Ask Blind Your Enemies, Bind Your Enemies

[Reshelle Solus]

Unnamed Lookout, Pzob​

She could feel her armor systems straining under the strain of the extreme weather, it had been in her family for generations and while some of the electronics had been updated not too long ago, the rest were showing their age. Her scanners weren't working as well as she would like them to, though she ought to be able to get through this job. Not like she had a choice, she simply didn't have the credits to make the upgrades she so badly needed. That was why this job was so important, why she had agreed to work with other Mandalorians. Even ones she didn't know and had no idea if she could trust. Beggars couldn't be choosers, right?

She glanced back at her companion, a woman named Ramail Lone. The wind howling around them was making her a little over-cautious, making her look back ever so often to make sure she hadn't gotten carried away. "You alright back there?" She transmitted over comms, even though she was mere feet behind her, the wind made any attempts to talk directly practically pointless. "There's a small knob of an outcropping up ahead, close enough to let us get a good look at what we're dealing with."

It didn't take them long to reach the point she had spoken off, and thankfully the wind changed direction so that the outcropping of rock actually protected them from the wind. She was glad for that, she could actually hear herself think now without the howling of the wind drowning everything out. Pulling out a set of rather old and beaten up holo-binoculars, she held it out to her Ramail. "Wanna do the honors?" She patted her carbine as she continued. "This one's old and cranky, I wanna do a check while you scan to make sure she hasn't frozen to death. Gonna need her soon enough."

@Casmer

 

[Ramail Lone]

The jobs that Ramail undertook for the Crymorah Syndicate had a tendency to involve either uncomfortable companions or uncomfortable surroundings. This time around, it was the latter.

The Zabrak waded through snow and strong winds, silently cursing herself for not doing maintenance on her beskar's temperature regulator. It's integrity was most certainly compromised. How did she know? On account of how goose-bumpy and pointy everything felt. Luckily, this mission was of the type 'hit 'em fast and scramble', which meant that if she and her companion did it right, she would be back on her ship, heating up next to the ventilation grids before her horns froze off.

Speaking of her companion. "You alright back there?" her voice chimed in Ramail's ears, pointing out an outcropping close by from which they could survey the objective. "Holding up," Ramail commed back. "Yeah, that should work. Lead the way." Her companion, another Mandalorian by the name of Reshelle, bearing the colours of Clan Solus, was a starship cruise to the social dogfight Ramail had endured on Sleheyron. There's an understanding among vode, she thought. None of that auretii kark.

The Zabrak swung her longblaster off of her shoulder as they came up on the outcropping. Taking the holo-binoculars from Reshelle's outstretched hand without a word, Ramail set about surveying the outpost. What she saw didn't comfort her. "Two teams of four, I think" she commed Reshelle, "one freezing their butts off in the outpost, the other holing up in that cave-" she pointed to an indentation in the cliff on the opposite side of where they were positioned; barely visible to the naked eye were the figures of two people standing outside, smoking, "- probably all cozied up around a heater." She turned her head to Reshelle, who was checking her blaster carbine: "I call dibs on the heater."

Turning back to look at the outpost through the binoculars, she added: "They must have a remote generator up there with them; I see electrical lighting. Could be a priority if their main comms are powered by that; knocking it out might prevent them from sending early warnings to mom and dad in space that the boogeymen have crawled out from under their bed."

"Oh," she said, hesitating, "and they've got a missile launcher."

@Wit

 

[Reshelle Solus]

While Ramail surveyed the outpost, Reshi went about methodically inspecting her carbine, operating almost on autopilot given how often she had done this. It was almost a ritual now, something she did before each mission.

What Ramail conveyed over the comms wasn't good, pretty bad actually. But it could be worse, she had long since realized that things could always be so much worse. They still had the element of surprise, and that would serve them well. But the moment they struck they'd loose that advantage, so they had to make it count.

"They won't be expecting us," she finally replied as she finished inspecting the carbine and swung it across her shoulder, "that's our biggest advantage. We can either stick together and start with a big punch. Or.." She thought on the possibilities for a moment before continuing. "Or we split up and strike at both targets at once. If we can hit both the generator and the missile launcher at the same time we might be able to confuse them. That confusion could be our ticket. What do you think? Stick together or split up?"

She had never worked with another Mandalorian outside of her siblings, so she did not know what Ramail would prefer. But whatever her choice, she was ready to come with a plan accordingly. They had to work together to get through this, and there were advantages to both approaches. She was sure they could make things work, one way or another.

@Casmer

 

[Ramail Lone]

Ramail considered Reshelle's proposals. A full frontal attack, guns blazing mando'ade-style was never a bad idea. Between the two of them, they probably had enough firepower and the necessary skills to wipe out the outpost. There was, of course, the issue of the man with the missile launcher, and the fact that the smugglers were likely armed to the teeth. Their progress might be slowed while they took care of these issues, which could leave a window for the smugglers to get word to the smugglers holed up in their hideout off the mountain or call in air support (if they had any). No, as much as Ramail didn't like splitting up if it could be avoided, it seemed to be the best way forward.

Ramail turned to look at the other vod. "I say we take out the missile launcher and the generator at the same time," she said over the comms. Her head swiveled back towards the outpost. She put the binoculars to her eyes again. "Can't see the generator, though. It might be in the small cave. Can't see how deep the cave is from here, but it might work if we lobbed a thermal detonator, uhm, down the drain, so to speak. Disabling the generator and a couple of the smugglers holing up in there at the same time."

Ramail lowered the binoculars, again looking at Reshelle. "Whoever takes on the missile launcher will have to keep the smugglers in the outpost directed away from the cave. Because, in order to be certain that the generator is a smoking pile of scrap metal, whoever throws the detonator will have to go in there afterwards and check." Ramail held out the binoculars for Reshelle to take back. "You fine with that?"

@Wit

 

[Reshelle Solus]

Reshi listened quietly as Ramail spoke, nodding when she was done and got to her feet. "Very well," she said, taking the binoculars from the other Mandalorian and slipping it back into the small haversack slung at her side, "divide and conquer it is. I'm a little light on the thermal detonator department so I guess I'll deal with the launcher. Let's get this show on the road, shall we?"

With that the two would part ways, and Reshi would carefully begin making her way towards the compound proper. It wasn't long before she could spot some of the guards without needing the holo-binoculars, and her progress slowed down even further as she had to wait for a duo on patrol to pass by. But there was enough cover that she was able to make her way from outcropping to outcropping without catching anyone's attention. Soon enough she was close to actually spot the entrance, or at least one of the entrances, to the outpost. The generator was sure to be inside, which meant she might have to start whacking soe heads together to get further.

"I'm in position," she messaged Ramail, preparing herself for what was to come, "give the world and I'll start the fireworks. Can't promise that heater will make it out in one piece, but I'll try my best."

@Casmer

 

[Ramail Lone]

Ramail followed Reshelle for half of the way as they moved into position. After they passed the duo on patrol, Ramail veered off and snuck off towards the compound. There was a bit of climbing to do to reach the cave, but nothing that she couldn't handle, although it did worry her that the blizzard seemed to be picking up. "Affirmative," she answered her companion over the comlink, "I'll keep you posted. Blizzard's making the hike a little tricky. Couple of minutes and I should be ready."

Soon after, she reached the plateau where the cave extended out from. She managed to find a small indentation to take cover in. Engaging her helmet's thermal vision, she was able to clearly make out the guards in the outpost. The guards sheltering in the cave where of course not visible, but that was only a matter of time. Once Reshelle set about making mayhem, they would spill out like water from a cracked jug. Right into Ramail's arms.

She set about arming a thermal detonator, and while she did so, she said: "Count down from ten, then let loose. I'll wait for the guards to leave the cave before I throw in the detonator. They'll be like a nerf in the headlights when things start exploding both in front of and behind them."

@Wit