A New Power - Rebel Group

[Kemrain]

Jaess sits down on a crate, looking over the cargo manefest while listening to the deck officer tell the story of how the alliance aquired the ship. She looks up incredulously as he tells them that the crew defected and delivered she ship to them, but keeps her mouth shut as he goes on. She smiles with him and nods as he's wrapping up, looking back at the datapad while he leaves.

Without looking up to Arley she says, "I don't buy it. The ISB keeps tabs on suspected traitors, and if they thought for a moment that they could lose a starship they put this much effort into..." she trails off, looking up at Arley. "It's probably bugged like you wouldn't believe, or sabotaged, or something. And it'll be well hidden, too." She stands up, looking around the hold of the ship for a moment. "You might want to check it out. If this ship has been in Alliance hands for less than a day, I don't trust it one whit."

 

[Ambrus]

The patina stained droid watches the deck-officer walk down the boarding ramp. R-LE is about to switch his vocabulator back to high-baud binary to address R3 when Jaess speaks up voicing her suspicions. The repair droid turns to face the human woman with its single photoreceptor. "I was just about to confer with R3-L7 about the probability of such a series of events taking place in so short a time. Anything is possible. It is possible however that this is another deception by Commander Bosch or this Alliance's administration."

 

[Kemrain]

Jaess looks suprised, regarding the droid in silence for a moment before asking, "Do you really think the alliance would go through all this trouble for a setup? The Empire, sure, but the Alliance isn't well organized enough to pull off something so complex. Unless," she lets the statement hang for a moment before adding, "You think we're being lied to."

 

[Ambrus]

Without pausing the patina stained droid replies flatly; "I've already been lied to and attacked repeatedly today. If this is a deception it remains unclear however whose it is and what is to be gained from it. Bosch's theory that the Dawnspringer traversed the galaxy in less than two days by means of an experimental new hyperdrive is, as I have said, improbable though not impossible. The assertion that Imperial operatives en route to search for the Dawnspringer decided to defect and deliver this vessel for the Alliance's use in our own search for the Dawnspringer is also improbable, though not impossible."

 

[Kemrain]

"Improbable things happen all the time, and I can't think of a reason for the alliance to be lying to us. It might be a double agent within their ranks. The ISB would go through all the hoops they have to to get me back, but I don't see how a droid would fit into that sort of plan."

Jaess stands up, putting the datapad down on the crate she was sitting on. "I'm going to search around, but I don't expect to find much of anything. I think you should look, too. You might want to check the computers aboard for anything unusual. Beacons, easily detectable energy discharges consealed recording devices, anything odd. If this is an ISB trap, they probably already know we're suspicious."

Removing a familiar, small, handheld holoprojector from her picket she sets it down on the crate she was sitting on. "You might want to check this out, too," she suggests. "See if there's a way to shut it off entirely when we don't want to use it."

With that Jaess begins searching the interior of the ship, ignoring the cargo and searching the components, floors, walls and ceiling, taking her time to be thorough. (Search +6, taking 20 in each 2 meter square. Standing on crates where necessary to get height.)

 

[Ambrus]

"All things are possible within the infinity of the Code. With the data we currently have available however I am unable to envision anything to be gained by either faction. The empire may have faked the Dawnspringer's distress signal and then sent a vessel to the Alliance with suspected defectors aboard but to what end? The Empire would have risked more by granting the Alliance one of their vessels with its technology then they could have gained by retrieving two Alliance operatives. Even if they could have ensure which Alliance operatives would be sent in search of the Dawnspringer it would be a very small gain for such a large risk. I am of little consequence to the Empire and you have already communicated what information you had about the Empire and its operations to the Rebel Alliance."

While speaking, R-LE-1 steps around the hatch to the vessel's helm. With it's scomp-link currently occupied with the datachip download, the old droid resorts to manually manipulating the ship's controls. Being programmed with data pertaining to thousands of space transport configurations Arley has no difficulty in using the Deepscan's controls, its fingers becoming a blur as it begins activating the ship's systems, engines and NAV computer.

"The Alliance likewise has little to gain in lying to us for if there is something aside from what we've been briefed about in this region we will be unprepared to encounter it and our possible reactions extremely difficult to predict. Without being certain of how we'd react then why send us while placing a valuable vessel at risk?" The patina stained droid's hands pause over the controls. "R3, could you please help Operative Talori to search for any unusual technology aboard? Thank you." R-LE-1 returns to the controls, inputing his astrogation calculations into the NAV computer. "If neither faction could accurately predict the outcome of this deception then there is little to gain for either. The empire could possibly regain their vessel along with a unknown number of likely unknown Alliance operatives of uncertain tactical value. The Alliance risks loosing its valuable vessel with the certainty of who is aboard. With the available data neither of these outcomes seems to benefit either group significantly."

 

[Kemrain]

Jaess nods, wondering what code the LE unit is talking about. She searches the wall panels near the front of the ship, Arley's observations making sense and calming her nerves a little. The assistance of the R3 unit is appreciated, though she makes no effort to thank the droid.
"If there is something afoot, it is certanly strange. I know some people in the ISB who'd go through all this trouble and risk losing this ship just for a chance to get at me, but they're individuals and don't have the reach the Empire as a whole commands," she admits, thinking back to her former superior and mentor stationed on the ICS Interdictor. "Even without it, though, consiterable resources can be, and are, spent in the frivilous persuits of Imperial Officers' affairs. And we wouldn't have much warning if that were the case." She sighs, shaking her head. "I'm not saying it's probable, merely not improbable enough."

 

[Ambrus]

With the Deepscan's systems now up and running and Jaess and R3 both physically searching the interior of the vessel, R-LE-1 turns his attention to the significantly upgraded sensors of the ship. It's hands a blur, R-LE-1 begins an intensive scan of the vessel itself, covering every micron of the vessel, it's cargo and its current occupants for signs of tracking devices, beacons, transmitters, explosives or any other unusual devices or modifications to the ship itself.

OOC: Arley has already searched the exterior of the vessel while conducting it's pre-flight check and is now taking 20 to search the ship with the ship's own improved scanner system. Several of Arley's skills may apply to uncovering and identifying any additions or modifications to the vessel: Computer Use +16, Knowledge (engineering) +13, Knowledge (technology) +13, Search +10, Spot +6.

While searching, R-LE-1 continues; "It is odd that our briefing neglected to include such information as the identity of the Dawnspringer's crew or why we may need to arm them, how this vessel was acquired, who its crew was, where they are now, and other pertinent details. It is possible however that Commander Bosch intended all of that information to be provided to me by the T.R.A.P. Regardless, I will deactivate the unit and access its databanks directly while in transit."

 

[Angcuru]

Arlee's attempts to turn the ship's scanner upon itself result in a blaring warning noting that this it not only physically impossible due to their configuration, but would likely result in the complete wiping of all computer systems if it was. Apparently the new scanner system used long range Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging to locate densities of metal. With the ship's more mundane internal cargo scanning systems, however, Arlee detects what seems to be a unidentified electronic device located on the top bunk of the starboard cabin.

R3-L7 putts alongside Jaess, humming electronically as it runs its sensors over the internal plating, systems and decking. After several minutes of searching, they find nothing of interest. As the trashcan-shaped droid passes by Arlee and the control console, it lets out a digitized wail and rams its comp-interface rod right into an input socket. After a few quick moments, it withdraws the arm and gives Arlee a slight shock to his foot with a small prodding device while twittering madly.

Arlee's R3-speak translation:

Spoiler

You forgot to carry the seven in your calculation of magnetic pull of rogue comets for your hyperspace calculations. That would have you pulling out of hyperspace right in the middle of prime asteroid belt space considering the gravitational capabilities of the recently discovered system's star.

 

[Ambrus]

R-LE-1 turns to regard the yellow astromech and chirps and buzzes in response; "Thank you R3-L7. Your assistance has of course been invaluable. Now I'm afraid I must ask you another favor." The patina stained droid removes the datachip from its hip and holds it out where R7 can grasp it with its head mounted manipulator arm. "This is an encrypted backup of my Code. If anything should happen to me or should I fail to return from this mission please find an appropriate receptacle and use it to restore me to functionality. Take it and hide it well old friend and, in the fullness of time and by the will of the Code, I shall endure." R-LE-1 pauses, switches its vocabulator back to its regular male basic and continues: "We are ready to depart save for our missing cargo. If you please R3-L7, could you disembark and seek out the deck-officer so that we may depart?" Switching back to binary the old patina stained droid says: "May the Code be with you."

After watching his companion roll down the ramp, R-LE-1 makes his way to the starboard cabin to investigate the unidentified device. He'll try to identify what it is [Knowledge (technology) +13].