The disparate threads of the Outer Rim began to weave together on the grimy, industrious world of Ord Mantell. The Chiss strategist, Tharal, finalized the purchase of a battered but promising YT-1300 freighter, acutely aware of the credits needed to make it truly spaceworthy. Meanwhile, the Wookiee demolitionist, Thrar, concluded a job for a local mining operation, collecting his pay before heading to the only reliable food stall in the sector: "Frenki's Greasy Franks."
Frenki Gorlonn's stand served as an unofficial hub for the sector's freelancers. It was here that the astromech droid Echo, operating on a referral from Frenki, collected a pilot's fee from Black Sun couriers before settling in to recharge. The paths of the future crew converged when Tharal arrived, seeking work to fund his new ship's repairs. The charismatic four-armed Besalisk cook, Frenki, immediately tried to pry information from the cautious Chiss, just as another payment—this one for Thrar—was delivered. In a move of characteristic opportunism, Frenki pocketed the Wookiee's pay chip.
The fragile peace was shattered by the crack of a blaster bolt. A bounty hunter, having finally tracked Frenki down, shot the Besalisk in the back. The response was immediate and brutally efficient. Echo fired a blaster shot back while Thrar, with surprising speed, closed the distance and knocked the hunter unconscious with a set of brass knuckles. The attack served as a brutal confirmation for Frenki: his cover was blown, and it was time to leave Ord Mantell. Shutting down his stand for good, he decided to seek a high-stakes job from his Black Sun contacts.
The newly formed group turned their attention to Tharal's ship. Echo's diagnostic scan revealed the vessel's history as a smuggler's ship named the Stardust Drifter, complete with hidden compartments and a false identity transponder. While the cost for full repairs was steep, Echo confirmed he could get it spaceworthy for a more manageable 3,000 credits. As the droid worked, Thrar discovered Frenki's deception when he tried to collect his pay from Mantellian Mineral Exports, only to be told it had been delivered but not yet redeemed.
Reconvening at the Shadesun Casino, a Black Sun headquarters, the crew met with logistics coordinator Vorn Dol. He laid out the job: the arms dealer Meridian Dynamics had double-crossed the syndicate, taking their deposit for three advanced slicer hardware units before selling them to the Empire for a higher price. Black Sun wanted the cores intercepted and the Hutt Cartel framed for the theft.
Presented with three potential ambush points—a space intercept, a high-society gala, or a railyard transfer—the crew devised an ambitious two-part plan. Tharal and Echo would first infiltrate the Meridian gala to gather intelligence, while the main strike would target the cargo at the railyard.
The preparations began immediately. The team allocated 3,800 credits for a swift speeder bike and a supply of Detonite, which Thrar and Echo promptly planted along the target railway tracks. Never one to miss an angle, Frenki made a dangerous side-deal, feeding information about the transport to a Hutt mistress, Nara. In exchange for a 2,000 credit advance, he agreed to lead her seven mercenaries into the ambush, fully intending to double-cross them.
As the episode concluded, the pieces were in motion. Tharal's attempt to network with a Meridian employee had failed, leaving the gala as his best chance for intel. With only five hours until the hardware was on the move, the crew took their positions. Tharal and Echo prepared to blend in with the corporate elite, while deep in the industrial zone, Thrar lay in wait near the rigged tracks, and a nervous Frenki stood among seven suspicious Hutt mercenaries, his web of deceit stretched to its breaking point.