Atton Rand

IC: Mia took cover as soon as the shots were fired. She watched as one of her stormtroopers was hit, followed by a shadow trooper. Another stormtrooper approached moments later, sitting next to her. "What was that?" The Stormtrooper yelled toward Mia. "Probably scavengers," Mia replied. The Stormtrooper removed her helmet, revealing the nervous face of Dak. She was obviously scared, and struggling to stay calm. Meanwhile, the Stormtroopers were busy ducking and covering to avoid getting hit. Mia tried to look around. Their cover was at the moment an old, worn swoop; one of the Old-Fashioned models from before the Rise of the Empire, with no obvious chance of ever working again. At the moment she could not see Raltz, though even while not under fire his armor would make him hard to identify anyway. "Okay, Dak," Mia said as she touched the young stormtrooper's shoulder. "We're going to make it through this. I think I have an idea. There's a TIE Fighter wreck over there." She motioned toward a wreck just a few meters away. "If we can use the debris as cover, it might be possible to get around and take some of them by surprise. I'm going to try and draw their fire. You make a run for it. Understand?" "Yeah," Dak muttered with an obvious stammer in her voice. "This is your first real action, isn't it?" "Yeah," Dak muttered. "It's okay. What you're feeling is normal, and if we work together we can get out of this. Okay. GO!" Mia stood and began firing towards the unseen scavengers. She ducked just in time as a slug chipped the metal of the wreck. She looked toward the TIE Fighter. Dak was there. Mia paused for a moment to catch her breath before getting to her feet. It only took a few seconds, but that was enough to mean the difference between life and death. She charged out from behind the wreck. She could hear the shots being fired, several of them in her direction, but she also knew well that the only shot she had at surviving was to keep moving. It felt like much longer before she finally ducked behind the cockpit of the downed TIE next to Dak. "Okay," Mia said. "I can't tell how many of them we're dealing with, but it looks like they're not great shots. They're scattered around but if we can avoid drawing attention we might be able to find them and give our friends a better chance." "Mia," Dak muttered. "What is it?" "I've never killed anyone before," Dak muttered. "They trained me to shoot a blaster but I've never had to use it outside of the range." "It's not an easy feeling," Mia replied. "But you should be prepared to defend yourself." "Right. So what do we do now?" "We'll have to keep moving," Mia said. "Take cover wherever possible. If we do find any of them, only shoot if you have to; we don't want to waste ammo and anyone we can take alive might have some answers."

IC: Mia was surprised as Raltz stopped in front of her and addressed her. Now he was getting out of hand, given his repeated tendency to ignore a superior officer. Not that questioning authority was a bad thing; Mia herself was not above it, but Raltz seemed to think he could just order her around. "Raltz," she said, intentionally referring to him by name knowing it would annoy him. "I may have a few rookies, and we haven't had much action in the past few months, but I assure you they can perform in a fight." Mia ended the conversation there, quickly walking past Raltz and stepping off the shuttle.

IC: "Interesting," Nadia muttered. "I don't think I've heard anything about any b-wings on Taris recently, but some of the other Vulkars might know something. We've got a hideout near the Imperial Outpost, you could ask around in there. Talk to Gonzai. He's a big gamorrean so you should be able to find him easily, but he manages the gang's publicity and has some contacts in the media, so he might know something I don't." IC: The flight was largely quiet as the shuttle moved onward. The dark and windowless environment hardly made things any easier, as she still had no idea where they were going. Finally, she felt the vehicle beginning to slow down, and realized they had arrived.

IC: "What sort of business?" Nadia asked.

IC: Viseria smiled at the remark. Neither of the women had actually eaten Hutt cuisine, but the numerous Hutts who ran businesses on Taris had allowed them some exposure. "Trust me," she said. "You don't want to know Hutt cuisine, if you can even call it that." "Makes sense," Nadia replied. "I've got friends all over Taris. If you'd been from around here I probably would have met you before. It's the kind of reputation you get as a swoop race champion. I've even got an Imperial contact, Mia Arkada. She's been restoring one of the local outposts, and offers credits or swoop parts in exchange for equipment. I can tell you she pays real good." The Twi'lek paused for a moment. "I guess I'd better introduce myself," she said. "Nadia Rinlo. This is my friend Viseria." "Hey," Viseria muttered shyly as she took another sip of her drink. "We're swoop riders for the Vulkars," Nadia explained. "We're not the most powerful gang on Taris, but we get by. For some of us who grew up in the streets they're the closest thing we have to family."

IC: "That'll do," Nadia said as she picked up her drink and took a sip. Viseria slowly picked up her glass and put it onto her lips. She let the drink flow into her mouth before placing it back on the counter. She tried to ignore the stares from the Wookie; the fact that only her mouth and nose were visible under her hood did occasionally draw confused looks from locals. Being served by a Wookie was also somewhat ironic, but Nadia tried not to let it bother her too much. At least he (or was it a she? They all seemed to look the same). At least this one could control its temper. "So how are we going to get back at the Beks?" Viseria asked. "I'm not sure. We'll think of something clever. Why don't we talk to Gonzai about it tomorrow morning?" "Sounds good," Viseria muttered as she took another sip. "Feeling any better now?" "A little," "That's good," Nadia replied. "Just try to relax and enjoy yourself."

IC: Nadia turned in surprise towards the new visitor, a man who looked like he was from the upper city. "I'm feeling it again," Viseria said, a bit more nervously. "That presence. It's stronger." Nadia turned back toward her friend. "Is everything alright?" It took Viseria a moment to calm down and catch her breath. "Yeah," she muttered. "I think I'm okay." "Look, if you want you can go back now. I'll catch up later." "No," Viseria muttered. "I'm fine. I should be okay." "Alright," Nadia turned toward the new arrival. "I guess you're from the Upper City, judging by your clothes. Not many people from that area come down here without good reason so I assume you've got some kind of business here. Of course, I don't recognize you either, so I guess it's fair to assume you're from off-world." OOC: I've been meaning to share this for a while, so I guess now is as good a time as any. I'm not sure how much use it will be but at the very least it makes for a fun intellectual exercise. I've been thinking a lot about how different species in the Star Wars universe have been stereotyped and represented, and it got me thinking of finding ways to subvert those associations. I came up with a few ideas, and if anyone wants to use these feel free to run with them. I figure worst case scenario, maybe you'll have some fun trying to imagine these things. So here are some ideas I came up with: A Gamorrean who is extremely friendly and intelligentA Hutt who is not greedy, and lacks any sort of affiliation with illegal and/or unethical business operationsA Toydarian who isn't obsessed with moneyA member of Yoda's species who is depicted as an incompetent bumbling foolAn Ithorian warrior

OOC: I just looked at the discussion topic again, and I think I figured out where I goofed up with regards to Sue the Bartender. It has to do with me misreading the following post: Quote And then there's Skri and Reo, impersonating Imperial officers, NT-081 (a rogue Novatrooper), Ghost and Dov's smugglers, Sue the bartender, the Chistori retired bounty hunter, Sen, a ship captain, an air traffic controller, Dov's rogue Dark Side practitioner, and probably a few I'm forgetting. So what I think happened was I misread this excerpt as saying "The Christori Bartender" obviously mixing up Sue and the bounty hunter. I apologize for that misunderstanding. I probably also should have read Sue's profile in more detail beforehand. IC: Nadia performed a quick double-take towards the bartender as she looked at her. That was a bit strange; mistaking a wookie for a Christori. Of course, this realization wasn't totally comforting to her. It was after all a Wookie who had attacked her friends earlier in the day. That didn't matter much for now, she was probably just tired and not thinking clearly. So far they had failed to call over the Wookie bartender, who was too busy attending to other matters. She cursed in her native Twi'Leki. "I've got a strange feeling," Viseria muttered. Nadia turned towards her. "Is something wrong?" "I'm not sure. I just feel a strange presence here," the Miraluka paused. "It's probably nothing. I'm just exhausted." "We've had a rough day," Nadia said. "Let's just get a drink and then go back to the base and get some sleep." The Twi'lek turned back towards the bar. She felt somewhat reluctant to order drinks from the Wookie after what happened earlier, but that was the only person currently working. "HEY!" She yelled. "Can we get a couple drinks over here!"

OOC: Oh wow. That was silly of me. I'm so sorry. I must have clicked the wrong link.

OOC: I just looked at the discussion topic again, and I think I figured out where I goofed up with regards to Sue the Bartender. It has to do with me misreading the following post: So what I think happened was I misread this excerpt as saying "The Christori Bartender" obviously mixing up Sue and the bounty hunter. I apologize for that misunderstanding. I probably also should have read Sue's profile in more detail beforehand. IC: Nadia performed a quick double-take towards the bartender as she looked at her. That was a bit strange; mistaking a wookie for a Christori. Of course, this realization wasn't totally comforting to her. It was after all a Wookie who had attacked her friends earlier in the day. That didn't matter much for now, she was probably just tired and not thinking clearly. So far they had failed to call over the Wookie bartender, who was too busy attending to other matters. She cursed in her native Twi'Leki. "I've got a strange feeling," Viseria muttered. Nadia turned towards her. "Is something wrong?" "I'm not sure. I just feel a strange presence here," the Miraluka paused. "It's probably nothing. I'm just exhausted." "We've had a rough day," Nadia said. "Let's just get a drink and then go back to the base and get some sleep." The Twi'lek turned back towards the bar. She felt somewhat reluctant to order drinks from the Wookie after what happened earlier, but that was the only person currently working. "HEY!" She yelled. "Can we get a couple drinks over here!"

So the issue is mainly that she's an NPC with force abilities? Okay, well if it makes you feel any better I could fill out a form and try to get it approved. I apologize for not realizing what I was doing sooner. I'd also like to suggest that the first post be revised so that the rules about NPCs are a bit more clear so we can avoid these issues in the future.

Also, Sue is a force sensitive wookiee--and one of the three force sensitives currently in the bar. It's a bit odd that a miraluka, who literally sees with the force, didn't notice that immediately. Additionally, there are some base issues with having a miraluka casually present. Okay, I admit it. I goofed up there. I thought it was mentioned somewhere that there was a Christori Bartender and obviously there was a miscommunication somewhere. According to the Star Wars Wiki, Miraluka were still around at this time. It also mentions that many had to travel "incognito" so the idea of hiding out on a world like Taris wouldn't be too far-fetched. I was also under the impression that they generally wore some kind of concealing headband so that would probably make it easier for her to avoid drawing attention. Also, with regards to the concern about her having force abilities (I thought that was acceptable; it was being a full-on Jedi that was objected to at the moment), she does have her limits. I'm not going to have her do anything crazy, and her powers probably wouldn't amount to anything more than is natural for her species. She can see with the force, perhaps notice things not obvious to others, and it might have an influence on her reflexes. That would be about it for now.

OOC: Strange analogy. I don't know that I'd call programming the clones so they were unable to question orders, growing them on masse to be soldiers without any real say in the matter, denying them the right to leave (and sending hit squads after deserters) and then executing any who were unable to continue fighting is "treating them like human beings." IC: "You mean the ones that were programmed to respond to orders without question and were executed when they were unable to continue serving?" Lt. Arkada muttered. She didn't want to provoke the argument further, but it seemed obvious to her that this man had little understanding of what he was talking about. Obviously, he needed to learn a bit of the Republic's history. For now, she followed him into the cold, windowless transport and took a seat next to one of her own stormtroopers. She tried to stay calm, not sure of what to expect from the mission. The Stormtrooper quickly removed her helmet and turned toward the officer. "So what exactly is our mission?" She asked. "I don't know, Dak," Mia said. "Something about a downed B-Wing. That's all the information I could get." IC: It was only a short walk before Nadia and Viseria saw the door to the Stray Tach. As the Twi'lek stepped inside, she approached the bar, her Miraluka friend close behind. "Hey!" Nadia shouted towards the Christori Bartender. "Get us a couple of your strongest drinks." Viseria stood against the counter, facing the other table. She may have been technically blind, but as a Miraluka that hardly stopped her from observing the action going on in front of her. At one table, there was a Christori discussing some sort of business with a nervous mechanic. There was of course an area being used for gambling, with a variety of different races taking part in card games.

IC: "Back in Special Ops, we got a lot of assignments which involved sneaking into enemy camps in the middle of the night and trying to sabotage their walkers, then getting out before anyone noticed we were even there. Not an easy task. There would be around thirty of us on such missions, and a variety of specialists: snipers, demolitions experts, technicians. Fortunately, when things went as planned, it took little more than a few silent kills to get into the hangar, then our technical and demolitions specialists could deal with the walkers appropriately. Most of the time, we tried to quietly disable them, but we weren't above destroying them whenever we could. Sometimes we'd set up explosives in the cockpits or engines so that they could be set off by an unwitting operator later."

IC: "A little. Knowing their weak spots is useful for sabotage."

IC: "I'm sorry sir, most stormtroopers seem to like it when they're treated as human beings." Of course, Mia could address him however she wanted seeing as she outranked him. The only reason she was even taking orders from him at all was because she had instructions to assist Raltz on his mission, even though he wouldn't even tell her what it was. For now, the best she could do was prepare herself. Most of the stormtroopers were ready to go now, and it looked like Ratlz was more or less in position. Mia turned toward the officers' barracks and entered, approaching her bunk. Next to it was a footlocker, which she opened, and pulled out her standard-issue pistol. Not the most impressive weapon but it worked for field duty. After holstering her weapon, she stepped back outside, ready to move. "Okay, let's go!" She said. The stormtroopers began to move into formation, organizing two lines and exiting through the door. Mia followed behind. OOC: Nobody seems to be able to get to the swoop track. Maybe I should just deal with this whole mess so Nadia can get into a better position. IC: Nadia ducked under another blow from the Wookie. She was beginning to regret provoking it now. An angry Wookie was bad enough, and it was well known that they do not take kindly to losing, but he was just getting angrier. Another stroke from her vibroblade managed to hit the Wookie's leg. He growled. Having caught her breath, Viseria turned toward the wookie once again, aiding Nadia with her own vibroblade. A few more of the gang arrived. Viseria was able to quickly dodge a few more blows before moving away. Nadia was quickly pushed aside as well, but that was when she noticed the Gungan returning, with a round object in his hands. It didn't take much to realize he was armed with a thermal detonator. Nadia quickly got to her feet and ran for cover, as did the other gang members. The Wookie however, was not paying as much attention. The explosive went off, and he finally collapsed to the ground. With the danger now passed, the rival gang's laughter began to fade. "Is everyone alright?" Nadia asked as she looked toward her teammates. "I think so," Viseria replied. "I don't think I can do another run today, though." "Understandable," Nadia said, trying to catch her breath. The announcer ran up to the gang, shaken by the fight that had just taken place. "Is anyone hurt?" He asked. "I'm okay," Nadia said. "Just tired. Some of the others might have been injured, though." "Alright," the Announcer replied. "We'll have to stop the race here. Why don't you two go back to the base and try to relax. I'll call for a doctor to come down here and make sure nobody's hurt." The Twi'lek began to turn towards the exit to the track, her Miraluka friend following close behind her. Both were tired. "The Stray Tach shouldn't be far from here," Nadia said in between breaths. "A drink might not be a bad idea," Viseria muttered.

IC: "No, sir." The Sergeant replied. "I've been in the field with them and I've been on sabotage missions in which we destroyed enemy walkers while they were in storage, but I've never operated one myself."

IC: The Sergeant groaned. Reluctantly, she tossed her cigarette aside. Still, it could be worse. At least no one complained about her drinking. "Fine," she muttered.

OOC: Right, I obviously need to work on my character's backstory. I didn't actually mean to give the impression that she was charging out into the field by herself with a shotgun and taking down walkers left and right if that's what you're thinking, and obviously you wouldn't sent a group of soldiers to take out a giant walker. That said, if the means to take down a walker (as you noted, other walkers, artillery, air support) are all present, would it not be possible for a group of trained soldiers to find ways to give them a better advantage? While they might not be able to take down a walker on their own, they probably could find ways to give their other forces a better chance at it. For example, a properly timed explosive could in theory damage and thus weaken an enemy walker, making it easier for one of the other walkers to actually take it down or at least reducing its impact on the battlefield. Another way they could be useful is if the mission requires the team to sneak into an enemy camp and sabotage a walker while it is not being used, during which time someone who knows what they are doing could either weaken or disable it. IC: The Sergeant remained quiet, agitated and frustrated but reluctant to provoke anything worse than needed. It was already frustrating enough that the other soldiers felt it was necessary to punish her for doing her job as a drill instructor. It was not like she had any reason to expect to be well-liked by whoever she was assigned to; she could only hope her field experience could make up for her difficult personality. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, placing one into her mouth and lighting it. "Yes sir," she finally said. "What do you need me to do?"

IC: "Yes sir," Mia replied. She could hardly claim to be okay with being in the dark but this stormtrooper did not look like he was going to divulge anything. The best she could do right now was hope that everything made sense when they reached their destination. "Okay then," Mia said. "Let me know when you're ready." IC: Nadia was becoming increasingly frustrated with the rival gang. They had been a nuisance for a long time, but now they were beyond a mere gang rivalry. She turned back towards the wookie, the real problem. Viseria was trying to hold him off but he was tough. Nadia ran towards the wookie and swung her own Vibroblade at him. He growled and pushed Viseria aside with one stroke. One way or another, that gang was going to pay for this, but right now she needed to focus on defending her friends. The wookie's attention was on Nadia. She could still hear the taunts and laughter from her rivals. "Didn't anyone tell you never to upset a wookie," one of them shouted. Nadia ignored her remark and focused on the wookie. "You've messed with the wrong gang," Nadia told the wookie, staring him in the eyes. OOC: I guess Nadia is still open to interaction if anyone wants to head out to the swoop race, but apparently it turns out the Vulkars and Beks aren't still going at it after all, so I've got to find some new names for the gangs.

IC: "Understood, sir," Mia said calmly. As the stormtroopers began to move ready themselves, the lieutenant moved toward recreation room and waited by the door. The staff were beginning to return in groups. A few stormtroopers were among the first to show up, followed by an officer. "What's going on?" The officer asked. "Change in plans," Mia said. "We've got some new arrivals and I've been instructed to assist them as best I can. Right now, that means giving them access to all stormtroopers sober enough to fight. Maxwell, you're in charge while I'm gone, understand?" "Yes lieutenant," the Officer replied. "As for the rest of you, you look sober enough. The timing of this couldn't be worse. Anyone that can shoot straight is to report to Sergeant Raltz. Those of you who can't, report to the barracks and try to get some sleep. We'll need you sober as soon as possible. LET'S MOVE!" The Stormtroopers began to rush towards the armory, putting on their armor. Mia turned towards Raltz and approached him. "So what exactly are we dealing with?" She asked.

I guess I can do that. I'll just need to find some names for the gangs. Any suggestions?

OOC: You guys do know that the green berets are a real thing, right? They're the people you're supposed to call in to do the seemingly impossible tasks when the regular army isn't good enough. As a member of special forces Casey would naturally have been involved with some very difficult operations. She wouldn't be working alone, naturally, but they would be things that require special training. IC: The Sergeant remained quiet, somewhat frustrated. An experienced green beret with a record in the field and she was being assigned to test a few weapons. It seemed like a strange choice. The last real mission she could remember was about a year ago, and it involved taking out an enemy camp. Fifty soldiers had gone in, about a third of whom returned. That was about the time she was transferred to the role of drill instructor. Last she had heard, the rest of her team had been transferred elsewhere or discharged. "I guess you'll want me to be testing something now," she finally said. "Let's get this overwith."

Well if by that you mean making it easier for ours, then yes, though I usually had a platoon of thirty experienced soldiers working with me."

IC: "That's what special forces is for," The Sergeant explained. "It's a lot easier to take enemy mechs by surprise from the ground if you have the right weapons. A lot of our work was also in sabotage. We'd sneak into enemy camps, gain intel, and whenever possible try to weaken or disable mechs. Basically, just about anything that would make things easier for the mech operators."