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It was like hearing his child scream, thought Caden. The Aegis' shields could only do so much against the missile attack and even as he and Kaida approached the landing ramp, the Loronar again was knocked sideways and away from the power of the attack. What was worse, the weakened Bantha skiff on which they rode was also knocked asunder by the missile explosion's pressure wave. Kaida saw the control panel blink and then start to go out. The craft was dying. They needed to move fast!

In the cave it was now silent of battle, only the terrible sound of the Aegis being damaged could be heard. Fett brought his weapon up to his shoulder and looked down at Farok who stood over the fallen body of Shade. A moment of thought passed through the young bounty hunter's mind of going for Kaida and getting his money, but it was for only a moment. He was a businessman and no matter how ruthless he would be called, it would never be said that he did not honor his word. Still, he was done with them all and so he began to move towards the ledge of the building to drop down and disappear completely back into the tunnel. He would take the long walk back to his ship and leave these misfits to their own. Fett's job and his word was done.

Farok felt weak of a sudden. The strain of combat over, his body released all of the adrenaline and it almost made the man swoon. He shook his head, gathered his thoughts and then began to run towards the skiff landing pad. In the darkness outside, he saw something large, in the shape of the skiff, plummett from the sky and fear took hold.

On the ledge within the gorge, BIT watched the night sky flash with the missile explosion and then turned towards the Dug deathstick facility. He could not go with these people whom had helped him and he in turn had aided. BIT had a mission of his own to finish.

---

:ooc: Feel free to give me some dialogue, narrative, and ideas as to how you want to get Farok on board the ship - as well as save it from anymore missile attacks.

I also need a DC 12 Jump roll from Kaida and Caden to get to the Aegis' landing ramp.

On the flight deck, Kara held on tight. The Aegis was hammered by the attack, especially with her shields reduced in strength. The flight console began to flash in different areas with amber and red warnings of systems that had taken critical damage. Still she held together.

Sam abandoned his position and the mech droid ran down the ship's length to begin damage control.

Farok saw participated in the death of the Dark Jedi. He knew that he was the better warrior and it wasn't by skill alone that the one armed man had triumphed. He respected the fallen form before him, for in his mind the dark and light were but two sides of the same coin in a cosmic struggle for balance. His light saber went out and hung from the thong on his wrist. He reached down to grab the fallen Jedi's lightsaber, the iconic image of his spirit and his being.

"The desert sand blows
Swirling across the timeless waste
Sun banishes shadow"

The one armed man bowed his head to the fallen opponent in another scene of the cosmic opera between the light and the dark side. Farok felt the force growing stronger in him; this duel was an event in his own history pregnant with meaning. Had the order still existed Farok believed that he now crossed the threshold from padawan to Jedi, but had done it on his own terms and not those of the council. None now lived however to confirm his thoughts so his actions instead of labels would have to define the one armed man.

Sensing the surface to air battery firing another salvo at the ship he turned his attention to the Aegis and its precious cargo. Leaving the dead Dark Jedi he moved to the rim to see the skiff loose power and start to fail. He keyed his comlink, "Get on board and get out of here. I'm taking Brim through the tunnel, meet me on the other side away from the batteries."

Reaching out once more he attempted to grab a hold of the skiff with the force. He was exhausted but attempted this one last feat. Perhaps he could by his friends enough time to get aboard and then move the skiff between the ship and the battery to allow it time to escape.

Move Object
DC 20 Large, DC25 Huge


FP if required

 :ooc: The Force thinks Farok should go back to carousing and drinking and stop wasting its time with his foolishness.

Quote from: tomcat on Oct 05, 2012, 12:49 PM

I also need a DC 12 Jump roll from Kaida and Caden to get to the Aegis' landing ramp.

:00: Jump (DC12)

Quote from: Telcontar on Oct 05, 2012, 02:11 PM

Sensing the surface to air battery firing another salvo at the ship he turned his attention to the Aegis and its precious cargo. Leaving the dead Dark Jedi he moved to the rim to see the skiff loose power and start to fail. He keyed his comlink, "Get on board and get out of here. I'm taking Brim through the tunnel, meet me on the other side away from the batteries."

"Works for me," Caden replied. So Farok had made it and their quarry was no more. Once Kaida was aboard, he allowed a smile to finally cross his face before calling up to the cockpit, "Kara, get us out of here - I'll be up in a minute and show you where we're headed."

:ooc: Going to post Kaida's jump roll so I can add more narrative...

Kaida Jumps to the Aegis' ramp
:00: DC 12 Jump +3

Caden and Kaida were shaken and with rocky feet on a swaying deck, they helped each other up the ramp and into the safety of the Aegis. The Bestinian looked around at the cargo hold which was tightly loaded with two speeder bikes, a dismantled E-web blaster cannon, and the false smuggler bay that had been constructed. Red lights flashed and steam filled the chamber from lines that had burst due to the impact. He saw that nothng was too vital, or deadly to them, and so they hurried up the ladder to the main deck.

Kara was watching everything that the command console was telling her, but key was the light that signalled the landing ramp was still down. It started to flash, which told her that her people were on board and one of them just hit the closer. With that knowledge, she brought the engines up to power and the Aegis accelerated rapidly away from the side of the mountain and the Dug facility. She aimed the ship straight up for now, but would loop back down soon to find Farok. She looked to Ardana, "Go! See if they need help!"


BIT watched the Loronar cruiser streak up into the cloudy night. A missile also flared across the night sky, but passed through the now empty air that the ship had once occuppied. It struck the mountainside and erupted in a shower of light and stone. The face of the mountain was none too strong, especially with the large cavern fissure within it, and the explosion caused it to break. An avalanche began to tumble down and slide over the cave entrance, covering it.

Inside the cave, Farok saw the missile, too, and watched it as it smashed the mountain face above him. He heard a great rumbling and raced to where Brim lay. The former Jedi tried to haul the dead Rodian with his one arm, but the dead weight was too much. He was tired. He reached into himself to find strength in the Force, but instead he felt an urgent need to run. He stood, looking at his dead friend as above large chunks of rock began to fall. They crashed down around him.

Farok ran. He gave only one quick glance back as he did, seeing Brim's body crushed under the weight of the avalanche. A cloud of dust and small stones chased him all the way to the small tunnel that had led into the cavern. He activated his lightsaber to give him light, pausing for only another moment to think of his companion and then moved on. As he walked, Boba Fett came into his mind... what had happened to him?


Ardana came to Caden as he clambored up the ladder, Kaida close behind. Her nose crinkled when she saw them - the two were covered in mud, sweat and blood from small wounds. "Come," said the Twi'lek. "You need aid." Years of taking care of her master had taught her well how to handle injuries.

Farok made his way into the cave a ways and stopped believing that for the first time in what seemed like forever he was safe. He let the weariness wash over him and breathed deeply. The fatigue, both mental and physical, upon him had been intense. Long years of drinking and smoking on Tatoonie had not been the best conditioner for armed combat against a dark jedi.

Reaching into the folds of his cloak he took out his flask and took a long slow drink. The Aegis would make it out of the cavern or it wouldn't. There was no rush to make it to the other side of the canyon just yet. Whipping his lips on his shoulder he took out one of the cigars he had taken with him from the ship. He had smoked through the couple that he had brought and now found that he only had one remaining and it had been bent in half.

The crushed cigar made the one armed man laugh at his misfortune and bad luck. He laughed loud and long. When his mirth subsided he used the lightsaber to sheer off the cigar where it had broken and smoked what useable portion remained. As the smoke curled up into the darkness the desert man enjoyed the feel of the cold stone upon his back.

His cigar complete he made his way through the tunnel to reunite with his companions and to see what the force had in store for him next, besides his flask was empty. 

Quote from: tomcat on Oct 06, 2012, 08:34 AM
Ardana came to Caden as he clambored up the ladder, Kaida close behind. Her nose crinkled when she saw them - the two were covered in mud, sweat and blood from small wounds. "Come," said the Twi'lek. "You need aid." Years of taking care of her master had taught her well how to handle injuries.

"I'm alright," he replied. "I'll come back and get these scrapes patched up after we get Farok back on board." He hoped that would reassure her.

He looked to Kaida and then back to Ardana. "Please take care of the general here," he teased, giving her a playful salute as he strode towards the cockpit. He turned as he reached the exit and looked at Kaida once more.
"You did great out there."

As he headed to the cockpit, he thought of Brim, another friend lost to this madness. But at least Brim was "one with the Force" now, or at least he hoped so. He didn't much understand the nature of it, but after what they'd been through, he no longer had any doubt of its existence.

Now they needed to get Farok before he got to join it, too. He doubled his pace.

 :ooc:  Sorry guys, work got the best of me when I tried to be 2 people for 2 weeks and Wed was my bday (still 29 and counting  :P).   Congrats on the kill!


BIT relaxed briefly to catch his breath over what just happened.  He sat listening to the chatter on the comlinks and he saw what happened to the mountainside.  Deciding his best bet to finish the job and get off this rock was to continue on with these undisciplined do-gooders.  When he thinks the coast is clear, he lights off his jetpack and heads in the direction where the tunnel Farok entered would emerge.

Quote"Get on board and get out of here. I'm taking Brim through the tunnel, meet me on the other side away from the batteries."

"Roger that," Kaida responded through the comlink as she rushed up the ramp and onto the ship, extremely please to hear his voice. He was alive! Some of them had made it out, and they had accomplished their mission--along with Fett's help she admitted grudgingly.

"Kara, get us out of here quick!" she was anxious to avoid another direct hit from another missile. But she was thankful Farok and BIT were both alive. They had suffered greatly this battle. First Britton and them Brim.

Once the ramp had raised, and the Aegis had shot up into the relative safety of higher altitude, she wearily pulled off her helmet and out a long sigh of relief.

QuoteHe looked to Kaida and then back to Ardana. "Please take care of the general here," he teased, giving her a playful salute as he strode towards the cockpit. He turned as he reached the exit and looked at Kaida once more.
"You did great out there."

General? Hardly a general... she had nearly gotten them all killed. But some were still alive. Some. And the Dark Jedi was dead. The galaxy was certainly a better place because of that but was it worth it. Was the cost of defeating evil always so high? A time to weep and a time to rejoice. Both feelings mingled in her slow nod and matching smile that grew on her lips. "You too Caden." Her eyes remained on the doorway where he had been, after she heard his footsteps recede. She saluted after the man and whispered, "You too."

Then she sat and let Ardanna attend to her.

Kaida took the Aegis into orbit. It would be a good hour or so before Farok would make it to the other side of the mountain and she figured there would be no safer place. Once the orbit was attained and enough momentum had been built up for them to allow physics to take over, she lowered the engines to an idle and then pushed herself back from the console. Caden was now the only one sitting with her on the bridge and she turned to him, "I hope it was worth it all." The Bestinian gave a wan smile. They would only know if their names were cleared... but how did they learn that? Caden wondered if he needed to contact Antturus.

For now, they had other things to challenge them - primarily the damage done to the starship. Kara stood, "I am going to go and find Sam. Maybe the two of us can spend the next hour getting this crate back together." She checked the ship's diagnostic again and made a mental note of priorities. She left the flight deck to Caden and disappeared into the heart of the Aegis. The merchant sat and looked out the canopy at the blue-green world below. It was peaceful to behold. Beautiful. Unfortunately it had claimed two of his crew and a third was still lost down there.

The Aegis would hang in orbit around the planet until word came from Farok via his comlink. They would then re-enter Malastare's atmosphere, get the former Jedi, and then leave it all behind. Caden was ready to do that and once more he hoped that it was not in vain.


The trek around the mountain was almost as difficult as the one through it. BIT had only so much fuel left in his jetpack and so did quick hops from one flat-run of the mountain-side to the next. Inside, Farok dealt with the seemingly endless dark and straight corridor. It had seemed to go faster when they had come the other direction, but that was because he had the others to talk to and pass the time. Now he was alone with his thoughts. His wounds and weariness did not help matters, but he pushed himself along.

There was no sight or sound of Boba Fett, but Farok felt another living being before him in the Force. He figured it was the bounty hunter, but did not regret the loss of his company. Fett had not been the most personable of people.

At long last, BIT saw the river valley below with the huge waterfall. The mists rose white in the starlight and the soldier used it as a waypoint to finish his circumnavigation of the mountain. He saw the cleft where the two bunkers sat and the long rope bridge extended across. There too was the cliff that jutted out over all. It would make a good pick up point. BIT pushed his jetpack one last time and rocketed over to the roof of the building. He landed with a whoosh and then made himself still and quiet. He waited there to listen and watch for any potential threats.

It was twenty minutes later that sounds began to eminate from below - Farok had made the passage. The one-armed man exited the building via the roof hatch and was surprised to see BIT.

:ooc: Great posts guys! I really am diggin' this story!

Welcome back, Matt!

I will have Kara drop the ship out of orbit once you guys send her the call. Keep up any inter-character dialogue and narrative that you want. I have to figure out some mechanics on repairing the ship, and then begin to piece together our new episode.

There may be some down time here while I get a new story arc going, but that doesn't mean you guys can't chat in character. Everyone can sit around the breakfast table and laugh it up over the success of the mission... and then... uh... oh... gurg! Farok stands up, grabs his abdomen and begins to thrash on the table. Plates and food clatter to the floor as his stomach bursts open!

...

Wait a minute... that's not our story!  ;) ;D

"Well you made out alive, that's good," BIT said nonchalantly as the crippled Jedi approached.  "There is still a job to do in getting the plant decommisioned.  Are you up for it?"

The one armed man waved his good arm at the sniper and approached.

"Taking down the facility at this time is beyond our resources. The ship is badly in need of repair and I doubt we could convince our companions to disenbark and head back through this jungle again. With the Dark Jedi dead I am sure the Hutt's will be back in te Death Stick bussiness in no time, that at least is a Devil that i know."

"What are your plans?"

BIT mulled it over.  "It is something that should be discussed.  Since my previous companions saw fit to leave me behind to save their own hides, I owe them a 'bit' of payback myself," the sniper said with wolfish grin.  "Yet I was hired to do a job and it doesn't feel right to leave it undone.  If I can't persuade the others to help finish the job for a share of the profit that was due, then I would request a lift back to my employers to see what they wish to have done next with this new intelligence."

It was Ardana that noticed the comlink signal. After tending to Kaida, cleaning her and dressing her wounds, the Twi'lek had returned to the bridge's communication center and waited. The transponder signal given off by his comm began to flash as soon as Farok had exited the underground. Ardana hit the innership communicator and spoke in her accented tongue, "Captain Caden, Farok's signal has appearred. I believe he is safely away from any pursuers.

"Then let's go get him back," he said with a grin, happy to hear that the churlish-but-talented Jedi was all right.
When he had the chance, he sent a scrambled missive to Antturrus, saying simply, "it's done."
He thought about pressing to the man for further confirmation that their names had been cleared, but decide it didn't make sense -- Antturrus had them over a barrel; either he'd follow his word or he wouldn't; nothing Caden would say would change that.

Since the Aegis had made it out of the atmosphere and orbited while waiting for Farok, Sam had spent the better portion of the time on the ship's lower deck. The droid worked to resecure the coolant lines and other important systems that kept both the hyperdrive and sub-light systems operational. There was plenty to do - including assessing the ship's structural integrity, but since they were all still alive in the vacuum of space, it was safe to say that he could put that last on his list.

The ship's scrubber system worked to draw the noxious fumes out of the air in the lower hold and with the last twist of his spanner-wrench, it would have a much easier time. Sam extracted a data connection line from his torso and connected it to a port that gave him link to the Aegis' computer. He felt his awareness merge with that of the ship and he read through the information on the internal diagnostic.

Shields - 78% integrity
Sensors - 83% integrity, lg-rnge 77%, sht-rnge 89%
Life support - 92%
Weapons - 100%
Sub-light - 55%
Hyperdrive - 67%
Ship structure - 65%

Sam placed the information in a priority sorted list and disconnected. He grabbed his spanner and his mech kit and began to move on to the next task. He then heard Caden's voice come through the ship's intercom, "Everyone prep for re-entry... we're going to pick up Farok."

On the flight deck, Caden slowed the ship and the planet's gravity did the rest. The Aegis superheated as it entered the thicker atmosphere of Malastare and it also bled speed rapidly. The time always seemed to stretch when you were in the re-entry blackout, but soon the sky appeared through the canopy and the ship was able to maneuver. Caden took her down fast and flew low over the jungle tree tops. He used the familiar terrain as his map, following the river valley in to where he knew Farok would have emerged from the cave.

Atop the bunker, BIT and Farok first heard and then saw the Aegis as it soared over the falls. The ship came to a position where the cliff jutted out over the river below and Caden lowered the landing ramp. Farok heard a terrible whining in the repulsors that kept the ship hovering in place. It didn't sound good and the man knew it had to be a result of the missile impacts. He also had gotten a look at the ship's hull and the blackened scorch marks spoke to the fact that it must not have been fun on board the ship at the time.

BIT and Farok clambored up the ramp and entered the lower hold. Sam still working on the ship's systems gave a wave but any words were muted over the sounds of the labored engines. The two men left him to his work and climbed to the ship's main deck. It seemed quieter to Farok - more empty. After all, they had lost two of their crew in the jungle below. He looked and saw that Kaida and Ardana were in the ship's galley and he assumed Kara and Caden were up front. That was it. There were no others to cramp the space. He gestured to BIT to follow him and led him to the galley for food, drink, and rest.

Caden got the signal that not just Farok was aboard, but the sniper had come, too. With that he closed the ramp and took the ship back up and out of Malastare's atmosphere and soon out of the planet's solar system.

---

:ooc: I am debating a few potential story arcs to introduce, but I also want the PC's to interact and maybe decide what is next for them. So, let's see some RP'ing dialogue from everyone.

I will post up another narrative cut-scene in a while, but I will not be introducing the next episode until I see what the character's have in mind for themselves.

It was quiet on the ship. They had rid the galaxy of a villain -- one that had claimed the lives of many of Caden's friends -- but there was no celebrating.
He hoped for a signal from Antturrus soon and checked his board regularly; he wanted his old life back, but failing that, he'd rather not be actively hunted at the very least.

They needed to disappear for a while; lay low and repair the ship. Then he'd seek out Organa, Kenobi or both.

When he had the chance, he spoke to Sam. "I guarantee you that Fett is tracking this ship somehow -- he may still come after Kaida or any of us one day. Scour the ship; and even when you find something, don't assume you got everything. Let's take our time and get this done right. I want to fly free for a change."

Kaida felt better physically after Ardanna had tended to her wounds. She had spoken quietly to the twi'lek of the battle, relating the events of those harrowing moments. It felt good to talk to someone. She had cleaned up and finally changed her clothes and tried to even get some sleep. But she found that wiping the physical stains of battle away was much easier than wiping the memory of that blood-red blade flashing through Brim's body.

She sighed and sat up on her cot. Her mind had the unfortunate habit of replaying the last moments of her friends' lives. Sleep wasn't going to come easily. The adrenaline rush of battle had fled, leaving an emptiness inside of her that wasn't easily filled. That worried her.

She clambered out of bed, dressed, and made her way down the galley to the lounge. She brewed a cup of ca and considered what they had accomplished.

They had killed a dark jedi. How many others had this dark jedi slain in his infamous career? She felt a small feeling of satisfaction that mingled with the emptiness at her friends' deaths. Were the aftermaths of battles always like this?

Her's certainly were, but what did she know? Three battles was hardly a large enough repertoire. Perhaps her father would have been able to tell her. Or Delmon. Delmon. She smiled again, picturing her oldest brother's masculine face. Prince Delmon, 15 years her senior, had always been something of a hero to her. She sipped and re-lived some of her favorite memories with him. Memories. A slow sad smile played across her face as she sipped and thought. They were pleasant memories. Piloting speeders with him. Hiking and playing hide and seek. And even riding on his shoulders. But memories didn't bring back the dead. The familiar pang of sorrow thudded painfully in her heart again, but she shook it away. She would honor their deaths by the way she lived. She would be strong and make the family name of Katan proud.

Their victory over this Shade character was a small thing, perhaps, when compared against the larger pall cast by the Empire's monolithic presence, but still, it was at least one small victory.

Now the important thing was the future and her family.

The future. She went in search of the others.

BIT went to find Caden.  Upon finding the captain, he attempted to prevail upon to consider his proposal.  "Thank you for your assistance in providing me a means to leave that planet but I have also left a job unfinished.  I was sent to decommission that plant and though ridding the galaxy of that dark marauder was useful, it wasn't what I was hired to do.  I would now ask to either return to the planet and finish the job, ensuring you a cut of the profits of the mission or take me back to my employers so I might seek their advice as to what to do next based upon the intelligence gathered."

Quote from: GandalfOfBorg on Oct 18, 2012, 03:04 PM
BIT went to find Caden.  Upon finding the captain, he attempted to prevail upon to consider his proposal.  "Thank you for your assistance in providing me a means to leave that planet but I have also left a job unfinished.  I was sent to decommission that plant and though ridding the galaxy of that dark marauder was useful, it wasn't what I was hired to do.  I would now ask to either return to the planet and finish the job, ensuring you a cut of the profits of the mission or take me back to my employers so I might seek their advice as to what to do next based upon the intelligence gathered."

"There are a whole lot of Dugs in that plant," Caden replied. "How'd you intend on shutting them down without having to take 'em all on?"
Caden thought about it more than he wished to; he was no soldier, and profiteering wasn't his preferred manner of business... but those death sticks were a scourge that the galaxy wouldn't miss. And they needed the money. He figured that the man was worth listening to, at least.

"I have the info from my briefing still ( :ooc: logical yes?) and it isn't far off from what you would've done anyway getting to your friend if he hadn't shown himself outside.  Small team infiltrates the plant, set charges in key areas, and bam! easy-peasy Hutt's are sleezy.  We didn't finish the job because my team were a bunch of undisciplined slime who couldn't deal with those beasts and I got locked up for my troubles because they beat a retreat, tails between their legs," the clone sniper growled.

Quote from: GandalfOfBorg on Oct 19, 2012, 08:44 AM
"I have the info from my briefing still ( :ooc: logical yes?) and it isn't far off from what you would've done anyway getting to your friend if he hadn't shown himself outside.  Small team infiltrates the plant, set charges in key areas, and bam! easy-peasy Hutt's are sleezy.  We didn't finish the job because my team were a bunch of undisciplined slime who couldn't deal with those beasts and I got locked up for my troubles because they beat a retreat, tails between their legs," the clone sniper growled.

Caden shook his head. He didn't want to go back into battle, and he doubted anyone else on board did, either. The only person that enjoyed it was Logar'Dan... "and look what happened to him," he thought.
"We lost two men already; I don't know if we're up to something like this."

But the merchant (and, admittedly, occasional smuggler) inside got the best of him for a moment.
"How much?"

Kaida came out of her introspection and moved from her seat in the galley. Leaving the room she practically ran right into Kara - the mech coming in for some caf of her own. After they had picked up Farok and BIT, Caden had ordered the ship back up and out of Malastare's atmosphere. They took the ship to the planet's second moon where they took a geosynchronous position on its far side from Malastare and then Caden had the vessel powered down. The merchant wanted to do a thorough evaluation of his 'princess' and too give time to Sam and Kara for repairs.

Kara had taken care of her captain's wishes and then left the flight deck behind where Caden and BIT had engaged in a discussion. Now she was apologizing to Kaida for nearly knocking her down, "You all right? I know that it was a hard time down there. We lost two on this one! Seems no sooner do we get to know someone, and even like them, and they are gone." Kaida only nodded and Kara moved around her to fill one of the small ceramic mugs with the hot brew. She took a sip and it warmed her core. The ship was already starting to take on a chill with her systems powered down - the freezing vaccuum outside leeching in. The mech's then took on a look of remembering, "Oh yea... I meant to tell you when you got back on board. There is a message for you on one of those forums you've been posting discreet stuff on. Seems somebody answered." Kaida's own face took on a new look. Kara continued, "Yea... someone named Jalek? And an account with 25,000 credits? I don't know. You'll find it in the cue on the 'net."

With the warm mug in hand, Kara went to the port side ladder and climbed down leaving Kaida in a bit of wonder. Once down on the lower deck, Kara walkd to the droid, "So, what have we got going on, Sam?" Sam turned to Kara not understanding the inquiry. She was a mechanic. She knew what he was working on. Why would she not know what was going on? It took seconds for the internal confusion to work itself out within the droid's processor and then he knew that her question was rhetorical. He imprinted the mannerism and said, "Just piecing this krellin' sub-light drive back together." Kara paused at Sam's use of the profanity and then smiled, "Well let me see if I can help."

A deck above, Kaida quickly moved to the communications bay and brought up the Holonet. She scanned her ads and posts on public bulletin boards that she had written with hidden messages within to try and find someone from her family. Kara had said the Jalek had responded?! Her second oldest brother had served in Commoner's intelligence division for their father - of course he would be the one to have seen and deciphered her cryptic posts.

She found the response to her own message - it was vague and innocuous. In fact, it was written in error to the wrong person, but it had a request for private message response. A second message quickly followed that one wondering why there had been no answer. To this inquiry was a contact link. When Kaida clicked it, she was immediately awarded with a holomessage to her, though it did not mention her by name. She read the details and knew it was from her brother, whom was mentioned by name only. The last line revealed an account number along with a five digit password and a balance.

Jareen Antturus sat in his quiet office on the eightyth floor of the Saris Tower in downtown Saliss D'aar. It was still new to him and the reception staff outside as he had only acquired it within the last Bakuran planetary month. The productivity reports that covered his desk were showing a great deal of promise. The hidden namana farms were doing better than could be expected. The volume would soon allow him to move the plants off planet to other worlds with similar ecological systems.

A shapely woman wearing business attire that fitted her form well entered his office and placed a note on his desk. "This just came through our comm-net, Mr. Antturus." She gave a coy smile to which Jareen returned. He picked up the message and read it to himself - "It is done." He crumpled the note in his hand, "Thank you, Silveea."

His assistant turned to leave and Jareen turned to look out over the city. The Bando Gora were leaderless once more. He actually was surprised. The message came from Caden Whitesun, too - not Fett, whom he had expected it from. The ragtag group of nobodys did it. Well, it was what he had asked them to do.

All potential connections to the drugs had been removed - even Varta the Hutt would be meeting an ill fate soon. The senator, Seelig, had been the perfect pawn to get the operation going. Duping the Hutt with information and making it a project of the clans had been a breeze. Even having the Rodian, Puk, whom had no allegiance to the Black Sun make his brand on the dead man's forehead had been no challenge. All it had taken was a few words spoken in certain circles by low lifes of his type. It had caused Varta to pull back and circle the wagons, so to speak. The Kajadics had no desire for a turf war with the Sun, as did the Sun with the Kajadics - and so the Hutt needed to make sure that she had not offended the vigos.

The only misstep had been not knowing that the Bando Gora would once more enter the fray. Then to have his own agent take up the mantle of their leader. "Oh well," thought Jareen. That fool was gone now, too. So, the Black Sun had acquired all of Seelig's hidden namana fields to cultivate and make sure that the pure product was brought to the streets of the galaxy - from Coruscant to Corellia. It had been child's play manipulating all the strings. The young vigo smiled to himself. He tapped his intercom, "Silveea, can you do me two favors?"

"Yes, sir."

"One... contact our man in the Imperial Security Bureau and see if his people have taken care of removing Captain Whitesun and his companions from the legal system. And two, put Captain Whitesun and his ship registration in your files for future contact."

"Of course, Mr. Antturus."

"Silveea... sorry, one last thing. Send a reply back to Captain Whitesun. Tell him... we'll be in touch."

Jareen released the comm and returned his gaze to the reports. Yes - he would soon rival the deathstick and spice markets across the Galaxy. The new drug he controlled would raise him up above the other vigos within the Sun, until he ran it all.

Kaida sat back in her chair and smiled. Jalek was a alive. That as something. He had always been cunning, and apparently had managed to escape from under the Empire's nose when they attacked her planet. She had an ally now and the funds to begin something. Small funds true, but every little bit could help.

She quickly memorized the account number and then tapped out the code to delete all vestiges of the message. Then she logged onto a completely different forum and with a different username, and created another message this was was salubrious and fawning to the Empire, but she was confident brother would see the coded message within. The code was unique to their own family. Once decoded, he would understand that she had received the funds and where their sister was held, if he didn't already know, and that Kaida was considering a rescue.

She powered off the computer and leaned back in the chair in thought.

:ooc: I edited this, removing the part where she walks in on Caden and BIT--since Farok came upon her first (see his post).

Farok thought about the events on Malastare in the seclusion of his room. A poured but untouched drink lay on his table. The two lighsabers one belonging to a Dark Jedi and the other to Brim lay there as well. In silence the one armed man chewed on the end of a cigar. Farok was tired, and it was a deep fatigue that affected more than just his body. He also felt that he was standing in a cross road. Any decision that he made would have long term influences. He was still not entirely certain why he had left Tatooine, and when he thought of Kenobi his mood soured. But what were the chances that both of them, hunted throughout the galaxy, had both found refuge on the desert planet. Tatooine was a strange desolate planet, but seemingly a cosmic fulcrum of some kind bending the rest of the galaxy somehow. He reflected on the state of things for a long time, and slipped into a contemplative reverie and isolated himself from his surroundings. His breathing slowed and the casual observer would perhaps think him dead.

When he returned from his thoughts he felt the feel of a blanket over his shoulders. Immediately he thought of Ardana, while he was deep in thought she must have laid the blanket over him. He felt the chill now in the ship. Caden must have powered the ship down somewhere to conduct a diagnostic and undergo repairs. Rising he took up the two lightsabers. The Dark Jedi's he placed in a trunk under his bunk with the other various detritus he had picked up on his adventures. He stepped away, stopped and removed the lightsaber from the trunk and placed it on the table. Grabbing the other he left his quarters. He had the rough outline of a plan and wanted to start the pieces in motion. His first stop was to find Kaida.

When he found her she had just finished processing her coded messages. With a slight bow of his head he addressed her.
"Princess, pardon the interruption. I would like to speak to you. Many years ago after I had completed my initial instruction I was assigned to a Jedi as his apprentice. This man possessed a finesse and skill that I will never be able to match, but his finest skills were in diplomacy. As such we worked a great deal in the Consular and Advisor missions of the Jedi Council. The details are unimportant, but in that service I realized that in order to be effective any government or order needs leaders. The reason human history has gravitated towards monarchies and royalty is through a need to see the embodiment of their ideals in a person. Ideas and concepts can not be touched, but the people that believe in them or enforce them can. It is for these reasons and the lure of power that the Jedi forsook high office and dominion. They feared that their ideas and principles would be compromised by absolute power. It is also the reason why they were forbidden to marry, for fear that a bloodline of Priest-Kings would attempt to dominate and control the galaxy. But I digress.
My point is that you and your family are important. They have the capability to fulfill this role of leadership in what may become a growing rebellion. With this in mind I think it is of the utmost importance that we free your sibling and our next and future plans should be geared towards those goals. Poor substitute that I am to my master I offer you my services."

Farok then removed from his dust and sweat stained robes the lightsaber that formerly belonged to Brim. He placed it on the counter near the computer that Kaida was working on.

"This belonged to Brim. I have thought long and deeply about this and I am giving it to you. You can keep it as a keepsake of him and all that has and will be sacrificed, and a powerful totem it will be. Or if you desire I am willing to instruct you in its practical use. Should you prove adapt in its techniques other things can be taught as well." He bowed and left the Princess to consider his words.

His next stop was to the Captain of the ship. Coming upon him he saw that he was deep in conversation with the Sniper discussing future plans. He nodded to them both and caught the last bit of their conversation.

"Captain, if I may. I find the death stick production as abhorrent and wasteful as many others, but I also see it as an inevitable vice. If we were to destroy this production facility another one would spring up somewhere else and the drug market would continue. The destruction of the facility is not in the best interest of eliminating the drug trade. Our mission and our presence here is part of something else entirely. Something that I was involved in on Tatooine, namely a drug control war. The Hutt's are involved in this somehow, I can feel it. The elimination of a facility is usually aimed not at the destruction of the drug trade, but in the elimination of competition. Competition in the drug trade actually limits the collateral damage to innocents while drug bosses spend their energy and resources warring with one another. Until a concerted and system wide attack is made we are only pawns in the accumulation of power. Our friend here is right. The destruction of this facility is worth a great deal of money to certain people, but it is not for altruistic reasons. Also, I do not believe we have the means or ability to do any further damage. The priority if I am not mistaken is making repairs. The ship obviously, but I also think it is high time that I swallowed my pride and did something about this missing arm of mine. The ship of course is yours, but I don't feel as though we have the strength or the equipment to attack the facility simply for credits."

The one armed man discussed the points with the Captain of the ship and their newly acquired sniper and then made his way back to his room. When the door slide open Farok heard the hum of the lightsaber. Its glow casts intricate shadows and light throughout the room. The blade was arcing through the darkness and caused features shapes and shadows to dance. The color of the blade contrasted with the hue of the Twi'lek's skin and Farok thought it the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. A vision that made his heart sing and his soul sad. He stepped into the room and the door closed behind him. "Yes, it is time that you learned that as well."

Caden shrugged his shoulders at BIT. He wasn't really interested in sticking his neck out, either - but they needed credits, and they needed them badly.
He hoped that Kenobi or Organa could help them in that regard, because he had no intention of letting his beloved ship remain un-repaired.

"If they're not interested, I'm not interested," he said simply. "I can drop you wherever you'd like after I make sure we're spaceworthy."
He noticed the ever-so-slight disappointment in the man's body language.
"If you change your mind," he suggested, "you're free to a bunk here. We could use another person with your... talents, and since I'm apparently running a home for wayward souls already, you'd fit right in."

With the failure of BIT's team, it seemed to Caden that the man could probably disappear easily enough; assumed dead or captured by the Dugs. And he wasn't joking, either - after losing both Logar'Dan and poor Brim, they did need the help.

 :ooc: I edited my last post to say that Kaida sits back in thought instead of immediately going to Caden and BIT. Seems to work better with Farok's above post.

Quote from: Telcontar on Oct 21, 2012, 02:19 PM..."Princess, pardon the interruption. I would like to speak to you. Many years ago after I had completed my initial instruction I was assigned to a Jedi as his apprentice. This man possessed a finesse and skill that I will never be able to match, but his finest skills were in diplomacy. As such we worked a great deal in the Consular and Advisor missions of the Jedi Council. The details are unimportant, but in that service I realized that in order to be effective any government or order needs leaders. The reason human history has gravitated towards monarchies and royalty is through a need to see the embodiment of their ideals in a person. Ideas and concepts can not be touched, but the people that believe in them or enforce them can. It is for these reasons and the lure of power that the Jedi forsook high office and dominion. They feared that their ideas and principles would be compromised by absolute power. It is also the reason why they were forbidden to marry, for fear that a bloodline of Priest-Kings would attempt to dominate and control the galaxy. But I digress.

Kaida was unsure where this was leading. The last thing she expected from this vagabond desert rat was a history lesson. Farok reminded her of her old tutor, Shad Veritim, an elderly gentleman in her household with a raspy voice but a friendly man  who loved both reading and history. Both Shad and Farok were equally dry when they lectured, she decided, and both seemed well suited to the desert climate of Tatooine. The lizards there might enjoy the lessons more than she. She managed to change a yawn into a polite smile and keep herself abreast of the conversation.

Quote from: Telcontar on Oct 21, 2012, 02:19 PMMy point is that you and your family are important. They have the capability to fulfill this role of leadership in what may become a growing rebellion. With this in mind I think it is of the utmost importance that we free your sibling and our next and future plans should be geared towards those goals. Poor substitute that I am to my master I offer you my services."

She raised and eyebrow with interest and began responding. "Farok-- Jedi Farok," she amended, she didn't know much about this man. But he had proved himself valiant in the face of overwhelming odds and it felt right that she give the honorific. A trained Jedi helping with her sister's release from captivity, would indeed prove useful and dovetail nicely into her own plans. "I would be honored to accept your help. You do me much honor with you---" and then she broke off as she saw him reverently pull something from his robes.

Quote from: Telcontar on Oct 21, 2012, 02:19 PM...
Farok then removed from his dust and sweat stained robes the lightsaber that formerly belonged to Brim. He placed it on the counter near the computer that Kaida was working on.

"This belonged to Brim. I have thought long and deeply about this and I am giving it to you. You can keep it as a keepsake of him and all that has and will be sacrificed, and a powerful totem it will be. Or if you desire I am willing to instruct you in its practical use. Should you prove adapt in its techniques other things can be taught as well." He bowed and left the Princess to consider his words.

Kaida stood up in shock, and stared at the lightsaber, barely even hearing Farok leave or the hiss of the door as it slid shut. He was offering to train her? What in the universe had made him think she even possessed the remotest skill in such martial and mystic arts? What did she know of the Jedi Order and their ways?

She admitted, that besides her recent exposure to Brim, Farok, and Shade, she hadn't had much contact with Jedi in her life, other than what she had learned from the stale history archives. That and one old Jedi she had met many years ago. She cast her mind back. The Jedi had come to see her father at court. He had stayed several days and talked often to her father. She remembered his smile whenever their eyes met. But he didn't stay long. He had bowed gravely and then presented her with a small white meadow flower which he tucked in her hair. "A darkness will come, little one," he had whispered, kneeling and looking steadily into her eyes. "You must be ready. Keep the flower of freedom alive." He left soon after that and she never saw him again.

Something in the sobering way that Farok had spoken to her awakened the memory.

Questions and possibilities ran through her head.

She gingerly ran her finger down the silvery handle of the elegant weapon. Was this something that could be taught, or were you born with the ability? She would have to ask Farok. Could this help them in their fight against the Empire? Or would it just paint a bigger target on her back?

So many questions and now more decisions.

"Understood and agreed.  Thank you for your help, captain, I will let you know if I do.  If you need me, I'll be in my bunk cleaning up."

 :ooc: Edited to not have Brim's body. :)

Perhaps minutes passed, perhaps an hour. Kaida was unsure. It was quiet in the ship. But she sat still, staring at the blank computer screen but fingering the handle of Brim's light saber, turning the device over in her hands. She felt the cold metal against her skin, seeking some connection there. The feel of the handle was still too foreign. Plus it was getting colder in the ship with whatever diagnostics and repairs Caden had running.

She shook her head and shivering left the room. She took the lightsaber with her and walked down the halls in a half daze. Without realizing it, she found herself inside Brim's empty cabin. The door slid shut behind her.

Brim's room was mostly in shadow with only pale running lights emitting a modicum of light as much of the ship's power was being diverted to repairs and diagnostics. Why had she come here? She half turned to leave, when she spotted a small metallic disk tucked under the drab pillow on his bed. Curious, she pulled out the small circular device. A holopad. She sat on the bed and flipped the switch. A three-dimensional image sprang into life. A slightly younger Brim, standing stoically among other Rodians. Were these family or friends? Perhaps comrades in arms? 

She enlarged the hologram, zooming in on her friend, and more closely studied the Rodian's face. Perhaps it was her imagination, but it seemed those large eyes stared back at her--into her soul. Eyes, as she often remembered, that were full of peace.

She bowed her head and felt her own eyes mist up. Who had he left behind? Did he have a family that would miss him? He had died to protect all of them. Could she do the same? She liked to think she perhaps could, but she knew better. Her instinct in the cavern had been to run away, when Brim's had been to run to the fight. Even Farok had stood his ground so that she and the others could get away.

She stood up and solemly placed the hologram on the plain and economical metallic nightstand. A deep feeling of sadness mixed with a fierce gratitude enveloped her heart as she looked at his glowing blue image. She couldn't move and for long moments she couldn't speak, but only stood there basking in the solemn peaceful feeling that overcame her.

She remembered Brim's often quiet and steady council. Brim's quiet feeling of hope that he exuded just by being nearby. The young Rodian had been a knight in his heart, in his being. Perhaps not in rank, skill, or caste, but where it had truly mattered.

She bowed her head, he hair swinging gently around her face. "You are a far better and noble being, my friend," she finally whispered. "I didn't know you long, but I felt I knew you best."

She closed her eyes. In her left hand, she gripped the handle of the lightsaber fiercly and turned it vertically in her outstretched arm. She flipped the switch and with a sudden snap-hiss the blue blade sprang to life. She felt a warmth flow into her arm, and the blade felt strangely comforting in her hand. A deeper light seemed to glow behind her eyes, around her. With her right hand she touched her own breast and felt her beating heart and locked eyes with this hologram.

She blinked away the tears and nodded in determination. "I will try." She stood like that for several long heartbeats.

Finally she turned off the blade, bowed formally in thanks, one hand over her heart, and then scooped up the hologram and placed it in her pocket. She clipped the light-saber on her belt and then left the room, hearing the door hiss closed behind her.

The weight against her hip felt both comforting and alien. A strange sensation.

---

Walking with paces that matched the beat of her heart, she strode into Farok's room. As the door hissed opened, she saw the reddish glow reflecting off the walls as Ardanna executed a graceful move with the fallen Jedi's blade. To Kaida's eyes everything the twi'lek did seemed graceful. But it seemed marred by the angry red blade that seemed to carry, at least in her mind, some sense of residual rage. Or maybe it was just the memories of Brim's brutal end.   

Farok stood watching Ardanna. Kaida approached the large man and bowed her head politely. "Master Farok," she said seriously, but in a low voice so as not to interrupt Ardanna. "About what you told me earlier. Can I really be taught in these ways?" Her eyes sought his. "To be honest, I'm more comfortable with a blaster. But..." she searched for words and spread her hands. "But Brim wants me to try. Don't ask me why or how I know. I'm not sure I know myself. There's just...something."

She spread her hands and then finally let them fall until her right hand brushed against the lightsaber. She slowly un-clipped the blade and held it out to him. "I will do my best. Will you teach me?"

 :ooc: I'm really not trying to screw up your wonderful post, Jingo, but I think Brim got smooshed under half a mountain and that the lightsaber was all Farok could bring back.  :(

:ooc: Yea, all of this stuff you guys are doing is great, but Brim's body was left behind and buried in the avalanche.

 :ooc: Heh sorry. I thought i read that Farok carried his body out.  :-[ My bad. I'll adjust it.

 :ooc: I fixed it up. Enjoy.

 :ooc: Farok's plan was to grab Brim, but the mountain intervened.


Farok did not turn towards the door when it opened, but he tried not to show his shock when the Princess asked him to train her. He was not entirely sure why he offered in the first place, it just seemed like the rigth thing to do.

He looked at the two women before him, each with lightsabers in their hands and wondered how his life had possibly come to this point. "Princess, I will show you how to safely utilize the blade as a weapon. Whether or not you possess the ability to fully unlock its potential we will have to see together. The study that comes with the blade may perhaps help to develop your discipline and confidence if nothing else. I was trained in the Makashi School, a school that relied on finesse and grace over strength and brute force. Among my late brothers it was known as the dueling style. We will begin with the feet, the foundation of the body."

Farok surprised himself with the ease in which instruction came to him then commenced to begin the basic training regimen he had practiced himself ages ago.

The Aegis remained in its geosynchronous orbital position for two more days. Sam and Kara, along with the ship's captain, worked diligently to get the ship back in as good an order as they could while hanging in space. There was structural damage and Sam assessed that at least a five day stint in a planetside, or spacestation drydock would be necessary. He also estimated that there would be just over a 5,000 credit price tag to the complete repairs. He could jury rig as much as possible, but he did not put any reliability into that work. Kara was of a little different mindset - to her, if it ran then it worked, so why fix it. Caden had to decide on which of his mechs' plans were the one he wanted to pursue.

The rest of the ship's crew were quiet and involved with their own matters. Kaida had begun to work with Farok, along with his Twi'lek mistress. The two women had spent the better part of both days practicing the former Jedi's katas - lightsabers unlit, but held in the hand and wielded throughout each series of movements as if they were. It was his intention to first teach them the basics of defense with a lightsaber and then how to carry the attack to an opponent, but Farok knew they had a long way to go. If a sensitivity to the Force was part of either woman's makeup, then this exercise would become easier. Either way, there was no reason that they could not become serious fighters with the blades.

BIT had gotten a good deal of sleep. Being held in the dungeon on Malastare and the threats that were living within his cell had made for a great loss of sleep, and so the comfort of the Aegis' crew quarters was a treat. Even with the chill that seemed to penetrate everything due to the ship running in a low-power stasis, the soldier slept soundly wrapped up in the blankets on the upper bunk.

It was evening on Bestine where he once lived - or so the ship's computer told him - and so Caden had the Aegis' internal lights lowered to reflect a day/night effect. It allowed spacers to maintain some sort of body-sleep regimen - even an eating pattern. The Bestinian sat and looked at the diagnostic report from both Sam and Kara and shook his head at the difference between the two. He was running through everything else in his mind - the death of the Shade. The death of his friends. The reply from Anturrus that said he'd be in touch. Finally, he was also taking measure of where they were now in the Galaxy. Were they rebels against this new Empire? Did he want to involve himself more into Organa's war, especially now that they were cleared from all interests?

Caden needed to bring the crew together to ask what they all wanted to do... where they wanted to go? And would they all stay together? Nothing had come to them from Organa recently, but that certainly could change. He figured with the morning, when they were all rising and assembling in the galley for food, it would be a good time to have this discussion. Their coffers were quite full at the moment, but the Aegis demanded a heavy price to keep her moving and he either needed to pursue this life as a privateer, or clear his hold of what they currently held and make some room for cargo.

He hit a button that dimmed the lights even lower in the cockpit and looked out at the moon below. It was a dark piece of rock and dust that made its eliptical circuit around Malastare. Caden got up and walked the short length of passage to his own quarters and disappeared inside.

---

:ooc: Okay, I am still putting together some game plans and need a bit more time, but I also need the PC's to be conversing with each other. What is the plan? I know that there is a loose story arc hanging out there about Kaida, her brother hiding out on Commenor and fighting off the Imperial presence there, and then finally her sister who has been captured.

Other than that, the galaxy is a big place. Let me know and please carry on with character dialogues..

After two days of training, Kaida felt tired and very stiff. She was using muscle groups she didn't often use. But she was grateful for Farok's training. She had always been lacking in up-close hand-to-hand combat. What they were learning could eventually prove useful, if she could get her feet to move in the strange dance like forms. She twisted her mouth into a frown. She felt decidedly plodding in comparison to the flowing grace of Ardanna. She was spending more time with the twi'lek but had learned little new about her. They had little time for idle conversation with Farok's training regimen. But she felt a certain kinship to her.

:ooc: I don't know what there is to know really about her other than that she's a Farok's friend, so not much to  go on.

At the same time, the kata Farok had taught them was, in its way, relaxing. Sure it was difficult. And yes she ached at the end of each day. But it seemed the more her body was exercised, the more it pleaded from muscular pain or discomfort, the more she grew to understand her limits and her possibilities, and more importantly, she felt she was doing what Brim would want her to do.

At the end of the second "day", she spotted Caden as he disappeared into his quarters. She approached and tapped on the door.

When it opened, she looked him up and down and smiled. The man could be brusque and sometimes downright rude, but she was a good judge of character, and she was pleased to see a good man standing before her. Caden looked tired. "How are the repairs going on the Aegis? I don't know too much about it, but looks to me like she could use a few more days of work."

<after he complains about the damage to the ship...>

She nodded and tossed him a credit chit. "Seems my brother Jalek is alive." She leaned against the door frame, her hands in the pockets of her short coat. "He transferred some funds to me. Not a lot, but enough to cover not only my baggage fee here, but some of ship's repairs too. Sorry about calling her in down there." She shrugged and smiled again. "It probably won't be the last time." Then she sobered a little. "At least I hope not. I mean...that's why I wanted to talk to you. I hope you'll consider helping me get my sister free and in helping me--" she ran a hand through her hair "--in helping us, Farok and me, in our larger fight against the Empire. I won't lie. It will be a dangerous. Death will continue to stalk those we love and care about. But I think you know that freedom never comes easily. A spark has to be lit. And the price for lighting such a spark has always been the willing sacrifice of the brave. Brim understood that sacrifice, I think. He did not die in vain.  You're a good man, Captain, and we--I--could really lose a man of your talents. Anyway, think about it. I've called a meeting with the crew tomorrow. If you're on our side, I think it'd help sway the others. No matter what you decide, I consider you a friend."

ooc: btw, the credit chit contains 10,000 creds.

:ooc: This the house rule that I generated an episode back:

PC Levels 1-6 = Level upgrade at end of each episode
PC Levels 7-12 = level upgrade at end of two episodes
PC Levels 13-20 = level upgrade at end of three episodes

This is the end of our episode, even though we will continue to diaglogue here until I get the new one started. You guys are now eligible for levelling up. So please post your choices on your new level.

Thanks

:ooc: Great post, Jingo! I like character interactions.

More rested than he's felt in awhile, BIT emerges from his bunk to the rest of the crew doing their own thing.  Feeling restless already, he offers his services to help repair the ship in that it will get him on his way faster and yet keeps to himself mostly, offering little conversation, preferring to observe.  As time wears on, he notices that even with the loss of their comrades, the group presses on not burdened by the loss but resolved in their memory of the fallen.  They seem a pretty good group, learning bits and pieces about them through conversation overheard in the galley and in passing.  Of the bands he's come across since his defection, this one seems like a good choice to stick with to keep his name and face off the radar of the Empire, even if they do stick their necks out on occasion.

 :ooc: FArok needs to get a protetic arm, other than that he intends to keep up with his training and start the process of freeing Kaida's sister.

:ooc: All right, I was hoping that the players could all dialogue together (i.e. chat amongst yourselves) about what their next goal is, but it doesn't seem like we are going to do that. I answered Kaida's attempt below.

I am starting a whole new board for the game, as Black Sun has come to its conclusion. I will have the new intro thread up tonight or tomorrow. As for the ship's repairs, Farok's new arm - I will just consider these things taken care of between episodes, so Tom, go ahead and design your level increase with a new cybernetic arm in place. I will deduct money from the party treasure to accommodate these items.

---

Quote from: Jingo on Oct 27, 2012, 08:47 PMAt the end of the second "day", she spotted Caden as he disappeared into his quarters. She approached and tapped on the door.

When it opened, she looked him up and down and smiled. The man could be brusque and sometimes downright rude, but she was a good judge of character, and she was pleased to see a good man standing before her. Caden looked tired. "How are the repairs going on the Aegis? I don't know too much about it, but looks to me like she could use a few more days of work."

<after he complains about the damage to the ship...>

She nodded and tossed him a credit chit. "Seems my brother Jalek is alive." She leaned against the door frame, her hands in the pockets of her short coat. "He transferred some funds to me. Not a lot, but enough to cover not only my baggage fee here, but some of ship's repairs too. Sorry about calling her in down there." She shrugged and smiled again. "It probably won't be the last time." Then she sobered a little. "At least I hope not. I mean...that's why I wanted to talk to you. I hope you'll consider helping me get my sister free and in helping me--" she ran a hand through her hair "--in helping us, Farok and me, in our larger fight against the Empire. I won't lie. It will be a dangerous. Death will continue to stalk those we love and care about. But I think you know that freedom never comes easily. A spark has to be lit. And the price for lighting such a spark has always been the willing sacrifice of the brave. Brim understood that sacrifice, I think. He did not die in vain.  You're a good man, Captain, and we--I--could really use a man of your talents. Anyway, think about it. I've called a meeting with the crew tomorrow. If you're on our side, I think it'd help sway the others. No matter what you decide, I consider you a friend."

Caden quietly listened to the noblewoman, nodding slightly at her comments, until she finished. He scratched at his hair and thought of how much he was going to enjoy the shower that was in his very near future. He smiled at Kaida, nodded again, and said, "Lot of strangers have boarded my ship, only to become friends... too many have been lost, but it is as you say. I will consider your request, Kaida, and we can all discuss it in the morning. Get some sleep... we all need it."

Quote from: Jingo on Oct 27, 2012, 08:47 PM

She nodded and tossed him a credit chit. "Seems my brother Jalek is alive." She leaned against the door frame, her hands in the pockets of her short coat. "He transferred some funds to me. Not a lot, but enough to cover not only my baggage fee here, but some of ship's repairs too. Sorry about calling her in down there." She shrugged and smiled again. "It probably won't be the last time." Then she sobered a little. "At least I hope not. I mean...that's why I wanted to talk to you. I hope you'll consider helping me get my sister free and in helping me--" she ran a hand through her hair "--in helping us, Farok and me, in our larger fight against the Empire. I won't lie. It will be a dangerous. Death will continue to stalk those we love and care about. But I think you know that freedom never comes easily. A spark has to be lit. And the price for lighting such a spark has always been the willing sacrifice of the brave. Brim understood that sacrifice, I think. He did not die in vain.  You're a good man, Captain, and we--I--could really lose a man of your talents. Anyway, think about it. I've called a meeting with the crew tomorrow. If you're on our side, I think it'd help sway the others. No matter what you decide, I consider you a friend."

ooc: btw, the credit chit contains 10,000 creds.

"I've lost a lot of friends in the past few weeks. That's not a life that I've ever had a lot of interest in; I'd prefer to anonymously, quietly retire somewhere sunny and warm where no one ever heard of gangsters, empires... what have you."

But Caden was no fool - he knew that world might never exist for him. He'd always been running.

"I'll think about it," he said. "But if we do go forward with Organa's little crusade together, I have to insist on one thing - something that he always respected in our prior dealings: this ship is mine; it goes where I want it to go, when I want it to. And that's final." He suspected that Kaida might have to think about that.

"Thanks for this," he said sincerely, holding up the chit. "I think it's enough to pay for your ride... and to cover for a family rescue."

Quote"I'll think about it," he said. "But if we do go forward with Organa's little crusade together, I have to insist on one thing - something that he always respected in our prior dealings: this ship is mine; it goes where I want it to go, when I want it to. And that's final." He suspected that Kaida might have to think about that.

"Fine by me," she said trying not to smile. "I promise I wont boss your ship around, unless you are dead or unconscious or stark raving mad..."

She enjoyed the look on his face. Well, she at least thought it was funny. "Lighten up," she chuckled. "I'm sure it won't come to that."

Kaida calls a meeting the next "morning" in the break room.

"Thank you for coming. Let me get right to the point. We suffered many hardships on Malastare, the greatest of which was the loss of our two companions, Logar and Brim. They will be sorely missed and will be rallying cries of freedom in the days ahead. Let us remember them for their bravery and sacrifices.

I for one intend to carry on this fight for freedom. Master Farok has graciously offered to help me." She nodded gratefully to the man. "We seek to free my sister from the clutches of the Empire, as well as locate my mother. Once my family is restored, we will work tirelessly to rally any and all freedom fighters to our great cause of liberty. I ask each of you to consider a universe where no one stands up against the monolithic will of the Empire and worlds upon worlds stifle and groan under the shackles of grinding oppression."

As they pondered she moved and stood by Farok. "Will you stand with us and be a light to others in these dark days? It will not be easy. Danger and death will hound our heels the remainder of our lives. But these are days where brave souls must rise up and take a stand."

Sam stood there quietly. His Heuristic processor began to run probabilities of success for the multiple things that Kaida announced were hers, and Farok's intent. The analyses came quickly and most were low percentages, but the droid knew that the noblewoman had no desire to hear his results. In fact, they would have a negative affect on the purpose of the groups gathering, which Sam knew was meant to inspire, rally, and adhere their commitment to a goal. To adhere them together as a team.

He looked around him. The only human, or a near-human, here that he held any true allegiance to was Caden. The man had taken him in and allowed him to reside on the Aegis. He had even aided the droid in upgrades. Sam worked on understanding the idea of self-will and making a commitment - not being programmed to or for a purpose - and he struggled with it. Still, he was a independent droid with  his own choices to follow, and his own allegiances to create... not someone elses programming.

Sam spoke in his way, like an organic, instead of a droid. "Well... I think you can count me in, Kaida. I will go where the Aegis takes me, but if it is Caden's choice to include us in your pursuits, then you have my services."

"So, Captain Caden. The choice is yours? Are you willing to sign onto this mission to continue your role as renegade privateer?"

"I'm in," Caden said. "To try and rescue Kaida's family, at least."
He paused, not wanting to let them down, but not willing to commit yet to something that might be the death of him.
"After that, we'll see. I've lost three friends to this before I met any of you, and more since. Sam's all I have left from my original crew, and we haven't even really started this... revolution that you're discussing. Sure, I want my freedom back, and this all sounds great and noble and... whatever, but our luck seems to be running lower each time we head out somewhere. I'm not interested in seeing it run out entirely."

He smiled at Kaida after the last. "But putting a family back together; that I can get behind." He thought of his own family back on Bestine and wondered if he'd ever see them again.

"Let's get this show on the road."