Riders of the Maelstrom
Acting upon information provided by the rebel spy known only as “Dagger”, the Rebels journey to the jungle world Aris, where they are instructed to gather important information concerning a forthcoming secret meeting between two Imperial Moffs.
A series of unfortunate events lead to the Rebels being discovered, and they were chased through the jungle canopy by Imperial Stormtroopers. The rebels managed to escape after an Imperial Swoop attack caused their apparent demise. The only way off-planet was aboard a small shuttle to the cruise liner the Kuari Princess. Without tickets, the Rebels managed to ‘convince’ a group of Anomids to give them their breath masks and outfits, enabling them to hide their identity. Just when it looks like their disguise is about to be unmasked, the shuttle barge lifts off – and the Heroes notice an Imperial Shuttle lifting off too.
Aboard the Kuari Princess, the Rebels had a chance to relax before the liner entered the gas nebula known as the Maelstrom. That is, until, the Rebels find a platoon of Stormtroopers on board, and the drive section sealed off - and a message from Dagger warning them to keep a low profile arrives. Curious to know why there are so many troops aboard, the Rebels sneak onto the Engineering deck. It transpires that the meeting between the Moffs, Vanko and Torpin is to take place on the Princess as the two do not want the Emperor to know about the increased levels of piracy in the Maelstrom Nebula that borders their sectors. Captured by the Imperials, the Rebels are about to undergo interrogation by and Imperial interrogation droid. Just as the droid moves in, pirates attack the Princess and a violent explosion knocks everyone unconscious.
When the Rebels regain unconscious, they are the only ones conscious – and the pirates, the “Riders of the Maelstrom” are boarding the liner, under the command of “Big Jak” Targrim, a vicious leader with multiple personalities. As the Rebels make their way up to the main decks, they have to fight a number of pirates and discover the pirates plan: to eliminate their competition by ramming the Princess into Oasis mining colony, a secret alliance base – and home to the Rider’s main competitors. A message from Dagger confirms this and asks the Rebels to steal a shuttle and warn the colony. The drive is locked on course and cannot be deactivated.
As the Rebels fight their way to the hangar bay, Moff Torpin comes around in Engineering, picks up a blaster, and stumbles away. However, Moff Vanko and a number of Imperial Troops are still holding out on one of the decks above. As some of the Rebels steal the Imperial shuttle, the others fight their way to environmental control where they hope to knock out the remaining pirates with an anaesthetic gas.
Aboard the shuttle, the Rebels come under attack from the Rider ships outside, as well as a new complication: Moff Torpin has concealed himself aboard and threatens the Rebels at gunpoint. Both threats averted the shuttle lands at Oasis. The rebels are rushed to a meeting with the Alliance Command and Higron, the Riders’ rival. There they learn that not only is Oasis an Alliance base it is also a safe-world for the families of Alliance troops. With only 30 minutes to spare, colony cannot be evacuated in time – if the Rebels aboard the Princess cannot deactivate the drive lock, Rebel X-Wings will have no choice but to destroy the liner.
Meanwhile, aboard the Kuari Princess,the Rebels have successfully released the gas into the atmosphere control knocking a large number of pirates unconscious, allowing them to make their way to the Bridge. There, they find Big Jak Targrim himself, standing amid the bodies of the dead bridge complement, dead stormtroopers, and dead pirates, as well as the wreckage of a protocol droid.
Dagger (actually a protocol droid; the wreckage on the floor is all that remains of the Alliance operative) delivers one final message after the Rebels defeat Targrim – the combination necessary to shut off the drive lock. With mere seconds to spare, the Kuari Princess veers away from the planet… and the Rebel forces outside break off their attack run.
