[SoNE Ep. XIII] Kuat - Blunt Force Trauma

[LucasLaughing]

Kuat – gateway to the Core Worlds, home of the famous Kuat Drive Yards, and a good system to disappear in, provided you keep a low profile and don't try to get too close to Kuat proper.

When most people think of Kuat, they picture the Drive Yards themselves, ringing the planet, but there are literally thousands of spaceborn ship construction platforms littering the Kuat system, producing everything from hypermatter reactors to refreshers.

Of those thousands of platforms, there are probably one or two hundred which are empty, derelict or abandoned at any given time. One of these isolated, empty platforms has been my home the last few days.

This one isn't actually abandoned; it's just been shut down between production runs. Nobody here but me and the loading droids.

I've been working for the past few hours, trying to get one of the droids to link its manual control unit with my datapad.  I've almost got it.

There we go.

I don't have a user login, but I do have a security spike which gives me access to the system framework. Let's see, 'autopilot: disabled,' 'speed inhibitor: disabled,' 'collision avoidance:' … definitely disabled.  Better hurry, not much time left.  I wont be alone for long.

There's an Imperial officer on the way.  A major in the Supply Corps.  He has a meeting set up with a Black Sun arms dealer.  The same dealer he's met with monthly for almost a year.

The major's getting a nice payday, diverting a few crates of weapons each month.  He's also stupid and sloppy - ISB was onto him almost immediately, but they'd been content to hide trackers in the crates and use them to help map out Black Sun's network.

Today, though, he won't be meeting with his usual dealer.  Said dealer is dead, if he's lucky.  The Empire's finally decided to start rolling up Black Sun's operations, and they're hitting everyone at once.  

The shuttle drops off the major, his bodyguards and the weapons in the main hanger.  From there, they'll move the crates to one of the auxiliary hangers in back of the station.  The shuttle is supposed to return in an hour to pick them back up, but in about 10 minutes that shuttle is going to be a cloud of glowing debris, or so I've been told.

 

The weapons don't look like much, but those are proton-bombs and disruptors - unpleasant, and expensive.  I'd normally feel guilty about killing troopers - they're just grunts like me - but these guys knew what they were signing up for.

Ok, full speed, full power.  I only get one shot at this.

Ah, good.  Something new for my nightmares.

  This is Tango Bravo to control.  It's done.

Spoiler

Note to judges: the hanger in the second shot (where my character is working with his datapad) is the same as the hanger in the last few shots.

And another entry just before the deadline.  I'll get better at time management one of these days.  There's supposed to be another freebuild to fill in the story between my last freebuild and this entry - I'm hoping to get it posted this weekend.  Second freebuild is here! Thanks for viewing!

 

 

Edited December 13, 2016 by LucasLaughing

[Kodan Black]

Wow, great use of micro for the long-range shots and then transitioning into the close-ups! I like the crates of supplies and the motion blur on the action shots. Another top notch build!

[MKJoshA]

Wow. Just wow. Your forced perspective, the cargo containers made out of dump-truck pieces, the patched in spike using fishing lines! It's great! And your story is appropriately grim.

[goatman461]

You seem to approach these builds like a director getting all of his shots. I'm amazed at all of the planning and dedication it takes you to get all of these original shots. Wonderful details throughout: the colored piping, cargo, distant space stations, etc.

[Puvel]

Wow, that last shot is stuff for nightmares alright  

Excellent work with all the micro ships and great writing!

[Cody Startale]

I think I love everything about it, it is so well done and there are so many details. Yet, even filled with cool details, your hangar is clear and neat, very good. The micro ships are a great touch as well and I like how you used the spy collectable minifig, I had a similar use in mind when I got it recently. It's a great fig for covert ops type characters.

 

As I also enjoy all your story parts, I am looking forward to that freebuild you mentioned. I really like the backstory you have going on here; the corrupt officer and ISB using him to get a hold of Black Sun activity are excellent details that tie in perfectly with the episode's plot and the events you depicted in your entry. Great job all around!

 

/* I forgot to ask: what are those big, big stud-less pieces that serve as your hangar floor?

Edited December 6, 2016 by Cody Startale

[ChiefPie]

Great build and story!

[Merc4Hire]

Wow I really like how cinematic you make your builds and this one is certainly no exception. The forced perspective with the shuttle and freighters is perfectly executed and the hangar has just the right amount of greeble details and smooth surfaces. The ship looks great as does the distant space station. 

[LucasLaughing]

Thank you for the comments and kind words everyone!

@Cody Startale - sorry for the late reply to your question, but the large tiles on the floor are parts 90498 and 48288