Chapter 2: Forges of Ithyari

[Drake 53]

Takeshi's grin broadened and he spun back around in his chair. After tapping a few controls, he said, "I've reduced the intertial gravity compensators in the main hold by half. If we give them a bumpy ride, they'll certainly feel it."

[Rogue 4]

Layla grinned to herself. "Sounds like a fun ride, Captain Jast. Just another crazy day on the Krazy Krakana."

[Ayingel 24]

"I'm not feeling too good about this..." Szen held on to the edges of her seat.

[Vergere 1]

She just smiled and shifted to get comfier, closing her eyes and appeared rather relaxed. "Why do you say that?"

[Mara 29]

Artie tootled down to Kaden from his perch inside his droid socket.

"Be patient, Artie. I'm sure the captain is just going over things with the LT."

The droid made an electronic sighing sound.

He knew how his droid felt, but he tried not to let his impatience show. It had been awhile before he had went on a mission, a real mission with real objectives, not a blue milk run that turned into something else. Kaden had a feeling that Artie was itching for battle just as much as he was. It wasn't any accident that he was painted green and black instead of the usual white and yellow or red.

Kaden sighed himself and decided to look over his X-wing one more time, slowly.

[Ender 8]

Jaim smiled at Layla. "Most of them were made ages ago, and have been used before. I just swapped out the photos."

He then turned to Brier. "You'd be surprised."

At Tak's call, Jaim joined the rest of the squadron in the YT-2000's main bay, and sat back to enjoy the ride.

[Ayingel 24]

Szen looked at everyone else in the Krazy Krakana.

"They don't look comfortable."

[Vergere 1]

Brier yawned again, and shrugged, looking quite a bit like she could sleep almost anywhere. "Never ridden in one of these bucket of bolts before?"

[Ayingel 24]

"Not this type, no."

[Vergere 1]

Brier just smiled knowingly, amused. "Enjoy the ride...."

[Drake 53]

The console before Tak beeped and spoke. "Krazy Krakana, this is dock master. You are cleared for launch. Proper exit coordinates have been downloaded to your navcomp. Safe journey."

"Thank you," said Tak before activating the repulsorlifts and retracting the landing struts and loading ramp. The YT-2000 shuddered as it lifted off the hangar floor.

"Check it out, Legs. Your boy toy is here to wish you off." Tak laughed and pointed out the viewport. Lieutenant Sadro Rath, Flight Officer Jor and a few others of the Mynock squadron had arrived in the hangar. They were dressed as though they were about to leave on a mission. Half of them were standing and staring, open-mouthed, at their pink X-Wings. Jor was clearly yelling at Sadro while the Lieutenant glared daggers right up into the cockpit of the Krakana.

Tak smiled and gave Sadro a friendly wave. That just seemed to piss the Mynock Lieutenant off even more as he mouthed the words, You're mine!

The last thing Tak and Layla saw, as they piloted the freighter out, was Captain Slade and his XO entering the hangar next to Sadro.

"Looks like we got out right in time. Too bad for Captain Tunon, though. He'll probably have to deal with Slade."

[Mara 29]

Seeing some of the Mynocks enter, Kaden ducked under one of his S-foils and appeared to be closely inspecting it. Even though the prank wasn't his idea, he had participated and really didn't want to get into any fist fights, or worse, at the moment.

[Rogue 4]

"And Lieutenant Riamor has no idea what's coming." Layla laughed to herself. "Guess I won't be having drinks in the cantina when I return."

[Drake 53]

"No worries," said Tak with a smirk. "We can drink in my room and have a sexy party."

Tak turned the ship skyward in a gentle curve, passing over the cliffs and jungle surrounding the hidden base. In the distance, they could see a large lake shimmering in the morning sunlight.

He grinned. "Ready to take our passengers for a spin?"

[Rogue 4]

She grinned. "Let's do this."

[Drake 53]

Takeshi flipped the comm on again and said, "This is your pilot speaking. For your safety, please buckle your damn crashwebbing for we will now be experiencing turbulence."

He cackled as he pulled up hard on the controls, bringing the Krakana into a steep and fast climb. After a few moments, Tak pushed the controls down, sending the ship into a sudden drop. Even in the cockpit, they could feel the momentary weightlessness of free-fall. Tak was still laughing like a maniac as they approached the lake at dangerous velocities. Seemingly, at the last second, he pulled up, levelling the agile freighter out and flying it straight just a few metres above the waves.

"By the Force everyone! Are you guys alright back there? I hope no one was hurt. I am truly sorry for that because it would appear that some knucklehead set the main hold's inertial gravity to half of what it should be! The nerve! Well, I'm setting it to normal so there's no more need to worry." Tak paused as he set the compensators to the norm then grinned. "Watch out! A BIRD!"

He sent the freighter into a barrel-roll, spinning it a couple times on its axis before straightening it out again and putting it into a smooth curve towards space.

"It's okay now. Everything's okay. We missed the bird. You can all thank me later. I hear groaning...are you guys hungry?" He flicked off the comm then turned to Layla. "Force, I'm evil."

[Rogue 4]

Layla was laughing so hard in the chair behind him that she could hardly breathe, tears of mirth coming from her eyes. "That just officially made my day, although I have to confess, I think I left my stomach on the ceiling."

Her fingers worked on the controls as they exited the atmosphere. "Plugging in coordinates for the jump. It's probably a good idea if we make a couple short jumps so we can't be traced back to the base."

[Drake 53]

"Agreed. The dock master gave us an exit jump for that very reason. I have also input coordinates to Ithyari from a datapad Captain Tunon gave me after the meeting."

Tak brought the ship about onto their jump vector.

"Coordinates processed. Jump plotted. Excellent," he said, then switched on the ship comm system again. "Prepare for jump to lightspeed on my mark." A pause. "Mark."

He pulled back the controls to the hyperdrive engine, sending the Krazy Krakana into the swirling light of hyperspace.

[Vergere 1]

Unlike everyone else in the hold, and with her webbing already in place from earlier habit, Brier had seemed less than concerned as she was jerked around, weightless, super heavy, and everything else they did with the G's and spins. She just yawned, and cracked her neck without concern with a sleepily amused expression still on her features, as everyone else looked incredibly sick from the ride their pilot had given them. She annoyed everyone around her by seeming perfectly unaffected by the horrible ride they just had.

Edited August 28, 2007 by Vergere

[Ender 8]

Jaim walked over to the food processor that was on board. "Eh, he'll have to do better. Coronet City traffic is worse than that. Anyone want something to eat?"

[Ayingel 24]

Szen's stomach still wasn't settling.

"Uhnnnnn...any bread?"

[Vergere 1]

She opened her eyes and glanced over, "I got something that might settle your stomach, if you'd prefer it over bread."

[Ayingel 24]

"What is it?"

[Vergere 1]

"Just a common drug to help with space sickness." She shrugged and closed her eyes again. "Nothing special."

[Rogue 4]

Layla sighed, leaning back in her chair with her arms behind her head. Last time I flew one of these babies it was stolen.

"So Intelligence and the NRDF think that we're---thirteen people with their Captain included---are a sufficient Force to bring down an entire world." She said thoughtfully. "They must be desperate."