Star Wars D6: Green Vipers Episode X (Part I)

Episode X: Scavenger Hunt (Part I)

Introduction:

The Green Vipers campaign continues with this classic adventure by West End Games. This is the first time I've run one of the full standalone adventure supplements for my group and it will, by no means, be the last! I plan on running most, if not all, of those that were published! As usual, I own none of the images which were mostly sourced from google images. Please note that this is an advert free, not for profit blog. 

Additionally, please visit The Rancor Pit. The support shown to me by fellow GMs and players there has been wonderful - thanks again to all of you who are still following these adventures!

The New Viper:

Music Cue: Rebel Briefing

The Green Vipers are called to the Command Bridge on Nowhere where they find General Lens Reekeene and Santhou. Captain Hannah is also there and still seems to be running Nowhere's command deck in the aftermath of the battle of Lorimax.

Lens: Thank you for joining us, Vipers. We've got another mission for you, but first I'm sorry to say there's going to be some more changes to your squad. Commander Hannah, if you would?

Hannah: Thank you General. After our success at Lorimax, the General has asked me to command Nowhere on a more permanent basis. This means that I'll be key in not only day to day operational duties, but also planning future campaigns for this ship and coordinating Roughnecks operations alongside the General. That being the case, I'll no longer be able to lead you on missions. Now, the reluctance of members of this unit to step up to the plate in terms of leadership is well-established. That leaves me with no option but to put in charge the only member who has consistently made the case that things would be better if they were running things.

Captain Hannah

Kaleban: Huh! Who would that be?

Hannah: C4-S0, will you accept the position of Captain of the Green Vipers!

C4-S0: Goodness, gracious me! Yes, of course, it makes sense! And, if you don't mind me saying so, it's not before time!

C4-S0

Tala: What? You were threatening to dismantle him last mission and now you're putting him in charge?

Tala Nor

Hannah: I'm sure he'll perform quite admirably. 

C4-S0: Yes, that's enough from you mistress Tala. I'll not stand for dissent!

Tala: And what about you? You couldn't stand Hannah until now!

C4-S0: That's Commander Hannah to you! Admittedly, we have had differences of opinion, but that's all behind us now. Thank you Commander for this great honour!

Corr: Ah cannae believe yer puttin' this bucket of bolts in charge!

Lens: That's enough from you, Alden! Perhaps if you hadn't all shirked the burden of responsibility you wouldn't find yourselves in this situation!

C4-S0: Yes, pipe down or I'll have you thrown in the brig for your insolence!

Hannah: You'll be perhaps happier to hear that I've arranged for R3-FU to be given a full upgrade. He has full functionality now...

R3 beeps happily at this.

R3-FU

Lens: Obviously, we can't have you short-handed so you'll need a replacement.

Hannah: Indeed, I have one more parting gift for you! Please welcome my replacement, Beelam Bastrilla!

The bridge doors roll aside...

Beelam Bastrilla

The Ewok chirps enthusiastically as it joins the Green Vipers. His squad members stare at him in disbelief.

Kaleban: So much for not being 'short-handed'! You promised us a replacement, not a mascot...

Kaleban Maars

Hannah: Don't everyone thank me at once! 

Hannah smirks maliciously. Worn down by the Vipers' constant sniping at his leadership, he enjoys his moment of petty revenge, before explaining that he has a new mission for them, one which will require them to use the Imperial Shuttle they stole from Callonia...

Elusive Prey:

During a hyperspace jump on the shuttle, the team watch a fuzzy holographic communication received from Dankayo base:

As the image fades, the Vipers chat to each other. C4-S0 is 1st Rebel, Corr 2nd Rebel, Kaleban 3rd Rebel, Tala 4th Rebel,  Bots 5th Rebel and Beelam (interpreted by C4-S0) is the 6th Rebel.

Music Cue; The Sith Spacecraft and the Droid Battle

As they approach the Elusive, Corr takes the comms as the ship contacts them. As Beelam jumps on the shuttle's chairs and Bots struggles to grab him, Corr tells them that they have picked up a Rebel prisoner, a savage creature and they wish to dock with their ship. As they are granted access, Corr guides the ship in alongside the Elusive and he locks the Proton Torpedo Tube on to the Elusive.

Comms Officer: Ah, shuttle Bonderium, it looks as though you've locked a Proton Torpedo Tube has come unlocked and is...ah...sort of pointing our way. Would you mind shutting that down?

Corr: Aye, like I said, we've got problems here! Grab that wee nyaff, would ye, Bots?

In the next moment, Corr launches the Proton Torpedo and Kaleban opens fire with the laser cannon while Tala raises shields. Bots scoops up Beelam who he straps into one of the passenger seats at the rear of the shuttle. The shuttle shudders as the Elusive returns fire and both ships trade more fire, with Tala aiding Kaleban in blasting at the ship as Corr performs strafing runs. Then, as quickly as the battle began, it ends - with the Elusive making the jump to hyperspace. 

Kaleban: I don't think we can trace a ship through hyperspace!

C4-S0: R3, quickly, plot all known routes through hyperspace based on their last known trajectory!

R3 interfaces with the ship's computer and begins frantically trying to calculate the various trajectories. As he does so, a needle shaped ship drops out of hyperspace and starts using a tractor beam to scoop up the Elusive's garbage. Moments later, a doughnut shaped ship also drops out of hyperspace and also starts scooping up the garbage - while attacking both the needle-shaped ship and the shuttle! Corr directs the shuttle away from the battle as the needle-shaped ship uses tractor beams to protect itself from the larger ship's assault! The doughnut shaped ship then makes a jump away...

Music Cue: The Little People Work

R3 picks up a transmission that indicates that the smaller ship seems to know where the Imperial ship went. After a brief conversation on the comms, the needle-shaped ship agrees to allow the Rebels to dock to negotiate a trade. They are led through on to the ship whose corridors are overflowing with bric a brac until they are brought before King Ebareebaveebeedee. The King and his people are Squibs and he is keen to trade with them. The Vipers offer him the shuttle, but it is only when his advisor, Spilfer, whispers in his ear, that the King offers the team a fresh bargain.

Ebareebaveebeedee: You bring us quest object from System of Paradise, we give you place-numbers to catch BigShip. Spilfer will join you to lead you to the quest object! All pals together now!

King Ebareebaveebeedee

The Vipers are reluctant, but the King will not be shifted. They take Spilfer and a "gift of bargain-closing", a chef droid called L9-G8.

Spilfer

L9-G8

Strangers in Paradise:

Music Cue: Han Solo Returns (At the Court of Jabba the Hutt)

On arrival in the Paradise System, the team find that the junkyard at the centre of the system is heavily blockaded by a series of the doughnut-shaped ships which they now know are Ugorian ships, hated enemies of the Squibs. After the Ugorian Customs Officers bring the team on board their ship - which is even more rammed full of garbage than even the Squib ship - they agree to pay the relevant taxes to grant them access to the system. It becomes clear to the team that Paradise System is a place of almost religious significance to the Ugors. They are forced to relinquish their weapons, but Bots manages to conceal his hold-out blaster and Kaleban a boot knife, while Beelam manages to bluff the Ugors that his spear is a walking stick. Tala tries no deception; she always has her claws if they get into a fight.

Ugorians

Just as they are about to return to the shuttle, Spilfer enters the Ugorian ship, causing uproar! The Ugorians believe he is a sacrifice to be served up to them on a platter - it is only when the Vipers pay a hefty fine for Spilfer's desecration of their ship that he is released and they are allowed to proceed into the sprawling floating junkyard of Paradise.

As they depart the Ugor ship, the Vipers try to interrogate and intimidate Spilfer into telling them what the quest object is and if it is a danger to them. Spilfer insists that it isn't, but still refuses to provide any further details. Having noticed that a strange black assault ship is tailing them, Corr takes evasive manoeuvres as they enter the thick debris field. Identifying a huge hollow cylinder floating in the garbage, Corr guides the shuttle in and powers it down until their pursuers pass them by and disappear into the distance. He glances inquisitively to Spilfer.

Corr: Where tae now, wee man?

Spifler: Dead ahead. Not far now...

That's No Moon...

Music Cue: Inner City

The Squib directs them into a section of the junkyard which is heavily patrolled by Ugorian vessels which they manage to slip past, and they find a huge honeycomb chunk of garbage - perhaps a huge section of an Imperial Star Destroyer - floating in the centre of the field. Rings of garbage drift in orbit around it, but what it oddly the huge piece of wreckage at the centre is completely still. As Spilfer identifies the body as the location they are looking for, the team stare out of the viewport, looking for places to land. While most only notice a bare wall where they can land, Beelam and Tala spot a disposal chute as another potential landing spot - but Tala identifies an emergency airlock as the most hidden of landing positions. Corr takes the ship in and successfully docks with the gargantuan chunk of wreckage.

Bots: Droids will slow us. Better stay here.

Bots Vridak

C4-S0: Yes. I shall oversee the mission from here. Keep me informed so I can best advise how to proceed. R3 and L9 will remain here with me.

The humanoids members of the Vipers - Kaleban, Corr, Tala, Bots, and Beelam - proceed inside the wreck and navigate their way through wreckage-strewn corridors. With Beelam rushing onward ahead of them, they proceed through what was once a high-level clearance command centre before discovering sleeping quarters which are filled with battered and broken pieces of what looks like specialised medical equipment. 

Music Cue: The Magic Tree

Corr begins to feel uneasy...it's as if there is an unpleasant stench in the air, an evil presence...

Corr Alden

Beelam chirps excitedly as he discovers another door at the far end of the quarters. Kaleban overrides the door security and suddenly, as the door opens, they are pummelled by debris and they see the gleam of a black helmet and a black cloak billowing in the wind.  

Beelam is first to act, and charges with his spear, disappearing into the darkness under the cloak while Bots shoot with his hold-out blaster...fortunately, they discover that the cloak and helmet are on a stand - and that Darth Vader is not here!

With Corr's help, Tala decides to search the room. They discover a device and a box which Corr is very interested in.

As he opens the box, Corr takes a sharp intake of breath. A lightsaber lies inside. 

Concerned that it may be Vader's, he hesitates to so much as touch it. Sensing Beelam's curiosity to inspect the weapon, however, Corr reaches in and picks it up before the Ewok can act. Activating the lightsaber, a blue blade of pure energy ignites with a deep hum, and suddenly everything goes black around him. 

He can see no sign of his friends - or anything else for that matter. Suddenly four lightsabers - two blue and two green - ignite out of the darkness. They start spinning with an incredible speed, transforming turning the air around Corr into a terrifying, chaotic riot of colour and sound.

General Grievous: Your lightsaber will make a fine addition to my collection.

General Grevious

Grievous swings his lightsabers at Corr, and the whole world spins on its head. He finds himself a child once again, back in the Jedi Temple beside his friend and fellow youngling Sors Bandeam.

Corr: Sometimes I think we’ll never become Jedi.

Sors: I know that feeling, but I think you’ll make it, Corr! 

Suddenly an energy field separates Corr from Sors who suddenly turns around as Anakin Skywalker enters the room.

Sors: Master Skywalker, there are too many of them! What are we going to do?

Sors Bandeam

Corr tries to scream a warning to Sors but is unable to make any sound. He hears Obi-Wan's voice in his head, and shares his shock.

Obi-Wan: I have seen a security hologram of him…killing younglings.

Anakin ignites his lightsaber which suddenly transforms from blue to scarlet - as do Corr's surroundings. Sors has disappeared. Corr feels searing heat and finds himself standing on a mound of ash on the edge of a lava flow. A lightsaber - the same one he picked up moments earlier - is in his hand. As Anakin leaps at him, he swings his lightsaber and dismembers Anakin. Again, he hears Obi-Wan's words as though he is speaking them himself. The sense of loss and despair Corr feels is overwhelming.

Obi-Wan: You were the Chosen One! It was said you would destroy the Sith, not join them! Bring balance to the force, not leave it in darkness!

Anakin: I hate you!

Suddenly Corr is a child again, emerging from the cargo hold on the Centurion. Jaden Jericho sits him down at the holochess table.

Jericho: I don’t usually treat stowaways this kindly, but you want a game kid?

Jaden Jericho

Jericho's cloak turns to black and he transforms into Darth Vader. His lightsaber ignites once again as he approaches Corr.

Vader: Now I am the master.

Obi-Wan: Only a master of evil, Darth. You can't win. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.

As Vader swings the blade, Corr is vaguely aware of a distant scream, that of a young man - but the overwhelming sensation is one of peace and serenity. Once again, all turns to black. The voices he heard in his mind are fading, barely more than whispers...

Vader: The force is strong in this one.

Obi-Wan: Corr, these are your first steps…

And then he is back with his friends, brandishing the lightsaber, aware that it belonged to Obi-Wan Kenobi - and that they are in Vader's quarters on the ruined remnants of what was once the Death Star.

To be continued...