Mak

At the start of 2023, I dove into the Dragonlance Chronicles by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman at the behest of my little brother. I started with Dragons of Autumn Twilight, then burned through Winter's Night, and this week I moved on to Spring's Dawning. I never read these when they came out back in the 90's (yes, I'm old I know), so I figured why not?

On my honor, 

/sign

Mak didn't like leaving his back open to the two Imps, but he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that kept trying to rise up.  It didn't help that he could sense something was wrong with Lari, although he couldn't exactly figure out what it might be.  Deep down, he hoped it was her previous issue and not something that had she had acquired here.  Either way, he was going to do everything he could to take care of her.  After all, he wasn't going to leave a friend hanging, promises or not.  Mak shook his head, trying to keep his focus on the room he was in and constantly scanning for any threats here or elsewhere.

He heard the others before they entered the room, but kept his focus outboard.  "All clear. Excellent." he heard the large Sith say, "We are close now. Our destination lies in the next room." Mak kept one eye on the two Imps as the Sith tried the hatch exiting the room, and faintly heard the buzzer the signaled it was locked. "They never make it easy do they. Watch my back."  He continued his scan of the area, shifting his focus to the Imperial Agent who seemed to be getting progressively jumpier.  "Probably new to this kind of operation," Mak thought to himself.  He also spared a quick glance at Lari, who seemed to be dealing with a struggle of her own.  "Hold out a little longer, Sweetie.  We'll get you out of here," he thought, knowing she couldn't hear him, but hoping she would understand anyway.  Suddenly his HUD beeped.  "Sir, I'm detecting movement behind us.  Doesn't appear to be hostile.  I'm also sensing something else, but I can't narrow it down,"  Kate whispered, sounding puzzled. 

"I think I sense the others. I'm heading back to get them. They're coming this way."  Lari said as she began moving away from the others and back into the other rooms.  Mak took a couple steps to follow before holding where he was, torn between completing the mission and helping a friend.  "The others are back there and that room is clear, so she'll be fine," he thought to himself, settling the internal debate.  He turned his attention back to the two Imps in the room, and continued to scan the passage beyond.

Mak admired the Imp agent's high-tech gear.  "Nice toys," he said, pulling security up the hall as Debid went to work.  He avoided looking in Larial's direction.  He thought he sensed something wrong with her, only he wasn't sure if it was real or imagined.  She was acting a little strange, but sometimes strange & normal got mixed up with her around.  Volunteering to bring up the rear was definitely out of character; Lari normally liked being in the van.  His instinctive sense flared up again & Mak shook his head, focusing on the job at hand. The explosives barely made any noise as they did their job. 

"I vote that the commando in heavy armor checks out the other side first." 

"Guess that means I have point," Mak said, turning toward the opening.  "Wait for my call," he stated, stepping to the edge of the dark hole and switching on the light under his barrel.  He only paused a moment to sweep his landing area with the lamp before dropping down with a heavy thud.  He stayed crouched against the bulkhead as he surveyed the room.  Nothing moved and there were no sounds. 

"Kate, do a scan for any life signs & get me an update on our shield," he whispered to his AI. 

"Yes, Sir.  Shields at 46 percent.  I'm not reading anything in this room or the next one.  It appears to be some kind of laboratory storage," she stated in a hesitant voice.  "Be careful, Sir." 

"Nice to know you care, Kate," Mak said with a smile.  He knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't help teasing the AI from time to time.  Slowly standing, he made his way deeper into the room.  The bulkhead plating rattled as he stepped off of it, but he kept his focus on the door ahead.  Storage lockers lined both walls, and two rows of lab stations dominated the center of the floor.  Making his way carefully up the center aisle, Mak swept his light back and forth over the room as he approached the far door.  Stepping up to the bulkhead on the right, he tried the controls.  The door's lifters hissed faintly as it opened and stopped dead at the halfway point, leaving four feet of opening.   Dropping down to a knee, Mak looked through using his right hand to direct his weapon light into the next room.  In his left, he cradled a concussion grenade with his thumb over the initiator, just in case.  After a couple seconds, he tapped his comlink, "All clear.  Rally in the next room."  He ducked under the hatch and walked into the second room, this one lined with a dozen empty stasis chamber and a med table in the center.

Mak watched Lari's latest trick from a distance, admiring the violent way she dispatched the beasts.  The Imperials around her were just as efficient at killing, but all their combined effort was making little headway.  The Imperial Agent suggested making short cuts, and his plan made a lot of sense.  "He's right," Mak said as he quickly walked back to the others, his shield starting to crackle as the power generator came back online.  "Fighting is burning too much time and ammo.  Between my kit and the Imp's, there's enough firepower to get through any barrier.  I know you're enjoying this, Lari, but we need to move fast.  A readout of this deck, as well as the adjacent ones, will show the best path.  Anyone got the data.  I'd like to be on the move before these animals regroup."

"Sir," Kate whispered into his ear, "I have a partial map based on where we've been, and I can extrapolate the rest if need be.  Also, your shield is currently at 5 percent and will take at least three more minutes to reach 50 percent.  Combat in this state is not advisable."  Tapping the back of his right hand, Mak switched to his internal comm.  "Thanks for the update, Kate.  Not that I don't trust you, but an actual map is better than a guess.  Keep yours handy, in case we need," he said, smiling.  "I'm here, whenever you need me, Sir," she replied.  Mak checked his wrist computer and weapon status to cover the internal conversation.  Tapping his hand again to switch back to open comm, he asked, "So, what's the plan?"

Mak stood unwavering next to Lari , pouring countless rounds into wave after wave of Rakghouls.  An empty clip bounced soundlessly off the deck at his feet, quickly replaced by a full one.  Blasters and sabers flashed in the semi-darkness, but the group was making slow progress toward their overall objective.  Each member was giving a good showing of themselves, but at the current rate the situation couldn't hold for long.  The large Sith had mowed through dozens; but for every one he cut down, two more popped up.  The Agent was doing better than Mak had expected in the close quarters, even buying them a slight reprieve with his landmine stunt.  And of course, Lari was being her usual self, somehow making all the death and destruction look strangely like an elegant dance in her focused determination.  Glancing at the slight woman standing defiantly next to him, he weighed the options and quickly made a decision. 

"Watch yourselves," he called out to the others and without hesitation waded down the passage into the horde of oncoming beasts, smashing snarling faces with his fists & forearms as often as he used his rifle stock.  Claws and teeth made strange clicking noises as they bounced harmlessly off his armor.  "Good beskar," he thought to himself, "Nothing like Mandalorian Iron.  Glad I wore my good kit, although it'll need a touch up after this."  A foaming face next to him suddenly disintegrated from blaster bolt, and he smiled to himself without looking back to see who was behind the trigger.

As he pushed forward, he spoke in a hushed tone on his personal intercom, "Kate, on my signal, overload shields.  Focus the blast away from the others."  "Are you sure, Sir?  If this doesn't work, you may be vulnerable for a while," her worried voice asked.  "I know the risk. Just do it," he replied in a growl not meant for her, crushing a small rakghoul's throat and throwing its lifeless body against the bulkhead.  As he reached a safe distance, he found himself face to face with a rather large creature and a sinister grin spread across his face.  "Now's as good as ever," he thought to himself, planting his feet and lowering his weapon to his side.  In one quick motion, he reached up and head-butted the beast, calling out, "Do it, Kate!"

The strength of the blast caught even him slightly off-guard as he staggered forward, and the resulting wall of flame that pushed down the corridor went further than he had expected.  "Guess those new mods were worth the extra creds," he thought, shaking his head and picking himself up off the ground.  The pile of charred goo in front of him hardly resembled the brute he had been grappling with a couple seconds ago.  "Sir, your vitals appear stable, but I'm afraid your shields will take a little while to regenerate.  I'll let you know when they can come back online," Kate's disembodied voice sounded strangely human, a mixture of concern and irritation.  "Thanks.  Keep me posted," Mak replied, turning back to the others as the noise faded.  "We need to move," he called out to the group.  The sound of rakghouls echoed in the dark distance.

GROUP 2:

     Mak's attention was elsewhere during all the posturing going on.  The odd noise he heard earlier from deeper in the ship had ceased, but that only had him more on edge.  With half an ear, he catalogued every word that went between the different factions.  "Politics will kill us all one day. Just not now if I have any say," he thought to himself as the other group headed away down one of the corridors.  The only sign he gave that he had been listening during the entire thing was a grunt of agreement to Lari's comment about reading minds.  He had almost forgotten her little trick in the years since they'd last worked together.  Almost.  He continued to scan the area with a vague disinterest, until his head snapped around at the Agent's final words.

     Turning his attention back down the corridor, he decided it was time to weigh in.  "None of us wants the others at our back.  Best bet is a wedge formation; two up center, others on the flanks.  That way we can all keep an eye out," he growled to no one in particular.  "I don't particularly care who goes where, and I'm fine with Lari calling the shots," he added, as he continued his scan.  The metallic sound of his helmet's commlink made him seem cold and distant, just the way he preferred it. 

     With a nod toward Lari, he motioned towards a hatch on the bulkhead with his weapon.  "Lifts and engineering are both down this way," he stated. 'With the Lady's permission, let's get a move on," the thud of his fist on the control panel, followed by the hiss of the door, punctuating his statement.  A wide passage gently sloped down into the darkness ahead.  Thumbing on a small light on his weapon, as well as the augmented night vision in his helmet, Mak stepped through the opening and into the center of the corridor.  "You coming?," he asked without looking back.

     As the others stepped in and took up positions, Mak was idly tapping on his wrist with one finger.  A trained eye might catch the pattern he was tapping into the touchpad communicator at his wrist, but only if they knew what they were seeing.  The message was simple:  I know why you did it this way.  I've got it covered.  See you on the other side, Brother.  Odds were Kota had disabled his covert squad intercom a long time ago, but if not he should get the message and hopefully relax.  None of them needed any distractions if they were all going to make it out in one piece.  "On your word, Sister," he said, readying his weapon.

     Mak couldn't help chuckling at their current situation.  Once again, a mission had gone so far sideways that there was no way to have even prepared for it.  "Those are the breaks of a ground pounder," he thought to himself, keeping most of his attention focused on the passage his team had just come down.  He only caught a few bits and pieces of the conversation behind him, and he refused to turn his back on the dark hall to see what was really going on.  Kota & Lari could handle things for now, and if the shooting started he was perfectly set to switch and fight. 

     However, in the back of his mind lurked the feeling that something very dark & sinister was going on here.  This whole adventure was starting to put him on edge, and these two small groups weren't a part of it.  "I don't care what we do, but let's get moving.  Standing here makes all of us easy meat," he called out without turning his head.  In the distance, he could barely make out an ominous thud & scrape sound.  "Either we kill each other now, or we follow Kota's plan. I'm good for either, but the rest of you need to choose quickly," he growled, just barely audible to his teammates.

Mak bit off a growling curse as Larial leapt into his line of fire, reflexively shifting to another target to cover the impulsive Jedi's flank.  It had been long time since he'd fought alongside the mysterious mystics, but the battle-hardened veteran had to admit that they could hold their own in a fight.  He glanced over his shoulder to see how the others were fairing, letting his gaze slide past his fellow Trooper standing tall across the corridor from him.  Lightsabers blazed in a multi-hued storm of light and dark as they cut through the feral beasts trying to overwhelm the small party.  Blaster bolts sliced through the onslaught with deadly accuracy, punctuated by the occasional controlled blast of grenades.  Invisible waves wracked the enemy's ranks as the ground beneath the rakghoul's feet seemed to rise up in opposition to them.  Larial's eyes blazed with the tell-tale glee of someone lost in the fury of combat, while Kota's stance showed the resolve of someone who'd face this type of suicide charge before.  The young Mirialan girl's face held a grim determination as she focused all her effort on the enemy, almost mirroring the older male's look as he slashed another wave of attackers.  Inside his helmet, Mak grinned to himself.  The odds may seem overwhelming, but this team could easily weather this storm.  Mak resumed his focus on the enemy, not missing a beat as he smashed the face of one creature with his rifle.

Mak reloaded his rifle and adjusted his armor as the last rakghouls crumpled limply to the ground.  Years of combat had instilled unflinching instincts that kept him alive on more than one occasion.  As the others checked themselves over Mak swept their perimeter,  following the urge that his training pushed him to do.  These rakghouls didn't seem intelligent enough to mount any normal strategy, instead relying on overwhelming by force seemed their standard MO.  Still, he had learned via countless firefights not to underestimate any opposition.  He used the toe of his boot to roll over a particularly large rakghoul, kneeling down for a closer look as he heard the others begin moving off down the corridor.  He quickly rose to his feet and followed, keeping a wary watch in the direction they had come.  Mak smiled to himself when he heard Kota's synthesized voice over the commlink, "Make sure you watch our 6!"  He might not wear the logo of a Republic Trooper, but the man sure had good instincts and remembered how to bark orders like a old pro.  "Got it," Mak replied as he continued his backward walk behind the group.

The sudden stillness of the group had been the only warning that something was wrong up ahead, when Kota's whisper caused every muscle in Mak's body to tense.  "Imps..."  He almost backed into one of the others, glancing over his shoulder as he froze midstep.  That one little word sent a storm of emotions through Mak's head, one that he quickly tried to quell.  He could hear his own gauntlets creak as he tightened his grip on his rifle.  The entire team seemed to be on the edge of a precipice.  One nudge either way could spell disaster for the entire mission.  Unable to focus in two directions at the same time, a soft splash back the direction they had come drew Mak's attention away from the new threat.  "Whatever happens, it better be quick," Mak growled to himself in a soft gravelly voice.  He could hear the other's move behind him, but kept his scan to the rear as he heard Kota approach the Imperials.  "I take it you're not responsible for this mess?"

Mak reached the cockpit on Kota's heels, just in time to hear Jessin's offhand remark.  Ignoring the rattled pilot, he pushed past to check on the other occupant.  A groan from the co-pilot confirmed that he was still among the living, despite the blood running down his face and across the broken console in front of him.  Grabbing a piece of cloth torn from the seat, he pressed it against the man's temple and guided his hand to it.  His focus, however, was drawn out the view-screen to the cavern where their ship now rested.  Flickering lights reflected off the ice  & water, showing a shadowed cavern with another dark object, possibly a ship, across the way.  Turning to follow Kota, Mak prepped his shield and drew his rifle as he headed for the exit hatch.

The clink of his boots echoed through the cavern, accompanied by the lapping of the massive water puddle that filled the cavern floor.  "Engines must have flash thawed the ice when we crashed, but it won't take long to freeze again," Kate whispered in his ear as he stepped down off the ramp with a splash.  The water barely came up above his knees at it deepest point, and he hardly noticed the cooling feel of his armor against his skin.  "I'm not picking up any life signs other than our party.  Not sure what caused the crash either, Sir, although I thought I came across an outgoing transmission right before it happened.  It's hard to say for sure, with everything happening so fast," she added as Mak headed for the nearest edge of the pool. 

Trying not to make too much noise, Mak crunched through the snow toward the far edge of the cavern, his eye patch implant providing him with all the night vision he needed.  He quickly and cautiously circled their shuttle before returning to the group.  The other wreckage was now open and lights glowed from inside, casting shadows from his allies gathered at the entrance. 

He caught the last of the young female Jedi's advice as he walked up.  Pushing past the others, he reached into his pack and pulled on his helmet, latching the seal.  "The little green girl is right," Mak said, his voice sounding oddly mechanical through his helmet's audio port.  "Nothing personal, Flyboy, but you are squishy and we might need your help getting out when the time comes," add as he turned toward the smuggler.  "Stay behind us," he added to the others, then nodded to the other Trooper and ducked through the open hatch.

Mak kept his face smooth as he nodded to the former Trooper, shaking the offered hand with a firm grip.  He politely listened to the others make their quick intros, the red light on his eye patch implant flickering as it scanned and stored data on each of them.  He remembered the pretty Mirialan from their former mission together although he hadn't seen her in a long time.  "Didn't think I'd find anyone I knew here," he commented to Kota as Larial walked away.  "Been paired up with her long?" he nodded in the direction she left, trying to make small talk with his new teammate.  Military talk always came easy, but Mak had never been good at the more subtle forms used in civilian dialogue. 

He stood watching the others move about the cabin when a sudden explosion shook the vessel.  Bracing himself against the bulkhead with one arm, he reached out to steady one of the others as they staggered past when the deck suddenly tilted the opposite direction.  "That's not normal.  We should see what the problem is,"  he stated to Kota, shoving away from the wall and towards the hatch.  His long arms and powerful frame allowed him to maintain a fairly steady stride as the ship pitched back and forth.  "You coming," he called back over his shoulder to Kota as he ducked through the opening on his way to the cockpit.

The unidentifiable shuttle settled in a bay near those bearing Republic transponders.  Still not comfortable with leaving his personal ship behind, Mak doubled checked the extra security protocols he had uploaded to the ship's central computer as the engine's powered down.  "This heap may not be as fast or powerful as my usual ride, but it should do for this trip", he thought as he collected his gear and hit the hatch release.  The door hissed upward, the sound echoing across the empty space.  Walking slowly down the gang plank with one hand on the blaster at his hip, he surveyed the hangar bay to the soft thud of his own boots.  From the outside, this space station had been everything Mak expected; remote, untraceable, nothing fancy.  He was glad to see that the inside matched those expectations as well.  Near the hangar's entrance, a protocol droid patiently waited.

"I am not familiar with that make of droid, Sir.  I recommend we proceed with caution," Kate whispered, her voice soundly oddly suspicious in Mak's ear.  "Take it easy.  I've seen similar on previous ops.  Too simple for anything special.  Perfect for this type of thing, and disposable," Mak replied, his lips barely moving as his throat mic picked up the vibrations.  "As you say, Sir.  I will continue to scan for any threats," came the soft reply.

The protocol droid came to life as Mak stepped up to it.  "Greetings, Lieutenant.  You are expected.  Please follow me," it stated in a very mechanical, computerized voice before turning awkwardly and starting down the corridor.

Mak took one last glance back at his shuttle, then started after the droid, purposely keeping it one pace ahead and to his left.  "All in," he thought as he unconsciously matched his steps to the droid's awkward gait and scanned the corridor ahead, looking for anything out of place while the implant in his eye patch scanned and catalouged everything.

The turbolift doors quietly hissed open, showing Mak the familiar place he sometimes called home.  With a quick look around, he smiled to himself as he realized his apartment seemed more like a barracks than someone's private residence.  Half a dozen weapons racks filled with the tools of his trade, several open ammo crates spilling out their various wares, and a few storage lockers along one wall overflowing with a wide variety of military gear only added to the militant atmosphere.  The one bunk by the far window still showed the crisp folds and hospital corners of a well-made rack, just like he had been taught so long ago in boot camp. 

A metallic clink echoed through the space as he stepped off the lift.  The sterile, white overhead lights flickered on at the motion quickly accompanied by the breathy, feminine voice of his personal AI, AK-8.  "Welcome home, Sir.  I hope your hunt was successful.  No intrusion or infiltration was detected while you were away.  The bounty board contains five jobs that may interest you, but first you have a priority encrypted message.  Shall I play it for you?"

"Go ahead," Mak replied in his rough voice as he dropped his duffle bag on a bench by the door and started toward the refresher.  His steps suddenly slowed as the recording played, coming to a complete stop long before the final words echoed through the emptiness, "The Republic needs you. We all do...." 

He was vaguely aware of a computerized voice calling out to him as he stared blankly out the window.  "What was that, Kate?" he asked, shaking his head to clear his thoughts. 

"Would you like me to replay the message, Sir?" she patiently replied. 

"No, Kate, I got it the first time.  I do need you to upload to the HUD in my battle armor and register an immediate departure flight plan while I get cleaned up and pack," he called over his shoulder as he ran to the refresher, pulling his shirt over his head and kicking off his boots as he went. 

"Very good, Sir.  I'll take care of everything, although it is highly irregular for me to be accompanying you, if I may say so.  Are you sure it is wise?" she asked, suddenly sounding almost human.

"This mission sounds like a rough one," Mak called from the refresher, "and I wouldn't mind having backup I know I can trust."  Thumps and scuffling noises came from the back room, joined by Mak's voice.  "Besides, I've been wanting to try out your new programming upgrades.  Don't worry so much, Kate.  We got this."

"Yes, Sir.  As you say, Sir.  Everything is ready, per your instructions, and we can depart as soon as you are done." she said, in a more resigned tone.

"Then lock & load, Kate," Mak said, walking out in a clean pair of black dungaree trousers and untied boots.  He grabbed his duffle bag and began stuffing it with several ammo packs, various explosives, and power cells.  Slinging it over his shoulder, he flipped off the lights and set the security by placing his hand on the security panel by the turbolift.  "We have someplace to be."

“Dis de place,†the Twi’lek called as she turned and ran into a large room.  The hum of machinery had slowly been building as they backed down the corridor, but here it became a dull roar that would require them to raise their voices.  “Cover the door,†Mak shouted as he entered the room, pointing behind him.  He quickly surveyed the area, making note of the reactors on each side of the room and the large metal hatch in the floor at the center.  It was no surprise that no workers were around; the ongoing gun battle had seen to that.  His Twi’lek companion took cover behind some crates near the door while Mak made for the nearest reactor, retrieving the last two charges from his pack.  He quickly placed one on the power cell before heading across the room to the other.  The Twi’lek woman moved with him, taking up a position nearby that allowed her to watch the entrance while she talked.  â€œDat hatch goes to deh underground rivah.  If you swim, we might try use it foh get out.† Mak glanced from her to the door she indicated and back, considering the situation a moment before shrugging, “Why not?†Setting the final charges, he triggered his commlink and called over the net,†All Republic forces, this is Lt Mak.  Fire in the hole, 5 minutes, mark.  See you back at base.† 

Moving to the spot she indicated and grabbing the metal wheel with both hands, he grunted as he threw his weight into it.  When it broke loose, he lifted the hatch and motioned for her to follow.  The dull roar that escaped the entrance only added to the noise, and a cool mist began to rise from the gap as the water escaped into the room.  Sealing his helmet, he handed her the rebreather from his kit and said, “Breathe through this.†   After she fitted the device to her face, then looked up at him and nodded.  They stood there for a second, looking each other in the face when Mak asked, “Ready?† Before she could reply, blaster bolts rang out from the entrance and one of them caught her square in the back.  Her eyes went wide as she crumpled face-first into the opening.  Mak quickly fired an explosive salvo at the entrance, stepping into the darkness after her. 

The rush of the water was almost as big a shock as the cold temperature.  Mak was immediately tumbled and it took him a few seconds to orient himself as the river jostled him along.  He quickly turned on his external helmet light and anxiously searched for his companion, but the speed of the current would have her several meters ahead of him.  Turning downstream, he swam with the flow steadily looking for any sign of his friend.  After a couple strokes, he saw her floating face down up ahead and quickly closed the distance.  As he reached her, he rolled onto his back with his head downstream and pulled her on top in a firm grip. 

A dim light ahead began to grow, and soon they were bathed in sunlight.  Mak angled for the bank and found a place where he could pull both of them out of the river’s icy flow.  As he gently laid her on the warm grass of the riverbank, her eyes fluttered open and she coughed.  â€œAt leas’ me die free n’ fightin’.  Dat’s somethin’,†she said weakly with a smile on her face.  Mak wanted to ease her suffering, but he knew from the wounds that there was no saving her so he just gave her a pain-killing injection.  When he winced from the needle, he forced a smile and replied, “You did good.  Rest now.† Her smile broadened and she continued,†You ‘mind me of me frien’.  Him tough like you, but him slave.  Might you try find way to halp him like you halp me?† “Sure.  I can do that,†Mak replied, knowing it would ease her passing.  “Him called Makhan.  He cat man.  Find him on Quesh and give dis’,†she whispered, her voice trailing off as she tried to give Mak the only piece of jewelry she wore; a bracelet. 

Her breathing slowly became more shallow and ragged before it finally ended with a hitch.  Mak sat calmly for a while, gently cradling her and staring at the distant horizon.  He softly spoke a few simple words, over and over, “Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la.  Not gone, merely marching far away.† As the sun began to set, he quickly buried her there on the quiet riverbank before returning to base.  The promise he had made weighed heavy on his mind, but Mak had every intention of honoring it.

Once Mak heard the call come over the commlink that the others had the objective secure and were rendezvousing with extraction, he decided to change his tactics.  Making a big show of falling back deeper into the bowels of the compound, he tried to draw more of the defenders in his wake.  “Any idea where the power station for this place is,†he called over his shoulder to the Twi’lek using the adjacent corner for cover, “as well as another exit.† He drew a bead on two Thuls attempting to break cover, leveling them with a pair of hammered shots to the chest.  His companion had a determined look on her face, as she took aim with her pistols and fired off a volley at another pair of guards trying to get closer to them.  Mak wasn’t sure where she had found the second blaster, but he had to admit that she was pretty lethal with the pair of them.  “Dis’ way,†she replied, wiping some of the sweat from her brow with one sleeve as she gestured with her other hand.  “De plant down dat corridah.  We might can go out t’ru deh too.† “Good.  Get going,†Mak called, hurling another flashbang at their pursuers.  “I’m on your six.† As he turned to follow, he reached up to his throat and keyed his commlink,â€Lt Mak here.  Using alternate egress.  Gonna wreak some serious havoc on the way out.â€

"Back corner. Southwest end of the compound meet us there and stay out of the other team's way."

Mak had counted a dozen branching corridors since entering the prison compound, and nearly twice as many guards they'd taken out, when he heard the other team come across the commlink.  He was standing at the intersection he had seen the other team disappear down, about to follow to see if they needed help.  But, having their objective so close suddenly increased his resolve.  "Dat's not fah from heah," the Twi'lek whispered at his elbow, slightly breathless from the non-stop excitement.  "Turn lef' at de t'ird hall 'den stra' back," she added, pointing down the corridor in the direction they had been going.  Putting his left hand to the side of his helmet, he replied, "We came through the back. Their escape is cut off.  We'll try to save you some, but make it quick."  Turning to his Jedi companion, he continued, "Ever fight a cornered beast.  Not pretty.  Watch yourself."

As he approached the corner their guide indicated, he put his back to the wall and slid down to the edge.  Slightly dipping his head, he peered down the adjoining corridor.  The dim light allowed some visibility of the hall, while limiting his exposure.  "Twenty meters, ten guards with hasty barriers. Tight fit," he whispered as the Jedi and Twi'lek stepped up next to him.  Slinging his rifle behind him, he pulled a pair of grenades from the pouch at the small of his back. "We go on my mark," he stated calmly, carefully pulling the pin on each one.  "You will cover us from here," he added pointing at the Twi'lek.  "Watch your aim, and our backs."  The red-skinned woman pouted while her tattooed lekku twitched, but she nodded compliance.  Turning toward the Jedi, he asked, "Ready?"  When the other man nodded agreement, he quickly spun, rolling one down the hall with his left as he threw the other forward with his right.  Smoke began to fill the hall, when the sudden flash and crackle of a shock grenade exploded in the midst of the guards.  But, Mak was already moving full tilt towards them with his shoulders lowered and a blade in his hand.

“Dea,†the Twi’lek said pointing towards the west end of the cliff’s arc,†‘dem rocks cover da secret door fo da prison.  We get in dat way,†she said, turning to Mak.  Suddenly, a massive explosion rocked the compound.  “Just in time,†Mak said, jumping to his feet.  “Not sure what that is, but this just got hot.  Double time it!!†he called taking off at a run.

The others caught up to him just as he reached the point in the cliff the female had indicated.  Looking down, he noticed an alcove behind the rock pile that would only be seen from up here.  “Nice work,†he said smiling at her.  Upholstering his sidearm, he handed it to her.  “You’ll need this. Come on,†and he stepped over the edge, turning to face the door as he dropped the twenty feet.  Four guards were surprised as his sudden appearance, but a pair of well-aimed shots took care of two while the sudden appearance of Zed and his lightsaber finished the others.

The female Twi’lek came puffing around the rock a few seconds later, grinning at both of them, “Brah, you  both mento, you know dat?  Dis way, and be ready,†she said, brandishing the blaster Mak had just given her and starting down the corridor.  Mak quickly reached out and grabbed her shoulder, turning her towards him.  “We take point. Nothing personal.  You just give directions.† She stubbornly furrowed her brow at him, but relented under his determined gaze.  “Down da hall short way, den to da right.  Follow it to da big doah, prison on da oddah side.† “Thanks,†Mak said, the smile returning to his face, “Now stay behind me.† With that, he started through the door, shoulder to shoulder with the Jedi and the female Twi’lek following a short distance behind.

Mak glassed the Thuul compound, carefully scanning every inch of the premises with his macrobinoculars and making mental notes of any details.  Getting in wouldn’t be simple with the tight security the Thuuls were employing, especially the random roving patrols in the central area.  From their position on a cliff to the north, Mak and Zed had great overwatch and were practically invisible provided they stayed low.  Convincing the female Twi’lek to be silent and cooperative was easy; however the male required some special attention.  Mak had to admit that he kind of enjoyed making sure the binders were extra tight, and that tree branch he had wedged in the male’s mouth would make sure he couldn’t sound any alarm.

As he was scanning the far wall, he watched two of the guards go limp as they passed one another.  A red hand with quick reflexes ensured they both fell outside.  Mak made a quick circuit of the garden, and realized that their friends would have to move fast to keep from being spotted by one of the random patrols.  He snorted to himself when he saw the guards suddenly pop back up, this time with a prisoner.  “We’re not the only party crashers, but they’re dressed the part.  We’ll have to locate another path,†he whispered, handing the binos to Zed and motioning toward the now forming group of guards.  “Get positive ID before you take anyone out.  Hate to lose someone to friendly fire.â€

As Zed watched the scene below, a rustle to his left drew Mak’s attention.  The female Twi’lek was trying to creep up beside him, gliding carefully over the rock so that she wouldn’t give away their position.  She must have felt Mak watching her because she froze and looked up hesitantly.  Their eyes locked, but she held up under his gaze.  When he didn’t say anything, she shrugged and said, “I wanna help.  I owe a debt a sufferin’.  Lemme settle da bill, ‘n I sho ya da back doah,†she said, her voice heavy with hatred while her big purple eyes pleaded with him.  A tingle in the back of his head was the only signal Mak needed to realize that he sympathized with this woman.

Turning toward Zed, he regarded the Jedi carefully.  “It’s your call.  My instinct says give her a chance, but you mystics have vision I lack.â€

Mak waited, patiently watching the two Twi'leks for any signs of intrigue.  Everything made sense, but that didn't mean there was some scheme at work that he couldn't see.  Relaxing his mind, he went back over everything he had heard, running it through the filter of his instincts.  "I don't have to tell you what will happen if you've lied to me," he said, looking at both Twi'leks with menace in his eyes.  The female held her ground and looked him in the face, but the male continued to cower and avoid his gaze.  Mak sensed a kindred spirit in the woman, and made a mental note to watch her closely until things were resolved. 

Raising his arm to his face, his commlink came alive with an audible beep, "Black Team to Remnants, how copy?  Black Team to Remnants, comm check, over."  Nothing but static answered.  "Black Team to Remnants.  SitRep update: we dispatched an ambush and are moving to a nearby Thuul compound.  Will update again after reconning the situation.  Black Team out."  Turning toward his companion, he broke out his holomap.  "We are currently here.  The Thuul compound isn't far," Mak said, pointing to a white blip in the middle of the map and tracing a line from it to a compound a click south of them.  "Aerial approach would raise suspicion, so we stay on foot." Turning toward the two Twi'leks, he added,  "When this is over, do what you want.  For now, you come with us.  If you're ready, Zed, we need to move fast."  Turning toward the Twi'leks, he unslung his rifle and motioned toward the compound, "Get moving, but stay in view."  They started off at a steady jog, with the Mak herding the two prisoners.

Careful not to make any sudden moves, Lt. Mak lowered the muzzle of his weapon until it pointed at the ground.  "Corpses tell no tales," he thought to himself.  After all, they were here to solve a mystery and a firefight wouldn't give them any answers.  Still, it would feel good to put these amateurs in their place.  The Jedi standing on his left gave him a slightly confused glance, and then followed Mak's lead after the Trooper gave him a knowing nod.

Something about this whole situation didn't sit well with Mak, and it had nothing to do with the ambush.  He couldn't stand cowards skulking through the shadows and manipulating others to get what they wanted.  Open confrontation, standing toe-to-toe, facing your enemy; that was his way, the warrior's way.  These men were nothing more than common thugs.  Mak couldn't place what was bothering him, but he was determined to figure it out.

As the two Remnants stood relaxed, contemptuous sneers slowly began to appear on the faces of their ambushers with the largest one covering the Twi'lek's smug visage.  Mak’s rifle creaked as his grip tightened, and a sinister grin suddenly reappeared as the pieces of the puzzle began to click into place.  "What happened to your accent?" he asked casually, locking eyes with the Twi'lek.  He could feel his partner tense, and watched confusion and tension ripple around the ring.  "Even more interesting is the fact that your uniform isn't up to Imperial regs," he added, his voice becoming harder with every word.  Awareness slowly dawned on the Twi'lek's face as he began to realize he was about to lose control of both his men and the situation.  "But, the thing that rubs the worst is your lack of a shock collar.  All Twi'leks in Imp space are slaves.  Don't know your story, but you'll beg to tell me before this is done."  With that last comment, his opponent started glancing around, searching for a way out, and it was that hesitation that would lose him the ensuing fight.

Mak triggered the explosive surge in his shield, shocking all of the ambushers.  Without hestitation, he headbutted the Twi’lek, sending him reeling backwards and quickly following it up with an upswing of the buttstock of his rifle.  The blue-skinned alien crumpled to the ground like a droid with the power cut.  Spinning to his right as he dropped to a knee, Mak quickly drew his bes’bev and slashed two enemies across their unprotected abdomens.  Their screams turned to gurgles as his blade almost cut them in half.  He could hear the hum of his teammate’s lightsaber off to one side, and the sizzle of blaster bolts going over his head.  Settling into a kneeling position, he raised his rifle and dropped three more with quick shots to the chest.  The rustle of brush and sounds of running feet told him that some of their would-be captors had decided it was in their best interest to seek employment elsewhere.

As the sound diminished and he regained his feet, Mak reloaded and surveyed the area.  Glancing over at his companion, he smiled.  "Well fought, Zed.  You handle your blade with skill."  Standing over the Twi’lek, who was just beginning to move, that sinister grin returned to Mak’s face.  He nudged him hard with the toe of his boot.  “Time to get some answers,†he growled, and the Twi’lek’s eyes bulged as he realized the predicament he was now in.

Lieutenant Mak'atin looked down calmly at the hand being offered to him.  No matter how much time he spent around humans, their social interactions would always seem strange to him.  "No point in being rude," he thought to himself as he shrugged and reached out, clasping his companion's forearm just above the wrist in a strong grip.  "Mak.  Hope you're good with that thing, Zed," he added in a rough voice, nodding towards the lightsaber hanging at his companion's belt.  "Extra gear can be stored in the back.  We're headed north to House Rist territory.  That's where the hunt begins." 

Turning and grabbing the edge of the speeder, he vaulted into the driver's seat and fired up the thrusters.  Once his new teammate joined him in the cockpit, he hit the throttle into full power and banked the speeder over the city and off into the mountains.  Locking in the auto-pilot, he turned in his seat.  "Satellites show a small clearing, here," he said pointing to the holo-map displayed on the center console.  "We can hide the speeder and approach our objective on foot.  There are no signs of activity, but this small compound is the destination and I doubt it's empty," he added almost nonchalantly while pointing to a group of buildings surrounding a blinking red light.  "Assume they know we're coming.  Worst case scenario is an ambush."

With that, he turned back to the controls and began to descend until the speeder was barely skimming over the treetops.  An opening appeared up ahead, and Mak quickly throttled back and banked the speeder into a small clearing.  Settling it up against a cliff along one edge, he quickly powered down and switched everything off.  Breaking a tarp out of the back, he draped it over the speeder so that it's appearance would blend into the surroundings from a short distance away.  Unslinging his rifle and checking his equipment, he turned to his companion and said, "Don't forget where we parked."  Cocking his rifle, a sinister grin began to spread across his face, "Time to hunt."

Mak eyed the young Jedi as he approached, weighing and measuring the man down to the pound and inch.  Being relatively new to the Remnants himself, he didn't recognize his new partner.  However, he was glad that someone was confident enough in his abilities to give him the lead.  His young companion seemed very eager to prove himself; a rare trait in a Jedi.  "Hopefully, it won't cause us any problems," he thought to himself as he nodded to the other man.  "Welcome aboard," he said in a gravelly voice.  "Name's Mak.  Meet me on the shuttle pad in 5 minutes, and be ready for anything."

With that, he turned and left the room, not waiting to see what the other's planned.  He walked calmly down the passage to the berthing he had chosen on arrival, and closed the hatch behind him.  His plan was fairly simple; show up at the coordinates, spring whatever "trap" there was, and get some answers.  Grabbing his duffel bag from the corner, he opened the flap and began getting ready with the quick, efficient moves of a veteran.  He always packed light as a force of habit, but some things went everywhere with him.  Setting aside a couple sets of standard-issue dark blue dungarees and an extra pair of boots, he began pulling an unmarked set of battle armor out of the bottom of his pack. 

Once all of the pieces were laid out, he placed all of his weapons and equipment on the ground next to it before taking off the red and black set he normally wore and packing it away.  He quickly donned the new armor, placing his weapons and equipment in their customary positions.  The mottled dark and light gray colors of this armor would provide excellent camouflage in almost any environment, especially here on Alderaan.  And the lack of identifying markings would allow him the anonymity to move around without standing out as a Remnant or even Republic.  Mak quickly ran a diagnostic check of everything from his armband computer before leaving his room and heading outside to the shuttlepad.  The whole sequence had only taken a couple of minutes, so he began op-checking the speeder while he waited for his new partner to arrive.

"Mountains for me.  Prefer outside over cities any day," Mak said, pulling out his datapad and copying the coordinates for the second ping.  "Can go alone, but a lightsaber for backup would be useful.  No idea what we will find, but there's no time to stand around and talk.  Decisive action is needed."  With that, Mak stowed his datapad and paused a moment to see how things fell out.  

He wasn't used to working in a group, especially one where he wasn't in control.  One thing he'd learned in the military was that so many egos & opinions were hard to mold into one cohesive force.  The Remnants usually had a chain of command to prevent this, but with Larial's arrest and Colt's decision to go after her, the command structure was slipping.  Mak was curious about how it would balance out again, but he was hesitant to wait too long.  "The hunt must begin while the trail is still warm," he growled to himself.

Mak waited quietly with his large arms folded across his chest as everything unfolded before the group.  Strangers always thought he was brooding when he entered this state.  Really, he was just mulling over everything and weighing what he saw and heard.  Long ago, he learned to trust his instincts and right now they said that there was more to this than what was visible.  He listened carefully to the group's discussion as plans began to unfold.  Before they were set on a specific course, he decided to interject his own thoughts.

He carefully stepped toward the others and spoke in a thick, rough accent.  "Don't know much about politics, and don't like treasure hunts.   Not disputing what was said about tracing" he continued, nodding at the holocommunicator, "but could turn up something unexpected.  More than one trail in this hunt.  Some should follow call to see where it leads, while others search for the insider."  Looking directly at Colt, he added, "We can go, if you know our destination." 

Lt. Mak'atin stood in the back of the group and listened to the young woman speak.  He was supposed to be on R&R after Dac, but didn't really feel like taking any at the moment.  As a recent transfer to the Remnants, he felt it was best to be out operating with his teammates.  This would allow him to get to know them better, and maybe some of them would grow more comfortable around the large Zabrak.  Not that anyone had treated him bad since joining the group, but people always seemed uncomfortable around him.  Maybe it was the scars on the left side of his face, but more likely it was just his red skin and horns.  Definitely a rarity in Republic space.  He could tell that some of their party were intrigued by the mission, and others had that twinkle in their eye that only a hefty reward could produce.  Personally, the fact that they were here to rescue a queen didn't really motivate him.  A job was a job after all, and he always tried to keep things strictly business.

When the red-head dismissed them, Mak headed back down the passageway and took the first room on the left.  Taking a quick look around, he realized that it might be a guard room and not living quarters because of it's small size, but that didn't bother him.  After all, he was a soldier and didn't need much space.  Stashing his duffel bag in the gear locker, he quickly unpacked and set up his hammock before checking his armor and the rest of his equipment.  When everything came back "green", he grabbed his blaster rifle and holstered it on his back as he headed for the ops center.  "Might as well get started with this," he said to himself in a gravelly voice as his heavy boots thumped down the passage.