Session 13- Escaping Korriban

Archer, Jorik, King, Thrillkiss, Zadok, Vigik

(Cameo: Syla, Alma, Jana, Calina, Kayla, Molly, Lina, T'mas, Senator Grant)

Korriban Space (Fortuity)

Archer checks on Alma who is bound with bindercuffs in the starboard cargo hold with HK standing guard. She mutters something in Sith, and he laughs in understanding acknowledgement. Klara tilts her head in confusion as she witnesses the event from the main corridor with King, but proximity alarms sound and interrupt, forcing Archer to race to the cockpit. A wave of Sith interceptors launched from a Derriphan frigate close in on Fortuity, opening fire as Archer races to the edge of the system. Thrillkiss and Vigik both race to the turrets.

A second alarm sounds from the port cargo hold, signaling a loss of atmosphere. The computer alerts that the cargo elevator has been forced open, depressurizing the hold. Archer shouts over the intercom that they have intruders, opening the port cargo hold and allowing them further inside before sealing off the room and the turret gun wells. Once pressure is restored, Jorik, Zadok, and King race down the corridor, opening the doorway to find two heavily modified Krath assassin droids with lightsabers in hand.

The Padawans move to shield King, the trio guarding the cockpit as Zadok and Jorik take out the droids one by one. Alma breaks free of her bindercuffs as she hears the commotion outside, using her skill to hotwire the panel beside the door, and surprisingly HK doesn't mind given the situation. She rushes into the corridor, ducking and weaving as she rolls behind the remaining droid with an acrobatic prowess that is matched only by her martial skill as she sweeps at its leg to unbalance it. Jorik slices at it with his lightsaber, knocking it to the floor, now disabled.

Shot after shot Thrillkiss and Vigik both take out the pursuing Sith interceptors, destroying wave after wave as they launch from the Frigate before turning on the Frigate itself. The lack of shields puts it at a distinct disadvantage as shot after shot tears into its hull. But as they near it opens fire with its point defense system, and it tears past Fortuity's shields and straight into the hull, heavily damaging the transport.

King races to the cockpit in desperation, seeing an interceptor initiating an attack run on Fortuity. He closes his eyes as he focuses in an attempt to buy the ship time to make the jump to lightspeed, folding the space around the very interceptor as he gestures with both hands at the frigate, the ship teleported back into the hangar bay as it skids and crashes against the hangar floor. But Fortuity is rocked suddenly by the impact of a tractor beam grabbing hold.

“They're locked on!” Archer struggles to think of something, and shares an idea with King. “Do you think you can shift something this size?”

“Only one way to find out!” King closes his eyes once more as he touches the ship itself, the Force enveloping the craft in a subtle hue of darkness as it teleports to the other side of the Frigate.

Archer pushes the lever forward and the ship makes the jump to lightspeed, barely escaping. King leaves the cockpit to find Jorik, Klara accompanying him as they explain to the Jedi Knight in private what they witnessed. “Archer understands Sith,” King whispers secretively.

“Are you sure?” Jorik inquires in disbelief.

Alma interrupts the conversation as she saunters down the corridor, assuming a seat in the cockpit behind Jana who turns from the copilot station in shock. Alma openly mocks her. “Have you gotten any better at fighting?”

Jana leaps from her seat, tackling the other bio-replicant to the floor. She elbows her in the face, Alma profusely bleeding as she manages to turn the tables and slam Jana's head against a nearby console. Archer reaches out in frustration to Jana and deactivates her, draining the charge from her internal battery with the Force and sending her into emergency shutdown. As Alma smirks, he reaches out to her and does the same again.

Meanwhile, having activated the emergency shutter for the cargo elevator, Zadok and Jorik drag the assassin droids into the main cargo hold, only to be surprised when they reactivate. With little choice left, Jorik cleaves at their heads with his lightsaber, destroying the processors in both.

Tatooine (Desert Palace: Common Room)

A celebration is called by Prello, honoring how successful the heroes were at infiltrating Korriban and destroying the pod. Archer takes the opportunity to ask Prello if she can offer the engineer Molly a job. “She has nowhere left to go,” he adds.

Lina teases him about rescuing another damsel in distress. "Another one, Archer? I'm beginning to feel less important." Nevertheless, both Prello and Lina agree to hire her.

Senator Grant, along with his children, thank the heroes for ensuring that the Sith won't be able to harness such a weapon. “You did well, and I will be sure to forward a number of credits for the aid you have given to the Republic.”

There is a curious silence when Alma enters the room from the corridor, leading Prello to then inquire about her presence. “What is she doing here?”

“She has offered to help us trace the signal to it's origin,” Archer replies.

Prello is understandably reluctant. “Archer... Very well, she is your responsibility. For better or for worse...”

Alma smirks, and replies, "I think he'll manage."

Zim, concerned with his upcoming test for Knighthood, asks if Jorik will spar with him one last time before their return to Corellia. “Master, would you test my skills to ensure that I am ready for the trials?”

Jorik agrees. “I would be honored, my young Padawan.”

The two head for the small arena chamber, and begin to duel. Unfortunately, given that they are both exhausted from the events of Korriban, Zim is easily defeated and is accidently knocked unconscious. He concentrates on the Force, bringing him back to consciousness. “I am sorry, my young Padawan. It seems the events of the past few days took their toll on us. I should have been more careful.”

“It's okay, Master,” Zim replies.

Jorik apologizes once more to his young padawan as he continues to heal him. “Nevertheless, I can assure you that you are ready for the trials.”

Tatooine (Desert Palace: Garage)

Klara seeks out Archer during the duel, asking if he is willing to spar with her once more to see if she has improved. “I would very much like to see if I can do better this time around.”

Archer happily agrees with a bow of his head, and the two begin their lightsaber duel. In an effort to give her an advantage, Archer deactivates his lightsaber after a few moments, fighting her without it for the last half of the match. He still makes short work of her given his martial superiority. Again, just as in their first duel, she refuses to end the match, and he is forced to knock her unconscious.

As Jorik is exiting from the arena into the garage, he feels a disturbance in the Force as he witnesses Archer calling upon the Dark Side to heal his padawan, Klara. Though she can sense the Dark Side flowing through her, she is not bothered by it and thanks him for healing her. “You really need to stop worrying about besting me,” he adds with a chuckle.

“I can try, can't I?” Klara replies with a smirk.

He reaches into his belt and places a dragon pearl in her hand, telling her he believes she is ready. "If you can build a lightsaber with this pearl, you will have completed the last trial."

Princess Calina interrupts Jorik while he is watching, discreetly approaching him before asking if he has feelings for her. “I want to be with you, Jorik. You've saved my life repeatedly, and I feel my heart quicken at your sight. But I have to know if you feel the same way about me.”

Jorik tells her that he has noticed. “I have seen you repeatedly triy to gain my affection, and I can't fight how I feel either. I must throw myself at the mercy of the Council to see if they will give special permission to see each other. I will return for you, I promise.”

They happily embrace each other, but he soon leaves to forward his report of the events on Korriban to the Council in private, calling for his Padawans to join him.