STAR WARS: An Ill Wind
Session 15

INT. SIEWA HOMESHIP - LOUNGE

Day-Lin refers to a datapad and explains to their Siewa hosts, "So, we need to go to a system called ... HP-277L, in what your people call the Beyond."

Harukuk adds a few words of his own, a bass rumble broken by a few barks and other low, soft sounds.

The short furry beings nod. "Of course," Velir replies. "Though our people do not travel within the region claimed by the Hutts, we can certainly let you use one of our vessels."

Day-Lin points out, "Preferably the oldest, junkiest one you have. We don't want to be a conspicuous or tempting target."

Chussip exchanges a look with Velir, and the two rodentoids chatter at each other in their rapid, high-pitched speech for several moments. Velir looks surprised, then shakes her head at something Chussip suggests. The other Siewa is persistent, however, and finally seems to win the little argument.

Chussip switches back to Basic to explain, "My... sister-by-marriage's uncle has an adopted nephew who owns a ship that should be everything you require."

<OOC> Tekkel shrieks at Kelly.
<OOC> Avirida howls :)

WIPE TO:

Establishing shot of Siewa frigate, in formation with the rest of the rag-tag homefleet in the starry blackness above Bothawui. No two are exactly alike, though they share a general "look."

INT. FRIGATE HANGAR

Tucked away to one side in the large and constantly-busy space of the main hangar is a ship. At least, that would be your first guess.

<OOC> Avirida says, "I've got a bad feeling about this."
<OOC> Day-Lin says, "I was about to say."

The vessel is about the size of a large (Human) shuttle or small freighter, its general shape a thick disc or flattened sphere. Six bulges are set evenly around its rim; the front one has the viewports of a cockpit, while the ion drives are at the other end. It's mostly a faded primer grey. Beneath the ship, whose ground clearance is such that non-Siewa will have to duck low, is a single entry ramp roughly in the center of its footprint. The ramp is down.

Chussip puts his hands around his snout and shouts up into the shuttle, "TEKKEL! Get down here!"

Day-Lin gives the ship a long, measuring look.

Day-Lin says "Perfect. You'd have to be desperate or insane to steal this." A pause. "Uh, no offense."

Harukuk rumbles something that sounds approving.

Avirida peers dubiously at the so-called ship. "How about desperate and insane," she mutters under her breath. "As in, suicidal."

Pira eyes the entryway and Harukuk. "Is it siz... low ceiled throughout?

There's a clunk from inside the ship, of uncertain origin, and shortly a Siewa with grey-white fur looks out from the rampway before jogging down it and over to the group.

Chussip says, still using Basic, "Tekkel, these people are from the Republic. They need to use your ship to go into the Beyond and find a planet they're looking for."

<OOC> Kelly says, "These spooky people in matching Jedi robes. ;)"
<OOC> Day-Lin says, "'...They say they're here to negotiate.'"
<OOC> Kelly says, "Which reminds me, hoods up or down?"
<OOC> Day-Lin says, "down."
<OOC> Avirida just looks gray and metallic and dubious. ;)
<OOC> Kelly says, "(and badly-coiffured)"
<OOC> Avirida says, "AIGH! Don't remind me! :)"
<OOC> Avirida says, "my hair! MY HAIR!"
<OOC> Pira giggles!

Tekkel's expression is clear - surprise - and starts what may or may not be objections in Siewa before pausing and taking a second look at the group. The look turns to a gawk at the two Jedi.

Pira tucks her hands into her sleeves, and bends an inquiring gaze upon Tekkel.

Avirida glances up at Harukuk, no less dubious, then back to the grey-white Siewa.

Chussip says something and Tekkel grins.

Tekkel proves that he can speak Basic or at least some of it by saying, "Hello! Wow, from the Republic. Where are we going?"

Day-Lin says, to Tekkel, "The Beyond. System HP-277L. Ever been there?"

Tekkel shakes his head, "Never been there, or anywhere near. Hutts don't like us. But we have good charts anyway."

Day-Lin says "We'd be just as happy not to run into the Hutts. I'm sure you feel the same way."

Tekkel nodnods. "Yes." He seems to be eyeing Day-Lin and Pira a lot. "Do you all want to go now?" Chussip seems almost forgotten.

Day-Lin looks at Pira.

Pira says "I see no reason to wait."

Day-Lin says to Tekkel, "Whenever you're ready, then."

<OOC> Pira says, "Jedi are *always* packed :)"
<OOC> Kelly says, "A good Jedi Knight always knows where his saber and his towel is."
<OOC> Tekkel laughs.

Tekkel chirps, then repeats, "Great. Come in!" He beckons the group to follow him to the ramp.

Harukuk rumbles something amused-sounding. [Cheerful, at least.]

Chussip calls up into the ship again, this time in tart-sounding Siewa. ["Fluffbrain, is your project even fueled? Or provisioned?"]

Day-Lin gives Pira a look of deep amusement. "Welcome to the Outer Rim." Ducking low, he starts up onto the ramp.

Pira removes her hands from her sleeves, ducking low behind Day-Lin. She murmurs "It seems... unique."

At the head of the ramp, Day-Lin comes face to face with a metal ball, much like a standard practice remote. This little droid has only one photoreceptor, however, and a single small grasper. It bobs and peers curiously at the newcomer before turning and zipping down the ramp, only glancing at Pira in passing.

Tekkel halts, mumbles. Meekly, "We need to give Lirpa fuel and supplies yet." But then he brightens, "But I can get show you around meantime!"

Day-Lin says "Right. What there is to see."

Pira says "I didn't think they had ships this old still in service. Anywhere."

<OOC> Tekkel wonders whether Tekkel should take that as a compliment. :)

As Day-Lin recovers from this mild surprise and looks around, he seems that the compartment he's in is an airlock, with small rungs leading up (not far -- low ceiling) to a dorsal hatch. Another pressure door is open into what looks like a foyer or crew lounge. This is where Tekkel stands at the moment. All the furnishings are Siewa-sized, of course. And while the interior is cluttered, a lot of it looks fairly new. Or at least, not nearly as old as the outer hull.

<OOC> Kelly, appropriately, plays the Jawa music. :)
<OOC> Kelly says, "The ceilings are just about 2m. Plenty of room for Siewa, claustrophobic but not too awful for Humans. The Wook, on the other hand..."
<OOC> Pira makes a note. Buy captain durasteel helmet.
<OOC> Harukuk says, "Needs must as the devil drives."

Tekkel moves further into the ship, giving the group room - what there is of it - to file inside.

The floating droid stops again at the foot of the ramp to examine Avirida, then Harukuk in turn. It then flits over to Chussip and twitters at him in an electronic version of Siewa speech. Chussip gives it an order and it darts off.

<OOC> Kelly says, "You're going to see a lot of these around the ship. With variations, they're all baseball-sized metal spheres with one glassy eye and a few graspers or tools. The Siewa equivalent of mouse droids. Same sound, too. ;)"
<OOC> Kelly says, "Harukuk knows about them already. The Siewa just call them 'helpers'."
<OOC> Kelly says, "Those up on space news should know that NASA is considering pretty much the same thing for the space station. It's true."
<OOC> Pira oohs.
<OOC> Kelly says, "Inspired by the original remotes from ANH, I think they said."

Pira murmurs to Day-Lin, "If all furnishings are sized similiarly, where will the captain sleep?"

Avirida gives her Captain an eloquent shrug, letting him precede her up the ramp if he so chooses.

Day-Lin shrugs, and murmurs back, "Sleep?"

Within the ship, it can be seen that most of the space is a single large room, split into smaller sections (bunks, galley, workstation, cargo space, and such) by sliding partitions. The only other two rooms appear to be the two-seat pilot cabin up front and a small engine room at the back; the doors to be both are open at present. Access panels spaced around the ship suggest there might be crawlspaces as well.

Day-Lin says "We'll just settle in for the trip, and you can let us know when you're ready to leave."

Pira moves around, examining the great cabin, her expression faintly approving as she examines the clever sliding partitions.

The air inside the ship, with the scrubbers off for the moment, smells of solvents and burnt insulation. The fittings are a mix of old and shiny-new. The upholstery is unmarked. It would seem that this craft is near the end of a refit or restoration.

<OOC> Pira says, "are the bunks as small as I fear?"
<OOC> Tekkel says, "yes, but fortunately bunks are easy to replace."
<OOC> Tekkel hands Pira her Bunk (1, Human, Some Assembly Required) kit. :p

Day-Lin settles into one of the munchkin-size bunks, although he ends up pretty much with his torso in and his legs out. This doesn't seem to bother him much, though.

Pira drops her pack on another bunk and drops down to sit legs cross beside the bunk.

<OOC> Tekkel imagines the group looks like a quartet of backpackers, admittedly furry or silver or jedi as the case may be.

Pira says "Master Windu always did think that sleeping on the floor was good discipline."

Day-Lin says, sounding amused, "Looks like you'll get plenty of practice."

Tekkel seems to have disappeared. Singsong chatter from the engine room suggests an argument between the little Siewa and one or more of the helpers about the state of things in there.

Pira says "Captain, how long will it take us to get to HP-227L in this?"

Harukuk sits on the edge of a bunk (as he wouldn't fit inside unless he was dedicated about it,) and consinders the question, stroking his furry chin. After a bit, he rumbles a guess.

Avirida translates, "About a week... maybe more, depending." Again, she looks dubious.

Pira says "Lots of practice."

Pira says "Then if the Captain thinks the ship is ready to fly..."

Pira looks inquiringly at Harukuk.

Harukuk nods and growl-grunts a response. By his gesturing, he likely means he'll go speak to Tekkel. Avirida confirms this.

INT. FRIGATE HANGAR

An hour or so later, after the Lirpa has been fueled, loaded with supplies and all hatches sealed, it retracts its gear and floats toward the open magcon field... with only a *slight* wobble of the repulsors. Really.

Pira inquires of Tekkel, "It has been recently overhauled, you said?"

Bursting from the home-frigate's hangar into sunlight for the first time in over a standard year, the patchy gray saucer banks gracefully and moves out through the traffic pattern of the fleet.

<OOC> Pira says, "She wonders what it was like before the overhaul."
<OOC> Kelly says, "Best that you don't."

Tekkel watches the fleet slide through black starry space all around the little ship, a slice of the huge orb of Bothawui just visible in a corner of the cabin's viewport. He adjusts a control, and the view tilts as the ship sets a course away from both fleet and planet. Siewa comm chatter can be heard in the background as he replies, "Yes, we almost finished when you came. Just had the hull paint and a few other minor details to complete, but we can do most of that during the trip."

Day-Lin says "What sort of minor details?"

Both Jedi have their heads and shoulders poked in through the cockpit hatchway, there not being room for much more in the compartment.

<OOC> Kelly says, "And you thought the Dauntless had a small bridge. Imagine that sized for Siewa."
<OOC> Tekkel thinks Avirida or Pira might fit in the second seat much like Chewbacca fitted in the second seat of the Tyderium. Maybe. :)

Tekkel pauses. "Ah, the jump to hyperspace might be a bit nauseating. And the helpers are still trying to make the autochef stop burning the food. Minor details."

Day-Lin says, dryly, "Ah, I see."

Day-Lin adds, to Pira, "I think I'm going to go and lie down until after we make the jump."

Pira says "Susceptible to jump sickness?"

Day-Lin gives Pira a look. "No, not at all."

<OOC> Day-Lin says, "... but better safe than sorry."

Pira eyes the second chair and starts to squeeze forward. "I'll stay up here."

Tekkel looks down at a panel after something beeps, then looks up at the two Jedi. "The ship's ready to make the jump." In the engine room, Avirida can hear the hyperdrive governor whining quietly to itself.

Day-Lin's vanished back into the quarters, where, laying down again, he engages in some deep meditation exercises.

<OOC> Kelly says, "Okay. Punch it! :)"

Avirida eyes the whining governor warily, and hovers nearby, her hands twitching every time the whine changes even a fraction in tone.

Tekkel waits a little longer before reaching to his left and pulling the only lever in sight. Nothing seems to happen.

Tekkel frowns, looks at a readout, and opens his mouth to speak when the ship lurches into hyperspace with a stomach-sickening stutter. A row of safety lights go yellow in the engine room for a long moment, and the whine picks up some pitch as the stars outside are replaced with the swirling but thankfully normal chaos of hyperspace travel.

GALAXY MAP

From Bothawui (system and name traced upon night's black with golden lines in a fine hand), the path of the Lirpa draws itself in grey. That path soon enters a volume bordered in lines of mud brown. As it skirts the edges of this area, the view draws back to reveal the label of the whole: HUTT SPACE.

Over this, in double-exposure, a montage of scenes of shipboard life. Mostly this is a series of dealing with small discomforts and "minor details" in close quarters.

After a few days of this, having followed a course somewhere between 'around' and 'straight through' the domain of the Hutts with no untoward delays on the way, the little ship comes out the other side... with only the Unknown Regions between it and the true edge of the Galaxy.

Following the Siewa charts in Lirpa's computer, Tekkel is able to plot a course that will get them to their destination in just two more days. And to whatever might await them there...

EXT. SPACE - PLANET

HP-277L's second planet swells from a pearl to a full-sized world in a matter of moments, as the starlines shorten and fade to bright pinpoints in the void. A microjump from the system's edge has brought the Lirpa to this position, where its passengers can get a good look at it.

The viewport's phototropic coating automatically darkens in the region of the star itself so that Siewa and Human eyes can safely view its arc-light brilliance.

Tekkel asks, "Is this it?"

Shrouded in impenetrable clouds, the planet broods in silence. Looking upon it, both young Jedi have that sense of deja vu, even stronger now.

Day-Lin squints through the viewport. "That looks ... yeah, I think that's it."

Avirida, in the engine room, lets out a slow breath of relief at the results of the microjump.

Tekkel steers the ship towards a high orbit, checking the ship's sensors.

On one of the console's small monitors, the planet appears in miniature, gridded by thin lines of light. Sections of this grid begin to fill in as the ship's sensors look beneath the veil.

<OOC> Kelly says, "No, I'm not picking up any signs of civilization... massive life readings, though..."
<OOC> Avirida twitches :)

Tekkel looks expectantly at Day-Lin.

Day-Lin hesitates. "I'm not sure where ... let's not land just yet."

A bright dot appears among the false-color contours of the surface, pulsing softly as more data fills in next to it. Looks like faint power readings...

Pira says "If there is trouble, it won't go away for our waiting."

Pira says "They are more likely to detect us in orbit with every passing hour."

Day-Lin points out, acerbically, "It also won't go away if we stick out necks into its maw."

Tekkel examines the readings of the power source for clues. Aloud, "They?"

Pira gestures with a hand. "A figure of speech."

Harukuk rumbles something in Wookiee. Sounds rather dry, in fact. [Boogeymen.]

Day-Lin elaborates, "There may be other interested parties."

<OOC> Tekkel wonders how much of the mission Tekkel has been let in on ("we're looking for the last Folger's crystal in the galaxy...")
<OOC> Kelly says, "Jedi Stuff. Need to Know, Citizen."
<OOC> Tekkel guesses this bunch doesn't talk in their sleep then? ;)

Pira says "What do you expect to find from waiting?"

Day-Lin says "What do you expect to find by charging blindly in?"

Tekkel watches the planet as it rolls underneath, both on the sensors and the viewport. Listens to the Jedi debate what to do, and stretches a little.

Pira says "What we seek?"

Pira says "I would be for waiting if there was something to discover by waiting."

Day-Lin says "If you don't wait, how can you be sure there is nothing to discover?"

Pira says "I hardly care to discover we have been detected.

<OOC> Kelly says, "'Please continue the petty bickering, I find it most intriguing.' - Data"
<OOC> Tekkel snickers.

Pira says "How long were you proposing to wait?"

From afar, Day-Lin does the usual 'stretch out with your feelings' thing, mostly looking for any landing spots that feel 'good' or 'bad'.
You paged Day-Lin with 'Okay. Roll your Sense plus half your PER.'.
Day-Lin rolls 4 dice: <6> 3 2 3
Day-Lin rolls 1 die: <4>

Day-Lin studies the globe through the viewport, distractedly. "Until the time seems right."

Pira says "That is... imprecise."

Day-Lin says "It's an inexact science we deal with."

Touching the Force, Day-Lin expands his awareness to blanket the planet below. It's not something he's done much before, and he has to fight the urge to push the process. The feeling of dread becomes stronger but remains vague, except for two places where the sense of wrongness is acute. Both are in roughly the same area, which is disappearing over the horizon as the planet turns.

Day-Lin reaches out a hand, indicates the two spots with a finger. "There. There's something wrong."

<OOC> Day-Lin says, "If you can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, confuse 'em with bullshit until you can pull something out of your ass. :)"
<OOC> Pira snorks.

One of the points has already been marked by the computer as the source of the power readings.

Tekkel says "Do we go there?"

Pira frowns, seeking in the Force what disturbs Day-Lin.

Pira says "Are there any probes on board we could send?"

You paged Pira with 'Gimme a Sense roll plus half your PER.'.
Pira rolls 4+2 dice: <2> 5 6 4

Tekkel wrinkles his nose. "Not from orbit. And, the helpers here on the ship aren't programmed for scouting."

Stretching out her feelings, Pira feels the same thing Day-Lin did. And just before the darker of the two sites vanishes around the curve of the planet, she feels a flicker of awareness in return. As if something long and deep in slumber had been stirred partially toward wakefulness by their regard.

Pira frowns, says slowly "You may be right." Then mind to mind she adds */Something's waking./*

Day-Lin grimaces. "Well, now we'd better get down there."

<OOC> Pira says, "Damn the boy for being right :)"
<OOC> Day-Lin says, "Don't you hate it when he does that? :)"
<OOC> Avirida laughs!

Pira says "Land a little away from the contacts? And which first?"

Day-Lin says "The waking one. Yes?"

Tekkel says, in Siewa (sotto voce), "waking?" Aloud, "Which one is that?"

Pira says "Yes."

Pira points to the darker site on the monitor. "There."

The location in question has already passed around the edge of the planet. It will be necessary to wait until it comes around again - or start the landing cycle now, and approach from the other side.

<OOC> Tekkel says, "Is the 'darker (waking?) site' on the monitor the one with the power reading?"
<OOC> Kelly says, "No. And that one's just about to go over the horizon too. It's closer."
<OOC> Kelly says, "Maybe two dozen km apart. Human fingers are rather imprecise pointing devices."

Tekkel adjusts the controls, taking the ship out of its pleasant orbit and setting it into a gentle descent towards the planet below. The Lirpa's chosen course toward the second location, and whatever is 'waking' there, involves an approach on the far side from the power readings.

Avirida hovers over the engines elsewhere, eyeing them without trust.

The thin upper atmosphere buffets the craft as a glow forms around its shielded hull and gradually begins to fade. The brief meteor is observed by none; beneath the clouds rolling by, the sensors show only dark ocean and a few scattered island chains on this side of the planet.

The ride becomes smoother though the air thickens. The sun comes up fast as Lirpa rounds the far side of the planet. At this height, the passengers can see weather systems within the cloud cover, including short-lived gaps of open sky.

Pira says "Set it down as inconspiciously as you can."

<OOC> Kelly says, "Piloting roll, Tekkel?"
Tekkel rolls 4 dice: <2> 2 1 5
<OOC> Tekkel eyes the dice. He's had better opening rolls in games.
<OOC> Pira senses we will not be inconspicuous :)
<OOC> Tekkel suggests strapping in. :)

Tekkel programs the sensors to give him a better picture of that weather, as well as the terrain near the site, "How far away should we set down?"

Pira looks to Day-Lin.

The saucer dives into the cloud deck and visibility instantly drops to zero. Tekkel watches the sensors closely to make sure he's not about to fly into any mountains. The terrain ahead is rough enough to make this a concern.

Day-Lin shrugs. "Half a kilometer?"

Tekkel asks, a little nervously, "Maybe we should fly high until we're over our landing spot and then descend on repulsorlift?"

Day-Lin says "You're the pilot."

Lirpa descends into darkness. Grey twilight filters through the leaden overcast, casting everything in half-shadow. Black water rushes past under the ship's round belly. A coastal range rises in the near distance.

Pira watches the cheerless landscape tensely, alert to any sign of life or inhabitation.

Avirida watches the engines much the way Pira watches the landscape.

Tekkel pages: Tekkel will be careful, perhaps overly so, about piloting. No lead-footing in an atmosphere :). And will certainly go subsonic when getting nearer to the site, so as not to give away their approach with a big sonic boom.

The weather, at least, is calm -- no storms here. The mountains pass without incident and the land flattens out into wide plains of grey-looking grass.

Tekkel keeps his eyes on the terrain and weather sensors. The speed of the ship is slowly whittled away during the voyage as Tekkel sets a prudent course.

<OOC> Pira says, "Prudent, prudent is good."
<OOC> Tekkel .oO (there's so many more things to hit in an atmosphere)

Distant lightning flickers off the port side while Tekkel watches a wireframe model of the nearly monochrome landscape outside the ports. Suddenly there is a loud crash and the Lirpa shudders!

<OOC> Kelly says, "Piloting roll."
Tekkel rolls 4 dice: <6> 3 3 4
Tekkel rolls 1 die: <4>
<OOC> Avirida says, "Which engine went?!"
<OOC> Avirida ahem. :)
<OOC> Pira . o O ( Poodoo )
<OOC> Tekkel chuckles.

In the engine room, the cabin lights flicker and several telltales change to yellow or red. Most change back to green after a moment.

Avirida slams over (ah, not difficult) to fight with the items associated to those that aren't green. "What are they doing up there?"

Holding tight to the controls, Tekkel guides his ship through the sudden turbulence into clear air again. "Hit by lightning," he explains. "Sorry."

To Avirdia's mixed relief, the last few indicators (that weren't showing warnings before) return to normal as the ionization surge from the lightning strike disperses.

Harukuk peers at the indicators somewhat nervously, but goes back to a relaxed, nonchalant stance afterward.

<OOC> Harukuk says, "Since he's a bit too cramped to do anything, he can afford to be nonchalant about it."

Tekkel doesn't take his eyes off the sensors as he asks, "Does lightning hit more often if we're further or closer from the ground?"

Day-Lin grabs on to something solid -- as solid as possible. "Do I look like a planetologist?"

Avirida growls at the indicators, and surveys the engine room. She knows there's something wrong here. Well, yes, she knows it's the entire engine room, but she's hoping to find something she can use as an excuse to Fix Things.

Pira wedges herself deeper into the tiny seat.

Several more tense minutes pass, but the ship is not hit again. Soon the far-seeing sensors pick out the cone of a large volcano ahead. The unknown site should be on the other side.

<OOC> Pira says, "Why do I have a bad feeling about that volcano..."

Tekkel looks at the sensors to figure out which side of the volcano is further from the second site, then aims the ship that way. The volcano itself is given a wide berth.

<OOC> Kelly says, "Remember the scene in ALIENS when the terraformer looms out of the murk?"
<OOC> Kelly says, "Tekkel, you're on the right side now. How far away do you want to land?"
<OOC> Tekkel hms. Half a kilometer. Though the Jedi may change their mind depending on what they see.

Pira says "Let's get down as quick as we can."

The ancient lava flow at the volcano's base offers few landing spots, but Tekkel is able to find one where larger craft (such as Dauntless) would not. The grey saucer settles to the grey rock and almost instantly becomes invisible as its pilot shuts down the landing lights. Lirpa rocks on its gear and is still, as steam hisses briefly from its undercarriage.

Tekkel unwraps his hands from the controls, and looks happily out at the view.

<OOC> Tekkel says, "Any landing you can walk away from... and don't ask Tekkel how many times he's done this before. :)"
<OOC> Kelly says, "'Two... counting this one.' 'Ai, madre de dios.'"

Pira pries herself out of the second pilot chair.

Pira says "If it's to be done, best it is done quickly."

<OOC> Pira steals from the best.