Post by desmun on Oct 30, 2012 17:18:54 GMT -5
Faction: Republic
Department: Special Operations
Rank: E-6 SSG/Staff Sergeant
Name: Barrist, Desmun
Race: Human
Age: 28
Height: 6'
Weight: 195 lbs
Birth place: Coruscant
Appearance: Standing a little taller than average, Desmun has a warrior's look to him. His hair on his ovular shaped head is cut to grooming standards of the Republic military, and is a dark brown color. His eyebrows are thick and slightly arched over his green-brown eyes over high, and slightly wide cheekbones. The bridge of his nose is thin, but his nostrils are averaged sized placed over his thin lips.
His body is athletic looking due to years of training and keeping up to standards, and being bored on his time on leave, and off patrol. He's fairly hairy, but he's certainly no Wookiee. He is clean of tattoos, but he does have a few light scars from where he was wounded on Rhen Var.
He has on spot on his abdomen that is shaped like a splattered star, tight and slightly twisted skin where he took blaster fire just under his left ribcage. Just below his clavacle on his right side he has another bolt scar, where the bolts again pierced his armor.
He has a small scar on the right side of his forehead, likely from the melee on Rhen Var, about an inch long, and maybe a millimeter wide. It outlines his temple a little.
As far as apparel, he generally just wears his issue uniform. He's not as lax as most other guys, wearing their shirts open. The most he does is roll ups his sleeves. If he doesn't have to wear his jacket, he won't. If he's on base he will generally just wear his undershirt tucked into his trousers.
If he's on leave or something he wears simple clothing. Light boots with comfortable clothes. Neutral pants and usually a light colored shirt under a black light jacket.
Personality:
Desmun is a personable kind of guy. He enjoys talking with people, and making jokes. He has a sort of dry sarcastic sense of humor, that can get dark if he knows you well enough.
Desmun is also military. He can come of upon first meeting someone as the typical gallant, professional type. This is not untrue, but he enjoys gambling and drinking, as well. He knows life is short, and he likes to make the most of his time. When he's on Leave or gets chances to get out and explore any, he will. He's not some sort of adrenaline junkie, though. He says that since the republic is at war, he gets enough adrenaline as it is. This is not to say that he is a coward.
Quite the contrary. Desmun has shown bravery and integrity at almost every turn. He's a do-gooder with a strong sense of justice. He will volunteer for things that he knows he can do, even if it puts him in danger. The military wouldn't want him otherwise.
Desmun is also self confident. He feigns arrogance in a jesting manner, knowing his limits, and knowing the difference between self awareness and arrogance.
He's a fairly compassionate guy, but he likes to try and stay realistic. Realism is something that comes natural to him. Realism first, Optimism second, never pessimistic.
When duty calls he knows when to stow his jokes, and when the team needs it. He is a good source of encouragement and is intensely focused.
This focus leads to one of his major flaws. He has a pretty short temper. He doesn't always get violent- but he has known to certainly defend himself when his mouth has gotten him in trouble. Though on the bright side- his temper and impatience can come in handy when you have someone on the other end of a communicator hesitating to make a decision or do their job.
He is eager to please for the most part, and more so now than ever. He is being reactivated after medical leave, and being assimilated into another specforce squad.
Skills:
Desmun is good with communications. He speaks a few languages and understands several more. Galactic basic is his native tongue. He can understand Binary, Bothese, Mando'a, Huttese, Rodese, and twi'leki. He speaks High basic, Basic, and some low level Mando'a.
He is an intermediate slicer- and knows the ins and outs of most computer systems.
He has been with republic military since he was 18, and knows a lot about weapons systems. He is an excellent marksman, and always scores great on range days. He has tested abilities in land navigation, as well as field medicine. Originally learned in basic, and kept up for certifications as he entered the specforce.
He physically trains as well. Both martial arts of Teras Kasi/Hijkata, as well as weight and speed training. He has been learning Teras Kasi/Hijkata since his father put him in training as a teenager. Serious speed and weight training since he went on his first deployment at almost 20.
Attributes:
Physical Strength: 6
Intelligence: 6
Speed: 5
Leadership: 5
Unarmed: 7
Melee Weapons: 4
Ranged Weapons: 7
Bio:
Desmun Barrist was born on Coruscant to Eugene and Kasha Barrist. Eugene was a member of the Coruscant Security Force, and Kasha worked for a food service company. At an early age, he was instilled with the notions of right and wrong, and taking responsibility. For as long as he could remember, he always wanted to be just like his father, and join the CSF.
He always tried to do the right thing, idealizing the cop of Coruscant. His father ushered the ideas of Teras Kasi, but his mother didn't agree to this until young Desmun was about 12 years old. Desmun's father, having a slight mistrust of the Jedi as it were, had at some point come across Teras Kasi. He was a CSF member, and liked that they were able to keep the peace without the involvement of the Jedi Order. Long story short, he felt that they often times made things worse. Finding like minded people in his sector of the planet- something to keep the jedi 'in check' was introduced to him. So, Desmun's father Eugene decided to show Desmun the ropes of the martial art that he had learned when he was just a rookie in the CSF. It wasn't exactly a pure form, but it was most certainly effective. It was a mixture of philosophies of both the Hijkata, and the Teras Kasi. Since Teras Kasi wasn't as easily accessible, Eugene had first learned Hijkata, and learned a lot about Teras Kasi, but wasn't able to get full, sincere training in it.
He went to training three times a week in one of the CSF's gymnasiums to learn the martial arts and self defense without weapons. This started training his mind to be more focused and disciplined. It allowed him to also learn a tiny bit about The Force, and keeping a strong will. This also got him out- and gave him something else to do other than tinkering with datapads, and computing terminals.
In school he always did well to make his parents proud. He studied hard, and even undertook several language courses. These definitely came in handy later on. Eventually though, he fell into a bad crowd in his mid-early teens. Facing moral dilemmas day after day, and having to hide so much from his parents, it slowly ate away at his psyche. Sneaking into cantinas lead him to meet all sorts of different people. Gun runners, drug dealers, and gamblers. This furthered his language learning quicker than classrooms did, and helped him cement what he had learned.
Desmun was starting to find it hard to go against everything he was raised to think. When he was around seventeen, his friends got caught in a scheme where they were stealing credits through micro-transactions. They had come up with a way to slice some bank nodes to skim fragments of cred per each transaction completed. They had sliced every terminal in a few miles radius- which in Coruscant- can be quite a few.
The bank systems were starting to take notice of this- rather than node malfunction, and had reported it to investigators. They were able to tell that someone was slicing, but couldn't figure out who, as the credits that were shaved didn't go to a 'real' account.
They did this with Desmun's help. He was always great with computers and took up slicing as well as gambling. He could slice terminals, doors, you name it- if he had enough time, he could probably do it. He designed the technology for his friends, but he had no idea they were going to put it to use, nor did he know it would actually work. To his surprise, his friends began bragging about it among themselves when they would go out and sneak into bars and cantinas. They told him they put his program to use, they got him drunk enough to talk about it on several occasions, and took notes. This conversation lead down a dark path, and Desmun got furious. In a long drawn out argument, Desmun made the choice to break his relationship with his group of friends that were ever so close to getting him jail time.
A few weeks passed and he hadn't heard from them until he was taking a lone trip to see a Republic Military recruiter office. Seventeen was still a young enough age to be able to change the way things were going. He wanted to turn his life around, and thought that joining the CSF would be too close to making him a hypocrite. The next step of defending the things he loved and keeping them safe would be a grander scale. The Republic Navy. So he decided to have a chat with a recruiter.
On the way in, he was confronted by his old group of friends. They were the same age group, all around the seventeen year range. They cornered him on a public use magnarail, and attempted to extort and blackmail him for knowing that they were now making thousands every month on his stolen technology. If the CSF ever heard anything about it- Desmun would be just as much involved as they. Things got heated with Desmun's temper. His mouth got him in trouble as he started calling them out for their stupidity, and laziness, and lack of integrity, and a slew of other things he knew about them. This boy could get these other four into very deep trouble. This got the group riled up and angry, and they threw the first punch.
Luckily there were no blasters involved, and luckily Desmun was still faithful to attend his Martial arts lessons. Not to say he still didn't catch a bit of a beating, but he was able to limp away from the confrontation, yet making sure that his old friends were having to limp away, too.
He didn't make it to the recruiter's office that day, but he was able to make it to the nearest CSF office. He never ratted his friends out for the credit shaving- but he did report them all for his assault and slight battery. He didn't have to point fingers to their financial crimes. They slipped up during their arraignment and got in trouble for it anyhow. They were likely going to spend the rest of their adolescence in detention. Probably a good bit of their adulthood, as well. Desmun didn't keep up with it, as the next few weeks once his bruises healed, he was able to make it to the recruiting offices to express his interest in the Navy. He was actually re-convinced to joining the Army instead, as they had more immediate needs. They always seemed to have a growing need for Republic soldiers.
He began his pre-enlistment training and went off to basic after he turned 18. His Father, and some ofthe guys at his Gym helped him a bit with more physical training, that way he could ace his physical exams without much worry.
This is when he began his career as a Republic Soldier. In basic, he learned everything it was to begin being a soldier of the Republic. How to construct, upkeep, and fire his weapon. He actually got marksman approved during range qualifications. Excellent with a hand blaster, and just as well with carbine and rifle qualifications. He received the marksmanship badge for each qualification. This was likely due to his steady hand and great focus paired with trained hand-eye coordination he learned and built in teras kasi, as well as hijkata training. Also learned how to read and follow maps. About friendly and enemy vehicles. History of wars. Ballistics. Basic first aid. How to conserve energy in harsh climates. Wilderness survival. Strength of willpower and intelligence. How to defend himself with basic self-defense, something of which he was already very good at by this time. These were just a number of things he learned and loved to do. After his several weeks in training, he had graduated as a Private, First Class, and merged him with a Scout and Reconnaissance unit. Just out of basic, he was made active and sent to Onderon for general security and peacekeeping.
He mainly watched roadways, and helped keep the peace there during times of friction between Mandalorians and Onderon. The most he had to do on his first deployment was fire warning shots at speeders and angry suspicious pedestrians if they came too close without slowing down, or declaring intent. On his time off, he hit the gyms with his new friends, and practiced his martial arts. Sometimes played cards at the bars with friends and locals, or just sat around and tinkered with radios and datapads. This is where he began picking up on some Mando'a, too. Learning from some of the people on Onderon who had some contact with the Mandalorians on Dxun. He did a few deployments to keep peace and ensure safety like this, going around the galaxy until rumors of a new threat began to rise. He was on Onderon for a year, and Ordo deserts for two. He received the Defense Service Medal for his time at his outposts, and was promoted to Corporal from Specialist after his second year on Ordo.
Years passed and he had begun to take a liking to his new career. What he thought was Protecting those in need of help felt good. He felt like he was providing something. Like he was finally good at something that mattered. Though, words of threats got stronger. Words of the Sith, and the Mandalorians coming back. Both of which had come to a crescendo.
After a fairly boring year, he was promoted to Sergeant and was moved from Ordo to the Yavin system, and then to Taris. He spent a year on Taris doing some schooling for radio communications. This seemed to be fairly quick for him, since he had a technical aptitude already. After he passed, he was again moved. Stationed on Dantooine, he was able to greet the Sith Empire on their arrival. After spending time with his scout infantry unit on long recon patrols, and making a name for himself for doing good work in communications, as well as reconnaissance, he was noticed by his superiors for doing solid, consistent work, as well as adding suggestions for ergonomic operation. He was awarded the Army's Achievement medal, as well as a few service ribbons for serving on the planets. Things then got more serious on Dantooine.
On a fleeting mission to destroy communications arrays before having to retreat, Desmun and his unit were tasked with the job of overseeing the demolitions. Displaying courage in the face of danger, and coming into contact with the republic special forces that were on the other side of the same mission, he was able to meet a few influential people in the Republic specfor groups. They worked together to complete the same goal, and they did great work with minimal casualties. Before receiving the word that the entire Republic military was pulling out of Dantooine, one of the commanders of the specfor asked him to take a look into joining their groups, or at least entertain the idea.
His unit having pulled back to the Yavin system, Desmun was awarded another Service Commendation on Dantooine, even though it was a lost battle. He was also promoted to the rank of Staff Sergeant, and given lead over a small team. Still curious to speak to someone about selection into the SpecForce, Desmun set out to speak to his commanding officer. En route, and seeing the same SpecForce officer on base by coincidence, he was able to have a brief chat, and was encouraged into undergoing selection. He was old enough, and his pay grade was in line, after having spent 6 years in the military already- it would be a great resume builder. He loved the lifestyle, and certainly lived it, and it showed.
Travelling back to the core, he was put through the grueling selection process. He was one of the group selected out of the near one hundred. Only about 20 people had actually graduated, the rest washed out. It was here he furthered his knowledge of field medicine, marksmanship, more weapons systems, camouflage, wilderness survival, escape and evasion, infiltration and exfiltration, specforce history, melee combat, intelligence, leadership, teamwork, among other things.
Here, he selected to train and learn more about engineering and computer systems. He would work as a comms technician. He spent a few months in training before he was assigned to a fire team. Calling themselves "Dagger", as they saw themselves as the dagger being jabbed at enemy weak points. They were green lit on mission shortly after the Chancellor had been assassinated.
He went on a few quick deployments against the Mandalorians, again on Onderon. His team was able to successfully destroy an enemy reconnaissance group who was feeding their main force intelligence on landing spots and republic whereabouts. They were a hearty enemy, but taken off guard with guerilla tactics- were defeated. Due to this, the Mandalorian fleets have still not been able to get a good foothold on Onderon. Dagger's last deployment was against the Sith after Onderon. It was right after War had been declared upon the Sith. The entire team was made a casualty at the time of their drop.
Not all were killed, Desmun and the fireteam leader survived, but were still seriously wounded. Dropping into a hot zone on a scarred area on Yaga Minor, their team was commissioned to provide assistance to a group of Republic soldiers and a few Jedi. Their communications were cut off, and it was their job to investigate.
Upon arriving via Navy transport, the Spec For group was about to jump from their transport several feet to the ground before it was hit by a barrage of short range rockets. Two catching right at the cockpit, taking the ship down. The ship tumbled down a mountainside with two specforce members still inside, killing them instantly. Another member was flung down the mountainside, presumed KIA. The others were alive, having jumped right after the rockets hit the vehicle.
The squad, under heavy sith fire, was able to reach their destination to see that there was a small republic infantry unit on a landing dock, guarding a few stranded young Republic Cadets. Their communications had bit the dust after their RTO was struck by mounted turret fire. Unable to call in proper coordinates for extraction, Dagger had to set up a defensive stance so that the republic soldiers could extract with the Cadets.
Using what little natural cover they had, the unit was picked off one by one, using several variants of move and shoot tactics. They were so severely out-gunned that out of about 40 individuals in the entire group, 23 remained. Desmun, his team leader, several republic soldiers, and all but two of the jedi kids survived.
Extraction came for them on a whim, and were able to get the remaining personnel and soldiers. This is really the last thing he remembers about it. Having taken several shots, Desmun was hospitalized, as well as his superior officer. Of the two, Desmun was the only survivor. A lot of this memory was hazy for him. The concussion he received from his helmet being blasted made sure of his foggy memory.
He didn't realize he was in the hospital for nearly a month. Upon his release, his CO sent him notice that he would be assimilated into another specforce group once he was back from Medical Leave. Once he returned, he was shown his Republic Army's distinguished service cross for heroism and acts of valor, and his team leader was given the Chancellor's ribbon and Cross of Honor. The highest achievement that could be awarded for saving Desmun, as well as several lives of Republic Soldiers and Cadets.
RP Sample:
The troop transport moved with grace. Surprising for it's size and shape. Desmun took a look at his comrades under the red lights hanging in between the transport's wide doors. The growl of the engine was loud, even from inside, and radio chatter was going back and forth between the pilots and the Republic outpost that had sent them. He had stopped listening to them at this point. The floor beneath him vibrated softly. Desmun stood right behind their Team Lead, facing the door. The others were chatting among themselves. After hearing the ten second warning, the doors began to open. In a smooth motion, the door in front of him hissed, letting raindrops, and a large swath of gray light in. Down a good ways out he saw red blaster fire, and could hear it the closer they got.
8....7....6.... he counted in his mind.
"Put your damn helmet on, Dez!" one of his comrades hollered at him. Desmun was in a bit of a meditation.
Giving a flinch, "Scared me, Nova." Desmun laughed, looking over his shoulder. He was jarred out of his trance by the loud shout, and a slap to the back of his left shoulder. Blinking, he dropped his helmet that was being cradled beneath his right arm onto his head. His heart began to race as the trees, and muddy ground was becoming easier to see and more detailed, passing some rock formations- as they were nearing a mountainous area. They were close to ground. Blaster fire was passing the transport now. There's no wonder why only one door was open. Hopefully the transport's shields would hold out.... The flight was getting rocky.
Desmun felt a slap on the top of his helmet once it was on, and watched his Leader turn around to face everyone.
"Check comm!" was buzzed into his helmet's com. They all lifted their thumbs as they could hear.
All Replied "Clear to go!"
"Alright. Ladies and gentlemen, lets get these scared little Lepi's out of hiding" the team lead's familiar voice scratched through their helmets. It was a jest, and it was confident. Little did they know that it would be 40 against a Sith battalion tracking a scent of retreating Republic soldiers.
The transport was coming closer to drop zone. It was slowing to speeds that they were used to dropping from. The trees were passing like rhythms in a growling beat.
3...2....
Desmun took his last even breaths.
...another day of work....
Just as their team lead turned around to commence the jump to terrain, they heard "ROCKET" come in through their earpieces, though- screamed. Trying to take evasive maneuvers threw their team lead out the vehicle's door, and sent Desmun to his knee, and Nova tumbled out from behind him, lost in the green and grey blur of 'outside'.
It was a deafening duo of blasts, and a shake of the transport's hull. Everyone knew what was happening. As they took their chances, the group of Special Forces soldiers within tried their best to leap from the careening transport.
The curses started in his mind. His eyes blinked rapidly, and he tried to look for an easy way out. His adrenaline was pumping so fast, it felt like it was all slow motion. After seeing Nova tumble past him out of the transport, Desmun tried to catch him, but missed. A single spin later, Desmun leapt from the transport. His eyes were better able to focus in the misty rain now that he had his helmet on. The HUD ever so slightly helped.
Landing on his feet, and tumbling to break the fall, Desmun looked up from his belly-down position to see that his team leader was a few meters away from him, pressed up against a brown, moss covered rock face. Desmun turned his head to look behind him. In the air, the transport was spinning out of control, and taking an immense amount of small arms fire. White and red armored soldiers piled out of the vehicle before it descended down past the visible horizon. It was gone. They were on the side of a mountainous region, and the transport had little to no chance of surviving that fall. Every curse word imaginable was running through Desmun's mind. Even more were audibly going through their helmet comms. Though beneath all of this, he heard the voice, his leader was shouting his name,
"Dez!.... Dez, are you good?!.... Dez!" He could then see that his leader was shouting for him. He started to move, crawling forward with a stride.
"Corb, my rifle's busted" He heard in Nova's voice...
He then saw Nova, carrying his side-arm stacked up beside their Team lead. The notable blue marking down Nova's left shoulder identified him. Most of the guys were able to customize small bits of their armor as long as it didn't interrupt the uniformity too much. Though their uniform colors were the typical white plates with red-orange trim, and green dagger insignia.
Instantly, Desmun pulled himself to his feet, and scurried to throw himself against the wall. He hadn't even yet noticed that their position was under fire from the hill beyond. He took a breath. His nostrils flared and his ears finally opened from the ringing.
"The cadets and the Twenty-Third is just beyond this rock face. Dez. You okay?!" the team leader was checking him.
"Yeah, shaking it off, Corbett." he barked back to their leader.
"Your rifle is still in good condition. I'm going to need you to lay down some sort of cover while I run my ass over to that ridge. After I go, I want Nova to pump in behind me. After Nova," the voice paused and their team lead looked around.
"...Great. We lost more than half our guys... Dammit.." you could hear the gritty frustration in the comm voice. Corbett was a great leader, and he was friends with all of Dagger's members. He had to be, he was their leader. He would mourn their loss, but it would have to be later.
"I want you, Voss, and Rhadz to put up some fire to cover us... Once Nova is across, we'll cover you so you can make your run here. Got it?"
"Ready when you are!" Desmun shouted, nodding his head, shouldering his blaster rifle and keeping the barrel pointed down. To fire from cover, he'd have to stand all the way up and expose the top of his head. Right now they were all in a half standing position to keep small.
Corbett pressed his back against the mossy wall and leaned to his left, where the break in cover was, looking with his peripherals at the enemy placement. Holding up his right hand, he counted down.
"On my count.... 3...2...1.."
Off, like lightning. Corbett was faster than any soldier Desmun had met. He smirked, having no doubt that Corbett would make it to cover without being hit.
Desmun, and the two others popped up and stuck themselves to the wet, muddy, and mossy cover. They began giving the enemy placement a barrage of blaster fire, to take the attention and focus from their speedy moving comrades. HE also tried to get a fix on their positions. There were three immediate lines- creating a wedge formation- of enemy. One heavy gun, and several infantry composing the wedge. After about twenty or so automatic blasts, he snapped his knees back down to gain cover.
By the time Desmun's heart dropped from his throat back to where it was supposed to be, he noticed he was pressing himself back into cover. This means it was his turn to run.
"Okay, you guys got me?" Desmund asked quickly, immediately being answered with confirmations.
"Put it up, put it up- put it up!" Desmun repeated to get his comrades to give him cover- Noticing Nova placing well aimed shots, and Corbett laying down some impressive automatic fire, Desmun charged the next tree-line ridge that the other two were standing at.
All he could feel was the puddles, dirt, and rock crunching against his boots as he ran. Red bolts of fire crossed his path, but most of it was hitting near Corbett and Nova. Though behind him, Voss had then made it in a speedy sprint. He slammed against a very large tree, only feet from their ridge-wall they called cover as he made it. Looking up again to give the Sith some fire, he glanced over and saw Rhadz take a blaster hit as he ran. He spun his shoulder with the impact, and flung his weapon into the air, giving a sharp growl, his remaining stumbled steps carrying him safe to cover, sliding on his knees. He was able to continue, but was now unarmed save for a few grenades. The blaster bold caught his left shoulder as he ran.
Their position was a decent one for cover, as they were behind a large sturdy natural wall of rock mud, rock, and grass covered ground. About 100 yards away on the other side of this ridge and tree-line was a big hill that had the Sith on it firing down on both their current position, and the group to their right- of Republic soldiers dug into what appeared to be a group of landing pads.
Using more split cover tactics, the remaining five special force soldiers made their way to the landing pads. They immediately met with the commanding office of the republic soldiers. Assessing their situation, they were in too hot of an area to get any sort of extraction, and didn't have the right comms to call in for any close air or artillery support. The cadets were some of the only few remaining that weren't already extracted before the small academy branch was leveled by enemy artillery.
Corbett- hollering to everyone who could hear or weren't firing, was hollering about a safe zone further back the way that they had fatefully disembarked to their left. From there, they would be able to signal for pickup.
Explaining this to the rest of the republic soldiers, they all agreed it was the safest way out. No more than after this was decided, a strafing run came. Sith low air support, cutting down several soldiers.
"Corbett, we gotta get these kids and the rest of these guys back the way we came. If we sit here any longer, they're gonna strafe and bomb us to hell and back."
"Very astute of you, Dez." Corbett snickered, looked to Desmun. Even through his helmet Desmun could tell he was aggravated, shaking his head- as if to say 'of course, you idiot'.
"I've still got a full load. Voss and I can lay down some support with a few of these soldiers, and use some of Rhadzi's explosives to cover your move."
"Go for it." Corbett nodded and began shouting to the red bearing republic soldiers crowded around the small group of young jedi-to-be.
"Voss, get to the other side of this pad, beneath the tower. You'll be covered there. I'll stay here, and Rhadz, stick with me and see if you can throw some grenades to create a bit of a screen."
Voss just chimed in and hurried, his feet carrying him about fifteen yards before stopping at the base of a bare metal watch tower that provided ample cover from the Sith position. Seeing him already firing, Corbett lead the small unit of republic soldiers as they fired, and moved, covering each behind them as they ran for cover back the way they inserted. Rhadz threw all of his explosives out between them and the republic forces to try and create some clutter and smoke. It worked for a while, before a few rockets homed in from the hill, hitting the middle and base of the tower where Voss was placed, giving cover. It collapsed under fire and debris and dust, crushing Voss before he had a chance to even really notice.
As the smoke began to clear from Rhadz's grenades, they both took off as fast as they could for the ridge they came from, where now several soldiers squatted, taking pot- shots at the Sith who started to move up on them.
"They're moving. We need to stay and give convincing cover fire for these guys to make their last move to that ridge. Give the sith a focal point."
Corbett nodded, checking his ammunition load. An Officer had handed over his rifle, and a half empty grenade launcher. Another soldier gave up his rifle to Rhadz, that way they could lay down fire.
" You need to run as fast as you can to that ridge. Once you reach that, you can move away and down a small valley that you'll be safe from fire. We'll cover you from here." the officer inaudibly agreed as did the rest of the soldiers.
Another soldier raised up to give pot shots, but was cut down by the mobile turret.
"You guys need to get your asses moving!" Nova shouted to the officer, and Corbett chimed in,
"Dagger, get into position. I'll drop explosives in on that heavy gun to hopefully take it down for good. On my say, these kids and the rest of these guys will take off running for cover. We don't want cadet blood on our hands today. Lets get them home."
The soldiers were lining the cadets up in frond of them, so when they ran, the incoming fire would hit the soldiers first. It worked.
Corbett counted them down, and they unleashed a firing fury from their small ridge. The grenades were able to disable the heavy turret before it ran out of ammunition. Though it appeared that one branch of the wedge had began to flank them from the landing pads to their right. The sith were in cover where Desmun and company used to be at the pads.
From here, things become a blur for him. Desmun dropped down for a second due to incoming fire, but all too slowly. The top of his helmet was blasted by incoming fire. Feeling like he was just kicked in the head, he fell back. Nova shouted and helped him up, holding him against the wall to keep him in cover.
Rhadz's voice popped on the radio, "Oh gents they're right t-" before it was cut short. Rhads was hit by several blaster bolts and was incapacitated. laying down on his back, he groaned as he lazily pulled out his side arm.
Desmun popped out from cover again to see that the sith were charging their position from their right- the landing pads. Corbett popped smoke in front of their ridge to suppress the fire from the hill, so they could concentrate on the rushing sith soldiers.
These memories are even hazier for Desmun, as they happened so shortly after taking a blow to the head, it was sheer instinct. Just as he popped up, he let fly a few bolts that dropped a soldier coming their way. There were about six of them. Two more fell, but by that time, they were on top of them. Rhadz was firing from prone position before he was shot to death. Nova clothes-lined an incoming sith and executed him with his blaster. Or her. Whatever it was. He was then tackled by another incoming. Corbett was over-top a sith, trying to subdue them with one hand, punching with the other. Desmun jumped from cover, dashed toward a charging sith, and delivered a swift kick to the chest, instantly flooring him, and he let loose a barrage of bolts into the final charging soldier. Rhadz was riddled with black scorch marks and holes, Corbett was shoving a soldier and engaging another, Nova was beating a guy to a pulp, and Desmun was fighting off a guy with a vibro knife.
Things got hazy again for Desmun, and he remembers removing the face-down Sith's knife from his own rib, to throw it to Nova, who was too late, as he was executed at close range by a blaster bolt. The Sith with the pistol who executed Nova was then killed by Corbett with a barrage of blasts with a mud covered rifle. The sith here were down, but the hill was still firing at them. They needed to make their way back to the soldiers and jedi. His head still throbbing, they re-armed and set back into cover.
"I'll kill em all. They just put Nova down like a-"
Desmun was spitting he was angry- He felt Corbett's hand at his collar and breastplate, shaking him into listening.
"Dez. Stow it. We can make 'em pay another day." Corbett was the voice of reason, as always. Both of their breathing was labored. It felt like the melee lasted hours, but it was only a minute or so. It was a wonder they were still alive.
The smoke was beginning to clear, so Desmun threw Nova's last smokescreen to cover their retreat. His vision blurred, and they kept running. His memory basically has holes here, because he was shot about three times during their run. Corbett had to fireman's carry him the rest of the way. Down a steep valley, and to another clearing at a cliffside, all while giving himself cover.
The next thing he remembers is watching as the last few republic soldiers piled into the transport. He was firing blindly toward the Sith enemy who was now apparently grouped in cover behind a few boulders near an open clearing and tree-line. Taking a knee beside Corbett, firing wildly to the enemy. Dust and rain swirled up from behind him- the transport was wavering. Corbett shoved Desmun toward the transport, and he hopped in, his feet dangling, giving a few shots off. Corbett let off a last few rounds before turning and jumping up to the transport, taking a blaster bolt square to the back.
Dropping his weapon, Desmun rushed- leaning to the side and grabbing Corbett by the backpack of his armor, and pulling him the rest of the way in. He got his legs clear of the doorway, and the transport strafed and lowered below the cliffside, out of the view of the sith force. The door closed. Desmun lay flat on the transport floor. The familiar hum and rumble. He was face up, looking to the ceiling of the transport, the wires and lights, and the speaker box. He sighed and exhaled, and looked down, he could see black marks over his white armor. He had been hit. At least three times. He couldn't feel his left leg, and his chest burnt with pain now. His vision went blurry, looking up. Now seeing a young blonde haired kid- who couldn't have been any more than fifteen years old, wearing a republic dress-uniform... That was the last thing he remembers from that mission after he closed his eyes...
Department: Special Operations
Rank: E-6 SSG/Staff Sergeant
Name: Barrist, Desmun
Race: Human
Age: 28
Height: 6'
Weight: 195 lbs
Birth place: Coruscant
Appearance: Standing a little taller than average, Desmun has a warrior's look to him. His hair on his ovular shaped head is cut to grooming standards of the Republic military, and is a dark brown color. His eyebrows are thick and slightly arched over his green-brown eyes over high, and slightly wide cheekbones. The bridge of his nose is thin, but his nostrils are averaged sized placed over his thin lips.
His body is athletic looking due to years of training and keeping up to standards, and being bored on his time on leave, and off patrol. He's fairly hairy, but he's certainly no Wookiee. He is clean of tattoos, but he does have a few light scars from where he was wounded on Rhen Var.
He has on spot on his abdomen that is shaped like a splattered star, tight and slightly twisted skin where he took blaster fire just under his left ribcage. Just below his clavacle on his right side he has another bolt scar, where the bolts again pierced his armor.
He has a small scar on the right side of his forehead, likely from the melee on Rhen Var, about an inch long, and maybe a millimeter wide. It outlines his temple a little.
As far as apparel, he generally just wears his issue uniform. He's not as lax as most other guys, wearing their shirts open. The most he does is roll ups his sleeves. If he doesn't have to wear his jacket, he won't. If he's on base he will generally just wear his undershirt tucked into his trousers.
If he's on leave or something he wears simple clothing. Light boots with comfortable clothes. Neutral pants and usually a light colored shirt under a black light jacket.
Personality:
Desmun is a personable kind of guy. He enjoys talking with people, and making jokes. He has a sort of dry sarcastic sense of humor, that can get dark if he knows you well enough.
Desmun is also military. He can come of upon first meeting someone as the typical gallant, professional type. This is not untrue, but he enjoys gambling and drinking, as well. He knows life is short, and he likes to make the most of his time. When he's on Leave or gets chances to get out and explore any, he will. He's not some sort of adrenaline junkie, though. He says that since the republic is at war, he gets enough adrenaline as it is. This is not to say that he is a coward.
Quite the contrary. Desmun has shown bravery and integrity at almost every turn. He's a do-gooder with a strong sense of justice. He will volunteer for things that he knows he can do, even if it puts him in danger. The military wouldn't want him otherwise.
Desmun is also self confident. He feigns arrogance in a jesting manner, knowing his limits, and knowing the difference between self awareness and arrogance.
He's a fairly compassionate guy, but he likes to try and stay realistic. Realism is something that comes natural to him. Realism first, Optimism second, never pessimistic.
When duty calls he knows when to stow his jokes, and when the team needs it. He is a good source of encouragement and is intensely focused.
This focus leads to one of his major flaws. He has a pretty short temper. He doesn't always get violent- but he has known to certainly defend himself when his mouth has gotten him in trouble. Though on the bright side- his temper and impatience can come in handy when you have someone on the other end of a communicator hesitating to make a decision or do their job.
He is eager to please for the most part, and more so now than ever. He is being reactivated after medical leave, and being assimilated into another specforce squad.
Skills:
Desmun is good with communications. He speaks a few languages and understands several more. Galactic basic is his native tongue. He can understand Binary, Bothese, Mando'a, Huttese, Rodese, and twi'leki. He speaks High basic, Basic, and some low level Mando'a.
He is an intermediate slicer- and knows the ins and outs of most computer systems.
He has been with republic military since he was 18, and knows a lot about weapons systems. He is an excellent marksman, and always scores great on range days. He has tested abilities in land navigation, as well as field medicine. Originally learned in basic, and kept up for certifications as he entered the specforce.
He physically trains as well. Both martial arts of Teras Kasi/Hijkata, as well as weight and speed training. He has been learning Teras Kasi/Hijkata since his father put him in training as a teenager. Serious speed and weight training since he went on his first deployment at almost 20.
Attributes:
Physical Strength: 6
Intelligence: 6
Speed: 5
Leadership: 5
Unarmed: 7
Melee Weapons: 4
Ranged Weapons: 7
Bio:
Desmun Barrist was born on Coruscant to Eugene and Kasha Barrist. Eugene was a member of the Coruscant Security Force, and Kasha worked for a food service company. At an early age, he was instilled with the notions of right and wrong, and taking responsibility. For as long as he could remember, he always wanted to be just like his father, and join the CSF.
He always tried to do the right thing, idealizing the cop of Coruscant. His father ushered the ideas of Teras Kasi, but his mother didn't agree to this until young Desmun was about 12 years old. Desmun's father, having a slight mistrust of the Jedi as it were, had at some point come across Teras Kasi. He was a CSF member, and liked that they were able to keep the peace without the involvement of the Jedi Order. Long story short, he felt that they often times made things worse. Finding like minded people in his sector of the planet- something to keep the jedi 'in check' was introduced to him. So, Desmun's father Eugene decided to show Desmun the ropes of the martial art that he had learned when he was just a rookie in the CSF. It wasn't exactly a pure form, but it was most certainly effective. It was a mixture of philosophies of both the Hijkata, and the Teras Kasi. Since Teras Kasi wasn't as easily accessible, Eugene had first learned Hijkata, and learned a lot about Teras Kasi, but wasn't able to get full, sincere training in it.
He went to training three times a week in one of the CSF's gymnasiums to learn the martial arts and self defense without weapons. This started training his mind to be more focused and disciplined. It allowed him to also learn a tiny bit about The Force, and keeping a strong will. This also got him out- and gave him something else to do other than tinkering with datapads, and computing terminals.
In school he always did well to make his parents proud. He studied hard, and even undertook several language courses. These definitely came in handy later on. Eventually though, he fell into a bad crowd in his mid-early teens. Facing moral dilemmas day after day, and having to hide so much from his parents, it slowly ate away at his psyche. Sneaking into cantinas lead him to meet all sorts of different people. Gun runners, drug dealers, and gamblers. This furthered his language learning quicker than classrooms did, and helped him cement what he had learned.
Desmun was starting to find it hard to go against everything he was raised to think. When he was around seventeen, his friends got caught in a scheme where they were stealing credits through micro-transactions. They had come up with a way to slice some bank nodes to skim fragments of cred per each transaction completed. They had sliced every terminal in a few miles radius- which in Coruscant- can be quite a few.
The bank systems were starting to take notice of this- rather than node malfunction, and had reported it to investigators. They were able to tell that someone was slicing, but couldn't figure out who, as the credits that were shaved didn't go to a 'real' account.
They did this with Desmun's help. He was always great with computers and took up slicing as well as gambling. He could slice terminals, doors, you name it- if he had enough time, he could probably do it. He designed the technology for his friends, but he had no idea they were going to put it to use, nor did he know it would actually work. To his surprise, his friends began bragging about it among themselves when they would go out and sneak into bars and cantinas. They told him they put his program to use, they got him drunk enough to talk about it on several occasions, and took notes. This conversation lead down a dark path, and Desmun got furious. In a long drawn out argument, Desmun made the choice to break his relationship with his group of friends that were ever so close to getting him jail time.
A few weeks passed and he hadn't heard from them until he was taking a lone trip to see a Republic Military recruiter office. Seventeen was still a young enough age to be able to change the way things were going. He wanted to turn his life around, and thought that joining the CSF would be too close to making him a hypocrite. The next step of defending the things he loved and keeping them safe would be a grander scale. The Republic Navy. So he decided to have a chat with a recruiter.
On the way in, he was confronted by his old group of friends. They were the same age group, all around the seventeen year range. They cornered him on a public use magnarail, and attempted to extort and blackmail him for knowing that they were now making thousands every month on his stolen technology. If the CSF ever heard anything about it- Desmun would be just as much involved as they. Things got heated with Desmun's temper. His mouth got him in trouble as he started calling them out for their stupidity, and laziness, and lack of integrity, and a slew of other things he knew about them. This boy could get these other four into very deep trouble. This got the group riled up and angry, and they threw the first punch.
Luckily there were no blasters involved, and luckily Desmun was still faithful to attend his Martial arts lessons. Not to say he still didn't catch a bit of a beating, but he was able to limp away from the confrontation, yet making sure that his old friends were having to limp away, too.
He didn't make it to the recruiter's office that day, but he was able to make it to the nearest CSF office. He never ratted his friends out for the credit shaving- but he did report them all for his assault and slight battery. He didn't have to point fingers to their financial crimes. They slipped up during their arraignment and got in trouble for it anyhow. They were likely going to spend the rest of their adolescence in detention. Probably a good bit of their adulthood, as well. Desmun didn't keep up with it, as the next few weeks once his bruises healed, he was able to make it to the recruiting offices to express his interest in the Navy. He was actually re-convinced to joining the Army instead, as they had more immediate needs. They always seemed to have a growing need for Republic soldiers.
He began his pre-enlistment training and went off to basic after he turned 18. His Father, and some ofthe guys at his Gym helped him a bit with more physical training, that way he could ace his physical exams without much worry.
This is when he began his career as a Republic Soldier. In basic, he learned everything it was to begin being a soldier of the Republic. How to construct, upkeep, and fire his weapon. He actually got marksman approved during range qualifications. Excellent with a hand blaster, and just as well with carbine and rifle qualifications. He received the marksmanship badge for each qualification. This was likely due to his steady hand and great focus paired with trained hand-eye coordination he learned and built in teras kasi, as well as hijkata training. Also learned how to read and follow maps. About friendly and enemy vehicles. History of wars. Ballistics. Basic first aid. How to conserve energy in harsh climates. Wilderness survival. Strength of willpower and intelligence. How to defend himself with basic self-defense, something of which he was already very good at by this time. These were just a number of things he learned and loved to do. After his several weeks in training, he had graduated as a Private, First Class, and merged him with a Scout and Reconnaissance unit. Just out of basic, he was made active and sent to Onderon for general security and peacekeeping.
He mainly watched roadways, and helped keep the peace there during times of friction between Mandalorians and Onderon. The most he had to do on his first deployment was fire warning shots at speeders and angry suspicious pedestrians if they came too close without slowing down, or declaring intent. On his time off, he hit the gyms with his new friends, and practiced his martial arts. Sometimes played cards at the bars with friends and locals, or just sat around and tinkered with radios and datapads. This is where he began picking up on some Mando'a, too. Learning from some of the people on Onderon who had some contact with the Mandalorians on Dxun. He did a few deployments to keep peace and ensure safety like this, going around the galaxy until rumors of a new threat began to rise. He was on Onderon for a year, and Ordo deserts for two. He received the Defense Service Medal for his time at his outposts, and was promoted to Corporal from Specialist after his second year on Ordo.
Years passed and he had begun to take a liking to his new career. What he thought was Protecting those in need of help felt good. He felt like he was providing something. Like he was finally good at something that mattered. Though, words of threats got stronger. Words of the Sith, and the Mandalorians coming back. Both of which had come to a crescendo.
After a fairly boring year, he was promoted to Sergeant and was moved from Ordo to the Yavin system, and then to Taris. He spent a year on Taris doing some schooling for radio communications. This seemed to be fairly quick for him, since he had a technical aptitude already. After he passed, he was again moved. Stationed on Dantooine, he was able to greet the Sith Empire on their arrival. After spending time with his scout infantry unit on long recon patrols, and making a name for himself for doing good work in communications, as well as reconnaissance, he was noticed by his superiors for doing solid, consistent work, as well as adding suggestions for ergonomic operation. He was awarded the Army's Achievement medal, as well as a few service ribbons for serving on the planets. Things then got more serious on Dantooine.
On a fleeting mission to destroy communications arrays before having to retreat, Desmun and his unit were tasked with the job of overseeing the demolitions. Displaying courage in the face of danger, and coming into contact with the republic special forces that were on the other side of the same mission, he was able to meet a few influential people in the Republic specfor groups. They worked together to complete the same goal, and they did great work with minimal casualties. Before receiving the word that the entire Republic military was pulling out of Dantooine, one of the commanders of the specfor asked him to take a look into joining their groups, or at least entertain the idea.
His unit having pulled back to the Yavin system, Desmun was awarded another Service Commendation on Dantooine, even though it was a lost battle. He was also promoted to the rank of Staff Sergeant, and given lead over a small team. Still curious to speak to someone about selection into the SpecForce, Desmun set out to speak to his commanding officer. En route, and seeing the same SpecForce officer on base by coincidence, he was able to have a brief chat, and was encouraged into undergoing selection. He was old enough, and his pay grade was in line, after having spent 6 years in the military already- it would be a great resume builder. He loved the lifestyle, and certainly lived it, and it showed.
Travelling back to the core, he was put through the grueling selection process. He was one of the group selected out of the near one hundred. Only about 20 people had actually graduated, the rest washed out. It was here he furthered his knowledge of field medicine, marksmanship, more weapons systems, camouflage, wilderness survival, escape and evasion, infiltration and exfiltration, specforce history, melee combat, intelligence, leadership, teamwork, among other things.
Here, he selected to train and learn more about engineering and computer systems. He would work as a comms technician. He spent a few months in training before he was assigned to a fire team. Calling themselves "Dagger", as they saw themselves as the dagger being jabbed at enemy weak points. They were green lit on mission shortly after the Chancellor had been assassinated.
He went on a few quick deployments against the Mandalorians, again on Onderon. His team was able to successfully destroy an enemy reconnaissance group who was feeding their main force intelligence on landing spots and republic whereabouts. They were a hearty enemy, but taken off guard with guerilla tactics- were defeated. Due to this, the Mandalorian fleets have still not been able to get a good foothold on Onderon. Dagger's last deployment was against the Sith after Onderon. It was right after War had been declared upon the Sith. The entire team was made a casualty at the time of their drop.
Not all were killed, Desmun and the fireteam leader survived, but were still seriously wounded. Dropping into a hot zone on a scarred area on Yaga Minor, their team was commissioned to provide assistance to a group of Republic soldiers and a few Jedi. Their communications were cut off, and it was their job to investigate.
Upon arriving via Navy transport, the Spec For group was about to jump from their transport several feet to the ground before it was hit by a barrage of short range rockets. Two catching right at the cockpit, taking the ship down. The ship tumbled down a mountainside with two specforce members still inside, killing them instantly. Another member was flung down the mountainside, presumed KIA. The others were alive, having jumped right after the rockets hit the vehicle.
The squad, under heavy sith fire, was able to reach their destination to see that there was a small republic infantry unit on a landing dock, guarding a few stranded young Republic Cadets. Their communications had bit the dust after their RTO was struck by mounted turret fire. Unable to call in proper coordinates for extraction, Dagger had to set up a defensive stance so that the republic soldiers could extract with the Cadets.
Using what little natural cover they had, the unit was picked off one by one, using several variants of move and shoot tactics. They were so severely out-gunned that out of about 40 individuals in the entire group, 23 remained. Desmun, his team leader, several republic soldiers, and all but two of the jedi kids survived.
Extraction came for them on a whim, and were able to get the remaining personnel and soldiers. This is really the last thing he remembers about it. Having taken several shots, Desmun was hospitalized, as well as his superior officer. Of the two, Desmun was the only survivor. A lot of this memory was hazy for him. The concussion he received from his helmet being blasted made sure of his foggy memory.
He didn't realize he was in the hospital for nearly a month. Upon his release, his CO sent him notice that he would be assimilated into another specforce group once he was back from Medical Leave. Once he returned, he was shown his Republic Army's distinguished service cross for heroism and acts of valor, and his team leader was given the Chancellor's ribbon and Cross of Honor. The highest achievement that could be awarded for saving Desmun, as well as several lives of Republic Soldiers and Cadets.
RP Sample:
The troop transport moved with grace. Surprising for it's size and shape. Desmun took a look at his comrades under the red lights hanging in between the transport's wide doors. The growl of the engine was loud, even from inside, and radio chatter was going back and forth between the pilots and the Republic outpost that had sent them. He had stopped listening to them at this point. The floor beneath him vibrated softly. Desmun stood right behind their Team Lead, facing the door. The others were chatting among themselves. After hearing the ten second warning, the doors began to open. In a smooth motion, the door in front of him hissed, letting raindrops, and a large swath of gray light in. Down a good ways out he saw red blaster fire, and could hear it the closer they got.
8....7....6.... he counted in his mind.
"Put your damn helmet on, Dez!" one of his comrades hollered at him. Desmun was in a bit of a meditation.
Giving a flinch, "Scared me, Nova." Desmun laughed, looking over his shoulder. He was jarred out of his trance by the loud shout, and a slap to the back of his left shoulder. Blinking, he dropped his helmet that was being cradled beneath his right arm onto his head. His heart began to race as the trees, and muddy ground was becoming easier to see and more detailed, passing some rock formations- as they were nearing a mountainous area. They were close to ground. Blaster fire was passing the transport now. There's no wonder why only one door was open. Hopefully the transport's shields would hold out.... The flight was getting rocky.
Desmun felt a slap on the top of his helmet once it was on, and watched his Leader turn around to face everyone.
"Check comm!" was buzzed into his helmet's com. They all lifted their thumbs as they could hear.
All Replied "Clear to go!"
"Alright. Ladies and gentlemen, lets get these scared little Lepi's out of hiding" the team lead's familiar voice scratched through their helmets. It was a jest, and it was confident. Little did they know that it would be 40 against a Sith battalion tracking a scent of retreating Republic soldiers.
The transport was coming closer to drop zone. It was slowing to speeds that they were used to dropping from. The trees were passing like rhythms in a growling beat.
3...2....
Desmun took his last even breaths.
...another day of work....
Just as their team lead turned around to commence the jump to terrain, they heard "ROCKET" come in through their earpieces, though- screamed. Trying to take evasive maneuvers threw their team lead out the vehicle's door, and sent Desmun to his knee, and Nova tumbled out from behind him, lost in the green and grey blur of 'outside'.
It was a deafening duo of blasts, and a shake of the transport's hull. Everyone knew what was happening. As they took their chances, the group of Special Forces soldiers within tried their best to leap from the careening transport.
The curses started in his mind. His eyes blinked rapidly, and he tried to look for an easy way out. His adrenaline was pumping so fast, it felt like it was all slow motion. After seeing Nova tumble past him out of the transport, Desmun tried to catch him, but missed. A single spin later, Desmun leapt from the transport. His eyes were better able to focus in the misty rain now that he had his helmet on. The HUD ever so slightly helped.
Landing on his feet, and tumbling to break the fall, Desmun looked up from his belly-down position to see that his team leader was a few meters away from him, pressed up against a brown, moss covered rock face. Desmun turned his head to look behind him. In the air, the transport was spinning out of control, and taking an immense amount of small arms fire. White and red armored soldiers piled out of the vehicle before it descended down past the visible horizon. It was gone. They were on the side of a mountainous region, and the transport had little to no chance of surviving that fall. Every curse word imaginable was running through Desmun's mind. Even more were audibly going through their helmet comms. Though beneath all of this, he heard the voice, his leader was shouting his name,
"Dez!.... Dez, are you good?!.... Dez!" He could then see that his leader was shouting for him. He started to move, crawling forward with a stride.
"Corb, my rifle's busted" He heard in Nova's voice...
He then saw Nova, carrying his side-arm stacked up beside their Team lead. The notable blue marking down Nova's left shoulder identified him. Most of the guys were able to customize small bits of their armor as long as it didn't interrupt the uniformity too much. Though their uniform colors were the typical white plates with red-orange trim, and green dagger insignia.
Instantly, Desmun pulled himself to his feet, and scurried to throw himself against the wall. He hadn't even yet noticed that their position was under fire from the hill beyond. He took a breath. His nostrils flared and his ears finally opened from the ringing.
"The cadets and the Twenty-Third is just beyond this rock face. Dez. You okay?!" the team leader was checking him.
"Yeah, shaking it off, Corbett." he barked back to their leader.
"Your rifle is still in good condition. I'm going to need you to lay down some sort of cover while I run my ass over to that ridge. After I go, I want Nova to pump in behind me. After Nova," the voice paused and their team lead looked around.
"...Great. We lost more than half our guys... Dammit.." you could hear the gritty frustration in the comm voice. Corbett was a great leader, and he was friends with all of Dagger's members. He had to be, he was their leader. He would mourn their loss, but it would have to be later.
"I want you, Voss, and Rhadz to put up some fire to cover us... Once Nova is across, we'll cover you so you can make your run here. Got it?"
"Ready when you are!" Desmun shouted, nodding his head, shouldering his blaster rifle and keeping the barrel pointed down. To fire from cover, he'd have to stand all the way up and expose the top of his head. Right now they were all in a half standing position to keep small.
Corbett pressed his back against the mossy wall and leaned to his left, where the break in cover was, looking with his peripherals at the enemy placement. Holding up his right hand, he counted down.
"On my count.... 3...2...1.."
Off, like lightning. Corbett was faster than any soldier Desmun had met. He smirked, having no doubt that Corbett would make it to cover without being hit.
Desmun, and the two others popped up and stuck themselves to the wet, muddy, and mossy cover. They began giving the enemy placement a barrage of blaster fire, to take the attention and focus from their speedy moving comrades. HE also tried to get a fix on their positions. There were three immediate lines- creating a wedge formation- of enemy. One heavy gun, and several infantry composing the wedge. After about twenty or so automatic blasts, he snapped his knees back down to gain cover.
By the time Desmun's heart dropped from his throat back to where it was supposed to be, he noticed he was pressing himself back into cover. This means it was his turn to run.
"Okay, you guys got me?" Desmund asked quickly, immediately being answered with confirmations.
"Put it up, put it up- put it up!" Desmun repeated to get his comrades to give him cover- Noticing Nova placing well aimed shots, and Corbett laying down some impressive automatic fire, Desmun charged the next tree-line ridge that the other two were standing at.
All he could feel was the puddles, dirt, and rock crunching against his boots as he ran. Red bolts of fire crossed his path, but most of it was hitting near Corbett and Nova. Though behind him, Voss had then made it in a speedy sprint. He slammed against a very large tree, only feet from their ridge-wall they called cover as he made it. Looking up again to give the Sith some fire, he glanced over and saw Rhadz take a blaster hit as he ran. He spun his shoulder with the impact, and flung his weapon into the air, giving a sharp growl, his remaining stumbled steps carrying him safe to cover, sliding on his knees. He was able to continue, but was now unarmed save for a few grenades. The blaster bold caught his left shoulder as he ran.
Their position was a decent one for cover, as they were behind a large sturdy natural wall of rock mud, rock, and grass covered ground. About 100 yards away on the other side of this ridge and tree-line was a big hill that had the Sith on it firing down on both their current position, and the group to their right- of Republic soldiers dug into what appeared to be a group of landing pads.
Using more split cover tactics, the remaining five special force soldiers made their way to the landing pads. They immediately met with the commanding office of the republic soldiers. Assessing their situation, they were in too hot of an area to get any sort of extraction, and didn't have the right comms to call in for any close air or artillery support. The cadets were some of the only few remaining that weren't already extracted before the small academy branch was leveled by enemy artillery.
Corbett- hollering to everyone who could hear or weren't firing, was hollering about a safe zone further back the way that they had fatefully disembarked to their left. From there, they would be able to signal for pickup.
Explaining this to the rest of the republic soldiers, they all agreed it was the safest way out. No more than after this was decided, a strafing run came. Sith low air support, cutting down several soldiers.
"Corbett, we gotta get these kids and the rest of these guys back the way we came. If we sit here any longer, they're gonna strafe and bomb us to hell and back."
"Very astute of you, Dez." Corbett snickered, looked to Desmun. Even through his helmet Desmun could tell he was aggravated, shaking his head- as if to say 'of course, you idiot'.
"I've still got a full load. Voss and I can lay down some support with a few of these soldiers, and use some of Rhadzi's explosives to cover your move."
"Go for it." Corbett nodded and began shouting to the red bearing republic soldiers crowded around the small group of young jedi-to-be.
"Voss, get to the other side of this pad, beneath the tower. You'll be covered there. I'll stay here, and Rhadz, stick with me and see if you can throw some grenades to create a bit of a screen."
Voss just chimed in and hurried, his feet carrying him about fifteen yards before stopping at the base of a bare metal watch tower that provided ample cover from the Sith position. Seeing him already firing, Corbett lead the small unit of republic soldiers as they fired, and moved, covering each behind them as they ran for cover back the way they inserted. Rhadz threw all of his explosives out between them and the republic forces to try and create some clutter and smoke. It worked for a while, before a few rockets homed in from the hill, hitting the middle and base of the tower where Voss was placed, giving cover. It collapsed under fire and debris and dust, crushing Voss before he had a chance to even really notice.
As the smoke began to clear from Rhadz's grenades, they both took off as fast as they could for the ridge they came from, where now several soldiers squatted, taking pot- shots at the Sith who started to move up on them.
"They're moving. We need to stay and give convincing cover fire for these guys to make their last move to that ridge. Give the sith a focal point."
Corbett nodded, checking his ammunition load. An Officer had handed over his rifle, and a half empty grenade launcher. Another soldier gave up his rifle to Rhadz, that way they could lay down fire.
" You need to run as fast as you can to that ridge. Once you reach that, you can move away and down a small valley that you'll be safe from fire. We'll cover you from here." the officer inaudibly agreed as did the rest of the soldiers.
Another soldier raised up to give pot shots, but was cut down by the mobile turret.
"You guys need to get your asses moving!" Nova shouted to the officer, and Corbett chimed in,
"Dagger, get into position. I'll drop explosives in on that heavy gun to hopefully take it down for good. On my say, these kids and the rest of these guys will take off running for cover. We don't want cadet blood on our hands today. Lets get them home."
The soldiers were lining the cadets up in frond of them, so when they ran, the incoming fire would hit the soldiers first. It worked.
Corbett counted them down, and they unleashed a firing fury from their small ridge. The grenades were able to disable the heavy turret before it ran out of ammunition. Though it appeared that one branch of the wedge had began to flank them from the landing pads to their right. The sith were in cover where Desmun and company used to be at the pads.
From here, things become a blur for him. Desmun dropped down for a second due to incoming fire, but all too slowly. The top of his helmet was blasted by incoming fire. Feeling like he was just kicked in the head, he fell back. Nova shouted and helped him up, holding him against the wall to keep him in cover.
Rhadz's voice popped on the radio, "Oh gents they're right t-" before it was cut short. Rhads was hit by several blaster bolts and was incapacitated. laying down on his back, he groaned as he lazily pulled out his side arm.
Desmun popped out from cover again to see that the sith were charging their position from their right- the landing pads. Corbett popped smoke in front of their ridge to suppress the fire from the hill, so they could concentrate on the rushing sith soldiers.
These memories are even hazier for Desmun, as they happened so shortly after taking a blow to the head, it was sheer instinct. Just as he popped up, he let fly a few bolts that dropped a soldier coming their way. There were about six of them. Two more fell, but by that time, they were on top of them. Rhadz was firing from prone position before he was shot to death. Nova clothes-lined an incoming sith and executed him with his blaster. Or her. Whatever it was. He was then tackled by another incoming. Corbett was over-top a sith, trying to subdue them with one hand, punching with the other. Desmun jumped from cover, dashed toward a charging sith, and delivered a swift kick to the chest, instantly flooring him, and he let loose a barrage of bolts into the final charging soldier. Rhadz was riddled with black scorch marks and holes, Corbett was shoving a soldier and engaging another, Nova was beating a guy to a pulp, and Desmun was fighting off a guy with a vibro knife.
Things got hazy again for Desmun, and he remembers removing the face-down Sith's knife from his own rib, to throw it to Nova, who was too late, as he was executed at close range by a blaster bolt. The Sith with the pistol who executed Nova was then killed by Corbett with a barrage of blasts with a mud covered rifle. The sith here were down, but the hill was still firing at them. They needed to make their way back to the soldiers and jedi. His head still throbbing, they re-armed and set back into cover.
"I'll kill em all. They just put Nova down like a-"
Desmun was spitting he was angry- He felt Corbett's hand at his collar and breastplate, shaking him into listening.
"Dez. Stow it. We can make 'em pay another day." Corbett was the voice of reason, as always. Both of their breathing was labored. It felt like the melee lasted hours, but it was only a minute or so. It was a wonder they were still alive.
The smoke was beginning to clear, so Desmun threw Nova's last smokescreen to cover their retreat. His vision blurred, and they kept running. His memory basically has holes here, because he was shot about three times during their run. Corbett had to fireman's carry him the rest of the way. Down a steep valley, and to another clearing at a cliffside, all while giving himself cover.
The next thing he remembers is watching as the last few republic soldiers piled into the transport. He was firing blindly toward the Sith enemy who was now apparently grouped in cover behind a few boulders near an open clearing and tree-line. Taking a knee beside Corbett, firing wildly to the enemy. Dust and rain swirled up from behind him- the transport was wavering. Corbett shoved Desmun toward the transport, and he hopped in, his feet dangling, giving a few shots off. Corbett let off a last few rounds before turning and jumping up to the transport, taking a blaster bolt square to the back.
Dropping his weapon, Desmun rushed- leaning to the side and grabbing Corbett by the backpack of his armor, and pulling him the rest of the way in. He got his legs clear of the doorway, and the transport strafed and lowered below the cliffside, out of the view of the sith force. The door closed. Desmun lay flat on the transport floor. The familiar hum and rumble. He was face up, looking to the ceiling of the transport, the wires and lights, and the speaker box. He sighed and exhaled, and looked down, he could see black marks over his white armor. He had been hit. At least three times. He couldn't feel his left leg, and his chest burnt with pain now. His vision went blurry, looking up. Now seeing a young blonde haired kid- who couldn't have been any more than fifteen years old, wearing a republic dress-uniform... That was the last thing he remembers from that mission after he closed his eyes...
