"Have we come up with our plans to surrender to this most useful droid? Yes, Yes. Groodar feels we should surrender to this droid, after all, it's our only way out of this and clearly with its explosive attitude the droid clearly shows it is in charge."
Having found nothing of tactical value, HK-22 moves back toward the knot of Jedi. "Statement: Monitoring conversation. Query: Since when do the Sith maintain embassies?"
The analysis droid lets out a heavy electronic sigh.
"Obviously my newly surrendered charges haven't been spending their credits on updates for the antiquated combat droid, but I understand from my masters you Jedi aren't big on wealth. I understand, on a budget, you make due with some inferior equipment.
The Sith have had embassies since the Treaty of Coruscant, of course!"
"OOooo Klonsa you're here too, isn't this light amazing?"
GM:
** spoiler omitted **
In her catatonic state, Christy reaches out and touches Lucen, speaks to Klonsa for a moment, and at this point her eyes are filled with light, and it becomes difficult to look directly at her face.
For Christy:
The analysis droid lets out a heavy electronic sigh.
"Obviously my newly surrendered charges haven't been spending their credits on updates for the antiquated combat droid, but I understand from my masters you Jedi aren't big on wealth. I understand, on a budget, you make due with some inferior equipment.
The Sith have had embassies since the Treaty of Coruscant, of course!"
"Statement: If the droid in question makes one more comment about this unit's age and does not grant it the respect due it, this unit might experience an age-related glitch and accidentally blow said droid to small, modern bits. Threatening statement: Do it rustbucket and watch how antiquated my weaponry is. Query: Treaty of Coruscant? Explain."
GM:
'Use The Force(telepathy)' to the linked minds: Blissful: "Fascinating." DC 15 it looks like, Roll: 18
I don't need to 'Use The Force' again to realize this much 'passion' is probably a bad thing, and will try to shut myself down from it now. There are more important things happening at the moment.
I want to try entering a force trance, figuring the calming effect will slowly shut me down from the light. (hopefully)
Ceelell glances at Groodar and nods a bit and then looks to HK-22, realizing that his natural agression could cause the situation to light up, possibly literally. "Perhaps you should take lookout above, while we work out the details of our surrender? Your droid eyes are far better than ours, we wouldn't want to be surprised while we work out our deal."
Ceelell glances at Groodar and nods a bit and then looks to HK-22, realizing that his natural agression could cause the situation to light up, possibly literally. "Perhaps you should take lookout above, while we work out the details of our surrender? Your droid eyes are far better than ours, we wouldn't want to be surprised while we work out our deal."
"Friendly statement: Friend Ceelell, this unit is versed in over 1000 forms of communication including diplomatic protocols from 514 cultures, tribes and clans. This unit is also programmed to recognize sarcasm and patronizing tones in Basic. Hurt statement: If you want this unit to refrain from wanton destruction of the Sith minion, you simply have but to ask. Threatening statement: Sith, do not for one moment forget that this unit reserves the right to change its mind. Repeated statement: explain this Treaty of Coruscant."
GM:
** spoiler omitted **
For Christy:
"Threatening statement: Sith, do not for one moment forget that this unit reserves the right to change its mind. Repeated statement: explain this Treaty of Coruscant."
The analysis droid spins on its repulsor field for a moment, then lets out another electronic sigh.
"The Treaty of Coruscant was the turning point of the war. While the Sith were ready to begin discussions with the Republic during the Alderaan Peace Talks, his exaltedness, the Emperor of the Sith Empire knew that the Republic would make silly demands about prisoners of war, enforced labor, and perhaps even border worlds and system, so the Sith insured that the Treaty would be fair and would recognize that the Sith, according to their traditions, would be allowed to keep what they took by righteous force.
Thus, while the Jedi and representatives of the Republic engaged them in talks on Alderaan, the Sith launched a major offensive to crush Coruscant's defenses, and they managed to take the senate and the Chancellor's office, as well as destroying the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.
Unfortunately the Chancellor had an accident during this time, and the ranking senators ratified the Treaty of Coruscant, which allowed the Sith Empire to maintain all that it had gained during the War in exchange for the freedom of the Republic Capital.
Since the Republic now acknowledges the right of the glorious Sith Empire to stand along side the Republic, the Sith now maintain embassies on many key worlds in the Republic."
For Klonsa (and Christy):
HISTORY
HK-22 nods at this history lesson. "Statement: a show of force is indeed a position of strength from which to begin negotiations. Clearly these Sith learned the lessons of the past well."
Klonsa looks at Christy with concern as she falls. He then looks to Lucen.
"Christy appears to be physically fine. I'm going to try and connect to her mind to see if I can help her from within. Can you let the others know in case I freeze up like her?"
Klonsa then closes his eyes and attempts to reach out to Christy's mind.
Klonsa looks at Christy with concern as she falls. He then looks to Lucen.
"Christy appears to be physically fine. I'm going to try and connect to her mind to see if I can help her from within. Can you let the others know in case I freeze up like her?"
Klonsa then closes his eyes and attempts to reach out to Christy's mind.
When you reach out and touch her mind, you feel as if whatever she was connected to has passed, and she is more or less in a state of blissful exhaustion.
Whatever was going on has passed, and she seems to be well in both body and mind, as far as you can tell.
Aruuna refrains from commenting at the distressing news, though thinking that it'd be fun to be in such a target rich universe. Instead she talks to the droid. 'So, droid.. or whatever your designation is, should we head back to our ship, so we can blast off this rock?'
"Since you have surrendered to me, I would assume it is only proper to introduce myself. My designation is AAD-42. If you do indeed have a serviceable ship, then by all means, we should take this surrender to more familiar surroundings."
Danguard keeps a weary eye on his captor droid, while he lets Aruuna talk her way though the current diplomatic challenge.
AAD-42 responds to Aruuna:
"Well, I would assume we would simply leave the way that you came in originally. Our arrival was a bit . . . distressed. The debris field was a bit difficult to navigate, from my vantage point, and the storms . . . so this unit was hoping that, with your intact ship, you might have a better course and solution plotted for our escape vector."
Just as you are discussing this matter with AAD-42, Lucen flies down the access hatch.
"Jedi associates and others to whom I have been associating . . . Jedi Klonsa Frakesh has asked me to let you know that he is attempting to fix Jedi Christy Gamble and wishes me to warn you in case he also becomes broken in the attempt."
As Lucen flies into the ship, AAD-42 spins and his sensors light up.
"Eeep! One of the natives . . . I have no defenses left! Please, my surrenderees, stop this creature before it brings us to ruin!"
For Klonsa:
Klonsa gently sets Christy down and looks at the approaching figures. While he hopes they are friendly he can't shake the feeling that the buzzing at the base of his skull is a warning. He then reaches for his lightsaber with one hand and gently shakes Christy with the other.
"If you could wake up Christy, now would be a good time."
'Oh, don't worry 42, she's with us. She won't harm you. Anyway, as I said, there are a few mechanical defects with our ship, so we might have to salvage a few things from this one in order to repair it. That's alright with you 42? I mean, it'll get us to those Sith Embassies quicker.'
AAD-42 answers Aruuna, "Well, I suppose, anything classified is in my own banks and erased from what is left of the main computer at this point anyway . . . its not as if there is much left of the weapons or the like."
"If you don't mind me asking," AAD-42 begins, then rethinks his comment, and restates it.
"Since you are now under my supervision due to your surrender, I would very much like to know how you ended up with a Diathim slave? Is that how you managed to land your ship in better condition than this one? I'm certain our masters would be very interested in knowing how you managed to cow that one, especially since my data seems to confirm that they are likely the reason most organics don't survive travel to this near mythical system."
For Klonsa and Christy:
The emanations batter you psychic defenses.
Both Klonsa and Christy move one step down the condition track, but the condition is not persistent, and you take no other damage other than just feeling overwhelmed and a bit fatigued.
"Ooo...my head."
Trying to awaken holding my head.
"What's going on?"
For Everyone:
"Since you are now under my supervision due to your surrender, I would very much like to know how you ended up with a Diathim slave? Is that how you managed to land your ship in better condition than this one? I'm certain our masters would be very interested in knowing how you managed to cow that one, especially since my data seems to confirm that they are likely the reason most organics don't survive travel to this near mythical system."
"Incredulous query: These glowing bystanders are the reason organics don't survive? Supposition: This unit would have thought crashing after 300 years of forced hibernation would kill most fleshbags. Query: Exactly what does this 'diathim' do to organic beings?"
Basic: "And what mythical system may that be AAD-42?"
AAD-42 blinks his various sensors for a few moments.
"Wait, you don't know where you are? Why, this is Iego, the system of a Thousand Moons. Legendary among spacers for granting immortality at the price of eternal exile. Home of angels, which among scholars, if they exist, which appears to be the case, are also known to scholars that have theorized about them as Diathim."
AAD-42 pauses for a moment, trying to backtrack over his use of Basic to see if it made any sense.
"Ahem . . . at any rate, I'm assuming that you did not intentionally set out to find Iego?"
"Incredulous query: These glowing bystanders are the reason organics don't survive? Supposition: This unit would have thought crashing after 300 years of forced hibernation would kill most fleshbags. Query: Exactly what does this 'diathim' do to organic beings?"
"Ah, yes, our theory is that these Diathim are natural Force users, and that in order to defend their system, they simply use their telepathy to shut down the minds of those invading their system, unless they decide to make said beings their slaves, at which point they simply mentally enslave them.
Sith scholars have based this theory on the fact that most spacers that have had tales of Iego have seemed at least half-crazed, thus lending credence to the fact that said spacer's mind might have been damaged by said mental dominance. Quite fascinating really.
So, given this theoretically powerful telepathic ability by the Diathim, how might you have managed to tame this one."
Lucen, realizing that the conversation is about her eventually, gets a perplexed look on her face.
"Tamed? Slave? I do not understand what the automaton is speaking of."
Ceelell looks to Lucen. "The sith have a very different value system then that which we follow. To them everything falls in a hierarchy of power, and he assumes that if you are with us we must have overpowered you. It is beyond most sith's understanding that you could simply be our ally. Our friend."
He glances to Troy. "There could be some truth to his words however, of the mind effects of her kind. Perhaps this is how Lucen fears to have damaged Christy. I will help Klonsa in checking on her."
With that he works on climbing up and out of the hatch again to check on the others still outside.
Ceelell looks to Lucen. "The sith have a very different value system then that which we follow. To them everything falls in a hierarchy of power, and he assumes that if you are with us we must have overpowered you. It is beyond most sith's understanding that you could simply be our ally. Our friend."
He glances to Troy. "There could be some truth to his words however, of the mind effects of her kind. Perhaps this is how Lucen fears to have damaged Christy. I will help Klonsa in checking on her."
With that he works on climbing up and out of the hatch again to check on the others still outside.
For Ceelell:
The buzzing is weak, and doesn't seem to affect you, but you can feel it building.
As you see them, and you feel the buzzing in your skull, you see Klonsa and Christy beside the ship, both of whom appear to be a bit dazed and shaking their heads as if perhaps the same buzzing in your own head had overwhelmed them, if only a little.
"Statement: Indeed, this unit will retrieve its newly acquired arms and will await the rest of you outside." HK-22 will move outside and pick up the siege weapon it liberated from the fallen droid.
Ceelell looks to Lucen. "The sith have a very different value system then that which we follow. To them everything falls in a hierarchy of power, and he assumes that if you are with us we must have overpowered you. It is beyond most sith's understanding that you could simply be our ally. Our friend."
He glances to Troy. "There could be some truth to his words however, of the mind effects of her kind. Perhaps this is how Lucen fears to have damaged Christy. I will help Klonsa in checking on her."
With that he works on climbing up and out of the hatch again to check on the others still outside.
Troy nods at Ceelell in contemplation.
"Is there a Sith embassy on the planet below that you wish to take us?"
Wincing when he reaches the outside, Ceelell looks down inside. "On your guard, we have incoming. They look like Lucen so they may be the 'demons' she spoke of. If you jedi can guard your minds, I would do so, they seem to be striking at our minds..."
Klonsa looks to Ceelell as he approaches.
"We can move, whatever they are doing it is just slightly painful. I apologize for not informing you as soon as I saw them approaching, I had hoped they would be friendly, like Lucen."
"Lucen seems to be unaware of just how strongly her powers effect us. Perhaps they have this problem as well. Still we should be on our guard."
"Statement: Indeed, this unit will retrieve its newly acquired arms and will await the rest of you outside." HK-22 will move outside and pick up the siege weapon it liberated from the fallen droid.
The siege canon, without its prerequisite power supply, makes a fine battering ram or club for HK-22. ;)
Troy nods at Ceelell in contemplation.
"Is there a Sith embassy on the planet below that you wish to take us?"
AAD-42 swivels on Danguard.
"Oh, most assuredly not . . . um . . . Captive Jedi Troy. Iego was just as legendary to the Sith Empire as it was for the Republic. However, given my programming, I am making the analytical leap that, given the facts in evidence, this system seems to fit the known parameters that describe Iego.
If the spacer's tales have any degree of veracity, the 'demons' that have been associated with this system are a separate, but perhaps related, species that lives on the planet below, just as the 'angels' live on the moons of Iego."
Lucen flies up so that she can see out of the ship, and can be heard by those in and outside of the ship.
"I apologize for not explaining further. I was a bit . . . embarrassed by what I know of my people and our powers. When we gather, en mass, we tend to have a . . . hypnotic effect on living creatures, and often our mere presence has actually been the cause of the various crashes in this system, especially when living beings are trying to pilot through the debris field in this system.
Most of my people are empathic, but occaisionally one of us is born with the telepathic ability to comprehend the languages of other species, and I am once such as this.
Strangely, I do not know why so many of my people are advancing on this location. Usually once a ship crashes, my people avoid it. I am curious as to what might have caused this convocation of my kind."
Aruuna listens patiently to 42's words, stifling a roll of the eyes when he mentions 'Sith Scholars', finding such a concept to be patently ridiculous. After he finishes, she responds in a calm voice.
'Well, 42, this may be an alien concept to you, though that is of course your creators fault and not yours, but we do not have to tame, enslave or subjugate others to do our bidding. We simply.. co-operate. Gets things done a lot better, and without bloodshed.
Anyway! If we want to get off this rock, we've got to know how much of this ship is operational, so we might borrow some parts and stick them in ours. Have you done a diagnostic recently, 42?'
"Certainly, I have a list of the operational systems that remain on the ship, as well as the portability of said system, in case this vessel was rescued by another Sith vehicle, even if said vehicle had been damaged itself.
Given that you don't seem to have a destination in mind, and of course, since I am in charge given your surrender, might I suggest that upon launching, should be successfully escape the system, that we make the jump for Coruscant?
There is a merchant docking bay on the planet near the Sith Embassy on the planet that would make an ideal landing spot, especially if someone that was part of the group of prisoners might happen to escape, since I would obviously be within the parameters of my programming by reaching the Sith embassy in command of myself and what ever charges did not manage to mount an escape."
For Danguard and Groodar:
For Aruuna:
The resonating wave, although noticeable, does not seem to have any averse effect on you at the moment.
For Groodar:
Although it is not painful, it is overwhelming to you.
Groodar moves down the condition track one step, although he isn't particularly in pain or injured in any other way than the buzzing wave building at the base of his skull.
For Danguard:
For HK-22:
For Danguard and Groodar:
** spoiler omitted **
Perception Check:
Perception Check: ** spoiler omitted **For Danguard and Groodar:
** spoiler omitted **
For Danguard:
Perception check upon hearing AAD-42's current suggestion. (1d20+5=11)
And a racial reroll as head antennae dart to and fro.
I did not include the -1 to the roll due to condition track as it looks like you asked for a Perception check before I was hit with energy. If it is applicable then final roll is '15'.
Shooing Lucen away if need be, to go check on Christy again...
"Now that that troublesome spirit is gone let me fill you in on the current "secret" operational "Sith" mission. Normally this would be a need to know basis, but you friend droid are performing in such a high capacity that I feel you should be allowed to be in on the operation."
"We are secretly trying to find ways to enslave those spirits and twist them for our own purposes. They have innate power that can be harnessed and used for the glory of all Sith. Unfortunately they seemed to have killed our pilot, a small set back , but one that did allow us to find this ship at least."
"Which brings me to our current problem, we need a new droid to accompany us, and let's face it - Given that you are superior in every way to our current rust bucket that dares call himself a droid-"
Danguard pauses to chuckle.
"Well you fit the bill in every conceivable way except one. We cannot have you loaded with explosives while traveling with us, see that would cause problems with the nature of our work. So I propose a simple, yet 'mutually beneficial' solution. Allow my Rodian slave to remove the explosive charges in your housing and we can then slag Twenty Two there for parts and get back to the Sith embassy. God to be rid of that incompetent mesh of wires, you have no idea how long I have waited for a suitable replacement."
"It would just require you to power down for a few minutes and give us access to your chassis, I will personally oversee the entire operation so as you know there is absolutely no risk involved."
GM:
Going for the bluff, and hoping he REALLY want's to believe this so he can bypass blowing himself up.
It's all lies. Except HK-22 is pretty rusty, shameful man. Shameful. :P
Deception Roll: [11,9] = (20)
Force Boost: (4)
Total: Deception: (24)