The group has begun their trek into the caverns.  It's a fairly wide cavern, making the journey comfortable at least in that respect.  It is, however, pretty much pitch black.  That said, as you progress, it's easy to begin to wonder if Imperius was just trying to scare you with these stories about rodent people.

After about fifteen kilometers, at which approximately three hours have passed, the cavern narrows a bit, and you think you can hear the sound of running water above the repulsor's humming.  For the entirety of your trip, the cavern has generally run a pretty straight course, with the occasional turn, dip, or incline.  Every once in a while you'd see a mark or indentation in the rock that looked off, but closer inspection never revealed evidence of any presence but your own in the dark.  It's still chilly and the air definitely feels quite moist.

Sure enough, after another hundred meters or so, you come across an underground river which cuts perpendicularly through the cavern you'd been traversing.  Looking down either direction does not reveal much but 30 meters into where the water has been and 30 meters down where it's going.  It's running pretty fast, but may be geologically recent, as it does not appear very deep.

[Private to Serina Ryo: From what you know of caves, this is a very odd occurence.  Water spilling into this cavern from another would likely have just met a wall and followed the path instead of carving a new one.  Likewise, the cavern you've been following likely had some water of its own at one point, probably dammed up somewhere on the surface.]

Basically, you're at a crossroads of sorts, with a shallow river forming the cross street.  It's not running fast enough to sweep anyone away, but it could be slippery.  The repulsorlift shouldn't have any trouble.  On the other side of the stream, the cavern continues on into the dark.

"I prefer cities.  Less darkness, less silence..." Seely comments as she looks around, "I don't see anything, but I have a feeling that's how it always is, this far down..."

Falling silent, she listens to try to hear anything over the sound of running water.  The paranoid part of her doesn't want to be surprised by the Selonians.  The diplomatic part of her wants to have her weapons down when contact is made.

Either way, she has a feeling that something's going to go wrong...

Seely Komad rolled 26 using 1d20+8. Perception.

"If what Sith Imperius said was true, you should be seeing something soon, Commander Komad."  EAS-05 responds to Seely's comments as it examines the surroundings.  The cavern had turned out to be quite boring, in its opinion, nothing but rock and more rock.  It directs its attention towards the stream, looking for an easier way for its companions to cross.

EAS-05 turns back to Seely, "Shall I cross first, Commander Komad?"

How wide is the stream?

Serina kneels down at the edge of the stream shining her flashlight down into it trying to see anything.

"I don't think this stream was created naturally, I suspect it was carved to flow here. Which might be innocent, or it might be the perfect place for a trap"

"Then stop and look.  We don't have to rush across this stream; we've covered a fair distance really quickly." Seely continues her surveying of the scene.

Noting the markings they had passed Shanda looked around the crossroads seeing if there were any more and if there was any significance to them.

OOC:
13:51, Today: Shanda Rell rolled 27 using 1d20+11. Galactic Lore.
13:50, Today: Shanda Rell rolled 16 using 1d20+11. Perception.

It's 8 or 9 meters across.  Or if you're EAS-05 and can calculate that trigonometry in less than a second, 8.39445 meters, approximately.

[Private to Shanda Rell: They don't seem to be in any sort of language, but they could be used to keep track of distance.  By what or whom is anyone's guess; could have been the Selonians or a survey team from the manor.]
[Private to Seely Komad: You think you hear something rhythmic in the way the water is moving.  After a second or two of listening to it, you think it could be someone or something walking through the water, to the group's left, upstream.  Shining your light in that direction reveals nothing, but the light does not penetrate the darkness very far.]

"Keep your weapons low...I think we have contact," Seely states, eyes to the left.

Shanda lifted her head glancing down the left passage Seely indicated, moving to stand with the others she kept herself relaxed as she waited for whatever the Commander had seen to present itself.

Those of you who can see in the dark can see a bit farther, and note that there is a bend in the cavern in the direction Seely indicated.  Your senses alerted, you can hear it now too:  what sounds like footsteps in the water.  They're irregular, and you'd guess involves some stumbling.  You don't see anything that could be making the noise, but would guess it's out of sight around the bend.

"We could try to approach them openly, but then we risk them firing back...or we could just move on," Seely whispers to her gathered group, "I think it'd be easier to move along, but if that's a Selonian, then we might be able to work out half of our problems right now..."

Shanda glanced down the passage in thought, "We should check it out. If we go on we could be leaving danger at our backs."

"I agree with Jedi Shanda," EAS-05 focuses in the direction of the stumbling, "There is nothing seen in the immediate vicinity, but we should be able to close the distance with the unknown quickly."

"Sound reasoning.  Remember to keep your weapons low, set 'em on stun, too, we don't want any misunderstandings.  Whatever we're dealing with might be injured, too..."

The irregular steps continue a while longer, and then there is one final, louder splash, followed by nothing but the trickle of the flowing water.

[Private to Shanda Rell; EAS-05: After a few more seconds, you can see something darkening the water.]
[Private to Shanda Rell: It's blood, and you can sense the Force within a nearby lifeform fading.]

"Understood, Commander Komad.  Who shall ta-," EAS-05's query is stopped prematurely when it notices an abnormality in the water, "Commander Komad, anomalous material detected flowing within the stream."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:27, Mon 18 June 2012.

"It's blood, and the individual shedding it doesn't have long left." Shanda stated quietly leaning down to brush her fingers through the water. "We should hurry, Serina may be able to aid."

"Whoever it is, we might be able to save it if we hurry!" Seely agrees as she moves ahead.

Serina nods and likewise heads on forward.

"It could be a wounded animal too, or possibly even an enemy, but we can't leave that to chance. If there is a chance it's a wounded ally we have to investigate. It would also be the best start of a friendship if it is a selonian"

Entering the stream, you first note that the ground is indeed slippery, but not unmanageably so.  The second note is that it's very cold water.

As you make your way forward and around the bend, Easy and Shanda can see the figure right away, and those of you relying on flashlights can make out a fallen limp figure on the right side of the cave wall.  Up ahead, the cavern just goes on into black as far as you can see.

Getting closer, you see that it's clothed, and that its skin is covered in fur.  The shape of its head would match the "rodent person" description you were given, with a sort of snout ending in a nose, and visible incisors jutting from the upper jaw.  It's fallen onto it's back, with one arm dangling in the stream and the other clutching its abdomen.

[Private to Shanda Rell: It's still alive, but still fading, clearly from blood loss.]

Seely takes the moment to get near it to affirm that it's still alive, shining her flashlight on its abdomen, "Sergeant, it looks like we might be able to save this one."

Her medical training is not near the medic's, but she's ready to apply pressure or to assist with tool work on the creature.  If this is a Selonian, hopefully they don't have hostile responses upon regaining consciousness suddenly...

I don't think Sergeant Ryo needs a +2 to checks, but...here it is!

Seely Komad rolled 16 using 1d20+8. Medical Aid Another.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:08, Tue 19 June 2012.

Serina rushes forward and kneels down next to the furry creature to inspect it's wound. She puts her blaster pistol into a holster and grabs the first medpac she can reach to do the best she can for this unfortunate creature. Granted her training didn't really include this specific species, but she hopes these Selonians aren't too far from humans and that general aid will suffice.

"Come on buddy, don't leave us yet"

[Private to GM: 20:11, Today: Serina Ryo rolled 24 using 1d20+13. Treat Injury for Selonian]

The Selonian is still breathing, with effort, but would appear to be unconscious.  As Seely and Serina kneel and set up to use their medical skills to save it, they notice that its abdomen is not the only place it's been wounded.  It is covered with lacerations, and closer inspection reveals places where it seems to have been bitten by something with a very toothy maw.

Applying aid with practiced ease, coupled with Seely's aid in supporting the creature's body where needed, Serina administers a number of bandages and doses the Selonian with a hypodermic of painkiller.  The blood loss is the biggest problem here, but you are able to stabilize the fallen creature.  It does not regain consciousness as yet, however.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:20, Tue 19 June 2012.

"Do you think it's safe to dose with a little stimm to get it moving again?" Seely asks the proper medic as she carefully lays the Selonian back down...

Serina frowns and puts a hand against the creatures fur before Seely.

"Possibly, but I wouldn't recomend it. Considering all the blood loss it's had. I wouldn't want to put any additional pressure on it's heart"

"Well, we can't just leave it here.  Whatever did this to it might come back," Seely says, looking to the others, "We'll find more, and we have a duty to see it back to its people.  Sergeant, you have a stretcher?"

"Commander Komad, a stretcher would be inefficient while advancing further.  Yourself and Sergeant Ryo are incapable of seeing without assistance.  There is also the concern of the unknown that attacked this Selonian.  If we are ambushed those carrying the stretcher will have slower reaction times in responding to the threat."

Easy and Seely's conversation is interrupted by a low growl and further splashing in the stream.  In the dark ahead, you can see three pairs of sinister glowing eyes.  [Private to EAS-05: Accessing your memory, you determine they are, with 85% certainty, "Sith Hounds," former beasts twisted by the Dark Side, used by the Sith to either guard their tombs or generally sow terror.][Private to Shanda Rell: They radiate a visible but harmless amount of dark force energy.]  They seem well aware of your presence, pausing only to assess your strength as a group.  One of them snarls in your direction, followed by a devilish hiss.  Shining your flashlights at them shows them to be large hound-shaped creatures, but furless, dark-skinned, and riddled with spike-like protrusions.  They're each a little more than a meter long and their front shoulders would reach the waist of an average human.  Their yellow eyes spark with malevolence...you've little doubt these are responsible for the Selonian's wounds.

                 15 squares
                  |---------------|
                    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
      XXXXXXXXXXXXXX..............H.....
XXXXXX.............................H....
.............R....................H.....
...............SK.E.....................
...............O.......XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
...........XXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXX


Initiative Order:
K - Seely Komad
H - Hounds
R - Shanda Rell
E - EAS-05
S - Serina Ryo

O = Selonian, not acting

Shanda frowned at the evil creatures her hand sweeping down to her hip to pluck the saber from her belt. These beasts meant no good towards anyone and she intended to be ready when they advanced. "Seems we've been found by his attackers."

Seely slips the slung blaster rifle down off of her shoulder, "We need to put them down quickly.  Weapons free."

The Twi'lek is just glad that the hounds are over there and she's over here.  Hopefully, between the lightsaber and their blasters, they'll be able to put the hounds down before they get too close.

Seely Komad rolled 23 using 1d20+10. Initiative. (I don't know if this needs rolled, but...here it is.)

EAS-05 whips when the first growl is heard and aims its blaster pistol.  Studying the creatures quickly, several features of the the unknown creatures are matched up with a creature in its memory core, "Alert.  Unknown assailants biological features, sounds, and movements are an 85% match of the 'Sith Hound'."

I rolled initiative for you.  Go ahead and state what you're doing this round, unless you're all readying actions to attack.

Seely lets loose with her blaster rifle, trying to take the monsters down.

Minor: None
Move: None
Standard: Autofire

Seely Komad rolled 14 using 3d8+4. Autofire Damage.
Seely Komad rolled 12 using 1d20+3. Blaster Rifle Autofire.

Stands up and grabbing her blaster pistol again, she tries to take out one of the dogs the best she can.

Swift: Retrieve Blaster Pistol from holster
Move: Stand up
Standard: Shoot the nearest dog!


04:57, Today: Serina Ryo rolled 20 using 1d20+7. Blaster Shot - To hit.

04:58, Today: Serina Ryo rolled 17 using 3d8+3. Blaster Shot, Damage.


Oh and another +1 both to hit, and to damage if they are within point blank range.

EAS-05 takes aim at the hound that Seely fired at and tries its luck with the pistol.

Swift: None
Move: None
Standard: Blaster fire at Seely's target.

EAS-05 rolled 12 using 1d20+9. Blaster Attack.
EAS-05 rolled 22 using 3d8+3. Blaster Damage.

Shanda looked towards the hounds and prepared to reach out with the force, when the hounds approached she would sweep her hand down as she had with Wikk she brought the weight of her faith down upon the creatures...

OOC:
Readying action to use a force power when the hounds come into range.
Using Force Slam
08:20, Today: Shanda Rell rolled 16 using 1d20+14. Use the Force Check.
vs Fort Defense, if hits dmg + knocked prone, miss, 1/2 dmg and not prone.
08:20, Today: Shanda Rell rolled 17 using 4d8. Force Slam dmg.

Seely lets loose a hail of bolts, which the large hounds deftly, but narrowly, avoid.

The hounds seem to act as a single unit as they advance, quickly closing the gap between themselves and the group.  Additionally, you can hear more of them coming from behind you.  Turning to look, there are four of them, their lunging momentum propelling them forward rapidly.

Shanda utilizes her slam ability again, hitting both of the beasts that arrive next to her, and they are knocked down, immediately defeated.

Easy, unfortunately, is not able to connect with his shot as the beasts move, but Serina's hits one squarely in the neck, felling it immediately.


                    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
      XXXXXXXXXXXXXX....................
XXXXXX..................................
H............R..........................
H..............SK.E.....................
.H.............O.......XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
.H.........XXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXX


Initiative Order:
K - Seely Komad
H - Hounds
R - Shanda Rell
E - EAS-05
S - Serina Ryo

O = Selonian, not acting

"Focus fire, don't let them get any closer!" Seely whirls around to face the new crowd of hounds.  This time, she holds her weapon with a little more expertise, and the pistol markswoman ends up putting more and more rounds on target.  Hopefully, the hounds don't get the memo and let more than a few of the rounds catch 'em square.  She barely has time to think about her next move, as she steps up to guard the fallen creature.

Swift: Born Leader (Every ally in sight of Seely gets +1 to attack rolls until they leave sight)
Standard: Autofire on the middle two hounds (15 damage if attack roll 20 hits)
Move: Get in front of the Selonian

(Note: The Autofire triggers Cover Fire, which gives all allies within six squares a +1 to Reflex defense)

Seely Komad rolled 15 using 3d8+4. Autofire Damage.
Seely Komad rolled 20 using 1d20+3. Blaster Rifle Autofire.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:35, Sat 23 June 2012.

Shanda whirled her sight glancing over the pack of hounds advancing behind them, with a flick of her thumb the green glow of her lightsaber sprung into life, her stance readied in case a hound got too close...

OOC:
Readying to defend herself with her saber should a hound come at her
16:36, Today: Shanda Rell rolled 18 using 1d20+6. Lightsaber Attack.
16:36, Today: Shanda Rell rolled 6 using 2d8. Lightsaber dmg.

EAS-05 berates itself as its shot missed.  As the first wave of beasts was taken down, it whipped around and moved up against the second wave.  Taking a quick view of the charging beasts, EAS-05 fired another shot.

Swift: None
Move: Next to Seely
Standard: Blaster fire at the lowest hound

EAS-05 rolled 24 using 1d20+9. Blaster Attack.
EAS-05 rolled 16 using 3d8+3. Blaster Damage.

Serina is pleasantly surprised with the effectiveness of her shot, but then new and fresh hounds already round the corner and there is no time for such joy. Instead she takes careful aim at another one, hoping to fell that too before they get close.

Swift: Aim
Move: Aim
Standard: Take a shot at the nearest hound at the time of her shot.

01:17, Today: Serina Ryo rolled 20 using 1d20+7. Blaster Shot, to hit.
01:17, Today: Serina Ryo rolled 22 using 4d8+3. Blaster Shot, Damage.

Again i get another +1 to hit and damage if they are within point blank range.

The group fells two more of the hounds and seriously wounds one.  The two living ones retreat, beginning to head back into the darkness, the wounded one clumsily so.

Seely holds her ground, bringing her rifle up to eye level.  The hounds aren't worth wasting the rounds on if they're going to flee, as far as she's concerned.  The Sith will be more aggressive up ahead than any of these beasts.

Standard: Ready an action to Fire a single shot at any hostile approaching

Seely Komad rolled 23 using 1d20+8. Rifle Shot.
Seely Komad rolled 22 using 3d8+4. Damage.

They do not return for the time being, and the splashing noises indicating their movement become inaudible after ten seconds or so.

Your Selonian patient is still unconscious.

Shanda kept her blade drawn taking up a defensive position should the hounds return, still while the opportunity presented itself she would try to relax to recoup her force abilities as she watched over the others seeing to the wounded Selonian.

"We need to get mobile before they come back." Seely takes a moment to swap the power pack out of her blaster rifle for a fresh one, watching the side Shanda doesn't watch, "Sergeant, what can we do for it?"

"Can the lift handle the weight of the Selonian as well as the gifts perhaps?" Shanda spoke up peering out into the gloom with her sight trying to see if any more of the creatures would be advancing.

The lift can handle the weight and with some shuffling to make enough space, it would work.

The Captain takes a moment to make sure the Selonian will be as comfortable as possible.  Hopefully, its people will be near here.

Seely and Serina carefully set the Selonian up to rest on the cart and proceed down the tunnel.  Another uneventful twenty minutes pass in the dark, with no further sign of the hounds, when you can see some light ahead.  As you approach, it becomes evident that you're looking not at light from the sky (as it would be well into night-time at this point on the surface), but some sign of civilization.  The rocky, stalagmite-ridden cavern quickly becomes a metal-plated maintenance access to the city above.

Moisture-covered, natural walls give way to grated floors and handrails.  You find yourself in what would be a maze, but thankfully the Darth's directions seem to be spot-on.  Spot-on to what, you're not sure yet, but they're not difficult to follow.  Eventually, you find yourself in an area with giant parallel pipes running all around, up, beside, and over the wide walkway.  Looking over the side, you can see the metalwork extending quite far down, but your view is often obscured by other structures.

Moments after turning a corner, various hydraulic hissing noises seem to herald your approach.  Most likely coincidence.  You've found a large metal door, easily ten meters across and five high.  There's an access panel right next to it on the wall that you'll need to interact with to open the door, though, as simply walking up to it does not seem to do anything.

Please roll perception.

Seely keeps an eye open...slinging her rifle as she sees signs of civilization.

Seely Komad rolled 25 using 1d20+8. Perception.

Serina heads over towards the panel to study it but doesn't press any buttons yet.

"Should we stow our weapons? Considering the opposition we already found I think we should consider the possibility the Sith have already reached this place, and released those hounds to hunt down anyone hiding in the tunnels."

[Private to GM: 10:25, Today: Serina Ryo rolled 15 using 1d20+8. Perception check.]

"I think we're going to have to take the chance of keeping our weapons secured.  I don't want to add the Selonians to our list of enemies," Seely states, "The Sith might not have come this far, especially if they only set the hounds loose."

Shanda kept watch, her arms folded into the volumous sleeves of her robe as per her usual stance. Keeping alert she found herself wondering what lay ahead beyond the panel.

OOC:
12:25, Today: Shanda Rell rolled 16 using 1d20+11. Perception.

"Commander Komad's analysis of the situation is highly likely.  We have not seen any other living, wounded, or dead Selonians, Sith, or Sith Hounds," EAS-05 interjected its viewpoint.

EAS-05 rolled 18 using 1d20+10. Perception.

Your surroundings are dark, but your flashlights aren't as necessary; orange-yellow lights keep the metal underworld lit up enough to avoid stubbing your toes on every errant staircase.  The snaking, mazey walkways are everywhere, and you would be hard-pressed to keep an eye on everything.

Well, at least your attack rolls are usually pretty high, right?

[Private to Seely Komad: Your eyes catch movement on a grated walkway above you and off to the side, but the hydraulic noises render your ability to hear any resultant noise impossible.  The walkway in question does not appear to connect to the one you're on, but it's feasible they could jump over if they had some ability and confidence (it's a long way down if one were to miss or slip).  Watching more intently, you see there are humanoid figures up there, sneaking around and attempting to obsure your view of them with more pipework.]

Seely looks up, carefully, and whispers, "We have contact.  Might be Selonians...guys, stay where you are, I don't want to draw any attention to you."

She carefully steps further down the walkway, trying to put a few meters between her and her squad.  Once she's sure she's apart from them, she stares at the potential hostiles.  It's tempting to just wave her arms and see if they come down, but instead she looks down and to the left, away from them, "Is someone moving around out there?  We don't mean any harm...we're just passing through, but we found someone wounded down here..."

All the while, she uses her visor to watch them out of the corner of her eye...

Here's hoping playing dumb works...

The hissing noises stop, and aside from the distant mechanical whirring, it gets pretty quiet, with the pervasive smell of rust and industrial sealant.  Or maybe that's just Easy.  [Private to Seely Komad: You watch as they move behind a large duct of some kind, and after that you no longer see them.  It's unclear from your vantage point if they are just standing behind it or following a walkway you can't see.  At any rate, you cannot hear them.]

Seely steps back toward the others, "Did any of you see them, up there?  I think they went up on that catwalk and hid in something...but I can't tell."

"Negative, Commander Komad," EAS-05 focuses in the direction Seely was talking about, "Could you make out anything besides their general direction?"

"I saw where they went exactly.  I just don't know if they've left or not," Seely explains quietly.

The "doorway" is basically a small enclosure jutting out away from the door about 5 meters, with walls and a ceiling.  The floor simply meets with the catwalk you'd traversed to get to this point, but that meeting features handrails along the edge with no wall.  There is a small maintenance access panel on the side in addition to the large door.  The panel is either built for a smaller race, or requires average-sized humanoids to crawl on their bellies to maneuver.

---

     ====O|
     . . .|
     . . .X
=====. . .X
=====. . .X
     . . .X
     . . .|
     =====|

X = door
O = maintenance access

---

The quiet continues for a bit, and then everyone can hear the sound of something heavy landing on one of the catwalks above, followed by footfalls in a decrescendo, moving away.  Due to the ceiling above, you cannot see what's moving, and peaking out to look does not immediately help as there is simply too much visual noise up there to make out anything definite.

Shanda looked towards the catwalks unfolding her arms and plucked the saber from her belt. "I can go up and have a look."

"Go ahead, Shanda.  Just be careful."

Shanda nodded simply moving over to where she could line up easily with the catwalk above. Flicking on her saber she focused her thoughts inwards, slowing her breathing as she willed herself upwards, raising slowly and steadily upwards to reach the catwalk above.

OOC:
Using Force Power Levitate, taking ten on the use the force check

The Jedi floats upwards, slowly eclipsing the handrail and placing herself on the metal walkway.

[Private to Shanda Rell: Once up there, you can see a pair of humanoid figures darting around a corner behind some more pipework, a split second too late in avoiding your sight.]

Shanda strode forward along the railing towards what she has seen, keeping her movements as unhostile as she can. The lightsaber in her hand remained lowered but active to give slight illumination.

Serina bites her lower lip as she watches Shanda float up, her hand hovering near her blaster pistol but not actually pulling it out of it's holster.

"I've got a bad feeling about this.."

"Fingers crossed," Seely answers as she watches the Jedi make her move...

Shanda floats up to the upper catwalk, approximately six meters above the group's current level, saber drawn and ignited.  The saber's light casts a bright green against the area's orange in sharp contrast.  The Jedi calmly and slowly walks forward, to where Seely indicated the living presences.

A few moments pass as she carefully moves closer to a junction in the walkway. [Private to Shanda Rell: Because you can see just fine in the low light, you can easily see the rodent-faced Selonian peeking around the side of some pipes.  Noticing your observance, the Selonian is startled.] Suddenly, a voice calls out.  "Siiiiiiith!"

From virtually every dark corner, you can hear the sounds of equipment being readied, the tell-tale noise of weapons being primed.  Looking around, you can see beady eyes glimmering in the dark, and the barrels of rifles pointed directly at the Miralukan.  There are at least a couple dozen of them. [Private to EAS-05: Literally.  You count twenty-four entities, each armed with a rifle.] They have not fired as yet, but you can hear many of their voices, each attempting to assert control.  It seems their efforts to remain quiet worked in concert, but now that they've made themselves known they've dissolved into a chaotic power struggle.  "Why shouldn't we attack!" calls out one voice.  "One of ours, on that lift!" shouts another.  "It's a Sith!"  "It might not be a Sith!"  Some of the ends of the gun barrels waver as the shouting continues.

Seely doesn't need to think twice; Shanda might stand a chance against them all in a fair fight, but there's no reason for this to come to a fight.

"Selonians!  I am Captain Seely Komad, soldier of the Republic on a mission against the Sith.  We have one of your wounded, injured by beasts in the tunnels.  We wish to return him and to deliver this lift full of weapons to you as a show of good faith, so that you may defend yourself against the hated Sith and that we may earn passage through your tunnels."

Seely Komad rolled 16 using 1d20+11. Persuasion gogogoggogo!

If Shanda could blink she would have. I suppose in this light she could look like a sith. Flexing a finger against the activator she switched the saber off and returned it to her belt. Holding her hands away from the weapon she called out, "No Sith comes before the Selonians today. I am Shanda Rell, Jedi Consular here on a mission of peace to oppose the Sith. Please do not fear our presence we mean no harm to any of you."

OOC:
15:04, Today: Shanda Rell rolled 13 using 1d20+4. Persuasion.

"That's a she!" pipes up one voice, in reference to the Selonian on the cart.  "Shhh!" is the immediate reply from a number of voices nearby.

"Stay where you are!"  The Selonians continue shouting.  Some of the weapons lower a bit, but from what you can see of their expressions, they remain fierce and determined as their shouting quiets.  You can hear the sounds of a few running, over and past the large door, the sounds of clambering about on metal walkways.

Four Selonians, two from each direction, approach Shanda cautiously, their weapons at the ready.  They're all at least as tall as Easy.  "Drop your weapons," says one, in the typically raspy Selonian voice.  At least, one would assume typical...your experience is limited to what shouting you've heard thus far.  "We will take you inside, Murthil will decide."
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:44, Mon 02 July 2012.

Shanda would relinquish her weapon without fuss, offering a smile to the Selonians that surrounded her, "We shall of course, agree."

"She.  I apologize for the confusion," Seely states as she lowers her blaster rifle, removing the power pack and laying it on the lift.  She does the same with her heavy blaster.  If they are to have a chance of escaping this without a firefight, then they must stay on speaking terms with the Selonians.

EAS-05 follows Seely's example, placing the borrowed blaster pistol on the lift.  It doubted the group could survive an encounter that pitted them against 24 rifle-wielding combatants.

The large door begins opening from the bottom up, the large sheet of metal being pulled back.  The first thing you notice is that it's much brighter on the other side, as light spills through at the first opportunity and begins casting shadows back from your feet and legs.  Second, and Seely would naturally notice this first unless anyone else is bending down to see, there are a lot of Selonians packed into a small space.  You seem to have found a refugee camp, and there are a few rifles poking out of it towards you.

As well, one Selonian, dressed in garb a bit off from the rest, with a few beaded necklaces and a staff, emerges.  You get the impression this must be some sort of shaman as it hurries towards the lift and begins looking after the unconscious one you picked up earlier.  You hear it muttering something as it focuses and closes its eyes.

The others keep their rifles trained on you and cautiously step forward, indicating you should head inside.  Shanda is uncomfortably taken through a short series of ducts that sees her emerging inside the camp from a ventilation area.  The four of you are rounded up and silently ordered, by the shake of a rifle barrel in that direction, to step around the scared-looking rodent people and their children who are whimpering and quietly comforting one another in a language that is plainly not Basic.

Stripping her helmet from her head and carrying it by her side, Seely smiles reassuringly at the scared citizens as she walks by peacefully.  Hopefully, a little bit less of that 'dehumanizing' effect of her shaded visor will make her less scary to the residents of these places.  Of course, those expectations are meant to be disappointed.  Instead, she keeps walking.  If she is honest, these Selonians will eventually realize that they are not enemies...and all will be well.

Serina steps through the door as one of the first, these Selonians seem far more frightened then aggressive to her. Once they realize they are here to help she expects everything to be fine. She does stop briefly to smile at the little Selonians, they're so small and furry, she can barely contain the urge to take one home.

"There were some vicious hounds loose in your tunnel, but we managed to chase them off, and did what we could for your wounded friend."

When she rejoined the others Shanda did her best to appear as non threatening as possible, complying with any reasonible request made by the Selonians.

Shanda's entrance, despite her best efforts, is met with parents holding their children close, mouths slightly agape in horror.  When she is followed by some of the camp's militia, their expressions even out a bit, but the pervasive fear emanating from the huddled masses is still evident.

Carefully stepping around the Selonians' legs, you are brought to a junction in the hall, and ushered to another door.  One of the escorts keys in a code and gets it to open with a hydraulic hiss and loud thud.  Beyond, a set of crates forms a makeshift table, upon which rests a number of maps, splayed out on the limited space.  Behind the table stands a pair of the mouse-like humanoids, who watch you intently, their black eyes frowning with concern.  They take you in and size you up.

The one on the left steps around the table and moves toward you slowly, its hands folded behind its back.  "Who are you and what were you doing out there?" it asks bluntly in accented Basic, paying close attention to your Jedi companion.

Seely looks to the mouse like things, standing at proper attention and giving them a light salute before beginning to introduce her comrades, "I am Captain Seely Komad, with me are Shanda Rell, Sergeant Serina Ryo, and Easy.  We are on a mission for the Republic and the Jedi, to rescue Force Sensitives that are going to be taken by the Sith."

"We've brought a load of blasters and power packs to arm your people with, so you may oppose the Sith as long as you need to." She focuses on the one that has stepped forw

Above all else, the best she can do is to be honest and hope that things end up well.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:29, Thu 05 July 2012.

"Murthil," says the Selonian in introduction.  "Den Mother, and now caretaker to thousands in our tunnels."

She stalks toward you, eyeing Shanda, pressing her face very close to the Miralukan.  Murthil, a solid half meter taller than the Jedi, leans forward, her nose an inch from Shanda's.  Sniffing the air directly next to Shanda's head, she asks, "Why does this one dress like a Sith, in the colors of power and lust, with eyes covered?"

"My apologies, Den Mother Murthil, for the confusion based on how she dresses, which I'm sure Shanda can rectify, but I'm sure she can explain why she chooses to dress as she does," Seely says, deciding to allow the Jedi to handle herself.  It will only condescend and alienate yet another member of her crew to explain for her.

Shanda smiled softly looking evenly upon the Den Mother and spoke earnestly, her hands lifting to undo the veil that covered her 'eyes' revealing thier absence. "I wear red perhaps because I am not a very good jedi, I wear red simply because I favor the color and saw nothing about the hue that should detract from my code other than perhaps having one selfish thought of having a personal preference. As for why my eyes are hooded, it is out of respect for other races that my race covers half our face, we are born with out eyes but the ability to see truely the Force, every day it is part of our senses. Most humanoids find the lack of eyes disturbing so we cover thier absence with visors and veils." Reaching back up she replaced the veil her face unwaivering before Murthil, not challenging but neither is she shirking from who and what she is.

Murthil inspects the Jedi's lack of eyes with curiosity before Shanda replaces the veil.  "Hrmph," she grunts.  "Corellian Jedi wear green.  They say their choice has significance, and is opposite red."  She steps back a bit, bringing herself to her full height, and nods.  "But you are not Corellian.  We will trust you for now, and thank you for returning our fallen friend, and your offer of weapons.  You say she, and you, were attacked by...hounds?" she asks, looking to Serina, who had mentioned it previously to the Selonians out in the corridor.  "And we must also ask, from where did you get these weapons?  How did you know about us?"

"A benefactor who is an ally of the Jedi and supports the Republic and our mission to rescue the children gave us the weapons and told us that you would be understanding if we approached you with honest words, and the weapons were offered as a matter of convenience; the Sith would merely seize them before they could be smuggled away," Seely explained, "As to the hounds: yes, we were attacked.  They were easy enough to fend off as a group, but they were likely the ones who injured your comrade."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:46, Sat 07 July 2012.

Serina frowns at Seely for just a moment, calling that Sith an ally of the Jedi and Supporter of the Republic seems like stretching the truth to the breaking point to her. But she certainly isn't going to call Seely on it.

"I call them hounds because that's what they looked like to me, they certainly seemed to be some variety of canine. But I can't say for certain whether or not it's a native correlian species, or something the sith brought along as a surprise for your people"

"The hounds are not native to Corellia, Sergeant Ryo," EAS-05 spoke up, "They are called Tuk'ata or Sith Hounds.  Planet of origin: Korriban."

Murthil listens as you speak, and looks surprised.  "You come from the Manor.  We know of them.  Ours is a deal of secrecy with Ussol."  She sighs, then continues, "Your circumstances are strange, but we don't really have time to speak at length, and you sound like you do not, either.  We will take your 'gift,' and usher you on your way.  We have guerilla operations to see to.  Do you know where you are going?"

Shanda kept her peace listening to the conversation watching both her companions and the Selonians with interest. She had nothing to really add to the conversation but stood ready to answer should the Den Mother require her input.

"We need to go to the rocket tram, to get to the vessel that will take the Force Sensitives off of this planet after that," Seely explained.

"On your way then," Murthil orders, waving a hand at you and your companions dismissively.  She turns her back to look at the table and the maps again.

Your weapons are returned to you by one of the Selonians standing guard at the door behind you.

"By your leave, Den Mother," Seely does wait just a moment, to ensure that any of her allies who might have questions get to ask them, but she's not all that keen on risking anyone changing their mind...

Shanda bowed her head with respect to the Den Mother and moved after her companions.

You retrieve your weapons and move on, exiting the meeting room.  The directions you're following*, of course, simply label this area as maintenance access.  You're able to continue following them without issue.

The tunnels are lined with huddled masses of Selonians.  Occasionally, the area in which the Selonians are holed up has no intrinsic lighting, and so a fire has been built to allow vision, as well as warmth.  The abundance of machinery has not done much to ease the cold down this far.

After a few minutes, you find yourself at a makeshift barricade.  The metal surroundings give way to an area which seems to open all the way to the surface; a gargantuan loading area for mining operations.  Above, you can see platforms and the like protruding from various levels all the way to the surface, and you can just barely see the starlit sky.

You seem to be at the bottom level, as there is nothing but a solid floor here, albeit an oddly-shaped one: the elevation dips down to a circular flat space from all sides in the shape of a cross-section of a cone.  Scattered about down there are various bits of heavy machinery, a number of which are burning and setting off plumes of visibility-blocking black smoke.  Evidence of detonations litter the area, charred circles and the smell of melting metal.  You'd estimate it's a good two kilometers in diameter from here to the other side.

At least it's a bit warmer now.

The barricade is made up of crates and various other detritus, scattered about as a series of chest-high walls for cover against ranged attacks.  The mazing equivalent reminds those of you with a military background of dug-out trenches along some front lines.  Shortly after arriving on scene and making your way past a few Selonian guards, each with their eyes glued on the opposite end of the opening, you see why.

A male human nearby, who had been looking over the area with a pair of binoculars, calls out, "Take cover, incoming!" to the soldiers below.

The whooshing sound of falling ordnance echoes through to as far back as your position at the gated entrance.  A pair of explosions reverberate through the air, and the shouting noises of dozens of different voices punctuate the ensuing quiet.  A number of Selonians and more armed humans rush down into the embattled barricade.

The same human takes notice of your presence and, obviously, your affiliation.  "Repub-" he starts, confused, and shakes his head.  "What are you doing down here?" he asks, gruffly.  His own uniform marks him as a member of the planet's security force, CorSec.

*We'll assume Easy's got them in his memory banks, and anyone with a datapad can hold on to them as well.

"Captain Seely Komad, we've gotta get to the rocket tram, what's the situation?" she speaks quickly, eyes on the action ahead, "More importantly, is there anything we can do to assist you?"

Serina watches the Selonians as they pass them, and a brief thought occurs to her as they walk through the tunnels.

"If time permits, and there is room on the ship, perhaps we could take along some of the selonians as well, those that cannot fight, mothers and children perhaps. They seem to be in a bad situation."

As they approach the larger area and the barricade she follows near Seely, and keeps her eyes open for trouble and people with injuries, ordnance can do some really terrible damage.

"The rocket tram?" he replies, scoffing.  "Oh sure no problem, you're only going to have to make it through the entire Sith army!"

The sounds of further shouting rise up again just moments before the tell-tale whooshing sound cues another scattering of soldiers in the trenches.  The explosion this time is quite direct, and causes a piece of sheet metal to come flying up towards you, only to succumb to wind resistance and land harmlessly off to the side.

"We're being shelled!" he continues, deigning to explain.  "We've been pushed back to this point for so long that they managed to set up some heavy guns.  Every push we attempt is cut short by those damned cannons!"

"Is there any way to get to those guns without running up in the open?  We're in a bit of a pinch here too, and our lives are forfeit if we can't get to where we're going," the Captain looks over the battlefield, the soldiers already here, and the enemy fortifications.  She hasn't gotten this far by not knowing how to handle herself, even if a better officer wouldn't have made some of the decisions she has made.  As of yet, she stands ready to do what she must.

Seely Komad rolled 34 using 1d20+15. Know: Tactics.

The man looks confused again as Seely mentions the forfeiture of your lives.  He shakes his head and decides to ignore that bit in favor of enlisting your aid.

Imperial troopers begin moving in under the cover of their big guns.  Closer-quarters combat erupts down below as blaster fire begins shooting back and forth.  "You're welcome to try to get through there, but I doubt you'd make it.  They've probably got spotters coordinating the artillery," he shouts, trying to be heard over the sounds of combat.  "Somewhere on the levels above us.  If you take them out their attacks will be far less agile and coordinated, as they'll be firing blindly in our general direction instead of accurately targetting our munitions  and soldiers."

The firefight below is progressing in an ill fashion for the Corellians and Selonians.  They're doing their best to hold the Imperials back, but under both the soldier's covering fire and the oppressive bombardment, they're slowly but surely losing ground.

"Take these," he says then, offering his binoculars to you.  "You'll need them to find the spotters, if that's what you're choosing to do.  I need to take command here.  Good luck with whatever it is you're doing."  He then charges down the slope and begins barking commands into a radio receiver.  More soldiers pour out from behind you and begin taking their own positions.

"Thank you." Seely takes the binoculars, a bit shell-shocked.  She watches another bombardment come down and send score of men scattering, a few men vaporized instantly.  Her eyes are wide as she focuses on the action...

Gasping sharply, the Twi'lek begins looking for the spotters, "It can't happen again."

Perception: 28

Seely Komad rolled 6 using 1d6. Force Point.
Seely Komad rolled 22 using 1d20+8. Perception.

The warfare continues as Seely checks the levels above for any sign of a spotter.

[Private to Seely Komad:  Using your Know: Tactics role as you can discern what would be a good vantage point with that knowledge.  You may keep your force point.

You can see the spotters, two of them, humanoid figures quite a ways up, about 200 meters from the ground on which you currently stand.  They have pretty good cover, which would make them very difficult to hit without any sort of long-barreled rifle.  You could probably try to suppress them, causing them to abandon their spotting duties, but they could simply move elsewhere and waste your time.]

"I see the spotters.  We've got to do something to incapacitate them...if we could just get over there..."

Shanda listened as Seely identified the spotters. Looking into the distance there wasn't anything she could really do from this distance. "It would seem we'll just have to get over there somehow."

The spotters Seely...spotted are on a higher level.  You need to find a way up.

"Anyone got grappling hooks?  Looks like we're going to have to rope up." Seely checks her own kit, grabbing at the grappling hook on her belt.  She's ready to go ahead and look for a place to get up to those spotters and to take them out.

Serina looks up towards the same direction seely did and frowns.

"I'm afraid I don't. Also, not that i want to be pessimistic at all. But if it was so simple, wouldn't they have done it themselves? Maybe the selonians know of any tunnels that exit there, so that we could go around?"

"We can't let them die like this, Sergeant.  It's either up the rocks, through a tunnel, or through the Sith line down there.  I'd rather silence the guns and save some of these men here before we make our way through the core of their forces to the Rocket Tram."

"I am also not equipped with a grappling hook, Commander Komad," EAS-05 responded to Seely's question, while scanning the battlefield for another way up.

You don't see anything very promising from your position.  It is likely that you would need a ship (or some other sort of vehicle) to ascend or descend the levels from directly within this veritable chasm.  Access between the levels is probably elsewhere, and it would appear that the resistance and the Sith Army have taken up both outlets on the bottom.

"Unless someone has another plan, we either go back in the tunnels and live out the rest of our lives in solitude with the Selonians, or we go down there and try to find a way up to the spotters," From the way she says it, Seely clearly doesn't like either of those plans.

"Considering the Selonians are faring no better below than these soldiers above we must find another way through. If we can eliminate the spotters all well and good, but at the moment that isn't our task. Commander Komad, perhaps you can use those to spot a passage or structure that we can use to circumvent the battlefield?" Shanda did not like leaving these soldiers in the state they were in but there simply wasn't anything they could do. Not even her levitation could get her up to the spotters. So for the time being best to focus on a way to move forwards and when they found a ship come back to deal with the spotters and hope it would be in time.

Seely did take a moment to consider things, and Shanda sounded more sensible than she did in that moment, "All right, all right, I'll take a look."

Result of 26

Seely Komad rolled 1 using 1d6. Force Point.
Seely Komad rolled 25 using 1d20+8. Perception.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:55, Fri 13 July 2012.

Go ahead and roll another Perception, Seely, and edit the result into your previous post there.

/edit: Likewise, anyone else can make a roll as well.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:15, Fri 13 July 2012.

As Seely was looking around Shanda herself reached out with her Sight trying to find someway forward through this mess that didn't involve a suicidal frontal charge into the jaws of death...


OOC:
14:52, Today: Shanda Rell rolled 23 using 1d20+11. Perception.

Serina studies their surroundings and the situation they find themselves in. Letting out a sigh.

"I don't want to leave these people behind like this if we can. There has to be a way to get to those spotters that isn't suicide. Too bad we can't set their own hounds on them.."

OOC:
20:45, Today: Serina Ryo rolled 16 using 1d20+8. Perception.

Though EAS-05 agreed with Shanda's analysis of the current situation, it kept silent, as Seely seemed to be thoroughly convinced.  It spent its time surveying the battlefield and searching for the quickest way to complete the objective.

OOC:   08:32, Today: EAS-05 rolled 27 using 1d20+10. Perception.

There's really nothing you could use to climb up, and even if there were, you'd be very exposed in doing so.  It's two hundred meters up.

The traditional route up to that point, one you'd expect normal personnel to use, is either behind you through an alternate route, or up ahead beyond the Imperials' fortified position.

"Maybe the Selonians in the tunnels can help us out, or maybe we'll be able to navigate a way around..."

Shanda inclined her head and nodded softly, "Yes it would seem back the way we came would be the best course."

"I agree.  Let's go."

The group follows Seely's lead, backtracking a ways through the hall on this lowest level of the planet's subsurface.  There are a few passageways you could take, but none readily reveal themselves as a way up.  Flagging down one of the Selonians headed to reinforce the front lines, you are able to find out which route to take.

Within a few minutes of following directions, you find yourself on what you assume to be the level mentioned.  Ascending the last stairway leads you to an enormously open area, with little but pillars to support the level above.  Few walls block visibility, but the level is littered with loading vehicles and storage crates.  The only light is that emitted from outside; the intrinsic lighting would seem to be off for some reason.

You can see the huge open pit from here, and the sounds of the ongoing battle are almost just as loud even from this far away.  Walking over to the encircling handrail, you can look down and see the fighting's progress.  Little seems to have happened overall, as the resistance's desperation holds the Imperials back.

Based on your current vantage point, the spotters should not be far.  From the handrail and through the use of the binoculars, it should not be a difficult task to pinpoint them, and the scattered machinery should provide plenty of cover for advancing on their position.

"Careful now.  Keep your eyes open, and stay low.  We want to get the jump on them, or at least be able to chase them down.  Take the spotters out...and we'll save a lot of lives."

"I advise caution, this area is exposed, while we should deal with the spotters they likely have protection." Shanda said softly, slipping the saber from her belt back into her hand, while she did not yet activate the weapon she kept it ready just in case.

"Commander Komad, would this not be an opportune moment to use the gernades you acquired?"

"If we can catch the spotters close enough together...maybe."

Snaking past and around the various bits and pieces of a now-abandoned industrial powerhouse, Seely leads you toward where she noticed the spotters before.

Anyone attempting to be quiet should make a stealth check.

Seely's small and stout build actually helps her out for once, as she tries to sneak toward the spotters.

Seely Komad rolled 23 using 1d20+5. Stealth.

Watching Seely sneaking up towards the spotter position Shanda as well tried to be stealthy. Apparently there were things even jedi sucked at.

OOC:
14:14, Today: Shanda Rell rolled 6 using 1d20+3. Stealth check.

I have not heard anything from our medic.  I will NPC the character for a bit and consider finding a replacement player next week.

You approach an arrangement of crates which makes for good cover.  Beyond, approximately 60 meters away, you can see your opponents leaning over the handrail.  Four figures appear to wear the heavy armor typically associated with Imperial troopers, dark gray with red Imperial cogwheel insignias on the shoulders.  These four are apparently keeping watch, but in a bored manner accentuated by the fact that they're all sitting down, not particularly keeping up any pretense of vigilance.

The fifth humanoid, the one with the rangefinding apparatus held up to its face, is hooded in black robes.  Of average human height and build, he or she would appear to be entirely focused on the task of pinpointing coordinates for precision artillery strikes.

The noise of battle provides you with some good cover, and the troopers' inattention allows you to get into position without drawing notice.

"We're going to take them out all out.  Go for the one that is spotting first.  Bonus points if you can ruin their spotting equipment and coms...any questions?" Seely readies her rifle.

"I can attempt to ionize the rangefinder we attack, though we should be careful. The fact the spotter is in robes not armor makes me believe there might be more to that individual." Shanda spoke up quietly, while her vision had not imparted any particular difference between the spotter and the escorts it never hurt to be wary.

"We still need to make sure they don't escape.  If they report back, we'll have half of a platoon coming down here to flush us out."

The sentries have still not made any note of your presence.

[Private to Shanda Rell: Sorry, totally forgot.  The robed figure is not sensitive, by your sight.]

"All right.  Let's do it.  Get as close as you need to, and then let 'em have it."

Shanda nodded at Seelys words then focused inwards reaching out to a place opposite thier positions the jedi began shaping an illousion, a squad of charging republic soldiers would be used to distract the sentries so thier own group could get the jump on the spotter and its sentries...

OOC:
15:18, Today: Shanda Rell rolled 25 using 1d20+8. Initative.
15:18, Today: Shanda Rell rolled 19 using 1d20+14. Use The Force.

Spending a force point to create an illousion of an attacking enemy force charging the spotters position so we can hopefully suprise them.

Seely Komad rolled 11 using 1d20+10. Initiative.

Someone get Shanda some gifts she can give the dice roller for her illusion rolls.

Shanda creates the illusion.  An Imperial trooper makes note and alerts his comrades.  In a moment of panic, they take up ad hoc firing positions, with their backs to the party.  The illusion would seem pretty convincing at first, but inadvertently one of the Republic troopers walk through a support pillar like a ghost would.

As the Imperial troops open fire, they likewise note that their enemies here would seem to be incorporeal.  They look to one another in confusion, lowering their weapons.  One turns to the robed figure, who had ducked into cover with them, but is still not armed.  "Sir?"

Peeking over the side as the illusions continue to approach from a distance and noting the irregularities, the spotter issues a silent order, indicating with a gesture of one hand to look elsewhere.  They still don't seem to have noticed you.

They didn't have time to hesitate.  They were already alert. It was time to take out the spotter.  The Twi'lek soldier opened fire with her blaster rifle, trying to fire a good burst at them while their cover wouldn't protect them.  Her aim at this distance was, to be sure, relatively lacking...

Seely Komad rolled 1 using 1d20. Full Auto on the Robed Spotter and anyone near him she can catch.
Seely Komad rolled 10 using 3d8+3. AutoFire damage. 

Seely's hail of superheated projectiles is quite the spray.  Unfortunately, it mostly serves to instill some panic in an otherwise nervous group of Imperial troopers.

Serina fires as well, clipping one of the troopers in the shoulder.

"Request to engage Imperial adversaries in hand-to-hand combat, Commander Komad," says Easy, watching the ensuing combat from over the side of a storage crate.

"Attack!" Seely called out, preparing to move up and fire another shot.  This time, though, she doesn't really do anything but remind the Sith that her aim isn't perfect.

Move: Move forward, trying to stay in cover
Standard: Miss with a Blaster Rifle Shot (Single shot)
OOC: I know Shanda's technically ahead of Seely, but I'm just getting my post out of the way

No need to post in order, here.

Frowning that her illousion failed Shanda once more reached within herself then out to the Force. Extending her hand towards the troopers she swung her hand low bringing the weight of the Force down upon as many of them as she could.

OOC: Using Force Slam on as many of the troops as Shanda can hit (dmg+ knocked prone if hit, 1/2 dmg and not prone if miss)
19:09, Today: Shanda Rell rolled 27 using 1d20+14. Use the Force check w/ bucket of KFC.
19:12, Today: Shanda Rell rolled 17 using 4d8. Force Slam dmg w/bucket of KFC.

Still relatively unaware of your presence, the attacks initially bewilder the opposing troops, who frantically begin trying to take cover elsewhere in order to mitigate their losses.  Caught by surprise though, it will likely not be enough.

Shanda's slam knocks two of them out in one swoop, lying prone on the ground, and while Seely's blaster fire does not land any kills it keeps the Imps disorganized.  Likewise, Serina's next shot goes wide while Easy begins making his way forward while they are still regrouping.  He will be in melee range next round.

The two soldiers who managed to get in position open fire, but their attacks swing just as wide.  The robed figure, the spotter, has hopped over to the other side of the crates they had initially crouched behind when they thought they were being assailed by Republic troops, gaining total concealment.

Seely pressed the attack, moving forward and squeezing off another shot.  They couldn't let the enemy escape, or they'd be right back at square one!

Move: Move up
Standard: Fire at the enemy
16 versus Ref (18 if the Range penalty is gone)
If it hits, it deals 13 damage t one of the stand up troops.

Seely Komad rolled 2 using 1d6. Force Point.
Seely Komad rolled 14 using 1d20+5. Blaster Rifle Attack.
Seely Komad rolled 13 using 3d8+3. Blaster Rifle Damage. 

Shandas attention turned to the two troopers who were firing at her comrades. Reaching out with the force she pictured an invisible fist around one of the troopers rifles and gave a pull with the Force, seeking to pull the weapon from its owners grasp and into her own...

OOC: Using Force Disarm on one of the two readied troopers.
17:23, Today: Shanda Rell rolled 17 using 1d20+14. Use the Force Check w/bucket of KFC.

Seely's shot strikes home this time while moving from cover to cover, nailing one trooper's chest armor.  The force from the hit knocks him back and he's forced to take cover again to regain composure.

The other trooper's weapon is tugged at, but Shanda's attempt to pull the weapon away is unsuccessful.  The trooper seems unfazed as well.

Serina's attack misses again, and she curses in response as the shot goes above her target.

The two who were knocked down by Shanda's slam stand back up, and join the others with a volley of shots at Seely and Shanda.  One of them manages to catch Seely in the thigh just before she gets back in cover.  [Private to Seely Komad: 12 damage.]  The robed spotter takes off running full tilt away from the firefight in a clear display of well-thought out cowardice.

Easy closes to melee range, taking a swing at the one who remains standing, the droid's powerful servo motors amplifying the force of the attack.  "Commander Komad, permission to pursue?" he asks loudly, concerning the spotter.

Seely grits her teeth as she is burnt on the thigh, trying to continue forward, "Don't let him get away!"

Her next shot is wild, falling far too low.

Move: Move up
Standard: Fire at the spotter, miss horrendously

Seeing the spotter making a run for it Shanda once more called upon the Force, reaching out towards the fleeing figure and this time attacking the individuals mind.

OOC: Force Stun vs Will
19:05, Today: Shanda Rell rolled 22 using 1d20+14. Use the Force USE IT!

Seely's next attack is a miss as well, with the pain from her wound a definite distraction.  Meanwhile, Shanda's attempt to weaken the figure is successful.  He stumbles noticeably, and trips, falling prone.

This unfortunately puts him out of line of sight of Serina, who instead opts to take another shot at one of the troopers.  Her blaster strikes true once more, hitting the trooper she'd hit previously again, this time killing him.

Easy gives chase, though, and has nearly caught up.

The troopers return fire once more, a more coordinated attempt that nonetheless produces no fruitful results as Seely's armor does a better job of keeping her safe this time.

/edit: In summary, the spotter is 18 squares away from the troopers, and Easy ran up to get within 2 squares.  There are three troopers left.  Seely, you're running around the spotter's original position to avoid running through the middle of them and giving yourself some more cover, and you're 20 squares away from them at this point.  Serina and Shanda are farther back.

/editedit: Edited above for further clarity.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:19, Tue 14 Aug 2012.

"Shanda, move up!  Serina, keep them ducking until she gets there!"Seely lets loose a wild spray of blaster bolts as she passes the soldiers.  Her ultimate goal is to get to the spotter while he's down, and those soldiers are just getting in the way!

Standard: Autofire at the troopers: Hits 16, Does 19 damage or 9 on half.
Move: Move towards the spotter.

Seely Komad rolled 19 using 3d8+4. Autofire Damage.
Seely Komad rolled 16 using 1d20+2. Autofire.

Shanda pulls her lightsabre out flicking the activator switch letting the blade hum to life as she moves forward, doing her best to keep to cover where she could and made the effort to catch up with the others.

OOC:
Take out weapon and move up

Seely's spray of autofire is devastating this time, and while strafing she manages to wound two of the troopers and continues to move along towards the spotter.  This allows Shanda to move forward unimpeded.

Serina assists in laying down some covering fire, but it's only a blaster pistol.  She misses this round.

The troopers have allowed themselves to be surrounded at this point, with one dead and two wounded.  They call out, "We surrender!" as they drop their weapons and raise their hands into the air.

The spotter, while taking the time to get back to standing and shaking off the stun attack, is handily tackled back to the ground by the droid and promptly pinned.

"No sudden movements," Seely brandished her blaster rifle, catching up to the spotter and Easy, "Where's your comms, Imperial?  And your spotting equipment, can't have that getting out of here intact..."

The spotter, a male human of some sort most likely given the ensuing voice, struggles and grunts against Easy's pin.  Lacking the strength to wrest himself free, he replies in a strained tone, "What do you want?"

Seely almost wanted to shoot the spotter right there, "Are you stupid?  I've got a blaster to your head and I ask you a question, and you're asking me what I want.  Where is your spotting equipment?"

Her patience was waning.

"Where do you think?!" the prone man spats back at Seely.

Looking back, Serina has the still-living troopers on their knees and has confiscated their rifles.  Without this group relaying information back to the artillery, they will be firing blindly, if at all.

[Private to Seely Komad: The equipment's really just a pair of binoculars.  Also, sorry, I was thinking Shanda might post but apparently not.]

"Sorry, I forgot Sith don't take prisoners." Seely sends the man off with one pull of the trigger.  The blaster bolt to his head will probably be painless, at least.  If he survives by some miracle of armor and the Force or just by her own inaccuracy, she'll be glad to repeat the process, pocket his binoculars, and to sign that the rest of the Sith should be dealt with.

Easy stands.  "Next objective, Commander?"

[Private to Shanda Rell: You can feel someone reaching out to you with the Force.  Duran's mind is filled with concern, humour and a touch of anxiety as he reaches out to you twice.  The first is a question, "Your Status?"  Followed by more of a statement,  "Landmark, landing."]

"If we could, I'd advise silencing the guns, but  perahps we should survey the battlefield before we commit ourselves to another course of action..."

Shanda frowned at thesumamry execution, to kill in the heat of battle was one thing...to kill a person after they had been taken prisoner was indeed Sith like. Focusing her thoughts the jedi looked out towards the sky, focusing her thoughts inwards in an attempt to reach out to the one who had reached out to her.

Regardless if the message was heard or not she turned to look at Seely, "Our mission continues. The spotter is dealt with. We are not here to fight this war and as you well know the Sith are well entrenched already, it is not a war the citizens of this world are destined to win. For now we must complete our charge and find a way to escape this planet ourselves."

[Private to GM: Shandas message would be brief consisting of only a few words. 'Safe' 'towards spaceport'. She hoped it would be enough for Duran to understand.
19:42, Today: Shanda Rell rolled 21 using 1d20+14. Use the Force! (Telepathy).
19:45, Today: Shanda Rell rolled 20 using 1d20+14. Use the Force! (Telepathy). ]

From here, you could try to find another way down that would take you past the Imperial forces, or double back to known territory, behind the Corellians and Selonians.

Looking out over the battlefield, the big guns haven't fired once since the spotting group stopped doing their jobs.  With the naked eye you can see the guerilla resistance holding their ground, and from the looks of things the Imperial advance you witnessed is just about routed as the intensity of the firefight there has visibly died down.

"We have to push on.  For now, the resistance winning the battle and losing the war is the best we can hope for; if they can't break through those lines, we're not going to get to the rocket tram unless we can find an alternate route," Seely looked over the battlefield. "We have to get around the main body of their advance and slip through, or else we have to help the resistance win this battle."

"It stands to reason the spotter and his escort did not use the tunnels we used. Perhaps there is another passage that skirts their lines that we can use to slip past them?" Shanda glanced back to the spotters position in thought.

"Perhaps, but it might run us right into the main body of the enemy force.  We should be very careful, especially since they might send reinforcements to recover this spot."

Serina calls up from where the few troopers have their hands behind their heads, casually indicating them with a questioning wave of her pistol.  "What about this lot?"

Seely bit back the temptation to have the rest of them executed as well.  She had given into anger there, for a moment, but she knew better.  "Knock 'em out and take or destroy their equipment.  As far as I'm concerned, that's punishment enough, either the Sith find them beaten ragged or the good guys do."

Serina shifts uncomfortably, feeling the Imperials' glares beneath their helmets' visages.  "I uh, don't think I...um, yes, sir."  Before she can commence, however, Easy obliges, and easily renders the lot of them unconscious in less than a minute.  Serina awkwardly ignores the spectacle and shoots the equipment with a few blaster charges, rendering it inoperable if not irreparable.
This message was last updated by the GM at 13:47, Thu 23 Aug 2012.

Shanda flicked the activator of her lightsaber letting the balde vanish before returning the hilt to her belt. Looking to the others she waited to see just where they would head next.

Seely fixed Serina with a serious look. "If you have a problem with that...I already shot one.  I can finish the job, but I think we saw enough of that.  We don't have the authority to take prisoners, let's look for that passage."

This little mission was hard enough without committing coldblooded murder.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:54, Thu 23 Aug 2012.

If you didn't know any better, you'd think EAS-05 was proud of itself.  "Commander Komad, objective completed."  Serina frowns, but remains quiet except for an unenthusiastic "Yes, sir."

The sounds of combat below have died down considerably.  The resistance seems to have held the line.

Looking around, you've got quite a walk ahead to circle around to the Imperial side.  The level is essentially a big circle hollowed out by the open area in which all the fighting is taking place.  There's a ceiling about six meters up, and the straight distance from the handrail over the pit to the wall is about forty meters.  Another two kilometers of walking, probably, but ideally you'll avoid having to storm a blockade by yourselves.

[Private to Seely Komad: Rolled a Know (tactics) for you... Given the amount of space available and depending on where the Imperials have access, you expect they could have another set of spotters up, probably with more guards, within two minutes.  Hopefully the Corellians are making do with their time.]

"We gotta move!  Anywhere but here, hopefully we'll find a way around before reinforcements get up here." Seely knew that an option would present itself somewhere along the way.  She had lived through worse in her days back in the War.  She knew they couldn't break the blockade alone, but she knew that the Sith could be tricked and that they couldn't block every tunnel on this planet...

You begin traversing the level, making your way around the ring, an endless see of randomly deposited crates and loading equipment.  Given the lighting, you'd say dawn is nearing.  Down this deep, you don't get any of the morning smells, just the assault of charred metal from all the blaster fire.

The sounds of artillery start back up after about twenty minutes, at which point you're nearing the side of the chasm opposite where you started.  After another minute, you can see the opening to a stairwell that exactly mirrors the one you used to get up to this level.  You also see a few doors along the far wall, each labelled in Galactic Basic.  They all read "Authorized Personnel Only," and have no indication of what lies beyond their thresholds.  No sign of any Imperials yet.

Seely moves up to one of the doors, checking to see if the signage on them is recent enough.  If it's been there for a while, it's likely been there since before the Imperial Military has arrived, and a little bit of caution might be enough to sneak them through the area calmly.  She signs for her squadmates to wait a bit back, though, except for Easy.  She doesn't want Serina or Shanda getting caught up in what could be a Sith trick...

Shanda waited back a bit as Seely had motioned. Her arms hung before her, hands tucked in the open sleeve of the opposites. The jedi kept alert and quiet as the Command investigated.

The signage is old, with some of the letters having been worn at corners.  Nothing at first glance indicates that they've been placed there any time in the past few years, let alone hours.

OOC:  Feel free to roll perception, all of you.

Seely takes a look around, carefully...

Seely Komad rolled 21 using 1d20+8. Perception.

Shanda kept alert and silent paying keen attention to the surroundings.

OOC:
16:51, Today: Shanda Rell rolled 25 using 1d20+11. PErception.

Nothing seems out of the ordinary.  Easy's servos whine as the droid waits, a noise you'd attribute to impatience.

Seely takes one last look, giving any of her comrades a chance to shout out 'wait don't move!' or something to that effect, before advancing.

Seely gets to the stairs on the outer wall.  It's difficult to imagine a staircase going all the way down this far, but you're not sure how old these mine shafts happen to be.  At any rate, you can hear the sounds of Imperial activity below.  The stairs do go up as well, but the tunnel that serves as the counterpart to those you traversed previously would be down these stairs.

"Carefully," Seely whispers as she moves further down to see if she can see a way around the Sith activity, trying to be silent...

Seely, roll stealth.

Seely isn't trained for this, but she likes to think that she's pretty good at sneaking up on cheaters during exams.  Hopefully that skill translates to avoiding Sith attention...

16

Seely Komad rolled 2 using 1d6. Force point.
Seely Komad rolled 14 using 1d20+5. Stealth.

Thanks.  For the record, please, if anyone's ever unsure of the result of an action (using Seely's example in this case, "trying to be silent", for instance), roll the accompanying skill in advance.  :)  Even if I didn't need you to do so, it'll help keep things moving in the event that I do.

Seely moves out into the stairwell a bit, having a look around.  The sounds of artillery are thunderously loud from this close as the guns are almost right beneath you.  [Private to Seely Komad: There is a mirror of hustle and bustle on this end much like the resistance, just all human on this side.  You overhear an officer shout, "How many do we have upstairs this time?"  After a short pause wherein you assume someone answered him, "Four?  That's the same amount as last time and they were slaughtered.  I need more upstairs on guard, now!"  From where you are you can see that upstairs from your current position there is another door about one level up, and then the stairs go up even farther from there.]

Seely very carefully signals her team and then moves up to the door one level up.  There has to be a way out of here without going through that army...

Seely Komad rolled 7 using 1d20+5. Stealt 

As the Commander went more stealthy Shands concentrated for a moment, her red robes dulling as she became almost a shadow of herself and crept forwards after Seely...

OOC:
Using Cloak force power to help improve stealth check
15:47, Today: Shanda Rell rolled 19 using 1d20+8. Stealth check (+5 Force bns from Cloak).
 15:46, Today: Shanda Rell rolled 30 using 1d20+14. Use the Force.

You begin making your way up the stairs.  Unfortunately, no amount of quiet can overcome standing in plain sight as another group of Imperial troopers, eight in number, begin running up the stairs.  The first one looks up to see you standing there and calls out, "They're here!  Right here!"   Most of his companions are on the stairs below and begin perking up to see what all the fuss is about.  This group is led by one bringing up the rear, whose armor marks him as an officer of some kind.
[Private to Shanda Rell:  You can sense three separate attempts to locate Force users nearby from somewhere up above.  Two of them are familiar, people you've met before, while one is unfamiliar.]

    A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   K   L   M   N   O   P   Q   R   S   T
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 1|   |   |   | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 2|   |   |   | X | X |^  |^SK|^  |^  |^  |OOO|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 3|   |   |   | X | X |^E5|   |   |   |^  | X |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 4|   |   |   | X | X |^SR|   |   |   |^  | X |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 5|   |   |   | X | X |^SE|   |   |   |^  | X |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 6|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |^  | X |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 7|   |   |   | X | X |v  |   |   |   |vTL| X |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 8|   |   |   | X | X |v  |   |   |   |vTR| X |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 9|   |   |   | X | X |v  |   |   |   |vTR| X |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
10|   |   |   | X | X |vTR|vTR|vTR|vTR|vTR| X |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
11|   |   |   | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

X   Wall
^   Stairs up
v   Stairs down
OOO Door
SK  Seely
SR  Shanda
E5  Easy
SE  Serina
TR  Sith Soldier
TL  Sith Lieutenant

It's essentially a big huge staircase up a rectangular hollow shaft.  You all have +1 to Reflex Defense from being on higher ground, and will receive a +1 to attacks while you remain so.  They're all armed with standard blaster rifles.  Sounds of further commotion below indicate that they could call for reinforcements at any time.  Get your initiatives rolled and post your actions!

"I'll cover you.  Move!" Seely moved toward the door and did her best to get it open so the others could run past her and to safety.  The troopers would either open fire now at a disadvantage or move to get better positions.  They needed to be able to funnel the enemy into a tighter space or to outright elude them...

Seely Komad rolled 13 using 1d20+10. Initiative.

Move: Go to J2.
Standard: Open the door

Shanda would move up to assist Seely at the door, turning to look over the railing towards the pursuing imperials. Extending her hand towards the troopers she slowly pressed down bringing the weight of the force down on as many of the troopers as she could. Glancing to Seely she frowned, "We have familiar Sith scouters as before."

OOC:
18:06, Today: Shanda Rell rolled 21 using 1d20+8. Initative.
18:07, Today: Shanda Rell rolled 25 using 1d20+14. Use the Force(Force Slam).
18:07, Today: Shanda Rell rolled 23 using 4d8. Force Slam Dmg.

hit = dmg + prone
miss = 1/2 dmg and not prone

Easy hesitates upon hearing Seely's order to move.  Seems like half the time there's an opportunity to stomp on some Sith, they're running away.  But, an order's an order.  He comes running up the stairs.  Seely gets the door open just as Shanda lays down the Slam attack, breaking plenty of bones and felling three troopers.  Serina wastes no time and books it, running past the threshold of the door, and...into complete dark.

Then the Imps retaliate.  A cascade of blaster fire comes up the stairwell as the remaining troopers simultaneously spray bolts and call for reinforcements.  "They've got a Jedi!" you can hear one of them shout over the cacophony.  The Lieutenant in particular coordinates the attackers, ordering them to focus on the "one in the dress."  The advantage of higher ground only barely protects you from the assault, and one attack in particular manages to clip Shanda in the shoulder.

[Private to Shanda Rell: Two hits for 15 damage each, total of 30.]
[Private to EAS-05: One hit for 12 damage.]

    A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   K   L   M   N   O   P   Q   R   S   T
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 1|   |   |   | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 2|   |   |   | X | X |^  |^  |^E5|^SR|^SK|O O|   | SE|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 3|   |   |   | X | X |^  |   |   |   |^  | X |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 4|   |   |   | X | X |^  |   |   |   |^  | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 5|   |   |   | X | X |^  |   |   |   |^  | X |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 6|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |^  | X |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 7|   |   |   | X | X |v  |   |   |   |v  | X |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 8|   |   |   | X | X |v  |   |   |   |v  | X |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
 9|   |   |   | X | X |v  |   |   |   |v  | X |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
10|   |   |   | X | X |vTR|vTR|vTR|vTR|vTL| X |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
11|   |   |   | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
  +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

X   Wall
^   Stairs up
v   Stairs down
OOO Door
SK  Seely
SR  Shanda
E5  Easy
SE  Serina
TR  Sith Soldier
TL  Sith Lieutenant

"Finish them quickly or reinforcements will come up to finish the job!" Seely raised her blaster rifle, firing off a quick burst at the officer.  Catching his nearest soldier in the spray will just be a small bonus.

Swift Action: Born Leader; all allies get a +1 bonus to attack rolls as long as they're in line of sight of Seely and as long as she remains active.
Move: To F2
Standard: Autofire Blaster Rifle; aim for the lieutenant and the Sith beside him.

If 21 hits the Lieutenant and his nearest soldier's Reflex, they take 21 damage.  If it does not, they take 10.

Seely Komad rolled 21 using 1d20+4. Autofire.
Seely Komad rolled 21 using 3d8+4. Autofire Damage.

Shanda slumped back against the wall clutching her shoulder. With little ability to strike at the imperials further the jedi moved forward, slipping past Seely to enter the doorway. Reaching down to pluck up her lightsaber she flicked the activator to give them at least a little illumination for the darkened corridor.

The hall is about ten feet wide from wall to wall, and while you can make out light fixtures, none of them seem to have power.  You don't see a switch, and the end of the hall is not in sight.

Serina steps back to the door and readies herself to close it behind them.  Easy's electronic voice urges Seely to go through the door.  "I will cover your escape utilizing a grenade, it will enact sufficient violence on the enemy to incapacitate their nervous systems, as well as possibly going on to rupture organs," he says flatly, readying one to throw.

Seely barely hears the droid over the autofire, though.  She causes both soldiers to duck for cover as blaster bolts strike the handrail and wall by their position down the stairs.  The other troopers, no longer able to fire at Shanda, likewise take cover and return fire.  The high ground advantage holds and the captain's armor shrugs off any of the hits.

Seely takes one last shot, aiming for the Lieutenant as she moves to leave. "You better be right behind me, that's an order!"

She squeezes off a shot as she heads for the door.  Too much more time under this fire and she'll be fried in her suit...

Standard: Fire Blaster Rifle
Move: L2

Strafing to her left, the Twi'lek continues to lay down pressure, ensuring impediment for the Imps trying to get clear shots.  As she moves past the battle droid, the grenade is thrown, and both soldiers duck through the door.  You can hear a muffled shout as the projectile lands and the troopers make an effort to scatter.  The explosion is loud and rings in your ears, but just before Serina shuts the door you can hear the sounds of booted footsteps clambering up.

As Easy tosses another grenade set to explode just outside, you can hear another sound...the roar of a starship engine.  The door shuts, closing out most of the noise and leaving you with the eerie green illumination provided by Shanda's saber.  The resulting explosion from the grenade is quite loud even through the door.

Serina notes Shanda's shoulder and offers to help, looking to Seely for permission.  It would seem that Easy's grenade has damaged the door's opening mechanism, as the hollow sounds of the troopers' shouting reverberate lightly through the darkened corridor.

"Okay Sergeant, do it.  I'll watch the door.  We might be running out of time, though, so make it quick." Seely takes this moment to switch the power pack out of her blaster rifle and swap in a fresh one.  They're going to need all the rounds they can get for it later.

"Commander Komad, I detected a starship approaching, unknown configuration.  Poor accoustics made identification impossible."

"We need to do some recon.  It could be anything.  Once Shanda's arm is patched up, we're moving up to check this out."

"Please do." Shanda nodded to Serina holding still to let her wounds get tended looking to Seely, "Rathik or Imperius is ahead. I can't tell exactly who it is but it is one of them. If I'd have to guess it would be Rathik, guess its time to see if we're double crossed or not."

"Do you think we can beat Imperius if she decides to come down here to pick us off?  Or couldn't you get a read on her?" Seely made herself ready to advance, hoping the Jedi would have good news rather than bad.

Shanda looked towards Seely and rolled her good shoulder, "If we got extremely lucky I suppose its possible. Rather have a team of Jedi Masters at my back though for that kind of thing. Personally I'm still holding out hope that it's just Rathik and everything is on the up and up, even when Serina finishes patching me up I doubt I'd be in any real shape to stand evenly with a trio of sith if they have wiping us out as thier goal. No, better to trust in the Force that things don't come to a conflict of that nature, or at least for it to show us a means of escape."

"I agree.  Don't worry.  We are all going to get out of here alive, along with those kids." Seely didn't like that assessment, but she couldn't just go in the face of the Jedi's advice.  She was too old to bluster like a young soldier who thought the Force was a whole load of puck...

Serina administers a medpac, utilizing her medical kit as well for extra care.  Shanda's wound should not prevent her from making use of that arm, and the pain is dulled considerably.  Anything too strenuous will probably cause it to flare up, but at least it ought not to get infected.

Meanwhile, the shouting outside dies down considerably.  The troopers may not have the equipment to deal with a door that won't open.

[Private to Shanda Rell: 20 hit points restored to you.  (That's counting your character level.)]
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:51, Wed 05 Sept 2012.

"We should get moving before they free up some equipment to deal with us.  Hopefully, the rocket tram won't be any more guarded than this area we just passed..."

Shanda nodded smiling her thanks to Serina for her efforts. When they got back to the temple she'd have to research how to use the force to aid healing. "Thanks Serina. Hopefully the troubles will be lesser than I fear ahead but we will be prepared for it none the less."

Serina nods silently as she hurriedly packs up her equipment.  She's about finished when the tell-tale sound of an ion cannon fires on something else, and the bass from an explosion afterward sends tremors through the walls of the room.  [Private to Shanda Rell:  The presence that detected you is descending into the mine shaft outside.  It's about a half-kilometer from the floor level.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:59, Wed 05 Sept 2012.

"Oh poodoo." Seely moves on in a hurry.

Shanda keeps a grip on her lightsaber and moves after Seely, keeping pace with the commander, also keeping alert for something else.

Through the dark, about forty meters back, you reach another electronic door.  The control interface seems to be telling you there's an error and to contact the system administrator.

++"You're about fifty meters too far north for your ride, ladies, and headin' the wrong way.  Turn around if you want off this rock."++

++Still alive?  I didn't imagine that we'd both live this long.++ Seely did her best to orient herself based on the directions given.  It wasn't easy to just change directions underground, after all.

Seely is careful to let off her commlink before she says anything, "You heard the woman, let's move.  With any luck, we can still accomplish our mission, but no one's staying behind this time."

With any luck, they'll be able to fight their way up and out easily enough.  They're too close to the end to die here...
This message was last edited by the player at 15:39, Fri 07 Sept 2012.

"Got a plan to get past the imperials waiting on the stairwell for us?" Shanda asked softly as she considered the blockage ahead of them, her thumb hovering over the activator of her blade, it would take time but she could probably cut through the door with her lightsaber, a far easier task than wading through imperial soldiers on the narrow stairs.

The Imperials have adjusted their attention away from the door and toward the Skyfisher.  Many either flee back down the stairs or take rudimentary cover.

Seely wishes she had a better plan.  Right now, though, there really isn't a good plan.  They have to keep going until they're at the ship, because leaving this planet as a ghost isn't in any plan.

"I got a grenade and a few more power packs.  Other than that?  Don't stop fighting until we're out of here.  Ready?" The Twi'lek stands ready to head for the Skyfisher.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:45, Fri 07 Sept 2012.

Shanda nodded her assent flicking on the lightsaber in her hand and stood ready for yet another suicidal rush for the ship.

++"Yeah, I hear stayin' alive is a real irritating habit of ours."++ Oriana rolls her eyes and glances over at Hector, before turning her attention out the front windows.  While seemingly against all better judgment, she's not really cruel at heart, and therefore she fires up the commlink once more after a brief pause.  ++"Wouldn't come through that access door just yet, if I were you.  We've got a little trooper infestation to clean up first."++

With that, she shuts off the comm and turns back around, trusting that Hector and Duran can - and will - take care of the guns and the troopers.  "Even money says we don't even get a 'thank you', yeah?" she asks with a smirk, slipping past Helene and heading for the boarding ramp, trusting Helene's going to follow her.  After all, it was her idea to go and fetch them in the first place.

++Just give us the word, and we'll come through.  We could cut into them from behind if you think it'll save you some time.  Thanks for the assist.++ Seely is a little too eager to get through the door and back to the surface.  Tight spaces are not her friend when ordinance could cause this place to cave in any second...
This message was last edited by the player at 16:11, Fri 07 Sept 2012.

Duran was, of course, busy taking care of the guns. With a swivel he kept track of the remaining artillery piece and when it settled into his sights he pulled the trigger, but of course, as luck would have it that was when the bickering started. He sighed just at the wrong time and his aim was a little off, he hoped he'd still hit the bugger, it was a large gun.

With a sigh he said++Still very much alive, and kicking. One arty gun down, hoping the other will follow shortly...troopers are next. Everyone still up your side?++
OOC:
Hits AC 15 for 41 Ion Damage, 82 damage for purposes of the condition scale.

++We're alive.  It's not much to say at this point, but we're alive.++

Helene had sat in silence for a short period, listening to the exchange from her seat in the cockpit, completely passive.

Without explanation, she stands suddenly, and can be faintly heard humming to herself as she draws both of her pistols with a spinning flourish, and ambles casually off towards the boarding ramp.

OOC:
21:49, Today: Duran rolled 30 using 1d20+22. Initiative.

Whoops wrong number...should be 19...hit 22 instead of 11

12:51, Today: Dame Helene Decrilla rolled 19 using 1d20+8. Initiative.

16:05, Today: Oriana Cy'Kast rolled 8 using 1d20+5. Initiative.

Seely prepares on her end, ready for the call to move from above.

Seely Komad rolled 17 using 1d20+10. Initiative.

Shanda stood ready to act.

OOC:
21:18, Today: Shanda Rell rolled 27 using 1d20+8. Initative.

Aiming the nose of the ship in the direction of the door and the troopers, Hector hovered it low over the landing pad so the boarding ramp would be only a few feet above.  Any closer and he risked damaging the ship.  Then, keeping the ship steady, he fired off a burst from the twin linked cannons at the nearest trooper he had a shot on.  Those in cover likely weren't safe from weapons of this size.



03:12, Today: Hector Terrachova rolled 31 using 1d20+16. Initiative.
03:13, Today: Hector Terrachova rolled 24 using 1d20+7. Attack.
03:14, Today: Hector Terrachova rolled 25 using 6d10. Damage (x2) = 50.


[Private to GM: I figure with weapons like this, even a 'hit' would be seen more as splash damage from the cannons.]

All right, and unless anyone's waiting on someone else for something, go ahead and post your actions!  I'll just post the results of the round after all of you have posted. Hector and Duran are all set.  Seely and Shanda, both doors are at least mostly inoperable.

The ship's front cannons light up the area, wreaking definitive havoc on the Imperial soldiers' positions.  A number of figures go flying through the air to smack against support pillars, collapsing into unmoving heaps.  There's still a handful of them there and who knows how many reinforcements down below, but for now no more are coming up the stairs.

[Private to Duran: I'll resolve your action at the end of the round after everyone else has posted.  However, as you're the only one with visibility of the ground, you can see the Imperial troops falling back somewhat after your neutralization of the first gun.]

"Shanda, I trust your discretion on when to cut through the door.  But we should get ready for them to attack us, whether we're going out there or sitting tight..." Seely states, readying her weapon to attack if anyone hostile comes into the area or blows the door down.

Move: Ready Weapon
Standard: Ready Attack versus any hostiles that may enter the area or appear in Line of SIght (for example, if the door to our front is opened).
(Though the readied attack almost certainly misses anything but the wall.)

Shanda moved forward and pressed the point of her lightsaber through the door slowly waiting til she met no further resistance before beginning her cut to make a sizable hole through the inoperable door.

Oriana's stride was heavier than usual, as she moved through the ship towards the exit.  Her fingers flickered over her blaster, the heavy weapon already drawn, as if to reassure herself that it was charged and ready and comfortable in her hand.  For all intents and purposes, she appeared to be looking for a fight - good thing they had one handy.

She hops gracefully off the hovering boarding ramp, landing with practiced ease and taking a handful of strides towards the closest trooper before suddenly raising her right arm and leveling that veritable hand cannon in his direction.  "Move boys, you're in our way!" she calls out, in her best commanding tone, sneering at the collected group from behind the blank orange facade of her glasses.

It wouldn't be right not to give them a chance to scatter, after all, not that she really waits for them to make a choice before firing at the closest.

---

Move: Normal move, advance towards the troopers
Attack: Closest trooper
10:22, Today: Oriana Cy'Kast rolled 24 using 3d8+6. Damage closest trooper.
10:21, Today: Oriana Cy'Kast rolled 17 using 1d20+10. Attack closest trooper.

If the closest trooper is more than 20 squares away from Ori, both the attack and damage numbers go down by 1.

Just for kicks:
10:27, Today: Oriana Cy'Kast rolled 28 using 1d20+11. Persuasion: Moving is a good idea.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:29, Tue 11 Sept 2012.

Helene was, naturally, slightly ahead of Oriana and headed in the same direction. The mechanic, and possibly Duran, could easily hear her mutter after Hector fires, "Why do people always shoot first? It makes a much better impression to say something before opening fire."

Moving towards the troopers, in front of Oriana, and taking a Total Defense.

The ship's forward cannons wreak some devastating havoc on the troopers, who begin fleeing as random storage crates prove themselves not to provide any real cover.  Who'd've thought?

Shanda is about halfway done cutting a sizeable hole through the door, and the opening will be usable next round.

One trooper in particular doesn't appear to get the 'run away' memo, and peaks over some cover to line up a shot, only to take a bolt from Ori's blaster directly in the face of his helmet, knocking him over backwards.

Duran likewise neutralizes the second gun emplacement, as even a glancing shot with the ship's weaponry is enough to send arcs of disruptive electricity through the ground cannon's circuitry.

The remaining troops are mostly back in the stairwell, out of line of sight and likely retreating down to a lower level, seemingly no longer interested in their previous prey.

Duran brought the gun around, swivelling to face the direction Helene and Ori had gone, seeing they were both fine his gun swivelled again as he looked for more targets but with the guns gone the troops were in retreat and the rebels held the upper hand now.

++Big guns are out, ladies. How goes the ground troops? Seeley how is your side of things? You don't want us to blast those doors for you?++ There was an edge to his voice, a tinge of excitement now that he was in battle again, and a little bit of irritation but what the source of that was, well it wasn't obvious.

Shanda continued her work on the door, gripping the hilt tightly as she moved the sabers beam through the door slowly. Lifting ahnad and reaching under her hood she tapped her comm. ++Be advised of Sith presence. No idea exactly where but they were probing around not too long ago near here.++

++We're cutting through the door.  They might come back with backup, so be careful.++ Seely stood behind Shanda, ready to go through as soon as it was clear to move.

Helene takes a deep breath, pistols still held vertical and ready, and closes her eyes.

And opens her other ones. Or at least, that's how it always feels, to her. One set of normal eyes, made of simple fleshy matter, with a lidded hinge that would rest open or closed, whatever way they had been left at. And another set, that sees an entirely different world. A world of energy, thought, and feeling, an ocean of colour and light. But these eyes had heavy lids, that snapped shut of their own accord if she didn't concentrate on holding them open.

There was Shanda, right on the other side of the door, cutting a path.

Duran, behind her, victoriously swiveling about the Ion Cannons in search of threats.

Oriana, right by her, a vibrant and less controlled glow.


And down below, somewhere amidst the mess of fear and panic rolling off the Imperial Troops, twisted knots of seething hatred. She just had to find them...

Sense Force, as viewed by Helene. :}

++Yeah...++ Oriana starts, leaning over slightly to peer down at the scene a few hundred meters below them.  She lets out a low whistle, admiring the ion cannon's handiwork, the smoking turret guns amidst the swirl of Imperials.  ++I sure hope you weren't plannin' on makin' friends with that bunch, too, Rell.++

Snickering quietly, she keeps her blaster leveled at the door and the stairwell, occasionally glancing over her shoulder in the opposite direction, waiting to see if another trooper wants to come out and engage in some more hostile negotiations.

...and shoot him if one does.

Shanda finishes cutting the hole, and the ground team finds none of the troopers awaiting them.  Instead, across the platform stands Ori and a red-haired human woman they don't recognize from before, and behind them the Skyfisher, ramp lowered to the extended loading platform.

[Private to Dame Helene Decrilla:  The Sith are not hard to find with your Force Sense.  They are down on the bottom level, middling about amongst the troopers.  You would not perceive them as threats individually, so these are likely lower-ranked apprentices bolstering conscripted troops.]

Seely had her blaster rifle ready to fire until she saw that it was just Oriana and someone else.  She averted the weapon from her allies, but kept her finger inside the trigger guard.

"Good to see you alive," the Twi'Lek said as she scanned the area, eyes scanning both the new arrival and just about every thing else.  Training told her to expect the worst when things were calmest, and instinct told her that the worst wasn't over yet.  The burning question on her mind was whether or not they had gotten into contact with the Republic, but she knew that wasn't important right now.  Once they all left together, they'd take care of that if it wasn't already sorted.

++Welcome back to you too, Seely, get yourself aboard and let's talk...there are a few things we need to discuss. Is it just the four of you?++ A polite way of asking where the Sith were, that was for sure.

Duran's gun continued to swivel as he looked out for targets and problems that might erupt at any moment...that was how it normally went++Everyone ready? Nothing we need to tie up with the Sith troopers on the retreat?++

++Were you able to contact the Republic?++ Seely queried as she approached her comrades, asking both Duran and Oriana in the same go.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:03, Thu 27 Sept 2012.

Hector, being in the cockpit, merely remained silent, and kept the ship hovering with the boarding ramp within reach.  He could hear the conversation over the comms of course, but trusted Oriana enough to deal with answering the questions... and the other matters of interest.

Helene holsters her weapons, spinning them around her fingers casually in the process, and opens her eyes. Her head tilts slightly as she regards the approaching twi'lek, but instead of addressing her directly, she raises her electronics laden arm and activates the comm on the back of her hand so that everyone may hear her, "The closest Sith are with the other Imperials, down below. I would wager they are merely apprentices."

Lowering the device, she inclines her head respectfully to the twi'lek, "You must be Captain Komad."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:08, Fri 28 Sept 2012.

Seely regards Helene curiously, but responds nonetheless, "Yes, I am Captain Seely Komad.  I won't complain if you dispense with the rank, however.  It's been a bit too long since that rank was earned in blood and proven worth."

She sighs, relaxing just a little while things seem to be calming down.

Shanda stood calmly by alert to thier surroundings, this newcomer had claimed the only Sith were with the troopers below but there were more, she had felt them through the Force. Turning her gaze on the Skyfisher she spoke to the others, "Questions and answers will come in due course, let us be off before we all become permanent residents shall we?"

++Yeah, we contacted Garza.++

Oriana lowers her blaster slightly, but keeps it at a ready position, finger on the trigger.  For a moment, she reaches her free hand up to tap the commlink attached to her ear, flicking the small knob that controlled the frequency to set it to match the Skyfisher's internal comms.   After doing this, she leaves the channel open, so that Hector and Duran can hear the conversation taking place outside through it.

"Speaking of gettin' on board and not becoming permanent residents," she comments idly, taking a step backwards to give her a clear line of view past Helene and Seely towards where Shanda is.  Blaster down by her side, Oriana shoves her glasses up on her nose with her free hand, and locks her attention on the Miraluka.  "An apology for frying our quad laser is in order, Rell, unless you've picked out some property down here."

"I do apologize for causing damage to your ship Oriana, but I do not apologize for why. I know not if Rathik could truely have been redeemed but to summarily execute someone who was offering surrender is to walk the path of the dark side. I could not allow it." Meeting Orianas gaze evenly with her own sightless vision she did not turn away, "If that is justification for leaving me behind I will accept your decision. I similarly cannot force you to grant me passage, but in any case stronger Sith are closing in, the same ones as before. The time for a decision is now."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:11, Fri 28 Sept 2012.

"++And that's why Jedi are idiots,++" Hector replied, having been listening in on the comms.  "++Did it ever occur to you that people lie?  Particularly Sith?  They made their choice when they decided to slaughter people.  Plus, I dunno if you're remembering it right or not, but you didn't 'not allow' anything.  That Sith proved perfectly capable of defending herself - thus proving there was no reason for her to have needed to surrender - and then you chose to attack the ship.  What does that say about you, I wonder?++"  Hector sat back, having said what he wanted to say.  They had the time, and if Oriana was going to leave her behind, he wanted to make sure he'd had his say.

Seely keeps a finger on the comm-link until she notices Oriana keying her own comms to an open channel.  That spread of information. makes this all completely worth it.  The next move is being planned by a competent mind and the pieces will be placed by competent hands...

She does take a moment to interject, seeing as things are about to break down into another argument and she doesn't have a reason to try to continue it, "I think this is hardly a time to argue, regardless of who is right.  Unless we have a reason to stay right here with Imperials and Sith nearby, it's time to get aboard and leave unless we have business right in this particular spot..."

Helene clears her throat, reminding people that she is still there, and possibly that she had been making some introductions.

"Excuse me, but you must be the Jedi I have heard about... and I have to ask, what Sith you might be referring to? I have sensed only a few apprentices in our immediate area."

Her eyebrow quirks then, though she's doing her level best to not betray her exact thoughts on the matter, Duran could easily identify the mix of concern and surprise.

And not at the notion of a Sith presence...

[Private to Duran; Oriana Cy'Kast: She's specifically wondering if Shanda might require a visit from the men in white coats with that lovely jacket that lets you hug yourself all day. >.>]

Shanda reached up tapping her own comm open, they really didn't have time for this but since they wanted to nit pick a choice there would be no choice but to comply. ++Of course I know people can lie Hector, I just choose to give a sentient the benefit of the doubt until they prove themselves untrustworthy. It is undeniably a risk, but one I thought worth it. As for my actions, I can only say it was easier for me to disable the Skyfisher gun battery than it would have been to protect Rathik had I stunned her. For one volley she defended herself, no jedi...no sith, could hope to do so indefinitely and nothing short of disabling the Skyfishers gun would have stopped Orianas intent. As I say I regret only that I had to do it, but in a heartbeat I would do it again to prevent Oriana, or any one of us, from falling to the dark side.++

Shanda turned her face to regard the newcomer, studying her intently for a moment before returning her gaze to Oriana, awaiting her decision. "The Sith I speak of are following us through the tunnel, the time waste arguing is giving them all the time they need to catch up. From what I sensed there's a trio coming, two of which are at least Master in power. I suspect Lord Rathik and the double cross we've been prepared for. But to put it in perspective, not only did Rathik deflect a volley of shots from the Skyfishers guns she also has enough power to immobilize the ship by HERSELF. And she's coming with actual support this time."

Duran closed his eyes when Oriana asked for an apology...here we go. He had known it was coming, he had seen it coming but right now? He chuckled at Hector's comment about Jedi++Oh I love you too, you cuddly red bearded pilot, you.++

He let out a long, very loud sigh, over the comm and shook his head, a slight smile as he heard Helene's tone++So you let the Sith get away? Now she's coming back? We know she can hold the ship by herself, either her or that raw unfocused apprentice of her, we were in it when she tried...that's why Oriana shot her. There is no way to capture a Sith who can hold the ship with their mind. Killing is not the dark side, doing so in anger or for the enjoyment of death and fear is. We have to battle the Sith all the time, and sometimes we kill them, sometimes we kill their troops who have no protection from the powers of the force and we try not to use the Force to do it....I am sure at some stage on this planet you attacked troopers without warning them, how is that different?++

Gritting his teeth he realised he was doing what they were, arguing++Actually, I don't really want to discuss it. Oriana, please let them on the ship. We can always ask them to disembark once we have stopped and then you can force an apology from them if that is what we need to do but I'd rather be out of here and onto the mission than wait for the Sith to arrive...please.++

Turning to Seely, Helene says, "Yes... let's all get into the ship, and get back on track shall we? Although if the good Captain will humour me and linger for a moment?"

She's doing her level best to sound casual, but there is no mistaking the look she gives Oriana right after she's finished talking: a silent request to please go along with this, just this once.

"If only there was something we could have done to prevent this impending double-cross you're so worried about... Oh wait, there was.  Funny how shooting a Sith trying to kill us yesterday would have prevented them coming back for us today, wouldn't it?"  Oriana reached up and pinched the bridge of her nose with her free hand.  This was really too much.  The one member of the party that was supposed to be sensible and educated thought that killing an enemy in the midst of battle forced an instant fall to the dark side?  If that was true, the majority of the Republic army would be seething with dark side soldiers right now, Seely Komad included.  She knew Jedi were inherently nuts, but to attack an ally to protect an unrepentant enemy seemed to be a far closer walk to the dark side.

Of course, there weren't any Sith coming.

Oriana's sigh comes through loud and clear on the open comm to the ship, and she nods almost imperceptibly in response to Helene's look.  "Very well.  We've got a rendezvous with the other team to make, anyway.  Hand over your lightsaber to Dame Decrilla, and go to your cabin and stay there, Rell.  I'll not have you wandering loose around our ship looking for something else to sabotage.  When someone wants to debrief you, they'll be by."  She shrugs, and hooks the thumb of her free hand in her toolbelt, as if they've got all the time in the world.  "If that's not acceptable, you can stay here and wait for your new-found Sith buddies."

Seely puts a gloved hand to her helmeted face as Oriana demands that Shanda disarm.  If the Sith don't outright kill her, Oriana and Hector will for something else.  If that doesn't happen, the Sith will become her friends and then betray her later.  Still, she looks up from her own personal moment of failure to give Helene a nod.  The only reassurance of this mission's downward spiral is that she'll be able to rest when she's dead or go back to teaching her students when this is over.  Her students were far stupider and more stubborn than anyone on this ship (herself included) had been, and they have no authority to make her life suck this badly.

Sighing a cave's worth of stress out, she hopes that reason will get its fingers around this crew's throat soon enough.  She turned her gaze toward the woman who seems to have a habit for giving her migraines. "Oriana...she's fought and bled for me, Sergeant Ryo, and for what she thought was right.  Disarm me and put her in there with her when I come aboard, if you must detain her as such."

"We put ourselves in harm's way for you, too, and from the looks of things so did Easy.  That doesn't negate the fact that she attacked us in a fashion that could have, directly or indirectly, caused injury or death for half of the team, in retaliation for shooting an enemy that was trying to kill us all...and has unrepentantly said she would do it again.  What happens when we try to leave here, and have to run a gauntlet of Imperial fighters that are shooting at us?  Is she going to try to crash the Skyfisher to keep us all from 'falling to the dark side' if we fight back?"  Oriana really didn't think that Seely would have let one of the soldiers under her command - back when she had a command - shoot a squadmate and then meander about unpunished like nothing had happened.  But on the other hand, maybe she would have, given that the Twi'lek didn't seem to find anything at all wrong here.

"At best, this makes her completely off her rocker.  At worst, she's a full-blown traitor.  Either way, she's too dangerous to let wander around unrestricted and armed on the Skyfisher.  If you can't see that, you're welcome to join her in the cabin.  Maybe Wromm can talk some sense into you both."   With that, Oriana shrugs and turns to the Consular, waiting her decision.

"Oriana, I gave you an order that, when I come aboard, I be sequestered with her if you choose to imprison her.  If that is your reasoning and you truly believe it to be necessary, then I gladly accept our new quarters if Shanda agrees to come aboard and suffer that scrutiny," Seely stated, glancing toward the Miraluka.  She didn't like this very much, but she wasn't going to let the Jedi be questioned and isolated without some sort of advocate.

Shanda simply nodded her head flicking the activator of her saber, the blade vanishing as she held the hilt out. "It is alright, if such are her terms then I will relinquish my weapon and be confined. I can understand her point of view, I don't agree with it but then I'm not her. I am me. And there is no need for you to be detained as well Commander, it shall be fine." Returning her gaze to Oriana she watched the Captains face, "Satisfactory?"

Assuming that the lightsaber is being proffered to Helene, as Oriana had instructed, she accepts the weapon with the reverence the device is due, then heaves a great sigh.

"Well then, since everybody is intent on doing things the difficult way today, Captain Komad, my name is Dame Helene Decrilla, or simply Helene at your preference. I regret to inform you that, due to complete failure to meet objectives and the potentially treasonous behaviour of a person in your command, you are hereby relieved of such. Our next task is to report to Havoc Squad for a debriefing and reassignment."

She holds out her other hand, still cradling Shandas lightsaber respectfully, "And if you are going to insist on disarming as a show of support for your subordinate, I will safeguard your armaments for you. Though, for the record, I personally do not believe Shanda Rell is a traitor."

She let's that sink in for a moment, doubtlessly raising Orianas hackles a hair further before she explains, "I believe she may be suffering from a mental break of some form. You see, there are no Sith Masters in the tunnel behind you. The only person she could possibly be assuming is a Sith Master, is me. The only person she could be mistaking for the second Sith Lord, is Duran."

Shanda considered this and inclined her head, "I will agree it is plausible as I was not expecting to see the Skyfisher return. But further explination can wait for debriefing and off an open comm channel."

"That's probably for the best." Is that relief in her voice?

Seely looks to the interloper, not sure if she is credible but praying she is right to trust this time. "I'll hold comment on anyone's mental state, but I know she is not a traitor.  Helene, Oriana, I believe we're done on this planet now."

She offers her rifle, pistol, knife, and grenades to Helene, removing the power packs from the former two first.  They're weights she's glad to be free of, at least for now.

Duran watched with a degree of relief, amazement and disbelief at the goings on. In the end he decided that for everyone's sanity it was best for him to remain silent for now. Get everyone on board and out of this area.

One thing though did bother him++Seely, you mentioned you were done on this planet. Does that mean you have managed to successfully relocate all the force sensitive people on the planet?++

It was very likely that everyone was going to want to hear a whole lot more about what the four who had been left behind had been up to but if the mission was already completed it made life....different.

Still they need to meet up with Havoc Squad and get orders from them either way.

"We haven't.  We had received directions to where to go to retrieve them and I can relay them, but it's out of my control as to whether we complete that mission or whether we leave.  I can only give my personal recommendation to continue and rescue as many as we can.."

Oriana jerks her head in the direction of the Skyfisher's ramp, indicating that Shanda should precede her.  "Go on in, Rell.  You remember where your cabin was, I'm sure."  She tosses a glance at Helene, and waits for the Consular to pass before falling in behind her a few paces away - assuming Shanda goes on ahead and does so.

"If you were expecting to go home so soon, Captain, you may be happily disappointed," Helene remarks, heading inside with an arm load of weapons.

"GiGi! Come give me a hand with this!"

A slender and decidedly feminine silvery droid meets Helene at the top of the ramp, with an exasperated flail of it's limbs as it starts to collect some of Seely's weapons.

"Really, my Lady, your fascination with weapons is rather un-lady like. All of the rooms have been cleaned, and are awaiting their occupants. I have taken the liberty of starting some tea."

Shanda inclined her head moving towards the Skyfisher, boarding the ship and moving to the indicated cabin. Once inside she would settle down into a meditation stance to rest for a bit before the debriefing was to occur.

"Going home?  Didn't expect it for a moment.  Happy to bring everyone back to the debriefing alive.  Didn't expect that, glad it happened." Seely went with Shanda the whole way.  Shanda probably wouldn't need comforting, but the Jedi would probably be in one of the quietest cabins of the ship.

"Sorry Komad," Oriana pushes the button to close Shanda's door, the moment the Jedi is inside, and before the Twi'lek can get there - unless she's intending to physically shove Oriana out of the way.

"The rest of us need to have a chat," she continues, finally toggling off her end of the ship-wide comm.  "So you can just go on into the main hold and take a seat until we get out of this hole."

Seely's either too old or too smart for such roughhousing, though she probably wants to go through the scoundrel. "I'd hate to disappoint you.  Not going to be much of a chat, I have a feeling."

Safety and the mission, especially the part about those poor children the Sith were after, had to come first. But there was no way in hell they were going to get anything done like this, so regardless of what Helene may think of them personally, she was thinking very hard on how to at least get them all on the same team again.

Figurative sniping would have to be acceptable, by her measure. Oh, what she wouldn't give for a fireteam of Tapani warriors right about now!

Handing the last of Seely's weapons to GiGi, Helene then hurredly dashs down the short hallway and does her level best to slip past Seely and Oriana both, so that she can properly shoo them towards other parts of the ship with hand gestures.

"Now now, everybody is feeling testy, but we're all on the same side here, and we can take it out on the Sith later. Seely, how about you go with GiGi and make sure the others are taken care of? Oriana, that battle droid looks a bit banged up, would you see if it needs repairs?"

Pausing for a breath and dramatic effect, she puts all the weight on the trailing magick word, "Please?"
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 17:23, Sat 29 Sept 2012.

Once everyone was on the ship - Hector could tell via the airlock camera - he raised the ramp, shut the airlock door, and began to lift the ship on its repulsors out of the mineshaft.  Once he was far enough away from the wall, he angled the nose upward and hit the throttle, sending them rocketing out and back above the ground where a ship should be.  He kept them low still, and pulled the throttle back a bit, as he didn't have anywhere to go just yet - X2 hadn't given a position where they could find Havoc yet, so he was stuck waiting.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:47, Sat 29 Sept 2012.

"GiGi?  Ah, yes, of course." Seely might have normally been annoyed with being shoved this way or that, but it is away from one of her current frustrations.

"When I surrendered my weapons, I assumed I was going to be detained." She pauses just a moment and speaks again with a softer tone, "I'd like them to be ready and left somewhere where I can access them, should they need use...please."

Remember how quickly things went to hell with Oriana and Hector, she has no cause to risk annoying Helene further than the circumstances have already done.  On the other hand, she has no reason to go about unarmed when things are getting volatile.  Still, she'll settle for not having weapons as she heads to check on the others.  They probably don't want to see her right now, but the droid probably hasn't earned her ire yet.

"Everyone all right up here?  Anyone need anything?" she called as she approached the bow of the ship.

Duran waited till they were clear then slipped out of his turret, climbing back up he made sure his robe was on properly and made his way through to the main room. "Hey Seely, do you think we can have a quick talk? I think we need to find out what you four have been up to the last couple of hours and we need to fill you in on the General's orders...do you think we can do that?"
This message was last edited by the player at 17:59, Sat 29 Sept 2012.

Seely stopped to meet Duran. "Very well.  Shall I start with how we were going to use the rocket tram to hijack the ship and save the Force Sensitives?  I think I shall...you see, it was all part of our plan to trek through Selonian territory, to deliver weapons to arm them and assist the resistance, then to fight our way around the Sith formation and to take the rocket tram.  I could give you a longer version later, but...I'm more interested in what the General said."

"You're not being detained because you gave me an order to detain you, Komad,"  Oriana comments brusquely, making no pretenses about the fact that they no longer answer to the Twi'lek.  "Not to mention there's no reason to.  You can have your weapons, for all I care. You're not the crazy Jedi that thinks a Sith's life is worth more than mine, Hector's, and Duran's combined."  She shrugs and holsters her own blaster, continuing in a softer tone, while beckoning Easy over.  "Far as I'm concerned, the only problem I have with you, is that you think she's right to place that little value on our lives...or that much on a Sith's."

Seely might not like her, or Hector, but surely she can see where the problem is with that:  An enemy's life being worth more than the lives of three members of the team?

Oriana shrugs again, and gives the droid a visual once-over, no more than a hasty triage.  "Nothin' too bad there, Easy.  I'll patch you up once we touch down and rendezvous with Havoc."  From there, she leaves Duran and Seely to their talk, meandering down the corridor to the cockpit.  As usual, her footsteps announce her arrival before she actually shows up and drops into her seat, letting out a long, exasperated sigh.  For a moment, she glances over at Hector, looking for all the world like she'd rather be doing anything but dealing with this mess.  Then, she retrieves her headset from the console and slips it on, dropping back into business mode.

"X2, got those coordinates for Havoc's location?"

The ship not exactly being large, GiGi continues on towards the aft of the ship, where the others would be located for sheer space and comfort reasons if nothing else. She's still within earshot, and probably line of sight, as she places Seely's weapons onto a table. She then turns to the cups right beside it, and fills them with fresh tea to pass around, eventually even bringing some to Duran and Seely.

Helene heaves a great sigh, trusting for the moment that a fire fight wasn't about to erupt, and presses the button that opens the door to Shandas sleeping cell.

"Hello again, Consular. I am sorry to disturb your meditations, but we have important matters to discuss."

Seely only has a few things to say to Oriana in passing, "Judge not or be judged.  People like you and I should know that well; one incident does not make a life, or we wouldn't be talking."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:41, Sat 29 Sept 2012.

Shandas head rose from its meditations motioning to the unused cot from where she knelt upon the floor, "Of course, please make yourself comfortible."

Helene bows, deeply at her waist, and enters, closing the door behind her. She sits in a similar pose, right on the floor, across from the Jedi, cradling Shandas lightsaber in her hands with the utmost care.

"How are you feeling? My droid should be here shortly with refreshments."

Duran sighed as suddenly he was alone with the commander, he wasn't sure this was such a great idea after all,"Thanks, the condensed version makes it easier to understand but I have a few questions first before I move on to Garza's orders."

He frowned not really sure how to start,"What happened to the two Sith Force Users you were with? Clearly you parted company after we were gone...where are they now and do you know what they are doing?"

"How did you find out where the Force Sensitives and what ship are they on? Is there another way in that we can use with the Starfisher, although our orders are not to rendezvous with Havoc squad, another squad the Republic got on the planet."

"Have you had any more contact with the Sith Lord who informed us of the Force Sensitives in the first place? What did she say if anything?"

"Sore, the wounds recieved in the tunnel were mostly looked after by Serina but only rest will bring wholeness. A day of battles on a body unuse to it leaves its own fatigue. Though I'm guessing by Orianas outburst you are more concerned about my mental well being?" Shanda replied, a slight smile upon her lips, "I do apologize for that display. The captains views and my own have not meshed well from the start I think."

"Ugh, this whole team doesn't seem to have meshed well. If everybody fought our actual enemy as hard as they fight each other, this whole war would be finished by now," Helene laments.

"Why don't you tell me more about the entire incident? I've only heard the one side of the story, thus far, and as my father always says, 'somewhere in between both sides of a disagreement, is where the truth lies.'"

"Wehere do you wish me to begin? Perhaps the incident that Oriana labels me traitor?" Shanda lifted her head giving a sigh, "When we were sent to this world we were to make contact with a Republic informant. When we got here it was to the rude awakening of a sith invasion and our informant was in fact a front for a Sith Lord called Darth Imperius."

Taking a breath Shanda continued slowly, "Darth Imperius informed us of the Siths intentions to not only take this formerly neutral world but also capture a number of force sensitives here planetside. Amongst which she revealed was a daughter of her own. Our initial meeting was interrupted by other Sith which Darth Imperius warned us of."

"We were informed by Darth Imperius that a Sith Master and her apprentice were hunting us, the apprentice was of a race we had not met and was explained to be beyond reasoning with. This information proved accurate and the apprentice was killed during the battle." Shandas gaze returned to the woman across from her watching her evenly for any signs of wanting to question any of this first bit.

"I see," Helene says, nodding.

"So then, what happened next? It sounds like you were in the middle of a fierce battle."

"Imperius incapacitated Rathik and we left through the basement of that manor.  As far as the kids, we could use the Skyfisher to get there, seeing as the Rocket Tram could take us there.  And we were told by the Sith who gave us the information in the first place.  Either we trust the information, or we give up on finding the kids all together."

"So you did speak to her again? Did she say anything more? Anything about the children?" He frowned,"Where exactly are the kids being kept? Did you get any information at all about what is guarding or protecting them? Are they at the Space port or a private landing pad? Anything?"

He ran his hands through his hair and leaned back,"Our orders were fairly simple, we were to collect you and take you to our new commander. Captain Wromm, he's going to oversee the retrieval of the kids, he's in charge of Havoc and we are now part of Havoc Squad."

Shrugging he glanced towards the cabin,"Was there any indication why Shanda attacked us when we tried to kill the Sith? I mean I know she said she had surrendered but we had no way of knowing that and she certainly didn't seem like she had been disarmed...after all from what Ori tells me she deflected the fire from the quad cannons..that's quite a feat....and did Shanda use that lightening effect power again that you know of?"

"The beginning of the battle was short, we knew the apprentice could not be reasoned with so we subdued that threat first. Darth Imperius however had alluded that this apprentices master could potentially be dealt with through non violent channels. I faced the Master and did my task. Together with Commander Seely we were able to talk down Lord Rathik. While we were in the process of keeping her from a suicidal charge, the Skyfisher had finished engaging the Sith transport. When myself and Commander Seely move din to relieve the sith MAster of her lightsaber the area before us where the sith stood was lit up with shots. Had I relieved the Sith quicker, Rathik would likely have been killed on the spot a victim of a sumamry execution. Turning I attempted to ionize the source of the weapons fire to bring hostilities to a conclusive cease fire." Shands continued evenly stopping to take a breath. "While as I said I do regret trying to disable Orianas gun turret, I could not allow someone who had surrendered to my custody to be so sumamrily gunned down. Regardless if it is Sith or not, I had given my word that had she surrendered, her fate would be up to the Jedi Council."

"With the situation finally under semi-control, the Skyfisher left to report the situation and the ground team returned to its meeting with the informant, Darth Imperius." Shandas head feell forward a bit, "It was in this second meeting that Rathik became seperated from our custody. I suspect Darth Imperius incapacitated her in some fashion and was left under house arrest of the informants staff after a private conversation between her and Imperius. It is at this point that the possibility of a double cross became the most likely scenario."

"When we left the manor it was with supplies to bribe a faction of the local inhabitants in the underground tunnels to allow us passage. Between fighting sith tainted animals and imperial troops we had made our way to where the Skyfisher came to pick us up. During our advance I detected three force sensitives trying to descern our location, not realizing that the Skyfisher had returned I could only surmise that the two recognizable force sensitives on the planet were the Sith, Rathik and Imperius, hence my insistance that powerful opposition was following us. Between the stress of the day and my wounds, I do owe an apology for the brash assumption, I can only say in my defense of it that I had not expected to feel Durans and Oriranas connection to the force so soon again."

"I don't know, we didn't get much only a location and our target.  It was probably a set up of some kind, just to catch us out in the open, but...I couldn't not take it seriously." She sighed and lowered her voice. "Forget that, Duran: in the heat of the moment, it looked like we were fired upon!  But what am I supposed to say to Oriana and Hector that they'll believe?  They only see their way."

Helenes lip quirk into a soft and sympathetic smile, "Oh, do I ever know that particular stress. It gets easier with time, it really does. The part that is always hard, though, is when you have to do something that will end a life. That never gets easier, and if it does, it's time you retired."

"I do admire the lengths you will go to in the name of saving life, Shanda, but I have a question. You mentioned the Skyfisher dogfighting a Sith transport, that it had apparently defeated and then came to assist the ground conflict. Was there no communication between the two at all during the conflict?"

"No, that was admittedly a mistake on all our parts which we commented to each other afterwards. We should have alerted the Skyfisher that we were taking Rathik prisoner but we were a touch busy in the attempt to talk her down and relieve her of her lightsaber...by the same token there was no hail from the Skyfisher before Oriana opened fire on our location that was immeadiately adjacent to where myself and Commander Seely stood. Am just thankful Oriana is a good shot. Rathik could deflect the fire, Seely and myself, not so much." Shanda gave a slight chuckle at the memory.

"Ahem," the droid interjects, still holding up cups of tea for both Duran and Seely.

"My lady is many things, many of them that I give her a lot of well meaning maternal grief for, but I suggest letting her work. I have never seen anyone pull people together like she can."

Duran frowned,"And what was the location?" Something tickled in the back of his mind and he said,"Wait a minute, you said Imperious incapacitated Rathik...did you meet Imperious in person? What did she say to you?"

His mind spun, they had met a Sith Lord, the Sith Lord that they were now 'trusting'. The sooner they got to Havoc the better. He frowned though at Seely's words,"You were being fired upon? From what I understand there was more than 10 feet between you and the Sith and it hit the Sith, or at least near to her....nonetheless perhaps telling them that might help? So far all Shanda has done is say that she was sorry she shot at us but she'd do it again...."

Shrugging he said,"Which is hardly an apology, don't you think?"

Having already accounted the location upon request (or doing it now, if she had forgotten to), Seely shook her head, ignoring the droid and most of the other questions. "From my point of view, it was close, okay?  Maybe it was because Shanda was so close to her.  I don't know.  I don't care.  I didn't ask for anyone to shoot anyone.  We had achieved an enemy surrender.  Hostilities.  Were.  Over.  No one else had to die."

Helene firmly and thoroughly snuggles her face directly into the flat of her palm. She does, though, reach out to Duran through the Force, expressing her overwhelming sense of relief and simultaneous exasperation.

"Okay," she says, lowering her hand, "I know how to fix this. But I am going to need your help. Oriana and Hector are smugglers, they're rough and rowdy types, but they're also arrogant. An arrogance that is not exactly undeserved or unsupported by being successful in one of the galaxies most dangerous occupations. But, that means when they get their feathers ruffled, it's hard for them to see other peoples point of view."

"So, just apologize. Not for trying to save a life, that never requires an apology. Apologize for not communicating better, and for not thinking things through so well. Ionizing a starship in flight is dangerous, and while I don't expect it would of caused the ship to explode or something, it might have crashed. People could have died, as a result, Shanda. That's why they are upset."

"And don't think for a moment they're not ALSO about to get a talking to, because they also owe the rest of you an apology for opening fire with heavy weaponry at such short ranges, especially without giving any warning."

"In all fairness ionizing was a last ditch effort. Battling with a powerful apprentice and a semi suicidal Master had left me rather grasping at ways to end the conflict peacefully. Being fresh from the trials I doubted my ionization would have done anything, but if you feel that an apology would be best served in this situation I will agree to do so. I just hope you can make it clear to them, as a Jedi I cannot condone the summary execution of someone who has surrendered, that is not a traitor talk, that is Jedi code. That is a distinct difference to deaths caused in battle. I am not use to wars but I know enough that killing in cold blood IS something the dark siders indulge in, and I must try to prevent it." Shanda said softly bowing her head, "I already failed to act once today. I will not fail again. I simply cannot."

Helene shakes her head, "Sometimes, in order to get a point across, the best thing is not to drive your point forward, or explain your point of view. The best thing, is to put things into the recipients perspective. Sometimes, it even reveals a weakness in your own arguments."

Holding it in the palm of both hands, one at each end, Helene presents Shanda with her lightsaber.

Shanda nodded her head simply accepting the lightsabre back into her possession setting it on the floor before her knees. "If there is nothing else, may I return to my meditations? I need time to reflect on what we have spoke of."

"Of course. In particular though, reflect on their point of view, as it contrasts to yours, and reflect on the grand scheme of things. Saving lives is important, but risking three on the behalf of one?"

Helene leaves the rest of that for Shanda to mull over, herself, quietly coming to her feet and bowing again before she leaves, mentioning, "I'll see what's keeping the droid, and make sure she is quiet when she brings you some food."

And with that, she exits the room, closing the door behind her.

And pauses, to let other people post some more to catch up in the timeline.

Duran, sensing Helene's sending reached over and took the tea from GiGi,"Thank you, GiGi, that's very kind." Turning back to Seely he took a sip and asked,"And how did we know that? Did you tell us? I was not able to see what was going on but I did have my comm set on and there was nothing said. The woman could lift a starship with her mind! Just because her lightsaber was unignited doesn't mean she hadn't done something to effect your mind, or was about to unleash some other power..."

Seely had a few moments to calm down with the tea and what Duran was saying.  It was easy to see how things had broken down in hindsight.  It was easy to see how she could have gotten someone killed on either end.  The Sith could have done something to any of them, and the friendly fire from above could have killed any one of her fellows.

"I didn't, but this ship was under orders to leave, not to stay or to open fire.  I didn't think I'd need to give any further orders.  We had Shanda, and I trusted her as much as I trusted you all to inform the Republic...and I feel that, aside from that incident of friendly fire, no one has betrayed my trust."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:04, Sun 30 Sept 2012.

Duran nodded,"We were indeed, but stopping to help a friend is not something that you can hold against the smugglers now is it?" He shrugged at the comment on friendly fire,"Well, I'm sure if Shanda apologises then even that can be forgiven."

"Unfortunately, that's what has to happen.  Once Shanda apologizes for her response to that friendly fire and I apologize for everything, maybe we'll be able to leave behind this...incident.  I'm tired of fighting with the team I agreed to defend the Republic with..." It still sounds personal to her, but at least she is willing to come to the table.

Duran smiled, similar feelings of satisfaction flowing back to Helene as he reached over and patted Seely's hand,"I don't think you have to apologise for anything. I understand that after the torrid time you must have had on the planet that you have bonded with Shanda and trust her, that is normal, but once we have this incident out of the way I think all of us can bond as we take the fight to the Sith and rescue those kids."

He nodded, half to himself,"That is what is really important. Now, you want to get some rest? I can't imagine you slept well last night? I don't know how long it will take us to get there but I suspect we'll go straight back into action so you may want to catch the rest you can."

"I'm not quite old enough to need a nap after a little tour like that one." Seely graces Duran with a rare smile and stands. "Thanks for the concern, but I'm going to go and sort out my weapons, make sure everything's ready.  Do me a favor and make sure everyone else has their weapons ready, just in case we have to go in hot."

Duran nodded,"We're all ready to go, I think Shanda is the only one who might not be ready but it doesn't take much to prepare a lightsaber. So I think we're good to go, Seely."

He smiled and nodded to her before sitting back and focusing for a moment his mind reaching out twice in quick succession.[Private to Dame Helene Decrilla: "All done there? We're sort of sorted here."][Private to Oriana Cy'Kast: "Seely's cooperating. You okay?"]

The astromech has been quiet, but pipes up a few minutes after takeoff, routing its communication to the forward display where Hector can see it.  "Apology.  Signal = difficult to track beneath planet's surface.  Location of Republic squad Havoc = on display."  It couples this statement with a map, showing you where to go:  a secondary spaceport on the capital city's edge.  Perhaps the "invasion" was not as absolute as the Sith had hoped.  "Encryption = handled.  Query = status of your desire to be patched through to Republic forces?"

"So I think that went fairly well," Hector said, once they were in the air, and Oriana was comfortable in her copilot's seat.  "Even if she apologizes, she's still insane."  With a shrug, Hector glanced back at the droid once the coordinates were mentioned, he adjusted their course.  "Any idea what we'll find at the rendezvous?"

"Give it a few minutes, little guy.  Let's not announce our presence to everyone until we get a bit closer."

Turning back to Hector, Oriana retorts, "People that won't shoot at us, I hope?"  This sarcastic, obvious comment is punctuated by a soft snicker and a flash of her patented grin, as could be expected.  "And no joke.  I'm almost certain that if killin' someone, no matter the reason, pushed a person to the Dark Side, you an' I both would be pretty far gone by now."

She shrugs and pushes her headset back to dangle around her neck, glancing over the monitors that displayed the interior of the Skyfisher, absently flicking through the scenes while lost in thought.  Confident that the others were engrossed in their own discussions, Oriana kicks back in her chair and folds her hands behind her head, musing quietly, "Do you remember the first one?"

"I'll keep us low too, and slow enough that we don't break the sound barrier.  Should allow us to be as quiet as this ship could possibly be in atmosphere," Hector said, angling the ship down a bit to skim the forest on their way to the designated spaceport.  He was about as relaxed as he could be, with one hand on the yoke, the other resting on the throttle, carefully adjusting it as he followed the landscape.

"One of the main faults of the Jedi philosophy," Hector replied, picking up on Oriana's shift in conversation.  "Yeah, I remember the first.  Don't think I could ever forget, to be honest.  That kind of thing sticks with you... kinda like your first flight, first time with a woman... or man, in your case, I suppose."

"Yeah...only the memory isn't quite so fond," Oriana comments, staring out the panes of the transparisteel windows that bracketed the cockpit.  "Used to have nightmares about it on a regular basis, although it's been a while for that."  She chuckles, closing her eyes.  "What does that say, that it doesn't bother me so much anymore?"

Without waiting for an answer to that, she swivels her head to the side, and pushes her glasses up.  "How long ago?"

"I'd say its a sign of experience.  Somethings in life just... are, and you either learn to accept them, or let them destroy you.  I've seen too many people who let the latter happen.  It ain't pretty."  Hector remained silent then, trying to think back to that first kill he'd had to make.  "Technically, I suppose it would have been in the turret of my mother's ship, when we took part in the breaking of the blockade.  But, that sort of thing isn't the same - all you know is you've damaged or destroyed a ship, the connection to life isn't there.  My first true kill... when I was about 19, thereabouts." Hector paused, and took a moment to remember the details.  It seemed fitting to tell a bit of the story as well.

"Mugger in an alley.  Or just a thug... never really knew.  Came at me with a knife, and I didn't have a chance to get my blaster out - I wasn't so quick on the draw back then, but I did know my way around a bar fight.  Managed to turn the knife back on him, and did him in like he'd planned to do me."

Oriana chuckles, the corners of her mouth curling into a faint smile.  "Funny, isn't it, that here we sit armed to the teeth with handcannons, yet the first time is always more up close and personal than that?"  Although she doesn't move, her eyes slide towards the back of the freighter, looking down the corridor that she knows is behind her.  "Eight or nine years ago, in the hold back there, not a meter from where they're sittin' now.  Remember what I said, about crews that think a girl's easy?"  She glances up momentarily, then settles her gaze on the treetops outside the windows.

"Marigg picked up this Rodian for muscle, real scumbag piece of work.  Came at me one night when everyone else was in town, wound up havin' to shiv him with a broken bottle back there in the galley." She chuckles wryly, and forces a grin.  "Some of that Sullustan swill, probably would've done him in, anyway."

"I didn't mean to, but it just happened, you know?  Caught him in the neck, dropped him like a rock.  He was still alive when the captain got back a few minutes later, but Marigg wouldn't let anyone get the doc to patch him up.  Just stood there an' watched him bleed out all over the floor."  She takes a deep breath and drags both hands over her face, as if to scrub the memory out of her mind.

"So I'm pretty sure that if the Jedi think we're gonna forfeit our souls for shootin' Sith, they might have to get in line."

Hector nodded; he had recalled her mentioning what crews thought of women.  It wasn't all that surprising, but then, few men were as savvy as he.  For example, he never would have thought she was easy.  It might not have taken them long to hit it off, but that wasn't because Oriana was easy - more that he was irresistible.  Clearly.

"Sounds like Marigg was a pretty harsh customer.  Can't say I woulda done anything different in his position... and yes, that's probably the only time I'll ever draw a similarity between the two of us."  He smirked, and adjusted course a bit. "I think Jedi have a very... naive view on the galaxy.  Us smugglers, we've got more of the right of it.  You though... you're probably in a situation to have the most well informed view on the galaxy."

Hector shrugged.  At the end of that, he hadn't really been sure what he was trying to say anyway.  "I do look forward to whatever she's gonna preach next.  Maybe she'll try to preach the dangers of debauchery to us?"

Oriana couldn't help but laugh at that, as the mood in the cockpit lightened considerably.  "Pretty sure the padawan gets that lecture," she retorts, grinning broadly while settling her headset back over her ears.  "Although I'd pay good money to see you tell the Consular my view's the most well-informed! ...or whatever else passes as valid currency for trade," she adds, with a wink for good measure.

Still grinning, Oriana flips the toggle on the communication system, hailing Havoc on their encrypted frequency.  "Havoc, this is Guardian, do you copy? Repeat.  Havoc, this is Guardian."

X2 routes the comms to the flight deck so Oriana and Hector can hear them.  There is a pause, followed by, "Guardian, this is Havoc.  We'll dispense with transmitting our location since you seem to have bypassed our encryption without issue.  What's your status?"

The voice is female, though it would be impossible to say it's human.  Garza of course neglected to tell you anything about Wromm.

"Operational, with all of our strays retrieved.  We're perhaps five minutes out from your location, coming in low from the southeast.  Anything between us we should be on the lookout for?"  Oriana grins, glancing around at X2.  He was the best little droid she'd ever encountered, and she was having a good time imagining the ass-chewing someone was going to get over at Havoc for having their encryption so easily broken.

"The southeast?" comes the radio's reply.  "Well, all of the Sith's ground forces, I suppose.  It'd be dangerous to come in from the air; they've set up some surface-to-air batteries to keep our port locked down.  We've been-"

The link is cut off and reduced to static.  X2 warbles, "Link = severed, possibly jammed."

"Yeah well, coming in from the ground ain't exactly an option, either," Oriana finishes muttering under her breath as the call's terminated.  She glances over at Hector, knowing he'd heard the same thing she had.  "Through 'em or around 'em, babe?" Either way was likely risky, given that they had no idea how many of those surface-to-air batteries the Sith ground forces had set up.  She wished she knew how many 'some' was.

She twists around over her shoulder to address the droid, "Forget the comms for now, little guy.  Get a map of the area pulled up, so we can see if there's anything we can use for cover on the way in."

Seely would find that GiGi has already taken the loose pile of weapons, neatly sorted them, and is currently engaged in the act of exchanging her spent power packs, for fresh ones extracted from a compartment in the droids abdomen.

And muttering something to herself in a language Seely has a high probability of having never heard before, considering the sheer quantity of them the droid is capable of speaking.

"Too kind of you." Seely assists in the process, taking the power pack out of the heavy blaster and replaces it with one of the spare power packs near it as the droid replaces the two nearly spent power packs from the rifle.  Aside from that, she doesn't interfere.  Even in the most paranoid and horrible scenarios, the Twi'lek has an ace up her sleeve.

Helene was taking her sweet time ambling back through the ships hallway. She could of made the journey in but moments, but she was deep in her own thoughts - especially now that she had gotten an impression from Duran that things were coming together.

Of course, the next part was likely to be more difficult than the last, but not nearly so much as the final piece of the plan...

But, having lingered a moment, leaning against Duran in the hallway, she follows after Seely towards the hold, where the rest of the Republic Military portion of the team would be as well. She pauses in the doorway, assuming Seely had entered to attend to her weapons, before following the good captain over to it.

"GiGi, be a dear and take some tea and a ration bar to Shanda. I'd like a moment with the Captain."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:29, Wed 03 Oct 2012.

Seely takes a moment to sort out the weapons and does one last check as she waits for Helene to start talking.  She does glance and nod at Helene in greeting, though.

Helene sighs, and as if inspired by the means to keep her hands busy, draws both of her pistols out and sets them upon the table as the droid heads out of the room as requested. They're like new, these pistols, though clearly custom crafted, being entirely too small for a heavy pistol, but too large and complicated for a lighter one.

"So, I spoke with Shanda. She's agreed to apologize, and I think whatever had her so rattled has cleared up. I'd dare say, in fact, that the difference is sufficient that I question whether or not she was actually under an influence of some sort. She is not a prisoner, and I gave her back her lightsaber. Oriana is going to be livid, I am sure, but I'll deal with that when the time comes for it."

"How are you?"

"I'm all right.  I could be a lot better." Seely looks over at Helene with tired eyes that match her dark green flesh.  She looks prepared, though...

"You look like you're not the only person who should be in their cabin, Captain. But, I'm not going to fuss at you over it. There's enough of that going on around here as it is, too much, probably."

Her weapons requiring very little actual maintenance, Helene is soon sighting down one of them, in that way people used to such things tend to do, as she continues, "Captain Wromm may have over all operational command, now, you know, but you are still officially the highest ranking representative of the Republic here. He'll be expecting you to be in charge. Now we both know, half or maybe even more of the team has no interest in following your orders, and at least one of them is very interested in doing the opposite of what you say just to spite you."

"But, I think we can change that. And not just because you all seem willing to grant me authority over you. I am not sure we will really have the time for everything to come around the way it is supposed to be, Captain, but the fact that the military half of the team all came back alive speaks to your tactical leadership, something we are going to need to get this job done."

"So, what do you say Seely? Shall we make an effort to get the team back into proper shape, or do you want to tell Wromm that he should be talking to me, instead?"

Seely is silent as she checks her weapons one more time.  When she finishes, she sighs and almost starts again, but finally glances back to Helene. "I want to sort this out.  It's going to be harder than training a hundred recruits into a proper fighting force, and it might blow up in our faces, but I'm going to do everything in my power to keep that from happening.  I've dealt with worse.  I can sort this out."

"Good. I'd say, refrain from issuing much in the way of orders to people who don't actually have ranks, and that would be a great first start," heaving a great sigh, Helene holsters her pistols, "And now for the hard part, breaking the news to Hector and Oriana. Do try the tea, if you haven't, GiGi is quite good at making it."

And thus, she bows her head slightly, and turns on her heel to head towards the cockpit.

"Already have...I'm not a fan of tea, to be honest, but it wasn't bad." Seely had nodded in agreement with the first statement.  She holsters and slings her weapons before moving herself a bit closer to the cockpit in Helene's wake.  There is no reason to say anything to those two or even to go in right now, but it might prove prudent to be nearby.  Even if Helene has a good rapport with them, after all, that bridge is pretty easy to burn...
This message was last edited by the player at 13:52, Wed 03 Oct 2012.

The news that they had most - or all - of the Sith ground forces between them and the spaceport wasn't all that surprising, given how their luck had gone so far.  That said...

"I say straight in," Hector decided, pushing the throttles to their full-stops.  "They're bound to have AAA batteries, but if we stick low to the treeline, they'll only have a brief instant to aim and fire, before we're out of their firing arc.  I hope they don't have missiles, but if they do... well, we'll deal with that if it comes to it."

Oriana laughs as Hector buries the throttle levers, sending the Skyfisher into a sudden leap forward.  "I knew you were going to say that."  She hastily pulled up the navigational displays with one hand, hoping X2 had found that map already, while reaching over to flip the intercom toggle with the other.

++ Strap in and buckle up if you aren't already, and get on those guns.  The entire Imperial ground force seems to be in our way, and they might not be appreciative of the surprise flyover they're about to get.++

The rest of the ship warned, Oriana turns her attention to making sure that the Skyfisher's shields are at full, and ready to route additional power to the ventral surfaces if needed.

Seely stumbles at the sudden jerk and almost immediately reverses direction once she has control of herself again.  Slipping her slung rifle off, she climbs to the ventral gun and mounts up.

++I'm ready on the ventral gun.  It's all hostiles down there, right?++ She starts to orient herself and to point the weapon in the direction of travel.  She has a feeling effective ground fire might come from something a bit bigger than this cannon can deal with, but raising a little chaos on the ground might help.

Helene lurches with the ship, one hand darting out to grip the frame of the doorway into the cockpit.

"Well," she says as she slips forward and hops into one of the rear seats, looking for any controls with which she can make herself useful, "You lot may be happy to know that if you get us all killed, you'll miss Shandas apology and Seely making an effort to be less bossy."

That wasn't precisely the way she'd have said it if everybody was in earshot, but then, had everybody been in earshot this entire time, she was sure they'd be shooting at each other instead of the Sith. All in all, a step in the right direction!

"What a pity," Hector mused, grinning while he leveled the ship out a mere 20 feet or so above the treeline.  Given that the trees varied in height, any lower and they might be picking up a few air-fresheners along the way.  He considered what she said though - given what was in front of them, they were very likely flying right into death.  How odd that he was still grinning like a madman.

"Well, if we're all gonna die anyway, why don't we take a detour and have us a threesome before we go?"  He paused, rolling the ship over a particularly high hill.  "Wouldn't want to miss out on anything in life, before dying in a blaze of glory!"