[OPEN] Morally Questionable/Good Citizens Do Their Part - Lok Senator Hunting

[Macrosoft Mack]

The droid listened as the Kel Dor presented his argument. The droid often forget the more subtle methodology of organic lifeforms, and unfortunately the organic had a point. The shrubbery may not be easy to land on. And on further analysis of the maze, the droid detected several species of plant life not native to the planet of Lok. In fact, upon further inspection, the maze seemed to represent more of a jungle than a well-maintained bush garden. This was especially true near the center of the maze, where the droid detected several species of jungle flora native to the moon Yavin 4.

"Statement: You m4ke a good p0int Kel Dor. The 3lement of surprise would suit our objective w3ll."
"Analysis: It s33ms that my initial scan of the maze structure from initial approach were highly inadequate. Th1s maze does not r3present a typical structure favored by b0tanists. Our Senator seems to h4ve made his very own jungle. This is highly abnormal behavi0r in modern, sent1ent organic lifeforms."

Perhaps it was time for the droid to be brought back into the shop for repairs. He had not been this wrong on a mission objective analysis since the end of the Clone Wars. The droid made sure to commit the maze's layout to its memory banks, or at least the parts of the maze that the droid could see. The droid often found organic memory to be a flimsy and unreliable source. However, the droid's logic algorithms may have been malfunctioning as of late.

"Statement: Perhaps it would be better for us to follow the Kel Dor's advice, and request c00rdinates for the designated landing zone?"
The decision on where to land would ultimately end up being the pilots. Either way, the droid would find a way to get its mark.

[member="Drai Kor"] [member="Jim Pehico"] [member="Edward Blake"]

 

[Jim Pehico]

Jim thought of the two options either way they were going to be found out.

"See if we ask for coordinates they might just shoot us down right away, especially since the guards doing this drop have done this multiple times, presumably. I think our safest bet is to land in the middle before they know what hit them. Now fellas do you want to land guns blazing or are you up for some deception? I could probably fake a crash if need be." Jim said looking back at the crew but specifically the droid, after all this was his mission.

 

[Edward Blake]

"Quit taking all day about it!"

Opening the side hatch of the vessel the team was on, The Comedian flicked a switch on his rifle and aimed at the maze before them. Bolts of white-hot fire flew out, engulfing his target with ease. Soon, most of the flora was ablaze, and Blake shrugged before setting his rifle back to the standard setting.

"Man, ya'll suck. Now let's find Senator What's-His-Face and put one in him already!"

Well, that was one way of doing it. Subtlety went straight out the window on that one. Eddie took a few looks around at the assembled questionable citizens and puffed on his cigar, sneering.

[member="Macrosoft Mack"] [member="Jim Pehico"] [member="Drai Kor"]

 

[Macrosoft Mack]

The droid was scanning the maze's layout and was about to answer Jim's question when it heard blasterfire ring out from inside of the group's ship. The droid had know witnessed for a second time why the man called himself "The Comedian". Except this time, the display was that of a sick joke, which immediately blew the group's cover. The droid was certain that most individuals who displayed this sort of erratic behavior sought therapy.
"Observation: I think faking a crash will n0 longer be beneficial to our 0bjective."

The droid was astonished at how easily and quickly situations changed when lifeforms were involved. The group's decision was now made for them, and the Senator's maze was now not only a lush jungle, it was a lush jungle which was also on fire. This scenario, which any botanist would have found horrifying, was hysterical to the droid.

"Statement: In c4se you could not tell, it looks like we 4re going in guns -" The droid's voice module made a horrific whirring noise as if it was trying to print 3,000 documents at once.
"Correction: It l00ks like we w1ll be go!ng in guns and force powers blazing".

The fact that the maze's jungle was now on fire made this situation much more complicated. The gang would now be chasing down a fleeing Senator in the midst of a burning environment. Unfortunately, that would also make finding a landing zone more complicated for the pilot.

"Analysis: I calculate a ninety-three percent chance of th1s vessel not being d3stroyed if you set it down !n a landing z0ne without trees hanging 0verhead."
"Clarification: Th3re is st!ll a seven percent chance of this vessel b3ing destroyed if you set it down in an 4rea without overhanging foliage. 4s f!re now spreading throughout the maze may overt4ke this vessel."

Spoiler

Here is the antagonist we will be facing: http://starwarsrp.net/topic/110426-senator-horib-leman/#entry1575784 . Please keep in mind a few important things such as his strengths and weaknesses and appearance/species while posting. Also keep in mind that this guy is an NPC opponent, you'll have to work his actions and dialogue into your posts. It is also important to note that Horib Leman (our foe) does not have a lightsaber.

[member="Edward Blake"] [member="Jim Pehico"] [member="Drai Kor"]

 

[Meraal Vaun]

Shock hit Meraal as the human bounty hunter that he met in the cantina earlier went to the Rigger's boarding ramp, opened it, and then proceeded to catch the Senator's maze on fire with a hail of blaster fire. "Well, fierfek! They'll know we're coming now." Meraal said, with great annoyance. With a fire raging across the maze, the group's pilot may now be unwilling to land. The bounty hunter droid's analysis of the landing zone situation may not be enough on its own to encourage the pilot to land, as there was still a small chance of his ship taking damage.

Meraal began thinking of a way to make the escape vessel's landing zone safer, and he thought he had a plan. He could use his jetpack to land before the ship, and use his flamethrower to create a controlled fire away from the already burning section of the maze. Before mentioning his plan to the group though, he would see if anyone else had thought of a better plan. "So, anyone got a good plan for landing, or shall I do the honors of clearing us an LZ?." The mandos said, while pointing to his jetpack with his not-shot arm. Under his helmet he was smiling that the device had been so helpful on this venture.

[member="Edward Blake"] [member="Drai Kor"] [member="Jim Pehico"]

 

[Macrosoft Mack]

As the group pondered how to proceed into the maze in pursuit of their target, Mack's sensors detected an anomaly on the top of several of the many transplanted, dying Massassi trees. The fires atop the trees surrounding the clearing with the Senator's statue - fires that had been started by the Comedian's barrage - had suddenly stopped spreading, as if they had suddenly run out of oxygen. The droid always analyzed the planets on which its targets resided, and this behavior was not consistent with what had been observed in studies of Lok's wind patterns. Furthermore, the droid was certain that the Massassi trees should have burnt rapidly to the ground in this environment which was so unnatural for them.

Approximately two seconds after the droid's sensors picked up the anomaly, the fires simultaneously extinguished. If Mack was organic, the droid may have questioned the strange phenomenon, but the droid was not, and it only understood that the group was not likely to get a better opportunity to land this close to their target. With the group's stealth completely compromised, proximity to their target was key.

"Observation: It seems that a flight path to the maze's c3nter has opened up. It w0uld be wise to act on th1s opportunity while we still have it, as pr0ximity may be the last element on 0ur side."

Spoiler

Here is the antagonist we will be facing: http://starwarsrp.net/topic/110426-senator-horib-leman/#entry1575784 . Please keep in mind a few important things such as his strengths and weaknesses and appearance/species while posting. Also keep in mind that this guy is an NPC opponent, you'll have to work his actions and dialogue into your posts. It is also important to note that Horib Leman (our foe) does not have a lightsaber.

[member="Edward Blake"] [member="Drai Kor"] [member="Jim Pehico"]

 

[Edward Blake]

"Oh, come on!"

Blake's beautiful artwork was gone. Poof, just like that. Some sort of system the Senator had rigged up extinguished the flames. Growling while chomping on his cigar, the commando punched the hull of the ship, ignoring the pain. He then turned to the droid and pointed at him.

"Take us down, you bucket of bolts. I got me a Senator to kill!"

[member="Macrosoft Mack"] [member="Drai Kor"] [member="Jim Pehico"]

 

[Jim Pehico]

Jim brought the ship down slowly making sure whatever had caused the flames to cease wasn't near.

"Here we are boys and droid." Jim said, "Now let us go kill a senator." Jim said pistol in hand.

[member="Edward Blake"]
[member="Macrosoft Mack"]
[member="Meraal Vaun"]
[member="Drai Kor"]

 

[Meraal Vaun]

The mando frowned as he felt the ship set down near the maze's center. I guess not having to use my jetpack again is probably for the better. I can do a lot more damage to myself before this op is over, I'm sure." Meraal said, with equal parts disappointment and relief.

As the Rigger's boarding ramp lowered, warm and damp air flooded into the ship. If the Massassi trees looming overhead still contained their leaves, it would be easy to say that the Senator's maze was located on a jungle planet. But it was not, and the desert environment of Lok had not been kind on the imported Massassi trees.

Something else flooded Meraal's senses as the ship's boarding ramp lowered. He could not identify or label the feeling which had suddenly hit him like a brick wall hitting a drunken swoop pilot. Something about the maze made Meraal feel sickly. The sensation could only be described as being "wrong". Meraal shouldered his rifle and disembarked the Rigger.

Even with his broken shoulder, his military training gave him the confidence he needed to disembark the Rigger into the unknown. And unless the Comedian had highly specialized armor - which he probably did - Meraal still thought that he was the most armored individual in the group. meaning that he felt the most qualified to take a few blaster bolts for the team if the need to do so arose.

As soon as Meraal's feet hit the surface of the maze, a blaster bolt landed directly on his armor's chest piece. The impact caused Meraal to lose his breath, and he felt a searing pain in his sternum. Instead of being knocked back by the impact, Meraal toppled forward into a prone position and immediately began firing off suppressive rounds towards where he thought the blaster bolt had came from. It was enough to buy him a second to take in his surroundings.

Meraal spotted two bodyguards, who were now taking cover behind some expensive looking broadcasting gear, which was situated between the group and the statue's base. The broadcasting equipment needed for the Senator's planet-wide transmission was only halfway packed up, and several of what appeared to be holo-station employees were still attempting to flee the scene. Meraal had not yet seen the Senator, but the politician had to be there. Meraal tapped in to the group comm frequency to warn them of the remaining civilians now at risk, but before he could say anything into the channel he felt a blast of wind lift him into the air. The enemy had a force user..

For a split second, Meraal hovered stationary above the ground. The next second, Meraal was being pulled toward the base of the statue at a dizzying speed. As he was being pulled, he tried to turn his body so that his bad shoulder wouldn't take the brunt of the impact. As a reward for his effort, Meraal impacted the structure, helmet-first.

[member="Jim Pehico"] [member="Drai Kor"] [member="Edward Blake"]

 

[Macrosoft Mack]

The droid followed the Mandalorian down the Rigger's boarding ramp. The sound of blaster fire began ringing out in the maze the instant that the Senator hunters touched the ground. Mack paid the remaining civilian workers no mind, and fired three shots at the closer of the two Senator's guards.

The first shot hit the stone of the statue's base. The second shot hit a running camera crew worker in the jaw, killing the man outright. As the man fell, the third shot sailed over his falling body and landed on the chest of one of the Senator's cronies.

Query: Why must 0rganics make everything difficult? Blaster bolts cost cred1ts you insensitive beasts"

As Mack said this, its sensors refocused on the fight just in time to see the group's Mandalorian hit the stone of the statue hard. It was also at that time that the droid witnessed the group's target running away from the firefight at a slow pace. The droid reasoned that their target wasn't used to running for his life very often. The droid tuned in to the squad's comm channel.

As the Senator was running away, the droid noticed that the maze's wildlife was paying the hunters particular attention. Birds overhead were looking angrily at the droid. Mack hoped that birds were the worst animal the maze had to offer. He could easily dispatch birds if they decided to attack. Mack refocused on the team's prey, who was now screaming like a lunatic and sprinting further in the depths of the maze. It was a truly pathetic site.

"Exclamation: Our t4rget is trying to escape! Exterminate h!m with extreme prejudice."

[member="Drai Kor"] [member="Jim Pehico"] [member="Edward Blake"]