Alpha Team: All Your Base are Belong to Us!

[Grawn]

Up to this point, everything had seemed a blur. It was as if we was stuck in a hyperspace warp and all the events zipped right by him before he could react. This was bad. It was a way to die, to be struck awed by everything around him only to have the unexpected enemy silence him with a simple round or a blade to his gut.

"SNAP OUT OF IT" he boomed in his head and everything came to visualization. They werent outside anymore, he swore the last thing he remembered was the group finally making it down the rope to the bottom of the cliff, the munitions and supplies container straining his muscles as he descended down a rope he somewhat feared couldnt hold him.

Some soldier you are a tiny voice echoed in his head and Kaarmine could just make his face go to a frown. The taunt had came in the voice of his own fathers and it stung. Never had his father talked to him of that but his greatest fear was being impotent as a warrior. To be the ultimate failure of the Mandalorian race, to be a child in a warrior's shell. Or it could be the adrenaline and fear.

He was going to go with that.

It was Bane's voice once again that snapped him out of his self induced pity party, something he severely needed to drop and NOW less it be the end of him. The only way to improve was to face the issue head on, not cower in the corner and whimper like a beaten kath hound.

"Alright listen up. We are going to split into two squads and approach the comm station from different directions. Velos,Arcane,Kaarmine, Justic are with me. Rivas,Tarria,Xoxin, and Itani in the other. We will stick to the flanks, avoiding the heart of the base and the thick of the soldiers. My squad will move Northeast from here, and then approach the comm center from the east. Squad two will go Northwest and approach from the west. Avoid unnecessary attention, remember why were are here, we have a mission to accomplish"

Kaarmine nodded silently, he had just watched the man silently off two Republic dogs without much of a thought. Brandus had much the same intentions but wheither it be silent or with blazing carbines was something for the moment to decide. The munitions container he realized was still slung over his shoulder but the Mandalorian was able to grab hold of his carbine underneath it as he reached around and tugged it. Weapon firmly in his grasp, he felt a bit more confident.

He was assigned with Bane and they were to flank around the comms center in the middle of the complex. Sounded difficult. Sounded deadly. From within the confines of his helmet, the black T of the visor not letting any see in, a small smirk came to his face. Kaarmine was well out of his blur and now was ready to do something.

Though this container was starting to get annoying.

[Meira]

No camera outside the back door. These republic soldiers sure were confident in their natural cover. If there wasn't one out here, there wasn't likely to be one in the room they were going to enter in to. But Trin had herself a feeling there'd be a nice camera staring them down if they went much further. That is to say... unless she had anything to do with it.

As Bane and the others crept up to the door, Trin kept her eyes peeled on them, and her ears wide open for any unusual chatter. She could see Banes group take out the guards that came out through the door. They then disappeared inside, and within moments, the clear to follow was given. Adjusting the pack on her shoulder, Trin straightened up and jogged towards the door.

Once inside, Trin was already rummaging through her pack when Bane gave the order to take care of the security system. Once she found her tools, she looked around for anything that might get her a connection into the cameras. She was right about there not being one in the room. It almost made her shake her head. But the lack of camera in the room meant no hookup. So how was she going to do it?

Looking up, Trin noticed the ceiling was lined with panels. If they could be moved, she could crawl up and try to find a ceiling mounted camera. There was a Table by the far wall, with a couple of chairs around it. Trin jumped up onto the table and reached up to the ceiling. Sure enough, with just a little push, the tile lifted and she moved it too the side. But she was too short to pull herself up. Reaching down, Trin lifted one of the chairs up onto the table and then stood on the chair. This brought her high enough for her head to look up into the crawlspace. She removed her helmet so that she could see better, and soon spotted a camera mount not far. It must be the camera that watched the hall. She set her helmet down on the table and turned to the General.

Give me one minute, sir. And we should be clear to move.

Without waiting for a reply, Trin pulled herself up into the crawl space and disappeared from sight. Even in her armor, Trin moved easily through the small gap and reached the camera mount with relative ease. With nimble fingers, she removed the outer casing, exposing the camera's inner workings. She sorted through the wires quickly, until she found the main relay wire. Carefully peeling back the protective coating, Trin clamped her connector down on the exposed wire and hooked it up to her datapad. Typing in a few keys, a numeric code began to scroll down her screen. Slowly, it morphed into what looked like a security terminal screen. It was then only a matter of finding the master system.

Once connected to that, she ordered all cameras in the facility to record for ten seconds. That recording was then set to loop. The Republic Security team at this base was now officially blind. Wasting no time, Trin unhooked her tools and backed up through the crawl space until she reached the opening and then lowered herself back down onto the chair.

What was my time? She asked with a smile, sure that she had been under a minute. She quickly secured her helmet, and heard her instruction that she would take point. Nodding, she drew one of her blasters and checked that the rest of her gear hadn't been jostled while she worked in the ceiling. Crossing over to the door, she put her back against the wall next to it. Blaster at the ready, she activated the door switch. As it slid open, she rotated her body to look into the hall. Up until the bend, it was clear. Motioning for the others in her group to follow, she moved forward, legs slightly crouched.

[Mara]

The Mandalorian sniper lieutenant crouched in the darkness, not quiet in the cover of the bushes with the rest of the team but far enough back that the limited light from the sparse stars above wouldn't shine unbearably bright off of her amber armor. It helped her somewhat that her beskar'gam wasn't new but pocked with dents and scraped up with the wear and tear of many battles.

Everything was still around her as she looked through her sight at the three armored warriors moving towards the back door of the Republic communications center. General Haseful, Captain Xoxin and a female CWO that she hadn't had the pleasure of getting to know yet. She waited quietly as the three gathered by the door, still not sure how the Togruta was supposed to lure out the guards so Tarria and the general could slaughter them. But that was not her job; she had to stay put and watch out for any more stupid guards or soldiers, wandering outside in the dark.

She saw something out of the corner of her eye and jerked her rifle in that direction. Ambria watched carefully in the area where she had seen movement. But eventually the perpetrator showed itself; some kind of large rodent rustling in the bushes near the communications center. With a small sigh of relief, she again took up her position watching the three at the door. She was glad she hadn't been a young green soldier, trigger happy and willing to blow the rodent to the next system. Even without the laser sight on, the rifle still would make some noise. Noise they couldn't afford. Ambria made a mental note to look into acquiring a silencer for her rifle...

Just then she saw some light coming from the door; the soldiers had opened it and were investigating... something. In any case, they were coming out, and she knew the others would be ready to take them down. She watched as the general and the Mandalorian woman made quick work of the four guards, dropping them within seconds. She smiled to herself, proud of her fellow compatriots.

After a few moments, she saw Bane enter the center and then almost immediately after she heard the signal that all was clear coming through her helmet comm. Ambria jumped to her feet, keeping her rifle at the ready until she was but a few feet from entering the door to the communications base. Then she just rested it lightly against her shoulder, where it would wait until she could use it.

Belatedly the woman wished that she had shot that rodent, just to get the excitement of the first shot of the night over with. She didn't like to think of herself as a young trigger-happy soldier; she wasn't. But sometimes it was just better to take her shots early and not later. Generally the longer she waited, the more bound up with energy she got. Hopefully there would be more Republic scum to blast. And soon.

She joined the others as they gathered within what seemed to be one of the sentry stations. Well, now it was just an empty room now that the guards were dead. Ambria listened quietly as the general explained his plan, nodding every so often in agreement. Just as it was better than they had divided into Alpha and Bravo squads, it would be even more advantageous to their mission to split up once again.

Ambria wasn't sure why, couldn't put a finger on the reason, but she was glad to be placed in Bane's half of Alpha squad. Though she could definitely hold her own in a right, she just somehow felt better about it. Trin would also be with her, and Ambria smiled within her helmet. It would be good to work with her again. She didn't know the other two, but they were Mandos, and she was confident in their abilities.

Her nose wrinkled at the thought of not trying to dry an unnecessary attention to themselves. That usually meant no shooting and dropping any enemies as quietly as possible. Ambria sighed quietly to herself. She knew it was for the best, but a part of her missed the hectic bloodbaths of her days in the army before being transferred to spec ops. Her skills weren't really going to waste here, but still, she wasn't sure if she was yet used to all this stealth that the team seemed to employ.

As they formed up, Trin at the door, Ambria stood just behind the private Kaarmine and Justic, one of the new woman to the spec ops team. She shouldered her weapon as the door opened, leading out towards the main sections of the base, knowing that in the close quarters, her blaster pistols were the better option. But if it ever came to a stand-off, the rifle would be in her hands in nanoseconds.

She went through the door after the others with Bane being the only one behind her as they started northeast in order to come up to the communications center from the east. The five of them jogged easily with Trin at point, Ambria forming the bottom of a triangle with Kaarmine and Justic at the other angles, with Bane behind him. Ambria kept her eyes and ears and HUD peeled for any sign of Republic soldiers.

[Val - Warning:Contains Sarcasm]

As the door had opened, Danee has positioned herself away from the other warriors beside her, standing out of sight off to the side to give them the space needed to execute their attacks. She could probably have stood in the middle and dodged all of the attacks, if she had really tried, but that wasn't the point. She didn't want to get in the way of her fellow Mandalorians. No point being in front of their gun when they're trying to fire and all that. That's how friendly fire started, and there was nothing friendly about fire. She watched in amusement as the soldiers fell to the ground like a group of raw recruits. In fact, knowing the Republic, these probably were raw recruits. No one could ever get into the base without setting off security. No one could ever have enough intel to get to the back door. No one could manage to lure the guards out. Coruscant-loving idiots.

She followed Bane inside, pausing at the doorway to glance as the shadows in the distance suddenly began moving, finally turning a group of shapes as the remaining six members of Alpha squad stealthily made their way the entrance behind her. Stepping into the guard room is was just as she had felt it before. Of course there was a difference between seeing a room and feeling a room, and it was always nice to see just how accurate she had been. Once the group had assembled, Bane began the next phase of his plans, and Danee took a position against a wall, relaxing a little before they were to move on to the next part of the plan. She watched Velos start to clamber her way up into the roof of the room, apparently trying to hack into the security systems, but how exactly she was going to do it, she wasn't sure. Things seemed to go well, however, as only a few seconds later she returned with a grin on her face.

Danee listened as Bane began discussing the next part of the plan. Approaching the security centre of the base from two sides would certainly be a good plan. She was with Rivas, Itani and Tarria, three soldiers she'd never met before. Looking a little sadly as Arcane, the soldier she'd met at the base, was sent off with the other squad. They travelled Northeast and she nodded to her squad to follow her Northwest. Marching at a rather swift pace down the corridor ahead, she took out her assault rifle and carried it in both hands, looking head but feeling around most of the corridors around her just in case there was something hiding that wasn't there.

[Squee]

This was so far one of the simplest things Valry had done. Saying that she would wed to someone had been difficult. Moving from family had been far from simple. Learning to devote a life to someone, and keeping it stable, was far more complicated than the average, romantic person would believe. These terms of simplistic things was also coming from a single mother who had to learn to change diapers on her own. There was more security in a low class bar! Heck, she was higher security than this base so far. Who didn’t put cameras up at their backdoor? Too many things could sneak in through the back door. This included nine fully armored Mandalorians. She had never had to deal with more than two other mandalorian styled bounty hunters at a time. Too bad she didn’t have time to feel sorry for the soldiers sitting inside the base. The worst part for them would be when the imprisoned mando’ade would be freed.

However, “simple” could have its backfires. Simple was like a dirty diaper on a child. As long as the baby only urinated in it, it was a simple change. It would remain simple until the baby had a bowel movement. And that was when things got stinky. The security could get a little more complicated as soon as they entered the door. Valry really doubted they didn’t have a plan. That would be a stupid countermove to stupid security decision. She had noted the varied equipment laden on each armored body. One of them had far better security skills than her. Really, Valry was an extra hand.

But, past security would be the opposing soldiers. As she watched Bane and the other two take down the guards, she felt very confident. In front of her was skill in hand to hand. The others had rifles and pistols in hand ready for immediate use. Beyond the guards the Door Trio took out was nothing, as Bane signaled the all clear to everyone still waiting outside, hidden. Valry relaxed her trigger finger, resting it straight against her rifle. In her peripherals, she watched as the others surged forward, covering the distance in a light jog. Valry stood up and walked fast behind them, being one of the last to enter through the door. It seemed, with nothing coming and nowhere to go just yet, the clad warriors stood rather relaxed.

Security was instantly being dealt with. One of the female mando’ade had climbed onto a table to open up a tile in the roof and, with a brief pause to scoop up a chair, pulled herself through not but a few seconds later. Valry didn’t know how long she had waited but it certainly had not been as long as the woman had said. There was a smile under the reflective visor of the nightly black helmet. She thought about saying something to the woman, Velos, and then decided she wouldn’t.

Bane’s further instructions were to split them into two groups. Velos, the woman climbing from the table; Arcane, the woman with the rifle (which was a beautiful thing, if Valry did think so herself); Kaarmine, a young man dragging their (cargo, haha) container around; and then Bane were all part of her group. With a visible and silent sign of acknowledgement, she perched herself beside the door. This turned out to be opposite from Velos.

“Open it; I’ll look your corner, you look mine, then round and glance around our own corners.” “Check your partner’s back, then check your own.” By now, Valry had replaced her rifle to her back. Replacing the weapon were two blaster pistols, easily handled in her trained hands. Velos activated a switch, commanding the door to open. Valry lifted a pistol close to her head and leaned slightly, checking part of Velos’ corner before she stepped in time to the woman. She rounded the edge of the door, blasters raised slightly before her. Nothing. They were good. Valry remained looking down her end of the hallway until Arcane and Kaarmine had passed her, then turned and took her spot.

No doubt they could do this. But, really, this was simple. Valry was having an annoying, nagging feeling attached to her spine, dragging at her, trying to warn her of… of something. She could just be thinking things. Really, she was expecting things to begin to worsen. She was that mother expecting a nasty bowel movement because she fed her child grains. With luck, this would be the cake walk it was appearing on being. With bad luck…

Well, things were going to get smelly.

[10Tickler]

In an almost Droid-like Fashion, Celke had waited, her body tense, her breathing short and stifled inside her Helmet. She had a Love-hate relationship with the Helmet, loved it for it's meaning, the fear that it inspired in those who died by her hands, but hated it for the stifled feeling that it inspired in her, hated not being able to feel the blood of her foes splashing against her skin, thanks to all of the armor. However...No. Now wasn't the time to consider any of that, now wasn't the moment to go over anything, other then the Battle.

As the Door was opened, slowly, she paused, gave the Guards coming out a split second to realize, to show their fear before she lept. Bestial, in a completely inhuman Fashion, she lept, hands outstretched as she Hissed softly, her breath escaping her Purple-painted lips, so hidden by the Helmet. With Arms outstretched, she Took down the First guard out of the door, her legs Straddling him in a way, that any other time, a man would be happy to have. This was not that time. A Fist, clenched tightly, to his face silenced him, but the Dragging of her sharpened nails across his throat caused him to try and Scream once more, his lifeblood flooding his throat, causing the Scream to die out into more of a helpless Gurgle as he Flailed against her, bleeding out Quickly.

With a Grin, Celke stood, Watching as Bane worked his way through the other Guards, the other Soldiers assisting him. This was what she lived for. Not the Impersonal killing with a Blaster, but seeing the Fear and Realization of death cross the face of the Morons that she was ordered to kill. Shaking her hands, droplets of Crimson sprayed from her hands, onto the Ground.

Copy She remarked, having heard Bane's orders. Moving towards her assigned group, she merely Followed. If they needed her help, they'd move out of the way.

[Jace]

47 seconds...under a minute to get control of the base's camera system. Bane made a mental note to always have a tech expert on his squad. Once again pride swelled up in him, there were no equals to his special operations troops. The Mandalorian soldier quickly checked his blaster pistol before proceeding. He couldn't deny it though, the idea of fighting their way to the heart of a Republic base made him feel somewhat warm and fuzzy.

Killing Republic soldiers, low chance of survival, whats not to like?

Bane shook his head of such thoughts, the killing and near death would come in time. For now though, he had a mission to accomplish. Velos was now to the side of the door, no doubt ready to attack as it slid open. Nothing, it seemed that the hallway was clear. A pang of disappointment struck Bane but the general inside him knew that it was a blessing.

He glanced a look over to Kaarmine, studying the young soldier for a second. The general was pleased that the private had managed to keep his wits about him so far. Though he was only a private, he was still a Mandalorian and that made him tougher than any other normal soldier in the galaxy. Bane just hoped that when things did get chaotic that the kid kept his head on his shoulders and at least fired in the right direction.

The Mandalorian general followed the rest as he was covering their six. Though he knew the room behind him was clear, he still pivoted, scanning the room with his blaster before turning and proceeding through the door. First he turned left, it was clear, then he moved to follow the others. Knowing that it had already been cleared meant nothing to Bane. It came with covering everyone's six, cause that is where they were most vulnerable.

Bane's disappointment grew as they still had yet to encounter any sort of resistance. No, it wasn't just disappointment, it made him uneasy. All this seemed to be going a little too easy which reminded him all too well of their previous mission. The galaxy had a habit of throwing nasty surprises at his squad. They were Mandalorians and a few surprises weren't going to be enough to stop them. They who had stolen a capital ship from under the Republic's noses. They who had stolen a basilisk from the heart of the Republic and escaped. Bane honestly hoped they just ran into a couple guards, at least then he would be somewhat reassured.

[Grawn]

His carbine was pointed straight ahead as he walked slowly forward down the hall. Half crouched, his legs were ready if a grenade suddenly decided to bounce towards them or guards appeared. Kaarmine didnt care for the fact they made met LITTLE resistance, they were in the base for the love of Mandalore. The Mandalorian however lacking of experience was no stranger to how things should be going down at this part. Base alarms, blaster fire and commands should've been flying about at points like this.

"I dont like this" he muttered, his voice low but enough for his squadmates to hear as he crept forward still. At a snails pace to him, but a normal cautious walk to actual reality. Bane was currently taking the six so Kaarmine had silently decided to take point. The munitions canister was still slung around his shoulder even though his carbine nozzle was pointed ahead. The container made little noise as it sometimes bounced off his thigh as his legs moved, a noise he hoped wouldnt get them in trouble.

Perhaps he was just getting paranoid. Either that or his instincts were going buck wild.

"Sir, i guess I'll take point" Kaarmine commented, talking to Bane. If the Mandalorian legend actually wanted this was up to debate but no one else seemed to up to the occasion so why the hell not? Unless he was ordered otherwise he had no problem being the meatshield.

Bad thoughts at a time like this, kid. Even if it was a joke to himself. The thought of himself being to talkative for the current situation also arose but something diverted his attention. His eyes widened.

What was that?

He tensed for a moment, his body going ice solid as his ears attempted to pick up whatever the hell he heard. The memory of the noise faded quickly and Brandus cursed himself silently for letting it. Perhaps it had been a figment of his paranoid mind. Or a squadron of Republic soldiers. It was a matter now if to say anything and possibily be wrong or do so and be right. He didnt really like the idea of being the paranoid rook on the mission but he also didnt like being the guy who "could've saved him and his squads ass"

"Anyone else here something?" he asked, still listening, hoping he could pick up the phantom noise. Paranoid rook it was.

[Meira]

As the group began to move forward, approaching the bend in the hall, the private Kaarmine spoke about taking point. Trin's brows furrowed in confusion. Had he not heard Bane? It wasn't a matter of pride or anything like that, but Trin had been given an order to take point. This was her spot, he could find his own. Besides, what sense did it make for the man carrying their gear to be out front? As he came forward. Trin put out her arm to block his path.

Negative private, move back.

The group was now at the bend, and once again, Trin pressed herself against one of the walls, motioning for the rest to form up in line behind her. The bend in the hall would lead them more northeast as the corridor circled the base. This simple layout made their efforts easier, but it also made for limited cover. She slid her back down the wall slightly, so that she was crouched lower. This was a dangerous point in their movements. She'd have to expose herself to possible fire in order to check if the hall was still clear. If she'd had a mirror, she could do it a little more safely, but she was laden with electronic gear, nothing with a smooth, reflective surface.... except for her knife.

Glad that she remembered the blade before she did something stupid, she pulled it from its place in her boot. It wasn't large, but it would do. Slowly, she inched it around the corner. Just then, Kaarmine spoke again, and Trin quickly retracted the blade. If her helmet weren't over her face, her annoyance would show clear. She turned her head, angled so that she could see the man and held up one finger to where her mouth would be in the universal sign for "shut up". She would have verbally chastised the man, except that she too had heard something. Again, and slowly, she inched the blade out into view around the corner.

Sure enough. A door, about thirty feet down the hall, had opened. From it, a small patrol was coming out. Trin held up her hand, counting off the soldiers as they came into view. She stopped at six. Then, from behind them, a higher ranking officer stepped into the hall. Trin held up one finger, then tapped her shoulder where his insignia would be. He was priority target right now, being the one that might communicate their presence first if he got the change. She held her breath in the following moment. How this group moved would determine what they would have to do. Trin silently hoped they'd turn and walk away down the hall. She wasn't a coward, but with so much riding on their stealth, it would be more beneficial to avoid as much contact as they could.

Unfortunately, Trin's wish was not granted. The group turned and began to move in their direction. She pulled the knife back so that it wouldn't be spotted and turned towards her comrades. In quick gestures, she relayed as much information as she could. Two by two, they were coming this way, officer at the back. As she finished, their footsteps could be heard, growing louder as they approached. Trin gestured for everyone to crouch down. Being low meant being out of the way of impulse fire. The first shots when the Republic soldeirs saw them would likely be done on instinct, and at chest level. The moment it would take them to adjust their aim would be all that was needed.

Trin did her best to regulate her breathing as she listened to the footsteps. Being out front, she'd have the best shot at taking out the officer. Blaster held up in her right hand, knife in her left, she pushed herself against the wall, as if she could get closer to it. But the moment came, when boots came into view as the Republic soldiers took the corner. Muscles that had coiled tight sprang loose as Trin pivoted on one foot to turn the corner. She exposed her back to the Republic soldiers that walked out front, but she trusted her comrades to cover her. Her eyes locked on the officer, and she brought her blaster round and fired. But her shot only his his shoulder, he was not dead.

At that moment, one of the soldiers immediately in front of the officer swung the butt of his rifle at Trin's head. Ducking under it, Trin threw her left arm in an upward arc, catching her blade right at the man's arm pit. Standing back up to her full height, which wasn't much, she pushed the soldier towards the other Mandos to be finished off. Whirling her head around to see the officer again, she had to readjust her grip on the knife, flipping it to hold the blade. He was reaching for his blaster. She threw the blade and it stuck in his hand, causing the officer to cry out in pain. But he barely uttered a sound before Trin was moving forward and crouched right in front of him. She pulled the blade from his hand, and in one quick motion, drew it across his neck right above the collar. She didn't stay to watch the blood pour out, but turned and stood to face her fellows and provide more help if it was needed. It wasn't.

Trin stooped to wipe the blood from her knife before placing it back in her boot. They'd have to move faster now. There was no telling if this little scuffle had been loud enough to draw attention. So far, she heard no chatter, but that could change in an instant. Whirling around, she waved her hand for the rest to follow. They had a lot of ground to cover.

[Mara]

Trin stopped at a junction in the hall, with the rest of the group following suit. Ambria stood quietly as she waited for the other woman to determine when it would be safe to turn the corner and continue on through the base. She had her fingers around the butt of her blaster, ready to pull it if need be. They hadn't traveled far yet in their quest, but she was feeling uneasy that they hadn't run into any other Republic soldiers besides the guards they had already dispatched. Though Trin had been quick to the security cams, the Mandalorian lieutenant couldn't help but wonder whether a signal had gotten through before the system had been disabled. So far, though, everything seemed to be going smoothly. Too smoothly.

She had ignored what the private had said earlier, glad that Trin had taken care of him quickly. It wouldn't do to have a huge argument right in the middle of the hallway here. But when he blurted something about a noise, her leg was in mid-motion, ready to step up next to him and shut him up. But, again, Trin had gotten to him first, thankfully. The sergeant would probably be easier on him than she would have been.

Ambria hadn't heard a noise, but, all the same, she turned up the sound receptors in her helmet, hoping to pick it up if it was there. For now, though, everything was silent except for the slow breathing of her comrades through their helmets. She waited, not daring to move a muscle as she watched Trin's ingenious idea of using her knife to check around the corner. Ambria had to smile at this; it was very resourceful.

Trin signaled behind her at the rest of the group. Six soldiers... and one officer. Slowly, Ambria got a better grip on her blaster pistol, pulling it soundlessly from her holster, her left hand doing the same with her other blaster. Being so far back and without the mirroring of the knife blade, she wasn't sure what the Republic soldiers were doing or where they were going. But she would be ready if they came this way. It would be unfortunate to leave a mess that would betray their presence, but sometimes that couldn't be helped. They would just have to hope that the other team would be more successful if they were held up here.

Hearing the regulated booted footsteps marching down the hallway coming closer, Ambria allowed a grin to spread across her features. Republic soldiers were so predictable. They weren't even trying to disguise their movements. So much more stupid than glorious Mandalorians. Clicking both blasters to their kill settings, she slowly moved closer to the ground, adjusting her center of balance and moving her legs to a kneeling position. Right knee up, left knee on the floor. She no longer saw any of the others, just the blank wall in front of her that would soon contain fresh targets.

Suddenly, they were in front of the Mandalorian squad, and Ambria immediately opened fire, focusing on the two soldiers in the back of the group. Four shots and they were dead.

[Latus]

He felt like a ghost. He felt as though the rays of what light there was passed right through him. He felt like he cast no shadow.

He felt like a shadow.

From where he sat crouched in the shadows the complex he felt like he was invisible. Such a feat seemed improbably to him considering the extra bulk added by his armor. Though he was concealed the vantage point left something to be desired; visibility. His allies had poured into the facility in a flurry of light and sound undoubtedly ending the lives of many of the soldiers therein. However, he had stayed put, not wanting to take the fun away from his allies. Killing was something he had done more than enough of in his life to find enjoyment in it anymore. It was a challenge at some points but he had lost his taste for blood lust.

Having a sufficient knowledge of the compound, Itani knew what they would do. First the exterior guards, then the interior security systems. He was waiting for a signal of one kind or another, it was coming, of that he had no doubt. Perhaps it was time to move up. Standing from his crouched position in the shadow of the cliff he marveled at the tiny fraction of pain in his legs as the muscle augments in the suit bore him upward. His movements toward the entrance were smooth and loping, almost graceful. The suit made more noise than he wished for but it couldn't be helped. There was a report of metal on metal as he slammed against the plating beside the door; if his calculations were correct as they often were, it would make no difference. The voice over the com confirmed his suspicions.

"Alright listen up. We are going to split into two squads and approach the comm station from different directions. Velos,Arcane,Kaarmine, Justic are with me. Rivas,Tarria,Xoxin, and Itani in the other. We will stick to the flanks, avoiding the heart of the base and the thick of the soldiers. My squad will move Northeast from here, and then approach the comm center from the east. Squad two will go Northwest and approach from the west. Avoid unnecessary attention, remember wh..."

Itani's mind shot to attention as Bane spoke, his mind working to drown out the words echoing through his mind. Things might not be going as planned, as such he didn't bother to voice a reply. He knew none of the three soldiers he had been grouped with nor did he know how they operated (that was part of not knowing them, sadly). Drawing his small blaster in his off-hand and a pair of his neuro-daggers in his main he stepped quickly and quietly into the building.

His eyes leapt quickly from corpse to ally to destination eventually landing on another of his Mando comrades, the soldier he could only identify as Xoxin. Following her example he nodded in passing and followed her down the northwest corridor. Bringing his main hand to his helm Itani switched his channel to a single recipient, Trin. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if she ran off only to die.

Keep your eyes up, missy. See you at the finish line.

His voice, like his comment, was a mixture of cool military focus and his own brand of jesting. Giving her an imperceptible smile he turned and fell in behind Xoxin as she ran, hoping Tarria and Rivas would follow suit soon. Working his way up beside "Danee" he brought his blaster, daggers to the ready.

I have your back, vod. Just keep y-

He was interrupted mid-sentence by a republic soldier who had, miraculously, escaped the first skirmish, peek around the wall of one of the perpendicular hallways. Itani's reaction was nearly faster than the eye could follow. His main hand shot out releasing one of the daggers. The sliver of metal struck true, burying itself in the exposed gap between the man's shoulder and helmet. The effect was instantaneous and the soldier dropped.

Keep your head on a swivel. I don't want any eulogies when this is over.

[Squee]

The private must have believed he was hot stuff or something. Valry’s eyebrow had quirked in the confines of the reflecting t-visor. He was a big, bulky guy all right, but he was carrying their container. No need to be in point. In fact, Valry even believed he should be dragging alongside, or even behind, Bane. She understood the level of caution of why he was not. But, so far, their back door was covered. The second group had split, heading down the other side of the curving hallway, and what threat there had been at the back was neutralized. Unless the Republic got smart, which wasn’t seeming very likely at the moment, and sent in troops to catch the Mando’ade from behind, Kaarmine would be fairly safe at the back with the equipment he was hauling.

As they came up to that bend, Trin signaling to form a line as she angled to the wall, Valry shifted behind the other mandalorian woman. Back pressed firmly to the wall, Valry crouched slightly, hands, gently rested just atop of her armored knees, loosely holding her blaster pistols. Her helmet remained barely an inch away from the wall, the visor facing toward Trin, looking for movement that would signal the rest of the group. Kaarmine picked right then to hiss that he heard a sound. While Trin flashed an urgent hand gesture to get the young man to shut up, Valry double checked that her external speakers were off and then linked herself with Kaarmine and spoke gently:

“Cool it, Kaar. For Mandalore’s sake, turn off those external speakers. Think rationally. Stay back there with Bane. You might feel safer back there next to a seasoned warrior. It’s also the most little likely place you’ll get blown up.”

A better part of those first four sentences were gentle, like a mother directing a child to something better than what another child had. The last couple were meant for prodding the pride of young men. It told Kaarmine to keep his act together, to find a way out of older warriors’ wings, and not get killed. She knew that saying something directly to him, especially when his ears would hear clearly within his helmet, would express the youth in even her own voice. He might question it and she had needed to feed him something he wouldn’t spit back in her face. And that something was a poke to pride. He needed to suck it up and swallow like it was the tastiest morsel on earth.

Valry made sure to flatten herself against the wall when Trin began to sign to the line of four mandos, excluding the point leader. Gestures were a bit difficult for the young mandalorian woman to understand. It had been far too long, and her memory was fuzzy as if been rubbed lightly over with an eraser. The lines weren’t as bold, as crisp, or as clear as they used to be. She was suddenly glad she had decided to sit behind Trin. If the woman moved, Valry was ready to react to it. She figured it was better to react no matter what was signed, just in case.

Cause and effect happened too quickly as the footsteps Valry had been hearing came closer. Republic soldiers. There was the rush of blood in her ears and her heart beat as a constant and steady “ba-boom, ba-boom”. Her fingers gripped tighter on her blasters, her index finger tracing the trigger guard. Her lower back was the only thing that touched the wall now as her body was leaned forward and her muscles clenched in preparedness to spring, eyes fixated on the corner…

That first foot appeared and Valry had never seen another woman spring into action so swiftly as Trin had. The woman though, was twisting as she stood and exposed herself to the soldiers. Valry’s blaster pistols had come up and she was just half a step behind Trin. The first soldiers were surprised at the sudden, unwelcomed presence of the first woman. As Valry emerged as a small shadow, they were just starting to track the movement. One blaster pistol came up as Valry entered the first soldier’s personal space, arm arcing up to place the muzzle of her pistol to his forehead. ”Nighty night…” And with another sluggish beat of her heart (so it seemed), Valry evenly squeezed the trigger, projecting a blast of energy that seared, drilled, and buried its way into the man’s head.

As soon was Valry’s first pistol had touched to the man’s head, she had been twisting, firing in the process. Making a full, outward 180 degree turn, she bumped back to chest with the man walking beside the first. Her chin lifted just over her shoulder, the first soldier’s cooling body crumpling like paper to the ground, tracking the motion of a third, the one Trin was shoving a blade into the armpit of. Ouch. That looked uncomfortable. Everything was happening in slow motion. As the markswoman observed the movement around the second solider, her arm was lifting, grip tight on the blaster and finger ready on the trigger. The tip brushed the man’s temple and that’s when the trigger was pulled. The bolt blasted from one side of the man’s head to the other.

That deed done, Valry was reversing her previous 180. Trin had just shoved the third, and now wounded, soldier toward her. Valry had managed to holster her left blaster in the process, and her arms were wide as the wounded man happened to stumble into them. Valry’s empty arm had managed to slither under the taller man’s, wrist swiveling, and she sunk steel fingers into his neck while kicking out the heel he had managed to plant. He fell back against her, his mouth opened though he was silent, Valry’s unforgiving fingers refusing his scream. Right arm came up, touched his head, and Valry fired, killing her third soldier. She released the deadweight immediately, blaster aimed at the last dying body as he joined his Republic brethren in the afterlife. Ambria’s kill.

Valry lowered her arm and straightened her bent knees, tugging her left blaster free of its holster. Standing there, blasters once again held very loose with her trigger finger resting along the frame, she wasn’t disturbed in the slightest of what actions had just taken place. She stepped over the bodies, once again staying behind Trin, though allowing some breathing room, and staying with her left side not but a foot away from the wall.

Three for Orak.

[Jace]

The veteran could only shake his head as he watched the rookie try to take point. He had made it clear that it was Trin's job, but nervousness can affect the senses. Either way, she quickly stopped him, averting what could have possibly been a messy situation. Bane watched with pride as Trin used her blade to see around the corner of the hallway. It was ingenuity like this that made the Mandalorians the deadliest soldiers in this galaxy.

Bane pressed against the wall as per Trin's signals, waiting for her to relay for information. It soon followed, six soldiers and one officer. The general actually relaxed, they were finally encountering some resistance. He was honestly beginning to worry that this may be some big trap. The Mandalorian didn't really believe the Republic capable of such an elaborate ruse but he couldn't rule it out indefinitely.

He heard the tell tale sound of boots approaching their position. Trin crouched into position, no doubt ready to spring into action. Bane pivoted and checked their six once more before turning back once again. It was unlikely that he could close the distance, so it looked like blasters would be his only option. With a little disappointment, Bane drew his blaster pistol, holding it at the ready. There were five other elite mandos in front of him, he doubted there would even be a soldier to kill.

The footsteps became louder and louder as the soldiers neared their position. Suddenly Trin sprang forward with such deadly swiftness that he almost had trouble keeping up. Blaster fire cut the silence followed by the screams of one of the soldiers. Just as the man's screams died, he heard the sound of hurried footsteps behind them. Bane spun around and sprinted forward, back down the hallway they had just come. Holstering his pistol and drawing his blades in one seemingly swift motion.

Judging their position from the sound of the footsteps, Bane launched himself into a drive. He came to his feet to find himself face to face with four Republic soldiers. A flash of metal and a grisly arc of blood splash over the ceiling. Gurgling, the first soldier hit the ground, dead. Spinning to the left, Bane slashed at another man's midsection, disemboweling him. Completing his spin, he jabbed his right blade straight into the chest of the third man. Moving to the right just in time to dodge the fourth soldier's shot, he brought his blade down with both hands, splitting the man's head almost in two.

Bane yanked the blade out of the center of the man's face with a sickening wet sound. He whipped the blade out to the left to rid it of blood. He pulled his other blade from the third man to die, and repeated the process. Making sure the rear was now clear, he sheathed both katanas and made his way back to the rest of the group. They had made short work of their opposition and it was time to move forward. It had taken Bane the same time to kill those men as it had taken Velos to get through the security system.

He was getting old...

[Grawn]

IDIOT! Perhaps if you had been paying attention, Trin was obviously supposed to take point! Nice work, meatshield!

Dropping back, he took the critism from everyone with what little diginity he felt he had left. The word stupid seemed to be a broken record in his head as he continued in the middle of the group. Learning experience, deadly, but learning. Sure the critism stung but hell, how would he learn otherwise?

Just play your part and stop messing up

Kaarmine decided he'd check himself into a doctor after this mission if he survived. The voice was starting to annoy and worry him, though the possibility he was insane might make sense. While he didnt offer any apologizes for the screw up, he hoped the vets understood his position. A few minutes passed without incident when suddenly Trin stopped and the reason became apparent when the sounds of footsteps from around the corner of where they were was heard. The private drew his pistol, pressing himself against the wall as the steps became louder. When the Republic scums became in view, it was a slaughter.

Actually, it was. Kaarmine fired with the rest of the group but when movement came around, he spun around. He almost fired his weapon but Bane had made it quite clear why he was a legend. Four men had appeared but the Mandalorian had brought swift death upon them with a few swipes of his twin katanas. Turning his attention to the men in the front, Kaarmine saw one of the Republic soldiers retreat down the way they came. Gritting his teeth he rushed forward and came around the corner to see the man go for a device on the wall.

An alarm!?

His torso pressed against the side of the corner the Mandalorians controlled and his head and arm in the open, Kaarmine raised his pistol and took aim. Pulling the trigger, the bolt struck the man in the back of the head before his hand reached the alarm. The smoking head along with the body it was attached to fell to the ground and it grew quiet. Detaching himself from the wall, he returned to the rest of the group and waited commands.

((OOC: Redemption possibily for how bad i screwed him up my last post xD didnt see Trin had taken point. Not feelin the greatness so my apologizes for lack of fanciness))

[Val - Warning:Contains Sarcasm]

The body hit the ground with a slightly damp thud, and Danee followed it with the end of her rifle, glancing over her shoulder at the arm that had taken out the Republic soldier. A smirk broadcast across her face, moving forward wordlessly. She was glad there was someone as highly-reactive as she could be, though she registered that half of her reactions were from sensing through the corridors ahead. The rest was mainly the Force and training. She cautiously moved next to the soldier's body, tightening her senses to pick up any others. Scolding herself a little for the lapse in attention, she could just about feel a few other bodies in the direction ahead, and the tendrils of the other half of Alpha squad making their way through the corridors behind them. She carefully looked over the wound from the dagger, impressed. It was a very good shot, assuming it was intentional. She glanced up at the man. Running around with a group of Mandalorians, but that was not to imply he wasn't a Mandalorian himself. He just felt different to her. She said nothing though, standing back up without the dagger and proceeding to walk slowly forwards.

She could feel the rest of the corridor layout ahead of her now. Mainly empty, some crates, and a group of bodies around one of the corners. Her hands on her rifle gripped a little tighter as she approached, finally flicking the safety off and bringing it from pointing to the ground to waist height. The wall and her back suddenly made close contact, and her head edged towards the corner, voiced permeating the air from not far away. She could feel three of them. One was laying down against the wall, but otherwise the rest of the corridor was clear. She pulled back a moment, hating herself for what she was about to do, and yet indifferent to it at the same time, pulling around the corner smoothly and letting loose her barrage. One soldier down, then a second immediately after, then the one on the ground with barely an audible yell. She brushed the barrel of her rifle with the palm of her hand, barely warm, small whirls of smoke drifting from the edge of the rifle. Looking at her victims she gave a small sigh.

She'd counted wrong. Four, two standing, two on the ground. A man and a woman who had been killed in each other's arms. Probably sneaking off from supervisors to have some alone time. It took a second for her to register it properly in her mind. She'd not been on a proper mission like this before. Such an important objective, and these people were... they were supposedly enemies that were in the way. She retreated around the corner, the rest of her group was behind her and she felt she was supposed to say something. What would she say? 'I'm a murderer'? 'I just shot two lovers and their friends'? She felt disgusted with herself and she didn't even bother to hide it. The helmet did that for her. How long before she fell in love with someone? How long before they were shot in a similar way? Or just one of them? Their friends? Children? The killing upset her for some reason, not helped any way by the Force, and her words were strained as she turned her back to her comrades, leading the way semi-angrily through the complex.

"Four Tangos down, two of you hide the bodies. I'm going to check just ahead."

[Mara]

All in all, the slaughter had taken less than a couple minutes by Ambria's count. All the soldiers that had come toward their position at the hallway junction now lay as corpses with smoking holes given to them by Mandalorian blasters and one with blood oozing from his neck from Trin's knife. She hadn't seen the ones Bane had dispatched behind them but had heard their death cries and the sickening but somehow melodious slice of the general's katanas as they met flesh.

The only reason the time had passed the 1-minute mark, the green-eyed woman supposed, was because one of the soldiers had turned coward, running back the way they had marched away from. As her two bodies had fallen to the cheap plasticine floor, stark white lighting making their features seem almost unreal, Ambria had noticed one of the six soldiers who was supposed to be flanking, and guarding, the now-dead officer, running off. But before she could move ahead to look around the corner, the private in the group had gone up ahead, taking care of the traitor. When he returned successfully to join the rest of them, she nodded her amber helmet at him. It wouldn't hurt the poor fellow to get a little recognition now, considering his earlier actions.

Having seen no more immediate danger, she holstered her weapons, finally taking a chance to survey the rest of the team, pulling her eyes away from the beautiful sight of dead Republic soldiers. All were accounted for, ready and waiting to continue on to complete their mission. Ambria smiled within her helmet as she gathered with the others behind Trin, her eyes flashing like emeralds. It was good to be in action again.

[Meira]

No chatter, no chatter, no chatter. Her heart kept beating, she kept moving. Breathe in and out. It fell into a rhythm as she lead the team on past the bloody mess they had made of the patrol. The hall led them forward and outward, circling the courtyard center to the base where the comm center stood. As the curved walls revealed more of the way ahead, Trin kept ever vigilant. Her muscles coiled and ready to react to whatever might suddenly appear. Still no chatter.

Thoughts of the other group, and of one member in particular, tried to invade her mind. She kept them at bay, focusing on the hallway ahead. They were fine. He was fine. Not much farther to go. She was a laser beam, honing in on the target, her focus as sharp as the knife she had used to end that officer's life.

Speaking of knives... A door opened as she neared it, a soldier stepping out. He would never see what was coming. Orange gauntlet met unarmored nose, sending the man off balance. Trin crouched, sweeping his feet out from underneath him. He slammed into the ground, her quickly pulled knife stabbed into the base of his neck. Blood flowed freely from the severed artery. She had barely missed a step. One look into the small room showed that it was clear and she continued forward. They were mere feet away now from the exit into the courtyard. There was the doorway.... still no chatter.

She brought the group to a halt along the wall by the door. She motioned for Justic and Arcane to take the other side of the door. A fleeting thought wondered if she was stepping out of line giving orders like this, but it was part of taking point. When they were in position, she opened the door. Her angle gave her view of half the courtyard, while the other two would be able to see the other half. The comm center, a small building in the center, stood before them, ready to be breached.... should their way be clear.

Trin's angle was clear, so she waited for Justice to signal clear as well before moving forward. When the signal was given, Trin rotated and moved through the door. Crouched and moving at a half run, she made for the comm center. There was a slight overhang to guard the door from the weather that would provide some cover once at the door, but the courtyard in between was completely exposed. Trin thought of nothing but making it to the door as she moved through the open night air, stars twinkling above. Once there, she again put her back against the wall and surveyed the area, then gave the clear for the next one to come.

One, two, three, four. Four Mandos shot across the courtyard. They were ready to move in. Before they did, however, Trin took a moment to bring up the specs on the comm center on her HUD. Two rooms. One was linked to communicate to the other base, the one Bravo Team was at, and the other was linked to the Republic military comm network. They'd have to breach the inter-base room to get to the other. And they had to do it quick. If anyone in the second room got anything out, they'd have the republic on them quick and they could all kiss their rear ends goodbye.

Kaarmine, flash bang. She said in a quick whisper, and motioned with her head for him to position himself near the door. Now was his chance to make up for his earlier blunder. She hoped he was up for it. Again, Trin was on one side of the door, ready to open it. She'd move through quick to get to that second room. She'd leave those in the first room for the others. The majority shouldn't put up much of a fight. She only expected a couple, maybe three fully armed soldiers inside.

With me please, sir? She asked, looking at Bane. Lightly armed as they might be, two rushing to the second room was better than one. She then switched her comm so that all members of alpha team, other group included could hear.

This is Sargent Velos. Preparing to breach comm center. Standby. She took a deep breath and turned her head towards Kaarmine, counting with her fingers as well as out loud, her hand poised over the door controls.

In three...

two...

one.

She punched the door controls and it slid open. She turned her head away from the door to protect against the blast. She felt it all the same, and as soon as it sounded, She sprang up and moved in, ignoring everything but the open archway that connected the two rooms.

[10Tickler]

Wandering about, following her Assigned comrade, Celke didn't bother taking point...or Rear. If they needed her to do something, they'd bloody well tell her, or at least that was how she felt. Truthfully, The CWO didn't really know any of them very well, nor did she really care to. They acted how they wanted to, She did what she had to. If that involved getting bloody, then life was officially awesome.

In the same sense, however, that led to a lot of confusion at times, and as the short woman continued to follow, letting her Teammates Take down targets willy-nilly, her mind seemed to wander about within itself. Not that she was distracted from the Mission, no. However, considering her positioning, near the middle of the Motley assortment of Mandalorians, she really was worthless at this point. Any shot she might try and make with a blaster would be more likely to pop off one of her Comrades. That wouldn't be good, not at all.

So, Celke Tarria walked, letting herself be led, not bothering to take any Initiative. Why bother being a glory-whore? there was a mission to do, and unless Republic Soldiers started spewing from all directions with Melee weapons, she was nearly-worthless.

Meh she muttered.

[Jace]

The squad progressed towards their objective at an efficient pace. They met little resistance after their initial encounter minutes earlier and were closing in on the comm station. Bane knew that it was only a matter of time until bodies were discovered and blaring alarms. There was just no way to infiltrate the base without being eventually discovered. The whole invasion was based on speed, power, and most importantly the element of surprise.

His thoughts shifted to those currently in his squad. So far they had proven that they could handle anything thrown at them, even the private. That was what set Mandalorians apart from all the other soldiers of the galaxy. This was the first true test for many of those in Special operations. Some had stolen a war droid, others a capital ship, yet none had been to war. Bane himself had fought on Concord Dawn but that was nowhere near a full scale invasion.

The courtyard where the communications center lay came into view. Alpha squad had finally reached their objective and undetected. The general was not about to push his luck, they would move quickly. Newly promoted Staff Sergeant seemed to be handling herself very well at point. Running point was one of the most difficult and dangerous assignments. The squad depended on what you saw, it also meant that you would be the first one to spring on ambush or be shot.

Alpha squad raced across the courtyard towards the comm center. Bane studied the schematics just add Velos had moments earlier. He of course also realized that their objective was the room on the far side. They needed to neutralize it quickly, if word got out, there would be a great many more casualties. He moved up to Velos' position and checked his pistol and nodded.

Three....

Two....

One....

Bane was already moving as the flash subsided and sprinted straight towards the other room. Bursting through the archway his pistol was already sighted on the first soldier. The man looked to be the reigning comm officer. Well at least he was until Bane put a bolt into his face. Quickly switching to his next target he squeezed off two more shots dropping another soldier.

"Velos, get this thing offline" ordered Bane as he received the all-clear

Just as Bane finished scouting the perimeter, the blaring sound of an alarm resounded through the room. A small smile spread across his face at the sound. They had achieved their objective and it looked like they were in for some fun. The man wasn't necessarily in a rush to die, but if there was a time to, this would surely be it.

"And hurry up" He added

[Deceit *Drinker of Jawa-Juice*]

( Me gots me permission to be here, as well as my brother[If he hurries his arse up with his Mando charrie!], as prisoners. So don't freak out kay? )

It was possibly one of the most assuring sounds he'd ever heard. To him at least, the Republic guard who was pacing just outside of Jauran Keyas' prison cell was not quite as thrilled. He jumped as the sound of the alarm went off, reaching for his blaster pistol, and not sure of what exactly to do. Looking from side to side, and with a hundred, grinning Mandalorian visages staring at him from every angle, he became nervous. Finally he just bolted for the door leading out, probably for his superior officer to report in and find out what the hell was going on.

Jauran knew. He was apart of the forward scouts, a team of Mandalorians who'd come out as a scouting party, special ops all, and were captured. Not a one of them even squeaked a word to the interogators, and many had nasty scars to show because of it. Jauran rubbed his bruised eye, caused by a beating from a guard because of some disobeidience or the other, a common thing from this staff serjeant.

He still stood next to the plasmic door that shimmered before him, now eager with the salty taste of freedom laid out bare before him. The attitude in the cell chambers was excited, bubbly even. Jauran felt naked, they all did, without his armor. He couldn't wait to get suited back up and take a few of the bastards down in revenge. Most of all, Jauran knew that he'd be able to get out and see hsi family once more. The thought spurred him to action. He turned to the boys behind him, both of the two men in his cell members of his own squad of five Mando's, and said with a broad grin,

"We're getting out of here with any luck. I'm sure they'll get to us, don't ye doubt, I heard from our superiors before we were sent off that we were scouting for General Bane and his squad. They're not to be stopped by a few nervous guards and a battallion of fully armed Republic Soldiers."

His cell mates gave a hearty cheer and threw up their fists collectively, as did many people in other cells, including the last remaining squad member across the hall. Jauran turned around, his flimsy white shirt and dirty, stained pants forming wrinkles as he did so, and rubbed his hands together eagerly.

Yes, it was quite possibly the most assuring sound he'd ever heard.