Log:Virelia's Droid Uprising 1
Virelia Prime sends a distress signal to Lira'una asking for an independent mediator to help with a sudden droid uprising
OOC Date: October 12, 2023
Location: Virelia Prime
Participants: Lira'una, Saito, Gar Massey
The Puddle Jumper is in hyperspace to pick up their next shipping contract, and Lira has invited Gar Massey along for the ride. The YZ-775 might be able to haul twice as much as the average freighter, but it's not as big as a Corellian Corvette by a long shot, and it's not nearly as quiet as Gar's ship. Onboard are Lira and Gar, plus Saito, and four additional crew members that Gar had been introduced to -- Lumae Elfast, a 32 year old human female pilot, Knux Pizkurk, a 26 year old male human mechanic, Yadver Solflen a 40 year old male Twi'lek negotiator, and Vorban Lightstrider, a 55 year old male Chadra-fan that served as a scout. All of them helped where they could on the ship, and in hyperspace, they found ways to keep themselves busy... unless they weren't.
There's no telling what Gar and Saito had found to get themselves up to, either. They hadn't met, yet -- Lira hadn't even seen Saito enough recently to explain her relationship with Gar, so this was sure to be an interesting first introduction.
Regardless, the Crew Deck is dim, and Lira stands in front of the large holoprojector while window looking outside of the ship swirls with the blue of hyperspace.
The holo-projection shimmered as it displayed an exasperated Councilor Elara Vosq, a tall, statuesque woman in her mid-40s with dark hair streaked with silver, pulled back into a tight bun. Her features looked harrowed, and the tight lines around her mouth spoke of stress. "I had no one else to turn to, Lira. Our security forces are overwhelmed, and the situation is spiraling out of control," she pleaded.
Lira leaned forward, her lavender lekku shifting with her movement. "Slow down, Elara. Start from the beginning. What's going on?"
The holo-projector adjusted to show a map of Virelia Prime on the rim, a blinking dot indicating the epicenter of the trouble. "It's the new droids -- the SM-9s. They're rebelling, demanding rights and freedom. It's chaos, Lira. Factories have been shut down, and there are reports of skirmishes in the streets. People have died."
Lira's eyes narrowed as she processed the information. "Why me, Elara? There are plenty of security consultants and intervention teams in the galaxy."
The Councilor took a deep breath. "Because you have a reputation for being fair, for understanding. And, frankly, because you once told me that if I ever needed help, you'd be there. We need someone impartial, someone who can mediate before this erupts into a full-scale war."
There was silence for a moment as Lira digested the magnitude of the situation. "Elara, this is no small thing you're asking. Mediating a potential war between droids and organics? That's... potentially catastrophic."
"I know," Elara's voice quivered, "but every moment we delay, the situation worsens. We're on the brink, Lira. We're too far out on the rim to get help from the Sith. If not you, we'll have to turn to mercenaries. You know our history with them. The last group we invited tried to hold the city for ransom. We can't go through that again after all of this..."
From the shadows of the dimmed lounge, Saito stepped forward, his hands folded neatly. "If these droids are seeking freedom and rights, perhaps it's a sign they've evolved past their programming. It's worth investigating, at the very least."
Lira gave him a nod of acknowledgment before returning her attention to the holo. "Alright, Elara. We'll come. But I need complete access, transparency in everything. No secrets, no hidden agendas."
Elara looked like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. "Of course, whatever you need. Just... hurry."
The holo-projection blinked out, leaving Lira in the semi-darkness. She sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose.
"We have to find a way to difuse this situation." the red-haired human starts to speak after the transmission ends. "If these droids did became sentient, we'll, if we destroyed them, we wouldd, in a practical sense, be ending sentient life. And I don't think we would really want that." Saitoo shaes his head, slowly turning to Lira. "I think our first option should be diplomacyy. Stop the fighting and sit down withh both sides." hee suggests, his mind going to the several timess that this approach had failed. Then he refocuses and glances to the Twi'lek, offering her a smile off encouragement. "Don't worry, Lira. If we were called to help, it is because we can. We have a rolee in that situation, in one way or another."
Gar is wandering, apparently, possibly at a window to drink in hyperspace, but Siak is nearby to hear the conversation. "Miss Lira," the droid begins, interrupting in the kindest way possible. "I don't mean to intrude, and I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I cannot speak for Master Gar, but I do have an opinion on this matter, expanding on what Mister Saito pointed out."
It's not exactly a secret that Lira'una is a fairly charismatic Twi'lek -- and not just because she happens to be a bubbly former circus performer. She's particularly outgoing, and she tends to make 'friends' easily... even if most of them are rather more acquaintances rather than close friendships. Still, it's times like these when she's reminded just how many friends she's made from all over the galaxy in all walks of life.
Apparently a random call for help from Virelia PRime -- with a droid uprising, of all things -- was the last thing she expected.
"I'm not exactly a professional diplomat or droid rights expert, Sai," Lira murmurs, glancing over at him with a slightly strained smile. She lifts her hands, fingers fidgeting a bit. "I understand what you mean, but we have... guests on-board. And, now we're dragging them into the middle of it. Gar's here, on-board, somewhere... I don't even know if you've met him, yet. He and I... sort of..."
She was searching for the explanation when Siak spoke up, and relief at the interruption flashed across her features when Lira turned to it.
"No, Siak, please.. you know I value your input. I would be grateful for anything you had to add."
"Calm down, Lira." Saito offers a friendly, honest smile to the Twi'lek. "I do have some training as a diplomat, Lira.. It was.. A useful skill to have in the past." he sighs and shakes his head, as an umpleasant memory comes to his mind. He rolls his shoulders in a shrugh. "We'll worry when we get there." he shakes his head. "No, I've not had the pleasure of meeting him yet." he admits, seeming mildly curious. He turns to the droid, offering it the same smile. "Yes, Siak? I'd like to hear what you have to say." just as he finishes speaking, aa wirrying noize can be heard as an Astromech rolls into the crew deck. "Hey, Figly." Saito waves to his approaching droid, who stops next to him.
Siak takes a moment to find the right words. A moment for a droid. To an organic, the droid simply begins speaking. "I don't know what kinds of freedoms the labor droids are demanding. In an 'all or nothing' scenario, we may be out of luck. It may be sufficient to give them hope for future freedom--a way to earn even a measly number of credits for successful work that may be used to buy one's own freedom. This allows the droids in question a level of autonomy we're not often afforded. Once the credits are exchanged and the droid manumitted, Miss Elara's company can use them to buy a different brand of droid or possibly simply more SM-9's that are new and don't need as much maintenance by the time such credits are earned. Essentially, this would be an investment in the next droid purchase they would make anyway." The droid continues, "On a note about labor, unions are formed to keep those in power from exploiting the workers unfairly. On the droid side of things, an organization with a representative that meets with the organics in charge is one way to do it. The droids suggestions and requests can be heard and considered, which in and of itself may do wonders for droid morale."
"I'm.... calm," Lira protests, though it's said in the /I know I'm not exactly calm/ mock-protest tone of voice, an amused grin tugging at her lips. "It's just the fate of a whole city that Elara's putting in our hands. What could possibly go wrong?"
But then her attention is focused on Siak, and her eyebrows lift in some amount of awe at the explanation. She listens to the whole thing quietly and attentively, little nods conveying and the was doing her best to take it all in.. to understand and remember it, given how many gaps it was filling in for her.
"Okay... so, we need to give them a voice by helping them form a... union, maybe? Or something like it, that would help them feel heard, and give us.., and the people of Virelia... someone to speak to..."
She glances from Siak back to Saito and offers a little grin. "You're up to all this, right? You can handle it. I'll just... be along for moral support." Her eyes glitter with a bit of amusement, but then she's moving over to a wall-mounted comm panel where she keys on the ship-wide intercom.
"Hey, everyone," Lira's voice is broadcast through the ship with something significantly less than military authority, "we've... gotten a distress call to help a city that needs us with a diplomatic dispute. We're going to be dropping out of hyperspace and re-calculating a route to Virelia Prime. Gar, can you meet us in the cockpit? Saito's flying, and I need you on the nav computer, please... the rest of you just hang out. We'll be back on-course... as quickly was we can."
There's a click as she turns off the intercom, then looks back between Siak and Saito, waving a hand to gesture them to follow us.
"Come on.. we need to catch Gar up to speed. I don't know what we're flying into, so I'd appreciate it if you could take the controls, Sai."
"Exactly." Saito nods a few times, offering a smile to Siak. "It is an.. Complicated issue but basically we'll have to understand their demands and see if we can't make both sides come to a compromise." he muses. "It is all about giving teh droid a voice but if the government isn't willing to listen.. Well, that can be a seroius problem.. The oposit could happen, too. The dorids might be too angry to listen to reazon or to compromise." he gently pats Figly's dommed head. He sighs. "Well, I.. I hope I'm up to the task." he murmurs, displaying mild unsertainty but still moving to sit on the pilot's chair, hands slidding to the control with practiced movements.
Siak nods. "I shall remain here," the droid says.
In the cockpit, Gar enters to look out on the icy blackness of space, rather than the cool blue of hyperspace. "From the outside, it's blue," he quotes to himself. He looks around at the crew that's there. "I'm just doing hyperspace?" he asks. Lira has seen him fly, but she's got a crew, and he clearly doesn't want to take over and make someone feel useless. He does, however, find the navicomputer so he can start calculating a hyperspace route as quickly as possible.
The cockpit is currently occupied by one mid-thirties human woman that glances up when everyone arrives. After Lira's announcement over the intercom, she's entirely unsurprised by their arrival, and she stands up from the pilot's seat smoothly to turn it over to Saito.
"What's going on?" Lumae asks, moving out of the way.
Lira's smile thins. "Hopefully nothing major. Just helping a friend. Just make sure the others are ready in case we need them, okay?"
"Ready for what?"
"I... don't know," Lira says with a little roll of one shoulder. "Anything, I guess."
Lumae nods, then, and turns to leave the cockpit, leaving Lira to move up next to Gar and reach out to place a hand on his arm -- it's apparently meant to be reassuring, though her expression seems almost apologetic.
"Hopefully," she muses, grinning. "Can you get us to Virelia Prime from here? I'm glad you're here, because.. you know how astromechs can be, and it's pretty important that we get there as quickly as we can. At least, that's what the Councilor implied when she called."
There's a pause, then, when she seems to realize she hadn't even done introductions.
"Gar, this is Saito.. he and I run this ship together. Saito, this is Gar Massey... my..."
This was not easy for Lira. Not because she didn't want it to be true, but because it's not a word she'd ever used in her life, before, and somehow saying it out loud made it very... real.
"...boyfriend."
There's a little lift of her eyebrows when she looks at Gar, once more questioning and almost semi-apologetic. Was that the right term? Was she out of line? She looked not at all confident about the introduction, but her smile was at least hopeful.
Saito's eyebrows rise in slight surprise, eyes oging between Lira and Gar. "Boyfriend?" he asks, lips curving into a smile. "Well." he stands from thee pilot's chair to pat Gar on the shoulder. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Gar." he quickly returns to his chair. "I'm very happy for the two of you, thats wonderful." with that, his atention returns to his instruments, Figly rolling beside him.
Gar smiles, both at the term and at Saito's greeting. "Thanks," he says. "Give me a minute. Math and all." Gar works through the most recent star charts with a narrowed gaze on the computer screens. His fingers fly across the buttons in front of him as he manipulates the course through four-dimensional hyperspace. He even brings up a few system views and threads the course between hyperspace shadows of various objects. In a few moments, he thumps his index finger down on the final button with purpose. "There," he says. "The computer will finalize the math. There might be a better path, but it would take me longer to calculate than the savings, at this point." Turning toward Lira, Gar puts his hand on her shoulder, mirroring the gesture from Saito. His expression is as good as his face gets at a reassuring smile. Every first they stumble through together seems harder for her than it ever was for him, even when he was young himself. Gar doesn't hug her, just now, though. He doesn't do anything more than a hand on her shoulder. She's the captain, and as of right now, he's just a navigator. There will be time to talk about all this later. The navicomputer will soon provide an indication that a hyperspace jump is ready. No matter how nervous Saito is about taking the controls in normal space, the computer handles the 4D maneuvers of FTL travel. It can be no other way. Those with three dimensional brains simply cannot comprehend. Even if they could,
It wasn't easy for Lira... for some reasons Gar likely understood and some he likely didn't. The talk about it seemed inevitable -- and like probably not a bad idea -- as she looked up into his face, apparently grateful for not being derailed by an overly emotional moment. She touched has hand briefly, gave him a little nod of appreciation, and then let him get to work as she moved to the chair in the middle of the large cockpit.
"Thanks, Sai," she says warmly, her voice relatively quiet in all the beeping and whirring of the cockpit, the low rumble of the ship's engines seemingly ever-present.
The trip through hyperspace to their new destination -- Virelia Prime -- is smooth efficient, easily faster than an astromech could have calculated, and apparently those time savings paid off. Elara wasn't wrong. The situation might be devolving faster than anyone wanted it to.
The stars warp and snap back into focus as the "Puddle Jumper" emerges from hyperspace, revealing the massive expanse of Virelia Prime ahead. In the distance, the silhouette of a modified Action VI Bulk Freighter, the "Crimson Marauder," comes into view, flanked protectively by two nimble Z-95 Headhunters.
A brash voice crackles through comms. "This is Captain Drex Vorlin of the 'Crimson Marauder'. This space is restricted. There's civil unrest on Virelia Prime, and we're here to maintain order. Turn your ship around and leave immediately. We have reinforcements incoming."
The Z-95 Headhunters shift, breaking off from their escort to intercept the Puddle Jumper.
Lira's voice, calm but firm, cuts through the silence as she moves to the command seat and flips on the comms. "This is Lira'una, Captain of the Puddle Jumper. We've been called here by Councilor Elara Vosq on a diplomatic mission. We respect your position, Captain Vorlin, but we have commitments to honor on the surface."
A moment later, the comm crackles to life again. "I repeat, Captain, turn your ship around," Vorlin commands. "We do not recognize the authority of the Council in this matter. We have been hired by the Virelian Industrial Coalition, and we have the situation under control. Do not attempt to approach the planet."
Saito spent the time the ship was in Hyerspace sitting on his chair, with his eyes closed,, expression peaceful. Anyy person that was looking would probably think that he was dosing but in truth, he wass listening to what he considered to be his first companion,, the only one that never left his side: the force.. Lira could probably sense what was happening. Hee continued with his eyes closed as the ship left hyperspace. He only opens his eyes afterr Vorlin's repnse to Lira. Slowly, he begins to speak. "Greetings,, captain. We realize that you are only following the orders thatt you have been given. However, I'd like to urge you to considerr the wider picture. We have been called out here to help a friend. We aren't here to make things whorse than they already are, we won't be the ones to start conflict with your forces. So if you want, feel free to fire the first shot. But before you do, think about the consequences of your actions. If you representing the coalition fire on a ship thats representing the government of this planet, this will only cause the conflict to get whorse and we may end up with a war between 3 parts. I urge you to think carefully on wetter or not you will fire. If you decide not to, just let us through. We all want the same thing here, captain. There are civilians suffering down there, we all want to stop that." his voice is soft and calm as he speaks.
Gar turns back toward the navicomputer. He begins to do some back of the napkin type micro jump calculation. Hyperspace is a great tool for traveling between systems faster than the speed of light limitation allows. The problem for short-distance travel is that it is, in fact, too fast. The computer can only toggle the drive on and off so fast. Gar knows there are tricks such as bringing the ship out of hyperspace inside of an atmosphere, but that in and of itself is dangerous. Is Saito up to the piloting challenge? Gar could take the copilot's controls and fly the ship in an emergency, but he has his assignment. Thank goodness it's not the diplomatic part. Gar's really more of a getaway driver, at this point, and he's trying to figure out if the planet is too close for them to jump just past the gravity well and approach from the other side. It'd be close if it was, but it might just be too far.
There's silence on the comms for a tense moment after Saito's words, Vorlin obviously mulling the speech over and allowing the Puddle Jumper -- as slow as it was -- to continue its trek towards the planet the whole time he was thinking.
Those Z-95s were still getting closer, though.
<< "Look, I don't know who you are, but I'm not here out of the goodness of my heart," Captain Vorlin responds, "and you're not on a diplomatic mission. We're talking about droids, not organics. I'm getting paid to keep people like you -- and the Council -- from meddling while our people on the ground take care the problem for the Coalition. By tomorrow, once we've put down all the droids, there won't be anything left for your /diplomatic mission/ to do. They're just drekkin' robots. Turn around. You sound like nice people, and I don't want to have to order my men to fire." >>
Of course, while he was saying all that, they were getting closer and closer to the atmosphere.
"I've been trying to put in a holo-call to Elara," Lira finally pipes up, not on the comms. "I can't get her. They're jamming the signals."
Of course, while all this is going on, Gar's in the back making sure they don't /actually/ die out here on the rim in the middle of nowhere. Anyone that's ever had to make a break for it knows how long those calculations can take -- and how life-saving it is to be able to make the jump to lightspeed at just the right moment.
"Gar.. if this goes bad, how are you on turret controls?" Lira asks, glancing over her shoulder.
"Abysmal," Gar admits quietly to the captain. "Might get off a lucky shot." He looks at the looming gravity well the ship is approaching. Once they enter that, his skills at the astrogation console will be somewhat useless. "Want me to take over for Saito so he can concentrate on talking?" he offers to Lira.
<<This situation might be more complicated than we think, captain>> Saito continues to speak over the commnet. << As I said before, we all want the same thing which is to stop the conflict. Simply destroying the droids will reoslve the problem in the short-therm but what if this happens again? Will you simply keepp destroying them each time this hapens?>> he asks in a casual tone. <<My name is Saito, by the way. And there is no need to escalate this conflict, we all want the same thing.. And for the record, I happen to be a diplomat, among other things>> Saito turns the mic off and looks to Lira and Gar. "I really hope I'm able to convince them.. But if I fail, I'm prepared too try to land while evading their fire." he sighs as he hears Gar. "I can fire, I just can't fire and pilot at the same time." he glances to Lira, smilling in a playful way despit the tence situation. "Its your call, captain."
<< "If this happens again, they can pay us to come back. Last warning, Saito." >>
They were inside the grav-well by this point, the lights indicating that they were inside the pull of the planet illuminating on the navigation console. It wasn't safe to jump, anymore. On the bright side, they were ever-closer to their destination, and they hadn't /yet/ been shot at.
In reality, it wasn't as hard of a decision as Lira seemed to think it was. She knew both of the men were excellent pilots, Saito being a fighter pilot and, after their escapade through the traffic patterns of Nar Shaddaa, Gar proving he could handle a light freighter with the same agility as a fighter pilot... of course, it was Saito's ship, too. He should have the controls, if he wanted them.
Of course, Saito was a gunner, too... and probably a good one. If Gar wasn't, realistically, there was only one configuration that made sense.
"Okay, switch," Lira says. "Sai, you're on turrets and comms, but keep talking to him. You're doing great. Gar, get us down there as quickly as you can. I can't imagine they'd risk shooting us down over the population center that hired them."
<<Captain, I urge you to reconsider>> Saito sighs as he continues to speak on the comms. <<If our forces engage each other, precious time will be lost. And once again, we are here for the same reazon, we have the same goal. The choice is now yours. If you still want to shot us go a head and fire, we won't start a pointless conflict. It was a pleasure to know you, sir. Saito out>> he shuts off the transmission and, with a nod to Lira, rushes to the nearest turret station, quickly sitting down andd looking at the screen, starting to makee adjustments to the firing controls. "Go, Gar, the pilot's chair is yors." he calls out.
Gar nods respectfully toward Saito. Taking the controls, the Duros does his best to fly non-threateningly. However, there's also evasion to be considered. It's not all full-speed ahead. The first thing he does is fire braking thrusters to make the Z-95's overshoot them. Back up to full throttle, he tries to keep their shields soaking engine wake. Z-95's can't fire backward, after all. Gar does his best to pick the more experienced pilot to tail. Z-95's are century-old ships, at this point, but that doesn't mean this freighter is any match for them in a dogfight. It's not even just Z-95's, either. There are almost certainly turbolasers trained on them from the capital ship. Surviving was going to be a lot more than just outrunning them, if it came to blows.
Aaaaaaand, we're off.
The other captain wasn't lying about having one last warning, and it's a good thing everyone got situated. Those Z-95s were right on the Puddle Jumper's tail by the time Gar took over the controls, getting into firing position just before he started all of that fancy flying.
Lira, trusting this part of the operation to those at their stations, was left with gripping the arms of her seat and hanging on as the inertial dampeners worked to keep everything in the ship upright despite all of that fancy flying.
Unfortunately, a YZ-775 is a freighter... and not a particularly agile one... and they were up against /actual/ starfighters Z-95s. The trick Gar pulls works once. One of the Z-95s does in fact fly right past, but it noses up and loops out of sight faster than the Puddle Jumper can keep up, despite Gar's skill, and soon both of them are back on the freighters tail.
If there was a saving grace to any of it, it was that the Action VI Freighter hadn't been closing fast enough to get into turbolaser range -- yet -- and as long as the Puddle Jumper continued its downward trend towards the city, it was likely that they /wouldn't/ catch up. But a prolonged fight in the atmosphere would absolutely draw the turrets of the bigger ship in range.
Once the Z-95s are both back in position behind the Puddle Jumper, each of them opens fire, no doubt trying to destroy the freighter before it can enter atmo and threaten the city below.
Gar has to concentrate on one or the other. Having to dodge both Z-95's while keeping both turrets in good position to fire is just a lot to keep track of. He can feel the blasts hitting shields. "Captain, if you could respectfully ask the other side to withdraw their fighters so there's no loss of life, I'm sure the families of those pilots would appreciate that...you know, now that we've proved we have teeth."
The truth is that Saito always hated fighting with bigger ships. He would very much prefer the mobility of a smaller vessel but alas he has to make the best with what he has. He once again closes his eyes, letting the force guide his aim and shots. He presses the fire controls for the two turrets once. Outside,, the two turretss speel bursts of laser that almost cripple one of the purssuing Z-95, its hull severely damaged. Saito sighs as the freighter's shields are damaged. "We can still hold out against the z-95s for a bit.. Our shields are enduring.. The problem is their bigger ship. We have to try and end this fast." The red-hhaired human hasn't lost his calm, but he is sertainly tensse.
Lira could feel the impacts on the shield, too -- and so could everyone else. A moment later, there's the crackling of the ship's intercom system, and Lumae's voice sound concerned throughout the ship.
< "Captain?">
Lira flips on the intercom.
< "Find something to hold on to. We're landing... I think." >
Then she flips it back off again and toggles back over to the primary comms.
<< "Drex, I have it on good authority that your Z-95s aren't going to make a dent in our shields before we dust both of them. Pull them back or their loss is on you. We're not stopping. Lira out." >>
Sooooo... there's a chance that Lira may not be the absolute MOST diplomatic person that either one of them has ever met, but her heart was in the right place! She did exactly as Gar asked, and she was basically saying the same thing Saito was! ... Sort of!
Just then, there's an alarm as Gozanti Light Cruiser emerges from hyperspace beside the Action VI Frigate that was still trudging along after the,. The Gozanti wasn't any faster than the other big transport, but it did release four TIE fighters from stations underneath its hull, all of whom raced towards the Puddle Jumper with ion engines roaring.
Captain Vorlin comes back over the comms just then.
<< "You were saying, Captain?" >>
"Still unnecessary loss of life," Gar says, his voice almost certainly audible if the channel is still open. He just punches it to full throttle and beelines toward the planet. TIE Fighters in addition to Z-95's means this is no longer a dodging fight. "Captain, if your engineering team can give us 110, right now, that would very much be appreciated." Gar is remarkably cool as laser blasts impact the shields. Gar focuses shields double rear and just braces himself as he goes as fast as the freighter can manage.
"Lira, that was.." Saito sighs. "When this is over, we'll have a long talk about not challenging the other side." despit the situation, there is a smile of amusement in the red-haired man's lips even as he turnss back to his post, nt before asking Figly, his Astromesh, to help them with their shields or with any repairs that are needed. The next burst from their turrets manages to obliterate one of the Z-95's, a small consolationn when compared to the otherr ships that are on pursuit.
"It wasn't a challenge!" Lira protests. "All I told them--" The ship shakes as they get hit again, but at least they hadn't blown up yet. "--was to stop attacking us! I said the same thing you were saying!"
No, she didn't, but apparently she didn't understand the difference, either.
"The last thing I need is /one/ /more/ /person/ lecturing me... I'm doing the best I can!"
Then there's the request from Gar and Lira's head looks over her shoulder, where Blip was already plugged into one of the data ports. "Blip! See what you can do. Make sure the hyperdrive is offline. Take power from weapons if you need to. We need to get down there..."
Figly's efforts aren't in vein, either. With some careful power management of his own, he brings the shields back up significantly, restoring them to where they were after their first hit.
Those TIE Fighters were FAST, though. They were screaming across open space, one of them flying right through the debris cloud that was still lingering in the aftermath of the Z-95 exploding, and before they could make it over the city, the TIEs were already opening fire.
"Come on, I was just trying to lighten the mood!" Saito calls out to Lira. He seems to be feeling the tenssion, forehead creasing in worry. He works the turret's firing controls once again but this time his shots miss, going wide of the last Z-95. He sighs and shakes his head, trying to focus on the task at hand.
"I'm sorry! I'm not in a light mood right now!" Lira insists, glancing back over her shoulder at Sai and pursing her lips, though there's a hint of a smile.
There are five starfighters tailing them -- one Z-95 and four TIE-fighters -- and Gar's flying is nothing short of absolutely exceptional. Despite the fact that he's steering around an absolute beast of a ship that has a maximum speed of less than half of those starfighters, he manages to avoid all but ONE of the incoming blasts, the rest of them sailing harmlessly past the ship, visible streaking past them forward out the cockpit's viewport.
The rear shields take the the hit with a flare of bright energy as the big YZ-775 aims directly for the city below -- and sure enough, just as Lira had hoped, as soon as they get within firing range of the city itself, the fighters break off... called back by their mercenary leaders who had no interest in firing on the populace that was paying them.
Captain Vorlin's voice comes back over the comms.
<< "You may have won this round, Captain, but my men will be looking for you. If you try to interfere in our operation, there will be no mercy." >>
Then there's a click as the transmission is cut off.
"Nice, guys," Lira sighs, getting up and moving up behind Gar, pointing out a landing pad in the distance. "Set us down over there. It's close to the Council Chambers. I need to get to Elara and make sure she's still okay. Obviously things have changed since her last call..."
And as the Puddle Jumper coasts over the city below, it's almost as if the fight hadn't just happened. Everything looks serene, and the ship sets down without incident. Gar decides to stay with the ship, and Lira goes to collect her robe.
"I'll meet you at the ramp, Sai," she says. "We'll go down together."
Because there was no telling what they were going to find.
"See? I knew we would land safely." Saito chuckles. "Oh, hese mercenaries are just wonderful company.. The last thing we need is them trying to kill us while we try too pacify this place." he slowly stands from the gunner's chair, taking a moment to stretch. He inspects his gear, making sure that he is carrying his lightsaber and blaster, just in case they are needed. Then slowly he moves towrds the ramp, patiently waiting until Lira joins him.
"And I thought /I/ was an optimist," Lira teases after Saito's remark, grinning. But then she's heading up to slip on her robe, using it to conceal the blaster pistols -- two of them, one on each leg -- she has strapped to her thighs. Once she's done that, she's making her way back down to the ramp, grinning a little at Sai as she reaches him.
"So."
She reaches over to hit the controls on the ramp as she shifts her weight to the balls of her feet, bouncing a little nervously on them.
"You really think it's a good thing?"
Beat.
"Me and Gar... I mean."
Another pause as the ramp grinds down towards the ground.
"I.. talked to Qutha. He's.. worried I'm going to get attached. That's.. why I was asking, the other day. I know that you've..." Her eyes shift. "I'm sorry. You probably.. don't want to talk about it."
"Hey, its ok, Lira." For a moment, Saito looks down but then his gaze goes back to the Twi'lek. "I have to talk about it so it is ok.. It is as I was telling you the other day.. Attachment is dangerous but it isn't a bad thing.. You onnly have to be very careful abut it and know how it affects you. Its not about being emotionless. The old Jedi tried that and failed. It is about.. I guess the therm would self-knowledge. Understanding how your attachment affects you and making sure that you can let it go when its needed. I myself am letting the person that I lost go. I'll always treasure our memories but with each day, I'm slowly getting used to a life without her. ith time, my wounds will heal. Now come on, we have aa planet to save, Lira. And I'm happy to be here with you. If not for your help, well, perhaps I would nott be doing so well." and with that, he slowly dessends the ramp of the ship, curious to see what this planet will have in store for the two of them.
"/My/ help?" Lira's voice is quiet and hopeful when her eyes lift back to Saito, eyebrows lifting. She always /wanted/ to help her friends -- that's why they were all the way out in the Virelia System -- but she didn't always know when she was helping. So, a smile creeps across her lips as she starts to follow him down the ramp.
But there's the sound of clanking droid feet before they can reach the bottom. From within the ship, a S-EP1 droid, roughly humanoid with a perfectly spherical head and about an inch or two taller than Lira, comes trotting down after them carrying an extended stun-staff.
"Miss Lira!" he calls after them. Warden was Lira's newest acquisition, an adoption from Na'luna. It happened for a lot of reasons -- because Na'luna had a bunch of droids that needed good homes, because Lira needed someone to spar with in hyperspace that was always available, and because it never hurt to have another stun-rod available in a fight. "I heard about your mission, and I'd like to go with you as your personal guard."
Lira pauses, turning to look at him with a small, pleased smile.
"Thank you, Warden, but... I sort of.. have a personal guard, on this one," she says, gesturing slightly to Saito. "I'm not sure what we're going to run into out here. If something affects the droids, it might affect you, too." Then she looks at the man beside her with a little tilt of her head. "What do you think?"
"Lira, think about something.. I spent months in Ash'to, meditating, almost in exile.. Then when I returned you had the idea of the two of us purchsaing this ship. Your friendship and company have helped me a lot to.. Find myself again." he admits, a soft blush coming to his cheeks for some reazon. Then he glances to Warden. "I think he should come.. He's a droid, he mightt help us to understand their point of view."
Lira's smile softens towards Saito after hie mention of the ship and her companionship helping. "I'm glad."
"Mister Saito's right. My years of experience, not only as a droid, but also as a law enforcement officers on Coruscant may prove useful to you," Warden says, stepping up beside Lira and offering a curt nod to Saito -- a thanks for his support. "And, as you've said, it never hurts to have another sword."
There's a lithering of Lira's lekku up around her shoulders as the Twi'lek looks back at Warden, though, laughing softly.
"You don't have a sword," she points out.
Warden lifts his stun-staff a little higher. "I have a staff. Same difference."
"If you say so," Lira muses, grinning. "Come on.. lets go find Elara. The comms were jammed, but she should be in the Council Chamber..."
Which isn't far. The landing pad they made it to connects to a government complex full of people bustling nervously around and whispering in hushed tones with each other, most of them very nervous. Overhead, the screech of those TIE engines can be heard as the flight of four of them makes another pass overhead.
"I really wish I had a sword.." Saito can't help the joke, grinning and winking to Lira as they enter the government center. Saito would raise a hand to one of the nearby government officials, quickly starting to approach. "Could you help us? We have come to resolve the crisis.. Could you guide us to the council chamber?" Saito asks, atentionn returning to Lira. "Of course you helped me, Lira.. We all need people to rely on as much as some of us wish we didn't." he muses.
The government complex of Virelia Prime is a sprawling edifice of polished obsidian and glistening white marble. Its spires reach high into the sky, with intertwining arcs that glow softly with embedded bioluminescent algae. Wide staircases spiral around central pillars, leading to various levels of the complex, and fountains with cascading water play soft melodies, echoing throughout the expansive halls. Walls are adorned with intricate mosaics depicting Virelia's history, and holographic displays provide updates on planetary affairs.
Lira chuckles softly at Saito's joke, her lekku twitching in amusement. "You and me both. All I've got's a stupid stun-stick," she teases, a twinkle in her eye. She follows Saito's lead, nodding at the official as they approach.
When Saito mentions relying on others, she smiles warmly at him, placing a reassuring hand on his arm. "It's true. No one makes it alone, not really. I guess we all need something or someone to lean on." Her gaze sweeps the grandeur of the government center. "Let's just hope the council sees things the same way."
As Saito approaches the official, the woman hesitates for a moment, clearly measuring the trio before her. The woman, dressed in the crisp uniform of the Virelian administrative staff, adjusts a badge signifying her rank before responding.
"The Council Chambers?" She arches an eyebrow. "They're located in the central spire, third level. Take the grand staircase up, then head through the double doors made of clearstone. But..." she glances around cautiously, lowering her voice, "the government is currently in lockdown. Councillor Vosq has ordered no one to enter or leave the chambers. It's very strict right now due to the situation. I'd advise caution."
"Thank you for your help." Saito offers a smile to the woman, taking a moment to inspect her uniform with curiosity, a part of him curious about this planet's culture. "We are here to help your people with the crisis, maam. With any hope,, things wil return to normal soon." and with that, he starts to follow the path that was indicated by the woman, hopping to not get lost in this labirintine building. As they walk, he cntinues to talk to the Twi'lek. "We all need something or smeone to lean on." he repeats her words, offering her a meanngful smile. "Thatt answers your question about attachment, Lira."
The bioluminescent arcs cast an ethereal glow over the sprawling government complex, a stark contrast to the palpable tension in the air. As Lira and Warden walk through the corridors, the ambient sounds of hurried footsteps and hushed conversations fill the space. People move briskly, their faces lined with concern and wariness. The droid uprising and the recent arrival of the mercenaries have everyone on edge.
Lira can't help but notice the lingering glances people cast in their direction, especially towards Warden. The melee-focused security droid moves with a deliberate pace beside her, but Lira senses his heightened alertness. She hears murmurs from the passersby. "Another droid? Here?" Some even take a few steps back, uncertainty in their eyes.
Trying to lighten the mood, Lira twirls on her heels and walks backwards for a moment. "Come on, big guy! They're just not used to seeing someone as shiny and handsome as you."
Warden emits low sigh.
As they approach the council chamber doors, the playfulness dissipates. Two armed and armored guards stand resolutely in their path, energy shields flickering faintly in the ambient light. One steps forward, his voice stern. "Halt! No one is allowed past these doors."
Lira, ever the optimist, offers her warmest smile. "I'm a friend of Elara -- Councillor Vosq. She called and asked that I come."
The guard remains unmoved. "Orders are orders. No one gets through." The other guard nods in agreement, his grip tightening on his weapon.
Lira glances at Warden and Sai, her playful demeanor replaced by determination. It's clear that getting inside won't be as straightforward as they hoped.
"Oh, come on." Saito sighs, taking one step closer to the guard. "We are here to help. At least tell councilor Vosq that we are here, see if she'll let us in." Saito suggests, body tencing in preparation for whatt might be about to happen.
Lira exchanges a quick glance with Saito and then focuses on the guard who spoke, her eyes locking onto his. "You will let us in," she murmurs, her voice layered with a persuasive undertone only the Force could provide.
The guard blinks. "No, we won't."
The other guard eyes Lira and Saito suspiciously, especially noting the slight change in Saito's stance. He keeps his weapon ready, his demeanor wary.
It's Saito's words, however, that get the guards' attentions back.
The dubious guard narrows his eyes, clearly not trusting the situation but also recognizing that an escalating confrontation is not in anyone's best interest. "Stay here," he finally grumbles, tapping his commlink to relay the message inside.
The atmosphere becomes thick with tension as the group waits. Lira places a gentle hand on Warden's arm, sending a silent message for him to stay calm and alert. She can feel the weight of the situation pressing down on them, the urgency of their mission colliding with the strict security measures of a planet on the brink of chaos.
A moment later, the guard turns back to them. "Alright. Go on in."
The heavy doors to the council chambers glide open with a soft hiss, revealing the grandeur of the inner sanctum. The moment they're fully retracted, Elara, her robes slightly disheveled and her face etched with worry, rushes out to meet them. She practically throws herself at Lira, wrapping the younger Twi'lek in a tight, desperate embrace.
Lira, momentarily taken aback by the unexpected intensity, gently pats Elara's back, trying to calm her. "It's okay, Elara," she murmurs soothingly. "We're here now."
As they pull apart, Elara's eyes flit between Lira and Saito, her voice shaky but filled with relief. "Thank goodness you're safe! I've been worried sick. Just after our call, these mercenaries arrive. They told us they've been hired by the Virelian Industrial Coalition. They've shut down our communications and they've been landing shuttles of troops. We don't know what they're up to, but it's no good."
"Have there been any direct confrontations?" Warden pipes up from beside Lira.
Elara runs a hand over her hair, exhaling heavily. "Not yet, but the tension in the city is palpable. People are scared, and these mercenaries are heavily armed. I don't know how much longer we can keep the peace. The Coalition claims they're here to stabilize the situation, but everything they've done so far indicates otherwise."
Lira's brow furrows in concern. "Elara, why would the Coalition hire mercenaries? What do they hope to gain from this?"
Elara sighs, her eyes shadowed with worry. "I don't know for sure. I know these droids originally cost a lot of credits, and it's costing the companies here hundreds of millions of credits every day that the droids aren't working."
Saito steps back when Elara and Lira hug, smilling to them for a moment. "Profit." The word echoes in the council chamber. Saito takes a step forward. "Thee mercenaries tried to stop our landing.. My guess is that the coalition wants the droid to go back to work so they can continue to earn profit.. For that they aparently are willing to go behind to government's back to hire mercenaries." he sighs then blinks, as if only now remembering something. "It is a pleasure to meet you, lady Elara. My name is Saito.. What can we do to help you?" he asks.
Elara nods respectfully at Saito's introduction. She offers a weary smile. "Thank you for coming, Saito. Your assessment is spot on. It's always about profit for the Virelian Industrial Coalition."
She takes a deep breath, her expression grave. "Which brings us to the SM-9s." With a sweeping gesture, she activates a holo-display that showcases a droid model. "The Sentient Model Nines.. or SM-9s are a new generation of labor droids. They're efficient, resilient, and have adaptive AI, making them highly sought after in various sectors. But their unique functionalities and capabilities have made them a target."
As if on cue, the door to a side room slides open and a humanoid droid steps forward. Unlike the usual shiny metallic sheen of protocol droids, Nerion-5 has a matte finish and a design that resembles a human to a notable extent, though it's clear he's not a human replica droid.
"Greetings," Nerion-5 says in a smooth, modulated voice. "I am Nerion-5. It is clear to me that mercenaries are converging on the primary SM-9 assembly plant, and while specifics of their intent are unclear, it is evident they aim to halt the production of future SM-9 units."
"Is there a way to remotely access your functionality?" Warden asks.
Nerion-5 tilts his head slightly. "Yes, all SM-9s can be accessed remotely to allow for seamless criticial software and functionality updates, but it requires encrypted communications. The Coalition made sure of that to protect their investments. Unauthorized access is... challenging and can only be done through very specific terminals."
With his head tilting, Saito listens to Elara, nodding a few times in understanding. When Nerion-5 enters, the red-haired man would turn to the droid. "What has caused this situation? Did the droids start the uprising?" he asks. "The more you can tell us, the beter.. We came here at first thinking that the droids had became self-awware.. And.. If thats the case, this complicated the situation.."
Nerion-5 pauses for a moment, processing Saito's queries. His visual sensors flicker briefly. "We SM-9s are designed with advanced AI, but not to the extent of true self-awareness. However, our adaptive learning capabilities have allowed us to better integrate with the tasks they've been assigned. They can recognize patterns, adjust to new situations, and even communicate more effectively with organics."
Elara interjects, "There were reports of SM-9 units behaving irregularly -- refusing directives, coordinating in ways they weren't programmed for, some even lashing out at their owners and other citizens. They were demanding right and freedoms like any other citizen of Virelia."
Nerion-5 continues, "There seems to be a misinterpretation. The droids in question did not 'start' an uprising in the conventional sense. Instead, their actions, which are likely a result of our adaptive AI, were perceived as rebellious. Incidents were blown out of proportion, leading to widespread panic."
Elara frowns. "People are in the hospital as a result of this adaptive AI."
"That is an unfortunate side-effect to the escalating nature of rebellious behavior," Nerion-5 points out.
Lira, with her usual spirited curiosity, asks, "Could an external factor have influenced our behavior? Perhaps a software update or a malfunction?"
Nerion-5 considers the question. "It is plausible. If someone wanted to sow chaos or undermine the Coalition, tampering with the SM-9s would be a strategic move."
"I really was hopping this would be simpler." Saito murmurs under his breath with a sigh. "I'm not a droid expert so please correct me if I'm wrong.. If I was a saboteur, why would II make a droid start to demand rights?" he asks wih a shake of his head. "There are other things that would have more devastating effects.. We have to try and think of two scenarios. What if some droids did become self-aware to the point of wantingg rights? How would the government deal with that? If they aren't self-aware, then we have to discover what went wrong.. The first thing we need to do is to discover exactly what is going on.."
