The next post will be his graduation and his reunion with Kira. A friend is making a drawing of Mark in his jump suit for me. Mark looks awesome! I will post the drawing as soon as I get it.

~JL~


Entry 100: Drop Camp

Ohhrah! I am done with Drop Camp. I wasn't able to write a lot during the training and any free time I did have I usually spent sleeping. Deke and I graduated second in our class. Tabaz and Darkin came in first much to Deke's dismay and grumbling that he was sure they were the Jedi and they shouldn't be allowed. Gripe, moan and complain…stang, he's going to be surprised if he ever finds out I'm the Jedi.

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Entry 101: Jump School

I just finished my first week of Air Insertion School. This was what they called ground week. We learned the skills we would need to make a proper parachute-landing fall. All of this instruction is done from platforms in this phase, so we don't kill ourselves when we screw up. You would think it was easy, but for some reason some of the skills I found difficult.

My evil nemesis was the swing lander. It was a simple rope and pulley system. One end of the rope is tied to my body harness. The rope travels ten meters up to a pulley and then down to where two men held the end of the rope. I simply had to walk off the high platform and swing back and forth. At some point the two men would let go of the rope and I would come crashing to the ground and hopefully make a successful parachute landing fall. We had to make two successful drops while going forward and two going backwards to pass the test.

I was okay on the forward drops, but during the back drops I would roll back and forget to tuck my chin. When you forget to tuck your chin your helmet slaps back and hits the ground. Even with protective gear, this could render you unconscious in a real life scenario. If you are knocked out you can't release one of your shoulder snaps and if that isn't done your chute can refill with wind and drag you to your death.

The instructors would not let me proceed to the next station until I had two successful backdrops in a row. About twenty drops later my head was ringing and my eyesight was a little blurry. I have no idea why I can't remember to tuck my chin. Deke had finished about 20 minutes earlier and was watching me and laughing every time my helmet smacked the ground.

This was so embarrassing that I was so very close to using the Force to help me. The head instructor came by to sneer at me and took the opportunity to question my manhood in a very loud and booming voice. Maybe being insulted is what I needed, because I was finally successful in completing two backdrops successfully in a row. I'm glad Mara wasn't around to see this. Gods, she would never let me live it down.

Deke was having a fine time laughing at my misfortune. He rolled his head and crossed his eyes jokily, "I'm Tark Mantiss. Why is the sky spinning?"

"Shut up," I growled at him.

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Entry 102: Jump School

I just completed Tower Week. The parachute training consisted of practicing dropship exits. I can't wait until next week when we actually do static line jumps and then freefalls.

I got a care package from Kira! It consisted of various homemade chocolates. I opened it up during our downtime in the barracks. Deke immediately shot out of his bunk when he saw me eating something.

"What'd you got?" he asked as he looked over my shoulder.

"A care package from my wife," I told him and then offered him some chocolate. He took a bite and then gave a moan of pleasure.

"Gods, where did she buy this?"

I shook my head. "She didn't. She made them. She's a chef." I pull out my datapad and brought up a holo of Kira at the restaurant. Deke practically choked on his candy.

"Stang! How did a hairy, redheaded Hutt like you end up with a gorgeous woman like that?"

I smiled. "I saved her from an Imperial detention center and certain death. And if you want more chocolate I wouldn't be calling me a hairy Hutt."

Deke gave me a false apologetic look. "I'm so sorry for calling you a Hutt," he said as he reached over and grabbed another chocolate. "You're a fine looking man…not as good looking as me…but definitely not a Hutt."

He closed his eyes and made a sound of gratification as his teeth sunk into the milk chocolate. "Gods, this is better than sex."

I laughed. "That's sad. Who have you been having sex with?"

He held up his left palm and smirked.

I shook my head in disgust. "Too much information, Deke."

"Hey, you asked," he said as he reached out to grab another chocolate. I smacked his hand away. "I'll give you some. I don't know where that hand has been." I gave him half of my remaining chocolates.

"I was just kidding," Deke said as he retreated back to his bunk and slowly ate the candy. "You're one lucky Kriff," he said to me. "Your wife spoils you."

I just smiled. He's right, I am extremely lucky.

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Entry 103: Jump School

We did our first static line jumps from a dropship this week. A static line is a cord attached to the jumper's parachute and then to the ship. When I jump out of the ship the static line becomes taut and it pulls a pilot chute free from my chute backpack and deploys the main canopy. This type of parachuting is done during low altitude drops and also for training. It was pretty fun, but later in the week we did freefalls. That was awesome! What a rush.

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Entry 104: Jump School

I really enjoyed Hawkbat training. The hawkbat suit is the name used for the winged jumpsuit used by combat parachutists. There is fabric between the legs and also between the arms and torso that creates 'wings' allowing the soldier to glide for some distance before opening his chute. They are especially useful when used to jump off of cliffs or other high objects. Although the jet pack jumptrooper suit has greater control and 'shock and awe' potential, sometimes you need stealth. These suits are impregnated with special chemicals that supposedly reduce your infrared signature. We started out doing practice glides in a vertical wind tunnel. The wind blows up from the floor grate at over 200 kph allowing me to float a couple meters above the floor and practice maneuvering. Later that week we did actual glides. It is an amazing sensation rushing over the ground at high speed before deploying my chute. I'm loving this.

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Entry 105: Jump School

I was issued my jumpsuit this week. I don't want to sound vain…but I look amazing in this gear. It is much better than those boring Jedi robes. When I get back to the temple I am going to try to talk Luke into buying these for some of our Jedi Warriors.

This week we learned to handle the suit on the ground and how to use them to jump to high platforms. I crashed a few times, but after a few bad landings I seemed to get the hang of it. That was fun. I look forward to doing an actual drop from a ship.

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Entry 106: Jump School

I love the jump trooper suit! I would quit the Jedi and join a NR Jump Trooper Battalion if I didn't think Kira would kill me. I don't think she would like the long deployments, especially when she is expecting our first child. Who am I kidding; I don't want to be away from her any longer than I have to. Gods I love her, but I need to get one of these suits! It feels great flying through the air and I can make the ground tremble when I land. Boom! The sound of a platoon or company of Jump Troopers landing all at once is something impressive. We shake the walls of nearby buildings. Awesome!

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Entry 107: Jump School

We are getting to the end of the course. This week we will be tested on our survival and Jump skills. We will have to land navigate through rough terrain to a predetermined Landing Zone where we will go up in drop ships and perform multiple parachute jumps. We will then navigate to a second site where Deke and I will practice Buddy-team live fire maneuvering and urban terrain operations. Upon completion we are off to another location where we will do Jet Pack insertions. We have three days to complete the course.

We started the exercise with a fourth of the men who started the training three months ago. Using primitive magnetic compasses we did day and night land navigation through thick forests, brush and marsh lands. We were lucky that the weather was good. Deke and I reached a rock face that we would have to climb over to get to our next checkpoint.

I am the stronger climber so we decided I would be the lead climber. I used various Spring loaded camming devices, nuts or hexes to anchor our ascent. As I climb up Deke belayed me and then I would belay him as he climbed. We were far ahead of the other groups so we were the only ones on the mountain at the time.

Things were going well. We were almost to the top before disaster struck. I was belaying Deke as he climbed up toward me. He was about halfway up his climb when the rock gave way under his hands. I expected him to fall a couple meters before my belay halted his fall, but then the unthinkable happened. The rope and belay device somehow separated from his harness carabiner. He grabbed hold of a rock outcrop but I could see he was quickly losing his grip.

"Grab the rope, Deke," I called out.

"I can't let go, I don't have foot holds," he yelled back his voice tinged with panic.

"Hold on, Deke," I said as I started descending down the cliff to grab him. I know I could use the Force to levitate him up, but I wanted to avoid that if possible. I was about a meter from him when the rock crumbled beneath his fingers. His eyes went wide as he frantically tried to grab anything to halt his fall, but in a split second he knew he was a goner. He closed his eyes and started screaming like a man who knew he was going to have a very painful death.

I reached my hand out and grabbed him with the Force. He fell another meter before his downward progress halted and he started moving up towards me. Deke still had his eyes closed and was screaming hysterically.

"Deke!" I called out at him. "I have you!"

His eyes popped open. He looked around and found himself floating up the cliff face. "What the Kriff!" he yelled alarmed.

"Don't worry," I said as he was almost up to me. "I'm a Jedi." I didn't think his eyes could get wider, but they did and he started screaming again as he floated up toward me.

"Shavit, Deke! Your grandmother must have really told you some scary Jedi horror stories," I said with a chuckle. Finally I got a hand on my panic-stricken jump buddy and clipped him into the safety line. I noticed then his carabiner was not locked…again. I screwed the lock down and glared at him for his stupidity. I don't think Deke noticed my disapproval because he was busy having a full-blown panic attack.

"Oh kriff, oh kriff," he was mumbling and I could see his body noticeably shaking.

"You're okay," I said trying to calm him down.

He turned to me. "I'm not okay! My jump buddy is a kriff'n Jedi! Why didn't you tell me?"

"Deke, I am here undercover. Nobody is supposed to know."

A strange look crossed his face. "What are you going to do with me now that I do know?"

I grinned evilly. "I guess I am going to have to suck out your soul and drop your lifeless carcass off this cliff." I then grabbed him by his uniform shirt and started drawing him to me. "Come on; give me a big soul sucking kiss."

At that point Deke started screaming again. I laughed as I let him go. "Stang, Deke! Your grandmother really hated Jedi. Nothing is going to happen. If you want to tell everybody I am a Jedi, that's fine."

He finally settled down, albeit he was still breathing erratically. "How could you be a Jedi? I've seen you sweat."

I guffawed. "Jedi have sweat glands." I started readying myself to lead climbing again.

"I mean you are working hard," he explained. "And you let Darkin and Tabaz beat us during drop camp!"

"That's because today is the first time I used the Force," I said. "I wanted to complete the course like everybody else."

He shook his head as he tried to calm his breathing. "You don't suck out souls?" he asked me nervously.

I frowned. "Deke, believe me, even if I knew how to suck out a soul and had an overpowering desire to do so…I certainly wouldn't suck it out of you."

"Hey," he said looking a little insulted. "What's wrong with me?" He then laughed and gave a sheepish look. "I wasn't scared, just surprised."

I snorted. "Is that why I smell urine?"

He looked down at his pants. "I didn't wet myself."

"Made you look, though," I chuckled as I started climbing again.