Diplomatic Entanglements 9 - The Final Hurdle

*With their sights set on the empty expanse of space above, our heroes are caught unprepared when they are forced to land by an Imperial tractor beam on the planets surface. Luckily one small outpost is no problem for the group, and instead the inconvenience becomes a resupply opportunity.*

## **Previously**

*What was meant to be a quick trip to recon the Imperial prison moon devolved into a spur of the moment decision to break in and spring Bota immediately. Not even the Imperials guarding the New Republic ambassador could be as surprised as the team that the plan went off without a hitch, and with Bota aboard the team prepared to make a clean break for the safety of hyperspace.*

## **Recap**

### **Oldest Trick in the Book**

With Bota Zi brought safely aboard the *Jinxed Starhawk*, Blaine rushes to the cockpit and begins to make a break for space. Attempting to avoid fire from the ground based laser emplacements he navigates under the targeting radar until clear of range, only to feel the ship lurch as an adjacent facility gains a lock on the ship with a tractor beam. Unable to break the ship free, Blaine acknowledges an incoming call and is told that the ship is being grounded for unlawful access to the airspace over prison block 62. He informs the group that it appears wherever they are landing doesn’t yet realize that they just executed a prison break nearby, and the team makes a split second decision to impersonate Imperials in hopes of getting off planet without more hassle.

> "*I’ll bet you that if we had just rescued that Grand Admiral we wouldn’t be in this situation right now.*"
> ― Katira
>
>

After a brief trip to the cargo hold for supplies, the majority of the team steps off the ship - leaving a skittish Jawa Jimmy onboard to slice into the facility - and with Jowkazza acting a prisoner, Katira and Rusty in Death Trooper armor, and Blaine dressed as a Kuati noble, they make their entrance.

In his characteristic style, Blaine jumps to talking before the Imperials have a chance to look too closely at the group. Claiming to be *the* Sal al'Kuat, he asks why they have been waylaid during a prisoner delivery and demands that the ship be released for departure immediately. Though the troopers agree to allow for “Sal” to speak with their superior, they state that they still need to follow protocol, asking that Rusty and Katira each report their call signs and asking why they don’t begin with TK (Rusty was “DTF-365” and Katira claimed to be “DT-621”).

The guards repeat their stance again as their superior calls ahead to state they are en route. Though Blaine gives a passionate defense of the team retaining their weapons, things seem to be unravelling when a prisoner manifest is demanded. In response, Blaine pulls the oldest trick in the book out and points behind the guard with a look of surprise as he asks “What’s that?!” As the guards turn to look, Jowkazza tosses a stun grenade ahead, and the chaos ensues.

### **Homeward Bound**

Outside, the sentries fail to notice both that Jawa Jimmy locked the entry doors and the quiet sound of hydraulics bringing the ships weapons online as they were busy attaching magnetic lockdowns to the hull of the *Starhawk*. Suddenly the underslung blaster near the boarding ramp opens fire, killing the nearest trooper as his comrades dive for cover and unload ineffective small arms fire at the transport. As the automated blasters do their work, Jimmy gets to work accessing the facility and manages to get a simple layout and some rudimentary door controls.

As the flash grenade explodes inside, the group goes to work. In a few seconds the escort detail in the foyer is either unconscious or dead, and the heroes rush to find some means of breaking their ship free of the land based tractor beam.

Inside, Katira shouts that the prisoners have escaped. She snags an electrostaff from the incapacitated purge trooper, fires her rifle into the closest room, and heads off on her own. The rest of the group rushes into the room that Katira avoided, wounding two as Jowkazza takes a shot like a champ and Rusty is stunned by a glancing blow. Meanwhile Jimmy continues to fire on the guards outside while unlocking several doors to allow for better ease of travel for the team inside.

> "*I can’t use cp to boost my strength roll, so I actually should take damage here.*"
> ― Jordan
>
>

> "*Wait, no… you rolled a bunch of 6’s at the start there. You should be okay.*"
> ― David
>
>

> "*Okay, then I can keep that die for my dodge roll and… I’m suddenly feeling much better!*"
> ― Jordan
>
>

Jowkazza soon discovers the tractor beam controls, but is unable to decipher them amidst the blaster fire. As Rusty continues to brawl with the guards and Blaine provides cover fire, Jimmy manages to slice into the controls and shut down the tractor beam. The combat continues for some time, with Katira on her own some ways back making little progress against 5 guards of her own before abandoning the space as Jimmy locks things down to cover her retreat.

In the end, the group is able to contain all incoming troopers from the rear of the facility while also discovering the armory near the tractor beam controls. With Jimmy keeping the area secure, the team manages to pilfer the Imperials and escape with an engineer (surrendered) and the incapacitated purge trooper (dragged out by Katira) taken into custody as well.

## **Featured Characters**

### **Our Heroes**

* Blaine Hansom
* Jawa Jimmy
	+ Sparky
* Jowkazza
* Katira Eve
* Roostan Steele

### **Mentioned**

* Octavian Grant
* Sal al'Kuat

## **Inventory**

* +dose of Glitterstim (Katira)
* +crate of Glitterstim (Katira)
* +several shock sticks (group)
* +Electrostaff (Katira)
* +Electrostaff (group)
* +Tenloss DXR-6 Disruptor Rifle (group)
* +several blaster rifle scopes (group)
* +Draymak LRB (group)
* +several glow rods (group)
* +Portable Fusion Generator (group)
* +hydration packs (group)
* +several Binders (group)
* +several Magnacuffs (group)
* +Datapad (group)
* +Med Pack (group)
* +several stun blaster packs (group)
* +food rations (group)
* +Crab Tracer (group)
* +7D Rail Gun x3 (group)
* + Medical Backpack (Jowkazza)

## **Notes**

* -2cp to fast talk as Sal al'Kuat (Blaine)
* While searching for weapons onboard the ship, Katira uncovered a crate of glitterstim spice that Blaine generously donated to her
* Group took one engineer and one purge trooper prisoner

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