Echoes of the Past (Star Wars) still recruiting!

[Lentrax]

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away...

It is a period of long night for the Galaxy.
Hundreds of years have passed since the
Sith rose again and crushed the Republic.

During the Second Great Purge, a tragedy
far worse was occurring. The Force, the
power that gave the Jedi and Sith alike thier
incredible gifts, was vanishing.

Fifty Knights and Masters stormed the Imperial
Palace to confront the Empress. One survived
long enough to warn of the return of the Force,
and how it would restore light to the Galaxy, or
would be forever extinguished, casting all life into
eternal Darkness....



The Variseel Starliner is a magnificent ship, all soft curving lines and gleaming hill plates. People stroll through its main Promenade, and down its wide flowing passages. The ship is alive with all manner of beings, though humans are the predominant species on board.

Along with the regular passengers, for this trip the Starliner carries with her two hundred Sabbacc players for the first annual New Alderaan tournament. The tournament is supposed to be the largest single gambling event in the galaxy for the year, and many are gossiping about the action already.

[Lentrax]

The Starliner cleared hyperspace three hours early. Guests and passengers panic as food, drink, and people are thrown forward.

A voice comes over the intercom, "This is Darth Pleana. This vessel is harboring rebel fugitives. Prepare to be boarded."

[theskorpionking]

Kaz, a red skinned female twi'lek, pick herself up off the floor. She's wearing a barely there dancers outfit. She was making the rounds to drum up business for the dance group she came on board with. "Good news bad news, Kaz." she tells herself. "We don't have to dance now, but we also just blew our first real mission."

[Holice]

Sitting in his cabin, Robb tried his best to get some sleep. But every time he closed his eyes now, his mind raced with what would be taken from him next. A sudden sound or movement past his door had him on edge, and it was taking its toll on him.

Relax man, you don't have anything left to take except what you're wearing, and who'd be foolish enough to try to take that, he said trying to convince himself he was safe.

Just then, the ship suddenly dropped hyperspace and it nearly through him off his bed. An announcement came over the intercom. Listening to the message, his demeanor went from tired to down right agitated. Terrific, nothing better than some reckless Sith and their minions to ruin a space flight.

Knowing of previous witch hunts that were for either political gain or due to the lack of intelligence of their spies, these events never ended well. Checking his blasters to make sure everything was still in working order, which it always is due to the care he gives them, he walked out his cabin to see just what was going on.

[Lentrax]

After the announcement, people began to panic. Humans went looking for thier travel visas, aliens went looking for anything that might convince the Sith they weren't rebels.

Everyone is running up and down the corridors, hoping they find what they are looking for before...

There are several metallic clangs from below.

The Sith have arrived.

[theskorpionking]

Kaz hauls ass to the dressing room where she left her gear, trying to make a quick getaway to the docking bay to get the ship she wanted to "borrow". Hoping that there is way she can somehow salvage the task she was given.

[Holice]

As panic consumes the other travelers, Robb just can't help but wonder how someone can live with such fear to react as these people are. But this is the world we live in he thinks, and while Robb some such as he tries to stay outside the feud with the rebels and empire, it would seem that the controversy can find anyone, anywhere.

Trying to make his way through the crowds of nervous people, he heads towards the bridge to see if he can get any more information on who or what they are looking for. If he can speak with the captain, perhaps he can get a better idea of what's going on, and more importantly, how to avoid any confrontation.

[theskorpionking]

Kaz does her best to ignore the glances at her as she to makes her way through the crowded hallways. She does her best to avoid a few fights that break out between some of the passengers and ducks down another passageway, running into someone. Watch where your going laser brains.

[Lentrax]

As Robb begins making his way through the entertainment section of the deck, a red skinned Twi'lek runs into you.

[Holice]

Getting to the bridge was harder than Robb originally thought it would be. Not because of security or the size of the ship, but the shear number of people running around was astounding.

Making his way to another corridor, he looks to the left and as he turns right, a red-skinned Twi'lek runs right into his chest. Trouble and a Twi'lek, who would have thunk it, he thought to himself.

"Woah there. You aren't going to get anywhere quickly if you go running into people."

Looking at the Twi'lek to sense her demeanor, "Why you in such a hurry anyways? There's plenty of time to get to your cabin for any documentation you might need."

[theskorpionking]

Kaz stands there and looks at the person she had just ran into and thinks to herself, Who does this guy think he is? Asking me why I'm in a hurry, telling me that I have plenty of time to get my..... Of course! She slaps her forehead and let's out a nervous laugh. "Oh stars! I thought I'd never find you. We need to get off this ship and get back to Nar Shadda before we're caught."

[Holice]

With all the commotion on the ship, Robb must surely have been hearing things, as he thought this Twi'lek said "We." But surely I am mistaken he thought to himself, I don't believe I know this girl.

"Beg your pardon mam, but I didn't quite hear you, did you say We? And as far as Nar Shadda goes, can't say I have any good reason to end up there."

Considering what exactly is going on, Robb thought there was only one explanation. "Clearly the stress of this situation is getting to you, perhaps I should take you to the infirmary."

[theskorpionking]

Any hope that Kaz had was now gone. "Wait, Wait. You mean your not..." Her voice trails off, then she starts slapping her forehead repeatdly. "Stupid, stupid, stupid, so stupid Kaz." She looks at the man with sorrowful eyes, "You're not my contact are you?"

[Holice]

Taking a bit aback by what the Twi'lek just said, Robb's eyes opened widely before regaining his composure.

Contact? Nervous alien running around a ship where a Sith is looking for a rebel. Please tell me this isn't happening, Robb thought.

But the look on her face, the sorrow he saw in her eyes, he couldn't just turn a blind eye to this. I may not be a rebel, but I sure as hell can't just let them take this girl to do all matter of unnamed things in their search for answers.

With as reassuring voice as he could muster, "No. I am not your contact nor anyone else's, but clearly you look like you could use a hand. Where exactly are you trying to get to? And do you know the way?"

Looking around him warily, Robb double checked his blasters, to make sure they would be as quick to draw as he knew they should be.

[Lentrax]

The screeching sound of ion engines screech past the ship.

The Sith are not far out now.

[theskorpionking]

Kaz's expression seems to lighten a little bit. "I'm trying to get to the docking bay, I...uh, have a ship waiting there. And, thanks."

[Holice]

I take it you know the layout of this ship?, Robb says, expecting no other answer other than yes.

Before giving any chance to answer, he follows up with, "Lead the way, and by the sound of it, you better make it quick."

You know you really shouldn't be helping this girl, but you never were able to pass up on someone in need, Robb thinks as he follows the Twi'lek.

[theskorpionking]

Kaz can't help herself but smile. "Yeah I know the way. We just have to take the turbolift down to the docking bay" Kaz starts heading to the nearest banks of turbolifts and finds one that isn't full. She grabs her new friend and pulls him in just as the doors close. "Going down" She says.

[Lentrax]

The turbo lift hums as it makes it way down to the docking bay level. As the turbolift hums downward, you can hear sounds that tell you the Sith have landed and are occupying the ship.

The lifts comes to a stop and a small ding sounds as the doors open, revealing smaller but just as lavish corridors. Kaz grabs Robb by the arm again, and starts running down one of the corridors. "C'mon, it's down here." she announces. Turning the corridor, you spot several war droids marching to secure the deck.

"Halt!" yells a heavily modulated, deep voice. "Havr documentation ready for inspection."

[theskorpionking]

"Blaster Bolts."Kaz mutters under her breath. Her lekku twitch as she kneels on the ground and opens her bag. She digs around until she finds the forged documents she was given, silently hoping they looked legit. She stands back up, keeping her bag open, adjusting her bag so the opening was near her right hand. She knew she'd have to be quick if she was gonna shoot her way out. She tries to smile as she hands the papers to the lead droid.

[Holice]

With a stone cold face, you would think nothing could bother Robb at this point, but inside he was getting a bit twitchy.

No cover in this hallway, we'd have to dive back around the corner. Chances for success don't look too good right now.

As he watches the Twi'lek hand over papers, he can't help but wonder if that's part of her ruse and just how good her suppliers are.

Here's hoping her credentials are good, he thinks as he relaxes his arms in the worst case scenario that he needs to draw his blasters.

[Lentrax]

The droid inserts the data pad into a receptacle built for this purpose. It hums for a moment, then a klaxon sounds.

"Error. Apprehend fugitive."

Roll initiative.

[theskorpionking]

rolling [roll0]
sorry couldn't do it with the spoiler thing

[Lentrax]

For the droids: [roll0]

[Holice]

Glancing up, Robb hears the robots automated response, and it is not what he wanted to hear.

Here we go.


[roll0]

[Lentrax]

Well Robb it's your initiative.

[Holice]

Robb's first instinct would be to dodge back around into the hallway, but with the Twi'lek here, and no idea of what she is capable of he thinks otherwise.

I need to draw their fire if possible.

With lightning speed, both blasters are in his hand and he fires at the first war droid, while yelling for Kaz to take cover.


Blaster 1: [roll0]
Dmg: [roll1]
Blaster 2: [roll2]
Dmg: [roll3]

[theskorpionking]

Kaz looks over at Robb and gives hmi a lop-sided grin. She's no damsel in distress. so she reaches in her bag and pulls out her own blaster, aiming at the droid in front of her. blaster: [roll0] damage: [roll1]

[Lentrax]

The droid that took the data pad with the false papers on sparks and sizzles as it collapses to the floor with two smoking holes in its chassis.

Without hesitation, the two droids still 10 meters away, raise thier arms. With a mechanical clicking and a slight whir, the arms transform from functional hands into blaster rifles.

Targeting Robb: [roll0]
Targeting Kaz: [roll1]

[Lentrax]

Damage: [roll0]

[theskorpionking]

Welp that means Kaz is down to 12 wound points. Ouch!

[Holice]

Seeing Kaz get hit, Robb grumbles, "I told you to take cover!"

Focusing his anger at the droids, he fires his blasters at the nearest one.


Blaster 1: [roll0] Dmg:[roll1]
Blaster 2: [roll2] Dmg:[roll3]

[theskorpionking]

Guess i have to do a fortitude check since i lost a wound point. so thats 5+1 to stay awake. here goes nothing.
[roll0]

[theskorpionking]

Okay i'm still in it. not sure if i can still shoot. So i'm gonna roll and if i can't just ignore this post.
blaster [roll0] damage [roll1]

[Lentrax]

The droid takes a bolt in its chest, but it straightens out and keeps firing at you.

Kaz's bolts fly wide of their intended target, frying a hole in the wall.

Undaunted, the droids continue to fire.

[Lentrax]

One shot for each of you.
Robb [roll0]
Kaz [roll1]

Damage:
Robb [roll2]
Kaz [roll3]

[Holice]

Ducking under the blaster fire from the droid, Robb sees Kaz get shot at again and hopes this time she can avoid the fire.

Robb doesn't know how much longer this can go on before it gathers the attention of more droids or worse, he knows all he can do is keep shooting and hope for the best.


Blaster 1: Att: [roll0] Dmg: [roll1]
Blaster 2: Att: [roll2] Dmg: [roll3]

[theskorpionking]

This just isn't kaz's day. Another fortitude check [roll0]
Cool i made it. Kaz is going to do her best to get out of the way and head to the ships.

[Lentrax]

The droids march forward, as Kaz ducks around the corner, running for the docking bay. Robb keeps firing to provide cover, but his shots go wide.

"Halt!"

[Holice]

This girl is reckless!

Shaking his head and a little dumbfounded by the strategy of the Twi'lek, Robb has no choice but to follow her, and hope he doesn't get shot in the back by the droids.

"Wait up there a sec!", he yells down the hall.


Double move action to follow Kaz

[theskorpionking]

She keeps heading towards the docking bay. Kaz Just nods her head, hoping that Robb understands.

[Lentrax]

Blasters continue firing down the corridor, and you hear the sounds of metal feet stamping on the deckplates.

Not much farther to the dock.

[Holice]

Running at full speed now, Robb refuses to look back. Just have to make it to the hatch.

Shouting again at Kaz, "Keep it moving girl, and I hope we are close!"

[Lentrax]

Holice, make a spot check.

[theskorpionking]

Almost there Kaz says to herself trying to block the pain she's feeling. She keeps running towards the docking bay.

[Holice]

As he runs down the hall way, Robb thinks he may have seen something.


Spot [roll0]

[Lentrax]

Blaster bolts are flying everywhere, and Kaz ducks down another corridor as she runs from the droids. Robb, only a second behind, sees a blur of red, and follows it, only to see it was a blaster bolt. The droids are still advancing, and now Robb isn't sure he's in the right corridor!

[Holice]

As rob heads around a corner, he suddenly realizes he is no longer following Kaz.

"Damn that girl he curses to himself, where did she go?"

As he looks around the corner at the approaching droids, he fires two more shots at the droids, and yells out, "Where in the galaxy did you run off to?", hoping that Kaz will hear his shout and show herself.


Blaster 1: Att [roll0] Dmg [roll1]
Blaster 2: Att [roll2] Dmg [roll3]

[Holice]

Confirming Crit [roll0]

[theskorpionking]

Kaz pauses momentarily as she hears Robbs voice. "Just keep going all the passages lead to the hanger. Kas then continues making her way to the hanger.

[Lentrax]

The droids are relentless. They keep marching, and as they round the corner, Robb blasts the head off the nearest one, then turns to run after Kaz, snapping off another bolt as he dashes for the corridor. The bolt, fired over his shoulder, was spectacularly well fired, finding its mark in the droids power cell. The droid managed one last shot before the cell ruptures, destroying the droid in a shower of shrapnel.

Just ahead is the hangar. Kaz rushes out, finding cover behind a crate just inside the hangar.

[theskorpionking]

Kaz is going to look for the ship she she had planned on using for her escape.
spot check [roll0]

[Lentrax]

Good news! You see your ship.

Bad news. It's leaving.

Worse news. More War droids are in the hangar.

More good news! A ship sits just 20 meters away, with it's hatch open and ramp lowered.

[theskorpionking]

Kaz wants to scream out in frustration, but doesn't due to the war droids in the hanger. She's going to check and see how close the droids are to the ship with the lowered ramp, and if possible see where Robb is.
[roll0]

[Lentrax]

The droids are about 15 meters away from the ship, and Robb is nowhere in sight.

[Holice]

Thankful that the droids chasing him are taken care of, Robb looks up to see a sign indicating the ship hangar.

What Luck! he thinks.

As he bursts through the doorway, he sees Kaz to his left but unfortunately more war droids are between her and the only ship he sees available.

What Rotten Stinkin' Luck!, he thinks.

Shouting to Kaz, "I'll try and draw their fire, see if you can get that ship ready for launch!"

Drawing his blasters, Robb readies for some more combat.


Initiative [roll0]

[theskorpionking]

Kaz turns in Robb's direction and gives him a thumbs up.
rolling for Initiative [roll0]

[Lentrax]

War droids: [roll0]
You must be fighting the slow but deadly models.

[theskorpionking]

Kaz realizes that this ship is their only chance for freedom. She starts running towards the ship. While yelling "forget blasting 'em and run. Its our only chance!" I'm going to use double movement to get inside the ship.

[Holice]

"Crazy Girl," Robb grumbles aloud.

Rob begins to make his way to the craft, hoping they make it out of this alive, so that he can give the girl and ear full on how to stay alive in dangerous situations.


If Robb can make it to the ship in one move action he will move and fire, if not he will double move to the ship.

Blaster 1 Att: [roll0] Dmg [roll1]
Blaster 2 Att: [roll2] Dmg [roll3]

[Holice]

Confirming Crit [roll0]

[Lentrax]

Robb runs across the deck, making his way onto and up the ramp as the droids open fire. All the bolts go wide as the ramp automatically ascends, and the bulkhead seals itself with a hiss.

"Welcome aboard." A smooth synthesised voice speaks from the panel in the wall. "I am the Strategic Automated Response Array. You may call me Sara. I have been anticipating your arrival for three point six standard days. Please make your way to the bridge for identity confirmation."

You can hear blasters firing and impacting on the hull, but the soud is distorted, as though it is coming from a greater distance than the ten meters they are from the ship.

[theskorpionking]

Waiting? Kaz thinks to herself, hoping she can still salvage her mission. She makes her way to the bridge, pressing her bag to her side.

[Lentrax]

The bridge is clean, with two chairs sitting at a gleaming control panel. Everything seems to be in perfect condition, as though it were fresh from the factory. Which was odd, since the control scheme was one you recognized from your father's shop.

It was old. Very old. Pre-Empire stuff.

As you enter the bridge, a panel slides open, and two mechanical arms extend out with medical instuments. One takes a sample of Kaz's blood. The other whirs about a bit, as though looking for something, then makes a scan of her eye.

Then they repeat the process for Robb.

"Analyzing....Analyzing....Ana... Match found. Greetings Master Leana. Sith Forces are attempting to puncture my hull. Commscan indicates there are four Imperial Interdictors, three Mark Seven Imperial Star Destroyers, and thirteen wings of Hawk Fighters in the local system. Destination?"

[theskorpionking]

Master....who Kaz sits down in the captain's chair and runs her fingers over the familiar control panel. She remembered playing with one in her fathers shop back home. Thats when it all hit her, she covered her face with her hands and began to cry. She heard the automated voice say something about a destination. She sat up straight, wiped away the tears and said, "I want to go home."

[Lentrax]

"Destination: Home... accepted. Please stand by for departure. Engines activating in. Three. Two. One." The ship lifts up, and moves forward with a small rumble of power.

"Calculating coordinates for hyperspace. Calculations will be complete in two minutes."

The ship begins to pilot itself, making its way out of the path of the gravity generators. Suddenly, an alarm sounds in the room.

Warning! Fighters inbound. At present speed, they will be in firing range in thirty seconds. Estimated time to hyperspace jump, one minute. Error detected. Automated targeting scanners offline. Error detected. Evasive Manuever library deleted. Error detected. Shield grid control offline. Warning! Warning! Fighters inbound. Weapon systems... Online.

Time for some ship combat. You must decide who is going to fly, and who is going to go man the gun turret.

[Holice]

What did you get yourself into this time!

As Robb jumped on board, he knew that safety was still not ensured, but he was a step closer.

The ship probed him a little more than he would have liked, and it called the girl Master Leana. Just who was this girl, he thought to himself.

Shaking his head, It doesn't matter now. Turning to the Twi'lek, "So what's the plan?", he asked. But she was clearly too distraught to answer him.

What else could go wrong?

And just as he said that, more things went wrong.

Looking at the ship sensors and then back at the girl Robb says, "Man that turret, we've got a bump ride ahead!" He then jumps into the pilot seat, checks his console and prepares for some evasive maneuvers.

[Lentrax]

Holice, you are the pilot so, you are going to make the initiative check. It is 1d20+1

Imperials: [roll0]

Ship Combat: You are both going to act on the same initiative, so feel free to post as soon as you can after the Imperials have thier turn. You have 5 rounds of combat to survive before Sara can jump to hyperspeed.

[theskorpionking]

How many fighters are we facing and whats the damage die for the turrents ans I suppose I should know if it's a quad laser or what. sorry if I should have posted this in the ooc thread

[Lentrax]

It is a total of 144 starfighters. Your goal is to survive for 5 rounds.

Your laser cannon deals 4d10x2 damage.

[Holice]

As they leave the docking bay, and the blast shield opens, all Robb can see is enemy ships.

Mother of....., his thoughts wander as hes sees the fighters incoming.

"I hope you're ready and set, cause this is going to be one hell of an escape!", he shouts aloud.

Ok man, get your thoughts straight, focus on the task at hand, and pray that luck is on you side today.


Initiative [roll0]

Pilot Check for first round of encounters [roll1]

[theskorpionking]

Kaz puts on the headset sitting atop the gunner station and emits a few of her favorite Corellian curses as she see the vast number of fighters heading towards them. "I'm more than ready. Just try not to fly casual. Okay, flyboy?" looks like the fighters get the first shot.

[Lentrax]

Ion engines scream as the fighters tear through space. Laser cannons sound as the blasts ping off of the shields.

[roll0]

[Lentrax]

More than a few blasts impact on the shields, causing the ship to rock.

[roll0]

"Warning. Shields down to sixty percent."

[Holice]

Just let me know if you want me to roll anything other than pilot checks each round.

[theskorpionking]

"I hope this thing holds together!" Kaz yells. She hits the triggers, hoping to take out a few of the fighters.
to hit: [roll0]
if successful: [roll1] x2

[Lentrax]

Are you just going to fly in straight lines? Or defensively, or anything?

The ships blaster cannon opens up as you depress the firing studs. But the shots go wide as the fighters prepare for another pass.

[Lentrax]

Blasted fire as the fighters loop around, maintaining thier formation.
[roll0]

Most of the shots go wide, and the rest glance off the shields.

[theskorpionking]

I'm just gonna post now, but if Holice posts, his supersedes mine
to hit closest fightrer [roll0]
If I hit [roll1] x2

[Holice]

I was assuming that we are just trying to get into an open area so that when the hyperdrive comes online, we can hit it and go. Thus I am flying evasively which we can call defensively.

Another Pilot check if you need it: [roll0]



Oh she's gonna hold together!, Robb yells out, She has to!, he thinks to himself.

Who brings this many ships to capture a rebel spy by the way? And yes, at this point I am assuming they are after you!, he yells back to the Twi'lek, while continuing to try and avoid the incoming fighters.

[Lentrax]

You strafe the cannon back and forth, trying to hit something...

Yes! One of the fighters explodes, struck smack in the middle. But their he fighters close up as they prepare another run.

[Lentrax]

They're coming around for another pass. They open up with thier cannons again.

[roll0]

But Robb jukes at the last moment, throwing off the lock as the fighters scream past again.
"Ten seconds to lightspeed."

[theskorpionking]

gonna take a few more shots
to hit [roll0]
if I hit [roll1] x2
nevermind, i guess they went wide.

[Lentrax]

The starfighters swarm around the ship, and evade the cannon fire put out by Kaz.

[Lentrax]

A second squadron comes in adding their cannons to the fray.

[roll0]
[roll1]

Their shots ring off the shields, but they are still holding.

"Five seconds to lightspeed. Five."

One round left.

[theskorpionking]

here goes nothing [roll0]
for damage if I hit [roll1] x2

[Lentrax]

"Four."

Cannon bolts fly everywhere.

"Three."

Scarlet bolts light up the darkness of space.

"Two."

The turret atop your ship swings around as Kaz fires again.

"One."

One of the fighters explodes.

"Hyperdrive.... Online."

Starlines blur as you make good your escape into hyperspace.

[Holice]

Never before has Robb had a sigh of relief that felt as good as this one. Not even after escaping those sandworms on planet XS-512 as his employers had dubbed it. Good flying Robb, he told himself reassuringly.

Checking the astrochart and ship sensors, everything seemed to be in working order and the course has been set. To where thou? Let's find out.

Leaving the pilot chair, he walked over towards the Twi'lek, "We seem to be safe for now. That was some good shooting up there...," and just at that moment it dawned on him that he doesn't even know her name.

"You can call me Robb by the way. You got a name?," Robb asked, "Or perhaps some top secret rebel code name?", he added in jest.

As he turned to check a sensor on the side panel, he added, "And where exactly are we headed?"

[theskorpionking]

Kaz turns and smiles at Robb, but the smile quickly disappears. "Thanks" She says sarcastically. She shakes her head. She's hurt, she's tired, and she isn't in the mood for an interrogation. "Look, I wouldn't really call myself a rebel spy. This is, was, my first mission. I failed. I let my brother down. I'm sorry for calling you laser brains earlier and for the way I acted afterwards. Not very becoming of a rebel spy running away from a fight and crying the first chance I got." She's sighs, "And my name is Kaz'meen Solo, but you can call me Kaz. As to where we're headed, Nar Shadda. The only home I've know."
Sorry for the long speech, i was orginally gonna go a little meaner, but chose not too.

[Lentrax]

"Correction, Master. Our destination is.... Warning. Warning. Critical systems damaged."

[Holice]

"Nar Sha.....," Robb begins to say, but before he could finish more alarms sounded.

"Oh what is it NOW!," he yelled out as he turned to back towards the controls.

Sitting back in the chair, he muttered a few curses while flipping switches and checking screens.

"You better buckle up back there Kaz, this may not have a happy ending."

"C'mon baby, talk to me," he whispers to the ship, "What's going on with you?"

[Lentrax]

Sara actually sounds like she is in pain. "Damaged systems include: Hyperdrive, Life Support, Shield Matrix, Laser Cannons, Science Lab Support Systems, Sublight Drive, Sensors, Holonet Uplink, and Computer Interlink. Many of these systems are controlled by my Interlink and may be faults in the programming. I advise beginning repair procedures in my core interlink in the Science Lab."

[theskorpionking]

Even though she isn't in the best shape, Kaz knows that doing something that's normal to her would take her mind off the pain. "I'll go and get the repairs started. Good thing I went back for my bag. Um, sara, was it? Could you tell me the way?

[Lentrax]

"Please follow the lighted path to my core."


A string of lights leads you through corridors, down an access ladder, and through more corridors. For the apparent age of the ship, it is very clean. Brand new even.

You walk into a room marked as 'Science Lab.' There are rooms branching off from each wall, each of them labelled.

Computer Interlink Array
Cryogenics
Holographic Emitter Array

[theskorpionking]

Kaz waits for the door to shut before setting her bag on the floor. She removes the barely-there dancers outfit, she opens her bag and pulls out her flight suit and puts it on. She picks her bag back up and heads to the door marked computer Interlink Array. But, as she passes the door marked Cryogenics, her curiosity gets the better of her and she walks in.

[Lentrax]

On entering the bay, the first thing you notice is the atmosphere. It's cool, with a faint hint of chemicals underlying the clean sterility of the air. Soft blue-white lights illuminate the small cabin, emphasising again its nature as a clean room of some sort. And in the middle of it there lies a long durasteel box, about the length of an average bunk, with a transparisteel window about two thirds up.

Several lights flicker along the side of the container, blue and green flashing steadily in a slow, slow heartbeat. A connected computer beside the box whirs softly, readouts and technical information scrolling endlessly past.

On approaching the box, you find that it emits a gentle hum of its own and is cool to the touch. But the biggest surprise comes when you look through the window in it.

Sightless blue eyes stare straight back at you, set in the heart-shaped face of the young human woman lying within the unit. Soft streamers of vapour flow past her face every few seconds, implying some sort of suspended animation at work. Blonde hair pools around the serene face, framing it in light gold.

A quick once-over of the apparent stasis coffin later, you find a hairline seam that would presumably allow the entire cover of the box to slide away. The computer's readouts are pretty much incomprehensible, moving far too quickly for you to pick out more than the occasional word. Looking down the window reveals that the woman inside the box is wearing some sort of flight suit; white, with golden trim. Nothing either of you have ever seen before, but there's no special insignia either.

Sara seems to be playing an automated message in the room, because she is in mid sentence when you walked in."-Immediately. Warning. Cryogenic stasis unstable. Lifesigns fading. Recommend removal of Cryogenic systems immediately. Warning...."

[theskorpionking]

I just can't let her die, besides we could use an extra hand Kaz thinks to herself. "Sara open a comm channel" She doesn't wait for the reply, but continues speaking. "Robb I need you to check out the core, I'm, um, gonna check out something. I'll be there as soon as I can." Kaz then looks at the console next to the box and hits the release button, hoping that there won't be any permanent damage done.

[Lentrax]

A small alert klaxon sounds, as a whoosh of cold fog rushes from the now broken seal on the pod. The fog gently billows from the pod as the upper third of the pod separates and whirs as it slides down under the remaining length of the pod, clicking into place.

The lights within the pod begin to fade, and the readouts on the side indicate that whoever this woman is, she is waking up. The remaining cover of the pod splits down the middle, retracting into the base.

The woman begins to stir.

[Snowfire]

Grace blinks at the face above her, Sara's words ringing in her mind. Nine hundred and ninety eight years...almost a millennia. How much had changed? What had become of the Order? Or her family? And what about-

It doesn't matter. She could find all that out later. Right now what mattered was working out who the Twi'lek female above her was. Sure, she had let her out of stasis, but that didn't mean that she was safe...

Sara said something about Master Leana though. A part of her mind reminds her.

Master Leana has been dead for at least nine centuries. This girl's new. Far too young. Blue eyes narrow imperceptibly. And I have no proof of her good intentions.

But what about the-?

It can go hang itself until I find out who these people are. Now shut it! She snaps at herself. She moves slowly, and it wasn't all acting either. Her body was still coming back online after a looong sleep. However...

Slender fingers tap softly on the top of the case, a soft thrum indicating that the storage was still intact. All right then, 'Master Leana', let's see...

Her right hand flops off the pod, knuckles tapping on its side, and a small panel flips from its side, a quite positively ancient blaster secured within it. And Grace moves.

Her right hand stiffens suddenly, fingers locking around the blaster's grip and pulling the weapon free. In almost the same movement, she rolls away from the Twi'lek and off the edge of the pod. Her legs buckle slightly as they take her weight for the first time in - according to the universe - almost a thousand years, but she holds her footing.

Her blaster comes up smoothly, thumb flicking its selector switch as she aims calmly down the barrel right at the face of the barely-not-a-girl.

"Name and intent." She demands softly. "And what the hell did you do to Sara!"

[theskorpionking]

Kaz nearly stumbles backwards as she reacts to the once frozen Hothcicle. "My...my name is Kaz'meen, uh, Kaz."She says throwing her hands up showing that she means no harm. "I don't know what's wrong with her. This is gonna sound strange, but I think I owe this ship my life." She let's out a nervous laugh, "Maybe....maybe you could tell me why it, I mean Sara, called me Master leana?"

[Snowfire]

See, she doesn't even know what's going on! You were told to expect thi-

Shut. Up! You and I both know she could be faking that. I mean,

For Force's sake! Are you utterly determined to assume the worst of the poor girl?

If it keeps me alive, yes. And you're just as bad!

I am no-

Endor!

Oh fine... But that's no excuse. Just-

Again, shut it!

Pale eyelids blink closed for a moment as the internal monologue races through Grace's mind. Her eyes sharpen, her hand's grip loose yet firm around the pistol.

"Full name." She says, reiterating her previous demand. "As to why Sara would call you someone who died in a war you likely hardly remember, I don't know." Grace rises fully to her feet, a foot tapping the side of the pod closest to her, prompting it to extend a drawer towards her. "However, she says she has critical system damage." Keeping her blaster trained on Kaz, she crouches and extracts the contents of the container. A small tool kit, which she clips on her belt. An archaic commlink joins it, along with what looks like a medkit. "That might have something to do with it, or she could be right and age is just catching up on the frame."

And a faint whisper of metal on leather announces the final piece of equipment - a tapered vibrosword in an elegant white and gold sheath that slips easily onto Grace's belt with the other accoutrements she has gathered.

She rises again, sliding the drawer shut with her boot, and then flicks her blaster towards the door leading out of the bay. "Out. We're going to the Interlink Array." She says, murmuring under her breath. "Probably should see how well everything survived the last millennia..."

[theskorpionking]

Kaz stares at the woman in front of her not quite believing the situation. "Just relax okay? My name is Kaz'meen Solo. I'm going to put my arms down, so don't shoot. I've been shot enough today as it is. I was going to the interlink array when I got sidetracked. And, just so you know, I practically saved your life. I'd say you owed me a life debt, well I would if I believed in life debts." Kaz adjusts her bag so the opening is near, just in case she needs to make a quick grab for her blaster. Not that she has much confidence in her own skills compared to the woman before her.

[Snowfire]

See. Solo. You know that name, they're good peo-

Most of them are. Or were. Or - oh, you know what I mean.

Well, she woke you up, surely that deserves a little in the way of benefit of the doubt?

Not...necessarily. Remember?

Which one?

Kuat.

Oh...

Yeah.

Yeah.

So what then, just stay in stalemate until we can get an answer from Sara or-

Oh she did not just do that!

The monologue cuts off abruptly as the mention of life debts registers. Rage flashes for a moment in Grace's eyes, crackling deep and powerful within the sapphire irises. "Fascinating, I'm sure." She half-whispers, then pulls the trigger.

Attack roll [roll0]

[Lentrax]

Grace's muscles are still stiff after just eating up from her nap, and her aim is just off. Kaz can feel the hairs on her arm sizzle as the blast fries several of them.

Roll initiatives.

[theskorpionking]

Kaz desperately wants to grab her blaster, but doesn't. "I don't know what in the seven hells your problem is lady! Maybe I should have just left you to die in that thing. But I didn't, and do you want to know why? Becasue my brother told me that you don't take a life unless you have too. I have every right to pull my own blaster so we could have ourselves a good old fashioned shootout, but I'm not going too. I'm not going to let a bigoted human like you make me do something that I would likely regret. I've ran into a lot of people like you, people that think just beacasue I'm not a human I'm lower than scum. I've already told you that I thought this ship saved my life, I may not believe in life debts, but I do believe in paying back those who help you. So I'm gonna turn around, go to the array and do the best to fix it so this ship can take me back home like I asked her to. Then you can take this ship and go fly it into the sun for all I care." Kaz adjusts her bag once more and turns and walks out of the room.
Yeah I just tunred my back on someone who has a gun to me, but we'll just see what happens. but, I'll still roll initiative, [roll0] hopefully grace will have second thoughts on killing kaz, but the ball's in her court now.And if she doesn't, I hope her initiative is lower than mine, so I can run and scream like a little girl.

[Snowfire]

Told you.

Oh for pity's sa-

Wait a second, seven hells? What happened to the rest?

Really not the right time to be thinking about that.

Oh right, because clearly we're thinking straight right now.

...

I thought so. Now if both of you would kindly shut up, let's see if this is salvageable.

Grace blinks, surprise twitching onto her face at Kaz's reaction, then sighs. "Kaz, was it?" Her tone softens from the hard-edged predator it was moments ago. "You may well be right, it might have been easier to let me die. For both of us." She moves forward, holstering her blaster and catches the Twi'lek's wrist in a gentle grip that even a soft jerk will break.

"I am...sorry, Kaz." She seems about to say more, but retreats from whatever it was. "Later." She mutters to herself, then slips past the Twi'lek and heads straight for the Interlink Array.

[theskorpionking]

Kaz is confused for the briefest of moments, but sighs in relief. She let's Grace pass her and follows her to the array. "Um, hey I have to apologize too," Kaz says. "My brother always told me that I let my mouth get me into trouble. Most times he used to be there to get me out of trouble, now...." Her voice trails off, she had to take care of herself now.

[Snowfire]

Oh well done, you've made her sad.

At least I didn't shoot her!

Yeah, yeah, always the same thing wi-OW!

And let that be a lesson to you.

I..what..how...oh why do I bother..

Because it drives you insane not to.

...

Um...shouldn't we, I dunno, say something back?

Wha-oh! Yeah...yeah...uh...

Oh for pity's sake you're hopeless!

Grace freezes for a moment, then turns as Kaz trails off, bringing up one hand to hold the Twi'lek's shoulder as her eyes seek out those of her fellow.

"I can't pretend to know what you're feeling, everyone reacts differently to the death of a loved one. But I do understand what it's like." She sighs, squeezing her eyes shut for a moment.

Oh crap! Hold it, hold it!

Why? We-

NO! Not now! Sara needs us!

Serenity replaces pain as Grace's eyelids slide back again, and she forces a small smile. "If nothing else, I can help you there - if you are willing to accept my aid. I was...good at getting people out of trouble..." She trails off wistfully, memory flashing behind her eyes, then shakes herself.

"Come on, we can talk later. Right now Sara needs us. There's the faintest of pauses before that last word, but Grace doesn't seem to realise it as she turns again and walks through the door into the Interlink Array.

[theskorpionking]

Kaz wanted to say something, but the woman was right, there would be time later. "After all of the...uh...excitment, I never got your name."

[Snowfire]

My name...it's been so long since I knew if that was safe...

Oh does it really matter? She's not-

How do I-?

She would have killed you already.

I...you're right.

Grace seems to not even register the question for a moment, then smiles slightly - truly this time - and answers. "Grace. Grace Skywalker." She gestures ahead. "Now, let's see if we can fix this." She enters the room, looks around, and then asks. "Sara, can you give me a diagnostic? Or are the faults too extensive?"

[Holice]

Robb nods at Kaz and heads down a panel in the floor to the core.

This ship might just have more problems then we do, he thinks to himself.

Checking the systems over quickly, most everything looked intact from his cursory views. Must be a software system problem, better see if Kaz found anything interesting.

Heading back up the panel, Robb heads in the direction where Kaz was headed. As he approached he began to hear noises which turned into conversation.

"How did we get boarded!" he muttered.

He quickly draws a blaster and heads down towards Kaz.

"Kaz, I'm on my way", he hells down the corridor.

[Lentrax]

The Neurl Interlink room is simply a square room. Cables run along its walls and cieling, and a few snake down through the floor. In the center of the room as a small white pillar with a glowing light blue sphere glowing above it.

"Welcome to my interlink. From here I control all ships functions, analyze tactical information, and process data regarding my primary function. However, I recently developed a problem in my tertiary command processor, which has subsequently spread throughout the ship." A small panel opens near the base of the pillar.

"You may start the repair by removing the shielding covering the primary interlink matrix...."

Anyone attempting to make repairs may make the check. I will base the results off the highest roll.

[theskorpionking]

Kaz removed the panel and let out a whistle, "I haven't seen tech like this outside of my fathers shop. I love a challenge. Let's do this!" She sets her bag on the floor and grabs her toolkit out, she pauses as she opens it, wondering what Robb was doing. making the repair check [roll0]

[Holice]

Robb finally reaches the room where Kaz is at, blaster at the ready.

As he gets in the room, he sees Kaz on the floor working on the ship. Not taking notice of anything else in the room, he asks, "What are you doing, and who were you talking to?"

[Lentrax]

"And then replace the covering on the matrix. The panel may now be closed. Standby as command pathways are reconstructed." Silence for a minute as Sara works.

"A most excellent job, there are few repair facilities in our databanks that could match it. Reassessing data in banks. No errors detected. Sublight drive, Online. Sensors, Online. Shields, Online. Weapons, Online. Warning: Damage detected in Hyperdrive motivator. Recommend replacement of unit."

[theskorpionking]

Kaz replaces the panel as Sara instructed. She jumps as she hears Robbs vocie behind her. She turns her head, I was fixing the array. Didn't you hear me over the comm? And the person I was talking to, she's right behind you. Kaz places her toolkit back in her bag and stands up. You know, I think my father might have a hyperdrive motivator that might work. When we get to Nar Shadda, I'll go and talk to him.

[Holice]

Still paying no attention to anything but Kaz, Robb asks inquisitively, "She who? It's just you and I on this ship. Were you hit harder than I thought? Perhaps you need some bed rest."

[Snowfire]

Grace steps back and to one side as Kaz kneels down and begins to work, overriding her still present distrust with a tiny kernel of belief.

I wonder what Jaina would have thought of her.

Jaina? I think she would have liked her. At least before she became the Sword. From all accounts they're rather similar in their reaction to technology.

Yeah...but the question does come where this one got her knowledge.

Considering the mention of Nar Shadda, probably best not to ask.

True. Wait, Nar Shadda? We aren't heading the-

Head's up!

She slips to one side as Robb enters with all the subtlety of a falling tree, again distrust flaring. Metal whispers on leather as she draws her blaster pistol again.

You know, you really should give the guy the benefit of the doub-

Bite me. And if nothing else this should be hilarious.

....

See, you can't even object.

I hate you sometimes.

You hate yourself? Well now that explains everything, doesn't it.

Shut up.

The cool metal of the blaster taps Robb behind the ear.

"Or perhaps you need to learn to look and listen a bit harder." She says in not-quite-a-whisper, her breath cool against the back of his neck. "She I trust for now. You...well, that depends."

Out of sight of Robb, she winks - almost playfully - at Kaz to show that she's playing him. Considering the fact that they didn't seem to know each other at all, this might help a little.

For funsies
Intimidate: (1d20+5)[23]

[Holice]

As Robb awaits an answer from Kaz, he feels the all too familiar poke of a blaster.

For crying out loud! he thinks and lowers his blaster slowly. I really need to stop letting my guard down when Twi'leks are involved, all it does it makes things go from bad to worse.

"Let's not get too hasty now, whoever you are", he replies having no idea who or what is behind him, but the lack of action by Kaz has him more calm than he thinks he should be in a situation like this.

Staring at Kaz, "You think you can maybe give me a hand with this, or perhaps tell your new trusting friend that I'm on your side?"

[theskorpionking]

Kaz winks back at Grace and gives Robb a wry grin. "It's okay Grace. He's sorta with me. He helped me out of a jam."

[Lentrax]

Elsewhere in space:

The ship pierces the darkness around it. Gleaming silver hullplates reflecting the light of thousands of stars as it races across the blackness.

All aboard the ship are frantically doing everything they can to make sure nothing goes wrong, scurrying about like womp rats in a maze. All except one.

The only one who does not run about stares through a viewport into space. Dressed all in black, black robe flowing gently to the floor, hood drawn over face, this one person stares out at thier destination.

A man dressed in the uniform of the Imperial Navy walks along the brige to the lone figure. Then he kneels, bowing his head.

"What is it?"

"Empress. One of our patrols has reported spotting a ship in the Outer Rim."

The Empress does not turn around, instead she remains staring into space. "Indeed? Only one? Not a very good patrol route then, is it."

"The ship matched a profile in our databanks, Empress. Our Analysts have confirmed the data, it is Sara, Empress."

With a cry of rage, the Empress turned to the kneeling man, cloak billowing open to reveal the lightsabers on her hips. In one smooth gesture, the blade was free. In another blink, the blade was ignited, its unmistakable hum filling the air. People at consoles turned to look at the display, but one look at the look at the Empress' face was enough to turn them back to work. "Don't you dare ever say that name in public again, Captain. If you do, I will see that you are assigned to a trooper battallion. " She left the point of lightsaber in the man's face, a scant centimeter from his eye. "Do you understand me?"

He nods.

"Good. Now dispatch a fleet to track that ship down. I want it intact." The blade is extinguished and the Empress hangs it back on her belt.

With a small sigh of satisfaction at feeling the rage flow through her, Darth Dreana IV, Supreme Ruler of the Second Sith Empire, turnd back to stare at her new flagship, still under construction. Crossing her arms beneath her breasts, she smiles as the possibility of capturing Sara crosses her mind.

[Snowfire]

Grace arched an eyebrow at Kaz, questions clearly evident in the expression, then tapped Robb again on the ear with the barrel of her blaster before holstering it. Stepping around, she held out her hand in greeting.

"As Kaz just informed you, I'm Grace. And your name is..?"

Turning her head slightly, whilst keeping an eye on Robb, she spoke to Kaz.

"And you do know that we're heading for Tatooine, not Nar Shadda, right?"

[theskorpionking]

"Tatooine? But that's not home. I live on Nar Shadda." Sadness takes over Kaz's whole body, she feels like she wants to cry. But she doesn't, She stands up a little straighter, her mouth in a wide grin. She then squeals like al illte girl, "Oh my stars! That means we could go and visit the Mos Eisley cantina. Where Han Solo and his faithful companion, Chewbacca, single handly fought off the entire cantina. With Han, himself, dealing the death blow to the vile gangster Greedo. Oh I wish I had my holorecorder, you know to take pictures. My father told me all about it when I was younger. He even gave me a holster for my blaster that looks like the one Han wore. I have an outfit that matches his, well mine don't have the corellian bloodline on it. My brother said that once I earned it, he'd have them put on for me. I just wish I could remember which one it was." Kaz is bouncing up and down in excitement. "I wonder if Jabba's palace is still around? Cuz, Grace have I got an amazing story about how Chewie fought everyone one in there to save Han from the carbonite. And once Han was free, well, I guess you probably heard What happened to Jabba after that."

[Holice]

Holstering his own blaster and shaking off the tenseness of the last moment Robb looks at this Grace, and immediately turns to Kaz.

"In the future a little heads-up would be a appreciated," he says with a strict tone.

Turning back to the newest addition to this rag tag bunch, he shakes her hand but holds on to it and moves in a bit, "As for you...Grace...perhaps you should act a little more as your name implies. You never no when someone like me could be carrying a thermonuclear detonator. But then again, for you to think that this Twi'lek would be wandering around alone on a ship this size with an enemy aboard, and stop to repair something, implies that you must not think much before you act. That must make you some kind of military personnel or at the very least a henchman for an unsavory folk."

Releasing his hand shake and looking back to Kaz then returning his eyes on Grace, "And speaking of this ship, where exactly did you come from and why are we headed to Tatooine?"

[Snowfire]

Idiot.

Seconded.

Thirde-wait a second, does that even work?

Not really, but for the purposes of this...yes.

All right then.

Grace smiles as Robb moves closer, then pulls sharply on the man's arm, one foot flashing forward.

[Holice]

Seemingly having let go of Grace, Robb suddenly realized that she was not so eager to end this confrontation.

As he felt his arm get pulled, and noticed Grace stick her foot out, Robb smiled as he immediately spun and disengaged from the hold. In one fluid motion, he had his blaster up in his other hand pointing directly at Grace's head.

With a smirk he remarked, "You're not the only one with surprises here!" Spinning his gun with style he quickly re-holstered it.

Stepping back from woman, "If it's all the same to you, I'd prefer that we reach our destination in one piece."

With that he quickly turned and headed back for the steering console.

[theskorpionking]

Kaz watches Robb storm out, "This might sound kinda weird, but you have to trust me when I say that he's okay. I mean I literaly ran into him a few hours ago, but for some reason I just knew I could trust him. And I think he must trust me, or he wouldn't have helped me when the droids had me in their sights, he certainly wouldn't have gotten on this ship with me if he didn't."

[Lentrax]

The next few hours pass without incident.

Sara drops out of hyperspace, and follows a course through space and into the atmosphere of Tattooine. The hull heats up, and glows a bright red before breaking through.

Endless desert greets you. There are bright seas, oceans of sand, interspersed with islands of rock. Sara guides you over settlements, over bantha herds, and a pack of womp rats.

She finally comes to a small hut overlooking more desert. As she approaches to land, a large portion opens, revealing an underground hangar.

Lights flick on, though you note that not all of them do, leaving the empty space dim and dark. You can just make out a door at the far end of the vast chamber Sara parks you in.

[theskorpionking]

Kaz waits for the ramp to lower before heading out of the ship. She has changed out of her flight suit and wears a pair of black pants, with a belt and holster around her waist. She's also wearing a white long sleeved shirt, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Kaz slowly walks down the ramp, letting her eyes adjust to the near darkness. When she reaches the bottom of the ramp she inhales deeply. "This place smells old." She looks around and notices a door. Once again her curiosity gets the best of her and she heads towards the door.

[Lentrax]

The door groans a little, belying it's great age as it grinds open. The stench of stale air blasts past as pressures equalize between the two rooms. The room beyond is not lit much better. It seems no one has been through to maintain the glowpanels, but you think you can make out a table at the far end with something on top of it. The room is free of the ever present tattooine sand though, and the air here is more stale than the air on the other side of the door.

[theskorpionking]

Kaz digs in her bag and pulls out her glow rod, wanting to get a better view of the room. Her lekku twitch as she nears the table, once again her curiosity is getting the better of her.

[Lentrax]

Your glow rod emits a soft hum as it comes to life. You can see that the table is all that remains of what looks like a security station. An ancient blaster rifle, covered in a thick layer of dust, is propped against the table, and there are some mugs and a few thin rectangles on the table.

[Snowfire]

Grace spends the vast majority of the rest of the journey trying to explain true history where Han Solo is concerned. Even with Sara's help she doesn't get that far, although she does seem a great deal more relaxed when Sara drops out of hyperspace.

However, that ease fractures when she looks down on Tatooine, forcing her to retreat to another portion of the ship for the landing, and only returning when they are down. Her face twitches slightly as she walks down the ramp behind Kaz, mind busy behind it.

What...happened?

Are we all that's left?

How could that b-

No! Focus. We had a mission. We had a duty. So did they.

And...and if they fell in that duty?

Then we....we....w-

We go on. We remember their sacrifices, honour their memories, and do everything in our power to ensure that one day they are remembered by more than just ourselves.

Moving quickly to put herself between Kaz and any possible threats - if any of the automated systems had remained online they should recognise her (hopefully) - she leads the way through the door and into the old security station.

Her resolve cracks a little further at the utter emptiness of the room, the dust and disrepair, but she forces the pain down again with practiced ability as she pulls her glow rod off her belt and steps across to the table. A deep breath sends the dust scattering and whirling away, and she holds out the glow rod to examine the contents of the table.

The blaster rifle is deliberately ignored - but she has it in the back of her mind. Rebuilding something like that would probably help after they're done with this planet...

[Lentrax]

Dust billows off the table as you blow off its contents. A few datapads, a package of freeze dried nerf meat, and a few power packs are uncovered.

[theskorpionking]

Kaz can see that Grace knows this place, and that it isn't making her happy. She wants to joke with Grace about Grace's version of Han's history. But she can't, because Kaz has an uneasy feeling about this place. She's not sure if it's because of Grace, or if it's the place itself. "I've got a bad feeling about his place."

[Holice]

Having landed safely and intact, Robb breathes a sigh of relief. At last something went well.

Checking the monitors for any concerns, apparently everything is well with the ship for now, so he turns to follow the others out. But it would seem that some are more anxious than he is, so he picks up the pace a bit to catch up.

Walking past what seems to be an empty security station, Robb notices a blaster rifle leaning against it. Nothing is ever beyond repair, he tells himself and picks it up, and slings it over his back.

Catching up to the group, "So what exactly was this place and who was supposed to be stationed here?"

[Snowfire]

Grace's body freezes, muscles going rigid as text fills the datapad her hand is resting on. Thoughts race behind her eyes, as the very same fight a valiant and losing battle against the moisture rising to fill them.

No.

She straightens slowly, her right hand grasping the datapad and lifting it up to read it again. Her entire body quivers with an overwhelming cocktail of rage, sorrow and endless, burning loss.

No.

She hears the human's question, Kaz's statement, and forces her lips to move. At least she tries to, the emotional void slicing into her making even speech impossible.

No, no, no, no, no!

Blue eyes dart across the pad again, desperately searching for something, for anything. And then she looks across at her companions, her eyes not marred by tears - instead simply...broken somewhere. Shattered sapphires that echo with the screams of a young woman who has just found everything she ever knew or loved dead and gone. And then...nothing. Not even pain.

No...

Grace's eyes go blank, the mind behind them slipping away into a soft cocoon of almost-catatonia. And she topples to the ground like a fallen tree.

[theskorpionking]

"Grace!" Kaz yells as she watches Grace hit the floor. She immediatly drops down beside her and checks for a pulse. She breathes a sigh of relief when she feels it. She picks up the datapad that Grace had dropped, the screen was black. She tried to turn it on, but it wouldn't respond. Kaz put the datapad down and bent close to Grace's ear and said, "Grace? Can you hear me? Look, I know you're in there somewhere. You have to come back. Even if half of what you told me about Han is true, there has to be a reason we met. There has to be more than a random chance that a Solo and a Skywalker met. It's as if we were fated to meet. You know?"

[Snowfire]

The visions race across the canvass of her mind, memories and faded feeling fighting against the endless void of loss and separation from the world she now found herself in. Voices whirl about her, snippets of battle chatter clashing static-filled with heartfelt words spoken in silence and companionship.

On and on it goes - was it seconds or hours ago that it started? She can't tell. How could she? The world Outside doesn't exist here. It was that that sent her here, to a dreaming sanctuary far from the anguish of her reality.

Mother and father gone at ten, falling into the abyss of battle to save their children.

Kieran giving himself to save them - his older sisters - at sixteen.

And now everyone else gone - or so it seemed. Fallen to the Sith like the endless ranks of spectres that had always fought against them - and always inevitably failed.

...ace!

A whisper of her name? What did it matter. There was no point. Even the Force deserted them in time. What point was there if even that greatest of powers abandoned its children.

..now you're in there so...

Why did they continue to try? Because it was right? Because so many others had already tried and fallen and that could not be allowed to pass? But...if it was the latter...was that not simply vengance in fancy clothing? Revenge in the dress of dignity and righteousness?

...as to be a reason we m...

A reason? That very word seemed to ignite something inside of her, but even as it tried to spread the void around her snuffed it out. A reason. Simple whimsy. There was nothing more to make that happen, noth-

...Solo and a Skywalker met. I...

Solo. Reason. Why did those words seem to mean something more than their own sounds?

"Promise me, Grace."

Who? When? Images flashed again, cracking the blanket of nothingness around her. Flashing sabers, screams, fighting, death and blood. So much...how could there be that much? But then came the words, the words that had tended her in her death of sleep. That had flitted through her dreams and held her sanity.

"...when you do find your Solo, promise me you'll take care of him, and help him find his way."

Words spoken by a friend, a brother. Another taken far before his time.

"Promise me."

She had given her word then. That was why those words meant so much. Why she could not deny them, even if she wanted to. So much lost, so much fallen to death and dust. But hope...that was the one that could not be taken. And she had almost thrown it away...

Light spread across the dark fabric choking her mind, cinders of belief and honour burning through it to shine like tiny stars. She had chosen this. She had given herself to fate, to whatever might remain of the Force. And to forsake that? After all that had been lost and shattered to preserve her?

No.

You will always be the best of me, beloved. Remember that when doubt preys on you. And when darkness rises within you, let this moment be your shield.

The blackness around her mind cracked, light etching blazing lines through the ink that sought to drown her. And feeling started to return. The floor beneath her, the dust in the air around and above her. The warm breath against her ear. And her hand moved, gently pushing Kaz back until their eyes could meet.

"Thank you, Kaz'meen." She whispers, lips barely moving and voice pitched low. Tears sparkle in the faint light of the room, and she reaches up slightly, desperately wishing that Naomi was still here to give her that last hug.

[theskorpionking]

Kaz saw the tears in Grace's eyes, she felt the tears running down her face. She was going to wipe them away, but stopped. She pulled Grace towards her and hugged her. "Welcome back." She whispered. Just as quick as she had grabbed Grace, she let her go. "Sorry, I just felt like I had to do that. But, it felt right. I haven't done that since the day Kord left." She turns and look up at Robb, "Sorry if I've gotten you into any trouble. If there's anything I cna do to repay your kindness, please let me know. I don't have many credits, but if we make it back to Nar Shadda. Well, I'm sure you and my father could work something out."

[Holice]

Robb realized that he had been standing there with a dumbfounded look on his face and his mouth slightly open. Seeing Grace pass out and come back with tears in her eyes made him realize that despite the thick skinned, soldier outside, on the inside Grace was still just a person, capable of feeling sadness just like the rest of us.

Shaking his head to bring himself back to reality, he looked at Kaz. "What?" he said absentmindedly not really paying attention.

Walking over to Grace, he took a knee by her. "Are you alright? Let's get you back on the ship to rest up a bit, this journey has been intense for all of us, and while I am sure that we are far from safe, for the moment we are secure?"

Robb outstretched his hand, offering to help Grace to her feet if she wanted the assistance.

[theskorpionking]

KAz watched as Robb helped Grace up. She stood up herself, brushing the dust from her pants. She was about to repeat what she had said, when her stomach let out a loud rumble. Glad that she couldn't turn any redder, she said, "Sorry, I haven't eaten much since I left home. I don't suppose there's anything to eat here?"

[theskorpionking]

After a quick look around, Kaz can see that the room has nothing to offer. Hearing Robb suggest something about returnig to the ship for rest, she says, Maybe Grace just needs some fresh air? We need to find the parts for the hyperdrive. Maybe Sara could take us to the nearest port where we could scavage around for the parts. Who knows maybe there'll be a junkyard where we could barter for the parts, Sara is a little old. Plus, we'll need other supplies, and who knows maybe we could find somehting to eat."

[Lentrax]

Listen check everyone, if you please.

[theskorpionking]

Rolling. [roll0]

[Snowfire]

Grace grasps Robb's hand, accepting the offer of help as she rises to her feet, then shakes her head.

"This...this was the home of my family, many years ago." She says softly, releasing her grip on Robb. "They're...gone...or so it seems." Her tone twists with bitter irony. "Last one left now I guess." She shakes herself, then moves towards the door that leads further into the complex, tossing a packet of dried nerf meat to Kaz as she walks.

"And before we go, there's something that I need go. The Sith will likely have tracked our route - Sara didn't have the integrity to do an evasive jump - so we probably don't have much time."

Listen check: [roll0]

[Holice]

These Sith are persistant, I'll give 'em that much.

"Well in that case we'd best finish what we came here for and continue moving. I've heard that when these guys get their mind set on something they don't give up and that could mean we'd have star destroyers and such in orbit waiting to blast anything that tries to leave."

As Robb goes to follow Grace, he looked over to Kaz who now had the food she so desired. "I didn't help you looking for a pay day," he said quickly and then proceeded on.


[roll0]

[theskorpionking]

"Wait for me." Kaz says, dropping the packet of food Grace had given her onto the table. "Robb, I never meant what I said as an insult. You have to understand that I've never been this far from Nar Shadda, My father told me on more than one occasion that you don't get something for nothing. I guess in your case he was wrong.

[Lentrax]

Grace leads you down corridors that have through years of disuse become run down. Darkness permeates the halls, and in open doorways. The turbolift doesn't work, so you climb a stairwell. Going up three flights of stairs, you enter another corridor.

Sand is piled in the corridor and there are sections of ceiling that have collapsed. Still walking through the dark corridors, Grace finally stops outside a room marked "Grace's". Below that several words are painted on the door.

"Scan inconclusive. Manual search: Negative."

Below that is some graffiti: "Sith this!"

[Snowfire]

Bloody Sith...

More than likely considering they came in here.

Heh. True.

All right then, let's see if I remember this right...

Grace shifts her glowrod to her other hand, pulls a small tool from the kit on her belt and flips a panel beside the door open. Replacing the tool, she flips the blackened and burnt power pack out of its slot in the panel and slides a new one into place.

A few quick adjustments later, she slides the panel shut and places her hand on the panel.

Repair if necessary: [roll0]

Going for a localised reactivation of the door system if that's ok with you.

[Lentrax]

*beebeep. beebeep. click. hum. beebeebeep.*

The door groans open, but sticks about halfway to the side. As you enter, you see that nothing is where you left it. the bed is upside down on the other side of the room. Trinkets and musty, mildewed clothes are scattered everywhere. All the furniture has been torn open, their innards rotten on the floor.

The pictures painted on the wall depicting heroes from the first Rebellion have been defiled. Great smears of paint block out faces, and some crude drawings have been made in lewd positions behind the women.

In short, the room is a mess.

[theskorpionking]

In the short time since meeting both Robb and Grace, Kaz had found that she had a deep respect for them both. This respect is waht kept her from going into Grace's room. She did, however peek in through the half open door. 'Sith spit!" She curses. "Those savages know no honor." Kaz says a little louder than she had planned, then added, "Do you...do you think they found what they were looking for?"

[Snowfire]

Wow...

Yeah. I thought the Sith trained people who knew what they were doing.

Killing your specialists every time they fail you makes experience gain somewhat difficult for them.

Heh. Point.

Idiots.

Grace smiled at Kaz's remarks, warmed by the girl's remarks.

"Eh, this is nothing. Amateur work at best, probably more concerned with drawing lewd pictures than anything else, the morons." She chuckled. "As my sister used to say; if lasers were brains, they couldn't melt a block of hydrogen." She moved across the room, retrieving the few things that had remained intact. A few holos, a datapad with a dramatised version of the Rebel Alliance's rise from obscurity to its defeat of Palpatine at Endor. And, somehow, one or two pieces of old, hand-made jewelry that she had never thought to see again and were still intact.

I guess Naomi wasn't kidding when she said it would last for a thousand years...

Figures. Trust her to work out a way to 'paint' transparisteel onto jewelry in the middle of a war.

Hey, you can't say those sprayers weren't effective at Fourth Fondor.

Shut up you.

Placing the small collection of knick-knacks on the desk - only intact and still where it is due to being made of durasteel and built into both the floor and the wall - she taps a short sequence on the wall above it. She waits a moment, hand rested on the wall, and then smirks as a tell-tale vibration shivers up her arm.

"They didn't find what they were looking for. Now...let's see if Master Sheant left what I think she did." Grace lays the glow rod on the desk, fixing her gaze on a particular spot in the wall. She draws her vibrosword, thumbs it on and brings the gently humming blade back. "I am justice. I am the shield. My sword sheds only the blood of those who would seek to break me." She snaps the weapon forward, bringing its humming tip to a stop right at the focus of her gaze.

There is a pause, almost infintesimal, and then a soft computerised voice speaks.

"Voiceprint accepted."

A thick section of the wall slides away, revealing a well hidden volume of space behind it. Grace retrieves her glow rod, and peers in.

They'll be a few bits and pieces of memorabilia, possibly a few power packs and a spare blaster and - if you'll allow it - a datapad with the real history of the galaxy on it. Grace was a warrior, yes, but she believed in holding on to the past.

[Lentrax]

Here is also one more thing in the space. It is a small cylinder just barely able to fit in your hand. It is warm to the touch, and seems to hum, despite having no visible power source.

[theskorpionking]

Kaz watches from outside the room, as Grace moves across the room. She sees her pick up various things, wondering what each item is. She listens intently as Grace speaks, then jumps slighlty when a section of the wall opens up.

[Holice]

Seeing the mess the Sith left of this place adds to the fuel of hate he is building for them. You've stayed clear of them for this long, minding your own business, but maybe you should have joined the fight against them, instead of worrying only about yourself.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Robb follows into the room.

Despicable, he mutters under his breath.

He watches Grace intently, wondering what her next move is when she unsheathes her vibrosword. As she speaks some words, she receives a response and a wall section opens. Letting out his breath, Robb realizes that he drew his blaster, and quickly holsters it.

Wondering if anyone saw his movement, he casually says, "Instincts."

Walking towards Grace, "What exactly is all this?"

[Snowfire]

Grace flicks her vibrosword off, sheathing it, and then withdraws the items within the safe, placing most on the desk - although the datapad is tucked away carefully before she reaches in again for the small cylinder at the bottom of the small vault's contents.

She holds up it, examining it carefully as she answers Robb.

"This...was my home once. And what I have there," She guestures at the small pile on the desk, "is all that remains of a world long dead, suppressed, and forgotten."

[theskorpionking]

Kaz barely hears the conversation betweeen Robb and Grace as she enters the room, looking at the defiled painting trying to figure out who the people were. She was about to ask Grace about it when she heard a faint humming noise. "What's humming?"

[Lentrax]

The seal on the cylinder is still intact. It does seem to weigh a lot more than it should, considering what you know to be inside.

[Snowfire]

"This." Grace replies to Kaz. "Now let's see..." She pulls another tool from her belt, fiddles with the seal for a moment - then pulls.

[Lentrax]

After a minute of working the seal, it loosens. There is a small hiss of air, and the cylinder opens.

Suddenly, a small spherical shaped objects flies out of the cylinder and lowers to the ground. As it does so, the air above it shimmers and opalesces, finally resolving into a woman's body. Grace recognizes it as Master Shae Skywalker.

Master Skywalker looks around, and then settles her gaze upon Kaz. Her face settles into a smile as she speaks.

"Greetings, Young One. The fact that you are hearing this means that the Force has returned at last to the Galaxy. You have the potential to be the first Jedi in a thousand years."

[Snowfire]

As was said.

As it will be.

Yeah....

Grace nods respectfully to the hologram of Shae, then scoops up the small pieces of memorabilia she managed to retrieve and...almost flees the room.

You kno-

Not the time for family reunions!

Bu-

Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!

A single tear cracks the facade before she manages to escape the room that is now far too full of memories, the echo of a strangled sob marking her departure.

Heading back to Sara.

[theskorpionking]

Kaz isn't sure what to make of everything that had just happened, but it seems to her that Grace does. Before she can say anything, Kaz watches Grace run from the room. "Grace wait!", Kaz yells and runs after her.

[Holice]

What in all the galaxy is wrong with these girls?, Robb wonders.

Following them both back to the ship, Robb catches up with Kaz, and says, "Hold it there a minute."

"Did that holo-recording just say that you are a jedi? These are the kind of things you should really tell a person up front you know. And can we please all sit down and let me know what is going on here, without anymore running, sobbing or anger?"

[Lentrax]

Unfortunately, with the thoughts of sorrow and loss in her head, Grace took a wrong turn, and ended up in a different hangar. This one is filled with speeders in various states of disrepair, and cables are stretched between most of them, leaving a tangled maze that would be hard even for a droid to make out.

Listen checks everyone.

[theskorpionking]

"It sounded that way, but I can't be a jedi. If I were, the Sith would have killed me before now. This is all just so confusing. We need to find Grace so we can figure all of this out. Now c'mon." Kaz says very rapidly.

[theskorpionking]

listen: [roll0]

[Holice]

Listen: [roll0]

[Lentrax]

Grace, Robb, and Kaz:

Th docking bay is the first place you have been in this dead place that you have heard the familiar hum of a fusion generator. The noise was so familiar it didn't register at first, but now it tickles at the back of your minds.

Luum:

A young Human woman burst into the room, sobbing. She was followed by two more beings, a male Human, and a female Twi'lek who appear to be arguing with each other.

Aside from Grace, neither Robb nor Kaz know what a Jedi is. The Sith have managed to erase nearly every mention of the Old Order from the Galaxy a thousand years ago when they came to power.

[Elbeyon]

Luum's shutter makes a series of quick paced adjustments. What Luck, of all the times someone could of invaded his make shift home it had to be when he was recharging. The small pit droid uncouples himself from the humming reactor and slowly tries to sneak away.

The sounds of scrap metal deforming grate at him. His trash filled room and heavy metal body had betrayed him. Surely he was discovered. Luum makes the standard pit droid screech and starts running hands up towards his bed. He dives into his trash filled speeder and buries himself under it all.

[theskorpionking]

"That's a fusion reactor!" Kaz says as she unholsters her blaster. She makes her way towards the humming, but it stops and she hears a metalic screech.
gonna do a listen check to see if I can hear where the screech came from [roll0]

[Holice]

As Robb tries to have a conversation with Kaz, she once again runs off.

"Hey!", he shouts. "Weren't we going to go see Grace and find out what's going on?" But clearly she had other things on her mind.

This girl is reckless and probably going to get you killed, and yet you still won't walk away. But where would I go, and how would I get there, since I still seem to be missing my ship.

As his eyes follow Kaz running off talking about a fusion reactor, he sees her suddenly stop and appear to be listening for something. Taking a breath he thinks he hears something odd as well, like metal on metal.



Listen [roll0]

[Lentrax]

The noise wasn't hard to follow at all. It leads you to a broken down speeder in a corner of the bay.

You notice more cables than before spreading out from the car, snaking up walls, down through the floor, and out across the bay, like the strands of a spider's web.

[Elbeyon]

Luum nestles farther into the trash. His robotic hand noisy searches the bottom of speeder's floor for his only defense, but it turns up nothing. His mind races as he tries to recall it's location and then it dawns on him its near the reactor.

[Holice]

Following where he thought he heard the noise, Robb comes to a literal pile of junk. The speeder looked far from repair, but with the right parts and some time, anything can be made to work again, he thought.

Still believing that he is hearing something mechanical in nature from the speeder, he goes in for a closer look.


Spot [roll0]
Search [roll1]

[theskorpionking]

Kaz follows Robb to the speeder, she too hears something. She's been on edge ever since the holo-recoder incident. She stands straight and levels her blaster to the center of the trash filled speeder. "Give me one good reason I shouldn't send a rain of blaster bolts into there!"

[Elbeyon]

At the mention of blaster bolts the shuffling stops and a seconds later a pit droid head pops out of the trash as if it were a periscope. It gives some chirps and whistles at your threat and then climbs out of the trash. Hands up as if surrendering it continues to give panicked chirps and whistles at an ever increasing rate.

[theskorpionking]

Kaz quickly holsters her blaster and squats down, a smile spreading across her face. "It's a pit droid!", she exclaims. "Come here little guy. I won't hurt you. What were you doing in here all by yourself?" That's when it hits her, This thing is so ancient, I wonder..... Kaz's thought process trails off as she stands back up. She turns to Robb and says, "I wonder if it belonged to someone in Grace's family?" She then yells, "Grace I think I found something!"

[Elbeyon]

The pit droid lowers his scraggly arms and inches itself closer towards the welcoming twi'lek. Its slow edging reminiscent to that of a scared child. It's excess droid speak calms as it replies towards your statements.

And as you question it and Robb, it answers with beebs and bloops.

[Snowfire]

Tears streamed down her face, tracing down her cheeks to fall from her chin to the hanger floor in quiet, disciplined, and infinitely bitter sobs. Her hands clutched what little she had been able to rescue from her quarters, the few things that she had tried to force herself to believe would be enough.

You always were good at lying to yourself. Not that it ever helped in the end.

Oh great, the

Hey! Pay attention!

Her tear-stained face looked around as Kaz called her, as if the Twi'lek had found something. Wait...that sound. That was a fusion reactor. But - it didn't make sense. Maybe they would know - and that was the reason for the shout.

She pulled herself to her feet, gently pocketing each of her so infinitely precious trinkets, and then wiped her eyes and headed towards the origin of the shout.

[theskorpionking]

Kaz watches as Grace approches. She knows that Grace is angry with her.
But, it's not my fault, she thinks to herself. It's not like I asked to be a Jedi. That's when an idea comes to her. If she were to get the holo-recorder, she could prove to Grace that it was actually talking to her and not Kaz.
Once Grace was close enough Kaz says, "I think this little guy belonged to your family. Maybe he could shed some light on what happened here?"

[Elbeyon]

The little droid watches as grace approaches. Once shes here his attention keeps switching between watching grace and kaz. However as the conversation continues he locks his view onto Kaz. He makes a few of his louder high pitched chirps and whistles, except this time he's crosses his arms above his head.

[Snowfire]

Grace tilts her head at the pit droid Kaz indicates.

Doesn't look like one of ours -

But then any that survived probably wouldn't after most of a thousand years.

Point.

Well, easy way to find out.

"Possibly..." Grace says, kneeling down in front of the droid. "Come here, little one." She says, patting the space before her.

[Elbeyon]

His crossed arms continue on for a bit more along with his screechy reply. As the women dressed in white kneels down and calls for him he turns to face her. Apparently he's lot less shy this time around, since it doesn't take him long to reply and move towards her. He stands were she patted and lets out a quick beep.

[theskorpionking]

Kaz smiles as the little droid approaches Grace. Finally somethings going right, She thinks to herself. But her smile quickly fades. She's starting to feel uneasy. She wasn't sure what was causing it. She looks down at the droid and quickly rules it out. She scans the hanger, but nothing seems amiss. "Uh, guys. I think we need to leave. But, Grace we need to go back to your room. I think that holorecorder is the key to something. What I don't know, but..." Her voice trails off, not sure what to say.

[Holice]

Watching what could be a reunion unfold, Robb seemed very indifferent on the subject. What was more intriguing was the droid itself.

"How does a droid manage to stay in one piece and functioning after all these years?", he thinks, but winds up saying it aloud.

As Kaz continues to jabber on, he hears her say that we should leave and nods in agreement.

"Surely we can figure out the deal with this droid, and with Kaz and that holorecorder on the ship. We've already tarried here too long, and if they can track us its only a matter of time before scouts arrive."

[Snowfire]

Grace nodded encouragingly to the droid as it moved closer, then reached out with one hand and brushed away the dust and grime from where it's identification would be. Every droid the Skywalker's had was part of a complex letter-number sequence, a sequence taught early in your life and always remembered. That sequence would let you know if a droid was truly a Skywalker one. Now she leant down and inspected the small plate of metal on the droid's side.
Let's see if you belonged to my family. And if not...well we'll just have to find out where you came from.

[Elbeyon]

Luum happily sits there why she examines him but he begins to worry when she starts to dust him off. He shifts ever so slightly when she does so, but bounces back when she stops. Not really sure what shes looking for he lets out an higher pitched whistle as if he's asking a question.

[Snowfire]

"Just checking something, little one. No need to worry." Grace replies calmly, peering close at the id number.

Not the pattern.

Damn.

But then...

"How did you get here? And lose the tweetle-dee act. A droid that can restore a system like this has to have more intelligence than that. If nothing else, draw an answer."

[Elbeyon]

Luum sits there looking up at grace, his lens shutter flicking. He starts moving towards his speeder home and brings back a thick wire and starts drawing in the sand near the group.

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/6549/droiddrawling.jpg

As he finishes he hits his hand on the ground making a thump noise. If you guys stare at him blankly for a bit he repeats the noise.

[theskorpionking]

Kaz wants to scream in frustration, her uneasiness wasn't going away. She looks at what the droid had drawn in the sand. From what she could make out it had fallen, but she wasn't even sure if that was right. "I can make him talk you know," Kaz says to Grace. "I mean just look at all the junk around here. I could make a vocalizer for him, I could literaly make him talk."

[Snowfire]

"So you fell? How did you get out here?" Grace asks face remaining calm.

Understanding of complex concepts, awareness of visual medium of communication, ability to manipulate said medium.

No way is this a normal pit droid.

Ok, hold off for now. Let's see if we can find a way to get it-

Look at the vocal system.

Grace bends down further, turning her head to examine the system responsible for the bleeps and whistle that the droid has attempted to use thus far.

Well I'll be...

Yep, capable.

And no way is it not intelligent enough.

So...what's its game then...

She moved back, until she faced the droid, and then spoke. "Little one, I don't wish you any harm. But I need the truth from you, or I can't know you don't mean us harm." She shakes her head. "Speak to me, speak to us. I know you can do it."

[Elbeyon]

Luum checks the bottom of his head for any obvious holes and then looks down at his drawling. After a moment he looks back up at kaz and grace, "I didn't think you guys were going to hurt me. I was just trying to have a bit of fun, I don't get a lot of guests in my home.."

[theskorpionking]

rolling searches.
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

[Lentrax]

The next few hours are spent going through the underground base. You find all kinds of things, including a trio of speeder bikes that are still in good condition. You also found a armory that survived the passage of time without incident, sadly it is mostly empty, but it still has four functional blaster rifles, two DL-44 heavy blasters, spare power packs, and some kind of odd looking scrap in the corner.

You also find a medbay which has 5 medpacs, one liter of useable bacta, and the remains of a 2-1B medical droid.

There is one thing you do not find, however, and that is bodies. Nowhere in the entire underground facility is there one skeleton, or any evidence that anyone was ever there.

You take the central lift up to the main residence to find it caved in after so many seasons of neglect. The twin suns of Tattooine blaze outside, and because of the lack of an enclosed space Kaz and Grace immediately start to sweat.

Fortunately, because of the speeders you recently found, the trip to Mos Espa is not long, or overly hot, the relatively cooler breeze from the motion of the bikes is most definately cooler than standing still. Though you do start to sting from sand blowing into your faces and across your skin. Luum the droid, having no feelings on the matter at all, worries only that the sand will clog his exposed gyros and joints.

Mos Espa is huge, sprawling out over several square kilometers. Imperial troops and droids are seen patrolling every few blocks, but there do not seem to be enough of them to really do anything more than look intimidating.

You see several shops that may be willing to buy your salvage, but there is only one that seems to have the parts you need for Sara's hyperdrive.

[Elbeyon]

Luum sticks close to the two girls, a wandering droid was just asking for trouble. When two jawas point and chatter about luum he moves even closer to grace, bumping into her leg.

[Holice]

Back at the shuttle bay, Robb takes the time to examine the blaster he found earlier. Looking it over, it seemed relatively intact but would still require some repairs.

Well with the girls gone, its as good a time as any to get this thing working again.

Working for a few hours on it, he thinks he has everything back together and operation, but he'll have to test it first before taking it into battle.

As he gets ready to head out and give it some shots, he notices the medical droid that they found.

Perhaps I can fiddle with that as well before I head out.

Picking up the pieces and bringing it over to the workstation, Robb attempts to see what's left of the droid and if any of its systems can be repaired.

After a few hours of cleaning, soddering and installing make shift components, Robb can only hope that something useful came of all the work.

[Lentrax]

The blaster seems to fully functional, after a few calibrations, it should be battle ready.

The droid is, sadly, despite your best efforts, apparently beyond repair. You thought for a moment it was going to work, but then the lights flickered out of its eye sockets, and a shower of sparks erupts from its motivator.

[theskorpionking]

After looking around Mos Espa, Kaz runs ahead of the group to do a little scouting. She comes back a few minutes later to tell Grace what she had found. "There's a few shops here that might buy our stuff, but only one of them has the parts we need for Sara. I think we should shop around and find out what we can get for all of it. If that doens't work I'm sure that there's some kind of work we could do earn a few quick credits. What do you think, Grace?"

[Snowfire]

So many changes.

And yet so much is the same.

Point. Just change the names, replace the Trandoshan over there with a Camassi and just like that-

Yeah, I know.

So...fixing Sara. Bets on there only being one place selling what we need?

No bet.

I don't take suckers.

Oh, and that one on Bespin wa-

Shut it you.

Grace blinks as Kaz finishes speaking, and then nods.
"Sounds like a plan to me." She replies. "Although keeping a relatively low profile is probably wise. Regardless, let's see what we can get for what we have." She pauses for a moment, as if considering something, then smiles slightly.

"You know, there's a place around here somewhere that could help us with that. I doubt it'll have changed - even after a millennia. It's been there for as long as there's been a settlement here." She shakes her head. "There's this shop in Mos Espa, specialises in antiques more than anything else. Been around since the Old Republic times. Still run by the same guy - although we've got no clue how. He looks human - for the most part - but there's no way a human could have lived that long..." She trails off with another shake of her head. "Regardless, some of the stuff we salvaged - as well as a few things that were in my cache - would likely fetch a pretty penny from him. If he's still there at least - although I don't see why he wouldn't be." She smiles, mostly in remembrance, then leads the way into the settlement with a brisk stride.

Yeah, I know, this is outright use of backstory for minor personal gain, please don't kill me. But it also allows the game to move a bit faster. So yeah, going to try and see if the Mos Espa antiques shop is still around.

It's been around for a long, long time, so I doubt it'll be gone. But hey, up to you. Of course, it would be nice for it still to be around if only for Grace to find something that hasn't turned to dust and nothingness in her sleep. So...please?

[Lentrax]

The shop is just as you remember. The antique vibrosword there. That old blaster rifle propped up on the shelf. The row of droids lined up along the wall.

For Grace, it seems like stepping into yesterday. Everything is the same. Even...

"Grace? Is that you?"

[Elbeyon]

Feeling the safety of indoors the pit droid moves over towards the droid lined wall and stations himself in front of them, his head rotating back and forth between the droids. After he finds one he likes, he lets out a whistle and moves up to it and starts examining it closer, opening it's access panel if he can.

[theskorpionking]

Like Luum, Kaz let's out her own whistle as she takes in everyhting in the shop. She takes notice of Luum looking the droids over and wonders to herself why a droid would examine another droid the way he was. She has one of the DL-44 blasters tucked under her arm as she nears Grace. "Hey, uuuh, Grace? I was wondering if it was okay if I hung onto one of these?", she asks, showing Grace the blaster. "It's the same type that Han used. I mean his was a little modified, or so my father tells me. But, still. I know it probably belonged to someone in your family, so I'd understand if you said no."

[Snowfire]

Been a long time.

Yeah. Hardly believe it's all here.

But it is now isn't it.

Yep. Now let's see if Naomi did what she had planned...

Grace smiled slightly, an old, wistful smile of someone well beyond their years, and nodded.

"It's me, Ifraz." She answered gently, then shook her head. "Albeit that I hardly believe it myself.

"Been a long time though. How've you been this last millennia?"

[Lentrax]

"My word. It is you." Ifraz walks out to face Grace. He grabs her by the shoulder and moves her into the light coming in from the window high in the wall.

"Let me have a look at you. Why," he exclaims as he looks you up and down. "Why you haven't aged a day since I last saw you! How did you do it?"

[Snowfire]

Grace's smile turns sad, eyes sparkling with a mix of wistfulness, sorrow and...joy to see at least one part of her world still alive.

"Nothing as special as what sustains you, my friend." She replies, clasping his hands in hers - as if almost scared that he'll blow away. "I was...asleep...until just a few days ago. In stasis." She shrugs, the ghost of a grin stealing onto her face. "So, as far as you're concerned, cheating.

"However, now that I'm back I have a few questions - most of them business I'm afraid." She nods slightly at the ceiling. "Company may come at any time. So." The grin fades to a normal smile, tone turning business-like. "First, there's the matter of any accounts or resources that my family may have left behind. If they did, I suspect it would have been with you. And I know Naomi at least said she had an...arrangement with you regarding the possibility of them not being able to retrieve me." She shrugs. "And even if that isn't the case," She retrieves one of the old, verging now on ancient, blasters from Kaz, "I believe that these - and the other things we retrieved - would now count as antiques. And this is an antiques shop."

[Lentrax]

"I see," Ifraz said. His eyse flicked upwards for a moment, then went back to the items you have all brought with you.

"Well, let's see what you have with you, shall we?" As he spoke, he placed a pair of gloves on his hands, and started to inspect everything one item at a time. He said nothing, just looked at every item, one at a time. His eyes looking at every scratch, every indent. He moved every switch, every lever. Then placed the item down, and moved on to the next item, where he repeated the process, and again, until he was done.

"Grace," he began. "I have known your family for a long time. Your family name is not worth much to most anymore, but I will always be your friend. What do you need?"

[Lentrax]

"You there. Droid. Don't touch anything."

Snowfire, I need you to post in the next three days or risk being dropped.

[Snowfire]

Grace sighed, then blew out the breath.

"I need help. Money mostly - we need to certain components to repair our ship. But..." She stops.

"Look, I know you never admitted to having an information network, but if you have anything that could help me get a handle on things, even just a record of all that's happened over the last millennia. You've always been unbiased in your record-keeping and I'd trust you over general data-feed every time." The white-and-gold suit shifts as Grace shrugs.

"The means to repair our ship is most important, considering we've probably been tracked. But anything at all you can give me about the current state of the galaxy and how it got there - and any suggestions on who we could contact to try putting it right again.

"I know it's asking a lot, but I've been flying blind since I woke up. Would you help a friend get her bearings?"

[Lentrax]

"Well, Little One. I could help you out, but I need something in return. As you know, the Jedi had a library on Ossus. It got hit hard during the war, but the Sith didn't raid it a well as they thought. Many of the artifacts were never recovered, and what little they did loot from the wreckage doesn't even scratch what lies beneath the surface."

He goes back behind his desk and pulls out a strongbox. He opens it, pulls out some ancient credit notes, thumbs them once, and tosses then to Grace, who manages to catch it without dropping it.

"That should cover Sara, dear. Now, go on, I'll send you a message over the old system that will list what I want you to find."

"And Grace? You watch yourself. The Empire hunts the Skywalkers like a starved rancor."

[Snowfire]

"Thank you, Ifraz." Grace replies, carefully pocketing the notes. "We'll find what you want." She turns, motioning for Kaz and Luum to follow her, but stops at the door.

"They never change, do they." She sighs. "You watch yourself as well old friend." For a moment she stops, her mouth open, thoughts hanging in the moment, then shakes her head minutely.

Why don't yo-

He already knows. And I respect the man too much to state the obvious.

"May the Force be with you." She says finally, then leads the way out of the shop and turns to Kaz. "Come on Kaz, let's find those parts."

[theskorpionking]

Kaz's mind tries to comprehend the conversation she had heard. Did he just hand Grace a stackful of credits? He didn't even look at the stuff we brought. I thought that the Empress had said that Jedi were terrorists, not that I ever believed that. They stood up to the Sith, so they couldn't be all that bad. And what does "May the Force be with you" mean? Is it some kind of code that I've never heard of? Kaz sighs, "Uh, Grace what was he talking about? What war is he talking about? According to the Sith, the Jedi are considered terrorists. They even broadcast the executions over the holonet."

[Lentrax]

Ifraz chuckles.

"Just leave those things behind, I'll make sure the Empire can't trace them back to you. And as to the War, my Twi'lek friend, it has raged on since before even I was around. The Sith and the Jedi are mortal enemies. Though," he adds with a grin, "I suppose they have switched roles now. The Sith working in the light of day, while the Jedi operate from the shadows. But I may yet live to see the government of this galaxy switch hands yet again."

Ifraz goes back behind his counter, and starts typing on a console.

"You have the list, children. Now, I suggest you go. If the Sith have tracked you, they will not be far behind. And Grace, I know how you felt when you rejected for training by the Order. But the Force will be with you."

"Always."

[Lentrax]

What's going on folks?

[Snowfire]

"If I have anything to say about it, you will old friend. That I pledge you." She grimaces slightly at the memory - little over a decade old to her, but more than a millennia to the universe that had kept on spinning. "I think...I can accept that, Ifraz. Took me long enough perhaps, but it takes time." Turning again to Kaz, she gestures at the door.

"C'mon, Kaz. We have a lot to do, and little time. Where id you say those parts where?"

[theskorpionking]

As they make their way out of the shop, Kaz notices that she still has the DL-44 tucked under her arm. She guiltily looks at Grace, but see that she is lost in her thoughts. Kaz walks over the speeders and places the blaster into a compartment. She hears Grace ask a question and looks up. 'Parts? Oh yeah. We passed the place when we came here. It's the one with the wookies carved out of stone in front. I thinks it's called Wookea."

[Elbeyon]

Luum's hand freezes in mid movement when Ifraz gives him a command. As Grace and he go back to conversing he lowers his arm to its standard position and continues to look over the droids, not touching anything. When business seems to be settled he follows the two women out. He starts crawling up onto the speeder, struggling to get his weigh up on it. After a few attempts his half jumps and flailing arms finally succeed and his semi-impressive weight causes the speeder to lower slightly. From the speeder he tugs on Kaz's cloths trying to get her attention then motions for her to move closer, in a shy and meek voice "Why are the bad guys tracking you?"

Sorry about being out for so long had some computer problems. Its all fix now and won't be a problem in the future.

[Lentrax]

Wookea. The building housing the store is rundown, as though no one ever thought to maintain it. Inside however, is completely different. Shelves are arranged in neat rows, and filled with parts that are neatly labeled.

They appear to have everything. SoroSuub, Incom, BlasTech, KDY, if it was ever a company, there are parts from it here.

A graying old Wookie approaches asking if you need something specific.

[theskorpionking]

Kaz takes a few moments to ponder the little droids question. She wasn't entirely sure why they were after her. Okay that wasn't totally true. She was an alien and a member of her local rebel cell. Then there was the business on the casino ship, that got a little out of hand. She laughed then said, "It's, uh, a little complicated Luum. I guess I'm not entirely sure why they're after me."

[Elbeyon]

The pit droid remains silent for a second as if it's processing kaz's answer, then as typical for the little droid it refocuses it's optical lens several times while observing her face, "Is that what your naming me?

[theskorpionking]

"Naming you? I don't understand." Kaz thinks hard for a minute, "Wait, your name is Luum? I..I don't know how I knew. This is gonna sound strange, but it was as if someone whispered it to me. But, I suppsoe to a droid that doesn't make much sense, it certainly doesn't make any sense to me. It's been a really weird day." Kaz watches the Wookie approach and ask a question. She reaches into a pocket and pulls out a datapad with the list of parts they needed. Everything we need is on here. And could you please put a rush on that, we're in a bit of a hurry."

[Lentrax]

The wookie looks at the list.

"These parts are rare. Haven't seen an engine like this running for some time. It will cost a bit more than usual."

[Snowfire]

The wookie looks at the list.

"These parts are rare. Haven't seen an engine like this running for some time. It will cost a bit more than usual."

Grace listens silently, then withdraws part of the roll of credits that Ifraz had given her and furls it in silent response to the Wookie's - presumed - hidden question.

[Lentrax]

"I will go see what I have."

[Lentrax]

The grizzled old Wookie comes back minutes later, carrying the hyperdrive motivator you need.

"I have also included a list of new specifications for you to use. It eliminates most of the problems this type of unit had when they were still in use. I can hardly believe anyone would need one of these, or that I would still have one."


In its original wookie that whole paragraph is simply: "Rrrr'Rrgh. RrRrr."

[Snowfire]

The grizzled old Wookie comes back minutes later, carrying the hyperdrive motivator you need.

"I have also included a list of new specifications for you to use. It eliminates most of the problems this type of unit had when they were still in use. I can hardly believe anyone would need one of these, or that I would still have one."


In its original wookie that whole paragraph is simply: "Rrrr'Rrgh. RrRrr."

Grace nods in reply. "Thank you, my friend. The price?"

Appraise if allowed: [roll0]

Also, original Wookie is awesome :smallbiggrin:

[Lentrax]

A fair price would be most of what you were given by Ifraz, about 4500 credits. You were given 5500.

"6000 credits, friend."

[theskorpionking]

Kaz looks at Grace and can tell that they don't have enough credits to meet the wookies price. She remembered something her father had said, Kazzi, it's all about supply and demand. Those who have the supply can demand whatever they want. She chewed on her lower lip as she thought, then said, "6,0000, huh? Seems kinda up there. Mind if I take a look?" She doens't wait for the wookie to reply as she stoops down and inspects the hyperdrive.
Okay boys and girls, lets hope for big numbers. appraise [roll0]
Not too shabby, lets hope its enough. okay just looked at Grace's appraise, evidently 19 won't be good enough. oh well I tried.

[Lentrax]

I already told you the fair price in my post above.

[theskorpionking]

Kaz stands back up and turns to the wookie. "That hyperdrive has a few lightyears on it. Can you do any better on the price? Say, maybe, 4000?"

[Lentrax]

"5500. I shouldn't be cutting off the price like this, but I can make an exception."

[theskorpionking]

"5500? Is that the best you can do? I've seen a few of these go for at least 45. Could you take 4850?" Kaz asks.

[Lentrax]

Diplomacy check, please.

[theskorpionking]

Diplomacy [roll0]
Looks like we might get it a little cheaper, then again I don't know what the DC is.

[Lentrax]

"You know what? I've had this thing for years. No one was ever going to buy it. How about I sell it to you for its market value of 4500?"

Stupid dice with thier natural 1's on a check...

[theskorpionking]

"Really? You don't know how much we appreciate this. Grace pay the kind being so we can be on our way." Kaz says, unable to keep herself from smiling.
Gotta love it when the nat 1's are in the players favor.

[Snowfire]

Grace smiles in thanks to Kaz, and nods gratefully to the Wookiee.

"My thanks, kind sir." She says, counting out the required payment and handing it over. "You have done a great service."

Probably more then he'll ever know.

[Lentrax]

"It was a pleasure doing business with you."

The wookie hands you the hyperdrive components, and you leave the store.

[Lentrax]

Is there anything else you wish to accomplish on Tatooine?

[theskorpionking]

As they leave the shop with the parts Kaz says, Now we got the parts. We need to hurry back and get Sara repaired, so we can get off this rock."
I got nothing that needs any needing on tatooine. I'm ready to go.

[Holice]

Yay, back to the hangar you go!

[Snowfire]

"Agreed. I don't want to stay on this planet a moment longer than I have to. I'll explain what Ifraz was talking about when we're safely away and in hyperspace."

[Lentrax]

"Hyperdrive repaired. Destination?"

[Snowfire]

"Ossus. We need to go retrieve some items long thought lost." Grace says. She stays on the bridge until they make the jump to hyperspace, then turns to her companions. "Now, I think we all need to have a talk. Come on."

Going to a mess type room or somesuch. I think Grace has a lot of explaining to do about the old times.

[Lentrax]

"Course laid in. Estimated time to Ossus, thirteen hours."

The mess has two tables both of which are surrounded by comfortable looking chairs.

[theskorpionking]

Kaz took a seat at one of the tables and pulled the holocron out of her pocket. She thinks she sees Grace looking at it, but when she looks up Grace's attention was somewhere else. She rolled the holocron between her thumb and index finger. "This thing upset you.", Kaz said. "Why?"

[Holice]

Walking into the room, Robb looks at the two already in the room.

"So you guys want to talk about everything I've missed now, or should we wait until you repair a few more things and we travel a few more light years?"

Clearly agitated by the lack of communication, Robb sits down and takes out an omni-tool and a blaster and begins to fiddle with it.