Several decades ago, in a theater likely now long, long demolished...

::: The audience slowly shuffles indifferently into the theater, hoping that this new 'War Stars' movie might be at least mildly diverting, perhaps as momentarily distracting as Logan's Run.  After all, how wondrous could a sci-fi B-movie realy be...?

The lights dim and a familiar fanfare begins...  :::

 Anathracite was an ugly little world, diamond mountains non-withstanding.  Streaks of petrochemical ocean reflected under smog clouds where water might be on other worlds.  It seemed a rocky cyst against the familiar starfield of the Galaxy.  A giant hand reached around Anathracite and crushed it out of existence.

It was really a matter of perspective, really.  Captain Gravann of the Blackthorn was simply closing his hand over the tiny speck of Anathracite as if he could blot out this annoyance on a whim.  He brought his hand down.  The tiny moonlet still seemed threatened, surrounded by the grim frame of the Star Destroyer's viewport.  "If only it were that easy.  But we are stuck at this miserable spot until we find what we are looking for." Gravann mused aloud.  Major Verlaa was not quite sure if the Captain was actually speaking to her as she approached.  She was not used to being on the giant walkway rather than the parrallel pits below.  She cleared her throat and spoke.

"Captain, our...guest has felt a tremor in the Force but cannot narrow it down further than the planet as a whole."
"How convenient."
"In the meantime, we are continuing with random searches."
"I thought random stabs in the dark were the Sith's province."

The Captain dared to chuckle.  Verlaa simply caught her breath and looked around nervously.  Her hunch had been correct.  The air seemed to take on a sudden chill and fog.  Her skin itched and was tickled as if by the crawling of countless insects.  She gasped and looked around in shock.  The entire bridge crew seemed to be just as fearful and uncomfortable as herself but no one dared to turn from their duties.  Though physically humanoid, their emissary of the Emperor had at times a terrible aspect.  Now that aspect seemed to be a rasping mocking summoned from a choir of countless buzzing insect swarms.

~No, Captain, we are quite close.  We only need to wait for our quarry to fail.~

---

I have a bad feeling about this  Ali spoke aloud, talking to herself.  Fortunately, she was speaking with her lekku and there was no stranger nearby who could have overheard.  This was a blessing given their current situation.  The Fabled Star was, for once, not up to any mischief.  Anathracite was merely a supply stop between legitimate missions.

Perfectly routine, but then 'Star had been flagged by an Imperial Customs Frigate for a random search.  These searches had increased in frequency of late as the Empire frantically seeked out any trace of the Rebellion.  'Star and her crew had been through many of these searches before.  This one would be easier than most.  Currently, there was no physical contraband or incriminating data onboard 'Star.  And no Imperial scanner could pick up the presence of the living Force.  The only real danger was that the rare perceptive shellhead might actually notice a disguised lightsaber.  But no one was able to hand-wave away a convincing reason like Jedi, quite literally.

Aboard 'Star were a few deliberate lapses in the quite extensive Imperial Customs Code; a mistuned this, an unlicensed that and so on.  This would explain any evasiveness in the crew's demeanor or actions.  There would be a few fines, a sufficiently scary warning and an equally feigned scared response on the faces of 'Star's crew.  'Star would then jump to another system, alias and transponder code.  Business as usual.

And this annoyance seemed to be wrapping up.  The sole Imperial officer ("That's LIEUTENANT Snive to you, tramper scum!") had lined up all of 'Star's crew to face his dozen or so stormtroopers on the floating platform that also held 'Star.  There were several of these ship-sized floating platforms, common enough for a core world like Coruscant, but pricey for a oilsoaked eyesore like Antharcite.  They were economical due to the low gravity of this wannabe moon and necessary to float above the flammable atmosphere not too far below.

There were other platforms with other ships and their glum crew also being searched only a good Jedi leap away.  Ali's attention was suddenly brought back to Snive's impressive tirade.  "I'm afraid it seems your papers are not in order, Captain."  Snive had directed his fury towards Zekk, currently the 'Captain' this alias out.  Ali, the nominal Captain (until voted out), would never have been convincing to Snive.  To the Empire, her kind was listed as 'decoration' and 'entertainment'.  There were other words that had a darker connotation.

'your papers are not in order' was a phrase almost as old as literal paper which Ali had rarely seen in her lifetime.  Practically every questionable customs search ended with 'your papers are not in order'.  Only the most naïve ship crew would be cowed and 'Star's crew was anything but innocent.  Snive shoved the datapad at Zekk's face, expecting a nervous backpedaling.

Just another day.  Ali thought and secretly hoped so.  There was some undefined menace in the air, like a droning insect just outside of perception.  To be safe, the crew was minimizing any use of the Force save to extend their own perceptions.  Ali shivered.  It was time to done and gone with this place.  Just a few moments more, she hoped.

But it was not to be.  Across the gap in platforms, a stormtrooper rifle-butted the back of a young human girl who wasn't moving fast enough to line up with her fellow ferry passengers.  The impact revealed the reason for the girl's slowness; she had been trying to move a small object from a backpack to a pouch on her belt.  But the thump of the rifle had caused her to lose her grip and a tiny cubic object fell from her grasp, bounced once and then over the edge of the platform to the carbonized fog below.

Ali only had a glimpse at the tiny polyhedron but it was enough for 'Star's crew to recognize an relic of legend.  The spinning holocron glittered in the red sunlight before falling out of view.  The girl screamed, "No!"  She then seemed to grab for the faraway artifact with her hand, an impossibly clumsy gesture.  The holocron fluttered for a moment and then fell.  A few coins, Snive's datapad, and some loose tools impossibly leapt towards the holocron and the air.  Compared to these impossibilities, it was almost too much to notice the slight crackling and tang of ozone as a tiny bit of circuitry broke loose from the grav generator on 'Star's landing platform.  Slight licks of blue lightning began to play along the circuitry...

Limited to mundane senses, the vast majority of souls simply beheld the miraculous without any explanation.  But to those with the Force, the girl's attempt had been a cacophony of power not control.  The Force ripples were like nails on glass to humanoid ears, echoing and echoing...

Even with an entire planet between hunter and prey, the child was heard.  A powerful presence cried out ~There!~ and those sensitives of 'Star's crew had the fleeting impression of a Star Destroyer now awakened and moving.  There was also a smell of chitin and the hexagonal glitter of countless segemented eyes.  For everyone else, they could see the stormtroopers and Snive touching their earpieces and receiving new orders.  The troopers snapped their rifles to STUN and took aim at the freightened girl...

OOC:
1.  Sorry this took so long to get out.  But we have begun.  Don't take this encounter too seriously.  Don't worry about correct text color this time out.  This is us getting to know each other in the official game.  Think of this as the teaser open like in a Bond film.  We all know Bond doesn't die in the first five minutes; it just sets a mood.

2. Let me set the scene a little.  Anathracite is a carbon world.  This is a theorectially possible planet type, an earth built up of primarily carbon compounds rather than silicates like on our Earth.  We can do more than City, Pretty, Desert and Forest planets because our budget is only limited by imagination.  Anathracite is a small, low-gravity world with a thick atmosphere (the closest analog in our solar system would be Titan, Saturn's moon).  As you get closer to the ground and further from the platforms, the atmosphere becomes more flammable, making blaster fire and lightsaber combat much more fun.

Given the weird properties of this world, falling off the platforms is not necessarily a death sentence but still something to be avoided.

3.  The ISS Blackthorn happens to be on the other side of Anathracite as this encounter begins.  It speaks of your mysterious opponent's power to sense this youngling's clumsiness from such a distance.  Given their distance, it should be possible to escape the Blackthorn this encounter.  The crew should realize that this single Sith is more powerful than any single PC and possibly all of them.  Escape should be your thoughts.  A closer encounter with the Blackthorn would be a very dangerous encounter.  Why are we starting out with a Star Destroyer? Because most of the movies did.

4.  The floating platforms are, essentially, giant discs with a grav generator and a few decameters of extra space around the ships they are supporting.  'Star has been emptied of crew, which are now lined up near the edge of the platform, each facing at least one stormtrooper.
Snive was walking and strutting between the rows of crew and stormtroopers.  The troopers themselves seemed rather bored and careless about yet another customs inspection.  This particular batch may have had the clone batter even more watered down as one nearly slipped off the platform, stormtrooper armor is too clumsy for these bobbing platforms.

The crew is not obviously armed so as to pass customs inspection.  Characters may have one small, hidden weapon such as a vibrodagger or holdout blaster they can draw all of a sudden.  The Force-users may have a disguised lightsaber (looks like a recording rod, commlink, cane tip, etc.).  As 'Star is your ship, you all have spent time modifying it for just such an occasion.  Your lightsabers may be stuck onto the side of 'Star, disguised as just another bit of ship circuitry (magnetically adhered through secret panels just before landing).  The lightsabers can be 'called' to hand if you have the power.   Activating a lightsaber here would be amongst the most provocative acts in the Empire.  However, it could be said that this is a moot point now.

5.  The holocron is falling but a good telekinesis roll might catch it.  Otherwise, it will fall and a Jedi would likely have to get to the edge of the platform to track and catch it again.  Past that, it will slip into a smogbank and things become more problematic.

6.  The slight sparking and flickering of your platform's grav system doesn't seem to have had any effect...yet.

7.  It is possible for any character to leap between platforms.  Jedi with the right powers will have an easier time of it.  The girl is a youngling with some power but little control over her potential or emotions.  She will resist being rescued until she sees some true heroism or actual Force powers, at which point she will trust her new saviors.   She is at that dangerous place where she can feel the Force but not control it.  A literal world away, the hunter might have some influence over her.  She would be a great prize for the Dark Side.

8.  I want you to win this encounter.  Later encounters will be tough enough.  Each character has one stormtrooper focused on them, probably the one facing them but a moment ago.  Any player can play their stormtrooper.  For example, Akiri's player can play Akiri's stormtrooper.  These stormtroopers are your only immediate threat.  Snive just now wants to hide and then take credit later.  He will fight defensively while insisting his troopers fight on.

If you want to run a combat with you and/or your stormtrooper, have at it.  Don't worry about ranges or movement this time out.  You are all so close anyway.   If you don't want to be bothered by rules, you can simply write what happens to your character or stormtrooper.

If you wish, you may simply add extra stormtroopers for 'fluff'.  If you want to add five extra stormtroopers that you carve up with your lightsaber (or just 'push' off of the platform, go for it).

Type: Typical Stormtooper
Dexterity 2D
 Blaster 4D*, Brawling 4D, Dodge 3D*

◾Ranged attacks against targets moving faster than 10 meters per round - Blaster 5D


Knowledge 2D
Mechanical 2D
Perception 2D
Strength 2D
 Brawling 3D
Technical 2D
Character Points: 0 to 5
Move: 10
Equipment: Stormtrooper Armour (+2D Physical, +1D Energy, -1D to DEX related skills), Blaster Pistol (4D), Storm II Blaster Rifle (5D)


9.  The crew and passengers of the other ship will try and get away in the ensuing chaos.  They are the kind of people already trying to avoid Imperial entanglements.  They have a good chance of escape as all opposition is focused on the girl and likely you.   The girl will likely want to go with you and they would understand why.

10.  Ask me questions if you wish.   Otherwise, just write mopping up these stormtroopers.  This is just the first minute of the movie.  Next up is likely the TIE gauntlet before hyperspace.

Zekk stood silently, patiently waiting for what he hoped would be a routine inspection to come to the routine end. His eyes narrowed as Ali's lekku spoke. Over the years, Zekk knew what's Ali's lekku were saying. He and Ali exchanging a silent one-sided conversation.

"...papers are not in order, Captain." Snive had directed his fury towards Zekk, currently the 'Captain' this alias out.

Zekk was prepared for this. The papers were in order, but Imperial Officer was probably looking for a payout. "Lieutenant Snive, I'm sure it's a simple clerical error. I'll be sure to have it corrected with the proper department. But these things take time... in the meanwhile, I'm sure that we can come to an agreement..."

But the attention of the Imperial Officer and the stormtroopers were on a little girl. And the girl's attention was on a holocron which was about to fall off the platform. Zekk dropped his left hand, palm open, and drew on the Force.

Use Telekinesis to grab
Zekk Vekarr rolled 10 using 2 dice with the WEG Classic system with rolls of {Wild}4,6.  Telekinesis check w/Force Pt

Without her blasters or armor, Celes looked like little more than another shiphand. Maybe she was a pilot or mechanic or something, it was hard to say. Imperial customs checkpoints were rarely so rigid as to make the whole crew line up like that, but it was understandable out in the middle of nowhere on a... well, on a rock. This wasn't even a good rock. The Lieutenant was likely trying to make a name for himself as being tough on crime or something. Celes actually pitied him a bit. Nobody would have wanted an assignment like this. It was punishment for something. Maybe even something in another life.

Celes glanced at the "captain". He seemed to be handling himself fine. Bribing an Imperial officer was just part of being a spacer. Celes glanced at the actual captain. Something was clearly bothering her, but it may have just been how invasive this particular check was getting. Nothing to worry about. Celes glanced at the rest of the crew. Could this get any more boring? They had a job to do, and paper pushers looking for a little excitement was...

It was when the stormtrooper hit the girl that Celes's attention was pulled. That wasn't the kind of excitement she'd had in mind. The disguise was put to the test as the bounty hunter tensed, but tried to keep her face disinterested. But then the girl dropped something, and sent things flying with a wave of her hand. That wasn't right. Traveling with so-called Jedi, Celes hadn't seen demonstrations of power on that magnitude. That kid was something else.

Celes's eyes widened as she realized what that meant. That other crew had Force users among them, at least the one. And she'd just revealed herself in front of a bunch of stormtroopers. Two dozen blasters clicked just out of unison, switching to stun. Something had to be done.

Without the attention on her anymore, it wasn't hard to step in behind the closest trooper and get a hand on his blaster rifle. The other hand slapped the back of his helmet, hard, while she slid a hip up to his; the slapping hand went up and over his body, then down and back against his chest. Meanwhile, the hand on his blaster rifle held tight, pulling his arm across her own chest to weaken his grip as he fell. In a single smooth motion, she had the blaster rifle and leveled it down at him, pulling the trigger. A flash of blue had the trooper out cold.

Now I've done it. She really hoped her friends were on the same track, and moved to use the next trooper over as cover from the ones further away.

[I wrote up all this before actually rolling, but let's see how it works mechanically for lolzies, yeah?

First, initiative. It's established he's not paying attention to Celes, so she gets to do a thing. Taking two actions: one to disarm the trooper and one to shoot him with his own rifle.

03:32, Today: Celes Varik rolled 16 using 3 dice and 2 pips with the WEG Classic system with rolls of 6,{Wild}3,5.  Brawling Disarm (+1D difficulty).

03:33, Today: Celes Varik rolled 9 using 2 dice with the WEG Classic system with rolls of 4,{Wild}5.  Stormtrooper Brawling Parry +1D.

16 v 9, success!

03:34, Today: Celes Varik rolled 4 (10 excluding the wild die) using 4 dice with the WEG Classic system with rolls of 5,3,{Wild}1,1.  Blaster.

...Ah. We're gonna go with "point blank" range, so Very Easy, with reduced by 2D for firing at a prone target. Sound good? :D

03:39, Today: Celes Varik rolled 22 using 5 dice with the WEG Classic system with rolls of {Wild}6(+5),1,2,3,5.  Stun Damage.

03:40, Today: Celes Varik rolled 11 using 3 dice with the WEG Classic system with rolls of 6,3,{Wild}2.  Stormtrooper Soak.

22-11=11, or Incapacitated. As this is Stun damage, he's unconscious for 2D minutes.

03:40, Today: Celes Varik rolled 5 using 2d6 with rolls of 4,1.  Minutes.

He's out for five minutes, more than enough time for us to book it!]

Thuk moved. Humans found his kind laughably slow on the flat, and there was a certain amount of truth to it, but that didn't matter when your enemies were only feet away from you. Spurs carefully retracted, the stormtroopers were only obeying their Alpha after all, he lashed out in a spinning blur of limbs and four stormtroopers went flying... one tough bastard even still conscious! While he too went flying for the edge of the platform at least he was able to to grab the railing before it was too late.

Sadly, this left Thuk spinning like a useless fep in a grav eddy as the platforms aging systems tried to compensate for the sudden burst of motion and he now had the stormtroopers full attention! A blizzard of blaster bolts descended on him as the remaining troopers sought revenge, easily penetrating his primitive armor, but when they cleared Thuk was still there, still spinning.

"What the hell? Get a heavy weapons team in here" the Sergeant ordered.

Grev got a wolfish grin on his face, somewhere between humor and eager anticipation.  His massive form moved with surprising speed.  He grabbed the stormtrooper and heaved him off his feet, then tossed the unfortnate trooper across the platforms to slam into the troopers on the other side, knocking them clear of the girl.  Then took a running leap to the other platform, clearing it just enough to land safely on the other side.  His huge form towering over the prone troopers.  Silouetted against the backlight, and an easy target.


Okay, dice for fun.

Action one; brawling attack:
   09:49, Today: Grev Longtooth rolled 19 using 6 dice and 1 pips with the WEG Classic system ((4,1,{Wild}5,3,2,3)).

Action two; tossing stormtrooper:
   09:50, Today: Grev Longtooth rolled 20 using 5 dice and 1 pips with the WEG Classic system (({Wild}2,4,5,3,5)).

Action three; leaping across pllatforms:
   09:51, Today: Grev Longtooth rolled 3 (9 excluding the wild die) using 3 dice and 1 pips with the WEG Classic system ((2,6,{Wild}1)).

Okay, so I'd say the grb and throw was successful, knocking the stormtroopers on the other platform prone.  Using the leeway provided by our GM, I'll say Grev made it to the other platform, but looses intiative for next round due to the low roll.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:20, Tue 19 Jan 2016.

Nate sees the commotion across the platform, and knew in a moment that this was trouble for everyone. His first priority became getting that girl to safety. The moment the stormtrooper in front of him turned to look, Nate stepped forward, and rapidly made him look over his own shoulder. A casual look, and it would seem that the helmet had been turned backwards, but when the trooper collapses in a heap, the head lolling in an unnatural way, it is obvious that the neck was snapped. Nate quickly moves, shifting his way through the quickly ensuing chaos that his companions had created, to make his way toward the girl.

So much for subtlety

"Girl!!! Run!!!" His hold out pistol flew into his hand with a smooth action of a gunslinger. He missed the weight of his heavy blaster, but this would have to do. The others were charging into the horde of storm troopers, but Orion chose to stand his ground occasionally shifting places to make him a harder target. He had learned there was a science to a firefight. To most it was a chaotic few seconds, but Orion understood that it was a gentle dance of cause and effect.

He watch his compatriots lay waste to the storm troopers, but his part in this play was to act as guardian angel to them. Any that seemed to be a unseen threat to them he would send a double shot into the antagonist allowing his team mates to continue.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:20, Tue 19 Jan 2016.

Shira did not like Imperial customs inspections. Even when the meant no harm, they were rarely gentle, and Shira could be hurt by too much jostling. Normally a convincing talker, Shira was only decoration to the Imperials so she hadn't spoken up. She was wearing a silver jumpsuit that matched her hair.

Her eyes went wide with fright once the fight started. There was little cover on the platform and Shira had neither her armor nor her grav-harness. Still, her friends were in trouble, and she wanted to help out. She dashed over towards Zekk.
Shira drew a small holdout blaster from her sleeve and pointed it at the lieutenant. As the only unarmored Imperial, he was the only one likely to be harmed by it. "Don't move!" she said to him in what was supposed to be an intimidating voice, but came out as a frightened squeak.

Zane stood there, head tilted, looking wholly uninterested in the situation at hand.  It felt like he'd been through this exact same situation countless times before.  He was just glad that the Storm Troopers had no reason to frisk him before hand.  Sure, the ship may have been legit at the moment, but he was carrying a few restricted items that he was pretty sure he didn't have the paperwork for.  The first, a hidden vibrodagger, probably would be overlooked.  The second though, a holdout pistol hidden along the length of his arm and connected to his hand by a track.  This one might create a bit of a problem if it was found.

Showing his disinterested to anyone paying attention, Zane yawned and scratched at the stubble on his cheek.  His eyes focusing past the trooper that was standing in front of him so he could see what was happening on the next pad.  Well they look like they're having a worse time of it than us.  Then the situation on the neighboring slip appeared that it was going to get out of hand.  Zane's straightened his posture as he got ready for a fight.  Hearing Orion yell acted as his signal to jump into action.

Straightening his right arm all the way, Zane activated the slider attachment for his gun.  In a moment the gun made a satisfying *thunk* against the end of the slider.  In no time at all his hands were wrapped around the grip of the pistol and the barrel was already aimed at the chest of the Stormtrooper directly ahead of him.  It won't hurt the guy, but hopefully it'll confuse him for long enough.  He thought as the gun made a a loud sound similar to a very small explosive going off.  A metal case ejected from the chamber as the bullet flew towards and slammed into the unsuspecting Stormtrooper's armor.  It didn't cause the soldier any harm, but he did lose balance long enough for Zane to slam into him with his shoulder.  This sent the already unbalanced trooper reeling back until the was no more floor under his feet.

Inspections were usually no place for droids.  Unless specifically requested, TwoOneBee maintained his distance from Imperial inspectors; he had no desire to be acquired by the Empire a second time.  It was therefore rather ironic that he should find himself summoned out of the STAR and onto the platform for inspection, a gleaming white Storm Trooper mask less than half a meter from him.  Judging from the Trooper's body language, he did not consider the droid a threat.  If he just kept silent, it was unlikely they'd waste any more time on him.

Suddenly things became complicated!  Almost before he could process it, the situation changed and a young girl needed their help.  TwoOneBee's memory core immediately resurrected images of his former Mistress...a young Ithorian named Lassna.  Memories were all that remained of her now, thanks to the Empire.  He had been helpless to aid his Mistress, to help her family, when the Imperials came.  The old physician wasn't helpless anymore.

"I am afraid this may hurt a little, I do apologize, but it is necessary I'm afraid,"  TwoOneBee stated simply as his optic sensors flared to life.  From the panel in his chest two metallic probes blasted outwards and stuck to the Trooper's armour.  The medical droid immediately sent several thousand volts through the micro filament wires attached to the probes and watched as the Trooper jerked awkwardly, before crumpling to the platform floor.

Ooo, I am so stoked reading your replies.  You are damn near writing this game by yourselves!  :-)
Which doesn't excuse me not getting to a reply.  Sorry it has taken so long.

It seems to be local tradition to put OOC comments in orange text.  And I think I like that more than my OOC endnote lists.

It was all going so well.  It would have ended up with a few minutes of fake groveling, then blue milk (for the Jedi, something harder for the rest, maybe) and then maybe Ali's latest Wookie opera slices aboard 'Star.  And then a noisy, for those that could hear, little girl and her magic box had to show up.

I love the idea of a growling, honking THX-boosted wookie chorus against a fine orchestal score.  Assume this is one of Ali's hobbies that she inflicts upon anyone to the limits of their patience, which can be only several seconds.

Zekk moved instinctively and the holocron stopped and spun in the air, otherwise motionless.  For a moment, almost all onlookers gasped at this not-quite miracle.  It was possible, at first blush, to believe that tiny internal grav generators were keeping the tiny cube from falling.  Enough observation and even the Force-blind mundanes would realize that the little box was being held up by something more powerful and transcendent than mere technology.

In the movies, it always seemed that the Jedi had to make some kind of hand motion to get their powers to work, whether affecting minds or moving objects.  I had thought that that was just an affectation of Jedi, with enough mind-affecting misdirection to make an onlooker not notice.  But, in The Phantom Menace, Qui-Gon still had to move his hand slightly while altering the roll of the die 'chance-cube' (oh, hell, the die) even when it was shown that Watto's mind couldn't be affected by a Jedi and thus could have been noticed.

The above paragraph was a longcut to simply ask; do Jedi have to make those hand motions to use their Jedi powers?  Or can they just do it by thought alone.  I haven't found a canon answer so I leave to party choice.  I'm simply trying to find out if the Imperials have a chance to notice just who is holding up the holocron.  Given the Impie's feeble scores, it is probably a moot point.

In the chaos, Celes elegantly disabled the stormtrooper so perfectly it was almost as if the two had rehearsed it beforehand.  He fell out of his rifle strap, now her rifle strap as Celes had planned for such an action.

Stormtrooper #1 is disabled.   I figure just numbering them is the best solution.  Celes now has a weapon.  It is a simple action to 'draw' it to a firing position.

Thuk was merely a force to be reckoned with.  Inhumanly strong muscle with just as superhuman reflexes to guide them left several stormtroopers down and possibly glad of it.

As I understand it, then, Thuk has taken out four more stormtroopers (#2-#5) and taken a few blasters bolts without flinching (or at least being truly damaged).  Let me know if I am wrong.

Certainly it seemed Grev played 'toss the stormtrooper' better than the other troopers played 'catch the trooper'.  There were less troopers on the other platform as the poor wretches there did not pose any kind of physical threat the 'Star did.  In the hollow cleared by the flying' trooper, Grev landed handily.  The girl cried out "Wizard!"

Be forgiving, it could have been "Yippee!"
Twelve troopers is enough for this fight so Grev cleared out a lot on the other platform.  The sick and aged passengers are rouge enough to overwhelm the other few troopers and escape in their battered freighter.  Trooper #6 is out and down!

I'm stopping here for tonight and will pick this up tomorrow.  Great posts all... :-)

This message was last edited by the GM at 07:07, Sun 24 Jan 2016.

I favor hand gestures, more dramatic.

quote:

As I understand it, then, Thuk has taken out four more stormtroopers (#2-#5) and taken a few blasters bolts without flinching (or at least being truly damaged).  Let me know if I am wrong.

Correct. Taking out ST's is useful, don't get me wrong, but the main thing for Tuk atm is that the ST squad is ignoring the other PC's in favor of shooting at the monster in their face.

Thuk thinned, reflexes intended to mitigate High-G falls spreading him out until one flailing limb caught one of the remaining stormtroopers and he drew himself along it out of the grav eddy then proceeded to beat on the other troopers with his hapless captive.

The stormtrooper sergeant pushed the muzzle of his weapon vaguely towards the 'captain', helmet turned away as he watched Tuk mow through the rest of his squad. "Call it off! Call it off right now!"

As the crew of the battered frieghter overwhelms the last ofthe Stormtroopers, Grev reaches down and picks up one of their rifles, one foot pinning the unconscious trooper to the platform.  He took aim at the lieutenant.  "You heard the girl."  He roared over the commotion.  "Order your men to surrender."  The "Or you'll be a corpse." remained unsaid, but hung palpably over the lieutenants head like the Sword of Damaclese.  Sure, it wasn't his rifle, She was on-board ship and safely locked in her case in his quarters.  But Grev was pretty certain that the lieutent knew he could be eaily killed, and had all the backbone of a Ulverian slug.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:15, Mon 25 Jan 2016.

Having caught up with the other threads and most mail, I can now spend some little time on this IC thread.

Right now, the troopers are surprised by your actions and are not yet able to react as you might rightfully expect them to.  But, if there is any opposition after your first strike, they should strike back as best they can.

Nate snapped the nearest troopers neck. It was as simple and quick as that.  And there's no sequel now for Crewman Trooper 'What's my Name?!' #6.

Confused by the situation and the strange rush of power invoked by her will, the girl looked for an anchor in the chaos.  She found it in the voice of Orion.  Without any more thought she ran to the edge of her platform and hurled herself towards Orion on his platform.

00:54, Today: That Old Fossil rolled 10 using 3 dice with the WEG Classic system (({Wild}4,4,2)).

Her leap was well-placed.  She managed to land on the platform in front of Orion but between two observant but preoccupied stormtroopers.

Shira felt anything but intimidating as she drew her tiny holdout pistol and (to her mind) squeaked out her command to Snive.  It seemed to her that only the most sniveling, craven coward could possibly take her seriously.  Snive raised his hands before the slight girl but his eyes belied a feral cunning, staring at the combatants, ready to utilize any opportunity.

With skilled motions, Zane fired into the chest of one of the two stormtroopers flanking the girl.  The stormtrooper clutched at his chest and actually laughed in incredulity.  His armor had actually worked.  The fool had used a projectile weapon, not damaging him through his armor but merely pushing him back.  The trooper had one more quick laugh before he realized he had stepped back one more step than the platform had to give.

As he fell, the loyal stormtrooper kept firing all the way to the smogbank.  And being a loyal stormtrooper, he still missed all the way down...

Trooper #7 is now in Heaven (or in a Kenmore blister pack/filler EU novel).

The other trooper flanking the girl (technically now just besides her) simply ignored the babbling droid.  What was the machine going to do?  Kill him with kindness.  It was his last coherent thought before he started twitching.

Trooper #8 is down and out.

I will add your further actions and any viable trooper responses next time...

When Nate sees the girl leap over to Orion, he turns his attention to the Imperial officer in front of Shira. The ghostling does tend to get herself into more trouble than she's built for. He slides up behind the officer, and grabs his arm, twisting it into a position it wasn't made to reach. He looks at Shira and smiles slightly, "You know, kiddo, it's usually best in these situations not to take prisoners. You'll need to get used to pulling the trigger."

OOC: 08:20, Today: Nate Stryker rolled 7 using 3 dice and 2 pips with the WEG Classic system (({Wild}2,2,1)).

Orion knows that he has only  a split second to shield the girl. H does a quick combat roll propelling his body towards the girl as he gets near he twists his body allowing his mass to land on the girl covering her body, He is able to get one shot off at one of the storm troopers, but the other one fires his Blaster carbine catching Orion square in the chest. Luckily, for Orion the Officer had ordered the storm troopers to stun.

Orion feels most of the strength leave his body, but he is able to squeeze off one last shot that catches the second storm trooper square in the face. Orion was not as merciful as the officer. His Hold out was not set on stun.

Celes kept close to Nate and Shira, picking off stormtroopers on their own platform while Thuk covered the other crew's escape. Grev's own order to Snive was much louder than Shira's, and then Nate slipped up behind him and physically grabbed the Lieutenant.

"Cool it, Nate. She kills the officer, we have no one to order the rest to stand down. Good call, kid." With Snive well under control, Celes widened her attention to the rest of the scene. Where the hell was that girl? When Orion had yelled to run, she'd apparently taken that as a command to run to him rather than to her own ship. The bounty hunter caught sight of her, and Orion's protection, and his fall. She gave a quick nod to Nate and jerked her head toward the Fabled Star. "Leave him and the blasters outside, captain won't want the heat or the filth. Grev, with me!"

There wasn't far to run, but she moved full speed to crouch beside Orion and that girl. Her voice managed to get soft, or moreso than usual, as she pointed out Zekk.

"Hey, see that man there? He's very brave and can protect you. Go to him. We can get your friends safely away and meet up with them later. You'll be alright." Even as she spoke, Celes was getting one of Orion's arms around her shoulders to heft him up. She didn't actually ask Grev for help, but would take it if offered. Apparently she just wanted cover from the remaining troops.

[Not sure if I really need to roll to move Orion, but here goes anyway because I like rolling stuff. :P

11:12, Today: Celes Varik rolled 12 using 3 dice and 2 pips with the WEG Classic system.  Strength.

It strikes me I have no idea about strength benchmarks. How's a 12?]

Nate nods, and looks at Shira, "C'mon, kiddo, let's get moving. He "encourages" the officer to walk toward the 'Star, with the help of the arm in it's painfully unnatural position, "Now do as my friend said, and order your men to stand down, so things don't have to get messy, especially since either of my big friends over there would be happy to relieve you of these arms of yours.". Once at the landing ramp, Nate stands by, waiting until the rest of the group are either on board, or moving up the ramp, before putting him in a sleeper hold, and leaving him unconscious next to the ramp.

[OOC: 13:48, Today: Nate Stryker rolled 13 using 3 dice and 2 pips with the WEG Classic system ((5,1,{Wild}5)).
A 12 is an "moderate" roll, which is about 100Kg, so Grev's assistance would be much appreciated, though, she'd be easily able to carry him.
edit: I realize this post should take place after the actions of the rest of the team who hasn't posted for the current round. It just seemed to fit here, since Celes spoke to Nate directly just prior.]
This message was last edited by the player at 20:06, Mon 25 Jan 2016.

The holocron hovered in the air, suspended in place. It began to move toward Zekk in a straight line. He ran forward to close the distance. A blaster bolt made Zekk turn to see the stormtrooper line up his rifle for another shot.

The holocron was almost in reach. Zekk threw himself forward and caught the holocron. He crumpled to the ground.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:46, Tue 26 Jan 2016.

Shira was a touch surprised her intimidation attempt worked. "Thanks for helping!" she said gratefully to Nate. "I'm not very aggressive by nature."
She smiled when Celes complimented her. "I just did my best to think on my feet."
"Right!" she said when Nate told her to get moving. First, though, she paused to take a couple of shots to cover Zekk. They were unlikely to do much damage against armor, but maybe she could make the troopers take cover, and she wanted to help out.

Snive was unskilled in combat due to general cowardice and the idea that combat was the sole province of lowly stormtroopers and thus absolutely beneath him.  That and he was treed by Shira's toy pistol so restraining the officer was no trouble for Nate.

Through the shimmering blue haze of both the stun effect and the current neural confusion of his stunned optic nerve, Orion saw the trooper fall like a bad holoplay.  The girl leapt forward to catch Orion as he fell and shielded his head from further injury.  Her face was a study in hero worship in a medium of blue lightning and then all went black.  Celes was able to lift him fairly easily. Trooper #9 is now down.

Snive considered.  If he didn't order the troopers to surrender, he would be killed by the outlaws.  If he did order the troops to surrender, he would be hunted and killed by the Empire eventually.  Not brave by any means, the two terrifying alternatives seems to cancel each other out into a form of courage.  "Take me prisoner and guarantee my safety and I will order my men to surrender."  Snive said, loud enough to be heard by the crew but hopefully not other stormtroopers.

Zekk felt the holocron in his hand and now safe over the platform.  It was his consolation as the world went shimmering blue and then infinitely black.

Both Orion and Zekk are only stunned and will recover in but a few moments.  With Akiri and Shen out, I am reducing the number of stormtroopers to the last two that stunned Zekk.

To speed things up, the troopers will stand down if Snive orders them to.  Snive has no power to resist anything our heroes do to him but if he does surrender, it is treason and a very likely death sentence for him to remain here.

In any case, the troopers can be easily dealt with and Snive has no power to resist.  Once the troopers are neutralized, combat is over and you have a few moments to decide what to do next.  It is no stretch to conclude that the Empire is scrambing all forces to you and you had best be leaving.

Send me your feedback and let me know your questions.

Grev leaps acros the platforms again, the "borrowed" rifle still aimd at Snive.  He closes the distance, his massive form towering over the Lieutenant.  "You will give us the codes to access the security system.  We will erase the recordings of these ships.  Then, you will stay here, after convincing your remaining troopers to create a joint cover story.  And we will leave, with NO pursuit.  And you will owe us a Debt for your life.  Or... I kill every Imperial representative here.  Choose now!"
This message was last edited by the player at 15:48, Thu 28 Jan 2016.

After she called Grev to come cover her while she got Orion, Celes looked over in time to see him closing in on Nate, Shira, and Snive.

"Guess not." The moment she'd told the girl to run to Zekk, she saw him hit square in the chest by a stun bolt and crumple. For a few seconds, she was completely speechless.

"Nevermind, kid. Stick with me. It'll be fine." And she hefted Orion toward the 'Star's boarding ramp.

"Somebody grab the 'captain'! Hands are full."

Nate passes commander Sniv off to Grev's keeping, and heads over to help Zekk, mumbling to himself, "This is just not going as well as it could. Space-blinded nerf-herders ought to know better." With that, he hefts the unconscious man over his shoulders, and carries him to the ship.

[OOC: 15:44, Today: Nate Stryker rolled 15 using 3 dice and 2 pips with the WEG Classic system ((6,{Wild}2,5)).]

Zane began his walk back to the ship.  The chaos and confusion of the storm troopers left him feeling comfortable with the though that nothing bad would happen to him.  "I could use a drink after that bit of excitement."  he said in a gravelly voice.  In his mind the situation was already well in hand.  The Bounty hunters were carrying the pair of stunned.  The kid that started all of this seemed to be in tow with Celes.  Snive and Grev were being highly demanding both offering solutions that were equally highly unrealistic.  And Shira appeared happy with herself, most likely because she captured Snive.

Zane walked close enough to say the following without need to raise his voice.  "Lieutenant, here's a compromise.  How about we make you look like a hero?  If I shoot you with my slug-thrower, then you'll look like you put up a valiant fight.  We capture you even more than you're already captured.  And before leaving, we kick you off the ship's ramp as we leave, allowing you to look like you've made a daring escape.  Afterwards your superiors probably wouldn't execute you for treason and we'll be out of your hair."  Not only was this con probably a bit of a long shot... After all, it's not exactly easy to get someone to agree to let a hostile stranger to shoot them.  Granted, it was all a lie, since Zane really didn't feel like wasting another bullet...  But he probably would enjoy kicking an Imperial off a ship.

OOC: 20:42, Today: Zane Konig rolled 15 using 4 dice and 2 pips with the WEG Classic system.  Conning Snive.

Seeing everyone making for the ship, TwoOneBee made his way over to help Zekk, seeing him incapacitated.  He quickly scammed his vital signs to confirm the extent of his injuries, then helped Nate bring him to p the Star's ramp.

"You are going to be perfectly fine in approximately twelve point five stars standard minutes, Mr Zekk sir," the droid said reassuringly.  "Mr Nate sir, if I may assist you, it will be more efficient and time does seem to be rather important just now."

As carefully as he can he helps Nate to get the 'Captain' aboard ship.  The old physician is more than a little relieved to be away from the fighting.  He wasn't designed for that sort of thing.  He was a medic, after all, not an assault droid!

"Was anyone else hurt during this unfortunate altercation?"
This message was last edited by the player at 03:12, Fri 29 Jan 2016.

Momentarily confused about exactly what to do with their very first moment of action, the two remaining stormtroopers hesitated.  It was enough for Ali.  She crouched down and reached for one of several dropped trooper rifles.  Hefting it off the ground, she fired at one of the two remaining troopers.

00:10, Today: That Old Fossil rolled 5 using 1 dice with the WEG Classic system (({Wild}5)).  Ali hits and does 00:11, Today: That Old Fossil rolled 13 using 5 dice with the WEG Classic system ((1,1,5,2,{Wild}4)) against trooper's soak of 00:13, Today: That Old Fossil rolled 8 using 3 dice with the WEG Classic system (({Wild}2,2,4)).  The trooper is stunned...barely.

It wasn't pretty but it got the job done.  The stun bolt caught the trooper in an extremity but the stun effect was conducted through all of the falling trooper.  Ali smiled.  The effort seemed to impress the young girl.  She also grabbed a rifle and fallen at the remaining trooper.

00:18, Today: That Old Fossil, for the NPC Mysterious Girl, rolled 7 using 1 dice with the WEG Classic system (({Wild}6(+1))) for 00:21, Today: That Old Fossil, for the NPC Mysterious Girl, rolled 8 (15 excluding the wild die) using 5 dice with the WEG Classic system ((2,3,{Wild}1,6,3)). against 00:22, Today: That Old Fossil rolled 7 using 3 dice with the WEG Classic system ((4,{Wild}2,1)).  The trooper is stunned (as in the damage result, not unconscious).

The very last trooper shrugged off the blue ripple but stood dazed, it would take him a few precious seconds to recover.  Snive had glumly noticed his even more reduced bargining power.  While many voices were directed at him, it was the sheer mountain of Grev that kept his attention.  "There..there are no recordings."  Snive said, too frightened to even try and spin that fact in the Rebel's favor.

The Rebels were just one shaky trooper from at least a momentary victory...

I had really hoped the girl would take out the last trooper but it should be a very easy action for any other character.  At which point, the actual combat will be over.  Snive will want to be left behind, babbling that you don't need to injure him.  He believes he can come up with a cover story with no troopers (now) to contradict him.  Either way, he is powerless to stop you leaving with him, leaving him behind (intact or convincingly damaged).

After that, you have a few minutes of game time to wrap up some loose ends without penalty.  The girl will say goodbye to her fellow passengers on the ferry.  They will be happy to see her go with you as they can't protect and, frankly, she is a danger to them.  With all of the Empire after y'all, the ferry has a good chance to escape into hyperspace in a different direction.  Zekk will wake up in a few minutes when the player sees fit.  Let me know your questions and feedback.

Thuk smashed the last trooper unconscious and headed for the ship. Imperial forces were coming.

With the last trooper well and truly...Thukked, the combat portion of this encounter comes to an end.  You all have enough time to get what you wish aboard 'Star.  Snive is in no position to disagree and, short of actually being injured or killed, will do as he is told.  Time on a Rebel prison planet may be preferable to explaining this debacle to his superiors.

The shuddering platform will not fail for several minutes and won't hit anyone on the ground.  It was meant to make combat more exciting but serves no real purpose now.

The more Force-sensitive among you have a uneasy feeling as if you are all being watched, or at least searched for.

Tactical training and (for some) years of experience tell the crew that they only have a small amount of picket TIEs to contend with before entering hyperspace.  With Instinctive Astrogation at your command, escaping should be easy.  But you don't want to be delayed enough for the Star Destroyer to get to you.

Shira gasped with shock when zekk was hit
She hurried over to the girl to help her to the ship. "Hello, good to meet you. Are you all right?" she said gently, trying to keep the girl calm. "That was a nice shot."
She sighed with relief when TwoOneBee said Zeek would be okay. "I'm okay." she answered TwoOneBee when he asked if anyone was hurt. "Surprisingly fine!" she chirped. She had to treasure this, it wasn't often she didn't get even a little bump or bruise in the excitement
The usually graceful Shira was a little bit clumsy in her boots, since they interfered with the ghostling walking posture.

While the rest of the crew preps the Fabled Star for emergency lift off, TwoOneBee takes a few moments to check on Orion Pax.  A quick survey of his vital signs brings the old Doctor some relief.

"You were merely stunned, Mr Orion sir.  Your elevated heart rate and blood pressure should return to normal levels within five standard minutes.  Feelings of disorientation should also subside shortly"
  He assured him gently.

He was pleased to hear Shira was unharmed; he did worry about the Ghostling and he scanned her from head to boots just to be sure.  "You are indeed within your normal healthy parameters," the droid reported with his usual delight.

He scanned everyone else as well.  They were undoubtedly used to him fussing over them by now.

"How is our new passenger doing?" he asked making his way to the young girl.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:45, Sun 31 Jan 2016.

Nate nods approvingly at Shira as he passes her, helping Zekk up the ramp, and into the ship. Once Zekk is settled for take-off, he goes over and starts looking at the ship's weapons systems to make sure they're online, and charging up.

Grev hauls Snive high into the the air, the boots of the lieutenant a few feet off of the ground.  "Be very convincing with your report of the pirates that did this.  If our ship or any of us is indicated, I will return and rip you limb from limb before I kill you."  Grev then brings Snive eye to eye with him, forcing Snive to see that Grev is absolutely serious, and takes two deep breath through his nose to get Snives scent.  With a casual flick of his wrist, Grev send Snive to the ground, sliding several feet back onto the platform.  Once everyone else is aboard, Grev boards, having covered them.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:37, Tue 02 Feb 2016.

The girl smiled at Shira, enjoying the conversation.    "I am Thuraya Ul-., just Thuraya."  She said.

And with that Thuraya waved to the other ship.  The ship's passengers, eager to avoid Imperial entanglements, were quick to get aboard their battered vessel.  And that vessel, once loaded, was just as quick to leave the platform.  Thuraya watched the ship shrink to a rising point in the sky.  She then turned to her new friends as if the other ship had never been.  "We best be going.  The Empire will be chasing you soon."

This was true enough.  The crew, including groggy Orion and Zekk, along with Thuraya boarded 'Star, taking with them the holocron and perhaps a few stormtrooper rifles.  But not before Grev threatened Snive one more time.  Snive nodded in agreement so intently and quickly, Grev was amazed Snive's head didn't fall off.  And then for emphasis, Snive simply fainted.  Grev boarded 'Star.

'Star left the shuddering platform in plenty of time before its failure and heading for space.  Anathracite begin to blur below and cloudy day was turning into the endless night of space.

DeeJay had linked with 'Star's autopilot and was relaying critical information.  If there was anything a protocol droid loved to do, it was talk.  And DeeJay was a particularly expressive droid.  Over an intercom and internal commlink channel, her voice carried.

"(Triumphant fanfare)  We have successfully lifted off of Anathracite with no casualties and a new passenger (sound of applause).  We are prepping for hyperspace.  Comscan indicates that only a dozen TIE fighters at best (TIE howl, then explosions) can intercept us.  They would have to slow us down for over five minutes before we would face any other Imperial forces.  We have some small amount of time before facing the TIEs.  Use it wisely."

Across 'Star, crew took up positions and began the preparations for a space battle...

I am assuming that the crew plus Thuraya and the holocron are leaving Anathracite in 'Star.  If I am wrong, let me know.  We can always retcon minor past actions as a flashback or a reference.

It won't take much time for battle stations, much shorter than the actual distance from near ground to the hyperspace entry point.  So your characters have whatever time it takes to move from a planet to the jump point.  This was never established for sure in Star Wars canon.  So I would like your estimate on the time.  In A New Hope, it seemed that the Millennium Falcon could have taken anywhere from a minute to an hour to leave Tattooine before jumping to Alderaan.  Let me know what you think.

During that time, you can assume your characters are busy, but not so busy that you can't have character moments.  A few points:

You don't have the time to study the holocron in detail.  A thorough examination will take longer than this journey.  But some things may be gleaned even which such a brief examination.

Thuraya will simply do what she is told within reason.  She is looking for a community of Force-sensitives and believes she has found one here.

Let me know what you think and what you wish to do.  We are out of combat and have a little flexibility.  After a few posts, we will get to the space battle.  Who is flying 'Star, Ali will volunteer but would prefer someone else at the helm.  The intercom and panels will allow the pilot to be involved in conversations.  This is your time to plan and act.

Thuk settled himself in his nest, glad to be properly suspended once more. How the humans stood being on the flat all the time was beyond him. He could taste the Tie fighters howling in towards them like the bitter taste of iron on his tongue and he reached out to the Web, linking himself to the Ship then pulling the strands of Pack into that communion with careful subtly.

Battle Meditation is active. All PC's (and up to 20 significant npc's) receive a bonus of 3D to Mechanical and appropriate skills (piloting, shields, gunnery) for the duration. GM, the enemy takes that same 3d as a penalty to Mechanical.

Celes made sure Orion was safely aboard, discarding the stormtrooper's rifle as she climbed the boarding ramp. She suggested everyone else do the same as well, to those who tried to take their stolen weapons on. It wouldn't look good for them wherever they went, and they could just as easily pick up more if necessary.

Once Orion was seen to by the TwoOneBee, the bounty hunter gave Nate and Shira nods and took note of the new girl's name. Thuraya something-likely-important. Interesting.

"Welcome aboard. I'm Celes. That's Nate. Shira. This here's Orion." The list was long, and they didn't have time for it. Celes stopped introductions there. "Get to know us after we deal with company. Shira's a ghostling, so very fragile but knows how to avoid getting hurt. Shira, can you get her someplace safe? Nate, guns? Take Orion when his head clears." Celes's place was the cockpit, speeding up the automatic processes as best she could. They needed to be gone five minutes sooner.

[Space Transports 3D+2, which may be the best we've got since Shen left. For the moment I'll take either pilot or co-pilot seat, but I'm pretty sure this baby needs way more crew to operate normally. And I'm assuming Nate and Orion have the best pewpew skills of the group. Don't take Celes's orders as actual orders, so much as suggestions. She ain't cap'n, just tactically minded. And besides, ordering a teenager someplace safe, I assume she's gonna end up in the cockpit anyway. :P]

Nate gives Celes his sly smile, "Prepped and ready. C'mon Orion, you look like you had a starshine surprise. Shake it off, I'll need a bit of help on the other gun. I'm taking topside." He looks up at the girl, "Yeah, hi. Uh, gotta man the guns." With that, he runs off in the direction of his turret.

The effects of the stun bolt slowly wore off. Zekk blinked and found that his friends had brought him aboard. He was still clutching the holocron in his hand. He turned as gave the young woman a weak smile. "Welcome aboard." He got up and looked around, "Where's Ali?"

---

As the crew made their plans to escape, he found himself heading to the cockpit. "Celes? Taking your turn to pilot us out of here." Zekk sat in the seat next to her, "Well - I'm going to be your copilot." He cast Celes a sidelong glance. "Of course I trust you. But I'd rather have Ali fly... By the way, have you seen Ali?"



Well I got 3D+1 so Celes you can be the pilot :)

Shira smiled at Nate's approval and Thuraya's friendliness. She escorted Thuraya up the ramp on to the ship. "Welcome aboard the Fabled Star, miss Thuraya! You'll love the Star, it's a great ship! And the crew are very friendly." she gushed.
Once safely back on the Star, she returned her holdout to its holster and kicked off her boots, returning to the tiptoe posture of the ghostlings. "Right!" she said to Celes. She trusted the green-haired woman with her life, after her rescue.
Shira found a seat for Thuraya, and made sure the girl was strapped in. "I bet you're still rattled from that fight back there. We'll get TwoOneBee to scan you once we're safely on our way" Shira's own seat was all but covered in additional cushioning, straps and other protective gear, and she hopped into it. "A couple TIEs will be following us, but the crew will deal with them" Shira promised with the easy confidence of the naïve. "We'll keep you safe"

After dropping off some gear in his locker, Zane felt a bit lighter and more comfortable.  Grabbing a small flask he decided now was as good a time as any to start with the medicine, in this case being any variety of adult beverages, and then the comms squawked to life.  He listened in amusement to the announcement over the ships Comm system and shook his head.  "Guess a drink will have to wait until we hit hyperspace."  He mumbled as he dropped the flask into one of his many pockets.  He ambled into the cockpit and saw that Celes and Zekk were both there.  He dropped into the 3rd seat which was for various ships systems.  "Looks like you kids beat me to the party."  The older smuggler started to look at readouts for the ship, making sure that everything was as it should appear.

I've got 5D but I'm really doubting that it's too important considering this is the first fight (or flight) .

Grev moved to one of the less critical posts.  He was not as familiar with starship weapons as some, but good at least lay supressing fire.  The rifle he took from the Stormtroopers still with him.

Orion raised up from where he was laying his body ached from the stun blast. His body seemed not to be responding as he wished, but he could tell that the effects were gradually wearing off. "Thanks 2B1. Is the girl safe?"

The old droid turned at the sound of Orion's voice.  His photo receptors pulsed brightly and he stepped towards his current patient.

"Indeed she is Mr Orion sir, everyone is safely aboard.  I do apologize for the restraints, but it was necessary to secure you for departure.  We will undoubtedly be pursued by Imperial ships and I would not want you to be injured.  The rest of the crew is dealing with them now, I believe."

Thuk's perceptions continued to expand beyond the Flat; full of the Ship and Pack and then the tiny, metallic swarm of TIEs, sweeping past them like so many gnats.  But there was something else just behind his perceptions.  Like a tiny itch on still flesh or a small dust devil on a still plain; activity where there shouldn't be.  Having been around humanoids long enough, Thuk placed the aspect he suddenly felt as mocking feminine laughter...

Orion and Zekk were slightly concerned with how enduring the shakiness, flashing and pulsing of their senses remained.  Was the stun effect not wearing off?  Perhaps TwoOneBee was needed.  But with a few more seconds, their full consciousness returned and the situation became fully clarified.  They weren't in a bad way, 'Star was.  Nate and Celes quickly explained the situation and invited Zekk to the bridge.

Zekk was able to shake off the stun fully now and join Celes in the bridge.  Little more conversation was needed, this wasn't their first space battle.  And the strategy was the same for all of them, fight until you could flee.  Up to today, that had always worked.  As Zekk and Celes took their seats, Ali also entered the bridge.  Glad that some real pilots had shown up, she was happy to take an auxiliary position.  She quickly hugged the pair, as much as she could rushed and with them in their seats.  She then lekkued to Zekk like a kind of human wink ~It is always nice to be asked about.~ Ali said affectionately to the entering Zane.  "It's not a real party until you show up."


With the bridge attended to, DeeJay left the bridge, maintaining a wireless connection with 'Star's autopilot.  She headed to the common area where that young child likely was.

In that same common area, Shira was settling and reassuring Thuraya.  The girl smiled back at Shira and said with utter such utter assurance, "Yes, we will survive." it seemed as if the victory had already happened.  Somehow this confidence seemed unsettling to Shira.  TwoOneBee had removed Orion's restraints while affirming that the young human female seemed to be in good health.  There hadn't yet been time for a thorough examination, which pained the droid's methodical circuits but a glance from TwoOneBee was better that most doctor's full exams.

On the bridge, an contemptuous voice came over the commlink, "This is Captain Gravann of the ISS Blackthorn.  By order of the Empire, surrender and prepare to be boarded."  DeeJay repeated the message over 'Star's intercom and then added, The Empire always seems surprised that no one accepts their kind offer (applause) to be tortured and then killed in a perfectly procedural manner (dull voice reading off regulations).

Having made sure the ship was secure, Grev felt that the best place for him might be the guns.  There were plenty of weapons on 'Star but they were light retrofits.  It would take some skill to lance a TIE with those dull beams.  The advantage was that 'Star had a great deal of them.

Back in the common area, Thuraya's eyes caught what seemed to be a very pretty insect flitting about the fixtures.  Impossibly, the tiny thing alighted onto a the headrest of an empty chair.  None of the others seemed to notice.  "Hello." The tiny bug seemed to say, its little wings seemed to convey the word, the slight buzzing sounding like crystal chimes.

Long ago, shipbuilders learned that modern starship sensors could best convey their data as sound to use the wonderfully evolved ears of most species.  DeeJay sent recording of 'Star's guns across the intercom, familiar to this crew ('Star's guns firing) To get you in the mood crew, our weapons are charging.  The next sound DeeJay didn't have to recall, she simply relayed what 'Star's sensors were picking up now, Incoming! (the relayed howls of TIE fighters).  Outside the viewports, the tiny steel swarm could now be seen, spitting dashes of fire toward 'Star...


1.  This is a reply to a blend of posts.  I am assuming I have placed you all correctly in times and places.  If not, let me know and we can retcon.  The starship combat is about to begin.  But assume you still have enough to attempt any quick actions I might have missed and place yourself anywhere in the ship.

2.  'Star has retrofitted, light laser turrets (1D Fire Control, 4D Damage) aboard.  Don't worry about arcs of fire for this simple combat.  Assume in the usual whirl of Star Wars space battles, you will get a chance at a shot.  There are enough turrets that everyone who wants to can use one.  However, this should be a very simple combat by design.  This first encounter is merely to set the mood.  At the end of the first round, a moderate Astrogation roll or easy Instinctive Astrogation roll will put you safely in Hyperspace.

You can just declare a TIE blown up, or, using minion rules, will blow up with the slightest damage.  Some characters may not feel their place is in a turret and the combat does not seem that serious.  If there is not enough interest in this fight, I will just declare you jumped with a few more scorches on the hull.

It may seem that 'Star is a kind of porcupine, bristling with weapons.  I wanted to give every possible character a chance to be involved in space combat, even if the weak guns don't do much singly.  A historical precedent would be the warships of old, with banks of inaccurate cannons going off in a broadside.

3.  The dark presence that Thuk is sensing and Thuraya is noticing has not yet had a chance to work her will.  It didn't quite flow this post but next post, all Force-sensitives will have a chance to notice the intruder before she can really act.  Whether you can do anything against her remains to be seen.

4. Once in Hyperspace, we move to non-combat.  Both here and at the Rebel Base, your characters can then be together and spend some time on character interaction and learning more about the holocron and Thuraya.  I know you have been itching for that.

"Let me talk them. I can stall them. We should plot a course toward them looking like we are surrounding. Calculate a course towards them out of the arc of tractor beams. Use the time to calculate a jump. If, lucky we can jump without shooting a shot. 21b help me to the comm." Orion tried to get up from the table, but he was still restrained to for his safety.

"Of course sir, if you believe it will help.  The comm is this way sir, I'll assist you," TwoOneBee promised as he made certain all the restraints were undone and then helped Orion to his feet.  He allowed the still groggy man to hold onto his scratched metallic chassis, supporting him with one metal arm extended behind his back.

It brought the old medic considerable amusement to hear DeeJay's insightful commentary on the standard Imperial command cease and desist order.  Not that TwoOneBee ever underestimated the Empire and its determination; he'd witnessed first hand what they were capable of, but he also had seen the 'Star's crew in action many times.  It was indeed inspiring to know that DeeJay shared his assessment of the situation.

OOC: Most certainly 21B will not be assisting on the ship's guns; it would take a far more desperate situation for him to willfully take the life of another sentient.  Instead, once he has safely delivered Mr Orion to the comm station he will return to the ship's common area, strap himself in and await the outcome of the battle, doing his best to keep the rest calm, as per his primary programming. In other words I'm a doctor dammit not a gunfighter :)
This message was last edited by the player at 05:10, Sun 07 Feb 2016.

"This is Centauri Quax, Captain of this vessel. We are willing to stand down to the proper authorities. I was not on the platform, but when the criminals boarded the ship my crew apprehended them, and we are willing to turn them over to the Empire. My primary pilot has been shot. A secondary crew member with rudimentary skill is moving into position to pilot the ship so we can be towed in by your tractor beam. We are working to restore the Helm position. I would like your assurances that the criminals will be dealt with in the harshest manner." Orion hoped that his combination of bluff and feigned cooperation would give the time to plot the necessary astrogation coordinates.

OOC:


21:01, Today: Orion Pax rolled 13 using 4 dice and 1 pips with the WEG Classic system with rolls of {Wild}4,6,1,1.  Persuasion.
 

TwoOneBee could hear the com chatter on the bridge even while being strapped down elsewhere.  'Star, at least, had been exquisitely customized to its droids.  The best course of action the medical droid could take was to keep from being damaged so as to fix the damaged later.

Orion's smooth talking had almost convinced the old droid that 'Star might even be overrun by criminals but only for a few processing cycles.  Organic could bend the truth in so many unpredictable ways.

On board the Blackthorn, Pax's words had actually caused some hesitation in the otherwise standard verbatim and familiar Imperial threat to fleeing ships.

23:10, Today: That Old Fossil rolled 18 using 3 dice and 2 pips with the WEG Classic system.  Imperial Captain's resistance to Orion's persuasion.  A valiant effort.

But an insectile buzzing tickled the Captain's ear, A trick, Captain, what we seek is aboard that vessel.  Captain Gravaan nodded to his subordinates, indicating to them to continue with the attack.

Negative, surrender and prepare to be boarded.  The denial was carried through 'Star's intercom.

The TIEs continued to approach and spit fire...

Orion's idea was good and considered but the dice were against him and the distant and mysterious Dark Side agent suspects the truth...

Zane didn't need to hear any more before killing the comms to the Blackthorn.  Further communications would have been... unproductive... to say the least.  "It was worth a shot Pax." He said before tapping his ear piece which turned on his hands free comm.  "Gunners, you have permission to fire at all will.  All TIE Fighters are now considered hostile. Light 'em up."  He tapped the earpiece again to cut his transmission.

Grev takes aim at one of the TIE fighters, firing off several shots at it.

21:17, Today: Grev Longtooth rolled 13 using 3 dice with the WEG Classic system ((3,{Wild}4,6)).

Shira had expected she'd have to keep reassuring Thuraya and she was silent a moment in surprise realizing Thuraya was even more confident than she was. There's something odd about this girl. When she recovered, she sang out "That's the spirit!"
She smiled at TwoOneBee when he scanned the girl. "Thank you for the assistance, 'Bee! You're a lifesaver, like always"
She frowned when the Imperials weren't fooled by Orion. "It was worth a try, mister Pax. Do we need another gunner?" she called out. She let out a loud squeak when the first TIE fire hit the ship's shields.

Orion new that their had to be a hole in the Empire's net. He look at the lay out of the ships on the Ship's computer as well as looking out the ship's forward window. He did some quick calculations. He was no pilot, but he had year's of training, and the best teachers his father could bring. He hoped that he could determine the best tactic to allow the ship to receive the less fire from the incoming enemy.


OOC: 04:33, Today: Orion Pax rolled 12 using 4 dice with the WEG Classic system ((2,4,4,{Wild}2)).

I thought that the wild dice added one dice. Is the dice roller set correctly. I have a 4 dice skill in this

Nate lines up the first tie to enter his field of fire, and squeezes the triggers.
[OOC:10:53, Today: Nate Stryker rolled 10 using 2 dice and 2 pips with the WEG Classic system (({Wild}2,6)). ---you have no idea how much I wish that 6 was the wild die.]

"We will not die this day. We will live to fight again, failure against the Empire is not the destiny of the Fabled Star. We just need to hold them off long enough to get the astrogation coordinates. Fight, on my fellow lost boys." Orion moved towards one of the turrets. His voice intense fueled by the ghosts of his planet. Each time he fought; he fought the battle that they could not fight.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:53, Thu 11 Feb 2016.

On 'Star's bridge, a holographic projection of complex parabola and sweeping curves drew itself in a red shade that was irritating to most humanoids.  The complex mathematical formula was a symphony of astrophysical beauty to those who could appreciate such things.  Its beauty was marred by the distortion caused by the too-slowly receding sphere that represented the still too-close world of Anathracite falling behind 'Star.  Bit by bit, the arcs and plots were moving from angry red to soothing green.  But not soon enough, the buzz and howl from the speakers was getting louder...

On each turret, similar holographics were drawing up darting arrowheads against a simple grid of light.  But there was no need for the alerts, the chrome bow-TIEs were now visible through the viewports, now in combat range...

OK, our first space combat and I want you to win it handily.  Why?  Because, technically speaking, you have already lost.  Your tiny group of Rebel jedis has now been definitely pegged by the Empire where before you had only been diffuse rumor.  This was not the fault of any player character.  Thuraya's very clumsy use of the Force plus the screaming holocron made the detection inevitable.  It is not even really their fault, either, you will learn they were both in a bad way.  This is the plot crisis that starts this story in media res.  I will get back to the non-space battle inner ship next post most likely.

Anyway, back to the space combat...
1.  It is difficult to pace fluid action with sequential posts.  So, you may start your next posts in your turrets, guns a-blazin' if you wish.  You may even, as others have, have already taken your first shot.
2. The TIEs have been given the impossible order to disable, but not destroy, your ship.  This requires a level of precision this combat does not readily allow them, putting the pilots at even more of a disadvantage.  Being clones, they will still obey until death (likely seconds away).
3.  Because of this, you have Initiative (some of you have already taken your first shots).
4.  Because of this, the TIE are trying to close as fast as they can.  They are sacrificing dodging and firing for speed, not firing until firing upon.  If it was up to them, they would fire from a meter away.  In short, your characters are choosing the range (and difficulty number) for this first round of combat.  You can decide what this will be among yourself or just declare for each character.  For example: if a PC makes a six on a gunnery roll and simply declares this a hit, it is a hit.  So the lowest roll that hits is the base difficulty number for this combat until a ship changes range.
5. If wished, 'Star can dodge.  The piloting roll will be added to the TIE pilot's difficulty to hit but will be the only piloting action this round.  Astrogation will have to wait until next round.  As I remember from previous editions, this dodge roll is added to the 'Star's gunners difficulty, but I cannot find that specific rule in the REUP rules.  If this is so, I recommend the ship does not dodge because...
6. For this combat, the slightest damage will blow up a TIE fighter.
7. For this combat, I will allow the more generous interpretation of the Battle Meditation skill.  You may add 3D (as I recall) to your piloting and gunnery skill, or you may not, as you choose.  I want you to win this combat.  I want you to win the combat quickly.  I want you to go into Hyperspace where you can finally act instead of react and this game will finally begin.
8.  For this combat, you can simply declare a TIE blown up by your character.
9.  As not all characters are involved in the gun battle, this combat may be curtailed even more.
10.  Questions, just ask.

"Zane, you'd better take over here. We need a better pilot and both of you are better than I." He got up to switch seats.

In reply to Shira (msg # 55):

"You are very welcome, Ms Shira.  Service is indeed its own reward, though this unit is grateful to help those who truly appreciate his efforts.  I do need to give our guest a more thorough examination later, perhaps when we aren't fighting for our lives would be best?  In the meantime, if you are able, I am certain the captain would welcome your help on a turret.  I will look after our rather distracted passenger, Thuraya I believe?"

The old doctor hid his concern for their safety with practiced ease, but those who knew him well, like Shira and most of the crew, his anxiousness was obvious.  "Perhaps I can interest Thuraya in a friendly game of Pazaak while we await the safety of hyperspace." He offered politely.

OOC:  we can continue the role play after combat, I just thought Shira's kindness deserved a reply.  Please do proceed with our imminent doom :-)

Celes thought the plan was crazy, but wasn't about to shoot down something that might actually work. The few seconds it bought them were practically an eternity in such a tense situation, and she used it to calculate them a path out of the planet's gravity well that would still offer their turrets a good arc of fire. The 'Star was big and flew like a starwhale, so dodging fire was out of the question.

"Don't you worry, old man. Just getting us moving while you hobble over. Captain, destination in mind?"

[I'm fairly sure dodging fire in a Mobquet is silly, so the plan is instead to give bonuses to the gunners so we don't have to dodge. Unfortunately Combined Actions rules are weird and involve Leadership and skill penalties and tiny bonuses, but I plan on simulating giving the gunners a clear shot by essentially making a dodge roll anyway. Playing a sped up combat, so this shouldn't be too much a stretch, right?

12:50, Today: Celes Varik rolled 18 using 6 dice and 2 pips with the WEG Classic system.  Starship Transport + Battle Meditation.

Not including the ship's Maneuverability, because I can't find it today. Can we get a ship sheet thread?]

Zane removed himself from one chair and quickly made his way into the one Zekk vacated moments before.  "Hobble?  I'll let you I could definitely probably maybe beat your or keep up in a foot race."  He left off the bit about needing to stun her prior to said foot race... Just in case someday in the future she took him up on that bet.  "The only thing that worries me out here is you kids, Green."  He rested his hand on the co-pilot's flight yolk just in case he needed to take over at some point.  "Alright, let's get this bucket out of here."

<OOC> I posted ships stats in OOC in the meantime.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 02:19, Sat 13 Feb 2016.

Grev continus to fire, arcing shots at any incomingTie fighter.


00:36, Today: Grev Longtooth rolled 14 using 5 dice with the WEG Classic system.  Starship Gunnery.

I agree with Celes' addition to this combat.  Thanks again for your patience  Go ahead and add 1D of 'Star's maneuverability to the bonus of 18 given to the gunners.  Thank you again, Zane.  With a bonus of at least 1 from the maneuverability and at least 1 from the gunners, you guys have made the 20 max. difficulty in most Star Wars RPG combat.  This number is due to range and, since the TIE's aren't dodging, range is all you need.

Being capable of picking off the TIEs at such an extreme range, it is only logical that your characters 'force' the combat to happen at extreme range (difficulty number of 20), so every gunner who has taken a shot has, by my calculations, hit.

Grev, Nate & Orion roll your 4D of damage against the following wimpy 2D of TIE hull strength.

23:35, Today: That Old Fossil rolled 11 using 2 dice with the WEG Classic system.  Grev's targeted TIE's resistance.
23:37, Today: That Old Fossil rolled 0 (6 excluding the wild die) using 2 dice with the WEG Classic system (({Wild}1,5)). Nate's targeted TIE's resistance.
23:38, Today: That Old Fossil rolled 13 using 2 dice with the WEG Classic system (({Wild}6(+3),4)). Orion's targeted TIE's resistance.

As we are using the mook rules to speed this combat up, if you damage a TIE at all, it blows up.

And I have got to cut this off early tonight.  Tomorrow I focus on what is happening (and a lot is) in the common area.

I will deal with Grev's second shot (just now posted tomorrow).

The shots bounce off the tie.

00:51, Today: Grev Longtooth rolled 7 using 4 dice with the WEG Classic system.  Damage.

[OOC: 10:29, Today: Nate Stryker rolled 5 (12 excluding the wild die) using 4 dice with the WEG Classic system (({Wild}1,6,4,1)). The die roller hates me today.]

OK, back tonight.  I had to leave so quickly last night I didn't get that both Grev and Nate were rolling damage, not second shots.  I am now understanding.

Grev had some bad luck but so did Nate's TIE.

As the dozen TIE swarmed 'Star, Grev's precise shot seemed to be dimmed with the long range, leaving only scorches on the TIE's solar panel.  Nate had better luck, the TIE pilot overcorrected and the 'Starbolt caught the TIE on the delicate exposed limb circuitry.  The TIE became a very tiny nova for a very short time.

The remaining TIEs fired.

23:34, Today: That Old Fossil rolled 22 using 7 dice with the WEG Classic system ((2,6,3,4,1,3,{Wild}3)).
23:37, Today: That Old Fossil rolled 28 using 7 dice with the WEG Classic system ((3,{Wild}5,3,6,4,1,6)).
23:38, Today: That Old Fossil rolled 25 using 7 dice with the WEG Classic system ((1,3,4,2,{Wild}6(+3),1,5)).
23:39, Today: That Old Fossil rolled 33 using 7 dice with the WEG Classic system ((6,6,3,{Wild}6(+2),5,1,4)).
23:39, Today: That Old Fossil rolled 26 using 7 dice with the WEG Classic system ((1,2,6,{Wild}4,4,6,3)).
23:40, Today: That Old Fossil rolled 27 using 7 dice with the WEG Classic system ((6,1,5,4,3,{Wild}4,4)).
23:40, Today: That Old Fossil rolled 13 (19 excluding the wild die) using 7 dice with the WEG Classic system ((2,1,4,2,4,5,{Wild}1)).
23:41, Today: That Old Fossil rolled 24 using 7 dice with the WEG Classic system (({Wild}2,6,2,5,2,1,6)).
and the final TIE's shot
23:42, Today: That Old Fossil rolled 22 using 7 dice with the WEG Classic system (({Wild}2,2,3,6,4,4,1)).  This is Orion's TIE and only fires if he doesn't destroy it.  Moot as it missed this time anyway.

Most of these shots would have hit but I am adding the 18 in Dodge, making the roll to hit 'Star as daunting 38.  I am helping this combat along as we need to get to other things.

'Star shuddered, more through skilled dodging rather than damage.  Shira and TwoOneBee might have tried to reassure Thuraya as the difference was not always realized by mudhuggers.  But the girl seemed unfazed by the gravity and lights flickering, or the audio commentary supplied by DeeJay.  "A game of Pazaak sounds nice but--"  Thuraya stopped, focusing on some tiny point in space near her.

On the other side of Anathracite, the Blackthorn was at full speed, its blue engines flaring.  What few TIE squadrons it had left were now fully deployed.  In her meditation chamber aboard the Blackthorn, she had an intuitive grasp of the battle; too few, too late.  The Jedi and their prize would escape unless they were a ship of fools.  And Jedi were not fools.  At least they were not fools in a tactical sense.  Their downfall had been brought about by their naiveté.

In any case, she needed to move fast.  The young, human sow was powerful but untrained, a beacon in the night.  Were the girl closer, her mind could actually be affected by the Dark Side but at this range, only persuasion and trickery might work.  An effort of concentration and...

Shira could now see what Thuraya was focused on.  A tiny and beautiful insect was perched on a nearby headrest.  TwoOneBee focused all of his delicate sensors on what seemed empty air.  But both had been briefed on this possibility.  This was a telepathic projection from some, Shira could now feel, dark and arrogant presence.

"Hello, child, I am a Princess of Hive Sithcaste."  It seemed like speech but only Shira and Thuraya could hear the mocking chitter.

On the bridge, the complex formula had finally turned green and perfect.  Hyperspace was now possible if not guaranteed.

OOC:
1.  The Princess' 'conversation' is happening while the TIE combat is also going on.  Neither character recognizes her name or title.
2.  Both Shira and TwoOneBee can probably immediately intuit the above.  Jedi near Thuraya will also notice the Princess.  Jedi further away can try and sense the Princess with the Force.  A warning over the intercom will help alert everyone aboard the ship of the newcomer.  Mundane but living characters have a chance of noticing the little insect avatar.
3.  The Princess is hampered by the range and the fact that you are about to enter Hyperspace and safety.  Closer up, she is far more formidable.
4.  All the Princess has time for is some quick and savvy character interaction.
5.  'Star is ready for Hyperspace.  The Astrogation is a very easy 5 for Instinctive Astrogation, 10 for just plain Astrogation.  Go ahead and roll.  Techically, the roll is the very first roll that happens next round.  This combat is almost over.
6.  Questions, just ask. :-)

"Right, I'll go help the captain. Take care of her, 'Bee" Shira said. She gave TwoOneBee a kiss on his metal cheek and began to leave for one of the turrets. Before she could leave, though she saw the strange insect.
"Thuraya, be careful..." she whispered to the young Jedi.
She shivered at the feel of the insect.. Force users, light or dark, were rare; she had never met a darksider. And she had hoped never too. How could a ghostling, who could be bruised by being touched too hard, fight someone who was superhuman? "What brings a sith all the way out here?" she asked the insect. "Just leave the girl alone"

TwoOneBee's photo receptors blinked a warm amber to show his appreciation.  Shira had always treated him with kindness and respect, which was the sadly the exception among most organics he'd met.  The old medic considered himself very fortunate indeed, to be a part of such a welcoming crew.

He turned his attention to Thuraya, intending to introduce himself properly, when he observed the young girl's preoccupation with a specific headrest, as if something about was truly fascinating.  TwoOneBee also noticed that Shira was likewise concerned with the same exact area, or rather Thuraya's preoccupation with it.  He tried several scans, but could find no anomalies or discernible differences in that location.  And yet their new guest was slipping into an almost trance like state...

Hearing Shira's words, the canny droid quickly understood the issue.  Somehow the Force was at work here.  While TwoOneBee certainly couldn't quantify the Force, he was familiar enough with its consequences to take it seriously.  At the mention of the word 'Sith' he too became concerned.

"Ms Shira, I believe I must defer to your expertise in this matter.  Is there anything I can do to assist you?"

Quickly, TwoOneBee initiated his personal intercom, installed in him for just such emergencies.

"Captain Ali, I am aware you are dealing with our pursuers, but our newest passenger is experiencing some sort of unwanted Force transmission.  Please advise?"
This message was last edited by the player at 00:50, Tue 16 Feb 2016.

The little mammalian larva was looking at her with honest curiosity, the Princess was beginning to see the storms of emotions with other senses.  This might be easier than she suspected.  The droid was canny enough to follow the gazes of its mistresses but would be unable to see.  The Force defied logical explaination.  But the other female had challenged the Princess, her aura was a quiet strength.

A Ghostling?  Why did the Queen of All allow such a travesty in her universe?  It was an insult to strength that such weakness even existed.  But the woman's will was beginning to weaken the Princess' own link.  "Leave her alone?  But she is alone through her own cowardice."  The Princess had guessed correctly. A wave of grief, shame and anger emanated from the child almost physical in its power. The shocked maggot then struck the headrest with no possible harm to her intangible avatar. This was meat and drink to the Dark Side and it was sufficient to carry a memory along with it.  Pain, running, the whoosh of scarlet lightsabers, the scent of...

...wildflowers.  Wildflowers of unique and sensuous aroma.  The Princess chuckled in pride of her own cleverness and, in so doing, neglected her focus.  Shira's awareness suddenly clarified, a confusing rush of sensation rushed through her consciousness; the artificial dirt of a modern hive, the comforting tang of her endless siblings' chitin exoskeletons, the buzz and heat of a billion wings.

On the bridge, Ali was maintaining 'Star's secondary systems, shields, scanners and the like.  She was grateful that they hadn't really been needing given the skill with which 'Star was being flown.  But TwoOneBee's warning, coupled with Ali's novice sense of wrongness, make her lekku twitch.  There was something spying, learning about this ship, even now.

She wasn't the best to attempt this action but the best were too busy right beside her.  Ali manipulated the panel next to the green filigree of holographic plotting.  With more the jump's ease than her own skill, a familiar rising trill rippled through the ship.

23:36, Today: That Old Fossil rolled 15 using 4 dice with the WEG Classic system ((4,3,3,{Wild}5)).

The Princess felt it too and managed to scream, "You will lose, child, you weren't strong enough then and won't be laterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!    And then she faded away, the little insect avatar disappearing.

As the TIE's closed up like a purse around 'Star, the large ship shrank to a distant tiny point of light in the closing gap.  The effect registered like a ringing boom through the TIE's sensors.  Even the now empty space seemed to spin for an instant in its own surprise...

'Star has now entered Hyperspace.  Ali's jump was not as graceful as others might have been but it sufficed.  The crew can (correctly) surmise that the Empire cannot track 'Star in any meaningful amount of time.  And likely through a complicated series of multiple jumps, 'Star can be anywhere in the Galaxy soon enough.

We have now entered non-combat time.  The Hyperspace jump (or jumps) can take a total of an hour, day or even week as is suits the cinematic mood.  As we saw in A New Hope, a ship in Hyperspace can generally be left unattended for the bulk of the journey.  In short, characters are now free to completely interact.  And now all of you can finally act instead of react.

Seeing the galaxy change colors through te viwport of his gunnery station, Grev knew they had hit Hyperspace.  Having done so, he left the gunbnery station, and went to the messhal with his newly aquired stomtrooper rifle.  He was hungry, and so fixed himself a reasonable lunch for one so large.  As he ate, he broke out a toolkit and began diasassembling and ceraming the "new" rifle.

Tuk felt the threads connecting him to the tie fighters stretch impossibly then snap. Sighing relief, he disentangled himself from the crew and reached for his comb. Those blaster bolts has seriously disarrayed his fur, it was going to take considerable work before he was fit to be seen in polite company once more.

"She's not alone! We're with her" Shira replied fiercely to the bug.  She shivered at the strange images of life in the hive, completely different from anything she had known.
She sighed in relief as the 'Star made its escape. "Don't listen to her, she's just trying to frighten you. She can't reach you here. Now is the time to relax a little, after all that adventure" she said to Thuraya. "''Bee and I will take care of you. And we'd like to hear your story, when you care to tell it. If you don't want to, that's fine too."

Nate smiled slightly as he climbed out of the gun turret. Ship's guns had never been his strong suit, but he was happy that he was able to take out a tie before the jump. Once on the deck, he made his way to the common area. As he arrived, to see Shira talking to their new passenger, he sat down on one of the free seats. "So, you get yourself chased by Imperials often?"

Realspace fell away into the blue-white stormy rush of Hyperspace.  The Princess' screech of frustration fell away.  Ali began the quick work of setting the ship on maintenance.  All of the turmoil of the Galaxy was now a literal universe away.  She wished they could stay in the shimmering shelter but no one could stay here forever.  And they had a job to do.

In her meditation chamber, The Princess could feel the presence of the vulnerable girl and her protectors fade away like smoke.  She screamed and chittered, allowing herself a moment of telekinetic fury.  Trinkets flew and smashed against bulkheads, panels sparked and popped.  The intercom still worked, telling her what she already knew.  The Jedi ship has leapt into Hyperspace.  We are tracking their trajectory but, given their speed and our distance, the prospects are slim for following them.  We have probably lost them.

A gesture and the intercom panel flickered on across the room.  "No, Captain, I think I might have their scent."  She tried to focus on that cloying scent of alien botany that seemed to appeal even to her.

On Anathracite, the shuddering platform gently shook Snive awake.  He was alive and surprised of it.  There was no sign of the Rebel ship and Snive was suddenly fearful.  The Captain and maybe her would like this explained.  And Snive's retelling, especially being undamaged, was not likely to be a sufficient apology.  Gritting his teeth, his cowardice actually now a survival instinct, Snive pointed his pistol at what he hoped was a forgiving part of his leg.  He fired and then cursed and cursed again to stop himself from passing out.

The screaming woke up one of the unconscious troopers.  "Sir?"  Snive was back on form, "Ah, you should have seen it, trooper.  There were so many of them but fortunately I was able to chase them off with my blaster pistol."  The trooper actually whistled in admiration through his helmet.

Just some narrative housekeeping for now.  It will likely be Sunday night before I can continue with this IC.  But this will give players a chance to craft their posts.  Thuraya will begin to tell her story and you can examine the holocron.  Shira can sort her quick impressions stolen from the arrogant Princess as she had done with Thuraya.  Everyone else can generally arrange themselves as they see fit.  You have the time to do most actions.  If y'all wish, Ali wil maintain the bridge for better safety but still be part of the conversation holographically.

TwoOneBee was very grateful indeed when the ship at last entered the haven of Hyperspace.  With all his considerable stored knowledge, the droid had been utterly out of his depth.  It had been very fortunate that Ms Shira had been there to deal with the matter.  He buzzed in agreement, as he processed the Ghostling's words.

"I can assure you, Ms Thuraya, that Ms Shira is both truthful and accurate in her assessment; you are, for the moment, quite safe.  She is also correct that we would like to help you, if you will accept our assistance.  It would facilitate things a great deal, if you could tell us more about your unique situation."

At the whir of the automatic door, TwoOneBee turned and greeted Nate.  "Welcome back Mr Nate sir."

Nate smiles at the rather unusually human-seeming medical droid, "Thanks, Bee. How has everything been back here?" He waits for a response from Bee, then looks at the new passenger, and the young ghostling, "You two doing ok? You seem a bit shaken up, kiddo."

The old doctor 'bot blinks his golden photo receptors and click-clacks at Nate's reply.  The crew was, by now, familiar different ways of expressing himself; his clicks were usually a sign of his approval or happiness, and he was most definitely glad to see Nate.

"We are much better now we've escaped those reprehensible Imperials Mr Nate sir.  Circumstances were becoming rather troubling just five minutes prior to your arrival.  Our newest passenger, Ms Thuraya, was receiving some kind of unwanted Force transmission.  I admit, in spite of my capacious memory core and impressive data processing matrix, the Force remains an enigma that is quite beyond my comprehension and I was unable to assist.  I am certain Ms Shira can explain it much better than I.  Without her timely intervention the entire situation might have ended very differently."
This message was last edited by the player at 06:04, Sat 20 Feb 2016.

Shira released the restraints on her chair and lay across it, letting her silver hair cascade to the ground. "Phew, that was quite the adventure." She nodded to Nate. "A little shaken up. There's a Sith somewhere after Thuraya, some sort of insect creature. She spoke to us, made threats. Sith are very frightening opponents" she told Nate, uncharacteristically frightened and subdued. "But we'll protect her!" she said, hopeful and determined again. "Aww, thank you 'Bee! I just did what anyone with the force would have. The force is really pretty special... I wish you could see."

Grev looks up briefly as Shira speaks, his hands still moving expertly in disassembling and cleaning the stormtrooper rifle.  The quiet of normalcy in the area almost belieing the action of a few moments before.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:37, Mon 22 Feb 2016.

Celes allowed herself a calming breath once the stars had become streaks in the viewport. With a nod to the others in the cockpit, she stood and made her way back to check on their new acquisition. Not the holocron, which she didn't know about yet, but the girl. As she walked down the hall, the bounty hunter unwrapped the straps holding her stun gloves tightly in place, folding them together and stuffing them into a belt pouch. Eventually she opened the door and stepped in to greet the others.

"All clear. Everyone good?"

Zane looked over To Celes and the others are the universe began to speed by.  At least for the moment it appeared that they were safe. Looks like break time He thought as he reached into a pocket and removed a small container.  He consumed a portion of his emergency stores of some random distilled spirit. Which he conveniently called 'medicine' of course, most likely to TwoOneBee's dismay.

He made his way into the main gathering area moments after Celes. He too was interested in the unintended cargo that they picked up on the wayside of Anthracite.

"Miss Varik, Mister Konig, Grev! Good to see you" Shira said happily. "'Bee looked over Thuraya and me, we're physically fine. I hope you are, too! 'Bee was about to deal a pazaak game, want to join?" she chirped. "But... we do have a small problem" she admitted, looking away.

The cerulean storm of Hyperspace continued to boil reassuringly outside 'Star.  Some turned away from the viewports, the unsettling view could cause hyper-sickness for most souls.  Those strong in the Force could often be calmed by this alternate reality.

In any case, the most interesting activity was in the common area.

Although she couldn't show Bee the strange, alien impressions from the Princess' mind, she was able to recall and now begin to make sense of the exotic memory.

...She struggled against the egg casing, clawed fingers eventually slit the tough membrane, spilling her onto the hive floor along with the egg fluids.  For a few moments, the shock of being born took all of her thoughts and perceptions.  But after a few moments, she could make out the insectile forms of hexapedal workers and, beyond them, her mighty queen.  Through the Web, the Princess could sense her queen's pride at the achievement of her birth, if not her herself.

Beyond her sisters and great Mother, there were other insectile creatures, bipedal like herself, with black-jointed white exoskeletons.  One of the strangers was shockingly ugly, peeled with no exoskeleton.  It spoke, short exhalations of air translated by its droid into the familiar clicking of her people.

"She certainly looks humanoid enough."
The Queen replied with chittering. "Our new caste will work together with your kind well enough.  She is also a nexus of the Web, what your Queen Emperor would call 'strong in the Force."
"Then let us toast our new troopers, hatched not cloned."
The peeled (nymph?) opened a small bottle.  The stinging odor of fermented poison caused the Princess and her family to shrink back in shock.  The soldiers advanced, the white-shelled intruders took up defenses, aiming their weapons.
Shell-less seemed to finally understand and replaced the cork.  Over the next minute, the soldiers, the strangers and the Queen relaxed.
The Queen then stated, "Take her, she is yours now."

Shira returned to here and now, to herself and the 'Star...

I have to stop here for tonight.  But I should pick this up tomorrow.  Assume Shira can share her thoughts with the living (if she wishes) and they too can make observations.  If this seems a generous use of powers, remember that you have time to prepare and are not penalized by repeated attempts.  There are also skilled receivers if Shira has trouble sending her thoughts.  I am thinking this is similar to 'taking a 20 in a d20 game'.

He was indeed about to deal a friendly game of Pazaak, hopefully it would help Ms Thuraya to feel a bit more comfortable for all of them to be indulging in a frivolous pastime, although it was not frivolous to TwoOneBee.  The doctor hesitated, however, hearing Shira's words.  Scanning her, he did notice an elevation in her blood pressure, and her pulse had quickened as well, remarkably so for a Ghostling female at rest.

"Ms Shira, is something amiss?  You're vitals indicate you may be experiencing some measure of physical or emotional distress."

From the last post, it may be possible to glean some useful information about the Princess and her kind.  But if I botched the clues, an Alien Races roll would not go amiss.  All can roll if they wish thanks to exceptional communication (telepathic or simply descriptive).  The Princess' species is not a common one in the Galaxy.

Maybe it was the commotion over Shira's recent revelations or perhaps a slight turbulence in the hyperlane but the holocron fell from a nearby shelf and hit the deck plating with a metallic clang.  A quick examination revealed a hairline crack in the strange cube.  But such a short fall could not have damaged a mighty holocron.  Magnifying their senses, the Jedi could see that the edges of the crack were themselves slightly worn.  This indicated the damage was old and the holocron possibly much older still.

Small ripples of energy began to play across the delicate filigree of the holocron and shimmer in the hairline fracture.  The Force was slightly disturbed like ripples in a tiny stream.  A holographic panorama then flickered into life around the holocron.  It showed a vista of some beauty, a field of strange flowers against a starry sky.  An elderly human in Jedi robes seemed to be addressing the onlookers.

"I call to all Jedi in this hour of darkest need.  The Jedi council has fallen.  We are betrayed by--"  There was a ripple of static and the scene played again.  "I call to all Jedi in..."

The hologram is stuck in a short loop, much like Leia's initial hologram to Obi-Wan Kenobi (although that may have been R2's doing).  Characters may try different Force skills to try and unlock the broken holocron.  High enough technical skills may also help, as the holocrons are ultimately devices, albeit very advanced devices.  It could be that no one remembers placing the holocron on that high shelf but there was a lot of acrobatic hijinks during the brief space battle.  Still, it does seem odd...

I am playing loose with time and order of action here.  It is a long enough hyperspace journey, your characters have to time to pose and answer all questions conceivable before you emerge at Hoth.  I am stopping here tonight but I should have time tomorrow.  Tomorrow, I should have Thuraya speak and more mystery will be unveiled...

Nate gazes at the holographic message in amazement. His gut was telling him this was important, but he had no idea why. Not being a Jedi, or a technician, all he could do was wonder what the full message had hidden.

"Good to see you to Shira.  You were brave out there."  He consciders the description of the species, searcing his memory as he cleans the rifle pieces.

11:07, Today: Grev Longtooth rolled 18 using 2 dice and +2 pips with the WEG Classic system.  Alien Species.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:23, Sun 28 Feb 2016.

10:46, Today: TwoOneBee rolled 20 using 5 dice with the WEG Classic system ((1,6,4,6,{Wild}3)).

TwoOneBee searched his extensive database for any information concerning the strange race that Ms Shira described.  In his 187 standard years of existence he had seen and recorded millions of life forms so there was an excellent probability he had encountered the creatures in question, or had data pertaining to them.

He was momentarily distracted by the activation of the holocron and its subsequent incomplete message.  While the droid knew there was energy output from the antique device, his sensors failed to pick up any sort of discernable signature whatsoever.  This, along with the mention of Jedi in the holographic missive, allowed him to conclude the unknown energy must be the Force.  Ms Shira was right; how extraordinary it would be if TwoOneBee could see it.

"A most unusual recording device, to be sure.  The message is certainly compelling.  Shall I retrieve it for further examination?"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:53, Sat 27 Feb 2016.

Shira nodded to TwoOneBee when he mentioned she was distressed, and followed it up by explaining the strange memories she had experienced from the insect sith. "It was a very strange experience, and rather upsetting. But it's emotional, the company of my friends here should help me recover. I've never heard of a creature like that... there's nothing like it on Datar. All our bugs are small, like my blazebug." She shivered, the memories still frightening her.


Shira let out a slight yelp of surprise when the holocron fell; she hadn't been expecting it and was still on edge from the memories. But the message drew her attention right away. "Oh!" she said and scrambled off her seat to examine the fallen holocron. She knelt next to it, staring wide-eyed and fascinated. "How amazing.... records of the Jedi order itself!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"Why, thank you! It means a lot coming from a tough fighter like you, Grev" Shira said, smiling, when Grev complemented her courage. "I'm not sure I'll ever be a warrior like my father, but I try to be brave. And, it's always good to see you too!"

"I'd be careful with this device, 'Bee! It looks really old. If we broke it, we could lose priceless lost Jedi lore..." Actually, Shira had no idea if it contained lost lore, but her mind was already jumping to the most exciting possibilities.

Between TwoOneBee's extensive files, aided by some data banks aboard 'Star, and Grev's sheer experience and intuition, they still could not identify the Princess' species.  Surprisingly, this was not a failure but a kind of success.  Given their large pool of combined knowledge, were the species even simply a rare presence in Galactic civilization, the two of them should have found some reference to them.

This led to some reasonable conclusions.  The species was likely only recently discovered and probably by the Empire.  The species was probably of lower technology than average as it was discovered rather than the discoverer.  There was no sign of technology that wasn't Imperial in Shira's recollection.  If so, it was probable that the new species' introduction to Galactic society was only through the Empire.

The species was a kind of insectoid, much as humans were a kind of humanoid.  Variations of insectoids were known throughout the Galaxy, enough so that generalizations could be made about even an unknown species.  In practice, an insectile society was much like the most ambitious dream of the most rabid Imperial patriot.  A strict caste system, with every member accepting their place, under the unquestioned rule of a very few.  While this eusocial hive worked well with insectoids, it was tyranny to the vast number of Galactic species, particularly independent humanoids.  The more moral and perceptive of insectoids, and most of them were such, recognized this difference and had campaigned for civil rights and freedom as much as most species in the days of the Old Republic.  But a new and impressionable insect race might not initially grasp the fundamental evil of the Empire.

The fact that the Princess, and her new Sithcaste, were essentially made to Imperial order was disquieting.  The Princess was a force-capable, perfectly formed humanoid insect.  Most insectoids were able to shape caste forms from careful alterations to larva development.  The Princess' people had seemingly perfected this process to surpass any genetic engineering current tech could offer.  And it seemed like it would not be difficult to soon give the Princess millions of equally capable sisters.   As this was explained to the rest, Ali whispered, "An 'organically produced' clone army."

Grev and 'Bee's analysis was having greater results than examination of the holocron.  The cracked but otherwise sealed cube had no interface a tech could use to check its unfathomable innards.  The Force-users were having more luck with their eldritch senses.  As they explained it to DeeJay, the holocron was like a combination lock that could be broken given enough patience and combinations.  It just might take some time.

"That is supposed to lead me to a great secret of the Jedi.  But I can't figure it out."  Thuraya said, pointing to the holocron.  "My parents said..."  And then the girl broke down into sobs and shaking.  The psychic wave of grief and shock that shone from this padawan youngling might have shook the most serene of Jedi.  It took time and gentle reassurance before Thuraya could speak again.

Comforting hugs, some warm tea, and perhaps some discreet calming via the Force and Thuraya began to speak clearly through the grief.  "I am Thuraya Ullance." A rare first name and a particularly common surname.  "Or at least I thought I was."

"My parents told me that they were simple force-fishers, who moved from Alderaan to Chicane after Empire Day."  Her stray thoughts gave greater context to her words.  A pair of doting human parents cradling their only human child.  They seem as giants to the very tiny toddler gazing up at them, partly true recollection and parental worship.  The three stood on a stony field surrounded by a maze of kilometer-high walls of shimmering ocean, a seemingly impossible situation....

And here I have to stop for tonight.  I hope to finish Thuraya's story tomorrow night or Tuesday.  And then I will finally get to some OOC.  The last IC paragraph above will be better explained in the next post.

What Zane was hearing left him with a number of thoughts.  First and foremost was that, he seriously needed to renegotiate his contract after this job and take into account everything that was occurring.  After all, a fairly legitimate transportation job was slightly different than now an escort mission with a wanted child that was being chased down by Imperials and Sith.  If he, a normal human, was going to risk his life by engaging or hopefully tactically moving away from (aka retreating [aka running away]), then he'd need to be compensated differently.

The second issue was with this situation in general.  It was giving him a heck of a headache as he tried to wrap his head around it.  While it seemed possible, he was just having trouble wrapping his mind around it. His only recourse was to down the remainder of his flask to stave off the impending headache.  He settled in for what might end up being a long conversation with the others about what they were encountering and their new passenger.

The mental images were crystalizing even through Thuraya's grief and the impossible vision was beginning to make sense.  The shimmering cliffs of water were being maintained by force wall variants.  It was the same principle by which air and vacuum were kept separate in open hangar bays.  Square kilometers of Chicane's ocean were then processed for rare trace minerals and rare planktons.

Her family would walk the dried ocean floor and harvest the various minerals and biologics there.  "It was a quiet life at first.  So much I couldn't wait to see any other part of the Galaxy. When I was in my teens, I found out why we were in the Galaxy's dark rim.  My parents told me that I was old enough to understand. I could understand that I was Thuraya Ulfire."

The name rang a bell.  The Ulfires had been a minor noble house, contributing more than their share of padawans to the Order.

"My mom and dad were both Jedi who fell in love, which was forbidden."  Thuraya actually hadn't had to explain.  The Jedi knew how lonely the 'life' could be.  "So they fled to Chicane.  It actually helped save them when the Republic fell.  At least for a little while."

The mental vistas changed, the years flying by.  Through Thuraya's fourteen year old eyes, those linked could see the undamaged holocron and her own new shoto on the now drying nautiloid shell.  "Both of these will keep you safe."  Her father said.  "So keep them safe."

Another jump forward in memory and time, and eighteen year old Thuraya awoke to noise and clatter and her mother telepathic scream of her name.  Leaving her tiny room, she found a battle in the common area.  Her mother and father had their lit sabers guarding against several strangers...

And here I have to stop the post, again unexpectedly busy.  I will try and pick this back up on Thursday.

The first of the strangers was a young woman who also seemed, impossibly, to be some kind of insect (different from the Princess, Shira could perceive).  A handsome, expressionless human man stood besides the insect woman.  Unlike her, he did not have a red saber lit and drawn.  Beyond them were a quartet of oddly-armored stormtroopers with unusual rifles.  And, finally, behind the troopers was a small Imperial octo-walker, like a giant steel spider.  Thuraya could not see who was piloting the vehicle through the thick viewports.

"You know why were are here.  It does not have to end in oblivion.  Search your feelings, you know you can survive with us, as us."  The insect woman said.  Father answered, "Search your feelings, you know that won't happen."  And, after a moment, the insectile sith nodded soberly.  Then their sabers met with a snap and hiss.

The battle was joined.  Father held them off while Mother stopped her from lunging forward to defend her parents.  With an effort of will, Mother hurled Thuraya and and the holocron into the hopper.  Thuraya barely had time to scream before she thudded against the interior of the small transport, the holocron hit the bulkhead and gained its hairline crack.  A verbal command from her mother and the hopper closed the hatch against the too-slow Thuraya.  The launch was brutal, the G-Forces of soon pushed her into blackout.  Before the darkness took her, across the Force Thuraya could feel her parent's voice cry out once and then there was silence.

She woke some time later next to Chicane's starport, the hopper had done what it was programmed to do.  Thuraya could feel the pursuing sith in her mind.  She quickly snuck aboard the nearest unoccupied vessel, child's play even for a novice padawan.  And soon she left Chicane, the sith not far behind.  And that was the way of the past month; escape, hide, escape and hide again.  As her memories of the past reached the present, Thuraya closed her eyes and became quiet.

In the silence, DeeJay chimed in over the intercom We are now halfway to Echo Base.

OK, that is all of the infodump for this hyperspace trip.  At this point, the rest of the jump will be concerned with your characters actions (if any).  I'm sorry this was all so spaced out and oddly paced.

There might be some things to discover in both Thuraya's memories, or Shira's second-hand Princess memories, or even what you glean from the holocron.  After your actions, the ship will re-enter hyperspace in the Hoth system.

Even if your characters can't actually read the thoughts of the Jedi, there is still sufficient information in the verbal re-telling.

Grief is a tough thing to film.  In movies, they cut away once necessary plot has happened.  Because greiving is a long and messy process in real-life, you can assume I am condensing hours of reassurance, delicate questioning and breaks to get Thuraya's story.  Memories of the Princess and holocron 'research' might also be taking a long off-camera.  But you do have the time while in transit.

Let me know your questions.  I am busy until Sunday night.  But I should then have some time to catch up and attend to some OOC.

Nate had never felt such a bombardment on his senses. His gut was churning, and he kept getting occasional flashes of images in his mind, which he chalked up to the girl's skill at describing her memories. One thing was sure. She was being chased by the Empire, and especially the Sith. If things kept going this direction, he might consider... nah, he's no Jedi. Stay out of sight, under the sensor sweeps, and hit when they least expect. That's the way to do things.

Thuk turned left, following the sound. His species nocturnal habits had given him an excellent grasp of the night sounds of the ship, and this one didn't belong. The source wasn't hard to find, the little human that they had rescued back in the place with the unpronounceable human name was sitting against the wall, drawn up into a little ball of misery and making the noise.

She looked up when he came round the corner, her eyes growing wide.
"Hello Mr Monster. Are you going to eat me?"
"Hello Thuraya. No, I don't think so, humans stick in my teeth."
"Oh, okay, that's good." She looked at him a moment, then announced "There is a monster under my bed"
Ah, good, a problem he could do something about. "A tasty monster perhaps? A nest spider is it? You don't mind if I eat it do you?"
"Would you really?"
"This is my ship Thuraya, my territory. If another monster comes onto it. I eat them. Crunch." Tuk showed her several rows of razor-sharp teeth.

"Wow, that is so cool!"
"Where is your bed Thuraya, let me eat it now."
"Okay." She put out a tiny hand and pulled him along to her cabin. Sadly, not only was there no tasty snack, there was no sign that there had ever been one. "I think it got away" he told her. It was best to let humans down gently, they resented being reminded of how dull there senses were. "It probably smelt me coming."

"No please don't go" she said grabbing at him when he turned. "I miss my mommy."
Thuk had only the vaguest idea of what a 'mommy' was, something to do with human reproduction he thought, and he didn't see what one had to do with the other, but he could keep watch from here as easily as anywhere else, and he lowered himself to the floor.
"Your fur is really nice Mr Monster."
Tuk preened. Finally, a human who understood the importance of a good coat! "Thank you Thuraya, I think your fur is nice too."

She sighed contentment and slumped against him, asleep in moments.

Thus it was that Thuk spent the night watch guarding against the monster under the bed, a little girl sleeping comfortably in the nest of his fur.

As Thuraya finnished her story, Grev finnished his reassembling of the Stormtrooper Two rifle.  A few modifications fine-tuned into it.  Even as he worked, he cionscidered what he knew of the other insectile species and weaknesses common to them.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:02, Sun 06 Mar 2016.

TwoOneBee was unable to find any data on the unusual insectoid species Ms Shira and Ms Thuraya described, much to his own astonishment.  It did intrigue him, however, to discover evidence of a species he had not ecountered before.  He resolved to record any further data about them for future research.  Considering their most recent passenger was apparently being hunted by such a species, it might be critical to know everything possible about them.

When Ms Shira cautioned him about the holocron, TwoOneBee decided to let those who understood Jedi matters deal with it.  He was most certainly capable of being gentle, his pincer hands were engineered for smooth, steady, precision rather than aesthetics.  Still he decided it was better to leave it to Force specialists, unless instructed otherwise.

Instead he focused his attention on Thuraya, listening with genuine interest, and growing alarm, as she recounted her tumultuous history.  He joined the others in soothing and encouraging her, whenever her emotions overwhelmed her.  TwoOneBee was equipped with a psychology sub routine that was applicable for over ten million sentient species, and he applied it now to help assuage the young girl's fears.

"You are safe here, Ms Thuraya; you do not have to deal with these issues alone.  I am not programmed to speak for others, but I can state that this 21B unit will willingly help you in any way it can."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:23, Sun 06 Mar 2016.

Shira stood from where she had been examining the holocron with clear fascination and gave Thuraya a hug. "I'm so sorry, Thuraya. You don't have to run and hide any more. We'll protect you. And when you're ready we can find out what's inside that holo-thing together." She sat down near TwoOneBee and began to comb out her long silver hair. "Phew, what a day. 'Bee, how about that pazak game?"

Nate tried to busy himself with work, steady hands might calm a shaken brain.  It had seemed sometimes that once Jedi had gained the power to search the feelings of others, they tended to withdraw themselves into hermitage,  Nate had one more lesson into why.  His mind worked, trying to focus on searching but returning to second-hand memories and unanswered questions.  And his mind, recently touched by the Force, made an intuitive leap.  For just a moment, Nate's inner eye focused on an image, two spinning disks of light, dancing around each other, streams of light shooting from the centers of each.  The nearby stars seemed so dim in comparison.

The sight would awe even the least poetic of souls, possibly even a droid.  But Nate's training put a physical structure to the pinwheels.  He knew what they were but never thought to see one up close.  They were two orbiting black holes, the bright disks burning gas spiraling inwards to the hidden dark centers.  Such a rarity, there were only about a dozen known in the Galaxy.  The vision faded away giving no further answer...

In the dark, just before she nodded off, Thuraya whispered sleepily against Thuk; "Once I had a stuffed Rancor, my parents said it would protect me from bad dreams."  She punched Thuk playfully in his giant arm, "This is much better."  And she slept with a smile.

Grev made the final adjustment and fired the rifle against the hovering remote.  The low power blast still knocked the hovering remote back about a meter and floating standby mode.  It was strange that Imperial tech could actually be improved so easily, slthough he was approaching the limits.  Perhaps that little extra tuning was too expensive a billion times later.  He was reviewing his knowledge of insectile species.  The retreat from the wine in Shira's vision had made sense.  Many insect exoskeletons could be damaged by vinegar or alcohol compounds.  The as yet unknown race of the Princess seemed to have that vulnerability as well, along with a very pronounced ability to sense it nearby.

There was another general feature of eusocial insectoids, they did not handle separation from their species well.  Your average worker or soldier would become agitated after about an hour, homing to the hive if allowed.  Fighting like a box of wookies if denied.

TwoOneBee was coming to the same conclusions as Grev via different means.  Likely the Princess, though resistant to isolation, would eventually have to be among her own kind from time to time.  It wasn't an uncommon vulnerability, the droid thought, seeing the quiet human girl.  His psych routines had been up to date, Thuraya smiled back at him.  "I know.  Droids aren't like people.  You can trust them."  And she continued with the Pazak game, mundane merriment and small talk among friends allowing her grieving mind to think on other things and begin to heal.  "Ms. Shira, do you have any family?" Thuraya asked idly...

Good thoughts and characterization all around.  I will have the ship emerge from hyperspace soon.  We can flashback if needed.   Thuraya trusts you after those sweet character moments.  I think I can get to the long-delayed OOC matters tonight or tomorrow.

"I do! My dad is a warrior and a hunter, and mother is an artist. I have a younger sister, too. They all live on Datar, our homeworld" Shira told Thuraya cheerfully; she loved talking about her home and family. "I have some pictures of my family in my room, and I keep my blaze bug to remind me of home. On Datar we use them to light our nests. They call also be used as weapons, but I'd never do that to that little guy." She waved to the blaze bug, happily buzzing around a corner of the room. "My people don't often leave our homeworld, but that decision ended up being taken out of my hands. My poor mom and dad were worried sick."

Having carefully removed and destroyed any tracking an spcific identifying electronics and cleaned off seril numbers, Grev calls-up the schematics of the Stormtrooper Two Rifle and clearly indicates the changes he made and details exactly how to make those changes.  If he ever manages to get another Stormtrooper Two Rifle, he will be able to successfully repeat his improvements.  Having entered that information into his datapad, he starts an entry on the as yet unnamed insectile species that the Sith was from, careful to dillineate facts, observations, and conjectures.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:14, Thu 10 Mar 2016.

Celes sat and listened to the story, keeping up as best she could without the ability to see the visions in her head. During the long breaks of comforting Thuraya, the bounty hunter left that to those more qualified. Shira knew she was capable of it, but Celes didn't like to advertise that among the others, and certainly wasn't as good at it as the more warm crewmembers anyway. So instead she busied herself with a pet project of hers, carefully tuning a sporting blaster pistol, low powered and legal almost anywhere, for Shira's use.

Most blasters had a trigger tuned for the average humanoid, tough to pull to keep from accidental discharge, but requiring enough pressure to bruise a ghostling. There had been a few moments before where Celes thought the fragile girl might need better defense than the hold-out pistol she often carried, but this last firefight had put her in extreme danger even for a human. There was plenty of motivation to keep the crew armed and ready. Soon enough this blaster would have a hair trigger by human standards, which would hopefully be just right for Shira.

The next plan would be to get Grev and Nate's help with a firing range. Only practice would make this weapon matter. It still bothered her that Grev had taken the Stormtrooper rifle, but the longer she thought about it, the more clear it was that none of the problems that incurred even mattered. They were traveling with several wanted fugitives, leaving a trail of both Force power and wanton destruction in their wake, and were now being chased by a telepathic bug lady with a full Imperial battleship at her command. Maybe Celes should've kept a rifle of her own. The time for staying cautious was rapidly disappearing.

This must have been why this many Force users had never been put together before. Hiding them was becoming an impossibility. Protecting them was ludicrous. The only things to do were to keep running, or...defend more aggressively. The thought of Thuraya's mother throwing her into the shuttle and sending her away stuck in Celes's mind. She began adjustments on the focusing lens and energizing array. Shira was going to need all the defensive power she could get.

Nate rocked back in his seat. His face was a study of discomfort.This was a completely new experience for him. These visions had never taken him like this before. There is no way he should have them. Still, he couldn't argue with what he had seen. Maybe one of the Jedi on board would be able to explain this, but that could be a problem. Instead, he pulled out his blaster, and started to clean it, even though it hadn't been used, and he had cleaned it shortly before the Imperial checkpoint. Going over every detail, he lost himself in the motions. Still, the images kept running through his mind, and he couldn't shake the feelings that were still lingering. He looked up several times at Shira, the only one of the Jedi that he really felt anything like friendship with. He wanted to say something, but didn't want anyone else to know what he had experienced.

Zane rested against the bulkhead.  He couldn't see, hear, nor experience what the others may have in any other way that what was actually spoken.  As far as he was concerned it could all be a story, but the reactions from the rest of the crew at least gave him enough reason to believe what she had said was true enough.  He refrained from joining in on the comforting bandwagon.  Stuff like that wasn't exactly his forte, and he'd most likely make things much much worse.  After story time was over the smuggler made himself scarce in a different part of the ship.  He didn't really have anything to add that was worthwhile to that sort of a conversation.  Despite being in the outer rim for so long, he'd never really had any run ins with the Sith.  This would actually mark one of the few times where he had no previous experiences to draw on for answers.

Continuing to deal the holographic Pazaak cards, TwoOneBee kept the game fast and fun.  Clearly indulging in the playful pastime was helping to ease the tension, at least for Ms Shira and Thuraya.  He could probably entice Mr Zane into playing as well, knowing he also had a passion for Pazaak.  He was more than happy to deal anyone in who wanted to join the fun.  The medical droid noticed the sober expressions on the other crew members around the Common, but concluded it was their choice to deal with the situation as they wished.

"It must have been awful to be taken from your home world in such a fashion, Ms Shira.  It does bring this old 'bot pleasure to know your ordeal, as terrible as it surely must have been, did eventually lead you to the Fabled Star and her crew.  I have never been to Datar, Ms Shira, though I admit I have always wanted to go there.  What is it like, if this unit may ask such a question?"

As he turned to their guest, TwoOneBee considered asking her a few additional questions about the insectoid alien chasing her, but concluded it was not an appropriate time.  He was still curious about them, his logic processors working in the background to create a probable xeno biological profile, but dealing with organics, specifically this crew, had taught the old medical droid the virtue of patience.  Instead he offered a further welcoming gesture.

"Ms Thuraya, if you feel the need for rejuvenation,  I can contact Captain Ali.  I am certain she will be happy to assign you suitable quarters aboard this vessel, if you wish."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:18, Fri 11 Mar 2016.

Shira reached up and rubbed her neck in memory where she had to wear her slave collar. "It was certainly as scary as anything I've ever been though. I thought I would never see my home and my folks again. The slavers were careful, because Ghostlings are so fragile off Datar. Even so, I was bruised all over when Celes rescued me." She shuddered with the memory. "I still have the outfit they made me wear... I kept it to remind me of what Celes and Nate did for me."
She smiled over at Celes. " But you're right, 'Bee, it all worked out for the best, in the end. I'm glad to be here. "

"Oh, Datar is very lovely, doubly so if you like forests. Offworlders usually love it, with the low gravity they feel like supermen. It's especially pretty at night when the blaze bugs are flying around the bayah trees" Shira said enthusiastically. It was clear she really enjoyed talking about her homeworld. "You might not like it though, 'Bee. We make our nests in the trees and I imagine it's hard for a droid to get around."

She smiled up at Nate when he glanced at her. "Wanna join the game? I don't think we'll need those blasters right away, they'll be time later."

The vision of the twin black holes faded from Nate's mind, although it could still be recalled.  It seemed the uninvited phantasm did not wish to outstay its welcome.

A humanoid paradox, hearing about Shira's family still living even if far away, actually seemed to cheer Thuraya up.  She impulsively and unwisely swept up the Ghostling in a crushing hug but realized her error before cracking her fragile friend's ribs.  "Well, I would like to meet your kin someday and Mr. Thuk's, um, ...sprouts?"

Grev continued his studies on the Princess' as-yet-unknown species.  He did as well as probably any sentient could with the insufficient data available.  His best guess was that in some way the Princess, humanoid and Sith, was still too insectile for isolation from her species not to bother her in some way.  Still, the Force could bear any discomfort, at least for a little while.

There wasn't a firing range per se aboard 'Star but there was a long gangway with a section of blast door as a target.  Shooters learned to watch for doors opening and travelers learn to watch for blaster bolts.  It worked most of the time and the weapons were usually set to stun or low power.  Celes calm shots hid an active brain.  The plan of gathering up all of the known Jedi in the Rebel Alliance and keeping them together had been contentious from the beginning.  But every alternative had had its own problems.  In any case, it was expected that one day the clutch of Jedi would be discovered by the Sith.  It was inevitable, really.  The Jedi were bound to meet the Dark Side and its minions head on.  To not do so would be just a different kind of succumbing to the Dark Side.

But there had been the hope of more time.  Now that was dashed.  Wherever the Sith forces were, they now knew of the Fabled Star and its crew of rare Jedi.  It was take just as clever planning now to match them, moreso as their forces were greater.

Ali smiled and nodded to TwoOneBee, "Oh, I think we have some place on this big old vessel for a stray padawan."

There was suddenly triumphant fanfare from the speakers and then DeeJay's voice in thunderous reverb, We reach the optimum remergence point for Echo Base in five minutes.  Bridge crew to bridge please.  The game was temporarily suspended.

OK, the next post is emerging into the Hoth system. It would be prudent to have someone in the pilot's chair.  Ali will volunteer if no one else wants the job.

   Grev, not as skilled a pilot as others, took to planning for the ineviable contingencies.  Situations had changed, and there was now a young Jedi to be accounted for.  The Sith too had been alerted to her presence aboard the Fabled Star, and now they would be looking to "aquire" her.  No telling which way they would eventually board the ship, but it would have to be through the hull somehow, and the airlocks were most likely.  So as he walked through the ship blindfolded letting his other senses guide him accurately around, he carefully conscidered all possible breach points and the directions of fight to repel invaders from them.  Internal security would definitely have to be increased, ideally with forcefields to block off corridors.
   Later, he and Ali were due to attend a Holo performance of "The Life Tree Saga", a Wookie opera.  He was probably the only one aboard the Star to enjoy it, but then, he spoke Shriwook.  The thought briefly distrated his mind from planning, but he refocused almost immediately.
   Echo base would provide resupply, he hoped to be able to aquire some extra tools there.  The Rebellion would be more lenient with requisitions for the Fabled Star.  And with a bit of luck, he might even be able to send off an extra payment.  His debt bothered him, and he wanted it done with as soon as possible.
   As he finnished his circuit of the ship, he removed the blindfold infront of his door.  Entering his room, he donned his cold weather gear, and started researching the conditions, native & introduced species, and other applicable surival information.  Setting the stormtrooper two rifle down carefully in a case and locking its trigger, Grev takes out his personal rifle.  It had cost him much in credits, but it was the best rifle on the market, though illegal in most civilised places.  He started to clean her, as he reviewed Hoth.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:55, Tue 15 Mar 2016.

Nate smiles at Shira's offer, and shakes his head, Thanks, kiddo, I'm just not much of a card player.
As the images fade from his thoughts, and the announcement comes over the com, he stands up, and heads toward his bunk to get the things that he'll need to prep for their next mission. There's always a next mission.

Shira hugged back gently and let out a squeak when Thuraya hugged her too tight. "I'm sure you'll get a chance to meet them." She nodded enthusiastically when Ali said they had room for a padawan. "Of course we do!"

She looked up when she heard the announcement over the speakers. "I should get dressed for Echo base. Thuraya, you can borrow some of my cold weather gear until we get you your own."

She nods to Nate, smiling cheerfully. "Okay, Nate"

TwoOneBee listened with interest as Ms Shira described her home world and her former life there with her family.  He could easily detect the Ghostling's passion for the subject as fluctuations in both her voice and her vital signs.  She clearly loved Datar, and her family there, but of course this was no surprise to the medical droid.

"I am most certain I would like your planet, Ms Shira, regardless of the difficulties.  We 21B's are designed to be adaptable to new situations, after all.  I did learn to appreciate the flora and fauna of many worlds while in service to my old Ithorian mistress..."

He paused, an unusual occurrence for him, then lapsed into silence.  He found it difficult to converse with others about Ms Lassna, except perhaps for DeeJay.  Somehow she seemed to understand.  He found himself relieved when the Captain interrupted his silence by offering Ms Thuraya quarters.  As always her timing was excellent.  He was quite sincere when he replied:

"Thank you, Captain Ali."

Ms Shira and Mr Nate's brief exchange did not go unnoticed by the old droid either.  Mr Nate seemed agitated, and his blood pressure was slightly elevated.  TwoOneBee created a reminder to discuss options for stress relief with him at the earliest convenient opportunity.

"Echo Base?  It would be best to return to our seats and strap ourselves in to ensure a safe landing.  Not to worry, we can continue this game later, I will simply save the current settings on our holo display for future reference."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:50, Wed 16 Mar 2016.

It was a trivial jump, certainly compared to some that 'Star had made.  But all of the correct protocols were observed.  People strapped themselves into chairs, the shields were raised.  The bridge chimed and a particular lever was pushed.

The smoky-blue endless tunnel of Hyperspace became a starfield which spat out a faraway star, an icy word and a scattering of asteroids from dots to normal size.
There was a sudden thump, the warning of klaxons and lights, and sudden wariness that quickly quieted down.

We're fine, Ali said, over the intercom, It's just a tiny asteroid disagreeing with us.  Given all of the asteroid activity in this system, it is not surprising.  I guess this base will never be a tourist trap.

A few familiar classes of ship identified themselves as Rebel Alliance and offered the sign.  Ali sent the countersign.  The Rebel fleet powered down their weapons.  It was necessary to keep the ships in orbit until Echo Base was more complete.  The snowspeeders weren't even ready yet.

Greetings, Fabled Star and crew, we were not sure if you had escaped Anathracite completely.  Please proceed to Echo Base and dress warmly.  We are calling an Emergency briefing.  The hail had sounded on the bridge and the sound carried over the ship-wide intercom.  Ali was slightly concerned.  Briefings didn't usually happen this quickly unless there was an emergency.

You are now in the Hoth system, probably a few weeks before the upcoming battle.  But no one here knows that for now.  There are a few optional encounters but the only mandatory encounter is a briefing where you are restocked and rearmed and learn the drastic reason why.  If you want to meet some of the actual Star Wars characters, let me know.  I will reference your specific IC posts tomorrow.  I just wanted to get this out tonight.

Thuk had encountered frozen water before, it happened in midwinter near the poles, but that didn't mean he liked it and when he came out of his nest he looked slightly silly with a felt bootie on all six limbs.

Grev prepared himself mentally for the likely hard tasks ahead.  Snippets of lesser Wookie operas were redirected through the various dumber droids nearby as they went about their tasks.  Ali, bless her heart, was more aware of the ineffable wit of Wookies than most of the more humanoids but she still thought "GRONKkkk" was the same deep elegy as "GRONKkkk".

There were enough gambles ahead, it was no wonder Nate skipped this game.  Thuraya let the slightly bruised Shira go and smiled at the idea of using her new friend Shira's own gear.  Shira calculated that only a few items would be broken by typical adolescent, earnest human clumsiness.  Even though the conversation wasn't meant for her ears, Thuraya perked up at TwoOneBee's reply.  "You were owned by an Ithorian?  They are among the most gentle and wise of souls.  You must be as well."  While not disrespectful up to now, the girl looked at the droid with even more respect.

A few minutes later, at TwoOneBee's suggestion, the other fragile living forms also strapped themselves in for the emergence into the Hoth system.  The very minor collusion with the tiny asteroid was worrying. Not for its lack of real damage but the last trip to Hoth hadn't had any impact.  Asteroid activity in this system was beginning to increase for some as yet unknown reason.

As blurred Hyperspace was replaced by rock-speckled starfield, Thuraya stared in wonder at the view out of the viewports, star-struck at the most minor events of space travel.

Only the felt-booted Thuk, when he re-entered the passenger area, elicited an innocent giggle for Thuraya.  "Why Mr. Thuk, you are so adorable."  Only Darth Vader might have dared such a suggestion, or stolen the normally impassive alien's composure as well.  But Thuraya said it with utter fondness to her new friend.

Black starfield turned to blue, chilly sky through the viewport.  'Star was landing at Echo Base with a little more alacrity than usual. Something had to be up.

The Princess kneeled in a chamber built for giants, making her seem even smaller.  The gesture seemed to trigger the holocom, her platform drew a neon-blue halo around her on the floor.  Shimmering holography suddenly filled most of the chamber, like a bonfire painting itself.

"Arise, my servant."  The Emperor always made his servants feel like they were the most important person in the Galaxy next to himself.
"Yes, my Quee--Master."
"Speak."
"I believe I have information on the Rebellion's Jedi."
"Excellent.  Tell me more..."

Ali's enlightened but still not perfect grasp of the complexities of Shriwook is a sly inside joke for Star Wars.  There were really only about four sounds used for Chewbacca's speech.  So, technically, he couldn't really be saying much of anything.  That is why aliens can seem to find subtle differences in the identical sounds that humans can not.

The next IC post will be likely the briefing on Echo Base where you get new goodies and challenges.  I know some of you are ready for action.

TwoOneBee seemed upset, so Shira gave him a hug (carefully, so she didn't hurt herself.)

"Emergency briefing? Well, that doesn't sound good." she said. She gave a delighted squeak when they emerged from hyperspace; no matter how many times she saw that, it always thrilled. her. She went to her room to dress in her cold weather gear and brought back gear for Thuraya.

Shira was a little uncomfortable, wrapped her in her cold weather gear. Partially, because it was a bit heavy for her, but also because the boots once again forced her into an unnatural posture for a ghostling. "We could meet some of the greatest heroes of the galaxy here" she gushed to Thuraya "Like Admiral Tallon, or Commander Skywalker!"

Shira did not have to eagerly wait for long.  The crew was quickly escorted to a hangar turned briefing area.  They barely had enough time to scrape together enough cold clothing.

The meeting had been hastily assembled.  Crates were used as chairs or tables.  Open flamepits were used, the most ancient of technology in an advanced base.  The pits were carefully calculated not to bring down the ice ceilings.  Rather than a dedicated holoprojector, an astromech droid had been drafted into service.  Its tiny holoprojector was showing captured Imperial newsfeed and low-quality actual intercepts.  Hoth was being pressed into service as an active Rebel Base just a little too early.

General Rieekan started without preamble.  "Thank you for being here.  We believe a great crisis is ahead of us.  And we want to give the resources and personnel you need to gain victory."

"Excellent, Princess.  You have done well.  And you will not be alone in the upcoming struggle."  The Emperor's voice was almost a purr even given its raspiness and the holostatic.
"Perhaps Lord Vader...?"
"Lord Vader has other concerns.  But, again, you will not be alone." The Emperor had repeated himself.  It would be unwise for even a recently praised servant to press him again.
"...Thank you, my Master, we shall begin to hunt the Jedi now that we know of them and what they seek."
"No need.  The Jedi will come to you.  They have no choice.  Timidity would bring them to the Dark Side almost as well as anger.  And you will be waiting for them."

I am moving forward the action a little bit.  We can flashback if necessary.  I have a feeling I am losing some of you more physically-oriented characters by focusing on mysteries and interaction.  You will get a little exposition, stuff you couldn't have known.  And then you will get to raid the Rebel toybox, gaining equipment (and, if needed, personnel).

If you wish, known characters from the Star Wars universe can be at the briefing.  This can include Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo and the others.  It can include the specific game NPC from the Intel section of the Rebel Alliance sourcebook.  Otherwise, we can leave it at Rieekan and get to the briefing.

Shira let out a gasp of surprise and wonder to see them personally briefed by General Rieekan. She only hoped she didn't look silly in her cold-weather gear. She wasn't bothered by the spartan accommodations, since it was still interestingly different from Datar.

"It's an honor to be here, sir." she replied. "We'll do whatever we can to help in the crisis!" She had been learning more about technology, and she perked up (or rather got even more perky) when Rieekan talked about resources.

Nate, as usual in these kind of meetings is sitting in a corner, almost unnoticeable in his silence, barely moving. Those who know him, know he will stay like that through the entire meeting, unless he has a specific question.

Thuk draped himself over a crate, giving it the odd appearance of having acquired a fur coat, wondering idly what the Emperor knew that he was supposed to, but did not.

Grev sits on an upturned piece of steel, his big rifle slung across his shoulder.  He patiently waits for the briefing to continue as he scans the area, his senses taking i all the infrmation available.  His mind already formulatig plans and questions.

He was not expecting the hug from Shira, though he appreciated the gesture.  An organic might have derived some comfort from such a heartfelt embrace and, to TwoOneBee's surprise, he did find some relief in knowing she was concerned for him.  It occurred to him Ms Shira was a most patient listener.  Perhaps sometime he might share some of his old data files with her, if she was amenable.

"This unit is grateful, Ms Shira, thank you," was all he could reply.  Perhaps his vocalizer was malfunctioning.  He decided to run a diagnostic analysis to ensure it was functioning properly.  He'd have to do so later, however.  They were needed at the meeting.

He was puzzled by Ms Thuraya's assertion, though he did understand her admiration of Ithorians.  It was one thing the medical droid shared with the young girl.  He buzzed at her, optical sensors flashing a brilliant gold.  He decided he rather liked Ms Thuraya and he hoped she might stay on for awhile.

"I am not at all certain that droids can ever be 'wise' Ms Thuraya, that is an organic trait I am afraid, though I certainly do possess an impressive collection of data, and have access to even more, should you ever have a question about medicine or xeno biology.  You are correct about the second trait however, as I am programmed to be gentle, when required and thus I appreciate the compliment.  We are both in agreement that the Ithorians are a very esteemed people.  I'd be happy to discuss their culture, and your experience with them, at your convenience."

And with that, he prepares for their landing at Echo Base, making sure everyone else is safely fastened and ready as well.

OOC: If allowed, TwoOneBee attends the briefing, standing quietly behind Captain Ali and paying careful attention.

If he is NOT allowed then he will remain with the ship, keeping DeeJay company.

This message was last edited by the player at 12:14, Wed 30 Mar 2016.

Thuraya's smile didn't dim one watt as TwoOneBee finished his long explanation.  It only seemed to increase.  "You are so well-spoken and polite, 'Bee"  It was perhaps a presumption to nickname but few droids would object.

Everyone had been invited to the briefing.  Or at least no one had protested when Thuraya stood quietly.  As the last member of 'Star's crew find either a crate or a very slow and uncomplaining cargo droid to sit on.  The general continued.

"We know it was controversial decision to keep our Jedi mobile and together rather than sheltered and separate.  Future scholars, hopefully Alliance ones, can determine whether that was the right course of action.  It was perhaps inevitable that the Empire would discover our method on hiding you all and your friends.  We believe that the Empire will refine their Jedi-hunting tactics, most likely through dedicated small forces of Sith and their assistants.  This will make your lives more complicated and we will have to adapt."

"We have dedicated, through traffic analysis and other means, the Sith squads are focusing on some specific, sudden initative instead of a more refined scattered searching.  This means they know something we don't.  Do you have any ideas?"

Ali cleared her throat and said, "We have a recovered but damaged holocron.  There is not a lot we've been able to get out of it."

The General and those assembled smiled or gave other slight signs of relief.  A rare artifact like that was not an everyday thing, especially in the hands of the Rebellion.  "May we see this relic?" He asked.

Thuraya is keeping uncharacteristically quiet, on the chance she technically shouldn't be at this briefing.  If anyone else wants to have volunteered about the holocron first, write it in and Ali's affirmation will just be reinforcement.  If anyone is reluctant to turn the holocron over, write it in.  Once the holocron is displaying something may be learned that will move the plot forward.  I may not be able to post until Sunday night so you've got time.

"So far we've been well taken care of, sir" Shira said to the general, her voice shy and soft. She was nervous speaking to such a leader of the Rebellion. She winces learning that staying ahead of the Empire will become harder and harder.

Shira nods affirmatively, shaking her silver hair, when the general asks to see the relic. "Of course, sir!" she says, tossing what she hopes is a decent salute.

Celes quietly followed along with the others, staying close to Shira and her new friend and making sure to have her favorite sidearm with her this time. The power pack is in a separate pouch, of course, but it just felt better to be carrying it. Besides, the General was right; there was no telling how close behind the Empire was getting, and being totally caught off guard would be deadly.

During the briefing, she gave a respectful nod when the crew was addressed, and otherwise took a vaguely military resting stance. She stayed quiet until he asked about the holocron.

"It started playing a message on a loop, but it's not in good condition, sir. That thing's not like any holo I've ever seen. Needs some sort of specialist slicer to look at it. Do you have anyone suitable on site?" The concept of it being an outright magical artifact never crossed her mind. Machines were machines, and just needed the right skills to work, right?

The holocron was placed on a nearby crate and activated.  It was in the same loop as it was before.

 Small ripples of energy began to play across the delicate filigree of the holocron and shimmer in the hairline fracture.  The Force was slightly disturbed like ripples in a tiny stream.  A holographic panorama then flickered into life around the holocron.  It showed a vista of some beauty, a field of strange flowers against a starry sky.  An elderly human in Jedi robes seemed to be addressing the onlookers.

"I call to all Jedi in this hour of darkest need.  The Jedi council has fallen.  We are betrayed by--"  There was a ripple of static and the scene played again.  "I call to all Jedi in..."

There was a general gasp of awe amongst the gathered.  The hologram was common technology but the fact that this was an actual holocron, an echo of the once-glorious Jedi.

"Eld-Lin Sundancer" A voice croaked in surprise. The familiar form of Admiral Ackbar stood up, both eyes angling forward to focus on the holographic visage.  "I thought he died with the Jedi Temple."  Sundancer.  The name was known better than the face, he had shunned the holo-light.  He was a Jedi teacher of some reknown before the Fall.  "He doesn't seem to have aged a day since I saw him last nearly two decades ago."

"This would date the recording to about that time, it would seem." Rieekan mused.

Thuraya was becoming slightly overwhelmed with all of the tactical displays and pointed out a pretty star in the recording that looked like dancing pinwheels to Ali.  Ali whispered, "Two black holes orbiting each other.  Quite rare so they are used as navigation points."

As you wish, any character can remember Eld-Lin "Eli" Sundancer as a grumpy hermit of a Jedi teacher.  It is difficult to speak of his prowess because he rarely spoke of his deeds.  Sorry it took so long to get this out.  The next post should move things forward a bit.

Thuk sniffed at the holocron. Looked broken to him. Given the fragility of human equipment he was no stranger to broken toys, and he wove the Web into it.

11:08, Today: Thuk rolled 6 using 2 dice with the WEG Classic system.  Control.
Might be good enough.

The old med droid listened attentively as the holocron and its enigmatic message was discussed.  He had copious data files from that tragic time, but almost no data whatsoever on Master Eld-Lin Sundancer.  It was recorded that he was a near legendary Jedi Master, renowned teacher, and resident of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant for an unspecified number of years.  TwoOneBee scanned several files of recorded lectures in which the old Master participated, as well as various interviews with padawans and jedi knights who were, or claimed to have been, tutored by Master Sundancer, but there simply wasn't much beyond that.  It was widely presumed he'd perished along with so many others when the Great Temple was desecrated and destroyed, or in the horrible purge that followed thereafter.

As terrible as that time had been, TwoOneBee still found it fascinating.  If only they could unlock the message within the battered old holocron, they might be able to hear what was, very likely, the legendary Master's very last recorded words.  It was a most unfortunate fact that, as much as he wanted to help, the medical specialist simply did not know much about holocrons or the technology behind them to assist in its repair.

Shira watched the holocron with rapt intention. I'm so lucky I got to see this!

"We better be careful repairing the holocron, we would lose priceless information if it was damaged" she replied to Celes.

"If master Sundancer didn't die at the temple, he could still be alive. Maybe we c-could find him." she suggested shyly, almost whispering.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:40, Sun 10 Apr 2016.

When the holocron's display showed the twin black holes, Nate felt uncomfortable. He suddenly knew that the vision he'd had during the discussion on the ship meant more than just seeing something unusual. He did his best to ignore the obvious implication that he was sensing things through the force. He knew they were going to be heading there now. The question was why, and maybe more importantly, why did he have to be the one with the vision? His frustrated grunt is a stark contrast to his usual silence during briefings. He keeps looking over at the Jedi, and the frown deepens.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:01, Tue 12 Apr 2016.

With Thuk's use of Control, his mind cleared of the ephemeral and physical, to focus on the greater Weave.  His better insight was giving Thuk the impression that the holocron was trying to repair itself.  But like an insect turned over, it needed help to do what it could not do on its own.  In the hands of a Weaver, perhaps...

Two One Bee was having little luck learning much more from the Alliance archives about the mysterious hermit Eli Sundancer but exceptional computer memory now at least had a full copy of the information for later.

"I hope we can find Master Sundancer, too." Thuraya said, "Maybe he can teach me how to take revenge."  The flash of anger across the girl's features was obvious to all nearby, including Shira.  This was troubling.  Unresolved anger was rarely a good thing for any youth, especially a padawan.

Nate now saw in that holographic starry sky the twin black holes.  It wasn't a very obvious twinkle in that Galactic splendor so his eye was mysteriously drawn to it.

Ali said aloud suddenly, "There are two orbiting black holes in the sky behind Master Sundancer.  This is rare, could we use that for navigation?"

Ackbar blinked in surprise, particularly noticeable in a Mon Cal's large eyes.  "Yessss..." He trailed off, lost in thought while working a datapad.  Nearby another hologram of the Galaxy appeared, the relatively few paired black holes shone as bright lights.  A few more taps on the datapad and the lights grew spheres, the range of how far out it would be to see the centered pair of black holes at precisely the size and brightness in the holocron's display.

"There's a nebula near the black holes in the holocron view.  That narrows it down."  Ackbar continued, working in visible stars and other identifying celestial marks.  Over a few minutes, the spheres became arcs or portions, most fading away.  Soon the hyperspace computers of the ship's above, slaved into service, reduced the Galaxy to one tiny red dot which then blew up to an ancient red-giant star, seen at interstellar range.

"This is the only point in the Galaxy where the holocron view could be possible. And only around the time of the Republic's fall." Ackbar continued.  He looked a scrolling readout.  "The system is largely unexplored.  A Republic scout droid found several dead worlds with not even potential for mining.  No one on record has visited the system.  It only has a six-digit registration number but is colloquially known by the name given it as part of a nearby world's night sky.  In Basic, it translates as..."  The Admiral worked a final sequence into the datapad.

"...Ember."

Next post will start with planning the expedition to the unknown Ember system.  Thanks for your patience.  I'm sorry for the delay.

A Jedi. A real one. Now that was either very good news or very bad news. Though she didn't have much experience with actual Jedi as much as these hopefuls, Celes already knew enough that "Jedi" could easily translate to "trouble". It followed them wherever they went, or else it was there first and drew them to it. Whatever the Force really was, it wasn't kind. The bounty hunter wondered how much it affected her, whether or not she could lift things with her mind. She'd known plenty of people who walked into trouble without being Jedi. Was it all the same thing?

Thuraya's anger was easy to spot, and Celes put a hand on her shoulder. Her voice was calm and quiet, without any hint of disappointment or condescension.

"Cool your thrusters, kid. You'll get your chance later. Keep listening." Celes didn't have any Jedi philosophy to get in the way, just the absolute understanding of what Thuraya was feeling and years of experience in the matter. As the briefing went on, Ali and Ackbar narrowed down their options to the Ember system.

"Middle of nowhere. If this Jedi is even alive after twenty years of isolation, we can find him."

"Probably worth checking Ember" Tuk offered absently, his attention on the holocron. "It feels like it is trying to heal, it just needs a helping claw."

Hearing Shira's suggestion, TwoOneBee's logic circuits worked the query, extrapolating from the sparse amount of data available until he reached a definitive resolution.

"I cannot find any record confirming the Jedi Master's death Ms Shira: no post mortems, public announcements or official inquiries of any kind.  I must therefore  conclude that, while finding Master Eli Sundancer is highly improbable, and the odds of him still existing are even less, it is theoretically possible."

The old droid noted Thuraya's comments with concern, and was very much relieved to hear Celes' attempt to dissuade her from such negative thoughts.  After listening politely, he decided to add some of his own input to the Trandoshan's advice.  Was it a coincidence that he'd accessed his psychology sub routine twice in the past two standard hours?

"Ms Thuraya, please allow me to convey some data to you, in regard to the concept of vengeance.  It has been this unit's experience that revenge is without value.  It creates nothing, contributes nothing, resolves nothing. It is, in fact, inherently destructive to both the giver and the receiver.  We conversed, previously, of wisdom and kindness and gentleness; I submit to you that revenge is the exact opposite of such ideals.  You are, of course, free to make your own choices, as all sentient beings must be, but I urge you to carefully consider those choices.  Once said actions are complete, you must live with the results.

Turning to face the Borduvian as he spoke, TwoOneBee whirred and clicked in approval for his support of the mission.  The droid was, however, somewhat confused by his final statement, unsure what required healing.  Following Thuk's gaze, he could only conclude that he was somehow commenting on the damaged holocron.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:27, Mon 18 Apr 2016.

"An expedition to an unknown planet to find a Jedi master? Oh wow, how exciting!" Shira exclaimed, then blushed and nearly died of embarrassment when she realized she'd said it in front of Alliance brass. "I, um, I mean we'll do our best if we're sent on such a mission" she added quietly.

"I think he'll be alive. Not much short of an army can kill a Jedi Master" Shira responded to Celes. Partly that was her natural optimism talking, but everything she had heard about the Jedi had made them out to be tremendous fighters.

Shira had never been through what Thuraya had been, so she settled for giving the Padawan a gentle, comforting look.

"Trying to heal itself? It's more amazing than even I thought..." she said, this time quietly and respectfully.

Between Celes and TwoOneBee's consolation, Thuraya hugged them both spoke no more of revenge.  Certainly she seemed to be of a much calmer mindset.

Thuk was checking the holocron with all of his senses.  To the mundane, he was simply physically examining the golden cube in a giant hand.  To the Jedi and padawan, Thuk was calming his mind, heeding his senses.  He did get the impression that the holocron might be intelligent, some advanced droid circuitry woven into its design.  The pulses of light tracery along its filigree engraving were too smooth and fluid for the device to not function.  Was it being wary and coy, like a certain legendary R2 unit, not quite trusting a new owner to see all of its message yet.

Rieekan spoke, "We are quickly fitting 'Star for a trip to Ember.  Your Jedi skills would astrogate to Ember faster than we could program a probe to jump there.  Name what personnel and equipment that you need."

"You will give us what we ask for." Ali said.  Usually even a recording rod required enough forms to fry a protocol droid's circuits.

"We will give you what we have.  But there is no harm in asking.  Get us that list quickly."  Rieekan was not a force-user, just a veteran with years of experience fighting the Empire.

"I have a feeling you need to get there soon."

Thuk, check your email.  You are on the right track.
Sorry for the delay, folks.  Get your requests for equipment and personnel in.  Who and what you can get will be loaded quickly.  You can pretty much have anything reasonable.  You can suggest crew members if you wish.

Realize that in the end, extra equipment and people will only help you so much against the Sith.  You will be the ones to make the difference. :-)

Celes raised an eyebrow at Thuk's comment, but waited until Shira reacted to be sure she'd heard right.

"You mean 'repairing'. Which computers don't do without help. Just need to get a slicer to retrieve the data and we can move it to a datachip." Clearly she'd never dealt with holocrons before. Perfectly reasonable, considering how rare the devices were even at the height of the Jedi Order mere decades ago. With Palpatine working hard to erase Jedi lore and rewrite their history in the public eye, it was no wonder. The little computer box seemed straightforward enough to the bounty hunter, like any other computer. She had no idea.

"Captain, I could track this guy in a city, but my usual resources are gone in the middle of nowhere. We're well stocked on blasters and ammo packs. What we need is a way to track a Jedi. Probe droids packed with thermosensors, sonic imaging, mapping software, all that. Grev, you're our wilderness specialist. Am I hitting the right notes?"

"No, I mean healing. It's a Web device, not a palm computer. Try a download from this and you will be amazed at how little you get. Sadly, it does not trust me enough to allow me to heal it." Thuk set the Holocron gingerly back down on the crate. "It probably wants a Jedi, not a Weaver."

He gave Celes an amused look. "Don't let me discourage you from trying though, I could be wrong. If you make it suicide though, I will ruffle your fur."

"I can put us in the right vicinity, but if an experienced Jedi doesn't want to be found I won't find him. They can conceal their scent. Most unfair."

Thuk turned to Rieekan. "I can't really think of anything I need. I am sure the Captain has a long list though."

TwoOneBee's optic receptors pulsed in surprise and his head swiveled to regard the Borduvian.  The excitement in his tone leaves no doubt that he is equal parts astonished and intrigued by Thuk's assessment.

"Do you mean to say this device is capable of self repair?  That's astonishing, most certainly a very advanced device.  Is it sentient Mr Thuk?  I mean is it aware that we are attempting to help it?  That is truly extraordinary indeed!"

Hearing the Commander and Captain Ali discuss supplies, he returned his attention to them.

"I believe it would be prudent, Captain Ali, for me to take inventory of our Med Bay and take note of any supplies we may require for this trip.  It has been my experience that a well stocked Medical Bay is usually required for our missions.  I shall have an itemized list for you within the hour."

He tilted his head and regarded the Ghostling silently for a moment.  "Ms Shira, would you and Ms Thuraya be willing to assist me in the Medical Bay?"
This message was last edited by the player at 12:38, Wed 27 Apr 2016.

Grev conciders Ember, calling up what information he can on his Datapad.  "We will need enviro-suits, infra-red and low-light imagining goggles, knives, compases, extreme environment gear, condensing canteens, lighters, and liquid cable dispensers with grappling hooks.  What details do you have on his height, weight, and species?  I will also need to see all images and videos you have of him."  Straigt-forward and to the point, Grev summed up the list.  His green eyes shining sharp as he speaks, a Hunters glean that perhaps Celes might recognize all too well.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:28, Thu 05 May 2016.

Thuk put his head to one side. "Sentient? Maybe. It isn't talking to me. Aware, certainly. As for self-repair, all living things heal."

He looked over at Thuraya. "It trusts you, Little One. Perhaps you should make the attempt? I can guide you if you feel uncertain."

A chime on Rieekan's commlink caused the general to listen to some quiet communique.  It wasn't a long conversation.  The general ended it with "Acknowledged.  On our way."  To all assembled, he stated, "Preparing 'Star is ahead of schedule.  The Force seems with us all today.  Let us reconvene there, the techs and droids can consult with our crew in between our own briefing."

Later, the common area of 'Star was filled with her impressive crew and the doors had been opened to seat others within sight.  Networked astromechs coordinated everyone via holographic streaming.  The briefing continued amidst the hurly and burly of Verpine and R2 units.

While Celes queried Grev, Ackbar stated with some slight hesitation, "We do ...have a reprogrammed Imperial probe droid.  It is not fully tested but has also not exploded as a compromised droid would typically do. Not yet anyway."  Rieekan nodded curtly at Grev's well-considered list.  It wasn't brusqueness.  He was that confident in Grev estimate and the quartermaster's ability to provide it.  No more than a nod was needed.

"I don't know enough about Jedi to say how one might evade our technology.  But this one did leave a message.  Sooner or later, he was expecting someone to show up."  The general added.

TwoOneBee was composing his list internally while speaking to Shira and Thuraya.  Thuraya immediately agreed to accompany her favorite droid friend to Sick Bay.

But the girl did take the holocron at Thuk's request.  She didn't seem to touch the cube any differently from the others since it was 'liberated' but the cube simply stated audibly "Sufficient Power".  And then it shut down.  No immediate remedy seemed to bring it back.  Thuraya looked to Thuk in honest confusion...

I have moved you to 'Star to speed this game up slightly.  The next post should have you lifting off for Ember.  Any unfinished details may be done with flashbacks.  But if we need the time, we can take it.  None of this pacing will cost you any advantage in personnel, equipment or exposition.  You are all doing great!

I noticed I am using the same orange text for OOC as TwoOneBee's dialog.  I can't remember if we had agreed on a set OOC text color for the GM.  Let me know what you remember.   I think I can respond more than usual this Thursday.

Thuk grinned at Thuraya. "Well done young Weaver, you have a real talent for this. It needs to sleep now, but it should be better once it wakes."

"Of course I will, 'Bee!" Shira said warmly. She scampered along to the ship with the others. "I wonder if any Jedi showed up. General Kenobi survived, do you think he ever heard about it?"

Nate stood, and joined the rest of the crew on the move to the Star. It would be a relief to be back on the warmer ship, compared to this ice-blasted tundra. He made notes to requisition some det-tape, 1kg of plasticine thermite gel, and 2 satchels of detonite. When it comes to demolitions gear, you can never have too much. Once on board the Star, he finds an empty seat where he has an unobstructed view of the holo-display.

'Star was finally prepped.  The various staff and intermediaries were finding excuses to leave, even those who had found earlier excuses to stay.  Rieekan overheard Thuk's comments to Thuraya.

"Miss Thuraya should go with you, if she wishes.  I will discuss it with Mon Mothma.  I hate to put a child in danger.  But I think danger may be a padawan's lot.  And, as pointed out, she seems to have a rapport with that device."  Rieekan stated, ignoring the slight gasps from some of his staff.

Thuraya had an expression of dutifulness and excitement, mostly excitement.  "I will, General, Sir.  It was my parent's fight, now it is mine."

This is just an intermediate post since I have a little time.  I should be able to post more on Sunday.

Shira happily kicked off her boots and resumed her normal posture now that she was back on the ship.
She nodded at the general's words. "I worry about her, as young as she is" Shira said somewhat hypocritically, since Shira was only eighteen herself. "But we will watch out for her."

"Do not concern yourself for the bud" Thuk told Rieekan. "I shall train her myself against the day of her vengeance against the slayers of her parents. The rivers shall run red with blood! Vultures and crows shall gorge until they can gorge no more! She shall pile the skulls of her enemies until they mount to the very stars themselves! All shall look upon her and know fear!"

Oddly enough, the General didn't look very reassured. Oh well, humans were weird.

Celes nodded at Grev's assessment and let the others get on that. Before they were dismissed, she glanced over to Thuk's assurance of making sure Thuraya was ready for what was following behind.

"Finally, something that makes sense."

Once back aboard the ship, Celes helped with the launch preparations. There wasn't a lot to do in terms of astrogation; like Rieekan said, the Force was going to be their guide on this one. She hoped that meant they weren't going to fly into a star, or end up on the outside of the Galactic Rim. Not much choice, though. The downside of all this meant that their pursuers would have an easier time tracking them: they were much more experienced with the Force. The aim was to get the mission done and move on as quickly as possible.

The old medic made surprisingly little noise as his magnetic feet carried him to the Fabled Star's Med Bay.  More than any other place aboard the ship, TwoOneBee considered this corner of the ship his own.  The captain allowed him to run it as he thought best, so of course everything was efficiently organized, and as well stocked as he could be taking into account their sometimes limited funds.  And that was precisely the reason to take advantage of this opportunity to resupply if necessary.  Not that he would ever take advantage, but he certainly recognized the opportunity, and truthfully, he found the task very satisfying.

"Ms Shira and Ms Thuraya," he addressed them gently.  "There is something I would like very much to inquire of you.  It has occurred to this unit that it would be a sensible precaution to have an assistant here in the Medical Bay; someone trained to help me maintain the crew's health, and to fulfill my role, should I be destroyed or rendered unable to function.  If either or both of you are interested, there is a great deal I can teach.  Please take a moment to consider it."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:22, Fri 06 May 2016.

Thuraya perked up at Thuk and Celis's approval of training for vengeance.  Ali was worried, were they tempting the Dark Side with this approach?  But then it had seemed to Ali that the Jedi had denied their passions instead of dealing with them and had paid the price.  Denying the girl's all too human desire to strike back against hurt might be even worse.

In any case, all traces of anger changed to enthusiasm at TwoOneBee's request for a medical assistant.  Maybe this was the girl's true character.  This war has made too many nurses into soldiers, Ali thought.

Eventually, essentially all of 'Star's crew requests were approved and soon the barely cooled engines were ignited again.  In no time at all, it seemed, 'Star was dodging the Hoth asteroid field to a safe jump point.  The crew spared one last look at Hoth.

"Don't worry." said Ali.  "I'm sure it will still be there when we get back."  And then the Galaxy stretched into an infinite corridor of light.

I am speeding up the plot a little bit to get you to action.  If there was anything you still wanted to do on Hoth (which is perfectly fine), we can accomplish it in an easy flashback.  Go ahead and write what your characters do during the trip to the Ember system.  The trip can take an hour/day/week as you wish.  The Empire would have the same timeframe.

"Well I appreciate the enthusiasm!" Shira said warmly to Thuk. "But perhaps that is just a bit strong..." she added diplomatically.

Shira tagged along after Celes, offering what aid she could in getting the ship ready for launch. After that, she padded along happily by Bee's side, helping out around the medbay. bustling around the medbay. In truth, Shira was probably in need of medical attention herself too often to be a very effective medic, but she loved helping out so it didn't dampen her enthusiasm at all. She tried to encourage Thuraya in her affection for medical work as well. "I've never met a real Jedi Master. What do you think he'll be like? I mean, of course he will be wise."

** You have searched thoroughly, I presume.**  Octal Chrome sent.  The doubt in the telepathic sending was palpable.

"Yes. I have allowed you to search my feelings to confirm.  I can understand if they are confusing for you..now."  The Princess spoke aloud, not caring if the other could perceive sarcasm.  Perhaps it was her insectile nature but she disliked the arachnoid chassis of the defrocked  B'omarr monk.  She glared at the naked brain in the clear, nutrient-filled sphere.

"I am not confused by them.  I transcend them." Chrome spoke, over his speakers.

"The scent of wildflowers you detected in the young girl, before contact was broken, has been detected in the sense engrams of various Imperial personnel.  All of whom have spent time in this tiny area of space."  Chrome added to his speech with a holographic close-up of some miniscule fragment of the Galaxy.  "All are of a local plant, the Starflower, which has not migrated far from this distant sector"

"There are still over a thousand systems in this tiny space.  It might take a year to visit each system with sensitives.  The Rebels likely have quite a head start."  Listening, the Princess focused on the sparkling map.  The system of Ember did not stand out to her or Chrome.

"Send a probe droid to each system." She said.

A brief interlude.  I should post IC in a couple of days.

Thuk stopped at the rebel stores, collecting an assortment of small (for him) weapons, obviously intending to take his promise to train Thuraya seriously. After a moment's thought, he also included the materials for a lightsaber. While his people didn't use them, her claws were... unsatisfactory.

Satisfied, he made his way to the ship.

Nate, as usual was fairly quiet lately. He still interacted as much as ever with the rest of the team, but was more subdued, especially around the force users. His discomfort was almost palpable, when around them, though slightly less so with Shira, since he knew her better than the others. His usual dry humor seemed almost forced since the holocron's first unexpected display. He finally decided something about this Thuraya girl. She needed a direction to focus her energy, and learning is always a fast way to focus. With that in mind, he watched her training sessions with the others, and offered demolitions training and unarmed combat techniques.

"How can a Jedi Master not be wise, Shira?"  Thuruya answered the Ghostling's earlier question.  "But then, Vader was supposedly wise."

She activated her shoto.  The smaller sabre was better for her size.  With Thuk's guidance, she began to spar with Nate.  She lunged forward with the shoto, leaving her extended.  It was easy for Nate to flip her onto the padded floor and impaling the impeteous girl on her own saber.  Onlookers gasped in horror and then wonder as Thuruya then stood up.

"Hm.  Good thing this sabre is a holographic trainer."  Thuraya laughed, perhaps not the best response for a failure.  She ran her fingers through the false beam playfully, nodded to Thuk and said to Nate, "Again."

The bridge chimed, or perhaps it was DeeJay.  Either way, it signaled the end of a journey.  The crew gathered on the bridge or in the common area.  And Realspace chased Hyperspace away.  The Ember system leapt at the 'Star, stopping at a visible distance through the viewports.

The baleful red glow of the ancient sun was as expected,  'Star's scanners confirmed the initial long-ago survey of the Republic scout droid; largely asteroid belts, gas giants and the strange moons that orbited them.  There was no life, at least no obvious life, according to the scanner.

And then that same scanner pinged excitedly.  A reading on the fourth rocky planet out, as much life as a planet could seem to hold.  "That's odd," DeeJay translated for the binary scanner, "this planet was reported lifeless by the initial survey.  But this reading is anything but."

Before anyone could really comment, another scanner sounded.  This was an ominous tone.  Ali said, "That is a hyper-ripple.  Something else has just entered this system."  She thought aloud, "We were here first.  They probably can't detect us with a little caution on our part."

I'm sorry for the long delay, folks.  Action should pickup as 'Star gets close to the planet.  Again, I am speeding up the plot a little bit and compressing Nate's. Shira's and Thuk's actions.  If there is something your characters wanted to accomplish en route, we can mention it or cover it in a flashback.

TwoOneBee was exceedingly patient, slowly and carefully teaching Thuraya and Shira anything they were willing to learn from him.  He understood that it was a considerable amount of data to retain, and that organics tended to learn slowly and with continued practice.  As he was instructing them in the safe operation of the newly acquired Bacta tank, they received the alert from the bridge.

He came to the common room along with the rest of the crew, and watched their arrival to the Ember system with trepidation.  He had not been able to find anything more about the system than had been mentioned in the briefing; it was simply a forsaken, uninhabited sliver of space.  He was as surprised as DeeJay by the scanner readings.

"Could the scanners be malfunctioning DeeJay? Perhaps a system diagnostic is required?"

He appreciated Captain Ali's assurance, but for some reason did not feel the sense of relief he would have expected.

"What can we discern about Ember Four so far?" he asked as he made his way over to DeeJay to examine the data from their long range sensors.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:13, Sun 22 May 2016.

Helping the girl train, allowed Nate to clear his mind somewhat, but he still felt a little unsettled. This was especially true, as they drop out of hyperspace with the twin moons leaping into his sight. Although his vision had faded, the memory of it still burned brightly. As he gears up for planet-fall, Nate starts to smile. Finally, he'll be on the ground, where his skills can do some real good.

Grev assemmbled his gear, including the massive rifle of his, for planetfall.  As usual, he'd be with the first group, if not the first to land on the planet.  It as invigorating.  This was where he was meant to be, exploring an unknown planet with undisovered risks and treasures.

In reply to That Old Fossil (msg # 157):

"Smugglers probably. No reason for anybody else to visit this tasteless grub of a system. They are probably hoping we don't notice them. Still, it might be Imperials, we should be cautious."

"They're all wise." Shira said to Thuraya with the confidence of someone who had no actual information on the subject but belived very strongly.

Shira let out a little scream when Thuraya was apparently stabbed, and then blushed, embarrassed at how seriously she had taken it. "Yes, very good."

"Yes, what's the environment like? How should I dress?" she said when 'Bee asked for information. She had been trying with her usual enthusiasm to learn medical techinques from 'Bee. "I don't think the scanners are broken. I could have sworn I checked them just a few days ago..."

"If Imperials showed up right after we did, we'd sure have some bad luck. If there's life on the planet, they could be locals. But I suppose we should be careful about calling."

For a medical droid, TwoOneBee was a fair tactician.  Of course, a medical droid might state that every patient was a battleground between health and injury.  DeeJay's thoughts did not run so naturally to such things and so she broadcast sad music and old-fashioned modem tones to indicate that she was thinking as quickly as she could.

"What are the odds that another vessel would arrive at this system at practically the same time we did?  Either there is regular traffic and we just caught the latest or someone else learned about a Jedi presence on Ember Four.  Smugglers are still a possibility.  We know something about being scoundrels ourselves." Ali finished, nodding to Thuk.

DeeJay stated to TwoOneBee's request, "Our very few records of Ember Four are from the original survey droid decades ago and so obviously incorrect.  However, the life-signs are almost off the scale."  Ali nodded, "Life and the Force are linked.  It makes sense."

DeeJay continued analyzing the life readings.  "It's difficult to tell from this distance but I think you should dress as if the entire planet is crawling and you would like to keep it off your skin, Mr. Nate and Ms. Shira."

Ali watched the scanners, "There is a very small spacecraft or probe landing on Ember Four.  I think we can discreetly follow it.  I am otherwise detecting no other signs of technology.  So, do we follow?  At least for a bit."



Again, my apologies for the delay.  If I am pacing correctly, we should have some actual action in a post or two.

Celes was helping with the training. She and Nate had plenty of experience with the kinds of scraps the girl was likely to end up in, and having sparring partners her own size rather than Thuk's would help her learn. Of course, having sparring partners Thuk and Grev's size would come in handy for less common circumstances. The green-haired bounty hunter stood by Shira with arms loosely crossed and watched, but rose a brow at Thuraya's comment.

"Are you saying Vader's a Jedi? Your imagination's running away with you, kid. The Empire hates Jedi."



"Your opponent's unarmed and you're not. Keep your movements small. The slightest nick will give you an advantage, but overextend and that's what happens. Elbows in. Knees bent. Heels off the ground until you need to strike." This apparently wasn't the first time she'd helped teach these kinds of techniques.







"Smugglers would make our Jedi's survival more likely. A source of supplies to survive on a lifeless world, and a means of getting news from the Galaxy. That would narrow down our search area. If it's the Empire, then we're in real trouble."



That information was one of the few things that could really surprise Celes, and she really didn't know how to take it. "Huh. Can he...can he create false life readings on scanners? Or did he somehow create life on the whole planet? This...well, all we can really do is check it out."



Celes nodded to the captain, then looked out the viewport to the system again.

"We don't have much choice. At the very least we need to find out who's company we're sharing."

"I can suppress life readings so presumably the opposite is possible." Thuk paused uncertainly. "Encouraging the lifeweb of a planet has been done, creating one from scratch... fff, I do not know."

Snapping the com-link into place, Grev walked into the briefing just in time to catch the information.  "Our Opera will have to wait Ali.  I'm ready to hit ground."  The bass voice of Grev almost purred out, as a predator about to start his hunt.   His most prized rifle slung over his shoulder along with his pack.  The enviro-suit he wore clearly tailored specifically for him.  Something in his carriage seemed to change from the apparent thug of the docking platform, to something more wild, more predatory and almost home.  Nate and Celes might feel the slight change stronger, given thier work.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:19, Mon 30 May 2016.

"Oh" Shira said sadly, pouting slightly. "Instead of a chance to wear one of my nice outfits I'll have to wear heavy and uncomfortable gear for a dangerous environment. I guess I better change." She headed back to her rooms, sulking a bit.

The mystery of Ember Four was growing from point to disc to actual, hazy, airclad world.  The crew grumbled about the severely practical, as opposed to stylish and comfortable, clothing circumstances were seeming to require.

As 'Star approached, the crew's own eyes could see the evidence of life through the viewports.  They confirmed the scanners initial readings.  The world was a lovely mix of blue sea and green land.  It seemed the green of chlorophyll and lots of it.  There was an odd specking of iridescent luminescence across both land and sea that would be easier explained by biochemistry rather than just plain chemistry.  At the scanner's limits, there were swarms or flocks of biota, flying or swimming or just running across this crawling world.

"Life, so much life. How could that have been missed by even a primitive survey droid?"  Ali mused in wonder.  Ember Four was alive in the Force.  Her ability to sense life took concentration and was unreliable in most circumstances but here Ali could feel the planet like a battery, burning in the Force like a star.

Maybe it's the Genesis Planet.  One more Khannnnnnnnnn!!!!!!!!!!!  reference. :-)

DeeJay relayed what both 'Star herself and the crew's scanning accrued.   "Unknown, Captain.  But (suprised whistle) I don't believe this is a recent phenomenon.  There are coral and forest analogs that must have taken millennia to form.  I am also (clack of ancient abacus to indicate deep electric thought) detecting what might be signs of civilization within a natural bay.  (More click-and-clack)  Stone-age settlement but with some slight refined metals and a small amount of electrical activity.  No communications even though a short-range signal should be possible with the limited tech I am scanning."

"(Buzz of concentration) Speaking of electrical activity, there is a sudden thunderstorm now developing near the settlement.  It's growth and power are beyond 'Star's understanding of meteorology.  I think that--"

Before DeeJay could finish, 'Star shuddered as if the great ship were slapped.  Lights and monitors flickered while blue lightning began to play along the metal hull and bulkheads.  The crew struggled to stay upright in the fluctuating gravity...

It will likely seem to the crew that this is no ordinary storm to be able to reach orbit.  Those with Force powers can roll Sense Force and/or Starship Scanners to learn more about what is going on.  Those without Force Powers can use Starship Scanners (there are enough stations for all, it is more a matter of interpreting the data).

This encounter is deliberately reminiscent of the planet Dagobah and why Yoda might have chosen it as a sanctuary.  It also echoes Luke's loss of control and crash-landing.  We are now finally getting back to actual action again.  I apologize for the delay in posting this reply but I hope things will pick up this week. :-)

Thuk's claws bit into the floor with the screech of tortured metal as he clung to it with all six limbs like a starfish clinging to coral. He stretched his senses out, highly suspicious of thunderstorms in space.

10:00, Today: Thuk rolled 8 using 3 dice with the WEG Classic system.  Sense.

As the Star begins to shudder under the electrical power surge, he straps himself in, looking at the others he says, I've got a bad feeling about this.

Shira returns, wearing practical gear and a blast vest. "It's a very pretty world. And it sounds like they'll be people to meet!" she said excitedly. "The electrical activity could be gear purchased from galactic civilization... my people aren't very advanced technologically, but we buy stun blasters and some other gear from offworld traders. That would explain how they don't have communication but have other equipment"

Shira stumbles and falls as the ship shudders, bringing a pained squeak from the fragile ghostling as she lands on her bottom. "Oww! Some warning next time, please."
She quickly checks to make sure her blaze bug is safe.
"You should keep a positive attitude, mister Stryker. It'll turn out all right!" she said, trying to keep the team's spirits up.

TwoOneBee immediately comes to Ms Shira's assistance, gently lifting her back to her feet and giving her a thorough bio scan.

"Are you alright Ms Shira?" He asks, his vocal tones filled with genuine concern.  The old doctor was well aware of how even the slightest accident could be deadly serious for Ghostlings.  Besides, she was his favourite patient, and his most frequent one.  After satisfying himself she is physically okay, he replies:

"You will likely have some bruising on your Gluteus Maximus, which may take up to one standard week to heal.  If you feel any discomfort please do not hesitate to come see me, as always."

TwoOneBee considers Ms Shira and DeeJay's observations about the planet and its denizens.  "It is also entirely possible that they simply do not desire to communicate as well.  It would aid one considerably in there attempt to remain undiscovered, if they refrained from communication."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:27, Sun 12 June 2016.

On board 'Star, scanners were showing a rare kind of electrical storm.  Theoretically, it could shake a ship out of the sky once in a million storms.  "What in --" Ali was just able to say.  Open to perceptions beyond the merely physical, Thuk suddenly knew.  The Dark Side of the Force flexed, clothed in a mundane storm for camouflage, snatched 'Star from the stars like a child's toy.

'Star shook like prey in a maw.  And then everything went black, first from the lights failing and then either organic unconsciousness or fragile droid memory shocked into discontinuity.

Sorry for the delay in responding, folks.  Things should pick up now.  The action is beginning again.  Don't feel bad about not avoiding this encounter, it is one of the planned encounters for this game.  The net effect is that Thuk (verified by the other Force-users) has felt a powerful and evil Force claim the 'Star.  But the malevolence did spend some precious Force energy making this disaster seem natural, if incredibly rare.

Knocked unconscious, you can't really respond to this post but you can have about a round of action before you pass out.  True, this probably won't get you much.  Again, don't fret.  If you wish, you may have your character dream or flashback before they awaken.

Questions, just ask...

"^I_t'^s _t^h_e ^D_a^r_k ^S_i^d_e" Thuk shouted, clinging for dear life. It sang to him, whispering promises of the power to slay all his enemies. Inverting by defensive reflex, Thuk shut it away from him then realised too late that that was exactly the wrong thing to do, leaving the ship vulnerable as his brains battered against their cases.

"Thanks, 'Bee." Shira responded gratefully. "I'm sure I'll be fine" she added quickly. She'd have said that even if she was seriously injured, as there was no way she was going to miss the chance to meet a Jedi master. She winces at the mention of bruising and scrambles over to strap herself in to her seat. The ship shook, and he tried to keep thinking positive so her fear wouldn't burden her shipmates.

Luckily, Shira strapped herself in before the she was rendered unconscious, else she could have been in very serious trouble.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:44, Thu 16 June 2016.

Grev switched on the recording devices on his suit, as he moved to the appropriate airlock.  He was rendered unconscious only a few steps from the bridge.

Consciousness returned with great reluctance.  Those who hadn't strapped themselves in found themselves flat on the deck.   The bruises to their dignity were more than any on their bodies.  There was a slight tilt to the deck, tiny objects and dust had gathered in the same corners of any section of 'Star.

Veteran spacers knew what this meant.  'Star's gravity was off and the ship was gently tilted and landed on (what seemed like) about a standard G of planet.  Lights flickered dubiously, 'Star didn't seem to be able to manage much else.

Through any viewports, a jungle of alien foliage rose up, blocking the view of anything else.

Ali rubbed her aching lekku (she had landed badly for a Twi'lek) and considered.  The force (or Force) that could knock 'Star out of orbit should have killed them all.  There was a precision here, an intelligence, that matched its great power.  Why did it need to masquerade as a storm, no matter how improbable?  Ali thought...

Sorry for the delay.  A cursory examination shows that everyone is essentially uninjured (you can RP some recovery if you want).  'Star has fried circuits from the storm.  Internal systems should work OK but everything that makes 'Star a starship is out until repaired.  You can equip yourself with whatever small items you believe would be onboard.  For 'Star to be so precisely crippled screams deliberate action and your characters can freely assume a Force-using intelligence is at least partly behind this.  End your posts as you open the airlock (should you get that far).

Questions, just ask...

As Nate comes to, he can't help but think an I told you so, but once he's unstrapped, he checks on the others near him, then grabs his satchel.

Shira is unconscious a little longer than the others, but she finally wakes up and groans. Even with her seat modified to protect her, she's hurting all over. She unstraps herself and climbs shakily to her feet. "Nothing broken" she notes happily, at least as much that she won't have to miss meeting the Jedi master than that she isn't hurt.
"Is everyone all right? That was a pretty bad... whatever that was."

Celes had been too busy trying to help fine tune the scanners before everything went sideways, literally, and didn't have a chance to strap herself in. The last thing she did was ball her hands into fists and essentially punch the deck as she flew towards it, siphoning off some of her momentum before she landed proper. Judging from the sudden blackness, her training probably saved her life.

---

In the eerie half-silence of the afterstorm, Celes's eyes slowly opened and quickly adjusted. Too quiet. Engines out? The ship was off-kilter, too. That meant artificial gravity was offline, and this was natural. They'd landed. A hand went to her aching head to check for bleeding, but it looked like that wasn't a worry. Once she'd decided she was alright, her next priority was to head for Shira.

Fortunately, the ghostling was protected by that well-designed seat. Still, it didn't hurt to check her over.

"Shira, you alright?" While cold as usual, Celes looked tense. She'd spent a long time trying to protect the frail girl.



Seeing her able to stand let Celes's mind turn to other matters. She was no less tense, but perhaps more sharp. Nate got a quick nod as he came in looking well, then moved to checking ship diagnostics.

"Felt worse than it was, but engine's fried. No takeoffs 'till it's fixed. ...And nothing else is broken. Comms, sensors, obviously lights and the computer." A flick of a terminal switch activated the internal comms. "Dee-Jay, Doctor, you two doing alright?"

"We're either the luckiest crew in the void or that was a controlled landing. I like the first one better." Celes began getting herself ready to exit the ship. Yellow combat armor went over her purple bodysuit, and she strapped on her personal heavy pistol.

"Shira, what would you say if I said it was too dangerous and you had to stay aboard the ship?" It was one of the longer sentences Celes was known to use, but it wasn't the first time she'd asked. By now it was almost tradition.

Grev stood up and shook off the effects.  He gathered what gear was scattered, then checked it over to make certain it was functional.  "Celes, Nate, come with me  We will scout and secure the area.  Thuk you stay here with the rest, the ship needs to be repaired and we will need a safe place to return to."  His tone is blunt and short, he is in his element and the crew as he sees it is in a danngerous posiion.

"Emergency power supply engaged, all essential programs and sub routines back online, scanning for further malfunctions.  Alert!  Missing data in cybernetic memory core detected!  Running diagnostic now.  Completed.  Unknown phenomenon initiated full system shut down.  This unit is now ready for service!"

TwoOneBee gave everyone a thorough bio scan and happily proclaimed: "no serious injuries detected.  Oh Captain Ali, please let me give you something for your discomfort.  There, I do hope it helps."

The doctor focused as Celes addressed him, then replied enthusiastically, "I believe I am functional, Ms Celes, thank you.  DeeJay appears to be operational as well, we are indeed fortunate, though I cannot say as much for the ship, sadly.  I am uncertain of the nature of the phenomenon we encountered, but it has apparently damaged a number of the Fabled Star's critical systems.  Perhaps I should remain with the ship and assist with repairs?"
This message was last edited by the player at 04:51, Sun 26 June 2016.

Thuk pried his claws out of the deck one by one, then nosed Thuruya, checking her for injury.

"The latter I regret" He replied to Celes. "The force required to knock Shira out would not affect you or me, and conversely the force needed to knock me out would kill her and severely injure you. Somebody, somebody very powerful that was no Chorus, and somebody very skilled by the precise applications used on us individually, used the Dark Side of the Force to knock us out and land the ship."

"Why they did not simply kill us is a mystery, it would have been far easier. Torture perhaps?"

Grev's sally earned him only a scoffing "Who died and made you Warchief?" as Thuk looked to Ali. "Orders Captain?"

The silence aboard 'Star was like that of a mighty felled beast, giant by its absence.  Not even the slight hum of the engines felt through the deckplates.  The souls aboard seemed eager to fill the silence.

Thuk's question of Ali startled her.  Technically, she was the elected Captain but in the midst of such wise preparation and insight, she almost felt like an unprepared school girl.  "Well.  A smart Captain always asks the advice of her well-chosen crew."

"While you are considering, as I see it, there are essentially two options.  We can stay and protect 'Star or we can find whatever external force landed her.  Whatever was powerful enough to land us could easily have met us here unconscious when we were most vulnerable.  It or they have not.  I suggest we therefore go to our 'host'.  But where on the planet?  We know there is a primitive village with some tech near here.  It may not be the answer but there is no other compelling point on this planet that occurs to me."

Thuraya listened intently, rubbing the small cut on her forehead (a gift from the landing).  She was otherwise unharmed and enjoying the 'adventure' as only the young could.

Ali continued, "There enough power that 'Star herself can at least be aware of threats to her interior and immediate exterior.  She can also warn us over the comms.  We can use the speeder as far as the terrain will let us.  Otherwise, we are about a day's walk away.  But the terrain is not forgiving."

"My friends, what do you think?"

Again, sorry for the delay.  It looks like this event may have perked up some interest.  I think you will begin to like the way this game is trending.  Let me know either way.

Ali is uncomfortable with leadership and is quite willing to be overruled by vote (or even voted out of the Captain's chair like the pirate democracies of Old Earth and likely the Galaxy as well).  As she is an NPC, she is only in charge if it helps the game.

Her tactical assessment of the situation is correct.  Her conclusions not necessarily so.  You can assume this is confirmed by the sensor logs (of when they were working) and the precious little the damaged now-shortened sensors can still discern.

Should you wish to leave 'Star.  I will assume the ship is as defensive as you can make it.  It will take some modern tech or the Force to breach her hull and deputized worker drones can offer some resistance.

You may equip yourselves with whatever personal items you see fit.  I assume you have planned intelligently.  The speeder is essentially a landspeeder van.  It only has about a meter flight ceiling (it can go higher in a pinch for a short time).  It may eventually be stopped by terrain.

Ask me questions.  We have the time to get this right.  I have an encounter planned once you leave 'Star but there is no hurry.

Celes checked the power pack in her blaster pistol, then checked the power pack attached to her left glove, and finally looked to Grev, Thuk, and then the Captain.

"Save it for the enemy, boys. Captain, locals can get us information about this world we can't get otherwise. Grev, Nate and I can do a quick perimeter scan around the Fabled Star while the rest of you get the speeder ready. DeeJay can guard the ship and work at repairs, but I doubt she'll get anywhere. Whatever did this was deliberate, I doubt it'd just let us go until it's ready.

Also I can tell you from experience that Shira's coming with us, especially if we tell her she isn't. May as well keep ourselves between the kids and danger. Speaking of." Celes goes to a table she'd been working at, and picks up a sporting blaster from where it landed on the floor nearby. After a quick check to make sure it wasn't damaged, she provides Shira with a newly modified sporting blaster and holster.

"Lighter trigger, should be easier to pull without bruising. Adjusted focusing lens to compensate, weaker shots for less recoil. Still enough to fry Imperial armor. I was hoping we'd get time for more target practice, but circumstances. Be careful."

[I think Ali might be the most qualified for leadership here. Celes has the right skillset for a different kind of crew, but this is Jedi Daycare, not Bounty Hunting. Plus having a Voice of the GM is nice, as it makes sure we have direction in case we ever get lost without relying too heavily on Force visions that only some of us can get. ...Well, apparently almost all of us. Am I the only non-Force user left in the group?]

Thuk rippled his fur, the closest he could come to a shrug. "I say we try the village. Do we have a translator droid?"

To be blunt, it is best when players do not know each other to have the leader be an NPC. Avoids problems.

Nate was ready to go, and he had no love for discussion of what to do. So, he felt that if this was going to be resolved fast, he'd have to speak up. "We do need to recon the area around the ship, but It's a bad idea to go into the town cold. Whoever, or whatever brought us down could be there. If so, the Empire could already have control. I think a small team of two or three would be good for the initial recon. Grev, and I, are the most qualified, as far as I've been able to tell for recon, Grev, because of his survival skills, and I because...well, I know what I'm doing. Celes knows how to handle herself as well, so she's definitely a good choice. Chances are if the weapon that brought us down, whether Force or tech is in the town, they already know we'll be coming. If not, the landing likely got their attention, and a party will be on the way here either to offer help, or to claim their prize. Until we know their intention, we should be cautious. I agree with Celes' assessment that we need a crew to get the speeder ready, while we do a recon of the immediate area. I'm ready to go. The longer we talk, the more warning they have."
After probably the longest speech of his life, Nate looks a little uncomfortable...could it be embarrassed?

Shira ran through some stretches to ensure she could still move properly. "I'm pretty rattled, and I'll be feeling this for longer than I'd like. But I'm ready to go!" she responded to Celes. She smiled at the green-haired woman. Celes was always looking out for her.

"If you told me to stay here I'd try my best to obey" she answered, as sweet and agreeable as she could be without actually committing to staying. She had a very poor track record at staying behind.

She was clearly relived when TwoOneBee was revealed to be okay.

Shira shivered when Thuk suggested they may have been allowed to live just so they could be tortured. "Well that's not very comforting!" she said, frightened. But she tended to look on the bright side, and added "But it's certainly better than if they hadn't been precise."

Shira blushed when Celes mentions that she's coming with either way. It was a fair assessment, and it brought her back to her embarrassing days as a stowaway. She pouted a little when she was  referred to as a kid.

She put on the blaster's holster, then gave Celes a hug. "You're the best, Celes! It's perfect. I'll be careful, I promise." She struck a heroic pose with the new weapon. It was definitely an improvement over her tiny holdout blaster. "I only wish I had something to give you. Maybe I can take you clothes shopping next time we're on a settled world."

"Even if we can't fix the Star, the Rebellion knows where we were sent. They'll send somebody to find out what happened eventually." Though given the rebellion's resources, it could be a while. "So I'd say our first priority is to find the Jedi Master, above protecting the ship. I agree the village is the place to start, but we should keep alert for any signs of the Jedi."

"I'll help get the speeder ready." Shira was pretty good with technical stuff for a girl who had gotten a late start on it.

Celes smiled at Shira perceptibly enough to be noticed, then nodded. The hug probably wasn't very comfortable, given the armor, but it was clearly appreciated.

"It'll be fun. We can take Thuraya and the Captain. Have a bit of normal for a while." With that, she went back into soldier mode and nodded to Nate.

"No offense to Thuk's...weird detector, but maybe it wasn't evil. It's kept us alive and brought us where we wanted to go safely, after all. Or maybe the Jedi himself has gone bad during all this time. We did just narrow down what happened here to either a miracle or an extremely powerful Force user deliberately seeding a world with life, complete with a village. Playing Maker doesn't scream "sane" to me. Regardless, mission's the same. Find Jedi. Keep Jedi from the Empire. Get the hell out." At Thuk's question, Celes tilted her head toward the bridge.

"DeeJay's about it. Wanna bring her with? Empire probably won't find the 'Star, with no engines. I think she's safe from everything except locals."

"Works for me. I'm good with languages, but redundancy never hurts."

Seeing that the discussion seems to have reached it's conclusion, Nate turns and walks toward the door. He had just said far more than he was comfortable with, and never saw himself as a leader, so he didn't bother saying anything else as the airlock opens onto the green planet.

TwoOneBee (after he helps anyone who needs his assistance) walks towards the airlock, following the rest.  He comes along side of the protocol droid, matching her ambling cadence.  Looking over to DeeJay he confides:

"In that case I believe it may be prudent if I accompany them as well.  Prior experience has shown they will require a competent doctor during their adventure."

Ali was gratified with the trust being shown by her crew. Crew?  These people are my family.  We don't really need structures like rank and protocol.  She rubbed her nose as if it itched, discreetly wiping a tear of sheer joy.  "Well, I haven't been light-kabobed or Vadered."  She wrapped one lekku around her neck and made a choking sound in jest and to distract from how touched she was.  In any case, Darth Vader's management techniques were infamous enough to be a running joke in the Rebel Alliance.  If only Imperial recruits knew why there were so many 'opportunities for advancement' aboard Lord Vader's flagship, the Executor.

She was grateful for Celes' skills, frankly, the less-Jedi and more gritty skills.  She was prepared to defer to Celes' suggestions in case of disagreement but so far, Celes was a font of good sense.  She may have the power to do what might need to be done without being sensitive to the Dark's Side's call.  Am I tempting the Dark Side just by admitting its rare necessity?  Ali wondered.  It is done in any case.  I cannot deny my own thoughts to my own self.  There was an unfamiliar sound, Nate talking!  He rarely said anything, and thus his few words tended to be well-considered.  And this was practically a week of his wisdom in a whole paragraph.  "Uh, Roger, roger on the perimeter scan."   Ali nodded as if that had also been her plan rather than theirs all along.

"♪ Do we have a protocol droid?"
"For conversations we wish to avoid?"
"Perhaps a shining figure in gold?"
"A good friend too charming to be sold! ♪"

DeeJay ended her spontaneous song with a booming chorus of wookie applause loud enough to rattle her carbon-scoring cards.  DeeJay's translation capabilities were not often needed upon 'Star and were often forgotten.

Celes' advice about bringing the entire crew was well-received.  Ali felt they were safer together than separate.  As Shira moved to get the speeder ready, the Ghostling could feel the gravity of the planet, now ummuted by the depowered 'Star.  It felt like some kind of intangible quicksand, trying to claim the fragile ghostling.

At TwoOneBee's suggestion that he come along, DeeJay played a romantic overture and curtsied as best her stiff joints woud allow getting a laugh from at least Thuraya.  While droids did not have such feelings, they could become quite fond of their fellow machines.  And these two were the only two of the same sophistication.

Immediately out of the airlock seemed safe enough, 'Star's landing had flattened the local foilage, allowing for visibility.  Tiny creatures scuttled and gave ineffectual warnings as they retreated.  Shira soon brought the speeder to the group.  Ali said to Thuraya with a smile, "Ready for adventure, padawan."  "Sure." Thuraya said in a tone that was even colder across the Force; "What else is there to live for?"  Ali's smile fell, she had been unprepared for the grim smile she got in return.  She would have prompted Thuraya further but DeeJay had stopped her syrupy love jingle abruptly.

"Please forgive my interruption but 'Star is receiving a signal, which must thus be nearby, given the state of our sensors.  Expressed audibly, it is.."  There was a sound of advanced binary communication, like a chorus of astromech poets.  It was eerily insectile, despite it inorganic origins.  "It is no form of communication I can identify.  It's complexity, density and deliberate obscurity suggest a code, perhaps an Imperial one."

"The Imperial probe droid." Ali said, putting to words the most likely guess...

Sorry for the delay, folks.  An actual combat is likely coming up.  While a probe droid does not seem like much of a combatant, the challenge isn't destroying it.  The challenge is destroying it quickly before it gives out critical information.  The next post will be likely asking questions and getting information.  My answers should give you a good chance to plan before the encounter.

Questions, just ask.  You will have the OOC time you need...

"A scout? We must kill it before it sees the ship. Where is it?"

"It will be great!" Shira said to Celes.

Shira giggled and gently applauded Deejay's poem. "Of course, we can't leave DeeJay or 'Bee behind!"

Shira smiled when she brought the speeder around. "I'm glad the speeder wasn't disabled. A hike in this gravity could be a chore." She offered the driver's seat to one of the others; Shira had some repair skill, but was no kind of pilot.

"Be careful, Thuraya..." Shira suggested gently. The padawan's attitude worried her, and Shira was a sympathetic sort.

"I have to agree with Thuk... do we have any heavy weapons? If not, maybe we can lure the droid somewhere the ships weapons can take it out right away."

Grev looked over them, giving the appearance of not noticing Ali's emotions, though with senses as sharp as his the reality was far different.  Though not force sensitive, his sense can make it seem as though he was on occasion.  He considerd the others carefully before speaking.  "What do we know of the Imperial Probe Droid's abilities and defenses?"

[If I remember right, we're between New Hope and Empire Strikes Back, meaning the Rebellion hasn't had a lot of the audience's experience with probe droids. Gonna go with that.]

Being discovered was the last thing they needed. It was only a matter of time, but they could buy themselves some more. Celes drew her blaster pistol.

"They have dozens of models, but they all share one vital weakness: enough blaster fire will turn them to slag. DeeJay, can you narrow down a location?"

"They have dangly arms!" Shira volunteered, waving her arms to demonstrate.
"Well, I guess that's the principle!" she agreed cheerfully with Celes. "But do we have enough guns to do it before the droid turns us in?"

He consciders this scant informatiion carefully.  "Where are he transmitters on it"

Nate pats his demo satchel,"There's no problem that can't be solved with an adequate application of explosives."

The old droid's optic receptors flickered a bright amber as he watched Ms Shira's probe droid display. "An excellent demonstration Ms Shira," he acknowledged in a bemused tone.

TwoOneBee listens politely to the discussion, several servo-actuators click as his head inclines towards Celes.  "What Ms Celes says is accurate; there are indeed numerous models of droids specialized in surveillance and intelligence retrieval.  Without being certain of which configuration we are dealing with it is not possible to accurately deduce where its transmitters will be located."

Hearing Mr Nate's suggestion, he hesitantly adds: "if you are suggesting perhaps some sort of hurled incendiary or stationary explosive device...I believe it might be more effective in rendering the surveillance unit inoperable, as much as I dislike the idea.  Perhaps a diversionary tactic is in order, to bring the droid close enough for you to use your explosive weapon, Mr Nate?"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:40, Sat 09 July 2016.

"Okay, I will pounce on it and start tearing it apart. That should distract it long enough for you to apply excessive amounts of explosive. Question is, where is it?"

Grev shakes is head, perhaps disapprovingly resigned.  He remains silent, and just srugs his pack and long rifle comfortably on his shoulders.  "If you find the droid and know it's classification, tell me where the transmitters are TwoOneBee."  Once the others got in, Grev steped into the Speeder, sitting, as was his custom, in what space remained and able to jump out first.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:40, Sun 10 July 2016.

Looking at the others piling onto the speeder, Nate shakes his head. "A small dismounted team should be able to get close without drawing too much attention from the droid. I could do it myself, I think. Either way, a large group on a speeder is a bad choice to sneak up on any probe droid. Too many life forms clustered together, and adding the power output of the vehicle is just begging to be identified. The speeder needs to move away from the droid." With that, he heads off in the direction of the droid on foot, slipping silently into the underbrush.

It was across the Force, her lekku (for those perceptive enough to see) and her expression (for those who knew her, no matter how much she tried to keep it neutral), Ali was momentarily unsure how exactly to proceed.  Fortunately, her crew and new mascot (Thuraya) had excellent plans of their own.

Having been asked, and enjoying communicating in any case, DeeJay muted the eerie transmission to background noise while she spoke.  The speeder's holoprojecter, linked to 'Star, projected a tactical analysis.  A tiny dot was moving across the shimmering terrain analog towards the map's center.  Them.  "It's slowly following the high ground, moving from cover to cover.  It is moving towards us, so it must know there is something here.  But I would imagine it would be transmitting more data and more obviously if it was sure of its conclusions and its likely end."  DeeJay had picked up a little tactical analysis from briefings, if the digital ham had not exactly learned to be brief herself.

Under the enhanced light of the holographic diorama, Shira could see that the speeder did have the lightest of heavy weapons, just past what its designers thought a humanoid could easily carry.  There was also a grenade launcher and some light shielding, revealed by a slight blue flicker over the hull, like tamed lightning.   The problem would be approaching stealthily with this bantha-sized conveyance through the dense foliage.

Thuraya was attentive and silent, her expression and aura were calm.  Ali wondered if the girl was calm or was vengeance against a soulless droid merely philosophically unsatisfying?

Good questions about the probe droid's capabilities brought forth equally good answers.  While the capabilities of specific Imperial probe droids were not known, there were certain technical parameters the droid would have to adhere to.  "A probe's main defense is stealth until discovered and then rapid streaming of data, rather than protracted protection of its transmission.  It will likely only endure in combat enough to send its brief message.  We have to be equally quick and less concerned with defense."  DeeJay summarized what they all recalled piecemeal from various briefings.  "It would be programmed with curiosity, to gain as much data as possible, if it believed its mission wasn't threatened.  It could be perhaps distracted."  Ali mused.  It was choice between the powerful but obvious speeder or the vulnerable but nimble stealthy crew...

OK, again, sorry for the delay in getting this IC post off.

It didn't occur to me that the Rebels aren't yet familiar with Imperial probe droids but the tech can be easily extracted.  Especially so in the technically stagnant Galaxy of Star Wars (the only real new tech in millennia is the Death Star and that is more known tech scaled up to a collosal scope).

Here is how we do combat:

The probe is meandering towards 'Star, believing it has the time to do a leisurely search.  Range is abstract, calculated in difficulty rather than distance, given the thick foliage.  The difficulty is added to any kind of perception for the droid to notice you and for you to aim.  Any kind of interaction will start at a max. difficulty/range of 20.  The droid can easily reduce the difficulty/range by 5 a round.  More than that is a roll for the droid.  The speeder has a +10 to be noticed and a -10 penalty for movement (it was not designed for this terrain).

With such a bonus to stealth, the characters can sneak up to within a 5 difficulty/range to the droid before combat begins.  In essence, the encounter is yours to start.

Here is your best guess as to the probe's tactics:

Whenever it encounters something interesting and/or dangerous, the probe makes an educated guess; can I survive this until I can fully transmit?  If it believes survival is assured, it will investigate as much as it sees fit.  If it believes that survival is unlikely, it will immediately begin to transmit.  The transmission is brief but not instant and the probe is loath to have to split its attention and power to fighting and dodging.

Should it encounter an unarmed humanoid, it will study it for a time.  It will be fascinated enough that interpersonal skils can used to give the droid a penalty for being distracted versus the actions of others.  If the humanoid is armed, the probe will make a quick decision whether this warrants its terminal datascream or not.

In theory, this should allow your 'ninjas' to occupy the droid's attention until the speeder or other heavy hitters can be brought to bear on it.  But there is a wide spectrum of possibilities until that point.

The probe likely would detect any radio chatter but to facilitate communication; your characters are all in sight of each other as combat begins.  This will likely end in the fog of combat.  You can communicate silently through known hand signals.  To simplify this, Jedi's who wish to send/receive thoughts can do so automatically at a 1D penalty for each (-2D for both) that particular round.  Ali will act as router (send to her, she will send to as many targets as her dice and continuing rounds allow). Of course, once combat begins, you may as well use your radios.

Here's how I think combat will play out.  Likely able to position yourselves perfectly until y'all initiate combat, one of you might distract the droid (by appearing unarmed), while the other ninjas attack the inattentive droid.  If that doesn't work, the speeder tries to stop the probe as quickly (and unavoidably noisy) as possible.

Assume that you start the combat with full knowledge of each other's position and actions.  After that, we will see.  While it is your advantage to work together, likely no one can stop another from acting (and possibly botching this assault).

Ask me questions, I am more free this week and can answer more timely.  You will have your pre-combat questions answered before combat so don't feel rushed. :-)

"Okay, here is the plan" Thuk said, stripping off his weapons and armor. "I will close the thing unarmed and make threat display. This should distract it enough for the rest of you to sneak up on it. Once we are all in place, I will attack it. If it is as fragile as other human gadgets I will easily destroy it, if not the rest of you fire too. Even if it sends a report of me, this will tell it's masters only that there are dangerous creatures in jungles, something any fool already knows."

Celes shoots a sharp nod at Thuk's plan even as she switches her armor's wrist-mounted comlink off. Wouldn't want stray transmissions giving her away. With the needed information and a plan, the bounty hunter followed after Nate. She'd move to a different position to try and close the thing in a triangle (particularly so as not to hit her partners in any crossfire, or take any herself). This didn't look like it would be too tough.

Grev simply moves off into the wilderness, his massive rifle in his hands.  He positions himself as the third point of the triangle between Nate abnd Celes.  Then, taking aim at the probe droid, he waits for it to enter withing 300 meters.  Once it does, he holds his fire till he has optimal chance of success.

Nate moves in the direction of the droid, and sets det-tape around the trunks of several larger trees, ready to detonate the explosives in time to hopefully fall on the hapless mechanical spy.

Were the probe droid to speak of its thoughts, some might call it quite the philosopher.  Its purpose was to be sent alone to a faraway place, to make its testament, and then to end; either by explosion or dead power cells if it was that fortunate.  This fate was assured it, whether it succeeded or failed in its mission.  So the droid never had to deeply consider its purpose. Its existence, win or lose, was already pre-determined.  It was a pity that its serenity would never compel the droid to share that peace to others.  Beyond its data stream, it would never expect to, or need to, communicate with another being.

The metal mayfly contentedly drifted across the dense jungle, slowed by the complexity of the terrain.  So far, the planet was interesting only to botanists and archeologists.  The only sign of civilization so far detected had been a slight radio signal within a stone-age settlement.  As the droid was specifically designed to detect contemporary foes of the Empire, these ancient and feeble techno-trails were meaningless to its mission.

However, something fell out of the sky, affected by the same strange electrical storm that grounded the probe droid.  The probot had only had enough time to realize the object was hot and full of rare metal ores.  Spaceship...or asteroid?  Powerful as its creators were, they didn't get that way by wasting time or resources and the droid shared that desire for exact efficiency.

So it moved carefully and cautiously, its antennae retracted, until it saw something worth broadcasting, and perhaps even exploding, for.  Suddenly, it's scanners detected something that wasn't foliage.  It focused on the difference, suddenly on high alertness...

Again, my apologies for the delay.

As mentioned in the OOC thread, I have pruned inactive accounts from the game.  Check there for details if you wish.

I may have over-explained this combat and, worse still, over-explained it badly.  So here is what I will do instead.  I assume your characters are acting intelligently and I will give you the benefit of the doubt in all actions.  You are certainly using cover and positioning correctly and all of you qualify for the 1D aiming bonus (this includes prepping for non-combat actions).

It seems to me that everyone is planning a combat action except Thuk (at least at first).  Here is what will likely happen, according your team's best guess of the droid's tactics.

If the droid detects Thuk and sees no sign of technology, it will likely ignore Thuk as a primitive throwback and thus no threat.
If the droid detects Thuk and sees tech on Thuk, it will study Thuk as long as Thuk is not an immediate threat.
If Thuk is determined to be a threat, the droid will evade or fire at Thuk as it sees fit.

Thuk will use con, not necessarily Thuk's strong suit, but neither is it the probe's.

Whatever margin Thuk beats the probe in the roll will be added to the droid's attempt to notice and or respond to others in that round.
Thuk can keep rolling in the hopes of getting a very high margin against the droid each round, and then the team can initiate combat when the probe is completely fascinated.
If Thuk's con roll is less than the droid's defensive perception roll, it will likely detect the trap and fight with no further penalty.

Thus, Thuk rolls until Thuk (or any character) initiates combat, the droid detects the trap and itself initiates combat.  If Thuk wants to set a qualifier ("I roll until I beat the droid by 10 or more, and then we attack"), Thuk can do so until the goal is met or the droid detects the trap (it matches or surpasses Thuk's roll).

In short, everyone roll their first action (+1D for aiming).  They will go off when appropriate, so the shots may happen after several of Thuk's rolls.  You have won initiative this round.  The droid has to survive your first volley (even if it detects you) before it can do anything.

And, if all that was confusing, just roll your first action with a +1D bonus.  I am applying a penalty of 5 to most actions for y'all and the droid due to the dense and jagged terrain.  But let me worry about that, you just make your first roll at +1D

Questions, just ask.:-)

Celes took up a position where she could clearly see Thuk and the probe droid, and roughly knew where her other companions were hidden. Once Thuk had the thing's attention, she could carefully creep ever closer, until her heavy blaster pistol's meager range was accounted for. Even as she did, she drew a bead on the thing. They wouldn't get the luxury of time for a firefight once this started.

[20:18, Today: Celes Varik rolled 27 using 6 dice with the WEG Classic system ((3,6,5,3,{Wild}4,6)).

Blaster 5D +1D for aim.]

To be clear, Thuk has no tech on him. It is unlikely that the droid would regard his bow and arrows and bone and hide armor as tech anyway, but sure is not certain and he has left it behind. The Empire being the Empire (with humanocentric chauvinism alive and well), he is hoping to be taken for a wild animal.

Thuk jumped up into the lower canopy. This was his terrain, and gone were the clumsy shambling movements that gained his race their human name. Flowing through the trees faster than a man could run on a metaled road, he zeroed in on the bubble of noise that marked 'something strange' moving through the jungle. Sure enough, it was the droid, and he flowed up to it, snarling threat from a convenient branch.

09:15, Today: Thuk rolled 22 using 4 dice with the WEG Classic system.  Intimidate.
09:16, Today: Thuk rolled 11 using 3 dice with the WEG Classic system.  Con.
I would say that he definitely has it's attention, whether it is also fooled depends on it's roll.

Aiming patiently at the probe droid, Grev wited for the perfect time to fire.  Once that arrived, he gently squeezed the trigger firing off a blast fom his deadly rifle.  The brilliance of the beam briefly lit up the area it passed through, castng shadows as red as blood.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:20, Wed 20 July 2016.

Shira hid very carefully, further back than Celes. She was close enough to fire, if not with great accuracy, but far back enough not to be very threatened, and so not to burden her allies. She was surprisingly calm; the forest reminded her of Datar. She was going to fire once the ambush began, although it was unlikely her sporting blaster would be any help. Still, she was going to do whatever she could to help. She carefully gripped the sporting blaster Celes had modified for her, waiting for the right moment.

Watching the crew depart, TwoOneBee feels a twinge of anxiety, especially for Ms Shira.  The medical droid had remained reluctantly behind with DeeJay and the speeder.  He remained silent for several minutes, not wanting to give the probe droid any additional chance of detecting them early.  When at last he did speak, he modulated his vocal emitters so that he could hopefully only be heard by those directly around, namely DeeJay(and, if they are there, Captain Ali and Thuraya):

"I am experiencing some trepidation as a response to this particular sequence of events (I have a bad feeling about this :).  It seems very ...unjust to me, to attempt to render inoperable a droid who is only following its primary programming.  I simply wish there was some other course of action we could have attempted.  I am quite certain we could not have reasoned with an Imperial probe droid; attempting to do so would have been disastrous, so I suppose it is the only logical decision but... a probe-bot will be equipped with self defenses, very likely a discharge weapon!  I do hope they will be alright."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:23, Sun 24 July 2016.

The droid moved in a quite predictable and efficient search pattern.  And why not?  It did not believe it was observed or that there was anything or anyone of relevance to observe.

But then it saw the life-form.  The bow and arrow made it technically sentient.  But the Empire was only interested in how non-human species might offer resistance.  The primitive was technically little more than an animal.  It's size and even archaic weaponry still could be a slight threat, if not challenged.

The probe droid fired a warning shot into the ground near the life-form.  It did not to frighten the savage away while still studying it but neither did it want to risk damage to itself it thus its mission.  The probe's internal databases were checking the bioform against its substantial records of known species.  Being transplanted to this world was not necessarily a matter of concern.  In the many millennia of Galactic travel, few species stayed solely on their world of origin.

Now intensely interested, the droid focused its senses on the troglodyte.  This was discernable to those secretly and expertly watching by the probes stillness, the turning of its scanners and manipulators to focus completely on Thuk.  Or at least, as much as the device's programming would ever allow.  Thuk had succeeded as much as any sentient could be expected to in fooling the curious metal.  And the surprise was at its peak and could not last.  Now!

Thuk's Intimidate was higher than his Con.  As Thuk's weaponry and mass (implying sufficient strength) could conceiveably damage the probe, I rule that it can be intimidated by Thuk and so the droid has a penalty of 22 to notice the others and avoid being surprise.  This, in addition to the 5 mimimum penalty for complicated terrain makes for a 27 difficulty.

The Probe is only using its base Perception as it is not actively searching at this moment, being focused fully on Thuk.
21:28, Today: That Old Fossil rolled 13 using 3 dice with the WEG Classic system ((4,{Wild}4,5)).
It failed. Not that its chances were that great.

At that one ideal moment, 'Star's crew attacked.  Celes fired with such a surgeon's skill that would have made TwoOneBee jealous.  Grev lined up a perfect shot that would have knocked a mynock out of the sky, even more perfect against a suprised droid.  The bolt hit between at least two of its many metal eyes.

22:07, Today: That Old Fossil, for the NPC Probe Droid, rolled 16 using 4 dice with the WEG Classic system (({Wild}4,4,2,6)).
The Probe Droid failed its roll by 9 against Celes, making it Incapacitated (I believe I use the Character damage rules for droids, let me know if I am wrong).
21:40, Today: That Old Fossil, for the NPC Probe Droid, rolled 21 using 4 dice with the WEG Classic system (({Wild}6(+3),1,6,5)).
The Probe Droid has failed its damage roll by 10 against Grev, making it now doubly Incapcitated, and thus Mortally Wounded.

The droid was suddenly covered by webs of blue lightning which faded.  The machine then simply became still and hovered, its repulsorlifts still intact if undirected.  A final spasm of motion from the surge had kicked the droid towards Shira.  A few tree limbs caught it before it damaged the Ghostling.  It now rested an arm's length away.

Further back, Ali had almost said to TwoOneBee, "Its just a droid."  She was grateful to catch her tongue in time.  The years had taught her that droids could be more noble than the living and their petty needs.  "I know, TwoOneBee, but what is the alternative?  Even if we could capture and reprogram it, wouldn't that be destroying its identity?  That why I am against memory wipes, no matter how curmudgeonly some droids become."  Next you will have me feeling guilty for killing stormtroopers, Ali thought.  But there had always been that nagging guilt for the clone crops, 'droiding' the living.

DeeJay did not speak but lowered her head and dimmed her glowing eyes softly.  There would be more she might say to her metal friend later, when the living could not hear.  Thuraya simply hugged TwoOneBee with the same affection she would the living, a gesture of honest caring and equality...

Again, sorry for the delay.  The probe droid will be still for at least a round.  After that, who knows.  Any character may, at will, simply fire one bolt into the still droid as a simple action, not a roll.  Let me know what questions you have.  I hope to respond more quickly.  We've had my busy week, I have a little more time now.  Questions, just ask...

Shira had taken a careful shot at the droid during the brief fight, but she squeaked and shrank back as the droid shifted towards her. Fortunately, it stopped first. "I think we got it! Celes, Grev, great shooting!"

Celes took a moment to make sure Shira was out of harm's way, then put one last blaster bolt into the probe droid to make sure it was no longer operational.

"Got it. Shira, you okay? Thuk?" Once it was all clear, Celes was willing to switch her comlink on again.

Nate was only slightly disappointed that he didn't get the chance to bring a few trees down on the hapless spy. Without a word, he collects the explosives, and heads back to the group.

As fast as danger presented itself, it seemed to end as quickly.  It even disappointed some that the droid had not put up more than a fight.  "Hm." Thuraya mused, putting out a hand to touch the droid, making it more real.  "It's still floating so it has some power."  The hairs on the back of the girl's neck began to rise, a sudden supernal awareness.  "But what else is there for this damaged droid to do?"



OOC:
1. A quick interim post to keep you busy until Thursday (when the next post is likely).
2. The young padawan seems nervous, although only a child, her intuition is at times quite impressive...

It seemed impossible, utterly impossible.  The probe droid was shot so full of holes that if it could have moved, it would have whistled.

Yet it floated all the same.

The probe must have a backup power source, Ali reasoned, as the primary battery could now be used to strain Jawa Juice.  Such a small power supply could not sustain a droid for long.  It must have a very specific and short-term purpose.  What would be the point of a battery that couldn't power a dead hulk.  To destroy it!

"Run!" Ali cried out as she realized.  Maybe it was luck, or the Force but all the probe needed was a second's grace.  'Star's crew needed less than that.

By the time the droid's failing circuitry had repaired the short-circuit damage from the repulsors to the correct self-destruct mechanism, the explosion's could only claim a few heroes' dignity as its casualties.

Ali picked herself up out of the mud, her lekku were twitching polygestural curses that might have been from the Dark Side.  "Fie!  What is a probe droid's last duty?  To destroy the evidence of its presence, or at least the secrets of its construction."

Thuraya just laughed, having dodged much better then the mud-bathed Twi'lek.  DeeJay's eyes flashed red as she could not blush in response to Ali's curses.  While biology was not the droid's strong suit, some of those curses suggested biological improbabilities.  And the psychological responses would likely be unpleasant.  "The droid's antennae never extended, nor did I detect any change in transmission density or speed.  I believe we prevented any further knowledge of us.  Of course, the cease of data from the droid will be a lesser degree of suspicious but that cannot be helped."

"I believe we did as well as could be hoped in this situation."

Folks, upon reading Celes' post in the OOC thread, I do believe I presented a mystery so badly, it was unfair to you.  If you remember in Empire, the probe droid self-destructed after damage.  I was hoping to hint that would be the failing droid's last action but I did so clumsily.

So consider that your character easily dodged the explosion in time and are undamaged.  I regret that my 'character' Ali saved the day as it was the GM who botched this encounter.  But I couldn't think of a better way to fix the problem.  That's why Ali is has egg, well, mud on her face.

You did succeed as much as you could have.  Be assured in that.  Again, my apologies.

I hope to get an IC post up on Wednesday.  Thanks, as always, for your patience...

Grev smirks as he steps from the position he never left, having suspected as much.  The exspression soon disappears, as he searches the area.  His predatory movements canvassin the terrain with hungry intent.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:49, Mon 08 Aug 2016.

Celes was shocked that her last shot to put the thing down had no further effect. That was beyond odd. The same thoughts that went through Ali's head went through Celes's, and it was at the very last second her eyes went wide with realization. The bounty hunter was wearing her armor, and quickly spun around to wrap her arms around Shira as a human shield, putting her head as far down as she could.

It wasn't a huge explosion, like that of a grenade, but it was certainly a shock. She only hoped the ghostling was kept from nough of it to matter.

"Shira, talk to me." After ensuring her friend's safety, Celes turned to the remains and looked it over.

"...A self destruct mechanism. Of course. Makes sure we can't use its programming to decrypt the signal. Captain, problem handled. For all they know, it just ran out of juice in the...wherever this is. Ready to go on your orders, sir."

Medical droids were programmed with many skills, but running was not among them.  TwoOneBee did manage to avoid the worst of the explosion with nothing worse than a few dents in his already worn chassis, but his enthusiasm had been damaged considerably.  He was rescued from his gloomy thoughts by the realization that he might be needed.

Scanning the area it seemed no one was seriously hurt, which was a great relief to him, but he noticed someone did need a hand.  Making his way to the mud caked Captain, he offered her a metallic grasper to help her up.

"Captain Ali, DeeJay, Ms Thuraya, Ms Celes, Ms Shira, Mr Nate, Mr Grev, and Mr Thuk, indeed I think we are all present, and in more or less functional condition, which is something for which we should be grateful.  It is unfortunate the Probot was destroyed, but that was quite beyond our control..."

He worked quietly as he used his sterilizers to help clean Captain Ali up as best he could (along with anyone else who needed similar assistance).  Although they were designed for cleaning wounds to prevent infection, they seemed to do an adequate job of removing simple debris, from skin if not from fabric.  He did not mention the random power surges, fluctuations in his cyber cortex that were having a disturbing effect on his personality program.  His emotional response sub-routine was in danger of destabilizing.  He started a level four diagnostic on his entire personality program to quickly isolate the anomaly before it damaged his system irreparably.  If he were an organic, he would have said he was experiencing...anger, but that was of course impossible.

"I believe that is about the extent to which I can assist you in this environment, Captain Ali, my apologies," TwoOneBee offered as he finished cleaning her up.  "I would recommend a dry set of clothing at your earliest opportunity."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:27, Mon 08 Aug 2016.

Thuk took a comb to his fur where shrapnel had dimpled it, cursing his lost dignity under his breath. That was some final farewell! These 'probe droids' were very brave.

He rippled over to the others, sniffing for injury, then relaxed. "Well, that is that. Let us see about finding this Jedi, shall we?"

Shira briefly thought Celes was hugging her before the explosion. She screamed as the bomb went off.
She coughed as she shook off her shock from the explosion. "I think I'm all right... just shaken up. You protected me." This time she genuinely hugged the bounty hunter.

"We should stay alert. They might send a replacement 'bot, or send someone to retrieve what's left."

"Is Ali all right, 'Bee?"

TwoOneBee swiveled his head to look towards Shira, his golden optic sensors pulsing warmly as she came into view.  Somehow the young Ghostling always managed to cheer him.  Everything just seemed more logical when she was around, somehow.

"Yes, Ms Shira, I believe our Captain has not sustained any serious physical injury, although I surmise that she is somewhat distraught with our present circumstances.  It does not seem conducive to our continued functionality to remain here much longer.  May I suggest we scan for something resembling a sentient being to assist us, or better still, a settlement of them?"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:17, Thu 11 Aug 2016.

The Stiletto-class corvette, Khara, boomed out of hyperspace into what seemed a point in deep space as empty as the vast majority of the Universe.  The specific point was the exact intersection of certain possible hyperspace destinations of weighted probabilities.  A extraordinary distillation of what was essential in Star Destroyers, the younger sister class had originally not been developed past prototype as neither living or droid minds could handle its necessary complexity efficiently enough.

At least no ordinary minds.  The ships were as quick and subtle as their class name in the hands of the Sith.  But now the Khara simply floated in the darkness as functionally inert as any asteroid.

On the bridge, the Princess scowled at this fact, but there was no obvious target for the Stiletto to be inserted into.  Octal Chrome seemed to have an equally dissatisfied look on its 'er' brain, which was floating in the transparent tank underneath the metal thorax and those eight mechanical legs.

The vomskyrs growled softly at her consternation.  She hadn't expected them to be that sensitive (or her frustration that obvious).  "Any word from any probes?"

XEQTR-13 did not waste time with verbal communication, it simply showed a holographic display of the list of deployed probes and what reports they had received.  This replaced the previous display of anatomical weaknesses in its nearby Sith companions.  Even for droids, executors were exceptionally dedicated.  The Princess' gaze did not linger long on the OVERDUE REPORT from the Ember Four probe droid.  There were several OVERDUE REPORT results from this dangerous part of the Galaxy.

"Where are they?" Chrome buzzed through its vocal grill.  The Princess shook her head, "We will just have to wait here for now."

A quick aside post to show your success and foreshadow your now delayed nemesi.  I hope to get an actual IC post up this weekend...

Grev simply pulled a few smoking leaves off of himself, the only damage he suffered.  The laconic scout had been 'getting to' the suggestion that the probe might be primed to explode.  But the probe had a surprisingly fast suicide reflex, better than even stormtroopers, and the team had been lucky.

Thuraya couldn't help but badly suppress a smile as Ali got up from the mud.  On some worlds of the Imperial Core, such a dense 'mud bath' might cost a kilocredit or more.  Ali didn't need the Force to feel her lekku burning.  Fortunately her blush was hidden by the fact that she was already red enough in natural coloring

Thuraya broke out in open laughter as Mr. Thuk produced an elegant comb from nowhere.  A few moments later, Thuk was transformed from enigmatic alien muscle to particularly well-groomed alien muscle thanks to the incongruous implement.

Celes and Shira quickly returned to combat 'readiness'.  Ali was glad to see both of them prepared, and certainly better dressed than some.

"Well, I do believe that I shall acquire a change of attire." Ali took a step towards 'Star and stopped, "TwoOneBee, are you OK?"  The phrasing wasn't normally used for a droid, just the living or a good friend.  It seemed to Ali the old medical droid was lost in thought.  While droids were certainly sentient, deep introspection wasn't commonly an attribute attributed to them.

DeeJay answered her metal comrade's question, "'Star is not detecting anything new besides the settlement earlier detected but there is an unexplained ...haze she cannot explain."

Ali nodded, it would take a few moments even for the brilliant minds around her to solve this mystery.  Wearing her dignity like failing shields, she retreated to 'Star and emerged a few moments later in a motley patchwork of finery and ill-fitting practicality.  Twi'leks had an almost feline irritation towards lack of poise and style.

A few moments of quizzing 'Star (via DeeJay) will reveal that the 'haze' is a cloud of tiny life-forms like gnats in size.  The gnats drift lazily in the air and are now becoming visible to all of your senses (they were initially scattered by 'Star's [ahem] 'landing').  They seem gently repulsed by the character's flesh and clothing as if by a slight static charge.  To the Force, the gnats seem alive but not sentient.

I will answer your questions and I welcome your feedback.  This weekend is particularly kind to me and I may have a post up tomorrow.  But there is no hurry.

The group had moved past 'Star's closeup perceptions of them and she of theirs.  Ali's ersatz ensemble had bits of various entertainer's togs, some of which might not have been found in more genteel venues.  But it gave Ali the aspect of a jaunty tour guide and helped give the impression that this quest was a walk in the country rather than a more serious mission.  The 'gnats' stayed on the edge of perception and memory.

It was the Force that tipped off those sensitive to it, despite the considerable skills and senses of their companions.  Several large lifeforms were encircling the party in a perfectly coordinated ambush formation.  It was a sign that their senses were better than their prey.  When they were discreetly pointed out by the Jedi, the keen could see slits of eyes, fangs and claws break the slight distortion in faraway clumps of foliage and shadow.

"We're surrounded." Thuraya whispered.

"We've been surrounded for minutes.  Why are they waiting?" Ali countered, perplexed...

I am sorry for the delay, as usual.  I have moved the action slightly forward as we might have been in a slight rut.  If there was something your characters wished to achieve before, we can flashback to it at no penalty.  Your characters are moving towards the settlement as quickly as you know how.

The creatures you are seeing are largish beasts about the size of rhinos.  They have some camoflauge capability, similar to a chameleon.  The beasts are (and have been) in a perfect position to strike but they have not.  Which is very unlike the pouncing strategy these stealth carnivores evolved to.

Questions, just ask...

Celes needed to install some sensor devices on the armor. That would be next on her list. Being tipped off about an ambush by magic was not her idea of a good time. Still, she took the information for what it was worth, and could soon see the vaguest forms around the group.

"I know hunting patterns. This isn't one. I think they're guards. Who wants to try talking?" It took all her effort to keep a hand away from her pistol. If her hunch was right, shooting now would ruin everything they'd worked for. Slow, deep breaths helped her focus on the mission, rather than on the fear of being hunted. None of it showed on her face, but anyone who could see the tense shift in posture would know she was like a loaded spring.

[Celes is ready for another fight, but trying to make sure she doesn't start one.]

"Perhaps they wish to assess us. Perhaps they hope that we will leave their territory without a fight. Perhaps they are being directed by another. Perhaps they wish to parley." Thuk didn't bother to keep his voice down, sliding through the trees to face the predators. Look at me! I am big and dangerous and a very poor meal his puffed fur and extended claws cried. His words to them were more conciliatory however, simply "Hello. Parley?"

Grev didn't say much, just shifted his grip on his rifle a bit.  The very perceptive mighht have noticed that something was iritating Grev, but there were not many clues.  His mind, however, was already working.  "Where did they come from, and how did I not sense them?  No sound, no scent, I am not nose blind like the others, nor am I deaf.  How did they get close?  We're surrounded.  Little cover here, but if we push through and make a hole in their ring we might be able to escape.  Everyone needs to be in the speeder, that's the quickest way to make a breach.  Covering fire sould make them move, accuracy is a plus but not necessary."  The thughts chase themselves through his mind.  "Ali, get everyone in the speeder"  His growled voiced is just audible enough for her to hear.

TwoOneBee was surprised by Captain Ali's question.  He responded honestly as he always did.  He never lied to the Captain, or anyone he considered a trusted companion.  Still there was no need to concern her with a simple anomaly.  He decided to discuss the matter later with DeeJay.  She might be able to provide some insight.

"I believe I am experiencing an anomalous energy fluctuation.  I am running a level four diagnostic to determine its origin and correct the malfunction.  Thank you, for your concern, Captain."   He would have disabled his emotional response sub routine until he could isolate the problem, but then Thuraya hugged him, and the anomaly vanished as quickly as it had come.

"Thank you, Thuraya, I appreciate it," he responded, and meant it!



When the medical droid's bio sensors finally registered the encircling life forms, he was understandably distressed.  How had they managed to come so close without being detected?  He really should pay more attention to his surroundings; perhaps he'd been distracted by the cloud of 'gnats'.  He noted Ms Thuraya's and Captain Ali's system fluctuations, increased heart rate, excessive brain wave activity, that indicated their anxiety.  TwoOneBee responded by stepping between them both, to provide support and a possible shield if necessary.  After all, his metal chassis was much more easily repaired than their organic tissues.

"Perhaps, if we do not appear hostile, they will not take aggressive action.  They do not appear inclined to violence so far." he offered hopefully.



TwoOneBee's amber optical sensors flashed as he turned to look at Thuk.  "Diplomacy is always preferable." he agreed enthusiastically.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:29, Tue 23 Aug 2016.

Both Celes and Grev considered the beasts.  The creature's preternatural stealth seemed to imply a directing intelligence.  Which was not the same thing as to say that they were sentient themselves.  There was no sign of tool use, by far the most common sign of sophonts.  But there were rare exceptions.  Celes continued to notice how the creatures watched, there was something beyond the need for (and not to be) prey behind those slit eyes.  Grev was scout enough to track pouncing animals on a hundred worlds.  There had to be something more than instinct here, or even tech.  It the Force had a smell, these monsters might stink of it.

Ali simply nodded at TwoOneBee's assessment of his condition.  It was a gesture of trust in the old droid, not indifference.   A little more concerned, Thuraya took TwoOneBee's metal hand in hers to keep him from falling, unlikely as that possibility was.  DeeJay cocked her head in sympathy, the droid was a skilled mime, having no possibility of facial expression.

At Thuk's generous 'dinner' invitation (as the main course), the carnivores faded into the shadows.  Ali laughed, the beasties had an almost feline tendency to be embarrassed when noticed themselves.  "Ha! you don't like being noticed off your game."  And DeeJay echoed some canned studio applause because pointing out that some unnamed Twi'leks might have the same tendency themselves was too rude for a protocol droid to even contemplate.

Taking a step forward, the protocol droid sounded a breaking glass sound as her foot tapped against something that wasn't merely mud.  "Stone?" DeeJay kicked away more mud, revaling a tesselation of  "No...brick."

A bridging post.  Grev should not feel bad that he missed the stalkers.  It should be taken as a keen observation that more than natural cunning is responsible for how stealthy the hunters are.  A little exploring will reveal that you are near a large artificial structure, similar to the South American Aztec, Maya or Olmec monuments.  It might remind our heroes of the ruins on Yavin (which was based on those real-life locations).

More, maybe even Thursday, after your reactions...

"Thanks 'Bee. Glad you're around to keep as all ticking"
"Great outfit, Ali" Shira had told the Captain. She herself loved dressing up.

Shira had been eagerly exploring the new world, but she let out a soft gasp when she was told they were surrounded. "I can take the lead in talking" she began, before the creatures slipped away. "Well, if things like that are guards, I don't think I want to meet the boss!" she said. She kept looking around, but timidly now that she knew fearsome creatures were lurking about.

That was odd. The creatures just...left. Maybe they weren't guards after all. Whatever they were, Celes was just as glad to not have to face them at such a disadvantage. She gave an absentminded nod to Shira's last statement, more interested in whatever DeeJay had found.

"Brick? Maybe we're close to their home. Lucky us." The bounty hunter took that information and decided to go looking for whatever building the brick had come off of. Naturally, she planned to stay within line of sight of the rest of the group. Wandering off while those camouflaged creatures were still an unknown was just asking to be picked off.

Thuk looked around with interest. "Well, that was unexpected. With any luck thei controller has decided to talk to us."

Grev silently moved to follow Celes, spaced maybe te meters diagonally to her right rear.  The massiveblaster rifle hleld expertly in his hands.

The doctor was grateful for everyones' concern, and for Captain Ali's trust.  It was truly astounding, TwoOneBee noted, how caring companions could affect your mood; how they could even dispel a negative emotion.  His anger at the injustice of the Probot's fate faded to a dim blip in his data core.  Not forgotten; simply  managed more efficiently.

He soon recovered his usual positive composure, visual sensors blinking warmly as he gazed at his chosen companions.  Thus distracted, the droid is as surprised as anyone when the creatures, that had been stalking them, simply retreated into the darkness.  It did not seem to correspond with his prodigious knowledge of xenobiological predatory behaviour!  Before he could respond, however, his attention is diverted by DeeJay's discovery of what turns out to be some sort of stone structure

"How very curious that previous surveys have not reported any of this.  Perhaps the probes that were sent were defective?  In any case, I believe Mr Thuk may be correct... I certainly hope he is at least."

The brickwork was ancient but solid and intact still, a tribute to its builders.  It was shorter work than needed to remove that foliage that didn't itself crawl away when the brick underneath to the air.  Soon an archway was revealed, the natural veneer only had crept a small distance inside.

What was inside was a large rectangular area with another archway directly opposite.  In this poor lighting, only darkness seemed to fill the far archway but a meter within.

The large chamber was itself, floor ceiling and walls, composed of a grid of tiles, each about a meter square.  Between each large, square tile were the gridlines that seemed to so be deeply recessed that the depth was hard to gauge.

Above the far archway, written in Basic were the words, YOU MAY PASS FREELY IF THE FORCE IS WITH YOU  The words were a holoprojection, millennia younger than the stone structure they glowed in.

"This old rockpile has some modern technology installed."  Ali said, saying the terribly obvious.  It was sign of her perplexity.  Thuraya shrugged and said, "Maybe they have some modern luxuries" and the young girl stepped into the arch.  Perhaps it was luck or the Force but, either way, she had unintentionally kicked a tiny pebble in front of her.

The pebble bounced along until it crossed the first gridline.  The was a sudden whooshing sound that might have identified a lightsaber had it not been almost deafening.  A shaft of blue light emerged from one gridline selection instantly to the matching intersection on the other wall.  The glowing beam moved instantly from one side of the chamber to the other, bisecting the pebble into two glowing remnants.  Thuraya shrieked and jumped back.

"That's some kind of elongated saber network in the walls.  It will slice to messy little cubes anyone that enters.  But there would just be a wall here if no one was ever supposed to enter here."  Ali said, almost now babbling the self-evident. "So there must be a way for authorized persons to get through."

The thrum of the giant sabers had a uniquely distinctive sound, which something nearby had been waiting for.  The long-dormant holocron awakened in a flurry of light and sound.  As it was examined, it quickly gained its bearings and shone a series of markings on a connected series of the meter-long tiles inside the chamber.  "A path?" Deejay questioned.

"If so, the lit path is only half-way across the chamber." Ali said, worried.

Arrgh!  Real-life is busy this week and this post is all I can get to today.  The post has been stripped of practically all characterization and some detail but I wanted to give you guys a head-start towards this puzzle.  For now, assume that the saber-grid has a very good chance of french-frying anyone who steps on the wrong tile.  The map provided by the holocron is simple enough to follow, if it can be trusted.

I will try to get up more as soon as I can.  You can assume your characters have time and don't have to make any rash decisions until then.

Questions, just ask.

Thuk opened his Force senses, using the holocron's path as a contrast to the other tiles.

14:00, Today: Thuk rolled 13 using 3 dice with the WEG Classic system.  Sense.

While it seemed technological, the lightgrid might have been like a lightsaber, a piece of technology that only came into its own in the control of a Jedi.  Thuk felt no active trace of the Force in the lightning-fast blades of plasma in force-fields.

To Thuk's mind, the immediate future showed no instant danger to anyone who would follow the path precisely to the last square lit by the holocron.  But after that...?

A bridging post to help spur your imaginations...

The group stared at the once-again deceptively quiet chamber.  The bisecting light shafts had suddenly vanished as quickly as they manifested.  At what might have seemed indecision to the young, rather than mature reflection, Thuraya said in frustration, "Oh bantha pudu (Deejay gonged in mortification at such language), I'll do it."

And the girl leapt, skipped and hopscotch her way along the holocron-lit squares.  Her caprice was so sudden there was no way to stop the girl without risking diverting her over the unlit squares.  At one point, Thuraya almost slipped out of the light, a trio of lightbeams, one along each dimension whirled around her flailing wrist until she righted herself on the lit ground.

"That's so wizard!"  Thuraya said, her narrow escape only impressing her.  With more reference points, the holocron lit up the remaining squares to the ungridded chamber behind.  Thuraya made it there on nimble padawan feet.  She then moved freely after the grid.  "C'mon, you crawlers.  We are wasting time."

"Thuraya!" Ali shouted.  "Child, I should ground you aboard 'Star."  "My parents would sometimes ground me," Thuraya said with bitterness, "but they are dead so what good did it do?"  The girl retreated back into the further passage beyond the grid chamber, passing into darkness.  For the sensitive, there was more than one kind of darkness attempting to enshroud the girl...

Another bridging post.  To save time, any character who follows the lit grid along the chamber can safely make it to the other side.  Grief can be a means to the light or the dark side of the Force but it might seem that the darkness is somehow more prominent here.

Celes let the others handle this clearly Force-related lock. It was specifically meant to keep people like her out, and she wasn't about to argue with it and get them all killed. When Thuraya was the one to make the first move, Celes tried to shoot out a hand to grab her, but it was too late. Still, she was doing fine. That moment when the girl nearly fell, Celes tensed like a snake. There wasn't anything she could do, and she knew it, but she was ready to do something anyway. Seeing that Thuraya was alright didn't make her relax much, not until the holocron began to light up the rest of the path.

After the girl's exchange with Ali, Celes glanced at the captain, then looked to Thuraya again and started for the lit path. Her steps were careful and measured, but also confident. The grid patterns on the walls created areas one meter square, easily enough room for her to curl on the spot and be safe from those blades. On the other hand, she had no idea if they'd stop to let her move again if she took a wrong step. Either way, everyone was going to have to pass and it was unlikely whoever built this place intended to kill guests, just trespassers.

Once safely on the other side, Celes held up a thumbs up to those behind her and simply kept walking, heading for Thuraya. She had some words in mind the girl probably needed.

Thuk gathered up Shira, a fold of fur screening her from any mistakes he might make. Humping clumsily along the path, he cursed all groundlings under his breath. Would it have killed them to leave an air path? He deposited her next to Thuraya, tasting the darkness about the bud. "The darkness tests you young warrior, hold to your balance."
This message was last edited by the player at 06:26, Wed 14 Sept 2016.

Having watched the others, Grev cheked the outside to make certain that no danger lurked there.  Then he carefuly followed the lit path, agile for one so large.  At last he stood on the landing the other were on, his large rifle in his hands.

Shira gasped when the saber activated. "I've never seen anything quite like it." she said, wonderstruck. The holocron lighting up made her almost giddy. "Wow! We must be near secrets of the Jedi! How amazing!"
"Thuraya! Be careful" she chided the padawan. The child was too reckless and adventurous, she thought without intended irony.

"Oh!" Shira squeaked in surprise as Thuk scooped her up. But she held still and didn't cause any trouble as he carried her along the path. "Thank you!" she said happily once Thuk had set her down, and gave Thuk a hug.

She lay an hand comfortingly on Thuraya's shoulder. "You're still alive, their sacrifice did good. They would want you to stay alive. And we'll make sure you do, okay?"
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 08:50, Thu 15 Sept 2016.

It was friendship and concern that propelled the group across the laser grid, which whirled, whooshed and spat but did no harm (barring perhaps a slightly shorter haircut for some).  There had been no time for reason.  But it was success none the less.  All of the travelers made it across, even DeeJay who played a wookie requiem all the way through.

Thuraya favored with Celes' stern glare with one of her own, not reckoning just how stern Celes could be.  Thuraya broke off the line of eyesight, seemingly shocked into the present.  Thuk's words and Shira's concern seemed to also snap Thuraya out of what had been a waking dream.  "I'm sorry, I was so mad and angry." The girl seemed to now realize her error, the passing storm of her rage likely a adolescent hazard.  Her contrition was enough for Ali to choke back a command lecture she was actually quite proud of.  There would be another time, she was sure.

"Don't be too sorry." Ali mused.  "That lasergrid could have easily killed us.  We are being tested.  Yet the holocron helped us at just the right time." With a quick shake of the holocron, the device shone a grid of colors in a certain order.  "These are logic settings, virtual jumpers.  I think the holocron is asking us to repair it.  Each resequence of the colors and we will learn something."

Ali would have said more but in the light granted by holocron, another chamber came into view with, again, a corresponding dim passageway on the other side.  There was another grid of stone tiles but they were separated by a meter-wide gap on all sides filled with what appeared to be clear water.  It seemed simple enough to cross with enough hops.

But the peace did not last.  Dropping from the ceiling were several floating spherical objects, painfully familiar to any padawan.  "Remotes." DeeJay said.  Grev happened to be the closest to the grid and one fired a bolt at him...

Again, sorry for the delay.

This post offers two more challenges.  I realize that everyone's patience for such puzzles is different and I will add or subtract more future puzzles as players wish.

The first puzzle involves the holocron and would be a variant of the old Mastermind ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastermind_(board_game) ) logic game.  If this is not popular, let me know.
The second puzzle involves very agile remotes.  These are like the remote that bedevilled Luke in A New Hope.  These remotes have their firepower slightly augmented and have very high Dodge skills.

Grev can write how he responds to the first bolt as he wishes.  Should it hit, it will be temporary stun damage.  On the grid, being stunned might drop you into the trenches where a character could drown.  After the bolt, if Grev takes a step back, the remotes will not attack and the characters can plan.  If this challenges bores, we will simply write it out.

Otherwise, assume your characters have a chance to make a plan and I will supply the stats next post.

Your characters can feel the presence of the Dark Side but passively and without direction, much like the tree on Dagobah.  This may be an after-effect of some terrible atrocity.

Questions, just ask.

The droids catch Grev by surprise, and the bolt hit him squarely in the left shoulder.  Stunned, he falls back onto the stone floor, just out of their acivation range.  When he recovers, he grunts a gruff "Thanks." to Celes.  Rough as it may seem, Celes would know from their association that he was sincere.  Then he carefully tests the activation range of the droids.  Once he is certain of their limnit, he crouches down just outside of their activation range with his massive blaster rifle and aims at the droid that shot him.  After a long moment, he squeezes off a shot at the droid, his bodystone still.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:13, Fri 23 Sept 2016.

The moment Grev was hit by the blaster, Celes immediately moved to pull him to safety and check him over. Fortunately, it was just a stunning shot, but it could have been much worse. She looked over the situation, ignoring the holocron for now. There wasn't a lot she could do about that.

"If we jump across, we get pelted with stun bolts and drown. There's gotta be a deactivation switch somewhere, or maybe another path to follow." There was a pause as Celes glanced down at the water itself.

"Blaster bolts don't penetrate water very well at the best of times. Stun bolts shouldn't at all. We could swim."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:33, Thu 22 Sept 2016.

Thuk watched to see the result of Grev's shot. On the whole, he rather approved, if you don't like the rules, cheat.

Shira shivered at the touch of the dark side.
"I understand" Shira told Thuraya comfortingly. Actually, she didn't understand what Thuraya was going through, and she hoped never to; her parents were alive. But she certainly sympathized. "Just exercise a bit more caution, and remember to listen to Captain Ali and misses Celes when the give orders."

"Grev!" Shira squeaked as the remotes fired, but Grev seemed to be okay. "Remotes... those are used in lightsaber training. I don't suppose we have a lightsaber? It could be part of the puzzle."

TwoOneBee is understandably surprised, seeing Ms Thuraya's recklessly daring jaunt between the deadly saber blades.  He was even more surprised that she was successful.  He considered the possibility that she was guided by something the old droid could not understand; the Force!

He listened to the emotional exchange between Captain Ali and Ms Thuraya, trying to decide if he needed to mediate.  He was puzzled, for it was clear to him that Ms Thuraya was not acting according to the usual pattern of her personality.  She seemed agitated and angry.  He scanned her vital signs to try and deduce the cause of these changes.  Perhaps he could suggest a mild sedative...

He reluctantly followed the rest into the adjoining chamber, clanking loudly as he navigated the pathway with less than graceful movements.  Droids were simply not made for jumping around in such a manner, or at least most were not.  He arrived barely in time to witness Mr Grev's attack by the remotes.  A quick bio-scan reassures the doctor that his crew mate is not injured, apart from, perhaps his pride.  Some things even a medical specialist couldn't fix.

At Ms Celes' suggestion TwoOneBee quivered and replied:

"Perhaps it would be best if DeeJay and I waited while you swim across then?  Water does rather disastrous things to a droid's delicate structure I'm afraid."

At Ms Shira's suggestion of the lightsaber, TwoOneBee cocks his head considering.

"I believe you may be right, Ms Shira.  The sign did indicate that the path would be safe to those who possess the Force.  I would guess that defeating the remotes, since they are programmed to duel a lightsaber wielder, would be the logical answer, in light of the signs instructions.  It does seem likely that some display of your Force abilities are needed."

Admittedly, he did not understand the Force; logic, however, was as at the heart of any droid's thinking processes.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:52, Sat 24 Sept 2016.

After determining that the assault on his dignity was not fatal, Grev thanked Celes and moved back.

The two had guessed correctly that there was a range threshold for the remotes.  Giving the little pests their space allowed time to study them.  They were older with signs of skillful repair when it would have been more cost-effective to replace them.

Now Grev had the time needed to impale one of the buzzing balls with a single precise bolt of blaster fire.  The remote changed from a mocking blur to a cored sphere.  It sputtered, bled blue lightning and then fell onto a stone square and remained still.  The other remotes did not spend time in mourning, they flew upwards, out of line of sight.

Ali nodded at Celes' musing.  The bolts were stun bolts, even less effective through water.  The chamber was small enough that your average humanoid could make through the water to the other side and safety before needing another breath. This was assuming nothing went wrong.  The droids should have basic water-proofing, again barring mishap.  "How are your seals, my metal friends?"

Thuraya hugged Shira, grateful for her counsel (and probably innocently bruising the fragile Ghostling).  "I'm sorry.  That wasn't me. Or, at least, that wasn't the ...best of me."

Watching along with Grev, Celes noticed a tiny mote of light deep in the darkness down the hall past this chamber, a tiny campfire.  An indistinct humanoid form sat cross-legged behind the fire in what seemed to be an assured calm.

Again, sorry for the delay.

After this chamber, there should be an interpersonal encounter where much is revealed and the characters can interact with others for a bit.

I have no idea whether droids are routinely water-proofed.  I know R2 was pretty protected from the swamps of Dagobah and a leviathan's gullet.  And Threepio loved his oil baths.  So I will guess that the average is water-proofed, at least until damaged.

Water will reduce the stun damage possibly to the point where it can be endured without the loss of consciousness.

The mysterious figure behind the campfire is a humanoid in a classic Jedi meditation pose.  It is difficult to detect any Force talent (by sensing the Force itself) which implies a non-Force sensitive OR a very controlled Jedi.

Ask me questions and thanks, as always, for your patience.

Grev considers the situation for a moment, then decides on a plan.  "All of you go first, I will stay back and cover you as you cross.  Celes, if you will cross last, just before me, we could ensure the cross under the water safely."