The Gorge

[tomcat]

The Dug Death Stick production facility sat atop a mountain rise along the coast. Sebolto had invested heavily in self-defense for his palace and business and it was secure from most air attacks, unless it were to be bombarded from orbit. There was an efficient radar system with data-linked surface-to-air missile batteries. The Dug King had also invested heavily in a mercenary army made up of native Dugs, Gran, and Humans. Unfortunately for Sebolto, he never anticipated a one-man strike from the Mandalorian bounty hunter named Jango Fett.

Beneath the compound was a sprawling factory where the lxetal plant was harvested and processed into anesthesia, spices, oils, and other legitimate products. It was also within this facility that death sticks were manufactured. For everything that Sebolto had prepared, he suffered the humiliation of being chased from his throne room only to die within the huge underground factory. Sliding down a massive duct, the Dug King had misjudged his reach and knocked himself unconscious when he struck a wall. He fell to his death being boiled alive in the immense shaft.

What Sebolto had built, Pugwis had inherited - even the dark relationship with the Bando Gora. The Dug had believed them extinct, or at least scattered, after the interactions with Jango Fett, for they had disappeared for a number of years after the fall of Sebolto and Pugwis' rise. But such dark interests never truly die and being in the business of illicit products always drew such interests. The Bando Gora had returned after the Clone Wars and demanded Pugwis continue with that which Sebolto had agreed. Fear of assassination in some terrible manner made the decision simple for the new Dug King. He allowed the death sticks to be laced once more by the unknown chemical

Now Pugwis looked at the visitor in his chamber and his entourage. The Shade was a gruesome visage, though his real appearance was covered by the mask. The King could see that there was evidence of cybernetics in the dark Force-user along with terrible scarring on any exposed flesh. Behind Shade, the Bando Gora were even more hideous and the Dug felt a chill creep down his back. The Shade hissed, "We had a squad of soldiers here. Where are they?"

"Erm... as you told me before, I do not bother with their activities nor asked where they were going. I can only assume that they did as you commanded and went out to meet these apparent attackers."

The Shade looked at the holomap that was a three-dimensional projection over a large table in the king's chamber. He pointed, "You said that they were attacking from this direction?" The Dug gave a nod in confirmation. The dark-jedi continued, "What is this?"

Shade pointed to a gorge that was on the south side of the facility. Their was a canyon with a river that flowed into the sea but across the canyon was a rift in the mountain that was deep and treacherous. Its floor was laced with boulders and gnarled plant growth. Sebolto before had had the gorge guarded by a bunker immediately across the canyon and then another series of bunkers within a cave system that ran through the mountain to the south. The previous Dug ruler had two skiffs that would ferry his people across the gorge and canyon - Pugwis thought it a sufficient system to keep the facility protected. Unfortunately, the new king did not have the finances to keep a full garrison of mercenaries along the path. He had kept a negligible force in place to protect the ingress as it had been used prior by the Mandalorian, but Pugwis never thought it would happen again.

The Dug answered the Shade and added, "That is the direction your soldiers went... they crossed the chasms early this afternoon."

Shade knew that Fett was on the planet and he wanted nothing more than to destroy the bounty hunter. He looked at the three Bando Gora soldiers and the two snipers that were with him, "Then we shall follow their trail and see where it leads. Hopefully our quarry is not yet dead."

BIT moved cautiously across the cavern chamber. Brim was on the opposite side moving through the shadows. The rest of the team stood back and watched for any movement from the bunkers that sat silent and dark. The two scouts made it to the opposite side of the chamber where the round landing pad was built. They looked out upon a deep and narrow gorge. Across the distance was another landing pad and beyond that was a canyon and then the Dug death stick production facility.

Brim scratched at his stubbled head and wondered what they would do now.

[tomcat]

BIT - 39/75 Brim - 26/72 Caden - 0/53 Farok - 18/72 Fett - 18/87 Kaida - 19/55

Consumption:

PC	Primary	|	Secondary	|	Weapon 3	|	Misc
BIT	sniper blaster rifle 6/30	|	hvy blaster pistol 3/200	|	jetpack 3/10
Brim	lightsaber n/a	|	holdout blaster 0/12	|	frags 2/3
Caden	blaster carbine 5/50	|	hvy blaster pistol 5/200	|	frags 0/2
Farok	lightsaber n/a	|	blaster pistol 0/100
Kaida*	blaster carbine 10/150	|	lt repeat blaster 0/150	|	frags 0/3
Fett*	blaster carbine 41/150	|	flamethrower 0/5	|	missiles 1/4	|	jet pack 2/10

*not all weapons listed
-amunition is either power packs (50 shots each), or energy cells (6 shots each) and are added together in your total - what is in the gun and the spare clips you have

Equipment:
BIT - 285 credits, heavy blaster pistol, sniper blaster rifle w/ scope and bipod (SaV - must be aimed or take a -5 penalty to attack), shadowsuit, Arakyd Hush-About personal jetpack (5 fuel cells), sound sponge, utility belt, 5 power packs, long-range comlink, datapad, all-temperature cloak
Brim - hold-out blaster with 2 energy cells, lightsaber, 6 frag, medpacs, 260 credits, datapad, long-range comlink, syntherope, 1 ion
Caden -  heavy blaster pistol with 3 spare power packs, hold-out blaster, 2 frag grenades, combat gloves, pocket scrambler, utility belt (3-day food supply, 3 medpac, tool kit, power pack, energy cell, glow rod, comlink, liquid cable dispenser), medical kit, all-temperature cloak, datapad, credit stick
Farok - lightsaber, baton, medpacs, back pack, 2 blaster pistols
Kaida - blaster carbine, heavy blaster pistol, hold-out blaster with spare energy cell, light repeating blaster with 2 spare power packs, 5 frags, 2 ion, shadowsuit and helmet, 2 concealed holsters, all-temperature cloak (unless armor makes it useless), basic datapad, binder cuffs, comlink, liquid cable dispenser, medpacs, mesh tape, pocket scrambler, 5 ration packs, 2 computer spikes (+2), security kit, credit chip, field kit (2 condensing canteens, sunshield roll, 4-day food supply, 24 filters, 12 atmospher canisters, 2 glow rods, 2 breath masks, all-temperature cloak)

[Jingo]

Umm. I'm not clear where we are on the map with the grid. I'm guessing we're coming out of the south-west cave-like part? Are the rectangle and triangle shapes on the grid map the bunkers? Are there entrances to them from where we're at in this cavern? Sorry if I'm clueless.  Also, what's the local time of day again?

Kaida crouched low and moved stealthily in the cavern, her weapon at the ready. She spoke softly inside her helmet, and her communicator came to life in the ears of BIT and Brim who were scouting ahead.

"What do you see? Any sign of him or his ship?"

[sdrotar]

Caden stared, slack-jawed. He hated this planet.
"Not all of us have fancy-schmancy jetpacks, you know," he said, to no one in particular. "How are we supposed to get across that?"

[tomcat]

Umm. I'm not clear where we are on the map with the grid. I'm guessing we're coming out of the south-west cave-like part? Are the rectangle and triangle shapes on the grid map the bunkers? Are there entrances to them from where we're at in this cavern? Sorry if I'm clueless.  Also, what's the local time of day again?

Hey Jared, yes, the PC's entered through the small cavern in the lower left of the map. The rectangles and triangles are all the bunkers/barracks buildings. They are all dark and seem deserted. They are all of assorted levels and each has an entrance into it from the first level. The circle is a skiff landing/loading pad. The red square dot is a control panel. It is early evening now and the sun is setting.

Let me know if you have any other questions.



Brim answered the noblewoman, "I don't see anything... or anyone. It seems like it is all deserted here. Although, I would like to take a look inside these buildings to confirm."

Boba Fett walked alongside the team making his way further into the cave chamber. He looked to Caden, "If it is still there, all we need do is call the skiff through that control panel." The bounty hunter pointed to the skiff landing/loading pad where a pedastal control panel sat.

Near the cavern mouth, BIT stared out at the darkening skies and the deep gorge. Sheer walls dropped down on either side but extended out from the cave exit. The sniper could see along each side of the gorge a series of natural shelves which would be perfect for weapon emplacements or for individuals with skills like his own. At the far end of the deep ravine, there was another landing of rock which had its own skiff pad and a series of barracks. The sniper could see movement around the buildings over there and lights were coming on in the windows. Hovering above the pad was a long skiff.

It was becoming night and where they stood the shadows were deepening. If they called the skiff, it would surely call attention to them but who knew how many soldiers they would have to face.

[tomcat]

I have added one more overhead image so that you guys can get an understanding of what you see.

The cave mouth opens to a deep gorge (basically a chasm in the mountainside) and then rises on its far side to a shelf of level ground. The mountain ends here and the shelf gives way and plummets into a canyon and river (the one you guys were above before where the suspension bridge was that essentially circles round the mountain). Across the canyon is the Dug production facility.

I hope you all can get an idea of the terrain from the images (plus the screen capture above from the original game.

[Jingo]

Brim answered the noblewoman, "I don't see anything... or anyone. It seems like it is all deserted here. Although, I would like to take a look inside these buildings to confirm."

She shook her head. It wasn't good to leave a peace of real estate at their rear without knowing if it posed a threat or not. But... "Understood. Let's just keep our eyes out. We don't have the manpower to check and clear all the levels."

So speaking, she cautiously moved forward into cavern, motioning the others to follow. She flipped her scanners to infrared and gave the buildings a scan as she moved past them swinging her helmet from right to left.

Boba Fett walked alongside the team making his way further into the cave chamber. He looked to Caden, "If it is still there, all we need do is call the skiff through that control panel." The bounty hunter pointed to the skiff landing/loading pad where a pedastal control panel sat.

Kaida nodded and peered at the waning daylight. "Before we make a move on the skiff, we need some solid intel on where he landed and where he's headed. BIT, you seem the most suited for this job. Once darkness falls, use your jets and scout ahead... as quietly as possible. The rest of you, lets prepare a welcoming party in case this dark Jedi happens to make his way in here. Everyone stay in contact."

Kaida powers on her shadow suit. If there are sufficient foot holds or some external ladder (or internal staircase) Kaida will move to the roof of level 3 and move to a vantage point on top of one of the deserted buildings where she can lie down and provide overwatch with her rifle on the gorge and on BIT and the rest of the team.

[GandalfOfBorg]

BIT just nodded in agreement.


How long to wait for the darkness to come?

[tomcat]

Sorry for the delays, guys. I wanted to give Matt the opportunity to play his character, seeing as he is given the scout order. Anyway, he should be back on the 7th, so I am getting the game moving.

As for Matt's question, it is the gray of dusk right now. Dark of night will settle over all in about 20 to 30 minutes.

Music to read your post to [click link to start]
*requires Quicktime player



Kaida activated her suit and her thermal vision optics on her helmet and scanned all the quiet structures. There was nothing. The walls emanated little warmth, gained from the heat of the day that was coming to an end. The windows were blank cool spots. She looked to her left and saw Fett motioning for her to check right, while he took the opposite side. The multicolored form of Caden moved by, too, as he made his way towards the mammoth cave entrance and the skiff landing pad.

With her blaster raised and ready, the noblewoman entered the two-story structure through an access door to its first floor from the cavern. She immediately recognized the large chamber as a mess hall. Long tables were throughout and looked like whomever had dined last had been interrupted. Dishes were scattered about and there was evidence of small piles of food long since dried out and decayed. Kaida also now noticed that there were blaster bolt score marks on the walls. She kept on moving and found a durasteel staircase that went to the next floor. Here she found a large weapon armory and locker room. The room also showed evidence of a combat that occurred in the past. Kaida could see that whatever had happened, the armory and lockers were all emptied and left vacant.

She moved on.

A doorway led from the armory into the second floor of the three story tower. She continued to move up. On the second and third floors were vacant dormitories with simple bunks and footlockers. She picked through a few of the items, but found little of worth with her cursory search. Not every room showed battle scars, but she knew people had died in this part of the building as well. The noblewoman commented to herself that someone came back through and cleaned up the bodies and equipment.

Kaida found a ladder that led through a hatch in the third floor ceiling and she exited the building onto its roof. She walked to the walled ledge and looked over. Kaida was perfectly perched right above the skiff landing pad below. She could see Brim and BIT conversing, while the man waited for darkness of night to settle over the gorge outside. She changed her gaze up and saw the figure of Fett and Caden on the roof top of the two-story building across from her. Kaida then caught sight of a large E-web cannon still mounted on its tripod on the roof of the first floor structure just below her.

--------------

Caden had moved with Fett - for no other reason than it seemed a way to pass time and help prepare. They had moved through a large first floor storage bunker for dry-goods and now-shutdown refrigeration units. Caden led the way up to the next level of the building that was discovered to be a dormitory, although the rooms were few for the size of the floor, and opulently dressed. The two men put together that this had been the command quarters for whomever had been in charge here. Fett passed a wall that was scorched with a black mark from a large caliber blaster. The bounty hunter became lost in thought as he ran his fingers along the scoring. Caden cleared his throat to break Boba Fett's reverie and pointed to the ladder and ceiling hatch. Fett nodded and followed. They exited the second floor onto its roof and saw Kaida across from them, one floor higher up.

"She's in a good place there," Fett spoke.

Caden squinted across the darkend cave and was sure that he saw a large mounted blaster cannon on the first floor roof just below Kaida's position. To the companion's left was another three-story dormitory - all of its windows hollow and black.

--------------

In the large cavern, BIT, Brim and Farok went about their own activities. Farok followed the path taken by the Rodian and man though he did not walk out onto the skiff pad. The former jedi moved almost in a trance, as he breathed deep and let his feelings go. He knew there was nothing alive in their immediate vicinity, save for a few breeds of rodent-like creatures that inhabited the caves of Malastare - some winged and clinging to the ceiling above; some that scurried and nested throughout the remains of the barracks. He felt no threat from these creatures, though they could be possible pests if agitated.

From far across the gorge, Farok felt the presence of living things, too. But these were making impressions upon him of those being types whom they had just engaged. Dugs, Grans, and even humans were present in a similar set of structures on the far side of the crevasse. Though none shone with the light of the Force, they were not inherently evil. They were employees - mercenaries - of the Dug leader who ran the drug facility.

A chill moved through him. Farok opened his eyes. He knew that he was coming... and he was not far.

Shade stepped out of the production facility and into the oncoming night air. His companions loped behind him and caused everyone who looked upon them to shiver. He looked around. It was becoming dark and it would be darker still - the dark jedi could see the night sky full of huge storm clouds that were about to burst. It mattered little to him. The Bando Gora were enhanced to be able to see in multiple spectrums and his own new eye-cybernetics aided him - then there was the Force that gave him even more information.

He felt something. A movement in the Force. Not his soldiers or anything emanating the dark side. No, this was a feeling of light... a feeling he had not felt since before the rise of the Empire and the destruction of all fools that had followed such a path.

"Jedi?" he whispered. He then pointed to the large, skull-wearing Bando Gora commander, "Go and summon the skiff to get us across this river."

A nod was the only response and the simian-like warrior moved to do his master's bidding. Shade knew that there would be more to the upcoming conflict than he had planned. All the better, he thought. He swept off his dark, richly-patterned cloak that had been given him by the Bando Gora healers and then unhooked his dual-lightsaber from his belt. The dark jedi twisted the weapon at the hilt and it separated into two individual blades.

Lightning flared across the darkening sky and then the clouds opened up and a torrent of rain began to fall. Shade strode to where the skiff would come to rest on the landing pad - his remaining soldiers following behind.

[Jingo]

Kaida nodded as they took up positions.

"This is a good spot if we can lure this Shade character onto this platform. We should be able to use that E-Web to put down some suppressive firepower. Anyone trained on using it?"

After a bit, she watched the night sky darken and saw the rain begin the fall out in the gorge. Should be dark enough. She spoke into her helmet's comm. BIT, go ahead and proceed. With these storm clouds, it should be dark enough, and the sooner we can get intel, the better."


Music track was awesome! 

[tomcat]

Music track was awesome! 

Yea, I like it too! I found them via a link on the WotC website forums and thought they were perfect samples to link to while you guys either read or write a post... kind of sets the mood right. Anyway, I plan on adding a link to each scene as needed and for each combat. You all may use them at your pleasure.

I want to wait until Matt and some of the others post before I press on.

[sdrotar]

Kaida nodded as they took up positions.

"This is a good spot if we can lure this Shade character onto this platform. We should be able to use that E-Web to put down some suppressive firepower. Anyone trained on using it?"

Caden responded in the negative, and doubted that anyone else would have been, now that Logar was gone.
He headed toward the corner of the building, along the roof, and looked to Fett.
"I have an angle here," he said, while bracing his weapon against the railing. "I can't cover the whole cliff face, but I can see most of it -- and the skiff landing -- clearly. Should I set up shop here?"

[tomcat]

Brim also responded with a no, "Sorry, Kaida, I can probably fire it but not sure what I would hit. You let me know if you want me to take up the gun, anyway. Does it work?" The Rodian's sudden question made them all wonder. They would need to check.

On the rooftop, Fett looked to Caden, "Yea, seems as good a place as any and jumping down one story is easier than three, if your position should be overrun."

The Bestinian did not like the bounty hunter's warning. The rooftops would allow them good firing positions and defense, but they were each alone if anything, or anyone, should reach them. Caden watched as Fett did just that - lifting a leg onto the short wall of the roof and then hopping off to land on the first floor roof below. He did the same to the next and was once more back on the cavern floor. Boba Fett's voice entered all their headsets, "This is the place I think. If they do not attack in force, we should be able to end it here. If they do come in force, though, we can escape back the way we came... good luck."

Boba Fett went to a knee and began to check his equipment. He unattached his rocket pack and rechecked the arming and control systems for both his missile and flight. Once content, he slipped it once more onto his back and locked it onto his armor. He then checked a line that ran down his arm from his fuel tank and to the wrist mounted flame thrower. Finally, Fett checked his carbine's power pack and other loose munitions. All of this he did in absolute silence. Kaida realized that the warrior Mandolorian did not agree to take up position on the E-web. So... he was not trained in its use either.



Going to give Matt until tomorrow, otherwise I will post for BIT.

[Jingo]

"I have an angle here," he said, while bracing his weapon against the railing. "I can't cover the whole cliff face, but I can see most of it -- and the skiff landing -- clearly. Should I set up shop here?"

Kaida spoke into her helmet mic again and memorized each person's position. "Understood Caden. Seems like a good defensive position. Everyone keep an eye out and watch the crossfire. And," she paused and swallowed hard, "lets all come out of this in one piece. May the force be with you."

She made sure her voice sounded confident even though a feeling of fear and uncertainty yammered from the back of her mind. She closed her eyes and shuddered, seeing images of Britton and Logar's broken and pale forms. She slammed the door on the memories and checked the gorge through her scope and helmet optics. Nothing... yet.

"BIT, do you have anything for us?"

[Telcontar]

Farok had been opening himself up to the force more and more on this mission. The subtle pull to use it was coming on strong, both because it was practical and necessary and because something deep inside of him wanted to keep using it. To nurture the flame that was inside of him until it was a great blaze until his body was just a conduit for the force to do its will through him. Farok had felt these emotions strong within himself when he was waging his private war on Tatoonie. This was not something that was a light side or a dark side thing. This was the call of the force that he knew, a neutral entity that possessed positive and negative sides, but mostly wanted it's will felt throughout the galaxy. The one time padawan could understand why religions had sprung about around those who sought to understand the force throughout the ages, the Jedi included. The force wanted to use them all, some good and some bad, to make ripples in the galaxy. The dark side was very strong now and Farok knew that the force was trying to balance itself, and so was calling on those of the positive side to take more of its essence, bend more of the fate of the galaxy along a positive course. He still wasn't ready for that, wasn't sure he ever would be ready to be a pawn of something he little understood, despite the wholeness it brought through its use.

Farok snapped out of his reverie to the comm chatter within the group. "Can we use the web blaster to shoot the skiff down? Wait, perhaps a better idea. Let's rig the landing site with the grenades and detonate them among our opponents. I doubt I will be able to hide from the dark one, so I'll bait the hook."

Farok tossed the backpack with their collected equipment and gathered grenades to Brim. After that he moved towards the center of the walkway, ignited his lightsaber and stood there waiting for whatever was to come.

Doug, Farok is going to move to where the dark grid squares cross and activate his force cloak and maintain it as a standard action. Since its dark out anyone using any kind of electronic equipment will not be able to see him. this includes Shade if he has mechanical eyes. I'm hoping this allows me to hide in plain sight and draw them into our crossfire.