In Character Thread

Episode 0 A rude Awakening

"ON YOUR FEET!"

The shout wakes you out of deep sleep as your eyes pop open revealing a tall broad shouldered rebel leader standing in the doorway of the berthing area. His large human stature blocks your view of the hallway behind him. The bright white lights over the bunk beds snap on, a stark contrast to the peaceful dim light and gentle rest you were enjoying.

You scramble out of your bunks and stand in the single empty ilse. The cold floor on your feet and the still air tells you that morning is still hours away, and something is wrong.

"Where's his bunk?" The officer storms into the room, ignoring the line of recruits standing at a hasty sleepy attention. Making his way to an empty bed with no recruit standing next to it.

Through the glare of the bright lights you see an empty bed, sheets thrown back, footlocker ajar and a missing recruit. You're startled and confused. You all went to sleep at the same time, where could he have gone in the middle of the night?

The officer bends down to inspect the open footlocker, digging in it briefly by tossing some spare clothing aside and out of the trunk.

"There's nothing here." He says curtly, addressing the 3 other junior officers still waiting sheepishly at the door, unsure weather to enter or stay outside. All markedly afraid at the large officer's interaction with them.

"Take it. Take all of it." As he gestures around the empty bunk and footlocker. The 3 other officer scurry into the room and quickly start to pile the loose articles of clothing and bedding into the footlocker.

"Does anyone know where this man is?" He addresses the room in a loud, calm , authoritative voice while pointing to the empty bed.

The room remains deathly quiet as the remains of the bunk are packed up.

".....nobody? Fine." He turns towards one of the female officers standing just outside the door. "Who'd he come in with?"

The officer shuffles to her second data pad and swipes quickly on it, feeling all the eyes of the room on her.

"Togen, Armitage, T1 dash N33, and Ama-Ama-ran-tha, Lieutenant " she snaps to a quasi form of attention, pleased in her quick response to the question.

The Lieutenant's eyes scan the room, looking at the party. His eyes come to rest on Tiny.

"Well, they're still here. They're either genuine, or stupid." His voice hints at moment of humor, and the seriousness of the room lightens for the briefest moment.

"You four, follow me." He motions with his hand a following gesture as he begins to walk out of the room. Your eyes dart back and forth at each other, unsure weather to get dressed first or go in your sleeping attire. As if he has eyes in the back of his head he barks "NOW, please. Leave your gear."

You shuffle into a line and follow the Lieutenant out the door into the hallway. Your eyes try to meet the officer's standing outside the door, but she looks down at her data pad anxiously averting her eyes so as not to make contact.

The Lieutenant walks you down the narrow well lit hallway. Only wide enough for about two men shoulder abreast, the white insulation panels on the walls and ceiling keeping out the bitter icy environment of the rocky moon's interior. You pass numerous closed doors, mostly to other sleeping areas, some to maintenance closets.

After about 30 yards a door on the left opens abruptly and 2 base security guards enter the halway just in front of the Lieutenant.

"Put 'em in there." He says, as he points to the open door without even turning to look back at the party as he walks away down the hall. The 2 security guards usher the party into the room.

The door shuts swiftly behind you and you hear it clank loudly, locking you in. [Daunting]

The room is a 10 x 12 metal box with a large window on the right that appears to be a 1 way mirror. There are 2 metal chairs bolted to the floor with their backs against the left wall, as if two people are to sit and look iinto the mirror together. You see an old drink distribution station affixed in the wall that hasn't been cleaned in ages. Paper cups are stacked upside down nearby. On the wall with the mirror, you see a metal speaker box, for use communicating with someone on the other side. The overhead lighting is covered by a metal screen.

It's clearly not a jail cell, but definitely a secure waiting room. The four of you stand in the room, looking at yourselves in the the reflection. Tired, confused, mildly cold.

The party takes 1 strain for not getting a full nights sleep, and 1 strain for being in the cold room in only your sleep wear.

T1 stands precariously close to the door that slams shut behind the group, knocking on it several times with a metalic clank.

"Query: Why are we locked here?" he asks the group.

He begins to circle around until he reaches the glass of the two way mirror, pausing before knocking on it. He cocks a fist backwards, and looks towards Mo.

"Observation: This section of the wall has glass. Potentially leading somewhere other than this room. Should i facilitate an escape plan?"

The glass will be a [Hard] difficulty with an upgraded die from the wire mesh embedded inside it.

Maldan Togen shivers from the cold. He has gotten little sleep the previous night, and was still drowsy and restless.

"I am unused to these frigid temperatures. A squad of Imperials would almost seem preferable, as it would certainly warm us up at least. Yet I suspect we need not worry, droid. These are most likely standard precautions, considering that we are all strangers to these people, as we are to each other. No, my big worry is for the one who disappeared in the night. If anyone can warn the Imperials of this base's location, he is the most likely culprit."

Maldan looks at his other companions. They look like capable warriors. He hopes that their skill accords with their appearance. It will be nice to be among warriors once more.

Sure, give me a [Hard] Vigilance check.
Take no strain for the cold. You can make a vigilance check as well if you'd like.

Maldan gives the doctor a hearty smile. Well it seems we have some soldiers among us, so I suspect you will be needed here more than you think. Though I hope it doesn't come to that.

"I am Designation T1-N33, You may call me T1. Query: Doctor, are you trained in droid services?"

Tiny is growing impatient. He does not enjoy being trapped in a room with this many people, and he feels very out of place.

"Query: What if this is a test? Perhaps we are meant to escape?" His question is clearly directed initially at Mo, but based on his posture, it seems he will accept an answer from any of the people present in the room.

He continues to look towards the window. Logically, someone is behind there watching them. silently judging the group.

About 15 minutes elapses before the door to the room opens. The large Lieutenant enters the room followed by 2 junior officers carrying your footlockers.

The junior officers set the heavy trunks down on the floor and separate them so that they may be opened. The Lieutenant continues to walk into the room all the way to the other side of the wall, and turns to address the group.

"We’ve got a problem." He states frankly, though it comes as a surprise to no one. The junior officers actually seem more calm than earlier.

"One of our recruits has decided to up-and-leave in the middle of the night." He pauses, waiting for the information to settle in.

"Now ordinarily, this thing has happened a time or two. Recruits get scared, think they have a better life not getting involved, run back home to mommy." He glances around the room.

"..problem is that it usually doesn’t coincide with the base losing our sole communications with the outside world." He places his hands on his hips in a disappointing judgmental stance.

"We searched your trunks, and checked the holocron recordings. We’re pretty sure you lot are just as surprised as we are. Nevertheless, you all arrived on the same transport together, and we had to be thorough"

"That still leaves the issue of the comm tower though. Gold squad is prepping for a big mission today, and I need them tip-top. I’m assigning you to check out the relay, get it back online if you can, or report the damage if it’s sabotage. He nods softly before taking a more quiet, more serious tone.

"Take your weapons with you, we’re not sure if our missing recruit is involved, or if its completely unrelated, be on guard." He takes his hand off his hip and places it on Tiny’s metal shoulder, the only one close enough both in proximity and stature.

"These boys will get you some hats and jackets for the cold out there." He points at the junior officers.

"Ice storm blew in last night…" The Lieutenant begins to walk through the room, and out the door

….helluva first day! His voice trails off as he makes his way down the hall.

After getting situated, the junior officers lead you out of the room down the hall and into a maintenance shaft. The shaft is more narrow than the hallway, and not as well insulated. You can feel the bitter cold of the surrounding rock. The howling wind of the storm can be heard raging overhead.

The middle of the shaft opens up around a ladder that leads upward through a vaulted ceiling of about 10 feet and through a small access hatch. On either side of the ladder there are benches with heavy boots laden with snow and mud tucked orderly underneath. Behind the benches are thick heavy jackets with fur lined collars hanging over staggered knobs. Some still have icy snow clinging to the shoulders. The lighting in the room is a dim blue and it’s hard to see color variations in the clothing and hats under the monochromatic light.

"Take what you need, and make sure it gets put back where you found it." one of the officers shouts over the howling wind.
"Once you get outside, the communications tower is about 200 yards uphill" the other officer says pointing in the direction of the access hatch in the ceiling. "Stay on the ridgeline where this hatch opens up, otherwise you’ll get lost in this storm. Visibility is bad and we won’t get sunlight for two more days."

You're very disappointed with yourself. You just had training the other day about observation and the world around you. How you're supposed to take note of all the details. Now you can't even remember the smallest detail about the guy you came in with. His face just blends into the background and you can't recall it. It's so frustrating, especially now, when it matters.

Like your compatriot, you remember nothing. Which doesn't bother you as much as Tiny, but it makes you think. If you can't remember to take note of those around you, what else have you missed? What if you miss something during a startup sequence on a fighter? That could really cause problems. Wait, what if you already had forgotton something and didn't even know it? No... no way... you know your systems... batteries to on, boosters to high, hyperdrive cooling to on...

You continue going through your checklists for starting up several fighters in your head, testing yourself for a deficiency, and finding none. But you are definitely distracted.

Take 1 strain