EPISODE 1: Operation Dark Sunset

[deadpool]

"It feels nice to get out of the speeder" thought Mitts. "So what's the plan?" he said out loud and then continued "If we're not moving anymore for the night, we should really try to get some sleep. It's no good being on edge every minute." Turning to Hammer "If you take the first watch, then I'll take the last one."

[Zilfallion]

Haywire was happy to have some open fresh air for once as he stepped outside the Arrow.  It was a bit cramped and for the time they'd been in the speeder, he enjoyed being able to move freely.  "The plan is to stretch a little after such a long speeder ride in cramped quarters, followed by most likely a brief snack, which will likely be followed by our lovely scout team returning.  A mission briefing on our assault will likely follow sometime after that, or might be put off until we can visually see the place.  And then we'll figure out how best to escape the four klick blast radius for when I get the station's power set to overheat and blow."  Haywire said in response to the question from Mitts.  "And then probably sleep too."  He was very casual in saying so as he took a little bit of time to loosen his muscles up.  A bit of joy snuck into his voice at the bit about causing such a bit explosion under enemy forces.

Right, so I think one last question should finish up my set for the station.  About how long of a period between blowing/shutting down the cooling systems and the place blowing?  A rough estimate is all I'm asking about.

[Posterboy]

Booth took in Derecho and the men exitting the Arrow. It had been a cramped ride, and the jostling about had kept his men's muscles tightened... it would be good for them to stretch out. The sergeant had noticed that long periods of inactivity and tight quarters tended to get the men edgy - like wild animals being caged, it just wasn't how it was supposed to be.

The Commander stated his intent to do some recon with Longshot. "Commander," Booth piped in. "We'll need to find an ingress route across the river... a bridge if we're hoping to take the Arrow across."

He watched Martel and Longshot leave, wishing them a silent "good luck" as they departed. Turning his attention to his remaining three squadmates, Booth listened briefly to their plans on keeping watch and such. "I'll take middle watch. Let get a perimeter established here and stay alert. While the palloo-beast might not roam this way, I bet their predators might have some homes here. STAP patrols too, perhaps."

[Stefan]

Hammer climbed up to the position he'd noticed earlier.  It was high enough that he could see nearly anything trying to approach but still covered so that he wouldnt be a silhouette against the night sky.  He set his rifle in position so that he could quickly brace and fire if anything appeared.  After a quick scan he picked out Longshot and Martel but nothing else out of the ordinary.

He spoke softly down to Booth after his scan.

"All clear."

[tomcat]

Right, so I think one last question should finish up my set for the station.  About how long of a period between blowing/shutting down the cooling systems and the place blowing?  A rough estimate is all I'm asking about.

the time you have available to you will be determined by two things from your technique of causing an overload. 1) For example, if you decide to use your explosives to destroy the hydraulic pumps that maintain a flow of coolant fluid through the power generator that supplies the amped power to the relay station, then it would be dictated on the amount of delay you set on your charges and then the amount of time to overheat - this will be dictated by a scale based on your mechanics roll you make when you place your charges; 2) Or, if you decide to hack the system and play with the programming of the power generator's coolant system and have valves close and open at random times to create overpressures in a part of the coolant line, which would cause the system to malfunction. The time then would be until the power station overheated and went critical - again this would be based on a series of roll results (Use Computer, Mechanics, and Knowledge [technology]).

I will give you the scale of results when the time comes and you tell me your methodology on the station destruction. I will say that explosives will probably get the job done faster, but you can also create a mechanical malfunction via the computer which will cause a natural domino effect and save yourself the loadout - you decide.

Question for Matt and John - are you guys just going to the top of the hill to get a look around or do you intend to do a reconnaissance on foot of the area?

Once I get my answer, I will give you guys some more stuff to work with.

[GandalfOfBorg]

  Intention is to initially get as high as possible to survey the area, while, of course, keeping a low-profile.  If promising areas are found for investigation for the path forward, we will reconnoiter with group before heading out.

Also, if we don't use explosives to destroy place and we remain undetected, it can look like faulty machinery instead of a Republic op.

[Zilfallion]

My plan was mostly: Slice the computers, set the cooling equipment up for an overload.  Set Explosive Charges on cooling equipment with timers set to go off after the projected overload time in case they manage to undo the slicing.  That way we don't have to break in twice if they find the issue after we leave and prevent an overload.

[tomcat]

Intention is to initially get as high as possible to survey the area, while, of course, keeping a low-profile.  If promising areas are found for investigation for the path forward, we will reconnoiter with group before heading out.

Cool about the destruction plans. As for the advance, based on the above, I am going to write my next post as Longshot and Martel just looking around from the top of the hill tonight, but tomorrow reconnoitering with the group.



The small hill had a jagged throne, or so it seemed. Large rocks were arrayed across the top of the tor in no particular order, but ringing it nonetheless. Martel and Longshot moved slowly between each stone cover, on their haunches, all the while searching the night sky and land before them for any sign of movement. The Jedi reached out with the Force, the sniper his scope and low-light visor but all that was seen was cold earth. Feeling and hearing proved more successful as both men heard the mewling sound of what had to be palloo-beasts. Martel could sense them in the Force - a small group of the animals that were just a fifty meters west of them on the opposite side of another small hill that rose there. What had caused the animals to come into the rocky terrain was unknown - perhaps they had gotten lost from their herd and had wandered onto the Flats and could not find there way out. It would be the death of them for sure, thought the Jedi looking at the sparse, coarse scrub grass that grew amongst the boulders.

The mewling sound was soft and faint on the breeze and it relaxed Longshot. Herd animals tended to be comfortable within their kind and any threats would cause them to move or make more of a ruckus. As long as the things just softly cried in the night than things would be fine for Derecho. The sniper swung his rifle once more in a slow 360-degree circle and was pleased with the results. There were no droid scouts out and about moving amongst the rocky terrain, though he wondered about sensor trackers.

A few meters below the two men, Hammer was sitting in a small defilade on the slope of the hill his heavy assault blaster beside him strapped to its power generator. The hum from the small backpack was faint in the wind and the clone trooper could also hear the palloo's, but only when his companions below were completely quiet. They were for the most part, but the occasional soft conversation was spoken as Mitts, Haywire and Booth draped the Arrow in its camo netting. The men would sleep in their armor, but they were used to that, and its shadowskin upgrades would make them near invisible, but the sarge wanted to at least have their vehicle covered from any potential overflights. One Passover by a Vulture-droid and the enemy could be down on top of them before they made their objective.

Martel and Longshot passed Hammer as they made their way back down the hill, the one clone waving to the other in mutual understanding of the weariness and tedium that came from a silent watch. Hammer watched as the camp below went quiet. Three hours later, Booth relieved the heavy trooper. One hour after that the situation changed.



Stealth
DC n/a stealth -6

Rolled 1d20-6 : 13 - 6, total 7

[tomcat]

I need a Perception roll DC 7 from Booth, DC 17 for all the other men who were getting rest (sleeping). This will be for both surprise and initiative placement. A successful roll here averts surprise and will allow the PC to act within this round, which may require them to pick up gear. A failure will mean the PC is surprised and may do nothing in round 1, the following round will require them to use their actions to pick up their gear.

[tomcat]

I guess, these are the kind of rolls that we talked about that can make the game bog down. I am going to make the rolls for your PC's - if you want to reroll it yourself, I will allow it but you must take the new roll.

Perception [Notice Targets]
DC 7 (Booth) 17 (all others) by PC below

Martel Perception +11, DC 17 1d20+11 : 4 + 11, total 15

Longshot Perception +10, DC 17 1d20+10 : 7 + 10, total 17

Booth Perception +11, DC 7 1d20+11 : 8 + 11, total 19

Haywire Perception +11, DC 17 1d20+11 : 12 + 11, total 23

Hammer Perception +11, DC 17 1d20+11 : 8 + 11, total 19

Mitts Perception +12, DC 17 1d20+11 : 8 + 11, total 19

[tomcat]

I corrected some of the PC's skill ranks - the +2 helmet package bonus wasn't included in everyone. Haywire, check your Gather Info skill. It is listed as a Primary but you only have a +3.

As for our results, everyone is successful but Martel.

I will post again once I get home.

[Zilfallion]

Haywire's +3 Gather Info is correct(+4 half level, -1 CHA mod), even though it's in the primary skills section it's untrained.  Trace gives me Use Computer replacement of Gather Information when connected to a computer network so it was added even though it's not trained, since I can count it as trained in certain circumstances.

[tomcat]

Makes sense. Cool! I will post here a little later tonight or in the AM.

[tomcat]

Booth sat where Hammer had positioned himself and the trooper stared up at the night sky. The stars seemed the same no matter the planet - whether a war raged or a peaceful night breeze blew - it was all the same. The quiet before the storm.

Suddenly the calm mewling of the palloos became a frantic scream. Booth snatched his rifle into his hands and rushed the few meters up to the top of the hill. Below him, Derecho squad began to stir. The small vale just west of them became a thunder of hooves and squeels. The trooper remained low in the rocks but looked to where the palloo-beasts now struggled. A shape stood on the side of the hill blotting out the stars above. It moved, bidpedal on its hind legs, down into the valley away from him. That was when Booth saw movement to his south - there was another... then another! The creature to the south was moving towards their camp, its great nostrils drawing in deep breaths tracing the scent of his men.

They were huge!

Booth knew these things. They were native to the planet Ryloth, but it was said that crimelords enjoyed taking them as pets. Sometimes they were transported to other worlds. Sometimes they got away and adapted to these new worlds, breeding and taking over an ecosystem. The beasts were called gutkurrs.



Add any dialogue you want to here, but I am setting up round 1 of the gutkurr encounter. I will roll initiative for the round, but Martel is the only one who cannot act until round 2 due to surprise.

[deadpool]

Suddenly, Mitts was woken up by the sound of intense screaming echoing in his head. Disoriented, he looked around to find the source of the disturbance and found himself facing some hideous creatures that seemed to have been taken out from a nightmare. Without a second thought, he focused himself and prepared to fend off the beasts.