Episode 27 - Reunions

A briefing in Berchtesgaden is interrupted as 3 Tie Interceptors and a Tie Shuttle chase a stolen Tie into the air space above the base. During the disarray Smomdu rallies the Republic defenses, Seleema Jahlone boards Von Braun's A-7 Hunter Interceptor and Tel and Kawfee prepare for combat. The stolen Tie Fighter is shot down by the interceptors who dodge the return fire of the Republic AA guns, but are quickly dispatched by Seleemas very fancy flying. Tel and Kawfee deal with the Storm Troopers who leave the Tie Shuttle, before freeing a very shaken Dak'Fuu from the wreckage.     Dak'Fuu reveals he has escaped Takron-5 but his friends have been hunted and trapped by The Empire. After some questioning Tel establishes that Dak's friends include The Seagull and insists on returning to Takron-5 to help. Dak also questions the intentions of Smomdu who caused the initial insurrection on Takron-5 before promptly escaping off world. The group consult Major General Winters who advises them that the Republic cannot lend any aid to the people on Takron-5 but they could speak with the armourer before taking the Momentum to help their friends themselves. Seleema rushes to the armoury but her abrupt attitude does not impress the officer and she leaves with only some simple clothing and Stimpacks. The party engineer Smoko is quickly accosted from his duties and helps to disguise the ships already known transponder disguising it as "The Dutch Rudder". After some debate over just how they will penetrate the blockade, the party leave for Takron-5.

Takron 5 - Blockade

As the Momentum approaches the Imperial picket line it joins the nearest queue to access Takron-5. Scanners indicate ships all around the moon, mostly Imperial. In the viewport a tie shuttle can be seen leaving a Star Destroyer and docking with a nearby freighter for inspection. Amidst the tension, a voice crackles over the open comms: “This is comms officer 5724 of the ISD Vanquish, begin transmission of access codes and state your business on Takron 5”

Smomdu sends over the authorisation codes provided by Dak'Fuu and explains the ship is delivering parts for the Empire. Although the Officer grants them clearence they feel a great foreboding as The Momentum approaches the moon.

Cliff Side Facility

Upon spotting the troopers Smomdu returns to the ship to change his clothes while the group wait for him, despite the fact the clothing makes him feel grubby and uncomfortable.

Tel attempts to rush the scouts using his jump boots with Kawfee on his back but fails to keep balance, alerting the troopers. Meanwhile Seleema flanks the distracted scouts. The alerted troopers fire upon and wound the furry fighters but are then engaged while they reload their rifles, resorting to their side arms for defence. As they are dealt with, Seleema guns down the remaining scouts before inspecting the trooper transport and approaching the facility.

Seeing the heavy facility door is closed Tel and Kawfee decide to smash their way through with a synchronised charge. The dynamic duo crash through the door and halfway into the facilities main warehouse, sending debris of the door flying into a shocked heavy weapons trooper opposite. They realise they are surrounded by Imperials, almost certainly alerted by the firefight outside. The prone heavy trooper struggles free of the wreckage and lays down a barrage of fire, connecting with the two brawlers, before being encouraged to open fire again by the adjacent Imperial officer. However the second barrage misses the mark and accidentally blasts a nearby generator, cutting power to the lighting and plunging the area into darkness. As the surrounding troopers open fire Seleema dives into the area, guns akimbo and skilfully takes out a number of the surrounding troopers despite the darkness. Rolling to dodge another barrage from the repeating blaster Seleema finishes off the surrounding troops as Tel and Kawfee deal with the heavy and his commanding officer. As the dust settles Smomdu marches into the facility, admonishing the rest of the group for playing around in the dark, he activates the facilities emergency lighting.

The group unsuccessfully search for any signs of the survivors before Tel remembers the kitchen area is opposite the warehouse. Attempting to sniff out any tasty treats he notices the slight but distinct smell of roasted Crimson Slug coming from below the warehouse and the group take the external cargo elevator into the depths. Emerging into the large alcove they follow a faint light through the tunnels.

As the group round the corner of one of the tunnels they enter a small alcove dimly lit by some makeshift glow rods. A handful of wounded fighters lie around with various states of injury, over one particularly wounded soldier the Rhodian Yan'Maa is reading the last rites. Two humans, one particularly large and using a sniper rifle as a makeshift crutch are discussing something in the corner, at the sound of the groups entrance they look over, the smaller one instantly raising his blaster. Seeing their faces the group immediately recognise them as Leeroy 'Jenkins' Zephstryder and The Seagull.

After a very excited Tel greets The Seagull in a rib crushing hug, the old and injured fighter explains that Santhe Industries and the Empire have been producing heavy "Oppressor" tanks on the moon. The operation is funded by multiple large loans from the Rud’Zell Banking Clan although Seleema quickly changes the subject when the bankers are mentioned. Leeroy and his men have been working with the Seagull as much as possible to disrupt the operations but a failed raid on the construction facility forced them to take cover in the tunnels here to hide from their pursuers. They have more men hidden in the abandoned prison facility but not enough to be an effective resistance. They ask that, as the group can not provide reinforcements from The Republic maybe they could convince the remains of the The Jade Thorns to help. The group agree but first offer to take the injured back to the prison via thier ship and so set off back down the valley in the stolen trooper transport.

Seeing the troopers investigating the craft, Seleema stops the transport as Kawfee and Tel disembark. Suddenly laser cannon fire rips into the canyon side and falling rubble begins to block the path to the ship. The group look up to see troopers rapelling down the sides of the valley towards them and an Opressor tank flanked by scout troopers above them. The unmistakable voice of Admiral Blarken gloats "You're little insurrection has come to an end Smomdu!"

ITS A TRAP!

Quickly, Kawfee mounts Tel who launches them both towards the tank in a daredevil jet boot stunt. Miraculously both arrive at the top of the canyon safely. The astonished Blarken, who did not expect the Talz to be equipped with such exotic gadgets fired into the pair with the mounted blaster hitting one but not stopping the Wookie scaling the tank and engaging with Blarken. Down below Seleema drives the transport towards The Momentum crashing through the rubble and taking out the troopers with the transports weapons.

Tel brawls with the two snipers as Kawfee sets to work on Blarken but the Admiral manages to wriggle free and disappears into the tank, closing the hatch behind him. The tank screeches into reverse taking the wookie with it, before opening fire upon Tel with its main cannon. Tel bares his shield in defiance and braces for the impact, but the shot fires wide the recoil damaging one of it's tracks. Sensing an opening Tel fires up his boots once again and launches towards the tank as a further tank pulls up either side reinforcing Blarken. Tel finds that Kawfee has, after a brawl, managed to subdue Blarken and is dragging him out of the tank, the surrounding crews unsure how to respond seeing their commanding officer in the precarious clutches of the enemy. One crew leaves their tank to intervene but is assaulted by Tel.

Meanwhile Seleema uses the transport to lay down covering fire as Smomdu enters the Momentum and lowers the cargo ramp. Seleema nimbly backs the transport onto the awaiting ship, dispatching more of the troopers as she does so, before quickly making her way to the cockpit and firing the engines.

Up on the ridge Kawfee finds himself in a standoff, the enemy unwilling to fire upon him but him with nowhere to flee. Out of nowhere he hears the familiar sound of the Momentum's engine as it lowers next to him, cargo bay door still open. The Wookie pushes Blarken towards Tel, who has just finished tangling with the remaining troopers atop the tank, and leaps for the ship. Unfortunately the jump is short and Kawfee is left dangling from the open cargo bay by only a claw. As the second tank opens fire with a barrage against the ships hull, Smomdu stands up, places a hand on the frantic Seleemas shoulder and tells her not to worry. He then determinedly marches to the rear of the ship, towards the dangling Kawfee, before taking a sharp left into the ships refresher and taking a relaxing shower. He returns to the cockpit, content and reunited with his regal robes. Kawfee uses all his strength to scramble up, safely into the cargo hold as Tel still clutching Admiral Blarken half jumps, half launches himself into the ship with such extreme force he travels its length, crashing into the cockpit in a heap.

Seleema shouts for Smomdu to plot us a course out of there. Not wanting to deal with the blockade again, Smomdu attempts to plot a daring hyperspace course straight through the blockade and into a safer area of the system. Hoping Smomdu has entered the correct coordinates, Seleema pulls back on the hyperdrive controls and the view infront of her rushes past as she feels the familiar lurch of hypersapce.

The ship drops out of hyperspace safely, not far from Tartarus II with a full crew, the rescued passengers, a valuable transport and an even more valuable captive.