Session 16 - A New Threat

Captain Paz Valodor checked the ion pistol clipped to her belt and the blaster strapped to her hip as she strode purposefully down the ramp way of the Mako's Run. Roughly two weeks had gone by since Shre'ka's tribe, the Ra'van'ti, had returned to their decimated village and begun to put things back to rights. Waving to the familiar approaching figures of Mrrowl, Shre'ka, EZ and his troopers, she punched a button and spoke into the intercom. "All right, Sparg, they're here. Seal her up tight until I get back."

The Illyrian's voice sounded tinny over the com's tiny speaker. "Aye, Captain."

"And keep an ear to the Holonet passive feed. Let me know if you hear anything important."

"Will do, Captain...but won't the droids be able to detect that?"

Paz sighed. "No, no. Use Shre'ka's bracelet thing to contact me."

"Oh, right! Gotcha! Will do!"

Shaking her head and smiling, Paz joined the new arrivals. "Anna mawe," she said.

Shre'ka beamed. Mrrowl smiled. "Anna mawe," the two felinoids responded.

The Mon Cal looked to EZ who was instructing two of his troopers to head off in AT-RTs on a recon mission. "What's up today?"

"I was thinking we really need to camouflage the IG-88s we've placed in a 300 yard circular perimeter around the outskirts of the Ra'van'ti's village," he replied. "Want to lend a hand?"

Paz nodded and the group headed out.

*****

The sun hung low in the afternoon sky by the time the group had finished their work. The two scout troopers had not yet returned and EZ was growing anxious. Trying to allay his concerns, Shre'ka searched with Sa'uuk to sense their presence, but was unable to detect them. Backing her ears, she reluctantly informed EZ of her discovery.

The trooper wasted no time. Gathering up equipment, he, Paz, and Mrrowl set out on foot. Shre'ka called her sa'naku and joined them, flying overhead. The group made their way through the dense jungle, searching for the missing troopers. They discovered the AT-RTs parked and left behind some heavy shrubbery, but no troopers when a patrol of three battle droids riding STAPs came upon EZ, Paz and Mrrowl and attacked.


The Togorian roared, charging toward the patrol, his vibroaxe prepared to swing. EZ and Paz weren't quite as quick. Bunched together, the droids opened fire on them with their weapons catching the Mon Cal and the clone in a deadly barrage. Shre'ka coaxed her sa'naku to dive down upon one of the battle droids. Grasping one of the droids in both of its powerful talons, the fearsome creature ripped the droid asunder as Mrrowl swung his axe down upon one of its companions. EZ and Paz return fire upon the third droid and just as swiftly as it had begun, the fight ends.

Paz slices into one of the droid's memroy banks and discovers locations of several Separatist outposts. Looking at the schematic of the outposts' positions, Shre'ka hisses in alarm. "They seem to be surrounding the area containing The Cave of the Ancients!"

Mrrowl growled low.

"That's not all," Paz warns. She points to another diagram on her datapad. "Look here. The Separatists have formed a blockade around Sorn 5. No one's getting in or out of here easily."

"Why would they want to do that?" EZ asked.

"That's what we should probably find out," Paz replied. "The Republic needs to be warned about this, but if we send a message they're bound to detect it."

"Perhaps not," Shre'ka said. "I could contact Jedi Ahsoka Tano with Sa'uuk if she is not too far away and let her know what we have discovered here. And the tribes should be warned as well. The Cave of the Ancients is sacred. It holds the history of The People."

Heading north, the worried group finds the missing troopers who have been killed in a fierce fight. They also encounter and are attacked by another STAP patrol. The group no sooner defeats them than Shre'ka senses a disturbance in Sa'uuk. Animals appear to be fleeing the area. The group makes their way forward, but shift to one side in a flanking maneuver trying to discover what is wrong. Soon they have their answer. Several crab droids and super battle droids are moving through the undergrowth from the east, heading toward the Ra'van'ti village.

The group attacks, managing to destroy the droids and Paz slices into them to gather more information regarding their numbers and orders.

"We need a plan," EZ said as they returned to the village with the clone’s fallen comrades. "We need to find out about these outposts." He turned to Shre'ka. "Perhaps you or one of your people could scout one of them out. The droids don't seem to consider the indigenous population a threat."

Mrrowl grinned at Shre'ka as her ears flipped back, gesturing to the waiting sa'naku. "Want to take a ride?" he asked. Shre'ka smiled, nodding.

While the group gets some rest overnight, Shre'ka, using Sa'uuk, sends a warning to the surrounding tribes' Sa'uuk Mo'ats as best she can. Most seem to heed her warning, but one or two possibly do not take her warning to heart. She is merely a Sa'uuk Ro'at after all. Shre'ka also uses Sa'uuk to contact Jedi Ashoka Tano and informs her of the situation as clearly as she is able.

Early the next morning, Shre’ka and Mrrowl head north on the sa'naku to scout out the outpost in that area. Having given EZ a bracelet with tiny crystals similar to the ones she gave, Sparg, Paz and Mrrowl, Shre'ka uses Sa'uuk to show EZ what she sees as she and her mate pass over the small droid base.

They observe the outpost is comprised of a command center surrounded by a bunker wall mounted with blaster cannons at various intervals. Beside the command post structure is a power generator and a communications array. Several crab droids and mega droids patrol the outer wall. There appear to be three shifts of droid groups with two actively patrolling at all times while one recharges.

The two return in the evening, having had no trouble from the droids. The group discusses plans to take control of the outpost late into the evening and come up with an unusual one.

The next day, after traveling to the northern base, Shre'ka and Mrrowl approach the outpost with an "offering" of a crystal from the Cave. A patrol of battle droids level blaster guns at them, then take them before the tactical droid in charge. Walking inside the outpost's perimeter wall, Shre'ka uses Sa'uuk to drain the power from their generator.

The droids look around, confused, as Mrrowl and Shre'ka do their best to look on innocently. "What happened?" one of the battle droids asked.

"We appear to have lost power," another replied, scratching its metal-cased head.

"I can see that!" the other responded. "You better alert the Commander. And take these two natives inside."

"Roger, roger."

Escorted by the droids, Mrrowl and Shre'ka enter the command post. One of the battle droids with them makes its report to the tactical droid before it turns to them.

"Why are you here?"

Shre'ka fought to keep from flattening her ears. I could ask you the same, metal man, she thought. Instead she held out a blue crystal in her palm and tried to look as friendly and harmless as possible. "Anna mawe," she told the droid. "We come to bring the leader of the metal Sky People a gift."

The tactical droid took the crystal in its hand, gazing at it intently. After a moment it looked up. "Where did you get this?"

Shre'ka smiled, taking comfort in the certainty Mrrowl was subtly noting the placement and status of every droid in the room. "I do not know myself, but if you would like to know where more are, we can return to our village and bring back a guide for you."

The droid considers them a moment, then nods, waving them to the door. "Very well. You may go. Return with this guide as soon as possible."

Mrrowl and Shre'ka depart the outpost and make their way into the jungle perimeter to rejoin the group and the attack begins. With the blaster turrets out of commission, EZ and his troopers act as snipers to take out the droids guarding the perimeter wall. Paz and her bodyguard of two IG-88 droids help fight crab droids that are also protecting the outpost before joining Mrrowl and Shre'ka who fight their way inside the outpost where the droids have amazingly managed to get power back. Shre'ka calls upon Sa'uuk once more and is able to drain the power again as they manually break into the command center and take control of the outpost.

Shre'ka holds out her paw to the tactical droid. "I'm sorry," she tells it. "I'm afraid, I need to get my crystal back." The droid complies; handing over the crystal, but still puts up a fight, pulling a blaster. Mrrowl quickly brings his vibroaxe down upon it.

"Careful of its head!" Paz warns and Mrrowl manages not to damage the important component.

The Mon Cal captain manages to discover information regarding a mining operation near the Cave of the Ancients that is nearly operational or is operational as well as various other locations that have yet to be brought online.

"Not sure what they're up to here, but I think they mean business," Paz mutters as she studies the information.

"Looks like we need to scout the mining operation near the Cave," Mrrowl growls and the others nod ascent.

to be continued...