Maiden Voyage (Closed)

[Charon Black]

Pirate Contract: #Pirate - P174847
Contract Type: Ambush
Value and Type of Cargo: 90,000 credits worth of 'Mimic' Decoys
Customer: Vaago
Faction/Syndicate/Target Name: Independent merchant, Mamre Star - CRX-Tug
Scenario: The Mamre Star will be traveling from Oseon to Junkfort Station, on the Cadma Conduit. Dagelin Minor is the only stop-off on the way, where the vessel will be picking up their passengers, so hitting the Star would be best prior to that stop.

Status: (Who currently has taken the Contract)
Risk Level: 1
Payout of Credits: (Mercenary Fee based on risk level)

Charon had gone straight from Vaago’s Audience Chamber to the Terminal, where he had found the job that Vaago had posted. 90,000 credits was a hefty sum, and Charon looked forward to tackling this Mamre Star. Already, Charon was formulating a plan of attack in his head. Charon considered himself a professional, not a murderer. He did not gain joy from wanton slaughter, and so tried to avoid it whenever possible. It was bad for business to have the reputation as a murderer. Charon found that when you killed a lot of people, planetary governments tended to get involved a lot quicker.

Charon came to the hanger, where his Thanium Star-Glaive, an antique vessel he dubbed Tion’s Revenge, sat glistening in the overhead lights. When Charon had come into possession of the vessel, it still had its antique armaments intact. A few attacks on passing freighters gave him the weapons he needed to update the ship. The shield generator was newer as well, with Charon having taken it from another pirate whom he had overtaken.

As Charon climbed the ramp to the ship, he heard the clanking of metal feet come marching toward him in a precise cadence. He turned to see the five B1 battle droids that Vaago was providing, as well as an R2 unit rolling behind them. Charon smiled, pleased to see that Vaago had come through.

“Aye lads!” Charon says to the droids, waving at them to enter the ship.

“Roger, Roger Captain Black.” The lead droid said, with the others following suit.
The R2 Unit was the last to climb aboard.
Charon shook his head at the droids. He approached them.

“I’m giving you all names for the sake of making it easier for you to respond to my commands.” Charon says.

The B1 battle droids looked at each other, probably exchanging data between them. Charon went to each droid, giving them names.

“You…I’m naming Benjamin. And your name is Jack. Your name is Charles. Your name is Henry. And your name is…Roger.” Charon says, pointing at each droid’s chest as he named them. “You’ll answer to no other name.” He continues.

“Now. You five go get a new coat of paint. Tan isn’t the most intimidating color. Take this cred chip, go to the cosmetic section, and tell the guy there you want a black coat of paint and red photoreceptors.” Charon says.

As the droids leave, the R2 unit rolls up to him, beeping enthusiastically, if such emotions were possible in a droid.

“You…I’ll name Vader Jr.” Charon says with a chuckle. “Now run a diagnostic on the ship, clean up any systems that may be corrupted, and give me a readout after you’re done. I’m going to take a nap.” Charon says, patting the droid on the head as he walked past.

[Charon Black]

Charon woke up a few hours later. He didn’t want to sleep long, as he needed to get a move on. He wanted to intercept the Mamre Star as quickly as he could. The longer he waited, the more likely it was that his target would get away. He exited his cabin and saw the five droids in their passive state, curled into an almost fetal position in the corner. Upon his entrance, one of the droids stepped forward, his new glowing photoreceptors proving to have been a good choice.

“Reporting for duty.” The droid said in a slightly deeper voice than it’s normal cartoony sound.

“Good! They made you boys sound a little more masculine. And we’re going to have to talk about your parlance. You boys can’t be saying ‘Roger, Roger’ all the time. This isn’t a military vessel. I’m the captain. I give you an order, you say ‘Aye, Aye.’ Understood?”

There was a pause as the droids re-wrote their programming.

“Aye, Aye Captain Black.” The lead droid, Benjamin, said.

“Good man. Ok gents, take some time offline for a while. I’ll wake you up when it’s time to act. Artoo! Prepare the ship for cast off.” Charon says, walking to the cockpit.

Charon began messing with the navicomputer. He began plotting a course between Oseon and Junkfort Station. It was a pretty well-known route. Charon liked to make a few adjustments to his courses. He would cross reference existing navigational star charts with ancient star charts, and plot a course from there. With the way things looked, he’d be able to get to his ambush point pretty soon. A lot faster than some cargo ship, he’d wager.

Charon plotted the course, and before long, the Star-Glaive had entered hyperspace.

“You’ve got the wheel, Artoo.” Charon says.

Charon makes his way to his cabin, where he begins taking off his clothing, replacing it with a black body glove. Over that, he puts on a pressurized space suit. He leaves the helmet off for the time being. No need to be uncomfortable longer than one had to. Charon took a bottle of Tionese Rum and took a swig from it, clearing out the pre-battle jitters he always faced. Charon could not afford any hesitation in his line of work. For a soldier, it was easy. They had years of training and an entire army to reinforce their sense of duty. For a pirate like Charon, who worked alone more often than not, sometimes a bit of alcohol would have to do. Charon began checking his weapons. On his waist was his DH-17 blaster pistol. Strung along his chest with a leather strap were 3 antique plasma casters, which Charon kept in working order.
The time had almost come. Charon needed to go wake up the droids, and prepare for a fight. Even if one didn't happen, it didn't hurt to be prepared.

[Charon Black]

Charon made his way to the cabins, where the droids were lined up against the wall in a line, in their inactive pose. He crossed his arms.

“Alright gents! It’s time to go to work.” Charon says. The droids stand up and face him.

“You’ll find your blasters in the weapons locker. They’re all holdout blasters. Each of you will hold two of them. Set them to stun! I don’t want any casualties if I can help it. I’m a pirate, not a serial killer.” Charon says to them.

“Aye Aye, Captain Black.” Benjamin says, his red photoreceptors glowing as he commits the information to his databanks.

“Good man. You five prepare the ship to dock when I give the order. I’m going for a spacewalk.” He says.

Charon places the helmet on. It was a helmet not made for any sort of protection from blasters, but protection from the vacuum of space. It sealed tight around his face. Charon modified it to look more skull like. It took some doing, but he eventually got it just right. He put his jacket over the armor, and places his plasma casters along the leather strap on his chest. He places his hat over the space helmet, and makes his way to the top hatch.

Once Charon was on the deck, his magnetized boots kept him stuck to the hull. He began walking towards the nose of the ship. The Mamre Star was before him. He had come out of hyperspace just in time.

“Fire Ion Cannons! When the shield is down, jam their comms!” Charon yells.

An eruption of Ion fire shot out of the ion cannon. The shots pounded into the Mamre Star, causing electromagnetic pulses to overload the shield.

“Fire Concussion Missiles! Target the engine and the sensor array!” Charon yelled again. Arcs of small missiles fired from his ship into his target. The ship seemed to sputter as its systems failed.

Charon smiled.

“Bring me around to their bridge, Artoo. Let’s give them a scare.” Charon says.

The ship begins to slowly turn towards the cockpit of the cargo ship. Charon took a monocular from his jacket and used it to peer into the cockpit. There were four beings inside. 3 men and a wookiee. The wookiee might cause some trouble, but Charon had a plan for that.

“Patch into their comms, Artoo.” Charon commands.

A moment later, Charon’s deep and gravelly voice was heard over the loudspeakers. The beings inside looked terrified, except for the wookiee.

“Greetings, gents. My name is Charon Black. You are all dead men unless you do exactly as I say. You’re carrying some 90,000 creds worth a’ cargo, and I’m taking it. Any attempt s to resist will cause me to open the insides of your ship to the vacuum of space. I don’t think any of you gents are as well-equipped as I to brave the conditions out here.” Charon says. “Take a moment ta’ ponder tha’ meanin’ of the term, explosive decompression.” Charon says, closing comms.

“Prepare to Board!” Charon yells to the droids as he walks back to the hatch leading into his ship.

It was always dangerous performing a spacewalk, but Charon knew that the sight of a man walking in the vacuum of space was unnerving. He only hoped that he didn't have to kill all of them. He would, without hesitation, if he had to. But murder was never his objective.

[Charon Black]

Tion’s Revenge docked easily with the Mamre Star. The droids all made their way to the exit hatch, and Charon stepped in front of them.

“A true Cap’n leads from the front, boys.” Charon says. Charon takes off the helmet, and replaces his hat.

Charon walks through the connecting tunnel that would lead to the other ship. He unsheathes his vibro-cutless and takes a plasma caster from the strap on his chest. One of the droids opens the hatch, and Charon steps through into the smoky interior of the Mamre Star. He must’ve done more damage than he initially thought.

As Charon stepped through, he heard a roar as the wookiee crewmember ran full speed at Charon. Charon had anticipated trouble with the wookiee, and already had a plan. The wookiee roared and rushed at Charon. Charon raised his plasma caster and fired, sending a gout of burning plasma from the weapon. Charon aimed low, so the plasma landed on the wookiee’s legs. In moments, the wookiee’s hair had caught fire. The wookiee collapsed in a screaming hulk as his fur burnt.
“Put him out and stun him, lads. Shoot him with stun bolts until you’re confident he’s knocked out.” Charon says, stepping over the body of the wookiee. He makes his way into the cockpit. Upon entering the door, a crewmember swung a metal pipe at his head. Charon easily parried it with his cutlass, and punched the man with the handguard of his cutlass, sending blood and teeth across the floor.

“Do anyone else want to have a go at Ol’ Cap’n Black?” Charon yells into the cabin, his voice devilish and loud.

The cabin became silent except for whimpering.

“Benjamin! Bring the ropes.” Charon says, walking out of the cabin as the black droid brings in coils of rope. “If they so much as look at you wrong, shoot ‘em.” Charon continues.

“Aye Aye, Captain Black.” The droid says as he began tying up the crew.

Charon makes his way towards the cargo hold, stepping over the unconscious wookiee. The droids must’ve shot him a few dozen times to get him as docile as he was. Charon sticks his head into the cargo hold and smiles. Crates and Crates of what could only be Vaago’s cargo.

“Alright gents, start loading the cargo. Benjamin, you stay in the cockpit. Artoo, come aboard.” Charon says.

The droids comply and begin carrying the crates into the cargo hold of Charon’s ship. The little R2 unit happily beeps as it comes aboard.

“Vader Jr, you download anything of value from their navicomputer and their databanks.” Charon says. The R2 unit beeps in affirmation.

“Benjamin, I want you to start stripping all the valuable systems out of the cockpit. We can sell them for scrap.” Charon says.

Charon goes into their cabins, and begins rummaging through their personal belongings. Anything valuable looking, he took away. He’d deliver it to Vaago when he returned. A droid came and found him about half an hour later. It was Charles.

“All cargo has been placed in the hold of the Tion’s Revenge, Captain Black.” The droid says.
“Good man. Let’s head back to Drifter’s. Vaago will be pleased.” Charon says.

Before leaving, he walks back into the cockpit. The crew looked completely hopeless. The control panels were torn off along with their wiring, leaving an empty husk in place.

“Thank you all for your cooperation. I’ll leave this comlink here on this shelf. If you can manage to escape your bonds, feel free to call for help. If you can’t, then that’s not my problem.” Charon says, tipping his plumed tricorn hat and leaving the cockpit, stepping over the injured wookiee for the last time.

Once he and his crew were safely back on the Tion’s Revenge, Charon smiled.

“A successful job lads. Set a course for Drifter’s , Artoo. We’ve got some cargo to deliver."

A moment later, they entered hyperspace, leaving the Mamre Star an injured husk drifting through space.