Balsuran Intelligence

*After running a few missions for the Rebel Alliance, Blaine Hansom and Bota Zi try to take a few days off and repair the Jinxed Starhawk. However, on Balsura, the two are hired to smuggle some data across Imperial lines. As two fight through bars and across space, they manage to complete their mission.*

## **Recap**

### **Repairs and Rest**

After working non-stop with the Rebels, Blaine Hansom and Bota Zi don't have much to show from it all. While they may have gotten paid, they've also received bodily injuries and sustained damage to *The Jinxed Starhawk*.

Running low on fuel, and looking for repairs, the two are saving energy and drifting through space when the scanners pick up a planet, Balsura. The two decide to roll their dice there.

> *"Sounds like a fine planet, let's stop here."* - Famous last words from Bota Zi
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### **A Simple Lum Run**

Finding a much more developed planet than they expected as they set down in their docking bay, the two head to the cantina in their largest city Koo-ra to see what awaits them there.

The cantina is packed, The several dozen individuals inside are drinking, gambling, listening to a live performance by a Bith musician, or watching holo-vids in the back.

Saddling up to the bar, the two put in their orders and scope the place. Seeing bounty hunters, assassins, a wookiee, a bothan, a talz, some off-world jawas with glowing white eyes and green hoods.

As the pair get their drinks, the bothan approaches them. Introducing himself as Zjatoh and wants us to deliver a datapad to Margo the Rodian in exchange for credits and fuel to get to the next planet.

> *"Don't worry, you'll know Margo when you see him."* - Zjatoh to Bota Zi
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Leaving quickly, the duo head back to *The Jinxed Starhawk* and leave for the coordinates provided to them on the datapad.

### **Margo's Loss...**

Leaving Balsura and heading to the coordinates provided to them, the duo arrives outside the planet of Tauber, only to find a large Imperial presence. Fighting through a complement of TIE fighters, Blaine manages to land the ship near the cantina where Margo is supposedly to be found.

Exiting their landed craft, they head into the cantina. Seeing a sight not unfamiliar to the cantina they just left, Bota asks the bartender for Margo. The bartender, an overweight Ishi-tib named Bitt, looks scared. Telling them Margo is dead and that everyone should know that, she exits before the duo can order drinks.

Without Margo's bio-signature, the datapad won't unlock and Blaine and Bota can't complete their mission.

Approached by Imperials who want to bring the two in for questioning, they follow the Imperial Guards to their base. Before entering, the Imperials send in a message using their communicator that 'it looks like they have the plans to the new starship they were searching for.'

Looking at each other, with their hands behind their heads, Blaine and Bota break free from the guards, blast their way out, and steal back the datapad.

Running to their ship, they attempt to exit the planet and, alerted to their position, 6 TIE fighters attack them. With Blaine behind the controls and Bota in the gunwell, they manage to take out 5 TIEs before they suffer serious damage to their hull. Escaping with their lives again, they micro-jump to their nearest planet.

### **...is the Rebellion's Gain**

Blaine and Bota come out of hyperspace above the planet Ikoru. Not picking up much on sensors, they land on the arid and desert planet. Finding refuge in one of the many-colored sandy canyons, they meet with the local populace, a group of near-human Bimm who live in caves in the canyons.

On the planet, they enjoy simple comforts for a few days: soup, stories, and refreshment. Their mechanic helps repair the ship and as they say their goodbyes, a squadron of TIE fighters starts streaking down the canyon. Getting in *The Jinxed Starhawk* and turning on their shields, many of the Bimm's houses are destroyed in the initial volley. Exiting the canyon, Blaine and Bota draw the TIEs to them and take down a few before they exit to hyperspace.

With Yavin 4 and Horox III lost as bases, the two make their way to the new temporary base of the Rebellion - a makeshift base on an asteroid with artificial atmosphere. As the two land on Asteroid Outpost, the two hand over the datapad with the ship blueprints. Commander Lyons thanks the group and after getting information that their slicing contingent can crack the password, he pays the two for their service.

## **Featured Characters**

### **Our Heroes**

* Blaine Hansom
* Bota Zi

### **NPCs**

* Niner Ackerson, bounty hunter
* Jelt Recolt, bounty hunter
* Labakee, wookiee
* 2 Rodian assassins
* Rehnutte, bartender
* Zjatoh, bothan gangster
* Bitt, an Ishi-tib bartender
* Commander Lyons

## **Special Edition Notes**

* The first planet was originally named "Bakura" in the notes. This doesn't make sense with the planet of Bakura in canon, so I've modified the name
* The second planet was completely unnamed in the notes, so I've made it "Tauber"
* In the original notes, there are a ton of people in this bar but are just named and given a 'type.' I've added some additional details to flesh them out a little
* The notes say "bartender Bitt" - I'm not sure if that's a Bith or the bartender's name but given that I wrote Bith legibly elsewhere in these notes, it might just be the name of the person
* I vaguely remember meeting the Bimm a few times in our early missions because Luke and I both liked Rycar Ryjerd. I've added them as the residents of Ikoru.
* In the notes, it seems like there was supposed to be a third bar on Ikoru, but I don't remember going from bar to bar to bar in this mission.
* Leading up to Return of the Jedi, we constantly visit the 'makeshift asteroid base' but it is never named. I originally based it off of "Vergesso Base" in Shadows of the Empire, but re-reading the book and the RPG supplements, the two can't be the same. I've named the base "Asteroid Outpost 19-97" (or just "Asteroid Outpost" for short) with 1997 being the year we started playing and the year it was invented for our campaign