"Nothing's showing up on passive sensors. I could get a much more detailed scan if I switched to active sensors, but that would give anyone with a receiver dish and a decent brain plenty of warning that we're here."
Unless someone really wants to broadcast their presence, Rufus begins his descent on a stealth approach vector. Using the natural radiation of the system's star, he obscures the Gold's drop from orbit toward the LZ.
Gotal nods to Kagore, "I guess we shall learn of this place together then..."
Rufus expertly moves through the planets atmosphere with barely a shake rattle or roll to the ship. Turbulence? What's that!
As you descend you see your mark about 3 clicks away probably not best of ideas to actually land there until you can scope it out Rufus lands a bit away from the location at a clearing in the nearby woods. Will take your group about 1 hour walk tops to get to the location and see what's there.
The Force - Sense Life
Colton enters emptiness.
Gotal reaches out with the force and is only able to sense small native creatures in the forest. Mostly rodent types like chipmunks and such.
Kagore equips himself, buckling into his atmor and utility belt and weapon harness. He steps out of the ship blaster carbine held at the ready but not pointed at any particular threat. "We have an hour of walking ahead and if we hustle we can cut that in half. Shame we lack personal speeders but if we are lucky there will be some transport vehicles at the cache if it exists. The rebellion really could use these weapons so lets get the job done. Work together, watch each others backs, no running off alone without checking in on comms ever 10 minutes."
Colton slung his carbine over his shoulder and checked his pistol and lightsaber before disembarking from the ship. He stepped aside to make room for the others before opening himself to the Force
Rufus also grabs a blaster carbine and heads down the gangplank. He turns to Kagore. "Is there a reason we need to hustle? I mean, I love being out of breath as much as the next guy, but wouldn't running through the woods just make us more likely to stumble into a trap?"
Kagore arches an eyebrow at Rufus surprised by the man's cautious attitude. "Remain alert at all times. If you perceive a threat notify us, but moving slowly will not necessarily negate or spot a trap/predator. Your scans showed no major threats so aside from automated defenses we should avoid paranoid thoughts for now. Ultimately we will vary our pace, but focusing on reaching our goal is priority."
Cell Gold (you guys haven't come up with a cell name yet!) make their way through the forest toward the destination where the stash is supposed to be. Moving quickly and cautiously you make good time without much interference. The occasional rodents moving around may get your senses looking around but nothing crazy.
When you reach the location you see a couple medium sized metallic buildings linked together by what looks like tube bridges. The area is overrun with growth and probably why it would not be easily detectable from the sky. There is no obvious signs of anyone being here for some time.
"Okay. That's nice and peaceful, if also eerily quiet. Do you see any automated defense systems? That could certainly ruin our day."
Rufus looks as well, looking for signs of danger.
= 17
Colton moved forward, looking for an entrance portal of some sort.
There doesn't appear to be any signs of danger or automated systems that you can see and start making your way toward the buildings looking for an entrance.
Finding an entrance is fairly easy but the door is locked.
Kagore approached tge door slowly studying it for weakness or any mechanism to open it that didn't involve explosives or using one of the space wizard sabers.
There is an entry pad. Please make Security or Technical roll TN 10 to open.
Since nothing pops out and blasts Kage, Rufus sprints over to the door behind the soldier. He peers over his shoulder at the terminal. "You want me to take a crack at that? It can't be worse than a Star Destroyer on lockdown."
He starts running through some slicing codes he picked up since the Relentless.
Rufus being a little more cautious than some of the other members punches in the codes and the door slides open. Inside the lights are off and it's dark but the light from outside shows you what appears to be a warehouse type room with lots of very large crates. On the far end of the room is another entrance but much larger probably how they got the boxes in and out of here.
You all spot what appears to be a small probe droid scurrying around on the ground and when it notices it's been detected begins to take off down away from your group toward one of the passages into another building.
Kagore will take careful aim and fire with his carbine and fire on the droid not wanting it to alert any other droids in the area...
Gotal attempts to pull it back towards the group with the Force.
Telekinesis
The droid yelps a high pitched squeel when Kagore's blast strikes it and it flies across the room smacking into a crate.
"You shouldn't make that much noise when your sneaking around you know." A man with a deep voice says behind your group. How the hell did this person get behind you without you being aware? When you turn to look in his direction weapons drawn there is a tall dark man with a hood covering his face holding a metal staff with a weird device on the end. You can see one hand is metal. He slowly pulls back his hood holding his hands up showing no signs of agresion.
Kagore studies the man hard but doesn't aim his gun on the man just yet. "You have about 10 seconds to tell us who you are and why you are here. Your answers and how you feel about the empire will determine what happens next."
This man's face looks just like Mace Windu! Only older. But he's supposed to be dead...
Rufus spins around and quickly studies the man. "Oh, well, this isn't us sneaking around. Usually there's waaay more explosions when we're being stealthy."
"Master Windu?"
Perception
Gotal frowns at Colton, "Jedi Master Mace Windu was slain by the Empire. However, Kagore's question still stands, who are you?"
He pauses, "Although I did use the Force to detect Life Forms and found nothing he may well be a Jedi who was able to hide himself from me..."
The man raises his eyebrow when Windu's name was spoke.
"I have not heard that name in a long time." he pauses and eyes the group cautiously especially Gotal.
"You I recognize, left your brothers and sisters during the war due to your personal beliefs disregarding orders from the council and doing so you still live to fight the fight. That was then and this is now." he shrugs and turns his gaze to the clone trooper.
"The face of thousands who when ordered killed the order. I have learned over the years there was not much your kind could of done to prevent what happened as you were used as pawns just like the order was."
The other two he does not recognizes and looks to the group as a whole.
"Master Windu is dead. He died when the order fell and the Emperor took control. You may call me The Hermit."
Colton glances at Gotal before returning his attention to Master Windu.
"You should not believe everything you hear. After all, the Empire would have everyone believe that the Force no longer exists, though we know better, don't we?"
Colton bows his head respectfully.
"The Order lives on as long as anyone still follows the Jedi Code."
Gotal responds, "The Order left common sense and reason behind to fight in a War the Order was never intended to fight. Peacekeepers not Generals the Jedi should have remained Hermit.
I spent my time during the Clone Wars tending to those who suffered from the Wars perpetrated by the Separatists and the Republic. Judge me if you will but I did what was right not what was expected of me".
He turns to Colton, "Perhaps you are right in that, lies are certainly the trade currency of the Empire but the story I heard of the slaughter of so many Jedi who clearly did not make it, I assumed Master Windu dead as well. Consider it, the mightiest of the Order - Skywalker, Kenobi, Yoda, Fisto, and the list goes on and on, all dead or perhaps all in hiding?"
He regards the Hermit once more, "As you say, what is in the past is done it is the future that matters. The Empire must be resisted. My question is, can you and will you help us Hermit?"
Rufus wants to crack wise, but with great effort he restrains himself. Something about the reverence and awe from the Jedi in his company makes him hold his tongue, even though he would have loved to have made a pithy comment about how the old hermit wanted to be called The Hermit, complete with the article.
Sooner or later, he figured, the situation would need a bit of levity. But for the moment, he hung back and let the strange Jedi talk in their cryptic and all-too-serious ways about fate, fortune and destiny.
The Hermit listens to the Jedi and nods.
"Times are changing, your Rebel Alliance is growing stronger slowly chipping away at the Empire but much more will need to be sacrificed before there is any real change. Are you all prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for your cause?" his face remains stern watching the group barely making any motions with his body as he talks.
That didn't last long. Rufus shakes his head vehemently. "No. Well, not the ultimate sacrifice. Is there a lesser option, perhaps? We could sacrifice a nerf. I know where we could find some banthas, those would be great sacrifices."
"There is no sacrifice, there is the Will of the Force."
Gotal nods at the words of the Hermit, "I believe we all are else we would not be with the Alliance at all".
Perception
The clone trooper has been silent judging the words and listening rather then speaking before he has had time to really understand what is being said. Studying the staff too he thinks he can spot the hidden lightsaber concealed in its design taking note of it. He looks the Hermit in the eyes and speaks, "There are many we killed at the command of the emperor during my service, Jedi included. Actions speak louder than words and your actions show that you have hidden here when the rebel alliance could have used your aid regardless of what you call yourself now. Make the ultimate sacrifice? I make the ultimate sacrifice ever single day when I choose to actually take a stand and fight the empire. Dying is easy. Living on when you want to die for the sins you've committed but knowing that would dishonor the memory of those who died...well I imagine you know something about that. Now if you have any more tests for us I suggest you get them over with then let us work on recovering these weapons." There is a challenge to Kagore's words as he stares hard into the old man's eyes almost as if he was calling him a coward without actually saying the words.
"You are making judgements based on facts not in evidence, Kagore. Do not presume that everyone who resists the Empire does so at the behest of the Rebellion. There are those who choose to fight alone, but still fight. There are also those who serve in other wars just as important."
Colton glances around at the others, and this place where they stood.
"Perhaps we should complete our mission and hear his tale before you accuse him of cowardice."
As you are talking with the Hermit you hear a rolling noise as 3 Droideka Destroyer Droids come into view activating their force fields and prepare for battle!
Some of you have not seen these type of droids since the end of the Clone Wars!
Colton's lightsaber leaps to his hand as if by magic. He lit it and spun away from the others to draw the droidekas fire away from the group.
Initiative
Gotal as well activates his lightsaber heading in the opposite direction from Colton. His experience with these Droids is limited but he knows they must somehow get around their deflector shields!
Kagore takes the center path while the Jedi split off to each side, his movements suddenly taking on a powerful speed and agility beyond his years. There is something almost familiar about it to some in the party as he attempts to charge inside the 3 droids range and make it impossible to target him without risking shooting themselves...
Rufus had never seen such droids before. Their bristling armament and personal shields keep his quips at bay as he debates the futility of shooting at them with a blaster. He finally elects to blast at one of the stacked crates, aiming for one just below the topmost one hoping to send it sliding down and crashing upon one of the droids.
Rufus shot shatters one of the crates and there is a huge explosion as some ammunition it erupts blasting 2 of the droids backwards to their side and appears to immobilize them temporarily as they attempt to catch their bearing.
The hermit ignites his staff and at the end is the familiar glow of a Lightsaber but his lights grey instead of colors some of you may be familiar with.
Order
Kagore
Gotal
Rufus
Hermit
Droid3
Droid1
Colton
Droid2