Post by Vex on Feb 4, 2008 7:15:41 GMT -5
“Light Freighter, designation Ante Up, this is Starlight 23. We are tracking your approach vector and are closing for intercept. State your business.”
Cutting through the clouds, the modified light freighter left a contrail of black smoke now that it had entered into the atmosphere. From the viewport, he could see a section of the front armor paneling fluttering against the drag of air. Weakened and warped by laser fire, its welds to the rest of the hull finally gave up their struggle. The sound of metal tearing free was loud, reverberating through the ship as the plate tore away. It pinged and flipped up towards the cockpit and Daryn ducked reflexively as it slammed against the plasteel viewport. It then whipped up and away to begin its very long descent into the vast nothing of the gas planet below. He sighed and shook his head as the vibrations of the ship began to get worse. “Come on baby, hold together.” He thought through a few different deities to pray to and then flipped the switch for the comms. “Starlight 23, Ante Up requests clearance to land. Authorization code is Victor-India-Papa-oh-two-four-niner dash Bravo. Special delivery for private citizen, armed escort requested to ensure transfer.”
The ship tried to list to the left and down again, forcing him to push the controls back and up to compensate and try to keep her level. That hole where half his port side maneuvering thrusters had once been was playing havoc with his ability to keep her under control. “House…shunt some of that power from the shielding to boost up the port side thrust and maneuvering jets and even out the flow. It’s bad enough I’ve got to glide her in…I don’t need to try and GAIN altitude while I’m at it.”
His astromech spat a warbling string of binary at him in response.
“Hey, watch it! I was trying to keep them from locking on with those torpedoes. YOU are the copilot, why weren’t you watching the sensors for that sith spawn of a meteor?” Full House came back with a long withering tone and some more binary which made Daryn become livid. Before he could respond, however, the comms crackled again.
“Roger that, Ante Up, you are cleared for landing at docking bay 67. Alter your flight path to 32.5 degrees by 14.84, we’ll lead you in. Welcome to Port City.”
Gritting his teeth, Daryn propped his boot up on the console and dragged on the piloting yoke, trying to coerce his ship to turn herself in the necessary directions. Grunting from the effort, he finally pulled her into the trajectory his cloud car escort had indicated. Flipping the comm switch, he panted out. “Much obliged, Starlight 23.” He glanced up, seeing the two small craft running a flyby overhead, knowing they were turning around to take up flanking positions to either side in front.
Five minutes later, his arms were shaking from the strain of keeping the ship in the proper trajectory, but the bay was right there. Blinking lines of lights pulsed in sequence, creating a path guiding him to the proper bay now. “Almost there…”
The panel lights flickered and then dimmed, the hum of the engine stuttering in a cough and he felt his stomach lurch up into his throat as they dropped down 30 meters in a blink before the power evened out again and they leveled. He pulled back hard on the yoke…the bottom ledge of the bay was now eye level with his cockpit. “Son of a…” The tail was going to hit the ledge, he knew it…couldn’t pull it up enough, “House, all power to aft repulsors, NOW!”
He watched as his view of the top of the bay was quite suddenly inverted, the repulsors pushing with extra power and rocking the tail of his ship up like the end of a seesaw. He was able to watch as the front aerials of his sensor system clipped the floor of the bay and were ripped away. He winced, those weren’t cheap.
House dialed down the power and the aft leveled out. Managing to feather the repulsors a bit more, Daryn finally settled down the ship, slumping back in his seat after powering the whole thing down. Through half-lidded eyes he saw through the view port and noted the shocked expressions of the dock workers within. He could feel the sweat trickling down his spine and along his brow from the effort and anxiety that the last 15 minutes had cost him. His hand shook a little bit as he combed it through his hair, pulling it back from his face.
“House, send a message to Benter Delhoun. Tell him I’ve got his VIP and he can transfer the credits to the account. Also let him know that, as per contract stipulations, he’ll be handling the repair fees for Ante Up. That stinking piece of bantha fodder forgot to mention they had a bomber.” Sighing, he pushed himself to his feet and moved out of the bridge, heading down to the cargo bay. He ignored the Sullustan male in his detainment cells and went straight to the bay doors, cycling the system to open them and lower the ramp.
Outside, half a dozen of Delhoun’s “private security” was waiting outside with stun sticks and taser weapons. Oh yes, Delhoun wanted this one alive…at least, for a little while. Daryn stuck his thumb back over his shoulder, gesturing to the interior and the detainment cell. “He’s right there, boys…and trust me, he’s all yours." He only waited around long enough for the men to collected their “VIP” before he cycled the bay door closed again and walked away from the ship.
He REALLY needed a drink.
Cutting through the clouds, the modified light freighter left a contrail of black smoke now that it had entered into the atmosphere. From the viewport, he could see a section of the front armor paneling fluttering against the drag of air. Weakened and warped by laser fire, its welds to the rest of the hull finally gave up their struggle. The sound of metal tearing free was loud, reverberating through the ship as the plate tore away. It pinged and flipped up towards the cockpit and Daryn ducked reflexively as it slammed against the plasteel viewport. It then whipped up and away to begin its very long descent into the vast nothing of the gas planet below. He sighed and shook his head as the vibrations of the ship began to get worse. “Come on baby, hold together.” He thought through a few different deities to pray to and then flipped the switch for the comms. “Starlight 23, Ante Up requests clearance to land. Authorization code is Victor-India-Papa-oh-two-four-niner dash Bravo. Special delivery for private citizen, armed escort requested to ensure transfer.”
The ship tried to list to the left and down again, forcing him to push the controls back and up to compensate and try to keep her level. That hole where half his port side maneuvering thrusters had once been was playing havoc with his ability to keep her under control. “House…shunt some of that power from the shielding to boost up the port side thrust and maneuvering jets and even out the flow. It’s bad enough I’ve got to glide her in…I don’t need to try and GAIN altitude while I’m at it.”
His astromech spat a warbling string of binary at him in response.
“Hey, watch it! I was trying to keep them from locking on with those torpedoes. YOU are the copilot, why weren’t you watching the sensors for that sith spawn of a meteor?” Full House came back with a long withering tone and some more binary which made Daryn become livid. Before he could respond, however, the comms crackled again.
“Roger that, Ante Up, you are cleared for landing at docking bay 67. Alter your flight path to 32.5 degrees by 14.84, we’ll lead you in. Welcome to Port City.”
Gritting his teeth, Daryn propped his boot up on the console and dragged on the piloting yoke, trying to coerce his ship to turn herself in the necessary directions. Grunting from the effort, he finally pulled her into the trajectory his cloud car escort had indicated. Flipping the comm switch, he panted out. “Much obliged, Starlight 23.” He glanced up, seeing the two small craft running a flyby overhead, knowing they were turning around to take up flanking positions to either side in front.
Five minutes later, his arms were shaking from the strain of keeping the ship in the proper trajectory, but the bay was right there. Blinking lines of lights pulsed in sequence, creating a path guiding him to the proper bay now. “Almost there…”
The panel lights flickered and then dimmed, the hum of the engine stuttering in a cough and he felt his stomach lurch up into his throat as they dropped down 30 meters in a blink before the power evened out again and they leveled. He pulled back hard on the yoke…the bottom ledge of the bay was now eye level with his cockpit. “Son of a…” The tail was going to hit the ledge, he knew it…couldn’t pull it up enough, “House, all power to aft repulsors, NOW!”
He watched as his view of the top of the bay was quite suddenly inverted, the repulsors pushing with extra power and rocking the tail of his ship up like the end of a seesaw. He was able to watch as the front aerials of his sensor system clipped the floor of the bay and were ripped away. He winced, those weren’t cheap.
House dialed down the power and the aft leveled out. Managing to feather the repulsors a bit more, Daryn finally settled down the ship, slumping back in his seat after powering the whole thing down. Through half-lidded eyes he saw through the view port and noted the shocked expressions of the dock workers within. He could feel the sweat trickling down his spine and along his brow from the effort and anxiety that the last 15 minutes had cost him. His hand shook a little bit as he combed it through his hair, pulling it back from his face.
“House, send a message to Benter Delhoun. Tell him I’ve got his VIP and he can transfer the credits to the account. Also let him know that, as per contract stipulations, he’ll be handling the repair fees for Ante Up. That stinking piece of bantha fodder forgot to mention they had a bomber.” Sighing, he pushed himself to his feet and moved out of the bridge, heading down to the cargo bay. He ignored the Sullustan male in his detainment cells and went straight to the bay doors, cycling the system to open them and lower the ramp.
Outside, half a dozen of Delhoun’s “private security” was waiting outside with stun sticks and taser weapons. Oh yes, Delhoun wanted this one alive…at least, for a little while. Daryn stuck his thumb back over his shoulder, gesturing to the interior and the detainment cell. “He’s right there, boys…and trust me, he’s all yours." He only waited around long enough for the men to collected their “VIP” before he cycled the bay door closed again and walked away from the ship.
He REALLY needed a drink.