House of DeathOne Armed Ranger
Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]


Welcome to Ccc Crusaders. We hope you enjoy your visit.

We are now opening up discussion on the Star Wars Campaign setting. Enjoy.

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
  • Pages:
  • 1
Session Two - From the Fleshy Mouth of Xamar; Xamar's Perspective on Session II
Topic Started: Jan 9 2011, 11:50 PM (748 Views)
Gnomeo Knibbleschnitz
Member Avatar
Administrator
Hey, here is Xamar's version of what went on in session II. I may do some more later. Some of it depends on time, and story and such. Anyhow, I will change character names once I know what they are. Enjoy, hopefully.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Gnomeo Knibbleschnitz
Member Avatar
Administrator
It was tiring. He hated having to hide it. He hated even possessing it. Nonetheless, it was now a part of Xamar Mindulusia. Its presence hung like a specter over the soul of the young Khil, and he resented its very existence. It robbed him of his will.

You’re brooding, brayed Getti.

The Khil only grunted through his hullepi tendrils in response. Khil were entrepreneurial creatures from the planet Belnar. Their grayish, hairless skin was accented by long hullepi tendrils that hung from their lower face and chin. These strands of flesh served as their mouth, and the air that travelled outward through them was musical and pleasant to most beings. Despite their somewhat frightening appearance, most Khil possessed a high degree of charisma secondary to their gentle intelligence and wisdom. On the whole, they were a non-violent species, unless you threatened what was theirs. Then they were downright vicious.

Xamar looked to his Wookie co-pilot and responded, “The Republic has contracted us for our services again.”

They were happy then with our work? This is good, right?

“I suppose.”

What’s wrong? You didn’t think that the last mission was too dangerous, did you? We got out of there just fine.

“My fur-covered master has inferred that you fear the endeavors laid upon you by the Republic,” a mechanical voice intoned from Getti’s back. The Wookie bayed at the machine and un-shouldered the backpack. He then lifted what was left of an HK assassin droid and hung it onto a hook on the wall of their ship.

“I speak Shyriiwook, Art, you don’t need to translate. Now be quiet or Getti will have to shut you down.”

“I am HK-47, a highly efficient and skilled assassin droid, balding sack of water and meat. To why do you refer to me as, ‘Art?’”

“No arms. No legs. Wall. Use that processing cortex of yours to work it out. Now be quiet, or switch off, we haven’t the time for your nonsense right now.”

“Goodness me. Be content that I do not have the appendages I once had, hairless one, or I would be inspired to practice my non-protocol sub-routines on your useless lump of fl—.” With a lurch, the droid’s head slumped forward, and Getti gave a little laugh.

“Thank you, old friend,” Xamar said.

So what’s this new mission?

“Primarily a transport mission.”

Boring.

“Not exactly. We are transporting our cargo to a lost Republic cruiser, the Protector, in the Outer Rim towards the end of the Perlemian Trade Route.”

That doesn’t sound so bad.

“Well, the Sith may still be in the area, and may have taken the ship. If possible, we are to retake it and deliver it back to Coruscant.”

Just us two?

“And our cargo.”

What’s the cargo.

“Jedi. And I hate Jedi.”

* * *

Introductions went well enough, though Getti was fairly angry to find out that one of the Jedi was a Trandoshan. In all truthfulness, this pleased Xamar, if only to give Getti a legitimate reason to dislike the Jedi. That is, if racial prejudice and bias based on something other than the content of one’s character was a legitimate reason.

“So what do you expect to encounter when we reach the Protector, Master Ayala?” Xamar asked as he piloted the Darkhawk, a Dynamic-Class freighter towards their destination.

In all truthfulness, Xamar knew that Ayala was no Master Jedi, and he only addressed him as such to force him to say back to him, “I am a Jedi Knight, young pilot, and not yet a Master.”

“Oh, yes, I’m sorry, I keep forgetting that. Yet you must be an experienced Knight to be put in charge of this mission – with two Padawans of your own, as well!”

Ayala smiled at the Khil, who noted the scowls of the Trandoshan, Ratz, and the human Jedi, Pav. Xamar had done his research, and he knew that the trio were recently serving under the same master, who was slain in their last mission. Because the Jedi were spread so thin, promotion was a rapid thing these days. Ayala was selected to be the leader of this little mission, much to the consternation of the other two, who objected to the Master who had knighted Ayala, but had not conferred that rank on them.

“So when do your two young strapping lads over there expect to earn their knighthood?” Xamar asked innocently, hiding behind a false mask of ignorance. “Maybe if you guys help out your master, here, you might get the same privileges he does, eh?”

“Being a Jedi is not about privilege, pilot,” Ayala said condescendingly, “A Jedi has no love of position or power, but he lives only to serve the Force.”

“Or she.”

“Excuse me?” Ayala said back, unhappy at having his prepared lecture interupted.

“Or she,” Xamar repeated, for no other reason than to infuriate this pompous Jedi. “You have female Jedi as well, don’t you?”

“Of course,” Ayala responded, confused as to why he would ask. “I’m sure you’ve seen a female Jedi before, haven’t you?”

“Oh, well, you just referred to a Jedi as ‘he.’ Just clarifying. So a Jedi doesn’t care about position, huh?”

“Ah, yes, I mean, no, he, or she, does not. You see, little Khil, all Jedi follow the Force, which guides us and shows us each of our destinies. It is not the destiny of all Jedi to become Masters, or even Knights, but still, we all have a place in the Order, and we serve willingly and whole heartedly.”

“Those of you who have hearts, that is.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Well, I once heard of a Zelbrugian Jedi, from Zenor X. Their bodies do not possess hearts. So the term ‘whole heartedly’ doesn’t exactly apply to them, does it?”

“I suppose not. It’s a figure of speech, pilot,” Ayala said again, not using Xamar’s name. Xamar wondered if the Jedi had even bothered to learn it.

“You Jedi strike me as very insensitive beings. You seem not to acknowledge the plight of those who are different from you. Look at this whole war. It is fought solely because of your hatred of the Sith. Whole worlds are destroyed, and lives are forever altered for your vision of what you believe is best for the rest of us,” Xamar challenged, looking forward to the Jedi’s not-quite-aggravated response.

Ayala did not disappoint. Instead of becoming angry, the newly knighted human began a condescending lecture, explaining the Jedi’s role in the galaxy, and how they truly knew what was best for the largely unaware universe. The Khil listened with an appearance of intentness, but in all reality, he was simply mocking the prissy Jedi. Every once in a while, Getti, who was in another chamber of the ship, but could overhear from their two-way com-link, would chime in with comments like, I don’t know what’s worse, the Jedi, or HK, to which the Khil was able to stifle his laughter beneath the long, flesh-like tendrils of his mouth.

Nonetheless, Xamar tolerated Ayala’s lecture until the hyperspace alarm sounded, “Not to cut you short there, Master Ayala, but…”

“Jedi Knight, Ayala.”

“Jedi Knight, Ayala, but it looks like we’re coming in the Protector. Look alive, gentleman, and lizards, I’m prepared to come in hot.”

With a sudden dizzying stop, the flashing stars about them became motionless, and the colors of the cosmos ceased in their vertigo-inducing patterns. The Darkhawk began immediate evasive maneuvers on the chance that the Protector or whoever was present there, was expecting them and had prepared a welcome for them.

“Well, then, there’s the hanger bay. The shields are up, but there is no welcome present.”

I have life signs on the bridge, but they are minimal. There is not a full complement of soldiers on the ship, but there is someone in control of it.

“My master, and I do use that term with utmost disregard and disrespect for his abilities, says that there is a small to mid-size number of fellow meatbags in possession of the Protector. He did not think to inform us of the number of droids, who would potentially cause far more damage to your party than the perpetually rotting beings that are there now if said droids are as skilled as I. Might I suggest, master, that you restore to me my arms and legs so that I could join you in killing and perhaps torturing every last one of the beings on board?”

“The dark side envelopes this ship,” Pav, the human Jedi Padawan said.

I have a bad feeling about this.

“The mane of my master is standing on edge as he fearfully considers the upcoming encounter.”

Xamar suppressed another laugh, transforming it into a very Khil-like whistle. “Well, boys, it’s up to you, but I say we stick with the original plan. I’ll land on the side of the ship, and you cut your way in with your fancy sword-torches.”

At that moment, a large door on the Protector’s starboard side began opening. The shields shimmered slightly, changing in frequency and apparently inviting the Darkhawk to land. “What do we have here?”

“Apparently it’s an invitation,” Ratz, the Trandoshan Jedi offered. “Shall we take them up on it?” he asked, not just of his master, Ayala, but of Pav as well. Xamar noted the subtle disrespect.

“I can’t say I was happy with cutting a hole in the Protector,” Ayala said prissily. “Especially if we can fly right in. Yes, pilot, land inside the hanger.”

“Are you sure that’s wise?”

Apparently wisdom is not one of their force abilities, Getti said.

“My hairy meatbag master says…”

“Getti shares my concerns,” Xamar interrupted.

“It appears that the landing bay is free of organics,” Ratz said, looking over Getti’s shoulder. “I say we go in through the front door.”

“I agree,” Pav said.

“Then I defer to the Jedi’s great wisdom.” Xamar spun his ship in a half barrel roll to orient himself appropriately for landing. He was watching the Jedi out of the corner of his eye, hoping that they would appear a bit green at his harsh handling of the Hawk, but they handled the ship’s movements without apparent concern. The Darkhawk passed easily through the environmental protection shield at the entrance to the hanger. Before settling the ship down, the two younger Jedi, Ratz and Pav, had leapt off of the landing bay, prepared to meet whatever came at them. The much more dignified Ayala simply walked down the landing strip, several meters behind.

This is where the fun begins, Getti said eagerly as he took up his bowcaster.

“For once, my master and I are in agreement. I would request the hairless meatbag to check my systems for corruption or degeneration.”
Edited by Gnomeo Knibbleschnitz, Jan 10 2011, 12:00 AM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Gnomeo Knibbleschnitz
Member Avatar
Administrator
It didn’t take long for opposition to appear. The mechanical clanking of droids echoed down the main hall, and before Xamar even reached the exit ramp, two seven foot monstrosities lumbered into view with their weapons held aloft.

In all his glory, Ayala lifted his arms and subsequently, both droids were lifted into the air. He then clapped his hands together with a self-satisfied smile, and the war droids clattered together. He then casually tossed them aside into the waiting lightsaber-bearing arms of Pav and Ratz. The duo cleaved apart their respective foes, and various screws and bolts clattered on the landing bay floor.

“Oh splendid!” HK-47 observed. “They are far better warriors than you or your bald friend, master. You are lucky to fight with them!”

How unfair! I didn’t even get a shot off, Getti complained.

“Don’t worry, friend, there appears to be more coming,” Xamar observed, noting the shadows down the hall. “A lot more.”

“Perhaps the cowardly meatbag would like to go back inside while the grown-ups play?” HK suggested to Xamar. “Your toy weapons would probably be ashamed to be found alongside of such wondrous strength as your companions provide!”

“Switch off,” Xamar muttered as Getti handed his Khil companion the backpack that housed the torso of the HK droid so he would be unencumbered for battle. “It looks like there’s about fifteen of them. I’ve got an idea,” the Khil said as he followed the droid’s command and ran back up the landing platform. He tossed the droid pack to the floor, earning a squeal from the droid.

Within moments, Xamar was seated in the cockpit of the Darkhawk. Eager to not be shown up by the Jedi, he re-aligned the cannons towards the hallway, and grinned maliciously as he hit the fire button. Unfortunately, nothing happened. “What?!?” the Khil complained as the controls remained unresponsive. A rapid bit of reprogramming was unsuccessful, and the outside cannons of the ship remained silent.

It mattered little, however. It didn’t take long for Getti to take out a few droids, as did the trio of Jedi. Their lightsabers whirring, fourteen basic combat droids were in parts before Xamar had a chance to fire his blaster once at the last one. He was disappointed to note that his shot did minimal damage to the soldier, and it required a follow up slice from Ayala to finish it.

“That was a nice little shot you took there, pilot,” Ayala said generously. “Don’t be afraid to aim for a more critical juncture on the robots. My Jedi skills will prevent you from hitting any of us. Even so, it may be safer for you to stay here with your ship. I wouldn’t want you getting hurt. These here robots can be quite dangerous, you know.”

Xamar seethed quietly as his chuckling Wookie copilot sat himself down at one of the ship's consoles and began slicing. Getti was quite the conundrum to Xamar, and provided an interesting contrast to the pilot. Whilst Xamar came from a more gentile, intellectual race, Getti was very well educated, and was skilled at a multitude of things, including piloting, slicing, and, if you could believe his boasts, surgery. This wasn’t the first time that Xamar wondered at the origin of Getti’s skills.

“Get the hairball away from that!” the Trandoshan protested as Getti began working on the computer. “He’s going to break something, like all wookies.”

Shut that cold-blooded fool up before I rip off his arms and stick it on my translator! Xamar was glad that he left HK back on the ship.

“Don’t worry, Jedi, Getti knows what he’s doing,” Xamar assured the Jedi as the other two took up positions behind the slicing Wookie. The quartet were dizzied by the Wookie’s skill, and before long, they had in front of them plans for the whole ship. Another tap of a button, and there was an overlay of all of the defenses, which led to the bridge. “Can you get us a feed into the bridge, Getti?”

Grunting the affirmative, the screen then showed the group the bridge, which was an intimidating sight. Most prominent on the bridge was a black robed Sith Lord. The giant of a man was of an indeterminable race, but he easily stood at over six foot tall. Presently, his lightsaber hung at his belt, but his hand was held high in a choking type gesture. High above the floor, they observed, was what appeared to be a Republic officer, grasping at his own throat, struggling to breathe.

About the Sith Master were a trio of Mandolorians, and dozens of additional battle robots. All of them were aligned towards the blast doors which protected them from the Jedi. Xamar also noted that there was the corpse of another Mandolorian at the foot of the Sith.

“Good job, Getti.”

“The force has shown me that the hallway leading to the bridge is lined with cannons and various traps,” Ayala cautioned.

Not anymore, Getti said as he hit a button. A caption on the screen read, “Defenses deactivated,” and the Wookie purred in contentment. It didn’t take long for the group to note apparent shock in the disposition of the lead Mandolorian. He seemed to be pleading with the Sith Master, whom appeared indifferent to his inaudible words. Then, suddenly, the Mandolorian looked dead into the camera, raised his blaster, and destroyed the camera, eliminating their feed.

“Well, gentlemen, it looks like we have our work cut out for us,” Ratz said. “There are approximately twenty droid soldiers, a handful of mercenaries, four Mandolorians and a Sith Lord on the bridge.”

“And we have one newly knighted Jedi, his two Padowans, a Wookie surgeon and a pilot,” Xamar observed.

“You forget our most powerful ally,” Ayala said haughtily, “the Force.”
Edited by Gnomeo Knibbleschnitz, Jan 10 2011, 04:02 PM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Gnomeo Knibbleschnitz
Member Avatar
Administrator
“No!” Kubla whispered through his comlink as his adopted brother, Garza, raised his blaster rifle, preparing to fire on the Sith Master. “That’s not the way!”

Garza heeded Simmon’s words, but if you could see beneath his Mandalorian mask, you could tell that he was not happy. His eyes trailed past Darth Whatshisname to the body of the Mandalorian on the floor. His father.

“My Lord,” Kubla addressed the Sith, “They have overridden our defenses. We need to prepare ourselves.”

“They are not even Masters,” Whatshisname replied. “We have little to fear.”

“Nonetheless, master, my father was hired to protect you and this cruiser. Further discussion is warranted to protect us from these invaders.”

“How very conscientious of you, young Mandalorian. Very well, take whatever precautions that you feel are needed, but do not get in my way when the Jedi come. My master would be most displeased.”

A cold chill gripped the spine of Kubla at the mention of Darth Whatshisname’s master. He was very glad that that particular Dark Lord would be leaving the ship immediately, especially considering what Kubla planned on doing to Darth Whatshisname. Kubla stepped away from Darth Whatshisname, followed by his foster brother and friend to a small terminal in a far corner of the bridge. “Look, all three of you, we…”

“We need to kill that rat bastard!” Garza interjected now that they were away from the Dark Lord.

“I agree with my boy. Pops needs to be avenged,” Jo-Jo-Bean said.

“Hold on, the both of you,” Kubla declared. “Listen to me, if there’s one thing the code has taught me, we need to make sure we can win before…”

“The first shot is fired, yeah I get you,” Garza agreed.

“Listen, Jo-Jo-Bean, sit down at this computer and find out what happened to the defenses.”

Jo-Jo-Bean sat down compliantly and began working on the computer. “What the hell did he do?” the Mandalorian swore. “I’ve never seen work like this. That Khil got skills.”

“Not the Khil,” Garza said, “It was the Wookie.”

“No kidding,” Jo-Jo-Bean exclaimed. “Well, that furball knows what he’s doing. He over-road everything. Everything. Heck, we can’t even go out into the hall now, or we’ll get shot by our own defenses.”

“This might be what we were waiting for then,” Kubla said softly.

“What, lure Whatshisname out into the hall?”

“No. Be silent for a moment, let me think.” For the last several years, Kubla had been watching Darth Whathisname. And deep inside, Kubla knew that he had the same potential as he. Kubla remembered back to the first time he laid eyes on Darth Whatshisname. My destiny is tied up in the life and death of that one, he thought spontaneously.

Darth Whatshisname arrived at the camp of his foster father, Big Poppa, several years prior. Darth Whatshisname marched in and challenged Big Poppa to a duel for his position over his troops. It was uncommon for an outsider to do such, and even less common for a Sith to do it – it seemed somewhat beneath those high and mighty warriors, but nonetheless, Big Poppa accepted, and was defeated spectacularly by the Sith Master. And so it was, per the Mandalorian Code, Big Poppa and his family were required to serve Darth Whatshisname. He was even forced to take an oath. An oath that his sons were able to avoid taking.

For several long, interminable years, Big Poppa’s family did the will of the Sith. Sometimes, the tasks were glorious, and at others, they were down right demeaning. Nonetheless, Big Poppa served his master with distinction. And all the while, Kubla felt drawn to the Sith. He watched. He waited. He learned.

Kubla closed his eyes and envisioned the trio of Jedi that his father’s master faced. The Force seemed to guide him, and he felt that perhaps, just perhaps, there was a contact. He had never communicated this way, but he knew that it was possible. He tried a few words, but there was no response from the Jedi. So instead, he focused on images.

Big Poppa aligned the defenses, and then, when they were overcome, Darth Whatshisname stabbed Big Poppa through the chest. Images flashed of the despicable things that Big Poppa had been forced to do, and the awful things he asked his men to do on the Sith’s behalf. Finally, an image of the three Jedi coming through the blast doors on the bridge and facing Darth Whatshisname. When they did so, the trio of Mandalorians behind him betrayed the Sith, for they had not sworn allegiance to him, only Big Poppa had. Now they were free to do as they saw fit. Attacked form all sides, the Jedi and the Mandalorians would defeat Darth Whatshisname, and the Mandalorians would surrender the ship to the Jedi.

“It is done,” Kubla declared. His foster brother looked to him and nodded, knowing what had just passed. “The Jedi will come, and we will have our justice.”
Edited by Gnomeo Knibbleschnitz, Jan 10 2011, 04:09 PM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Gnomeo Knibbleschnitz
Member Avatar
Administrator
Session II-IV – There Ain’t Nothing a Few Thermal Detonators Can’t Do.

“My friends, we have an in,” Ayala declared after recovering from the vision. He explained what he saw to his companions, and assured them, “I think that if we attack, the Mandalorians will support us.”

“Awful big risk to put on a feeling,” Xamar said.

“The Force will guide us, young pilot,” Ayala assured him.

“Even without the vision, we need to get to that bridge and attempt to get the ship back,” Ratz declared. “If we are unsuccessful, then we will attempt to get back to the Dark Hawk and…”

A dark wind seemed to blow through the landing bay. The group had congregated on the far side by the computer where Getti was working. One by one, they turned, and they were transfixed by the presence of another individual.

A tall sinister body stood by the Dark Hawk. He was black cloaked, and his very presence seemed to paralyze all five men – Jedi and non-Jedi alike. The man wore an intimidating crimson mask and some type of brown body armor. Xamar recognized him immediately from the holograms. Darth Revan.

“I have come to take repossession of my ship, the Ebon Hawk. Send my greetings to my apprentice, and I hope that you give him an adequate work out, little Jedi.” With that, Darth Revan turned and strode up the ship’s plank. He disappeared within, and within moments, the ship lifted off and left the landing bay. As he left, Xamar realized that he hadn’t breathed the entire time the Sith was present in the hanger. He looked back at those moments and realized that it was as if all hope had left him when Revan was present. He hoped to whatever gods existed that he would never meet Revan face to face again.

“Well, looks like we’re stuck with plan A,” Ratz said, breaking the group out of their reverie.

“My ship…” muttered Xamar, and no one took any notice.

The group quickly examined the rest of the room, finding a trunk full of blaster rifles, a second trunk full of Thermal Detonators, and a third trunk with three crystals that were of special interest to Ratz. His eyes darted around nervously as he looked through the bag, but only Getti seemed to notice his discovery. The Trandoshan tied the small bag of crystals to his belt, and prepared for battle.

The lizard just took something, Getti protested. The Republic told us that any loot we found was ours!

“Don’t worry about it now, Getti,” Xamar said dismissively. “I’m more worried about my missing ship and surviving a duel with a Sith Lord than I am about loot from a weapon’s locker. The Republic better be reimbursing me for that!” Nonetheless, Getti fumed at the Trandoshan’s alleged theft.

Ratz pulled out fifteen thermal detonators, and passed them around – three to each person. “We could each use one or two of these. Watch out for friends, especially you two,” he said to the non-Jedi. “Plus we don’t know about the Mandalorians. If anyone shoots at us, consider them enemies.”

With a small amount of discussion, the Wookie and Khil elected to go to the bridge using the air duct system in the ship, whereas the Jedi chose a frontal approach. Both Getti and Xamar got into position quickly. They didn’t have long to wait when a massive explosion could be heard from behind the blast door in the bridge. With an enormous crash, the door flew inwards and crushed over half of the twenty battle droids on the front line. Immediately, blasters were fired, but what was most impressive about the whole thing was an unexpected explosion from the dais where the Jedi Master stood.

“This is for Artus, you bastard,” Kubla declared as he dropped a thermal detonator and blasted off of the platform using his jet pack. He dropped two additional thermal detonators into the rear ranks of the droids that defended the room. All three went off with a spectacular crash, and the Sith Lord was propelled from the platform into the corner of the bridge.

At that precise moment, Darth Kun lost his force grip on the Republic officer that he held in thrall above the chamber, and he began falling. With a howl, Getti burst from the air vent nearest to the falling soldier and grabbed the falling man in a bear hug. And from the opposite vent, Xamar hurled one end of his silk rope towards his ally. With cat-like grace, Getti took hold of the rope, and managed to descend to the floor perilously close to Darth Kun, rescuing the Republic officer successfully.

The battle that followed was dizzying to behold. Blaster fire from the droids was redirected back at them, and several lost arms, legs and heads to the onrushing Jedi. Ratz approached Darth Kun with a snarl, but was repulsed by a dome of dark side energy that erupted from the Dark Lord. The dome expanded, knocking him and Getti back, as well as killing the officer that the Wookie had just rescued.

Darth Kun followed up the Force attack by leaping from the floor back to the dais at the front of the room where the Mandalorians Jo-Jo-Bean and Garza still remained. The two retreated, covering themselves with a screen of blasterfire. Little of it penetrated the shroud of lightsaber defense that Kun placed around himself. However one thing that did penetrate his defenses was a well timed throw from Xamar up in the air duct. His thermal detonator anticipated where the Sith Lord would land, and it went off just as he hit the ground. Unable to react in time, the dark robed figure was propelled again from his perch, this time into the center of the room, right into the waiting hands of the Jedi.

Despite their reportedly low ranks – just one Jedi Knight and two Padawans – Xamar had to admit that the display of Force that the trio unleashed was impressive. Force slam after Force slam, followed by thermal detonators added by the Mandalorians and Xamar, and even the occasional bowcaster shot from Getti resulted in a staggering Dark Lord who simply was not prepared to face betrayal from the trained warriors that he fought alongside of, an additional opponent from the air duct, and three young Jedi who demonstrated that they were ready for the trials to anoint them all as Jedi Knights.

Stumbling from another detonation, Darth Kun staggered towards Ratz, who delivered an upward slash with his lightsaber. It cut through the dark lord’s armor, and the Sith fell to one knee. The Jedi prepared to end his life, when a jet packed individual landed between he and the Sith. Holding out a hand to stay the Jedi, Kubla fired a wire from his opposite gauntlet, which wrapped around the Sith’s neck. The young Mandalorian ripped off his own helmet and gazed into the eyes of his foster father’s killer.

“My son…” the Sith creaked, staring right at Kubla. For a moment, the young man’s determination faltered, then with renewed vigor, he tugged at the wire, which subsequently snapped the Sith Lord’s neck, ending his life.
Edited by Gnomeo Knibbleschnitz, Jan 16 2011, 10:40 PM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Gnomeo Knibbleschnitz
Member Avatar
Administrator
Session III-I – Xamar’s New Ride.

Dramatis Persona

Xamar Mindalusia – 6th level Khil Scoundrel and Pilot.

Getti – 6th level Wookie Scout/Scoundrel co-pilot.

Kubla – 5th level Human Mandalorian Soldier/Jedi.

Ayala – 5th level Human Jedi.

Ratz – 5th level Trandoshan Jedi.


The duo of Xamar and Getti sat across the table from Senator Proll Dilx of Kaikielius. The human senator seemed mildly uncomfortable around non-humans, but he did his best to hide it. Xamar considered his offer carefully. Getti did not offer any words, leaving Xamar to decide for himself.

“So let me make sure that I understand you. You want to hire us as permanent retainers, and place us in your merchant marine?”

“Essentially,” Senator Dilx said, relieved that he was understood. Secretly, Dilx felt that all non-humans were inherently stupid, and he was pleased that the fleshy mouthed Khil was intelligent enough to grasp the simple concept of employment.

“Who would we be responsible to?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Where would we get our orders from?” Xamar said, re-phrasing the question. The Khil was mildly frustrated with the mid-level senator, whom seemed to be barely intelligent enough to negotiate with the pilot.

“Well, the Senate would contract for your services on a case by case basis.”

“So we are to answer to any senator?”

“Well, yes and no. It would be either the Appropriations Committee, the War Office, the Trade Commission, the Ways and Means Committee, the Budget Task Force, myself, the Chancellor, or the Force for Unrestrained Communication Keepers. Oh, or the Social Hereditary Intelligence Taskforce.”

Xamar arched an eyebrow at Getti, who was quite surprised by the not-so-modest beaurocracy that sought to hire them. “Too complicated,” Xamar said. The beaurocrat blinked in surprise. “We will consider the offer if we answer to one committee. We need a clear chain of command. And if the Trade Commission wants to borrow our services from the War Office, then they can deal with the War Office themselves, and then the War Office will come to us on the Trade Commission’s behalf.”

Proll Dilx did his best to follow Xamar’s reasoning, and naturally rebelled against the simplicity and lack of red tape involved with this kind of arrangement. “Very well. Point conceded.”

“So we will be on retainer for the government, but will not be official Republic employees, correct?”

“That is correct.”

“Benefits?”

“Well, you have the benefit of knowing that you are serving the Republic and helping to provide peace and stability for hundreds of trillions of thinking beings!”

“I was talking about pension, healthcare, vacations…”

“Oh, yes, well… as a contracted employee, we did not consider…”

“Well consider it. Instead of healthcare, we’d be satisfied with a bacta tank to be installed on the new ship that you will provide to replace the old ship that was stolen from us on our last mission for the Republic, you know, the one where we were almost killed by Darth Kun.”

“Ah, yes, well…”

“And let’s talk about hazard pay, because twice now we were supposed to be only couriers, and we were sent into situations where our life was endangered by individuals who have the capacity to get inside my skull and make it explode. We don’t terribly like those kind of situations, but are willing to work in them with adequate compensation. Therefore, we would like our monthly retainer fee to be increased to 2,000 per month, with additional bonuses depending upon the mission achieved, as well as an adequate stake in any items discovered on said mission that are not exclusively Republic property.”

For a moment, the human resembled a Mon-Calamari who was in a very dry environment. His mouth opened and closed several times and it was as if he were gasping for air. “Well, I’ll, ahm, have to check with the committee, and ahm…”

I think you’re a kriffin xenophobic quack without two bits of sense between those ears! Getti brayed, more for the effect of the howl than for the words expressed. For effect, he stood up and began pacing behind the senator’s chair.

“Getti would like resolution of this as quick as possible,” Xamar said, as if translating.

“Well, I have been authorized to grant you rights to a Barloz-Class Cruiser…”

Not just no. Hell no. Those things handle like bantha pudu.

I know, Xamar brayed back in Wookie. Khil were one of the few races that could imitate Shyriiwook wounds due to the multiple hullepi that hung from their face. I used to own one. “Hmmm… My copilot is unsatisfied with that option. We heard that Corellia Stardrives has produced a limited number of special XS Stock Light Freighters.”

“You are well informed,” Dilx observed, suddenly becoming more serious. The faint air of incompetence that had previously hung over the senator disappeared as he warmed up to the change in topic. “Those are not yet available to the public.”

“Yes, well, the Republic isn’t exactly the public. My understanding is that the test model has been released, and that several government officials have been able to test out the new technology. I would like to be one of those officials.” Xamar could see in Dilx’s eyes that he was a starcraft-lover. “You’ve been given one, haven’t you? How does it fly?”

The senator looked about nervously, then with pride he exclaimed, “Like a dream! It handles magnificently. The speed is more than I’ve ever flown – it’s the perfect ship. Blows away the earlier Dynamic Class shuttle nonsense.”

“And much better than that Barloz pudu you wanted to feed me.”

“Well, yes,” he agreed sheepishly. “Look, I can see that you are well informed, and you know your way around your spacecraft. I have a friend in the Senate Appropriations Committee that may be able to help you obtain one…”

“With a Bacta Tank.”

Possibly with a Bacta Tank, though that may take a little longer to finagle because of the war. I want you to know that I will now consider you my personal agent. I work for the Social Hereditary Intelligence Taskforce, and you answer to me first, but if I am unavailable, you will fall to the Secretary of the taskforce.”

The trio of Senator Dilx, Getti and Xamar went on towards more pleasant negotiations, and overall, Xamar was pleased with the results. They were unsuccessful, however, in obtaining rights to the crystals that Ratz had obtained on their last mission, and this aggravated the Wookie tremendously. “They’re Jedi,” was all that Dilx could say.

Now, Xamar found himself the owner of a not-yet-released to the public Corellian Stardrives XS Stock Light Freighter. It was delivered within a few weeks, and much happened over that time period.

* * *

It was evening in Coruscant. The Khil never quite got used to Coruscant. Even though it hosted its fair share of striving metropolises, Belnar, the Khil home planet, also possessed a fair number of swamps, and wide open plains that Xamar found himself most comfortable in. He was a solitary creature by nature, though he tolerated the presence of others. There were few that he truly enjoyed being with. The Wookie was one, and the Mandalorians were growing on him some, but overall, he enjoyed his solitude.

That evening, he travelled to The Crested Rishii, a pub in midtown Coruscant. It wasn’t quite seedy, but it was in no way a hangout for the prosperous. Xamar knew the owner, Asbuloth, an avian Rishii himself. Xamar never spent much time in the outer rim, or the unknown regions, and places like Rishi fascinated him. Xamar, who required no serious drink for sustenance, often went to the Crested Rishii just to speak with Asbuloth. He would order generously from Asbuloth’s drink menu, and would simply spend hours learning about other places. The Rishii was well travelled, and he truly enjoyed the avian’s company.

It was no different that evening. The Crested Rishii was about fifteen minutes away from the Jedi Temple, where he was presently residing while the Jedi tried to figure out what to do with Kubla. He, Pav, Garza, and Getti were not permitted in the main Jedi barracks, but they were allowed a room in the guest suites. Xamar had let the others know where he would be that evening, but he expressly did not invite them to come along. No one but Getti seemed to care.

“We have visitors,” the Rishii bartender whistled at Xamar.

Noting the tenseness in his acquaintance, and also knowing the bird-man’s feelings about the matter, Xamar asked, “Bounty Hunters?”

“Yeah, and it looks like they may be looking for you,” he said as he stood up and served another customer.

Xamar froze. What should he do? He’d never had a bounty on his head, and he couldn’t think of anything he may have done to earn one! What did one do in this sort of circumstance? His first impulse was to run, but he knew that that wouldn’t quite work out, especially if the bounty hunter was by the door. So Xamar stood and moved towards the refresher, not looking at the doorway until the walk to the refresher naturally allowed for it. The Khil, whose dark sunken eyes provided some shielding when trying to determine where one was looking, quickly scanned the bounty hunter.

Asbuloth was wrong. There wasn’t one bounty hunter, there were five. The most prominent among them held his hand to his ear, and spoke into a comlink. He had a large purple visor attached to a helmet that boasted a variety of lights and technology. He pointed around the bar, directing his companions. Then his eye fell upon Xamar a second before he reached the fresher. The bounty hunter folded his arms in satisfaction, and appeared to be waiting by the front door.

Pudu, Xamar cursed. His fear slowly changed to anger. Then hate. Who would do this to him? It was insulting! Well, then, it’s time to turn the tide on the ambusher, and hunt the hunter. With an easy leap, the Khil vaulted himself onto the top of one of the privacy doors, and he squeezed his way to a vent. He removed the vent covering easily, then slid inside without difficulty. Deciding on thoroughness versus speed, he then sealed the vent with a small welder that he had obtained from his time on Hsskor. The welder was actually a part of his cybernetic arm – one of two that was given to him when he fought with the Sith Lord there, and she cut it off to punish and break him. No one knew that he had cybernetics, not even Getti. Xamar was a Khil who liked to keep his secrets.

With the vent cover welded shut, Xamar moved through the crawl space easily. He reached a fork, and decided to take the one that moved towards the outside, rather than go deeper into the building. Xamar got to the end, and noted that it terminated in a dark alley next to the Rishii. He had never been down there, and he weighed the options. Wait it out, and hope they leave, escape, or confront. Xamar smiled grimly as he popped off the screen. Nobody put a mark on him. Nobody.

Landing neatly on his feet, Xamar took note of a street vendor selling cloaks. He bought one, and a large hat as well. The hat was made for a Cerean, so it stood rather tall. The cloak’s hood extended to the top of the hat, and the agent of the Sith changed his posture. He then found a paper bag with a bottle – empty – and sat down, appearing as if he were a drunk Cerean, hiding deep beneath the cowl of his robe.

After about five minutes, the lead bounty hunter with the purple visor stepped out, followed by his companions. He pointed around the area, directing each of them, and they scattered, searching for Xamar. One of them walked right by the Khil. The lead hunter went down the very alley that Xamar had just come out of.

It was in that alley that the bounty hunter looked up and discovered the open ventilation shaft where Xamar had descended from. It was also the place where he discovered the shocking sensation of a stun bolt.

“Hello there,” Xamar said. “My name’s Xamar Mindalusia, but I suppose you already know that. I don’t recognize you. What are you called, human?”

The human thrashed about for a moment. The stun bolt that Xamar had used shocked individuals, and rendered their peripheral nervous system inoperable for about a minute. They could usually speak and hear though. This particular human either chose not to, or was unable.

Shrugging, Xamar reached to his own comlink, “Hey, Getti, how goes it? I’d like you to come and get me. I’m at The Crested Rishii. Oh, and if they are willing, bring the Jedi. I could use some backup.”

When he finished the convulsing, the bounty hunter had lain prone, but at the word, ‘Jedi,’ there was a noticeable stiffening to his posture. “Forget this,” he declared, rolling deftly to his stomach, then springing up while activating his jetpack, “No bounty is worth facing Jedi, even if it is a Hutt hiring!”

Xamar watched him fly away, and offered a half-hearted second stun shot at him, but it missed, and the bounty hunter got away. The Khil vowed to never let that happen again. No one put a bounty on his head. No one.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Gnomeo Knibbleschnitz
Member Avatar
Administrator
Session III-II – In the Jungle, the Mighty Jungle, the Rancor Sleeps Tonight.

“Well,” Ayala said pompously, “if you have a bounty on your head, I’m not sure if we Jedi should be seen with you. After all, we who serve peace and prosperity should not be in association with riff raff who are running around with marks on them.”

Ratz and Kubla didn’t seem to agree, but neither did they disagree. Getti worked diligently on his hand-held, until he declared, Bubba the Hutt. He has been known to work with a certain Sith Lord.

“Sith Lord?” Xamar asked, not fully translating for the group.

Darth Bandon.

“Oh, Bandon. I see.” Xamar sighed deeply, content with the knowledge. It was less stressful to him now that he knew the reason. Turning to the Jedi, he said, “Just before we met – it was actually one of the reasons we were hired to bring you to the Protector – Getti, myself and a bounty hunter named Tarlis rescued a Sith prisoner from Onderan. To do so, we forged documents in Darth Bandon’s name. We walked in with the documents, rescued the Prince of Onderan, and walked out of the base. I guess Bandon found out and didn’t take kindly to it. So he contracted a Hutt. How unoriginal.”

“Hmmf,” Ayala said, staring at the Khil mistrustfully. “Well, if that’s all it is, I suppose you’re fine.”

“From what I hear, our next mission will be on Nal Hutta, so I’m sure we’ll find a way to… work it out when we get there.”

“Well, that’s changed, pilot,” Ayala said. “It appears that we are to travel instead to Felucia. Have you ever heard of Felucia, little Khil?”

“Yeah, Thanium Sector, thanks. I am a pilot, you know.”

“Right, then, very well. Apparently the Sith have made overtures towards the planet. They have sent a small advance team to Felucia, and we are tasked to discover their purpose, gather information on them, and if we are able, to stop whatever it is they are doing.”

“Sounds delightful,” Xamar said. “What about the… Padawans?”

“Well, I’m proud to say that my first two Padawans, Ratz and Pav, have been promoted to Jedi Knight! And since I was so successful in my first term as instructor, I have been granted the responsibility of teaching good Kubla here in the basics of Jedi life. He is my new Padawan!” Ayala beamed.

Within a day, the smaller group was sent off to Felucia. The Jedi Council insisted on a team that had limited numbers, so Jo-Jo Bean, Pav and Garza were left on Coruscant. The trip to the Outer Rim took longer than Xamar liked being stuck in the ship with the pompous Jedi Knight and his two underlings, but Xamar managed to elude them much of the time by examining his new ship. The XS Stock Freighter was christened with the name, “Hidden Strength,” partly in token to how he felt that he was frequently underestimated, and partly in token to the power that he knew dwelt beneath his skin. He wasn’t quite sure what he meant by it himself, but the possibility of examining the powers he now had existed within him.

But instead of that, Xamar spent the time on the trip to Felucia devising plans to either get the tag off of his head, or to get back at Bubba the Hutt and Darth Bandon. He had come up with several ideas, as well as several ideas for fighting Dark Jedi when the hyperspace alarm went off.

“Looks like we’re here,” Xamar said to Getti. “Should we alert the passengers?”

I’m sure the Force will let them know. That or the jolt as we come out of lightspeed.

“I’m sure they’d claim the Force.”

“Was someone speaking of the force?” Ayala asked as he entered the cockpit.

“Looks like we’re here,” Xamar said.

Translating for Getti, a replacement protocol droid said, “It appears that the Sith have set up a small outpost just north of the equator on the largest of the continents. The outpost is significantly inland, and lies near a mountain range.”

“Check for ion trails, Getti. See if the Sith have any ships around here.”

With a grunt, Getti hit a button, and on the viewscreen, faint blue ion trails were visible. Pointing towards one, Getti’s translator said, “It appears that a warship left that less than a day ago. And there are various other smaller signatures that terminate in the atmosphere.”

“Well, Jedi, where to?”

Ayala opened his mouth to speak, but the now knighted Ratz said, “Put us down about two day’s march from the outpost. Far enough away that we will be difficult to find, but close enough that we can get there easily.”

“You’re the boss,” Xamar said, looking to see if Ayala took offense. It did not appear that he did, though there was a slight stiffening of Kubla’s shoulders. Xamar then realized that Kubla had been trained by a Sith Lord himself, and he probably knew intimate details on how the bases operated. The Khil smiled to himself, wondering if he could put a few kinks into the Jedis’ arrogant displays of solidarity, not for the purpose of endangering the mission, for Xamar and Getti were being paid well, but more for the chance to stick it to those who loved to lord their power over others. This Kubla could provide him with quite a bit of social interaction entertainment. The Khil loved awkward situations.

The entry into atmosphere and landing went smoothly. The Hidden Strength handled better than any other ship he had piloted. It was nearly as easy to pilot as some fighters. When they landed, Getti set about putting some security subroutines to work, and the group prepared for departure. Their departure was delayed, however, by three humongous Rancors that surrounded the ship. And on each, was a blue haired man with glowing blue staffs.

“Rancor Riders,” Ratz observed. “I kind of expected this.”

“Are the Rancors the men, or the beasts?” Kubla asked.

“The beasts, my young Padawan,” Ayala instructed, though it was likely that Kubla was, in fact, older than Ayala.

“They look mean,” Kubla noted.

Unperturbed, Ratz stepped off of the Power, and bowed to the Riders. One of the riders lifted his staff, shook it in the air twice, and made a loud shout. The trio of Rancor Riders turned around and left without further conflict. Everyone breathed easier as they departed.

They spent the afternoon finding cover for the ship. They had a small amount of camouflage netting on the ship already, though it really wasn’t up to the quality that Xamar would have preferred. He made a note to himself to make a list of improvements and supplies that he would need, especially considering his pending war with Bubba the Hutt and Darth Bandon.

The day’s travel went mostly without incident. The trails were large and easy to follow, and there were several that went in the direction of the Sith base. Getti’s hand-held computer provided them with direction, and they made good time by the computer’s estimation. They reached a clearing with a large tree in the center of it towards evening, and they decided to make camp up the tree to avoid any ground dwellers. They guestimated the height of the Rancors that they saw the Felucians riding, and ceased their climb about there. The only problem was, the Felucians were riding the smaller female mares. But Felucia also was home to the much larger bulls.

“Whatever that is, that sounds big,” Kubla’s voice said, waking any were not asleep. The Mandalorian’s anxiety was almost palpable. Suddenly, a giant bull Rancor rode into site, unearthing trees before it, and it was headed directly towards the group. And if the movement in the trees behind it were any sign, it wasn’t the only one.

The mammoth beast let out a roar and charged the tree with Kubla in it. The Mandalorian gritted his teeth beneath his mask and let out his own roar. A force blast plastered into the creature, and the quartet witnessed a several ton mass propelled off of its feet and it crashed into the jungle floor. “I think I’m going to like being a Jedi,” Kubla’s voice intoned over their comlinks.

The second bull saw its compatriot slammed to the ground, but it did not consider that a deterrent to making its own attack. With a second, even more intimidating roar, it too charged. Getti shot the monster twice with his bowcaster as it charged, but it seemed to shrug off the blasts with only minor annoyance. Xamar, who was in the same tree, fired his much smaller hand blaster, and he would have sworn that one of his shots seemed to reflect off of the thing’s greasy skin, though the other seemed to strike it. The Khil braced himself for impact as the bull Rancor neared his tree. Getti managed to leap off of the tree and grab a vine in escape. Before the beast reached Xamar’s tree, however, it, too, found itself lifted off of its feet and thrown several meters to land on its companion.

If it wasn’t so terrifying, it would have been humorous to watch the two Rancors claw and scratch at each other as they were sprawled across the forest floor. Xamar took note of a rather thick tree near the two, and one of the Rancors howled in rage, unleashing its might on the vegetation. The nearly eighty foot tree plummeted to the ground as a victim of the things anger, and it turned to begin another charge at the quartet as its ally regained its own footing. Fortunately, the Force was with them.

All three of the Jedi present benefitted from the tutelage of Master To Din Jo, who instructed Ayala and Ratz prior to his death. To Din Jo was especially gifted in telekinesis, and he shared that intimate knowledge with that common Jedi ability with the duo, who successfully passed it on to Kubla. Their savant-like power over telekinesis showed itself as one of the three – Xamar couldn’t tell which – lifted the two beasts and crashed them together. The Mandalorian took flight, and started unloading his repeat blaster rifle on the first of the two, and if the Khil was reading the creatures correctly, he was beginning to make headway. Thick drops of blood dripped from the blast burns that looked like little more than weeping pimples on the Rancor’s flesh.

The process repeated itself for quite some time. The Rancors were lifted up and slammed into each other while the Mandalorian, Getti and Xamar shot the things with their weapons. The first seemed as if it were about to fall, when one of them howled in anger, but the trumpeting bellow of the beast was more purposeful than a shout of anger.

“Oh damn,” Kubla exclaimed. “The thing’s got friends.”

And he was correct. From a few hundred yards away, the answering cry of a bull rancor was heard, and more than a few of the group witnessed the movement in the distant trees that heralded the approach of another beast. “Finish these up, guys,” Xamar cried out nervously, “there’s more coming!”

“We’re doing all we can, pilot,” Ayala declared, for the first time showing agitation at the Khil.

The sounds of the newly approaching Rancor came nearer, and the Mandalorian took matters into his own hands. Holstering his rifle, he drew his lightsaber. With a snarl heard through his mask, the human landed on the lead Rancor’s head and stabbed into the skull with his blade. The smell of burnt Rancor flesh wafted through the area, and it was as if the sounds and throws of the dying rancor urged the other on to further madness. Getti hit it with yet another blast, and the creature howled in agony. And as it did so, Xamar threw a thermal detonator at it. The throw was good, but even more than that, it was as if the Force directed the throw, and it embedded itself deep within the gullet of the second bull rancor. And within moments, it exploded, spilling puddles of burnt Rankor essence about them all. It was just in time for them to welcome the third Rancor.

The last of the beasts focused in on Xamar’s tree. The Khil had turned away from it, and before it reached the tree, a Wookie bearing vine swung by, with said Wookie taking hold of Xamar and swinging away before the tree was annihilated by the beast’s charge. It swung one of its meaty paws at Kubla, who was still standing upon the head of the first slain rancor, but the Mandalorian Jedi managed to lift off the ground with a combination of his Jedi reflexes and his jetpack. The limb tore through the head of the fallen Rancor, doing far more damage to the dead creature in one hit than any of the Jedi or their companions could lay claim to.

In tandem, the two Jedi Knights Ayala and Ratz lifted the beast up in a firm hold, and Kubla killed it with a few precision strokes of his lightsaber despite its impotent rage.

Xamar closed his eyes and wondered what he had gotten himself into.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Gnomeo Knibbleschnitz
Member Avatar
Administrator
Session III-III – With Friends Like This…

With all of the stress of the night, none of the group was able to get back to sleep. So they decided to get moving early. They arrived near the Sith outpost, and decided to rest for a bit. Kubla with his soldiering background immediately set himself to examining the tactical layout. The Jedi conversed about their best approach with the assistance of Xamar’s binoculars.

“It looks like there are two black robed men there, and from what I can tell about seven or eight armed guards on duty,” Xamar observed. “I can make out two shuttle craft as well. There are turrets on each corner.”

“We may have two Sith Lords to deal with,” Ratz observed unhappily.

“Should we turn back?” Ayala asked. “I’m not sure we can defeat two Sith Lords.”

“There are other options besides fighting,” Xamar commented, mildly disappointed that the Jedi immediately turned towards martial matters. “We aren’t here to fight, we’re here to gather information.”

Ratz looked at the pilot with mild irritation when Kubla, who had been viewing the base from different angles, returned, “Listen, don’t make any plans without me, I’m trying to check out what they’ve got. There are…”

“That’s fine, Padawan,” Ratz said dismissively, reflecting some of his frustration with Xamar at the Mandalorian-turned-Jedi. “We’re talking now. It would be appropriate for you to wait until we’re done speaking before introducing your thoughts.” Immediately, a tenseness gripped Kubla’s demeanor. Without a word, he turned on his heel and continued examining the defensive setup.

“It is true, pilot, that our primary mission is intelligence gathering, but there are two Sith Lords present, as well as an outpost that could be a preliminary to invasion. If we can loosen their potential hold on the planet, it would be wise,” Ayala said thoughtfully.

“One Sith Lord,” Xamar corrected.

“You said two.”

“Look. One shuttle is leaving.” It was true. As they watched, one of the shuttles took off, apparently heading into the atmosphere.

“Look,” Ratz said, “Now that there’s only one Sith, our odds of success just increased dramatically. Let’s send the pilot and the hairball back to their ship. They can make a pass on the base as a distraction while we infiltrate and begin attacking from inside. One of us will disable the cannons, they can land and maybe help with mopping up.”

“You don’t think that Getti’s bowcaster would be useful against a contingent of guards and a Sith Lord?” Xamar asked, noting his friend’s barely concealed disapproval of the plan. In addition, the thought of trekking back through the jungle on a two day journey without help from the Jedi terrified him.

“Well, I suppose,” Ratz said dismissively, “But things like blasters are nowhere near as powerful as the force. I think that between the three of us, we should be able to stop them all now.”

“I’m still not sure that we can do this. We don’t know how many guards, and what kind of troops are present. Are they shock troops? Sith Troopers? Assassins? Any droids? Is this Sith an apprentice, or a master? There are too many variables for me to feel comfortable with an all out assault on the base.”

“We could use some distractions,” Xamar offered.

“We don’t need any more distractions, we need firepower!” Ayala said.

Don’t listen to that impotent windbag. What do you mean?

“I don’t know. What about… staging a Rancor stampeed? We could piss off a bull or two, and lead them to the base. Then perhaps fly the Asyyyriak in and take out a few turrets while they are oriented on the beasts. Maybe one of you guys could toss one or two bulls into the camp itself and let it do the fighting for us?”

The Jedi considered the Khil’s ideas while Kubla returned. He looked at the quartet discussing the matter, snorted and moved to the opposite end of the clearing. He sat down and stared directly at the group, just out of earshot.

“My, my, somebody’s not happy with being an apprentice, now, is he?” Xamar said. “Somebody should learn how to treat their Padawans a little nicer.”

“It wasn’t my fault,” Ratz growled. “He was interrupting, and wanting to control everything. That’s not his place.”

Well, he is a former Sith soldier. Maybe, just maybe, he may have a good read on the defenses we’re facing?

“Getti says we should ask him what he thinks,” Xamar said, but neither Jedi moved to ask the Mandalorian.

With a knowing snort, Xamar looked over to Kubla and called out, “So what did you see, Mandalorian? What are our odds of success?”

“Apparently, my observations are not desired,” the human replied.

“By the almighty Jedi, perhaps,” Xamar agreed. “But the Wookie and I would like to know what you think.”

With a deliberate sigh, Kubla stood and came over to the group. He gave what passed for a dark look on his masked face to the Jedi, and turned to Xamar, “This is a foreward outpost. It is intended not for invasion, but for exploration. The defenses are rudimentary, but adequate. There should be about twenty guards all bearing blaster rifles, and typically there would be no more than one, maybe two, force sensitives. It is odd that two potential masters would be present, but one of them has left, apparently.”

“Can we take them?”

“It depends. If we work together like we did on those Rancors, I believe we can, but a lot of that depends on the Sith. I don’t know what his rank is. It also depends on whether or not any reinforcements arrive, because I don’t think that that shuttle had lightspeed capability, and that means there’s a capital ship in orbit.”

Ratz considered the Padawan’s words, then said, “I would like a little more information before we plunge headlong into this. Let us walk the perimeter of the base, looking for anything else first, and perhaps get a read on any nearby nests of Rancor, or other potential allies.”

I never took the Trandoshans for cowards, Getti observed scornfully, But this one definitely seems as yellow as his scales.

The group moved a quarter way around the camp, when they saw a gate the base’s north wall. A path led from the gate and moved towards a mountain that overlooked the site. What appeared to be a mine was there, and two guards stood at the entrance to the mine. It was then that the gate opened, and the Sith Lord stepped out. Upon fully viewing the Sith, a strange thing happened to most of the party. Fear clutched at their chests, and each one, save Getti, had trouble drawing breath. Xamar likened it to when he saw Darth Revan on the Protector. It was as if all happiness had left the world, and all that was left was insecurity, doubt, and fear. The effect was noticeable on all of the Jedi, until the Sith walked straight by the two guards without a greeting, and entered the cave.

“Wow,” Ayala said in a moment of vulnerability. “This may be tougher than we thought.”

With a bray, Getti raised his bowcaster and set sights on one of the mine guards. Sick of the constant debate over whether to attack or not, and recognizing that their foe was now potentially trapped in an underground cavern, the Wookie sought to take advantage.

“What are you doing, furball?!?” Ratz demanded.

“He says he’s sick of waiting,” Xamar translated indifferently. “He’s attacking.”

“You’re endangering the mission,” the Trandoshan declared. “If you proceed, I will kill you,” he threatened.

Suddenly, a dark mood presided over the group. The honor bound Mandalorian looked at one of his teachers with disdain, then to Ayala. Xamar prepared to do something that he swore to himself over and over that he would not do. Ratz’s lightsaber was now lit, and the Trandoshan moved to stand directly in front of the Wookie.

It seemed like an hour to Xamar. He wasn’t sure what would happen. He could sense the Wookie’s trigger finger tightening, but then relaxing. The Trandoshan as well snarled repeatedly, preparing to deflect the Wookie’s attack, then preparing to behead the creature that he now viewed as a traitor to the mission.

“This is not the best way to attack,” Ayala said, waiving his hand over the Wookie.

Getti blinked, and stared blankly at Ayala, This isn’t the best way to attack.

“I think we should stick to the plan and get the ship.”

We should stick to the plan and get the Asyyyriak, Getti agreed with a distant, unfocused look in his eye.

Xamar nearly vomited as he watched these Jedi bewitch his friend. It was everything that he hated in the Jedi, right in front of them. They didn’t need to resort to threatening and tricking. The Khil himself could have talked Getti down, had they just asked him to. But they didn’t. Instead, they forced the Wookie to do what they wanted to. And when threats didn’t work, they simply used powers that the Wookie could not defend against. It was disgusting. It seemed very Sith-like to the pilot.

Putting his hand on the Wookie’s shoulder, Xamar led him a few meters away from the tense Jedi, and considered leaving with the Wookie to get back to the ship and leaving the Jedi there. No commission was worth this kind of treatment. He didn’t really like his options, for that would put him fully under either the direction of the Sith, or perhaps on his own in the fringe. Whatever the outcome, continuing with the Jedi was NOT something he wanted to pursue.

It was then that things went from bad to worse. The mine door opened, and the Sith appeared with the same terror inducing presence as before. But oddly, the man turned on the guards and beheaded them both. Then, unaware of the presence of the watching Republic strike team, the dark Force user strode towards the base. And for a reason unbeknownst to Xamar, Ratz suddenly howled in rage and ran forward to attack the Sith.

“What is that fool doing?” Xamar demanded. Ayala the Impotent, as Xamar was beginning to think of him, shrugged, and followed his companion. The Mandalorian, too, leapt into the air, and his jetpack engaged. “Getti, snap out of it. We need to get into the base and make sure that the soldiers don’t turn the guns on us! C’mon, let’s go.”

As Xamar and Getti sprinted for the base, the Khil caught some of the battle out of the corner of his eye. Force lightning sprung from the Sith’s fingertips, and Ratz was thrown dozens of yards away. Attempts to force slam the Sith were repulsed by the dark robed Force user, and various shots from the Mandalorian’s blaster were repulsed by their foe’s lightsaber. As bad as that battle was turning out, Xamar did not look forward to his own upcoming battle against as many as twenty Sith soldiers.

The gate to the base was easily opened by the duo, and they entered the compound to face a grizzly scene. Littered throughout the complex were bodies of dead Sith soldiers. Apparently, the Sith Lord had cut through them all. Blaster burns were present on a few – testament to the dark lord’s ability to redirect bolts back at their source. Upon quick assessment, no reason could be determined as to the Sith’s actions. Who was the aggressor, the Sith or the soldiers?

“Looks like you should be ok in here, Getti. Get to one of the consoles and figure out what happened. Then get out back as soon as you can!”

The Wookie brayed his agreement, and Xamar turned back to the door of the base. The whirring lightsabers of the Jedi had driven the Sith back a few steps, and he was getting perilously close to Xamar. With a hopeful shrug, the double agent clicked the button on his thermal detonator and rolled it towards the oncoming Sith. The explosion was spectacular, and served to redirect the Sith away from the base. Xamar followed up with a few more blaster bolts, none of which seemed to affect the Sith Lord.

A deep chill settled over Xamar as he watched the Sith Master work. Sharp tendrils of smoke whistled about the man as he clenched his fist and pumped it. A wave of power shimmered about him and struck the two Jedi, knocking them back. Kubla continued raining down blaster bolts and Force attacks from above, unmolested by the dark powers below him.

Recognizing the impotence of his blaster against a dark lord of the Sith, Xamar bolted back inside the base and ran to one of the blaster turrets. He got there, and the controls seemed to be unresponsive to him. He attempted some quick hacking, but was unsuccessful. He spat in anger, then ran down the one turret back to the courtyard. Should he try the other turret, or should he return to the fray? In hope, he ran to the second, thinking of different subroutines or slicing techniques he could use. Selecting one or two from his repertoire, he confidently entered the other tower, and it responded easily to his commands. Shrugging, the Khil began aligning the cannon towards the Sith. It was then that all hell broke loose.

The last cannon turned and aligned itself at the combatants. The Trandoshan Jedi had his back to the cannon and stood between it and the Sith. A soft hum could be felt throughout the base as the turret fired. Ratz was struck in the back, and he crumpled under the blast, having suffered from Force lightning and various other attacks earlier. In a despondent rage, Kubla Force ripped a thirty foot tree from the ground and dropped it on the Sith lord. Xamar then unleashed blast after blast from his own turret, repeatedly glancing at the other one warily. The blasts struck the ground near where the Sith lord was buried beneath the tree, and a hole formed, leading right to the Sith.

Kubla landed by the hole, and steadily took out his own thermal detonators. He had two left, and he pressed both releases. He tossed them both into the hole, and maintained his position to prevent the Sith from escaping or launching the grenades back out. The Sith did not, and both detonators exploded magnificently. The force from the explosion propelled the heavily armored Mandalorian backwards several dozen feet. The char covered human landed on his back, knocked unconscious by the blast.

The Jedi and Xamar thought that the battle was finished, when all four of the base’s cannons realigned themselves in their direction. Xamar checked his telemetry, however, and noted that all of the blasts would miss the group, so he decided against an override attempt. Then, the powerful cannons unleashed their full force on the mine entrance. Shot after shot reverberated, and the mines collapsed. It was then that Xamar appreciated the full power of these blasts, and it was obvious to him that the blast that hit Ratz was reduced some.

The mines collapsed spectacularly, and before long, the Wookie ran out of the base at top speed. He dropped to one knee by the fallen Ratz, and injected him with a substance before anyone could stop him. Kubla and Ayala each tensed, feeling as if they should stop the Wookie, but they did not. Within moments, Ratz opened his eyes, then rolled over and vomited.

“That Wookie cretin shot me...” Ratz murmured as he drifted off to sleep.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Gnomeo Knibbleschnitz
Member Avatar
Administrator
Session III-IV – Another Way

It was eerie. No one spoke. Ayala picked up his fallen comrade and brought him back to the base. Xamar helped load the Jedi into a bacta tank that was thankfully ready to receive patients. Kubla searched the rest of the field for any debris, or signs of danger. Getti managed the cannons, which were re-aligned to the sky in preparation for a possible response from the Sith capital ship in orbit.

Both Ayala and Kubla looked at both Getti and Xamar mistrustfully. The conflict between Ratz and the Wookie was clearly evident, as was the friendship between Xamar and he. In addition, Xamar was the last person inside of the turret before it fired on Ratz.

Xamar quite honestly didn’t know what happened. He supposed that his attempts to override the turret could have caused it to malfunction. It was even possible that the turret confused the Trandoshan with his Sith opponent. But was it possible that his friend deliberately shot an ally in the back? And if so, why would he run out and apply a stim-pack to him right afterwards?

Hatred of Trandoshans ran deep in the blood of the Wookie race. And the interactions between the Jedi and the pilots didn’t help any. Xamar would be the first to say that Ratz had something coming to him, but he was pretty sure that he could not sanction an outright backstab on him in the middle of a battle with a Sith lord!

Throughout the rest of the day it was the same. Silence amongst them. They secured the perimeter without comment. They examined the facility, searching for any information they could find. Oddly, they could not discover the name of the fallen Sith. The body had disintegrated, probably from a combination of several thermal detonators and the Force.

Ayala and Kubla took turns standing vigil outside of Ratz’s bacta tank. Xamar suspected that the truth of it was that they were also standing guard to protect him from the pilot and/or his co-pilot. Xamar waited until Ayala turned over the duties to Kubla to speak.

At first, it was as if words were simply inappropriate. They had remained silent for hours. Even the sounds of the base – the power cuplings, the shifting walls and floors, the hum of the generators – all seemed to be muffled.

“You fought well. Truly inspiring. It spoke well of your training and your heritage.”

Kubla snorted. “Why did you do it?”

“Feel free to use whatever kind of Force technique you want on me, but I will honestly say that I did nothing deliberately to attack the Trandoshan.”

The Mandalorian looked at Xamar with a look of intense concentration. “I’m no good at that. I learned from the Sith, and they don’t spend much time on that. That’s a Jedi technique. One I haven’t learned yet.”

“Well, I don’t ask you to trust me, but I would ask you to believe me. I had nothing to do with that shooting, unless I messed up some sort of programming on it when I tried to hack in. I don’t like either of the Jedi, but I have been tasked to work with them, and I never attack a colleague. My honor and my pocketbook would not allow it.”

A mild laugh leaked unwillingly from the Mandalorian’s lips. “Is that why you’re here, to convince me of your innocence?”

“Not at all.”

“Then what?”

“Well, before all this happened, I wanted to tell you that I feel a certain comradery with you. I, too, have had to work with the Sith on occasion, and I understand what they’re like.”

“The galaxy would be better off without them.”

“And what of your mother?”

“I don’t know yet. I’ve never met her.”

“She is Sith?” he asked, knowing the answer.

“Possibly. I have been informed that my biological mother and father were Jedi. They left the order together, and at least my father became Sith.”

“What would you do if you found her?”

“Try to turn her back,” he said simply.

“And if she didn’t turn?”

“I’d do the same to her as I did to my father.”

“And if she turned, you would turn her over to this?” Xamar asked, indicating Ratz and then pointing down the hallway where Ayala had gone. “Is that really what you want your life to be about? Impotence and arrogance?”

Kubla didn’t respond. But Xamar noticed that the proud warrior was no longer looking at the accusing Khil in the eye. “There’s got to be a better way,” Xamar said. “Listen, friend, and I say that sincerely. I have no love for the Jedi, and I am obviously committed to my co-pilot. But I consider you a friend. If I could gain access to your mother’s name using my contacts, would you find that information valuable?”

The Mandalorian looked up, with a whimsical look in his eye. “Of course.”

“Then I’ll see what I can do. I trust you, Kubla Kun. I believe that the Force is using you powerfully – much more powerfully than these Jedi. It may take a while, but I’ll get you the name of your mother. And I would be proud to stand at your side when you confront her.”

Edited by Gnomeo Knibbleschnitz, Jan 20 2011, 03:54 PM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Gnomeo Knibbleschnitz
Member Avatar
Administrator
someday someone will read these...
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
ZetaBoards - Free Forum Hosting
Create your own social network with a free forum.
Go to Next Page
« Previous Topic · Star Wars · Next Topic »
Add Reply
  • Pages:
  • 1