Log:Iridonia: Insurrection

Mercenaries raid a peacekeeper compound to steal weapons

OOC Date: July 31, 2023
Location: Iridonia
Participants: Nerys Greystorm, Kael Greystorm, Terek Rosol and Reverberate as GM

Maldris was in chaos. Imperial Peacekeepers had been deployed - regular forces still no mechanized forces. No regular army yet. No stormtroopers have been spied outside of the Imperial Garrison structures.

But it's getting more desperate in the streets of the planetary capital and smaller settlements. The criminal elements were turning peaceful protest into the violent demonstrations that have broken out in the past week. Theft was on the rise, basic needs were being taken and a criminal market for things as simple as food and water were creating further unrest.

"We can't fight these criminals with what we have and the Empire is being overwhelmed, but the system director is restraining using Troopers - because they know Storm Troopers will spark a bonfire, even if it's to stop legitimate criminals." it had been part of what the employer had explained, as well as, "So we need to escalate the Empire and help ourselves."

But how likely will these weapons be used to stop the criminal element from predating on the civilians? How much more probable will it be that armed rebellion will come to Iridonia? But the location in question had come under siege earlier in the day, attention drawn to its western side by civilians rioting. The rooftop dotted with armored figures keeping watch on the street, others at the wall surrounding the compound. But there were gaps in the picket, and the potential to exploit these openings for the purpose that present figures were being hired for.

The small figure in void armor, stood slightly ahead of and to the left of a much larger figure in the sort of armor on-world troops were inclined to be wearing across most of the galaxy, "So," came the voice, modulated, but still notably female, "We eliminate the guards, get in, steal the goods and get out." The woman looked over her shoulder at the man behind her, "They had better have snacks in there once I get inside." She expected to be paid one way or the other. "I'll let you know if I need a boost, Mayhem."

Soon enough Kol Goren's helmet comes to life with a low spoken question as his own modulated voice joins the discussion, "What are we setting for?" The question was simple enough: stun or kill. The question is asked from behind and within the emotionless helmet of his suit of armor. That same armor shimmers with a cascading effect of absorbed light while he's clearly running a brief test of his armor's inherent stealth suit. Pre-operation checks are always important. His helmet shifts, taking in that gathered around before the chin of his helmet nudges upward with a sort of inquisitive up-nod, "We've got a plan, right?" The question is asked as the barrel of his carbine comes to rest against his thigh, tapping there for a moment with a degree of impatience that only a mercenary could put on display: time is money, after all.

Kael glances over at the smaller figure with him nodding as she goes over the plan, "Simple enough. Guards. Goods. Out. Snack. Not necessarily in that order." A subdued chuckle comes from him before he taps his gear lightly making sure everything was in place. "I'm good to go on your mark." As another voice pops in on the comms he hrmmms a bit, "Plan? Yes. Kinda? Not sure. And setting? Whatever tickles your fancy I suppose. We're here to do what I do best. Cause chaos right?"

"Who are these guards anyway?" Asks the dark armored Mandalorian, as he checks over his weapons one last time as they prepare, "As far as plans go, they're a waste once you make contact with the enemy anyway. Everything immediately goes to hell once blaster bolts start flying."

The cathar holsters his pistols on either hip, and then slings a carbine over his shoulder. No sense in not having a few extra weapons around if they're going to end up shooting a lot of guards. Quicker than reloading.

"Free Iridonia! Free Galaxy!"

The newest chant to be taken up in the street outside of the compound. Small to start but sweeping through the crowd. A new cluster picking it up and intensifying any time the Imperial Peacekeepers utilized loudspeaker systems to request the crowd disburse. After another warning given. After those within had recovered from yet another volley of detritus hurled at them chased by invectives and curses.

"FREE IRIDONIA! FREE GALAXY"

There were rabble rousers in the crowd, for certain. Mutters and murmurs expressing injustices levied against the people of this planet, of the galaxy at large, stirring the frenzy. Fists were rising with voices and another volley of stones arched through the air to clatter on stone or against blast shields raised by wary hands.

A glitter in the sky caught the attention of many. A bottle turning end over end on the tail of the stones, a smoldering gray rag shoved in the neck. Faces in the crowd turned up, some with expressions of excitement and others with a dawning horror mirroring some of those peace keepers watching, huddling together to raise their riot shields in hopes of creating a protective canopy.

"FREE IRIDONIA" the burst of the makeshift incendiary was a hard rush of air matched to the almost musical sound of shattering glass. Stones had been thrown. Garbage. Words. For the first time since the riots started, fire had finally joined the fray.

"East wall, about three lengths down (I don't know SW measurements)." Nerys, making use of the distraction the crowd was providing, moved through the milling bodies, small enough that those around her mostly masked her body with theirs. She was heading towards a section of the wall that was swiftly being empties, as guards from that section were moving to respond to the firestarter and the potential chaos that it could cause. "I see a speeder, looks like we could use it if we could right it, but might be decent cover for the entry as well."

Kael nods a bit, "East wall three lengths down heard." A glance around a bit and another nod, "Speeder might help get out a bit faster. I'll follow your lead tell me when to make it loud for 'em." He does another absent minded tap of his weapons ensuring they're all still in place as he carefully maneuvers into the crowd towards that east wall.

The plan is pretty straight forward. Take advantage of the chaos to sneak inside and get the weapons and get out. But to do that they'll need something to pull the guards attention to the front gate and away from the armory. Terek is, at first, trying to blend in with the crowd, but when he sees that firebomb fly through the air, he calls out to the crowd.

"Push on the gate! Free Iridonia! Free Galaxy!"

He fires his jetpack up and launches himself up above the crowd, "There's more of you than them! Free Iridonia! Free Galaxy!" He calls out again, doing his best to light the powder keg that's been brewing at the gate.

The flames of the firebomb are enough to draw out a mix of cheers and roars of dismay for the escalation that has occurred. The Mandalorian charging the gates draws awe, gasps and even cries of terror for the old stories of raiders being brought to frightening life in the rapidly growing panic.

The flying figure taking up the chant is like pouring accelerant on a grass fire. The surge for the gate is enough to raise a cry from the guards in position, leaving some to abandon those who are trying to put themselves out as they fall back in search of more secure positioning.

No shots yet.

The overturned speeder pointed out by Nerys is a boulder in the river of sentience now rushing past it. People seeking to watch the chaos at the gate. Seeking to join it. Some to gauge how they can profit by it and the Peace Keeper forces begin to mass, rallying those whose nerve had failed, a ground force aiming to reinforce the gates that have already begun to shake from the hands gripping them. Stones and debris continue to fly.

Then a single crack of a slug thrower rises and a puff of duracrete powder from the struck wall.

Nerys had to say no more, as the Greystorms moved away from the chaos that was being stirred by the mandalorian, not seeming to be much bothered by the crush of bodies. Anyone who thought she should be, had not grown up in the industrial sectors of Corellia, where worker riots were rampant. She took a sprinting start, a half jump landing one of her feet on the belly of the speeder, muscles contracting as she sprung up and over the wall, keeping her body tight as she rolled in the air up and over the wall to land on the inside of the wall, crouching down to compact her body to keep a low profile.

With a sigh Kael goes to jog after Nerys as she moves towards the wall using the speeder as a boost point he jumps over the wall with relative ease however at first it seems like he was going to draw unwanted attention to himself but the sight of the Battle Cathar has stolen the gaze of so many of the opposition. "In somehow."

As the fire splashes across the wall, the armored figure turns his jetpack down and launches himself towards where the fire had splashed down. As he flies downwards, he brings himself back upright and slams knee first into one of those peacekeepers, knocking him backwards through the air, and tagging him with a shot from the W-35 as he sails through the air.

Landing afterwards, he turns to grab another peacekeeper by the back of his armor, turning him around so his back is to the ledge and firing a shot into his face. It's rather heartless, but it should serve to drive the crowd even further to rush the gate.

The golden fire of the Mandalorian's pistol sending one to the ground crying out and another silenced - the roaring and cheering of the crowd soars as do the cries of dismay and terror. The crowd is splitting - those who sought only to demonstrate now making to flee the scene. The others seeing this as their moment charging.

Guards at the walls are forced to try and keep the more boisterous figures from climbing over and swamping the compound. Others are forced to draw service pistols, pointing shakily at Terek before the metal gates creak and come partly off their track. Shaken by the crowds who begin climbing over where they can, turning attention from a focused fire effort to now blazing into the crowd in a panic.

The shriek of a speeder engine joins the din and a repulsor truck with a large group of rioters sails over and into the courtyard to join Terek, chants of "FREE IRIDONIA! FREE GALAXY! added and armed civilians begin leaping clear.

"Looks like they haven't bothered to redecorate." There was a day and a time, many years ago now, when a place like this would have felt imminently familiar to Nerys. Thankfully, it still looked familiar today. So much for innovation. "Looks like we're going to have to take arms by force, but," and here she glanced back to where the speeder truck was breaking through into the compound, "Looks like we can get at least one truck to put it all in." The small armored woman moved at speed, which, for her, was just that small amount that moved her into suprahuman territory, drawing her pistil as she closed in on the lobby and the guards rallying there.

Kael nods a bit, "Does have a ring of familiarity." He motions towards a few guards, "There's quite a few in the area that are going to have to not be in the area." He looks around for a moment, "So much for the escape speeder outside. Looks like plenty going up the stairs as well might need to keep an eye for reinforcements there when we're done with the guys here."

Blaster fire escalates further, rioters firing wildly and the constables returning while trying to back-pedal for defensive positions. The gates continue to creak and shake as the crush of bodies work in concert - some being pressed so hard against them that panic sets into their features before a groaning of metal sounds the dislodging and scraping on stone.

A quartet of figures in riot gear are headed for the door at speed, blaster rifles slung by straps over shoulders and each with their service pistols drawn - another group are moving to rush long arms up to the roof when one pauses, catching sight of Kael making his entry. Mouth an O of surprise as pistol is leveled.

The peace keeper looks like they're preparing to demand he put his hands up, but the din has entered through the opening of the doors.

Nerys, moving into the lobby, did whats he did best. She snuck. "Watch your back, Kael." Nerys wasn't going to be there to do it. She was heading straight for the weapons, moving to try to avoid the guards, "We've got nothing to load these into. "Kora, let the people in the trucks know the weapons are coming to them." With that, nerys began to push, trying to angle he carts of weapons towards the exit out of the lobby. "I should have worn my big boots." The ones with actual rockets in them.

Kael's eyes narrow at the Mook that raises a blaster at him and begins a crooked little smirk as the pistol at his right hip comes up in a very very practiced, smooth and much faster than the Mook's movement towards Kael the X-8's silent bolts zipping across the distance at the cop the first missing the second a solid hit but the third missing as well. "One down. I seem to have drawn their attention." He then does a quick sweep to try and find a place to hunker down and shoot from.

Felled by silenced blaster bolts, the downing of the one person to spot intruders within the building leaves the rest to rush upwards via turbolift and the roar of the riot to dim when the doors close behind the trio bringing heavier weapons to their comrades forced to fall back under the weight of rabid civilians and the Mandalorian waging war on them.

Police speeders are headed for the roof to avoid being swamped at street level, moving across air-lanes, and bringing reinforcement to the woefully outnumbered. But there is movement far above, a wedge shaped dagger that is lost in the sun as it slowly drifts in upper atmosphere.

News droids are beginning to gather, more civilian vehicles are coming, rushing the walls and slamming into the side of the building when their pilots over compensate or smashing down into the courtyard to join the original. The peace keepers emerging into the chaos are caught by surprise, the trio having only enough thought to begin firing at the rioters in their midst while shouting into commlinks mounted on headsets.

Terek's weapon flashes a few more times as he moves across the upper deck. He blasts a guard that's firing down into the crowd, after a couple of tries. He really wishes he had brought his flamer he realizes. It would make it easier to disperse these guys and stop them from firing into the crowd. Trying to reduce casualties on the side of the rioters, at the very least. Was impossible to stop them all.

Gun case in hand, Nerys, seeing that the crowds were not doing what they were supposed to be doing, which was grabbing the guns and arming themselves, grabbed one of the cases, and shot her way over towards one of the civilian trucks, trusting to instincts far older than she looked to be (if one could have actually seen her face under that helm, shooting at the guards before she thrust the case towards one of the people in the truck, "Get the weapons! We're not here for fun and games." She even waved with her now free hand towards the cases and racks littered all around.

Kael's pistol starts to fire as he moves with Nerys towards the civilian speeders one of the peacekeepers becoming the sad victim of what could only be called overkill as three silent bolts slams into them, "Another one down. Maybe I should spread my shots out."

The cathar continues to shoot his way through the guards, before he finally comes up over comms, <"How are we looking on getting that stuff loaded? I feel like we might have more company soon so lets get out of here as soon as we're loaded up!"> He calls over the radio, turning to shoot at another guard, forcing him to put his head down.

<Combat> Peace Keeper Mooks (845)'s attack misses Terek Rosol at a 100 difficulty! (-48)

<<"Citizens of Malidris, of Iridonia. This civil disobedience has risen to where we can no longer attempt peaceful de-escalation.">>

Broadcast systems across the planet begin to speak, the voice clipped, proper and filled with ice. A voice of a person who has reached the edges of patience and one could practically hear the metal in her voice as infuriation leaking into otherwise calm tones.

In the courtyard, some pause and others act - grabbing the weapons case presented by Nerys and hauled into the back of the repulsor truck with a shouted order to fall back that ripples through those planted among the riled crowd using the blooming violence for cover. Leaving those stirred to unthinking action to serve as backstops for their own mission.

A nod is given for those providing the arms and a momentary lull crosses over when a sound like slow-motion thunder begins to rise high in the sky.

<<"The hand of The Empire is forced and to avoid further armed rebellion, you force us to supplement additional forces to peace keeping initiatives. Citizens of Iridonia - please be aware that compliance with the rule of law will be met with clemency. Rebellion will be met harshly. But as of now, all population centers are considered under martial law">>

Shadows begin to resolve above. Landing craft with crimson hulls. Peaceful resolution to escalating riots had failed. No the Mailed Fist was descending.

The people fully embroiled in their violence don't seem to quite notice, while those operating on opportunity start to withdraw. To leave those carried up in the waves of excitement and anger to their fate. A signal is sent via comms to the acting trio. Nothing verbal. But an acknowledgement that the objectives were met.

Nerys, seeing that the rabbler were, finally (curse these organics), were doing what they were supposed to be doing, and that was grabbing the guns and ammo (the actual guns and ammo, not the old timey !SW magazine), made a final push to get as many out of the building and into the hands of the resistance as possible, before she made her own exit, "Cover me, Mayhem!" She would have to make a break for it, before she could disappear into the crowd.

Kael nods as the start to head out of the building... But then he glances back reaching into his pack he pulls out a grenade tossing the cryoban up onto the roof he snickers a bit as he hears it going off before he starts to head off towards the crowds to vanish before the Sith arrive in force. "Covering. Lets vanish."

Terek fires again and again, as he makes his way through. He hops up onto a railing, and one of the guards finally manages to tag him right in the beskar, knocking him off the ledge and down towards the ground.

Thankfully for him he launches back up with his jetpack, sailing away through towards the escape vehicle.

Confusion is sewn as some flee, some stay and the ordnance goes off, flash freezing the sharp-shooters just as they begin to unlimber their provided long arms. It buys time for the escaping people. It does so for those who are staying to vent their stoked fury on the peacekeepers.

Others take to flee when transport craft grow closer. Trying to get out of sight, get to home or cover. Others only drop to their knees with their hands up, hoping for mercy. Fire on the Mandalorian and the heavily armored figure who had hurled the cryoban at the roof. Seeking to bring them low but finding their efforts middling at best.

But it's clear what will be happening soon enough. The Empire's eye has been turned fully on Iridonis - but will the Empress's ire come with it?