhrirar taps the table a few times and leaves to make contact with his fixer and the current employer.

Mala nods at Akh's words, takes a shuddering breath and collects herself. after a moment, she is much more sure and steady.

You're right, mamba. Of course. I lost it for a second but now I'm under control. It sounds like it might be safest of mamba can arrange to make the drop himself nad the rest of us hole up here. at least we know the ship and it's defenses. and we'll have access to the big guns if we need them. That leaves a problem, though, if they attack while mamba's out. he will have to fight his way back onto the ship.

Mala stands up, pacing a bit. Working on a solution to a problem seems to be keeping her calm and steady.

Right. So we don't give away that we know they're coming for.. well, me. That gives us time to booby trap the docking bay. We lure them in and we ambush them, gas them, catch them unawares. They want me, they'll have to fight for it.

Mala stops and looks at the crew, a cold expression in her eyes

I'm letting you all know. I'd rather die than be captured. If it comes to that, please end it for me.

She softens a bit and looks at Lin

and Lin, thank you. That means a lot.

"Fine. Do it Akhrirar. We can't afford to pussy foot around here."

Hmmmmm Fuzil thinks out loud Well i could maybe write a program that will do an auto navigate check, which then would update every ... Say 5 minutes? It could lessen the time needed to plot the course when the time comes. He moves from the pile of parts he has been jury rigging together to the computer in the room. When he comes back on the com he says with his mourh fukl of what sounds like an apple, "The program it self may take a lil time but once it's running it will give faster chance to leave.