"Spook"'s page

As much as I like the game and the characters, I wouldn't want to try and take this on. I'm already running one homebrew Star Wars game along with several other campaigns.

Oof, I feel you there. I've had a number of computers crap out on me at bad times, and I've had worse luck with the things than most people I know. Glad to hear it's sorted out, though.

When the scream echoes out and Myralda lurches forward, Spook quickly swings his gaze over his shoulder to the front of the group, his blaster on a swivel with his line of sight. Knowing that seconds are often the difference between life and death, especially with the kind of injuries that lead to a scream like that, he doesn't wait for information on the situation, and just makes for the corner to get eyes on the target and do what he can.

No problems on that, GM. We can always wait a few days if need be!

"If there's life forms, stay cautious," Spook concurs. "Usually I take point, but in close quarters like this, I'd say Fifty-One should do it. I'll serve rear vanguard." He also has his blaster in hand, although his finger is off the trigger--for now. "Let's keep quiet and see what's what before we decide peace or violence."

Spook finishes gathering the gear from his comrades and gives the corpses a quick salute. He then turns to regard the others. "Much as this ship does serve well in the vacuum of space and hyperspace travel, the structural integrity's obviously been compromised. Snow will only do so much to keep this thing insulated, and without diagnostics of how systems are holding up, I don't like taking my chances spending more time in here than we need to." He looks back to the troopers and forward toward the cockpit. "Frankly, none of this makes much sense, and I expect if the ship were gonna blow it would've done it already, but we can't worry about that right now. Surviving hostile environments, especially uncivilized ones, is my job, and I think if there's a cave--especially nearby--we should salvage what we can and move there."

He sighs and throws a utility belt over his shoulder. "I think we've already about covered step one. Let's get a move on and see if we can't get set up and try to signal someone. Fifty-one saw a speeder, so there must be somebody around. We can try to flag them down with a signal, or maybe one of Eighty-three's specialties." He turns to Myralda. "Of course, it is your call, Commander."

Spook too is briefly surprised--well, more intrigued--by the Jedi's practicality. He certainly supports it, though, and nods directly at her. The helmet blocks his face from view, but it's still possible to give the sense of eye contact. "Roger that, ma'am."

The trooper sets to work alongside the others, going over their comrades' belongings for anything still working and useful. Breaker is most interested in explosives; Spook appreciates even the simpler things, from obvious necessities like food and comms to even spare power packs. You never know when you'll need a spare, and his own recharger--a supplement to his standard gear that he never goes without--still only lasts so long.

He looks up when Myralda asks about the droid, and thinks back. "We would've spotted it on takeoff if it was already on the LAAT. It either happened to hit us in hyperspace, or maybe latched on before we got up to speed." He pulls something from a pack, examines it, and turns to look at Rima. "I'm no great pilot, but from my understanding, it's more likely it hopped a ride."

Spook has a pre-combat process that combines elements from Breaker and, ironically, BX-F1. First he systematically goes through all of his equipment, stripping and cleaning his blasters and double-checking all of his other gear as well. When everything is fully in order, he stows it back to readiness and leans back, ready to doze before the mission. Rest is important, and taking care of your equipment comes second only to taking care of yourself.

When things go haywire, Spook wakes up along with the others and instantly secures himself in place. When the other troopers get up, he tries calling to them--"Strap in, you idiots!"--but it's too late, and he can only watch as more and more of the team is killed in mere moments, his clone brothers, different as they may be, suffering an ignominious death in the midst of space. He's far from losing his head, though: now it's his job to make sure someone's alive to mourn their loss. So thinking, he stays strapped in and breathes steadily as the ship spirals out of control and smashes into the frozen white planet.

46 doesn't come to until some of the others do, but once movement starts he snaps to quickly. He nods at Holliday's comment and checks on Rima first--she seems fine given her quick commenting--and he double-checks the troopers, unsurprised to find them dead to a man, although the amount of freezing is curious. It's grim, but there is still a job to do--even if that job is simply surviving.

The ARC moves to the opening, his rifle in hand, and he brings his free hand up as the snow and wind blusters in. He quickly grabs his field kit from the storage under his seat and pulls out the cloak inside. "This slag is why I pack for anything," he grumbles, glancing over at the outside. "They say you're going to Bespin, so why bring a field kit? But then you end up stuck on a damn frozen rock, and you're glad you thought to bring a sunshield and rations." He slings the pack over his back, along with his medical kit and other equipment, but he leaves the jetpack--with such limited fuel, it's nothing but extra bulk.

"Fifty-one," he says, opening up his helmet's internal commlink once Breaker's done the same. "Give us a general sitrep too, and tell me you can see something other than snow."

Spook nods. "I don't doubt the Jedi can take care of it, but it doesn't hurt to prepare. Usually, it hurts not to." 46, the others know, is a very firm believer in one of the clones' core tenets: Take care of your equipment, and your equipment will take care of you. It's the reason that even though this mission will be in an urban environment on a gas giant, Spook will be bringing along a field kit for wilderness survival. Ever since being stranded planetside, he's had a touch of preparation paranoia--wanting to be ready for anything.

"Jet packs and ascension modules aren't a bad idea, either. I didn't realize we'd be having RIS on the mission. She raised some good points, though."

Spook is also surprised to hear that Rima is RIS, although it doesn't show--the benefits of a full-face helmet. He nods at Myralda's assignment as team leader, having expected it the whole time, and turns slightly as Breaker asks Holliday about jet packs. "They aren't that difficult to operate, right? Probably better to have one just in case." He glances at the model on the back of the other ARC. "They are pretty damn bulky, though."

Spook nods at Myralda without further question or comment. Just as the Miraluka knows the aptitude of clones, Spook understands the capabilities of a trained Jedi Knight. If she says she can take care of it, she can. End of debate.

Another debate is starting, though, and Spook holds off for a moment as Breaker makes his opinion clear. 83 had a special place in his heart reserved for droids--not a very nice place, either. Still, it came down to the mercenary to point out the situation, and that was enough to make Spook speak up. "Breaker, that's enough. If we have a droid on the team, I'd rather have one that can think for itself instead of blindly follow orders. I think we can all appreciate that." He turns to BX-F1. "As for you, 'this clone' has been in service as long as any of us, and we're all still worth a thousand droids or more in the field. Chalk his wariness up to being shot at by a few too many that looked like you." He folds his arms. "And I think you'll find that 'mental degradation' isn't part of our skillset."

Spook stands silent through the briefing, taking note of the others without outwardly moving. Breaker and Holliday he knew, of course--all the ARCs knew each other to some extent, and the three of them had worked together before. They were good men to have on a team, and the three supported one another, their strengths branching into different directions to make them a devastating fireteam. The Zeltron struck as undisciplined, and with the outfit, Spook guesses she's a mercenary. The droid... if it's truly repurposed, it shouldn't be an issue, but Breaker would see to that. And of course, the Jedi--she could be trusted.

When the second round of questions starts, Spook waits for some of the others to speak up and be answered before putting forward his own. "Sir, forgive my asking, but you said we believe the Seps' setup is designed to make us attack both places at once. Doesn't that mean we're playing into their hands?" He cocks his head after a moment. "Although a team with ARCs and a Jedi on one side, and a team of RCs on the other... That'll put a dent in anyone's operation."

He hooks a thumb at BX-F1. "And if what he says is true, I could use some stun grenades. Usually my job isn't on the 'bring them in alive' vein."

I took High Galactic because I wasn't sure what else to go with, but Mando'a makes sense. I'll swap to that, assuming it's okay with the GM.

Hey GM, is it okay if I shuffle a feat? I'd like to drop Martial Arts II and pick up Sniper to emphasize Spook's role as a sharpshooter.

Trooper A-46 snaps a quick to-attention when he enters the room, in deference to Commander Husk and the Jedi General present--he also nods to Myralda, assuming that she holds a similar position if not the same precise rank. The clone is wearing a curious armor that appears a cross between that of an ARC trooper and something more akin to the clone commandos' armor. It looks to be made of an odd material that doesn't seem to reflect light so much as warp it, giving it an odd color and visual texture. As with all the clones, he's of a uniform height (disregarding small discrepancies due to precise armor specifications), and is armed as always, with a pistol on his hip and a rifle at ready on a sling.

"Sounds like another day in the Grand Army," the clone comments. His nearly flippant tone cements his position as a free-will ARC if there was any doubt remaining. "With all due respect, though, is it wise to send a commando team in alongside our own? This is gonna be tricky enough without added potential for complications." After a split-second too long he glances at the commandos. "No offense."

Trooper A-46 reporting for duty, sir. And I even found a decent avatar picture, at least for when his helmet's off. There are a couple others that are close enough to work for a clone trooper, too (mostly male human fighters, if the other ARCs are having any trouble).

I don't know about the others, but I'll try and start putting together a more complete backstory in the coming days as I have free time and adding it to the profile.