Episode 22 - Ties That Bind

Life, Death

The crew travel to the planet Janta V to recover Brett Savage's family. After being subjected to a series of trials, of which they are victorious, they come face to face with the crime boss Grelba The Hutt who is holding both of Brett's parents. After some failed negotiations, Brett fires his rocket launcher at the Hutt and kills his own mother in the blast. They finish off Grelba and escape with the father, a large bounty on their heads and a whole lot of guilt.

Following an interrogation of the bounty hunter Nava Th'lok, Brett Savage learns that his parents are being held captive by the Hutt gangster, Grelba The Hutt. Accompanied by Seleema Jahlone and Noob Nunb, Brett travels to the lawless planet Janta V, where he hopes to finally be reunited with his family. The team land at a busy starport on the outskirts of Mos Heskarr, the largest settlement on the planet, and go about finding information that will help them. During a brief chat with the starport’s forewoman, Brett remembers hearing about a cantina called The Cocoon nestled in the seedy entertainment district of the city, and after getting some directions, they decide to make their way towards it. The crew arrive at the main plaza of the new district and spot the cantina with its neon purple spider web sign, as well as Mos Heskarr Casino opposite. They are greeted by the sight of people stumbling through the streets and passing out in various states of inebriation and get propositioned by a Twi’lek of the night, despite it being the middle of the afternoon.   The crew head into the cantina where they meet the Harch owner and proprietor, Kritch The Bartender, they buy some drinks and share some laughs with the giant arachnid before they are threatened by a very unwise man flanked by some Gamorrean thugs, he quickly realises the error of his ways when his cohorts are instantly vaporised by Saleema and attempts to flee, but gets his kneecaps blasted off, allowing the crew to easily catch up to him as he crawls out of The Cocoon. They begin to question the thug and are approached by a mysterious Muun who introduces himself as Targo Huus, an emissary of Grelba The Hutt. He “invites” the team to the grand palace for a Gran Noopa and promises they will receive riches and prestige if they emerge as the victors, he then shows them a hologram of Brett’s mother and tells him Grelba may be willing to return her if they comply. The Muun informs them they are expected at the palace tomorrow and takes his leave.   After a failed attempt at following Targo, the crew pick up their interrogation of the thug from the cantina and force him to take them to the rest of his crew. The thug leads them towards the slums of the residential district and a young, skinny girl pickpockets Saleema’s wallet, which she returns after some rough treatment from the hardened smuggler. The crew are eventually lead to the thugs hideout and after an initially hostile exchange of words, the crew realise they are destitute and get invited in after Saleema offers them 100cr. Their leader introduces himself as Grel and offers them refuge for the night.   The following morning our crew head to the grand palace and are greeted at the entrance by Targo who leads them into a foyer to meet two opposing teams, each with their own Muun guide. One team consists of 2 Rodians in dark armour, one with a highly modified rifle and the other with a pair of swords who are accompanied by a droid that stands sentry behind them, almost completely concealed under a dark cloak with only a single glowing red optic visible from under the hood, the crew approaches them to make conversation and are rudely dismissed. The other team is lead by a human dressed in noble regalia with a team of four mercenaries, he introduces himself as Jago Boskawic and offers the crew a temporary truce to take out the remaining team, which they agree to with their fingers crossed behind their backs, but are sussed out by the noble.   After the introductions, the Muun guides lead their respective attendees through to a lavish bar where they are presented with a tray of drinks and told they must make a toast to their patrons before the festivities commence. Each drink has its own distinct garnish and Targo informs the crew that half of them have been poisoned, he tells them two of the six compromised drinks and the crew make their choices, Brett ends up picking a poisoned one but manages to resist its effects, he then notices there is a remaining drink for the droid and takes that too, but doesn’t drink it, yet.   Once all drinks have been chosen the attendees are lead through various winding corridors with the opposing teams breaking off at intervals before arriving at a large set of double doors. Targo informs the crew they have arrived at ‘The Dance’, a battle royale where the teams can let out their aggression, but only whilst the music plays. Brett finishes his second poisoned drink and once again manages to resist its effects before a bloody battle ensues with the sword wielding Rodian being the only survivor along with the crew. As the music draws to an end, their guides reunite with their teams and lead them further into the palace to ‘The Dinner’, where they are greeted by an incredibly lavish banquet. The contestants take their seats at the table and begin to feast, but the peaceful moment is cut short when a loud screech rings out through the room, the door opposite them begins to open and the remaining contestants are attacked by an Acklay. The beast is eventually killed, but not before it impales the remaining Rodian.   As the only surviving team, our crew are declared the victors and lead through to the palace throne room where they finally come face to face with Grelba The Hutt. Targo takes his place by his master's side and as he translates their patron’s congratulations, Brett notices not only his mother but his father as well, both encased in carbonite, adorning the wall to either side of the Hutt’s throne. Brett demands the return of his parents but Grelba informs him the deal was for his mother only. Brett takes out his rocket launcher and attempts to intimidate the crime boss but Grelba only laughs at him calling his bluff. “You wouldn’t fire a weapon of that power with the lives of your parents both at stake.”   Brett pulls the trigger.   He heavily damages the Hutt, incinerates most of his entourage and completely destroys one of the the carbonite casings along with his mother inside it.   The crew finish off Grelba along with his guards and escape the palace with Brett’s surviving parent through the Hutt’s bed chambers. They decide to once again seek refuge with Grel in the slums, but after hearing what they have done, he refuses them fearing for the safety of his family. He does however let them know a shortcut to the starport and with this information, the crew make it back to their ship to make their escape.