Log:Mandalore: Feint
Mand'alor's forces attempt a hit-and-run to test the responsiveness of Chassa's forces.
OOC Date: march 16, 2023 (Optional)
Location: Mandalore
Participants: Sumi Kora, Amaia Dara, Valeska Kora, Aejin, Teela kloo, Zena Tane, Kirya Tyndalas, Talli, Eirik, Terek Rosol and Hadrix Kora as GM
The scouting probe proved at least one thing for certain, night was no longer the advantage. The Warlord's forces were restoring old equipment or salvaging what they could from the Journeymen over the years. Their outposts were designed to be mobile, to ward off mappable entry points to her territory. It was a trade-off, because gaps closing elsewhere were opening up in new places.
Dusk was coming, putting the sun behind Warlord Rudinark's outpost, sky-lining it and giving the blurred horizon to add to potential camouflage for the strike to come.
<<"In and out. They have tech we've not seen the other Warlords have.">> Al'Verde Kora was belly down in the sand, a short sprint from the outpost and had been there for most of the day judging by the sand accumulated on and around him. Using his helmets magnoculars to keep watch.
The outpost itself was centered on a trio of speeder trucks parked with their rear hatches facing inward and cabs out. Tarps were pulled over the roofs to create shelter and surrounding that ad-hoc structure was the rest of the camp. The northern side of the camp having several scrapper bikes parked in a row and small clusters of three and four sit in relaxed ready while patrolling trios move on the perimeter.
Total numbers are unknown, but there are enough variants of symbols and color that there are more than one Ragelands clan pledged to Chassa Rudinark.
Somewhere in the distance a sound raises, a horn blowing that one of those near the speeder trucks responds to with one of their own. Heads lift around the outpost camp, turning to the sounds and towards those by the 'central structure'. No one rises though, no one powers their weapons and another blast from further north answers.
<<"I will cause a commotion to draw the attention of those I can. Complete your missions.">> Sumi says with a certain determination behind her voice. She rises up from her own 'hiding' spot, the tarp that kept the sand over her peeled away, allowing the sand to sprinkle into the strong desert gust of wind. Bringing out her melee weapon, Sumi charged her jetpack and was prepared to jump right into the center of the nest.
Mai Dara kept herself low, using what cover the dunes allowed to provide some escape from the eyes of the guards. She made no move to approach the encampment, attention moving from possible access point to possible accesspoint, as the made what coult she could of those who were immediately visible. <<"And the Basilisk? Has anyone seen sign of that?">> Not a weapon to be discounted, even in the darkest of nights. Which this most certainly was not.
The armor doesn't hide the female form and it is on those hips that Valeska is patting herself down as she waits for a signal to go ham.. <"One, two, how many frags you think we'll need? Or I can just fly in a plant a few charges. That'll wake 'em up."> In the years of training, fighting, and battle, Valeska has become something of a demolitionist. At least the resident one when Haps isn't around. She's yet to discover a battlecry that rivals 'SUUUUUUUUUUN!'. She pulls out her melee weapon, a sleek sword-looking thing. <"Just point me at them and I'll see to it the tech is no more.">
The armor doesn't hide the female form and it is on those hips that Valeska is patting herself down as she waits for a signal to go ham.. <"One, two, how many frags you think we'll need? Or I can just fly in a plant a few charges. That'll wake 'em up."> In the years of training, fighting, and battle, Valeska has become something of a demolitionist. At least the resident one when Haps isn't around. She's yet to discover a battlecry that rivals 'SUUUUUUUUUUN!'. She pulls out her melee weapon, a sleek sword-looking thing. <"Just point me at them and I'll see to it the tech is no more.">
Near Hadrix's own belly-to-the-ground position resides another. Aejin rests on his belly, though propped up by a lone canted knee and an elbow. He seems ready to rise up at any given moment when the order to do so is called. For now he remains hunkered down, his helmet down and staring at the earth beneath him as though it's the most interesting dirt in the whole of the galaxy. The elbow - and arm - that are not supporting him has a different task. His right hand rests atop the weapon holstered at his right thigh. While the left provides him some stability and leverage to push himself up from the earth. Helmet dipped down; he waits.
Relaxing in cover with her hand resting on the grip of her pistol, her helmet turns to peer at Zena and Kirya, <<"Keep it clean. If you point at it, make it die. These warlords look tough, but they're not.">> A familiar voice feels her shared coms for the oporations, <<"Clan Kora's here. Watch them, you'll learn something. Once we get the signal, Kirya, you're with me. Stay directly on my six. Zena, take up a position where you have a clear line of fire and pull that trigger until whatever you aimed it at stops moving or starts running in the oposite direction.">>
Zena is nervous. Excited, but nervous. This is her first real combat mission. She's excited to be here, happy to be included, but nervous nonetheless. Hunkered down in cover, she listens to her boss, nodding once. She's lucky that the armor can hide her expression of anxiety.
She starts to truly prepare, bringing the massive sniper rifle to bear, laying out prone as she starts to make final checks.
<<"I'll do my best, boss lady. I won't miss. I hope.">>
This is totally like one of those cheesy jingoistic holovids about the Clone Wars or something. One of those war movies with the dramatic tension, and the rookie soldier who says something about having a bad feeling about this right before they're shredded apart by a truly insulting volume of blaster fire. Which is why Kirya's crouched down thinking very quiet thoughts about how she has /such/ a good feeling about this. <<"tagose zoos. kooph, tearh aedi... sat aewofevood ivu hageav iekoove? ghevaethie aphooteaghod gafoonu... ehoz. ghevaethie wif aphooteaghod ghevaethie sot ielaahylup">> She sounds like she's convinced herself quite entirely about this logic. Plus, if she's wrong... well, hey. You don't have to listen to people critique your first time in combat if you get fragged. It's really a win-win.
<<"She speaks basic, or Mando'a, right?">> Hadrix's low growl mingled with core-worlds aristocrat's accent rumbling on comms aftee the burst of Ryl. <<"Haven't seen the Basilik since the scout. But we know it moves fast.">>
Another of the patrols passes by, one walking backwards for several steps before rotating to the middle of the pack and the former lead of the trio letting themselves fall to the rear. Beyond them, in the interior of the camp warriors move with cautious attention to their surroundings and conversations continue in low tones distorted by helmet speakers.
<<"Whoever is jumping in, lead off. Ground follows. Current patrol will be passed in six, tally three nine o'clock approaching. Weapons free.">> more of the big man's grumbling, moving with aching slowness as he begins to curl, shifting until one leg is ready to propel him to a kneel, hands holding pistols shifting with his movements.
At the central tent structure, several figures appear from beneath the tarp awnings, one with their head tipped and a hand raised to the side of their helmet moving as if talking. The three others with that one with weapons raised, looking out at the horizon beyond the camp.
Commander Hadrix gave the order and not a second's hesitation before Sumi's jetpack burst to life. Sumi's laughter could be heard the entire time it took to land, hitting the ground at a run and smacking the first warrior she saw using the momentum that took her across that distance.
Dust and sand stirred as Sumi spun in place, her target close-lined to their back and unable to rise again. Raising her weapon, the serrated edged mace sparking with arcs of blue electricity growled as it cut through the air for a second pass, connecting with the helm of a second warrior and expelling them with kinetic energy away from her. Flying backward, he collided with a bit of their camp set up, tearing down tarps and stirring up more dust.
<"HAHAHA!"> Sumi charges the next foe, causing as much noise as she can to draw attention. Despite missing her swing, it was glorious, her foe fell back and crawled to get distance! <"FIGHT ME!"> She screams at him, chasing, spurs jingling with each heavily armored step. <"COME ON!">
Mai remained in place. because we saw what happened the last time that she tried to get close to the group. So, for now, she remained in place, allowing others to run into the battle as she tried to take a bead on one of the figures who was patrolling the area. The slugthrower went wide though, and did nothing more than either 1: alert them to her possible location, or 2: puff up sand on their boots. neither was a good result.
<<"Say the word, ori'vod. Say the word.">> Valeska is itching to get in there, pent up with a lot of energy that needs to be unleashed onto someone. Someones. 'Weapons free' comes down the pipeline and Valeska is practically sighing with relief. <<"That's the stuff. On your trail, Alor.">>
Valeska comes in on a low-flying entry, orange half-cape fluttering in behind her. The jetpack whines against the effort of propulsion, making her dip momentarily before kicking into high gear as a crimson streak follows in behind the silver and blue of Sumi. Kicking up sand as she goes, Valeska flicks her wrist and brings what was once a sword to full life, cracking the electrified whip with a satisfying snap that breaks the sound barrier. As whips often do.
Three cracks of that blistering weapon leaves two warriors down: one who will never get up again and one who should consider doing the same. Her boots find the ground a few yards away from Sumi and looks around. <"If you don't want to fight her, my dance card is open.">
PPSCCHHHRRRRR! Roars the rocket mounted atop Aejin's jetpack. He had positioned himself with gloved fingers digging into the dirt in order to stabilize himself. The targeting system built into his helmet had allowed him to monitor the rocket's intended trajectory. He had not simply been staring at the door. He was patiently waiting for the order to attack. When it came he let loose. The rocket screeches free and swiftly arcs across the new batltlefield. The report of the strike follows swiftly after as the ordinance strikes dirt, explodes, and sends bodies flying.
Aejin doesn't waste time to admire his handiwork. Admirable as it may be. Promptly he pushes himself up from his prowling position and begins to step forward. It's clear that he intends to fire off his jetpack and join the fight as so many others rocket into battle around him or open fire on their targets. He does not issue a battlecry or shout some words of encouragement for himself or others. He makes no unnecessary sounds. He's focused. He's intent upon seeing their objective completed. Gone is the gold, red, and black of his armor. These days he is a deep green, visceral orange, and pristine white.
Teela nods to Zena, as much reassurance is she's likely to get from the battle hardened SandViper. Then turns to stare at Kirya. It is impossible to see precisely what her expression is, due to the helmet, but from the way she's just silently staring at the Twi'lek... it certainly can't be all that good. <<"One. Communication is important, so I have to be able to understand you when you're screaming 'oh god oh god I'm dying'.. Two. I don't speak slave.">>
The signal is given and Teela is moving. Quickly scoping the battlefield to find a glorious, wonderful, speeder bike: As is often her want to do. It's been a while since she's been on Mandalore, though. The dirt is slidey and she's got a bum knee anyways. All this running is for younger, more mobile Mandalorian's with their good knees and no poorly treated battle wounds.
She was doing fine in her advance, but spliting her attention between getting to her target and making sure Kirya is keeping close proves too big a task and her foot catches on a rock stuck out of the sand. It hits at just the right angle to become a problem and sends her barrelling over in a roll that is about as impressive as farting in a senate meeting. <"Oh somebodies gonna die for that..."> What doesn't kill her only pisses her off, though.
Talli Rockets into the area but it seems some wind makes her rather unsteading her shots going wide and only serving to help make the enemy duck and cover a bit as she launches herself towards the area to help with the start of the assault.
Eirik blasts into the fray his own excitement at being back in the midst of battle getting the better of him! He takes two quick shots both going wide and not helping in the least, cursing under his breath as he sees It happen.
Zena stares at Kirya for a moment, uncomprehending. She also does not speak slave, but she wonders if she should learn. That's a question for when there aren't people who need to be shot. So, later.
She works herself down a bit into the sand, making herself a bit of a flatter position. The bipod of the rifle braces against the sandy ground as she takes aim. She peers through the viewfinder through the lens of her helmet, suinting a little as she draws a bead. She draws a slow, steadying breath and starts to pull the trigger, crosshairs right at the back of one of the cap guard's head.
Then a little desert mouse pops up out of the dirt with a terrifying little squeek.
Zena pulls the trigger as she flinches from the surprise. The good thing is, she didn't completely miss. The downside is that she doesn't make his head explode like an overripe melon.
Kirya's not panicking. She's almost certainly pretty sure. She's thinking a hundred thoughts at once and most of them are 'What was-' and then the same about some other extremely loud terribly realistic noise of combat. She does not, in fact, scream out when rockets start flying and detonating because... she's really not sure. But hey, at least Teela's disapproval snaps her out of it. <<"Right! Sorry! Don't worry, it wasn't cursing!">>
And then she's following Teela because standing alone seems like a bad idea. Never worked out for the gangers back home. And, they didn't have to worry about rockets. She fires off shots at anyone who looks particularly unfriendly... which is to say, anyone not flying in dropping rockets on the camp ahead, or running towards the camp aggressively. She pulls up short as Teela's foot catches, moving to help her only for her boss to turn it into... a very graceful roll. So graceful she's not going to mention it while she keeps cover over Teela while she recovers her momentum. She may also be trying memorize the basic pronunciation of 'I'm dying' just in case.
Talli Yelps Thankfully she was flying so she was able to side move out of the way letting the bolts Blast part her as she rockets about trying to get into a better spot her previous shots had gone wide so she Tries to get closer to fire another blast of bolts and take these guys down.
Eirik chuckles though he watches as first Talli is shot at. <<Stay safe!>> He calls to her as he is missed narrowly by shots aimed at him, also trying to get to a better tactical location to get off his next shots.
While the rest of the group has been poking and prodding at the outpost's defenses, Terek has been doing something along those lines. Considering the last time, Terek had a pretty good idea that this one may end pretty similarly. So he set off on his own while the group prodded at the outpost's.
When things kicked off, Terek had placed a few charges on the base of one of the guard towers. He rocketted away as things started to kick off, landing near the main force, his W-35 lancing out a pair of gold bolts at a couple of the patrollers, <"Hope I didn't miss the party."> He says, as he taps his left gauntlet with his right hand and sets off the charges on the tower.
One, gundark nest. Two, gundark nest.
Keeping count, the moment Sumi was leading the airborne charge, Al'Verde Kora's head drops instinctively when ordinance launches at his side and he lurches forward into an awkward crouch before his jets cut in and throw the big man into the air. Pistols out to his sides and seeking targets.
The explosion blocks out sound and drowns out the voices of those calling out on external speakers. Others are gesturing single handed to others, raising weapons and opening fire on their way to cover points. Several falling to fire from multiple sources or the broad shock-paddle wielded by Sumi.
Seven, gundark nest...
A pair of slugs from one pistol churn up sand or spark off of the thigh plate of one of the camp warriors before a section of tarp pole simply disappears in a cloud of vapor.
Golden blasts rise up all around from the defenders who begin working in teams, trying to focus fire, keep the attackers from holding advantage. The blaster and slugfire rippling in waves at the aggressors while one of those near the tarp structure lets loose with a horn. The bellowing sound of it deep enough to rattle bones and make eyes water.
'Stop counting and fight.'
'Shut up.'
Guards by the speeders turn, seeing two running their way, heads moving with comm chatter passing as they open fire - one chopping a knife hand towards the oncoming Mandalorians. A second blast of the horn goes up, mingling with the cacophony of weapons fire filling the air with the reek of cordite, black powder and expended tibanna.
Sumi turns to observe Valeska's landing, issuing a quiet up-nod toward her; it's her silent way of saying (without saying) 'I see you.' Her attention is forced back to the front when a golden bolt PLINKS off the beskar chestpiece of her armor. It's enough to make her stutter step back, one step precisely, then she charges forward again, casting her cape to one side.
Her first swing misses, a valiant whiff if ever there was one, but the second puts her foe into the dirt. When their friend attains the gumption to avenge and scream at her whilst closing the distance, Sumi catches them under the chin with an upper-cut like swing that prompts them /right/ off their feet.
Back first against the ground, that enemy mando was counting dancing banthas, and Sumi trudges forward, staying near enough to Val that she might help the older warrior should she need it.
Would it do her any good to stay where she was? Well, there was only one way to tell, and Mai took another shot, and the slugthrower once again missed, the ship's gunner (that was her real job), frowned and set the rifle back in its holster, clearly deciding to return to her tried and true. And if that failed her, she would simply have to make another run for it. Which...did not tend to end well.
Someone in this hive of targets has the right idea. Shoot off the arm of the one wielding the electro-whip like some kind of crazy woman. It works in their favor that Valeska's left arm isn't as well guarded as the right is and the shot hits her hard enough to send her in a little piroette. A pretty ballerina she is not, and when Valeska catches control of that spin, she is bringing her whip around with it.
They shot her left arm, sure. But she's right-handed.
Three more cracks out of sheer anger and another one bites the dust; knocked out by the sheer power of the weapon but miraculously not dead. Valeska gives another crack of the whip and turns towards Sumi with an up-nod of her own. <<"Looks like these ones have learned how to fight, yeah?">>
Aejin's about to step off or jump off, to be more specific. Before his jetpack fires however, he's struck by a blaster bolt to the leg. Thankfully it's not the knee. He's able to remain in the fight and will likely continue being a Mandalorian warrior into the future. No forced retirement today. The leg holds, even if it does buckle from the sudden burn and pain. Through gritted teeth his jetpack fires. He carves a path into the air on a trail of exhaust. He climbs higher, gaining both speed and thus distance rapidly. Near the beginning of his ascent a trio of hisses can be heard alongside the growl of his jetpack. Soon after a rapid succession of explosions follow as the micro rockets pepper the position of the patrol.
While one patroller is slain, the others at least have to scatter or keep their heads down. That affords Aejin an opportunity to reach a tactically superior position.
The gorram indignity of it all.
First Teela is tripping over a rock and going end over end on her first time back on Mandalore in a while... but then she's getting a blaster bolt in the chest when she's trying to get back up. Literally, just as soon as she's got her feet back under her, the bolt hits her in the chest and knocks her right back down. <"In front of Clan Kora."> She groans...
Okay someone is definitely going to die.
Her knees come back towards her chest and she kips up off the dirt, walking with the kind of purpose that people reserve for storming out of a wedding with a pay bar. A few more shots are fired at her, but she's juking, until she reaches the speeder bikers and the guard standing near to it.
One foot steps up into stirrup of the bike, the other swings over, and she points her blaster right down at the guard who was standing near it. Shooting him in his chest. Then shoots him again because he twitched. Practice what you preach. If it keeps moving, kill it.
The Speeder kicks to life.
Shivats about to get real. Teela's in her natural habitat: A bunch of horsepower between her thighs and a bunch of people that need dead. <"Ohhh yeeeah.">
Zena calms quickly once she realizes that it is, in fact, a cute little desert mouse that spooked her and not a, you know, burrowing soldier of some bantha poodoo variety. She smiles under her helmet and almost coos at it as it scampers away. <<Aren't you so cute~>>
A blaster bolt comes slinging her way, and she drops, the sizzling bolt of gas missing her by centimeters. She takes aim again, dialing up the viewfinder again and pulling the trigger. This time, she hits where she wants. Center of mass. The already wounded guard goes flying, and lands, inert.
Kirya's not sure if she's getting used to this whole gunfire and running thing, or if she's just dosing on so much adrenaline that she's /ignoring/ how not into it she is.
But hey, Teela has slowed down! And so Kirya slows to keep on her six, pistol swaying side to side, looking for a target...
Sure, the one she sees is a wounded guy who's moving in what might be an attempt to get away. But maybe he's doing something shifty. Besides, no one else seems all that concerned about being sporting.
All those pulp adventure stories made this sound so much more dignified. She hopes the guy she rakes with a couple blaster bolts appreciates that she /tried/ to make it quick.
And then Teela's... oh. Oh no. <<"I'll make sure no one takes any other speeders!!">>
Yeah, she's in her first firefight. First firefight on a speeder?
That's for another day.
Maybe a Shot missed or maybe it didn't but a sudden sputter and spark " Ah frack " Is all she can get out before she rockets straight down.. those two shots she let go launches tot he side and wide but she dosnt' care about that she's trying to get ready to kiss the ground as hard as possible.
Eirik takes off at a slightly faster speed, taking in the sight of Talli going down, causing his shot to go way off course. <<Kriff Talli you need to be careful!>> He calls out taking his second shit grazing one of the enemies.
The cathar Mandalorian rolls to one side, firing another pair of shots, striking one target square in the chest and putting him down, turning around and dropping down to a knee as he fires at his partner, the shot smacking into a rock, <"How much prodding are we doing anyway, boss?"> He asks over comms, quickly raising back to his feet and getting back on the move.
Twenty, gundark nest.
A bolt twists Hadrix around, forcing him to absorb the blow feeling the heat through the gambeson and the bruise that will form later.
Another blast of the warhorn goes up just before the sound of the speederbike screaming to life joins the din. The second half of a return blast in the distance, the horn sound akin to the calls of the hunting beasts of Southern Mandalore, now extinct since Palpatine's purge. Another comes, from the same direction and the chatter of an auto-thrower slug weapon cuts across even that.
<<"Watch crossfire, they're trying to box us. Feeding lanes.">>
Right hand swinging over his left arm, one of those charging from the interior has enough time to stutter step to a halt before they simply cease to exist in the wake of air screaming as molecules are ripped apart. The hole in the durasteel is uncomfortably clean and then the warrior's suit simply falls to the ground, empty.
<<"Keep watch for that bes'uliik">> Al'Verde Kora's voice rasping, naming the concern in Mando'a on instinct.
More of the camp warriors start towards the bikes, when the one powers up and others continue to hunt for positioning while they continue to fight. Several of the Warlord's Mandalorians move into a position to begin firing by ranks, a half dozen of them working in teams of volley fire.
Thirty, gundark nest.
<<"Val.. with me! Need to get some breathing room!">> Sumi yells, voice rasp and Mandalore accented. Sumi crosses the distance brief distance toward the speeder tent where an enemy Mando'ade has taken up a turret mount to begin pinning her brethren down. <"OVER HERE!"> She yelled at the gunner. He looks...
She swings. CLANK! He ducked, releasing the weapon and pausing the fire. She follows with another hit, smashing him to the ground. A quick survey of the immediate area, and Sumi deactivates her mace, attaching it to her belt. <"COVER ME!">
Yanking the charging handle back on the slug-throwing automatic, Sumi displays some weapons knowledge, watching the spent casing eject from the feedtray and knowing the weapon is primed.
<<"PUNCHING A HOLE IN THEIR MOVEMENTS.. STAND BY!">>
She shoulders the turret and steps one way, rotating the weapon upon its T&E platform to sight in the shifting bodies of Mandos trying to box them in. A second later, she squeezes the trigger, brass ejecting from the feed tray at a cyclic rate, her scream lost over the noise of the machine gun firing constantly.
<"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!">
As she begins to trace the line of Mandos, there's a brief jam. She reaches forward again, grabbing the charging handle and yanking it back to eject the offending brass, only to start again! <"GET SOOOOOMMME!">
Mai did try to get a shot off, but the pain in her chest made it impossible. The rest would have to carry the day, at least for a little while, as she slipped a patch from a pocket on her armor and slide it between one of the charred segments of her chest armor. As she worked, she was not idle and she looked at the gathered fighters, judging which of them might need some medical assistance. if she could not kill the enemy, perhaps she could help to preserve the team.
<"Think we'd hear it comin', yeah?"> Sumi calls for her and Valeska turns to join the call. <"Right behind you, Alor! I'm on---AGH!">
A rival warrior breaks through the smoky haze and bodily tackles Valeska, arms wrapped around her midsection and effectively pulling her to the ground with a ruthless slam of that knocks the air right out of her. On impact, a cloud of sand burst up around her and for just a moment, the crimson Mandalorian is disorientated. A heavy weight is immediately upon her as the attack pins their knee into her chest and brings a blade around to stab her in between the plates of her armor.
The metal sticks into her side like a white hot flash, causing her to cry out in pain. A gloved hand grabs at the handle sticking out of her, yanking the weapon fron her body and swinging her arm around to Return to Sender.
Still pinned to the ground, Valeska finds a meaty part of this rekker's leg and SLAMS the bloody dagger right into it with a feral yell. To his credit, her attacker makes the exact same sound but doesn't give up the pin. <"T-Tryin!"> She answers to Sumi's call for cover.
Aejin is bleeding. That much he knows. He's got two bullets in his legs and staying airborne is taking it out of him. He lands heavily, knees buckling with the force of his drop. He begins to hobble along, one foot nearly dragging along behind him as he seeks to get some cover and concealment. Even if that's nothing more than a small mound or dune to hunker down behind. He recognizes the precariousness of his situation and as a result he goes to ground. The Enforcer calls out to his attackers and fells one of them. A third report of the heavy pistol roars out, but there's no agonizing scream to follow it. Fire-and-a-miss. Inside his helmet the Rattataki's teeth grit and he snarls against the pain blossoming within both his legs.
He's not out of the fight yet, but he may be soon. He shifts to his side and prepares to receiving the potential for a charge over his little mound of dirt that he's sought to use as cover. The barrel of his Enforce ready to greet any potential visitors that may elect to rush over that little hump of dirt that the Mandalorian in the green and orange Dreadfinder has selected as his potential final resting place.
There is no dignity in combat. Especially not Mandalorian Combat. Throw two opposing Mandalorian forces at one another? Yeah, someone write a strongly worded letter to Human Resources because war crimes are being committed.
Teela peers down at Kirya, hand extended out to her. <"Get on."> Whatever hesitation the slicer offers is met with a deadpan stare. <"Next time."> Because there's a whole lot of soldiers out there that are begging for blaster bolts.
The Speeder kicks up with a whine of power shifting to the rear thusters, back blasting with her foot cranking the shift pedal. She rockets forward across the sands towards a group of patrolling warlord soldiers. The big blaster in her hand is held at her side, left foot shifting power to the side thrusters with a burst. It sends the bike in a tail spin arc with her blaster coming up and crossing her armored chest, YEEK YEEK, as she whirls around the patroller, sending up a flared wave of sand like a smoke screen.
YEEK YEEK
The gun keeps barking as she circles around him, extending her arm out to track him as she constantly circles positioins. Again dropping the right pedal down, she skids the speeder in a power slide, fish tails, and rockets forward with a twist of the throttle. The sudden power surge brings the front end up and leaves a divet in the desert.
Zena keeps doing her job. When on the ship, she runs the cockpit with complete confidence and surety. She's extremely comfortable there and is calm under pressure.
Which is why she hides in the back on the battlefield. There's no ship under her. No roaring engines that do exactly what she tells them to. No, out here is absolute chaos, and if she can help control the chaos by shooting people from many meters away, that's how she likes it.
Cycling the rifle again, the young Mando'a takes aim at another of the goons trying to kill her friends and (at present) allies. She steadies her hands, slows her breathing and pulls the trigger. Another goes down in a heap.
Kirya's doing her best guard dog impression. Or, at least, she's crouching amongst the remaining unmounted speeder bikes and popping up to pewpewpew like... well, like a teenager who's fired her blaster in anger... three times? Four? She's lost count. Pewwwwn! ...Well, okay, now she's going to fire it in MORE anger next time. But first...!
She dives back down behind the reassuring bulk of the speeder bike that she is rapidly coming to think of Camp Kirya. She's definitely not going to try and ride it... but... <<"Hey Boss! ...What're the odds of a Speeder Bike going up in an explosion if I start ripping wires out so they can't get them running?">>
Because she knows wires. She knows circuits and computer code and all those abstract processes that make tech run. But she's never messed around with tech with a fuel tank before. And she's really close to them and would rather not... explode.
Plus, with another peek, she sees Teela's speeder slicing through the sky while she blasts more of these bad guys. Okay, she might be a little busy to answer.
Fair 'nuff.
Terek holsters his W-35 and pulls a grenade off of his bandolier. Spotting Sumi opening fire with their own emplaced gun, Terek decides to try to displace a group of warriors that are laying down covering fire near the outer wall.
He hauls back and throws the grenade through the air, and then pulls his Glie out of its holster with his left hand and fires at the grenade, aiming to make it explode in the air above the group.
Unfortunately it would seem that the shot instead grazes the side of the grenade, knocking it off to the other side of the wall, where it explodes harmlessly. Terek stands there for a second, and then looks at the blaster in his hand, "Huh."
<<"Forty seconds, as you called it.">> an aged voice registers on comms, <<"We're seeing incoming... One large signal.">>
In the middle of Sumi's rampage and Valeska's being stabbed there is the racking sound of a pump-cock that turns Hadrix, head tilting before, <<"Cop-PHUU">>. The scatter-gun goes off, a blunderbuss of a weapon that hurls shot, bits of stone and fire that makes the big man instinctively curl his arm into a shield of beskar. Blood still shows where pellets get past the plates and the sheer impact is enough to send the big man off his feet and sliding across the sand.
<<"Inbound, Ba'slan shev'la">> strategic disappearance. Calling the withdrawal. The camp forces may be thinning, dramatically, with the weight of fire being brought into their midst. But they still have forces remaining and fresh reinforcements are incoming.
Warlord warriors dive for cover as Teela burns through one one of their own bikes, blaster screaming and forcing them to fire from prone positions, others attempt to gang up where Sumi is trying to fend off the attempts to hem them in. There is another sound on the wind, loud enough to carry over the din of battle. A bass distortion, like a roar and even at distance the jets can be seen. There's maybe a quarter of the camp's original numbers... But not for long.
The mandalorian trying to keep Valeska down is blown off and kicked further through the air by the roar of the other .48 being fired in the field, Al'Verde Kora already back on his feet and smoke curling from his pistol. A kinfolk to Aejin's, the other being targeted where he hunkers in the dunes. Golden bolts glassing sand and slugs kicking up miniature dust storms.
<<"Exfil.">> in case he wasn't clear before.
Sumi could not reach Valeska in her time of need. With encroaching enemy forces, there was a need for consistent and constant automatic fire to buy enough time for allies to advance out of the area. Mandalorians /never/ retreat. She heard, and saw, the flash from Hadrix's arrival, and the sound of the .48 Enforcer popping off, no doubt killing whatever it was aimed at.
Sumi puts her back to the allies, sustaining a shot to the leg that loudly 'PLANGS' off, making her knee go weak for a moment. <<"You heard the Commander.. beat feet. I will hold them back for as long as I can.">>
Shouldering the turret once more, Sumi fires non-stop. The tracers are seen going up one side, down another, and along an advancing line of warriors hoping to gain ground on her location. Brass falls from her weapon like a metallic waterfall, clinging and clanging off her armor and against each other on the sandy ground beneath her feet. At some point, the weapon jams again, but Sumi is able to correct it by yanking its charging handle back and ejecting the stove-piped casing. The fire continues...
When Mai heard the call to withdraw. Well, she DID withdraw, but not without trying to leave behind a calling card, and so, she was moving on foot now, allowing her jetpack to cycle into rocket mode, pausing, in the middle of god and everybody to aim the rocket towards a cluster of the hunkered in enemy mandalorians. She did not, however, wait to see what damage the weapon did. No, she was already running back the way she mostly came, the pack cycling back into flight mode.
The struggle for life is ended when her opponent is literally blown off of her by a ridiculously powerful blow of some kind of projectile. Still getting her bearings, Valeska rolls over and pulls herself to her knees. She doesn't even have to see who took that shot before she says: <"Thanks, ori'vod."> With her rival gone so, too, goes the dagger and with the exfil called, there's only one thing for it.
Staggering from her injuries, Valeska still stays on her feet. Running might not be in the cards. At least not until she gains some distance, so she fires up the rockets and takes to the air, grabbing a frag with her good arm. Her throwin' arm. <"Roger, Alor! Hittin' the backoads, yeah?"> Her thick Dantooine accent is twinged with pain but she does well to hide it behind cockiness. <"Fie in the hole!">
And off Valeska flies, leaving a kaboom in her wake that leaves one warrior dearly departed. In many parts.
'Come over that dune. I dare you'. The shrill whine of an armed thermal detonator sounds off from the side of the shallow dune that Aejin has elected to utilize as his cover and concealment against the encroaching patrollers. It's a bluff of course; especially at this range. His Enforcer remains trained on the peak of the dune and when one begins to ascend it, he's felled by a pair of slugs from another Enforcer - Hadrix's. This is enough to prompt Aejin to a beleaguered crouch. He growls through his pain and, much to his own chagrin, haphazardly fires across the rim of the dune toward the approaching patrol.
Wounded. Perhaps dying. Aejin spares little time between his own suppressive fire and the aid brought to bear by Hadrix. He attempts to fire off his jetpack, but unfortunately something's off with it. He doesn't take time to try to perform field maintenance on it. It was likely the rocket being fired off that knocked something awry. It's for this that Aejin begins to withdraw on wounded legs and with a solid hit that's dented the durasteel of his breastplate. He starts his withdrawal, offering up his own suppressive fire as he goes.
There was a call to exfil and Teela has no intentions of her or her people being here when those reenforcements arrive. The bike whips around, one foot down in the dirt as it turns over on its side enough that she actually almost falls off. It is not a graceful manuever, almost losing her brand new bike in an unfortunate, unforseen, dust cloud of her own creation. Thankfully nobody can see it because of dust, I said it already, don't be cocky.
EQUALLY unfortunate is the blaster bolt that clanks against her chest and damn near knocks her off said bike... Certainly knocks her shots off. So the better part of valor is disgression and Teela knows when to cut her losses. Once she's regained control of the bike, she actually limps out of the cloud of sand to scoop up Kirya, <<"Time to go. Get on.">> There's no more suggestions, she needs to get to Zena and figure out how three people ride a two seater bike.
Their smart, this'll work out.
It's fine, everything's fine.
She does sound like she's in a lot of gorram pain though. Even through her helmet.
Zena takes another shot as the exfil call is made. It swings wide as it was, more or less, on the way to her hip so she could stow it to ride on the speeder when it arrives.
Arrive it does with her pretty wounded boss driving. She sighs, unslinging the sniper rifle and handing it to Kirya. Because the order of these things is weird, just go with it. She looks at Teela then and says kindly, if firmly. "I'm driving. Slide back."
It doesn't matter if Teela slides or not, Zena is -tiny- and clambers onto the speeder in front of the older Mando'a and takes control of the bike. Because she's the damn pilot and getaway driver, dammit.
Kirya's pretty sure all the gunfire and explosions cover any ungainly motions she makes in scrabbling away from her cover. She's watched enough cheesy war movies to know 'Exfil'. Also, Teela gave her a run down on some terms. But mostly it's the holos.
They never really get across how time seems to stretch and fold in combat. She has no idea if it's been minutes or hours.
But she knows that figure, a little more battered than when she went screaming off on that speeder.
...Don't mention that, Kirya. Nope, she looks fine. Doesn't look like she got hit by a nasty shot or anything.
But once she's on the bike, she provides her best suggestion to make room for Zena. She practically molds herself to Teela like a backpack.
She could probably ease up once Zena's taking the controls. But... that might shift the weight distribution.
Nope, Operation: Backpack Twi'lek is a go.
Talli Hears the call and starts to take off as she's told running backwards she's moving out of the combat zone unleashing her blaster bolts behind her shooting as she runs .. she scores a good hit and that makes her pleased but she's still bugging out hopefully they've done thier job and as a part of her clan she's brought honor to them. She's a mandelorian so she will fight but that's not her main skill , Her place is making the armor and weapons of her clan .
This time Terek doesn't try anything fancy. He just pulls another grenade from his belt and throws it, before turning and jetpacking away. Even though the troops he threw it at managed to clear the radius before it went off, the explosion should at least HOPEFULLY keep them from shooting back at him as he rockets back out of the outpost.
As the attackers make their exits, explosives hurling bodies and sand in all directions, the defending forces being forced down by automatic fire, being made to take cover or use their fallen for the same - blood and metal thrown into the air by high caliber rounds creating craters in flesh and armor alike.
The rattle of the mounted belt can running dry all too suddenly.
Hadrix is turning a slow circle with his pistols out, while the others withdraw, firing at the remaining defenders a massive slug smashing a shoulder plate to flinders and another of the Warlord's warriors vaporized by the disruptor pistol. Like Sumi - it's always to the last with the commanders of Kora, the big man's head turning towards her and giving her a nod before his jetpack starts to fire. Jets pouring fire into the sand at his feet, sending liquified silicate up around him in musical chimes when it cools before striking down.
It's then, with Sumi's own jets setting the tarp near the mounted chatter-cannon on fire, that the world explodes in confusion. The heavy form of the bipedal war droid hitting, its shockwave cannons tearing up ground and corpses, sending a torrent of pulsing energy to where Al'Verde Kora's feet had just been and a rippling wave that threatens to rupture Alor'Kora's armor plates when it hits. Shaking bones and causing bleeding from the violent pulse waves enough to mist flesh and powder bone on lesser armored targets.
More Mandalorians begin to descend with it, weapons drawn and firing tracing shots after the withdrawing figures and keeping clear of the mechanized monstrosity whose howls churn up sand and kick bodies into the air. More losses for the warlord. And suspicions confirmed.
