Chapter 2: Intrigue on Ithor

[Bo]

Ithor: Planetside

After Darth Syrus's shuttle landed on the forested surface of Ithor, it was not long until a speeder met him and then it was not long until he was zipping through subterranean tunnels. He communicated with someone by comlink. "Ready the communications satellite. It is time to activate our contingency plan."

Then, somewhere in the forest of Ithor, a satellite dish rotates. It emits a beam of energy that is bright and strong. Though encrypted, it doesn't take sophisticated equipment to detect. It goes out into space, racing at the speed of light... contacting something - or someone.

[Bo]

Aboard the Icebreaker

The communications center aboard the Icebreaker is suddenly a buzz of activity. Not only are they picking up more contraband, strengthening the Republic position, but now it seems they've found something else.

One of the comm officers contacts the Commander. "Commander Shawn. I have important news. It seems we have just detected a high-energy emission from the planet's surface. It is encrypted, but obviously seems to be some sort of communique.

[Bo]

Aboard the City-Ship

Tarak and a handful of Republic soldiers monitor a main thoroughfair - an exit from the Residential Sector. They stand guard, examining identification of anyone that passes by. The Padawan's eyes are intense.. trying not to miss anything. With him, perhaps, are a few of Commander Shawn's good men.

"Now that air traffic has been grounded," Tarak says, "Any traffic leaving this sector will have to pass through us...."

OOC

Do you have any named characters from your crew with Tarak? Namely, is Keyes there? Obviously, you can see what's going to happen. Valya Lokhart is going to have to try to get past them by stealth or by Force (pun intended hahah)

[Hayabusa]

"A communique? It seems I forgot to order a communication restraint as well," he says calmly. "See if we can decrypt it and suppress it as good as you can. Can we get a location of the emission?"

OOC

Oh yeah, Keyes is with Tarak again. Do you want me to change the perspective?

[Bo]

OOC

We can split the scene in two. Just wondering so you can play Keyes and some Republic troops in the scuffle that might happen soon.

The communications officer looks to Shawn. "Yes, Commander," he says. A few moments pass as commands are issued and carried out. Then the preliminary report returns. "We will be able to triangulate the origination of the broadcast to within 10 kilometers, sir," he says. "Decryption of the Imperial code will take longer. I will have our team begin working on it right away, sir..."

OOC

I'm going to do a check with modifier +6 (skilled crew) to see if you can decrypt the transmission. Here are the possible results: 10 - fail. 15 - 24 standard hours, 20 - 5 standard hours, 25 - now

[Bo]

After a few minutes, the communications officer reports again. "We've made progress on decrypting the transmission, Commander. However, it will be 24 hours by our estimations until we are able to make anything useful out of it."

Roll

Use computer 19!

[Bo]

Aboard the City Ship...

A few minutes go by and the minutes turn to hours. Tarak, Keyes, and a handful of Republic Troopers question and ID civilians exiting the Residential Sector.

"How long do we need to keep this up, Corporal?" asks one of the troopers as he checks the indentification of one of the Ithorians who is passing by in a single-file line.

"Until we find what we're looking fore.. " replies Tarak, butting in. "She's close.. very close..."

Valya Lockhart is without her lightsaber.. but it does not mean she is without weapons. The Force can be a powerful ally. The Sith Apprentice stands in line with the Ithorians and other civilians of different alien races. A cloak is drawn tightly about her face, obscuring her visage.

Map

[Hayabusa]

Aboard the City Ship...

"Until we get orders to return to the shuttles," Keyes shrugs. "I don't have much more authority over this than you. Only that I'm stationed on the ship of the officer who coordinates this whole thing doesn't mean that I know about it more or earlier than you. After all, I'm using the same comm channel as you. But I bet we know who's really in charge of this," he says smiling to his fellow Republic soldiers and nods in the Padawan's direction.

"She?" Keyes asks, switching the safety of his blaster carbine. "Well, I think we can wave through every male then, right?"

Aboard the Icebreaker

"10 kilometers? Well, that should be enough to spot any equipment. I want that transmission blocked. And if you can't do it then we have to destroy the transmitter. Deploy a few fighters to take care of that," the Chiss ordered.

"And send the datastream to my terminal," Shawn said to the communications officer. "I'll personally have a look at this and maybe I can find something you didn't see."

He returned to his cabin and sat down behind the desk made of dark wood before skipping through the transmission. He left the door to the Operations Room open so his crew knew that they're allowed to enter anytime.

OOC

Can I let him do something, too. Use Computers w/ FP?

[Bo]

Aboard the Icebreaker...

"Yes, Commander," the officer says. The two orders are sent out. Fighters and a few bombers are scrambled from the fleet and given direction by Ithor's cooperative government. Soon, they are swiftly en route to their 10 km target. It will take some time for them to arrive, but at this speed it likely won't be more than a few minutes...

Also within minutes, line after line of jumbled data begins to show up on Shawn's terminal:

##@$$$ N:LNKNL: #@$ ans %4%^^ aka a
afnn8239)&Y &(&(**(*B sdafjdksfjsdafad0sfadsf
asppoONNI On Oo o OO hasdn &*(&887 asdfffsfsd f.....
.. on and on and on...

The Commander tries a few of his own tricks and attempts to decipher the data...

OOC

I'll make another roll just as I did above, applying a FP to your Use Computer check...

[Bo]

.. and decipher the data he does!! The message reads:

"Greetings Imperial Fleet Command. Our operations on Ithor are coming to a most satisfactory conclusion. The Republic fleet has blockaded the planet and its city ships, freezing all travel for the time being. I am unable to provide you with their exact order of battle, but we should have no problem crushing them. It is most likely that they are arrayed in a perimeter encircling the planet. All clear to proceed with contingency plan as discussed at our last council. We will expect your arrival within five standard hours.

Yours in Victory,
Darth Syrus"

If Shawn looks down at his chrono, he'll likely see that it's been about 2.5 standard hours since the transmission originated.

Roll

Use Computer with FP: 30!!

Shawn's intercom beeps. "Commander. We've received confirmation that the planetary target has been destroyed. Fighters and bombers are returning to fleet, sir."