 |
| Time to leave! |
Opening crawl: Charges detonate seemingly at random on board the Imperial Star Destroyer Subjugator, as the escaped rebel prisoners, their friends, dozens of defecting stormtroopers and rogue droids, and their hostage, rush toward the hangar bay, hoping to find any ship they can in order to escape before the core explodes.
Additionally, the rebels must send warning to several patrolling Rebel vessels in the fleet, which they know intend to engage the Subjugator at close range -- but it's a trap!
The Subjugator's core has been rigged to detonate in a way that inflict maximum damage on any and all ships in its vicinity. The countdown has begun. 59... 58... 57...
(Editor note: These are getting harder and harder to write out considering the size of the group. This particular session was much less combat driven than usual and there’s no way I can possibly write out what everyone said.)
Blissex: Quickly my friends, the ship is breaking up before the core blows. Lira, where’s the nearest ship.
Lira: It’s Kolaff’s shuttle. I’m sure he’s already started the ignition! It’s this way.
She pointed to a blast door to the right.
Two stormtroopers continued to have their rifles pointed at her, and another two ran towards the blast door. They opened it and off in the distance there was a Lambda shuttle, ramp still down, firing up its engines.
53... 52... 51...
The stormtroopers and droids began moving as fast as they could toward the Lambda shuttle. Blissex, Lira, and her escorts also ran that way. More explosions started to go off.
48.. 47... 46...
Vero was about to try to hack into it, but others in the group suggested that Lira would know how to unlock the console. They asked her to do it.
Lira: Turns out you need me afterall! Unhand me!
Lira stepped over and pressed three buttons.
Kolaff: Lira Wolf... you’re committing treason. Your career in the Empire is OVER! When I report that you’ve changed sides you’ll WISH you would have gone up with the ship.
Lira grabbed a stormtrooper’s gun and fired a bolt between Kolaff’s eyes. He fell to the ground dead.
Groups of stormtroopers aimed their weapons at her, and she dropped hers and stood up.
Lira: Now is there anyone here who can fly this thing?
31... 30... 29...
Turk jumped into the pilot seat and prepared to exit.
Jeegn and Grundle and Soan, who were still entering the shuttle from the ramp, heard a faint shout amid all the explosions. They turned around to see Private Pidge crawl out from under some debris and make his way to the shuttle. He shouted to raise the ramp as he jumped on.
The ramp began to rise...
25... 24... 23...
Grundle heard a call in a loud Ithorian voice telling them to wait. He and Jeegn turned around to see...
Another Jeegn and Grundle making their way towards the ship! The clone Jeegn was trying to support a very injured Grundle, dragging him slowly toward the ship. They were not going to make it in time before the ramp closed...
The two Ice Pirates leapt into action to save their clones. Jeegn, clone Jeegn, and Grundle all picked up clone Grundle and carried him back to the shuttle. They heaved him up to the ramp and jumped on the ramp themselves.
But just then, a huge piece of the ceiling broke off and was heading straight for them. The two Jeegn's dodged out of the way, but Grundle knew that the debris would crush his clone. Grundle spun around and screamed his best Ithorian scream at the falling debris, causing it to fragment.
Unfortunately, they would still be hit by the debris. One piece of ceiling smashed into the head of clone Grundle. Grundle turned his back and tried to jump out of the way, but he was hit in the back of the neck by another large piece.
The ramp fully closed Turk began piloting the shuttle towards the window when he saw several rebel capital ships come out of warp around the subjugator.
Blissex: Quickly.. Tell them to go to lightspeed NOW!!!!
Turk: (on comms) Attention rebel fleet: move away ASAP.
Akbar: (on comms) Who is this?
Turk: (on comms) This is Captain Turk of Delta Team and I'm kind of a big deal, but that's not important right now. The Subjugator is rigged to explode and it'll take out the whole fleet. Escape while you can!
Akbar: (on comms) I don't understand. The Subjugator is disabled. We're going to take it out.
Vero: (on comms) Vero Morelock security code 37-Alpha-Tango! Leave immediately! This is an emergency. Akbar: (on comms) Are you saying ... it's a Trap?
Everyone: (on comms) YES!!!!
The rebel capital ships altered their course and shifted into lightspeed.
15... 14... 13...
Turk began maneuvering the shuttle out of the hangar bay, as a very large explosion expelled it out violently.
All in the cockpit were able to see a Tie Advanced fighter launched from the same general area. It quickly zoomed off into hyperspace.
Everything got very bright and there was a very loud boom sound, but luckily the hyperdrive kicked in...
The stars got long and soon the shuttle also blasted away....
Editor's note: Q: What about Hal, Maki, L1, Golden Wheels, and D'Wook? Did they die when the Subjugator exploded? A: Let's find out what happened to them, shall we? We'll pick it up from the moment we last saw them.
Their way to the hangar bay with the shuttle was blocked by the big bits of ceiling. It’d be impossible to go that way given the time they had left.
41... 40... 39...
Hal heard a female voice urge them to move to run to the left.
To their left they saw that off in the distance there was a section of wall that looked like it’d been cut open by lightsabers.
They rushed left, went through the freshly cut wall into what appeared to be a tie fighter launch tunnel. Ahead, they could see a Tie Advanced fighter. It was starting its engines. At the base of the ramp was a guy wearing weird clothes.
 |
| He looked like this. |
Weirdly clothed guy: First brother, we have company.
He ignited a circular blade.
From the ship: Second brother... I’m occupied with this one. Dispose of them.
Editor's note: I am actually not too aware of any of the lore surrounding inquisitors, other than that they call each other a certain rank, and then either brother or sister. I have come to realize that First and Second Brother are actual characters, which I did not intend. So yeah, if these guys are supposed to be dead by now then I don't know much about them. I did not watch the Clone Wars animated series and while I like Rebels, I'm not too familiar with how inquisitors are part of the overall story. I just needed a way to put more fan service into the game. If I got it wrong.. oh well.
The Second Brother ran toward them, prepared to strike.
29... 28.. 27...
Hal and the Second Brother's lightsabers crossed and they each took turns attacking and defending, but neither scoring a hit. The time was ticking downward.
Second Brother: Jedi... we have no time for this. You, your droids, and your ... pets can come on board, and we’ll settle this elsewhere. I promise not to attack any of you until we land somewhere and have a proper duel.
D'Wook sneered, not liking that he was called a pet. Maki shrugged and smiled.
Hal agreed and everyone got on board.
As they entered the tie advance they saw a Togruta woman lying on a table. A device had been placed over her mouth and she’s also had cuffs around her ankles and hands.
 |
| Who could this be? |
The second brother placed a hand on Maki.
“Any strange moves and this one gets it. Now hold on and prepare to launch.”
D'Wook was not happy about this. He stuck his trident out at the inquisitor, prepared to strike him in the neck.
Second brother: Oh.. a feisty one. You better brace yourself because we're about to take off.
The second brother grabbed a pipe running along the ceiling.
Second brother: “First Brother... we’re aboard.”
Looking out the cockpit, you see several rebel capital ships enter the area.
First brother: I looks like they took Kolaff’s bait.
The ships quickly changed course and zoomed into hyperspace.
Second brother: Maybe not
The tie advance quickly ejected into space... The group noticed that a Lambda shuttle also launched from the same general area. It zoomed into hyperspace.
The group saw stars as their ship entered hyperspace.
Comms: Imperial shuttle Tyderium... state your intentions
Editor's note: Star Wars fans will recognize that this is the name of the "stolen shuttle" used by General Han Solo and his team in the Battle of Endor. If you didn't recognize that.. are you really a fan? Are you?
 |
| "Fly casual!" |
Vero: This is Vero Morelock of Delta Team requesting permission to land. We have Imperial prisoners on board.
Comms: Delta team didn’t survive the battle of Hoth. I repeat! State your intentions. Do you intend to surrender?
Turk: This is Captain Turk, also a member of Delta Team, and I'm kind of a big deal. We are very much alive and respectfully request permission to land.
Comms: Negative. You must surrender within 30 seconds or we will engage you.
Two X-Wings pulled up behind the shuttle.
Blissex: My friends... maybe surrendering to the Rebels is not such a bad idea.
Vero: Rebel fleet, we surrender. Repeat, we surrender.
Comms: Okay, how many people are aboard the ship? Are there any aboard who require immediate medical attention?
Vero: Yes, we have several wounded personnel, a dead imperial officer, and about 40 stormtroopers who have stated their intention to defect. Once again, I advise you that we are in fact Delta Team and we are very much alive.
Comms: Understood, Captain Morelock. The fighters will escort you in.
The shuttle passed along the side of a nebulon B escort frigate and into an open hangar bay where there were hundreds upon hundreds of armed rebel soldiers pointing at the shuttle. As they landed about a dozen sweepers begin scanning the ship for explosives and other threats.
Comms: Okay Tyderium. Lower your ramp. Medics will come aboard and remove the injured. Do NOT try any funny stuff.
Turk lowered the ramp.
GM: A medical team with stretchers make their way into the shuttle. They gatherd the two Grundles.
A medic quickly scanned the unconscious Grundle...
Doctor, looking at his datapad: This one is brain dead. We can put him on life support but he probably won’t last another week.
Fake Jeegn began to cry.
Another medic scanned the real Grundle
Doctor: Permanent paralysis... he’ll never walk again... Unless...
Jeegns, simultaneously: Unless what?
Doctor: There’s this.. Experimental procedure that involved injured clones during the Clone wars. We could attempt to transplant the brain of this one into the body of that one... There’s considerable risk.. And there’s not a lot of documented precedent, especially on Ithorian clones...
Blissex: Um... actually, I ... saved... Dr. Len’s illegal research from Cloud city ... not that it would do me any good since I can’t read.
Doctor: that would be very helpful to make sure this operation goes smoothly.
Blissex: Too bad but the tapes with all his data were in my lab at Echo Base.
Doctor: I believe your lab and its contents were given high priority and evacuated in one of the earlier transports....
Security officer: If you can give him access to the research he can do the procedure... but you’ll be in violation of ethics codes for having not reported that to us.
Blissex: Delta Team saved the life of myself and my daughter. I’ll do the time if you can make Grundle walk again.
The medical team exited along with Dr. Blissex, the fake Jeegn and the two Grundles.
Comms: Next you’ll send your stormtroopers out two at a time, with their hands up. They will be taken into custody and processed.
Losar'Tan relayed the order to the defecting stormtroopers. They complied, each leaving their weapons behind and surrendering to the Rebels.
Comms: Now send out all other imperial and imperial adjacent staff.
Lira exited, followed by Pidge and Soan.
Security officers told Pidge and Soan to stop and told Lira to keep her hands in the air and kneel to the ground. She complied and they put her in cuffs and lead her away.
From among the ranks of the soldiers dashed out a very pregnant woman in a flight suit. She ran up to Pidge and jumped at him with her arms and legs wide open. He caught her and they shared a kiss.
Woman: “Welcome back, special agent Pidge...”
Pidge: Good to see you too, Flight officer Allura!
Allura: Follow me... I’ll handle your... debriefing...
More security guards advanced on Soan's position and barked at her to raise her hands in the air.
Pidge: No guys... she’s cool. She was my buyer.
The security guards lowered their weapons and asked Soan to step aside and they called for all of Delta Team to come out. When they exited, about 20 armed soldiers rushed into the shuttle.
On the comlink they confirmed that the various sections of the ship were clear of threats.
Two officers, Captain Ricard and Commander Piker approached and asked Delta team to follow them to a room for debriefing about specifically what happened at Hoth and aboard the Subjugator. They asked Delta Team how Soan had any kind of role in this...
 |
| Ok. I admit. I suck at making names for NPCs. Here is a picture of Piker and Ricard. Which is which? Does it matter? |
Vero explained that she was operating a business on board the Subjugator. It was a front for her smuggling business, and Pidge had been her supplier. So in a way she was helping to fund the rebellion, though she wasn't previously aware of Pidge's Rebel connections.
Soan added that Delta Team, after escaping from prison, chanced upon her shop and told her all they had been through, that the ship was rigged to explode, and that she was going to die if she stayed where she was. She decided to join Delta Team to find a way off the ship.
Ricard and Piker asked Soan to join for questioning.
They were lead to a conference room with a large table and many chairs. Ricard and Piker called for Corporal Lance, who entered with a datapad and he began taking notes.
Edit: With the introduction of Corporal Lance (instead of the military rank Lance Corporal), the entire Voltron Force has now been introduced in this game. Hunk and Sven appeared way back in Session II as Rebel soldiers that died in the fighting in the jungles of Yavin. Keith was a clone trooper who got eaten by the sarlaac along with Jedi Master Scala Zeal just as Order 66 went out. We met Pidge for the first time on the Subjugator, Allura and Lance in this session. I think this game has evolved not just into nostalgia about Star Wars, but the decade of the 1980s in general, when most of the group was kids.
Ricard and Piker asked Delta team to recount what happened following their retreat into Echo base. They recapped what happened and how they helped the Millennium Falcon get away but then were captured by Darth Vader, who spared them because he recognized that Hal was strong in the ways of the Force.
Ricard and Piker asked Delta Team to remain in the room for a while, and they excused themselves. After about 10 minutes they returned to explain that their account does not match up with the account given by private Errter.
According to Errter, as soon as the imperials breached the main hangar doors, Delta team all perished in the fighting. Errter got on the comms and told everyone that the imperials entered the base
He immediately fled for his life and took the Silverlight, as it was the only available ship once sections of the base started collapsing in the attack.
Piker: Either you all are lying or he is. And we’ve got to get to the bottom of this. Additionally, some might think it is highly suspicious that you met the ruthless Darth Vader and are still alive, you were unarmed in the brig of a Star Destroyer but managed to escape and blow the whole thing sky high, and you come aboard with a shuttle, a legion of defecting stormtroopers, and a high-profile wanted criminal. It all just seems very unlikely.
Lance: I’ve been commissioned to be Errter’s lawyer. I’ve got to tell you, I’ll be handling this case as fairly as I can. But I strongly advise you all also have legal representation.
Ricard: Unfortunately, there were no people in this fleet with the necessary legal training who were not involved in the battle. So you’ll unfortunately have to appear as witnesses only. As of now you’re all accused of being spies for the Empire. Unless you are aware of someone with legal training in this fleet who WASN’T involved in the Battle of Hoth, you can’t really contest these charges other than by testifying as witnesses.
Nobody said anything...
Piker: <cleares his throat and looks Soan in the eyes...> Erhm... He said.. UNLESS YOU KNOW SOMEONE WITH LEGAL TRAINING ON THIS FLEET WHO WASN’T INVOLVED IN THE BATTLE OF HOTH who could represent you.. ERHM ERHM...
Soan: Oh... I've studied law. Yep. University of Ryloth. I didn't finish but I know my way around a courtroom.
Piker: Good. You all can prepare your case... we'll set the date for...
An aide steps into the room and announces that Grundle’s brain transplant operation was successful, but he’ll not be at full strength for about three weeks.
Ricard:... Well alright then, we’ll set the trial for three weeks. Until then, you’re all confined to a combined quarters and security will be posted at the doors. You can’t have any visitors other than your lawyer. The same goes for Ertter...
MEANWHILE
The other group, on board the tie advance, held a tense stalemate. The First Brother began scanning for planets and found a blue one. He landed on a grassy field.
The door opened and the Second Brother ordered everyone to step outside. Hal and the Second Brother stepped out together, followed by Maki and D'Wook. The First Brother was close behind them.
D'Wook and Maki took a seat on the grass. The First Brother also sat down.
The Second Brother ignited his lightsaber.
Second brother: Now, Jedi... we will settle this.
Hal: There are alternatives to fighting...
Hal ignited his saber and blocked a shot from the Inquistitor. They dueled back and forth for a while, parrying each others' swings until Hal kicked the Second Brother, knocking the wind out of him. Hal showed mercy, and asked the Second Brother to drop his weapon.
At that, the First Brother jumped up and ignited his own weapon and charged at Hal, who blocked him and stepped back to catch his breath.
Second brother: I did say.. WE would settle this.. Did I not?
D'Wook leapt into action, trident in hand, and dashed at the Second Brother, as the First Brother unleashed a flurry of blows on Hal, who was having trouble blocking them all. The Second Brother took swings at D'Wook who did a few cartwheels and toe kicks to dodge. He started wondering if maybe his attack had been a bad idea.
The First Brother struck at Hal faster and faster, and Hal eventually lost his footing, fell over, and dropped his lightsaber. He stood over Hal and began to gloat.
First Brother: You should have killed the first brother when you had the chance. The Jedi are weak, bound by their code of honor. Pathetic. I will relieve you of your limbs. Lord Vader will indeed have a use for ... whats left of you. Muhahahaha
Just then, two white lightsabers pierced through the First Brother's head and torso, relieving him of his life. Hal looked up to see the Togruta woman holding the two ligtsabers. She winked at him and turned to face the Second Brother, who turned his lightsaber to face her. He had a look of extreme fear on his face.
Second Brother: Ahsoka.... Even if you kill me and escape... he will hunt you down. There’s nowhere you can run...
Editor's note: How did Ahsoka escape? L1-NK set her free. His player whispered what he wanted to do into my ear. We rolled the dice and I gave him the thumbs up. We were able to conceal it to the group so that it was a complete surprise that Ahsoka rescued Hal when it seemed like he was about to die.
Ahsoka: I'm not going to kill you.
The Second Brother's fearful look turned into a cautious smile.
Second Brother: Ahh, more Jedi mercy. I accept.
Ahsoka: You forget. I'm not a Jedi. What I meant was.. I'm not going to kill you ... but I cannot speak for him.
At that moment D'Wook slid under the Second Brother and pulled the trigger on his trident, causing it to expand into 2bro's junk. He fell to the ground and D'Wook stabbed the inquisitor's body again and again and again and again. Maki stood up and began beating the body with a stick. D'Wook and Maki reveled as blow after blow rained down onto the corpse, which was quickly beginning to resemble more of a pulp rather than once having belonged to a living being. Hal: Guys! Guys! I think you got 'em!
After a few minutes the two Ewoks ran out of breath.
Ahsoka had a disturbed look on her face.
Hal: Um.. excuse my friends... they're from a remote part of the galaxy.
Ahsoka: We have to give these ones proper funerary rights. They are indeed twisted and evil, but they were once Jedi, and that still counts for something. Hal, help me build a funeral pyre.
The two began cutting down trees with lightsabers, while D'Wook and Maki hunted for food to roast. Ahsoka and Hal built up enough wood for a large fire, and laid the remains of both inquisitors on the wood. Ahsoka told Maki to ignite the wood. Maki obliged. D'Wook began roasting a bird-like creature they caught over the fire.
Ahsoka: Tell me Hal. Who was your master?
Hal:Um... uh.. hold on.. let me think.... um... Oh yeah! Her name was Schala Zeal.
Ahsoka: That’s weird. I don’t recall her having any male Padawan.
Hal: Well, see, I met her just before the Battle of Yavin. She was inside a sarlaac pit that my friends and I were all tossed into and... (He explained how Schala trained him telepathically over a period of two years, and at the end of her training, she asked him to help her become one with the force).
Ahsoka: So you just … killed her?
Hal: She said she was in such agony and had been absorbed into the monster’s body at that point. It was mercy.
Ahsoka: Okay, so she completed your training a few years ago… But you look like you’re my age. Surely I would have remembered you at the temple.
Hal: I was never at the temple.
Ahsoka: How is that possible? In the last days of the Republic, Force sensitives are always identified early.
Hal: Well, I was just a baby when the Republic fell. But I was involved in a time travel mishap and I’ve aged 10 years. (He explained about the planet where tech doesn’t work and how he had been transported a hundred years into the past but hibernated until another Jedi presumably woke him.) Her name was Cherlindria. The details are a bit fuzzy for me because Cherlindria wiped my mind when I encountered my group again.)
Ahsoka: Cherlindria’s alive? So she is still living there?
Hal: Um… no, she and Syfo Dyas were killed by clones. We kinda… sorta… let them know that Order 66 had been called so that we could escape.
Ahsoka: And you couldn’t get her out?Why is it that every Jedi you meet dies?
Hal: Um… well… see it’s like this… what had happened was…
Ahsoka: Hopefully they didn’t have any apprentices that would be hunted down their entire lives by these clones, causing one of them to change the other into an animal to escape them and the other all alone being driven to near insanity and towards the dark side of the force to the point that the people of that planet will consider her an evil witch bent on world domination….
Hal: Um… well… see…
Nevermind that. I sense that you are still quite raw and unfocused. You need to talk to these Jedi in your life, who have become one with the force... for guidance.
Hal: How can I do that?
Ahsoka: there’s this technique I learned. You can use it to contact Jedi who have become one with the force. I kept trying to talk to my master and it didn’t work. I thought maybe my strength in the force simply wasn’t enough but it turns out he isn’t dead. Would you like to learn this? Okay.. I’ll teach you. Clear your mind if all thoughts
Ahsoka began to meditate.
Ahsoka: Wait a second... I sense there are five beings here.. Not three.... Are your droids... alive?
Ahsoka begins chanting.
Ahsoka: repeat after me. Ahsoka: Mecca lekka high mecca hiney ho.
Editor’s note: Yes thus is Jambi the Genie’s chant from Pee Wee’s Playhouse.
Hal concentrated and said the words. All at once everything went black... for a while... then suddenly everything turned white... Out of the white stepped a silhouette in long flowing robes. It seemed extremely familiar.
Ahsoka: Hal… call out to her.
Hal: Master? Is that you?
Silhouette: Hello Hally! Meesa so happy to be seein you again! Meesa thought yousa no try to contact ol’ Far Far.. that’s what a meesa sayin’.
Hal: Wait what? Far Far?
Ahsoka: Hal... what’s wrong? Your face is contorting. Is something the matter?
Hal: It’s not who I expected. Far Far? Are you a Jedi and are one with the force?
Far Far: Yesum dats what Meesa said! Listen and listen ‘em good. Meesa sad, meesa wasem not very good jedi. Whenum palpy calling in order 66 Meesa run backem Naboo, tryin’ tell the queen we needa leave and go our own way. But thenum, senator Amidala dyin’ and everyone havin’ huge sad... and nobody listen to Far Far. Den empire comin and chase all over galaxy. Meesa lookin for survivin Jedi to work together to crush evil Sith Palpy and return Republic. But messa lost meesa way and revenge feeling becomin’ too strong.
Hal: That’s tragic…
Farfar: Rest of meesa story not so important. Meesa here to warnin’ you. In the cloud city, dyin’ X0-bot heesa finding meesa dyin’ body and joinin’ meesa. Heesa a want’n revenge too. And heesa chasin’ yousa to weird technology not workin’ planet. Heesa uploading backup virus before leaving, and weesa not return. So backup virus gonna try infect strong strong battlestation. Meesa don’t know much about strong battlestation. Meesa thought Death Star explodem go bye bye. But heesa knowin’s something about another strong battle station somewhere. Meesa can’t believe If heesa joining battlestation,. Good, bad, not important. All important is killing living things.
Hal: So do you know anything about where this new battle station is?
Farfar: Uhm unfornunatively meesa don’t know. Sorry.
Hal: why are you helping me? Aren’t you evil?
Far far: listen.. When yousa fighting meesa, yousa fight just meesa on first time. Then last time you met meesa, meesa Far. FarfarX0 - 2.0. Now heesa all robot X03.0 if plan is true true stoppen heesa from joinin’ Death Star more important than stoppen Death Star.. understand?
Hal… quite alarmed… : I understand.
At this moment, the droids began to feel the force for the first time.
Editor's Note: L1-NK gained a power that would let him hold infinite items, rendering him a droid of holding. Of course, the item has to be small enough to fit into his body in the first place. Golden Wheels gained the ability to control other robots and people remotely... with limitations.
Ahsoka: It appears I need to train everyone here in the ways of the force. I never thought I'd be in this position.
Everyone accepted her rigorous training regimen.
THREE WEEKS LATER
Meanwhile, back at the fleet...
Inside a grand courtroom aboard one of the capital ships, a crowd of observers has gathered for what has been talked up as the "TRIAL OF THE CENTURY"
Ricard: This court is now in session. We will now hear opening statements from legal counsel in the trial of Delta Team who are accused of being spies for the Empire. We’ll start with the prosecution, represented by Corporal Lance.
Lance: Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I stand here before you today intending to prove that these the members of Delta team are in fact spies for the Empire.
(there is an audible gasp)
Lance continues: There is far more at play here than meets the eye, comrades, and we also see conveniently that any evidence of their innocence is simply not available. Droids with memory banks that could prove what happened? Conveniently they got separated when they were supposedly fleeing the Star Destroyer. Also curious is that the one who claims to be a Jedi that was part of the group is also conveniently gone. Instead they keep the company of bounty hunters, smugglers, and even their representation, who herself has made a living being corrupt within the imperial system. When we examine the lack of evidence and the convenient reasons why it isn’t available, we know that something must be afoot.
Ricard: We’ll now hear an opening statement from the defense.
Ricard: Ok, prosecution, call your first witness.
Lance: I call Private Dez Errter!
Dez seemed a bit nervous. He slowly made his way to the stand and did not make eye contact with any of Delta Team.
Piker: Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help the Force?
Piker: You won’t tell the truth?
Dez: no. I meant no I will tell the truth.
Piker: Then you mean yes.
Piker: “But”
Piker: it’s “nothing but the truth”
Dez: Huh?
Piker: let me rephrase. Will you tell the truth, the complete truth, and not add anything untruthful to what you say here?
Dez: isn’t that also a double negative? You’ve got “not”and “Untrutful” in the same sentence.
Piker strokes his beard a bit. He smiles and looks at Ricard who is not smiling.
Ricard: Private Ertter. Will you lie or give only partial answers to questions asked of you today?
Dez: No.
Ricard: Very well. Council you may proceed.
The subject of this video reminds me very much of Jeegn's player. Honestly I have nothing against him... but this was a big development in our gaming group and it would be wrong to not mention what happened.
Dez: I’m Dez Errter, private first class.
Lance: Were you present at the battle of Hoth?
Lance and Dez continued to speak and he recounted what happened up until running into Delta team.
Dez: so most of the Betas were killed and it was just me and a few others. It was then that the brass said Delta Team would fill our ranks and we’d let the empire sack the hangar and blow it up to take out as many as we could.
Lance: And what was your role?
Dez: I was supposed to get on the comms and tell command center that imperial troops have breached our last line of defense.
Lance: Did you carry out your orders.
Dez: Yes! As soon as they broke through the door, I made the announcement.
Lance: And what were your exact words?
Dez: I said... “The imperials have broken through.”
Lance: and then what happened?
Dez: It’s a little hard to remember. Everything happened so fast and well, the Imperials entered and began shooting so we began to fall back. That’s when I saw all the Deltas get shot and killed, so I turned and ran to the first ship I could find, which was the Silverlight.
As I was running we detonated the walls and, well I barely made it out of there alive. But now that I see the deltas in front of me, It’s clear that it was all an act. They faked their deaths and rejoined the empire.
Lance: if they rejoined the empire, why are they here now?
Lance? Can you point this person out?
Dez: Yes! It’s Turk! (Point at Turk)
Lance: No further questions, your honor.
Ricard: We’ll now take a short recess, before the defense cross examines.
During the cross examination, Soan was quick to confirm what Ertter's claim about the announcement was. That he used the exact words "The imperials have broken through." She also called into doubt that he confirmed that they had all been shot to death... especially given that they are very much alive. He said that everything had happened so fast and they fell over, so he assumed they were dead and that in the middle of battle he could not go check their pulses and see if they were still breathing. When Errter left the stand the audience seemed to be not swayed by his argument.
Lance: I now call Lira Wolf, wife of Imperial Moff Andi Wolff, daughter of our very own disgraced Dr. Walex Blissex.
Lira took the stand
Piker: do you swear..
Lira: I do.
Lance: Please state your name.
Lira: Lira Wolf wife of Moff Andi Wolf of the Tangenine sector.
Lance: Are you currently being coerced into giving testimony?
Lira: No I am not.
Lance: Do you freely admit you are an agent of the Empire, and that you have engaged in activities that under the law of the Republic would be considered crimes?
Lira: I do. But I have had a change in heart. I now realize that the Empire is wrong, and I want to make up for my wrongdoing by throwing my full support behind the Rebel Alliance. Just like my father.
<the crowd cheers>
Lance: We have documented that you have tried to kill your father on multiple occasions, that you willfully engaged in illegal espionage activities on Cloud City, and that you have willfully integrated your brain with a computer, which under Republic and Imperial law is also illegal. But you’re not on trial here for your misdeeds.
Instead you are providing us with intelligence and cooperating with this investigation in exchange for a pardon. Is that correct?
Lira: It is.
Lance: So what is the nature of your relationship with Delta Team?
Lira: Well, I don’t know about the rest of the team, they may in fact be innocent for all I know, but Vero Morelock is the ex-girlfriend of my husband Moff Wolf, and she is an Imperial spy.
<there is an audible gasp>
Lance: And how do you know she is a spy?
Lira: She has been spying on his behalf. Though they are no longer officially together, Vero and Andi remain close friends. She performs covert missions for him. Also they are lovers.
Lira: No. I didn’t discover that my husband was still in contact with her until I met her on Cloud city about six or seven months ago. I was sent by Andi to gather intel on the X0 droid, but as a backup. He told me that he was sending another team in to do the heavy lifting, and I was only to step in if they failed. We of course ended up working together to take out X0 after we realized the threat it posed.
Lance: So on Cloud City, did you realize who she was right away?
Lira: No I did not. She looked familiar, sure, but I didn’t quite know who she was. When I returned home I asked my husband about it, he confessed that our marriage had been a sham, and that he was still in love with Vero, and that he had been having an off-and-on affair with her over the past few years. He said that the whole reason he even knew anything about X0 was because he received a tip from Vero shortly after her team was assigned to their Cloud City mission about six months ago.
<more murmuring among the crowd>
Ricard: order! Order in the court!
Piker: Council, please continue.
Lance: On the Subjugator, you were in command, were you not? You were giving orders to Captain Koloff?
Lira: Yes. This is true. But I commanded him not to follow the rest of the fleet after the Battle of Hoth. Instead, we were going to the rebel Rendezvous point. My plan was to take my father on a small shuttle and return him to Rebel custody, and surrender.
Lance: How did you learn about the location of the Rebel Rendezvous point?
Lira: I asked my father. He was posing as a prisoner on our ship.
Lance: How did Dr. Blissex come to be reunited with you? Didn’t he leave to rejoin with you after hearing that you were dying?
Lira: That as a ploy by my husband to capture my father and torture him. After all my father designed many of the Empire’s ships and since Daddy is working for the rebellion, there are certain designs that our own people couldn’t decipher. Andi wanted to capture him so that he could force him to train our people and then he’d curry favor with the Emperor and be named Grand Moff. All he had to do was threaten to hurt me and Daddy would be forced to comply.
Lance: Well why didn’t you try to tell your father it was a trap and you weren’t really dying?
Lira: (She begins sobbing) You don’t understand what it is like to be married to a monster like Andi. He uses people as if they are things.He said that if I tried to warn him then he’d just kill me and send the message anyway. I went along with it because I was so scared... and I knew that it could be my opportunity to get away from him. If I could get to him first, I could ask him to pose as our prisoner and plan our escape.
(She was really winning over the crowd. The hushed murmurs indicated that people seemed to have sympathy for her.)
Lance: So then, what about Hoth? How did you end up picking up Delta Team?
Lira: You’ll have to ask Vero, Andi, and Darth Vader about that. I can only speculate, but it seems like my husband may have appealed to Lord Vader to spare his lover’s life, and, thinking that I was still loyal to my husband, Lord Vader instructed his men to transfer Delta Team to my ship.
Lance: Ok so you picked up Delta Team at Hoth... and then you ordered the Subjugator to fly to the Rebel Rendezvous point. What was your plan?
Lira: As I said, I was going to escape to the Rebel Fleet with my father. But I told Captain Kolaff that it would make his career if he was the one to be first on the scene at the rendezvous point and call it in.
But shortly after we arrived, the Subjugator was under attack. I was able to do what I could during the battle to damage the ship from the inside. It would make escape easier.
Lance: Okay, and then, didn’t you order the men under Kolaff’s command to try to find Delta Team, who had broken out of the detention area with your father, and kill them?
Lira: Yes. But it was increasingly in situations where I knew Delta Team would win. Kolaff’s men always had the odds stacked against them in every combat situation. How else do you explain that a group of unarmed prisoners takes out hundreds of stormtroopers? I calculated every encounter so that Delta Team would bring Daddy to me, and I could escape with him.
Lance: But then what about self destructing the ship in an attempt to take out the fleet once it reengaged. Couldn’t you have turned that off?
Lira: First of all there is no way an exploding star destroyer could take out an entire fleet. It could damage another capital ship, sure, but there’s no way that it would work unless the engines were overloaded in a specific way so as to explode just as the ship enters light speed and crashes into its target… but even then it would only work if the enemy was all in a straight line.
From the crowd a young officer with purple hair jumped up
Piker: Lt. Holdo… We’re in the middle of a trial here.
Editor's note: What, you thought I'd only drop references to the OT and the prequels? I'm pretty proud of my first sequels reference.
Holdo: Okay, flyboy!
Piker: (begins to blush) I told you not to call me that in public!
Ricard: erhm. (Glaring at Piker) There will be no further disturbances will there?
Piker: No sir. Sorry sir.
Ricard: Very good. Counsel please continue.
Lance: Talk about when Delta Team finally made it to the Hangar Bay. Why didn’t you just escape with them then? Why all the business with the genetically modified Rancor monsters?
Lira: We had them surrounded by 60 stormtroopers. I released the Rancors on them so that it would cause a distraction, and Delta Team, Daddy and I, could escape. But with Vero leading the group, she decided to take command of the troopers and take out the Rancors. She realized what I was trying to do... to help her team escape. But she wanted to try to get as many Deltas killed as possible. Also the Rancors took out a lot of the Stormtroopers, I’d say at least 20 of them. And that’s progress... Afterall the only good imperial is a dead imperal.
(There’s a cheer from the crowd)
Lance: So after Delta Team and the Stormtroopers worked together to defeat the Rancors, you were going to throw a thermal detonator at them. That doesn’t sound like you’re trying to rescue your father.
Lira: I was up on the catwalk with Kolaff still, If I had tried to make a run for it then, He would have killed me, so I had to keep up appearances. The detonator was a dud. I knew this. I didn’t actually want to hurt my father. My plan was to throw it and distract everyone on the catwalk who would be looking down at them. As they wait for the explosion, I’d slip away and escape.
Lance: Without your father?
Lira: (begins crying again) Yes. At that point I was so scared, and I just thought... I had to get away. Besides, he was with Delta Team, and I knew they were going to return to the Rebel Fleet too, with Daddy.
Lance: But you’re accusing Vero of being an Imperal Agent working for your husband. Weren’t you worried she would try to take Dr. Blissex with her to him?
Lira: The thought crossed my mind, but I figured that with the stormtroopers now betrayed by their leaders, Koloff and myself, they’d want to defect, and so since Vero is a double agent, she’d also want to keep up appearances. It was a bit of a gamble, but it looks like I made the right call. They’re here now aren’t they?
Lance: Okay, but that’s not what happened. Instead a swarm of malfunctioning droids knocked you off the catwalk to what would have been your death. How did you survive?
Lira: The Force?
<There’s a gasp from the crowd>
Lance: The Force? That sounds illogical. The Jedi have all been wiped out.
Lira: Not all of them. One of the members of Delta Team saved me. I believe his name is Hal.
Lance: Unfortunately he’s not present right now, is he?
Lira: We got separated. I hope he and the others made it out.
Lance: Okay, so the fake detonator fell to the ground and your father jumped on it.
Lira: Yes, Daddy cares for the lives of the others around him, more than his own safety. I am so proud to be his daughter.
(Crowd says awwwwwww)
Lance: What happened next?
Lira: Well then everything happened so fast. There was an announcement that the ship would explode in one minute, so we all rushed to the next hangar bay. I directed the group to the Tyderium and we took off and went to hyperspace moments before the explosion.
Lance: The rebel fleet received a warning. From Vero Morelock, saying that the explosion would be big enough to take out the whole fleet. If she was working for the Empire, wouldn’t she have wanted the fleet to be destroyed?
Lira: Thinks a bit... she starts to cry...
(The crowd coos and awws..)
Lira: (sobbing) I’m sorry... there’s been so many questions and it’s hard to think straight.
(The crowd coos and awws)
Lance: I’m sorry that we’ve asked so much of you, but this investigation is important.
Lira: I think Vero wanted to keep the fleet away ... so that she could send a subspace message to Andi to update the situation without being detected. As I said before, one exploding ship cannot take out the whole fleet. No weapon that powerful even exists. The worst that would have happened was that maybe one of the Rebel ships would have been damaged.
Lance: Okay, and then you arrived here and were taken into custody.
Lira: Yes, that’s correct.
Lance: No further questions your honor.
Ricard: Would the defense like to cross examine the witness?
Soan cross examined Lira and emphasized to the court that she testified that she was saved by the force, meaning that Hal is in fact a Jedi and Lance seemed to say in his opening argument that this was disputed. Additionally she focused on a few inconsistencies in the testimony, especially that Vero would have had every opportunity to Kill off all the members in Delta Team during the rancor fight, and that she could have escaped with Kolaff. Additionally, as a spy, she should have wanted to destroy the fleet, yet she is the one who warned them. It simply didn't add up.
Lance: I call Dr. Walex Blissex to the stand
Piker: do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Blissex: I do.
Lance: when did you first meet the members of Delta Team?
Blissex: it was the cloud city mission 6 months ago. They were not called Delta Team at the time. That was a designation they were given for the Battle of Hoth, I understand.
Lance: Right. Well your daughter Lira claims that Vero Morelock was an agent of the empire and tipped off her husband. Did you ever notice anything that would indicate she was an imperial spy?
Blissex: No. I had no idea.
Lance: Do you think she is a spy for the empire?
Blissex: If she is, she is a very good one. I doubt anyone on the entire team would suspect she is a double agent until Lira said what she said. I still am having trouble believing it, considering all we’ve been through.
Lance: What have you been through together?
Blissex: Vero has been the most strategic in the entire group. I would say she’s one of the leaders of the team if not the leader. She played critical roles in the battle against the exo droid, on cloud city. Her hacking skills made it possible to defeat exo. Also she took a leading role in all our adventures since..
Lance: Let’s talk about the events on the Subjugator. How were you brought to the ship?
Blissex: I was lured to Kwen space station by a message from my daughter's husband who said she was dying. I met someone there who took me to the Subjugator. I slept in my quarters that night and woke up the next morning in the brig.
Lance: Lira says you were pretending to be a prisoner. Did she meet you and tell you her plan?
Blissex: um… Yes. She definitely told me her plan.
Lance: And later Delta team rescued you. How could they have rescued you if you weren’t really a prisoner?
Blissex: The whole ship was damaged in the attack and everything was dark. I was frightened and began to scream. They were able to find me and together we made our way to the hangar bay to try to escape.
Lance: no further questions.
Ricard: The defense may cross-examine the witness.
The trial went on, and I'll summarize it. Lance called each present member of Delta Team to the stand and asked questions that highlighted very suspicious parts of their background.
For Losar'Tan, he brought up his association with Cecil Organa who claims that Leia is illegitimate and that he is the rightful king of Alderaan, in an attempt to assasinate his character. Conveniently Leia was not there to explain that Cecil has joined the rebellion and has rallied the Alderaanian survivors to the cause.
After each set of questions, Soan went through some of the more heroic actions of each party member present in her cross examinations, spending more time with Vero to try to persuade the jury that Vero was in fact telling the truth.
D'Wook warped back into his own body and began to wildly gesticulate to Hal. Golden Wheels translated, saying they needed to get back to the fleet, because Turk was in trouble and only the droids could help him. He spoke about them being on a stage and being asked questions in front of a crowd of people.
Hal was able to determine that this was probably a court martial trial. He explained to Ahsoka that he and the others had to get back, and asked her to join them.
She said her place was not along the same path as his, and that she would remain on the planet for now.
The doors of the courtroom were guarded. Hal yelled at them to move out of the way, whipped out his lightsaber and began cutting the doors open.
L1 replayed Turk's voice saying: "Imperial troops have entered the base... Imperial troops have <static>"
Lance: Your honor, I can no longer represent my client, given this new evidence.
Lira smiled: Well, you got out of this one, Vero. Well played.
<Roll Credits>
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