20031118

2.31.4787 Republic Reckoning

We left off with our intrepid heroes caught between a sharp, hot thing (Bounty Hunters with incendiary bullets and anti-tank missiles) and an explosive, cold thing (liquid H2). Quindo, having thought fast, has disengaged the fuel truck from the ship and continues acting as quick as possible by throwing the truck into gear and before it stalls, flooring the gas pedal. The truck starts off and so does the shooting.

In only a semblance of order, Dabai fires and doesn't do anything to the main bounty hunter due to his armor, Bro'jen smacks a flying grenade out of midair harmlessly into the ground using Telekinesis, To'iir and Elbram divert anti-tank missiles from striking the truck, although Elbram diverts his into the ship instead, and our ex slave Arden opens up full-auto with an unused assault rifle. Adjusting fire, Dabai takes out the missileers, then leaves his tree as soon as as he realizes the tanker truck is heading right at him. To'iir uses Burst of Speed and crosses the 100m to the hunters almost instantly, slicing and dicing once she arrives, and Arden takes out another after reloading. Quindo tries to steer the truck towards the hunters, but ultimately fails and crashes the thing into the next tree over from Dabai. Luckily it doesn't explode, it just vents.

"The best way to drive" for Quindo -- outside of the vehicle.

With their leader in at least two pieces and half their number dead, the Hunters quickly surrender. Dabai relieves them of some of their weapons, and destroys the rest. To'iir sums up everyone's feelings when she declares "I hate this planet. We're leaving."

And so the Misplaced Hope leaves for Galzocxia, a nearby non-Hutt world where To'iir knows of a Jedi who may be able to help in that one teensy-weensy matter of Nakael's Master showing up in ten days. But it takes a day to get there.

2.32.4787 Republic Reckoning

Galzocxia has just been raided by Hutt forces, who used orbital artillery to march a team straight into the main city, loot the museum of all kinds of pre-Hutt and early-Hutt artifacts, and leave before the Republic fleet arrived. So they find the city devastated and Elbram and Dabai go off to find the Jedi Pesha T'valii, an archaeologist/professor, while Bro'jen, Altair, and Quindo assist with the wounded.

Knight T'valii is eventually found, and Dabai tries to explain the situation to her. Elbram explains it a bit better: "He's pleasantly Evil. He's here in fact, on the ship. You can talk to him later." And "Yeah, we went after the Holocron to keep it out of the wrong hands. Then Nakael became the wrong hands." (referring to Nakael, of course)

Pesha is aware of all the characters have done to start this war, and makes some poor comments, but apologizes and then directs everyone towards a Guardian on Binada, another nearby world. She's busy dealing with the survivors here.

Dabai coordinates the withdrawal of the heroes, ending up giving blood...again. This time only one pint, and he gets cookies.

En route to Binada (another day of travel), the Elbram discusses with Arden the effects of his Mistake and the Hutt mindset. Then, Nakael wakes up.