USH'S GAME EPISODE IV- 'CHASE'- DARK SIDE AREA

Unmarked Asteroid, Republican Space

It is one day since your angry de-briefing with Kuylen. Your saving grace is that whilst you failed in your mission, the Jedi did not gain full control of the situation. The information about the Mausoleum is not in their hands- it is in the hands of the ‘Ascarites’. The possibility still exists that you may get it first, and make it to your goal. Mind you, you are still a little fuzzy as to what your goal actually IS. You have heard Kuylen talk of rumours and legends of the Mausoleum. But does he actually expect to find anything useful there? Does he even know what it is? Still, it was marked on that Sith Astrolabe, and that Astrolabe dates many thousands of years AFTER the time of Demnos. If the Sith still considered it important in their final war, you guess there must be SOMETHING to it. But you feel Kuylen simply does not trust you.

So now, you must move, and fast. There are two ways for you to get the information you seek- and in both cases you must get there BEFORE the Jedi, and in both cases you must make sure the Jedi cannot simply follow if you do get there first.

Lead one is Persis. He has the Astrolabe. You have the maps. Each is not much good without the other. Somehow, you are not going to let HIM get the maps. And you sure as hell want the Astrolabe. Persis will flee to Tartarus, his home, an area of space renowned for its underground smuggling trade that is spreading like a cancer in the Republic. In fact, a full Senate Investigation is taking place into the problems at Tartarus. You care little. Persis must be killed and the Astrolabe retrieved.

Lead two is Ascar. He is the short-cut, he simply KNOWS the location of the Mausoleum, having used the maps and Astrolabe in the last story. Now it appears Ascar is your enemy, which is unfortunate. But one way or another, he must be persuaded to tell where it is- and maybe more importantly, silenced, in case he tells the Jedi the same. Ascar, now pursued by the Jedi, will run now to Nar Shadda, where most of his contacts are. Nar Shadda is a vicious and nasty place to get any business done, but precious little there is nastier than you guys.

And you have a third task. Your alliance with the Order of Miramar has proven vital, and whilst you are playing such a dangerous game their invaluable aid may be needed again. But there is apparently some problem on Belseraphon, their homeworld, where your long-unseen companion Alik Saar has been running the operation there for some time, with the help of Edna. Edna has disappeared and a replacement is needed. And of course, now the Jedi know you are using the Miramar, they may go there as well. They must be eliminated if they do.

Unlike the Jedi you are being assigned to places, rather than choosing where to go- that is their benefit for winning the last game.

Galder, you and Chion have been sent to find and kill Persis. Frankly, this is the best job you have ever been given. Your orders are simple- smash anything that gets in your way, kill Persis, get the Astrolabe, and make sure the Jedi don’t get near it. Kuylen says you may find some security issues will get in your way. He is sending a woman named ‘Jolanta’ there to help you. It is not a name you have heard before, but somehow you have a bad feeling about it, Galder.

Takuan, you are Edna’s replacement on Belseraphon- though you must say, you have very little idea what to expect there!

Kuylen will go to Nar Shadda. En route, he will pick up the new players now joining your side in this game. Kuylen will be playing a full and active role in this game, in order to giver the new guys some solid back-up, being plunged as they are into an increasingly difficult and dangerous story! As for Rex and Dexx, you know the score now, and Kuylen (and myself) expects you to be able to handle things without continuous guidance!

Once you split up, you will only be able to send and receive messages between groups by ship. Messages sent to another group remain unread until that group goes to their ship and checks messages.

You may wish to prepare some emergency contingencies BEFORE you split up, just in case.

As you already know where you are going, all you need to do is talk over a few plans, say goodbye, and then we shall get cracking! But the Jedi will be hot on your heels in this Chase...

(New guys, I will put you in the game very soon. Just need to get Rex and Dexx started.)

Takuan doesn't really have anything to pack. He just checks his belt of thermal detonators, and fixes his saber safely.
(by now i wish i had a ship of my own..how will i be travelling?)
He is prepared for his departure after briefly paying his goodbyes with Galder, Chion and Kuylen.

Note- it is mainly for newbies, but I have now created a geme summary thread for people to read to be more aware of the main plot.

Galder loads all of his weapons and make sure his new arm is functioning properly. He puts his red lightsaber inside his arm, and puts the blue one at his belt. "I'm coming for you Persis..."

Galder, you will be taking your own shop to Tartarus, of course. Chion will sit, radiating grumpiness, besides you in the cockpit.

Dexx, Kuylen is flying to Nar Shadda in his ex-Jedi vessel. But bis pilot he is leaving here to take you in a two-man ship to Belseraphon. The Twi'lek gives you a toothsome grin as he invites you into his ship.

(So pilot guy still doesn't have a name?)

(pilot guy works juuust fine 😄)
Takuan varely throws an eye at the twi'lek before boarding the ship. He's hoping for some quiet time during the ride.

(Pilot guy is my biggest cock-up, seeing as it should be pilot woman, and it was a mistake to give 'him' a sabre. Best not pay too much attention to him, lest I be reminded of my foolishness)

(Look, all I knew is that Kuylen had a Twi'Lek pilot, and I had heard that a male sabre-wielding companion of Kuylen's was doing the work on Belseraphon. I assumed the two were the same. By the time I found out that he was a she, and the guy on Belseraphon was Saar, I had already cocked up by putting 'him' in the game with you guys)

Kuylen gives you your rendezvos details, for you will have to meet to make use of the data once you have it. It is the mid-point between your three destinations.

But if ANYTHING goes wrong (which, depending on the thing, could be choppy-choppy time for some), there is an emergency rendezvous instead- your hidden base.

This is a shock. With the Jedi pursuing you, the risk of them finding your base, where you do all your training and learning of the Dark Side that has managed to put you on a vague par with the Jedi, seems a stupid one to take. But it is Kuylen's wish, for if there is a problem now he feels there is nothing left to lose. You can make your final plans, in case of trouble, at the base and then abandon it forever.

Originally posted by Ushgarak
[B(Look, all I knew is that Kuylen had a Twi'Lek pilot, and I had heard that a male sabre-wielding companion of Kuylen's was doing the work on Belseraphon. I assumed the two were the same. By the time I found out that he was a she, and the guy on Belseraphon was Saar, I had already cocked up by putting 'him' in the game with you guys)

[/B]

huh?..don't you do what you want in the game?

(It's based on what I play with my brother.)

(ok..well...i'm ready for departure in any case.)

Yup, okidokey, you guys will get going in a mo...

(As am I)

Galder hops in his starship. "Are you positive we will meet up at the base, Kuylen? It seems rather risky, but oh well. It seems we are on the edge of a knife anyway..." He begins powering up the engines. "Chion, hurry up!"

Chion growls at you as he comes on board.

And you guys are off. Takuan, your journey is the longer. You know little of what to expect there, for you know nothing of the Miramar. But with Saar and Edna having been working there for a while, things should be all ready for you when you get there.

Galder, Kuylen has provided you some information about Tartarus. The smuggling operatioin running out of there is causing great pains to the Republic, Persis' background is from these highly organised smugglers. Kuylen leaves notes saying that the whole are is utterly corrupt and ther efforts to crush the smugglers spectacularly unsuccesssful.

The whole area is currently under Senatorial Investigation as they try and sort the problem out. But this will work to your advantage becase during the investigation, all Republican forces entering the area need permission from the Senate to do so. It could take the Jedi weeks to get such permission. This should help you get a good head start one them, though doubtless they will try and expedite procedure, or even ignore it. If they ignore it, try and make that work against them.

There are two areas on Tartarus that interest youm, one under military jurisdiction the other under civilian. Actually, the military one is the easiest to enter, so long as you don;t let on who you are. The civilian one can ONLY be entered by permitted personnel- that is, reigstered citizens of Tartarus, or permitted Republican forces. Persis has Tartaran citizenship so he will likely hide there. You will be hindered in any attempt to enter the civilian area. Deal with such obstacles.

Landing there will be almost impossible for you, though, as the local miklitary would blast you out the sky. Best to land in the military area and take a look at the 'Border Zone', as it were.

Certainly that is where Rura is currently travelling, from Malastare, and apparently this 'Jolanta' person will meet you there also, apparently to help you bypass security.

The bad news is that if the Jedi are pursuing Persis they will likely arrive at the same time as- or maybe even before- you do.

Meanwhile, here we may introduce our new players here, Zink (Bion, or 'Wraith'😉 and Kaliero (Dak)

The two of you, who have both met Kuylen as described in your backgrounds, have long known of his experienced group of followers and some secret plan for power of theirs. But whilst Kuylen took you to the secret base of the Dark Siders (where you met the others) and helped train you, thus far he has not allowed you in on his plans. You have felt out of the loop, like in some way he felt he did not need you.

Clearly this has now changed. Kuylen has contacted you both and oredered you to accompnay him on a mission into Hutt Space. He made it clear that much reward would follow loyal service to him in this regard.

You will meet him on a bar on a small world just outside Hutt Space. You have both arrived early, and met each other. You do not know each other well, and may introduce yourselves now...

Before lift off, Galder changes into a suit of light body armor. A blast helmet goes over his head to hide his face. The suit covers his mechanical arm, with a slot that is hard to see so that the saber could still pop out. He pulls a black glove over the mechanical hand.

Galder takes off for Tartarus. His ship enters hyperspace a few minutes after leaving the asteroid. Soon the planet is in view.

"Let's say we pay a visit to the military zone..." Galder says.

Wraith enters the bar. His battle armor is still in his apartment a short walk away. He is just wearing a ragged jumpsuit in shades of brown.

He sits down at the bar. "Screaming Podracer, on the rocks," he says to the bartender. He flips him a coin.

as the ship enters hyperspace, Takuan sits back and hopes for a short and quiet trip.

(Sorry it's been so long. I've been horribly sick the last three days.)

I walk into the bar, fully cloaked and hooded. Concentrating as hard as I can, I just make out a glimmer in the Force. It seems to be coming from the bar. I walk over to a guy in a ragged brown jumpsuit, and say to him: "I'm looking for someone known as 'Wraith.' You heard of 'im?"

(Glad your well)

Wraith stands and looks at the reptilian creature. He senses the Force within the being, as well as anger and greed. "That would be me. And you must be Dak. Well well, two of K's men. Wraith at your service." He refers to Kuylen as K, knowing that just the mention of his leader's name could lead to his downfall in these perilous times.

He sits at the bar again and asks the bartender where his Screaming Podracer (on the rocks) is.