Note: The following three-part story was co-written by Erin, Sarah, and
myself. It is based on a role-playing adventure that Sarah wrote, and we
all participate in, using the rules set forth in The Star Wars Roleplaying
Game, Second Edition, Revised and Expanded, from West End Games. We role-
played this adventure a while back, with Sarah acting as game master (and
playing the most important "game master character," Commander Marena
Eilatt), Kat (me) playing as Katrie O'Dayla, Erin playing as Salli
Canaliya, and another player (Sam) playing as Nic Aedron. I wrote the
first part, Sarah the second, and Erin the last to give different
viewpoints. We took some major dramatic license with the story, partly to
cover for game mastering mistakes, but it's pretty much still the way it
really happened. It's set in the Star Wars universe, but we've tried to
keep away from confusing outside references, so no one should have much
trouble following along, even those who, like a large percent of the
population, are what we as fans refer to as "Star Wars illiterate." ^_^
*Katto
Undercover on Athsene
Part 1: Uncertain Alliance
Katrie O'Dayla walked the streets of Athsen on the planet of Athsene VII behind her partner Salli Canaliya while acting the role of the meek and mild secretary. Salli was a human girl from Thyerra, and was seventeen standard years old. She had shoulder length dark brown hair, and was short and slender. Her pale blue eyes stood out, but not as much as her Thyfferan clothes, which were bright, almost fluorescent, been and yellow. Salli had joined the Rebellion a year ago, and had been assigned to be Katrie's partner almost as soon as she got there. Katrie was a twenty- three year old from Kabree, had short black hair, and dark blue eyes that sparkled like crystals. She was tall and slender, but very very light. There was a reason for that. Kabree'ans look like any other human except for one thing; they have wings. Katrie's wings were black, and weren't mature yet ergo she couldn't use them, but they still were there. Right now Katrie had them folded up as tight as possible to her back, and was wearing a lose-fitting cloak to cover the bulge.
There was one last person walking with Katrie, and that was Nic Aedron. Nic was a former criminal, and now was a Rebel agent like Katrie and Salli. He was twenty-seven years old, tall, had brownish red hair, and green eyes. Nic was acting out the role of a bodyguard as the trio walked to the big (or at least it was big compared to the other buildings about) Imperial outpost. That was where Salli, her 'secretary' Katrie, and 'bodyguard' Nic were headed at that exact moment.
"Well, here we are," Salli said. The trio was now directly outside the outpost. The main entrance had a tall green and blue tree on either side of it, and there was a big Imperial logo above the glass doors. The three undercover Rebels walked into the large entrance hall and headed to the turbolift of to the left. Katrie smirked when she noticed another tree in the lift (this time green and purple), but didn't say anything. The three partners were carried to the floor above, and walked out into a small waiting room. To the left there was a desk with a droid behind it, and to the right there was a set of double doors with a pair of bored looking Stormtroopers standing not quite at attention. They straightened up when the 'business' trio walked in through. Nic as a bodyguard was carrying a huge blaster carbine rifle, and loved every minute of it. Nic was a huge man, but he had the heart of a child. He couldn't harm a fly, but looked very imposing.
"Good Afternoon!" the C-3PO droid at the desk said as they walked in. "Do you have an appointment?"
"Yes I do!" Salli replied haughtily. "I'm Lady Canaliya and I'm here to see Commander Eilatt about a business proposition." Katrie shrunk into the background as Salli did her thing, and Nic stood even more threateningly (if that was possible) behind her. The droid looked through and empty appointment book, pushed a button, and spoke through an intercom type device.
"Commander? A Lady Canaliya and company is here to see you. Shall I send them in?"
"Yes, send them in for the star's sake!" a female voice replied through the intercom.
"Yes Commander." The C-3PO droid replied meekly. It then straightened up, pointed to the double doors, and told the three partners, "Commander Eilatt will see you now."
"Thank you," Salli said rather sarcastically, and headed to the doors. The Stormtroopers opened the doors, and Salli, Katrie, and Nic entered the office. Commander Eilatt stood up as they entered and gestured to three seats that were sitting in front of her synthetic wood desk. The Commander was a tall woman with short brown military style cut hair, hazel eyes, and was wearing a meticulously neat uniform, which she tugged at as she stood up.
"Please, sit down," she said.
"I'd rather stand," Nic said.
"If you'd like. How did you get that gun past the Stormtroopers?" the Commander was suddenly on guard but asked the question in a conversational tone.
"They let me carry it in!" Nic replied stubbornly. The Commander just sighed.
"I'll have to talk to them about that. Will you please take that out and give it to one of them? On the other hand, leave it with the droid at the desk for keeping." Nic left and the Commander sat down. "I'm sorry, my men aren't used to having anyone about and are becoming lazy. I will have to punish them properly. Now, I hear you want to start a business here on Athsene VII. That is perfectly fine with me. It might even bring a little more recognition to the planet. Is there anything you would like to know about Athsene VII before you start or build?" Nic walked back in and Katrie was writing notes about the conversation—or at least she was supposed to be doing that. In truth Katrie was taking notes on the building, the office, Commander Eilatt, the lazy guards, and all the little trees everywhere. There was even a small green and red one sitting on the Commander's synthetic wood desk.
"Actually, yes." Salli replied to Commander Eilatt's question. "I need to know if there's sufficient security and communication equipment here at the outpost so I can keep in touch with Thyferra. I must be able to have the latest news in everything. I must have all the latest in fashions, politics, and my family. I need to know if my step aunt's half- brother Alex is going to divorce his wife Jen because she's having an affair with my mother's cousin's son Jon. I also must know if my dear cousin Jek is going to come out of his surgery fine, and how long he will be in the bacta. See, if…"
"Please, will you get to the point?" Commander Eilatt seemed a bit aggravated and a bit amused.
"Oh. Yes. Right, well I also need to know if there is adequate security on this planet. I am not about to set up my business on a planet where there is not a regular Stormtrooper patrol in the streets." Salli was very determined about this.
"Oh, I can assure you that we have regular Stormtrooper patrols in the streets, and your business will be perfectly safe." Commander Eilatt reassured Salli.
"I must see them for myself I'm afraid. It just would not do for me to set up my business then find you do not have exactly what I want. No, I must see everything for myself, and it must be before I leave early tomorrow morning before dawn." Salli got her snotty attitude going, but was very persistent.
"I'm afraid I can't allow that. No one is allowed into the communications room, or the security room after dark, and as you can see it is getting dark right now." The Commander seemed a bit disappointed in this factor for some odd reason. Could it be that she actually wanted us to start something here? Katrie thought. Maybe just to get the planet some recognition, but there's something else to it. She seems a bit too smart to be stationed here on a little backwater planet. Could it be that the Imps aren't letting her work to her true potential? Katrie wondered what was going on with this strange femal Commander.
"What's wrong with your secretary? Why isn't she working?" the Commander asked Salli. Oops… Katrie thought.
"I don't know. Katrie! Stop daydreaming and get back to work!" Salli had turned to Katrie, and snapped at her. "You just can't find good help these days can you?" she then said to Commander Eilatt, making the over-used cliché sound like her own invention.
"No, I don't know what's happened to hard working people now. As I was saying, you can't get into the main building now because of security reasons." Commander Eilatt replied.
"Isn't there any other way you could get us in? It is vitally important that I can see the communications facilities." Salli was now pleading. The Commander got a look on her face like she was trying to make up her mind about something, then reached under her desk and hit a button.
"There. We're now all under a secrecy shield—except your bodyguard who seems to be fascinated with my plants. It will keep all of our conversation nullified to anyone outside the shield. Is that okay with you?" Commander Eilatt asked Salli.
"Yes, quite, Commander," Salli replied with a small grin.
"Please, call me Marena," the Commander said with a small grin of her own. This is getting more interesting all the time. I can almost bet that this dear woman is desperate to get off the planet, just for a change of scene. Katrie's thoughts broke through over the small talk between Salli and Marena. "Anyway, as I was saying you can't get into the building at all. I can't even get all the way to the places you want to get to; that is not legally, of course." Marena got a small inviting smile on her face, as if daring Salli to bribe her. Katrie gave her a look saying to go for it, and if the Commander noticed she didn't say anything about it.
"May we make it worth your while to get us in?" Salli asked quietly, leaning forward a bit. The Commander leaned forward also to hear and converse. Katrie brought her chair closer, and Marena gave her a strange look.
"In what way do you mean that?" Marena replied. "Do you mean money or some sort of service?"
"Oh, it doesn't matter, we can get you whatever you want." Katrie said suddenly. Ooops, now I've done it. She thought almost as soon as she said it, but it was too late to change anything now.
"Oh really?" the Commander asked. "And how might you be able to do that?"
"I'm really quite sorry Marena, Katrie is new at this job, and she still hasn't gotten it through her head that she is not to say a word, but…" Salli started to apologize for Katrie's rude behavior when Commander Eilatt interrupted.
"No, it's quite fine. In fact I'm intrigued about what she said. What can you offer?" Salli's mouth dropped.
"Well, um, she's actually right, though she shouldn't have spoken up. Money, or getting you off the planet would be the easiest of course, but it's up to you." Salli told Marena.
"Getting off the planet? Now what makes you think I want to leave?" the Commander asked innocently with an eager gleam in her eyes.
"Just the fact that you aren't being worked to your complete potential here. This is a small backwater planet that has a brilliant Commander in charge with wasted abilities." Salli replied to the question.
"Yes, you really are being wasted here," Katrie spoke up again. "In some place like the Rebellion you would probably be almost a general!" the acting secretary suddenly realized she was speaking out again, and quickly went back to her notes.
"What did you say?!?" Commander Marena Eilatt thundered. For all her rebellious thoughts the Imps still had trained her, and anyway, she had to put on the right face for her visitors. Katrie seemed to shrink into her chair even further.
"Nothing Commander." Katrie replied weakly.
"I'm sorry again," Salli told Marena. "She is very new at this, and doesn't know when to keep her mouth shut. She's heard some romantic rubbish about the Rebel Alliance, and only that. She doesn't know any facts and thinks that a nobody can become a somebody just by joining them. That's why I brought her here to keep an eye on her." Salli sighed for dramatic effect. Oh boy, I just about ruined it for the whole mission… Katrie thought to herself. By now she must know who we are, and what we want, but if she doesn't trust us, we're in for it.
"Hmmm…" the Commander said glaring at Katrie. "I'll have to think about it." She sat there for two minutes giving the Rebel partners plenty of time to sweat. "Okay, I'll do it. It might be highly illegal activity that warrants a death penalty if I'm caught, but it's the only thing to do here on this piece of trash. Anyway, is sounds kinda fun." Marena grinned at Katrie's sigh of total relief, and Salli's half-shocked, half-ecstatic expression.
"Thank you," Salli said after she composed herself again. "Now what would you like for compensation? We've already given you a few choices." Marena thought about it for a bit wondering what she really wanted.
"What I really want is one hundred thousand credits, and a ride off this place to somewhere safe. Can you deal with that?" She gave both Salli and Katrie a quizzical look, and waited for an answer. Salli nodded slowly.
"It can be arranged. All our money is on the ship though. Do you think you could meet us in the front of the main building in about two standard hours? After we're done we'll take you off this planet." Salli was no longer the ditzy businesswoman.
"Fine," Marena said. She then reached under her desk again and hit the same button. "So, are you satisfied with the arrangements?" Salli understood that the Commander had taken off the shield.
"No, I'm afraid that you don't have the suitable security here. I shall look elsewhere for a place to start my business. Thank you for your time, we will go now." Salli stood up and took the Commander's hand. "Good-bye. Katrie! Nic! Come!" and with that the three partners walked out of Commander Eilatt's office. Nic grabbed his gun from the C-3PO droid inspecting it carefully for the slightest mishandling. He walked slowly to the turbolift and then straightened up looking satisfied. As they walked out the front doors a group of the small feathered, flying lizards burst up into Salli's face and she laughed gaily. They made it back to the Iceshadow and got ready for the night to come.
*Katto
Undercover on Athsene
Part 1: Uncertain Alliance
Katrie O'Dayla walked the streets of Athsen on the planet of Athsene VII behind her partner Salli Canaliya while acting the role of the meek and mild secretary. Salli was a human girl from Thyerra, and was seventeen standard years old. She had shoulder length dark brown hair, and was short and slender. Her pale blue eyes stood out, but not as much as her Thyfferan clothes, which were bright, almost fluorescent, been and yellow. Salli had joined the Rebellion a year ago, and had been assigned to be Katrie's partner almost as soon as she got there. Katrie was a twenty- three year old from Kabree, had short black hair, and dark blue eyes that sparkled like crystals. She was tall and slender, but very very light. There was a reason for that. Kabree'ans look like any other human except for one thing; they have wings. Katrie's wings were black, and weren't mature yet ergo she couldn't use them, but they still were there. Right now Katrie had them folded up as tight as possible to her back, and was wearing a lose-fitting cloak to cover the bulge.
There was one last person walking with Katrie, and that was Nic Aedron. Nic was a former criminal, and now was a Rebel agent like Katrie and Salli. He was twenty-seven years old, tall, had brownish red hair, and green eyes. Nic was acting out the role of a bodyguard as the trio walked to the big (or at least it was big compared to the other buildings about) Imperial outpost. That was where Salli, her 'secretary' Katrie, and 'bodyguard' Nic were headed at that exact moment.
"Well, here we are," Salli said. The trio was now directly outside the outpost. The main entrance had a tall green and blue tree on either side of it, and there was a big Imperial logo above the glass doors. The three undercover Rebels walked into the large entrance hall and headed to the turbolift of to the left. Katrie smirked when she noticed another tree in the lift (this time green and purple), but didn't say anything. The three partners were carried to the floor above, and walked out into a small waiting room. To the left there was a desk with a droid behind it, and to the right there was a set of double doors with a pair of bored looking Stormtroopers standing not quite at attention. They straightened up when the 'business' trio walked in through. Nic as a bodyguard was carrying a huge blaster carbine rifle, and loved every minute of it. Nic was a huge man, but he had the heart of a child. He couldn't harm a fly, but looked very imposing.
"Good Afternoon!" the C-3PO droid at the desk said as they walked in. "Do you have an appointment?"
"Yes I do!" Salli replied haughtily. "I'm Lady Canaliya and I'm here to see Commander Eilatt about a business proposition." Katrie shrunk into the background as Salli did her thing, and Nic stood even more threateningly (if that was possible) behind her. The droid looked through and empty appointment book, pushed a button, and spoke through an intercom type device.
"Commander? A Lady Canaliya and company is here to see you. Shall I send them in?"
"Yes, send them in for the star's sake!" a female voice replied through the intercom.
"Yes Commander." The C-3PO droid replied meekly. It then straightened up, pointed to the double doors, and told the three partners, "Commander Eilatt will see you now."
"Thank you," Salli said rather sarcastically, and headed to the doors. The Stormtroopers opened the doors, and Salli, Katrie, and Nic entered the office. Commander Eilatt stood up as they entered and gestured to three seats that were sitting in front of her synthetic wood desk. The Commander was a tall woman with short brown military style cut hair, hazel eyes, and was wearing a meticulously neat uniform, which she tugged at as she stood up.
"Please, sit down," she said.
"I'd rather stand," Nic said.
"If you'd like. How did you get that gun past the Stormtroopers?" the Commander was suddenly on guard but asked the question in a conversational tone.
"They let me carry it in!" Nic replied stubbornly. The Commander just sighed.
"I'll have to talk to them about that. Will you please take that out and give it to one of them? On the other hand, leave it with the droid at the desk for keeping." Nic left and the Commander sat down. "I'm sorry, my men aren't used to having anyone about and are becoming lazy. I will have to punish them properly. Now, I hear you want to start a business here on Athsene VII. That is perfectly fine with me. It might even bring a little more recognition to the planet. Is there anything you would like to know about Athsene VII before you start or build?" Nic walked back in and Katrie was writing notes about the conversation—or at least she was supposed to be doing that. In truth Katrie was taking notes on the building, the office, Commander Eilatt, the lazy guards, and all the little trees everywhere. There was even a small green and red one sitting on the Commander's synthetic wood desk.
"Actually, yes." Salli replied to Commander Eilatt's question. "I need to know if there's sufficient security and communication equipment here at the outpost so I can keep in touch with Thyferra. I must be able to have the latest news in everything. I must have all the latest in fashions, politics, and my family. I need to know if my step aunt's half- brother Alex is going to divorce his wife Jen because she's having an affair with my mother's cousin's son Jon. I also must know if my dear cousin Jek is going to come out of his surgery fine, and how long he will be in the bacta. See, if…"
"Please, will you get to the point?" Commander Eilatt seemed a bit aggravated and a bit amused.
"Oh. Yes. Right, well I also need to know if there is adequate security on this planet. I am not about to set up my business on a planet where there is not a regular Stormtrooper patrol in the streets." Salli was very determined about this.
"Oh, I can assure you that we have regular Stormtrooper patrols in the streets, and your business will be perfectly safe." Commander Eilatt reassured Salli.
"I must see them for myself I'm afraid. It just would not do for me to set up my business then find you do not have exactly what I want. No, I must see everything for myself, and it must be before I leave early tomorrow morning before dawn." Salli got her snotty attitude going, but was very persistent.
"I'm afraid I can't allow that. No one is allowed into the communications room, or the security room after dark, and as you can see it is getting dark right now." The Commander seemed a bit disappointed in this factor for some odd reason. Could it be that she actually wanted us to start something here? Katrie thought. Maybe just to get the planet some recognition, but there's something else to it. She seems a bit too smart to be stationed here on a little backwater planet. Could it be that the Imps aren't letting her work to her true potential? Katrie wondered what was going on with this strange femal Commander.
"What's wrong with your secretary? Why isn't she working?" the Commander asked Salli. Oops… Katrie thought.
"I don't know. Katrie! Stop daydreaming and get back to work!" Salli had turned to Katrie, and snapped at her. "You just can't find good help these days can you?" she then said to Commander Eilatt, making the over-used cliché sound like her own invention.
"No, I don't know what's happened to hard working people now. As I was saying, you can't get into the main building now because of security reasons." Commander Eilatt replied.
"Isn't there any other way you could get us in? It is vitally important that I can see the communications facilities." Salli was now pleading. The Commander got a look on her face like she was trying to make up her mind about something, then reached under her desk and hit a button.
"There. We're now all under a secrecy shield—except your bodyguard who seems to be fascinated with my plants. It will keep all of our conversation nullified to anyone outside the shield. Is that okay with you?" Commander Eilatt asked Salli.
"Yes, quite, Commander," Salli replied with a small grin.
"Please, call me Marena," the Commander said with a small grin of her own. This is getting more interesting all the time. I can almost bet that this dear woman is desperate to get off the planet, just for a change of scene. Katrie's thoughts broke through over the small talk between Salli and Marena. "Anyway, as I was saying you can't get into the building at all. I can't even get all the way to the places you want to get to; that is not legally, of course." Marena got a small inviting smile on her face, as if daring Salli to bribe her. Katrie gave her a look saying to go for it, and if the Commander noticed she didn't say anything about it.
"May we make it worth your while to get us in?" Salli asked quietly, leaning forward a bit. The Commander leaned forward also to hear and converse. Katrie brought her chair closer, and Marena gave her a strange look.
"In what way do you mean that?" Marena replied. "Do you mean money or some sort of service?"
"Oh, it doesn't matter, we can get you whatever you want." Katrie said suddenly. Ooops, now I've done it. She thought almost as soon as she said it, but it was too late to change anything now.
"Oh really?" the Commander asked. "And how might you be able to do that?"
"I'm really quite sorry Marena, Katrie is new at this job, and she still hasn't gotten it through her head that she is not to say a word, but…" Salli started to apologize for Katrie's rude behavior when Commander Eilatt interrupted.
"No, it's quite fine. In fact I'm intrigued about what she said. What can you offer?" Salli's mouth dropped.
"Well, um, she's actually right, though she shouldn't have spoken up. Money, or getting you off the planet would be the easiest of course, but it's up to you." Salli told Marena.
"Getting off the planet? Now what makes you think I want to leave?" the Commander asked innocently with an eager gleam in her eyes.
"Just the fact that you aren't being worked to your complete potential here. This is a small backwater planet that has a brilliant Commander in charge with wasted abilities." Salli replied to the question.
"Yes, you really are being wasted here," Katrie spoke up again. "In some place like the Rebellion you would probably be almost a general!" the acting secretary suddenly realized she was speaking out again, and quickly went back to her notes.
"What did you say?!?" Commander Marena Eilatt thundered. For all her rebellious thoughts the Imps still had trained her, and anyway, she had to put on the right face for her visitors. Katrie seemed to shrink into her chair even further.
"Nothing Commander." Katrie replied weakly.
"I'm sorry again," Salli told Marena. "She is very new at this, and doesn't know when to keep her mouth shut. She's heard some romantic rubbish about the Rebel Alliance, and only that. She doesn't know any facts and thinks that a nobody can become a somebody just by joining them. That's why I brought her here to keep an eye on her." Salli sighed for dramatic effect. Oh boy, I just about ruined it for the whole mission… Katrie thought to herself. By now she must know who we are, and what we want, but if she doesn't trust us, we're in for it.
"Hmmm…" the Commander said glaring at Katrie. "I'll have to think about it." She sat there for two minutes giving the Rebel partners plenty of time to sweat. "Okay, I'll do it. It might be highly illegal activity that warrants a death penalty if I'm caught, but it's the only thing to do here on this piece of trash. Anyway, is sounds kinda fun." Marena grinned at Katrie's sigh of total relief, and Salli's half-shocked, half-ecstatic expression.
"Thank you," Salli said after she composed herself again. "Now what would you like for compensation? We've already given you a few choices." Marena thought about it for a bit wondering what she really wanted.
"What I really want is one hundred thousand credits, and a ride off this place to somewhere safe. Can you deal with that?" She gave both Salli and Katrie a quizzical look, and waited for an answer. Salli nodded slowly.
"It can be arranged. All our money is on the ship though. Do you think you could meet us in the front of the main building in about two standard hours? After we're done we'll take you off this planet." Salli was no longer the ditzy businesswoman.
"Fine," Marena said. She then reached under her desk again and hit the same button. "So, are you satisfied with the arrangements?" Salli understood that the Commander had taken off the shield.
"No, I'm afraid that you don't have the suitable security here. I shall look elsewhere for a place to start my business. Thank you for your time, we will go now." Salli stood up and took the Commander's hand. "Good-bye. Katrie! Nic! Come!" and with that the three partners walked out of Commander Eilatt's office. Nic grabbed his gun from the C-3PO droid inspecting it carefully for the slightest mishandling. He walked slowly to the turbolift and then straightened up looking satisfied. As they walked out the front doors a group of the small feathered, flying lizards burst up into Salli's face and she laughed gaily. They made it back to the Iceshadow and got ready for the night to come.