Log:Mandalore: The Wasteland Way - Tension
Mandalore: The Wasteland Way - Tension
OOC Date: May 31, 2021 (Optional)
Location: Mandalore
Participants: Sumi Kora, Hahtavi, Avery Ihala Kora, Evie Leven, Valeska Jaivon, Terek Rosol and Hadrix Kora as GM Clan Kora Mandalorian
Sun nearing the horizon, evening on what has been called, now, the Trac'ya'gai Vhetin. The sail barges and skiffs of the Saiwali clan safely outside of defense turret range of the Fortress at Jate'kar'kyorla Mountain - and likewise the fortress shared by Wazzum and Bazza is clear of similar strike.
It is at the small flotilla that Bitr of Bazza was meeting with a woman named Trissid representing her clan of Scukla and their Alor referred to only as The General. Talks had been heated and Mofa'ki of Saiwali was letting his barge be the speaking table as a show of good faith.
Close by, towards the west where the sands had begun burying what hadn't been scavenged from the Smoke-Walker attack - three large vehicles with combination tread and repulsor jets were parked with their heavy flanks angled and a contingent of desert dwelling Mandalorians in armor kept to some of the old standards watched, waiting.
The expedition was requested by Ca to keep the area secure. It was unknown if the Ge'tal'Kal would rally more of their forces. If others would come - but search lights had been shining in the light; with the increase of airborne craft; it was becoming far too likely for opportunists laying in wait to be gathering on the edges of the territory.
But on the sail barge, Trissid and Bitr stand, voices low and body language intense. Where will violence strike? Without or within?
Hahtavi has been keeping watch, occasionally flying CAP. For the moment his kimogila is landed and he stands on top of his ship with a rifle, watchful. He's positioned not far from the barge where the negociations are on going between clans. As long as things are quiet, he's resting, staying hydrated, and waiting while vigilant. The pilot is ready to start shooting if needed or haul arse back into his cockpit.
Valska has taken point along the back of the barge with her pistol held closer to her body. She's looking out onto the great, wide expanse of nothing: watching their six for anyone who may try to sneak up behind. Even with her helmet and visor, the sun against the sand causes spots to dance in front of her eyes and she is unlikely to make out much of anything.
The waiting was always the worst part of any operation. Ask any veteran who is haunted by war, and they'll say the fighting was great, it was the waiting that sucked: The waiting for something bad to happen. Typically, Sumi would be part of the negotiations as Alor, but this was not her home; In the sense that it belonged to these warring clans, and not hers. So standing vigil upon the skiff allowed her to sulk in silence lost to memory of an age long gone.
<"Sana.."> She said softly, not realizing she had even said the name. She turned to regard the blonde, expecting to find her old Alor watching over her, but instead she found empty space and silence. Reality filtered back in and the voices of those in the meeting came into focus. Sumi's head dipped down, her helmeted gaze angled low for the moment and shoulders rising for breath, and falling when it released as heavily doing little to relieve the stress that weigh on her conscience.
Avery is pacing the deck of the Sail Barge, his E-11 held but with barrel pointed down. The stormy Mandalorian learned his lesson from yesterday, he should only use the big gun when close combat is not an option. The light carbine, able to pop off multiple bolts in a moment's notice is much more preferred up close... until he gets a lightsaber that is. The young Slicer daydreams for a moment, a slow grin spreading across his features as he imagines what fun having one of those would be. Hell, Kylo Ren seemed to enjoy it but that thing always scared him when he turned it on, you never knew if it was just going to explode upon activation.
He passes by Valeska, a dip of his helmet as he strides by, the T-visor straying on her armored form perhaps a second too long. His feet carry him along by Sumi as well, an up-nod given to his Alor, one hand slipping from the blaster to land on her shoulder as he strides by. The grey helmet turns out to the sands where his HUD computes distances, marks possible targets and unknowns... but so far nothing menacing has arrived. Nothing aside from boredom, these talks are getting a little stale on the watch crew.
But then there's a quiet sound of drumming that is picked up in his audio and, swiveling his head toward the sound, notes some of the Scukla forces performing what looks to be a war dance. Avery moves to the rail and activates his zoom, zeroing in on the ruckus. The dance resembles the De'werda, drumming on their neighbor's armor with their fists in an attempt to rile themselves up. Avery marks the group on everyone's HUD. <<"Heads up, might have an issue. Check your huds.">>
Another day, and Terek seems to still be thinking about what happened during the fight with the buggies. Anyone who's looking at him would see him tracing shapes through the air with his hands, as if trying to re-create what happened in his mind, to go over all the details. He's clearly not paying attention for any potential threats, however. Too focused on trying to see just where he went wrong.
He is finally snapped out of it when he hears Avery's voice over comms, perking up and lifting his head, trying to take a quick look around and see what Avery is talking about.
Evennia Kora sits patiently on the steps near one of the railings; her rifle laid across her lap and ready to spring into action. She's still not at her best -- but any slug that hits its target will hurt, and she stands ready to deliver it. Well. Sits. It's easier on her right now and she's conserving her energy for when it's needed.
Of course, right now she's also daydreaming a little. The leaders lead -- that's not her place. She flies. She shoots. She drives. She drives like the wind. Like at the Boonta Eve Classic. If she wasn't wearing her helmet, it'd be easy to see the lazy smile plastered across her face. That? That was fun.
A nod to passing Avery when he passes by Sumi, the Al'Verde Kora himself at her flank, even when her vocalizer kicks on. Red pin prick of light in Hadrix's visor moving to show his gaze focusing before he leans to clunk his armor against hers, a small nod of his own given but no words spoken.
At the negotiation circle, Trissid's hand comes up, finger in Bitr's face and what sounds like accusations over a water seam still hadn't been resolved. The heated response growled out over externals but lost in the murmurs and rumbles of those surrounded. Politics of the wasteland. Clans a table to resolve issues on Mandalore before firing shots at one another.
Those performing their... cheering more raucously and their movements more clearly visible once pointed out by Avery. One of their own, standing atop a transport raises a hand when it's clear they're being watched. But there is a tension building a bad feeling of sorts like a hand reaching out over the mountain and desert plain, blocking out sun and weighing down with inexorable pressure.
Avery notes. Yep, looks like some of them are working themselves up. Hmmm, De'werda. Now /that/ is something that Hahtavi himself misses participating in with his clan mates. Not just to rile up one's blood for battle but for the sheer comradery of the ritual.
After a moment he turns his head back slowly, scanning the ridgelines against the horizon and looking carefully for signs of any other mischief that might be brewing. Having a set of very good armor, Hahtavi has no problem with the sun's glare. His visor darkens to compensate and when something /does/ catch his eye? His optics zoom in so he can have a better, closer look.
<<" Koras, Hahtavi. Ridgeline movement coming from the west, opposite side of the Scukla clan grouping, a few single figures walking south. They're looking to the barges with optics, then moved on out of my line of sight, over. ">> Something might well be afoot indeed. Hahtavi keeps scanning and after a moment he catches site of something else, <<" There are forms at the top of the switchbacks leading up to the mountain fortress. At least a half dozen and there are three or four figures on the ground. ">>
Might be that Sumi or Hadrix will want him to take the kimogila up for a better look at altitude, but the fighter craft will do little good against individuals on the ground making an assault without vehicles. So, Hahtavi, who's never used his rocketpack except in practice, attempts to take off and ... it doesn't fire. Gonna have to work on that.
Fortunately, no one notices that Valeska was also trying to spot some trouble and failing terribly at it. Chalking it up to the hostilty of this planet in general and that most of her mercenary jobs didn't require a helmet. They probably /should/ have, but hindsight is a cruel mistress. Brushing some sand from her visor, Valeska sighs inwardly to herself.
Her helmet turns curiously towards Sumi; having thought she heard the woman say something. When nothing else comes from her, Valeska decides not to ask. She likely just misheard. Avery's passing is noted as well; a slight cant of her head and an unseen grin shared until he's gone past then it's back out to the vast nothing nothing nothing. So much nothing.
Or wait. Something? Valeska's body spins on the ball of her foot towards the direction Avery spotted and the figures in the disttance. <<"Does word not travel well on this planet? You'd have thought the message from clear from yesterday.">> Looking over to Hahtavi, she quips. <<"Staying in the fresh air with us today, Hahtavi?">> Then she begins to move in the direction of this new target. Whatever it is.
The hand on her shoulder and light bump to her side reaffirm that Sumi is not as alone as she feels, and a subtle nod shows the appreciation of that reminder. When word goes out about scouts using optics to observe the skiff and surrounding amenities, Sumi regards the ridge with enhanced vision and optics in her helmet. <"Can confirm, they are using optics to scan the barge likely to assume load out and ideal approach vector. It is what I would do."> Stepping from Hadrix's side to pass Avery and Valeska, Sumi stalks toward the front with all the urgency of a predator that's caught the scent of its prey.
<<"Hahtavi, prep your vessel for flight, but do not take off yet.">>
Sumi's path is to the operations cabin of the skiff where she pounds on the hatch with a heavy gauntlet. When the slide opens and the operators peer out, Sumi looks up to meet their gaze through her visor. <"We got scouts up on the ridge scanning you with optics. Get this tub of bolts on the move just in case we need to be a moving target. Inform the Mando'ade in the meeting before you go into motion too. We don't need a fire fight to break out for a misunderstanding.">
Suddenly there are multiple reports of multiple groups doing multiple things with one purpose, and unfortunately that purpose seems violence. Avery turns his head in the direction Hahtavi indicates and notices the individuals gathering at the base of the switchback path, the one that leads up to their allies while the heads of the clan convene here. <"I'm going to get a better look at what's going on."> The Mandalorian slicer announces to those around him before stepping to the edge of the Barge and performing something akin to the Boba Fett move from years ago. This time, however, he doesn't land super spiffy on a skiff over a Sarlacc. Instead, he just shoots into the air... perhaps too high in the air, and sees a bunch of little dots doing little dot things on a wiiiiiide open desert landscape. <<"Well this was a bad idea.">>
Spotting movement near the switchbcks, Terek decides he's going to get a closer look, and so he hops up onto the edge of the sail barge and fires up his rocket pack.
When nothing happens he almost falls off of it, but his cat-like balance keeps him from falling off. He's confused for a second as he looks behind himself, and spots his jetpack sitting leaning against the chair he had been sitting in earlier. He smacks the side of his helmet and hops off the ledge and starts to put his jetpack back on. This could take a moment.
On Hahtavi's word, Evie springs into action -- in this particular case, that means sprinting towards the Westernmost part of the skiff, and with her current condition? Laying on her stomach so that she can stabilize her aim against a target that won't be as likely to waver: the deck itself.
<<"Roger that, Hahtavi. Good eyes. Ready to act if we have to.">> There's a pause, and she considers for a couple moments. <<"Your bird - that's a Mandalmotors Kimo, isn't it? The position of the torpedo launcher on that model lets it double pretty well as a bomber if it needs to. If we need to deal with foot traffic, it can still put up a fight.">>
Hadrix nods as Sumi begins to move away in addition, he himself drawing his carbine - watching Hahtavi move into action with additional orders from the Alor - data provided to his HUD being scanned over. The barges and skiffs begin moving, a pair of the smaller airships moving towards the transport craft. Those still at the sail barges making a tighter escort ring when they begin to trundle forward.
Weapons being drawn initially before sounds of voices shouting back and forth. A stingwing nest of movement boiling with the ignition of ground vehicles are powered to full and the Scukla mount up. For the time being tensions are being set aside, positions are being taken and both mobile groups are converging for mutual protection.
Then it happens.
The first detonation goes off midway up the height of the fortress walls, the scoops of durasteel mounted to stone, using natural concavities to build out rooms and then carefully carved tunnels to connect them. One of those half-shell sections is blasted apart. The crack of the detonation coming moments before the distance softened buffet of the shockwave.
Then on the tail end of it the screams before the next explosion weakens a lower support.
The third explosion comes on the heels of the second, but its placement looks wrong. Damage to the walls appearing far less destructive - but the flash of light shows three bodies tumbling with ropes falling with.
Hahtavi's been marking targets into their HUD systems so that anyone he was able to see wouldn't be lost in the confusion. It's a good thing his rocketpack gave him pause for he hears Sumi's orders. <<" Wilco, Sumi. Prepping the Tal'onidir, over. ">> There's the barest glance back in Val's direction but she's doing fine, already on the move and with Avery right there to help her or watch her Six.
The Kora pilot turns sharply and moves butt to drop down and get the airlock cycling to get into his ship. As soon as he's able, Hahtavi gets aboard and hustles up to the cockpit to warm up the engines and get the repulsors online to lift the kimogila's bow in prep to launch.
Even /he/ can see and feel the explosion up on the fortress above when the shockwave rolls down through the basin below. <<" Holy krif! What the drek was /that/? ">> It is almost immediately followed by two more explosions and the pilot doesn't like it. << "Alor'Sumi, I need to lift. I can't be caught on the ground if they've ranged me, over." >> Unless she orders him otherwise, Hahtavi wants his ass up in the air as soon as possible!
Valeska had started moving towards the west, but slowed a bit in wordless consideration. The Mandos will get there faster than she can on all three fronts. Either their jetpacks, their ship, or the barge if they're really feeling froggy. Of the entire group, she's rather grounded regardless.
Sumi's orders register and cement what she was already thinking. Valeska changes her trajectory and, with a hurried pace, moves back towards the barge.... that is now speeding away. Kriff....
Sumi needs to be in eight places at once, but the only place she ends up is wiped out on the deck after tripping on her cape trying to commit to all eight places. Hitting hard enough to bust her lip, she immediately tastes blood and becomes annoyed. The blast leaves her ears ringing, but being she's already down, the concussive blast did little but vibrate her whole body in an oddly pleasing way.
Pushing up, Sumi fixes her helmet, slapping the side of her own head and walking briskly. <<"Hahtavi, get in the sky. We need overwatch and possible close air support. Go as soon as you're able.">> Sumi makes it to the prow and stands out on the tip to peer out over the desert. The wind takes her cape for a flight behind her while she's scanning, the loud flaps distracting.
<<"I am spotting additional targets.. three (3) by the Switchbacks, and three (3) others but they appear to have been in the blast radius and turned to soup; optics are still a bit fuzzy with them.">> She slaps her helmet again. <<"That makes nine (9) possible targets in the area. I've shared to your HUDs. Let's get to work, people.">> Another slap to her helmet and Sumi is having a moment.
After a rather successful flight, seeing all the sand, dirt, and rocks this particular area has to offer, Avery notes that one dot that left the barge has been left behind by the other dots on the barge, and that particular dot is now hurrying after the departing vessel as it moves. <<"Did someone get left behind?">> he asks as he kicks his legs into the air to do an about-face toward the ground, the trail of smoke streaming out behind him as he hurtles towards the sand.
As the dot grows bigger and bigger, a smile cracks across his lips at the figure of Valeska trudging through the sand. <<"Hey Val, I gotcha.">> He calls, informing the woman that he was closing in. Diving low to come up beside her in a quick stop, Avery nods. <"Going my way?"> He asks, before slipping under one arm and wrapping his left around her. <"Hang on!"> the grey Mandalorian calls, the jet pack igniting to lift the two in the air. <"Fancy meeting you here!"> he jokes as he angles them toward the smoking fortress, the damage from the explosions already starting to come into view as they near. Spying the enemies below, Avery holds out his E-11 but, at the speed in which they were travelling and the height that they cruised at, the shot goes wide.
Terek's jetpack once it's strapped on, fires up and launches him through the air. He lands above his target, and starts firing down on them with his blaster. He can at least make them scatter, and ensure they know that this is the wrong way to come on up here, "This is your only chance to get the hell out of here!"
Evie's waiting for her shot. Trying to get everything lined up, though even as rapidly as the skiff is moving and bringing her targets closer to her.... it's still a long way away for a weapon that isn't a sniper's rifle like Zelo might use. Still, she thinks she has a shot, and pulls the trigger!
...alas, her slug falls to gravity before she's able to hit her target. Maybe next time!
Criss-crossing gold, green and crimson bolts begin lighting up the front of the fortress. Highlighting the gaping holes blown open, the damage to wall sections that look to be supportive of other parts above them. Some of that fire directed towards the oncoming barges. Score marks forming as blaster heated metal begins to cool, one of the barge warriors is caught in the sternum and is blown off his feet hard enough to bounce him off the main mast before skidding across the surface.
Those pointed out by Sumi at the bottom of the switchbacks leading up to the fortress are forced down by the fire sent their way - no signs of additional casualties yet. But invectives are being hurled back and forth as much as spears, plasma bolts and improvised incendiaries that go wide of their mark - but illuminate them clearly just as one of those attackers moves as if heaving something into the air.
The clear eyed using their image magnification, or those having gotten close enough seeing something silvery arching to pass through the hole blasted in the wall of the fortress.
<<"Confirming, Sumi is correct - nine hostiles, looks like their sappers messed up their last charges.">> Hadrix is at the prow, helmet macrobinoculars scanning and confirming icons over those Sumi has already marked appearing, <<"Forward shooters, be ready to get clear.">>
The moment he got through the airlock, the ship started taking small arms fire! You can bet your shebs the first thing Hahtavi did when powering up was to raise the kimogila's shields as soon as it was safe to do so! The ship throttles up to leap into the sky with a roar of the Tal'onidir's engines!
Hahtavi doesn't take the ship up very high before he's got his sites on hostile penetration of the mountain fortress. He lines up his shot and moves in to drop a torpedo! Making a precision bombing run is not what he's used to doing but Evie's right! It's effective as the torpedo strikes and blows a new crater. Whether it killed the invaders or not he can't tell for all the dust and his keeping the kimogila moving.
<<" I'm up and having a look see. Thanks for the tip, Evie! Torpedo away! Sing out if you see targets I need to pound, over." >> That last part especially directed to Sumi.
Valeska is trying to catch up to the barge, but only at an awkward, sand-shifting job. There's no way she's going to catch up. Thankfully -- or not -- someone is there to /rescue/ her. Oh, goody. She's saved. If Avery could see her face, he'd feel her eyes burning through to the back of his head. Mayhaps he can feel that tingling just at the base of his skull anyways.
<"Funny. Real funny."> Nevertheless, she hooks one arm around his neck and another around his waist as they take off. She'd always wondered what it was like to fly around on a jetpack. It seemed so freeing and invogorating. A bird's eye view of the Maker's splendor.
The hellhole of Mandalore is not what she had in mind as a maiden voyage.
With enough frustration to take down a sarlaac from the inside out, Valeska is more than a little giddy to finally have a target. <"Hold onto me!"> she shouts to Avery over the rush of wind. The first catches her bolt in the center of his chest and deals with the worst heartburn of what remains of his short life. Another shrugs off a hit to his shoulder and the second goes wide. Avery can hear the woman growling ferally.
Sumi rocks backward when a shot intended for her barely misses, whip-cracking so loud it left her ears ringing. <"That was lucky."> Taking a look over the the battlefield, Sumi catches the glint of a silvery object heading for the opening of the wall. Without a word, the Mandalorian activates her jetpack and throttles it full force for the wall, leaving behind her cape that ripped free and fluttered to the deck of the barge.
Landing in the hole a few moments later, she sees the just what was being cast into the hole.
<"Kriff me..">
Sumi dives for the explosive to try and wrangle it back outside to avoid anymore damage to the wall.
<"I'm not the one doing sprint training in the middle of the desert."> He replies, the grin on his lips heard through the speaker. <"And don't worry, I gotcha."> Avery claims as she pulls her pistol to aim at the rapidly approaching baddies. Three shots later and two of the enemy have felt her sting, one of the two not so lucky as he spins from the hit to his shoulder.
\A flash of light attracts Avery's attention, <"Hang on!"> he calls when he spies the sun's reflection off a scope aimed in their direction. Val can feel the tightening of his arm around her waist moments before evasive maneuvers begin and he wheels them over and away from the streaking blaster bolt that screams by. <"Let's get down there, hopefully becoming less of a target."> he recommends, scanning for an advantageous place for the pair to set up and defend the fortress. Spot located, Avery angles them toward the destination and the duo fly through the sky, pulling up just before impact to land softly.
He releases Valeska when their boots touch the ground, the Mandalorian moving to engage over the cover of rock he has chosen. <"Nice day out, wouldn't you say?"> He quips as he squeezes the E-11's trigger a couple of times, loosing two bolts that connect with their foe. One strikes that unlucky fellow whom Val injured, his body crumpling next to her kill. Avery's second shot finds a fresh scavenger, he too spinning in a circle from the solid hit to his shoulder. <"We like to make em dance, it seems.">
Well, Terek's plan to get these guys to maybe not throw their lives away is met with things being thrown at him in response, <"Welp, I tried."> Terek says, before he leans back over his cover and fires another burst of shots from his pistol. This time one of them strikes an injured target, putting him down for good, though other ones just find the dirt, <"Stuff's starting to pick up over here. How many of them do we have to kill before they'll get the idea!">
<<"No problem, Hahtavi, you're doing me proud up there. That's exactly what I was hoping to see, will keep eyes on the ground to see if I can spy a new target for you.">> Evie replies. She'll keep her eyes open, for sure... but in that particular case? It's going to be for a group. A cluster that a torpedo wouldn't be wasted on. She's also spying solo targets for herself, and lining up a shot....
The visible damage is most pleasing to her eyes, even if her target isn't down yet! There will be time. She will claim her victims.
Or, you know. One of the other Koras (and friends) might. That would be fine too!
<<"Close Haht - think you fried their ass hairs with that one.">> Catching sight of what Sumi is doing on the POV icon on his HUD, Hadrix's second blaster bolt swinging wide from the distraction, <<"Kriffing hell, Sumi! Get out of there!">> clenching up when his visor magnifiers lock on the object that she sends hurtling from the gap in the wall to where it was delivered. He doesn't pay attention to the one he laid out. <<"Sumi! COVER! Val, Avery, Terek - DISBURSE IMMEDIATELY">> roaring over comms and his externals even pick up, booming his voice across the distance
Those on the assault looking up and immediately scrambling when the sphere sails out - catching the fading sun to reflect like a miniature star all its own.
Then it becomes a supernova. Blinding white light that threatens to become the last that one might ever see if not for visors or cockpit canopies going opaque to save vision. Color is bleached, leaving all in a stark contrast world of blazing white or abyssal blackness. There is no gray, there is no gradient, there isn't even sound as oxygen seems to momentarily disappear.
A small agonizing eternity.
The roar and heat heralds the return to normalcy and with that too a force like a hand of reality itself none too gently towards all in range. Stone and sand not reduced to ashy fragments that turn to a silt in the apocalyptic winds become flechette projectiles, raining down on those caught in the range of the blast.
The smoke and sand in the wake of it, as air rushes back in to fill the void, yanking bodies from the ground and threatening tumbling over the living as well. Miniature sandstorm twisting on the flat ridge between the fort and the switchback path.
<<"Hahtavi, I want eyes - are they ok?!">> Hadrix's voice again, more blink marks on the HUD, map indicators, IFF tag points being made in rapid fire action.
He's trying to see as Hahtavi raises the kimogila higher for a better look, bringing the nose around. <<" There's too much dust. I can't see them. Sing out! ">> What he does see however are at least two more baddies at the base of the switchback trail and with nobody else close by them. Easy targets if he can bring his ship over and nail them.
The Tal'onidir changes position and glides like a hunting bird over the skirts of the mountain fortress. When he gets into position, Hahtavi drops another torpedo and it lands with a deep WHUMP! More dust, rock, and sand erupts up into the air in violence.
Finally the dust is clearing, <<" Looks like Terek and Avery got clear. Val, you OK? ">> As the ship continues moving, Hahtavi's circling back, <<" Scratch two hostiles at the bottom of the switchback, over. ">>
Valeska feels Avery holding onto her tightly and they speed up. She's trying to keep her eyes on the targets: waiting for when they land so she can open fire again. She doesn't see what is incoming, too focused on the enemies in front of her. When the warnings come over the comms, it's almost too late. At least, that's how it feels when time slows to crawl and then stops for a heartbeat.
The world dissolves into chaos. Bright light, unbearable heat, rendering noise. Power to topple structures and grind them to dust, then ash, then sheets of glass. The rocks take the brunt of it. Valeska takes the rest. Shrapnel rips through the parts of her body that aren't blessedly behind the rocks and she staggers back, hitting some rocks behind her and almost sliding down. Almost.
Ripping her helmet off and tossing it aside so she can take a deep breath, pieces of metal now pressing into her lungs, the merc rushes forward. Ducked behind the same rock that took the hit, she pokes her head over and fires three rapid fire shots. The first hits. The second goes off and the third even more so as she takes to a knee coughing up blood. But otherwise fine. "Never better. They gone? I don't see anyone."
Sumi dove for the thermal detonator, scrambling with the globe and comically juggling it from hand to hand before finding a firm grip on it finally! Taking three steps, she used her body weight to propel her arm with momentum to release the explosive and get it away from the innards of the wall. There was no time for celebration, Sumi was trapped inside the wall and when she tried to find a hasty exit, the explosion combusted and spread.
The kinetic blast followed, casting out a visible wave of concussive energy that sent her careening backward to pancake against the wall. Sumi saw white, then black. She crumbled to the ground, hitting so hard her helmet fell off.
Deep within the vault of her mind----, Sumi's mindseye opens to find a squatting Sana looming beside her offering a hand. 'You going lay down in every fight, kid? Or are you going to start hurting people?' Sumi recalled answering her, though her voice was still a child's. "I don't want to hurt anyone." Sana laughed a hearty laugh. 'You are Mandalorian, now. Violence is the language of the galaxy. Rise and become fluent in it. If you fall, you rise again. And again, and again. You rise until you die. You don't stop, and you don't stop, and you /don't stop./ Do you hear me?'
Sumi's eyes opened to reality, and she sucked inward hard, cradling herself and curling into a fetal position. A moment later, she coughs up blood and reaches for her helm blindly. She had no intention of stopping.
One minute there was a gun battle, the next there was a loud yell in his comms for the lot of them to get down. Avery, having been a squadmate of Hadrix's for a long time, doesn't even hestitate or question the call. He yells <"GET TO COVER!"> to Valeska and is reaching to help pull her to safety when the world goes white and a silence envelops them all. The rush of sound returning is almost as bad as the impact that rocks his body, deadly fragments of rock clatter all around, striking Val and sending her stumbling against a rock as blood begins to seep out of her wounds.
It takes a second for Avery to gather himself, shaking his head from side to side while Valeska rejoins him at the rock. His eyes scan her body, from her removed helmet down to her toes, concern laced in the voice that comes from his vox. <"How badly are you hit?"> The slicer gets his answer in two forms, first the coughing up of blood and second over the comms to Haht in response. He watches her fire from cover, lifting to do the same. He depresses the trigger and sends the last she wounded flying from his feet to bounce down what is left of the mountain side.
All combatants removed from the fight, Avery looks to the wounded Val and sends back a message. <<"Val could definitely use a medic when the chance arises. She's steady and fighting, though.">> Switching over to voice, he asks. <"Need a lift back or are you good to wait?">
Now Terek has been close to explosions before. Usually not of his own volition, but he's been close. This one is closer than the previous ones. Somehow though he does manage to dive heroicly out of the way of the massive blast. He rolls a couple of times and ends up behind cover, which shields him from the worst of it.
It takes a bit for the dust and interference to clear, but he does eventually come over the comms, <"Terek checking in. Not dead yet."> He then lays back and looks up at the sky. He's just going to lay here for a couple of minutes and consider his life.
There is still screaming, names being called for, sobbing, screams of defiance against death. But because of a desperate ploy - there are fewer dead than there could have been. The fortress is only damaged, not destroyed. From the smoke and dust still swirling and storming Ca of Wazzum appears at Sumi's side, helmet off to reveal a tanned woman with features weather beaten and steel blue eyes performing a quick survey.
"By the Manda, Sumi Kora... you and your lot are absolute jare'verda..." raking back short cut chestnut hair "Oya mando." a pat that is part congratulatory and part checking for breaks. The laugh seeming more for play acting to others looking their way before he waves over others with canteens and some of the medical supplies brought earlier, Car herself moving on to keep her fast survey of the damage.
<<"Hahtavi, ground fast and put some camo-net over your fighter - those proton detonations and that det will have curious eyes this way. We're risking some of the meaner AA getting brought in soon, people going sky-fishing. Avery, Terek - good to hear you're ok... I think Val's comms were frakked. Tell here I'll be making sure she'll be tended.">> Hadrix's voice still on comms, a break in the rumble of stone on stone after his calling. <<"Scukla sounds like they're dropping their issue with Bazza... based on what they saw. They're not talking alliance, but they're not talking hostilities either. Good work.">> some genuine relief there as, on the barge, Hadrix slides down to a seated posture, E-11 in his lap and both hands lifted to hook his fingers in the collar of his armor cowl.
Dealing with the voices in his own head, independently with Sumi.
The Bazza and Wazzum clans converging on the fortress, leaving the air skiffs and sail barges to render aid where needed. It could have been so much worse if keen eyes from the expedition hadn't been as aware as they were. A fortunate evening, all things considered.
Valeska only allows herself to go as far as one knee, refusing to fall any further. It's just bit of metal. Her arms are still good. Her heart can pump the blood fast enough to keep up with what is soaking into her jumpsuit in various places. A deep, laboured breath accompanies a raised hand to Avery's question. "It's fine. I can wait. Is anyone else hurt? What the kriff /was/ that?"
Everyone, quick. Turn the holonews on! Breaking story! War is very, very different from mercenary work. She won't say it out loud, but Valeska is feeling some kind of real respect for the battles her parents fought. With the relative silence, save for Hahtavi's ship, Valeska braces against the boulder and pulls herself to her feet.
From the Tal'onidir, Hahtavi toggles his coms, <<" Wilco, Hadrix. Heading down, over. "> He's also eager to find out how badly hurt Valeska got in the explosions but he can't hurry his landing safely. He angles the kimogila to a new location, not where he had the ship parked before. Thrusters and repulors come online to ease his descent until the skids touch down. Moments later the engines power down and the pilot is unstrapping.
It'll take him some time. Hahtavi disembarks and starts shouting for camo covering assistance for his fighter. There is a lot of chaos and he's got to take care of their air support before he can see to his own desires, or to friends. Once he's drug out the heavy bundle, others lend hands to helping the Kora tal'at'cuyir to get his ship under the best possible cover. Having landed close to rocks and scrubb also helps.
Soon as that's been seen to, Hahtavi gives his thanks and starts running to go and check on the others, and Valeska.
"Yeah?" Sumi says, limping at first and miraculously recovering to a steady walk. It seemed odd the cuts on her cheek and bite on her lip was only dry blood now. "You should see the other guys." Not smiling, because she was still weathering pain, Sumi stepped off to go sit on a charcoaled slag. A body burned near it and she lowered enough to light the end of her smoke off the flame before sitting back and staring into the heat-wave horizon. A slow rise of expelled smoke followed and she spit blood off to the side, wincing again. "Sumi, you need an easy day.. one of these days.." She told herself.
"Yeah?" Sumi says, limping at first and miraculously recovering to a steady walk. It seemed odd the cuts on her cheek and bite on her lip was only dry blood now. "You should see the other guys." Not smiling, because she was still weathering pain, Sumi stepped off to go sit on a charcoaled slag. A body burned near it and she lowered enough to light the end of her smoke off the flame before sitting back and staring into the heat-wave horizon. A slow rise of expelled smoke followed and she spit blood off to the side, wincing again. "Sumi, you need an easy day.. one of these days.." She told herself.
He shakes his head from side to side, his helmet staying on simply for protection and to help him see for what he's about to do. <"No, they all got to safety, or so it sounds..."> Avery states, shifting over to grab her helmet to clip it to his belt. <"That was an explosion, probably meant to take down the citadel but I think it went wrong for them some how."> said with clear view of the fortress that was still standing. <"I think the fighting is all done for now, let's get you to safety and see about tending those wounds."> Avery offers her a hand to help her stand, a look of concern for her wounds left unseen behind that cold T-visor. <"Walk or fly?"> He asks, giving her the choice of travel.
