Pruax Spine

Pruax Spine - Episode I

It is a time of civil war...and much, much more. Every day, the growing Rebellion threatens the Galactic Empire on new battlefields and political arenas, fighting for hearts and minds throughout the galaxy in their bid for freedom. Moreover, the agents of the Galactic Empire viciously hunt the few remaining Force users in known space and strive to end the influence of the Jedi forever.

In the remote Sonilus System, deep inside the Outer Rim, a mercenary bodyguard and a fugitive Jedi are hoping to keep their heads down and stay out of the line of fire. They work at a small charity clinic in the outskirts of the town and try to keep away from galactic politics.

But when an undercover imperial agent is shot by a gangster after the machinations of a rebel spy and provocateur, innocent bystanders will not be spared…



The Deli Kata Cantina on Vakya City, Sonilus System, Outer Rim



The Deli Kata Cantina was seen as something of a saving grace for Vakya City. After all, even the most vicious smuggling gangs needed a nice place to kick back and relax. Like most cantinas on the rim, this establishment usually drew a cosmopolitan crowd. Unfortunately, its current and diverse patrons had to flee or take cover under the plasteel tables from the Imperial blaster fire raining in the area.

"I hate you! We are always being shot!" said Pruax Spine, a dark green Rodian with cheap ale spilled all over his cloak. He had to duck, and fast, because of the heavy trooper at the entrance with the light repeating blaster and a terrible aim. Everything was in the way, cheap ale included, but he was able to successfully escape from the crossfire between the soldiers and the thugs.

"It wasn't my fault!" - replied his Jedi Padawan friend and fellow mercenary, Tina Hammer, using the plasteel table as cover.

Indeed, it wasn't really her fault. The latest commotion started when an Imperial lieutenant entered the Cantina like she owned the place. In fact, it was more like she owned the entire solar system. Even though she wasn't wearing her uniform.

Such a peculiar disposition was also shared by a couple of Black Sun thugs that were already inside the Cantina. Seeing each other, but not really understanding with whom they were dealing with, both parties presumed to be invincible. One or two verbal abuses were exchanged, quickly followed by a fist and a fight. The final straw was when Bogar, the Brute, grabbed the imperial officer blaster and shot her in the head, point blank. What he didn't realize was that a couple of Imperial Army Troopers were watching, near the Cantina entrance.

Now those troopers had seen enough, called for backup and started firing. An Imperial officer was murdered and they would rather burn everything and everybody down then let Bogar escape.

Even though they weren't directly involved, Pruax and the remaining bystanders would surely be interrogated in the nearby Imperial Barracks. He wouldn't be able to explain his friend's lightsaber and a lot of other little things, so they had to get the hell out of here before things got worse.

"Let's move! Now!" - ordered Pruax.

"Sure! Which way?" - replied Tina.

"I don't know. Can't see shit with this table in front of me and the f** trooper firing everywhere." - said Pruax - "Can you sneak to somewhere else where you can point us the way to the storage or an employee exit?"

"Ok, see you soon. Leave our comm channel open and I will give you an overview of the situation and our way out. Let's get out of here" - said Tinna, jumping over the wall separating the tables from the dance floor.

Everywhere, people where trying to leave the scene, while the two thugs were taking cover near a table and trying to shoot at the advancing imperial troopers.

The Deli Kata Cantina on Vakya City, Sonilus System, Outer Rim

Sneaking across the Cantina, Tina soon found the secondary entrance near the main stage. Used regularly by the musicians and roadies, the door was currently locked. Silently cursing, the Jedi tried to open it before calling Pruax using the comm.

In the meantime, the Imperials were shooting at Boga and moving to flank him. Fortunately, while doing so, they were totally focused on the thugs and, because of that, Pruax should have an easier time trying to sneak away.

Pruax saw, with increasing apprehension, the heavy trooper hitting several shots to Bogar's torso while the imperial troopers provided covering fire to him and maneuvered to encircle the thugs. People everywhere were running for the main entrance and trying to stay away from the commotion.

"I cant open the door!" - said Tina over the comm.

"I'm moving toward you" - answered Pruax, looking around for another way out or for something useful in the storage racks behind the stage.

In the meantime, the thug was leaving Bogar to his fate and trying to shoot back and avoid the troopers. Bogar just returned fire.

"Crap" - said Pruax, looking in the storage racks. - "There is nothing useful here". He looked at the main entrance to the south and saw, to his dismay, that there were more troopers arriving on the scene. Moving there was not an option. He needed to find a way out and soon. Time was ticking.

"Pruax, come here. Let's try to hide in the storage. Be quiet!" - Answered Tina

In the meantime, Bogar was able to hit the heavy trooper, but it was not significant. Things were not looking good for the thugs, and the imperials continued to fire and move towards the total encirclement.

Soon, everything was silent. Tina and Pruax were hidden in the storage area while stormtroopers arrived in the scene and were taking everyone to interrogation.

One of the stormtroopers even entered the storage area, looking for anything amiss.

But fortunately, they were not found. Pruax even gave a last minute hint to Tina, avoiding further complications. 20 minutes later, tired but with the Cantina deserted, Tina slowly picked the lock. They were able to leave through the Cantina service door and return to the busy streets of Vakya City.


Tina's house, Vakya City Outskirts, Sonilus System, Outer Rim

A few hours later, in the next morning, they were relaxing in Tina's safe house when a mercenary job from the MercNet appeared in their datapads.

"Interesting... Seems like there is an urgent escort job in the city. Somebody has to reach their Lambda-class shuttle in the spaceport and leave the planet unharmed." - said Tina

"Urgent meaning... Extra pay?" - replied Pruax.

"Yup. 2 thousand credits in a credstick. Extra if there are unexpected 'complications'. Should we take it?"

"Yeah, let's get some money. "

After accepting the contract, the MercNet had displayed that the client was a Bothan named Zek Haqun. Rendezvous instructions present in the MercNet entry told them that they had 20 minutes to meet him at "The Droid's Shop", a store owned by a protocol droid that sells... second-hand droids.

"I will go meet this guy and negotiate the details. Follow me, but stay hidden." - said Pruax, getting his gear and preparing to leave.

The Droid Shop, Vakya City, Sonilus System, Outer Rim

The shop was a peculiar place. A little dark, smelling of oil. Plenty of empty space in the larger than necessary room. Deactivated droids everywhere, with missing parts. Plastoid shelves with electronics on top. Very few customers, one here and one there, just looking at the merchandise but seemingly not very interested in buying.

Owned by a manumitted and heavily modified protocol droid that inherited it after years of faithful service, one of the first things that every smart customer quickly noticed was that the owner didn't consider himself a droid anymore.

"Greetings, my dear customer, and welcome to my humble store!" - said the silver plated owner, as soon as Pruax arrived. It looked twice to the blaster rifle in Pruax's hands but didn't comment anything. - "Here you can find the best junk and the cheapest labor droids in the world. If you're looking for a robot that is still working and is smarter than a toaster, sorry, but you won't find one here. But if you wish to save some money, I have a fantastic IW-37 pincer loader droid, a cheap R-H026 sifter droid, plenty of PK-series worker droids and the latest UX-54 Autopolisher Mark Three. Moreover, I also have a huge variety of custom parts and advanced droid components to sell. Name it, and I will show you!"

"Thanks, but I am just looking to find Zek. Is he here?" - replied the Rodian.

"Indeed he is… Oh my! I guess you are 'The Rodian'. Yes, that's why you have this rifle. I think he is expecting you! Come, come! He bought some droid components and should be installing them. He asked me to give him some privacy and bring you there, so follow me. Let's get to my humble junkyard."

Tina was able to stay hidden the whole way. Even inside the shop nobody seemed to notice her, but the junkyard had ample space and not enough cover.

Fusion lamp posts were spread throughout the open spaced area. The sun was bright in the morning sky. Metal and plastoid scraps were neatly piled exactly 2 meters from each other and a central dirt road connected the store to a small droid workshop in the middle of the junkyard. Nowhere to hide in between.

She tried to follow Praux to the workshop but as soon as they got near it, she was seen by a Bothan repairing a red astromech droid. Quickly realizing it, she dropped all pretense of sneaking in and just stayed nearby, listening to the conversation and trying to appear non threatening. Looking around, she noticed a few heavy work droids were stationed near the workshop, either shut down or connected to power outlets.

Either not seeing her or not caring about, the owner soon left them alone, and, with no time to waste, Pruax quickly introduced himself.

"Hello Mr. Haqun, my name is Pruax. I'm interested in the mercenary job that you announced in the MercNet Board. Can you please provide more details? Why do you need an armed security team to get to your spaceship?"

"Well, well. Straight to the point, aren't you? I'm an entrepreneur, buying and selling things. I trade for a living, here in the fringes of the galaxy. But some people hate honest competition, you know? They told me that I couldn't work here. So, I may have given a few weapons and armor here and there and received a few gifts myself in exchange for my generous donations. Now they wanna kill me and I just wanna leave the planet. It's not fair, is it?"

"Indeed, Mr Haqun. I understand why my services would be valuable to you. We will help you leave the planet. About the payment, though. Can you give us something in advance? An armor to use before we start the job, maybe?" - replied Pruax

"You are lucky, my friend. I can, indeed, sell a fantastic and discreet armored clothing with ceramic pads and energy dispersion layers, for just 1.050 credits, from your future fee. They are mostly undetectable as long as you use everything that comes with it, even the cloak and reasonably bulky clothes." - replied the Bothan

"It is a deal. I will honor your contract." - said Pruax - "When do we start?"

"Well, well, my friend. You can begin immediately! Let's get your armor with one of my suppliers and head directly to the spaceport. Time is of essence. I suppose Doctor Tina is going with us?"

"Excuse me?!?" - replied a surprised Rodian

"She is over there, Pruax. I have seen and recognized her. The concealing robes are not usual, but I can always recognize the medic from a charity clinic that saved my life. Do you work with her?"

"Yes, I'm her bodyguard and work as security for the clinic. We are also partners in the occasional mercenary job. Her clinic is not enough to pay the bills. In fact, it's quite the opposite. So we only work there when we have some extra money."

"I see. I hope that this job gives you enough credits to keep the clinic open for a long time. R3, let's go." - said Zek. The astromech droid was also following them.

AHT-3C heavy speeder truck rented by Zek, Vakya City, Sonilus System, Outer Rim

The group was able to leave the droid shop and get the armored clothing for Pruax without further delays. After that, Zek indicated that his Lambda shuttle was berthed in the Cliffhanger Private Spaceport and rented an AHT-3C speeder truck to take them there.

Something was bothering Tina and she was silent the whole trip. The Bothan, on the other hand, never stopped talking:

"You see, despite extensive propaganda that touts the New Order's commitment to protecting all citizens from the criminal excesses of scoundrels and thieves, the Imperial Revenue Codes are the real purpose behind the extensive regulation of transport and interstellar trade. There are taxes for taking on salable goods, and taxes for delivering them to a destination. There are taxes for carrying those goods along Imperial-monitored hyperspace lanes, as well as for crossing sectors. Sonilus also has a number of regulations, fees, customs and laws that makes trading here even more expensive… Basic landing fees are calculated at twenty credits per ten meters of the ship's length. Customs takes a fee of 2% value of all cargo delivered or taken aboard a landed craft. Discrepancies from the ship's manifest accrue a fine equal to a quarter of the missing value. Contraband cargo is defined as military weapons and armor, non-indigenous animal species, spice, non-medical narcotics and regulated ores. Expensive but year-long permits may be purchased on arrival for certain types of weapons, armor, recreational spice, exotic fauna, and ore." - said Zek, with emphasis on the landed words

"Unless, of course, you stay at the Cliffhanger Private Spaceport. " - continued the Bothan - "This aptly named spaceport let the ships dock there and not land on the planet before conducting all trade. This legal loophole makes all trade in the Cliffhanger exempt from system taxes. But the owner of the spaceport, Planetary Governor Summers, takes his share. Basic docking fees, that goes straight to his pockets, are calculated at ten credits per ten meters of the ship's length. The spaceport owner also takes a fee of 0.5% value of all cargo delivered or taken aboard a docked craft with another 0.5% going to the Empire. Discrepancies from the ship's manifest are monitored and severely punished by a private security force."

"Yeah, I see" - answered Pruax - "People here usually cannot afford to pay those fees and taxes and are in desperate need of food, medicines, and basic supplies. Local production is scarce and due to limited trade, expensive."

"There is very little wonder that, as dangerous as it is, smuggling is a popular alternative for the ship captains brave enough to dare it" - replied Zek, with a smile. - "The Empire may not be in a very good mood when I arrive at the spaceport, Mr. Pruax... I may need extra help from your side, ok? I will explain everything later."

"Ok, Zek. We will do what we were hired to do. Empire or no Empire. Don’t worry, we are at your side."

The Bothan smiled.

Near the Cliffhanger Private Spaceport, Sonilus System, Outer Rim

"So, we are approaching the spaceport. This is the location." - said Zek, showing a 3D hologram above the speeder panel.



"Our goal will be the Lambda shuttle in pad A67…"

"You mean your shuttle in pad A67?" - Interrupted Tina.

"Yes, yes. Thank you for the clarification, Doctor. Moving on… To reach my shuttle, we will enter the spaceport through the automated gate system A. We will hopefully be communicating only with droids and private security personnel, even during the Imperial customs procedure. It's safer and faster this way. To that end, we will need to buy special permits and weapons containers. It will be 50 credits for a blaster pistol container and 250 for the blaster rifle. I will pay for that. We will put our weapons there and leave the speeder on autopilot. Then, automated sensors will scan the weapon containers, then the speeder and finally a couple of security officers will check us. In the meantime, inside the spaceport area, our weapon containers will be locked."

"What if we brought other weapons?" - asked Tina.

"Well… If you're carrying even a holdout blaster, we should buy you a container and declare it." - replied Zek - "But small melee weapons and electronics can be left under the speeder panel while we are going through customs and they will probably not detect it. We will also try to sneak your armor, Pruax. Personal armor cannot be used inside the spaceport, but we may need to take this risk. Anyway, as soon as we leave the planet, the weapon containers will automatically unlock, Tina. Moreover, if necessary, bring your container to R3 and he will hack it, even inside the spaceport."

"OK" - said Tina, giving him her pistol and waiting for a good opportunity to hide the lightsaber.

"The only way this will not work is if, for any reason, Imperial officers suspect anything from us. If that happens, then all hell will break loose and we will need to shoot our way to the shuttle. We can reason with Cliffhanger Security. Not with the Empire."

"Let 's do it!" - answered Pruax.



A couple of minutes latter, they approached the automated gate system and received an incoming communication, with the distinctive timbre of a protocol droid:

"Welcome to the Cliffhanger Spaceport. You are entering a restricted area. Please follow all my instructions to the letter. Activating remote control for your vehicle. Please do not interfere."

After just a couple of seconds, the automated parking from the speeder truck kicked in, the door opened and the communication continued:

"I am C300 and will be your emigration droid. Your vehicle is now under the Cliffhanger jurisdiction. Thank you for your cooperation. Please answer the following questions with yes or no… Are you carrying any radioactive or chemical substance or mixture that could be risky to people’s health or the environment?"

"No" - answered Zek. The truck continued it's path, descending, driving on a steep slope to an underground area.

"Are you carrying any biological specimens including bacterial cultures, culture medium, excretions, fungi, arthropods, mollusks, tissues of livestock, birds, plants, viruses, or vectors for warfare, research, economic, biological or pharmaceutical use?"

"No"

They were underground, driving inside a bright lit and broad tunnel. After a couple of meters, the truck turned right and entered into a two-lane road.



"Are you carrying any explosive material, including but not limited to starship fuel, thermal detonators, blazer bombs, electro-proton bombs, gas bombs, molecular purge bombs, plasma bombs, proximity bombs or viral bombs?" - continued the emigration droid

"No"

The autopilot parked the truck in an yellow delimited area on the underground road, near a large gate and a small plasteel door.

"Please wait. You and your cargo are now being scanned to confirm your answers… Done. You should now leave your vehicle. Please take your personal belongings with you, enter the nearby door and proceed to inspection."

After taking their possessions, including their blasters, Pruax, R3-C6, Zek and Tina left the truck and entered the door. As she was leaving the truck, Tina surreptitiously put her lightsaber under the speeder panel. They crossed the door and were surprised to see a black and white, sterile corridor.



A disembodied voice was heard from the ceiling: "This is C300. Please enter the first door and put any weapons and armor inside the sealed containers."

For the next few minutes, they followed all instructions and procedures. Zek pressed some buttons in his right glove to authorize a credit transfer from his stick and they got the necessary weapon containers from Cliffhanger Spaceport. They put their weapons inside and locked the containers. Pruax stayed with his armor, hoping that nobody cared. They put the containers on a nearby transport belt. Tina was worried without her lightsaber but followed the group. R3 beeped happily, having nothing to do or worry about. The belts carried the weapons away, to be retrieved closer to the departure time.

Then they left the room and entered another one, a spacious, L-shaped area with a dozen citizens and aliens waiting in line, before a large 3D scanner.



Inside it, a twi'lek was being scanned and a couple of Cliffhanger customs officers were giving directions and searching for contraband. Private security personnel were also in the room, carrying blasters.

It wasn’t long before Zek’s turn: "Sir, please enter the scanner." said the first customs officer, a white, tall blond in her late thirties.

Ten seconds later, he was cleared. But the second customs officer, a dark, strong man, raised his hand, stopping Zek. Security immediately approached.

"Are you Zek Haqun?"

"Yes, why?"

"Please step aside. Have you rented an AHT-3C heavy speeder truck and arrived in it?"

"Yes…" - said Zek, beginning to worry. People were still being scanned, though, and the line was moving, so nothing serious should be happening. R3 was being scanned. Another customs officer came from a nearby door. A couple of guards were nearby, paying close attention to the conversation.

"Mr Haqun, our scanners picked up an unregistered Fusion Cutter inside your cabin. Were you trying to avoid Imperial and Cliffhanger Taxes?"

The Bothan gave a questioning look toward the group. Seeing Tina’s face, waiting in line behind Pruax and R3 but unable to hide that she was paying close attention and guilty of something, he continued talking with the customs officer.

"Of course not, my friend! I’m so sorry. I forgot about it…"

The officer raised his eyebrows, shook his head and continued.

"Well, Mr Haqun, I believe in you, but sorry or not, you are going to pay. A fusion cutter is worth 175 credits. The Imperial Tax is 2% plus 25% for the discrepancy fine. That would be 75 credits."

"Isn’t it 48 credits?"

"I said 75, Mr Haqun."

"Of course, of course… I’m so sorry. Yes, 75 credits. My math is rusty." - Zek was raising his right hand to authorize the transfer from his stick when the customs officer interrupted.

"Ingots, bills and coins only, Mr Haqun."

"Sure, sure… R3, give me my credits, will you?" - said the Bothan. The astromech had already been cleared by customs and was near him. At the same time, the Rodian was being scanned.

The Bothan had just handed the credits to the customs officer when a loud alarm was heard all over the room. 6 guards immediately approached Pruax, blasters at the ready. Everybody else stopped.

"Hands up! You are wearing forbidden armor!" - shouted the sergeant and leader of the Cliffhanger security squad on duty.

Pruax raised both his hands. "Whoa! I’m sorry! I forgot about it! I’m unarmed!"

"Step aside! Keep your hands up!" - shouted the sergeant - "John, search him!"

Another guard approached Pruax and checked him.

"Now, now… I’m sure it is all a simple mistake. Isn’t there a fine to pay and can’t he just go back to the previous room and put the armor in a locked container over the conveyor belt?" - Zek asked the customs officer near him.

"Indeed, Mr. Haqun. It would be another 250 credits. Ingots, bills and coins only." - answered the officer, with a smile.

Completely unarmed, without armor and without credits, Pruax, R3-C6, Zek and Tina left the customs inspection. Pruax was manhandled, shoved back and had to keep his armor in a sealed container. He left crestfallen and helpless. In the meantime, Zek paid another "fine" to the customs officer, using the last of his golden credit ingots. But after leaving the inspection room he was looking alert and excited.

"Ok folks, don’t worry. It is all right. We are fine. We should keep moving and go to the landing pad, platform A. There is a commercial flight approaching pad 65A. We will head in that direction, get our gear from the truck and conveyor belts and continue to our destination."

Tina remembered that 65 was not the pad where the Lambda shuttle was parked. Why don’t we go straight to the shuttle? Either way, now was not the time to ask.

After walking a couple of minutes, they entered an elevator and were in a large, open space, above the spaceport building over a permacrete paving. A couple of ships were approaching and leaving the planet. Floor lights, indications and signs showed them where they could walk and where speeders and trucks were driving or could be parked.

"Our speeder truck should be near the container retrieval. I will grab a couple of clothes, luggage and personal belongings in the cargo compartment from the truck and we can go." - said the Bothan

They headed to their speeder truck, retrieved all their equipment and turned towards pad 65. Tina even got her lightsaber back, as discreetly as possible, and hid it in her belt.

"Give your sealed weapon container to me, Pruax." - said Zek, while they passed in front of a couple of people waiting in line near pad 65. - "And keep walking." - and continued to the pad 67A.



Measuring 20 meters in length, the imposing lambda-class T4-a shuttle was parked, closed and completely offline. Zek approached and dropped his holdout pistol and the Pruax’s rifle containers in the floor approximately where the shuttle main ramp would be when opened. Then he pressed a button on his right arm, faked a surprised face when nothing happened and turned to his droid.

"R3, go ahead. Please open our shuttle."

The astromech droid approached the shuttle and connected to a droid port in one of the landing gears. Soon the characteristic gears of the droid port were turning around, indicating that the droid was working on it. A couple of seconds passed but nothing happened. The astromech kept at it.

In the meantime, a single Cliffhanger guard was passing nearby, just looking around. R3, Zek and the team tried to look unremarkable. Tina was beginning to understand what was happening and discretely moved towards the droid to help it.

Suddenly, the whole shuttle powered up. The main ramp was lowered, lights turned on and the engine began the warm up sequence. The astromech disconnected from the landing gear and proceeded to board the ship.

The rest of the team started to board the vehicle as well.

"What’s happening?" - asked the security guard

"Oh, nothing to worry about, just a technical glitch. We will be going, sir." - answered Zek

The security guard was still suspicious but not sure what was happening. He asked for directions from his superiors:

"Central, this is Alfred. I have a startup sequence in pad 67A with code 1. Copy."

In the meantime, everybody was already onboard and preparing to take off. Zek asked for Pruax to take the helm, Tina to take the Aft Cannons and sat in the co-pilot chair. At the same time, R3 connected to a droid port in the cockpit, closed the main ramp and tried to jam the nearby communications.

"Alfred, this is central. We don’t have a scheduled departure for 67A. Please stand by…"

The Lambda-shuttle was Imperial. Of that, Tina was sure. On the way to the aft gun emplacement, she saw 5 complete stormtrooper armor sets, 10 Imperial-standard blaster rifles, 2 deactivated black mouse droids, a couple of crates sealed with ISB markings and a locked office door.

Because of that, as soon as they left the planetary atmosphere without further problems, she opened her Cliffhanger blaster container, now unlocked, and sneaked back to the cockpit, just in time to see the stars turning into white light streaks and the blue tunnel of hyperspace travel.



"You made us steal an Imperial Shuttle!" - said Tina, with her blaster touching the Bothan’s head. He was completely surprised.

"Whoa! Calm down, miss. Yes, we did it. Isn’t it fantastic? We will be rich and I assure you, it is for a noble cause. Isn’t that what you wanted?" - he said, turning around to look her in the eyes.

"No, your idiot. There are recordings of us all over the spaceport. Your truck is registered in your name, Zek. The Cliffhanger security dealt with us and recorded everything. And the Empire doesn’t take lightly to stealing their shuttles." - answered Tina

"My real name is not Zek, dear Jedi. And we are in a shuttle owned by an undercover ISB agent that died yesterday in the Deli Kata Cantina. So, indeed, they won’t take it lightly. Not lightly at all. But they didn’t have time to change it’s clearance codes before we left the spaceport, and we left without alerting the Empire. Nobody else was in this operation with her. The Empire is still looking for the thugs and criminals that killed her and they won’t relate one thing to the other. So we are running a legit ISB craft here, for a couple of days, at least, until the next key rotation. I tell you, this is worth it. Now, please, put this blaster down. It is all right. Your secret is safe with me."

And as he said it, the ship left the hyperspace, in the middle of nowhere. Even though there were no planetary bodies, stations or stars nearby, a couple of Incom X-wings and a YV-929 were there, waiting for them. The armed transport approached and began boarding.

"Rebel Alliance SpecOps operatives will be with us in a couple of minutes. Now, you have performed wonderfully well and I will give you two options: either join us and be trained to work with the Rebellion, or leave us, receive the promised credits and hide from the Empire. Alone." - he completed.

Tina was speechless. It all happened so fast.

"Either way, our lives are forever changed." - finished Pruax, sad.


End of Episode (game session)