Out of the Frying Pan... (d20 Star Wars)

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...


STAR WARS

Out of the Frying Pan...

The Clone Wars are in full swing. The Republic's new clone army has proven itself time and again against the forces of the Separatists. However, despite many wins, the war continues. The Dark Lord Count Dooku was killed by Anakin Skywalker, but the cyborg General Grievous remained alive. Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi was sent to Utapau to destroy this last bastion of the Separatist leaders. However this was not the only story during this time of troubles.

Taris was, millenia ago, a rival in size to Coruscant itself; it was a giant planet-sized city with few areas left unpopulated. During the Jedi Civil War, it was assaulted by the Sith fleet until all that remained were ruins and destruction. Eventually a settlement of Humans, trying to eke out an existence on a dead world, formed and Taris once again was marked on the Republic's map as a stopover to ships going farther OutRim. That marking would be their undoing however, as the Separatists chose this planet as one of their targets during their assault against the Republic. They have built an outpost over the remains of that settlement after their attack and now the once proud people of the planet live in sheds and dugouts in the shadow of the Separatist Communications Array. This installation is used to monitor passing space travel for signs of Republic activity. Presently, the Republic and its Jedi have brought war to this planet again...

SCENE 1
Interior Hangar of the Incinerator, an Aggressor-class Assault Cruiser

Twi'Lek Jedi Master Lun Xan, Cerean Jedi Padawan Ka-Femi-Odo, ARC Pilot Delta Six and a squad of Clone Troopers are assembled near an LAAT next to a wing of others just like it. They are discussing the plans for the assault on Taris.

Lun Xan (his voice weary from war): Delta Six, your job is to take us in behind the communications array. While the main strike force keeps the droid armies occupied, it should be relatively undefended. We will go in, knock out their communciations permanently and then infiltrate the command center. Our purpose here is to give them a blind spot in their sensor grids. This is how we're going to do it.

Lun Xan (turning to his apprentice): Ka-Femi, stick close to me. The Jedi Council demanded I take you with me on this assault, and I do not question their judgement, but I am concerned for your safety as an inexperienced warrior. I lost one padawan to this war, I'll not lose another.

Lun Xan (to all in the group): Good fortunes all, and may the Force be with us.

SCENE 2
Interior, Briefing Room, Separatist Command Center on Taris

Nemoidian military councilor Deji Korthay, Bothan mercenary Raek Plot'fey, droid commander OOM-15, and a squad of Super Battle Droids are arrayed around a holotable that shows the electronic outline of a Republic assault cruiser landing on the planet. The Nemoidian is gesturing wildly at the image.

Deji (voice fettered with frustration): How could this have happened? They slipped through our sensors and are landing on our planet. We are not ready for this. We should retreat. Someone should tell Mistress Dofina.

OOM-15 (in a carefully articulated electronic voice): Sir, General Grievous ordered us to remain here. Mistress Dofina has ordered me to keep you here. Retreat is not an option.

Another droid (entering the room): Sir, they are jamming our communications.

Deji (throwing his hands up in a submissive manner): Fine. Mercenary. Take these battle droids and see what is going on out there. The communications array is your first priority. Protect it at all costs.

An explosion rocks the building.

Deji: Now!

SCENE 3
Exterior, a forest clearing near the ruins of a large building, overlooking the Separatist communications array

Old Man Goresh, human soldier Callon Kordyran, shaman Miran Chandala and a ragtag group of warriors are sitting around a small fire, frequently looking at the large antenna dish that dominates their view of the Separatist base. Nearby, unbeknowst to the rest, is a small black droid hovering silently in the air, its designation is DRK-1X.

Goresh (his eyes glazed over as if he sees what others can not): My friends, the time for our uprising has begun. Our saviors have returned from the sky and it is our duty to help them. We used to be just like them, Callon. You remember. We had ships and speeders and cities. (he gestures to the ramshackle buildings in a valley below them)Now look at us. My son, I need you to take these men one last time into the fight. A great burden has been placed on your shoulders, but I trust you are strong enough to handle it. Rid this planet of these machines so that I can see our home free... once... again.(he begins to cough, a phlegmy, bloody substance escapes his mouth, he spits it out and looks at the shaman) Take her with you. I feel her presence will help convince the spirits of our dire need.

SCENE 4
Exterior Communications Array

The sounds of battle at the Command Center are reaching a crescendo as the Republic Clone armies clash with the droid armies of the Separatists. Explosions can be seen in the distance, LAATs hauling troops fly low to the ground, Vulture Droids try to clear them out. Blaster fire lights up the night sky. In contrast, nearly a kilometer away, the Communications array is deathly quiet.

A single LAAT lands near the dish, disembarking two Jedi and a group of Clone Troopers camoflauged for forest battle. For the moment it is alone, but seconds after it lands, blaster fire erupts from one of the buildings near the antenna 100 meters away and a group of Super Battle Droids appears from behind it. Not moments after that, erratic blaster shots ring out from behind an outcropping of trees that is a 200 meters north of the array. The fight for the Communications Array has begun!

Initial actions everyone....

Miran looks on from afar, waiting for an opportunity. The Force, the power she had devoted her life to understanding, was still both dangerous and unpredictable. Utmost care had to be taken even in battle against machines, for there were pitfalls cleverly disguised, poisoned promises of violent victory. All the texts she had read promised a vague but terrifying fate for those drawn too far down the path of least resistance.
She waits for an opportunity to use her powers to trip or push one of the bipedal robots. Hoping that the fall will not damage it too much but merely remove it from battle for a few seconds, she knows that her real task will begin after the combat is over.

[ ooc: Move Object +9 to push or trip a droid so that it falls.]

Cognitive Processing
Datum: Native human population insurgency confirmed.
Datum: Repuplic soldiers aboard LAAT have landed at the primary communications array.
Datum: Communications array security B2 Series droids have engaged republic forces.
Datum: Command Center is under attack by multiple Republic LAAT vehicles.
Datum: Trade Federation defense forces have engaged republic forces.
Proposition: Insurgents' attempt to support republic forces in attack is imminent. (84.6% probability)
Algorithmic Node: Obeisance protocols apply. Must report data to mistress Dofina.
Heuristic Node: Self-preservation protocols apply. Proximity (13.4 meters) to human
insurgents constitutes credible risk (threat index: 42%) to 1X unit if discovered during transmission.
Must seek secure location to initiate comlink communications.
Emotive Node: Melancholy 36%; Anxiety 31.5%; Frustration 24%; Excitement 8.5%
Algorithmic Node: Obeisance protocols take priority.
Heuristic Node: Overide. Self-preservation protocols apply. Temporary delay in initiating
communications supercedes risking being damaged and unable to relay data.
Cognitive Processing
Volition Threshold reached
Priority Hierarchy established
Processing flight plan.
Uploading directives to repulsorlift unit [X=47.5m.,Y=-8.5m., Z=-2.56m., V=5.33 m./second]
Secure location (Safety index: 76.1%) has been reached
Deploying antenna
Activating communications array (priority 1 encrypted channel #782364B)
Uploading data to transmission buffer 45D-5
Transmitting report (encrypted channel #782364B)
Awaiting reply (encrypted channel #782364B)

DRK-1X will leave the immediate vicinity of the the human insurgents, (Hide +22, Move Silently +12) find a quiet out-of-sight location about 50 meters away and open a secure channel to mistress Dofina's comlink to transmit the following information:
"Report: Native human population insurgency confirmed. Republic soldiers aboard LAAT have landed at the primary communications array. Communications array security B2 Series droids have engaged republic forces. Command Center is under attack by multiple Republic LAAT vehicles. Trade Federation defense forces have engaged republic forces. Insurgents' attempt to support republic forces in attack is imminent. Further instructions requested."

OOC: Do I know where mistress Dofina currently is?

Leading troops into battles like this never was my specialty the young Bothan commando thought to himself as yet a third front erupted in this battle. There should be a way I can actually do something in this fight. I'm a black ops specialist, not some general.

He moved to examine the second Republic unit again, the one coming in from the backside of the communications array. The prescence of Jedi there confirmed his choice of action. Turning towards the battle droid in command Raek issues his order. Get your men formed up and make them stand. Focus on the Clonetroopers first, once they are down we can focus on the Jedi and take them down en masse. I'm going to try and get this second group from behind. Good luck."

Without even waiting for a response Raek ducks out of the little improptu command center and travels around behind the group of Super Battle Droids. Moving along behind the buildings he begins to circle around behind the smaller group of Republic forces.

OOC: Move Silently +9 and Hide +9

As blaster fire begins to erupt outside the Republic LAAT Gunship, Delta Six the control stick steady as the last of the Clonetroopers disembark behind the Jedi. Cuing his helmet commlink, he says: "General Lun Xan - all troops disembarked. What are your orders sir ?". Bringing the Gunship to a hover only meters off of the ground, Six turns the craft to face the incoming fire from the battle droids, preparing to provide cover fire for the assault group "Turret gunners, stand by".

OOC: Pilot +9

Callon stood up and looked his men over. They looked tired; they looked like they wanted nothing more than a rest. Callon felt the same way.

"I won't give you a lecture about duty and valor...none of you would have survived this long if you didn't know more than enough about either...you should remember this, though; like Goresh said, this will be our last fight. If we die, the fighting will be over for us. If we live, the war will be over on this planet...our planet."

He pulled the long rifle from his back and switched the safety off. With a grim look, he began striding towards the Array, his weapon at his shoulder and ready to fire.

(OOC: I'm going to do a Rapid Shot at the first enemy combat droid I see; +3/+3)

OOC: Sorry for the delay, the long holiday weekend kept me away from the computer...

IC:
Ka-Femi exited the LAAT and scanned the area. He was operating on adrenaline, mixed with a bit of nerves. He reached out through the force, feeling the flow of it around him in an attempt to calm himself. This was an important mission, probably the most important he had been on as a member of the Jedi order and he didn't want to disappoint Lun Xan. When blaster fire begins a few seconds later, he drops to a defensive crouch. No amount of negotiations would get them out of this situation. He couldn't help thinking that wars breed unreasonable people. Looking towards Lun Xan, he asked, "What are your orders, Master?"

The battle began in earnest, all sides knowing that this was the most important of the battles currently occuring on the planet. As soon as the blaster fire began, the LAAT pilot turned his ship towards the enemy droids, preparing to fire at them. The Jedi known as Lun Xan replied to his query. "Six, I want you to circle around and see if you can surprise them from the side. While you're up there, make sure there aren't any more of them." Then he turns to look at his padawan after deflecting a blaster bolt shot at him. "Stick close, let them come to you. It looks like we may have a little help on this one." To illustrate his point, he tipped the end of his lightsaber towards a group of soldiers coming down from the trees.

Callon and his group immediately began advancing towards the Battle Droids, weapons firing constantly, catching them completely by surprise and forcing them duck behind the building they had just come out of. Miran tries to use the Force on one of them, but then realizes she is too far away to affect the droids as such. She must move a lot closer.

Nearby, unseen by all, the young mercenary Raek, makes his way slowly and quietly towards the soldiers who are now coming toward where he once stood. Also hidden and unseen is the small floating droid called DRK-1X, who recieves a reply to his transmission.

"Ex! I thought you had been dismantled in the attack. I should have known better, of course." The Nemoidian on the other end is clearly in a state of shock. "Umm. Oh yes, orders. I'm on my way to my secret hangar, see if you can get to it. You know, the one..." A huge explosion shakes the ground and surrounding buildings, cutting the transmission off.

The Battle Droids aren't fast enough in taking cover as the Clone Troopers fall prone and begin firing on them, blaster shots plinking off their armor at long range. The two Jedi are barely stressed at deflecting the random fire coming in their direction.

Situation: Round one complete. The LAAT remains in the air near the Jedi. The Jedi remain 100 meters from the Battle Droids, lightsabers activated and deflecting shots. The Clone Troopers have advanced 8 meters(-6 range penalty) and fallen prone to fire on the droids. The Battle Droids are taking cover behind pieces of the building and taking potshots at whoever they can see. Callon and his troops have advanced 10 meters so that the range between them and the droids is 190 meters (-12 range penalty). Miran has remained behind, but in order to use Move Object on anything, you have to begin with 10 meters of it, so she'll have to move a lot closer. Raek is now hidden 184 meters from the insurgents, who are now standing in the open. DRK-1X is currently at 36 meters from the insurgents. Round 2 actions?

Great, these droids are nearly worthless Raek thinks to himself as the tides quickly shift towards the loyalist forces even this early in the battle. I have to find a way to get the Jedi out of here. I'm not sure what homeworld fears will happen, but I must do my duty. With that he continues to try and obliquely close with the group of Clonetroopers guarding the two Jedi.

OOC: Move Silently +9 and Hide +9

Cognitive Processing
Datum: Mistress Dofina is currently alive.
Datum: New order received; "I'm on my way to my secret hangar, see if you can get to it."
Datum: Heuristic Node voice analysis indicates Mistress Dofina is suffering from stress.
Datum: Mistress Dofina is en route to hangar bay 17B.
Proposition: Explosion and subsequent end of communication may indicate Mistress Dofina is
incapacitated, dead or unable to communicate due to equipment failure.
Proposition: Mistress Dofina intends to escape Republic/Insurgent attack with DRK-1X via shuttle.
Algorithmic Node: Obeisance protocols apply. Must move immediately towards hangar bay 17B
at highest possible velocity (V=10.667 m./second).
Heuristic Node: Self-preservation protocols apply. Mistress Dofina's position and condition uncertain.
May risk unnecessary damage by entering hazardous area. (Safety index: inadequate data to calculate)
Emotive Node: Anxiety 37%; Frustration 32%; Melancholy 13%; Reluctance 12%; Excitement 6%
Algorithmic Node: Obeisance protocols take priority.
Heuristic Node: Override. Additional information required. Must ascertain Mistress Dofina's
condition and location before risking overtaxing repulsorlift engines in high velocity travel.
Volition Threshold reached
Priority Hierarchy established
Processing signal triangulation algorithm 34523.2345-54.
Processing flight plan.
Uploading directives to repulsorlift unit [X=-3m.,Y=15.2m., Z=0m., V=2.667 m./second]
Uploading data to transmission buffer 46D-4
Transmitting inquiry (encrypted channel #782364B)
Awaiting reply (encrypted channel #782364B)

DRK-1X's repulsorlift unit begins to hum softly as it slowly floats towards Mistress Dofina's secret hangar. (move action, 16 m.) It'll also process the transmission data that it received from her in an attempt to triangulate her current position. (standard action, Computer Use +14) Assuming that transmitting is as easy for a droid as talking DRK-1X will transmit the following message back to Dofina (as a free action): "Inquiry: Are you all right mistress? What is your current location? What is your intended route to safely reach the hangar bay?"