Mission To Lianna

Episode One - Shades of Lianna Scene One - Lola Curich The crew of the Blue Dolphin were given a mission by the local rebel commander to deliver a data-disk to a contact on the world of Lianna. The contact, called Jenna Lars, was to be contacted at Olman’s Sky Palace in the capital city. The trip to Lianna was relatively uneventful and some of the crew spent the time researching their destination. Lianna was a heavily populated industrial world but apart from that there seemed nothing particularly special about it – except for the fact that all weapons were forbidden planet-side. The planet was also a major manufacturing hub for spacecraft and hosted an Imperial Naval Academy.   Things suddenly took a more disturbing turn as soon as the Blue Dolphin dropped out of hyperspace – right into the middle of an imperial battle fleet! Fortunately some quick piloting by Ogela as an imperial corvette lumbered right into their flight path saved the day. As senator Liliana was feeling unwell, Old Ned was consigned to sensors duty and did his best! Some quick thinking by Slim - in deactivating the weapons systems before the imperial ship scanned them – saved further complications. As Ogela responded to a hail from the corvette and began laying in the co-ordinated they instructed her to fly to, Slim headed forward to relieve Old Ned at the sensor suite. As he did so he noted what at first appeared to be a sensor ghost appearing a disappearing on the screen. He also noted that the imperial ships seemed to react whenever the sensor ghost appeared.   The Blue Dolphin took up position as instructed  in a congested holding pattern with several other ships above Lola Curich –  the  massive starport near the capital city. Some hours later they were finally given a landing slot and assigned a docking bay on the far side of the starport - well away from the glamorous docking facilities the large cruise liners were using. As they headed in to land automated instructions were relayed to them – instructing the captain to report to the Portmaster’s office on landing and reminding the crew of the restrictions on weapons applicable on Lianna.   Ogela, accompanied by Old Ned, headed off to the Portmaster’s to registered her ship and pay the docking fee. They also obtained temporary local ID cards for those members of the crew who didn’t have (or couldn’t use) their own. On their return to the ship they picked up the others and decided to try and find their way to Olman’s Sky Palace. Eventually Joe managed to find its location – and the fact it was a bar - using the local data-net they took a short train journey across the city. The short journey was uneventful; same for the relative amusement afforded the other members of the group as the normally taciturn Gant was caught up in the celebrations of a group of drunken revellers!    They arrived at the Sky Palace round about lunchtime. The bar was fairly busy but not in full swing due to the early hour. They made their way up to the bar to get drinks. Looking round, Slim noticed a Mon Calamari sitting at one of the booths staring at them, the Mon Calamari looked away and then peer intently at his datapad as if spooked somewhow by Slim's scrutiny. After a minute or two, somewhat abruptly, he got up and left  – but not before casting another surreptitious glace towards the group on his way out! Ogela began asking around for Jenna and Gant and Old Ned sat at a booth near some off-duty Imperial Navy officers. Joe sat down at a table as well and began listening to the coversations flowing around him. After a while, Slim announced that he was hungry and went off to find a place to eat.  Ogela eventually managed to find a waitress who knew Jenna who told her she probably wouldn’t be in  before sundown. Ogela  went over and told the others before saying she was heading off to the Portmaster’s to see if she could secure a cargo. Finishing off his beer, Gant told Joe and Old Ned he was heading out for a breath of fresh air. The outlaw headed on to the busy street and after buying some food from a street vendor headed off to look at the sights. As he passed-by an alleyway, two men suddenly jumped out, grabbing at him!   Sensing the attack coming from the alleyway, Gant threw himself to one side – avoiding the initial assault. Across the street in the diner Slim, spotted the attack and got on the commlink urgently calling on Joe and Old Ned for help. Unfortunately Joe and Old Ned had neglected to bring their commlinks and completely oblivious continued drinking beer in the Sky Palace. Liliana and Ogela across the city picked up the call however and although too far away to be of immediate assistance began heading towards the trouble.   Gant meanwhile was in more bother, as three more thugs emerged from the alleyway carrying short clubs which they began swinging at him – in the darkness of the alleyway he could see a fifth figure - a Mon Calamari - wielding the familiar shape of a heavy blaster. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valour, Gant took to his heels, weaving through the passers-by back to the Sky Palace. The assailants, obviously deciding they had failed, melted back into the alleyway. Gaining the safety of the Sky Palace, Gant rejoined Old Ned and Joe, a few moments later; having assured himself that the attackers had gone from the alleyway, Slim joined them.  Shortly after that, Liliana and Ogela arrived.   Scene Two - A Meeting With Jenna The rest of the afternoon passed uneventfully, and early that evening they finally made contact with Jenna. The rebel contact seemed more interested in their arrival and in what they had seen of the imperial battle-fleet in orbit around the planet than in the despatched from the Alliance command which she dismissed as routine. She was very interested when Slim told her of the “sensor ghost”, telling them that she had some intelligence that Santhe/Seinar Corporation were working on a cloaking device. The Alliance  had though they were years away from developing a working prototype, however it sounded very much they the Empire were running field trials already. Jenna immediately requisitioned their help  to find out what was going on. Telling them she had to make some arrangements, she instructed them to book into the Imperial Hotel under the name “Garm Seilo” and they would be contacted.   After picking up a few bits and pieces from the Blue Dolphin, they headed to the Imperial Hotel and booked into a suite that had been booked for them. Later that evening, after a meal, there was a knock at the door and they were met by their contact – a bubbly blonde woman called Terri. Assembling in one of the bathrooms with the taps and the shower running in case of bugs, Terri told them she had managed to track down a contact at Santhe/Seinar who was willing to help. He would meet them at a bar, Glaggerick’s, in an hour. She also gave each of the party a hold-out blaster, but warned them that they only had limited capacity before they burned out.   An hour later they met at the bar. Terri’s contact was introduced as “Astenn” who told them that he had worked on the periphery of a Project Nova, which he believed was the cloaking device project. He was able to tell them that for security the project, located on the 57th, floor had been segmented into five work-streams. Each work-stream had part of the plans, additionally the only complete version of the plans is held in Lady Santhe’s office. In order to ensure the project was sabotaged, each of individual part-plans would need sabotaging with false data as would the complete plan – a copy of which would need to be taken and delivered to the Alliance. Astenn was also able to supply some limited access codes to the corporation’s computer systems.   Terri also told them that Lady Santhe was hosting a reception that evening for the imperial representative who had arrived earlier that day and that the Santhe/Seinar building’s staff had been given the next day off.    Leaving Astenn and Terri, they headed across town to the Santhe/Seinar building in a hired car. As they neared their target, Ogela suddenly noticed they were being followed – presumably by the bounty hunter and his men. After a quick  discussion, she headed across town to a quiet industrial area. Quickly they cobbled together an impromptu plan and using Gant as bait, drew their mysterious followers out. It turned out to be the Bounty Hunter and his hired thugs - after a brief fire-fight, they managed to wound the bounty hunter and drive-off his hired local muscle. Episode Two - Corporate Webs Scene One - Ground Floor Having disposed of the bounty hunters, the group headed across town to the financial district. The Santhe/Sienar building a massive concrete and plastisteel edifice towered over all the building around it rising 96 stories into the night sky. Old Ned was dropped off and commenced a shuffling reconnaissance round the building’s perimeter. Apart from the main entrance on the western side which led, past a security desk, through to a massive atrium full of trees, there was only one other entrance to the building - a fire exit on the south side.    After he reported back to the others, they discussed and dismissed several fanciful plans before deciding to trust in the Force. Led by Ned they walked up openly to the security desk. The failed Jedi then used his Alter Mind power to try and convince the guards that they had “forgotten their keys” and the guards should let them in - somewhat surprisingly it worked!  Once inside the building they headed straight for the turbolifts unfortunately however, the lift was droid operated and the droid declined to take them anywhere as they had no passes for the building. Joe suggested that they head into the building and find a way to get passes. Spototng a sign that said "Visitor Centre", he and Ogela headed there on the hunch there would be a pass machine there to  allow any visitors access. Ned decided to wander round the ground floor to locate the fire escape he's seen earlier. Gant, Liliana and Slim decided to hide in the toilets.   In the Visitor Centre Joe and Ogela quickly found themselves frustrated by an inability to pass the security door that sealed off the staff area (where they could see the pass machine) from the visitor lounge. Ned meanwhile had made his way past a security centre and located the stairwell at the fire escape. He didn't open the door as he figured it was probably alarmed. Meanwhile, back in the lavatories, the others spent some time debating the merits of liquid soap.   Ogela and Joe spent some time trying to work out how to bypass the security door, but without the right tools made little progress. Ned wandered off looking through the offices to see if he could find a pass left on a desk. Eventually, finding nothing he commed the others to report in. As they others received the transmission, an alarm sounded through the building.   Taking advantage of the alarms already going off, Ned dashed into the stairwell – he quickly discovered he couldn’t get very far however as each of the landings was covered by a security camera.   The three guards from the front desk started running towards the visitor centre, blasters drawn. Ogela dashed across the corridor and ducked into an empty office hiding under a desk. Joe sat down in one of the comfy chairs and picked up a TIE fighter brochure pretending to read it. As the guards rushed in, he looked up casually, pretending to be drunk. The guard was startled and fired at him – fortunately the blaster was set on stun.    Liliana, lurking in the gent’s doorway, heard the shot and rushed out to help. As she went into the visitor’s centre she was quickly taken into custody. She tried to explain their presence as a student prank – but unfortunately the discovery by the guards of the hold-out blasters they were carrying didn’t really gel with that story.   Gant and Slim decided to leave the safety of the toilets and head out to help. As they emerged into the main corridor however they were picked up by the security cameras and the guards reacted swiftly, heading towards them. On the other side of the building, Ned began ambling back towards the front. Scene Two - The 43rd Floor Faced by three guards carrying stun batons, Gant raised his hold-out blaster. Slims casually took a small box from of his belt and walked towards the guards, as he did so the object emitted a blinding flash of light, stunning two of the guards. The third guard, before he had time to react was clubbed to the ground by Ogela as she emerged from the office next to him wielding an office chair.  Back in the visitor centre, Liliana and Joe jumped the remaining guard - crashing him head-first into a wall and knocking him unconscious. Gant meanwhile, dashed out into the atrium and clubbed the guard sitting at the security desk into unconsciousness.   Across the building, Ned knocked on the door of the security office. The door was opened and he was confronted by a bear of a man with a shaved head and a mean looking scar down his face. Old Ned threw a punch, which connected soundly. The huge guard just grinned and threw a haymaker of his own.  Ned decided dodging was his best bet and nimbly managed to dodge all the blows until Slim arrived and stunned the guard into unconsciousness.  Wile the others stripped the guards of their uniforms and tired them up in the office Ogela had hid in, Slim and Ned investigated the security control room. One end of the room was dominated by a huge security console, but their attention was immediately drawn to a weapons locker in the corner. A blast from the hold-out blaster made short work of the lock. Inside the locker there were six blast-rifles.   Gant and Liliana, dressed in guard uniforms, went to man the security desk as it was visible from the street.  Joe arrived headed for the control room and began hacking into the console using the codes supplied by Astenn. In short order he was bale to get hold of blueprints for all the floors except the restricted levels. He was also able to deactivate the cameras and wipe the video record of their presence in the building so far. Having disabled what security he could, he met up with Slim, Ned  and Ogela and headed for the turbolifts. Planning on using their guard uniforms and security passes to get past the officious droid that manned the lift. The droid, however, advised it was unwilling to take Ned up to the floor as he was “incorrectly attired” for a security guard.   Once Ned stepped out, and somewhat disconsolately wandered off to the canteen to make a pot of coffee, the droid contentedly pressed the button to take them up. Once they arrived on the 43rd floor , they quickly made their way to Lady Santhe’s office (after a minor hiccough with the doors and pausing to admire the corporate washroom). Joe began hacking Lady Santhe’s terminal, downloading the Nova Project files and uploading the altered ones supplied by Astenn. Ogela searched the area finding a hidden turbolift in the corner of a closet. Slim went to the  secretary’s desk and accessed the terminal there -  finding that according to her schedule Lady Santhe was hosting events for the Imperial representative for the next two days. He was even able to access the guest list for the reception being held that night.   Down below things were fairly quiet, Gant helpfully acknowledging and cancelling all the security alerts flagged on his console caused by his friends wandering about on the 43rd floor. Suddenly the terminal at which he sat beeped for his attention. He heard a sythesised voice, asking for a security pass-phrase. When Gant was unable to respond the line went dead and his terminal was locked-out. He immediate got on the intercom announcing to the others “we’re rumbled”. Up on the 43rd, Joe had finished with the Nova files held there and he, Ogela and Slim decided to see  where the hidden turbolift went. It took them directly to a sub-basement where  a transport-pod stood on a monorail. The monorail disappeared off into the darkness of a tunnel to the north. Down on the ground floor, Ned who had been making drinks out in the cafeteria, heard the familiar whine of repulsorlift motors starting up. Looking out into the corridor he could see three security droids emerging from a hangar at the far side of the building. Immediately he dashed back to the atrium to warn the others.  The security droids followed on Ned's heels into the atrium. Gant attempted to bluff the droid that he was one actually of the security officers, but the droid reacted by firing a mess of sticky strands at him - incapacitating him. While the droid was distracted by Gant, Liliana ran for cover hiding in the trees. Old Ned, meanwhile made a break for the fire-escape - only to fall in a hail of stun blasts. Scene Three - The 57th Floor As Liliana began dodging between clumps of undergrowth taking pot-shots at one of the security droids, Gant began straining against the sticky cords that bound him. He managed to get one arm partially free and began manoeuvring his hand towards the blaster in his belt. Up above on the 43rd floor Slim and Joe, having returned from the sub-basement, gazed down from the balcony through a set of macro-binoculars. While Joe went and disabled the droid lift, Slim went a retrieved the chair from Ms Sharrocks’ desk. As he did he noticed a holocube on the desk that displayed   various views of Santhe/Seinarr corporate events. To his surprise, in one of them he recognised Astenn, smiling and standing arm in arm with Lady Santhe.   Down below in the atrium, Gant finally managed to get hands on his blaster, loosing off a blaster bolt that slammed straight into one of the droid’s repulsorlift engines. The droid exploded spectacularly, showering the bounty hunter with fragments of metal. Liliana continued taking pot shots at the second. Suddenly she noticed a third droid entering the atrium, her attention being drawn by the crash as an aluminium chair, falling from above,  bounced off it’s armour! Liliana fired off another shot, disabling the second droid and moved round to take cover behind the security desk as the third moved towards the turbolift. Gant, finally wriggling free of the restrictign cord, fired off a shot as the droid menacing tracked it’s fire-linked heavy blasters towards him. Suddenly the turbolift doors next ti it opened and a hail of blaster fire erupted into it as Slim and Joe opened up with the blaster carbines they’d liberated from the security centre. Ned regained consciousness as Gant and Lilianna began clearing up bits of broken droid and hiding them in the undergrowth. Joe menwhile confirmed that the lockdown of the security console was still in place and Ned, though still soewhat groggy, cofirmed the lockdown extended to the physical building as well as the exterior door was sealed shut. Slim began reviewing the data they’d collectied from Lady Santhe’s terminal – finding it an incomprehensible combination of abstruse mathematics and highly technical jargon. He also noted that’d they’d inavertantly also collected a load of Lady Santhe’s pernal files. Browsing through them he discovered to his astonishement that Lady Santhe was apparently covertly feeding supplies to the Alliance! The discovery that Lady Santhe was an alliance sympathiser removed some of Gant’s fears that they were being set-up and also perhaps went some way to explain the role of “Astenn”. Once the clearup was complete, they decided to head up to the 57th foor to secure the rest of the NOVA files. Turbolift 1 where Joe had disabled the annoying attendant-droid dint have an option to go to that floor, so they went to the 56th and walked up the stairs! Joe managed to bypass the security doors and they headed on into the secure level. The corridors on this level had much greater security – including, laser beam detectors, motion sensors, heat sensors and blaster turrets. They began a caution exporation of the corridors, splitting up into smal groups. Although Joe could bypass the security on the doors he was unable to disable any of the other sensors so  Ned, Liliana and Slim had to sneak past as best they could. With Joe tagging along behind to help, Gant decided to make his way round to the third turbolift – which did connect to this level – to see if there was any way to disable the security systems on this level there. Unfortunately as he stepped on to the bridge to the turblift he triggered a hidden canister of stun gas which flooded the walkway. Fortunately Joe was out of range and managed to pull on one of the gas masks they’d taken from the security centre and drag Gant’s unconscious body back out of the gas. Joe dragged Gant out the gas, and after checking he was still breathing, hauled him over his shoulder and took him back to where the others had gathered back at the main security door to the level. Fortunately Gant had not had a prolonged exposure to the gas  and Ogela managed to bring  him round by the simple expedient of slapping him round the face a few times! Although still groggy from the effects of the gas, Gant managed to get to his feet. While Joe & Liliana remained with Gant, Old Ned Slim and Ogela re-entered the level to find the Nova labs. At first they navigated  cautiously past the various sensors in the hallways, eventually however, getting bored, they began blasting the sensors  to pieces!   Once they had located the labs, Joe began logging-in using the codes they’d been given by Astenn. Quickly as he could he began downloading the Nova data and uploading the corrupted plans. There was a brief flurry of excitement at the last lab when Joe managed to trip a sensor that released another two security droids from a hidden compartment in the corridor. Slim took out one of the droids with a single shot and Ogela took down the other.   Once the last download was done, they turned their attention to escape. Knowing the external exits were locked-down and unsure what may be waiting for them outside they decided to use the monorail shuttle that they had found at the base of the hidden   turbolift in Lady Santhe’s office. They headed back to the43rd floor and Slim hacked into the secretary’s system and added their fake IDs on to the guest list for the party. While he did that, Liliana and Ogela raided Lady Santhe’s wardrobe in search of more suitable clothing while the men folk spruced them selves up as best they could in the executive washroom.   Episode Three - What a Reception! Scene One - It’s My Party On arrival at the Santhe mansion the party was a full swing. Rather than the elegant soiree they had expected, the party was something of a riotous affair. Fortunately the emergence of the rebels from Lady Santhe’s private turbolift went unnoticed amongst the riot noise. An incredibly loud live band played at one end of the room and colourfully garbed locals mixed with more sombrely dressed imperials. In the centre of the massive room a troupe of Twi’lek acrobats capered energetically, while people danced around them.   Ogela guessed that the exit was on the far side of the room – past  where the band played on an upper level. Unfortunately a grim looking squad of Imperial security personnel stood, their black armour making an even more sombre contrast to the gaudily dressed Liannians  that thronged around. She grabbed one of the nearby Liannan party guests and began dancing. When the dance finished she was approached by an old woman who whispered to her conspiratorially “the evil is out to stop you!”   Slim began circulating  round the guests, chatting pleasantly an d listening intently to the scraps of conversation  - most of which seemed vacuous and inane, however when he suddenly realised that he was chatting amiably to Lord Volpaine, the imperial representative, he had to do some quick verbal manoeuvring   to keep himself out of bother.   Old Ned, Joe and Gant made straight for the buffet and began grazing. Joe found himself in conversation with a protocol droid who seemed fascinated by his dialect from his homeworld. Gant was busily stuffing his face with a vol-au-vent when suddenly he noticed “Astenn” staring at him across the table mouthing “what are you doing here!” “Astenn” beckoned urgently to Gant and headed across to the pool are, Gant  picked up a few vol-au-vents and followed him into a side room –obviously some kind of office. “Astenn” was furious at first that the rebels had turned up at this grandmother’s party and Gant’s initially belligerent response didn’t help, but eventually he calmed down enough for Gant to relate the tale.   Out in the party, Joe managed to extricate himself from the  nosey 3PO  droid only for it to make a bee-line for  Slim and Liliana.  Ogela found herself being pursued by a persistent admirer – at first she considered trying to get rid of hem, then decided she could make use of him as cover and began playing up – suggesting they leave the party and head back to his place!    Ned found himself embroiled in conversation with the “crazy woman” who’s approached Ogela earlier – discovering she was in fact a genuine force-sensitive. Noting that there were at least 3 imperial officers and their wives within earshot, he gently steered the woman – Arianna – across the dance-floor and out of earshot. He managed to find out  that there was a beck exit through the kitchen, and thanking her made his way through. He found a guard on the door, but telling him he was going for a smoke, made his way through with ease.   Slim and Liliana , meanwhile, after managing to foist the 3PO droid off on another “fascinating” guest, suddenly noted Ogela heading off with her conquest. They too began making their way to the exits, gingerly edging past the imperial security detail. Ahead of them, the parking valet, had brought a flash looking speeder for Ogela and her “friend” which they got into and sped off down the driveway. Arm in arm the senator and the x-wing pilot began walking down the driveway telling the valet they were going for a “walk in the moonlight”.   Back inside, Joe who was hanging about waiting for Gant to reappear and had, unnoticed by him, somehow drawn the attention of one of the imperial officers who approached the security detail at the stairway.   “Astenn”, or rather Kashan Santhe, had calmed down sufficiently to agree to help the rebels escape. He gave Gant the security codes for his grandmother’s speeder and told them how to get out through the rear exit through the kitchens. Gant thanked him and headed off, running in to Joe who was waiting outside. As they began heading for the kitchen, Joe suddenly noticed two of the imperial security detail heading across the dance-floor towards him. Immediately, he took to his heels, weaving through the crowd like a ferret down a rabbit-hole. He crashed in to the kitchen, and conned his way past the guard on the door pretending to be violently ill.  Gant followed pretending to be a concerned friend and the two dived for cover behind the speeder. .   Episode Four – Escape from Lianna  Scene One - Free on The Freeway A few moments later the two imperial security men came crashing through the doorway. Somewhat amazingly, they  totally failed to spot the two rebels as they lay hidden – Gant virtually in plain sight! One of the two men went over to where Ned stood contentedly puffing his pipe and asked him whether he’d seen  Joe come out of the door. At Ned’s response in the negative the security man headed back indoors speaking into his com-link. Gant and Joe took advantage of this and climbed into Lady Santhe’s speeder. Joe got behind the control and the screeched away at high velocity out of the car-park – only to be followed by two security men on speeder-bikes. Ned meanwhile, calmly finished his smoke and headed off across the fields to find a taxi.   Outside in the road, Slim and Liana, caught up with Ogela where she was busy stashing the unconscious form of her new “friend” into the boot of the speeder. As they got in and started slowly along the road top the highway, Lady Santhe’s speeder, the security men in hot pursuit went screaming by! Ogela slammed her foot down on the accelerator and set off in hot pursuit.   There followed a harum-scarum chase along first the freeway and then the streets of the city. Finally, after getting off a shot at them, one of the security men failed to make a sharp tune and ended up crashing into a huge recruitment poster for the Imperial Navy. The second was subsequently slammed into a wall as Ogela side-swiped him. Before imperial reinforcements could arrive, they dumped Lany Santhe’s speeder, depositing the unconscious for of Ogela’s “friend” into the driving seat. They them took the shortest route to the spaceport.   As they approached the docking bay, Liliana had a strange feeling something was up and called a halt. Sure enough their old friend the Calamari bounty hunter emerged from the shadows – demanding that they had over Barco. He was accompanied once more by a bunch of local club-carrying thugs, two of whom brandished blasters.   Gant, stood nonchalantly, hands in pockets, but Slim reacted like lightning charging forward ad head-butting the Calamari – who dropped as if pole-axed. The others dived for cover, Ogela ripping off part of a crate to use as improvised club and Liliana and Joe following suit. As they charged forward  a taxi pulled up and Ned got out. As battle was joined, Ned used the force to drop a crate in front of a couple of thugs who were charging at Slim –causing them to halt in their tracks! The melee was over almost before it had begun – shocked by the Rebel’s swift assault only one of the thugs managed to get off a shot – wounding Slim – before they were overwhelmed. In short order the thugs were either unconscious on the ground or taking to their heels.   Before the fracas summoned the local police, the Rebels quickly made their way to the Blue Dolphin – almost before they had strapped in – Ogela had blasted-off! Ignoring the desperate pleas from air-traffic control she wove the freighter a high speed through the busy traffic at the spaceport. Two of the local defence corvettes moved to intercept them and Slim headed for the turbo-laser turret firing off a few shots at them as the Dolphin heaved and bucked to avoid the incoming fire. Slim actually managed to score a hit one one of the corvettes and as it pulled away, Ogela dove the Dolphin through the gap and up out of the stratosphere.   |For a moment they though they’d made it, but Joe suddenly called out a warning as a siren as the long-range sensors showed an imperial start destroyer disgorging TIE fighters as it lumbered towards them. Ogela gunned the Dolphin for the hyper-limit frantically dodging the incoming fire from the star destroyer - as she did sdo Gant sent out a transmission "This is Gant Barco - wanted in seventeen systems!" They made the jump to hyperspace just before the first wave of TIE fighters closed.  Tatooine Manunt