Episode 3.07: Chapter 9: Between Hope and a Hard Place
Star Wars
Shards of Exploration
Episode 3.07: Chapter 9: Between Hope and a Hard Place
Blaster fire rained hot across the amphitheater aboard the Kotera.
Ivan Vorpatril races for the nearest doorway, carrying the man he blames for his abduction: his disguised cousin, Danar Vorpadaran. Stunned from a nerve strike, Danar could only watch as a cadre of Nar Shaddaa's finest - bounty hunters, cutthroats, and gladiators - were gaining on them. Doorway after hatch, Ivan runs, stopping only once to stun Danar twice more before running out onto the nearest landing platform with a waiting shuttle.
A blaster shot to the back ends his race for freedom.
Ivan collapses to the deck, momentum hurtling himself and Danar toward the edge of the landing platform. Ivan is rescued by a pale-skinned humanoid woman in well used and cared for bounty hunter armor. Danar recognizes the woman and the man walking up to join her. The woman is Nassha Tomesta, the bounty hunter who assassinated the Bloodsmith Raider responsible for attempting to murder Danar with a bomb. The man is the real Almon D'Joy.
A few meters away, Danar tumbled over the side of the platform. Just as his body falls, as the Force would have it, feeling returns to his right arm. Desperate, he grabs a support pipe leaving him dangling over Nar Shaddaa far below. A fall of certain death.
On the far side of the Kotera, Genog Druqod brings the stolen Bloodsmith Raider ship to a fast landing in the world-ship's docking bay. Greeted by his employer, Jem Vandos, Genog explains the situation. The moment is short-lived when Piotr Sparaval arrives to take the group hostage by force with a stun grenade. Piotr launches from the docking bay a moment later.
Meanwhile, in Ole Town Sector, with the shield generator trapping the settlement disabled Davish makes short work of drawing away the poisonous gas using the Force. He disperses it carefully where the moon's atmosphere scrubber intakes will draw in the poison then render it inert. As the last fumes vanish, Davish collapses to the ground overcome by the blaster wound in his side. Inside the settlement Ole Town security forces, bounty hunters, and Grakor the Hutt's mercenaries rush the streets. Reavers are put to the blaster and survivors are taken to the medical center for treatment.
High above, in between the horizon and the heavens, Aerena and Spook slice through the void avoiding the last of the buzzbot swarm. Swooping in from either side, the Bureau of Ships and Services sleek silvered interceptors tear into the destructive droids as Spook notes that the buzzbots acted more like a hive mind than a typical buzzbot. However, that topic is interrupted by a terse call from the BoSS flight leader instructing Aerena to land immediately and return the 'borrowed' fighter craft as agreed...
Components
Goals
The message has been sent to Simon Tam about the need for antivenom on Chalcedon. Meanwhile, the heroes' plan of 'divide and conquer' delivered brutal results on both sides. However, though the Force and quick wits, the heroes (mostly) came through intact.
But there are loose ends to wrap up...
... last, there is the fact that supposedly one ship is already on its way to Chalcedon with a shipment of Tor Ceti creatures. Also, Danar - as Vance Kerplocken - is expected to make a future appearance alongside Chancellor Nalerine Kanter and greet Emperor Gregor Vortapani ... a man Danar works for and knows personally.
And what of Zaye and her two children, the adopted noghri daughter and grandchildren of Grakkus the Hutt? All of whom happens to be on Chalcedon this very moment. Will Danar honor the noghri bond he has with her as "Vance Kerplocken" ... or not?
Relations
Protagonists
Allies
Neutrals/Bystanders
Adversaries
Backdrops
Locations
- in low orbital space above the Hutt moon of Nar Shaddaa
- at the edges of Ole Town Sector
- at the private estate of Grakor the Hutt of Durbo Kajidic
- a Bureau of Ships and Services authorized landing strip in Corellian Sector
- one mad dash through the smuggling tunnels beneath the "civilized" areas of Corellian Sector and Ole Town Sector and points in between
- several spaces aboard orbiting worldship the Kotera, including one of the docking garages, several public corridors leading to the Gladiator Arena, and the private viewing box / control room of Jem Vandos where Lord Solicitor Londo Mollari spends much of his time between official activities as "Special Guest Judge"
- aboard a BoSS shuttle heading toward Kiskua the gas giant
This sounds like it was an intense session!
Necromancy is a Wholesome Science.
Oh, it was! There was Aerena's player flying her ship to catch Danar as he dropped off the Kotera, Rescuing the wounded heroes ... then dealing with the fallout of Jem Vandos - the only non Hutt who sits on the Hutt ruling council - being abducted ... Oh yes, There wasn't much dice rolling this time, but a LOT of heavy roleplay and story motion. It had a very Empire Strikes Back feel to it. The end of the session had a cliffhanger that earned me a "Are you KIDDING ME?" from most of my players and at least a whimper from one.
On the plus side, nobody is going to cancel their appearance next session! :X That sounds awesome!
Necromancy is a Wholesome Science.
*chuckles* Oh, absolutely ... they all said several times they are going to be there. It really was an awesome session!