Star Wars OPEN Star Wars: Kain's Heroes (Always Accepting New Players)

GM Update
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IC: Elim Kain
Outside the factory, awaiting death from an armored behemoth

Kain scrambled after the others, his mind unable to comprehend the horror of what they were dealing with. None of their weapons could even scratch the paint on that thing, and Chrondarr's attempt to blind one of them hadn't even slowed them down. Their only chance was to somehow escape their notice, for now that wasn't too hard as the last remnants of the battle between the Imperials and the droids lingered on, but once those last droids were finished off Kain was sure the Imperials would be coming for them.

"I wonder if the sewers are still accessible," Thomas thought aloud, "we could go under the city to get out of here." Kain immediately shook his head no, he had no desire to try to get under the city. Things were bad enough up here he didn't want to think about what horrors might lie below. He wasn't alone in his thoughts, none of them, especially Corrin seemed in any way eager to follow up on the improvised escape route. Still, he had no better idea, and none of the others came up with any suggestions either, so in the face of lack of options, they ran off towards searching for access to the literal underground.

All around them the battle still raged, though the droids were falling like flies now. Enough that the armored walkers could now turn some of their attention towards the fleeing group of rebels. Red blaster bolts rained down on them from above just as they neared the sewer grate. None of them were directly hit, but the blasts hit the ground near them with such ferocity that the ground itself seemed to erupt beneath their feet. All of them were sent flying in various directions and thrown to the ground just short of the sewer. Dazed, and with his eyes full of dirt and blood, his nose full of the smell of ozone and soot and his ears ringing Kain tried to stand but found he was too dizzy to get beyond even coming to his knees. He looked around at the scattered rebels, looking to see if they were all OK. They weren't.

Though Chronderr, Reva, Thomas and Corrin had survived the hail of blaster fire from above, though in various states of shell shock themselves, it was Tauriel's eyes that Kain locked upon. Tauriel's lifeless eyes. Like the others she had been upended by the blasts, but unlike them the graceful woman had broken her neck on impact with the ground. There was nothing that could be done for her. Indeed there was nothing that could be done for any of them Kain thought as the armored walker stood over them ready to unleash another barrage on the now helpless rebels. Kain closed his eyes, awaiting death, when he thought he heard...something. He wasn't sure what it was at first, a voice, perhaps. The ringing in his ears obscured that it was coming from his comm earpiece, indeed, it was a voice now squelching out from every bit of comm gear in the area, Imperial, rebel and droid alike. Kain cocked his head as he struggled to make it out.

"We like to party, we like, we like to party..." Was that music now accompanying the voice?

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Kain opened his eyes just in time to see a rocket slam into the side of the AT-AT's armored head blowing it violently to the side before another and then another connected knocking the entire head assembly from the vehicle's body. He looked around for the source of the new attack and was greeted by the sight of an old republic juggernaut rolling crazily through the battlefield, guns blazing and rockets firing off at the Imperials and the droids in chaotic fashion. It was just the distraction Kain and the others needed to get below the city streets, though with the way the juggernaut seemed to be handling the Imperials, that might not be necessary now.

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Their attack had come right on the Imperial flank, and their massive volume of fire had already taken down two of the AT-ATs as they ran across their line of advance. Neither the AT-ATs nor the juggernaut were partcularly maneuverable, but the nose end of the wheeled vehicle was coming at the legged ones from the side, not allowing the AT-ATs to bring their guns to bear on the juggernaught as it zig zagged it's way towards the last remaining two walkers. At first Kain thoght that the juggernaut's random course changes were an attempt to throw off the aim of the Imperials and droids managing to fight back against the surprise attack, but he soon realized that wasn't the case. The driver was actually intentionally running troopers and droids down, crushing them beneath the giant spinning wheels of the juggernaut as it rocked hard side to side turning with such ferocity that he was surprised it didn't roll over.

"They really are crazy." he muttered under his breath as the song continued and now the sky above them erupted in blazes of color now as flares...no fireworks, started going off high above their heads. The juggernaut came equipped with any number of anti-personnel grenade launchers, but it seemed those had been loaded now instead with fireworks which the jug was launching at a prodigious rate over the battlefield. "It's like a kriffing Imperial Day parade." Kain shouted, though he realized now he might not be heard over the racket the juggernaut was causing. The vehicle went over one of the trench's now, it's wheels catching a berm which sent the vehicle flying through the air before it came down relatively intact. A few pieces flew off here and there, but the drive train kept spinning and the vehicle kept moving forward as it maintained fire on the nearest AT-AT. It was only now that Kain realized the juggernaut was a patchwork version of itself. There was a large tarp covering the troop compartment hatch, and it appeared other parts had been scavenged off of other vehicles as well. None of it appeared to affect the jug's function though and soon enough the constant stream of fire at the walker's front legs paid off as they collapsed. It came down hard to the earth, the head exploding under the weight of the impact. Now there was just one more to go.

The last walker, at the far end of the battlefield, had been able to turn somewhat towards the attacking juggernaut by now, and began firing at it with it's heavy blaster cannons. Most shots went wide of the juggernaut as it zig zagged hard across the trenchlines, though one blast managed to connect sending bits of armor plating flying skyward off the wheeled attacker. Still the juggernaut kept coming. It seemed to be out of heavy ordinance now though the light blaster fire from the vehicle kept pouring out into the Imperial troopers cutting them down as they either tried to fight back or flee. It didn't seem to matter to the gunners who kept on firing regardless. Nor did the lack of heavy firepower deter the juggernaut's driver as he made a direct beeline now for the walker's legs as only now did Kain realize what their plan was to take out the final walker, though it seemed to be one the walker's own officers either didn't contemplate or were unable to avoid.

The juggernaut collided into the AT-AT's right front leg with a horrific crash, one that could be felt through the ground even where Kain was just now able to stand. The collision brought the speeding juggernaut to a sudden and nearly catastrophic halt ,and once again Kain was amazed that it hadn't been upended or otherwise crumpled under the impact. The AT-AT though faired far worse. The right leg sheared completely off, and the gargantuan beast wobbled there for a moment before it too came down hard. The juggernaut was only just able to move out of the way before the AT-AT crashed to earth, breaking it's own neck in the process. The juggernaut for it's part was moving slowly, but it was moving, and made a slow circle around the downed walker, pouring light blaster fire into it finishing off any survivors that managed to escape the wreck. After it's macabre work was done it made it's way back towards Kain and his band of rebels, they were the only living things left here on the battlefield, and came to a halt just in front of Kain.

There it sat for a moment, it's engines idling as the others in Kain's band, including Jori, Connor and a newcomer stood around him in a semi-circle facing the juggernaut. Finally it's command hatch opened and the upper body of a human with a scraggly beard and an old leather jacket and helmet emerged.

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"Kain you old loth wolf," the commander of the juggernaut seemed to know the leader of the Heroes. "I haven't seen you since we hit that..." Kain raised his arms and shook his head with a weary smile on his face as the man trailed off. "I know Screwball, it's been awhile..." Kain looked to the others and then back at Screwball who now wore a somewhat demented grin. "So you folks need a lift?" He motioned to the tarp covering the missing troop compartment hatch as Kain nodded and led the others aboard. "Get in, we're moving out"

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TAG: @Mistress_Renata @Sarge @Vehn @Bodhran777 @Anedon @galactic-vagabond422 @TheAdmiral @Cowgirl Jedi 1701 and for the last time... @Adalia-Durron

OOC: OK, first things first. I know this was more than just a bit of deus ex machina, but I've been planning this all along for you. Naturally the Screwball character is adapted from the movie Kelly's Heroes which is a major inspiration for this game. I also based the juggernaut's arrival upon a fictional account of a patrol rescued by some British tankers in Afghanistan that just seemed to fit the tone of the game. Still I must admit, I loved the sewer idea as it's the kind of out of the box thinking I've come to expect of you all.

Of course now the sad bit is that Addie has informed me she just doesn't have the time for this game any longer and desired to have her character killed off so I was forced to oblige her.

 

IC: Chrondarr
Broken Spirits

Chrondarr's heart froze as Windsong fell. Heads weren't supposed to turn to that angle. Was it possible her people could survive an injury that would kill most humanoids? He crawled to her side and touched her face. No. Her spirit was gone. A young life cut short, far too short. May her spirit live on in eternal peace in the next world.

Kain was talking to a man in the wheeled war machine. Their words were muffled, but he overheard enough to realize they were allies, maybe even friends. When the others began boarding the vehicle, he tenderly lifted Windsong's body, and her longbow, and gently placed her in the machine. He knew nothing of her beliefs about death or burial rituals, but he didn't want to leave her corpse to be desecrated in this duracrete hell. The body may be only an empty shell devoid of life and spirit, but it belonged far from here, among trees and hills.

He had failed to protect this child. He could do nothing for her in the next world. All he could offer now was the meaningless task of finding her a peaceful grave. He bowed over her body and tried to pray.


TAG: @Adalia-Durron

 

IC: Thomas Ronaan
Streets of Grad

The concussive impact of the AT-AT blasts rattled Thomas's mind and his soul. He felt his very breath ripped away from him as the shock wave from the blasts rippled across the war torn earth. Dirt and mud splattered across his face as he lay low and hugged the soil beneath him. He held on tight to his rifle. As if the mere action alone could save him from what was coming. From certain death.

Then the blasts stopped.

Thomas craned his war weary neck and watched in muted satisfaction as an Old Republic juggernaut ripped into the Imperial AT-AT formation. He wanted to cheer but his voice fell away from him as he cast his eyes upon the crumpled life form of Tauriel Windsong. He'd been around death long enough now to recognize it from kilometers away. She was quite gone. No human's neck twisted quite like that. Not naturally, anyways.

He felt a lump rise in his throat, ever so briefly, as he quietly chided himself for even opening up to her. She'd been a good listener and an even stronger warrior. He pushed down the grief rising in his heart and clutched his rifle tightly to his chest as Chrondarr, beautifully and respectfully, gathered up Windsong's crumpled body to be taken to their new ally who had driven the juggernaut into the fight.

Thomas watched as Kain and the tank commander, Screwball, from what he had heard over the din of battle talked. He wasn't sure what was being discussed. He wasn't really sure he cared anymore. Every day he continued to fight was a day he got further and further away from the life he once knew. His soul, like Grad, was a mere fragment of its former self.

You fight for them, Thomas. You fight for the Windsongs of the world. You fight for the kids who never made it out of school alive the day the war started. Windsong reminded you of them, didn't she? The helpless and those who can't fight like you do.

"I never want to see this place again," Thomas grumbled as he hoisted himself inside the juggernaut quietly praying that today of all days they'd make it out of the once great city alive.

Tag: @Bardan_Jusik; @Sarge; @Adalia-Durron

 

IC: Reva Cambrion
What just happened?

One moment she was running towards the grate which would lead to the underground and (hopefully) safety, the next moment she was flung through the air and thrown flat on her face. Reva lay for a moment, stunned, trying to get the air back into her lungs. She turned her head. It was throbbing, and sound was flat and muffled, as if she was underwater. More than that, there was a…a feeling, some internal dread or grief. Loss. A sense of loss. But she didn’t know why, or what had happened.

She took a deep, gasping breath, drawing air rank with smoke and the smell of chemicals into her lungs, then coughed and pushed herself to her knees. Her mouth was full of dirt and salt…blood? She knelt there a moment, looking around. There was a clattering, a lot of noise. Something, some mechanical thing, like a hovertram or something, was going after the tall, Imperial device.

Chrondarr was bending over someone…Reva caught a glimpse of a ribbon of pale hair. Tauriel? He touched her throat, then bent over, murmuring softly in his own language. Dead. She was dead. Reva sighed, in her own grief. She’d barely known the young woman, but she’d hoped for the chance to get to know her better. They were all a team, a family now, really. So many of them had lost their own families. She wondered if Gran was still alive, and where she was.

She sighed again, and did a quick self-assessment. She’d landed hard on her face, and had bitten her tongue when she fell. That was the blood. Not serious, but painful. She’d skinned her palms, her elbows and her knees, and her clothing was probably torn and would need to be patched. Her weapon had gone flying, but her other gear seemed to be intact. She’d have to check later to see if anything was damaged.

Reva swiped her wrist across her bloody mouth, then retrieved her rifle, and turned. There was a tremendous crash, and she blinked, turning her head away as the giant Imperial device crashed into the ground with a finality that said it wouldn’t be getting back up. The strange tram-thing rolled back towards Kain, and then a man’s head and shoulders appeared from the top of it. She saw Kain’s shoulders relaxing, he was talking to the stranger, and now she got to her feet, wincing, and looked around to the others.

Chrondarr was still praying over Tauriel, whose head was twisted at an unnatural angle. The blast that had knocked her down must have taken down the other young woman, who hadn’t landed well. Ronaan was moving towards the tram thing. Reva began to move towards them, glancing round to the rest of the team. She was a medic, and helping them was important.

Kain’s voice came towards her. "Get in, we're moving out!"

Into that thing? Reva had quite a few misgivings. But she wasn’t sure whether any of the Imps had survived the crash of their vehicle, and getting out of here would be good, so she moved towards it obediently, and glanced to the others. “Anyone need aid?” she asked.

Ronaan was mounting the vehicle. "I never want to see this place again," he muttered. Reva shook her head. She did want to see this place again, restored to its beauty. Whatever had happened, Grad was her home. She glanced towards the ruined Imperial vehicles, and vowed silently that she would do whatever she could to see the Empire pay for what they had done here. The smell of death was still in her nostrils and in her throat.

"I've got medpacs. Anyone need help?" she repeated as she came up to climb into the massive...thing.

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik; @Sarge; @Vehn; @Bodhran777; @Cowgirl Jedi 1701; @Anedon; @galactic-vagabond422; @TheAdmiral

OOC: Sorry about the delay. I'm back home, I've had my first Covid shot & if the cat would stop following me around, things will be mostly back to normal.

 

IC: Corrin Skarnsson
In a terrible state of mind...

As Corrin climbed into the vehicle he felt how his heart began to race. His mind was a mess, Tauriels death, just moment ago had shaken him to his core and had returned flashbacks of his slaughtered tribe. He couldn´t speak, not even really think. All he could do was to focus on one thing. Survival, and right now the best hope seemed to be staying with the squad wherever they would go.

He heard Reva say something and gave her a glance, but was unable to even process what she had said properly. Instead he found a nice in the dark, crammed vehicle where he allowed himself to collapse on the floor. Sitting on his knees with his face buried in his hands Corrin just tried to shut out the outside world. the battle out there as well as the enclosed space of the vehicle. Already his fear of closed spaces began to enter his mind stronger than before and he started to shiver. He tried to force himself to breath normally but with his mind still in shambles that was easier thought than done.

Tag: Anyone

 

GM Update
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IC: Elim Kain
With the Boog Valley Irregulars

Despite their successful mission and the light hearted attitude of the crew, the mood within the troop bay of the stitched together juggernaut was somber. The heroes had lost three of their members, Ponds, Wuu and of course Windsong whose body lay at one end of the troop bay, a stark reminder of the losses they had endured to recover the data tape from the ruined factory. Kain now looked down at the tape he carried in his arms as he tried to meet the eyes of his fellow freedom fighters. Had the price they paid been worth it all? Was any of this worth it, or was it just for their own edification? A chance to "go down fighting" rather than meekly submit? Kain didn't know, but he did know that he would never, could never, just submit to the Empire. He had to do something...

The sound of arguing from the command compartment up ahead of them wafted back through the troop bay as the juggernaut bounced over the uneven ground. Something about the damage they took and whether they should lay low for a bit. Kain shrugged, that wasn't up to him, he was just glad for the ride. Still he supposed some explanations were in order. "They're the Irregulars," he indicated the command compartment where the argument among them was gaining steam. "They're...miswired, in it all just for the chaos." He paused thinking on just how true that probably was. He had a feeling that even if it was the Republic or Alliance or whatever they called themselves now that ruled over the planet the Boog Valley Irregulars would resist them too. "Did a job together a while back, sort of a bank heist. Their leader Screwball is..." he paused, trying to find the best words to describe the armored vehicle's commander. "He's not all there," he pointed to his own head and made a circular motion with his finger, the interstellar signal for someone being crazy, "but we can trust him."

The vehicle began to speed up and Kain risked moving towards the tarp taking the place of the troop bay's outer hatch and pushed it aside somewhat. "Looks like we're moving away from the city." That suited him just fine, he would be glad to put Grad behind them and get back to the mountains...

End Episode 1.02​

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Episode 103: The Ferry​

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IC: Elim Kain
Deep within the Boog Valley, Skarn

Night had fallen and the Heroes were huddled around a campfire. It wasn't particularly cold, though the mountain air did have a crisp coolness to it. Nonetheless the fire was a welcome one to Kain. The juggernaut had stopped a few hours ago, once the Irregulars were sure they were deep enough into the valley to ensure their own safety. They had set up a camouflaged netting over their vehicle, one that blocked thermal imaging as well, to conceal their position as several of their member got to work repairing the damage done during their assault on the Imperial walkers. The Heroes meanwhile had been given field rations and then were promptly forgotten about as the Irregulars got to work.

All but Screwball, he sat with Heroes, eyeing them with curiosity. He'd been asked why he wasn't helping his own men fix their juggernaut but had answered with a pedantic. "I only ride 'em, I don't know what makes them work," before he laughed manically. Kain had left it at that, he was in no mood for an argument and though he was thankful for the rescue, and the ride, he wanted to leave this crazy camp behind as soon as possible and get on with keeping up their own fight against the occupiers. For now though the heroes all needed rest.

They were together at least, the survivors anyway. Both Heisn and Xard had followed with the groups mounts after seeing that the rest of the squad had climbed aboard the juggernaut. They must not have enjoyed their time together as they now sat on opposite sides of the small campfire, as far apart from each other as they possibly could. The mounts themselves were all roped to a trees nearby at the edge of the impromptu camp as the Heroes were arrayed by the fire. There were just the twelve of them now, including Kain. Ronaan of course had his sniper rifle which he was busy maintaining, while Lian sitting next to him fiddled with his own equipment. The young fighter Neil sat next to him, staring into the fire as it crackled. Beside him was Xard, who sat sharpening his knives in the firelight with Cambrion to his right. She naturally looked like she had something on her mind though she had as up until then kept it to herself.

Skarnsson was next in the circle with Jori to his right munching on rations next to the newcomer O'Crainn. Kain hadn't gotten a good read on her yet, but by all accounts she was a good shot and a willing fighter. Kain couldn't turn down those attributes in a soldier, especially now. Chrondarr was the last member in the circle, sitting at the 11 o'clock position next to Heisn at the twelve while Kain himself was at the one with Screwball at hs side. Pathfinder was the only one not at the campfire, he was watching where the animals were tethered while the body of Windsong lay nearby, just out in the darkness behind where Chrondarr sat.

"So what's on the datatape?" Screwball now asked after a few moments of awkward silence. Kain was still cradling it in his arms, he had no idea what data it contained, or even if it was all worth it. It did seem like the Seppie remnant was willing to risk an awful lot to get their hands on it though, so it had to be worth something. Kain finally looked back to Screwball and shrugged, an admission of his own ignorance. The juggernaut commander smiled widely at that and began making noises somewhere between a laugh and a loud bark. "And they call us crazy, you risked your lives for something and you don't even know what it is?" He continued laughing. "That data tape will be encrypted, you'll need a droid or a slicer or access to an Imperial terminal to read what's on it." Kain frowned at that. They didn't have access to a droid, and he doubted any of them had the technical skills to slice into the datatape and read it's contents from any of the terminals on the juggernaut (if they were even operational). Nor did he relish trying, one false step and they might corrupt the data. That left reading the tape from an Imperial terminal.

"Yeah that's right," Screwball added now his eyes twinkling in the firelight. He had run through the same thinking Kain just had. "There was or maybe is an Imperial terminal back at that factory, but it's crawling with troopers." Kain nodded grimly at that. It was sure to be full of troopers now, and even if it wasn't he didn't want to head back there now anyway. Not after they had lost so much on that battlefield. "I am sure there are other military terminals on the planet, but the only one with a guaranteed location is the Imperial garrison in Port." Kain nodded his head again, the Port was the main Imperial stronghold on the planet, few resistance cells operated in that area. Worse still, it was on the opposite side of the planet from them.

"Don't look at me, we ain't giving you a ride that far." Screwball said with a laugh. "Besides we ain't goin no where near Port." He chuckled again before his voce became deadly serious. "We're nuts, but we're not crazy." Kain nodded at that, he wouldn't have accepted a ride that far in their death trap of a vehicle anyway, but Screwball did have a point. The journey itself was going to take some thought, and that's if they even wanted to attempt such a crazy stunt. Infiltrate the Imperial HQ on the planet just to read a stolen data tape? It was beyond insane. Kain chewed on his lower lip as he thought it over It was beyond insane, but it would be the last thing the Imperials would ever expect. Beyond insane he thought to himself again, and it was just what they were going to do.

TAG: @Mistress_Renata @Sarge @Vehn @Bodhran777 @Anedon @galactic-vagabond422 @TheAdmiral @Cowgirl Jedi 1701

OOC: Some downtime here for some character development and to catch up with everyone. I think you all can see the seeds planted for where we are headed next. No need to stay tethered to where I placed your characters, it's just a starting point. I fully expect some sort of funeral for Windsong, but figured you all can organize that as you like. Any questions feel free to PM me or ask away in the OOC thread.

 

IC: Chrondarr
Fire Ceremonies

Eventually, conversation died down around the campfire. The moment felt right. Chrondarr stood and moved close to the flames. His voice was low and flat.

"My people have a tradition. We come to the campfire and we choose to burn things that do not burn. What flame cannot consume, willing spirits can. Join your spirits and choose what you will cast into the fire.

"I cast into the fire a vision. I saw my arrow rip open a man's throat. Red blood ran down his white armor. I cast that vision into the fire. Let it haunt me no more."

He clutched his hand to his chest, then thrust it into the flames, holding it there for just a moment, and pulling it clear before the fire did anymore than singe the fur on the back of his hand.

"Let that vision burn. Burn it with all your spirits."

He turned his back to the fire, went back to his place, sat and stared into the flames.


TAG: @Mistress_Renata @Vehn @Bodhran777 @Anedon @galactic-vagabond422 @TheAdmiral @Cowgirl Jedi 1701

 

IC: Thomas Ronaan
The Passing of a Life

Thomas felt compelled to stand and honor Windsong. She'd saved his life in the factory in Grad and unfortunately had become another name in a long line of them who had fallen in the war. He watched with his one eye while Chrondarr bade farewell to Windsong in his own way. It was beautiful, poignant, soul searching.

Chrondarr retreated and Thomas stepped forward.

"Tauriel Windsong was a warrior. Not just any warrior. She was quickly becoming a friend. I trusted her with a story from my past. A past that is as gone to me as she is to us. She consoled me in Grad during a dark moment. A moment that threatened to shatter my resolve to continue this fight. In her honor, and in her memory, I promise to all of you here that I will never waver again."

He thrust his hand over the flames and like Chrondarr before him said, "Let my story to Windsong burn in the flames. Burn and never return."

He removed his hand and sat down mutely staring at the fire as one warrior said goodbye to another.

Tag: @Mistress_Renata; @Sarge; @Bodhran777; @galactic-vagabond422; @Cowgirl Jedi 1701; @Anedon; @Bardan_Jusik

 

IC: Reva Cambrion
Deep thoughts over love and loss
Reva listened to the others. She was next to Ronaan, and so it seemed to be her turn. "I barely knew our lost ones," she said. "Ponds and Wu, I never spoke to. I only had a few words with Windsong. Their lives were very different from mine, and yet our paths brought us together. I could have learned a lot from them. I could have made good friends. I mourn the loss of the possibilities, what they could have achieved, the friendships we could have had. I let those things go." She hesitated.

"There is one thing I cannot let go. My grandmother. We lived together, in Grad. I don't know if she is alive or dead. I had hoped to find out, but we retreated too quickly. In a little while, I'll take my mount and go back. I need to know. I should be back by tomorrow night. If you are still here, I will rejoin you. Otherwise, I'll try to find you. She is one of the things I am fighting for; one of the things I hold close. I know the chance that she is alive is slim, but I need to know." She sat down with a slightly defiant look at their leader. This was not an army. They were all volunteers. They could not hold her.

 

IC: Jori Atreus
The streets of Grad & The Camp

The battle with the clankers was relatively short and sweet. Jori even managed to shoot one, though there were some nearmisses, the burnt patch on her sleeve was a testament to that.

Jori managed to scramble for cover and behind it she managed to see the battle raging in the distance. She could even feel it, the ground shook under the humongous tires of the Juggernaut and of the legs of the AT-AT.

So that was how it must have felt during the Clone Wars. Whoever was driving the A6 was not Imperial. That was for sure. There was no buckethead who could try such a feat.

That and the fact that the AT-ATs were shooting at it.

Once the battle was over she joined the rest near the Juggernaut and a scruffy looking man popped out of the hatch. One of Kain’s friends, by the looks of it.

An A6 could be a good base of operation. There was enough space and they could remain mobile. But on the other hand they would be visible from any TIE or any other aerial vehicle.

She sighed inwardly. The truth was, Jori was hoping to have a solid roof over her head for once.

Jori frowned as she saw the faces of her companions. They were one person short. Tauriel. Oh no… She covered her mouth. They were too few and each death was a hard blow.

Jori did not know the other woman well, but still she felt the pang of pain in her heart. At least she had escaped the Empire’s tyranny.

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Back in the camp they were having dinner. Jori tried to listen to what Kain and the bearded man, Screwball or whatever, were talking. Her ears pricked at the mention of a datapad.

She stood up and moved towards Kain [color=#a64d79]“What about the datapad, the thumb and the data stick I took from the Imperial back from the train mission?”[/color]

[b]TAG: [USER=1358695]@Bardan_Jusik[/USER] Anyone?[/b]

 

IC: Corrin Skarnsson

Corrin stared into the fire. He had survived the ride in the dark confines of the warmachine and had been forced to fight his fears the entire way. Now that he was under the skies again he should have felt reliefed, happier. But the pain was still there, Tauriel had been the first person he had really reached out to since his tribe had been slaughtered. And now she was gone as well. Once more Corrin felt he stood alone, as if nothing he did mattered, fate seemed to just hate him.

He looked up at Reva´s words, she had shown him some kindness today, and now she planned to head into the city again, risk her life again. For her family. Corrin knew that in this situation he would have done the same, so he looked up to her and said. "I can come with you, when you return. Maybe help you find your kin."

Tag: @Mistress_Renata

 

IC: Kell Lian
Fireside Recovery

With all the action around the factory, Kell felt like he had been in a fog. Once the group was back together, the battle had been a blur, right up until they had all been fired on by the walkers. The shock of landing after being thrown in the air by blaster fire had effectively snapped him out of the daze, but he halfway wished he hadn’t when they all realized who they had lost in the attack. Windsong was now gone, and despite the juggernaut rolling in to knock out the walkers had still been a defeat. They didn’t even know what was on the holodisk they recovered, or if it was worth the losses. He hoped it was.

Kell sat watching and listening to the others as they offered their tributes to their fallen friend. At the same time, he couldn’t help but overheard the talk between Kain and Screwball about Port. Just the thought of the city made his temper flair a bit, though he was careful not to let it show outwardly. Until the Empire came and took over his business, Port had been his home. He had been happy to live there, run his broadcast station, and give people news and entertainment. Now everything that came out of Port on the airwaves was propaganda, and usually false.

Suddenly, a realization hit him, and he got up and moved closer to where Kain, Screwball, and now Jori were discussing next moves. He overheard Jori’s idea regarding the severed thumb and datastick, and as morbid as it was, it might be of some use.

“Also,” he added to the conversation, “I might have an idea on an Imperial terminal. Yes, the main garrison would be sure to have it, but I’d bet broadcast stations would have them as well. The largest stations will be guarded, but the smaller ones, like the one I used to work at, would possibly have a smaller military presence. And we wouldn’t have to work all the way into the middle of the city.”

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik @TheAdmiral, anyone else

 

GM Update
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IC: Elim Kain
With the Boog Valley Irregulars

Kain stood and glowered down at Reva. She had taken a moment that was about them all, their lost and the survivors and made it about herself. They were fighting to free their world here and she was going on about her grandmother? They had just lost three of their own retrieving this data tape, one they couldn't even read without going on yet another insane, suicidal raid, and she was worried about her grandmother!?! He shook his head in anger. The old woman was probably dead, it was hard enough for the young to survive in the hell scape that was the city, he gave very poor odds that she was still alive.

"We don't have time for that," he said to Reva finally. He knew the eyes of the others were on him, judging him for abandoning an old woman in the middle of what was left of Grad. But the way he saw it, they had no choice. It was time to move on. "I can come with you, when you return. Maybe help you find your kin," Skarnsson added unhelpfully. It was a kind gesture, but they had bigger issues to deal with than the fate of one old woman. Kain looked to Screwball who was also eyeing him carefully. This had the potential to erupt into a full blown mutiny, and it was in the middle of the Irregulars own camp. Kain was under no illusion that the Irregulars would cut them all down to save their own skins, despite the fact they had just risked their own necks to rescue them in the first place. "You want to leave? Fine go ahead, but once you're gone, you're gone. You won't be rejoining us." He narrowed his eyes at her in response to her defiant glare. He looked now to the others, "Get some sleep, we're leaving in the morning."

Jori spoke up then, trying to defuse the situation. “What about the datapad, the thumb and the data stick I took from the Imperial back from the train mission?” Kain regarded the young woman for a moment. They might help us gain access I suppose, if we can get to an Imperial terminal. I don't want to risk corrupting the information on the data tape with ad hoc attempts to read it." That elicited a response from their communications expert, Lian.

“I might have an idea on an Imperial terminal. Yes, the main garrison would be sure to have it, but I’d bet broadcast stations would have them as well. The largest stations will be guarded, but the smaller ones, like the one I used to work at, would possibly have a smaller military presence. And we wouldn’t have to work all the way into the middle of the city.”

Kain rubbed his chin in thought. Once again looking to Screwball who had a wide grin on his face as he informed them. "There's a repeater station on the southern edge of the city, right along your path if you're headed to the ferry." Kain nodded at that. He was indeed planning on taking the ferry across the Skarn sea to Port to infiltrate the Imperial HQ there. But if they could access the tape from the broadcast repeater station, then maybe they wouldn't have to go that far. "All right," Kain said nodding his head. "We hit the broadcast repeater station and see if we can access the data tape from there, if it works great." He paused. "If not, we'll be headed in the right direction anyway, and it deals another blow to the Empire." He looked at the freedom fighters huddled around the camp fire. His decision was made, the only question left then, was theirs?"

---

The next morning

The camp fires had been put out and the small rebel band known as Kain's Heroes was moving out. Their dead had been buried during the night and now was time to look forward, to the future and their next mission. They would skirt along the southern edges of the city of Grad, a journey that would take them the better part of a day, making their way to the repeater broadcast station Screwball had told them about. With any luck a quick assault would garner them control of the station and the ability to decode the data tape they had retrieved from the factory. If luck was against them Kain thought as he climbed atop his mount, a Blurrg named Highway, then they would already be well on their way to the ferry which would bring them across the Skarn Sea and to the city of Port, where the Imperial headquarters was. Of course he had no idea how they would get aboard the ferry if things got that far, but hopefully someone would have an idea if the attack on the broadcast station didn't pan out.

The sound of the juggernaut's engines starting up rumbled through the remains of the camp. The Irregulars were packing up too, ready to go their own way. Kain noted Screwball's head poking up though the vehicle commander's hatch as he gave a thumbs up and a wide grin before the lumbering behemoth started inching it's way forward. Kain for his part now looked back at his own group and began taking a headcount to see if they had lost anyone overnight...

TAG: @Mistress_Renata @Sarge @Vehn @Bodhran777 @Anedon @galactic-vagabond422 @TheAdmiral @Cowgirl Jedi 1701

OOC: Folks, we really don't have the numbers here to be splitting the party. We will be back to Grad in a future mission, so any unresolved issues can be settled then. I'll get us to the repeater station in my next update so we can begin planning our assault and the actual attack. Any questions, feel free to PM me or bring them up in the OOC thread.

 

IC: Chrondarr
Losing the Light

Chrondarr rocked gently and rhythmically in the saddle of The Beast. He was glad to be clear of Screwball's machine. He would have been more glad if they had put Grad to their backs, but they were edging along its southern boundary. The pall of smoke and dust hovered overhead oppressively.

Three people gone. Were their spirits free? He didn't know. Windsong was the only one he had talked to at all. He suspected she had had the spirit of a shaman, but that had not saved her. He hadn't saved her either. She and the others were dead because of evil men who cared nothing for the sanctity of life or purity of spirit. And because he hadn't stopped those evil men.

The sun vanished behind smoke and dust. He rode on through the shade.

Spirits of evil and darkness were slaying the spirits of life and light. He had seen it happen with his own eyes, felt it within his own spirit. To do nothing would be to allow darkness to rule. To battle the dark spirits would be to become darkness. How could he destroy the dark ones without becoming like them?

A small cliff ape appeared near the trail, maybe twenty meters ahead. Chrondarr generally tried to avoid them. Their aggressiveness rarely amounted to more than obnoxiously loud yelping noises, and they weren't much good for eating or skinning. But if this one saw them and started making noises, others would come and join it. Would they cause enough disturbance to attract the attention of the enemies? There might be patrols nearby.

He slung the Wookiee bowcaster across his back and readied his Coynite crossbow; it was a much quieter weapon. Range was closing as he continued riding forward at a steady pace, about fifteen meters now, gentle cross breeze blowing from his left, he sighted in on the ape. It was watching them. No noise yet.

Chrondarr continued to cover the animal in the sights of his crossbow. All his life, he had learned and taught, don't shoot creatures unless you're going to eat them or use their skin and bones. But this one might alert the enemy. It might get them all killed. Should it die for that? It was a dumb animal with no idea what harm it might cause.

Spirits, guide me.

The sun appeared again, lighting their path. The ape stood tall, full of life and spirit. Its mouth opened and it drew in a deep breath. Chrondarr added more pressure to the trigger, keeping the sights on the ape's torso.

What do I do? Spirits of my ancestors and of the hills, what do I do?

Once again the sun vanished into smoke and ash, but the shade did not dim his sight picture of the ape. Then the crossbow trigger clicked, the bolt released, and the ape staggered and fell, it's breath gasping quietly out of an arrow-pierced lung. It tried to crawl away. He recocked the bow and finished the animal with a second arrow into its skull.


TAG: @Mistress_Renata @Vehn @Bodhran777 @Anedon @galactic-vagabond422 @TheAdmiral @Cowgirl Jedi 1701 @Adalia-Durron

 

Reva Cambrion
Darkness falls

The dead were buried. She had taken a few moments to gather some of the early spring flowers and fragrant grasses to strew in the graves, to make their journey sweet and easy. And then, at the campfire, she told the others that she had to go back to find her grandmother. Kain stared at her, then made a face. "You want to leave? Fine go ahead, but once you're gone, you're gone. You won't be rejoining us."

She looked at him in disbelief and growing fury. He was dismissing her? She'd said twice that she needed to find out what had happened to her grandmother and he'd said later, later. And now he said no? She had slogged along behind the man for over two months, and to what end? Running all over the damn continent, getting shot at, and not accomplishing much else. She couldn't think of a single mission that seemed to have done anything that remotely crippled the Empire. Their biggest success--their only success--was finding some type of datacard, that they couldn't even read. And that was by accident. Her grandmother was a librarian and archivist, if she was still alive, she'd surely know how to get to it! How dare he brush her off!

She said nothing, but when they were ordered to bed, she moved about quietly, packing up her gear and loading it on to the back of her puzzled Thumper. She slung the captured rifle on her back, and shoved her old blaster into an improvised holster at her hip. She knew how to use these things now. She favored a few people with a hug and a whisper of farewell. Then she swung into the saddle, with much more ease than she'd had when she first joined this group.

Reva was going back to Grad. She was going to find her grandmother. She didn't know what Kain was fighting for. She wondered if he knew. But she knew what she was fighting for. Family, friends, people she loved. She was going to go back to find them, to see if any of her world still existed. Because only then would she truly be free to fight. And she was sure she'd have no trouble finding a team to fight with. She'd known all the partisans in Grad, she'd met some in other areas. All of them welcomed people with healing knowledge.

Kain wasn't the only game in town.

TAG: Anyone

 

IC: Thomas Ronaan
The Next Morning

Embers still glowed from last night's campfire as the early rays of dawn struck the partisans known as Kain's Heroes. Thomas stirred awake as the memory of the conversation with Kain, Reva, and others flooded his mind in all of its poignant purity. The disagreement last night had been brutally honest. Kain had his position and Reva had hers. They weren't meeting in the middle. Therefore it came as no surprise to him that Reva's spot around the campfire was gone. Vacated.

He knew she had returned to Grad. To fight for family and home. Part of him sympathized with her plight. He too was tempted to flee Kain's Heroes and fight for Grad but he held himself in check. He had joined Kain's Heroes because he agreed with the mission and more importantly he agreed with Kain. Grad, as he knew it, was dead. The past was gone. All that he had now was his sniper rifle and his wits.

The juggernaut's engines fired up. It was time to move out. The dead were buried and the next mission lay before them. Thomas slung his rifle over his shoulder and did the only thing he knew how to do: follow orders and liberate Skarn.

Kain's Heroes or bust.

Tag: Anyone

 

GM Update
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IC: Elim Kain
Skirting the edge of the City, dealing with loss

As the sun rose further in the sky behind them, Kain led the small band of rebels atop their varied mounts westward, through the woods skirting the southern edges of the city of Grad. It had come as no surprise that Cambrion had deserted them, she had her own path to follow and she had made it quite clear what her priorities were, but it had hurt nonetheless. Still most of them had stayed, and moved out with Kain towards their next objective.

There was Chrondarr and Skarnsson, the cell's scouts, out in front of the group walking point. It was their job to get them to the docks via this circuitous southern route. Following several meters behind them were Neil and Xard. The former was young, but already had the reputation as a fighter, while the latter, well they didn't call him the destroyer for nothing. Behind them and directly in front of Kain just a meter away was their communications specialist Kell Lian with all his communications gear packed on his mount. Behind Kain was Pathfinder, their heavy weapon's specialist, though all he seemed to specialize in was putting out large volumes of highly inaccurate fire. At least he kept his Z-6 rotary cannon well maintained.

After that were Jori their propogandist who was naturally keeping a record of the Empire's brutality to their north. Probably more to keep from talking to Heisn, the group's explosives expert, who felt he was an expert on everything, than anything else. Taking up the rear of the column were the Hero's two best shots, Mairéad O'Crainn. the newest member to join and of course the group's sniper, Thomas Ronaan.

It was a rather large cell all things considered, though lacking in a combat medic now with the desertion of Cambrion. Perhaps not so well equipped as the Remnant's units, nor as well manned as the Shining Path guerillas. Certainly they were not as well known as the Immortals, but it was a good group. One that Kain was truly beginning to feel responsible for. Especially after their recent combat losses. Kain flinched as the image of Windsong's sightless eyes flashed through his mind. "You all right boss?" The voice came softly from behind him. It was Pathfinder, the ever eager yet hopelessly inacurate veteran.

"Yeah fine, just that shelling." Kain explained away his reaction, and it was a lie that held some merit. To their north came the loud and nearly constant sound of shelling, explosions and the dreaded mechanical clanking of the Empire's monstrous walkers. Closer to their position, and of much more concern was the occasional high pitched whine of an Imperial police gunship overhead. Those were the real threat Kain thought to himself. The walkers yes were a problem, almost impossible for a small band of insurgents to take down, but they were limited in where they could go, and while they were deceivingly fast, they were still strategically immobile. If they appeared on the battlefield, the best bet for a rebel band was to fade away, melt back into the surrounding countryside and let the Imperials have the day. The renegades would meanwhile survive to strike another day, at a time and place of their own choosing. Preferably one far away from the armored behemoths. In most cases their size made them easy to pick out, and their limited numbers meant they couldn't be everywhere at once. The trick then was to attack where they weren't, and that wouldn't be such a difficult task to master.

The gun ships though, those were different. The could appear at a moments notice, disgorge a squad or more of troopers and then rain down their own blaster fire from above, at altitudes the rebel's own blasters couldn't reach. Their speed and mobility meant that no matter where a rebel band attacked, they could arrive and deliver their deadly cargo. They were vulnerable close to the ground, when offloading troops, but if they stayed high and just attacked from above, well the rebels had little to no recourse there. It was an issue he would have to devote more thought to. The walkers he could avoid, the troopers he could defeat, but the gunships, those were a problem.

For now though they seemed to ignore his small raiding party. They were after all under dense tree cover, skirting the southern edge of the city, and heading west. Most of the gunship's attention seemed to be on people streaming the opposite direction, headed east along the main road leaving the city and into the highlands. Refugees most of them, though Kain was sure that there were other renegade cells hidden among them. Good luck screening those out he thought with a wry grin. The Imperials would have trouble with that no doubt, and it was probably why they were devoting so many resources to at least monitor an uncontainable situation.

That was why his band was headed west. First to the docks, and where they could hopefully catch a ferry across the Skarn Sea, to the Port. He didn't want to get caught up in the refugee evacuation to the east, nor did he want to take the risk of being seen on the long over land route to Port. Those kriffing gunships were far too ubiquitous, they would surely be discovered and attacked long before they arrived. Going by sea though, that should surprise everyone. What was a surprise to Kain then was the situation when they arrived at the docks...

It was chaos, pure chaos. There were civilian refugees everywhere, many with passes to board one of the ferries to Port, but most without. The Imperial presence seemed near non existent, with the local police, Imperial collaborators in the minds of every Skarnian citizen, holding on to tenuous control of the situation. Or at least they played at being in control. With the throngs of screaming, starving people that crowded the docks there was no such thing as control. The smoking ruins of the Imperial Customs Booth was testament enough to that. It had been sectioned off now by police tape while a a squad of over worked police officers tried to keep the curious at bay.

"What happened?" Kain asked a nearby straggler who ignored him until Kain pointed to the wrecked Imperial fortification. "Shining Path, suicide bomber," came the meek answer before the being disappeared into the crowd, intent on reaching whatever his own purpose was. Shining Path, of course, Kain thought to himself. They were among the largest and most organized resistance groups on the planet, with dozens of cells spread across Skarn. They claimed to follow the teachings of Tak-ne, a Jedi they claimed had survived the purge. Most Skarnians knew better, that Tak-Ne had been killed by the clones following Order 66, but it didn't keep the Shining Path from carrying out atrocities such as this in his name.

And an atrocity this certainly was. Kain certainly had no use for the Empire, but at least with the customs booth intact there would have been some measure of civility here. Instead there was nothing but chaos and death surrounding the docks. Worse still from the human remains that still littered the area around the destroyed Imperial installation, there had been a number of innocent covillian casualties as well. Kain shook his head, he and his group were true freedom fighters. Shining Path though was nothing more than a bunch of radical terrorists. The Empire of course gave no thought to differentiating between the two, and now the Path's grotesque action would be used to stain the actions of all freedom fighters throughout Skarn, and beyond.

Still, there was some benefit to the chaos. Normally all passengers boarding a ferry at the docks would be screened at the customs booth for weapons as well as have their passes scanned before being allowed to board in an organized fashion. Now there was no organization at all as those who were able were practically shoved aboard a waiting ferry. The only thing that seemed to be consistent was that every pass was being still scanned by a ferry officer before the being holding the pass was allowed to board. That was the extent of the security check though. There were no random searches, no scanning for weapons or other contraband. If you had a pass, they crammed you (and your vehicle or mount) aboard. Of course visible weapons were indeed being taken, but the Heros could disassemble their larger weapons and hide them in the pack on their animals. That alone wouldn't get them aboard a ferry though.

Kain mulled that over for a moment before huddling the group into a circle, trying to communicate with them even in the midst of everything going on around them. "We need to get passes." he explained. "Boarding passes for the ferry." He looked around and indicated the destroyed customs booth. "There is no where to buy them, and I doubt anyone already with a pass would be willing to sell." He shrugged his shoulders as he began to disassemble his E-22 blaster rifle and stow the parts in saddle bags on his Blurgg, Highway. "Not that it matters, we don't have anything to pay for a pass with anyway." He looked to the group. "But we need passes, enough for all of us and our animals. Any ideas?"

TAG: @Sarge @Bodhran777 @Anedon @galactic-vagabond422 @TheAdmiral @Cowgirl Jedi 1701

OOC: Sorry for the delay here folks. This summer was hectic, and I am just now catching up as the school schedule for my kids settles things down a bit. This scene was initially inspired by the evacuation scenes towards the end of the film Enemy at the Gates. However some of you may indeed note some other parallels with recent worldwide events.

 

IC: Thomas Ronaan
The Edge of Insanity

Shelling to the north. The awful reminder that Grad was no longer. Not even a shell of its former self. There could be no emotions about his hometown now. Still his thoughts wandered to Cambrion. How she was getting along. If she'd made contact with her family. If she was even still alive.

Thomas had dealt with loss since the war started. Loss of friends and loss of self. There was something to be said, though, when that loss was someone who had sworn themselves to a cause. Maybe not by way of oath by but by way of action. He'd seen guerrilla fighters, partisans, freedom fighters, terrorists, mercenaries, whatever one wanted to be called come and go. It was the ones he'd pegged as lifers that stunned him with their devotion to the ultimate liberation of Skarn. Cambrion had been a lifer. Or so he'd thought.

I was mistaken. Perhaps about a great many things Thomas thought as the realization that he had arrived at docks.

Chaos greeted him. A chaos unlike he had ever seen before. Civilians, refugees of every kind, were surging, pushing, willing their way forward against the thin line of Imperial collaborators, local police. Thomas spit in disgust as he caught sight of the turncoats. They were a disgrace to the people of Skarn. The true warriors. Were he in a position of power he'd have them all strung up as reminders of what not to do in times of war. Perhaps, then, it was a good thing he was not in charge.

His sharp eyes caught sight of the wreckage and smoldering ruins of the Imperial Customs Booth. His heart sank. He knew what had caused the blast even before Kain had asked the question. He'd seen the handiwork of the Shining Path before. Religious fanatics, true believers in some mystical Jedi, willing to die and take everyone down with them. The Empire's retribution would be swift and brutal. He fully expected gunships to arrive at any moment and open up on the crowd at hand.

Kain questioned the group. Thomas listened as he always did. Kain had led them this far. Thomas knew that he was in good hands. A good chance to survive the war. A good chance to create a life beyond all this shooting mess.

"There are a couple options that come to mind," Thomas said speaking up, "we could rifle our way through the wreckage of the Customs Booth. I don't think much would've survived the blast but you never know. Or," Thomas paused as he examined the crowd, "we start stealing other people's passes, cause a fight, slip through the security cordon and get to freedom. If you want a third option just put me in a tall place and I can take out the few guards to allow you all time to board the ferry."

Thomas chuckled knowing full well that his ideas were the rumblings of a tired man.

Tag: @Sarge; @Bardan_Jusik; @TheAdmiral; @Anedon; @galactic-vagabond422; @Bodhran777; @Cowgirl Jedi 1701

 

IC: Jori Atreus
Ferry port

They were on the move… again. Last night was eventful and Jori did not get much sleep, nor were she able to get any now. She had never learned to sleep while sitting on her mount for the fear of falling off it.

She was grumpy, which meant she kept her mouth shut and glared at anyone who would try to have any sort of small talk with her.

The racket coming from the North did not help either. It was like a looming threat hanging over their heads, it was probably a matter of time until they stumbled upon any Imperial forces going to reinforce the ones already engaged in combat.

If she knew things were going to be like that she would have booked a flight to some backwater planet where there was hardly any Imperial presence. But deep down she knew that it was not the truth. This was her home and the Empire were pillaging and killing it.

She might not be a warrior, but she could do her job by showing the people the truth and hopefully enough Skarnians would muster the courage to rise up and fight.

Though the last part might be a bit of wishful thinking.

The ferry port was a mess. Jori turned around trying to capture it all, though she had to be careful not to attract too much attention. After all, any Imperial official could come and ask her to show her credentials and to show them the footage she had shot for inspection and probably will get confiscated and/or deleted.

“Or a fourth option.” her mouth started speaking by itself “I can try and charm the Imperial official to let us in?” it was a joke, though it could work.

Or it would get her jailed…

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik @Vehn @Sarge @Bodhran777 @Anedon @galactic-vagabond422 @Cowgirl Jedi 1701

 

IC: Kell Lian
Into the Chaos

Since leaving the camp and making their way toward the ferry, Kell had, for once, refrained from tinkering and fiddling with his gear. Instead, his mind was all over the place thinking about their destination, Port. He hadn't been back to the city since the Empire had given him the boot from his livelihood, and he was admittedly a bit terrified of what he would find there now. He knew that somewhere in the city, his home and work would be there, but it might look totally different than it had when he left. Once the Imps took his job and station, he had packed up and left. Part of him had wanted to go back and be around the things he knew and loved, but that was far from possible at this point, now that he was part of a rebel cell. It was no longer his home, a thought which had put him in a bit of a somber mood for a large part of the trek.

Coming up to the ferry port, however, had changed that, and now he surveyed the chaos the apparent blast had caused. Riding by the site of the explosion, he could tell instantly what had previously been there, as he had passed it on his way out of Port. The customs booth was a smoking ruin, and the civilian casualties were high. What sort of idiot rebel, he thought, would hit a customs booth knowing the collateral damage would be this bad? Sure, his group had been forced to correct a mistake or two involving civilians, but this was far from an honest mistake. The strike was intentional, knowing noncombatants would be within the blast radius. It was sick.

"Well, the optics on this are terrible, and the Empire's probably already spinning this one across the planet," he commented. He didn't have to consult his comms gear to have an idea of what was likely being broadcast. Sadly, there would probably be some truth to the headlines in there somewhere.

As Kain mentioned passes, Kell looked around at the surrounding area. He couldn't see any other customs booths, so their way onboard would have to be either by sneaking, stealing passes, or guns blazing. He hoped it wasn't the last one. Sure, there weren't too many guards, but opening fire in a crowd would be to akin to what happened to the customs booth, in his mind. People were bound to get shot simply for being there. Plus, that might make the ferry push off and leave as a safety precaution, and they would be stranded.

"Well," he said at Kain's request for ideas, "we could attempt to distract the guards. One of us causes a scene or something, while the rest get onboard. Would just have to be something good enough to get the officers involved. Maybe a lost baby rancor or something, I dunno." He shrugged with a smirk after adding the last bit. "Or else we could do something that would get the boat evacuated, hide in the group that gets offloaded, and try to sneak on once the boat is cleared and they start reloading. We'd just have to hope they don't start rechecking passes, or it would be a fight on our hands again."

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik @Vehn @Sarge @TheAdmiral @Anedon @galactic-vagabond422 @Cowgirl Jedi 1701

 

GM Update
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IC: Elim Kain
Amidst the chaos, Grad docks

Kain listened, trying to put the chaos around him out of his mind as the others voiced their thoughts on how to best appropriate the needed passes to board the ferry and escape this hellhole. Preferably before any Imperial reinforcements arrived and brought the situation under control. As bad as things were, and they were horrible, there was an advantage to be taken now in the confusion following the bombing.

"There are a couple options that come to mind," Thomas said speaking up, "we could rifle our way through the wreckage of the Customs Booth. I don't think much would've survived the blast but you never know. Or," Thomas paused as he examined the crowd, "we start stealing other people's passes, cause a fight, slip through the security cordon and get to freedom. If you want a third option just put me in a tall place and I can take out the few guards to allow you all time to board the ferry." He laughed, a weary sort of chuckle that Kain well understood even as he shook his head at the last suggestion. "Too much death..." he muttered under his breath, nearly inaudibly. He was tired of this was, as tired as many of the others were he suspected, but they had no other choice but to fight on.

“Or a fourth option.” Jori chimed in. “I can try and charm the Imperial official to let us in?” She said it with a mirthful half smile, one that Kain interpreted as meaning she was joking, though with Jori one could never be sure. That was even riskier then allowing Thomas to pick off the few remaining Imperials in the Docks. If she were caught it would bring their entire mission to a halt, and then they would have to worry about rescuing her. Kain again shook his head as he continued to mull things over.

"Well," Lian finally spoke up, "we could attempt to distract the guards. One of us causes a scene or something, while the rest get onboard. Would just have to be something good enough to get the officers involved. Maybe a lost baby rancor or something, I dunno." He shrugged with a smirk after adding the last bit. "Or else we could do something that would get the boat evacuated, hide in the group that gets offloaded, and try to sneak on once the boat is cleared and they start reloading. We'd just have to hope they don't start rechecking passes, or it would be a fight on our hands again."

Kain chewed on his lower lip as he looked to the group for any more suggestion. It was then that he noticed that Skarnsson had slipped away. he looked frantically for him, worried that he might have been caught up in something before realizing he was simply walking back towards the wilderness surrounding Grad. The native scout turned, he seemed to sense Kain's eyes upon him, and waved goodbye to which Kain could only give a knowing nod. The man had had enough, or maybe he was just unwilling to travel to the other side of the planet to continue their own little war. In any case Kain wished him well, and hoped he would someday see him again, in better times. With a deep sigh he looked to the remaining soldiers in his squad.

Thomas, Jori and Lian had already given their own ideas. Pathfinder was too busy trying to disassemble his massive Z-6 rotary cannon to give any of this much thought, not that Kain would have trusted the man's ideas much anyway. He was always ready to just go in guns blazing, this required more subtlety. Likewise Neil and O'Crainn had maintained their own silence as they surveyed the carnage around them. Whether that was because they also were ready to leave the war behind or whether they were simply bereft of ideas, Kain couldn't blame them he was too, the rebel leader didn't know.

Neither Chrondarr nor Xard had offered their own opinions either, though Kain could hardly blame them. This was out of either of their element, though one could never tell when the Coynite had a surprise up his sleeve. That left their explosives expert Heisn, and the middle aged human looked like he had something on his mind, something that Kain wasn't going to like one bit. "Why not just take theirs..." he trailed off, not out of embarrassment but more so his words would end in a statement rather than a question. He gave a small movement of his head, indicating a small girl on the ground with his chin. Her lifeless eyes and blood drenched blond hair demonstrated just what the old college professor meant. "She won't be needing hers anymore." Kain felt a rising anger at the sight of the corpse, the human girl couldn't have been more than five or six standard year. In her pale dead hand though, the one hand she still had left, she was clenching a boarding pass for the ferry. Hesin calmly walked over to her and snatched the pass form her grasp. "Now, I'm taken care of." He looked at the other bodies arrayed around the scene, some the dead girl's family which had all been wiped out by the bombing. "Plenty to go around," he bent low and picked up another pass, this one for an animal. "And that takes care of Jessie," he referred to his Eeopie.

Kain sneered in disgust as he clenched his teeth and balled his fists. This...man was desecrating the bodies of innocents, defiling their memories. And yet, Heisn was right. It was an easy fix, no rummaging around the wreckage of the Customs booth, no drawing attention to themselves by engaging the Imperials in any way. Just picking what they needed from those that no longer did. Kain's feature eased as he slowly nodded, scanning the ground for another corpse who would no longer need his or her pass. He didn't have to look long, not three meters from him was a Rodian, his legs torn asunder, with his own pair of passes. One for himself, and one for his own animal which also lay nearby, not quite dead. Steeling himself Kain walked over, his knees nearly buckling before he too bent down and grabbed the passes he needed.

"Get what you need," his voice was a whisper as he fought down the bile in his throat. "And disassemble your rifles, pack them away on your mounts." He gestured showing the the few remaining Imperials weren't even searching those boarding the ferry but loading them aboard as soon as their passes had been scanned.

TAG: @Sarge @Vehn @Bodhran777 @galactic-vagabond422 @TheAdmiral @Cowgirl Jedi 1701

OOC: OK, so after a long hiatus, we're back. And of course it's on a rather macabre note, war is indeed hell and I think given the current headlines we all realize that. If you're not comfortable with describing your character getting their boarding passes (one for them, one for their mount) in this fashion, I understand, you may have your character find one in some other fashion as well. Just need to have every character left in the game with a pass for themselves and their mount by the next update so we can get things moving along again.

 

IC: Chrondarr
Tickets to Hell

Chrondarr walked among the bodies, doing his best to slouch even though that didn't do his back any good. Sometimes it was not good to be head and shoulders taller than the average human. He moved slowly and aimlessly, trying not to draw attention as he occasionally paused to straighten a crooked limb. Maybe the bodies were only vessels for departed spirits, but those vessels should not be treated with disrespect.

So many bodies. Some too old to be here, many too young to die. Like Windsong.

He came to a sudden stop. The next body looked vaguely familiar, lanky and covered with fur, not as tall as a human, but still obviously a Wookiee. This one was younger than those who had been enslaved in the factory and crafted the bowcaster he carried. Judging by the ruin of her lower body, this youngster's death had been even worse than the others. He suspected she had been standing at just the wrong distance from a bomb, too close to have a chance of survival, too far to be instantly obliterated. Chrondarr was an experienced hunter who always skinned and butchered whatever he killed, but even he looked away from the mangled remnants of the Wookiee's torso.

He was about to move on when she blinked.

The spirit was still lingering in the ruined body. It wouldn't be long; no medicine could possibly save the youth now.

Chrondarr noticed the angle of the Wookiee's head. Her neck was obviously broken, making it impossible for her to react or give voice to the suffering she was enduring. A chill ran through him as the sun was darkened behind a fresh column of dirty black smoke. He knew his duty as a hunter.

Spirits of your ancestors, spirits of Skarn, let this young one be free of suffering.

He knelt by her side, raised her head, looked into her eyes for a brief moment that was far too long, and slammed her head back down to the ground hard enough to crack her skull.

Maybe he should ask forgiveness. Maybe not. He didn't know anymore.

She had tickets. He took them and returned to the others.

They were disassembling their weapons, hiding them in their packs. He broke down the bowcaster. Ever since he'd found it, it had been the focus of spirits, vengeful spirits of the Wookiees who had made it and died without a chance to strike a blow for their freedom. As Chrondarr hid the weapon, more spirits swirled around it, and around him.


TAG: @Adalia-Durron @Vehn @Bodhran777 @galactic-vagabond422 @TheAdmiral @Cowgirl Jedi 1701

 

IC: Thomas Ronaan
Tickets to Paradise

Thomas understood the why behind all this. Not so much the killing or the indiscriminate way that death found those at seemingly random moments. No, he understood the why. Why they fought. Why, despite losing fighters for different reasons, the band known as Kain's Heroes soldiered onward. He knew why he had chosen to place his banner next to Kain. The answer was quite simple, really. It had dawned on him while he picked his way through the bodies searching for his tickets. His tickets to paradise.

Kain represented everything that was once good with Skarn. Not because Kain was a saint or even because he was on some holy mission to right the sins of the universe. It was as if Kain, himself, was a flicker of the hope of the past. When Thomas had picked up a pen to grade papers, to instruct, to make a point about the greater good all around. Before he had learned to pick up a rifle. Before he had learned to calculate distance to target, factor in wind conditions, and ultimately take life with a single shot.

Thomas glanced over at Chrondarr and gave a nod as he watched the Coynite end someone's suffering. It was cold. It was dark. It was also, oddly, humane. Nobody deserved to suffer in their final moments. Death, was, a deeply personal experience. But nobody deserved that wretched condition known as suffering. Not when they had been struck by a weapon that should have ended it all in an instant. He had seen enough death to wish a clean one for all he engaged. Even his enemies.

Thomas found his tickets to ride moments later. A young mother, carrying an infant, both were pretty badly mangled. The mother had thrown herself over her child to protect him from the blast. It hadn't worked but perhaps, as Thomas took the two tickets from her lifeless grasp, it had eased his passing from this world. He could feel his mind slipping back to the past. A time when he had been working for one of the larger organizations after the fall of Grad. He fought off the memory. It was too hard to put into words.

And still the memory came to him.

A memory that hit him hard in the face like a cold punch from hell.

Thomas had been providing overwatch for a troop of soldiers when a woman came charging toward them with a rocket launcher. Accompanying her was her ten year old child. Caught up in a war he could neither understand nor dream of being a participant. Thomas fired the killing shot that took out the mother. Armed as she was. Then the boy picked up the rocket launcher and charged toward the soldiers who were just now noticing. Thomas cursed as he realized the decision that lay before him. He fired again saying a quiet prayer as the boy's lifeless body collapsed to the ground. Threat neutralized.

The memory faded as Thomas gathered with the others.

"Only the dead have seen the end of war," Thomas grunted as he held up his tickets. He quickly broke down his weapon. It was best to pass as a nobody. A nobody with a mission.

Tag: @Bardan_Jusik; @Sarge; @TheAdmiral; @galactic-vagabond422 et al....

 

IC: Jori Atreus
One way ticket to the Moon

Jori tried not to give a sigh of relief and chastised herself mentaly for making such suggestions. She had tried it before, but under different circumstances. She was aware of the effect she had on men and some women, but flirting at a place like this would be disastrous.

Though she could always play the damsel in distress, that won’t solve the group’s problem. Jori was not that good working in a team, as a journalist she mostly worked alone. And usually got into trouble, but a charming smile went a long way for some infractions.

But there was a place and a time for such antics and this was not it.

Her eyes widened slightly and she blanched at the solution that was being offered. Normally looters were shot on sight, but that was the least of her concerns. This was not some story that was going to make her focus and ignore the implications. This was… this was real…

Her previous mirth was gone, Jori licked her lips and started moving. She managed a couple of sneaky shots with her camera, but now that she was on her own it was pretty risky without any credentials.

Admittedly, under the Empire even proper documents were not a guarantee…

Good thing she did not have to look for too long. A lot of people had their tickets ready, so she had to choose the least damaged one. It was from the body of a handsome young man, who reminded her of…

No, she was not going to go there. Clenching her jaws she just snatched the piece and headed back towards the group. Hopefully this will work and they will move to the next nightmare…

TAG: @Bardan_Jusik @Vehn @Sarge @galactic-vagabond422 @Bodhran777 @Cowgirl Jedi 1701

 

OOC: Here I introduce my GM-approved NPC. He's free to borrow, and while I think it would be advantageous to keep him alive for possible later use, his ultimate eventual fate is not of critical importance.

Name: Nigel Ashbury
Species: Human
Gender: Male
Age: Declines to say specifically. Late 20's to early 30's

Physical Appearance
Height: About 6'5"
Weight: 145 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brown, shoulder length, worn in a ponytail. Has a mustache.
Clothing: Fringed suede leather vest over loudly colored paisley shirt and equally loud striped bell bottom pants. Shoes are brown hiking/combat boots.
Other: My brain insists that he is played by Tom Hiddleston. 'Nuff said?

Personality: Generally fun and easygoing, Nigel is basically a good person at heart, and a good friend, but also a bit of a rogue, since he makes his living as a pickpocket/petty thief/slightly shady pawnbroker.

Mairéad O'Crainn
The Docks, Grad

Mairéad understood the logic of taking passes from the dead, but it didn't sit well with her. Granted, she had scavenged some items from the pack of jerkfaces she'd scuffled with in the course of meeting Jori and Connor, most of whom had been dead, but those people had been openly hostile, and had probably stolen most of their gear from others anyway. She saw no shame in stealing from a thief. But this was different. As far as she knew, the victims of the bombing were innocents. They'd likely done nothing wrong other than being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Stealing from them just didn't seem right. Surely there was another way to get the passes she needed without drawing too much attention, wasn't there?

Scanning the crowd as she tried to think of something, a brightly colored figure caught her attention. As she shaded her eyes to better see the familiar-seeming being, he turned and saw her as well. Recognition struck them both at the same time. Smiling broadly, the young man hurried over to greet her.

"Maira? Is that really you?"

"Nigel Ashbury. Ain't you a sight for sore eyes. How are you, you reprobate?"

"Still in one piece, which seems to be saying something, today. How about yourself?"

"About the same, I'd say. But knowing you, you didn't come over just to pass the time of day."

"You know me too well. And knowing you, you were looking for something more than my pretty face. I don't suppose you could use some passes for the boat, could you?"

"Maybe. I don't suppose you just happen to have some extra, do you?"

"I might. But don't ask how."

"I'm sure I don't want to know. How much?"

"For you and your noble steed, nothing at all. For any of your companions who may require passes, I will part with them for the low, low price of only 5 credits each."