Manaan Initiative: Removal

[Vash Windrider]

Spoiler: Mission Brief

Location: Hrakert Rift
Participants: @Taz, @Faded Truth
OOC Thread

To assist in the efforts of the Sith Empire's Initiative to assist the planet of Manaan. The Black Hand sent two agents to clear out a Kolto mining operation established my smugglers in the area of the Hrakert Rift, a giant fisher on the ocean floor known to have large deposits of the invaluable resource. The mission would be simple clear out the smugglers and secure the area of a mining operation. If that was not possible destroy the mine.

The Harbinger came to a hover over the ocean's surface at the coordinates of the rift and Vash lowered the ramp of his ship. The Nightbringer was dressed in the Black Hand design of his Sith armor and carrying his usual weapons and gear with an added rebreather he had attached to the helmet of his armor.

"D3 will hold this position over the water and wait for our signal. We'll clear the way from the mine and work our way to the smuggler's landing pad. When the landing pad is secure we'll releasing the mining droids and inform Kravos of our victory." Vash said to his partner before closing his helmet and diving for the water.

 

[Gunner Stahl]

.

Gunner had been altered by the punishment he received at the hands of Vex. He didn't care that she mutilated his body, but the stripping of his rank was too difficult to bear at times. He always wanted to be a military officer, the concept of being nothing but a mere foot soldier without rank or prestige violated every fundamental goal he had set for himself. However, he knew that there would be little else to do at this point. Afterall, the Wraith was correct: The Empire owned his body and unless he made better decisions, he would likely end up dead.

Rankings and prestige aside, there was no denying that the Shadowguard was still a formidable combatant. He was also one of the few operatives in the Empire who had extensive aquatic training and thus was no question as to why he was chosen to accompany Vash on this mission. He was dressed in an ebony dark aquatic armor, duraplast covering most of it as the steel would likely have weighed him down too much. He had two specialized carbine pistols at his side, both of which designed to fire underwater as well as two flash grenades, and his signature Carbine Devastator hoisted on his back.

Armored hand slid over the visor as he connected his breathing apparatus, tumbling out of the vessel backwards as his body plunged into the cold water. An experienced diver and swimmer, he glanced at the wrist watch to include the number of minutes left in his respirator tank, bubbles squirted forwards as he continue the downwards descent.

@Taz

 

[Vash Windrider]

Vash hit the water feet first and speared downward into the cold depths like a torpedo fired from a ship. The force reached out from him to find something, anything that could been seen as hostile. But the surrounding wildlife of the ocean floor was wise enough to leave as the two Sith would reach the sea floor. Once at the at the bottom the Nightbringer swam to the edge of a cave at the designated area.

Waving a had to signal his partner, Vash reached for his duel phase saber hilt and ignites it. Putting the blade before him and slightly over his head as he moved into the dark cavern. After 15 meters the cave floor rose like a ramp out of the water and opened into a large open area, stalactites and stalagmites covering the floor, walls, and ceiling as far as the Sith knight could see. Mining droids in the distance.

 

[Gunner Stahl]

.

Gunner was rapidly descending shortly behind Vash, flipper mounted feet smacking away water as he began to slowly notice the rising pressure applying a thickening hold against his armor as if the force itself was surrounding and griping him. He had been on several aquatic missions in the past, this was expected but nonetheless, it didn't change the discomfort of it. Landing to the bottom of the sea floor, his slow movements forced him to exert greater effort than desired as he slowly came upon Vash's side. He glanced towards the nightbringer before shifting his focus back upon those gathered in the large open area. Hand reached for his back as he took out the Devastator carbine, making sure the ammunition power pack was fully engaged along with the green laser sighting that emitted from the scope. A ghastly glow radiated from the bottom of the barrel, giving him a guiding light through the dark cavern as he slowly tracked along with Vash.

On the other side of the dark cavern, they had arrived behind the large clearing area. Appearing as several underwater smugglers were of Selkath origin, able to survive in the harsh water climate without sustenance. It would be up to the duo to eliminate these targets and secure the mine. Gunner moved away from Vash, giving a hand signal to identify their next approach. It would be best to overwhelm and eliminate high value targets before flanking cooperatively on the epicenter. Activating a flash grenade, wicked smile encompassed around his face though visibly hidden underneath the re-breather. He hurled it towards a group of Selkath operating what appeared as a large mining apparatus and underwater drill. The flashbang was fiercely bright, almost blinding in its own right as shards of luminous light radiated in all various angles from its eruption.

This was the moment he needed, as their defenses were dropped and able to be caught off-guard. He utilized heavy consumption of oxygen in the next few moments, fueled by his desire to slay these creatures and secure the mine for the Empire! Devastator carbine lifted upwards, a loud humming noise streamed from the weapon's core as three fire rounds were unleashed in concert towards the selkath. The unique 3-round burst exited as a total of nine separate bolts, all deathly green in color and tainted by the aquatic impurities. They would screech through water, smoldering against the unarmored torso of their opponents as stench of burnt flesh was strong enough to even pollute the ocean floor around them.

Eyes shifted quickly towards the Nightbringer's position, seeing if Vash had similar luck with his own prerogatives. They were the very best the Empire had to offer, they would not fail this mission under any circumstance.

@Taz

 

[Vash Windrider]

Vash had to admit that the Shadowguard moved with the brutal efficiency of a Sith Lord. He couldn't say the exact reason why the man had gotten on the bad side of Vex but it was not for a lack of tactics. Vash gave Gunner a simple nod in rely to the man's signal to move into position. The Nightbringer was readied himself as he noticed the trooper reach of a flash bang grenade and toss it into the unsuspecting crowd of smugglers.

Vash would close his eyes and wait for the thunder clap of the grenade. The bell toll for violence to commence. As the Sith opened his eyes, Gunner was making short work of several selkath standing before a mining machine. While two others escaped, or at least attempted to. Vash would ignite his blade once more and hurl it toward the smugglers or rather minors. He was a little off admittedly. The weapon swinging low as it turned into a plasma buzzsaw with the aid of the darkside, cutting one smugger in half as the waistline and the other just below the pelvic bone.

Disappointed with his own skill, Vash would call the weapon back to his hand as he walked to the downed selkath and one by one finished them with a single slice to separate head from shoulder. Then turning to his partner. "A shame this is all that seems to be here." Vash would admit with a scoff. "You make one final sweep, I will radio for D3 to send our droids and transmit a signal to Lord Kravos of our success."

 

[Gunner Stahl]

.

Gunner had to admit that his personal skills had improved since the replacement of limbs with cybernetics; he was faster, stronger, and seemingly became less fatigued the more he relied on the artificial support. It was strange almost, to the point that he had even welcomed the robotics as an extension of his own self. Perhaps, in her moments of anger and frustration, Vex had in fact made him achieve the potential she always saw in him. It was hard to tell, that stupid mask always concealed her true visage. Regardless, now was not the time to reminisce about his former superior, they still had a task to perform.

The shadowguard glanced towards the nightbringer as he slayed several more guards, but what was more interesting was he kept a keen eye on their intended trajectory. Several meters up ahead appeared to be a control tower, lights flickering inside of it as indicative of potential movement. Gunner knelt down besides those he had executed, rummaging through their bodies until he located a single security card. Nodding, he allowed Vash to keep an eye on the outside while he stalked into the console room. As the main interior door was opened, two more selkath warriors rushed outwards into the opening. One of whom wielded a vibro-pike, large humming noise coming from the weapon as it slashed down towards the Shadowguard. Instinctively, he relied on his physicality to gain the upper hand however he was denied such easy success as the underwater creature proved to be more than an equivalent match for the Sith Operative. His armored figure was smacked against the wall, Vibro-pike center pole held firmly against his chest with pressure placed from the larger Selkath. He used his right hand to smack upwards on the pole of the weapon, gaining leverage to sweep the outside leg of his combatant and have it stagger to the side. Pivoting on his own left leg, vibro-knife twirled into the free hand and resonated a lethal humming noise as it was activated and sought the flesh it yearned for. Streams of greenish blood tainted the blue water around them as he gashed a sickening wound into the side of his opponent, allowing for hydrostatic pressure to crush whatever corpse remained to the ground.

Right hand held out the devastator fully in extension, releasing two 3-round burst shots at the unprotected back of the remaining Selkath who was running towards Vash's position. Entry wound would occur in the thoracic spine with exiting out through the frontal abdominal cavity. Organic flesh spewed forth as the bolts cut it down mercilessly on the oceanic floor. He waited for a moment before turning around and entering into the center console room. He examined the electronics equipment in the room, realizing that perhaps it would be best to remain intact in case the Empire wished to seize control of the mine at a later date. However, as no outgoing signal would be dispatched, he needed to make sure it was entirely off-line. Bringing a large computer spike with him, he stabbed the splicing device into the shared controller's main hub, delivering a massive EMP discharge to shut down the centralized system. Vash would realize that mining droids and all operational lights in the area soon turned offline, bringing the once mining operation to a sudden and temporary halt.

"Sweep clear, call in waste management to remove of the bodies and our extraction crew. Radio to Darth Kravos we've secured the mine in an operational manner." He signaled towards his associate while he spent a few more minutes going through datapads left over in the hub. One in particular brought a wicked smile to his face as he pocketed the information for himself, whispering. "This one's gona be hazard pay.." He muttered to himself before exiting and joining Vash in the clearing.

Their airship would hover right above sea level, bringing down soldiers to remove the bodies of the deceased while the two operatives grabbed onto hoisting ladder platforms to raise them back up.

// end thread

@Taz @Phoenix