It was time. Fel was not a fan of unnecessary communication. Unnecessary meaning, not giving out more information than was absolutely needed for forward momentum, and, often – he just didn’t really like talking to folks. Easier to stay silent. Let others draw their own conclusions. But this could be life or death. And there were others besides him and Jet who could get dead. So after he had entered the coordinates for their final jump and locked in the hyperdrive, he quickly began going over what needed to be said. He didn’t finesse it too much… he wasn’t saying words over a fallen soldier or something (yet…) So after collecting his thoughts (for better or worse) and watching once more the swirling void outside the viewport, the spacer activated the internal comms once more. [color=F7941D]”We’re in the lane, folks. Forty minutes to Abilene orbit. I’d like a word with y’all. In the common room.”[/color] He clicked off, only realizing afterward that he hadn’t ordered the meeting, but also hadn’t said ‘pretty please.’ Oh well. Either they’d be there, or they wouldn’t. 

He ventured aft, finding Wrench was seeking him out. The little droid started immediately bleeping and whirring its message, which Fel waved off. [color=F7941D]”Not now, Tin man. Tell me later. We’ll have plenty of time planetside. Whether we want it, or not…”[/color] The astromech insisted in tweeting and hooting again, trying to interject, but Fel shut him down a second time. [color=F7941D]”Gorram it, Wrench, we’ve got important things to discuss. You too. You get a vote. So get yer can out here and tell me about your complaints or how I can be a 1.2% better Captain, or how much better you’d do at my job, later on. Kark it all…”[/color]

He waited a few minutes, leaning against the table where they had just completed their meal. After Zane appeared, they were all accounted for. Aellyn leaning against a bulkhead on the far side of the common space, barely lit by the dim light spilling from her room, Jet seated at the end of the table, the Doc at what seemed to be his preferred location at the Dejarik table, Wrench in the middle of the floor, radome rotating from face to face, looking at each of their assembled ‘crew’ in turn. Currently his servos were the only sounds in the compartment, aside from the gentle swaying of the gear hanging in the galley.

[color=F7941D]“So. Abilene. Well – it ain’t actually called Abilene. Don’t rightly have a name. But most folk who know it even exists, call it after the lady runs the joint. This thing we did for her… I appreciate you all for it. But that don’t mean I trust her more’n I could throw her. We have… history. She might be about as happy to see me as we’d be happy to find an Imperial Cruiser waiting for us at the drop. But that’s for me, and Jet, to worry about. Business is business, and she’ll deal with us.”[/color] He crossed his arms, realizing he was rambling. Talking stuff out was a fool’s game. Kark it. 

[color=F7941D]”...what we need to discuss is our arrival. And yes, you all get a vote. Because it’s all our skins. Yours and mine. And when we discuss this, I need y’all to be selfish. Because ain’t nobody going to look out for your necks besides you, and me.”[/color] [i]a pause[/i] [color=F7941D]”When we arrive at Abilene, we can land at the settlement. It’ll be easiest to offload the goods. And it will be safer, as concerns the local pest problem on Abilene.”[/color] He looked from face to face, only receiving understanding (and more than a touch of sympathy) from Jet. [color=F7941D]”Cats. Best I can describe ‘em. Predatory cats. Kings of the food chain there. Tear a man down as easy as a squad of stormies with ‘auto aim.’ One of the things what was taken from Abilene was an emitter that kept the damnable things at bay. One of the Admiral’s little passive measures to ensure the colony didn’t survive. Kill ‘em without firing a shot… anyways. We land close in, we avoid most of the cats, but we deal with Abilene, and we don’t get to dictate terms of the handover. We land far out, we can tell her how and when she gets her goods. And I tells ya now… we may have to play hard ball with the old lady to get what we deserve. But we land far out, every one of us will need to grow a third eye to watch out for them cats. And you’ll all have to be armed, if’n you plan to leave the ship.”[/color]

He looked from face to face. [color=F7941D]”What’s it gonna be? Everyone has to vote. This can’t be just me tellin’ it like it is, or how I want it to be.”[/color]

Jet took a slow breath and rubbed his chin as he thought. It sure would be more beneficial for them to have the bargaining chip that would be dictating the meeting but.. [color=ff0000]“I vote we land close.”[/color] he paused, letting his vote settle in before he continued, [color=ff0000]“You and I, Fel, we’ve seen these things, we know what we’re looking for, we’ve seen what they can and [i]will[/i] do but the others.. They’d be blind to it.”[/color] He leant back into his chair, folding his arms, turning his head to speak to the whole group [color=ff0000]“Not saying you guys ain’t capable but these things.. Damn fast, strong, smart when they wanna be. It’s a risk, but that’s just my two creds.”[/color] He gave Fel a knowing look, one with a slightly arched eyebrow. He appreciated the democratic approach probably the most out of all of them but this could end up being a bigger risk than it needed to be. 

Aellyn waited, waited for others to answer. The Doc wouldn’t care, in fact he answered the way she thought. Anything to stay away from danger, he voted to land close. No reason to be killed by the wildlife. She didn’t care if they landed close or not, she found it more humorous that the smuggler wanted a democracy. Vote? Pshhh.  She wanted her cut and by the sound of things, the old kark wasn’t going to share. Aellyn’s mind whirled, if the Admiral was here, stole the emitter, among other things, then there was one emitter in the cargo hold. To her, they had the leverage.  [color=AE91B8] “I say…park out in the middle… let her come to us. She wants what is hers…let her come get it. We risked our necks…she can risk hers. Otherwise, pack up shop, and let's go sell her stuff to the highest bidder.” [/color] Aellyn didn’t move, her voice as selfish as they would come.

Zane sat, listening to Fel and the others while shifting uneasily in the slightly-baggy technician’s suit he was wearing, chewing on the tip of his thumb thoughtfully. He didn’t really know much about meet-ups aside from those few he’d gotten into on Lotho, but Parlo talked about them all the time. Tried to knock a few of those lessons into the kid. So, when most everyone had said their piece, he finally chimed in, choosing his words carefully and deliberately while he leaned against the corridor bulkhead.

[color=cyan]”Well, we know they’re gonna want that ‘emitter’ thing, right? Prolly more than anythin’ else, they’ll tear down half a planet for that. Which means they won’t think twice about gunnin’ us down if we’ve got it on us and are tryin’ to sell it back. We prolly need to make sure that thing even works first, an’ if it does, we either plop it down one spot an’ meet her bunch somewhere else, or make ‘em come to us like the lady said. Landing in the Laigrek’s den where all their hired guns are seems like a fool’s errand, no offense. But if we can power that emitter, then the cats can stay off our backs long enough to get the deal done. Maybe we even rig it with charges or somethin’ and keep our thumb on the switch til she deals with us an’ deals rightly. Keeps us from being riddled with holes, and keeps them honest long enough for us to get our pay and get clear. Also puts them on their back foot, having to come meet with us. The less heads up they get, the better, too. Gives ‘em less time to organize. That’s all I can think up anyway. But y’all know your ‘friend’ better than I do…an’ I’m as green as they come, so…do what you will, I guess. But my vote is land out, like the lady said.”[/color] Hoping he didn’t ramble too long, he shrugged for a moment, and then went back to chewing the tip of his thumb thoughtfully.

Eyes turned to the little droid at the corner of the table. Wrench’s radome swivelled, a sound like gritty bearings, tooted and whirred for a few seconds, bleeped and blooped, and then was silent. Short and sweet, to the point. Fel’s droid was worried about the ship. The cats were a concern for the crew. The locals were a concern for the crew. None of the arrangements listed were a concern for the ship. Parts, tools, supplies and fuel were at the settlement. It made more sense to land at the settlement. 

After a moment though, the little, old, patchwork astromech lit up again, bleeping four or five more additions, which loosely translated to [color=8dc73f]“That said, you all have a higher than average chance of dying at the hands of Abilene and her hired hands. ‘Intelligent’ adversaries carry a greater threat. It would be unfortunate to carry on without you, though I would. Perhaps it would be best if you set down elsewhere.”[/color]

Fel shook his head and chuckled. So according to Wrench, aside from the probability of them getting dead through incompetence and being far too squishy, it would be easier to land in town. He thought for a moment before conceding, [color=F7941D]”I’m inclined to agree with Aellyn, Zane and the rust-bucket. Fact is, I hadn’t even considered setting up the emitter. That’s not bad at all. Jet – you think we can rig it to the core? It’d sure make life easier for dealin’ with Abilene. We wouldn’t have to worry as much about being a meal.”[/color] He straightened up, rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck. [color=F7941D]“OK folks. That’s it then. I’ll contact the settlement, let them know we’ll be in the world soon. Maybe even let them know we got the job done.”[/color] He smirked. [color=F7941D]”Thanks. Oh, and I still think if you’re leaving the ship for any reason, any of you, you be armed when you do so. And we go in pairs. Nobody out walking alone, doing work on the ship alone. Ship’s Armory, otherwise known as my quarters, is available to you, if’n you need a shooter.”[/color]