Battle for the Gauntlet
- Thus is our path cleared, Captain. The seals withholding the inner core are removed. The operation can proceed.
- Couldn't have done it without you, Yuun. Time to contact Vik, - she send a signal to Weequay's comlink, - Vik, come in. The seals are disabled, rendezvous at the core access door ASAP, over.
The comlink replied in Weequay's hoarse voice:
- That ugly bug got you through after all, huh? Heading for the door. Vik out.
She dashed for the door, Gand's footsteps echoing lightly behind.
The door slid open as they approached, to a sight of cursing Vik who was shooting back at a small group of Imperial soldiers; one of them was laying unconscious at Weequay's feet - been used as a meatshield no doubt.
In a quick succession Vik kicked the body away, hurled a grenade to follow, then aimed at his Commander.
- There you are, - he relaxed enough to lower his gun and spit on the floor, - Are we ready to finish this, or should I pop out for a drink?
Commander jerked a shoulder, mildly put off:
- Let's get in there and get to work, - glanced back at the Gand, - Sergeant Yuun, rendezvous with Sergeant Dorne. And stay sharp.
- Understood, Captain, - technician buzzed in response, - Yuun wishes you fortune in your coming task. Farewell.
Once Gand the doors closed behind the Gand, she heaved a silent sigh, the nervousness creeping back completely unwanted. Oh, damn. Now it's only her and Vik, all alone against the whole ship... hope it doesn't blow up before we finish our mission...
- Shall we go, boss? - Weequay put on a light smirk, shouldered his arm and took a better grab on his techblade, - I'll be right behind you, Trust me.
She all but hissed in rage. This damned... whether realizing this or not... but he dropped to that tone again...
- See if you can keep up, - she replied, returning his smirk.
Assault cannon atilt, she dashed forward - the time was short. Weequay chuckled, his mouth stretching in a wide grin, and ran after his boss.
***
Just as planned, with the alarms cut off the Imperials were caught completely unawares - which meant no strike forces to greet two lone members of the Havoc Squad. But those few soldiers they did meet put up a formidable resistance; several times already Mirialane had to take out the medical kit, both for herself and her partner. Force bless the commando training that gave her some first-aid skills to go along with her combat ones.
Weequay was an impressive soldier with a shocking power, but his medical skills were null; he cursed through gritted teeth all the same while she treated his wounds.
- Easy, boss, - he hissed and jerked. She barely got a bandage fixed, so she hissed in reply and hit his good shoulder.
- I'm having none of it! When I say don't move, you bloody well don't move; you're not a snotty kid, god damn it, so if you call yourself a soldier then bear with it, Sergeant!
She rummaged the kit for some medicaments and stimulants, still cursing under her breath. Weequay seemed dumbstruck with her heated reaction, but he soon smirked - again - and glanced at her over his bandaged shoulder:
- Your words strike to my very guts, boss, so piercing it is. You should put on that tone more often, boss, I can listen to it forever...
He almost purred the last words - and no big wonder that it made her shudder. That foul hot wave washed over her at the sound of it; a small vial of stimulant almost dropped out of her shaking hands, and she hurried to mask it with more angry hissing:
- Arrgh, Vik, you idiot, I said don't move!
Weequay grinned, wiggling his eyebrows:
- I'm all ears, boss...
He dodged another blow and turned his back on her. Commander let out another silent curse - with the blasted Weequay, subordination and discipline were pretty much damned. She vented her rage by bandaging his wound extra tight, relishing the muffled angry protests coming from Vik, and shot him with the stimulant.
- What the hell was that?!
The shot made Weequay jerk, and her - raise her eyebrow in surprise:
- Is the big boy afraid of needles? - she teased, giving another shot to herself.
Weequay sneered:
- Nah, it just was... unexpected. What the hell was it anyway?
- It's to give your reflexes a boost. Don't worry, it's legal. Not that you can use it all the time, but it helps on occasions when you need extra fast reaction, - as he was about to ask something, she cut him off, - Now shut that big mouth of yours and get in gear. We've lost enough time as is; you get in front and I'll cover your back, now move!
His smirk took on a thoughtful bend as he looked her up and down, before charging forward:
- You got it, boss! - and she had to suppress a grin, following him closely
But still there was something... entrancing in the heat of a fight. When it's on pure reflexes and intuition alone that you turn around to blast off whoever was aiming at your partner's back, while hearing the agonizing screams of whatever idiot that was aiming at yours. Just this time she forgot how much she hated the Weequay; the deadly dance took a tight hold on her. In the frenzy of boosted reactions, the only means of communication they had were brief glances and body signals - and even that was enough.
All of a sudden, she came to realise what a breeze fighting alongside him was - only Arik was as easy to work with... and that was Arik Jorgan, the Cathar, who was there since the very start, and their almost ideal teamwork was a result of a long patient training.
Force knows why, but she and Vik all but waltzed to the first checkpoint.
***
With great care, Vik installed the charge, then held his breath as he installed the fuse as well; the last piece to go was the fragile cylinder filled with reagent. She tightened the grip on her gun involuntary as she watched the Weequay work with such pinpoint accuracy.
When the cylinder was inside the mount, he got up with a satisfied grunt and turned to face her with a wide grin:
- One down boss! Baby hit it right in the spot!
Commander chuckled, finally relieved of the tension.
- Great, now leave your... heh, baby, and move on. It won't be long before systems restart, and if we're caught the mission is failed.
Vik shook his head and grabbed his blade:
- This is gonna be good. You lead the way, boss!
She winced - he dropped to that tone again. It left a bitter aftertaste, the way he, damn that scum, couldn't resist teasing and tormenting her even on a mission, the bloody bastard...
Commander checked the map and sighed. Marvel at his talent to ruin the mood.
***
One corridor after the other, one more radiation to install the next bomb - one more enemy attack defeated just to charge again in a mad race against the time - then turn around sharply and shoot to kill, then charge forward again...
And they're at the last stop - the reactor's core. The last bomb hissed silently as Vik installed it; she sighed in relief, ever so lightly relaxed - at least those bombs weren't a dead weight on their shoulders anymore. It was just as dangerous now, but knowing the bomb would go off some meters away and not right on your back - well, it was easier to take in.
- What do you say boss, should we wrap it up and go back to Corrusant, fame, money, respect and all that, hmmm?
She sneered in dark humour - the tension still had her in clutches, but the soon completion of their mission lifted her spirits all the same.
- Yeah, I wouldn't mind to have a quick one or two of correlian...
Vik lifted an eyebrow and gave her an appraising look - and it seemed to be in her favour:
- Oh, I respect that, boss. The first one is on me, hm?
She smirked. Dream on, sucker.
Commander gave Vik a patronizing pat on a shoulder on her way back:
- Sorry, we aren't becoming drinking buddies. I'm a decent girl and all that...
She could feel that Weequay search for words. Ha, take that, Tanno Vik!
When he finally caught up with her - he kept quiet; she could feel his anger and relished on the feeling.
A comlink signal burst through her thoughts.
- Captain, it's Jorgan. Big trouble up on the bridge. We got the data, but Imperial reinforcements just showed up out of nowhere. It's a lot more than we can hold off - are the bombs planted? Can we pull off?
- Mission complete. I want everyone back aboard the ship on the double!
- Roger that! Let's move out!
Some luck was that - the Imperials were back to their senses.
***
Commander wasn't completely into the fight from that point on. Sure she was as quick and focused as she ran down the corridors, crushing the enemy resistance and demolishing droids - those blasted droids... But her mind was really already on the bridge, tearing at itself because her crew was in danger and she couldn't do a thing about it.
But it wasn't that far from the bridge...
When all of a sudden, that Weequay ahead came to a halt and turned around sharply. That made her recoil and lose her balance, only for Vik to catch her mid-fall.
- You...
He hushed her; words choking her, Mirialane felt the boiling rage... along with something else, and the stirring mix send the same treacherous shiver down her spine. Trying to loosen Weequay's iron grip on her - all in vain - she hissed:
- The hell are you doing? Let go!
Vik winced and retreated a few steps, his boss in tow. Leaning down to her ear, he hissed back:
- Boss, this is no joke. Someone's waiting for us around the corner. I don't know what, but I'm sure it's some big trouble, so if you don't keep the racket down it's gonna find us before we're ready...
She cursed silently. Horror came with the realization that little by little, this whisper just above her ear and the sensation of his arm around her waist make her body betray her sane mind. Just like that dream when... Arrrgh, rancorr devour you!.. She bit her lip, tasted salt and felt a bottomless pit open up underneath when the pain did nothing to dissipate the heat...
- Damn it boss, get together!
It was like a bucket of cold water thrown over her. She licked blood off her lips, rage and irritation rising. Vik, you bloody bastard, I hope sarlacc eats you to digest for the next hundred of years...
- Great, - she heard him say, - Now if you've got any trump cards, deal. Otherwise we ain't gonna make it.
He let her go at last and cracked his knuckles. Commander only gave him a sharp nod - about the only thing she could give at the moment was a long fat string of curses, but there was no time to waste on that.
Good thing they were elite forces - they always come equipped with the best drugs.
***
One stimulant, one injection, recharge your weapon and check the grenades... She caught the Weequay's stare and put on a grim smirk, taking a better grip on her weapon:
- Let's move out.
Weequay returned the smirk and charged. Doors slid open, and a heavy-armoured figure turned towards the noise, aiming his gun at them. She spit out of anger and hurled a cryogrenade at the man, giving Vik a chance to get closer, and mashed the trigger madly, sending blast after blast. Eat plasma and die, you son of a...
The heat of the fight took over her again, making her less of a living being and more of a machine. She took no notice neither of burnt holes in her armour nor of her injuries. There was only one thing to focus on - to take the enemy down, and there was no retreat. Grenade after grenade thrown, another plasma blast and a quick cover to shot yourself with regen injection when the pain was too much - then back under fire it is again, to buy your partner a few seconds... and the enemy was down.
She didn't even notice the exact moment when he collapsed - she only came to her senses when the last shots from her gun hit thin air. She breathed out and wiped the sweat off her face - then bent down to check the corpse just in case. Nametag read "Gunnery Sergeant Shorzen" - we'll, it was your bad day, pal...
Mirialane and Weequay glanced at each other and headed for the exit.
***
The bridge met them with dead silence. The fight was long since over, and if the number of bodies was any indication - it was a hot one. All of her crew stood as one by the doorway, and something was off - the foreboding tugged at her insides and she hurried to them.
Oh no.
Oh no no no, not Jorgan!..
Commander watched the prone figure the Cathrar in quiet shock.
- Captain! It is a great relief to see you well in spite of the extensive fighting, - the combat droid was first to greet her, - I'm afraid that Jorgan sustained heavy injuries during our retreat from the bridge. Despite my efforts to absorb the enemy fire, he refused to give up his portion of the fight - a perfect example of Republic heroism!
Clubbing the droid with a gun to make it shut up probably won't be a good idea, now would it...
- Full situation report, - commander cut in sharply, - What's Jorgan status?
Luckily, Dorne caught on and got to the point as soon as she finished examining the Cathar:
- I've stabilized him for now, sir. But the wounds would have certainly been fatal had Forex not gotten him to me so quickly. Jorgan is lucky to be alive.
Commander felt the chilling horror melt away a little. He's alive... he's going to be alright...
- Stay with him and keep me updated on his status, - her voice still sounded icy.
- Of course, Captain, - Dorne seemed to understand what was going on behind Mirialane's eyes.
- Could we talk about this later? - Vik cut in with an angered grumble, - I need to set those charges off, and we shouldn't be sitting in the hangar bay when I do.
His tone threw her off somewhat, but Commander nodded:
- Let's get moving. Double time it!
- Yuun will see that the ship is prepared for launch, - the technician buzzed, - Once we are clear of the Gauntlet, we can contact Admiral Helik with a situation report.
This was agreed on and the squad fell back smartly. Seconds ticking away seemed to crawl all over her skin like a bad itch, and she just wanted to be as far from the Gauntlet as possible.
Once Jorgan was safely secured in the medical bay and Dorne was in the second pilot seat - their ship was well out of the hangar of the Imperial cruiser.
***
- Attack group, this is Havoc. Objection complete. All ships, evacuate to minimum safe distance!
Commander put the comlink away to help Dorne drive the ship away from the Gauntlet. A tense silence hung in the air of the main deck, time running out; even Weequay was silent in anticipation of a chance to blast off his "babies".
Vik smirked, glancing over her shoulder - he was monitoring the charges via terminal, just waiting for the order.
She knew that smirk was on his face, she could tell even without looking. It's like she had a sensor or something... a Vik-sensor... Aaargh, now's not the time to think about it! There's barely enough time to steer their ship clear of the Gauntlet, they only need a little more to get out of the burst radius... just a little more... please...
Speakers finally came to life:
- We copy, Havoc. All ships are clear. Proceed with the detonation.
- Boom, - Weequay sang from behind her.
She gasped with a violent shiver; for a brief second, the tense tangible silence of the cockpit was lost, and she was all alone with the hot surge running inside her...
And then the giant of the Imperial cruiser burst open, torn apart by explosions, all in the dead silence of space. Mirialane closed her eyes, supressing the anger at her own body, that seemed to vibrate like a tightly stretched string. The impact wave finally caught up with their ship, shaking it, and it covered up for her shaking hands.
- Target destroyed. Repeat, the Gauntlet has been destroyed! - Admiral's voice came through, - All ships, disengage and proceed to rendezvous four-seven for refueling. Havoc, return to General Garza for...
Commander let go of the wheel and leaned back in her chair, staring into the black void of cosmos beyond the window. Admiral went on and on, but she was only half-listening; her senses were more or less monopolised by one Weequay standing a couple of feet behind.
She knew, oh how she knew he was smirking again - with that one bloody smirk, aimed straight at her... Damn you Vik to hell, you blasted Weequay, you're such a bastard after all...
