Ragtag

The idea was for it to be a simple break, a quiet lush planet somewhere in the Outer Rim. The perfect place to lay low for a few days. But like always the past had caught up with Becc Weldon. It was a gang she thought she had outrun. She sighed as she watched their ships swoop down to the planet's surface through a pair of macrobinoculars. Swiftly she lowered them down and then attached them to her belt. It was time to warn the others: "People, we have a problem."

"What are we dealing with now?" Wonji asked. Wonji was a the crew's muscle, big by even Houk standards.

"They've caught up with us. I thought you said we were untraceable Gemena!" Becc huffed.

"We should have been. Maybe if we had headed into the overgrowth they would have had less of a chance of finding us," Gemena replied.

"You know I like the cliffs," Becc snapped backed. She turned around to face a modified astromech-like droid Zero-Esk. "Esk, I need you to do something to their communications. Scramble them, they'll be easier to deal with if they can't talk to each other," Becc instructed the droid. The droid acknowledged the command with a series of chirps and electronic squeaks before rolling away.

"I just took a look and they're getting closer!" Wonji roared. "I'm manning the guns," he went over and hopped into the ship's mounted turret. Waiting patiently for them to get close enough.

"What are you doing Gemena? Just going to sit around and watch?"

"Stop worrying Becc. We can handle this wave of scum, we always do." Slowly Gemena went over to the controls and readied it for take off. "Of all the crews in the galaxy to end up with," Gemena complained.

Zero-Esk started to bleep urgently. They were receiving a signal request from the leading gang ship. "Allow it Zero," Becc Weldon instructed. There was a slight warbling from the communications systems, with a voice slowly creeping into signal range. "Who do I have the pleasure of speaking to?"

"Weldon, you just had to do things your way didn't you."

"I do what is necessary Zarand, you should know that by now," Becc replied. Zarand was the worst of the worst, probably would do in his own for a quick pay day.

"Oxus sends his regards," Zarand said. The communications cut out suddenly and then the small fleet of the gang's fighters started to fire upon them. In a panic Becc dashed to be at Gemena's side.

"We need to get out of here!" Becc shouted. The ship started to ascend, the engines shook all the long grass and flora surrounding them.

"The guns have failed!" Wonji shouted as he fiddled with the controls. "We're going to have to run, even with Zero it'd take a while to get these operational again."

Becc turned to Gemena. "You heard him, run!"

TBC