[Star Wars Saga] Heart of Darkness

[Z97]

----
It has been 4 years since Palpatine
has issued ORDER 66, wiping out
most of the Jedi Order and declaring
himself Emperor, plunging the galaxy into
darkness under his Empire.

But trouble is brewing on the planet
FELUCIA, C.I.S. remnants have
started up an abandoned droid factory
and are disrupting the Empire's slave
raids. The native Felucians along with
fugitive JEDI are also causing great grief
with their raids on Imperial patrols.

Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, the Empire
has sent four Inquisitors-in-training to the
hostile planet in order to deal with the threat.
Unknown to anyone at the time, they would
soon be entering the HEART OF DARKNESS.
----

The Evergreen, a Venator-class Star Destroyer and the ship you've become accustomed to since your journey started from Coruscant, lazily orbits around Felucia. The once red stripe painted on the center of the hull is now dull grey, blending in with the rest of the ship. Indeed, where Republic symbols would normally be, instead there are Imperial crests.

As your final test to become Inquisitors, Emperor Palpatine himself has tasked you with going to Felucia in order put down whatever Separatists remain, along with any Jedi and rebellious natives, allowing the Empire to begin it's slave raids again. On the Evergreen's command bridge, your mentor and overseer for the mission, Crale Varth, has called you up to give you some important information. He is a tall frail-looking man, with sunken yellow eyes, prominent cheekbones and a hacking cough. He's wearing a plain grey officers uniform, except for a few distinguishing effects, such as the two lightsabers hanging from his belt and his maroon cloak with complimentary cowl. "We've arrived," he says rasply to you, nodding toward a holographic projection of Felucia set up on the command console. It zooms in to show a relatively small continent connected by two other larger continents. "I've also made some preliminary scans. The safest place to land would be here." He points to a area on the smaller continent with a sparse amount of trees and fungus, which is mostly just vegetation. "It's the clearest area we can find, the only thing on it is a village of Felucians. It is however, very far away from either of our garrison bases, so getting reinforcements to them in short order will be difficult. We could also land by one of the bases. It's really your choice, I'm not the one in charge here." He finishes the statement bitterly. "We'll be landing in about..." He glances down to check his chrono. "...a half-an-hour." The projection returns to the full view of Felucia.

He looks around thoughtfully at each of you. "Where do you want to set down?"

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Ki-Tel

A pale Cerean in drab gray combat fatigues and a dark gray cloak leans in for a closer view of the hologram, hands clasped behind his back. "On the one hand, setting down near the Felucians would provide a quick start to the task of removing the native interference; on the other hand, while I do not anticipate overly-heavy resistance, straying too far from reinforcements is not a wise tactical decision." He straightens up and looks to the other inquisitors-in-training. "I think I will defer to my associates' tactical expertise in this matter."

[TheDarkDM]

Devran regards the holographic projection of the fungus world with interest. This place was so very different from Coruscant...yet the task at hand demanded his full attention. Clearing his throat, Devran looks more like an Imperial official than a soldier, clad in well cut black garments with minimal ornamentation, the hem of his coat brushing the deck. He turns to his companions, "While the lingering Separatist forces are a concern, our main objective is the capture of these rogue Jedi. Touching down amongst the natives may alert them to our presence before we are ready. Thus, I recommend we touch down at the larger garrison as Imperial officials. The presence of such esteemed entities may provoke the Jedi into another assault to obtain bargaining chips, and even if it does not our apparent need for protection will likely cause them to underestimate us when we finally come into contact."

[DCrane1]

Shando Le is sitting cross-legged in the corner of the shuttle, his eyes cast downward at his datapad. During the travels to Felucia, Shando has been voraciously reading any information about the planet and its history. He has tried to find unbiased accounts of the Battle of Felucia, rather than the standard Imperial propaganda; and has concluded that the planet’s unibiotic ecosystem lent itself perfectly to guerilla warfare. Without mass defoliating, guerilla bands would be able to use the ecosystem as a shield from sensors and aerial surveillance; and large armor units would be hard-pressed to maneuver through the dense forest without revealing their presence from far way. Thus, the Empire’s major military advantages were neutralized from the start.

Instead, any military force would have to engage using small-arms and light vehicle elements, putting them on roughly equal firepower terms with the Confederate partisans. While the Imperial forces would have a manpower advantage, the locals would have a far greater understanding of the terrain. Being drawn into a protracted war against a local resistance movement could be disastrous for the Imperial military.

From this analysis, Shando has formulated a series of recommendations for the Imperial garrison:

1- Protect supply deposits with overwhelming force, as the partisans will need to supply themselves with ammunition and weaponry. Do not allow forces protecting a supply deposit to reinforce other units, as this is a common tactic used to lure away garrison forces.

2- Gain the support of non-partisan locals by offering the native tribes freedom from slave raids if they meet a quota of partisans killed. An Imperial observer would need to be assigned to each tribe which participates in this program, so as to monitor the tribes’ actions.

3- Irregular patrols-in-force by Stormtrooper units. These patrols must be large enough to prevent the partisans from winning any incidental confrontations with them, and stealth and reconnaissance should be secondary to demonstrating the manpower of the Empire and keeping partisans off of key trails. The patrols should not follow routine patterns so as to prevent the partisans from massing forces and ambushing a patrol.


Despite spending most of the trip contemplating these military issues, Shando has given comparatively little thought to the mission at hand, and when asked by Varth where the group should land, Shando ponders for a minute and then says, “We should land at the garrison base on the smaller continent. We can get transportation from that base to wherever we need to go, and the last thing we should be doing is moving into unknown, enemy-controlled territory with no access to extraction or reinforcements.”

[Overkill]

The skeletal Umbaran cracked his neck and popped his knuckles.

Kile then spoke, in a smooth but nondescript voice.

"I think that Jedi forces would likely be operating in the woodlands with Rebel commandos. If we land too close to the village we could have to contend with who knows how many armed rebels, and could very well fall into an ambush. I think we ought to move to the Imperial forces and learn more from there. If the base is attacked due to our arrival, so much the better. They will be coming to us instead of the other way around."

[Z97]

"You want to land by one of the bases, eh? Here..." Crale pushes a few buttons on the console and another holographic Felucia pops up along side the first. They both zoom in to show the two different bases. On the left version of Felucia, the base is sitting on the left continent, almost exactly in the middle. It is hardly visible, sitting in a valley and covered by shadows of giant mushrooms and who knows what else. The only thing easily visible is the dark grey tower that juts upward just enough to come two or three stories above the treeline. "Base Alpha-152," he says, pointing to the left, "is the one where they said they've had the most trouble. Felucians make daily raids against the base, if the garrison commander's report is to be believed." A pause, "It is also where he said possible Jedi were spotted."

Crale now points to the right version of Felucia. This base is on the far right continent, and sitting on most strategically viable place around. On top of a large sloping hill, with no mushrooms or trees or anything around it for a good half-a-mile, in fact, the ground looks as if it had been burned and bombarded, with craters and water-logged trenches surrounding it. It has the same basic design as the first one. "This one, nicknamed 'Camp Clanker' by it's stormtroopers, is the one dealing with the remnants of the C.I.S.. They seemed to strike from one area, then disappear and strike from another. Because of this, the commander ordered the surrounding area burned to the ground. Since then, attacks have been occurring with less frequency, although now the droids are going on patrols of their own instead of attacking, and skirmishes happen daily."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Ki-Tel smiles slowly. "Decisions, decisions. The mission best suited to our talents, and the one most likely to prove our capabilities, would be going after the hypothetical Jedi. However, CIS droids make a most satisfying crunch when they are rent limb from limb, their processors scattered across the foliage. Thus, I favor landing at this 'Camp Clanker' unless the rest of you have any objections."

[TheDarkDM]

Devran turns to Ki-Tel, "While droids may be satisfyingly destructible, or main objective here is the rogue Jedi. The droids are secondary, and removed from our objective, but if we engage them word may still reach the Jedi of other force users on the planet and they could go to ground. Droids, on the other hand, are easy enough to find at any time."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Sighing forlornly, Ki-Tel nods his assent. "I assumed we would be chasing after these Jedi, but I felt obligated to put a word in for the other option. Jedi are more of a challenge, anyway, and I might have known these at some point, so it would be equally acceptable to hunt them down instead."

[DCrane1]

As Ki-Tel finishes speaking, Shando lights a cigarette and inhales the tobacco deeply, as though trying to suck in every last drop of poisonous euphoria. As he does, Shando remembers why he loved death sticks so much, and momentarily longs for the powerful hallucinogen as an involuntary shiver goes down his spine. After listening to Devran and taking a few long draws on the cigarette, his mind returns from withdrawing and focuses again on the world in front of him.

He waits a few moments after Devran stops talking, then stands and says "We need to take the Jedi first. The Separatist holdouts are nothing more than mechanical soldiers to be destroyed at the whims of the Emperor's legions. The Jedi is a different beast all together, if it can lead the savages, they will overrun the world and tear civilized men limb from limb. I saw it happen on happen on Thamesic II. The Jedi can inspire them, the Jedi will lead them unless we stop it. We underestimate the primitives at our own risk, even Courscant was savage once. When we first encountered this planet, when it was first discovered by the survey teams; there was precious little to eat and nothing but water to drink. Our bastions of civilization are those military bases, bastions against cold, fog, tempests, disease, exile, and death. If the Jedi rouses the primitives that will all be over."

[Z97]

"You heard them Dejj, set us down by Alpha-152," Crale says to Officer Dejj, who was lazily looking out the viewport. "Right... right away sir." He addresses the bridge crew, "You heard him! Set down by Alpha-152!" Crale give out a barely audible sigh, "And he's supposed to be the ship's acting second-in-command. It seems only incompetent people get out of the Imperial Academy." Crale tries to raise Garrison Commander Koda on the ship's communication array to tell him they were landing by his base, but is only greeted by static. "That's strange," he mutters.

As the Evergreen starts it's descent through the planet's atmosphere, you can begin to see vague outlines of giant mushrooms and trees, along with other unknown things, out of the viewport. As you break the cloud layer more shapes become visible, like the grey tower protruding a few stories above the treeline. Trees and fungus crunch and metal groans as the Evergreen sets down next to the apparently overgrown garrison. Crumbling outer walls, giant roots breaking though cracks in deteriorating roofs, anything metal is rusty and falling apart, tiny mushrooms popping up on whatever flat land there is on or in the base, with dirty green moss covering what remains. There are no stormtroopers in or around the decaying guard towers or the rusted gate either, in fact it looks like this place hasn't been used in years. The shimmering shadows and flickering sunbeams complete the abandoned look. The only place that doesn't look totally destroyed is the central tower, although that could change at anytime with fungus and roots slowly crawling upward. "Well that can't be good."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

"I assume that the base wasn't in this...condition the last time you fine gentlemen were here, hmm?" Ki-Tel peers through the transparisteel, looking for any hint of movement nearby. "When was the last time you visited here? I doubt this would have gone unnoticed for so long."

[Z97]

"The report Koda sent to Coruscant was only a week old by the time we got it, and it's taken us another week to reach here. So in two weeks..." Crale leaves the statement unfinished. He begins pacing, and with a tinge of nervousness in his voice, says, "I think it would be best if you investigate. Maybe whatever or whoever caused this is still here."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

"An excellent suggestion. I do not look forward to facing an opponent able to manipulate the environment in this manner; however, if it is the rogue Jedi who did this we may be killing two mynocks with one bolt."

[Overkill]

Kile stared at Camp 152, assessing its condition. It looked pretty rough.

"We have got to kill this Jedi and whatever other mystics are around. Can't let them get trained in the Force and lead Felucians. Looks like we arrived not a moment too soon. This base is ravaged."

[TheDarkDM]

Looking at Kile, Devran lets out a short laugh, "Now, now my friend, let's not be hasty. Taking the Jedi alive may give us leads on where to find other Jedi, both on this forsaken world and elsewhere. Let's not consider killing them except as a last resort."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

"Indeed, we want the Jedi alive." Ki-Tel gives a predator's grin. "However, 'alive' and 'intact' are two entirely separate states of being."

[Overkill]

Kile pouts and says sourly...

I was told this was a search and destroy operation.
Well, lets get off the ship and get some information on the next expected attack.

[Z97]

"I'll send a platoon with you to the base. They'll be waiting for you by Landing Ramp Two. Good luck." Crale gives one last look out of the viewport before turning and walking up to a group of senior officers near the command console, who were muttering amongst themselves.

"E-excuse me sirs," Dejj says timidly coming up from behind, "If you'll follow me I can take you to Landing Ramp Two." Now that you can get a good look at Dejj, he doesn't look a day over 22, with wavy blond hair an inch over regulations and an eagerness all new officers have. He seems shaky however, you can tell this wasn't what he was expecting.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

"No need to be nervous, Dejj," Ki-Tel says, giving Dejj a reassuring pat on the back. "Despite what you may have heard about the Inquisitorius, no one here is going to bite your head off. It's barely midday by Galactic Standard Time, and no civilized Inquisitor would even think of devouring someone until at least mid-afternoon." With that, Ki-Tel smiles a rather toothy grin and slips towards the rear of the group.

[DCrane1]

Shando Le was silent as the Inquisitors started walking towards the landing ramp, ignoring the nervous Imperial and focusing only on sucking the last few puffs of smoke out of his cigarette.

[TheDarkDM]

Devran stares at Dejj as the others intimidate him. Sighing under his breath, he follows the other inquisitors towards the landing bay. Stopping next to Dejj, Devran puts a hand n his shoulder.

"Don't worry lieutenant, some of us have served on the ground before, and respect the troops under our command. No one is going to devour you, and serve us well and we may even take you with us as we rise."

With that, Devran turns down the corridor and strides towards the landing bay.

[Z97]

As you enter the landing bay, you can see the four squads of stormtroopers Crale mentioned sitting or pacing back and forth by Landing Ramp Two. While you close the distance, Dejj says, "T-that's good to hear sir, there were some nasty rumors back at the Academy, but it's nice to know that they weren't true." When you reach the group of nervous troopers, another man in an officer's uniform quickly approaches you. "This is where I take my leave," Dejj says, "Good luck." With that, Dejj turns around and walks back the way you came, no doubt going back to the Evergreen's command bridge to inform Crale of your arrival.

The man in the officer's uniform, a lieutenant by his markings, who happens to have a large bushy moustache, extends a hand to shake. (I'm assuming one of you shakes his hand.) With a gravelly voice, he says, "I'm Lieutenant Hyde, I'm in charge of this platoon. We've been told to sweep the area in and around the base. Terrible shame what happened. I knew Commander Koda personally, great man, knew his tactics." A pause. "Anyway, if you need any help while you're in there, we'll be five minutes away." He produces a comlink from his breast pocket. "Here, take this, so you can contact us. Good luck, eh?" Hyde turns back to face his men, who have stopped pacing and file into order. "Come on, let's go! Alpha-152 isn't going to scout itself!" The land ramp slowly and ear-piercingly descends, until it hits the wet fetid ground. The twenty-four stormtroopers, along with Lieutenant Hyde, nervously file out. The comlink Hyde had given buzzes with what sounds like a stormtrooper, saying, "Ugh, this ground is so spongy." The smell of Felucia wafting in the landing bay is already nauseating.

[TheDarkDM]

Devran shakes the lieutenant's hand before turning towards the descending ramp. As the platoon secures the LZ, he steps gingerly onto Felucian soil, nose crinkling at the smell.

"Well, isn't this place just charming. Let's get to that tower - with any luck we'll be out of here before the smell imprints on our clothing."

[Overkill]

The more Kile heard about this mission, the more anxious he got to get it over with. Things just keep going from bad to wretched.

Thoughts keep racing through Kile's head...
Koda is on Felucia? Thanks for the in depth briefing, you low down sonsof...


Relax. Breathe. Breathe in that good swamp air. Count to 10. Focus.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Ki-Tel walks up beside Devran, taking a few tentative sniffs of the air. "I must say, apart from the oh-so-wonderful aroma, this planet is the spitting image of my native Cerea." His upper lip curls in disgust. "I hate Cerea." He watches the stormtroopers finish securing the perimeter and making preparations, amusing himself by telekinetically crushing the noisy bloodsucking insects in the area.

[DCrane1]

As the Inquisitors walk towards the tower, Shando Le lingers behind, walking slowly and chatting with Lieutenant Hyde. After a few moments of small talk, Shando asks the Lieutenant, "So this Koda, what was he like? I mean, I read his personnel file and it was commendable, but is there anything more personal you could shine light on?"

When the Lieutenant doesn't say anything, Shando fills the silence by explaining, "I'd just like to know who was here before us. That's important tactically you understand, helps me figure out the climate and what's been tried before. I know what's in the files, but was there anything left out? Something that wouldn't have earned the thumbs-up from the brass insulated in the Courscant apartments and swank quarters on the capital ships?"

[Z97]

"Well..." Hyde begins hesitantly, keeping in step with Shando and occasionally brushing a tree limb or mushroom out of their way, "He was a avid game hunter, from nerfs to rancors. Hunting was always on his mind. When I knew him, we were stationed on Kashyyyk, pacifying the local Wookiee population at the start of the New Order. He was the chief..." Hyde gives a short gravelly laugh at the memory. "He was the chief 'Carpetbagger', we would say. He knew a thing or two about catching prey I think, would know exactly where they, the wookiees, would go after a more obvious trap was sprung. ...That had to be the best year of my service. Koda had a real way of getting your blood stirring at the thought of the hunt. But after a year at Kashyyyk we were reassigned, he was offered some rank, high colonel I think. Don't know if he took it or not. We were close friends, and I was sad to have to go. But I was promoted to lieutenant, and was offered the chance to fly aboard the Evergreen on a tour of the Outer Rim for three years, until we had to come back to Coruscant to pick you guys up, as you know." He points to a trooper walking at the head of the group, who is sporting a digital forest camo helmet. "Him, Apoc, served with me in the Clone Wars and on Kashyyyk. Best damn trooper out there, if you ask me. He's a sergeant major now, thanks to me, put a good word in for him, you know."

As soon as Lieutenant Hyde finishes his little tale, you reach the front gate of Alpha-152. It doesn't exactly paint a pretty picture. Inside the crumpled open and rusted doors is a bug-ridden mess. The air is dense with spores and various insects, giant mushrooms sprouting up from cracks left by roots in the floors, with water and sunlight trickling down from cracks in the ceiling... hell, part of the ceiling is caved in from the weight of the moss on the outside, causing a little ramp to form. "Well look at this mess. This place won't ever be used again." A little dust and spores tinkle down from the ceiling as Hyde walks in. "Alright, fan out men! Let's go Apoc." Hyde and the clone start hiking up the ramp, while the other four squads scatter, North, deeper into the base toward the tower, East, past large rubble strewn across the corridor, and West, past where Hyde and Apoc are climbing the ramp. Hyde waves at you while you decide where to go. "Remember, five minutes!" Before disappearing onto the roof and muttering something about his back.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Ki-Tel looks around at his companions. "Well, if you gentlemen remain undecided, I suppose I'll take the initiative. Let's head north and see what we can find." Suiting actions to words, he walks off in that direction.

[Overkill]

A long ship ride, and talktalktalk. Time to go do something!

Lets head north, see where that takes us.

[DCrane1]

Shando Le wordlessly follows his fellow inquisitors north.

[Z97]

The deeper you go north, the harder it is see where you're going. The stormtrooper team who came in before you disappeared; no sight, no sound, no nothing. The only light source is coming from the end of the long hall you're standing in, and it's pretty faint at best. Light is also occasionally coming out of rooms you pass. Peering inside one these rooms, you see dirty fungus-covered walls; filled with rubble and a collapsed roof, letting sunlight come in and display it's worthlessness. Looking closer, everything of value has been taken out, such as computers, chronos, holoprojectors, bedsheets, and blasters.

The comlink you were given crackles once before returning to silence, "What was that?" The familiar Concord Dawn accent of a stormtrooper resonates through the hall and rooms. A few seconds later, sudden shuffling is heard coming from the end of the hall where the faint light is coming from.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Ki-Tel hesitates at the sound, then slowly moves into a crouch. He retrieves his lightsaber from its hidden pouch in his vest and clips it to his belt, readying it for quick use. He motions for the others to follow and moves up to the end of the hall, peering around to see what could be causing the stormtroopers trouble.

[Z97]

Ki-Tel sees a vaguely humanoid silhouette disappear down another darkened hallway, before seeing the squad of stormtroopers that scouted ahead lying in various states of distress on dirt encrusted duracrete. Most of them are not moving. They are in the center of a circular room with light softly pouring in from a meter-wide crack in the ceiling. All their blasters are mysteriously missing.

[DCrane1]

Following Ki-Tel, Shando swears under his breath when he sees the massacred stormtroopers. He reaches out with the force to feel if any of them are still alive.

OOC: Not sure if this will require a UTF check, please either tell me if it does or just roll it for me with the dice roller and the stats on the recruiting page.

[Z97]

OOC: It normally would, but you auto-pass since your UtF skill is over 15.

There is one, near the far left side of the group, opposite to the only other hallway in the room. His breathing is shallow, and you can feel the force ebb away from him, like waves crashing on a beach, before receding to only crash farther from where they did before. It's clear that he doesn't have long for this world.

[TheDarkDM]

Devran flicks his wrist, and suddenly his lightsaber is in his right hand. Staying alert, he moves to the center of the stormtroopers, looking up to examine the crack in the ceiling.

[Z97]

There is nothing unusual about the crack. Looking through it, you can see canopies of trees that are filtering sunlight. A few leaves are falling toward you, though none make it through the crack.

[DCrane1]

With his lightsaber held firmly in one hand (though not ignited,) Shando walks slowly towards the surviving stormtrooper. Continuing to feel out with the force, Shando takes off the stormtrooper's helmet and tries to see how badly injured the stormtrooper is, and if there's anything he can do to fix him up.

OOC: Untrained Treat Injury Check [roll0]
Perception Check (if needed) [roll1]

[Z97]

The stormtrooper is messed up. There is one long gash in his torso (obviously made by a lightsaber) cutting through at least three major arteries, and there has to be multiple internal injuries. Since the wound is cauterized, absolutely no blood is getting to where it needs to be. Unfortunately there is nothing you can do for him. With tiny dribble of blood crawling down his chin, he manages to spurt out, "Ugh... ther... two... came... nowhe... sorry... sir..."

OOC: Did we lose Overkill?

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Ki-Tel leans down close to the man. "Quickly--who did this to you? What did they look like"

[Z97]

"I... I don't..." he sputters, "It was... so... fast..." The trooper's eyes widen at a sudden thought. "A red... flash... that's all I..." He manages to croak out, before his final breath escapes him.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Ki-Tel's eyebrows rise of their own accord. "A red flash? To be expected from death via blaster bolt, surprising for death via lightsaber. Is it possible we have a Dark Jedi or an independent Sith on our hands?"

[DCrane1]

Ki-Tel's eyebrows rise of their own accord. "A red flash? To be expected from death via blaster bolt, surprising for death via lightsaber. Is it possible we have a Dark Jedi or an independent Sith on our hands?"

"There's no way. We have to stick with what makes sense, a surviving Jedi whose earned the loyalty of the savages. And now its come to us rather than us having to hunt it. That's good, in a way, we can kill it if we stick together."

Shando Le tries to look confident as he speaks, but his inflection betrays the hollowness of his words, and he longs for a nice death stick to just forget about life for while. He reaches for a cigarette instead, but stops himself before lighting it, knowing the embers could give away their position.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Ki-Tel waves a hand dismissively. "Oh, of course there are several other, more likely explanations--the Jedi killed someone wielding a red lightsaber, the Jedi turned the trooper's own blaster bolts back on him, the Jedi used the Force to make the squadron hallucinate while it attacked, etc. I'm just thinking out loud; don't mind that. Now the question is whether we give chase or retreat. I saw someone or something go down that hallway as we entered"--he points to the hallway down which the silhouette he saw retreated--"so we might be able to catch up. I'm inclined to give chase, but it could be a trap."

[DCrane1]

Ki-Tel waves a hand dismissively. "Oh, of course there are several other, more likely explanations--the Jedi killed someone wielding a red lightsaber, the Jedi turned the trooper's own blaster bolts back on him, the Jedi used the Force to make the squadron hallucinate while it attacked, etc. I'm just thinking out loud; don't mind that. Now the question is whether we give chase or retreat. I saw someone or something go down that hallway as we entered"--he points to the hallway down which the silhouette he saw retreated--"so we might be able to catch up. I'm inclined to give chase, but it could be a trap."

Relieved that Ki-Tel believes the accuracy of the mission briefing as much as he does, Shando Le says through gritted teeth, "We shouldn't give chase, we don't know the environment, we don't know the players, we should call in for enough backup to slag every square inch of this hellhole. But then again, this is a unique chance we're being given. I mean, we could end this right now. We let it go, we'll be chasing it for a while as it wreaks havoc across Felucia."

The statement sounds tough on the surface, but the delivery can't mask the total indecision and traces of terror that lay behind the words.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Ki-Tel looks calmly at Shando for a few moments, tapping his foot. "So...you favor chasing it, then?"

[DCrane1]

Ki-Tel looks calmly at Shando for a few moments, tapping his foot. "So...you favor chasing it, then?"

Shando thinks back to the detailed plans and strategies he drew up during the journey to Felucia. Then, he said "Yeah, we chase it," and threw the plans to the wind.

[Z97]

As soon as you make up your minds on the matter, you hear the faint echo of blaster fire come suddenly down the hall the figure disappeared down. One tense heartbeat later, the comlink shrills with chatter. "We've encount!-" "AAAHHHH!" "Take them down!" "in the Mess Ha-" *Bzzzzz* "I'm hit! I'm hit!" "Send reinfor-" "Over there!" *Crack. Pop.* "-mediately!" You can't make out any more from static and general gibberish everyone is spouting at once. It finally shuts off having hit the safety catch for decibels.

Deafening silence fills the room, before,"Ho down there!" comes a familiar voice, and a second later Hyde's head pops out over the crack in the ceiling with an enthusiastic grin on his face. His face quickly sobering up when he sees the massacred stormtroopers laying at your feet. "Well shoot... that's not good. I expect you heard the com?"

[PairO'Dice Lost]

"We did, Lieutenant," Ki-Tel replies, "and we were just going to pursue a possible native and/or Jedi contact down that hallway when the transmission came in." He draws his lightsaber, leaving it unignited, and begins walking toward the entrance to the hallway, motioning his teammates to follow. He calls back to Hyde over his shoulder: "If you were planning to send any of your troopers with us, please act quickly."

[Z97]

"Yeah I have Squad 2 with me, I'll send' em your way." he yells back down. Quick booted steps are heard running above you. "Apoc and I will keep scouting around." Hyde's head disappears from view (If any of you were still looking at him).

The hallway is the same as the first one you passed through, dark, with mushrooms and fungus overtaking the rooms on either side. This time though, none of them are lit. A dull red light is flashing at the end of the hallway. The sound of blaster fire continues to echo through the halls.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Ki-Tel keeps running toward the sound of blaster fire, his weak arms dangling at his sides.

[DCrane1]

Shando keeps his thumb on the ignition plate of his lightsaber as he follows a step behind Ki-Tel.

As he moves, Shando tries to expel the pessimism from his thoughts, but he can't force out the constant voice telling him, "You're going to die. Those savages are going to tear you limb from limb and make a trophy out of you. You're a fighter pilot, not some feared warrior."

[Z97]

As you run out of the dark hallway, you find yourselves in a huge deserted mess hall. Surprisingly, it isn't overrun as much as what you saw before. Sure, there are fungal vines clinging on the walls and mushrooms starting to sprout up from cracks in the floor, but other than that it's relatively clean. In fact, there is still left over food still sitting on tables, although it has gone rotten by now. The red emergency lights still flash in their strange rhythm, it seems that the base had switched to backup power sometime.

Looking around for where the blaster fire could be coming from, reveals 2 hallways right across from each other, one leading from the left side of the room and one leading from the right.

((Sorry I can't get a rough map up, gitp doesn't like ASCII maps I guess. :smallannoyed:))

It is difficult to tell where the sound is coming from, though if you strain your ears, you might be able to make something out. ((Perception check if you want to try to hear which hallway its coming from... or you could guess... or you could look down them, but that might not do you any good.))

[PairO'Dice Lost]

[Ki-Tel's perception: [roll0]]

[Z97]

Ki-Tel manages to tell that the echoes are coming from the left side. He also hears the familiar crackle of a lightsaber being used to deflect blaster bolts.

[TheDarkDM]

Devran ignites his lightsaber as the inquisitors move towards the Mess Hall. Standing alert with the others, he smiles as Ki-Tel motions towards the left. About to charge down the hallway, he turns to the others.

"Let's try to take this one alive, shall we? It's possible they know where to find the other rebels, and I don't relish the thought of searching this accursed jungle if we don't have to."

With that, Devran races towards the sound of the blaster bolts.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Ki-Tel nods in response. "Of course. You can't question corpses, and interrogation is my favorite part." He rushes after Devran, leaving his saber unlit.

[DCrane1]

Keeping his finger on his lightsaber's activation plate, Shando nods his agreement with Devran, but adds, "I'm still cutting them apart if I have to, I'm not dying here.

OOC: Perception Check [roll0]

[Z97]

Sprinting down the left corridor, you reach another circular room like the one with the massacred stormies in it, and with the sound of blaster fire only getting louder, you each take a sharp right, descending into another darkened corridor. Sprinting like madmen, and with light at the end of the tunnel, you emerge in an embattled Auditorium. Dead stormtroopers lay at your feet, some with blaster bolts scarring their armor, some with lightsaber wounds. The remaining stormtroopers, taking cover behind what seem to be pews, are taking potshots at a lightsaber wielding human in dark clothing, though he is deflecting them with laughable ease. Beside him, two blaster wielding humanoids, a grimy green Twi'lek and a muddy Rodian, are picking off stormtroopers one by one. A trooper notices you and salutes, before getting a blaster bolt to the brain. The human, finally noticing you after a few seconds of deranged laughter, points his red lightsaber in your direction and yells, "Look brothers! More nerfs to the slaughter!"

http://i47.tinypic.com/mtasux.png
Now my glorious work of art is on the Internet! Mwuhahaha!

Also stormtroopers have cover, enemies are only elevated, so no cover.


Initiative please.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Keeping his lightsaber hidden and not making any obvious threatening moves, Ki-Tel leans over to Shando and whispers, "So...is this the part where I politely refrain from saying 'I told you so' regarding the dark Jedi and/or renegade Sith?"

[Initiative: [roll0]]

[DCrane1]

Keeping his lightsaber hidden and not making any obvious threatening moves, Ki-Tel leans over to Shando and whispers, "So...is this the part where I politely refrain from saying 'I told you so' regarding the dark Jedi and/or renegade Sith?"

[Initiative: [roll0]]

"Guess it is." Shando tried to keep his tone light, but his hands are trembling slightly as he fights the impulse to ignite his lightsaber and just charge.

OOC: Initiative roll, [roll0]

[Z97]

Initiative:
Ki-Tel (29)
Shando (21)
Red (18)
Twi'lek (15)
Rodian (11)
Stormtroopers

DarkDM can post initiative whenever, we'll assume he's paralyzed in fear.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Ki-Tel shrugs. "I don't particularly like nerf steaks; I prefer my metaphorical animals sliced and diced." He turns his head a bit to the right, not taking his eyes off his opponents. "Shando, I'm going to see if the Twi-lek's weak-minded enough to let me bring it down to our level; you wouldn't mind handling the slicing and dicing if it is, would you?"

With that he half-closes his eyes and concentrates, raising his crippled left arm and twitching it in the Twi-lek's general direction, willing the Force to knock his enemy off the raised platform and into lightsaber range.

Ki-Tel uses Move Object on the Twi-lek.

Use the Force: [roll0]

If that beats its Will defense, it's moved to the square two north of Shando, hanging half a meter in the air.

[Z97]

http://i48.tinypic.com/2u7sxv4.png

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Ki-Tel relaxes his concentration with a smile. "I didn't think they'd be all that competent. Have fun, Shando."

[DCrane1]

Igniting his lightsaber, Shando rushes forward and slices for the Twi'Lek's head, hoping to quickly decapitate the green alien. As his adrenaline releases with the rush of combat, the nagging self-doubt fades to the back of his mind replaced only by an odd feeling of invincibility as the force flows through his every move.

OOC: Attack roll" [roll0]
Possible Damage Roll: [roll1]

[Z97]

As Shando attempts to slice the Twi'lek's head straight off, he instinctively convulses backward, your lightsaber cutting only air, although he is still held in place in front of you.

Red jumps down from the raised platform walking, slowly, purposely, toward Ki-Tel. "Prey that talks back... that's good! It'll be more fun gutting you!" he says in a loud, crazed sort of way. The troopers take a couple of shots at him, all either missing, or in the rare case actually hitting but not doing any visible damage, not even a burn mark.

The Twi'lek, still reacting on instinct, manages to move his free arm enough to unleash a debilitating pulse of Force Lightning toward Shando, smirking evilly.


Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]


In the background the Rodian lets loose another accurate shot, taking out a stormtrooper to your right with a bolt to the head.

The stormies on the other hand aren't making much of a dent. Their shots all missing.


http://i49.tinypic.com/s1reiq.png

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Very calmly, Ki-Tel replies "I don't intend to be gutted at any point in the near future." He moves his left hand to the left a bit, intending to send the Twi-lek in Red's direction, and raises his right hand, closing it into a fist.

Move action: Maintain Move Object, attempting to send Twi-lek into Red and deal both [roll0] damage if the UtF check beats Red's Ref defense.

Use the Force: [roll1]

Standard action: Force Grip on Red

Use the Force: [roll2]

If that beats Red's Fort defense, he can only take a swift action on his next turn and takes 6d6 damage.

[DCrane1]

Shando Le convulses in agony on the cold floor, the stench of his own burning flesh assaulting his nostrils. Seconds seem like minutes, and Shando tries to banish the white-hot pain by concentrating on the Force, just like he'd been taught in countless training sessions and simulations. What worked so well in the artificial reality of a simulator fails completely in the harsh reality of battle, and tears stream down Shando's face.

Finally, in what seems like eternity but was actually only a few seconds, Shando feels the Force flowing through him and focuses on the burning center of his pain. Slowly constructing a box around the pain, Shando stands and looks at the man with the red lightsaber, a gritty determination in his eyes.

OOC: This isn't an action, just what Shando's doing as the Stormtroopers and Ki-Tel act.

[Z97]

http://i46.tinypic.com/2iiki6w.png
Damage: [roll0]

[DCrane1]

On his feet once again, Shando retains his focus over the force and sends a bolt of lighting arcing towards his lightsaber-wielding foe, trying to repay him in kind for his electrical attack.

OOC: Use the Force check: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1] (half damage if UtF check is lower than reflex defense)

[Z97]

Initiative:
Ki-Tel (29)
Shando (21)
Red (18)
Twi'lek (15)
Rodian (11)
Stormtroopers

Red, being choked and electrocuted, can't do much, and he hates it. He hates it a lot. Channeling all his frustration and pain into rage, he explodes into a whirling vortex of dark side energy. Everything in the room not bolted down starts flying, (mainly just fungus and vines and stuff) knocking the remaining stormtroopers to the ground. "I. Will. Not. Be. Defeated. By. You!" Breaking the force grip, he lifts his left hand in the air toward Ki-tel, slowly closing it into a fist, returning the favor.

Force Grip on Ki-Tel: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

The Twi'lek lays behind Red in a crumpled mess after being thrown by Ki-Tel, either knocked out or dead.

The Rodian picks off another trooper with a another accurate shot to the head.

The two remaining stormtroopers line up a one-in-a-million shot at the Rodian, despite all the of the debris flying across the room, they both hit their target, his right shoulder and neck respectively, and hits the ground in a heap. He's still alive, you can see him crawling around up there, but he won't be taking out anymore of your guys.

http://i49.tinypic.com/2eb9y6e.png
Whirling Vortex of Dark Side Energy counts as difficult terrain.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Ki-Tel narrows his eyes and takes a single slow breath in defiance of the pressure on his throat. "I. Beg. To. Differ." He still has a mental grip on the Twi-lek's body (or corpse, as the case may be), and without moving a muscle he telekinetically yanks it towards himself, hoping to distract or stumble Red. Not intending to leave things to chance, he concentrates a second time, gathering the Force to himself and releasing it in a wave of concussive pressure toward Red and Twi-lek.

Move action: Maintain Move Object, attempting to send Twi-lek into Red again. [roll0] damage if the UtF check beats Red's Ref defense.

Use the Force: [roll1]

Standard action: Force Slam on Red and Twi-lek

Use the Force: [roll2]

If that beats Red's or Twi-lek's Fort defense, each takes [roll3] damage and is knocked prone, half damage and not prone otherwise.

[DCrane1]

Buffeted by the dark side vortex, Shando rushes towards Red, slashing his lightsaber down across Red's feet to try and take his opponent by surprise.

Attack: [roll0]

Damage:[roll1]

[Z97]

Red stumbles forward when the Twi'lek hits his back, the alien's body contorting in unnatural ways upon impact. "Hah! You think that can-", he manages to spout, before being thrown down violently to the rough duracrete floor.

Moving forward, Shando delivers a few shallow cuts with his lightsaber to Red's legs and feet, making sure he won't get up. The two stormtroopers rush forward and pump Red full of stun bolts... after a while he stops spasming, just laying on the ground. The whirlwind also dies down, dropping the mushrooms and vines it was throwing around. Not bothering with the Twi'lek, the stormies move quickly onto the Rodian and stun him like Red.

A few moments after the ruckus stops, Hyde and his troopers appear in the hallway behind you. "Sorry... we're late..." he says panting, "We had... a little problem... with the local wildlife..." His stormtroopers sweep the room, checking for any remaining threats. A few head over to Red and the Rodian, placing stun cuffs on their hands and feet.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

"Not a problem," Ki-Tel replies coolly. "We had things well in hand with the assistance of your troopers here." For the first time since the battle started, Ki-Tel smiles, a malicious grin. "And now I believe it is time for an interrogation, to see if these three know anything about our opposition here and to see how many scars they end up with before telling us."

[DCrane1]

Panting from the pitched battle, Shando Le merely nods thanks at Hyde while struggling to catch his breath.

[Z97]

"Well, I don't think... I'd want to see that," he says, catching his breath, but with a sly smile on his face. In the background, the stormtroopers that came with Hyde are congratulating the two that you happened to save, giving them pats on the back and shaking their hands. They then splinter off, some going to pick up the three unconscious bodies, making sure that they are unarmed. In fact, you think you see one pocket the lightsaber Red had. The others go do the grim task of gathering the dogtags from the fallen, though if they were emotional they hid it well. "We still need go back and get the ones you found earlier. God rest their souls."

OOC: You guys wanna keep looking around or just head back to the Evergreen?

[DCrane1]

The pain which had faded during combat bites back at Shando with a vengeance, with most of his body throbbing from the lighting. Through gritted teeth he says, "We need to get back to a fortified place, something safe, and get this guy talking. Until we get a handle on what's going on we can't kill it. We need to understand what we're up against."

[PairO'Dice Lost]

"Indeed," Ki-Tel concurs, "there's no reason to linger here when one of our captives can probably save us the effort by telling us everything we want to know abot the area."

[I'm in favor of heading back to the Evergreen for now.]

[TheDarkDM]

OOC: Sorry for being so absent. I was unexpectedly without internet. :smallfrown: I apologize.

Devran had stood back from the combat, watching the other two Inquisitors dispatch the Dark Jedi and his flunkies. He had been mesmerized by his first real taste of combat, and only now seems to snap out of it. Grinning sheepishly to the others, he prods Red's face towards him with a toe.

"It would indeed seem prudent to return to the Evergreen. We don't know what allies if any he has hiding in the jungle."

[Z97]

"I wouldn't want to stay here any longer either, this place is starting to get to me." As if on cue, the three stormtroopers closest to the captives lift them up and toss them over their shoulders like unwieldy sacks of potatoes. You easily find your way back to the front gates, on the way stopping by and gathering the dogtags of the massacred squad you found before.

The trek through the wet, swampy, jungle is as arduous as ever, with Hyde and you falling to the back ten or so feet, but the stormtropers don't seem to be affected, taking it all in stride. The sound of bugs buzzing and birds cawing fills the air around you. "You know..." Hyde begins, making sure the stormtroopers are out of ear-shot, "I'm a little bit worried about those troopers you saved. Standard protocol dictates that they'll be reassigned to different squads, but... I've had them ever since I've come aboard the Evergreen, and they're not exactly the socializing type. I mean, my troops don't really talk to other squads; they're kind of the odd ones out, being Spaarti and all. They have to be taking the loss of their squad pretty hard." Hyde clears his throat, "What I mean to say is... do you think you could take them on? I'm sure you could find a use for them. As personal assistants or something like that?" Through the trees and mushrooms, you can see that the sun is starting to set.

[DCrane1]

"What I mean to say is... do you think you could take them on? I'm sure you could find a use for them. As personal assistants or something like that?"

Of course we could, I mean, I'd need personnel files and the like first, but I'm sure we could make use of them.

[TheDarkDM]

Devran takes another look at the troopers ahead.

"Any troopers that can survive against a Dark Jedi would be a welcome addition, in my opinion."

[Z97]

"Great, you won't be disappointed I think. Hard workers, all of them. I'll still have to ask Crale about it, since they'll be under you, but that shouldn't be a problem, he still owes me some favors," Hyde says with a laugh.

After several tiring minutes you finally make it back to the Evergreen's Landing Ramp Two, right as the sun disappears behind a very green mountain range a hundred or so miles in front of you, plunging the valley into darkness. "I wouldn't want to be out here at night, that's for sure," a stormtrooper pipes up. Many other stormtroopers nod their heads in agreement. "I'd hate to see what comes out at night." Lieutenant Hyde and the stormtroopers quickly make their way up the ramp, with you following right behind. The troopers carrying Red and his flunkies head off toward the holding cell area on level 3, while the rest mill about, taking off their helmets and generally taking a break. "You can go on ahead and inform Crale about what happened and prisoners we took, I still have to finish up with these guys," Hyde remarks.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Ki-Tel heads up to the bridge to find Crale, taking the two stormtroopers with him. When he finds Crale, he summarizes what happened and asks if the stormtroopers can join them on their excursions.