[b]Sarka System,
Asteroid Field Exploration Force[/b]

"All I am saying is, if the Coruscant Sharks had won their first game ike they should have then their season wouldn't have gone as disastriously as it did now." Kiyla was saying over the comms.

There was a burst of static and then Vette's voice came over. "You still aren't going to get your credits back, told you it was wrong to bet on that kind of end score."

"Hey at least I am a loyal fan." Kiyla said and huffed. She blinked as some of her crew reported to her and nods, "We are about to leave hyperspace I hear, better strap in, hope it doesn't come to combat but you never know." Vette acknowledge and Kiyla rested comfortably back in her command seat. "Let's see what happens..."

As the hyperspace tunnel collapsed and the starlines receded to plain pinpricks of light the Free Trade Gambits sensors registered alot of rock floating about in front of them, expected considering they were headed for an asteroid field. sensors however registered little beyond the rocks from their present location at the edge of the field.

As the sensors scans back Kiyla grinned, "Don't be fooled according to our information there should be a pirate base around these parts, keep scanning, like for energy signatures, anything that might indicate a presence of their base or that carrier of theirs."

Gaarwarr's voice came over the comms. <"That does not mean we should not be cautious.">

Kiyla chuckled, "Of course, we will remain cautious my friend. No need to worry, now then let's find some pirates."

As the vessels slowly move into the field the sensors still return nothing but asteroid signatures.

"Well guess that was to be expected, take us in and when you do see nthe pirate base, hail them, let's see if they are the talking kind or the marauding type." Kiyla said while tossing her lekku over her shoulder.

When the ships moved deeper into the field sensors on the Gambit finally registered the pirate base located just where the smuggler had said it would be, it appeared to be unguarded as the vessels approached, with the exception of a few laser and turbolaser batteries built into the structure. there was no response to the hails, other than the sensors registering the defense batteries acquiring target locks on the gambit. they did not fire however.

She tapped the communications officer on the shoulder and spoke directly into the receiver herself, "Hello there, look we know you are out there and we know you are pirates. We just want to talk, not looking for a fight, so please pick up the phone because I rather not resort to shooting y'all. This thing is working, right?" The communications officer shrugged and nodded.

A somewhat timid voice comes back over the comms from the asteroid base. "Ahhhh... the Boss isn't here right now... could you come back later..." The line goes quiet for a moment though the comms officer notes they are still receiving. a barely audible question from someone else filters through the comms before the first voice is heard again. "... shutup you idiot i don't want to die here...."

Kiyla stifled a chuckle and grinned, "Oh don't worry I can wait." She drums her fingers on the console. "Soooo.... good living out here?"

"We're on a rock in the middle of nowhere what do you think.... who are you anyway?" Another voice replied, this one far from timid.

"Kiyla Serai, captain of the Free Trade gambit, part of the Kahleesi corperation, came here with a offer for you boys actually."

"Offer... what offer... why would you offer us anything..." The not timid voice said

At that point the sensor officer apparently woke up to the beeping of his console and reported the starbolt class carrier they had been told about was approaching, preceded by twenty four Z-95 headhunter starfighters that were closing rapidly.

She turned to the sensor officer and nodded her thanks, "Well boys would love to say that, if you would be so kind to tell your returning boss we just want to parlay, but if we any hostile intent I will have to open fire, also launching fighters, just as a precaution, seeing as there are two squadrons of yours out there already, we will launch two as well." She turned and ordered two squadrons of interceptors to be launched.

The two Z-95 squadrons did a close flyby of the Gambits bridge tower each splitting off to a different side before they went right into the tower itself. With the gambit also launching fighters the defence batteries on the asteroid started fracking those at they launched and the Z-95's swung around and headed back towards their parent vessel which was still closing. That no one had opened fire yet was likely just shy of a miracle.

Instead the comms officer reported the base had cut transmission to them and was instead talking to the Starbolt.

Kiyla blinked, looking at the headhunters, "Huh, they can fly, give them that. If they are talking then let them talk, we can wait till we are contacted." She stretched, "Anyone have a deck of cards?"

After a few moments the comms officer reports that the starbolt is hailing and then puts it through without waiting to be told. the image of a rather tall man in his later years with a flamboyant wide brimmed black hat with a long black feather in it and long black locks of hair peeking out from under it. "Well you haven't started shooting my dimwitted lackies... much as Id like to myself from time to time... You've bought yourself my curiosity, miss Kilya was it?" the man said in a eloquent yet rough tone.

She bowed, "Kiyla but most people get that wrong, so don't worry about it." She smiled and gestured outside her viewport to the base and carrier. "Got yourself a nice operation here, have to admit that. I came here on behalf of my boss, Neia Kahleesi, who has brought a offer, would like to ask a question beforehand though, is a pirate's life a good thing for you out here? Gathered from some of your associates on the station, no names, that they might not like sitting on a rock in the middle of nowhere."

"Hardly the middle of nowhere missy, plenty of trade traffic in nearby systems to plunder, the feild makes it tricky to detect our little hidy hole." The man said as his hand strayed to the hilt of a vibroblade at his waist. "Which brings up the question of how you found this place and why you are here at all."

She noticed the way he reached for blade but showed no emotion at that gesture. "My boss has a lot of friends, take that as you will. She has received some information about this field, along with your presence here, from some of those friends." She spread her hands. "Cards on the table, my boss is made aware of potentially resource rich asteroid fields here and wishes to establish some mines, now she would not want to have them raided by pirates. So she wishes to make a simple offer, she would like to stake the mineral claim on this field and start surveys to look for potential mining sites and then, if you are interested, hire you into her organisation, which includes several nice perks, including of which a safe haven in the Kwenn System, the Nova Retreat." She paused, letting that sink in.

"Or, if you have a desire to remain independent, ignore her vessels and potential mines, I imagine if word gets out of 'gold' near this system a gold rush takes place and your earnings only increase from your trade." Again she paused, "Questions?"

"I certainly have no interest in being someone elses lacky." He said with a snear. "And a gold rush would mean more people poking around which would make this field far from a secure hiding place. So no I'm afraid I shall have to acquiesce to your request." He said with a grin and a small flourish "I have a counteroffer for you though. Your boss gives us 75% of the profits from these mines and we'll happily look the other way."

Kiyla frowned, "Ah, I see. Plan B it is." At those words the crew went into action and power went to weapon and shields, the hypermatter reactor flaring bright on any sensor, as well as the planetary ion cannon as the gambit was brought to aim the giant ion cannon straight at the pirate carrier. "All channels broadcast please." Kiyla asked and when she got the nod that was going on she looked directly at the pirate boss but her words were meant for all. "I have a planetary ion cannon mounted on this ship directly pointed at you, to those who said before they had no desire to die here, do not get involved and power down your weapons. Those that do wish to fight, well don't say I didn't warn you about the ion cannon." She hoped that the 'lackeys' aboard the station would stay out of this fight and if this boss could be neutralized something could be salvaged of her offer still.

Meanwhile all squadrons were being launched, not only from the Free Trade Gambit but from the Wroshyr's song. "Gunnery crews, fire any and all ion weapons when ready at the carrier."

The image of the pirate scowled as his similarly ordered his crew to open fire, not placing any restrictions on what weapons were fired however before he addressed Kiyla again. “You have made an enemy today.” then he promptly cut the transmission.

At that point eh sensor officer registered a barrage of four heavy ship to ship grade concussion missiles heading for the Free Trade Gambit from the aft right quarter. Their launch point appeared to be a missile frigate used by the trade federation, of the Lupus class.

The Gambit opened fire at roughly the same time as the pirate carrier did, most of its ion batteries apparently had slow reaction times and were not yet on target when the order to fire came down the line, as a result most of their shots, at least of the ones that fired missed their target. The re-purposed planetary model ion cannon on the other hand hit its mark, if barely. The bolt grazed the right side of the pirate carrier and sent a number of systems into disarray as the ionic energy played havoc with the power systems including those to the engines which send the ship into an impromptu clockwise spin as engines misfired. Few of its barrage of weapons fire penetrated the Gambits shields however which held steady under the suddenly half strength barrage. The four heavy concussion missiles launched from the Lupus on the other hand shot true, impacting on the aft sheilds of the Gambit and making a noticeable drain on that section of shielding.

She shrugged at where the hologram of the pirate boss was, "Well so that was diplomacy, huh ok."

Vette's dry voice came over the comms. "Perhaps the Republic and CIS should use you as a official negotiator and end the clone war."

"Nah they can't afford me, right keep firing with the ion cannons, boarding parties report to your ships, Gaarwarr, go and engage the enemy Lupus frigate. Vette, you and the interceptors engage the headhunters, unless they are standing down or fleeing. Has the pirate base opened fire? They haven't? Good, but keep a eye on them. All starfighters use your ion cannons for strafing runs on the cruiser, I want it completely disabled."

The vultures clashed with the Z-95's and while overwhelming numbers were on their side a few still took hits, their sturdy construction and armour plating taking the brunt of those hits while Vette in the passing shadow took a few hits on the initial pass as she lead the way 2 of the retractable lasers were hit and the retraction mechanism fried along with some damage to the S-foil systems.

The Eagle Starfighters swooped in the like the birds of prey they were named for and their ion cannons tore into the Starbolt carrier disabling more systems as they made their run, their armour and shields holding up to the scattered laser battery fire that raked the squadrons as they passed.

The Lupus and the Wroshyr Song on the other hand were locked in a tight engagement as each fought to damage the other. The Lupus however was having difficulties bringing its primary firepower to bare on the Wroshyr Song. Gaarwarr on the other hand had no such difficulties in bringing his ships ion weapons around to rain down on the lupus and in fairly short order the only functioning system on the lupus was the life support.

The Gambits ion fire was more organised now and the batteries fired on target bringing the majority of the carriers systems offline as well even as the planetary ion cannon failed to discharge as it took its time to recharge its coils.

Kiyla tapped her cheek, "So... all enemy targets disabled? The pirate base hasn't open fire still?" She recieved confirmation on that and nodded. "Ok, have ion cannons remain firing to keep enemy vessels disabled, launch the assault boats with the boarding parties and contact the asteroid base, I want to know where their loyalties lie."

Before the Communications officer could comply the small base opened fire with all guns... though not on the Gambit as might be expected, instead they fired on the Starbolt, their turbolaser and laser batteries while unlikely to harm the vessel under normal conditions ripped into the disabled vessel laying waste to vast swaths of its surface from the fore to the aft before a lucky shot hit the primary reactor, setting off secondary explosions that swiftly consumed the ship.

"Well... I guess I was not the only enemy he had in this system, contact the asteroid base still and ask them to kindly power down their vessels, what is the status of the Lupus frigate?"

The Lupus frigate she was told was under control and still disabled, "Very well, send the boarding parties to the Lupus frigate then, inform HK-51 he can only kill if they don't surrender, and if he somehow doubts they do, he is to refer to the organic boarding party members, if they say they surrender then he can't shoot them. I won't have that assassin droid act on its violent nature when combat can be avoided."

The base powered down its weapons at the 'request' from the Gambit, they'd taken the opportunity to rid themselves of their boss but they had no intention of trying to replace their boss. The sensors officer confirmed that the defence batteries were powered down and that the main hanger had been opened, though it was only large enough to house one or two shuttles.

"Well I think that is as good as it gets as a invitation to get aboard. Recall the squadrons and inform Vette to pick up some Twi'lek Courtesans and get aboard the station to investigate." Vette acknowledged, a little bit bummed her precious vessel, often home, had gotten damage but she complied.

A report came from a dissapointed HK-51 that the crew aboard the lupus frigate had quickly surrendered and seemed to have no objections to serve Neia Kahleesi when asked, Vette also had a interesting tale. Upon boarding the asteroid base they were welcomed by the only crew, the two pirates they had been talking to over the comms, apparently their pirate boss did not treat them so well and seeing a opportunity they decided to open fire to get rid off him. They were willing to join but not on this rock in the middle of nowhere so Kiyla arranged for them to travel back to the Nova retreat with them and they could be given some tasks of the general workings of Neia's homebase. Kiyla was grinning as she headed to the hypercomms station to inform Neia of the good news.

---
[b]Nova Retreat.
Training Chambers.[/b]

Exhale, and squeeze. Those three words are what she still remembers to this day since Jantor helped her improve her use with a blaster and she still used them herself to calm down when under fire, now however it was mostly to relax and hope that if she hit that the blaster bolts would impact upon her targets legs. Because she was for a training round shooting at own of her own people, the Zygerrian Kalira. She fired three blasts and then watched anxiously. The shield flared to life and both Neia and Kalira let out a whoop, grinning Neia holstered her blaster. "I think you finally got it."

Kalira smirked, pleased with herself, "Yeah I admit I kinda guessed wrong before when the shield recharges between shots but now I got it, this should make me less prone to get dropped that easily by a lucky or stray blasterbolt."

Smiling Neia nodded, "Quite, want to practice your shooting on me as a moving target now? With my shield on of cou-" She blinked as a buzzing interrupted her and she looked at her comm bracelet and turned it on, the face of one of her people in the control center of the station replied, giving her a short mission summary from Kiyla who had contacted the station. "The pirates she decided to eliminate, their carrier was destroyed, more details on that upon her return, and a asteroid warehouse and lupus missile frigate were taken from the pirates. She has assigned Gaarwarr and the Worshyr Song to remain behind and guard the field."

Neia smiled and nodded to herself, "Contact her if you can and relay my thanks to her, I will be looking forward to talk to her more in-depth about what has transpired with those pirates." The operator confirmed she would and Neia grinned, telling Kalira what had just transpired.

Kalira just grinned, "Remind me that I ask that walking ball of fur that he should get a shower when he returns." Sharing a short laugh they continued their training.