"Glad to be of assistance," Galak replied.  "After seeing what the Jedi did during the Invasion of Naboo, I'm glad I can help them in return."

*******

Galak and Traest had determined that it would be easiest to remain undetected if they made the approach to the shrine on foot.  As the group walked through the jungle, a thin mist clung to the ground and the air was heavy with the musty scent of jungle flowers.  The air was still and quiet.  According to the map, they were approaching the clearing, with the hidden shrine not far beyond it.  As they reached the clearing, Jubali could see a speeder off to the side of the trail, crudely hidden in the foliage.  She could hear a growling sound coming from the far side of the speeder.  And something was smashing into the speeder over and over again.

OOC: What does Jubali do/say?  Also, see the map.

OOC 12+3=15 Perception

IC Jubali attempted to peer through the mist and see what was apparently attacking the speeder.

Traest noticed Jubali squinting her eyes to look through the mist and asked "Do Jedi powers allow you to see through speeders?"   He chuckled before adding "We're going to have to get closer if we want to find out what it is."

"I could try but all it might tell me is that it's alive."  Jubali reached out through to Force to see what she could identify about the creature.

OOC 5+7=12

Jubali sensed only that it was a wild animal on the other side of the speeder.

Jubali rolled her eyes then kicked Traest.

"I told you all it'd do is tell me it was an animal."

"And I told you we'd need to get closer to find out what it was," Traest countered, continuing to chuckle.  "Just a minute, I'll be right back." And with that the Bothan sneaked off to get a peak around the speeder.  Galak waited silently, seeing no need to add to the conversation.

Soon Traest was returning, panting only slightly.  "It's a simian-looking creature," he reported.  "Long arms, short hind limbs; tri-tipped claws; hair on the back and chest, but hairless on the lower half of the torso.  Know what it is?" Traest asked Galak.

"Sounds like a veermok," Galak replied.  "They're pretty ferocious and powerful.  Can we just leave it alone?  Avoid the speeder?"

"Well we could," Traest said with a smirk.  "But that depends on two things."

"What are those?" Galak asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Whether or not we want it sneaking up behind us while we try to figure out how to get into the shrine.  And whether or not we think we'll find something useful in the speeder." Traest answered.  "What do you think Jubes?" Traest asked, turning to Jubali.

"I might be able to use the Force to trick it into leaving," Jubali suggested.

"If you can do it, go ahead," Traest replied, waving his hand for her to proceed.

Jubali crept forward some then reached out in the Force to crack a branch down between them and the creature, hoping to scare it off.

OOC 11+7=18

The tree branch broke and fell to the ground.

OOC 6+6(FP)+2=14

The crash of the branch caused the smashing on the other side of the vehicle to stop.  Then the group could see the veermok speeding off into the jungle.

"Well done Jubes!" Traest complimented.

"Not every situation has to end in violence," Jubali said to Traest.

"Now, shall we go see about this speeder?" Traest asked, rubbing his hands together a little too eagerly.

As they pulled the foliage off the speeder, they could see that it was a typical four-person transport.  It had no special markings, so it was probably a civilian model.  "It looks like the veermok did some damage to the electrical system," Galak commented, indicating the sputtering display on the computer screen.  "I don't suppose either of you is a whiz with computers?"

"Only with ship sensors and astrogation," Traest apologized.  "Sorry."

Galak looked to Jubali.

"Nope, sorry.  You saw the extent of my skills driving off the veermok."
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:35, Tue 10 Nov 2015.

"Okay, I guess I'll take a crack at it," Galak said resignedly as he slid into the driver's seat.  He started to work the computer controls.  The screen gave an encouraging sputter, but then shut off entirely.  Galak shrugged.  "Well I guess if there was anything important on it, we're going to have to do without it."

"Well blaster bolts," Traest muttered.  "All right, let's get on to what we really came for anyway."  He started walking towards the shrine.

As the group continued into the clearing, they could start to see an ornate stone building through the thick foliage, constructed against a hill.  Vines covered the entire structure, but they could see a large door in front.  A small red light indicated a security lock bolted onto the ancient entrance, clearly a new addition.  Shrubs and trees covered the hillside, making it difficult to determine the exact size of the shrine.  However it was clearly fairly large, extending back into the hill.

OOC: What do you do?

"Nice," Jubali said in wonder.  "Anyone got slicing skills?  Looks like we've got a gate to get through."

"If we did, we'd have used it on the computer in the speeder," Traest retorted.

"Don't worry, I can take care of it," Galak spoke up, and then he pulled his blaster from his holster and shot the lock off.  "There you go."

The doorway opened into a large stone room.  Glowlamps had been bolted onto the walls to provide illumination.  Power cables ran along the ceiling and down the corridor leading from the room.  In the middle of the room there was a hologame table and a few chairs.  Four scruffy-looking men with facemasks and blasters stood near the table, their weapons ready in their hands.

OOC: What do you do?

"Does anyone see the technician?" Jubali asked, scanning the room.

OOC 9+3=12

"Uh, I'm a little preoccupied with the guys with blasters," Traest replied.

Jubali could not see the technician, but she could see power cables that ran along the ceiling and down the corridor leading from the room.

OOC: Roll for Initiative.

OOC 3+7=10  I didn't realize that they saw us.

OOC: Sorry I wasn't specific, I was trying to imply it by saying they had "their weapons ready in their hands".

Before any of the rescuers could react, two of the guards fired, both missing their marks.  Galak drew his blaster pistol and fired back, grazing the guard behind the holotable (G2) in the stomach.  That guard returned fire, his shot coming so close it singed Galak's cap.  Traest drew his pistol and fired as well, hitting the far right guard (G4) in the chest and knocking him out.

OOC: Jubali's turn.  Note the map.

Jubilee drew her lightsaber and held a defensive stance.

OOC Draw lightsaber and fight defensively this round.

Jubali's drawn lightsaber also drew attention.  Two of the guards (G1, G3) fired at Jubali as soon as they saw it.  Both shots missed Jubali entirely.

Galak took advantage of the guards' distraction, fired at the one Traest had previously injured (G2), barely missing his target and then moved behind the safety of the door frame.

The injured guard fired back at Galak, shooting where the Naboo soldier had been earlier.

Traest followed Galak's lead, firing and then ducking behind the other side of the door frame.  The only difference was, Traest hit the injured guard in the face, nearly blowing his head off and killing him instantly.

OOC: Jubali's turn.  Note the updated map.
Color Key:
Blue   = Ally (normally I use green for this, but there's a lot of green in the map)
Red    = Adversary
Yellow = Unconscious
Black  = Dead

Jubali moved in on the attacker to the left (G1) and attacked.

OOC 2+6=8 attack
15 dmg

The guard was able to back pedal out of the way of Jubali's lightsaber. Both he and the other guard fired at Jubali; the guard farther from Jubali didn't even come close to hitting her, but Jubali was barely able to deflect the shot from her immediate opponent.

Hoping that Jubali could handle the guard in front of her, Galak took a blast at the other guard.  His shot grazed the guard in the head, knocking him out.

Traest tried to fire past Jubali, at the guard attacking her, trying to protect her.  But his concern for Jubali made him fumble his blaster and he nearly shot his own foot instead.

OOC: Jubali's turn.

Jubali attacked again.

OOC 14+6=20
14 dmg