The noble will go looking for a hoverboard.
The noble will go looking for a hoverboard.
Donavaan leaves the ship in search for a hoverboard. After walking for nearly an hour, he finds a personal transportation shop. Walking he sees a selection of five very nice hoverboards.
He will examine them.
One has is Imperial grey with the new emblem of the Empire emblazoned on it's surface.
One has a yellow sphere, smiley face on it.
One is green
One is two toned navy blue with a skull and chains emblazoned on the surface.
The last one looks like a swirling cosmos across the top.
"I see you're looking at the new hover boards." states a portly Sy Myrthian male.
"Want to take one for a spin?"
I would love to! happily replies the noble.
"Right. Since the guards have already seen Jak and I, it should probably be the two of us. If we show up with some other people, they may get suspicious we aren't on the up and up. Don't worry, Gotal, we'll try to convince the Senator to abandon his plans here. There's no way they can win their restarted war by securing Sy Myrth. If you really do want to come, fine, but expect the guards to be a little more on edge than they would be otherwise."
Renlo will then contact their favorite Rodian cab driver to make arrangements to pick them up in plenty of time for the meeting.
I would love to! happily replies the noble.
"If you'll just give me a copy of your ID information and a 100 credit deposit, you can take 'er out." he responds as he pulls out a sixth slightly beat up hover board; obviously a rental or demo board.
"Right. Since the guards have already seen Jak and I, it should probably be the two of us. If we show up with some other people, they may get suspicious we aren't on the up and up. Don't worry, Gotal, we'll try to convince the Senator to abandon his plans here. There's no way they can win their restarted war by securing Sy Myrth. If you really do want to come, fine, but expect the guards to be a little more on edge than they would be otherwise."
Renlo will then contact their favorite Rodian cab driver to make arrangements to pick them up in plenty of time for the meeting.
You place a call to the esteemed Corda for a ride. His translator droid buzzes and replies.
"The esteemed Corda is most happy to be of service. He shall be at the space port to pick you up in thirty minutes. How many passengers will be making the journey?"
Gotal shrugs, {If you believe it would be best for me to stay behind I will. After all, you dealt with the Senators men not I. Still, my life has been dedicated to being a Negotiator, I think my skills could prove valuable assuming the Senator could be turned from war".
He hands over his ID and gives him 100 credits.
"There will be 2 people making the trip, esteemed Corda. I look forward to traveling with you again," Renlo said, ending the call.
Smiling, Renlo says, "Don't worry, I've mediated my share of incidents. I'll try to convince him this is a bad idea."
He hands over his ID and gives him 100 credits.
The esteemed Corda glides up to the space port entrance.
"Wherstuba goba tuba" Corda says as he leans out the window.
His translator droid buzzes to life.
"The esteemed Corda wishes to know where you would like to go"
The door slides open.
He does so.
Gotal heads to his chambers and sits down to meditate waiting for word from Renlo and Jak.
Gotal heads to his chambers and sits down to meditate waiting for word from Renlo and Jak.
Gotal goes to his berth and starts to meditate. Relaxation takes a few minutes to come... the lingering threads nagging at his mind that he should be going to meet Senator Toora.
"To the governor's mansion, please, Esteemed Corda." Renlo climbs into the taxi with Jak and sits back as they speed off towards the governor's mansion.
"I can't believe I'm working with Jedi," Jak muttered quietly as he climbed into the taxi behind Renlo.
During the trip he whispers to Renlo, "You do realize that trying to talk the Senator out of a war is a fool's errand, don't you? Maybe if we had gotten there before the attack. But now?"
Jak shook his head.
"Exonerating Captain Byrn is pretty much out the window, too. Even with hard evidence, the Empire would just claim it was propaganda."
He sighed as he stared out the window.
"We're never getting paid."
"Oh, I already decided it was going to be impossible to talk the Senator out of fighting. I'm just going to try and talk him out of making a stand here. He's outnumbered and outgunned sitting in one place. They defeated one cruiser group last night, but how many does the Empire have left? How quickly can they replace what they've lost? The Empire has the population and manufacturing resources of the known galaxy. The remnants of the CIS have Sy Myrrth. It's a losing battle unless the status quo changes."
Thinking, Renlo said , "As for Captain Byrn, we can do what we can. And maybe, just maybe, the Senator will give us something for our time and work."
Jak thought about it.
"Getting them to abandon the planet will be hard, but - I don't know. It might be doable. If we can convince one of her tactical advisors that could go a long way."
Moroka watches her crew depart, and once Gotal has found his spot to meditate, she smiles to herself, eyeing the walls of the ship.
Time to get to know this big girl better and see how well they've taken care of her...
She heads to the engine room, starts pulling tools from her kit and begins to examine things more closely, removing plating and non-essential parts to get a better look at the internals without compromising any systems. She methodically organizes removed parts for easy access, mentally noting her deconstruction order and taking great care not to leave anything in precarious positions.
Not a bad piece of work here... she muses as she exposes engines and circuitry, hands gliding over durasteel and wire; she smiles as she starts to locate critical components and carefully look them over.
"The way I see it, if they stay put, eventually they'll be defeated or run out of supplies. An embargo means smugglers become the main source of supplies, and a smuggler's number one goal is always profits."
Gotal retains his force trance and sends one feeling back, "Where?"
Use the Force
The young noble will revel in the freedom and the excitement that the hover board brings.
Responses:
Donavaan: Time passes and after about an hour you've gotten the hang of riding the hover board... you're no star athlete yet – but you can stay upright; Your bum is appreciative of that. It aches a little from your efforts so far.
----
Renlo & Jak: As your taxi glides through traffic, Corda seems to be awestruck by some of the damage done over night. There are places where space vessels have smashed into the ground and there are a couple of areas where the punishing results of a concentrated space bombardment are clear. As you look, you see where Sy Myrthians are picking through rubble, placing bodies in containment areas and attempting to clean up. Next to these pockets are areas that are unscathed. Jak, what you fail to see is any evidence of troop engagement. The blast marks are explosive not, blaster marks and the bodies are all civilian, not soldiers.
The ride takes roughly 20 minutes given the clean-up efforts.
As you glide to a halt in front of the main gate of the governor's mansion, Corda looks at you and asks...
”Quala poola saya pulla?”
His pocket sized translator droid rotates it's small optic orb towards you both and buzzes to life as Corda holds out his hand expectantly.
”The esteemed Corda would like to know if your visit will be short enough for him to stay put?”
----
Moroka:
You remove access panels and examine the engine room. You are amazed. This ship seems pristine. It is obvious it has seen limited combat for a CIS vessel. That would likely be because the vessel is virtually new in spacecraft terms... this vessel was built less than two years ago!
That part is promising like that old adage says, to build a sturdy house, you must have a good foundation. So far this ship has a good foundation.
It occurs to you that your team still hasn't done anything about a name.
This ship is in good shape – but it's stock... well other than the ion cannons that replaced the forward sensor arrays.
You nod your head and smile, this is like a block of clay, waiting to be molded.
----
Gotal:
There is a delay in your master's response.
”In due time young one. The situation is still very dangerous and requires that we go unnoticed.”
You get a soothing sense of peace from your master.
”Take care to avoid undue notice. There was great evil visited upon the Jedi temple and the persecutions continue. Many of our friends have been slaughtered for a few credits in recent days. I look forward to the day we can meet again. May the Force be with you and us all.”
With that you can feel your master's presence subside and you are again focused; your thoughts your own.
----
Corven:
As you sit in the lounge stewing in your own thoughts, pondering the last couple of weeks, you're numbly watching the Holonet on the vid screen. A number of stories loop through including praise for the Empire, recruitment loops for the new “Stormtrooper” core, celebrations on most core worlds... etc.
One story disturbs your meandering thoughts. There is a story clip where a tall, black armored clad being steps off a shuttle on Kashyyyk. There is a lot of pomp and circumstance surrounding this being. Troopers are gathered and deferential. The clip slips forward to a point where this black armored being takes a blue hissing lightsaber from a Jedi; the impending doom is clear. Thankfully, the vid clip shifts to another story just prior to any graphic detail.
You focus on the story. There is nothing mentioned about the dark being. The story is centered on the rebellious Wookies and the fact that they were hiding Jedi fugitives.
Gotal heads in to see Moroka, "I have heard from my Master who yet lives. He has informed me that for now I should go as unnoticed as possible. There are, other Masters, who have also survived. Tell, me once this business is through what do you intend to do?"
The young noble loves the hoverboard. He will return to the dealership very happily. [b] I will take one. Which is the best model that you have? The most up to date and advanced? [/ooc]
The armored being holds Corven's attention for the duration of the news clip, as well for more than a few minutes afterwards. 'That was no bounty hunter,' he ponders, trying to make sense of it. 'The deference shown by the troopers must mean he is a member of the Imperial army and a high-ranking one. But that is no standard uniform, that much I am sure of.'
Getting up, he goes in search for Gotal and Moroka. It did not take him long to locate them. "Am I interrupting? There is something you two should hear."
Gotal turns to Corven, "No, no interruption. Certainly what is it?"
"Jedi have been found on Kashyyyk by Imperial forces," Corven begins. Funny how the phrase 'Imperial forces' seems to just roll off the tongue. "Wookiees were hiding them, or so the news said. But what is even more interesting is who or what appeared to have been in charge of the troopers. A... person clad entirely in black armor, an imposing figure to be sure. Not the standard military uniform, but he seemed to hold the troopers' attention and respect. Or fear."
He pauses for a moment. "And although the news clip did not show as much, this being managed to take a lightsaber from a Jedi and... well."
Brought out of her almost meditative maintenance routine, Moroka glances up before starting to put everything back into place, her brow furrowing only slightly at the latest news. "So the emperor has a champion then. Lovely."
Her pile of parts grows smaller as internals and plating resume their places, eyes focused on her work as she speaks. "I suspected that at least some Jedi survived as we did, but to find there are masters yet living is the best news I've heard all week."
Returning the final plate to its proper place and sealing it in position, Moroka stands and stretches.
"While I'd certainly love to just shove the emperor off his chair and throw him in a cell somewhere, I don't realistically think that'll happen. Honestly, I'd be content with finding our Jedi comrades, continuing my training, and officially graduating. It's a little thing, I know, but I do feel slightly cheated by this whole 'empire' ordeal."
She returns her tools to their place at her belt, then leans against the nearby bulkhead, admiring the engine chamber. "This is a nice ship. It deserves to earn a nice name, don't you think?"
Gotal nods, "Yes, it is more important than ever now that you complete your training Padawan Moroka. I fear I would not be an adequate teacher beyond the very basics which you have likely mastered already. Still perhaps meditating together we can assist each other in expanding our knowledge of the Force. Even Yoda himself was still learning hundreds of years after becoming a Master".
"Did he take it out of the Jedi's hand using the Force? Perhaps this is some sort of Sith Lord? This could be the person behind the fall of the Temple. I am not so sure we can rush to judgment of Palpatine. If this is a Sith Lord, he may well be in control of the Emperor. I confess I know very little abut the Sith past the fact that they have long been gone and utilize the Dark Side of the force".
Gotal shrugs at the naming of the ship, "I am fine with whatever name you all wish".
Renlo & Jak: As your taxi glides through traffic, Corda seems to be awestruck by some of the damage done over night. There are places where space vessels have smashed into the ground and there are a couple of areas where the punishing results of a concentrated space bombardment are clear. As you look, you see where Sy Myrthians are picking through rubble, placing bodies in containment areas and attempting to clean up. Next to these pockets are areas that are unscathed. Jak, what you fail to see is any evidence of troop engagement. The blast marks are explosive not, blaster marks and the bodies are all civilian, not soldiers.
"I don't see any military targets," Jak says quietly to Renlo. "And it looks like explosives were used - not orbital blasters."
Jak felt uneasy.
"Something is very wrong."
***
The ride takes roughly 20 minutes given the clean-up efforts.
As you glide to a halt in front of the main gate of the governor's mansion, Corda looks at you and asks...
”Quala poola saya pulla?”
His pocket sized translator droid rotates it's small optic orb towards you both and buzzes to life as Corda holds out his hand expectantly.
”The esteemed Corda would like to know if your visit will be short enough for him to stay put?”
Jak thinks about it. "Stick around. I don't know how long we'll be, but we'll compensate you regardless."
As an aside he tells, Renlo. "I don't know why. But I think we may need to make a quick getaway. But hopefully I'm just being paranoid."
Nodding, Renlo says, "A quick getaway may be needed. Trust your instincts, especially those homes by war."
Renlo walks up to the gate with Jak, and says to the guards, "My name is Renlo Tacksa. I have a 12:00 appointment with Senator Toora."
The young noble loves the hoverboard. He will return to the dealership very happily. I will take one. Which is the best model that you have? The most up to date and advanced? [/ooc]
[b]"I'm glad you enjoyed it. Here's yer ID. They're all about the same. These are all the latest model T-3000 Skimmys. It's really just a matter about which one has the design that you like. The new imperial grey is a pretty hot seller right now."
Renlo & Jak: As your taxi glides through traffic, Corda seems to be awestruck by some of the damage done over night. There are places where space vessels have smashed into the ground and there are a couple of areas where the punishing results of a concentrated space bombardment are clear. As you look, you see where Sy Myrthians are picking through rubble, placing bodies in containment areas and attempting to clean up. Next to these pockets are areas that are unscathed. Jak, what you fail to see is any evidence of troop engagement. The blast marks are explosive not, blaster marks and the bodies are all civilian, not soldiers.
"I don't see any military targets," Jak says quietly to Renlo. "And it looks like explosives were used - not orbital blasters."
Jak felt uneasy.
"Something is very wrong."
***
The ride takes roughly 20 minutes given the clean-up efforts.
As you glide to a halt in front of the main gate of the governor's mansion, Corda looks at you and asks...
”Quala poola saya pulla?”
His pocket sized translator droid rotates it's small optic orb towards you both and buzzes to life as Corda holds out his hand expectantly.
”The esteemed Corda would like to know if your visit will be short enough for him to stay put?”
Jak thinks about it. "Stick around. I don't know how long we'll be, but we'll compensate you regardless."
As an aside he tells, Renlo. "I don't know why. But I think we may need to make a quick getaway. But hopefully I'm just being paranoid."
Renlo & Jak: As your taxi glides through traffic, Corda seems to be awestruck by some of the damage done over night. There are places where space vessels have smashed into the ground and there are a couple of areas where the punishing results of a concentrated space bombardment are clear. As you look, you see where Sy Myrthians are picking through rubble, placing bodies in containment areas and attempting to clean up. Next to these pockets are areas that are unscathed. Jak, what you fail to see is any evidence of troop engagement. The blast marks are explosive not, blaster marks and the bodies are all civilian, not soldiers.
"I don't see any military targets," Jak says quietly to Renlo. "And it looks like explosives were used - not orbital blasters."
Jak felt uneasy.
"Something is very wrong."
***
The ride takes roughly 20 minutes given the clean-up efforts.
As you glide to a halt in front of the main gate of the governor's mansion, Corda looks at you and asks...
”Quala poola saya pulla?”
His pocket sized translator droid rotates it's small optic orb towards you both and buzzes to life as Corda holds out his hand expectantly.
”The esteemed Corda would like to know if your visit will be short enough for him to stay put?”
Jak thinks about it. "Stick around. I don't know how long we'll be, but we'll compensate you regardless."
As an aside he tells, Renlo. "I don't know why. But I think we may need to make a quick getaway. But hopefully I'm just being paranoid."
"Kooba costa moola moto doso" Corda says with a sly grin.
To which his droid replies, "The esteemed Corda says that any shooting, and the fare will have to go up.
Nodding, Renlo says, "A quick getaway may be needed. Trust your instincts, especially those homes by war."
Renlo walks up to the gate with Jak, and says to the guards, "My name is Renlo Tacksa. I have a 12:00 appointment with Senator Toora."
\
The guard looks warily at you, speaks into his comlink, then motions for you two to enter as another burly guard opens the gate wide enough to let you through.
"Wait here."
The guard leaves you standing by the gate for a few minutes. Another guard remains clearly visible guarding you.
The first guard returns with two more guards and asks for your weapons.
After you have relinquished them, you are both escorted to a small side room just inside the main entryway.
The room is obviously a receiving room. There are six chairs arranged in a semi-circle.
"Come in! Come in!" Senator Toora says with a soothing voice.
"Please have a seat," she says pointing to the two chairs on the opposite side of the semi-circle.
You both take your seats... noting the four heavily muscled guards standing around the periphery of the room.
Toonbuck notes your eyes registering the guards and surroundings.
"Don't worry about them. They are here to stop any unpleasantness." she waves dismissively.
"Would you care for a drink?"
"Some water, please."
Jak makes a point to keep his wits about him.
Renlo keeps an eye on his surroundings as they move through the mansion, carefully observing the guards.
"I would also like some water, Senator. This planet is a bit dry for my usual taste."
As he takes the water, he says, "I'd like to thank you for taking the time to meet with us."
I have never been one about following fashion. I prefer to set ,y own. I like the grey one that has the galaxies on it.
I have never been one about following fashion. I prefer to set ,y own. I like the grey one that has the galaxies on it.
"That's a fine choice sir. That'll be 2500 credits. Great thing is they are under the limit... you don't even need a license. the Sy Myrthian vendor says with a smile.
He retrieves a new board for Donavaan and lovingly brushing off imaginary dust particles, completes the exchange.
He will take it. He will swipe his credit chips. He will then ride it back to the ship.
An older looking servant brings you both a water, sets it on the table and moves off.
Senator Toora smiles and smoothly begins.
"My colleagues tell me that you have a message from a Captain Byrn?"
She catches both your eyes.
"I hope it's good news." she pauses.
"We could use some good news, eh?"
"What's the message?" She folds her hands across her ample bosom and looks like she waiting for a present.
"Well, seeing as the Captain had been accused of assassinating a Senator on Onderon and was fleeing to clear his name, it probably isn't, but we don't know exactly what it is," Renlo says, as he hands over the code cylinder and recorder to the Senator.
The Senator takes both objects and hands them over to a techie. The techie in turn immediately starts to analyze the information.
Senator Toora looks at you with a hint of a smile.
"The good captain must have thought highly of you and your friends to have sent you with this precious information and to give you one of his newest and best ships."
The techie, a large headed Bith, lets out a 'whoosh' of breath and says, "Senator, we've got them."
Senator Toora becomes visibly excited and exclaims "Put it on the screen! I want to watch!"
Your attention is drawn to a large black screen. It comes to life. The image resolves into a star riddled canvas of black velvet. Front and center in the picture are the two droid battle ships that have been sitting idle since before you arrived on Sy Myrth.
You hear the 'clack', 'clack' of the techie manipulating some type of input panel. All of a sudden the battle ships start to come to life. Lights flicker on. The engines start to flare and show life. Two communications windows open in the lower corners of the screen and two droid generals fill the insets.
"We are ready to serve." comes the mechanical voice in unison.
Senator Toora veritably bounces out of her seat. "This is exactly what he promised!"
She turns to you both."You have given me hope. Captain Byrn offered you 300 credits apiece to deliver this to me. That is far short of what it is worth. I will give you 1200 credits each; for both of you and the other four of your friends. Now, if you will excuse me, I've got matters to attend to."
"Senator! You can't be thinking to stay here and fight?! Look, I was a loyal soldier in the war, and all I ever wanted was independence from the Republic. But we lost. None of us liked working with the Trade Federation or the Banking Clans, but without their resources we don't stand a chance. We never had enough popular support for that."
"You need to take your forces away from this planet. Put some one you trust in charge. Make it look like a coup, and have them surrender. Spare this planet as much bloodshed as possible. Then you can regroup on some podunk moon. You're not an army anymore. But with hit and run tactics, you stand a fighting chance."