Agents of the Outer Rim 6 - Dark Disciples

*A surprising proclamation by Cold Steele (aka Darth Null) somehow does **not** immediately cause a battle of force wielders to break out, but instead leads to our heroes being outfitted with crimson lightsabers and marching off with the cyborg Sith on a mission to rescue not only the missing New Republic commandoes but the entire planet as well, with the caveat that saving the planet may doom all of its inhabitants but why argue over the little things? As Jimmy and Katira feel the power of Darth Null coursing through their armor, the rest of the group is a bit more apprehensive in accepting his aid. In a flurry of red, lightsabers are thrown, heads roll, and Skids McDougal must decide… is it better to be a slave to the Empire, or to Tek Krodak?*

## **Previously**

*A brawl in the Saltspring Grotto ended with our heroes following a rebooted Cold Steele through the caverns below Khloris into his mysterious workshop. Given new armor and a lightsaber each, the team was stunned to discover that what they believed to be a quirky, ranting droid, is actually a newly awakened Sith Lord. Will another fight break out immediately, or will our heroes turn a new leaf and become accepting of the dark side of the force?*

## **Recap**

### **The Benevolent Sith**

   As Cold Steele proclaims his actual title as Darth Null, the team has a bit of mixed response. Not knowing the philosophical differences between varying sects of space wizards, Jawa Jimmy and Katira are more interested in the new equipment and repairs being offered by the brain laden spiders than Null’s statement. Bota Zi, Droo, and Tek stare in stunned confusion as they try to process the ramifications of the cyborgs statement and whether it the long period of time spent in confinement has seen a change in what it means to be Sith.
Taking their silence as an interest in hearing more about himself, Darth Null provides some exposition of the past:

> "*I was born here, on Bael-Moor. By my reckoning, the age I was born into has passed by three centuries ago: it was a time of two ideals fighting each other regardless of what the other side espoused - it was a meritocracy. People survived based on how strong they were, how unconquerable their spirit was, what skills they could master, and how quickly.*
>
>
> *Bael-Moor was one of the 14 throne worlds in the Empire. It was a paradise, ruled by an oppressive dictator assigned to the planet by the then emperor.*
>
>
> *Soon after my abilities with the force manifested I was sent to the academy. I worked hard, keeping Bael-Moor on my mind, and I rose through the ranks of Acolyte, then apprenticed to a sniveling boot-licker in the battles of Dromund Kaas and Zarul. I proved my worth and was named a Lord, Darth Null.*
>
>
> *I wanted Bael-Moor and it needed me. The oppressive dictator was running the planet, destroying its resources, enslaving its populace with draconian laws and rigging the system to hurt those who could challenge him - who challenged him rightfully and lawfully.*
>
>
> *I overthrew him and defeated the voice of the emperor who was sent to remove me. The Emperor and the next and the next all understood that Bael-Moor was under my protection.''*"
>
>
>
> ― Darth Null
>
>

He continues, explaining that in the end it was the *Jedi* who ravaged the planet. Bringing a super weapon known as Stormbringer Station that would turn the planet from an aquatic paradise to the icy tundra that the group has experienced, they devastated all that he had built. Null was forced into a shuttle by his own subordinates in order to escape the Jedi, and though he managed to redirect the ship to return so that he might perish with his planet he was instead frozen for thousands of years.

Hearing from Darth Null, the group’s previous conception of just how evil the Sith might be is shaken. Katira asks what will happen to the people that currently inhabit the planet but Null is mostly indifferent to their existence, offering to let them resettle or remain wherever they can survive. Bota asks what Null will do about the smuggling of slaves off planet, only to be informed that the missing persons have not left the planet but only been forced into slave labor for the Imperials. Though there are a few more questions, the full picture seems to be a sincere desire on the part of Darth Null to rid the planet of Imperials, restore it to its former state, and establish independence.
> "*My goal is to use this Dark Council to destroy the interlopers who have brought people to my cities below the surface in order to revive Stormbringer Station. We will destroy those who seek this power, rebuke them from the planet, and restore Bael-Moor. Once restored I’ll determine whether there are any alliances that are appropriate to allow us to return to our rightful place.*"
> ― Darth Null
>
>

So, unable to find a consensus agreement to side *against* they cybernetic traveling partner, the group decides that it may be their best course of action to instead travel with him for the time being, keep an eye on how things develop, and be prepared to strike if things go sideways.

### **Superpowers and Stormtroopers**

In exchange for their service to the Dark Council, Darth Null offers to each member of the team a suit of acolyte armor and a crimson bladed lightsaber. He explains that the suits will enhance the abilities of the wearer beyond what many would consider natural and that the blades were wielded by his former acolytes. Katira - already having put the armor on - readily accepts the gifts, and after being told that the spider cyberneticists will tailor a suit to fit him Jimmy does as well. The rest of the team refuses the armor, but each accepts the lightsabers for their own reasons.

> "*The suits themselves will give you what some would call supernatural abilities*"
> ― Darth Null
>
>

> "*Does that mean that I’ll be taller?*"
> ― Jawa Jimmy
>
>

> "*In a sense yes, but in reality no.*"
> ― Darth Null
>
>

> "*Only from a certain point of view.*"
> ― Droo
>
>

> "*If you force your enemies to their knees, which you will be able to do with this suit, then they will be looking up at you.*"
> ― Darth Null
>
>

As Darth Null hands each member their new lightsaber, he tells them the name of the blade as well. Though disappointed that he won’t be able to empower more of the team as they have refused the armor, he states that he will help and guide them on the mission none the less.

After a brief rest to allow for the spider cyberneticists to rework and improve Darth Null’s decaying mechanics, the team heads into the planet to stop the Imperials and save Charlie Team. Soon they are faced with a full cohort of stormtroopers, and as Darth Null holds back to empower the group through the force the battle commences.

As Tek and Droo each ignite their lightsabers and prepare for combat (Tek: -1 temp cp, -3cp), each gets the sense that their new red blades feel eager to attack. Also eager to attack, Katira sneaks ahead and cuts the throats of two nearby guards, and the team announces their arrival with Jawa Jimmy and Sparky running in to knock another trooper unconscious. Finally, Bota opens fire one three more white armored soldiers, mortally wounding two and absolutely *vaporizing* the third.

The remaining two Imperials are shocked at the sudden appearance of enemies, Darth Null having clouded their senses as the team approached, and fire into the group only to have Tek deflect both shots away, sending one straight back to incapacitate one of the pair. Bota calls out for the man to surrender and he drops his blaster immediately then turns to flee, but is quickly caught up to by Katira wielding her new weapon.

> "*Shh… shh.. this is “The Ending”*"
> ― Katira decapitating the unarmed stormtrooper
>
>

> "*Wow Katira… you just made being a Jedi feel really dark.*"
> ― Tek
>
>

> "*\*\*\*\* Katira!*"
> ― Droo
>
>

As the rest of the team is shocked by the ease with which Katira killed the last visible soldier, Tek heads toward the large grouping of troopers that have since been neutralized and finds that there are more enemies still standing guard. More importantly, he discovers the familiar face of Skids McDougal behind the soldiers.

> "*Well look who’s over here.*"
> ― Jordan revealing Skids McDougal
>
>

> "*Oh… bug man?*"
> ― Droo
>
>

> "*No, Skids McDougal!*"
> ― Jordan
>
>

> "*This is perfect, because of all the people to rescue him, Skids sees Tek.*"
> ― Bota
>
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> "*Skids might just want to stay here as a slave.*"
> ― Katira
>
>

> "*So we meet in a cave yet again, eh Skids?*"
> ― Tek
>
>

Tek takes a defensive stance, ready to return blaster bolts back to the troopers or their prisoners - whatever the force decides - and soon Droo is standing alongside him. Rather than wait for the stormtroopers to shoot, Droo hurls “Shadow Harold” at the nearest soldier. Unfortunately, after leaving her hand the blade extinguished and is easily caught by her enemy. Confused, the stormtrooper looks down the emitter as Droo reaches out with the force to ignite the blade and pull it back to her hand. In a manner equally as gruesome as the maligned Katira’s previous decapitation, the blade flares to life directly through the trooper’s head, then cuts a black line out to the top of his head as it flies back to Droo’s outstretched hand.

> "*That was all Harold.*"
> ― Tek
>
>

> "*I love you, Harold.*"
> ― Droo
>
>

> "*Now come over here and pick me up!*"
> ― Tek as Harold
>
>

Cleaning up the last of the Imperials, Jawa Jimmy scrambles ahead and shoots the two remaining troopers without hesitation, leaving one wounded, the other incapacitated, and Skids McDougal a (relatively) free man. Behind Jimmy, Sparky notices the movements of the only surviving stormtrooper of the initial attack. Having missed all attempted strikes earlier, the astro-monster puts the soldier out of his misery before lumbering toward his Jawa friend.

## **Featured Characters**

### **Our Heroes**

* Bota Zi
* Droo Vos
* Jawa Jimmy
	+ Sparky
* Katira Eve
* Tek Krodak

### **Mentioned**

* Jowkazza
* Skids McDougal

## **Inventory**

* +Sith Acolyte Armor (Jawa Jimmy, Katira)
* +Red Lightsaber “The Ending” (Katira)
* +Red Lightsaber “Death’s Finger” (Jawa Jimmy)
* +Red Lightsaber “Red Switch” (Bota)
* +Red Lightsaber “Red Immolation (Tek)
* +Red Lightsaber “Shadow Herald” (Droo)
* +Red Lightsaber “???” (Jowkazza)
* -13cp to bring **lightsaber** to 4D+1 (Katira)
* -12cp to bring **melee combat: sword** to 9D (Katira)
* -21cp to bring **lightsaber** to 5D (Jawa Jimmy)
* -3cp to enter lightsaber combat (Tek)
* -1 **temp cp** to redirect deflected blaster bolt (Tek)
* -1cp to enter lightsaber combat (Droo)

## **Notes**

* Sith Acolyte Armor: +1D Energy;+1D Physical; +3D against lightsaber; +1D of a desired attribute *when in proximity with Darth Null*
	+ Jawa Jimmy’s armor is attuned to boost **Dexterity**
	+ Katira’s armor is attuned to boost ‘*Dexterity'*
	+ Jowkazza’s armor attunement will be decided on his next mission

* Why did these Jedi and Bota accept a red lightsaber you ask?
	+ Droo: couldn’t resist the urge to dual wield with it
	+ Tek: who turns down a free lightsaber?
	+ Bota: can’t have someone *else* stumbling on a lightsaber and using it against us

* Darth Null empowerment notes:
	+ Katira accepts: +5 temp cp; +1 temp force point
	+ Jimmy accepts: +5 temp cp; +1 temp force point
	+ Tek tries to reject: +1 temp cp
	+ Droo tries to reject: +2 temp cp
	+ Bota rejects: no bonus

* Darth Null’s transformation into cyborg was meant to offset the corrupting and decaying effects of utilizing the dark side of the force. In many ways he takes an alternate path to Sithspawn, replacing his degrading body with mechanical constructs rather than transferring his essence into clones of himself.

## **Quotations**

> "*What happens to the Illsauvin people when you turn this planet back into one covered in water?*"
> ― Katira
>
>

> "*I’m sure that they can swim.*"
> ― Darth Null
>
>

> "*Can we maybe find another planet?*"
> ― Katira
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> "*You mean for those people that live here to resettle? I’m not opposed to that idea.*"
> ― Darth Null
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> "*Really single minded here, huh?*"
> ― Katira
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> "*Hey, Droo… you think you might want to trade lightsabers?*"
> ― Katira
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> "*Sure Katira. Why do you want to?*"
> ― Droo
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> "*Oh, well, I just really think yours has a cool name, and… I didn’t think you’d say yes. Now I’m not so sure, I really do like “The Ending” too.*"
> ― Katira
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> "*Oh, it’s okay Katira. You keep yours. I’m going to call mine “Shadow Harold” like the name anyways.*"
> ― Droo
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> "*I’m really trying to think critically on this, because you don’t seem to like this guy Droo. Tek, before you start, I really don’t care what you think.*"
> ― Katira
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> "*I just don’t really like that he looks all evil and droid-like.*"
> ― Droo
>
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> "*Wait… you saying you got a problem with Sparky?*"
> ― Jawa Jimmy
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> "*What would you call the droid dating app?*"
> ― Jordan
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> "*Sparker.*"
> ― Tek
>
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> "*Do you think that droids that are into kink do it with a restraining bolt on?*"
> ― Droo
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> "*Is there anyone over here to whack with a lightsaber?*"
> ― Droo
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> "*There is one more trooper, with two slaves standing nearby.*"
> ― Jordan
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> "*Drop your weapons, and don’t ask about the hat because heads are rolling back there.*"
> ― Tek
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> "*Alright Droo, it’s your turn.*"
> ― Jordan
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> "*Droo, help dispel this terrible situation.*"
> ― Tek
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> "*You want me to shoot Skids?*"
> ― Droo
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> "*Is bug man impressed?*"
> ― Droo
>
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> "*His… uh… his mouth proboscis quiver in excitement.*"
> ― Jordan
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>

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