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GM

Inside the Sunstrider, the hull judders slightly as you break atmo and there is the constant thrum of the engines and air-cooler.

Mhar-li can take over piloting. It is her ship and it's easy enough to rejoin the sparse transorbital traffic above Jakku.

The rest of you have a chance to catch your breath but you are still on-mission.

J.B.'s pack contains the comms scrambler that allows the team to contact Lieutenant Bek on the Bargon Flit. Without your modified cargo container you'll need to dock directly with the other ship.

2BB-2 has the Ghidrah data, also backed up on the Quadjumper's shift log of all places. Easily accessible, yes, but perhaps too accessible. Does Fira Bon's crew really 'need to know' the location of the nearest Ghidrah node anyway? Are Fira Bon and the others still alive? You left them fending off the Strus, although with your initial support they had stalled the attack. Your comms scrambler can contact Fira Bon too.

Of course, there is a danger every time you use the comms scrambler that the First Order might detect the scrambled signal. If they record it, they might eventually decrypt it and either way they'll know someone on Jakku is using a military-grade scrambler.

The nearest Ghidrah node is situated on a planetoid in the Unknown Regions, designated GH-531 in the data. The data only contains its astrogation co-ordinates, so you have no idea what to expect and will have to plot your own course through hyperspace.

Although the Sunstrider had a hyperdrive module at some point in its life, it doesn't now. Now it's stripped out for increased cargo capacity. Fortunately the Bargon Flit is a fast YT-1250 model with a hydrive tuned by the boffins of the famed Colossus space station. It will get you there, no problem, but time is of the essence.

The clock is ticking. The launch of the Sith Eternal's planet-killing fleet and the Resistance assault on Exegol loom ever closer. You must rendezvous with Bek.

Sirra

"Excuse me. for a moment."

She starts to stand, then sits back down heavily.

"No. No, actually, I think I'll keep sitting for now, really."

[Gypsy, Jix now has time to heal Critical Injuries using her Medicine skill. The effects of Sirra's #102/PPP Critical Injury will come into effect now that the encounter is over. It is a permanent after-effect even when the Critical Injury is healed. Another Nullicaine application could be used to regain the cyber-eye's use during the next encounter. We would describe this as the drug reducing swelling and restoring limited function, for example.]

2BB-2

With his copy of the data safe, the emergency backup is now a liability. 2BB-2 saw to removing it thoroughly, whilst using his holoprojector to indicate the scale of what they had retrieved, the location of the node and potential paths to it.

Winta

"2BB-2 how long will it take us to get there?" she asked the droid. "That'll give Jix some idea of recovery time for the many patients."


She looked at the others.
"I know that many of us would want to rejoin the fight down planet side. But 'A' - we are a bit chewed up at the moment, and 'B' any success we have here on Jakku won't matter a jot if we don't stop the First Order first."

Sirra

“I think we at least gave the Strus one hell of a black eye. “

2BB-2

Aurebesh annotations and numeral displays appeared beside each path, as well as a list of potential modifying variables.

Preach

He was glad to be up in space again. The planet side trip had been emotionally draining and tough on him physically. He was getting old. He smirked who was he kidding, he was old. It felt good to take down the big guy in powered armor and do some serious damage to the gang. Even if they couldn't return to the planet immediately, they had made a difference for a bit. Hopefully it was a long lasting change for the poor villagers.

He nodded in support with the idea of continuing on, that was the most important action they could take. The bigger threat and all of that.

Inside he was concerned about the injuries that had been taken. That wasn't anything he could help, but it did bother him. He hated to see good people harmed.

Amos

He carefully tries to peel off his long coat and get a look at the arm that he hasn't felt since the firefight.

Meanwhile, she hadn’t heard Preach, of course, but of Sirra had she would have snorted at a description that included her as ‘good people’. She was too busy muttering to herself and giving herself a self critical dressing down for all the flaws or mistakes in the last endeavor.

Of course outwardly she was laying back in the copilots chair, a bit pale, and just slightly moving her lips.

Jix

Leaving the gun and collecting her medical kit, she chooses a clear area and starts to set out her tools.

"Clinic is open. Let's see those wounds. Sirra, you are first. Everyone else line up."

She locks eyes with Sirra and waits, foot tapping.

Sirra drags herself from the chair and hobbles over, cursing mildly under her breath.

Winta

She shifted into the co-pilot's chair. "All good?" she asked Mhar-li.

Jelly Bean

Her time in the chair was over. Mhr-li was back in her proper seat. Winta settled into the seat that Sirra had just vacated under Jix's orders. Probably for the best too. She didn't look so good, all pale. But then again, she was human and a lot of them looked way to pale as it was. The older Jedi, Preach, was moving slowly, tiredly. The amount of exertion and the heat had taken a toll on most of them in some way, but it was clearly evident that Preach was exhausted and dehyrdrated. He was not a young man either. Her eyes glanced over at Amos, who was almost injured and she moved behind him to help him with his longcoat.

"Easy... let me do it," she said in a soft purr, as if she were practiced enough at getting what she wanted with that voice. In this instance she wanted Amos to relax and not fight the coat, and especially not make his injuries any worse. "Jix will be with you soon- and then we'll be back on the Bargon Flit. Just relax, if you can."

And finally, once Amos was settled to wait on Jix's tender mercies, she sought out BaBay. The poor little droid needed to be cleaned up and inspected for any damage. The only real injury she suffered was molten metal splash across her cheek. It would heal, and leave a thin scar. Not the first time she had been cut or slashed or burnt while 'working'. But this time, she had made the choice herself and took the risks. No one forced her to do it. And the choice to get the scar nulled would be hers as well. That was a thought for another time though.

Amos

He grunted a bit as she helped him slip the coat off, resting back against the bulk head after they were done.

"Thank ya darlin. That was damn fine flying by the by." he said, closing his eyes as he waited for their medic to have time to see to whatever he had done to his arm.

Sirra

‘Don’t we make a fine pair?’

She says to Amos.

“ Between us we have a full set of limbs.”

Amos

"I ain't helping you get to the bathroom darlin. That is a bit too much comraderie." he said with a tired smile on his weathered face.

2BB-2

After a thorough examination, it is clear to the Ryllian that the astromech droid is undamaged. The reason this would require a thorough examination rather than a cursory glance is the thick coating of stagnant, likely toxic fuel residue that was the door prize for declogging the atomizer. That the little sphere's manipulator is clean enough to plug in to erase the backup took no small amount of effort, likewise the holoprojector lens currently used in outlining their potential next steps.

[OOC Please make medicine rolls for Jix, ta! ]

GM

Mhar-li takes the controls, thanking J.B. and settling stiffly into the seat that's still sopping wet with her blood.

After she's satisfied all systems are nominal, she sets auto-pilot and turns in her seat to watch the team work.

"Girl, that was some Boonta Eve Classic flying!" She says to the Twi'lek, "Where'd you learn? Corellia, Sullust?"

She looks for 2BB-2.

"And as for you little guy. You unblocked my fuel atomizer! I seriously gotta get a BB-unit."

With the cold air pumping out of the vents, the smell of blood and burnt flesh is subdued but still an unpleasant tang.

The grimy floor of the Quadjumper, covered in a layer of dust and oil, isn't very santitary but Jix can lay out the antishock blanket and treat one casualty at a time.

Although J.B. and 2BB-2 had played a vital role in getting to orbit, the rest of the team had also been crucial in holding off the Strus Clan.

'Holding off' seems more like a euphamism for 'decimating'. The Resistance team personally eliminated some 30 Strus including a gang boss, Dokar Venas, and numerous swoop bikes and a skiff. The aid they gave the scavengers at the Starlight Wanderer---repairing the turbolaser turret and convincing the defenders to engage at longer range with their blasters---resulted in even more losses for the Strus, including an up-gunned sand skimmer.

Reprisals against the scavengers aren't likely to come soon after such a devastating defeat. And besides, as far as the Strus know, it was the Sunstrider's crew that smuggled a container down from orbit, the Sunstrider's crew who interferred with the Strus shake-down and their revenge attack. The Sunstrider's crew who killed Dokar.

And to the Strus, the Sunstrider's crew are Fira Bon, Mhar-li, Tiras and Bormo. They know nothing of a Resistance covert ops team.

There is something unusual about the team. Mhar-li has certainly noticed it.

As Amos lay having his bicep treated by Jix, she asks him and Sirra a question.

"Hey, man, when you shot out the droid brain, how did you know Sirra was gonna catch the skiff with the tractor beam? It's a bit spooky, you know."

It's like the team use the Force or something.

Assisted by J.B., Jix applies a stimpack to Amos then packs the wound with a 'seal 'n heal' trauma compound before dressing with an Athakam bandage. After a sharp stab of pain, the sensation and function quickly return to Amos's arm.

For Sirra, the nullicaine is still wearing off so when Jix reseats her knee it isn't too bad. As with any dislocation, the joint might be weakened for some time. As for her cyber-eye, it soon loses function entirely. Spray skin and some deep-cooling proactives sort out the facial tear, then an eye patch to keep the area protected until a cyberneticist can look at it.

Finally, Jix herself has taken some blaster fire. It hit her in her back, in the pack. Her Verpine ultra-mesh prevented serious wounds but a stimpack will massively accelerate healing and revitalise, so she takes one. If the medic goes down, the team's injuries can only cascade.

Winta discusses the journey time to GH-531 with 2BB-2. The Bargon Flit has a .45 Class Hyperdrive, making it the fastest ship in the Resistance, maybe even fastest than the Millennium Falcon. But the route through hyperspace determines how much distance in realspace is covered, so astronavigation will be key. 2BB-2 can start crunching numbers, though the route will take them into the Unknown Regions. Very little hyperspace data on record; a lot of educated guesswork will be needed. Lieutenant Bek is the experienced star-hopper of the team.

Preach

To one who didn't know him, they might think he was sleeping with his eyes closed and relaxed posture. Those that did, knew he was merely meditating biding his time thinking about the Force.

GM

Quietly, Preach senses the living beings in the ship with him. He can even sense 2BB-2 by the way other living beings regard the droid as another living being. It creates a notable gap, like seven creatures holding hands with a missing eighth.

But he also senses something he hadn't before. The Resistance are at war with the First Order. The First Order have allied with the Sith Eternal, and the rest of Galaxy has been kept in the dark by Ghidrah. It's natural to feel uneasy, afraid for the future, but this new sensation is something in the Force.

A vibration confused with emotion before but now a tremor; the rumbling of an approaching storm or an avalanche.

Preach was alive when Palpatine declared an end to the Clone Wars and founding of the Galactic Empire. This time, what approaches is not the rise of an empire but the ending of all things.

[OOC How many stimpaks left?]

Amos

He was flexing his arm, working out the stiffness and seeing how functional it was as Mhar-Li asked him her question.

"Hell, I figured it was a one way trip when I jumped over there. My job to keep them alive. That means I go down with the ship than that is the way that it goes down." he said, shrugging. "I had no idea that Sirra was going to grab us up."

He grinned over at Sirra.

"Thanks darlin."

Sirra

"Well, had to make myself useful for something here other than taking ion blasters to the face."

She snorts.

[Jix has 6 Stimpacks left in her backpack, 4 doses of Nullicaine. Preach has 1 dose of Nannarium Root (upgrades any Intellect or Cunning based checks for 1 hour at the cost of 2 Strain)]

[Thanks! ]

Sirra:

“So anyone else having fun yet?” She quips.

Preach

"Just feeling my age," he offers back with a half smirk.

But then he frowned and offered "I was just meditating on the Force and felt something like I have never felt before. An over all sense of impending doom. As if life is coming to an end, all life, not just a life. I think we will need to act with haste." It didn't seem like he was joking.

Jix

Putting away her kit, checking for any shortages, she listens to Sirra and Preach.

"I do not pretend to understand this Force that you all talk about. I imagine it as being similar to a feeling that we Verpine share as part of the hive mind. Do you trust it?"

Amos

He was still sitting against the wall next to Sirra, flexing his arm to test out how functional it is. Preach's words cause him to glance over at the older man.

"Preach doesn't strike me as being someone who get dramatic. If he thinks we need to act in haste then I trust his judgment. We need to contact our transport, right?"

Sirra:

“Never viewed myself as particularly in tune with the universe, but I was of that opinion even before he spoke up, so I’ve got no arguments. “

Meanwhile she is carefully flexing her knee.

“See if I can make myself a bit more useful on the next leg of this journey.”

Winta

She nodded in response to Amos's comment. "Mhar-li? Can we contact the Bargon Flit and let them know we are going to dock with them?"

"Let's just make it sound like normal planet to space traffic in case anyone is listening."

She looked to the others. "I am reluctant to use the secure comms unless we have to - it is likely to just attract attention to ourselves."

GM

Mhar-li nods, liking Winta's idea.

"I can raise Bargon Flit on commercial comms, no problemo. But remember, anyone could be listening in." She says, turning back to the centre console and pressing clunky buttons.

The young Mantellian pilot also dials down the air-cooler and the cabin is suddenly a lot quieter.

"Bargon Flit, this is Sunstrider. Do you read? Tagging transponder code now."

Pause. Patience.

Lieutenant Bek's distinctively phlegmy voice sounds off from the speaker.

«This is Bargon Flit reading you loud and clear, Sunstrider. What can we do for you?»

Mhar-li gives Winta the thumbs up.

"OK, all yours."

Winta

"Yeah, hi," she responded casually, "I was wondering if I could sell you some spare parts, we have carefully liberated from the wrecks. We both get a better deal than we would get dealing with the homicidal gangs. Perhaps I can show you what I have?"

GM

There's another pause as Bek ponders the subtext. Asking to dock directly, so no cargo container hand-over. It's a change of plan but that's to be expected in any op.

«We are interested, Sunstrider. I will---»

The Lieutenant's voice suddenly crackles and signal is lost. A shadow falls across the cockpit.

Mhar-li curses lividly, leaning forward across the dash to look out of the canopy.

Anyone looking at the camera feeds from around the hull sees the same sight.

A First Order Star Destroyer blocking the sun as it eases into position above the Quadjumper.

About 3000 metres of battlecruiser providing a panoramic backdrop to 8 metres of space tug.

Groups of TIE Fighters patrol the vast hull and its vicinity.

You are hailed by a different voice. Crisp, haughty, ignorant.

«Sunstrider, this is the Star Destroyer Silencer. You are being detained for inspection by the First Order. Cut your engines immediately. We will bring you aboard with our tractor beam.»

Mhar-li shakes her head in fear and frustration.

"Thing about a Quadjumper, proximity sensors only. Too damn short ranged!

"What do we do?"

She turns to the team. It's their call.

The Sunstrider might have had a hyperdrive and cannons once but not anymore.

It's fast-accelerating and manoeuvrable, as you'd expect of a tug, but the same must be said for TIE Fighters.

And a full-size Star Destroyer like the Silencer might also have TIE Whispers. Hyperdrive-equipped, enhanced tracking systems, heavier weapons.

Preach

It wasn't his call as to whether or not they ran or fought. But he offered "our information is vital, we can't afford not passing it along. I really can't understate how important moment we are facing."

2BB-2

The BB-unit began trying to emit a noise *remarkably* similar to the static you might get from, say, a malfunctioning comms array. Anything to buy time when every last moment was vital, should one of those capable of speech wish to take advantage.

Winta

She released the com switch and looked to the others. "Things are about to get shitty... " she explained.


She reactivated the comms switch.
"Of course, Silencer, she replied, in her most pleasant voice.

"More than happy to be tractorred aboard."

Sirra:

Once the send is off on the coms,

“About to? I bet I’m really popular right now if I run into the wrong person on board that thing. There are new definitions of unpleasant, I think, for some of the conversations they would want to have. Officially I’m a dead traitor. If they find me a live traitor, the rectification is liable to be a much longer process. One I’ve seen before.”

All of the above is said in a conversational tone more akin to ‘Scrambled eggs and some of for breakfast, please.

“Maybe you should put a bow on me and hand me over.”

She quips.

“Maybe make someone happy enough with you to let you go.”

2BB-2

As a long-time veteran of running away from First Order Star Destroyers, it is safe to say that the noises emitted from the droid were not emblematic of pleasure or agreement.

Jix

"Could Bargon Flit provide a diversion?"

She thinks for a moment.

"Or we let them search and make sure they don't find anything?"

Winta


"Well, they are probably going to search anyway. I can't see Bargon Flit attracting attention to itself."

"Honeyed words and a warm smile' it is then."


She looked at Mhar-li. "Is there anything on board that is going to make things worse for us?" she asked.

2BB-2

The BB-unit, above the planet of Jakku, containing not only data on one of the First Order's most potent and subtle weapons but also quite a few key moments and meetings for the Resistance, wheedled.

GM

Mhar-li doesn't answer immediately, awed as she is and staring at the Star Destroyer's hull close-up.

Built by Kuat-Entralla, the Resurgent-class has over 1500 point defence turbolaser turrets to complement its orbital bombardment weaponry. The class also notably has ventral-mounted rapid-fire concussion missile systems and a rack-based launching system for TIE Fighters to counter the threat of enemy starfighters.

There are only two viable options if attempting to outrun the Silencer. 1. Return to the planet's surface, try to throw off pursuit and take a second shot at rendezvousing with the Bargon Flit in orbit. 2. Evade the tractor beams and TIE Fighters whilst completing a high speed docking manoeuvre with Bargon Flit, and once aboard jump to light speed.

An alternative is to let the Star Destroyer tractor in the Quadjumper and brazen it out. At the command of the Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, the First Order are searching for Rey. Jakku is in lockdown, all ships arriving in-system and wishing to land planetside are being inspected.

It's possible this is another such inspection, the Sunstrider having drawn attention to itself. But if the First Order are looking for Rey they won't find her.

2BB-2 must not be scanned but BB-units aren't military-grade (normally), they're usually employed on star yachts. R0 units are the current cutting edge dogfighting astromechs. What else is there aboard to arouse suspicion?

Mhar-li looks around.

"Well, we're unarmed compared to most freighters. That old rotary blaster's only useful in-atmo and won't do squat against another starship. We look shot up but that can happen on Jakku, especially if you mess with the Strus Clan.

"You gotta doubt the First Order will be interested in a feud between scavs and the local gangsters."

She rubs her head, trying hard to think of everything.

"No. I think we're cool. As long as they don't see your lightsabers or scan 2BB-2."

Of course, Mhar-li doesn't know of anyone's history with the First Order.

Sirra:

“Guys, I wasn’t joking when I said that I’m a gamble here. Wrong sort of Imperial intelligence here and they will find me, and by extension you, very interesting. I made enemies on the way out who think I’m dead and would not be happy seeing me alive.””

Winta

"Okay," she replied to Sirra, "I am not convinced my honey words will see us through."
"Are you confident you can fly us out of here without us getting blown to smithereens?"

She looked at the others. "Bluff or run?" she posed to them.

Amos

"There are too many of us aboard to be a standard crew so they are going to question that."

Preach

He waited to hear what they wanted for a plan. Getting closer to the First Order just didn't seem like a good idea even given the risks of doing it another way. He knew Jedi Masters who could convince people that they didn't see what they really did see, but he wasn't one of those masters. In fact he wasn't a master at all, more a student of the Jedi ways. He would support whatever choice was made, but he didn't see a good choice.

Jelly Bean

She had tried to sleep in the cibby corner as best she could. She knew that getting back on the Bargon Flit there would be meetings and debriefings and then the mission to take over the Ghidra node.

But sleep was fleeting and she uncurled and moved forward to survey what was happening and shook her head.

"We're kriffed... some of us are anyway, but if the First Order kriffs one of us they're gonna kriff the rest of us as well, just for knowing Sirra, or me... of if they find out you two are Jedi. That's what they do. Plus there's the whole, you're not human thing they have... and Twi'leks with red skin can't pass even under a hood."

"All of us are expendable except for Babay. And we are out of time for being boarded."

She shimmied her way forward and looked at Mhar-li. "I think I need to be sitting there again... if you don't mind."

"Any other Destroyers in system?"

"Even if we start evading them, we haven't revealed ourselves to be anything more than salvage junkers and pirates. They are monitoring all comms and probably have some info already on what went down on the surface. But with nothing else going on, they have nothing else to do except kriff with us... and you can be certain they have already pulled up the sat scans from when Bargon Flit and Sunstrider transferred a cargo container earlier."

"Everybody strap in... the only way out is through," Said Jelly bean with a tone in her voice that made it sound as if she was being literal. "Bababy is the only one of that matters...."

On that note...

"Babay... link into comms... send an encoded message to Bargon Flit..."

Operational protocol was such that what Jelly Bean was proposing would jeopardize resistance security. Using an operational code 'in the belly of the beast' would give the First Order a chance to decode it. But everything would be lost if they didn't survive this moment right here.

"Add a transpositon cipher code over the top and hope the Flit realize it's our code with a twist."

She manipulated the controls to her liking.

"Times up.... BaBay- send this message. Flit in- mass driver barrage- central con bridge- flit out- try draw them to hspace- drop- spin- jump back- pickup at 224 by 35 cross 18. Transmit that now."

"You see- we can't outrun them far enough, right- we can't withstand their point defense weapons. But we can fly inside them through their big open landing bays. In and out, weave our way like threading a needle- IF we can do it before they get that tractor on us... then it's them who will play catch up with us... The Flit jumps in, and hammers them hard- that mass driver cannon will punch serious holes. Maybe hit them hard enough to switch bridges. Then get them to chase the Flit. The Order is predictable in there reaction to anger. The Flit can fire and turn right around on a wupiupi coin for a jump back here. Even if the the Star Destroyer can drop that quickly again, it can't turn around in time to catch the Flit as it jumps back to us."

"I said strap in... here we go..."

And Jelly Bean pushed the throttle to fill and accelerated hard toward the lower hull of the Star Destroyer. Getting in close limited the number of weapons she would have to account for. Only idiots and fools and x-wing pilots engaged star destroyers at 'reach out and touch' range. Up the side of the hull and wheel the Sunstrider over and into the landing bay. The bay screens weren't true shields. They could stop energy, but mostly kept the atmo inside. Ships could pass through them. Guess what... the whirly gun will work inside the landing bay... Then down the length of the ship, in one bay and out the other, as tight to hull as possible. destroy any ships and shooters they pass along the way.Thread that needle until the Bargon Flit popped in to piss them off.

But what if the Star Destroyer didn't jump after the Bargon Flit. Well, that would suck Nerfrump, but the Sunstrider would get behind the Destroyer and they would still have to turn around as hey launched their fighters... and then it was a race to get the Flit to them before TIE fighters overwhelmed them. All of this strategy was in Jelly Bean's head and there wasn't time to explain the plan. They would just have to trust her. And she relaxed her mind and focused on herself and the ship and becoming one. Letting the Force guide her as she had been taught by Maz Kanata.

"One Mother, One Breath, One Spirit, Vahs ka Ryma’at," she whispered.

Preach

"We should prepare for loss of atmo too," he offered. If they took hits, that was one of the least of the many things that could go wrong. He would strap himself in, but if he could help pass out units to keep them alive in the event of a loss of air pressure, they had options.

2BB-2

As plans went, it was insane, desperate and had a tiny chance of success, but frankly, the droid preferred it to fighting their way out of a Star Destroyer. He plugged in and set about playing his part to the hilt.

Winta

She was the diplomat, and this was combat.

She looked at Mhar-li. "Let's do JB's plan."

She engaged her environment suit. It might have been designed for Jakku and not space - but it was better than nothing. She clipped her belt to the nearest hard point and held on to a strap. She waited to see what happened next.

GM

Mhar-li reliquishes the pilot's seat without hesitation. She has more of a sentimental attachment to her hide than to the Sunstrider and J.B.'s proven to be the better combat pilot.

"Hey look, I don't doubt you can do what you say you can but this is a First Order Star Destroyer we're talking about." She says.

She points through the canopy at the hangar bays.

"If they want to chase the Bargon Flit through hyperspace, they'll just send TIE Fighters. They can do that now, yeah.

"So we'll be stuck here with the Star Destroyer as play-mate and no way to jump to lightspeed."

Jix

Not quite sure what role she will be required to play, she knows she will play her part. She moves close to one of the ship's weapons, ready to use it if required. She also makes sure she has all her med stuff in her pack, ready to lend assistance in that capacity if needed. She also tries to make herself as safe as she can, whatever might happen to them.

Amos

There wasn't much the man could do except keep out of the way and be ready to help with damage control if they took a hit. If a big gun got them, well...it would be all over before he could blink anyway.

Sirra secures herself, calls up front.

“Hey Jaybee. You got this.”

Preach

He also secures himself and activates his own suit for a little assistance against harsh environments on the off chance that happened.

GM

The Bargon Flit, a modified YT-1250 light frieghter with distinctive protruding nose and three sublight engines, integrated into the classic disc-shaped Corellian hull.

Landed somewhere cramped, dark, underground, surrounded by vast engineering structures. A mined shaft of immense proportions.

Yellow-eyed ripper-raptors fight amongst the overhead I-beams.

Bright light spills from the freighter's cockpit. Habitation lights on.

Lieutenant Bek sits at the navicomputer. He wears brown Resistance officer uniform and a headset, plugged into the console.

A boxy vidscreen shows a wire-frame graphic of the planet Jakku, the Star Destroyer Silencer and the Quadjumper Sunstrider.

The Bargon Flit is shown impossibly embedded beneath the surface of the planet, under the region labelled Plaintive Hand Plateau.

A flight path between appears between Bargon Flit and Sunstrider, blinking to get attention. Calculations complete.

The Mon Calamari works the instruments with his long rubbery fingers. In front of him, on the comms ticker, scrolls the encrypted message from the team on the Sunstrider.

Flit in- mass driver barrage- central con bridge- flit out- try draw them to hspace- drop- spin- jump back- pickup at 224 by 35 cross 18.

The plan might've worked if Bek hadn't been forced to lay low. Whilst the Resistance team were retrieving the Ghidrah data, the First Order's Star Destroyer had started sending out waves of TIE/es Assault Shuttles to board any ships waiting in orbit, shaking down the crews.

Either the First Order were bored or something had changed; a heightened level of paranoia and belligerence. Bek feared that perhaps the Resistance mole in the First Order's Supreme Council had finally been uncovered.

Now the Sunstrider has been singled out for inspection. From intercepts, Bek knows the First Order are aware of a shootout between the Sunstrider's crew and a swoop gang well-connected with the planet's crime boss.

As far as he can tell, the mission and presence of the Resistance remain secret but the First Order are obviously interested in trouble-makers.

Less than a minute before the Sunstrider is locked-on by the Star Destroyer's tractor beam, but Lieutenant Bek masterminded the Resistance evacuation prior to the Battle of Batuu.

He speaks his reply into his headset.

"Cannot comply. Rendezvous at co-ordinates to follow. Sending vector. Dive dive dive!"

Quadjumpers can be upgraded with hyperdrives and armaments but the Sunstrider isn't.

A Quadjumper is built for one thing only, blasting in and out of orbit and at that it out-performs even a TIE Fighter.

"May the Force be with us all!" Bek mutters to himself, hustling out of his seat, switching off the habitation lights and strapping into the pilot's seat.

Stab a couple of buttons, twist a knob, click-click-click and push the power levers. The engines come alive with a hum.

He needs to be ready. This will be a high speed transfer....

***

Group Captain Talkar screams across the armoured underbelly of the Star Destroyer in his two-seater TIE/sf, sat in the spherical pod between the two hexagonal solar collectors.

Black flight suit with red stripes on his helmet. Sat behind him is TN-1245, his new weapons tech.

In formation behind them, their unit of three other starfighters of the same type.

It has been a busy shift, escorting Assault Shuttles and harrying freighters. Ronto-work but better than sitting idle in the canteen or busting your shins doing laps of the Silencer.

"Strip One. All TIEs, two-by-two bracket. Follow the target in. Let's make sure these scavs fill their shorts." Says Talkar into his comlink.

TN-1245 has the Sunstrider lit by the TIE Fighter's sensors.

"TUG b-13 model. No hyperdrive, deflectors or weapons, sir." She reports, "They're going nowhere."

Talkar has an itchy feeling though. The bridge said that the Sunstrider's crew had a dust up with the local underworld. Gutsy yet reckless.

The bridge haven't reported a tractor beam lock yet. Why?

The TIE Fighters of Strip One swerve passed the ventral reactor cap just in time to see the Sunstrider's sublight engines flare up.

"We have a runner!" The Group Captain says over comms with a mean grin.

The TIE Fighters adopt a two up, two down formation, giving pursuit.

«Strip One, disable and contain target vessel.» Crackle the orders from the bridge.

"Tractor beam operator must be playing with his joystick." Mutters Talkar, before saying to his formation, "Engage with disabling shots and ready mag-pulse warheads."

Green lasers flash from the TIE Fighters across the intervening space, hardly worrying the Quadjumper's hull at the limit of their range.

"Readying mag-pulse warheads." TN-1245 affirms, then, "Sir, I think the target's already out of tractor beam range."

Talkar checks the rangefinder, checks the throttle of his twin ion engines. The Quadjumper is pulling away, hurtling towards the planet at incredible velocity.

"It's like a meteor!" He says in awe, then his weapons tech launches a salvo of missiles.

The blue exhaust from the Quadjumper's four engines creates a glowing nimbus behind it. The missiles home in. When the ship hits atmo it becomes a flaming streak across the sky of Jakku, durasteel hull compressed and reinforced by the inertial dampeners. The missiles burn up ineffectually.

The Quadjumper nose dives, sublight engines at max power, repulsors not even active. Sonic boom! Denser air propegates a shock wave.

TN-1245 tweaks the knobs on her targeting computer but she's lost missile lock with all the backscatter from the Sunstrider's insane descent.

Jakku's arid surface fills the view.

"They can't pull up in time. They're terminal, sir!!" She says in alarm, given that the TIE Fighters are in hot pursuit.

Talkar hesitates, a thought suddenly occuring to him.

"No. They're not. Strip One, activate omni-scanners, it's about to get dark!"

Screens blink on in all four TIE Fighters showing terrain contour mapping.

"Sir?" Asks TN-1245.

"They're heading for the Jakku Observatory. It's a huge underground complex built by the Emperor.

"You might say it's where the First Order was born all those years ago, as the Empire fell."

Ahead, an anomaly becomes apparent through the haze. A massive bore hole, partially hidden under a shattered dome and the desert sands.

"The New Republic declared it an official secret but these scavs must have found it. Clever. Very clever."

The Sunstrider roars straight through the dome's broken roof and down the throat of the bore hole.

Although a couple of hundred metres wide, there's no room for mistakes at such high speed. The turbulence in the Quadjumper's wake whips up decades of dust, blinding the TIE Fighters giving chase.

Talkar dodges a gantry on pure reflex but his wingman's too slow, crashing into it and disintegrating. The fireball alerts the other pair.

The walls of the bore hole scream by; daylight quickly fades.

Talkar's lost sight of the Sunstrider's exhaust. How?

"Anything?" He asks TN-1245.

"Not yet, sir--- Watch out!!"

Sucking in his breath, Talkar weaves through a panicked flock of ripper-raptors. Thud thud thud! The deflectors prevent any damage to his fighter and the other two TIEs tuck in, following his line.

One is struck headfirst in the canopy, the reptilian bursting across the transparisteel. Scanners blocked, the TIE Fighter flies straight into a landing pad, jutting out of the wall where a side tunnel leads off.

The flash of the explosion reveals more tunnels.

"Scanners show multiple tunnels leading off from the main shaft." TN-1245 reports.

Talkar shakes his head and eases off. The Observatory must have a zillion access points. It might even be the scavs' base. They could land their Quadjumper, disappear into the complex, have speederbikes waiting for them in a garage. How badly does the Admiral want to catch them? It will take a division of Stroomtroopers to seal off this place.

"Damn." Talkar mutters, switching on the searchlights, "Track their thermals. We better at least find the ship."

***

A ventilation shaft, narrower than main shaft but less cluttered.

The Bargon Flit cruises along it, with the Sunstrider docked on one side, disturbing steelpeckers from their nests.

Inside, the Resistance team board the Bargon Flit. Lieutenant Bek has remained in the cockpit, effectively piloting both ships for the time being. Mhar-li stops at the airlock though. J.B.'s ace flying got them this far but the Sunstrider can't follow the Bargon Flit into hyperspace.

Rather than ditch the Quadjumper, Mhar-li will take over and act as a decoy. Sort of like J.B.'s plan with the ships reversed.

"I guess this is where we part ways, guys. The First Order's looking for a Quadjumper not a light freighter." She says. Probably true.

"I don't know where the hell we are right now but I'll head back to Niima Outpost. By the time they catch up with me, I'll be sitting with my feet up, drinking blue milk."

She's likely to be questioned but after the Stormtroopers have inspected the Sunstrider and found nothing, and heard---at tortuous length---about the feud between the scavs and the Strus Clan, they should lose interest.

Mhar-li's grin says Viva la revolución or something.



[The Beginner Game says to handle the escape narratively after rolling to evade the tractor beam, so that's what I've done here. Bringing us to the next scene of character interplay whilst giving us an alternative perspective on the action.]

I enjoyed it. I know that the crafted PCs helped give the story depth. Awesome as always. Definitely up for more if that happens.

Have we actually finished? Not entirely sure

Not really sure what the last post was about... so, I'm pretty sure I'm finished.

[Not quite finished yet, peeps. I've posted an overview of the meta in OOC but in short, we're still going but nearly at the end of the first phase.]

actually, I think I'm done now. do whatever you wish or need with the character

[Yeah, we can wrap at the end of the Beginner Game. In fact, now you mention it, considering FFG appears to have canned the game line there's a lot less point in continuing our playtest. Or we could go both ways, those who want to get off at the next stop do so, those who want to continue stay on the ride.]

Still going here

[OOC: I'm game]

(Happy to continue.)

GM

With passengers transferred, the Sunstrider is ready to undock.

The next side tunnel is fast approaching. Lieutenant Bek has checked the New Republic's top secret survey maps. It will take the Sunstrider to the surface in the rough direction of the Goazon Badlands, so Mhar-li must get gone.

At the airlock she says her goodbyes.

"Hey listen, no joking around guys. Good luck."

Winta

"Good luck to you too," she responded, "and thank you."

Sirra

“Meh. No one needs luck, you got skill and grit. Carries you through.”

Jix

"And get that injury seen to properly."

Jix reminds Mhar-li that her fix was only temporary.

GM

Winta's thanks gives Mhar-li pause for thought.

"From what I hear, we should all be thanking you. Even the damn Strus Clan!" She says.

The Mon Calamari lieutenant's voice crackles from the intercom.

"Approaching designated side tunnel."

No time left then. Mhar-li nods to Sirra and Jix.

"Skill, grit and a few stimpacks, am I right." She grins, taking in Amos, J.B., Preach and 2BB-2 with the same grin.

(She really has to get one of those droids!!)

Mhar-li gives the team a very casual salute then steps back and slaps the control knob. The airlock irises shut.

"Undocking in ten. Team report to the cockpit."

The cockpit has four flight seats and two fold-out seats at the back. Cramped but better than standing room only on the Sunstrider.

It's time to deliver the co-ordinates of the Ghidrah node to Lieutenant Bek.

Winta

She returned Mhar-il's casual salute with her own equally casual one.

"Cockpit it is then," she said and set off, taking one of the flight seats when she gets there.

Preach

"May the force be with you," he offered to the departing captain. Adding after a moment, "with us all."

Once the door was shut, he moved to take one of the side jump seats. Heis role was not to get in the way. Flying was best left to those with the skills for it.

2BB-2

The droid chirps a cheerful farewell to Mhar-li, considerably more relieved after not being tractored into a Star Destroyer. Leaving the seats to the organics, the Droid securely tethered himself out of the way.

Sirra plops into a seat and leans back.

Winta

"Mission accomplished," she said to Lieutenant Bek, as she took her seat and buckled herself in.
"2BB-2 has the info."

2BB-2

On cue, the Astromech droid fired up his holoprojector, annotating the scale and magnitude of the data they had retrieved, more than they had initially hoped for.

Amos

He sat back in his chair, ran a hand through his hair.

"Wish they had some beer on this tub. Right about now I could get drunk."

GM

Outside, the Quadjumper detaches and with a goodbye flash of its amber lights swings into a side tunnel, taking Mhar-li back towards the Goazon Badlands and the rest of her crew.

The YT-1250 continues, whooshing out of the ventilation shaft into the Jakku sunset, a noisy mob of steelpeckers in its wake.

Silhouetted against the sun, it noses up and goes ballistic with a flare of its sublight engines.

Your mission on Jakku is a complete success.

The cockpit of the Bargon Flit. J.B. is likely relieved to be back at the helm of a fully-featured starship, and one that has been upgraded by the specialist workshops of the Colossus space station.

Alongside Lieutenant Bek, they pilot the ship into orbit as the others catch their breath and 2BB-2 queues up his holo-slides.

The light freighter cruises above from the luminous curve of the planet. To one side the vast, glowing blue exhausts of the Star Destroyer can be seen, heading in the wrong direction.

Bek turns in his seat, regarding you all with his octopoid-like eyes. It's a look of pride and excitement. The desperate fight to save the Galaxy from an eternal darkness just became more hopeful.

"Excellent news, Winta. Well done all of you." He says.

He chuckles at Amos's comment and opens a small hatch with a chrome handle, built into the lower console.

"I thought you might say that Amos." Bek says, pulling out a chilled six-pack of Ebla beer in green glass bottles.

He hands it off, as 2BB-2 starts his projection.

"So, what have you got for us, my little friend?" Asks the Lieutenant.

The BB-unit projects a wall of astrogation data from the Star Destroyer, highlighting and extracting the Ghidrah subroutines that look distinctive even to an untrained eye. A different coding language altogether.

They contain key information. Hypertransceiver co-ordinates.

2BB-2 has done some crunching on these in the background and approximates them on a star map.

Ghidrah node designated GH-531, located in the Unknown Regions in grid H13. Not on any star map.

It will require an unusual hyperspace route, from Jakku straight through the narrow band of the Expansion Region and Mid Rim.

A straight shot to nowhere.

"It's achievable." Declares Bek, "Our class point-four hyperdrive can get us there in time. But this whole line between us and the Unknown Region is compressed by gravity rips. It will be a bumpy ride."

Bek strokes his rubbery chin.

"All we know about our destination is that it's a secret Imperial facility now in the hands of the First Order. So ready your battle gear."

The journey should take about two hours.

Preach

One small success, and off into the maelstrom. He used his time to rest and meditate in or on the Force.

Winta

"Fine, " she responded. "I'll get some shut-eye."

and she lent more into the chair and shut her eyes.

Amos

He gave the captain of the ship a weary smile and took only one of the glass bottles.

"If we are going to be back in it in a couple of hours, this is all that I can afford." he said. "Thanks."

Amos twisted the cap off and sat back to enjoy his drink before getting some sleep until things went to shit again.

2BB-2

With the co-ords locked in and the next danger just a short time away, it was a matter of running diagnostics, checking and if possible replenishing internal stores, ensuring that conditions were optimised for the task ahead.

Jix

It is good that they have had success and that it is recognised, but it will all be for nothing if they cannot complete this final phase. She will do her best. She secures herself ready, weapon and first aid kit to hand, whatever is needed first.

Sirra readies and checks her rifle, pauses, says nothing ... and waits.

GM

Lieutenant Bek plots a course and 2BB-2 runs the numbers, connecting to the astrogation computer.

The rest of the crew settle into their seats. J.B. piloting, warming up the hyperdrive. Winta sitting back and closing her eyes, the weight of command reliquished for now. Amos relaxed, legs stretched out, sipping his cold beer. Preach, sat upright, focused on the middle distance, breathing calmly and meditating. In the fold-out seats, ready to jump on the turret guns if needed, Jix sits quietly taking inventory of the team's medical supplies. Next to her, Sirra cleans the Xciter on her blaster rifle, alert and attentive.

Light years away, on a moon of Endor amidst the wreckage of the second Death Star, Rey retrieves the Sith Wayfinder, the holocron that will allow the Resistance to navigate through sub-hyperspace to Exegol. In the Emperor's derelict throne room, she comes face to face with Supreme Leader Kylo Ren for their final duel.

As lightsabers ignite, the first battle for the fate of the Galaxy begins. But it will be at the last battle when those who control Ghidrah will deal the decisive blow.

The navicomputer blinks green. Co-ordinates locked.

Lieutenant Bek nods to J.B., "No time to lose. Ghidrah is waiting."

Hyperdrive engaged. The stars stretch into lines of white light.

Outside. The Bargon Flit leaps passed light speed and onto its next critical mission.

[Go to CFH7: The Story So Far]