Uris Hogan calmly entered the Spartan office and sat down. It was his second meeting with the president of Dela Kari the ‘Private Security’ company and so far working for them wasn’t appealing to him at all. So far the terms seemed to be, “You do more than you do now and put your life on the line for slightly more pay” but as always, he showed no emotion.

“You wanted to speak to me, President Almari?” Uris asked,

“Yes, I did Mister Hogan. We have not yet concluded our discussion” Almari replied, looking up from the papers at her desk. She was 5 foot 10, and well built, dressed in a red shirt and pants with her black hair tied back. “So about those terms of hiring,” she continued, “In addition to what we discussed last time, we will also feed you and shelter you when conducting out business and also offer a small pay for your off duty time”

“How big of a pay?” Uris asked, “Personally I feel no compelling need to work for you so far.”

“It will cover your expenses, no doubt and you will be paid a bonus at the end of each task, depending of your performance.”

Now Uris was interested. It was uncommon to get a deal like this, and he was not going to let it pass him by, “What’s the equipment like? I do not wish to have my hands burnt off on the first day due to lousy equipment.”

“All top of the line. Our clients pay us a pretty credit to protect them and they’re valuables well.” Alamari responded.

“You have… You have a deal President Alamari. I will sign the service contract now”

Alamari grinned, showing perfectly white teeth, “Excellent. Here it is” She slid a data pad across her desk, and Uris quickly read over it to make sure he wasn’t agreeing to anything he didn’t know about.

“All seems to be in order President.” Uris signed the contract with a stylus and handed it back to Alamari, “So when do I begin?”

“Immediately, Mister Hogan. Pack your bags, and be at Star dock 506 in an hour. You will be assigned to the Starfire squadron, guarding a Large freighter against Rebel attacks. Further information will be provided once you’re onboard our support ships. Welcome to the team Mister Hogan.

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What seemed like seconds later Uris was standing on the Star Dock. It was a far from humble building, and was built to instill a sense of awe in those who observed it. Unfortunately, this also made it a high priority for attacks and bombings.
He waited for fifteen minutes, watching a variety of travelers walking by and was starting to grow impatient when he heard an unfamiliar voice behind him call, “Mister Hogan!” Uris whirled around, and found a Duros dressed in a red uniform not unalike that President Alamari was wearing standing before him. “I’m glad to see that you have arrived on time. My name is Glaranda and I have been sent to show you to the support ships for Dela Kari.” The now not so strange stranger continued.

“I’m pleased to meet you Glaranda, where is this ship? I have numerous questions to ask” Uris queried.

Glaranda replied in little more than a whisper, looking this way and that making sure nobody was listening, “The ships are in private hanger 1072. We actually have to take a land speeder there, because it’s so far out of the main city. Follow me.”

Without a backwards glace Glaranda led Uris down several floors, though a maze of corridors, through doors that apparently appeared out of nowhere and into a small vehicle hanger. Suddenly Glaranda spun around and said, “Well now! Its nice to be outa that nasty formal environment for a while, eh bud?”

Uris was taken aback, he had been condemning himself to a few moths of a stiff, formal regime, now he was relieved, “So am I Glaranda” Uris said, as the hopped into a four person land speeder, “What models are the support ships anyways? Are they freighters?”

Glaranda burst out laughing at this, “Only If you call a custom build frigate a freighter! We have to smaller and one large frigate, each with a massive array of weaponry! The living quarters ain’t too bad either, though you might want to sip out on the bean dip though. Tis a surer and more painful way to death than many, I can tell you!”

Uris simply laughed and said, “Thanks for the advice, I’ll keep it in mind!”

They were slowing down now and Uris caught his first glimpse of his new homes. They were awe striking vessels and Uris now knew the truth of Glaranda’s words. If Dela Kari had attempted to land the frigates in the inner city, they would have crushed several buildings. Each frigate was painted red with chrome stripes cutting the center. On the port and starboard sides of each one were emblazoned the Dela Kari logo; two right angle triangles with a line passing through and a blaster underneath.



A small loading ramp led up to one of the ships.
“Come on!” Glarandur said, leading the way towards the largest frigate.
They climbed up the chrome ramp and Glarandur showed Uris the way to the crew and pilots quarters, laughing at his attempts to understand the layout of the ship.
“You ain’t gonna figure it out anytime soon Uris! Drop off your bags here and I’ll show you to the briefing room.”

Uris did what he was told and once again was confused by the labyrinth of corridors and eventually came to a door. They entered and were greeted by President Alamari.
“ah, Mister Hogan, I’ve been expecting you, even though you’re late. Sit down please, we’re about to begin our briefing.” Alamari pressed a button on a console and a holo-projector popped up, providing a visual orientation for her speech.
“Your mission, is to guard a freighter as it travels to tatooine. It will take approximately one week, as the freighter has converted engines into storage space. It will be carrying a highly volatile mix of chemicals, contained only by a class one force field.
Because the fuel tanks are very limited, we will be taking a shortcut through wild space. Hopefully we will not experience any attacks.
It is highly important that we do not allow for the ship’s temperature to rise above that necessary, so meals, showers and the like will be cold. We will travel at sub-hyperspace speed in order to make sure we don’t over heat the chemicals.
Any questions?”

OOC:

Yay! A refresher! This story is for Uris_Hogan Anden, and Santa. Posts must be 500 words + or else we'll have nothing to go on. 1110 words. Should'a added another one :P

“You!...what are you doing walking about?! Don't you know there is work to be done?!” Hass shouted out at one of younger crewmen who was idly walking around with a glassy eyed  look, “Well?!... come on now and give us a hand here.”

Anden rolled his eyes then looked to his father who was smiling and shaking his head softly. They both looked back over at Darian Hass and chuckled. He now had two crewmen helping him load his goods onto his ship, a considerable amount even for the extended escort they were about to embark on. Had he been a small man having two extra hands to help him would have been understandable. Hass, however was not a small man by any means. At nearly six and half feet tall and built of thick muscle mass it was hard to imagine how he had ever decided to become a pilot in the first place. Not to mention find many starfighters that could accommodate his size.

“Hass?, do you think you brought enough?” Kirden, Anden's father, shouted over to his life long friend. The two of them had come back out of retirement, regathered some of the old Starfire Squadron and added some new pilots. Anden being one of them.

“A man has a right to have his options, even in the comforts of life.” Hass retorted back sharply.

“Given that, I'm surprised you didn't bring a couple of female Twi' lek passengers.” Anden said with a small joking smile on his face. Doing this made him feel good. Bantering back and forth with his Dad and Hass. In a way it was a precursor to how the rest of the job would be, and that helped to make Anden look forward to the next week.

The two crewmen helping Hass simultaneously let out a snort-chuckle, which earned them a glare instantly cutting them into silence. Anden knew better- it was all a show. Inwardly he knew Hass was laughing and wishing that he had thought of it himself. Darian shrugged after a few moments.

“Ah...now that would have made the trip very much worth it.” Hass admitted finally.

Everyone laughed.

“Alright gentlemen...have your fun for the day?” A female voice came from the direction of the docking bay entrance.

“Not hardly.” Hass said under his breath.

There was a hearty chuckle from everyone. President Almari held up a hand for silence. It didn't come very fast. With the surplus of escort fighters Anden had figured this was going to be a mission that would bring risk to it. Hass, his father, and himself for that matter, hoped it would also mean a more than decent pay day.

“The time has come for final words, and final orders. You have all been selected for this assignment because of your skills and previous achievements. This is a simple task, it may seem, but it is not. Delivery of this cargo is of the most importance...for the company. You are to stay you course. No matter what obstacles you encounter.” Her eyes swept over the group of men and women. It seemed to Anden it was almost a religious experience her- hearing the sound of her own voice.

“Protect the cargo, arrive at your destination, and you shall be rewarded.” She skimmed over all of the their faces again, and as she did so Anden could tell this was a well practiced speech.

Funny, that there was no mention of protecting each other. Only the cargo and reaching the destination. And who could forget the “importance of the company.”

“You are dismissed. Good luck to you.” She said, her voice no less dramatic than it had been for the rest of the speech. Spinning on her heal she left so fast it seemed she was fleeing the scene of a crime, her assistant close on her heals carrying a datapad and talking very fast. Anden caught words like, wonderful speech and inspiration

“Is that woman for real?...” Hass asked with the most baffled look on his face Anden had ever heard seen.

“Apparently she is.”A full voice fell upon them all.

Hass took a step closer when he saw who had spoken, a man whom Anden had to blink to make sure he wasn't experiencing an illusion. The man seemed to shine...what with the white hair and beard in the flood lights of the docking area. Anden couldn't see him fitting into a starfighter- but he had found people could surprise. He definitely seemed to have surprised Darian Hass.

“Who are you?” Hass asked looking a bit perplexed.

Anden moved to stand beside his Father, arms folded ans smiling, getting the feeling that this conversation would turn out to be a good memory to drawn on when one needs a good chuckle. His Father, apparently, was in the same frame of mind.

“Why, I am your first gunner, Mr. Darian Hass.” Said the man that Anden could only define as...jolly, who then gave Hass a brisk salute, “Ganis Santa Reichert- reporting for duty!”

Anden and Kirden Beliam looked at Hass, who shook his head in a quick motion as though trying to shake a thought out of his mind, “Now now, you needn't go throwin' all those official words around. Else-wise, you are likely to end up like Ms President high-and-mighty” He jutted a thumb over his shoulder in the direction President Almari had fled.

“Oh you can be sure I'll be careful of that.” Santa, clapping a still stunned Hass loudly on the shoulder and making his way up the gang plank into the YT-1300.

Hass watched him disappear inside as he pulled out his own datapad to call out for the rest of the crew that would be aboard his ship, while Anden and his father appreciated a good laugh as Hass's expense of the look still stuck on his face. The two young crewmen turned out to be the second gunner, a young man by the name of Keld, and Hass's communications tech, Jolin. It was a position that, despite Hass's strongest objections, the security company had requested.

While this was being discovered Anden had failed to notice a Calamarian pilot walking up to directly to him, “Anden Beliam?”

“Yes?, what can I do for you?” Anden replied, extracting himself from his relaxed position to shake the calamarian's hand.

“Hogan, Uris Hogan.” Uris said, his hand shake firm, “I was told to come see you about being assigned a ship.”

Anden nodded and clapped him round the shoulders with one arm, “Yes indeed. You are our long awaited designated assignment.” Anden said in a near perfect imitation of President Almari's delicate tone.

“You are going to have you choice of a handful of the Companies starfighters.” Guiding him to where the fighters were.

Anden had to admit that these people knew how to keep a ship in full repair Never had Anden seen more intense care than the techs did hear, except with maybe himself. Uris seemed to consider them all with a well trained eye. Anden decided to let him to it. A pilot choosing a starship- it was something that only the pilot could do. He had checked them all and he couldn't go wrong with any of them.

“I'll leave it to you to decide.” he said with a smile, “Be ready to lift off in fifty.”

Nodding to Uris he returned to his own thoughts and to his E-wing, the starfighter he nearly always flew with while with the Starfire Squadron. So much different than the feel of a TIE, like when he had been back in the VEN and he found himself wondering if he would ever get back to the old Viper squadron. Little did he know that this thought was so close in his future to being answered.

OOC:

1333 words