After years of small raids doing little damage and failures to make any progress, the Alliance to Restore the Republic had its first true victory in the Galactic Civil War. In a moment when the entire Rebellion was on the brink of destruction, with much of its High Command on Yavin IV, literally in the sights of the Death Star, a single X-Wing Starfighter destroyed the battlestation and changed the Rebellion from a tiny movement of idealistic peoples to something that might actually have the ability to fight back against the Galactic Empire.
But the victory was only to be celebrated for a short time. The Empire knew where the Rebellion's base was, and it was only a matter of time before they came again. And they did. First, it was just small raids from strike cruisers and a few TIE Fighters, strafing and bombing the ancient Massassi Temples and then disappearing off into hyperspace. It went on for months, the testing of Yavin IV's defenses...as did the evacuation of the base and a seemingly fruitless search for a new hidden location.
And then, finally, after two months of raids, the Imperial Fleet arrived. Four Star Destroyers and a myriad of other cruisers bombarding the planet from above. The small Rebel fleet above, led by the Mon Calamari Cruiser Independence, held the Imperial fleet off for long enough so that the majority of ships could safely escape the system's gravity well and make the jump to hyperspace, but they were soon forced back until they, too, had to jump. With the defenses gone, the Imperials began landing troops.
On the ground, however, was one last ship about to leave. In the huge, open main hangar of the Great Temple that had once housed four squadrons of Starfighters and various other starships, was one single starship. It was a small transport meant for carrying troops, box-shaped and nothing special...and fully loaded with the last of the command personnel able to reach the ship
Standing outside the ship's hatch was a young human male, just under a couple of meters in height and dressed in a grey-black uniform that had likely once been meant for the Fleet Marines. But on the right shoulder was a patch indicating that the man was actually a member of the Alliance's Navy Command. There was a small patch on the left breast of the uniform with a small rank insignia and "Cpt. Droma", but those were where the appearances of a commander ended. The man had an unkempt look to him, obviously in need of a good shave and probably a few haircuts due to the fringe of hair slightly impairing some of his vision and the amount of it gathering at his neck. His eyes were grey and had a hardness to them that went fairly well with the rest of him as he looked over the group in front of him.
He reached out and extended a datapad and spoke in swift and almost angry voice, "Layout of the rest of the base. The Imperials have dropped troops down all over the rear hangar. We just pulled the last of our people out of that area but the damned bucketheads started pouring in before we could destroy the data mainframe. After I get out of here, you're all that we'll have left down here so you damn well better get to that data before they do..." he paused a moment to make sure that sunk in before giving all of you a careful look over, "You get there as fast as you can and then you get the hell off this rock. There's an old YT-2000 about two kliks north of the temple, if the Imps haven't overrun it consider that your ticket out of here. If you've got any questions you damn well better ask them now and ask them quick because its only a matter of time before the Imperials make their way through the corridors to this part of the base."
"Lt. Commander Serrano's squadron is away, then?" Istara said. Her fiancee had been a wing commander in the Imperial Navy before joining the rebellion. As of last night, he'd still been here. "I won't know until we get there whether it'll be faster to physically destroy the mainframe or wipe its data; I wasn't expecting to have to delve into battlefield slicing."
"Perhaps Kyn, Yuul and I can make our way to the 2000 to ensure out retreat. The three of us should be able to get her prep'ed and running, as well as defend her.
If ya give me enough warning I can get myself to a good spot and pick off any buckets that you may have tied to your ankles." He shrugs knowing full well that this idea was going to fly as about as well as a pregnant mynoc. His independence bordered on bravado, sometimes, and it tended gets himself into trouble. Sometimes, he feels that he is really just talking to himself.
Last edited by FreeXenon; 3rd May 2008 at 04:18 PM..
The Ubese warrior was leaning to a wall listening to the briefing. He pulls a detonator from the many pockets on his suit and answers to Istara's comment in a raspy voice. The problem though being that he uses the language of his own people. It doesn't seem to bother him that the others weren't able to understand, he has always let actions speak in his behalf.
Between my slicing and Deurr's explosives we should be able to disable the mainframe. If you three want to hole up at the freighter, that's fine. But I'm no tactician. Just a doctor with a big gun. While she waits on the decision, she drums her fingers nervously along her heavy blaster, and hums tunelessly. She seems nervous.
Kay looks at Garrett for a minute, wondering if he was suggesting that he and the other head for the freighter so they can get out without having to wait for the others. She knew of him, and her sense of him was that he was rather spoiled, and that he might not be reliable, then again they would need to get off of the planet as fast as possible. If not for the freighter the group of rebels would have to steal a shuttle from the imperial landing forces. They would still have a back up plan, and it was worth the risk, probably.
"That resembles half a plan. We'll signal you when we are ready to leave and you can bring the freighter in for a fast pick up. We should also keep our eyes open for any imperial landing craft." the Corellian cop said, loosening the straps on her blaster holster. "Where is the meet up point?" she asked, turnig to the Captain.
Captain Droma listened for a moment before resting a hand back on the hatch of the assault shuttle, obviously ready to get off the moon, "All the squadrons are away, and all that's left up there are Imperials. I can't give you anything more detailed than that, though, because I've been a bit busy dragging wounded halfway through this place to get here," he let out a heavy sigh before shaking his head and adopting a less harsh tone, "Last sensor sweep of the ground wasn't good, so be careful out in the forest. There's at least a few heavy speeders out there, too. As for where to go...I've heard reports that Skywalker has found us a new location for a base. Most of the fleet's heading that way but you kids are coming with me after your job is done. That datapad has the coordinates for where I'll be, an empty no where just outside the Galactic Rim."
The Captain's comlink beeped. Rather than grab it, though, he looked down then back up to all of you and nodded, "Damn pilot's getting antsy. Don't get yourselves killed on this rock."
He didn't salute. After a look past all of you to the empty hangar above, he turned and headed into the shuttle, the hatch sealing shut behind him. In a matter of minutes, the shuttle's engines powered up and it was gone, flying out against a hail of Imperial fire and leaving all of you as the last Alliance soldiers left on Yavin IV.
"Time to get to work. Standing around will just give the Imps time to get to the data." She looked over the datapad with the rendevous coordinates and then tossed it to Kyne. "In case we don't contact you in half an hour assume we aren't coming." the black haired woman said, drawing her pistol.
Looking to Istara and Deurr she nods and heads down the hall, moving slowly and deliberately, sticking to corners for cover she she heads toward the junction of the comm center, briefing room, and turbo lifts. Kay wasn't entirely thrilled to be sneaking around an abandoned base trying to blow it up as the invaders advanced, it wasn't what she had seen herself doing. She should have been out solving crimes, not perpetrating them, shaking off the thought, she returned her focus to the job at hand.
Between my slicing and Deurr's explosives we should be able to disable the mainframe. If you three want to hole up at the freighter, that's fine. But I'm no tactician. Just a doctor with a big gun. While she waits on the decision, she drums her fingers nervously along her heavy blaster, and hums tunelessly. She seems nervous.
"It would likely be best leave any slicing to me. I'll explain why when no one's shooting at us." Istara said. She hadn't talked to many people in her short stay on Yavin. Someone was bound to put two and two together and figure out that beautiful blue-eyed blonde who spent a lot of time in the datacenter when she wasn't in the company of one particular fighter pilot was Istara Kandorian. And if the Empire knew that Istara Kandorian was rather more in the Rebellion than a low-level student protester, that could have consequences that she didn't want her father to have to face.
"But... Kay, is it? In any case, you're right, we need to get moving. Come on, K2."
She said, and an R2 droid beeped at her as it rolled behind her.
"It would likely be best leave any slicing to me. I'll explain why when no one's shooting at us."
Viria shrugs. "Whatever you want kid. Let's just get moving. Sooner we're done here, the sooner we can regroup with the Alliance." Viria adjusts her blaster and waits for the team to get moving, then falls in to the rear.
Lia Merridon checks the blaster pistol holstered against her hip, checking to make sure that the energy cell and the tibanna gas canister that fuel the weapon are working correctly. She also checks the stun setting on the weapon, making sure that is disengaged. A lot of trouble could have been averted years before if that action had been a habit back then.
As the group begins to split up, Lia silently stays with the group charged with wiping the base's computers.
__________________ "Sometimes things must be broken in order to be rebuilt." --Sith Proverb.
Since you guys are splitting up, going to arbitrarily label the two groups for my own ease here. Interior and Exterior are what I'll use for now. Hopefully that's self-explanatory enough.
Interior Group
It took some time to reach the exit corridor from the main hangar, due to just how large the place was...especially being so empty. The corridor itself was mostly empty, the stone walls angled inwards slightly, making it slightly cramped to go along with the ancient feeling to the entire place.
At the end of the corridor, still somewhat distant but easy to spot due to the contrasting colours, were bodies. From the grey colour of them, they were likely not Stormtroopers or Imperial troops at all, but Alliance soldiers. There were black splotches across the stone walls near the two junctions, and even more against the two turbolift tubes were most of the bodies were...blaster scoring, likely. There didn't look to be any Imperials immediately in sight, but sounds could be heard...distant, vague, but definitely more sounds that should be heard from an ancient stone temple that was supposed to be evacuated.
"Sithspit." Kay cursed as she saw the bodies. "It looks like its going to be a race, and I'm not sure that they didn't start first. The only way to erase the data is going to be erasing the equiment itself...permanently." Looking to Istara...at least that was what she thought the other woman's name was, Kay offered "There is still enough time for you two to catch up to the other group if you'd rather. I don't think your slicing skills will be as useful as we imagined."
"The comm room is the quickest way to the data room. I'll open the door and pitch a stun grenade in to catch anyone waiting for us. Use that time to knock down anyone still standing. After that its just across the hall and we can take out the hard drives with grenades or explosives. Once that job is done we proceed out by the rear hangar into the jungle for pickup." the Corellian woman says, sounding all business and seriousness despite her youth. As she approaches the junction that would take them to the comm center and briefing room she points to Duerr and Viria and points to the left side of the corridor, to cover the left passage, and she indicates Lia should help her cover the right. If Istara was staying she could keep a watch towards the lifts while the others checked the side paths.
"Sithspit." Kay cursed as she saw the bodies. "It looks like its going to be a race, and I'm not sure that they didn't start first. The only way to erase the data is going to be erasing the equiment itself...permanently." Looking to Istara...at least that was what she thought the other woman's name was, Kay offered "There is still enough time for you two to catch up to the other group if you'd rather. I don't think your slicing skills will be as useful as we imagined."
"You can't spare someone to escort me, and no one who's not a heavy trooper should be trying to make her way through this mess alone." Istara said. "I'll be all right. I built a little something special into my pistol." As long as they didn't ask her how likely it was that she'd hit anything...
Which wasn't being fair to herself. She graded out as a very skilled amateur on a targetting range or against remotes. But that was all she'd ever shot at.
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