Upon Celestial Tiger: Chapter One

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A small, fast space yacht. The last owner named it Celestial Tiger.

Three small bedrooms (with bunks), one bathroom. Very small storage hold. combined dining/living area. Everyone's going to hate each other by the end of this road trip.

https://i.servimg.com/u/f11/19/46/08/46/small_10.jpg

Helen and Rigel came up from their rooms, looking to Luka and Tala as they did. "What's up?" Rigel asked

"We are at the Hold! The ship of the keepers we chase seems not to have arrived yet. We must decide how to proceed, whether we should infiltrate the Hold, or intercept the keepers before they arrive!" Tala said.

Luka fell silent, this wasn't her area of expertise at all.

Swarm coalesced. "Could infiltrate, gather intelligence, spy." they volunteered.

"We'd still have to dock." Luka pointed out.

Swarm considered that, chittering amongst themselves.

"Where does the tracker say they are?" Helen asked, looking from one to the other then reaching for the tablet to basically zoom out until they could see the dot again.

(We probably can't detect them at all on radar currently, right? They'd be pretty far away)

"Swarm would instantly rouse suspicion if they were found," Tala said thoughtfully. "It would be better to send someone more visible into this place, with a good cover story for being there."

"the slave trader idea?" Luka asked, unable to hide the distaste in her voice.

(tracker isn't on the radar, it's like a special radio signal)
Rigel sighed softly then glanced to Helen, after all, if they went with that idea, she would be the bait along with Shane.

Helen took a deep breath then shrugged "Not my favorite, but I will stand by the offer."

(Ah, okay. Then the tracker can say the other ship is a couple hours away, maybe?)

Tala nodded. "That might be best. Star dragons are an excellent reason for us to be here. We'll need someone who can convincingly act as a slave trader." She looked at Rigel thoughtfully. He was a pretty decent talker. "Also we can select some people to act as handlers for the dragons."

Rigel nodded and looked around "Luka should stay with the ship to keep it safe and ready to run if we have to go in. Some of Swarm stay on the ship and some hide on us, Maybe you, Tala, and Ethan be the handlers?" He gave his suggestions.

"There's the ship" Helen said, showing them the tablet. "It's still a couple hours away. The shortcut was too quick" She said with a soft chuckle.

Tala nodded. "I agree that Luka would be best to remain here. Swarm will make a fine communication device. I and Ethan will make satisfactory handlers, while Rigel can act as captain." Yeah, Tala was fully aware that she looked like dumb muscle to the average humanoid, not like a captain.
She considered, "Sawna should remain on the ship, I think, so she may assist in its defense and heal the injured upon return."

Luka nodded. "I'll keep the ship ready for a quick getaway if neccisary then."

Swarm bobbed their head a little. "We can do this."

"Excellent," Tala said. She looked to Rigel and the star dragons. "If you have any suggestions, state them now."

"Maybe use fake names?" Shane asked then shrugged a little.

Tala nodded. "Fake names would be prudent. We do not wish our identities to become known."

Ethan had been reading in the cargo hold. He liked it in there because it was the place on the ship where people were least likely to walk in. Well technically the bathroom was the place where people were least likely to walk in, but people tended to hammer on the door if you stayed in the bathroom for hours at a time, reading. No, Ethan didn't know this from personal experience, honest.
He heard people talking though, so he finally left the cargo hold to investigate. "What's going on?" he asked.

"We have arrived at the hold, and we will soon infiltrate it with our cunning and wit!" Tala proclaimed. "The star dragons are our bait, Rigel is our captain, and you and I are the handlers of the star dragon slaves! Swarm is our secret communication device. Is the plan not excellent?"

"I guess it's good," Ethan muttered.

Tala nodded. "Luka, attempt to contact the hold for permission to dock. Star dragons, prepare to be cuffed and to look exceptionally docile and drugged. We begin at once."

Shane chuckled and shifted

"What will our names be?" Helen asked before shifting.

Tala considered that. "Select normal names of your species for yourselves. I shall be Omaira." She looked to Ethan, "Go store your weapons out of sight. You are to appear as a pacifist, as your species does."

Ethan went to get ready.

"Rigel, fetch some cuffs!" Tala called.

Luka began trying to contact someone to get permission to dock. This was a bit... stressful. One wrong move and they could be shot out the sky. So uh. .no pressure?

Rigel went to get normal cuffs that looked like anti magic cuffs thanks to a bit of work and brought them out "I guess call me Thorne."

Ethan stowed his weapons in his space pocket, then reluctantly took off his leather jacket so he could put on his badge. Ugh, this universe and its discrimination against androids was stupid.
He had a vavare silk vest on under his shirt, so at least a bullet shouldn't kill him, but he missed having a thick layer of leather between himself and the rest of the world.
He came back after a while. "My name will be Michael. That's a standard, boring, android name, I think."

Tala went to help Rigel cuff the dragons.

Eventually someone at the dock would respond, asking for the Tiger to declare its mission in this space, and crew roster.

Shane and Helen let themselves be collared then huddled together to look like they were dejected.

Rigel looked to Luka and nodded for her to answer.

Luka answered as best she could, giving a list of fake names. Thorne, the captain, Omaira and Michael were security. She herself was Sigrid, pilot and they had precious cargo to deliver to interested parties.

Air control gave the Tiger permission to land. Luka's scanners might pick up that several missile launchers were tracking the ship as they taxied in, but they were allowed to land without incident, and only a few guards came out to meet them.

Tala nodded to Rigel. "When we open the airlock, you are acting Captain. Do not make me regret this choice."

Ethan fidgeted with his badge, realized he shouldn't do that, and stopped.

"Are all ready for the airlock to be opened for inspection?" Tala asked.

(Hey Starr, can you give a brief overview of what this place looks like and what sorts of people are here? I'm kinda improvising here, lol.

Also anyone can play a guard or two if they want.)

The hold was much as one would imagine it to look if one imagined an asteroid with what appeared to be a castle on it. The castle was familiar to those who had made the trip to the mirror universe and back as the original castle of the star dragons, though with modifications made for the varied groups that now resided on it.

The people that lived there now were from every race that had anyone more interested in money than morals all under the leadership of one woman (the one Heny came up with that wanted dragons, I forgot her name)

(Thank you, Starr!)

Ethan looked around. "I think we're ready." He double checked that he didn't have any knives or guns on his belt, that would be a dumb mistake for sure.

Tala looked at the star dragons, then found a piece of rope to loop through their collars so they could be led. "Ethan, open the airlock. Rigel, prepare to be articulate. All others, speak not unless addressed!"

Ethan went and opened the airlock.

The guards stood outside.

"Welcome to Avolire Hold," the leader said, "Are you prepared to be boarded and searched?"

Ethan put on his most convincing docile look, stood aside, and glanced to Rigel to answer.

Luka tried not to look nervous, staying where she was for now, just in case they had to make a quick getaway.

Swarm hid. A few settled on each of the away party, too small to be seen by the naked eye and too tiny to really ping on scanners either.
the rest scattered into the ventilation shafts of the ship.

Rigel looked to the boarding party then nodded once "Of course we are ready, you think we would come all the way out here without being ready?" He said and waved them in "I tell you, this is why I like my usual routs, but they don't pay nearly as much for this cargo. Right docile little things."