STAR WARS: RETROSPECTION- Diplomacy

Yes indeed!

The Mantooinians appear to be deliberating, so Jovan can definitely jump over to help Jelena with the Federation.

"My humble apologies, Master Jedi!" the Federation representative says. He shouts to someone you cannot see in the hologram. "Call off the vulture droids! It is the Jedi!"

And, just like that, the blasterfire from the vulture droids ceases, and they peel away, back into space.

I would love to get into agressive negotiations with them!

This certainly is not the greeting you expected. Things must be tense indeed if the Federation was willing to sic its fighters on you.

Shortly after, the Mantooinians declare that you are free to land on Fest.

The way on to the planet is clear.

I do suggest that for this part we keep our lightsabres at our belt instead of tossing them at the couch. 😛

Perhaps the best option is to ignore the shooting? I dislike the Trade Federation and their shooting only heightens this but everyone should be given a fair chance.

Jelena certainly won't let hers out of sight.

I'm willing to ignore the fact that the droids shot us up. Obviously this is a tense situation. We are here to mediate, not encourage conflict.

Jelena has a brief moment of panic when she sees that the Festan cruisers are now deploying fighters. Fortunately, it is only for the fighter escort that the Festans issue to the newly-arrived Jedi.

You are being directed to land in the starport at Fest City, the capital. Within moments, the Sunlit Dancer reaches the atmosphere. It is a crisp day on the planet's snow-blanketed surface.

Jelena, you are having some trouble controlling your descent. That hole in the wing is giving you problems.

I wonder who will be waiting for us. If any...

and if the Trade Federation will pay for the damage? 😛

can I help in the descend?

I'd hope they would send a welcoming committee. A passive one, at least.

We can find out about that too. 😛

If Jelena can do anything to stabilize her descent, she will do so. Fly slower, route power to the engines, anything...

It is nothing dangerous (for now). You are certainly glad that the attack stopped when it did. You could not perform anything daring in this vessel right now.

You find that flying a little lower helps, below some of the upper atmosphere turbulence that comes with an ever-frozen world. You glide a little less gracefully over hills of snow and around large rock formations, before coming to Fest City.

Fest City was founded in a valley at the base of a small mountain range. You are approaching the south end of the valley at the direction of your fighter escort. Much of the buildings are large and squat gray blocks, nothing notable. The starport is at the south end, and the city sprawls out behind it.

The most notable thing you see is to the right side, to the west, where the mountain range looms. A comprehensive mining operation is at work there, including a large structure that almost appears to be a gate into the mountainside.

Jelena takes note of the giant gate in the mountainside, intrigued by its sheer massive size.

Is she going to have any problem landing with her ship in this state?

You also note the dam at the north end of the valley, beyond which is a frozen lake.

There should be no problem. The starport is aware of the situation and preparing for your touch-down.

Jelena will guide her ship into the starport then. She will take a look around once the ship has come to a stop, making sure that all is clear in the docking bay or on the landing pad or wherever the starport directed her.

I hope the Trade Federation will pay for the damages.

The dam is around a frozen lake? So it is not used for hydro-electricity?

You can't be sure from this distance, but you don't think so.

Jelena- the starport actually directs you to one of the largest docking bays that it possesses, near the top of its block-shaped structure. You wobble into the bay and set the ship down without any issues.

The hangar bay is empty currently.

"A warm welcoming committee."

We would best lock off our ship, it wouldn't surprise me they would strip our plane or at least look through it.

I hope they at least show us where the meeting is taking place. 😛

"Oh, quite warm," Jelena says. She releases the cache on the cockpit bubble and frees Jovan and herself from the ship. She disembarks cautiously, keeping her senses open and hoping that nothing like their original greeting happens.

Can she sense anyone nearby?

The hangar has a permanent stink of rust and decay, something not masked by the sharp cold of Fest. The moment you leave your ship, you both need to wrap your robes tightly around yourselves.

In the inner wall of the hangar is a large freight door that grinds open shortly after you land. Beyond, you both sense a large contingent of people coming to greet you.

greet...shoot... all the same. 😉

I suggest we slowly move towards them, if it's a welcoming committee it would be a bit arrogant to let them go all the way to us.
On the other hand, if they want to shoot us, we're not getting cover from the ship.

Can I sense their intents?

You sense no danger.

The large group that enters is composed of foot soldiers, securing the area. It is an amalgamation of the three parties' security forces- the spindly Federation battle droids, the Mantooinian guards in sleek elegant armor, and the Fest Corporation's mercenaries.

They all snap into a variety of salutes once the area is secured.

After, a second group emerges from the door. It can only be the Senators and their attendants.

Jelena tries her best to appear composed, but she is wary of the high volume of armed troops that just entered. Sensing no danger puts her at ease. Even so...

"Hello," Jelena greets simply.