Opening gameplay.
Master Skywakler explained that your emotional stability and political connections were important reasons. You wouldn't only have the interests of the Jedi at heart, and you possess the ability to stay level-headed in even the most demanding of situations, something your team has come to know and rely on.
The second thing was that your father fully expects you to gather all the information you can to eventually use it against the Jedi and the Republic.
You're...not so certain you see the wisdom in that. Palpatine was a supremely powerful overlord. Vader was a symbol of fear. Skywalker was an unbeatable hero of the Rebellion. But most of these Jedi are just...people.
You're coming to see that a lot of the Jedi regard the Force as simply a tool, while others take a more philosophical bent to it. Regardless, they're not adherents to an esoteric religion; like a soldier, they practice their abilities, and unlike the somewhat lackadaisical Republic, they put those abilities into use, usually to help the downtrodden. You're not certain that they always are the most ordered of people, but they generally work toward the good of the commonfolk. That, at least, you can respect.
Then you met Luke Skywalker, and after talking with him a few times, you got the sensation that he would say the exact same thing.
The Jedi are not what you expected. Well...some of them aren't. Luke Skywalker, his wife Mara, and many that are close to them are humble and seek only to use their powers to protect those that need it. Some, like Kyp Durron, strut about, full of swagger, using the Force for mundane tasks like opening doors or fetching a can of soda from the cafeteria. However, even those Jedi with a bit of arrogance at least take action, rather that having to wade through the bureaucratic mess that seems to tie up the Republic of late.
Still, at least the people on the GUTF seem to be level-headed. If the Jedi were all like Draylin and Kon Laan, you know it could work.
Maybe you and this group are the chance to show that to the Galaxy.
That was what convinced you to come here, to Yavin IV. The world is certainly less industrialized than you are comfortable with, but what you're gaining here far outweighs any negatives.
Those three luminaries came to you with an idea. While the X-Wing had been a monumental feat of engineering, the Republic was now finding itself with an unexpected resource; Jedi Knights. Even a Jedi that did not have a special affinity for piloting could make an excellent combat pilot, simply due to their ability to anticipate the flow of battle and avoid enemy fire. Luke, Traest and Gavin have contacts at Incom, and, having heard of your technical prowess, have tapped you for a special project. They would like you to spearhead a project to develop a new type of X-Wing, one upgraded with modern technology and outfitted to better suit Jedi pilots.
To do so, you've come to Yavin IV and joined the GUTF, acting as a sort of quartermaster and tech specialist for the group. You've been maintaining their equipment and acquiring data on the Jedi, as well as the others, for a few months now. You're making progress; the readings you're getting use the non-Jedi in the group as a baseline, helping to see the differences in brain activity and reaction time. You're confident that with time, you'll be able to develop a starship to be proud of.
Training has not been easy. While you were relatively physically fit, you were not a soldier, and the fact is that the GUTF is being developed into a unit that can handle any situation, from bomb defusal to negotiating mining rights. Still, you seem to be in a relatively decent group of people.
The Jedi noticed early on that you are Force-sensitive. When they asked you if you had ever had an easy time getting your way, or had other strange things occur, and you confirmed it, they told you that you could use the Force. They have offered you training. This training need not end your commitment to the Republic; Leia Organa Solo has been brought up as an example. She knows how to use a lightsaber and use the power of the Force (though certainly not to the degree of some of the other Jedi), but decided that she could do the most good as a politician. The former Chief of State is now an ambassador, though she visits frequently.
If you wished to become a fully fledged Jedi, the Order would surely welcome you.
Your training has, quite simply, been fun. You definitely get a little lost when you're going over briefings about matters of state or conducting mock debates, but you do your best anyway.
You truly shine, of course, in the physical challenges, and have been helping those less inclined to combat get up to speed. You also have a new group of friends to inflict your terrible HoloDramas and excellent cooking on.
The sun rose several hours ago, setting the sky of Yavin IV ablaze with brilliant lines of orange and red. It's going to be a lovely day; warm without being too hot or muggy, and cool in the evening.
You have risen from your rooms, collected breakfast and reported to one of many training courses in the Academy. Your group has been working together for a few months, now. You have been dubbed the Galactic Unity Task Force, though people have been quick to just call you the "Gee You Tee Eff". Some of you may have had (or still carry) reservations about the wisdom of sharing tactics across what has been enemy lines for over twenty years, but despite that, it seems you all work well together.
On this day, however, rather than Battlemaster Katarn explaining your next grueling course, or Master Tionne leading you outside with datapads to study, Master Luke Skywalker awaits you. He is wearing a dark tunic and pants with a grey cloak, trusty lightsaber clipped to his belt. He stands there, solid and confident, a man who has diverted the course of galactic history more than once...but still seems like the sort of guy you'd want to have a Corellian ale with.
Today, his expression is serious, though not grim. He greets you all with a nod; those of you who are Jedi trainees have spent much time with Master Skywalker, as do all Initiates, and even those of you newer to the Praxeum have met and spent a bit of time with the Jedi Master, who has taken the opportunity to get to know you a little. He speaks to you.
"I've got something a little different in mind for you all today. I can't say it's completely safe...but, well, we do practice fighting with laser swords that can cut through anything. As I was talking with Master Katarn about your training, I felt a disturbance in the Force...something is off, out here on Yavin. When I checked our sensors, sure enough, something was off in Sector 31. Some energy emissions were picked up about fifteen minutes ago. There's not much in that sector, but there is an old temple. We explored most of the temples when we re-settled Yavin, and there wasn't much of note in most of them...well, except the spirit of a long-dead Sith Lord, but that's a story for another time. However, most of them weren't thoroughly explored; we may have missed something.
Master Katarn has taken his ship into orbit to see if anything is amiss, but in the meantime, I'd like you all to go and investigate. Sector 31 is a bit too far to get to on foot, but we have a couple of T-23 Skyhoppers that can get you there pretty quickly. The landing might be a little tricky; the trees form a thick canopy, and you'll want to land far enough away from the temple that, if anything is wrong, you won't give away your presence immediately."
Master Skywalker takes out a datapad and punches in some information. Thel, your own datapad chimes and Master Skywalker continues to speak.
"There. I've given you the codes to access the hangar and one of the T-23's. Should be the one closest to the entrance. I'd like you all to think of this as the first actual mission, though it's impromptu, of the Galactic Unity Task Force. Get to the temple in Sector 31, deal with any threats there and try to find out what's going on. Be safe, and may the Force be with you."
Master Skywalker seems to have nothing more to say to you. What do you do?
Draylin fights to keep his excitement under control.
I just got a mission from Master Skywalker! he thinks to himself, in much the same way one might think It's my birthday!
Draylin bows briefly.
"At once, Master Skywalker!"
Assuming everyone in the group agrees, Draylin will make for the hangar immediately.
Joran stands dressed for the field as he listens to Master Skywalker's report. His eyebrow raises at Luke's rather casual mention of the spirit of a Sith Lord, but otherwise he remains silent and attentive
"You got it. Sightseeing at a mostly-unexplored ancient temple, and we might even get to slap around an ancient Sith ghost at the end? What a way to start the day!"
He turns to head to the hangar, resettling the rifle slung over his shoulder. "All right boys and girls, time for the real thing. Let's get moving. Anyone else wanna fly, or should I do it?"
”I know, right? Way better than a morning jog!”
Despite the quip, Draylin was all business, especially when Joran called for a bit of order. He’d come to respect Joran as a soldier and trusted in his tactical acumen.
”I should probably only fly if you want us to maybe crash,” Draylin said. He wasn’t being flippant; whatever Jedi ability let them excel as pilots was yet to manifest in the young man.
A young man stands in the line-up, hair veritably unkempt, and demeanor withdrawn. As Master Skywalker goes through the briefing, the young man seems absorbed in his datapad both tapping and staring at it.
Upon the completion of the briefing Thel raises his hand until called on. Once called upon, he begins to speak quickly, "Umm..Master Skwalker can I have a lightsaber to study?I think there could be a potential correlation between something in the make-up of the lightsaber and its interaction with the Jedi, ya'know the Jedi who wields the lightsaber?Yeah so in order to figure out the effects between the two I'd need a lightsaber to study."
As the topic of a field mission was breached, Temil can't help himself but steal a glance at his, freshly shined, boots. I was sure it'd be Master Tionne today..., he notes as he puts his hands together with a nod. As he extends a friendly smile and the greeting of good morning to the rest, he looks at both Draylin and Joran. "Flying is for droids, most of the time.", he remarks. "But I wouldn't trust one for a hard landing."
As the GUTF departs towards the hangar, he lets out a thoughtful sigh. "Hm. What do we all remember of Yavin's temples?", he asks, placing a hand on his chin. "Of course, there's the ancient Sith temples, the Massassi, too, of course, but does anyone recall anything that would yield an unusual energy signature?" He continues pondering his thoughts out loud, leaving expectant pauses for others to put in their thoughts as well.
I checked the CRB, and I saw I meant to take Galactic Lore instead of Social Sciences, and with GM's permission, I'd like to exchange the two.
Kon stands quietly with his hands folded in front of him, listening to the task at hand. He absorbs the briefing silently with a hint of a nod. Finally, as Master Skywalker concludes, he raises one of his thick-nailed hands slightly and asks, "In the event of a serious emergency, who is our point of contact? I presume that you and Master Katarn will have other pressing duties, so if a major crisis erupts, whom should we call?" The vocoder built into his breath mask gives his voice a raspy, mechanical quality, though not especially grating.
Irina waits for Skywalker's answer and frowns. It seemed more than a small oversight that the moon and its locales had not been thoroughly explored. Come now, the Jedi are growing and learning like we all are. They scouted and now they have us, right?
I can pilot or co-pilot one of the Hoppers if there is a need, its not been that long since my initial cert training. Irina smirks slightly at her own comment, I should grab ther rest of my gear real quick.
Grabbing her packs and rejoining the others, Irina listens to Temil and thinks on his questions...
Master Skwalker favors you with a smile, Thel.
"We don't really have quite enough to loan out, Thel, but if during downtime any of your friends here want to loan you there, that's fine with me. There definitely is a connection between a Jedi and their lightsaber. It would be interesting to see if you could quantify that with data!"
Master Skywalker than answers your question, Kon.
"Kyle should be back very shortly, and though I've certainly got my responsibilities, nothing is more urgent than the safety of our students. If it's a real crisis, use my comlink frequency. If it can wait a bit, and Kyle still isn't back, find Master Solusar when you return. He'll put together a plan, I'm sure."
Swapping that Knowledge is fine, Temil.
With that roll, you feel like you know pretty much all there is to know about Yavin IV. The moon has sporadically popped up in galactic history, but with long periods of irrelevance. Several ancient and terribly powerful Sith Lords were sent to their final rest here, most notably Naga Sadow and Exar Kun. Exar Kun's spirit had remained potent, corrupting some of Luke Skywalker's first trainees and nearly killing the Jedi Master himself, though some of them found their way back to the light and Luke and his new Jedi eventually prevailed, destroying the spirit of Exar Kun.
The moon is also home to an underground city that few but the Jedi know about. The city has a multitude of droids and technology that helps stabilize and control the atmosphere of Yavin IV. The moon has some dangerous flora and fauna, but no native creatures that are any more dangerous than you'd find the wilds of any other planet.
Like Luke said, most of the temples have sort of been given a "once over". Due to how potentially dangerous some of them are, though, Luke usually likes to explore them personally or send one of the other advanced Jedi rather than risking someone inexperienced. The ancient Sith were skilled at alchemy, mutating basic life forms into horrifying predators, and were able to place such creatures in stasis in their tombs and temples as guardians, waiting to attack anyone foolish enough to explore these places too closely.
Nothing in the history of Yavin IV, however, would cause the type of sensor fluctuation described by Luke. Any of these old temples that still had power would be accounted for in their sensors.
Irina, Life Sciences is not particularly helpful for you here.
Well I have a long range comlink so if we need to yell we should be able to. Otherwise I guess we need to put our eyes on it and make sure we can run if we need to?
Luke nods.
"If you think you should engage, I'll trust your judgment...but an exit strategy is always a good idea."
Luke will answer any other questions or concerns you have, but in the interest of pacing, post those in a spoiler if you need to (I think only Ean has yet to make a gameplay post though he has checked in).
You all make your way to the hangar bay, after stopping to gear up if necessary. The bay opens and you see the Skyhopper that Master Skywalker indicated. There are a couple of other ships in the hangar bay; one of an X-Wing that you know to be Master Skywalker's.
The T-23 is not built to accommodate quite so many passengers, so it's a bit cramped, but you all fit in. The ship is responsive and hums to life as you fire up the ignition sequence.
Piloting the ship through the atmosphere does not prove to be difficult. The area around the Praxeum is well situated with no obstructions, a legacy from when the Rebellion used Yavin IV as a staging ground for their assault against the Death Star.
As you near your location, though, as Master Skywalker predicted, the giant Massassi trees form a thick canopy that will not be easy to slip through.
Make a Pilot check, Joran! If a character trained in the Pilot skill wishes to act as a co-pilot, you may Aid Another.
Kon's breathing apparatus makes a slow, steady hiss as he folds himself as best he can into the cramped space. It's hard to read his face without being able to see his mouth or his eyes - the glassy black goggles concealing them are opaque to the outside - but he seems as interested in watching his companions' reactions to the trip as in viewing the abundant foliage outside through the canopy.
Draylin is a barely contained bundle of energy. He can't really sit still; his leg is fidgeting and he has a nervous but excited smile.
"So," he begins conversationally, "What's the plan? Anyone particularly sneaky and feel like taking a look first?"
Thel pouts on the way to the hangar and T-23. Once inside he moves into as far back as possible and becomes absorbed, once more, in his datapad.
"If the ship's computer has a copy of the planetary survey reports, we could at the very least look up the scans of the temple in sector 31," says Kon in his gravelly artificial voice. "It might also be prudent to familiarize ourselves with the local climate, flora, and fauna of the sector."
General 15 1 Minute (10 Rounds)
Specific 20 10 Minutes
Private 25 1 Hour
Secret* 30 1 Day (8 Hours)
Thel connects his datapad to Irena's long-range comlink and searches for what he can find on sector 31. Once information is found, he sends it to everyone's datapads, if they have them.
Thel, the information you are able to obtain on the flight over indicates that there doesn't seem to be much to be wary of in the area. It's not a haven for predators, though it's not impossible that you might find a stray howler or two. The climate is temperate, like most of Yavin IV, and there doesn't seem to be any poisonous or otherwise dangerous plant life.
Joran squeezes into the pilot's seat and takes the controls of the skyhopper, thankful for even the little bit of extra space afforded to the person actually flying the thing. He glances back over his shoulder as he gets the craft airborne, noticing Draylin's excitement. "Try not to wear yourself out before we even get there. You never seem to run out, but still." He smiles a bit to himself, turning his attention back out the viewport. "Anyway, we should probably get on the ground and secure the immediate area first. Get a feel for it. Then we can figure out if sending someone forward to scout is the smart thing to do."
Joran, the canopy is thick, but you spot an opening and deftly maneuver the Skyhopper down, avoiding the thick branches of the Massassi trees. Once below, it takes a bit of doing, but you find an area to set down.
Based on your datapads, the temple is due northwest of your location. You probably have a five minute walk before you get there; it's not quite visible through the thick jungle yet.
Looking around, you see no signs of danger in the immediate area.
Draylin removes his lightsaber from his belt clip but does not ignite it. After taking a look around and noting the location of the temple, he shrugs.
"Looks like it's a bit of a walk. Shall we?"
Thel nervously exits the craft. It is easy to tell that he is a bit scared, though he is trying to hide that fact.
"Umm...maybe I could support you all from the ship?" he nervously suggests as he begins getting back into the ship. "I mean...it's only 400 meters away so if you need me I can get there..."
Draylin puts a comforting hand on Thel's shoulder.
"You can stay there if you want, Thel. That's okay. But we might run into some trouble that we need you for...no one's as good with tech as you are. We'll make sure you're safe either way though, pal."
"Indeed," adds Kon, "We are, after all, investigating an unknown energy signature. That suggests the presence of unknown technology."
At the mention of unknown technology Thel perks up. Though still uneasy, he resolves himself to travel. He adjusts his utility belt awkwardly and absorbs himself in his datapad once more, though this time it seems to be more of a comfort than actually doing anything on it. He also pulls out his heat sensor and connects his datapad to it.
Draylin grins, happy that Thel has pushed through his unease.
Unless any of the others have a different tactical plan, Draylin walks at the front of the group. He's not stealthy, but he plans on being the first to charge in if danger rears it's ugly head.
Temil grins openly as Kon Laan and Draylin convince the kid to come along. They are the apprentices of the Masters, after all., he thinks to himself, nodding at the Kel Dor with approval. I wonder how Master Meo feels about the GUTF, herself. Last time we spoke, she just handed me a lightsaber and told me not to cut my ears off.
"Technically, it doesn't.", the Coruscanti interjects, raising his hand. "Though, as this hasn't happened here before, I see only two options - either something unique has awoken, or someone has managed to come here undetected.", he reasons, before feeling for his lightsaber reflexively. It's strange how easily I've gotten used to it. He nods at the much taller Draylin, gesturing towards the temple. "I suggest you and I go ahead first. Though I doubt any of us could stop you if we tried.", he jests as the party sets towards the temple. "And I might even take you on that sparring offer, one of those days."
Kon says nothing more, but simply looks slowly around the canopy, taking in the vibrant and verdant growth of the trees. He gives the impression that if he weren't wearing a breathing mask, he'd be inhaling deeply of the scents of the jungle.
Finally, with a rustling of his robes, he moves into step with the team as they head toward the ruin.
Irina sits as co-pilot but does next to nothing seeing Joran clearly has the hopper under his control.
As the group mounts up and Thel is convinced to come with, Irina offers a slight smile as she taps on her pack, Besides if something does happen, be close to the surgeon, yah?
After Temil offers to go ahead Irina chimes in, Maybe just a few meters? I'd rather not lose sight of each other heading towards the unknown threat?
Draylin smirks over at Temil.
"Hey, the only way I've gotten better is by letting Master Katarn and Master Horn embarrass me over and over again...what kind of friend would I be if I didn't pay it forward? Besides, I'll bake you cookies to celebrate your first real sparring. Tell me that's not a great deal, I dare you!"
Draylin nods at Irina.
"Let's say ten meters ahead, yeah? If you hear a lightsaber activate, maybe just assume there's trouble."
Thel perks up again at the conversation about the sparring and looks antsy. "I would like to witness this spar. I need to gather information. Also, if I could borrow your lightsaber, I could rig a little sensor to send a little alert if the lightsaber is activated..."
Ean white knuckles his way though the flight. As everyone piles out of the speeder, he hangs back, letting the fledgling Jedi take the lead. His sharp lined Imperial grey uniform stands out amongst the lose robes of the Jedi. His pale skin almost shimmers in the warm glow of the gas giant.
Sithspit, I joined the Navy to avoid this slogging through muck and atmospheric flight. Curse this assignment.
"Nice flying Joran, probably best if you, Irina, and I hang in the back. Let the saber-jockeys get up close and personal while we pick things off from the back. No sense being between them and whatever they are dismembering. I do wish they would assign us some more robust fire support. What I would give for an AT-ST or two."
After landing, Joran files out and spends at least a minute silently scanning their surroundings while the others speak. Satisfied that everything seems on the level, he unslings his rifle and takes a moment to ready it as he speaks.
"Chicken walkers might be helpful, I guess. They're not great in densely forested environments, though, especially unsupported. Poor stability on uneven ground, and the short range of visibility in a place like this leaves them vulnerable."
He inhales and fishes a power pack out of his belt. "Anyway, you two taking point should be fine. No way I wanna get on the wrong side of a saber either. I've got the rifle, so I'll bring up the rear." As if to punctuate this, he slaps a power pack in and checks that it's ready to fire. His tone is a bit more serious than even previous training exercises. "Make sure you keep an eye on your intervals. Don't bunch up too close together. One stray grenade taking out half the GUTF because everyone wanted to hold hands wouldn't be a great look. Ready to go?"
Assuming everyone answers in the affirmative, you continue onward, advancing through the forest with Draylin and Temil at the lead.
As you approach, you find that the forest opens into a clearing. The temple is due north of your position and large, perhaps fifty meters tall and just as wide. More concerning are the figures in front of it; iconic white armor and E-11 blaster rifles leave no doubt that stomtroopers have infiltrated the Yavin moon.
There are five total; two to the west of the entrance standing ten feet apart, and two to the east. Standing in front of the entrance is one woth a different, slightly boxier helmet. All seem to be alert and on the lookout, but luckily you have the advantage of concealment.
Notably, one of their gear bears the standard Imperial colors or symbols beyond their signature armor.
Due west of the temple, you see a few ships; they look like the shuttlecraft favores by the Empire for decades. They do seem a bit bulkier than normal, however.
What do you do?
”Sithspawn”, Draylin curses softly. He opens the comlink to the GUTF’s secure channel.
”Guys, we’ve got company. Imperial company. Ean, can you get eyes on them and try to figure out what in blazes is going on?”
Kon gestures for the others to stop and back up slowly. Rather than risk his noisy vocal apparatus, he ducks behind one of the trees and waits for the more technically-adroit members of the team to get a good look at whatever it is that the solders are doing.
Oh you've got to be kidding me...
Joran moves forward as quickly as he can without giving away their location and takes up a position of his own. "Friends of yours, Flennic?" he asks half jokingly, half accusingly, his voice barely above a whisper. He trains his rifle on the trooper in the middle, preparing to fire. As he does this, Joran takes account of their immediate surroundings, trying to determine the best pattern of attack for the group.
Irina smirks and nods at Flennic, Oh I have every intention of letting them take the brunt...just not too much, its a nightmare to do surgery in the jungle.
At the realization there is "company" Irina talks mostly to Ean but easily so others can hear here, While this is probably a splinter group is it worth chancing they will take an order from an officer or told to back off? I don't see how any report of Jedi fighting with imperials does diplomatic efforts any good in the current climate?
Draylin smiles patiently before chiming in. He knew a teachable moment when he saw one.
”I don’t think there’s any scenario where talking to some splinter-group Stormtroopers who’ve infiltrated the planet of the Jedi ends well. I do know what you’re saying about the climate. I hear you. But remember, Irina, you’re not bound to just your physical senses. Reach out with your feelings...let the Force flow through you, and you’ll know what to do.”
Don’t have my books atm but I believe so, Joran.
With your Knowledge Tactics check you know a couple of things. The Stormtroopers are in a holding formation; they likely are there to prevent anyone entering the temple. Also, peering through your scope, it’s readily apparent that their rifles are NOT set to stun.
Draylin, talking to those Stormtroopers will have immediate negatve consequences for you.
"My guess is that these guys aren't trying to help diplomats work things out, Irina."
Joran never takes his eyes from the stormtroopers. "If the Force is busy with another call, I can tell you exactly what'll happen if you try to talk to them. Those blasters ain't set to stun, either." His finger hovers steadily only a hair's breadth from the trigger. "You may want to call this in before we open up on them. Or after. Up to you."
Irina lets out a slight huff, I only was suggesting there might be some consideration that an Imperial officer might have traction with them. I wasn't planning to invite them to the cantina. Regardless, its clear they mean business. What are the chances they can hear our call if we make one? Do you see a sat array or a droid down there? If surprise is our only advantage broadcasting might not help.
Draylin shakes his head.
”They may be monitoring long-range communications. If we can capture them alive, we should, but Master Skywalker said he trusts our judgment. I say we strike. Ean, Joran, you two have the most experience. What’s our play?”
Thel crouches down unusually low with a nervous look on his face. He clears the hair from in front of his face and whispers, "What do we do?"
Draylin looks over at Thel.
"Well, you should stay behind cover. Use your datapad, see if you can find any communications or anything."
"Yeah I can do that!" Thel whispers excitedly. Immediately he pulls out some weird floppy keyboard, attaches it to his datapad, and begins typing and tapping frantically. After a few moments, he pulls out his own comlink, attaches it, and continues. While he works between his keyboard, datapad, and comlink, he mutters quietly to himself, "If I run the speech recognition program and......then apply the frequency scanner..."
After a minute, you do come across a frequency that shouldn't exist out here. It takes a bit of doing but eventually you're able to crack into the enemies' comms.
Mostly, they're quiet, but after a minute, you hear a deep voice over the frequency.
"Status report."
The Stormtrooper in the center of the group puts his hand to his helmet, and you hear a click, followed by a female voice.
"All quiet, sir. Have you found it yet?"
"No. Keep sharp out there. We thought we sensed...something, but now it's gone. Remain vigilant."
"Yes, sir!"
The comms then fall silent.