Shadows In The Woods

[Corrine Solus]

[fancybox2]

KASHKYYYK
1300 Hours

Slavers from nearby Sith Empires have several base camps spread throughout the woods around Rowrakruk. Take out a camp and chase away the slavers!

• (Reward: In-character credits, enough to buy an advanced tech armor function)

Dice Rolled. Death Disabled.
DEADLINE: Must be completed by January 2nd
@EmilyHuene ; @Critas ; @Kraken [/fancybox2]

Happy Life day! A holiday that originated with and is celebrated by Wookiees on Kashyyyk and has become a renowned holiday all across the galaxy. At least, except for the Sith. The Empire removed any hope of ever allowing that celebration eons ago. Excluding them, Life Day is celebrated by so many species and races and cultures. Although Mandalorians respect the Wookiees for the strength of their warriors, they don't technically celebrate Life Day itself. At least in the way they do.

Life Day is a sacred day to Wookiees, in which they celebrate the diverse ecosystems of Kashyyyk, mourn those who have died, and celebrate the lives of the young ones in their families. They consider it their duty to return to Kashyyyk on Life Day where they chew the root of the orga plant and journey to the Life Tree. They also reinforced any life debts they had to their so-called “honor families” during the holiday. Those who celebrate the holiday often decorate wroshyr trees as a symbol of the day. Life Day was most important when Wookiees were in mass enslavement across the galaxy, as it was a means of connecting to their history even when forced to be away from home.

So of course the Empire would come and ruin it. It was the first day of the festivities, Tree-drum music filled the air, and spirits were high. Conditions were perfect for Imperial slavers to come and snatch naive Wookies who strayed too far from their packs/clans/families. This is where Corrine and her kin were called to assist. Well technically they weren't related as other cultures might label them. She was married to a fellow Eldar clan member, but her mercenary group worked closely with members of clan Solus who were here today with her. Corrine, who liked to be called Cory, always considered herself "one of the boys" and she made sure everyone in her group knew it.

As always, Corrine was dressed in her armored Beskar'gam. Given to her after her father's passing, she colored the iron skin red in honor of her family. It hadn't come close to fitting her at the time, and she had to modify it heavily to fit her frame. But now it was just as much a part of her as her own skin. Making sure to stay safe herself, on either hip she wore "Strill" blaster pistols and on her back a "Shriek-hawk" Blaster Rifle. Once her artillery had been checked and readied, she slid her T-visor over her head and knocked on the adjacent door to see if her partners were ready.

 

[Diocletian Solus]

Diocletian wasn’t really one for celebrations. Especially ones on planets where the humidity made everything sticky and literally the trees would eat you. But when he got the call from Cory that they had been asked to join a mission to help kick the Sith in the teeth, he put his stompy boots on and set his nav to Kashyyyk with gusto.

Now Dio didn’t really have anything against slavery per se. It even started as a humane institution back somewhere in the nether of antiquity. But he did have something against the Sith and so that made this trip worth the discomfort and general pain in the butt aggravation that it was proving to be. He knew this would be exciting, fighting the Sith always was, but he really wished he had gone to bed early the night before instead of staying up and drinking with the local Wookiees.

Dio was fascinated by languages and last night he had found an older wookiee who had agreed to start teaching him Shyriiwook. Unfortunately, that tutelage had come at the cost of Dio’s liver functions as the main topic of instruction appeared to have an alcoholic requirement. This requirement needed copious amounts of alcohol to function, alcohol that had to be paid for by the student. Dio was happy to pay and learn but the headache the next morning made him wish he had been born headless.

Pulling on his boots he stood from the sleeping mat he had passed out on the night before and checked the action on his Shriek-Hawk blaster rifle. Satisfied that the action was clean and cursing in three different languages the decibels of sound created by the metallic exchange, he emerged from the small room just down from Cory’s.

“Is all that really necessary?” he asked as he gently closed the door, wincing again at the gentle sound of the latch catching behind him.

@Kraken
@Mithias
@EmilyHuene

 

[Vuthari]

Tree Village of Rowrakruk
Kashyyyk

The motivation for coming to visit Kashyyyk during the Life Day festivities really had nothing to do his Mandalorian “neighbors” from Nar Shaddaa inviting him. He simply answered that he would think about it and perhaps see them there. In truth, his motivation was much more simplistic—he wanted to get away from Nar Shaddaa for a few days, take in the fresh air and watch people enjoy themselves. Of course, Nar Shaddaa had its own celebrations, but there was always an angle. Here? On Kashyyyk, no angle, just respect being shown to those before him…specifically Jedi. On the flight over, he also decided that he would take the “Jedi Pilgrimage”, but with all due discretion. The rumors about such a place proceeded it and he had to see some of the sacred land the wookies held in reverence. He was hoping, more than anything, it would removed any doubt about his current path as a Jedi and a member of the Galactic Alliance. Of course, that trek would be occur in the next few days.

Perhaps Dio had forgotten their conversation the night before due to his elevated state of inebriation, but he ended up speaking to Vu’thari at length about the Sith slavers around Kashyyyk. He and his companions intended on making life really bad for them this early morning—and Dio asked Vu’thari to come. Vu’thari was quite sure that Dio did not expect the twi’lek to actually take him up on the offer, but here he was, prompted to wake due to the banging a few rooms down from his.

The Jedi had been up meditating and going through his morning workout routine with unflinching discipline, so he felt centered and ready for the day’s difficulties that would come. Locking up behind him and dressed in some worn light armor, the twi’lek had a light backpack on his back and completed the look with his DH-7 Blaster Pistol strapped to his leg. Bringing his lightsaber to this was far too risky, so it was left at home. In fact, bringing his lightsaber to just about anything was dangerous these days…

Vu’thari quietly closed the door him and locked up his rented room. He looked down the hallway and saw Dio and Cory, both fully garbed for war, complete with their intimidating beskar’gams. The Jedi cleared his throat and looked at them both with his bright green eyes and easy smile.

They both had a bit of shock registered on their faces, seeming to not comprehend why the twi’lek was here. Vu’thari clarified quietly, ”So I am not sure if you remember, Dio, but you invited me to join all of you to break up some of those Sith slaver camps today. Soo…I decided to help out.”

@Critas
@Kraken
@EmilyHuene

 

[Arturo Solus]

Arturo woke to a new dawn, the sun rising over the distant horizon as the tracker's alarm blared. Each buzz and beep sent waves of noise that battered his eardrums, and drove the sleep from his eyes. Annoying, but necessary. Rolling from his bunk, kindly provided by the Wookies of this treetop paradise, Arturo set about his morning routine. He showered, dressed, had breakfast, checked his gear, then stowed it. He ran a hand along his jawline, a week's worth of stubble already beginning to darken his cheeks. It could wait until the job was done, he s'posed. Donning his armor, his beskar'gam, he stood up, cradling his helmet in the crook of his arm before leaving the room he'd called home for a single, solitary night.

The hearty beat of tree-drums hit him before the seven foot Wookie did. It was more like a genial slap on the shoulder, but the blow left Arturo off-balance. He turned, and the Wookie in question grinned at him, rumbling out a greeting in a baritone so deep it set the walkway a-shaking. "Morning." He replied, noticing the cup clutched in the bear's hairy paws, the whiff of alcohol pungent on the morning breeze. Ah, yes. Life Day! Arturo didn't know much about the tradition, only that once upon a time it had been galaxy-wide until the Sith had stomped it out. The suppression of another's beliefs set something ablaze in Arturo. He wasn't sure what exactly set it off in him; he wasn't sure he'd ever find out.

"Have you seen my kinsmen about, friend?" He asked politely, like an interrogator wheedling out information. It was the tone he took with most employers. Glancing around at the wooden highrises of Kashyyyk, and taking in the splendor. The Wookie regarded him strangely, before answering in a warbling growl that made the hair on the tracker's skin stand up. "Yes, pale-skins. Armed and armored, like me." Another growl. And then a few more, and more. "Yes, that's them. No, I don't want a drink, thank you. Maybe later...Okay!-"

After a short, one-sided conversation, Arturo managed to extricate himself from the Wookie's attentions, making use of his innate ability: stealth.

It didn't take him long to find his comrades, only a minute or two of strolling the walkways and avoiding the lumbering giants posted up on every bridge and thoroughfare. His kind, after all, stood out like sore thumbs on Kashyyyk, and now that the celebrations were in full-swing, that statement had never been truer. "Morning, Cory, Dio... V." He said by way of greeting, his helmet clicking into place. "All suited and booted I see. Ready to go?"

@Critas
@EmilyHuene
@Mithias

 

[Corrine Solus]

“Is all that really necessary?”

Corrine looked down at herself: her armor and her blasters were what she thought he was referring to, "Um....Duh! We're fighting Sith. Why wouldn't I come prepared?"

Behind them a cough drew her attention and she saw Vu'thari standing in wait. She cocked her head to the side and took in the sight of him with armor and weapons on. She'd only ever seen him in robes or something greasy from the shop. It was an interesting sight to say the least.

"Vu-vu? What are you doing here?"

”So I am not sure if you remember, Dio, but you invited me to join all of you to break up some of those Sith slaver camps today. Soo…I decided to help out.”

Corrine turned her attention back to Dio and shoved his arm with a playful-but-more-angry-than-usual temperament, "What are you doing inviting him along? OH!-" Directed to Vu'thari, -No offense!-" and back to Dio, "-but he's not exactly combat ready. He could get hurt!"

"Morning, Cory, Dio... V. All suited and booted I see. Ready to go?"

Now another of their friends had joined them. This one at least was expected. She recognized the color of Arturo's armor anywhere. Like her they never took off their Beskar'gams. She had painted hers red, for honor. It was no secret between them the cause of her father's passing: suicide. A grave and unforgiving act of a coward. But Vu'thari was not privy to that information. She liked him well enough to give him a nickname (though that was mostly do to her butchering it when she tried to pronounce it properly). But she didn't like him that much that she was about to share her greatest secret. All he knew was that she was desperate to restore her family's honor.

"Morning Arturo! I'm all set. Dio here thinks I'm overdressed." She gave him another shove to show she didn't like him talking about her as if she were that kind of girl.

 

[Diocletian Solus]

Diocletian really was not in the mood for all this talking. It seemed like even his heart beating was blasting in his eardrums like the Wookiee tree-drums from last night. Of course, the afore mentioned drummers chose that moment to wake up the village with their thudding beat. Dio placed his hand on the bridge of his nose and pinched, trying not to go on a multi-village drummer murder spree.

Leveraging himself up from where he slouched in pain against the doorjamb, he nodded to Vu’thari as he appeared. “I don’t recall inviting him, but it seems like it makes sense. I think I invited half the village last night, who knows." Raising his eyes to look the twi’lek up and down he frowned slightly at his appearance before adding, “I can’t guarantee your safety, but you are welcome to come along. These people need help and we intend to provide it.”

Dio placed a hand on Cory’s shoulder in a reassuring brotherly gesture of faith in her abilities to do just that before adding a nod to her to punctuate the point. He clenched his hand into a fist and gave her shoulder armor one good downward punch and before turning to look at the emergence of his clan brother Arturo.

“Good morning Vod” he said to Arturo. “It is good to see you. Apparently, we will need to go to battle here once more.” Dio smiled and walked over to look at Arturo, “You seem to be none the less for wear after our little Trandoshan adventure.” Dio stood in front of Arturo and took stock, of his clan brother one hand coming up to pat the side of his chest armor. “Have your ribs healed then from the fight? I saw the shot you took from that Lizard.”

A stark image, filled by the fog of battle came to mind, Arturo fighting his way through the battle just in time to miss a Trandoshan striking him with a flying tackle of sorts and driving him to the ground. Dio recalled being engaged with another of the lizards before being able to turn and by the time he had dispatched his foe, the battle was nearly over. He had lost sight of Arturo in the melee but had found him again after the battle.

The tree-drums started up again and caused Dio to wince once more, his eyes felt as if they were bulging with every beat of the drummers.

 

[Vuthari]

Outskirts of Rowrakruk
Kashyyyk

The small band had been trudging through the forest for the better part of an hour. Opting at some point to go on foot due to the treacherous terrain to vehicles, it only made sense. Vu’thari wasn’t sure where Dio got the coordinates for to this slaver camp they were headed towards, but they were going to do their part and investigate it anyway. The sounds of nature were not always a soothing thing in the forests of Kashyyyk. The chirping of small animals was replaced by the distant sounds of roars, growls and screams. There were a lot of predators in the forest that would find their band a tasty meal. Fortunately, the small group had not encountered anything that wished to label them as “prey”.

Arturo took point, obviously the most skilled among them as a tracker and a hunter. Dio in line second, followed by Cory. Vu’thari took up the rear. It was immediately evident to the Jedi that these Mandalorians were used to working together and they mirrored each other’s movements with deadly grace. Bristling with armor and weapons, the twi’lek admired how they still were able to traverse the terrain making a minimal amount of noise.

Not a word had been said during the silent, single file line march deep into the forest. Their spacing between each other was enough to allow support for one another, but distant enough that they would not run into a “two birds with one stone” scenario.

After a few more minutes of winding through the trees, Vu’thari could see on his navicomputer that they were close to the coordinates given to Dio by the wookies. The Jedi wanted to go on this--he cared very little for slavers. If there were Imperial slavers to be found, he wanted to put a stop to it. Although he felt "naked" without his lightsaber, he would make it work.

As if on cue, Artuto held up an arm, silently signaling for a halt in progress and silence…

@Critas
@Kraken
@EmilyHuene

 

[Arturo Solus]

"Morning Arturo! I'm all set. Dio here thinks I'm overdressed."

"You'll have to forgive him. Thinking isn't his strong suit." There was a half-smile hidden behind his T-visor's faceplate as Arturo turned to Dio. He nodded a wordless reply as his clansman inquired about his health; Dio asked him about his ribs in particular, now healed despite the short time since last they'd met. "I'm all good, vod. They hurt my pride more than anything." There was a sudden lull in conversation as Arturo's mind drifted back to that murky battlefield. Campfires sending up pyres of embers as grenades shattered the constant humming of bugs and birds. Bolts sizzling by overhead, the smell of seared flesh, the shouts and screams of dying Trandoshans-- both sweet and horrifying. The feeling of vertigo as a lizard tackled him, his rifle gone, spinning away into the smoke and mud. Pressure, rock-hard fists knocking the sense out of him, the feeling of a Shriek-hawk in his hand. Then, silence...and the icy-calm call of his brothers and sisters as they regroup.

It was a good fight...

He blinked away the memory, his conscious effort accompanied by a shake of his head. "It doesn't matter, we won. And now there's another fight to be had, and there's no way in hell I'm letting you two @EmilyHuene @Critas go without me." Arturo unslung his A-10 Long Blaster, checked it for the umpteenth time in the last fifteen minutes, then shouldered it. He regarded his companions. "Speaking of going, shall we?"

-------------

"Hold up. Camp's up ahead." He said quietly, keeping his eyes fixed firmly on the distant tower of smoke that rose to the leafy canopy above. It was in a clearing, surrounded by tents, canvas flapping in the wind, shadowy figures circling the constructs and...cages? Arturo advanced slowly, keeping low, his eyes and ears peeled for any sign of the foemen as he approached a strange break in the treeline. He knelt, and calmed his breathing as the pre-fight nerves kicked in. He could hear his kinsmen creeping up behind him; he didn't bother checking, trying to restrict his movements now that they were so close to the target. He didn't want to risk giving their position away before they got close enough to deal any damage.

Still... Making use of his rifle's scope, Arturo surveyed the camp. The world his eyes perceived took on a spherical shape as he bent low. "Hmm, seems we've caught them at the wrong time. They haven't set up a secure perimeter; no motion sensors, no lookouts to speak of...lazy, sheer incompetence." Arturo frowned as he observed just how oblivious the slavers were of the ground around them. He felt a pang in his chest, probably anger. "I count...fourteen armed slavers, maybe more in the tents. Hard to tell." A sudden rumble from the far side of the clearing made Arturo readjust his rifle's sights. "Slave pen's on the far side. Half a dozen Wookiees inside, likely one or two more. It's difficult to say when they're bunched up like that."

Arturo sighted down, letting out a silent sigh, his breath misting up his visor, then clearing. He crabbed away from the break in the trees, and turned to look at the group. "I thought they would've taken Kashyyyk seriously, yet their demeanor and gear suggest otherwise. Thoughts?"

@Mithias
@Critas
@EmilyHuene

 

[Corrine Solus]

Alright. The gang was all here. Corrine was happy to get things under way and before she knew it they'd completely switched gears and became to fighting unit they always were. With the exception of Malagith, her husband. Where was that kriffin' dumbbell? It seemed any time there was a good fight he wasn't around to share in it. Oh well, she'd tell him all about it tonight when she sent him a holovid. That seemed to be the only way her and her husband talked nowadays.


Oh how all this brought back memories though. She loved fighting with her brothers. That's what they did best. Mandalorians were bred for war. It just sucks that the better part of the last millennium or so they'd fought among themselves. But now it seemed with the threat of Empire against them, all the clans were working together finally. Not that it changed much for her own clan. She and Malagith had been friends with the Solus bunch she was with now for a long time. Well, he had. Her not so much. She was greatful they accepted her into the merry band way back when. She never would have met her future husband.

"Hold up. Camp's up ahead."

All movement stopped. Corrine already had her hands on her blaster so she didn't need to go reaching for it behind her back. She'd checked it this morning and it seemed to be in working order. Though she didn't check it as often or as ritually as Arturo did. The man was downright paranoid.

"Hmm, seems we've caught them at the wrong time. They haven't set up a secure perimeter; no motion sensors, no lookouts to speak of...lazy, sheer incompetence." Arturo

"All the better for us though," she added into the comms. "Even if it means less of a challenge"

"I count...fourteen armed slavers, maybe more in the tents. Hard to tell. Slave pen's on the far side. Half a dozen Wookiees inside, likely one or two more. It's difficult to say when they're bunched up like that. I thought they would've taken Kashyyyk seriously, yet their demeanor and gear suggest otherwise. Thoughts?"

Corrine looked at the others and then back to Vu'thari who was behind her. She had been responsible for him up until now. No one had tasked her with that decision, she just felt it appropriate since she had taken the rear of their line. He didn't count. He wasn't a soldier. So, she wasn't about to abandon her self-proclaimed duty.

"I'll stay back and cover you. I've got a better eye for sniping. Vu-vu can stay with me."

 

[Diocletian Solus]

Diocletian was not happy at all. Trudging through a forest to a battle was the last thing his hangover needed. The sounds and rattle of battle would either clear his head or, as he was sure, cripple him completely. The humidity of the forest as already doing a number on his sinuses and causing him to have to squint any time they crossed into the small areas of light under the triple canopy above. The volcanic eruption in his head put aside, he still did his job. He moved through the forest with rehearsed efficiency, low crouch, Shriek-Hawk at the low ready.

"Hold up. Camp's up ahead." warned Arturo.

Dio froze and started to scan the area in front of them. Looking down he could see the tracks on the trail that the slavers had left behind. He crouched and traced the outline of one booted foot and nodded to the assessment from Arturo.

"Hmm, seems we've caught them at the wrong time. They haven't set up a secure perimeter; no motion sensors, no lookouts to speak of...lazy, sheer incompetence.” Said Arturo.

“I count...fourteen armed slavers, maybe more in the tents. Hard to tell. Slave pens on the far side. Half a dozen Wookiees inside, likely one or two more. It's difficult to say when they're bunched up like that. I thought they would've taken Kashyyyk seriously, yet their demeanor and gear suggest otherwise. Thoughts?" added Arturo.

Looking up at the canopy above, Dio scanned the branches and trees for any sort of tech that might be an early warning of alarm device. Finding none he just shook his head and agreed with Arturo. “They have grown complacent, not used to anyone trying to deter them from their slaving. They will pay for that hubris today.”

"I'll stay back and cover you. I've got a better eye for sniping. Vu-vu can stay with me." Said Cory.

Dio nodded and pointed out a small outcropping of rocks split in twain by a stump. The slavers had obviously done some clear cutting as well. Yet another reason for them to die today, the Wookiees would have their heads if they were not all in cages, for that alone. By no means a tree-hugger, Dio was still not pleased with the fact that these slavers did what they wanted in this place.

Turning to Arturo he slammed a fist down on the other Solus warriors shoulder plate in a brotherly gesture. “Well vod, it looks like we are the assault team. Just like the trandos, stay tight and keep the fire lanes on point. We will do this.” He turned and looked to Vu’thari. “Once engaged, see if you can make your way to the prisoners. We don’t want them killing them out of spite when they realize Arturo the Mighty is upon them.” He grinned to himself under his helmet and checked his jetpack to ensure it was ready, then worked the action on his carbine.

“Let’s do this….” His hangover might be getting better after all.


@EmilyHuene
@Mithias
@Kraken

 

[Arturo Solus]

"Alright, let's get this done." Motioning them away, Arturo waited, squatting down on his haunches as his comrades moved into position. He watched as the camp stirred, staying stock-still, predatory gaze following the Imps as they strode about the place. Oblivious, unaware of the looming danger, most of the Imperials hadn't even thought to don armor. They talked, and ate and drank in plain view, so secure in their ignorance that none of them even bothered turning their heads to look at the treeline. A lone Imp, drink in hand, drifted over to stand by the slave pens. Probably taunting the poor bastards, Arturo thought, frowning.

To his immediate front, a group of four slavers sat around an open campfire. It was too damn humid for them to be using it for anything other than cooking. I'll target them first. Stepping up to the break in the trees, Arturo took aim. "On my mark." He whispered across comms, the back of his first target's skull dancing in the crosshairs. He regulated his breathing, calming his nerves and steadying his aim. Then, he pulled the trigger.

There was always a strange, tingly feeling Arturo got after taking a life. He couldn't tell what it was exactly or why he got such feelings in the first place. But, there it was, clearing his mind, and making his mouth drier than the deserts of Tatooine. It made him squint, and his muscles tense. It made him...proud to be Mandalorian, and so he was as the first slaver fell. The second Imp to buy it was so awestruck by the first's death that he never even registered the bolt striking home. It struck him in the chest as he made to rise, sending him cartwheeling backwards, knocking over his seat in the process.

Pandemonium followed, as it always does; those men closest to the deceased dived for cover, yelling their heads off as one corpse went rigid, and the other roasted on the open fire. Those further into the camp, men and women with more time to react, raced for weapons or snatched them from holsters, searching for multiple shooters.

Arturo was pretty sure the others were firing. He couldn't really tell with all the noise; his world shrank down to the rifle in his hands and the foemen in his line of sight. The others would have to fend for themselves, for the time being. Bursting from the trees, Arturo fired off two more shots as he ran, legs pumping. A black-capped Imp appeared from one tent, and Arturo sent him reeling back in with a bolt through his chest.

Blaster fire pocked the ground at his feet and scorched the air around him as he sprinted for cover. A fallen tree provided just that as he dived headfirst over it; the bough splintered and shook as a few slavers peppered it with shots. Arturo angled the barrel of his A-10 Long Blaster over the top of it, and fired twice more before swapping out power packs.

"How we doing, people?!"

@Mithias
@Critas
@EmilyHuene

 

[Vuthari]

Outskirts of Rowrakruk
Kashyyyk

The Jedi was quite sure that Cory had no idea how the twi’lek was geared. She asked him to stay back there with her, but all Vu’thari could do was look down at his blaster pistol and look back up at her and say quietly, ”I don’t think I will be helping anyone by shooting this from back here..."

Any remark Vu’tahri would have made on her plan was cut short by Arturo’s opening volley. Not paying much more heed to the female Mandalorian, the Jedi turned and streaked down the hill with his DH-7 Blaster Pistol drawn. The stopping power on the pistol was decent enough, but the range was horrible—he had to be closer to help anyone. A scruffy slaver rounded the corner with his own blaster pistol drawn. In midstride, the twi’lek leveled the blaster pistol and triggered off three shots into the center mass, crumpling the human before he could turn his gun. However, two others down from him were wise to his approach and took cover behind thick trees below him. In order to keep from being exposed, Vu’thari peeled off of his course and ducked behind a tree himself. Whatever advantage he thought he had in the beginning was now gone due to his late entry into the initial foray.

Taking a deep breath, the Jedi inhaled and exhaled, calming his heart rate and focusing his mind. Now feeling one with the environs, he was ready to continue to his approach, heeding the danger that would come his way…

@Critas
@Kraken
@EmilyHuene

 

[Corrine Solus]

“Once engaged, see if you can make your way to the prisoners. We don’t want them killing them out of spite when they realize Arturo the Mighty is upon them.”

Corrine turned to make sure Vu'thari understood his mission. Dio and Arturo would handle the main troops. She'd stay back and snipe. Vu'thari would be by her side in case someone got away from them and close enough to fire at herself while she was focused on the long-game. The others split up and she would move to the right to get a good distance between them and her rifle. But she didn't want to stray too far from her partners' line of sight either.

Crouching down she leveled her rifle and peered down the scope to watch her comrades get in closer. She began calming her breathing. In and out. In through the nose, out through the mouth.

"On my mark."

Her finger moved to the trigger and she readied herself to back up Arturo for they were sure to fire upon him first.

”I don’t think I will be helping anyone by shooting this from back here..."

"Huh?" she was taken out of the moment and looked up. She turned and saw Vu'thari running forward his nothing but his pistol in his hand. "Kriff!" she swore as she watched him run off. "Vu'thari what are you doing?! You idiot!"

Corrine let out a series of Mandalorian swears which the others would hear in the back of their heads due to her comms still being on. She leaned back into her rifle and aimed it.

CLICK!

"OH YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!?"

A rookie mistake. She'd been so focused on watching Vu'thari she forgot to turn her safety off when she tried to fire. She swore again and clicked the safety off and then refocused. She fired again and this time the bolt hit one of the men in Arturo's way in his shoulder.

"How we doing, people?!"

"Fine!" she shouted necessarily. "Vu-vu is gone. Not sure where he went" This time she clicked off her comm link so anything she said after this wouldn't be sending over like before.

Moving from her spot to get a better view she followed Arturo;s line of sight and saw three more heading his way. She prepared herself and fired at the closest one bringing him down. He could take out the other two easily enough.

 

[Diocletian Solus]

Diocletian moved towards the Wookiee prisoners, getting into position just outside the area the slavers had cleared in the forest. From his time on Kashyyyk, Dio had leaned how to stealth on the forest planet. Where to place his feet, how to use the shadows. He used all those skills and knowledge at this point. For those around him, he literally seemed to disappear, their only knowledge of his whereabouts prior to the battle being through the comm channel.

"On my mark." Said Arturo.

Dio clicked once over the comms channel, letting the rest of the team know that he was in position and ready to move. He had two guards in mind first, they were the ones assigned to guarding the prisoners. They would be his first targets and with any luck, the first to die. He was no more than three steps behind the first, his vibroblade drawn and in his fist when the first shots came from Arturo.

Quickly he closed behind the guard, grabbing him by his long hair, he yanked back hard with one hand while thrusting his blade into the man’s skull, just under his chin. The Imperials body went limp and his eyes rolled back into his head. With a disgusting sucking sound, Dio yanked the blade free thrust the dead body at the second guard.

The body struck the second guard, causing his shot to go wild and that guard to fall to the ground. This gave Dio just the time he needed to raise his Shriek-Hawk from where it hung on its two-point harness and take a single point-blank shot. Unfortunately, the guard was able to leverage himself under the body of Guard one just enough to avoid the kill shot. He was wounded in the shoulder, but not out of the fight.

Dio looked up as he was distracted by Vu’thari wading into the melee. He frowned and shouted over the comm link, “I see him, Ill try to get to him.” Raising his Shriek-Hawk to his shoulder, he prepared to finish off Guard two before entering the main melee and hopefully saving the Twi’lek before he shot himself in the foot.

@Mithias
@EmilyHuene
@Kraken

 

[Arturo Solus]

Arturo counted the shots as they came. He lost track after the seventh; there were too many shooters firing at too many targets in too short a time. It made him dizzy just thinking about it. Levering himself into position, Arturo chanced a quick glance over the fallen bough he took cover behind. Three of 'em, kriff! A poorly aimed shot hit the tree a few inches shy of his abdomen. He sank back down as they adjusted their aim, a few bolts flying past overhead.

A bolt from the treeline put one of the slavers out of action. Cory, has to be. Pulling his A-10 close, Arturo rolled to his feet, hoping to make use of the first slaver's timely demise, and the shock it caused. It didn't work. The Imps were ready for him; a bolt slammed into Arturo's upper chest, leaving him spread-eagled in the dirt. The air in his lungs was gone before he hit the ground. He was loosely aware of having fired a shot before they dropped him, but whether he had or not came second place when compared to the pain spreading through his flesh and bones.

'Don't lay about. Stand!' Arturo tasted blood in his mouth. A foul, rusty taste that he was forced to endure. 'On your feet, boy! Fight!' Someone was talking to him; it sounded like a ghost from his past. A ghost he couldn't tolerate. Arturo was on his feet before he knew it, blaster braced against his shoulder, the familiar weight of the rifle egging him on. The Imps didn't stand a chance. A couple double-taps put them both down and out before they could swivel about to face him, Arturo only just managing to comprehend his actions.

That's what you get for not finishing the job, he thought, vaulting the fallen tree and sprinting for the camp proper. Rage and adrenaline guided him. "Cory, Dio, I'm pushing! Keep the bastards busy." He shouted over the line, the skirmish raging on.

@EmilyHuene
@Critas
@Mithias

 

[Vuthari]

Outskirts of Rowrakruk
Kashyyyk

Vu’thari cursed his stupidity for getting out of position. This was a tactic when there was a lightsaber in his hand, not a blaster pistol. The flanking slavers were sufficiently keeping him pinned down. He ducked out to the left to get a bead on the one to that side. Letting loose a shot, it sailed harmlessly overhead. But the slaver was a decent shot and nearly clipped the twi’lek in the side. While he missed him, he hit the pouch on the Jedi’s hip easy enough. Looking down as he ducked back behind cover again, it was a direct hit on his spare energy pack.*

Seriously?

Crouching low, he spun to the other side and loosed a shot on the slaver suppressing him to his right. He was rewarded with a grunt from the DH-7 slamming home in the human’s chest, causing the slaver to slump to the ground unmoving.* Vu’thari wheeled back behind the huge tree he had made his refuge during this firefight and got ready to let loose another volley on the flanker to the left. He hesitated because between his Mandalorian allies and the slavers, it seemed like all the free space was taken up by blaster bolts streaking back and forth.

@Critas
@Kraken
@EmilyHuene

 

[Diocletian Solus]

The Shriek-Hawk roared in Diocletians hands and put a clean three-inch hole in the forehead of the second guard on the ground. Looking up he saw Arturo struggling and then heard his vod shout over the comm, "Cory, Dio, I'm pushing! Keep the bastards busy." Dio’s face went cold and quickly he tried to find Vu’thari in the swirling melee.

Looking over at Vu’thari he saw the twi’lek was pinned down by several slavers. Seeing an opportunity as five of the slavers appeared to have clumped to get a shot at his business partner, Dio pulled a fragmentation grenade from his bandolier and pulled the pin. Cooking the grenade for a heartbeat he tossed the grenade towards the clump of slavers advancing on the twi’lek and shouted over the comm link. “Grenade out! Vu’thari down!”

The grenade landed perfectly in the middle of the five slavers, all of the Imperials were so focused on killing the alien that they didn’t even see the sphere land among them. The explosion rocked the battle, tossing dead slavers, body parts, shrapnel and earth in a ten-meter circumference from the blast. All five of the slavers were down and Dio was moving so quickly that small bits of earth landed on his helmet as he charged at Vu’thari. The grenade had done its job, it had shocked the slavers, cleared some of the heat off of Arturo and deleted the heat on Vu’thari, but the battle was far from over.

Sliding into cover beside Vu’thari, Dio turned and fired two shots just to keep the remaining slavers heads down before looking over the twi’lek with an appraising eye. He seemed uninjured but definitely out of sorts. Grabbing the twi’lek by the front of his tunic, Dio growled at his partner, “Get your kriff tight.” He saw the issues Vu’thari was having with his weapon and so he pulled out his own blaster and shoved it at the twi’lek. “Here, I know this one works,” said Dio before turning back to aim at the remnants of the slavers from cover.

@EmilyHuene
@Mithias
@Kraken

 

[Corrine Solus]

She'd fired her shot into one of the three Imps closest to Arturo knocking him down. Then one of the others shot and her comrade then fell from her sight. Corrine peeled back and tried to see from afar. She couldn't see him. Corrine looked into her rifle again and tried to see if Arturo was out for the count.

"Arturo! Get up Arturo!"

Whether it was her calling to him, or her wishing it, or simply luck he'd get back to his feet and take the other two Imps out. Corrine let out a sigh of relief. They'd been through too much together for him to die now. Especially not at the hands of some weak and cocky soldiers.

"Cory, Dio, I'm pushing! Keep the bastards busy."

"Copy!" she'd call back; a hint of glee in her voice that he was alive after that little scare.

Moving from her position she followed around to the side to get another high angle of the campsite. From here, she counted another six Imps still standing. Readying herself and preparing to fire Corrine targeted one of the six in her sights. Pulling the trigger the gun clicked and the trigger wouldn't pull all the way through.

Swearing loudly she looked at her gun, "Oh now what?!?" In frustration she tossed the gun down and pulled out her two pistols. No sense using this one and trying to figure out why the gun was jammed. She'd move on and get back into the fight.

“Grenade out! Vu’thari down!”

Corrine looked over her shoulder and saw the white and red explosion as Dio took out five more of the Imps from the other side of the battle. Filled with a new inspiration to help out her team Corrine moved down the hill and out of the trees firing her twin blasters one after another. She manages to take out five of the six leaving only one remaining. Crouching down behind cover she trusts Arturo to finish the job as he was coming in from their flank.

 

[Arturo Solus]

Arturo moved fast, and hit the camp hard. His shoulder ached from the blaster shot, his beskar'gam scorched black where he'd been hit. He blocked the pain out as best he could. A quick inspection on the move revealed a minor wound, one that didn't seem to be bleeding profusely nor impairing his ability to fight as only the Mando'ade could. It stung, of course. Most injuries did for a time; he could deal with it later, once they'd returned to civilization. For now, he needed to focus.

Serpentining his way into the camp, Arturo hopped a waist-high crate, his offhand giving him that added push as his feet struck dirt. The air reeked of blaster smoke and burnt flesh, as well as the feces of those few who'd lost control of their bowels during the firefight. Weaklings, Arturo thought, a glance to his left and right revealing the devastation which he and his had wrought upon the slavers.

The corner of one tent had crumpled, the support strut sheered away by a blaster bolt. Corpses lay strewn about the place, some peaceful-looking, others...completely shredded. The sudden blast of a fragmentation grenade added five more slavers to the body-count, and then another flurry of small-arms fire seemingly doubled it. Arturo whistled to himself as he slid to a halt outside the command tent, his rifle leveled at the sole survivor. An Imp, tall, in ragged overalls with a beard to make most Wookiees' envious. He carried an A-10 nearly identical to the tracker's own. Arturo could see the fear in the Imp's eyes, and felt a pang of guilt as he pulled the trigger

Two shots cut the Imp down to side, a third making sure he stayed down. Then, silence. It lasted for what seemed a long time; A lifetime passed as Arturo waited outside that command tent, his keen senses peeled for any sign of disturbance. Apart from the crackle of a fire, the cry of the caged folk, and the garbled mumbling of a soon-to-be-dead Imp, there was nothing. "All clear!" Arturo called out, a sigh of relief escaping him as he stood.

The Imps were done. They had been hit so fast, and Arturo's comrades had been so ruthlessly efficient in clearing the camp that they'd sustained no casualties of their own. It could only have been a few minutes since the firefight had began, and now...it was over. Slinging his A-10 over one shoulder -the uninjured one- Arturo made a beeline for the slave pens, picking his way carefully through the mess of body parts and stinking dead men. It was time to go and collect their pay.

"Dio, Cory, you know the drill. Loot the camp, take whatever finds your fancy: weapons, armor...cred-chits if they have 'em. Take trophies and finish the wounded." He paused, silence reigning as he worked the lock to the slave pens. It clicked, open. He beckoned to the Twi'lek. "Vu'thari, make yourself useful and look after this lot. And don't worry, you'll get your share of the reward."

"And people," another pause, "good work!"

/exit thread

@Mithias
@Critas
@EmilyHuene

 

[Vuthari]

Outskirts of Rowrakruk
Kashyyyk

The smoke had cleared and the fighting was over. He got up from getting low from Dio’s warning about the grenade and dusted himself off. Looking over to Dio, he tossed the blaster back over to him and nodded. The Mandalorians were as efficient as advertised in their manner of dealing death. The twi’lek could see how the Empire would have to pay attention to the Mandalorian clans or it would be a huge strategic error. This was the second time the Jedi had to go into a dangerous combat without his lightsaber—it was going to get him killed if that didn’t change…

He ignored the jabs and jibes from the Mandalorians, making his way over to the cage to see to the well-being of the wookies. Satisfied that they were unharmed, he picked up after himself and nodded to the wookies. With that, the Jedi walked back with the Mandalorians towards the spaceport of Rowrakruk…

/EXIT THREAD

@Critas
@Kraken
@EmilyHuene