Episode I: The Freelance Opportunity OOC

Per a very helpful suggestion, this thread should be utilized for specifics questions regarding the current Episode. All other concerns, comments, or general interaction should be posted to the Tip of the Spear OOC thread.

The overall consensus so far seems to be that a 'flashback' post of the mission briefing might only add to the confusion so I am going to post in plain terms what is known ... any further questions can be directed to Edite (your intel officer who also happens to be on the mission) or via flipping a Destiny Point.

This was in the middle of the discussion on the other thread and I didn't want it to get missed.

Aft. Deck 9.

And the team has seen the plans. Cypher can access them through his HUD as well

how is this a civilian vessel and not a criminal vessel. I'm still confused on this point. If this is a civilian vessel, why are we approaching it this way? why did we not just hail them and tell them to heave to and submit to a search? It sounds like there is a lot of concern over people who have stolen war supplies, war supplies that could keep clones alive.

It probably flies under a civilian banner. Not sure a criminal is going to announce themselves.

Kind of suggests they're criminals then doesn't it? Criminals who stole from the war effort. Those stolen supplies were supposed to help clone stay alive right?

Well we are being lead by Jedi who will tend to want to keep people alive due to their principles.

From wookiepedia (which is reinforced by it's FFG stats), the Action VI was a bulk freighter and transport that lacked even the most basic defenses, it has no weapons and very light armor. It was used because it was cheap, if it was being employed directly by military forces, it'd be accompanied by gun ships. I don't believe that was the case.

If it's not a military vessel, it's civilian.

Proceeding from there, militaries don't have 3 classifications. They don't deal in "criminality", they're not law enforcement. You're either enemy combatant, or you're civilian.

You may be a civilian suspected of supporting enemy combatants, but unless that is known/demonstrable conclusively, you're still a civilian.

To my knowledge, we received no intelligence stating that every one on the ship is a known enemy combatant.

I would like to encourage you to please join us in the story thread and start trying to have some fun with the ppl here and the game.

These are very good and valid points and we will assume that the questions were raised and answered in the mission briefing:

- The Republic Army and Navy actually don't have the authority to conduct policing activities on private citizens. As the freighter is under a Republic registered trading company the Army would have no cause nor authority to search the vessel.

- The Jedi, however do have the authority to search (with cause and warrant), though with the Republic 'Judicials' not the military. As was stated, the supplies are needed for the war effort thus can not afford to be tied up in a criminal investigation and prosecution (the supplies would be held in evidence). So essentially the covert nature of the mission is to basically steal the supplies back. OR ...

And I'm only loosely going to explain the following, any further detail being IC via conversation with Edite and what she chooses to reveal:

- Being a civilian company with no overt or confirmed Separatists sympathies it would be a PR nightmare to go in guns blazing and treating the entire crew as enemy combatants and there wasn't time to conduct a proper investigation and still secure the stolen supplies ... it also wouldn't do to making a very public 'stop and search' as the Republic relies on private companies to move their supplies as well and companies would be reluctant to work with the Republic if they knew the were using the military to search and seize ships.

- There have been rumors of the Separatists Navy harrowing the shipping lanes and dedicating military resources to protecting shipping is costly and takes away military assests from the front lines. Smugglers caught smuggling stolen Republic supplies however ... can avoid jail time for agreeing to smuggle supplies for the Republic.

- It is also in the troopers experience that when Republic Intelligence is involved that there are other motives in play that the troopers aren't made privy to.

So we're splitting up. This is gonna be interesting. CC-19-1110 wanted to go deck by deck as there should be no way the crew would know we're on board and therefore have no reason to respod as if being boarded.

I like divided ideas, makes it really exciting game and RP.

I definitely think that we are unprepared, and that kind of reflects in our decision-making process.

Thing is, I don't think we can do a deck-by-deck search. Now that I've had a look at the deck plans, all of those cargo decks have nice big cargo loading doors that open straight out into space, protected by just force shields. The longer we wait to get to the inhabited decks, the longer they have to figure the gig is up and vent the atmosphere in the lower half of the ship. Wals wants to get out of the cargo area as soon as possible and secure the ship's operating rooms before they go kicking over boxes.

I tend to agree with Griffin we are best off skipping straight to the command deck and flight control, cut the snake off at the head so to say.

Before posting my reply I wanted to make sure that it is a definite that Wals, ARC-7891, and LRS-4661 are heading to the crew decks and bypassing the cargo holds. Or is it still being discussed at this point?

Seuss

That is Wals' plan, but I'm willing to stop if someone wants to protest.

CC-19-1110 is not a fan but he is not the highest ranking officer. He sees the potential in these Jedi 'shinnies' and feels this job is simple enough to let mistakes happen if they do.

I am in board as a player. Take the bridge fast and secure the ship. Then take our time finding our supplies. CC-19-1110 knows they have time and wants to make sure this ship has what we want amd is not a trap before blindly leaping forward.

Just to clarify, CC-19-1110 is not objecting to the party split.

I think CF-2571 should be on the lift with Jedi Commander Wals as we are down a player on that side.

Y'all need to lock in nicknames quick.

I have no idea who anyone is except Cypher 😂

I intend to leave the ARC trooper in the game ... he just doesn't have a player acting for him. He'll protect his self and everyone else and take actions if told too or attacked. Just won't have much to say/offer solution wise to the situation.