ELROOD SECTOR: Episode Two: Drifting

[Zhym]

Kato blasts away at whatever enemy makes the best target.

[Monsieur Rose]

Zuul

He grins when the 12 pirates come running towards him. Finally a fair fight. Zuul growls as half of them seem a bit fuzzy, so he tries to hit one of the non-fuzzy pirates with his staff.

[max_vale]

On the surface of the Planet Dega in the Elrood Sector; in the base of the Pirate Band known as The Scourge


The battle between the Pirates and NRI Agents intensified as a group of half-a-dozen Pirates came rushing out of the tunnel, their Blasters blazing....only to be met by an equally intense hail of blaster bolts......tibanna gas and steam from the weapons barrels quickly gave a 'smokey' feel to the cavern after the deadly and quick shoot-out.....

Professor Clark was the first to take action as he sighted down his Blaster Rifle and paid no attention to the blaster bolt a human pirate fired his way (and came nowhere close to hitting him) and he took a grim pride in watching his own shot drill the pirate in the face and drop to the ground, never to rise again...

A somewhat dazed and confused Zuul swung his Electro Staff at one of the pair of Ishi-Tib Pirates he saw, but his swing was WAY off and he missed badly. In retaliation, the Pirate fired a bolt from his Heavy Blaster Pistol into the staggering Barabel and Zuul fell to the ground with a hiss of pain and his senses reeling from a combination of being Stunned and now wounded by a Blaster Bolt*......

Roaring in anger and to draw attention her way, Kit'katarra the albino Wookie raised her Blaster Carbine to her eye level and cut loose a trio of blaster bolts at the Pirates, one of which managed to wound the Ishi-Tib Pirate who had just shot her friend. Her tactic worked however as 3 of the remaining 4 Pirates yet to fire cut loose shots her way. One bolt missed wide, another slammed into the make-shift cover she had created with empty crates. The last however slammed into her torso and caused her to bellow in pain and her nostrils to be filled with the smell of burnt hair and flesh**....

Kato the "Jedi" took aim at the wounded Ishi-Tib Pirate and he fired a well placed shot with his Blaster that hit the Alien Pirate in his chest and caused him to stagger back for a moment and then fall to the ground and move no more forever.....

However, Kato saw the last pirate yet to fire, a Human with a Blaster Carbine aim it at him and then a moment later, he felt his body jerk to one side and he looked down and saw part of his shirt was burned away and then the pain kicked in and he realized he had just been shot!***.....

Finally, Kael rose up from his position near the little 'comms station' and he took a quick breath, released it and in a magnificent moment where he felt his vision narrow and focus on the remaining Pirates, he cut loose no fewer than 5 shots from his Blaster, putting 4 of the bolts into the 3 Pirates still standing; all of whom took shots to the head or the heart and then a long moment later, there was an eerie silence as the entire cavern seemed to just 'stand still' in time for a moment......

Forgotten in a heap along the far wall, Vale's subconscious mind took him back to when he was a youngling and first learning about the Force.....asking his Master, the gentle Vanurli Ixivaan, if he could learn how to 'do magic' too.....

The silence was broken by the comm station near Kael suddenly coming to life again and a male voice called out; "Who ever you are....if you have any interest in seeing the prisoners alive.....I suggest you all set your weapons down and keep your hands raised. If not.....I'll gut them quick and you'll be left with nothing but messy corpses......do we have terms?"


*Zuul is in a weird stat of half stunned and now Wounded.....he can take actions, but at a -2D for the next 3 rounds.....after that, he'll revert to just -1D as the Stun wears off

**Kit is Wounded and will be at -1D to all actions until Treated

***Kato saw as above....Wounded and at -1D to all actions un Treated

[Monsieur Rose]

Zuul

He staggers to his feet, looking for raiders to attack. He spins in a circle and fails to find any others standing, finally resting his now dizzy self on the staff.

"We got them! What happened?"

[Rex]

Kit

Kit remains quite as she administers a med kit on herself. Then she moves to Zuul and does the same. She will keep going until she has helped everyone or something happens to interfere.

[ateno]

is there a video feed in the area?

Seeing many were wounded, he knows he can't bound forward to take the leader by suprise.

He turns and hides his blaster inside his clothing.

"Hows everyone doing?"

Kael

[Zhym]

Kato looks down at his ruined shirt and grimaces. "Aw. I liked that shirt!" he says. He fumbles around for a medkit and realizes he doesn't have one. "I was also fond of that spot of flesh, for that matter."

When the pirate leader issues his demand, Kato turns to the others and asks, just loud enough to be heard on the comm station, "Guys, I forgot—do we actually care about seeing the prisoners alive? I mean, if this guy kills them, there's nothing to stop us from killing him and taking all his stuff, right?"

Any chance that could trigger a persuasion roll?

[Starbeard]

Vale Starcloud, young Jedi

Thrown into a corner and unconscious, Vale suddenly raises his arms out as if clutching at something desperately, muttering, "Master! Behind you!" And then, "No thanks Aunt Harba, I'm off blue milk." Then his arms collapse back down to his chest and he drools serenely.

[max_vale]

On the surface of the Planet Dega in the Elrood Sector; in the base of the Pirate Band known as The Scourge


As Kit'katarra first treats herself with a med-kit and then moves to do the same for Kato and then Zuul, poor Vale comes out of his stupor and shakes off the effects of the stun grenade. As Kato is being treated, Kael moves over from his position at the Comms Station while Clark keeps a sharp eye AND aim at the entrance way the Pirates had come out of. Zuul does his best to remain on his feet....which, with the help of his Stun Stuff, he's able to do....

Kato calls out in a voice loud enough to be heard over the comms that he can't remember if they CARE enough about the prisoners to try and rescue them in an attempt at bluffing. There's no response, but soon, a muffled blast can be heard that echoes from the direction all the pirates came from, along with a strange 'rainbow' burst of light......then, just silence.....

Kit gets done treating Zuul next and the entire party of NRI Agents is fully healthy again, though Zuul remains a bit sore and dizzy. Vale reaches out with the Force and a moment later, he tells his companions that there are several sentient beings close by....and one moving further away and quickly. Professor Clark, always a man of action, decides to rush forward....Zuul right on his heels....

They move through the quick 'tunnel/hallway' and into a massive, open room with several tables and chairs in the center and make-shift beds, sleeping rolls and small storage containers holding clothes and personal effects all along the walls. One corner is a make-shift kitchen with an auto-chef and some food containers and there are two doors on the far wall at opposite ends. The door on the far left is open and shows a combination storage room, stacked with crates and access to the machinery that allows this base to function; the other door on the far right is open and after a moment, a Human Male comes staggering out....clearly dazed and shouting in such a way that it's obvious he's deafened.....

"DON'T SHOOT! I'M DUNSTIN KELLAN, THE GRAY GRIFFIN PILOT! WE WERE BEING HELD HOSTAGE BY THESE BASTARD PIRATES! PLEASE COME QUICK AND HELP ME GET MY FRIENDS OUT OF HERE! THAT NERF-HERDING JERK OF A PIRATE CAPTAIN THREW A STUNG GRENADE AT US AND THEN LEFT THROUGH A SECRET TUNNEL!"

Clark, Zuul and eventually the others, move cautiously towards 'Dunstin', but they soon realize he matches the description and holo-pics that Parek had shown them of his crew and soon the other 2 remaining Grey Griffin members can be seen, dazed and barely conscious on the ground of a lavishly decked out private bedroom....clearly the room of the leader of The Scourge. Othel the Mon Calamari leader of the Grey Griffins and Vala Starburne, the human female Sensors Operator and Co-Pilot of the group were helped up and taken out of the room.....which also contained a data-pad thrown in the corner which a sharp-eyed Zuul picked up and Dunstin, loudly, showed the WELL HIDDEN outlines of a secret door the Pirate Leader had made a break out through. The door was locked and the NRI Agents were debating the next move when a couple of things happened at about the same time....

First, the Grey Griffins finally came-to....and at about the same time, out in the Main room, Kael's eyes were drawn to a strange repeating pattern of lights from the controls in the back storage room. Moving that way, the Diplomat-turned-Rebel-turned-Intel Agent realized that the Main Power Generator for this place had been over-loaded and would probably soon cause a catastrophic explosion!


OOC: Okay, the 3 remaining Grey Griffins have been found....they are malnourished and have some bruises and are dizzy, but okay......a Datapad was grabbed by Zuul.....and Kael realizes the Base is basically gonna explode in the near future.....

[ateno]

"HEY Everyone!! The Power Generator is Set to blow, grab something and someone and run!!!"

Kael does a quick scan around the room for any worthwhile available transportable loot and helps one of the other crew and heads towards the exit.

Kael

[Rex]

Kit

If anyone needs assistance to get out she will offer it, carrying them if need be. Either way she moves as quickly as possible to get out.

[kipper]

Clark attempts to open the secret door, as he figures it will be the most direct exit for everyone out of this place!

[Monsieur Rose]

Zuul

He helps Clark with any force needed to open it. "How do we open it? Where'ss the button!?"

[Zhym]

For just a moment, Kato contemplates grabbing any valuables or notable items on the way out. But then he realizes that it would not be the JEDI way. So he takes hold of a Grey Griffin or two—but, y'know, respectfully. "Come with me! It's going to blow!" he cries out in a brilliant statement of the obvious, and assists them in making an expeditious retreat before the whole base goes kablooey.

[Starbeard]

Vale grabs the nearest helpless prisoner and rushes them out the door the way they came in! Holding his blaster in one hand, he wildly shoots down into the gorge as they come near it, hoping to spook the monster long enough for them to cross unhindered.

[max_vale]

On the surface of the Planet Dega in the Elrood Sector; in the base of the Pirate Band known as The Scourge


The group of NRI Agents react in different ways as the leader of the pirate band, Chalmer, uses a secret escape tunnel and the hostage Grey Griffins come stumbling out, reeling from the effects of a stun grenade blast....

Kael, who saw that the power generator for the base had been set to blow, loudly makes everyone aware of that fact as he both throws and arm around Othel, the Mon Calamarian leader of the Griffins AND grabs a locked case he sees laying against a wall in the Pirate Leader's room. He then moves quickly back out the way they came, followed by Kato, who had likewise helped the human female, Vala, up and Kit grabs a protesting Dustin and throws him over her shoulder as she races out the way they came as well...ignoring his, "I'm OKAY! YOU CAN PUT ME DOWN!!!!!"

Meanwhile, Vale raced ahead of his companions and fired wildly down into the canyon the bridge covered, driving back the Oskan Blood-Eater and covering his friends, seeing Kit, then Kato, then Kael cross in short order....but wondering where Clark and Zuul were.....

Back in the Pirate Leader's chambers, Clark went over to the well hidden entrance to the tunnel, but saw that the wily Pirate Leader had blasted the lock to the thick metal door behind him. Zuul, after snatching up the datapad he found by the Pirate Captain's personal effects, came over to join him. They quickly realized they couldn't force the door, so the best ways thru it were to either attempt to 'hot wire' it or use a Lightsaber. They turned to hear their companions, racing away with the newly rescued Griffins in tow and yelling about how 'THE PLACE IS GOING TO BLOW!'

Zuul locks eyes with his long time human team-mate and just shakes his big, reptilian head and says, "That ssseemssss about right"; and the two quickly raced after their companions. They pounded across the bridge, seeing the others already opening the main door while Vale waited at the bridge for them, anxiously calling for them and firing down into the chasm to keep the Oskan beast at bay. "COME ON!" the young Jedi yelled at them and they quickly raced over and everyone ran for the Nova Kestrel as fast as they could....


Onboard the Nova Kestrel, on and around the Planet Dega

Everyone scrambled up the ramp onboard the little frieghter and Kit and Kael quickly made their way to the cockpit while a muted reunion between Parek and his teammates was had in the lounge as everyone had to quickly strap in. The ramp was barely up and the ship had JUST taken off, when the Pirate Base went off with a massive explosion!

With a roar, the white-furred Wookie pilot Kit'katarra threw the engines to maximum thrust and blasted out of the mining-tunnel/landing pad the Pirate utilized and as the Ghtroc Freighter rocketed out of the entrance, a gout of flame came flashing out right on their tail......but luckily, the ship escaped with no issues.....

Not long afterwards, they were out of the planet's atmosphere and gravity well and they engaged the hyperdrive for the trip back to Elrood. Everyone gathered to hear Othel tell the tale of how the Scourge Pirates had sold their ship to somebody named 'Slythor', apparently a crime lord on a planet named Korad, and the memory banks containing the location of the planet Alluvia, would presumably still be on the ship. Kit made sure everyone was treated and got a lot of rest and Kael and Zuul looked at the 'loot' they had grabbed....

Kael's case contained a half-dozen stun grenades while Zuul's datapad had been mostly wiped, but had two interesting messages still in it. One was a record of payment from IML (Imperial Mining Limited) to Chalmer Trialli for 'Pest Control'; while the other caused teh Barabel to read it over and over, silently to himself....

It read:

COMMUNIQUE #84B93L1

To: Chalmer Trialli
From: The Khuiumin Survivors

I must commend you as it certainly isn't easy to get a message to your band. WIth our recent arrival in your Sector, I wanted to assure you of two things...

First: All the rumors you've heard of us are true...we ARE who we say we are......and we are in your Territory for one reason and one reason only....REVENGE on the cursed one who almost destroyed us. We have NO interest in poaching any shipping on your turf or causing ANY disruption or problems with your operations.

Second: Your capabilities come highly recommended and therefore I wanted to offer you the chance to throw in with us. If you do, you'll both be highly rewarded and the Name of The Scourge will spread to every corner of the Galaxy when our Revenge is achieved. However, if you do not wish to join us, I understand and would only ask that you stay out of our way.

We anxiously await your response.....

J.N.

END COMMUNIQUE



Zuul was lost in memories from a decade ago......not long after he had first left Barab and had joined a group of Pirates....a FAMOUS group of Pirates....the Khuiumin.....

He had left their ranks a mere month before the Empire's crushing assault on the 60 ship and 8,000 pirate strong band.....a Captain Daedra of the Imperail Star Destroyer Bombard had a led a Squadron of Imperial Ships and destroyed nearly every ship and almost every member of the Khuiumin Pirates. 4 ships escaped with less than 300 survivors.....

When Zuul had been a member, he had served on a ship known as the Black Comet, under the command of a human Pirate named Jacob Nive....

[ateno]

"Let's get cleaned up and get our report ready for our bosses, see if we can connect the dots later?."

Kael will give the prisoners priority in food and cleanliness and whatever else they need.

Kael

[Monsieur Rose]

Zuul

His mind is forced back to that period, remembering things good and bad. He shakes his head to clear away the ghosts. Life moves forward.

"Take a look at thiss. The empire has another sworn enemy, maybe we could help them." Zuul shows everyone the message and its meaning.

[kipper]

"It seems our work is not yet done," Clark comments.

[Rex]

Kit

Kit makes sure everyone is resting and had what they need.

Growl...

"Work is never done."