Chapter 2: Kashyyyk

[Guardian_A]

In 1,003 BBY, the Sith invaded the Kashyyyk system, sending in wave after wave of troops to capture the planet. However, the planet was a Republic stronghold, one that the Republic wasn't willing to give up even with a disadvantage in numbers. When the Sith fleet first landed, the Republic forces vanished into the great wroshyr forests, turning the invasion into a war of attrition—a long, drawn-out campaign fought in the branches of the wroshyr trees. The Sith troopers were not used to fighting in the treetops, and the thick foliage and kshyy vines provided perfect cover for the Republic soldiers and their Wookiee guides to launch ambushes and guerrilla raids on the scattered Sith forces. The losses to the Sith were catastrophic, with thousands of soldiers being killed, and many died without even seeing the enemy who had fired the fatal shot. Undeterred, the Sith Masters continued to send more troops into the maelstrom. It took almost two thousand Sith units, but the Sith were finally able to capture Kashyyyk.

Shortly thereafter, the Sith were driven off planet by the forces led by Valenthyne Farfalla.


1,000 BBY: 2 Days after the conclusion of the final battle of Russan

The characters watch as the starlines shorten into an expansive starfield, dominated by a blue and green planet. There are more than a dozen ships either in orbit around Kashyyyk, or in transit to or from the system. Two Galactic Republic gunships appear to be on patrol near the planet.

A moment later the pilot's station signals that there is an incoming transmission.

[Jedi Skyler]

As the ship prepares to revert to realspace, Vin comes to the cockpit and stretches his muscles. He walks over to Artee, who is plugged into a recharging port. He pats the astromech on the dome and says, "How'd you do with that droid, Artee?"

[Wisconsin Wookie]

Caster waits a few minutes to see if anyone else makes a move. Then, Caster slides into the pilot seat and glances quickly at Vin before answering the com: "Is this ship registered as a Sith vessel?"

[Kaloth Varsk]

Dar stretches as he heads towards the cockpit of the ship, feeling much better after getting at least a little rest, although the ache of crawling over and through rubble for three days is still there. His mood quickly takes a turn for the worse when he sees the republic gunships in the viewport as they exit hyperspace.

"I think we have some trouble here. What are the chances communications already reached here from Russan? We'd better get another jump ready if this goes bad. With Artee still charging, anyone want to start some astrogation computations? Preferably to somewhere without anyone looking to shoot us out of space?"

[Jedi Skyler]

Vin thinks for a moment, then shrugs. "I'm not sure, really. My Master only ever gave the name of the ship; he never announced it as a Sith ship. Presumably he was eell-known enough that he didn't have to announce his affiliation to other Sith, and he then had the added bonus of being able to enter Republic-held space without expecting every weapon in the system to open fire. I will check the computer quickly to see if I can determine the truth."

Vin logs into the ship's computer and queries the registration and affiliation information. ((OOC: Concentration, then Computer Prog/Repair))

[Guardian_A]

Settling into the pilot's seat, Caster starts to familiarize himself with the Chainfire's controls. Feeling comfortable at the ships controls, he sees the incoming transmission light flashes again.

Keeping a close eye on the Republic gubships, Darwin turns his attention to the other ships in the system. Making its final approach to the planet is a small freighter named the Royal Bounty, a ship he knows is owned by a known smuggler, Sashs Royal.

Turning to the communications suite, Vin quickly determines that the Chainfire's current transponder code is reading as a tramp freighter from the outer rim territories.

[Kaloth Varsk]

"What are your feelings about trading out ships? When we make it to ground" IF we make it to ground.

"Even if we pass now, word is going to get around about this ship, and we may not want to be near it when they find out who it belongs to. Before we get to that though, we had better get our story straight. We have some obvious battle damage. Pirates? And what system do we want to be claiming as our point of origin?"

[Jedi Skyler]

Vin quickly pipes up. "Our transponder is currently marking us as a tramp freighter from the Outer Rim Territories. We are safe with this ID. And no, I'm not at all good with trading out ships. This vessel has a good amount of power, not to mention all the gear back in the hold. Bottom line," Vin adds, a serious tone in his voice, "I'm not a hundred percent sure my Master is dead. My intuition tells me he is, but that is not a guarantee. If we trade his ship off and leave it in someone else's hands, he'll track us down for sure...and he will be VERY displeased. If, however, he survived, and finds us aboard, he'll likely be pleased at our resourcefulness, let alone for saving his ship from certain destruction."

[Wisconsin Wookie]

Caster listens carefully to both individuals and then turns to the comm station and responds to the transmission: "Sorry for the delay. This is Captain Sortan aboard the Chainfire. Do you copy? Over."

Caster mutes the comm and quickly turns back to the others. "He's right. We need a story. Pirates is believable enough, but where are we coming from and do either of you know how to make the ship's computer match up with our story?"

[Jedi Skyler]

"I can probably swing it," Vin says. "Artee could for sure. Best to make our story fit what's in the computer as closely as possible; the fewer lies we tell, the fewer stories we have to keep straight."

[Guardian_A]

The incoming message begins with a short burst of static that never completely goes away as the message plays, "Chainfire, this is Lt Valores of the Galactic Republic Navy. Please maintain your current heading." A short pause, "What is the nature of your visit to Kashyyyk?" The musculine voice sounds bored.

It dosnt take Caster long to realize that the incoming message is from the closer of the two Republic Gunships. The Chainfire's current heading wont take her anywhere near the gunships.

As Vin goes over the ship's registration, he sees that the Chainfire is listed as a freighter out of Almania. The ship's cargo hold is listed as being filled with 'Exotic goods" to be traded for weapons.

Reading over Vin's shoulder, Darwin recognizes the planet's name. Almania is a cold and miserable little planet in the outer rim territories, firmly in the grip of the Sith Empire.

[Jedi Skyler]

Vin peruses the manifests more closely to see if there are any more specific lists of what they are, or at least are supposed to be, carrying.

If he doesn't find anything more specific, he reads off information he does find, then says, "Tell them we're here on business, to do some trading."

[Wisconsin Wookie]

Caster stalls as long as he thinks he can without raising suspicion, and then responds to the comm: "This is the Chainfire, we are here looking for business, hoping to conduct some trade before moving on to our next stop, over." Caster is careful to maintain his current heading, happy to be vectoring way from the gunships.

[Kaloth Varsk]

In between the com being active Dar adds for the crew, "Our registry definately will let them know we are coming from Sith space. I'm not sure they are going to like the sounds of that. If we get boarded and searched, they are going to like the hold even less. Anyone know recent events here that might give us an edge? Perhaps we need to let them know were are here to pick up provisions and medical supplies to take them back to the front? Helping out the war effort might get less questions...and medical supplies should raise less questions than anything more on the offensive end."

[Jedi Skyler]

"Good idea, Dar," Vin says. "Our manifest does list "Exotic Goods" as our stock in trade. Since medical supplies can be expensive, we'd need something of equal value to be trading in.

"Worst case, we can tell the truth. Fighting was extremely fierce at Russaan, which is where we're coming from. The fib comes in when we tell them we're here to pick up medical supplies to take back out there."

While he talks, Vin's eyes half close as he opens himself up to the Force again, this time allowing it to guide him as he logs into the HoloNet and searches for current news.

((Concentration, then Computer Programming/Repair))