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2.20.4787 Republic Reckoning

New plan... Quindo offers to negotiate a cease-fire with the Hutt commander (Col. D'han) and attempt to buy the Jedi time to figure out the situation without anyone else being killed. Laut agrees! Breaking in on the command channel, Quindo opens negotiations between the leaders of both sides! Unfortunately, both sides demand the unconditional surrender of the other, leaving very little room for bargaining. But, it buys us a few hours of cease-fire. Laut uses the time to use a captured droid factory to start making battle droids (He imported parts)... oops.

Quindo uses some the time to try talking Nakael back to the Light side. Doesn't work. Quindo isn't much of a spiritual guide, where's Elbram when you need him?

Meanwhile, Col. D'han has gotten a fix on the air car from the communicator Quindo used to 'negotiate'. He convinces the Jedi to take an elite force to secure the aircar.

Igashu has a choice words with Colonel D'han over his execution of his prisoners. Igashu - " If you ever fuck with my prisoners again, I will kill you!"

D'han refuses to back down, and calls two squads of troops to deal with the belligerent Igashu. Igashu points out that even if he dies, he'll take D'han with him. D'han calls his bluff and Igashu is captured. He spends the afternoon with the prisoners, trying to help as best he can. Then he gets released on Elbram's recognizance, with orders to capture Quindo as a traitor. At the same time, Laut is giggling (not really, but inside he was.. I can tell) because he LET THEM GET A FIX ON OUR LOCATION so that he could set a trap to take out most of the elite Hutt troops. He wants to fake a surrender and then spring an attack! Not wanting to be party to a massacre, Quindo thinks harder than he's ever thunk before.

Quindo - "They'll just bombard from orbit!" Laut -"No, they want to capture us and make an example if possible, they will only annihilate us as a last recourse." Quindo - "We'll just kill a bunch of people without really accomplishing anything! I will not allow a massacre!" Laut - "We can shorten this by eliminating many of these elite forces. We will try to capture as many as we can, once it becomes clear that we have the upper hand, we will only have to kill those that refuse to lay down their arms. It will be their choice, not ours." Quindo - "Um... uh... Wait! If you attack under the guise of surrender, then you turn this entire conflict into a battle to the death! No one will be allowed surrender again. Anyone trying will just be treated as another hostile. You'll turn this into more of a bloodbath than even YOU want. You Master wouldn't like it if you got all of his new worshippers killed." Laut - "You have a point. Very well, do you have an alternate plan?"

YAY! Quindo has successfully highjacked this Sith battle plan. Now, he must turn it to his advantage. Quindo - "I'm too young for this shit!" Quindo begs a few minutes to think. Q's not much of a thinker, he's not devious or manipulative, and he's nowhere near the tactician that Admiral McGilicuddy? will be in 4000 years. Suddenly, a solution dawns.

Quindo - "They'll send a force whether you set a trap or not. They'll go for overwhelming odds, just like we taught them. But, Colonel D'han is not a front line commander. He and his entire staff will be at the Base camp. We can end this now if you're willing to get involved directly. We move into the camp and take the command staff. It should be easy for the six of us. If we plan this right, there won't even be a battle." Laut - "Yes, behead the serpent in one blow... you are a formidable ally Quindo! Once the leaders are dead the troops will be easy fodder." Quindo - "No, we MUST capture the commanders. Killing them might confuse them briefly, but then they WILL start bombarding from orbit. And you have to treat with them honorably or they will not deal with you. We take them and force a surrender. Both sides are spared the meat grinder." Laut - "Very well. It IS time for us to become directly involved You must lead this attack, you know their forces and their defenses. And I am not much of a tactician." Quindo - "I'm not much of a tactician either, and I didn't pay much attention to the Hutt's briefings. I don't know how well I can handle this." Laut - "Then we will have to make a new plan." Quindo - "Wait. I have an idea. I'm not much of a tactician, but I know someone who is. Someone who KNOWS the Hutt's tactics as well. Laut - "Who?" Quindo - "His name is Dabai Kingston."

Quindo's plan is to contact him telepathically, explain the situation, and recruit his expertise in taking the base camp. However, unbeknownst to Quindo, Dabai is leading the force that is moving against the Sith Mobile Command Center. (Which we abandoned as a decoy)

In fact, as the drop ship was heading for the SMCC, Dabai commented to the others "Considering the forces we're moving, now would be a great time for someone to attack the base camp."

When they found the SMCC mostly deserted (and booby trapped... can't trust those Sith) Dabai's only comment was (To paraphrase Captain Kirk): "QUINDO!!"

Igashu, tries to contact Garek Brynn, to determine if our goals may coincide with his in the short term. He refuses to help.

Igashu - " What exactly are you doing here?" Brynn - " I was here to spread chaos, but it seems that you're doing that for me. So I guess I'm just here to get a tan."

To'iir won't help either, and Altair isn't here yet.