Ask Dark Light

[Nox Solus]

The clan was always first. It took precedent over Nox's own health and wealth as it always will with his duty as a Mandalorian. With his people nomadic, the need for supplies was constant and recently, they were beginning to become wanting. There had been skirmishes lately between his clan's people and the local bandits that had populated the moon of Concord Dawn, providing an ample target. Reports had been discovered of a convoy that contained weapons and munitions that would be able to outfit his people properly if taken. It would be on the move and that left it open to be struck upon.

Nox navigated up a rocky cliff to reach the vantage point at the top, the convoy down below him. When he reached the spot, he lowered himself into a prone position, concealing himself amongst the rocks. He slowly pulled out his BM-548 and nestled it on top of a stone before pressing a button on his gauntlet to activate his low-light vision mode. The contrast changed and his vision began to fill with green as the shadows disappeared and the lights below him stood out like beacons. Peering through the scope, a small camp came into view, a train of cargo speeders at the entrance of it with crates of supplies on each one. Pirates patroled around it and the outpost, others speaking amongst themselves before they departed.

The Mandalorian scoped out the camp for a few more minutes before eventually sitting up and turning off his night vision. His rifle was stowed away onto his back once more as he turned around and made his way down the cliff. When he reached the base of it, he walked towards the pair of speeders and the other clansman that was tasked with this retrieval as well. "The convoy is still in the camp but about to leave. I count about twelve to fifteen guards for it." Nox glanced towards the falling sun before returning his attention back to the fellow mandalorian, his slightly modulated voice cutting through the silence in the darkening sky, "We have the cover of darkness with us soon. We should wait for it to be on the move before we ambush it."

The two could most likely take on all the guards without too much injury but there was room for them to be smart about what they were doing.

@Darasuum

 

[Kotii Solus]

Kotii checked the two patrol swoop bikes they had. The badger knew both were modified and were definitely illegal by most standards. The upgraded weapons and the souped-up-turbines would give the two armored warriors an edge when making their move. Dual medium blaster cannons and 950 kph was waiting for each of them and a ceiling of just under half a kilometer.

The Alor of House Solus had declared his ambition for leadership at the Black Keep and knew he had not have a lot of accomplishments under his belt. He sat contemplating some of this until Nox returned. Life was the time to always prove himself before the gods, not that he was religious. But the self betterment and ambition was more for the improvement of the House.

The red and black armor of Kotii adjusted itself every now and then until Nox returned. The clan had an old outpost or base on the third moon of Concord Dawn which was a place the echani-offshoot felt was reclaiming. "Vehicles and weapons?" Were they in armored transports and with short range blasters or with turret mounted auto cannons and airspeeders. He could have probably gone up there with Nox and checked with his own, now slung, ZOK-10 blaster rifle. He didn't have vision modes like Nox did however. That was one of the functionalities his beskar'gam still lacked along with a jetpack and a few other options he hoped to get soon.

Added to his equipment was a combat fusion cutter. There was also a dozen or so kilograms of welding putty in case he needed something that had some extra melting power. If I kill a jedi or a sith one of these days I'll have a lightsaber for that. He smiled, wondering if it would make the two force sensitive groups displeased to know it was nothing more than a glorified door maker in Kotii's eyes. Though getting a laser sword would be cool regardless.

"Shall we take them before, during or after they leave?" He asked for the Mandalorian's opinion. If they were going to decide on the convoy's time table then they needed to take steps before they left. "The camp...think we can take it?" he looked towards the direction they would head eventually. If the two of them took the convoy before it even left they would likely not expect that. But that would be because they have an actually reinforced position. "If we wait until they're separate from the camp we could take both...divide, disrupt and demoralize." The red domed helmet tilted it's T visor to the side as it gave Nox the proposition. This was a team operation and the two of them were partners in this.

 

[Nox Solus]

Nox made his way over to his patrol bike and sat himself down in the seat but didn't turn on the engine. They had to discuss their approach first and Kotii asked for specifcs about the convoy. "They have four cargo skiffs, turret emplacements on the front and rear one. Two men on each skiff, typical blaster rifles." The emplacements would be an obstacle but with the open roof of the skiff, they could figure out ways to neutralize them. They weren't the only vehicles however to be dealt with. "Then they have four 74-Z's accompanying them. Two riders on half of them, one on the other half." Those speeders were armed and could easily give chase while the transports made a run for it.

The Mandalorian leaned back in his seat as he reached into his belt and pulled out a holo-projector. A digital map of the surrounding region was displayed and showed the manmade routes through the valleys that had been there for years. Kotii asked a lot of questions before suggesting that they could take the camp as well. Nox gave the fellow Mandalorian a nod as a plan formulated in his head, "We'll wait for them to leave the camp. If we attacked here, they'll swarm our position once they find us." He could see in the dark but the other Mando couldn't and Nox wouldn't be able to kill them fast enough before they reached the pair.

Nox pushed himself off of the bike and walked over to Kotii, his T-visor focused soley on the map. He pointed a finger at one of the the trails, "This will be the only one wide enough for them to navigate unhindered through the valleys." The Mandalorian scrolled through the map until he came at a poin the in path where the walls closed in on themselves slightly and formed a tight corridor that would force the vehicles to approach in single file line to get through. He pointed at the spot with his index finger, " Until this point. Here, this is where we stirke."

The Mandalorian clicked off the projector then as he lifted his gaze toward Kotii. "I'll take an elevated position at that location. When they attempt to squeeze through, I'll pop the driver and block the way. You can come out from behind and close them in." Nox wasn't one to raid convoys but he had been outnumbered before. If they could limit that advantage, it would make it that much easier for the both of them. The four speeders would be unable to zip around and Nox trusted himself much more on his feet then a speeder.

Nox turned back around and got on his speeder and readied his equipment. "We don't have much time, so make your objections and suggestions quickly if you want." It would most likely be a handful of minutes before the convoy moved out and the Mandalorian would have already liked to be on the move.

 

[Kotii Solus]

That's it? He thought to himself. It wasn't arrogance that had him believing the two of them could handle a few skiffs with some small arms. The bikes would probably be the most toublesome aspect of this. "We'll want to get rid of the duo-bikes first." Otherwise they would be harried by the passengers. They could avoid the skiffs' weapons by just staying out of their line of fire. When making a fast ambush he liked to have priorities set on targets.

"Blast cannons on our bikes will be enough to deal with most of the convoy" His T visor gave a nod and a thumb ran along the jawline of the helmet before ending in a slight flick. It was a habit the man had developed when thinking. "The lead vehicle will block the way or are you planning on something with more bang?" They also didn't want to completely lose the skiffs under rublle or get burned up.

"Just keep in mind a cornered animal will also fight that much harder. Let's take them out before they have time to do more than bear their fangs." He gave a warning to Wolf. Kotii was going to be much closer when things kicked off and in direct danger. "...but I'm ready when you are." The armored hunter was used to working in the dark even if he didn't have night vision. It made combat significantly harder but that was a disadvantage his enemies had in this fight as well, and this time they had the element of surprise.

The speederbikes he would be focusing on would be slower and less altitude-inclined than his balutar swoop bike. Keeping the vehicle slow and low, the thrum of the engines was kept to a minimum. Double checking his thermal detonators and side arm, the Mandalorian was ready to make a move on the convoy.

@Orbit

 

[Nox Solus]

As Kotii thought over the plan and pointed out important details, he asked what his idea was for dealing with the lead skiff. "The lead vehicle will, just need a good shot. Don't worry, I know we're here for the cargo as well." It wasn't for them, it was for their clan's own survival and that was a fact that could never be forgotten with him. The fellow Mandalorian mentioned that a cornered animal fought harder and it was a good point to make, earning a slight tilt of Nox's helmet which could be translated into a lazy shrug. "Good point. Then let's give them some hope. You're still only one man, there should be enough room for them to make a getaway. If any of them manage to get past you, we can use the speeders and finish them off."

The plan was agreed upon and Nox lifted his gauntlet, "Comm when you're in position." That was all there was left to say and if anything came up, they could radio to each other for support. Not intending to waste another moment of time, the Mandalorian activated his bike as it let out a sort of whine to signify it had woken up. The bike committed a 180 half-circle before shooting off in the direction of where the chokepoint was on the map. Nox would have some climbing to do, hence his eagerness to be on the move.

It would be a little while before he finally arrived, the convoy already on the move towards their location. Nox parked his speeder bike in a small alcove to keep it hidden before beginning to climb the top of the chokepoint. It was a natural rock formation, it making a sort of arch with jutted out platforms of rock that could be used as nests for him. The Mandalorian shot his grapple line up as it wrapped itself around a rock. He gave the line a good tug to make sure that it was taunt before he began to climb up.

When he reached the apex of the arch, Nox put himself down into a prone position as he crawled out onto one of the natural platforms. He slipped out his rifle and rested the barrel between two rocks, at the lowest point of the V they formed. With a few quick turns of some knobs, the Mandalorian adjusted his sights on the weapon while also turning on his night-vision. The position provided him ample covered and kept him hidden, leaving him only having to wait.

Nox turned his left arm slightly, the gauntlet aimed towards his mouth as he spoke into it and to Kotii, "Are you in position?"

 

[Kotii Solus]

Kotii realized he hadn't given the signal. Inside his helmet he cursed himself. Come on, communicate better.

"...ready." He almost added an apology to the reply. The badger needed to make sure he used precision with matched might. But there was team work and making sure that they two of them completed this as a team.

So far he tried exemplifying that in his warrior abilities alone. Today he would put them to the test yet again. However, he wasn't alone.

@Orbit

 

[Nox Solus]

Eventually, Kotii called back in and informed him that he was in position. The convoy still hadn't arrived, making him right on time and allowing him to set up as well. With one of his hands, Nox reached toward his belt and unplucked two smoke grenades from it. They were placed near his head while he was prone, both of them deactivated and within easy reach when he planned to use them. With that done, all that was left was for them to wait and he lifted his rifle to scope out the path ahead.

After a few minutes, he heard the familiar screeching of speeder bikes and that could only be from one party. Nox muttered a few words, mainly to himself but also to his weapon, a prayer to make his aim and skills true. His voice came through the comm once more and warned Kotii, "Here they come. Get ready." The sound grew louder and louder and it wasn't long until the convoy approached in a single file line in order to squeeze through the chokepoint. It would be passing right by Kotii if he didn't make any obvious actions to make him stand out.

A speeder bike led the convoy, a single passenger one as it easily passed through the narrow gap. But Nox wasn't aiming for him and found his next intended target closing the distance rapidly to him. The front gunner was oblivious to his presence and his scope centered on the chest of the driver as his finger slowly began to squeeze. When they came close enough, the Mandalorian finally let off a shot, it found its mark and striking home.

The driver slumped over, a fresh blaster mark coming out the other side of his chest. Without controls, the cargo skiff turned controllably and slammed into the rock, blocking the passage and acting as a solid barrier. Next in line was another speeder bike and it couldn't stop in time, resulting in its nose hitting the skiff and launching the driver into the air and on the other side of it. The second skiff slammed into the first, some of the supplies shaking hard before falling onto the ground. Nox drifted his sight to the driver of that skiff, squeezing off another round and taking it out commission. With two skiffs unmanned, it thoroughly blocked the passageway from being used.

With that done, Nox didn't intend to leave Kotii unsupported and he picked up his two smoke grenades before chucking them over. They landed in the center of the convoy, the caps turning before smoke began to billow out of the grenades and concealed the area. It would give the other Solus at least a safer approach as Nox began to move from his position, most of the pirates firing upon it.

 

[Tzila Vizsla]

It had been a long while tracking this group of supplies, but it was going to be worth the payoff. The job was simple, an easy track, but a long one as she had trekked across a galaxy while following their route until they were the most vulnerable. This of course lead to a more complicated situation and it seemed to have brought the young Mandalorian warrior to a supply base where the essentials were stored and the rest were sold off to the villages around them on this Force-forsaken world.

There was extra caution taken by the woman, any word that she was here could jeopardize the entire mission, however, there seemed to be other Mandalorians present according to the local populace. Though she could distinguish clans, it was safe to assume the rest of the galaxy had a hard time telling the difference between sigils and colors. Tzila let out a long sigh as she took one more drink from her pint and left the small watering hole, leaving extra credits behind for the additional information.

She took to her speeder and headed off in the direction of where the convoy was moving.

Things seemed to already have been in motion by the time she had caught up; the sun was setting behind her, giving her the advantage of darkness. She listened to comm relay, picking up on chatter before she activated sensor array to jam their comms, it wouldn't be enough to stop the pirates and the convoy, but it would make them uneasy given they were unable to see a ship and no one suspects a speeder to come in to wreck one's day. The distance continue to close in when she heard blaster fire and saw another swoop in front and with instinct, she hit the accelerator, propelling herself in front of the other mando and clipping the swoop as she fired on the back end of the convoy. They seemed to be distracted by something or someone at the front and she took another run as the pirates now were in a precarious situation.

 

[Nox Solus]

The smoke stretched out through the convoy, swallowing anything that stood in its way and blinding it. Pirates opened fire from where they had been fired upon, the nest used by the Mandolorian lit up as pieces of rock were broken off from the ferocity of it. Nox was already on the move, however, his rifle in his hands as he sprinted between the stone formations to get into a new position. Bolts flew above him as the pirates just started to fire randomly amongst the smoke.

Nox dashed toward the edge of the wall that overlooked the convoy from above. He slipped his rifle into his shoulder holster as he ran, years of practice making it done so with ease. His left gauntlet was lifted before he fired his grapple line right into the ground and simply jumped off with no hesitation. The Mandalorian free fell for a moment before his grapple line became taut and it swung him towards the wall in one singular motion. Both of his legs were used to cushion his vertical landing as he turned and when they did, he started to scale down the rocky wall.

His pace was quite fast and he would practically jump a handful of feet down each time. When he neared the ground, two pirates eventually stumbled out from the constrictive smoke, waving at their faces as they coughed. Both of them looked up and saw Nox scaling down and immediately raised their rifles and began to open fire, their aim not the best as their eyes watered.

The Mandalorian was still an open target hanging on the wall and he didn't want to risk the chance. He disconnected from the line and fell the rest of the distance, bolts smacking into the rock above him as sparks rained down. Nox hit the ground with a pained grunt and rolled forward to dissipate his crash landing amongst his body. He would end up in a crouched position as he quickly drew his blaster pistol and fired it right into the chest of one of the pirates.

That one dropped and the other one finally brought his blaster down to aim at him and fired. Just off instinct, Nox spun as the bolt scraped off his pauldron with another shower of sparks. His spin ended him in the same crouched position as he reached for his knife and quickly threw it, it soaring through the air in a straight line before piercing that pirate in the chest as well. The Mandalorian breathed hard afterward, ready for more but that's when he heard a new fight break out. It must have been Kotii attacking the rear. Instead of rushing in, Nox activated his thermal vision before retrieving his knife and dipping into the smoke, keeping to his advantage of being able to see.

 

[Tzila Vizsla]

The swoop gained speed as she took it parallel to the convoy, she adjust the speed and control quickly, ducking slightly to get out of the blaster shots as she set her bike on an autopilot. As it begun to drift away, She leaped onto the structure, grabbing a hold of a jutted light fixture before swinging herself to the climb bars. With a free hand, Tzila grabbed her blaster and begun to climb up, Pirates ready as they opened fire and just in time for her to duck back down as she heard the shots ricochet off the durasteel plates of the vehicle.

There was a pause, telling the Mandalorian that they were walking cautiously closer and it would be her opening knowing she was much faster than them as she quickly fired several bolts into their lower halves, hitting legs and sending them down. One tried to grasp something along the convoy as the speed of the vehicle dragged him off. Tzila continued the rest of the way up and a hatch in front of her opened up, revealing a whole bunch more unfriendly friends. She let out a long sigh as she stepped out of the way of incoming fire, kicking her steel toe boot into the chin of the pirate. He crumbled back down, losing rationale and grip of the ladder and Tzila primed a grenade, dropping it into the hatch and closing the lid.

The compartment shook as she walked on past, moving onto the next segment. She climbed down and the door immediately opened. Someone tried to grab her but missed, falling off and she shoved her blaster into the belly of another, using them as a meat shield as she fired several shots before sharing the blaster fire onto others as she entered.

She wasn't even breaking a sweat yet as she cleared her path, pausing to open some of the containers, revealing some useful goods like weapons, but not what she was looking for of course. She would have to keep going further up.

@Orbit

 

[Nox Solus]

Kotii was creating quite a bit of noise and with the smoke blocking the view of most pirates in the front, they decided to head back and help clear the rear while they could actually see. As they rushed to the back of the convoy, Nox lurked amongst the thick smoke like a predator, moving silently. Even with his armor on, years of practice in it had made movement in it practically second nature. The explosions helped masked his steps as well, sometimes illuminating the smoke in orange and highlighting his figure before he disappeared.

A small group of three ran toward the back but Nox quickly intervened. He stepped out when two passed and simply cut the throat of the one straggling as he gurgled before collapsing. The two remaining pirates caught the nose and stopped to spin around, their weapons at the ready and sweeping the area. They waited for only a couple of seconds before a bolt split between the thick clouds and struck one of the pirates right in the chest. Fear taking over, the other began to open fire randomly in the direction it came from, holding the trigger down and announcing his position with each shot.

Nox simply came around from the other side and right to his shoulder to tap on it, making the last pirate turn towards before a knife was thrust upward and through his bottom jaw and the roof of his mouth. The knife was quickly pulled out as a small waterfall of blood spilled out from the hole before the Mandalorian disappeared once again.

This time, he made his way to the center of the convoy as well, cutting throats along the way that were unfortunate enough to be in his path. Nox eventually reached the center, a small cargo hauler as he shots could be heard inside it. It must have been Kotii and Nox deactivated his thermals and approached the side of the hauler, a door opened from one of the crew members attempting to escape.

The Mandalorian stepped inside, expecting to find the familiar coloring of his clan standing amongst the bodies. But instead of a fellow Solus, it was the complete opposite, the colors recognizable to him as Vizla even from the back. While normally, a fellow Mando would have been a welcoming sight, he had been imagining Kotii. With practiced grace, the blaster pistol from Nox's holster ended up in his hand and aimed at the newcomer, "Who the hell are you?" The words came out in Man'doa for a specific reason.

 

[Tzila Vizsla]

Another pirate charged at her, blaster raised as though there was some intimidation factor in there; but the lack of accurate aim and sheer stupidity of the move left him with a quick death as she stepped out of the range of open fire, letting blaster bolts hit everything but herself. The mandalorian unsheathed her beskad and rammed it into his center as he turned in attempt to aim his weapon. The pirate gurgled something incoherent and Tzila let him fall back and freeing her weapon. She continued to open the containers as she went along, mostly weapons, nothing that spoke of antiquity. With her luck, it was probably near the front of the convoy, or worst, not here at all.

A growl of annoyance rumbled softly in her throat as she cleaned her blade on some rag laying on top of one of the crates before putting it way. Her blaster still readied as she knew there was someone else causing a ruckus and it would only be a short time before she would meet up with them.

Stepping over a body, she continued, but came to a stop when the door opened and in walked a Mandalorian. She grinned underneath her helmet as he seemed to be taken by surprise greatly at her presence. He aimed his blaster and she kept her own steady at her side. The woman had the feeling she knew who he was looking for, as that other Mando was probably in a stuck with his speeder right now, "/Tzila Vizsla./" she simply stated, knowing her name sounded like a child's tongue twister and made for a great drinking game for others.

"/Um, you haven't found anything old up front, have you?/" she asked, knowing it was a long shot given he sounded a bit grouchy, but she could have some good luck left.

@Orbit

 

[Nox Solus]

The Mandalorian replied in mandoa and the sound of it calmed his nerves as she revealed her name and confirmed that she was a Vizla. His blaster remained on her for a brief second before he slipped it back in his leg holster and eased his stance. Kotii was gone but thankfully he hadn't been completely abandoned and it was another one of his people.

Nox glanced around the small cargo hold, noting the supplies and crates that could be returned to his clan once they were finished. "Really specific." He shot back, Tzila able to feel the look of him silently asking, what am I supposed to do with that? Without another word, he turned and hopped onto the sand outside, taking a moment to check his surroundings before he walked to the rear of the convoy.

If Tzila followed him, she would find the Mandalorian staring at the end of the convoy with a pair of binocs, gazing off in a distance as he locked on something. "If they have what you're looking for, it's most likely there." She would have to look herself if she wanted to see the camp. If she hadn't followed him outside, Nox still would have checked the binocs to see if any reinforcements had caught wind of the engagement.

When nothing rode out to meet them, the binocs were put away as he scavenged the small battlefield for ammo packs and other munitions.

 

[Tzila Vizsla]

He seemed to relax and eventually dropped the blaster back into the holster along his leg. Tzila raised an eyebrow, thinking he was a little more chill than some of the Solus' she had met. He seemed though still off-put by her description of the cargo she was searching for as he glanced around the cabin and replied with a cheek. For one Tzila didn't think he would have hold any interesting in helping her with any clue, and second, she half expected to be shot, thus keeping most information to herself. However, it seemed as though this convoy was mainly weapons and other supplies, nothing for what her contractor was seeking.

"/Hm, nothing fits that description here./" she hummed while she watched him hop out of the convoy and of course she followed. She sheathed her beskad and then holstered her blaster, jumping into the sand behind him and followed until he stopped at the last trailer of the convoy. She could see the faint outline of shapes in the distance and took the macronoculars from him for a better look as to what she, at least, would be up against. There were a few standing guard and surely they would have seen the smoke by now.

"/Looks a bit empty. Reinforcements are most likely on their way./" she spoke out loud, though she was sure he knew that, "/If we go there now,/" she handed the macronoculars back to him, "/Clean house, let the reinforcement party bring back the supplies back to camp for you, clean them up, I get my thing, you get your stuff, win-win./" she placed her hands on her hips, making up her mind.

@Orbit

 

[Nox Solus]

First, the bodies were checked, Nox crouching down at the nearest one to check their ammo loops and pouches. As he searched, the Vizla called out to him that reinforcements were on the way. With a half-turn, he cast a glance her way, wondering why the reinforcements decided to show up the moment she spotted through them. After a quick shake of his head, he nimbly searched through the rest of the corpses, picking up whatever ammo he could.

The Solus had wanted to take the fight to the camp when most of the pirates had been off duty. With them riding out to check on the convoy, it meant they would at least be alert to a hostile presence. When a couple of cartridges were scrounged up, he caught Tzila's plan and he thought about it a moment before giving a slight cock to his head. Not a bad idea. Nox was down his fellow Solus from earlier and this was intended to be a two-person job. Practically the only reason they were working together without a hitch.

Nox reloaded his rifle before gazing out in the direction of the reinforcements while he spoke to her, We'll head back to our speeders. Go wide and hide in the rocks, they'll be preoccupied with the discovery. Don't want them to know what we're doing. With that pretty much all needing to be said, he offered her a nod before departing toward his speeder, not intent on wasting any time while pirates were on the way.

It had been stowed away in the rocks and practically where the convoy had been ambused. Loading his rifle and munitions on it, Nox hopped on afterward and turned on the engine, the vehicle lifting in the air before he shot out and past the convoy. He would wait at the rocks until the reinforcements passed, then he would break for the camp.

 

[Tzila Vizsla]

Tzila nodded, he seemed fairly agreeable compared to other Solus' she had met. While he headed back to his speeder already stowed in the rocks, she went back to her own, few more meters out of the way from where the convoy eventually came to a stop. She revved up the engine, dragging the tail of the bike in the sand to disrupt direction before doing as the Solus directed, taking it out a few hundred meetings prior to looping it back around to the rocks where the Solus rider would be waiting.

She arrived a few moments behind him, keeping the swoop engine running as she waited and watched for the pirates to see their convoy before heading back to camp. She pulled out a pair of macronoculars she had stashed on her swoop and looked out on the horizon, there was movement coming in their direction.

"Three minutes..." she estimated by the distance and dropped the device back into her satchel on her bike. They would soon hear engines and a gradual slowing of the pirates as they quickly inspected the convoy. Voices shouted directives and some explicatives to what they didn't like before they took off again, knowing they couldn't do much without the appropriate equipment that would back at their camp. When Nox took off, she would also, carefully to keep to his pace and not get too ahead of herself as they closed in on the pirates.

@Orbit

 

[Nox Solus]

With him parked in position, Nox simply leaned forward with both of his arms crossed over the handlebars of his vehicle, offering some support. It would only be a few minutes before Tzila joined him and earn a glance from him before he returned his T-visor ahead of him. While she used binocs to confirm the pirate's location with more detail, he still just sat there and watched as the dust columns grew larger and larger.

Nothing was said when the three-minute mark had been clarified for him as he gave a grunt in response. When the countdown finished in his head, he quickly sat back fully onto his seat before slamming his foot down. His speeder activated and with a flick of his wrist, it launched out from behind the rocks as he made his way to the camp.

The pirates would take some time to check the convoy, retrieving munitions, supplies, and checking for survivors. It left some time for the pair to prepare for their eventual return. Nox pulled into the camp, it emptied mainly as the rest of them had left to inspect the damage they left behind. Nearly coming to a full stop, the Solus had already swung his leg over and began walking, his bike rolling forward a few feet before it stopped itself.

With a quick glance to Tzila, he pointed to the small tower that had been built, "Take the high ground. We'll need it." Nox walked back to the road the pirates had first exited from. He slipped his hand into his pouches as he would start to set the trap while his partner prepared too.

 

[Tzila Vizsla]

When they arrived at the camp, Tzila stopped her bike near his, out of sight from those who would be returning to the camp soon. The badger pointed to one of the lookout towers suggesting the high ground and she gave a simple nod before heading over, leaving him to take care of the ground work. She cautiously rounded the corner, finding it to be clear before climbing up the wood stairs into the blind. There was equipment stored presently, some of it were communications and she quickly disconnected some of the wires, disrupting the communication channels that they had been using.

She looked at the opening that gave one a visual for miles and probably even more with the aid of macronoculars that she noted hung on a hook next to the opening. Though her eyes light up with enjoyment when she saw some weapons, "Who would ever leave these behind..." she clicked her tongue in disapproval, but was clearly happy to accommodate. She checked the chamber of the rifle and looked in the drawers for ammo, finding another clip. Positioning the rifle, she checked the scope, slowly scanning the horizon for not only a test, but also to see where their pirate friends were.

Tzila got in a comfortable spot, watching carefully for the disturbance of sand or rock. It wouldn't be long before they would return and Tzila would welcome them with the first shot.

@Orbit

 

[Nox Solus]

Nox walked calmly toward the road, his right-hand dipping amongst his pouches as his left remained free in case of emergency. His gaze was locked ahead but when he reached the small opening in the gate, he crouched and began setting up. With the two grenades left, he placed one in front of him, priming the other in his hand before he placed that one amongst the sand and covered it slightly. The other one received the same treatment but was placed across its brother with a respectable distance between them.

The Solus stood up slowly with a few steps back before he spun on his heel and picked up his normal pace. He lifted a gauntlet to his helmet, "240 and 270. When they're close." It was the coordinates for where the explosives placed. If the Vizsla peered through the scope of her new weapon, she would be able to see the subtle but flashing red lights.

Instead of taking the highground like his new comrade did, Nox chose instead to remain on the ground level. He made his way to a formation of metal crates and gave a select few some swift kicks. They were rearranged harshly in an identical fashion to that of sandbag cover. The Solus crouched down behind his rough creation and placed his blaster pistol on top of one the crates, leaving it within easy reach as he didn't intend to leave the spot unless it was required.

Munitions and cartridiges were placed behind the crates as well, offering easy acess despite whatever position he was in. With that done and still a window to prepare, Nox slid out his knife, the hilt gripped in his fingers as the blade traveled down his palm and ended at his wrist. The rfile on his back was pulled off and placed on top of the crate closest to him. Twisting the blade so it was more diagonal, the Solus slowly pulled it across the rifle, a few inches above the metal.

Words in Mand'oa were uttered for him and only for him, the hand with the knife continuing it's painstakingly slow hovering above the weapon until it would reach the end of the barrel. Nox sat on his knees as he performed this, his left hand resting idily on that same side's knee.

While his own ritual was being conducted, he would wait for the eventual warning from the Vizla as the signal.

 

[Tzila Vizsla]

Tzila hummed a Mandalorian nursery rhyme as she watched through the scope of her rifle, taking the calm moments to familiarize herself with the weapon. She weighed it in her palms, the feel against her shoulder, and measured how quick she could turn and reload it. Her movements were swift, years of training, and still more experience and training to come to improve her efficiency as a warrior. Her come crackled with the heads up on where the Badger placed his traps; she brought her scope to the position, noting the blinking red lights seen on the inside.

The woman turned her attention back to the horizon, counting down to where the pirates would be within range. Quietly she inhaled, taking aim to those who lagged behind in the convoy as they came racing back to their camp. Her finger rested on the trigger, quickly assessing who she would take out first, counting under her breath until she picked her first. The finger squeezed the trigger and the weapon fired. The speeder in the distance delved into a bizarre direction, but it wasn't enough to bring attention to the front of the group. She continued, even though the kick back of the weapon was a bitch, taking out those in the back, until they were close enough to trigger the Badger's trap.

@Orbit