Chapter 31: Cleaning up
34 BBY (Before Battle of Yavin) - 2 Years before Canon
Sector/System: Bandomeer
Location: Bandomeer Planetside - outside 'Meerian Ionite Ventures'
Just as Alpha was done clearing their ship and Bravo started dealing with the explosives on the cages and slaves, on the third and last ship, Deathwatch stood in the cargo hold of an empty ship.
"You sure about this?" the leader of the Deathwatch group questioned
"Yes, sir, this stuff is highly explosive, and the timer is likely running out, it's going up and down like crazy, no time to deal with it." a trooper said
"No other choice left, Move it, boys!" the leader ordered
'Fucking Ionite messing with timers, I hope we can get safely away before the thing shows zero for a second.' the leader thought watching all his men rush back towards the ramp.
[When you get outside, jetpack away!] the leader yelled over the coms
Just when he used his jetpack and was about thirty meters away from the ship, he and the few troopers in front of him were flung away and pushed forward into a dune, making them roll uncontrollably backward again.
[...R-report… *cough*] The leader got out feeling dizzy and seeing stars in his vision but got no response. At that moment, he flopped onto his back in defeat, thinking all was lost. While looking at the sky, just when he wanted to close his eyes, voices were heard coming closer.
— — — — —
"Man, that was some blast, alright. Thought that blasted timer would never go off." a Human man said, whistling through his teeth and looking at the large plume of black smoke near the burning wreck of the ship
"Ionite does that moron, it messes with clocks and what is a timer? You got it, it is a type of clock." another Human said sarcastically, waving his hand at the others.
"Quiet fool, check for survivors, then kill them and grab their gear. We will walk away from the mine and call in a pickup." a Zabrak growled at them, kicking a Rodian that was next to him between the two humans toward the downed Deathwatch troops.
"Oof, no need to do that, I can walk just fine!" the Rodian yelled at the Zabrak, who snarled at him, making him flinch and get to work.
"OH! This one's alive!" the Rodian yelled when a gruff voice spoke up.
"Yea, but not you." the Deathwatch leader said shooting him in the head and activating his flamer on his other hand, which had lost his blaster aiming at the other pirates.
A large plume of orange flames spewed forth from the wrist-mounted flamer, straight onto the two pirate humans.
"ARGH!!" the two Humans screamed in pain, flailing their arms around and jumping in place in a weird dance of pain and fear after getting the full brunt of the flames.
During this, the Zabrak was looking at the burning Humans, till he felt a stinging pain in his stomach.
"*cough* How… a-are you a-alive?" the Zabrak whispered, dropping to his knees after getting shot, looking in shock at the Deathwatch captain
"No need to know." the Deathwatch leader said, shooting the Zabrak in the head when more people started showing up.
"*cough* not good, moved too much." the man said, dropping to one knee
'The painkillers and adrenaline are starting to work, need to deal with them asap and check on my men.' he thought, looking at his two downed teams
When he got back up on shaky legs and aimed his remaining pistol toward the incoming group, another voice was heard yelling at full blast.
"HAVE NO FEAR! FOR I AM HERE!" A man was heard yelling
'What in the ancestor's name?' the Deathwatch leader thought, watching a fellow Mandalorian appear next to him, landing after using a jetpack and giving him a thumbs up.
Just when the man looked at the newcomer, he heard the echoing sound of a sniper firing, followed by multiple blasters going off in quick succession. Due to this surprise and shock, he watched as some of the new group fell down the dune they had stood on top of just before, with smoke rising from parts of their bodies.
"Good, your suit is still fine, evac is inbound, so I'll help you check on your boys." the newcomer quickly said before moving to the closest trooper on the ground.
'Never thought I would be glad for surprised reinforcements, time to check on my men.' The captain slowly wobbled towards his downed men.
— — — — —
While the final cleanup and subsequent evacuation were ongoing outside the mines, the cleanup of Jack and his men inside the mines made some remarkable quick progress, albeit not in the way they had anticipated.
In the back of the group, part of 'Team 3', two troopers were talking among themselves.
"Man, those guys do know how to run. We are already at 'level 7', and still, they keep running with more joining in." Jack heard a trooper mumble
"I know, right? We have encountered multiple Meerians but not a single pirate, beyond seeing those running away, followed by the others." another trooper was heard saying.
"Better for us this way, we can make some good progress like this and not have to worry about the Meerian miners… well, more than normal, I guess." the first trooper said with a shrug.
[Pay attention, we are about to enter 'Level 8', and since we know that 'Level 9', where the two other Jedi are, is closed off, expect a big fight.] Jack was heard over the coms
This shut the talking troopers up and made them look up at a green-colored helmet, which was looking their way, making them pay attention again.
[The map shows that 'Level 8' is rather large in terms of space covered in all directions, which also includes the height and depth of multiple levels, like we had at 'Level 3' before. We will split up into three groups and regroup at this opening. Make sure to pay attention to all areas and any rooms and doors you come across.] Jack told them
[Wolf will take the right-hand side together with Jedi Master Shaak Ti and Rin, Hound will take the left-hand side with Sera, and Jedi Master Gallia will follow me and 'Team 3' after all you have so little to do, it seems you volunteered for the rest of your group for points-man positions.] Jack said the last part in a dry tone of voice while looking at the two former talking troopers.
The two troopers in question, who had been speaking, looked at each other, shook their heads, and walked forward to take the point, weapons drawn.
— — — — —
Jack's POV:
Sigh, still need to figure out a name for this last group, at least with what is to come, they have a chance to earn a name.
I mean, 'Team 3' is loud and clear, but it's just so generic. Oh well, depending on how they perform and survive to the end of this campaign, they might just stay as they are and become guards back at the clan.
While waiting, I watched the others move aside, checking their gear and supplies. Then looked at 'Team 3' doing the same, seeing some of them have these small twitches of their bodies here and there, it looks like these guys were rookies, never been in a real big fight alone.
I never noticed before, after all, they were in the back all the time and Wolf and Hound did all the work, guess I'll have to make up the slack and leave some scraps for them or just watch them burn and bail them out… 'sigh'... I have my work cut out for me.
Let's try not to do it unless truly needed.
"Looks like everyone is ready. Move Out!" I gave the signal and saw everyone go their separate ways.
As I gave the order, I watched my team with the two-point men go into the central pathway, followed by the others doing the same with their paths.
From what we could see when we arrived, it would take at least a few hours to get to the bottom unless we skipped everything and used jetpacks to go down. I know the Jedi can jump from road to road or use the walls and the force, whatever, to get to the floor safely.
I would rather not have anything unchecked in the back, it would be a good way to get killed or fall into a trap, or worse, get stuck without a way back up.
While I walked in the back, I watched them slowly clear a few open rooms and check the doorways for traps like pressure plates, trip wires, and explosives before moving in and doing the same, but room-wide.
'They are rather slow, this will take a while.' I thought, shaking my head slightly
Specifically, when I had already gotten a report stating that both other teams were making good progress, followed by shooting, I guess that is the difference between always being in the fight groups and freshly trained rookies.
— — — — —
Jedi Master Shaak Ti POV:
Following this group named 'Wolf', I'm not too sure what to feel. They are professional and disciplined, but something is making me uneasy, yet I can't place the feeling. Is it dread, fear, nervousness, or something else?
While I felt whatever this feeling was, I watched as 'Wolf' arrived at the first room's door on this rightmost path.
And just as quickly as we arrived, they went in and out over to the next door. I saw them do this in morbid silence, not even a sound while walking.
Even though I wanted to ask questions about how they do it, I knew better. They moved like proficient hunters like us, Togruta, back home, where a slight sound could cause the prey to run or you to turn into prey instead.
Even though their efficiency was morbidly intriguing to me, I knew not to interrupt. And not because of the Brown Armored warrior behind me, with pistols in hand, ready to shoot me in the back if I try anything against them.
And just like that, while I watched, they had already finished checking five rooms, when the leading trooper raised his fist, letting me know silence would no longer be an option.
Watching what I think is 'Wolf 1' might be another, though, switch from the fist to two fingers left and three right.
Again, before I could think or ask, I watched the five-man group split into a three-man team to the right and two to the left.
Sera's POV:
Out of everything to expect with this Jedi around, I never anticipated her to be walking just as silently as us. She most definitely has experience either in hunting or infiltration.
She is a Jedi, so Hunting has to be out after all they collect children, mainly babies, for their little order.
So I guess infiltration is left… do they have hobbies like hunting for sport? If so, it might make more sense that she learned the Togruta silent hunting ways.
While I was talking to myself, my radio went off as I watched a balled fist from the 'Wolf' in the lead.
[Movement on both sides, two left and three right.]
[Roger] x4
A short talk, but enough to be informed.
And just as quickly, the team split into two groups, the doors were opened up, and they started shooting.
[Left Clear] 'Wolf 4' reported, judging from the markings on his shoulder
[Right Clear] 'Wolf 2' reported judging from the markings on his shoulder
Before I even got to enter one of the rooms, both teams came out again, nodded, and moved to the next room, just when we heard shooting from another area behind us.
Passing the rooms, I noticed both rooms had two dead men on the ground, all Rodian.
[Chief, seven rooms cleared, four enemies killed.] I quickly reported to Jack, just as Wolf continued moving on.
Rin with team 'Hound':
Watching them go around the rooms is fun and all, but why could I not have that little Jedi around? Could have done some things to warm her up, maybe inject a little something into her so the boss would have to do some fun stuff…
Thinking about it, I guess it is better this way, the boss must have expected something, so he sent me alone with Hound.
But what am I to do here? 'Hound' is more than capable. Am so bored…
[Movement straight ahead, doors about to open.] And just as I heard this over the radio, the door in front of us dividing the hallway opened up.
And I started shooting, followed up by the team.
[Finally, some fun… bit short though, oh yeah all rooms clear just passed the divider in the hallway… ehm… boss-man five enemies down.]
All I got was a click of received, and all I heard was a lot of shooting and some small explosions.
It seems the boss-man is a little busy over there.