Marcelus nods in acceptance, boarding the tram and - along with Jeren, Rast and Callom - moving off towards the visitors quarters. Iquizzil, Rion and TeeNine instead head aft down the main gangway towards the engineering section.

It's as you're moving in your respective directions that you see looming in the viewport above your heads a planet, one covered in lush green for the most part save the areas discoloured by tropical storms or glittering with ocean. You each take a moment to gaze at it, reflecting on the beauty of the galaxy. It's while you're watching the planet though, that with a sudden shock another ship drops out of hyperspace. Long, dagger-shaped and studded with turbolasers, its silhouette is unmistakeable.

"Stars above," groans Callom, combead activated. "That's a Sith dreadnaught."

Rast's mind races. What kind of capabilities does the modified Rendilli Star have compared against a Sith dreadnaught? Even if it has defensive laser cannons, who's to say that the sabotaging hadn't just been relegated to the hyperdrive? Are we dead in the water?

"Rion, it sounds like your hunch about the Sith might have been accurate," he says through his comlink.

"This ship is a heavy cruiser. We're built for fighting, but not against a dreadnaught, not by a long shot. This goes south and we'll be vapour in minutes," Callom tells you. "We should contact the bridge and see what the situation is."

Izzy turns to Rion.

"Revenge?... What the kriff did you do?!"

Opening his comms to the bridge, "Captain, have they stated any demands yet?"

"I haven't heard anything from them yet, but I've got shields up and batteries aimed. Engineering isn't responding to comms - is your team in there yet? I need an update on the hyperdrive; if we can get out of here without resorting to shooting I'll be that much happier," the captain sounds harrowed, as if you are the least of his concerns right now. "Your team heading to the passenger area needs to check in on our VIPs, we need to make sure they're secure."

"Of all the times for my overly-suspicious nature to be proven correct..." Rion mutters, and starts running to engineering.

Izzy puts the railcar on its way to engineering, the Sith gunship proving to be a big motivator for haste.

TeeNine wheels along nervously. Just the sight of that ship was enough to make him feel like the smallest droid in the galaxy.

"Well, I suppose one should expect such... coincidences when one annoys the Sith," Jeren says with a sigh, though it seems he is incapable of suppressing a rather spectacular eye roll. The Jedi, alongside almost half of the rest of the group, starts making rounds in the passenger area, checking on the people there before proceeding to look for the ones labeled by the captain as VIPs in particular.

"I must admit I am not an expert in military tactics," he says to the others with him. "Any idea what to expect now that we are being faced with a dreadnaught?"

"Well if they start shooting there's not much we can do other than stand by the escape pods," grimaces Callom. "If they try boarding then it'll get messy and violent, and we'll be right in the middle of it. But we've got a job to do and we should do it. The VIP lounge is that way."

Elsewhere the other team has just reached Engineering, where just outside they encounter a group of sentries stood on guard. "This area's on lockdown, Captain Kozik's orders," they inform you. "We'll keep out anyone who tries to interfere when you head in. There's a group of technicians just inside who can guide you to the vital systems."

"Excellent," states Izzy, and with blaster drawn now he proceeds through.

"Is there any evidence of sabotage? If there's any possibility someone's planted explosives in engineering, I need to take a look."

Izzy turns to Rion.

"Revenge?... What the kriff did you do?

"We took out a Sith base in Hutt space, and when the Hutts arrested us and the Sith sent a representative to the trial to discredit the Republic, we turned the tables on her, probably made the Sith look bad and got off with no charges. I suspect she's a bit bitter about the whole thing."

"Well, even as we face a somewhat tricky situation, I'd have to say well done. Always enjoy rubbing the Sith up the wrong way," Izzy grins mischievously. "Let's hunt this rogue agent down, skip off to hyperspace, and give her another little tantrum."

"We haven't spotted any sabotage. That said, we pulled all non-essential staff out when the alert came in to minimise the risk of sabotage, so there could be something we missed. At this point we really don't know," the Marine Corporal in charge of the guard post looks uncertain.

"Understood. We'll handle it."

Rion goes in, looking for sabotage, planted explosives and the like.

Engineering is a large area spread over multiple decks. Uppermost are the water treatment facilities, then the workshops for droid and equipment maintenance and fabrication over two decks, and below them the engine room, a single chamber over four decks built around a wide open space. It hasaccess to the engines, while the main power core is suspended in the centre of the void while the crew move around it.

There are very few people left in this area. A skeleton crew is managing the power core, but there are no crew maintaining the engines or operating the workshops. The area seems more or less deserted. A technician waiting just inside the room steps forward. There are four technicians, and four marines with the insignia of ordnance disposal qualifications displayed as a neat rune on the breast of their armour plating.

"Welcome sirs. How do you want to play this?"

"Two immediate questions: first, what's the status of the hyperdrive, and second, have you detected any evidence of sabotage or unauthorized individuals gaining entry?"

"The hyperdrive is shot. Whoever did this is an expert; it won't be fixed in a couple of hours, especially since all the specialists are dead. There was a carbon trioxin leak in the main engine room, no doubt our friend's work," the technician speaking to you is solemn. "As for means of entry, we've seen nothing so far but given the technical skill of our friend that might not be so surprising. We need to flush him out somehow, especially since if his trail so far is any indication he's not as skilled in combat as most Imperial agents."

"How'd you figure that?" asks the Marine.

"He's killed one man face-to-face, and he was an old man at that. His only other weapon so far has been technical skill. Those were only lightly-armed technicians, but instead he chose a more difficult method. We should be on guard for other traps."

Izzy spends a few seconds considering this, his brows furrowed in concentration.

"TeeNine would you mind running a quick scan on the surveillance records please? I realise our "friend" is probably more than aware of the cameras, but it would be foolish to ignore them. Oh and if you can get a message up to the captain. He should be made aware we aren't going to be performing a sudden jump to hyperspace,"

Turning to the technician.

"Could you take us to the site of the trioxin leak? I'd like to take a look anyway presuming it is now safe." he looks to Rion as if waiting for any further ideas or questions.

"The gas leak is contained, and we've moved the bodies to medical," the man shivers, despite the warm air in engineering. "We can head out, if there's nothing else?"

"You ok?"

Izzy is suspicious of the shivering. It could be just the effects of shock and fear, but...

"It'd be helpful if you stayed for a bit. We may need a few more questions answered."

"Of course, anything you need answering. However, time is of the essence so can I answer them en route?"

"Clearly, the goal was to knock us out of hyperspace so the Sith vessel could finish us off," Rion surmises, "so I"m guessing there's no further sabotage."

Activating his comlink, Rion calls his droid companion. "T-9, you think you can help fix the hyperdrive? There's a gas leak down here, but it wouldn't affect you."

"Do you have any gas masks?" Rion asks the guard.

"Respirators won't be needed. We have emergency stocks in the fire lockers, but the gas has been cleared out so they shouldn't be necessary."