Eso spends the majority of the trip in her quarters. When she's in the common area's she is very polite and makes small talk on whatever topic comes up. She doesn't mention their objectives (unless the others bring it up).

Chemosh stares quietly out the viewport at the asteroid field. He still felt that this was somewhat of an unnecessary risk. True, their purpose was moderately time sensative... but pilots in Republic space weren't nearly as regimentally trained as they were in his own home-sector. There he could fully expect only the finest of the finest hands at the wheel. Here, amidst these people, it was anyones guess as to where they learned or how competent they were. Never mind the condition of their ships, and response times of the technology being operated.

Still, Chemosh found no desire to volunteer to pilot himself. Being able to, and being well versed in the art, did little to inspire any sort of desire in his cold heart. He had other things on his mind, better ideas for ways to spend his time.

As the group prepared for the next leg of the journey, Pugwis and Vertuba were busy making the final checks to the Comets shields and weapons. The grumpy Duros paced the corridor and finally stopped where everyone was gathered. "The asteroid field is going to be a challenge, but it's something me and Vertuba have done before. That said, piloting a V-wing through hyperspace is one thing and piloting them within an asteroid belt is an entirely different can of dathomirian slugs," he said eyeing the group speculatively.

"While you've all been relaxing and getting ready, we've spent the last hour prepping and scanning the field. The Comet will be running a course through it, nice and steady. The v-wings will have to follow our lead as much as possible, but you need to be ready for surprises. Just don't do any heroics ya don't need to do. Meanwhile, I've got two gunnery positions, Vertuba and myself will be piloting... hopefully, we won't need anyone in engineering... I need to know, now, who's gonna be piloting the wings and who's going to try to keep some rocks away."

Tervax nodded.  It was only natural for a freighter as beat up as the one he had escorted here to want to maintain that escort, especially in an area that was not exactly conductive to avoiding pirates.

"I've been reading up on the V-wings; I'm confident I can fly one quite well now.  Not to mention quite a few other things."

Chemosh looks around at the various volunteers, realizing that if this is about to become an all hands event... he might as well pipe up on which of the two roles he were better wbout.

"How good are the targeting computers on this boat?" Chemosh asks plainly, not having bothered to investigate as much himself given the nature of their journey indicating he'd never likely encounter this ship again. "I'm a fair hand at piloting... but haven't much experience with starship-scaled weaponry.

"Mind you, the best use of my skill-set would be here should you sustain any damage." The Chiss adds tactfully. He could fly, and by Republic standards he could fly well. Back home he'd rely upon targeting computers, a gunner, or maybe even just pointing his ship in the right direction and hoping for the best with stationary arcs. All said and done, back home he'd still be considered a novice-pilot in the eyes of his fellow Chiss.

"How hard can it be to hit a rock from 20 feet away?" grumbled Pugwis, who had so far been observing the team. "They'll be fine enough for what we've got in mind... if everyone's ready and made peace with their makers, I suggest you find your stations. We're bound to have a bumpy ride for the next few hours or so," he says with a grin.


Ok, so we'll be using skill checks for this skill challenge:

Pilot Checks (even assists for those of you in the comet); Perception Checks; Attacks; Mechanic Checks. I'll post the first strecth of it tonight.

We need 5 (cumulative) successes before 3 failures.

The Chiss frowns at the Pugwis' comment. Either the asteroid field wasn't as risky as assumed, or the Pugwis just had no idea how detrimentally damaging even the smallest shard of asteroid could prove at such speeds. Deflector Shields weren't infailiable, and it only took a minor collision to jar a vessel off course... and some maneuvers could be tight/close enough that that sleight impact could spell certain doom. But, if the Pugwis seemed more inclined to having Chemosh in a gunners chair... he knew the drill as well as any non-proficient space hand!

From his vantage, he offers out what little advice he can to the various pilots over the headsets... but given his stationary vantage and distance from the controls, it's likely not anything special. Still, he's a keen eye for spotting debris on the scanners and is quick to call out vectors and such as required to impediments in the path. Chemosh review the targeting computer at his station, and groans. It was as bad as he'd feared, and his ability to work with the archaic device would certainly not engender him any fans of his ill marksmanship amidst the ranks.

[Private to GM:


16:47, Today: Secret Roll: Chemosh rolled 8 using 1d20+05 with rolls of 3. Ranged Weapon Attack.. (Not even including the non-proficiency penalty)

16:42, Today: Secret Roll: Chemosh rolled 21 using 1d20+14 with rolls of 7. Mechanics Check.

16:41, Today: Secret Roll: Chemosh rolled 25 using 1d20+10 with rolls of 15. Perception Check.

16:41, Today: Secret Roll: Chemosh rolled 14 using 1d20+12 with rolls of 2. Pilot- Assist Check (Suddenly gladder still for not having jumped into a V-Wing)!

]

Tervax climbed into the V-wing while the Chiss and Pugwis talked to each other.  He brought up the systems, lifted it off and moved out of the docking bay.

"This is V-wing Alpha. I've got point."

Leaving the station, he left his comm channel open so that he could talk back and forth with the crew of the frieghter.

"Big one, coming up."

He rolled the ship so that his dorsal fin was pointed away from the massive asteroid and kept close to the slowly spinning giant piece of rock as he gently pulled back on the stick.  As he left proximity of the rock, he rolled again, doing a visual check of the various pieces and checking them on his screens.

"Multiple small ones, moving relatively fast.  Watch yourselves."



OOC:
01:01, Today: Tervax rolled 19 using 1d20+11 with rolls of 8. Pilot in Asteroid Field.

03:25, Today: Tehrk Ridonal rolled 10 using 1d20+9 with rolls of 1. Piloting through asteroids.

Thrusters... Thrusters!

Not working. Propulsion was too much, engines killed themselves. Red lights, inside and outside his head. He tried easing back on the throttle, though he'd barely even touched it. Nothing responded, so how did he manage to exit the hangar without problems?

Sloppy bastards.

"Alright... Not to alarm anyone, but I JUST got the hell out of the hangar and things were fine.

Now, the bad news. My engines are dead. I don't know what's going on, but everything is flashing red and by my most acute sense of perception, that asteroid just ahead of me is about 20 seconds or so from smashing into this V-wing and me. I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to live a bit longer, so if anyone at all might have a solution as to why this clunker piece of floating scrap metal won't respond, I'd appreciate knowing about it before I end up as part of the ensuing debris amongst this area.

Thanks in advance."

The next few minutes are spent launching the fighters, and waiting for the Black Comet to start the ball. With a soft push of the thrusters, the old girl swings between to asteroids, giving Chemosh plenty to look at as he looked from his spot in the the gunwell. Actually, the Chiss did notice a few gaps and his mind was quick to point out that the gravity seemed to be less unstable 30 some degrees to starbord. "Good eye," the old Duros grumbled as the ship banked slightly towards the opening.

Meanwhile, Tervax pushes his fighter just as the gap that the Comet just scuttled through disappeared from view, leaving Tehrk cut off from the others until he managed to regain control of his craft. The boulders and debree cracked and thudded near him, making it imperative that he get her straightened right smartly. His broadcast got him a rebuke from Pugwis, that them v-wings were already sold... But anything else was suddenly cut off by a loud curse.

The nice opening you all saw suddenly turns on itself and everyone in the vessel has to hold on as Vertuba over compensates. A good sized chunk of debree hurtles towards them as a shot from Chemosh sends it hurtling dangerously close to Tervax's fighter.

Chemosh notes the trajectory of debris from his first attempt at using the crude weapons. A curse in an indecypherable language is heard across the channel as he adjusts and again looses a spray of blaster-fire towards it (or any other impediments) which might threaten the Comet or it's escort of V-Wings. Further advice flies across the channels as well, to Pilots in each ship:


[Private to GM:

11:22, Today: Secret Roll: Chemosh rolled 20 using 1d20+05 with rolls of 15. Ranged Weapons Attack. (Not including the non-proficiency penalty)

11:22, Today: Secret Roll: Chemosh rolled 20 using 1d20+14 with rolls of 6. Mechanics Check.

11:22, Today: Secret Roll: Chemosh rolled 28 using 1d20+10 with rolls of 18. Perception Check.

11:21, Today: Secret Roll: Chemosh rolled 32 using 1d20+12 with rolls of 20. Assist Pilot Check.


]

Eso sets her mind to a broader plane as she let's the positions of the asteroid field become the dominant landscape for her thoughts. She analyses the trajectories of the rocks closest to them attempting to get a solid level of threat from the debri that they are flying through. Which objects will need to be interacted with while others can safely be ignored.

OOC: 14:11, Today: Secret Roll: Eso Terra rolled 24 UtF.
[Private to GM: I'm not sure if what I'm doing is a 'Search Your Feelings' or a 'Sense Surroundings' roll. Either way those both have a DC of 15.
I eagerly await your responce to my PM.]

Bare with me folks, not much longer.

The election madness in Canada is over, but there's still that post-election crunch at work

03:44, Today: Tehrk Ridonal rolled 15 using 1d20+9 with rolls of 6. Pilot roll for survival.

Trying his best to readjust himself, Tehrk seems to make a bit of progress; he's at least managed to get himself right-side-up, though his engines still won't work. Amidst the chaos, he'd managed to cause a bit of a disaster in his cockpit. For now, he was still worried with using his wits to get the engines working.

Krystoph was definitely feeling better in the cockpit of the V-wing.  He kept an easy hand on the stick, slipping into that mode of awareness that watched the screens, his HUD and outside the cockpit all at once.  He rolled the ship when it was needed and banked, turned and spun where necessary.  He looped back around and fell into formation with Tehrk.

"Everything okay?"


OOC:
09:03, Today: Tervax rolled 25 using 1d20+11 with rolls of 14. Pilot in Asteroid Field.

18:13, Today: Tehrk Ridonal rolled 10 using 1d20+9 with rolls of 1. Piloting attempt.

"No... No, everything is not OK. For whatever reason, that damn pug can't rig up a good ship and even so, I'm not getting anywhere.

So, before I crash and burn, mind getting me back to the ship? I rather like living and find it's counterproductive to die midway through a mission."

Unable to do anything, Tehrk's sense of common sense kicked in and, therefore, he wasn't going to risk himeself again. The channel he spoke to Tervax with was a private transmission, so as to avoid being heard from the questionable captain. Aside from that, all the cargo he'd been carrying was starting to scatter, which he would try to put away while getting a good look at.

(That's the second natural 1 I've rolled for piloting, I'm not taking my chances any further, the dice roller hates me and obviously has been taken over by GladOS.)

Tehrk's last transmission comes when the Comet has already move through the field, leaving him floating before the giant mass of debree by himself. Eventually, the salvage op owner remembers that the A-wings have a kill switch, and manages to start up the fighter. Entering the field last, it forces him to find an alternate route through the field; its configuration constantly changing with the passage of time.

The trek through the asteroid belt is, of course slow and arduous, the fighters often having to resort to last minute evasion maneuvers and the Black Comet's crew to exclaim a few curses as the haul clangs and grates against some of the debree, though none of it quite severe enough to cause real worry. The crossing visibly ages our dear Tehrk, whose flight knowledge is the only thing keeping him alive, whereas Tervax, more accustomed than the lot of you, takes more and more chances as the crossing progresses, landing him on the receiving end of several of Pugwis' outbursts.

Hours of carefull flying later... the Black Comet recieves an unexpected transmission! At the same time, a large transport appears from behind a large chunk of space rock, 4 light interceptors leaving it's bays and streaking their way toward the Black Comet. The voice over the transmission demands that Pugwis surrender Jabba's shipment, "or... we have no problem taking it from the breached hull of your ship!" Despite his denial of carrying anything for Jabba, the pirate insists that they "know" it's there!
[Private to Tehrk Ridonal:
Given that I didn't have time to RP this with you, here's a summary of what you found out about the crate:

During one of the "leg stretches" on the second leg of the trip, you secretly mae your way to the "cargo" crate wirh your company logo on it. It's a computer controlled storage container, and the computer is immediately hostile. But after some excellent Use Computer checks, you manage to shift it's attitude to friendly, and issue a command to unlock. Inside... You find packaged and sealed spice. A ton of it. At the bottom is a simple data-pad with a single message stored in it: "Ulu, here is the spice, you old rascal. I hope Jabba is happy with the speed of this shipment... I had to pull a few strings to get it to you this time." After a few moments to take it all in, you wisely replace the data-pad, leave the spice as is... and lock the crate once again.
]
The starfighters advance...

Well, looked like he was going to get to play with the toy after all.  Tervax wondered how loudly the Pug would complain about getting his ships shot up while they protected his Black Comet.  He grinned; maybe he'd take a shot or two just to make a point.

"S-foils to attack position.  I've got lead.  Tehrk, watch my back."

He flipped the switch and felt the thrum of actuators through his vessel as they closed the fins protecting the astromech port and opened the foils that increased his maneuverability and ability to survive.  He brought up his weapons and settled into pilots seat, settling his hand on the stick and waiting for his shot.

OOC:
10:59, Today: Tervax rolled 24 using 1d20+11 with rolls of 13. Initiative.

Actual Init is 22, due to the -2 for the size mod of the ship.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:16, Sun 29 May 2011.

Ah, yes... A map would help, woun't it..! :D

To follow later tonight..!

"Oh yes, great idea there buddy. Let's have the guy who's having piloting problems watch your back...

Provided I don't manage to make anything spontaneously explode, I'll do what I can."

Sincerely enough, Tehrk's sarcasm was overlaid by his genuine honesty to try, at the very least. However, as he finally managed to give the machine a good kick, things started working again. He was still a bit shaky, but he was now moving on his own accord, not that of gravity and luck. It wasn't a bad feeling, but Tehrk's gut was starting to act up about something... Maybe it was... Nah, focus. Had to focus.

02:36, Today: Tehrk Ridonal rolled 21 using 1d20+9 with rolls of 12. Piloting attempt.
02:35, Today: Tehrk Ridonal rolled 10 using 1d20+9 with rolls of 1. Initiative.

Pugwis frowned when the fighters advanced, then punched the transmit button, "I don't think there's much choice but to terminate the approaching fighters. Good hunting, lads." Pugwis turned his frown back to Chemsh, not particularly happy about the situation. He had become quite attached to his ship, despite having lacked to care for it and he really disliked that it was put in such a dangerous situation. "I think you or the girl might be valuable in the gunnery well right about now... we've got a surprise or two up our sleeve..." he said, a strange gleam in his eyes.


Tervax is First, followed by the Enemy Fighters
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:06, Tue 31 May 2011.

As he closed the distance, Tervax responded.

"Sometimes the only way to get better is trial by fire.  We'll either survive and prosper or die in battle.  If you're not ready for that, you're in the wrong profession."

He flipped a switch in his own cockpit.

"And make sure your shields are up.  Hate to lose a wingman in the first seconds of an engagement."


OOC:
Move action: Move to N09
Swift Action: Raise Shields
Standard Action: None

The enemy fighters close in, Tehrk's turn, anyone on the Comet may also act..
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:19, Tue 31 May 2011.

"Dammit, I'm meant to sell things and make money not die in a ship... I think. Shields up, lasers locked, hopefully this thing won't go critical on me."

Move Action: Advancing to square I-22 (12 squares)
Swift Action: Raising Shields

With his luck somewhat turning away from the dark side, Tehrk began to think of a few things. A head on engagement wouldn't suit him, so he would take an alternate route to try and catch the enemy from the side or from behind. Patching in a line to Tervax, Tehrk seemed to sound a bit more thoughtful of his actions than what would appear.

"I'm going to swing around behind that massive asteroid. I think I can catch them from a side and take some pressure off of your front there."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:38, Wed 01 June 2011.

In reply to Tehrk Ridonal (msg #191):

You can move 12 if you use two moves, otherwise 6
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:15, Wed 01 June 2011.