IC Rise of the Grand Admiral - Episode I - Finishing the Fight

[Thundercracker]

OOC Thread: https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...-Grand-Admiral

Opening Crawl: https://starwarsintrocreator.kassell...4Zzrzp7L9KqWJ_

The galaxy is ablaze in the fire of war. The conflict between the Separatist Alliance and the Galactic Republic has raged for years.

Led by the Jedi Order, the Droid Armies of the Separatists have been pushed to the brink, but billions of combat droids remain, and it will take months of fighting to reach and assault their remaining industrial planets.

In hopes of training an elite fighting unit outside of the strict code of the Order and bring the war to a swifter conclusion, a newly knighted Jedi leads a hand-picked squad on their first mission...

Republic LAAT/i

You have been assigned to recently Knighted Jedi Sadaki Kirusai, and after some very basic training, shipped off to join Jedi Master Vin Ru's task force, currently assigned to destroy the Separatist industrial capabilities on Niral 3 in the mid-rim. Only a few pockets of resistance remain, and while Master Ru and the bulk of the task force's ground forces mop up the remaining droid battalions, Kirusai has been tasked with recovering any intelligence from an abandoned command and control bunker nestled in the mountains.

Accompanying you are a half-dozen engineers (to slice into computer systems and access restricted areas), and two squads of clone troopers, fresh from Kamino, and Kirusai himself, a young human, perhaps not even out of his teen years, with short dark hair, dressed in traditional brown Jedi robes.

The whirring of the transport engines vibrate the chassis beneath your seat (or in the case of ax, your charging station). It is about twenty more minutes to the abandoned bunker, and you have the opportunity to speak with anyone aside from the pilots, who are busy flying the ship.

Spoiler

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The exact nature of how you came to work for the Republic is up to you, but Kirusai knows if you are Force sensitive.

[Harmony]

Ilyene

Ilyene opened her eyes from the trance she had been in with a shudder. Her eyes were still covered in dark rings from not having slept properly for a while. The nightmares, or visions, she was not entirely sure, had come once again. They were on the same gloomy theme every time, and the ones she had just had envisioned the entire crew dead, herself included, and like in a feverish dream it had repeated, but regardless of what she had done, the outcome resulted in the same. Her hand went to the fractured crystal that with a leather cord hang around her neck. The crystal had been Loira's, and it had not been fractured when she wore it. Still, it offered a sense of comfort, and her hand ceased shaking.

She was mortified. Even though they were flying out to what seemed to be a simple intelligence gathering she had seen - and done - enough to know that even the most simplest of missions could turn awry at any point. Her recent visions did not help. Her stomach felt queasy, both the vibration of the flight and the griping fear. Had it been a year earlier, she would probably have hewed up her lunch, but experience did have some advantage, she reflected.

She had regretted joining up, but it was the only way to get back. With the Republic actually mustering to join the fight, partisan movement against the Separatists was a lot more risky and this was the only way she could get her revenge. Her hand grasp the crystal even harder, as if that moment would not only restore the crystal, but also Loira. It was a foolish thought, but she would not rest until these warmongers were stopped. They were at the very least a decent force. The Republic hade the resources to throw at problems that they had never had.

"So, what was your homeworld like?" She asked no one in particular, hoping that someone would answer. Getting new images through her head would help her focus, to get stable. Loira had always talked about the planets and cultures she had visited before moments like this.

[samduke]

Cora

The planet where I was raised is very industrial, in most sectors with the production of many ships
thinking to herself I wonder what awaits us planet side, then subconsciously reaches down to her hip holster and toggles the blaster from stun to kill

[Thunder999]

Coralej

Coralej thinks a moment before deciding it'd probably seem a bit weird not to respond, the closest he has to a homeworld is probably the temple on coruscant, not that he really thinks of it as home anymore. He gives a deliberately vague yet technically true response.

"Very urbanised, nice near the top, less so as you go down. I prefer travelling." He then tries to shift the conversation "Anyone know what awaits us below?"

[Thundercracker]

Niral 3 - Republic LAAT/i

Before anyone can answer, the Jedi breathes in sharply and snaps his eyes open.
"Hang on!" he shouts just as alarms start blaring and the intercom crackles to life.
"Incoming missile, brace for impact!" the unmistakable voice of a Republic clone says.

The ship banks sharply to the left. Anything not fastened down is thrown through the air, and a second later, there is a deafening *bang* like a crack of thunder, and the rear quarter of the ship is penetrated by hundreds of small pellets and shorn off, letting in bright sunlight and revealing forested mountains below. Your ears (or aural sensors) ring, it is difficult to make any distinct sound out over the roar of the wind, except the vibrations you feel through the ship. At first it looks like the seat chassis carrying half the engineering team was sucked out to fall to the mountainous terrain below, but as the pilots try to right the transport, it comes into view, dangling by a single strap. You can't hear them, but it certainly looks as if the engineers are screaming in terror as they come into view.

Kirusai leaps into action, rushing past you to grab the strap and relieve some of the strain. Can the Jedi hold all of them by himself?
"2204 is down, we need help up front!" one of the pilots yells through the intercom, though his voice sounds muffled and distant. The clones look around for orders (protocol states passengers are to stay in their seats during an emergency landing) and the remaining engineers appear paralyzed in fear.

With the ship pitching and rolling, it is not certain you could keep your balance if you loosen your restraints, and falling might mean falling out of the transport.

[AvatarVecna]

"2204 is down, we need help up front!" one of the pilots yells through the intercom, though his voice sounds muffled and distant. The clones look around for orders (protocol states passengers are to stay in their seats during an emergency landing) and the remaining engineers appear paralyzed in fear.

Ax dismounts from his charging station and rolls towards the front to assist the pilots, his magnetized feet and wheels keeping him steady despite the wind whipping about. His appendages aren't great for exerting a good deal of force, so he'll leave that job to the others and their larger bodies while he performs a task he's much more suited for: helping fly and/or fix a ship that's in the process of going down.

[Harmony]

Ilyene

Just as Ilyene had started to relax as she tried to envision the planets described she is roused from the blaring alarms. She closes her eyes and breaths slowly, as the dread and fear roll over her. She cannot do anything but wait. As the explosion leaves her unable to hear, she opens her eyes surprised to even be alive. It takes a moment for her to get her bearings but as she notices the torn aft and Kirusai struggling to keep the ship intact the panic once again takes a grip on her, pressing herself against the seat as hard as possible. But then her deeper instincts takes over. She glances over to the troopers and engineers and with a calm voice that surprises even herself she says "Sit tight, follow protocol and everything will be alright." Methodically she snaps open the straps, holding onto them with one hand as she traces her belt for the pouch that contains the gun. Without slowing down she pulls it out, aims briefly and fires the hook towards the aft of the ship, hoping to create a second strand to which it could hold on to.

Spoiler: OOC

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Using a liquid cable dispenser with a grappling gun from utility belt. If successful, Ilyene would like to attach it somewhere in the craft.

[Thundercracker]

Ax dismounts from his charging station and rolls towards the front to assist the pilots, his magnetized feet and wheels keeping him steady despite the wind whipping about. His appendages aren't great for exerting a good deal of force, so he'll leave that job to the others and their larger bodies while he performs a task he's much more suited for: helping fly and/or fix a ship that's in the process of going down.

Your magnetized locomotion keeps you stuck to the floor as the ship rolls and yaws. You open the door to the cockpit to find one of the clone pilots is out cold or dead with a head injury, still strapped in but slumped over in his seat. The other pilot is fighting with the yoke to keep the ship from rolling over or crashing into the mountainside. The control panel is a sea of red blinking lights, and the view through the forward glass is dangerously low; you can spot individual leaves on the trees.

Ilyene

Just as Ilyene had started to relax as she tried to envision the planets described she is roused from the blaring alarms. She closes her eyes and breaths slowly, as the dread and fear roll over her. She cannot do anything but wait. As the explosion leaves her unable to hear, she opens her eyes surprised to even be alive. It takes a moment for her to get her bearings but as she notices the torn aft and Kirusai struggling to keep the ship intact the panic once again takes a grip on her, pressing herself against the seat as hard as possible. But then her deeper instincts takes over. She glances over to the troopers and engineers and with a calm voice that surprises even herself she says "Sit tight, follow protocol and everything will be alright." Methodically she snaps open the straps, holding onto them with one hand as she traces her belt for the pouch that contains the gun. Without slowing down she pulls it out, aims briefly and fires the hook towards the aft of the ship, hoping to create a second strand to which it could hold on to.

Spoiler: OOC

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Using a liquid cable dispenser with a grappling gun from utility belt. If successful, Ilyene would like to attach it somewhere in the craft.

The moment you unhook your straps, the ship rolls nearly over on its side, and you instinctively reach out for something to grab on to.

Spoiler

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DC 15 acrobatics check to keep your balance. If you keep your balance you manage to brace yourself against something and can use both hands for the liquid cable dispenser and grappling hook, otherwise you only have one hand and take a -5 penalty to your attack roll to hook the cable onto the hanging seats (considered a simple weapon).

[Harmony]

Ilyene

Trying to aim the gun with both hands, the sudden twirl makes Ilyene loose balance, and she instinctively reaches out to hold herself steady as she fires with an unsteady hand, the shot looking to go wide.

Spoiler: OOC: Rolls

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Acrobatics DC 15, +0 - (1d20)[9] = failed
Attack roll, +1, -5 if above is failed - (1d20)[8] = 4 (looks bad unless there's a really big size modification!)

[samduke]

Cora reaching out to grab and steady Ilyene, looking around for anything to soften the crash landing that is soon to follow, or some sort of grav-chute in case we need to jump out.

[Thunder999]

Coralej
Coralej grabs his own liquid cable dispenser and shouts towards the engineers (actually, he'd also use his earbud commlink if they have one he's connected to in their helmets or the like) "No grapple here, but one of you can try to tie this on or something." and try to swing some out in their direction.

[Thundercracker]

Cora: There does not seem to be much to soften the crash, and you do your best to help stabilize Ilyene.

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athletics to assist

Coralej: you swing some cable over to the dangling engineers.

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persuasion to try and get them to notice you and take action.

[AvatarVecna]

Your magnetized locomotion keeps you stuck to the floor as the ship rolls and yaws. You open the door to the cockpit to find one of the clone pilots is out cold or dead with a head injury, still strapped in but slumped over in his seat. The other pilot is fighting with the yoke to keep the ship from rolling over or crashing into the mountainside. The control panel is a sea of red blinking lights, and the view through the forward glass is dangerously low; you can spot individual leaves on the trees.

Ax rushes to assist, jacking in and manipulating the piloting systems directly to help right the vehicle as best as can be done without sitting in one of the chairs. It was possible he couldn't prevent this crash from happening, but hopefully he could at least help soften the landing a bit.

Spoiler: OoC

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I would like to Aid Another on the pilot's Pilot check. Is there a circumstance penalty I need to factor into my roll?

[Thundercracker]

Ax plugs in and immediately augments the clone pilot's efforts. The crest of a ridge looms before you but you manage to bank and avoid it. The gunship is still going down though, and you steer towards a small lake at the bottom of the valley. If you can clear the trees, you might be able to make a water landing.

Ilyene and Coralej attempt to toss cables to the engineers, and two of them realize what's happening but neither is able to grab one of the lines.

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Althetics check for Ilyene, who is not strapped in.

The Jedi braces a foot against what used to be a bulkhead and keeps pulling, and the strap appears to be holding, for now.

[Harmony]

Ilyene

Screaming her frustration at the top of her lungs, Ilyene sees the futility in her attempts to attach the cable and tries to get herself back to her seat, while watching Kirusai helplessly as she does her best to prepare for the impact.

[Thunder999]

Coralej

Seeing they didn't manage to grab it, but did notice, Coralej will try guiding it to one of them with the Force.

Spoiler: Roll/ooc

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So either Move Light Object or his Move Object Force Power if you think that's needed instead, grab the rope end and push it into one of their hands.
(1d20+8)[9] Use the Force skill check.

[AvatarVecna]

Ax plugs in and immediately augments the clone pilot's efforts. The crest of a ridge looms before you but you manage to bank and avoid it. The gunship is still going down though, and you steer towards a small lake at the bottom of the valley. If you can clear the trees, you might be able to make a water landing.

Ax continues aiding as best he can, analyzing and correcting the ship's trajectory and pitch at a speed no organic could match.

Spoiler: OoC

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Idk should I make another check?

[Thundercracker]

Ilyene: you pull yourself back into your harness but are unable to strap yourself in before the ship. You tumble head over heels out of the open rear of the ship. The world spins in a blur but in a sudden moment of clarity, you see one of the engineers’s outstretched hands.

Spoiler

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spend a force point to grab the engineer’s hand, or take your chances with a fall onto the mountain.

Coralej: maybe because of the stress, or maybe because everything is moving so much, but the grappling hook does not come within arms reach of the dangling seats.

Ax:

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rolling for you, success means you land in shallow water: (1d20+7)[23]

“Mayday, mayday, we have taken enemy fire and are going down, mayday, Mayday!”

Again you assist the pilot, and together, you manage to keep the transport above the trees and splash down in shallow water. The engineers land first, and are dragged a short ways before coming to a rest, thankfully with their heads above water. Icy water floods into the passenger compartment and the cockpit, preventing you from leaving for a moment until the ship settles into the mud, but everyone still aboard appears to be alive and mostly unharmed, except one of the pilots.

[samduke]

once everything had stopped Cora unfastened her harness, starts aiding others in getting out of the craft.

[AvatarVecna]

Ax attempts to unbuckle the unconscious pilot, but his claw hand isn't all that dexterous and it's possible the mechanism is having issues. Nonetheless, he tries to help the possibly-still-alive copilot get out of the flooding ship.

[Harmony]

Ilyene

The realisation of what is about to happen comes to Ilyene as she is suddenly lifted before she can fasten herself. Anguish and fear rolls over her as she tumbles towards the exit, down to certain death. She tries, futility, to claw at anything to hold her in the ship. But before she can plummet out, she feels a pair of strong arms grab onto her. With the momentum she slip, but Ilyene has no intention of dying and with all her strength, she grabs back.
"Thank you." Ilyene tells Cora sincerely as the ship comes to a halt. Like waking from a dream, she stands up as Cora's grip loosens. This was never in her vision. They were all dead, and the cold water felt so... alive.

Regaining her composure and awareness of the position, she quickly moves towards the pilot. "Let me take care of this." she tells the droid. "Make sure everyone gets out." While quickly trying to determine the severity of his injuries as she unbuckles the belt, grabs the pilot and drags him out. They will need to leave the ship, the Separatists are sure to come down on this site soon enough. Even though she would like to have checked if there was anything broken before moving, they did not have the luxury to do so right now.

Spoiler: OOC

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There is no diagnose choice for Treat Injury, so I'll just throw a dice - feel free to disregard if not needed! (1d20+3)[17]

Ilyene has a strength of 15, so can lift 112.5kg and typically drag twice that, depending on the surface.

[AvatarVecna]

Ilyene

The realisation of what is about to happen comes to Ilyene as she is suddenly lifted before she can fasten herself. Anguish and fear rolls over her as she tumbles towards the exit, down to certain death. She tries, futility, to claw at anything to hold her in the ship. But before she can plummet out, she feels a pair of strong arms grab onto her. With the momentum she slip, but Ilyene has no intention of dying and with all her strength, she grabs back.
"Thank you." Ilyene tells Cora sincerely as the ship comes to a halt. Like waking from a dream, she stands up as Cora's grip loosens. This was never in her vision. They were all dead, and the cold water felt so... alive.

Regaining her composure and awareness of the position, she quickly moves towards the pilot. "Let me take care of this." she tells the droid. "Make sure everyone gets out." While quickly trying to determine the severity of his injuries as she unbuckles the belt, grabs the pilot and drags him out. They will need to leave the ship, the Separatists are sure to come down on this site soon enough. Even though she would like to have checked if there was anything broken before moving, they did not have the luxury to do so right now.

Spoiler: OOC

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There is no diagnose choice for Treat Injury, so I'll just throw a dice - feel free to disregard if not needed! [roll0]

Ilyene has a strength of 15, so can lift 112.5kg and typically drag twice that, depending on the surface.

Ax trills and backs off, letting the pilot and Ilyene take care of the copilot. He rolls back up through the ship as best he can while it's flooding and helps out if anyone is struggling to unbuckle.

[Thunder999]

Coralej

Coralej unbuckles himself and climbs out "Not a great start to our first mission, anything I can do to help?"

[Thundercracker]

Niral 3 - Mountain Forest

You quickly determine one of the pilots is dead, but everyone else only has minor scrapes or bruises.

Sadaki lets go of the strap and steps outside of the downed transport.

“Everyone make for the tree line, double time,” he said, “bring only what you can carry.”

The clones instantly obey and unbuckle themselves and start wading, carrying their rifles above their heads. Some of them carry tool kits for the engineering team. The clones and the party help the engineers out of their harnesses and the group gathers itself and follows the Jedi’s lead.

Ax has trouble with the water, until the surviving pilot speaks up.

“We wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for this droid, we can’t leave him here,” he said. Two clones help carry Ax to shore.

The whine of starfighter engines reach your ears just as the last of the group reaches the tree line.
“Stay down,” the Jedi says as two droid tri-fighters appear over the lake. One of them launches a missile and destroys the partially sunken transport with a blast of flames; you feel the concussive explosion and heat from where you are. As they depart, they are intercepted by two ARC-170 republic fighters. The dogfight carries them away from the group, and soon all is quiet again.

One of the clones is fiddling with some communication gear.

“Sir, I can’t raise command, it looks like there’s a jamming field all around this mountain,” he said.

“We’re near the old command bunker,” Sadaki said. He checked a data pad.

“There’s a damaged and abandoned separatist communications relay station nearby, we’ll stop there to see if we can reestablish contact, and then proceed to the bunker,” he said, “form up.”

The Jedi takes the lead, and everyone else falls in. The air is cool and crisp, and the forest is beautiful. Heedless of war and politics, the wildlife around you goes back to its business, with little creatures scurrying through undergrowth in search of food, and bugs munching on leaves.

Spoiler

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you can take the opportunity to chat with each other or anyone in the group while you march.

[AvatarVecna]

Ax beeps out his thanks to the helpful clones, does a quick wheel-spin in place to shake off whatever he can, and follows the group onwards.

[samduke]

Splash, once things have settled down enough to regain her senses Cora releases Ilyene, unbuckles rapidly, looking around she grabs her pack and a nearby blaster rifle and leaves the ship heading towards anything that looks like cover in the tree line with the others pointing the rifle in the direction she is looking as she looks about. Then falls into line as the group begins to walk towards this command bunker that the jedi mentioned

[Thunder999]

Coralej takes the chance to ask something he'd been wondering (and start a nice easy conversation that doesn't involve awkward topics like his past) "It sounds like it's already been useful, but why do have an Astromech anyway?" he'll look at the Jedi "Is it yours Commander?"

[Harmony]

Ilyene

Noticing the pilot is dead, Ilyene still drags him out, grabbing a binocular that drifts past her as she does. Her heart races as she pulls him ashore, they could be attacked at any time and she is in the open. As they hunker down, she ensures she has not been mistaken and offers a small prayer, before letting the other clone troopers take care of their comrade. Her thoughts are abruptly interrupted by the appearance of Separatists ship and she hunkers down just as the wave from the explosion almost tips her over.

"Yes sir!" Ilyene falls in line, but her thoughts remain with the pilot they left behind and she remains in her gloomy head space as she carefully scans their environment to spot any more surprises.

[Thundercracker]

Coralej takes the chance to ask something he'd been wondering (and start a nice easy conversation that doesn't involve awkward topics like his past) "It sounds like it's already been useful, but why do have an Astromech anyway?" he'll look at the Jedi "Is it yours Commander?"

The Jedi glances to you but does not break stride.

“Technically the droid belongs to the Republic,” Sadaki replied, “as for why it is with us, eventually it is to be part of your unit. It can round out the skills of the team and there are advantages to having a droid attached, especially one that can masquerade as a Separatist. As for why this particular droid, well, call it a tremor in the Force.”

He smirks knowingly.

[AvatarVecna]

Ax eyes each of the others, cataloguing his thoughts on each more as idle amusement than anything else. He rambles in Binary as they travel. <It's always neat seeing new flora and fauna up close. So many things that seem to pop up everywhere - slight variations, but still arriving at very similar outcomes. Have any of you been to Niral 3 before?> His manner of speaking almost gives the impression that even if he needed to breath he'd still not be taking very many pauses to do so.