Log:Cophrigan IV: Hard Exit

Cophigrin: Hard Exit

OOC Date: July 21, 2020
Location: Cophigrin IV
Participants: Ban Iskender, Karys, Lokir, Sajin, Nerys Arda, Zhu Yan, Rathe Versanio, Mydas Gryph, Aryn Cole, Narsai Ordo, Threl Ravrari, Domino and Hadrix Kora (GM)

Cophigrin IV, Ash Worlds, Formerly Alderaanian Territory

Controlled by: (Unknown) Elements of Sienar Fleet Systems

City: Belleau-a-Kiirium

Belleau-a-Kiirium is the crown jewel of the Ash Worlds planet Cophigrin IV. Formerly the seat for her Excellency, Viscountess Iskender, has now been reduced to a ghost town occupied by war-time automatons of a villainous Sienar Fleet Industries. Streets have yielded to the sand storms of the barren planet, coated with ash like dirt with the consistency of moon-dust.

On a recent assault/recue-op led by Ban Iskender one of the recruited force members had to stay behind to ensure the exfiltration craft wasn't crashed by a sandstorm.

The occupation force has been hunting the man for four days. The casualty rate in their droid forces has been catastrophic, compared to what had been estimated to hunt one man.

Scattered holo-comm reports have shown that Belleau-a-Kiirium is still where Hadrix can be found. A building that may have been a strip-mall in the ranges between suburb and city proper is still on fire. Sensor readings indicating ion-detonations and multiple droid 'bodies'. A city square has blast scored walls and more destroyed droids littering it. The top fly of a starscraper has a corner blown out of the top three floors and a destroyed Holocomm repeater.

Which seems to be the connection.

Several locations indicated to have holonet communication towers, now gone - blasted or struck down with demolition charges. Each having several of these messes around them. The last broadcast from Hadrix was simple, but effective.

Hadrix appears, the camera floating at head level, and likely to be Gripper recording; "Running out of comm towers to use. We're assuming people have gotten the message. I'm not going to risk any more, they're getting better at trying to catch me with the numbers of them dwindling." he looks briefly off to the side and a low thrum of detonations going off can be heard. "I'm going radio-silent, but will be listening. Contact on one of the frequencies in this broadcast. I'll respond." Blaster fire comes from off screen and the helmeted Mandalorian opens up with his carbine before the feed cuts.

The apparent expectation of rescue in his tone? Little. But help is coming, however they plan to do it remaining a mystery.

Aryn Cole is in the hold of a ship intended for the surface of Cophrigin IV. Memories of Belleau-a-Kiirium occupy the young noble's thoughts as she sees to the final preparations of her gear. Quiet, and keeping to herself for the most part, she collects her blaster and slides it into a drop-leg holster strapped over her thigh. Then, she brushes back her cape, folding the green fabric off her shoulders to hang straight down her back. Looking briefly into a mirror, Aryn adjusts her communications earpiece and turns from her scarred image. <"Comm check.">

Ban Iskender guides a Mobquet Overracer down the ship's ramp. The gentleman is clad in heavy armor beneath a green cavalier's half cape. A sword is sheathed on the right side of the hoverbike, a large pistol on the left. A horse (space horse) beneath him would look as appropriate as a speeder. Setting communications to Hadrix's latest frequency. <<Master Kora. Though I am glad to find you have been enjoying your stay, if you are prepared to be off, we are prepared to accommodate.>>

Rescue was on its way, whatever ships it might come by. This was hardly a streaking drop of a Wardroid to raze their way through the remaining forces and pull Hadrix out of danger that might have first sprung to mind, but...well there wasn't that much seating on that particular unsubtle option!

Wrapped in her crimson-plated armor, the Ordo Alor checked her weapons once more as they make to touch down. Jetpacks or Speeder bikes would carry them through the woods quick enough, but as they set down Narsai reaches to her bracer and sends a 'ping' on her hud. No vast message, little more than a 'beacon' for a moment to anyone who'd been on their IFF channel before. It was relatively straight-forward in its purpose: 'We're Here'.

A glance to Aryn, Narsai rolls her shoulders and primes her jetpack. <"I hear you,">

Nerys, who looked a bit naked, really, without her best buddy and constant companion resting by her feet at least had her Backpack of Holding there. She looked, much as she always looked, kitted out in her usual armor, her sword hilt over her right shoulder, the baton that was not a baton strapped to the side in its easy access clamp, and the backpack chock full of useful kit. She was not, though, waiting at the exit ramp to jump out as soon as the ship touched down. Instead, she was in the pilot's seat, calling back to those behind her, "We'll be dropping out of hyper...now." Way to give advance notice, Nerys.

As soon as the ship flashed back into normal space, the jamming suite flashed to life, Belate's familiar chirping from the place where he'd been socketed into the co-pilot's chair running a constant stream of reports as the 2400 darted across the sky, Nerys pushing the engines to maximum speed as they came around the planet, trying to avoid having to test whether the jamming system was hiding them from the droid mother ship in the time it took to breach the atmosphere and make for the landing zone where they were meeting the rest of the team. As soon as they touched down, Nerys rose from her seat. "Belate, the ship is yours. If you have questions, ask Jim, he knows what I need you to do if the ship comes under fire." She reached down, grabbing her backpack and the bowcaster that was leaning against it and made for the hold, "We're here." And then, as the call came, "I copy. We're down."

Settling into the ship with the Jedi that had been with the head strong mandalorian al'verde, Karys is adjusting for the non existent left arm. The armor of that side has been left behind but the indigo of her skyripper armor is slightly scuffed but still looking well maintained as she waits for the group to land. As her comms key up she hears the tail end portion of Ban's comminique and smiles to hersefl behind that visor of her helmet.

She turns her head to look upon Rathe. <"Of course he would be alive. I feel like we won't hear the end of it.">

She pulls out the Theed arms S-5 to check it, snapping out a nearly empty clip to slam the bottom down upon the next energy cell waiting to be used and angled on her belt to accomodate her one armed person. She nods to the mandalorian medic and glances to Aryn and Narsai, the visor catching the light to gleam as she angles her attention towards them.

Lokir is fully strapped into his jumpseat, gleaming s5 sitting politely in its holster. His twin-horned, mirrored helm is securely fastened, and based on prior experience, Lokir is happy to have taken all reasonable steps to avoid becoming a Lokir-shaped horned torpedo in the event of turbulence or combat insertion. <Zap here--locked and loaded>

Threl never really liked going into combat situations.

As a medic, it was her job to patch up the issues caused by combat, but she still didn't like going into it. "<>" She responds through the comm channel, tapping the tiny button on her left hand at the first knuckle of her index finger, looking to Domino and the other familiar faces surrounding her as they get their armor and weapons ready. She checks her medkit and carefully checks her blaster, making sure the charge pack is fully loaded before sliding it back into its holster on her waist. "<Almost time for fun.>"

Domino has of course joined the ship destined to retrieve her wayward former ward and favorite adopted doofus. Her armor is not the sleek formfitting affair an action movie would have her in but a sleek, dull and muted affair with a black canvas vest and pockets galore along with serial cables worn bandalier style. <"Peaches is reading everyone loud and clear."> The presence of the Jedi is wholly ignored, or at least so it seems. She snorts and looks sidelong to Karys <"Oh, someone's going to get an earful but I dunno it's gonna be two you."> She looks sidelong to Threl and snaps the holster off her M-434, checks the charge on it then offers the pistol, holster and all to Threl, <"I will want this back after today, but take it for now.">

Head leaned back, the Tracker slung across his chest in low ready. Rathe is still as he has already checked his weapons and gear as they approached the planet. Thi includes the various vibroweapons and medpac bolted on his armor. Now that they are closer and Karys speaks the helmet comes up steadily. Not a start, but there was a muffled sound of snoring a moment a go. The visor slowly turns towards Karys with an amused grunt. <"He made his decision. I can always medicate him if he gets too crowy."> There is a pause. <"He will be fine."> The moment they seem to be performing their drop run, the Tracker is slipped out into his grip, ready for combat. Already he is standing, the boots maglocking to the deck. The muzzle of the tracker turns towards the ramp of the ship. Rathe is ready for a combat drop.

First on the private Kora frequency. <<"Al'Verde, give me voice.">> Then repeated as he recalls to switch back to the operational frequency. The Kora war medic begins advancing the moment the ramp is down. He takes to one knee, bringing the Tracker up to his shoulder scanning for any threats. Droid. Or Overzealous Mandalorian.

For most male warriors, there were two things one abstained from prior to a battle: alchohol and females. Already within the landing zone and laid horizontally across the back of a scruffy, black-furred Tauntaun, Mydas of the House Gryph broke the latter rule of abstienance as he consumed the last of the contents of his field canteen.

Looking up to the sky as the spacecraft carrying the rest of the team landed, he wiped his chin free of the rum-runner mix which was already dribbling down his chin, groaned, and rolled off of the beast's back. Uncaring of whom saw him, he stepped over to the creature's hind right leg and began to urinate into the empty canteen. When he was finished, he deposited the canteen into a side-sling on the Tauntaun's saddle and snatched up his AFD Sniper Rifle and E-11, and tucked both under his cloak. Lastly, he grabbed his crimson helmet and placed it atop his head.

"Belate. Be Late. Gotta say, not my first choice for a droid name but then again I picked 'Reddie'." That was Zhu Yan (what a man) being his obnoxious self. However, today there was no bomber jacket, crafted by hand by the angels of Iego, fur so fine it absorbed Arcturan NegaBee honey, and an all round swell piece of attire.

What was there instead was power armour.

It was a great big bit of kit designed for frontline combat on all sorts of warzones, hermetically sealed, with built in jetpacks, and added about fifty kilos to the diminutive smuggler's frame. It unfortunately did nothing for his height, and he was still shorter than the vast majority of people here. Held in his left hand, thanks to the glorious servomotors that provided him with more strength than 'Yan you weedy miscreant!' was the Toddler Cannon. It was named such because it was three feet long and it had the unpredictable temperament of... well. The big black repeater with the side-mounted mag and the combat on top could fire a full forty round magazine at the broad side of a barn and miss but it was scary and that was okay, if he needed to shoot someone, he had a hand cannon strapped to his leg.

"So basically," Yan began, pulling the full-seal helmet over his head, "<<we go in, we find the guy, get him out, and try not to get killed doing so. We brought an army so yeah we should be fine.>>" He tromped down the ramp with heavy footfalls, little jets riddling his armour spurting as they went through preflight checks, and Yan of course could not keep his mouth shut. "<<And if he's a pain in the ass about it, if he wants to do his whole,>>" his voice dropped an octave, "<<'Oh look at me I'm Hadrix Kora rah rah rah',>>" back up it went, "<<no matter how much you love him,>>" he pointed now at the guy in the green half-cape astride the mechanical horse, "<<I'mma punch him right in his smug prick face. Yeah? Yeah. Alright.>>" JETPACK SPURT. "<<LESGO!>>"

After the difficulty had on the Station over Carida and a set of armor THAT WILL NEVER GRACE THE BEAUTY OF THIS HAPAN AGAIN, Sajin had returned to form wearing his Formfitter Powerarmor. Shock gloved Gauntlets adorned his hands, clasping to the mid section protective plate. His helmet whined a little as the HUD activated, playing Hadrix's words to the Drikish King. <<"What was it, battle droids?">> He asks Yan, adjusting the way his bowcaster sat against his chest, strapped against his chest plate with a bit of para-cord akin to a single point sling. His DL-44 was gone, replaced by the more rustic looking and heavily modified Series III, a rare and treasured find these days. As always he had his Combat knife, and an S5 for a back up. Massive ebon Ryyk blade rested across his back under a Gray with yellow inseam cape. And over that was a larger Jetpack; A Mitrinomin Z-6 complete with K-22 rocket.

When Yan goes about his rambling pep speach, Sajin sighs... tuning him out until it was time to go. His own Jetpack gives a sprit and he double checks his bowcaster.

Everyone confirming on the encrypted net leads Aryn to disembark the vessel with those who had accompanied Lord Ban. She's quiet, pausing once outside to bring protective eye wear down to shield herself from the moondust and any storm that decides to form a cyclone to hinder their visuals!

A glance up toward the sky chances a moment where a droid drone hovers over their landing zone, casting its jamming frequency over the net. Rather than allow the drone to escape with their encrypted signal, Aryn raises her hand and closes her eyes for a moment.

Forming a connection with the Force, Aryn expanded her perception beyond what most could. Supported by the great, vast energy field the Force was, Aryn found the droid and took hold of it through her connection. A forming of her fist saw many of its components mysteriously crushed by some unseen manner and sparks were produced as a result. Rather than flying straight and away, the automaton veered off its course, colliding into the side of a building and eventually falling, in pieces, to the moondust covered streets of Belleau-a-Kiirium.

Looking to Lord Ban, Aryn says "The automatons are aware of our presence." She steps closer to his bike, prepared to accept the gentleman's hand with boarding.

Ban Iskender notes dryly to Yan, "My good sir, I daresay the gentleman in question would be likely to consider such a punch naught but an affectionate greeting. I'll not deny you such." Hadrix's transmission, however brief, is enough to still conversation. The jamming draws a brief wince a d green eyes scan the ruins of his former home for any signal flares or outbursts of blaster fire. Each just as likely a sign of an ill tempered Mandalorian. A gauntleted hand is offered to aid Aryn in joining him. "So they are. Shall we, my Lady?" Once she has mounted Ban will prepare to ride out, drawing the ornate hilt of his bladeless sword from its sheath in the left hand.

That sudden squeel of static has Narsai hissing, turning her helmeted head as she adjusted the signal's volume instinctively. A grunt, her gaze was drawn upwards towards the recon droids just in time for Aryn's display of power to cause the metallic hunter to plummet downwards. <"Impressive,"> she speaks before taking a breath. The signal cut out but...well, the Ordo woman was stubborn.

<"Where are you Hadrix Kora..."> she speaks softly, staring at something unseen...or perhaps merely the HUD within her helmet before she straightens up.

<"That way,"> Narsai speaks, lifting a hand. <"Office building, about midway up. He's there."> No time for arguement, the woman was already preparing to move when talk comes of the droids. <"Best we be quick then, regroup to respond and make our escape.">

Nerys, who did raise her weapon as she caught sight of the spotter droids, but did not immediately fire, but covered, well, herself, having left the baby head droid back on the Warden, using the group to her advantage, giving herself time to try to get a feel for the area and to see what it could tell her about the Kora's movements. <I'm not picking up his heat signature.> No surprise, given his armor, <But we should use those search droids to our advantage. They're moving in a series of tightly search patterns, which leads me to believe that they have had time to narrow down where he might be.> Nerys frowned, as the Mandalorian began giving orders. But, as she was not expected to lead from the front, she allowed the group to proceed ahead of her.

That crackle at the end that fizzles out Hadrix response over the comms spurs Karys into actions. <"Cover me as we disembark."> This said to Rathe as they make their way with the rest and she is pulling up the integrated system that is upon her belt. Kneeling she rests the small little computer there and begins to busy herself with the internal comm first, working through the interference that is causing the information to go unnoticed.

As she breaks through the static to the weak signal she nods, her helmet catching the light as she silently indicates she found something. <"To all friendlies. Broadcasting the supposed location. Broke through the jamming.">

Moments later Karys is piggy packing what she is receiving across the other comms so that they can all pinpoint possibly where he is. THey are not exact and probably figured manually by their intended target. <"Lets move."> This more for those immediately around her as she claps the small computer shut and lets it hang from her belt. The S5 is pulled free of its holster as she lengthens her strides to keep up with Rathe.

Lokir unbuckles from his safety seat. As the familiar YT-2400's gangplank comes down, Lokir spies a juicy looking wooded ledge that is simply begging for company. <ZAP--Finding higher ground>. With a quick hiss and K-CHUNK, the thin black cable extends from the ground and into the foliage--shortly followed by a large, horned humanoid defying gravity and flitting into the trees with a rustle of leaves. <In place.>

There's sounds of movement from all around, but not from Threl. Yes, she's got her blaster at the ready and her medpack slung over her shoulder (along with whatever else useful she might have been able to pack in there), she slowly and carefully picks her way along with the rest of the party, keeping her eyes and ears open for whatever may require smiting. The lightsaber does get a little sideways glance...blazing lazer sword doesn't scream out 'hiding' very well to her.

Domino checks her gear and eases her hand into a pocket to fish out an ion grenade <"If anyone needs slicing or electronic support that Karys isn't seeing to speak up-otherwise, Doll, let me know when you're done so I don't do anything to disrupt you working your magic."> She then moves to follow where Narsai leads but she's trying to keep track of those around her and sends a small pebble skittering across the ground as she goes, shifting an ion grenade to another pocket and drawing her whip.

<"Always, RogerRoger"> Rathe's tone is slightly amused as he answers Karys, his visor focused on her. When she moves he moves, occasionally tapping her shoulder to try to point out helpful cover while not interfering with her electronics work. After a little while from the ship he motions to her and begins leapfrogging. Quietly ranging ahead to sink to one knee behind cover with the Tracker nestled into his shoulder at the ready. Rathe does not look back for her or any of the others, choosing to track them all via his helmet HUD for ease of coordinating movements.

Mydas is momentarily taken aback when he witnesses the woman he once knew and taunted as 'The College Girl' hurl several search droids towards a wall through what he already knew to be the Force. He groaned and gave his black Tauntaun a slap on the upper curve of its tail, causing it to run back towards the landing struts of the spacecraft that the rest of the team arrived on.

"<<Seriously?>> Mydas said to himself, on his helmet's private frequency, and lifted his right vambrace to adjust its communications. <<Always wantin' the girls who can kick my ass...>>" He finishes adjusting his comms, and tunes in to the squad frequency.

<<"Alright, sithspitters, I'm vanguardin' and I'll pitch in where I can, but if you're really needin' help or something, go and ask someone else or pray to the will of the Force or whatever so it can ignore you like it does most of the livin' population. I'm here for the droid scraps-->>" Mydas suddenly dips low, and and scrambles towards a position of cover thirty-feet from where he stands while drawing his E-11. He raises the rifle, targets one of the drones, and immediately opens fire.

<<"Heartbreak and sithspittin' missed shots all in the span of five-sithspittin' minutes.>>" Mydas lowers his head, anticipating return fire.

<<"Feth my life.>>"

"<<Concussion cannons?>>" Yan asked, then turned to Sajin. "<<Change of plan, we're mugging some droids for concussion cannons.>>" That was glee, thick and audible in his voice. Big guns! Speaking of big guns, he checked the heavily pimped out TA-16 again. Yeah it was ready, it was loaded, it was gonna be loud. "<<Yo Saj, we're the mobile ones here, you wanna go check it out? Yeah sounds good let's do it.>>" That was Yan, never giving anyone the time to respond to his cockamime hairbrained ideas. There were spurts from his jets and they lifted him from the deck, and he blasted off into oblivion.

Well, the sky. But low, because AA was a thing, and you can't get hit by AA if you're under their AoA. Acronyms! And hey, at least he'd paid attention and was heading in the right direction. "<<Can someone call up the lunk,>>" he said over comms, "<<and tell him the smaller, smarter, and faaaaaaaar more handsome version of him is on the way?>>"

<<"Mugging droids of concussion cannons? I mean, alright....">> Sajin says to his Jetpack buddy as they soar like two big monsters in the sky (Sajin clearly the MUSH LARGER one.) He's a little busy looking towards the ground, making sure he's not missing a target to shoot from his vantage point, that he misses the space goose that slams right into him. <<"AHHHHHH! I'm under attack!" He goes into a spin, arms and legs flailing. He is able to recover though, rising back up to fly level with Yan. He triggers Hadrix's comm, ""Had... Karys took care of the Jamming. Yan and I are coming directly to you.">>

Aryn settles behind the Lir Dragoon Captain and wraps her arm around his mid-section after settling the treads of her boots into the overracer's custom foot-rests. With the LOUD revving of the racer's engine, Aryn finds that she can't help but smile. Seeing Ban in his element reminded her of the last time they rode into battle together; it'd been here, defending Belleau-a-Kiirium. A glance shared with the Captain, and Aryn braces herself for motion.

The ride is exactly as she remembers it, its repulsors propelling them along at a quick, and LOUD, rate. She's barely got time to react as targets filter into view, marked by the LOVELY Ms. Nerys.

Aryn's lightsaber is drawn to her hand in the blink of an eye, the curved hilt coming to life in a sudden flash of sapphire blue that expands to its full 1.2m. It's a blur when held on the overracer, and it looms before the droids they pass. Two large artillery droids find their end when her blade passes through them. The brief hue of blue they're cast in ending when only molten metal of bright orange detail the result of her attack. She tries for a third, swinging and missing with a WHOOOMPHFF that's overshadowed by the ROAR of Ban's ride.

By conventional military reckoning, speeder bike troopers were valuable scouts and rapid deployment units, but we're of limited use against armor, artillery, or massed infantry. A headlong charge against orderly heavy infantry formations would be a waste of good light cavalry.

But lightsabers change conventional reckoning. With Aryn riding behind him, Ban guides the roaring Overracer in a precise and nearly reckless charge past lesser droid troopers to slash past the heaviest of the enemy force. He is preoccupied with the daring race, but does manage to cut down one artillery droid in passing. "Well struck once again, my Lady," he bids, evenly.

Without laser sword or jetbike, Narsai's approach was a little more direct and traditional as she moved in: the blaster in her hand was raised and the woman loosed a pair of shots off at the droids. Stealth was overrated when the earlier shooting and the glowing plasma blades already announced them pretty readily. At least they could probably draw some heat away from the hunted Hadrix!

A pair of shots loosed from her blaster as she moved between whatever cover she might find, but the droid's sensors clearly do their job as the metal soldier turns and moves out of the path of her bolts, earning a curse of disbelief from the woman.

<<Domino, patch me into their comms system,> Nerys voice came up, <I have an idea.>

Domino tugs out her datapad and mutters, <"I thought we knew where he was, this'd be easier on the ship. Standby, someone please make sure I don't get shot."> opens a pocket on her utility vest and pulls out some goggles and then a smaller datapad than the battered one she usually has with her and plugs a jumper into her suit for some inexplicable reason and thumb tappity-types away before declaring to Nerys <"Go ahead and try now, Nerys.">

Nerys, who still had her weapon at the ready, pulled back to give Domino time to work her magic, covering her as best she could while the other woman worked. She frowned, glancing at the translator droid on her hand, then nodded, as if to herself. Once she had the go ahead, she focused her attention on the system she was listening in to, the droid's eyes flickering, as if it were reading what she was saying. If it was doing the translating though, that was anyone's guess, as well, she was wearing her helmet, so nobody could see the redhead's lips moving, the words coming out in clear, crisp Binary, as she began to feed incorrect targeting data to the droids up ahead, noting phantom points of contact and ghost attackers that would, if she was lucky, lead them away from the group. Or, at the least, put them into some disarray.

Karys is quick to glances aside at Rathe and as they cover each other with each forward movement, she is quick and efficient. As she goes to a knee behind some rubble she pipes up. <"This place is..friendly. I see why you left him here."> She smirks, her humor somewhat dry as she glances up and over her cover to study the droids incoming who.

Bracing her pistol to help with her aim three shots send a hail of green bolts in their direction. The first two slam into the droids, daking them down as they spark and fizzle, dropping to the ground and the third gets away unharmed. <"I think we hold here, Rathe. They will come to us.">

Lokir knows battle droids. Easily frightened, prone to distraction, willing to chase after digital rabbits, depending on the pricyness of the model. From the hidden vantage point of the tree coverage, Lokir decides to send some covering fire towards the artillery droids--hopefully just enough to confuse and distract their targeting matrices, though the distance makes such blaster fire unlikely to donmuch damage.

With Domino patching into a comms system, that leaves her unable to defend herself if attacked, so Threl, being a friend of Peaches, decides to do just that. The little Togruta moves into a covering position, raising her blaster and sending two shots into the droid army, one striking true, sending the droid it hit toppling, smoking from the crater in its chest, the other smashing into a fallen column from some building long destroyed.

Lightsabers and blasters do their thing. Droids do theirs. There is much for the war medic to consider. His helmet never moves aside from fractionally, still relying on hud data for the moment. The comms chatter in the back of his mind. Karys speaking to him brings forth the first motions from the man. His Tracker muzzle starts shifting from behind cover. His helmet vox crackles. <"It was busy."> Rathe acknowledges calmly. He starts sighting his targets adjusting every time one goes down. <"We had a sandstorm roll in. Hadrix was Hadrix."> But the helmet does turn back to regard Karys as he processes her first statement better. Then a nod as she makes her suggestion. <"Affirmative."> Rathe is at home here, Rathe is at war... Rathe was distracted and squeezed the firing pin twice a little too hard and missed his target. Nothing is said over the vox, but there is a muffled sound under the helmet. Possibly expletives.

Two shots, two hits, one droid down. Mydas turned slightly to keep his eyes on the slicers,whom he identified as the Prime Tactical Assets, and turned around again to observe any hostiles headed their way. Mydas side-shrugged. "<<The geeks got their uses,>>" he said to himself, though it was probably heard by all.

"<<Ya hear that?>>" Yan asked Sajin as they flew low, praying for no more majestic space ducks to interfere with their flight. "<<Droids are getting antsy and... getting new targeting solutions.>>" Learning binary was one of Yan's smartest moves.

In the ocean that was his life, they could fit in a bathtub.

"<<Anyway we're ignoring that. Job is to get the guy and gee-tee-eff-oh.>>" Who even talks in acronyms? The pair of flyers-by-night were coming up on the building now, and Yan's tacmap was trying to pinpoint where in the building Hadrix Kora laired. Its a shame, because as his helmet pinged, he was looking at a scan of one of the droids and going, "Whoa, now that's a concussion rifle! Daddy want some!"

Sajin look over at the fire fight now erupting around Yan and him towards the ground. He's thinking, perhaps of dropping a Thermal down there from his vantage. Yan's voice brings him back to reality, helmeted head turning towards his fellow Jetpack Boi. <<"Is that what they're doing. I can't understand any of that drek.">> He left Buckets back on the ship along with his J9. He looks to his left, noticing a glint from a high rise. <<"Hey... HEY!">> He attempts to get Yan's attention. <<"About a klick south, someone's in a snipers nest. Fourth floor, I bet you it's Hadrix.">>

The scream of the speederbike cutting in burners to allow the Jedi aboard to do more than get swings on the enemy. It also focuses most of the squadron's attention on them. Filling the air with ruby darts that, all but one, fail to be on target. Nerys and Domino's work on their systems giving them false targeting data. Fortunate, especially when the others turn towards the rest of the party, opening fire. Most of the heavier droids missing their mark, the concussion cannons blasting out large divots in masonry or bending durasteel like a plastic straw.

Hate to be a one to even get a glancing blow from such a shot. Painful and literally bone rattling.

Their charge earned the attention of the entire platoon of droids, and the incoming fire was mesmerizing and dangerous. Caught in the rapid flashing of the chaos, Aryn tries to intercept one blaster bolt and fails, immediately feeling the reward for the effort smashing into the back of her shoulder pauldron to find purchase. "AHhhh!" She cries out in pain, her left arm growing limp, and as a result, the subsequent attacks against the artillery droids fail! Aryn leans heavily on Ban's back trying to mitigate the pain of flash-frozen, carbon scored flesh! "I'm hit.-- I'll be okay." Annoyed by the pain, Aryn regrips her curved hilt and holds it along the right side of the overracer.

Ban Iskender guides the speeder bike through the firestorm of blaster bolts, far too focused of the complex effort of not being blown up to add his sword to the second daring dash. Aryn's recoil and report are met a sharply drawn breath and a short nod. "Then I shall bring us about for a third pass, Highness." Expression stony and green sword held along the left side of the speeder, the two Jedi round the ruins of a fallen statue, and charge back into the battle, again.

The sound of a blaster-bolt hitting beskar plating gives a loud audible 'ring' that echoes amongst all of the fire. Narsai was hit, but the armor had held up and she was unharmed. She was not, however, unannoyied. Giving a little hiss her W-35 swings up, a pair of bolts loosed dropping one of the droids that hit her and the droid next to it. Hacking on their side was certainly balancing out the numbers around them, the Mandalorian woman glances back towards Karys and Domino. <"Keep it up ladies!">

Nerys was not a large woman, though she did have a few inches on Domino, who was hunkered down at work at keeping her hooked into the droid's systems. Nerys simply did what she said she would do, she placed herself between where Domino was working and where the droids were seeking to eliminate the organics in their midst. If it had been possible to look within the armor, it might have been possible, at least existentially, that there were two Nerys' at the moment. The human seeming woman who was looking out at the world, and the not quite a woman who was looking within, reading through the data, taking it in, rearranging that data and spitting it back out. Here's to hoping they both made it out of there.

Karys lowers her gun, turning her back into the cover she found in order to pull out the computer from her hip. The uplink finds its place on her thighs and atop her armor as she works through the frequency the others have set up to muddle the group. A nod of her head over towards Domino and Nerys and she starts to feed a loop through of commnads. Not to muddle them but to quickly create a loop that will overload their systems and cause them to short. She manages to get the loop through to four droids as they start to shake and say the same phrase over and over. "Retargeting. Target not acquired. Retargeting. Target not acquired." The droids spew out the nonsense as Karys lifts her head and glances over at Rathe, a thumbs up given as she stays like that with the interface on her lap.

<"Cover me."> It looks like she's intent on scooting over to join Rathe and does, sliding across the sand dusted ground to get to him, leaving a dark mark where she's wiped away the light covering.

Lokir draws some fire from the battle droids--the energy bolts mostly spattering harmlessly off his armor--some bruising and burns, but nothing egregious. He replies in kind, sending green bolts harmlessly in the droids' direction. As a professional meatshield, things are going swimmingly--ample organic ablative deflection going on in Lokir's sector.

Crouching down to shield Domino from fire seems to have done it's job, but, sadly, attention is drawn to the Togruta woman, several blaster bolts streaking towards her. Dodge as she might, one ends up hitting her in the shoulder, drawing a cry of pain and a string of words that, if translated, might make the esteemed Peaches blush! With a shout she fires two more shots at the droids, missing both, but feeling a lot better about it.

Domino shoves her datapad into it's pouch and growls in irritation as she realizes both Threl AND her favorite Tin Can have both been injured <"OH, FORGET this nonsense!"> She steps in front of Threl pulling an ion grenade from it's clip on her utility vest and gives a running start to throw the grenade into the thick of the droids advancing. She immediately pulls another out and waits to see the result of the first throw with another ready in her hand.

The speeder zips about among a flurry of blaster shots. More incoming fire for the majority of the friendly forces. Rathe's helmet does fractionally move this time. he is twitching his chin to mark th friendlies on his HUD that have been wounded in one form or another. The droids start their chant and Rathe pauses in motion as if the sight is a little disconcerting. Karys gives a thumbs up, and Rathe nods sharply in appreciation. Then the instruction to cover her, and he does such without hesitation for his battle-sister. Fortunately he does not need to worry about her much as she makes it over with sand going everywhere a moment. He gestures the Tracker muzzle at the chanting droids on their retargeting loop. He comments on the private Kora channel. <<"Slightly creepy.">> A beat. <<"Good job.">> The tracker comes fulling into his shoulder again and he squeezes the firing stud twice in rapid succession with mixed results. No muffled sounds from within the helmet this time.

As red bolts stream to his left and right, Mydas keeps his head tucked behind the low-built barricade and waits for a pause in the firing.

"<<Those Artillery Droids are gonna screw up our advance. Ain't nobody goin' anywhere 'till they're scrapped,>>" Mydas says, and then pops up from cover just long enough to fire several quick-aimed shots at several of the droids, all off the shots missing.

"Movin' on the left flank of that artillery, 5 meters off from 'em. If someone flanks right, we can take 'em down faster.>>

"<<Sniper's nest? Yeah it fits.>>" Yan suppressed a horrible flashback regarding Cantonica and a police shootout, swallowed, and said, "<<Sajin, have you ever known me to be subtle?>>" The answer to that question is was and always will be a resounding no and Yan was about to prove it. Now, utilizing the horrible icky tongue controls that handled the comm in these godforsaken helmets (because Yan's hands were occupied doing jetpack and giant gun things), he flipped over to Channel Kora and said, "<<Sexy reinforcements coming in hot.>>"

And now the fun begins. Yan raised his elevation and cut forward thrust completely. This had the net effect of turning him from a flying superman into a very well thrown superman, carried forth by inertia and sheer stupidity. There was a couple of fwips as retro rockets fired, turning Yan around 180 so he was going feet-first. Now instead of breaking his skull on impact, he was going to break his legs. Neat!

Timing was everything here. Sailing towards the fourth floor, hoping he'd lined things up so he was going to miss the big meathead, secretly praying he hadn't so he could dropkick him right in his stupid fat face, he had to get the jets right. There was a spurt of jets right before impact.

SHATTER.

Yan's feet ripped the window a new one, sending flying glass everywhere, and only his rockets stopped him from launching out the other side of the building. His feet hit the deck and skidded along the ground, stance wide, tearing up furrows in the flooring. He sailed straight past Hadrix and deeper into the room, his back jets blaring, and his right hand clamping on to the ground to prevent him from toppling over. "WHOOH!" he finally burst out upon arresting his entrance. "YEAH!" Fistpump! "HELLO!"

Sajin aims for the building, specifically the window. Yet the cross breeze is making it difficult for his approach. He had practiced a lot on the lighter jetpack that was with his Void Armor, yet this big thing was a bit different to handle. *Wink* <<"Why are you asking, of course you're not!">> Sajin remarks just as he hits part of the wall and window frame, smashing through and into the building. There is a loud unceremonious thud as bricks and dry wall come falling down. Another clunk as boots meet floor. <<"Now now... Let's not stand on Ceremony, Mr. Hadrix. It's time to leave.">> <<"Wait what did I just say?">> Sajin shakes his head, feeling that impact perhaps a bit more than Yan did his own.

Nerys's work with the droids targeting systems must be getting contested by compensator systems. Likely something built to combat jammers that the targeting logics are assuming. Doubly so when ion strikes, and then several units fry due to system overloads, they turn and begin firing at all sensor reads that aren't their own group. Even if it was other droid units. Now it didn't matter.

Blasterfire chews up ground and shatters windows while concussion blasts sound like small thunderbolts that burst stone, bruise tissue, and threaten to powder bones. A maelstrom of blasts going off - but no reinforcements, yet. Side affect of the system interference, perhaps?

In the building, when Zhu and Sajin blast in, the first that appears in the massive ovalene barrel of the Mandalorian's T27 already glowing with the ion-sheathe prepping a concussion munition for firing. His armor is scorched, battered, and sprayed with hydraulic fluid and not a small amount of blood from several holes punched through the durasteel plates. The beskar on his head and shoulders almost down to the chromium like undermetal. Patches have been applied and droid heads are hung on trophy strings from his belt.

<"Ori'Sajin, Zhu Yan..."> a tilt of his head <"Unexpected retrieval team."> a nod, <"Appreciated. I'm low on ammo"> what!? <"I'm on your six if you care to lead the way, yes"> not standing on ceremony, as Sajin said, when he comes out of the hide fully, covered in small trophies that may actually serve as additional armor at this point.

Aryn's hair, and cape, whipped about as the overracer was led through the follow-up Lord Ban had heralded. They were going straight down the center of this droid unit, and at the rev of the loud engine propelling them forward, she could do nothing but smile.

"Mother save us!" She yelled, exhilarated by the charge. When they pass between them, Aryn is able to score a hit on one of the three. Her blade sparks through the central chassis and prompts the droid to split, its molten exterior transformed to a bright hot orange center. "WOOOOO!" Aryn screams, her blade riding low as they find another passage to drive through to come about.

Ban Iskender charges back into the unfolding fray, guiding the speeder with his right hand while in the left, his radiant green sword narrowly wards off a bolt that had looked destined to strike him. ...another bolt DOES strike him, causing the rider and bike to rock slightly in their aggressive course, but he voices to the Jedi Knight riding behind him, "I am well. But we must make an end of the automaton artillery. Once more, my Lady?" Grimly guiding the Overracer on a reckless path through the thick of the mechanoid foes, the worst of the war droids are diminished by two: Aryn cuts one down on the right, Ban cuts one down on the left as the Jedi ride past. The exuberance of the Princess wins a tight smile from Ban.

From unexpected to expected, Narsai was still making her aggressive approach. Blaster bolts shift from the soldiers to the heavy droids at the call from their companions, dropping one of the remaining droids before she hears the voice over the commlink.

A breath of relief, the Ordo Alor keys her mic. <"We're clearing a path Hadrix, but I think the welcome has been well and truely overstayed.">

The sudden shock of being disconnected from the system was momentarily disorienting to Nerys, as Domino shut down the connection to go to work with her grenades. But that split second of inaction was a split second too long and her awareness went off-kilter enough that she did not have the awareness to try to dodge as the droids fired in her direction, her commands no longer disorienting them. A solid hit of invisible force slammed the woman off of her feet, throwing her back and away from the group, crumpling her into a heap on the ground, as she turned to cradle her weapon and prevent it from damage as she rolled back to her feet, trying and failing to hurt the droid that hurt her. But it was the thought that counted! And she could still have those!

Two shots sear the air at her and one leaves a scorch mark on her helmet as she crosses towards Rathe. The heat can nearly be felt THROUGH her armor but for the moment the beskar glows in angry reminder of her close call. Karys curses below her breath as she pops up and instead of going for the pawns she aims for the heavy hitters. The first one is off - still rattled by the close call but her second shot hits...does not damage. Much like the shot that nearly got her.

<"FINALLY"> She growls out over the comm as her third bolt slams into one of them, a clear spark and jerk of the droid enough to announce her success.

The shot in her shoulder aches, causing a fairly substantial distraction for Threl. With Domino out in front and flinging grenades at the bot army, she moves into cover, breaking out her medkit and quickly treating the injury in her shoulder. Sure, she'll get it looked at when she gets back home, but for right now, she's fine. And once that's done, she starts looking for injured...

Domino's head whips around at the carnage happening around her and she gives a snarl <"Really?! UGHN!">turns her attention from the soldier droids sifting her ion grade into a pocket and yanking out her Electro chain whip,giving a sprinting run and keeping her sword/chainwhip erect for the moment and slamming it hard against one of the <<"Get ready to move once we get Dumbnuts there's no reason to stick around and keep getting bits blown off.">> She pivots then and begins to close distance on the next artillery droid.

More get wounded, and he updates the HUD status. As noone has called for Rathe directly yet, Rathe does what Rathe enjoys. Shooting things. However, tonight Rathe is only shooting at things. This time the helmet shakes when he switches targets and aims for the artillery droids deeming them the greatest threat. After firing he looks at the Tracker, first he taps the side of his helmet. Next he slaps the side of the weapon itself with a flat palm twice. <"I think it's the heat. Night or not."> Rathe comments towards Karys after she exults in her own shot finally striking. He taps at the sight and then a gloved finger first touches a dial, and then proceeds to tap at his left gauntlet several moments before bringing the Tracker back up to his shoulder.

Mydas hurries to the left flank of the artillery droids, but in exposing himself from cover--

1. PEW!#

"<<Sithspittin' mother-chak...damnit!>>" Mydas shouts as a laser bolt utterly pierces his right achilles tendon. He goes down on one knee, but persists ahead by dragging himself towards the nearest cover. Propping his E-11 atop the barricade, he opens fire twice on one of the artillery droids, but misses again.

Think fast, Yan. Your entire plan so far had amounted to 'Step 1: Jetpack through a window'. Unfortunately anything beyond that had been completely out of mind and now he felt a little bit thick for not thinking ahead. "Right. Okay. So. I have a plan." He had maybe twelve percent of a plan at best. He had nothing. Nothing at all. But he could think fast and that could count for something, right? "That chaos we're hearing going on down there, right, is our guys tearing this droid army a new one." A quick cursory scan of the lunkheaded Mandalorian revealed that... "We've all got jetpacks so we just drop down, start shooting, pin 'em between us. Good plan." Yes, clearly you have had this planned from the outset, Zhu Yan, and there is no reason whatsoever to doubt you.

SHUNK-SHUNK. That was the sound of the the diminutive play-warrior racking the charging lever of the Toddler Cannon, a move that, if tried on an actual toddler would result in a lot of screaming, anger, and general pain all around for everybody involved. So, it was apt. "Showtime, ladies."

And with that, Zhu Yan fell out the window.

Now, before you all start your wholly-warranted and state-sponsored cheering, keep in mind that Zhu Yan was wearing a jetpack and using that to slow his descent so that he didn't inevitably become a horribly intermingled flesh and metal pancake. However, unfortunately for Zhu Yan, he had forgotten that all of his retrothrusters were currently set on 'Don't fracking die'. Works great when you're dropkicking a window. Not so much when you're going for a graceful landing. So yes, Zhu Yan did reach the ground, after much screaming and wild spinning, and he was free of any crippling injuries. But droid scans would later bring into question the source of the dirt angel left at his point of landing.

You may now commence your wholly-warranted and state-sponsored cheering.

<<"What?">> Came Sajin's voice over his helm's voice box. He hadn't been paying attention, still trying to steady himself from the impact he had just had through an entire building. He turns and looks out and down into the battle field. <<"Krif... alright.">> As soon as Yan drops out, so does Sajin. His rockets fire, slowing the decent, allowing him to land with minimal impact on his body. It was still loud though as the engine cut short just a bit above the ground. Looking over to see a recovering Yan, he raised his bowcaster and fired towards a building where some of the droids were occupying. The bolt misses any of them but rips through a wall in a building, exploding a bit. <<"Let's push 'em!">> He offers.

More are falling, the heavier units going down one by one, but they're still standing. But the subject of the exfiltration has been found. The exchange growing more desperate. Zhu is falling! Blaster bolts and concussion rounds are slamming into places around Lokir and Threl while they move in full cover, out of sight but not out of memory banks.

Hadrix simply steps off the ledge, cape blowing out and moving like a drag behind him. His jets don't fire, but his rifle does, twisting one of the artillery droids and throwing its attack off mark. It's only in the last handfull of feet that his gravity belt cuts in, and slows his landing to a heavy thud when he hits, barrel smoking and looming like some barbarian out of storybooks - fur mantled cape and trophies on leaders.

"Down the middle, Captain!" The overracer slides in a wide arc that's cut short when the Dragoon kicks the gear and revs, which puts Aryn in an odd state where she must lean forward and make a concerted effort to hold onto Ban. Were it not for his presence in front of her, it's very likely her cheeks would have started to comically compress under the G-forces; THANKFULLY they do not.

The blur that is blue and green pass between the droids again and this time Aryn screams victoriously as her blade splits the remaining two Artillery droids, cutting them down, then slices through the soldier droid, splitting it vertically. "WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"I believe they mean to fall back, Captain!" Referencing their comrades.

Ban Iskender accelerates the Overracer back toward their waiting ships when the telltale flare of jetpacks and a plummeting Yan indicate that their extraction may begin. "Then we shall fall back. By way one one last advance." He could guide the speeder back to the landing zone by way of cicuitous routes.. but the droids are marching through the remains of his home, and the young soldier chooses one last pass, striking down a blaster bearing machine on the way.

The droid numbers were falling fast, speeder-bike cavalry charges and a wave of gunfire will do that pretty efficiently! Still, when Hadrix makes his reveal Narsai steps out of cover, weaving between the shots headed her way and firing back. One misses, but the next downs another metal mook before she signals to the big castaway. <"Hadrix! Have you got any fuel left in your jetpack? We're going to have to cover ground quickly!">

Nerys managed a few seconds on her feet, before she had to fall to the side, using a piece of fallen building to prop herself up. Not that was of much help, indeed, as it seemingly left her open to attack from the baby (relatively speaking) droids. Before she could even raise her bow to aim another shot one of the bolts streaked across the distance, slamming into her helmet and whipping her head back, the woman crumpling to the ground. This time, she did not get up.

Damage is being taken by all and Karys grunts as the bolt slams into her chest though she is one of the lucky few that are still moving. Well most are and she leans into her cover, catching her breath as the acrid smell of smoke and then burnt flesh rises up to greet her. She coughs and bracing her side against the rubble, she swings her arm out and aims along the top of it. Small target. Easier to aim. Holding her breath, she still shakes due to th epain that she tries to ignore. Squeezing off three shots as the green bolts miss and then catch several times as two more droids go down.

<"I think we have someone down, Rathe!"> She is not calling out for herself. No she is directing him towards Nerys as she provides cover for them.

Lokir leans out from behind his trusty trunk, sending blind covering fire towards the remaining droids. He succeeds in thoroughly targeting the dirt. With a nod of satisfaction, Lokir then, woozily, fires a piton at an ideal swinging target. It chunks into the branch and Lokir swings gallantly back towards the YT-2400--only to have the branch shatter halfway along Lokir's glide path. With an unceremonious tumble and thud, Lokir takes a roll and comes up more or less unharmed--but with a thorough nest of thistles and leaves crowning his helm.

Everything is going pear-shaped. Yet the primary objective is being completed. Many take deeper wounds, and finally Rathe is on the move. He'd released the Tracker to dangle against his chest on its sling. He's bounding for Nerys and slides to a halt next to her unconscious form. Immediately he works, his right hand blindly pulling items out from the medpac bolted to his right thigh. It is quick and dirty but gets the job done. He plugs up the worst of the holes and starts working to get her on shoulders to do his job and tactically withdraw with the wounded.

Mydas looks ahead with his E-11 still raised, and watches as the Kora'ade joins the battle, apparently rescued. At this point, Mydas lays down a small, circular broadcast beacon which will call his own House--and its 'Fifty-Two Sons' to the planet to begin a bombing and droid scrapping operation for which the Hutt Cartel will pay them handsomely to be partners in, if not buy it outright.

Mydas looks around and sees many of the warriors around him fighting and being wounded, like him, and though owing no fealty to any of them, he considers fighting alongside them even given that the job has been completed, and the Kora'ade has been rescued. He considered that in the traditional Mandalorian sense, that would be the honorable thing to do.

<<"Bye, FelUcia,>> Mydas said, and then flipped the hood of his cloak over his helmet and activated the shadowplates attached to his armor. After that, all transmissions from his helmet ceased, and he wasn't even visible on the field of battle.

The dirt angel print was marred slightly by Zhu Yan (what a man!) staggering to his feet. There was a wheezing sound as he brought air into his lungs, and it hurt like buggery. Winded. GREAT. There were a couple of coughs as he righted himself and checked the Toddler Cannon. Still primed, still ready, and despite being trained on the use of firearms and how they don't just go off like in holofilms Yan was surprised it hadn't done just that. Well. Now he was dinged and grumpy. Time to take that out on a poor sucker. He brought up the repeater and started looking for targets, and tempting as it was to pop off Hadrix's head right here right now, that would kinda defeat the purpose of being here and getting sweet sweet Jeedai favours.

He'd also have to endure the wrath of Narsai Ordo. Yan shuddered at the thought.

With the big bastards getting fried by the rest of the squad, that left the droid soldiers with concussion rifles. Alas, Yan wasn't going to be able to pick for scraps, he didn't have time, but he DID have time to kill something. That always made him feel better. He braced the repeater in his shoulder, eyeballed one of the more intact ones, and fired.

The din of the battle lessened, drowned out by a deafening four round WHUMPHWHUMPHWHUMPHWHUMPH. The air went red as the Toddler Cannon kicked like its namesake, letting off crimson bolts the size of Sumi Kora's brass balls. Those on the receiving end of the weapon believed that it was the safest thing to face if they held still, owing to the thing's notorious inaccuracy. The droid found out the hard way that it wasn't entirely true, for it was reduced to slag so potent it started a small brush fire.

Right, he'd had his fun. The jets on the armour suit spurted angrily, not at all pleased with their mistreatment. Especially the leg ones. Glass is not a nice thing to shatter. Yan was lifted into the air for horrifically powered overwatch, all the way back home.

Sajin was still occupied with laying down covering fire, smashing super charged bowcaster bolts into buildings and nothing much else, when Yan joined in with the shooting. Though, when it's time to go and Yan's pack rockets away, Sajin powers his own and shoots into the air. Blasting off again.

It's a pretty planet. It's a droid planet. It's a planet hostile to life as we know it. If these were Kitonak's the narrating reporter would be shredded right now. But as those few droids still functioning are blasted into oblivion by the rescuers, and the rescued, leaving scrap in their wake as the retrieval crew makes their escape for the landed craft.

The work done by Nerys, Karys and Domino buying them time so that when hatches close and shields engage before liftoff, only the deflectors designed to withstand fighter class weapons, are impacted on harmlessly.

Within, flight systems are engage for escape, the wounded placed, and in the Thunderheart, the Al'Verde of Kora collapses, on a floor, in the fresher. Because he has no idea how hard Narsai will kick his tail if he gets blood, crud, and drying hydraulic goo all over a couch.