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

[Kemrain]

Felia watches the events unfold, listening to 1x, Torrba, and Ventress speak in turn. As the dark woman departs she looks at Femi, wondering what his connection is with the twi'lek whom he obviously knows. Bringing her attention back to the present, she looks back to the hutt.

"Your greatness, if we may, we would leave as well, to take on your task. I trust we will be provided with the tools necessary to be successful. We will return here when we have dealt with your problem. If we could be escorted to Kellon we will begin immediately."

I know you haven't agreed to anything, she silently thinks at her companions for her own benefit, but at least this way we can all get off Nar Shadda and go our respective ways. This shouldn't be too hard for me, and who knows, if Torrba is willing to pay, maybe we'll get a new customer out of the deal.

 

[Bobitron]

Tal keeps his mouth shut, not wanting to disrupt what he sees as a delicate balance. WHen the Sith lady enters, it proves hard for him to avoid swinging his blaster up, but he keeps his calm and awaits Torba's response to Felia's request.

 

[Ambrus]

"That's a lot of questions for a spy droid. For a moment I had mistaken you for the new IT-class droid," she says sarcastically.

DRK-1X calmly clarifies its identity for the seemingly confused Sith; "Statement: I am an Arakyd Industries DRK-1 series probe droid."

"Oh and I wish that Dofina had been more divulging of her entire operations to you. Perhaps then you wouldn't be so inquisitive."

DRK-1X retorts to the barb in its deadpan emotionless voice; "Statement: Mistress Dofina's information is sufficient for me to fulfill my function. I am inquisitive because of my design; I'm a probe droid."

Cognitive Processing
Datum: Torrba has indicated that Mistress Dofina's current condition is voluntary.
Datum: Torrba has indicated that Mistress Dofina will be safe if she remains here.
Datum: Torrba has indicated that Mistress Dofina will become lucid after sunset.
Datum: Female human Sith identified as Ventress.
Datum: Ventress is aware of Ka-Femi-Odo's relationship with the unidentified Twi'Lek Jedi Master.
Proposition: Ventress is aware that Ka-Femi-Odo is a Jedi.
Proposition: Ventress or Mistress Dofina have informed Torrba that Ka-Femi-Odo is a Jedi.
Datum: Felia Sardo has accepted Torrba's request on behalf of her companions.
Emotive Node: Uncertainty 43.4%; Anxiety 29.9; Frustration 18.8%; Melancholy 7.9%.
Algorithmic Node: Master preservation protocols apply.
Algorithmic Node: Subservience protocols apply.
Algorithmic Node: Obeisance protocols apply.

The diminutive probe droid falls silent with Ventress' departure. It slowly turns to regard the assembly again while gently drifting downward to hover closer to its Mistress motionless form. It listens to Felia accept Torrba's mission on her companions' behalf while it turns one of its external sensor pods to scan the trapped Twi'lek in hopes of assessing his physical condition. It makes no move to leave its incapacitated Mistress' side.

 

[shadowbloodmoon]

The Hutt simply gives an affirmative grunt. The blue protocol droid speaks, "You can find Master Kellon at the Swoop Races. I believe my counterpart knows the way." It then points to DRK-1X.

X scans the encased Jedi Master. His life signs are there, but faint. It seems he is being held in some sort of stasis field. After the Sith woman leaves, a collective tenseness, previously undetected, leaves with her and the Jedi's prison is replaced behind the wall.

X's sensors and all of you hear a muttered voice from one of the guards in the room. Something about, "...hate it when she does that... messes with our.... no business here..."

 

[Ambrus]

The blue protocol droid speaks, "You can find Master Kellon at the Swoop Races. I believe my counterpart knows the way." It then points to DRK-1X.

Cognitive Processing
Datum: Kellon is located at the swoop racing facility.
Datum: The unidentified protocol/surveillance droid has indicated
that DRK-1X knows the location of the swoop racing facility.
Proposition: Felia Sardo, Tal Remar and Ka-Femi-Odo will expect
DRK-1X to lead them to the swoop racing facility.
Heuristic Node: Leading the three refugees will engender a favorable
rapport with them which may prove of benefit to Mistress Dofina.
Algorithmic Node: Override. Obeisance protocols apply. DRK-1X must
remain here as implied by Mistress Dofina.
Unable to reach volition threshold.
Heuristic Node: The refugees' mission will benefit Mistress Dofina.
Algorithmic Node: Override. Master preservation protocols apply. DRK-1X
must remain to ensure Mistress Dofina's safety while she is impaired.
Unable to reach volition threshold.

The diminutive probe droid does not respond to the protocol droid's suggestion but continues to stare forward impassively as it silently processes the situation.

Cognitive Processing
Heuristic Node: DRK-1X's familiarity with Nar Shaada will increase
the probability of success of the refugees' mission.
Algorithmic Node: Override. Obeisance protocols apply.
Emotive Node: Uncertainty 57.9%; Frustration 28.7%; Melancholy 13.4%.
Volition Threshold has been reached.
Priority Hierarchy established.
Uploading data to vocabulator buffer 45S.

After a brief pause, DRK-1X answers to no one in particular; "Statement: I must remain here to report to my Mistress once she has regained her senses. If she so instructs me I will then lead you to the swoop racing facility. If the three of you wish to proceed now I will gladly direct and advise you via comlink while you are en route." While waiting, the diminutive probe droid will monitor the conversations of Torrba the Serene's guests in the hopes of uncovering more information of use to its Mistress (Listen +9, Gather Information -1, Knowledge (streetwise) +4).

 

[Kemrain]

"Statement: I must remain here to report to my Mistress once she has regained her senses. If she so instructs me I will then lead you to the swoop racing facility. If the three of you wish to proceed now I will gladly direct and advise you via comlink while you are en route."

Felia sighs and nods, glancing to the Hutt momentarily to make sure he approves.

"You have my comm chennel, then. Buzz me and direct away."

With that, she gives Torrba a quick bow, and heads toward the main exit, her companions hopefully in tow.

 

[Toric_Arthendain]

With a last, hopefully impassive glance at Lun Xan, Femi bows ever-so-slightly to the Hutt and follows Felia from the room. He is filled with dread and a bit of sadness but tries to push those emotional feelings aside to concentrate on the tasks at hand. He continues to hang on to the hope that Master Xan can be freed from his current prison, which is more hope than he had when he arrived here.

 

[shadowbloodmoon]

Presuming that Tal will follow Felia to keep up the body guard ruse.

Felia, Tal and Femi head out of the room. A couple of Gran guards escort you to another exit, different from the one you were brought in earlier. As the door opens, the lights and sounds of a giant, squalid city assault your senses.

There are people of what seems every race in the galaxy walking, haggling, arguing, even fighting in the streets of Nar Shaddaa. Every once in a while you hear what you think must be blaster shots not too far away. A speeder or two drifts by on occasion, and a gang of swoopers hang out by the entrance to a cantina across the way. You are just getting used to the sights when Felia's comm beeps, X uploading coordinates to it.

Felia looks and frowns. You have to go through the cantina to get to the race observation booth to find Kellon.

DRK-1X:

[sblock]
As you watch your companions leave, you notice that the Sith woman has subsequently returned. She notices that you are still here, but ignores you nonetheless.

"Do you think it is wise to trust these people to such a mission? I mean we barely know them. They could cause no end of trouble for you."

"Na chuta ne canbarri keeploobo. Ma wani ne Dofina koo sordee. Ingoo hiwasa." Torrba speaks in Huttese, which the protocol droid doesn't need to translate for Ventress to understand.

"Yes, my Master." With a short bow, the woman takes her leave, letting you alone with Torrba and his entourage.
[/sblock]

 

[Bobitron]

Tal follows Felia out of the Hutt's audience chamber with relief. "Nice to get outta there, eh?" He speaks to nobody in particular once they are out of earshot. Looking around at the scene layed out before them, he sighs. "I don't feel like walking through this mess of lifeforms just to get to this Kellon character." He looks about with searching eyes. "Maybe we could acquire some transportation?"

ooc: Look for something to rent, some sort of taxi.

 

[Ambrus]

Left behind amidst Torrba the Serene's intoxicated guests, the diminutive probe droid does what it was designed to do; remain inconspicuous while silently observing. As attention is gradually turned away from it, DRK-1X gently sinks down into the shadows behind the couch where its Mistress is seated. It rotates its lower sensor pod to observe Ventress as she reenters the audience chamber to speak to the hutt, activating its holorecorder to keep a record of their brief exchange.

It continues to idly monitor local transmissions, especially the blue protocol droid's comlink channel. Simultaneously, it begins transmitting directives and advice [Knowledge (streetwise) +4] to Felia out on the street, its whisper soft voice issuing forth from her portable comlink; "Report: From the westernmost exit of Torrba's residential complex it is most expedient to simply cross Track street and enter the Cockpit Cantina. It should be easily recognizable by the blue female Twi'Lek holosign above the entryway. The Cockpit's rear exit leads to the swoop-race observation deck. While crossing through the interior it is customary to purchase a beverage or at the very least leave a gratuity with the quarren behind the bar as a courtesy.

I recommend keeping your weapons slung or holstered but plainly visible while traveling on Nar Shaddaa. Stay close together while moving and avoid peddlers and panhandlers; displaying interest or charity generally invites undesirable attention to yourselves. Torrba's lieutenant, Kellon Greytouch, should be easy for you to recognize on sight being that he is an albino rodian. It is unclear what he will be doing at the swoop race facility however since most races have been postponed or canceled due to the local political instability created in the wake of Emperor Palpatine's founding of the First Galactic Empire six cycles ago."

DRK-1X continues to babble on trusting that its information is important and of interest to the trio and that Felia will interrupt it if she has any questions.