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12:44, 29th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Part 18 - The Breaking Storm.

Posted by The ForceFor group 0
The Force
GM, 683 posts
These aren't the dice
rolls you're looking for.
Thu 10 Dec 2015
at 20:52
  • msg #1

Part 18 - The Breaking Storm

The Colonel is, it seems, away from the base on pre-planned business, with security measures in place to prevent his location being discovered, and possibly leaked to the spy behind the sabotage on Defiance Base, and the compromising of several missions.

Of course, at the time he left, he had no idea that the spy was the freighter pilot, Volan Reise.  But that news can wait until he gets back, and in the meantime, the base's security team have been alerted.

Things seem to settle down, and for two days all is normal.  There are no further missions, with Kourene away, and the Alliance personnel get some much needed downtime-  Time to relax, maintain equipment, train...

Of course it doesn't last.

In the middle of the second night, security personnel are dispatched to wake a number of individuals across the base and quietly summon them to an emergency meeting in the main Briefing Room.

When they arrive, they find the room crowded.  It looks like most of the base's field operatives and fighter pilots are present...
Rhijans Thanus
player, 886 posts
Just let me do my job and
nobody else gets hurt.
Fri 11 Dec 2015
at 06:10
  • msg #2

Part 18 - The Breaking Storm

Rhijans noticed the familiar faces in the room and drifted through the growing crowd to get close to his team.  "If I was a betting man, I'd put money down that Reise is somehow behind this..." he growled, barely audible over the murmur of voices in the room.
Haarmon Dak
player, 488 posts
Are you talking to me?
Fri 11 Dec 2015
at 21:06
  • msg #3

Part 18 - The Breaking Storm

Haarmon nodded, eyes bleary with sleep but his mouth set in a sour line. "Behind. Around. All over. How many of these guys weren't even cleared by Kourene? I don't like any of this."
The Force
GM, 685 posts
These aren't the dice
rolls you're looking for.
Mon 14 Dec 2015
at 20:20
  • msg #4

Part 18 - The Breaking Storm

The buzz of conversation grows louder, as more people enter the room.  Mostly speculation about what might be going on...

And then the noise dwindles to total silence as two of men enter the room and move to the front.  Neither is Kourene.  They aren't even senior aides or advisors.  One is about eighth or ninth in the chain of command on the base, the other is Lieutenant Arisis, the current head of base security.

Arisis is first to speak.  "Sorry to drag you in in the middle of the night, I know some of you were still catching up on your sleep after the recent problems, but it's a real emergency."

"Two hours ago one of our comm arrays picked up a signal, very weak and heavily encoded, which got our attention immediately.  We spent some time decoding it, then verifying that we had done it correctly, and that the message was genuine.  I took the resulting message the senior officer currently on Defiance Base."
  He nods towards the other man, "Major Trinoko immediately decided to call this meeting."

He activates a hidden holoprojector, and a man's face appears, about three times larger than life, in the air above him.  The face is bloody, and when he speaks, the man's voice is weak and laced with pain.  The recording itself is prone to fading in and out at random intervals.

"... Gorto Finn...  The ship has been... "  There is loud report in the background, and for a moment the hologram dissolves in static before stabilising again.  "Imperials have cap... passengers, trying to ... flight logs.  Computer is booby tra... only a few seconds left.  We are in Orakanin syst... " and the recording ends in a flare of white light...

For a few seconds Arisis and Trinoko are silent, then the Major speaks, "We have to assume, from that, that Colonel Kourene and his senior staff are now in Imperial hands.  This, of course, means that we need to evacuate the base.  While I don't believe any of them would deliberately betray the location of Defiance Base, we all know that the Imperials are a little too fond of using interrogation droids."

"While the evacuation is under way, the people in this room will have other important tasks to perform."

Juragga
player, 444 posts
Wookiee Warrior
Bringing the Boom
Tue 15 Dec 2015
at 02:40
  • msg #5

Part 18 - The Breaking Storm

Juragga wailed in distress, clamping his furry paws to his head and keening in dismay.
Rhijans Thanus
player, 887 posts
Just let me do my job and
nobody else gets hurt.
Tue 15 Dec 2015
at 04:15
  • msg #6

Part 18 - The Breaking Storm

Rhijans stood up.  "I'm assuming you're intending to send a team to Orakanin to try and locate, and rescue if possible, the Colonel.  We volunteer."  He looked around and added, "We'll need a ship to get there.  And I'm not volunteering to wave anyone else off.  But we're best used in the field."
Shard
player, 924 posts
Most days, I'm tired.
...or drunk.
Tue 15 Dec 2015
at 13:10
  • msg #7

Part 18 - The Breaking Storm

"Void."

Shard's eyes close as Juragga's misery washes over the room.  Reaching out, she locks her fingers on his forearm and squeezes through the fur as Rhijans stands to offer the group.  No surprise there, not for Rhijans and not for their group.  And no disagreement.

"We've got this, Juragga," she states, climbing to her feet in turn to stand beside the grey-skinned hunter.  There's no need to speak up for the crowd - with his customary ice-sheet efficiency, Rhijans has covered the essentials.  "Haarmon, start thinking about what you need.  Same deal, Juragga.  I imagine we're going to get free reign to choose, but we're also going to need to do it fast."
Haarmon Dak
player, 491 posts
Are you talking to me?
Tue 15 Dec 2015
at 14:18
  • msg #8

Part 18 - The Breaking Storm

The bottom fell out of Haarmon's chest and his heart leaped into his throat. He knew, intellectually, that this was a dangerous, dirty business, but there were some people, they just had that glow around them,  that sense of implacability. People that you met and knew, you just knew that they were always going to make it out okay. Rhijans had it. That pilot, Karja, had it. And void-curse it, Kourene had it.

Hearing he was captured, and maybe worse, put a serious dent in Haarmon's faith in a rational universe.

He took a step closer to Juragga. The big guy wasn't much for Stoicism. If he had an opinion, generally you hear about it. He put a hand on his other arm. "Yeah, Rags, like the lady says, we got this. Eye on the prize, right? And all the Imp heads you can bust."

He felt a swell of pride when Rhijans volunteered them for the mission. "Heck, yes, we volunteer."

And nodding at Shard, he ran off to acquisitions, making a list in his head. He didn't need much.
The Force
GM, 689 posts
These aren't the dice
rolls you're looking for.
Thu 17 Dec 2015
at 20:16
  • msg #9

Part 18 - The Breaking Storm

Other voices were raised around the room.  Other people standing, raising their hands to volunteer...

Trinoko spreads his own hands in a placatory gesture, "I believe we can satisfy all of you.  It is our intention to involve as many people in this operation as are prepared to volunteer.  We will need reconnaissance of Orakanin, followed by an assault on whichever ship or facility is holding the Colonel.  This will involve both field operatives and a fighter group."

"Transport pilots have already been selected  in order to ensure that we have enough ships for this, which we do.  It is our intention to send a number of teams to locate the Colonel.  Once his position is determined a smaller number of teams, perhaps even one, will stage a rescue.  The other teams will, meanwhile, conduct widespread sabotage, fighter assaults, and other diversionary operations to keep the Imperial forces distracted, and off balance while the rescue goes ahead."

"As of now, volunteers have thirty minutes to collect whatever equipment they think they'll need and report to the hangar for ship assignment."

Rhijans Thanus
player, 888 posts
Just let me do my job and
nobody else gets hurt.
Fri 18 Dec 2015
at 07:18
  • msg #10

Part 18 - The Breaking Storm

Rhijans scowled at the announcement.  "Right," he growled under his breath.  "Thirty minutes to put together all the gear you want to carry into a totally unknown situation.  What could possibly go wrong with that?"

He glanced around the room, making a quick assay of which transport pilots were present, and if he knew any of them.  Assignments were apparently already made, so he likely wouldn't be able to request anyone...but he liked knowing who he was going into trouble with.

As he did that, he turned to face his group.  "Time to put together a shopping list, I guess.  Anyone have suggestions?"
Juragga
player, 445 posts
Wookiee Warrior
Bringing the Boom
Fri 18 Dec 2015
at 17:46
  • msg #11

Part 18 - The Breaking Storm

Juragga took comfort from his friends - Shard and Haarmon's reassurances, and Rhijan's volunteering for action.  He roared in agreement as the rest of the team signed on for the rescue.

When asked what he would need, a wicked gleam appeared in his teal eyes.  "GrrrAAAAAAAAAAhhhhr," he said.  Thermal detonators.  Lots of them.

Other than that, the Wookiee would rely on his steady bowcaster and brute strength, as always.

One other thought did occur to him.

"HUHHHHHrrrrmmmffff,"
he added.  Medical equipment, including drugs to counter-act interrogation drugs the Impies might have plowed the Colonel with.
Shard
player, 931 posts
Most days, I'm tired.
...or drunk.
Mon 21 Dec 2015
at 16:08
  • msg #12

Part 18 - The Breaking Storm

Shard winces.  Twice.  Once at Juragga's roar, but not without a smile.  The second time with his first suggestion. "Our planner here -" with a jerk of the thumb toward the Wookie "- wants thermal detonators.  Plural.  Which, on reflection, is probably a good idea.  Secondly, he figures some medical drugs for the Colonel - plus stuff to counter whatever they've pumped into him - is a good idea as well."

She sucks in a breath. "I figure, go with your strengths.  If you know explosives, get them. If you're comfy in armor, get that.  If you can shoot a heavier blaster - well - grab one of those.  Don't hold back, but don't go with anything you can't use."

Her twitch of the lips might be another smile, sharp and broken as her name.  "Me?  Maybe a blaster carbine for longer range stuff - void help us if we need my contribution - and a first aid kit.  Anything else will be too much.  I'll leave that kind of thing to the professionals." That last said with a significant glance to Haarmon and Rhijans himself.

Her and Juragga?  They were the generalists of the group, along for support and firepower.
The Force
GM, 692 posts
These aren't the dice
rolls you're looking for.
Mon 21 Dec 2015
at 18:53
  • msg #13

Part 18 - The Breaking Storm

As Rhijans looks around the room he spots a group of freighter pilots near the back.  Reldan Jalt is among them, deep in conversation with two other men.

The team discuss their needs for the mission, the details of which are, as yet, unknown.  Around them, other teams are doing the same, and gradually making their way towards the exit.

A familiar golden form is making his way towards them, against the flow of the crowd...
Rhijans Thanus
player, 889 posts
Just let me do my job and
nobody else gets hurt.
Tue 22 Dec 2015
at 05:59
  • msg #14

Part 18 - The Breaking Storm

Rhijans nodded as he located Jalt, but the discussion within the group stopped him from going over to talk to the pilot.  He looked at the Wookiee, and again, that almost-a-smile crept to his eyes.

"I like the way you think.  We should take grenades, as well, because detonators might have a little too much collateral damage, depending on the situation."  He turned to look at Shard, adding, "Think we should probably keep the armor on the light side...if we find Imperial troops, we're going to get more advantage out of mobility and flexibility than we will trying to stand and fight it out toe-to-toe."

His eyes returned to the sight of the protocol droid struggling through the crowd, and he commented, "We should also see what You-Why might have in the way of helpful information.  Not something I'd expect from a protocol droid in this situation...but he keeps turning up with all kinds of helpful surprises, lately..."  He made his way toward the droid, moving easily with the crowd, until he was close enough to converse normally.  He stopped, resisting the flow of the crowd around him, acting as a kind of breakwater for the less-agile protocol droid.
Haarmon Dak
player, 498 posts
Are you talking to me?
Fri 25 Dec 2015
at 00:36
  • msg #15

Part 18 - The Breaking Storm

Haarmon looks a little stricken with all this talk of explosives and fighting it out toe-to-toe. He was more of a turning heel kind of guy than he was a toe-to-toe kind of guy.

"All I really need is my terminal. I get much more fancy than that and I'm likely to cause more problems than I solve. But I'll take all the armour I can."

He does nod at mention of You-Why. That driod had some moxie. He was creepy, but useful.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:49, Mon 18 Jan 2016.
UY-3PO
NPC, 39 posts
No, I don't like you
either.
Mon 28 Dec 2015
at 15:03
  • msg #16

Part 18 - The Breaking Storm

You-Why stops in front of Rhijans, and turns awkwardly to watch the flow of people leaving the room.  Then his glowing eyes meet Rhijans' obsidian ones, and the droid says, "Sir... it looks as though a lot of people are setting out to rescue the Colonel.  I was in the Quartermaster's Store translating for a pair of Trandoshans who came in to requisition a new thrust compression mani... ah, but that is, of course, irrelevant.  In any case, I came to tell you that there is little point in going there to requisition equipment, as most of these people seem to be planning on doing."

"As I understand it," he looks around and lowers his voice, "Major Trinoko has already ordered that a large amount of equipment be set aside, and has his own staff dividing it into packages tailored for specific missions.  When you, and everybody else, arrive at the hangar, the Major will assign each team a mission, and issue them with the appropriate package."

"It all appears well organised."


And then he pauses and heaves an electronic sigh.

"With the exception that the Major has not seen fit to include an individual with my obvious capability to play a role in espionage and reconnaissance.  A terrible slight on my talents. I might add."
Rhijans Thanus
player, 890 posts
Just let me do my job and
nobody else gets hurt.
Mon 28 Dec 2015
at 18:40
  • msg #17

Part 18 - The Breaking Storm

Rhijans nodded.  "Don't take it too personally...generally, protocol droids aren't known for their expertise in espionage.  You aren't exactly the typical droid."  Again, the cryptic almost-grin touched his face for just a moment.  It faded in a mild scowl.

"Why would they tell us to put together a list if they were just going to assign us gear?" he mused aloud.  It didn't matter that much to him...he would adapt tactics to whatever he had available.  But Haarmon couldn't count on stumbling across gear for slicing an Imperial security network.  He thought for a moment.  "Might not be a bad idea to see what critical gear we can get before we head down for our assignment.  Weapons and such, I'm sure they'll distribute..."

He looked over at Haarmon.  "Not so sure they'll think of less-conventional options to equip the teams, though...if these are standard military or security people, they're never going to consider soft-options for an attack team."
Shard
player, 937 posts
Most days, I'm tired.
...or drunk.
Mon 4 Jan 2016
at 13:53
  • msg #18

Part 18 - The Breaking Storm

"Don't worry, You-Why."  Shard reaches out to tap the droid's shoulder, pauses, and withdraws her hand.  For all she knows, he finds such contact offensive and patronizing, and it's better to be polite. "You've been cursed useful on missions, so unless Rhijans or anyone else on the team has a problem with it, I'd prefer to take you along."

She shrugs.  "Our mission, and you're one of the team.  So unless you have orders to the contrary, I say you're with us."

"And I'm with Rhijans," she continues. "We need to make sure we have stuff beyond the norm.  If you've got what you need, Haarmon, fantastic.  And no, I don't think the Quartermaster has a you-know-what," she quickly continues with a warning look.  "But...if anyone does have ideas, we'd better get them to someone with the oomph to make sure we get what we need, quickly."

She purses her lips.  "I don't much like the idea about being assigned work, though.  Means we might not get sent out after the colonel.  Would be crazy, given we've been running the investigation, but you never know."
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