2009-03-28 - Heading Upriver (Episode II)

Byss: Tesla Mansion
An opulent mansion by any standards, this massive complex forms the figurehead for the estate. Containing what must be dozens of rooms, a central dome of marble and glass stretches down from the sky, nearly touching the crags that hang overhead and block the valley to aircraft. At the edges of the mansion, vast corridors enclose outdoor patios and provide privacy to thoses within before arching back and disappearing into the very rock of the mountain itself.
The inside of the mansion is one of a vast array, containing all sorts of room and dwellings. In the front of the mansion, overlooking the valley a stately ballroom commands the foremost portion of the dome. Stretching away from that a grand hallway leads to the back of the mansion and acts as a central vein to the estate.
Throughout all of the dwelling all manner of servants scurry about. Some appear to be armed, and guard the passageways.
Gand rasps, "Where is the Chancellor? Has he returned from upriver?"
Picking himself up now, Tyy shows the closest guard a full set of perfectly white and pointy teeth, no cavities. "N-n-n-no t-t-t-touch. Can walk.", he warns, walking fast away to avoid any physical contact. "Y-y-your f-f-f-floor is d-d-dusty.", he blames the mansion's owner, as he leaves.
Nar'lan steps in with his little gaggle through the main gates of the Tesla Mansion and over towards the the main doors, his bodyguards padding behind "The boats are totally fine it seems!" the senator announces, for those that care.
 
Tuil looks to Gand who is nearby and whispers to him as he ignores the scene.
You whisper, "He is upriver investigating a fortress. We need to head that way." to Gand.
A triage in chaos. Though more organized than when others had left it, makeshift beds set out, some wounded already arranged arranged among them. Most are in a dreadful state, though some have already gotten basic care. A girl looks up from a wounded patient, greeting the incoming with a small, weary smile.
"Are there any more wounded coming in?" Lima asks of the Bothan senator politely, batting eyelashes innocently.
 
Mon Moab enters the mansion with the arriving party. Surveying the situation, he does nothing for the moment, instead standing close to Tuil and Gand and waiting.
Gand rasps, "Yes, Master Jedi. Let us proceed. This Gand will operate the vehicles."
Max Tenko rolls about on the floor a bit more, holding his neck. He appears to be choking. His face is going red.
"I've got this one, no worries." Jax'un seems to look down at the twi'lek making a good show of being upset at the brawling. The Togruta bends down with a hand under her knees and lifts Kit into his arms, and makes for the door finally exiting the mansion.
 
Tuil waves back to the gondola to indicate they should head out the way they came.
 
Mask and her guards all rush over to Tenko. "Quick, get him out of here." She says, and her guards pick up Tenko, and start to rush him out. "This place stinks." And MAsk too starts to head out.
...The group leaves and travels through the village and around the mountain to the river where the larger group left the boats earlier...
Byss: Tesla Mountains and Mines
The far side of the suspension bridge leads to a wide path. Once overgrown with native shrubbery, signs of traffic have trampled down the greenery into a dusty path. A hover-car guidance system has been laid on the ground, its parallel trail leads steadily upward to the dual entrance of the renamed Tesla Mines. At intervals, high above the path, are the remnants of the pylons and the old overhead bucket system that was used to deliver raw ore to the other side of the Gorge. It appears the current processing is done elsewhere.
Heading to the north, a new path has been carved into the side of the mountain. It slopes out of sight into the saplings that strive to retake their logged home.
The old mine entrances start out side by side, but within fifty feet of the entrance their interior passages turn away from each other and slope gradually downward until the reach they first staging point in the descent into the mines. In this massive chamber new equipment has been laid down in the old tracks of the mine, bringing production back to this abandoned landscape.
Gand clambers into the driver's seat. "Are all passengers secured?"
 
Tuil straps himself to a seat on the airboat and nods.
 
Mon Moab secures himself just as the camera zooms in on his lap.
Gand activates the boat and heads back onto the river.
Byss: Overflowing Ka'Tem River
The waters of the Ka'tem River swirl and foam every which way, fuming in a wild fury of colors and rumbling sounds. Once there was a bridge here, not so long ago; now all that remains of the old suspension bridge are two pairs of pylons on either side of the river, and suspension chains snaking away from them into the water itself.
This is not safe water, either. This is the fuming, poisonous water that flows from the mined-out slag-ridden mountains of Byss, and at this stage high in the mountains will literally dissolve a body in an hour or so.
To the east, across the river, the upper mountains with their Tesla Mines are above-water; to the south, one can escape the mountains by means of a cliff road.
 
Gand rasps, "The chancellor went this way. This Gand does not know what we will find and we are out of communications range."
Gand points the ship upriver at an angle so they are not competing directly against the current, and proceeds thataway.
 
Tuil shrugs. "We'll find out."
Byss: Upper Ka'Tem River
Here the enormous Ka'Tem flow fades away to a slower pace, and here, also, is an alpine lake full of slag and toxins. The waters hiss and fume, and toxic clouds hang over the lake in a most noxious mass. However, at the northern end of the lake there is a yawning cave mouth which promises some refuge from the lake.
 
Gand pilots the vessel onto the lake, and proceeds over the waste towards a northern cave, "It does not look like the chancellor landed anywhere around here, so this Gand will enter the cave."
You are about to be bombed!
Gand swerves the boat to dodge the bomb!
Gand says, "Watch out!"
 
Tuil pulls out his binoculars and takes a look, but then sees the bomb!
Mon Moab throws his arms up over his face!
WARNING: A tremendous explosion rips through Byss: Upper Ka'Tem River, centering on Motor-Launch A and blowing it open!
The blast scratches Motor-Launch A.
From underneath the sloshing depths of the Ka'Tem river, something suddenly detonates, right under Motor-Launch A!
 
Tuil is thankfully strapped in, otherwise he'd be tossed into the river and be killed!
Gand struggles to keep the boat upright and pointed in the right direction, "They mined the lake! Bah!"
 
Tuil puts his hand to his temple as if concentrating and divining where more mines are.
 
Mon Moab reaches out to feel the Force between the boat and the land. But his skills are not enough to affect the boat. Its up to Gand and the mines.
Farther along, while the speeder is nearly towards the cave, a red light blinks on underneath, hardly visible to those above the filthy waters.
You are about to be bombed!
WARNING: A tremendous explosion rips through Byss: Upper Ka'Tem River, centering on Motor-Launch A and blowing it open!
The blast scratches Motor-Launch A.
Gand is caught unawares this time, bouncing with the ship, struggling with the machine to handle the concussion wave. The Gand speeds into the cave before more mines can go off!
Byss: Tesla Fortress - Docks
Here the cavern actually overlooks the waters that flow in from the Ka'Tem River. It is sparse, with a high, vaulted ceiling and space to tie up large boats. Presumably this is the favored method of extraction.
 
Mon Moab's Spidey-Sense starts to tingle as the second bomb goes off. The Padawan-Doctor is thrown about in his seat, but the restraints keep him from being thrown overboard.
 
Tuil clamors off as soon as they hit dry land.
Gand and it's companions hop out of the badly damaged vessel.
Byss: Tesla Fortress - Docks
Here the cavern actually overlooks the waters that flow in from the Ka'Tem River. It is sparse, with a high, vaulted ceiling and space to tie up large boats. Presumably this is the favored method of extraction.
Gand looks about the cavern, rasping, "Let us proceed inside."
From within Motor-Launch A now, there's a high-pitched beeping. First, in every two-second intervals, then one.. then a half a second...
Gand says, "It's trapped! Move out!"
 
Mon Moab scrambles away from the boat, heeding Gand's warning!
Gand hurries away from the boat, deeper into the fortress.
Byss: Tesla Fortress - Cavern
A huge and wide open cavern, half of which is darker than the rest. There's the smell of dusk and mildew and fungus as it opens up sharply, the walls suddenly much farther than the naked eye can see, even in the diminished gloom from the glow lighting up so far above.
As the cavern opens up, gradually, a sudden declaration of sentient presence becomes obvious. Austere, white, and metallic, the cavern's progression is cut off by the presence of the obvious fortress, gothic designs apparent. Flying buttresses and turrets line the wall itself, a completely solid, impenetrable work of architectural wonder somehow made even more fearful by the dry, almost medicinal metal work of durasteel and plasticrete. In the centre of the wall is a large set of blast doors.
Obvious exits:
[Blast Doors] door into Gatehouse. (Blocked by Tesla Legion TE01)
[North] towards Hallway. [West] towards Docks.
Asori glances at Caton, then bites her bottom lip to stop herself from laughing, but she continues to move north as well. She glances behind her towards the hallway, just to make sure nothing's coming from that direction.
Gand leads some other gands and pair of sorcerers away from the docks, seeming to be in a bit of a hurry.
A tremendous explosion rips through Byss: Tesla Fortress - Docks.
Gand seems to have been expecting the detonation, "Well, looks like we are swimming back the other way."
A man in a bright red swoop is doing slow circles around Suhedir, Caton, and Asori. In his hands he holds an immense double-length black forcepike.
 
Tuil frowns as he makes his way along with Gand, Gand's Gands and Mon Moab.
"Uh, no thanks." Caton replies, moving with a tight circle that includes Suhedir, Asori, and some guards. They are retreating from a large group of storm troopers and a man with an eyepatch on a speeder.
"We're in a hurry."
"By order of the Senate of the Republic, you will stand down and submit. Under the disaster relief act I am assuming command of all military forces on this world." Suhedir shouts in his deep voice trained to command. He stops moving towards the north, and stands facing the man on the swoop. "Identify yourself." He looks to Asori and Caton and says quietly, "I don't think we're going to be able to make it to the north, not with him on that bike."
Gand rasps, assessing the situation, "Feh. Nobody prepares ahead of time anymore. Missile drones!" The gands prepare their armaments.
<FONT COLOR=#FFFF00>COMBAT:</FONT> Gand wields his Heat-Seeker Missile Drone.
The eyepatched swoop-rider's only response is a sudden grin and a kick to the throttle of his swoop. RrrrrRRRRRAAAAAARRGH! roars the swoop, and it kicks forward with a bellow of engines and a flare of heat. The shock lance comes down, aiming at Suhedir al-Cazzar. "Assuming command!" bellows the one-eyed man. "Not on your life! This is Pendlemas Tarkin's show!"
From Pendlemas Osprey, <FONT COLOR=#FFFF00>COMBAT:</FONT> Pendlemas Tarkin attacks Suhedir al-Cazzar with his Shock Lance from the back of Pendlemas Osprey!
<FONT COLOR=#FFFF00>COMBAT:</FONT> Prime Minister's Guards tries to protect Suhedir al-Cazzar, but not fast enough!
<FONT COLOR=#FFFF00>COMBAT:</FONT> Pendlemas Tarkin hits Suhedir al-Cazzar with his Shock Lance and vivisects him, destroying Suhedir al-Cazzar's Ablative Crustacean Armor. Suhedir al-Cazzar collapses, critically injured.
 
Tuil watches the chancellor get skewered and he frowns. The Jedi whips out his lightsaber, ignites it and throws all in one practiced motion at the rider!
<FONT COLOR=#FFFF00>COMBAT:</FONT> You ignite your green lightsaber.
<FONT COLOR=#FFFF00>COMBAT:</FONT> You throw your lightsaber at Pendlemas Osprey!
<FONT COLOR=#FFFF00>COMBAT:</FONT> Tuil's flying green lightsaber hits and massively damages Pendlemas Osprey.
"Chancellor!" Caton cries in surprise, as Suhedir takes a hit. He steps purposely infront of Asori, refusing to let the same thing happen to her.
In the same motion he lifts his rifle and looks down the scope with his good eye, before zapping off a sniper bolt.
<FONT COLOR=#FFFF00>COMBAT:</FONT> Caton fires his Avernus SOTH Sniper Blaster at Pendlemas Tarkin's head in Pendlemas Osprey!
From Pendlemas Osprey, <FONT COLOR=#FFFF00>COMBAT:</FONT> Pendlemas Tarkin tries to dodge, but Caton's skillfully-aimed blaster bolt hits and vaporizes his head. Pendlemas Tarkin collapses, critically injured.
OH! SNAP! It takes a one-eye to blast the crap out of a one-eye!
Pendlemas Tarkin goes flying head-over-heels from his swoop, and the swoop itself plunges directly toward Gand and his merry band, whistling as it starts madly rolling, like a rifle bullet.
Daemon slips out from the darkness of the cavern using his agility to keep up with the others. Daemon makes his way with a fast light stride and moves next to Tuil with a calm look to his golden eyes. The man quickly slips out a crysblade asessing the situation, he sees the rider get shot and now incoming bike heading right for Gand. Daemon runs with as much athletic speed as he can and tackles Gand out of the way causing both of them to get out of the way of the incoming projectile.."LOOK OUT!!."
<FONT COLOR=#FFFF00>COMBAT:</FONT> Daemon Sadi wields his Modified Jewel-Encrusted Crysblade.
Suhedir catches the lance in the middle of his torso and his armor shatters under the force of the blow. A spray of blood marks the fall of the Chancellor as he collapses to the ground, barely clinging to life. His guards move to protect their fallen leader, following Gand's lead and pulling out the heavy ordinance while they begin dragging the Mon Cal to the north.
Prime Minister's Guards wield Heat-Seeker Missile Drones.
Asori jumps aside as Suhedir is struck down, stepping quickly away, pistol coming up. Only, Caton takes the man out in one shot, and her hand drops. Stunned she glances at Caton, blinking just a bit.
Caton looks up from his smoking rifle, modestly satisfied at the shot. He turns to Asori, "Are you alright? We need to keep moving." He urges, glancing to the others who have arrived.
"There's a tunnel out to the north!"
Smack. The heavy figure of Pendlemas Osprey lands with a thump on the ground, spraying blood from some pretty serious head wounds. He claws his way across the floor, groaning in agony, smearing blood all over, leaving a trail of it. "Aaaargh ..."
Gand is knocked to the ground by the tackle, well out of the way of the crashing bike. The Gand picks itself up, "Thanks."
Daemon stands up with gand and immediately moves it a combat stance and turns around, he eyes follow move around and then looks back at the group, he says doesn't respond to Gand with words, just a quick nod as he reaches outwards to try and sense whats around them...
Pendlemas claws his way across the massive cavern, still bleeding heavily. He seems to be missing an eyepatch. Shot in the eye-hole where he lost an eye. Some people have all the luck. "Wilhuff ..." he groans. "Wilhuff ..."
"Oh. Yes. I'm fine. How did you do that?" Asori asks, glancing from the rifle to Pendlemas, "Someone should get him to be quiet." She then moves towards the north once more.
Gand grabs a triage kit from one of it's companions, and proceeds over to work on the fallen chancellor, "This Gand suggests that two in the head will keep him quiet, yes."
 
<FONT COLOR=#FFFF00>COMBAT:</FONT> Gand uses his First Aid Kit on Suhedir al-Cazzar ... But Suhedir al-Cazzar does not stabilize.
Tuil thinks Pendlemas is just grunting as he crawls, but then he deciphers that he is saying a name and the Jedi approaches Pendlemas's mass. "What's that you're saying?!"
By now, the sound of gunshots has begun to attract the attention of the gate-guards, who are sprinting across the floor toward the downed Pendlemas.
Pendlemas twists his bulk and stares up at Tuil, bleeding eye-hole and bloodshot eye. "Wilhuff!" he howls, glaring at Tuil. "You can't have everything!"
Suhedir rasps weakly as he recovers consciousness, though his condition remains critical. "Prisoner...." he says, "Flee." he adds, looking at the approaching stormtroopers.
"Years of practice." Caton replies quickly, with a small smile. It fades as he notices the stormtroopers, finally moving. "The tunnel!" He directs, and heads for the hallway.
 
Tuil watches the oncoming troopers and he looks back to Pendlemas and hurries up to the man before he can get away. "Wilhuff? What do you know about Tarkin?!"
Asori nods, "Yes!" She agrees, then turns to head for the tunnel as fast as she can. She's clearly not afraid of running away.
"Brother ... Wilhuff!" Pendlemas howls, suddenly pulling himself to his feet and staggering toward the troopers. "Why are you here? This is MY mission!"
The Prime Minister's guards grab hold of Suhedir firmly and haul his broken body away to the north. One of them looks back to shout, "We're leaving." to those who lag behind.
Gand moves to stay with it's patient.
 
Tuil stands up over Grand Moff Tarkin's brother and calls out, "Halt, return to your posts and you will be rewarded!"
ABILITY CHECK: You attempt a difficult feat of Jedi_Mind_Trick ... Failure ...
Pendlemas waves his hands wildly at Tuil, his depth perception way, way off. "Out of my way!" he shouts. "Out of my way, Wilhuff! Guards!"
Mon Moab stands by Tuil, covering his back.
Daemon turns to the sound of the incoming feet. He shifts to allow gand to attend to Suhedir and then moves over to Tuil's side. He watches the interaction from Tuil and downed man and then crutches a little in preparation for battle...
Male's drenched form comes moving into the area, water dripping all over the ground. The woman coughs a few times, apparently quite badly damaged from the river. She pauses, her chest heaving, and water comes pouring out of her mouth with each cough.
 
Tuil looks down at Pendlemas and then looks to Mon Moab. "Uh oh... Let's get out of here!" He turns and heads back to Gand and the rest of the crew as they flee with the chancellor.
 
Mon Moab nods and hurriedly follows Tuil.
Daemon's eyes didn't stop looking at the incoming trooper and finally shows a hint of relief when he decides to take the smart route and comments "Good choice..." He turns and heads as well along side the Doctor and the jedi master
You leave Byss: Tesla Fortress - Cavern.
Continued in Stormtroopers!
Category:March 2009 RP Logs