It's now time for (what I planned as) the penultimate session of this campaign.
I am knee deep in preparation for the finale so I am going to once again just bang this one out just so my players will know where they are prior to the next session. If you're a fan of my writing, I appreciate it, but I have to rush through it this time.
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| Uh Oh! |
Opening crawl:
Session 35: Escape from Mos Eisley
The door slammed shut behind them and Hal Brunchkiller ignited his lightsaber and took a defensive position, yelling, “Everyone, get behind me!”
Blaster fire rained toward him from the mob of IG attack droids who had somehow laid ambush in Docking Bay 94, hoping to swipe Adar Tallon, a hero of the Galactic Republic, and collect the Imperial bounty themselves.
Tallon pulled out a blaster to fight, but his wife, Kay, pleaded for him to take the Jedi’s advice ...
Note: rather than start from where we left off, I wanted to just start it at the next action point. There's no need to roleplay Adar Tallon thanking Delta Team for the rescue, then sitting around and deciding the next move. "Who is going to drive the transport back? What if we find more krayt dragons? Let's spend the night here and heal our wounds!" So instead I decided to start them right as they are about to board the Silverlight and take off. It was a better start, I think, but having Hal suddenly being competent as if his player hasn't been rolling cursed dice could be seen as a bit jarring. But then so many of my plots depend on this... so maybe my frustration is my own fault.
The 20 IG droids attacked. Lotto (the Toydarian customs officer) dove, (or rather flapped?) for cover under a desk and very visibly began counting money.
The party began picking off the droids one by one. As soon has he had a clear path to the exit, Lotto was out of there.
Some of the party were still on ships (and their players not physically present) so the Silverlight used its ship weapons to destroy a droid, so it looked as if this was gonna be a wipeout. But then 10 of the droids gathered underneath the ship gun and fired directly up at it, destroying it.
They stood their position, firing randomly at the members of the team outside of the ship. Eventually it looked as if the IG droids might have been evenly matched with the party. But then suddenly:
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| We want you soldier girls! Soldier girls! |
The Knight Sabers descended upon the fighting and together with the Deltas routed the robot uprising.
In the process, Hal stabbed the blue one ( Priss) by accident and Golden Wheels stabbed the red one (Nene) on purpose.
The party sat around debating who should apply first aid again.
Grundle's player: I have 3D in first aid.
Hal's player: I have a medpac.
GM ....
Linna: Hey someone call a doctor they're really hurt!
Hal's player: Here, I'll give you my medpac and you heal them.
Grundle's player: How do I do that again? Is it I get an extra die for having the medpac?
GM ....
Sylia: Wow, let me call Mackie maybe he can ferry us to the hospital.
Golden Wheels' player: Um... don't you have like... force healing?
Hal's player: Oh yeah...
Hal Brunchkiller rested his hands on their wounds and a white light emitted from them. Priss and Nene sat up.
One of the damaged IG droids began vocalizing.
“Transmitting ... mission failed ... repeat ... mission failed ... data on enemy uploaded to FarX0 matrix. Self destruct authorized.”
Hal used the force to move the droid into the hallway and away from the party as it exploded.
Nene: I've traced their transmission. What or who is FarX0 3.0?
The party explained about what happened during the Cloud City mission, how the X0-X1 droid began infecting people with a virus that would slowly turn them into droids. Although they saved Cloud City and destroyed X0-X1, the virus had infected Hal's nemesis, a Dark Jedi named Far Far Stinks who had been trying to recruit him to complete his training so they could team up and defeat Emperor Palpatine. Instead the X0-X1 droid copied itself into the Far Far droid/Gungan hybrid, resulting in the creation of FarX0 2.0. That version was now no longer consumed by a sense of hatred for Palpatine, but hatred for Grundle Chanken, who had been the one to nearly kill the original Far Far Stinks, hitting him with his Ithorian scream attack at close range. In a way the droid virus was keeping him alive, and at the same time the hybrid body was keeping X0-X1 alive. Eventually FarX0 2.0 caught up with the party and attempted to maim Grundle, but Hal had by that point already grown too strong and defended his friend, killing FarX0 2.0. Except later force visions and conversations with Far Far Stinks within the force would confirm that he had killed the biological component, and the X0-X1 droid had downloaded all the data from FarX0 2.0 to reorganize itself as FarX0 3.0, which they assumed was a the X0-X1 droid in complete control of its Gungan shaped 100% cybernetic body and all of Far Far's force powers. They explained that its goal is to take over the second Death Star, and if that happens it won't matter if the Empire or the Rebellion has the upper hand, because FarX0 3.0 will essentially become a living planet capable of adapting to any threat on the fly and also capable of conquering the galaxy by spreading the virus far and wide. Priss: Ok we know who we need to take now next then.
They were about to leave, when Soan asked to join them. Sylia agreed that they needed someone who could identify FarX0 3.0 so the five Knight Sabers departed.
And now it was time to leave the planet. Adar Tallon reminded them that there were Star Destroyers around the planet looking for him, so he suggested returning to his hideout in the Silverlight to go pick up the Z-95s (prototype X-Wings) so they could try to fight off any pursuit before the jump to hyperspace. Only trouble is that the Z-95s needed power cells that they don't make anymore, like from a really old ship.
D'Wook explained that the Silverlight was really old and they could probably use its powercells.
Turk reminded the party that the Silverlight can cloak.
Adar Tallon asked for more information and explained that if they use the Silverlight's power cells in the Z-95s and then use the Blissex-designed kyber crystal batteries powering the cloaking device to power the Silverlight, they would have a fighting chance.
Turk reminded the party that the Silverlight can cloak.
The rest of the party agreed that it was therefore unnecessary to have a space battle because they could just cloak and fly off.
Note: Okay so... I had come up with this convoluted idea thinking they would naturally WANT to take the Z95s because it would let them have a space battle flying X-Wing prototypes. I was even ready to have Kay lead the squadron, suiting up with a flight helmet and asking "Who's with me." But I didn't account for them making the smarter move of cloaking and just flying off. I tried to come up with a reason for why it wouldn't work. Like... the IG droids disabled the cloak somehow in their attack ... but ... the droid battle had already taken a big chunk of time, and logically, the cloak SHOULD come in handy at least ONCE in this adventure ... so I let them just use it. There will be time for space battles later... and honestly, I think space battles are fun, but most of the players are then turned to observers who pick their nose as the pilots and gunners get all the fun. Maybe in a group of four everyone has a role, but with this large group half the team is just doing nothing. I thought putting them in the Z95s would give them something to do, but I guess sometimes it doesn't make sense to make a barbarian character jump in an F-15.
Tallon: What an excellent plan. We can escape scott free, but what if we're followed? We can't go directly to the Rebel Fleet. The Empire might know their secret location.
Turk reminded the group that the Silverlight can cloak.
Note: Dangit! I need them to go to New Alderaan first before going to the fleet. Why is Turk suddenly so smart?
Tallon: Yes, but who knows what the Empire can track? Maybe they won't be able to see the Silverlight, but certainly going into hyperspace would leave a residual trail of technobabbly warp particle LaForgeism tachyon signature modulation blah blah blah so that they would be able to determine where you're headed. Is there any safe world you all know of where we can meet to regroup?
....
Grundle: Nope ... we should go back to the fleet!
Tallon: ARE YOU SURE THERE'S NOT A SAFE WORLD ANYWHERE THAT YOU COULD GO LIKE A SECRET PLACE THAT ONLY YOU GUYS KNOW ABOUT. LIKE MAYBE A BASE OF OPERATIONS THAT YOU USE WHEN YOU'RE NOT WITH THE REBELS?
...
Hal: blink.. Turk: blink.. D'Wook: Oh! Yeah, let's take him to New Alderaan first.
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| I'm only gonna be GM for a little while longer. When we switch games... I'll get to be a player and forget plot points and major features of the amazing world the GM will create for us. |
So the Silverlight took off and just for extra measure Turk flew zig zags around several of the Star Destroyers just trying to show off. L1 plotted the course for New Alderaan and they zoomed off.
They arrived on New Alderaan several hours later
Deck officer: Ah, Delta Team? Welcome back!!!
Turk: What's going on my man?
Deck officer: Wait ... what happened to your ship?
Turk: could you.. maybe ... fix this?
Deck officer: We'll get on it right away.
A somber Luke Skywalker was standing on the flight deck.
Luke: Hal ... I need to talk to you...
Hal: What's up?
Luke: Master Yoda has died. You and I are the only Jedi who remain.
D'Wook: Hello, racism much?!?!?!
Luke: Oh... I had no idea you were Hal's padawan learner.
D'Wook: Well no ... I'm not. Luke: So as I was saying, Hal, you and I are the only JEDI who remain.
D'Wook shrugged. Sure he was force sensitive, and sure he HAD been a Jedi when he was in Hal's body... but having never taken the oath himself ... He departed along with all the others to go take care of personal business. Hal stuck around to talk to Luke.
Luke: Yoda told me that it was his intention to knight you prior to your departure from Dagobah, but he didn’t have time because you guys left so suddenly after the Bothan incident. And so that duty falls to me.
Hal: It'll be my honor...
Luke: Gather your closest friends and meet me in the Jedi Council museum in an hour. And Hal... best if you brush up on the Jedi Code ...
In the interim, the party bought weapons, gambled, went shopping for underwear, test drove flying the flutterplume and ruining someone's picnic, but having them laugh about it because it was so cool ... and placed the flutterplume cage in the Silverlight.
D'Wook also found he could talk to his flutterplume through the force, and he gave him the name Blitzwing.
They all assembled in the Council Chamber.
With the Holograms turned on, it almost looked real. Luke stood at the center of the council.
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| It kinda looked like this. |
Luke: For all who bear witness ... today Hal Brunchkiller stands before you. Ready to acquire the rank of knight and master. May any who are present have a reason that Hal Brunchkiller should not be knighted, speak now.
D'Wook and Golden Wheels stood up and were going to say something, but then Turk and Grundle glared at them ... And for once, they realized that this was a serious occasion and not time to make wisecracks about their friend.
Note: That's actually not what happened... they both interjected but hadn't thought of anything serious to say... I like to think that story wise, both characters would be respectful of a situation that pretty much closes Hal's major arc.
Mace Windu: Proceed.
Luke turned to Hal
Luke: Kneel.
Luke flicked his hand and a lightsaber came out of his cloak into his hand. He ignited it.
Luke: Your final test ... finish my recitation of the code.
Ki Adi Mundi: And now young Knight ... construct your lightsaber and go out into the galaxy and defend peace and justice.
Luke... It’s a shame .. Yoda told me as part of the ceremony they used to make their own lightsabers. We could have done that, but there aren’t any kyber crystals just lying around. You have your two lightsabers anyway so I guess it’s not necessary.
Hal: Yeah, I'll just have to make do with my two lightsabers.
Luke: Yeah, that was a really important part of the ceremony. It'd be a shame to skip it. IF ONLY WE HAD A SPARE KYBER CRYSTAL LYING AROUND.
Hal: Yeah... too bad. Luke: GEE MAYBE IF WE HAD A KYBER CRYSTAL WE YOU COULD EVEN DESIGN YOUR OWN LIGHTSABER!!!! Hal: Sure wish I had one. Luke: HEY WHAT'S THAT BLUE SHINY CRYSTALINE THING IN YOUR POCKET?!?!??!?!
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| Just a little longer! |
Hal: Oh oh yeah ... I forgot. I had this kyber crystal in my pocket since we changed history back Dagobah and it's been with me all this time.
Luke: Well, I made my new lightsaber on Tatooine before the Jabba incident. Why don’t we make yours on the way back to the fleet.
They all rested up and the next morning as they were on the flight deck about to leave...
Cecil entered, followed by Norrin Rad and many members of the Alderaan defense force.
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| Farewell Cecil I knew thee well |
Cecil: Wait ... I can see what is about to go down. We’ve upgraded the automated defenses of this Asteroid.... The Rebels are going to need all the pilots they can get. Radd ... you and your men take all the X-Wings and make sure the Silverlight gets back to the fleet. Then announce to Mon Mothma that the New Alderaan Defense Force is hers to command.
Radd: Yes Sir!
Tebi: Hey.. i'd say that's an improvement.
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| It looked like that... |
C3P0 approached the group.
C3P0: Oh my, if it isn’t Delta Team. Please follow me... the General would like to speak with you.
C3P0: Why ... General Solo of course.
Turk: Solo is a GENERAL?
The group followed C3P0 down some corridors eventually coming to an office marked "General Han Solo"
3P0 opened the door and gestured for Delta team to enter.
Solo's feet were on his desk and he was seemingly reading something on his datapad. It looked like comics. He abruptly sat up and swiped on the datapad to bring up some text document, and he pretended he was concentrating the whole time.
Solo: Ah.. yes.. Delta Team. We’re assembling a strike force for an upcoming important mission. You all and the Betas will be under my command. Please get battle ready and wear fatigues. I can’t tell you where we’re going yet, but be ready to go. Once you're settled, join us in the briefing room where we'll talk about what's going down.
The group went to go get changed and entered the briefing room.
D'Wook moved Blitzwing's cage into shuttle Tyderium and everyone got on board.
The group noticed that Errter was with the betas and there was some good ribbing back and forth.
Eventually they landed on Endor and began searching for the shield generator.
D'Wook: Here. I can find it immediately.
Thinking it might be faster if Blitzwing could fly up and find it for them. He released Blitzwing from his cage.
Blitzwing jumped out of his cage out into the forest and immediately took to the skies. Freedom was finally his.
Blitzwing: Screee screeeeeeee! (D'Wook understood this as I'll be back, just let me have this. I've been cooped up on that asteroid for so long.
D'Wook: As I was saying... let's go look for that shield generator.
When they encountered the biker scouts. Luke and Leia jumped on a bike and zoomed off. (just like in the movie).
During the chase, Solo, the Deltas and the Betas were attacked by more scout troopers on bikes (that we didn't see during the movie because we were following the bike chase).
Once that was done, Luke came back asking if Leia had returned.
Han: I thought she was with you!
Luke explained they got separated and said they'd better go look for her.
Han ordered the betas to move forward and meet at the shield generator at 0300 he ordered the Deltas to search for Leia to the east and he, Chewbacca, Luke, R2-D2 and C-3P0 were going to search west.
They searched long and hard and eventually D'Wook smelled some unfamiliar Ewoks. Just as he was about to warn the rest of the group, Turk stepped on a trip wire and ...
Well D'Wook and Maki jumped out of the way but unfortunately for everyone else ... they were bagged by an Ewok hunting booby trap net.
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| So that's Golden Wheels in the front there... and um... well .. L1 is... well it's a sunny day so he's shiny and only appears white. Yeah ... |
A group of Ewoks approached, spears in hand. Maki recognized them as members of her tribe. They bowed to her, realizing she was their long lost princess, but when D'Wook approached they pointed their spears at him.
(To be continued.)
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