A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away....
STAR WARS
DAWN OF DEFIANCE
EPISODE 1: THE TRAITOR'S GAMBIT
It is a dark time in the galaxy. The evil Galactic Empire has spread from the Deep Core to the Outer Rim, and everywhere the Empire's tyranny can be felt.
Fleeing from the oppression of the Emperor's minions, agents of Senator Bail Organa have run to a remote space station above Brentaal. Known to be a vocal opponent of the Empire, Organa may be the last hope of freedom in the galaxy.
In the hopes of stopping these dissidents before they can reach the Senator, the Empire has alerted its forces on Sel Zonn Station, where the struggle for liberty rages on, and the first sparks of rebellion have begun to burn. . . .
You all, for one reason or another have come to Sel Zonn Station. If you are just arriving on a ship:
Kalus stepped off the Star Runner, his transport ship from Corellia. A fast name for a slow, unwieldy ship, he though to himself. In his pirate days they'd have boarded it and relieved the passengers of their wealth easily. Now, though, he avoided anything of the sort in the interest of keeping a low profile. Gotta keep the heat off. If they arrest me, I'm headed to Kessel for sure. He pulled his gloves tighter as he approached customs, the better to hide the tattoos on the back of his hands.
He'd traveled third class, the better to avoid running into traveling Imperial officials. Though the customs officials were more alert than they typically were on a space station like Sel Zonn, they didn't want to risk stifling travel too much. They scanned his identichip, saw that all his paperwork was in order, and waved him on. Good thing they haven't figured out I was part of The Black Corsairs yet. Otherwise this wouldn't be as easy to get through.
After clearing customs, he headed for the Promenade. First order of business is a drink and a meal that isn't generic ship's rations. The "food" served in third class, while filling and healthy, wasn't the tastiest, and he wanted to eat something that was at least a step up from that sludge. After that, he'd see about finding himself transport to the Outer Rim and Nar Shaddaa.
Navik walks down one of Sel Zonn Station's many corridors unwittingly heading for the promenade, his head hung low his eyes locked to the floor. All of his usual swagger and confidence missing from his stride. He mutters under his breath in Rodese.
" Alright, alright, those high stakes games were probably not my best idea but I can still do this. Just got to find the right mark to roll and then back to the casino... Ah who am I kidding, I'm fried. Poodu guzzling Empire. Frag it! Maybe I should just stow away on a transport. Get to the other side of space. "
Curled up in her seat by a view-port of the tramp freighter, Cora stared absentmindedly out at the starscape as her ride approached Sel Zonn Station. As the large station soon eclipsed her view of the stars, she contemplated the circumstances that brought her here. Her escape from Alderaan was harrowing, having just barely made it through multiple customs and identification checkpoints a each station and spaceport she travelled through. If they find me, I'm as good as dead, she thought to herself. Unconsciously, her fingers grazed across the spot where her partially dismantled lightsaber sat hidden in her right boot. She had removed the power core and hidden it separately in her left boot to hopefully not draw too much attention to herself.
She was shaken from her reverie by the shudder of the freighter as it touched down in one of the cavernous docking bays. Gathering her meager belongings, she made sure that her small sporting blaster pistol was secure in her hip holster and made her way out of the vessel and into the line through customs.
She was nervous at first, as she had heard that this station’s security was a bit more tightly run than her previous experiences, but she briefly closed her eyes and used a Force technique to calm herself and act as confident and naturally as she could and hoped that her false identcard would prove its worth. She had spent all of her money change her identity, from clothing to appearance, and had only 10 credits to her name. Verena Sinan is gone…killed in the Purge, she mused to herself. For better or worse, this station was her final destination unless she could find some worthwhile work.
Whether through sheer luck or the power of the Force, she made it through customs without incident and made her way to the station’s Promenade.
Ryn sat in a lounge in the spaceport after landing just a few hours previous at a private dock.
Why did I come along to this crossroad storage planet? I'm not interested in kissing Imperial a**. I guess it beats the usual obligations of entertaining diplomats back home though.
Ryn sat rubbing the stem of a near-empty glass. Her father had given her a long lecture about the preservation of the family on the flight to the station. She understands the wisdom of aligning with the most powerful faction in the galaxy, but her studies of history have shown her that time and again, cultures grow tired of oppression and rise up.
The Empire's views and tactics ran contrary with her own free-spirited nature and it bothered her that her family would do business with such.
The small private lounge on the promenade was a great place to watch people come and go. She imagined what some of their lives were like and wondered how exciting it must be to travel the reaches of the galaxy.
The Promenade is filled with the bustle of revelry and commerce. Spilling out of the gambling halls are the sounds of victory and the moans of defeat, while the music of local bands issues from the cantinas. Only a handful of citizens mill about in the main areas of the Promenade, a few gazing out the massive windows at the planet Brentaal hovering below. Businesspeople hawk their wares to the passersby, and a few Imperial stormtroopers make their way down the main avenue of the Promenade on their usual patrol at a leisurely pace.
A woman with short black hair and the greasy uniform of a mechanic comes stumbling onto the Promenade, clutching her midsection as though injured. She struggles to make her way across the floor in your direction, though clearly she is having difficulty walking. “Please, help me,” she calls out to you. “There are credits in it for you, just help me!” Mere seconds later, two stormtroopers burst into the area from the south end of the Promenade. They raise their blasters, aiming them at the woman, and shout through their helmet speakers, “Step away from that woman. She is under arrest in the name of the Emperor!”
His thoughts on a drink and a meal, Kalus paid little attention to his surroundings. Tomo-spiced ribenes, perhaps? Or maybe a good nerf steak. Regardless, it'll be good to have a mug of lum to go with it.
As the apparently injured woman called out, Kalus slowed down in his walk. "Credits, you say? How can I assist you, good woman?" When the stormtroopers burst in and shout, he thinks, Sithspawn! Trying to avoid attention, and here I am getting myself caught in the middle of an altercation between this woman and stormtroopers! I must be cursed.
Ryn takes notice immediately of the young woman.
Those brutes! I wonder what she did. Maybe I can help.
Huh? Uniforms? Wonder who they're looking for? Navik ponders, taking a good long look at the two men he notices as he walks. Then when the woman stumbles onto the promenade calling for help Navik finds himself going for his Blaster before even thinking.
Ah Frag is all he thinks when the stormtroopers appear.
Cora stood there unsure of what to do. In any other time she would gladly help the injured woman, but with the current circumstances it would be extremely unwise to draw unwanted attention to herself. If she were apprehended they would undoubtedly find her lightsaber and, at the very least, kill her.
At least those two men aren't looking for me specifically, she thinks to herself. Damn it! I can't just stand by and not help her...
With deep naivety about her status as a Twi'lek noble, Ryn moves quickly towards the injured woman to intervene in the situation.
It's okay! I'm a medic.
Not a complete fabrication as she had spent a significant amount of time working with healers in her clan patching up young warriors.
Besides, she could always explain who she was to the Imperials. Surely her father would bail her out.
As the woman runs through and the stormtroopers arrive, the two strange men pull out poorly concealed hold-out blasters and run in your direction.
Cora attempts to discreetly draw her sporting blaster in case things get ugly.
This is suicide but I can't just let this happen
Navik grabs his Blaster carbine, flicks the setting to autofire and lets loose on the two undercover guys.
This is suicide but I can't just let this happen
Navik grabs his Blaster carbine, flicks the setting to single fire and shoots a sizzling red bolt at one of the stormtroopers.
If they notice Cora's blaster: The two men notice Cora pulling her blaster and open fire on her.
If they don't: The two men fire their blasters towards the woman.
As blasters start firing around him, Kalys thinks, You know, I could just run away. I could go hide and then talk my way out of this when it's over. Course, then they 'll run my ID, find out I did time, wonder how I got licensed to carry a blaster...ah, screw it. Kalus looks at the woman and says, "It may be best to get you out of the line of fire. Hang on." Grabbing her arm, he helped her run behind a nearby merchant's stall, then drew his blaster behind cover.
The stormtroopers squeeze the trigger on their carbines (set to single fire as to not hurt civvies), one firing at Navik and the other training his sights on Kalus.
One of the Imperial informants notices Cora draw her blaster and alerts his friend. They both fire their pistols, but both hot,red bolts fly past Cora. Ryn attempts to calm the situation, but to no avail. Only a few of Navik's bolts hit their mark, but the informants reel in pain. One stormtrooper fires at Navik, who takes a hot laser to the shoulder.
The other fires at Kalus but it strikes his cover as he pulls the woman into it with him.
Ryn suddenly has that sinking feeling that she has made a terrible and life-altering mistake.
She looks quickly for cover and then sprints there immediately.
Cora also takes cover wherever she can and fires at one of the informants firing at her.
Navik lets loose with another barrage of blaster fire at the informants, then he drops prone.
" Eat laser you imperial poodu! "
Kalus peeks out of his cover, then fires off a shot at the stormtrooper who shot at him. He then ducks back behind cover. Why did I get involved in this again?
One of the informants fires at Cora again, while the other turns and fires at Navik. The two stormtroopers fire their carbines at Kalus.
Ryn runs and takes cover, while Cora fires a shot from her blaster that whizzes past the informant. Navik drops both informants with his volley of lasers . Kalus fires a blaster shot that nails one of the stormtroopers in the head , while the other trooper hits Kalus's cover again. Maya covers her head and stays in cover.
Ryn recognizes a great opportunity to help. It was too late for her now and she hated the troopers.
Cora smirks as the two informants drop under the hail of blaster bolts from the Rodian. She glances to him and gives a curt nod of appreciation before lining up a shot against the remaining stormtrooper.
"Sithspit!" she curses under her breath. I need to learn how to use this properly, she thinks to herself.
Still prone Navik returns Cora's nod, flicks his carbine to single fire mode and fires at the last trooper.
Watching the girl across the way fire a shot that, somehow, was even more wild than her first one, Kalus thought, Does she even know how to use a blaster? If she isn't careful, she'll shoot a random bystander - or me.
Leaning out of cover, Kalus fires a blast at the remaining stormtrooper, then ducks back behind cover.
Ryn's shot whizzes past the trooper. Cora fires her blaster, but the shot is wild and it damages the equipment of a nearby stall, as an Ithorian yells at her in Ithorese from cover. A red bolt issues from Navik's carbine, but it also misses its mark. Kalus, however, manages to get another headshot on the final trooper.
The woman speaks up after the fight is over, though her voice is weak, "My name is Maya. We must hurry,before reinforcements arrive.Let us go somewhere safe."
Keenly aware that she had just drawn attention to herself, from Imperials no less, she eagerly follows Maya after quickly searching the plainclothes informants for power packs or cells, or really anything to help her in the long run.
It's not a very Jedi-like thing to do, but unfortunately these are not good times to BE a Jedi, she tries to rationalize to herself.
Navik gets up and looks about for any other imperials or surveillance cameras.
Then he moves over to Maya and Kalus
" Navik. " He says simply with a nod. " Do you know anywhere safe on the station? "
"Kalus, and I agree, we must get to safety. Preferably a ship that can get us out of here. If neither of you has one, we can steal it."
Helping get the woman on her feet, he looks over at the girl, and says, "Come here and help her along as we run. That way I can keep my arm free if I need to use my blaster."
Distraught and still in shock, the Twi'lek noble instinctively follows the group.
"I'm Ryn. Pleased to meet you," she says matter-of-factly. She grabs onto Maya and helps hurriedly carry her to safety.
Ryn is operating on adrenaline and instinct. She does not look around for danger and blindly follows the rogue and Rodian.
Cora catches up to the others as she pushes her way through the crowded Promenade.
"I'm Ve..." she catches herself before she says her old name. "Cora. My name's Cora. Thanks for savin' my pretty little butt back there. I can't seem to hit the broad side of a ferrocrete silo. Y'think we can lose the authorities in this space station or did we stir the mynock's nest in the worst possible way?"
Maya speaks up, "No, no ships. A room, maybe that supply room over there." She points towards a nearby door.
The informants each have a power pack.
"I have a medkit. Let's get in there and I will fix you up."
Ryn nervously suggests this to Maya, reasserting her suggestion to duck into the supply room.
Cora catches up to the others as she pushes her way through the crowded Promenade.
"I'm Ve..." she catches herself before she says her old name. "Cora. My name's Cora. Thanks for savin' my pretty little butt back there. I can't seem to hit the broad side of a ferrocrete silo. Y'think we can lose the authorities in this space station or did we stir the mynock's nest in the worst possible way?"
" A little bit off both probably. Let's just hope they didn't have a chance to report our descriptions. Lets give getting lost our best shot! "
Maya speaks up, "No, no ships. A room, maybe that supply room over there." She points towards a nearby door.
"I have a medkit. Let's get in there and I will fix you up."
Navik looks at the door dubiously. " It's a start I guess, let's just get off the promenade. " He walks to the door making a slight detour, he grabs one of the imperials commlink.
Cora stuffs the power packs in her belt and follows the group into the supply room. She briefly pauses and looks around for any signs of Imperials before entering the room.
Once we are safely in the supply room Navik offers to assist Ryn in treating Maya's injuries.
Scanning the Promenade, Kalus is the last into the supply room, closing the door behind him and taking a position just inside of it and off to the side. Looking at the girl, Cora, he said, "Did you ever actually learn how to fire a blaster, or did you just run away from home and buy it? That Ithorian might give any investigators our descriptions because you shot up his booth with your wild aim."
Turning to Maya, he said, "Typically, after having a shootout with Imperials, you want to get out of the area as quickly as possible. Is there a reason you want to hang around, or do the spice mines of Kessel sound like a holiday vacation to you?"
Once in the supply cabinet, Ryn grabs her medkit out of her bag and begins to treat the wound of the fugitive mechanic.
She turns to the Rodian and offers thanks for the medical help. "Thank you."
"Now let's have a look at you. I didn't catch your name." Ryn inquires of him.
Ryn treats the Rodian as well.
Navik shakes his head when Ryn takes a Medpac out and approaches him. " Im alright at the moment. It looks worse than it actually is. "
Navik looks about the room, looking for other exits or ducting hatches.
" We can't stay here long. Kalus is right, if that Ithoriam or anyone else out there gives our discriptions or even points to this door we're screwd. " He turns back to Maya. " what did you do to get the imps so worked up anyway? "
Cora stands there in silence, her cheeks flush with embarrassment at her apparent lack of skill with a simple blaster pistol.
How could I make such a fool of myself!? I thought using the blaster would have been better than just brandishing my lightsaber, but I'm now going to be in their radar anyways... I'm sorry Master, but I've failed you already, she thinks to herself.
Navik notices Cora's flushing cheeks and takes it as simple embarrassment.
" Hey, don't worry about it. I used to miss just as bad when I first started toting a Blaster. You'll get the hang of it. "