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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Smeege The Mighty" data-source="post: 1347748" data-attributes="member: 13909">Rescue Ops Pt. ITheir hyperspace journey back to the asteroid base was uneventful, other than Bondo's incessant chattering.  He fluctuated between expressing his eternal gratitude for his rescue and wailing his ruination as a merchant.  The crew was grateful he decided to see to his ware's proper disposition.  They were surprised when they were greeted at the ship's ramp by the base commander.Tek cocked his helmet to one side.  "Odd you should greet us personally, Major Loel.  Clearly, you have more important things to do than help us unload crates of medical supplies.""Well, Fortwun, we have a problem.  Ai'den was supposed to be back from her reconnaissance mission by now.  She and her pilot were checking out rumors of a new Imperial outpost, and they're almost a week overdue.  I need you to head to the Betonda system, near Sullust.  That's where we sent her.""Well, I guess a shower and a fresh set of clothes is out of the question,"  Impella sighed.  "Let's get back to it."Kade about-faced back up the ramp.  "I'll fire the engines back up."*****Betonda V was the only planet in the system that wasn't a barren rock.  Over two-thirds ocean, the three major continents were covered in thick forest.  Without a local civilization, it was easy for them to spot the blockish duracrete building and the wreckage of a shuttle craft from orbit.  Deciding to investigate the apparent crash site first, the Screaming Mynock set down in the artificially enlarged clearing.  A quick search revealed no survivors, nor victims.  Tek's experienced eyes noticed something unexpected in the debris pattern.  "This shuttle did not crash and was not destroyed by an outside force.  It appears to have blown up from the inside, after it landed.   Perhaps some form of self-destruct mechanism."Kade scratched her head.  "That doesn't make sense.  No signs of battle, no Imperials around.  Why blow up the ship?"Cole brushed dust and ash off his knees.  His search for salvageable equipment from the shuttle had proved fruitless.  “Well, we won’t find any answers here.  Check out the base?”*****Even if it wasn’t the only man-made structure on the planet, even if it wasn’t fashioned of featureless grey duracrete, the building all but screamed “Imperial.”    A well-worn path lead around the building, an obvious patrol route.  Even as they discussed how to gain access, a stormtrooper stepped around the corner.  Judging by the lazy way he carried his blaster rifle, he wasn’t expecting trouble.  He was quick to react, however, when he caught a reflection from Cole’s blaster scope from behind a shrub.  He lowered his blaster and shouted, “You there!  What are you doing?” before a bolt from Tek’s rifle took him in the chest, dropping him instantly.</blockquote>

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