A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…

STAR WARS: FORCE & DESTINY

IN ALL THINGS, BALANCE

It is a period of unrest in the galaxy. The Galactic Empire has been tightening its grip for the last eighteen years, most especially in regards to the now extinct JEDI ORDER and the Force.

To that end, the Imperial Senate has passed a law restricting archaeological research into any dig sites with relics originating from the Jedi or other Force Orders. Any archaeological dig that finds such relics must report to the local IMPERIAL UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE for oversight.

On the planet IRIDONIA, whether a dig site on the ancestral lands of MOFF SHA’NAR falls under this legislation is under dispute…

A dark blue YT-1300 light freighter lightly shook as it entered the atmosphere of the planet. Adjusting the inertial dampeners to compensate for Iridonia’s gravity, the petite mirialan woman piloting the ship simultaneously opened a commline with the Voro Sha’nar Spaceport, “This is freighter 77BT-Z4Y, designation That Blasted Mynok!, requesting permission to enter Shana airspace.”

There was a moment of silence before the auditory emulators in the back of the cockpit began emitting the telltale scream of TIE fighters. A glance at the sensor suite showed a pair of the fighters flanking the vessel.

Thinking for a moment, Yezil turned off the microphone to the comm before turning on the ship’s intercom, “Zoma, hop into one of the turrets. Be ready in-case those kriffing di’kute choose to open fire.”

Yezil didn’t really expect the TIEs to attack, but she hadn’t lived this long by expecting the best in people.

~*~

“For the final time Professor Myran, there will be no discussion regarding the dig site until the mediator arrives,” a male zabrak dressed in fine clothes bellowed at a dark-skinned human woman.

“The fact that you needed to hire a mediator speaks volumes of your capabilities. Why Moff Uuvox placed you in charge, Varl, I do not understand,” the professor calmly responded.

As the zabrak prepared to approach the woman and her bodyguard, a servant entered the room with a datapad. Keeping her eyes off Professor Myran and her bodyguard, she bowed her head respectfully to Varl before handing him the datapad. Looking over the contents of the datapad, a look of befuddlement stretched across his face, “Who names their ship That Blasted Mynok?”

At the sound of Yezil's voice over the ship intercom, the slender male mirialan, Zoma, replaced the small object he was fidgeting with back in his jacket pocket. Shaking his head and smiling to himself he stood from his cross legged meditation pose he was taking up in the corner of his living area. Always thinking the worst of people she is he thought to himself as he jogged over to turret bays.

Sitting in the light freighter's ventral turret seat Zoma leaned back to shout towards the cockpit at Yezil, "You know I'm not exactly the good at this right?" Zoma looked back at the still unfamiliar controls and attempted to mentally prepare himself for what was in store.

Bull was sitting in the common room when Yezil's voice blasted over the intercom. A fight was brewing at least that's what Bull thought, as he began to collect himself. He always loved fights, in the thrill of the hunt, you have only your skill in combat and your wits to aid you, and Bull found that, and the adrenaline the best part. Bull stood up from his comfortable seat eager to hit something, picked up his bat and made his way to the cockpit.When he entered Bull spoke his voice gravelly "Boss, where you need me." he never was one much for words. Bull stood behind Yezil with his silver bat over his right shoulder, waiting for orders.

As the zabrak approached his charge, Avalon placed his hand near his gun. It was on stun of course, but he was more than ready to deck the man in front of him if need be. This particular security detail was slightly boring, the high pay and large volume of information he could acess compensated slightly of course, but he still would have appreciated some action. "I told you he'd say no, again." Avalon told the professor, he had, in fact, told her that so many imes that he had lost count. And, despite the Zabrak's words, he doubted it would,'t be the last time Proffesor Myran asked. Sighing inwardly, he remebered Coros Blesk, a professor at the Mandalorian institute of Science on Concordia and a close family friend, he seemed like a man who would love this place. Unfortunently, Corros had died on Kelbade during a Death Watch bombing. And that had been when Avalon had begun to doubt the leader of Death watch Pre Viszla. Snapped back to the present by Varl's words, he muttered under his breath, Daydreaming and anything else that distracted a bodyguard from his job. Anything could happen, assasians, freak sewer explosions, guided missles. Anything, if Avalon was a bit paranoid it helped him in his job. "Any ship that has a name like that must have either a wierdo or a Mynock obsessed person as a captain. Or the ship had a mynock problem." He observed.

Not taking her eyes off of her instruments, Yezil took a moment to think before answering her ship’s enforcer/pack nerf, “Go make sure the cargo’s secured. After that Bull make sure that our guest stays in the mess until I’ve got this shyrak landed.”

Taking a breath, Yezil then leaned back in her chair before shouting at her reluctant gunner, “As for you Zoma, besides Kai I’m the only kriffing person on this ship with any semblance of panbocn turret training! So ne’johaa, and keep those reflexes sharp!”

Bringing herself forward, Yezil kept a wary eye on the sensor suite. She should have gotten a response by now, either permission to land or an order to leave.

“Freighter 77BT-Z4Y, what is your purpose for entering Shana airspace?” a voice crackled over the comms.

“Transportation and delivery, iktochi diplomat and Corellian/Mantellian foodstuffs respectively,” Yezil answered, some of the tension leaving her body.

“Permission granted, follow the flight-path being transmitted.”

With that, the majority of the tension left her body. In her not insignificant amount of experience getting to this point meant that there would be no more problems. The TIEs would remain, mostly to make sure that she didn’t veer off the given flight-path. Even in a place as isolated as this, no one wanted to risk a midair collision, especially her.

Keeping one eye on the sky in front of her, she took in the flight-path being transmitted to her. She was being directed to hanger 8A, mostly indoors, good.

~*~

“I didn’t expect the mediator to arrive on the same ship carrying Uncle Uuvox’s latest purchase,” Varl commented as the flight technician transmitted the flight-path to the oncoming YT-1300.

“D-do you know w-what uncle ordered?” his younger sister asked, her voice light and her cheeks reddening in embarrassment as they always did when her stutter slipped out.

“I think some Whyren’s Reserve and Mantellian Crab. The reserve being for his collection and the crab for birthdays or other celebrations, most likely,” was the answer.

Professor Myran ignored the conversation going on between the two siblings and instead stared at the image of the freighter. There were some strange words painted across the top: Aliit ori’shya tal’din. It sounded similar to the words that the bodyguard her husband, Bogun, had hired for her would mutter on rare occasions.

"Meg harkin..." Avalon muttered before speaking up. "Hey Varl are their any Mandalorians on that ship?" Avalon couldn't remember the last time he had seen one of his kind, it had been years at least. It would be nice to see another of his kind, even if it was one of those blasphemous so-called New-Mandalorians. But if there was one, he hoped it was one of those famed armorsmiths who made their own armor, rather than accepting the normal mass produced armor. They could help him with his project.

"Alright Boss." And without another word Yezil heard the stomping of the big man's feet. Bull made his way to the Cargo hold and stowed his bat, the quickness and almost excitement in his step at the thought of a fight was replaced with slower heavy steps.

As he arrived in the cargo hold he noticed that the crates of food were fine, all were harnessed so they wouldn't jostle around. 'Looks good.' He thought as he finished up his brief inspection. He was no expert so a cursory look was all he could offer his Captain. After Bull had deemed that the food would not be going anywhere he made his way to the mess hall.

Upon his arrival at the mess hall he noticed their guest the Diplomat, "Stay here, Boss' orders." He crossed his arms and watched the Iktochi, his face always wore a serious expression when he wasn't being emotive, those who don't know Bull would think him mad at something or someone, and they would most likely be right.

As Bull enters, Kumro looks over at the doorway. The pale green Nautolan has been leaning against one of the walls in the mess, keeping an eye on the diplomat. She straightens and walks over to the Zabrak. "Hello, Bull. How's the landing going?" There's a bit of a shine in her large black eyes at landing; she's witnessed more than a few, by now, but there's still something nearly magical about it all.

The priests back on Dalchi would have called it unholy, but she knows better now.

Rolling his eyes at Yezil's comment, and unsavory language, Zoma suddenly tensed as the TIEs came into his line of sight through the large turret transparasteel dome. He gripped the turret controls and followed the TIE fighter almost itching to pull the trigger. These are the people responsible for Master Unduli's death! These are the people responsible for some much wrong with this galaxy!

On the verge of opening a salvo on the fighter, Zoma quickly shook his head We've been over this before, these pilots may not have even been alive when that happened. It was the Clone Troopers to blame, and those at the head of the Republic. I will never believe the Jedi Order was corrupt.Calm yourself Zoma....caaaaalm.

He took the small object he was handling earlier out of his pocket and began playing with it as he watched the TIE fighter soar over head.

I must not place blame on these beings. I must not act out against them. I must not waste time or energy on these underlings. I must be precise.....Zoma continued this mantra like thought process while watching the TIE fighters and turning the object over in his hands. He heart rate slowed. He became calm.

"No fight... sadly" Bull growls in response to the Nautolan. Kumro notices that Bull hasn't let his eyes wander off of the Diplomat, his gaze focused squarely on the back of the Iktochi's head. Bull wondered why Boss would need two people looking over the Diplomat, especially since when they began this escort Boss said not to break him if he got out of line. 'Kumro seems to have things under control, Boss must've wanted me gone.' Bull thinks while he continues to stare the Diplomat down.

"Hoping to go out and punch a TIE?" Kumro smiles. "It would be exciting, but there's better ways to find excitement than picking a fight with traffic control." She taps a finger against the hilt of the sword that hangs from her belt. "Besides, I'm useless in a ship-to-ship fight. That's what happens when you grow up thinking the sky is a godly domain." Her tone is still light, but there's a bit of sourness to it at the last couple words.

"If all else fails," Kumro offers, "we can always spar. Though probably not in front of our passenger. I think I might have learned a couple tricks since last time..."

Bull chuckled and a smile appeared on his face, "I knew I liked you." He turns acknowledging the Nautolan, while still keeping an eye on their guest. "Sparring would be good, keeps us in practice. If Boss gives us time I'll take you up on that one." Bull's hand lands on the Kaf maker, he starts the machine up. "Want some?"

"Oh, definitely!" Kumro says, peering at the kaf machine. "Did I ever tell you about the time the engineer back on Wings of Ryloth nearly blew up the kaf machine? It was about a standard month after they'd rescued me from Dalchi. I won't bore you with the details, but we'd ended up with a hold full of worthless junk and a need to lie low for a while. So the engineer had been up for about three days fixing the engines, and managed to mix up that sugar-sludge she puts in her kaf with some sort of volatile.

Kumro chuckles. "Long story short, the kaf machine caught on fire, the pilot hit it with that hammer she drags around, and the captain made a new rule: if you can't tell it from engine oil, it doesn't go in your drink."

As Kumro regaled Bull with the story of the Kaf machine he sets up the ship's Kaf maker to produce two drinks. Bull laughed "Ha Ha, I've got one." He hands Her a cup the Kaf piping hot. "I once captured a man using a Kaf machine. Black Sun needed him alive, owed some money I think." Bull takes a sip of his Kaf he recoils, still too hot. "Anyway he was passing by a bar I was in so I grab the biggest thing I can find and throw it at his head. No one was happy with the damage caused, well except me." Bull laughs heartily,"Don't worry he was a Trandoshan he lived." he said as he examined Kumro's expression.

Kumro takes the kaf, chuckling. "Kaf machine as an improvised weapon? I'll have to remember that one." She taps her chin with her free hand. "I don't really have any good stories about improbable weaponry. Mostly, I just use my sword. Though I suppose my old captain did have a tendency to use her gun as a club."

"Good weapon a Vibro-sword. I just have this bat here" he points to it on his back. Taking another sip of the Kaf, Bull relaxes knowing now the Diplomat isn't much a threat and seems to be ignoring them. He leans up against the wall, "I know Boss needed muscle so she hired me, but what do you do?"

"It's not a vibrosword," Kumro says, and leaves it at that. She blows on her kaf, then takes a sip. "And I do a lot of things. On Wings, I did a lot of the negotiations—for supplies, for support, and similar. Not that we didn't get into a few scrapes. More than a few, really—but that's just the nature of the job, isn't it?"

"More like that is my Job, that and scaring the crap out of people." Bull puts down his Kaf and crosses his arms, "Got any Scars? Like ones that would have a Story behind them?" He points to the large scar on his face, it crosses over his nose and ends at his chin. "I took a Vibro-Axe to the face once, I may not have liked the Black Sun but some of the best fights I've had were when I worked with them."

Seeing the spaceport on the horizon, Yezil adjusted the inertial dampeners yet again before switching on the ship's intercom, "Alright everyone, buckle in or get tossed about, we're commin' in for landing!"

"Scars? Yes, but most of those stories aren't suitable for polite company—" Kumro stops as Yezil's voice comes over the intercom. She swings herself into one of the mess hall chairs and holds on tight. "Of course, the blaster scar on my back is just from the time we ended up captured by a Hutt. You know those little bikinis they like to put on their prisoners?" Kumro makes a face. "Mine was bright pink. I looked terrible."

She chuckles to herself, then shakes her head, looking slightly more serious. "I'd never seen Na'asen so furious before, and haven't since. We almost lost everything right then and there... Na'asen pulled us through, though. She always did." She takes another sip of her kaf. "She made an escape plan. Got me my sword back, and I'm still not sure how. I managed to take down one of the guards—there weren't that many. He wasn't a very important Hutt. So Na'asen grabs the guard's vibroaxe and goes straight for the Hutt. Cut the slug's head clean off." Kumro tips what seems like half the cup of kaf into her mouth, swishes it around, then swallows. "Anyway, you can guess what happened next. Big fight, I got shot in the confusion, woke up in medbay to Na'asen arguing with the doctor."

Kumro smiles. "Apparently even the captain isn't allowed to bother sleeping patients."

Bull upon hearing the Boss's warning found a chair across from Kumro. When she tells him how the Hutt died he gives a small chuckle. "Ha, serves the Slug right! Too bad you didn't get the glory of the Kill." Bull scratches his chin, he seems to think for a while before he responds, "Haven't killed a Hutt before I guess I have something new to aim for." Bull sighs he never was one for landings whether or not they were smooth.

Upon hearing Yezil's warning Zoma thinks to himself.....Well....I'm already locked in here, so I might as well stay right? and slaps the chair lock under the seat with his right hand.

Now assuming the task of taking down a TIE fighter wasn't on his list of things to do anymore he diverted his full attention to the small puzzle in his hands.

They are not the true enemy. The best way to kill a kryat dragon is to cut off his head not his tail. I must be precise....I must be precise.....

With a jerk and rumble, the landing struts for That Blasted Mynok! touched down in the hanger. With a sigh, Yezil unbuckled herself before turning on the intercom again, "This is Captain Yezil, any and all winbekhia that heeded the earlier warning you may now detach yourselves from your seat while everyone else can star peeling themselves off the walls."

~*~

Unbuckling his seat, Ora turned to the big zabrak and asked, "Is she always like that?"

Bull looks over to the Diplomat as he finally breaks his silence, "The Boss? Yeah she's always like that. Well let's move we have a job to do."

Bull finished his Kaf as he got up from his seat, gathering his things he made his way out the room. He waits for the other two to catch up to him just outside the room.

As the pprofesser turned around and walked to the landing platform to meet the diplomat, Avalon made sure all jis gear was secure, then, followed her to the security checkpoint. Hands near his weapons, he watched as those onboard disembarked.