Night Patrol (Harukei)

[CaptainBonkers]

There was something about Taris that intrigued Jayec, especially after dark. Perhaps it was the way wilderness had at many places taken completely over the ruins of the once mighty ecumenopolis forming an exhilarating composite landscape that combined some urban elements with wild nature creating a completely unique environment. As a hunter Jayec could appreciate it and could only wonder what manner of beasts lurked in the shadows. Besides of Rakghouls, that was. Jayec had seen those things a couple of times already. Alone they weren't much to look at or even that dangerous for a fully armored Mandalorian warrior but then again the chakaare weren't known for hunting alone. But neither was Jayec and it was a comforting thought, knowing that there was someone to put you down if you got bit by one of the ghoulies.

Jayec's team was holed up in ruin about ten miles from the objective, a Pub dig site with a suspiciously high concentration of Jedi. The records were bit fuzzy on what had been there but there was a high probability that it had been a research facility of kinds or possibly a museum or a private collection of relics. However, what ever it was the enemy was oddly interested of it and that meant that the folks above Jayec in the food chain wanted to know what was so special about it. As far as missions went, this was supposed to be an easy one: go to the location, figure out what they're looking for and haul ass before the Pubs spotted you or the Rakghouls ate you. Simple and easy to remember. But of course the Imps wanted to complicate things by having a dar'jetii tagging along. Taking one of them near jetiise, yeah no way that could blow in their face in anyway... but orders were orders.

In any case, the dar'jetii hadn't showed up yet but there was still plenty of time before the h-hour so Jayec wasn't worried. He was just happy his team had made such a good time getting here they could rest a little before the operation commenced. Currently Kenna and Savik were huddled around the cooker arguing whether or not it was actually possible to ruin field rations. If Savik was cooking, then yes, it was actually possible to make rations taste worse than they already did. Savik was a very talented individual but cooking didn't number among his talents. Not that Kenna was much better. If the rations ended up edible with those two handling the cooking Jayec would be surprised.

Oric was keeping watch up top and Jayna was inspecting her rifle across the room. It was all almost cozy. Not that anyone not Mandalorian would have thought so seeing how everyone of them was in full beskar'gam. 

"See anything up there?" Jayec asked over the comm. "Nah. Nothing yet, boss. Thought I saw a Pub patrol pass about a mile off some time ago, but I think it was just a big Nexxu or a bunch of Ghoulies. It's a bit hard to tell from thermal only, though." came Oric's response.

"Ok. Keep me posted, especially if you see our dar'jetii reinforcements arriving. Saty frosty up there." Jayec wasn't too worried of anyone sneaking up on the team. They were well hidden inside the ruins, Oric had an excellent vantage to every direction from the roof and his helmet had thermal and night vision both. He checked the time: three hours until the start. He could barely wait. 


 

[Harukei]

The orbital flight from the destroyer to the soil of Taris was a bumpy one. The lights of the troop bay flickered as the Republic Anti-Air batteries would pepper the air around the transport. The troopers and personal that shared the transport with her would hold their blasters and rifles tightly, seeking some comfort from the inert object as their uneasy decent continued. They were afraid.

Understandable, she supposed. But at the end something pointless to consider. Whether it was now or within ten years or even more, all beings were to die. Even as a Sith, she had accepted her own mortality and the fact that running away from it was foolish. But as while as her companions attempted to quell said fear with the instincts etched on them by training, she felt none. 

Her eyes laid closed, even as the ship shook violently and alarms sounded from a nearby explosion. Strapped against her seat, she would feel this world through the Force. Syrin expanded her mind, allowing it to feel the teeming life that abounded within Taris and also the sad tune that it would emit as a whisper, a remnant of it's past life, whose ruins could be seeing by the destruction that Darth Malak had brought to this world centuries ago.

Yet it was her mission which she sought to concentrate upon. In the past she had worked with the Imperial Military to a great success. This time however, it would be Mandalorians and this time in a more of a reinforcement capacity, or so she had being told by the orders she had received. If a cache of relics was within them, there was the possibility that holocrons were there. Such a boon was not to be seeing in contempt. 

As the ship finally touched down, with the familiar hiss and whine from the hydraulics of the ship. The troopers and officers marched down the opened ramp. The Sith would follow them, gaining her first glimpse of the ruined ecumenopolis of Taris that was part of and surrounded the makeshift forward operations base in this particular sector. Outside the ship an officer awaited for her.

"My Lady." The unremarkable man said. "Welcome to Taris."

"Where are the Mandalorians camping at?" She asked without returning the salutation passing him.

"Twenty klicks away." He said while turning and following her. "I will prepare an escort."

"No." Syrin said coldly, turning at him. "Give me the exact coordinates, I will go alone."

It was within little time that the officer had uploaded the coordinates to her datapad. Commandeering a speeder-bike, Syrin would leave the perimeter of the base. The sounds of distant and near warfare echoing and accompanying the roar of the bike. As she neared the camp, she ditched the vehicle. The Force energizing every aspect of her physicality as she leaped making her way from pile of rubble to pile of rubble until she had finally landed on a veranda that led to where the Mandalorians had holed up.

She didn't make much sound. Even in the light armor she wore, but she was certain that they were aware of her presence. They had a reputation which she believed it had to be respected. It was finally, with a firm step that she entered the room where the armored Mandalorians were.

"Who of you is Jayec Veth?" She inquired. 

[CaptainBonkers]

Jayec took a quick look at the dar'jetii before stepping forward. She was seemed to be in her early twenties, which worried Jayec slightly, seeing how the Sith Order had been back for only about four years or so. If she wasn't a fallen jetii her training couldn't be that long. Then again, on a Mandalorian scale any training that didn't began by the time the child was eight was on the short side. And in any case her superiors had deemed her capable enough to send her along on this mission.

"I'm him." Jayec replied to her question, stepping forward. "Sucuy'gar, dar'jetii. I hope your trip here went well." 

He turned to Jayna. "Camouflage her speeder and get back for the briefing. Iviin'yc."  

The girl nodded and sped out to the veranda to hide the dar'jetii's vehicle. It wouldn't take too long. Jayec's niece was good at her job, which was why Jayec allowed her to stay in the unit. In Keldabe Recon you had to earn the right to stay and Jayna had done so more than enough. Jayec returned his attention back to the dar'jetii. 

"Make yourself comfortable. I will commence the briefing as soon as Verd Veth returns from camouflaging your vehicle."

The dar'jetii was hard one to read but so was every one of them. It probably had something to do with their Force or the Dark Side they all began foaming about if you had the misfortune to engage one in a prolonged conversation. She was easy om the eyes, though, though a bit pale in a way that didn't seem to healthy to Jayec. Again, probably a result of her dabbling with that Force crap. She did also have a certain air about her that Jayec could see causing unease among some folks. Jayec himself wasn't particularly affected. He had faced older jetii earlier in his life and lived to tell the story, so the Force didn't scare him at all, especially when backed up with the core members of his unit. 

[Harukei]

"The Anti-Air Fire made the descent interesting." Syrin would nod at the Mandalorian.

Stepping aside to allow one of the unit leave the small room to do the task that had being entrusted upon her. Within one of the dark corners she sat, not wishing to interrupt what the warrior unit would do before an operation of this magnitude. After all the sort of people that were part of a warrior culture as the Mandalorians would practice their own rituals and customs before the heat of battle. This much she understood.

The Sith had rituals of her own as well. Although those were already practiced aboard the shuttle as explosions pelted it's hull. Syrin kept quiet. She didn't suppose she could truly talk to them of something of interest. After all, their kind were infamous for their distrust of Force users and the Force in general. She supposed that it was bound to their honor seeking quest which is generalized. 

It had to be wondered what was to be done with the children born from Mandalorian parents, who could use the Force. Would it be a shame upon the clan? Would the child be exiled or the secret be kept among the parents and the child? Civilizations that were bred and lived for war were peculiar to say the least. 

With such ponder concluded. She would closer her eyes. Allowing the influx of information that the wellspring of the Force could bring her. The Sith could sense the battles that raged, the horrors that lay among the ruins and of course the Jedi that were ten miles away from their position. Their signatures, and those of accompanying soldiers, relaying information on them. At least a dozen Jedi, varying from Padawan learners and a handful of Knights. She would remain meditating, aware of her surroundings and awaiting for Jayec to initiate the briefing. 

[CaptainBonkers]

Jayna didn't stall camouflaging the dar'jettii's speeder, returning after few minutes. Jayec nodded and called Oric down from the roof. They'd have to rely solely on the sentry droid they had set up there. Of course it was unlikely that the Republic troops or Jetiise would sneak up on them during the brief but it never hurt to be careful. Carelessness got you killed for dumb reasons and Jayec didn't plan on being remembered for dying a stupid death.



Once Oric had made it down, Jayec gestured everyone to gather around him as he set up the holoprojector with the intel.
A bluish, transparent picture appeared floating in the air. It shimmered for a moment before stabilizing into a clear image of a large ruined building with a Republic camp surrounding it.

"Alright. You all have the overview already, so I'll keep this brief." he said giving a quick look around, insuring everyone was listening.

"This building was either a research facility or a museum of kinds before Darth Malak bombed the whole planet into rubble. The records aren't complete so we can't be sure about which one it was. What we do know, is that the Pubs and Jetii are abnormally interested in the whole place and that makes people higher up in the chain of command interested. So it falls to us to figure out what's going on there and report back."

Jayec pressed button in the projector's side and a squiggly red line appeared glowing on the picture, marking the intended infil route. For the most part it followed an old sewer that took them below the Republic camp and so far all intel suggested that the Republic was blissfully ignorant towards its existence. It was almost perfect approach. The only problem was that everything underground was likely rakghoul territory.

"We will access the enemy camp through an ancient sewer system. It should be unguarded but we might run into ghoulies down there, so be on your guard when we get there. Once we exit the sewers, our first target is the command tent here." Jayec highlighted a larger tent in the middle of the camp.

"If we can't recover the necessary information there, we will either have to take a sufficiently high ranking prisoner to tell us what it is they're looking for in the ruin or push into the ruin ourselves and figure out their plan in there. I personally am not partial to the last option but if everything else goes out of the window it may be the only option to complete our mission. Any questions so far?"
 

[Harukei]

Syrin would break her meditation and listen attentively to the Mandalorian leader. The holographic display that lit the room in a blue glow. Privately she would consider that his plan was good. Storming from the front with a location guarded by Jedi and republic soldiers was suicide at best. The part that she wasn't looking forward to was however going through rakghoul territory.

It wasn't that she feared the beasts. During her studies she had determined that alone they were nothing more than a nuisance. But seldom they hunted alone. Packs could overwhelm their prey with ease. And if the worse came to happen, to turn into one of those beasts was something she did not look for. Death was preferable.

"I have sensed at least a dozen Jedi." She spoke, breaking the silence. "Mostly Padawans and a handful of Knights accompanied by a platoon of republic soldiers."

With their numbers she wondered if they could truly take down the location which the Republic had fortified with such resources. Although, she believed that the prospect of fighting Jedi seemed to make the Mandalorians more willing to start the operation. Her confidence was of course that they knew very well how to operate against Force sensitives.

The soldiers were not so difficult. They were conscripted, trained to fight and then return to their normal lives. Most had never seeing a Sith, nor had actually fought against people of a society so martial as that from Mandalore. The Jedi were the true challenge there. One for which she grew anxious.

"By your lead, Mandalorian." Syrin said. "Let us commence."

[CaptainBonkers]

So at least a dozen Jetiise in the camp. Could be more though. Jayec had heard that there were these Jetiise even the others of their kind were reluctant to talk about that could hide or mask their presence. There could be couple of those running around but this wasn't the time to worry about them. It was nearly the time to set out and everyone had to be ready by then. Not that it took much preparing for any of Jayec's comrades, beyond picking up their weapons and stretching little.

While the others began picking up their weapons, Jayec walked over to an equipment bag and picked up a rebreather mask. "Here. If the place was a research facility there's no telling what kind of toxic fumes are still lingering in the sewers." he said, handing it to the dar'jetii. "Plus, even if it isn't polluted badly enough to cause permanent damage to your lungs, that should protect you from the smell."

Jayec wasn't completely sure whether or not the dar'jetii actually needed a mask like that, on account of the Force maybe helping her somehow, but he wasn't going to risk it on a hunch. He and his vode were protected by their armor and helmets but the dar'jetii wore only light armor and Jayec hadn't noticed her carrying anything that might be worn to protect her lungs from a poisonous environment. Since the dar'jetii was the only person here that could give them heads up if the jetiise were heading in their general direction en-masse, Jayec wasn't too keen on the concept of her keeling over because her lungs were melting.

[Harukei]

Syrin nodded and took the mask without any apprehension. It was a sensible consideration, after all her skill with breath control wasn't precisely the best and she knew it. And even if there were no toxic fumes that could impair her, the Sith didn't want really want to have her nostrils filled with the foul stench of the Taris sewer system after centuries of no maintenance and proliferation of Rakghouls. 

The Sith would follow the lead of the Mandalorians as they descended through the crumbling ruins into the darkness that the sewer promised. She noted how much had nature reclaimed, with vines and other vegetation making it's way through the cracks and rust of permacrete and durasteel. Even as darkness overtook the group, her step did not faltered, the Force guiding her as the technology that the warriors had at their disposal.

Finally at the entrance of the sewer, the assassin placed the rebreather mask over her nose and mouth. The filtering mechanism was prompted as it began to filter the air. The wet sounds of drops and their steps moving the wretched liquid full of pollution that flowed in the sewers. Her gloved hands touched the corroded walls, feeling the mixture of moisture, soot and waste through them. That did not bothered her, but the silence save for the drops of water hitting against the polluted liquid. She could sense them.

"They're watching us." She warned to the rest. 

[CaptainBonkers]

The forecast had been correct and a thick shroud of murky clouds covered the night sky, rendering the already dark night even darker. Jayec noticed this only because every now and then he took a quick look up and saw the clouds. Rest of the time everything was tinted greenish by the nightvision mode of his buy'ce. They walked mostly in silence, though every now and them someone would mutter something over the squad channel, usually complaining about stepping into osik of some kind. Other than that they there was next none noise coming made by Jayec or his team. They were all used to being silent and invisible.

They made quick time to the sewer entrance, thanks to some preemptive recon made by the team. Few night ago they had sent a probe droid to map out the route they were using and it had returned with a one that took them through couple of ruined buildings and down the side of a fallen building that took them to what had once been the undercity. There lay the entrance to the sewers. It looked surprisingly threatening, like a gaping maw jutting out of the debris of the surrounding ruins and covered in some plant that looked very, very poisonous. 

As dank and unpleasant as the sewers had seen outside, inside they were far worse. Jayec's helmet processed the air, so the smell wasn't the issue but if it smelt as bad as the sewers looked, it had to be horrid. The sludge that swirled around their ankles on every step was of uniform greenish brown hue that encouraged one to keep their eyes front and not look down, lest the mind began wondering what it was they were walking in. Combine this with the cramped nature of the sewers and the silence and you had environment that had even a veteran Mandalorian slightly on edge.

"They're watching us."

Jayec had gotten that same feeling, though probably not the same way. She had the Force to help her sense threats, Jayec had his gut which had been honed into peak condition by decades worth of experience as a hunter of sentients and beasts alike. He couldn't see nor hear anything yet but somehow he knew that someone, or rather something, was watching their every movement. Perhaps he had heard something only his subconscious mind recognized as danger or maybe he'd seen a shadow move in the corner of his eye and not consciously register it but he knew there was something there.

"Switching to thermal." he said and blinked a couple of times as his eyes adjusted to the new color scheme of overwhelmingly blue world with lots of red sprinkled into mix. A way too much red for comfort actually, though it was all concentrated into single, large blob down the sewer.


"Fan out and prepare for a fight." Jayec said. "It is either the biggest damn rakghoul I've ever seen or heard of or a small rancor. If it's the former the others can't be far so watch your six." 

[Harukei]

Moment Music

As the warriors readied, the Sith would expand the natural boundaries of her senses with the Force. While the technology that the warriors employed served them well, every detail of their vicinity was within the distance of a though or mental inquiry that she wished to ask. Of course, there was no need for such action, as the foulness that the beasts emitted was noticeable. The malice that coursed through their twisted hides, the anxious clink of their claws against rusted durasteel, the whisper like growls that they used to communicate, they all told the tale of aggression that the beasts wished to unleash. 

It was only a matter of when the containment would be replaced by the animal instinct to devour the preys that had presented themselves so eagerly close to their nests. The Force would Syrin insight of this as each step the boots of the group took on the waste and sludge filled sewers would bring news of peril and unspoken terror. The woman's hand clung to the hilt of her lightsaber, the fingers hugging the metal through the fabric of the gloves she wore in preparation. A skirmish was inevitable and she knew it. In the comfort of her mind, she would recite the Sith Code, the mantra functioning as a fan that fed the fires within her. 

Then what came she didn't need to sense. The piercing cries of Rakghouls boomed through the sewers. The distant sound of her claws splashing against the slush that came more and more close with each second that passed. The pants and grunts of the beasts that could already taste the flesh of their preys. Their hunt had begun and they were many. Even in the darkness she could sense the animal frenzy of the first of the pack jumping at her, aiming puncture her armor and flesh and feast upon her bones. 

Syrin ducked, the deathly claw of the rakghoul slicing the air over her head. The snap-hiss of her lightsaber echoed in the deep darkness of the sewers as a crimson shade dispelled the darkness around them, and the blade traced an arc that bisected the predator in half. The sight that followed her little victory was discouraging as more would come to attack them. She rose her blade, swinging and repelling the beast that came for her, a part of her mind wondering that if Mandalorians could protect themselves from this onslaught. 

[CaptainBonkers]

Why did these beasts have to move in so large packs? Jayec did a quick count of the enemy as he fired, dodged and kicked the rakghouls assaulting the group. At least fifteen ghouls were currently trying to rip them apart with their claws and fangs. Pretty standard sized pack but with a leader as large as the abomination Jayec had spotted chances were that the pack was a good deal bigger and the rest were just laying in ambush. Then again, maybe the big one had eaten some of the smaller ones and this was it. Yeah, that had to be it, he though sarcastically as he rammed the barrel of his blaster into the mouth of a charging rakghoul and fired.

Apart from the fact that numbers were seriously stacked against them, the fight was going as good as it could be expected to be going few moments into the fight. No one was dead or dying. It didn't seem like anyone had been bitten either. Then again it was unlikely that the Rakghouls could get through a beskar'gam unless they got lucky and hit a chink. A sewer wasn't a place Jayec would have normally picked for a fight, but it did have advantage that no one was going to be dropping on them from the roof. It was far too low for that. And the narrowness of the sewer did help to dampen the ghoulies ability to use their numbers. Sitll, they had to come up with something, preferably fast.

"Let's see how they like this."

Jayec tried to figure who had been speaking and then saw Kenna holding up a grenade. A flash grenade.  "Cover your eyes, fire in the hole!" she shouted and threw it at the thickest concentration of the rakghouls.

[Harukei]

Her crimson blade carved the beasts as a hot knife through butter. But no matter how many she slayed, more seemed to come. Her reserves of energy were robust but a part of her thoughts were beginning to trail to the mission at hand. The Jedi would be harder to defeat if they left the battle in the sewers tired. It was then when he heard the leader of the Mandalorians yell, his voice booming through the vocabulator philter of his helmet against the subterranean walls. 

Before the grenade shone with what the rakghouls and other critters of the sewers depths considered to the strength of a thousand suns, the woman would slash her blade across the torso of another one of the beasts, kicking the lifeless husk against the members of the pack only to duck and cover her eyes at the shinning. A cry of terror would come from the pack, as dazed and confused the the overload of censorial input, they would attempt to slash at an imaginary target, their claws cutting the inert air.

Syrin rose to her feet from the ducking position she had taken. Lightsaber still activated in her hand while the cacophony of the rakghouls still reigned. The woman would reach unto the Force, the darkside empowering every cell as her hand was raised to shoulder level and she unleashed a powerful telekinetic blast that hurled the beasts to the hole in which they had mounted their assault. She dared not use Force Lightning, else the presence of sludge could redirect the technique and harm her allies.  

"Use an explosive!" The Sith Knight yelled at the Mandalorians. "Aim from where the wretched beasts came!"

Once more reaching unto the Force, the woman would reactivate her lightsaber. Both hands high in the air as they began to dislodge the rusted durasteel and the ancient permacrete of the sewers, awaiting for the explosive device to land safely inside the trap. And once it she she would swing her hands downwards, allowing a thick cascade of rubble to entrap the rakghouls and possibly free them for their harassment. 

[CaptainBonkers]

Jayec was already priming a grenade when the dar'jetii called for explosives. He wasn't an expert when it came to explosives but knew enough to pick the most potent grenade he had on him for this part. The target was large enough to hit easily but he still aimed carefully for what in the adrenaline induced state of heightened awareness felt like an eternity and lobbed the explosive at the hole. The grenade flew through the air, landing into the rakghoul tunnel/pipe/cave/whatever the abyssal hole in the wall was supposed to be called.

"Take cover!" he shouted and darted behind a pile of rubble and scrap metal. Not an optimal cover but good enough given the circumstances. It would protect him from most of the shrapnel in case the dar'jetii failed to use the Force thing to close the entrance before the grenade went off. 

A loud boom rattled the walls and made the pile of rubble the dar'jetii had collapsed over the rakghoul hole jump once but in the end it held. Jayec got up and went to work picking of the remaining rakghouls that still remained there, dazed by the flash grenade. There weren't many left and the resistance they put up was rather pathetic. Blinded and alone they posed no real danger to someone as well trained and equipped as the Mandalorians and the dar'jetii. After few quick shots a relative quiet returned to the sewer tunnel.

"Alright. Everybody who isn't dead, make noise." Jayec said over common channel surveying his surroundings. At quick glances it looked like no one had died and he couldn't see any gaping wounds on anyone, so that was a definite upside. Beyond being covered in sewer grime, rakghoul guts and random osik everyone seemed to be still operational. 

"Well, that was exhilarating. Let's not do that again soon." Jayec said turning to the dar'jetii. "You okay?" he asked. 

[Harukei]

The impeccable timing for which both coordinated their attacks, many would have thought that they had fought together in the past. Despite the fact that this was the first time servicing together, the Force had allow the to perform admirably without hesitation from neither of them. The warrior instincts of the Mandalorian had being foretold by the Force, that spoke with precise hints on which way should she proceed. The cascade of rubble that she made levitate fell quickly after the explosive device had flew to the other side of the barrier she was to create. 

Cascading rocks blocked the path as the cacophony of angered beasts would resonate through the walls. The explosion however made the sewer system shock, ancient dust fall on top of the Sith as she kept a hand to contain the momentum and power of the explosion until it dissipated. Syrin would allow to drop her hands and fall to her knees as she attempted to regain her breath. The environmental mask permeated inside with condensation of her breath. 

"Yes..." She said after regaining enough breath. "Thank you." 

Incorporating herself, the young Sith would rise to her feet. Checking from oozing wounds from any unseen bite or claw mark. But beyond the sludge that were up to her knees, no liquid was over her body. Nor she could feel any effect that would entail the illness that the rakghoul plague represented. Now, they had to set their mind ahead for the mission, the little skirmish had taken time away from them, time they needed to recuperate. 

"We should move." She advised. "Lest we find more Rakghoul packs or a giant Dianoga."

[CaptainBonkers]

"Sounds like a plane." Jayec turned back to the rest of the team. "You've all got a minute to get your bearings and catch your breath, so you all better be ready to move out. Now."

There were no complaints or at least none of them were spoken out loud or over common channel. Not that Jayec's team had a habit of complaining; usually there were only two times he heard them complaining. Case 1.) a mission had gone so south that it was in the local north pole or case 2.) they were bored as hell. Jayec could tolerate those parameters. Both were legitimate times for a Mandalorian warrior to voice their displeasure. Third time might be if they were continuously given sub-par equipment but fortunately most of Jayec's men viewed bad equipment as more of a challenge than an obstacle. Then again most of them had been mercs before the war and often had to make due what they could afford.

They continued onward along the narrow sewer passage. Deeper into the network the amount osik swirling around their feet decreased, making drudging through the sewers a little more tolerable. It was still far from pleasant but at least there was less resistance around their feet allowing more free movement. 

They had made good time and weren't far from the sewer exit when Meeka signaled for a stop. "Problems?" Jayec inquired over the comm. 

"Nah. A maintenance elevator shaft. Might be worth checking since were under the Pub's excavation site." came the reply.

Jayec frowned behind his helmet. The plans of the sewer system hadn't mentioned any elevators around  these parts. Then again they weren't the most accurate of plans, having been nearly twenty years old at the time the planet had been bombarded to stone age. It was entirely possible there was maintenance shaft leading to whatever the place was the Republic forces were trying to dig up.

"Alright. Lets take couple of quick scans and see if it can be scaled." he then turned to the dar'jetii. "If we're lucky this might turn into a recovery mission. Lets go take a look."

[Harukei]

Syrin would follow the lead of the Mandalorian warriors. Even if her senses became more acute through the influence of the Force, she held confidence in their abilities as warriors and trackers as they navigated the ruined sewers. But also a part of her acknowledged that due the recent exertion it was for the best to conserve energy. The presence of the Jedi was still felt through the Force, even if the myriad of living creatures that called the sludge infested sewers home would pollute her perception.

With each step she would reach upon the Force, allowing her presence to slowly disappear, making the burning flames inside of her seemingly grow weaker to those that could use the Force until only ember and cinder remained and then vanish as if it had never existed. To the Jedi her presence would be like that of a being who could never wield the powers that were, just a normal denizen of the galaxy if they were to meet under more civil circumstances. 

As the group stopped she would try to grasp anything above them, but the concentration that she needed to maintain the disguise through the Force kept her from gaining a more clear picture. The Sith would only nod to the Mandalorian. Perhaps indeed this could be a very silent mission, just recovery and then vanish as if they had never being there. Still she knew that they would have to ascent at some point. 

"I'll take point." She said. 

Even as part of her concentration was locked in her disguise, she figured that a Sith that wore lighter armor were more silent than the plates of Mandalorian Iron that he and his squad used. She stepped unto the maintenance elevator shaft. Rusted and inactive for the looks of it. A set of bent duresteel beams stuck from the permacrete, perhaps a makeshift ladder in case the elevator seized to function.

She knelt and then in a quick motion, she kicked the hard and worn permacrete, her body energized by the sudden burst, enough to allow her to jump much higher than any human could do. Once her momentum was done she would extend her legs and one arm, slightly sliding due the permeation of the walls. Syrin would then cling to the makeshift ladder until she reached to the elevator, rusted and forgotten. Squeezing to a side she continued her climb until she reached the top, still undetected, she hid behind duraplast crates and took of the mask, finally breathing air that was tolerable. No sing of troopers nor Jedi yet. She still would have to wait for them to catch on her.   

[CaptainBonkers]

Jayec followed the dar'jetii down elevator shaft, not as fast and gracefully but still with more agility than many other men might have. On his way down his eyes had the time to accustom back to seeing everything tinted green by the night vision filter of his helmet. In all honesty it was nice to once again see details: thermal was useful for many things but seeing details wasn't one of them. Everything just sorta melted into this dull bluness with splotches of other colors mixed in. Good for seeing camouflaged or otherwise invisible targets: yes. Good for climbing down a a shaft of an ancient ruin: not so much.

Getting through the access hatch of the elevator took some wiggling but he managed to slip through with minimal noise. It wasn't the first time Jayec had been forced to squeeze through a narrow hole in full gear. This time there wasn't even anyone trying to beat the crap out of him with a frying pan. The things you saw when you lived long enough.

The first noteworthy thing Jayec noticed when he exited the elevator was that the hall he entered was the darkness. Only few glowing fungi illuminated the place. If Jayec hadn't had his helmet on, he probably wouldn't have seen his own hands. He wasn't bothered, though. Dark was a good thing: it meant that the Pubs hadn't reached this part of the buried complex yet. Perhaps they hadn't even reached this level yet. After all, unless they had found a similar entrance as Jayec & co. had, they would have to dig straight down from the top and that was bound to be slow, difficult and tiresome.

"Alright then." Jayec said once everyone were down. "Kenna and Oric, you secure the main door over there. The rest sweep the room for anything that might look like a computer terminal or anything that looks like the folks up the food chain might be interested in."

It was hard to say what the place had been used for. It looked like people had lived here very, very long ago, though after the devastation. Probably the staff that had been down here at the time.How long they had survived here, Jayec couldn't tell but they had done their best to make the place livable and in the process messed up the place pretty well. Furniture and small structures, probably for privacy, made of scrap littered the place and it looked like the scrap had come from something with circuitry. Hopefully the survivors hadn't managed to destroy anything important. If this turned out to be waste of time, Jayec was going to be pissed.

[Harukei]

Whatever the Force would tell her was muffled. Every grain of concentration being placed towards her concealment. However, the Sith Knight could still feel the antiquity of the room the group was now. Her hand would pass against the roughness of the ancient walls, cracked by time and nature. The whisper of those that had lived here before the bombardment by Darth Malak and his fleet could still be perceived, and also the sad story of how they died.

Either by famine or by being devoured by the beasts that lurked in the darkness. Although only the glowing fungi and other sort of plant remained. Still their essence remained and thus it was not hard to believe that the fight for Taris and the appearance of Jedi and Republic Soldiers had pushed back the Rakghouls out of their primary nest, in a way cleaning the hundreds of bones upon which their ancestors and current brood had feasted upon. Such would suppose the concentration in the sewers.

Now, while the Mandalorians would keep alert at any sudden movement, she would concentrate into finding whatever they was the object or relic they had being sent here for. The room they were in, besides the glowing fungi and some spare duraplast crates was empty. Tactically it wouldn't make sense for the garrison to put something so valuable there. Thus the only option she could consider was that their target was further inside the ruined edifice.

Syrin supposed that they had to go further, whether they liked it or not. Which meant that the probability of a fight would increment as they went further. Perhaps it would be best for only herself and their leader, Jayec to go forth. The rest could stay behind and provide cover for an avenue of escape. And also take down whichever straggler decided to come to the room for any reason. It was the best option.

"There's nothing here." She told the man in armor. "We will need to go further to find our target."  

[CaptainBonkers]

Jayec nodded. It really seemed like this part of the subterranean complex held nothing of interest to them. Chances were, that if there was anything of interest in this place, it lay beyond this area. However, he was unsure about how to proceed: split up or stay together. Both approached ahead their merits: by sticking together they were far more likely to be able to counter any threat they might face deeper inside the complex, but by leaving a rearguard here they could ensure they had a place to fall back if things hit the fan and that no one could sneak up on them from here. In the end, having a safe place to retreat into seemed like the more prudent choice.

"Oric, you're with me and the dar'jetii. The rest of you hold this position. Stay off the comm unless it's an emergency." 

He needed the team's tech expert with him, otherwise he would have left him here too with the others. Jayec had a rudimentary understanding how to get pass security systems and slice into computers but if they needed to power up anything or slice into a high security mainframe he was about as useful as a bantha on Manaan. Anything worthwhile in a place like this was bound to be hidden behind layers of encryption and getting through you needed someone with real skills, like Oric.

Kenna nodded. "Don't worry boss, we'll hold the fort here while you go have fun."

"I know you will." Jayec replied. "See you soon. Let's get moving, then. I want to get this over with."