As the party searches past the first chamber of the Palace of Aldera, they are surprised and suspicious that so much of the palace is intact. Large armored plates are visible behind the decorative walls where the stonework has cracked and fallen away. They discover as they proceed further into the palace that the entire structure has been reinforced with an unknown alloy, presumably enabling it to survive the destruction of the planet.
Moments later, they hear and feel a loud rumbling as the downed drone which had been slowly deteriorating in the chamber they had come through explodes and the tunnels collapse in on themselves. They find they will have to move forward in order to find their way out. They send a message to Fri and Jebbo who are still on the Ashen Angel to circle the asteroid and search for another exit.
They search several offices and find them to be destroyed or abandoned except for one, which triggers a hologram when they enter. An image of a tall, gaunt man in a Grand Moff’s uniform appears before them, whom Rima Borealus identifies as Grand Moff Tarkin and they watch as the scene unfolds:
Tarkin nods and smiles evilly, then says to someone outside the recording: “Princess Leia, before your execution I would like you to be my guest at a ceremony that will make this battle station operational. No star system will dare oppose the Emperor now.”
He pauses, listening, and then continues: “Not after we demonstrate the power of this station. In a way, you have determined the choice of the planet that will be destroyed first. Since you are reluctant to provide us with the location of the Rebel base, 1 have chosen to test this station’s destructive power... on your home planet of Alderaan.”
Another pause, then: “You would prefer another target? A military target? Then name the system!”
Tarkin waves menacingly toward someone outside of the recording: “I grow tired of asking this. So it will be the last time. Where is the Rebel base?”
With a smile, Tarkin says: “There. You see, Lord Vader, she can be reasonable. Continue with the operation. You may fire when ready.”
Tarkin’s image shifts, to a view of a planet with a small moon orbiting it. Then they notice that the moon is actually the Death Star. It fires one powerful beam of energy at the planet, and Alderaan explodes in a shower of light.
The room erupts in the screams of millions of people with ghostly images of the souls lost surrounding the party. After a moment, the room returns to normal, the ghostly images gone. Lastly, a heavy breathing voice speaks from the projector, "You could have saved them."
The party continues searching and come across a bridge stretching across a large, now dry decorative waterfall. The cross and continue searching the rooms and offices on the far side. There they come across an additional holo-recording.
The hologram activates with a ghostly scream as an accusing specter of a woman in robes appears, “You dare come back here, Princess? Wasn’t what you did bad enough? Now you have returned to bring back the awful memory of that awful day. You killed us, Princess. It was your fault that Alderaan died!”
Rima seems more and more emotionally strained as they progress through the palace and watch these recordings. She explains that she roamed these halls as a child and that the figure in the hologram was her mother, who had been an aid to the Ruling family and that this was all probably a trap and phycological torture for Princess Leia Organa who had been present on the Death Star while it Destroyed Alderaan.
As the party continues their search and come back out into the Grand Hall, another much larger hologram activates. Horrible screaming echoes throughout the Grand Hall as holographic ghosts of people appear and then are vaporized in a blinding flash of light, simulating the final moments of terror of millions of Alderaanians. As the holograms disappear and the hall falls silent, a half dozen stormtroopers and a half dozen more Imperial officers begin blasting at the party from across the bridge.
The party takes cover and returns blaster fire as the stormtroopers begin moving across the bridge. Traxim throws a grenade in an attempt to destroy the bridge, but it has no effect other than shaking the room. As the firefight continues, the party can feel rumbling at their feet just as a small Exogorth, or Space Worm, comes piercing out of the ground among them.
The Exogorth clamps it's large jaws around Missindi and pulls her down under the ground as it tunnels across the room. She is able to break free and the worm lashes out at the stormtroopers and tears through some of the Imperial officers. The party is able to cut down several more of the Imperials but the Space Worm burrows back to their side of the Great Hall and they struggle to keep it at bay as their weapons don't seem to be effective to its hardened carapace. Traxim leaps into action attempting to use his Vibroswords to stab into the Exogorth's armor and is able to ride the giant slug for a few seconds before being forced off. Each of the party is being worn down by the toughness of the Exogorth's attacks and fear they won't be able to defeat it.
Katerr quickly programs her datapad to mimic the rumbling sounds of the Exogorth tunneling through the asteroid and tosses the datapad down the channel that bisects the Grand Hall. Miraculously the Exogorth takes the bait and single-mindedly follows the recording playing from her datapad, slamming repeatedly into the stone walls and the floor below, giving the party enough time to escape.
With the Space Slug distracted and the Imperials defeated, the party recovers the equipment containing the recordings of the holoprojectors and therefore hard evidence that the Empire used the Death Star to destroy Alderaan. They moved into the final room, an amphitheater. In this amphitheater, they find a recording which does not belong to the Imperial forces behind the other recordings.
This hologram projection fills the room with a recording of an Alderaanian Council meeting. Dozens of council members surround the room, all paying attention to a young Bail Organa, Viceroy of Alderaan, speaking and gesturing to a hologram of an Alderaanian War Frigate. “My fellow Council members. As Alderaan embarks on a new adventure of peace, we must decide what to do with our tools of war. I say that the galaxy will always contain a spark of evil, and eventually even the smallest spark will rage into an inferno. We just ended one such inferno that we called the Clone Wars. What will we do when the next inferno blazes forth?”
Rima produces a small crest from a pendant around her neck and presses it into a receptacle on the amphitheater's holoprojector. The hologram ends and a small panel opens, revealing a device resembling a transponder or comlink. "I think this will summon the Another Chance! We just need to find a way out of here now!"
Fri and Jebbo send a message to the party saying they flew around the asteroid and found a small hanger bay on the other end, but it is has a Stormtrooper transport landed near it and they couldn't approach.
The party is able to locate a secret door which leads down a hallway to a small hanger. Inside is a Skipray Blastboat. The hanger doors are damaged and even though Missindi is able to have her tracker droid interface with the doors, they will not open. While approaching the Skipray Blastboat, the party is surprised by four stormtroopers. They seriously hurt several of the party, but Traxim gains control of the ship's turret and disintegrates them.
They use the Skipray Blastboat's ample weaponry to destroy the tunnel to the hanger and the hanger door. As they escape, they fire on the Stormtrooper transport, destroying it as well. With Katerr's help navigating the shortest distance out of the Asteroid field, Missindi pilots the ship out of the field and into open space.
Clear of the Asteroid field, Rima begins activating the beacon. Unfortunately, when a ship drops out of hyperspace nearby, it's not The Another Chance, but an Imperial Gozanti Patrol ship, which deploys it's Tie Fighters and attacks. The Patrol ship begins firing missiles and the party is forced to engage while they wait to see if the Alderanian War Frigate has received the signal from the beacon.
The Tie Fighters begin to bog down the crew and the Skipray Blastboat as they try to take the Ties out one by one. Missindi's expert piloting allows the Skipray to evade missile after missile but it's clear that even with their superior firepower, they are outmanned by all the fighters and the Patrol Ship supporting them.
Just as they begin to take hull damage and things begin to look dire, The Another Chance arrives, dropping out of hyperspace and wiping out the remaining Tie Fighters and sending a volley of Turbolasers towards the Imperial Patrol ship, destroying it before it can escape.
The crew docks with the Alderanian War Frigate and take a short rest aboard the Skipray Blastboat before disembarking.
Friday, July 12, 2019
Monday, April 29, 2019
LiH: Session Eight - "Asteroid 7785"
The crew boards the Ashen Angel and debate their next move. Whatever waits for them on Asteroid 7785 is clearly some sort of trap, but it isn't clear as to whom the trap is meant. Rima Borealis explains that she doesn't know who the trap is for, but it's imperative that she recovers whatever is left of her people on the asteroid. She also explains that, as far as she is concerned, Belinda Vog has broken her contract with Rima and it is open for Penuabb's Payloads to pick it up and gain its full reward upon completion. The promise of 100,000 Credits is enough to get the crew onboard with following through with the job, but even with credit signs in their eyes, most of them are still highly suspicious of Rima and what she isn't telling them.
They detach from Mining Station 11 and Katerr begins directing Missindi through the asteroid field towards Asteroid 7785 using the survey data they stole. They are about a half hour behind Belinda and her shuttle at this point, but they take their time with the plan to let Belinda spring whatever trap that may be waiting for them so they can swoop in and take the reward from under her.
Moments later, they detect several metallic objects floating near their flight path through the asteroid field. Five mining drones maneuver in and begin attacking the Ashen Angel. The drones shoot mining lasers at the Ashen Angel but don't seem to connect well enough to overwhelm the ship's shields. Traxim and Jebbo are able to blast them out of space in just a few rounds of turret fire.
Just before the final few drones are destroyed, Missindi and Katerr notice another metallic object laying in their flight path and Missindi's excellent reflexes in piloting intuition allows her to dive the Ashen Angel under the object as it releases a Conner Net, an electrified ship trap which is designed to envelop and completely disable a ship. Missindi is able to pilot the Ashen Angel just below and between the two released nets, avoiding the device completely.
Unfortunately, due to maneuvering to avoid the Conner Net, Katerr and Missindi aren't able to detect the final part of this trap, clearly left behind to hinder their chase by Belinda Vog; a Seismic Charge. Apparently triggered by their proximity, this heavy weapon detonates and it's massive shock wave blasts the Ashen Angel with energy and debris, knocking the ship's shields down to nothing, but causing minimal damage to the ship due to Rallyn's quick thinking.
The shields recharge over the next few minutes as the Ashen Angel travels the rest of its way towards Asteroid 7785. Approaching the Asteroid, they see a small shuttle landed on the surface of the asteroid near a magnetic shield door, presumably placed there by the survey team to mark the entrance to their find and to create a seal for the atmosphere inside. Missindi lands the Ashen Angel a good distance away and then suggests they break into and lockdown Belinda's Shuttle before they proceed into the Asteroid.
Missindi and Traxim board the shuttle and find that the shuttle has spent drone and mine laying secondary weapons, confirming that Belinda had, in fact, deployed them against the Ashen Angel. Missindi slices into the Shuttle's command console and locks out the controls, and Traxim finds a frag grenade within the few supplies left over.
Jebbo stays behind on the Ashen Angel with Fri so they can keep the ship prepped for a quick getaway and also have a turret manned in case things get dicey. Rima goes with the rest of the crew into the Asteroid, wearing Enviro-suits to walk across the surface of the Asteroid.
The chamber they enter into through the magnetic shield door is less of a cavern as it's more of a series of frozen tunnels of frozen rock and crust which most likely formed during the destruction of Alderaan. They find a crashed drone near the entrance, one identical to the drones they had just been fighting out in the asteroid field. The drone is smoking and giving off a loud humming noise. Rallyn inspects it and finds that the drone's power core is overloading and will explode in five minutes, likey collapsing this chamber in the process. She finds a strip of scrap metal and shorts out the power conduit which at this point was slowly heating to the point of failure. The strip of metal instantly welds itself to the conduit, creating a larger pathway for the conduit and delaying the inevitable explosion. Rallyn estimates they have 30 minutes until the drone explodes.
They fan out to explore the chamber, looking for another door leading further into the asteroid. Traxim takes the most direct route, walking down the center of the chamber and is met with the butt of a blaster rifle to his nose as an Imperial Stormtrooper surprises him from around a corner. A shootout ensues where the Stormtroopers attempt to subdue the Crew with their weapons set to stun. Traxim is stunned and subdued, then Rima and for a moment, Missindi. Traxim is able to shake off the effects of the stun as well and return to the fight, taking down the two Stormtroopers who had stunned him. Rallyn attempts to cut open the door they had located, but due to the stressful situation, accidentally welds the door's lock closed. Well-placed blaster shots from Katerr and Missindi later, and the Stormtroopers are no more.
After removing the locking barrier which had been placed on the door by the Stormtroopers, they are able to easily open the ornately carved door which bears the symbol of Alderaan's royal family. The door opens and reveals a large ruined gathering hall. Beautiful stonework and pillars punctuated by murals decorate the entire circumference of the chamber. Chunks and patches of the ceiling and walls have fallen to the ground, but the chamber itself is surprisingly mostly intact which is unbelievable considering the destructive power it would require to annihilate an entire planet. The floor of this hall is pockmarked by seemingly randomly places holoprojectors.
Traxim moves towards one of the holoprojectors, but before he can get near enough to touch it, the door they entered through closes and sparks begin flying out of the seams in the door as it welds itself shut and the projector activates. A larger than life representation of a humanoid cloaked in black robes and a menacing breathing apparatus and helmet comes to life. The being's heavy labored breathing echoes through the chamber. "Vader!" Exclaims Rima as a shocked look breaks through her stoic demeanor.
The hologram of Darth Vader bows mockingly and in a rasping voice says, "Welcome back to Alderaan, Princess Leia. I trust young Skywalker and Solo are with you." Thinking quickly, the crew checks for incoming transmissions and confirm this is a recording, not a live feed. The recording continues, "Please make yourselves comfortable, I will join you very shortly. Then we will finish what was begun aboard The Death Star. We have a great deal to... discuss." The recording ends and Rima is silent for a moment before muttering, "We don't have much time..."
Questions fly as the confusion of the situation sets in. "No, I am not Princess Leia, but I have acted as her body double in the past. We thought that by my posing as her, we might have more success in completing this mission. I am a Rebel Agent, and my, our goal is to recover a hyperspace beacon which should be hidden here in the Royal Palace. I wasn't lying when I said that my purpose it to recover artifacts that will ensure the legacy of the people of Alderaan. The legacy of Alderaan is freedom and to overthrow the tyranny of the Empire. The beacon will summon the Alderaanian battlecruiser Another Chance which is stocked full of the weapons and supplies the Rebellion desperately needs right now to continue their fight."
"We'd better be getting hazard pay out of this. We didn't take this job thinking we'd be taking up arms against the Empire!" Missindi says, with everyone agreeing in some respect.
"See the mission through, and the Another Chance safely to the Rebellion and I promise you will be fairly compensated. If I don't make it, I still guarantee your payment upon completion." Rima also confirms that the Another Chance is the same battleship that the Ashen Angel came so close to crashing into when entering the Alderaan System the previous day.
They detach from Mining Station 11 and Katerr begins directing Missindi through the asteroid field towards Asteroid 7785 using the survey data they stole. They are about a half hour behind Belinda and her shuttle at this point, but they take their time with the plan to let Belinda spring whatever trap that may be waiting for them so they can swoop in and take the reward from under her.
Moments later, they detect several metallic objects floating near their flight path through the asteroid field. Five mining drones maneuver in and begin attacking the Ashen Angel. The drones shoot mining lasers at the Ashen Angel but don't seem to connect well enough to overwhelm the ship's shields. Traxim and Jebbo are able to blast them out of space in just a few rounds of turret fire.
Just before the final few drones are destroyed, Missindi and Katerr notice another metallic object laying in their flight path and Missindi's excellent reflexes in piloting intuition allows her to dive the Ashen Angel under the object as it releases a Conner Net, an electrified ship trap which is designed to envelop and completely disable a ship. Missindi is able to pilot the Ashen Angel just below and between the two released nets, avoiding the device completely.
The shields recharge over the next few minutes as the Ashen Angel travels the rest of its way towards Asteroid 7785. Approaching the Asteroid, they see a small shuttle landed on the surface of the asteroid near a magnetic shield door, presumably placed there by the survey team to mark the entrance to their find and to create a seal for the atmosphere inside. Missindi lands the Ashen Angel a good distance away and then suggests they break into and lockdown Belinda's Shuttle before they proceed into the Asteroid.
Missindi and Traxim board the shuttle and find that the shuttle has spent drone and mine laying secondary weapons, confirming that Belinda had, in fact, deployed them against the Ashen Angel. Missindi slices into the Shuttle's command console and locks out the controls, and Traxim finds a frag grenade within the few supplies left over.
Jebbo stays behind on the Ashen Angel with Fri so they can keep the ship prepped for a quick getaway and also have a turret manned in case things get dicey. Rima goes with the rest of the crew into the Asteroid, wearing Enviro-suits to walk across the surface of the Asteroid.
The chamber they enter into through the magnetic shield door is less of a cavern as it's more of a series of frozen tunnels of frozen rock and crust which most likely formed during the destruction of Alderaan. They find a crashed drone near the entrance, one identical to the drones they had just been fighting out in the asteroid field. The drone is smoking and giving off a loud humming noise. Rallyn inspects it and finds that the drone's power core is overloading and will explode in five minutes, likey collapsing this chamber in the process. She finds a strip of scrap metal and shorts out the power conduit which at this point was slowly heating to the point of failure. The strip of metal instantly welds itself to the conduit, creating a larger pathway for the conduit and delaying the inevitable explosion. Rallyn estimates they have 30 minutes until the drone explodes.
 |
| Imperial Stormtroopers lay in wait. |
After removing the locking barrier which had been placed on the door by the Stormtroopers, they are able to easily open the ornately carved door which bears the symbol of Alderaan's royal family. The door opens and reveals a large ruined gathering hall. Beautiful stonework and pillars punctuated by murals decorate the entire circumference of the chamber. Chunks and patches of the ceiling and walls have fallen to the ground, but the chamber itself is surprisingly mostly intact which is unbelievable considering the destructive power it would require to annihilate an entire planet. The floor of this hall is pockmarked by seemingly randomly places holoprojectors.
Traxim moves towards one of the holoprojectors, but before he can get near enough to touch it, the door they entered through closes and sparks begin flying out of the seams in the door as it welds itself shut and the projector activates. A larger than life representation of a humanoid cloaked in black robes and a menacing breathing apparatus and helmet comes to life. The being's heavy labored breathing echoes through the chamber. "Vader!" Exclaims Rima as a shocked look breaks through her stoic demeanor.
The hologram of Darth Vader bows mockingly and in a rasping voice says, "Welcome back to Alderaan, Princess Leia. I trust young Skywalker and Solo are with you." Thinking quickly, the crew checks for incoming transmissions and confirm this is a recording, not a live feed. The recording continues, "Please make yourselves comfortable, I will join you very shortly. Then we will finish what was begun aboard The Death Star. We have a great deal to... discuss." The recording ends and Rima is silent for a moment before muttering, "We don't have much time..."
Questions fly as the confusion of the situation sets in. "No, I am not Princess Leia, but I have acted as her body double in the past. We thought that by my posing as her, we might have more success in completing this mission. I am a Rebel Agent, and my, our goal is to recover a hyperspace beacon which should be hidden here in the Royal Palace. I wasn't lying when I said that my purpose it to recover artifacts that will ensure the legacy of the people of Alderaan. The legacy of Alderaan is freedom and to overthrow the tyranny of the Empire. The beacon will summon the Alderaanian battlecruiser Another Chance which is stocked full of the weapons and supplies the Rebellion desperately needs right now to continue their fight."
"We'd better be getting hazard pay out of this. We didn't take this job thinking we'd be taking up arms against the Empire!" Missindi says, with everyone agreeing in some respect.
"See the mission through, and the Another Chance safely to the Rebellion and I promise you will be fairly compensated. If I don't make it, I still guarantee your payment upon completion." Rima also confirms that the Another Chance is the same battleship that the Ashen Angel came so close to crashing into when entering the Alderaan System the previous day.
 |
| Encounter Aftermath |
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
LiH: Session Seven - "Mining Outpost 11"
The Ashen Angel docks at Mining Outpost 11 and the crew disembarks, heading up turbolifts to the main level of the outpost. Jebbo's subspace communicator rings and he is forced to stay behind and take the call. Upon exiting the lifts, they are immediately met with the din of the miners, workers and other inhabitants of Mining Outpost 11. A security guard steps forward and asks if they need help. Belinda Vog speaks up and explains that she has business with Kathos Loof, the Head Foreman of this mining outpost. The security guard leads them down the hall and into the Mining Command Center.
Kathos Loof stands in the center of a circular command console interacting and speaking with several mining teams via multiple screens. When introduced to Belinda Vog, he only gives her his partial attention. She asks to speak with him alone in order to conduct some business, He simply tells her She'll have to wait, telling her "I have real work to do" and orders the guards to escort her out of the command center.
Vog, visibly frustrated, orders Fri to "Have your people blend in with the workers here and gather whatever information you can," while she, Fri and Rima Borealis wait to speak to Kathos Loof. The Security guard returns with datapads for the crew to fill out work forms on, as is standard procedure for people who have come to the mining outpost for general work. They collectively head to the attached cantina and mess hall to have a drink, fill out the forms and to gather information from the workers.
The crew goes to the bar and begin mingling with the outpost's miners and workers who were taking their evening meal and break here at the bar. Katerr asks for the strongest drink they have and is serves something which doubles as an engine degreaser while Missindi and Rallyn approach a table of miners and ask them if they've found anything interesting in The Graveyard. The table of miners are heavily intoxicated and begin telling a tale of a giant space slug who inhabits the graveyard, but it is quickly revealed they are merely joking with Missindi and don't have any special stories to share, in their experience, there is nothing but rocks out there.
Missindi returns to the bar to get a drink with the rest of the crew complaining at the situation and is met by a large Gamorrean named Gorg. Gorg does his best to hit on Missindi, but Rallyn intervenes by helping Missindi fake being sick. Gorg chivalrously takes Missindi to the medical bay where he continues attempting to flirt with Missindi to no effect. Eventually, due to Rallyn's rebukes, he gives up and returns to the cantina and speaks to Traxim, lamenting about how he hasn't found love. Traxim encourages Gorg to travel and see other places in order to widen his chances of finding love, but it isn't clear if Gorg will follow his advice.
Fri decides to approach a table and try her hand at finding out what the miners know. Name dropping Zaz Kamiroz allows her to find out that both Kamiroz and Hanos Darr were very well regarded workers, Kamiroz being well on his way to becoming a foreman himself when they seemed to just up and leave a week or so ago just after working with a third-party survey team.
A little later, there is a shift change on the station where all the patrons who had been at the cantina when the Crew arrived leave to their barrack or to start their shift and another shift enters. With them is the Station's Foreman, Kathos Loof. Traxim and Katerr ask him about Karmiroz and Darr, as well as a recent survey team that uncovered ruins what may be intact from Alderaan. Kathos Loof looks around the cantina suspiciously and replies, "We had a special survey team come through a few weeks ago and an unusually large part of his crew, including Kamiroz and Darr left the station after the survey team logged their report of via our comm unit and left. I don't know what the team discovered out in the asteroid field, but I know it involves the Empire. I don't have anything against the Empire, but if you're planning on crossing them, do so without involving me or this station. I won't get in your way, but I am turning in and getting some shut-eye for this shift, I expect you to be off my station by the time I return to work in 6 hours." With that, he heads to his private quarters.
The crew quickly hatches a plan to slice into the station's comm system to retrieve the survey report. Traxim distracts a few of the engineers in the machine shop in order for Missindi to deploy her tracker droid. Digging into the survey files, she finds the following report, along with coordinates to Asteroid 7785.
 |
| Kathos Loof in the Mining Outpost 11 Command Center |
Kathos Loof stands in the center of a circular command console interacting and speaking with several mining teams via multiple screens. When introduced to Belinda Vog, he only gives her his partial attention. She asks to speak with him alone in order to conduct some business, He simply tells her She'll have to wait, telling her "I have real work to do" and orders the guards to escort her out of the command center.
Vog, visibly frustrated, orders Fri to "Have your people blend in with the workers here and gather whatever information you can," while she, Fri and Rima Borealis wait to speak to Kathos Loof. The Security guard returns with datapads for the crew to fill out work forms on, as is standard procedure for people who have come to the mining outpost for general work. They collectively head to the attached cantina and mess hall to have a drink, fill out the forms and to gather information from the workers.
The crew goes to the bar and begin mingling with the outpost's miners and workers who were taking their evening meal and break here at the bar. Katerr asks for the strongest drink they have and is serves something which doubles as an engine degreaser while Missindi and Rallyn approach a table of miners and ask them if they've found anything interesting in The Graveyard. The table of miners are heavily intoxicated and begin telling a tale of a giant space slug who inhabits the graveyard, but it is quickly revealed they are merely joking with Missindi and don't have any special stories to share, in their experience, there is nothing but rocks out there.
 |
| The Cantina at Mining Outpost 11 |
Fri decides to approach a table and try her hand at finding out what the miners know. Name dropping Zaz Kamiroz allows her to find out that both Kamiroz and Hanos Darr were very well regarded workers, Kamiroz being well on his way to becoming a foreman himself when they seemed to just up and leave a week or so ago just after working with a third-party survey team.
A little later, there is a shift change on the station where all the patrons who had been at the cantina when the Crew arrived leave to their barrack or to start their shift and another shift enters. With them is the Station's Foreman, Kathos Loof. Traxim and Katerr ask him about Karmiroz and Darr, as well as a recent survey team that uncovered ruins what may be intact from Alderaan. Kathos Loof looks around the cantina suspiciously and replies, "We had a special survey team come through a few weeks ago and an unusually large part of his crew, including Kamiroz and Darr left the station after the survey team logged their report of via our comm unit and left. I don't know what the team discovered out in the asteroid field, but I know it involves the Empire. I don't have anything against the Empire, but if you're planning on crossing them, do so without involving me or this station. I won't get in your way, but I am turning in and getting some shut-eye for this shift, I expect you to be off my station by the time I return to work in 6 hours." With that, he heads to his private quarters.
 |
| The Mining Outpost 11 Machine Shop |
BREAKVCD7927
Code AlderTracker3
ImpScoutSecSurv
Alderaan Sector
Mission 46/N
MB1411-V
MB1711-V reporting.
Our exploration of the Alderaan asteroid field has been extremely successful.
We have found the ruins of the Royal Palace buried within a large asteroid,
designated 7785 by Outpost 11's tracking station. In addition to finding the
mostly-intact structure, we discovered something even more amazing. A man who
identified himself as Bail Organa, Viceroy of Alderaan, was found living within
the ruins. He refused to return with us to the outpost and was left behind
until an exploration team can be sent in.
ENDREPbreakbreak
Successful in downloading all the information they could, they returned to the cantina and shared what they found with Fri, Belinda and Rima. Belinda asks for the data to be transferred to her datapad so she can transmit it to her crew who will meet them at Asteroid 7785. She walks to the Comm station at the other end of the cantina to speak to her crew. While she does this, The Crew and the Ashen Angel discuss that whole situation seems very much like a trap, because something about it doesn't add up.
As they discuss their next move, two Gamorreans, a Human and a Twi'lek approach and accuse the crew of saying disturbing and speciesist things. They say a human woman just told them all about it, and as the crew looks for Belinda where she had been moments before, they find she is gone. Realizing they have been double-crossed, they move to leave, but a barfight breaks out as the Gamorreans attack. After a round of fisticuffs, Catharian claws and an acid splash from Rallyn, the fight is broken up by the security team. Kathos Loof comes out of his private quarters and orders the Crew of the Ashen Angel to be thrown off the station.
They Crew rushes towards the turbolifts and back to the Ashen Angel, telling Jebbo Belinda had double-crossed them and to get the ship ready to depart. Jebbo explains that he just watched a small shuttle arrive and receive Belinda before taking off again into the Asteroid field. The crew arrives and takes their positions as they detach from Mining Outpost 11 and give chase to Belinda towards Asteroid 7785.
As they discuss their next move, two Gamorreans, a Human and a Twi'lek approach and accuse the crew of saying disturbing and speciesist things. They say a human woman just told them all about it, and as the crew looks for Belinda where she had been moments before, they find she is gone. Realizing they have been double-crossed, they move to leave, but a barfight breaks out as the Gamorreans attack. After a round of fisticuffs, Catharian claws and an acid splash from Rallyn, the fight is broken up by the security team. Kathos Loof comes out of his private quarters and orders the Crew of the Ashen Angel to be thrown off the station.
They Crew rushes towards the turbolifts and back to the Ashen Angel, telling Jebbo Belinda had double-crossed them and to get the ship ready to depart. Jebbo explains that he just watched a small shuttle arrive and receive Belinda before taking off again into the Asteroid field. The crew arrives and takes their positions as they detach from Mining Outpost 11 and give chase to Belinda towards Asteroid 7785.
 |
| Mining Outpost 11 |
Monday, April 22, 2019
LiH: Session Six - "Miner Problem"
The crew gathers their gear and meets up with Rima Borealis and the Ithorian Guards on the lower levels of the Ithorian Herdship Bazaar, outside the entrance to the sacred Mother Jungle terrarium, which houses the native plant life of Ithor. The Ithorian guards once again remind everyone that they would prefer no damage inflicted to the Mother Jungle and that Kamiroz is removed without incident.
An Ithorian guard leads the crew through the thick rainforest-like jungle as an artificially created light rain falls through the canopy. They approach the peak of a small hill where the can see a small one hundred foot wide depression in the landscape. Towards the middle, they see a human man who matched the description of Zaz Kamiroz leaning against the trunk of a downed tree. The crew spreads out to attempt to surround the position, Missindi leaping into a tree on the opposite side of the depression, while Jebbo, Fri, the Ithorian guard, Katerr and Rallyn take a defensive position, hiding behind trees. Rima moves forward to check on Kamiroz and Traxim follows as a guard.
Rima Borealis kneels next to Zaz Kamiroz and gently shakes him to his senses. Kamiroz looks at Rima and slowly blinks in surprise speaking in what seems to be in a drunken pattern of speech, "Princess! You shouldn't have come here, it's a trap!" At that exact moment, a blaster bolt lances out of the forest and strikes Rima in the back, the impact slamming her to the ground. In the direction of where the sniper blast came from, nine Droid Remotes float into the clearing and begin opening fire.
The Remotes begin attacking the group but work together by shooting their blasters and deflecting the laser between their bodies before redirecting the blast towards their target. This makes their attacks very difficult to defend against. Traxim runs in the direction from where the sniper fire had come from, while Missindi moving towards Rima and everyone else tries to blast away at the Remotes.
The Remotes prove to be difficult targets as they float around, avoiding the crew's return fire. Rima takes cover behind the downed tree but takes another hard hit from the sniper. Jebbo and the Ithorian guard each cut down a Remote, while Traxim takes one down as he rushes further away from his allies.
Missindi grabs Rima Borealis and pulls her back behind a large tree for cover, and Rima gets to her feet, surprisingly not badly injured. A blast echoes through the area as a grenade explodes at Traxim's feet. The firefight continues as a few more remotes are shot down and Rallyn blasts a remote with a cryogenic burst.
The assassin who had been targetting Rima finally reveals herself as she moves to finish off Traxim with her vibro-daggers. Using the force, Traxim is able to avoid both attacks, causing the assassin to appear somewhat confused. Traxim counter attacks the assassin and seems to do some damage. At this moment, Katerr aims carefully and takes a shot at the Assassin, landing a devastating hit which detonates the fuel canister on her jetpack, causing it to explode.
The Assassin begins running away, as the remaining remotes continue to keep everyone else busy. Luckily, Missindi is able to get a bead on the assassin just before she escapes, blasting her squarely in the temple, killing her. The remotes continue blasting away at everyone, but they are slowly cut down one by one.
In the aftermath, a +1 scope, a frag grenade, and some credits are found on the body of the Assassin. The Ithorian guard takes custody of the body and Heltiss, the Ithorian healer takes Zaz Kamiroz to his shop in Itsuu Village to recover. The group follows in order to learn what Kamiroz knows. Belinda Vog meets up with them at Heltiss' shop as Kamiroz is being treated. Kamiroz tells Rima that while working the mines of the Graveyard of Alderaan, he learned of a report that the ruins of the Palace of Aldera were found intact. More importantly, Bail Organa, former Senator and Viceroy of Alderaan is rumored to have been found alive as well. The full report and location are stored in the security databanks aboard Mining Outpost 11.
Rima is beside herself and suggests that they leave for the Alderaan System immediately. Belinda, still stoic and cold, orders Fri to get the Ashen Angel ready to depart immediately, both Rima and Belinda will be riding along aboard the Ashen Angel. Belinda explains that her crew will be aboard her larger bulk freighter and will wait outside of the Asteroid field until the location of the Palace is retrieved aboard Mining Outpost 11. They leave Zaz Kamiroz to further recover under the care of Heltiss and return to the Ashen Angel.
Leaving the Ithorian Herdship Bazaar as well as the Ganthel System behind, the Ashen Angel jump into hyperspace towards the Tapasi System along the Commenor Run hyperspace lane. A few hours later, they jump from Tapasi to Korfo and then from Korfo to Caamas. Finally, they jump from Caamas to the Alderaan System. This ten-hour trek allows the crew to take a short rest and recover from their skirmish with the assassins and droids. While in flight, they received a transmission from the Ithorian Guard that the Assassin had not been a registered guest aboard Bazaar and that because there was no information on a contract out on Rima Borealis, Zaz Kamiroz or Hanos Darr, the assassin must have been working under a private contract.
Missindi and Katerr bring the Ashen Angel out of hyperspace and for a moment, all within view of the vast expanse of asteroids which are what remains of the planet Alderaan share a moment of silent awe. This moment is abruptly interrupted as a massive ship drops out of hyperspace immediately in front of them. The hull of this ship creates a towering wall of steel in all directions as the Ashen Angel barrels towards it. Missindi throws her entire body forward, slamming the helm of the Ashen angel forward and forces the ship into a dive that pushes everyone standing off balance for a moment as they reach out to brace themselves.
Traxim Kallos, relaxing in his dorsal turret was moments ago taking in the spectacle of the Graveyard of Alderaan. Now, he is pushing himself back in his chair as the hull of this mystery ship is screaming past his turret port window, at was seems to be millimeters away from his turret and the somewhat fragile panes of the port window that separates him from the vacuum of space. Missindi pulls the Ashen Angel away from the massive ship and around amid exclamations of surprise from the crew, Rima and Belinda Vog. "They can't teach you reflexes like THAT in an academy! Now, what in space was that?"
Just as the cockpit swings back around to put this mystery ship into view, it disappears, jumping back into hyperspace. "What kind of ship was that?" Asks Katerr. Missindi replies, "That was an Alderaanian War Frigate!" "Bantha-shit. Alderaan was peaceful, they didn't have weapons. They were so rich, they didn't need 'em!" Adds Jebbo. "Alderaan wasn't always peaceful," replies Belinda Vog as she looks at Rima.
The Ashen Angel returns to her original course towards the Graveyard. Floating beacons provide a clear path for Missindi to navigate the outskirts of the asteroid field and approach the outpost. With Belinda's help, they are granted access rights and they approach and dock with Mining Outpost 11.
An Ithorian guard leads the crew through the thick rainforest-like jungle as an artificially created light rain falls through the canopy. They approach the peak of a small hill where the can see a small one hundred foot wide depression in the landscape. Towards the middle, they see a human man who matched the description of Zaz Kamiroz leaning against the trunk of a downed tree. The crew spreads out to attempt to surround the position, Missindi leaping into a tree on the opposite side of the depression, while Jebbo, Fri, the Ithorian guard, Katerr and Rallyn take a defensive position, hiding behind trees. Rima moves forward to check on Kamiroz and Traxim follows as a guard.
Rima Borealis kneels next to Zaz Kamiroz and gently shakes him to his senses. Kamiroz looks at Rima and slowly blinks in surprise speaking in what seems to be in a drunken pattern of speech, "Princess! You shouldn't have come here, it's a trap!" At that exact moment, a blaster bolt lances out of the forest and strikes Rima in the back, the impact slamming her to the ground. In the direction of where the sniper blast came from, nine Droid Remotes float into the clearing and begin opening fire.
The Remotes begin attacking the group but work together by shooting their blasters and deflecting the laser between their bodies before redirecting the blast towards their target. This makes their attacks very difficult to defend against. Traxim runs in the direction from where the sniper fire had come from, while Missindi moving towards Rima and everyone else tries to blast away at the Remotes.
The Remotes prove to be difficult targets as they float around, avoiding the crew's return fire. Rima takes cover behind the downed tree but takes another hard hit from the sniper. Jebbo and the Ithorian guard each cut down a Remote, while Traxim takes one down as he rushes further away from his allies.
Missindi grabs Rima Borealis and pulls her back behind a large tree for cover, and Rima gets to her feet, surprisingly not badly injured. A blast echoes through the area as a grenade explodes at Traxim's feet. The firefight continues as a few more remotes are shot down and Rallyn blasts a remote with a cryogenic burst.
The assassin who had been targetting Rima finally reveals herself as she moves to finish off Traxim with her vibro-daggers. Using the force, Traxim is able to avoid both attacks, causing the assassin to appear somewhat confused. Traxim counter attacks the assassin and seems to do some damage. At this moment, Katerr aims carefully and takes a shot at the Assassin, landing a devastating hit which detonates the fuel canister on her jetpack, causing it to explode.
The Assassin begins running away, as the remaining remotes continue to keep everyone else busy. Luckily, Missindi is able to get a bead on the assassin just before she escapes, blasting her squarely in the temple, killing her. The remotes continue blasting away at everyone, but they are slowly cut down one by one.
In the aftermath, a +1 scope, a frag grenade, and some credits are found on the body of the Assassin. The Ithorian guard takes custody of the body and Heltiss, the Ithorian healer takes Zaz Kamiroz to his shop in Itsuu Village to recover. The group follows in order to learn what Kamiroz knows. Belinda Vog meets up with them at Heltiss' shop as Kamiroz is being treated. Kamiroz tells Rima that while working the mines of the Graveyard of Alderaan, he learned of a report that the ruins of the Palace of Aldera were found intact. More importantly, Bail Organa, former Senator and Viceroy of Alderaan is rumored to have been found alive as well. The full report and location are stored in the security databanks aboard Mining Outpost 11.
Rima is beside herself and suggests that they leave for the Alderaan System immediately. Belinda, still stoic and cold, orders Fri to get the Ashen Angel ready to depart immediately, both Rima and Belinda will be riding along aboard the Ashen Angel. Belinda explains that her crew will be aboard her larger bulk freighter and will wait outside of the Asteroid field until the location of the Palace is retrieved aboard Mining Outpost 11. They leave Zaz Kamiroz to further recover under the care of Heltiss and return to the Ashen Angel.
Leaving the Ithorian Herdship Bazaar as well as the Ganthel System behind, the Ashen Angel jump into hyperspace towards the Tapasi System along the Commenor Run hyperspace lane. A few hours later, they jump from Tapasi to Korfo and then from Korfo to Caamas. Finally, they jump from Caamas to the Alderaan System. This ten-hour trek allows the crew to take a short rest and recover from their skirmish with the assassins and droids. While in flight, they received a transmission from the Ithorian Guard that the Assassin had not been a registered guest aboard Bazaar and that because there was no information on a contract out on Rima Borealis, Zaz Kamiroz or Hanos Darr, the assassin must have been working under a private contract.
Missindi and Katerr bring the Ashen Angel out of hyperspace and for a moment, all within view of the vast expanse of asteroids which are what remains of the planet Alderaan share a moment of silent awe. This moment is abruptly interrupted as a massive ship drops out of hyperspace immediately in front of them. The hull of this ship creates a towering wall of steel in all directions as the Ashen Angel barrels towards it. Missindi throws her entire body forward, slamming the helm of the Ashen angel forward and forces the ship into a dive that pushes everyone standing off balance for a moment as they reach out to brace themselves.
Traxim Kallos, relaxing in his dorsal turret was moments ago taking in the spectacle of the Graveyard of Alderaan. Now, he is pushing himself back in his chair as the hull of this mystery ship is screaming past his turret port window, at was seems to be millimeters away from his turret and the somewhat fragile panes of the port window that separates him from the vacuum of space. Missindi pulls the Ashen Angel away from the massive ship and around amid exclamations of surprise from the crew, Rima and Belinda Vog. "They can't teach you reflexes like THAT in an academy! Now, what in space was that?"
Just as the cockpit swings back around to put this mystery ship into view, it disappears, jumping back into hyperspace. "What kind of ship was that?" Asks Katerr. Missindi replies, "That was an Alderaanian War Frigate!" "Bantha-shit. Alderaan was peaceful, they didn't have weapons. They were so rich, they didn't need 'em!" Adds Jebbo. "Alderaan wasn't always peaceful," replies Belinda Vog as she looks at Rima.
The Ashen Angel returns to her original course towards the Graveyard. Floating beacons provide a clear path for Missindi to navigate the outskirts of the asteroid field and approach the outpost. With Belinda's help, they are granted access rights and they approach and dock with Mining Outpost 11.
LiH: Session Five - "Kamiroz"
Traxim Kallos visits the Imperial recruitment center in an attempt to gather information. He introduces himself to Kamiroz, the name given by the dying man last session. The IRC is run by Enger Mowen, a grotesquely overweight human with horrendous eating habits, who is in the middle of eating a meal at the recruitment desk when Traxim approaches him. Easily fooled, Enger Mowen immediately believes Traxim's story of being accidentally left behind on _Bazaar_ by his family and has no choice but to sign up for the Imperial Infantry. Enger Mowen doesn't seem to have any useful information about the goings-on of _Bazaar_, and Traxim leaves without signing any contracts.
Missindi, Jebbo Wugz, Rallyn, and Katerr enter the Jungle Cantina and order some food for their morning meal. Missindi askes around about Belinda Vog and immediately finds a grumpy Bith who complains "That bitch took all my drinking money last night in a game of Sabaac! There's one of her crew over there!" He points our a Devorian in the corner and also tells Missindi that he doesn't really know Belinda Vog outside of the Sabaac game the previous night and the fact she was a sore winner. Missindi continues on to talk to the Devorian, who introduces himself as Jarik Obdris. Missindi buys Jarik a drink and learns that Belinda is a tough cookie, but if you do your job and do it well, she's very reliable in making sure everyone gets their share. "Don't cross her though, she can be a force to reckon with if anyone jeopardizes her prospects." At arriving at this thought, Jarik immediately pushes his glass away, saying he'd better not show up drunk again, or he'll be out of a job.
Katerr plays a couple of hands of Sabaac with a few dusty spacers in an attempt to find out more about Kamiroz. She finds her assumption is correct in that losing money to fellow Sabaac players makes them somewhat more chatty. She finds out that Kamiroz is a Miner who came to _Bazaar_ a few days ago with a fellow miner named Hano Darr. They played some Sabaac but weren't overly talkative. They both belong to a mining outfit working the Graveyard of Alderaan.
Traxim Kallos comes across an Exotic Items shop. The shop owner seems to size him up while attempting to sell his wears and offers to show Traxim his private collection. Within this private collection are two lightsabers, one missing several parts and therefore not functional, the other seems to be whole but doesn't function either. Traxim examines both lightsabers and is able to ignite the second saber. It's a deep crimson blade which feels extremely powerful in Traxim Kallos' hand. Unfortunately, both are hugely out of his price range, but the shopkeeper agrees to hold them for Traxim for 3 weeks for 250 credits. Trax asks Missindi for a small loan to cover the fee, but She gives him fake credits, which gets him in trouble with the Exotic Items shopkeeper, who ups the price to 300 credits. He then borrows the credits from Rallyn this time. Traxim Kallos then goes shopping for supplies to fight back in his prank war with Missindi, during which he catches up with Fri Penuabb.
They still have a few hours to spend before their meeting with Belinda Vog, so Missindi and Rallyn decide to go get a massage at the Great Mother River Hotel (9). While enjoying the relaxation time, Rallyn looks out the window and window shops _Poliss' Droid Shop_ across the way to see if there are any interesting droid parts in stock there. While she does this, she observes a Human female stepping out from the door leading to the back room of this droid shop, followed by the Ithorian owner, whom Rallyn assumes is Poliss. The woman is very well and expensively dressed and holds a posture of regality or high-class birth to her. Poliss gives a curt bow to the woman as she leaves and walks down the street and out of view. Rallyn and Missindi briefly discuss robbing her but decided they didn't want to cut their massage time short.
Katerr heads over to visit the Village Healer, Heltiss, a female Ithorian. Katerr asks Heltiss to teach her about Ithorian healing techniques to see if she can get any special information or supplies that are unique to Ithor or Ithorian medicine. Heltiss offers information about Ithorian techniques but informs Katerr that without special permission, which she is unlikely to get, access to Ithorian native plants is unlikely, Heltiss gets her supplies from the Mother Jungle section of the ship, where Ithorians come from all over to visit as part of a pilgrimage to feel connected to their home planet. Unfortunately, the Mother Jungle section is currently closed, but Heltiss will not say why.
Everyone meets up in a business suite of the Inn on Istuu Lake (2) for the meeting with Belinda Vog. Upon arriving, Missindi and Rallyn are surprised to see the fancy lady from the droid shop there as well. Belinda Vog speaks to Fri Penuabb and doesn't address the party directly, relying on Fri to introduce each of you. She introduces the fancy lady as Rima Borealis, the client of this job. Rima Borealis introduces herself and seems to have a very polite and pleasant demeanor, which punctuates Belinda Vog's coldness. Rima explains that she is an Alderaanian native and surviving member of the Aristocracy who has formed a council to preserve Alderaanian culture. It has come to the council's attention that part of the Aldera Royal Palace has been discovered to survive the destruction of the planet and she has hired Vog Salvage to help locate and find any surviving artifacts they may be still intact. Belinda explains that because her other prospecting crews are tied up for other jobs, and Penuabb's Payloads performed admirably on their last contract, she brought you in to fill the gap. Payment will be settled once the job is complete, as they are not sure as to what will be discovered and what will be required for this job, as is somewhat typical of this type of work.
Jebbo Wugz picks up a few things during this conversation. One being that Alderaan was one of the richest planets in the galaxy before it was destroyed. So rich and powerful, in fact, that they felt confident enough to get rid of all their weapons and defenses and become pacifists. The second being that if this Rima Borealis is legit, she probably has extremely deep pockets and if this job pans out, it has the potential to be very profitable.
Belinda Vog tells Fri to get the crew ready to go as Rima Borealis explains that all that is left to be done before heading to the Graveyard of Alderaan is to make contact with her contacts, Kamiroz, and Hanos Darr. At this statement, the crew informs her of the death of Hanos Darr. Belinda orders Fri to send some of the crew to the Merchant Council building to see if the Ithorians know the whereabouts of Kamiroz, while Rima goes to check with someone else. Traxim Kallos, Rallyn, and Katerr run to the Merchant Council building and on the way they watch Rima Borealis enter Poliss' Droid Shop.
When they arrive at the Merchant Council Building, the Ithorian Security informs them that an individual matching the description of Kamiroz has broken into the Mother Jungle Section of the ship. Security has him contained, but they don't want to risk any harm to the plant life there, so they haven't forced Karmiroz out. The Ithorian security officer gives the crew a security badge to enter the Mother Jungle section of the ship to talk Kamiroz out peacefully. When Traxim Kallos, Rallyn and Katerr return to relay this information to Fri, Belinda Vog and the rest of the crew, they find that Rima Borealis has returned and has also found out of about Kamiroz hiding out in the Mother Jungle by her own means. Rima and the crew of the Ashen Angel take the turbolifts down to the lower deck to enter the Mother Jungle, stopping off at the Ashen Angel to get their supplies. On the way, Jebbo Wugz and Fri quietly discuss that Rima is wearing extremely expensive clothing and has a high-end brand name shoulder bag, Fri remarking Rima has style, Jebbo remarking Rima has money. When they meet back up with Rima Borealis outside the entrance to the mother jungle, Missindi notices Rima seems to also know how to handle herself, as she is now armed with a holdout blaster. Additionally, to anyone who might keep track of Imperial Most Wanted Posters, Rima Borealis looks suspiciously like the *Highly Wanted* Princess Leia Organa, Rebel agent and Traitor to the Empire.
Missindi, Jebbo Wugz, Rallyn, and Katerr enter the Jungle Cantina and order some food for their morning meal. Missindi askes around about Belinda Vog and immediately finds a grumpy Bith who complains "That bitch took all my drinking money last night in a game of Sabaac! There's one of her crew over there!" He points our a Devorian in the corner and also tells Missindi that he doesn't really know Belinda Vog outside of the Sabaac game the previous night and the fact she was a sore winner. Missindi continues on to talk to the Devorian, who introduces himself as Jarik Obdris. Missindi buys Jarik a drink and learns that Belinda is a tough cookie, but if you do your job and do it well, she's very reliable in making sure everyone gets their share. "Don't cross her though, she can be a force to reckon with if anyone jeopardizes her prospects." At arriving at this thought, Jarik immediately pushes his glass away, saying he'd better not show up drunk again, or he'll be out of a job.
Katerr plays a couple of hands of Sabaac with a few dusty spacers in an attempt to find out more about Kamiroz. She finds her assumption is correct in that losing money to fellow Sabaac players makes them somewhat more chatty. She finds out that Kamiroz is a Miner who came to _Bazaar_ a few days ago with a fellow miner named Hano Darr. They played some Sabaac but weren't overly talkative. They both belong to a mining outfit working the Graveyard of Alderaan.
Traxim Kallos comes across an Exotic Items shop. The shop owner seems to size him up while attempting to sell his wears and offers to show Traxim his private collection. Within this private collection are two lightsabers, one missing several parts and therefore not functional, the other seems to be whole but doesn't function either. Traxim examines both lightsabers and is able to ignite the second saber. It's a deep crimson blade which feels extremely powerful in Traxim Kallos' hand. Unfortunately, both are hugely out of his price range, but the shopkeeper agrees to hold them for Traxim for 3 weeks for 250 credits. Trax asks Missindi for a small loan to cover the fee, but She gives him fake credits, which gets him in trouble with the Exotic Items shopkeeper, who ups the price to 300 credits. He then borrows the credits from Rallyn this time. Traxim Kallos then goes shopping for supplies to fight back in his prank war with Missindi, during which he catches up with Fri Penuabb.
They still have a few hours to spend before their meeting with Belinda Vog, so Missindi and Rallyn decide to go get a massage at the Great Mother River Hotel (9). While enjoying the relaxation time, Rallyn looks out the window and window shops _Poliss' Droid Shop_ across the way to see if there are any interesting droid parts in stock there. While she does this, she observes a Human female stepping out from the door leading to the back room of this droid shop, followed by the Ithorian owner, whom Rallyn assumes is Poliss. The woman is very well and expensively dressed and holds a posture of regality or high-class birth to her. Poliss gives a curt bow to the woman as she leaves and walks down the street and out of view. Rallyn and Missindi briefly discuss robbing her but decided they didn't want to cut their massage time short.
Katerr heads over to visit the Village Healer, Heltiss, a female Ithorian. Katerr asks Heltiss to teach her about Ithorian healing techniques to see if she can get any special information or supplies that are unique to Ithor or Ithorian medicine. Heltiss offers information about Ithorian techniques but informs Katerr that without special permission, which she is unlikely to get, access to Ithorian native plants is unlikely, Heltiss gets her supplies from the Mother Jungle section of the ship, where Ithorians come from all over to visit as part of a pilgrimage to feel connected to their home planet. Unfortunately, the Mother Jungle section is currently closed, but Heltiss will not say why.
Everyone meets up in a business suite of the Inn on Istuu Lake (2) for the meeting with Belinda Vog. Upon arriving, Missindi and Rallyn are surprised to see the fancy lady from the droid shop there as well. Belinda Vog speaks to Fri Penuabb and doesn't address the party directly, relying on Fri to introduce each of you. She introduces the fancy lady as Rima Borealis, the client of this job. Rima Borealis introduces herself and seems to have a very polite and pleasant demeanor, which punctuates Belinda Vog's coldness. Rima explains that she is an Alderaanian native and surviving member of the Aristocracy who has formed a council to preserve Alderaanian culture. It has come to the council's attention that part of the Aldera Royal Palace has been discovered to survive the destruction of the planet and she has hired Vog Salvage to help locate and find any surviving artifacts they may be still intact. Belinda explains that because her other prospecting crews are tied up for other jobs, and Penuabb's Payloads performed admirably on their last contract, she brought you in to fill the gap. Payment will be settled once the job is complete, as they are not sure as to what will be discovered and what will be required for this job, as is somewhat typical of this type of work.
Jebbo Wugz picks up a few things during this conversation. One being that Alderaan was one of the richest planets in the galaxy before it was destroyed. So rich and powerful, in fact, that they felt confident enough to get rid of all their weapons and defenses and become pacifists. The second being that if this Rima Borealis is legit, she probably has extremely deep pockets and if this job pans out, it has the potential to be very profitable.
Belinda Vog tells Fri to get the crew ready to go as Rima Borealis explains that all that is left to be done before heading to the Graveyard of Alderaan is to make contact with her contacts, Kamiroz, and Hanos Darr. At this statement, the crew informs her of the death of Hanos Darr. Belinda orders Fri to send some of the crew to the Merchant Council building to see if the Ithorians know the whereabouts of Kamiroz, while Rima goes to check with someone else. Traxim Kallos, Rallyn, and Katerr run to the Merchant Council building and on the way they watch Rima Borealis enter Poliss' Droid Shop.
When they arrive at the Merchant Council Building, the Ithorian Security informs them that an individual matching the description of Kamiroz has broken into the Mother Jungle Section of the ship. Security has him contained, but they don't want to risk any harm to the plant life there, so they haven't forced Karmiroz out. The Ithorian security officer gives the crew a security badge to enter the Mother Jungle section of the ship to talk Kamiroz out peacefully. When Traxim Kallos, Rallyn and Katerr return to relay this information to Fri, Belinda Vog and the rest of the crew, they find that Rima Borealis has returned and has also found out of about Kamiroz hiding out in the Mother Jungle by her own means. Rima and the crew of the Ashen Angel take the turbolifts down to the lower deck to enter the Mother Jungle, stopping off at the Ashen Angel to get their supplies. On the way, Jebbo Wugz and Fri quietly discuss that Rima is wearing extremely expensive clothing and has a high-end brand name shoulder bag, Fri remarking Rima has style, Jebbo remarking Rima has money. When they meet back up with Rima Borealis outside the entrance to the mother jungle, Missindi notices Rima seems to also know how to handle herself, as she is now armed with a holdout blaster. Additionally, to anyone who might keep track of Imperial Most Wanted Posters, Rima Borealis looks suspiciously like the *Highly Wanted* Princess Leia Organa, Rebel agent and Traitor to the Empire.
LiH: Session Four - "Bazaar Murder"
The Ashen Angel returns to Ord Mantell after solving the puzzle of the malfunctioning mining droid for Jalaila Tuian. She works up a contract with Jebbo Wugz and Penuab's Payloads for a 25% discount on her supplies for the Ashen Angel whenever they are in port at Ord Mantell. This includes all ships supplies and consumables, excluding fuel, repair, and specialty items.
Fri Penuabb informs the crew that their next salvage contract for Vog Salvage, Inc has come through. They are to depart the next day and meet Belinda Vog aboard the Ithorian Herd-ship, Bazaar. Ithorians are well known for their massive trading post ships which travel along most major Hyperlanes of the galaxy, visiting each planet along its path providing a safe place for commerce and bringing opportunities and exotic goods to people who typically wouldn't have the means of acquiring them. Herd-ships have long ago gained a reputation of being a symbol of open trade and commerce throughout the galaxy.
"Herd-Ships are huge terrariums full of the natural forests found on Ithor, and I have heard that many spacers visit for business as well as to vacation in the small villages within these artificial forests. Ithorians believe in a balance between nature and technology and live in giant floating cities as to not disturb the natural forested surface of the planet. Perhaps we'll have the opportunity to spend a day or two aboard before we have to go fulfill our contract with Belinda Vog." Fri explains excitedly. The crew gathers aboard The Ashen Angel and they depart Ord Mantell once again, jumping to hyperspace, heading towards the Ganthel System and the Core Worlds.
During the journey, Traxim takes the time to try to solve the puzzle of activating the Jedi Holocron he had recovered from the wreck of the Republic Cruiser Remembrance and the remains of the Chiss Jedi. After a day of failed attempts, Traxim is able to reach out with the Force and connect with the Holocron, activating something inside of it. One of the corners of the Holocron detaches slightly and rotates as the interior of the device begins to glow, activating a holo-projection of a seemingly bipedal insectoid, wearing Jedi robes. "Jedi! May the Force be with you! I am Bodo Baas, at your service. Bodo Baas knows all probable futures, from his time until a time lost in mists and shadows… I can help you." The hologram introduces himself as Traxim rushes into the engine room to show Rallyn and the rest of the crew who gathers around the hologram. The hologram of Jedi Master Bodo Baas explains that this artifact is a Holocron that he created hundreds of years ago, and that Traxim can use the Holocron to ask questions and access training in the ways of the force, also implying that with further training, he will be able to unlock deeper levels of knowledge that Bodo Baas had programmed into the artifact. The first step in the Jedi's training will be to train the body and mind through physical and combat training with a lightsaber, which Traxim will need in order to complete the training.
Arriving in the Ganthel System, the Ashen Angel approaches the enormous flying saucer-shaped Ithorian herd-ship, Bazaar. They are authorized to land and Missindi pilots the ship into the main hanger deck, maneuvering to their designated landing zone. The landing platform is an enormous open deck which spans the entire cross-section of the ship, with the exception of a wide vertical column in its center, where the ship's maintenance and repair bay is located. The deck of the hanger bay is much different than the typical ship hanger. The air inside is warm and blows in a slight artificial breeze, which makes the tall grass which stretched across the entire surface of the deck sway in the breeze. This entire hanger bay has been built to imitate the native grasslands of Ithor.
Shutting down the Ashen Angel, the crew disembarks, looking forward to some time to relax before meeting up with Belinda Vog. Missindi and Rallyn admire the other ships in the hanger bay, ranging from high-end Yachts to barely space-worthy freighters, ships of every make are scattered around the bay. They also notice a special section reserved for official Imperial use, occupied by a Lamba-Class Shuttle. Making their way towards the turbo-lifts, the crew ascends to the upper level of Bazaar where the entire deck is covered in lush jungle, small rivers and lakes and several villages where visitors can visit, trade and spend their time and money. Each village is centered under an enormous clear dome which allows visitors to look out at a star covered sky each night. The crew exits the turbo-lift and begin their short hike to Isttu Village, the largest of the villages on Bazaar and where that evening they would be meeting Belinda Vog. The local time is early morning so the crew has the whole day to relax and explore Istuu Village.
The crew is about halfway to Itsuu Village, enjoying the walk and discussing amongst themselves what they will do with their free time when a man bursts through the thick foliage and onto the path in front of them. In a frenzy, he sprints across the path and into the trees opposite as a barrage of laser blasts spray from the direction from where he came. Some of the blasts arc towards the crew, one of them grazing Missindi and another blasting the man square in the back, forcing him to the ground.
The crew spreads out into the trees on either side of the forest path and Traxim runs ahead as three tracker droids followed by a large IG-86 Assassin droid immerge from the trees ahead. The tracker droids advance past Traxim and begin harrying the crew with their shock prods while the assassin droid begins moving towards the man who it had just shot. "Do not interfere!" The assassin droid orders as it shoots at Traxim and the others.
The group returns fire and after a few moments make short work of the assassin droid. Rushing to the side of the assassin's quarry, they arrive just in time to hear the human man use his dying breath to say, "Kamiroz."
Fri Penuabb informs the crew that their next salvage contract for Vog Salvage, Inc has come through. They are to depart the next day and meet Belinda Vog aboard the Ithorian Herd-ship, Bazaar. Ithorians are well known for their massive trading post ships which travel along most major Hyperlanes of the galaxy, visiting each planet along its path providing a safe place for commerce and bringing opportunities and exotic goods to people who typically wouldn't have the means of acquiring them. Herd-ships have long ago gained a reputation of being a symbol of open trade and commerce throughout the galaxy.
"Herd-Ships are huge terrariums full of the natural forests found on Ithor, and I have heard that many spacers visit for business as well as to vacation in the small villages within these artificial forests. Ithorians believe in a balance between nature and technology and live in giant floating cities as to not disturb the natural forested surface of the planet. Perhaps we'll have the opportunity to spend a day or two aboard before we have to go fulfill our contract with Belinda Vog." Fri explains excitedly. The crew gathers aboard The Ashen Angel and they depart Ord Mantell once again, jumping to hyperspace, heading towards the Ganthel System and the Core Worlds.
During the journey, Traxim takes the time to try to solve the puzzle of activating the Jedi Holocron he had recovered from the wreck of the Republic Cruiser Remembrance and the remains of the Chiss Jedi. After a day of failed attempts, Traxim is able to reach out with the Force and connect with the Holocron, activating something inside of it. One of the corners of the Holocron detaches slightly and rotates as the interior of the device begins to glow, activating a holo-projection of a seemingly bipedal insectoid, wearing Jedi robes. "Jedi! May the Force be with you! I am Bodo Baas, at your service. Bodo Baas knows all probable futures, from his time until a time lost in mists and shadows… I can help you." The hologram introduces himself as Traxim rushes into the engine room to show Rallyn and the rest of the crew who gathers around the hologram. The hologram of Jedi Master Bodo Baas explains that this artifact is a Holocron that he created hundreds of years ago, and that Traxim can use the Holocron to ask questions and access training in the ways of the force, also implying that with further training, he will be able to unlock deeper levels of knowledge that Bodo Baas had programmed into the artifact. The first step in the Jedi's training will be to train the body and mind through physical and combat training with a lightsaber, which Traxim will need in order to complete the training.
Arriving in the Ganthel System, the Ashen Angel approaches the enormous flying saucer-shaped Ithorian herd-ship, Bazaar. They are authorized to land and Missindi pilots the ship into the main hanger deck, maneuvering to their designated landing zone. The landing platform is an enormous open deck which spans the entire cross-section of the ship, with the exception of a wide vertical column in its center, where the ship's maintenance and repair bay is located. The deck of the hanger bay is much different than the typical ship hanger. The air inside is warm and blows in a slight artificial breeze, which makes the tall grass which stretched across the entire surface of the deck sway in the breeze. This entire hanger bay has been built to imitate the native grasslands of Ithor.
The crew is about halfway to Itsuu Village, enjoying the walk and discussing amongst themselves what they will do with their free time when a man bursts through the thick foliage and onto the path in front of them. In a frenzy, he sprints across the path and into the trees opposite as a barrage of laser blasts spray from the direction from where he came. Some of the blasts arc towards the crew, one of them grazing Missindi and another blasting the man square in the back, forcing him to the ground.
The crew spreads out into the trees on either side of the forest path and Traxim runs ahead as three tracker droids followed by a large IG-86 Assassin droid immerge from the trees ahead. The tracker droids advance past Traxim and begin harrying the crew with their shock prods while the assassin droid begins moving towards the man who it had just shot. "Do not interfere!" The assassin droid orders as it shoots at Traxim and the others.
The group returns fire and after a few moments make short work of the assassin droid. Rushing to the side of the assassin's quarry, they arrive just in time to hear the human man use his dying breath to say, "Kamiroz."
Monday, April 1, 2019
LiH: Session Three - "The Runaround"
The Ashen Angel returns home to Ord Mantell to re-supply, for the crew to recover, and to hand off their score in order to get paid. They spend their return voyage discussing at length the implications of proof of the existence of the Katana Fleet. After their initial reactions about the unfathomable wealth they would come into if they were able to find the fleet and sell it, they begin discussing their next moves in tracking it down. They decide their first steps are to make some money to fund the venture and to obtain technical readouts of the Katana Fleet's Dreadnaught Class Heavy Cruiser.
After delivering the three containers of Battle Droids, weapons and droid parts, Fri Penuabb met with Vash Tolen and collects the payment to Penuabb's Payloads. "Vog Salvage pays very fairly and is impressed with our performance! Vash informed me that we are currently in the running for another salvage contract through VOG as well!" Fri is very pleased with this promise of more lucrative work.
"I have transferred 1000 credits to each of your accounts, thank you for your excellent work. Additionally, Jebbo Wugz, I'd like you to take these credits and purchase three medpacs and keep them in stock on the Ashen Angel along with the three we already have. I will be supplying each of you with a medpac that I want you to keep on your person at all times. If it isn't used at the end of a job, please check it in with your Quartermaster so we know how many we need to restock with next time we're in port." She smiles warmly and adds, "I want to make sure my crew is taken care of." She hands Jebbo Wugz an additional 1500 credits to make the medpac purchase.
Jebbo heads off to Tuian's Trader's Post to see what kind of deal he can make on Medpacs. He does a good job haggling with the owner, Julaila Tuian, but she can't cut him much of a deal. She explains her money is tied up in a failed Selenium mining rig on one of the planets in the Ord Mantellian system and She can't work any better deal until it's cleared up. She explains that she send two idiots to bring her brand new Selenium mining droid, 4S-1MV. They deployed 4S and it immediately began malfunctioning. The two idiots, Groznik Kayle, and Duran Yeh gave up and returned shortly after, leaving Tuian in a bad spot. Jebbo offers to take "his" ship and crew and take care of the problem for a 25% discount on all re-supply costs for Penuabb's Payloads, to which Tuian agrees.
Satisfied with the deal, Jebbo purchases the Medpacs and heads back to tell Fri and the others of their new job but is stopped in the street by two bounty hunters; Zuckuss and 4-LOM. Zuckuss slams Jebbo to the ground and tosses a comlink at him, while 4-LOM tells him that Tessek is anticipating the first payment of the money Jebbo owes him and Jabba Desilijic Tiure (Jabba the Hutt). Jebbo has one week to make his first payment of 10,000 credits and that if Tessek calls this comlink, Jebbo had better answer. Zuckuss and 4-LOM leave Jebbo after threatening him that if he misses his payment, they'll be returning for his head.
Jebbo has no problem convincing Fri that the discount is worth it, so she begins to prep the ship as the crew heads over to the local tavern to find Groznik Kayle and Duran Yeh for more information. As it turns out, Julaila Tuian was correct in calling them idiots, as even after intimidating them into spilling their guts by Katerr and Rallyn and Missindi calling them out on their bullshit, they couldn't provide any good information other than they "told the droid to get the selenium and it ran out of the station and began to malfunction as soon as it reached the nearest selenium pool!"
The crew returns to the Ashen Angel and take off towards the first planet of the Ord Mantell system. This planet is located so close to the Ord Mantell system's star that the intense solar radiation will wear down and destroy any ship attempting to approach the planet. This is why the planet has a system of Shield Ships which act as a physical barrier to block this harmful radiation from destroying normal ships. Shaped like a large umbrella, the shield ship flys along the Ashen Angel as it approaches the planet and stays with it until it arrives at the covered docking bay at the mining outpost owned by Tuian. The Sheild ship then returns to orbit to be used by another approaching vessel or until summoned again.
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| 3d Printed computer terminals. See below for source. |
The Ashen Angel docks with Tuian's mining facility and enable emergency power by linking the Ashen Angels life support and power core. Entering the small facility, the crew discovers the main computer and begin to attempt the locate the malfunctioning droid. The facility has been shut down long enough for the air inside to be stale and incredibly hot and uncomfortable even with the Ashen Angel powering it's the life support system. Missindi, Rallyn and Katerr work to reconnect to the malfunctioning droid, 4S-1MV and find the computer analysis shows it is in perfect working condition. The orders it was issued by Groznik Kayle, and Duran Yeh was simple enough, "Go get the Selenium". When hailed, 4S-1MV doesn't comply with any commands but responds with jokes and old catchphrases Traxim recognizes for old Holovid shows. The droid seems to be staggering, taking a few steps towards the Selenium Pool, then a few steps away, circling the Selenium pool for hours and days since it had originally been given orders. This stumbling and seemingly random responses make the droid seem drunk.
They debate the problem with 4S-1MV as they dive deeper into the droid's programming where they discover that simple Class-Five droids, especially hazardous environment droids weren't programmed like Class-One Navigation Droids or Class-Two Engineering droids which required advance mathematical decision-making skills. Low-Class droids were programmed for operating under simple job specific programming which are only overruled by The Three Laws of Robotics.
1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
2. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
After discovering this programming, the crew was able to deduce that because Selenium mining does create a high-risk environment for the Droid, it must act to protect itself from the Selenium while it performs it's intended task. The nebulous orders 4S-1MV by Groznik Kayle and Duran Yeh confused the droid by creating a conflict in its programming. As it approached its goal, gathering the selenium and the selenium pool, its need for self-preservation outlined in the third law began overriding its orders, outlined in the second law. Thus 4S-1MV oscillates back in forth, unable to carry out its task.
The crew concludes that the only way to break this programming conflict would be for the droid to envoke the programming of the first law. Traxim Kallos volunteers to exit the mining facility in an enviro-suit and walk toward 4S-1MV in the hope 4S-1MV would see Traxim and immediately act to save him from the extreme environment which would cook him alive in a matter of minutes.
Their plan worked and 4S-1MV broke from his programming loop to rush to save Traxim and return him to the Mining facility with only minor burns. They order 4S-1MV to recharge and then issue him proper orders to mine the selenium, orders which would not cause the same programming conflict.
Upon sharing the good news with Julaila Tuian, she immediately makes good on the deal and is extremely grateful for the efforts of the crew. She handles restocking the Ashen Angel and soon after the ship is ready for their next journey to meet up with Belinda Vog and learn about their next contract job.
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GM Notes:
The encounter at the mining outpost is base on Isaac Asimov's short story, "The Runaround." I highly recommend using classic science fiction stories as a basis for encounters or side quests, it helps you as the GM to populate the setting with setting specific problems the PCs can solve and helps make your setting seem more real.
3d Prints:
Sci Fi Props by Nafarrate
Sensor Console - Miniature Terrain by brimstone326
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