Star Wars Missions 006 - The Search for Grubba the Hutt

by Dave Wolverton

  With the terror out of the way, you climb back up to the lowest exit, and look down once more. It’s a long way down, and there’s no way you’re going to try that climb in the dark.

  You are lower now than you’ve ever been. You lie down in the nice soft sawdust on the floor of the cave, and try to sleep.

  In the night, you dream of trees. You dream of being a great silver tree, with your limbs fluttering beneath the green moonlight of Kubindi’s triple moons. In the dream, you feel the contentment of being a tree, of feeling no wants, of tasting the fresh air in your leaves.

  It seems a good life, a peaceful life, to be a tree.

  And yet you also feel the pain of it. You feel the insects in your branches, tearing at your leaves. You feel the many termytes boring their way through your body. And you can do nothing about it

  At your base is a giant white spydr.

  You wake up sweating, and you wonder if the tree in which you sit has been trying to speak to you in your dreams. On some worlds, such plants have been found — even plants that are wise or strong in the Force.

  Does the tree want you to avenge it, or to protect it from the giant termytes? Does it want to thank you for killing the insects around it?

  Or was this strange dream brought about merely by the many odd sights and sounds of this day?

  You see that dawn is breaking.

  Distantly, you hear Threepio call, “Help! Help! Can anyone hear me?”

  “Threepio?!” you shout. “Up here!” You pull out your little light and shine it into the forest.

  In moments, the droid comes around with the landspeeder. He is wrestling with the controls — like most droids, See-Threepio would easily fail a landspeeder driver’s test. Still, he comes within view. But he cannot make it up to your height.

  “There you are! Oh, I’m so glad you’re alive!”

  “Me too!” you say. “Help me get down from here.”

  “I’m afraid I’m not much good at climbing,” Threepio laments.

  “Look around,” you say. “Maybe you could pile up some leaves or something, in case I fall.”

  Threepio scouts around for a moment, circles part of the tree.

  “Good news!” he shouts. “There is a large spydrweb down here near the base of the tree. It would make a fine safety net! If you jump into that, it should protect you adequately.”

  “Is there a spydr in it?” you ask.

  “Not at the moment,” Threepio shouts.

  You look down to where Threepio is pointing. You can’t see any spydrweb. But you decide it wouldn’t be a very useful web it you could see it.

  You climb out onto the tree trunk, scrabbling for a hold. The thick lichen grows like small gray bushes here, but when you grab it, it feels brittle.

  You circle the tree a bit, climbing down as you go. Suddenly, the lichens snap in your hand —

  You’re falling!

  You must kick away from the tree, so that you won’t get scraped up as you fall.

  To kick away from the tree: your strength# +1 is your confront#. Roll the 6-dice.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference +2 to your MP total. You clear the tree.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract 7 MP from your MP total. You got scraped up in the fall.

  As you fall, you try to draw your weapon, just in case there is a spydr in the web.

  To draw your weapon, your skill# +2 is your confront#. Roll the 6-dice.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference to your MP total. You have your weapon in hand.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. You manage to grasp your weapon, but you also sprain your wrist in the fall. Subtract 1 from your skill# for the remainder of this adventure.

  You land in the web, and it lets you bounce within it, like a trampoline. But it’s also sticky, and grips you tight.

  You struggle to hold your weapon. You look to the ground. As the web stops bouncing, you feel it jiggle slightly, and look up. Near the top of the web, a small hole has been gnawed into the tree.

  An enormous white spydr is there, pale as a ghost. It looks at you with dark, faceted eyes. Its mandibles are dripping orange poison.

  On enormous slender legs, it stalks toward you in a delicate dance.

  It’s what you feared — a ghost spydr.

  You may fight it, escape the web with Power, or escape without Power.

  To escape (with Power)*: Choose your Evasion Power or your Object Movement Power. Your stealth# + your Jedi# + your Power’s midresist# is your confront#. Roll the 6-dice.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference +11 to your MP total. Then drop gently from the web to the ground. You may proceed.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. It didn’t work. The spydr dances toward you, and you must fight (below).

  *Note: This counts as one of three Power uses you are allowed on this Mission.

  To escape (without Power): Your stealth# + your strength# is your confront#. Roll the 6-dice.

  If your confront# is equal to or wore than your roll#, add the difference +14 to your MP total. You deftly leap from the web.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. The spydr leaps at you, and you must battle it (below).

  To fight the spider: Add your weaponry# to your weapon’s mid-range# for your confront#. Roll the 6-dice.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference +8 to your MP total. The spydr is now dangling from its own web.

  If your confront# is less than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total and repeat this confront. Add +2 to your confront# for your new confront#. Repeat the confront, using the new confront#, until the spydr is dead.

  You hop into the landspeeder and take one last look up into the giant tree. A moment later, a voice whispers through the air, “Protect the trees.”

  You drive off in the landspeeder, plowing through fields of ropy yellow fungus. The sunshine does not reach so far down in the forest, but the silver trees reflect the light, so the forest glows up above.

  See-Threepio is clearly relieved that you are behind the wheel again. As you drive, you come across a trail in the woods. Three other landspeeders have been through here recently, and you realize that you have found the path left by the others. You follow it for a mile or so, and find signs of disaster.

  Two of the landspeeders hit a spydrweb in the dark, and ran up high into it.

  The landspeeders are caught in the web, and all around are signs that several other landspeeders drove here afterward. Six dead ghost spydrs cling to the sides of the web.

  You look up, and see Bizzin Uz wrapped tightly in the webs. He is slowly twisting in the wind. The Kubaz opens his eyes weakly, and groans in pain.

  “Leave me,” he whispers. “I’m dying… Spydr bit me.”

  “I can get you to a doctor,” you offer. “Surely there must be some way I can help.”

  “Too late…” the guide groans, and he coughs faintly.

  “Where are my friends?”

  “Captured…” Bizzin Uz whispers. “Kubaz from Zabin’s hive caught them. They think we are poachers. You must save them…”

  Bizzin Uz gasps softly. You get a canteen from the landspeeder and give him one last drink.

  He opens his eyes. “Thank you,” the Kubaz whispers. “Are you still here? Get away. The Zabins will return… to harvest the dead spydrs…”

  He begins struggling for breath. You try to help, but it’s too late.

  “Poor creature!” See-Threepio cries.

  You look at Bizzin Uz’s body, and decide to cut him down. But as you work, you suddenly hear the whirring sound of landspeeders coming toward you.

  “We’re doomed!” Threepio proclaims. He runs away from the tree in a
blind panic.

  “Quick,” you say. “Get down. Hide!”

  See-Threepio runs a few yards, then falls down in the tall fungus. His golden body gleams dully, but he’s pretty well hidden. If he’s lucky, he won’t get caught. You, too, dive in.

  Six landspeeders come roaring up, carrying a dozen fierce Kubaz warriors. Each wears body armor and carries a blaster rifle. Behind one landspeeder is a long, repulsorlift sled for hauling the dead spydrs. The sled pulls up within a few feet of your hiding spot.

  The Kubaz warriors step down from their vehicles and circle your landspeeder. They seem surprised to have found an extra vehicle and they look all around for signs of its occupants. One of them says he is sure that the vehicle was here the night before. You hope that they don’t touch the housing to your thrusters. If they discover how hot it is, they’ll know that you just stopped.

  A warrior shouts and points out the dead Kubaz in the web. The intruders talk excitedly. Apparently they hadn’t seen him in the darkness. They go to search his body, and begin squabbling over his credit disks.

  One Kubaz takes your landspeeder and drives away. Others salvage the other landspeeders by cutting them down from the web. Then they, too, drive away.

  Soon, only two Kubaz are left. They expertly climb up the web and hack the legs off the ghost spydrs, bringing each leg back down and stacking them all on the back of the repulsorlift sled. Clearly, only the legs of the ghost spydrs are used for food.

  When the Kubaz have finished, the legs are tied down on the repulsorlift and covered with a tarp, like logs.

  You realize that you must strike soon. If you are to get a vehicle and go after your friends, you’ll need to catch these Kubaz by surprise. You draw your weapon.

  Just then, See-Threepio stands up, and raises his hands. “Yoo-hoo,” he calls. “Are you looking for me?” Then he repeats the same words in Kubaz.

  The Kubaz draw their weapons, and you realize what Threepio is doing: he’s distracting them for you.

  As they stalk toward Threepio, you draw your weapon and stand up.

  You decide to try persuading the Kubaz (since it is wrong to shoot them in the back). You can persuade with Power, or without Power. If it doesn’t work, you will have to fight.

  To persuade the Kubaz workers (without Power): You say, “I don’t like bug eaters, but if you drop your weapons and turn around real slow, you’ll live to eat another fli.” Threepio translates for you. Your charm# +1 is your confront#. Roll the 6-dice.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference +9 to your MP total. You have a gift for intimidating Kubaz workers. You may now proceed.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. The Kubaz turn to you and raise their weapons. You must disarm them, both at once or one at a time (below).

  To persuade the Kubaz (using Power)*: You must use your Persuasion Power. Your charm# + your Jedi# + your Power’s midresist# is your confront#. Roll the 6-dice.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference +7 to your MP. The workers feel grateful that you let them live.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. The Kubaz turn to you and raise their weapons. You must disarm them both at once or one at a time (below).

  *Note: This counts as one of three Power uses you are allowed on this Mission.

  To disarm the Kubaz (both at once): Choose your weapon. You aim for a branch right over the Kubaz. Your weapon# + your weapon’s mid-range# is your confront#. Roll the 6-dice to shoot the branch.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference to your MP total. The branch fells and knocks down the Kubaz. You quickly confiscate their weapons. They are no longer a threat. You may proceed.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. You miss the branch, and must now attempt to disarm the Kubaz one at a time (below).

  To disarm the Kubaz (one at a time): Choose your weapon. Your weaponry# + your weapon’s mid-range# is your confront#. Roll the 6-dice to fight.

  If your confront # is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference to your MP total. You’ve knocked the weapon out of one of the Kubaz’s hands. After witnessing your awesome firepower, both Kubaz surrender immediately. You may proceed.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. You must try again. Use the same confront# and repeat this confront until you have disarmed the Kubaz.

  With the bug eaters out of the way, you take their hooded robes and pull them on. The Kubaz fear the radiation from solar flares, so when they go out by day they wear heavy robes that have metallic threads woven into them to protect them from unanticipated radiation. These robes cover your body, so that you and Threepio both look like Kubaz on casual examination.

  You start up the landspeeder and follow the trail left by the other Kubaz. The long stalks of fungus have been broken and knocked over.

  The path takes you deep into the forest, into shadowy realms. Above you, the giant spydrwebs are woven thick between the trees. They hang there like the great billowing sails of ships. Pale spydrs cling to the webs.

  The trail leads you along a twisted path that has been cleared among the spydrwebs. At first, it seems like a random path. But soon you notice that on each great tree that the path follows, a single black line has been painted, marking the trail ahead.

  You reach the Kubaz city, deep in the heart of the forest. Its great towers rise high among the trees. Cobwebs are strung between them.

  As you draw near, you see dozens of Kubaz walking around. Those in green body armor are soldiers, carrying blasters and blaster rifles. The ones in yellow robes seem to be in charge of transportation, for they direct traffic in the city. Others in orange robes, like yours, perform menial labor, like unloading spydr legs from the sleds. The Kubaz, it seems, have a very ordered society.

  Dozens of landspeeders have brought in loads of spydr legs. A man in yellow robes waves to you with a light stick, calling out in Kubaz and guiding you toward a dome where the spydr meat can be frozen. You don’t want to go there — someone might get a close look at your face.

  You lean forward so that the Kubaz doesn’t see your human features beneath your deep hood. “Say something,” you tell See-Threepio. “Get us out of here.”

  “Oh, I’m afraid I don’t understand this dialect very well,” Threepio says. “Kubindi is a newly discovered world.”

  “You’re supposed to be fluent in ten billion dialects! Say anything.”

  “Uh, Ibikki zum abbimikim? Xiba sum cubizik,” Threepio calls to the fellow in yellow.

  The Kubaz shouts excitedly and waves you toward another dome, so that you don’t have to line up behind the other landspeeders. You drive toward it.

  “It worked!” Threepio rejoices. “You know, I never thought I had any talent for deception!”

  Gratefully, you steer away from the vehicles and drive toward the secluded dome. “What did you say to him?” you ask Threepio.

  “I asked for the nearest restroom. I said that you needed it badly.”

  You give See-Threepio a severe look, and pull up to the secluded dome. The two of you climb out.

  “We have to make our way to the detention level,” you inform the droid. “The others should be there.”

  The dome is something of a barn or incubation chamber. Copper-colored droids are working by the dozens. Luckily, the lowly labor droids don’t even recognize that you aren’t Kubaz. In the cool shade inside the dome there are huge wire cages filled with orange spydr eggs. Lights shine on the eggs to keep them warm. In some chambers, tiny ghost spydrs have hatched by the thousands. They scurry about like little silver crabs. The worker droids are tending the spydrs, feeding them ground meat and spraying them with a hose that emits a fine mist.

  You find a hydrolift down to the city, but you als
o find some downward tunnels. Hoping that you are less likely to meet others in the tunnels, you and Threepio begin walking down. The tunnels wind down and branch oddly. They have been hollowed by some giant insect, and are wider than they are tall. The farther you go, the more you are reminded of an insect hive for termytes or antz — not of the passages of a city.

  Several worker droids wander the passage. Twice, you pass lone Kubaz workers walking upward. You keep your hoods low over your faces and hope that the Kubaz don’t notice you, but both of them stare at Threepio and the odd way that he walks.

  You go down several levels and find signs written in Kubaz next to each side passage. You had never realized how large a Kubaz hive could be. There must be dozens of branches, and each branch could house thousands of workers or traders or mechanics. Since no humans live among the Kubaz, there is no way that you’re going to find Grubba without attracting attention.

  “Here is the detention level,” Threepio says as you reach one door in the tunnel. A guard droid stands beside the door, with a stunner in its hand.

  You can lie to the droid without Power, lie with Power, fight the droid with a weapon, or seek to turn off its power supply (in hand-to-hand combat). Choose now.

  To lie (without Power): You tell the droid that you have come to interrogate the human prisoners. Your charm# +1 is your confront#. Roll the 6-dice.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference +5 to your MP total. The droid opens the door for you.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. The droid doesn’t believe you. You must combat it (below).

  To lie (using Power)*: Choose your Persuasion or Deception Power. You tell the droid that you are here to translate during the interrogation of the human prisoners. Your charm# + your Jedi# + your Power’s low-resist# is your confront#. Roll the 6-dice.