Game: An Unpaid Debt

[Blackferne]

I'm making the assumption that you all can keep player knowledge and character knowledge separate. So unless I really want to create an air of mystery I'll generally do things in the open.
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@Klak and Tony Plush
Bridge of the Shadowline 0800 Day 1

The command room you are summoned to has the typical array of droids working controls and updating points on strategic maps of the galaxy. Assembled on the raised platform you see a holographic projection of Count Dooku aside Poggle the lesser who is fiddling with a datapad in person while he flitters his wings. Poggle notices you two.

"Come over here Mr. Plush and Mr. Reen. We've been expecting you." Poggle says gesturing to the raised platform.

As you approach another image appears on the holographic projector by Count Dooku, that of Nute Gunray.

"Are you sure these men are capable of the task?" Nute Gunray asks. "They will not fail us?"

"I'm quite confident of their abilities, even for this unusual assignment." Count Dooku says in a gravelly voice dismissing Gunrays concerns. "Poggle if you could brief our operatives."

"Certainly." Poggle responds. "We have received an invitation from an artifact collector named Pala Joonhali to participate in an auction for something he assures us is of great strategic value. He would not go into detail about what it was, but we know through our spies that a similar offer has been extended to the Republic. What we want you to do is go, and act as our representatives in the auction. If he follows normal protocols he should allow you to contact us to establish a credit line if it is indeed something we wish to buy. If it turns out to be something we don't want, we might call on you to destroy it to prevent the Republic from getting it."

Poggle pops a datacard out of his datapad and hands it to Tony. "Here is the coordinates for where the auction is to take place. Any questions?"

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@Dood and Bulwark
Coruscant 0800 Day 1

In the operations office of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant the two of you walk in and see Admiral Wullf Yularen, General Skywalker, General Kenobi, and Commander Cody discussing issues relating to a map they have before them. Kenobi turns around.

"Welcome gentlemen. I trust you had no difficulty finding your way here." General Kenobi asks.

Admiral Yularen turns around and adjusts his uniform. "Ah yes. The recon team. If they had difficulty finding this place, they'd never admit it." He turns a wry smile up. "Gentlemen we have an assignment for you which takes your particular skills into account, and trust that your abilities will serve us well."

General Skywalker presses a button on the computer console and a picture emerges of a middle aged man, greying hair, clean shaven dressed in field gear.

"This is Pala Joonhali. He is an artifact dealer who claims to have found something of great strategic importance and is holding an auction for it. We know that the Separatists have been sent an invite as well, so we need you to go, figure out what is being sold, and then report back. Once we get that information we can plan on the next step." Skywalker says.

"Any questions?" Kenobi asks handing you a datacard with the locations.


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@Jokull
Palace of Dal Perhi 1000 Day 1

"Welcome my dear boy." Dal Perhi said sipping his tea and dismissing the dancers from the room. "I've called you for a very special purpose." He hits the console and a holographic image of a man appears in field clothes. "Who you see here is Pala Joonhali. He fancies himself as an archeologist, but all he really is, is a smuggler with delusions of his own importance. He wraps himself in 'academia' for show, but don't be fooled. He is just like so many of our brothers and sisters, just a business man."

Dal takes a sip of his tea. "One of our members says, Palal has made a big find that he is playing close to his chest. Something that is not his usual garbage, and if he is right could bring an end to this war we have made so much money on. He has extended invites to bid to the Separatists and the Republic. But he didn't see us worthy of a seat at the table. That is fine I suppose." Dal looks to the wall a second and then looks back with a fire in his eyes. "But what he can't be allowed to do is bring this war to a premature close. We make too much money smuggling things right now to have our profits slashed because of whatever he found. What I want you to do is find out what he found, and stop the auction from happening. We can't let the scales tip in our business can we?"

"Here is a datacard with where you are going. Go there and remind Pala who he owes allegiance to." Dal says flipping a card in your direction.

[Bulwark]

Bulwark takes the datacard and pops it in his datapad and copies over the coordinates.
"Do we know anything about this Joonhali character? Can he be trusted? I'm not keen on walking into a Separatists trap. But I guess that's why you are sending us instead of Kenobi", Bulwark says with a grin.

[Blackferne]

@Bulwark

"From our intelligence reports he isn't allied with much of anyone. He is most well known for gathering artifacts and selling them to collectors. Sometime his collection methods would be a polite way to say stealing." Admiral Yularen says. "The reason we selected you is we can't spare any Jedi towards this when we are taking such a beating in Sector 18. From my understanding you two have the ability to blend in with this kind of riff raff, make operational assessments, and complete the mission."

[Whiteness]

Jokull catches the data card and inserts it into his wrist comm and sends the information to his ship, the Wandering Star.

"I will find Pala immediately. I am sure I can make him see the importance of maintaining the status quo." with a slight nod he leaves the room.

He uses his comm to contact his subordinate Egdir, a distant cousin learning the ropes of the business Jokull's father started, a good lad but a little wet behind the ears, "Egdir, get the ship ready to go and pull up the information I just sent there, we've got a job."

Jokull leaves the palace and departs for his ship.

[Blackferne]

@Jokull

"Sure thing. Do I get to come with you this time?" Egdir asks with a bit of excitement in his voice.

[Dood]

"We always complete our missions, sir. But are you saying that we know nothing about what this Joonhali is selling or why the Separatists are interested in it?"

Dood's fur is wrinkled at his forehead.

Also, does it seem like they're holding anything back?

Perception: Roll(1d20)+12: 14,+12 Total:26

[Whiteness]

"Yeah you're coming, remember what I've said about discretion. I'll need you to watch the ship and fill in where needed, Mr. Cuspar won't be joining me this time." As he thinks over the mission he makes a decision to pick up some additional armament, "I need to make a stop, I'll be there shortly. Get the droids to help make sure the ship is ready, have Elly purchase fuel and consumables to last us for a month."

Jokull heads to make a quick purchase of detonite and grenades.

4 blocks of detonite @500 each = 2000
4 stun grenades @250 each = 1000
4 ion grenades @250 each = 1000
1 bandolier to hold all = 100
total = 4100




[ooc- ship consumables was the only thing I forgot to account for]

[Furiel]

"Is there any particular reason we do not want to eliminate the Republic team? I mean if this is something that holds value, either to us or them, then why not allow them to make the purchase, then Klak and I eliminate them and take the item? That would seem to me to be a very effecient use of both our talents but also our resources, mainly meaning credits."

[Blackferne]

"We always complete our missions, sir. But are you saying that we know nothing about what this Joonhali is selling or why the Separatists are interested in it?"

Dood's fur is wrinkled at his forehead.

Also, does it seem like they're holding anything back?

Perception: Roll(1d20)+12: 14,+12 Total:26

"Intel doesn't have a clue. Theories range from mineral deposits, some hyperspace beacons that fell off the charts, to a few other crazy things. We don't really know so we need people we can trust to find out and report back." General Kenobi says.

If they are holding anything back, you aren't aware of it.

[Blackferne]

"Yeah you're coming, remember what I've said about discretion. I'll need you to watch the ship and fill in where needed, Mr. Cuspar won't be joining me this time." As he thinks over the mission he makes a decision to pick up some additional armament, "I need to make a stop, I'll be there shortly. Get the droids to help make sure the ship is ready, have Elly purchase fuel and consumables to last us for a month."

Jokull heads to make a quick purchase of detonite and grenades.

4 blocks of detonite @500 each = 2000
4 stun grenades @250 each = 1000
4 ion grenades @250 each = 1000
1 bandolier to hold all = 100
total = 4100

[ooc- ship consumables was the only thing I forgot to account for]

"Sure thing boss." Edgir says.

Dal Perhi's quartermaster gets your your explosives with no questions as you hand him the credits.

[Blackferne]

"Is there any particular reason we do not want to eliminate the Republic team? I mean if this is something that holds value, either to us or them, then why not allow them to make the purchase, then Klak and I eliminate them and take the item? That would seem to me to be a very effecient use of both our talents but also our resources, mainly meaning credits."

@Furiel
"I would ask that you survey the situation first." Count Dooku says, "Mr. Joonhali may have misjudged the value of the item in question. If that was the case, there would be no need for you to waste your time or energy on eliminating the republic stooges. Find out what he is selling, report back and if it is worth taking we can proceed from there."

[Dood]

Dood cocks an eyebrow and looks at Bulwark with a half-smirk.

"Well then, I guess it's Situation Normal. Guess we'd better have Toowie and Gil get the Turkey ready to go."

[Whiteness]

Once aboard his ship, Jokull finds a secure place to store the explosives before heading to the cockpit to review the information on the datacard.

"Well Egdir, what did that card have on it?"

[Blackferne]

Once aboard his ship, Jokull finds a secure place to store the explosives before heading to the cockpit to review the information on the datacard.

"Well Egdir, what did that card have on it?"

The datacard displays a series of stellar coordinates. The Bootali system. There are five documented planets, all gas giants. The coordinates indicate you are to go to the 2nd one from the star.

[Whiteness]

"Let's do some research before we take off, I need to see if there is any current buzz about Pala, things like outstanding debts or if anyone else has an interest in him. We should also see what we can find about this system we'll be heading to." Jokull looks around before calling out to his admin assistant, an LE Series Repair droid , "Elly, get up here, I need some info on the Bootali system and this planet in particular. I want you to pull up anything relevant about the business procedures and the legal system there.

Jokull
Gather information Roll(1d20)+11: 18,+11 Total:29
Knowledge (Galactic Lore) Roll(1d20)+14: 12,+14 Total:26

Elly
Knowledge (Bureuacracy) Roll(1d20)+12: 14,+12 Total:26

[Blackferne]

"Let's do some research before we take off, I need to see if there is any current buzz about Pala, things like outstanding debts or if anyone else has an interest in him. We should also see what we can find about this system we'll be heading to." Jokull looks around before calling out to his admin assistant, an LE Series Repair droid , "Elly, get up here, I need some info on the Bootali system and this planet in particular. I want you to pull up anything relevant about the business procedures and the legal system there.

Jokull
Gather information Roll(1d20)+11: 18,+11 Total:29
Knowledge (Galactic Lore) Roll(1d20)+14: 12,+14 Total:26

Elly
Knowledge (Bureuacracy) Roll(1d20)+12: 14,+12 Total:26

After a few hours of research you come to the following bits of information.

The system is not formally owned by any anyone so in a sense is a lawless land. That said there is a Large Space Station in orbit around Bootali II (second planet). It serves as a meeting place for less than legal exchanges, a refueling station and relaxation center for shippers, and is owned by Pala Joonhali. He won it in a high stakes sabaac game. The former owner then served as station manager until his death last year (old age by all accounts, not foul play). Pala Joonhali's word is law there, and in general he is pretty care free as far as permissions go as long as it doesn't serve as a potential threat to safety or security of patrons.

On him in particular there is no major unpaid debts that you could find. The net surplus from the station funds his "exploration" campaigns for artifacts. That however is a source of several grudges. He has a reputation for stealing art and reselling to particular collectors. Though none stand out as the sort of people who would be military or crime threats.

The only other thing of interest is that Pala Joonhali's recent find and upcoming auction is supposed to be a huge payday for him.

[Reese]

Klak looks to the holographic projection then back to Tony.

"While I agree with my friend Mr. Plush that our talents lie in the elimination of these stooges, I will follow the orders of my superiors. Thank you Count Dooku for your faith in us to represent the interests of the confederacy." and ends with a slight bow. "If that is all Mr. Plush and I will discuss our best route to the auction."

[Furiel]

"Is there any particular reason we do not want to eliminate the Republic team? I mean if this is something that holds value, either to us or them, then why not allow them to make the purchase, then Klak and I eliminate them and take the item? That would seem to me to be a very effecient use of both our talents but also our resources, mainly meaning credits."

@Furiel
"I would ask that you survey the situation first." Count Dooku says, "Mr. Joonhali may have misjudged the value of the item in question. If that was the case, there would be no need for you to waste your time or energy on eliminating the republic stooges. Find out what he is selling, report back and if it is worth taking we can proceed from there."

"Are we aware of any other parties that may have an interest in this item? And do we have any idea of what kind of security might be on hand to protect both the item and the seller? And I assume we would like to keep ourselves in relatively good graces with the seller, so if a confrontation were to occur, instigated by the Republic stooges I assure you, it would be your desire to not harm the seller, his property or his personell if at all possible as well. Especially if it's prior to the auction.

Also, when is the auction? I'm curious to know how much time we will have to research this item prior to it's sale."

[Blackferne]

"Are we aware of any other parties that may have an interest in this item? And do we have any idea of what kind of security might be on hand to protect both the item and the seller? And I assume we would like to keep ourselves in relatively good graces with the seller, so if a confrontation were to occur, instigated by the Republic stooges I assure you, it would be your desire to not harm the seller, his property or his personell if at all possible as well. Especially if it's prior to the auction.

Also, when is the auction? I'm curious to know how much time we will have to research this item prior to it's sale."

Poggle the Lesser speaks. "To the best of our knowledge the only invited parties are the Republic and ourselves. Since we do not know what the item is, it is difficult to deduce what other parties may be interested in the item. The auction is slated to begin in 4 days, and the invite doesn't mention anything specifically about how long before revealing the item and the auction itself. I would assume if they are holding an auction to competing states they would have to know that any representatives would need authority to purchase should the dollar value be too high, so it is reasonable to assume by that logic there will be a bit of time between reveal and the auction. By all means keep yourself in Joonhalis good graces. The auction is on his space station, so his security will be in place. I have no doubts that you two are superior warriors, but I would urge you to play nice until it is obvious that things should be otherwise. That said if the republic instigates armed conflict you are authorized to dispose of them as you see fit. But be clear to Joonhali it was self defense."

[Furiel]

"Are we aware of any other parties that may have an interest in this item? And do we have any idea of what kind of security might be on hand to protect both the item and the seller? And I assume we would like to keep ourselves in relatively good graces with the seller, so if a confrontation were to occur, instigated by the Republic stooges I assure you, it would be your desire to not harm the seller, his property or his personell if at all possible as well. Especially if it's prior to the auction.

Also, when is the auction? I'm curious to know how much time we will have to research this item prior to it's sale."

Poggle the Lesser speaks. "To the best of our knowledge the only invited parties are the Republic and ourselves. Since we do not know what the item is, it is difficult to deduce what other parties may be interested in the item. The auction is slated to begin in 4 days, and the invite doesn't mention anything specifically about how long before revealing the item and the auction itself. I would assume if they are holding an auction to competing states they would have to know that any representatives would need authority to purchase should the dollar value be too high, so it is reasonable to assume by that logic there will be a bit of time between reveal and the auction. By all means keep yourself in Joonhalis good graces. The auction is on his space station, so his security will be in place. I have no doubts that you two are superior warriors, but I would urge you to play nice until it is obvious that things should be otherwise. That said if the republic instigates armed conflict you are authorized to dispose of them as you see fit. But be clear to Joonhali it was self defense."

"Of course, Tony Plush won't go looking for a fight, but if a fight finds him...well Horny and I will be sure to finish it."

Tony salutes Poggle, bows to Count Dooku and ignores Nute while turning to Klak

"You're right Horny, lets get our gear squared and get underway. We don't have a tremendous amount of time."

[Whiteness]

"All right, we're heading to Pala's space station, Grobbles will take us out and then he will be co-pilot while you get us where we're going Egdir" Jokull calls up his FA-5 Valet droid who he has had with him since his first vessel. Between Elly and Grobbles most of the ship's operations are handled without troubling the captain.




(ooc - let me know what kind of rolls I need to get flying)

[Blackferne]

"All right, we're heading to Pala's space station, Grobbles will take us out and then he will be co-pilot while you get us where we're going Egdir" Jokull calls up his FA-5 Valet droid who he has had with him since his first vessel. Between Elly and Grobbles most of the ship's operations are handled without troubling the captain.




(ooc - let me know what kind of rolls I need to get flying)

It is pretty routine so I'm just gonna assume you didn't crash your ship trying to leave the spaceport and missed the planet's moon completely. It was kinda dicey there for a second, but Egdir saw it and veered left a little bit before traveling the 375,000 km needed to crash into it.

Your ship jumps to hyperspace and should arrive within a day (ETA Day 2 1100 local time)

[Bulwark]

Dood cocks an eyebrow and looks at Bulwark with a half-smirk.

"Well then, I guess it's Situation Normal. Guess we'd better have Toowie and Gil get the Turkey ready to go."

"Agreed." Bulwark heads back to the Jive Tirkey, pulling up any data he can find on Pala, paying special attention to rumors and recent artifacts he has sold.

[Dood]

Once Bulwark and Dood are back on the Jive Turkey, Dood finds their GY-I droid, Gyl, and tells him everything they know so far.

"So let's get to work finding out everything we can about this guy and where we're going."

Gather Information: Roll(1d20)+19+2 (Gyl's help, see Scavengers, Page 105, "Analyze Data"): 19,+21 Total:40

[Blackferne]

Once Bulwark and Dood are back on the Jive Turkey, Dood finds their GY-I droid, Gyl, and tells him everything they know so far.

"So let's get to work finding out everything we can about this guy and where we're going."

Gather Information: Roll(1d20)+19+2 (Gyl's help, see Scavengers, Page 105, "Analyze Data"): 19,+21 Total:40

8 hours later:

Everything I said to Whitey above.

AND In the last few months he has made stops on Tattooine, Dathomir, Talus, and for a period of 4 weeks was in deep space with no contact with anyone. When he got back he was very secretive about where he had been (aside from those planets) and pushed all other appointments past the auction date.

The space station is a composite structure that is broken into different sections each with more restricted access than the last. The security forces are mercenaries he has hired who usually have past military experience as well as an assortment of droids ranging from some droideka to IG assassin droids.

The system's gas giants are mostly methane but the mixture with impurities make gas mining unprofitable.