Nymall winced in pain as he saw the smoke slowly drift up into the light. It wasn't supposed to go like this...

Across the room the Bothan twitched it's last dying spasms, it's cowlike mouth opening and closing in a failed effort to get more air. The rebel agent fell back, supporting himself against the wall. A small trickle of blood dripped from the edge of his mouth, as he started to say something... It almost looked like I win...

Slowly, Nymall sunk to his knees, the massive blood loss overtaking him. If only there was more time...

Darkness prevailed.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
**Two Months Before**

From under the cover of a hooded cloak, Nymall surveyed the patrons of the Hyperdrive, a small, out of the way cantina. For the past five months he had been putting his memories back together, one fragment at a time, trying to figure out what had lead him to that fateful landing on Tatooine. He had picked this spot and this bar more out of tactical sense then anything else, just in case.

In his search, Nymall had bounced back and forth across the known universe, tracing a path that was erratic and haphazard. This planet, however, he had made a major breakthrough. There was someone, he only had met for a instant, but someone here who knew him...

A man detached himself from the bar and slowly made his way over to Nymall's table. He looked to be in his mid to late forties, and had a face that displayed the wear and tear of mercenary life.  “So I hear you're looking for someone...” The man said in a all to confident tone.

Nymall looked up, pausing for a moment for effect. “Yes. I am here looking for a human by the name of Mheneger.”

“You ask for a expensive piece of information... I don't think you can afford it.”

“Money is not a object.”

“It's not money I'm after.” The Mercenary pulled up a chair and sat opposite to Nymall. “I have something that I'd like you to do for me. There's a old rebel station... it's about five parsecs away. Used to be a communications relay, but it's been abandoned for years. You'll find a ship there... I want you to take it to Coruscant. There's a supply of bacta I need you to deliver... now, you'll be processed like any other ship... all you have to do is stay cool. Then, when you're done, pilot it back here... I'll make the arrangements for your request. Do we have a deal?”

Nymall thought for a minute... it was risky... but it might work. A imperial going undercover into rebel space was trouble enough... this would be interesting.

“I'll do it.”

“Now, there's a couple of things I need to make clear before we start. Do not use the bacta, under any circumstance. It's... not the top grade, let's just say. Second, don't under and circumstances get the Rebel Fleet involved. Your ship will not survive. This data pad should answer the rest of your questions.” Casually, the mercenary flipped the pad across the table and wandered back to the bar.

Making sure that his face couldn't be seen, Nymall spoke into the comlink hidden under his cloak. “Did you get all that? Let's prepare to seal the deal.”

A small sieries of beeps echoed through the comlink, followed by the sound of chirping.

"Yes, MSE4. Save it. We may need it later." Nymall muttered into the comlink before hiding it again deep within his robes. It was done, and the deal was arranged. Now all I need is a crew...

Looking up, Nymall was greeted by a most pleasnt surprise. Across the tavern and at the bar sat Vidalla, one of his friends from long ago. What is she doing here? That's odd...

Gathering up his robes, Nymall approached the bar, making sure to take the seat right beside the twi'lek. "I hear you're looking for a Trandoshan..."

"Nymall!"

"Here, let's have a drink, on me... I have a bit of a deal to propose..."

The bartender delivered the drinks, and then took a very long walk to the other end of the bar.

Nymall slowly scanned the data pad. "Well, the minimum we'll probably need is two. It's a bacta run, right? I mean, at most it would be nice to have another gunner... Hell, we don't even know what type of ship this is. It just says 'crew 2'..."

There was something else that was bothering Nymall about this shipment... but he could not put his finger on it. Try as he might, everything seemed to check out. this mercenary was good... but, just in case...

"Well, here's what I suggest we do. Let's browse the bar for a while, and see if we can rack up anyone else for this mission. If we see no one within the next while, we'll try it solo." With that Nymall emptied his drink and started surveying the crowd.

Will they find someone to join thier quest? It all depends on you, the readers.

"I couldn't help but overhear your conversation, and was wondering if you might need another pair of hands..."

Nymall looked up at the newcomer with slight, but obvious surprise. That was fast...

"Yes, we most certanly do... at the moment were a little short staffed... just doing a basic cargo run... Money's a little tight at the moment, but I'm sure we could work out something. We will be flying through rebelion space to Coruscant, it shouldn't be a problem and I've been told everything checks out with this ship... But it's better to error on the side of caution." Nymall placed the Datapad on the counter and slid it over to Dante. "Here, see for yourself..."

"I'm in. Let me get some equipment before we go, alright?"

Vidalla nods at the newcomer and turns to look at Nymall.

"I also need to grab some of my equipment from my shuttle, you might be surprised as to the kind of things I'v procurred in your absence. The arms station we found out on the Outer Ring managed to get me some of the specific weapons I wanted. Even that armour that we could never find for sale anywhere."

She winks at Nymall and stands up, stretching her muscles in her back and legs. She yawns before realigning her rifle along her back and putting her 1125 binoculars back in place. She nods at nymall then turns to Dante.

"Hey there, we havn't been properly introduced. I'm Vidalla and this is my friend Nymall, glad to have another pair of hands onboard and a pair of eyes to watch my back."

She holds out her hand to Dante, her lekku sway slightly as she moves. She cocks her head at him and awaits a response.

Nymall watched his new partner leave in stunned silence. Again, there was something not quite right here, but he couldn't exactly put his finger on it.

This whole mission seemed... Wrong. Everything about it seemed to say there was some component missing, something that should be there that was... The thought trailied itself in Nymall's brain as his robe gave a complex sieries of beeps. Evidently, MSE4 was trying to get his attention.

"Sorry Vidalla, looks like I'm being paged. I had one of my Droids analize the conversation between me and the merc... He's chattering at me so either something is up or something went wrong. My craft is in Docking bay 4F, it's the modified TIE Bomber. I'm borrowing it from a friend... I'll be there picking appart the data piece by piece. when you're ready, come meet me there... I'll leave a message for our partner with the bartender."

With that, Nymall turned and waved down the bartender, who was making sure to keep his distance after the incident.

"That'll be two credits."

Nymall tossed a few coins on the counter. "Here... make that three. One last thing... our partner that was in here earlier, the human? If you see him again, tell him to meet us at Bay 4F, the bomber." The bartender nodded and then wandered away.

Seeing as that buisness was attended to, Nymall wandered out towards the hanger, flipping over again and again in his mind the events of today. It was like a movie, but instead of being printed on film it was printed on wet paper... there were holes in it... things that should have beenm there but were not... but, like a incomplete movie, he didn't know enough to fill in the holes.

The Red letters of bay 4F loomed above the open archway... Almost foreboding in a way to the Trandoshan's present mood. At the far end stood his ship, The Zex

The Zex was a amazing clank and tinker of a old Battle of Hoth TIE Bomber... The ship had been originally salvaged with a blone out engine and the pilot dead of explosive decompression... Since then the ship had been made warp capable and the shields were slightly reinforced. All and all, not a bad ship, just a little cramped.

The hatch slid open with a massive release of air, and the air was immediatly filled with the sound of robotic chittering. "Ok, MSE, Let's see what you got."

With a quick swing of the arm, Nymall hoisted the little droid up and connecteed it to the ships computer with a long, thin wire. Immediatly, the small holoprojector on the dashboard of the craft flickered to life and displayed two graphs.

"What am I looking at, MSE?"

Small, analoged letters printed out at the bottom of the projection.

VOICE COMPARISON OF SUBJECT. COMPARISON NEGATIVE.

"What do you mean, MSE? Comparison Negaive?"

COMPARED AGAINST HUMAN NORMS. NEGATIVE. LIE DETECTION POSITIVE. TARGET IS LYING. VOICE TEMPLATE COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH MANDALORIANS.

'WHAT?"

Nymall spent the next hour going over the recordings with MSE4... and sure enough, he was Mandalorian, although he lascked most of the traits. However, in the transmission, the only thing he seemed to be decieving about was the bacta.

"Again, are you sure MSE?"


POSSITIVE IDENIFICATION OF DECIET

"If it's not bacta, what the hell are we smuggling?"

OOC:

No, this one is not ment to connect with anything... yet. I'm meaning it to be completely standalone storyline for the moment.

Vidalla grumbles as she re-enters the bar. What is it with people? haven't they ever seen anyone in armour like hers before? She stomps here Commando armour in irritation and surveys the bar, looking for Nymall or Dante. Seeing neither she procees toward the bar.

"Excuse me...pardon me...so sorry..."

Not quite used to her armour yet she keeps stepping on innocent feet, tentacles, and the occasional lekku. She steps up to the bar and flags the bartender down, she quickly obtains the location of Nymall's ship and proceeds toward the hanger.

Silence... Great... Nymall thought to himself.

"Well, here's what I think we should do. Let's make the cargo run. When we're in the air, let's take a look. It must be important, whatever it is. After that, lets make the delivery and get the heck away... and hope nothing goes wrong." Hope was not a thing that was best trusted... especially in this case.

"We're schedualed to meet the Mercenary at 22:00, and he'll give us the coordinates there... either you're in, or your out. Last chance. If this is too hot for you, feel free to walk away, and there will be no hard feelings. The ball is in your court."

Off in the background, MSE4 beeped and shrilled a particular pattern, something Nymall hadn't heard in ages... It could only mean one thing...

OOC:

Balls in your court, guys... As I said, if you want to continue, feel free to... but if you want to duck out, feel free to as well... as I said, no hard feelings...

I do have a story figured out, but feel free to post to add or move it along... believe me, if it gets steered off course, I can always set it back. Thanks guys...

-IronWeasle