Part 4
Hithiss had no idea what planet the Ge'hutuun was orbiting. That was usual for operations involving defectors.
The Trandoshan stared out the hangar's viewport. The planet was large, green and brown spots indicating multiple continents. Much of the planet was a deep blue, showing the planet's oceans. There were large white areas on the northern and southern extremities of the planet, showing ice caps.
Hithiss thought that it might be a good place to vacation. Or go hunting, depending on the planet's wildlife and climate.
The sound of blaster packs charging and armored boots slamming against the floor stole his attention. The Trandoshan turned around, looking over his passengers.
He raised an eyeridge, watching the republic soldier heft an F-400 Nova rifle over his soldier. The rifle was half the boy's size, not to mention the hefty grenade attachment protruding from under the barrel.
The rest of the boy's team, Fireteam Four, was busy hefting medical supplies and an ancient blaster turret into the gulley jumper. Fireteam One's leader was busy conversing with the republic soldier, Andy, Hithiss remembered. The leader was a chiss woman, maybe in her mid twenties. You really couldn't tell with chiss.
To her right, the large wookie everyone affectionately called "Cuddles" shifted uncomfortably. The wookie made a low grunt, patting the bowcaster lazily hanging off of its neck. Hithiss had no idea how those light straps held up such a heavy weapon.
Hithiss flattened the wrinkles in his plain white shirt, he disliked wearing armor when he flew, and mulled toward his ship. It wasn't very impressive. A basic republic model with a few cannons added, painted black and gold.
Hithiis made his way past Andy, wandering up the ships ramp. He stalked toward the cockpit, and something to the right caught his eye. He quickly turned, surprised he had not caught it as soon as he entered.
In one of the seats sat enough detonite to destroy a fortress. "You better have this strapped down on takeoff, or this will be a very short trip." He called out.
"Don't worry Hithiss, I know how to handle explosives." Andy called back, his helmet's speaker muffling the voice a bit.
Hithiss nodded, cracking a toothy grin. This would be quite the show on exfill
Kharandras made it his mission to stall takeoff. He dropped pieces to one of their defensive turrets, causing Cuddles to bark at him. He was waiting for someone, and he wouldn't go without seeing her.
The doors hissed open behind him, and Rawnie stormed out. She was dressed in civilian clothes, making her look very small.
"Hey cyar'ika, where ya been?" Kharandras joked, loud enough for everyone in the hangar to hear.
"I should kick your shebs." She muttered. "What death defying mission are you going on now Kharan?"
"Jedi hunting of course. Not like we haven't done it before." He gave her a smile, running his hands through his hair as he often did when he was nervous.
She pulled him in quickly, kissing him before pushing him away, "Don't lose anyone this time." She ordered.
The whole hangar cheered, Cuddles's loud yell noticeable over everyone else's.
"Khar'ikas all grown up now, I'm so proud." A'den yelled.
Rawnie blushed before spinning on her heel, almost jogging out of the doors. They hissed closed behind her.
Kharandras smirked at the entire group before donning his helmet. The HUD booted up, showing his squad's position and their heart rates. They wouldn't lose anyone else. He'd make sure of that personally.
Anderit took his place in the packed ship. He sat next to the chiss woman. As much as he tried he couldn't remember her name. There to his left A'den and Kharandras were having a consversation over whether Twi'leks or Humans were more attractive.
Ra'lin was pretty quiet. He had his helmet on and his comm link was closed. Anderit assumed he was always this calm in flight, everyone had their pre combat rituals.
Cuddles, Anderit was surprised the name didn't offend the three meter tall wookie, was busy charging his bow caster. He occasionally looked up to the two armored Mandos whom Anderit didn't know and would make a low barking sound.
Anderit thought he was scolding them for something. Of course he could've been asking if the 'freshers were clean as far as Anderit knew.
The gulley jumper lifted from the hangar deck, the engines were deafening. They cast a bright blue light, the durasteel plating reflecting it onto the ship.
The mix of blinding light made the gully jumper look like a ghostly specter as it flew into the silent void.
The gully jumper hurtled toward the unknown planet. "ETA ten minutes." Hithiis stated.
The comm icon on Anderit's HUD lit up, showing that someone had overridden his comm silence.
"Su cuy aruetii." A soft female voice crackle through his helmet speakers.
"Miss, I don't speak mando'a and who are you?" Anderit asked.
"The woman gave a soft laugh, "Hello Anderit. It's Sanya."
Anderit thought for a moment then looked to the right, seeing the chiss woman now wearing a helmet. She nodded, her gray armor reflecting the dim lighting of the gulley jumper's cargo bay. The T-visor gave a slight blue light.
"And before you ask, no, the other fireteam members can't hear us."
"Ah..okay, is there something important you need me to do?" Anderit asked, caution ever present In his voice.
"Nothing important, I just hadn't really talked to you." She replied, casually looking toward him under her helmet.
"Of course this probably isn't the best time. Tell you what, when we get back the Ge'hutuun you come get drinks with everyone." She sounded far to cheery for someone about to kill people.
"Sure, that uh, that sounds great." Anderit replied, finding himself smiling.
The gully jumper violently shook as it entered atmosphere.
"ETA five minutes. You kids know your jobs. Capture some jetii'se or whatever you feel like. Have Private Wade blow the shab'la place up, and head home." Hithiss murmured into the ship's intercom.
Anderit shifted into his Fireteam's comm as Sanya followed suite.
"I'm saying we kill the jetii'se and steal- Hey Anderit." A'den cut short as Anderit joined the channel.
"You ready demo tech?" Kharandras asked.
"I have enough detonite to level a fortress, of course I'm ready." Anderit answered, adrenaline pumping now.
"Do anything stupid and we leave you." Ral'in chimed in, turning his oversized scattergun in his hands.
It was fully automatic from what Anderit had heard. It's jet black paint made it look even deadlier. A'den used a Nova rifle, although his was painted gold. Kharandras had a large blaster pistol, the fancy kind that punched holes in starship hulls.
The ship slowly slowed, "Be ready to bang out." Hythiss commanded.
Cuddles donned his golden helmet. The wookie in his golden beskar was the most intimidating thing Anderit had ever seen.
The two unknown mandos began assembling their blaster turret with ease. Hefting it above both of their heads. The ship set down with a crunch, half a click from the main structure.
"Serimir, gedetayar, parjir." Ral'in yelled over the comms, a cheer coming from everyone on the gully jumper.
The back hatch hissed open. The mandos with the turret sprinted off followed by Cuddles and Sanya. They were the diversion, they'd have to be fast.
Anderit's fireteam sprinted out as the jumper quickly lifted off flying to the south. They'd have to move fast as the gulley jumper must have been picked up on some kind of scanners.
Anderit was farthest behind but kept up with the group. They were in heavy forest, animals howling and grunting in the distance. The grass made it up to Anderit's knee plates, and for once he was thankful for the suit's climate control. He was sure it was far more humid than he'd like outside.
The detonite in his backpack jiggled uncomfortably as they came within sight of the structure. The entire fireteam was breathing heavily as they went prone. They sat at the very edge of the forestry. The structure was six meters tall, a few hundred feet wide, but rather meek. They'd expected a few turrets at the least.
"This isn't a fort, it's a kriffing monastery." Kharandras growled.
Standing outside a the large doorway were seven imperial soldiers and a boy, maybe fourteen, apparently guarding it. The concrete around the building was ancient, cracked in multiple places from overuse.
Their helmets crackled, an unfamiliar voice poured through. "This is fireteam one, about to start the party."
A few moment later rocket pierced through the forestry on the otherwise of the building, striking two soldiers. Their armor gave almost no resistance as one man disintegrated, the second being blown into gory peices. The ancient concrete was covered in the blood of the two soldiers.
The remaining five soldiers turned their attention to fireteam one's position, blindly firing into the forest. The red and orange beams of energy searing the trees, but seemingly not hitting anyone. A moment later hundreds of flashed of blue generated from the treeline melting the soldier's armor and cutting them down.
Anderit recognized the sound of the blaster turret and smiled. "Imps chose the wrong side."
"Of course they did, now they have to fight us." Ral'in added.
The boy put his hand to his ear before running into the monastery. A moment later imperial soldiers poured from different areas of the building, firing into the forest.
"Thirty two soldiers, team one can handle it." Ral'in commented.
"How the hell can you count that fast?" Kharandras asked.
"It's because he's magic, give him a kiss and you get a wish." A'den added.
"I'm sure you've tried that ner'vod, tons of times." Kharandras retorted
"Cybernetics right?" Anderit chimed in.
"Correct." Ral'in stated.
The imperial soldiers were being ripped to peices by the cannon fire. The ones that got close were instantly brought down by a shot from Cuddles's bowcaster.
Sanya was nowhere to be seen, which tugged at Anderit for reasons he couldn't explain.
Once it was clear that the imperials were preoccupied A'den sprinted toward the door, followed by the others. He dropped to one knee, and began ripping the door's keypad to pieces with a vibrioknife. With the wires exposed, A'den began cutting wires, replacing them with his own.
"See this osik, this is science. Ripping things to peices is kriffing science." He muttered.
After a few tense minutes of blaster fire and sounds of dying soldiers the door slid open. The team slid inside, quickly locking it behind them. Ral'in took point.
Anderit found himself marveling at the long halls, the white marble floors, the beautiful paintings and the almond colored walls. They walked to the end of the ball finding no resistance. It was unsettlingly quite.
"I don't like this, they're trying something." Anderit whispered, although it was unnecessary.
They could have a conversation in the helmets and no one would know.
They rounded another corner. A blue blade of energy sprung to life and lunged at Ral'in.
The scattershot fired three times, the sound reporting through the halls. The blade cut short inches from Ral'in's head and the Jedi's body crumpled onto the ground.
"Seems you were right And'ika. Either way this one isn't defecting." Ral'in muttered, kicking the Jedi's mangled belied don't body with his foot.
Anderit had no idea what And'ika meant, and he didn't ask. He looked over the Jedi's body. Plain brown robes, it looked like a Duros. Although its lower face had caved into a bloody mess from the scattershot round.
They continued down the hall, all four of them back to back covering every corner. They turned left, then right, seeing no more contacts.
"Think the shab'la hu'tuun ran?" Kharandras asked, checking the charge on his blaster for the seventh time.
"No I-" A'den held up a hand, and the door to their right let out a gasp.
"Doors don't gasp. Open up in surrender in the name of the republic!" Anderit yelled, training his rifle on the door.
There was no answer. The fireteam trained their weapons on the door. It was old, made of wood showing how primitive it was. Anderit loaded his grenade launcher, firing the explosive ball at the door.
The door exploded into wooden splinters, the surrounding walls taking similar damage. A scream was heard as the team charged in.
On the ground there was a blond woman dressed in the usual Jedi robes. There was a peices of the door lodged into her leg, blood pouring one the floor. Next to her the boy from outside hovered above her, looking terrified and not knowing what to do. Behind them stood three Jedi padawans.
"On the ground now!" Ral'in ordered.
One of the padawans, a boy with dark skin and a shaved head drew two yellow lightsabers, "Master Kano told us the you were coming."
The woman on the ground was crying now. The boy from outside was dragging her away, attempting to pry the wood from her leg.
Another padawan, this one a Rodian, held up a hand, "Tarsh, maybe Master Kano is wrong and-"
The third padawan, a togruta, drew a green double bladed lightsaber. "Quite, if we kill these soldiers the sith will accept us."
The boy pulled the wood from the woman's leg. She screamed in pain bleeding even more. The boy closed his eyes, and the bleeding slowly stopped.
The Rodian reluctantly drew a blue blade and held it in a defensive stance.
The fireteam trained their weapons on the armed Jedi "Last chance jetii'se." A'den muttered.
The Jedi launched forward, and the team fired. The Rodian took a shot in the leg falling down. The other two Jedi deflected and dodged, sending a wave of energy at the soldiers.
The fireteam was thrown across the room. The Rodian Jedi recovered and charged Anderit as he stood up. The togruta attacked Ral'in while Kharandras and A'den fought the dark skinned padawan.
Anderit fired a burst, all of which were deflected by the Rodian. The blue blade of energy drew closer. Anderit, thinking on his feet, loaded an explosive round into the grenade launcher, sending it hurtling toward the padawan. The Rodian raised its lightsaber to block. The round exploded in the padawan's face, sending him it flying.
The padawan gave a blood curdling scream. His body spasmed on the ground, blood covering the marble floors.
Ral'in ducked under the togruta's green blade. He reached for his chest plate, removing the large vibroknife from its sheath. The togruta spun wildly, desperately for his chest. Ral'in smiled and easily side stepped the alien, driving the knife into one of its head tails.
The padawan screamed, dropping its lightsaber from its untrained hands. Ral'in brought his other fist into the togruta's face, the beskar covered hand crushing bone. A sickening crunch was heard as the togruta fell to the floor screaming. Ral'in raised his left leg into the air, smashing it into the padawan's face a twice. With a bloody crunch the togruta quit moving.
The dark skinned padawan circled his opponents. He deflected two shots from A'den and lunged at Kharandras. Kharandras simply fired at the boy's unprotected kneecaps, sending the padawan to the ground.
He landed with a crash dropping his weapons. He sobbed holding his knees. If he lived he would surely be disabled, as his legs were dangling as if the bone was gone.
"P-please don't kill me. Please. I-I'll tell you where Master Kano is." The boy sobbed.
Kharandras went on one knee, "Sorry di'kut, we already know where he is. Should've surrendered."
"No! Please no!" The boy cried out, his blood mixing with the blood of his allies on the marble floors painting it red.
Kharandras, knowing Rawnie would want him to show mercy, produced a needle, driving it into the boy's neck, "A'den and I will drag him outside."
The boy sat wide eyes for a moment before losing consciousness.
A'den nodded, "Hope he isn't as fat as Ral'ika."
Anderit hovered above the Rodian. It was still alive.
"Why attack?" Anderit asked, feeling angry at the Rodian. He wanted to kill it. He had no idea why.
"Go-...go to hell." The Rodian spat out, drowning in its own blood.
"We'll thast very un-Jedi like." Anderit mused. He went on one knee and extended the vibroknife in his wrist gauntlet.
The Rodian gargled more, spraying its blood onto Anderit's chest plate.
Anderit frowned and drove the blade into the Jedi's forehead, twisting it for good measure.
The two remaining Jedi whimpered in the corner. The woman had quoted down and watched her students die with wide eyed horror. The boy simply closed his eyes.
Ral'in bent down, snatched up his scattershot, and loaded another blaster pack with a loud crack. "Three of seven paddies down, two of the three knight down, master still at large." He muttered into the comm.
"Copy fireteam four. The imps are at half strength, caught 'em by surprise. Sanya's hit, took a 'nade but I think she's just unconscious." The unfamiliar voice replied.
Anderit let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Why'd be care about this stranger so much?
"Garvesne will get you, all of you!" The woman yelled.
She fired a bolt of force lighting, sending Ral'in to the ground. His shields overloading.
A'den ran forward, firing a round into the woman's head. The lightning stopped.
" 'Nother clean kill for the only attractive one of the team." He shouted.
"Shut it." Ral'in ordered as he got up, a bit burnt under the armor but nothing more.
Anderit trained his rifle on the boy, "You surrendering?"
The boy flashed his eyes open and flew out the door so fast the could barely see him.
"Karking force tricks!" Kharandras yelled.
Anderit raced out the door, catching the big running down the hall. He fired four bursts, one catching him in the small of his back and sending him into a wall.
Anderit caught up to him and spun the boy around, the scent of cooked meat coming through his helmet's filters.
"Why do you people refuse to kriffing surrender!?" He yelled.
The boy laughed, blood rising from his mouth and spattering into Anderit's visor. "The emperor calls us."
The padawan's eyes filled with terror, and he started spasming screaming in pain. "He's in my head, kill me!"
Anderit furrowed his brow, "What?"
"Master Kano, kill me please! Oh force it hurts so much!" The boy cried.
Anderit frowned. These were kids. They'd killed kids. He'd thought it had been in self defense, but it wasn't their choice. They'd been dragged into this by a puppet master.
"I'm so sorry." He managed to choke out. The sound of a blaster shot reverberated throughout the halls.
Former Jedi master Garvesne Kano watched the attack on the monastery from his office. He smiled, deciding to meet the attackers himself.
"Jenova, do take the padawans and dismantle the group of attackers outside." He instructed his followers.
"Of course my lord." Jenova replied with a bow, her red hair flying across her face as she ran.
Kano nodded politely, before turning out of his office. ready to kill anything in his way.
Kano wandered the halls, filled with hidden rage. These Mandalorians, these mongrels, were killing his servants. That did more than annoy him.
He rounded one corner, then another until he caught sight of a man in the armor of a republic infantrymen. He fired his rifle into one of his followers heads. It was then who Kano noticed was lying dead on the ground.
His padawan, his successor, had been shot dead by some random soldier.
The mirilian scowled at the man, his bald head reflecting the sunlight seeping through the monastery's windows.
He silently approached, the soldier now noticing him and raising his rifle, "Halt!" He yelled.
Kano had no intention of stopping. He raised a hand, firing an arrow of lightning into the man's chest. The man was hit with such a force that he was thrown halfway down the hall, dropping his weapon, before he hit the floor.
Anderit let out a groan as he attempted to lift himself up. He could smell the burnt ozone around him as Kano walked closer.
"I've got Kano, get out here now!" He yelled into the comm, not able to hide the pain from his voice.
A moment later Ral'in and the others burst out of the small room, standing between Anderit and the former Jedi master.
"Stand down Kano, its over." Ral'in ordered.
Kano stopped, "Well hello, it seems I get to kill more brutes today. You see my darling Jenova is finishing off your other team now."
The fireteam opened up on the mirilian.
Cuddles was laughing, or barking, depending if you were a wookie or not. The bodies of over thirty imperials lay around the emplacement. The concrete was covered in blood and body parts. The idiots had run at them with no cover. He had no idea how the republic was losing the war.
The gully jumper was hovering above the building, ready to extract as soon as fireteam four made its was out.
Cuddles noticed the doors opening, followed by a Jedi knight and four padawan's charging his emplacement. Sanya was still unconscious. The Jedi apparently had no idea the gulley jumper was hovering above, although it was louder than Cuddles was.
They charged the field of bodies. Cuddles couldn't help but bark at their stupidity. The gulley jumper took aim, and decimated the Jedi. Their body part flew everywhere, and only the knight left standing after on volley.
Cuddles took aim with his bowcaster, his golden helmet reflecting the sunlight, and shot the knight between her eyes. The gulley jumper landed slowly. Cuddles's comrades lifted Sanya into the the jumper, much to Hithiss's concern, and took up defensive positions.
Cuddles nodded at Hithiss, before running into the monastery.
Kano's orange blade deflected the flashes of energy intending to end his life. He spun left, then right.
Growing annoyed her sent a force blast, throwing the soldiers off their feet. As the recovered Kano charged. He made it to the nearest one, a man in black and golden armor, and ripped off his helmet.
The Zabrak hissed and cussed kicking at Kano's midriff, his red hair flying everywhere as he flailed.
Kano brought up his blade, and swung down.
A shot rang through the halls, and Kano fell to the floor, dropping the Zabrak.
He couldn't move. He felt the warm blood pooling around his head as his vision faded.
Cuddles reloaded the bowcaster. Kano fell to the ground dead. With a roar Cuddles ran up, picking A'den up and dusting him off.
"Thanks Cuddles." A'den muttered, his pride wounded.
"Master is down, proceeding for extraction." Ral'in spoke into the comm. Walking into the small room from before.
Anderit lifted himself up, "Is Sanya okay?" He asked.
Cuddles nodded, before looking down to Kharandras and barking.
"Yeah, I'm fine big guy." He replied, forcing a smile.
Ral'in returned with the dark skinned padawan draped over his huge shoulders, "Hithiss is outside?"
Again, Cuddles nodded.
They covered Anderit as he placed the charges, feeling much lighter afterword. They raced out of the monastery, running inside of the gulley jumper.
"Everything went well?" Hithiis asked.
"Well enough." Ral'in answered.
They tied the padawan to the floor in case he awoke, and took their seats. Anderit sat next to Sanya's unconcious form, worry in his eyes.
The ship loudly rose into the unnamed planet's atmosphere. It screeched through the sky, and into the Ge'hutuun's hanger bay.