292. Pirates....... YAR! - Raezyr

Raezyr cruised out of the atmosphere and headed for the outskirts of the system. The Mandos had sternly reminded them there was no hyperspace travel permitted inside the system by non-Mandalorian vessels. Not wanting any undue problems they complied.

Just as they were passing the outer planet of the system, an oversized asteroid that had taken up orbit around Shogun's star, four heavily armed ships emerged from their hiding place and intercepted the Rancor. Their communications panel beeped as the unkown ships hailed them.

"Light freighter, you are hereby ordered to shut down and prepare to be boarded. If you comply, you might make it out of this alive," came the voice across from the speaker.

Raezyr was about to tell them to go to hell when Dianna spoke up, "I recognize that voice, let me handle this."

"Fillis Riv-ars, is that you?" She asked into the comm.

"It doesn't matter who this is..... " there was a long pause, "Dianna? What are you doing on board that hunk of junk masquerading as a space ship?" Fillis asked.

"Listen Riv-ars, we aren't shutting down, you're not boarding us, and you won't be taking our cargo or this ship," Dianna said firmly.

"You know these guys?" Raezyr asked.

"Fillis Riv-ars and I go back quite a way. He used to be a part of my father's crew, and mine for a short while. When my father's long time First Mate retired, he was next in line for the spot, but my father promoted me over him. He felt that Riv-ars was too bloodthirsty and short-sighted to be in charge. He never really forgave Dad for that. Then when my father passed away, he automatically thought he would be my First Mate, but I promoted Zanz over him. He stormed out, whining and crying like a little girl after that, and several of the men who hung out with him followed. He's done what ever he could to harass me and my operations since," Dianna explained.

"Kingsdoom, you're going to do exactly as I say or I'll blow that little tub to the other side of the galaxy, and then I'm coming over there personally and make you wish you had never played 'pirate princess!'" Fillis said vehemently.

"Yeah, you're the only pirate princess around here," Dianna retorted and clicked off the comm. "Raezyr, show them what we can do."

The four ships immediately began to open fire and Raezyr went to work. Stretching out with the Force, he let the ship become an extension of himself, reacting just fractions of a second before Fillis' ships did, rolling and twisting away from the incoming lasers.

"I'll get to the turbo laser pod," Trych said, running for the ladder that would take him there.

"I'm right behind you," called Dianna.

Raezyr kicked in the auxilary power, flipped on the deflector screens, then powered up the proton torpedo tubes. For all of Sand Iago's worthlessness, this ship was in tip-top fighting shape.

Raezyr manuevered around, keeping the laser cannon pods directed at his enemies as best he could, all the while trying to get a lock so he could fire the torpedos. He could hear the whine of the turbo laser batteries as Dianna and Trychon loosed a barrage of fire on their attackers.

They were inflicting alot of damage on Riv-ars' ships, while taking very little themselves. Soon they broke off the attack and Raezyr let them go, watching the pseudo-motion of the ships as they jumped to hyperspace.

Dianna and Trychon made their way back to the cockpit.

"Why'd they run?" Trychon asked.

"Fillis is basically a no-heart coward behind all his trash talking. We put up more of a fight than he was looking for, but make no mistake, next time he'll be ready," Dianna said.

"Yar! Next time, we'll make him walk the plank and consign him to the starry deep," Trychon said in his pirate voice.

Raezyr laughed out loud, but quietly, unable to help himself, and Dianna slugged him in the shoulder.

"What was that for?" Raezyr asked, just a bit miffed.

"Stop encouraging him," she said, shaking her head.