Outer Rim - Hoth System
Aboard the Republic Assault ship Panzershell
The space battle continued on, as the Panzershell's supporting craft were slowly being destroyed by the Mandalorian fleet. The assault ship was boarded just a few hours prior, and already the Mandalorians had killed most of the crew. But the Republic troops onboard hadn't been defeated or been killed off yet. Captain Turris of ERCS, an elite within the elite, led a small, covert resistance force of other ERCS members, as well as Jedi. He was leading three teams of survivors, as they scoured the ship for other survivors en route to the hangar. Turris used his helmet's comlink to contact a friendly.
"Bravo Team, how are our Jedi?"
"They're under control, just it's hard to work with them. Over." Bravo leader replied.
"I know, but we must ensure their safety. Charlie team, report."
"In crossing fire! I repeat, in crossing fire! We're trying to get into the medical station!"
"Understood. Over and out." Captain Turris replied, cutting the line. The assault ship shuddered violently, and a few moments later the lights and power began to short circuit. After the lights began randomly blinking, they eventually went out entirely. Some though managed to stay on, but even they blinked on and off. One of Turris' commandos turned to his leader.
"What was that cap?"
"I think we've just flown into an asteroid field." Turris replied. The ERCS captain heard something in the next room, so he motioned to his team to be quiet. Activating his thermal vision, Turris leaned into the next room, then came back. He held up five fingers, and his team nodded in recognition. The nearest commando leaned towards Turris.
"Nightvision?" The commando asked. Turris shook his head, instead producing a smoke grenade from his belt and equipping his blaster rifle. He calibrated his specially made rifle to "scatter blast," pulled the pin on the grenade, waited 3 seconds, and tossed it in the room. White smoke filled the room, and Turris and his men charged in from two different entrances.
His men blasted the Mandalorians inside, the heavy slugs from Turris' rifle demolishing two of the Mandalorians. The rest of his men killed the other three. As the smoke cleared, Turris and his team entered. The two Turris killed were shot across the room, smashing into walls with huge holes in their chests. The other three were scattered across the room, their dead, bloodied, broken bodies in a locker, on a chair, and on a table. The captain reviewed the scene, satisfied.
"Clear. Let's move." Turris said. Like shadows or silhouettes, Turris and his team clandestinely continued through the inner bowels of the ship.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
We blasted out of hyperspace, in range of an ongoing space battle between Heinrich's fleet and the crippled Republic fleet. Beyond that was a massive asteroid field in orbit over the planet Hoth. Tairek piloted us forward. Eventually our comrades hailed us on the Basilisk's comm.
"Good to see some other friends in this system." The controller on the other end said.
"We're here to see the General." I said into the comm. as Tairek piloted.
"Heinrich is overseeing the attack inside The Panzershell. You have permission to land. Out." The controller said. Tairek took the ship towards the large Republic assault ship, ignoring the space battle going on around it. There wasn't much of a Republic fleet left, as our allies blasted more and more of their ships to pieces. Tairek landed the Basilisk in the hangar of the Republic ship, which was now being used as a staging area by Heinrich's troops to infiltrate the ship. We exited the ship, nodded to nearby Mandalorians, and approached General Heinrich, who was in the yellow Neo-Crusader armour.
"You two must be the reinforcements Dxun sent." Heinrich said.
"Aye. What can we help with General?" Tairek asked.
"We've secured the hangar. None of their survivors are getting in or out. But they have at least three teams of ERCS, along with Jedi, still inside the ship. We've bloodied them good, and now they'll be looking to patch themselves up. I want you two to head to the medical ward, and sabotage any chances they might have. After that, head to the bridge and assess the ship's destination." Heinrich said. He produced a holo, displaying the outline of the ship, with the medical ward highlighted.
"Set charges and blow them to hell General?" I asked.
"Correct. Speak with Major Philippe over there, he'll provide you with charges and anything else you'll need. Good luck." Heinrich said. We shook his hand and headed over to see the Major. Philippe, in red Neo-Crusader armour, greeted us.
"What do you need?" He asked.
"Charges, and any CQB rifles you've got." Tairek said. Philippe opened a crate, revealing mines, along with slug thrower scatter rifles. We took the rifles, ammo, and the mines, and headed off into the ship.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
Turris and his team covered one of their comrades, as he snuk into a ventilation shaft overlooking the hangar. After getting a clear view and seeing what was going on, the commando came back out and reported to the captain.
"The Mandalorians have the hangar cap."
"How many?" Turris asked.
"25 men. 20 regs, 3 officers, and 2 special operations troopers who just arrived."
"Damnit. Change of plans. Ships?"
"5 Basilisk war droids."
"Hmm…equipment?"
"Heavy duty explosives, repeaters, blaster cannons. It doesn't look good cap."
"I see. Good recon soldier. At ease."
"Thanks captain." The commando said. Turris closed his eyes behind his helmet, thinking as he focused his Battle Meditation…it was a unique power that few Force users could master. Turris himself didn't recognize what and where it came from, he only knew it came in handy in tight situations. He was interrupted though as his comlink came to life.
"Bravo Leader to Alpha."
"Speak." Turris replied, his eyes still closed.
"We're right behind you. The Jedi are fine…why have we stopped?"
"Plans have changed Bravo. The hangar is lost. We can't stay in one place too long or we may lose more troops, so keep following us." Turris said. He could hear Bravo sigh on the other end. Neither wanted to say it, but they both knew the situation was bad. The hangar was their only way out.
"Understood. Bravo over and out." Bravo said. Turris contacted Charlie leader, hoping they were still alive from the previous fire fight.
"Charlie, talk to me." Turris said. He could hear lots of blaster fire on the other end.
"We're breaking through their defenses, and we're almost to the medical wing!"
"Good. That's an important strategic point. Losses?"
"I've lost two of my men but we took four times as many of them down. How's our escape route looking?" Charlie asked. Turris tensed, his jaw trembling. He almost didn't want to answer for fear of killing what morale was left in his men. "Sir? How's our escape route? Over."
"We're working on it."
"Understood cap! It's getting hot here again! Over and out!" Charlie said, as Turris heard blaster fire roar on the other end. Turris opened his eyes back up and reloaded his rifle.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
Leaving the hangar, Tairek and I ventured the ship. It was quiet for a time, but after rounding a corner we came straight into a fire fight. Three other Mandalorians were fleeing down a corridor, as five ERCS pursued them. We took cover behind the corner, giving our comrades covering fire as they retreated. I used my pistol to fire and managed to wound one in the shoulder, while Tairek wounded another in the leg. Nevertheless, two of our brothers were killed. The last managed to make it to the corner of the corridor, and we kept firing as he took cover. Tairek and I killed the two wounded as their friends tried to pull them away, killing a third ERCS in the process. The other two fled. I covered us as Tairek spoke to our comrade.
"Are you hurt?"
"No I'm ok, but it looks like my squad got taken out."
"We're en route to the medical ward. Would you like to come with us lad?"
"Sure. I know the way. My squad and I just came from there. A few squads of ERCS were heading there as well. We got engaged in a massive fire fight and had to retreat. It'll be crawling with those guys. I know a shortcut around so we could get there before them. My name is Kelroth, by the way"
"Alright, lead the way Kelroth." Tairek said. Kelroth reloaded his blaster rifle, and led us down a few corridors. It was quiet again. If the ERCS were as good as they said, they might have set explosives already. I sure hoped they didn't. Fortunately, we got to the medical ward in one piece after following our brother for 10 minutes. We silently crept in, making sure the ERCS weren't inside. It was clear.
"Take any supplies we might need first. Then set your charges lads." Tairek said. We took a few kolto vials, and other supplies before planting mines in gurneys, under sinks, in cabinets, and even inside empty medical kits strewn about the room. To top it off, Kelroth went into the backup electricity conduit, and attached a mine inside, hiding it behind wires. I walked over.
"Ingenious. They'll go to turn on the lights, it won't work, so they'll flip on the conduit and it'll blow them all to hell." I said.
"And cause a chain reaction for all the other mines."
"Great. Let's find some cover and hide for when the ERCS arrive." I said. The three of us exited the room, going to a room across the corridor and hid in some lockers.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
Captain Turris, leading Alpha Squad, led his troops to the bridge of the assault ship. Approaching the blast doors of the bridge, Turris and his men heard voices inside. Using hand signals, Turris ordered one of his men to set a permacrete detonator to the door, while the rest went back a good distance to be out of the radius of the explosion. Setting the charge, the commando ran for cover as the whole squad activated their helmet's rebreathers. After a few seconds, the blast doors were blown down, and immediately Turris armed a poison gas grenade and threw it in. The Mandalorians inside the bridge were caught by surprise, and choked to death on the poisonous gas. When the gas cleared, Turris and his squad deactivated their rebreathers and went inside the bridge. That was another four Mandalorians down. Turris got on his helmet's comm. to Bravo leader.
"Alpha to Bravo – bridge secured. I repeat: bridge secured. Regroup with us here on the bridge. Over."
"Copy that. We're on our way. Over and out." Bravo leader said. Turris turned to look at his squad as they went about their tasks. Two guarded the door, another two hid in ambush spots should the bridge come under attack, another sliced into the ship's nav computer to send it into the biggest asteroid in the field, while his last commando armed explosives in strategic points on the bridge. Turris smiled.
Elite Republic Commando Squad – perfect soldiers. We were taught how to think the same way and understand each other without words. Loyalty, trust, perfection… Turris reflected. He was proud of his men. He got on his helmet's comm. to Charlie leader.
"Alpha to Charlie, what's your position, over?" Turris said. Silence. "Alpha Leader here, Charlie, do you copy?" Turris said. Turris' face turned grim behind his helmet. His soldiers turned to look at him.
"We lost them."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
Charlie Leader and his team of ERCS crept down the corridor. The medical ward was in sight. They passed by a room filled with lockers, and opposite it were the doors to the ward. The team went on either side of the door to fight their way in. Charlie Leader used hand signals, and one of his men pulled out a smoke grenade. Creeping open the door just enough, the commando threw in a smoke grenade. It went off, and the team rushed in, ready to shoot down any hostiles inside. The room was clear. Charlie Leader sighed.
"Clear. Rest up, find some kolto and whatever else you need. Those of you who aren't wounded, cover the doors." Charlie leader said. One of his men went over to the kolto tank, but it wasn't working.
"There's a switch on the other side. Flip it and it'll go." Charlie leader said.
"But sir, didn't the ship lose power a while ago?"
"All capital ships have backup power conduits in their medical stations. Turn on that conduit over there first, then you can use the kolto tank." Charlie leader said. The wounded commando walked over to the wall, and flipped open the conduit circuit station. Ignoring the mess of wires, he found the switch and flipped it.
We heard a massive explosion from the medical ward. The three of us exited the lockers, left the room and headed to the medical ward on the other side of the corridor. We forced the doors opened, and found the members of Charlie Team thrown about the room, blasted to pieces. All the mines had gone off, killing all of them instantly. From one of the corpses' helmets came comm. chatter. I walked over to it as Tairek and our comrade inspected the remains.
"Alpha to Charlie, what's your position, over?" A man said. He sounded like the guy in charge. "Alpha Leader here, Charlie, do you copy?" He asked again. I pulled off the guy's helmet, and realized he was still alive. With my scatter rifle, I blasted the ERCS in the face, splattering his skull and head on the ground beneath him. I took the helmet and spoke into the comm.
"Here that? That's the sound of your friends dying. Your next." I said. I tossed the helmet and turned to Tairek. He nodded.
"Our mission is done here lads. Let's get back to the hangar." Tairek said. We exited the medical ward and began to head to the bridge. The ship was large, it'd be a good 45 minutes till we got there.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
Turris' squad lowered their heads as their captain announced they had lost Charlie team. A few moments later, they could hear a loud slug thrower blast over the comm., followed by a young man's voice.
"Here that? That's the sound of your friends dying. Your next." The voice said. Turris clenched his fist in rage.
"You'll pay for this, Mandalorian scum." Turris whispered to himself. He switched channels to Bravo team.
"Alpha to Bravo. We lost Charlie. I repeat: we lost Charlie. Use only this channel, the other is bugged. Over." Turris said. He could Bravo sigh on the other end.
"Roger. We'll be there shortly. Over and out." Bravo said. Turris cut the line and turned to his soldiers.
"We need to regroup and leave the bridge before the Mandalorians arrive. Those charges set?" Turris asked of the commando who had done it.
"All our explosives have been planted cap."
"Good. I want those ironheads to burn here more than they ever will in hell."