"I'm more than a match for the Mandos, kid. They're not taking me down unless I'm out of ammo and they've got my hands behind my back... maybe not even then." She looks at Jango with a smirk on her face. "No offense."
Panaka gave Anakin a piercing gaze, before reluctantly saying, "Fine. We're wasting time. Let's move." He will, however, make sure the boy is ahead of him as they move.
After much silence jonjon speaks. "We about to fight more solders now?" he asks.
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Jango shrugs at Kyra's remark. "None taken. Now, you all ready to move? We'll need to keep quiet and out of sight. You lot may be able to take out a Mandalorian patrol, but you'll have better luck facing down a gundark than beating them if they all come down on you." The Mandalorian draws out his blaster pistols and puts on his helmet before crouching down next to the door. He waits a second, then opens it and motions for you all to move out.
You notice that, despite the paint and decoration, the helmet appears to be a different metal than the rest of his armor.
As everyone gets ready to move out, Panaka turns to Obi-Wan and asks, "Can you let your Master Qui-Gon know we are on our way back? We don't want them to intercept and overhear our communications, or triangulate our position or the ship's from them."
Knowledge (tactics), Perception, Stealth, Survival, Use Computer
Anakin lets his hand off the gun below the counter, and nods to Watto. "Taking off for the day, then. No since endangering the shop. I'll be in midday tomorrow unless, you know, they kill us."
Following the others out the door, he stops short after a second. "This way." Anakin hisses. "I know some back alleys we can cut through, places no one will think to look for us."
Jonjon will Cloak himself with the force when they leave, folding it around him subtly and wiping the distortion away too, a faint ripple in the pond.
Along the way, the gungan actually runs along the rooftops of the town, keeping a hunter's eye out for Mandalorian threats and when necessary, misdirecting their attention with carefully placed Mind Tricks.
With the street right outside clear of Mandalorians, Anakin leads the group into Mos Espa's back alleys. Though narrower and forcing the group to string themselves out a bit more, a Mandalorian patrol is less likely to spot you moving through them.
Part 1: "Friends, strange forces move against us on out of the way planet. I do not know what conspiracy stands against us, but I thank you for your strength and determination. With your help, We will escape this trap and make our way to our allies on Coruscant. There, We will make sure that you are all rewarded for your skill and bravery."
Part 2:
Obi-Wan nods his reply to Panaka. Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, he opens his mind and reaches out, his mind questing for the familiar presence of his friend and master.
Feeling his connection to his master solidify, he concentrates his thoughts on a few brief words, "Danger! Return!". The Jedi opens his eyes, saying, "I have alerted him, though what I could convey is very limited."
Drawing up his hood, Obi-Wan checks that his lightsaber is still concealed in his sleeve. Content that he will draw no attention, he follow the others through the door and after the boy, who he watches constantly.
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Good thinking kid, but we shouldn't move in a straight shot toward the ship. If they're smart, they'll fan out to search the city. If they have any idea where we were, they'll run across us before we make it back. If we snake our way down then move back up toward the ship, we can use the alleyways to get past their search parties without much trouble."
As the group comes to an intersection where you will have to cross the street, you prepare to step out. As you do so, Sabe suddenly hisses and holds up a hand, motioning everyone to get down and press flat against the wall. After you do so, a group of 6 Mandalorians moves down the street, eyes sweeping along as they look out for any sign of your. Either luck or the Force is with you, as their eyes pass right by you.
As they move through the alleyways, the group starts by moving in a straight line towards the ship. Kyra chimes in that making a straight shot will likely get them caught. Instead, they can take a longer, more circuitous route to avoid their patrols. Panaka nods in agreement, as he finds it to be a good plan.
As the group moves through one alley, Ralk spies a pile of scrap with a couple of interesting components. He falls behind for a moment, quickly working some magic on them with his skilled hands, and when he stands up, he grins at the improvised tripwire explosive he's just made. It won't do any real damage, but it's sure to cause a distraction and buy some time when the Mandos inevitably stumble through here. That's why you don't wear clunky armor and helmets, kids.
Obi-Wan follows with the group closely, keeping a wary eye on their surroundings as they make their circuitous way back to the Intrigue. As they pass through a series of seemingly abandoned loading docks in an industrial zone, Obi-Wan pauses a moment at a terminal that was still up and running. A moment's work and he jury rigged a program that would set off an alarm on the far side of the compound should any of the doors open. He leaves just enough time before the subroutine kicks in for the group to make its way out of the factory. Catching Ralk's eye, he smiles slyly and shrugs, "There are those among the Jedi who have an aptitude for technology. We should hurry, wouldn't due to set that off too early."
Ralk stops and, spying a pile of interesting spare parts, rigs up a little booby trap to slow the Mandalorians down should they follow the group's trail. Meanwhile, as the group moves through an industrial zone, Obi-Wan takes the time to jury rig a subroutine to set off alarms away from the group, hopefully drawing the Mandalorians away and buying them more time to escape.
You've made it to a section of Mos Espa that caters more towards swoop riders and space ships. The alleys get a bit more spacious, and the buildings a bit farther apart. You're close to the edge of the settlement, though, so you might be able to get out soon.
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As the group makes its way into a seedier part of the city, Ralk moves up to take the lead, and quickly makes his way toward a cluster of apparent swoop bikers. "Hey!" he shouts, walking up to them. He turns and points at another group a ways over. "Those guys said your bikes are slower than a dying bantha. Said it was probably because your mother... well, I really don't want to say it myself." The bothan swallows and looks between the groups, wide-eyed. "Are you gonna take that?"
As the bikers become distracted with their squabble, Anakin skulks over and begins trying to hotwire their swoops to use for their escape, all the while wishing he'd rode his own to Watto's that day and could escape with the girl on the back of it, leaving the desert and their problems behind. He thinks of her speech, where she promised rewards on Coruscant, and wondered if that included him. Going there, traveling on a real space ship, would feel like reward all on its own.
The swoop riders get dark, ugly looks on their faces as Ralk tells them his bluff. The gang grabs their assortment of blasters and virboblades, and walks over to another group. The leader of the gang you bluffed, a human, says, "Hey, Krall. Heard you been badmouthing the Fire Shrikes. That isn't healthy, you know."
The other, a Nikto, turns and says, "Well, Fron, if the Fire Shrikes weren't a pile of bantha poodoo, we wouldn't need to."
The two gangs shout at each other a bit before blaster bolts start flying and vibroblades come out. Distracted by their brawl, they don't notice Anakin come over and start hotwiring their swoops. He soon has 4 swoops ready to go.
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Jonjon moves up to Sabe and gestures to a bike. "We can ride together, yes?" he asks.
Anakin opens his mouth to argue with JonJon but, not having good justification of why he should be the one to ride with Sabe, closes his mouth and looks back at the Swoops, glaring as he continues to work.
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Kyra leans down and starts working on another three swoop bikes--that's all they really need--and curses under her breath. "I haven't hot-wired a swoop bike in ten years... of course, this is the damned time I need to do it."
Sabe is enjoying the curves of Anakin's back as he bends over a swoop when JonJon interjects. Her mouth gapes for just a moment before she can respond to JonJon. "I think there are plenty for each of us. No sense slowing them down with extra weight..."
Her brain intoxicated with this boy, Sabe is momentarily overcome by impulse. She jumps on the swoop Anakin has just finished and kicks it into action.
Ralk frowns and hops on another bike. "If we can fit what we have, let's just move. Kyra, ride with the kid, keep him out of trouble. Jedi, you're with me. Captain, Mando, I trust you two to keep each other in line." The Bothan revs the engine to life and looks around. "I won't lie, it's been ages since I flew one of these bad boys, but it sure feels good."
"...and they say you never forget how..."
Obi-Wan watches Ralk's deception impassively, though when Anakin begins hot wiring the swoops he does frown slightly. "I'm not sure that earning the ire of two different groups of bikers in addition to the Mandolorians is going to help us. But it's done, so let's get out of here.... quickly."
He nods a terse reply to Ralk and hops behind the Bothan, only to clutch him as the swoop massively accelerates, then jerks to a stop, before starting a little more calmly. "Are you sure you don't want me to drive, Ralk? I do know how to pilot one of these things. You've left the air intake locked up, so you're going to keep giving us whiplash as you're starving the engine of air." He gestures over the Bothan's shoulder at the right button.
Kyra attempts to hotwire a few more of the bikes, but finds herself unable to do so. Given that the brawl seems to be winding down, the group describes that discretion is the better part of valor.
Panaka shouts as Sabe takes off a "Not without-!" before cursing and hopping on another bike, revving it up and saying, "JonJon, get on!" and taking off after her. Ralk blasts off with Obi-Wan on the back, and Jango seems to have hot-wired his own bike, leaving Kyra and Anakin to take off together.
Several of the bikers, realizing that their bikes are being stolen, shout at you, but their voices are quickly lost behind you.
Jonjon will turn his head, his large ears flapping in the wind as he watches to see where trouble will be coming from and trying to steer Panaka away from it.
Anakin grins in awe as Sabe jumps onto the speeder and takes off - enough time for Panaka and JonJon to grab a bike of their own. With Obi-Wan and Ralk getting on a bike together, Anakin barely waits for Kyra to give up hotwiring more speeders and join him before he takes off after the girl. "Farmboy." He echoes with a laugh, before calling back over his shoulder to Kyra. "We'll show her won't we? Hold on tight."
Watching intensely over Ralk's shoulder, Obi-Wan reacts instinctively as a speeder begins to back into the path, threatening to split the group into two. With practiced ease, he opens himself to the Force and quickly raises a crate to trigger the proximity sensor on the speeder in a hope that it would stop the vehicle to stop long enough for everyone to make it past.
"Hey kid, quit gawking and pay attention!" Kyra points ahead and physically twists Anakin's head around, giving him just enough time to dodge out of the way of a few locals who had wandered into their path. "Don't make me take over for you. Eyes on the prize, flyboy."
Swoop bikes roaring, the group bursts clear of Mos Espa, having successfully avoided the Mandalorian patrols. Flying over the sands, Jango says, "Nicely done. I thought for sure you were going to end up getting caught and having to fight your way out. I'll meet up with you on Coruscant, if you make it there." With that, the Mandalorian veers off in a separate direction, likely headed for his own ship.
Panaka says something into his comlink, then pulls up next to Anakin and Kyra and says, "Kyra, once we board the ship, take the boy directly to the engine room. It is vital we complete those repairs as soon as possible."
After a few minutes, you arrive at the ship. Stopping your swoop bikes outside, the ramp lowers to reveal Qui-Gon standing at the top of it. He appears to be looking past you. "Inside, quickly. I sense something coming."
Panaka flashes a hand symbol to Sabe, letting her know he needs to talk to her - alone.
Anakin grins when Panaka slides up alongside, pleased to be able to see the inside of their ship, and not be sent away immediately. As Panaka flies off, he revs his stole swoop harder and catches up to Sabe. "You've got some nice moves." He says. "Flying moves, I mean. You've... You're a good flyer. Pilot." Feeling his cheeks start to burn, he hopes that Kyra won't say anything, and considers smashing the swoop right into the ground and dying on the spot.
"You're not so bad yourself, greasemonkey. Maybe if you can get our ship moving we can give you a lift out of this sandbox." Sabe says as they cruise into the spaceport.
-------------------------------------
Sabe ponders Panaka's signal and decides to play it cool as she enters the ship and moves toward the bunks, assuming Panaka will follow.
Kyra keeps quiet while they're not in the ship, but the grin on his face plainly shows her amusement. She spares him until the door to the engine room shuts behind them, then just whistles and shakes her head. "You're a real charmer, aren't you kid? If all goes well and none of us die, maybe she'll be impressed that you got the engine running." It seems for a moment like she might not have realized her own joke, but she just gives Anakin another smug grin. "Just yell if you need me, I'm gonna go make sure none of us die."
Looking at the others, Panaka says, "Keep an eye out. If they figure out where we are, they may come for us before we have time to complete the repairs and escape. Let's hope that this goes quickly and smoothly." He scans the horizon before ducking into the ship, following Sabe.
Once they are alone, he says, "What were you thinking, blasting off like that!? Had the Mandalorians been waiting in ambush, you could have gotten blasted well before we reached the safety of the ship! You are the Queen's last line of defense, and you need to act like it! Keep your wits about you, and don't engage in reckless behavior - especially not over some boy who shouldn't even be with us! Now, I let the queen know Handmaiden Protocol was in effect, so she's changing into handmaiden's robes now. I suggest you get changed as well, your Highness."
With that, Panaka storms out.
"What can I do to help?" Jonjon asks, unsure of matters involving starships.
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Sabe opens her mouth to respond, but closes it as Panaka departs. She rushes to find Sabe, and the two of them help each other with their transformation.
Did Panaka miss the boy's face when he saw me? His reaction was not of amazement at my appearance. It was familiarity with my face. Why would a rube on an Outer Rim planet recognize the Queen's face. Clearly there is more going on with the boy than meets the eye.
Obi-Wan watches the Mandolorian rocketing away, brows furrowed, before the man disappears from sight. He mutters, "On Coruscant..."
As they reach the ship, Obi-Wan breathes a sigh of relief and greets his master with a small bow of his head. At his master's words, he reflexively steps into the ship, turning to face the same way. "I know the timing is not ideal, master, but the boy we brought on board is... remarkably strong in the Force. I would even say he might rival master Yoda. I thought it best you know, now, in the event that... something.. should happen to me." With his duty complete, the padawan's eyes go back to scanning the direction from which they had come, keen to spot any danger.
As those outside the ship scan the horizon, they spy a dust cloud in the distance. It appears to be moving in their direction, but it seems fairly localized - you don't think sandstorms behave like that.
Okay, here's how repairing the engine is going to work. First, I need you to make a DC 20 Mechanics check to finish the repairs on the replacement coupling. Second, I need two DC 18 Acrobatics checks to get into position so you can replace the coupling. Third, I need three Mechanics checks - one to remove the old coupling (DC 20), one to install the new one (DC 20), and one to make sure it is properly housed (DC 25). I then need one more DC 18 Acrobatics check to get out of the engine crawlspace. Each check is the equivalent of one full round. If you fail by less than 5, you can try again. If you fail by more than 5, I will determine the consequences, if any.
Anakin scowls as Kyra walks away. "She'll be impressed, alright." He mutters to himself, looking over the engine. He cocks his head as he walks towards it, scouting out the specifics for any changes that Kyra has made.
"Should be easy as breathin'." He says to no one in particular with a grin. Remembering that, of course, no one is there, he lets out a sigh, feeling outcast and thinking that he might even take the strange alien for company now. "They'll probably dump you here when you're done." He tells himself, "Leave you to answer to the... what did she call them? mandalorians?" Shaking his head, he thinks about how typical that behaviour would be, before reminding himself, "No matter now, got a job to do." Pulling out the replacement part, he gets to work.
Nicely done. Since you beat the DC by more than 5, I'll give you a +2 bonus on your next Mechanics check. I want some people to respond to the dust cloud before moving on, so hold off on the next roll.
"That doesn't look like a sandstorm to me," Kyra says. She hefts her rifle in the cloud's direction, flicking up the holosight with her thumb. "I'd get ready for a fight. If it isn't the Mandalorians, it's whoever damaged the ship to strand us here. Ralk, let's give them the old Trade Federation welcome, I'd say. Maybe you ought to take the docking gun? Once the ship is repaired, you'll be in the cockpit. Once less thing we need to worry about before we get off this dust ball."