SW:CWM Episode 7
| Star Wars: Clone Wars Missions | |
|---|---|
 | |
| GM | |
| Rotating | |
| Game | |
|
XP: 650 House Rules • Bestiary | |
| Jedi Knights | |
|
Akari Sora Chandra Devi Tammine Zinko Tyndale Zak Tanner | |
| Jedi Padawans | |
| Wrrlevgebev | |
| Key NPCs | |
| Jedi Master Haneul | |
| Associated Jedi | |
|
Ami Kyuchi Raj Vashin Shalla Tane |
Credits
Game Master
Heroes
- Raj Vashin, Bothan Jedi Knight (Niman Disciple/Artisan)
- Tyndale, Twi'lek Jedi Knight (Makashi/Peacekeeper/Warlord)
- Zak Tanner, Human Jedi Knight (Shadow/Shien Expert)
- Tammine Zinko, Dathomirian (Hunter, Ataru Striker)
- Shalla Tane, Human Jedi Counsular (Sage, Niman Disciple)
Key NPCs
- Civilian Ops Team (5 members)
- Koobis Tetsu (Rodian Sheriff)
- "Horus" (Bartender / Intelligence Agent)
Events
The Jedi Knights present on the Ascendancy were summoned by Master Haneul for another special operation. Republic Intelligence had received a message via secure drop that their agent on the backwater mining world of Kypperon had discovered a Separatist research laboratory and suggested a rescue operation. Learning that the planet was nominally on the side of the Republic, but had independent and separatist leanings, the Jedi decided to approach entirely in secret, using civilian clothing and a civilian light freighter to operate under the cover of being freelancers.
While navigating customs on Kypperon, the team learns that the local sheriff is suffering from a manpower problem, and might consider hiring the "freelancing spacers" for a special mission. Curious, they contacted the Sheriff. The sheriff informed them that the local gangs had been stealing critical drug shipments during transit from the landing field to the town proper. Realizing that they both had the time, could ingratiate themselves into the local law enforcement, and obtain some "off the books" credits, the group agreed to the mission.
Once the shipping container was unloaded and hooked up to the speeder truck, the team took a moment to reorganize the cargo to create guard posts and make the critical drugs harder to reach. Then they started the transit, leading the convoy in their rented speeder pick-up. They soon ran into an intended ambush, but thanks to the Jedi's keen eyes, the break-strip was discovered and the vehicles stopped without damage. A battle ensued, with Tammine sniping from the Truck cab, Tyndale leading the Ops Team, Raj disabling the break-strip and Zak assaulting the rooftop gangsters with an impressive display of acrobatics.
The team took off before reinforcements could cause any damage, only to be chased by the gang's leader and her fellow gang riders. Two were stopped by a cunning use of the break-strip, while the Gang Leader was stopped by a critical shot that damaged the thrusters on her custom swoop. The last two gangsters were killed in crossfire and the cargo was delivered safely (though the same could not be said of the rented pick-up.)
Adrenaline waning and new credits in hand, the team left the Sheriff's office and went to meet up with their Intelligence Contact. They arrived at the meeting place half an hour before the arranged time and meet up with Wrrlevgebev, who had been assigned by his master Vashin to watch the area in case they were not back from the guarding operation in time. Also arriving shortly after was Jedi Knight [Erik's], who had been on the planet following unusual reports of plague drugs. Raj mistook Ami for the intelligence agent and attempted to use the name they were given (Horus) to initiate the meet. The mistaken game of innuendo left all feeling thoroughly out of place.
Fortunately, the actual intelligence operative, the bartender, overheard the conversation and pegged the Jedi as the strike team from the 13th fleet. Leaving a note for Raj, he arranged a meeting in one of the upstairs rooms, arriving via decorative wardrobe. There he briefed the bothan knight on the location of the hidden research base, 500 miles out of town and hidden under Old Bobby's ranch house. After the meeting, he also pushed [Erik's] back in the direction of the party.
). In addition, characters cannot recover strain after combat until 5 minutes are spent resting. After some discussion, the team decided that a good cover story beat a stealth approach. Using some of their newfound credits, the team acquired some prospector's clothing and took their YT-1300 upon an extensive search pattern in the direction of "Old Bobby's Ranch." In the early afternoon, they located the remains of an old mining installation just off of Old Bobby's land that still had a recessed and intact landing pad (with some abandoned supplies). Settling the down, the team set out to cover the last 10 miles stealthily on foot.
The first miles passed easily enough, save for the pressures of the thin atmosphere. A few miles in, they started to see signs of roving patrols, signs confirmed when Zak fell through the foliage covering an old rancher's camp that had seemingly been converted into a slack-off den for one of the patrols, complete with a deck of cards. After manipulating the notes left behind to make it look like one of the guards was cheating, the group moved on and found their own observation post to wait out the afternoon.
Evening fell, and the team approached the compound for infiltration. Careful observation allowed them to make use of gaps and make it to and over the wall unseen. Once inside, Tammine snuck around to the stables and re-saddled the six Blurrg who were stabled there. Meanwhile, Zak and [Erik's] snuck around trying to get through the small basement windows. Their investigations were interrupted suddenly when a trigger-happy Battle Droid blew out the window they were working on. Rightfully fearing an impending search of the compound, the team quickly scaled onto the second-floor balcony.
In addition, to cover from the patrol, the unlocked balcony provided the Jedi a means of entry. Quietly moving inside, they investigated all of the unoccupied rooms, using Sense to avoid unwanted encounters. In the master bedroom, they discovered evidence on an open dataslate that the project, whatever it is, was nearing completion. In addition, investigation of Bobby's personal effects provided clues that the current Bobby was an impersonator and that he was misleading his pro-republic daughter (a senatorial aide on Coruscant). Leaving that room, the team made their way quietly to the basement. There they bluffed then quickly assaulted the four B1s guarding the room, taking them out without a suspicious sound. From there they passed through the secure blast door and took out the three B2s on the other side, using the door to keep the sound muffled.
Worried about eventual pursuit, they fused the door and called the secret elevator.Z-Team Updates
The unstable, hovering platform that was acting as an elevator took them down through a thin shaft to what could only have been one of the original deep mines. Continuing downward, the Jedi discovered a secret complex built into the core of the old mine. The first floor below the entry and the team departed the elevator and discovered a locked blast door. Zak hot-wired the door’s control system, successfully opening it, but triggering a silent alarm in the process. The open doors revealed a pair of Destroyer Droids, who immediately activate their energy shields and open fire.
Zak desperately tries to shut off the alarm again and succeeds, but destroy’s the door controls in the process, leaving the Jedi open to the Droid’s field of fire. After a long and exhausting battle, the Jedi manage to defeat the two droids and secure the entry hallway. Meanwhile, up in the house above, the CIS operatives reacted to the less-then-one-minute alarm without much enthusiasm. Their concern is temporarily sidetracked when they discover all four of the basement guard droids missing.
Down below, the Jedi use the code cylinder they were given by the Intelligence Agent to access the control room at the back of the first floor. There they were able to access a map of the facility and discover the rest of the floor consisted of a reactor system and the central computer core. Wrrlevgebev used this time to investigate a long set of spiral stairs that descended down to the second floor. There he discovered what appeared to be living quarters, though in the dark he was unable to discover exactly who or how many were living there. Zak used the opportunity to swipe another code cylinder, however, before the party sabotaged a hidden section of the spiral stairs to isolate the control floor.
Bypassing the living quarters, the Jedi began their investigation of the laboratory floors. Moving quietly from room to room, they discovered an extensive array of wildlife in cages, a surgery room, and a collection of unidentifiable cybernetics and parts. In the final room, they discovered a clone who as being stored unconsciously in a securement cell. Zak and Raj were able to set the trooper free but triggered an alert again at the same time. Once he was free, Ami was able to wake him up again but he was unable to provide much useful information.
Returning to the main elevator, the party discovered it had been called to the lower floor, and noticed a Magnaguard droid in the process of getting onboard. Once the droid noticed the party of Jedi, however, it quickly attempted to retreat. The Jedi successfully prevented it from leaving, but sensing time was running out, decided to split up. Raj and Wrrlevgebev headed back up to secure the scientists and the laboratory’s data tapes while the rest of the team defended to the lowest (4th) floor to corner the last droid and make sure nothing critical was being missed.
On the lowest floor, the Jedi discovered the second Magna guard, who took of running at the sight of them. Giving chase, they cornered it in an isolated laboratory room similar to in layout to where they had found the Clone one floor above. Seeing there was no escape, the Magnadroid used its electrostaff to break the containment unit around the new prototype T-100 infiltrator droid, setting off a whole new round of alarms. The new droid promptly stole the magnadroid’s electrostaff and attacked the group. Meanwhile, on the second floor, the remaining Jedi charged into the barracks and destroyed the battle droids guarding the prisoner-scientists.
With the alarm system having upgraded to “emergency containment procedures", Wrrlevgebev lead the scientists up to the entrance/mining floor above the facility, where they met up with Tyndale and the soldiers, who had been keeping the facility secured. There the scientists explained that “emergency containment” was code for detonating the reactor core. The Wookie quickly descended back into the facility to warn the others.
Raj had not joined the scientists heading to the surface, opting instead to stop off at the first floor to gather the data tapes that could be found in the main computer core. Using the rip them from their racks, the Bothan gathered them all up and, having been warned by his apprentice, made for the surface.
Down at the lowest level, masterful blade work by Zak had managed to disarm the monstrous droid, leaving it open to assault by Tammie and Ami who were able to bring it down despite its cortosis-plated carapace. Warned by Wrrlevgebev in the aftermath of the battle, the Jedi raced to the surface as the reactor started to overheat.
Tyndale, who had ascended as part of the first group, finished cutting back open the blast door and back into the house. Making their way out and through the grounds, they discovered the facility abandoned by the CIS agents, who had fled at the signal of the reactor’s imminent distraction. The now regathered group of scientists, soldiers, and Jedi raced down the hill and put as much distance as they could between themselves an the base before the entire hill erupted.
The group picked themselves up after the explosion and discovered themselves little more than stressed and bruised. In such a state, they finished out the last few hours walk to the abandoned mine where they had left their starship. There, much to their surprise and horror, they discovered the ship gone, replaced by a taunting note signed by the gang leader they had crossed days earlier. Ami, thankfully, was able to call the R4 aboard her ship and get a message out, allowing the team to be rescued.
Revelations
Analysts from the 13th fleet were able to put together a few key things from the Jedi & scientist’s debriefings and the data tapes that were recovered.
- The CIS was intentionally providing only treatment drugs, not vaccines, leaving the population dependent on their continued “goodwill” shipments. The plague itself, however, was unmodified/natural, although infected animals were occasionally released to ensure continuous need.
- The laboratory had worked on a number of different projects, most of which had already been terminated, reached conclusion or been transferred to larger facilities.
- One of the last two projects, which was in the final stages when they arrived, was the construction an “Infiltrator” unit that could pass as a clone trooper long enough to reach vital locations or the middle of battle units. Cyber-animals appear to have been part of the development cycle.
- The other final project, which was being developed concurrently, was into clone-armor degradation. A combination bacteriological-chemical solution had been developed that would dissolve the connecting rubber between armor plates. Several other armor penetration and weakening agents appear to have been part of the development cycle.
- The loss of the facility, key scientists, and the inability to make the final transmission should put the CIS back at least six months to a year for any attempt to continue the projects.