Star Wars - A Bitter Winter Read online

  In a frenzied panic, Toob continued his desperate attempts to escape the canopy, despite his lack of an environment suit. Enraged by the confined area, he removed his helmet and began bashing his head against the seal, smearing the reinforced glass. Abruptly, he paused and stared from the smudged canopy, into a great expanse of configurations and colors, toward the only recognizable shape his mind could grasp, the Steadfast. “There now, old girl,” Toob crooned, hearing the screams of the dying olai in his mind. “Go on, Drake,” he whispered. “Don’t let her suffer.”

  Drake squeezed the trigger. A burst of energy buffeted the disabled Z-95 and it erupted into a ball of imploding flames. The blast was deafening, propelling wreckage and shrapnel over a wide area of space. Massaging the bridge of his nose. Drake closed his eyes as a tear fell across his cheek.

  “Aremin, this is Lieutenant Calder confirming one hostile dispatched. Veerpal Squadron standing down.” As the second assault craft sped back to the planet, the Imperial pilot lingered among the blast-scored debris. “Look, if it’s any consolation to you. Drake, your friend didn’t leave you much of a choice. It was your trigger or — ”

  “I understand,” Drake interrupted. “Believe me, it was better this way.” Swallowing the lump in his throat, he whispered. “Thanks.”

  “Clear skies, Steadfast. Calder out.” The assault ship staggered across space, returning to its command station, somewhere below the atmosphere.

  Despite the heavy cloud cover, a few stray beams of sunlight managed to pierce the gray, spreading warmth across the cold, barren floor of Redcap’s notorious Tyma Canyon. Docked on the narrow landing strip, the Steadfast and her counterpart, a YT-1300 called the Glory, seemed oddly out of place: diminutive, insignificant inside the kilometer deep ridges and continental shelves of the great canyon.

  The Glory’s hull was pink, stained by her two-year retirement on the surface of the planet, hidden away in the basin where no sector authority or rival could find her. And here she had remained, while her captain traveled the galaxy in the company of friends. Still spaceworthy, the matriarchal freighter seemed to cast an aura that Drake could only define as a smuggling ship’s inner pride. Every crack in her armor, every discolored shield plate, every recognizable breech to her frame held a wealth of history, symbolic medallions of her exceptional career.

  Exhausted and demoralized, Drake leaned against the Glory, pressing his feverish forehead against the ship’s cool hull. With childlike naivete, he threw his will and all his conviction against the light freighter, in an effort to imbue her with the life of her captain. Any minute, if he concentrated hard enough, Toob would come strolling down the ramp and greet him with a hardy slap on the back or perhaps a bawdy chorus from a smugglers’ ballad.

  Beside him, Fahs lovingly caressed the freighter, realigning one her of docking boots with a swift kick. “She served him well, from the day he got her… to the day he retired her here in the valley.” Pursing his lips, he ran his fingers along the ragged edges of the freighter. “You know, she once ran the Kessel in 20.5 parsecs.”

  Narrowing his eyes with suspicion. Drake stared at the Issori, wondering at the cruelty of this joke.

  Fahs laughed with light-hearted spirit. “That’s a banthas pace today, I suppose. But back then,” he shook his head as the memories flashed through his cluttered mind, “back then … she was something. The Dame of Nar Shaddaa, they used to call her. That was before the days of Tail Ransom or Elias Halbert, even that young fellow, Solo. Them boys weren’t even born when this very same ship,” he slapped the freighter proudly, “was entertaining underground royalty and thumbing her nose at sector authorities across the galaxy.” Scratching the back of his neck, Fahs nervously hummed a somber tune. “I don’t suppose you want to fly her back to Socorro. I don’t have much need for a ship nowadays and … I know it would tickle Ancher to see her again.”

  “I’m not ready to go home, Fahs,” Drake whispered, avoiding the Issori’s eyes. “Not yet.” He felt Nikaede’s shadow fall over him and listened to her mournful wail. Leaning into the Wookiee’s supportive warmth, the young Socorran ran his fingers over the Glory’s hull one final time.

  “I understand, Drake. Old men dream dreams and young men live them.” Standing on the ramp. Fahs posed as if on stage. “Youth makes every heart a king and every adventure a crown to be captured.” Distracted, he laughed at himself, sighing, as if a great weight had been lifted from him. “Never been to Socorro. Heard Toob talk about it. Guess I could go there, stopping by way of Nar Shaddaa. Wouldn’t mind sharing a moment with some old friends.” Squinting, he stared into the morning sky. “There was this pretty little gal who used fancy me. She tended bar at this corner tavern called the Orange Lady …” he flashed a roguish smile. “Well,” the Issori chuckled, blushing profusely, “that was another time … another adventure … long time ago.” Winking, he keyed the ramp closing sequence. “Clear skies, little prince-wear your crowns proudly.”

  Sheltered beneath the Steadfast, Drake and Nikaede watched as the antiquated freighter teetered precariously over the makeshift landing field, hovering unsteadily beneath Fahs’s control. Relearning the subtle shifts of the flight module, the Issori settled the freighter, banking sharply over the canyon ridges and up into the clouded atmosphere above the planet.

  Drake sighed, finding an inner peace imparted to him by the Issori’s wit. “How fast do you think she is?” he asked, fondly glancing over the Steadfast. Nikaede shrugged, grumbling multiple quantum equations and theories. “Only one way to find out,” the Socorran mused. Whistling a jovial tune from a smugglers’ ballad, he met the pragmatic Wookiee’s challenging snarl with a warm smile. “Set a course for the Kessel system.”

  Drake Paulsen

  Type: Young Pirate

  DEXTERITY 3D+1

  Blaster 4D, dodge 3D+2, melee combat 3D+2, pick pocket 4D, running 4D

  KNOWLEDGE 2D+1

  Alien species 3D, languages 4D+2, planetary systems 4D, streetwise 3D+2, survival 3D, survival: desert 3D+2

  MECHANICAL 3D+2

  Astrotation 4D+1, beast riding 4D+1, communications 3D+1, sensors 4D, space transports 4D, space transports: Ghtroc freighter 5D+2, starship shields 4D+1, swoop operation 5D

  PERCEPTION 3D

  Bargain 3D+2, con 3D+1, forgery 3D+1, search 3D+1, sneak 3D+1

  STRENGTH 3D

  Brawling 4D+2, stamina 3D+1

  TECHNICAL 2D+2

  Blaster repair 3D, first aid 3D, space transport repair 4D+2, starship weapon repair 3D

  Special Abilities:

  Languages: Drake gets +1D to understand and interpret unfamiliar alien dialects.

  This character is Force-sensitive.

  Force Points: 4

  Character Points: 15

  Move: 10

  Equipment: Heavy blaster pistol (5D), comlink

  Capsule: Two years have passed since Drake Paulsen put the shadowy face of Socorro and the death of his father behind him. At 17, the tenacious smuggler has exploded onto the freelance commercial scene, gaining prominent recognition from legitimate, as well as underworld elements.

  Drake is exotically handsome, with deeply tanned skin and haunted blue eyes. Having an innate talent for language acquisition, he had been smuggling with his father. Kaine “Chu’la” Paulsen, since he was five years old. Drake is modest in the face of his recent success, and shows a rare reluctance to delve too deeply into the dark underworld that fostered him through most of his childhood.

  Toob Ancher

  Type: Aging Smuggler

  DEXTERITY 3D+1

  Blaster 8D+1, dodge 6D

  KNOWLEDGE 2D+1

  Alien species 9D, languages 7D+1, planetary systems 9D+2, streetwise 8D

  MECHANICAL 3D+2

  Astrogation 8D, sensors 8D+1, space transports 11D+2, starfighter piloting 10D, starship gunnery 8D, starship shields 7D+2

  PERCEPTION 3D

  Bargain 6D, con 6D+1, persuasion 5D, search 5D+1, sneak 6D
/>   STRENGTH 3D

  Brawling 9D, stamina 6D

  TECHNICAL 2D+2

  Blaster repair 5D, first aid 4D+2, space transports repair 9D+1, starship weapons repair 7D

  Force Points: 1

  Character Points: 12

  Move: 10

  Equipment: Heavy blaster pistol (5D), comlink, 500 credits

  Capsule: Toob Ancher’s reputation is synonymous with smuggling. When the Empire began pursuing and exterminating members of the Corellian militia, Toob, his brother Karl, and others fled, scattering across the galaxy. Starving and left with no means to care for themselves, they turned to smuggling.

  For decades the Ancher brothers terrorized and looted galactic treasuries, smuggled spice, and even enjoyed short excursions as bounty hunters. But their separation was inevitable. Toob’s reckless bravado got in the way of more intellectual pursuits, which involved weapons trafficking, high-tech piracy, racketeering, embezzlement, and other organized crimes.

  Discontent with other pursuits, Toob returned to smuggling, until a would-be bounty hunter’s faulty thermal detonator literally blew up in his face. Deformed and scarred, the Corellian retired. His eventual decline became obvious soon after he retired his YT-1300. the Glory, and took up traveling through space with a menagerie of old friends.

  The two greatest tragedies of his life were the death of Kaine Paulsen, whom he viewed as a son, and the crippling Bitter Winter disease.

  Fahs Oxsor

  Type: Retired Smuggler

  DEXTERITY 3D+1

  Blaster 5D, dodge 4D

  KNOWLEDGE 2D+1

  Alien species 7D, languages 6D+1, planetary systems 7D

  MECHANICAL 3D+2

  Astrogation 5D, repulsorlift operation 7D, sensors 5D, space transports 5D, starship gunnery 7D+1, starship shields 6D

  PERCEPTION 3D

  Con 5D, persuasion 5D+1, sneak 3D+2

  STRENGTH 3D

  Brawling 5D+2, stamina 5D+2, swimming 5D

  TECHNICAL 2D+2

  Repulsorlift repair 6D+2, space transports repair 6D, starship weapons repair 6D

  Special Abilities:

  Swimming: Issori gain +2 to their Move score and +1D to dodge in underwater conditions.

  This character is Force-sensitive.

  Force Points: 1

  Character Points: 7

  Move: 10

  Equipment: Heavy blaster pistol (5D), comlink, 300 credits, 1 olai with gear, miscellaneous mining equipment

  Capsule: Overwhelmed by a family fanaticism toward diplomacy and government, Fahs rejected a life of diplomatic promise and left his watery homeworld of Issor to pursue adventure among the stars. The road was difficult and for years the Issori found himself slaving in the mines of distant worlds, underpaid, starving, and regrettably unfulfilled.

  Fahs’ humility and quiet inner pride drew Toob Ancher to him during a firefight when a gunfighter challenged the near-sighted miner to a duel. Miscalculating the miner’s innate sonar-like perception, the gunfighter met his demise and Fahs joined Toob as first mate on the Glory.

  After a decade or more of foolhardy adventures and reckless tirades against the Empire and sector authorities, Fahs retired to the barren planet Redcap to renew his trade as a miner. When the mines died out, he remained. Aspirations of smuggling continually haunted Fahs, but he had neither the means nor the ambition to pursue the life again.

  Nikaede Celso

  Type: Wookiee First Officer

  DEXTERITY 2D+2

  Bowcaster 5D, brawl parry 4D, dodge 3D+1, melee combat 3D, melee parry 3D, running 3D

  KNOWLEDGE 2D+1

  Alien species 3D+2, intimidation 4D, planetary systems 4D+1, streetwise 3D

  MECHANICAL 3D

  Astrogation 4D, beast riding 5D, communications 3D+2, sensors 4D+1, space transports 5D, starship gunnery 4D+1, starship shields 4D

  PERCEPTION 2D+1

  Con 3D+1, persuasion 3D+1, search 3D+2

  STRENGTH 5D

  Brawling 6D+1, lifting 6D, stamina 6D

  TECHNICAL 2D+2

  Blaster repair 4D+1, droid programming 4D, droid repair 4D, first aid 3D+2, space transports repair 6D+1, space transport repair: drive systems 7D

  Special Abilities:

  Berserker Rage: An enraged Wookiee get s a +2D bonus to Strength for causing damage while brawling, and suffers a -2D penalty to all non-Strength rolls.

  Climbing Claws: Wookiees’ claws give them a +2D bonus to their climbing skill.

  This character is Force-sensitive.

  Force Points: 2

  Dark Side Points: 1

  Character Points: 15

  Move: 13

  Equipment: Bowcaster (4D), miscellaneous repair tools, leather satchel

  Capsule: A formidable 2.4 meters tall, large even by Wookiee definitions, Nikaede is a giant among her species. Despite her size, however, the Wookiee is an extremely clever and talented technician, working easily with numerous drive systems and small engine components. Her diligence and patience make her a primary candidate as first mate aboard the Steadfast. However, when pressed, the young Wookiee female has a tendency to whine and bemoan each crisis.

  Born of a noble family on Kashyyyk, Nikaede was smuggled from her homeworld through the selfless sacrifice of her parents. An exile, she knows nothing of what happened to her family and friends on her homeworld. As a result, she has a tendency to bond with down-on-their-luck types. Usually cool and reserved, the sensitive Wookiee angers easily and shows little tolerance to those foolish enough to provoke her rage.

  Olai

  Type: Domesticated riding beast

  DEXTERITY 4D

  Running 5D, dodge 4D+1

  PERCEPTION 2D

  STRENGTH 6D

  Brawling 6D+2, climbing/jumping 6D+2, lifting 8D

  Special Abilities:

  Teeth: Do STR+1D damage

  Hooves: Do STR+1D damage, +2 if wearing cleated shoes

  Ramming: Horns do STR+2D damage when charging

  Move: 15

  Size: 1.5-2 meters at the shoulder

  Orneriness: 4D+1

  Capsule: During Redcap’s mining revolution, when the planet was a thriving mineral paradise, the olai were brought in from a nearby moon and employed as heavy labor, moving rock, hauling debris, and powering elevator shafts in an ecosystem that would not allow or support advanced repulsorlift technology. Even as the technology became available, the miners relied heavily on the olai as simple laborers and for back-up when the systems failed. When the mines dried up and times became hard, they supplied a staple source of nourishment for the starving survivors.

  Powerfully built, the olai are sure-footed, intelligent animals that are easily domesticated for riding or hauling. During the breeding seasons, their thick horns are used for ramming or bumping.

  Redcap

  Type: Terrestrial

  Temperature: Cool

  Atmosphere: Type 1 (breathable)

  Hydrosphere: Saturated

  Gravity: Standard

  Terrain: Mountains, canyons, mud plains

  Length of Day: 16 standard hours

  Length of Year: 212 local days

  Sapient Species: Humans

  Starport: Landing fields (in Tyma Canyon only)

  Population: 140,000

  Planet Function: Abandoned mine colony, smuggler hide-out, limited geological study

  Government: Extremely limited Imperial jurisdiction

  Tech Level: Space

  Major Exports: Red clay, limited minerals and metals, draft animals

  Major Imports: Foodstuffs, low technology, mid technology

  Capsule: On first sight, Redcap is a barren, ugly world with a history of breaking even the most resourceful explorers. Shifting mud plains make up the extent of the planet’s surface. Capable of swallowing a ship as easily as a foolhardy traveler, the dense clay flats make mountain living a necessity — most settlements are situated in the stable foundation of the extended ranges that crisscross the
planet or at the base of these mountain chains.

  Due to the proximity of the jagged peaks, the only available landing fields are nearly 20 kilometers away. The most reliable source of transportation is by olai. The thick mud and clay spray kicked up by engines clogs repulsorlift motors, miring landspeeders and other repulsorlift vehicles in the flats.

  The population is mostly Human, descendants and survivors of the mining communities that once thrived on the planet. Poverty is an overwhelming factor that keeps many of the inhabitants on the planet, where they wage a day-to-day fight for subsistence. Except for the occasional appearance of nameless Imperial inspectors, there is no organized government.

  Adventure Idea

  The characters are hired by a notorious crime lord to track down an old debtor who is long overdue in his repayment. Their investigation leads to the deep and twisted canyons of Redcap, where the debtor is being sought by Imperial officials who suspect him of smuggling stolen spice. Recently, a large shipment of spice vanished from the commercial shipping lanes and the Imperials believe that the debtor knows something about it.

  The characters must find the debtor so the Empire does, possibly even freeing him from the local Imperial lock-up. Then they must help him retrieve the hidden spice shipment, deliver it and collect his credits before he can pay off the crime lord.

  From Star Wars Adventure Journal 5 (02-1995)

  11.6.18-1.15.14.5