Star Wars Missions 006 - The Search for Grubba the Hutt Read online

  Seeing them gave Dengar a creepy feeling. He knew that without the aid of the Kubaz, he would never get out of the city alive.

  By the time Dengar saw the enormous gray air shafts of the Kubaz’s underground city rising up like skyscrapers amid a sunny clearing in the jungle, he almost felt sorry for Han Solo.

  Udin had been right about this place. Solo would never make it to the Kubaz hive alive.

  Luke Skywalker didn’t like the looks of Kubindi. It wasn’t just the fact that the locals raised insects for consumption, or the fact that Kubindi’s sun was tremendously hot and kept emitting enormous solar flares.

  It was the Silver Forest of Dreams. Even in childhood, he’d heard tales of the legendary place. The forest was said to be powerful in the Force. As they drew near, Luke saw the trees were as tall and stately as crystal. It seemed beautiful and pleasant. But there was a power here — a dark power.

  The Millennium Falcon skirted the edge of the forest. As Solo began to fly in, Luke reached out a hand to stop him. “Don’t go in there, Han. That’s what they want us to do.”

  Solo and Chewbacca looked up at Luke from their pilot seats. Leia and the droids stood behind Luke in the cockpit

  “What are you talking about kid?” Solo asked. “I can fly through just about anything.”

  “I trust your piloting skills,” Luke said. “But this might be a trap you’re flying into. I don’t know… I dreamt about it last night I saw… webs. The ship swallowed in webs, and something enormous coming to get us.” Luke had wakened abruptly from this nightmare. He’d thrown off his blankets, unable to sleep anymore.

  “Listen to him,” Leia advised. “I… have a spooky feeling about this place, too.”

  “What, are you afraid of a little spydr, Princess?”

  “We’ll sneak in quietly, on the ground,” Luke said. “It is the only way.”

  “We don’t even know where their city is!” Solo protested. “It might be a long walk in that forest.”

  “Look, a town!” See-Threepio proclaimed.

  Luke looked at the monitors and saw the tall gray spires of a nearby village, not far from the forest’s edge. “Maybe we can rent vehicles there,” he said.

  A meandering highway led to the village through the hills, then disappeared into the distance. The Kubaz village was sheltered beneath a few feet of something that looked like concrete. The upper levels of the city contained some Kubaz inns and restaurants.

  As Luke entered the subterranean village with the droids and the others, rich smells of exotic foods greeted him. The smell came from a stall where a vendor sold roasted bugs. The vendor, an old Kubaz woman with a long wrinkled trunk, pulled out a worn, hand-held translator. “You like? These Silver Forest rootrubs are our specialty.”

  One taste of the rich, spicy meat convinced Luke. He bought enough for Leia, Solo, and Chewbacca.

  As he approached the knot of others, See-Threepio rushed up to him. “Sir,” the droid said, “I’ve done some preliminary calculations on the bio-mass of the Silver Forest. The trees there should give me excellent protection from any solar flares. I’ll be able to come with you!”

  “That’s great, Threepio,” Luke said. “I’m sure your sensors will come in handy.”

  “Oh, I’ll be invaluable!” See-Threepio agreed.

  Luke hurried past the droid. Solo was speaking to a guide, a Kubaz named Bizzin Uz who was taller and stronger than any Kubaz Luke had ever seen. The guide was used to wilderness travel and was displaying his vehicles — little two-man landspeeders similar to the one Luke had owned on Tatooine. Each speeder had communications consoles and a heavy blaster mounted to the dash.

  “The speeders look good,” Han said. “Can you take us there?”

  “Why do you want to go?” the guide asked. “The hive of Queen Zabin is deep in the forest. The journey is dangerous. And those in her hive are not to be trusted. They protect the forest from intruders.”

  “Yeah,” Solo answered, “well let’s just say I’ve got some personal business there, and I’m pretty dangerous myself. Can you take me? What will it cost?”

  “I will take you,” the guide answered. “But the cost will be high.”

  “How high?”

  The Kubaz paused, then looked directly at Solo. “Maybe your life.”

  Before you proceed, you must consult the Mission Guide for the rules of the STAR WARS MISSIONS. You must follow these rules at all times.

  This is a Rebel mission.

  Han Solo is trying to rescue Grubba the Hutt from bounty hunters on the planet Kubindi. You and your fellow Rebels are in a Kubindi city on the outskirts of the Silver Forest of Dreams. A guide has agreed to lead you into the forest, where giant deadly insects run rampant. Once you get there, your job is to enter the hive of Queen Zabin and rescue the young Hutt.

  You may take any weapons you want. On this Mission, you may use Power three times. Your guide has provided you with a modified landspeeder.

  You start the mission with your MP total from your previous mission. (Or 1000 MP, if this is your first Mission.)

  Choose your character now.

  May the Force be with you!

  Near dark, when the danger of solar flares has lessened, Bizzin Uz asks you to climb into the landspeeders.

  Each Rebel will be accompanied by a droid. You will take See-Threepio in the back of your speeder.

  Bizzin Uz says to all of you, “Whatever you do, don’t slow down. The insects will swarm all over you. Your headlights will blind any bugs in front of you, and you can use the heavy blaster to clear them out of the way.

  “Oh — and if you see any Kubaz in the forest, escape quick. They’re either poachers or police from the Zabin hive. In either case, they will try to kill you.”

  The landspeeder bounces around as you and See-Threepio settle into the seat The repulsorlift field holds it off the ground. The twin turbine engines whine as you power up.

  Bizzin Uz leads you up the winding highway toward the forest. You see the day’s hatch of giant msqitos flying in a great cloud from a lake toward the trees. You shudder.

  Suddenly Bizzin Uz veers from the road and heads out over the lake. The other landspeeders kick up a wake in front of you, splattering it against the Duraplex windscreen of your speeder. Some lake water gets in your mouth. It tastes salty.

  “Pardon me,” See-Threepio says, “but this water is very corrosive. I wouldn’t want to damage my circuits.”

  “Okay,” you say, and you whip to the right, so that you’re no longer driving on anyone’s tail.

  You see a giant msqito, as long as a man, come dipping toward the water a hundred yards ahead of you and just to your right. Suddenly, the water crests, and an enormous water monster leaps after the msqito.

  A water monster the size of a whale!

  The waves from the monster come crashing toward your landspeeder. If they hit, the landspeeder will flip and be swamped.

  To avoid the waves: Add your strength# to your skill# +3 for your confront#. Roll the 12-dice to steer through the waves.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference to your MP total. You have managed to buck the waves. You may proceed.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. Add +2 to your confront# for your new confront#. Roll the 12-dice again and repeat this confront with your new confront# until you steer past the waves.

  Over the communicator, Bizzin Uz shouts, “Watch out! Flip off your headlights, or that creature will have you next!”

  You flip off your headlights — too late! The water just ahead is bubbling as something enormous prepares to snap at you. You see the fin and back of an enormous water monster.

  You may fight the giant water monster (using your own weapon or your vehicle’s heavy blasters), you may dodge the water monster, or you may try to block the water monster (using Power).

  To fight the giant water monster (using your own weapon): Choo
se your weapon. Add your weaponry# to your weapon’s far-range# +3 for your confront#. Roll the 12-dice to shoot the water monster.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference +4 to your MP total. It’s a perfect hit. The monster dives away, looking for a gentler meal, and you may now proceed.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. At the speed you’re going, you only had time for one shot. Now you must dodge or block the monster, or use your vehicle’s weapon (below).

  To fight the water monster (using your vehicle’s weapon): Add your weaponry# to your vehicle’s weapon# +4 for your confront#. Roll the 12-dice to fire the laser cannon.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference +5 to your MP total. You’ve scored a direct hit and may now proceed.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. At the speed you’re going, you only had time for one shot. Now you must dodge or block the monster (below).

  To dodge the water monster: Your stealth# +1 is your confront#. Roll the 6-dice to dodge the monster.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference +3 to your MP total. You deftly sweep past the beast. You may now proceed.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. You slowed your vehicle and tried to circle, but the beast is after you. Now you hit the thrusters and surge forward. Add +2 to your confront# for your new confront#. Roll again to dodge the fish, using the new confront#. Continue doing this until you have escaped from the water monster.

  To block the water monster (using Power)*: Choose your Object Movement Power. Your skill# + your Power’s midresist# + your Jedi# is your confront#. You try to maneuver a floating dead tree trunk into the monster’s path. Roll the 6-dice to see if this works.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference +3 to your MP total. You wallop the beast and may proceed.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. The trunk misses the beast. Now you must either fight (if you have not already fought) or dodge the fish (above).

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

  You escape the water monster, but suddenly Bizzin Uz and the others veer toward you. There wasn’t just one creature. You’ve driven into a school of them!

  Everyone ahead is speeding up, trying to outrace the monsters. Bizzin Uz veers sharply from an enormous water beast in front of him and nearly crashes into your speeder.

  “Oh dear!” See-Threepio cries. “My sensors indicate that we’re heading into real trouble!”

  In the darkness, hovering over the water just ahead, you see enormous insects with long lacy wings — like giant green mayfliis. You flip on your headlights to warn the others, and are amazed.

  The water ahead is filled by hundreds of these giant insects, all hovering low, dipping their tails into the water to deposit their eggs.

  You can’t slow down with the water monsters behind you. And you don’t want to speed up — not when you’re going to run into those insects.

  As you drive into the giant fliis, you begin to swerve, veering past the creatures. You look at one, with its enormous faceted eyes reflecting your headlights, and its massive mandibles clacking. The chitin on its body looks as thick as the battle armor on an AT-AT. Its six enormous legs are big enough to crush your speeder.

  The fliis are blinded by your headlights, unsure whether to evade or attack. The beating of their wings makes the water around them choppy.

  To your left, other speeders begin to fire their weapons. Perhaps the noise will drive the beasts to a higher altitude. Or perhaps they are shooting the monsters.

  Ahead of you, the giant fliis are an almost solid mass. Bizzin Uz sees that you have a good path, and he swerves ahead of you. Water sprays in your face as his craft raises a wake. This doesn’t help!

  “Look out!” Threepio cries as a giant fli buzzes in front to you.

  You must shoot at a giant fli while veering to evade others.

  To avoid the fli: Your weaponry# + your weapon’s far-range# + your skill# + your vehicle’s stealth# is your confront#. Roll the 12-dice to simultaneously drive and combat the giant fli.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add 10 MP to your MP total. The giant fli will now only bother you in your nightmares. You may proceed.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total and repeat this confront until you have escaped the giant fli.

  “Help!” Threepio shouts.

  You look back to see an angry fli racing toward you from behind. Its enormous mandibles clack as it reaches forward to grab Threepio. The forward gun on the landspeeder won’t do you any good! And the fliis are so thick ahead, there’s no way to avoid them.

  You can fight the giant fli with a weapon, or you can seek to hypnotize the fli with Power.

  To combat the giant fli with a weapon: Choose your weapon. Add your weaponry# + your weapon’s mid-range# +2 for your confront #. Roll the 12-dice.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add the difference to your MP total. Now that bug knows what it’s like to get slapped by a giant fliswatter! You may keep driving.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. Add +2 to your confront# for your new confront#. Roll the 12-dice and continue this confront, using the new confront#, until the bug is nothing but water monster bait.

  To hypnotize the fli (with Power)*: Choose your Hypnotism Power. Your Jedi# + your Power’s low-resist# +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. The fli suddenly becomes subdued and looks for less violent diversion elsewhere. You may proceed.

  If your confront# is lower than your roll#, subtract the difference from your MP total. The fli resists. You must fight (above).

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

  As you leave the flock of fliis behind, you hear the sound of water monsters leaping up from the water. You look back, and see the whale-sized aquabeast gulping down giant fliis. Your heart pounds in terror and you wipe sweat and saltwater spray from your forehead and eyes. “Don’t slow down!” Threepio warns.

  In moments you reach the shore, near the Silver Forest of Dreams.

  You drive into the great wood, and your headlights shine into the dank forest. A carpet of yellow fungus grows thick on the forest floor. Its long sticklike growths are as tall as your waist.

  The landspeeders don’t fly over it as much as they fly through it.

  The trees themselves are enormous. At the base of the trunk, each silver tree is perhaps a hundred meters wide; from where you sit, you can’t begin to see how tall they are. The speeders’ headlights gleam off their silver bark, providing you with a strong light

  In the distance, grazing in the deep fungus, you see enormous beetuls — each the size of a landspeeder! They come in many colors, and some of them have enormous horns, like giant thorns sticking up from between their eyes. You imagine these beetuls rushing forward and ramming a vehicle. The thought gives you the chills.

  It is no wonder that Bizzin Uz wanted you to drive a fast vehicle. Everywhere, there are signs of giant insects — from trails trampled through the fungus, to an enormous exposed root that has been chewed down to nothing.

  You turn to a clump of blue rocks and are surprised when it suddenly moves. They’re not rocks at all — they’re giant mytes!

  Mists and vapors hang in the air like a gauzy ceiling. You stare up, and never in your life have you felt quite so small. The wildlife, the silver woods, all suddenly seem beautiful, peaceful… and overwhelming.

  You slow a moment to look at a tree. Something
on the silver trunk glitters like rubies. You look closer and recognize dozens of fiery beetuls, each the size of your fist, climbing upward.

  As you slow, something enormous and black slaps down at you. Whap!

  It’s the tail of a giant insect. It slams into the communications console of your landspeeder, and the console explodes in a flash of sparks and dark smoke. The tail wriggles, pumping vicious-looking poison into the console. The landspeeder slues sideways, and two giant black claws grab the speeder, tipping it sideways. You are afraid to look beneath you, but you do so anyway. It’s a giant four-clawed scarpyen!

  And it is firmly gripping the speeder.

  “Oh dear!” See-Threepio cries. “We should never have slowed down.”

  As you realize the danger, you see the other speeders whizzing ahead, unaware of your plight.

  A giant black claw reaches up to grab you. You can evade the claw (with Power), evade (without Power), or fight. Choose now.

  To evade (with Power)*: Choose your Evasion Power. Your stealth# + your Jedi# + your Power’s low-resist# is your confront#. Roll the 6-dice.

  If your confront# is equal to or more than your roll#, add 9 MP to your MP total. The claw gropes in the air, safely above you. You may proceed.

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

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