# STAR WARS: The Emperor's Game



## Dr Midnight (Dec 1, 2003)

This will be the sequel to my four-session campaign STAR WARS: WRATH OF THE REBELLION. You can read that campaign writeup here: http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10582
or read the entire thing without ENworld commentary here: www.dr-midnight.com/starwars/wotr.htm

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PROLOGUE 

General Madine took a breath and said it. “No.”

Across the table, Luke Skywalker blinked. “What?”

“I said no. Permission denied.”

Luke gritted his teeth. “General, with all due respect, this man is as responsible for the destruction of the Death Star as I am. Without his support, I would have died in that trench, and all the rebels on Yavin would have died only minutes afterward.”

Madine ran a hand through his hair and structured his argument in his head. “He was well-paid for that support, if you recall. He bled our resources dry with his ‘reward money’.” He looked at Luke and saw only hurt. “Han Solo is a mercenary.”

“He’s a good man,” Luke replied. “and he’s of great use to the Rebellion.”

The general agreed. “Absolutely. And if things were different, I would fully endorse sending you, Organa, and Calrissian in to save him, as you suggest. However, I have to consider certain things. The Rebellion needs you, first and foremost… and this ‘Jedi Training’ leave time you’ve been taking has genuinely hurt us here. I like to think we’ve been very lenient in that regard: allowing you months at a time off on some hidden planet, training to be a ‘Jedi’, using one of our ships as transport.” Luke opened his mouth to retort, and Madine went on. “Furthermore, a man like Solo would be of much greater use to us if he didn’t demand compensation for every little deed. He’s not an enlisted man, like yourself. He works for us. At this time, we don’t feel that his rescue is worth sending you, three other high-ranking Rebels, and two serviceable droids to Tatooine. Han’s criminal background caught up to him, and he’s paying the price.”

Luke remained calm. “I won’t leave my friend in the clutches of a gangster.”

The general had had enough. “You WILL follow orders, soldier,” he growled. “Have you forgotten that we’re fighting a war? You’re needed here. Permission denied. That is all.” Luke got up and stormed to the exit. 

Madine called out to him. “I’m sorry, Luke. It’s not our fight.”

Luke paused briefly, then left the room. He walked away briskly. Princess Leia Organa stood up from her seat and followed. “Let me guess,” she said.

“He’s wrong,” Luke said angrily. “Quantifying people by their worth isn’t what will make the New Republic great.”

“He’s a general,” Leia said, hurrying to keep up with Luke’s long strides. “He has to make hard decisions every day.”

Luke sighed. “I shouldn’t be getting angry like this. I have to learn to separate myself from my feelings.” He slowed to a stop, and Leia stopped with him. They stood in the center of a long hallway. Luke spoke after  a time. “We can’t just leave Han like this.”

Leia bit her lower lip and thought. “No,” she said. “We’re going to get him.”

Skywalker looked up at her, confused. “We are?”

“Yes. I have an idea.” 

“What about Madine?”

“To Hell with Madine and his orders,” She snarled.

Luke was surprised by the outburst of emotion from Leia. The young woman was normally diplomatic and reserved- a true politician, she rarely let her feelings flare like this… except, of course, where Han Solo was involved. “What’s your idea?”

She told him, and he listened. In the end, he agreed that it was a dangerous game they were playing, but that rescuing Han was the end to which all means were justified. “Let’s do it. When can we put the plan into motion?”

“As soon as the others get back,” she said nervously. “Do you want me to talk to them?”

“No, I’ll do it, I guess.” He stepped forward and hugged her, and she hugged him back. They stood there silently for a moment.

Leia said “I miss him.”

“Me too.” Luke held his friend and felt the loneliness and pain coming off her in waves. “We’ll get him back.”

*MORE PROLOGUE TO COME...*


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## Richards (Dec 1, 2003)

All right!  Some more gaming action, Doc Midnight style!  I know I'm speaking for quite a few of us who frequent the Story Hour boards when I say:  







> Damn!  We've missed you, Doc!



Great logo, by the way!

Johnathan


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## Neverwinter Knight (Dec 1, 2003)

Yes !!! I was hoping for a new Star Wars campaign when you finished the knights' story, but it's not just a new SW campaign, but a sequel. Will it be featuring all of the old PCs? Obviously, T'ek Nova will have to be replaced...who's coming in for him?

Looking forward to this VERY MUCH. Do you already know how many sessions you will be playing or is this a longterm campaign.

Regards,

NWK


PS: I always thought Luke's borrowing an X-Wing and taking off looked too easy - hail to bureaucracy.


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## Dr Midnight (Dec 1, 2003)

With a squirbling bleep, the little Astromech droid came back to function. Its diode came back on and its trapezoidal dome “head” swiveled around. It began to curiously examine its surroundings. Kneeling there before it was a blue-green Twi’lek woman, soldering wires within the droid’s frame. 

“Hey there, you’re up,” she said. The droid tweeted anxiously. “I don’t know who- much less where- ‘Dent’ may be. You’re on a Rebel Flagship, and you’re in pretty sad shape, my friend. Don’t strain yourself.”

The droid whistled, and the woman chuckled. “You got cut in half by a blaster bolt or something is what happened. By all rights you should be scrap… but apparently the powers that be want you whole again.”

A gurgling boip. “No, we’ve never met before,” she replied.

The droid chirped softly. The Twi’lek woman laughed and put up her goggles. Through the goggles’ leather headdress her two long, tattooed lekku hung down her back. Her honey-colored eyes regarded the green and yellow droid’s view-lens kindly. “I’m glad to meet you, R5-F6. I’m Avara Tel. There, we’re not strangers anymore… no need to be so nervous.” She picked up a 3/5ths Ganudu wrench and began loosening the bolts over R5’s filament casing. “Hey, while you’re conscious… mind telling me what this goes to?” She held up a piece of metal from the ground. 

R5 twittered, and she nodded. “Motivator servo. Got it.”

From behind her, a voice: “Tech Specialist Tel?”

Avara whirled on her knees, eyes darting around. “What?”

A hangar worker stood there, holding two cases at his sides. “I, uh… I was told you’d need a set of torquescopes for the Astromech you’re repairing.”

She relaxed somewhat. “Yeah. Yeah, I need one of those, yes I do. Leave it there, thanks.”

He stood there motionless for a moment, then asked “Um. Which set?”

Avara looked at him. “What?”

He held up the case in his left hand. “Helial,” then the one in his right. “…or Sedrial?” Tel sat there staring at the cases until the worker said “Oh, it’s just an R5. You’ll want the Helial, then.” He put it down. 

Avara took the set and opened the case, examining the tools within. “Yes, Helial, that’s right. Thank you.” The worker walked away. She waited until he was gone and then picked up one of the torquescope attachments, turning it over and examining it. 

R5-F6 made a modulated bleating sound. “Nothing,” she said. “Examing the craftsmanship. Good tools. Anyway, tell me about this ‘Dent’ friend of yours.” She lowered her goggles back over her eyes and returned to work on the little droid’s insides while the other blurped and beeped happily about Dent Darkstar and the travels they’d had together. 

Avara listened, nodding, then stopped as R5 detailed one of their more exciting adventures they’d had some time ago. Again, Avara raised her goggles. “You were there when the Death Star was destroyed?”

R5 whistled that no, in fact, he remained on the ship during the adventure, but Dent and his friends had gone into the Death Star and rescued the Rebel detainees from the detention block even as Rogue Squadron flew toward the station from the other side. Avara listened intently as R5 told the tale of how they’d barely escaped in the Chandrila Surveyor, trailing several transports behind, as Luke Skywalker made his historic shot to the Star’s reactor core. The droid played a tinny-sounding explosion noise to climax the story. 

“I remember,” Tel said with careful interest. “I was one of the people they saved that day.” R5 tweeted excitedly. “Yes, I was. I was arrested for… being Rebel scum. Then, your friends came by and saved us all.” She frowned as she got back to work on the droid’s circuitry. “Of course, no one told us then that we’d be stuck on this ship for the rest of time. Nobody ever told me the life of a tech specialist would be so dull and sedentary. I’ve got things to do, y’know?” 

She soldered for a minute more, then stopped. “Say, where is Dent now? Does his team make frequent trips off-base?” R5 beeped an affirmative. “All the time, eh?” Avara rubbed her chin. “Y’know, R5, I think it’s time I make my value known to the Rebellion. All this time, I’ve missed my true calling as an adventurer. Don’t you think your ship could use a tech specialist on board?”

The droid warbled. “I know you’re Chief Engineer, I would never dream of taking over your job. Couldn’t your team use a slicer, though, to help slip through screen-systems and repair things you can’t reach on ship? Don’t you think it’s time you had someone with my expertise?”

R5 paused, seemingly thinking, then chirped a happy reply. Tel smiled. “Why, you’d put in a good word for me?”

Bloop.

“You’re too sweet.”

*Next: The Game Begins*


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## JDragon (Dec 1, 2003)

Alright!! Doc's back with more Star Wars fun!  !

Can't wait to get into this one Doc.

Keep this at the top of the page so no one misses it.


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## Dr Midnight (Dec 1, 2003)

We played the first game yesterday, and I've gotta say it was pretty good. Some action, some plot hooks, some pretty hairy narrow escapes, some wackiness from... certain characters...

And, hey, sorry for abandoning my last story hour. I just lost the excitement very early on. I've been looking forward to this one for months now, so I don't think it'll happen again unless I just run straight out of time. 

I've got some writing to do!


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## Dr Midnight (Dec 2, 2003)

Woonwooken growled. 

Dent looked up from his spot on the floor where he was tweaking the ship's secondary compressor units. He spoke without much real interest. "What's her problem now?" 

"She's grumpy," Lexo Yust replied, ruffling the fur on his wookiee companion's head. "We haven't seen any action for a while. She's getting restless." 

Dent went back to "Well, who's she got to blame for that?" 

The Chandrila Surveyor flew through hyperspace. Through the windows,  countless stars winked at them as they passed by, almost instantaneously. Whole systems flashed by in the breadth of a second. Hyperspace is one of the most fascinating sights, most agree, that a galactic citizen could hope to see. 

…Unless, that is, you've seen it hundreds of times before. Woonwooken growled again. "I know you're bored," Lexo said soothingly. This is what happens when you get demoted. You get all the dull jobs." Woonie made a warbling, mournful grunt. Lexo nodded and said "I agree. It's not fair." 

"Not fair?!" Dent sat up again. "You were court-martialed for perfectly good and just reasons. You released a known enemy of the Rebellion into space. One that had only hours before turned on us and destroyed a droid- MY droid- that possessed the station plans to a critical Imperial installation." He gestured with his wrench angrily. "He turned into a snarling beast, betraying everyone who trusted him, and you two let him go in one of MY ship's escape pods. You're LUCKY you were only demoted. You're lucky I even let you on my ship anymore." 

Lexo sighed. Dent got like this, now and again… he was upset about his team being set back in mission status, and now and then he lashed  out. It would pass. "T'ek deserved a fair chance," Lexo said quietly, petting Woonwooken's head. 

"Don't even say his name aboard my ship," Dent said bitterly, laying back to return to his work. 

A figure appeared in the doorway. The man had auburn hair and a dingy off-white and tan outfit. His appearance was that of a common moisture farmer. He spoke. "You two did what you thought was right. We just wish you'd discussed it with us." 

"We didn't think you'd approve, Zybor." 

"We wouldn't have." The man in the doorway stepped into the            room. "And it's Onjo," he said, sitting. "Always Onjo." 

"Sorry," Lexo shrugged. "Onjo Quee. That's going to take a while to get used to." 

The Jedi Zybor-Jae had changed his name and his image, going "underground" even among his contacts within the Rebellion. The reasoning was explained to him by Obi-Wan Kenobi, through T'ek Nova. _Obi-Wan thinks that if Luke Skywalker knows we exist,_ T'ek had told him long ago, _He would see us as his superiors and never come to lead the new Jedi order in his own right._ In retrospect, T'ek may have lied and suggested the plan to weaken the new Jedi… but the idea still made sense. The new Jedi order would need a new leader, instead of drawing knowledge from the old guard, which had grown bloated and unbalanced. Zybor had taken the identity of a simple fringer to allay suspicion, and kept his double-bladed lightsaber hidden in the folds of his loose tabard. The name Zybor-Jae simply wasn't safe anymore. His name would have come up in some archives eventually, and then the questions would start… maybe the one asking would be Luke Skywalker, maybe it would be an Imperial inquisition team. No, better to stay disguised and maintain a more secretive Jedi presence within the Rebellion. 

Onjo had disapproved of Lexo and Woonwooken's actions, but unlike Dent, he enjoyed the new nature of their assignments. These new missions were almost always peaceful and diplomatic in nature. A courier job here, a transport job there, peacekeeping at an information exchange. It allowed him to exercise his sense of justice and fairness, instead of wielding a lightsaber to solve his problems. It was refreshing. Still, Dent was upset about the slowdown, and Uschi Neff had left the group entirely in a fit of disgust. Onjo understood their pain while striving to keep from further alienating Lexo and Woonwooken from the group. 

Currently, the group were returning from a mission to the Alderaan vacuum. Some colonists on surrounding planets had erected a floating memorial in space. The Empire had deemed the display treasonous and ordered them to remove it or face "consequences". Onjo and the others managed to convince the colonists to grieve privately and pick their battles until the Empire was no more. It was a small matter in the big scheme of the war, but their actions still saved lives here and there. Onjo felt at peace. 

The transceiver light began blinking a dull red. "I'll get it," Dent said as he stood up, arching his back. He walked into the cabin, sat down, and hit the receive button. 

"Chandrila Surveyor, this is Colonel Wellion. Do you copy?" 

"I'm here," Dent replied. "What can we do for you?" 

"Come out of hyperspace at the coordinates I'm sending you. You will be met and boarded by a Lambda-class Imperial shuttle. Do not fire on it." 

"I'm afraid I'm going to need your clearance code before I dock with an Imperial craft over transceiver orders. I don't take that kind of risk with my ship." 

"Yes, of course," the voice said grudgingly. "4753-H2345-J0198-a." 

"That'll do. We'll meet you at the rendezvous in a few minutes. Darkstar out." He thumbed the receive button off and walked back to the group. "Emergency meeting in two minutes with a Rebellion representative," Dent announced. "Looks like something's up." 

Lexo made a snorting noise through his breathing mask. "A meeting? Out here, in space?" 

Onjo thought for a moment and said "This is unorthodox. Might it be a trap?" 

"I don't think so," Dent said casually. "He claimed to be Colonel Wellion. The ID code he gave me checks out, though he was not happy to give it." 

"Sounds like an imposter," Lexo said. 

"On the contrary," Dent replied. "Only superior officers get haughty about being asked for their codes, as if you're questioning their authority. It's when the person gives up the codes eagerly that you have to watch out. Still, everyone be ready for anything. Woonie just might get her wish." 

Woonwooken took out a pink length of ribbon and tied a bow at the top of her head. Company was coming. 

*MORE TO COME...*


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## Felix (Dec 2, 2003)

Doc, I might not have been your loudest fan before, but I am wonderfully suprised that you have a new Story Hour. Christmas came early this year!


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## fenzer (Dec 3, 2003)

Finally!  Something other than Buffy to read.  Sorry Doc, not a big Buffy fan, Star Wars on the other hand.

I love seeing the old characters back in action.  And the pink ribbon...what can I say other than everyone needs a little Woonwooken love.


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## idarii (Dec 3, 2003)

avara tel wanted me to stop in and say hi to everyone, cause she's a little busy fixing some droids or something. i wasn't really listening, i was too busy thinking about how i could steal her ultra cool goggles...


carrie (avara tel)


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## Razamir (Dec 3, 2003)

DOC!    Good to see you're back! Your storyhours are the only ones I read. I love your cinimatic style. Looking forward to lots of Star Warsy goodness.


Raz


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## Lela (Dec 3, 2003)

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now to read it


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## Neverwinter Knight (Dec 3, 2003)

idarii said:
			
		

> avara tel wanted me to stop in and say hi to everyone, cause she's a little busy fixing some droids or something. i wasn't really listening, i was too busy thinking about how i could steal her ultra cool goggles...
> 
> 
> carrie (avara tel)



 What's a technician to do without her goggles? 

Anyway, hi. Where's the rest of the Rhode Island gang?


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## Lela (Dec 3, 2003)

Doc Midknight said:
			
		

> Woonwooken took out a pink length of ribbon and tied a bow at the top of her head. Company was coming.



Heh, heh, heh.

See my .sig.


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## Dr Midnight (Dec 4, 2003)

Within minutes, they came out of hyperspace somewhere in the inner rim. Moments later, a three-winged Imperial Shuttle came out of hyerspace nearby. Its two side fins folded up to touch the high dorsal wing, and the ship angled itself over the Surveyor. The two craft docked together, forming an airtight seal between the two as circular doors opened to allow movement. 

Colonel Wellion climbed down into the Surveyor, followed by two Rebel troops. “Hello,” he said as he stood facing the sitting heroes. “I’m sorry to have called you out of hyperspace like this, but I’m afraid there’s a situation.”

“No problem at all, Colonel,” Dent said. “What’s this all about?”

“We wouldn’t have contacted you, but only about twelve light-years away, over the planet of Ambria, an entire Star Destroyer has been disabled. An Ion wash hit the I.N.S. Impervious about two hours ago. It’s sitting in space with only minimal function and no propulsive power. We don’t believe they’ll be able to fix their instruments anytime soon, and we’ve intercepted the specialist tech squad that was en route to them… which is how we came to own the Lambda ship.”

Lexo spoke up. “Wouldn’t a Star Destroyer have techs on board?”

“They do, Yust, but this wash has disabled them so badly that they can’t fix it on their own, not anytime within the next six hours. For that amount of time, that ship is vulnerable to a Rebel group that can get there fast enough.”

“Which is where we come in,” Dent said. “but we can’t take out a disabled Star Destroyer… it’s still too powerful.”

“That’s right. It’s surrounded by TIEs and other defensive craft. Your ship would be cut apart. We want you to penetrate the Impervious in the Lambda ship. Once you’re inside, you’re to separate and permanently disable your targets, including the hyperdrive matrix and sub-light drive.”

Lexo sat up. “Wait, wait… the sub-light drive on a Star Destroyer is an extremely intricate and complicated system. Disabling that thing won’t be easy- it’s not like pulling a switch.”

“Plus,” Dent said. “Those things are wired with a labyrinth of pitfalls and alarms. They’re engineered to be practically impossible to permanently shut down. We can’t do it. We’d need an expert tech specialist for a mission like this.”

Wellion smiled. “Luckily for you, Captain Darkstar, we’ve brought an expert tech specialist with us. Tel?” On his cue, a slender Twi’lek woman with blue-green skin descended the ladder. She stood and coolly regarded the room with amber eyes. “This is Tech Specialist Avara Tel. She’s an ace with a set of tools, and it looks like she can handle herself in a fight. In fact, she’s the one who single-handedly repaired your droid, Darkstar.”

 Dent stood up and offerend his hand to Avara. “You’ve fixed R5? I owe you many thanks- I thought he might never pull through. You must be a whiz with technology.”

Tel shook his hand. “Oh, absolutely. If it has wires I can fix it.”

“You’re most welcome here. Have a seat.”

Wellion cleared his throat. “If we’re through with the introductions, there’s a mission to discuss. I’ve uploaded your mission objectives to your datapads. Please review them with me. One- Infiltrate threatened area around Star Destroyer Impervious in Imperial vessel posing as Imperial tech repair squadron. This one’s fairly simple, you’ll take the Lambda craft and we’ll pilot the Surveyor back to base.”

“No you won’t,” Dent said. “The others can take your ship and I’ll bring you back to base in mine. I only let a few people touch my ship’s controls, and none of them are here.”

Woonwooken sadly grunted that yes, this was true… too often had she tried to “help” Dent pilot the ship, and he would kick her out of his cockpit. He never really forgot the time she ripped his gun controls right out of the deck. 

“That will be fine, Darkstar,” Wellion said reluctantly. “Objective two: Transmit code 1115-A23578-D72. This is the code that came with the ship, so they’ll be expecting it at the Impervious. Three: Gain entry to docking bay. Use whatever means necessary to move about inside IMPERVIOUS. Nonhuman team members should take caution- Tel and Woonwooken will have to use some disguises, hide, or use the old ‘captive alien’ trick. This is up to you.”

Woonwooken sat bolt upright and barked something excitedly to Lexo. “I dunno, Woonie… d’you think that might work?” She snuffled confidently. “Okay,” Lexo shrugged, standing up and pulling out a small vibro-razor unit. “Hold still.”

“What are you doing?” Wellion asked.

“Woonie thinks that she might be able to pull off a disguise if she’s got no hair on her head.”

The Colonel’s jaw dropped open and he stared in horror with the rest of the crew as Lexo Yust shaved his wookiee. When he stepped away, the ridiculous sight of a furless wookiee head grinning back at them was not quite funny enough to laugh at, and not quite scary enough to scream at. It was, however, profoundly disturbing. 

“That’s disgusting,” Avara observed.

Onjo swallowed and said “A shaven wookiee is a terrible thing.”

Lexo sighed. “I guess it didn’t work, Woonie. You don’t look human enough.” Woonwooken warbled a disappointed noise, and began applying little bits of bacta tape to the many cuts on her face. 

“Uh. Anyway,” Wellion coughed. “You’ll have to find some other way to remain unnoticed. Objective Four: Team A will proceed to Hyperdrive Control and Ion Cannon Targeting Control. Permanently disable these systems by whatever means necessary. Five: Team B, including Tech Specialist Tel, proceed to Main Weapons Canyon and permanently disable turbolasers. Then proceed to Main Drive Systems Room and permanently disable sub-light drive. As mentioned, this is a sensitive device, so use caution.”

“I’ve got faith in Avara,” Dent said.

“Objective Six: Rendezvous and escape Impervious. Return to base. Questions?”

“I’ve got a few,” Lexo said. “Why don’t we cut off life support, instead? We hang around and wait until the last Imperial dies, and good riddance- we then collect a free Star Destroyer, which I’m sure the Rebellion could have ample use for.”

Wellion nodded. “Not a bad idea, Yust, and yes we’d love to have such a tool at our disposal… the problem is that we only have so long before assistance would come. They have ample provisions, such as oxygen and water, and they’d be rescued within a day at any rate.”

“Well then, why not simply blow it up from within? We could escape before a bomb sequence went off, and that’d be the end of the Impervious.”

“That would serve us greatly, except that the Impervious is directly positioned over Ambria. Detonating the craft would rain white-hot debris on the Ambrians and quite possibly wipe out whole settlements. It’s too risky.”

“Are you giving us any tools?”

The Colonel nodded. “The Lambda ship has a few spare human-fitted uniforms on board. Quee and Yust could walk in as Imperial officers. Beyond that, you’re each receiving an encoded Imperial-standard comlink, to keep in touch with each other.”

Onjo asked “What will happen to the ship once it’s disabled?”

“We’ll have a large squadron heading in as you work. Provided you’re successful, the squadron will only have to wipe out the remaining external fighters, then claim a defenseless Star Destroyer and arrest everyone on board, towing it safely away from any incoming Imperial aid. It will be a great victory for the Alliance.”

“Sounds good,” Avara said. “I’m ready.”

Within an hour, Dent and the other Rebels were on their way home, and the Imperial Lambda craft was cutting through hyperspace. Lexo was trying on the Imperial uniform and finding it fit quite comfortably. “That’s quite an astrogate path you’ve plotted there,” he admired. “It should cut our travel time by a few hours.”

Avara looked up from the controls. “I’ve… got some piloting experience.”

“So I see. Hey, I’m sorry if Woonwooken unnerved you by offering to pilot the ship so feverishly. She’s now in the lounge, beating Onjo at Sabacc. I’m Lexo Yust, by the way. We haven’t really been introduced.”

The twi’lek went back to her controls. “Yeah. So, you guys get off-base a lot, huh?”

He shrugged. “I suppose. We’re hardly ever there.”

“Good, that’s good. I don’t really get along with the higher-ups, if you take my meaning.”

“Me neither. In fact, Woonie and I are in a bad spot with Mon Mothma. She’s a bit unhappy about… some goings-on from our past, so we’re hoping this mission will give us a chance to get back on her good side.”

Avara mumbled under her breath. “That ice queen HAS a good side?” A red light began flashing, and she thumbed it off. “We’re coming out of hyperspace. Might want to go tell the others to be ready.”

"All right," he replied. He was just about to go when they came out of hyperspace and suddenly they were slowly cruising toward a Star Destroyer, vast and gray above Ambria. Tel’s breath caught in her throat from the sight. Around it swarmed dozens of TIE fighters, like angry hornets protecting a vulnerable nest. Four Rebels against a Star Destroyer. Avara began to wonder if she hadn’t gotten in over her head again.

The transceiver button flashed. “Here we go,” she said, reaching for it. 

*MORE TO COME...*


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## Richards (Dec 4, 2003)

I don't think I've ever read the phrase 







> shaved his wookiee



before in my life!  Excellent work as always, Doc!

Johnathan


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## fenzer (Dec 4, 2003)

Fun update Doc.  A hairless wookiee, oh boy.

Hey Doc.  Did you take this idea from that old WEG module?  The one where you take out a Star Destroyer?  I forget the name.  We played that along time ago.  It was a hoot.


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## Neverwinter Knight (Dec 4, 2003)

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> The Colonel’s jaw dropped open and he stared in horror with the rest of the crew as Lexo Yust shaved his wookiee. When he stepped away, the ridiculous sight of a furless wookiee head grinning back at them was not quite funny enough to laugh at, and not quite scary enough to scream at. It was, however, profoundly disturbing.
> 
> “That’s disgusting,” Avara observed.
> 
> Onjo swallowed and said “A shaven wookiee is a terrible thing.”




Doc, please, if you draw another picture at all for this story hour, please draw the shaven wookiee !!! 
I have high expectations for the PCs to come up with other brilliant ideas (such as shaving the wookiee) for disabling the star destroyer.

Also, this might become a new favorite saying, like "_OK, I guess we'll have to shave the wookiee..._" or "_You know, sometimes you shave the wookiee and sometimes the wookiee shaves you._" or something like that.   

Thanks Doc, great update.


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## Dr Midnight (Dec 4, 2003)

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> Doc, please, if you draw another picture at all for this story hour, please draw the shaven wookiee !!!
> I have high expectations for the PCs to come up with other brilliant ideas (such as shaving the wookiee) for disabling the star destroyer.



hah... I did draw the shaven wookiee at the game table, but it got too silly when we parted her (top) hair down the middle, added a derby and a monocle. Wayyyy silly... but that's playing with Fluffaderm for ya. Sometimes I feel like it's too much silliness, but hey, I feel that way about the movies too ("This is such a drag", Jar Jar's "Pee-yoosa" moment), so maybe it's just my problem. 

Fenzer- I wasn't aware of an old WEG module involving penetrating a Star Destroyer. Oops. I hope there aren't too many similarities. Somehow, I don't think there will be, once the action starts... and the action starts SOON... and once it starts, hold on. 

PLUS, here's a teaser. DARTAN is playing Onjo Quee, as Zybor's original player didn't return. What does that tell us? Hmmm...


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## Neverwinter Knight (Dec 4, 2003)

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> PLUS, here's a teaser. DARTAN is playing Onjo Quee, as Zybor's original player didn't return. What does that tell us? Hmmm...




Striking down old ladies with his dual-bladed lightsaber in the name of the light side of the force and then complaining about the darkside points it get's him ???


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## idarii (Dec 4, 2003)

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> What's a technician to do without her goggles?
> 
> Anyway, hi. Where's the rest of the Rhode Island gang?





hello there 

goggles do not make one great, they make one ....... huh, i guess they do make one great.


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## Broccli_Head (Dec 4, 2003)

Your friendly neighborhood veggie signing up!


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## Dr Midnight (Dec 8, 2003)

Avara Tel, as drern-up by Idarii


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## Lela (Dec 8, 2003)

> It was, however, profoundly disturbing.



I don't think I've ever agreed with a statement more. . .


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## Neverwinter Knight (Dec 8, 2003)

Hubba, hubba...


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## Dr Midnight (Dec 10, 2003)

All right, crappy developments!

Due to SEVERAL factors, EVERY PLAYER, save ONE- has dropped out of the game. Thanks, players! Thanks for your support. Cite misunderstandings, sloth and general prick-ness... but I thought you readers should know now. The campaign and the story hang by a thread... 

...but  I will try to go forth. Idarii has a group of SW fans that could jump in. They won't take over the old characters, so I'll just ram the campaign forth in a disjointed manner. It won't hold water as an epic story anymore, but dammit, I've got some great stuff plotted out that I want to put into action.


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## JDragon (Dec 10, 2003)

Bummer


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## Lela (Dec 11, 2003)

As long as Doc's writing it, I'll probably read it.


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## Neverwinter Knight (Dec 11, 2003)

I agree with both JDragon and Lela. I'll miss the old characters, but a Story Hour by Dr. Midnight is too good to pass up!


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## Broccli_Head (Dec 11, 2003)

I agree, Doc. It's your name that has the star power!


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## Krellic (Dec 11, 2003)

Hey!  I've only just found your new thread Doc and it's already looking rocky?  Best of luck with the replacement players.  There is nothing worse than having all your evil plans wasted

Nice to see a Dr. Midnight Story Hour again though...


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## Dr Midnight (Dec 12, 2003)

“State your code,” a nervous voice said through the console’s speaker. 

“1115-A23578-D72,” Avara answered. 

“The tech squad,” the voice said with audible relief. “We’ve been waiting for you. Please pull into the hangar bay immediately.”

The ship drifted into the Impervious’ landing bay. The four passengers aboard held their breath as their tiny shuttle was swallowed whole by the enormous craft. Behind them, TIE fighters swooped and cut through space, on alert for any threat. 

The shuttle touched down inside the massive hangar. The hangar was white-walled and rimmed with bright white lights. The floor was a polished, nearly mirror-bright black. All around, different ships were grounded or being guided into or out of place by Imperial landing crew.

An officer flanked by two stormtroopers were approaching the shuttle. “Okay,” Lexo said. He was no longer wearing his primitive ice bear-hunting suit. He was dressed in the steel-gray finery of an Imperial officer. Without his breathing mask, his eyes were blue and handsome. “Avara and Zybor are Team B. Woonie and I will bring up Team A. Woonie is a labor slave, and Avara is a tech slave. Zybor and I are techs and overseers. Got it?”

Avara flushed. “I will  NOT be a ‘tech slave’. What in space is a ‘tech slave’, anyway?!” She crossed her arms indignantly.

“I don’t know. Improvise.” The hatch opened and Lexo turned and slipped right into character. “Commandant,” he said, all business. “I hear you’ve had some trouble.”

“Yes, and thank the Emperor you’re here,” the nervous Commandant said. “We were hit by an ion wash…”

“I’ve heard the story,” Lexo sniffed dismissively. 

“Of course,” the officer replied. He then noticed the nonhumans standing within the ship and his eyes widened. “What are those things behind you?”

“Ahh,” Lexo said. “This wookiee is my manual labor slave. She moves what I cannot. This twi’lek is our tech slave.”

“Tech slave?” the Commandant muttered. He stepped up to Avara and looked her up and down. “I’ve never heard of a ‘tech slave’. Besides, I’ve never heard that twi’lek women were good for much else besides the obvious.”

Lexo sent calming emotions into the visibly bristling Tel, and said “Oh, they are. Anyway, we’d like to get to work. Could you have some of your people show us where the problem areas are? We’ll need two teams to show us to the Hyperdrive Control, Ion Cannon Targeting Control, Main Weapons Canyon and Main Drive Systems Room.”

The Commandant signaled to his men. “Immediately,” he said. 

Two small squads of six stormtroopers marched up and led the two teams off in differing directions. “Good luck with your repairs,” Lexo called to the other group.

“And with yours,” Zybor answered. 

Lexo and Woonie walked toward the fore of the ship. The stormtroopers escorting them walked two ahead, four behind. They obviously didn’t trust the wookiee, and kept their blaster rifles leveled at her back. Woonwooken growled softly and Lexo whispered “Easy. Soon enough.”

They were taken to the Hyperdrive Control room. The door opened, and before Lexo stretched the largest hyperdrive he had ever seen. It must have been 150 meters tall. It towered above them, and stretched below- the floor they stood on was at the center of the Hyperdrive’s height… a seventy-five meter distance to the roof, and a seventy-five foot drop to the deck plates below. They stood on a large deck, surrounded by neat stacks of tools and manual datachips. 

“Hey, do you have a repulsorlift device of some kind, for us to access the ‘drive?” Lexo asked of a nearby trooper. 

“Yes sir.” The trooper walked to the ladder and climbed below, to fire up a small one-man repulsorlift platform. It slowly lifted up to the standing area. 

“Be ready,” Lexo whispered to Woonie. She chuckled and began eyeing the armed guards. 

“Here you go, sir,” the stormtrooper said as the repulsorlift platform floated level with the deck. 

Lexo reached out and ripped a handful of wires free from the platform’s drive control. “Thanks,” he said as the stormtrooper began to wordlessly plummet below. 

The room exploded into action. 

“Something’s wrong,” Zybor muttered to Avara. “I think the others have made their move.” 

“Already?!” She could barely restrain her voice. “They couldn’t wait seven minutes to get into a  fight on a fully staffed Star Destroyer?”

“You don’t know Lexo and Woonie,” Zybor replied. “And keep your voice down.” He sighed, then said “We’re going to have to make this fast.”

They were escorted by four Stormtroopers, walking down a long hallway rimmed with dull steel plates and bright white lights. 

They reached the Main Drive room. This was more a vast industrial warehouse than an actual room. Gray-suited repair crews mulled over their tasks. Everywhere, large computers and gearpiles churned their work about, trying to get the numerous engine pieces to function once more. Overhead, the ceiling was an immense convex tube leading aft… they were directly beneath one of the main ion engine’s housings.

The Stormtroopers stopped walking and stood aside. The implication was clear: Here you are, go to work. Avara looked about nervously. Computers were everywhere. Where was she to go… and what was her task again? “Shut down the main drive system,” she whispered to herself. “How hard could it be.”

She approached one of the computers and touched a button. The computer buzzed at her like a startled mynock. She wandered to another computer and tried… better luck this time, it seemed to have at least a link to the main drive systems. She cracked her knuckles and stared at the keyboard. 

Zybor called from behind her. “Anything wrong, tech slave?” His voice sounded somewhat anxious.

“Uh, no, just trying to figure out how to access the telemetric rerouters. Ahh, here we are.” She began tapping buttons. 

The Stormtroopers behind Zybor tensed and listened to something only they could hear. A dull alarm began sounding down the hall, and the troopers hustled away. Zybor walked up to Avara and said. “They’ve called a low-level alert to deal with the fracas, no doubt… C’mon, we don’t have much time before they figure out we might be in on the deal.”

“I’m trying,” Avara said. “This thing is really complex. Uhh…” She saw a likely shutdown routine, took a breath and entered it. “Here goes.”

Another dull alarm pattern began sounding, mixing with the drone of the other alarm. The engine room crew began looking all around warily. Avara saw on her screen that the engines were down, yes… but there was a new message: 

UNAUTHORIZED SHUTDOWN DETECTED

SECURITY BREACH IN MAIN DRIVE SYSTEMS ROOM

DRIVE SYSTEMS TEMPORARILY DISABLED

LEVEL FOUR SECURITY ALERT 

Zybor sighed and pulled out his lightsaber. “This isn’t working.” He turned the saber on at one end and swept the glowing green blade through the computer console. Sparks flew, and all around astonished crewmembers exclaimed their alarm. “NOW it’s permanently disabled,” Zybor said. “Let’s go.”

Avara slapped her forehead. “We’re not patient for a Jedi, are we?” 

The alert buzzers blazed to life, emitting high-pitched, frequent swarming noises. A monotone voice boomed from unseen speakers. “MAIN DRIVE SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN DISABLED. I.N.S. IMPERVIOUS IS BREACHED BY UNFRIENDLIES. SELF-DESTRUCT SEQUENCE ACTIVATED. I.N.S. WILL DETONATE WITHIN TEN MINUTES UNLESS PROPER DEFRAY CODE IS ENTERED.”

Zybor stared unbelieving at the smoking console. He cursed Imperial ingenuity. Avara’s mouth hung open. “Self-destruct sequence?!?” she shouted as all around them crewmembers rushed for the elevators and emergency exits. “Isn’t that a bit drastic??”

Zybor grabbed her hand and began to run with the crowd. “Yes, but the Imperials would apparently consider a tampered Star Destroyer to be a great liability. They’d rather blow it up along with their crews than leave it as a weapon to be stolen by the Rebellion, which is what they’d assume is happening if the main drive systems are sliced into.”

“Slicing is generally a figurative term,” she grunted bitterly as they pushed against the teeming mass of people trying to escape a giant bomb. 

“This is why I’m a visionary,” he joked as he raised a hand and used the Force to push a path through the crowd. They ran along the thin corridor past scores of thickly-packed, panicking crewmembers.

Elsewhere, Lexo Yust held his side, where a blaster bolt had grazed him. “Self-destruct. Sounds like the others actually proved more destructive than we did.” All around him, the bodies of Stormtroopers lay on the ground. 

Woonwooken bayed agreeance from a dozen yards away. She had plowed through a number of troopers but had taken more damage than her Force-using friend. Her fur smoked with the ravage of about three near blaster hits, and blood ran from one nostril. The wookiee had raged… and raged hard. Her red-rimmed eyes thrummed with madness as her breathing rasped in her chest. She warbled something else. 

“I agree,” Lexo said as he climbed down the ladder. A moment later he popped up, riding one of the repulsorlift platforms. “No reason at all we can’t try to do as much damage as we can on the way out. Hop on.”

Woonwooken jumped onto the small craft with him and took over the controls. “Hit it, Woonie!” She gunned the platform for the door.

_*MORE TO COME…*_


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## Lela (Dec 13, 2003)

Did you plan the Self-Destruct ahead of time Doc?  It's a great idea and very Star Warsesque.  Somehow the characters always seem to resort to the Barbarian route when being a little more Roguish might be better.

And I must say, I still think Woonie rocks.  I take it her player's leaving?  Aw, well.  I'm sure there will be someone equally engaging.

Speaking of which, are we not to hear from Wee Jas and the rest of the gang?  Even if they're not playing, they're entertianing.


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## Neverwinter Knight (Dec 13, 2003)

Yeah Doc, nice update. There sure is no better way to put pressure on your PCs than with the self destruct mechanism. How do you plan to make the player transition? TPK of the old party (except for Avara)?



			
				Lela said:
			
		

> Did you plan the Self-Destruct ahead of time Doc?  It's a great idea and very Star Warsesque.  Somehow the characters always seem to resort to the Barbarian route when being a little more Roguish might be better.



It reminded me a little of Spaceballs...  



			
				Lela said:
			
		

> And I must say, I still think Woonie rocks.  I take it her player's leaving?  Aw, well.  I'm sure there will be someone equally engaging.



I would like to see a Gammorean (spelling ?) PC with a big vibro axe - IMHO the Star Wars equivalent of dwarves. 



			
				Lela said:
			
		

> Speaking of which, are we not to hear from Wee Jas and the rest of the gang?  Even if they're not playing, they're entertianing.



Yeah, what's up with them?


Keep rocking, Doc.


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## Dr Midnight (Dec 13, 2003)

Q&A...



> Did you plan the Self-Destruct ahead of time Doc?



Yeps. I figured a disable device check on a Star Destroyer's sublight engines had to be pretty tough, with phenomenal consequences for failure. 



> Somehow the characters always seem to resort to the Barbarian route when being a little more Roguish might be better.



This was a problem with two of the players... [EDIT]

Suffice to say there's a lot of sourness going on. 



> And I must say, I still think Woonie rocks.  I take it her player's leaving?  Aw, well.  I'm sure there will be someone equally engaging.



Yes, Woonie's player is leaving my campaigns for good. I can't speak for any replacements, as I haven't played with any of them... but with a new play day (Saturdays), Dartan might well re-join. Still have to talk with him about those dark side points. You'll note he used FORCE STRIKE on a number of people to knock them out of his way. Ahem.



> Speaking of which, are we not to hear from Wee Jas and the rest of the gang?  Even if they're not playing, they're entertianing



Wee Jas, Ziona and Xaltar are all good, playing their own games... Wee Jas is currently running a murder mystery game that sounds pretty fun. Ziona and Xaltar are preparing for baby (www.thetapleys.com) and playing many games... two or three, weekly, I think. I don't think they'll come by the thread, but you can visit www.arkyst.com to see Xaltar's new world and visit the messageboards.



> How do you plan to make the player transition? TPK of the old party (except for Avara)?



I'm not sure how I'm going to do it, but I don't think I'll kill anyone... save for one character, for good reason I won't get into now. Avara will likely just go a different path, and the story will follow her to the new group. 



> would like to see a Gammorean (spelling ?) PC with a big vibro axe - IMHO the Star Wars equivalent of dwarves.



I'm meeting with some of the new players later today, and I'm definitely going to recommend using ALIEN ANTHOLOGY. I want some delicious alien goodness. 



> Keep rocking, Doc.



Thanks. Doc ou!


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## fenzer (Dec 14, 2003)

Sorry to hear about the party turmoil.  I hope the dust settles with little damage.

I'm can't recall the name of the old WEG module.  However, I do recall having to destroy it (star destroyer) from the inside.

Anyway, thanks for the continued updates.


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## Breakstone (Dec 14, 2003)

Whoa, whoa, whoa!

A new Doc Midnight Story Hour?

Why did I not see this before?

My Story Hour Sense must be malfunctioning...

Anyways, it's awesome to read another Doc Midnight story, Doc! I love the style, and the dialog is always classic.

Sorry to hear about the players ditching the game- it seems to be a problem almost everyone has had at one time in their gaming career. Hopefully the new group will be a little more loyal!

And be sure to get them to post on the story hour!


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## Richards (Dec 15, 2003)

Okay, not as timely as I would have liked, but here (several days later than anticipated) is a quick parody song detailing the events of several posts ago.  It's based on Peter Gabriel's "Shock the Monkey." 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
*SHAVE THE WOOKIEE*

Shave the wookiee just right
Shave the wookiee just right

Listen here, to this plan
Listen here, if you can
Star Destroyer's a sitting duck
With a little luck...
Sneak aboard: treasure hoard!
Wookiee, wookiee, wookiee
Don't you know we've got to shave the wookiee

Furry face
Cute pink bow
We could shave her head
But I just don't know
'Bout one thing I must come clean:
I need more shaving cream!
Darkstar, take a lookie at this wookiee
Wookiee, wookiee, wookiee
Don't you know we've got to shave the wookiee

Face your worst fears
Pass me those shears
Huh!  Who knew that wookiees have got ears?

Shave!
Shave!
Shave!
Watch the wookiee get shorn, wookiee

Hey, you know, this might work
Hold still, Woon - please don't jerk
You know, if this was D&D
You'd be an umpleby!
You look weird with just a beard
Wookiee, wookiee, wookiee
Don't you know I'm going to shave the wookiee

Too much to cut
Hair's down to her butt
And this plan seems nutty

Shave!
Shave!
Shave!
Watch the wookiee get shorn, wookiee

Shave the wookiee
Shave the wookiee
Shave the wookiee just right
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Johnathan
Unemployed Unofficial Bard


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## Dr Midnight (Dec 15, 2003)

Oh, man, that's funny... Watch the wookiee get shorn. 

Thanks Richards!


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## fenzer (Dec 15, 2003)

Richards, you're too funny man.


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## Neverwinter Knight (Dec 16, 2003)

WHAT? Wookies have ears? Who would have thought of that...

 Nice one, Richards!


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## Dr Midnight (Dec 17, 2003)

“So, you’re really one of those Jedi,” Avara asked as they rode a rapid elevator to the floor leading to the hangar bay. 

“I’m afraid so.” Zybor held his lightsaber loosely in one hand, turned off- for now. He breathed and tried to concentrate on the moment, to open his feelings to his surroundings.

“I thought you were all dead.”

“No. Not all.”

Avara could see she wasn’t getting much out of Zybor on the topic, so she sighed and dropped it, rolling her eyes. She then checked the elevator’s reading. Twenty floors to go. Lights rushed past the transparisteel housing as they flew. The Twi’lek readied her blaster rifle in her hands and shook her head clear, readying for whatever would be waiting for them. Escaping from a panicking Star Destroyer- on a harsh schedule- was not likely to be easy.

The doors opened, and they ran out into a hallway filled with Stormtroopers and officers. Luckily, everyone was running in different directions like rabid Wampas, and no one paid attention to the two. The filled hallway, though, was most difficult to navigate as the two Rebels pushed their way to the hangar. As it turned out, most of the people here seemed to have the same idea. 

“Return to your posts!” Someone was yelling frantically. “If we all calm down, the tech staff can reach the defray mechanism and enter the code! There is no cause to panic! I repeat…”

“SEVEN MINUTES THIRTY SECONDS TO DETONATION”, the voice droned over the speakers.

“There’s the hangar,” Avara said, sighting the large bay door ahead. “If we can just cut through these thugs, we can make it to a ship…” 

Meanwhile, in the other direction, Lexo Yust and Woonwooken the Woolly were rocketing down the hall on a repulsorlift device made for one. Woonie had rewired the system to set the thing to flying as fast as it could go, and they were bashing through scores of armored troopers and officers. Only a few managed to raise their rifles in time and take a shot. A few shots grazed Woonie’s already scorched (and shaved) fur. A few more shots Lexo blocked with his hand. One shot into the lift’s framework, and sparks shot from the small console. This thing wasn’t made to be flown at this speed or be fired upon, it was clear. The craft started to shake as it flew. 

“Hold together, baby,” Lexo muttered nervously as he fired his blaster with one hand, blocking blasterfire with the other. “We’re close to the hang - LOOK OUT!” Just ahead, a whole squad of Stormtroopers was leveling blasters at them. The hallway lit up with bright red blaster bolts, and the heroic duo crashed to the ground as the flaming lift craft crashed to the deck panels. Lexo rolled to his feet and used the influence of the Byfrexian Ice Bears to lift a piece of the wreckage from the ground and send it flying into a wall-mounted control panel, where it smashed the CLOSE DOOR button. Szzzzt!! The twin doors shut, closing most of the Stormtroopers off from the action. The remaining few in the front backed up, firing. 

Woonie stood up, grabbing a Stormtrooper by the ankles and swinging him into three others. Lexo swung his Force Pike around him in a dizzying arc and slew the others. “Hallway’s closed… we need to take a shortcut. Here!” They cut through a door to the right. 

Within this room, a number of large, thick vehicles sat docked in a darkened space. A dull red glow lit from each of the vehicles’ oblong rear compartments- cargo ships, Lexo deduced. Simple, squat crafts  meant for the transport of ore and minerals, things of that nature. “Can you fly that, Woonie?”

Woonie grunted indignantly. Of course she could fly it. 

They ran to the ship and Lexo picked up a red object lying near the ship. It was a glowing red crystal. The ship’s cargo hold overflowed with them… they piled high from the hold’s top. He stared at the crystal while Woonie warmed up the ship. She growled at him, and he said “Sorry… coming.” He jumped in. “It’s just that- unless I’m wrong, this is an Adegan crystal. Is this what they were doing over Ambria? Mining these?”

Woonwooken bellowed.

“Who cares?? If you knew what this was, you’d be concerned to find several thousand of them lying in wait in a cargo hangar. Nevermind for now- let’s go!”

The ship lifted off while people rushing through the doors got the same idea. They fought over cargo ships and fired useless shots at the thick plating of the escaping ship. 

“This area doesn’t have a bay door,” Lexo said as he pored through the ship’s computer. “However, there is a door to the main hangar, up ahead. We’ll have to open it from here.”

Woonie grunted. The door was ahead, a one hundred foot square gate to MAIN HANGAR BAY 1. 

Within the hangar, Zybor and Avara had finally pushed their way clear to the ships. The ship they’d come in was full of officers and personnel. The alarms sounded overhead, and a few of the ships managed to pick up and fly quickly through the bay door, out into space. Most of the craft here in the hangar, however, were bogged down with panicked people trying to push and fight their way inside. There simply weren’t enough ships. 

The heroes stepped to the packed door of the ship. “This one’s full, sleemo,” the officer there sneered. Fear had turned these people into snarling animals. 

Zybor waved a hand before him and said “You’d rather find another ship.” 

Within a moment, the man nodded and stepped out, along with several others. “I’d rather find another ship.” Avara and Zybor got into the ship and saw there were still several officers seated around the craft who weren’t moving. 

Avara looked to the Jedi. “Should we get them out, too?” 

“TWO MINUTES THIRTY-ONE SECONDS TO DETONATION”, the voice in the speakers said.

“We’re fine for now. Get the ship started.” Zybor closed the door. “We’re headed to the Rebel flagship, and you are all under arrest,” he said to the officers, who exchanged a look. One began slowly reaching for his hip blaster. “Don’t,” Zybor warned. 

The officer shouted “Rebel scum!” and opened fire. The other officers followed suit. Zybor turned his lightsaber on and began deflecting shots fired at him from only three meters away. The shots ricocheted off his lightsaber into the walls and paneling of the enclosed shuttle as it lifted from the deck and flew to the bay. They shot out into space and flew away from the I.N.S. Impervious. 

Lexo and Woonwooken were shooting towards a closed access door. Lexo was trying furiously to slice the open code into the computer. So far, no luck. Woonie gurgled at him. “I’m going, I’m going,” he said through clenched teeth. “…There!”

The doors began to slowly open… four of them opening along diagonal slits, making a widening diamond.

“ONE MINUTE TO DETONATION”

Woonwooken growled something. Lexo shouted “What do you mean, hold on?!”

Woonie cut the craft’s tilt to the left, just slightly… about forty-five degrees. The now skewed ship flew straight towards the bay door’s opening, and through it with a whoosh. The blood drained from Lexo’s face as the box-shaped craft fit- just barely- through the diamond opening and out into the main hangar bay, where ships were scrambling madly to escape. 

Lexo said “They’re not here, I don’t feel Zybor. They’ve escaped already. Head out!” They flew through the bay door and out into space. Around them, countless small ships were fleeing the doomed Star Destroyer as fast as their engines could move. Lexo’s keen eyes caught something- only one of the escaping ships had flashes of green and white light coming from within. “Blasters and lightsabers,” Lexo said. “That’s our ship. Take us closer.” 

In the cabin. Avara shouted. “Stop the firing back there! We’re on a starship- it’s not meant to take small arms fire from within!”

Zybor clenched his teeth. “I’ll try to remember that,” he said. He buckled his lightsaber back to his waist, grabbed the wall’s loading handle with one hand. His other arm snapped back and he punched a button on the wall. The door began opening! The sudden depressurization sucked four officers straight out the door, blasters and all. Two who remained had thought to strap themselves in with their seat belts, and merely screamed in their seats. 

Avara screamed from the cockpit as the air was sucked out around her and her lekku were both pulled straight back from the force of the suction. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?”

Behind them, the Imperial Star Destroyer IMPERVIOUS blew up. It shattered outward with a great pulse of light, then sound, then energy. The shockwave shook every ship to its mooring bolts, and a great concentric ring of blue fire ripped outward from the incredible detonation. 

Zybor hung onto the wall with one hand and used the other to close the door. He choked on the very thin air and glowered to the remaining officers. “Welcome to the Rebellion,” he said menacingly. “You don’t like it, there’s the door.” The two officers put their blasters down... politely and very, very slowly.

_*MORE TO COME…*_


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## Lela (Dec 17, 2003)

Fun with BOOMS, depressurization, and repulsar lifts.  Gotta be Doc.

 One thing though.  What about those Crystals?  Gah, a sneaky cliffhanger.  I hate those so much I live them.

 Gotta be Doc.


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## Neverwinter Knight (Dec 17, 2003)

> “Welcome to the Rebellion,” he said menacingly. “You don’t like it, there’s the door.”



He could also have said: "No ticket !!!"


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## Broccli_Head (Dec 17, 2003)

Ruthlessness by Zybor....did he get dark side points for that? Still it's entertaining!

.I hope he did and not doubt he argued...so you should give him more, for not being remorseful for callousness.


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## Dr Midnight (Dec 17, 2003)

> He could also have said: "No ticket !!!"



I believe Zybor's player actually did say that at one point. 



> Ruthlessness by Zybor....did he get dark force points for that?



Yeah. Sad thing about Dartan is that he really doesn't know what it takes to play a good character or a character with lawful alignments. The Jedi code doesn't really suit him... I think he had two dark side points at the end of the game. May have been three. I don't know, I was trying to avoid thinking about it.


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## Lela (Dec 17, 2003)

Tell him to just think of a super annoying goodie two-shoes and do that.  Eventually he'll get the drift.

Or not and play as he likes.  We enjoy it.

Whether or not I agree with giving him a Dark Side point (I'm, personally, up in the air) I still like seeing him be somewhat evil.  It's fun to watch.


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## ledded (Dec 17, 2003)

Richards said:
			
		

> <snip>
> 
> Shave the wookiee just right
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> ...



Oh, man, I needed that.  Very funny.

And great story Doc, sorry to hear about some of your problems.  I hope things are working out better for you.


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## Neverwinter Knight (Dec 17, 2003)

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> Yeah. Sad thing about Dartan is that he really doesn't know what it takes to play a good character or a character with lawful alignments. The Jedi code doesn't really suit him... I think he had two dark side points at the end of the game. May have been three. I don't know, I was trying to avoid thinking about it.



I remember a certain "innocent" old baker lady in Homlet. The was evil, but innocent none the less...


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## Breakstone (Dec 17, 2003)

Sounds like it was a fun session, Doc!

Narrow escapes, the vacuum of space, wookies using storm troopers as weapons... it's always fun in Star Wars!


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## fenzer (Dec 18, 2003)

Doc, you did good giving Dartan dark side points.  Three seems just about right.  You can't deliberately suck people into space and sacrifice others for your own benefit without penalty.  

Nonetheless, I love his dark side twinge.  I am interested to see were it goes.


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## Hammerhead (Dec 18, 2003)

fenzer said:
			
		

> Doc, you did good giving Dartan dark side points.  Three seems just about right.  You can't deliberately suck people into space and sacrifice others for your own benefit without penalty.




Isn't that called self-defense?

Apparently Harrison Ford got a bunch of Dark Side points when he pulled the same move in Air Force One. I guess there's a huge moral difference between cutting someone up with a lightsabre and sending them to suffocate and freeze to death in space.

And just for the record, The Evil Baker was a spy and had a shrine to Tharizdun in her basement. The PCs had a letter which identified her as a spy. While Dartan's execution was overly brutal, she also had some skills as a spellcaster if I recall the module information correctly.


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## Lela (Dec 18, 2003)

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> I remember a certain "innocent" old baker lady in Homlet. The was evil, but innocent none the less...



 Yeah, I think the most complicated part of being a Paladin is that _Detect Evil_ at will thing.  For both DM and Player.  Must be why there's a monthly 10 page debate on the subject over in the General Forum.


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## fenzer (Dec 18, 2003)

Hammerhead, you are right.  The moral argument is the same but the jedi code of conduct is what makes this situation different.  I doubt, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, or even Luke would have done the same thing.  It is one thing to tell a victum that he does not need to see your ID and another thing all together to have them sacrifice themselves for your survival - "Get out of the escape pod/space ship so I can get in."

Doc was spot on giving Zybor dark side points.


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## Neverwinter Knight (Dec 18, 2003)

Hammerhead said:
			
		

> And just for the record, The Evil Baker was a spy and had a shrine to Tharizdun in her basement. The PCs had a letter which identified her as a spy. While Dartan's execution was overly brutal, she also had some skills as a spellcaster if I recall the module information correctly.



I'd have to reread Doc's story, but when I read the module (which was a long time ago) I think it said that she was a spy sent by Iuz to investigate events. If I'm correct on that, she was completly innocent of the events going on in Homlet & surroundings and was executed on the grounds of detect evil alone.

Which I don't really have a problem with...but then, I guess I'm not a paladin


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## Broccli_Head (Dec 18, 2003)

Fenzer is correct. That is what separates a jedi from others. Plus, the GM is the last word on dark side points. 

Of course, it makes for a more interesting game, IMO to see a jedi in conflict.


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## fenzer (Dec 18, 2003)

Don't get me wrong.  I love the Jedi conflict too.  The fact that Doc has these Jedi running around without any real supervision can only bread missuse.  The Ghost (or whatever you want to call him) of Obi-Wan can only do so much.  And the fact that Doc has decided to keep all this from Luke (for continuities sake) should make things very interesting.  Obi-Wan could have his hands full.

As I mentioned earlier, I look forward to the resolution of this potentialy serious issue.  So, post already!


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## Hammerhead (Dec 18, 2003)

fenzer said:
			
		

> I doubt, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, or even Luke would have done the same thing. It is one thing to tell a victum that he does not need to see your ID and another thing all together to have them sacrifice themselves for your survival - "Get out of the escape pod/space ship so I can get in."




True, I couldn't see any light side Jedi doing the same thing either. However, nor could I see such a situation coming up in a Star Wars movie. What would any of the Jedi do in such a situation...especially if these Imperial officers are your enemies, want you dead, and the only thing between you and escape. If they are unable to persuade these officers to get out of the escape pod, what would they do? Die? Find another one? What if that escape pod was the last one?


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## Lela (Dec 18, 2003)

> However, nor could I see such a situation coming up in a Star Wars movie.



 A Spaceballs movie, yes.

 I do recall Luke, in one of the books, pondering how close affecting the minds of others like that being very close to the dark side.  Taking away free will or some such.  Forcing them to do something that is likely to cause their death (as opposed to giving up a couple droids or accepting credits a little harder to convert/spend) might certainly be considered over the line.


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## Salthorae (Dec 18, 2003)

*question then*

What about in RotJ when Luke force grips those two guards at Jaba's palace? Would he be endanger of dark side points? It was a rescue attempt after all....

Had Zybor not made them leave the ship he would have had to slaughter them with the lightsaber...which would have been worse? I can't see a jedi letting themselves be killed to save the life of an enemy officer. Maybe when there was still a whole order left...but if you're one of the last?


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## ledded (Dec 19, 2003)

Salthorae said:
			
		

> What about in RotJ when Luke force grips those two guards at Jaba's palace? Would he be endanger of dark side points? It was a rescue attempt after all....



Actually, in an example given in an aritcle either on WotC webstie or Star Wars Gamer magazine, the game designers used that instance in precisely how good jedi can accumulate dark side points, leaving no doubt that he did receive them. And those weren't his only ones, as in the continuing fiction he often struggled with falling to the dark side. 

Darn emotional teenagers... they get half grown up, get moody, and start wearing all black and complaining that no one let's 'em do what they want.



> Had Zybor not made them leave the ship he would have had to slaughter them with the lightsaber...which would have been worse? I can't see a jedi letting themselves be killed to save the life of an enemy officer. Maybe when there was still a whole order left...but if you're one of the last?



Well, I dont know exactly all the conditions or anything like that, but he did fend them off for a little bit while they were shooting at him, correct? He asked for surrender/told them they were under arrest. They shot at him, and he had really no choice but to eliminate the threat or be killed, correct? Diplomacy is a bit hard when blaster bolts are already flying, right?

So should he get the DSP? Well, it's GM's call, but I would probably say yes if his tone is played anything like the story made it sound. The ends do not always justify the means. It sounded like he had no compunction whatsoever about killing those officers in a ruthless manner, so I say DSP. Heck, it aint the end of the world or anything.

The problem with role-playing a jedi is that the class is a class of extremes, supposedly because of their closeness or sensitivity to the force or whatever.  So a "good" jedi is usually very good, a "bad" one very bad.  There are several in the movies and the books that walk the grey areas, but do so with great difficulty.  Zybor sounds like he is going to end up being one of those.  But for what it's worth, I would have done the same thing he did with any star wars character.


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## Lela (Dec 19, 2003)

Which ones, in the movies, walked the gray area?


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## Hammerhead (Dec 19, 2003)

Anakin does, at least in Episode 2. He gives in to his emotions of love for Padme, and he also avenges his mother's death and wipes out a murderous clan of sand people.


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## fenzer (Dec 19, 2003)

Ya, it's tough to call but fun to speculate.

So let's take it a step futher.  Is Zybor following the Living Force or the Unifying Force.  If he is following the Living Force, mind on the here and now, focus on the task at hand is paramount (ie: escape) and any rationalization for his action may be more readily acceptable.  While the Unifying Force would make him look at the whole picture and the long term effects of the task at hand (capture/destruction of SSD and possible reprecussions for the rebellion) making it more difficult to justify his rash, questionable behavior in the moment.

Whatever the case and however Doc pulls this off, it's a fun read and I want more.


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## Neverwinter Knight (Dec 19, 2003)

Salthorae said:
			
		

> Maybe when there was still a whole order left...but if you're one of the last?



It just shows how easy it is for the Dark Side to seduce Jedi when they're without guidance. This Jedi has been on his own since he was unfrozen, except for T'ek Nova, who turned to the dark side in front of his eyes. Surely in an extreme moment such as the escape from the exploding ICS, he would be more prone to having his emotions take over.


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## Morte (Dec 19, 2003)

{edit: decided against ranting about alignment}


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## ledded (Dec 19, 2003)

Lela said:
			
		

> Which ones, in the movies, walked the gray area?



Well, Obi-Wan was a known liar and deceiver who associated with all manner of ne'er-do-wells. He was indirectly chastised by Yoda himself for his arrogance and impudence. His defiance of the judgement of the council in training Anakin may have directly contributed to the deaths of millions, all in order to serve his pride/honor. Doesnt make him a bad guy however; though it does make me like him more . He's the closest thing to a 'lovable rogue' that we're gonna get in Episode I - III.

Anakin, well, he struggled with all kinds of bad issues in episode II but the whole genocidal rampage thing IMO put him right over the edge. Revenge, hate, anger... so bad that Yoda could feel his destructive emotion.

And Luke... overconfidence, arrogance, fear... he was full of all of them. He nearly gave into his rage at the end. He strangled those gaurds in Jabba's palace with the force when he may have just as easily used a mind trick to subdue them.

They all may have had good reasons, and Jedi certainly are not D&D paladins, but any of these acts, performed for imperfect reasons, could invite the dark side. Some more than others, but definitely.  Actually, IMO very few of the Jedi ever shown on the screen for more than a little bit were 'perfect' Jedi, and I'd rather they be that way than not.


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## Dr Midnight (Dec 19, 2003)

Crap. I posted on the DSP subject yesterday, and apparently the boards ate my post. 

Dartan’s a tough one. He’s not really great with understanding codes of honor… in real life, he’s not a bad seed or anything. He just feels the ends justify the means, when it comes to gaming. It’s something I’m going to have to work on with him if we play SW again.

Anyway, Zybor did NOT get DSPs for sucking the officers out of the ship into space. That would be a case of self-defense… If you’re being attacked, end the conflict as soon as possible, killing your opposition if you need to. He needed to, and time was critical, so he did it in one swoop, and it was pretty cool. 

What Zybor DID do, darkly, was Force-pushing dozens of people out of his way, using the Force to get people off the ship so he could live, and using fear to control the officers (like Obi-Wan did to Jar Jar in Ep1- I’d have given Obi-Wan a DSP for that).

It doesn’t look like Zybor will be in the group anymore, though, so no worries. No word yet on the new players and what they want to play.

And, hey, if you think the chapter is done, you’re very wrong. We still have a fantastic escape and action scene coming up… when I get the time to write it. Maybe after the weekend? 

Anyway, there’s lots_* MORE TO COME…*_ and I just want to say it’s great having a story hour again. I missed you guys.


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## Broccli_Head (Dec 19, 2003)

Yes! More story. 

The cool thing..now that Zybor's not playing, he could become a villian NPC.


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## Neverwinter Knight (Dec 20, 2003)

Broccli_Head said:
			
		

> Yes! More story.
> 
> The cool thing..now that Zybor's not playing, he could become a villian NPC.



 not another PC turned Dark Jedi


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## fluffaderm (Dec 21, 2003)

*So much to say!*

Ah, so much to say!  I do not frequently haunt the boards, so I learned much when I sat and read this thread today.

Fenzer and Lela - Many thank yous to you both for your support of Woonie!  It's nice to know how much she is loved.    

Richards - All I can say is "Wow!!!"  I've never had a song written about one of my characters before!  Does that make me immortal or something?

Re: Dartan and DSP's - Dartan's player is extremely fun to play with!  His characters are always exciting.  I happen to agree with the times that Dartan earned a DSP, as Doc was using the rules, ie.. you get one for using Force Strike...period.  However, I would not want to change how the player plays for all the lightsaber crystals on Ilum!

Lastly, to Doc - Imagine my surprise when I found out that Gospog and I had quit the game!  I was more than a little disappointed to learn that here.  We have always enjoyed playing with you, and hope that this is not the end of a friendship.  Please email us privately so that we can talk.

Thank you all!  No matter how it all ends, enjoy the rest of Doc's story hour.    

Fondly,

Fluffaderm


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## Richards (Dec 21, 2003)

Whoa, now wait a minute...Fluffaderm = Gospog's wife?  Then that means you're one of the ones who passed on some Buffy novel reading suggestions to me, via Gospog and Dr. Midnight!  Thanks, Fluffaderm!  I had no idea you were the player behind Woonwooken.  Small world!

Love the pink bow avatar, by the way.    

Johnathan


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## fluffaderm (Dec 21, 2003)

It is indeed a small world.     Did you enjoy your reading?  If you need more, I recommend Joss Whedon's latest (to me, anyway!) Buffy comic - it's called Tales of the Vampires.  My hubby surprised me with it and I loved it!  It tells two stories, and I still can't decide which is cooler.

Anyway, thanks, Johnathan!  I thought the avatar would be fun.      I tend to have, um... "unique" characters.  Woonwooken was one of my favorites!


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## fenzer (Dec 21, 2003)

Fluffaderm, it is nice to finally have a voice behind the fur. .  Thank you for stopping by and dropping a line. 

I hope things will work out with the group.  I would love to see Woonwooken continue to shake things up as only she can.

Welcome and post often.  It is great to hear from the players.


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## Gospog (Jan 2, 2004)

*Shave The Wookie*



> It is great to hear from the players.




In that case, I have a funny, sort of related story for you. (I play Lexo Yust, incidentally.)

I just picked up the "Halloween issue" of the *Star Wars Tales* comic book.

In one of the stories, Han Solo threatens to shave Chewbacca "from the waist up" (I think he was bluffing).  

Anyway, it looks like "shaving your Wookie" isn't just a clever euphamism anymore.


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## fenzer (Jan 2, 2004)

Yes, looking (ie: gocking) at a shaved wookiee is quite a different thing than actually shaving one.  I doubt even Han would have been able to pull that one off.


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## Dr Midnight (Jan 5, 2004)

Hellooooo...

This one's been dormant for a while, but it's not dead. Just to update you on what's going on, no new play dates have been set yet... the other players are all pretty busy this month. 

On my lazy updates for this chapter, hang in there. I moved this last week, so everything's been really hectic. My computer at home isn't even set up. I'm going to try to update the story very soon. Let me tease you with this- an even MORE hair-raising escape is in store, before this chapter is finished. 

Stick with me, I'm rich and zesty!
-Tom


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## Lela (Jan 5, 2004)

We'll wait.

 Good luck getting everything put back together.


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