Well, not much room for a ship near the Retreat, part of reason we picked it.
It's about a half hour trek up river from the crash site to the Retreat. As you emerge from the thick foliage, you see a rocky bluff towering many meters over you. There is a wide, cleared area in front of the bluffs. A formidable wall made of tree trunks and starship hull plating curves outward toward you, with two tall sentry towers evenly spaced across its length. The entire Retreat is built into an enormous alcove in the bluff. Captain Harsol guides you to one of two large gates.
You are directed toward a large metal-and-wood building crafted from salvaged and local materials, just like the perimeter wall. A crowd of about thirty survivors and a few droids slowly parts in front of you as the captain waves everybody inside. They are dressed in patchwork clothing and primitive skins, clearly made on Cholganna. Only a few wear remnants of their old clothing.
As you pass the crowd, you hear the expected questions and whispers of curiosity. Just as you and the Captain reach the door, someone yells out So, Harsol, why aren't they dead yet? Have you gone soft? Captain Harsol pauses to turn on his heel, firing back, Could be things are changing for the better around here. Tell Cratala to get over here and well all find out together. The rest of you, follow us inside.
Captain Harsol waits for the room to fill up for Cratala to arrive.
Captain Harsol points to Eyetee-Three and says, A few of you might remember ol' Eyetee here, the one that was supposed to get my scheme working with Ropok. He's the reason we have guests instead of prisoners tonight. When I saw his homing beacon light up on my old receiver. I thought it was just another malfunction. Well. Ninan spent all night analyzing the unit and signal, and it checked out. I knew we had a new situation here on the ground. Now, if it weren't for this welcoming committee here, he says, motioning to the crowd, I would already have questioned these people and announced any good news.
A voice from the back suddenly interrupts Harsol. Like we trust you. I bet we would have never heard from them again. It wouldn’t be the first, time!
Harsol looks angry for a moment, and his voice takes on an overly defensive tone, almost threatening the survivors. Well, of course, it wouldn't be just me. I would have asked Cratala to join us, of course. Just like we always do here in our Retreat, right?
The crowd grumbles in disagreement. but no one dares speak out again.
Harsol remains defensive, but continues. I know a lot of you don't trust me anymore to keep you safe. I know you don't all agree with me that hiding from the Empire should have been our number one priority all these years. Well, maybe Eyetee and his friends here have a way to improve our lot. Maybe even escape this planet, and still stay out of an Imperial prison or execution chamber. So, let's take a few minutes to ask some questions, and see what everyone thinks.
Harsol pauses to let the room settle and then turns to you, So, catch us up if you would, how did you find us and what's the state of the Galactic Empire?
