In the Dark of the Night 3 - Knightmare

*Scientists are robbed, stormtroopers jump from great heights, stormtroopers are pushed from great heights, and the Imperial guns are targeted at the Tapani Sector as our heroes uncover news of the upcoming Operation: Knightmare. After diverting the Imperial Star Destroyer Gorgon, our heroes arrive on the planet Coruscant to be briefed by Cal Omas on the formation of the Council of the Whills and offered a place working in tandem with it. As the rest of the team gets some well-deserved rest, Jimmy and Katira are given a second option: betray everyone they love for some mysterious people that kidnapped them in the middle of the night! With the stakes growing and the subterfuge only just beginning, can they save the galaxy if they cannot even protect themselves?*

## **Previously**

*Arriving on the newly developed New Anoat City over the poisoned planet of Anoat, our heroes foiled an apparent attempt by the Imperial Remnant to disrupt the New Republic ceremony honoring the city’s completion and capture the scientists being honored therein. With the soldiers eliminated and their ship taken control of, how much information can be obtained before Sparky loses his patience?*

## **Recap**

### **Landing on Platform**

Finally coming to their senses following the initial shock of being put under fire during their first day on the job, the New Republic guards begin to direct the civilians on the platform toward the much safer sections of the city below. As the remaining dignitaries and New Republic personnel gather their wits about them, they look to the team for some direction on what should be done next. Onboard the troop transport, Bota Zi commands the Imperial pilots to bring the ship in for a landing at the cloud car dock to the side. The pilots comply, with Jowkazza providing a sufficient presence of intimidation to keep the troopers in the main hold in line.

With things in hand onboard the transport, Katira decides that she need not use her newly obtained jetpack, and instead begins to remove the whipcord restraining the nearby scientists. She makes some small talk and attempts to flirt during the process, but finds that everyone else is far too on edge to reciprocate.

> "*By the way, do you have a map of this place, because I just keep getting lost in your eyes.*"
> ― Katira
>
>

Feeling annoyed at the lack of attention directed at her, Katira decides to pickpocket the final scientist, scoring a communicator and a wallet for her efforts.

Cal Omas heads toward the troop transport as it completes its docking process, and though Bota has a number of ideas to determine where the Imperial support for the transport might be, Cal is of little aid as there was no anticipated need for scouts or major military support at the gala. Deciding that his sweet serenade is no longer needed, Jawa Jimmy returns his flute to its case, clambers down from atop Sparky, and heads onboard the transport to see what information he can glean from the ship’s computers while Cal apologizes.

With the pilot code cylinder’s readily accessible, Jimmy wastes no time gaining access to the vessel. He notes that the transport departed from within the Anoat system off the Imperial Star Destroyer *Gorgon*, and had been waiting in atmosphere for 6-8 hours before the event. He begins to search for any information regarding the dactyls that the Imperial soldiers were riding, discovering that the mission for retrieving the scientists was a part of *Operation: Knightmare*, and that the arrival of the dactyls and transport was initiated upon reception of some signal.

### **Katira’s Nightmare Operation**

As information begins to trickle in from Jawa Jimmy, Katira gets tired of waiting for something actionable. Taking matters into her own hands, she drags the corpse of one trooper to the prisoners and informs them that they may end up with a lightsaber through the face if they don’t start talking.

> "*Where are you from?*"
> ― Katira
>
>

> "*Uh… the Empire!*"
> ― MI3-4001
>
>

> "*Ha. Smart ass.*"
> ― Bota
>
>

The stormtroopers play dumb, and the tension escalates dramatically as Katira begins to threaten their lives. In response, one of the prisoners shouts out that he has a family before flinging himself over the edge and into open air. Acting fast, Katira leaps over the edge as well, catching the trooper and bringing him back to the top of New Anoat City with her.

> "*No no no. I have a family! If I talk, my family is dead.*"
> ― MI3-4001
>
>

> "*Trust me. I know that… I didn’t save you because I thought you wanted to live. I saved you because you **wanted** to die.*"
> ― Katira
>
>

> "*Okay, well he starts crying.*"
> ― Jordan
>
>

His spirit broken, the stormtrooper decides that he may as well talk when Katira offers to pass along any information received as if it came from one of the other Imperials. He informs Katira that he was stationed under the command of Captain Kratas onboard the *Gorgon*, and assigned with the mission to retrieve the scientists who had developed New Anoat City and return them to the Empire from whom they had worked for previously. As he begins to provide the designations for himself and the other troopers, one of his companions interjects to quiet him.

Ignoring the other trooper, Katira pushes for more answers, specifically for information regarding what signal the troops received to begin the mission. He begins to provide more intel, indicating that the signal was received from the *Gorgon* directly as well as providing a general mission outline of using the dactyls and speeders as a distraction, but is told to shut his mouth by his compatriot once again.

Only loosely monitoring Katira’s interrogation so as not to be held responsible for allowing her methods, Bota and Cal begin to discuss their next steps. Agreeing that they should attempt to return some normalcy by resuming the gala, they are further interrupted as Rusty loses his cool and begins to berate the security guard he “borrowed” a blaster from.

> "*This is ridiculous. Who’s your superior? I want to talk to him. Right now!*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

> "*Alright, I’ll go get him. He should be around somewhere.*"
> ― NR Security Guard
>
>

> "*I want to talk to him right now, because this should **never** have happened. Not at an event this big. I want… I want… I mean, I sure want a decent meal after this, but I want to see all the surveillance footage, I want to talk to people.*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

Looking to calm the raging Aqualish, a nearby laborer brings him a bag of hot dogs to enjoy while he waits for the watch commander. Though still disgusted by the lack of discipline, Rusty does calm down somewhat as he digs in.

Bota begins to direct the removal of the transport so that things can get back underway. As he instructs Katira to board the stormtroopers onto the ship, however, the surlier soldier (MI4-9892) indicates that he recognizes her name, piquing the Zeltron’s interest yet again. Loading him onto the transport, Katira references their activities on Kampe, and seeing a response in recognition to the name she lets him know that she has had enough attitude before shoving him off the ramp and into the open sky.

> "*Anyone else feel like this is getting dark?*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

Letting MI4-9892 fall for a moment, Katira then jumps after the screaming trooper and rescues him. As the thoroughly disoriented man removes his helmet and vomits, she asks why he knows her name but is only told that he was trying to mess with her.

### **Avoiding Imperial Entanglements**

With the prisoners boarded successfully, and feeling that Katira has had her fun, Bota orders the transport be moved to a separate docking bay. While en route he calmly questions the Imperial pilots, who up to this point had been silent. In contrast with the stormtroopers, the pilot calmly answers all of Bota’s questions without resistance. He explains that the intent was to break away from New Anoat City – eliminating a few cloud cars and small arms would be no problem – they were to transport in atmosphere to the other side of the planet, where they would be able to escape the planet’s gravity well, evade the New Republic corvettes in the area, and jump to hyperspace to meet back up with the *Gorgon*.

Now grasping the capabilities of the assault transport, the main points of the plan, and intuiting most of the logistics in between, Bota asks when the ship was due to make their next contact with the *Gorgon*. With the expected contact being soon, Bota intimidates the pilot into sending a transmission that the mission was a success but is roughly 30 minutes behind schedule.

Believing that the *Gorgon* will stay back for the time being, but if they discover that the mission was a failure it is only a matter of time before they return in full force, Bota floats a plan to take the place of the scientists and infiltrate the Star Destroyer themselves. Finding that Katira is strongly opposed to the idea, Rusty really wants something better than hot dogs to be his last meal, Rem is mostly apathetic, and Jimmy would rather not die, the team turns their minds toward other plans.

> "*Do you think the scientists would divulge any information to us?*"
> ― Bota
>
>

> "*Do I think the scientists would divulge information about why the Empire wants them to the people who just saved their lives? I mean… I hope so.*"
> ― Katira
>
>

> "*Also, Katira seems to have ways of getting information out of people.*"
> ― Rem
>
>

> "*I can’t do that to the scientists in front of Cal Omas. I still want him to pay me for saving them in the first place.*"
> ― Katira
>
>

Rem introduces the possibility of finding some help within the Tapani Sector as Bota receives information on the New Republic assets in the area, noting that a handful of Corellian Corvettes and some squadrons of K-Wings will offer only a token resistance to a fully equipped Star Destroyer, and even if they manage to weaponize the city they will only be buying time in hopes that other New Republic forces can come to their aid.

With things looking grim, Katira decides to take a look at her newly stolen goods from the New Republic scientist. Inside their wallet, she finds a mysterious electronic device hidden alongside an identification card for the scientist: Doctor Trux, a specialist in the development and construction uses of doonium. Now suspecting the good doctor of being the agent responsible for signaling the *Gorgon* in the first place, the team’s suspicion is further validated when Jawa Jimmy inspects the electronic device and determines that it is a transmission device.

> "*We need to interrogate this doctor… wait! I’ve got a room for this on the ship we brought here!*"
> ― Katira
>
>

> "*We should get all the scientists on that ship. It’s a prison transport anyhow.*"
> ― Bota
>
>

> "*For safety reasons.*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

Discovering that the scientists may be able to provide more information as to the goals of the Empire and that their capture appears to have been the ultimate Imperial goal on New Anoat City, the team shifts their focus from holding off the *Gorgon* to instead moving the scientists to a more secure location. To accomplish this, Bota recommends a plan to use the captured transport as a decoy, sending a message that the “pilot” has decided to defect from the Empire and will turn over the scientists in exchange for payment from the Empire. With the transport drawing away the *Gorgon*, the group can then load the scientists onboard the *Hell's Anvil* and escape.

> "*Seems like a good short sighted idea from an Imperial that wants a “get rich quick” scheme.*"
> ― Bota
>
>

> "*Quick reminder: stormtroopers are stupid.*"
> ― Rem
>
>

The team agrees that this is likely the best plan, and begins to devote their combined efforts into making it as workable and believable as possible. After getting approval to transport the scientists from Cal Omas, Bota realizes that in order for the Imperials to be fooled there will need to be a third party introduced as a potential buyer – ideally one that can handle a conflict with the Empire and weaken their forces. With this idea introduced, Katira comments that the Tapani would have both sufficient funds to be believed as a buyer, and sufficient military to hold their ground in a fight.

> "*That’s true. And if we have the Imperials attack the Tapani they may become sympathetic to the New Republic.*"
> ― Bota
>
>

> "*This is evil, even from my standpoint.*"
> ― Jawa Jimmy
>
>

Deciding that the Tapani are the best option, the group turns to Rem for any advice on who within the noble families would be best suited as an Imperial target. Considering the situation, Katira posits that House Calipsa may be the best option. They initially seem a poor target to Rem, as they are in league with his own House Mecetti, but recalling the rude treatment he received from one of their guards upon turning Grand Admiral Octavian Grant over to them, and believing that if they succeed Mecetti will share in the glory, but if they fail it will further remove them from real power, Rem eventually agrees.

> "*When you have an opportunity where both outcomes benefit you, you bet everything.*"
> ― Rem
>
>

With the plan settled upon, Jawa Jimmy puts in the finishing details. Working through the transport ship’s logs, he overrides the datalogger onboard and inputs counterfeit intelligence to indicate that the ship made a jump to a location en route to the Tapani sector. Once there, Jimmy’s logs show that the ship was boarded and left empty before transmitting the pre-recorded message regarding the ransom of all scientists.

With the transport ship away, Cal Omas suggests that the route should now be clear for all personnel to transit to Coruscant. Once there, the New Republic will be able to secure the scientists for interrogation. In addition, he has a special briefing that he would like to have the group attend personally.

> "*We’d like to get you to a safer location just to avoid any further Imperial entanglements. Sorry for the choice of words there. Entanglements, couldn’t help myself.*"
> ― Bota (to scientists)
>
>

### **The Council of the Whills**

Arriving on Coruscant, scientists safely handed over to Cal Omas’ own New Republic security detail, the team is ushered into the senator’s private office overlooking the capitol. Seated comfortably inside, the holoprojector hums to life as a small diagram of interconnected circles is displayed. Cal begins by indicating to each of the circles and giving their general descriptions: The Twilight Council, other small councils, various New Republic Senatorial Committees, all working in support of Luke Skywalker’s Jedi High Council. As he continues another large circle appears adjacent to the Jedi High Council, indicating a level of equality distinct from the other groups described.

This other circle, Cal explains, is the newly created “Council of the Whills”. Created to work alongside the force-sensitive Jedi High Council, this group currently exists outside normal New Republic operations. Coming back to the group, Cal comments that it has been noted that they appear to work best when they are independent from the New Republic hierarchy. Indeed, they often seem to work best within constraints that the New Republic *cannot* officially enter into. With this in mind, Cal indicates to a newly appearing sphere, one reporting to the Council of the Whills directly.

The team is being offered a new status, operating as what is currently known as “Agents of the Whills”. Where there are happenings in the galaxy that the New Republic and the Jedi High Council know that action must be taken, but due to other constraints, legal ramifications, lack of availability, or other reasons they cannot intervene, these Agents of the Whills exist to be called upon for the betterment of the galaxy.

> "*You will be given diplomatic immunity while operating under the Council of the Whills.*"
> ― Cal Omas
>
>

> "*That’s what Katira needs.*"
> ― Bota
>
>

A few requests are made by the group as they consider the offer, many of them agreed to without issue. Clearing the bounty on Rem Chanceux (deal), a new shipjacking kit for Katira (a little sketchy, but deal), invite Callen too (sure I guess). Ultimately the group agrees in concept and Cal turns back to the main matter at hand: The Star Destroyer *Gorgon* and what it represents.

The New Republic has been monitoring for Imperial activity from the *Gorgon* while the group was in transit to Coruscant. Though they have no full reports on sightings of the ship, they have received intelligence on monitoring posts being destroyed along the likely route that the Star Destroyer would need to take in order to reach Calipsa Space. Each outpost, effectively only a hyperspace buoy, gave a report of a massive ion pulse before going offline, and no further abnormalities have been recorded since they were brought back to service. The charted path through these monitoring posts indicates that the *Gorgon* has reached Calipsa Space, but its current whereabouts are unknown.

What *is* known is that the *Gorgon* is operating either in concert with or under direct orders from the Eriadu Authority. Though the team has provided valuable intelligence and given some disruption to their activities, Natasi Daala’s organization has continued to act with impunity against the New Republic and must be dealt with. The New Republic has received intelligence that the Eriadu Authority currently has plans to act in several locations, three of which the team is familiar with:

* Mataou has been targeted as a potential source of kyber crystals that the Imperials can obtain for their own uses
* Lok was previously operated as an Imperial doonium mine, and the group recently ramped operations up significantly. As such, it is a prime target for the remnant to reacquire
* Kampe continues to function as an alternative fuel production and refinement center. Though the team infiltrated the location, the damage sustained was ultimately minimal and easily recovered from

With three locations given for their first mission as Agents of the Whills, the team is given time to discuss what they believe they are best suited for. Additionally, with recent developments considered, they may wish to assist the Tapani in their upcoming battle against the *Gorgon* – a battle that Cal has informed Tapani Houses friendly to the New Republic that they can expect, but a battle as of yet unexpected by House Calipsa.

### **The Vesper Society of the Eternal**

Their meeting with Cal Omas regarding the Council of the Whills and the current state of the Eriadu Authority completed, the group disperses to get some rest before rejoining the following day to plan their next move. In the night, Katira and Jawa Jimmy are startled awake to find themselves in a dimly lit auditorium. Though their vision only extends a handful of meters, revealing a small group of five hooded figures, there is an overwhelming sense of many more eyes upon them in the darkness beyond.

> "*So, uh… is this the Council of the Whills?*"
> ― Katira
>
>

As they stand there, barely armed and far outnumbered, one of the hooded figures speaks in an ominous voice, declaring that they represent the Vesper Society of the Eternal, operating within the shadows, serving neither the New Republic nor the Empire. They instead seek to observe galactic events from the shadows, steering them as necessary to achieve a greater good as they see it. They indicate that they have an interest in Jimmy and Katira due to the lightsabers that they wield following their encounter with Darth Null on the planet Illsauvin.

With mention of the lightsabers, the pair is asked to show them to the hooded figure, a request that Jimmy is more than happy to fulfill. He draws *Death’s Finger*, igniting it as he tells the figures that he has spent a lot of time improving his skill with the weapon, but wonders if they can get the voices to stop. They explain that the lightsaber is imbued with the soul of a Sith acolyte of Darth Null, and removing the voice – as Jimmy put it – is not something they would desire. They ask Jimmy if he would part with the blade, and he quickly asks for *two* lightsabers in exchange, but receives only silence in response.

The topic then shifts to the real reason that the pair has been summoned. The request is simple: the Society wants information. Information on the goings on within the Council of the Whills, large movements within the New Republic, covert operations happening around the galaxy, grandiose plans being affected by Senators. Anything that may be of interest to the New Republic is of interest to the Society. They assure Katira and Jimmy that they do not *need* their informative capabilities, that anything they provide would merely be confirming other sources within the Society, but that they will be rewarded for their service regardless.

Feeling more uncomfortable by the minute, despite the assurances of the acolytes that they have no ill intentions and the pair are free to reject the offer, Katira attempts to extract some level of certainty but gains little traction. Drawing her purified lightsaber, *The Beginning*, Katira says that she much prefers having the voices removed, and sight of the white blade draws audible disdain from the surrounding figures. Finally getting to the point, she asks what these figures are offering in exchange for said information as they explain that they offer the knowledge of how to wield the force.

> "*What kind of power are we talking here? The power to push people’s hats off?*"
> ― Katira
>
>

> "*We can actually give the power to push **and** pull.*"
> ― Acolyte
>
>

> "*Whoa, whoa, whoa… what is this force you speak of? We’ve had some friends that speak of this “pushing” and “pulling” but… is that all it does?*"
> ― Jimmy
>
>

Katira asks again for some assurance that the Society can imbue the pair with any power, but is merely told that they will be rewarded when they provide information, but not before. Eyeing Jimmy to see what he thinks of the offer, and gleaning that he isn’t necessarily opposed, Katira states that there is a major battle anticipated between the Empire and House Calipsa to take place in Tapani Space.

As a minor show of good faith at receiving the information, one of the robed figures gestures to the side, and from the pitch black beyond their sight two repulsorsleds are ushered into view. Atop the sleds, Skids McDougal and Taz Solana lie unconscious and unharmed as the acolyte explains that they were captured operating against the Order’s interests. Seeing the pair lying there, Katira slips a note into Taz’ pocket that reads “I’m glad you’re safe, Drool Rules” and asks that they be returned safely to New Republic custody.

Satisfied that they have a general accord with the pair, one of the hooded figures steps forward and presents each with a golden ring inset with a crimson ruby. Holding their new rings in hand, everything fades to black. They awake, each in their personal quarters, each with the ring set atop their bedside table, and each unsure what happened the night before.

> "*So about last night. Did we actually have that thing happen last night? Also, did you steal Skids’ rifle?*"
> ― Jawa Jimmy
>
>

> "*I did **not** take his rifle.*"
> ― Katira
>
>

> "*So it **did** happen!*"
> ― Jawa Jimmy
>
>

> "*That’s a good way to find the answer.*"
> ― Katira
>
>

## **Featured Characters**

### **Our Heroes**

* Bota Zi
* Katira Eve
* Roostan “Rusty” Steele
* Jawa Jimmy
	+ Sparky
* Rem Chanceux

### **NPCs**

* Cal Omas
* MI3-4001 (stormtrooper with a family)
* MI4-9892 (surly stormtrooper)
* Vesper Society of the Eternal

### **Mentioned**

* Admiral Daala
* Airen Cracken
* Callen Mutig
* Darth Null
* Doctor Trux
* Jowkazza
* Lynn
* Malvessa Calipsa
* Octavian Grant
* Skids McDougal
* Taz Solana

## **Inventory**

* +NR Scientist’s wallet (Katira)
	+ Imperial transmission device
	+ ???cr
* +NR Scientist’s communicator (Katira)
* -bounty on their head (Rem)
* +Gold Ring with inset Ruby (Katira, placed on chain necklace)
* +Gold Ring with inset Ruby (Jimmy)

## **Notes**

* Katira rolled a *con* of 27 to determine whether she believed that MI-49892 recognized her name
* Jimmy rolled 19 on 8D6 to slice the files related to *Operation: Knightmare*
* The Imperial pilot stated that their direct supervisor aboard the *Gorgon* was one Lieutenant Rilfin

* Things requested in exchange for working with the Council of the Whills:
	+ Rusty wants to extend veteran benefits to Imperials that have surrendered to the New Republic
	+ Katira wants to a shipjacking kit
	+ Katira asked that Rem’s bounty be cleared
	+ Rusty requested Callen be offered a position working with the group

* Not satisfied with the New Republic response that they would send intelligence regarding the incoming Imperial fleet to the Tapani houses “most closely allied with the Republic”, Katira sent a message to Malvessa Calipsa personally informing her of the incoming fleet

* “Drool Rules” was a reference to the shared mission between Katira and Taz on the planet Kampe, when Droo accidentally added an L to her carving in the caves below the Imperial base.

## **Quotations**

> "*I can’t believe that just happened. This is why you don’t leave the laboratory. I don’t think I’ll ever accept a thank you medal again.*"
> ― NR Scientist
>
>

> "*Trust me. The first time I got a medal they tried to kill me too. Absolutely ridiculous.*"
> ― Katira
>
>

> "*Recurring thing here.*"
> ― NR Scientist
>
>

> "*Well, it was a different group than the New Republic honoring me. Still, same thing.*"
> ― Katira
>
>

> "*Why are you doing this? Stormtroopers are stupid. They don’t know anything.*"
> ― Rem
>
>

> "*That’s all you know?*"
> ― Katira
>
>

> "*I, uh, my favorite color is green. My wife’s eyes are brown. I’ve got three kids, and a Corellian hound… if they found out I talked, they’re all dead. Even the dog.*"
> ― MI3-4001
>
>

> "*You know what, I really don’t like you, Chad.*"
> ― Katira
>
>

> "*That’s MI4-9892 to you.*"
> ― MI4-9892
>
>

> "*You’re going to have to get out of that dress, Rusty.*"
> ― Bota
>
>

> "*\*zip\* whoa… not now.*"
> ― Jordan
>
>

> "*Rem comes out with a lot of confidence and snark, but he’s got things going on behind it.*"
> ― Pawan
>
>

> "*Behind the Snark: The Rem Story*"
> ― Jordan
>
>

> "*What good are the scientists? What are they for? What do they want?*"
> ― Katira
>
>

> "*Maybe they’re hungry. I’ve got some hot dogs. Have them sit down, grab some food.*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

> "*I would think they’ve got like… really nice continental breakfasts on those star destroyers.*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

> "*Do we even have enough pilots to fly these K-Wings? I’m getting too old for this.*"
> ― Bota
>
>

> "*Man, that’s **my** line!*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

> "*You think I could get a shipjacking kit?*"
> ― Katira
>
>

> "*If there is something you need for missions that you’re sent on…*"
> ― Cal Omas
>
>

> "*Oh, it’s for the mission. **Everything** is for the mission.*"
> ― Katira
>
>

> "*You know that punk ass kid who sometimes hangs out with this crew. Yeh, Callen… he’s got a lot going on, but his heart is in the right place, you know?*"
> ― Rusty
>
>

> "*You think you’re a drunk, Rem. That guy is a **real** drunk.*"
> ― Katira
>
>

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