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Taris

Since leaving the Order, it has become uncommon for you to make appearances in well-to-do areas of Republic worlds. You have become more accustomed to the corrupt and violent underbelly of the Republic. Today can be considered a short vacation from such things as you meet your Contact in a fine-dining establishment with a fancy alien name. Your Contact is a ruggedly good-looking young man who is always wearing a battered leather jacket and a pair of shooters in quick-draw holsters and always seems to have forgotten to shave. Sometimes you get bad vibes from him- glimmers of a conflicted mind through the Force- but otherwise, he is generally pleasant.

"Lunch is on me," the Contact offers as you are seated. The restaurant is in a high building overlooking the cityscape of Taris, rebuilt over the thousands of years since it was bombarded by the Sith. Speaking of which, the Contact does not know of your prior affiliation to the Jedi Order, nor that you have a lightsaber in your possession. You parade as an unarmed martial artist, though you carry a light pistol on you for appearances.

"So, how've you been?" the Contact asks.

That pistol is purely for appearance and nothing more, since the disaster caused by the last time Rianna fired one means that she has even less desire to try and wield one as a weapon than she did before.

Anyway, Rianna has left behind wearing her Jedi robes most of the time and dresses in simple clothing that would blend in among a dozen human cultures, but still favors darker colors. And obviously she must have somewhere to hide her lightsaber, as she hates going anywhere without it.

"A nice change," Rianna comments, feeling mildly out of place in the fancy restaurant. "Same as usual. What news do you have for me today?"

"New assignment from my employer," the Contact says. "This one's big. We're meeting here for a couple reasons. First reason being, Taris is a hop, skip, and a jump from Vanquo. That's where we're going."

Vanquo... ugh, a mining world. Just the thought brings you grief.

"It's been pretty much abandoned on and off for the last four thousand years," your Contact says. "Now it's got a pirate infestation."

Rianna represses a shudder at the idea of visiting a mining world. What happened on Ord Coridari still haunts her and she certainly doesn't wish to visit another world like that...

"Pirates. Brilliant. And I'm sure they're hiding down in the mines, which will make ferreting them out fun..." Rianna says with mild irritation. "Still, a job is a job. What are the other reasons for meeting here? This isn't exactly our usual sort of place to meet."

"Yes, joy of joys," the Contact says. "The other reason is recruitment. But we'll get to that."

He starts to fill you in on the Crimson Queen, the leader of the pirates.

"She's been rallying what you could almost call a harem of young men to do her bidding. She's rather striking and just a teeny bit mad. Not a good combination. They've been hitting targets in the area but they're too small time for anyone to really care."

"Well of course, why do anything yourself if you can coerce others into doing it for you?" Rianna comments, being vaguely reminded of Astrune.

"Is this Crimson Queen any sort of danger on her own, or just when surrounded by her minions? And what targets have they hit?"

He lists a few smaller worlds in the general system, including a refugee camp on the barren, irradiated surface of Jebble where they killed people and stole things. Stealing from the weak and helpless.

"Eyewitnesses say she joins in on the killing," the Contact says. "I'd assume it's not in an execution fashion, since they do hit-and-runs. Probably packs a pistol or something. Not guns are a problem for you."

He mimes a subtle karate chop as the waitress brings your meal.

Small-time stuff, basically.

"Too many people rely on guns, and are helpless without them," Rianna says, taking a bite of her food. "Not that I'm assuming that's the case here...but more often than not, it is."

"So the pirates need to be taken care of before they hassle anyone else and become a big deal?"

"Basically. She's got a surprising amount of followers, all young men hoping to win her over with their valiant pillaging. She could put them up to much worse than raids if she wanted to. Or so my employer says. I know they've trodded on a few feet. I've been given a decently sized purse for this."

One thing that has bothered you about your arrangement with the Contact- not even he knows who his employer is. You just know that he gives the Contact (and yourself) a lot of money for your work.

"How many followers is a surprising amount? And I'm guessing that's where the recruitment part of why we're meeting here comes in..."

Heh, yeah, that would bother Rianna. She doesn't like the idea of possibly being manipulated.

If the Contact has any concerns about it, he has not voiced them.

"We're looking at close to fifty..." the Contact says. "Maybe more."

"Hmmm, that is rather a lot, especially since it's not like they're doing anything that will make them rich...just harassing people with nothing anyway," Rianna comments. "Certainly more than I'd be willing to handle alone. Do you have anyone in mind to recruit for this?"

"Exactly. They're not going to be hardcore military types or anything but there are rather a lot. That's why we're going to get some help."

The Contact has a tavern in the lower levels of the city in mind for recruiting.

"We'll go as soon as you're finished eating," the Contact says. "We're going to need some hard guys on this."

Rianna's been nibbling away at her food while talking, so she's pretty much done with what she'll eat by now.

"I'm ready to go when you are. Sooner we get this started, sooner we're done..."

With your bill paid, you and the Contact make your way to the undercity. The Taris undercity has always been ruled by gang rivalries and criminals who have shied away from galaxy, and it is no different when you make your visit.

The Contact takes you to the tavern he mentioned and between the two of you, you drum up some interest in the mission.

You have 12 points to spend on your support.

-

2x Thugs: Basic guns-for-hire - 1 point

Heavy Thugs: More experienced criminals and hitmen - 1 point

Graf: A cold and calculating female assassin - 3 points

Vanuul Vek: A bad-mannered, muscle-bound Gamorrean, mostly speaks in grunts - 2 ponts

Zazez: A fidgety little alien with extendable droid legs on his back and a pair of droid bodyguards - 3 points

Alber: A quiet demolitions specialist from the Republic gone rogue - 2 points

Kalvit Retoso: Dangerous, boisterous mercenary known for his use of oversized, ridiculous weapons - 4 points

Vreedo: Jumpy, eager Rodian swoop gangster - 2 points

Kinahi: Honorable warrior with a hefty electro-katana - 2 points

Well, Rianna's not hugely pleased with most of the people who were attracted to this...but nothing to do about that now but make the best of it.

Graf, Zazez, Kalvit, and four meat-shields.

...do I have to keep my Jedi-ness hidden during this?

That is up to you. You haven't had any close calls with the Order or anything since you left, but you also haven't had reason to use your lightsaber.

Rianna will keep her lightsaber with her, then, and if she needs to use it, she will.

With that, the Contact reveals that you will be taking is ship, a modified black little freighter with just enough room for all of you. You leave Taris behind for a short trip to Vanquo.

Feel free to get to know whom you've hired for a moment.

She's curious as to why they volunteered for this, so she'll ask that.

When it gets down to it, all of them say "the money." But there is some variety.

Graf- "It's what I do. I know nothing else." Graf does not like to talk. She has a very seek, very efficient sniper rifle that she assembles from a small case.

Zazez- "Gotta test my new droids, yes! No better way than the real thing. Built them myself using..." He rambles on exclusively in techno-babble while his droids- big bulky armored jobs with blaster cannons replacing their right arms- watch silently.

Kalvit- "The danger. I LIVE for it." The adrenaline-junkie comes complete with his own triple-linked, carbonite-cooled gatling repeater. You would have to be totally insane to use it.

The 'meat shields' stick to the money answer.

Rianna eyes Zazez's droids warily - she's not a fan of droids. Especially any sort of battle droid. I wonder why.

"So all you've done is kill people, then?" she asks Graf.

"Yes," Graf says, simply.

"Hmm."

Rianna's really not too interested in talking to anyone much - she's never a social person even at the best of times. So she'll just quickly explain what they're doing, even though I'm sure everyone knows already.

Quick question - does this job want anyone in particular arrested/caught alive (the Crimson Queen, maybe), or is it simply "wipe out the pirates before they become a nuisance"?

Wipe them out. All of them.

That sounds familiar...

The approach to Vanquo goes smoothly after you drop out of hyperspace. Your hired help all start getting ready for their assignment as the Contact begins prepping his ship for entering the forested world's atmosphere.

"Our targets have taken refuge in the mine there," the Contact says. He points out a great clearing amongst the trees. It has been stripped clean for mining. "We're going to land here and walk there." He now points to a much smaller clearing, stark white stone showing through the dense green of the trees. It is night when you set down on Vanquo.

"They're probably going to have a perimeter," the Contact says. "How do you want to do this?"

"I can scout ahead and see just what sort of defenses they may have set up," Rianna comments, using her senses to see what she can pick up around here.

The forest is ripe with the sound of nocturnal hootings and chirpings.

"I can go with you," Graf says curtly. "Subtlety is required."

"Which I trust you are more than capable of," Rianna comments. "Rest of you wait here."

Graf nods.

How are you doing your recon?

We can cover more of the area if we split up, I think. Mostly, I want to see what sort of defenses they may have set up, and if they have any sort of guards or sentries or anything of that sort.

That will be an Intrusion check to get close and Observation to figure out what you are up against. Going for it?

Graf wants to split up anyway.

Rianna's good with both so okay.

Rianna passes easily, stealthily making her way through the forest in the direction of the clearing. You sense that there are a few men on patrol around the perimeter but you avoid them.

The clearing from ground level proves to be not much of a clearing. It is strewn with old ore haulers and jagged rocks, providing much cover but not enough for you to sneak in close. In the center of the clearing is the mine entrance. It is nothing more than a very large lift inside of a bunker. There are men patrolling around it and inside of the bunker. Turrets are mounted in odd places.

Resistance up here will be light. No way to tell about the inside.

Any sort of danger sense?

Rianna will mentally note where the guards are patrolling and where the turrets are placed, and then head back with her findings.

No.

You receive a hail on your comlink as you head back.

Rianna will answer.

It is Graf.

"I am in position," she says. "Bring the others. Hurry."

"I'm heading back to get them. What have you found?" Rianna asks, talking quietly as she walks.

"A good vantage point," she says simply before cutting contact.

Your allies are ready and waiting for you to present them with some sort of plan of approach. The Contact is prepping his big pair of pistols when you return.

"What are we looking at here?" he asks.

"Not much out here. A few guards and some turrets. Lift down to the mines is open ground," Rianna says. "Graf's found herself a vantage point to attack from. So we'll clear the guards out here and then head down and see what we find underground."

"Plowing straight in," Kalvit says. "PERFECT. We'll obliterate everything."

The others more or less agree with this sentiment but the Contact queries you about tactics.

What queries may he have?

"Do we have any?" he asks.

"I'd prefer to take care of the guards as quietly as possible, but being able to really see what's waiting down in the mines...there's not much that can be planned for there."

"Ambushing those in the clearing above ground counts as a tactic," the Contact responds.

Rianna shrugs. "Then they'll need to be lured into the clearing itself."

Most of the guards were in the clearing.

Ahh, were they? Well, that makes that easier.

Yes. There are some the treeline around the clearing, though.

I had read the earlier comment to mean that they were all in the forest around the clearing.

Whoever that Rianna comes across on the way to the clearing can simply be killed - quietly, preferably. The ambush in the clearing itself should bring the remaining guards in the treeline running.

Alright. Your hired help is ready to wreak havoc on the poor, unsuspecting minions guarding the way down into the base of the Crimson Queen. None of your allies are terribly subtle, but the dense cover of the trees provides enough shadow for them to approach quietly without being seen.

You are coming across a patrol just south of the clearing.

-----

OPERATION OVERTHROW, Start of Turn 1

South of Lift

Rianna (C11): 2(1A)/0 (6F)

Contact (G8): 1(1P)/0 (?)

Zazez (G8): 2(1P)/0 (2F)

Battle Droid A (G8): 1(1A)/0

Battle Droid B (G8): 1(1A)/0

Kalvit (G12): 1(2A 1P)/0 (3F)

Mercenaries x4 (G5)


Pirates x3 (G5) (in treeline)

Pirates x5 (G5)

Turrets x2 (G6) (1A)


West of Lift

Pirates x5 (G5)

Turrets x2 (G6) (1A)


North of Lift

Pirates x5 (G5)

Turrets x2 (G6) (1A)


East of Lift

Pirates x5 (G5)

Turrets x2 (G6) (1A)


Lift Well

Pirates x10 (G5)

Turrets x4 (G6) (1A)

Heavy Turrets x2 (HW5) (2A)

-----

You and your allies are inside the treeline with the small pirate patrol. Feel free to post two actions- your ambush will go down without retaliation for the first turn.

Rianna will instruct Kalvit to work on the turrets once they get close, as he has EE and can bypass their armor.

Rianna will be fighting unarmed for now, by the way. That loadout is fine

She'll sneak up to the small patrol as quietly as possible, taking out the first pirate she comes across with a swift strike to the back of the neck. If any of the remaining two of that patrol are left after the others attack (not likely though), she'll take out another, else she'll move to the next group and take down another guard.

"We're in position," she whispers to Graf before making her final approach.

Putting on the ambush, you automatically get initiative. Rianna sneaks up and snaps the neck of her man. The Contact sneaks up and does the same to another, gripping his victim's head and twisting hard. One of Zazez's droids smacks the third down with its arm cannon.

The patrol handled quietly, it is Kalvit that decides to let everyone know that you are there. He goes storming out of the treeline, letting his triple-linked gatling gun rip loose. The three rapidly rotating sets of barrels are themselves gyrating about as a flurry of lasers mow down two pirates and the pair of turrets. Zazez and his other droid follow suite and shoot down the rest.

The following turn, the bad guys get initiative. Those in the west and east and by the lift can target you; two pirates per person, with the light turrets on the Named Characters in you group and the heavy turrets blasting at the mercenaries. Between everything, there is only light damage taken- the treeline provides a point of cover, and you discover Graf shooting from a tree in the west, covering you and your Contact. A turret still nicks you for 3 damage. Your thug mercenaries are vaporized by plasma bursts from the heavy turrets.

You get your action, but Rianna just moves out of the treeline to find no resistance in the south, just molten rocks from Kalvit's ridiculous assault. He keeps going on the west, taking out the turrets there. The Contact claims a kill with his heavy pistols. Zazez and his droids get three amongst them.

-----

OPERATION OVERTHROW, Start of Turn 3

South of Lift

Rianna (C11): 2(1A)/3 (6F)

Contact (G8): 1(1P)/0 (?)

Zazez (G8): 2(1P)/0 (2F)

Battle Droid A (G8): 1(1A)/5

Battle Droid B (G8): 1(1A)/5

Kalvit (G12): 1(2A 1P)/0 (2F)


West of Lift

Graf (G12): 1/0 (2F) (in tree)


Pirates x4 (G5)


North of Lift

Pirates x5 (G5)

Turrets x2 (G6) (1A)


East of Lift

Pirates x2* (G5)

Turrets x2 (G6) (1A)


Lift Well

Pirates x10 (G5)

Turrets x4 (G6) (1A)

Heavy Turrets x2 (HW5) (2A)

-----

"Kalvit! Get the heavy turrets!" Rianna says as she moves West, taking down another pirate.

Initiative tie means it goes to you. You come flipping over and crack down a pirate with an effective kick. The Contact comes with you and puts two bolts into the chest of another. Graf keeps you covered and the Contact tumbles into cover behind a defunct hauler.

Escorted by his droids, Zazez sweeps east. His spidery mechanical legs give him an added defensive edge as he skitters about. He is not a great shot; he advances on the target he shot last round and tries again for little effect, but his battle droids back him up.

Kalvit crazily taps Carnival again to spray down the lift bunker. Staying planted just inside the treeline, lasers whip through low-hanging branches and Kalvit blows up a few of the turrets atop the bunker and one of the pirates. He spends another Fortune point to refresh it.

This turn, as you predicted, the remaining patrols come running out of the forest. Those in the north also come down to the west and east to respond to the threat. Damage all around, except the Contact.

-----

OPERATION OVERTHROW, Start of Turn 4

South of Lift

Kalvit (G12): 1(2A 1P)/4 (1F)


West of Lift

Rianna (C11): 2(1A)/5 (6F)

Contact (G8): 1(1P)/0 (?)

Graf (G12): 1/4 (2F) (in tree)


Pirates x7 (G5)


North of Lift

Pirates x3 (G5)

Turrets x2 (G6) (1A)


East of Lift

Zazez (G8): 2(1P)/0 (2F)

Battle Droid A (G8): 1(1A)/12

Battle Droid B (G8): 1(1A)/9


Pirates x6 (G5)

Turrets x1 (G6) (1A)


Lift Well

Pirates x9 (G5)

Turrets x3 (G6) (1A)

-----

Rianna's going to continue North, doing a running kick at one of the pirates there.

Initiative is yours. Running up north is more of an acrobatic deal, leaping over jagged rocks and rusted debris. When you get there you land a hit on one of them, taking him down thanks to Feint. Your allies keep at their slaughter, with Kalvit actually missing one and Graf opting to shoot instead of cover you.

Their turn. Rianna has gone off on her own and takes a few hits. Graf is shaken up a little as the tree she is in gets blasted at. One of Zazez's droids is looking dinged up. Everyone else is alright.

A brawny man with a repeater steps out of the lift bunker.

-----

OPERATION OVERTHROW, Start of Turn 5

South of Lift

Kalvit (G12): 1(2A 1P)/5 (1F)


West of Lift

Contact (G8): 1(1P)/0 (?)

Graf (G12): 1/13 (2F) (in tree)


Pirates x5 (G5)


North of Lift

Rianna (C11): 2(1A)/12 (6F)


Pirates x2 (G5)

Turrets x2 (G6) (1A)


East of Lift

Zazez (G8): 2(1P)/0 (2F)

Battle Droid A (G8): 1(1A)/17

Battle Droid B (G8): 1(1A)/12


Pirates x3 (G5)


Lift Well

Pirate Captain A (G8): 1(1A)/0

Pirates x9 (G5)

Turrets x2* (G6) (1A)

-----

Rianna has decided that she doesn't care about hiding her powers anymore and is going to draw her lightsaber and attack. Swap MA for Cleave.

Initiative goes with the pirates this time. Graf decides to tap Covering Fire, so Rianna can be thankful that she only takes a glancing hit from a turret as the pirates keep down. The hauler proves to be durable as the Contact stays safe behind it, but branches on Graf's tree are starting to ignite in the crossfire. Zazez is safe as his droids are taking most of the heat. Kalvit is still going strong considering he is taking on more shooters than anyone else. His cover frustrates the pirate commander that has appeared.

Nobody is expecting it when you suddenly activate your lightsaber. The purple blade cuts down your unprepared foes with no problem on four successes. Kalvit taps Carnival again but opts not to refresh; four kills for him. Zazez and company clear their area of threats. Graf and the Contact claim a kill each, with Graf sniping a man in the head as he tries to draw bead on her.

-----

OPERATION OVERTHROW, Start of Turn 6

South of Lift

Kalvit (G12): 1(2A 1P)/9 CC EE ES] (1F)


West of Lift

Contact (G8): 1(1P)/0 (?)

Graf (G12): 1/17 CF] (2F) (in tree)


Pirates x3 (G5)


North of Lift

Rianna (LS10): 1/15 (6F)


Turrets x2 (G6) (1A)


East of Lift

Zazez (G8): 2(1P)/0 (2F)

Battle Droid A (G8): 1(1A)/20

Battle Droid B (G8): 1(1A)/15


Lift Well

Pirate Captain A (G8): 1(1A)/0

Pirates x7 (G5)

-----

Um, so, are those Fortune or Force points that my allies have?

Anyway, Rianna will replace Feint with Orthodox Guard, and take care of those turrets.

Fortune points. As far as I can tell, they designated the same way.

The turrets are spaced apart so Cleave will not work against them. Still going for it?

Sure.

With initiative on your side and lightsaber in hand, you totally decimate the single turret with nine successes. Feel free to describe it.

Rather surprisingly, Zazez opts to move into close quarters with the pirates at the lift. He uses his spidery robo-legs to leap onto one and stab him repeatedly with the foremost legs while his droids blast down others. Graf climbs down from her burning tree while the Contact stays in solid cover, trying to fire blindly and only scoring a glancing hit. Kalvit goes berserk on the the Captain that fired at him. He hits on his first attack and so goes twice with 10,000 Bolts, rattling the pirate for a total of 14 damage.

Return fire is largely ineffectual. Zazez's droids take hits, while everyone else is secure in cover or without opponents. Your remaining turret is parried neatly.

-----

OPERATION OVERTHROW, Start of Turn 7

South of Lift

Kalvit (G12): 1(2A 1P)/9 CC CG] (1F)


West of Lift

Contact (G8): 1(1P)/0 (?)

Graf (G12): 1/17 CF] (2F) (in tree)


Pirates x3* (G5)


North of Lift

Rianna (LS12): 3/15 (6F)


Turrets x1 (G6) (1A)


East of Lift

Clear


Lift Well

Zazez (C9): 2/0 (2F)

Battle Droid A (G8): 1(1A)/23

Battle Droid B (G8): 1(1A)/18


Pirate Captain A (G8): 1(1A)/14

Pirates x2 (G5)

-----

Swap DW for Perfect Strike.

Rianna quickly and easily destroys the turret with a few fast, precision strikes, smirking slightly as it falls to pieces, before slashing at the other with her lightsaber.

Initiative goes to the pirates. Instead of trying to take out Zazez, the pirate captain goes after one of his killing machines. He manages to destroy one by charging it down and blowing out its chest at pointblank. This is just before Kalvit completely vaporizes him and the droid both in a torrent of laserfire.

You vivisect your turret and the others kill the remaining pirates. The clearing is now smoldering quietly.

"Well, that went about as expected..." Rianna comments to herself, deactivating her lightsaber and going to rejoin the others.

Everyone converges on the lift. Nobody on your side was seriously hurt except the thugs that were annihilated at the beginning.

When you walk up, your group is gazing at the lightsaber at your waist.

"Fancy toy," Kalvit says. His triple-minigun is glowing with heat.

"Jedi?" Graf asks simply.

Zazez is more concerned about repairing his remaining robot.

"I was, once," Rianna says in response to Graf.

"Seems there's a lot more pirates than estimated," she comments, looking around the carnage in the clearing.

The Contact is looking at you queerly.

"Why don't you try sensing for more?" he asks.

"Who cares," Kalvit says. "I'll handle them."

So, what does Rianna sense?

Also, she's getting the idea that this is going to be the last time she works with this Contact. And...do they know her name?

"My sense are not that finely tuned. I'm a warrior," she says.

"Try anyway," the Contact says.

You sense... extreme fear from down below, in the mine. But... you think it is only coming from a few people. You cannot be sure. It could mean that only a few pirates are left... or it could mean that only a few are scared.

Rianna shoots him an irritated look, before sharing what she can sense about what's down there.

"I think the former," the Contact says. "The Crimson Queen was influential enough to get this group together... she can't have had many more, though. She's not a demagogue, just a temptress."

"Let's finish," Graf says.

"Let's be cautious, all the same," Rianna says. "I've had poor experiences in underestimating people."

She will lead them down the lift, then, sensing for any danger.

The lift is enormous, meant for lowering those abandoned ore haulers down into the mine. It does not go far before reaching the bottom of the shaft, and there is only one tunnel leading onward. The others have been blocked with debris.

Well, onwards through that tunnel, then, and Rianna will be using Sense the whole way.

You lead the way. It becomes apparent that all other routes into the mine have been blocked up deliberately with rusty mining equipment and forced cave-ins or, in one case, an entire ore hauler was apparently blown up.

There are fortifications made, but they've been abandoned. At the end of the tunnel is a blast door. It looks ancient but still durable.

Any controls to open the door, or is lightsaber-assisted entry the best option here?

And hey, we can always make use of that cover if needed...

Your followers are ahead of you there. Kalvit and Graf take cover behind a barricade nearest the door. There are controls but they are freshly blasted.

"Looks like you'll need to cut it open," the Contact says. "If you don't mind."

"Stand back," Rianna says, before driving her lightsaber into the door and beginning to cut a hole out of it.

You have to force your lightsaber deep into the door to cut your hole. But like any other door you've sabered in your career, it falls inward and leaves a man- (or woman-) sized hole for you to go through.

The chamber beyond is totally dark but you sense people inside.

Rianna shudders at the completely dark room beyond; she does not like the dark.

About how many people does she sense? Same as before?

Yes. Now that you are closer, you can specify that there is only a handful of people in the cavern beyond.

"I've got flares," Kalvit says. "Want 'em?"

"Not many people in there," Rianna says quietly. "And yes, I'll take one, thanks."

Kalvit hands you one and produces a flare gun.

"Whenever you're ready," Kalvit says.

"Shoot a couple of flares in there so we can see," Rianna instructs, taking the one that he gives her in her left hand. She's then going to deactivate her lightsaber and enter the chamber, sensing around for cover she can take before igniting her own flare.

Kalvit does as instructed, popping off a few flares. The cavern beyond is lit brightly by the red-orange flare, giving it a hellish glow. It is a naturally formed cavern, but it is littered with cases of supplies and weapons.

In the center is a throne carved from a stalagmite, upon which is draped a slender woman in a vibrant red cloak. She glares at you from beneath heavy black bangs, her red lips tightly pursed. Around her are ten men, all with guns. They look scared.

"Come in, then," the Crimson Queen snarls.

Rianna will gesture for everyone else to enter behind her.

"Hiding in the dark, I see?" Rianna says sarcastically.

"I considered it an advantage," she says. "I don't need my eyes to see."

Her henchmen all have night vision goggles around their necks. She does not.

"Interesting," Rianna says, wondering if she's Force-sensitive or something like that. "However, I don't think it will help you much, with so few of your forces remaining."

"There is a relevant phrase for this," the Crimson Queen says. The way she is traipsed over the throne of stone makes her appear bored despite her glare. "'I've saved the best for last.' I'm sure you've heard it?"

Indeed, these pirates look harder than the thugs you handled upstairs.

"And I'm sure I've faced tougher," Rianna responds.

The Crimson Queen slowly rises from her throne. She removes her cloak and drapes it casually on the throne. Something about that cloak bothers you...

"I won't wish you luck, then," she says. "You don't believe in it anyway."

Her minions raise their guns and she reveals a slight pistol.

----

OPERATION OVERTHROW, Start of Turn 8

Cavern Center

Crimson Queen (G11): 1(1PR)/0

Captain B (G8): 3CC(1PR 2A)/0

Captain C (G12): 1(1A)/0

Captain D (G6): 1(1A)/0

Captain E (C10): 2(2A)/0

Captain F (G8): 1(1A)/0

Captain G (C12): 1(1A)/0

Captain H (G8): 1(1A)/0

Captain I (C10): 1(1A)/0

Captain J (G8): 1(3A)/0

Captain K (HW8): 1(1A)/0


Cavern Entrance

Rianna (LS12): 3/15 (6F)

Contact (G8): 1(1PR)/0 (?)

Kalvit (G12): 1(2A 1PR)/9 CC CG] (1F)

Graf (G12): 1/17 CF] (2F)

Zazez (G8): 2(1PR)/0 (2F)

Battle Droid (G8): 1(1A)/16

-----

Hmmm, weird...

Rianna is going to make for Captain K, deciding that the Heavy Weapons guy should go down first, slashing at his midriff with her lightsaber.

Swap Cleave for Riposte (I'm horrible at remembering - would Cleave work for these guys? If so, keep it in)

Initiative is yours! And it is a Refresh turn at long last.

You race forward to engage Captain K as he lifts his radiation emitter to blast you. Before he can pull the trigger, you carve a deep line through his front for 14 damage (six successes plus two conversions via Orthodox and Perfect). He staggers back and primes his weapon, but the Contact also decides that a heavy weapon doesn't need to be fired in here. Three successes for 7 damage is enough to bring him down.

Kalvit goes straight for the Queen with a heavy spray of lasers. She disappears in a series of bright explosions... but Kalvit is displeased to find that she is engulfed in a protective energy shield. Nothing gets through.

Graf supplies covering fire to keep you and the Contact covered.

Zazez takes cover but his droid is malfunctioning; it does not. They both open fire on Captain C.

Their turn...

The Crimson Queen watches as she turns her men loose on you. B (standard assault blaster) and D (paired disruptor pistols) go for Kalvit. Total miss and a hit for 4. C (long-barreled pistol) goes for Zazez for 5 damage. F (piercing rifle) goes for the droid for 5 damage too, melting part of its armor with a high-powered shot. J (hunting rifle) shoots at Graf and surprisingly gets four successes on her for 6 damage.

Rianna is confronted by E (vibro-sword) and G (unarmed but frenzied). The sword cuts close for 7 damage and then she takes a blow to the side for 5 damage. Riposte triggers against neither. You are now locked in with them, though...

The Contact gets attacked by H (repeater) and I (unarmed and graceful). He taps Eye of the Storm to avoid the rapid fire, then takes a kick to the hand for 3 damage but manages to keep a hold on his pistol.

----

OPERATION OVERTHROW, Start of Turn 9

Cavern Center

Rianna (LS12): 3/27 (6F)

Contact (G8): 1/3 ES] (?)


Crimson Queen (G11): 1(1PR)/0 (shielded)

Captain B (G8): 3CC(1PR 2A)/0 (Kalvit)

Captain C (G12): 1(1A)/7 (Zazez)

Captain D (G6): 1(1A)/0 (Kalvit)

Captain E (C10): 2(2A)/0 (Rianna)

Captain F (G8): 1(1A)/0 (Droid)

Captain G (C12): 1(1A)/0 (Rianna)

Captain H (G8): 1(1A)/0 (Contact)

Captain I (C10): 1(1A)/0 (Contact)

Captain J (G8): 1(3A)/0 (Graf)


Cavern Entrance

Kalvit (G12): 1(2A 1PR)/13 (1F) (in cover)

Graf (G12): 1/23 (2F) (in cover)

Zazez (G8): 2(1PR)/5 (2F) (in cover)

Battle Droid (G8): 1(1A)/21

-----

Rianna will go after E, using Combat Push and then following up with a quick lightsaber strike.

Initiative 6-4, all yours. As the Captain with the broadsword goes for you again, you throw out a hand and send him bowling backwards with three successes. You follow up by jumping on him with your lightsaber. Ten successes is a wonderful 15 damage, but just shy of an outright kill. He gets up just as the Contact shoots the sword out of his hand and the brain out of his head. Kalvit blows apart twin-pistol Captain with a tapped 10,000 Bolts, then refreshes with a Fortune point. Graf does similarly by tapping Marksman and Eagle Eye together for 17 damage on her target, spending both Fortune points to refresh. Zazez putters away at his target with back up from his droid.

No Riposte for Rianna, sadly; your brawler may be frenzied but he's not inept. 5 damage to you as he ducks around you and hits you in the kidney repeatedly. Your allies take damage but your Contact is the most unhappy; he nearly gets raked with that repeater for 13 damage, then takes a karate chop to the back of the leg, bringing him down on one knee.

Zazez's last droid explodes as the piercing rifle hits its power supply. Zazez strafes shots as he scuttles from cover to cover. Graf is missed entirely.

----

OPERATION OVERTHROW, Start of Turn 10

Cavern Center

Rianna (LS12): 3/32 (5F)

Contact (G8): 1/19 ES] (?)

Kalvit (G12): 1(2A 1PR)/15 (0F)


Crimson Queen (G11): 1(1PR)/0 (shielded)

Captain B (G8): 3CC(1PR 2A)/0 (Kalvit)

Captain C (G12): 1(1A)/13 (Zazez)

Captain F (G8): 1(1A)/0 (Droid)

Captain G (C12): 1(1A)/0 (Rianna)

Captain H (G8): 3CC(1A)/0 (Contact)

Captain I (C10): 1(1A)/0 (Contact)

Captain J (G8): 1(3A)/17 (Graf)


Cavern Entrance

Graf (G12): 1/23 (0F) (in cover)

Zazez (G8): 2(1PR)/9 (2F) (in cover)

-----

Rianna turns to face her remaining opponent, idly twirling her lightsaber around her before quickly spinning it at his chest.

Initiative is theirs this turn.

Kalvit does not even react to B's attempt at a shot, but F certainly gets his attention. However, F's rifle has a malfunction and does not fire. C gets a decent hit on Zazez with a Gunslinger tap but does not go all out. The Contact gets sprayed down again, prompting him to duck-and-roll right into the martial artist, who hits him again. Graf is snipped lightly.

Rianna can be the most unhappy as G misses... but taps Assault to avoid the horrible results of failing that attack, hitting her for 7 damage. She responds by slashing at him for 12 damage, and he ripostes with Street Fighter's tap for another 7 damage. You think he may have punched something vital that time...

The Contact does not have your back this time. Instead, he blasts away the repeater-user with a Both Guns tap, toasting him with several heavy pistol shots. Graf snipes her man while Kalvit miserably misses; B taps Eye to get out of the way of the monstrous gatling gun. Zazez continues being largely useless.

----

OPERATION OVERTHROW, Start of Turn 11

Cavern Center

Rianna (LS12): 3/46 (5F)

Contact (G8): 1/34 BB ES] (?)

Kalvit (G12): 3CC(2A 1PR)/16 (0F)


Crimson Queen (G11): 1(1PR)/0 (shielded)

Captain B (G8): 3CC(1PR 2A)/0 ES] (Kalvit)

Captain C (G12): 1(1A)/17 GS] (Zazez)

Captain F (G8): 1(1A)/0 (Kalvit)

Captain G (C8): 1(1A)/12 AS] SF] (Rianna)

Captain I (C10): 1(1A)/0 (Contact)


Cavern Entrance

Graf (G12): 1/29 (0F) (in cover)

Zazez (G8): 2(1PR)/15 (2F) (in cover)

-----

Rianna hisses in pain before slicing at her attacker again, realizing that once again she underestimated the situation badly.

If they get initiative - use Evade to avoid damage.

5-6... means initiative is theirs again. Rianna suddenly blurs to one side as she activates Evade, and he misses entirely. The penalty for missing Rianna is steep- he takes 12 damage automatically as you remove his arm and run him through. This leaves your action free...

Graf opts to cover her allies again, though this time she elect Kalvit and Zazez. Kalvit takes a glancing hit off his pauldron from B, but F switches to a sniper battle with Graf. He does poorly. Graf's covering fire saves Zaz from C's Marksman tap completely.

Zazez finally picks off C while Graf continues the exchange in the sniper fight. Kalvit is tired of being shot at and taps Eagle Eye to eliminate Captain B. The Contact shoots at nippy Captain I.

----

OPERATION OVERTHROW, Start of Turn 12

Cavern Center

Rianna (LS12): 3/46 (4F) (one turn behind)

Contact (G8): 1/34 BB ES] (?)

Kalvit (G12): 3CC(2A 1PR)/20 EE CG] (0F)


Crimson Queen (G11): 1(1PR)/0 (shielded)

Captain F (G8): 1(1A)/8 (Graf)

Captain I (C10): 1(1A)/6 (Contact)


Cavern Entrance

Graf (G12): 1/33 CF] (0F) (in cover)

Zazez (G8): 2(1PR)/15 (2F) (in cover)

-----

Rianna has an action in hand.

Then Rianna will use that turn to advance on the Queen, using Flurry and tapping Riposte and Perfect Strike, swapping Orthodox Guard for Forward Guard. Then her next turn, tap Forward Guard and use Ward.

Your path cleared, you advance on the Queen. She has seated herself on the throne again and has no snide coments to make as your lightsaber descends on her...

Bzzt!

The shield proves to be entirely impenetrable. In fact, you cannot even sense the Queen through it... oh, wait, she is dead already. She is slumped with the nozzle of her pistol in her mouth, whisps of smoking escaping from her lips.

Behind you, the Contact goes thumping to the ground as Captain I taps Martial Artist against him for 9 damage. The man with the piercing rifle taps Eagle Eye against Kalvit, who is much closer and scarier, for 11 damage.

Then both are summarily executed. The situation is over. You won!

Can Rianna use the Force to shut off the shield? If it could have that sort of effect, she doesn't want to risk it harming her or the rest of her group.

ANYWAY since your edit ruined that...I don't know what to post

You can't see a way to shut it off...

The humming of the shield ceases when it turns off suddenly. The fallen "queen" falls from the throne ungracefully and is replaced by a hologram of a figure in black hooded robes. He is laughing softly.

"What the hell is this?" Kalvit asks. Graf keeps her rifle trained on the throne from a distance while Zazez moves up to join you guys around it.

Rianna narrows her eyes at the hologram. Anything that she can recognize?

"I don't know..." she says, pointing her lightsaber at it, just in case.

No.

"Greetings!" the hologram cackles in a high voice. "Tanic, you didn't tell me how gorgeous our red-headed friend here was! For shame!"

The Contact winces at the use of his name in front of you.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot that I should not use your name publically. Some of your work might be traced back to you. My apologies, friend."

"Wait...what?" Rianna asks, turning to look at Tanic and back at the hologram. "One of you had better explain what this is all about, and quickly. If this was a setup..."

"No, no!" Tanic says, waving his hands at you frantically. "No set-up! This is my employer, our employer..."

"Mercenaries," the figure says. "My name is Gallador Enkidu. I would offer you much fame and power if you were to stand beside me, but I know what interests you more. Credits. Kill these Jedi and I will pay you triple the amount that they did."

Kalvit and Zazez exchange a glance, then raise their blasters...

"You expect me to believe this wasn't a setup?!" Rianna snaps back in response, raising her lightsaber in a defensive position. "And 'these' Jedi?"

Tanic does not stop to explain. Instead, moving his right hand like a blur, he drops one pistol into its holster, reaches across to his left side, pulls what can only be a lightsaber out of a pouch on his gunbelt, activates it, and brings it across in a sweeping motion. It is not an attack but a gesture; his Combat Push yanks the triple-minigun from Kalvit Retoso and sends it sailing in the direction of the lightsaber's point. He then brings his left side forward and opens fire on Kalvit. Seven successes is 8 damage to Kalvit as the bolts strike him dead-on in the chest.

Tanic is one turn ahead, his display has bought you initiative, it is a Refresh turn, and Kalvit is unarmed.

----

OPERATION OVERTHROW, Start of Turn 14

Cavern Center

Rianna (LS12): 3/46 (4F)

Tanic (G8): 1/43 (6F) (one turn ahead)


Kalvit (C5): 1(2A)/39 (0F)

Zazez (G8): 2(1PR)/15 (2F)


Cavern Entrance

Graf (G12): 1/33 (0F) (in cover)

-----

Rianna growls with irritation at the situation, knowing that she's not in very good shape to be doing this at the moment. And as Kalvit is unarmed, she'll instead attack Zazez, swapping Orthodox Guard for Forward Guard and tapping Perfect Strike.

You dive after Zazez. He is a skittish creature and his legs give him mobility but you are the better fighter. Nine successes is 15 damage as you slash at him, removing of his robo-legs. He drops his blaster and lunges back at you with his forward claw. He promptly misses and you swipe the rest of his robo-limbs off completely.

Kalvit gets in close trying to overwhelm Tanic and wrestle away his weapons. He socks Tanic for 2 damage; there was a reason he hid behind those gigantic guns.

Graf hesitates.

----

OPERATION OVERTHROW, Start of Turn 15

Cavern Center

Rianna (LS15): 3/46 PS] (4F)

Tanic (G8): 1/45 (6F)


Kalvit (C5): 1(2A)/39 (0F)

Zazez (C7): 1/36 (2F)


Cavern Entrance

Graf (G12): 1/33 (0F) (in cover)

-----

Rianna's not too surprised that Graf isn't attacking; she is far more disciplined than the others did.

"Just walk away, and I'll let you go alive," Rianna says, pointing her lightsaber at Zazez but not attacking. She doesn't want to kill them if she doesn't have to.

Zazez yelps and starts to flee when a laser bolt slices through his stomach. Graf looks rather pleased with her shot.

Kalvit does not accept any invitations to walk and pays the price for it. As he tries to punch Tanic again, the Jedi tosses his lightsaber into the air and smoothly re-draws his second pistol. Kalvit is knocked back by the force of Tanic's shots when he taps Gunslinger and Both Guns Blazing, managing 12 damage.

Tanic then drops both guns, then reaches up and catches his now-falling lightsaber in both hands. He twists it around and drives it downward into Kalvit's chest, killing him instantly. He stands there for a moment to make sure his attacker is dead then powers down his blade.

The hologram of Gallador is laughing merrily and clapping.

"What is going on here?!" Rianna asks impatiently after the fight has ended. "I want to know. Everything. Now."

"What would be the fun in that?" Gallador's hologram snickers. "I will try to make things easy for you. You must do the rest. Master Rand once again extends his invitation to you to join his New Order. Do you accept? Either of you?"

"Master who?" Tanic asks. "You just tried to kill us!"

Gallador ignores him and stares intently at you.

"Rand..." Rianna whispers, instinctively taking a step back. She'd been trying to avoid him also, but it seems that she's just been walking right into his hands, and she is both very angry and very afraid right now. "If you come from Rand, then you should know that I want nothing to do with him."

So, what do her Senses tell her right now?

"Suit yourself," Gallador says. "I-"

There is a ping! as Graf fires off her rifle, sending a laser straight through the throne. It breaks the comm unit installed in it and Gallador blinks out.

The cold sensation stops.

Rianna shivers a bit as the cold feeling suddenly vanishes.

"Thank you..." she says quietly to Graf, before turning to Tanic.

"Look, I don't know who you are, or how you got involved in this. But this was a trap. We need to leave, now. And you'd better prove, very quickly, that you didn't know what was going to happen here."

Intimidation, please, and she's going to Sense to see if he's lying or not when he responds.

"I can promise you that. I knew that guy as my employer and that's it. Who is Master Rand?"

Tanic and Graf are making to leave the cavern as you talk.

Rianna will go with them - she has no desire to stay here, not knowing that Rand knows where she is.

"You know now that I used to be a Jedi. Rand was a Jedi Master that fell to the Dark Side. He is...determined to make me fall as well. I don't know why he's fixated on me," she says. She pauses for a moment.

"Did you hear about what happened on Ord Coridari a few months ago? He was behind that. He nearly killed me there..."

"Holy crap," Tanic says. "The eruption? How did he pull THAT off?"

Tanic explains that he too is a former Jedi Knight. He does not elaborate.

"He found some ancient device and had wanted to use it on Coruscant, to cause the Manarai Mountains to erupt...I tried to stop him..." she replies.

"Yeesh, better some backwater military outpost than the Galactic Capital, right?" Tanic says.

Rianna just shakes her head slowly; she's been trying to convince herself of that ever since it happened but still feels that it was her fault that anyone died.

"Anyway. They know we're here. I won't feel safe until we're far away from Vanquo."

"Where will you?" Tanic asks.

"I don't know. Nowhere I've done any work with or for you, or that we've met, that's for certain. Nowhere that Rand knows we've been."

"You're just going to run from him?" Tanic asks, frowning.

"I can't face him," Rianna replies. "I tried before. And I lost badly."

"So?" Tanic says. "You can't just keep running! You've got to get back at him! He's a murderer and a manipulator."

"Don't you think I know that? I know very well what he is and what he's capable of!" Rianna snaps back. "However, I am not so eager to run into a confrontation that I know will end poorly and not in my favor. Nor yours. I don't know this Gallador, but I do know that Rand has at least one other student."

"Every time you've faced him, was it on his terms or yours?" Graf interrupts, not looking back.

"His..." Rianna says bitterly. "After having everything around manipulated by him..."

"Then you need to turn the tables," Graf says. "He has taught you that keeping the battlefield strictly in your control is beneficial and assures victory. I did that today."

Rianna shakes her head, but she's obviously outnumbered here.

"Well, then, if anyone has any ideas how to find him..." she says, before asking Tanic, "And why is he interested in you? Any ideas?"

Tanic reflects for a moment.

"I have an idea but I'd rather not say," Tanic says. "In any case, I at least want to wreck this Gallador guy. I don't like being duped, and I don't like people like him. Reminded me of... someone else I've fought. And I've got a means of finding him."

"I will not join your crusade," Graf says. "Jedi business is too much for me."

"Then let's use that means of finding him...at the very least, they'll be surprised," Rianna replies, deciding to not push Tanic about his past. She's not exactly being forthcoming about her own, after all.

"No, this isn't a fight for you," she says to Graf. "You did what you were paid to do, you don't want to get involved in this."

Graf nods.

"I'll do you the favor of tipping off the authorities that the Queen is dead," Graf says. "You can go on your way once you drop me off on Taris."

You emerge into the cool night air of Vanquo in the clearing where you fought earlier.

"Why didn't you tell me you were a Jedi?" Tanic asks.

"You didn't exactly share that you were a Jedi, either," Rianna says to Tanic. "I am...hiding from the Order, I suppose."

"I can relate," Tanic says, simply.

Upon reaching Tanic's ship, the Shadow Blade, Tanic takes a look back in the direction of the clearing where you all fought.

"I wonder if this Rand guy wanted the Queen dead for some reason," Tanic says. "I guess we'll ask when we track him down, right?"

"For all I know, he set up her operation and was controlling her, to get at us," Rianna says. "He's done that before."

"Pointless way for an operation to end," Tanic says. "Let's get going..."

-

As the Shadow Blade ramps up its engine power for lightspeed and blinks away into the distance, another ship appears in orbit over Vanquo. It descends through the atmosphere and sets down in the clearing.

Down the ramp steps a dark-cloaked figure, flanked by an assassin probe and a second dark-cloaked figure.

"Are they still here?" Vash asks.

Rand scans the area with his mind, then frowns. "No, they've gone."

"Then we should follow," Vash says.

Rand closes his eyes and reaches into the Force. "No. Retrieve the goods from the Queen's chamber. The Republic will send a clean-up crew soon."

Rand stomps back into the ship, leaving his student to do the hard work. Vash sighs and approaches the mine.

-

Graf disembarks on Taris and Tanic stays only long enough to refuel.

"I have a destination in mind," Tanic says as he fiddles at the controls of his ship.

"Where are you thinking of?" Rianna asks, watching Tanic play with the controls from the co-pilot's seat.

"I have a contact on the world Taneshla," Tanic says. "He's well-resourced, I should be able to get a lead on Rand with help from him."

Has Rianna ever been to or heard of Taneshla?

"Well, so long as you can do this while staying under the radar," she says. "I'll be honest, I really don't know much of the galaxy."

It is in Republic space. It has been colonized but is of very little note. Very quiet place.

"Then welcome aboard," Tanic says. "I do. Did your Master not try to instill a sense of 'worldliness' in you, whoever he was?"