Click HERE to see this thread with all of the graphics, features, and links.

The Capital, Malastare

Three months have passed since Faylar was eliminated on Damagran. Finally you have left the Confederacy far behind you. In many ways, you have little to show for it. Your pirate allies are dead or turned against you, your base at Jaglon lost, the money all disappeared to the pirates or the Hutts, and even the great prize at Avalar was mostly denied you by Fayar, and the thrice-damned Jedi. You understand that Damagran wishes to re-join the Republic. Soon, it will be as if you never existed, there wll simply be a string of dead people and destroyed property to your name. Trying to disrupt the Galaxy can be a fruitless task sometimes.

Your names and appearances are all well-known to the authorities, even with the slow inertia of the Galaxy. Luckily in a Republic of this size you are not recognised on the streets, or anything so dramatic, but the mysterious anominity you once enjoyed has gone.

For three months you have been covering tracks, gathering all you own from secret stashes and then destroying them, severing links and moving on. You have laid low for three months until you have entirely vanished from the Galactic scene, and you have used your talents and the natural obfuscation of the Dark Side to remain hidden. There is NO-ONE who can find you now.

But what can you do, hidden? SImply waste away to nothing? Pah! Of course not. Because your plan still holds.

From Avalar you recovered plentiful navigation data. ata which could tell you the location of other Sith sites, probnably none as informative as Avalar would have been, but interesting nonetheless. Kuylen, one-time archivist at the Jedi Temple, remains as knowledgable of these things as he always was. It seems he has somewhere specific in mind.

One problem. The data is useless. As Quam discovered in his analysis last game, it seems to be so much gibberish. Even after you go through the painful process of decoding and unscrambling, what you are left eith is data that is incomplete. Trying to follow this data is like trying to navigate the seas with no idea of longitude. There is obviously more that you need but you have no idea where you could get it from.

All you know is that Kuylen has promised you guys progress- if you meet him on Malastare once your hiding time is done.

This leads to questions. Kuylen has been gone for some time- what did he find on Tatooine and Naboo? Rumours, nothing more, though it seems certain that the mighty Qui-Gon Jinn was indeed killed by a sabre user- a man like yourselves, no doubt. Kuylen would have recruited such a man but it seems a young Jedi named Obi-Wan Kenobi killed him. A waste.

But... why Malastare? One of the MAJOR Republican worlds! Why all this eoffrt to hide from the Republic to simply drive straight back into it? Stay there for long and you will be spotted for sure. There had better be a DAMN good reason! Quam, you have a suspicion, which later turns out to be right.

You have made your way, quietly, to Malastare. Your unregistered ships, should you own any, are kept in quiet docks, your possesions stored safely. You are meeting Kuylen in a back alley somewhere.

With him is Chion (of course), and that Twi'lek pilot of Kuylen's, who you see rarely. And also a new guy you have not seen before- tall, middle-aged with greying hair and a small pony tail, dressed in brown. Kuylen introduces him as Takuan Soho, a member of your team who has been working out on the Rim, but who Kuylen has now called him.

(Guys, this is Dexx. Help him feel welcome, and you may wish to fill him in on what you guys do, because Kuylen hasn't!).

Kuylen tells you what you are going to do, You are going to see a man named Kir Ascar.

Ah yes, Quam, so you thought... you have not met Ascar but you have heard of him and you knew Kuylen knew him. He is a huyman businessman who had made a fortune and moved to Malastare some years ago. But he is also a keen historian and knows much of ancient times. He is also an avid collector of Jedi memorabilia. You know it is with Ascar's help that Kuylen found Avalar. MAybe he can help you people again?

Kuylen has a warning for all of you.

"We are going to speak to Ascar. And I mean SPEAK, nothing else. We will not threaten him and CERTAINLY not use violence. Ascar is too useful to kill. He is well guarded. His security system is extreme. If we murder him on Malastare the Jedi will be on us in an instant. He has many powerful friends who would come after us. And he is harder to kill than he looks. Clear?"

SEEMS clear, but unusual for Kuylen to be so even-handed.

"We just talk."

You will get a transport there soon.

Takuan is seen walking slowly thru the small dark alleys. He was wearing a dark brown robe wich allowed his saber to be seen hanging inside. A few moments later he hears voices and sees few people.
This must be the meeting place! Soho goes towards them...

Gald listens to Kuylen's orders and nods. "Okay Master Kuylen, no use of violence," Gald says, thinking to himself Darn, that's my favorite part of negotiations. He conceals his red lightsaber in a pouch, next to the blue lightsaber he had contructed.

He cocks his blaster pistol and holsters it, keeping it loose just in case. On his belt he has a few grenades and two blaster pistols. Slung across his back is the repeater he had picked up on Damagran 3 months ago, shortly before Faylar's death. His two lightsabers sit in an open pouch next to his holster.

He turns to greet Takuan. "Hello Takuan. A pleasure to have your services," he says in greeting. "I am Galder Welptet. Just call me Gald."

(btw, now I have a blue lightsaber to go with the red one, since Lance destroyed the green lightsaber in REVENGE)

Takuan, now trying to assimilate the new faces, turns to Gald so he can return the greeting.
"Hello....Takuan Soho."

Gald shakes Takuan's hand and leans close to give him advice. "If you turn on us," he whispers, "you die, and if you stay, you'll get power like you've never seen before. Beware of Jedi and your home free."

Gald looks to Rura Ta, Gald's Kaminoan friend. "Rura Ta," he says quietly, then shakes Takuan's hand.

"Nice to meet you all"
Gald's remark left compleetly no remark over Takuan.
he then slowly stepped away, thinking about the mission...

Well, Dexx, you have in front of you two huge aliens, one unpleasant looking guy with a lot of guns, one smaller alien with a tommy blaster on his side, a young woman, Kuylen, and his pilot. It's you guys against the universe.

Quite a team. Notes to self: I hope they fight better than they look.

(Oh, we fight much better. btw, I'm having de javu. I could have sworn I've read Dexx's last message b4)

Gald turns to Kuylen. "Should we be going then? I'm ready to go," he says.

"So long as everyone understands..." he says.

The transport is taking you to the rich, downtown area of the capital, where wealthy Gran businessmen in suits enjoy the pleasures that a civilised society has to offer. Humans are among them, but far more rare than you are used to. There is a short walk from where you are dropped off to where you are headed, and you walk somewhat self-consciously through the sophisticated area of town.

Until you get tp where you are going- a humongous skyscraper to rival Coruscant or Nar Shadda. All Ascar's own, apparently.

"Ascar is more than just a businessman, he's one heck of a gambler, too," says Kuylen. "He deals with the Hutts regularly, virtually as an equal. There are a string of Republican regulations that should stop a man building such an Empire on gambling proceeds but a man like him knows the ways around them. It's with his fortune that he acquired his collection, and it's his collection we are interested in."

Kuylen walks towards the foyer.

"Gamblers...just my type..."

"Maybe not in the way you mean," says Kuylen. "Ascar makes his money from gambling but rarely directly. He RUNS bests, and there is a lot of money to be made there, even though Malastare has legal limits on gambling. With the pod races and all."

"well....some just seem to have the money" says Takuan getting closer and closer to their target.

"That's why I cheat. There was a gambler that lost most of his money to a Dark Jedi from because the Dark Jedi used the Force to manipulate everything, from flipping a coin to playing sabacc." Gald holds up a pouch and shakes it, and credits jingle inside. "Credits from a few rounds of sabacc I won in the past 3 months."

"great!...we should play" says Takuan in a monoton voice as they approached the building.

The lower area of the building is really more of a garage than a reception area. There are well-armed guards around- some Grans, some Dugs, and some human- but they seem to ignore you as you walk in. Air speeders are lined up around, and a number of officers are nearby. Kuylen is heading for the lifts.

"No trouble, remember?" he says.

"Yes Master, I remember," says Gald.

Um, queeq? I'm not entiely sure if the garage I just described fits the gambling hall that you just did! We'll proceed on my description, folks...

Kuylen invites everyone to the lift; he is pushing the button for the top floor.

Gald wraps his black robes around him to conceal his weapons. "First time in awhile that I've been on a working lift," says Gald, thinking back to the lifts in Faylar's old base.

The elevator's humming was low and constant.
Takuan reached for the force, calming himself, and keeping contact with his individuality. Then he reviewed his objectives.

"What if this Ascar guy betrays us or somethin?" Gald asks Kuylen.

"i guess we'll be allowed to use our skills...." says Takuan as if he would've guessed Gald's question before he finished it.

Gald rolls his eyes as the lift slows down.

after second evaluations, Takuan decides to cover his saber, not to start unnecessary tensions.

(Is it just the 3 of us playing here? Where are the others?)

Edna is extendedly absent... and that's actually it.

The lift opens up on the top floor, which is done in a tasteful red. NOW you are in a reception area, with a pretty and young receptionist behind the desk, doing her nails. Kuylen approaches her.

"I'm here for Ascar," he says. The receptionist nods.

"Please wait a few minutes. You may take a seat," she says.

Takuan is like a starnger in this eviroment. he's not used to this atmosphere. The lower levels of Coruscant will do that to you.

Kuylen sits, his left hand fidgeting consantly, his pilot sitting down next to him. Chion, who wouldn't fit in the seats anyway, chooses to stand.

The receptionist watches you all with an amused expression; it must be said you people don't fit in.

"Are you FROM Corellia?" she asks you, Quam.

"Yesssss..." Quam replied with a charm none of the other Jedi had ever seen in him before. "Do you like going there? Because if you do..." Quam leaned a little closer to her, "... I can show you around all the nice places."

"Oh, believe me..." she says. "I;ve been to ALL the nice places there..." There is a buzz at her desk.

"Mr. Ascar will see you now."

good takuan thinks. Not much of a pacient man.

"I'm sure you missed out a few, dear," Quam whispered softly in her ear, "I never saw you in any my places...." He looked up as the others walked in. "But now I know where to find you..."

"Well, just MAYBE I'll be waiting..." she says, as you pass through the doors to Ascar's room.

Ascar is sitting behind a desk at his office. He is a well-dressed but ageing gentleman, who looks at you keenly with an intelligent but rather unsettling face.

(For those who know of him, he looks excactly like Malcom MacDowell)

"Kuylen," he says, as the doors close behind you. "What an unexpected surprise to see you again..."

"Seeing as you wouldn't come to me," says Kuylen.

"Well, of course not," says Ascar. You noticce that far to your left there seems to be a museum of some sort, with display cases and the like. Behind Ascar is a large living area and corridors that lead off elsewhere.

this must be the collection kuylen was talking about imagines Takuan looking at the museum. By their conversation, he assumed that kuylen and Ascar knew eachother for some time

Quam used his newly acquired flair to casually stroll over to the displays and took a look at them. He uttered little sounds of appreciation and admiration, so very UN-Quam, as he passed them by. Qua had done his homework though, he knew exactly what was what.

This is a very impressive collection, Quam. It seems to be mostly Jedi artifacts from the Pre-Republic era, and in such a case this collection is larger than the Jedi's own, as little remains of that time.

But some of this stuff is Sith as well. It seems Ascar has cast a wide net in his collection. It is mostly stuff of archaeological interest more than practical value, though that might well appeal to you as well. One of the cases, rather notably, contains a Lightsabre. You guess no collection of Jedi artifacts would be complete without one but it cannot have been easy to acquire. It could be ancient, of course; sabres have changed little over time.

Your instincts are buzzing. SOMETHING here is useful, though.

"How was Avalar?" asks Ascar, politely.

"You know damn well how everything went," says Kuylen.

"I followd the news, but that doesn't tell me the whole story. Certainly not how the Jedi found your base on Jaglon Beta. That shows infallible instinct. I warned you that uncovering the Archive would have unforseen consequences."

"I can deal with consequnces," says Kuylen.

"Did you recover anything before the Order's untimely intervention?" Kuylen reveals one of the tablets, and hands it to Ascar. He looks at it curisouly, holds his hand to its back, and the lettering on it lights up in green. Ascar reass the tablet, quickly. He seems to know Sith rather well. This man is no mere collector, Quam. He must have done a lot of archaeology in his life.

"Interesting," he says. "Though ultimately rather irrelevant, especially without the set."

"You don't want one for your collection?"

"I think that would be unwise in the current climate." Ascar looks at the rest of you.

"Tell me," he asks, "were you ALL at Avalar?"

Takuan thinks at the collection's worth in the right hands before he answers.
" no....i am not involved in this..........incident."

"Ah..." says Ascar. "You've never ben one to be free with information, have you, Kuylen?"

"I tell people what they need to know."

"Do you mind?" asks Ascar. Kuylen motions for him to continue. Ascar tursnt to you, Takuan.

"Avalar is a myth. Or at least it was; I had some idea about where it can be found but your Master here had the will and the resources to find it for real."

"I'm their leader, not their Master," says Kuylen, but Ascar brushes this aside.

"The Avalar legend spoke of a group of Sith monks who decidd to make a new school, an Academy to match the Jedi's own, during the last Sith War a thousand years ago. To make this a reality, they built their fortress on the remote world of Avalar, and then at that fortress they started to write down EVERYTHING about the Sith. They codified every tenet, every rule, every law... every secret, of the Sith, so that it may be told unto others." Ascar smiled. "This did not sit well with the more traditional Sith, for whom it was heresy to pass down the information in any way other than word of mouth. And one day Darth Bane and his army stormed and destroyed the fortress, and Avalar was never to be seen or heard of again. Until recently. Because, you see, the archive was written on these tablets," says Ascar, holding up the one that Kuylen gave him, "which are sacred to the Sith. So Bane did not destroy the archive, he merely sealed it. Avalar passed into legend, and then myth. Kuylen had the quaint idea of digging it all up."

"That archive could tell us everything it was to be a Sith," says Kuylen to you, Takuan. "We could have taken their power and ruled the Galaxy."

"But sadly no longer, I hear!" says Ascar. "Because you only got part of it before the Jedi arrived, and part of it is useless, and the rest is gone."

"There are other ways," says Kuylen.

"Of course, and that is why you are here..." Ascar turns back towards you, Takuan, and Quam. "II see you like my collection?" he asks.

"yeeees, most impressive" says Takuan still thinking at the small tale that Ascar related.

Gald looks at the Darksaber hanging from the wall. He took off his glove and ran his fingers over the designs on the sword. "Very impressive. You are a very busy man Ascar," says Gald. Gald puts his glove back on and looks at the Darksaber. He then shifts his attention to the lightsaber in the display case. "So how'd you attain that? Bounty hunters? Other Dark Jedi? I've heard Aurra Sing is skilled in getting lightsabers from a Jedi..."

Quam played his cards casually. He pretend to be absentminded out of a girlish enthousiasm of the artefacts, still uttering giggly and mumbling noises. Just some sounds to distract the conversation between Kuylen and Ascar, enough to keep them just a tad off focus from their own convo. That's all Quam needed to have an advantage when needed. But he also studied the artefacts with great scrutiny: there were a few with markings and inscriptions, symbols he had seen before on the Avalar tablets. Including the ones he ahd kept for himself.

Quam pretended to startle a bit, timed a little late in response to Ascar. " Oooooh.... you were talking to me. So terribly sorry. A lovely collection indeed, most interesting. Expensive... but not too exclusive I must say. But then, antique dealers do call me very picky about acient artefacts." A little bluff never hurt anyone, Quam thought. So he added: "So where is the really good stuff then?"

Takuan looked at Quam's strategy. He chose not to get too close involved with the collection for now, unless ordered. His eyes were still on that dark saber. It's art segnifficance was extreme for him. Everything, from the modells on it to size and shape. Takuan wondered if it's still in functioning condition...

I haven't a clue what a darksabre is...

"The lightsabre belonged to a Jedi many years ago. When he died he left it to his family, and it eventually found its way onto the private market. I would, of course, have no part in owning a sabre that had been STOLEN from a Jedi. The Order would obviosuly want it back."

For those of you who have never seen Malcolm Macdowell in action (probably the most likely place anyone here who ISN'T queeq might have seen him is in Star Trek: Generations, where he played Dr. Soren, the man who killed Kirk), Ascar speaks with a highly refined english accent; a well-spoken man indeed.

He turns to you, Quam.

"Well now," he says, "why don't you keep looking and tell me when you find something 'really good', hmm?"

"Look, are you going to help me or not?" says Kuylen. Ascar looks at him.

"You got the maps from Avalar?" Kuylen nods. "Where do you want to go?"

"The Mausoleum."

"Demnos' resting place? But of course... let me see the data." Kuylen hands over a small disc to Ascar. "If you will excuse me, gentlemen..." says Ascar, getting up and retiring to a private office further back. Out of this office comes another man, with two guards. This man is young muscled, and rather blonde, and keeps a close eye on all of you.

Quam, you aren't one to back down from a challenge so when Ascar indicates there is something to find it was hard nto to be intrigued. Looking around the exhibits, your instincts suddenly bring you to a halt by something which at first glance appeared to be some sort of brass sculpture, but on closer inspection (through its security case) is obviously mechanical in some way. It is not very big, and its purpose is obscure- most if it appears decorative, with small representations of planets not unlike a vast orrery, done out in miniature. Writings in Sith are all around it, none of which you recognise except for one, which you know full well is the Sith word for 'Avalar'.

Takuan gets closer to the exhibit Quam is staring at

(A darksaber is a metal sword that the Sith used. When activated it has a plasma-type energy casing that lightsabers cannot cut through, therefore it is a dueling weapon. The Witches of Dathomir also have these Darksabers)

Gald looks at the statue and sees the Sith letters for Avalar. "These must be planets that have the sites of ancient Sith temples and academies and other things. Korriban is probably somewhere on there."

(How did the Witches get them? They live in isolation, I thought! I'll ask Edna...)

Kuylen walks over to you, Gald.

"It's an astrolabe," he says. "A Sith astrolabe. And you are right, those are worlds with connections to the Sith. The astrolabe was used by the Sith to navigate from world to world- if you had the maps. Which we do.

"There is one of these in the Jedi Temple, but it is broken. Even the Jedi Council is not aware that Ascar has a working one. And it's the only one I know of anywhere in the Galaxy.

"I don't know how to use it, though Ascar does, of course. But if we can persuade him to give it to us I am certain we will learn. Or if not, if he just gives us the one location we need, that will do." Kuylen looks up at the man watching you all, obivously unwilling to speak about 'alternatives' to persuasion while being watched.

"Have any of you ever heard of the Mausoleum of Demnos?" asks Kuylen, suddenly.

(the Witches could build them, couldn't they?)

"Who the hell is Demnos?" asks Gald quietly. "My wild guess is a honored Sith Lord, right? And his Mausoleum on some isolated world like Avalar is."

Takuan, not part of the conversation assimilates the new knowledge

(actually you are part of the conversation)

"It's more legend than fact... as far as we know." Quam replied casually and sounding completely uninterested. He turned back to the display. "Well, Mr. Ascar, the astrolobe's rather nice. I have one that is not entirely in tact and it's bit younger than that one. But that's about it. Nice stuff for private collection though. Well done."

He then turned to Ascalar with a big childish smile hidden behind part of his veil: "Care to sell?"

( i know i'm part of the conv, i'm just not speaking that much...)

Takuan, still looking around at the rest of the exhibbits remembered what Kuylen said about violence. So far it wasn't needed. He hoped it would stay that way.

(queeq, Ascar wasn't in the room)

"What use would we have for it Quam? We can't read the Sith language."

Full marks to Rex, who spotted that Quam appears to be talking to himself.

"Demnos was indeed a Sith Lord," says Kuylen. "As in Darth Demnos. But he predates Avalar by many millennia. And unlike Avalar which was a rumoured myth, the Mausoleum is solid fact. The Jedi always knew of it existence but were never able to destroy it.

"The story about it says that Darth Demnos killed himself in a ritual ceremony that made him become one with his final resting place. He did so because he wanted, after death, to be able to teach new Acolytes. The story says that if a being worth of the call of the Sith approached the hidden location of the Mausoleum, the spirit of Demnos would make it appear to him, and he could go inside and learn.

"So much for the story; such a selfless motive does not befit a Sith Lord. Anyone who has studied the Mausoleum comes to the same conclusion; that Demnos was murdered by his own apprentice who then used the name as a rallying call to gather followers. But the rest of it is almost certainly true; you could never find the Mausoleum by error. I am sure you remember the mirror tests. The Dark Side has a way of KNOWING its own. Finding the Mausoluem is our new priority. If we can locate the damn thing."

He turns to Galder and Quam.

"Where are your ships?" he asks.

"My starfighter, the Raging Reek, is in the docking bay, next to Quam's starfighter. I take it that we'll be having a little day trip?" Gald asks, smiling curtly.

i forsee this Mausoleum of Demnos will be a most interesting experience... thinks Takuan

"One thing I do know is that the Mausoleum is a long way outside the Republic. A long way. The hyperdrives in your ships, and mine, won't be good enough. We're going to have to grab some long-range drives and have them fitted to the ships, which won't be very cosmetic but is very necessary. There's a depot in orbit we can get some from, though it will have to be very smash and grab."

"That will work, but we must get inside before we do it"

"Smash and grab jobs...one of my favorites..." Gald thinks. Gald leans close to Kuylen and whispers, "Is killing allowed?"

"I doubt the security there will just let us TAKE the drives," says Kuylen, "though we will have to do a through job of eliminating all records."

THe door to Ascar's office opens, and he re-emerges, smiling.

"i figured by now that thsi job implies doing things that you are not let to do....especially by security."

"You'll get used to it Takuan, that's how we do things," says Gald quietly. He then looks to Ascar. "How'd your search for the Mausoleum go?" he asks.

"Oh, no....i'm used to it by now....." says takuan leting Ascar answer Gald's question...

Ascar returns to sit behind his desk.

"Well?" asks Kuylen.

"Interesting, in a purely academic sense," says Ascar.

"Then can we have the astrolabe?" Ascar twiddles a pencil in his hand for a few moments as the man who was watching you all approcahes to his side.

"No," says Ascar.

"Care to give a reason for that?"

"Aside from that Astrolabe being one of the centrepieces of my collection?" Ascar leans forwards. "It's no longer safe to deal with you, Kuylen. Before you were a dead man, and dealing with dead men is always easy. But now not only are you very much alive, you and your cronies are some of the most wanted people in the Republic. It's not worth the risk of dealing with you. No archaeological interest of mine balances against the risk of a Republican investigation. Frankly, Kuylen, I think you were foolish to come here. You should return to the Rim."

Takuan didn't give much worry to Ascar's reply. He knew Kuylen wouldn't get this answer as a final one. Somehow, he would get the astrolabe one way or another. Even if it ment to allow violence afterall. Just drawing a lightsaber would surely persuade him to rethink his deal.
But for now....Takuan paciently waits......the technique is effective.

"What do you mean you won't give us the astrolabe?" Gald shouts. "We'd find more use for it than you would. Besides, we've been laying low for the past three months so that everyone would think us dead or somethin."

"I'm not leaving Malastare until I got what I came for," says Kuylen. Ascar sighs.

"There is still a lot of the Jedi in you, Kuylen. It's infuriating. Very well, if you insist on staying here until you are found and hunted then I will not obstruct you, but nor will I allow you to put me in danger. Unless we have other business to discuss, or you have anything else I may be interested in, then I would ask you to leave. I have a busy schedule as it is."

"What will it take to get the astrolabe from you?" asks Kuylen. Ascar laughs.

"You have little to offer me any more. No artifacts from Avalar, and your money is all gone. You're an interesting man, Kuylen, but that's all you are."

"I'll see you again," says Kuylen, firmly.

"Well, if you have anything that would interest me then please do not hesitate to call. Until that time, stay away from here. Persis will show you out." Ascar indicates to the tall, blonde man nearby (with a noticable gun in his holster), and he walks over and opens the door back to reception. He waits for you people to go through it. Kuylen motions to you all to obey.

Gald looks at Ascar with a menacing glare, then looks at Persis with the same glare. "I have more guns than you do," he says to Persis, and follows Kuylen out the door.

Takuan's saber was just out of site but within easy access. Guns don't work well against sabers he thought. Especially if you know how to weild it. But not yet. The "no violence" seemed to be on.

Gald, Persis replies to you.

"Why don't you draw them, and see how well you do?" he asks, glaring at you with open hostility.

"Persis," says Ascar, gently but firmly. Persis turns to look at him. Ascar shakes his head. Persis looks unhappy, but drops the attitude. The door closes behind you, with persis is following.

"If any of you have business with Mr. Ascar again," he says, "you can leave your weapons with Majora here." He points at the receptionist, still doing her nails, who smiles at you all. "NO exceptions," says Persis.

Chion has approached Majora and extends a thick, alien finger up to her face, stroking one side of it. He grins evilly, and Majora keeps smiling.

"That's enough, Chion," says Kuylen, though Chion is still smiling as he returns to follow you all.

Gald leans over to Kuylen and whispers, "Either Majora has a smile strapped to her face or Chion has found his first girlfriend," he says with a chuckle.

"Maybe Chion is a good judge of character..." says Kuylen. You return to the lift and descend to reception.

"Get your stuff together," says Kuylen. "We WILL get that astrolabe. In the meantime, we will go get those hyperdrives.

"Are you mad?" says a voice you have not heard before. It is Kuylen's pilot, the Twi'lek you guys see occasionally. You have never heard him talk to Kuylen, or anybody. You've never really thought of him as a proper member of the team. Kuylen wheels to face him.

"Getting the astrolabe AFTER we hit the space depot leaves us at risk of being detected!"

"Not if we are thorough," says Kuylen.

"We should hit the depot AFTER we get the astrolabe, and leave immediately afterwards."

"It will take TIME to get a plan to get the astrolabe," says Kuylen. "In that time we can get the hyperdrives! The ONLY risk is if we stay here long!"

"The risk is tenfold if we are spotted at the depot."

"Which we won't be. And I will kill anyone who exposes us. Clear?" The pilot does not reply, but does not look happy either. "In any case, we'll be just as exposed if we attack Ascar's home. Frankly, the security at the depot will be easier to circumvent."

"Hey, can I kill Persis next time? I don't like his smile," Gald says with an evil grin.

"Don't even think about it unless we have to," says Kuylen.

"We'll be in two groups for this mission. Half of us trash everything in sight in the section we are interested in, and grab the drives. The other half seals off that section from the rest of the base, deals with the security systems and erases all trace that we were there. We'll have to clean that place pretty well afterwards or the sabre marks will be obvious."

"We can't clean it entirely," says his pilot.

"We can clean it enough to avoid suspcion," says Kuylen. "Unless some wandering Jedi come nearby there will be no threat."

"That would be just our luck..." says the pilot.

(Incidentally, when Kuylen says 'clean', he means removing the destroyed people and things. He doesn't mean take a cloth to it all)

"I'll be in the trashing group. Trashing is my specialty. I can shoot with walls and stuff with blasters to make it look like pirates or smugglers did it.

Oddly enough, Chion decides to go trash as well. Kuylen's pilot will go sneak and stuff.

I know they are not present right now, but I will assume that Quam and Edna will not go trashing, so Kuylen will join the trashers.

Which leaves Dexx.

Gald gives Chion a high-five. "Trashin will be a sinch," he says. The lift slows...

"I can deal with the security. I'm sure you woldn't want saber marks be found on the walls....so i let suggest covering part to be solved by others, with blasters. You can tell me waht more i must do on the way"

"We can use sabres if we are careful," says Kuylen. "Just don't drag them along the walls. Ok, everyone split up." Kuylen provides you all with the location of the space depot in orbit he wants hit.

"We'll meet there in an hour at reception."

"i'll use sabers for the security. I ment i won't use them for covering tracks. And how will i get there, i don't have a ship?"

"It's a public depot," says Kuylen. "Take a shuttle. It's not advisable for any of us to use our own ships to get there."

"ok, on my way......BTW...do i have a team mate?"

Well, pilot guy, Edna and Quam are with you...

"You can ride on the Reek with me. So can Rura."

"No personal ships, remember? Let's go find a shuttle!"
(Will Ush be controlling Edna and Queeq?)

While you guys are heading off to the depot, you can be considering your position on Malastare, and thinking about what you have seen so far. It;s not like Kuylen to be so hesitant when dealing with people.

In any case, I am creating a new thread for you all to study, which will help you survive in this story!

k, cool.

Gald boards a shuttle with Takuan and Rura. "Let's get a move on," he says to the pilot.

Takuan checks his equipment, the trusty saber, a feq thermal detonators and a few more things he doesn't think he'll be needing in the near future.
"I'm ready" he says. he didn't thin about the security as being that much of a problem. covering the tracks was a little bit more difficult. But he'd do ok in the end.

The depot is a major one, not some small out of the way place. It is full of people, mostly Grans, buying, selling, and arranging the delivery of parts. It's not a pretty place, rather old and dirty looking, but it seels good parts and does good business.

You all meet up in reception.

"Check around," says Kuylen. "Make sure you know what you have to do. We're erasing the records anyway. Then we'll each get into position, and get to work."

"So...i deal with security and help cover the tracks. Ok, we meet at reception."

"Let's go trashin Kuylen," Gald says. He looks for a hyperdrive among all of the pieces of junk.

Takuan goes searching too. But not too carefully, his attention being most directed to unwelcomed guests...like security officers.

Kuylen is asking you to check things over BEFORE you go trashing, you know.

Rex, Kuylen knows the sector the drives are in. One of the tricks will be to seal that sector off- you can't fight the ENTIRE depot, it's bloody huge. That one area needs isolating.

"we should get some uniforms...if we want to get in the sector unnoticed"

Technically there is no reason that civilians aren't allowed in that general area, though breaking into the storage room is more of an issue.

, so we must take out all security out of that area, without being noticed. Hmm.....Problems could occur. The area could be crowded, takuan thinks

(I'm actually talking out of character here, so you aren't talking to anyone. These are just things you are noticing)

Yes, the area is relatively crowded. A civilian massacre on this scale would be more trouble than it is worth. Something will have to be done about that.

Stealth seems to be required here

(Crap, stealth mode... )

"So Kuylen, what's the plan? Lure the guards to another area? Kill em quietly?" Gald asks. "The sooner this is over the better."

"It's not the guards we are worried about," says Kuylen. "It's the public. If they see us they can identify us, but if we slaughter them we will be here too long and in any case it leaves the situation very uncontrolled. Once the public is removed from the situation we can kill the guards."

Takuan, Kuylen expects your group to find a way to remove the public from that sector before you seal it off.

"The fire alarm should do it," says Kuylen's pilot. "Or maybe even a genuine fire. The public will leave but the guards will remain. But it will have to be timed just right- someone has to seal the sector after the public leaves and BEFORE help arrives. AND the kill team will have to be in place."

Takuan thinks at certain details to draw the public out. he could start the fire alarm with no problem. Then he would move to the isolated area and take out the gards.

"A grenade or two should set off a genuine fire," says Gald. "It would also help lead people to believe pirates or smugglers did this."

"Yes that woul work just fine" says Takuan drawing a thermal detonators.
"We must be carefull noone to see us. We resort to the force untill the area is secured. people might be interogated afterwards and we don't need to reveal unnecessary details."

"A thermal detonator would blow half the room apart, but probably not cause a fire," says Kuylen. "Galder, do you have anything more 'surgical'?"

"What are we talking about here? we could all sound the alarm with no fire at all.....we have the force"

"Hmm..." Gald says. "Well, I have my (new) multipurpose rifle. Has a flamethrower mode and I could torch stuff."

"i think not activating the alarm will be the most difficult part. We have to get the people uot and isolate ourselfs in the Drive's area

"Well," says Kuylen, "fire or no fire, I'm relying on SOMEONE to trip the alarm and get the public out of here."

"Give me the rifle," says Kuylen's pilot to you, Galder. "I'll find somewhere intelligent to use it. No good you just wondering in there and blazing everything."

"Ok, gald and i cand take care of the alarm and public"

(Well, technically speaking Galder should be doing the combat work after that distraction... does he want to change groups)

"Okay, whatever. If you lose it or break it, I'll kill you and Kuylen can find a new pilot," Gald says, and hands the Twi'lek his rifle.

Ok, then. Dexx and the people with him can now move in and prepare their sabotage.

Gald, anywhere you want to be in particular when all hell breaks loose? Chion and Kuylen are moving in, nonchalantly (which Kuylen is better at than Chion...)

Gald walks quietly beside Chion. "So, you ready big guy?" he asks Chion, already knowing the answer.

takuan moves into position. His saber is out of sight but within easy reach. He spots on of the fire alarms. He slowly walks to it and slowly leans on the wall near it.
( waiting for other preparations before i activate it)

Okidokey; pilot guy, Edna and Quam will work on sealing the sector off.

Chion just smiles, Rex.

Kuylen is pretending to check out the merchandise.

Takuan finds the moment in wich very few people were in front of him.
He raises his hand toward the alarm. In a second a powerfull beeping can be heard, water showers of water coming down from allover the ceilling. The people try to scatter away

Gald begins to rub the shards of his father's old lightsaber, destroyed in a duel with Lance Windu. This plan better work... Gald thinks, hoping that his father's fighting skill would help him in his mission.

People running around everywhere. This is going rather as planned thought Takuan showing a small grin. The public will soon not be a problem, thus nor the security.

Hmm, the people aren't clearing out as fast as you hoped. People will arrive to investigate the alarm soon, which is not good...

"I'll off to the security room," says Pilot guy. "To take care of the cameras." He leaves.

Seing the small progress of the evacuation, Takuan dcides to speed it up a little. he abandones his post and joins the crowd slowly pushing, and simulating panic. Screaming "Fire, fire....run" from once'n'a while

That gets SOME attention. However, the main question in the minds of the people is 'Where?' They just don't seem motivated enough.

Takuan lowers his attempts. maybe these people realy need to see a fire. But how. he turns to Gald. "can you think of something?"

Gald steps into the shadows and hurls a small grenade towards a spot where no one is standing, over in a corner.

SUbtle.

But it must be said that the resulting BOOM! certainly fgets the public moving quickly! It also gets the security guards with weapons drawn, and looking for intruders. Chion seems a likely target for them.

Gald sticks to the shadows and gets up behind Chion and Kuylen. "Get in the shadows, and hurry!" he says.

You run across the room to Kuylen and you will look VERY suspicous! And you doubt that Chion could hide in the shadows if he was on shadowworld...

The last of the public is leaving now, and the emergency bulkheads are sealing off this sector.

One security guard is insisting that Kuylen move out, now!

Gald quietly and quickly unholsters his twin blaster pistols. He aims for the guard talking to Kuylen.

takuan, following Huylen and gald sees the dispu6te. His hand quickly reaches the saber, but thinks again and stops. SAbers must not be seen, for now at least. he goes near them.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be leaving soon," says Kuylen, waving his hand and strolling to one side. The guard moves on. Kuylen has one eye on a nearby camera, where a red light is flicking on and off.

With only ten or so security guards around, it looks like this is going to be a pretty efficient operation, if the sealing has been done right...

"Ok, the public seems to be almost out, wich leaves the security"

Gald holsters his gun again, but for only a second. That stupid Twi'lek had better hurry up with those cameras.... thinks Gald, watching the camera too.

Takuan, also waiting for the cameras was trying to control his enxiety of not drawung the saber. he soon will be

The flashing light on the camera goes out.

Time to move!

takuan moves to action. His grip is now tight on his saber.

Gald emerges from the shadows, drawing his repeater. He fires off a bunch of shots at the security.

Galder's action starts a fight. Kuylen and Chion both draw their sabres, Kuylen doing so in a fast-draw slash that cuts down the man next to him.

After firing a few more shots, Gald slings the gun across his back again and draws his lightsabers. The blue and red ignite, and he charges forwards and slashes down a guard.

Takuan, with his green blade ignited, deflects a few shots aiming at him. That's the easy part. the hard part is sending them back where they came from. but he'll eventually get there too. His blade penetrates a nearby officer, he then quickly takes it out for more deflecting. his moves are smooth and precise.

From the ceiling of the room, ten slots open, and they start to disgorge, one at a time, spheres, about a foot wide each. These robospheres are armed, nippy, and dangerous, and suddenly you all find yourself under concentrated attack!

(No-one actually checked out the security in this place...)

takuan finds the small opportunity of destoying a spehere while not being shot at. After that, he gets back to deflecting. One of the spheres is actually destroied by the deflected blast.

You;re being badly swarmed very quickly, Takuan... you don;t quite have the instinct for this sort of thing.

Chion, around the corner, is not troubled by the spheres yet. Kuylen quickly retreats towards the wall, blocking as he does so.

takuan feels is pressured by the spheres. They seem a little too many.
It could take longer than expected to get rid of them. He finds a good opportunity to roll down ending up in a slightly different position. Before the spheres lock on him he takes out another one with a quick frontal slash. the spheres continue their determined attack...

Gald scoots back to where Kuylen has moved to. "Any ideas Kuylen?" he asks, deflecting shots back at the droids.

Anger beggins to take Takuan. Can't he handdle this minor problem? He'll be in a lot worse later! In a spasm of mixed fury and determination He jumps forward waving a horizontal slash. Two more gone. Now he's back to defending. This little hit and duck technique seems to be taking too much time

"Make sure no-one gets out of here!" yells Kuylen at you, Rex. While you guys are busy with the spheres, the security guards are using the manual overrides on the fire doors to get out. Kuylen is causally deflecting bolts while his eyes scan the room. Chion, meanwhile, is beginning to wwing his sabre in arcs of increasing speed, and wades into the battle.

You might want to help Takuan as well, Rex. It's a busy life.

"Can do," says Gald. He dashes through the cloud of spheres to Takuan, slashing hard around him. He then emerges from the cloud and skewers two or three guards with his lightsabers. He then takes out his pistol and shoots the controls to the manual-override on the doors. He then shoots the guy at them.

"thanx! it was getting pretty crowded" said Takuan busy with the continuing deflecting

There's no way you could do both things at once, Rex... your vague shots at the doors achieve little and besides, the guards are escaping in multiple places. You have some eight spheres firing at you now.

Kuylen has just rounded behind some crates, in cover. He closes his eyes.

a cover would be welcomed thinks takuan. But he could not move from there while being fired at that rate. Another sphere goes down by a deflected bolt

So, Galder, will you spend more time covering Takuan or stopping escapees?