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Star Wars: The New Sith Empire - Episode 1: Gathered Hope


Dave ST

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It is a dark time for the Galaxy. The New Sith Empire has held control of the galaxy for nearly twelve decades and shows no signs of having its power contested. Life has continued on and for most, the rule of the Sith is all they know. The law is iron-clad and the punishments for violating them are severe, but they are The Sith, and must be obeyed.

The Jedi Order was scattered long ago, its reputation damaged nearly beyond by the agents of the Sith. Although they fought valiantly the Order could not stand up to the sheer power and numbers of the New Sith Order. Taken by surprise, and without the backing of the quickly failing Republic, their numbers dwindled until there was nothing left. Those who remained and openly faught were purged by Emperor Malus's most feared Sith, The Hand, two incredibly powerful dark warriors who answer only to him. Those Jedi who did not fight, simply faded away into obscurity and Emperor Malus saw no reason to pursue them; the greatest insult one can make to an enemy is to ignore them.

There are some archivists and historians who learned of a time when it was not always as it is today. A time of peace and prosperity. A time when evil and tyranny were held in check by brave men and women of all species and walks of life. A time when they stood strong, allied by hope, freedom and The Force. Worlds and people now try to stand united against a dark entity. Scoundrels and nobles. Soldiers and thugs. Officers and scum, all stand together, united by the common thread that all of them have had everything, at some point, taken from them by the Sith. Friends, loved ones, property or even perhaps just the simply right to ply their trade, whatever it may be.

A new Galactic Alliance has taken root in the distant Outter Rim world of Yavin IV in the charred, broken husk of the ancient Massassi Temple, the once proud home of the New Jedi Order...

[obligatory pan down to a planet]

Yavin-4.jpg


On the border of the Ersham Ridge within the majestic halls of the Great Massassi Temple, hundreds of men and woman of all species stood gathered in the massive assembly hall. The clamor of several dozen different languages spoken by men and woman from all manner of worlds and all walks of life. Some were rich and intelligent nobles from the civilized Core Worlds, others were workers and managers of the Corporate Sector and along with them were just moisture farmers or dewback herders from here within the Outer Rim systems. From far and wide they'd all come to hear the words of Ambassador Zon Telana, whose own planet had recently suffered a terrible loss to hundreds of centuries worth of culture.

With the confidence borne of a man of passion and vision he stood tall and proud at the podium, a buoy of hope in a sea of shattered lives. Handsome, but well into his years, the graying ambassador was nonetheless excited and vibrant to look upon those gathered and be thankful that so many had chosen to answer his call. Not far behind him, his lovely daughter (and well sought after by noble suitors), Dari, did her best to remain composed. Hiding her own excitement for the success of her fathers efforts was difficult since she and he had recently completed a three year tour of the galaxy, visiting worlds that had suffered greatly from the Sith infighting or were punished for violating some half-baked or imagined law. She'd seen the horrors an Imperial orbital bombardment could cause first hand and long ago decided that the people must be freed from the oppression of the Sith and their Empire.

"Please." Ambassador Telana began. "Everyone please, if we may begin." Over the course of several moments the crowd turned on each other, looking about and attempting to silence their neighbors. When the hush fell over the crowd it was almost eerie how silent it became. He didn't need anything to enhance his voice, the natural acoustics of the Massassi architecture did a fine job. "We all know why we're are here this evening, here on this out of the way world in this ruined bastion of hope and peace! We are here because the Empire has pushed us back to the point where we have no place left to go! They take our loved ones from us, they take our homes, our worlds, our very freedom to choose how we wish to live our lives! They destroy all that they touch with no regard to it's value to another!"

They all nodded at once it seemed and Dari could not help but straighten her back a bit, prideful to call the man at the podium 'father'. "And I'm here to tell you friends: I'm tired of it. I'll not lie to anyone here, with all our wonderful technology and 'civilization' we've never really had 'peace' down to a science. We've shared our differences, we've shared our wars but always, under the watchful eye of the Republic, we never let our disputes infringe upon the rights of others not related to our problems or disagreements. I'll be the first to admit to all in this room, that while I may not agree with you, I still respect you enough to allow you to live your life in peace." He leaned on the podium and gazed out at the crowd. "And that's what I'm asking for here tonight: respect. The Empire does not respect us or our people! They respect only credits, power, and fear! Do you enjoy living in fear?"

"No!" The powerful cry in unison reverberated the walls with such force that Dari could feel the vibration crawl up the back of the gown she wore sending an exhilarating chill up her spine.

"Then I implore you," His tone grew soft, almost like a hushed whisper that still carried over the room, a pleading voice that begged for those assembled to understand his plight. "Rise up with us, help forge a new a Galactic Alliance with me and my allies. Help us rebel against the evil and tyranny that plagues our galaxy, our worlds, our homes. I understand that what I ask this evening is a great sacrifice from all of you, but the real evil in this galaxy is when the good men and women who live within it simply stand by and do nothing."

He let his words hang there for the assembled to consider. Murmurs rose up in the crowd as a sea of doubt and confusion took form. It was true, what the Ambassador was asking was a lot. People still remembered Alderaan and knew that the One Sith were not below repeating such an atrocity again to quell an uprising of rebels within their territories. "What you ask for is war!" A voice finally spoke up. "Look around you Ambassador, we're not soldiers. We don't have the resources or the equipment to take on the Empire... and then... there's the Sith. What can a blaster do against an Acolyte's lightsaber? We've all seen those red blades and know that even one of their warriors can single handedly wipe out tens if not hundreds of troops."

"Then we fight fire," Ambassador Telana's reply was so calm and so reserved it was as if he knew and had already prepared for this argument. "With fire. We'll summon the aid of the Jedi Order, the galaxy's peace keepers." Dari's brow quirked a bit. She'd been privy to her fathers plans, all of them accept that one, it seemed. The Jedi Order? Was he even capable of that?

"That's absurd!, the Jedi are all dead!" A human man, closer to the front of the stage called out. "You ask the impossible Ambassador!"

"Impossibilities are merely things of which we have not learned," A voice rose up over all others and people looked around for its source. Slowly from the shadows of the entrance of the great hall in wandered eight men and women cloaked in the now forgotten robes of the Jedi Order. Four men and four woman of various species, each with the traditional lightsaber attached to their side walked until they were halfway to the podium and in the center of the crowd. The eldest among them, an aging Cerean man who kept his balance with a cane, finished his sentence. "Or which we do not wish to happen."

"Ladies and gentleman of the galaxy," Ambassador Telama outstretched a hand of introduction. Dari's jaw about hit the floor. He'd done it! He'd actually found and acquired the aide of the Jedi Order! He'd mentioned it in passing, but she never thought he was actually serious. "Jedi Master, Sen Udo-Mal."

The crowd hadn't seen that one coming, and quickly a batch of confusion set in as they wondered whether to accept them or lynch them, considering their now rather poor reputation.

"The Jedi Order stands ready to battle in defense of this galaxy and its people." Master Udo-Mal spoke up. He turned about and his fellow Jedi stood around him in silence, allowing him his words. "We could discuss the past. We could debate all night about what crimes brought the Jedi Order down in flames against the Empire decades ago, but the past is done and can not be changed. The future is what we look towards now, always changing it is, and if there is to be hope, then we must stand together." He looked to the Ambassador. "The Order stands ready to once again act as this galaxy's protectors and keepers of the peace. We've been gone too long, and there is much to be done."

The room burst alive with conversation. The reemergence of the Jedi into the fold of galactic affairs was big, real big and everyone seemed to retire to their respective corners to debate this incredible turn of events.

Ambassador Telama turned to Dari and smiled. "It wasn't easy sweetie, but I found them. I wanted to surprise you."

Click to reveal..
All PCs are present.
Dari - You are on the stage with your father, the Ambassador. You have no equipment with you aside from a noble lady's gown and an expensive hair style. smile
Layel - You are somewhere in the crowd.
R2-FX - You as well are somewhere in the crowd.
Akira - You are with the assembled Jedi in the center of the assembly hall.
Joram - You are beside Akira, as Padawans you tend to stick together.

Use this as an opportunity to flex some RP muscle and reply with your reactions to the situations. A final decision has not been made yet by the people, diplomacy might be a good way to help gain some favor for the Rebellion cause. Intimidation might be a good way to make some of those people to suck it up and quit bitching about the problems of the galaxy and start working to fix them.

If you have questions, ask in the OOC thread.

Get going people... you're being graded. smile
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"And you did such an excellent job of it."

Inside, the real Dari - she had long ago stopped thinking of herself as Raene, no matter what the situation - wanted to squeal with delight and throw her arms around her father. But her training was too great, and the moment too important. She maintained her dignity, though he could see the delight sparkling in her azure-colored eyes. Instead, she stepped close to him and kissed his cheek softly, her hands taking his and squeezing softly.

"I'm delighted. This could change everything, Father. The presence of the Jedi is something I hardly dared dream of.. it could give us a real fighting chance. I'm so proud of you, you must tell me all about how you managed it."

He laughed softly, and lifted one of her hands, clasping it with both of his own and squeezing gently in return.

"I promise I will - but not right now. I have a string of people ready to drill me with questions, no doubt. Perhaps you could introduce yourself to our esteemed Jedi guests before moving on to the crowd to help me win a few hearts, my dear?"

"Of course, it'd be my pleasure."

With that, she gave him one more brief smile, and then turned and crossed the stage behind the podium, making her way to the dignified-looking Cerean man. She curtsied deeply as she greeted him.

"Jedi Master Udo-Mal. My name is Dari Telana, and it is my deepest honor to meet you, and the rest of your fellow Jedi. On behalf of the New Galactic Alliance, please accept my deepest gratitude for joining us here today."

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From the back of the room, R2-FX had holorecorded the entire speech by Ambassador Telama, as well as the Jedi's grand entrance. In any other time, a group of 8 Jedi, while somewhat impressive, wouldn't have been that grand (especially if they claimed to be The Jedi Order, in its entirety).

But now, it was. Especially considering that this group had the privilege of seeing the entire Jedi Order assembled for the first time publicly in... decades. R2-FX was glad that he was recording.

R2-FX wished he'd recorded a lot more. From what he could gather, most of his data had just been recorded to his memory banks, so he could remember things (though not project them). The bad part was that now, a lot of them were gone. It was impossible to tell exactly how much of his memory he'd lost; he couldn't remember. And apparently, either he backed them up somewhere extremely safe (so safe that he couldn't find or remember it now), or he hadn't backed up anything, and all the information was now gone, for all eternity.

Either way, he was sure that he wasn't going to let it happen again. So he extended his 3rd leg and rolled to and down the center aisle towards the Jedi. With his millions of calculations a second, he tried to compress his currently saved video files so he could save some more. He was still cautious, though, not to bump into anybody as he made a bee-line for the Jedi. He was eager to record, up close, the faces of the glue that would hold this new 'Galactic Alliance' together.

He made his way to the edge of the circle of people around the Jedi. He wanted to get closer, to interact with them directly, but at a time like this he figured that they'd just see him as a distraction (at best) or an annoyance (at worst). So he stayed at the edge of the ring of people, and recorded as much as he could. He tried to separate out the sounds of the Jedi (and those speaking directly to them) and those of the surrounding throng. He wanted to save both of them, but to different files. He'd analyze them later.

For now, the most important thing was to make sure that everything was recorded.

Click to reveal..
I know that I probably don't have to roll for this, but I couldn't wait to try out my Computer Use legs...

ChatBot: (R2-FX) logs into the Chat.

(10:05:24) (R2-FX): Computer Use +16

(10:05:56) ChatBot: (R2-FX) rolls 1d20 and gets 12.

28 on Computer Use to compress video files and/or find other memory to record to.

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Quote:
"That's absurd!, the Jedi are all dead!" A human man, closer to the front of the stage called out. "You ask the impossible Ambassador!"

Akira, raises and eyebrow in an aside glance at her fellow Padawan, Joram, saying quietly, “We are dead. We should ask Master Tieso about that skill to become one with the Force thereby cheating death. It should be enlightening given our alleged state of health.”

She turns back to pay stoic attention waiting patiently, not wanting to attract undue notice from her master Leavae after her aside comment to her fellow Padawan. She enjoys her harsh training regimen, but doesn’t want any extra grief as she continually strives to be the best of the Weapon Master’s pupils.

Quote:
Udo-Mal looked to the Ambassador, "The Order stands ready to once again act as this galaxy's protectors and keepers of the peace. We've been gone too long, and there is much to be done."


She stays by her master's side after the Jedi Master concludes his statement of the Order's commitment to the ambassador, remaining relaxed but attentive. She is curious how her mentor will behave, having mainly seen the harsh taskmaster at work pushing Akira to her limits of endurance and discipline. She takes note where Joram is in case the Weapon Master gives her leave to mingle with the crowd, figuring it is best to stick with him if Leavae doesn’t require her.

Upon seeing the attractive young woman approach and offer her gratitude, a little smile comes to Akira’s face for a moment, well now if it were only that simple, everyone welcoming us with open arms. She takes a mental note of the name, Dari Telana, should she approach and wish to converse. She appears to be about her age.
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Originally Posted By: Dari Telana
With that, she gave him one more brief smile, and then turned and crossed the stage behind the podium, making her way to the dignified-looking Cerean man. She curtsied deeply as she greeted him.

"Jedi Master Udo-Mal. My name is Dari Telana, and it is my deepest honor to meet you, and the rest of your fellow Jedi. On behalf of the New Galactic Alliance, please accept my deepest gratitude for joining us here today."


The wise Cerean greeted her with a warm smile and a polite nod. "It is you who honor us with the opportunity to once again stand for something, Lady Telana. It is we who should be thanking you and your father." His humility washed over Dari like a refreshing breeze on a warm summer day. He took her hand in both of his, cradling it as he greeted her. "With the Force as our ally, hope can be rekindled."

"Gratitude won't fix the galaxies problem, girl." The s'kytri Jedi scoffed around the same time Master Udo-Mal finished his pleasantries. She looked to the Jedi Master shook her head. "We're wasting time here, Master. All these politicians do is talk, let them speak while we act."

Master Udo-Mal smiled at Dari, showing her that his patience was iron-clad. "Forgive Icie Avi." His patient stare centered on her, the serene look never leaving his feature. "She is a woman of little diplomacy."

Her wings fluttered slightly under her cloak and she managed a slight smile on one side of her lips. "My apologies, Lady Telana. My thoughts on the mattered betrayed my manners, even I, it would appear, still have much to learn." She nodded to Master Udo-Mal in closing. "Forgive me, Master."

"It's a pleasure," A yellow skinned, female Twi'lek approached and shook her hand. She was lovely, as all the females among her species seemed to be with full lips, alluring eyes and an attractive smile. Admittedly the Jedi robes were the most clothing Dari had ever seen on a Twi'lek woman and they covered her neck to toe. "I'm Dabri Masu-Ka. Don't worry about Icei, she was toilet trained at blaster point, you get used to her." Almost in unison a curled smirk stretched across the faces of the other Jedi... all accept Icei, who didn't either 'get' or appreciate the humor. "But she's saved my hide enough times that I can assure you, what she lacks in tact, she makes up for in bravery and devotion. Let me introduce you..."

One by one Dabri introduced the other Jedi. Tieso Lora, the adarian instructor was polite and over joyed to meet young Dari but even she could tell that his years were catching up to him. The tall Ithorian, Resh Imei took a bit longer that she'd expected since ever work was slow and monotone, but he was kind and polite. The human woman, Weapon Master Uthae, whose lightsaber was distnctly different from the others, was a woman whose beauty was forsaken long ago to a shaved head the scars of many battles mapping her accomplishments across her face and body. Despite all that, he was honorable and about as pleasant as Dari could have hoped, more so that Icei anyway.

"...and these two are Akira Anasazi and Joam Dar, they aren't quite Jedi Knights yet, but they've been trained by the best. Akira, Joram, this is Dari Telana, Ambassador Telana's daughter." The 'ambassador' was spoken in a veiled 'so don't screw up and say something stupid' tone wit the usual measure of subtlety they were used to from Dabri.
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Layel's lip curled at the announcement and smiled, himself within the crowd. After the initial fantasy of joining the Galactic Alliance, he had pretty much realized, and with a sense of grim finality, that any real fight would lead to eventual destruction. That he hadn't minded, absolution for his.... sins at Rendallan would be very acceptable.

It was dour, but you had to have seen what results came from his actions, and then it could be mind-crushingly clear. In a sense, he had joined to die.

And now with the Jedi? With some sense and planning, and luck, perhaps they could pull the Sith down eventually. That smile disappeared when he heard the mutters of, 'This is still crazy... Let's go.'

It came from Ranner, a man who Layel had met before and recognized as the initial opposing speaker. He and the close knot around seemed to consider leaving entirely, something Layel interpreted as cowardice now.

Layel walked over to Ranner and his lot, face hard and voice equally so. "What's that Ranner? You boys want to give up and run home now? We've got the Jedi now, so what's holding you back?"

Ranner scowled at Haete and remonstrated, "Eight of them, an order of Sith? Count the odds."

"Are you an idiot?" Layel barked, taking Ranner aback. "If you listened to that archivist Praal, you'd have learned that the One Sith started with just that, one! And not that I want to compare us to those damn bastards, but if they could get ruling the galaxy, we can return the favor and take down the Empire for good! As long as we use our heads, which you've got shit for, I see. So why leave? Are you stupid, a coward, or will you prove me wrong and show you're made of something worth-wile?" He was chopping hard and not sparring the insults.

Layel probably was attracting a bit of attention, but he didn't give a damn. "So what's your answer, Ranner?"

Click to reveal..

Intimidation roll +5, to furiously and verbally browbeat Ranner and co into staying on.

(16:13:32) ChatBot: (Layel) rolls 1d20 and gets 15.

15+5=20.

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This was not all that Joram had hoped for, but it would do. The crowd looked ragged and undisciplined and didn't have any sense of unity. What it did have was a purpose even if it hadn't become clear yet. On the faces of a thousand people he could see one thing written over and over, conviction. Individually this mish-mash of the galaxy shared one thing, the desire to end the Empire. Privately he wondered if even the Jedi could blow on that spark of hope and forge these people into a solid weapon. Both of the previous Republic's had ultimately fallen from lack of unity. Sure the Sith were responsible, but they wouldn't have succeeded if the people of the galaxy had stood together. Maybe it was sentient nature, but both times people sat idly by and allowed the Jedi to be toppled and then hunted nearly to extinction.

And now here they were again, the remnant of the Jedi being called upon to be the glue to bind the fractious people together in the face of an impossible enemy. If he didn't want this so bad and believe it was the right thing to do he might have refused the summons in spite of Master Udo-Mal's persuasiveness.

Here he stood shoulder to shoulder with Akira, the two padawans facing the crowd and the ambassador's daughter. He focused on maintaining his inner balance and putting emotions out of the equation. Ironically he found it easy to balance between annoyance at the fickleness of the galaxy's citizens, and his near obsession with toppling the Sith, and so it was with a calm smile and an extended hand that he greeted Dari, "Honor to meet you." Beside the offered hand he made no bow or other show of deference. He hoped the Jedi order would be shown some level of respect this time around. The accounts he'd read in the archives of the Jedi's downfall made him sick to his stomach and he always had to focus on putting the anger aside.

Right now was the moment to establish the new order of things. There was an old old saying, 'How you begin, so shall you go on.' Set the right tone of respect now and it would flow out from this group to everyone that they encountered. So he stood strong and focused and smiled and greeted those who approached, but no matter what their station, be it nerf herder or noble, they received exactly the same polite greeting but gave no shows of deference to anyone.

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Originally Posted By: Layel Haete
"Are you an idiot?" Layel barked, taking Ranner aback. "If you listened to that archivist Praal, you'd have learned that the One Sith started with just that, one! And not that I want to compare us to those damn bastards, but if they could get ruling the galaxy, we can return the favor and take down the Empire for good! As long as we use our heads, which you've got shit for, I see. So why leave? Are you stupid, a coward, or will you prove me wrong and show you're made of something worth-wile?" He was chopping hard and not sparring the insults.


"He's got a point Ranner." One if his cohorts said. "Even a little hope is better than none of all. You weren't there, you didn't see what they did to my little girl."

Ranner scoffed, rolling his eyes at Layel. "You're actually starting to believe your own bullshit, Layel. These nobles are all talk, and you know that. They only keep guys like us around because right now we're useful to them and fit into their agenda. All said and done, they ain't no better than than those damn Imperials. We'll do the work, they'll take all the credit and proceed to run our lives like these... Sith idiots." He threw his arms up and failed them about a bit. "It's all politics, man!"

"But, runnin' away ain't gonna solve anything. Layel's right," Another of Ranner's cohorts spoke to him. "Being part of something worth while is better than crawling into a hole and dying a coward. I'd rather die with a blaster in my hand.

Ranner waved his hands at the whole lot of them. "Bah! Do what you want, yer all idiots. Soon to be dead idiots..." The gruff man simply waved them all away and walked from the crowd without another word.

Click to reveal..
Congratulations. Layel has managed to convince Ranner's cohorts and those within the immediate vicinity to help the Galactic Alliance.

He didn't manage to convince Ranner, but he's a pessimistic ol' cuss.
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{OOC: Note that Akira is only 5’ 1” so pretty sure that many of the others are taller.}

Quote:
The 'ambassador' was spoken in a veiled 'so don't screw up and say something stupid' tone wit the usual measure of subtlety they were used to from Dabri.

Akira looks up at Master Dabri, calm innocence on her face and blinks a few times, resulting in an expression that says, who? me? She remains standing at ease, hands clasped behind her back.

Quote:
With a calm smile and an extended hand, Jarom greeted Dari, "Honor to meet you."

Akira leaves her hands clasped behind her back and looks up at the noble woman, “Lady Telana, a pleasure to make your acquaintance. A Jedi must render aid, whenever possible, to those in need.” She is endeavoring to put forth a good example for the Order, parroting one of the tenets that were part of her instruction. From somewhere in her memories, another piece of advice springs to mind, when unsure what to say to a beautiful woman you cannot go wrong paying her a compliment. So she continues, with a hint of uncertainty, “Umm, nice dress.”

Being more martial minded, Akira has no idea if the dress is in fashion or not, nor would she care. Near as she can tell it probably cost a decent amount of credits, but would be hell to wear in a fight.

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As she was introduced to each Jedi she greeted them with graciousness, undeterred by the s'kytri Jedi's impatience and determined to make them feel welcomed and appreciated. Once the Jedi Master had introduced her to all of them - including Jarom, whom she shook hands with politely as they spoke, and Akira, who she thanked warmly for the compliment - she turned briefly back to Icie Avi, an understanding yet patient expression on her face.

"And I do hope you'll believe me when I tell you that I understand and empathize with your desire for action. However, all concern of manners aside, our actions will be strongest when backed by the strength of numbers. These people might not be part of any mystical order, but their support is as crucial to this new Alliance's success as yours is. I urge you to look around... these people aren't just politicians. They're workers.. farmers.. fighters. They're not just here to talk. They're here looking for hope. Your presence here today is more important than you realize.. seeing you here, willing to stand with us against the Imperials.. that gives people hope, and the courage to fight."

Though her words and bearing were diplomatic, there was a fire in the young woman's eyes, and steel in her voice. Those who knew her only as Ambassador Telana's daughter could hear the resemblance between her and her father in the drive and dedication that rang in their voices as they spoke, and could see it in the determination of their gaze. Those who knew her to be his adopted daughter often found themselves suspecting that such a similarity might have been what drew the older man to adopt the vivacious young woman in the first place.

She glanced briefly over her shoulder at the sound of a slight commotion, but by the time it had drawn her attention it seemed to be nearing it's end. On that note, however, she turned back to the group of Force-users and gestured slightly towards the crowd.

"However, if you'll excuse me, it would seem there are many people with concerns, and Father is still just one man. I think I shall take the opportunity to speak with some of those gathered.. though if any of you wish to join me, please feel free. I'm certain many of those present have questions they might like to ask of you, and there are several people here who have already done much for our cause that I would be happy to introduce you to."

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If Master Leavae permits, Akira will nod in agreement to the offer and reply, "There is no chaos, there is harmony." She will accompany the woman silent and serenely, hands clasped at her back. Not really sure, but she feels that being this woman's bodyguard would serve the Order. Perhaps this is what Master Dabri meant or intended.

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From his spot on the edge of the circle surrounding the Jedi, R2-FX had seen Jedi Joram greet everybody who dared approach equally. He knew that this probably wouldn't extend to droids, but it was worth a shot. This new Galactic Alliance was about freedom, right?

So he stopped his recording, and rolled up to Jedi Joram. He gave a couple of beeps and whirs to get the Jedi's attention, and then projected a brief holographic message in basic (as most organics have no ability to understand binary).

Quote:
R2-FX, slicer and technician extraordinaire, at your service master Jedi.

Hopefully this wasn't a mistake.

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Joram smiled down at the droid. It wasn't every day you ran into a free droid. In fact this was the first one Joram had encountered outside records in the archives. There had been one much like this one that had belonged, if that word applied, to Master Skywalker during the last rebellion. That struck Joram as being a good omen having this droid with them.

"Greetings R2-FX." Even as he said it he could hear a note of condescension in his voice and frowned at himself. He paused then started again, "Forgive me. You are the first free droid I've encountered. Your presence is welcome and I look forward to working with you. My own technical skills are deficient and one with your abilities will be most welcome among us."

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Layel let Ranner go, knowing that some men just couldn't be worth the effort. When he turned back to the others who had agreed with him though, he was smiling. "I'm glad you understand what I'm saying. Sorry to cut this short, but I'm going to take a check on anyone else who needs reminding."

With a nod and a precise turn away, Layel started to walk off through the room, looking for any other doubters that needed some spine put in their backs. Fortunately, it seemed the people around his immediately discussion had been convinced, giving him quiet nods and grins, looking to ward off a tongue-lashing.

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The holographic message faded as R2-FX beeped and hooted enthusiastically (Woo-Hoo! & YAY! & Praise the maker! to anyone that speaks/understands binary). He was so relieved (well, as relieved as a droid who only had algorithms for emotions could get) that the Jedi recognized him as a free droid and not just as an annoying servant.

A new message appeared in the air for Joram.

Quote:
Thank you master Jedi. I look forward to working together with you and the New Galactic Alliance.

While displaying the message for Joram to read, R2-FX scanned the room for anyone that he could share his good news with. Of course, from his vantage point, the most he could see were what belts those around him were wearing, but not much else. There were a few protocol droids around that he knew about... but they wouldn't understand, and the base's main computer wouldn't care. A ships computer, while not the brightest, might listen to him. He'd find out later tonight.

He also processed that he would use some of his free clock cycles while interfaced with the holonet to look up references to other free (or highly spirited) droids of the past. He didn't know why it hadn't occurred to him to do so previously.

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Joram smiled back at the droid, this time with genuine friendliness. "Welcome aboard. Let's see what there is to see here," he paused before adding, "I need to mingle and you are welcome to join me if you wish."

He looked around the room for anyone that might need the jedi spark of hope. Speaking to the droid but not taking his eyes off the crowd he said, "Apparently the Ambassador would like the Jedi to be the glue to bind everyone together, the spark that turns this assembly into a fire." He headed toward a likely group who looked to be debating hotly what this assembly would mean, whether it would be a beginning or and end for anyone involved.

A Bothan, a Rodian and a pair of Twileks stood in a group, one of the Twileks spoke to the Rodian, "Zek, you are thicker than the hull of my ship if you think this won't be the start of a rebellion."

Zek replied hotly in his odd voice, "I didn't say it wouldn't be the start of something, I said it would end quickly. The Sith will stamp out any resistance quickly. The Sith probably feel it happening now and already know about it! Damned sorcerers."

The Bothan just watched waiting to see how the argument progressed before committing an opinion.

Joram stepped into the conversation. "If the Sith know it would only be through treachery and I doubt they would care over a group this small. If they knew, we would already be a smoking crater." Despite the words Joram showed no fear or hesitation at all over the thought of orbital bombardment. "Besides, you have the Jedi with you. The Sith are focused on greed, hate and lust for power. They don't build or create, they only warp or destroy. The Jedi build and create. We are the counter to the Sith. The Force requires balance and it will happen, the Force will bring about their downfall."

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Quote:
R2-FX beeped and hooted enthusiastically (Woo-Hoo! & YAY! & Praise the maker! to anyone that speaks/understands binary)

Click to reveal.. (Assuming Akira can hear and R2-FX beeped slow enough for non-droids)

On hearing the binary chatter from back where she left Joram, Akira glances in that direction with an eyebrow raised in mild curiosity. Returning to look forward again she comments to Dari, “Milady, it would appear that a droid is extremely happy about something.”


While departing company from the rest of the Jedi Order Akira speaks quietly in a voice meant only for the taller noble woman beside her, “Lady Telana, I believe my Master would want me to assist you. I am not terribly persuasive with words but I do represent the Order. It is a Jedi’s duty to serve for the greater good of the galaxy. However, sometimes negotiating needs to be done with a stick, and I have one available should me be so unfortunate as to require one.” Akira may be petite*, but she carries herself with the athletic grace and confidence of a capable warrior.

*{OOC: Petite like a Japanese school girl}
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As Akira spoke, she saw the faintest flicker of humor cross the Lady Telana's lips in the form of a wry smirk. She nodded to the Jedi Padawan, and spoke quietly to her, a hint of approval mixed with the amusement in her voice, as if she had caught some joke that the apprentice Jedi hadn't realized she'd made.

"I'm relieved to hear it, Jedi Akira. I might be a woman of diplomacy, but sometimes a stick is handy to have around, and I seem to be lacking one at the moment. Er.. is that your proper title, by the way? I must apologize, I've never had the opportunity to meet someone in the process of training to be a Jedi, as you no doubt - "

"Dari?"

The Ambassador's daughter and the Jedi apprentice turned towards the voice. It came from a woman not much older-looking than them, probably in her late twenties. She was dressed in formal clothing, though it was obviously in a simple sort of way, with rough-spun fabric and minimal trimmings. The woman's tanned skin and sun-streaked hair indicated that she probably spent a lot of time outdoors, and as both Dari and Akira shook hands with the woman, it was obvious to the Jedi that she wasn't a stranger to hard work, either.

"Damasa? I'm so glad you could make it. Let me introduce you - this is Akira Anasazi, of the Jedi Order. And this is Damasa Oamuys, from Mandalor. She's the second-in-command of a beskar mining colony there. The Sith have ensured that the export tariffs are so high on beskar that her people are suffering - deeply - as a result. They have surpluses of beskar ore sitting idle that no one is able to afford. It's one of the toughest minerals in the galaxy, resistant even to lightsabers, which is why the Sith want the sale of it suppressed. Of course, it has many practical uses too, and her planet and people were once very successful and happy. Now, like many others here, they suffer under the thumb of the Empire."

"Of course you understand our plight, Dari - and I appreciate you and your father trying to help us, even trusting us enough to invite us here. But if the Imperials were to catch wind of any action on our part to support the resistance..."

"I know, Damasa. It's a great risk we're asking you to take.. one I understand completely. My homeworld serves little purpose to the galaxy, other than as a place of beauty and a respite for many of the upper classes who vacation there, and as a bastion of knowledge and history. The people of my planet have experienced very little of the hardship that yours have suffered, and I have.. I have little doubt that the Empire wouldn't hesitate to make an example of us if they were to discover that we were organizing against them. They've already attacked us once, to try and break our spirit by destroying one of our greatest institutes of knowledge. We remember what happened to Alderaan, and my father and I fear every day that our actions might bring such a fate down upon our people. But.. there are so many people out there who don't have it as good as we do. People like you and your colony, who suffer so greatly. We can't bear to stand by and watch.. it's a risk we have to take. I would understand if it's not a risk you're willing to accept. But.. you know your support would be of great value to this alliance. And in return, payment for the products available to you, while probably not as much as the Empire is forcing you to ask of others, would go a long way towards helping your people live a little easier until we can free this galaxy from Sith control."

As she spoke, she took Damasa's hand, squeezing it gently. They seemed comfortable with each other, Dari didn't treat or speak to the woman like a noble speaking to a commoner. Akira got the sense that these two women had been through something together, that their relationship had been forged by something more than just diplomatic relations.

Click to reveal..
Diplomacy roll: 1d20 → [12] + 2 (Cha) + 5 (Dip) = 19

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2558418/

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The Bothan, like one of his predatory ancestors, seeing an opportunity to strike spoke up, "I am sure the Sith are trembling in fright at the thought of the mighty Jedi Order..." His smile showed his canines. "If only 1 Sith was able to take down the entire Jedi order, how are a mere eight of you going to take down a Sith Empire?" He wasn't being malicious, he was just exploiting an opportunity in the conversation. He himself had reason to want the Sith's downfall or he wouldn't be there, but he wouldn't be true to himself if he didn't show these others his own dominance. Several others nearby had stopped their own conversations to listen when the Jedi approached the arguing group and so the audience had grown to at least a dozen.

Joram knew that diplomacy and verbal debate were not his strong suits, but he could feel and understand battle and this was battle even if it was with words rather than lightsabers or blasters. His words now could have long term impact on how the Jedi were perceived. Once the Jedi were admired or at least respected throughout the galaxy, but that was before the Sith Empire. Right here and right now the Jedi were an unknown quantity having been more or less in hiding for the last 12 decades. The respect that the galaxy once had for the Jedi had evaporated in the Sith's rise to power, but even so these people remembered that once the Jedi held the Sith at bay and kept the peace for the entire galaxy. The Jedi were hope, but they wouldn't be if this Bothan could destroy Joram with a few words.

The battle calm descended on Joram and any nervousness evaporated as he focused and smiled. "I am Jedi Joram Dar." That statement was a pronouncement of victory, and said as if that were all that need be said.

Joram waited until the Bothan was opening his mouth to reply before continuing, knowing it was throw the other man off to be interrupted. Verbally it was like a feint with a lightsaber to draw the opponent into a vulnerable position and then at the last instant flicking the blade back and thrusting to the heart.

"One Sith did destroy the order, but he did it with treachery, and was able to accomplish it because the people did not stand behind the Jedi, but instead only thought of themselves. So he gobbled them up one by one. There are eight Jedi here, but more important than our number is the fact that 'you' are here." He pointed to the Bothan, and then the Twileks, and Rodian, and swept his gesture around to include everyone listening.

"One ruthless and devious man took down the Jedi Order and subjugated an entire galaxy, but we have far more than he had. We have eight Jedi and a thousand men, women and droids, from a hundreds of worlds all gathered with a single purpose. A purpose you've barely dared speak or even acknowledge in your hearts. The fall of the Sith. Add to that the will of the Force and together we are unstoppable. Individually there would be no hope, but together, there can be no question but that we will win." He said it with the confidence of conviction. It wasn't a statement of wishful thinking, it was what Joram believed to his core. The Force would bring balance to the galaxy and right now it was very much unbalanced.

"When the Sith arose, the galaxy did not want to be conquered. They succeeded despite the will of the people, or rather because of their apathy. We will succeed because the apathy is gone and the will of the people and the Force is that the Sith should fall. The people did not care if the Jedi fell and so did not come to our aid when we needed them. Though they barely dare to hope, they do want the Sith to fall and will do what they can to make it happen. Small things at first because of their fear of the Sith, but as time goes on and we grow strong more and more people will take action. Shipments of supplies being slow to be delivered; the 'accidental' destruction of Sith property or goods... It will start small, but it will build and soon enough the Sith will be facing the will of the galaxy in a thousand ways across ten thousand worlds." He said all of this with the same conviction and from his peaceful center.

"I am Jedi Joram Dar, you are citizens of the galaxy and together we will be the hand that topples the Sith."

Click to reveal..

Diplomacy to sway the crowd and inspire hope.

(18:39:52) ChatBot: (Joram) rolls 1d20 and gets 15.

15 +1 (cha)= 16

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R2-FX followed Joram. Unless someone else, with equivalent technical knowledge, befriended him and helped him with his work and upgrades... well, until then, Joram had found a new best friend.

R2-FX didn't remember everything about his long history, but he had researched the last couple hundred years of galaxy history. He had found out the big events, and so he hoped that he could help Joram out a bit.

After Joram finished, R2-FX rolled up beside him and fired up his holoprojector. The first image was a well known portrait of Emperor Palpatene. He gave the picture the glowing green caption of:

Palpatine_ROTJ.jpgThere was once a Sith Lord who nearly destroyed the Jedi Order, and wrested control of the galaxy from the people. He ruled with an iron fist...

The text faded to an artist's rendition of The First Death Star orbiting Yavin. That picture faded to a picture of an X-Wing superimposed over the symbol of the Rebel Alliance. To that picture he gave the caption of:

yavin.ds1.04.jpg

Rebel%20XWing.JPG

One fighter, launched from this very moon, dealt the first major blow to his rule...

That picture transitioned to one of the explosion of the Death Star. The next picture was one of a heated space battle:

death_star_1_destroyed_at_yavin-600x332.

star980head.jpg

Those who truly wanted freedom fought hard...

The next showed another artist's rendition, this time of The Second Death Star in orbit over Endor. It had a caption, and then transitioned to the explosion picture.

endor2.jpg

death_star_1_destroyed_at_yavin-600x332.

And a handful of them dealt the death blow to both him and his reign.

That picture faded to R2-FX's final words, which hung in the air a long moment, giving them time to seep in (hopefully):

Quote:
Tyranny has been overthrown before, but the galaxy forgot. It's time we reminded the galaxy how to be FREE!

As the text faded, he played a sound byte that he'd recorded. It was fairly popular, and he didn't know if it was original or not (probably not though), but it was inspirational, and it was in Luke Skywalker's voice:

"Every generation has its challenges to face, its own battles to win. Why should yours be any different? Running away from your responsibilities won't solve anything."

Click to reveal..
(R2-FX): Computer Use to put together 'presentation'/'speech'

(00:36:29) ChatBot: (R2-FX) rolls 1d20 and gets 9.

(00:40:41) (R2-FX): 9+16 = 25

(00:41:00) (R2-FX): Diplomacy Roll (to use the 'presentation'/'speech' (and sound byte))

(00:41:04) ChatBot: (R2-FX) rolls 1d20 and gets 18.

(00:41:36) (R2-FX): 18+1 = 19

post-1135-131291463253_thumb.jpg

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Originally Posted By: Dari Telana
"I'm relieved to hear it, Jedi Akira. I might be a woman of diplomacy, but sometimes a stick is handy to have around, and I seem to be lacking one at the moment."

Akira raises an eyebrow as she appraises Dari's outfit from a tactical perspective, eyes scanning from her shoulders down to her feet. When her eyes return upwards, her expression says, apparently not, while she gives a barely perceptible shrug.

Originally Posted By: Dari Telana
"Now, like many others here, they suffer under the thumb of the Empire."

Akira remains politely attentive, yet retains her usual stoic expression. At the mention of suffering, her eyes do grow colder almost seeming to change from pale blue to a more steel gray. She continues to listen, hands clasped behind her back thinking, emotion cannot take away my peace. The mantra serves its purpose and she remains calm.

Originally Posted By: Dari Telana
Akira got the sense that these two women had been through something together, that their relationship had been forged by something more than just diplomatic relations.

Akira adds a sincere comment, "All it takes for evil to prevail, is for good beings to stand by and do nothing." She was paying attention during the earlier oration and thinks, I am pretty sure somebody said something like that at one point. If not, well it sounds good anyway. With a slightly wry smile, recognizing the irony of what she is about to say as one of the smallest humans at the gathering, she continues out loud, "The Jedi stand tall and ready to defend the weak directly or through support of those better suited to the task." Her face returns to her normal stoic expression, proving that she was not making light of the meaning behind her words.
Click to reveal.. (OOC)
If you want a roll for Diplomacy Aid Another, here it is:Diplomacy (1d20+1=21) Ack, what a waste of a 20.

After Damasa's reply, Akira looks around the throng of people, satisfying herself that no one is looking suspicious or out of place. While doing so she asks, "Lady Telana, it would seem that there is some shared history between you, beyond your service as the ambassador's emissary."
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[Dari + Akira]

Damasa didn't seem to appreciate the presence of the Jedi at Dari's side too much, but she did her best not to let it show. Although Master Udo-Mal had been doing his best, in secret, to restore the Jedi Order's reputation there were still many who did not approve of them. They were guardians and protectors of the peace and here was one claiming to a Mandalorian they'd help the 'weak' but it was they who'd been licking their wound in obscurity for the last twelve decades.

"You had us out numbered five to one during the Mandalorian Wars, and we still made it all the way to the Core Worlds while you Jedi sat on your thumbs." The Mandalorian woman was quite blunt it seemed. "Dari, you'd do better with a regiment of out soldiers at your side, the finest warriors this galaxy has, not some 'Jedi'. Unfortunately Mandalore has sent me only to observe this meeting, he still doesn't feel this galaxy has, as he put it, 'the balls' to stand up and fight for what it wants. These people are afraid to die like warriors and so the choose to live as cowards. We both know the Mandalore won't support such a movement in the state it's in."

Damasa sighed. "But I will do what I can, both for you, and to convince Mandalore of what must be done. Let's just hope these 'Jedi' can live up to their bolster." She winked and smiled. "We'll show these people what real farmers can do.

Click to reveal..

Dari and Akira have enlisted the assistance of Damasa Oamyus.

You needed a 20 to enlist her assistance, the aid another actually helped.

[Joram + R2-FX]

Master Udo-Mal leaned into Dabri Masu-ka and whispered softly with a smile. "Since when did your Padawan become a Jedi? Missed certain ceremonies, have I?"

The lovely twi'lek woman simply grinned back. "Oh, yeah. Big blow out party last week, big turn out, we didn't wanna wake you. Master, these people don't know a Padawan from a Master, um, Master. Let's see how he handles it. I just hope doesn't promise more than he can deliver."

"We shall see." Master Udo-Mal said as he nodded his head. He added lastly with a grin. "Oh, and very funny."

The bothan nodded as Joram spoke. He remembered a time not long ago where its own people were enslaved by the Empire and they helped the Rebellion. Joram's words were inspiring and the more he spoke the more those around the bothan nodded their agreement to his sentiment.

When R2-FX fired up the holoprojector everyone seemed to watch as the history lesson unfolded. It was strange how some people forgot the past but when confronted with it the harsh reality of their situation became clear. Emperor Malus was no different of a tyrant than Palpatine, the people knew it but thought themselves powerless to change their situation. Would the risks be worth the reward?

Finally the bothan raised his hand and halted Joram and the droids display. "Fine, fine. I... we, get your point. But after leaving us high and dry for twelve decades, you better deliver."

Click to reveal..
Joram and R2-FX have convinced those around them to join the Galactic Alliance's fight.

I treated FX's roll as an 'aid another' consider the characters close proximity to each other.

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Joram remained in that peaceful center, balanced. He was surprised that went as well as it did, he wasn't usually so eloquent, but the Bothan had sparked a response in him. He'd offered a challenge and Joram had treated the situation like a battle and thought it through tactically and responded from the heart, apparently it had been a good combination. That and R2-FX's emphasis of his point had won the day.

To the Bothan, "Your people are among the galaxies' fiercest opponents. I am glad to have you with us." That should help the man save face and not feel slighted by the verbal sparring.

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Originally Posted By: Dave ST
[Dari + Akira]
"You had us out numbered five to one during the Mandalorian Wars, and we still made it all the way to the Core Worlds while you Jedi sat on your thumbs." The Mandalorian woman was quite blunt it seemed. "Dari, you'd do better with a regiment of out soldiers at your side, the finest warriors this galaxy has, not some 'Jedi'. Unfortunately Mandalore has sent me only to observe this meeting, he still doesn't feel this galaxy has, as he put it, 'the balls' to stand up and fight for what it wants. These people are afraid to die like warriors and so the choose to live as cowards. We both know the Mandalore won't support such a movement in the state it's in."

Damasa sighed. "But I will do what I can, both for you, and to convince Mandalore of what must be done. Let's just hope these 'Jedi' can live up to their bolster." She winked and smiled. "We'll show these people what real farmers can do."


"Thank you, Damasa - I appreciate your help. And I have no doubt of the usefulness of Mandalorian fighters - we'll be thrilled to have them if we can. But no matter who I'd do better with - Mandalorian or Jedi - I'm sure you can appreciate that I'd rather have both, and be twice as well off."

She winked back, and Damasa smiled wryly in return.

"Hard to argue with that, I suppose. I'll leave you to it, then.. I'm sure there's many more people here you need to talk to. We'll catch up more later, if we have the chance."

With that, the two women clasped arms - the grip reminding Akira more of two warrior comrades than two diplomats. Then they parted ways, and both Dari and Akira scanned the crowd, though each for their own individual purpose.

Originally Posted By: Akira
"Lady Telana, it would seem that there is some shared history between you, beyond your service as the ambassador's emissary."

Dari nodded, glancing back briefly at Damasa, who was now engaged in conversation with someone that was already a member of the foundling Alliance - a hotshot pilot from Corellia who seemed to be doing his best to charm the serious-minded Mandalorian woman. A wry smile flickered across Dari's features before she turned back to Akira with a slight nod.

"Being an ambassador during these troubled times means a lot more than just showing up and exchanging some pleasantries or debating the state of the universe. Damasa's people didn't just need words - they needed help. They're proud people, as you can tell - and they've done their best to get by, even striking out at the Empire on occasion, but retribution from the Sith is fierce and heartless. Her people were sick, and Imperial blockades had kept vital medical supplies from reaching them. My father heard about their plight during our travels to that region, and sent me to help as best as I could. Together, Damasa and I managed to 'aquire' the medical supplies her colony needed so desperately. My father and I don't just win people's loyalty with pretty speeches - we show them we mean it, however we're able."

She turned to Akira, studying the shorter woman for a long moment with a searching expression.

"People might not trust the Jedi yet, because they haven't seen you do anything for them. They haven't seen you take a risk, or put your own necks on the line. As you work to try and free the galaxy from tyranny, that'll change, I'm sure of it. You just have to be patient."
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R2-FX was glad that everybody had watched what he projected, and that nobody had suggested that he be switched off (not that they would've been able to anyways). He let out a quiet beep of victory and settled in to follow Joram wherever he might wander.

Unless Joram told him 'no' or something else came up, the Jedi had a second shadow.

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Layel continued around the room, suddenly noticing the doubtful and arguing faces of three Zabraks, and a Trandoshan who Layel remembered to be one of the others in the small company of veteran soldiers/guns for hire in the mix. A bounty hunter, if he remembered correctly.

The Trandoshan seemed to be bitter about something, and a muttered, 'useless' seemed to indicate his stance on joining. A soldier good as this, staying out of it?

Layel steered his way doubly quick into the Trandoshan's face, scowling yet again. "Going somewhere, Birrsk?"

The Trandoshan scowled back equally hard. "Layel, I know what you're going to say. You think we can have a chance with the vast body of cannon fodder here? I'll give the Jedi their due, but we can only go so far with eight."

The clawed gesture to the Zabraks and the crowds was partially correct, but Layel wasn't letting a good man, alien that is, from leaving the fight.

"I'm sure you have that point, but are you lacking the roar to make them into suitable soldiers? We've got enough of us whip any weaklings into shape. Or are you scared of telling the Ambassador or his daughter that we need to put them through a major training course?"

He caught sight of the aforesaid daughter and turned with a sharp glance back to Birrsk. "She's right over there. Are you going to bail? Or do you wanna come over with me and talk to her about it?"

Click to reveal..
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"Talk to her about what?" The Trandoshan asked. "If you're calling me out on courage Layel, I'll gut you where you stand." A low reptilian growl echoed in his last words.

The two men stared each other down for a moment. "I care nothing for this girl and her father's rebellion. So far, all we've seen is talk. Birrsk wants to see results first."

The place was a mishmash of people all scattered about socializing and trying to make heads or tails of their decision to fight or flee. No one noticed the dark-clad figure resting comfortably in the upper level window slit. Slowly and with well trained efficiency the 'X' within the lens of the rifle moved around the room until it stopped, training itself upon the back of a well dressed man shaking the hands of an Iridonian engineer.

The trademark screech of a blaster echoed filled the chamber and the red bolt struck the man cleanly in the back. A black and charred pock mark already stained his jacket by the time Ambassador Telana fell to the floor.

Panic and chaos filled the chamber. To those below the shooter everyone was tumbled and tossed about as people scrambled to safety, trying to escape becoming a possible target for the would-be assassin. The shooter used the chaos to his advantage and fled before any below had the opportunity to react.

Click to reveal..
Ambassador Telana has been shot and the Assassin is escaping! It's doubtful any of you have the means to leap or fly up to the shooter's window perch, so more than likely you'll have to go around the long way (leave through the first floor and run around to the side of the temple the shooter shot from) to catch up.

The main entrance is on eastern side of the temple. The shooter shot from a position on the far north western corner.

If you have questions, ask.

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The blaster screech drew Layel's eyes up to the assassin, and he cursed, before instinctively moving toward the entrance, seeing that the shooter had the advantage of escape. Had the Sith already found them?

Nevertheless, his rapid movement was entirely focused on getting out the front entrance and around the temple to get at the assassin. Even in a place like the meeting, he had kept concealed his vibroblade and heavy blaster.

It was harder to dodge around the crowd, panicked and brainless. Unfortunately, the chaos was meaningless. Assassins don't run crowd massacres, being too inefficient, and risky. The bastard was the only one benefitting.

After weaving and sidestepping the masses, Layel was out the entrance, all but ignoring the sounds of the swamp. Hurtling around the east side and the corner, facing in the direction of the asassin, Layel snatched out his electro-binoculars and activated them, trying to get a good view of the assassin while on the run.

Click to reveal..

Spot check +7 (Electro-binoculars reduce the range penalty to -1 for every 20 meters)

18+7=25

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2560626/

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Above the chaos, one cry rang out over the rest. Far from the panicked cries of the crowd, however, this one was filled with a different sort of fear, and of anger.

"Father?! NOOOOO!!!"

Dari shoved against the crowd, forcing her way through the terrified mob until she finally broke free of them. She ran the last couple of steps, dropping down next to the Ambassador's prone figure. She turned him over carefully, cupping his cheek with her hand and letting out a little breath when she heard him groan.

"Dad? Dad, hold on, I'm here. It's okay. Just hold on."

Click to reveal..
First aid roll: 1d20 → [3] + 1 + 4 = 8

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2561101/

Edited to show roll results, though Akira luckily has things more under control than Dari does at the moment.. wink

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Akria’s eyes narrow as she glances up from where the shot came from, her hands blurred from behind her back. In a well-practiced motion, one hand bunches her hair together behind her head, and with a couple of quick twists, the elastic band from her wrist has her hair into a pony tail ready for action.

All the while her eyes scan the crowd and areas above, looking for a second assassin, as she backs her way towards the fallen Ambassador in the wake left by Dari. Once her right hand is free, lightning quick, her lightsaber is in hand and lit, its blue blade a sizzling hum, as she continues covering Dari’s progress, keeping her body between the direction of potential threat and Dari. Her face shows calm determination, with the lightsaber at the ready, prepared to block any incoming blaster fire.

Once at the Ambassador’s side, Akira stands protectively with Dari at her back looking for anyone that is also making their way through the crowd toward them that shouldn’t. She speaks over her shoulder, "The first assassin could have a follow-up partner to take you out in the chaos. Does your father yet live?”

She remains in protective position until Dari finishes her check.

Click to reveal.. (Dice Rolls)
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"Step aside child," Master Udo-Mal said calmly as he knelt opposite to Dari as she attempted to diagnose her father's injury. He placed his hands upon the body, closing his own eyes. Ambassador Telana groaned slightly as Master Udo-Mal opened his eyes. "He will live, Lady Telana. He must rest and heal on his own, but it is not the will of the Force to claim him this day."

Click to reveal..
The Ambassador is stabilized. I'm going to wait until Stargaizer posts FX's actio nbefore moving further.

Akira, way to many actions in your post:

Move to Ambassador = Move Action

Spot Check = Attack Action

Activating Deflection = Costs a move in the following round.

Heal Another = Full Round Action

That's three rounds worth of actions. Try and tone it down a bit. I'm all for free-form, but try not to do too much at once.

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The shot fired and the ambassador went down. It was a nightmare. The movement hadn't even really begun and they might already have lost an important leader. In a split second Joram spun toward the sound of a blaster and was just in time to see the assassin run from his or her hiding place above. He wasn't completely familiar with this place, but enough to know he would have to try and catch the assailant outside.

For an instant he considered going to the aid of the fallen man, but there were others here far more skilled at healing than himself and Akira was standing over him guard. He would either survive or not, it was in the hands of the force. So Joram sprinted full speed toward the exit and hopefully to head off the assassin.

Click to reveal..

Survival roll to track the assassin.

(22:42:47) ChatBot: (Joram) logs into the Chat.

(22:42:57) ChatBot: (Joram) rolls 1d20 and gets 20.

20 +2 for survival skill = 22 total.

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At the moment that the shot was fired, R2-FX was devoting the majority of his processing to Joram and the people around him. But that didn’t mean that he didn’t see it. The moment the blaster fire registered on his sonic sensors, his attention focused on the shooter. He recorded every moment until the assassin was out of sight.

While the screams and shouts of those gathered in the room still echoed off of the ancient stone walls, R2-FX fired up his repulsorlift and made his way as quickly out as possible. Of course, in all the confusion and chaos, that wasn’t all that quick. To help expedite his exit, he tried to play some warning beeps. That cleared a few people, but not enough to really help…

… so he extended his shock arm and started it to arcing. That distinctive sound cleared the way better than a forcefield. Luckily for him, the nearest scomp port was much closer than the perpetrator (meaning that he reached his goal much quicker than the biologicals who were physically chasing the assassin).

R2-FX interfaced with the base’s computer system, and tried to access the external sensors (and their records), as well as any vehicle that he could operate remotely. Hopefully he’d be able to find that guy and lead his new associates right to him (or maybe even hack into his ship and keep him from taking off).

Click to reveal..
(R2-FX): roll for Computer Use

(18:49:44) ChatBot: (R2-FX) rolls 1d20 and gets 15.

Sorry it took so long to get this up.

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[Layel]

From his vantage he knelt in the tall weeds outside the jungle temple. The assassin ran swiftly through between trees clad in a form fitting shadowsuit. Judging by the movements of the assassin and general frame, it appeared it was a near-human female.

She moved swiftly through the jungle, obviously having a planned escape route. With years of combat experience on his side Layel knew catching her would be next to impossible if she had a speeder out there somewhere, but that's not what caught his attention...

Several miles off in the distance his electro-binoculars outlined the shape of an Imperial Lambda class shuttle setting down in the north, right where the assassin was heading...

[Knowledge: Tactics, Success!] This didn't bode well. Layel knew that a single Lamba class shuttle could easily be carring over heavily armed twenty soldiers. There was know telling how many (if any at all) had already landed right under their noses.

The Alliance didn't have much time...

[Joram]

Like a shot he darted past Layel and pursued the the assassin into the jungle night. Like all Jedi (even the Padawans) Joram was fit, healthy and certainly used to the exercise. He swiftly picked up the easiest way to move through the jungle landscape and darted off in pursuit. Although she was very far ahead of him if he stayed on the path he'd have her caught in no time.

Until blaster fire echoed through the jungle not far from his position... three, four, then five shots echoed in the distance. Could someone have caught up with her already?

[R2-FX]

Oh, this was a mess... the computer system was so old and in such a state of disrepair that it was nearly impossible to make what it was trying to tell the astromech droid.

The Alliance hadn't taken the time yet to get anything up and working, being comprised of idealistic nobles instead of officers and soldiers, this didn't surprise him in the slightest. With ninety percent of the bases systems off line it was no wonder an assassin got this close.

Click to reveal..
The computer system isn't fully functional yet. You have access to the doors, the lights, the intercom, and a vending machine in the hangar bay that keeps telling you to 'Enjoy Fizzyglug! Now with electrolytes!'
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Layel swore in a severe Gehennan dialect. Odds were looking more and more at a noble death than a glorious victory. Ah well. At least people should have a chance to get lost and pull out. He slung the electro-binoculars, and pulled out his blaster and comlink. He knew the frequency for Birrsk, having met him from time to time.

*Birrsk? It's Layel. Heads up, there's a Lambda-class shuttle landing a few miles to the north. Bet there could be more.*

The hiss back was quite displeased. "*Layeeel, I damn told you-*

*We can discuss that later. Spread the word to the Jedi and leadership, would you? Perhaps you can find out whether you'll find results. See ya.*

Layel, shutting off the comlink, then realized that the Jedi had rushed ahead of him into the jungle. Dammit, the Alliance didn't need to lose one yet. He groaned again, then set off into the jungle, electro-binoculars in one hand, blaster in the right hand, rushing out to pull a young Jedi out from being surrounded and blasted by a company of stormtroopers.

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Akira stands ready, on the lookout for another assassin. With the Order's Master handling the Ambassador's wound, she glances around for Master Leavae. She knows that Master Udo-Mal can handle protecting the two important personages better than she, but she had committed herself to protecting the noble woman.

Upon hearing that the Ambassador will not die and Master Udo-Mal has finished his task, she asks, "Master? What would you have me do?"

{OOC: If Leavae is nearby then the question would be directed at her instead.}

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He should've known; the base's system was useless. At least for what he wanted it for. He'd have to talk with the leaders once they found a more permanent temporary base. He'd be able to set up their security, and leave them to the more important things.

But that was then, this was now. He needed to find a way to track down the assassin, and he needed to do it now. There was only one thing that he could think to do it. So he disconnected from the computer, fired up his repulsorlift again, and headed to where he knew it was parked.

As soon as he came up to the side of the ship, he found a computer access port, and jacked in. It wasn't his ship, so this wasn't exactly legal, but hopefully it would help solve their 'problem', and so it would be overlooked.

Click to reveal..
(R2-FX): Computer Use

(01:25:11) ChatBot: (R2-FX) rolls 1d20 and gets 15.

15+16=31

This is to gain access to the system and use the sensors. If you say I need another roll to use the sensors, then you can roll it or I can.

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Originally Posted By: Dave ST
"He will live, Lady Telana. He must rest and heal on his own, but it is not the will of the Force to claim him this day."

"Thank you, Master Udo-Mal. I owe you a great debt for this."

She turned back to her father for a moment, her expression conflicted as she tried to decide in the space of a few moments what she should do. As she heard Akira speak, requesting instruction as to what she should do, she glanced up and around at they still-panicked crowd before addressing both Akira and Master Udo-Mal.

"We need to find out who did this, and if they came alone. Someone must have leaked the location, and I'd like to find out who if I can, but I'm not sure there's any way to do that. Regardless, I don't want people jumping into their ships and taking off without finding out what's waiting for us out there. I don't want people flying into a trap. I also need to get my father back to our ship. I know it's a lot to ask, but do you think you and your fellow jedi can help me calm the crowd? The last thing we need right now is panic."

Even as she spoke, she slipped an arm under the Ambassador's body and attempted to lift him, in order to carry him back.

Click to reveal..
Roll to lift the Ambassador to his feet so she can drag him:
1d20 → [19] + 1 (Str Mod) = 20
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2563516/
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Akira catches Master Udo-Mal's eye and replies, "Lady Telana, if the Master allows, I shall accompany you while you escort your father to safety. If you are planning to speak among the crowd afterward, I will protect you as well."

Click to reveal.. (OOC)
At this point I believe Akira's lightsaber is still lit, unless one of the senior Jedi motions her to turn it off. If Leavae is nearby, a simple hand signal would communicate such.
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Layel

With a low growl Birrsk clicked off his comlink. The Leader of the Crimson Scale Mercenary Company didn’t care for Layel much, but he didn’t care for the Empire even more. His heavy clawed feet stepped up on a bench and he yelled for everyone’s attention.

“Imperials are landing nearby!” He bellowed to the crowed. “Fight or flight, choose now.” He said nothing else, just hopped off the bench and motioned for a few of his fellow mercenaries to join him. “Get to the roof,” he said to one of his men. “You two, come with me, we’re going to secure the northern wall.”

Click to reveal..
Birssk is in the main hall and leaving to go to the northern side of the Temple. Akira, Dari, and all present in the hall heard him make the declaration of Imperial arrival.

[Dari & Akira]

Lifting her father to his feet wasn’t easy, the man was nearly unconscious and barely cooperative, not to mention she wasn’t particularly dressed for lifting and athletic endeavors, her low heels were already giving her enough trouble on this messy floor as it was. She suddenly found it easier as Master Udo-Mal slipped his arm around her father’s back and assisted her in the lifting.

“Master Udo-Mal!” Master Masu-ka, Joram’s master, ran over to where the Ambassador was being moved. She slowed and let her last few steps carry her a bit. “It’s Joram, Master, he’s gone. I think he went after the assassin.”

“Idiot child.” Icei Avi, the s’kytri Jedi interjected. “He’s as reckless and foolish as his master and now places us in possible greater danger with having to mount a rescue. I will go get him.”

“No,” The cerean Jedi said softly. “Master Masu-ka, Master Uthae and Padawan Anasazi. You will go search for Joram, we will tend to the ambassador.”

A gentle hand rested softly on the shoulder Dari wasn’t supporting weight on. Master Lora, the Jedi Instructor who had been all but silent until now, looked her in the eyes and offered her a kind smile. “Your people need you, Lady Telana. Allow us, please.”

He took her father’s arm and motioned for his intention to trade places with her so that she might prepare for the coming conflict ahead.

Uthae glared at Akira. She wasn’t the most pleasant master to begin with, and when things got serious she was even less so. “Come, Akira. And turn off your saber. Common sense would dictate that if there were to be more blaster fire, it would have happened by now. That assassin was alone, but why? Someone told them we’d be here,” Master Uthae began walking with Akira and Master Masu-ka towards the main entrance. “We have a leak already? I find that difficult to believe.”

Click to reveal..
Master Uthae and Master Masu-ka are leading Akira to the northern wall. They will wait for Dari if she plans on coming along (while the Jedi are using the Force to locate Joram, she can be 'getting ready')

Note, Akira's request to stay with Dari is still appropriate, since she asked before Udo-Mal told her to accompany her Master and the twi'lek Jedi.

[R2-FX]

[Computer Use, Success!]Tricking the ships computer with a faulty request for a diagnostic report R2-FX sliced through the ship’s encryption. The sensors booted up and began a large passive scan of the area surrounding the temple.

[Computer Use, Failure]It didn’t take long before the sensors announced the presence of four large energy signatures (Lambda-class shuttles). The troops they were carrying, if any, didn’t seem to register, possibly because of being blocked by the larger ships energy sigs.

One thing was for sure; four Lambda-class shuttles could be transporting eighty troops… or more.

Click to reveal..

Since you already made the sensor roll, I went ahead and used it.

(01:25:06) (R2-FX): Computer Use

(01:25:11) ChatBot: (R2-FX) rolls 1d20 and gets 15.

(01:25:47) (R2-FX): done

(01:26:28) (R2-FX): sensor use

(01:26:32) ChatBot: (R2-FX) rolls 1d20 and gets 2.

(01:26:38) (R2-FX): done

(01:26:41) ChatBot: (R2-FX) logs out of the Chat.

(11:47:06) ChatBot: (Dave) logs into the Chat.

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