'Reincarnation'
Day 351-15:58:14
Sgt. Ion
Spectre Platoon, Free Ryloth Movement
Lessu Arena, Ryloth
I impatiently threw a peanut in my mouth and stared down the makeshift scope of my E-11. It has been the same since I disposed of two guards came snuck onto the roof with a rope on my back, just slaves lined up below us and more mercenaries keeping an eye on them. "My turn to say I wish I can just take them all out." I commented.
"Don't always rush it, sergeant. Gotta create as much chaos as possible...without hurting any innocents." Gobi replied, annoyed by both Numa's and my recklessness.
"Yeah, that's your answer every time, sir." I said sarcastically, knowing that ten long hours had already passed since the top brass stationed me here on the rooftop of the arena. "Be careful of what comes out of you mouth." He said angrily.
"Roger that." I couldn't help but let out a chuckle as I adjusted my eyeball and got a better view on the slaves and slavers below. Lucky for me my limbs still haven't fallen asleep yet, but I have no idea if I can say the same if this stretches any longer.
My whole platoon was busy as a beaver for the last two months, mostly for the Baphomet and to simply defend ourselves. And as a result, the general has been scratching names off the wall in the war room more than ever. In fact, I just lost Blaze and Tenno, some other fellow soldiers under my command, the other day, and I took the blame since not even my medical skills on the battlefield was enough to save them from multiple blast wounds.
Sure, writing a letter to their family to inform them on their beloved's death was simple, just open a standardised format from a hologram and change out the names and their cause of death, if necessary. But one just can't describe the pain and vengeful feeling with plain words, and that's what I learned when I offered to write such painful letters for the general.
Whatever machine Harris is building, it better be worth the price. Harris!
"I hate the music!" Numa grumbled from the other side of the roof, directly opposite of my position. "Sir, according to my experience, it should be about halfway by now!" She yelled.
"I can confirm 2-2's assumption. Half of the line has gone. 2-1, if we're going to attack, now would be a good time." Mesh whispered from below, just out of sight of the of the mercs, that is if he didn't sneak to another position.
"Based on my judgement..." Gobi whispered slowly, forcing my finger closer to the trigger. I managed to restrain myself, but based on the time period I've already been staring at the unsuspecting guard across the arena, I might lose my cool, again.
I waited, and waited, for Gobi to give us the green light and cut out the stiff motif flowing around. It's not going to do well on my determination or morale. I thought. I tried to be a better rifleman, a better sniper, I tried. But no matter how much I push myself, my true nature would defy me.
I'm just not that calmly-take-them-down-one-by-one type, huh?
"You're good to go. All Spectre units, this is Spectre 2-1, green light! Have no mercy!"
I anxiously jumped off the roof with a thick climbing rope attached to my waist and drew my E-11. My finger couldn't help by now, and soon enough bodies were collapsing one after another on the other side. Numa did the same, and the grimacing from below was as clear as listening to rock music in my headset.
Hard to believe I'm actually sniping with an assault rifle, though. Man, we are running low on resources. About time to call the brothers from Phoenix Squadron, again.
I zoomed out moments later, and was quite surprised and satisfied to see that there was nothing left to shoot at. "2-6 to 2-1, all clear. They've scattered, though. Probably expecting us." Mesh reported nervously.
"Should've seen that coming. As I said before, expect heavy resistance." Gobi ordered as gunshots started ringing in my ear, most certainly coming form Gobi's side. I touched down five storeys below, and was instantly spotted by a weequay guard. He rushed up to me, but I made use of the edge of the floor and sent him falling to his death below, startling the mass and plunging the complex into chaos.
"I thought I said not to rush it!" Gobi complained.
"If it jeopardises the mission, I can always fix it up, should I?" I responded as I headed along the floor, cutting down and beating up the slave-trading pushovers as I made my way to the garage underground.
For a moment or so there was no response, though the enemy wave never ceased. I had plenty of motivation, since my muscles have resumed their undying run towards the infinity, and in that case, trying to wear me out like the slavers were doing would be the most foolish decision.
Nobody can wear ME down.
"People of Ryloth!" I heard a broadcast from somewhere I couldn't point as I ran and fired shots. I began to wonder, if Numa could really pull this off and turn the people against its oppressors, after all she went against my advice and decided not to use a script.
"I don't need one, not when I know what I'm fighting for." She objected confidently.
"Then you better not get cold feet. Just practice it a few times in your head." That was the only thing I could say to a stubborn girl.
She couldn't help shaking my shoulder in protest as a retaliation of my constant nagging. "You know me. I won't." She reassured and left for her quarters to catch up with her long lost sleep. I wasn't about to stop her, considering I could use a little rest as well.
"A lot of you might know this day as your last day on your homeworld." I knocked out another mercenary as I made my way down the stairwell, en route to meet up with the rookies down there who were supposed to be waiting with several transports to escape with the slaves. The plan we had rehearsed for two months was going without a hitch so far, aside from the slight urge of throwing up after failing to stop one of the human guards from punching my stomach.
"Some might even consider this day as the day you die." She continued through the loudspeaker. I noticed Mesh getting fired upon another ten storeys below me, and my instincts kicked in as I stepped slightly away from the window and tuned my rifle to single-shot.
No sweat. Missed two shots, though.
"But none of this will happen. Not if we recognise the evil behind all this and make a stand!" I had to admit, even I was getting hyped when she made it to that part. The adrenaline level in my veins was starting to reach critical levels, but that wouldn't do anything, other that making me even harder to defeat.
"There's always a chance to be free, only if you're willing to take it!" She yelled, her voice even louder than last time. By then I was quite near the ground floor, and the mercenaries have proven to be nothing much but cannon fodder and beanbags to blow off some steam from the stormtroopers before.
I snapped the neck of a distracted weequay as I finally reached the ground floor, where Mesh and the rookies that were sent were waiting with almost half of the slaves staring at me and the rest of my teammates in disbelief. "That really a human?" I heard one of the natives speak in their language, roughly, and I could tell because the veterans were generous enough to teach me how to speak their language. For that, I've decided not to disappoint them.
From what I can see, Numa didn't even need to finish her speech to gather enough supporters for a massive riot in the arena itself, much like one of the battles during the outbreak of the Clone Wars, if I haven't mistaken. Only today we're coming with massive support behind our backs, and the expectation of the highest number of casualties in our entire operating history, even higher than the Massacre.
"Hooah! Hooah!"
"Hooah! Hooah!"
Poor bastards. Must've been holding their feelings for too long.
Things were about to really get out of hand, especially for Orn Free Taa who never saw THIS coming.