The day's opening credits included:
· Ackbar earning 286 credits and a prize point.
· Qui-Gon earning a first round big prize amount of 191 credits.
· Cad Bane picking up a second whammy in the first round of his quarterfinal match.
As the turntable rotated to present the contestants, the stage lights brightened as Preigo walked onstage.
"Galactic Entertainment Media is pleased to present today's episode for your enjoyment," he said.
After more applause, he added, "Today, we conclude our semifinal round known as the Notable Nine. We've returned to Duros for our last regional final before we conduct our championship in Coruscant. Let's meet the players who are back and eager to advance to the championship. Admiral Ackbar, as the 25th seed, you advanced with 1198 credits and a prize when your opponents both whammied out."
"I think that was a matter of luck," Ackbar replied. "I have my work cut out for me today, and it won't be easy."
"Indeed. Let's see how things go, shall we? Next, we have Qui-Gon Jinn who picked up a prize and 1030 credits as our 24th seed."
"I guess I lived to play another day, huh?" Qui-Gon quipped, drawing laughter from the audience.
"Definitely. Finally, we have the top seed of our tournament who picked up 1296 credits and a prize. Cad Bane, welcome back."
After a loud round of partisan applause, Cad said, "Thanks, Preigo. I look forward to defending my championship."
"You know, if you do win, our final game will be the top three seeds of the tournament."
"All the more reason to make that happen, right?"
"Possibly. Let's remind you what the revised prize list is for this round:"
A set of six chance cubes, a combination grill and cooler, dinnerware, a weekend resort getaway for two, and a color holovision set with remote control and stereo sound.
"You're already familiar with our game board, and you know what happens when you land on a whammy. So, let's review the spin totals for this round. Ackbar has three spins. Qui-Gon has five. And, Cad has a near-perfect nine. Ackbar, you get to play first."
"I have to make these three spins count, huh?" Ackbar replied. "Let's get one of the bigger values."
"Whammy... whammy."
A whammy appeared, pointed and laughed, and disappeared.
"The good news is that you lost nothing but a spin. The bad news is you're now one-fourth of the way to being out of the game. You still have two spins."
"I have to avoid the whammy this time," Ackbar stated. I can't get two in a row with three spins can I?"
"Fifty-seven credits. That gives you the early lead with one spin."
"I have to go again. Let's avoid another whammy."
"Seventy-six credits more. Ackbar, you finish with 133 credits and we now go to Qui-Gon with five spins of his own."
"This is certainly going to be an interesting game," Qui-Gon deadpanned before taking his first spin.
"Nineteen credits to put you in second place with four more spins."
"I can't pass with that, so I'll go again here and hope for something better."
"Nineteen credits and a prize point. Qui-Gon, that doubles your score to 38 credits and you have a prize point with three spins."
"I guess chance cubs are better than a refresher brush. Let's try to avoid the whammy again."
"Try your luck, Qui-Gon, and get 76 credits. That gives you 114 credits, just 19 behind Ackbar. With two spins will you pass, or avoid the whammy?"
"I'll go again to extend my lead. Let's get a bigger value here now."
"Ninety-five credits more for a new total of 209 credits. What do you want to do with your last spin?"
"I can pass it, so let's do that."
"Ackbar, that spin is yours. You must take it, and you trail Qui-Gon by 76 credits."
"Let's get those 76 credits and then-some, then," he said. "More credits now!"
"You did it! Seventy-six credits ties you with Qui-Gon at 209 credits. Cad, it's finally your turn and you have nine big spins."
"We'll see what happens, Preigo. That board seems unpredictable today," Cad noted.
"Fifty-seven credits. Not bad. You have eight spins—more than plenty for catching up."
"Indeed. We'll do that with the next one."
"Nineteen credits more for 76 credits. And you still have seven spins."
"I won't let small numbers deter me. I'm in this for the long haul."
"Try your luck, Cad, and get 76 credits! That doubles your score to 152 credits with six spins left."
"I don't need that much for the lead, so I'll keep going and hope to avoid the whammy."
"One space back to 19 credits. Cad, you're score is now 171 credits. You have fove spins and no whammies yet."
"I have to keep going. There's no excuse for me not finishing the round with the lead. Let's try for it on this spin."
"One space back to 19 credits yet again. You have 190 credits now, just 19 away from our leaders. You have four spins to get those 19 credits."
"I only need but one," Cad replied quickly. "I'll get or pass the others right now!"
"Fifty-seven credits and a prize point. Cad, the credits give you the lead with 247 credits. Will you pass those three spins or try to avoid the whammy again?"
"It'd be premature to pass, so I'm going to go again."
"Two hundred eighty-six credits and a prize! Excellent! Cad, you have 533 credits, 2 prize points, no whammies, and two spins."
"Pass!"
"You can pass to Ackbar or Qui-Gon."
"Qui-Gon has no whammies yet, so he can have them."
"Qui-Gon, it sounds like Cad is eager to give you a whammy. Let's see what you can do with two spins you must take."
"I'm used to scoundrels hating on Jedi, so this is no big deal," Qui-Gon replied calmly, taking the first of his passed spins.
"One space back to 19 credits. That seems to be our favorite space today. That gives you 228 credits, 305 shy of Cad, and you have one more passed spin to take."
"I don't think I can get that back in one spin, but we'll do what we can to close the gap."
"Fifty-seven credits. As we conclude round one, Ackbar has 209 credits and a whammy. Qui-Gon finished with 285 credits and a prize point. Cad is our leader with 533 credits and two prize points. We'll conclude our final semifinal right after this!"
⁂
Returning form the break, Preigo said, "Welcome back to our Try Your Luck This is Madness Tournament. Thanks to our board with bigger and better prizes, we'll know who will be our last contestant to join us on the caravan to Coruscant. Speaking of which, let's review the prizes for this round:"
A trial membership in the Thimiar of the Month Club, a weekend resort getaway for two, a portable heater, an electric stove, and a color holovision set with remote control and stereo sound.
"You already know to avoid the whammy, so let's see how round two will play out. Ackbar has four spins. Qui-Gon and Cad each received six. We start with the player having the lowest credit amount this round. Ackbar, that's you with 209 credits."
"Let's get some of those bigger numbers I see on the board!" Ackbar called out.
"Two twenty-nine credits for a new score of 438. That puts you in second place with three spins."
"Very good, Let's keep going."
"Three hundred five credits! Very good. You have 743 credits now. Pass those two spins, or try to avoid the whammy again?"
"Given the other scores, I think I have to keep going. Let's keep getting big credit amounts. That 2800 one would be nice, too."
"One hundred thirty-three credits more. Ackbar, 133 credits gives you 876 with one more spin."
"I may as well take it and give the others a run for their credits."
"Try your luck, Ackbar, and get three hundred five credits again. You finish with 1181 credits. Not bad for being our lowest seed. Qui-Gon, you play next with 285 credits, a prize point, and six spins."
"Let's hope the board is still feeling generous today," Qui-Gon replied. "Here we go."
"Two eighty-six credits and a prize point. You more than doubled your score to 571 credits. You have two prize points, and you have five spins."
"I have to keep playing for the lead, so I'll go again. Let's get credits like everyone else here."
"Ninety-five credits and a prize. That gives you 666 credits and three prize points. You still have four spins."
"And I'm still trailing, so I have to spin again. Let's hope I can bridge the gap before I run out of spins."
"One hundred fourteen credits more for a total of 780 credits. You have three spins. Pass, or avoid the whammy?"
"Passing seems like a bad idea, so I have to keep playing. Keep being good to me, board."
"Ninety-five credits. Ninety-five credits gives you 875 credits. You need 306 credits to tie Ackbar, and you have two spins."
"I have to keep going, Preigo. I don't have any choice but to get a good credit amount now."
"Ninety-five credits and a spin. That spin helps, I'm sure. You still have two with a new score of 970 credits."
"That makes it a little easier this time. Let's get something bigger to make the game more interesting now."
"Ninety-five credits and a prize. Qui-Gon, you have 1065 credits—116 less than Ackbar—four prize points, and one last spin."
"I have to go, here. Either I'll get the lead or die trying."
"Try your luck, Qui-Gon, and get 210 credits!"
After a brief round of cheers, Preigo added, "Qui-Gon, you finish in the lead for now with 1275 credits—94 more than Ackbar. Now, we go to Cad with 533 credits and six spins of his own."
"I plan to use them to my advantage, too," Cad replied. "Let's work for the lead starting with this spin."
"Two sixty-seven credits for a total of 800 credits. You have five spins."
"Perfect. That should let me get a decent lead before I consider passing."
"Seventy-six credits and a spin. The credits give you 876. You trail Qui-Gon by 399 credits with all five of your spins remaining at your disposal."
"Every bit helps. Let's go for the lead once again here."
"Try your luck, Cad, and get 210 credits. Cad, you have 1086 credits. You need 95 credits to tie Ackbar for second place, and four spins."
"I have to go again. I'm too close to the lead now to take the easy way out. Let's get big credits again."
"One thirty-three credits for 1219. You're 56 credits behind Qui-Gon now, and you have three spins. Pass, or avoid the whammy?"
"I'm definitely too close to pass now. It's time to take the lead back on this spin."
Cad looked on in exasperation to see the board stop on a whammy. As the largely-Duros audience groaned, a whammy in clone armor shot Cad's score with a blaster as each digit disappeared one at a time.
"Cad, that whammy comes at a bad time..."
"You're telling me," he interrupted.
"But, you still have two spins," Preigo reminded him. "You'd need some additional spins to have a chance at the lead though."
"Then that's what I'll do. I need some extra spins now. I'll even take 1300 extra spins at a credit each if I have to!"
"One space back to 267 credits. Cad, that's presently your score with one spin remaining. You need 1008 credits to tie Qui-Gon. You would need an extra spin to stay in the game, otherwise Qui-Gon advances to the championship.
"If you feel like being a spoiler, you can pass to Qui-Gon. If he hits a whammy, Ackbar will take you out to the bar because he'd win and become your best friend for the day."
"That really doesn't help me in any meaningful way," Cad replied. "So, I'll go again and hope for an extra spin."
"Try your luck, Cad!"
"OK, I need extra spins with anything attached to it. I'll even take a Jedi and an extra spin if it's worth enough here!"
"Ninety-five credits and a spin! Cad, you live to play again. You have 362 credits now, the same spin, and the same situation. You need an extra spin to help you get the 913 credits you need to tie Qui-Gon."
"I have to play again, Preigo. I need another extra spin here. Let's hope it's a bigger value this time. Avoid the whammy..."
"Seventy-six credits without a spin is not enough. Our winner for today is Qui-Gon Jin with 1275 credits!"
Most of the small audience applauded politely as choir voices sang in the background.
"Qui-Gon, let's talk about the prizes you won today before discussing what happens next."
You won a set of six chance cubes. Be ready for whatever game you may play with this set from Desert Entertainment Associates of Tatooine Retail value: 12 credits.
You also won a portable header. The Techno Union model 451 Heater will keep you warmer than a wampa on Hoth. Suggested retail value: 299 credits.
"Ackbar, Cad, you won't be going away empty-handed. In addition to your previous winnings, we also have the following for you:"
That's right, they leave us with gift certifications to the Satellite Station Grill. Find your favorite foods from across the galaxy in one of the few intergalactic spaceports rated four stars. You'll also receive our home version of Try Your Luck (prizes not included).
"Qui-Gon, your bit of an upset means you'll be joining us next time for the championship. As you can see here, you'll be facing off against Han Solo and Pre Vizsla."
"The opponents sure get interesting each time," Qui-Gon remarked.
"Indeed, but with so much on the line, it will be worth the challenge. With that, we will see you next time for our exciting championship game. Until then, take care and enjoy this musical salute to local favorite, Cad Bane."
Whammies, whammies, no one likes the whammies.
Whammies, whammies, stay away please!