STARBOX Episode Two: Game Chambers of Questal

[max_vale]

It had been an interesting six weeks for the Rebel Alliance Agents/Free Traders....

First, Vale had decided to stick around for awhile on Oasis with Nino, Ell and Avaris; and then shortly after that, while making a cargo run to Yelsain, a run-in with a Bounty Hunter wounds Cal and while the Bounty Hunter is defeated, it is learned that Fandral Escavion; the crime syndicate head whom Tak Dornan was in debt too, had recently sent out some Hunters to find Cal. Tak Dornan decides to heal-up and lay low on remote Yelsain for awhile and lets the others take the Nova Kestrel for now and wait for things to 'cool down' before coming back for him....

After a perfunctory trading trip to scenic Adarlon; it had been six weeks since the craziness on board the Kuari Princess. A priority message is waiting form them from Oasis when they board the ship to leave and when playing the message, the worried face of Avaris pops onto the screen. "I'm sorry to bother you, but my Uncle says he can 'feel' something bad has happened to my cousin Nino and your friend Vale. You see, they went to the Capital City of Questal on the planet Travnin to try and bring Nino's girlfriend Tyralle back here to Oasis...she works there as a singer at bar called 'Shilley's Paradise'......and we haven't gotten any of his routine check-in calls in a couple of weeks now. Can you please swing through and see what you can find out and hopefully bring them back? Please be EXTRA CAREFUL. Travnin is the Capital of the Sector and Questal is the city of Moff Bandor; whom I'm sure you remember none-too-fondly from the craziness on the Kuari Princess. Thank you and may the Force be with you!"

All of the Rebels feel anger and shudder a bit at their memories of the slimy Moff who brought he Interrogation Droid on board the ship and used it on them......



OOC: Travnin is about a two days journey from here.

[kipper]

"We can help Vale & Nino, and there's a chance to stick it to Moff Bandor? Sign me up!" Clark says.

[ybn1197]

Jackson nods affirmatively. "As if there is even a question there. Lets finish prepping the ship and be on our way."

[Monsieur Rose]

Zuul

"Moff who?" Zuul looks confused at the name. "He thinkss he would remember being tortured by droid and moff."

He slyly and slowly starts smiling as he can't help but bring up what he was doing while they were being tortured. "Oh, right. He wass with Fluffy. Sorry he missed it."

Zuul nods in agreement. "We must go get Saberman."

[Rex]

Kit

"Grll.."

"We should hurry, if it is disturbing the Force, it is serious."

[max_vale]

Starport of Questal, the Capital City of planet Travnin, Capital World of the Minos Cluster Sector


After journeying to Travnin, the Rebels/Free Traders set dow in the starwort of the Capital City of Travnin on the world of Questal and found a teeming, large city filled with all manner of aliens and humans; which was a bit unexpected on an Imperial Sector Capital world. Paying a bribe to a nosy Spaceport Inspector to not go over the Nova Kestrel's cargo bays too closely, the group had to make a decision on what to carry to Shilley's Paradise....

This was an Imperial Capital world and they couldn't go around heavily armed like they usually did. They could each probably conceal a small Holdout Blaster or Blaster Pistol (or the 'Enforcer' slug thrower in Zuul's case) and the Lightsabers could probably be hidden as a type of tool as long as a close inspection didn't happen; but no Rifles or Carbines or Heavy Pistols would be allowed. Likewise, Vibroblades, Staffs, Flechette Launchers and the like would definitely stick out. This left a Holdout Blaster and a Blaster Pistol that Clark had in his arsenal; Kit's Lightsaber and Zuul's powerful Slugthrower pistol. They also had a couple of thousand credits they could utilize if needed*...

It was also impossible to not notice that the city was packed with all kinds of signs and tons of crowds of people gathering around vendors and some kind of major parade/celebration was going on.....


*Basically, just let me know who is going with what weapon(s)....and also, you guys could tell there'd DEFINITELY be a black market in a city this large if people wanted to go shopping for something....

[kipper]

Clark will take his Blaster Pistol concealed inside his jacket. He'll offer the Holdout Blaster Pistol to Jackson if he'd like it, otherwise he'll stick it in his boot.

Does anyone want want to find a black market vendor to up their arsenal? There is a risk it could bring Imperial attention upon us (which is the last thing we want right now), but the risk is probably quite small. I think it's mainly Jackson who is currently under-equipped.

[Rex]

Kit

Kit will bring her med kits and lightsaber.

[ybn1197]

Jackson will borrow the offered hold out blaster till they can get to a black market arms dealer.

[Monsieur Rose]

Zuul packs his enforcer, glad to once again feel it in his hand. His finger seems to be a bit itchy, however. It should be fine.

The former mercenary can't pass up a good black market.

[max_vale]

Questal, the Capital City of planet Travnin, Capital World of the Minos Cluster Sector



With Jackson Crodowski taking the lead (as he's the only one with the 'Streetwise' skill); the party of 4 Rebels/Traders make their way deeper into the city; taking in the sights of large crowds, colorful banners and posters singing the Moff's praises and wishing him a happy Birthday and obvious sounds of a nearby, large parade; they soon find a small alley way lined up 'guards' and filled with 'customers' furtively purchasing some black market goods here and there.....

Soon enough, a shady sort is found who has a few hold-out and/or blaster pistols for sale*and after a bit of hasty haggling, a price is agreed too**....

That being done, the Rebels/Traders start making their way towards Shilley's Bar; along the way, they see a figure changing a sign that reads Moff Bandor is Tops! to Moff Bandor is TOAST.....and then promptly getting hauled off into the back of a land speeder by some Brutish looking local Security Types...

As the Rebels get within sight of the Bar, a sudden ROAR draws their attention and they, along with most of the rest of the crowd at the intersection as surprised to see a large, vicious looking Creature known as a Trompa, standing some 3 meters high and about half that wide at the shoulders with horns bellowing and lurching towards a child who's laughing with delight as it holds up a pinwheel of bright lights that flash and spin towards the creatures face....

A big man with a shock staff is doing his best to calm the creature, but Kit feels her own fur ripple in agitation and her Force senses tell her something is OFF in this whole place....this creature, many of the people in this crowd....SOMETHING seems to be agitating the fear sensitivity to higher than normal responses.....

Professor Clark can easily tell the child's pinwheel is impacting the creature's behavior and the Academic believes if something isn't done soon, that monster may just lurch straight towards that small child and the surrounding crowd....which of COURSE are right between them and Shilley's bar, where they need to be....


The Trompa and Kit (just imagine her all white) standing nearby:




*/** Okay, I'll say you have guys have about 3,000 credits on you; anyone that wants a Holdout Blaster can get one for 400 credits; anyone who wants a Blaster Pistol can get one for 600 credits.....this is a BIT higher than they'd normally be; but all in all, not bad prices on the Black Market.

[kipper]

"Something's up, I think it's that pinwheel," Clark announces to his friends as he takes off his jacket and using his bulk begins pushing through the crowd toward the child, his intention is to cover the pinwheel with his jacket as soon as he gets within range.

[Rex]

Kit

"GRll.."

"Fear is everywhere here. Something is very wrong."

She will buy a hold out blaster.

[ybn1197]

Jackson

He will purchase both a hold-out blaster and a blaster pistol. He returns the other hold-out blaster to Clark.

Jackson will play tackle to help clear the way for Clark.

[Monsieur Rose]

Zuul

He smells the air and concurs. "Tasty. But many may not like it."

Zuul grins as he apprises the situation with the Trompa and cracks his knuckles. "He thinkss we will get between a Trompa and a meal, won't we? Not the best choice we could make."

He shadows Clark and Jackson as they rush headlong into a fight. Zuul keeps his eyes on the Trompa, ready to do something Barabel-like.

He'll buy a blaster pistol. I think our running total is now 2000cr.

[max_vale]

Questal, the Capital City of planet Travnin, Capital World of the Minos Cluster Sector


Professor Clark moves quickly and covering the child's pinwheel of lights with his jacket seems to do the trick; along with a heavily muscled 'trainer' managing to calm/pull the Trompa out of the way and disaster is averted.....for now anyway.....

The air remains tense and it seems like something bad could happen at any second, but the Rebels-turned-Traders shake their heads, make sure their newly acquired weapons* are well hidden and they move onto 'Shilley's Paradise'....

The bar/club is rather filthy and has numerous tables filled with Sabacc games, drunks passed out at the table and more than a few of the 'regulars' just staring into their mugs or at the scantily-clad singer/dancer on the small stage; an extremely attractive human woman whose voice is so-so, but her smile and beauty more than make up for it....

Behind the bar, a tall Morganian female cleans a mug and as you belly up, she asks "What'll it be?" As some Corellian Ale and Lum is ordered and small talk is made, it's quickly learned that this is Shilley and this is her place and she's tough and smart and capable. She also knows a great deal about the goings-on in town and with a few exchanges of credits**, she gives out that the Moff has developed a reputation for having 'Super-natural abilities.....tough beings who've seen more than their fair share of bad things have been taken into his 'Game-Chambers' and broken, without a mark on them. She tells them some believe he's been taught 'sorcerer's ways' by Lord Vader, but she thinks he's too slimy and scheming for that....she thinks it must be some kind of drugs or machines. When asked about Tyralle, she nods to the human woman on the Stage and after another song/dance routine, Tyralle is soon over and talking to the Rebels.....

When she learns they are friends of Nino and Vale's, she seems most grateful and anxious and quickly pulls out a bracelet with a light on the top and a couple of buttons. She explains that Nino and her each have a pendant (hers is on an anklet chain; his is around his neck) that can be used as beacon to be found by this bracelet....the light flashes when close (within 100 meters) and stays lit when within 5 meters. It's been dark for over a week now and the last she heard, Vale and Nino were going to a man named Pallik's place, out on the far-side of town and she hasn't seen/heard from them since. She combed his sister, but she hadn't heard from them either but told her, she'd ask some 'friends'. She's thrilled to see that those 'friends' were now here and talking to her.....

Right about then the bracelet started flashing and the sound of numerous high powered repulser engines could be heard out back. Jackson IMMEDIATELY recognized the sound as that of Swoop Bikes, right behind the back door.....(Swoops are really powerful Speeder Bikes).....


Shilley:


Tyralle:



*/**Between the Blasters and spending money at Shilley's, the party now has about 1,000 credits total

[Rex]

Kit

On hearing the bikes, Kit slides a little ways from the rest and tries to get an angle on the back entrance in case a fight breaks out.

[Monsieur Rose]

Zuul

The Barabel takes in all the information as best he can. His face contorts oddly as he learns about these tracking beacons. "An adult game of hide and seek, maybe?" Zuul can't help shivering as he looks at Tyralle. "Poor girl. She must be freezing."

His thoughts are interrupted at the sound of his new ride pulling up outside. He growls softly, nods at Kit, and moves to beside the back door. He keeps his back to the wall and tries to look nonchalant.

[kipper]

Clark moves to where he can peek outside at the Swoop Bikes (if possible). He's looking for Nino, and after what he's just heard Clark is pessimistically expecting Nino to be a brainwashed lackey of the Moff!

[max_vale]

Questal, the Capital City of planet Travnin, Capital World of the Minos Cluster Sector


Kit, Zuul and Clark move to where they can get a good view out of the back door as it opens to admit 5 Swoop Gangers, all human and all tough looking and all quickly bellying up to the bar to get some drinks. Tyralle had moved over next to Clark, moving so quickly and quietly they didn't hear her and she whispers to the Academic as they look out see 5 more gangers still sitting on swoop bikes outside that one of them who was wearing a chain with a pendant that "THAT'S the beacon pendant Nino gave me". Needless to say, neither Nino nor Vale are among the Swoopers either inside or outside...

At the bar, one of the Swoopers roughy shoulders Crodowski aside and says in a condescending tone to Shilley, "Just letting' ANY trash in here now, eh Shilley?" and he just laughs at the death stare he gets back in return. A couple of his companions are hitting the drinks hard and start eyeballing everyone around with a look that Jackson and Zuul quickly know is the look bullies give before shaking down/beating somebody.....

OOC: There are 5 Swoop Gang members inside the bar and 5 outside. The 5 outside are sitting on their Swoop Bikes and all are armed with not-well-hidden vibro-blades and blaster pistols. There are 5 unattended bikes outside near the 5 sitting out there.