The two remaining troopers retreat back to the safety of the doors. A lot of firepower is coming through both doors. The only way out would be through the rooms view port into the hanger below.
"This is Commander Rick Tavoes of Her majesty's fleet to all sabotage teams in the yards. The imperial fleet attacking the yards is not ours. It is another rival force. The mission is aborted. Get yourselves out of there! We would hover near the planet's moon to pick any of you up. We will only wait an hour so get moving!"
Karval crouches behind the safety of the console, his right hand grasping his pistol. His left arm around Nichos' shoulders. "Doesn't look like it'll be too easy to leave here. Even if we get through the view port; I don't have a line to repel down, but..." 'If it's the only way to survive, though there'll be more resistance down there.'
"Hahaha, well this is a turn up." Karval says bending over the bloodied form of Nichos. With a snap of his wrist he takes the medical kits and packs from the pouch at his side his fingers work fast upon them as he tries to stabilise the dying man.
The familiar colour of blood upon his hands draws a grim smile from Karval.
Okay one of you shoots out the viewport and Me'ona sets the line so you can attempt to climb down.
Fire power is pouring out from both doors now that they notice you are not returning fire.
Me'ona you take a hit for 13 damage
Karval you take a hit for 15 Damage
Your turn. Make climb checks to get down.
There are no foot hold to help propel yourselves so it is a controlled drop. DC to get down to a catwalk is 10, fail by 5 and you fall.
'Darn, sorry Nichos. I would use the medi-pack but another round of fire like that and I'd be done for.' Karval thinks to his stabilised(?) friend that he carries in his arms.
With a fluid heave he puts NIchos across his shoulders in a firemans' carry; which frees up his arms. "Hey, Zaleos you make it?" he asks as the man goes to the edge and down the rope. Karval grips the rope and slides down it Nichos draped across his shoulders.
Sorry for the delay, I had really hoped to get a map going but it failed. I will keep trying but for now we must continue.
You all descend through the window, some with less grace than others as Meona falls hard taking 4 damage in fall. You are now on one of the main catwalks in the hanger and have a brief moment of reprieve.
Now you must get moving soon before they figure out what happened to you.
Alarms and the sounds of battle are raging beyond the giagantic closed hanger doors.
Karval grunts as he lands upon the deck, his knees strain slightly under the technicians weight. A thin line of concern upon his face. "Which way now, I don't think we want to hang around and the fire-fight on the outer hanger would prove fatal."
Karval moves with Nichos safely on his shoulder; a smooth practised run of a warrior well-used to road work and runing. He moves across the cat-walk trying to find an alternate route out; maybe something like a maintenance route, services duct or external hanger area.
Zaelos stretches his senses out by habit as he follows along behind his bodyguard, pistol at the ready.
"I do not suppose there are any ships waiting for us to safely evacuate us. I think we need to help ourselves to a ship of some kind."
He glances over at Me'eona, "As I recall, you were a fair pilot. I think we will need to impose on you for those skills now. Rest assured, if you get us out of here, I will put in a good word for you." There is a trace of sarcasm in his voice.
You spot a small imperial gun boat dock in one of the outer yards just outside the hanger. Since the hanger is locked down, it would take too long to reverse the mechanisms and open the hanger doors. This vessel is already outside and all that would need to be done is to manually break the docking latch. If you can find some explosives along the way to it you may be in luck. Otherwise the next option is to have each of you comideer a bomber and blast your way through the hanger doors though that means all four of you need to fly. Then there is moving to the upper exterior docks which aren't locked down but you have no way of knowing what is up there. Now it is your call. None of the paths will be easy to get too.
Rubbing his forehead, "Well, there is an imperial gun boat docked in the outer yard but the hanger is locked down and it will take too long to reverse the mechanisms and open the hanger doors. If we can find some explosives, then all we would need to do is manually break the docking latch. The only other option would be to grab a single person bomber and blast our way through the hanger doors. I don't suppose anyone else can fly?" Looking like he doesn't want to say anything, "The other option would be to move to the upper exterior docks which aren't locked down; however, we have no idea what is up there. Thoughts?"
Karval assesses the situation; "I can pilot a skiff or speeder bike fairly well, but a ship...." he leaves the words hanging.
"Could we overcharge the power-packs in a blaster? Cause them to explode large enough to make a hole for us to crawl through to escape?"
"Or just fire the bomber to open the doors and get on the gun boat and escape? I don't really like wandering up to the upper dock we'll meet resistance and I am in no position to fight too much."
Karval looks down to the dock, trying to see the resistance around the gun boat & the forces around the docking latch.
Zaelos thinks for a moment. "It seems to me that gunship is our best option here, seeing as there may not be any ships elsewhere. Plus, I am no pilot." He turns to Karval, "I fear we may need your demolitions skills yet again. Can you see any possible location where the Imperials keep their spare explosives just lying around?"
Although he hasn't had too much formal military training Karval thinks back to the induction courses and likely places where explosives may be kept. 'Well, nowhere near any fire sources, barracks of other high risk areas, but they have to be accessible to the baombers and ships.'
Karval looks around for an armoury or racks his brains trying to figure out how a bombers detonation fuse could be used to blow open a door. "Yes, Sir. Anything you can do for Nichos!!"
Okay the way to the external bay is difficult from your location. You will need to climb halfway down the hangerbay to get to the door leading out.
The hangerbay is a maze of catwalks and elevators and there are people and droids bustling all about. A few navel officers and troopers are running about but none seem to have noticed you yet.
Beyond the exterior door, you are unsure as to what the path is like but from there is should be a quick jog to the gunboat's docking terminal. Hopefully the recent attack will cover your movements.
As for explosives, overcharging two blasters will be sufficient to break any docking locks holding the gunboat. Or you can hack the docking controls just in side the terminal.
To give you an idea as to what the terminal is, It those ramplike tunnels that airplanes dock too so passengers can get on an off at the airports.
Lastly I will heal Nichos to 1 wound point above unconsciousness so that he can play. It must be maddening not to be able to do anything for so long so I am going to essentially give a freebe. Medpak worked or something like that.
Zaelos spares a moment from scanning the hangerbay to reply to the Chiss, I am afraid to say the mission was a failure. Our fleet forces were not able to make contact with us, so we are improvising here. Fortunately, the mission is not a complete failure, as we have not been captured or killed...yet."
Once he has delivered the update to his fellow soldier, he turns his attention back to finding the quickest way to the external bay.
Karval puts Nichos down and draws his pistol, alert for danger. "We need to move and fast, you can hack a terminal?"
He starts moving willing the others to keep up. "Lets get to the terminal and try to get the door to the exterior open. We didn't change just the circumstances did." he says stoically. A soldier used to the objectives changing mid-battle. Karval is trying to manuever to the exit door.
"If we can get to a ship, I can try to hack the terminal. At least the structural maze up here should help us get as far as the outside door without too much trouble." Nichos adjusts quickly enough to the change of plans, though he does sigh quietly. Taking a position just a little bit ahead of everyone else, Nichos tries to take advantage of the structure to employ his stealth training as he starts to make his way to the outside, keeping an eye on the folks below as he does so.
Okay you guys begin to navigate the network of ramps and walkings, stairs and ladders leading to the external door.
The hanger rocks again from impact and the alarms are deafening. Troopers are scrabbling all over the place.
As luck would have it or the force wills it, you make it to the door unimpeded.
The door has a simple lock on it that can be hacked and overridden. DC 15.
None of you know what is beyond the door to the external docks. You know it will likely take 10 to 15 minutes to get to the gunboat without resistance.
It has been only 17 minutes since the call for retreat.
45 since you begun your fight.
The sight that meets you is one that wasn't easily predicted. There are two groups of stormtroopers consisting of more than ten in each group. They are shooting at each other.
The scene is a flat triaglular area sourrounded to the left is the wall of the main docking station about 160 feet in height. To the right and in front is a 20foot wall leading to the exterior landing pads, all empty of ships by now.
Ahead and above you about a good 100 feet is the gunboat still locked to its terminal.
Now all you need to do is get past the feuding troopers. The group to the left of you is guarding the stairway to the elevator you need to get to the docking terminals.
The group to the right have a strange dark blue stripe running from their shoulders down their gauntlets to their gloves. They all leaping off the 20 foot wall to gun down the other troopers.
Because none of the sides are paying any attention to you, you have a few moments to decide what to do to and make actions
You had heard somewhere in the imperial network, rumors that Vader had his own personal contingent of specially trained stormtroopers. These troops were said to bear a purple stripe on their gauntlets. These troops were also believed to be led by a fallen jedi who served Vader. This was suppose to be an elite division to help Vader hunt and engage the Jedi. Rumor also stats this small army was also suppose to support Vader in the event where he may revolt against the emperor. Of course this was just story and rumors. And yet here they now stand before you.
Zaelos swears softly under his breath in his native Mirilukan tongue. Switching back to Basic, he mutters "So why would Vader's pet troopers show up here and NOW? Those troopers would have little trouble wiping us out, so a frontal assault is out of the question. I don't think those other troopers will bother them for very long either. Nichos, do you think you can find another way to the terminal?"
"I'm not worried about me; it's the fact that everyone else also has to get up there that concerns me. I don't think Vader's minions are going to be overly interested in worrying about anything more than the fact that we aren't on their side. We may need to make temporary allies with the non elite goons."
Karval assesses the situation quickly; looking at the Striped arrivals their superior skills, and strength; "We move quickly to the group that will be over-whelmed, stealthily or unobtrusively. Then we move past them and take the ship! If spotted we can help the regular troopers in a fighting withdrawal, but we need to save ourselves first."
He turns to the others; raising an eyebrow.
Turning to the rest of the group his eyes concerned, especially for his charge Zaleos. "Get to the ship - double time. I'll deter them from running this way." His voice quiet to the companions.
Karval takes a shot at the defender, which tried to shoot the noble. He motions towards the Blue shouldered interlopers, hoping that the defenders won't see the futility of their situation and try to crush our heroes.