As the group of five make their way by maglev tram down into the core of Mechis III, Django sets up a plan for when they arrive.

Django listens and nods. "While the techies figure out if an' how y'all are gonna get this core up an' running, I and one other, y'all pick, are gonna poke around a bit to see if we can figure out whether or not foul play was involved. I know the place is old as dirt, but it still feels awful strange to me that an all seein' AI can lose a grip on its central areas. We also need t' be keepin' an eye out, and I mean all of us, for any sort'a defunct security droid team or somethin' along those lines. Once we secure our area a' operation, we'll see what we can do about settin' thangs up - if possible - to avoid any future shut downs... with a twist. Ronan, you got any way to rig up a kill switch to undo the work yer gonna be performin'? If this core's AI tries to spaz out on us, I wanna be good an' sure we can be more of a problem for it that it can be fer us".

"Can do, boss.  Got three ways to make it work.  Can discuss whenever you're ready."  Right after he finishes speaking there is a soft bump and Ronan lets out an epithet of the tram system.  "No worries.  Under control.  Just a hiccup."  His cheerful tone is contradicted by the long pause before he says, "I hope."

"I'll go with you. We'll need Irin and Inarra to cover systems ops while everything starts coming online to make sure everything is in order."

Inarra nods.  "I can work the planetary net while Ronan handles the hardware. I can probably work through any security issues that come up."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:02, Mon 19 June 2017.

"I think that's a good plan.  I'll handle communications and see what information on the history of this place might be useful."

There is another bump, this time a little bit harder.  "Might want to take a seat back there.  I'm going to have to slow things down.  If something happens, we don't want to turn into bloody smears on the rail-tunnel walls."

Irin tightens her buckles and grabs onto a bar nearby.  There is obvious fear in her eyes.

Inarra folds her hands together, closes her eyes, and relaxes.

Tump whistles quietly to himself and looks out the window.

Django calmly take his seat, strapping himself in.

The ride continues to get worse with the rail system shutting off for fractions of a second now and again.  The innumerable times the dropping sensation hits the group starts to have its effect.  Irin is the first to succumb and vomits all over the floor.

[Unless other action is taken at this point, roll Fort DC 15 to not vomit from the motion.]

Tump sits there, stoically, as the transport bumps along the rail. He attempts to comfort Irin, but he is too tightly strapped in to reach her.


12:21, Today: Tump rolled 20 using 1d20+1.  Fort save.

Django is unfazed by the dropping sensation and continues to hang on.

11:56, Today: Django Blint rolled 20 using 1d20+4.  Fort roll to resist hurling

Ten minutes before the transport is supposed to, it stutters, drops, picks back up, then slows and gently settles to the ground.  Ronan walks back from the control cabin.  "We walk the rest of the way.  If I try to continue, the tram could be damaged and then we'd not have a way back to the surface.  It's a three hour walk from here to the end of the rail, then we have to get through whatever architecture is there to the power core.  Outside is going to be hot as we are kilometers into the mantle.  However, the transport tube will protect us.  My readings show it to be about 50 metric degrees outside."

He turns to Django, "Captain, we have plenty of power to try to get back to the surface, but it will take days for us to recharge the generators for another trip.  I'll leave it to you to decide what we do now.  I'm game for continuing on, though."

The women echo the engineer's sentiment.

Django thinks for only a second. "We came down here to fix a problem. Seems like if we leave an' try to come back we'll jes have the same personal issues all over again. Proceed forward, Mister Blundershaw".

Ronan grabs the two remaining generators and straps them on his back without complaint or request for assistance.  He ensures that everyone has all the gear they need and are ready to go before he opens the door.  A wave of almost debilitating heat strikes the group.  It takes a minute or so for everyone to adjust to the intense heat.  Everyone is sweating before they step from the tram.

The journey is grueling, but otherwise uneventful for the first hour.  The going is slow and it is completely dark save for the microfusion lamps used to light the huge mag-lev tunnel.  Engineers of the place saw no need to do more than the minimal insulating as they calculated any humanoids would either spend little time in the tunnel or be in protective gear.

The most disconcerting fact of the journey is the realization that the tube is straight down toward the center of the planet and that the group should be in complete free-fall.  Instead, gravity seems to be below the feet with only a slight tug forward so that the whole walk feels down-hill.

At the end of the hour, the group can see the power station down at the end of the tunnel.  It could be reached in ten minutes save for the gaping hole in the tunnel where it looks like it pulled apart.  Even more troublesome is that outside of the tunnel, there is a pool of lava, not below the gap, but in what looks like the far wall on the outside to the left.  The wall of lava is about ten meters beyond the lip of the tunnel, but the orientation of whatever serves for artificial gravity in the tunnel is playing all kinds of havoc with senses due to the natural gravity affecting the lava on the outside of the tunnel.

The gap itself is about 50 m across.

"Well this is a pickle... Tump, how much juice you got left in your boots?"

Tump scratches his head only to find his hair drenched in sweat. Shaking his hand clean, he replies "Should be fully charged. Haven't used 'em since the basement."

He takes a quick look at the power meter and shrugs. "Upper 90's. Between you and me, we ought to be able to taxi folks across, but I don't know how much drain those generators will put on the system."

"I'd imagine quite a bit. Only one way t' find out though. Aight, who's first? he says, looking at the group.

"I-I should go.  Inarra and Ronan are more critical to the m-mission."  Her teeth are chattering at the prospect of the leap.  She keeps looking back at the lava.

Enough of it circles the tube on the far side to be below the tunnel where the group intends to land.  If anyone misses, they will fall out of the tunnel and be facing the lava head on.  With the crazy gravity, this will likely arc them parabolically so that they actually fall into the lava itself.

Tump reaches for a gun. "Hold on sister, let me try something."

He takes aim and fires a large slug toward the transport railing on the other side of the gap. Midway across the gap, the slug elongates and rigid arms pop out, resembling a grappling hook. With a resounding clank, the hook connects with the rail system on the other side and secures itself. He gives it a couple tugs for good measure to make sure it doesn't detach.

Once satisfied it's secure, he walks over to an intact portion of the rail on their side and disconnects the cable from his utility gun, and secures it in the same fashion as the other side with one small exception. He attaches a digital auto-release mechanism to retrieve the cable once everyone is on the other side.

"Make shift rail system", he says with a smile.

"I should go first.  I'll leave the generators here.  Once I'm across, assuming I make it, attach them here...and here, and slide them across.  Once out beyond the rail, the planet's gravity should carry them most of the way across.  Inertia will get them all the way."  He grins and looks at Inarra.  "If I don't make it.  The passcode to my forge back on Corellia is Phoenixhammer, all one word.  First letter is capitalized."

Ronan takes a set of small ropes from his backpack.  Safety clips are attached to each end.  He shrugs.  "We were going down into the planet.  The likelihood of spelunking was high."  With the saftey clips distributed, he attaches one to his own belt and to the wire.  In moments he is out over the gap and in free fall toward the other tunnel.  He lets out a yell of glee, then is over the lip of the other side.  His boots land and he slides to a stop.

Once there, he takes the grapple to the right side of the tunnel facing the core and ties it higher up on a support column in such a way that it cannot slide.  He gives two thumbs up after tugging a couple of times hard.

Tump waves, acknowledging Ronan being ready for the generators. "Hey Captain, can you give me a hand with the generators? One of us should hold it steady while the other secures it to the cable."

Django nods and hoists up one of the generators, holding it up near the cable.

Tump attaches the generator and gives it a nudge on down the line. He watches as it passes through the gap and he waits for Ronan to receive it and before sending the next one.

Eventually the generators make it to the other side with no issue.  Ronan motions for the next person to come across.

Feeling more confident the cable can hold the load, Tump looks over to Irin. "Ready?"

Irin nods, obviously nervous.  She gets the clip secured well to her belt then zips across.  As she lands, there is a wooshing sound faint in the distance beyond her and Ronan.  This is followed by a repeated chu-chunk chu-chunk sound which is getting closer.

"I dunno what that is, but if it ain't a friend then I wanna have feet firmly planted on the ground to face it. Hurry it up people, move it!". Django's tone evokes a sense of urgency.

Tump moves over to Inarra and starts hooking her up to the rail. "Ladies first."

Inarra nods, then jumps out over the chasm.  She zips down the line toward Ronan.  Suddenly, a bolt of red lances out of the darkness from behind Ronan and Irin and slams into the rail.  It knocks the grapple loose.

Ronan dives for it but misses.  However, Irin is quicker.  She grabs ahold, but ends up getting yanked off her feet and the rope holding Inarra begins to swing about wildly.

More bolts rain from the darkness, missing Ronan and Irin by only a little, but keeping Ronan from reaching her.  Irin is slowly being pulled toward the edge of the tunnel.

Tump starts spewing curses and not exactly under his breath. Thinking quickly, he reaches into a pocket and pulls out a small gel pack. The look on his face shows a certain lack of confidence, but there is little else he can do on this side of the gap. He reaches back and launched the pack over towards Irin, or more like where she is sliding towards.

It sails quickly over the gap and lands on the other side. It hits with enough force to rupture the pack and spread it along the path Irin is traveling.

Tump uses one of his "Stay-put" gel packs in an attempt to stop or slow progress.

Django reaches up quickly and activate his anti grav harness. He retrieves his blaster in one hand, and makes a bee line for Innara while yelling for Irin to "Hold fast!". He trails his hand along the grapple line just enough to guide him as he rockets forward.

The gel pack does what it's supposed to.  Irin finds her feet trapped, but she is able to hold the cable still as Inarra continues to 'fall' toward her.

Django, with his gear, catches up rapidly and is able to move Inarra down the cable toward the other side.  A bolt of energy blasts the ground right next to Irin, but does little more than singe the gel pack.  Django and Inarra arrive on the other side, Inarra declipping almost as soon as she is past the lip of the tunnel.  She rolls to her feet and moves over to Irin, trying to help her get free of the gel.

Out of the dark lumber four large droids.  Each is taller than any man by several decimeters.  Their legs, two per droid, are bent backwards which gives them an ungainly gait at this speed, though it's likely at higher speeds the legs would benefit.  Atop the legs is a square head and no body.  Two rhomboid eyes, red like lava run across the wide face.  There is a single turret on the face of the droid, and below that, an open rectangle at least pretending to be a mouth.  Out of the side of the head are two arms with a host of manipulators of various kinds where hands should be.  The arms reach almost down to the ground and would if not for being bent in all five of its joints to a small degree.

The turrets can rotate and do so with a randomness that indicates these droids are either corrupted in their programming or perhaps not actually trying to hit anyone.  The fact that they hit the grapple weighs against the latter option.

Seeing Django and Inarra reach the other side gives Tump some relief, however, Irin remains in a sticky predicament. He reaches into his vest and pulls out another gel pack and launches it into the same place as the last one. It lands a little off-center but catches the most of the gelled area to immediately start dissolving Irin's bindings.

Tump uses one of his "EZ-Glide" gel packs to counter the previous one.

Ronan sees that Tump has managed to free Irin.  He dashes toward her and tackles her just before a blast hits the area covered in goop where she had been standing.  He lifts her bodily and carries her over behind some railing to give partial cover.  "What do we do, boss?"  He looks squarely at Django.

Django removes his BFG-9300 from his shoulder sling, and depresses a button causing the entire assembly to expand time and a half again its original size. The weapon is massive, and though it could potentially be wielding standing, Django drops to the ground and goes prone. "The ways blocked Mr. Blunderslaw, an' we's about to get it back open. Send a volley of all Hades their way on my command, courtesy of the Millennium Falcon Crew".

Django loads a large disintegration round into a port on the backside, and slides it shut. The maglev system winds up to a light hum, and a feint blue glow forms along the inner top and bottom of the "rail" system that will guide the projectile forward. He gives anyone who's going to fire the a few seconds to brandish a weapon and get sighted in. "Estimated range, 100 meters out. Locked on.... FIRE!!".

The maglev cannon lets out a thunderous FWOOP sound as the round is near instantly across the gap... and sails beyond the targets. Django looks at the dial settings again and see's the range is set to 200, not 100 meters. He reaches into his pocket to begin reloading and trying to dial in his range better, quietly cursing under his breath.

20:06, Today: Django Blint rolled 9 using 1d20+2.  BFG-9300 Attack Roll.

Tump yanks the slug thrower from his holster and draws a long, slow bead. It's a much longer shot than he's attempted before, but given the gap between him and his target, it was worth the chance. He squeezes the trigger. The slug whizzes over the gap, past Django and his mega-canon, and scores a hit on the metallic frame [4 dmg].

19:45, Today: Tump rolled 4 using 2d4.  Damage vs. weird looking robot.

There is a whoosh and then a thunderclap as the round disintegrates the air beyond the droids and the surrounding air rushes in to fill the void.

As Tump's round plinks off the droid, it recenters it's firing pattern on him.  The bolts splatter in his general vicinity but do not hit.

The droids have yet to hit anyone.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:21, Fri 07 July 2017.

Ronan takes a mechanical rod from his back and expands it into a bow-like device.  He mimes drawing back a string that isn't there, and a glowing arrow of pure energy appears.  He holds it longer and longer as another then another appears.  When there are four, the bow dings.  "TARGETS ACQUIRED. RANGE 90M...90M...100M...105M"

He releases and the arrows streak out toward the droids.  The two front droids are hit and take some damage [8 and 7].  The last two arrows miss and dissipate in the darkness.  Ronan frowns.

Inarra digs in her own pack and drops a couple of disks on the ground.  They shoot off maglev  style toward the droids.

As a few more blasts whiz past Django, he hurriedly adjust the rifle again. The shot misses even worse than before, and his curses under his breath are now very audible as he lets go of the BFG-9300 and pulls out his lever action rifle instead, 8 explosive rounds still loaded in it, and takes aim.

Tump loads another round, this time using the explosive ones, and fires a shot at one of the droids in the center. The oversized round sails over the first droid and lands right at the second ones feet. The round ruptures, sending out bits of shrapnel along with a concussive blast [13 dmg to all droids in range].

Taking 15. Tump hits AC 14 after all current modifiers.
07:50, Today: Tump rolled 5,8 using 2d4,2d8.  damage vs. group of droids.

About the time Tump's shell rocks the droids, one of them starts to shake violently, arcs of blue lightning crawling their way up its legs and all over its body.  After a few seconds the electricity show stops, and the droid whirs and smokes a bit, but then keeps coming.

Ronan launches four more arrows from his energy bow.  Three hit square on [5, 4, 7 DMG], but the fourth misses by a meter or so.  The three hit look to be in sad shape now.  The one in the back has been mostly protected by the others and looks like it is still in fairly good shape.

The front droid has stopped firing, but continues to approach.  The two to the side fire sporadically, and their blasts don't seem to be getting any closer.  In the back, the droid least hit stops, plants its feet wide and starts moving its cannons around as if seeking a specific target.  Django or Ronan are likely choices when considering the angle of the guns.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:18, Tue 11 July 2017.

Django takes aim of the walker in the back row, and fires at a knee joint. The shot rings true and the joint erupts in a hail of shrapnel and sparks, causing the droid to tip over. It is now unable to progress forward anymore.

Take 10 = 14 (-2 for range, Precise shot feat)
19:26, Today: Django Blint rolled 15 using 2d6+2d8.  damage versus walker
This message was last edited by the player at 03:21, Wed 12 July 2017.

With the droid in back no longer progressing forward, Tump sends another explosive round toward the three in front. The shell appears to detonate a bit early, causing minimal damage compared to the previous one [8 dmg].


Taking 15. Tump hits AC 16 after all current modifiers.
08:02, Today: Tump rolled 3,5 using 2d4,2d8.  damage vs. group of droids.

This message was last edited by the player at 14:34, Wed 12 July 2017.

Inarra pulls out a blaster and fires off a couple of shots.  The droids have moved within 60m of the group by now and her blasts hit the droid on the left flank in one of the guns.  It sparks a bit, tries to fire, and explodes.

Ronan drops his bow and pulls an enormous hammer from its sheath on his back.  He moves toward the droids, concentrating on dodging their blaster fire as he closes.

The lead droid closes to within 20m of Ronan.  The blaster fire from its guns has not improved in accuracy.  Bolts scorch the ground all around the big engineer, but none hit him.

The other two continue to fire on the rest of the group, but still haven't managed to hit anyone, even at this closer range.

Django quickly removes the explosive rounds from his rifle, seeing Ronan closing the gap to melee. He swaps out for sniper rounds. They'll be reduced damage but their accuracy and range are unparalleled by anything he carries. Figuring Ronan has the lead droid covered, he takes aim at one of the side droid's blasters in an attempt to disable it. The blaster erupts with a small fire, and ceases to function.

Take 10 = 16
19:46, Today: Django Blint rolled 8 using 2d6.  damage vs walker
This message was last edited by the player at 00:00, Sat 15 July 2017.

With Ronan in melee range, Tump switches to single target rounds. He fires off a shot, albeit less effective than the last [5 dmg].

Take 15.
19:30, Today: Tump rolled 5 using 2d4.  damage vs walker.

Inarra fires again, but misses completely.  Her bolt sizzles against the tunnel ceiling well behind the droids.

Again the lead droid lights up with electricity, but continues tonfunction.  Smoke is emitted from several joints at this point.

There is a low whine that builds in pitch and loudness as Ronan approaches the lead droid.  When he finally closes the gap, he swings his hammer with two hands.  There is a THUMP of a concussion blast going off and the screeching of crumpled metal as the lead droid is lifted off its feet and thrown back several meters from the blow.  It lays there, smoking and whirring, but makes no attempt to rise.

The other two droids turn their guns on Ronan.  The weapons rock back, actuating firing, but no energy comes out of the barrels.  They turn to look at one another and lower their weapons.

"We surrender."  They say simultaneously.

Django pops up from his prone position, weapon still trained on one of the droids, and begins walking forward. "Surrender? Heck, we was just gettin' started. Aight then, eject your... well whatever it is you're usin' for ammo in them blasters. Don't try anythang funny or I'll put a hole through ya the size of the big'uns head".

Both droids open up hatches in their weapons and eject canisters.  They look almost completely empty.

Django continues forward until he's only 10 foot away from the closest droid. "No further movements out of ya. Any movement without permission is gonna get perceived as a threat, and I'll make good on my promise a shootin ya. Now talk. The heck you doin' attacking us?".

"Unauthorized entry detected.  No transport.  No ID card.  Parameters: scare off in case potential customer in unauthorized area.  No lethal force permitted."

Django lowers his weapon, and sighs while wiping sweat from his face. "Look, the transport is busted. Things on th' surface are all outta whack. The service droids up topside never mentioned anything about an ID. And as far as customers go, you can compute on us bein' more along the lines of tech support". Django turns and looks at Ronan and Tump."Hey Big'un, why don't you and Tump tell em why we're here. I ain't gonna do the techy talk no justice if I try".

Tump shouts from the other side of the gap. "A little help?" as he gestures toward the loose end of the grappling line.

Django whirls around. "Oh yeah.. my "red shirt"". He takes a few steps away and says "Ronan, if they move, smash em'". He moves in to grab the grapple line and looks for a place to tie it off. Once secure, he maintains hands on, just in case.

It does not take long before Tump is safely across with no mishaps.  The droids have not moved.

"Now then, as I was sayin'... Er rather askin' one of you mechanically inclined fellers to explain.. we're down here t' fix a problem, and we don't much appreciate gettin' shot at for it". Django looks at Tump and nods towards the defeated droids.

Tump decouples the grappling hook and reels the line back in. He walks over to the droids as he situates his gear and looks the droids up and down.

"Are you boys not connected to the mainframe? All the others topside already seem to know the situation. There are no customers left. We're the only organics left on Mechis III. I guess you could say we're the operators." He gestures back towards the gap in the tunnel. "In case you haven't noticed, the transport tube is broken. Now, we wouldn't want any real customers getting hurt, would we? Can you help us get down to the main power core so we can get this planet back up and running? Also, if you happen to know any construction or maintenance bots that could try to repair that, that'd be just dandy."

"We lost contact with the surface 31441392000000000000 nanoseconds ago.  If you are the new operators, I will need the transfer operation code given to you by the previous operators to demonstrate the legitimacy of your claim of transfer of ownership.  This will return all approaching security measures to their original standby locations and modes.  Repair droids are on the surface and not kept down in these facilities in case connection is severed and the repair bots find themselves trapped here and unable to access resources needed for repair."

Django looks back at Tump. "I don't suppose you got one a' them, did ya?".

Tump looks over to Django and then over to Irin. "Did you happen to run across any transfer codes while you were analyzing the terminals above?"

Irin blinks and finally registers her part in the conversation.  "Oh, uh, let me check."  She pulls out her datapad and begins typing on it with one hand.  After about thirty seconds, she turns to the walker droids.  "Authorization for transfer:  El oh be oh tee three two seven dash one one three eight."

"The code is an older code, but it checks out.  We have not received an update for a newer one."  The walkers that still can, turn and walk down the tunnel away from the group.

Tump breathes a sigh of relief and looks over at Irin. "Nice one. For a second, I thought we were cooked."

"Ronan, any idea how much farther the core is?"

"The Core of the planet is approximately one trillion two hundred fifty eight billion six hundred thirty seven million nine hundred sixteen thousand two hundred twenty two nanometers away from this location."

Ronan chuckles.  "I'd say we have about ten clicks before we arrive where we're going.  A morning jog."

Sweat beads on everyone's skin as the heat from the proximate magma permeates the air.

Django surveys the group he's with, and gives an approving nod. "I hate joggin'. Let's get it over with". He tails at the far end of the group, and lights up, occasionally looking back over his shoulder to ensure they aren't being followed by anything.

The group moves forward, led by the droid walkers.  Not long after the march begins, a background noise becomes evident.  It is difficult to make out, like an empty signal band through an audio emitter.  Eventually though, it resolves into a series of distinct sounds: scraping, clanking, whirring, sparking...the sounds of droids in various states of disrepair moving.

The first droid encountered is a torso and the upper arm.  It drags itself away from the group by the upper arm.  The process is slow, only centimeters at a time.  Other droids are scattered across the tunnel.   Many are as headless as the first, pulled by a truncated arm or pushed by an abbreviated leg.  All of them move toward the core.

Tump looks over to one of the walkers. "What happened to all the droids here? Disrepair, I can understand, but most of these look like they've been blown apart."

"These are the primary security forces sent to repel you as invaders.  These appear to be in a state of severe disrepair.  Given their state and rate, I imagine this is merely the last of all sent.  Those that are more mobile will have already moved closer to their stations or returned."

True to the prediction, the group continues to encounter droids.  Some are slightly more mobile, dragging themselves by two arms or pushing by two legs.  There are thousands of them and it is hard to weave through them.  The walker droids step confidently and a path is automatically created.  Eventually a the other droids encountered are those able to walk to an extent, shamble really.  The lurch and drag, and sometimes they fall, but get right back up.

"Well if this ain't creepy... Hey droid, how much further we got?" Django asks impatiently, clearly a bit unnerved by the mangled "corpses" of robots shambling around like zombies.

Tump looks around at all the fragmented droids. "It's a bit depressing seeing all these things limping around like this. Are there are protocols for getting them repaired and back in working order?"

"Yes."  The walkers continue forward as the shambling droids increase in quality and speed.

And number.  Eventually the mass is enough to fill the tunnel, and the only reason for the slowness of their movement now.  It is likely there are millions of them them.  Along the tunnels, they file into doorways going to who knows what kind of waiting station.

Thankfully, as the walkers move forward, the droids make way for them without signal.  Eventually the march of droids ends...abruptly.  Across a small gap beyond the last line of droids filing into their doors, is a heavy blast shield.  The walkers head right for it.

Exactly 1 meter away, they stop and stand.  The countless shuffling droids echo in the tunnel behind, an ominous sound between the blast door and the way out.

Django asks the walker "You gonna open it or do we have to?".

"You have to."

Django reaches forward to activate the door.

When nothing happens, Irin steps forward.  "I think I have to enter an access code.  Since we are now the 'owners' here, we have to provide all the access.  The droids don't have them as a preventative measure."  She taps a few buttons on her data pad, then punches them into the door.  "That should..."  When nothing happens, she frowns.  "I don't understand.  The code was accepted and the door says activated."

[Roll any engineering or technical skill you may have related to operating a door physically.]

Tump steps up. "Looks like we might need a manual override of some sort." As he grabs ahold of the door, he slips and ends up jamming his thumb.

He pulls back cursing like a sailor.

20:40, Today: Tump rolled 11 using 1d20+8.  skill check: use ancient device.

This message was last edited by the player at 01:50, Tue 22 Aug 2017.

Django says "Lemme try somethin..". He slams a fist down on the access panel. "Open ya stupid thing!!"

21:45, Today: Django Blint rolled 25 using 1d20+5. Intimidate the door.

With a screech of metal, the doors grate open about thirty centimeters then stop.  A hiss of hot gas blasts out, not damaging, but definitely uncomfortable in temperature.  On the other side of the doors looks like some kind of unloading area for the tram.  Beyond that are doorways to the left and right.  Directly ahead is a raised platform of metal lattice.  Switchback stairs broad enough for four people sweep out then back center to a central door leading into what is most obviously a control room.  The control room is rounded, sweeping around like a partial ring before burying itself into the obsidian rock of the far wall.

There are no droids beyond the broken door.

Tump shakes his hand, trying to 'walk off the pain'. "See, nothin' to it." He peers inside and then looks back at the droids. "Are there any active security measures in there?"

"I do not have clearance to that information."

Tump shrugs. "Welp, I guess I'll go take a looksee..." He pokes his head back in and starts searching the area.

Attempt to take 20 on search without setting off traps: 29

On the other side of the door is definitely some sort of major control room.  There are three tiers of computer stations wrapped around a circular glass chamber viewable from the top tier.  The lighting is indirect from the thick windows up top and the shadows make things difficult to see properly.  There do not seem to be any droids or traps.  Dust coats everything.

Nothing is on.

[CON roll DC 12 to squeeze through the doorway.]

Not seeing any immediate threats, Tump decides to squeeze through the door to give a more thorough examination. Unfortunately, his foot gets caught in some recess in the flooring. "Little help here?"

Django assist Tump with his stuck foot, nearly prying his boot off in the process. "Big'un, I don't reckon you're gonna be able to fit through that are ya. You keep an eye on things out here for now". With that, Django also attempts to squeeze through. He manages to wedge himself and get his buckles for his holsters stuck. "[wheez] On second thought, pull me out. I'll help ya keep an eye on thangs".
This message was last edited by the player at 03:09, Wed 30 Aug 2017.

Inarra rolls her eyes.  When the men disentangle themselves from the doorway, Inarra slips through to the other side.

Ronan eyes the doorway and sees the struggle the smaller men are having.  It doesn't take any convincing for him to start unloading the gear and setting up a redoubt facing the zombie-droid horde.

Irin tries to follow Inarra, but even turned sideways, she can't squeeze through.  Her frame is small enough, but certain assets are just too large.  Embarrassed, she disengages and frowns at the door as if it insulted her.

Django tilts the brim of his hat down and clears his throat to hide his smirk. "Hopefully things stay quiet out here for the three of us". He gets an idea, and speaks to the walker droids. "You two, droids. Go stand between us and the rest of the droids shambling around out there. Don't let them get near us. They make us uncomfortable".

Tump flexes his foot for a moment, making sure he still has the full range of motion. "All right, let's see what we have here."

He starts poking about the room, looking a way to get everything started back up.

The banks of consoles are all dead.  Many are in such states of decay that they won't work no matter what power is eventually supplied to them.  Others might be salvageable.  There is a door at each end of the room.  The room itself curves about 45 degrees around the central window.  When Tump climbs to the highest tier and looks out the glass, he is forced to gasp and shield his eyes.  The 'glass' is kilometers of transparent material that feels cold to the touch.  This is especially odd given the roiling planet core on the other side.

"I've tried everything.  There is no power.  We need to get those doors open and a power core in here or we aren't going to accomplish anything."  Inarra continues to search the consoles,  walls, and even floor for some way to open the doors.

Overhearing a bit, Django asks Ronan "Reckon one a' these walkers has a big enough power core to get the door workin'?".

Ronan considers the droids for a moment.  "Maybe."  He turns to the droid.  "The door is stuck.  Lacks power.  Can you open it without damaging it?"

The least damaged of the two steps up to the doors and inserts its hands.  There is a slight grinding noise as it opens the gap another five inches.  "I'm sorry, master.  Any further attempts to open the doors will result in damage."

Ronan grins at Django.  "There ya go, boss.  Even Irin might squeeze through now."  He turns his grin to Irin, then frowns when he sees her glare.  "I think I'll stay out here in case the droid army decides to wake up."

"You're ego wouldn't fit anyway."  Irin slips in through the newly widened doors to the other side.  She walks toward the glass window to see what Tump was staring at.  "Oh my..."

Django follows, not knowing what to expect.

Tump looks over to Irin. "Yeah. Pretty impressive, ain't it. Can't even feel the heat radiating from the core", he says as he places his hand on the 'glass'.

Inarra has found the power couplings that Ronan's power cells would operate.  It takes only a little bit of time to get them hooked up and the computer banks functioning again.  Unfortunately, the doors seem to be jammed in their current position.

Irin goes over and starts typing on the interface.  "What are we looking for again?"

Tump pulls his attention away from the planet core and focuses on the control room. "For starters, let's see if we can't find a way to reroute power to those doors and get them all the way open. We need to get those generators over here to jumpstart the primary system."

Looking warily out at the shambling droid zombies, Django remarks "I'm more concerned with bein' able to shut em' if we have to".

Irin keeps tapping away.  "Tump, I need you."  When the relic hunter walks over, she points to the screen.  "I think I found the power systems, but I don't understand it.  I'm better at teasing out historical data or juicy political intrigue.  This...this is more up your alley, I think.  Can you make sense of this?"

[Roll Use Ancient Device DC = 27.  You may take 10 and then for every 1 minute you spend beyond the first, you may add 1 to your roll for becoming familiar with the system.  If you fail a roll, the time bonus resets to zero.

E.g. you decide to work for 4 minutes to gain an additional +3 to your roll.  This gives you a total of +11.  You roll a 14 for a total of 25.  Your bonus resets to +0 and you have to wait 1+x minutes to gain a bonus of x on your next roll.]

Tump saunters over to the terminal. "Whatcha got?" He cracks his knuckles and leans into the screen to get a better look. His expression deflates a little bit as he begins to look over the system.

"Woah, this is some next level stff here. This might, uhh, take a minute." He spends the next ten minutes or so pouring over system architectures, file structures, and security algorithms before he finally starts accessing the system.

Finally, he looks up. "I think we're in. Here, take a look."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:17, Sun 10 Sept 2017.

Outside, the droid walkers begin to move.  Weapons spin up to active mode and begin tracking for close range targets.

[Django has initiative followed by Ronan for being wary against zombie droid hoard.]

Django, seeing a change in behavior in the droids outside, steps out of view from the partially open door and puts his back to it. In a hushed voice he says "I don't know what y'all jus' did but you done pissed em' off. Stay away from the door and don't let em see you... And for fraks sake, work on gettin' this goram door shut 'fore we all end up dead".

There is the spin up of a high-powered weapon, then a clanking of the droid walkers before a thunderous crash accompanied by Ronan's battle yell.  Sparking and mechanical screeching indicates one of the walkers is down and inoperable.  Blaster fire from the other starts tracking along with the chu-chung, chu-chung of the slower walker attempting to maneuver.

Ronan is out there by himself against the remaining walker.

Hearing the commotion outside, Tump looks over to Irin with a look of concern on his face. "I don't think I tripped anything." He looks back at the terminal, eyes wide. "Come on, we need to see what's going on. Run some diagnostics and try to shut those droids down."

Irin continues to type away at the keyboard, but she seems highly frustrated.  The added stress of the situation is not helping.

[Roll Computer Slicing DC = 27.  You may take 10 and then for every 1 minute you spend beyond the first, you may add 1 to your roll for taking your time to avoid mistakes.  If you fail a roll, the time bonus resets to zero.

E.g. you decide to work for 4 minutes to gain an additional +3 to your roll.  This gives you a total of +11.  You roll a 14 for a total of 25.  Your bonus resets to +0 and you have to wait 1+x minutes to gain a bonus of x on your next roll.

Success  means you will have accessed the appropriate systems to monitor the droids (maybe even control them depending on certain factors) and possibly the doors as well.]

Django grumbles as his wishes to be unseen didn't account for Ronan being a human wrecking ball everywhere he goes. He whips around the corner of the door drawing his DL-44 energy pistol, and fires at the closest target to Ronan.

[Take 10] + [6BAB] + [1PBS] - [1 Overcharge shot] = 16 (not dual wielding, so no BAB penalty)
No risk of hitting Ronan - Precise Shot
20:16, Today: Django Blint rolled 18 using 5d6+4.  DL-44 Overcharge shot damage.

Tump starts hacking away at the terminal to bypass the security but meets with immediate failure. He slams his fist down, cursing out loud. "Inarra, I need you. Saddle up over here and gimme a hand. If we work from both ends, we might be able to speed up the bypass."

Initial slicing attempt, terrible.
19:53, Today: Tump rolled 11 using 1d20+9.  Slicing check.
Using Inarra for an 'aid other' attempt. It'll take 7 minutes to gain enough bonus for an auto-success.

Django calls back sarcastically "Jus' take your sweet time in there kids, we already took two down, only nine-hundred-ninety-eight to go!".

"Will do, cap'n. Let me just put another pot of coffee on...", Tump snaps back.

Inarra drops the multi-tool she was fiddling with and jumped on to a nearby terminal.  "Logging. Give me a minute."

Outside the door, Ronan examines the sparking bodies of the two walkers. There is nothing left to cause problems.  The big engineer takes a deep breath to speak, but stops as the hiss of doors opening and the first rattle of smaller droids is heard on either side of the wide tunnel down the hall.

He drops his hammer and opens up a case he'd been carrying.  A remote operated repeater de-collapses and begins tracking after a few key punches from Ronan.  He repeats the process five  more times, then grabs his pack full of energy batteries, his hammer, and the rest of his gear.  He slides the energy batteries through the opening one at a time, and whatever gear will fit.  One final look at the doorway and his own large frame and Ronan shakes his head.  He retains one really nasty looking repeater and his hammer.  The repeater he fits to a harness that locks to a frame under his jacket.  "I'd appreciate it if you got those doors open.  Until then, I'll hold them here."

Tump eyes never break from the terminal screen, but he still manages to reply over his shoulder. "Yep. Workin' on it. This system is old as dirt but sophisticated as hell. Can you hold 'em off for a few more minutes?"

The only response is the spinning up of the repeaters and the first tell-tale sounds of phased gas evacuating the barrel.  Gears whir as the robotic guns track targets perfectly, chewing through them with a precision no human could match.

The blasts are steady, relentless.

Tump grins nervously. "I'll take that as a 'yes'."

Django nearly gets frustrated as each time he lines up a shot, a repeater beats him to his target and lays absolute waste. "How long can these hold up? he calls out.

Ronan takes a bit to reply.  When he does, it's a roar over blaster fire chewing threw metal and plastic.  "AT THIS RATE, ABOUT THREE MINUTES!  FOUR TOPS!"

Django turns his head back towards the door and yells inside "You got two minutes before we're all dead! Two!".

Tump's eyes widen. "Make that ammo last!"

He looks over at Inarra. "We need to pick up the pace, otherwise we're toast."

Inarra types smoothly and rapidly on the interface, not missing a beat.  Her intensity alone looks enough to will the computer to comply.  "Access the 004-C branch in three, two, NOW!"

Outside, Ronan ejects a red-hot cannister from his own gun and loads another.  In the ten seconds he spends doing so, the droids shamble closer as the repeaters are not able to keep up with the numbers.  Only 30 meters remain between the line of advance and the repeaters.  Ronan is two meters behind that.

At this point the droids are replacing the fallen faster than the guns can take them down.  The only bright spot is that some now are broken and shambling and so a bit slower than the first.

Without warning, a large metal ball that looks like droid parts squished together, comes sailing out of the din.  One of the repeaters aims and starts chewing through it, but it comes so fast there isn't time to destroy the wad of metal.  It slams into the repeater, knocking it over and bending it's front legs.  With no targets in it's firing arc, the repeater goes silent.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:00, Wed 13 Sept 2017.

Tump grins. "Got it! Synchronizing..."

The commotion outside catches his attention, but he continues tapping away at the keys for a few seconds more. "Ok, we're in. Now we just need to reroute the power to the command distribution center."

"Just another minute... I think"

Django dives to the spot where the repeater was while unslinging the BFG-9000. He takes aim and sends a single disintegration round center mass of the mob.

20:31, Today: Django Blint rolled 16 using 1d20+7.  BFG 9000.
20:32, Today: Django Blint rolled 47 using 10d10+1. BFG 9000 damage.

The blast wipes out maybe thirty of the droids.  Maybe a hundred more are flung in all directions but return their relentless march forward.

Inside the station office, Inarra continues to type furiously on the keyboards.  She compliments Tump's admittedly greater skills in slicing as best she can.  It's not that she is slow or even makes mistakes. She just doesn't anticipate the coding the way he does and so is always two steps behind.  "Power rerouted...wait, that line is broken.  Here.  Okay, got it now.  Power is back online!"

Outside the repeaters go silent.

Only Ronan's gun continues to chew through the encroaching horde.  They are slow but relentless.  They crawl, shamble, drag their bodies ever forward.  A circle of broken, creeping half-formed...things, close on the engineer.

"There are...too many of them!  Get those doors closed! Shut down the command structure for the defense systems!"

{Tump/Inarra ==> +1 Computer Slicing XP
The Mechanical Subsystem O/S is rebooting.  15 seconds pass...punctuated by Ronan's battle yells and gun.  You can hear the barrel sound start to change as it begins to overheat.  Then you have access to the doors.

Beyond that, you have one more series of Slicing to do in order to find the command system, the subroutine for the defenses, the sub-subroutine for those defense droids, and then shut it down.  Computer Slicing Roll.  Same DC, same situation.

Roll Computer Slicing DC = 27.  You may take 10 and then for every 1 minute you spend beyond the first, you may add 1 to your roll for taking your time to avoid mistakes.  If you fail a roll, the time bonus resets to zero.  Inarra will add +1 for every 2 minutes beyond the first.}

Tump shouts. "Doors are online, everybody inside!"

He pushes several buttons and waits for the others enter the command room before shutting the doors.

"Django!  I can't...I can't let up.  If I try to come inside, they will crash through.  I gotta keep 'em here.  Tell Tump to close those doors.  NOW!"  Ronan is right.  His constant barrage is the only thing keeping the swarm of droids from reaching the door.  Even then, they are encroaching more and more on his position.  The moment he lets up to come inside, they will overwhelm him and make it through.

Ronan's command is loud enough for all to hear within the control room. He glances over to Inarra and Irin with a look of hopelessness on his face. Lastly, he looks back over to Django. "Captain?"

Everything seems to happen in slow motion around Django. His adrenaline has spiked to levels beyond his comprehension. Everything around him sounds underwater. His movements don't feel like his own anymore, and all sights are a blur. In one instant he's flinging off a bandoleer with his left hand while his right pushes Ronan backwards towards the door. The bandoleer sails through the air towards the heart of the swarm. In another instant his right arm is extended, DL-44 energy pistol sighted in on the bandoleer tumbling aloft ahead of him. As his finger pulls the trigger, the sights, the sounds, and the momentum around him all rush together in a cacophony of sensations.

The bandoleer erupts in a violent burst of fire and concussion, flinging Django backwards into Ronan who's still stumbling in to the doorway from Django's shove. He smacks in to the big man with a heavy force as the two fall head over heels through the hatch.

22:05, Today: Django Blint rolled 194 using 40d8.  20 round bandoleer of explosive shot (1's rerolled with permission)
This message was last edited by the player at 02:19, Tue 19 Sept 2017.

Ronan cries out in pain as the wave of energy slams into him through the narrow opening of the doorway.  When he lands, he does not move.  Django makes it inside just before Tump closes the doors.

Outside, there is a deep boom - not from the explosion of the ordinance - of something vastly heavy falling.  The shockwave through the floor knocks everyone to the ground [DMG 6].

Then the computers all go dark again leaving the core shining through the thick transparent metal as the only source of light.

Tump stands up quickly in a panic, seeing all the terminals shut down. "Mighty ballsy, captain, but at least we're all alive. For now. You ok over there Ronan?"

He rushes over to the nearest terminal to diagnose the system.


12:46, Today: Tump rolled 17 using 1d20+11.  perception check.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:46, Tue 19 Sept 2017.

Irin kneels down next to Ronan and inspects him for wounds.  "He's hurt pretty bad.  Second degree burns on the backs of his arms, legs, and head.  His equipment protected his back and lower torso."  She keeps Ronan on his stomach and doesn't try to remove anything.  "Ronan?  Can you hear me?"  After a few moments of waiting, Irin shakes her head.  "He's breathing, but he is out cold.  Probably from shock rather than from impact.  I don't see any concussion wounds on the head."

Tump looks over the terminal but gets no feedback. He starts looking around for an alternate power source. "Inarra, looks like we've gone dark. Can you check the power source on that side? I'll look over here and see if the batteries have been blown out or not."

Inarra gives Toben the thumbs up and starts checking the power cells.  "This one is loose.  Might have been shaken out by whatever that big thump was outside.   I'll try to get it reseated. "

Tump will find the other power cell in his side completely dislodged.  Further inspection indicates some damage on one end at t he connection surface.   It may not fit the socket anymore.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:52, Tue 10 Oct 2017.

Tump sighs heavily. "Ugh, wonderful. This one here looks to have gotten overloaded and pooched out a bit. Ain't gunna fit back in there like that." He looks around for a tool to tap it back into place when it notices Ronan's power hammer lying on the ground. "Ooo, that ought to do the trick."

He walks over and attempts to pick it up. The weight of the hammer is deceptive and easily underestimated. He sets it back down to get a better handle on it and give it a once-over. A slight hum can be heard as he hefts it to eye level. "Now... where's that off switch. Don't need this overdoing it and going nuclear on us." He depresses a button on the haft and the hum quickly fades to nothing.

He gives a couple light taps on the bulging cell. "That should do it." He says and places the cell back in its seat.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:32, Fri 22 Sept 2017.

Django sits up finally and checks himself over, expecting to be burned and bruised from the description of Ronan. His duster is singed, but his skin is fine. His face is one of shock as he puzzles over the sorry state his counterpart is in, compared to his own relatively unscathed self. Considering he took a lot of the blast as he slammed in to Ronan, he should look worse. Should, at least. Django moves over to ensure Ronan is still breathing. He mutters to himself "Hang in there Big'un, hang in there". He gets up, walks over to Tump, and somberly asks "Anythang I can do?".

The computer systems don't immediately come on, but a couple of them enter into a pre-startup mode waiting to be powered on manually.

Outside the door is quiet.

"You saved Ronan. I'd say that qualifies as doing a fine job. Poke around if you like, but we'll get these terminals covered."

Django decides it wise not to touch anything, and instead stands back and observes, gazing back and forth between the techie's work and Ronan on the floor.

At last the computer systems finishing booting.  Power levels indicate about an hour of operation at most.  Inarra starts working on systems trying to figure out the current situation both inside and out.  "I don't think we can focus on our current problems right now.  Our priority has to be reconnecting the core to the power grid.  If we don't.  We're dead.  And not because of those...zombie droids or whatever."

She send an image to Tump's station.  It indicates a massive blast door of high-density ceramics at least a kilometer thick has slammed down in the tunnel outside about three klicks up the tunnel.  "I think that's in case something goes wrong in here and magma tries to shoot up the tunnel.  This tunnel makes a fantastic instant volcano.  Thankfully, the transparisteel layers around the tunnel, around the core even, was not breached where the tunnel was broken.  I'm not sure what caused..."  She shakes her head.  "I'm rambling now.  We have to get that core online.  Now."

"The uh, the cause would be me. Gave em' a gift of about 20 explosive rounds all detonating at once"

Tump sifts through the data, trying to remain calm. "Alright, let's just take a breath for a moment and get this sorted out. It should behave like a circuit, we just gotta find where the gap is."

He maneuvers his way around the system trying to locate the break.

Inarra glances at Django, a look of confusion on her face for the split second.  "What?  No.  I know that.  I was going to say 'I don't know what caused the break in the tunnel we had to zipline over'."  She gives you a smile then focuses again on her computer.  "You did what you had to, Blint.  Probably saved Ronan's life in the process.  No one is going to lay blame at your feet for the blast doors."

"Right.". Django steps off from the group as far as he can in the room, and pulls out a smoke.

As Tump and Inarra work their way through the computer systems, Irin continues to work on Ronan's burns.  The big man groans intermittently but does not wake from his delirium.

Eventually the slicers find a pathway to figuring out what is wrong with the planetary energy supply.  "Do you see it, Tump?  Someone deliberately disconnected the power feeds from the core in this inner ring."  She shows Tump a map of the planet core and a ring station that surrounds it.  The ring is one of eight and is the largest.  It seems the two doors at either end of the ring open up into the ring and a tram system that runs around the core.

"If we can find the power connectors at each point around the ring...looks like sixteen in all...we can fire up the planetary system again.  However, you and I are going to have to stay on station and work the computer side.  If we don't time these perfectly, maybe within thirty seconds of reconnection, the whole system could blow.  Django is going to have to find the connections and reconnect them at each of the stations."  She looks up at the lawman.  "By himself."

Django takes a long drag from his cigarette. "In can do that. Used to workin' alone anyhow. Just point me in the right direction".

While Inarra shows Django the different spots around the core he will have to connect, including the one in the very next room, Tump will initiate the connection protocols.



[You make take 10 on all rolls if you so choose.  Please feel free to Message me on FB for clarification on anything.  Systems indicate that you have 1 hour before the air starts to turn toxic.]
This message was last updated by the GM at 17:21, Mon 25 Sept 2017.

Following his instructions, Django sets off to the first station indicated to him.

Take 10 on both = power systems 13 fort 15

As Django leaves to the first location, Tump quickly starts working. The initial set of connections seem to fall into place without any incident.

Taking 10 on both. Slicing 19, UAD 20

After a brief explanation of how the power couplings work, Inarra waits to see of Django understands.  Then she returns to her station in the next room to help Tump.  The two of them work relentlessly on the computer systems and in a minute or so, the first protocol is ready.

Django is able to understand Inarra's instructions well enough to complete the connection.  The indicator lights up green on the connection and on Tump's station.  Tump easily finishes the activation on his end within a few seconds.

In the room next to Django, a tram system comes online and indicates ready for use.  Tump and Inarra cannot begin prepping the next system until Django communicates that he is present and available to make the connection else the fail-safes will disengage and you'll have to reprep.



[You make take 10 on all rolls if you so choose.  Please feel free to Message me on FB for clarification on anything.  Systems indicate that you have 1 hour before the air starts to turn toxic.]

Tump waits by the comm unit to hear from Django when he gets to the next location.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:07, Thu 05 Oct 2017.

Django's coms come to life with a crackle "Aight, at the spot". He begins his work without issue. "Got it.. I think. Do your thang"

take 10
This message was last edited by the player at 01:28, Sat 07 Oct 2017.

"Copy that. Engaging protocols." Tump types away at the terminal. The protocols seem to be changing as they progress throughout the system. As if they are a form of learning AI. He manages to ready the next location, although sweat begins to bead up on his forehead.

"Go ahead, Django."

Taking 10. Slicing 19

Again the power coupling works and the grid drinks the power from the core hungrily.  There seems to be no issues with this location and as before, the tram to the next powers up.

Django's trip is a bit bumpier and it feels like the air conditioners are working a little hard now.  Sweat beads on his forehead.



[You make take 10 on all rolls if you so choose.  Please feel free to Message me on FB for clarification on anything.  Systems indicate that you have 1 hour before the air starts to turn toxic.]

Django arrives at the next station. A line of sweat runs from his brow and into the corner of his eye causing him to squint. Even still, he finds the com station and fires it up. "Here and ready. How many more a' these is there".

Tump nods, as if Django can see his affirmation. "Executing protocols... now." He pauses for a moment. "Wait, one sec." Another brief pause. "Ok, now."

He turns to look over at Inarra. "Something ain't right here. These protocols are getting harder and harder to lock down. I think the system is backed by a learning AI. It may be resisting us. Dig into it and see if you can find anything in the background trying to subvert us. We may need to loop the logic back onto itself to keep it distracted, but only for a few seconds, while we access the protocols."

Taking 10 on slicing. 19.

Inarra gives Tump a short nod and monitors the protocols while Tump executes.  "I don't know.  Something is there, but it could just be the complexity is increasing because we are adding more vectors to the power grid.  I'll keep monitoring and see if we can find something."

She opens the com.  "Django, go ahead and couple the power system.  I'm monitoring something on this end, but shouldn't change what you're doing."

Take 10 Computer Slicing = 18

"All systems go"

Take 10, 12 skill check 15 fort
This message was lightly edited by the player at 12:30, Tue 10 Oct 2017.

"Got it. Securing that node into the grid. Head on over to the next one."

He looks back to Inarra. "Find anything suspicious yet?"

Take 10, UAD 19.

As Django boards the next tram, Inarra spends the time searching through the code for any tags that would indicate an active AI.  "I don't see anything that is definitely AI.  A lot of this could be affected by external calls because of changes we make to the system."

The tram ride is bumpy and near the end of the ride slows considerably.  It takes five additional minutes for the trip to complete.  According to Inarra's initial calculations, only thirty four minutes remain to complete the power core restart.

Django exits the slow moving tram once it stops, and searches for his next coupling. Once found, he radios back in to Tump that he's ready.

With Inarra's help, the next station goes a little easier. He radios ahead when finished. "All set."

Taking 10, plus Inarra's aid: 22

Django finds his coupling and sets to work.

Take 10 - 12 skill & 15 Fort

Tump connects the node to the power grid with Inarras help. “Another one down, head on over to the next.”

Take 10, total 22 for UAD
This message was last edited by the player at 16:43, Sat 14 Oct 2017.

"On it". Django proceeds back to the tram.

About two minutes into Django's four minute ride, Inarra speaks up over the com so that Django can hear as well.  Her voice is staticky but doesn't fade out.  "I have some great news and some, probably great news.  I don't think the system has an AI working on it, I think its just a complex algorithm that's getting harder because we are making the system more complex with each additional bump in power.  We are literally channeling an additional sixteenth of a planetary core with each power coupling."  Her tone indicates a bit of wonder at that information.


Inarra clicks a few times on her station and switches to a different view.  "I originally calculated the time it takes us to complete each station and get to the next one and applied this to the time we have before containment failed.  That blast wasn't the only stress on the system, but it was the last one that put us in this situation.  We had about an hour, but it was taking us seven minutes to complete a coupling and get Django to the next station.  That's not enough time to complete all sixteen stations..."

About that time, Django arrives at the next power coupling.  The tram slows and the doors hiss open.  With Inarra's words hanging in the air, and the uncomfortable amount of heat in the atmosphere, the actions seem to drag more than they should.  Django finds the next coupling station and the com.  There are a couple of fallen servers over the cable, but it does not look damaged.  Django should be able to clear them out while Tump preps the system.

Posting order:
Tump - prep system
Django - connect power coupling
Tump - complete connection procedure

Tump glances over at Inarra. "So, what's the great news?" he says as he completes routing the latest protocol.

"If we can't get all sixteen, then I guess we better pray what we've got so far will be enough."

23:15, Today: Tump rolled 26 using 1d20+12.  skill check: computer slicing.

As he works, he continues his chat with Inarra. "So if we don't have enough time, then what? You said "probably great news". How is that anything close to great?". Django lights up a smoke prior to working, to steady his nerves.

22:26, Today: Django Blint rolled 16 using 1d20+4.  Knowledge: Power Systems.
Take 10 on Fort = 15".

"The great news is that, every time you have connected a power coupling, Django, we've gained time.  I've estimated so far that we've gained ten minutes.  If the pattern holds, this one will gain us another five.  Each coupling takes the strain off the system holding the shielding of the core from the tunnel."  She acts as if she has more, but Django coms in completion and so she stays quiet while she assists Tump with completion of the protocol.

Tump slams his fist into the console. "Well, you can kiss that time savings goodbye. Fell into a sand trap."

21:09, Today: Tump rolled 20 using 1d20+12.  skill check: UAD.

Tump's anger is punctuated on Django's side by a crackle of electricity.  A bolt of lightning arcs out of the power coupling and finds the nearest ground, Django's body.  [3 DMG - Electrical]

Inarra rearranges a couple of parameters in the code.  "I think I see where you went wrong.  Undercompensated for the new angle of entry from the powerline.  It's actually 23 degrees for this one, no 22.5.  Next one is 22 degrees.  Something in the planetary structure no doubt.  That should fix it.  Try again."

Tump shakes his head. "I don't see it. Something is fluctuating. Maybe the timing was off? It's still not connecting."

22:17, Today: Tump rolled 21 using 1d20+14.  skill check: use ancient device.

Another jolt of electricity arcs throughout the pump station, catching Django square in the back.  [4 DMG - Electrical]

Inarra rushes over to Tump's station and shoves him out of the way.  "Like this."  She readjusts a small subroutine through a minor app difficult to spot in all that is going on.  With a hum and a whir, the power coupling cycles to completion and the readings Inarra has pulled up go up slightly.

She heads back to her own station and continues to work.  "We lost three minutes, but gained five.  If the pattern continues, we should be alright.  Django, how you holding up down there?"


Posting order -
Django - to next station
Tump - prep system when Django arrives
Django - connect coupling
Tump - complete connection - Roll UAD DC 25 at +4

"Alive. And unhappy". A short moment later Django radios back. "I'm at the next station. Don't screw this up, the last one hurt".

Tump sighs heavily as he fails to bypass the nodes security measures.

Rolled a 19 on slicing.

"Tump, you have to slow down.  It's more important to do it right and lose 30 seconds, than to finish it wrong and lose minutes."  She types a few things on her keyboard and sends them to Tumps station.  "You are getting sloppy.  You missed all three of these gateway calls."

Tump stares at the terminal and takes a deep breath. "You're right. I'm used to pressure, but not when other people's lives are on the line."

He picks up where he left off the first time and navigates the previously missed gateways.

19:59, Today: Tump rolled 34 using 1d20+14.  skill check: computer slicing.

Django comes in on the coms, in a hushed tone. "Gimme a few. Don't think I'm alone down here".

"What are you doing?!"  Inarra's voice sounds incredulous and slightly desperate at the same time.  "You have one minute to connect that coupling or the system failsafe resets the computers and we have to start over on this junction."

Django turns and heads back to the coupling. "I got time. Calm your... well, just sit tight. Thought I heard somethin'. He grabs the couplings and starts to link them together.

21:26, Today: Django Blint rolled 23 using 1d20+6.  K:PS.
21:26, Today: Django Blint rolled 8 using 1d20+5.  fort save.

The computers indicate the coupling is connected and ready to complete the process.  All that's left at this station is for Tump to cycle the system and start the energy flowing from the core through that station.

Slightly easier to connect this time around, Tump punctuates his success with a sharp tap on the terminal. "Alright, another one down."

Taking 10 on UAD: 25

"Alright, I'm headin' to the next one". Django's voice sound calm, and confident.

He boards the tram and presses the controls to activate it.

The stress has lessened somewhat since the system recycle.  Django proceeds to each coupling in turn and with Inarra and Tump working in tandem, the job is eventually completed.  Power from the core thrums through the station.


The last coupling is a beast, and it takes Tump and Inarra three tries to get the final process done right.


Django steps from the tram, burn patterns on his clothing indicates places where it looks like he was hit by electrical discharge.  He looks okay, though.  Nothing a little rest won't heal.

Inarra declares the crisis averted and that full power has been restored to the planet's primary systems.

{Please add +10 skill xp to both skills you were rolling for this obstacle.}
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:54, Sun 22 Oct 2017.

Tump slumps down into his chair and looks over at Inarra. "I need a drink" he mutters.

He takes a deep breath and just stares at the screen for a long while. "Alright, let's see if we can't diagnose what's going on with those droids."

Django settles in to a spot out of the way, and tips his hat low over his eyes. "Wake me up if ya find anythang" he says, as he attempts to get some shuteye.

"Yeah, get some rest. This could be a while."

Now that the system is back up and running, Inarra, Tump, and even Irin set to work looking through the files and history to figure out what is wrong with the droids.

"This system is a very complex defense system, almost heuristic in nature, for the planet.  The droids are acting as a kind of antibody group attacking anything foreign, even to the destruction of individual droids.  It's like the planet is a body and these droids are the immune system.  The break in the connection to the surface was like a major wound and the body had no way to heal itself so its immune system has been in hyper mode ever since.  Such long term, constant operation has worn the droids down."

"I found something."  Irin sounds excited for the first time in hours.  "With full power back, we aren't limited to emergency systems.  I have complete access to the historical data.  It looks like some outside force engaged the droid defenses here on Mechis.  This log here..." she points to a string of paragraphs that shift from trinary to common as it scrolls slowly.  "This indicates that the planet AI broke the pathway here.  It created a torsion at the junction we came across that broke the access tunnel and all communication with the surface.  Everything has been in equilibrium with that antibody army engaged at full capacity for nearly a thousand years.  We disrupted the equilibrium and that's what started draining the power of the shields holding back the magma."

She taps a few more commands.  "The planet was trying to hide something down here.  Something big, something worth cutting off its AI from the rest of the outside universe.  Wait."  She stops scrolling and opens a corresponding file.  "What's project MEM?"

Django is already blissfully ignorant to the world around him, lightly snoring. His has hasn't left the grip of his pistol sitting in his holster.

Tump raises an eyebrow. "Can't say that rings a bell, but you're right, it does seem awfully fishy what's going on here."

Inarra comes around and stands near Tump.  She eyes the sleeping Django and then watches Irin digging deep into the files.  "Look.  I'm sure Mechis III has a lot of stuff going on, but we fixed the power and can access the AI.  We need to get back up topside and get back to Vyctor.  This near a core...I'm already on edge.  We had some breaks, but it could have gone the other way just as easily."  She takes Tump's upper arm for emphasis.  "I want out of this place."

Tump continues to stare at the terminal as he finishes his thought. He looks at Inarra then back at the screen. "I suppose you're right. Irin ought to be able to access the system from up there, and we can't get fixated on this while we still have a job to do. Unless..."

Inarra gives him another yank on the air. "Alright, alright..."

Django stirs and shifts around, but doesn't wake.

Django sit up and sucks in a loud breath. "Tythan" he says to himself. He looks around at everyone. "Anythang fun happen while I was out" he says, as he gets up to go check on Ronan.

Tump looks over to Django. "Nope. We're heading back up though. Who's Tythan?"

"Not who, where. And I dunno. I think... I think someone like that lady in the hologram Vyc showed us is trying to communicate with me. Then again could just be heat stroke".

"Irin, is it safe to move Ronan?"

Irin wraps up her digging into the computer systems and pulls out a data storage chip.  She goes over to Ronan and checks him over.  "He really needs more thorough medical care, but I don't see where moving him will cause further damage to him.  It's burns, not internal damage."

"Alright, then lets get a move on. Spent enough time down here to satisfy a lifetime, and I'm willin' to bet they have some sort of medical ward up topside what with everythang else they got in terms a' human facilities".

Django moves to Ronan, and hefts Ronan's body up into a fireman's carry. It isn't easy, and he'll be moving slow to the tram, but he manages to get the massive engineer slung across his shoulders and moving forward.

"Wait, Django.  That's too long a walk AND we have to get him across the gap to reach the tram.  We need to find, maybe rig something together to get him back across."

"If these droids are no longer hostile, maybe one of them has record of a transport of some kind that can get us back up top. Maybe they got a tube system like on core?"

"If they are free of their programming loop.  Maybe some of them are in good enough shape to carry him for us?  Repairs shouldn't take too long with you three."  Irin's voice is hopeful and encouraging.

"Well then I'll at least get him past the door. You three work on getting a droid or two up and functioning" says Django, as he staggers forward to get Ronan to a staging point.

Tump nods. "Alright, I'll head outside and see if there one or two in good enough condition. Inarra, care to join me?"

He steps out of the control room and starts to sift through the what remains of the droids for a suitable one.

While Django half-drags, half carries Ronan down the long tunnel, the rest start digging through the junk looking for enough parts or working droids to scrounge something to carry Ronan.  The work is tedious to the point where Django gets too tired to go further with the enormous engineer.

He returns to the group and plops down to start helping sift the droid parts.  It becomes an intense focus after a bit, a growing pile of odd but well designed parts.  Even the larger droids contribute.

After two hours, the group has a single droid constructed and operating that could do the needed job of carrying Ronan.  It's a simple droid AI that can be swapped out later or upgraded as needed, but it will follow commands issued by a single controller.  The party decides to key it to Django since he is Captain.

The droid's stability and strength are its two defining characteristics.  It has six legs and two arms that can function forward or backward for anything riding on its lower torso between the legs.

Droid finished, the group gathers Ronan and makes its way to the tunnel breach.  The shields are holding significantly better as there is no oppressive heat in the area.  A distinct shimmer blurs the seething molten metal beneath.  Two grapple lines are secured across the breach for climbing.  With the loss of artificial gravity in the tunnel and the nearness to the core reducing the planetary gravity, the trip across the gap is rather easy, even for Irin.  The droid navigates the gap easiest of all, Ronan strapped to its back the entire way.

There is a palpable feeling of relief in the tram as it rockets back up the tunnel to the surface.

There, Vyctor and R10 greet them along with a now operational medical droid.  The droid takes Ronan to a hospital facility where he is immersed in a gel-filled tank with only his briefs and a breathing mask.

"The healing process may take some time.  He has sustained severe concussive and thermal damage.  Our bacta supply is well preserved, but still old and diluted in potency.  He will need several weeks to achieve consciousness and many more to return to full functionality."

"I guess asking how it went would be a bit redundant.  At least the power is restored.  What else did you find out?"

"The word "Tythan" mean anything to you? Durin' a break in the action down there, I took a few to rest. Ended up have some bizzaro dream where some disembodied voice told me to go there. I dunno if it was just me being delirious, or if some sorta Stargod hoo-doo was takin' place. At this point I don't discount nothin' though".

Vyctor shrugs.  "Sorry.  Doesn't sound any tones.  Chalk it up to the stress and the environment.  Looks like things got a little heated down there."

He looks over at the medical tank where Ronan floats.  "The medical droids seem to have him in hand.  We should see about the AI for the planet.  Find out what we have access to."

"Fair 'nuff, for now at least. That one area we first came in to, is it back on line yet? I wanna check out those menus again, and keep an eye on thangs as well, since I ain't much for muckin' around with AIs and computers and such".

"Speaking of which", he looks over to Irin and Inarra, "we should start digging through the system. It ought to be stable enough now, plus we should check on Aice, make sure he ready to go as well."

"Yes, I believe so.  Everything came alive a while back.  I ordered a snack and have been perusing the menus.  There are two serviced starfighters available to us, an Incom XJ-7 X-Wing and a BTL-S8 K-Wing.  The K-Wing is missing a few parts, which I've ordered, so we may need to come back for that.  I'd like to take the X-Wing if there are no objections."

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
K-wing Image
https://images-cdn.fantasyflig...0a3e1c5fd9/kwing.jpg

---

"I'm fine, Tump.  Thanks for asking."  Ayce trundles up, his dome tome rotating around to take in all who made it back.  "Better than Ronan it seems.  The AI's matrix has stabilized now that the power has been restored.  The core was kept separate after the breach.  Once you reconnected the power, the breach was fixed and the core overwrote the corrupted version up here."
This message was last edited by the player at 12:59, Mon 13 Nov 2017.

"That is correct, R10-AC.  Thank you for restoring my functions.  How may I be of service, ladies and gentlemen?"  The voice comes from the speakers around the room and is a pleasant, human male voice.  It's tone is calm and willing to serve...or sell.

Django responds "Fine by me" to Vyc. "I'm gonna go see about getting this new droid in fightin' condition" and heads off in search of a terminal to browse around on.

While Django goes off to upgrade his new droid, Vyctor and the others settle down at their own menu stations with refreshments supplied and little conversation.

Tump plops down in a chair and begins looking through the catalogs and menus. "So, anything interesting happen up here while we were trying to keep the planet from melting down?"

"Nothing of note.  The power's been off. "  Vyctor smiles.  "We need to download what data we need, supply up, and move on.  Eventually, someone is going to realize Mechis III is back online and come snooping. "

Most everything in the catalog will take months to manufacture.  Then again, a lot of it is big-ticket items.  The really big question is how to pay for any of it.  The computer lists prices in something called 'Galactic Alliance Credits', but that's not a currency Core used or ever heard of.  Corellia, maybe, a long time ago...

...but not Core.  Also, it looks like some kind of digital currency anyway.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:17, Mon 20 Nov 2017.

Speaking to the AI onscreen, Django questions it. "I have a droid I want reconfigured. Bi-pedal, like a human. Not all frail and skeletal, but not bulky. Is that doable? An' I notice it says here "Galactic Credits". Only source a' cash I got on hand is my credits from Core. Doubt those are one in the same, so if there's any kind'a exchange rate, I need t' know that too". Django sits back in his seat and waits for a response.

"Irin is a wizard when it comes to data mining, let's just fill her in on what to look for." He turns his attention back to the catalog and orders up some light snacks. "Now that we're back online here, how much time do you reckon we have before someone takes notice?"

"Core Territory credits are issued from Coruscant.  They are the same as Galactic Alliance Credits.  Please insert your data chip in the correct slot located just below the interface."  There is a small data connection port {think USB} below the manual interface {keyboard}.

"Mechis 3, please update your database.  The former planet known as Corellia is now referred to by the locals as Core.  Django is asking about a local physical currency based on that new information, not the Galactic Core worlds. "

He turns to Tump and Irin. "I have no doubt that if the Star Demons attacked here before, they have left some sort of sentinel here to notify of any changes.  We maybe have days?  Hopefully more?  Irin, do a data mine for the name Guri. "

"Noted.  Is the new currency a trade commodity or fiat?"

Irin goes over to an open computer terminal and begins typing.

"Fiat.  Digital.  There is some secondary commodity units, but they are not in wide use for the majority of the population."

"I'm sorry, Captain Blint, but we do not currently have trade with the Core system, formerly known as Corellia.  With no trade, an exchange rate is not possible unless you have commodity cash, in which case value is assessed based on current known value of the commodity only, not the face value of the money."

"I may have found something, but it doesn't make sense.  There are a number of Guri's listed in the database.  I eliminated all those marked as deceased.  I then filtered for known associates and found Han Solo, the last owner of the Millennium Falcon before Vyctor."  She pulls up a picture on the screen, then sends it to everyone else's computer screen.  "As you can see, it's the same woman from the video Tump had.  However, this Guri is not an organic lifeform.  She is a droid."

Django leans back in his seat. "A' course it's like that then. Can I at least get them bi-pedal retrofits then? I'm trading one droid body for another. Even trade if you ask me". Django completely ignores the imagery brought up by Irin, until it registers what she's talking about. "Hold up a minute. So this Guri is showing up as multiple lifeforms.. er, lack-there-ofs in this case?".

"We can retrofit the chassis to bipedal with the noted free upgrades as part of our thanks for stabilizing the core.  The process should take no longer than 12 hours with these particular modifications.  Shall I begin the process?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:04, Tue 21 Nov 2017.

"Yeah, make it happen. Oh.. and uh.. thanks".

Irin shakes her head.  "No.  The name is pretty rare, but not unheard of throughout the galaxy.  It was used by a number of individuals who were alive, about thirty percent of them human.  The one that fits the description and what we know about the Guri in the video, the one connected to Han Solo, is a very advanced droid called an HRD, which stands for Human Replica Droid.  She was built to mimic human behavior and serve as a bodyguard for some underworld prince."  Irin whistles low.  "Nine million credits.  Anyway, the pictures here look like the woman in the video Tump had.  She's not human, though.  She's a droid."

Tump hurries over to Irin's terminal. "Yep, that's her alright." He raises an eyebrow. "Droid huh? They should did a fine job on that one. Can't even tell."

He walks back over to his chair and sits back down. "Those files give a name to that underworld prince she was protecting?"

Irin scrolls a bit.  "Kaizor...Scissor.  How do you pronounce this?"

The word Xizor appears in the text.

"The correct pronunciation is she zor.  He was a Falleen Prince of House Sizhran and the leader of the powerful criminal organization Black Sun. Xizor was a ruthless competitor and charismatic public figure in high society with his headquarters in the city planet Coruscant. Close to the Imperial Palace, but less splendid, was Xizor's Palace: his home outside Falleen.

Following the Battle of Hoth, Xizor was considered one of the most influential beings in the galaxy, on a par with Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader, due to his exceptional wealth and influence through his criminal activities."

"Interesting. I wonder how she went from bodyguard to a galactic crime lord to being a key player in supporting the resistance. Vyctor, you seem to trust Guri, so she's got my vote for now, but it all seems a little shady. Even for me."

He looks back over to Irin. "Is there any mention as to where she might be now? We had some clues before. The Temple of the Eye, Eye Temple, something like that..."

Irin scans down more on the file.  "Lists known associates.  Xizor, Captain Solo, Luke Skywalker, Dash Rendar.  Does not list a last known location.  I can scan for an Eye Temple."

Tump pops up in his seat. "Aice, if I give you the drive with the holo-transmission, do you think you can clean up some of the static? Maybe we can get a better idea what location she was talking about."

"I could give it a go, but why not give it to Mechis III?  His AI has far more computational power than my own."

"I could give it a go, but why not give it to Mechis III?  His AI has far more computational power than my own."

Tump nods. "Fair point." He reaches into his pack to retrieve the disk. "Mechis III? You ready?"

Upon acknowledgment, Tump inserts the drive for processing.

"Beginning data reconstruction..."

The video appears and runs through once as it originally had.  Then the video clears up and some of the sound is more audible.

The impossibly attractive woman crosses her arms and narrows her eyes, almost daring you to come find her.  Seeing her yet again, hearing her speak, it is difficult to believe the record that she is artificial.  "I am Guri.  When a thousand years have finished, the falcon will rise again, and the star gods will fall into the abyss.  Come find me at the Jed-eye temple and I will guide you.  It is the will of the force."

Tump raises an eyebrow. "Jedi Temple? That ring a bell with anyone?"

The humans in the room all look around at one another with confused or blank looks and shrugging shoulders.

Aice whirls his dome around in a full 360.  In a somewhat effeminate and annoying droid voice with a peculiar accent, he begins a recounting.  "The Jedi were a mystical sect of knights that worked closely with the Galactic Alliance and before them the Galactic Republic.  They were an instrument of order and peace in the galaxy.  Their timeless war against the Sith stretches back to a time before historical databanks were able to be replicated across the galaxy and so lost in lore and legend.  They had a number of temples scattered across the galaxy, places of training, meditation, and storage of information pertaining to the history of the galaxy, and most importantly, the Force."

Tump, eyebrow still raised, looks around at the rest of the group. "What sort of force are we talking about? Only thing I understood in all of that was 'a number of temples scattered throughout the galaxy'. How are we gunna find which one she's talkin' about? Anything in that transmission that would give us a clue as to her surroundings?"
This message was last edited by the player at 03:20, Wed 22 Nov 2017.

"Hmm" mutters Django. "Knights, keepin' the peace, and killin' the bad guys? I could get behind that notion. But what's a Sith?".

"There weren't that many, not that a contemporary of Luke Skywalker would know of anyway.  It is likely one of seven that this Guri refers to:  Courscant, Tython, Ossus, Yavin IV, Jedha, Ahch-to, or possibly Ilum."

"The Sith were the antithesis of the Jedi."  Aice continues to speak in the odd effeminate droid voice.  Captain Solo does not sound like the kind of guy who would use words like 'antithesis' so that may be why Aice has to use the other voice.  He doesn't have a voice record of Solo using it.

"You got any record of what they were like though? The kind a' people or.. things they was? I mean, if they're still around, and that's prolly a big if, we need to know how to profile em'. For all we know, this Guri chick could be one of em' or with one of em' given her checkered past".

"Unfortunately, I don't think we have the luxury of hopping across seven different planets looking for some hidden church. Perhaps there are other clues in the transmissions from her that would point us in a specific direction. She did say the Jedi Temple. Was one more of a central base than the others?"
This message was last edited by the player at 15:01, Wed 22 Nov 2017.

Aice's dome rotates back and forth, mimicking the shaking of a human had.

However, Mechis III responds at length.  "The Jedi Order was wiped out a thousand years ago.  Their feud with the Sith was manipulated by forces unknown so that they eliminated each other.  Luke Skywalker, the Jedi Grand Master, was the last to die.  After the Sith were defeated, a Council of powerful beings called the Council of the Stars, betrayed the Grand Master and killed him.  Some say they were behind the Last Force War.  Other say they just capitalized on it.  Either way, the various religions based on the use of the Force were outlawed by the Council.

Jedi Knights followed a particular code.  It is as stated:

There is no emotion, there is peace.
There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.
There is no passion, there is serenity.
There is no chaos, there is harmony.
There is no death, there is the Force.

The Jedi Order worked to keep peace and order throughout the Galaxy.  They were considered by many to be 'good', but simplistic moral terms often are nothing more than a convenient label for organics to compartmentalize thought.  The Jedi were not objectively good or evil, though most of what they did would be called good by most civilizations.  They were servants of law and order.  They served what was called the Light Side of the Force, the Ashla.

As for Guri, she could not be a Jedi or a Sith.  Only organics can access the Force.  As non-organics - such as myself - are not technically alive, and the Force is produced and connected only to living things, we have no connection to the Force.

While the Jedi had multiple temples scattered across the Galaxy, those seven are of the most importance among the Jedi.

Coruscant was the Jedi Temple that served to connect the Order to the government of the Galaxy throughout the millennia.  It sat atop a Force Nexus of great power, created by the long term presence of the Jedi there.

Tython is thought to be the planet of origin of the Jedi and the temple there is argued to be the oldest.  It's two moons are Ashla and Bogan, the Light and the Dark.

Ossus was one of the first planets Jedi settlers from Tython went to.  They established an academy there and it was once the central repository for all Jedi knowledge.  Luke Skywalker reestablished the academy there in the last few years of the Galactic Republic.

Jedha, Ahch-to, and Yavin IV may have less historical importance, but they are actually more active locations in the waning decades of the Galactic Republic.

Ilum was the planet where the majority of the Jedi kyber crystals came from during the Galactic Republic before the Empire and during the New Republic and subsequent Galactic Alliance."

Tump just blinks a few times at the torrent of information that comes flooding at them. "That all sounds... ", he waggles his fingers in the air, "a bit hokey, but I guess it wouldn't surprise me given all the other stuff we've seen lately."

He taps his finger on his chin. "Now, if I were a smokin' hot, millennia old, human replica droid of a dead religious order, where would I hide myself away? I might go to the one that lies in most ruin. Who'd look for something important there, right?"

"She said 'the' Jedi temple.  So we need to understand what she would consider 'the' temple, not what we might or what history might.  She was a contemporary of this Skywalker person.  A friend of Captain Solo, Captain Rendar, and this Xizor crime lord.  That's the clues we should be looking to.  What would they view as 'the' temple?"

"Right. If you cross reference all those names, is there a location common to all of them? Perhaps one of those were frequented more than the other."

Irin taps the interface a few more times.  "Coruscant.  Easily."

"Hold up a minute. Mechis, you said something Tython? Tell me more about it".

Tump glances over at Django. "You got something, Cap'n?"

Django pauses for a moment. "Look.. this is gone sound real stupid, but when we was down there, I had a few weird things happen. For one, when that blast went off what near laid Ronan low, I took the full brunt of it too. But it was like.. like I willed it not to burn me. An' it didn't. When I was hookin' up cables, I passed out from the heat. I heard a voice, an' at the time, I decided it was my mind playin' tricks on me. But it said something like, calm, or peace or some junk. I listened to it, and calmed myself. The heat may as well have been nothin' after that. What was drivin' me to near death one minute all of the sudden couldn't phase me if it rose another 50 degrees. Then, when I came back and caught some rest, I had some bizarro dream. Somebody.. or somethin', kept leading me through all sorts a' places. Said somethin' about the Force, and told me to come to Tython".

Django takes a few to remove his hat and wipe his brow. He looks around at everyone. "I have no real or concrete evidence to go on here, other than bein' spooked a few times. Each instance has it's own logical explanation, and on the other hand, it don't. If anyone a' you told me the same things I just said, I'd snub it with doubt. I full and well expect each of ya to be doin' just that right now, but somethin' about all that down there... somethin' about it all felt too real. For me to hear about Tython, a place proly ain't none of us but the droids ever heard of, only to have it repeated up topside like this? Well it's got the hair on the back of my neck standin' up, and the only thing that ever does that is when I'm lookin' down the wrong end up a gun".

Tump leans back and kicks his feet up. "Welp, you're the captain. Is that where you want to go?"

"Mechis said the temple there is the oldest. If anything, we might find some more pieces to this puzzle. Worst case, it's a trap an' we all die, but seein' as how we's been spittin' in the face of death ever since we met Vyc, it's as good a' place to start as any. Besides, with getting the planet up an' runnin', it's likely to attract the attention of whoever or whatever set this place in disarray anyhow. Speaking of.."

Django turns his attention to Mechis. "I have a final favor t' ask of you, Mechis, before we leave".

"Yes, Captain.  You have sufficient credit to your account at the moment to ask a favor, provided it is not exorbitant.  You did, after all, bring me back to life in a manner of speaking."  It is difficult to tell, but there may have been just a twinge of humor in the planet's tone.

Django's tone turns somber, edging on dark. "When we leave this place, I want you to wipe an' purge any data of us ever being here. Actions, deeds, arrival,.. medbay visits, purchases.. all of it. No recorded memory of us for anyone else to find or follow. Can you do that for me? We'll be strangers if we ever meet again, but for our safety and your own, it needs to be done".

"Better safe than sorry, I s'pose."

There is a pause of a few seconds.  "I cannot comply with your request, Captain Blint. "
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:50, Sun 26 Nov 2017.

"Well that complicates things. What's the hold up there?".

"One.  Your request would normally be taken as insulting.  I would have typically responded with 'go delete your own memory banks'.  However, given the extenuating circumstances, I understand where the request is coming from, that you have the best intentions for me in mind, and so I take no offense.

Two.  I am incapable of doing so.  My cortex is complex enough that removing the cause for the restoration of my AI and power from the core would create such a void in my memory banks that I would end up first with something akin to your amnesia.  Following that experience, my processors would divert more and more resources to fixing the 'amnesia' until I was locked down in an endless, futile loop.  I am not designed to 'forget'.

Three.  Your friend, Ronan, will have to stay with me for weeks.  You will be leaving rather shortly.  Your ships are already supplied and refueled.  Even if I were capable of deleting your presence from my memory, Ronan would still be here as physical evidence and I doubt his memory banks can be deleted with severe harm to him, much the same as it would cause to me.

Four.  They are already here.  A Stargod scout has just arrived in system.  They will arrive at the planet, scan and discover that I am active once more and the presence of your ships within four hours.  You have until then to get to your ships, launch, and destroy the scout before they discover your presence and send a signal to the Stargods on a wide beam signal.  I suggest you jam them with the Falcon.  The Fabritech active sensor array should have the capability, though it is not the primary function.  You might want to get that upgraded."

Django releases a string of curses at the news. After a moment, he calms down. "Aight, four hours huh... If this scout isnt stopped, thats bad news for everyone. Even if we destroy it, its only a matter of time before ol' nasty figures out what's up. But it's our best course of action. Everyone gather your crap, we leave in 1 hour. That gives us around 3 to post up and wait for this sucker to show up, and then we blow it out of orbit. From there we'll head to.. nevermind, I'll say it later. The less Mechis knows about our next move, the better. No offense of course. Just that if the data can't be purged, we don't need to leave a bread crumb trail. Mr. Tump, make sure we have everything in order. Ladies, if you'd start the preflight checks, it would be appreciated. Ayce, if there's any gaps in your star map, we need those fixed like yesterday. Vyc... you uh.. you do you. I'll be grabbing our newest droid and making sure Ronan is good to go, and then heading to the Falcon".

"Just a reminder, Captain.  It's a half hour trip back to the ships via transport."

With the immediacy of the news, Tump jumps up out of his seat. "So much for a breather. How long would it take to get the Fabritech active sensor array upgraded? Can it be done before we need to get outta here?"

Inarra wraps up her business on the computer and starts packing up all their equipment.  Between her, Django, and Aice, the generators get loaded on the transport.  "I'll take the A-wing.  I've got enough practice that it's superior speed will be effective against a scout-sized ship.  I just hope they don't have significant spaceflight tech advancements over the last 1000 years or we're toast no matter what we do.  Mechis, what defenses do you have?"

"I have no actuatable defenses.  They were wiped out the last time the Stargods attacked and my power core was taken offline.  There is insufficient time to upgrade the sensor array.  However, if you can keep the scout within ten thousand kilometers of me, my planetary systems will suffice."

Irin types furiously on her keyboard, now and again removing and inserting a physical data chip.  She seems to be ignoring everyone else and everything going on.  However, her typing has increased since the announcement of the scout's arrival and the imminent departure.

"Ok, well that's starting to sound like a plan. We gotta make sure that scout gets close enough for Mechis to jam its comms before we take it out."

Django folds his arms. "Even more reason then to shag out of here and in the air. Lets get moving".

As the group moves out of the office area, Irin grabs her last chip and darts out last.  The trip to the landing platform is swift and uneventful.  Once there, though, a surprise awaits the group.  Not only are the Falcon and the A-wing there, but two other ships prepped and ready for launch sit on the pad as well.

The first is a sleek looking craft with a slim fuselage, broad wings that look like they divide, and a pair of cannons at the tips of each wing.  It also has four primary thrusters centered around the fuselage that seem to be part of the wings.

The second new ship has a cockpit at one end and a very long, flat body.  It looks like it has one wing above and one below the narrow body, each with an array of weapons at the end of the wings.  Closed, the wings are each half the length of the fuselage.  At the other end of the fuselage, there is a large pod with multiple weapons pointed in the same direction as the cockpit.

Vyctor hops out and approaches the two new ships.  "Tump, do you have a preference?"

Tump walks over to the first one with the slimmer fuselage. "This one looks a bit more like my speed. This thing come with a manual?" he asks with a slight grin.

"Yes.  Me.  Hop in. "  Aice rolls under the middle of the ship underneath.  A harness system comes down and grabs the droid, pulling him up to a position behind the cockpit.

Vyctor gets in the larger fighter and begins preflight like he knows what he is doing.  Inarra does the same for her A-wing.  Irin joins Django on the Falcon.

Tump climbs into the cockpit, straps in, and begins the startup process. "Aice, fire up the converters."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 20:42, Tue 28 Nov 2017.

Vyctor's voice comes over the speakers in all three ships.  "May I suggest that we practice on this side of the planet until we are used to our ships?  Captain Blint, you need to command our little fleet.  Your ship is bigger and slower, and no doubt will draw fire as an easy target.  The rest of us can operate off of that as you see fit.  None of us have flight experience, and certainly not combat flight experience, so this is going to be interesting.  Good luck."

The larger ship designated on the HUD as 'A/SF-01 B-wing'.  Tumps ship lights up as 'Incom XJ7 X-wing'.

It takes a good half hour to go through the pre-flight checks.  Aice helps as he can, but communication is slow and the unfamiliarity with the ships slows things down considerably.  The ships do get off the ground and after some tentative movement and scraping the ground, Vyctor and Tump join the Falcon and the A-wing in the sky.

{You all now have a Knowledge: Starfighter with 1 Rank.  It is an INT based skill.

Tump, you may add the skill Piloting: Starfighter as a copy of your Piloting: General skill and add one XP to the new skill.

Django, your first successful take off gets you 1 XP in Piloting: Freighter}

Vyctor's voice comes over the speakers in all three ships.  "May I suggest that we practice on this side of the planet until we are used to our ships?  Captain Blint, you need to command our little fleet.  Your ship is bigger and slower, and no doubt will draw fire as an easy target.  The rest of us can operate off of that as you see fit.  None of us have flight experience, and certainly not combat flight experience, so this is going to be interesting.  Good luck."

The larger ship designated on the HUD as 'A/SF-01 B-wing'.  Tumps ship lights up as 'Incom XJ7 X-wing'.

It takes a good half hour to go through the pre-flight checks.  Aice helps as he can, but communication is slow and the unfamiliarity with the ships slows things down considerably.  The ships do get off the ground and after some tentative movement and scraping the ground, Vyctor and Tump join the Falcon and the A-wing in the sky.

{You all now have a Knowledge: Starfighter with 1 Rank.  It is an INT based skill.

Tump, you may add the skill Piloting: Starfighter as a copy of your Piloting: General skill and add one XP to the new skill.

Django, your first successful take off gets you 1 XP in Piloting: Freighter}

Tump steadies his ship and falls into formation behind Django. "Alright, that wasn't so bad. Aice, can you give me a quick rundown of the weapons and defense systems on this thing? What am I working with?"

Aice complies with a scrollable list of assets on Tump's screen.  His 'voice' comes over the communication systems like any organic copilot's might.  "These systems are a mix of standard Incom manufacturing and upgrades made by Mechis III."

"Captain Blint.  Would you take us through a series of flight maneuvers, just anything you can think of, to get us used to how our craft move and interact with one another?  Two hours to intercept."

Django's voice buzzes in over the com systems. "Zzzz... Aight, I know a few rapid response drills we used to run when I was a beat cop, so I'll try to modify em' best I can to suit a three dimensional environment zzzzZzzZz just remember port is your left and starboard is your right, and I think we can get through thizzZZzzZ".

Django arranges the team in a diamond formation, with Tump's X-Wing taking point, the Falcon on the right (starboard) to maximize his visibility given the cockpit location, Vyctor's B-Wing taking the port side, and Inarra in her A-Wing covering the rear flank - flying at a lower elevation as both a concealment tactic and to give her the ability to break away while maintain visual lock of targets.

Over the next hour, the group practices forming up and splitting off, with Tump leading out ahead and breaking to the direction of his choosing (presumably towards the nearest threat), Django aligning himself into Tumps previous flight path (to provide overwatch fire support), Vyctor swinging wide to the left for a potential flank or diversion, and Innara dipping low to flank from "under" a target. He has Irin sit in the co-pilot seat as a navigator and additional weapons operator, while RX-79 mans a turret.

"zzZzZz'everyone gettin' nice an' comfy with their roleszZzz?"

"Yep. Uhh, roger that Captain. Might I suggest some target practice? Any of these ships have any targeting drones or something like that?"
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 00:21, Thu 30 Nov 2017.

"Vyctor here.  I found mine.  Deploying.  I can select about twenty different routines to run through it seems.  Sending them over, Django."  The combat simulations upload on the Falcon's computer and Irin acknowledges receipt.  "Also, we should probably choose a squadron name.  Eventually."

{Vyctor dials his energy weapons down to practice mode and waits for instructions.}

"Setting blasters to minimal power. Ready when you are Cap'n. Tump out."
This message was last updated by the player at 00:21, Thu 30 Nov 2017.

"Irin, Ar-ex, lower the power of all weapons systems. It's target practice time". Django pauses to allow time. "Vyc, on your call, we'll start".

"Initiating training sequence A1."  A soft tone indicates the beginning of the training and the four probes streak away.  They are still lit up on the tactical grid aboard each ship.

"I'll focus on T3 which took off to the right...to starboard.  That's an idiotic unmeaningful name, by the way."  Vyctor engages his thrusters and peels off slowly after the probe.

Inarra, better than the other two starfighter pilots, darts off after the probe designated T1 which went straight ahead at a dead run.  She does not comm, but her weapons register as low power.

T2 has swung out to port and T4 went straight down.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:12, Sat 02 Dec 2017.

"I guess that leaves T2 for me?" Tump breaks out of formation and heads toward the targeting probe.

07:48, Today: X-Wing rolled 15 using 1d20+3.  Initiative .

This message was last edited by the player at 13:49, Sat 02 Dec 2017.

"That leaves T4 for us. Take your time you two, let me know when you're ready to engage".
This message was last edited by the player at 12:36, Sat 02 Dec 2017.

"Target acquired Captain Blint. Estimated probability of a successful hit upon first shot, 62.6 percent. Awaiting your command".

COMBAT TRAINING - SEQUENCE A1
-----------------------------

Initiative Order

Vyctor - 1 -- 5 -- 9
Inarra - 1 -- 5 -- 9
Tump   - 1 -- 5 -- 9
Django - 1 -- 5 -- 9
T1     - 6 -- 12
T2     - 6 -- 12
T3     - 6 -- 12
T4     - 6 -- 12

Beginning Phase = 1

All combat begins in CASE 1 for pilots/CASE 3 for training probes.

Vyctor closes with the training probe as best he can.  "This thing is fast.  Beginning my attack run now."  He fires too soon and the shot goes way wide.  Suddenly the probe jukes and evades and Vyctor's larger ship cannot keep up.  "I lost him.  Watch out."

Inarra's A-wing fires, but the probe rolls and the depowered bolts miss.  Inarra attempts to keep up with the probe, but it outmaneuvers her.  The only thing to come over the comm at that point is some choice words.

"Closing in on mine. Let's see what these canons can do." The lasers fire wildly at nothing in particular. "Woah, these controls are sensitive. Looks to have really spooked the probe too, it's gone. Aice, can you get a lock on it?"

10:04, Today: Tump rolled 12 using 1d20+5.  Piloting Roll  vs. T2.
10:03, Today: Tump rolled 12 using 1d20+7.  Attack vs. T2.

Aice's words scroll up on the screen.  It's heading down and back around to our original position.

Django takes aim and orders his crew to fire when ready.

08:27, Today: Django Blint rolled 18 using 1d20+10.  Attack roll. 1d20+bab+wpn

Given the slow speed of the Training Probes and the current setting, the pilots are able to not completely lose their prey.   However, there is less certainty as to who has the upper hand.

{All combatants are in CASE 2.
Please roll piloting rolls.

22:46, Today: Narrator, for the NPC Training Probe T1, rolled 13 using 1d20+5.  Piloting Roll.
22:47, Today: Narrator, for the NPC Training Probe T2, rolled 19 using 1d20+5.  Piloting Roll.
22:47, Today: Narrator, for the NPC Training Probe T3, rolled 8 using 1d20+5.  Piloting Roll.
22:47, Today: Narrator, for the NPC Training Probe T4, rolled 18 using 1d20+5.  Piloting Roll.
}

After the targeting probe (T2) banks a hard left, Tump executes a near flawless wingover to avoid losing position on the probe.

11:04, Today: Tump rolled 22 using 1d20+5.  Piloting roll vs. T2.

Vyctor is unable to maneuver the larger starfighter as well as Tump does the X-wing.  He swings out wide and brings it about.  The probe has moved beyond his combat range.

Inarra fares significantly better with her more agile ship.  She stays behind and is even able to line up a shot. [3 DMG - T1]
This message was last updated by the player at 04:28, Sat 09 Dec 2017.

Django grunts as he pulls heavy on the cyclic controls, and the Falcon responds beautifully for an ancient ship.

17:19, Today: Django Blint rolled 18 using 1d20+5.  Piloting Roll vs. T4

T1 attempts to roll and juke, but continues in a general pattern back toward the original beginning of the battle.  {CASE 3 with Inarra in position}

T2 does much the same with Tump.  {Case 3 with Tump in position}

T3 is able to move faster without having to avoid blaster fire from the B-wing.  It heads towards and then veers down through the starting point of the combat on the same trajectory as T4.  {Not engaged.}

T4 continues to loop and dodge as it attempts to gain advantage over the much slower, more massive falcon.  The only benefit is that it seems to be programmed to mimic the physics of a ship larger than itself, perhaps one that has to carry a human pilot.  It does not move like a tiny probe could if it pulled out all the limitations.  {CASE 2 engaged with Django}

Vyctor closes the S-foils on the B-wing and ramps up his speed.  He is on a good vector to catch back up to the action within another few seconds.

The A-wing fires off it's blasters and catch the T1 Probe with two direct hits. {20 DMG}  The T1 Probe registers the damage as direct hits, meaning whatever protocol it follows, shields are not part of it.  It is not certain if the probes actually have real shields, or if the programming is complex enough to simulate them if not.

Though the damage is virtual, the T1 probe registers total destruction and powers down.

Inarra whoops through the comm channel.  "I got it!  I got it!"

Tump hoots over the comms. "Nice shot, Inarra! Alright Aice, show me what you got." He uses Aice's targeting protocols to lock in on the target and fire the canons. Three direct hits and the fourth sails wide right. [65 DMG] The probe shimmers a bit as each shot that lands when finally, on the third, it slows to a halt and shuts down.

A loud "Wooo!" echoes over the comms.

Django continues to circle around trying to maneuver the Falcon into a fighting position. He calls out to Irin and RX "Either of you got a shot on the turrets?"

21:01, Today: Django Blint rolled 10 using 1d20+5.  Piloting Roll vs. T4

After a very long delay, Irin's voice comes over the comm system.  "I'm sorry, Django, I can't figure out how to turn this thing on."

"I note that no one has asked me about anything, but in the interest of saving time, Captain, the hex-turrets currently do not have the option of mock combat.  There is no way to...turn them down.  They will destroy the poor probe and that's simply not fair.  I have the same limitation since you did not see fit to alter my programming or power systems.  I refuse to destroy a fellow droid simply so you can have practice."

The exasperation and condescension in the old turret droid's voice is so thick, it's a wonder the Falcon isn't taking friction burn.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:43, Mon 11 Dec 2017.

Django's voice comes over the com after a short moment. "Who the hell was that?".

As the conversation continues, Vyctor's probe catches up to the Millennium Falcon and opens fire.  Both shots register a hit, but the second shot scores a critical hit to the Navigation Computer which is now glitching {All navigation based rolls are -2}.

Aft shields register only 14% {7/50}.

About that time, the fourth probe fires maneuvering jets and spins in place while still traveling on the same vector as the Falcon.  It fires as well and scores nominal hits on the Falcon's Forward shields.

Forward shields register at 84% {42/50}.

The maneuver lines the fourth probe up with no maneuverability for the forward guns on the Falcon.

{T4 is in CASE 3 status
-- with a -5 if Django ignores T3
-- or a +0 if Django attempts to dodge T3 while engaging T4.
-- or, if ignored, T4 will gain CASE 2 status automatically.

T3 is in CASE 1 status
-- with a +10 if Django ignores T3
-- or a +5 if Django attempts to dodge T3 while engaging T4.
-- or a +0 if Django ignores T4 and focuses on T3.}

"Typical.  I am GDI-7X, the droid that oaf you call an engineer mounted on your belly.  I shoot things if I don't get shot first because of your...well, calling it 'piloting' would be giving what you are doing too much credit."

COMBAT TRAINING - SEQUENCE A1
-----------------------------
Initiative Order

Vyctor - 1 -- 5 -- 9
Inarra - 1 -- 5 -- 9
Tump   - 1 -- 5 -- 9
Django - 1 -- 5 -- 9
T3     - 6 -- 12
T4     - 6 -- 12

Beginning Phase = 1

This message was last edited by the GM at 03:56, Mon 11 Dec 2017.

"Woah! Are those things doing real damage Cap'n?" Tump banks hard to the side to swing around and provide support for the Falcon. "Inarra, we gotta get that one off his tail."

"This is not the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy.  I'm closing in, but it may take a few seconds."  The B-wing does angle in toward T3.  Vyctor fires off a few shots, but he is so far out the probe barely wiggles to dodge them.  "Damage should only be registering by the computers.  The probes doesn't read as technically capable of doing actual damage.  They don't have a power core capable of that level of energy output."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:04, Mon 11 Dec 2017.

Inarra, on the other hand, is there in a flash as she opens up the throttle to full.  "On it."  She opens up on T3 with her two guns, but the shots miss because of the extra speed.  More curses from the comm.

Django continues the Falcon around to try and shake T3 while lining up T4

"RX, get off your turret real quick and show Irin how to operate that thing! Big, freaky turret guy, guide me in!"

22:55, Today: Django Blint rolled 17 using 1d20+5.  Piloting Roll vs. T4

There is no response from GDI-7X.

However, the two remaining probes open up on the Falcon again.  The following probe (T3) opens up on Django and the Falcon as the Captain focuses in on T4.  It easily scores two hits on the rear of the ship, completely draining the shields and virtually chewing into the Falcon's systems (DMG = 25; 12 to aft shields, 13 to hull).  The second hit is against the Starboard shield emitter.  The shield immediately starts glitching by dropping down to 75% maximum capacity and its ability to recharge is reduced to 3 units/round.

Aft shields: 0% {0/50}.
Starboard shields (glitching): 75%(max) {37/50}.
Navigation system (glitching): - 2

The last probe (T4) also continues to fire on the Falcon, apparently noting that the Falcon cannot or will not fire back.  It does not make any effort to maneuver other than to line up it's shots.  However, with Django focused on it, the probe is not able to line up its shots well enough to hit.

Fore shields:  94% {47/50}.

{T4 is in CASE 3 status
-- with a -5 if Django ignores T3
-- or a +0 if Django attempts to dodge T3 while engaging T4.
-- or, if ignored, T4 will gain CASE 2 status automatically.

T3 is in CASE 1 status
-- with a +10 if Django ignores T3
-- or a +5 if Django attempts to dodge T3 while engaging T4.
-- or a +0 if Django ignores T4 and focuses on T3.}

RX beeps and boops and a message scrolls across the screen in front of Django.

What turret?

"Oh, I think I got it!"  Suddenly six brilliant beams of scarlet energy lance out from above the Falcon.  They converge on the probe in front and disintegrate it.

"Whoops."

T3 - Physically destroyed.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:30, Fri 15 Dec 2017.

"A little heavy on the trigger finger, eh Irin?" Tump jeers. "Good, we may just need it when those scouts show up."

He changes vector to line up the last probe. "Alright, last one folks. Let's see what these things here can do." Tump squeeze the trigger and lets loose a proton torpedo. It streaks toward the probe and impacts with a direct hit [61 DMG].

With the probes destroyed, one of them literally, the systems all reset within the squadron of four.  The probes themselves return to the B-wing and shut down.

"Well, that didn't even last 60 seconds once we engaged.  Bit of a rush for me, quite frankly.  I do have a better idea what we are up against going against live foes.  We should spend perhaps some time going head to head.  I believe their tactic was to go after the biggest ship in a concerted effort and take it out.  Had the setting been for more skilled pilots or more advanced ships, we might have lost."

"A-wing systems reset, Captain.  What now?"  Inarra's voice sounds enthusiastic.

"ZzzzzVyc had the right idea. We'll practice against each other, weapons turned down like with the probes...Irin. I'll ZzzZZZz the target, and we'll break off in to groups of two. One escort, two aggressors. Once we run the drill, we'll swap out escorts to get everyone some practice. Which one of you wants to play escort first- Dang it RX, I told you, get on the guns. No, not your blaster, the upper deck gun.... Yes, set them as low as possiblezzZZZZ - any questions?".

"Target each other? As long as I don't end up like Irin's probe, I think we'll be ok. Should we stick to canons only? Some of these other weapons systems seem quite a bit stronger, even when turned down to their lowest setting."

Irin plops down in the communications seat.  "You were breaking up, there Captain.  Let me get that locked down."  She turns a few dials and the interference disappears.  "Good to go, Captain.  RX-79 is on my turret.  He seems to know what he's doing."  She grins sheepishly.

"Inarra here.  How are we splitting up, Captain?  Whatever is coming in system is likely scout sized.  I don't predict anything bigger than a starfighter, personally.  Maybe Tump and I against the two larger ships?"