Mak

"We need to get as far from the ship as possible.  Follow me," Mak said as he touched off his thrusters, keeping an eye on the fuel readout.  Angling down & away from Remnant 1 towards the nearest city he could see on the surface, he burned about a quarter of the supply before shutting off his thrusters.  Glancing over his shoulder, he could see the other two Troopers not far behind.  Their chosen flight path brought them right to the outer edge of the atmosphere.  "Things are about to get warm.  Trust your equipment and hold on.  It will only last a couple minutes," he called over the commlink as his descent began to rapidly accelerate.  And orange glow sprouted around his feet, slowly enveloping him.  The three of them streaked through the upper layers of the atmosphere wrapped in flaming capsules. 

Mak kept his eyes locked on his readout display during the descent, and when enough time had passed he called to the others,  "On my mark, full burn directly up. Three....Two....One....Mark!"  With that, he fired all thrusters while watching his fuel gauge.  The flaming glow began to dwindle until it winked out, replaced by the light blue sky of Dac.  "Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?" the young Trooper Acaleus whispered over the commlink, his voice filled with awe.  "Things don't seem so bad from up here," came Tank's reply, his voice also strangely quiet.  Far below, the dark blue of the watery planet surface spread as far as the eye could see spotted here and there with groups of structures and landing pads.  It was towards one of these that Mak was headed.  "Rotate your body and spread your arms and legs to slow your fall.  Like this," Mak called as he leaned forward until his chest was facing the water with his arms and legs out to the sides.  Turning his head, he checked to make sure the others were following his lead before continuing.  "In a little bit, we'll switch back to feet first and do another controlled burn, then repeat.  For now, enjoy the ride."

Mak went back to watching his altitude readout when he heard a loud crunch from behind and to the left.  Glancing back over his shoulder, he could see the two massive starships clenched in a twisted metal embrace, wreathed in explosions.  Debris was sent in every direction as both ships came apart, but a large portion of Remnant 1 remained intact as it fell toward the surface of Dac.  Mak sighed with relief, knowing that he had managed to put enough distance between them and the ship in the beginning.  He could see that the others had turned to watch the collision and fall as well, although none of them spoke a word.  The utter silence seemed a fitting memorial to the fallen.  A sense of remorse began to sweep over him at all the lives lost today, but he shook it off as he returned to the task at hand.  "We're not out of this yet," he thought to himself.  Checking the altimeter, he called to the others, "Time for another burn.  Get in position.  On my mark.  Three....Two....One....Mark!"

The second burn lasted a little longer than the first, and slowed them almost completely before Mak shut it off and returned to a "drag" position.  They were now low enough that he could see better detail on the port they were approaching, at least able to see shuttle flying in and out, and movement on the landing pads.  Their trajectory would take them close enough to the landing pad that someone would be able to see them coming in and assist, but they would still land in the water.  As they fell, he noticed a group of people start to gather along the railing and point in their direction.  He allowed them to fall until they could almost make out the individuals before calling for the last burn.  "This is it.  Get in position.  5 second bursts with 10 second gaps until you use up all you fuel, then jettison the pack.  When you hit the water keep your feet crossed, your arms down, and your head up.  Don't forget to breathe out as you swim back up.  Good luck!  On my mark.  Three....Two....One....Mark!" 

With that, Mak followed his own instructions, using short bursts to slow his fall.  He was about 100 meters off the surface when his thrusters finally stalled.  Quickly hitting the releases on his pack straps, he shoved to equipment away and prepared himself for impact.  The indigo ocean rushed up at him, and he hit with a teeth-rattling splash followed closely by the thumps of the other two Troopers as they impacted nearby.  Mak had no idea how far he sank, but he slowly breathed out as he began kicking toward the surface.  When his head broke the wave tops, he began looking for his teammates who both popped up close by, wound up on adrenaline.  "That was the most insane thing I've ever done," Acaleus called over the commlink between laughs.  "Definitely crazy, but we wouldn't have made it without you, Sir," Tank called out as well, sounding happier than he had all day.  "All in a day's work, Trooper," Mak replied, happy that they had all pulled through.  "Republic Troopers, this is Port Security.  Do you read me?" suddenly crackled over the commlink.  "Port Security, this is Lieutenant Mak'atin.  I have three packs awaiting transport, when possible," Mak replied.  "Sir, we thought we saw three Troopers fall out of the sky.  That was one impressive landing.  Rescue operations are already in full swing, and most of the Remnants' personnel have already been accounted for.  We'll have someone come and get you shortly.  Please, stand by."

Once they were up on dry ground, Lt. Mak reported in his team's location and status before getting out of his enviro-suit.  His teammates had already shed theirs,  and orders were to stand down and get a little R&R while off-world transport was being arranged.  With no threat in the area, Mak finally allowed himself to relax and reflect on everything that had happened in the past day.  As he was going over what was left of his equipment, Tank came over and sat down next to him.  "You were really something out there today, Sir.  You remind me of another Trooper I knew.  Guy had a similar accent.  Really hardcore.  I think you would have liked him," Tank's voice grew soft as he reminisced.  Mak's hands had paused as the Trooper spoke, and towards the end he looked up.  "His name wouldn't have been Sergeant Bodakh, would it?" he asked cautiously, rising.  "Yes, Sir, it was," Tank replied, just as uneasy.  "Why?  Did you know him?"  "Small war, Trooper," Mak said, shaking his head.  "He was an old friend of mine.  Gave me this."  Mak brandished his bes'bev blade, an almost mirror image of the one Bodakh carried.  Tank paused before saying softly, "You know he was killed in action at the beginning of the battle, Sir?"  "I saw that on my way in," Mak replied, his voice soft as well.  "I take it you were with him near the end.  Let me buy you a few drinks and we can honor his memory with tales of his deeds," Mak replied, perking up and clapping the Trooper on the shoulder.  "Sounds like a plan, Sir," Tank said, cheering as well, "Let's go find a cantina."  "Acaleus, you can join us as well," Mak called out as he gathered his things, then they all headed off together.

The young Trooper looked badly rattled, but the ammo he carried was a welcome sight.  "Private Acaelus reporting for duty sir!" the young man yelled as loud as he could over the blaster fire as he handed Mak a fresh clip.  "Glad you could make it.  He's Tank.  Follow our lead and conserve your ammo," he quickly replied before turning back. 

The Imperial ranks had slowly been thinning over the past few minutes and, all of a sudden, it seemed like they were breaking off their attempt to get through.  "What do you think? he asked his teammate.  "Could be some ploy to get us to drop our guard, Sir," Tank replied, never taking his eyes off the opening.  "I doubt they're smart enough or desperate enough to try that," Mak chuckled.  "Tell you what," Mak said, reaching a quick decision after a minute of silence went by, "I'll take a quick look.  Just watch my six; and you cover his!" he added, turning to their new join.  Before anyone could rethink anything, Mak stepped over the bodies and through the gap with his weapon at the ready.  Cautiously peering from side to side, he surveyed the damage the two of them had made during their stand.  Bodies were stacked three or four deep everywhere he looked, but only empty eyes returned his gaze.  The silence was almost deafening with the only noise being the sound of his boots on the deck plates.  After clearing a short distance down each corridor in every direction, he called "All clear" back to his teammates.  Tank passed through the carnage without giving anything a second glance, but the young private seemed awestruck by what he witnessed.  "You two did all this?" he asked, his voice almost a whisper.  "Nothing they didn't deserve," Tank growled, peering down one of the corridors like he was searching for something.  "He's definitely a hard one," Mak thought to himself, once again getting that vague feeling of kinship.  Turning to the private, he added in his own gruff voice, "We were just lucky they didn't have a Sith.  Now, let's  consolidate our gear and go find some more action." 

The three Troopers spread the ammo resupply evenly amongst the group before stepping off in search of another boarding party.  Suddenly, a call came over the commlink from a  familiar voice.  “All teams, fall back! Get to the pods!† "That was Master Vaat," Tank said, stopping in the middle of the corridor as if he were dumbstruck.  "Things must be really bad if they're ordering us to abandon ship." "I know what you're thinking, Tank, but orders are orders," Mak replied, glancing up and down the corridor.  "The problem is, we can never fight our way back to the pods in time.  Not to mention all the damage between us and them."  Pausing a moment to gather his thoughts, a panel in the alcove across from them drew his attention.  "I have an idea.  It's crazy, but we should be able to pull it off.  Follow me."  He quickly opened the emergency panel and pulled the lever to pop the hatch.  Slinging his rifle behind him, Mak grabbed the sides of the ladder and stepped into the opening, grasping the sides with the instep of his boot and sliding down.  He tightened and loosened his grip to control his rate of descent, watching six decks pass before his boots crashed onto the decking at the bottom.  Rolling off to one side, only a few seconds passed before Tank landed with a heavy thud, followed shortly by the Private.  

Mak gave them both a moment to regain their bearings while he called to check-in.  "Lieutenant Mak'atin to any station.  Corporal Tank and Private Acaleus are with me.  We can't make the escape pods.  Will rendezvous on Dac. Out"  With that, he lead them across the workspace and up to a group of gear lockers.  "Here is our ticket off this heap," he grinned, opening the door and rummaging through before pulling out three Zero-G suits.  "Put this on over your armor.  We'll go out a work hatch."  The two Troopers looked at him like he had completely lost his mind.  "Sir, These may work here in orbit, but what about reentry?" Tank asked, his voice laden with skepticism.  "Is this even possible?" the Private added, completely dumbfounded.  Mak opened a larger gear locker, and his smile widened.  "Luck is with us. These suits can handle any amount of heat, and these thruster packs will control our descent.  Have either of you done high-altitude assaults? No?  Well, it's as easy as falling off a Bantha, or starship in our case.  Suit up. We only have a couple minutes." 

Before donning his own suit, Mak dumped any gear he didn't need and strapped his rifle tightly across his back.  The others mimicked his movements exactly, and when he was ready he double checked them before beginning the brief.  "Comm system is voice activated and boots are magnetic.  Controls are here," he added, pointing to his wrist and activating his boots.  He waited for them to do the same before continuing, "These thruster packs are simple.  Joysticks control directional burn; left, right, forward, back.  Button on top fires it.  Fuel is limited so only fire it on my mark.  Now, let's do this while we still have time."  After he got the hesitant thumbs up from both, Mak reached up to the control and popped the seal.  A faint hiss and tug passed all of them as the cabin pressure equalized with the vacuum of space.  Mak stepped onto the ship's hull and moved to the side to make room for his team.  The panoramic view of the space battle over Dac filled his visor as it slowly adjusted the tint to compensate for the sunlight.  It only took Mak a second to recognize the reason for the evac, as he saw the Sith Dreadnought closing with their own vessel.  The lack of engines on either one made any chance of avoiding collision utterly impossible.  "Let gravity do the work.  Leave some space between each other, but don't separate too much. Release your boots on my mark. Go!" Mak called over the comm as he hit his own release and pushed away from Remnant 1 to drift towards the planet.

Mak tried to make his way quickly through the improvised triage center without getting in anyone's way.  He paused as he passed a group huddled around one of the doctor's, when he overheard a large Trooper ask,  â€œWhat can we do?† The question was followed quickly with the relieved reply,  â€œBoarders have seized decks 5 through 7 and are pushing towards engineering level. They’ll attempt to override our security systems to shut down Rem1’s shields if they get there. If they succeed, game over. Admiral Gregarin will eliminate everyone left onboard and tow Remnant1 to the nearest imperial starbase. Our repair teams are working on our hyper-drive engines, but they won’t be ready in time at the rate the imperials are coming, so you need to buy them some time. General Hun and Master Vaat are leading our forces through the ship to meet the boarders head on. Link up with them and we may have a chance.â€

"Thanks for the sitrep, Doctor.  Trooper, you're coming with me if you don't have anything pressing," Mak called out, pointing to the large soldier who asked the question.  "I plan on finding and destroying as many Imps as I can on this barge, and you look like you know your way around a fire fight," he snarled.  "Your friends are welcome to catch up, but we need to move now," he added as he turned without waiting for a reply.  He heard the other man's heavy boots on the deckplates as he made for the nearest passage.  "Names Lieutenant Mak'atin, but you can call me Mak.  Looks like you've had a rough go today.  There still some fight left in you?" he asked, looking sideways at his new partner.  "They call me Tank, and there's plenty of fight still in me, Sir," came the answer.  "Good, glad to hear it. Now, let's double time it," he added as he started into a steady jog.

After a short run, they took a turbolift to the engineering level and then followed the vibrations in the deckplates toward the action.  Bypassing the main work space, they pushed down the corridor in silence and passed a group of Remnants' soldiers set into a hasty defense.  Without stopping, they continued on until they heard footsteps coming the other way.  Blast doors created a bottleneck in the passageway small enough that two good fighters would be able to hold a force much larger.  Both men powered up their shields and leveled their weapons as they set their feet.  "We'll break and hold them here as long as we can.  No matter what, we don't fall back past that defensive position.  Am I understood?" he said in a calm voice.  Tank's reply was just as calm, "Sir, I don't plan on giving them an inch more."  Smiling at his new teammate, Mak couldn't shake a nagging sense of familiarity he felt with this stranger. 

Before he could think on it, an Imperial stepped into the opening and the fight was on.  The two Troopers took turns firing at whatever target appeared in the gap to conserve ammo and prevent their blasters from overheating.  Slowly, the bodies began to pile up as the two men held their ground.  Time to stop and the universe at large vanished as the battle drew in every sense.  "Last clip," Tank suddenly called as he reloaded.  Looking down, Mak realized that he only had a couple more.  Quickly, he lobbed a couple plasma grenades through the opening to buy them some time.  Passing his remaining ammo to his partner, he explained, "Conserve those rounds.  I'll hold them in the gap with these,"  he said holding up his now empty rifle and the blade he pulled from his waist.  "If I need a rest, you cover me."  With that, he stepped into the opening and smashed an Imperial in the face with the stock of his rifle.  "Understood, Sir," Tank replied, taking a moment to catch his breath before he keyed his commlink.  "This is Tank to any station.  Lt Mak and I are on Engineering Level, Corrider 3B, Frame 27.  We need ammo resupply ASAP.  Anyone copy?"

Mak could feel the rage boiling in him, and he took a deep breath to get it under control.  Here he was on his first mission as a Remnant, and things had gone horribly wrong.  They only managed to complete one objective by the skin of their teeth, and in the process the fleet had taken massive losses.  Then, on the exfil, they had been taken by surprise and were forced to leave half the group behind.  The current state of affairs was an ill omen for future operations and Mak was sure that he wasn't making the best impression with his new outfit. 

Trying to get a handle on himself, he attempted to move through the small space and bumped into the medical officer.  "Watch where you're going," the man snapped, at the edge of his patience.  With his own anger bubbling over, Mak fired right back at him.  "You had no authority to abandon my teammates like that.  We had everything under control."  "I had every right," the doctor replied with resignation.  "After all, I had my own people to look out for and your team is needed back at the flagship immediately.  So, I saved what could be saved."  Remorse began to fill his voice as he looked up at the Trooper, "I'm sorry about your friends, but right now I have patients to look after.  And you should worry about the members of your team that did make it out."  With that, the doctor turned and walked toward the cockpit.  "This isn't over yet, old man.  Not if I have anything to say about it," Mak growled after him as he felt the shuttle rock back and forth, trying to evade blaster fire.

Turning to survey the situation, he saw East stumble and grip the wall in a tight fist.  The Sergeant was sweating profusely and had a dazed look in his eyes.  "Are you alright, East?", Mak asked, his anger suddenly forgotten.  "I'm not sure, Sir.  I took a nasty hit to the head back there, and I'm having a hard time staying upright," the Trooper replied.  "Medic," Mak ordered, grabbing someone who was running past, "take a look at my Trooper and see if you can help him out."  "Right away, Sir," the orderly replied, wincing as Mak released his grip.  The other two were still being treated as well, so Mak decided to take stock of his gear and have a look around.

The medical compartment filled the center of the evac shuttle, and the bustle of people and droids back and forth only made it seem more cramped.  Toward the front was the cockpit, but from here Mak could tell that there were only four seats and all of them were filled by people busily at work on the consoles surrounding them.  The only open space seemed to be aft by the hatches, so Mak moved that direction and leaned against the bulkhead.  He looked over his armor and equipment, which all checked out, and slowly realized that he still had most of the ammo he had taken with him on the mission.  Suddenly, it dawned on him that he was the only member of the group to come through this fire unscathed.  "Just proves that I belong here," he growled to himself.  Another thought came to him, and he smashed an armored fist into the hatch, denting the metal.  The Jedi he wanted to talk to had been with the group they left behind.  "I'll get my answers, one way or another," he thought.  Hitting the intercom, he snarled, "How long till we get there?"  An uneasy reply came back a second later, "We're making our approach now, Sir."  "Good," he thought to himself, "I'm not done with these Imps yet."

Mak watched the large man move off across the room.  "He might actually provide a challenge," he thought to himself, "but that will have to wait a little bit."  Assessing the situation, he quickly formed a plan.  The Imps had the numbers in a straight fight, so maybe it was time to change the game.  A malicious grin began to spread across his face as he reached into a pocket near the bottom of his pack.

"East, get small!  Winter's coming early," Mak called over his commlink as he pulled out a pair of Class-C Thermal Detonators.  "I have a couple party favors to liven this place up." Arming both, he set his feet and stepped into the open.  One of the Imp troopers that had his teammate pinned looked up in surprise at his sudden appearance on their flank and turned to say something to the others.  Seizing the opportunity, Mak lobbed one of the detonators at the coolant pipe right next to them.  Without hesitation he turned and ran across the room towards the other pipe, throwing on the run and diving behind a large piece of machinery. 

The pair of loud booms were followed by a sudden whoosh of coolant that cut off half a dozen screams back the direction he had come.  A thick fog quickly rose throughout the workspace as the temperature instantly dropped 40 degrees. 

Switching his visor from normal to thermal sights, his grin widened at the chaos he could hear all around.  "If you're still with me, Sergeant, what do you say the hunted become the hunters?" he asked softly over his headset as he quietly drew the blade at this back. 

Mak was surprised at the quick response, when his commlink suddenly alerted him of the access code receipt.  He started briefing his companion as he punched in the codes.  "Engineering can be a little intimidating at first, because it's a huge space full of nothing but machinery, pipes, and cables.  The great thing is we don't have to worry about what we shoot.  The more damage, the better.  The reactor is in the center, and you'll know when you find it.  Judging from our deck level, we'll probably be entering on an upper catwalk.  Try to find a way down to the main floor as fast as you can.  Kill anyone you find and break anything that looks important.  Since we're not blasting our way in, we'll start out with a huge advantage.  Keep your guard up; reinforcements will arrive from all over the ship when they realize what we're doing."  As he finished the last code, he turned towards the other Trooper.  "Ready?" he asked, only as a courtesy. 

"I'll head left, you go right.  Try to keep each other in view.  On my six. Move!" he called as he hit the release and the door hissed open.  Stepping quickly through the gap, Mak found almost exactly what he expected.  They were on a catwalk 5 or 6 levels above main engineering.  The space was a massive circular room at least four hundred meters across, and in the center towered the glowing reactor.  The floor was covered in various terminals, workstations, and machines with cables and pipes running in every direction.  There was a lot of activity and people running back and forth, but for now his team went unnoticed.  Signalling his partner in the other direction, Mak started toward the left around the room.  Scanning the main floor for a quick route to the reactor, and a way down, he moved as quickly and quietly as he could. 

Mak was coming up on someone busily hammering away at a work station, when the Imp suddenly looked up.  "You're not one of us!" the man screamed. "Secur.." was all he got out before the crunch of Mak's rifle butt silenced him.  A few more hits with his rifestock, and the terminal was smoking hulk as well.  He paused a moment to find his counterpart, and suddenly realized that he was having a hard time seeing the Trooper.  "Must be some kind of stealth device," he thought to himself, "I may have to ask about that.  Could be handy."  Tuning back to the task at hand, he continued down the catwalk. 

He had made it about an eigth of the way around the room, when he heard a commotion on the main floor in the direction of his teammate.  Taking a knee, he quickly realized that an Imperial platoon was coming through one of the main entrances directly below East.  Four-man teams were entering on the even numbered catwalks between the main deck and theirs, as well.  "It was only a matter of time til we had company", he thought to himself.  "Heads up.  Here comes trouble," he called over the commlink as squads popped out on the catwalks above and below his partner.  "I'll go high, you take low," he called, firing off a burst into the group above East, dropping their leader.  That drew everyone's attention, so Mak took cover behind a terminal bank and fired again, dropping two more Imps.  "Easier than hunting gundarks," he thought to himself as he drew a bead and took out the last one. 

Glancing down, it looked like someone had kicked a beehive.  People were running in all directions: some of the troops were coming towards him while some of the other Imps were headed away.  "Fools should learn to disperse," he thought with a sinister smirk, as he fired off a few mortar rounds into one of the squads headed his direction. He could hear boots pounding on the catwalks and ladders below.  Thinking fast, he dropped a satchel charge with a short fuse where he was and wrapped his grappel cable around the railing.  "Looks like I'm taking the express," he thought as he vaulted over the edge.  A loud explosion tore lose above him as he fell, and Mak rolled to absorb the shock of landing on the main floor.  "That was fun," he called over his commlink to his squadmate, "how are things on your side of the room?"

 "Lieutenant! I don't know the way! Lead, I'll be your guard!", Mak heard the Sergeant call out as they started down a corridor, away from the hangar.  "Should be easy," he replied.  "Imp builders are overconfident.  They don't think anyone has the nerve to challenge them, so they don't even try to make things hard on a boarding party.  We should head to the center.  This way," he turned and boldly jogged deeper into the station.

Mak could hear the sounds of the battle in the hanger grow fainter as it fell farther behind them.  Of course, that fight was of no concern to him.  His objective lay ahead, and all of his senses were focused on any sign of trouble in the direction.  For now, all he heard was the dull thud of the raiding party's boots on the deckplates.  For now, it seemed that no one was aware of their presence or their destination and Mak wanted to take as much advantage of that as possible.  The presence of force users was an added bonus, but Mak hoped that they possessed the skills to make themselves useful without direction.  After all, he wasn't used to having them around and had no idea how to implement them in a battle plan.

Ahead, Mak saw the corridor ended in a T-intersection and he could hear the sounds of boots and metal-on-metal coming from both directions.  Using hand & arm signals, he told the others to slow their pace and motioned them all up against the bulkheads; a Trooper and Jedi on each side.  Easing himself closer to the opening, he could hear the sounds of people making hasty defenses but there was no indication they had any idea that intruders were nearby.  A menacing grin slowly spread across Mak's face.  These Imps weren't too bright.  They should have posted a lookout or guard of some sort.  They would pay dearly for their mistake. 

Giving the "go" signal, Mak tossed a smoke grenade into the intersection before ducking around the corner and jumping into their midst.  Caught off guard, the Imperials were completely disorganized and easy prey.  They shot wildly about themselves, sometimes hitting each other, as he and the Padawan danced among them.  Concerned about hitting his own teammates, Mak decided to forego blaster fire in the close quarters.  Instead, he relied on his size and strength by using his rifle's buttstock and his hidden blade to dispatch the opposition.  The Jedi's lightsaber hum made an excellent accompaniment to the crunch of bones and gurgle of slashed throats as the two tore through the meager defense.  In seconds it was all over and he glanced up to see how the other half to the team had fared.

His orange eyes smoldered as Mak sized up the Trooper offering him a hand.  Everything had been moving so quickly since he joined the Remnants.  He reported in only to be rushed out the door on this operation.  Upon arriving, he had received the shocking news that his mentor, Sergeant Bodakh, was recently added to the casualty list.  Scuttlebutt said that Jedi Per-ja was on that op with him.  Mak made a quick mental note to seek him out at some point for details.  For the first time in his life, Mak felt his mind reeling from it all.  And now, they were stepping into the forgefire and he would have to be at his best if they were going to stand a chance.

Shaking himself back to the present, he realized that the young Sergeant was still awaiting a reply.  "Lieutenant Mak'atin.  Call me Mak, everyone else does," he replied in a rough voice with a heavy Mandalorian accent.  His own hand almost swallowed the one offered and he tried to ease his grip a little.  He had been fighting for so long that is was hard not to think of him as younger, even though they were almost the same age.  It was something that he would have to get past in his new life.  "Good to see I'm not the only alien around."  IIn fact, he was surprised that no one seemed upset by the presence of a large, scarred, red-and-black Zabrak in their midst.  Maybe these Remnants would actually live up to their vaunted reputation.

"You have any experience in ship-to-ship boarding or combat?" he asked, continuing the conversation as he made final preparations with his gear.  His red & white armor showed the wear of recent use, but he was more concerned with its functionality.  After a quick diagnostic check came back green across the board, he moved on to his blaster rifle and load out.  He'd need plasma grenades, det cord, surge packs, the usual.  Without thinking, his hand moved to the small of his back to check the gift he'd recently received from his newly fallen comrade.  Bodakh's bes'bev was secured in a hidden sheath right above his belt.  "I'll put it to good use, ner vod," he thought to himself.

Suddenly, the vehicle shook from a nearby explosion and Mak was forced to brace himself against the bulkhead as he heard metal bounce off the hull.  "Sounds like we're almost up.  You ready for this?" he asked his compatriot.

"REACTOR OVERLOAD IN FIVE MINUTES. OVERRIDE DISABLED. RECOMMEND IMMEDIATE EVACUATION. ACTIVATE ALARM?" flashed across the screen. "Hell, no. Let them find out the hard way," Bodakh thought to himself. "Kid, on me. We've got 5 mikes to get the hell out of here or be vaporized with these Imps," he called over the intercom as he moved toward the forward hatch and laid down some cover fire.

As Tank came running up, he called out, "Boss, maybe we could use the launcher to make ourselves an exit." Bodkah noticed that the young Trooper had a slight limp and was favoring one arm. They were out manned and out gunned, but they had made it farther than he originally thought they would. Perhaps there was a chance they could actually pull this off. "I like where your head is at, but I doubt it would even punch through the hull. Besides, the cold water might stop the reactor overload, making all this a waste of time. Just keep close and do as much damage as you can," he answered as he lobbed a few grenades down to the lower level and headed through the hatch with Tank on his heels.

The two Troopers fragged every workspace they came upon until they ran out of plasma grenades, but they never stopped moving forward or even slowed their pace. Suddenly, they burst into an open area that was bustling with activity. The Imps seemed completely surprised when Bodakh leveled his rifle and fired a burst into them. Tank followed suit, taking out the rest. Bodakh quickly glanced around, and an malicious smile spread across his face.

"Welcome to the munitions bay. The Imps use these spaces to blast the city, but it'll be our ticket out. And, we can wreak a little more havoc before we go. Give me those launchers and whatever explosives you have left," Bodakh said as he headed toward one bulkhead. "Cover that door. It won't be long before they notice we've stopped firing and come to check it out."

Bodakh began opening the various magazines and rigging the munitions. He even went so far as to crack open a couple of torpedoes and emptied their explosive cargo to add to his party favor Once everything was ready, he called out from one of the launchers, "Jam that hatch and get over here."

Tank did as he was told, then gave Bodakh a confused look when he saw what the grizzled old Trooper was standing over. "What is that for?" he asked pointing at the empty torpedo case in front of Bodakh. "That is our ticket out. I can set the launchers to fire us out like an escape pod. It'll be a bumpy ride, but better than the alternative. Get in and I'll seal it up. Don't forget to brace yourself for the launch and landing."

Tank did as he was told, although it seemed like the most hair-brained scheme he had ever heard. He was startled at the metal clank as the pod lifted and settled into the launching tube. "Everything good in there?" he heard over his commlink. "A little cramped, but I'm fine, Corporal. You sure this will work?" he answered. "LIke a charm," came the reply. "Just hang on while I get everything else set."

Suddenly, there was an explosion that clanged the torpedo around in the tube. "What was that?" Tank called out. "They're trying to blow the door, and another shot like that will get them in. Happy landings, kid," Bodakh called out and suddenly Tank was pinned with the force of the torpedo's launch. He could hear the woosh of the water around him as braced for the eventual stop.

Bodakh's mind raced as he braced himself for the next shock of the Imps' attempted breach. At least he had managed to get the kid clear. 'If I can't find a way to buy myself a little time", he violently shook his head. not liking where that train of thought was going. He wracked his brain trying to think of a way out, but nothing came to him. Suddenly, the calm of his people settled over him. He switched his commlink to the Republic broadband frequency and keyed the mic.

"My time has run its course. Keep fighting the good fight. Jat'ca'nara vore ky'ram. Yaim'ol! (Time to embrace death. I'm going home!)" he called out over the net. Suddenly, another explosion rocked the space and the Imperials came pouring through the hatch. Firing into the tight group with one hand, he triggered the detonator on his little surprise with the other. "Oya! At least I won't go alone," he said out loud, an evil snarl on his face as he charged his enemy. Seconds later, the compartment was torn apart in a massive explosion that rocked the entire ship, followed by a larger one that tore the vessel to pieces.

"Glad to see you're prepared," Bodakh replied as he removed his own helmet. Drawing his bes'bev from the small of his back,"Keep close and stay alert." Reaching for the control, Bodakh opened the hatch and glanced both ways down the corridor before stepping out. Using hand and arm signals, he motioned for Tank to follow as he headed down the corridor.

As they approached the next hatch, Bodakh heard talking and footsteps approaching from the other side. Waving Tank to a halt, Bodakh stepped up beside the hatch as it hissed open. He let both men pass through, grabbing the second and snapping his neck before slowly lowering him to the deckplate. He smiled to himself as he saw Tank dispatch the other one with barely a noise. They quickly hid the bodies in a nearby storage locker. "Roving patrols. Keep an eye out for more, so that we get the drop on them," he said as they continued towards engineering.

Two more patrols came and went as they moved like ghosts through the bowels of the ship. The rumble up ahead was a dead giveaway of their destination. As they stepped up beside the hatch, Bodakh took a quick look inside before stepping along the bulkhead and stowing his knife. Tank imitated the move then waited anxiously.

The hatch opened onto a catwalk, and the bustle of activity below would allow them a couple minutes before they were noticed. "Didn't see any armed guards in there. Probably figure there's no need. When we go in, make for the control room on the far end and wreak some havoc down there while I overload the reactor. Knew those rocket launchers would be useful. Ready?" he asked, as he drew his rifle and reached for the control panel. "Let's do it," came the young Trooper's eager reply. As he readied his cannon, an anxious grin spread across his face.

"I have my own," Bodakh called out, brandishing his grapple gun, "but I like the way you think. These magnetic plasma mines will crack the hull and get us inside. Once there, we need to find a way to really break that tin can open. The smaller the boarding party is, the better. Meanwhile, someone has to keep them distracted. If they think we are the main effort, they can easily overwhelm us. We need them to focus elsewhere. Major, you're welcome to join us, but I think you can do more leading the assault out here. Either way, it's time to act. Wanna give me and Tank a lift, Sergeant?"

The two Troopers stepped onto the transport platform directly behind the cockpit and strapped themselves to the bar. "Will this even work?" Tank asked, the doubt heavy in his voice as the watercraft took off in an attempt to catch the sub. "Just follow my lead, kid. I've done this in space more than once. Underwater shouldn't be much different." Bodakh could fell a strange calm deep down, unlike anything he had ever known. He hoped it wasn't affecting his voice in any way that would unsettle his companion. Tank would need to be at the top of his game if they had any chance of pulling this off.

The Quarren Sergeant showed excellent pilotting skills as he deftly manuevered their vessel into a close parallel course with their target. Seeing a maintenance hatch, Bodakh took aim with his grapple. "Here goes nothing," he whispered as he let fly and watched his hook bite into the hull right next to the access panel. Attaching the lead to his belt, he released his restraint and was instantly snatched towards the sub. "Thanks for the lift, Cepha, we'll let you know how it goes," he called over the comm link as he hit the control and began reeling himself in.

He saw Tank's line find it's mark next to his, and knew the young Trooper wasn't far behind him. Switching to their team's comm channel, Bodakh quickly formed a plan and relayed it to his companion. "First, we blow the hatch and get inside. Then, we find and overload the reactor. Keep an eye out for anything we can use to make a bigger boom."

"Are we really going to attack that sub with just three people?" Tank asked incredulously as the two men entered the Mon Cal's small armory. "We'll barely scratch it, let alone stop it. And probably get wasted in the process." Both Troopers began combing over the shelves looking for anything that might lend a hand to their outrageous mission.

"You got something better to do right now, Rook?" Bodakh replied, in a joking manner as he attached a shield booster to his belt. He could understand the kid's anxiety about facing such heavy odds. After all, he had been young once, long ago. Insurmountable objectives were difficult for any soldier to face on the battlefield, but Bodakh had done this so often it seemed like SOP. Trying to soften his voice, he paused and looked at Tank, "Look, Tank. You've done good on this trip. I won't make you go, if you don't feel up for it." Returning to the task at hand, he hefted a shoulder launcher before adding a second and creating a bundle with a few spare rockets. "There's nothing to be ashamed of, if you want to stay here and secure the rally point. Orders may be orders, but this choice is yours. I'll make sure the Major is okay with your decision," he added as he grabbed a half-dozen magnetic mines and stuffed them into a small bag strapped to the back of his belt.

"Wow. We must really be up against a wall. You actually used my name," Tank replied as he grabbed some extra plasma grenades. Pausing to think about it, he replied without any hesitation in his voice, "I'd never be able to look at myself if I didn't at least try to go along. Besides, now is my chance to see some real vets in action."

"Good. Then you can carry these," Bodakh snickered as he pushed the launchers to his young companion. "Now, we better get moving before the Major thinks we both deserted." They grabbed what they had set aside and returned to the center hall. Bodakh could feel the tension drain out of his young friend as they made their final preparations to leave. "Okay, Skipper, we're ready to go when you are," he said to the Major in a calm, gravelly voice. Standing next to him, Tank nodded in agreement.

Bodakh could barely hear Per-ja over by the Quarren exit, but he couldn't see anyone clearly in that direction. There was a strange chill in the tone of the Jedi's voice that had intially drawn Bodakh's attention. The sound was different than normal, but as he listened closer, there was no hint of distress that suggested a need for assistance. "He can take care of himself," Bodakh thought out loud.

"What's that, Corporal?" the young Trooper said as he was struggling to get a pair of binders on the unconscious Sith. "Nothing. Never mind," he growled, shaking his head. "Just make sure he won't give us any more problems," Bodakh replied more clearly as he quickly went to double-check the other Sith. He only paused a moment at the one he had dispatched; there was no way that one would breath again. Stopping to go over the other, he admired the precision of the wounds. "Nice bladework. You handle that thing well," he said casually to the Twilek, nodding to show his respect. Taking a quick survey of the few people that remained in the auditorium, he quickly turned toward the Major.

"Sir. Two Sith dead, one captured; not counting yours. No signs of immediate threat, and no injuries to report. Everyone accounted for," he paused suddenly, looking around one more time. "Except for Ellian," he began, a hint of confusion in his voice. "Anyone seen him? Where did he go?"

With the way this trip was going, Bodakh wasn't surprised at all with the appearance of Sith Assassins. Still, after the veiled insults and self-restraint, it would feel good to vent some frustration in an open encounter. Bodakh quickly took stock of the situation. The Major was already subduing one assailant. The smugglers were no where to be seen, as usual, and Per-ja's apprentice had moved behind the two Troopers. This close, Bodakh could easily sense her apprehension. The Jedi had also disappeared, but Bodakh had fought with him often enough to know Per-ja would turn up when and where he was least expected.

A pair of the Assassin's spread out and started towards the two Troopers, and Bodakh could feel Tank tense. "Hope you're ready, Kid, cause things have officially gone sideways," he called out. "Seriously? How could this situation get any worse?" came the addled reply. Bodakh could feel the young Trooper's confidence beginning to slip at the thought of facing a trained Sith. "Just follow my lead. Move fast, get close and stay close. Now, GO!" Bodakh pushed Tank hard towards one Sith, simultaneously propelling himself towards the other. The sudden move caught them both off guard and Bodakh wanted to keep it that way. Grabbing a tight hold on his opponent's suit, he reared back and delivered a headbutt squarely in his opponent's face. The Sith tried to shake his head to clear the shock from this unorthodox attack, so Bodakh repeated the maneuver. "We call it a Mando Kiss, ugly," he called out as he quickly added a third and a fourth. The Assassin's body started to go limp, so Bodakh quickly drew his knife and stuck it through the man's ribs a couple times for good measure. He released his hold and turned to find Tank struggling with his own opponent. The young Trooper had managed to latch onto his back, but the Assassin was thrashing violently and it was all he could do to hold on. "I got him, now what?" Tank cried out. "Do something with him, Junior, or should I finish it for you?" Bodakh called back, a slightly teasing edge in his voice. The kid growled and wrapped his arms around the Sith's neck, squeezing the breath out of him. As he went limp, Tank let go and paused to catch his breath.

Bodakh looked around and found the Twilek had quietly taken care of the fourth Assassin. The whole ordeal had barely taken a minute and it was over, although it probably wasn't the outcome that the Imperial ambassador had expected. "That wasn't so bad," he heard the young Trooper say followed by the thud of a boot in the Sith's ribs. "Don't get cocky, Kid. We were just lucky they didn't try any Force tricks on us. Slap some restraints on that one before he wakes up. Maybe we can get something out of him, but I doubt it."

As soon as the shot rang out, Bodakh was moving towards the door. A familiar voice came over the commlink, “Bodakh catch him!†so he kept moving without pausing to reply. The shooter was a professional and the window to catch him would be closing fast. Grabbing the top of the doorframe in a firm grip, Bodakh launched his feet upward as he started to clear the opening and somersaulted out into the water. Luck was with him, because the triggerman was clearing the structure on this side. Firing his harpoon, Bodakh managed to grab whoever it was by the ankle and felt a tug as his weight was added to the fleeing assassin's. "On your six," he heard the younger Trooper's voice crackle over the commlink,"but I won't be moving as fast as you two." "Don't worry. Those thrusters won't last long with me in tow," he replied with a smile on his face, "and I'll try not to beat him senseless before you catch up."

Bodakh got a better grip on the line with both hands and started pulling himself closer to his quarry, using the little bit of time to assess the opposition. He was glad not to see any tell-tale signs of a Madalorian Bounty Hunter; prefering to face one of them in a place where they could see who defeated them. Something about the way this killer moved told Bodakh there was more to this sniper. The thrusters that carried the both of them started to sputter as they began to lose power. Suddenly his quarry reached down with something to cut the line, probably hoping to still make a clean get away. Bodakh gave a quick tug on the line and grabbed the person's wrist. Twisting that arm up behind his thrashing prize, Bodakh wrapped his other arm around their chest in a vice grip. "Play nice and I might let you keep this," his voice came calmly through his emitter as he applied pressure to the arm he had trapped between them. The person thrashed one more time, then became still and relaxed in his grip.

Bodakh turned to see his young companion swimming up. "Looks like you missed all the fun, kid. But at least you can help me escort the prisoner back," he said, trying not to rub it in. "I would have kept up, but I thought it best to conserve my thrusters," Tank snapped back. "Good idea. We may need them later," Bodakh replied. His catch suddenly squirmed against his grip, and something clicked in Bodakh's mind about the one they had caught. "Take an arm, but don't be too rough," he told Tank. "We don't want to hurt or prize before we get her back to the others." Tank took the other arm in a firm grip and looked sideways at the prisoner as Bodakh called over his commlink, "Got her Per-ja. On our way back."

Bodakh paused by the entrance, and quickly surveyed the room. He stepped to his left so that he wouldn't block the walkway, but remained close enough to hold the door if necessary. Those old infantry instincts told him it would be a good idea in case things went sideways. Using hand-and-arm signals, he motioned for Tank to do the same with the other doorway on this side of the pavilion. Bodakh could see Tank shake his head slightly as he walked over to his assigned postion and casually leaned against the wall. The young man probably didn't understand Bodakh's thinking and unfortunately there wasn't time right now to explain. Setting his pack against the wall at his feet, he turned his attention to the others and watched them follow the Captain to the open seats right behind the Mon Cala delegation. The rest of their Mon Cala escort dispersed, with some remaining inside and others withdrawing to the exterior of the hall. An older soldier took up postion next to Bodakh, and they both watched what appeared to be his lieutenant as he moved over by Tank. When the lieutenant turned back towards the forum, their eyes met and old guard flinched, looking down. Bodakh smiled to himself and nodded, placing his arm across his chest in salute. The veteran smiled back, nodding and returning the salute.

Their Quarren counterparts broke off and crossed the hall to be with their own delegation, with the same number as the Mon Cala staying inside while the rest passed out of the doors on the other side. Bodakh noticed the Quarren Captain's son, Swee'la, glancing multiple times towards the rest of the Republic party as he walked to a position directly across the hall. He hoped the Jedi was noticing as well; and if not, he would be sure to let Per-ja know.

Well, speaking of the oppressors, I see they’ve arrived …†he heard the Quarren in the center of the hall say in a voice dripping with contempt. Turning towards his old mon cal counterpart he asked in a slightly hushed tone, "Is he always this polite or did we catch him on a bad day? Name's Cprporal Bodakh, by the way. Appreciate the invite. Never been here before. Hope everything works out," he added, offering his hand in a gesture of friendship.

Bodakh could feel the tension build at the approaching squid-heads. He quickly glanced at the young Trooper on the far side of the party, and waved to get his attention. When the younger man looked over, Bodakh discreetly signalled for him to "stand down, but remain alert". He continued watching Tank until he saw his counterpart relax. He could hear the Jedi speaking, but Per-ja's words sounded strangely muffled and metallic coming through his voice emitter. "I am Jedi Ferra, of the Remnants of Hope. The Mon Calamari delegation has requested our assistance with the current peace negotiations. Would you please notify your superiors that we have arrived."

Bodakh went back to surveying the opposition, and planning for the worst. He knew if this went sideways, that combat would be difficult with the enemy having the advantage. There was no way of knowing if the other members of his party were trained to fight under these conditions. After all, Bodakh's own training in zero-gravity combat was a rare thing. But floating down here, he felt exactly the same as when he was floating out there; cold, weightless, and moving in slow-motion. He would just have to apply those same techniques if this turned ugly. On the bright side, Per-ja was exceptionally skilled at disarming a situation and dragging things out. If the approaching Calamari arrived before anyone did something to set off these Quarren, the party would be just fine.

"Thought that smuggler might chicken out at the last minute," the young trooper's chuckle sounded mechanical through his voice emitter. "Hope that don't happen when the shooting starts." "Worry about yourself," Bodakh growled as he tossed the rookie a waterproof duffle filled with some of the team's extra equipment. "I've seen him in action, and he's as reliable as they come. Remember, this is a diplomatic mission. Don't start any trouble just to prove yourself. Just follow my lead and you'll be fine." In his head, Bodakh wasn't as sure about the situation. These operations were complicated enough without having to babysit a noob. But, orders were orders, so he would drag the kid through no matter what.

Slinging his own duffel, he turned to the kid and stated, "Well, they aren't gonna wait forever." "I'm on it, Corporal, and the name's Tank" came the cocky reply as the young man slung his own bag and jumped in after the others. "Sure you are," Bodakh growled to himself as he rolled his eyes, "Why do I always get the hardcases?" Bracing against the cold, he jumped in and switched on his spotlight. Using hand-and-arm signals, he motioned for Tank to do the same and then the two troopers took postions on either side of the group.

I'm no negotiator, but I will provide some backup for those doing the talking. Count me in.