Chapter 9
Jumping through hoops
Taris was not ever going to make sense, Terri decided. Anywhere else the credits they carried on them would have been enough to satisfy a gang leader, that or try to enslave them if they did not match the perceived price for the service required. But no, not here, not with a blind man named Gaddon.
"So let me see if I got this correct. You want us to walk through a Sith checkpoint using a pass your slicer inserted in the Sith mainframe in civilian clothing. Go down to the undercity, search through the area for a Twi'lek girl and a Wookie. Making sure we do not get bitten by Rhakgouls along the way. Find said girl, convince her to lead us through a sewer system to a Vulkar base and steal an engine. Does that sound correct?"
"Yes." The blind man said happily.
"You want us to do all that based on a picture, a badly taken one I might add, of an alleged republic officer being offered as the price in the Taris swoop bike opener by The Vulkars?"
"That is a good grasp of the situation."
"How much spice have you sniffed today?"
His Twi'lek enforcer stiffened visibly behind him, reaching for her weapon. He lifted a hand.
"Peace, Zeadra. That is not an unreasonable reaction."
Unerringly he walked to his desk in the abandoned mega warehouse he and his gang had taken over as their gang headquarters. Terri looked over the operation from what had once been the office block of the structure. Cargo containers had been brought in and converted into sleeping quarters, ablution blocks, store rooms, holding cells, in short whatever they needed. An open air kitchen served their dietary needs and a central area was littered with benches. A third of the space was taken by garage spaces as the gangs swoop bikes were being stored or worked upon.
Gaddon sat down and placed his hands on the surface of his desk.
"I am fully aware of the absurdity of my request. I am also aware of the losses you had inflicted on the Vulkars in recent days and that they are aware of your identities now as well as that of your friend and the children you rescued."
Carth stepped forward ignoring the weapons being raised.
"Are you threatening them?"
"Merely pointing out that you in essence have no choice in the matter and very little time to complete it in, unless you believe the three of you can fight of the entire Black Vulkar gang by yourselves."
He had them over a barrel with their trousers around their ankles. He knew it, they knew it.
"Fine." Terri snarled out" We have a deal."
"Good. As a sweetener I will have my slicer create identities for your group, your friend, his escorts and the children to be able to access the upper city."
He sat back, a satisfied smile on his face. Terri wanted nothing more than to be beat it from his face.
"Zeadra, take them to Spinner he will need to upload biometric data for the passes to work."
An hour later they were led to the door by a very smug Twi'lek. She operated the controls and the door opened.
"Have a lovely stroll out there" She smirked
"Fuck you, bitch." Melissa replied walking past the woman.
"Ditto." Carth stated
"May your dildo splinter and give you a new std." Terri added.
The door slid closed behind them. They looked at each other before shrugging and walking to Jack's to collect their gear.
"We really need to have a talk about that potty mouth of yours" Terri told Melissa
"After what you said, you want to lecture me."
"My statement was a lot more diplomatic than yours."
Carth just snorted in reply. Not one of them gave any attention to the two beings trying to follow them unobserved. Jack and his girlfriends were busy entertaining the children when they collected their gear, teaching them through playing. It had been a very emotional experience when the children realised that they were not being returned home. It had taken endless explanations as to why it was not possible. It had resulted in the eight deciding to get their own ship someday and making it back themselves.
Melissa felt as if every gun and turret was trained on them as they approached the checkpoint. A Sith trooper walked out to them holding a datapad. They were required to step up one by one to have the passes swiped, fingerprint and retinal scans done.
The ride to the surface was done in silence, both due to nerves and the knowledge that they were probably under surveillance despite a quick check showing no cameras.
They barely stepped from the lift when they were approached by two men dressed in rags.
"This is our lift, you have to pay our toll for using it."
Carth shook his head.
"I have been all over the galaxy but this place leaves me speechless. Even the beggars try to rip you off."
"Get lost" A familiar voice called
Melissa looked eagerly at the figure approaching them, a wide delighted smile blossoming on her face. She rushed forward, glomping him in a hug. She stiffened and jumped back. She paid no attention to the two men slinking off
"Sorry, Master Chief. I was just so happy to see you."
"It is Keill, Keill Randor. Missy."
Carth and Terri stepped closer, Randor nodded at Carth
"Onassi."
"Chief Randor."
Terri noted Carth's scowl at the omission of his rank and Randor's scowl on the mention of his. She decided to step in to deescalate the situation, stepping forward she extended her hand.
"Terri Cazor. Scout. I see you are already familiar with Melissa."
"You the one that has been looking after her then?"
"It has been a tough job so far. You know teenagers, drinking, girls, getting into bar fights, swearing at swoop gangs. Me and Carth had been managing somehow."
Randor nodded at the unspoken offer of truce.
"Got a place we can talk and let you catch up with the little miscreant?"
"Follow me."
The dweller camp was better organised than she had expected. Old containers from a long crashed freighter formed the outer perimeter with what looked like watchposts on top. It started from the edge of the walls forming a square with two crates creating an entry point facing to the interior coming to the other end of the walls. Neat lines marked walking paths and what looked like a communal vegetable plot in the middle of the encampment. For a moments Terri thought she saw the arcing of welders at the far point. Fifteen men and women were seated by the doors of one of the containers. They were dressed like the dwellers but clearly in much better shape than the dwellers. A quick look inside the container showed a decently stocked armoury.
Randor sat down and motioned them to sit. She nudged Carth when he wanted to say something and he sat down with a scowl. A deep sense of distrust and tension was rising. Melissa was noticing this and her smile was fading, Terri decided to rip the dressing off.
"I am assuming all of you are from one of the ships and dropped down here. Somehow survived and had decided that you are no longer interested in the republic empire contest."
"In short, yes." Randor replied.
Melissa laid her hand on Carth to keep him from jumping up before turning to Randor.
"Would you be willing to explain it please? I would really like to understand why."
Randor looked at the wall where a flickering lights was intermittently illuminating the area.
"Let me start by saying that I am speaking for myself. None of the talking for the crew shit that some officers expect. Everyone here can speak for themselves. For the first time in thirty five years I am going to say fully what I think."
He looked at the trio
"I joined the fleet when I was sixteen. Had a massive fight with my parents; who told me that I was an idiot when I joined. At that time all I could think of was that I was doing the right thing, helping the galaxy by making it safe. They were right, all I did was waste thirty five years of my life. I served in two wars and more minor skirmishes than I care to remember. I watched good men and women die for nothing. They wasted their lives so that some senator could stand in front of a holocamera and call their deaths a necessary sacrifice while some member of the Jedi council will nod wisely in the background, when neither one is likely to be able to point out the planet on a holomap."
One of the others passed him a water bottle and he took a deep sip.
"We have a xeno archaeologist here that says the Mandolorian wars was almost refreshing at it was the first major galactic war that it was not at the root of it; a pissing contest between different sects of force users in centuries. Answer me this why was a xeno archaeologist on a republic fleet ship? We asked him and he did not know. The only thing he was told is that the Jedi council demanded one accompany the group and he was send."
"You cannot really expect that all operational requirements should be known by all." Carth interjected
Randor gave a grim smile
"Tell me commander what is the chief duty of a master chief?"
"To help in the execution of the orders from the captain and the executive officer."
"Nice textbook answer, can you tell me what the unofficial chief duty is?"
Carth shook his head.
"To be a voice of reason to the captain: to be a sounding board for ideas or a source of advice. How can a captain lead his crew when he does not know the parameters of his mission? Captain Patterson sure as hell did not know why we were out here. His orders could be summed up as listen to the Jedi they are in charge. Why does a civilian monastic order have so much power?"
He took another deep sip and continued in a low voice
"It is the same story over and over again. The Mandolorian wars should not have taken as long as it did. When the first reports of planets being over run came in, what happened? The senate discussed it in committees, the Jedi council meditated on it. When Revan and the other breakaway knights called for action, they were told to trust in the senate and the wisdom of the council. When the Mandalorian attacks were repulsed by the Elevenhan, suddenly some ships were made available to them. Their first victories were when the sensate decided to be seen to doing something. The Jedi council was still in meditation. Meetra Sutrik broke the back of the Mandalorian war effort at Malachor and Revan won the war. And who stood up and took the credit?"
He snorted in disdain.
"The senate and the Jedi council of course. Then Revan and Malak disappeared. And lo and behold, they came back and what did we get? Yet another theological war."
Randor stood up and paced. He pointed about the settlement.
"When we got dropped here in the pods most of us were unarmed, do you have any idea how many were eaten alive by the monsters out there? How many were turned? When we walked in here this place looked a lot different. They had a fence around them connected to the light fixtures to repel the Rhakghouls. A small bundle of people who had no hope of a future. They took us in when they did not have to, they sure as hell did not have resources to do so."
He sat down in his group.
"We all decided to help them, we forced entry into a crashed freighter and helped build this. For the first time in a long time I have pride in what I have done. For the first time I feel that I am actually making a difference in someone's life. I am done with causes and being used. I will probably die down here and I feel good about it, because I am finally doing something worthwhile."
The other nodded or spoke in agreement. Carth looked down and sighed, before standing up
"As an officer I am supposed to remind you that you can be court martialled for desertion, but frankly I don't see the point. I cannot force you to fight for something you no longer believe in. The only thing I can say is good luck and be careful."
Terri and Melissa stood as well. Melissa giving Randor a sad smile. Randor stood up as well.
"No need to say it, kiddo. I can see that you too have made your choice."
Randor looked at Carth and Terri.
" Look after the kid, will you?"
He pointed to two larger tents closer to the gate.
"The two most important people of the old tribe is Gendar and Rukil. Gendar is the current leader. Rukil is the oldest member and the ex leader as well as the herbalist. The closest thing to a doctor down here. Fair warning the old man will probably babble at you about some old prophecy regarding a lost city where every need will be met by robotic servants. His apprentice had gone missing looking for the clues that he always ranted about, leaving them without a healer when he croaks, personally I think he lost it a long time ago. Also watch out for a little rat named Igear. He calls himself a trader, but he is very friendly with every Sith patrol and bounty hunter group that passes through. Most likely an informant."
"Why has he not turned you in then?"
"He knows the other will kill him if he does. Right now we are the best chance of survival they have. We might be outsiders now, in time that may change. You might also find Jackson in the camp. He is the archaeologist I mentioned. He decided to stay and start a school for the children. He will most likely have a girl named Shaleena with him. She, like Jackson, will chatter your head off if given a chance."
"If she is not stalking Jackson that is" A comment came
Randor grinned
"We have a bet as to when she finally jumps him and drags him to her tent. So far no winners yet, although we think she is close to breaking."
They managed to evade a bookish young man with glasses when they spotted him. A look at the trading station was all it took to ignore the franticly beckoning man. Inevitably that meant running into the old man. Wanting to appear polite to the dwellers listening in, they listened to his tale. He lost a lot of credibility when he began alternating between Terri and Melissa as the "one to complete the prophecy". Melissa noted several dwellers make the universal gesture for madness, not bothering to hide it.
Gendar had been polite when he told them to respect the peace in the encamptment and that they were on their own should they step through the gate. From careful questioning it seems as if that speech had received a lot of practice recently with the amount of traffic going through the area.
Melissa and Terri found them standing in the small watchpost on top of a container forming the wall of a double gate system, carefully scanning the area through their macro binoculars, two locals standing close behind them in the confined space. Carth was in the watchpost on the opposite container.
"Movement on the left." Terri called out.
A young man was running desperately towards the gates a large pack of Rhakghouls rapidly gaining on him. Melissa saw a flicker of movement ans swung her binoculars on it. Mission was running flat out to the gate a smaller pack on her tail. One of the Dwellers began beating on a large metal bar with a hammer. The echoeing sound warning all of the approaching danger.
Melissa was torn in indecision. The man was closer, helping him would result in the pack running down Mission. Helping Mission would result in his death. She lifted her rifle and settled her scope on a charging Rhakghoul.
Mission was scrabbling up a small slope on all fours, sobbing in fear and exhaustion. She did not think of turning to make a last stand, her blaster had been lost long ago.
She could almost feel the breath of the pursuing Rhakghoul on her.
"This is how you die." The thought kept running through her head
She felt the heat of a laser blast just missing her lekku as she cleared the top and got back upright. Black spots were forming at the corner of her eyes and she went stumbling on towards the gate, her lungs on fire and her legs fealing like lead. The only thing on her mind reaching the gate.
Melissa was snap shooting as quick as she could. Terri and Carth supporting her. Mission was nearly at the gate. Why was the outer gate not opening. She looked down and saw the woman controlling the gate climbing over the inner gate having abandoned her post. With a snarl She jumped down and hammered the control switch with the butt of her rifle. The gate dropped kept firing as Mission stumbled closer. She slammed the contol again as Mission was a few steps from the gate. The gate rang with impact sounds as the rhakghouls struck the rapidly rising gate. Desperate gasping breaths came from next to her, Mission was prone and crawling to the second gate. Her face was stuck in a rictus of fear, her eyes glassy and unseeing. Melissa reached out and touched her. Mission screamed and started clawing and kicking. Melissa grabbed and smothered the panicked girl.
"Mission, you are safe." She kept on repeating, hoping to get through
Terri looked up from the scene down below when desperate screaming came from beyond the Gate. She grimace at the scene. The young man had managed to find a hiding place and was now being pulled out of it, the Rhakghouls already swarming and biting. She dropped to a knee and stabilised her rifle, lining up the shot. She breathed in, held it and slowly released it, finger caressing the trigger.
The Rhakghouls dropped the suddenly limp body and howled defiantly at the metal structures, the pack slowly drew back. Having to leave their prey and meal as more of the pack got dropped by the bright lights.
Carth sighed as he lowered his rifle, glad that Melissa did not have to witness the death of the young man. He pulled a thermal grenade out and primed it. He tossed it into the pack that was trying to batter down the gate. The two dwellers behind him hollered and cheered as the flames engulfed the pack and they stumbled back from the gate lit up like torches, screaming in the dark gloom.
Mission was slowly calming down as Melissa held onto her and softly kept on telling her she was safe. The Inner gate clattered as it came down and Terri and Carth stepped in, folloed by a man who refused to look in her direction. She saw a woman being held back by a group of dwellers. The woman kept pointing at her and was screaming murderer. Melissa tightened her grip on the now wailing Twi'lek girl and kept on repeating her mantra as the inner gate was being lifted.
Terri sighed in relief as the inner gate hid them from the view of the dwellers. The mood had gone from jubilant at the repulsion of the packs to anger in seconds when the dwellers realised that one of their own had been sacrificed for a topsider. Gendar had firmly suggested that they leave the encamptment after confirming that they had rite of passage through the gates, the laws of the dwellers demanding that they could not refuse entrance to those outside the gates. He pointed out that however visitor rights will not be confirmed unto them, ever.
She dropped Melissa's pack beside her. She leaned against the wall of the crate and patiently waited for Melissa to calm the panicked girl down. The story came out slowly, repetitively and often disjointed and incoherent. Mission and Zaalbar had come down here to scavenge from the republic pods and lost patrols, convinced that they could handle any danger thrown their way, their passage down secured by having to give Spinner fifty percent of all they found in exchange for passes. Mission told of being ambushed by a large group of Gamoreans She told of waking up to find Zaalbar and her blaster gone and a group of Rhakghouls closing in
Terri was pondering how to get Mission to accompany them through the sewers to the base, and hating herself for the manipulation that would entail, When Mission looked at them with hope breaking through on her face.
"You will help me, right? Get Zaalbar back! I will do anything you want if you help me! Please, you gotta help me."
Terri felt like scum.
They waited for an hour to let the remainders of the Rhakghoul packs to move away from the gates. Mission now armed with a spare rifle and pistol led the way she thinks she remembered she was coming from. On the way they passed a blood stained drop pod, the remains of the occupants had been dragged from it and left to rot beside it, robbed both of dignity and possessions by scavengers. Being unable to offer them a dignified burial the bodies were pulled into the pod and the pod sealed. Grimly they pressed on.
They saw the scene of a battle in front of the door to the sewrage works entrance. Splotches of green and red stains littered the ground. The route to the Gamorean camp was highlighted by drag stains of green and red.
Calling it a camp was a misnomer. A newly settled colony would be a better description. At an estimate between two to three hundred Gamoreans were waddling around in what once was a collection point in the old sewage system. The treatment tanks were filled with sludge and Gamoreans were happily cavorting in it. The most disgusting sight was the cooking spits where both Rhakghouls and their own dead were slowly being rotated over gas flames, in some cases mostly dead judging from the squells and roars coming from some spits.
All of them had a green tinge present on their faces and Mission had went a lighter blue after witnessing that sight. On the far side some sort of throne was set up and the biggest Gamorean any of them had ever seen was apparently holding court. Gaurds stood in front of a door to the side of the throne.
The approach to the camp was blocked by two sets of pickets and a barely visible door had another guard post set up as had a much closer door.
" South and West approaches protected by gaurds. East two pickets and North seems to have the most concentrated area." Carth spoke
"Nothing short of artillery will allow us to break through, Something we have a distinct lack of." Terri continued
"I am telling you I can get through using my stealth belt." Mission kept on insisting, mulishly.
Terri placed her hands on Mission's shoulder and twisted her to face her. She made sure to make eye contact.
"That is a suicide run and you know it. A stealth generator only blocks you from being seen by normal vision by refracting light around you. What is to say they can not smell you. You see how tightly they are packed, can you guarantee that one will not stumble into you? Even if you by miracle make it through; how are you going the Zaalbar back through all that?
Terri tightened her grip on Mission's shoulder.
"We have to find another way and we will."
Carth pointed to the way they came in.
"There were several doors back there we ignored, some may lead to another access point."
They retraced their steps to their access point and was debating the merits between going left or right when Melissa saw a flash of silver of the side a small distance off. Whistling to draw attention she pointed at it.
A group of Sith corpses were lying in a rough circle armour torn apart. A large pile of Rhakghouls around them, several spent ampoules lying by their feet. Another body was lying further away. Searching it an ampoule similar to the spent ones was found, the difference was this one was filled with bright green fluid.
The sound of voice carries in the air, a quick check with binoculars showed a group of fifty approaching dressed in a variety of clothing. Terri motioned them to fall back. Melissa shook her head and pulled out her datapad and accessed the holonet.
"Melissa." Terri hissed
"Trust me I have an idea."
Terri looked at Carth who nodded; before unzipping her utility vest and tunic and shoving the ampoule into her underwear. Hastily she pulled the zips up before the approaching group could see too clearly. Desperately she wondered what the girl's idea was and if it was worth the risk.
The mercenary and bounty hunter pack surrounded them quickly with Melissa seemingly entranced by her datapad, paying them no attention.
"How hard is it to find a Gammorean to basic translator." She muttered
One of the mercenaries scoffed.
"Because squeal and grunt does not translate"
"Then what is that word garch they kept screaming." She snapped
She slowly lowered the pad looking up. Slowly registering that they were surrounded. Her pad beeped. One mercenary mockingly pointed to it.
"Go ahead; we don't mind waiting"
She looked at the pad, a look of surprise forming.
"Well?"
"Cure, it means cure."
Canderous Ordo was a man who rarely was amused. And now he was highly amused. A single word from a girl had focused the bitching and whining pack of mercs and bounty hunters he was leading more than all the threats he had delivered. He was dead certain the girl was leading them by the nose. The idiots were lining up to look into the Gamorean camp, convincing themselves they are seeing pieces of Sith armour everywhere. They were making such a racket that even the pigs were aware of their presence, the loudest of them all; one of Kang's favourite enforcers. The man might be good at intimidating shop keepers and prostitutes, but he knew nothing of military operations. All he had been was a massive pain in the ass, ignoring all of Canderous's instructions. Now the dead man walking was pointing at the colony going on about choke points and having the high ground.
Canderous gave the girl a rare impressed smile. He had to give her credit, a masterful performance. Convincing the idiots to let them think assaulting a pig colony was a good idea. Priceless. Of course, they could not join the attack, being tied up and stripped of their equipment after all.
He gave another smile as he saw a blade flash and restraints were cut loose. The guard supposed to watch them being taken in a headlock. The second guard grimacing as a blade flashed through his chest. Canderous mused as to where that blade had been hidden as no blade that size had been found on the sloppy search of the four. Picking up their gear they retreated. Canderous thought at this rate he may even become jovial.
A flurry of bolts rang out as the scum had finally gathered enough courage to attack. He looked down the way the four had left. Time for him to leave as well.
They returned half an hour later when the sounds of battle had stopped to a scene of carnage. The few remaining Gamoreans offered no challenge. As they stepped silently over the veritable mountain of corpses, Melissa felt remorse with every step taken. She felt Terri grabbing her shoulder and give it a squeeze. Her expression conveying sympathy as she guessed Melissa's thought. Mission was plodding along, eyes fixed to the door next to the now empty throne.
Zaalbar roared in delight and relief on seeing Mission as the door finally crashed open. His headlong rush brought short by chains attached to the collar on his necks and the cuffs on his arms. He kept moving impatiently as Melissa was cutting through the chains with the light fusion cutter, ignoring the smell of singing fur. When the final link snapped he grabbed Mission up and spun her in circles, till she cried for him to stop, eyes bright with tears of joy.
Terri was bend over a woman dressed in the rags of the dwellers, gently coaxing her to drink slowly from the water bottle held to her lips. The woman was in a bad state. One leg in an unnatural position, she was hot to touch a clear indication of an infection.
"We have to take her back." Carth stated." More importantly we need to get that sample up to Zelka."
Zaalbar went rummaging on a crate standing by the throne and retrieved his bowcaster and a utility belt, he dropped three ancients tablets onto the ground. The woman made grasping motions towards them. She only relaxed when the pads were given to her.
The guard on duty called for Gendar when he saw the topsiders return carrying a form on a stretcher. Probably another topsider he decided. Gendar would be needed to ensure that the peace is kept, Kelso's mother had sworn vengeance on the girl who let her son die to protect another topsider. The last thing they needed now was a battle with the topsiders. They might have the numbers, but the topsiders had the weapons and the outsiders might stand with them. At times like these he was glad he was not the leader.
He looked down at the stretcher as they entered the outer gate. He was struck silent, His Sister! His sister was back! They all thought she had died for following the crazy old man's stories.
Cautiously they made their way back to the turbolift keeping an eye out for ambush. Gendar had given them the warning amidst the uproar of the return of their apprentice herbalist.
Doctor Yin felt a flash of fear as she saw the two republican women enter the clinic accompanied this time by a Twi'lek girl. Every time they came here the risk to them increased.
She motioned them to the office and sat down behind her desk, hiding her suddenly trembling hands. The older woman placed an ampoule in front of her.
"What is this?" Yin asked
"The serum against the Rhakghoul virus."
Yin looked at it in fascination before looking up.
"Do not ask. The less you know the better." Terri stated
"What do you want for it? this is priceless. We cannot pay for it."
"We do not want money or recognition. We have seen first hand what the effects of this disease is. It needs to be stopped." The younger girl spoke
The older one pushed the ampoule closer
"When you synthesize this we want thirty doses. There is a quarantine camp in the under city that desperately needs it. Hopefully it can be done before they all turn"
They stood up to leave.
"If you succeed move the planter by the chairs in front of the window and leave the doses in the downspout of the rain pipe by the back entrance. This is the last time you will see us. Good luck and goodbye."
Yin stared at the ampoule before her. Woodenly she reached for her comlink
" Zelka? I am so sorry to wake you but you need to come in urgently. I cannot say more, just come in."
Melissa decided that if she never again had to walk through a sewer again it would be too soon. They had slipped through the dweller encamptment unnoticed as the residents were locked in a debate between Gendar and Rukil, the raising levels of voice indicating that no compromise was closed to being reached. Mission was leading them through a circuitous route to a spot where she had seen a force field a few weeks ago.
The route was not without its dangers as they had encountered several. rhakghoul packs and a few Gamorean patrols. Zaalbar's entry to the ever growing squad had been a blessing as the extra fire power he wielded had proven pivotal in the engagements they had. Melissa was still in two minds about the fact that Zaalbar had pledged a life debt to her in exchane for breaking his chains as he put it. It was both the highest praise he could give her and at the same time the biggest burden as she was now responsible for his life. That also meant that Mission was now a permanent addition to their group, luckily it seems that Mission realised that now was not the time nor place for her flirting.
The terminal and shield was where she said it was and she presented it to them with a grand gesture. She skipped up to the terminal and typed in a code referring to a slip of flimsy she had pulled from the pocket of her new battle suit. Her arguments against it was loud to say the least as she felt it clashed with her style when she was told she would be measured for armour. Pouting at Zaalbar to back her up had failed with him saying he agreed to the extra protection. She finally agreed to it when Jack had produced a datapad filled with pictures of blaster wounds and showed it to her. Again Melissa realised why he was called crazy Jack.
"Don't worry the code is good, I stole it last week from a drunk Vulkar." Mission chirped happily
The shield flickered and died and they could proceed up the tunnel to the was not sure whether she should be relieved or professionally insulted at the ease at which the Vulkar security could be breached.
Carth was on point. He lifted his hand and crouched, Mission was slow to follow as the all ducked down. That had been another interesting discussion when Mission was given the lecture on the handsigns and how to move in a squad. Carth pointed to his eyes and flashed two, followed by the signs for blockage and heavy weapon, one.
Terri moved up. Two Vulkers were standing on a small landing having a discussion. The only approach was over a small bridge to the landing, over a large drop to a collection pool. The approach was covered by a mobile turret. Carth scanned the position with his binoculars and pointed out three boxes spread out.
"Tachyon detectors. One blaster shot and they know you are here whether you get the sentry or not. He spoke softly
Terri moved back to Melissa.
"You are up. Grab your bow."
Mission was about to start complaining When Melissa shucked her backpack and pulled out a… What was that? Zaalbar grunted in approval at seeing whatever that was. And what is it with the funny pipes?
Changing of the guard was complete and Jash Lave was finished with his pointless duty. He looked over his shoulder. Of course the idiot taking over had to walk to the edge to take a piss first. One of these days the idiots are going to slip and fall in. Not his problem. All he wanted was to go get some food and maybe a woman for the night. All he had to do was reach the end of the passage and he was done. Of course he will have to take the control pad for the turret to the idiot… as he still had it in his hand. Cursing he spun around and walked back. Where was the idiot?
There is no way he was going to stand there for another eight hours if the moron had fallen in.
He felt a sharp blow to his chest and a curious numbness. He looked down. Why was there a pipe in his chest, and why does it has bristles on it. Maybe he should press the red button on the pad, you know the one for the alarm. Now why did he suddenly have two pipes in him. Maybe walk to the edge and see if they were coming from down there, maybe he should first pick up the pad first from the ground.
Melissa sighed in relief as the second Vulkar finally dropped, she released the tension on the bowstring and started to collapse the bow. They had a base to search and an engine to find.
They crept into the base. A vulkar was kneeling with his back to them working on a conduit. He had finished reassembling the cover when Terri was on him. Mission gave a small gasp as the man suddenly went limp, the small snapping sound having carried farther than she would have thought. The Rodians head was at an angle she had never before seen.
"Mission!" Terri hissed
Oh right, slice the terminal.
Mission stepped up the terminal and took a quick look. She pulled the card of the dead Vulkar out and connected her slicing pad. Her fingers flicked over the screen. She assessed the screen as it filled with figures and graphs
"I am in. This is a secondary terminal. Access only to the two barracks, mess and droid garage. Main security terminal locked in security office beyond the second barracks. Access via key card only. No active turrets on this level. Security droids inactive, severing links to droid garage from main terminal now.
Cameras on line. Full access to power systems. Cutting coms to the outside"
She linked their datapads and comlinks to her pad and set up a relay from the terminal to her pad.
"Zaalbar, cover the door. Mission watch closely."
The trio swept through the door. Mission spotted movement on a camera as the door to the security office opened. A droid stepped from the office.
"Guys, you have a Czerka T100 coming from the security office."
Two taps came over the comlink. She was about to speak again when she remembered that two taps meant yes or acknowledged. She slapped her forehead. Zaalbar chuffed softly
"Yeah right, like you remember all the things she said." She snarked
The heard the droid coming first, the slow heavy tread as it marched forward. Carth armed an ion grenade and chucked it into the passage and let it roll towards the droid. The droid started firing as it detected motion. The droid spasmed as the charge went off, Carth and Terri dropped it as they stepped into the passage with two precise shots.
"Too much noise. They are awake in the barracks. They are lining up on the doors." Mission reported.
Melissa stepped into the droid garage and stepped up to the two inactive T100's in the docking station. She unrolled her tools and got to work
" Mission, you there?"
"No, I am taking a shower."
"Not now , Mission. Override the control to the door to the droid garage and keep it open. When I tell you; I need you to switch off all the lights. Then switch the ones leading to the barracks on one by one. Can you do that?"
"Can you repeat that? Only this time add pictures"
"Mission!"
"Geez allright, ready to go. Give me something hard to do next time."
Melissa finished her task and replaced the covers. She stuffed the tools back into the roll and fell back to the passage. She motioned Carth and Terri back to the bottom of the passage.
" !"
Darkness filled the base and two neon green lights switched on from within the droid room. A light flickered on and the steps started. The two droids followed the lights to the door. The motion detector picked up the movement and opened the door. Volleys of laser fire flashed backwards and forwards Cries came from within the room and a droid exploded.
"Mission lights on, now." Terri called
They sprinted forward firing. The last droid went up in sparks and the last two standing Vulkars were dropped. They swept the room for movement
"Clear."
"Clear."
"Clear."
They stepped into the mess. A young woman was huddled in a corner. She had her hands up in surrender. Her face was bruised and the skimpy clothing showed signs of numerous repairs
"Don't kill me! Please!"
Terri moved forward slowly
"What is your name?" She asked soothing
" Reyna."
" Reyna I need you to stay calm and answer my questions. Can you do that?"
"Yes, but I don't know anything… I am just a slave girl." She stammered
" Reyna, are there other slaves here?"
" Just me."
"Is there anyone in the kitchen?"
A vulkar burst from the kitchen, a cleaver in hand as he charged. Two bolts dropped him
"Reyna, is there anyone else in the kitchen?"
" No"
Melissa stepped forward and checked the kitchen
" Clear."
Terri stood up fully and the woman backed further into the corner.
" Reyna. I am not going to hurt you. How did you end up here."
" My father owed Davik money and I was the payment. Davik handed me to Brejik as payment for something. I have been here since."
" Do you have any family on Taris or friends that can take you in?"
" …No."
Carth sighed.
"And then there was another."
Terri looked down at the woman.
"I need you to go to the power room. You will find two friends of ours there. Don't be scared they will not hurt you. And when all of this done we will find you a safe place where the Vulkars can't find you"
Melissa tapped her comlink.
" Misssion tell Zaalbar to open the door we are sending someone in."
" Will do. I have eyes on the last barracks. They are preparing to barricade themselves and there is a lot more of them in that barracks."
"How many power conduits do you see?"
" I see four on one wall, so maybe eight in total."
"Activate the fire suppression system and overload them."
There was an acrid smell when they opened the door. Nothing moved within. Suppressing gags they searched the bodies for the access card. On the last body she found it.
"I found the card, but it is useless" Melissa said
She held the card up, it was a molten charred mess
Their window of opportunity was starting to run out. It was only a matter of time before someone came to check as to why they had lost communications with their base, and they had been there for a hour already. Melissa was pacing.
On realising that they could not get in, the occupant of the security room had begun taunting them. The speakers were quickly found and disabled. Unfortunately the same could not be done for the external monitor where the rather fat Twi'lek had been pantomiming for the camera. Needless to say it was rather crude and after fifteen minutes rather repetitive. Despite the cameras showing him that they were not paying attention to him, he was continuing his performance
" Starship grade door, reinforced plascrete wall, independent power supply, only accessable from within. What am I missing" She said
" High grade explosives?" Mission offered
Having cleared the floor, there had been no point in keeping her and Zaalbar in the power room. Carth and Zaalbar was watching the main door. They would egress the way they came in, but they were not ready to give up yet. The silence returned, only the fans of the air circulator audible. Melissa paused. She looked at the ceiling. Two blue pipes led to the bunker, two very helpful arrows pointed in and out.
Melissa looked at the monitor, a wolfish smile crossing her face
"I got you now."
"Clue us in as well, would you?"
"The key is air. That is a sealed structure which means there is limited air inside. Look at him, he is fat and looking at his clothing he had been sweating buckets in there. Someone like that would have used up his air supply a long time ago, unless…"
"He has an air supply." Terri concluded.
Melissa pointed up.
"And they so helpfully marked it for us."
"Even if we cut the air supply off, it will still take hours for him to use what is inside." Mission objected.
"We are not cutting of his air, we are replacing it with something else."
There was a strange sound coming from the air conditioner. Frook Lamear, aka Fat Frook stopped his pantomiming for the camera and looked at the vent. It was strangely misty. The intercom buzzed. He looked at the camera. It was that annoying chit that sometimes hung out at the Bek base.
" Hey Frook, got a question for you. Can you swim?"
The water burst from the vent in a strong stream. He noticed that the water was not draining out the door. He pulled his shirt off and tried to block the vent. A second stream erupted from the extractor vent.
" Hey Frook, you need to put your shirt back on, no one needed to see that."
The water was rapidly pooling. He looked at it in horror, having nearly drowned as a child he had hydrophobia. Their intention was horribly clear to him. If they could not get in, they would make sure he never came out alive. He whimpered in fear. The water went up to his ankles. No! Not like this. He slammed the release button of the door, grabbing his blaster. The laser hit him in the head before the door barely opened.
Mission stepped over the body as she rushed to secure the terminal. Moments later she pulled up the security systems and locked down the main door to the base. The vulkars will not be getting in that way. The turret outside already had its identification friend foe overridden so good luck getting in there. She unlocked the access to the lower garage and pulled up the camera feed. Spotting the turrets just outside the lower garage door she powered them down
" Doors open and defences are down. Counting six Vulkars. Four in the main garage.
Terri looked at Melissa and Carth.
" Six left, Go low, go fast, be safe."
Fifteen minutes later it was over and not a single Vulkar. They stood looking at the engine. Mission cleared her throat
"Just how are we supposed to move that."