Zero Deep Thirty [AFTERMATH]

[Meira]

The horizon was growing dark. From the beach, the ocean began as a crystal blue that gave way to the midnight black of agitated white capped swells. Their skiff moved, unconcerned, over the seething surface. Out and away they flew from the bombarded beach and the battle behind. They did not look back, though the call of the assault certainly pulled on all of their hearts. Such was their birthright. But their duty lie ahead and below. The rain began as a scattering of minuscule droplets that grew into a steady rapport against their beskargam. On the horizon, the sky grew as dark as the sea, blurring the once distinct line between air and water. The planet it self was at war, it seemed.

The skiff came about at the rendezvous, slowing and circling around the Sith submersible that awaited them. Those order members who had been sent to join them stood atop the vessel, unmoved even as their ship rose and fell with the angry waves. Ari moved to the bow of the skiff, his deep red armor muted in the haze of the oncoming storm. As the skiff came to a stop alongside the submersible, he spoke over the comms to the half dozen Mandalorians behind him.

"Look alive, boys. Be ready to deploy on my command."

Ari jumped from the skiff, his boots landing against the ship's hull with a solid thunk as their magnetic soles made contact and held tight. Not knowing which of the Sith might be considered their leader, Ari approached the nearest one and opened his comms to be heard.

"I'm Ari Weyland." he said, addressing the Sith before him, as well as the others. "I understand you've been briefed?" he didn't bother waiting for a response just then. "We take the base, and capture Helena Veers if possible. All others are fair game." It was Ari's understanding that the Sith played well when given free reign to release a few heads from their bodies. "We'll dive down and coordinate the breach with your ship, you from the main hangar and us at the auxiliary entrance."

Ari turned then and gave the signal for his men to strap into their dive packs. These would propel them down into the depth without the need of a submersible, allowing them the freedom of mobility to breach the smaller entrance to the mining station. As his men set about the task, Ari turned back to their Sith allies.

"Any questions?"

A lightning bolt arched across the sky, its accompanying crack and boom riding just behind. The wind was picking up, as were the waves. The mortar strikes were blending into the rolling thunder to the point of becoming indistinguishable. All around them, the chaos of conflict was playing out its elaborate dance. It was a good day for a swim.

[Harukei]

There was something that gave her comfort during storms. She could never understand this childlike fascination of hers. Yet here, on Bandomeer, where a battle for this world raged above and on the ground, her glowing crimson eyes would overlook the coming storm. Reaching through the Force she could feel the vibrations of the untold power that those blind to the Force could only perceive as dark clouds and moving seas. In a way it seemed as if the world was responding to the very conflict that took place on it's dual rocky and liquid surface, and in the atmosphere above with only gravity as a real tether. 

Syrin could only think how ominous it was. She couldn't think of it as mere coincidence. For all her knowledge of the galaxy and the Darkside of the Force, she had suppose that there were some things that not even the most sharp minds could venture to grasp, and that perhaps not even the best scholars could find an answer to that. She could only conjecture that maybe it was a reflection of how the battle was raging and how it would continue to reign until a side would finally gain the decisive victory that would turn the campaign on their favor. 

Even so she could think that it could present her with an idea of how the mission Mandalorians and Sith, including her, which had being assigned to the contingent would unfold. If it was truly a premonition, would she need to expect a blood bath? The mentality that she had fostered as an assassin would kick in, preferring a more covert and silent neutralization of enemies and retrieval of objectives. But given that there were Mandalorians involved, such thing could be nothing more than just a distant dream. 

However such considerations were pointless at the moment. She and the rest of the members of the Order waited for the Mandalorian leader to initiate the operations and pacification of the facility. The Sith Knight understood the objectives and needs, after all wars were won with resources and thus this place could be vital for the Empire and the Order on the long run. 

Gazing at the armored figure, whose armor seemed to be a muted red due the darkness, explaining the main layout of the operation, as well giving his name. Without much else to say there was a silence, interrupted by crackling of a distant lightning and the picking up of the waves. It was time to begin. 

"Understood." Syrin would hear herself say, reading herself for the strike, heading to the inner sanctum of the submersible vessel.   

[CaptainBonkers]

This mission was at the same time pleasantly familiar and excitingly novel. Familiar in the sense that it was basically a bounty hunting gig. Go in, shoot the guards and get the target alive for maximum payoff. Not Jayec's standard MO but still a working classic that never went out of fashion as far as Manadalorians were concerned. The novel aspect came in form of the part in which they dove down into the depths to reach their target. Jayec hadn't tried anything like that before. Common sense said that he probably should have been at least slightly worried about that, especially considering the weather condition in which they were supposed to be doing their dive.

Yet Jayec wasn't particularly worried. Of course the part of his brain that was in charge of self preservation was voicing its worries but the rest of him knew that he had the necessary skills to make it through the dive without problems. In fact, the only thing he wasn't fully satisfied with the mission he was about to embark on, was that he wasn't doing it with his regular unit. He didn't doubt the other members of this team in the slightest, that wasn't the case at all. Jayec was merely so accustomed to operating with his usual unit that working with people he couldn't recognize in dark from the silhouette of their armor was slightly disjointing. Like there was a small scratch in his visor right in front of his eye. Distracting but nothing that would bother him once the adrenaline got pumping.

As he put on the dive pack, Jayec couldn't help but to wonder how he became to be select on this mission. He was good, he knew that as any who'd survived for almost two decades as a bounty hunter and killed a Krayt Dragon in the proces knew. However, Jayec had never thought of being in possession of a reputation big enough for being handpicked for an op like this. He wondered if capturing that Jedi master here on Bandomeer some time ago had anything to do with him being here now. Who knew? It didn't do well for one to dwell on such matters moments before battle. He finished his preparations, made couple of final adjustments to his equipment and then settled to wait for the signal.