Film IV Session 11

== Session Duration ==
Episodes 875-916, 42 episodes
== Cast of Characters and Players ==
* Jim as Han Solo (Greedo)
* Ben as Chewbacca
* Sally as C-3PO
* Pete as R2-D2
* Annie as:
** Darth Vader
** Princess/Leia Amidala
** Clone Pilot 1 (late 893-908)
** Clone Pilot 2 (late 893-early 908)
* Corey as Adam Lars/Luke Amidala/Luke Starkiller
* The GM as:
** Tarkin
** Wedge
** Biggs
** Garven Dreis
** Rebel Crew Chief
** Red Ten
** Red Seven
** Porkins
** Red Nine
** Red Eleven
** Red Four
** Lieutenant Tanbris
** Del Goren
** Clone Pilot 1 (early 893)
** Clone Pilot 2 (early 893, late 908)
** Gold Leader
** Gold Two
** Gold Five
** General Bast
** PA System
== Characters Played By More Than One Person This Session ==
* Clone Pilot 1 played by:
** The GM (early 893)
** Annie (late 893-908)
* Clone Pilot 2 played by:
** The GM (early 893)
** Annie (late 893-early 908)
** The GM (late 908)
== Summary ==
The GM gets a call from Jim that he's on his way and the others should start without him. Annie switches to playing Darth Vader and talks to Tarkin, telling him that her informant has alerted her that the Rebels are on their way. Annie and Tarkin agree the Rebels have no chance against the Peace Moon.
Corey asks Sally what she'll be doing during the battle. She tells him the Rebel Fighter pilots come from a dozen different planets and speak many different languages, so she'll be needed at the command centre to translate for everybody. She points out that being so useful indicates Corey shouldn't melt her down. He agrees she's useful for now, but he may melt her down next morning.
Jim arrives with an important Real World announcement. He's gotten two job offers in his chosen profession of geophysics. But since geophysics jobs are hard to come by, both jobs are overseas. Pete's worried about how this will affect the group, but Jim admits that's not the main thing he's worried about, and looks at Annie. She says without hesitation that of course she'll go with him. Jim's relieved, because he was afraid she'd be reluctant to go. Annie laughs that off, pointing out that her Dad's dead, she and her mother don't get along, and she's a struggling actress, so she just wants to know where they're going. Jim reveals that one job offer is in Iceland and the other is in LA working for NASA, but he can't decide which four-year posting would be better. As the struggling actress, Annie quickly helps him to choose LA. Jim points out that NASA will want to move next week, so they should try to wrap up the campaign tonight.
Getting back to the campaign, Jim and Ben tell Corey and Sally that they're leaving while they still can, not wanting to take part in the battle. Annie switches to playing Princess/Leia Amidala and wishes Corey luck, by kissing him on the cheek. Corey accuses her of being a traitor, but she denies it, which frustrates Corey since he knows there's a traitor around somewhere. Corey runs into two of his fellow pilots, Biggs, who's also from Tatooine near Mos Eisley and speaks with a thick Space American Southern accent, and Garven Dreis who speaks with a thick Space Brittish accent. Sally tells him he's lucky to be working with pilots who speak Galactic Basic (or Space English). Corey and Pete board their X-Wing fighter together. Pete's still in dormant mode because he's still calculating the fighters' strategy.
Annie and Sally take up their positions in the command center as the X-Wing fighters and Y-Wing bombers head off to fight the Peace Moon. Corey orders the fighters with him to report in. In addition to Biggs and Wedge, there's Red Ten who speaks in Space French, Red Seven who speaks in Space Spanish, Porkins who speaks in Space Welsh, Red Nine who speaks Space Estonian, and Red Eleven who speaks in Space Basque. Sally translates for them all, even though all they're saying is their ship numbers and "standing by". Pete is still dormant as they begin to approach the Peace Moon. The Moon opens fire on them, which Red Four reports in Space Japanese which Sally translates. Corey dodges the blasts and shoots the stations on the Peace Moon firing at them.
Annie switches back to playing Vader as she approaches Lieutenant Tanbris and demands to know why their pilots haven't gone to their fighters to engage the Rebels. Tanbris tells her that the Peace Moon guns seem to be firing themselves and are firing so slowly the Rebels can easily dodge them, that everyone thinks this is the work of the Moon Ghost, so the pilots are too afraid to go out there. Annie orders him to get control of the guns while she'll take care of the pilots.
Pete comes to life, having finished his calculations and transmitting the vectors to the other fighters. All Rebel fighters are now flying to the formation Pete's specified. Pete apologizes to Porkins. Porkins asks what, just before getting shot down by the Peace Moon's guns.
At the command center, Del Goren, speaking in Space Kanarese that Sally translates, warns the Rebel fighters that enemy fighters are heading their way. Jim comments that these must be those "PIE" fighters they fought in the previous session. Sally interjects that PIE stands for Plasma Ion Engines. The GM tries to object, but Pete tells him it's too late, PIE fighters is now their official canon name. The GM remarks that that's a "crumby" name. Pete congratulates him on the pun, and says he'd bite but he can't think of a topper. Sally suggests ice cream. This gets all the players' minds off the campaign, as they're now all hungry for ice cream and look at the GM expectantly. He tells them he doesn't have any in the house. Jim and Ben volunteer to go get the ice cream since their characters aren't present anyway. They ask the others not to destroy the Peace Moon before they get back. Corey asks if that means they want to help after all. Ben tells him no, they just want to watch. The GM tells Jim and Ben that he knows what they want to watch, but that he's already outlawed the use of pyrotechnics in Pete's dice, as have the police. Jim expresses his disappointment as he and Ben leave.
Corey fires at a PIE fighter. He rolls a 14, but the GM tells him he misses, because his guns are firing a little to the left. Corey rants about what a piece of junk his fighter is. Annie switches back to playing Princess to tell him to quit complaining, the Rebellion's on a shoestring and he actually has the best ship in the bunch. Pete offers to compensate for Corey. Biggs tells Corey a complicated way that Corey could manually compensate. Corey chooses to beg for Pete's help. Corey fires again at the PIE fighter and destroys it.
Anne switches back to Vader and addresses Clone Pilot 1 and Clone Pilot 2, ordering them to come with her to engage the Rebel fighters. She tells them the Rebels will stand no chance against the most competent pilots in the Empire. The Pilots thank her for the compliment. She explains that she will now be Force controlling their every action. Annie now starts roleplaying Vader and both pilots, all three at once, and has the pilots say that the rebels will be cut down like stalks of wheat, ground in the mill of their might.
Corey's being fired at from behind by a PIE fighter. Wedge offers to resuce Corey, but since Corey doesn't trust Wedge, that doesn't make Corey any less worried. Wedge fires and the GM determines after a dice roll that Wedge hits, then the GM pauses before finishing, the PIE fighter. 
Pete directs Corey to the "Gungaboo River Valley" because it has the lowest fixed gun density on the way to the target, the thermal exhaust port. Corey asks where that is and Pete tells him it's that squareish trench, explaining that the Peace Moon was never fully landscaped. Annie switches back to Princess and asks if Pete calculated the PIE fighters in his vector. Pete says no, the Rebel fighters are just going to have to dodge. Annie orders the X-Wings to engage the PIE fighters and the Y-bombers into the valley, pointing out that as bombers, they're the best fit for the target.
The Y-bombers consist of three one-man fighters: Gold Leader who speaks "Basic", Gold Two who speaks Space German, and Gold Five who speaks Space Finnish. Sally tries to translate between them, but it ends up making no difference, since Annie has switched back to Vader and comes in behind them. First she shoots down Gold Two, then she shoots down Gold Leader, then she shoots down Gold Five. Annie contacts Tarkin to inform him that this isn't a random attack, and that he and the Senate should evacuate, but Tarkin is confident they don't need to. General Bast approaches Tarkin and tells him that the Moon Ghost has taken over all their systems and that they're all doomed. Annie interrupts him. Bast quickly changes his story, saying that everything's working perfectly.
Pete claims they can't destroy the Peace Moon now. Corey asks why they can't torpedo the exhaust port themselves. Pete explains that the port is protected by a large metal grille, and that that's what the bombers were for: to destroy the grille so the other fighters could shoot through the port. Annie switches back to Princess, saying they need a new plan, stat. Pete suggests they take over the Peace Moon. Annie says they need a realistic plan, stat. Sally suggests some of the fighters ram into the grille. Pete likes that idea, and so takes control of the fighters piloted by Garven Dreis, Red Ten, and Red Nine to ram them into the grille. Red Ten, who doesn't want to die, desperately fires into the grille. Since Pete is controlling his ship, the GM has Pete roll for the hit. Pete rolls a 15, and Red Ten claims it's a hit, which Sally translates. Pete is pleased, so cancels the ramming. But then Red Ten reports (through Sally) that his torpedo didn't destroy the grille, making only a small hole in it. Pete recommences ramming, but Annie has switched back to playing Vader and the two clone pilots. Annie as Vader rolls a 14, shooting down Red Ten. Annie as Clone Pilot 1 compliments Vader's shooting. Annie as Vader thanks Clone Pilot 1 and rolls an 8, shooting down Red Nine. Annie as Clone Pilot 2 compliments Vader's shooting. Annie as Vader tells Clone Pilot 2 that Clone Pilot 2 is too kind and rolls a 3, which is still enough to hit Dreis' engine, causing him to crash.
Annie switches back to Princess and tells eveybody to get their act together. The GM informs Corey that the only fighters left are Wedge, Biggs, and himself. Corey says, "Great, the yokel and the psychopath." Wedge insists that just because he's a shapeshifter doesn't mean he's a yokel. Corey is shocked to just find out that Wedge's a shapeshifter and demands to know who he really is. Annie tells him that all he needs to know is that Wedge is a damn good pilot and will soon take over as leader of Red Squadron if Corey's not careful. Annie switches back to Vader and fires at Corey from behind. Corey rolls an 11 and manages to dodge. He decides they can still fire their torpedoes through the hole in the grille, and orders Biggs and Wedge to close in with him as they enter the trench full throttle. Upon hearing that, Biggs thinks this is the perfect time to get out a bottle of nitro moonshine. Annie switches back to Princess to tell him it's a good idea of his to nitro the engines. But Biggs is just drinking it.
Annie switches back to Vader and rolls a 7 to shoot at Wedge. The GM determines on a dice roll that Wedge is able to dodge, but is still hit in his manouvering controls. Wedge says he can't stay with him. Corey's glad of that (because he still fears and distrusts Wedge) and orders him back to base. Corey contacts Princess to let her know that Wedge the shapeshifter, not Corey, is flying back to base. Annie switches back to Princess and asks Corey what his point is, then says, "Never mind, shut up and fly." Annie switches back to Vader and shoots down Biggs. The GM informs Corey that the only members of the attack fleet who are still alive are Wedge, who's limping back to base, and Corey.
Pete taunts Annie, daring her to take a pot shot at him. Annie takes a pot shot at Pete and hits him. Pete tells Corey that he'd flag those PIE fighters behind them, FYI. He then tells Corey that he can still take over the Peace Moon. All he has to do is fly into a hangar, close the doors, and use the Force to take over the clones. With Vader outside, all Corey has to do is cut off Vader's radio and Vader won't be able to override Corey. Then they can take over the Peace Moon and rule the Galaxy. Corey is tempted, but isn't sure whether destroying the Peace Moon or taking it over is supposed to be the wrong option.
Jim and Ben come back with the ice cream, and the GM gives them a note. Annie switches back to Princess to announce that the Peace Moon has cleared Yavin, and is about to blow up the rebel base. Corey decides to take the shot. Pete urges him to use the Force, but Corey angrily refuses. Annie switches back to playing Vader and the two clone pilots to have them all say in unison, "We have you now..." Jim declares that suddenly the Millenium Falcon turns up right behind Vader. Ben fires the Falcon's forward cannons, shooting down Clone Pilot 1. Annie as Vader express surprise. The GM determines through a series of dice rolls that Vader's surprise has caused Annie to lose control of Clone Pilot 2, that Clone Pilot 2 (now once again played by the GM) goes on a joy ride that clips Annie's fighter, sending her spiralling out of control into space. 
Corey declares he's taking the shot. Pete insists Corey must use Pete's special die. The GM points out he said no explosions. Pete says not to worry, since this die has been kept frozen in liquid nitrogen. The GM isn't exactly reassured, but Corey takes the die. Pete urges him to roll it before it thaws. Corey rolls it, which causes it to shoot up to the ceiling of the GM's room, and land on a 9.
The GM announces that the two torpedoes head towards the vent, but look like they're going to pass over it. Corey urges the torpedoes to "come on...turn, damn you! Turn into the vent!" The GM asks Corey if he's actually trying to steer the torpedoes, as if willing a bowling ball away from a gutter as it rolls down the lane. Corey says he guesses so. The GM tells him to make a roll with a normal die. Corey rolls a 16. The GM says, "The torpedoes veer downwards.." Corey says, "Come on!" The GM continues, "... heading into the vent..." Annie switches back to Princess as all six players (even Pete!) yell in unison, "Come on!" The GM finishes, "... and straight through the tiny hole in the grille!"
At first, nothing seems to happen. Ben suggests that if a major conflagration is about to occur, it may be expediant to evacuate the area with alacrity. Sally translates, "Run away!" As Corey and Pete's X-Wing and the Falcon flee, their sensors detect a major power surge building up in the Peace Moon. 
Onboard the Peace Moon, the PA System announces the time for the compulsrory enlisted personnel disco. Thankfully, the enlisted personnel are spared this Fate Worse Than Death when the Peace Moon explodes.
Jim explains he planned all along to come back for a last minute rescue because he figured this would throw the traitor a curve ball, whoever that traitor is. He asks Corey how he made that shot. Corey says he just willed the torpedoes into the hole. Annie tells him he used the Force. Corey denies it because he didn't know what he was doing. Annie tells him that's how to do it. Corey asks if that means it's something you can only do by not knowing anything about how to do it. Jim answers in the affirmative.
Jim, Ben, Corey, and Pete make it back to the Rebel base where they're greeted by Sally and Annie. Ben considers what the political ramifications of this event will be. Annie points out that the evil, corrupt Senate was destroyed with the Peace Moon, washing away the Old Republic. She declares the future is always in motion. Pete says he prefers to live presently. Corey replies that all his troubles are in the past. The players bask in what a great time they've all had on this campaign. Ben says it's nice that the pilot saved the day. Pete thanks him, and points out how that's just like Jim's campaign. They all (except Corey, who wasn't there) reminisce on how much they all enjoyed Jim's campaign as well. Annie tells Jim his campaign was hilarious. Jim replies that he completely intended it to be hilarious.
The GM wraps up the campaign with a medal ceremony. Anne presents medals to Corey and Jim. Ben declines a medal until he feels they've actually won. He points out that Darth Vader escaped, and they still have to deal with Emperor Palpatine. Sally insists that Palpatine was never a bad guy, just a figurehead for the Senate's depravities. Pete replies that they need a real leader, not a crown. Corey praises the game and says they should play it again, only this time he should play Vader. The GM insistently refuses. Annie tells Corey that the original version is always the best, and they shouldn't mess with it.