It's almost time for breakfast when Zil makes it back to her room. Oosuu rolls over when the door opens, and blinks at her sleepily. She's about to says something lascivious, but stops short when she sees her friend plod listlessly inside.
Scene 19
Chaos: Madness (d6)
Setup: Zil makes her plan
NPC list: Trefftun (contact), Dr. Ehks (target), Lt. Haldee (ISB agent / double-agent for the Alliance / love interest), informant, Imperial commander, overseer
Threads: mission, rebel's offer
"Zil, what wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Zil come home smelling like other girl again and Oosuu not tease. That how serious Oosuu know it is, Zil."
"I don't want to talk about it right now. I really just need to talk to Lina."
"Lina not good relationships..."
"No, not like that. We need to move forward on this extraction, and I need her tactical advice."
"Oh. OK. But Oosuu still here if Zil need lekku to cry on."
Zil spends the next two days in deep, if furtive, conversation with Lina. She spends the next two nights with the Lieutenant, but always slinks back to her own room before the wake-up klaxons sound. Oosuu finds she doesn't like having the room to herself -- there's no electronics to tinker with like when she had her own flat -- but she doesn't begrudge Zil her time away, and is happy that she and her 'special friend' seem to have worked past whatever quarrel had brought her such distress the other night.
Zil, for her part, has worked out the plan, and informed the rest of the roles they will play: she and Wex disguised as stormtroopers will escort Oosuu up the spire to grab Dr. Ehks, whilst Lina and Baprasta secure a vehicle and Jather finds the controls that extend the force-bridge. What could possibly go wrong?
Scene 20
Chaos: Madness (d6)
Setup: the plan unfolds
NPC list: Trefftun (contact), Dr. Ehks (target), Lt. Haldee (ISB agent / double-agent for the Alliance / love interest), informant, Imperial commander, overseer
Threads: mission, rebel's offer
At Zil's signal, Lt. Haldee summons two stormtroopers to her quarters. They fail to notice the Barabel lurking in the shadows. When the door slides shut Baprasta comes right up behind them and lays them out flat, her powerful fists crashing down on the very top of each one's head.
[B Hide 3D+1=14 vs. their search 2D=10
Brawl 6D-1D(2 actions) = 19, 21
Damage: 5D=23 vs. 3D=10 mortal wound
5D=21 vs. 3D=11, incapacitated]
"I hope you didn't crack the helmets," says Lt. Haldee. "Zil, Wex, you can come out now."
They come out from the bathroom. Baprasta is already removing the stormtroopers' armour for Zil and Wex to don. Baprasta helps Wex get suited up, whilst Lt. Haldee assists Zil.
"I always hate watching you get dressed, Zil," muses the Lieutenant. "It means you're leaving me."
Wex mouths the words "I told you" to Baprasta. Zil flushes a bit, then changes the subject.
"I hate to ask," says Zil, "but..."
"Don't worry about me," says Lt. Haldee. "The report I'm about to transmit will implicate the base commander in this affair. You workers were not the focus of my investigation, having been checked by the Bureau already. For all we know, Trefftun and the commander recruited you to do the Hutt's dirty work after you got here. As long as you don't get caught, there's more than enough evidence to get the Commander sent down on corruption and subversion charges and this incident hushed up. I'll have to play woman-scorned, but hopefully I'll get myself sent to track you down. I won't find you, of course -- not officially, if I do find you. I hope I find you, Zil."
Baprasta puts the bodies in laundry sack. Zil and Wex look out into the hall to make sure the coast is clear before Baprasta heads off towards the laundry to hide her burden. Zil doesn't look back as Lt. Haldee's door slides shut. She doesn't have to; she knows she watched her go.
"Let's go find that technician," says Wex.
"Good," thinks Zil, nodding. "He's staying in character."
[Q: Does Baprasta encounter anyone en route? 50/50 (4+): O2 C6 - No.
Q: Will the bodies be found before morning? Unlikely (5+): O2 C5 - No.
Q: Any problems retrieving Oosuu? Doubtful (6): O4 C3 - No, but... trouble getting into workshop for tools
Trouble (1d6): 1-2 need Con roll, 4-6 need Security roll: 1d6=4
O easy (10) security roll: 3D=11, Success, but wild die =1, complication]
Wex and Zil march into the cafeteria looking for Oosuu, although they know she isn't there. One of the technicians helpfully says he saw her in the holovid viewing room, adding a sarcastic "I hope she's not in trouble." Zil and Wex go off to find her there.
"Oosuu Fortuna!" barks Wex, startling the six beings watching the holofilm. "You need to come with us." Oosuu sighs, and follows them from the room. When they get to the workshop, the door is locked. Oosuu has to hack the passcode, though it isn't hard to guess, as only four numbers on the filthy datapad have greasy fingerprints.
But just as they are about to go inside, an Imperial officer comes down the corridor. "And just what are you doing?" he asks.
[Wex makes a Moderate (12) Con roll: 3D=8, spending a character point for +1d6=5, success]
"The commander has a leak in his shower," says Wex. "He says this creature is the only one who can fix it properly. If you can believe that!"
"These aliens must be useful for something. Carry on, troopers."
Once inside, Oosuu throws a selection of tools in a bag, and the three of them head towards the turbolift up the Spire.
[Q: clear path to spire? 50/50 (4+): O1 C4 - No, but...]
They've hardly gotten halfway there before another junior officer comes down the corridor towards them. He is about to ask them their business when Oosuu cuts him off.
"Oosuu need fix Officer Kaarde shower. Officer Kaarde say Oosuu get arse in gear, or punished. Please not in Oosuu way, Oosuu not want in trouble."
[She makes a Con roll; base difficulty is Moderate (12), +5 since she has no authority: 17 vs. her 4D+2=18]
"I have no idea what you just said," says the Imperial. "But if Commander Kaarde summoned you, I won't get in your way. Carry on!"
They reach the turbolift without further interruptions. When the door slides shut, Oosuu turns to Zil. "Keep getting stopped. This not going to work."
"Why didn't you say so before?"
"Oosuu did say so before."
Meanwhile...
Outside a light snow is falling. The lights from the base shine yellow in the misty night air, illumining the scene with a diffuse glow. Baprasta, Lina, and Jather emerge from a disused service hatch, which the strong Barabel closes gently behind them. Lina checks their comlinks for perhaps the fifth time, and then they separate. Jather slinks off towards the force bridge control box, whilst Lina and Baprasta head off to the vehicle pool. They wind their way through a maze of outbuildings and machinery, trying to stick to the shadows. Lina hears every step of their heavily booted feet make a deafening crunch in the freshly fallen snow. They come upon a single stormtrooper patrol, but the troopers are too deeply engrossed in their conversation about the new BT-16s to notice the two women rushing across the vehicle lot behind them.
[Moderate (12) Sneak rolls to get out to vehicle
L 2D+1=4, spend 1 character point: (+1d6=)6+6+5exploding!
B 3D+1=12
Easy (10) Hide rolls to work unobserved:
L 2D+1=10
B 3D+1=16]
The stormtroopers march out of sight, as Lina and Baprasta clamber into the waiting juggernaut. Lina removes the plates beneath the main controls at leisure; she's ready to hotwire the juggernaut on Zil's signal. "I wish we could turn the heating units on," says Baprasta, slumped low in the co-pilot's seat. "I feel like it's going to be a long, cold wait."
Meanwhile...
Jather pads through the snow to the plasteel booth which houses the bridge controls. He's about to get inside out of the snow when a stormtrooper's voice calls from behind him. "Hey you! What are you doing over there?"
[Moderate (12) Sneak rolls to get out 4D+2=17
Moderate (14) Hide to stay concealed 4D+2=11
Very difficult (23) Con roll: 6D=21, fail]
"Oh! Hi. I'm, uh, just out taking in the night air. It gets so claustrophobic inside."
[Q: Alert sounded? Likely (3+): O1 C2 - No, and...]
The stormtroopers aren't having any of it, but neither do they particularly care why he was out of the base. They march Jather back inside at gunpoint.
Meanwhile, up in the spire...
"Lab this way," says Oosuu.
[Q: Challenged? 50/50 (4+): O6 C1 - Yes, and...
officer & 1d6=2 stormtroopers]
When they are not 10 metres from the door to the lab, an Imperial officer briskly rounds the corner, two stormtroopers struggling to keep pace behind him. He halts abruptly, and holds up his hand for the rest to do the same. Zil and Wex do their best to snap to attention but the Imperial hardly notices, as he is too busy looking down at Oosuu with evident distaste.
"Where are you taking this... Twi'lek?"
"The atmosphere recycling system in the lab is playing up again," says Wex. "Dr. Ehks requested this technician to come up and look at it."
"I wasn't notified. I'll have to clear it."
In a white blur, Zil rushes forward, grabs the officer by the collar and shoves her blaster under his chin.
[Zil's Dex 3D+1 vs. his Pcn 2D to do it quickly enough: 11 vs. 6, ok
Moderate (15) Intimidation 5D=18]
"Tell those two to put their hands in the air and face the wall," says Zil, "or I'll tell them myself through a hole in your skull."
"Do as she says!"
Oosuu takes the Imperials' weapons as Wex covers them.
"You'll never get away with this!" sneers the officer.
"That's what they all say. Now open the lab door."
[Q: Any heroics? Unlikely (5+): O1 C3 - No, but...
How many people in the lab? 1d6=3]
The officer swallows hard, but does as Zil commands. Zil shoves him through the door. Oosuu and Wex prod the stormtroopers through at gunpoint. Dr. Ehks and two of his assistants watch the intrusion with fear and consternation.
"Dr. Ehks," says Zil removing her helmet, "we've come to get you out of here."
"What?"
"Dr. Ehks being rescued!" chirps Oosuu.
"I knew there was something different about you!" exclaims the scientist. "There was no way you'd come here just as another worker." [UNE: prejudiced - partiality - last scene]
"Oosuu mostly not liar. But explain later. Must escape."
"What about those two? asks Zil, indicating the assistants.
[Q: Do they want out? 50/50 (4+): O3 C3 - No, but... they don't want to get involved at all
+Event: NPC action (Imperial commander) - Mistrust / The mundane (see below)]
"Please don't hurt us!" shrieks one of the assistants.
"No, I mean, are you coming or not?"
"I, uh, don't think--"
"Fine," says Zil. She adjusts her blaster's setting and stuns the two lab assistants. Then she turns to the officer. "They're not involved. I don't want them in any more trouble than they need to be. You, on the other hand, are a tool of the Empire."
She switches her blaster back.
Meanwhile, down in the base...
When Jather is brought back inside, he finds the base in commotion. He catches a human by the arm as she is hurrying down the corridor. "What's going on?" he asks nervously.
"The commander has called a special workers meeting. Mandatory, if you hadn't guessed. I think he feels we need to be reminded that we work for the Empire or something." [the random event from above]
[J needs Very Difficult (25) Con roll to avoid raising suspicions: 6D=21, spends last character point for +1d6=6+3(exploding), success]
Jather turns to his stormtrooper captors. "Zil wanted to get a pazaak tournament together for old time's sake. She probably went into that one barracks room where the loudspeaker doesn't work so as not to be interrupted. I'd better go fetch her and the rest so they don't miss the meeting."
"You do that, worker 17. And tomorrow I'd better see that you've reported the faulty loudspeaker to technical."
"Yes, sir!"
Jather runs off towards the barracks, and slips back outside at the first opportunity.
[Difficult (18): 4D+2=11, wild die=1, complication]
Meanwhile, up in the spire...
Oosuu grabs a few extra tools, and puts them along with the stormtroopers' belts and weapons in her bag.
"Dr. Ehks, how far are your quarters?" asks Zil.
"Not far... why?"
"You can't go out in the snow dressed like that. You'll freeze to death."
"I see your point," says the Xexto.
[Q: Get to X's quarters? Unlikely (5+): O6 C2 - Yes, and...
Q: Get out of spire without a fight? 50/50 (4+): O6 C3 - Yes, but...]
As if by some miracle, the way to his quarters and back to the turbolift is entirely clear. Once in the lift, the six-limbed scientist begins hurriedly putting on his snowsuit. When the lift is about halfway down the spire, Zil activates her comlink.
"Lina, get the transport fired up -- Jather, get ready with that bridge!"
[Q: Can Jather respond? Unknown: 1d6=5, Unlikely (5+): O6 C3 - Yes, but...]
The Devaronian's breathless and panicked voice shouts back almost immediately, "Not now Zil!"
Jather was seen when he ducked outside, and is currently being pursued by [1d6=] three stormtroopers. Jather sprints over the ice like a tauntaun, but the stormtroopers slip and slide with every step. Two fall face first into the snow. The third sees Jather about to round the bend, and drops to one knee, firing off a fusillade from his blaster. The red bolts streak past the Devaronian's head as he disappears from sight.
[The pursuit is the complication from the Wild die, above.
{Round 1}
Easy terrain-
J all out movement (speed x4): 3D=6,6,6+4, success!
Stormtroopers High speed (speed x2) :2D= 6 mishap, 10 ok, 3 mishap
2 stormtroopers fall over
last one halts
{Round 2}
J move & dodge:
Move 2d=9, slightly slowed
dodge: 3D+2=11
st shoots 4D=8(wild 1) missing
- - -
Q: Stormtroopers waiting at the bottom of the lift? Likely (3+): O5 C5 - Yes.
+Event: PC negative - Zil - Control / Liberty]
Meanwhile...
The turbolift has almost reached the bottom of the spire. The four nervous beings within are all training blasters on the doorway, fearing a firefight might erupt the moment the doors open. The lift stops, shudders a moment -- then begins rising.
"Blast!" swears Zil. "They're really on to us!"
But Oosuu is already digging into her bag of tools. She rips open the instrument panel with a prybar, then attacks the wires inside with a pair of cutters.
[O needs a Moderate (12) tech roll for manual control; 3D=12]
The turbolift grinds to a halt. Zil glances at the readout above the door and grimaces. "We're 254 metres up the Spire. What now?"
"Quiet, Zil," grumbles the Twi'lek. "Oosuu not finished yet."
Oosuu shears through a handful of wire together, and with a sickening lurch the turbolift's brakes disengage. It begins falling, and picking up speed. Oosuu grabs the wires, and holds the ends together, applying the brakes in fits and starts to control the speed of descent. She stops the turbolift 20m from the bottom.
"Too dangerous go in base," says Oosuu. "Oosuu think get out here."
Zil and Wex force the doors open as Oosuu shoulders her tool bag. One by one they clamber out of the lift and slide down the icy crystal spire, twisting along its length so as not to land on the roof of the base. Dr. Ehks moves like one born to it, his six limbs steering him down to a graceful landing. Wex lands hard and seems a bit wobbly. Luckily the deep snow at the bottom cushions all their landings.
[They needed Easy (10) climbing/jumping rolls:
O 9
Z 11
W 5
X 15 (has +1D racial bonus)
3D damage from fall:
O 2D+2=14(wild 6+1)vs11, no damage
W 2D+1=8 vs. 11, stun]
"Why Oosuu always land on arse?" says the Twi'lek.
"Come on," says Zil. She offers a hand to help Oosuu up, and they all set off running. As they sprint along the grey metal sides of the base's outbuildings, Zil shouts into her comlink. "Jather, where the hell are you?"
"Being chased by stormtroopers through the snow," comes the breathless reply.
"What about the bridge?"
"No dice!"
"We'll try it then!"
[Q: Can Zil's band get in sight of bridge w/o encounter? 50/50 (4+): O6 C5 - Yes.
Q: Guarded? Likely (3+): O6 C2 - Yes, and...snowtrooper unit]
Zil leads the others on a new trajectory, and they take cover behind a stack of old supply crates. The bridge control booth is barely visible some 50 metres ahead through the misty darkness and swirling snow. "Well?" asks Zil. "Is it clear?"
"Snowtrooper guarding controls," gasps Oosuu. "Oosuu count six."
Zil swears under her breath and angrily jabs at her comlink switch. "Change of plan, everyone.
We're getting out on the barge!"
Next post: A battle on the ice river!
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