Forim just looks at the maps in silence, letting the questions of hte others wash over him as he struggles to formulate a plan that will involve no casualties...

Lum scratches his head. "We have not taken a count of their numbers recently. The last time was several seasons ago, and the numbers may not be precise now. I can tell you what they were then."

He consults with the other Aki-Varshi, and then scrawls some information on the sand for you to see. After some discussion of what is meant by the terms he uses, you settle on this translation.

Prisoners -- 50
 Guards & Soldiers -- 40
 Technical Staff -- 20

Lum borrows your own map of the southern territory. "You see the south-most facility, where the prisoners are housed? The swamp has taken it in half. Now the guards make the prisoners work all day to try and drive out the water and raise the ground. They also take prisoners out of their facility to other facilities, to do work there. I believe they give them extra food or other rewards to make them work harder."

"The ship visits at least once a month. They bring supplies and occasionally new prisoners."
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:36, Mon 14 May 2018.

Anders starts doing some drawings of his own of the various types of Imperial shuttle and cargo craft to see if he can get an accurate idea from Lum of what the ship is.

"So the biggest hurdles are getting the ship, destroying the ion weapon and getting away. My initial idea is to use the prisoners, but if the ship is not big enough to carry them all... Initially we could take out the barracks first and then secure the ship while another group takes out the cannon ? I'm not sure we have the numbers ?"

He though for a few minutes "If we could secure a walker it could do both jobs, cannon and barracks."

-
This message was last edited by the player at 02:31, Mon 14 May 2018.

Staying quiet while the tactical experts do their their thing was normal for Xyklo. But although he’d never be Officer Material, he was pretty good at being stuck in a swamp, outnumbered and without help.
”Excuse me sirs, do we know what the lighting situation is? If we face more guns than we have then being hard to see is usually good.”

Turning to Anders he smiled.
”I’d like to volunteer for taking a walker and running sabotage.
I’ve experience with hotwiring vehicles and I’m not too bad at their weapons...

Might even be able to get in before they notice.”

Forim seems to have a curious look on his face before he says "do you think these are power stations with the power cords exposed on the ground?  That could easily shut off the cannon and the base defences If so.

Put some charges in a remote trigger to blow as we make our escape.  By the time it's fixed we will be long gone..."

As you ponder, Lum adds something else. "If you wish, we can vat-grow you some tools. Our primary patterns are for knives, bows, and arrows, but if you wish some other weapon or tool I can arrange for the template to be brought out of the archives. Unfortunately, vat-growing armour takes a great deal of time and custom work."

"If you require explosives, I suggest visiting the Geik tribes to the north. They produce fire-powder in great measure. I am sure it would be suitable for your needs. The only challenge is that they are currently engaged in a territorial dispute. If you wish, we can convey you to them."

Forim says "We met them in the north, it did not go very well." matter of factly.

"Territorial dispute...hmmm...how serious is it?  Is a resolution possible or are the sides forever mortal enemies?" Zeic considers some things while he waits for insight.

"They wanted us to attack another group so, yes I think they want each other dead. If we were to attack the prison would you and your men be able to provide a diversion ?"

Xyklo puts his hand up.
“Do they...   do they have external lighting at the base? If so is it just a single mounting of floodlights or many?”

"It is a shame that the geik tribes have such animosity. They coexisted peacefully for many generations. And from what I understand it is their spawning time soon. If they cannot make peace, they will be unable to produce the next generation."

Lum hesitates. "We could provide a distraction, but I am reluctant to promise. From what I have seen of this 'Empire' they do not take kindly to armed resistance. Our secrecy from them on this world has been our protection. If they learn of us, they may choose to attack. I would prefer to aid from the shadows, rather than drawing attention."

"The base has these towers," Lum says as he points. "They have bright lights that they point around to search for trouble. They can only be aimed outside. Each of these buildings also has electric lights on them. The compound is fairly well lit where it is bright, but there are large portions of darkness. On a cloudy night, a clever person could move all about in the dark, illuminated only when the guards are looking a different way."

“I think we can do this sir, I mean, I think we have been in worse situations this last week.

This site, with the Gaurds and the walkers, how far is it from the site with the prisoners and the landing craft?

We could...   I could sneak in and perhaps even wait in the cab of one of the walkers. When the craft descends I can draw their eyes and you can, you can...   you know, rescue the prisoners.
If it goes well we may be able to take over the base, at least for a while. Long enough to blow the hell out of that weapon!” Xyklo is now very excited, both antenna bolt upright.

Anders was not so sure, he did not think they had the numbers, but the first part of the plan was probably a goer. "So we hijack a walker which should draw some of the imperials out which would give us a chance to free the prisoners. Then we just wing it.... with the ship the primary target followed by the weapon and lastly the barracks. Or does the walker target the barracks first and then we move in."

-

“Erm, barracks first, I think. Possibly any heavy arms placements actually.

It will reduce enemy firepower and draw fire inwards to that section, giving the craft and rescue party more freedom to infiltrate without being seen,”

"One question we have to answer is this: are we going to try to rescue the prisoners.  Doing so will make our primary mission harder BUT it would provide a plausible counter intelligence story which is a secondary objective." Forim says a bit coldly.

"Well, if we are going to do this then that seems a reasonable plan to try a rescue.  Perhaps we should move off and see it for ourselves?"

“But...  of course we should try sir!

We have to, don’t we?”

Forim shakes his head and says "we don't have to, no.  It's not our mission.  And it could jeapordize our primary mission...

It's a choice I have to make, if those prisoners are freed and brought off planet, freed from prison but not rescued and then probably killed by Imperials as a distraction, or we get them off plant.

All of their lives, and yours, are on my shoulders."

Lum the Master Warden coughs politely. "Would you like us to guide you south, to one of the bases? It should be easy enough to get to the base with the star-weapon, or the machine-beasts."

Using the simple language of the Geik is placing a real cramp on his vocabulary.

In reply to The Force (msg # 97):

"Yes, I think we need to have a look for ourselves." Anders got ready to move out and follow the locals.

-

Forim nods and hoists himself up to follow

Xyklo grabs his assorted kit, but when it comes to the selection of guns he pauses. The Barons rifle he takes a long look at, before removing its clip and throwing the weapon back down. Taking up his old ACP he rejoins the others.

The Verpine bounces gently on his feet, very eager to get to grips with the target.

With that, Lum nods and barks out orders. Within moments, the Aki-Varshi are ready to go. They head down the mountain into the marsh. They loosely surround you, much further out than when they were treating you as prisoners. Now it feels more like an honour-guard. A few are out on the periphery, keeping an eye out for dangers in all directions.

Lum stays close to you. He leads you by a path of thick-grown vegetation that serves as a sort of path through the marsh. This prevents you from having to get too wet above your feet.

You near the mouth of the marsh, an area of fens fed by a river. At this point it is impossible to continue on foot. The Aki-Varshi have foreseen this. Some of them, who must have run ahead earlier without your notice, have cut loose hummocks of vegetation that float on the water. They serve as rafts for you and your escorts.

Hours of poling and paddling lead you across the river at its slowest, widest point. You are once again in the foothills of the mountain. The Aki-Varshi lead you on a fairly flat, winding route. It is dark by now, and the less nocturnal of you have a hard time avoiding stumbling on rocks. You try to avoid complaining, which gets easier when you hear the artillery.

Off to the south-west, you hear powerful laser fire and explosions. Distantly, you can see a fire gradually growing. It would seem that the Imperials pursuing you have not given up. They have picked another forest to destroy in an effort to pick up your trail or kill you.

Finally, in the wee hours of the morning, you cross a short distance over a plain and end up in a forest. It is a forest of high, tall trees and little ground vegetation. Lum declares that this is your resting spot for the night. You gratefully lie down on a bed of fallen leaves and needles, soft and aromatic. The Aki-Varshi form a circle around you to take their own repose.

You are drifting off to sleep as you see Lum taking one final look around with his life-form-detecting lens.

Forim nods when the camp site is picked.  He looks like he is about to give orders as he slumps to the ground, but it only comes out as a mumble as he passes out slowly sliding down the tree to lie next to it on the ground, fast asleep.

He does not wake until morning, not even for food.

ooc: unless someone makes a concerted effort to wake him.  I.E. shaking him or something.  just gently moving him or calling out his name wont wake him up.

It could just be the return to sleeping wild in the undergrowth, with imperial forces nearby, but Xyklo’s dreams entered the dark nightmares of the year before he joined the rebellion.
Sleeping during the dawn hours and sliding through swamp strewn jungles at dusk. Murder and sabotage yielding temporary relief from the hatred and frustration that fuelled him. To survive. To fight back.

Only this time it was different. As he crawled over a thick tree root and slid into the thick green mulch on the other side he was aware. Of the tree, patient, passive, tolerant, peaceful. Of the three large grubs in a chunk of rotten wood floating next to him, industrious, vibrant and hopeful.
A bird sung overhead. Had he never before been sensitive to the raw lust held in that song?

Two white figures in the distance.

Guns at their hips.

A shudder of primordial rage shook him, his mind spun, fingers digging deep into the soft earth.
His antenna dropped flat against his skull.

No!
This was not the way, at least...   it wasn’t his way.