Jaina Solo (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sticksofthejedi) wrote2013-07-07 09:16 pm
sticksofthejedi) wrote2013-07-07 09:16 pm
Entry tags:
Memory 69
Memory: Discovering the Hapan coup.
Received: Day 264, predawn
Form: A teabag. Can make memory tea "a couple times."
Summary: Hapans being Hapans ruins everybody's day.
--
Jaina and Zekk have just landed on a Hapan planet and watched a group of vessels set out. They're there to deliver a message from Tenel Ka. A courier is necessary because the planet Terephon is cut off from regular communications efforts. They're at the fancy Villa Solis, where noble Ducha should be. But with the vessels taking off, there's nothing left but droids. Zekk observes the Hapans had to know the two Jedi were there. Jaina quips the Hapans might have gotten scared.
The droids at the gate offer one minute to leave or be dealt with "harshly" for trespassing. They're not on the schedule, they have to request an appointment. Zekk points out they couldn't, the Holonet doesn't reach the planet. Jaina drops Queen Mother Tenel Ka's name to stress the importance of their message, but the droid tells them the Ducha is not in residence currently. Which is odd, because the Royal Intelligence Service says she is, and the service hadn't been wrong about the whereabouts of any other nobles. The droids note the Jedi have thirty seconds left to depart, and "termination procedures" are already being prepared. Jaina and Zekk immediately activate their lightsabers and destroy the two droids together. Jaina jokes the only better mission partners than them would also be lovers.
They're going to have to find the Ducha and figure out what's going on. Jaina searches in the Force for any living presences. There is one. She tries demanding the gate open up, and adds they're not there to hurt anyone. No response; she shrugs and moves to cover Zekk against any ambushes while he slices the gate open. They finally get an answer: a woman tells them to stop and finally unlocks the gate.
They go in tot find a groundskeeper; the woman complains they didn't need to cut the gate, she would have let them in. Jaina points out the obvious delay in responding. The woman is Entora Zar. "Well, Entora, the next time a Jedi Knight addresses you, you might want to answer."
Entora criticizes the Jedi's landing; she thinks their entry angle was too steep, so it wasn't a "graceful approach." The three of them snipe at each other about piloting. Jaina asks if the woman pilots pedal cars, and after hearing a list, says she's been flying antiques, not star fighters. It becomes clear the woman's flight experience is entirely in simulators. Zekk gives her a nudge in the Force -- this is clearly an intentional delaying tactic.
Entora: In fact, I'm probably a better pilot than you, since my unit. . .
Jaina: You're not. And we're done arguing about it.
The Jedi push past her onto the compound. As they go in, they can finally sense people in an underground shelter. They search through the complex and find an entrance to the presences. It's suspicious because it's mucky and they can't see the Ducha crawling through the mud. Jaina stops Zekk from cutting in, noting that Ducha Galney is supposed to be one of Tenel Ka's most loyal allies, and they should try to minimize the damage they do; can Entora open the emergency shelter?
The woman is confused; this isn't an emergency shelter. Six creatures come bursting out at them, and the Jedi react, but Entora stops everything. Just her "babies" -- the Ducha's hunting murgs. The woman claims the Ducha isn't hiding, she was offended by the Jedi's ungraceful landing and decided to leave. She'd known it was Jedi coming. After more questions, the Jedi learn it's customary for the Ducha to leave twenty staff maintaining the villa, rather than just the one -- and the Ducha has had a fleet getting refitted all week. All week -- the Ducha was preparing to mobilize a fleet before she could possibly know Tenel Ka would be calling on her resources. The Ducha was one of the people orchestrating the coup.
Zekk suggests the Ducha is going to be blowing up the villa with the Jedi there. "We're Jedi. And you know what it would mean to her if we get away. She has to be sure." They set out, but get intercepted by a pair of Yuuzhan Vong Hunter Droids. For those just tuning in, they're basically better-armed Terminators. Jaina says Uncle Luke is going to have to have a talk with Lando about who the droids are being sold to. Entora says they're just watch droids and orders them to stand down; she gets cut down as the droids start firing laser cannons at the trio. The Jedi leap different directions, deflecting as much fire as they can; the murg get loose and disturbed, attack one droid and the dead groundskeeper.
Jaina sends a signal to her astromech droid, Sneaker, to get the engines started for a quick takeoff. That's unfortunate because Jaina knows in their current condition the cold start process will have her overhauling the fighter's engine at the next stop if the fighters make it that far. They're fighting clear of the complex when Jaina hears the roar of a fighter squadron entering atmosphere and approaching. Jaina takes some shrapnel in her back and neck as she finishes off her droid.
The incoming fighters destroy the Jedi's X-wings. The complex will be the next target; they get out.
Received: Day 264, predawn
Form: A teabag. Can make memory tea "a couple times."
Summary: Hapans being Hapans ruins everybody's day.
--
Jaina and Zekk have just landed on a Hapan planet and watched a group of vessels set out. They're there to deliver a message from Tenel Ka. A courier is necessary because the planet Terephon is cut off from regular communications efforts. They're at the fancy Villa Solis, where noble Ducha should be. But with the vessels taking off, there's nothing left but droids. Zekk observes the Hapans had to know the two Jedi were there. Jaina quips the Hapans might have gotten scared.
The droids at the gate offer one minute to leave or be dealt with "harshly" for trespassing. They're not on the schedule, they have to request an appointment. Zekk points out they couldn't, the Holonet doesn't reach the planet. Jaina drops Queen Mother Tenel Ka's name to stress the importance of their message, but the droid tells them the Ducha is not in residence currently. Which is odd, because the Royal Intelligence Service says she is, and the service hadn't been wrong about the whereabouts of any other nobles. The droids note the Jedi have thirty seconds left to depart, and "termination procedures" are already being prepared. Jaina and Zekk immediately activate their lightsabers and destroy the two droids together. Jaina jokes the only better mission partners than them would also be lovers.
They're going to have to find the Ducha and figure out what's going on. Jaina searches in the Force for any living presences. There is one. She tries demanding the gate open up, and adds they're not there to hurt anyone. No response; she shrugs and moves to cover Zekk against any ambushes while he slices the gate open. They finally get an answer: a woman tells them to stop and finally unlocks the gate.
They go in tot find a groundskeeper; the woman complains they didn't need to cut the gate, she would have let them in. Jaina points out the obvious delay in responding. The woman is Entora Zar. "Well, Entora, the next time a Jedi Knight addresses you, you might want to answer."
Entora criticizes the Jedi's landing; she thinks their entry angle was too steep, so it wasn't a "graceful approach." The three of them snipe at each other about piloting. Jaina asks if the woman pilots pedal cars, and after hearing a list, says she's been flying antiques, not star fighters. It becomes clear the woman's flight experience is entirely in simulators. Zekk gives her a nudge in the Force -- this is clearly an intentional delaying tactic.
Entora: In fact, I'm probably a better pilot than you, since my unit. . .
Jaina: You're not. And we're done arguing about it.
The Jedi push past her onto the compound. As they go in, they can finally sense people in an underground shelter. They search through the complex and find an entrance to the presences. It's suspicious because it's mucky and they can't see the Ducha crawling through the mud. Jaina stops Zekk from cutting in, noting that Ducha Galney is supposed to be one of Tenel Ka's most loyal allies, and they should try to minimize the damage they do; can Entora open the emergency shelter?
The woman is confused; this isn't an emergency shelter. Six creatures come bursting out at them, and the Jedi react, but Entora stops everything. Just her "babies" -- the Ducha's hunting murgs. The woman claims the Ducha isn't hiding, she was offended by the Jedi's ungraceful landing and decided to leave. She'd known it was Jedi coming. After more questions, the Jedi learn it's customary for the Ducha to leave twenty staff maintaining the villa, rather than just the one -- and the Ducha has had a fleet getting refitted all week. All week -- the Ducha was preparing to mobilize a fleet before she could possibly know Tenel Ka would be calling on her resources. The Ducha was one of the people orchestrating the coup.
Zekk suggests the Ducha is going to be blowing up the villa with the Jedi there. "We're Jedi. And you know what it would mean to her if we get away. She has to be sure." They set out, but get intercepted by a pair of Yuuzhan Vong Hunter Droids. For those just tuning in, they're basically better-armed Terminators. Jaina says Uncle Luke is going to have to have a talk with Lando about who the droids are being sold to. Entora says they're just watch droids and orders them to stand down; she gets cut down as the droids start firing laser cannons at the trio. The Jedi leap different directions, deflecting as much fire as they can; the murg get loose and disturbed, attack one droid and the dead groundskeeper.
Jaina sends a signal to her astromech droid, Sneaker, to get the engines started for a quick takeoff. That's unfortunate because Jaina knows in their current condition the cold start process will have her overhauling the fighter's engine at the next stop if the fighters make it that far. They're fighting clear of the complex when Jaina hears the roar of a fighter squadron entering atmosphere and approaching. Jaina takes some shrapnel in her back and neck as she finishes off her droid.
The incoming fighters destroy the Jedi's X-wings. The complex will be the next target; they get out.