Booyor’s BLOGgh!

For those keeping score, it is now
W -1, L - 0, D - 1
with wookiees beating the Sith Order.

How do we explain it, Mike?

And should we tell Devin that Gabriel now runs part of the galaxy?

For my non-Star Wars readers, you do realize whose bloggh you’re reading, right? Don’t worry. Soon we’ll be continuing Russian free speech violations, historical Cold War comparisons, and mayoral interviews.
(I had forgotten about my Statler/Waldorf presidential campaigning.)

Kraka is dead! Long live Kraka!

Since no one’s going to be finding the footage, and any of the civilians on the ship probably only have nightmarish blurs of the encounter, this will take place from OOC.

Really, the only way to describe it is to review the deaths:

1. A section of the Vong troopers in a blast from above by the New Republic
2. A mercenary force, brought by Triggerman, caught in the middle of warbeasts and strafing coralskippers.
3. Mutated footsoldiers brought down by sniper fire, lightsabers, and even the Free Hungry Miltia from the city’s 14 fighting men on the rooftops.
4. Vong warmachines launched plasma into mercenaries
5. Triggerman brought a force of domestic droids to the fun on the edge of the battle. Two Vong warriors became enraged and rushed to start slashing with amphistaffs
6. Warbeasts blasted by an improvised gun platform from our ship’s wreckage; platform piloted by ZiD8
7. That platform was smashed to the ground, ZiD8 inside. If we can plug him into the ship’s computer, his memories should be restored. Right?
8. A ship, rigged to explode, swept over a segment of approaching Vong soldiers.
9. Vong commander with crabclaw struck down Kraka; Vong snuck onto civilian freighter and started massacring while the heroes listened over commlink; Tyris rushed to engage but was slashed down - but not before lightning tore into the commander; mercenaries, before dying, finished off the commander with grenades in close quarters, saving the civilians; Tyris could probably be revived
10. 5 of the 20 Chiss troops fell to warbeast stomps, swipes, bites and plasma artillery fire
11. 5 died holding down the remaining Vong troops so the operative and Zenon could escape; holding down until the Chiss orbital strike cleared a street full of Vong (and the 5 Chiss and 2 militia, and the Chiss commander in a blaze of glory (locked into his commlink coordinates))
12. 10 Chiss actually made it back onto the dropship
13. Some mercenaries and Republic troopers actually departed the field, too
14. The warbeast that towered over the treetops and smashed through buildings was brought down by combined fire from mercenaries, Chiss, Republic troopers and probably some Force choking (if I know my party)

And for those keeping a Booyor tally, that’s 4 character deaths with this group:

1. Kraka (SW: New Jedi Order), from a Chiss airstrike while being digested in the stomach of a Vong warbeast
2. Stutter (Mutants and Masterminds), on an Immaculate Dominion strikecruiser when a giant alien lizard known as Enemy exploded in a cloud of acid after eating through a wall
3. The Wanderer (SW: Foundation), struck down by an Imperial sentinel while in combat with the Dark Lady
4. Lofryyka (SW: Foundation), strapped with a backpack full of detonite grappling with Vader

My Chiss and city militia tally of enemy defeats:

The dice are enemy soldiers created by the Vong from the civilians earlier. That dark blur on the left is a warbeast (the one that ate Kraka).

Here’ Devin’s final count:

Those four large creatures. Large warbeasts.

I was going to do some more mockumentary footage for the most recent session (”There’s, like, Vong monsters and stuff”), but Sean did such an elaborate job.

The session started with us taking cover in a building in the city that we “came to save.”

Drabek lost his temper a little with Jedi continuing to rush in to places that angels fear to tread. And head said this was the kind of leadership he got out of the military to escape. Where leaders have no regard for the impact their actions have in terms of putting others in danger. He likened them to the Emperor in the arrogance in thinking their Force power could get them out of everything, even if it cost people their lives.

Drabek pointed out that we are facing an enemy we do not understand. With technology we cannot comprehend who have powers and abilities we do not understand. We are facing too many unknowns to go rushing in.

He lashed out at the reality that the New Republic is not ready for this enemy, the Jedi are not ready, no one seems ready for this evil which is tearing the universe apart.

After a couple minutes he seemed to calm down. He apologized for losing his temper and that he knows the Jedi are not really like the Emperor but he just thought he could escape this kind of life.

He just wanted us to try and think and be careful before we engaged the enemy. Especially because when any of us rush into a situtation we put everyone at risk and force each other hands.

The jedi had two visions:

1 was of Jason balancing on the galaxy with the Jedi order at one end, the New Republic at another and the Vong in a 3rd position. When the Jedi order moved to follow Jacen the New Republic fell off the edge of the galaxy. The Jedi order and New Republic were fighting the Vong in the balancing act.

2 was that there were a serious of situations that it appears the Vong have infiltrated: the Senate, the military, the forrest on this planet, a space station over a planet, and the offices of the Head of State. Each situation implied they were a significant threat to the survival of the galaxy against the Vong threat.

Then we spent the next couple weeks trying to figure how we could survive and maybe get off the planet.

We broke into two teams. One who worked on scouting the ship remains and another that scouted surrounding territory for a base of operations because we were finding evidence that the Vong might have this a hidden base on this planet.

Eventually the Jedi used the force to move most of the usable remains of the craft into the remains of a shop we found. Steve put together essentially a craft which is a minor weapons platform but was not space worthy - atmo only.

He also infiltrated the forest and brought back evidence the vong were capturing people and mutating them into something. They also were growing two other types of crops of creatures of war. He got video evidence which we then released to the Jedi later. It also was sent to the Chiss and Trigger man.

We got a comm system working and called for trigger man to come get us. He said he would do what he could but ships were at a premium. We were afraid that if he showed up the Vong might just shoot it down. The Chiss agent then put in a request for military back up.

Then we called the Jedi temple and realized everything is fragged across the galaxy. The New Republic is beginning to fracture along lines of people who want to work with/trust the Vong and others who feel we need to fight to the bitter end. Either way there is no unified opposition to this expansion. There are lots of rumors and propoganda going around about what is or is not happening. Trigger man said that he has never seen this kind of organized disinformation on such a scale in all his years in the info business. He said someone has spent years planning on how to create chaos in the information channels. It is blood-chillingly efficient.

Even the Jedi were breaking up. There are two camps: those who feel the Jedi need to forcefully oppose this evil with little holding back led by Kyp Durron and those who feel the Jedi are defenders and should avoid openly agressive defense. We “interrupted” a debate with all the jedi masters talking and ALL the Jedi watching. When we presented our evidence Kyp Durron said words mean nothing at times like this. Action is required. He said any who were with him to protect the people of this galaxy from the horrors of this enemy should join him now. He walked out and about 1/3rd of the Jedi left with him. Corran Horn stood to make it look like he was going to leave with them as well and it took Master Skywalker by surprise (he was leading the more stand back and defend approach). Horn said he was staying but that he felt master skywalker needed to give us decisive direction.

Jacen had also shared a vision he had which was similiar to our Jedi’s vision but not exactly the same.

Then we stopped the session just before Skywalker talked.

The first holo clip is from hip level, pointed up. Faces can’t be made out, but a distinctive voice from a breathmask apologizes for making Skywalker wait. Kyle Katarn’s voice explains that Master Skywalker had family matters to attend to in other parts of the galaxy. Next, a Mon Cal voice can be heard addressing the other corner of the room. “The Jedi send Skywalker and the best you send is the assistant to Fey’la? Remember, it was the Mon Calamari that beat the second Death Star, not the Bothans.”

A second glimpse of quick footage is from the same angle. A wheedling voice asks, “Can we expect the Chiss to partner in this effort?” The question is met with a stiff, “The Chiss do not need your help.”

Abruptly the perspective changes to the viewport from The Scimitar. Yith’s mechanically-enhanced voice says, “The Force has shown me danger. The desert is fine for now, but there is a great perversion in that forest. It is as if blue milk has been stirred in to the flow and ebb of the Force.” Immediately Kraka yells. “Look! Did you see that? People are running in to the ruins of that building.”

The cam is in low-light mode, digitally guessing the image from the stray glow cast by a Jensaari lightsaber and Yith’s glowrod. A woman and two kids are being helped out of a trapdoor. A boy panics. “They came. And then the monsters came. They will get us.”

The next scene is outside, the holocam strapped to Kraka’s chest. “Don’t worry! The Jedi are here! Come on out, Okae!” From off-camera a “Shut up, you fool! They’ll hear us!” assaults the party.

A new scene. A man is standing on a building in front of the camera, shading his eyes. Immediately a six-legged reptile, about fifteen feet in length, slams into him and carries him off in his mouth.

Digital static. Images are overlayed as the camera is repeatedly shaken and hit. Ship-class lasers slam into a pack of the reptiles, now near a forest. Over a commlink Drabek screams, “My ship! What do you mean, ZiD8? My ship?! Yargh!” A pinpoint blaster bolt streaks from a distance and pierces deep through the spiked reptilian armor.

The holocam is now on top of one of the beasts. A bandolier of grenades is being tossed into an all-too-close maw.

A Kel Dor is dodging through the grasp of two of the reptiles, holding his own. With each two-handed thrust, the reptiles move slower and slower.

Across the battlefield a squadron of New Republic vanguard are firing into a larger reptile. A paramilitary officer scrambles under one of the legs as he attaches a device, rolling just as a New Republic landing craft is swiped across the ranks of his troops. “Run! Tactical retreat!” he screams as he waves his arms. An explosion knocks the large beast onto its knees, but it progressively regains its six-footed balance.

The holocam is now under one of the beasts. The view somersaults and the tell-tale hiss of a lightsaber can be heard. “No, Tyris,” is heard whispered.

Walking calmly into the chaos is a lone figure with his right arm outstretched. He clutches at the air and a gurgled howl rings out across the forest. He clutches again, harder, yet remains collected as he walks. Next to the camera, “No, Tyris!” as the perspective starts to run towards the man in the armor.

Static.
Later analysis, after replaying the footage multiple times, determined that for a millisecond before the static, a speeder can be seen crashing into the camera.

Blue skin. Blue skin. Flash of reptile roaring. Blue skin.

Footage transmitted from a Chiss refurbished holocam
For a brief second a panning image is displayed from Kraka’s chest level. As the holo is slowed down, a horrific scene plays out.

What can best be described as a hive is swarming with drone and worker Killik running to darker corners of different combs. They are immediately met by four times the amount of blasterfire necessary to end their insectoid existence. Blue-skinned Chiss, donning teardrop helmets and oversized mag carbines, wipe clean the area. The Chiss risk showing some emotion as they pause briefly in front of their nectar-encased clansfolk before terminating their tortured suspended animation alongside the enemy Killik. All traces of the insect birthing ground are to be eliminated but a house debt will not be forgotten.

The last shot on the holo are the previous contents of the cameraperson’s stomach, now at his feet. The garbled words, “Such pain and anger” can only be made out after multiple reviews of the footage.

Film Footage Used with Permission from the Galactic Alliance
A grizzled human who, appropriately enough, looks like he’s survived a war stares at the camera, obviously now in a studio.

“I don’t know how much has already been said. We had a pretty limited perspective. At first we thought it was just a coincidence: the station crashing, the tidal wave, the rampant fires. We had set up our homestead only a few years previous. We were a limited commune, but we got by. Then The Day happened.

“On that day we thought we’d bought it. We hid in our homes praying to whatever guides the galaxy that the fires and earthquakes would pass over us. Then some fool fishhead - sorry, Mon Cal - comes busting open the door telling us to run to the landing platform. These privateers had landed to save us. We approached hesitantly. A Corellian was barking orders for people to cram into a retro-fitted cargo hold. This ship was unlike any I’d seen. [Galactic Alliance records indicate that the Scimitar had been a part of the rescue effort. It had last been in service by then-Senator Palpatine in tracking down Qui-Gon Jinn on Tatooine. Since then it has transferred ownership. Jedi scholars claim that "the presence" still remains.]

“That same Mon Cal came running in asking if his Kel Dor friend had made it back yet. He barked some orders, ran to the back of the ship, and jumped on an Old Republic speederbike heading straight into the fire.

“The Corellian, the pilot, and the man in the katarn armor all rushed us on board, which was a difficult task for those of us who just lost our livelihoods. When we were airborne, we could see the fire had shifted in the wind. For the longest time the ship just waited with no sign of their friends.

“Coming out of the fire was that Mon Cal holding a Kel Dor, the struggling Kel Dor holding an unconscious teenage girl. As the Kel Dor began to black out, the handlebars of the bike twisted and sent the entire mess into a flat spin.

“I never thought the adage about Corellians was true, but the co-pilot swung the back of the ship in time, eased it enough to slow the crash, and blasted out of the atmosphere with everyone alive.

“As we left we could see that the destruction planetside was nothing compared to the bloodshed above. Even the bright, shiny New Republic overkill rescue cruiser that had probably never seen action was ripped in two. That freaky Kel Dor coughed under his breath mask, ‘I told you, Admiral.’

“I still don’t know what happened to those guys, that crew that picked us up and risked their lives in the flames. After we got transferred to another ship at the rendezvous point, we hypered out of the area. I could have sworn as we left I saw some claw-shaped craft closing in on that Old Republic masterpiece.”

(Out of character - Nice Natural 20 (to co-pilot the Scimitar into picking us up), Gary! Yay living! I like my Kraka.)

The next image displayed is out a viewport. A giant worm is weaving its way through the depths of space. A breached space station is left in its wake.

Four asteroids begin to move erratically. They break into what seems to be a formation of unnatural motion. One of the asteroids spouts a volcano of plasma at the ship. The camera shifts and a Mon Calamari arm pushes it back. Sounds of combat can be heard but all that can be seen is the back of a freighter co-pilot chair. The camera turns off.

When the footage continues, a planet’s continent is engulfed in flames and ash. At the center is a crater a couple of kilometers wide. The space station is no longer in orbit.

Tidal waves begin at the impact. The slow moving waves gain momentum. The other continent will soon be under water. The camera drifts back from the viewport. Resting his head and right arm on the window is a Mon Calamari lost in thought, pulling in gingerly a left arm in a sling. He shakes his head.

The image begins in a leathery, maroon palm. As the camera elevates, you see a massacred droid surrounded by bodies of space station civilians. Some, still alive, have bite marks and swollen wounds throbbing. The camera rotates, rocking slightly on a mini repulsor lift. Shirtless, scarred warriors are strewn on the floor.

A Mon Calamari face comes into view. “The armor on this one repulsed my lightsaber attack.” He points to a soldier adorned in ornate armor. A snake is flailing spasmodically nearby. “The station’s inner workings have bite marks I have never seen before. The peacemakers are being targeted.”

The holocam continues its rotation. One whole corner of the room has been eaten away. The view now stares down the long throat and maw of a giant worm.

“Our orbit has been thrown off. Soon we will plummet in the planet’s gravity well. This is Kraka of the New Republic and we need help.”