What's going on? Cade asked, stepping into the cockpit with Darien close behind.

Kara handed him the datapad. Cades eyes widened as re read the messages. The Separatists are invading Phindar, He growled, looking at Darien. Haven's supply lines are essentially cut off..

When Darien sees Cade, he whistles. "Ooo, shiny."

Upon hearing the news, Darien slips off his helmet and plunks it down on the console, shaking his head. "Wayii... What is Haven's relationship with the Separatists? Are they going to be able to reopen supply lines?"

Cade shakes his head, We don't.. Haven is just our word for the world, He explained. The clans there keep their heads down, trying not to draw too much attention since they were nearly wiped out in the Schism.

Darien rubs his chin, thinking. "There's no immediate danger, is there? Just know that I'll help in any way I can if it comes to it."

Cade looked over the messages again, There isn't much we could do at this point.. He admitted, But I'll have to send a message to see how Liberator is doing, just in case.

There is a Munificent-class and some support ships blocking the Hyperspace lane.. Kara explained, Cade's right, we're going to need some big guns to to be of any help.

"Well I was talking to Vaerk, and Liberator is just about ready. They're working on installing the last couple modifications now, and then Lyn is going to start running freight. He's spent the last month working on assembling a list of contacts and he's got a job lined up. Still can't do anything about that Munificent though... Smugglers might be Haven's best bet, and you know how chakaaryc that lot is."

Later that night, while the ship is speeding through hyperspace and most of the crew were asleep, Cade and Kara spoke in low tones.

I saw the Ice Queen sent a message, Cade muttered, If she's worried, the Five must be preparing for war...

Kara nodded, her eyes full of worry. Buir isn't sure what the Council can pool together, a lot of the other clan's assets are spread out doing non mercenary work, just to generate revenue and off planet.

With Darien back, Wu moves back into the cells. Suffering from hyperlag, Darien contemplates some notes on his datapad while the others sleep. While he was laid up, Kyra helped him come up with a list of potential modifications for the ship. Including swapping the cells out for more tastefully appointed living quarters, "For when you pick up strays." as she had put it.

About a day-and-a-half later, Kara heads to the cockpit and sits down at the controls, minutes before Mesh'la Solus drops out of hyperspace into a bustling spacelane. By now, they have tried to narrow the gap in their schedules, but everyone's clocks are off when compared to local time.

When Kara communicates with ATC looking for a berth, she is met with a fairly frosty reception. Clearly their transponder has been marked as trouble. So many ports refuse to accommodate them that it takes over three hours to find a berth: a run-down, seedy port on the outskirts of town. When Kara finally sets Solus down, it's nearly four in the morning. Trash blows away from the pad when Kara switches to repulsors, and a flimsi cup skips twice before springing into the air and bouncing off the window of the office. The light flips on as a diminutive figure steps into the booth, hopping up into the seat and activating the maintenance droids.

Looking closely through the dirty and smudged glass, Kara makes out a long neck and small gray head, but that's about it. A light on the dash flashes and a high-pitched, male voice comes over the comm, "Weel, Ah'm gled ter see yew. Yew sure meesed up dat Hutt. End yew gert de Bleek Suns on yer ceese?" He starts giggling, "Ah like yew alreedy. Want de fool mai'tenance job, er jest refulin? Teel ye what, Ah'll cheeck yer sheep mese'f. Won't cherge ye fer de laber costs fer de mai'tenance."

A trio of PK-series droids waddle out of an equipment locker, distributing tools and scanners amongst themselves.

Thanks.. Kara replied with a grim little smile. What're the Sun and Hutts up to while we've been gone?

"De Suns mer dan de Hutts." His voice gets a bit more glum, "Merch as Ah like eet wheen dey get peesed erf, eet eesn't all good. Bleek Sun has been taking 'vantage of de sit'ation, lets of keelin'. All of de reet people mind ye, but steel bad. Tryna teek over Gerka's op'rations, Ah theenks. Ah don't know merch, but Ah've seen a lot a gang confleect in me time. Dees is bad. Watch yerse'ves, yew don't 'ave many friends, 'sides from me. Ah'll meek sure dis lady here ees reedy fer a quick exit."

Thanks for the info. Kara said.

Sounds like an interesting place.. Cade muttered with a grim smirk. Let's finish our business and get out of here..

Wu walks into the cockpit and sits down at the auxiliary station, pinging his ship for any messages. After a minute, he pulls one up, quickly skimming it. Flicking the screen off, he stands, shaking his head, "I've been recalled by my clan. I'm afraid I'm a bit late, too... I need to leave now, and my ship isn't far from here. Think you can survive without me?" He tries to sound cheerful, but his voice is a bit strained, worried about his delay and not knowing why he's been called back.

Kara clapped him on his shoulder, Kih'parjai vod, Vor'e par te Gaa'tayl. Keep in touch.

Darien steps into the cockpit and shakes Wu's hand, "Seconded. Ner riduur sends her thanks as well."

Wu grins, combing a hand back through his hair, "Kih'parjai, I'm always glad to help Mando'ade. Jate'kara with the job, it's a tricky business. I'll pick up the rest of my kit and be on my way I guess." he sighs before donning his helmet, then steps through the door and heads to the cells.

Darien chuckles, "Kyra said we should turn those cells into crew quarters given my tendency to 'pick up strays,' as she put it. How much you want to bet we run into another Mando before we're done here?"

Cade grinned, With the state of the underworld since we left, I bet you couldn't throw a rock down the street without hitting at least one mando'ade!

Due to the early hour, they would have to wait until the bank opened in the morning before collecting the rest of their credits and possibly evacuating the Chagrian. Since they would have time prior to the bank opening, Darien volunteered to escort Maya to purchase some equipment.

Cade and Ge'tal spent some of the time painting their armor before getting some rest, while Kara sat in the cockpit, going over the security systems.

Maya steps out of the engine room with an empty pack slung over her shoulder. Leaning against the doorway, she looks up at the roof skeptically, hearing the clanking noises of metal feet on the outer hull. As she hears Darien's door open and then his clanking footsteps as he walks towards the ladder, she comms Kara in the cockpit. "I finished repairing the beskar'ade and sent you the command codes. Just turn them on and they'll defend the ship. They don't have the best judgement though, so better warn the mechanic to steer clear."

Darien steps off the ladder into the cargo hold and adjusts his jacket, which looks a bit bulky over his Beskar'gam. "I'm keeping at least some of my armor." he states defensively n response to Maya's disapproving glance. He kept the torso protection because he can conceal it under his jacket, but had to leave his helmet and the protection for his extremities behind. He reaches under his jacket, patting his pistol. "Ganar gar tracy'uur?" Because she is a clan member, he feels particularly responsible for her safety, even more so since she doesn't have her beskar'gam yet.

Maya nods, "Shall we go then?" She had wanted to go by herself, but, like last time, Darien wouldn't hear of it. She can't fault him though. His concerns are valid. "Kara, we're shoving off. Jate'kara!"

As she and Darien walk down the ramp and start towards the exit, the mechanic calls from behind them, "Hey, name's Cha'ly." They turn, and the Xexto, perched straddling the port engine, shifts his oversized goggles up to the top of his head and waves, an action mirrored by the nearest droid assistant. "Dees lady's name is..." He closes his eyes for a moment, thinking "Meesh'la Salus. Wut'zit mean?"

Darien grins, "It's Mando'a. Beautiful One."

The Xexto nods, stroking the engine cowling, "Greet name fer this lady. She sure leeves up ta eet. Gerd luck!"

As they walk towards the last known location of Maya's contact in the "Spice District," taking a roundabout path to try and confound anyone trying tracking where they came from, they realize they're in a pretty bad part of town. Maysh'la seems abnormally paranoid, but Darien isn't sure if it's because of their surroundings or something else. She hasn't been getting enough sleep or exercise. She hardly ever comes out of that room. What's with her? He's feeling pretty exhausted himself. In spite of the morning sun, his body clock is telling him he needs sleeeeep. He shakes himself back to attentiveness, keeping a covert eye on the buildings, on the occasional speeder, and on the other pedestrian traffic. Especially the pedestrian traffic.

After a few minutes, he catches sudden movement out of the corner of his eye and looks quickly enough to see someone sprinting down a side street. No... can't be... He puts his arm over Maya's shoulders and positions himself between her and the street, leaning close to her ear and whispering as if sweet-talking a date, "Guy just rabbited. Might be nothing, but he may have made us."

Maya laughs, smiling back and whispering though gritted teeth, "Haar'chak... News sure travels fast on this slime ball, doesn't it. They must have been looking for us."

Noting her agitation, Darien shakes his head, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I may be reading too much into it as I'm feeling a bit sleep-deprived and exhaustion makes you sloppy. Don't get jumpy, but stay on your toes."

He releases her and separates marginally, but still stays just behind and to her right. About fifteen minutes later, they are approaching the Spice District and the morning traffic has started to clear up. Darien catches a fleeting glimpse of a reflection in the windshield of a passing landspeeder. The hairs on the back of his neck stand up, and he carefully watches the next approaching landspeeder... Sure enough, three young thugs. "Maya, I'm pretty sure we're being followed. Three human males, twenty meters. Get ready to duck into that alley and pull out your pistol." Maya presses her lips tightly together, "I saw them..."

They reach the alley and quickly duck around the corner, taking cover behind the overflowing dumpster and pulling out their blasters. The footsteps pick up their pace, running towards the alley. Darien shoots Maysh'la a look. Rookie mistake... now we know they're coming for us. She clearly had the same thought, as her grip tightens on the pistol.

The others waited in Solus until a half hour before the bank opened for the morning, then headed out with the plan of scouting around before walking inside. Cade handed out ponchos to the others as they walked down the ramp so they could hide most of their distinctive armor, and Kara gave the droids their instructions to protect the ship if it came under threat. Cade, Ge'tal and Falmok were waiting at the Spaceport's exit leaning againced the wall, looking around as if they were bored. Ready? Kara asked, Besk'ade are all set.

The others push off from the wall and headed towards the bank.

They make their way through the city as discreetly as they can, trying to not draw attention to themselves. They get close to the bank without incident, but as they walk down the sidewalk across the street from it, Falmok hisses to keep going. As they pass, Ge'tal steals a glance at the bank and sees what tipped off Vhal: One of the guards is a Falleen. That on its own is enough to arouse suspicion in anyone who has bad blood with Black Sun, but with what they've heard of the city's gang activity since they left, it's a pretty good indicator not everything is going well for what's left of Gorka's operation.

Cade let out a heavy sigh, I'll be right back.. If you hear screams, things aren't going well.

Cade walked across the street as Kara hissed a couple of choice curses to his back.

When Cade approaches the bank, the Falleen guarding the door peers under the hood, then says something into a comm mounted on his shoulder. When Cade gets up to the steps, the man nods and waves him past into the bank.

Cade opens his comlink, Guard just checked in, so they know I'm coming.. He murmured over the link, You might have to take him out quick if you have to assist. He reached for the door, swung it open and walked in, quickly looking around.

An elderly human pokes his head out of the Chagrian's office, retracts it, and then emerges after a moment, nervously fidgeting with the edge of his coat. "Sir, may I help you?"

Cade indicated the office with a subtle nod of his head, I'm looking for the Chagrian gentleman, I have some unfinished business with him. He promised to handle an account for me.