- "There are few things more dangerous than an angry caged Wookiee."
- — Master Kota
Mission 5 is the first mission of Act II. Many years after the battle on Dantooine, Master Kota recruits X2 to the Rebel Alliance. He sends him on a mission to destroy an Imperial facility used in the construction of the Death Star.
Synopsis
Jedi Master Kota has recruited X2 into the ranks of the Rebel Alliance, shortly after the events of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed but before the events of Episode IV. During the events of The Force Unleashed, which Kota was privy to, the Death Star's superlaser was damaged. To keep the project on schedule, the Empire is working its slave laborers to the bone to complete work on the replacement parts. The Rebels currently do not have enough information to formulate a plan to permanently halt the construction of the Death Star, but are actively looking for ways to delay it. X2 has been tasked with destroying a replacement tributary beam for the Death Star's superlaser and the facility used to create it. To do this, he must infiltrate an Imperial base, drop the shield surrounding the superlaser transport ship, board the transport ship and fire the beam at the base. Along the way, he must free the Wookiee slaves that the Empire has conscripted to do their labor.
Objectives
Act II Intro - Scripted Cutscene
The Rebel Alliance sends Master Rahm Kota to Dantooine to find and recruit Falon Grey. However there he finds X2, who has spent the last fifteen years living amongst the villagers. X2, initially dismissive of the old man, decides to follow him after he mentions he can sense the Force in him.
Mission Intro - Scripted Event
A short sequence of camera pans and shots showing the key elements of the level – the base, the near-complete Death Star and the beam transport vessel – before moving in behind the Imperial Shuttle and the player taking control, flying through a dense asteroid field. Desolation Station itself is constructed on a large asteroid which is rich in mineral deposits required for the construction of key components. During the flight to the base, X2 is escorted through a series of nav markers/gates by a pair of TIE fighters. This is intended to guide the player “safely” through the asteroid field but also allows the developers to focus all the base activity around the flight path the player will take.
During this flight, Master Kota briefs the player on the situation and the mission objectives, while X2 can see the superlaser transport clearly shielded, as well as the almost completed Death Star in the distance. The base is a hive of activity with patrolling TIE fighters and other vessels constantly arriving and departing. The backdrop to the whole scene is a massive planetary system with a nebula behind, the asteroid field being a part of this planetary system.
Land and Secure the East Hangar
X2 is approaching Desolation Station in a stolen Imperial Shuttle. His Imperial protocol is a bit rusty after nearly 15 years out of commission, but he’s able to get by. The Empire thinks that he’s delivering a fresh shipment of slaves from Kashyyyk. Instead he’s got a cargo hold full of Rebel soldiers ready to take on the Empire. TIE Fighters escort the shuttle across the asteroid field. Master Kota explains that Desolation Station is a source of raw material and key components for the Death Star and that a transport has recently left the facility with the tributary beam component. The transport is a high priority target, however nothing can be done while it is shielded. On the asteroids, turrets can be seen which track the shuttle's movement. TIE Fighters patrol the station in formation. As the shuttle approaches the hangar, the escorts move away and X2 is given clearance to land over the radio. He is greeted by the station's commanding officer, Captain Botha. Stormtroopers and an Imperial Officer parade in formation in the hangar as X2 is landing. Once he and the Rebels gets out however, the alarm is raised and the fighting begins. There are AT-STs in the hangar that can be used, however the Imperials will try getting to them first. If X2 does enter an AT-ST, Shock Troopers with rocket launchers will appear, as well as TIE Fighters doing strafing runs. Eventually the TIE Fighters are called off due to excessive collateral damage. With the first wave of troopers eliminated, the hangar is secured.
Destroy the Imperial Communication Stations
Around the hangar, there are several consoles which can be used to call for reinforcements. Destroying them will reduce the amount of troops deployed for now.
Fight to the Drill Chamber
The controls for the Beam Transport's shield are on the other side of the base. To get there X2 must deactivate the security system that’s blocking access to an underground passage. Captain Botha can be heard giving orders over the tannoy. In the rear area of the factory, X2 sees rebelling Wookies getting punished for their actions. After leaving the factory and heading towards the drill chamber, he passes through a linking corridor with a glass ceiling. An AT-AT can be seen stepping over it. The security console is found at the upper level of the drill chamber. Once destroyed, the doors leading down to the cells are opened and the intruder alarm is shut down.
Liberate the Wookiee Slave Workers
As with other Death Star construction facilities, the work on Desolation Station is accomplished with Wookiee slave labor. Before destroying the facility, X2 must see to it that the slaves have been safely evacuated. As he moves down the prison block, he finds not only slaves inside the cells, but General Tarfful whom the Empire had taken prisoner. The cells can be opened by either pressing or shooting the door panel. Now freed, the Wookiees rush to the gun racks and begin attacking the Imperials. Once all the cells are opened, Captain Botha can be heard abandoning the station in panic.
Deactivate the Shield Generator guarding the Beam Transport
X2 fights his way into the shield control room. There, the Wookiees start smashing the Imperial consoles. Tarfful goes up to the upper level and shakes his arms in the air and roars to fuel the Wookiee rebellion. An enemy is knocked off the upper gantry by a Wookiee. X2 can destroy the shield controls himself, or, if the fight goes on for long enough, the Wookiees will do it themselves.
Board the Beam Transport
Master Kota tells X2 to steal one of the Empire's new TIE Fighters from the West Hangar. In the same hangar, there is an Imperial shuttle, which will be used for the Wookiees’ escape. Once in the TIE Fighter, Blue Leader informs X2 that his ship is marked as friendly. X2 and the Rebels are clear to head up to the beam transport.
Destroy the AA Turrets on the Asteroids
AA turrets mounted on the asteroids have been activated due to the prisoners’ escape attempt. X2 has the option of taking out some of the turrets on these asteroids on the way up to the transport ship. Destroying them will guarantee the safety of the escaping Wookiees.
Fire the Tributary Beam at Desolation Station
Artwork from the DS version.
After landing, X2 is informed that a commando unit will land, seize control of the bridge and align the transport with Desolation Station. Then, X2 can use the firing controls and destroy the base. Three X-wings land on the transport and the pilots join the fight. Reaching the capacitor chamber, X2 is informed by the commando unit that it is defended by top Imperial marksmen. As the only escape pod in the transport is located at the end of the capacitor chamber, the Rebels fighting alongside X2 stay behind and get to safety. After the capacitor chamber is cleared, the commando unit informs X2 that the tributary beam is now targeting the facility and that they are evacuating. Upon firing the laser there is a cutscene showing the destruction of Desolation Station.
Escape from the Beam Transport
The tributary beam was never meant to be fired while being moved on the transport ship and certainly not at such close range to the target. The transport has sustained serious damage from the impact of the debris from the explosion and the power systems are overloading. X2 must get to the escape pod before the ship self-destructs. Consoles and power feeds explode everywhere, filling the area with steam. The entrance to the capacitor chamber has been sealed shut in an automated attempt to isolate hull breaches, making the only way off the transport the escape pod.
Mission Outro - Scripted Event
Behind the escape pod, the Beam Transport is seen blowing up. A chunk of Desolation Station itself may collide with the ship just prior to its explosion. Over the radio, Master Kota congratulates X2 and welcomes him to the Rebellion. While the Death Star's construction is slowed down, it will still be completed one day. A frigate is being sent to retrieve X2 before the Empire finds the ruins.
Mission Outro - Cutscene
Captain Botha's escape pod has been recovered by Imperial forces and he is brought before X1 to receive his punishment for such a huge defeat at the hands of a clone and a few Wookiees. The punishment is swift and final.
Trivia
- From Act II onwards, the campaign takes place after The Force Unleashed. The Force Unleashed II is not relevant as it released after Battlefront III's cancellation and would have most likely been different if the game had released.
- In the March 2009 build of the PSP version, Act II is named "Rise of the Nemesis". However the original name is used in the released version.
- The PSP version does not show Master Kota meeting X2 on Dantooine 15 years later. Because of this, it modifies the final paragraph of the Act II title crawl to: "Knowing that failure will spell certain doom, the Jedi known as Master Kota dispatches X2 on a daring reconnaissance mission to learn more about the Empire's new battle station...."
Gallery
Audio Logs
Captain Botha: Excellent, I’ve needed a new shipment of Wookiees. I’m getting pressure from high command to increase outputs. I’ll need more as soon as possible.
Boba Fett: My price has doubled.
Captain Botha: What? Why?
Boba Fett: The Wookiees are finding new ways to avoid being captured.
Captain Botha: You’ll get paid bounty hunter, just do what you have to. If I don’t get those slaves I’ll have to deal with high command.
Boba Fett: If I don’t get paid, double my usual price, then you’ll have to deal with me.
Grand Moff Tarkin: I trust everything is proceeding as planned?
X1: Not as quickly as I had hoped but we are still on schedule.
Grand Moff Tarkin: Perhaps the workers are not as motivated as they should be.
X1: Captain Botha is reporting that we’re losing quite a few Wookiees to attrition.
Grand Moff Tarkin: Tell him to keep a steady supply of slaves coming in. Nothing must delay our progress.
X1: Yes, sir. I will make sure he understands the price of failure.Captain Botha: The facility at Desolation Station sits in the shadow of the Death Star construction site. The Death Star plans, originally created by the Confederacy during the Clone Wars, are finally being realized. Scientists from around the galaxy have been recruited specifically for the task. The Death Star will also act as an Imperial detention center and prison. Ultimately worlds will need to be conquered through subjugation and removal of dissidents rather than outright annihilation. Of course, soon after the Death Star is completed, a demonstration of its immense power will need to be made.
Cutscene Script - Intro
FADE UP.
The stars litter the frame.
A CRAWL begins.
ACT II
THE DARK TIMES
TILT DOWN TO:
SPACE. DANTOOINE
EXT. FARMLAND. DANTOOINE – FIFTEEN YEARS LATER.
MASTER KOTA (rugged, weather-beaten, blind) approaches X2, his back turned to him as he toils the dirt.
X2 turns, immediately aggravated by this rude old man.
Why ask me to repeat myself when you heard every word.
Master Kota stares at X2 from empty eye sockets.
You're pretty brave for an old man.
You're pretty gutless for a clone. You disgrace the memory of Falon Grey. But then, I never did meet a clone that was worth anything.
What do you know of Falon Grey?
Falon Grey was my Padawan. I came to Dantooine to find him. Instead, I find you - a pale imitation.
I am Kota, one of the few still bold enough to call themselves a Jedi. Look, clone, if you're even half the man that Falon was, the Rebel Alliance could use your help.
And what makes you think I care about the Rebel Alliance?
Master Kota scoffs.
The Force resonates in you. Yet here you are, 'tending the land' while the entire galaxy suffers around you.
He huffs and turns to leave, slowly walking away.
X2 considers his words. He's right.
Wait...
Master Kota smiles knowingly.
Cutscene Script - Outro
[CUTSCENE STARTS]
SPACE. DESOLATION STATION
Icon.
The remains of the station float about. A few escape pods are in view with their beacons flashing.
A Star Destroyer enters the scene slowing down...
INT. STAR DESTROYER HANGAR – DAY.
A row of Stormtroopers lined up before X1. A lone IMPERIAL OFFICER, escorted by two troopers, walks the row of Stormtroopers to stand in front of X1.
X1 nods to a Stormtrooper who moves up behind Captain Botha.
Camera focuses on X1’s impassive face, framing his eyes in a shot that will be recreated in Dathomir with X2. An X1 music cue is played. The player hears the sound of a blaster rifle firing and it momentarily lights up X1’s face followed by the sound of a body hitting the ground. Two more shots follow.
Document References
- Desolation Station Overview.odt (15/04/2008)
- Battlefront_III_Script_Sept_12_2007.pdf (modified with all known script updates)