GALACTIC LEGACY: A STAR WARS D6 RPG STORY EPISODE I - THE BEGINNING (PART 1)

EPISODE I - THE BEGINNING (PART 1)

It is a time of chaos in the Galaxy. The One Sith Empire has been defeated by the combined forces of the Fel Empire, the Galactic Alliance, and the Jedi Order. The leaders of the three victorious powers have come together as the Galactic Triumvirate, dedicated to establishing peaceful relations in the Galaxy. The remaining Sith, scattered across a hundred worlds, have other plans. 

The Galactic Triumvirate has a new plan to integrate the diverse military forces at its command. A new combined special operations force, composed of units from each of the member powers, is being put together. The unit, code name SPECTRUM is assembling for its first mission...

The Star Destroyer Alliance hung in orbit over Coruscant. The glittering ball turned slowly beneath, visible through the hanger bay door. Several groups of uniformed people stood in small knots about the hangar deck. In one area, a small group of robed individuals, obviously Jedi, stood surrounding a Twi'lek. In another area, a group of black uniformed Imperial pilots was being addressed by a man in a Moff's uniform. About as far away from the Imperial pilots as was possible to get stood a group of Galactic Alliance pilots, casting looks that were, if not suspicious, at least not fully trustful, at their Imperial counterparts. Near a Nune-class shuttle a squad of Stormtroopers unpacked and checked gear. Around the landing gear of a battered old Ghtroc 720 freighter stood another group, probably the strangest of all. Here was a young but already grizzled Human male, his slightly the worse for wear astromech, a better kept and more suave looking Human male in business attire, a black and white striped Ewok in traditional hood, and a robed Jawa. This was the Galactic Alliance contribution to Spectrum.

Mykar couldn't believe he'd been selected for this assignment. His great-great grandfather (also named Mykar) had served with Rebel Alliance and then New Republic intelligence and special forces units. He felt that he was doing the old man proud by being chosen to be part of this top-secret SPECTRUM group. That was, he felt that way until he'd met the other Galactic Alliance operatives he'd been assigned with. The Choe fellow seemed like he was always looking through people, as if he was calculating their worth and value. He was personable enough, and conversed freely with Mykar, but whenever he smiled it was only with his mouth. Brandon Choe was definitely a cool customer, and probably someone not to be trifled with.

Mykar had worked with the Jawa named Tikkit before. He was a proficient slicer, and had gotten Mykar past Imperial security systems before. He was a known quantity, and a professional. The Ewok, who seemed to be named Jhok (at least, that's the sound he made when he pointed at himself), was an unknown quantity. He seemed to not understand more than a few words in Basic, and not speak any at all. Mykar had been told that he was a top agent, deep into his cover character as a primitive. Apparently, his files and datawork had been "misplaced" by the personnel office, not unusual with the turmoil in the Galactic Alliance military at the moment. Jhok had been assured several times that his back pay would be credited whenever the files showed up. The Ewok had just stood solemnly, and stared at the lieutenant from personnel. 

Brandon Choe had been assigned to SPECTRUM by his superiors at Freewater Investments as an investigator, and to keep an eye on their investments. Freewater had been a major financier for both the Fel Empire and the Galactic Alliance for a long time, and the New Republic and Alliance before that. Anything that could cause problems for their continued financial interests needed to be monitored by someone who understood the intricacies of interstellar monetary policy and central banking. Someone who could Brandon was a smart, young, driven investigator of financial and monetary matters. When Freewater Investments learned that the Galactic Alliance needed an investigator, criminologist for a special operations team, they knew they had to get Brandon on the team. He could provide service to SPECTRUM and be on the lookout for potentially profitable investments for Freewater. He thought Mykar was an adequate pilot, and a very good mechanic, but didn't seem to have the ruthlessness that it took to be an investment banker. Brandon had never spent time with  Jawa before, but Tikkit seemed to know his way around a security system. The Ewok was a complete mystery. A deep cover agent who really adopted his character. He seemed to not have any concept of money, which was both confusing and frustrating for Brandon; nearly as confusing and frustrating as trying to converse with the little savage.

Tikkit was pleased to be assigned with Mykar. He'd been chosen as the data slicer for the Galactic Alliance contribution to SPECTRUM because of his abilities with all sort of computerized and electronic systems. Thanks to his Jawa heritage, he was pre-disposed to success with such things. He was thankful for the assignment, as the extra hazardous duty pay would help support his family on the crawler back home on Tattooine.

Jhok was happy to be travelling in the company of aliens. He was learning so much about the outside world! The folks back home at Starleaf Village would not believe some of the stories he would tell when he got back! And the food was better and more plentiful than he'd ever had. They'd given him his own room to sleep in, and he could wash his coat whenever he liked! The Human called My-Kar seemed to be a bit dense, because he didn't understand most of what Jhok said, even when using sign language! The other human, Bran-Don, was not Jhok's favorite Human (he'd only met a few, of course). He wore clothes that looked ridiculous, and spent a lot of time talking to others about Fi-Nance and Cred-Its. Jhok thought these must be the names of his people's gods. They seemed like strange gods, requiring their followers to talk so much, and yet not sacrifice a single churi! The little alien called Tikkit was Jhok's favorite. They were about the same height, and Jhok thought his glowing yellow eyes were an interesting and useful feature.

Lott stood, surrounded by other, more senior, Jedi. Master Rasi Tuum was telling him once again that he needed to be mindful of the Living Force as the Order's official representative on SPECTRUM. The temptations of the Dark Side were many, especially for a young Jedi on his first mission away from his Master. The Sith, should he encounter them, would be eager to turn him to the Dark Side. He'd also have to be observant of those around him. The Order wanted to maintain good relations with the other factions in the Galaxy, but they believed that at the present time, trust but verify was the correct plan of action. While a Master, or more senior Jedi had been requested for SPECTRUM by the Galactic Alliance and the Empress, the Order did not have enough to go around. Lott, a very very promising Padawan, near the completion of his training, had been selected. Lott had met with the GA team members. Mykar seemed to be a friendly fellow and at least by his own admission, a good pilot and mechanic. Brandon Choe was a banker, something Lott had little knowledge of. He seemed distant and analytical. He looked like he knew the value of everything, and everyone, he came into contact with. Tikkit the Jawa was a fellow with a delightfully sly sense of humor, which Lott enjoyed. Jhok the Ewok was supposedly an experienced deep-cover operative. Lott hadn't been able to get a reading on him, beyond the fact that he was stronger in the force than most of the other SPECTRUM personnel. Lott thought it might have had something to do with his people's close connection to the natural cycles of their homeworld.

A klaxon sounded across the hangar deck, followed by an announcement: "All SPECTRUM personnel to the SPECTRUM ready room, all SPECTRUM personnel to the SPECTRUM ready room!"

The various new SPECTRUM operatives began filing toward their ready room. Stormtroopers, pilots, Mykar, Brandon, Tikkit, Jhok, and Lott all took seats. Armed guards had politely but sternly held off the other Jedi and the man in the Moff's uniform at the door. This was obviously a SPECTRUM only briefing. A muscular Weequay in a Galactic Alliance navy captain's uniform stepped into the well of the SPECTRUM briefing room, near the holo-projector. 

"I'm Jhoram Bey, captain of Alliance and commander of SPECTRUM. We'll all get to know each other well, but right now, we've got our first mission. No time to even settle into your new quarters."

At that, the Galactic Alliance fighter pilots groaned.

"Quiet down, Rogues! You know me REAL well. I'll have you all down in the galley, peeling tubers... after this mission. Now, back to business. The Triumvirate has become aware of some... strange occurrences that may signal Sith activity. In the past month, since the One Sith scattered, 5 ships carrying medical supplies to Outer Rim Imperial Military hospitals have been lost. At first, the responsible authorities thought it was pirates. Some of the supplies have turned up for sale on the black market at a considerable discount from normal price. What hasn't turned up has become cause for concern, especially in light of a recent data breach into the Sith Archives. Someone was trying to slice into data on research by Darth Plagueis and Vul Isen. The Jedi Order, who have taken over the Sith Archives, don't believe any data was actually accessed. The material that hasn't turned up for sale is large quantities of medicines: Accela, Betathanatine, Cortexiphan, Ephemerol, Focusyn, Glitterstim, Melatropin, Prozium, Pylene-50, Repressitol, Ridderall, and Vellocet. The Triumvirate wants SPECTRUM to figure out why the Sith want these medicines, and put a stop to the drug thefts.

Mykar and your team, along with Lott, are going to take the lead on the investigation aspect. Rogue Squadron and Skull Squadron are going to be riding herd on a bunch of big at merchant ships hauling drugs out to Ryloth. They are going to be aboard a cargo ship we've gutted and turned into a makeshift carrier. If possible they should try to capture the pirates, for interrogation. Joker Platoon will be deploying aboard the merchant ships for boarding operations. 

If there are no questions, you are all dismissed to get on with your assignments. Good luck, and may the Force be with you."