Ask Uncivil

[Kalique Baize]

Outer Rim - Jaminere - 1500 hours

The Empire laid in shatters. It had lost masses of territory and thus stability, but it had never shaken the believes of Kalique, who - without ever catching any real breaks - was already enroute to Jaminere, a planet in the Tion sector.

After having received information on civil unrests that had erupted all across the planet, the Knight had been called in to support the troops. Her assigned platoon was the one of Lieutenant Kravus and right after arriving on her seperate transport, she was immediately approaching the Imperial to report to him, not wanting to waste any more time.

"Lieutenant Kravus, this is Knight Demici reporting" she offered a curt, respectful inclination of her head before she pulled out her datapad, scanning over the mission details once again. They weren't far off from the capital and their job was to find Altis Janier first.

"I'm awaiting your commands. If you want me to speak with Janier, I shall find him. As far as I'm informed, he's waiting in his provisional headquarters to discuss our endeavor". As she hadn't the pleasure of working with Lorven before, she had no either whether the man was a fan of delegating or doing things on his own, yet she was already relatively released that despite the tense situation, there were neither blaster shots nor explosion audible for now.

@DMCK

 

[Lorven Kravus]

The Empire’s operations on Jaminere had taken on greater importance because of the loss of imperial territory. With that in mind, Lorven felt a great sense of pride in being entrusted to lead the imperial taskforce assigned to the planet. The civil war on Jaminere had already caused a substantial loss of life, so it was imperative that it be brought to a swift conclusion. Altis Janier led the allied side and Lorven’s platoon had the task of aiding their final push towards the capital. Arrival on the planet had been straightforward and a temporary imperial command area had been set up a short distance from Janier’s. Lorven had been meticulous in his planning, to ensure the command area and equipment could be prepped as soon as possible after arrival. There was one factor unaccounted for; an imperial knight had been assigned to him. Some in the ISB were wary of force users, but Lorven welcomed their presence. The knight could be decisive in helping to ensure victory.

Lorven stood waiting for the knight to arrive. His peacekeeper’s uniform was polished and immaculate. He kept his blaster holstered by his left hip and his rifle slung over his shoulder. Punctuality was important to him, particularly with the schedule they had to keep to. Fortunately, the knight arrived on time. They were fairly short, blonde and fitted out with a full set of knight’s armour. “Good to see you Demici.” He gave her a slight smile. “Follow me, we have a speeder waiting to take us to Janier’s camp.” Imperial command wasn’t the hive of activity it had been just after arrival, but soldiers could still be seen moving equipment or cleaning their weapons. The short walk would be a good chance to talk through how things had progressed. “The meeting with Janier is merely a formality to discuss a few last details. The plan has already been agreed.” A couple of soldiers making their way into a tent stopped to salute Lorven. He acknowledged them with a nod of his head. “Janier’s forces have reached a stalemate in their efforts to take the capital. The enemy has heavy cannons positioned in a tower block near the edge of the capital. Those have been crucial in halting any offensive Janier’s forces have made.” Lorven maintained eye contact with the knight, expecting her to take on board the brief summary. “We are only a small force; around 40. Three Kaba shuttles. Our role is very much a support role, comrade.”

They had made their way to the edge of command outpost. The speeder was in sight. Lorven gestured towards the capital city, in the distance. “At 0200, the attack will commence. Janier has finally managed to obtain some ships. Mantis patrol ships.” Lorven turned towards the knight. “A small group of our troops will assist Janier’s ground offensive. The rest of us, me and you included, will take part in the aerial offensive.” The driver of the speeder was gesturing at them to hurry up. “Me, you and the other troops will be divided between two of the Kabas. Along with the ships Janier obtained, we will launch an offensive on the tower which contains the heavy cannons. Knocking those out should help ensure the ground forces can break through into the capital.” Lorven and the knight made their way over to the speeder. “Now you can meet the famous Altis Janier, comrade.” There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

The speeder journey didn’t take long. Janier’s soldiers guided Lorven and Demici to the largest tent in his camp. Checking around, he leaned over to her. “I will warn you comrade. Janier is a difficult individual.” Lorven’s voice was little more than a whisper. A guard emerged from the tent. “Lord Janier will see you now.”

 

[Kalique Baize]

The tensions on Jaminere were clearly palpable all around, not just through the Force. Kalique was well aware of the fact that today could go in all kinds of directions, but obviously, she was hoping they'd manage to turn into the deciding factor during these unrests.

The Lieutenant greeted her back rather positively, which added to her optimistic mood. "Of course, Lieutenant", she offered as a reply before she turned to follow him. She attentively listened to his explanations as they walked, paying attention to the various details he provided about the plan.

"Thank you for the update, Lieutenant" she replied once he was done, meeting his gaze, however still pondering on his words. "I'll follow your orders, yet I wanted to interpose that I can't provide much support when in a ship". It was rather common that non force senstives soldiers saw the Force as an enigmatic mystery which led to some wrong beliefs, yet the way he had put it had actually alluded to the fact that it was a plan that had followed thorough planning. She still believed there was nothing wrong with letting him now that direct support through the Force would be easier on the ground.

They reached the speeder and started their little drive when Lorven's tone suddenly shifted into sarcasm. "Difficult? I'm positive we'll be able to deal with him appropriately" Kalique confidently answered, knowing that she was prepared for such scenarios. They were already at the tents and she lowered her voice accordingly.

If smooth talking and ass licking would be needed, then so shall be it, if a different approach was needed, she'd switch tactics. Ironically, she had also made the experience that a pretty, friendly face was sometimes even enough to calm some nerves, so internally prepared herself for spontaneity. Janier's guard invited them in shortly after their arrival so Kalique kept the helmet in her hand before they entered. 'Do you want to do the talking?' she asked the Lieutenant as they entered, choosing the telepathy as it was the most subtle way of talking and he could give her a brief, inconspicuous answer whenever.

@DMCK

 

[Lorven Kravus]

Lorven was quick to clear up the misunderstanding. “The aerial attack is to allow us to land our shuttles on the tower which houses the heavy cannons. Janier’s ships are to help us make sure we can land our shuttles on that tower. Once we have done that, we will make our way down the tower on foot. The cannons are a few floors down. We have explosives to destroy them. So don’t worry comrade, you will have a chance to show your abilities.”

-

(Janier’s camp)

Lorven liked the confident answer she gave. However, he knew that she had no knowledge of what Janier was like. As they entered the tent, a voice entered his head. It was the knight’s voice. He turned to her sharply, caught off guard. He knew that force users could communicate telepathically, but he had never experienced it. He wasn’t quite sure how to communicate an answer back. “Let me do the talking.” He spoke the words in his mind, hoping she heard. Janier was sat at the head of a large table, bodyguards either side of him. Guards flanked Lorven and Kalique. Janier was in his forties. He was a privileged man and it was reflected in his appearance. Overweight and well-groomed, his tanned skin was unblemished and his blonde hair was perfectly combed. He’s never seen a day of service in his life. Janier hadn’t bothered to stand and greet them. He remained sat back in his chair, legs rested on the table. “Kravus.” His tone was dismissive. He didn’t even acknowledge Kalique. Lorven hoped Kalique might pick up on what the issue with Janier was, given the way he ignored her. He also hoped she noticed that all his troops were male. “You can sit down if you want.” Lorven bowed his head to Janier. He didn’t enjoy doing it. “Thank you.” There were two chairs for Lorven and Kalique to sit on.

Taking a seat, Lorven knew he would probably have to use up his last reserves of patience to get through the conversation. “So Kravus, are your preparations for the attack complete.” Janier briefly glanced up at Lorven, but he seemed more concerned with checking his nails than the conversation. “Nearly, everything is in hand.” Lorven glanced at Kalique, hoping she wasn’t too offended at being ignored. “I did warn you.” He spoke the words in his mind. “I should hope your preparations are nearly complete. You should be grateful that I’ve allowed you the chance to assist me.” His tone was derisive. “We always appreciate those who stand with the Empire.” Lorven had to work hard to maintain a professional demeanour as he replied. “Who is…the female.” Janier looked up at Kalique as he said it, acknowledging her for the first time. “Some sort of cheerleader.” Janier’s comment elicited laughter from his guards, which Janier joined in with. “I am sorry, comrade. I did warn you about him.” Lorven again spoke the words in his head. He disliked Janier’s views.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

After he clarified the plan, it all made much more sense for her and she agreed without any objections. The plan was set and all they had to do was get this meeting over with, yet from the very first moment Janier adressed them, or rather just Lorven, Kalique got a feeling that the Lieutenant hadn't exaggerated earlier.

She could feel how the telepathy unsettled him a little, yet as it was still a safe bet when it came to subtle conversations. 'He surely looks just like that' she replied in terms of how he'd probably never truly served. Kalique wondered he was exactly the kind that rarely ever left his desk, but actually had no doubt he put minimal effort in everything he did and had lackeys do do his dirty work...

It kept getting worse though. He wasn't just lazy. He was indeed the kind of a man Kalique simply despised and even if she possesed quite some patience, she usually lost it rather quickly with such misogynistic, sexist men. Narrowing her eyes, her fists slowly turned to fists with the white of her knuckles shining through as she pondered on her options.

It seemed like they needed him or at least his men as she wasn't sure whether he was fit for staying in a leading position. It would be easy to intimate the douchebag within a second as the Force would easily help with that, yet she knew it was more intelligent to keep a cool head and avoid raising tensions just yet. Wasn't the Knight armor giving away who exactly she was though?!

Also, it seemed like Lorven did the talking well enough so that she simply decided to play the gentle, submissive woman she definitely wasn't. Janier would find that out soon enough if she'd save his ass. "I'm Knight Demici and I'm assisting the troops". She already knew he would either not believe her or just laugh, but she swallowed her own pride and kept herself under control as she was not interested in having to defuse this situation later on.

@DMCK

 

[Lorven Kravus]

“A knight! How quaint.” Janier leaned forward, taking his legs off the table. “Make sure she doesn’t get in the way Kravus. Don’t make a mess of things.” Janier spoke to Lorven like a teacher lecturing a child. “I assure you that knight Demici will be of great help to us. If it is ok with you, I think it is time we returned to our camp.” Janier already seemed to have disengaged from the conversation. “Yes, I suppose you should.” Lorven rose from his seat, gesturing to Kalique to follow. “Come on, comrade.” He respected that she had maintained her composure. It must have been tempting to put Janier in his place.

The speeder journey back to the imperial command outpost didn’t take long. When the speeder moved out of sight, Lorven turned to Kalique. “I am sorry about that. If it means anything, we won’t have to deal with him during the battle. I have a feeling he will be well away from the front lines.” Lorven chuckled slightly at the thought of Janier fighting. “Anyway, you should rest. I want you completely ready for the attack.” Lorven felt more confident. Demici seemed composed and professional. She could be the factor that swung the battle in their side’s favour.

-

(Imperial command outpost – 0152 hours)

Preparations were complete. Janier’s forces were braced to launch their ground offensive. The two imperial shuttles were ready and the troops were boarding. Lorven stood waiting for Kalique by the entrance of the shuttle they were going to be passengers on. Once everyone was onboard, the shuttles would make their way to the rendezvous point where Janier’s ships were waiting. They would then move to start the raid on the tower which contained the cannons.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Kalique was boiling from the inside. It was her sheer self-control and all the experienced the Knight had gained throughout the years that kept her from snapping. It was important to maintain composure and honestly, she cared little about what he thought as he'd soon learn her participation was vital, thus all she did was keeping that faked smile.

Back in the speeder, Lorven immediately apologized, but she waved off his concerns. "Oh don't worry. You don't owe me an apology for him being that obnoxious. It doesn't surprise me he'll stay hidden though". It was fairly obvious that this man would never do any dirty work or even endanger himself the slightest, but they still needed his man. But dwelling on such terrible people didn't help either. Lorven was right.

"Positive Lieutenant. I'll be all set in a few hours". They had already reached the outpost and she curtly said her goodbyes because wandering off to her tent. Her armor and weapons were ready, so she was using the remaining time to rest and gather her focus. She would then regroup with the troops and Lieutenant Kravus at the set rendezvous point, this time with her helmet on and her lightsabers readied.

The ships would depart and close in as planned and soon the aerial offense started. Kalique held on in the passenger compartment of their shuttles while explosions rocked the ship every now and then while blaster fire filled the air. Still, they soon arrived at the tower and the ship was beginning its landing sequence to let them hop off as outlined. She was waiting for the official signal of the Lieutenant and steadied herself with the Force as the hatch was suddenly opened.

@DMCK

 

[Lorven Kravus]

The flight towards the target had been perilous. Anti-aircraft guns launched a barrage of fire at the ships. One by one, Janier’s ships were blown from the sky. Fortunately, the shuttles managed to avoid the same fate. By the time they reached the tower, only a few of Janier’s ships remained. The two shuttles moved over the tower, one to each side of the roof. Blaster fire from the roof below pelted the ships. “Get ready!” As the shuttle descended closer to the roof, the enemy fire intensified. The turrets on each shuttle, and Janier’s last few ships, had gone some way to thinning out the opposition, but the enemy’s resistance remained fierce. The shuttle’s hatch opened as they came close to the drop point. “Demici, when we drop down, I want you to take the lead!” Lorven’s voice could barely be heard above the fighting. A rocket impacted on one of Janier’s ships, the shockwaves from the explosion shaking the shuttle. The troops in the shuttle were barely able to keep their balance as it shook violently. The pilot managed to keep them on course, and they touched down at the drop point; it was time to move. “Go!”

A wave of blaster fire greeted the troops as they swarmed off the shuttle. Lorven hoped that by letting Kalique take the lead, she would be able to cover them. The troops dashed straight for cover when they had the chance. The enemy had set up various makeshift barricades and sandbag walls across the roof. They had anticipated such an attack on the tower and were prepared to try and dig in. Lorven ducked behind one of the makeshift walls, next to some other troops. The entrance to the top floor of the tower was at the centre of the roof. The enemy had it surrounded as they unleashed a torrent of blaster fire at the imperials. Fortunately, the other imperial shuttle had been able to land its troops on the other side of the roof. So, they were attacking the enemy forces from two sides; things would still be difficult though. They didn’t have support from the air as the last of Janier’s ships had been shot down. The imperial shuttles had pulled away, as they were sustaining heavy fire. “Take the lead Demici!” Lorven called out to Kalique, gesturing towards the enemy.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Despite the loud noises that had erupted all around Kalique picked up the Lieutenant's voice. Briefly meeting his gaze to give him an understanding nod, mentally getting ready and waiting for another sign. The ship with the opened hatch was so vehemently rocked that one young soldier lost his grip and started sliding down, so that Kalique swiftly removed one hand of the handle she was holding on to and caught the man with the Force.

She didn't had hold him for much longer as Lorven gave the sign for them to drop out and so after carefully letting him down, she jumped out herself. "Roger that!" she called back after having skillfully landed with a roll, her analytical gaze quickly assessing the chaotic situation.

"This way!" her voice loudly bellowed through the blaster bolts and explosions, the Force readily coiled around her to deflect the first blaster bolts that were coming their way. The Knight's mind instantly snapped into battle mode as she ignited her first lightsaber to deflect the incoming bolts more efficiently and without suffering the consequences of additional strain the constant Force use caused.

She quickly pressed onwards by sending a shock wave through the Force that was hurling the enemies out from their covers behind the first makeshift barricade. They had to reach the door and so she was trying to clear their way as quickly as possible while the Imperial soldiers were sustaining a hail of fire in their direction.

@DMCK

 

[Lorven Kravus]

Lorven had limited experience with force users. Seeing Kalique jump into action was quite a sight. The wave of shots fired in her direction were swatted aside with seemingly little effort. She then ignited her lightsaber; the orange blade illuminated the surroundings. More shots were deflected straight back at the enemy, cutting them down. Without warning, a surge shook the rooftop. Enemy soldiers were thrown like ragdolls, crashing into their allies or into barricades. Kalique seemed to be the one responsible. Lucky she’s on our side.

Lorven and the other troops followed in Kalique’s wake, moving from cover to cover and shooting down enemies. They were closing in on the entrance. “Keep going!” Things had progressed somewhat smoothly so far, but Lorven wasn’t taking anything for granted. “Demici, make the final push for the entrance!”

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Between the blaster bolts, there were cries of pain and neverending explosions, but she tried her best to keep their elite troop vastly unscathed. She already began to feel all the stain, yet she didn't let it deter her from continuing.

When he mentioned to push for the entrance, there was actually a quite literally entendre to his statement but she wasn't sure whether he had used it on purpose. She did sent out another strong force push wave that was yeeting the majority of soldiers out of their covers and was thus allowing the Imperials to deal with them.

Those that had been out of her sphere or influence were cowering behind their barricades for now, not having expected a Knight to show up, apparently. Kalique marched forward, her senses all sharp on unwelcome surprises but it turned out that many had already chosen to surrender.

"Weapons down, hands in the air" she stated flatly, clearly audible though, pausing where she was. While this was a civil unrest, it was the perfect opportunity for the Empire to show how they weren't what they had once been while surpressed by the Sith. "Take their weapons but leave them" she instructed the two privates next to her before she moved on.

Those who were still shooting were mercilessly yanked close with the Force and impaled upon contact with her lightsaber, so that finally though, they reached the door. "Area secured, Sir! Should be proceed?" she yelled over to Lorven, waiting for the actual command before she'd kick it open.

@DMCK

 

[Lorven Kravus]

The final push to the entrance was without incident. The imperials troops who had been dropped off on the other side of the roof had also managed to fight their way to the entrance. Lorven observed as Kalique encouraged the last few opposition soldiers to surrender. The remaining enemies had thrown down their weapons; there couldn’t have been more than ten of them left. There was a problem. They didn’t have enough troops to be able to leave some behind to keep watch on those who surrendered. That was a luxury they couldn’t afford. Lorven guessed, based on Kalique encouraging the enemy soldiers to surrender, that she wasn’t going to like what he planned to do. He didn’t respond to her at first. Turning to his fellow imperials, Lorven addressed them. “Gather the enemy soldiers together! So, we can more easily keep watch on them.” A lie. The enemy soldiers looked frightened as they were herded together, unsure of what was happening. Lorven sighed. “Sometimes we must be cruel, Demici.” He looked at four imperial troops, stood in front of the captured enemies. “Kill them.” There was a brief hesitation from the troops, before they lifted their rifles and opened fire on the enemy soldiers. They were quickly mowed down by the hail of rifle fire. Silence, except for the sounds of the ground battle in the distance. Lorven turned to Kalique. “We can proceed now, Demici.” Lorven didn’t like doing it, but he felt there were times when such measures were justified. His main concern was swiftly moving on with the mission.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Those who surrendered stared at her wide-eyed as they dropped their weapons. "Kick them away over" she commanded, ensuring that they were well out of their reaches so the Imperials could pick them up. She sensed their fear and the imminent feeling of defeat, yet the remaining ones who still stood were clever enough to lay down their arms.

There was something glistening in Lorven's eyes that already told her that by rounding them up like this, he wasn't planning to leave them alive. They had no weapons and were obviously frightened, so Kalique didn't agree with his decision at all. She held her tongue though. It wasn't her place to argue but she was much more frustrated after, even if she kept all emotions to herself.

"Very well" she stated coldly as she pressed on like he ordered, slipping into the tunnel through the door and immediately beginning her descent to the next level. In her eyes, he had wasted the chance of proving how the Empire had changed, but then again they would have had ended up imprisoned for the rests of their lives anyway...maybe this was some kind of twisted mercy, but she wasn't very pleased.

Dutifully, she stepped into the next corridor where she had to clean up a little as well. It seemed like most soldiers were streaming downwards to protect the tower's core, but those who remained weren't about to give up willingly.

@DMCK

 

[Lorven Kravus]

Lorven could feel that Kalique was unhappy with his decision. He didn’t need to be a force user to sense it. They had a job to do, so she would have to get on with things. Once Kalique breached the entrance, Lorven and the troops followed in her wake. Most of the remaining enemy forces had pulled back from the upper levels. The heavy cannons were a few floors down. Lorven guessed that most of the enemy soldiers would have retreated to that floor, to reinforce their position. In the meantime, the stragglers would need to be dealt with.

As Lorven turned a corner to enter the corridor, a blaster bolt narrowly flew past his head. Quickly rolling to the side, he retuned fire. The shots exploded, sending sparks flying around the enemy position. Firing another couple of shots, one enemy soldier ducked behind cover; the other wasn’t so lucky. Their body dropped to the floor; a blaster hole burned through their head. “Keep moving!” The enemy troops had taken up positions behind various bits of cover they had placed down the corridor. Leaning out of cover, Lorven fired a shot straight into the chest of an enemy. The impact from the shot sent their dead body flying backwards. The enemy troops were struggling to mount much of a resistance, as the imperial soldiers continued to push up the corridor. Once they had broken through, there wouldn’t be much left between them and the cannons.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Chanelling her annoyance into he'd actions, Kalique pressed onwards, actually sweeping the next level clear in terms of hurling approaching enemies away and either into the line of fire from their own soliders or just over the railing. They were meeting less resistance than she had expected, but for her this meant that they were waiting down on the lower levels, literally protecting the cannons with their lives.

Kalique was still the one leading the assault force, yet she stayed close enough to the soldiers to do her best in protecting them. At one point, she was actually grazed by a shot, but the wound resulting from it was not even concerning to her and so she kept pressing on in a worse mood.

Rounding the next corner and this time striking one brave solider who dared to approach her down with her lightsaber, a blaster bolts zoomed past her, actually aimed at Lorven's head but just a few away from him, she caught it mid air, grimacing under the strain of the spontaneous yet effective interference before hurling it right back at the causer.

Exhaling sharply, she rolled her shoulders, not commenting on it and just dutifully carrying on before they were forced to descent two more flights of stairs before reaching a heavy door. Without hesitation and assuming it was definitely locked, Kalique rammed both of her lightsabers into the durasteel, starting to carve a circle wide enough for each and every armored soldier to pass through while she called back, "Prepare. I sense a lot of activity behind it". After finalizing her cut, she'd wait for Lieutenant Kravus to give her a signal before she'd blast the carved circle with full force, not only crushing the ones in its way beneath it but also allowing for them to ambush them rather quickly.


@DMCK

 

[Lorven Kravus]

They broke through the opposition’s resistance with minimal difficulty. Kalique led the way, with the others following behind. Swiftly moving down level by level, any enemies who weren’t swatted aside by Kalique were then picked off by the imperial troops. Lorven noticed the shot graze Kalique’s arm and, just for a few seconds, panic set in. Fortunately, she seemed to shrug it off with minimal fuss. Lorven even let out a small sigh of relief when it became apparent that she was ok. If she went down, the entire mission would be jeapordised.

Moving closer to their target, the group descended another flight of stairs. Turning a corner, Lorven caught sight of a flash of red light in his peripheral vision. He instinctively ducked down, his head quickly turning in the direction of where the shots came from. Quite remarkably, the blaster bolts were suspended in mid-air. Kalique stood; her arm stretched in the direction of the shots. As quickly as Lorven had turned to look, Kalique sent the shots flying back at those who had fired them. Too close.

Having gone down another two flights of stairs, they finally reached the target. A large door and the enemies behind it were the only things separating them from the cannons. Kalique had begun to cut a hole in the door. She also warned that she had sensed a large presence gathered behind it. Once the hole was cut, she waited for Lorven’s signal. “This is it. Be ready for anything.” The troops stood by, eager to attack. “Go Demici!”

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

The orange sparks that resulted from the way she was cutting through the metal immediately stopped as she pulled her Saber out, waiting for Lorven until his words did finally echo through her mind. 'Go Demici'. Of course she'd be the literal meat or rather force shield in this, but her strength would also fade at some point. Still, without any complains she obviously followed his order, letting her rage fuel her to a controlled extent.

Taking a quick breath in, she released all the Force she had been coiling around her in one violent blast that threw the heavy metal circle backwards and hurled the enemy soliders not only out of the way, but also crushed them against the solid wall at the side of the well protected chamber.

Blaster bolts immediately erupted from both sides, resulting in a terrible hail of chaos that couldn't simply be solved by shooting back. While she was watching out in order to avoid taking any bolts herself, she mustered the remaining strength to create an immense heat in the middle of the room that would combust within seconds and engulf the bystanding soliders that had moved into the middle and the flames would mercilessly devour them.

As soon as their men were about to enter and press onwards, she'd suffocate the fire with the application of the Force once again, however already feeling how the constant use was draining her quickly. The first signs of dizziness set in and she staggered a little before too, jumped in with her lightsaber readied and slicing down whoever came into her way.

@DMCK

 

[Lorven Kravus]

The section of the door was propelled into those waiting behind it. Soldiers were sent flying, bones broken or shattered. Those unlucky enough to be trapped behind the door were crushed against the wall at the far side of the room. The other enemy troops, determined to protect the cannons, opened fire on the imperial position. The enemy fire was too heavy to push through, meaning the imperial troops had to remain in cover behind the door. Damn. Out of the corner of his eye, Lorven caught sight of Kalique stepping forward. “Wait!” Without warning, a ball of flames burst out from the middle of the room. Those within its reach were overwhelmed by the fire; their screams echoed around the room. The other enemy troops shielded their eyes, as they retreated away from the flames. Lorven sensed the opportunity. “This is our chance. Go!”

As they entered the room, the flames were quickly extinguished. The exertion seemed to have tired Kalique. Lorven noticed her stumble as she readied her next attack. The imperials opened fire on the enemy troops, taking advantage of the chaos. The room was open plan; various makeshift barriers and sandbag walls were scattered around it. The cannons were on the left side of the room, the barrels poking out through holes cut out of the side of the building. Lorven moved into cover behind a barrier. He kept an eye on Kalique. He wanted to make sure she got through the mission.

@LadyRen

 

[Kalique Baize]

Having given their soliders the fitting opening, Kalique sticked to her ignited lightsaber and damage control for now. She kept an eye on their own soliders, trying her best to ensure they'd make it out with as many men as possible, but she obviously couldn't safe them all.

Her mind was still focused and on full alert, however the extreme force usage was draining her even quicker as she reached the first cannon. There had surely been more elegant solution to it, but a perfectly executed lightsaber strike also did the deed and so the first cannon was incapacitated before the battle was fully over.

There were only a few enemy soliders left, but before she planned on attending to the next one, something else came to her mind. Throwing herself back in and dealing with the remains of the Forces, she then allowed herself to collapse against the nearest wall, her head spinning and her vision blackening but otherwise okay, wanting to use the time before an unpleasant surprise could await elsewhere. "Lieutenant...what about keeping the cannons in tact, now that we're in control?" she suggested, obviously exhausted but relieved as well.

@DMCK

 

[Lorven Kravus]

Pressing the attack, the imperial troops picked off the enemy soldiers one by one. The first cannon was in sight. They had brought explosives to destroy them. However, before Lorven had a chance to signal to one of the troops carrying the explosives, Kalique took matters into her own hands. A swift strike from her lightsaber was enough to destroy the cannon’s control panel and disable it. Not what was planned, but effective nevertheless.

Only a few enemy troops remained, but they continued to fight determinedly. As the imperials began to move towards the next cannon, Lorven saw Kalique stumble; within a few seconds she collapsed against a wall. Narrowly avoiding a blaster bolt, he dashed over to her position. Squatting down and checking her, he was happy to see that she was unharmed. “Don’t worry, we have the explosives. We will proceed as instructed and destroy them.” He smiled and gave her a pat on the shoulder. “We are nearly there, comrade.” Turning around, he gestured for the nearest soldier to come over. “Help her up, when she feels ready.” Lorven then moved to re-join the battle.

The last few enemy soldiers refused to surrender, fighting until their blasters overheated. Their final stand was in vain; the last soldier shot through the back as he attempted to dive behind cover. “Room secure!” Lorven took a few seconds to catch his breath and then let out a heavy sigh. They had nearly completed their mission, much to his relief. “Plant the charges on the other two cannons! We aren’t finished yet!”

@LadyRen