Episode 7 - I'm On Smoko

Smoko and Seleema Jahlone win money on a speeder bike race featuring Nien Nunb. Looking for Noob Nunb they discover their friends Noob, Tel and Lul Ba'Ri have been captured by The Jade Thorns. After a speeder bike chase the group rescue Noob Nunb and recover their lost equipment.

It is a time of great rest on Takron-5. After their settlement was recently liberated and their salvage quota met for another cycle, most settlers are planning to relax in front of the celebratory races, where amateur racers compete for the pot and many a bet is had on the outcome. Meanwhile Admiral Blarken’s Star Destroyer heads through the Rhoa system eager to collect its Tithe.   “So let me set the scene
It's early morning and 34 degrees
The Rhao Stars harsh nuclear heat
Has the thick crowds sweating buckets up and down the street
It was there you spotted the Devaronian
Perched atop of her container throne
She eyes you up as you approach
Then she says; its Smoko! And Saleema Jalome!”
 

At The Races

Smoko and Seleema Jahlone watch the disguised Nien Nunb win a speeder bike race.

Smoko and Seleema Jahlone venture out into the sunshine to watch the races. After discovering Nien Nunb is one of the racers, they sabotage the opponents bikes and upgrade Numbs before betting heavily on him.

With a loud crack Admiral Blarken’s Star Destroyer comes out of hyper space directly above Takron-5 in an arrogant display of power. Soon Lambda shuttles begin deploying an entourage of Imperial Soldiers and Storm Troopers who start to secure the settlement. The imps begin to collect containers full of salvage as preparations for the race continue.

Crowds roar as engines rev and the countdown begins. Ugnaught mechanics make last minute checks and alterations to their bike, Renjus merc sparks up a spice stick and the Black Rider calmly observes their diagnostics readout. The ground beneath the bikes begins to blacken as the charged repulsors start to give off heat

The race starts and Numb takes the lead closely followed by the merc. The Ugnaught loses control and heavily damages his bike. Shots are exchanged as the Ugnaught begins to catch up. The merc loses control and crashes into the crowd. The Ugnaught takes the lead at one point but Numb, in the guise of "The Black Rider" finishes first.

“The crowd goes wild as the winner crosses the finish line before being joined by the remaining riders. A rare (possibly fake) bottle of Nubian champagne is opened by the winning rider, before they approach Tuemis to collect their winnings”.

While the players and Numb collect their winnings, Numb asks if they have seen his brother. After asking around Gurathus Ordelon informs them they were last seen exploring a warehouse on the East side.

They head to the Mysterious Warehouse to find it seemingly abandoned, but discover there to be Jade Thorn's in the office. Smoko drops a Proton Grenade into the office before taking cover. It detonates killing most of the Thorns. The survivors are dealt with and a datapad is found on one of them. They head to Gurathus Ordelon to ask him to decode it.

At the Scrappo they are shown a container full of dead females of a variety of species. Gurathus worries more are being sent out in containers. The players visit Aiden Parr to decode the datapad but are first attacked by a bounty hunter.

Missing Friends

The players look for Noob Nunb and his friends.

Parr decodes the data pad revealing: “The East Warehouse has been compromised! We captured 3 spies snooping about after one of them fell through a window into the facility. The boss says to process them like the rest and begin shipping them all back to the main stronghold. We’ve got plenty here for what we need. Plus the re supply is a perfect cover for our escape.”

Parr then reveals he to has intercepted a coded imperial message:

“We’ve received another communication from the biker bandits The Jade Thorns. They claim to have captured a Jedi! It’s probably another trap like when they claimed to have captured the rebel operative, but if not, I’m sure Laxton will be very interested in what they have to offer. Arrange a meeting to see if they’re genuine, but do it quietly, no need for the entire Star Destroyer to know we entertain dealing with this scum.”

All Terrain Rescue

Smoko and Seleema Jahlone help Nien Nunb rescue his brother.

Aiden Parr traces the captured's commlinks using the Comm Tower as Smoko and Seleema fetch some spare bikes from their container. The trio race East past the Cliff Side Facility following Parr's directions.

Catching up with three speeder trucks, Smoko and Seleema guide the trucks forwards as Nien Numb speeds up to head them off. Using their speeder bikes heavy weaponry or simply a keen eye the trucks are disabled and their passengers neutralized.

The trio find the trucks to be full of mostly female settlers frozen in carbonite. A small container in one of the trucks contains some of the captured characters equipment, including their commlinks. After much searching Noob Nunb is found among the frozen. Stable, for the time being.