Running the Blockade

[General Dan]

Just outside of the Sulust system, an Action VI transport shuddered under the weight of Imperial turbolasers from an Acclimator-class Star Destroyer. The Lucky Strike had apparently struck out in the luck department this time. Six months of shipping hyperdrive motivators under the noses of Imperial Customs had caught up with the ship's skipper, a freelance entrepeneur named Dan.

Dan sat in the calm eye of a hurricane on his bridge, as crew members scrambled to keep the Lucky Strike out of danger.

"Intensify deflector screens aft."

"Sir, at the rate their gaining, we won't be able to make the jump to light speed. They're going to cut us off!"

Stern-faced, Dan considered the options. The grey wedge of Imperial cruiser was growing in the viewscreen, raining red turbolaser strikes all around them.

"Put out an all points distress signal."

"Sir, we're not in the outer rim. The only people who will hear our broadcast are the Imperials."

Dan bit his lower lip.

"And the Rebel Alliance."

A few crewers turned back to look at the skipper, disapproval on their faces.

"I'd rather take my chances with the Empire, sir. The Rebels are pirates and raiders."

"Well, I reckon we won't get off with a slap on the wrist for violating Imperial tarriffs. I'll take my chances with pirates and raiders given our situation. Make the broadcast, Shrem."

Shrem Lighthand cursed under his breath, switching the general distress beacon on. The skipper might be eccentric, but he was wealthy and paid his men well, and had the know-how to somehow keep them out of danger at the last minute.

"Done. I don't know how long it will take for a response, or even if it'll be a welcome response."

The ship bucked with another round of blasts.

"Don't worry Shrem. I've got a good feeling about this."

Dan smiled reassuringly in the face of the onslaught.

[Kyle Krogen]

Somewhere near the Sulust system floated a lone craft. An X-wing without insignia, painted a dull grey color floated as if lifeless. The pilot, Kyle Krogen, had just finished helping a rebel resistance cell on the nearby Sullustin home world. He had no destination in mind so he decided he'd float for awhile until he came up with an idea of where to go or the force added him. Yes he was a jedi, of sorts. He hadn't called himself a jedi since his master, Jackson Arra, had died at the hands of the imperials. Now the young man no longer called himself a jedi but used the force however he willed. Neither dark nor light but somewhere in the grey. His dislike of the empire had caused him to ally himself to the Rebel alliance and he aided that when ever he could.

"Tattooine would be nice." He mussed and was about to order his astromech droid, he called it Mac, when a red light starting flashing on his control console. "A distress signal" He said, suddenly alert "Plot up a micro jump to those coordinates, Mad" He commanded as he settled his hands on the control yoke and watched as the stars turned to streaks.

In a few minutes his X-wing returned to normal space and a large star destroyed filled his vision. "Oh, frell, no" He said. "Bloody IMPs." He power down his engines to avoid attention "Which ship is calling, Mac?" The droids reply scrolled across the small screen the droid used to communicate "What transport?" He asked before looking at his sensors "Ah, there it is. Ok, lets go."

He fired up his engines and locked his S-foils into combat position. "Hows our proton torp supply" He checked the readout again "Full, thats good." He pushed the engines to full power and flew towards the battle. He didn't see and tie fighters which ment the IMPs had enough fire power with just the destroyer to destroy the transport. "When the frell am I going to do against that?" He asked himself. He'd be lucky if he survived a single shot from those turbolasers. His only advantage was speed.

He came within range and opened fire apon the beast but it's deflector shield repelled his attack and immediatly began to fire apon him. "Now we're the target" He pushed the yoke forward and his X-wing flew downwards. He added a spin to his movement and avoided the shots as best he could. Then the destroyed aimed more turbolasers at him. Kyle opened himself to the force and allowed it to aid him by strengthening his reflexes and warning him of incomming fire.

"Frell" He said before opening a comm to the transport "Sorry boys" He said through the comm "I tried but I think we need more firepower to repel the destroyed" He doubted the crew of the transport even knew of his existance so far but he was drawing some fire away from them and thats all that mattered at the moment.

[Titian Snow]

Kyle isn't the only X-Wing hiding. The Snow Family is there, too, having just jumped in on their journey to find allies. Old Titian Snow isn't as young as he used to be, and he'll need someplace safe to keep himself and his daughter, Lillian, while he passes on the last of the Jedi tradition. And this man who sent the distress signal is the best chance they've had in a long time.

"Come ON, pops! Let's go get that...that thing that's after him! They're gonna catch him!" Lillian yells, seeting in her A-Wing nearby. "Jedi are supposed to help people, right?"

"Yes," sighs Titian wearily. "And they're supposed to remain calm and patient as well." Lillian makes an aggravated noise that makes the comm crackle and hiss. "Calm down. We're going in now. Stay back with me, don't go flying off ahead like you did the last time."

The two starfighters blaze off towards the Acclimator, Titian in the lead. He's full of proton torpedos, which is good. He'll need all he's got to kill the shields on this thing.

[General Dan]

"That was fast..." Shrem said to himself, as he opened up an alerting hyperbeacon.

"Contacts?" Dan leapt out of his chair, and was at his comm officer's side.

"Several. A gaggle of Incom X-Wing fighters just entered realspace portside."

He sounded a bit impressed that Dan's gamble was bearing fruit.

"Bank us around starboard, but keep distance. If we can buy enough time to make a jump, we should try to make a run for it."

"But what about those fighters?"

"Patch me in." Dan winked.

A few seconds later and... "You're on, skipper."

"Rebel fighters, this is the Lucky Strike. I'm in a bit of a bind, can you run interference long enough for us to make the jump out of system?"

[Kyle Krogen]

"Roger that, Lucky Strike. I'll buy you any time that I can." He said over the comm right before turning his fighter into a barrel roll to avoid several spears of energy. He pulled down on his yoke and sent his fighter into a steep climb. The only thing keeping be from getting vaped is that I'm faster then their cannons. Thank god for inventing the x-wing He thought as he leveled out and made a turn and came about to face the star destroyer.

"Time for the fireworks" He said to himself as he launched a series of proton torpedoes at the star destroyer, three in all, almost half his supply. He quaded up his laser and opened up on the star destroyer, in an almost vain attempt to weaken the area of it's shields where his torps would hit.

Lances of green energy shot out from the mighty turbolaser batteries. Kyle turned sharply before pushing forward on his control stick, throwing his fighter in a steep dive, followed by a roll and then fired his thrusters to max.

"What happend to the torpedos, Mac?" He asked as he dodged the contiues battery fire. He risked a glance down at the droid readout [First torpedo impact with shield, severely weakening them at that point, second tropedo was destoyed by laser fire, third one impacted the weakened shields and caused mild damage to several decks and possibly damaged a turbo laser battery or two]

[Titian Snow]

"We'd be happy to," Titian agrees. Then, to only Lillian, "We'll follow in on that other starfighter and concentrate our attacks where he just struck. Do you understand?"

"Yes..." Lillian grumbles. "I'm not stupid, you know. I've done these runs in the simulators."

"Ever with those simulators..." Titian mumbles, opening the S-foils to attack. The pair of fighters flies in as fast as they can, but it'll be nearly a minute until Titian can get there. Lillian opens the throttle on her A-Wing and jumps ahead. She'll be there in seconds.

[General Dan]

"Link a coded transmission to those fighters. Send them coordinates of our destination - Mon Calamari."

"Your call, skip." Shrem nodded and patched a transmission through.

Dan watched the battle from the now-relative safety of Lucky Strike. The Acclimator had no fighter escort, and its guns were primarily turbo lasers, accomodated to interdicting freighters, but unaccustomed to dealing with superiority fighters.

It was like a rancor trying to swat at flies.

"What's our range, Janssen?"

"Seven, seven, nine four...and counting.

Coordinates incoming from the navicomputer."

Janssen turned in his seat, nodding his head clearly in the affirmative.

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's go."

Dan switched on the commlink again.

"Rebel fighters, you have my deepest gratitude. See you at the rendezvous point. May the force be with you!"

Closing the channel, the stars on the viewscreen began to stretch into the spidersilk of hyperspace...

[Kyle Krogen]

Mac tootled in the socket behind the cockpit. "Cordinates?" He said, after risking a glance at the readout, "Cordinates to where?" He asked and Mac beeped a reply "Mon Cal, you say. Well, anywhere is better then here." He manuvered his fighter away from the star destroyer. He fed power from the weapons to the engines and but the thrusters to max.

As soon as he cleared the the interdictor field he paused a moment to input the cordinates, punched a few bottons, and relaxed in his seat as he watched the stars stretch.

[Titian Snow]

"Oh, well that didn't take long," Lillian grumbles to her father. "We barely did anything!"

"Oh, but we will do something. We haven't been saving our secondary weapons all this time for nothing." Titian readies his proton torpedoes. He's never used them, having waited for an occasion such as this. Lillian's still got some concussion missiles, though not many.

"Now, target the place where our friend attacked and fire all of your concussion missiles, then break away and prepare to jump. I'll do the same once my proton torpedoes are away." The family makes its run, turning back before the damage can be surveyed, setting up the coordinates and escaping after their new allies.

[General Dan]

<center>Mon Calamari</center>



The Lucky Strike returned to realspace above the placid blue orb. Everyone on board breathed a collective sigh of relief, including Dan.

"I can't believe it." Shrem crowed. "I had them pegged for a gaggle of privateers and bandits."

Dan smiled and nodded. "There are probably plenty who would say that about us, though. Guess we're birds of a similar feather, then."

"Are we actually completing this shipment ourselves? A direct shipment to Mon Calamari? Wouldn't that be a little suspicious to customs?"

"Maybe." Dan mused. "Then again, I get the feeling that we'll get hassled no matter where we go. Dealing directly with the Mon Cals makes it quicker, if not more dangerous. I am starting to think that this war is forcing our hand. We may be forced very soon to cast our lot with one side or another."

"Well, from what I've seen today, the Rebels have changed my vote." Shrem confirmed.

"I hope you're right. Let's put into port and find out. Hopefully our friends will join us."

[Kyle Krogen]

The stars outside Kyle's cockpit reverted back from stripes to single points of light. His X-wing was not back in real space. He looked out at the blue sphere that was Mon Calamari. "Its been forever since I've been here." He said to himself as he continued to take in the view.

After several moments he broke his eyes away from the beautiful planet and spotted the Lucky Strike Sitting a little ways away from his own ship. "Open a Comm to the Strike, Mac" He waited until there was a click and the commlink was established. "Hello Lucky Strike. This is 'Drifter' " He started, using his call sign rather then his name, "Are you in need of any further assistance, or have need of anything?"

[Lillian Snow]

As soon as the stars turn back to dots, Lillian immediately opens a private channel to her father.

"Dad! Couldn't you have waited? I wanted to see the damage!"

A sigh returns through the comm. "Because, Lillian, escaping was our first priority. We damaged it enough. At the least it's taken heavy structural damage. At the most, it's been crippled or even destroyed. We did well, I promise."

She huffs before changing the channel over. "Lucky Strike, this is Snowstorm Unit. Echoing Drifter's question." Her father sighs wearily at "Snowstorm Unit", bringing a similar sigh from Lillian. They're not a full wing, or even a squadron, but the family need something to call itself!

[General Dan]

"We're putting in to North Sea Station, as our port of call. I understand that the Mon Calamari, like yourself, are friendly to the Alliance. Perhaps you would be interested in doing business with me exclusively."

[Kyle Krogen]

Kyle pondered over the question for a moment. He had no idea what it was Dan did but anything would be better then going to tatooine and standing around in the hot sun. But then again, it could be dangerous and/or slightly criminal... "Count me in" His voice crackled over the Lucky Strikes Comm speakers.

[Lillian Snow]

"Certainly," cuts in Titian. "We'll see you on the ground.".

Lillian huffs as she begins her descent into the atmosphere. Now that they're done here she wants to go on looking for the Rebels. She goes back to her private channel.

"Pops, we're done, aren't we? Can't we go back and do something useful, like finish that Star Destroyer, or look for Rebels, or something?"

Titian's calm is starting to waver. "Lilly, this is Mon Calamari. These people are probably the best chance we've had at joining the Rebellion in a very long time. If you'd stop worrying so much about doing impressive things with your starfighter and pay attention to the bigger picture, you'd not be asking that." Her father's astromech blatts its agreement, and Lillian doesn't mention it anymore.

[General Dan]

<center>Two hours later...</center>

The Mon Calamari had seen to Dan's ship, as well as the other Rebels. The pilots and crew were treated hospitally on the floating city, sitting atop the rolling surf below. A Calamarian in a blue shawl approached the group, bowing regally.

"My associates tell me that you came under Imperial Attack, and have come to seek sanctuary here. Are you friends of the Rebel Alliance?"

Dan thought it over, and replied.

"I'm no friend of the Imperials. Not anymore. I thought I could make it out of this Civil War by being neutral, but its starting to look like I can't ride the fence. I've done business with your Alliance contacts before. I've never had a grievance. If that makes me a friend, then I'm glad to be one."

[Kyle Krogen]

Kyle had removed his flight suit and stood behind Dan in a set of black pants and a sleevless black shirt, his visable lightsabre pommel hung from his belt. Although the jedi are being hunted to extinction; Kyle could care less. No matter what; his hot headedness and rash train of thought wasn't going to go away. He was overconfident in his skills and he knew it, but he was too set in his ways to change easily.

"Yes, I am friends of the rebel alliance, although I am not directly affiliated with them" He told the mon calamari before them. Kyle had helped the Rebels on many occasions but he wasn't one to tie himself down to a group. He helped when he could but he never stayed for long.

[Titian Snow]

The Snow family are still wearing their flight suits; their clothing and few little belongings are in the tiny cargo bay on Titian's X-Wing.

"We are also friends of the Rebels," Titian adds, cutting off Lillian from speaking. "We have been attempting to find and join members of the Rebellion for some time, with little success. I believe my young daughter and I could be quite valuable. She is a skilled pilot, becoming better by the day, and I...have unique abilities to offer."

[General Dan]

"I must say that we welcome your friendship. I'm afraid that our luck has recently been poor. Our latest offensive against an Imperial battle station has failed."

The Mon Cal cast his large orb eyes downward.

"Soon, we will have to regroup and reconsider our next move. Fortunately, the Imperials fared no better against us."

He looked back up to the three.

"If you mean to join our cause, you have my blessing. The battle fleet is always in need of daring pilots and bold agents. I will have my men refuel and rearm your vessels, as well as see to any repairs that are required."

The rebel leader then regarded Dan.

"Am I correct in assuming that you are carrying the hyperdrive motivator cores that we are looking for?"

"Yes." Dan conceded with a nod. "For the price we agreed on earlier, less the cost of fuel, weapons, and repairs."

"Hmm." The Mon Cal nodded with Dan. "You will be compensated for the cargo. War or not, a man must make a living in some manner."

"Thank you Governor. If my mercantile discovers any other goods that may be useful to you, I would be most happy to unload them here. So long as I have a welcome port of call, and friends in hard times."

[Kyle Krogen]

Kyle stepped backwards and to the side to allow a Mon Cal technician by as he, or was it a she, head towards the were their ships were sitting. His movement brought him next to the young female pilot that came in with her father, the wizened old man.

Kyle looked her over for a moment and then his eyes scanned her father. They look so different and if not for family resemblance then he would not have placed them in the same family. He racked his brains for something to say "Uh, nice flying" He said with a smile that revealed his white teeth. Brilliant, genious. Your standing next to an attractive girl and all you can think of saying is 'nice flying' ? "Very good technique and, uh, how long have you been flying?" He added quickly.

[Lillian Snow]

"It wasn't much. Just a strafing run, anybody could've done it. I've been flying a real starfighter since I was 13, but I was working with flight simulators since I was 10. Pops used to own one that I used like an arcade machine."

A small astromech rolls over, blatting and hooting at her as it observes the pair.

"Shut up, Noodles," she retorts, kicking it lightly. Noodles the Astromech screeches at her before sidling up to Titian, it's owner, who pats it absently as he waits patiently for Dan to conclude his business.

[General Dan]

Dan turned his attention to the pilots.

"If you'd like to use Lucky Strike as a base of operations until you fold into the Rebel fighter wings, you're more than welcome."

[Kyle Krogen]

"Your offer is much appreciated," Kyle said with a smile, "But I must be going. I don't like to stay in any place too long. If there is any services I can aid with then I will stay long enough to help, if not then I'll heading back to the stars."

Kyle was not a rebel, heck, he wasn't much of a jedi either. He was a loner, a wanderer. Never staying in any place too long. Helping anti-empire groups here and there but never directly affiliating himself with them.

[Titian Snow]

"We'll be glad to join you, Dan," Titian answers. "Thank you for your hospitality."

Lillian, however, couldn't disagree more. "Old man, lemme talk to you for a sec," she growls, taking her father by the arm to lead him away. "Noodles, entertain." Noodles begins to dance on it's two feet and whirl it's dome head, flashing it's lights and whistling Dixie as loud as it can.

"Now you listen to me, old man!" she hisses, once she's sure she's far enough away and Noodles is loud enough to keep anyone from hearing. "I'm not playing guard dog for that guy! You said we were gonna join the Rebellion!"

"We are joining the Rebellion, Lillian," Titian answers, trying to maintain patience. "He is a member of the Rebellion. He is one of their suppliers, he is vital, and we can help the Rebellion by helping him."

"It's not the same! I want to join a starfighter unit and do something bigger than this!" There's fire in Lillian's eyes that bothers Titian a great deal. He tries to set it aside for the moment and think.

"When we find a suitable unit, we will leave Dan. But for now, we'll help him. End of discussion." He moves back to the group, commanding Noodles to stop. "Let us know when you're ready to leave, Dan."

[General Dan]

"I'll be sure to. Once we get supplies loaded into the hold, and all repairs are seen to, we'll set off for the nearest rendezvous. The Mon Calamari have assured me that the main fleet will be needing resupply at several stages of operation."

[Kyle Krogen]

Kyle waited until Lillian returned to where she had been standing before and then started talking again. "Well, I still think it was good flying and shooting." He said with a smile. "So..." He racked his brain "...What do you do for fun, besides vaping imperials?" He felt like kicking himself again. Another stupid question. He was really off today.

[Lillian Snow]

Titian pats Lillian on the shoulder as Dan finishes speaking. "Hear that? We're going to the main Rebel fleet. You can join the "actual" Rebellion after all." He steps away to discuss the matter further with Dan. Lillian, meanwhile, shrugs off her father's hand and turns to face Kyle.

"Practicing vaping Imperials," she answers. Noodles blatts again, and Lillian kicks him in response. "Look, you wanna go buy me a drink and let the old guys talk business?"

[Kyle Krogen]

Sheesh, the chick was a mind reader. "Uh, sure" He said with a smile. "There has to be a bar somewhere around here." The two walked off, Kyle comicaly waved at Dan and Titian as they walked by them. They left the docking platform behind and entered the interior of the Mon Cal structure. To say the thing was massive would be an understatement. The Half submerged city was huge, massive, humongous, big. Even all those combined didn't come close to exact. Someone could get lost in here in a matter of moments.

After several minutes, and plenty of stops for directions, the two walked into a bar of some sort, it didn't look like a bar though. The floors were clean enough to eat off of, although that would be pointless because the tables were just as clean.

The two found an empty table off to the side and sat down. A Mon Cal walked up and asked them for their order, "Corellian wiskey" Kyle ordered and pulled a cred chit from his pocket and handed it to the waiter, "And what ever the girl wants" He finished with grin.

[Lillian Snow]

Lillian waits as patiently as she can during the process of finding a bar, leaving Noodles in the hangar to deal with her father and Dan, whatever they might be doing. She ordered the little droid to come find her when and if their business came to an end.

The walk to the bar had been mostly silent, except for the parts about asking for directions. The Mon Cal waiter takes Kyle's order first as Lillian stares idly at the list of drinks, unable to choose anything out of the whole lot.

"Can I just get an ale?" she asks at last. The waiter nods with a polite smile and waliks away to fetch the drinks. Lillian rests her cheek against her hand, leaning on the table a bit and looking over at Kyle with an expression that half-studied him. "Have you ever been to a clean bar? "