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Meira
She don't mess around
2,830 posts
583 likes
Half awake in our fake empire
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last online May 11, 2023 23:01:34 GMT -5
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Oct 8, 2010 17:03:35 GMT -5
Post by Meira on Oct 8, 2010 17:03:35 GMT -5
Wake up.
She choked as ice cold water was splashed against her face. She coughed, spluttered, and gasped for air. All the while her vision swam. Images swirled and blurred as she tried to focus. She moved to wipe the water from her eyes, but her arms were bound. They were... she looked up, above her head. She was hanging, her feet a few inches above the ground. She was swaying slightly in the middle of a room. No, not a room. The floor was hard packed dirt. A tent? She looked around, trying to focus on the walls. It was hard to see. There was only one light, and it was shining directly at her. Typical. But no wonder she was having so much trouble seeing.
Ah, hello there girlie!
A gruff hand took hold of her chin. When she wrenched away, she could hear the laughter of several men all around her. Her eyes were still adjusting as she received the blow to her stomach. She swung, coughing through the pain, and could feel several hands push her, sending her around and around in a circle. More laughter. She tried to kick, but her feet were also bound.
She's a lively one, boys! You cats found us a real looker! More laughter. Somewhere behind the circle of jeering men, she heard a growl.
You are all small and ugly. That one is no different.
She was grabbed roughly and pulled to one side of the circle. Now she could see the man, a Republic soldier, dirty and unshaven. He seized her her face and tried to force a kiss. What he got instead was a chunk of skin bit from his lip. The wound bled profusely. This time, the laughter came from the two Togorians who'd taken up chairs in a far corner.The soldier, clutching at his face with on hand, reared back with the other, prepared to strike.
Enough! The word stilled the soldier's hand. The lighting suddenly changed in the room, brightening every corner. Trin could now tell it was some sort of temporary structure. Was she in an outpost perhaps?
An officer moved into the room. His strides were slow, fluid, and confident. He was an older man, his hair a slate gray that matched his eyes. His skin was still smooth, but had that thin look that so often comes with age. He was thin, his features sharp, and seemed to have no lips at all. He stopped in front of her, holding out one hand to stop her swaying, then letting her go.
Welcome, my dear. He said, his voice crisp and polite. I apologize for my men. We've been here some time and I believe it has taken a toll on their manners. I assure you it will not happen again. His eyes had left her to look at each man in the room. A cold silence fell over them all. Trin shivered. Her armor had been removed, leaving her in only her mesh under suit. With half her body soaked in water, her teeth were chattering.
Oh my. Said the officers, clicking his tongue in disapproval. You must be freezing. Please, allow me to give you a blanket?
Trin spit the chunk of the soldier's lip in the officer's face. The man didn't flinch, but a darkness flooded his eyes as the bit of meat fell down onto his chest then bounced to the floor. No one laughed, but Trin smiled.
I offer you hospitality, and you quite literally spit it in my face. I see how you Mandalorian savages are. I will not make such a mistake again. He gave the slightest of nods and Trin's vision exploded with stars before the whole world went black again.
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last online Jan 14, 2020 17:37:19 GMT -5
Master
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Oct 14, 2010 9:42:40 GMT -5
Post by Jace on Oct 14, 2010 9:42:40 GMT -5
It had been many hours since they had escaped what seemed liked their inevitable end. He had lost more men then he wanted to admit, and in his mind, it wasn't for any good reason. Bane needed good soldiers in the coming days, instead he had lost some to cowardly republic tactics. He should have come to Togoria alone, afterall, like he had initially wanted. Of course his advisers would have none of that, he was Mandalore now, their leader. The Mandalorian wasn't a stranger to responsibility, but this was getting annoying.
After they have been evacuated from the ambush site, it had been a pretty uneventful ride. The Republic and rebel Togorian forces had retreated in a quick manner, knowing that they were outmatched. Rather than head to the main community as was originally planned, the convoy headed towards the Togorian central command which was a slight detour. Bane had discussed matters with Tuguir, they had pretty much agreed on their next course of action. Well they had agreed upon what needed to be done, they still had yet to decide the manner in which it would be handled.
Bane was pleased to receive multiple reports as soon as they arrived. One report caught his intention more than the others though. Intelligence had managed to track down the fleeing forces, and most likely Trin's location. In most cases, Bane wouldn't risk an operation to save a single soldier, but this was a little different. Trin had come here as one of his bodyguards, and as such he felt responsible for her capture. A true Mandalorian soldier such as Trin deserved a glorious death, not to rot away in some Republic prison. He was not the type to sit idle, and quickly went to make preparations.
The Mandalorian had been given a temporary office from which to work from and leaned back in his seat, finally satisfied. He flicked on his comm and asked a private to bring Itani over here. Bane waited patiently for the assassin to arrive before laying out what he had learned.
"Ah Itani, time is of the essence so lets begin. Our Togorian friends have tracked down Trin's location to a small outpost not far from here." stated Bane, and as he finished a hologram of the outpost illuminated the room.
"Now we don't know her exact location, but we can deal with that when we get there. There should only be a small garrison, and most of the soldiers there should already be tired from today's battle. I doubt they plan to sit there long, they could possibly be waiting to regroup anytime within the next few hours or by tomorrow."
Now Bane stood up, staring at the hologram once more before his eyes moved back to Itani.
"I can't afford to risk any others on this operation, so its going to be just you and me. Hopefully with just the two of us we can manage to slip in silently and exfil before anyone is the wiser. We don't have much time, grab your gear and find us a small and fast transport. I have a few things I must clear up, meet me at the north gate in twenty"
He could only nod to the younger man as he went back to making his final arrangements. There were a great many things that could go wrong on this mission, and he needed to make preparations should they not make it back. He trusted only a few with this information, no doubt most would not let him leave the base if they knew his intentions. Twenty minutes later and Bane found himself at the north gate, ready to head out. Though the mission parameters weren't ideal, he couldn't help but grin slightly.
It's about time we started getting risky
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Latus
May the Quartz be with you.
850 posts
0 likes
Ain't got time for this. (?°?°??? ???
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last online Jun 27, 2014 19:37:36 GMT -5
Guardian
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Oct 21, 2010 23:29:49 GMT -5
Post by Latus on Oct 21, 2010 23:29:49 GMT -5
All was silent. Lights flickered above filling the room with light. The small barracks room could have comfortably fit two but as it was only one was seated comfortably on the spartan cot. The man moved not at all, his chest barely rising and falling and twitching to the beat of his heart. His legs were crossed as were his arms, hands placed comfortably within his armpits and his head was down. His entire body was wrapped within the collective embrace of what was little more than a mesh skin suit but he needed little more. Whats more, most of the surfaces were removable revealing the myriad of killing tools, his tools of the trade. Under the thin mask both eyes were shut tight, brow furrowed against wave after wave of thoughts that broke over him beneath his minds eye. Angles. At least five to cleanly sever a major artery or vein. Slide up at angle Θ to cleanly bisect the first cervical gap. Less than 1 mg to toxify blood and cause paralysis. Break line of sight. Vanish. Survey. Terminate.At least that was what his master taught him. He learned from a man with real skill but rarely if ever did he meditate. Meditation just didn't feel right but this case was special. He had wanted to go after her. There was an opening... he could have... could have... his eyes fluttered open. Could he have actually done anything? He sighed into his facemask and shook his head a micrometer. Trin... When she had been captured his eyes had been blurry, blurry with emotions that he should not foster. Ever! Why did he care so much about her? Why should he care so much about her? She was a liability. He knew it. She could never... would never be anything more. Yet still he thought about her. A spike on his HUD brought his head up as his amplifiers picked up footsteps. Finally. Without making a sound he slid off the bed stood and stepped toward the door stopping less than half a meter from it. With a whoosh the metal portal slid open and a mandalorian soldier stepped to fill it. Were it a lesser person, a civilian perhaps, Itani would have expected the man to jump. But his thoughts were not on humor now. Mandalore wishes to see you.Itani only nodded and followed as the soldier turned, matching the man's steps as silent as the wind. This must have unnerved the soldier who glanced back several times. After only a few moments he whispered into Bane's temporary office of command behind the soldier who quickly turned and left. "Ah Itani, time is of the essence so lets begin. Our Togorian friends have tracked down Trin's location to a small outpost not far from here."Itani looked up as a hologram filled the room. He saw everything, every corner, every side passage, every restroom. He did not respond to Bane past a nigh imperceptible nod; there was no need. "Now we don't know her exact location, but we can deal with that when we get there. There should only be a small garrison, and most of the soldiers there should already be tired from today's battle. I doubt they plan to sit there long, they could possibly be waiting to regroup anytime within the next few hours or by tomorrow."Again Itani remained as silent as a ghost. It was time for business now, 'talking only makes things more complicated.' He was confident he had the information he needed. This time, after looking at the hologram for a moment, Bane stood and looked back at the assassin. Nothing remained of the bumbling prankster who had fought so hard to keep his composure not a few hours ago. "I can't afford to risk any others on this operation, so its going to be just you and me. Hopefully with just the two of us we can manage to slip in silently and exfil before anyone is the wiser. We don't have much time, grab your gear and find us a small and fast transport. I have a few things I must clear up, meet me at the north gate in twenty"For the third time Itani remained as still and silent as a piece of durasteel. He did relax as bit as he heard they would be the only two going... any more would be too loud, too messy. Bane knew a thing or two about fighting and, who knew, maybe about silent ops as well. Only as Bane turned back around and went back to making his final preparations did Itani turn and leave. The only sound made was the door as it slid shut behind him. ********** This should work.Procuring a vehicle was no trouble, though he suspected the togorians who were taking care of it, grease monkeys by the look of them. He came up silently, said only what needed to be said, that the vehicle was required by the Mandalore, and waited for them to leave. Which they did. In a hurry. Though he was dressed in little more than his skin suit he had looked in the mirror only a few moments ago... something was different. He didn't know what but it was intimidating. As per Bane's request he had soon parked the vehicle just before the north gate. It was a camouflaged number, a land-speeder that he figured could move if they needed. It didn't seem armed but, then again, it didn't need to be. Only a moment later Bane appeared. Itani didn't move, didn't signal. Just waited. As soon as Bane got in he would take off; the sooner they got this show on the road the better.
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Meira
She don't mess around
2,830 posts
583 likes
Half awake in our fake empire
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last online May 11, 2023 23:01:34 GMT -5
Administrator
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Oct 22, 2010 8:28:56 GMT -5
Post by Meira on Oct 22, 2010 8:28:56 GMT -5
Wake up.
The impact of a hand striking across her cheek sent a ringing noise through her skull. It echoed around in her head for a few moments as Trin tried to open her eyes. She could taste that metallic sting in her mouth. She spit the blood out onto the floor, though some didn't make it quite so far and stuck to her chin. Her hair, sticky with sweat hung in a limp, tangled mess all around her, sticking to her face whenever it touched. She could not wipe it away. Her hands were bound behind her back in too-tight manacles that were chaffing her wrists raw. No doubt these were the same manacles that she was suspended from last time she'd woken up. Her feet were also still bound, folded underneath her as she sat in what appeared to be the same temporary structure. But there was no way to be sure. The walls were bare, the ground hard packed dirt. She could be anywhere.
Ah, hello hello! Welcome back, lovely. How'd ya sleep? The question was accompanied by another blow, this one to the cheek the togorian had shredded on the battlefield. The area exploded with pain and a wet heat as blood began to seep anew from the wound. The force of the blow knocked her sideways to the ground. As she laid there, unable to move, the blood flowed down over her eyes, making it impossible to see.
If you continue striking her in the head, sergeant, she will undoubtedly suffer trauma to the brain. I need her to be able to think, and speak. Please restrict your techniques to the body. Now, pick her up and let's begin. What was your destination? Who accompanied the convoy?
These questions floated in the air as casual as a man inquiring as to the well being of a close friend. Trin recognized the officer's polite tone as the other lifted her up. Without her sight, every movement was disorienting. It took several failed attempts to move before she resigned to keeping still.
We were on our way to Zeltros for some fun. The queen of Alderaan was with us. She's got a thing for Mandos... I guess it's the armor.
The remark earned her little more than a kick to the gut. Again she fell to the ground, gasping for air. This time she has lifted by the hair. She grunted at the pain, but refused to cry out.
The officer's sharp features didn't move an inch, though his frustration shone in his eyes. Sergeant, the table, if you would be so kind. He said as he waved his hand to a table to the side of the room.
The sergeant obliged, pulling Trin up and throwing her over his shoulder to carry her to the table. She took the biggest bite into his back that her jaws could handle, causing the man to cry out in pain as he wrenched her free and slammed her down on the table. His hand reared back to strike her, but the officer caught his wrist. Now lets not punish her for your mistakes... He said as he used a rag to wipe the blood from Trin's face, clearing her vision. As he looked down on her, she saw a hint of amusement play on his face. The man was sick.
We know you are close to your so called Mandalore. We've intelligence reports showing you both on several of your little... escapades. Tell me where he is heading, my dear. They've left you to me. I have an eye witness from the battle who's informed me that your leader stopped one of your comrades from trying to save you before he tucked his coward tail and fled with the rest of them. No, he won't come for you, my dear. Why protect a man who cares nothing for you?
Trin had trouble processing that. Part of her told her to ignore his words. He was only trying to break her. But the other part thought of Itani. If it'd been anyone who would have tried to save her out there, it would have been him, the fool. But she had to hold on to the belief that Bane kept him in check. It didn't matter if they didn't come for her. She wasn't important. Their mission was important.
Where were you going? He asked again, impatience building in his voice. As he spoke, the sergeant was busy binding her arms and legs to the table. He'd carefully placed each wrist into some kind of restraint, then did the same with her ankles.
I told you. They do some freaky osik on Zeltros. And Mandalor promised us some r&r...
With a sigh, the officer nodded to the sergeant. The man leaned over her to place some sort of device on her head. As he did, she noted a couple stitches on his lip. She smiled up at him and licked her lips. He responded by shoving some sort of padded contraption into her mouth. A second later her body went rigid as waves of electricity was forced through her. Her jaw clamped down on the padded mouth guard, muffling the scream she could not stop. It only lasted a moment, but Trin continued to convulse once or twice after the shock ended. The mouth guard was removed and the officer presented his question again.
Me and... And some of the others... We were gonna... were gonna go to this dancing club... All the rage... Men and women... Whatever you want... You a ladies man, sir? The mouthguard was returned and the shock soon followed. The mouth guard was removed and Trin let out a cry that was just as much full of frustration as pain.
OK! OK! she panted. I get it, you're into guys... Calm down! Again the mouth guard. Again the shock.
And again.
And again.
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last online Jan 14, 2020 17:37:19 GMT -5
Master
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Oct 25, 2010 19:14:55 GMT -5
Post by Jace on Oct 25, 2010 19:14:55 GMT -5
[this jank is short but I wanted to get things moving]
Bane spotted what he assumed was Itani waiting for him near the north gate. He was glad to see that the assassin had found something relatively discreet. The Togorians weren't exactly known for subtlety but they were competent in the art of war and that was no doubt the reason for this vehicle. It was heavily camouflaged and by the looks of it, could get them out of a tight spot. Bane saluted to a pair of soldiers who passed by on patrol before entering the vehicle.
The Mandalorian pulled out a data card and inserted it into the vehicles on-board GPS. He had downloaded the coordinates only minutes ago. According to the data, it was a relatively short distance to their destination, and that was all for the better. Time was not on their side this time. The screen blinked multiple times as it processed the data and then plotted a course for the shortest route. Bane merely nodded in the direction of the screen, and assumed Itani could do the rest from there.
"Lets move" said Bane with a nod.
There wasn't room for conversation in these situations. Even if there had been, it definitely wouldn't happen between these two. It was odd how Bane had found himself surrounded by people he didn't really get along with well. He admitted he wasn't exactly what one called friendly, he didn't see a need to be. The more friends you made, the more you would lose at the end of the day. Bane didn't have time to think about friends and relationships, he had a unit to run, a nation now.
That being said, he put friendship and trusting your fellow soldier on two very different and distinct levels. He could trust Itani even if he didn't personally like him. Bane just had to make sure he didn't do anything too stupid that would get them both killed along with Trin. Assassins tended to do things their own way, military structure didn't really fit them well. Bane didn't head SpecOps for no reason, while silence could be boring, it was quite often necessary.
As they sped towards their objective, Bane made a quick check of his gear. His blaster pistol wasn't to be used unless things didn't go to plan. Luckily for him, silence usually meant using blades, something he was quite adept at doing. The Mandalorian had multiple blades situated all over his armor, it gave him many options in close quarter combat. On top of that he had the two blades strapped to his back, they were closer to him than anyone else. Satisfied that everything was in order, Bane focused on what was ahead of them.
He just hoped Trin was still alive.
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Latus
May the Quartz be with you.
850 posts
0 likes
Ain't got time for this. (?°?°??? ???
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last online Jun 27, 2014 19:37:36 GMT -5
Guardian
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Oct 31, 2010 18:53:03 GMT -5
Post by Latus on Oct 31, 2010 18:53:03 GMT -5
((Can't really say more than... we drove.))
The audio-amplifiers in his helmet detected Bane several moments before the door to the speeder opened, the armored man sliding in with only a small reaction from the repulsor coils. The assassin barely waited long enough for the Mandalore to shut the hatch. With a single flick upward the pair rocketed out of the Togorian compound like a mynock after a fusion reaction. He had no idea where they were bound, Bane knew the minutiae of this little plan, so without thinking the assassin just drove.
Itani's mind was all but blank, fixated on a sole blinding, overwhelming sensation. He relished in it, allowed it to wash over his being and bring him a sense of steady calm. The assassin's eyes stayed straight foreword feeling as if they could scorch a hole through the plastisteel canopy. The other side of his brain, the one that harnessed his witty and clever side knew the feeling well. It resembled blood lust but rather than being blinded by it, the feeling sharpened his nerves, gave his mind the edge that he knew would help him in the task to come. He knew it didn't make him superhuman, that was a mistake he only had to make once. He couldn't rely on it; use it, not abuse it. His ego, the witty edge, retained control but as his training had taught him he was still very much mortal.
Only once did Itani speak, eyes blazing behind his mask with breath that rose and fell with the calm of the moment. Trees and grasslands flying by as the speeder cut the distance like a knife. Itani's shoulders rose higher than average once, only once to speak through the mesh helm.
So help me, if she's dead...
Itani didn't finish the sentence. Bane could sort out the rest on his own time. The remainder of the trip was over in a very short span of time. The global positioning system plotted their route so that they would have a bit of protection from the prying eyes of the compound via a large stone cliff; Itani thought it looked like inter-bedded sandstone. Grasping the throttle he decelerated until they slowed to a stop. Putting his shoulder into the door Itani stepped out. Touching his cheek he brought up the scan of the facility... some of it was black from lack of intel.
That isn't good.
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Meira
She don't mess around
2,830 posts
583 likes
Half awake in our fake empire
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last online May 11, 2023 23:01:34 GMT -5
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Nov 6, 2010 9:37:36 GMT -5
Post by Meira on Nov 6, 2010 9:37:36 GMT -5
Wake up.
Consciousness returned to her in time to register what those two words meant. But not fast enough for her to prepare for the blow. Again, it landed on her stomach. She writhed in pain, her body suddenly convulsing with dry heaves. Nothing came up because nothing had come in. She'd not seen a scrap of food since she arrived... wherever it was she was at, and only a sip of water here and there.
You know... she coughed out. ...that's really getting old. You need some new material. She looked up to see that same sergeant standing over her. She was in a small cell, her manacles connected to the wall above her head. She'd been brought in here after her round on the shock table. They sat her down, chained her up, and left. She passed out quickly.
I wish I didn't have to do this, but that mouth o' yours is too dangerous. The sergeant moved in on her. Though half her face was swollen and inflamed, Trin could see he had some sort of rag in his hand. A moment later, he was forcing it into her mouth and tying it around the back of her head. She tried to resist, but bound as she was, there was little she could do. Her eyes were murderous. His were too. He grabbed a handful of her hair, wrenching her head up and to the side, bringing his face close to her ear. His breath was hot against her skin, and she could smell the alcohol on him.
It's just me and you tonight, girlie. Let's have some fun, eh? His hand reached up, taking her left pinkie finger and wrenching it sideways until a distinct crack could be heard. Trin's scream was muffled by the gag. She bit down on it hard, nostrils flaring in pain and anger. That's it. The sergeant laughed. Oh, yeah. We're gonna have some fun!
The sergeant continued his sick little game, breaking two more fingers and leaving a parade of bruises across her torso and legs. But as his fun continued, the sergeant seemed to be giving in to the tiring effects of the alcohol he'd consumed. His speech slurred, became impossible to understand. His movements were clumsy. He'd even missed a punch he'd swung for her face and hit the wall instead, letting out a stream of curses. He sat down then, cradling his hurting hand. Then he slumped against the wall and passed out. Trin kept her eyes on the man for a good time afterward, imagining all the painful things she would do to him if she weren't bound to the wall. Her whole body ached. She was exhausted. But she dared not fall asleep again.
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last online Jan 14, 2020 17:37:19 GMT -5
Master
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Nov 14, 2010 14:07:32 GMT -5
Post by Jace on Nov 14, 2010 14:07:32 GMT -5
[Bday present for Meira :3]
"So help me, if she's dead..."
The Mandalorian didn't need to hear the rest of that sentence to understand what his partner for this mission was implying. So far the assassin had managed to keep things together but truth be told the man looked as if he could lose his cool any moment now. Bane could only hope that Itani would keep his cool for Trin's sake because if he didn't, chances were that all three of them would be dead.
The trip was relatively short and Itani was not so surprisingly deft with his driving. The route had put them not too far from the base and gave them some minimal but necessary cover from the eyes of the compound. The assassin soon slowed the speeder to a stop as they GPS had indicated that they arrived at their destination. Bane flipped open the door and stepped out into the cool evening breeze. The light was just beginning to fade, the night was their only ally on this mission.
Bane studied the compound before them and let out a mental sigh. In relation to other compounds they had assaulted it was relatively small, in truth it looked to be a small outpost. If anything it was more akin to a camp. There were no walls, only guard towers and a few scattered buildings. In all honesty, Bane didn't think it was that heavily guarded either. The problem was that there were only two of them and they hadn't had a chance to make a proper plan, time didn't allow it. The Mandalorian leader made a final check of his gear before considering their approach.
Sentries seemed to be spread out and it didn't look like it would be too much trouble to slip by them. They could neutralize them but that would only make their presence known sooner. They still had the element of surprise, the base didn't look like it was expecting an attack. It wouldn't be long before someone smartened up and security got much tighter, this was their only opportunity. A small window but if anyone could do it, it was a pair of motivated and deadly Mandalorians.
"Alright Itani" started Bane over the comm. "Silent approach. Avoid the sentries. I'll approach from the east, I want you to approach from the west. We still don't know where Trin is, and we don't have the time or manpower to search every building. Based on thermal images of the outpost, I believe that this building is the HQ" he stated by pointing in the direction of one of the more centrally located buildings.
"I'll make my way into the HQ and find out where Trin is being held. Keep hidden once you are within the perimeter but place yourself in an ideal location to make your way to her once we find out where she is. It isn't ideal but should one of us be discovered, the other will be in a better position to extract Trin"
Bane could only hope that Itani kept it together and didn't go on a rampage in an attempt to kill everyone in the base. As much as Bane would like to do that himself, it wouldn't help him accomplish their goal. Then again, if Trin was already dead...it would probably happen anyway. The Mandalorian nodded at his companion and headed off towards his objective.
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Latus
May the Quartz be with you.
850 posts
0 likes
Ain't got time for this. (?°?°??? ???
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last online Jun 27, 2014 19:37:36 GMT -5
Guardian
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Nov 15, 2010 23:43:03 GMT -5
Post by Latus on Nov 15, 2010 23:43:03 GMT -5
The compound was solid, clean and well designed. From the vantage and with some small help from his visor, Itani could see the entire compound. The only solid building looked to be the largest, the rest being massive barracks-style tents surrounding on nearly four sides of the structure. Four guard towers dotted the corners, their skeletal durasteel frames casting strange shadows in the waning light; acting as overseers for the compound itself and the surroundings. He counted at least two in each tower, one on the catwalk, one in the observation room. Patrols walked the perimeter in pairs spaced at intervals of several dozen meters. From his perch the assassin could see blaster rifles, not cheap models either but new, shiny weapons. The minor fact that the entire compound was situated at the center of a small basin only served to squint his eyes. Doubt didn't even factor into his thoughts anymore. He saw all this in the space of a mere instant of surveying, his visage blocked by a sizable boulder. The Republic may have known how to set up a base, impromptu at that, but it was, to the naked eye, nigh impregnable.
But Itani's eye, like the rest of him, was far from naked.
"Alright Itani" Bane's voice broke over his com, the door of the speeder closing quietly. "Silent approach. Avoid the sentries. I'll approach from the east, I want you to approach from the west. We still don't know where Trin is, and we don't have the time or manpower to search every building. Based on thermal images of the outpost, I believe that this building is the HQ" Bane pointed. Itani didn't respond but saw the building his "commander's" finger waggled toward. The assassin's eyes never left the small cluster of buildings.
West flank. One potential KIA in. Sufficient cover.
"I'll make my way into the HQ and find out where Trin is being held. Keep hidden once you are within the perimeter but place yourself in an ideal location to make your way to her once we find out where she is. It isn't ideal but should one of us be discovered, the other will be in a better position to extract Trin" The inflection in Bane's voice signaled the end of his speech. Taking a step back Itani waited until Bane had looked down at the compound. In an instant he had slipped away, breaking Bane's line of sight by using a grouping of rock outcroppings that concealed his body against the shadows that began to swallow the valley. The sun had gone down behind the hills slowly forcing lights to ignite in series all over the base. As the assassin found his way over rock after boulder after thorny plant he noticed the lack of complete luminary cover leaving shadows all over the base; the only downside of a temporary base of operations.
It took him little more than a few moments to cross the several hundred feet to the western side of the small base. A flick of his wrist activated his night vision filter, with a low him the rocks were suddenly ablaze with green. A moment later he was prone, crawling down the easy slope dotted with rocks that got smaller and smaller as he went. He stopped between a lone scrub and low, flat boulder, a perfect place to examine the compound. From his vantage he saw nearly everything in the 180 degree arc before him. He was lucky he got that far forward at all, the rocky nature of the region a blessing to someone trying to be sneaky. With the night slowly building the patrols slowly switched on lights illuminating their path ahead. The watch towers remained quiet, however, their massive spot lamps as dark as the deepening navy of the sky above.
For a while Itani watched the patrols, their comings and goings. The men on the two closest towers were watched likewise; their movements identified, cataloged, stored in Itani's expansive working memory of the compound. It was patterns he needed; patterns were windows to weakness. Patterns, if repeated ad nauseum, even if watched for a limited period, could give Itani everything he needed. So he waited, watched. He saw each of several patrols walk the perimeter many times in the space of twenty minutes. They stayed close to the compound itself, the closest to him remaining at least half of the total distance from the main tower; Itani figured it to be roughly 30 meters.
Instantly an icon swam into place on his HUD, registering at many tens of meters away up on the opposite ridge. Bane. Itani could not see him but the icon never lied. It looked like his counterpart was in place. Eyes narrowing he turned his attention back to the matter at hand; infiltration. After another moment of watch the assassin smiled; he had the information, all he needed was the window.
Moments passed, minutes passed.
I'll pass, your deal. A smile spread under his helm. Slowly his eyes swam back and forth between the patrols, the towers; they were all looking away...
Now!
Pushing up with his feet Itani shot through his cover with all the audibility of the wind. He crossed the "dead zone" in a matter os moments, crouching and ducking against the foot of the steel tower; the smile hadn't left his face. Phase 2. Looking up he turned and jumped as high as he could from standing, his hands catching on a beam nearly feet above him. Without hesitation he pulled himself up and into the steel construction of the tower itself. The maze of beams were a perfect place to find shadows in his mind, plus with the added benefit of it being free from motion sensors. Finally, once he reached a respectable height near the guard house which capped the structure, he stopped and propped himself against an inside beam.
He had cover, he had an exit... he had a drive. The smile vanished, his already bouncing heart stepping up in time with the adrenaline, the promise of vengeance. Trin was here... he paused to look around at all of the buildings again.
He would find her.
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last online Jan 14, 2020 17:37:19 GMT -5
Master
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Nov 24, 2010 21:46:22 GMT -5
Post by Jace on Nov 24, 2010 21:46:22 GMT -5
Bane had only turned around for a moment after giving his instructions but by the time he had turned back, Itani was out of sight. It wasn't something that most people would usually consider comforting but in this case, it certainly was. This was completely aside from the fact that the soldier didn't much care for the assassin, of course. It was clear that Itani could relatively easily make his way onto the base undetected. The Mandalorian leader wasn't trained as an assassin but being a soldier in the militia had demanded much of the same things.
The Mandalorian could ill afford to waste anymore time though, and headed off himself. He quickly but cautiously made his easterly approach to the base. Bane sometimes marveled at how agile some Mandalorians could be in full armor. He didn't think he was built for such things but lately it was what had been needed of him. Maybe one day when he got old he could complain about all these things, but now wasn't the time.
He now lay prone not too far off from the base, silent, unmoving. The grass was high enough that it covered him decently though he was well out from the spotlights range. The patrol itself was moving in wide arc, and only between two people. He waited for minutes, monitoring to make sure there was a pattern in their route. Satisfied that they were unlikely to break from their pattern, he waited until the two sentries were farthest apart.
Now.
Bane sprang forward, running as fast as he could without making a racket. He needed speed and silence for this first bit, otherwise their little rescue attempt would be over before it began. Luckily he had made it to the base of the guard tower without notice, and took a few minutes to catch his breath. Of course that was just the easy part, the next was going to be rather...tricky. Bane was regretting that they didn't have more intelligence, but time hadn't allowed it. Technically he shouldn't even be out here, but bugger what his advisers said. He was a Mandalorian, family was just as big a part of their culture of sacrifice.
The soldier cautiously moved towards what intelligence suggested was the HQ. He used the other buildings as cover as he approach the target building. Every once in awhile he would have to duck into cover as someone exited the building. A few minutes later, Bane found himself outside what he assumed was the back door. There had been two soldiers guarding it, both of them lay slumped on the ground, quite dead. He used the security card from the guard's pocket to open the door. Bane paused for a moment, drawing both the katanas strapped to his back. His speed would decide how many more seconds he would have before he was discovered.
He turned right as soon as he entered the building, pelting down the hallway. One man was unfortunate enough to just turn the corner of the adjacent hallway and be run through by one of Bane's blades. He yanked the bloody piece of metal out and turned left into the next hallway. Bane was assuming that the room he was looking for was located in the center. He had seen cameras but no alarm had sounded yet, he was getting extremely lucky. The building was small and the Mandalorian had found the room he believed he was searching for.
Keying the button, the door slid open and Bane rushed through. He ran forward and leaped over a railing, bringing down his blade from over his head. The blade went straight through the man's skull and remained lodged in his neck. Unable to yank it out, Bane left it, and grabbed a knife sheathed at chest level. Spinning, he threw the blade with all the momentum he could muster and was rewarded with satisfying gurgle as the soldier choked on his own blood. No wonder it had been so easy he mused. There were only two people watching the cameras, two useless people at that. Bane quickly made his way over to a computer and began typing rapidly before switching his comm on.
"Itani." stated Bane, but before he could continue a blaring alarm resounded throughout the compound, signaling that his presence had been discovered. "I've got good news, and bad news. The good news is that i've discovered Trin's location. She is in the basement of the barracks which is now all but empty except for a few guards as the rest are most likely coming to kill me. The bad news is that I won't be able to kill those few that have remained in the barracks and sadly must leave them up to you. Good hunting. Out"
Bane had calculated their chances of success if Itani and him had stayed together and it was very close to zero. One of them would've had to be a distraction if they were to succeed. Mandalore or not, Bane was responsible for this mess, and he never shirked his duty. He needed to make preparations so he could take down as many of these cowardly bastards as he could. If there was any justice in this world, he would die bathed in the blood of the Republic.
A smile came to his face along with the unmistakable ping of a door being opened.
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Meira
She don't mess around
2,830 posts
583 likes
Half awake in our fake empire
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last online May 11, 2023 23:01:34 GMT -5
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Dec 9, 2010 12:14:25 GMT -5
Post by Meira on Dec 9, 2010 12:14:25 GMT -5
Wake up!
Trin started. Her whole body jerked at the words. Had she nodded off? Brown eyes were wide as they darted around the room, taking in her surroundings once again. She was still in the same room, still tied to the wall. There was another person in the room now, he was kicking at the sergeant, yelling for him to wake up. It was then that she noticed the faint sound of an alarm blaring. It sounded like it was above her, but it was faint. This new soldier noticed her and stepped over. She tried to resist him, but he grabbed her hair to hold her head still as he removed the rag that was tied around her mouth. As he loosened it, she managed to clamp her teeth down hard on his finger that he'd carelessly allowed too close to her mouth.
AAAGHH!
The blow was well worth the metallic taste she'd won. Across from her, the door swung open, the sound of the alarm becoming much clearer. A third soldier stood in the door, asking the other what was taking so long.
Nothing. He's drunk off his ass.
Leave him then.
The soldier looked down at her.
Forget her, she's not going anywhere. His companion insisted. With a grunt, the soldier conceded and moved toward the door.
Taddy bye! She called out when the soldier turned at the door to give her one last scathing look.
When the door closed, she dropped her mocking smile in favor of a frown. This wasn't good. That alarm meant trouble. And she couldn't help but shake the feeling that her comrades had something to do with that trouble. Or worse... That it was Itani. Damn fool! She shouted, spitting at the unconscious sergeant. It would be just like him to try and sneak his stupid ass in here to save her. Assassins... they thought they were the coolest things since hyperspace travel. Well if the soldiers didn't kill him, and he somehow managed to get her out of here.... she'd kill him when they got back to camp.
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Latus
May the Quartz be with you.
850 posts
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Ain't got time for this. (?°?°??? ???
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last online Jun 27, 2014 19:37:36 GMT -5
Guardian
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Dec 10, 2010 0:55:39 GMT -5
Post by Latus on Dec 10, 2010 0:55:39 GMT -5
Be the beam.
Hold.
Hold...
He was invisible. Shadows masked him. Glare aided him. A man nearly lost his life because he stared Itani in the eye for a moment too long. The assassin's heart was beating like a drum. It was not nervousness that held him only a moment in time that let him hide in plain sight with enemies all around him.
The thrill of being hidden lasted only a moment for his eyes scanned the perimeter on the opposite side of the base; seeking something he was sure he could only see if he was actively looking for it. Bane may not have been trained to infiltrate and execute but Itani didn't doubt the skill of his "commander."
Suddenly something flitted briefly across his view. Then one more! A small grin whispered across Itani's face. His commander was getting in position. There was a sense of joy the assassin received from Bane granting him the task of rescuing Trin but, as his mind lingered it darkened. He was not here for revenge. He was here on business. With something emotionally investing him in this mission there was no reason to hold back either. Releasing one hand he balanced against the steel beam and ran a hand over the inside of his arm, barely feeling the catch through the fabric over his hands.
He had a surprise for these Republic soldiers. One that he rarely used. His eyes creased under his helm.
Where would they keep her?
His hand flew back to hold himself up-right and his gaze soared over the base once again. The small handful of permanent buildings seemed the likeliest place to hold prisoners; areas with cells, strong doors, sound-proof walls, lacking windows. If one were trying to break someone there was no better place. From his vantage he looked from one to the next to the last; a mess hall, a headquarters like building, a barracks. The mess made the least sense for prisoners and was the farthest away. The other two seemed like more likely subjects... his eyes found the shadows surrounding the outer buildings even near the spot lights.
Act fast, act with purpose. Think with purpose.
Purpose saw the opportunity.
A guard passed beneath him, less than fifteen feet away and mounted the ladder to the tower he was astride. Itani's eyes widened. He had found his moment. He remained frozen until the man had finished his climb to the top, taking a series of slow, deep breaths that charged his muscles with energy. He would need it. Glancing down he saw the movements before committing them, estimated the muscle control. He had to get this perfect.
His breath caught, hands releasing, spine straightening until he hung in midair, held horizontal by his legs. He saw the beam below him and flexed his arms. Itani let go. For an instant he fell before his hands hit solid, the weight carrying him downward spinning along the thin support down, up, down again. Release. He hung in the air for a moment, his eyes noticing movement away from his position, nothing more. His hands caught again just before the edge and he swung again, gravity throwing his weight through, up, down, release. He felt the light upon him as his arms and legs tucked inward his vision spinning wildly. Estimates had carried him this far, for another moment he felt the vertigo. Finally throwing his legs out he felt them hit ground with a satisfying thump. His vision cleared and he ran, the shadows enveloping him a heartbeat later.
He exhaled.
As his thoughts returned Itani spun back and smiled. He had just swung himself across a five meter gap and safely into the shadows cast by one of the larger tents. He smiled. It vanished once again. With no more time to pat himself on the back he slunk foreword, his movements smooth and precise as he moved from shadow to shadow. More than once he was forced to freeze as a patrol walked no more than arm's reach in front of him. As he reached the final tent near the first of the solid buildings, the one that looked like a barracks he paused, his earpiece clicking to life.
Itani... A jarring noise erupted from the speakers over the assassin's right shoulder and he nearly jumped out of his skin, eyes widening in newly born horror.
His breath caught as he saw the searchlight slip by him by less than a foot and point towards the largest building several hundred feet away. Bane's voice broke through the coms again sounding like his calm had been damaged somewhat. Itani didn't have time to listen intently, however, as a small contingent of men, looking like boundary patrols ran past him; the assassin remained frozen, the men didn't seem to notice.
"...won't be able to kill those few that have remained in the barracks and sadly must leave them up to you. Good hunting. Out"
Barracks... handy. The assassin looked up at the building before him, the patrol bypassing it completely. Itani thought of Bane in the HQ building fear creeping up from the depths of his mind. Forcefully he pushed it away, shaking his head and tensing his legs. He had one shot at this. Lunging foreword he crossed this distance to the door to the barracks in little more than a moment with a rustle his only passing slipping through the doors an instant later.
Bane was correct as he passed the rows of empty bunks. Some of them were unmade indicating some folks threw themselves upright quickly. As he moved a weak smell of alcohol assaulted his nose, his vision catching on a few empty bottles. He only shook his head at this... only in the Republic.
There was a single door at the far end of the structure propped open; his way down. The assassin slipped quickly up to it and paused, hearing a few muffled voices below. They sounded... agitated. A simple flick brought a toxin-blade to his left hand but it was with a grimace that Itani placed his right hand to the inside of his arm; a single blade slipping between his fingers.
The cutting edge was coated black.
The assassin licked his lips.
Gently he eased the door open, the only witness a set of back-and-forth duracrete stairs. Cautiously he slipped down, pressed against the inside to hide his presence for as long as possible. Turning the corner he saw a pair of soldiers, one looking down a hall on the other side of an open door, the other standing at alert. Whipping his left arm foreword the blade left Itani's hand and flew true, embedding itself in the alert soldiers forehead. Before the soldier could cry out he slumped to the floor. His comrade was alerted in an instant, his blaster jumping to the ready but Itani was already moving. The man only managed a single shot at the assassin, a high, wild blast that Itani moved low to dodge; he would not make another.
Itani's right hand came up with the black blade, the tip barely passing through the skin. The weight of his movements sent the man stumbling back to try to reengage his assailant, blaster raised. Itani stopped and straightened up, head lowered, eyes glaring at the man through the very top of the visor. The soldier's gun fell from his hands.
Itani hated the black blades. They were his first attempt to manufacture a much more lethal compound than his neuro-toxin. While he had been successful it was not in the way that he wanted. They were not meant for subtle work. In fact, he pitied the poor soldier. But it served the purpose he had in mind. It would be the longest and last minute of the man's life. The assassin watched as the man fell to his knees convulsing, mouth open.
The hallway rang and Itani breathed in; a bloodcurdling scream left the man's lips as he began to convulse. The noise didn't stop. When the man's breath was expended it continued. As his face began to turn blue, eyes rolling back it did not stop.
Over the howling he heard footsteps on the hard floor and he spun out into the corridor, black blade in hand. There were three. At first they did not notice Itani, his red and black armor moving over the body of their dead comrade. The first he reached had his weapon down completely, didn't see it coming; the blade slicing the roof of the man's nose. The second was a single step farther but could not bring his blaster up in time as Itani feinted down them up; a slice to the upper eyebrow. The final managed to bring his blaster to bear, stepping back as he fired repeatedly. Itani looked into the man's eyes, confidence replaced by fear as the barrel spewed red bolts. Itani dodged but was struck in the shoulder drawing a grunt of pain from him. However the force of the energy spun him and his arm extended outward; he released the blade. It stuck in the man's chest piercing his armor.
It was all over in a moment, each man sinking to the floor, weapons clattering around them. One after another the hallway was to bursting with screams of the bloodiest agony imaginable. Itani shook his head, muttered an apology to the men and then stepped foreword, pulling the blade from the man and sliding it back into the catch. The men were still screaming when he reached the final doorway on the left; the only one with light within. He shoved the heavy door open and stepped into the frame.
His heart skipped a beat; there she stood. Tied to a wall, no less.
Her eyes were open at least, a good sign. Torn up, ragged, worn, but alive. The man passed out to one side drew little more than a glance from the assassin. Without a word Itani stepped quickly to her side withdrew a vibro-dagger from his belt and quickly removed the restraints. From the hallway the final shrieks began to die away, until it left the room in an uncomfortable silence. As the last binding fell away he stepped back, facing Trin with only his armor to talk for him.
He nodded and turned.
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last online Jan 14, 2020 17:37:19 GMT -5
Master
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Dec 27, 2010 4:15:54 GMT -5
Post by Jace on Dec 27, 2010 4:15:54 GMT -5
He had set minor charges at the side entrances, with any luck they would collapse when tripped. Bane stood facing the main entrance, a pair of thermal detonators in his hands. It was meant to have been a silent incursion and therefore his load out wasn't exactly heavy. He would have to make do though, as long as he bought enough time. Surely Itani had reached the barracks by now and was in the process of liberating Trin. Now all he had to do was be a good distraction, he reveled in the challenge.
The door began to slide open and Bane drew back his arm in unison.
3...
2...
1...
Bane lobbed the detonators across the room and through the newly opened door. He ducked behind a series of computers to shield himself from the ensuing explosions. Satisfied with the result, he hopped over the equipment and darted towards the door. This was his last chance to make a possible escape, or at least get out of this room to a place he could make a better stand.
He reached the door and his eyes surveyed the carnage the detonators had caused. Republic soldiers lay dead or dying on the floor, some not entirely whole. A few injured ones either cried out in pain or were completely disoriented. The hallway was free, if there was any time to make it out of here, it was now. He was just about to begin sprinting when two soldiers turned the corner of the hallway and leveled their blasters. Bane pivoted, took a step forward, and launched himself back into the room as blaster bolt clipped his shoulder.
Practically crashing into the room, Bane did his best to roll to his feet. Even as he began to stand, there was an explosion off to the back of the room. He turned to see the doorway collapse and seal off one of the entrances. Only a few seconds later there was a second explosion marking the collapse of the other entrance. There was only one way out, and one way in. Now all he needed to do was coax the Republic soldiers into some close combat.
That shouldn't be too hard
Bane had a nice little stash of ammo at his feet and a blaster rifle to boot. All he had to to was keep firing off shots down the hallway at the Republic soldiers. It only took them two minutes to realize that they weren't going to get Mandalore's head by firing off random shots into the room. Instead with courage Bane didn't think they possessed, they charged into the room. The Mandalorian managed to get off a pair of shots before the Republic was upon him. The clamor of the attack masked the sound of deadly metal leaving its sheath.
Ducking under a hasty swing, Bane planted his boot squarely on his first victim's chest. The Republic soldier was knocked backed into another and they both tumbled over various equipment. Bane was already moving, his blades working furiously to fend off multiple Republic soldiers simultaneously. He counted himself lucky that there weren't any Togorians on this base, well he hadn't seen any as of yet. The Mandalorian could take a hit from a man but glancing blow from a Togorian would be the end.
The blade came down in a vicious arc, cleaving the soldier's collarbone. Bane yanked the blade out of the dead man and watched as his blood painted the ground. He didn't have anymore time to admire his handiwork though, as he quickly parried another attack. He knocked the blade to the side, as his other blade struck true, piercing the soldier's armor and continued on to his heart. Bane had to let go of the blade as one soldier tried to lop his hand right off only to be hit in the chest by another which made him stagger backwards.
Blood trickled down the side of his head, unseen to his enemies. It hurt like Hell to breathe, he had at least one or two bruised ribs. His breathing had gotten heavy as he attempted to shun the pain that racked his body. There were closer to ten Republic soldiers dead or dying on the floor. That might seem impressive considering his situation but more soldiers began to pour into the room. Once again he had found himself in a situation where his foes were endless. Bane stepped forward to yank his other blade out of the dead soldier on the floor causing the live ones to take a step back involuntarily.
Cowards.
Bane grinned, tightened his grip on his blades, and charged towards his enemies.
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Meira
She don't mess around
2,830 posts
583 likes
Half awake in our fake empire
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last online May 11, 2023 23:01:34 GMT -5
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Dec 27, 2010 11:44:31 GMT -5
Post by Meira on Dec 27, 2010 11:44:31 GMT -5
Wake up. She whispered to herself. Her body shook when the first scream rang through the hall. Just beyond the door, something was happening. Each scream called images to her mind. The first was Itani, a hole through his chest, blood all around him.
Wake up. It was a dream, a nightmare. She'd drifted off. The pain, the exhaustion... it'd all been too much. This was a fever dream. For the first time since she'd been in this awful place she wanted to see that officer. But the sergeant was still passed out on the floor. There were two screams, there was one, there was nothing. Had there been any? Her eyes glanced over at the sergeant, still on the floor. Was she awake now?
Blaster fire. Her eyes hurried back to the door. How many shots? There was nothing, then... more screams. Not just one voice, two, maybe more? The door was open. Had those soldiers closed it? Who was that... Itani.
His red and black armor, or what he called armor, moved toward her. Her eyes tried to focus through the sweat and blood that still caked her face. When he cut her bindings, she stumbled forward from the wall, but somehow managed to keep her feet. Forgetting her broken fingers, she tried to wipe her vision clear, then hissed at the pain. Itani was already turning away. It was time to go. She took a step forward, following him, but her eyes caught sight of the sergeant again.
A rage boiled in her, and she veered on her path until she stood over him. With what force she had left in her, she lifted a foot. It was bare, but the sergeant only wore fatigues. She brought her heel down on his sternum as hard as she could. She sergeant awoke with the wind out of him, coughing and sputtering into consciousness.
Wake up. She said, barely more than a whisper. Still too drunk, the sergeant blinked at her, his mind unable to comprehend. She fell on him, her knee hitting his sternum again as her right hand came down, finding a tight grip on his throat. For a moment, the sergeant didn't move, confusion in his eyes. But then, as his body became aware of the lack of oxygen, he clumsily tried to push her away. She put her other knee down on one of his arms. His other hand tried to push her, to grab her, but the alcohol had left him weak. His eyes bulged and his legs began to kick. Trin had to fight to keep her place, to keep her grip. Her jaw clenched tight and her nostrils flared as she dug her fingers into his throat, squeezing with all her strength. His mouth opened and closed repeatedly, silently. He grabbed her arm but it did little to stop her. When his efforts stopped, then picked back up, and stopped again, she squeezed even tighter. Then he didn't move at all.
When she stood back up, it hurt to open her hand, having held it squeezing his throat for so long. She opened and closed her fingers until the stiffness subsided, then moved to follow Itani. Out in the hall Republic soldiers littered the floor, their faces a deep purple. She gave them little thought, but scooped up a blaster off one of them. Having no idea where she was, she turned to Itani. He got in, now he had to get them out.
Then, faintly, she heard the rumble of an explosion, followed shortly by another. She cocked her head to listen, then looked at Itani again. He hadn't come alone. But how many were putting their lives in danger just to save her? Who else? She demanded, her voice hoarse and scratchy. Does Bane know you're doing this?
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Latus
May the Quartz be with you.
850 posts
0 likes
Ain't got time for this. (?°?°??? ???
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last online Jun 27, 2014 19:37:36 GMT -5
Guardian
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Dec 28, 2010 13:29:52 GMT -5
Post by Latus on Dec 28, 2010 13:29:52 GMT -5
Trin finally seemed to be coming out of it as Itani quickly glanced beyond the door to her "cell." He didn't know what they had done to her, hell he almost didn't want to. But if any of those soldiers had done anything they shouldn't have... well, they suffered for it. Any innocents, not so much. No one deserved to die like that. The hallway was clear and he heard nothing from above. A sigh escaped him; more soldiers would just be inconvenient.
Mentally Itani shook his head as his eyes graced the bodies, convulsed and purple skinned, twisted in unnatural angles. He loved the black blade for its efficiency... hated it for the wanton pain and suffering it caused. He was an assassin after all, not a psychopath.
The sound of a sharp impact reaches his ears and Itani turns just in time to see Trin's foot connect with the unconscious soldier laid to the side of the room. As a person his first instinct would be to stop her but his posture doesn't shift, he makes no attempt.
Wake up. Her voice was barely a whisper... one that he heard her say to herself not a moment before. Beneath his helmet, eyes creased into an expression of pain. He knew what the republic did to prisoners... and Trin, as a mandalorian would likely not give anything up easily if at all. So for the whole altercation Itani simply watched, allowing Trin the satisfaction of killing the man with her hands around his throat. With the soldier's death rattle she let him go and stood, flexing her fingers.
Trin. He paused until she responded. We must go. His voice was low, on the somber side of businesslike as he spoke; there was no time for casual conversation between them. Though he didn't say as much his tone reflected it perfectly.
He turned once more and stepped through the door. He drew another weapon, merely one of his standard toxin-blades, as he stepped over the corpses. If Bane had done his job well all they would have needed to do was sneak quietly out but that was no longer possible.
Bane was in danger, Mandalore was in danger. Even Itani, a military naysayer couldn't possibly leave such an important person to the war-effort to his fate. He heard the footsteps of Trin as she pattered after him and was just turning the corner that led back up the stairs when he felt more than heard an explosion. It was followed up by a second, the same potency.
Glancing back he saw that his charge had armed herself and was looking directly at his visor.
Who else? She demanded, her voice hoarse and scratchy. Does Bane know you're doing this?
Itani huffed and took a step back from the stairwell pulling a second weapon free, this time a small blaster. He glared through the visor at Trin.
Does Bane know? That di'kut located you so I could get you out! He checked the charge pack on the blaster and glanced back toward the stairs. Those explosions were likely his attempt at defense, or the Republic trying something sneaky. I am here to get you out. Know that. But I will not leave without him. You now have a choice; help me save Bane or get back to our speeder and radio some help.
Its your choice. Make it.
His tone was cold, unemotional. He refused to invest in someone again. Taking several quick strides he mounted the stairs and reaches the primary entrance to the basement. With a quick glance he realizes that the barracks is completely empty. Several footlockers appeared to be hastily thrown open and lockers emptied; likely where the soldier's gear was stored. Putting a finger to his coms he opens a link to Bane. Immediately he hears heavy breathing, rapid movement, most likely death.
I have her.
Stepping toward the main windows he peers out one side up toward the HQ building. Smoke obscures the bulk of the room, some of the windows have been shattered. Windows; now there's a possibility. Several of the second story windows opened onto a prefab shack only three, four feet away from the opening.
I think there may be more dancers at this party than we thought. The primary windows on the your far left side are shattered if you need a quick exit. We can meet you there.
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last online Jan 14, 2020 17:37:19 GMT -5
Master
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Jan 6, 2011 7:11:38 GMT -5
Post by Jace on Jan 6, 2011 7:11:38 GMT -5
The Mandalorian grunted as a sharp pain lanced up his arm. One of the Republic soldiers had managed to cut through his gauntlet and score a deep but not incapacitating wound on Bane's forearm. His usually sturdy armor had taken a beating over the last minutes, it was a wonder it had not just crumbled to pieces. He used the pain to fuel his punch which hit the soldier square in the jaw and reeling backwards. Bane struggled to shut the pain out, he felt as if he could barely stand. It was with deep, labored breaths that Mandalore surveyed the carnage around him.
Close to a dozen Republic soldiers lay dead or dying on the floor around him. The command room of the HQ had been completely destroyed either from explosions or blaster bolts. It had been redecorated with the blood of the Republic and Mandalorian alike. This was where Bane had chosen to make his stand against the small Republic garrison, a maneuver which would hopefully buy time for the rescue of his vod. It was then with that thought that his comm clicked on and he heard Itani's voice.
"I have her" came the cool voice of the assassin followed by a short pause before he heard Itani's voice again. "I think there may be more dancers at this party than we thought. The primary windows on the your far left side are shattered if you need a quick exit. We can meet you there."
Bane looked around him quickly but calmly, studying his surroundings.
Windows?There were no windows in the room and it took Bane a moment to realize that Itani had been talking about the second floor. Indeed there were windows there, he had seen them as he approached the HQ earlier.
The Republic soldiers seemed to have gotten cautious now, he could tell they had not expected these losses. The garrison here was small, they had to be running low on personnel. This gave Bane a few critical moments to work out a hasty exit strategy. He had only one thermal detonator left, but he had multiple flashbangs. It was an all or nothing gamble, but there was a chance of success.
"Negative. Rendezvous just outside the perimeter in 2 minutes"
He had a feeling if he told them to leave, they wouldn't have listened. Bane sometimes which he didn't command such a stubborn group of soldiers. This way at least they wouldn't be directly in the line of fire. The last thing Bane needed on this rescue mission was for Trin to get shot by some stray blaster bolt after all the effort they had gone through. The Mandalorian gathered three flashbangs and moved to the only entrance/exit to the room. He took three deep breaths and lobbed a flashbang down the hallways. Then he waited two more breaths and lobbed a second one.
The cries of the Republic soldiers didn't even register to Bane as he sprinted down the hallway towards his possible exit. He quickly turned left, away from the momentarily incapacitated soldiers. As he had predicted, the Republic soldiers had been stationed to guard the exits to the HQ but not the stairs that led to the 2nd floor. It was these stairs that he took, the Republic soldiers would recover any second now. Even as he made his way up the stairs, he could hear their footsteps hounding after him. It was there at the end of the hallway he saw the window. He sprinted toward it and without hesitation dived through the glass.
Bane grunted as he hit the roof of the shed a few feet below the window. Before he even had time to consider that pain, he rolled off the roof and into the ground landing hard on his left shoulder. Oddly enough it was the wave of extreme pain that drove Bane to prime his last thermal detonator and lob it into the window. His mind barely registered the explosion, it barely registered anything except pain. There was a clear shot to the perimeter, if he could just make it there then he could manage to hide from his pursuers. With energy he didn't think he had, Bane slowly began to move towards his objective.
Almost there.
He couldn't tell if anyone was following him, or if he was being shot at, his body just moved without thought. The Mandalorian wasn't exactly running, but more like stumbling quickly away from the HQ. He was struggling to keep consciousness, his pain slowly seemed to become less of a problem. The serious wound on his forearm, his dislocated shoulder, they didn't seem so important anymore. Bane felt the world fading around him as his vision began to dim. Then with one last step, the Mandalorian's knees buckled and he collapsed to the ground.
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Meira
She don't mess around
2,830 posts
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Half awake in our fake empire
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last online May 11, 2023 23:01:34 GMT -5
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Jan 18, 2011 18:22:57 GMT -5
Post by Meira on Jan 18, 2011 18:22:57 GMT -5
"Does Bane know? That di'kut located you so I could get you out!"
Worse. So much worse. Her jaw tightened, the flex of the muscles showed in her cheeks. Her nostrils flared and her brow furrowed together, further signs of her anger. STUPID! The word rang and repeated in her mind, but she kept her face stone still as Itani continued.
"Those explosions were likely his attempt at defense, or the Republic trying something sneaky. I am here to get you out. Know that. But I will not leave without him. You now have a choice; help me save Bane or get back to our speeder and radio some help.
Its your choice. Make it."
Itani turned to leave, his feet carrying him up the stairs and out of sight, leaving Trin to stand alone, shocked. The way he spoke... she'd never heard him like that before. His words were clipped, unemotional. The Itani that she thought she knew, the one she'd fought with, the one she... Itani had always tried to inject humor into any situation, no matter how inappropriate. But this man was cold, distant.
It took a moment or two for her to shake off the confusion his tone had awoken in her. When she did, she dashed up the stairs after him as best as her injured body would allow. She came up behind him where he stood at a window as he spoke over his comm to Bane. When he finished speaking, she smacked the back of his head. The blow was nothing much, since her good hand had been holding the rifle, but she hadn't been aiming to hurt him.
I'm hurt, not dead, stupid. Of course I'm going to help you! She shouldered past him, lifting the stolen rifle to a ready position, then placed herself by the door to the barracks. Taking only a moment to steady her breathing, she pushed the button on the controls and the door opened soundlessly. She surveyed the scene quickly, checking that the area she could see was clear and nodded to Itani that it was. When he nodded back, she moved.
In a crouched run, she made for the nearest bit of cover, a pile of containers stacked by the side of a nearby building. There, she took a knee and leveled the rifle to cover Itani as he came out of the barracks. When he was again at her side, she took up a watch between the two buildings.
I'll follow you... sir. She let a fair bit of venom out with that last word. If he wanted to be cold, that was his choice. It didn't mean she was going to be nice about it.
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Latus
May the Quartz be with you.
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Ain't got time for this. (?°?°??? ???
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last online Jun 27, 2014 19:37:36 GMT -5
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Jan 25, 2011 18:42:06 GMT -5
Post by Latus on Jan 25, 2011 18:42:06 GMT -5
"Negative. Rendezvous just outside the perimeter in 2 minutes"
Behind his mask his eyes went wide. The cheeky bugger; throughout all this chaos did Bane really have some contingency plan to escape from such a tight spot? Glancing out of the barracks toward where the commotion was emanating Itani hoped that his "commander" was right about this. The assassin didn't like it, but he was going to let Bane do what he wanted and not go in after him. Cringing behind his mask he flinched slightly as something hit the back of his head and stepped to the other side of his cover.
"I'm hurt, not dead, stupid. Of course I'm going to help you!"
Ok, he'd have to have a talk with her about that. Trin slid to the panel next to the door as he waited for... wait, why was he waiting? His humorous side was slowly seeping back into his mind as he looked at Trin, the visage of the young woman bringing not only a smile but brighter thoughts. He found it almost impossible to not look at her for a moment. It was in that moment that she nodded to him. In his stupor, he nodded back. In a rush and a whoosh she was out the door and pressed against the wall of the building he suggested for Bane to come out of... he had to act. Itani knew he had to act now.
"I'll follow you... sir." He noted the venom in her voice but chalked it up to having been tortured for the past many hours... and the fact that he had come to rescue her. The assassin wondered if he would ever understand women. He still felt that hint of apathy that had seeped into his heart after her capture but the mass had been replaced by relief; Trin was fine and it was his job to get her out. Bane likely had a way out and he was going to see the young woman to safety even if she... shot him on the way there.
Ducking around the door-frame he hit the same building on which she was covered and tapped the metal siding with his dagger to get her attention.
"Don't be so dramatic. Bane has a way out after all." His voice was much more energetic leaving all of his uncharacteristic surly moodiness, literally, at the door. "He wants us to meet back at the perimeter, near the speeder. Now, if you want to disobey a direct order you can stick around. If not, do as you affirmed and follow me; stay low.
Turning away from the action Itani gave Trin another nod, ignored any looks she might give him, and slipped away under the cover of the major buildings in the compound. At a junction he paused and glanced each way, quickly confirming his suspicion that the entire compound was trying, and failing, to deal with one Mandalorian man. If only they knew who he was; they might have surrendered instead. Shaking his head to remove these thoughts he sprinted the short distance between the solid building and the rows of tents. The speeder was on the far side of the rows and, as he trotted quickly along the rows the lights became less potent bathing him in shadow. He maintained a decent speed but made sure to keep Trin within an arm's length or two. He wasn't about to lose her again. Before long they had reached the outer limits of the
Suddenly an explosion rocked the night and Itani spun around looking up to the second floor where he had seen the potential exit. His heart sank for a moment before he saw a figure half-running, half-limping through the buildings. The armor gave the figure away from that distance and Itani flashed a brief smile before turning to climb the hill up to the speeder.
Cmon, lets get the speeder and get out of here. We'll grab Bane at the top, here.
Several dozen meters from the small rise he found the speeder where they left it, parked in a recess of those large boulders. Popping the main hatch he slid in and fired up the engines. Reaching over he pushed the opposite hatch open for Trin, waited for her to slide in and punched it, zipping off to where they had crested the hill just in time for Bane to stumble across the top of the rise. Itani's face was alight under his mask as he watched Bane stumble toward the speeder then gasped in fear as the massive man crumpled over, not moving.
Osik! Bane! Get the back hatch.
Grunting he threw the door open and leapt out reaching Bane's immobile body in several strides. Leaning down he snagged the man's arm and pulled, trying to get the man upright but with the armor and Mandalore's already considerable muscle bulk Itani could do little more than drag him across the loam.
Gorramit Bane, why couldn't you have collapsed INTO the speeder?
His voice was tense as he looked up, hoping that Trin was in any kind of shape to lift a heavy mandalorian.
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Meira
She don't mess around
2,830 posts
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Half awake in our fake empire
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last online May 11, 2023 23:01:34 GMT -5
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Feb 4, 2011 10:57:08 GMT -5
Post by Meira on Feb 4, 2011 10:57:08 GMT -5
Tap tap.
She turned her head toward him as he crouched down beside her. When he spoke, his voice was closer to his usual tone. What was going on with him? First he was like a droid, now back to normal? Did he hit his head or something? She stated back at him, her face too tired to show her confusion. He nodded, she nodded. But when he turned to move, she stuck her tongue out at the back of his head. Childish, sure... but it made her feel better.
Trin stayed right on his tail, or about as close as she could manage. She felt broken everywhere, and each step was a battle of its own. But with the blaster fire and the explosions, the adrenaline carried her through. Or maybe it was the thoughts about how she'd tear these boys new ones when they were back to safety.
The next explosion stopped them both, and almost in unison, they turned in that direction. There, barely visible in between the buildings and smoke, a lone figure hobbled, stumbled, and did everything it could to keep moving.
Stupid. She thought, but Itani had spoken and they were moving again. The speeder was not far off, then soon they were at it. Itani was in first and opened her door, She lifted it and slid in just as he punched the accelerator. Bane made it up a hill, cresting it, then collapsing. Itani cursed and slammed on the brakes. She had to push her hand against the dash to keep from slamming into it.
"Osik! Bane! Get the back hatch."
As Itani leapt from the speeder, Trin fumbled to find the switch hand hit it. She twisted her body around in the seat to watch as Itani attempted to help Bane. But he coiuldn't lift him. Trin jumped from the speeder to help. She grabbed one of Bane's arms at the shoulder, her own arms circling down and around it to get the best leverage. She heaved in time with Itani, and they finally got him half way through the back hatch of the speeder.
"Get. Your. Gorram. Stupid. Ass. In. The. Frakkin'. SPEEDER!" She grunted and shouted as they finally lifted the rest of his body in. As the hatch closed, Trin was breathing heavily, and her anger was apparent in her eyes. She kicked the side of the speeder as she and Itani moved to get back in. It sent a shock of pain up her leg and she shouted it out.
Falling into the speeder, she brought her door down with a slam. "GO!"
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Latus
May the Quartz be with you.
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Ain't got time for this. (?°?°??? ???
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Feb 8, 2011 20:58:36 GMT -5
Post by Latus on Feb 8, 2011 20:58:36 GMT -5
After much grunting and groaning the pair finally managed to get Bane's unconscious form into the back hatch of the speeder. Slamming it shut Itani nearly dove into the cabin, breathing heavily and coughing at the massive physical exertion.
Not a weight lifter. Not a bulky manly man; a bloody assassin! Sometimes I wish I wasn't a damned mand-
"GO!"
Buckle up!
Making sure everyone was in and accounted for he slammed his foot onto the accelerator and a moment later the pair were a spec on the plains of Togoria as the camouflaged speeder sailed back the way it came. Itani's foot remained glued to the floor as the speeder rocketed over the uneven terrain. He tried to fly steady and smoothly so as to not aggravate his wounded passengers which forced him to slow the pace slightly. Glancing back he looked at Bane who seemed worse for wear but he could do nothing about it; not yet anyway. His first task was to get them back to the mandalorian compound safely. His eyes remained fixed on the path knowing that he would have a pair of pissed off Mandalorians on his scrawny ass if he talked or not.
The speeder screamed into the primary compound, the Togorians shared with his people, drifting the tail end of the speeder around to halt in the same place in the mechanical bay where he first found it.
Like a glove.
Popping the hatch he called for one of the mechanics in the bay for help as he popped the back hatch. A moment later a handful of burly manly men stepped up to the speeder.
Please, take him to the med-bay.
In a moment the group had lifted Bane and were carrying him quickly out of the mechanical bay... that only left Trin and he. Taking a deep breath he turned to her and nodded, motioning after them.
I'm sure you want to do a multitude of things TO me but they can wait until you have been checked out. He didn't give her a chance to speak before he piped up again with a smile. Doctor's orders.
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