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 Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 10:27 am
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It was about this time that the Republic, brainless as ever, decided to butt in on Qaina's business.
Without any sort of warning, a Republic Shuttle opened fire on the Smuggler ship, energy bolts glancing off its shields.
Gritting her teeth, Qaina simply shot the Bith she held at gunpoint, the dual stun bolts knocking him out. Hefting the unconscious form over her shoulder, she took advantage of the shuttle's preoccupation with the Smuggler ship and scampered off under the cover of the treeline, seeking to put distance between her and the Republic forces.
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Meanwhile, the two Rodians aboard the Smuggler ship were screaming at the shuttle on a republic frequency to stand down in the name of the Republic Navy, not returning fire on the shuttle but speaking with the authority of officers.
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 2:18 pm
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Caisar could feel that they were moving in as he heard the turrets spattering, 'logical hostile assessment and management' he thought and then frowned, poor judgement on his part, but they were well beyond enemy lines and matters were delicate and announcement could have ended with the small shuttle likely being blasted out of the sky like the one before. The comm into the back cabin then began to bark."Master Jedi, your attention is required, sir." The pilot said and Caisar crossed the back cabin quickly and into the forward.
"Sir, they're claiming to be republic naval officers, we've stopped firing and asked for IFFs and actualization codes. Do you still want to investigate?"
"I do." Caisar said peering out of the view just in time to see a suit of blue and white armour disappear into the massive treeline of the clearing carrying a body. His eyes narrowed.
"Sir, we'll come in low to drop while I watch authorize these claims, Corporal. There was one who escaped as we swept into the clearing, on foot."
"I saw." He said, then nodded."Check out these claims, but continue with the original plan, please."
"Sir." He responded then switched back to his comm."Unidentified starship, you are commanded now to land for actualization of claims, ground team will confirm..."
Caisar turned and headed back into the rear cabin, the hatch doors were just opening. A few seconds later, the red light switched the green and the Sargent began barking names for drop, but these men were well drilled and already doing what they were trained too, dropping down out of the armoured shuttle by the cords, unclipping, and sweeping out with ready weapons, all twelve with the CO last, then Caisar took up one of the cords and slid down himself.
Upon hitting the green grass, his robe spinning and flowing out around him, he watched as the dozen men immediately split into two groups with one checking the wreckage and the other moving in toward the starship. Caisar then, took off for the treeline in pursuit of the armoured figure, sliding on his hands free comm as he sprinted. |
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 2:47 pm
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The Rodians, still speaking their native tongue, returned the proper idenitfication codes and explained themselves to be Lieutenants who, along with their Catain, had negotiated with a smuggler for Quesh adrenals, a valuable resource this far from Hutt Space and incredibly useful to any military force. The deal had been interupted by a Bounty Hunter. In the exchange the Captain had been killed, their guard droids shot up, and the smuggler had tried to make off with both the payment and the shipment. As the troops landed they lowered the Smuggler ship Shields and came down the ramp, hands raised and bearing their identification badges, one of them with a wounded arm.
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Sure enough Qaina could hear commotion near the wreck sight behind her as she pushed on into the forest and her hunch about it being fully loaded sounded like it was true. Now she needed to get the hell away before the Republic tried to take her mark away from her and do something stupid like prosecute him under Republic Law. Not only that, but since this was a contested world, no doubt the Sith would show up to investigate this as well, and then everything would go straight to hell. The unconcious Bith over her shoulder not slowing the athletic woman down in the slightest, she cleared a fallen tree and pressed deeper into the forest keeping on the move. She took a quick glance behind her to make sure she wasn't being followed, only to see some moron in vestments chasing after her. All the way out here without armor? And where was his gun? This guy had to be some kind of idiot or-
"Maiksuk!" She cursed as she recognized the figure as a Jedi. She aimed her Military Enforcer behind her and sent a few bolts back the Jedi's way, trying to slow him down. There was no way she wanted this Meddling Jedi anywhere near her quarry, for chances were the idiot would try locking up not only D'an but her as well, probably for stepping on some endangered species of insect or something.
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 3:31 pm
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Apologies extended towards the officers, the flight lieutenant relayed what information he could to Caisar via comm. The squad medics patched up the wounded Rodian and checked out the Captain, confirmed a KIA due to treatment in the field being impossible and dying moments later. Far above the armoured shuttle continued to circle on high.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Caisar could see the figure now, dressed in ragtag republic trooper armor, lithe but strong, probably female but unsure. Tapping into the Force to augment his speed and perceptions, he dodged the two blaster bolts that got close enough by a hairs breath, his curved-hilt saber flying into his right hand with a flick of telekinesis, left un-ignited. He quickly began to overtake the bounty hunter in the forest with the burst of speed before he let it up.
"Mercenaries are always so uncivil..." He muttered to himself as he ran, his robe snagging on a branch and ripping down the back he freed himself of it and pulled down his hood, taking down on his wind tension. He was also unarmoured and not carrying nothing more than his personal affects, and while Caisar was not what one of his Order's would call a warrior, he had more athleticism, martial training and physical stamina than most Jedi scholars that comes from hard training and field work. He altered his course from a direct approach to interception through the trees by the north-northeast and called upon The Force for another burst of unrelenting swiftness. |
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 4:13 pm
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The burnt orange, nearly molten lava colored lightsaber blade ignited from the curved hilt which easily spun in Caisar's palm to reflect the two bolts effortlessly to the side to impact the ground and a nearby tree which did not so much have the decency to even shake. Bringing the blade down to a low, one-handed guard and taking a breath, the oxygen rich air helped him revive from the two bursts of speed it took to bring this to a close, Caisar stared at what he now knew to be a woman. He wondered if the armour she wore was made up of sick trophies from the dead, though more likely she was a scavanger, he didn't sense so much malice than that necessary to perform her job, but he could be wrong because. A bounty hunter. Much worse than a mercenary. It didn't do to underestimate the ends her kind would go.
"It is if you're collecting it on the benefit of the Sith, Huntress. I cannot allow that." He responded cooly, his tone steel. He studied the woman before him, shorter, and much younger, but clearly used to a harder living and the tattoo across her face perhaps a testament to pain endurance for a personal symbol. |
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 5:44 pm
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Caisar studied her, mind and body, tensing out with his perceptions to gaige her emotions, pivoting to always keep her in clear center. As the rain fell, more thunderbolts rang out, thought the lightning was far from them yet, what they heard had traveled over a hundred kilometers. The forest was dark and thick, but still the rain reached them, fissing as it struck the burnt-orange blade of his lightsaber. He felt that she spoke the truth, but at this point it meant little.
"That may be so, but the case is now that you are responsible for the murder of a Republic Military Captain. I cannot let you go, and you are very far from civilization to survive with both him and yourself in these wilds for that journey. Give up." He stated, his eyes narrowed and the sound of rain pattering down grew stronger, plinking off armour and gear alike.
"There will soon be twelve very well trained Republic RRF vanguards moving in on us, and there will be little that you can escape too, and if you have a ship near you'll never break before the storm." He continued, then after a moment, his guard fell, and his lightsaber shut-off. He focused on his perceptions and let the world slip into near stillness as he waited for her response, this meditation trace that would grant him foresight and a rapid response to any actions, a trick he was developing to support the Makashi form. It could be extremely deadly in his preferred method of battle, but this was no Sith, still he doubted very much a blaster bolt couldn't be dealt with in the same manner. Akin to a quick-draw a gunslinger may use, but in this way it was meant to attack extremely swiftly at the first point of attack. A one-attack victory, though one could easily revert it redirecting a blasterbolt at the last moment.
A rustle and crash some ways off to the far left, then a drowned moan-like sound, Caisar dismissed it. Intent and focused. Thunder boomed thrice overhead."Things can go easily here, Huntress." |
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 6:03 pm
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"Its his own damn fault for A. dealing with smugglers and B. sticking his head up out of cover and thinking I was one of your stupid grunts." Qaina said, unconcerned about the death of the man. Now positioned away from the crash sight, Qaina started backing up, slowly trying to put more distance between her and the Jedi.
"Go back to your ship and your Arrarreff thugs, Jedi." She told him. "This bith is coming with me. Dead or alive. You back away now, he lives. You keep acting like you can bring me in, and I kill him right now. A hand is a light lighter than a body."
She let the threat hang there, the rain tapping on her armor and helmet as she inched further away from the Jedi, pistol aimed for a body shot. Her Military Enforcer had been customized for extra stopping power, and a bolt or two from it would probably drop the unarmored Jedi in his tracks.
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Posted: Sat May 05, 2012 6:46 pm
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Ignoring her misguided statements, Caisar's eyes narrowed."Handing him to the Hutts makes him as good as dead." He said, the thunder booming increasing, he remembered Khyber up on the mountain, facing the Sith, he sighed inwardly in his mind, this had to end. He was confident that he could cross the space between them in a matter of a second, but he was curious just how fast she could be, it was a dangerous gamble. He took a step back, then another.
"He is worth more alive to you, I'm sure. His life don't have to be laid out so easily, though not that I would expect your kind to know its value, how cheaply you spend it." He stated, staring at her from across seventeen-paces."How much is this one worth? Your new blaster? The debt you owe to the Hutt it goes to, so he doesn't kill you? A suit of armour not stolen from the dead. How much is a person worth to your kind, Huntress?" He asked, taunting her.
He waits for the moment she reacts in any way, and as she does, as the thunder booms once more his free hand reaches up in an effort to conjure the Force in a great relentless wave of invisible energy, the great tree to his left explodes outward and a massive beast barrels through toward them, splinters and huge hunks of wood shattering everywhere at them. Caisar's saber is ignited and fissing as the rain patters onto it. The beast turns, it is as tall as three men and wide as eight, with six hooved stompers and a trio of blunted horns atop it's reptilian-like head. It is desperate and it regards them each with a sweep of its massive head through raging eyes, a great, powerful jaw filled with heavy blunt teeth. Lifting its head it roars greatly with the sound of thunder and horns mixed and charges the space between them, sure enough capable of bucking at either as it passes. |
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Posted: Sun May 06, 2012 4:53 am
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Sythica moved with her fire team through the halls of the freighter. Checking each and every doorway was necessity. Part of her really wished there was better ways for close combat. But for now her carbine would have to do. It seemed like every other corner had a patrol droid. She heard the occasional “Tango down” echo through her coms as each fire team took down each section with precise fire. The blasterfire was loud enough to alert people though. She swore she could hear feet stamping down the hallways each time. Sometimes, she swore she could hear the sounds of metal feet above as well. This was heavier armed than normal. Then she heard swearing over the coms.
“Couldn’t get to him in time. Sent out the distress beacon. Engineering team, what’s your status?” Z-man’s voice sound strained. Sythica knew that there was something off about it, but couldn’t they just deactivate it.
“We’re still seizing it. Heading through the cargo bays now,” she responded. Her fist held up in military sign the command to stop and hold position.
“Find the shipping manifest. We have fast movers coming in, about three minutes till contact. Get to the airlock immediately, we’re spacejumping,” his orders replied.
“Copy that, Z. Hold the exit for us,” she replied. “Come on, we need to find a terminal down here. Keep your eyes open.” The squad couldn’t fan out down here. Trying to gently walk across a catwalk in full body armor was not something they could easily manage. But they tried. Entering the next compartment of the freighter, Sythica gave a small glance. They were on the starboard side of the ship overlooking crates below. There was another catwalk across the gap. “Prepare flash,” she said quietly, stepping out just enough to see more. A red blasterbolt zinged past her head. She bolted down the walk as a small canister was flung from the man on her rear. A bright bolt of light suddenly flashed throughout the hold. If it wasn’t for her helmet she probably would have been blinded by it no less. As the explosive light dimmed she noted several droids opening fire and a couple men on the other side grasping their eyes.
“Fire along the way!” she shouted. She lifted the carbine up and fired several bolts off in burst fire. Several pulls of her trigger let more red blasterfire cross the gap, as she dropped her power pack and inserted another one. Out of the corner of her eye, she noted a terminal at the opposite end of the hold. “Terminal spotted. Follow me,” she announced. She ran down the catwalk stopping only to fire off several rounds when she reached the end. She went down the stairs quickly, as several droids opened fire between the crates. Sythica used one as cover, holstering her carbine and looked up. Climbing atop her shelter, she ran across with knife drawn, jumping down on the rear droid as it fired a blasterbolt off. She reached out to grab its mechanical arm, forcing it to fire on its allies and quickly cut the power cords in its neck.
“Area secure,” her squad announced. “Moving to the terminal now.” Sythica would have spit on the floor if she wasn’t wearing a helmet. They hadn’t followed her lead at all. It took only a fraction of seconds to draw up the plans as the fire team downloaded them to a datapad. “Data acquired. Shipping manifest says its weapons. Moving out now.” That was her line, not theirs. All of a sudden the freighter shook with a violent force.
“That must be the flyboys,” Sythica said. To her side was a large batch of detonators. “Grab two of those and set for five minutes. If we can’t take the freighter, might as well scuttle it.” The impacts rocked it again, as her squad opened the box. The pair working on the detonators set the timer as the freighter rocked. A list of swear words could be heard over the coms when one fell on his back and the detonator slid under another crate.
“We need to get out. I don’t know what it’s set to,” Boone said, trying to get up.
“You heard the man. Move,” Sythica said, taking the rear as they ran as hard as they could the way they came in. More impacts rocked the freighter, as the fighters engaged it from the outside. This cargo wasn’t about to be let go of by either side it seemed. The fire team regrouped with the squad at the airlock, quickly closing the door and depressurizing. Sythica didn’t pay attention to the voices around her. Everyone was trying to keep as calm as they could, and barely succeeding. The shuttle could be seen curving towards the airlock on an intercept course. A loud pop went across the coms as a tow was fired. The harpoon cable maglocked onto the door behind them, as the squad quickly grabbed the cable line. Sythica gave one look to Z-man, who grabbed it after her and released the cable. The shuttle began to start the winch as it took off. The fighters outside must have been rather confused watching the shuttle with a line of soldiers being pulled into it take off, only to be deterred by fighter cover from the escort fighters.
The next few moments were a blur of adrenaline and fire for Sythica. She couldn’t remember the details of floating through space. She only remembered being pulled in by her squad, then Z, then the door closing as the shuttle repressurized.
“What in the blazes was that? Some intel, that was a trap,” Boone started, ripping his helmet off as soon as the doors depressurized. “Spacewalks in are one thing, but dangling like bait for a fish as an evac, some jawa-rigged plan and some spaceball corporal trying to get herself into vape bait.” The rest of the squad looked at him, then at Sythica, then back at him.
“You about done, Soldier?” Z asked. The private took a couple breaths and answered “yeah.” Z-man looked to his left as Boone followed his superior officer’s look. Boone didn’t see anything special and went to look back at Z-man. The fresh recruit caught a glimpse of a carbine’s buttstock smashing into his face, as he crumpled down to the ground with blood streaming down his nose. “First off, that’s ‘Sir, yes sir.’ Second off, that’s Corporal Vape Bait to you. And third, if I hear you badmouth another member of this squad or one more peep about how you don’t like it, I’ll gladly file the paperwork regarding your KIA status myself. You get me?” Boone nodded his head, before Z turned to Sythica. “You.”
Sythica was glad she didn’t take her helmet off. Her face probably would have given away a smug look. “Yes, sir?”
“You’re becoming a problem. This isn’t the first time you took matters into your own hands, leading a team I offered you. You’re unsafe. You might have gotten this trigger happy routine back in your own squad, but here, you keep your men safe. You’re becoming dangerous.”
“That’s right. Z. Man. I am dangerous, sir,” Sythica said. She backed off a bit, as Z shook his head.
“Watch that mouth, Corporal. You’re not some pilot. I don’t have to give you some dream shot or anything because some high level commander likes you. The rules of combat exist for your safety and everyone else’s. People will die if you screw up. You get me?” Sythica gave a nod. “Data, what’s the deal with the cargo?”
“Sir, it seems that the freighter was holding large quantities of weapons, ammunition, and supplies meant for the effort here in the Minos Cluster. It could be falsified though, considering it pegs a high profile target in the Pergitor system. This mission was botched by intel long before we got to it. But if it’s accurate, this was part of a Minos resistance movement that has sided with the Republic since our taking of the Regellia system. We’ve been trying to establish sector control there, but it is going slow. Forces have been there nearly a month entrenched in the jungles in hopes of gaining the upper hand, only to be met with fire squads using the jungle as cover. Deforestation units are met with heavy resistance and sabotage by the locals. Command probably will want us to follow up on this, since our own battalion is scheduled to touch down there in two weeks. We’ll probably be turned into advanced recon.”
“Alright, enough Data. We’ll get it in the mission briefing as is, if you’re right. No need to be a holonews terminal,” Woods stated over her commset. “Krod, patch up the bantha fodder before he bleeds over the deck and we get in trouble for that too…”
Squad objectives:
- Board the Star of Refuge
- Secure Airlock
- Secure Engineering/Bridge
- Secure or scuttle the ship
- Retrieve Ship Manifest
Mission Complete. |
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Posted: Sun May 06, 2012 8:44 pm
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"Krosis." Khyber acknowledged, keeping his voice as flat and unemotional as possible. "It's been a long time."
"Have we met before?" asked the Sith, quizzically.
"The night you attacked my temple, I saw you fleeing as your men fought to cover your tracks. Died to cover your tracks..."
"They were expendable," said Krosis, pacing around the edge of the room. Khyber matched him on the opposite side, keeping him at the same distance. "A group of political anarchists who hated the Jedi for imagined slights. I promised them lies and delivered them to your mercy. Not that it did them much good..."
"Mercy I leave to the courts. It has little place on the battlefield."
"Spoken like a warrior. But you are not a warrior, young Jedi. Just an overconfident scholar whose reach exceeds his grasp."
"You seek to anger me?" asked Khyber. "Distract me and leave you an opening?"
"No. I achieved that over a year ago. While I have flitted about the galaxy preparing a fertile field for our invasion, you have pursued me almost single-mindedly. I have given you only the occasional thought, while being in your mind nearly every waking moment."
"Your point?"
"That you should not engage an opponent when you are so clearly outmatched," Krosis said, pulling out a lightsaber and igniting it.
"We'll just have to see about that..."
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Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 10:37 am
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Caisar dived aside as the creature charged past, clipping the side of one of the massive trees, removing a great chunk of it before it charged onward. Turning to where the bounty hunter had stood a moment ago, Caisar scanned the forest before him while reaching out. She had a headstart and he doubted she wouldn't go through with a threat like that, she kind seldom gambled with threats. Turning his gaze to the treeline, he watched as the lightning continued, and its consistency increased. The creaking of the struck tree retched loudly as it tilted. Turning to sweep the area around him once more, he deactivated his lightsaber, still gripping the hilt in-hand and waited for a brief moment before he reached up and activated the comm-unit slipped into his ear.
"Lieutenant, we're done here. Hurry in."
"Yes sir, its getting a bit lively up in these skies." The pilot responded and he could faintly hear the drive of the shuttle overhead flying for the clearing with due haste. Pulling the rebreather from his neck, he set it too his face to receive a breath of Core-Standard level oxygen, then turned and headed back for the clearing as quick as he could. |
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