Mission to Tek'rit IX

"'No longer are you just to observe, you are to sabotage. Stop this tide of exotic weapons. If you can, claim some for our study, but by all measures prevent it from reaching their hands. Small technology and weapons to ensure your cover, they can have. Then, you will wipe them out when the time is right, with minimal collateral damage.' - Var Narek to the Party."The Mission to Tek'rit IX was the first major assignment for the Party. Ostensibly, they were to observe and analyze the threat posed some local raiders that had caused a cell to go dark.

The Mission
What they found upon arrival was a settlement under iron rule, with a leader unafraid to murder civilians to prove that his might was right, and to follow his codes. Backed by his menacing bodyguard, Lok'tor, and a sizable force that grew every day from people keen to earn favour and credits, they were already in over their heads.

Meeting their local contact, they went about their business - learn and infiltrate. They managed to negotiate their way onto a salvage barge headed out into the wastes, whereupon they saw a magnificent sight - a downed cruiser ship. It had crashed so long ago that the dunes had formed around it, the sand burying it from view.

Within they found many mysteries, mentions of old empires and civilizations, weapons and bodies long forgotten, and an arsenal of pseudo-sentient walker droids. Sabotaging the arsenal in the firefight that followed, the group earned favour for their protective actions and successful illusion that the droids had detonated as a result of the fight itself.

Allies were made within the raiders, and the group soon learned the scale of their operation. They had fight pits, and a whole cadre of gladiators willing to duke it out for the sheer thrill of it. An entire underground medical complex, perhaps a holdover of the old Hutt owners, where a creepy doctor treats a survivor from the salvage team that has been infected by toxins in the lower levels. Even perhaps allies, as the group has witnessed other groups come and go, emerging from the Pleasure Palace apparently more accomplished that then entered.

An unnamed Agent, who works for a mysterious 'employer' showed up early on, with an apparent interest in Qwori's old supplier, as well as Qwori himself it would seem.

Passing along all that they knew to their commanders, they requested any change of orders. Almost immediately they were re-tasked with the sabotage and annihilation of this group as a threat. The Tetrarchy wished a peaceful transition with minimal damage to the settlement, as the people had suffered enough. Plans were made to perhaps involve Hutts or others to seek revenge for the original takeover, though whether this will still be pursued is unknown.

They spent the following week doing just that, growing closer to the allies they had made, making more, and sabotaging any further special items uncovered from within the wreckage. Bounties were discovered for apparent enemies of the Ragescales, and the group seized the opportunity to perhaps get them on side. But first, enemies of Qwori made themselves known, and a fierce firefight broke out in the spaceport. Qwori's new friend helped the party annihilate their enemies, revealing the true scale of his abilities of infiltration (having befriended the group earlier under an entirely different identity), and a past within the Ragescale.

Kar-kooda also uncovered mysterious notes from a passenger within the downed cruiser, who spoke of a threat from below, and how "it could not get out. We couldn't allow it. Forgive us Captain, your loyalty would doom us all. The ship must crash."

A New Friend
While undertaking a bounty on Jiuroc's behalf, the group scouted out the Sandriders as potential contacts. Finding a roughshod camp of former slaves, guards and civilians, they inquired further. It was revealed that their leader, Jiunnesh, is a legendary veteran of many battles across the northern reaches, and a rebellious former Ragescale who split from them (presumably) over Jiuroc's use of slavery.

They also gained a new asset from their handlers for the course of the mission, a scout named Scuvac.