Layers of deception, Chapter 1 - A Ship Wide Panic (Open)

[Karthon Vanar]

Half way between coruscant and corellia, or whever this bucket of bolts seemed to be headed. Kleeque-class Transport 5579, an intentional vague name, thundered its way though normal space on its way to a refueling and stopping off outpost. It had come out of hyperspace some distance from where it should have been, probably due to pilot error.

The transport itself was of typical Corellian design, practical rather than attractive, a large freighter from the outside it looked more like an atmospheric craft than a starship. With a crew of 16 and able to hold over a thousand passengers all told, it seemed wasted on journey like this. Of course there was nothing like a thousand individuals on this ship. This was more the kind of journey where you got half the service, yet paid twice as much. However this underused transport made it ideal for being the ship you took when you didn't want to be found.

Karthon looked out over his quarters, if you could call them that, five others shared this squalid box of a room with few amenities other than the basic essentials. Long corridors with many such rooms filled this third of the ship. Many other sections had been clearly labeled off limits as the Stennes Shifter had boarded, though curiosity had never been his strong point, he wondered what an inferior freighter such as this might be hiding with armed guards.

Suddenly the engines cut out, throwing his thoughts back to reality, the power soon followed blinding his sight. Dim emergency lighting did come into effect but the sudden darkness already had most of more the suspecting passengers finding cover and drawing a weapon. After a few moments Karthon heared a faint voice echoing over a ship wide communication channel.

"There has been a... delay with the flight systems. We hope to have it under control within a few moments." Came a Sullustan sounding voice, translated by local sources to the appropriate rooms.

Karthon gave a sigh of relief, he didn't want to be trapped in this dark room any longer than was necessary, who knows what type of individuals were in this now veiled room.

Moments later a hissing sound struck the hull of the ship, soon more followed as the calm was shattered by laser fire. Shouting filled the hallways and Karthon divided for cover.

(ooc: Open to any passenger, attacker, crewman or other.)

[Karthon Vanar]

As the sounds of lasers slicing into the hull accelerated, the two turrets of the lumbering transport seemed to pale in comparison. Most impacts were minor and went unnoticed save for the hissing sounds, however some were beginning to hit home as the ship began lurching under the occasional sensitive impact. The battle did not appear to be going well.

Karthons mind was racing, his thoughts were divided as he hid behind his former seat. His eyes scanned the room, what was he to do, he couldn't stay here with these people. On the other hand where could he go, he had no weapon and wouldn't count for much in a fight. Karthon squinted, there was some movement ahead of him, he saw two shapes through the dim red light and they seemed to be shouting at each other. He could make out two Shistavanen's, one slammed his fist into the other, who roared and jumped at his attacker. Karthon looked at the scene in dismay, it was getting quite out of hand and would not end well, Shistavanen's were not known for their self control.

On that note he resolved to make a run for it. A ship this size must have some escape pods and at the very least it would give him a chance. The many years he had spent as a slave had taught him to be a survivor if nothing else and a running man was much harder to catch. He gave one last look at the scuffling pair whom were now biting and clawing at each other in a wanton display.

The Stennes shifter pulled his cloak about himself and bolted out into the neighboring corridor. As he got there he realized just how vulnerable he was, a blaster bolt hurtled past him and struck the wall opposite. It seemed the argument and mistrust in his room was magnified across the whole ship, personal vendetta's and opportunism were surfacing everywhere. Karthon froze, he didn't look were the shot had come from, he just put his head down and ran.

He made it most of the way down the hall, aiming to reach the end of the populated area's. The sound of the blasts carrying from the outside were drowned out by an even more ominous sound, there was a roaring noise followed by a loud thud and a deafening explosion. The force of the blast upended Karthon who was off balance anyway, he landed awkwardly bruising his knee.

Cursing he picked himself up. Then it slowly dawned on him, the ship had just been boarded…

[Karthon Vanar]

Karthon heard more blasts reverberate around but this time they were originating from inside the ship. Explosions and shouts carved their way through the crafts innards, the resulting confusion only adding to the chaos that was now present in the corridors. What passed for alien screams and roars only served to highlight the increasing sense of panic he was now feeling.

"Move out of the way." A Trandosian said already pushing past him, there were few species he found more obnoxious than a Trandosian. Thankfully this meant their kind ignored him for the most part, which for him was a blessing in disguise. The stranger held a large rifle in his hands, far too big for the ordinary man, yet he was waving it about like a children's toy.

For a moment he felt the aliens eyes on him, more accurately right through him. The shifter could never seem to read a Trandosian expression and he had always had trouble with their dialect. Many of the guards at his former slave camp had been Trandosian and known for their heavy handedness. He had seen more than one slave carried off limp or worse left prone after a 'lesson in discipline', more like an exercise in cruelty. He tried to think of something else, thoughts like that were best saved when not faced by a seven-foot tall behemoth.

Karthon picked up a steady pace, numerous blasts and angry shouts fixed his eyes forward and away from the commotion, he didn't even want to look at what it had developed into. Sadly as he turned the corner, he found himself face to face with his own predictable luck.

Two Gamorreans were blocking the corridors exit, which he was sure was the main way to the flight deck. It was obvious the Trandosian had had the same idea. As all three present and now the shifter were locked in a stand off. His presence was barely noticed as the three aliens postured themselves, preparing for what as to come. It felt distinctly primal and he felt distinctly outmatched.

[Cizerack Hunter Forces]

BOOM!

A bulkhead door blew inwards in a shower of sparks and shrapnel. Through the smoky haze of the corridor, a dozen figures in red blastoid armor flooded inside quickly. The lights above were dimmed as the ship diverted power to essential functions. Thus, the yellow visors the invaders wore cast an eerie glow in the chaotic hallways. The armor looked similar to the models worn by Imperial stormtroopers, save for the bright cardinal shade. The shocktroopers wore no helmets, but only a tactical visor to mask them. Their hair flowed across broad shoulders in wild tresses or thick dreadlocks, and their pointed ears swiveled forward in an aggressive, alert posture.

They were the shocktroopers of the Cizerack Hunter Navy, a starfleet of ruthless trade interdictors who meted out punishment against smugglers and pirates in brutal fashion.

Three soldiers dropped to a knee on each side of the intrusion point, leveling heavy assault blasters down each end of the corridor. Another group fanned out down each side with a wickedly-curved blade in each hand.

[Karthon Vanar]

The blasts knocked Karthon over again. He was painfully thrown back against the wall next to him. One of the Gamorreans closest to the blast was also thrown, or rather toppled sideways. A snort of laughter followed from the other as he struggled to get back up.

Finally Karthon saw the face of the ships attackers. He didn't recognize the red armored group as it quickly surrounded the room but he was sure this situation had something to do with the guarded cargo. He didn't know what was behind those doors he'd passed but he'd bet good credits it was valuable, if it were worth going to all this trouble for anyway. Picking himself up and ducking low, he still didn't feel the center of attention, there were bigger fish to fry here. However the sheer number of weapons now in the room didn't fill him with a great deal of confidence in his own survival.

For a second it seemed there would be another standoff but only for a second, the slow Gamorreans finally realized the tables had well and truly turned. They looked at each other and in their typically unorganized style, charged in completely the opposite directions. The first made a break for it, pushing past the Trandosian and the second immediately hacked his axe at an elite Cizerack next to him. He caught the shocktrooper off guard, puncturing him in the shoulder, probably surprised at the blatant stupidity of the move. There was a crunch and the guard fell forward severely wounded.

In the centre of the room and with a roar, the eager Trandosian opened up continual fire with his oversized blaster rifle. Most went wild but one shot cleaned knocked a guard off his feet and sent him into the opposing wall. The pure power behind the weapon and the recoil was impressive but the accuracy was very poor. Though the Trandosians berserk, if inaccurate shooting did catch another Chizerack in the thigh, sending terrible waves of pain through the shocktroopers leg.

Finally Karthon saw his chance, he had to get out! The Shifter ran behind the second fleeing Gammorrean, as the green hulk crashed into anything guarding the exit. He felt it his only recourse in the carnage, he wasn't staying around to the see the results of this latest episode and at a run at least he had a prayer. As they turned the corner back the way he had come, he got in front of the Gammorrean and sprinted. Hopefully the lumbering green mass would be a more preferable target than Karthons own fleeing form.

[Karthon Vanar]

As the melee behind him doubtless raged on, Karthon pushed forward, glad of the chance it presented him to escape. He passed aliens of all forms, all the galactic scum you could think of, confined to a crippled ship, a ship that was being carved apart, piece by piece. More explosions sounded around him and the floor seemed to shake, several of the ships inhabitants were now charging for the flight deck. He was almost overwhelmed by the flow of people in the opposite direction. Good thought Karthon, they might buy him some time.

Karthon pushed against another group that were making for an exit, he accidentally knocked one of them to the floor, helplessly the flailing body was overwhelmed and crushed in the stampede down the corridor. He turned his head in dismay, hating to think what would happen when the guards started shooting and sent the mass of people back the other way.

As he finally ran free of the crush, several thoughts were crossing the Shifters mind.
Why had the power gone out just before the attack? It all seemed so conveniently timed.
Where were the guards? The only people getting themselves shot seemed to be the passengers in their escape.
How had the Cizerack known where the ship was, how had they hit in such overwhelming numbers?

Too many things didn't add up. He tried to focus himself on the situation, although unsettling, they were questions that could be saved till later. Karthon turned another corridor, trying to put some distance between himself and the Cizerack. Though it didn't matter which he ran, by the sound of it the invaders were attacking from multiple sides, crushing any chance of escape.

Karthon stopped in his tracks. Perhaps there was one chance, it was risky but what choice did he have, between that mob and the armed shocktroopers, slipping away unnoticed was not an option. This dim light might give him some cover for now but they'd find him eventually and probably not waste any time when they did. Just finding a Stennes Shifter was enough of a reason to shoot first and ask questions later.

He would make for the cargo bay, he knew the guards were holed up there and even if they weren't it seemed the best place to hide. If they wanted the cargo, maybe he could slip out with it or stand and fight with the guards. It was a long shot but he didn't have any better idea's.

Putting his head down, Karthon made a run for the safety of the cargo bay.