Well, it's finally over. Phew... Let me introduce myself: I'm Gaylen Della, the Game Master who came up with this adventure and who kept at it until the end. It's a Star Wars adventure, so you might know the basics, but let me give you a brief overview of what was going on.

The adventure took place on and around the Imperial Star Destroyer Vengeance. The vengeance was recieving 12 new prototype starfighters, TIE Defenders, and they needed to test them so a simulator program could be created which accurately portrayed the flight characteristics of the T/D. Who was who and what were they doing? Well, let's check the flight roster...

And here are the few major NPCs:

Now one interesting thing about this adventure is that no one started off knowing who anyone else was. They soon came to guess who was an NPC and who was a PC from the lag during their conversations with them. No character was supposed to communicate with another about the adventure outside of it, which also ruled out 'alliances' between characters.

Technical note: click here for a listing of the technical readouts I used for this adventre.

One last note: some of the adventure has been slightly modified during the final story writing. I've tried to clear up some gray zones and added a few little things. However, this final text is the official telling of the story, thus it will take precedence over the chat transcripts. Well, enough background, let's get this show on the road!

General Dean was on his way to the Ohmainia R&D platform to retrive the 12 prototypes of the new fighter to the Lancer. He looked over the specs one more time. Then glanced at the countdown clock: three more minutes until they dropped out of hyperspace at the platform. The General got out of his command chair and motioned for his second to take the helm. Jake was going down to the fighter bay to get his squad of TIE Advanceds prepped and ready to go.

"Reporting for duty, General Madine," the Rebel pilot said as he entered the General's office.

"Captain," Madine looked up from his desk at pilot. "You've had some experience as a spy, am I right?"

"Yes sir."

"Then I have your next assignment," the General said as he stood up and motioned the captain to step up to the holotable to show him his orders. "We have reason to belive that the Empire is developping a new starfighter which could best anything we have: more powerful then the B-Wing, faster and more maneouverable then the A-Wing, more versatile then the X-Wing. And, like the new TIE Avenger, equipped with shields and a hyperdrive. We cannot allow this to happen unnoticed.

"Intelligence has located where these new prototypes are being tested: on the ISD Vengeance, Admiral Kervik's flagship. Thankfully, that should be the only capital ship in the area, for Imperial forces have been drawn thin trying to track us down.

"In order to more accuratly test these new prototypes the Empire is transferring four pilots from other facilities to the Vengeance. You will pass as one of these, an Officer James Madox. Our agents are already in position to assasninate the real pilot and have you switch identity at the Mox Draconis facility. Once you're onboard the ISD, learn as much as you can then escape with a working TIE Defender.

"One last thing: we're giving you an emergency locator beacon, more commonly called a Holy-Shot switch in the Intel department. One flick of that button and we'll come and and pull you out. Use it only in an emergency; once the button's down, there's no way to stop it. Good luck, you'll need it."

With that the General dismissed the pilot and left the office.

The twelve T/As launched out of the Lancer and streaked towards the research platform. Already the 12 prototypes were on their way. Jake was too far away to get a good look at them, they were just red dots on his sensors. Behind them the Lancer started to turn around to head back home. By the time the slow frigate managed a one-eighty the prototypes should be safely onboard and they'd all go back to the Vengeance.

The T/As fell into formation around the prototypes, and Dean finally got a good look at one. He had heard alot about these ships and was looking forward, now more than ever, to flying one. These starfighters had everything; and more. He found himself reciting the specs while visually IDing the component locations on the prototypes. The weapons weren't equpped yet, nor were the hyperdrives, but the prototypes had full maneuverability and speed. Althoug they were traveling at maximum speed for the T/A, those prototypes could outrun just about anything if it came to that...

Suddenly the new ship warning siren blared and six Rebel X-Wings dropped out of hyperspace. Jake ordered five of his T/As to follow him to intercept the X-Wings while the other six would stay with the prototpes. As Jake was busy dogfighting the Rebels, four A-Wings dropped out of hyperspace on the other side of the squad of prototypes. Jake was glad he left half his squad with them.

The Rebels were rapidly dispatched with only a single casualty for the Imperials: one of the T/As was destroyed. All twelve prototypes were safely stowed away in the cargo hold of the Lancer and the eleven surviving T/As landed in the hangar. The frigate jumped into hyperspace and they were on their way back to the Vengeance.

Lloyd Collins stood at attention at the Admiral's side while the Admiral stared at a slowly rotating hologram of the new prototype starfighter. Mr. Collins, Admiral Kervik's personal aide, wore an unranked imperial uniform. Although he had no official rank, he had almost as much power as the Admiral.

"Mr. Collins," Kervik finally broke the silence speckled with the ocasional beep from a nearby computer terminal. "The matter of security over the tests of the prototypes is of great concern to me. We cannot allow these designs nor the prototypes to fall into the wrong hands. I'm certain the Rebels will try something, but Intelligence has assured me our current location is unknown to them.

"I want you to personally oversee the security over the test pilots, especially the four transfered pilots and this Mr. Hawker SpecOps has obtained for us. You need not ask permission to act on any leads you discover, I trust your judgement in this matter. We can't afford to have anything go wrong. "

Lloyd muttered a "Sir," and left the office. He quickly entered his office and downloaded the list of test pilots to his datapad. I need to know everyone who has access to this stuff, he thought as he started sceduling quick meetings with the 6 test pilots who were current members of the crew. General Jake Dean was away, so he'd have to meet with him after his arrival, and the 5 test pilots being transfered wouldn't be here for another day or so.

The merc turned to his beeping com terminal. He looked over the message and practically dropped the bowl of cold cerial he was eating. The anonymus message said that a new prototype starfighter was being tested in the Keller Void and included the co-ordinates.

If I could get one of those I'd be set for life, he thought. I could make a fortune selling a ship like that... The merc flipped off the terminal and swallowed the rest of his cereal. In no time he was in his custom 'fighter and blasting off into space. He calculated the jump through hyperspace and pressed the button which should drop him right near those co-ordinates.

As the custom starfighter dropped out of hyperspace it picked up a large sensor contact: an Imperial Star Destroyer. Before he could run a database scan to find out which one it was, the merc was hailed by the ISD.

"Unidentified starfighter, this is the Imperial Star Destroyer Vengeance. Is this Mr. Hawker?"

"Uh, yeah!" the merc replied.

"You have clearence in landing bay 3. Please follow the nav beacon," with that the controller disconnected and a beacon popped up in the front underside of the massive ship. The merc shrugged and headed towards the underside. I guess I'm Mr. Hawker for this trip, he thought, unfortunately he had no idea who Mr. Hawker was.

He brought his custom 'fighter to rest on the deck of the small hanger, and hopped out to be greeted by four StoormTroopers. The troopers didn't attack though; rather one saluted the merc and told him they were there to escort him to the presentation. As the merc climbed down from his fighter he noticed an Imperial transport which had landed on the other side of the deck and say four people stepping out dressed like imperial pilots.

The Rebel posing as officer James Madox stepped out of the transport along with the three other test pilots being transfered to the Vengeance . Off to his side he saw someone coming out of a customized starfighter and being greeted by four StoormTroopers. He sure doesn't have much luck, James thought as he pictured all the elements of torture the Imperials used on their victims. He also saw an officer entering the hangar, but didn't see any ranking patches on it. Before he could persue it any furthur, however, he was escorted into a small amphitheater with six occupants: five males, one female, all pilots. Must be the other test pilots he thought as he took his seat.

Mr. Collins stepped into the large hangar bay where the new pilots were arrving. He wanted to have a word with Mr. Hawker, the Flight Sim champ of the Galaxy. "Is that a standard starfighter, sir?" he asked the pilot while reading off the specs of the ship from his datapad. It had been scanned as it approached.

"No, it has a few special modifications in the right places. Good for my kind of work but very sensitave. Please don't touch it." Hawker replied.

Seing the pilot trying to lean over and see what was on his datapad, Mr. Collins let his arm drop, as if out of lazyness. "Well, continue on," he said, motioning to the StoormTroopers to keep going. He made a note on his datapad to assign a secutiry agent to keep a watch on him. While making his note, Mr. Collins saw that the Lancer had arrived and General Jake Dean was here. He hurried down the corridor to meet him.

General Jake Dean was reviewing his presentation while relieving himself in the Lancer's bathroom. He had to meet the 11 test pilots and tell them what they'd be doing. He already knew six of those test pilots, the regular pilots on the ISD. The other five he didn't know much about, only that they were being transfered to the Vengeance to test the new prototypes.

On his way out of the frigate, Jake encountered a young officer with no ranking patches on his uniform.

"Welcome aboard the Vengeance sir," the officer said.

Jake nodded quickly. "Hi, I don't think I caught your name," he said as he started on his way to the presentation room.

"It's, uh, unimportant. Good luck with your presentation," the officer nodded and left in the other direction.

The General shrugged and continued to the presentation chamber.

Hakwer entered the small auditorium and saw ten pilots sitting down in the seats and penly of StoormTroopers at the two exits. He sat down and asked the person when the show would start. His neibour told him that they were waiting for General Jake Dean to make his appearence. Just as Hawker was going to ask when that was going to happen, the General entered.

Madox waited for a bit, then another pilot entered. He recognized him as the pilot of the custom starfighter. Before he could ask him any questions, though, the General entered. He steped up to the podium and began his presentation.

Jake straitened his uniform and stepped into the auditorium. He walked to the podium and looked out into the audience. They were all pilots: they all that that look in their eyes. He recognized six of the eleven, they were his best pilots. The rest he'd have to get to know.

"Pilots of the Empire," he began, "Welcome to the Imperial Star Destroyer Vengeance. You have been selected to test the Empire's new Space Superiority StarFighter: the TIE Defender. During the next series of weeks, you will test these new starfighters under my supervision."

A holo of the new Imperial fighter popped up over the holotable. Madox drew in a sharp breath. this ship was a radical deveation from standard Imperial design. It had three wings, bent outwards as opposed to two bent in. Other than that, it strongly resembeled the TIE Advanced. It certainly looked different though. Madox wondered how it would perform. Well, he was here to find out.

"You have all been assigned new quarters for this operation." As the general spoke this a junior officer came forward to hand out small pakages to each pilot. "You have recieved the room number and the key to the room. Also is a datapad with information on scheduling and a set of blueprints of the ISD with certain important areas highlighted. You also have a a data card with the designers specs of the ship. Be sure to study those through the terminal in your room. Dismissed."

Hawker took a glance at the Star Destroyer layout. He smiled; these prints would proove useful in his obtaining of a T/D. Hawker made a mental note to keep these plans, they'd probably fetch a large sum on the black market. As for the T/D plans, he'd need those for the maintanence on his new prize.

He stood up along with the other officers and saluted the General. Hawker filed out with the other pilots and headed to his room. Once in there he checked out what the Imperials had unwittingly given him. He had three imperial uniforms: a dress uniform, a free uniform, and a flight under-suit. He also had a few data cards of information and passcards to get around the ISD. Hawker changed into the free dress, and headed to the pilots mess hall.

Once in his room, Madox quickly changed into the free dress uniform the imperials had given him. He stored his stolen imperial uniform and his equipment under his cot.