The Rebel Faction

"So... Deputy CIB chief Karen Calypso, or Secretary of the Ministry of Ethics Miette?"

Oaxaca gave a sideways glance to Jargur from the couch, and said "You do know that Miette is a robot, right?"

"Yeah, but I also know her original function," said Jargur, who took out his cigarra and looked up at the ceiling. "Karen. She's got some spunk to her, plus total access to the CIB, which is pretty cool."

"I don't know about her," said the captain, "but I've seen Miette around a few times while shuttling Ministry of Ethics people. She was literally designed to bounce, I swear..."

"I can't believe we're having this discussion," said Oaxaca, who shook his head heavily. "Ibrams, help me out here."

"Both're too small," said Ibrams firmly. "On my homeworld, the women are between ten to twelve feet tall. We find your dainty, icy women unapproachable and fragile - give me something which needs to be wrestled to the ground first!"

Over Oaxaca's horror was the captain's laughter. "You'd love the Nerf ranches back home, then! Maybe they're more your speed. More your smell, too."

The wookie barked, and said "You're being way too informative, guys. Let's change the topic."

"Okay then," said Jargur. "Naosha - I would totally hit it." Jargur giggled cheekily as Oaxaca barked and snapped, before saying "Okay, okay, for real this time. Captain, how are we for time?"

The captain checked his watch and said "Can't tell. I didn't check when we went in. Still, probably hasn't been long. If they need us someone'll call."

"How're you finding life among the savages so far, eh captain?"

"Seriously?" the captain replied. "If it's anything like this, I won't mind doing a tour here to patrol for trouble. You guys are all right."

"What do you think they'd do here?" said Oaxaca. He gestured broadly, continuing "You know, the Coalition - what sort of thing would they do to help keep the peace?"

The captain rolled his cigarra thoughtfully between his fingers, before saying "Well, I'm guessing we'd start with a little starbase between them, as neutral ground, for servicing starships we put on patrol and also to control the flow of who meets the Coalition in the early days, to avoid infiltration or bomb plots. It'd probably be a heavy military facility, in case of attack.

"Once the foothold is secure, we establish enclaves on Kashyyk and Trandosha so we can be reached sans space-ship. Those first enclaves would be locked-down secure affairs, again so we could avoid infiltration and sabotage while having a base close enough to "the action" to begin assisting more directly. If/when we have the dangerous elements on the run, we break up the enclaves and disperse into the population to keep them from getting back in. The key is guarding our hand until it's safe to begin the rout."

There was a pause, where Jargur and Oaxaca eyed their military friend. "That's... a very tactical approach, captain," said Oaxaca. "Almost as if you were driving out an enemy army."

"It's a dirty business, when you've got to deal with traitors, mutineers, separatists, warmongers, and subversives," said the captain matter-of-factly. "We'll just have to see how deep their conspiracies go."

Tissuss shipyard

Konik had tried every code he knew, along with the codes the communications guys provided him, to open this door, but it seemed the occupent inside wanted to make real sure no one could get to her very easily. Time for brute force then. He thought as the looked up at Tiskus. "Your show." He said. "But remember, we just need to talk to this individual, she's not an enemy."

The Trandoshan cyborg nodded and stepped up to the door. He studied it a moment before thrusting the claws of his cybornitic hand into the metal of the door, then peeled off a layer of durasteel like it was tissue paper. Konik watched, wide eyed, as the cyborg continued to rip pieces off: he made a mental note to never piss this man off.

K'Satikur Grounds

Rissonik studied the pad a moment before putting it down. This would help give the warriors something to do, at least with his Clan. "My warriors will be happy to take care of these individuals." He said. "However at this point in time I am not sure we can trust the other Warrior Clans. Some I believe I can trust, but most I know little about thus have no idea where they stand. Plus there's the issue that is related to part of our very nature: we don't like doing things for free." He took a breath then continued. "I can assure you that my Clan wouldn't worry about payment as the Clan as a whole is well off, but I am almost certain that most other Clans would turn up their noses at this. Not to say you wouldn't offer a reward for these individuals, but with the apparent state of your...organization...you may not have much left to offer as a reward. This is just my opinion...but from the looks of things you may be better off starting completely over." He shrugged. "But that's just me and you know far more about the state of your group then I.

"On other matters, this Miknak's reach seems far indeed and I wouldn't be surprised at all if some of the less...honorable...Clans are connected with him. Clans that no doubt want to undo everything we have accomplished so far. As the incident with Tiosk shows, it seems he may already have his hand in our military forces to some extent." Another sigh. "I wish Trazu was here...with his Force abilities we may be able to determine who's on our side or not. But he's off on Naboo last I heard, if not with Lavality...where ever she is at right now."

Council of Elders

Naosha sighed and straightened her robes for the third time in the last five minutes. Why was it that when she was speaking to a crowd, a crowd that could very well try to kill you, she was as calm as a still pond, but when she was talking into a recording device she was all anxious and twitchy? You can't read a machine to tell how well your speech is being accepted. She told herself as the comm personal finally told her she was clear to start speaking.

"Representives of the Galatic Coalition." She said smoothly. "I bring you some news of proceedings here on Trandosha. The Council as a whole is very warm to the idea of having our homeworld join your organization, however." She paused. "By law before we can commit to such a decision we need to call for a full Council, a Council that will including representives of all Clan types from each city and town on our homeworld. Naturally, it could be several days before this meeting actually starts and it will likely take a few more days for the meeting to finish. As much as I wish for a quick decision on this matter, I know our kind too well for that wish to be granted. The best I can offer in the mean time is an inventation to visit our homeworld to see how things are going for yourselves, perhaps even attend the meeting when it occurs. If this is your wish please let us know and approprate accommedations will be arranged. Speaker-Above-All Naosha, out."

She looked at the tech and he nodded: the message had been sent successfully. With a heavy sigh she gladly left the room and started on the trip back home: she would use a hot, soothing bath with a glass of Corellian wine right now.

"So it looks like we're stuck here..." said the captain, grounding out his cigarra in the tray.

Jargur and Oaxaca sighed heavily, and each turned to watch the recording of Naosha's communication. "So much for that," said Jargur "What should we do in the mean-time? We can't just sit in the breakroom the whole -"

An incessent bleeping filled the bridge, and the captain turned to his sensor's officer. "What's the matter?" he asked.

The officer paled, and said "We're getting two hostile contacts breaking away towards us."

"Right!" shouted the captain. "I might not know much about diplomacy, but permission or no we're not going to sit by and get attacked. Prepare to engage the unknown craft - you two," he reffered to Jargur and Oaxaca." Get somewhere safe. Ibrams? To your fighter."

"Right!" replied Ibrams, who dragged Jargur and Oaxaca in either hand and dumped them in the break room. "Stay here."

After dropping them off, he made for his Kris. The diplomatic vessel was useless, but already Coalition warships were moving in around it and drawing a bead on their organic/metallic targets. Cannonfire lit up space as they engaged this new foe and thrusted towards the heart of the conflict.

Ibrams quickly took off, joining the battle as Coalition fighters prepared to give a lesson on the meaning of "Overwhelming Force". It was true that the enemy - although possessing strange organic protection - was good old metal underneath, and soon each of the attacking craft was blossoming red flames as Coalition forces surged forwards.

"Now this is diplomacy," said the captain, as the explosions lit up his viewscreen.

Rissonik snarled an agreement as he ran outside. He was really starting to hate this Miknak fellow...and he hadn't even seen the guy. The elder Trandoshan quickly ran over to one of the guard towers and climbed the steps to the top. "What are we up against." He asked the two guards on duty.

One of them, who had a pair of binoculars aimed at the faint trail of smoke that marked where whatever it was had landed, made some adjustments to the device. "Looks kind of like a spider droid they used in the Clone Wars Sha'tor." The warrior said. "Only smaller. Appears to be just as tough though and it's moving toward here pretty quickly. Be at the wall in the next few minutes."

"Kazuk..." Rissonik cursed: being a Clan that specialized in melee tactics, they had little to use against this thing. "Let me know when it reaches the wall." He said before disappearing back down the steps. Once at the base he started barking orders. "We have a heavily armed droid heading this way!" He said. "Scour the grounds and anything that may be of use against it out. Get the kids and the Ekirta into the bunker!"

Warrors scrambled, rushing to prepare for the fight to come. Rissonik sighed and looked at Angella. "I have a feeling I'm going to regret sending Tiskus with Tiosk...." He told her, knowing that this kind of opponent was right up the cyborgs alley.

Tissuss Shipyard

"Sir?"

Tiosk looked up to see his second-in-command Konik beaming with pride as he handed him the data disk. "Excellent Konik. I trust the one that had it wasn't too uncoorperive." He said.

"Just a bit. She really didn't want to believe me that we were on her side." Konik said. "Fortunately our escort was able to convince her to trust us. He told us that only Lavality or someone related to her will be able to access that disk."

"DNA based encryption? Interesting." Tiosk said as he turned the pad over in his hands. "Not that I intend to try to crack this thing anyway. I just want to be sure it's secured."

"The question now of course is how to secure it."

"Easy...it will stay with me."

"Forgive me sir...but is that wise? If there are any other rebels on this station they could steal it from you."

Tiosk just chuckled and patted Konik on the back. "Son...I lived the first few years of my life on the streets, stealing to keep myself alive. What better way to counter thieves then to have the valuable in the possession of another thief?"

"Good point sir...shall I send word to Angella that the data is secure?"

"Yes. I am sure she will be glad to have one less thing she has to worry about..."

"Fierfek...we just finished repairing those gates..." Rissonik grumbled as he watched the gates blow apart. He was wisely taking cover behind one of the barracks, his own blaster in hand.

The grounds became a firestorm as blaster fire of various types streamed toward the invading droid. To Rissonik's dismay none of the shots seem to be affecting the thing and even more worrying the droid wasn't bothering firing back at the warriors shooting at it. Instead it's 'head' scanned the grounds, moving in deeper as it went: it was looking for something...or someone...in particular. But who...or what? Rissonik thought.

The answer came a moment later when the droid spotted him and the sickening realization that he was the target. Rissonik was no fool, he scampered away from this location, running deeper into the alley between buildings. He ducked around a corner just in time to avoid becoming a Trandoshan with a large hole in his person. Still, the force of the blast sent him sprawling the ground.

Around him he heard the shouts of his warriors screaming in alarm and anger, the sound of blaster fire increasing as the warriors desperately tried to stop the droid, but with no success. He could hear the droid coming down the alley: it was just small enough to fit between buildings, so Rissonik pulled himself to his feet and ran, tearing around another corner. He felt the heat of the droids next shot on his back as it barely missed him.

I'm getting too old for this. He thought as he tore around another corner, the droid dangerously close behind him. It's next shot knocked him off his feet as it hit the ground right behind him, rock and other debris stinging his legs and backside. Battered and winded, he knew he wouldn't get out of the way fast enough to avoid getting hit by the next shot so valiently he fired his blaster at it in pride and defience to his apparent fate.

It wouldn't be his day to die after all, for a powerful blasted knocked the droid off it's feet, slamming into the wall of the building. Rissonik was smart enough to take this reprive and make a run for it, only taking the chance to look behind him to see who saved his ass once he had gotten behind cover.

There was a ship, fighter ship that is, hovering over the grounds, it's turbo lasers firing rapidly at the droid. It took him a moment to recognize it as a Skipray and realize there was only one Skipray docked their spaceport: the Gory Teeth.

Wait...isn't that the ship Tiskus gave to Varca? He thought as he watched the ship continue to blast the droid, which seemed to take only minimal damage from the fighters laser fire. It kept the droid off balance at least and surely the damage would add up enough to where it will finally be destroyed. He just hoped it didn't have some massive self destruct function...