Ambush on the Outer Rim (Episode 13)

[GM Fang]

Having found out that Teemo, their Hutt "benefactor" had taken out a bounty on them recently, the crew set about trying to make sure the ship, known as the Vagrant, did not have any physical trackers or computer program hacks that gave away their location. While they were able to easily destroy the ship that hunted them down from hyperspace, it was still a bit unsettling.

The crew began to search the ship using sensors to check the hull and internal areas of the ship for tracking devices. When that turned up negative, Spanner helped FL-AR3 to run system computer checks on every conceivable program module. Meanwhile Proiah Pron set up his domain on the uppermost level and spent most of his time checking and rechecking the flight systems. They were still a bit out of tune since the hyperdrive repairs, but better than they had been when the ship was captured.

However, with the unexpected situation with Teemo, the crew were a little hesitant around each other, wondering if each other could be trusted. Even after Pron pointed out that they had to log a flight plan with Hyperspace control back on Mos Shuuta and that was likely what caused them to be followed, there was some tension on board the Vagrant. This coupled with being tricked into coming here by Shara capitalizing on FLARE's naivete had stress levels rising.

With the crew completely strapped for cash and limited locations they could go while the Vagrant remained a rogue ship, they discussed the situation and the crew decided to take up the Twilek resistance's cause. If they were able to help, it would put a dent in Teemo's plan's and give them the means to earn some cash as well.

The crew returns to the lower levels of Nabat after securing the ship. There they meet once more Nabat and another man and open further discussions about the situation and task at hand. Nabat introduces the militant group's leader. She is a soft-spoken female Twi’lek with buff-colored skin and an air of languid grace. She invites the crew to rest in the room while she talks to B’ura B’an about his ordeal. They are provided with food, drink, and medical attention for those that need it.

nyn-kablo.jpg (7.15 KiB) Viewed 1445 times

After a hurried conversation between the two Twi’leks, Nyn approaches. The crew attempts to negotiate payment for their help in assisting the miners of New Meen. Nyn explains that the payment is contingent upon the success of their side of the mission. They will be able to take a cargo container of ryll along with the rest of the cargo to sell in Hutt Space. The Vagrant needed to go there to get the transponder changed already. So the crew accepted the reduced cargo share they were originally after.

"The miners who worked alongside B’ura B’an in New Meen are coming under increasing pressure from the thugs who own the land nearby, be they part of this Hutt’s meddling or not. Having B’ura returned to them as quickly as possible would boost morale and enable us to decide on further action. We could provide you with a speeder with space for B’ura and the rest of you. Rest here for the night, but if you could set off in the morning it would be of great assistance to us.”

Nyn also agrees to have some of her people watch over the Vagrant and especially report if any visitor from Tatooine arrive.

The next morning, Nyn informs the crew that one of her R2 units had some information. It beeps and whoops in binary. "Our friend there is from the spaceport. He came to tell us that two hours ago a craft arrived from Tatooine. He saw a human and a Gand disembark and negotiate with spaceport staff about the keep of the craft before he was called away to perform a scheduled maintenance job. I’m afraid that’s all the information
he was able to gather, but you may want to keep your eyes open."

[GM Fang]

Once the crew are fully awake and refreshed, Nyn leads them and B’ura B’an down a narrow service tunnel which takes them under and beyond the walls of the city. A land speeder has been parked there, its navigational computer programmed to take them straight to the ryll mines.

Pron jumps in to drive and Kilian takes up the spot next to the pilot. The journey requires careful piloting of the craft due to numerous rocks and jagged stones rising from the sandy floor, despite the navigational programming.

Soon the crew has been speeding above the surface of the Ryloth badlands for a few hours, following the directions that should take them to the ryll
mine. As travel continues further from the spaceport, the terrain becomes increasingly hazardous, piles of loose rocks and jutting stone spurs litter
the ground. To continue, Pron had to decide either to slow the speeder to a crawl or risk a collision.

As Pron maneuvers the speeder on its way around the rocky outcrops and boulders, it is easy to notice that cliffs rise up here. A tall bluff of rough red stone stands to the right, surrounded by more piles of loose rubble.

Something at the base of the rocky bluff catches Kilian's eye. A pile of loose rocks partially obscures a dark passageway, the entrance to a cave in the
bluff. A large round insect-like head appears for a split second before quickly ducking back. Before Kilian has a chance to fully convey his warning, there is a large crack as the speeder passes the bluff and a flash of blinding light. The speeder slews around, spinning in circles. Smoke pours out of a hole in the chassis and it takes all Pron's strength and skill to prevent the craft from flipping over. The craft comes to a sudden and jolting stop,
burying its nose in a meter of sandy ground. Pron and Kilian are thrown from the craft and land roughly in the rocky sand.

As the crew pick themselves up from the crash, whoops and jeering cries can be heard coming from the entrance of a dark cave at the base of the nearby bluff. "Halt! Stay where you are and drop your weapons! We are agents of the local Imperial authorities and you are suspected of ryll smuggling. I repeat: stay where you are and drop your weapons!"

The crew of the Vagrant see through the ruse and refuse to go along with the bounty hunters' demands. They scramble for cover behind various mounds of rocks and begin to open fire. The bounty hunters easily scramble for cover behind a wall of rubble. This cavern is stuffed with rocks, most of which have been piled into a great mound to the right hand wall. The hunters have a good position for themselves here, and they train their guns over the rocky parapet they have established for themselves, drawing a bead on the crew.

The battle lingers for a bit but eventually the Gand and his helpers are disposed of. Spanner and FL-AR3 start to investigate the cave tunnel network, while Kilian and Pron examine the weapons and armor of the fallen hunters. Spanner and Flare find the skeletal remains of a large carnivorous creature as well as the camp of the bounty hunters. Eventually the pairs meet back up and a side passage outside is found. Here the bounty hunters' own speeder is found as well. Inspecting the speeder, the crew find two stimpacks, a medpac, and an emergency repair kit on board.

Digging their own speeder out of the dirt, they find that it is not as damaged as it might have originally appeared. No real vital systems were hit and FLARE was able to get it quickly repaired and back into working condition. After some more organizing they decide to take both speeders into town along with any usable gear from the impromptu camp.

About a mile from the ambush site, the crew get their first glimpse of New Meen. New Meen looks set to redefine the word "hardscrabble." The settlement is little more than a shanty town nestled into the base of the cliffs that tower above it. A great pile of soil and rock has been raised up by machines and piled around the south side of the settlement. A few of the buildings look to be permanent (if ramshackle) structures, though most of the residents seem to make their home in tents. Guiding the speeders through its dirt track streets, the crew make their way weaving to avoid piles of detritus and vapor condensers. This place wouldn’t even support a cantina. No one seems eager to greet the newcomers on arrival, though the frightened faces of Twi’leks peer out from behind the canvas flaps of their rude dwellings.

The residents of New Meen are cautious and suspicious at first. However, once B’ura B’an is spotted, the atmosphere changes quickly. “B’ura B’an! B’ura B’an is back!” and similar cries are raised throughout the town. Soon the residents of New Meen, twenty adult Twi’leks and a handful of their children, gather about the speeders. They gleefully hail the return of their leader (though some of them regard his maimed lekku with looks of pain and despair).

B’ura B’an explains to the residents about the help which has been provided to him, and the townsfolk are quick to hail the crew as heroes. They are invited to shelter within one of the larger dwellings and are offered some basic rations by way of refreshment. After the commotion surrounding his arrival has died down, B’ura B’an asks, “So, how does the situation with the development stand?” At which the atmosphere becomes immediately more somber. The answer given is “bad.”

NewMeen.png (144.49 KiB) Viewed 1443 times