"Sorry pal, but I'm not lowering the price because your missin' a little money," the bartender said.
    Shazam looked up at him with puppy dog eyes, to no avail he left with dismay.  Ah!  Berkherd!  What a lovely place indeed...  Shazam had been issued a break atlast, Chip and Chath had become well aquainted, and also very lethal.  Chath had come with him on his trip, Chip said he'd think about it but he had stuff to do in the mean time. 
    Unfortunetly, Shazam was having problems with the bartender, and apparently he couldn't get any ale if he continued to beg like he was...
    Shazam walked out the door to his Chocobo.  It gave a muffled yelp of joy, but noticed he had no ale under his arm and looked sorrilly back up at Shazam.  "What can I say Sharona...  The bartender was not easilly swayed, especially when I gave him the puppy dog eyes..." Shazam shook his head.
    He put one foot in the holster, and swung his other leg around the black chocobo.  Sharona shrugged the sudden impact of weight, and started off into the fields of ice. 
    A navy blue sky glowed in the coming darkness, white cumulis clouds  wafted around the small world.  Although there was ice and plenty of snow, Shazam often found himself quite warm.  He was used to cold conditions; he had grown up in a very...  Cold place... 
    The chocobo picked up speed as it neered a large duck out path of ice.  It's talons dug deep into the ice and his head bobbed up in down with ease.  Shazam watched his breath go out into the cold air and freeze.
    A small lodge lay at the foot of the hill; Shazam guided Sharona towards her kennel.  He eased off of her onto the stiff ground and put his hands to his mouth.  He breathed slowly on his hands, then rubbed them together as if to create instant fire. 
    He walked towards the entrance, glass doors blocked the entrance.  Shazam inserted his card into the securtiy slot, and the doors flew open revealing a beautiful room full of ornaments of all sorts.  Shazam stomped his feet in the front entrance and walked towards the front desk.  A beautiful young woman sat quietly, quite bored.  Shazam was alot like his father, but he didn't like to admit it.  One of the things they had so much in common with was the way they were so upfront.
    "Howdy.  I was wondering if I had any messages while I was out," he said and held out his imperial message card.  She took the card and entered the code into the system, then inserted it into a small machine.  It was slightly ovalish and sat on a shelf with lot's of data disk and holopads. 
    "Nope." She said pulling out a small reciept.  Shazam took a quick glance at her breast, not noticing of course.  With instinct he asked," Hi, I'm Shazam...  Heh..." She made a little wave and smiled.  "I was wondering if you'd..." He started. 
    "I'd love too.." She finished before he even began to explain.  He was a bit surprised but put the shock aside, this was going to be easier than he thought...
    "I get off at six.  I'll be ready at seven.  Suite seve-twenty four." She said and turned back to her desk.  Shazam turned and smiled...  She did have very nice breast... 
    Shazam walked over to once of the lifts, grin still spread across his face.  "That's awesome..." he breathed.  He chuckled as the lift started up. 
    He floated on thin air for a moment, and the lift stopped at the 375th floor.  He walked down the corridor of beautiful doors.  A sweet essance caught his attention as he inserted his key card into the blast door at room A13.  The door moved slowly open.  Shazam stepped inside to find Chath laying on the air bed.  He looked up.
    "Where the hell's the beer?" he asked. 
    "I was only missing a little bit of change and the damned guy wouldn't give it to me," Shazam said, Chath frowned..." But, in other news, I got a date tonight with the chick at the front counter."
    Chath grinned and shook his head.  He fell backwards onto the air bed again.  "And don't worry bout the beer, you act as if I have no backup plan.  Check in the bathtub." Shazam said, his eyebrows raised with amusement.  Chath leaped from the bed into the bathroom.  Shazam heard a happy yelp.  Chath returned with two beers, and threw one to Shazam.  Chath opened his immedietly.  "Urm....  That's good and all...  But why the hell did we need to buy more than?" Chath said, taking a breath before he started chugging down again.
    "Well, I suppose if you can't hold your liquor, that's a problem...  But oh well..." Shazam explained with a flat face...
    Chath shook his head again.  The holophane rang, splitting the silence between gulps.  Shazam reached over and picked it up.  "How are ya man!" he said and put his bottle down. 
    "It's Chip," Shazam whispered to Chath, and he gave him a quick nod in understanding.  "So, how's your little investigation going?" he asked.
   
    Phone:

    Chip: (Well...  I havn't had much luck...  A lot of my leads are pretty cold.  But I've already got a few of the people I'm looking for crossed off.  As soon as I get some time I'll have to come down there.)
    Shazam: (Heh.  Well...  I just got back, I have a date with some chick from the front counter tonight...)
    Chip: (Ah...  Yes...  Love...  What a sweet thing.  Well, don't do anything that'll get you in trouble.  I need back in the flight first of the planetary month alright?  You guy's have fun, I gotta go.)
    Shazam: (Alright.  Good luck.)  #Hangup...

    He sounded a bit distraught...  Shazam sat there quietly, beer in hand.  "You signed up for the Chocobo race?" Chath asked.  Shazam pulled his head up to look at him.  He was on the air bed again, floating...
    "Well...  All I'm ganna say is...  Eat my dust," he chuckled as Chath threw his cap at him. 


    Wow...  A suite...  Not bad for a chick who works at the front counter.  The door opened and the women exited glamorously.  "Howdy.  Wow...  You look..." Shazam was stammering, and he knew it...
    "Thankyou...  So, where are we going?" She said.
    "Oh...  Ya.  Heh." Then he was suddenly struck...  Wait a second, I don't know her name...
    "Um...  I'm sorry I was kind of dumbstruck earlier...  And I must have missed your name." Shazam said sheepishly.  He had the sinking feeling Chath was following him with a holocam...
    "Huh...  I suppose I never told you.  I'm Cyndi...  Wow.  Hmm," she said and held out her hand.  He took her hand in guided it gently around his arm.  She smiled and said nothing.
    They entered the lift and began to drift towards the ground.  Glass incased the lift, and a beautiful scenery surrounded them as they went.  Shazam was surprised with how at home Cyndi was.  She was already leaning on his arm like he was a big pillow.
   

    The dinner had gone surprisingly well, especielly since he had managed not to spend too much money.  He didn't order nearly as much as she did, in fear of losing all of his money before the night was over of course. 
    She ordered seconds...  Damn...  Oh well...  Shazam counted up his change in his head... 
    "So...  Where are you from," she asked him, and stuck another peice of food in her mouth.
    "Well, I was born on coruscant, but my dad was born in Corillia.  Corillia was a second home really.  How bout' you?"
    "My parent's were kessel farm workers...  They weren't slaves or anything, they just lived there..." She said and smiled sweetly.  "But I was born on Alderaan."
    Shazam's smile faded...  Uh-oh...  "You know what I do, correct?"  She smiled, and nodded. 
    "Don't worry...  I'm okay about it.  I just don't talk about it." She said.
    Shazam nodded, and pulled her hands onto the tabel.  She didn't move, but watched.  "Let's get out of here," he said softly.  She seemed to be hypnotized by his eyes...  She stood up and paid for the meal.  Shazam sighed. 

   
    The two of them walked around the winter lodge, and Shazam spoke of the fight's he'd been in, and his father and his captors.  Cyndi was still entranced and simply listened. 
    Shazam stopped at the edge of a fountain.  The fountain was made of crystal and glowed in the faint light of the corridor.  The two of them sat down and Shazam brought her in close.  She truly was more beautiful up close.  Her long dark hair, fell over her shoulders, and down her breast.  She grinned and kissed him.
      He slipped his arm around her and decided not to care if he woke up next to her or not. 
      BOOM- A blast filled the corridor and screams echoed across a great distance.  Shazam pulled away from Cyndi's mouth and held her close.  She shrieked and he jumped into the fountain holding onto her as tight as possible.  The water was freezing.  Debris flew across the room and fire's swept the room.  The two of them put thier heads up for breath. 
    "You alright?" Shazam questioned.  She nodded her head, and put her arms around herself to stop from shivering.  Shazam helped her out and told Cyndi to wait for a moment. 
      Shazam jumped into the rage and sprinted down the corridor.  A man was sprawled out across the floor, Shazam had to stay low to talk to him.  Acrid smoke filled the room, and floated on.  "You okay," Shazam asked.  The man gurgled but said nothing.  Shazam picked him up and sprinted back out.  Cyndi was sitting on the floor next to a fire as Shazam ran out.  Her tan really showed in the evening light...  Shazam shook his head to pull himself out of his own trance. 
    "Shaz!" he heard a voice say.  He turned to see Chath coming towards him. 
    "Chath!  Take care of this guy, I'm ganna get Cyndi out of here and see what's goin on." Chath nodded his head at the words, and rushed into the fire for a moment; he had retrieved a woman and a man followed behind him with a broken leg. 
    Shazam held Cyndi's hand tightly as they ran down the stairs.  The lift's were down to the explosion, and Shazam and Cyndi would have to walk a ways...  Shazam's room was only seven flights down.


    Shazam and Cyndi burst in the room, Cyndi in a strong pant.  She was winded.  Shazam made his way to his luggage.  He pulled out a com.  "Chath, you there?" He asked.
    There was a short buzz then Shazam heard," Here...  What the hell are you up too...  I've been up here for an hour."
    "Just a sec, I'm ganna call down and see what's goin' on."  Shazam said reasurringly.
    Shazam heard the quick snaps of something he knew all to well...  "Chath, we've got blaster shot's down here.  I'm ganna pack up the luggage and bring it up to you...  Stay where you are...  Hide." Shazam cut it off before Chath could ask questions.  Cyndi slid off of the bed, and put her arms around Shazam's waste wearilly. 
    "Alright...  Can you hand me that luggage, babe?" She walke over to the suit case and tried to pick it up.  Shazam walked over and heaved it over his shoulder.  "Sorry, I should have known you can't carry that...  Heh.  No offence." he said.
    He layed it on the ground in front of the door and opend a small pouch.  Shazam withdrew three blaster pistols and a rifle.  He clipped the small blast to his right leg, and the two other blasters to his holster's that he pulled out next. 
    He slung the rifle over his shoulder...  He grabbed a small pistol for a Cyndi.  He held it infront of her...  "Take it babe, you might need it...
    She took it, and tossed it in between her hands.  She stopped, and twirled the gun in all kinds of directions.  Then she stopped and put it down the front of her dress.  Squeezed it in between her brest.  Great breast.
    Another explosion woke him from his day dream.  Shazam unclipped his com and told Chath to start heading his way...  There was no way he was ganna get the luggage up seven flights of stairs.  Chath told him he was armed and ready for anything.  Shazam smiled at the thought of Chath tackling a rebel and telling him how he hated him. 
    Shazam and Cyndi exited the room and encountered a man with a large rifle.  He looked over in surprise.  He lifted his gun...  Too late, Shazam had swung his rifle on his sling into his hand; he shot the man twice.  Cyndi ran over to check the man.  She shook her head; then flipped him over looking for ID.  She withdrew a small laminated badge, and handed it to Shaz.
    He glanced at her and looked at the badge.  "These arn't normal ID's...  They're fake..."
 
-----------------------
*Flash Was Here...*
My Real Bebop: (=A=)

(OOC: You guys can take the time to write this, but you can't bother to so much as send in your reports on Thursday... All I have to say is that I better get 'em this week.

Just a note, don't have me find any of the guys on the infamous "list." That will be left for my personal story. Thanks

And Shaz, if you intended for this to be your personal story, and yours alone, too bad. Heh. No, just kidding. Post or something about that, and I'll edit this off if you want me too.)

    Chip had been spending some relaxing days planning to kill people. Ah the joy. Heh, not really. Oh well. It was funny how some things had developed. He had one purpose left in life: to kill the men who had hurt Sarah. That was what he had been doing when Shaz and Chath had invited him over for the weekend. But it was cold and snowy on that planet.

    Cold. Bah. Chip wasn't fond of cold. Heat he could take, but cold just wore him down and made him sluggish. He hated that feeling. Sometimes coffee helped, but now he was getting a tolerance for the beautiful liquid. That just wouldn't do. Maybe stop drinking it for a couple days, get the tolerance to go away. He'd have one heck of a headache, but he would just have to deal with that.

    Oh well, he needed a vacation. Maybe just wear a bunch of coats or something to fight the cold. Let's see, it would be what, 20, 30 degrees farenheit? That would mean he'd have to wear at least two shirts, a sweatshirt, and his parka. Darn cold. Darn metric system, too. They had tried to teach him to use meters and grams and degrees celcius, but Chip ad grown up with the English system. So he still used feet and pounds and farenheit. Pissed some people off, alot of the VE's memebers were from other countries. Oh well.

    Vacation. Yes, he needed a vacation. The Bahamas would be nicer than some stupid ice ball, but unfortunately the nicer things in life were out of Chip's price range. They say money isn't the root of all happiness, that you can't buy fun. But while life might not be great WITH money, Chip was pretty sure that life sucked withOUT it...

    He brought his Toscan 8-Q into the planets atmosphere. Damn, colder than he had suspected. This would mean three shirts instead of two. Or he could just wear two sweatshirts. Heck, why not make it two parkas? Anyway. Chip keyed his comm system. "Hey Shaz, I was wondering if I could come down for th..."

    "Chip, you better get down here..." What the? Shaz sounded pissed, tired, and horny, all at once. He probably had found some ugly girl who wouldn't screw him. Or maybe he had found someone, and hadn't realized just how ugly she was until he stripped her. Heh. Just like Shazam. Chip chuckled. Shaz had the uncanny ability to think that even the most revolting, flat-chested nerd was a model with hooters. Amazing. Ofcourse, he wound up getting more nookie than any other pilot Chip knew. Then again, it was all the nookie that no one else would go near. Heh. Poor Shaz. You had to admire the guy for trying.

    "What's wrong, man? Get worked up over some girl who didn't wanna have any fun?"

    "Stang it Chip, get the Hell down here!"

    "Watch it bub. You're still talking to your CO, here. Haven't I taught you any manners yet? Oh, I forgot, the Atrus IS a barn, heh."

    "People are trying to KILL US!!"

    "Again? Who's ugly daughter did you rape this time?"

    There was an explosion, some blaster fire, and a lady screaming. "Damn it Chip, help!"

    "Be there in a sec!" He hit the throttle, a locked onto the comm signal. Ah, still in the hotel. Well, party time.
 
-----------------------
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." -Albert Einstien

"It's not what you take when you leave this world behind you, it's what you leave behind you when you go." -Randy Travis


FL/PO2 Chipmunk Man/Kaph 3-1/Phoenix/mSSD Atrus/DEF/VEN/VE/(=A=)[LoC][MC:1]

(Ha...  Well...  I sent you a report.  Now it's time to have some fun with this story.  I will be the one to reveal who has attacked the hotel...  And there will be lot's of chocobo's!  Chip, if you don't have a chocobo, you do in this story!!!)

    The top eight floors floated down from the building like snow...  In didn't come down in lumps, but rather feathery, as if that part of the building was expecting it. 
    Chath's arm had been rather gashed up from an unexpected fall down a small shaft.  Cyndi had rapped it up for him with some ripped clothing.  Chath reloaded his blaster as the debris continued it's dance.
    "Well, I'll be damned, they arn't looking for expensive things to steal...  If they are, that was a damned stupid move killin' all the rich people from the top floors." Shazam said, looking down the end of his pistol barrel.
    "Very true, and this place doesn't really have anything to important centered around it...  Except for the chocobo races." Chath commented.
    Shazam glanced at the broken windows around them, as if something had been triggered in his mind.  "You know, there's a lot of betting going on when it comes to these races.  They might be here for the reserves at the bottom.  But that wouldn't have required all that explosive shit on the top floors.  I think there's bountys involved.  Not on us imperials, some one is running.  Great place to hide might I be the one to comment on it." Shazam said cheerfully.
    Chatham stood up at the sound of a nearby clicking noise.  No explosion this time.  Chath pushed Cindy up against the wall as not to expose her to any intruders.
    A heavilly armed mercenary menaced along a hallway with a black probe droid following.  He said something very quietly to the probe droid, and it floated towards the opposite side of the room.  The mercenary started walking toward Shazam's side.  Shazam picked up his feet without making a noise and opened a door.  It slid open with complete ease, and couches filled a small apartment.  The group walked in very quietly, and hid behind the couches.
    The mercenary walked in, heavy shotgun in hand.  There was not a sound to be made, that is of course until Chath dropped a beer bottle.  Click, went the glass.
    Shazam rolled out with his pistol firing, and he didn't miss once...  Unfortunetly, the armor deflected it with easy and the shotgun went off, tearing the couch in half and leaving the wall behind it in shreads, showing the inner rooms. 
    Shazam glanced around quickly as Chath started firing at the mercenary's legs.  A large electrical engine sat above.  The room must have been a design arena of some kind.  All kinds of pictures clung to the wall with different schematic's reaching the stars.  Shazam shot twice at the bearing's on the engine, it crashed down above the mercenary, knocking him out cold with a quick bump. 



    Chip flew through the three arched hanger, and looked in dismay at the destruction already created.  He could tell what the hotel's basic outline was though, through the smoke, he could see a tall building with several different rooms sticking out.  Just one big tall building full of rooms was all.  The only difference in any part of the building he could spot was the entrance.  It was absolutelly giant, not tall, but very large around, and strong barrier's held in it's place.  There was only one entrance, and the entire building was surrounded by chocobo fields and chocobo cross country markings. 
    Chips ship locked in and he ran throught the entrance of the building, blaster in hand.  His first thought was, they must have it under control because of all of those bell boys...  But then he remembered the last Com conversation he had with Shazam and the fake ID's.  He dropped as laser fire erupted. 
 

    Oh yeah, we're stocked, Shazam thought to himself, staring down at the body of the mercenary.  The mercenary had been heavilly packed with grenades and special artilleries.  He had several different small maps and layout maps that he had apparently been following.  One map that Shazam had taken particular interest in was the power grid system.  Why would this guy be carrying maps of power grids?
    They had immedietly left, and had ran down several stairs...  Chath dragged the suitcase full of weapons, Cindy held the maps and a blaster, and Shazam ran with a brand new Shotgun in hand. 
    So far they had dropped several flights of stairs, the journey had only been running for about an hour and a half, but they'd managed to arrive on the 37th floor.  Chath stopped dragging the suitcase down a last flight of grand stairs.  He clutched he chest and breathed deeply.  Shazam looked over towards the lift.  It was operative! 
    They managed the luggage into the lift and started it for ground level.
    Blaster fire filled thier ears, Shazam pushed the 3rd level button and they stopped very quickly.  They pulled the luggage off as they fire burst continued.  Shazam went back to the lift, and ripped the circut board, and defused the lift.  Then he shooke it and let look a grappel.  It sat there for a moment, then dropped towards the basement floor.  Fire filled the lift shaft.  The blasters were momentarilly quieted and the small team worked their way down to level one.
    Smoke filled the large room, and Chath pulled the suitcase behind the main desk.  They all hid back there, then saw a bell boy come out with a vibro blade towards one of the Chocobo betting screens.  In hung at an angle, but then Chip pushed it forward, knocking the bellboy backwards.  Chip jumped out and un-holstered his pistol, giving the guy two in the hip.
    "Chip!" Shazam whispered loudly toward the young man.  He turned, a bit surprised, weapon still in hand, but then replaced it in it's holster after reckonizing Shazam.
    He ran over and hid with them behind the desk.  "So, what are you guys up too?" He smiled broadly.  Chath took the cover off of the suitcase.
    "We bring gifts!" he chimed in chearfully.  They all grinned, Cindy sat there uncomfortably for a moment, waiting for it too pass. 
    "We gotta get to those chocobo's, I got a cabin rented out for the month not too far away.  If we get away...  I think we can reorginize, regroup, that type of thing...  And rest up of course.  Let's do it." Shazam said.  Chip carried his heavy shotgun, Shazam replaced his with his quickdraw pistols and heavy repeating rifle.  Chath grabbed a fletchett launcher, he held it steady infront of himself. 
    Chath closed it back up...  Chip jumped up and shot an approaching mercenary, he fell quickly, but his fellow bell boys decided to come out and stop them.  Chath dragged the luggage out of the entrance and into the chocobo pen.  Chip turned and ran into the pen
 
-----------------------
*Flash Was Here...*
My Real Bebop: (=A=)

(Alright, you can have a tauntaun named Ottis...  No really...  But I'd prefer you post on the story if you post at all!)
(Note...  I suppose that makes me a hypocrit...)
 
-----------------------
*Flash Was Here...*
My Real Bebop: (=A=)

(Rusoit...  This is getting out of hand...  Just post stories, if necessary, make the notes, before the stories...)
 
-----------------------
*Flash Was Here...*
My Real Bebop: (=A=)

If you guys want to keep working, you have my blessing. Unfortunately, I'm bogged down with three other stories. I'm learning quickly that it's not possible to write half a dozen or so at once.   Oh well. Hopefully the others won't wind up as melodramatic as Rodent's Tale. Meh. I'll post here from time to time. Perhaps we could make this our flight's story.
 
-----------------------
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." -Albert Einstien

"There is a certain kind of peace that can be found only on the other side of war." -Sean Connery as King Arthur


FL/PO2 Chipmunk Man/Kaph 3-1/Phoenix/mSSD Atrus/DEF/VEN/VE/(=A=)[LoC][MC:1]

*I am back.  And my suitcase full of guns, I've gotta lot of time on my hands guys, give me something to write, so post as much as you like.  This should be fun as long as we keep thinking up idea for battles.
    It was cold, too cold as Shaz jumped over the mound of snow.  Cyndi had managed to make her way to the lodge, and Shaz and Chath were stuck outside fighting off a crowd of hostiles while Chip was somewhere above. 
    Chath opened the large suitcase of weapons, the medal was cold and the wind blew hard in their faces...  Flakes of snow buzzed around thier heads as laser fire flew around the snow mound. 
    "Ya' know, Chip's up there some where with a personal fighter, nice and comfy I'm sure..."Chath started.  Shaz smiled, then loaded another cartridge into his blaster.  He chose one of his flash grenades carefully from the suitcase, then threw it above over the snow mound.  The explosion went off and Chath jumped over the snow mound, blaster in hand, and started a rain of fire at one of the hostiles.
    Shazam rolled around the opposite way with duel pistols; one man had his hands on his eyes with his laying next to him.  He blinked his eyes in shock as the duel bolts hit him in the chest.  One of the uglys squared his rifle up, ready to blast Chath into the next world; Chip flew low to the ground at near full speed.  The hostile was blown off his feet and into Shaz's line of fire.  A line of the hostiles stood up, rifles ready; Shaz dropped and Chath dived into one of the ditches as the fire pelted the snowy surface.
    Chip circled low and let out a sudden line of fire, disingrating all in it's path; the ditch full of hostiles became a giant fire works display. 
    "That's gotta be him!" Shaz yelled over to Chath who was making his way back to the suitcase.  A short man with a black over jacket jumped over a small mound, and onto Shaz, knocking his pistols free; Shaz rolled out from under him.  The hostile grabbed one of the pistols and held it up to take careful aim.  As he pulled his arms into firing posistion, Shaz switched his stance and performed an inside cresent kick and met the gun's path.  The man let go of the gun and shook his hand in pain.  He looked up as Shazam put himself into his fighting stance, he first punch his the man square in the face; his second,(the disabling punch), made it's way right into his solarplex. 
    He coughed as the wind was knocked out of him; Shaz grabbed the man's head and thrusted into his incoming knee.  The man was out cold. 
    "I didn't know you knew karate," Chath yelled over the mound.
    "You don't know alot of things, like your middle name.  Heh," Shaz answered.  "I think that's all of them, go on ahead and com Chip.  Tell him to meet us back at the cabin.  I don't think there's anyone left to tell the hostile headquarters where it is." He wiped the sweat from his forehead, then picked up his duel pistols and made his way to the suitcase of guns...
 
-----------------------
*Flash Was Here...*
My Real Bebop: (=A=)

(  Aside from Chath's recent troubles, time to set yourself straight.  These next few points will be the main events.  But, let's extend this story a bit more, I want a big climatic ending...  Which I've actually already designed...)

    FMJR drummed his fingers against the table, Chath sat across the table with a com unit in his hand.  He stared blankly off into the distance of the wall.  The rapping continued...
    Some static came through on the com, FMJR and Chath blinked back into reality.  "This is Chath,"
    "You guy's have gotta check this out.  It looks like there's a little base area over here.  There's a group of I'd say, a couple hundred, just hiding out in here." Chip's voice was pretty excited. "I'm currently grounded at thier base.  I'll give you the co-ords.  Get over here.  Bring the guns, and set some explosives in the cabin." Chath and FMJR glanced at eachother. 
    "Alright, we'll meet you over there in just a bit," Chath answered back awekwardly into the com.


      They hovered above the ground for a few moments; FMJR sat at the pilots chair, Chath was impatient at the navigation bar.
      The jets hummed as they landed smoothly on the icy surface, the metal gear broke through a smooth sheet.
    Chip stood at the entrance of a metal platform, he smiled. 


    "So let me get this straight," FMJR shook his head wearilly," You guys got out from these bounty dudes, and now your preparing to fight them off?"
    The Alderaan man looked slightly sheepish, as if he had just now realized his plan seemed hopeless.  Apparently, these people were a race of some kind of bounty hunter, not clones or anything like that.  It was simple, they came from a distant place, they had bounty hunter like skills, very secretive, but they were also barbaric and warlike.  Liked big explosions and such, FMJR assumed.
    "Well, theres about one-hundred and fifty to three hundred just milling around the place.  We assume if we can get some melee battles, outnumber them maybe, find their guy in charge...  We can get them to leave us be." Dave smiled. 
    "That's a good idea and all, but you've got three hundred spoiled rich kids with guns against a race of one-hundred to three hundred 'milling around' bounty hunter barbaric phscos that are hell bent on taking your money and killing you.  Not to mention they've captured my recently aquainted girlfriend Syndi." FMJR took a deep breath. 
    "Well thats certainly in our league," Chath inserted.
    Chip shook his head," You see, I think we'd have a chance guys.  I mean, we have a large number of exposive not to mention the fact that we have three 'in good shape' starfighters that could blast the living hell out of thier base.  I say we set up some reconasence crews, survey the area, and set up some cover firing ranges.  We could go in, and take them out." FMJR fiddled with his hair.  "Plus, I think if we can split them up, it would be slaughter.  They're barbaric, like you said, they'll probably come right out and try to fight us."
    "So what, even if we did do all of this stuff, I mean, kill out all the barbarian hostiles, and then somehow or another save my deluded girldfriend Syndi, why?  Why should we?" FMJR said abruptly. 
    Dave sat up stiffly," We will pay you handsomly, unless they'res something else you'd like."  The idea of an army of imperial 'paid' soldiers wasn't the groups idea of fun.
    "We won't need the money, if we're dead.  I want something more real, something we can use..."  FMJR finished, eying the Alderaan man cautiously. 
    Dave sighed and nodded," I have a jem, it's what they're probably after.  It's called the moon Jem.  It's kind of the pride of this planet.  Those with this Jem are respected by all those here.  Complete allegience, it's only handed down to those who are really trustworthy.  If you were to have this, you wouldn't need billions of IC's to rule the planet, all you need is this.  Show them this, and you will have the people, and they can put you in power." He slid it across the table into FMJR's open hand.  FMJR glanced at Chip, he nodded.  Chath sat there motionless.  FMJR sighed, and clasped his hand around the Jem.  "Consider it done."
 
-----------------------
*Flash Was Here...*
My Real Bebop: (=A=)

I'm writing a book myself...  Awekward, but I still have plenty of time to post...)

    The reconasince crew didn't take long.  They came back with a few schematics of the area.  During the time they were away, FMJR and the others had time to survey the little outpost.  There was one opening next to the platform.  The platform had four pillars about nine feet tall, slanted towards the wind and caked by snow.  Under the platform, there was an entrance with a steel door.  Once you had opened the door, there was a long corridor, very nice and shiny, FMJR noted.  The long corridor led towards a small servicing station, kind of like a travelor outpost.  Then the area split off into three more hallways, one leading towards the inn, another towards the armery, and another towards the control center.  The control center was basically a big circular room with lots of seats and a large holoscreen. 
    The inn door led down a flight of stairs, where it was surprisingly warm, and from that point on it was a line of about three hundred rooms.  The hall that line the rooms wasn't straight however, it curved, making a large circle of rooms, all facing out but pointing in towards the center of the circle. 
    The armery was all that it had been cracked up to be, it was basically a depot for production weapons. 
    They were stocked in crates, like they were just waiting to be used. Of course thier was a security panel to get to all of these rooms...  But luckilly, they had the engineer who built the place with them.
    The building was an underground check center, one of the post that they send paperwork people too.  The entire planet was connected by these stations.  There were about seven or eight, one had been destoyed and looted.  The others remained although their employees had been run out.  The planet was under mob rule.  FMJR had the key to it all. 


    They had the entire erea mapped out in a few hours, in the command center, the holoscreen was lit up with displays and emotion maps. 
    The hotel sat in the middle of it all; Chip had designated a few good areas for laser turrents to be held.  There were also a few deep ditchs that would be good for hiding until they needed to invade. 
    Chath was ingulfed in paper work of flight patterns made by the race.  He had a few papers that he would look back and forth at, then he switch one and kind of rotate, checking if the patterns made any sence at all. 
    FMJR was prepping the Real Bebop for launch, waiting for the crew to bring out the heavy turrents.  He hummed quietly in the cool night air, his breath lifting from his mouth. 
    It was all pretty organized, he thought to himself.  And the enemy didn't know about this resistance group?  It was all a bit too easy, he thought to himself.  If everybody wanted to get rid of the guy in charge, would it be this easy?  All they really had to do is plan behind his back, make it impossible to get out alive, it seems like anything could happen at any time, FMJR continued on. 
    One man in a heavy jacket, googles, and dark cap that covered his ears came out carrying one of the heavy mobile artillery.  The turrent had a long metal cylinder connected to the bottom, this would be bolted into the ground, then there would be one man in charge of range and another in charge of firing the tremendous weapon.  Three of these beast, FMJR thought to himself.  "Let's just hope we get a few group shots in before they seperate.  If they reach us, I don't know how long we'll last.  It takes three of you guys to face one of them.  I've seen how they fight," FMJR commented to the heavilly covered man.  Two other crewman walked out into the clearing, then under the lights of the Real Bebop and into the storage bay. 


    The turrents were set, the teams were picked, and the infantry was prepping, the final attack patterns were being set. 
    So far, they assumed that they should do some kind of attack that would disable any motive to hide or escape.  They would need to take the enemy in one attack or face the chance of a counter.  If they were to so fail, they would meet back at the base, and find another hiding place, problem was, they would more than likely have to hide in the cold nights.  The rest of the depots and checks had been taken over.  Completely emptied.
      Dave, the reasonable but responsible man he was, felt he had to know everything.  He would constantly push his way into a conversation about the upcoming battle or sit there and just look at the blue prints of the operation. 
    They figured so much as one thing, they could either mercilessly destroy them, they could be destroyed themselves, or they could come very close either way. 
    No matter what would come about this attack in the morning...  It was definetly the most interesting winter break FMJR had ever been apart of. 
 
-----------------------
*Flash Was Here...*
My Real Bebop: (=A=)

More of the rest of the story on the way...

Earlier that day:

    "Tick-tock..." Graesen said.  "Your time is running out..."  He looked at the girl with sour eyes, Syndi looked back sharply.  Thier two stares locking, Graeson took a step back and sat down at his desk.
    They were in a pretty highclass room, probably somewhere on the fiftieth floor, she thought.  She remembered before she had been moved up to the desk, she had been a cleaning lady.  Horrible job she used to think, well...  Only every once in a while.  Some jock would come in and completely disinegrate the room and leave some pretty nasty things behind, she reminisced.  But of course, being at the front desk had it's let downs as well... 
    On several instances, the voices at the front desk were asking for information but threatining her with her life, or asking for some asistance of some sort.  Most the time it was the men whooing her as well... 
    Syndi was sitting in a steel cheir with her hands held tightly behing her by some kind of restraining bar.  The room she sat in was full of fur interier, very comfortable.  Of course, she had been in the chair for hours.  Very un-comfy she thought. 
    Before she had got to the hotel on the descelent planet, she had of course...  Been in trouble.  Why else would she be in a place like that, especially some kind of bell boy. 
    Good o'll days on Alderaan.  She was a criminal.  And a good one.  She might very well have been one of the best theives to ever be on the holy planet of Alderaan.  The place was filled with rich snobs, she used to think.  She simply stole thier things, and used it for herself.  She didn't work alone though...  Nope, her brother, her father, and her mother had all been in the business, but it was her best friend Eve that had been the master planner.  Syndi was just the thief.  Then there had been Jason who would often times be in charge of setting up the operation. 
    What had got her into so much trouble was when she tried to steal from the Corsair warehouse.  Living on a faraway planet was her dream, and she was ganna need some safety and supplies she thought to herself.  Of course, she never thought to own a planet, but that's just how things worked out.
    Graeson left the room, leaving her alone...  Again.  She was soooo bored, she thought.  Reminiscing again, she thought of how bored she was waiting for her chance to see the galaxy.  All that the team had originally planned to steal was about a years worth of food and supplies, and, well...  Maybe that was what realliy pissed them off...  And several weaponry layouts.  They came in these crates that you simply shipped somewhere, the next thing you know, you've got a big wall with sentry post at every corner. 
    But her little dream was turned into a horrible nightmare when she'd found out she'd taken control of a planet.  The Moon Jem had been safely securred in a safe that was disguised as a crate.  Well...  It was just sitting there behind locked doors...  So why not take it? 
 
-----------------------
*Flash Was Here...*
My Real Bebop: (=A=)

Back to the otherside of the story...  Thought I turn the story around from the ones we normally see.  Not all the good guys always survive.


    The battle was over, the hotel was destroyed....  And...  The planet was quite well under his control. 
    He had been accepted as the man who would rule the planet, he simply showed the bunch of them the moon jem...  And they proceeded to build him a fortress.  Well not really. 
    What they had decided to do was to re-build the hotel, and that would be his head quarters.  Also, Chip had been put in charge of the construction, Shazam had founded the SCI,(Security of Central Industry), his little idea of a joke. 
    Shazam shook his hat off in the cold weather.  Spare parts from the last hotel were being used to create homes for those who wished to stay on the planet.
    Chip was in the corner of the newly contstructed chocobo ranch directing people around.  "NO!  The support beams connect to the upper rafting...  God!" He said, losing his temper he began to spear his finger into the spot on the blueprint.  Shazam smiled and exhaled his warm breath into the cool air around him.  The air floated as a mist for a moment then dispersed.  His com had beeped, he looked down for a moment.  He unlatched the com and listened to Chath explain the situation.  He had decided to take off in his fighter, the VE was after for something or another. 
    He sighed and replaced the com at his side.  It had been three days since the accident near the outpost. 
    Shazam had been returning with Chip and the rest of the group that had come along with him.  The Real Bebop had disapeared from it's hiding place...  Apparently stolen.  Shazam wasn't in the best of mood about walking for miles just to get back to the outpost.  He came over the hill.  Dave was standing outside with his guards pointing their weapons at a woman in a white coat.  She began to lift up her arm when Shazam noticed the pistol in her hand.  On reflex, he pulled up one of his own duel pistols and fired a quick shot over the hill.  There was silence.
    He picked himself up from his sitting position and walked over to the heap on the ground.  Dave looked up at him with cold sadness.  Shazam looked at him curiously, then stepped down to the womans side.  He rolled the body over.  And to his horror his saw Syndi's surprised face.  It caught him by complete surprise, he looked around for some help.  He couldn't say anything. 
    "Somebody help by carry her." He finally musterd.  Dave stepped forward and both Chip and Chath held grevice looks in thier eyes.  They too stepped forward.  Together they lifted her into the Real Bebop that was sitting beside the outpost, still on.  The heat that welcomed them wasn't appreciated as they carried the body of his girlfriend into one of the cabins.  He shut the door and grieved next to her body for an hour or so. 
    Shazam was indeed completely grieved by the instance, but he would always wonder what would have happened had the incident not occured.  The best he could do is keep fighting, he would say to himself.  Chip had been by his side when they barried her in the ice.  Shazam made sure that there was a memorial service for her.  No one even seemed upset that he was holding a memorial for her and none of the other brave men that died.  Of course, he realized this, and held the memorial for his comrades as well. 
    Chath had been on an operation to pull up information on Syndi before he was taken away.  Shazam just dropped the subject all together. 
    His final project would be to rebuild the hotel and get the planet under control.  Then, like he had a choice, he would have to turn over control of the planet to the Vast Empire. 
    On the way back to the VE's naval headquartrs, Chip and Shazam were talking on the com unit about their winter break.
    "Incredible how much of that stuff could occur in just a few days isn't it?" Shazam said sheepishly.  Chip didn't want to answer any of his questions, Shazam was too full of grief.  He just answered "yes" to most of his questions. 
    As the two of them flew out of the atmosphere, Shazam felt he had to do one last thing.  "Remember the group of White Jackets that got away before the platform fell?" he asked wearilly. 
    Chip's tone was curious.  "Yea...  Why?"
    Shazam's own tone became cunning...  "Just thought we might pay'm a visit.  They're only across the planet.  In hiding for now."
    So it was done.  Shazam simply took the rest of his planetary army to the remaining hostile center.  They hadn't stood a chance.  Graeson, the commander in charge of the small hostile army, was killed by Shazam's personal shotgun.  The job had been done.  And FMJR's winter break...  Complete...

-I might go back and re-detail this...  I probably will...
 
-----------------------
*Flash Was Here...*
My Real Bebop: (=A=)