Commodore Helix
Disintegrations done dirt cheap.
OPEN to Sith, merc types, selfless do-gooders, or really anyone who can conjure some excuse as to why they'd be in a locked-down building]
While a good chunk of their more obsolete and expendable units were engaged aiding the forces of
Darth Strosius
over Tund, Helix Solutions also had its fingers in another pie. A single ancient vessel emerged over Saleucami, sending down a flurry of pods to land near the planet's capital, before vanishing. They contained a number of elite B1H, B2H, and H4X droids, as well as a smattering of Sith assets and mercenaries. No other forces were forthcoming; Helix calculated no other forces would be required. Not yet, at any rate.
The world had been chosen for its relative isolation, lack of affiliation with any of the major players, and wealth. If successful, the ramifications of this dastardly plot could affect surrounding systems.
The droids had been chosen for a single, specific, and highly important mission, one of a hundred chesspieces on the board for the ambitious young nation. Some were old enough to experience something akin to nostalgia, putting the world under a metal heel for the second time in nearly a millennia. They were among the best Helix could offer. Battle-hardened and practiced killing machines, all with extensive combat experience against foes of all shapes and sizes.
They made short work indeed of the gubernatorial palace's security teams. Most died before they were aware of any issue; the H4X droids were good at this sort of silent and ugly work. Very good. Vibroblades sliced throats, metal hands snapped necks or crushed windpipes. Not a shot was fired as the machines carved a silent swathe through the palace.
Their objective: abduct the planetary governor alive, and replace them with a holo-disguised H4X unit for a time. One by one, other important officials with the keys to the pursestrings would also be kidnapped and replaced with droid dopplegangers.
As the droids could mimic the voices of those they heard, the deception would ideally last long enough for Helix to transfer the entirety of the planetary government's funds to
Darth Strosius
's own coffers (taking a modest finder's fee for themselves, of course), bankrupting Saleucami completely. The riots that would follow as civil and military services broke down entirely were not Helix's concern, but if this method proved a success, it would be replicated elsewhere with gusto.
Helix command estimated the process should take no more than a few hours while the officials were interrogated for the information, and the funds gradually trickled over: so long as none of the droids were discovered, there was little that could go wrong... right?
As it happened, an unknown source leaked out that the palace was occupied by hostile forces, and that they had hostages under armed guard. Not wishing to cause a panic, the remaining members of the government discreetly closed the palace off for "renovations", and contacted a number of reliable third-party individuals, offering a sizeable sum of credits to any of them who helped.
The droids in turn got wind that their cover was blown, and using lockdown codes taken from the abducted officials, shut down the entire palace as a plan B, until they could extract the funds. Armored shutters clamped over windows, doors, and any other easily-accessible entrance, trapping the hostages and anyone else unlucky enough to still be inside.
Now, the building is a sprawling, lightless mausoleum. Mechanical killers (and perhaps worse things) stalk the halls, searching for intruders to eliminate. It is up to anyone willing to help, or perhaps, some of the abducted officials themselves, to end the siege before Saleucami is sucked dry by Helix. Trust no one you find inside, for anyone may not be what they seem...
Objective 1: A Knife in the Dark
Those without the patience for delicate hostage rescue tactics may want to simply hunt the droid kill-teams scattered about the palace, and end the siege that much sooner. Be wary, however, for to do this is to hunt dangerous prey, and there are unconfirmed reports that Sith agents may be within the palace as well...
Objective 2: Bomb Voyage
The first group of hostages is located in the building's basement bombardment shelter. Breaching points here are few, leaving a direct assault the only viable option at first glance. Still, even a bunker needs ventilation...
Objective 3: Hell's Kitchen
The second group of hostages is held in the palace's sizeable cookery and food storage room. While an open and easily-accessed area, the droids may have left a few explosive surprises laying around, and areas to hide from incoming fire are few and far between. Approach carefully.
Objective 4: Hit the Books
The third and final group of hostages are located in the palace library. A disorienting, winding multi-floor maze of bookshelves, this area would be difficult to navigate even were it not pitch-dark and full of murderous droids. Opportunities for ambush are plentiful, as is light cover and concealment via the thick metal shelves.
Objective 5: Survive
Maybe none of this is your problem. Maybe you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, visiting as a tourist or paying respects to the governor when the building was locked down tighter than a Skakoan's pocketbook. The droids do not care. You're a target. Your only aim is to get out, by any means necessary, before you feel cold metal hands wrap around your throat.
OOC: This is mostly intended to be a fun PvE scenario, but PvP elements are present. Any Sith agents or mercenaries (player characters) that accompanied the initial Helix task force will doubtless do their best to stop you if you are attempting hostage rescue. Otherwise, kill droids, save people, be a big damn hero. Or hold off the rescue attempts, and be a big damn villain. The choice is yours.
While a good chunk of their more obsolete and expendable units were engaged aiding the forces of
Darth Strosius
over Tund, Helix Solutions also had its fingers in another pie. A single ancient vessel emerged over Saleucami, sending down a flurry of pods to land near the planet's capital, before vanishing. They contained a number of elite B1H, B2H, and H4X droids, as well as a smattering of Sith assets and mercenaries. No other forces were forthcoming; Helix calculated no other forces would be required. Not yet, at any rate.The world had been chosen for its relative isolation, lack of affiliation with any of the major players, and wealth. If successful, the ramifications of this dastardly plot could affect surrounding systems.
The droids had been chosen for a single, specific, and highly important mission, one of a hundred chesspieces on the board for the ambitious young nation. Some were old enough to experience something akin to nostalgia, putting the world under a metal heel for the second time in nearly a millennia. They were among the best Helix could offer. Battle-hardened and practiced killing machines, all with extensive combat experience against foes of all shapes and sizes.
They made short work indeed of the gubernatorial palace's security teams. Most died before they were aware of any issue; the H4X droids were good at this sort of silent and ugly work. Very good. Vibroblades sliced throats, metal hands snapped necks or crushed windpipes. Not a shot was fired as the machines carved a silent swathe through the palace.
Their objective: abduct the planetary governor alive, and replace them with a holo-disguised H4X unit for a time. One by one, other important officials with the keys to the pursestrings would also be kidnapped and replaced with droid dopplegangers.
As the droids could mimic the voices of those they heard, the deception would ideally last long enough for Helix to transfer the entirety of the planetary government's funds to
Darth Strosius
's own coffers (taking a modest finder's fee for themselves, of course), bankrupting Saleucami completely. The riots that would follow as civil and military services broke down entirely were not Helix's concern, but if this method proved a success, it would be replicated elsewhere with gusto.Helix command estimated the process should take no more than a few hours while the officials were interrogated for the information, and the funds gradually trickled over: so long as none of the droids were discovered, there was little that could go wrong... right?
As it happened, an unknown source leaked out that the palace was occupied by hostile forces, and that they had hostages under armed guard. Not wishing to cause a panic, the remaining members of the government discreetly closed the palace off for "renovations", and contacted a number of reliable third-party individuals, offering a sizeable sum of credits to any of them who helped.
The droids in turn got wind that their cover was blown, and using lockdown codes taken from the abducted officials, shut down the entire palace as a plan B, until they could extract the funds. Armored shutters clamped over windows, doors, and any other easily-accessible entrance, trapping the hostages and anyone else unlucky enough to still be inside.
Now, the building is a sprawling, lightless mausoleum. Mechanical killers (and perhaps worse things) stalk the halls, searching for intruders to eliminate. It is up to anyone willing to help, or perhaps, some of the abducted officials themselves, to end the siege before Saleucami is sucked dry by Helix. Trust no one you find inside, for anyone may not be what they seem...
Objective 1: A Knife in the Dark
Those without the patience for delicate hostage rescue tactics may want to simply hunt the droid kill-teams scattered about the palace, and end the siege that much sooner. Be wary, however, for to do this is to hunt dangerous prey, and there are unconfirmed reports that Sith agents may be within the palace as well...
Objective 2: Bomb Voyage
The first group of hostages is located in the building's basement bombardment shelter. Breaching points here are few, leaving a direct assault the only viable option at first glance. Still, even a bunker needs ventilation...
Objective 3: Hell's Kitchen
The second group of hostages is held in the palace's sizeable cookery and food storage room. While an open and easily-accessed area, the droids may have left a few explosive surprises laying around, and areas to hide from incoming fire are few and far between. Approach carefully.
Objective 4: Hit the Books
The third and final group of hostages are located in the palace library. A disorienting, winding multi-floor maze of bookshelves, this area would be difficult to navigate even were it not pitch-dark and full of murderous droids. Opportunities for ambush are plentiful, as is light cover and concealment via the thick metal shelves.
Objective 5: Survive
Maybe none of this is your problem. Maybe you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, visiting as a tourist or paying respects to the governor when the building was locked down tighter than a Skakoan's pocketbook. The droids do not care. You're a target. Your only aim is to get out, by any means necessary, before you feel cold metal hands wrap around your throat.
OOC: This is mostly intended to be a fun PvE scenario, but PvP elements are present. Any Sith agents or mercenaries (player characters) that accompanied the initial Helix task force will doubtless do their best to stop you if you are attempting hostage rescue. Otherwise, kill droids, save people, be a big damn hero. Or hold off the rescue attempts, and be a big damn villain. The choice is yours.
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