The Dark Academy on Korriban

Eventually there was a time for all things. Jo'ren had been patient all day, outwardly at least, and as the time approached and he assembled his gear it felt somewhat momentous.

What would they find? Riches? Lore? Or nothing, perhaps the twi'lek was mistaken. There was something at the back of his mind though that said this was going to lead to something, and that was enough.

With his backpack filled with useful equipment from the sites, Jo'ren collected a speeder and set off into the light rain to reach the coordinates for his meet. The gear he had borrowed proved useful, and he arrived at the place a couple of minutes early.

(OOC: putting this the LA slot to avoid overlapping the time streams with the other folks)

He heard the Kalen’s ship descend from the sky and land a few scant meters away as the sandstorm really started to set in. HK came down the ramp and said, “Statement: hurry up meatbag, we have a ship to find.”

Once on board the Infinite Destiny, things were quieter. It was a typical freighter at least from the outside, inside the hallways were cramped. In fact it looked rather mundane, The droid walked quickly and they passed by a small kitchen some small sleeping quarters and one of many cargo bays filled non descript boxes.

The ship was skimming along just above the clouds towards the location when he got to the cockpit. Kalen was flying and Gor’bezra howled at him as she managed the control systems.

Kalen laughed, “No, this won’t be like Gorian Prime. Besides we got out of that alive, Jumano not so much.” The wookie did not seemed convinced.

The craft began a descent through the clouds and with the sandstorm visibility was poor. Kalen gritted his teeth as he maneuvered the ship in for a landing but the sandstorm was treacherous and he clipped a dune causing a spin that he corrected by slamming the ship into the ground…

There was an awful sound as the ship grinded to a halt in the shadow of the larger Jedi research vessel, the Valiant Light. The wrecked ship had crashed at an angle with the thrusters pointing to the sky, the storm having exposed much of the ship.

“See what did I tell you, time to get rich,” Kalen said.

Through the Force Jo’ren could feel something stirring.

OOC: An almost perfect landing.

Kalen - Piloting Planetary: 2eP+2eA+2eD+1eS 1 failure, 5 advantage

Jo'ren had chuckled at the droid's greeting and was intrigued to see the inside of the ship. He hadn't spent a lot of time on light freighters, but this seemed a fairly standard design. He decided it was probably riddled with smuggling compartments...

The landing was not what he had been expecting, and he was glad to have maintained a good grip on the seat as the ship bounced like a rock thrown into sand. Don't ask what happened on Gorian Prime...

He could feel something in the pit of his stomach. It defied description at this point, but he knew the Force when he felt it.

"There is a disturbance in the force. We must be on our guard. Nice landing by the way."

It was probably a good job he had thought to bring the climbing gear judging by the angle of the ship. He gathered the equipment he had brought and assembled with the crew. "Where did you get the location from again?"

The crew steps out into the sand storm, HK takes point and said, “Statement: I do not like sand, it gets everywhere.”

Kalen had a heavy cloak and goggles while Gor’bezra just had goggles and a bowcaster on her back. HK carried a blaster rifle while Kalen has a heavy blaster pistol. It is only a scant hundred meters or so, but the wind and sand make it treacherous.

Jo’ren though sees something else, two figures engaged in a duel one has blazing blue lightsaber and the other is red, in the distance coming over a dune is a warrior dressed in black armor with full helmet and Imperial soldiers following him. The Sith fighter is aggressive but the other, a Jedi, is calm and controlled as she parried strike after strike. Raven hair swishing back and forth with each movement.

The Sith gets the better of her with a sweep knocking her to the ground. She rolled and her lightsaber flew from her hands. The Sith leapt through the air as she reached out and pulled her lightsaber to her hand and parried the fearsome strike. She reached out and used the Force to knock the Sith back and then hopped to her feet and then just up and sprung into an opening in the side of the ship some twenty meters up.

The vision fades and he can see that opening through the blowing sand…

OOC: Athletics Average to climb get a Boost die for equipment, spending a Destiny to upgrade.

"No shit Robo-bro." Was Jo'ren's witty retort. He was going to say more but was silenced by the Force vision.

Who was she? A Jedi obviously, but when did this take place exactly and who was she fighting? Then there was the guy in the armour and his soldiers. Was that the same time or something unconnected? Jo'ren was both intrigued by the intensity of the vision and perturbed by the fact he had rarely experienced one like it.

Raising his right hand he pointed up to the opening that was barely visible.

"There's a way in. Right there, do you see it?" He looked at the others. "I'll climb up and set the gear."

Which he accomplished, despite the tug of doggy destiny...

Day 3. Valiant. Athletics check. + Boost. Upgraded by a doggy.: 2eA+2eP+1eD+1eC+1eB 2 successes, 1 threat

Kalen called up, “Good work kid.” He came up and then HK and then the wookie followed. Once at the entrance the interior opens up at an angle with the floor at an incline due to the crash angle it makes walking a little awkward but doable. The interior is dark and there is no power.

The wookie gave a guttural growl. Kalen nodded and said, “Here’s the plan we find a command console, preferably on the bridge. Gorby and I will see if we can get some systems working and you and HK secure the rest of the ship. Sound good?”

"You'll find I'm full of surprises." Jo'ren smirked and then flicked the electro goggles on. "Just make sure you signal before you power everything up, okay?"

He rummaged in his bag for the datapad and loaded up the information he had collected previously on the basic layout of this class of ship. "It's not going to be 100% accurate but this was the best I could come up with. Unless you've got a better version it looks like the bridge would be...in that general direction."

“Nice… lead the way to the bridge, I can already smell the riches,” Kalen replied. The floor plan isn’t exactly right but the team finds the bridge after about fifteen minutes of searching. The interior is ruined with broken panels and what look like scorch marks on the walls. There are disabled and dusty droids littering the halls.

There are no corpses though. The Bridge is in a poor state but some of panels look operable. Gorby sets down her pack and starts getting to work. She opens up panels and starts trying to see if she can coax any power.

Kalen moved to a computer system and sighed, “Girl has seen better days, good thing we came along.”

Training saber in hand, Jo'ren led the way with HK not far behind. The scorch marks didn't look like lightsaber damage but he took a closer look. Once they reached the bridge and the others began the repair work he started to look around for any clues.

"I'm just looking for any sign of Jedi. Anything I can do to help with this part, you just let me know."

He hadn't developed his force abilities very deeply yet, but the vision he had seen earlier got him wondering if perhaps this place had some sort of connection.

The Sith aspirant can hear the echoing sound of lightsaber combat.

His head snapped up and he looked over at Kalen and Gorby.

"You hear that?" He gestured to the droid. "HK, with me."

Training saber in hand he set off in the direction of the battle.

HK says, “Query: I hear nothing, and a lightsaber is a very distinctive sound pattern.” The droid follows along though no reason to not follow the huge sith.

“Statement: regardless I am prepared to liquidate, I kill for the Maker,” the droid says with pride.

Jo’ren follows the sound of combat and jumps back as a red saber is deflected by the same Jedi. The Sith ducks around a corner as Imperial soldier open fire, with the same calm determination she parries and reflects blasts, causing the scoring marks he saw earlier.

The man in armor unleashes his own lightsaber and charges the Jedi and they clash, the Jedi cleverly keeping the Sith Lord between her and his soldiers. This fight is far more close as the Sith Lord utilizes his size and skill to great effect if not for her mobility she would be dead.

She runs up a wall to evade blaster fire and then springs towards the soldiers and cuts them down in a twirl of violence. The other Sith sprung from the shadows and she rolled back to avoid his strike and now engaged both Sith and Sith lord deftly but she is losing ground when she sees an opening the Sith’s defenses and cuts him down with a graceful slash.

There is a look of regret on her face as she uses move to throw debris between her and the Sith Lord and then rushes down the corridor right past Jo’ren so close he can feel the hair and then he is back in the ruined structure of the now.

HK says, “Statement: have you ceased to function, meatbag?”

The Force was strong here. It was the most vivid vision he had experienced. The Droid's voice snapped him back to the present

"Wha? No, meatbag is fi... I'm fine, thanks HK." Jo'ren walked over to where the Jedi had cut down the Sith, looking for any evidence of a body, or that of the soldiers. The Sith's style had reminded him of his own, and his own mistake against Jaina Von.

Once he had finished examining any remains or artifacts (if any existed) he looked back in the direction the Jedi vision had gone.

"Onwards and...well...backwards? I guess. Actually nevermind HK, just follow along and cover me please."

Jo'ren may roll Perception average difficulty may add force die add any force points as success or advantage. Must spend Destiny to use light and the roll generates 1 extra Light. Light side vergence.

He could feel the light side of the force, its influence was strong here. But he was a Rath, and Raths knew that balance and peace was an illusion. He plucked at the tendrils of Darkness that lingered behind in the Sith's demise and found...something.

Day 3. Valiant. Perception check. + Force die: 2eA+2eD+1eF 2 threat, 2 Dark Side


[Jo'ren uses the 2 Dark Side points to change the result to either 1 success and 1 threat or 2 successes and 2 threat (Leave it to you for whatever makes for a more interesting result, I have no idea )]

The sith searches and finds the remnants of a shattered lightsaber. It is black with a molded grip But that is not what draws his, it is the glinting red crystal peeking out from the red dust and dirt. Just as he grabs it the lights inside flare to life blinding him as the ship shutters.

OOC: Jo’ren takes 2 strain.

He hears Kalen over an intercom, “Sorry about that, looks like Gorby tripped some kind of hidden protocol, but we got power… kind of.” This is followed by a wookie growling over the intercom.

“So I am working on the computers but we need more power, see if you can get down to the engine room. Gorby and I can walk you through what needs… hey did you hear that?” The sounds of blaster fire echo through the ship.

HK says, “Statement: if I had emotions I would say I have a bad feeling about this.”

Slipping the crystal into a pocket of his utility belt Jo'ren eventually looked up at the droid, blinking as he removed the goggles. "Guess they triggered an automatic defense system. What do you think HK? Battle droids?"

He paused, trying to determine if the blaster fire was ahead of them. Either way they would have to press on if they were going to get to the engine room. "Come on, let's go deal with your hypothetical bad feelings."

(OOC: I'm guessing that's onward in the direction the Jedi went?)

It indeed looks like it was in the same direction. The duo round the corner to see three Republic combat droids hum to life and then turn. One says in a robotic voice, “Die Sith, for the Republic!”

Then droids open fire but HK and Jo’ren find cover as blasts score the wall next to them.

HK quips, “Query: time for mayhem?”

OOC: The Republic droids are at short range in the cramped quarters of the ship and have cover. Initiative roll Cool.

"Mayhem and Rage."

He nodded to HK, and then proceeded to hang around in cover for a bit as his player discovered that Cool is based on Presence, not Willpower like he had thought

-----

Day 3. Valiant. Cool check. Hmm, guess I missed that Cool was on Presence : 1eA 0 successes

The Republic droids advance forward into cover and unleash a salvo of blasts despite the cover Jo’ren is struck by the blasts! Searing pain rips through his body as HK deftly takes aim and fires into the droids his blasts rip one apart with ease and then a second pinpoint shot destroys the head of another droid!

HK says, “Statement: Assassination protocols, activated.” His hail of fire gives Jo’ren a moment to breath and react.

OOC: Initiative Order - Republic Droids (1), HK, and Jo'ren. Jo'ren takes a total of 8 wounds after soak! HK scores a Critical and uses his other Advantage to give Jo'ren a boost die on his next check. HK destroys 2 droids. the droids have taken 8 damage.

HK - Cool: 1eP+1eA 1 success, 2 advantage


Republic Droids - Cool: 2eP+1eA 1 success, 4 advantage


Republic Droids - Ranged Heavy vs. Jo'ren: 2eP+1eA+1eD+1eS 4 successes


HK - Ranged Heavy vs. Droids (Aim): 2eP+2eA+1eD+1eS+1eB 3 successes, 4 advantage

Jo'ren feels the pain and lets it fuel his rage. He rushes forward, out of cover, to engage the remaining droid with his training saber.

His attack is brutal, frying the droid circuits as he slices into it with the training weapon, proving that any weapon can be used for destruction. He felt his training come in useful as he fortified his mind [activate Second Wind ability to recover 1 strain].

Channeling the rage and anger he felt, Jo'ren concentrated on his wounds, miraculously healing one with dark energy (will spend triumph for this effect if allowed, otherwise to find something useful).

"I like that protocol HK..."

--------
Incidental: Speak
Manuever: Short to Engaged
Action: Attack

Day 3. Valiant. Attacking the last droid with training saber. Boost from HK. No cover for droid in melee: 2eA+2eP+2eD+1eB 6 successes, 2 threat, 1 Triumph


Attack deals 12 strain damage to droid, which converts to wounds since the droid doesn't have a strain threshold(?).

Jo'ren is currently at 8 wounds and 1 strain.

There is silence as Jo’ren smashes the final droid with ease. HK says, “Statement: my only regret is that I might be too good at liquidating. I detect no droids in our immediate vicinity.”

The path forward was clear, just beyond the droids is the engine room. Inside it looks like there was damage from the crash but there is a hum from power generation.

Kalen comes over the intercom, “So uhh, I hope you are not dead. We had a minor issue.” A wookie howls in retort to that statement.

“If you are in the engine room look for the bypass valve, it should be red or green… no definitely red. The green one will vent the engine probably fry that whole wing,” Kalen adds.

OOC: Perception versus 1 Challenge dice, 3 Difficulty die with a boost die for Jo’ren. I will allow the Triumph to heal 1 wound, sounds cool.

HK Perception: 1eP+2eA+1eB+1eC+3eD 1 failure

Jo'ren chuckled at HK and reached for a stim pack. "Yeah, well I'm not regretting bringing you along." He felt the rushing sensation as the pack filled him with stims and started healing his blaster wounds. He breathed in and shrugged off the strain on his system.

[Recover 5 wounds; Recover 3 strain]

"Yeah, we're still in two separate pieces thanks." Ah shit, that did not sound good. "For the moment. Come on HK."

He waved for the droid to follow him but it couldn't see the valve. Eventually with time seeming to tick away in long seconds, he managed to find the valve and turn it, possibly with seconds to spare.

Unfortunately it was burningly hot, so turning it was extremely painful.

Day 3. Post-combat strain recovery, Discipline check: 1eA+2eP 3 successes, 3 advantage


[Wounds taken = 2]
[Strain taken = 0]

Day 3. Engine room perception: 1eA+1eP+1eB+1eC+3eD 2 failures, 3 threat, 1 Triumph


OOC: Can I use the Triumph to accomplish the task but take damage doing it?

Jo’ren pushes through the pain and gets the valve to move and the place lights up revealing a cloaked figure trying to hide behind engine equipment a few meters away. Hk raises his rifle and says, “Statement: we have a meatbag, oh joy shall we eliminate them?”

“Stop sith, I mean you no harm,” the woman says raising a hand.

OOC: Take 3 strain.

Jo'ren raised a hand. "Hold on there HK. Let's find out what this meatbag wants before engaging protocols."

The stinging sensation in his hands was uncomfortable, but he shunted the pain to fuel his anger.

"Well...good. Who the hell are you, and what are doing here on this old wrecked ship?" He looked into the hood, getting the distinct impression it would turn out to be the Jedi from his visions.

[Current totals = 2 wounds and 3 strain]