GiGi quietly translates the Selonians mutterings through Helenes comlink...


13:50, Today: GiGi rolled 20 using 1d20. Translation.

Helene listens to GiGi translate what she can - which isn't much - and sighs, before bidding the droid translate her next statement more loudly.

"Look, you may not want to help us, but if you don't, we're not going to be able to overlook the fact that you just committed a major crime. If you help us, we can help you," she says, holding up the videocom somewhat so they could see the translator droids visage if they wanted, and that it's speaker can broadcast to the lot of them more readily.

She also removes a lightsaber from her belt, holding it where they can see it, but not yet igniting it. Her grip is light and improper for any kind of combat, the motion meant to draw attention to the device and all that it stands for, rather than to threaten.


14:28, Today: Dame Helene Decrilla rolled 31 using 1d20+11. Persuasion.

Hector turned to glare at Helene and her droid on vidcom.  Apparently she had missed that one of them could, in fact, speak Basic.  That was enough for him.  The threats didn't help either... they had all their parts back, so in his mind there wasn't any further need for a threat.  He had holstered his blaster a fair bit ago, not long after linking up with Oriana in fact.  He had another problem with threatening them too... if they helped under threat of harm, who would be able to stop them should they chose to lead the group to their deaths through the passages only the Selonians knew?

"Sure are making a great effort to make the Sith look good," he said, raising a hand at Helene to get her to stand down.  She wasn't Corellian, and based on what he seen, would be the worst person to try to negotiate with a Corellian.  Turning back, he addressed the Selonian who had indicated he could speak Basic.

"So, as I said... I understand why you're here and not goin' after Sith parts.  Usually, they're a lot quicker on the trigger.  But, we caught ya, and got our parts back.  So long as everything's there, the air's clear."  He nodded in the direction of the hole they'd been running to.  "But I think there's more that can be done here.  You're all Corellia natives like I am, and I know you like the Sith on the planet as little as I do.  Instead of scavenging to keep yourselves alive and well, why not put to use your skills to kick the Sith off the planet?  Correct me if I'm wrong, but you know a fair bit about the tunnels and passages that run under the surface of the planet and through the cities right?"
[Private to GM:
18:28, Today: Hector Terrachova rolled 27 using 1d20+10. Persuasion (if needed). ]
This message was last edited by the player at 23:28, Thu 03 Jan 2013.

Duran raised an eyebrow as the soldiers vanished, casting an appreciative glance at the Miraluka, it was amazing how someone who couldn't see like a normal person could put together such detailed illusions, it always amazed him.

Sighing he saw that the two red heads were going to be having a little bit of verbal argy bargy to see who was in charge. Shaking his head he glanced over at Ori and the pile of things that had been broken off her ship,"Need a hand getting that back, I'm not great with mechanical stuff but I can do the heavy lifting if you like."

He moved over to hep grab some of the boxes and the other end of the antenna. At least this way he'd feel like he was contributing.

"Yeah."

With negotiations well under way and not needing her assistance in the slightest, Oriana was of a similar mind as the padawan.  Besides, she had this feeling that X2 was worrying himself into a tizzy.  The little droid was like that.

She scooped up a few of the stray cables that she'd tossed out of the crate in her hasty inventory, and dropped them back in the box that Duran was holding.  "I'll take this, you grab that," she inclined her head at the antenna, while relieving the Jedi of his hold on the crate.  All things considered, the crate was significantly lighter than the antenna, and she was pretty confident he could move that easier alone than if one of them were hanging onto each end.  "Bring it on up and toss it in the airlock for now."

With that, Oriana sauntered off towards the Skyfisher, balancing the crate full of assorted cables on her hip, as she tapped her commlink.  ++"Open 'er up little guy, we're comin' in."++

X2's hesitant reply is a low-pitched beep, sounding over your comms just as the entrance platform begins to lower, accompanied by its usual hydraulic hiss.

The silence that had washed over the Selonians continues, though Helene's use of the vidcomm grabs their eyes far more than her indications toward the saber in her hand.  When Hector speaks again, he barely has their attention.  The one who piped up initially as one who could speak Basic listens, though.  Their voices are raspy, and this one's is no different as it works its tongue around the language.  "Yes, a tunnel is Home.  What 'Sith' you speak?  They rumbling up there?  Send big droids, four-leg beasts into Home?"

Duran chuckled at Ori's shifting of who carried what,"Yeah, right, make me do all the hard work." With a chuckle he lifted up the antenna and grunted as he did before following after her and into the ship. Once he was in the ship he lifted it up and dropped it into the airlock where he was directed to before coming back to watch her deal with the cables.

"So you going to be able to fix it?" He glanced at all the tools hanging from her belt and chuckled,"Or a better questions perhaps, how long will it take you?"

"Well, yeah," Oriana quipped over her shoulder and grinned, chuckling all the way back to the ship.  "Isn't that what you Jedi are for on this trip - the heavy lifting?"

She hopped up on the ramp the minute it was low enough to do so, her boots hitting the metal before the metal itself hit the docking platform.  "Yes, and no."  She dropped the crate in the main hold, being closest to the dorsal hatch's access ladder, and made her way into the cockpit to see the results of X2's diagnostic scan.

"Yes, I can fix it," she answered, flipping a screen on and beckoning the astromech over.  "Show me what you got, little guy."  As X2 did his thing, she glanced over her shoulder and shrugged.  "Depends.  We can fly again soon as the engine's back in working order.  Getting the antenna back on takes longer, but it's less necessary.  Probably not doin' either until we get back from at least one trip out in the field."  She glanced out the window at the conversation taking place on the deck, hastily adding, "Depending on whether or not those Selonians help us or not, that is."

Duran smiled, sliding into one of the seats and turning to watch Oriana work,"It will all work out, I suppose, but the question is what we'll have to do. I think we're going on foot, I'd prefer the tunnels to the open field of war, less chance of being hit by artillery."

With a chuckle he shrugged,"But what will be will be, the Force is with us...I mean we have a large number of Force Users so at least that won't be a problem." An eyebrow rose as he looked at Oriana,"That reminds me, I don't think we ever got to that part of our talk...."

He flushed,"I got a little side tracked." His hand dropped to his lightsaber his fingers curling around the weapon he frowned,"You mentioned meeting a Jedi, and I'd like to hear that story, if you don't mind, since we are waiting."

Oriana shrugged, waiting on X2's diagnostic to run.  Despite glancing out the transparisteel windows at the conversation on deck, she had no real desire to be back out there.  As captain of the ship they'd been savaging, Hector had the best shot of convincing the Selonians to assist them, even if the Tapani did seem to want to take charge.  "I'd prefer to sit on my ass and wait for Wromm and her squad to come back to us, but time doesn't seem to be on my side for that one," she commented wryly, kicking back in the captain's seat and propping her boots up on the console, one crossed over the other.

Lines of binary scrolled up from the bottom of the screen, periodically interrupted by a flash of the Skyfisher's schematics with one part or another highlighted.  She glanced over at the Jedi again, lifting an eyebrow as he rather unsubtly tripped into the topic of Force users.  "To be fair, that's more of a liability than anything else, as many as we have.  Anyone looking for us is going to see three Jedi and the Tapani like a neon sign in a dark alley."

Helene regards Hectors comment and hand gesture with a passive expression, save for the quirking of an eyebrow. Whatever she might actually think of the smugglers comment, she keeps to herself, instead focusing on the task at hand.

But she does choose to answer the lone Basic speaking Selonians questions, moving to stand nearer to Hectors side, "Yes, the Sith are the people causing the rumbling. They're destroying everything and everyone they see, including your people. They took some younglings captive, too, took them from their families. They plan take them away from here and make them slaves. We were going to go stop them in our ship."

She leaves that last part hanging for a moment, allowing the process of logic to take hold.

"We forgive you for your mistake, but now we need your help."

GiGi continues to translate over the videocom, doing her best to ensure that the Selonians who don't speak Basic can follow the conversation. This continues even as she meanders down the lowered ramp in the wake of Orianas return with the ship parts, trundling towards the ongoing conversation.

Hector turned back on Helene once again with an almost exasperated expression.  "Would you just...?" He gave her a pleading gesture, swinging a hand towards the Selonians.  He then tipped his head towards the ship. "Okay?"  The meaning would be quite clear for anyone sharp enough to pick it up: 'Let me handle this!'.  Reason being, at the moment, she was doing little, Hector thought, to help.  Granted, she seemed to have halted her previous line of negotiations... but Corellians didn't take well to nobility - he was proof of that.  He figured her particular... charm wasn't of much use at the moment.

"As my friend has alluded to; yes, the Sith are responsible for the beasts and the droids in your Home.  Help us - help the Republic - kick their asses off this planet.  With them gone, you won't need to scavenge - there will be plenty of Sith tech lying around to claim if nothing else."

There is a pause as the Selonian who was speaking to Hector and Helene looks at the ground, hands still wringing away at the tension.  "Need to talk, to...to friends," it says finally, keeping its head bowed but glancing sheepishly at the smuggler.  It casts a wary look over at the protocol droid before tuning to those near it and beginning a discussion in hushed whispers.  [Private to Dame Helene Decrilla: GiGi does not hear much to translate, but she is aware of and understands Selonian culture to some extent.  They don't *want* to be heard.]

After thirty seconds or so, the Basic-speaking one turns back to the group and says, "Yes."

Oriana leaned in a little conspiratorially while watching the conversation out on the deck, while X2's diagnostic report scrolled past on the monitor.  "We should offer them the protocol droid.  Bet they'd get lotta spare parts outta that..." she laughed, and grinned...and right then, the astromech erupted with a series of high-pitched beeps and whistles that signalled the end of his scan.

She leaned in, and peered at the report, particularly the schematic of the Skyfisher that included the five, blinking, highlighted areas.  "Well, kark," she grumbled, sweeping that display off to the side and pulling up the second half.  "Spectacular," she sighed, after watching it scroll past for a moment. "Can't even run diagnostics on that," she taps the blinking diagram, "Unsurprisingly due to some cables in a certain box." She gestures at the second half, her voice picking up a rather obvious degree of tired exasperation, "And Hector's gonna love that, in all the not-fun kinds of ways."

She kicked her boots off the console, and pushed herself up out of the captain's chair, and beckoning to Duran, strode back towards the exit.  "X2, once we get off, seal 'er up again, and just hang tight until we see what's goin' on." 

...moments later, Oriana made her way down the Skyfisher's ramp, dragging her hand through her hair, her glasses dangling from the other.  "Well, I've got good news, bad news, and worse news... which do you want first?"

"Best to go in reverse order, at least it will end on a positive note." Shanda spoke up watching the negotiations quietly.

"Well..." Oriana tucked her glasses atop her head, and glanced at the group.  "Worse news is, it's gonna take me hours to fix the damage...and I ain't talkin' two.  So hasty getaways are gonna be off the table for a bit.  But I can fix it."  She shrugged, and hooked her thumbs in her belt, running down the rest of the list.  "Good news is, hyperdrive's okay, an' she'll fly - once I get those cables back in so we can crank 'er up without turning into a fireball.  Bad news is, they karked the power couplings and routers all to hell, and we've not got enough juice to actually run the hyperdrive and other stuff...like, oh...life support at the same time."  She paused a moment to let that one sink in.  "Backup hyperdrive doesn't pull as much power, so that'll work...but it'll turn our two-hour hop to Coruscant into a three-week pleasure cruise."

Oriana looked at Hector, "And the only reason she'll even fly is because you're doin' it.  It's not gonna be easy, just gettin' her from Point A to Point B.  Ducking those guns out there is right out.  If it was anyone else flyin', I'd say she was grounded completely...but you can move her.  If we have to."  The way she said that left no doubt that the mechanic really, really didn't want to have to.

"Well then, looks like we're walking. Fortunately, our new friends should know the way," Helene comments, tapping out something on her bracer computer quickly, and then settling in with her eyes closed, like she was on the ship.

[Private to GM: Sent GiGi a copy of the map Helene was marking the Sith and children on before, covering an area wide enough it will include Captain Wromms location too. Then, double checking on said Sith and children.]

GiGi looks about in a curious manner, as if examining something only she can see, before turning to address the Selonians. [Private to GM: "The first person we need to find is a friend of ours named Wromm. She went to go shut down the Siths radio jammer."]

Turning to the Lieutenant, the droid inquires, "Pardon me, Sir, but in which direction would we have to go in order to locate the Captain? Your best guess is good enough if that is all you have."

Hector flashed a most genuine grin at the Selonian, and stepped forward to offer a hand to shake, if the being understood the gesture. "Wonderful.  We will need a little bit to prepare, but if you don't mind hanging around we'll be set to go shortly.  On the way, perhaps, we can talk about arranging a reward of some kind." He left the Selonians with that, as he noticed Oriana returning from the freighter.  He had been prepared to tell her that the order didn't matter - if the good news came first, he didn't have time enough to enjoy it, and the bad news first would just put him in a mood not good enough to enjoy the good news, but Shanda saved him of the dilemma.

"Conditional good news ain't exactly good news," Hector replied, with a bit of a frown.  It wasn't her fault of course, it was just how things were.  Fortunately, she had praised his skills, which raised Hector's outlook considerably.  Not enough to attempt anything as stupid as attempting to maneuver a crippled freighter as he had earlier though.  No, just enough o attempt a covert extraction through unknown tunnels led by beings of dubious integrity.  "You know, I could do with a 3 week pleasure cruise," he replied with a smirk.  "Any chance you could keep only part of the ship's life support on and still run the main drive?  Jedi can hold their breath for a while, right?" he asked, glancing to Shanda.  He made the request as deadpan as possible, though he wasn't entirely serious.

"Either way, we have guides now.  While we might have to deal with some droids and beasts... beats the hell out of a fiery doom."

Shanda chuckled glancing towards Hector, "With a meditative trance we can survive on minimal requirements. Sadly holding ones breath for an entire flight might just push that ability a touch too far."

Duran followed Oriana out and had listened quitely to the other talk, until Hector's suggestion of course then he snorted,"I'd like some air, thanks Hector, we might have to settle for sorting this mess out and then giving Ori some time alone with the ship. I'm sure she can get it sorted out, but work first."

Sighing he looked over at the Selonians and frowned,"Shanda, what are these tunnels like? Do we need any special equipment? Anything you think we might need to be better prepared...like perhaps sleeping rolls if we're heading in for a long time...Do we have any idea how far Wromm is or where about's she'd be? Otherwise our guides won't know where to take us."

His hand strayed to his lightsaber,"Other than towards the Sith."

Oriana raised a hand and rubbed at the back of her neck, under her hair, while nodding along with Hector.  "Yeah, I know it's a crappy assessment."  All things considered, though, she was very glad the hyperdrive itself hadn't been harmed.  Repairing that, here, under these circumstances...would have sucked.  She smirked at the rest, and chuckled, "Sure I can...but in the time it'd take to make that work, I can jus' fix the whole damn thing, so why bother?"

"Since we've gotta leave her behind, if anyone needs anything off the ship, now's the time." She didn't, unless the Jedi decided this was going to be a long enough trip to require snagging some water and rations:  Oriana tended to carry pretty much everything around all the time.  "Speaking of which..." she trailed off, swiveling her head around the bay until her attention locked onto the silent form of the Republic lieutenant, off to the side.

"Bedibec?" She whistled sharply, and beckoned the officer a little closer, commenting to Hector under her breath as he approached, "We don't have the power to leave the shields humming the whole time we're gone unless this is gonna be a lot shorter than it looks like."  When the Republic officer reached them, she flashed him a charming smile that was a bit at contrast with the slightly dangerous tone her voice picked up.  "I don't care if you have to sit here with a blaster rifle yourself, if I come back and find a single other piece has been pilfered off our ship while we're off finding your boss, or takin' care of the rest of our mission - which requires us having a way off this planet - I'm taking it out of your ass when we return.  Got it?"

Shanda shook her head at Durans question, "Offhand nothing really. Light sources will naturally help and being well armed. With a guide we will probably make better time than the first trek through."

At least the Jedi had enough sense to take it as a joke.  Probably for the best too, since he had been in part serious.  If they'd given him a positive reply, he would have chosen that for their plan.  But, it seemed they would be ground-pounding... or underground-pounding, technically.

"I've got everything I need," Hector replied, nodding.  He never left his ship unless he was prepared to be away from it for a while.  It was a bit of a safety precaution his mother had drilled into him.  He glanced between those gathered and the lieutenant, and decided that Oriana was quite capable of ensuring he would do his job.  Thus, Hector turned back to the Selonians.

"Alright, we'll be set to leave in short order.  Our mission right now is to link up with another group of Republic Operatives, led by a Captain Wromm I think.  If any of you have heard of another group like that, it'd be great.  Otherwise, give us a moment while we get the info we need."