Job Well Done (PM to Join)

Madeline fortunately for all had managed to remain unconscious for much of the trip. Which was best for all given how afraid she was, how much she wanted to get away from them, and just how much the stress of the situation was crushing her. She needed to get away, to hide, to run away. Most of all she just wanted to get home back to where life felt safe, where her position in the Empire had kept her protected, where she had the comfort of work to bury herself in and ignore anything to do with the outside world.

Groggily she was starting to come around as they came out of hyperspace and the tension in the air could be cut with a knife. Opening her eyes the good doctor came to quickly realize she wasn't back in the safe arms of the Empire. No, her kidnappers had not released her as she had last heard before her body gave out. They had said they were going to put her in an escape pod, and give her back to Akio and the Litany.

The implications of her being here, on their ship still caused her to withdraw into the smallest of balls she could manage, shaking badly as she did so. All Maddie could do was stifle a sob, as she up to Domino. Getting out of this, she was starting to think that she wasn't going to be able to manage it alone. At least not with this bunch present. And not when she still felt weak and shaky from the stun weapon's lingering effects on her nervous system. "I thought you said you were letting me go." She grumbled, unsure how to respond, to react from here, especially when she couldn't have been more afraid than she was right then. 

This time the scientist saw the weapon clearly in Domino's hand and pushed aside the notion that she might be able to get by her. No, these people were well trained. Far better trained than Madeline could dream of when in modern combat she was absolutely useless. Surprise was her only weapon, and even that could only get the less powerful woman so far. The Atrisian lifted her head just enough to glare at the woman that had shot her only hours before. "What the hell do you people want from me? You got the damned data. And you know now that Akio is willing to kill me, and all of you for that data. I'm more than a risk to keep. You let me go, and there is a chance the Empire will look a little less for you." She snapped, definitely angry, but the fear and terrors were so clear as her voice trembled ever so slightly.

"And who the hell are you taking me to?" She demanded as she slowly sat up and straightened her clothing out just a little bit. With a sigh, looking away from the door and her captor, Madeline reached up and pulled her hair down from its tight bun, finding it was nothing more than a pain right then, making things far more uncomfortable than they ever should have been.

With her fingers, she combed it down to let it drape across her shoulders while taking slow, deliberate breaths to try and calm her anxieties and prevent another panic attack from overwhelming her, and her logic. She needed both a calm and sharp mind if she stood any chance of finding her way out of this. If only she had a clue what the Empire was already working on, to get her back or complete silence her forever. For those were the only real options she had to hope for. "At the least, could you just tell me where the hell we are? A little information goes a long way to making this easier. After all, you did say this would be a smooth ride for me. And it has been far from that." Her tone so crisp, firm, and grouchy. This was just how she got to try and hide her feelings, hide how much what was happening was frightening her. That anger and sharpness were just a mask for one terrified woman.

Gib Maverick

The Echani watched the screen at her desk as everything was sent immediately to her personal terminal. She took a long drag of her cigarette as she scanned the information, before holding the cigarette between her lips while her fingers danced along the keys.

"Understood. Sending coordinates now."

Zandra herself would be there for this. Rare for her. She preferred to stay in the shadows, let things happen. As long as she got paid, she never cared much. But this case... well, she'd found it fascinating.

She took one last puff of her cigarette and snuffed it out on the back of her cybernetic hand. A few clicks of the keyboard and the system was shut down. She stood up, grabbed a tattered leather jacket from the back of her chair and threw it over her shoulders as she left her office.
Gib Maverick, Madeline Kahoshi,

Madeline was still crying, doing her best to slow the tears down and even wipe a few away on her shoulder given how her hands had been bound behind her. Gib coming in the room made the scientist tense a good deal as she looked sharply away from him. She still blamed him for getting him into the situation Maddie found herself now.

As he spoke his words did seem oddly honest, which brought her head around to face him, eyes searching his for the slightest sign he wasn't being truthful but they weren't there.Her eyes had been on the floor but if he kept his promise, for a small while she'd be protected.

"That is a promise I can make, will make." Madeline said quietly as she looked up to meet Gib's eyes, "I won't make any more trouble, so long as I am kept safe and not harmed while with your crew, by your crew. I'll keep my promise." She frowned looking away quickly "Thank you." Her voice so soft barely uttered. Thank yous were something she rarely did for anyone. "It just makes it easier, me less afraid. So, thank you. anything would help." 

Gib Maverick, Zandra,

Zandra waited, quiet and still on the landing pad. This was where she said to meet, yeah? She checked her chrono again, then lit up a cigarette.

She was fine with waiting a bit. She'd arrived early. That was how she preferred it. Behind her, waiting two large aliens. A female Zabrak and a male klatooinian waited behind her with arms crossed and weapons displayed prominently at their sides. These two members of her cantinas waitstaff also apparently served as personal muscle when necissary... although both were quite skilled servers as well. Always well tipped.

"How long this gunna take, Z? I gatta pick up my kids from their Nana's in three hours."

Zandra grinned at the Zabrak over her shoulder.

"No worries. It shouldn't take that long. Just here to pick up a package is all."

Gib ignored her pleads. Though she wasn't a problem for the duration of the trip. He still had to keep a reputation & a job he was hired for. He motioned the guards to keep her moving. He had his crew with him. Senso & Lox accompanied them for this mission. With a small squad trained by Senso for away missions. Grinder; the albino gamorrean. Jager; A bothan new comer to the crew. Skilled marksman & hunter. Gunmar; A Dug who enjoys walking upright more than that of his species. Specializing in stealth demolition & grenadier. Two-Clip, cyborg-human reliable Soldier & rifleman. Angel; Former imperial med-doctor, now trained to be a combat medic. B4-C4; a revived & refurbished T3 unit. That was upgraded to the top of the line systems, for slicing into most terminals & providing the best repairs. 

Once they landed. Two-Clip stood guard next to Madeline, with Gunmar on the other side. Jager took a position on top of the Shellshock. Angel, B4, & Lox stayed on board Shellshock. Gib & Senso walked behind Madeline. 

Upon meeting Lady Luck. Madeline spoke. Gib reacted too late but he placed his hand on Madeline's shoulder as if to imply Let me do the talking. Gib approached Zandra, "Hello Z. Where's the contact. We got business to discuss?"



Madeline Kahoshi,Zandra,

Madeline tensed feeling Gib’s hand on her shoulder. Seeing the people around her in the hangar made her heart pound within her chest. This really was happening. This hadn’t been just some elaborate nightmare of her own creation. No, this was real. This was her reality. She did turn a head to Gib, glaring bitterly.

Maddie would have given anything, anything she had, any amount of money, anything to somehow escape the situation. Right now it was just a matter of trying desperately to stay calm, so as not to make the whole mess worse than it had to be. For at this point, her very safety was in question. She didn’t know what these people would do with her, why they wanted her, thoughts she had to quickly quash.

The words secured, and my ship made Madeline freeze then and there. Shutting her eyes tightly she found herself shaking visibly, unable and unwilling to take a step further. Not that she really was in any position to resist for even a second. There were just too many around her that could easily force her to move again.

It was right then that terror was sinking in, and Maddie couldn’t exactly handle what was about to be done to her, with her. “Please …Don’t do this.” Her voice so shaky, barely above a whisper. “Please…Just … Just let me go.” It was just one last desperate plea. Though, even she knew it was entirely futile. It still couldn't be helped. "Please..." 

Gib Maverick , Zandra

The zabrak raised a thin white eyebrow at his demands.

I'm getting too old for this nonsense, she thought, hand resting lightly on her knife at her hip.

"My my, are we gettin' attached to the girl? Could this be love, Gib-y?"
Her tone was lighthearted, but her eyes were dangerous. "I don' think it was ever part of the contract to give you the personal info of my client. Ya know, they said you were the best in the biz, but I'm startin ta think you gone soft."

The zabrak behind her squirmed, but zandra held a hand up.

"I won't give the name of my contact- I ain't no snitch. I got a reputation fer bein' reliable, and if I go 'round running my mouth off, spillin' info on my clients to everyone who asks, well, I wouldn't be very reliable, would I?"

She shrugged, but at that moment, a message appeared for her on her comm.
Of course het client had been listening in. Of course they would want to know how the deal was going.

-LET ME SPEAK-

The Echani crimelord narrowed her eyes but set down a holoprojector.

"Yer in luck. The Bird wants ta sing fer ya."

She stepped away and a figure appeared, tall, clearly female, face obscured by a black veil.

Madeline's brow knitted together as Gib put himself in between her and this woman, Z. This wasn't what she expected much less his next words. Protecting her even against the middleman that had paid him for this job. It seemed his words bound him. He truly seemed concerned about her wellbeing even down to the very end.

She found herself taking a step backward as Z started to speak, more than a little worried about where this was going. Her eyes moved to the Zabrak, a bit apprehensive that his fidgeting was a sign of nastiness to come. Should it come to that, Madeline was entirely unsure of how to react and hoped against hope it wouldn't come to that.

Her attention was instantly drawn back to Z as the holoprojector sprang to life. Her eyes narrowed as the veiled figure spoke. "At what cost?" Madeline's suspicions rising to the surface. "What price does my family have to pay to have me back? You wouldn't have paid such a price unless you planned to use me for leverage, but to what end? What is it that you want to get out of this?" She sighed and shook her head, "Not that it matters, I don't exactly get much of a say in this, but I would like to know nonetheless."

SongBird, Zandra, Gib Maverick

Silence. A long silence stretched out ad the figure seemed to process this new information. She stood still, the only movement a slight shifting under the veil as her eyes darted from one figure to another until at last they seemed to finally reat on something far, far away.

"My apologies, captain," a slight smile accompanied her slow, careful words, "Z, you got me a captain. How... nice."

She folded her hands neatly together in front of her, an elegant pearl ring shining on her finger.

"It seems my Intel was wrong. I expected a family relationship that, it seems, does not exist. To think... this was all for nothing."

She sighed, shaking her head sadly.

Then, she looked up again suddenly, glancing at the pirate woman. Her mind appeared to be working on something. Her lips parted as if to say something, then closed again as the pirate inspected the datachip. It wasn't until she was given a nod to verify it's authenticity that she spoke again.

"Ah... unless... A new trade? I am probably being foolish, but... "

She reached up, snatched her veil and threw it away.

The veil vanished, somewhere out of range of the hologram. Standing there was a tall, freckled blonde, pretty, but in an awkward, unfinished sort of way. A woman still growing into herself. 

"I'm not your enemy," she stated simply, "and you aren't mine either- the Empire is. I know I took you away from them. I know you can't go back. I know you've lost everything. But the Empire took something important from me too. They invaded my home, killed my Queen, and kidnapped my sister."

The blonde shrugged, hands on her hips.

"I... can't really bring back my Queen or liberate Naboo right now, but family means everything to me. I would move the Galaxy itself to rescue her. I can't convince you that we're the good guys here. I've done some awful things just to get this far, but it really wasn't my intention to hurt you. I... am actually sorry."

She cleared her throat, the hologram seeming to blush- a bit of an ugly look against her freckles.

"I'll pay for the information you have, but maybe I can still buy you, err.. in a sense, I mean. You say you can't go back. Why not come with us anyway? You worked with the Empire. You know how they operate. And we can keep you safe from them."