A three day pass is nothing to sniff at. Call smiled when Katarn mentioned boarding parties and parties with the Emperor; he'd much rather be part of a boarding party...
First stop was his quarters for a shower and a change of clothing, then a trip to the military barber for a shave and haircut. Then off to pick up a gift for his Seargeant: a custom sidearm engraved with her initials and embossed with chrome. Then a check on the duty roster to see where the lovely Ms Garo is stationed, then off to her quarters to await her return.
Of course, the next few days are the sort of thing a gentleman doesn't brag about, long "naps" punctuated by trips to the firing range to try out the new sidearm. Finally, after much restorative time off, back to the base to attend combat first aid refresher courses.
Sho slips quietly to his apartment. The words of the Vigo still scream in his ears. The kensae elects to commune with the Force to see if there are answers.
Urirawa finds his climbing sessions extremely therapeutic, especially after meeting up with Tyvokka. The Wookiees, uncle and nephew, race each other up the sides of dozens of buildings. Tyvokka wins more often because of his ample use of the Force and his greater climbing experience, but Urirawa wins a few times as well.
At the top of one of the buildings, the two sit on a ledge, sharing a fine Wroshyr drink. Tyvokka looks at his nephew and asks, "Arooooagha Kashyyyk rrraaaaaghhoooooa? Arrrrarrrrr urrrnnngh."
======================================================================
Lying in bed with the freshly-healed Sergeant Garo, Krassus is fairly pleased with himself. She greatly enjoyed his present, and he greatly enjoyed her gratitude. Having regaled her with the semi-classified version of events of the last few weeks, Call is startled out of being half-asleep when she drops a huge question on him. "Call, what do you want to do when the war is over? As much as I love the service, I don't see myself doing this forever. I want us to have a future that doesn't start and finish with blasterfire and grenades."
======================================================================
Sho sits cross-legged, meditating on the Force. The combat has honed his skills with the Force in a way that lessons and philosophies never did. Reaching into the Force is easier than ever, though its lessons were still as cryptic as ever. Whenever he presses his consciousness to the question, he comes to the same vision: a cloaked and hooded figure with ancient red eyes shining out of blackness. The malevolence of the figure in the vision is clear and absolute, nothing like anything Sho has seen before.
With a sudden start, he emerges from his vision with the awareness that someone is knocking on his door.
Call resists his first urge to bolt when Garo drops the committment/future bomb. He pauses for a moment. "I don't know. I guess I'd enjoy starting a life somewhere, like my Uncles did. Take a piece of land and turn it into a home. How 'bout you?"
Edala grins when Call doesn't exit her quarters. "Yeah, I could do that. Just not on Tattooine. Maybe someplace like Naboo. It looked beautiful on the holo I just watched about the Emperor and his wife. Have you seen it yet?" She excitedly gives a recap of the entire holo, though most of it seems to be a faithful rendition of the Emperor's early days. "It starts with him on Tattooine as a slave, winning his own freedom in a podracing tournament, then joining the Jedi. Despite the Jedi council forbidding it, he falls in love with Padme on Naboo and marries her in secret. It was really romantic. Amidst the Clone War, he discovers Palpatine's treachery, for which the Chancellor sends Darth Vader after him. They portrayed Vader as a semi-mute Zabrak with crazy tattoos, which I thought was a little much. I mean, Vader must have had a past, right? I guess they didn't want to get too edgy and tick the Emperor off. At least they didn't go with the 'Kenobi was Vader' conspiracy theory. Anyway, Vader kills his best friend and then kills his wife right after the gave birth to the Prince and Princess. The Emperor beats Vader and throws him into a lava pit, then goes after Palpatine... It was a really good holo."
Call swallows hard when Edala starts describing the bioholo of the Emperor's life. Clearly she's got a slight case of hero worship. "No, maybe we can see it together when I get back off duty next time? Oh, poodoo! I have to report back in a half hour! I'm sorry, love, I've got to go!" With a kiss and a promise to call, Call gets his gear and heads out of the suddenly very uncomfortable room...
Sho reaches out with his senses, feeling for who is on the other side of the door.
Urirawa finds his climbing sessions extremely therapeutic, especially after meeting up with Tyvokka. The Wookiees, uncle and nephew, race each other up the sides of dozens of buildings. Tyvokka wins more often because of his ample use of the Force and his greater climbing experience, but Urirawa wins a few times as well.
At the top of one of the buildings, the two sit on a ledge, sharing a fine Wroshyr drink. Tyvokka looks at his nephew and asks, "Arooooagha Kashyyyk rrraaaaaghhoooooa? Arrrrarrrrr urrrnnngh."
** spoiler omitted **
Urirawa thinks hard on how to put his feelings into words. It was far more difficult then in other languages because Shyriiwook originally never had a word or concept for being outside of the Wroshyr. The Wroshyr were everywhere and everything to the Wookiee. It was only after they joined the Old Republic did they have to try and develop an understanding that existed beyond the Wroshyr.
This is where the elders had come to understanding of the wind that flowed through the leaves of the Wroshyr and brought word from far away to the trees. It was the wind that linked all the Wroshyr and all the Wookiee. This connection of wind and connection to all was why in Shyriiwook the word Wind was used for the Jedi's understanding of the Force.
'uiiu gh irawwa hrr irtyuv vv ghr b n...'
'It is complicated. I do miss the Wroshyr. I miss my family.'
'Yet, this is important what I do.'
'I could serve on Kashyyyk but it would not be the same as serving here. I've done good here. I've made a difference.'
'The Wroshyr is vast so I'm sure I would have a place on Kashyyyk but it would not be the same.'
'The Wind knows. It carries my story home.'
'I also carry my Father's blade. It tells me that I am always in their tree and there is always a place to nest.'
'Someday the Wroshyr of Kashyyyk will be my ever home. If not in body then the wind will bring my spirit home. Till then the Emperor's Wroshyr provides the life blood to feed me. I share the branches with my nest brothers even if they climb like banthas.'
Raal salutes before exiting the briefing room and heading to the kensae temple for his room. Once there he disrobes and sets to cleaninghis gear for storage, patching and cleaning his uniform and armor.
After he is done he will head to the meditation chambers and center his mind performing a move object training teqnique using his own and DeWry's lightsaber, holding them in orbit around himself.
Outside Sho Larn's room, he senses a figure, but cannot get a grasp of his Force aura. It seems that whoever knocked is pressing his aura down, minimizing it in the Force. Many Kensae do this instinctively, but few do it so well.
Outside Sho Larn's room, he senses a figure, but cannot get a grasp of his Force aura. It seems that whoever knocked is pressing his aura down, minimizing it in the Force. Many Kensae do this instinctively, but few do it so well.
Sho stands to the side of the door and asks, "Who is at my door?"
Ever since the fight with the Vigo, Sho has been on edge. It is unusual for him, in the comfort of his home, to be so paranoid, but he couldn't shake it. He was hoping communing with the Force would provide answers.
A female voice comes through the door. "A friend. Someone who arranged a recent bid in an auction for you. May I come in?"
A female voice comes through the door. "A friend. Someone who arranged a recent bid in an auction for you. May I come in?"
Puzzled but curious, Sho opens the door. This is a story he just had to hear.
Sho Larn opens the door, revealing a human female. By human standards, she is beautiful: long red hair, nice figure, symmetrical features, and the attractive look of a young woman of maybe 20. She smiles as Sho opens the door, offering her hand. Sho notices her Kensae uniform and lightsaber, identifying her as an ally. "Mara Jade. May I come in?"
Inside the apartment, she turns to adress him. "Let me get straight to the point. It was us who monitored your mission to Ord Mantell and made sure you weren't infected by the biotoxin. You're welcome. I represent a group of like-minded Kensae. We came to the realization that the Emperor cannot always do what must be done for the good of the Empire. We call ourselves the Emperor's Hands, and we do what is necessary. Are you, Sho Larn, willing to make such a sacrifice for the Empire?"
"Greetings Mara Jade. I would likewise introduce myself but I believe you know as much about me as I do, seeing as you had my biometrics available."
Sho listened intently. "Surely, if you are acting in the Emperor's name, this group is a branch of the military or some other branch of Imperial government? It is fully sanctioned as well? If so, I would be interested in learning more before forming my opinion. If this is a rogue group with their own vision and initiatives, then I am likely to decline."
Duty was duty. Honor was honor. This group sounded like it was on the fringe of being neither. Sho was young and somewhat naive, simply due to a lack of experiences. He was not, however, foolish or rash. He was trying to be political and find out more without being accusatory or dismissing the offer outright. This bore more scrutiny.
She pauses before answering. "We are, in a matter of speaking, sanctioned. Most are unaware of our existence, a necessity of the nature of our tasks. The leadership of the Kensae knows of us, though they turn a blind eye. We do what is necessary, outside the scope of the normal chain of command, but we are far from rogue."
"We do what must be done. For instance, the Black Sun's financial software is second to none. There would have been no way to enter a false bid in the auction. In order to save your life and to obtain the biotoxin, we had to provide quite a bit of money to an illegal organization, one that is quite hostile to the Empire. Had Imperial Intelligence even known of the failsafe, they would have been unable by law to enter such a bid, even if it meant losing you. We have a number of operatives in deep cover, so we became aware and stepped in."
She pauses before answering. "We are, in a matter of speaking, sanctioned. Most are unaware of our existence, a necessity of the nature of our tasks. The leadership of the Kensae knows of us, though they turn a blind eye. We do what is necessary, outside the scope of the normal chain of command, but we are far from rogue."
"I have two questions. First, why hide such an important organization such as this? If it is indeed sanctioned, then would I be transferred from my current unit into another?
"Second, why me? Surely there are others who are more experienced. More qualified." Sho considers the fact that he is 'green' may have been why he was approached. Many 'cults' target naive youth who are bent on an ideal but not wise enough to know the difference between right and wrong.
Sho felt within himself, assisted by the Force. If he were to join, would that be a good thing?
She considers his question, thoughtfully answering him. "We aren't a distinct unit, nor a particularly formal one. You've got to understand, some of what we do would be condemned by the politicians who have their own best interests at heart, not those of the Empire. Imagine the fallout if they learned that we paid the Black Sun millions of credits. We contribute to the stability of the Empire when its very laws would undermine them. Palpatine hid behind laws and bureaucracy, destroying the Republic in the process. We stand in the way of such things. Your loyalty must be to the Emperor and the Empire first, the law second."
The Force is quiet, offering little guidance beyond verifying that Mara is telling the truth. She truly believes her words without guile or deceit.
"You were chosen because you have potential. The Emperor's Hands see great things in your future. You don't have to join us now, just be aware of us and that we are watching you."
Sho nods his head in acceptance of what Mara had to say.
"Mara Jade, you have given me a great deal to think about. My loyalty is now, and always has been to the Emperor and the Empire. My understanding up until we had this conversation was that the Emperor and the Empire equalled the law. I never saw a distinction between the two. Until now. I see your points. Let me meditate on it and I will let you know when I am ready." offers Sho.
Sho has always seen the Empire and the law as black and white. This is very gray. It was hard to comprehend for such a linear thinker.
"If I am to reach you, how may I contact you?"
She smiles as she leaves. "We'll keep an eye on you. If you need us, just come find me. I'm assigned to the new protective detail to the Prince." She exits the apartment, disappearing quickly into the busy Coruscant crowd.
The two Kensae and two corporals sit in the briefing room, waiting on Lieutenant Katarn. Their previous dealing with him had shown him to be prompt and efficient, but he is nowhere to be found. Ten minutes after their scheduled meeting time of 1200 hours, Katarn enters the room. "I apologize for being late, but we had an emergency meeting." He clicks a button, projecting a hologram of a planet, one that is mostly green and dotted with a few lakes. He zooms in on an urban area near the planet's equator. "At 0500 hours this morning, a team of Kensae infiltrated a laboratory on Falleen based on the intelligence from your prisoner. They sought to find and eliminate the biotoxin research lab, take the scientists into custody, and destroy all trace of the biotoxin and related research. At 0618 hours, we received word from the team that they had been successful, but advised that there was a complication. Apparently a Black Sun Vigo and member of a minor Falleen noble family, King Haxim, released an untested biological agent during the assault. We believe that this agent was a rapid-acting flesh-eating bacteria, as we began to receive quite a bit of radio traffic to that effect from the ground. By the estimates of our scientists, it would take between 30 minutes and 2 hours to kill anyone exposed to it."
He zooms in further, showing the city in its current form: razed nearly to glass. "Our scientists projected that the bacteria, based on the information we were receiving, would kill the population of the entire planet in a matter of days. During the discussion of what to do, several of the Emperor's advisors suggested the total destruction of the planet to prevent the spread of the bacteria on any outbound ships. The Emperor was faced with an impossible decision, but then this happened." He displays the intact city on the hologram, a recording from earlier in the day. With a bright flash, the picture is replaced by the sight of a devastated ruin. "At 0701 hours, the city's fusion core detonated. The initial estimate of the casualties are north of 200,000. Pretty much anything within 40 kilometers of the core was vaporized, including the entire possible spread vector of the bacteria." He pauses for a moment, letting it set in.
"Master Ranik Solusar and Kensae Vess Kogo led the team, which we believe to have been killed in the blast. However, Imperial Intelligence believes that one of the ships owned by Haxim, the XTS-4871a, left with a shipment of the biotoxin just before our team's arrival. They predict that it will be somewhere in the Hydian Way. You, along with several other teams, will be placed in key points through the hyperspace lane. If the target vessel is intercepted in your zone of responsibility, you are to board it, retrieve the biotoxin, and destroy the ship on your way out. You leave as soon as possible. I know this is a lot to take in, but do you have any questions?"
Sho takes the news with a grimace. He knew of those kensae. This devastation was surreal. Was it always this way - good fighting evil constantly with the fate of the universe ever in the balance?
Sho cleared his mind of distraction and continued. "What is the crew complement of the ship? What are we to expect once aboard with regard to enemy capabilities?"
Urirawa gives a moan and the lost of life on the planet. A number like 200,000 civilians was a phenomenal number to the long lived wookiees that spent much of their life in less dense forest communities.
Call nods grimly at the news. At least the meltdown was fortuitous enough to prevent anyone having to give the order to destroy the planet. He understood it would be difficult, the sort of thing that weighed on a man. It was times like these that he was happy to be the sort who followed orders, instead of the type who gave them.
Call sits quietly through the briefing. He allows himself a moment to reflect on that boarding party that seems so long ago. It seems like he's come a long way from that young pup he was...
Katarn replies to Sho Larn's question as best he can. "We have extremely limited intelligence. We don't know much at all other than its existence. It will be up to the boarding teams to make entry and determine which is the correct vessels. You've shown yourself to be capable and able to make good adaptations, so if you find it, you are to carry out the destruction to the best of your ability."
Katarn claps his hands together. "Okay, let's get a move on. We don't have much time at all. Get to your ship. Anything you need from the armory, they'll try to get to you before liftoff, but they've got a lot of requests to fill right now."
Raal's shock is evident on his face at the news. Such devastation would have riples, it always did. Nothing like the destruction of Alderaan but such things could not be dismissed with such a comparison, it would have ripples.
"The transponder code has been uploded to our ship yes? Also, does XTS-4871a have any known aliases? A visual upload is at least available, yes?" Raal asks hopefully.
Urirawa dons another set of brand new Storm Trooper armour. He is beginning to feel that the Quarter master is giving him dirty looks for repeatedly drawing out fresh armour and returning slag.
'There is a war on Plug. Armour in your size doesn't just get shipped here every day.'
Urirawa does his best to look penitent and adds 4 Frag grenades, 2 Ion grenades, and 2 stun grenades to his equipment harness. He felt really silly having to request in the middle of a mission for Call to supply him because he hadn't bothered to pick up any.
Urirawa then makes sure his tool kits are properly restocked, grapple has a fresh canister, and he has a fresh roll of mesh tape for any binding or a thousand other things. The utility harness gets a going over to make sure the supplies are up to date and anything suspect is changed out.
Urirawa stops and upgrades his computer with the latest in code breaking software that Military Intelligence is willing to issue his machine. There were always several levels of better software but it would meet most of his needs as he wasn't a desk sitting slicer. He just needed an extra way to open doors and shut down systems.
Preped and ready, Urirawa heads to the ship for deployment.
Raal steps up to a computer and sends his request to the quartermaster. Then saluting smartly to Katarn he heads out to get the preflight started.
"Sirs, ready for action. I'm going to catch some shut-eye before we arrive. Wake me if you need me, sirs." In a moment Call is asleep, the blessing of the enlisted man.
The quartermaster of the armory must be getting annoyed with them. An older human male who probably fought in the Clone War as an older recruit, he gripes at them as they requsition another set of items. "What, are you four throwing the explosives out the airlock? When I was a soldier, we got a vibroknife and enough of a charge to fire one shot! We knew how to make it count! You young bucketheads have no subtlety..." Despite his complaints, he hands over their requested arms.
The trip to the Hydian Way is quick and worry-free, a nice change of pace from their usual madness. The interdictor vessel pulls ships from hyperspace and scans them. If it is a possible match, the squad heads in to check closer. So far, they've searched four ships without success. It looks like it will be a long day.
Another ship hits the gravity well, jerked out of hyperspace without warning. Unlike the others, this one doesn't maneuver to dock for the inspection, but rather simply floats aimlessly. The intercom squawks from the interdiction vessel. "Got a possible hit. Our biohazard scans are going off, so suit up in your hazard suits before boarding. They aren't answering hails, but don't seem to be prepping to run either."
Call wakes instantly and begins to suit up in one of the bulky hazard suits. He makes sure that his rifle and backup sidearm are on the outside of his suit.
Urirawa suits up with the bio-hazzard hardware.
'uuRu, yyi tyy rrrk'
'Call, we won the lottery. So, do you think they'll pay us a million credits?'
Urirawa suits up with the bio-hazzard hardware.
'uuRu, yyi tyy rrrk'
** spoiler omitted **
Call smirks through the hazard suit mask. "Definitely, buddy. Of course, we only collect AFTER we live through yet another odds-defying misadventure in space!"
The squad stands in hazard suits at the end of their ship's loading dock. The hydraulics hiss as the seals make contact, latching the Imperial loading ship to what may be the XTS-4871a. The ship remained absolutely still, refusing to acknowledge their hails. The lack of response has the interdictor's crew on edge. The captain of the ship raises them on the comlink. [b]"You're set to make entry. Be careful in there. The shielding limits our communication and scanning ability. I've got a bad feeling about this."
With a pop and a hiss, the hull opens up. Inside the hallway, there is simply darkness. Utterly devoid of even emergency lighting, the ship has an eerie stillness to it. The squad switches on the lights attached to their suits, proving a bit of light about 6 meters ahead. Stepping forward from their ship into the other, they suddenly feel the gravity disappear beneath their feet. Raal and Sho Larn instinctively look ahead with the Force. They are both rocked back by intense Dark Side auras throughout the ship, but none of the normal life that would be found on a vessel of this size. Looking into the ship, even the veteran squad feels intense dread as they realize that it is a vessel of the dead.
Sho prepares to board, feeling especially uneasy. "The Dark Side is strong on this ship." Sho knew that any lengthy dialogue would be wasted on this team. They knew to expect the unexpected and react professionally. It was good to be a part of such a team.
Sho's keen eyesight pierces the gloom as he boards.
Call moves forward as cautiously as the zero gravity allows, using the wall to gain a semblance of solidity. He moves forward, checking the corners and realizing that yes, it's hot in the suit, but it's a dry heat.
Urirawa activates the low light optics of his Stormtrooper helmet system. He then moves out along the opposite wall to Call. Urirawa knew he could trust his battle brother to watch the other side of the corridor.
Activating his hands free com, there was one thing that Urirawa needed to know, 'uuRu ui yykka gv harryyyk'
'Call, does this Bio-Suit make me look fat? We're friends, you can be honest with me.'
Raal quietly follows after Trooper Krassus, keeping his lightsaber in his hands unignited so as not to spoil anyones night-vision. Raals own eyes, blessed with the racial ability to see well in low-light, easely pierce the gloom.
As Urirawa moves to the starboard side of the vessel, he sees that the corridor is lined with several doors, likely leading to sealed containers. The containers, while accessible from inside, are loaded from the exterior of the ship. He looks through the viewport, trying to see what is held inside. He uses his light to see into the container and its contents. At first, it looks largely empty except for a few empty glass cylinders. As he tries to get a better look without having to break any possible quarantine, he is highly startled by a body that floats past the viewport. The Wookiee instinctively leaps back, ryyyk blade in hand, until he is back on the port side bulkhead.
Just as Urirawa hits the bulkhead, something leaps out of the darkness from deeper in the ship, floating into the edge of the light. In the dim light, it looks like a creature from a nightmare. Its black skin seems to be part of the shadows, though its yellow eyes gleam with a malevolent hate. It growls loudly, obviously ready to charge at them, though it appears to be just as uncomfortable in the gravity-free environment as the squad is.
Call Krassus
Creature
Raal
Sho Larn
Urirawa
"Ugly thing, isn't it?" Raal says as he steps forward and ignites his lightsaber. Taking up a postition in front of Cal he invites the creature to come closer.
Call braces himself as best he can, switching his rifle to single shot, and firing at the beast.
Attack:
Damage:
'yyyky tyii gnn rwwww tt ...'
'Sir, could you use your wind to grab a couple of large crates and haul them into the corridor? We could then push them along as a wall in front of us. In the low gravity it should be easy and give us some cover or a barrier to defend or channel attackers.'
Urirawa looks to Sho and holds his action to work with Sho.
Raal could wait all he wanted. With Trooper Krassus's shot sailing straight for the creatures head and taking it of in that one shot, the creature wasn't going to come anywhere near Raal.
Hesitant, Raal grinns hugely and turn to face the troope. "Good shot trooper. Well done."
The nightmarish creature floats eerily in the air, slowly moving backwards. Call's shot blew it nearly in half, leaving the acrid smell of burning flesh that somehow gets through the biohazard suit's filter. They hold onto the bulkheads for a moment, waiting for anything to happen. They are startled by a loud banging that echoes through the vessel, followed by more and more bangs. After a moment, the bangs sound like they are coming from everywhere.
Urirawa hearing the multiple loud banging noises gets a frag grenade ready in his left paw.
Raal adopts a defencive stance and extends his sences to his suroundings, 'They cannot be everywhere, this must be a trick.' he resons. .
Sho nods to the wookiee. "Good idea trooper."
Sho uses the Force to move loose barriers such as crates into their path to be used as cover.
The banging echoes through the ship, accenting how frighteningly quiet the vessel is without the quiet hum of the engines. As abruptly as it began, it ends. The horrific creature floats in midair, its jaw separated and hanging on only by a few untorn muscles. Unmoving, its still form only further underscores the surreal horror of the ship.
Slowly moving forward, the squad sees a terrible sight in the dim light. A crewmember floats dead a few meters from the creature, ripped to shreds by its claws. The man's blood floats around him like a red halo, a fine crimson mist lit by their lights.