Log:Big Boats with Big Guns

A skirmish with the White Maw

OOC Date: September 04, 2020
Location: Ship Graveyard, Hoth
Participants: Jessika Pava, Nerys Arda, Kael Greystorm, Merek, Hadrix Kora, Vhe Tenara, Elrych Cometburn, Kaavenn, Aryn Cole

Hoth

A sea of unrelenting white, with a bite to remind you that there are worlds that feel as cold as space. The sky is swept in a blizzard with clouds that are contrasted slightly more than the ground, and the snow felt like stabbing daggers of ice. Hoth was a desolate place, where its scars and battles were perfectly preserved in the ice, and nothing truly died but rather was lost forever.

The group that arrived was encouraged to follow the Helix Interceptor 'Rainstorm' as it cut over the cloudy storm and toward a particular beacon source blinking under the encrypted signal of the old Rebel Alliance. It warned that weapons of mass destruction were activated, that the presence of an Imperial capital ship was present; yet visual scans and sensor equipment showed nothing.

The Rainstorm lowered into the clouds and dipped into the blizzard, finding a landing location just a few minutes after reaching the tail-end of the storm. A strip of solid ice proved sturdy enough for ships to land, and beyond the frozen tundra and icy platform lay a sobering field of frozen wrecks; a graveyard from 1000s of years of warfare, with all manner of ship jutting out of the ice and reaching high for the sky.

Aryn Cole wrapped her face in a heavy white scarf, pulled goggles down over her eyes, and a beanie cap messily down over her hair before opening the ramp to the vessel to step out. A cautious wave of her gloved hand has no visual effect, but it becomes apparent that she is not hindered by the chilling cold and bite. Heavy furs cover her shoulders and a long cape takes flight at her back, revealing a belt full of tools, pouches, and weapons. Aryn moves down the ramp and slides her ear piece in. <<"Can everyone hear me alright?">

The Tai has entered the system with no fanfare, making a slow, steady approach to the planet and zeroing in on the landing coordinates which had been sent ahead. By the time Nerys stepped down from the freighter, she was in her full gear, comfortable, even in the cold of the planet. It was a blessing to have a suit that had been made for the cold of space, << I can hear you, Dr. Cole.>> She looked back into the ship, switching to the crew's private comms, <Looks like everyone's gatehering.">

Merek puts on that black armor of his, which has a thermal suit in it. He pulls on a scarf while the helmet on him adjusts, speaking to the com within it, <"Ya, I copy."> The man takes a moment to lift up his rifle while he takes a moment to check the weapon.

Thank goodness for small favors. That suit she is wearing is not her own and was blessedly gifted to her. Vhe's wild hair is braided back and as the chill wind smacks her face she shivers but the rest of her body stays pleasantly housed and warmed. Bless all that is good in this world and one Aryn Cole.

She smiles over at the other Jedi and then narrows her eyes as she tries to see beyond the landscape of pure white. "This is ...is anyone else noticing that their eyes ache a little?" Its a bit brighter than she's used to, having traveled in space most of her life.

She lifts a gloved hand to shield her gaze as she looks to Aryn for the moment and the others.

Some people say Hoth is as cold as space. Jessika's been in space before. Hoth has nothing on that. It doesn't mean she's not bundled up, though. The thermal glove worn beneath the clothing and plasteel armor will heat up to ensure she's not freezing. Make her comfortable? That's a matter of debate. Of all the times that she's been to Hoth, Jessika can't recall any being a good experience. As they pierce through the atmosphere and begin their descent, she's briefly cast back to the deformed durasteel of a door being pounded with such force that it was bowing outwards. And what came through that door.. She's had a couple of nightmares about that monstrosity, but she reminds herself that she's the one that punched it in the brain group housing and feels immediately better.

When they set down, Jessika can't see anything outside the viewport of the ship. It's total white-out conditions, which means the going is going to be tough from the start. She doesn't expect anything else. If there's one thing she's learned after all this time, it's that what can go wrong will probably go wrong. "It freaks me out that you guys can do that." Spoken through the helmet's vocal transmitter rather than the communication band, Jessika lets Aryn know how eerie it is to watch her walk out into the snow with nothing like significant protection. She's quiet after that, but follows the Princess down the ramp with her right hand resting on the grip of her blaster rifle so that it's barrel is kept from swaying wildly around. It's pointed towards the ground, and Jessika's arm weight hangs against it so that it's taut from the single-contact point of of a clip fastened near her right shoulder.

Endless snow, ice, and cold. For Kaavenn, he has fur covering him to protect from such things. He also has the fur covered by completely sealed void armor, so there is that. He's already turning glowing red eyes over the rest of them, and then at the landscape. Here for his own reasons, he's in search of someplace high to get to and follow to keep overwatch along their way in. The ninja-wolf checks in service. <<"Loud and clear">>. His next step is to ready the snipers rifle he has cradled to his chest in the crook of his forearms. As Vhe mentions eyes, it occurs to Kaavenn to polarize his faceplate just a little.

Elrych was never far from Vhe, usually, and vice versa. He had put on his Void armor to combat the cold tempratures. So he wasn't exactly feeling the sticky eyes that Vhe was. <<"No... not really...">> There is a pause, <<"I mean yes I can hear you Aryn... no to Vhe...">> He was just as curious as se was as to where that armor came from seeing as he had spent credits on her own suit of void armor... He'd have to ask later.

Kael Greystorm looks around as he steps off the Tai behind Nerys adjusting his armor some as he tries to get used to it, "Never going to get used to this armor I swear." He looks over as Nerys calls out on comms, <<"Oh I can hear you as well.">>

Over his shoulders, covering nexu mantle and heavy cape, with the massive arms of the creature who first owned this fur turned into a cowl and scarf - Hadrix marches down from his own craft with the wampa fur draped over him and his gold plated bowcaster shouldered. Good to be prepared - and the Massive Mandalorian wear proof of having survived this frozen hell before.

<"Al'Verde Kora, reporting in. Where do you want me, Lady Cole."> maybe a loaded question from some - but the big man's tone is neutral and the black T-visor of his helm moves to survey the area slowly. He'd been using the War Master plate so long he'd begun to forget about the weight of true beskar, and the benefits of an AR system - may need to see about upgrading the black and gold...

"I admit, from an outside perspective it can be unnerving." Aryn says, in an amused muffled tone, back to Jessika. She stays near Major Pava, showing some familiarity with the Republic officer while the comm-responses filter back in. Aryn makes a mental note of each voice and tries to tag them to the person they belong. Glancing at Jessika a moment, she nods, then begins to march forward, her frame subtly steaming from the difference in temperature thanks to her influence over the Force. << I hear everyone,">> Aryn says back, and takes a knee near the beacon staked in the ice by the Rebellion Recon droid. She used her gloved hand to wipe at the screen and reads the encoded message.

<<"Recon Report: This unit observed the activation of ancient Imperial technology deep in ship graveyard. This unit reported the presence of organics in the ruins, resourcing, refitting, and re-engineering weapons to be fit for their corvette. Coordinates provided.">>

Aryn pulls out a datachip then and feeds it into her datapad, broadcasting it to the team. <<"Okay, so I have sent the coordinates to everyone. It seems our path is into the heart of all this.. ruin. These weapons should have been destroyed long ago, but there is not telling what remains on this world. I recommend we stay close. My experience of Hoth is that everything on this world is anxious for a warm meal. Even the pirates.">>

"We'll need to find a path down. Watch your step.. ice is very different from snow." Aryn calls out. "You can move with me, Commander." She calls to Hadrix, then nods to Jess. The only way is forward now.

Nerys, moving out to the front of the group, as much to give herself room to maneuver her Backpack of Holding around to her front as to help her get a good view of the terrain ahead, rummaged as she came on the comms, << I have clamps which anyone who needs them can fit to their boots to help them get better traction in the snow and ice.>> Because she was always prepared. She glanced back, holding out the clamps in pairs. They were attached to flexible springs, so that they could adjust depending on the size of the boots they were placed over. Once she had handed them out to anyone who might want a set, she began to make her way down.

As Nerys moved, she called to the group, <<One of the corvettes in that graveyard ahead seems odd. The hull is dark, and seems to have less of an ice coat. And there is a light strobing from it that isn't the glare of the sun off of the frost.Either it's newer than the others, or something has been working there.>>

Merek looks to the distance with that helmet, while he takes a moment to follow along with the team. Then he nods a bit, while he offers a hand up to the party, <"Taun tauns, they are in the open, that means that there are likely creatures looking for them to be their own prey. We should probably keep that in mind, going forward.">

Vhe notes something as she joins the others, picking a spot along the side of the group at large. She mmmms and then notes the flags. <"Some of those seem..a litle rare. The flags attached to them could be markings, meaning they have been searched through before. They are ..obviously from the same person or people.">

She strains to see more, stepping in that direction as grins, <"Wow...those ships....they are really old."> She seems eager to head that wya, her attention shifting as the other speak however.

<"I reocmmend we avoid using hills. This blizzard means lots of loose snow is piling up at a rapid rate. It's going to be unstable. Even gradual ones might turn into a minor avalanche and we shouldn't risk that. We should follow this depression rather than get any higher ground,"> Jessika's gloved left hands reaches out and points forward, two fingers extended, to indicate the direction that she's talking about. Not that the group can see very far ahead of itself. Still, the path leads forward, and the navpoint is also in that direction. There's no hesitation or uncertainty about her recommendation. She's been in snow a few times. Almost watched a friend go flying off a cliff, too. <"Plus, with such limited view, we gain nothing from elevation."> In the end, it's all up to Aryn to decide where their group is going to go, but Jessika's imparted her professional advice, and that's all she can do in such a situation. Unfortunately, she's not able to commune with the universe, and so is not privy to its secrets and whispers.

After tapping on the EZ's interface, Kaavenn shrugs. No sense turning the targeting scope on at this point and drawing attention. At the mention of no elevation he just sighs and prepares to trudge along.

Elrych is across the other side of the group staring at a whole bunch of nothing... <<"You know... I don't see anything...">> His arms Akimbo, he scans one more time hoping the HUD on his Void armor might help him see something. Nope, not a single thing. <<"You guys are something else.">> The Jedi turns and starts to move back towards the group, idley following in the rear.

Kael Greystorm looks around at the rest before he moves with Nerys and nods some, "Not the most suited for snow but at least this armor has thermal protection." He does check to make sure his pistols are easily cleared of his holsters though.

<<"As you wish, Lady Cole.">> long strides carrying him to the side of the smaller woman, deep treaded multi-environment boots digging into ice to keep his footing all the while. <<"If no one has been here before, or haven't faced them if they have -- with us grouped, if there are Wampa - they'll keep where the snow hides them and look for a straggler. If it's hungry it may just plow through us and try to grab someone on it's way...">>

What he doesn't say is getting ronto-dragged by the leg by a wampa that is periodically swinging you at the ice to soften you up is extremely unfun.

Even if he loved every minute of that fight.

Space that was a fight.

Steps slowing for a moment while he blink focuses his HUD and begins sending information via comms, <<"There's heads on on those spears...">> imagery showing the almost lethargic gawping jawed looks of dead sentients frozen in place. <<"Pava is correct to use the depressions, but don't center the group in one. We still need eyes on either rises, but avoid skylining yourselves.">> another image flashes, one of the flags with a head just below.

<<"White Maws. They've survived long enough to be old.">> a longer pause, <<"If memory serves, the heads on pikes might be all that's left after they've eaten...">>

Following a safe path, thanks to Major Pava, the group is quick to reach the graveyard and see the spectacular detail each of the group members had pointed out from afar. There is no particular path into the graveyard, there are just openings that go through portions of old, stripped down ships that segue to other ships.

Just as they make it to this wall of refuse and old ship graveyard, the Taun-Taun begin to run toward the group, flocking with thunderous footsteps and closing quick. Something has spooked them. They knock over the spears sporting heads on the end and head for the group. Before they reach everyone, a massive 22ft tall furry white MONSTER emerges from the maze of old ships a little further down the line. It's a Wampa, and a single swipe of its MASSIVE paw kills a Taun-Taun and sees it spill side-ways missing its tusked head to slide right at the group just across the ice and snow.

"Look out!" Aryn cried, dodging and falling into one of the open ship corridors of a long since stripped Guardian class corvette. She fell inside, but scrambled back up to her feet to watch.

A frost manka appeared from above the group, high up on an old ship and ROWL-ROOOWWWWLING before leaping onto the Wampa's back to bite into its neck, prompting a scary roar. Thankfully, everyone avoids the chaos of the fight, but our group is cut off from the ships by this display of survival.

That's when the pitter-patter of feet moving nearby alerts the group that another faction in this fight is showing up.

EVERYONE is tied up in the maze of broken down ships, and now White Maw pirates have arrived to fight the wildlife, but are stunned to find 'scavengers'. "WEAPONS READY, BOYS! WE GOT DINNER TONIGHT! HAHA!"

Twenty (20) White Maw pirates, one (1) Wampa Stompa, one (1) Frost Manka, and thirty (30) Taun-Tauns fleeing in terror. The definition of sudden chaos.

<<"Defend yourselves.">> Aryn calls, staying inside to fight pirates to avoid having to face off with a giant Wampa and a raging Manka.

Merek looks to the White Maw pirates that come from that hill, then he begins to dive into the snow, while he takes a moment to aim towards one of the pirates. The man locks on with that sight, then he fires a blaster bolt into the foe. He checks on the weapon, then he prepares the charge. "Cover!"

When Aryn dodges and the others rush for cover after a hail of fire, she does the same, from her belt she quickly unclips her saber and turns about, trying to find the best source of cover. A downed crate from some old shipment - its contents long since frozen is used, curling herself up into the corner as she ignites her saber and the pale blue color seers the open air with a hiss.

She lifts her hand, reaching out to the first one she can see and since he lags because of his injury she twists her hand and slams him up into the ceiling to let him drop. Realizing she's down him, she goes still and mutters beneath her breath.

The man screaming about finding dinner tonight is the one her sights set on the second the chaos starts and Jessika's blaster rifle goes from being a place where her hand rests to being a thing up in both hands and ready to defend both herself and the rest of her group. She exhales with the motion, meaning its all one smooth transition: left hand under barrel, muzzle lifted, breath exhaled. It all culminates in that one moment where there's nothing left in her lungs and the feeling of her pulse is the only thing that her mind thinks of. She applies pressure to the trigger of her weapon, and once it trips--a moment of surprise that she expects but doesn't force--the threshold, her blaster rifle barks. The whine from its discharge is audible, and it has the added effect of making something else quiet: the man laughing with glee. He can't laugh anymore. The spot in his torso where his lungs existed is obliterated by the kill bolt that smashes through him and puts him down into the snow too fast for him to blink.

A Taun-Taun stampede was not on his imagination list for the day. While the Wampa is a bigger threat, the more numerous ranged threat concerns Kaavenn even more. He snaps the rifle up and shifts the barrel towards his first target. He's got both red glowing eyes open even as he sights. Not wanting to get blindsided about now. His pirate goes down clean.

<<"I ant your dinner, man!">> Elrych declares as he rolls out of the way off a falling tauntaun. He unclips his darkstar and angel shine lightsaber hilt from his belt. As he comes to a stop, one knee on the grouns and one leg stretched out, he presses the red button. The Mephite Focused blade comes to life, a higher pitch that a number of other Kathricite blades... it's hungry as it humms. He stands, his hand raising, palm outwards towards the group of pirates. He manipulated the air pressure with his command over the living force. Thunder sounds as the air burst happens, sending one of the men flying far... far... far away. <<"Hope that didn't cause an avalanche...">> Don't give Aryn any ideas, El. He looks over towards Vhe as if sensing something. His face unseen but perhaps something else felt.

Kael Greystorm glances over as the pirates pour out saying that something about meat... "What the..." He just shakes his head as he snaps his pistol back up into his hand aiming down at the pirate and snapping a shot off, "I'm nobody's food." Of course he's also still just standing here kinda used to heavy armor...

<"Shebs..."> the Wampa appearing a problem, the manka doubly so... A pile of flesh eating pirates whose choice of flesh is not animal...? Shebs... Bolts are flying now, lightsabers are coming out.

<<"Lady Cole...">> there is no fear. And a phrase runs through his mind 'Chaab mirshe'kyramla te'kih kyr'am gotal'ur ori'kyr'am'. There is a certainty of action needed. Majority forces will need to deal with the pirates. The hunting cat. So he he chooses to do what he has always done best. Be in danger.

<<"I shall attend the wampa and keep your flank covered.">> lifting into the air on flaming contrails that thaw out the fur and cape he wears even as he lines up his shot, crossbow belching plasma that envelops a durasteel bolt sent into the chest of the massive horned hunter, burning flesh and fur alike... as well as likely pissing it right off.

<"Shebs">. Hadrix mutters to himself and goes to work.

Chaos is all around them. Then Manka is cast from the raging stomping Wampa who screams at the cast aside feline only to be accosted by an armored and flying Mandalorian. The bolt sinks into its chest and the Wampa responds in kind! SWAT! ROAR!

The pirates are in a heated exchange, moving through the random corridors of the broken ships to gain and advantage or flank on our heroes. They rush forward while some hang back and fire at random.

One of the few who rush Aryn take the sting of a ruby red bolt to their chest, the impact packing enough 'punch' to carry them back out the threshold they rushed her from. Three others shoot, one finding purchase against Aryn's shoulder and spilling her back outside the ruins to land firmly against the snow and icepacked ground. Looking up, she saw a Manka rising to its feet and squaring against her, ROWL-ROWWWWWLING! "Oh, Mother save meeeee!" Aryn yelled, scrambling back a bit to get away from the sting of its massive clawed paw. She tumbled pre-emptively, avoiding a swing with a loud woooof of the paw passing overhead.

Nerys who was not silly enough to rush into battle, was not so full of self-preservation instinct to just hide, and she rose, half turning to come out of cover, the red bolt from her bowcaster tearing into one of the pirates that seemed to be intent on bearing down on Kael. The big man was a trouble magnet, <Kael, cover!>> What he did, well, that was on him. But it was one less pirate to worry about, as her bolt took the pirate square in the chest, blasting the female, one would assume, from the armor, back into the snow and debris. nerys twisted, hoping she could get back to cover before one of the pirates sighted down on her.

Vhe watches the blasters aimed at her fellows and she can feel the impending urge to move. So she does. Rushing out into the fray and free of her cover, Vhe spins into view with her the pale blue saber sweeping forward. SHe's too late to reach Merek and offer him protection.

She rushes in and as her saber lift to knock away the bolt she misses and Vhe lets out a sound of frustration as the bolt finds a home in Merek.

Drek. The pirates aren't the only thing Jessika has to worry about. Despite the fact the Princess is a Jedi, Jessika feels some compulsion to intervene on her behalf. Maybe it's because the animal is practically on top of the Princess and Aryn's on the defensive. Jessika doesn't debate about it in her head. Moving with precision, so that the soles of her boots skim the floor just enough to keep from scuffing against it, Jessika moves towards the nook of a corridor that will allow her to duck into it if necessary. At the same time, she's adjusting the barrel of her rifle and sighting down its optic. Both eyes remain open, allowing her to superimpose the vision of her target while also maintaing situational awareness. With steady, purposeful movements, because slow is smooth and smooth is fast, Jessika make sit to her intended destination and is also able to squeeze the trigger of her weapon again. It barks a second time, and this time its the white fur of the manka attempting to maul the noble woman. Jessika briefly wonders why all the clawed monsters seem to like going after Aryn. <"Get out of the way, Merek!"> He's not helping. The Princess can't swing her lightsaber if someone else is in the way.

As the the Pirates open up creating general chaos, it is this moment that Kaavenn realizes just how much the cold has dulled his instincts. He's only now just realized he's standing out of cover like a fool. He snaps a shot off which goes wide, looking right and left. He picks a random direction to run, it works out and he's tucked himself behind some cover to examine his rifle a moment.

Merek maneuvers along while he begins to lift up his rifle, only to take a shot into his arm, the lightsaber swinging by doing little to deflect from it. The man looks to Vhe and nods a bit, "Thank you," he states. There is a look to the Manka, then he sweeps between Cole and it, firing upon the creature. He doesn't manage to strike it, still he standing between it along with the Princess. <"Get back!">

The crimson of a blaster shot from one of the pirates zips past him, rather far away. He barely leans out of he way of it as if maybe he wasn't quite sure it would pass him without some drastic intervention... but then realized it wasn't much of an issue. <<"Really fellas, I think you should give up.">> He rushes forward, neon blue blade carving through limbs, one after the other, disarming them literally. <<"Last chance to run away... maybe the Wampas won't eat /you/ for dinner.">>

Kael Greystorm looks over at Nerys then back down at his armor and blinks, "Oh yeah..." And then he snaps another shot off at a pirate hitting with a solid thump blasting the pirate back and into the ground as he moves to get behind cover, "I forgot not in that heavy. Good call Nerys."

He remembers one blaster bolt sailing past his side into the sky, shortly before the next splashed against the plate over his chest, blackening paint and turning him. The reaction to squeeze by tensing a bicep to adjust his jets and try to correct his trajectory. There was a moment all he could see was blue, meaning he was turned too high.

Then the impact against his back, forcing his jets to cut out while his systems checked for potential fuel line breaks. None. But it was a non-issue now with Hadrix slamming into the ice and plowing on like a man who'd lost his luge and was now traveling down the line head first.

But then who the hell invented luging? Who said 'I'm going to shove an ice-skate up my ass and shoot myself feet first down a ramp where one mistake could be horrifically, painfully fatal?

One hundred credits bets it was a Squib. Little maniacs.

<"Here we go again."> his jets don't fire when he flexes his palm against the grip of his crossbow, **Alert: Flight systems disengaged.** <"I know.">

• • Alert: Flight Diagnostics running.** the alert flashes at the top of his HUD again.

<"I -know-."> the crossbow is lifted as Hadrix begins to backpedal, arm extended and firing with a cacophonous FHOOOONN, sending a bolt straight for the left shoulder of the beast, hoping to take one of its weapons out of the fight.

• • Alert: Flight Offline.**

<"I KNOW STARS DAMNIT!!!">

Aryn fell backward again and landed against the exterior hull of a crashed ship just as Merek slid in front of her and fired at the Manka. Jessika's voice followed a second ruby bolt, and Aryn turned over to look toward Jess briefly before climbing back up. "Thanks!" She called back, to both Jess and Merek who came to her rescue. She slid in beside Merek a moment later and lifted her blaster up, firing. The Manka took the hit and stumbled over, their efforts ending its reign of terror. Aryn cheered, but her revelry was ended when she took a stray bolt to the side of her leg, spilling her over in a clatter of fur, cape, and gear.

The pirates were becoming frantic as their numbers tumbled. THeir shots were wild, bouncing off bulkheads and the high up rooftops of old ships. They began to fall back, still fighting. Aryn rose to her other knee and fired into one of the corridors, stopping another pirate with a single bolt. Her third spread over a bulkhead though, poorly aimed and showering sparks near Vhe and Elrych.

The sound of fighters screaming by over head rattled the ground and shook the hull of old ship skeletons. Thunderous bass followed, and anyone attuned to the sounds of war knew the noise to be the impact of bombs.

Even here, in the middle of all of this chaos, Nerys grinned, as she saw Kael duck out of firect line of sight, <<We haven't seen Ax yet!>> the comment, of course, would mean nothing excet to the big bounty hunter. Even as she quipped, Nerys moved, as quick as her legs could carry her, but it was not quick enough, as she felt the heated impact of a bolt in the meat of her right thigh. Thankfully, she was not on a hot mic and the hiss of pain that sizzled from her lips never made it past the helmet that hid her face. Darned pirates. Now they were going to get it. She did make it back to cover though, and took a shot regardless before she popped inside mostly hiding. <<That's what you get!>> Maybe her bolt blasted back the pirate who had shot her, maybe not. But they were all going to get it now.

Merek nods a bit to Cole when she offers the thanks, then he begins to step into the battlfield along with the party again. This time he searches for Vhe, assisting in backing the woman up for assisting him before, firing upon the pirates, only to manage to actually not strike anything.

Vhe rushes forward, but before she can close the distance there is a bolt that skims off her armor. Her head tilts and she twists to the side as she swings her saber out. But either her depth perception is off or they are quicker for the Ysanna misses each swing, her brows furrowing as she leaves herself in the open, looking to the others as her last strike once more misses its intended target. She twists the saber in her hands, bringing it back around.

The manka goes down, but the Princess isn't out of danger. Instead, she gets into more trouble, and Jessika finds herself hard-pressed to stay into cover. Yanking her barrel towards the direction the shot that took the Princess down came from, the Major lines up center mass with the first hostile she sees. Breath leaves her. Her pulse beats. Her finger squeezes. Another target drops in a heap and Jessika moves out of her cover with the same purposefulness she stepped into it with. She crosses the distances towards Aryn, blaster rifle raised and ready to engage anything that might try to intervene. <"Lady Cole! Are you alright?"> She wants some kind of confirmation from the woman, seeing as she only saw the shot and not where it might have hit her. Using her right hand to keep her blaster rifle up, Jessika's left hand goes down towards the collar of the blonde's robes. She has every intention of latching on and dragging her backwards to safety.

Kael Greystorm glances over his cover as he comes up to snap another shot at one of the pirates watching as it goes wide and then ducks back down, "Dang. This is about normal for me again. You okay over there Nerys?"

Peering out from behind his cover, it is bedlam and mayhem. A pause. Hadrix seems to be arguing with himself, he makes a mental note to watch the crazed mandalorian in the future. Blaster bolts fly around, but the pirate numbers have whittled. There are quick appraising looks towards the Wampa, his head shakes. Why attract attention? He looks to the scope of the EZ-Snap, and the little botton he just needs to tap. He sighs and does so, offending his professional pride and standards. Kaavenn feels like using it cheapens his skills... and there's the rather large drawback of how hard it is to stay hidden once it lights up. Rolling his head a moment he settled the bipod on his little edge of durasteel cover. Seven Pirates. He sends a blaster bolt downrange... that's a kill. Six pirates.

Elrych was in front of Nerys. The hairs on his arms stood up as he watches the pirate aim towards her. He was fast, but not fast enough. His blade swung down, the edge hitting and metling the snow just before the bolt zipped by and into Nerys. <<"Stang... that's it. I've had just about enough of you guys. Horrible, HORRIBLE dinner hosts.">> He brings his lightsaber to a medium guard, the whispered humm sounding through even as the wind of Hoth blows.

• • ALERT: IMPACT IMMIENENT.**

<"Gripper..."> she must have adjusted his suit. Bad joke. He's going to get her for this - if he lives. Hadrix is airborne again, but not by his choice when the swat hits his chest and carries him off of his feet like some child's plaything. Thankfully the armor absorbs most of it, but he's feeling that old sensation of ribs flexing and straining while he flies again. Only a few meters,

He can see the shoots spearing back and forth, briefly, as he is spun like a slug down a rifled chamber. His jets don't fire either - systems reporting flight system problems, jet misfires.

When he hits the crossbow goes off of it's own accord, a heavy plasma sheathed metal slug skipping like a stone across the ice like a stone over a pond. Hadrix himself tumbling in the opposite direction, the heel of his boots catching and then a hand before he can lever himself up in part, on one hand and his knees - looking at the approaching wampa and snarling through his vocoder, inside a rictus grin is plastered to his expression, blood on his teeth.

Aryn is taken hold of by her collar, but she rises up surprisingly sprite for someone who took a hit like she did. Any inspection paid to her leg showed only the scoring and a glimpse of pale flesh, no wound. Curious! "I could be doing better!" She answers mid-crouched run. She stays close to Pava, firing into the ruins, missing mostly, but tagging another pirate who turned to fire on the group. His decision cost him his life.

<<"MOTHER SHIP IS GONE! THEY BOMBED IT!">> One voice yells over the pirate's comms, the sound heard by those nearby. <<"WHO?! WHO?!">> -- <<"IT DONT MATTER, FALL BACK!">>

The remaining pirates are starting to 'leap-frog' back, but they fire wildly at our heroes. <<"The weapon's gone, it's ruined! We need to leave!">> The pirates call over their comms. Aryn plants her back to cover finally, breathing hard and steaming like before. "Are you okay?!" She yells over the ringing in her own ears, the question for Pava.

Meanwhile the WAMPA is stomping around raging at Hadrix. It picks up a chunk of something from the ground and HURLS it toward the Mandalorian, ROARING as a small squadron of rag-tag fighters zip by overhead.

<< I'm alright!>> Because Nerys was damned if she would say otherwise in the middle of a blaster battle, << I'm not anybody's dinner.>> That was for sure and certain. But within the confines of her helmet, Nerys' face was set. She //was// going to get out of this, yes she was. And the White Maw weren't. But there was something else she could see, and that was that the big Mandalorian was down, and Nerys darted forward, giving up the cover she had clung to to try to take a shot at the creature bearing down on Hadrix. Alas, her shot went wide, and she was no help at all.

Merek lifts up that blaster while he begins to fire on the fleeing pirates, only because they keep shooting back at the party. Another one is taken to the snow, while he checks the weapon, then he takes a look to the wampa, "You got it!" he calls to Vhe when he sees the woman moving that way, then a look to Cole, "What's the plan?"

With the pirates fleeing and Hadrix becoming the focus of the Wampa, Vhe nods to Merek as she parts ways with him and rushes towards the large beast. Its fur is as white as the landscape and sky around the planet, making him hard to see but as the blue of her saber finally washes over him as she hauls back, draws her blade behind her and leaps after clearing the distance with long strides, she sweeps her saber through the middle, a harsh blow that causes hair to burn and singe before sweeping back and up at a diagonal.

The last hack slams down into the left leg, parting the beast from it before it sinks to the ground and the Ysanna looks up at the mandalorian. A nod from her helmeted head an dshe turns to tkae in what is left.

Despite the length of the battle, things are getting MORE chaotic. Rather than dragging Aryn along the floor, the woman ascends to her feet, allowing Jessika to remove her hand off the noble's robes and instead mostly interject herself between the fleeing blonde and the pirates who are still shooting at them. Jessika squeezes off another shot, but the pirate in question flees right before her trigger pull. They're yelling to each other about something. Something being blown up? Something not working? Over the cacophony of blaster fire, it's difficult to discern. She walks backwards, using the same technical footwork to ensure she's not tripping over anything in the process. <"I'm fine. The pirates are starting to retreat. Something's wrong."> The last sentence seems the most definitive considering the sudden zoom and rattle of loose snow given the starfighters zipping overhead.

Elrych turns to watch Vhe slaughter the angry Wampa before turning his head back towards the still firing and retreating pirates. He has never once run for cover. He stood right there in front of everyone, his blade raised defensivly. As he slowly stalks forward that blade falls to his side. There is a rumble around the four remaining pirates. Things rattle and shake, the air pressure changing between them and Elrych. Suddenly thunder claps, another loud but less powerful airbust explodes around them shaking scraps and sending snow flakes bursting into the sky. <<"Now get!">>

Kael Greystorm looks over at the Wompa that's womping on Hadrix and he sighs a bit as he gets ready to start shooting at that beast. And then the Jedi goes to town with the saber dropping it like it was butter. His next focus point is on the retreating pirates and sighs a bit as he holsters his pistol, "That was interesting. What's next? We need medical attention right?"

<"Anade ash'amur..."> Hadrix rumbles and stands, his wampa fur tumbled away into the snow, perhaps lost now, perhaps to be found again later. Maybe to be replaced. But he comes to his feet. Armor battered, dented inward in places. The gleam of Mandalorian Iron that has been formed to make his helmet showing where claws would have cleaved through durasteel and ended him.

Cape snapping behind him like a warbanner, the Mandalorian stands defiant as he draws back the cocking string of his caster, <"Kyr'am, cin'ciri'ulik, taabir'gar.">,

• • ALERT - Flight systems online** Leaping into the air, barely, the boulder of ice cast his way, twin wings of argent flame to carry him over the beast as others close in with plasma and blades of light when Vhe comes in to his aid. His targeting systems identifying fleeing forms and another bolt screams across the distance. A comet born and dying in the shoulder of a cannibal, sending the limb spinning one way and the body tumbling the other.

<"Obliged, jetii.">. He wants to follow. But they're running and the others do not seem to be giving chase. But then he may still go forth while the others tend their own. The boar-wolf is off its chain. A sun crafted of rage and a need to kill burning in the force with all of the dim spark an entity unable to use the force can be.

"You are right, of course. A comm device.." Aryn says, unhooking the device from a dead pirate to hold it up. The noise of the fighters zipping by overhead is loud, but once they are gone, it's only the subtle ringing of tinnitus and the howling of the winds. Local comms with the pirates reveal a rival gang on the planet heard they were pulling some weapon, and decided they were going to blow it up. Now the White Maw are stranded in the ruins, their corvette in flames.

Finding no reason to remain in danger, Aryn encourages the team's departure. Fate, it seemed, worked in odd ways and the destruction of this weapon did not require any of their expertise. Competition out here in Hoth seemed its healthiest; both with wildlife, and the pirate life.

Cut to a view of space as all the ships broke atmosphere-- They zip away to hyperspace in quick succession, each going their own way. Another happy mission!