Kyle Katarn: The Rise & Fall
Book 1: Rise of a Hero
Chapter 17: Jan's Mission
Author's Note: Can you tell I don't like confined spaces? Well, Kyle is out of jail and gets to enjoy a lunchtime repast with Jan. And are there hints of more than just friendship between the two? Hmmmm… But before it can go further, it's back to the business of missions, and away we go!
Jan Ors leaned carefully around the permacrete wall. She had landed safely just outside the Imperial base and so far, had not been detected. But she was uncomfortable just the same. The base was too quiet.
And she needed to be extra careful. With Kyle in the brig and the smuggler vessel due to leave that day, she had decided to undertake this mission alone, no backup.
"The record will show my opposition to this, Jan," Mon Mothma had said, "I realize that our time is limited, but for you to go alone is a great risk."
"I understand, Mon Mothma," Jan replied, "and if there were any other way, I'd be the first to agree with you. But there isn't and we both know it."
The Rebel leader had stared at her for a very long time, then said,
"Go then, but be careful. I want you back, Jan. Understand?"
"I understand."
And after pushing the Crow's hyperdrive to its limits, she had arrived over Cal-Seti with just over an hour till the departure of the smuggler vessel.
Now, as she made her way around the pillar of permacrete, holding the stormtrooper rifle Kyle had left in the ship. It was ironic to be sure. Jan glanced about for an entrance. The base sat over a hundred meters high in the middle of a concrete moat with no visible way in. The design of the structure showed square pillars set on edge with flat walls in between. She edged past the third in this set of pillars, wary but ready.
Suddenly, from just ahead, there was a click and the sound of a door sliding open. Jan stopped, trying not to breathe, listening intently. Footsteps resounded against the permacrete ground, sharply distinct in the stillness.
"Unit 15 here," a voice called, "I'm beginning my patrol."
The footsteps continued. Jan listened for a long moment. They were going away from her.
Breathing a sigh of relief, she came around the pillar, weapon ready. The stormtrooper was visible, and he was indeed heading away from her. Ahead of her sat a fourth pillar, but at its base, a panel had slid open exposing a darkened interior. Stepping forward, Jan stuck her head into the space. The darkness was not absolute and she could discern a large open area. Ahead and to the right, the path ended in a large section of floor. What made it stand out was the black metal, whereas the surrounding floor was gray.
"You there! Stop where you are!"
Oh Sithspit! Jan said to herself, turning to see the stormtrooper coming back towards her at a run, his weapon drawn. She fired off two quick shots and ran into the darkened space, stopping just inside. The stormtrooper, having avoided her shots, came pounding around the corner seconds later. Jan had her blaster out and aimed this time.
"Drop the blaster," she said.
Realizing he had walked into a trap, the trooper hesitated for a moment. Then, moving quickly he rounded on her, blaster ready to fire.
"Rebel scum, you'll…"
But that was all he got out as Jan pulled the trigger once and the trooper fell.
She stepped past the body into the darkened space. How did the Imperials get inside? Even here, she couldn't see any doors or access ways of any kind. As she approached the piece of black metal, Jan noticed two screens on either wall. Neither display showed anything, save a white arrow making a continuous circle inside the display. Jan stepped onto the black metal and immediately had to find her footing as the metal plate shuddered and with the sound of machinery coming to life, lowered. When the black plate stopped, she found herself standing outside a large room. As she stepped in, Jan felt even more confused. Rather than looking like a base, this place seemed like little more than your average warehouse.
BOOM!
Jan saw the quick flash of light as the explosion lifted her off her feet. She flew back a short distance, crashing to the floor, her back taking the brunt of the blow. Another explosion sounded nearby. Fighting the pain, she scrambled to her feet, searching for the source of the…
There! Just above and to the left, she spotted a Gran, an alien from a race whose three eyes allowed for precise aiming. It threw another detonator and Jan dived forward as the device struck the floor behind her and exploded.
I've got to find some cover, she thought, glancing about wildly. Her ears caught the sound of a lift descending. Guessing as to where it was, Jan dashed across the warehouse floor.
She heard the Gran call something in its own language followed by the explosive force of two detonators pushing her forward, sending her sprawling to the deck again.
That's it, she decided, now I'm mad. Rolling onto her back, Jan pointed her blaster towards where the Gran was standing and fired. The alien, in the midst of readying another detonator to throw, never saw the shot coming.
Two blasts hit home and the Gran cried out as it fell. Dazing to the right side of the enormous room, Jan spotted the lift. It was near the corner where she had just entered. As she ran towards it, however, another Gran appeared holding a detonator. As it sailed towards her, a thought came to her. Skidding to a stop, Jan waited as the detonator struck the ground, bounced once, then slid to a halt just in front of her. She grabbed it, drew her arm back and threw the detonator back towards the Gran.
The surprised alien watched dumbfounded as the detonator arced over and struck the deck right by the Gran's feet. The explosion threw it back against the wall of and it fell to the floor of the lift.
Grinning in surprised victory, Jan raced for the lift, getting on just as it began to rise. Her blaster was out and ready as the lift stopped at the upper level of the room. Stepping off, Jan looked around. She was about ten meters off the floor and before her were a set of pipes and ductwork forming a sort of path. A large crate sat in one corner of the upper room.
Stepping towards the first section, Jan could just see the other side of the room when a Gran, who had been hiding behind the crate, snuck up behind her. She heard its approach just as the alien fired a fist at her. But instead of hitting her, it hit the blaster, knocking it free of Jan's grasp and sending it plummeting to the floor below.
The Gran threw another punch before she could dodge, hitting her cheek with stunning force. Jan was knocked back onto the section of pipe, her face on fire, but managed to maintain her feet. The Gran hit her again; a gut shot that knocked the wind out of her. It followed up with another shot to her face, reddening the other cheek. Feeling woozy, Jan backpedaled, trying to keep her balance. A support strut for the pipe poked her in the back as she came up against up. The Gran advanced, fists raised.
But it was the alien's turn to be surprised as Jan, bracing herself against the strut, fired a kick into the alien's midsection. The Gran grunted in pain, backing up a few steps. Taking advantage, Jan pushed off from the strut and sent a roundhouse kick crashing into the alien's head.
The Gran grunted louder this time, she had definitely hurt it. Jan was readying another kick when the Gran, now as woozy as she, overbalanced and fell off the strut. It screamed in its alien language until it hit the floor below with a sickening sound. Jan slumped back against the strut, catching her breath. Her face hurt terribly from the force. She wondered if her cheekbone was fractured.
Got to keep going, she thought.
She gave herself a minute, two. Then, taking a deep breath, she pushed back onto her feet. Glancing to the other side of the room and seeing nothing, she began to carefully cross the pipe, using other struts to keep her balance. She was nearly three quarters of the way across when she came upon the Gran she had shot. It laid half in half out of a space near one of the support struts. Perfect hiding place, she thought. At the alien's waist was a belt of thermal detonators.
With her blaster gone, she needed a weapon and these were as good as any. Reaching down, Jan grasped the belt in both hands and tore it free. She was about to keep going when she heard it.
Slowly, so as not to be seen, Jan moved back behind the strut where she couldn't be seen. Forcing her breathing to slow, she listened intently. For a minute there was nothing. Jan began to suspect she was jumping at shadows when the sound came again. It was low, guttural, but definitely the sound of another Gran.
As she listened, Jan heard the Gran say something else. This time, something replied. Another voice, different than the Gran, she couldn't identify it.
Blast! Jan resisted the impulse to hit the strut. What do I do now? If only she still had her blaster… Without a weapon, those two could burn her down before she could make it the rest of the way. She could go back to the ship and get a fresh blaster, but that could expose her to who knew what?
Wait a minute! Pulling one of the detonators off the belt, she examined it. Yes! Not only would the detonators explode on impact, but they could also be set for timed detonation. With one in hand, Jan stepped out from behind the strut as she adjusted the detonator.
Suddenly, she heard a sound between a gurgle and the sound of a drain backing up. Just ahead of her and approaching was the Gran she heard. It also held a thermal detonator. But, upon seeing Jan, the alien placed the device back on its belt and advanced with its fists raised.
Jan smiled a shark's smile as she brandished the detonator.
"Big mistake."
With a sidearm pitch, she flung the detonator. The alien had just enough time to realize its mistake as the device struck it in the chest. Jan covered her ears as the concussive thunderclap of the explosion echoed. The Gran flew backwards, landing on the on the metal floor a short distance away, clearly dead.
With an almost feral grin, Jan walked the remaining distance to the room ahead, her stride confident. The belt of detonators the Gran wore lay on the ground. As she reached down to get them, she caught a whiff of something. Wet, earthy, almost reptilian. Smells just like…
Jan threw herself away as the axe blade cut through empty air and embedded itself in the deck. Rolling to her feet, Jan spied her attacker, a Gamorrean. The alien grunted with effort as it pulled the axe free, then turned towards her. She readied another detonator but as the pig-like thing advanced, she could see it was wearing body armor.
Blast! With that on, the detonators will only slow it down at best. And one lucky swing of that axe… With a cry, the Gamorrean darted forward with a speed belying its size and swung the axe. Jan jumped back as the axe bit deck again. But her focus on it kept her from seeing the massive arm smash into her chest.
Jan flew back, striking the far wall and dropping to the deck. New agony flared in her chest and back. And yet, despite the pain, she couldn't help but think that at least she couldn't feel the pain in her face anymore. Struggling to rise, she heard air whooshing as the Gamorrean swung the axe.
She dropped back down as the blade cut the air where her head had been a heartbeat ago and struck the wall. The Gamorrean was practically on top of air, close enough that she could smell its foul breath. The idea came out of nowhere and without thinking about it; Jan acted. Grabbing a detonator from her belt, she armed the device and shoved it into the alien's mouth. The Gamorrean's throat moved reflexively and Jan felt the detonator torn from her hand as the alien swallowed it. She pulled her hand back just as her attacked closed his mouth.
Realizing what had happened, the Gamorrean dropped the axe and reached for its throat as if to grab the detonator somehow. Crying out with the effort, Jan rose to her feet. She had to get out of there now. When the detonator went off… the results were almost too disgusting to consider.
She spotted an exit behind the alien who was now grabbing at its stomach as if still trying to find the detonator. Its eyes were huge and grunts of effort and fear came from it as Jan made herself move, managing a fast walk.
She had just reached the doorway when the detonator's timer reached zero. There was a soft thump from the Gamorrean's stomach and its skin seemed to swell. Fearing the worst, Jan dropped down, covering her head. But the alien did not explode. Its skin bulged for a moment more, then seemed to settle back into place. Don't tell me those things can stomach a thermal detonator, Jan thought.
The Gamorrean turned towards her. Took a step. Then, green blood flooded out its mouth and nostrils. Eyes losing focus, the alien toppled, crashing to the deck with a wet smacking sound. Grimacing at the carnage, Jan decided it was time to be elsewhere. Readying another detonator, she rose to her feet carefully and made her way through the doorway, stopping almost immediately.
Instead of the walkway continuing, it ended abruptly in a sheer drop. Great! Now where do I go? Jan glanced about and spotted another walkway just below and to her right. Mentally gauging the distance, she decided it was worth. Grabbing the edges of the doorway with both hands, she pulled against it swinging herself forward. She did this once, twice. On the third time, she pushed off and jumped into the open space.
As her feet struck the walkway, Jan allowed the momentum to carry into a forward roll. It still hurt, but as she came to her feet, the shock she had expected was less. Unfortunately, this walkway leading into another room, this one completely dark. That definitely spells trap, Jan thought, casting about for another path. About four meters below her was another section of decking, but could she handle the drop?
Thirty minutes and two drops later, a teeth gritting, Imperial hating, body aching Jan Ors emerged into a large open space similar to the one she had encountered when first entering the base. Another cargo bay, maybe, she thought. She took a moment to assess her condition and equipment. Nearly every part of body hurt, from her legs to her face, even her hair seemed to hurt. She had encountered nearly a dozen more Grans and Gamorreans.
Her dwindling supply of detonators had taken care of the enemy, but if she didn't find another weapon soon, she was going to be in trouble. As she walked into the open space, Jan wondered why the Imperials had so many guards elsewhere but this section seemed free of them.
The explosion came from a few feet behind her. The next knocked her off her feet and onto the deck. I'm getting really tired of this, Jan thought. A third detonator bounced on the deck nearby and she covered her head as it blew. A loud guttural cry brought her head up to see a Gran standing on a platform overhead getting read to throw another detonator.
Rolling to her feet, Jan dodged the fourth detonator and armed her last one. Drawing her arm back, she let the device fly. It arced upwards, hitting the surprised alien. It screamed in pain as the detonator exploded. What remained of the body fell to the ground. Breathing hard, hands on knees, Jan took a moment took look around. There seemed no exit beyond where she had come from. Where…
Another guttural cry brought her head up. On the deck above her stood another Gran preparing to drop a detonator right on her head. Adrenaline crashing into her system, Jan glanced about wildly, spotting a small alcove near the floor. She hurled herself, ignoring the pain as he she hit chest first and rolled into the space.
But any comfort she found there was short lived as she heard the sound of machinery and the deck began to rise. It stopped and Jan found herself face to face with the second Gran. It armed another detonator and got ready to drop it right on her.
The alien's head jerked up and down, an odd sound coming from its mouth. Is it… laughing at me? Yes, it is. Red anger boiled up inside her, banishing the pain, the worry, the fear. Reaching out, Jan planted both hands on the Gran's legs and pulled.
The alien, caught by surprise, toppled backwards as she pulled, striking the deck. Quick as cat, Jan was atop the alien. It struggled to rise, but she struck at his head with her fists, two solid blows. There was a crunching sound from somewhere in the Gran's face and it fell back, out cold.
Jan made sure the alien was out, then rose to her feet, adrenaline coursing through her. She ripped the Gran's detonator belt from its waist, adding the six detonators there to her belt. With that done, she surveyed the room she was in. It was walled on three sides. But one side was open to the large room below, bordered by evenly spaced struts.
There seemed no way out of it until Jan moved near the lip. To her right and a short distance away was another platform, bordered by a half dozen struts. It seemed to be separate from the rest of the structure. Well, I'm not getting anywhere standing here, Jan thought. Taking a running leap, she sailed across the gap and landed feet first on the middle platform.
No sooner had her feet touched the deck than the platform began to rise. Arming two detonators, Jan placed them in either hand ready for any attacker. So it was a surprise when the lift stopped before a pair of doors. Curiouser and curiouser, Jan thought. Maybe all this cargo area is simply a disguise for the real base.
She approached one of the doors and it slid open, revealing a sight that caused her eyes to widen. She stood in a small alcove that lead to a hallway of such dazzling white it was almost painful to look at. Instrument panels and displays were visible along the walls.
Jan instantly recognized as standard Imperial base architecture. For some reason, the Imperials favored white in building their bases and in stormtrooper armor. The scene reminded her of the descriptions of the interior of the Death Star, a weapon of destruction but with polished white hallways to walk through. Stepping into the hallway, Jan looked around. To her right, the white hallway ended into more of the industrial gray of the cargo bay. To her left, the white hallway continued. The question was, which was the hangar bay. Jan flipped a mental coin and turned left.
Twenty minutes later, Jan emerged from the last hallway and headed to the right. The path she had taken had been the wrong one. As she discovered, this base was an Imperial training ground and she had stumbled upon a mock-up used to train Imperial officers and stormtroopers. She had encountered several, including a few Imperial commanders. Their black suits must have had shielding or some kind of armor because it had taken several hits just to bring one down. Jan had been hit a number of times, blaster burns on her left arm and leg.
How does Kyle do this? As she headed towards the right hand exit, one last stormtrooper crept out from behind a doorframe and aimed his blaster at her.
"Halt Rebel! Drop your weapon and surrender!"
Jan was exhausted, all the pain having come back and now with these new wounds… she just wanted to find the smuggler ship, attach the tracking device and get out of there. However, she did have one thing to her advantage. Encountering the stormtroopers had allowed her to acquire a new blaster and now she brandished it and pressed the trigger, holding it down.
The gun bucked in her hand, discharging shot after shot. The walls of the base in addition to being polished white were also highly reflective. Several ricochets hit the trooper dead on and he fell, armor smoking in several places. She blew out a breath, shaking her head. These guys never know when to quit. Checking the blaster's charge and finding it better than three-quarters full, she went down the other section of hallway in what looked like another cargo bay.
As Jan emerged into the space, boxes of all colors and sizes greeted. Most were piled in neat stacks, but others lay haphazardly on the deck, forming a path of sorts. Jan moved past a box so tall she couldn't see the top of it. Coming around the corner, she and the alien coming the other way stopped short, both surprised by the other.
The Gran let out a strange noise as Jan yelped in surprise. The alien reached for a detonator on it belt, but she was ready for that. Leveling the blaster, Jan fired. The Gran was blasted back by the onslaught of blaster fire and crumpled to the deck. She sensed rather than heard the other one approaching from behind. It jumped back as she whirled around and blasted it too.
Continuing deeper into the hangar bay, she followed the path, turning left, then right, then left again. As she passed a green box marked with the Imperial symbol, the room opened into a large open space. A few feet ahead, silvery-gray metal formed a door leading she supposed to another section of the cargo bay. Maybe the hangar bay finally.
Stepping up to the door, Jan spied a control set into the wall. She keyed and watched as the door parted in the middle, section disappearing into the floor and ceiling. However, the opening also revealed a squad of four stormtroopers.
Spotting her, they aimed their blasters.
"Halt!"
Yeah, right, Jan thought, diving to the side as the first bolts of red death flew past. She rolled, coming up onto one knee right by the door controls. On an impulse, she keyed the controls again. Obediently the doors closed, shutting out the stormtroopers. But that was a temporary solution at best. Glancing around, she could find nothing to assist her; no perch to fire down on the troopers, no real cover at all. Wait a minute!
Looking down, Jan saw she still had four detonators left. Pulling them from her belt, she armed them one by one, then hit the door controls with her elbow. The door opened and the stormtroopers, right on the other side brought their weapons up. But, instead of springing a trap, the trap was sprung on them. Heaving with all her might, Jan flung the detonators at the troopers. They tried to back away, but too late. One even tried shooting at the detonators.
Four explosions echoed in the large space. Two of the troopers were hit and fell, armor shredded by the explosive force. The other two were stunned, but still conscious. Smoke from the explosions was still clearing as Jan came charging through, firing. Another trooper fell, hit several times. But as she took aim on the four, Jan's gun jammed. She tried to reactivate it, but the explosions had damaged it as well.
The fourth trooper, smiling beneath his helmet took aim, but found himself attacked again as Jan slung the useless blaster at him. He batted it aside easily, but it provided the time for her to launch another attack.
She ran towards the trooper, screaming at the top of her lungs. Barreling into him, Jan used her mass to knock the trooper down. They fell together, the impact jarring his gun loose. Jan struck, sending a fist into the trooper's face. But instead of hitting below the helmet as she intended, she hit the hard plastic dead on. Her hand went numb from the shock of the blow, and she knew it would be useless for a few moments. The trooper, recovering from the unexpected attack used the moment to strike back. A fist hit Jan square in the mouth, the force of it knocking her off the trooper and onto the deck.
Slowly, in pain, the trooper rose, preparing to renew the attack. But he found Jan on her feet as well, blood on her lip. She wiped at it, then turned back on him. Fire blazed in her eyes. I think I might be in trouble, the trooper thought. Still he struck, sending another fist. But Jan knocked his blow aside with her forearm, replying with a side kick to the trooper's midsection.
Despite the armor he wore, the trooper felt the air whoosh out of him as the intruder's boot struck him. He tried to recover, but Jan spun around, her foot catching the stormtrooper in the side of the head. She reversed the spin, kicking him from the opposite side.
Stars popped in his vision. This was one tough Rebel. But he was an Imperial stormtrooper, and stormtroopers never gave up. As yet a third kick headed towards him, the trooper reached out and caught Jan's leg. Her look told him he had surprised her. But that surprise lasted only a moment as she pushed off the deck with her other, rolling to bring it into contact with his head.
Woman and stormtrooper fell to the deck, but Jan was on feet a second later, ready to renew the attack. However the trooper wasn't moving. Approaching cautiously, she bent over and reached down. The helmet came off easily and she could see the human face under the helmet. But she had no time to study the face as the Imperial's eyes snapped open and he reached out to grab her. Jan responded by firing a punch directly into his face. This time, blood issued from his nostrils and with a sigh, the man's head fell back. He was knocked out, this time for sure.
Her hand aching with the force of the punch, Jan rose to her feet and backed away, keeping the trooper in sight, just in case. He didn't move. Feeling more confident that the threat from him was minimized, she looked about the room, seeking an exit. But the room seemed to have no other doors save the one she had come through.
As she turned in a circle, though, Jan caught sight of a door along the edge of the nearest wall. It was similar in design to one she just come through, but opened by itself as she approached.
As she entered the room, Jan caught sight of the smuggler shuttle just a few hundred yards ahead. Fuel lines were attached to its hull and she could just see it open cargo hatch. Sighing, she walked towards the vessel. About time I found you. But as she neared the rear of the ship, she saw there was one more obstacle to overcome.
"Oh come on!" she said into the empty space.
At the rear of smuggler sat a line of proximity mines. Anyone getting within ten feet of the ship would be blown up quite messily.
"I don't believe this!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in frustration.
Okay Jan, she thought, calm down. There's a way past this. Just calm down and figure it out. Her fatigued body was crying out for rest. So, while she puzzled over how to get past the mines, Jan decided she would take a brief rest.
Moving past the smuggler ship, she proceeded further into the room looking for a place she could sit for a while. But as she turned the corner the hangar bay enclosure, she halted.
Sitting on the ground in front of her was a Gamorrean, asleep. The only reason she hadn't heard it earlier was the sound of the machinery in the room. But up close, the alien's snores were distinct. Okay now, just back away and try not to wake it up. Moving as slowly and quietly as she could, Jan took one large step back and started to turn around. But her foot slipped, striking the wall with a sharp bang.
The Gamorrean stirred, its large eyes blinking slowly as it woke. The cavernous mouth opened as the creature yawned. It blinked a few more times, turning its head left then right. When it saw Jan, the alien let out a squeak of surprise. The human was backing away, trying not to be noticed. But it had seen her, and would go after her. Rising to its feet, the Gamorrean grabbed his large axe and stepped towards the human.
Jan heard the footfalls behind her. She looked around and saw the Gamorrean, brandishing his axe. That's it, she thought, c'mon, come after me.
She kept going, a shuffling run designed to let the large, ponderous alien to keep up with her. As she neared the smuggler ship, Jan stopped and turned around.
The Gamorrean, puzzled by this approached, ready to strike.
This is degrading, she thought, but if it works….
"Please," she said, dropping to her knees and holding her hands out, "please don't kill me."
The Gamorrean angled its head, still puzzled. It had met other humans, and some had begged for mercy before he had killed them. But this was strange.
"Please oh please," the human groveled, "I'll do anything you want. Just please don't kill me. Please."
He should kill her, the Gamorrean thought, but this human was so pitiful and small. His axe was meant for bigger and tougher game than this. Transferring it to one hand, he reached down with his other, intent on capturing the human.
In a flash, the human's expression changed from pleading and afraid. It smiled, and reached out with its own tiny hands to grab his. He felt himself being pulled, and suddenly realized that the human was pulling towards the mines.
Seeing the realization dawn in the Gamorrean's eyes, Jan felt him to resist her pull. But she leaned back, using all her weight. The Gamorrean jerked forward, trying to regain its balance as it spun in half circle. A second later, its foot touched the first mine.
Jan dropped to the deck, covered her head and shut her eyes, the world going white as the mines went off. The sound echoed in the space, adding to the volume of the explosions. A sudden wetness struck her and Jan tried not to imagine what it was.
When the last echo began to fade, she opened her eyes and looked towards the smuggler ship. The mines were gone, the deck blackened and scarred from the multiple blasts. The Gamorrean had been vaporized.
With the way finally clear, Jan walked the short distance to the smuggler ship. Finding a suitable spot, she pulled the tracking device from a pouch on her belt. Activating the unit, she placed it on the hull, the magnetized surface of the tracker latching onto the metal surface.
She checked its status lights and finding them both green, she turned and headed away from the smuggler ship. Her mission was accomplished, now all she had to do was get back to the Moldy Crow.
Thirty minutes later
The alien sun felt good on her face as Jan stepped off the elevator. The section of decking leading into the large warehouse-like room was still in the down position, as if waiting for her.
Now, as she strode through the open plaza back towards the Crow, Jan found that despite all the pain she had suffered, all she had endured, she couldn't help but smile. The mission was accomplished, another blow against the Empire.
We might just win this after all, she thought, turning the last corner. There sat the ship, as if welcoming her back. Ten minutes later, the Moldy Crow trailed blue fire as it accelerated away from the planet, disappearing moments later into hyperspace.