Chapter 2 - The Wheel

The lights of Hyperspace disappear as you enter the Besh Gorgon System, you are approaching The Wheel.

The Wheel is an enormous, circular hub-and-spoke style space station located on the Perlemian Trade Route near the outer edge of the Mid Rim. It is the center of an "immunity sphere," making its status under the Empire unique. Nominally, Imperial ships are not allowed at the station, and there is no formal Imperial presence. This makes the Wheel a popular destination for anyone avoiding the gaze of the Empire. It is a hub of economic activity, above board and below. It is also a major tourist destination, with popular casinos and entertainment zones.

There is plenty of space traffic, but a standard request for landing get's you a berth and in relatively short order you have landed and are secure to enter the station.

The Wheel looked massive from the outside, leaving your landing pad and entering into walkways you realize it is even more expansive. The population is mostly human, but a good 20% of the crowd is non-human with a noticable number of droids, if your the type who notices droids.

Dancy consults a hallway terminal for directions and then motions for you to follow her.

IsoTech is located deep in the Wheel’s cargo levels in the outer ring. The rented office is well-worn and well-used. It consists of several small rooms and the office suite is attached directly to the company’s two enormous cargo bays. A double-door cargo turbolift connects the two bays with one of the larger hangar bays several levels below.

Visitors to the office are greeted by the droid receptionist, CZ-13. "Cees" is friendly and efficient, but spends several minutes verifying your identities. The droid also pointedly closes and locks all of the doors until he completes Dancy's idenity check. He then leads you into Reom's office.


Reom is a blue-skinned Twi’lek male of supremely average, nondescript appearance.

Good of you to show up. Please, take a seat. Have you ever heard of the Sa Nalaor? It's a ship of legend out here, especially among smugglers, salvagers, and treasure seekers. Some say it's a Separatist treasury ship filled with cash or precious metals or secret technology, but it disappeared while fleeing Imperial pursuit to the edge of the Outer Rim at the end of the Clone Wars. Treasure hunters chase rumors occasionally, but no one has found it. Some never return.

As it happens, one of the Sa Nalaor's hyperspace message pods was recently found long dead near the Wheel and delivered to me. I'll understand if you think this is some kind of con game, but I want you to find the ship for me.

Here's the deal. This pod appears to have the last known location of the Sa Nalaor and limited information as to its condition. The ship is at the outer fringe of the Outer Rim. At a minimum, I want you to find the ship, assess its condition, and bring back all the information you can to our secret salvaging base on Raxus Prime. However, I also believe there’s some special technology aboard that would really boost IsoTech. If you find that and bring as much as you can back with you, I'll double your reward. Maybe triple it if it's really good.

You're to take IT-3PO with you,- he'll arrive shortly. Starting pay is 10,000 credits. If you skip out on me, and there was something to find, I've got the connections to make your life very difficult out here.

Remember to purchase equipment and supplies for yourself and possible survivors before you leave, here's a 5,000 credit voucher for that. The Wheel has plenty of shops, so you should find most everything you need. I’d also recommend asking around for more information, but be careful who you ask and how loudly. You never know who’s listening...

Well, to be honest, we're a Tech company. Sure, I've got a ship I might spare, but none of the staff are really trained for searching unknown planets beyond the Rim. Looking toward Pergano, I'm sure there are other interests after the ship, it's been a treasure hunters wild dream for nearly 15 years. Even though it's only been a few days since the Sa Nalaor's message pod was delivered to me, I'm sure someone has mentioned it on the station. We've increased our internal security but still, I'd be careful who you speak with.

To Ken he says, The rumors of 'special technology' are as varied as each hunters dreams. To be honest though, my father new the commander of that ship during the war. He said Captain Rel Harsol's last post was a Separatists R&D base. If they ran from the Empire, chances are they loaded what they could before taking off.

Pulling a data chip from his pocket he lays it on the table.

The message pod we received was sent from the Cholganna system, it's an uninhabited system just beyond the outer rim. The message was from Captain Harsol to my father Ropok. He was requesting rescue and survival gear, assuming they would survive a crash landing, apparently the ship was damaged fleeing the Empire. The data chip contains images of the the ship and Captain Harsol and the location of our base on Raxus Prime. The base is hidden from the Imperials, so please follow the indicated flight plan to keep from leading them to us. Reol, took a breath as he allowed what he'd just said to sink in.

My sister will be arriving this evening with IT-3PO, he's been functioning since before the Clone Wars and has met Captain Harsol. Hopefully that will help gain the Captain's trust that your really friends and not some random treasure hunters. Anything else before we end?

Reol shakes his head, Alas, we organics do not last as long as you Droids. Otherwise, I'm sure my father would run off to find Harsol. Sliding the data chip over toward Blih, Yes, the original message is on the chip as well. Standing up he motions toward the door.

As I said, my sister will bring IT-3PO to your hangar as soon as she arrives this evening, hopefully you will have everything in order and be ready to depart. Good hunting.

The group leaves the Iso-Tech offices and Reom to begin their preparations. Traveling 'inward' from the cargo and shipping area where Iso-Tech keeps it's offices, they are greeted with a bustling station. While most of the individuals are human, at least 20% are other species. They maneuver around and among each other creating a cacophony of sound and motion. You plunge into the crowd and soon reach Farlander's. Pulling up one of the Kiosk order screens, you quickly page though and select the gear you want.

AD-hoc finds a discreet terminal (surprised at how easy it is for Droids to disappear in a crowd.) and starts working to plant the information that will corroborate the stories Blih is telling.

@Ken - You find out that Everyone is talking about IsoTech and the hyperspace pod. Speculation is rampant, and anyone associated with IsoTech is of interest to their rivals, the Yiyar Clan. The Yiyar Clan has also been asking about the Sa Nalaora since the hyperspace pod was discovered.

@Blih - You can mark off 50 or so credits, your rolls are good enough not to worry to much about a boost. You have learned -
A number of beings have been asking around for anyone who has astrogation paths to the planet Cholganna , but none have turned up as of yet.
Cholganna is the home to the famed and feared Nexu. The Nexu trade is highly profitable for those who can pull it off. Cubs and black Nexu fetch the highest prices.
The Yiyar Clan is threatening and warning away anyone who even mentions the hyperspace pod. Some guy named "Too-Low" Talo, has been snooping around Iso-Tech looking for info.

@Blih and AD-hoc - Your attempts at distracting the 'opposition' have had an affect. But there's no narrative way to describe it without giving away 'behind the scenes' stuff.

You all rendezvous back at the ship, purchased gear and time well spent now in the past. It's only a couple hours until Reom's sister is supposed to arrive with IT-3PO so you can depart.

The subterfuge complete, AD-hoc returns to The Longshot. Back on the ship, AD-hoc notices Keno's new weapon and ask if he can look it over. 'A fine weapon. Acceptable modifications. Can still be upgraded.'

Blih will share all his findings with the group once back at the ship.
"Only that they are threatening and warning away anyone who even mentions the hyperspace pod and that some guy named "Too-Low" Talo, has been snooping around Iso-Tech looking for info."

Ken proudly shows his new modified holdout blaster to AD-hoc, demonstrating how he can quickly whip it out of the concealed shoulder holster.

Having finished your shopping and the loading of the gear, you settle in to wait for Reom's sister, Shira to arrive on the station with IT-3PO. A couple hours later, a female Twi'lek comms your ship.

Longshot, this is Shira. I've just landed, once we get settled I'll send IT-3PO over with a couple of our guards. Be aware though, a couple Rodians broken into Reom's office. He ran them off, but seems he may be hurt. I'll be heading there to check on him. Expect IT-3PO in 20 minutes sharp. Once he's there you should probably head out.

After a few minutes of waiting, Ken hears sounds of scuffling from just outside the hangar bay doors.

As Ken peaks out of the hangar door into the corridor, he immediately sees two unconscious beings in para-military uniforms. Just down the hallway, there are two Rodians in spacers clothes hauling a deactivated protocol droid towards a Grav-sled.

AD-hoc was starting to understand why his previous owner would constantly rub her temple in frustration. Is this what life wasike for most beings? One problem to deal with after another? He headed to Ken's location as quickly as possible to offer assistance

AD-hoc headed down the ramp to the sound of a volley of blaster fire from the corridor outside the hangar bay.

Ken's flurry of shots rains down on the two Rodian's, one drops to the ground while the other stumbles. The droid, being to heavy to manhandle by one person, drops from his hands. He turns draws his pistol returns Ken's fire.

Confeeba Yiyar, mo killee ma klounkee!

Seeing as how the people shooting seemed to be focused on their targets, AD-hoc risk carrying the Droid aboard the ship

Ken's second volley of shots fills the corridor and the second Rodian. Who pitches backwards and falls with a solid 'Thud'. As the smoke clears, Ken see's AD-hoc slowly carrying the disabled Protocol Droid toward the ship.

Blih, from his look out position sees a series of lights begin to flash along the wall of the Hangar and above the door.

Following Blih's gaze, Dancy mumbles something under her breath, then looks at Blih. Station security is on it's way, we better move unless we want to spend a couple weeks in lockup.

Everyone is back on board, as the ramp is closing, you can hear the station security sirens approaching. You have not been given permission to leave yet. Do you wait or Go Now ?

Jeswain lifts the ship and turns toward the hangar exit.

Pergano accelerates out of the hangar, immediately juking left to avoid an incoming freighter. As you speed away from the Wheel, Spaceport control orders you to return, but you see no signs of fighters launching or turbolasers being pointed in your direction.