Log:Alderaan: Objection

Objection!

OOC Date: November 1, 2020
Location: Delaya - Alderaan System
Participants: Elrych Cometburn, Aryn Cole, Nerys Greystorm, Merek and GM'd by Bors Thul

Scandal. Scandal most egregious indeed; for Vesaiya of Thul and Jari of Qel-Nosh were intended to wed, a bonding of members of two Great Houses to cement connections and agreements in a celebration meant to be held upon the Astral Viewer - on the observation deck beneath the light of Alderaan's sun.

There was no wedding. No joy. Only outrage and suspicion when Lady Vesaiya's shuttle reported entry in system and then suddenly stopped communicating over the planet Delaya. The system's third planet, Alderaan's sister world. The industrial and manufacturing world that allowed the system capital to remain pristinely as it was.

A signal had been sent, calling for nearby aid - bringing intrepid investigators in to help the search for a lost noblewoman to re-establish a celebration and nuptials.

Nerys Greystorm, Arda that was, was a woman who found things. Most of the time, they were art things, artifact things, relic things. But sometimes, yes, they were people things. Today, it was a people thing. She had arrived in the system aboard the Tai. She needed all of her equipment, calibrated just the way she liked it, as well as her droids. She had no ties to Alderaan. Save perhaps her friendship with its Princess. And perhaps that made the Princess' people's problems her probems. So here she was. This was important work. "Alright, let's see if we can try to triangulate the distress signal, and try to plot possible courses the ship might have taken as it moved through the system."

Spark 3 appears in the Alderaan sector of space with a sudden blue flash. It was an underwhelming arrival for the small snubfighter, and remained so even after its impulse engines came to life to propel it forward. It had always dumbfounded people to realize there was more to Alderaan system than just Alderaan. Delaya, her sister, was not equal in density, but it had a dynamic system of politics and was entrenched with Great Noble houses all networked in a way that functioned.

At its top, the Duke and Duchess Teraan, and beneath them their vassals. Great wealth came from this industrious world, but nothing was achieved without the interwoven threads of politics. Fair trade dictated long lasting relationships, and on occasion, someone came out the victim of unfair treatment hence their arrival.

Aryn keys the computer up and finds that the interference of Alderaan's debris field is messing with her sensors. Her voice comes in slightly garbled over the comms. <<"Spark Three here--static---aresay I cannot----nything. I will follow---..-static- in.">> It's safe to say she may not have heard Nerys' report about using resection/intersection to locate the distress signal.

Spark 1, and ETA 2b with the same color scheme as Aryns and with a green Republic IDC apperates into real space right after Spark 3. The tiny sleek craft moves into formation on Aryn's wing, flying in tandam with her.

Elrych Cometburn was at the stick of Spark 1, and while not Alderaanian in the least bit the political structure of Aryn's people was of interest to the Republic and therefore the Jedi. It provided stability of course and Alderaan was a good wellspring of recruits for the military. The cause must go on, so on and so forth.

Or El just had a total crush on Aryn and didn't want to see her go head long into trouble alone. Yeah that was probably totally it.

<<"What's that three, you're breaking up?">> The pilot shakes his head as the broken comm chatter breaks through the rhythem of the soft Jizz playing over the cockpit speakers. Eggsy whistles and whines, text coming across a HUD for El to read. "Ionization traces and metal chunks.... two smaller framents and a circular hull-section about 1.2 metes across..."

The Jedi then goes a bit more digging, linking into Dayla's launch records with a Republic code that Pyretta had given him... or he had coexed out of her after he beat her at a game of sabbacc... that was probably more likely too. <<"Huh... Yeah, I would have done the same thing. Impressive. Unfiled transit from the southern Hemesphere. Smuggler move... but there's been reports of reentry within the past six hours.">>

Merek settles about into the ship with Nerys, while he would eventually come up to the front to speak with the woman, "I would like to note, there was a recent report of a non-standard craft landing without traffic control, went to one of the norther continents, sensor jamming and all of that."

"A lot of interference around here, Belate." Nerys frowned, trying to work through the computers calibrations to boost the signal. Hopefully, msot of what she sent would get through. "I'm picking up debris over Delaya. Looks like a ship took some serious hull damage. The fragments are decaying into orbit. I would guess the ship was descending as well when it took a hit." She sent the message again. In Basic and then coded in Binary so that, hopefully, that simpler signal would reach the droids in the ships who were converging. "Had a decent pilot though. They calculated the in-system jumps using the nav-bouys to bring them in on the dark side of the Delaya, using the planet body to shield them from solar radiation and interference." Nerys paused in her report, turning to listen to Merek's report, before she got back on the horn. "We have at least one report of a non-standard raft heading to the northern continent without clearing it with air traffic control." Nerys was already working, hands skimming over the pad she used for plotting. Again, on the comms, "I'm working on trying to narrow down the possible landing sights of this ship. The radiation's playing havok on my systems. Can any of you access comms traffic to try to pick up any trace of chatter about an unregistered ship in the area?"

The BB-series droid of green and white setting in the socket on Aryn's wing wobbled its head toward the transponder and communications array on the fighter. A few sparks, and Aryn's voice comes through with a bit more clarity. <<"What about now, Spark One? Hear me better?">> Aryn's voice came through the encrypted net sounding a bit robotic, but that was common with comm gear that used heavy crypto-loads.

Aryn's fighter stays in formation with Elrych's, though her flight movements are no where near as refined as the Ace pilot's. At times she wobbled a bit and overcorrected.

<<"Cedar is saying they boosted the range of my array. There is evidence that some sort of jamming is coming from the surface and I think this information I am looking at is the potential source. Admittedly, I am not good at deciphering this data, so I will transmit to the team.">> Aryn reaches forward with a gloved hand and flips a switch. "Do it now, Cedar." The droid began to relay the information she had found.

Elrych glances over at Spark 3, keeping in formation with the Alderaanian princess. <<"Herm... that makes sense... Let's get a course to that craft if we can. Perhaps that's where out answers lay.">>

Elrych could be crafty, and cocky but there was one thing for sure... he was getting better at playing the aloof brooding Jedi that everyone wanted him to be.

Eat your heart out Obi-Wan.

Merek would begin to adjust the helmet which he places on along with that dark armor, while he takes the gauntlet upon his wrist to check on it. He does not really have a lot to add to it all, Nerys looks to be doing pretty well with that, "Congratulations on your win by the way," he would note. The man takes a moment to lift up the faceplace and takes a cigarillo to place in the mouth, lighting that.

Merek would begin to adjust the helmet which he places on along with that dark armor, while he takes the gauntlet upon his wrist to check on it. He does not really have a lot to add to it all, Nerys looks to be doing pretty well with that, "Congratulations on your win by the way," he would note. The man takes a moment to lift up the faceplace and takes a cigarillo to place in the mouth, lighting that.

Information gleaned, shared and calculated was bearing fruit as craft made for Delaya. A signal source, even if it was intended for comms jamming (as would be discovered by further investigation and tracking) also made for an excellent pin-point for where to find its source.

Comms between craft, unfortunately, were swiftly scrambled while the trail was followed down to a grassy spot outside of a nearby industrial sector. Thruster scorched grasses surrounding an old Lambda class transport shuttle bearing marks of House Thul. The landing gear not down and the hull against the ground.

Any flyover would reveal a gaping circular hole in the hull, and a burst-out breech on the starboard side, next to the wing that had not been allowed to swing up for landing posture. The pair of graceful stabilizer wings now crushed, bent, and broken where they haven't simply dug their way into the soft soil and turf.

"Thank you," Nerys offered in reply, as she continued her calculations, "I hadn't expected to win. I am glad to see you back in one piece." Belate, who was maglocked into the copilot's seat (he had no dedicated socket, because he was a grown droid and did not need a droid-high chair, thank you very much), chittered away, clearly hard at work as he helped his best bud work through the calculations, "Looks like the ship launched from the surface, did a quick smash and grab, and then returned there. Seeing if I can get us closer to the landing site." As Nerys worked, and the three ships converged closer, she sent the data as well as her calculations to each in turn. More hands, more brains made light work. If nothing else, they should all have access to the same information she had. It took them a good long while, but finally, they were down. "I'll given them this, was Nerys' final transmission before she got up from the pilot's chair, leaving the ship in Belate's capable hand like appendages. "They had a lot of skill to be able to breach a ship and not lose the people inside." Nerys reached down, grabbing up her backpack, retrieving her weapon on the way as Bitty came to join her. "Belate, take off if you spot trouble. Keep the jamming suite primed if we need to cover our retreat. And report any comm traffic you pick up that might be useful." And then there was nothing for it but to open the hatch and hop out.

The ETA-2b fighter produced landing skids as the ventral lifts spiral open and emit heat propulsion. What of the grass that still remained was flattened by the concussive energy of her landing, and the fighter set down transitioning its weight. Aryn popped the canopy and climbed out from the cockpit and onto the wing, which was still steaming a bit from entry. Cedar warbled from its socket and Aryn laughed. "No, my friend. I do not think our enemies will care much about my helmet hair. Your concern is chiefly noted." She toes the ladder down with her boot and twists to descend.

Once upon the ground, Aryn works her way toward the downed craft and grimaces as its current state. "El, do you think any could have survived this?" A gust of wind brushed Aryn's blonde about wildly though she pauses long enough to tuck it back, committing a few more moments to tie it into a messy bun.

Elrych follows Nerys' ship down into the atmoshpere, keeping at an even pace with Spark 3. The nimble snubfighter glides through the clouds as it slowly reduces its altitude. As it approaches the landing area, the landing pilons stick out and the repulso lifts take over. The engine and thrusters whine as the ships sets down, wobbling just a bit from the likely cross wind that it's somewhat aerodynamic fram catches.

Once the craft settles in, the canopy shifts back producing the dark green robed figure that is Elrych Cometburn. He hops out onto the wing, sliding down and off onto the ground. Eggsy, his R2 Unit is about to fire his escape thrust to get out of the droid socket but Elrych holds up a hand. "Stay there, bud. Keep the engine warm just incase, okay?" The droid whistles an afirmative.

Elrych turns and moves to join Aryn, hands going to his hips as her surveys what's before them. "I've seen people come out of wrecks worse than this but... I'm not sensing anything." Then again it wasn't one of his strong suits in the force.

Nerys, moving at speed towards the downed ship, called out her findings as she surveyed both the ship and the ground around it. "Looks like whatever damage that blew out the hull happened here on the ground. Given the debris we saw in orbit, they likely disabled the ship's engines and wings to force them to make atmospheric entry, and then rode the ship down to ground." Once the team was closer, it was possible to see the debris scattered around the point of entry. Tucking her bowcaster away, Nerys hoisted herself up into the ship, still scanning the ship. It was Bitty who chirped for her mistress' attention, "We've got the comm jammer." Nerys frowned as they approached, "Bitty, any way you can slice this thing and finagle it so it blocks everyone's else's signals but not the ones from our ships? We don't want them knowing right away that we found it. if not, we'll just disable it, make it look like it ran out of battery." The droid repulsored over, ready to get to work while Nerys cleared the ship. "No sign of the Lady Thul. A lot of dead bodies though. All the guards you'd expect, all killed by blaster fire. The rest were bound and had their throats cut."

Aryn follows Nerys in after listening to Elrych's experience about survival with a crash like this. Aryn was truthfully ignorant of the odds, but all of that is cast aside when Nerys begins her report. Rather than step inside to further survey the ruins, she remained outside shining her light in. There were quite a lot of dead. Such cruelty and violence left her feeling a little overwhelmed and sick to her stomach. It was not the sight that made her this way, just the realization of the act; cutting the throats of bound prisoners seemed heinous and dishonorable.

"Such cruelty demands justice. I am certain House Thul will want whoever is responsible for this crime alive." Executions could get personal, especially if someone acted on justice they were not intended to carry out, or had no degree of understanding the impact their egregious acts caused. Aryn might be Princess, but there were understandings in place that prevented her from intervening with House affairs.

Elrych looks through the dead bodies, the blaster scortches and marks. His nose scrunched at the smell of burnt flesh and clothing and a crid smell of leaking fuel and chemical fires. He'd smelt it all before but you never really got used to it. "Crew is all gone. No sign of the Lady Thul..." He offers.

As he makes another pass, something catches his eyes. He kneels down in the tall grass and picks up a long dagger with a black blade. He studies it a moment before returning to Aryn and offering it to her. "Rist, maybe?" He asks, nodding to the blade.

Merek would just be seeming to search about.

The droid finds that they can either make the jammer look like its power has run dry, but other modification is not possible after checking further. The shuttle a charnel tomb and the surrounding scorched grass the cemetery lawn about it.

A potential sign of a dead end as well, though Elrych and Nerys's eyes catch sight of potential points of search though. East into the industrial district there lay repulsor 'pressure tracks' in the turf headed away from the ship.

But also ground movement moving further away into the plains. Scavengers? The kidnappers? Serendipity?

"Looks like we have a choice, Doctor Cole." Because Nerys //never// called Aryn 'Princess'. Not out of a lack of respect, but because it was too close to painting a target on Aryn's head. Or her back. So...she was Doctor. "One set of tracks leads into the country." Nerys indicated the line of movement, "There. And here," she shifted to point towards the city, "Heading into the industrial sector. Now the country's a bad choice, unless you've preplanned and built yourself a suitable shelter. I'd go for the industrial sector. Lots of abandoned buildings you can hole up in." She stepped forward, "And look...here, and here...they're doubling back, trying to mask the clear line of movement of the repulsor sled." She looked up, studying Aryn, and then looking to Elrych and Merek, "Can you feel anything?" Jedi did feely things, she knew that much.

Aryn took hold of the dagger that Elrych had and lifted it beneath the light of their sun. A slow turn of the object revealed to Aryn the telltale details of a dagger enriched with deep history. House Alde, House Girard, and Frayus. It was not uncommon for houses to forge such weapons as a token of friendship, badge of office, or to signify a joint initiative. "Maybe," Aryn replies to Elrych. "It may be too soon to tell. I will keep this and ask Lady Kiko of its origin. She is of House Alde and may know more."

When Nerys called her by name, she turned to look at the woman. Doctor Cole, for Aryn, was as synonymous as Princess. Both names referenced her and had been used so much and often that they became her new first name, akin to military ranks with soldiers. Aryn's focus goes to the tracks but she does not kneel down to get a better look for them. "Very interesting. From your assessment, I am leaning toward the industrial sector as well. Elrych.. Merek? Have you thoughts on the matter, gentlemen?" Aryn took to standing near Nerys now, and she lowered the ornate dirk to slide beneath her belt for now. She would look at it in more detail later.

Elrych purses his lips, nodding in somewhat disapointed affirmation. He gleams towards Nerys, eyeing the converging tracks. Carefully, the Corellian Jedi walks over and kneels where they split. He places a hand on the falttened grass and takes a deep breath. Letting the force flow through him, whispers and echos of what caused these trail marking come to him. "The Industrial district... something desperate. Anarchistic... Hatred and greed."

He stands slowly, somewhat affected by the revelation but he had trained for such visions at the temple. Clearing his throat he nods. "I concur, towards the city. The other trail is from a group of scouts on a camping trip." The vision he far prefered to the other.

Merek nods a bit when people offer information, and looks thoughtful.

The force has those who can feel it's ebb and tug at their cores while knowledge and instinct guide humanoid droid and man. It is a trek of some time, with several stops needed for the trail to be searched physically and metaphysically alike. The darker sensations Elrych now is unfortunately familiar.

Elrych's experience with the sensations guide his eyes, Nerys's confirmation aiding in confirming and allowing them to travel at speed. A fresh path blazed spotted by Aryn and verified by Nerys aid them to move through suburbs and small commercial structures constructed by workers and into the thicker atmosphere of the city itself. Even within the city itself the signs of passage don't escape the keen human-like eyes of Greystorm.

It all leads towards a facility proudly bearing heraldry of Alderaanian minor nobility. Colors of ashy gray with rose chasing the edges.

And a repulsor sled parked sloppily outside with signs of grass and mud splashed on its sides.