Log:Sith: On Good Authority

Information gained from a captured survivor of the Jundland Wastes skirmish has painted a target on the location of the Missing Hand's base of operations. Situated on the industrialized planet of Raxus Prime, a specialized taskforce move in to raid the base and discover the location of what it is they are seeking.

On Good Authority

OOC Date: June 17, 2022
Location: Junk Zone Alpha, Raxus Prime
Participants: Xavier Harcourt (GM), Caius Sentari, Grafn Struss, Kin-Li Kel, Tamsin Cas, Sith Empire

~~-< Junk Field - Junk Zone Alpha, Raxus Prime >~~--/ X|X \~~--/ X|X \~~--/ X|

The vast fields of ancient refuse cloak the rest of the planet to irregular and unknowable depths. Without fixed structure, the shifting wastelands are never quite the same from one day to the next, as every day deep underground load bearing piece of refuse collapses, or some new deposit of off-world trash is added to the terrain.

Misshapen and degraded junk droids crawl through the wastes like mechanical cancers, adding scavenged pieces to themselves as they go, in a desperate attempt to continue functioning.

~~--/ X|X \~~--/ X|X \~~--/ X|X \~~--/ X|X \~~--/ X|X \~~--/ X|X \~~--/ X|X \~

-- Xavier --

The surface of Raxus Prime is hardly anything to witness. The atmosphere is barely breathable and that is accounting for how well the filtration of a good, sealed helmet can sift out the smallest of rank particulate. The planet, once flush with clear lagoons and islands of marble structures, is now so choked with garbage and industry that such tales of the planet's past are chalked up to wide-eyed myths. What water there had been is now fetid and poisonous. What islands there had been are now swallowed by heaps of junk and debris that tower like skycrapers. The sky here is forever painted a sickly yellow with clouds that even the rays of the sun Raxus cannot penetrate. Instead the light is spread out like a thick, toxic fog that is eventually swallowed by the shadows of refuse heaps.

And below it all runs thousands upon thousands of miles of underground passageways. Tunnels dug out of the rusted, jagged metal jungle itself then burrowed even deeper to the surface layer of rot and ruin. Some of these networks connect the ground-dwelling populations to one another; eeking out some form of survivability in a place that otherwise refuses to harbour any life. Yet some of these tunnels are self-contained; privately owned and kept secure from raiders, wanderers, and hunters.

It is at the entrance of one of these isolated tunnels that the group has gathered. Donning his medium armour once again, sporting the helmet to at least try to keep out some of the grit in the air, Xavier addresses the team without a cigarette. For once, there is more than enough toxins in the air to tide him over. <<"This is an extraction and eradication. We slip in without setting off the alarms and attain this man.">> In his hand is a small, out-dated holoprojector that flickers with the blue image of a gruff, spiny-faced Mythrol male. <<"Crev Bahr. As luck would have it, the blue colouring is rather accurate. We need this one alive. If he is alerted before we get to him, we risk losing him in the maze below.">>

-- Tamsin Cas --

The Councilor stood in silence behind the armored for of Xavier, allowing the mission report to be given, and the brief to be passed on to the gathered team of mercenaries and hired marks. Once the brief was completed, that heavily modulated voice broke the Councilor's previous silence. "We will be moving in under my orders. I would advise caution and care as we enter the tunnel system. Every inch of tis planet is unstable." That faceless helm turned to regard the group. "I also advise keeping up with the group. If you fall behind, you will be left behind." The Councilor stepped forward, moving past Xavier to step into the gap that formed the entrance to the tunnel. "I will call out contacts as I identify them."

-- Kin-Li --

Kin-Li Kel is bedecked in a Corellian Huntsuit, the shadowy form of the armor discernable with the cloaking field disabled. He wears a smorgasbord of weapons. Vibrosword, grenades, a T27 over his shoulder, blaster pistol. He is clearly ready for both infiltration AND combat. <<"Infiltrate. Acquire. Capture. Understood.">>

-- Caius --

<"Frak it, sneaking again.">, Caius voxes under his breath over to Nazamine, though the common channel ensures everyone in the team heard it. He does catch himself and nods firmly to the Councilor as she gives her orders. <"Ya got it, Councilor. I'll have yer six.">, he replies simply, hefting his massive 4-foot T-21 over from his shoulder into a ready position. He's probably overcompensating.

-- Grafn --

"You know!" Grafn's voice rings out over the comms. "This planet is like a more honest version of Nar Shaddaa, a mere egg-shell of neon and grime keeping you from seeing the fetid stink beneath back there, but here? Honest to goodness decay." That Coruscanti rumble drifting into ears across the board as he slowly levels his rifle, swinging the two metre barrel before him warily as he weaves his way through the treacherously tetanus-blessed terrain. His helm certainly helps filter out the fetid nature of the utter lack of nature all about them. Boot shod feet crunching whatever trash is beneath. Slow and steady. And with Tamsin's orders, Grafn offers a warm roar of assent. "Aye, Councillor. On your six." The very words spoken as he eyes the terrain ahead.

-- Nazamine --

Nazamine stands at the entrance. Her pink hair was braided and wrapped in a neat low bun. The helmet on her head was doing its job, filtering out the toxins of the world. <"Alright, will do"> Naz says to come and she grips her EZ rifle and manages to get it on to her back to make maneuvering a lot easier.

-- Xavier --

Tucking the holoprojector back into a leather pouch, Xavier gestures towards the black-robed figure. <<"The Councillor is the Commander. You follow their lead. If you opt to venture off on your own, we will not be returning for you, understood?">> Tamsin already said it, but it bears repeating. He doesn't wait for an answer, jerking towards the heavy blastdoor that has been built into the side of a mangled heap of old droid parts and broken vehicles. <<"Getting in will be easy enough. On top of revealing the coordinates to this location, a young man was more than happy to give me the security code. It pays to ask nicely, mmm?">> A low, growly chuckle dangles at the end of his sentence.

Tapping in the code, the door slides open with a hiss and an exhale of trapped air escaping into the toxic outdoors. <<"We subdue anyone we come across quietly. At first.">> Which means his slugthrower is taking a backseat to his very archaic combat sword today. <<"Once we have our man, we leaving nothing to salvage in our wake.">> To this, Xavier gestures towards a pair of black-armoured Mark troopers that have been silently standing guard. <<"That is where they come in.">> The two formidable Stormtroopers say nothing. Merely lift up their rifles in unison and prepare to move forward on orders.

The tunnel itself is much like like the thousands of others on Raxus Prime: jagged, cluttered, and extremely unstable. Just looking inside, the group can already see a split in the path which inevitably leads to many other forks. One could get lost very quickly in here and never be seen again. To this, Xavier remarks cheerily: <<"And remember to have fun.">>

On Tamsin's lead, the group move in one by one with Xavier at the rear followed by the two Mark.

-- Tamsin Cas --

The Councilor did not look back to ensure that the team was, indeed, keeping up, as they began their descent into the tunnel, the dimming of the light within not seeming to offer any for of obstacle to the robed Sith, as they lead the way. They moved with what appeared to be the ease of long practice over the rubble strewn ground, pausing as they came to the first break in the path, one path leading right the other left. It was towards the left that the Councilor turned, their report coming on the group's comms. "Two life forms, a patrol, if I do not miss my park. This path should lead us in their direction. But be alert. Something is moving in the planet's debris. What it is, I do not yet know, but it is not our ally."

-- Kin-Li --

Kin-Li Kel waits until the timing is right to move around the corner. The Huntsuit does a bang-up job of concealing his presence, but even its hi-tech advantages don't cure making a bad decision. He creeps up as they move around the corner, but he doesn't wait QUITE long enough, and he scrapes his foot on the floor. The sound causes both guards to look over.

With a softly snarled curse, he swings the vibrosword in a sift horizontal arc, relieving the unfortunate guard of his head. It falls to the ground with the sound of a melon cracking open. A second swing, but the surprised second guard has time to duck back away from the blow.

-- Caius --

Caius Sentari found himself a sizeable engine block to hide behind in the interim, peeking up to watch Kin-Li decapitate the one mook. <"How're we gunna catch that other one tho'. I'd shoot but, this drek has no silencer."> He's chuckling under that helmet of his, as per usual.

-- Grafn --

Grafn notes Kin-Li's advance and moves after him with about as much quiet as a bantha, what with the two scrubs having been roused by said advance. To aid? To distract? The option of blowing his head off is slung over a shoulder, and so the old pilot draws forth a knife and balances it... aims... and flings, managing to punch that sharp blade through a spot between armour plates, which should prove annoying. Grafn smirks under his helm and draws another knife...

-- Caius --

Caius blinks at Grafn's knife sticking out of the patrolman, swivells over to take a long look at his T-21, says 'frak it', and pokes up from the engine block to yell at the second soldier after he gets knifed. <"There's more where that came from, ya /BLOB/! Yer friend's /dead/. Better run while ya have th' chance! Ahaha.">

-- Xavier --

Indeed, there are a part of low-rung Hand members doing their daily patrol close to the tunnel's entrance. Nothing exciting ever happens here, really. The duty is considered an insult at best and punishment at worst. Which makes the two already rather disgruntled.

"When I get enough saved up, I'm flyin' off of this fecking heap of a planet."

"Ya say that e'ry time, you wampa-humper. Ya ain't gettin' off this planet cuz ya keep spendin' all yer credits on bad lum and pazaak."

"Eh, stuff it, Wall. This gig was going good until Tatooine. What the drek even happened there? Boss ain't sayin'."

"Why would he tell ya anyways? You're as useless as a sponge on Mon Cal. Now shaddup so I can---HNNNGH!"

A blade slips between the seam of Wall's mis-matched armour plates, sinking betwix a pair of ribs and almost - almost -- puncturing a lung. A chill streaks down his spine as he blood pressure starts to tank. Only for an intimidating voice to snake down the tunnel and into his ears.

Released, the man turns tail and runs down a split in the tunnel, knife still in his torso, and disappears in the darkness. The group continue onward, guided by Tamsin who seems to have an uncanny knack for knowing where to turn and when. Maybe she got a map memorized.

That is until they stop again at another split in the path; this one going five different ways.

-- Tamsin Cas --

Thankfully, it was not possible to make out the Councilor's face behind their mask, and they simply moved ahead, further down the tunnel where the guards had been encountered. That was likely a good sign, yes? Well, at least the saber had not come out. Yet. More of that careful advance, with every attempt made to keep the movement as quiet as possible, until they came to the next break. And then there came the next break in the road. Five paths, and the Councilor considered them all. The helm turned towards Xavier, but the comms were audible to everyone. "The first way, one life signature. The third way, three. The fourth way is something...I do not believe is humanoid, large, dangerous, possibly sentient." A nod, then, "We will clear the first path and then proceed down the third. Avoid the fourth unless it decides to encounter us. Or we do not locate our target."

-- Kin-Li --

Kin-Li Kel moves around the bend, and spots the patroller pointed out by the leader of this merry little band. Again, he gives away his position as he nears the target -- he is clearly not some sort of master sneak thief -- but again, it simply doesn't matter. He turns the vibrosword in his hand, and SMASHES the pommel into the base of the unfortunate being's skull.

The guard falls bonelessly after a sickening crunch echoes through the tunnel. He's...possibly alive?

-- Caius --

Caius Sentari fords out ahead of Kin-Li once he dispatches that one mook, head swivelling about for a beat before turning towards the confirmed third path. Spotting the three blips, he pads forth towards the nearest pile of debris - slinging his T-21 on his back and taking out his E-11 in the process - positioning himself prone-ish and mounting his carbine atop it. He takes two shots, and one hits true - disabling them, while the second goes wide. <"Frak.">

-- Grafn --

It is with a nod to Tamsin, that Grafn acknowledges the information given. "Aye, Councillor." Another nod is given as the old pilot moves with an odd sort of grace, moving nimbly, quietly, a dexftenss of touch as his feet trip lightly across the floor in a balletic display of ancient prowess. Why the two knives that he draws and flings down the corridor sink deep into the flesh of the thug that stood shocked for but a moment. Those very blades ensuring the blood within, is soon quite without. The returning fire illuminates the corridor however, with Grafn taking a shot to the torso, with his armour soaking most of the blast at least, though Grafn does falter for a moment. "Well that's unsporting..." The old worthy grunts with his typical Coruscanti bluster as Xavier moves to clean up matters. An act that is watched and appreciated. That'll show him, bringing a blaster to a knife fight.

-- Xavier --

As the group navigate the twists and turns of the underground network, Xavier has been keeping to the rear as a quiet back up, sword held in his hand at the ready but otherwise relatively passive. The pair of Mark soldiers that are with them are making glowing marks at each junction with florescent spray that glows a clear, inappropriately-calming blue. Difficult to miss and will prove crucial on their way out.

The Sith operatives temporarily split ranks: Kin-Li sprinting down the first tunnel to eliminate another potential threat from the board. Caius and Grafn slip into the third tunnel and engage in a two-against-three fight! Two are taken down with a swiftness leaving one to avenge his fallen comrades out of sheer animalistic instinct. No sooner has he opened fire when Xavier rushes in with the flash of his blade; a devastating stab into the shooter's lower abdomen with the archaic weapon.

<<"You good, Gun?">> Xavier asks over his shoulder towards Grafn as he non-chalantly presses his boot against the man impaled on his blade and all but kicks him off. A flick of the sword to clean it of blood and he nods to the robed figure. <<"On your lead, Commander.">>

There is a cold <<"Finish them.">> from Xavier towards the pair of Marks that follow. As the group round the next bend, there sound of two rifles singing at the same time put the fallen Hand soldiers to bed permanently.

They are only stopped one more time when they come across a door with the same lockpad as they had seen on the surface. Xavier takes the initiative and plugs in the code to unlock it but does not open the door. Instead, he takes a step back and tilts his head towards Tamsin in wordless questioning.

-- Tamsin Cas --

The Councilor's left gloved hand rose, calling a halt to the advance as they came to the door. A nod to Xavier, as he entered the codes to open the door before them. A moment or two of silence, as the Councilor considered the door, before their voice came back on the group's comms, "At least one dozen forms beyond this door, but they do not appear to be moving as though they are preparing to defend their location." The Councilor's hand lowered, the saber snapping into their palm, before the blade ignited, casting that baleful crimson glow over their form and a wash of the ground around them. "That form moving through the ground is still close. When and where it will come out, I cannot say. Yet."

And then, the final dungeon. If this were a dungeon crawl. Which, well, this was Raxus. So it was. A flick of their wrist and the button that activated the door as the brought their blade up, depressed itself, the doors sliding back as the Councilor charged in, blade growling in that way that was particularly its own, as they descended into the melee. The robed figure moved with unfailing accuracy and grace, and those who knew them better might have said they saw some shadow of a falleen grace in their movements, as the blade danced, cutting down a first, a second, and a third as death came into their sanctuary. "Locate the target!" That into the comms, not out loud.

-- Xavier --

The door is opened with a hiss revealing what is going on within. It's a surprisingly small area filled to the brim with boxes and crates of loot and scrap. The room itself is unimpressive, but having been carefully excavated from miles of compressed junk and rusting droid parts it's actually a rather big undertaking. And crammed into this space no bigger than a light freighter's cargo bay are about a dozen sentients all gathered around a large piece of salvaged metal atop a busted metal box. Upon it they are playing a bit of sabaac.

Or they were. The doors fly open and the room is filled with flashes of red humming like super heated death. One, two, three fall into various burning pieces on the floor; half a torso landing on the cobbled-together table then rolling off the edge.

Nine figures stagger up to their feet, eyes wide and hands trying to fumble for their blasters.

-- Kin-Li --

Kin-Li Kel charges aggressively through the door with precisely zero hesitation. He goes the opposite direction as the lightsaber wielding psychopath, and that is a good thing -- pieces of body begin flying every which way. Despite THAT horror show, he lets his eyes drop to the blue-skinned alien...and he simply drops his vibrosword to the floor with a dull clatter.

His left hand drops to drop holster on his left leg, and in a blur of motion, three blue stun bolts zip out of thee massive blaster pistol. The target is hit in the forehead, and drops, dead or stunned (though almost certainly the later.) An unfortunate scrub next to him has time to look surprised and horrified, before he, too, eats a stunbolt. A third bolt smashes harmlessly into the wall behind him.

-- Caius --

Caius Sentari follows after Kin-Li with just as much aplomb, getting on his knee following up his shots with two of his own separate targets - both hitting true, and both downing two. <"Haha, look at these nerf-herders.">, he quips as the rest scramble to their feet. He's not even looking at the Councilor and their bloody work anymore, apparently used to their brutal efficiency.

-- Grafn --

Grafn raises a hand to Xavier as he shows concern. <"Aye sir."> The word grunted over the comms as he pushes himself up and takes but a momentary breath. From there, he follows and gets to witness the glory of the Councillor moving with such dedication to death. Putting down those soldiers with such grace and skill, such skill that never grows old to witness. The knives remain tucked away as he unslings his rifle, a sleek and gorgeous piece of equipment from a past era. Polished wood, a beautiful barrel, and all two metres of it are aimed at one of the scrubs as he moves into the room. A shot is fired. Smoke. Acridity. The punch of a bullet slamming into a thug. Another shot rings out. This one sending the thug spinning to the ground. The old pilot moves still, keeping on the move as they surprise their enemy so swiftly. <"Another down.">

-- Xavier --

There is no time to react. No time to bark orders or run for cover. In what feels like only a few blinks, half of the Hand are wiped out and the others can barely get their hands on their blasters. Their leader, Crev, crumbles to a twitching, blue heap while those who remain fight desperately. They fire their shots wildly while scrambling away. Trying to scramble away.

And all of this ruckus -- blaster bolts sinking into the mangled metal walls and a slug rifle screaming with a loud BAM! -- seems to have gotten the attention of whatever has been slithering around in the tunnel networks. Enough to get Xavier pausing in his sword swings; missing all three and brows furrowing beneath the blast sheield of his helmet. <<"We need to get out of here. Now!">> His hand gestures with a snap to the pair of Mark soldiers that had been following. <<"Set them!">>

<<"Sir.">> They say in union and produce two compact explosive devices, jamming them into the first openings they can find within the room's structure and setting the detonation devices.

And thus the clock starts to tick. <<"Commander. I humbly suggest a quick and tactical retreat.">>

-- Tamsin Cas --

"We need to move. Now." The Councilor, though they did not lower their saber, reached out with the force, an invisible hand wrapping around the fallen body of their target and lifting him into the air, drawing him closer, so that any who sought to take him would have to come within the range of that saber, before the Councilor turned on their heels, moving to depart, at speed out back into the paths they had tread to escape. They did not bother to consider that there were still bodies, living and reaching for their blasters and likely more than willing to shoot at them, whether or not their leader was in their grasp and potential collateral damage. That was why one brought a team. They moved for the exit.

-- Kin-Li --

Kin-Li Kel lays down a veritable curtain of suppressive fire as the team begins to retreat. Moving as swiftly as possible, he still manages to accurately target the remaining combatants inside the room. Two of them fall, smoking holes in their chests.

As he moves backwards, however, he stumbles several times, finally falling over hard enough that he appears to have turned an ankle or otherwise hurt one of his legs.

-- Caius --

Caius Sentari doesn't even try to return fire, hoofing it almost immediately at the Councilor's order. He tries to shift the weight of the floating blue blob onto him, at first, in an attempt to expedite their retreat - to no avail, as his footing is rather shaky. He stops just short of tripping on himself before he gives up with a voxed grunt, instead deciding to sprint it out of there - where he succeeds. <"Hoof it!">

-- Grafn --

Grafn slings that gorgeous rifle that has spilled blood this day and ended life, and with the grace of a lumbering bear, he moves to assist in supporting and bearing some manner of burden with the floaty blue fellow, moving into position after Caius' decent attempt. <"Onwards!"> Though Grafn catches his left leg on a pipe and stumbles, he rises with a few muttered curses about Raxus and its state of being. <"This is worse than Coruscant!"> A slight limp! But all the same, Grafn moves with the group, focused on evading whatever hellbeast has been awoken. And assisting in getting this 'prize' to safety.

-- Xavier --

There's nothing quite like multiple Impending Dooms heading one's way to inspire that rush of youthful exuberance. With an unconscious Crev floating in the air and Grafn aiding in the lift, the group backtrack through the labyrinth; following the luminescent glow of the marks left by... the Marks.

The tunnels are more treacherous in the exit than they were in the entrance as the hasty retreat has everyone jumping over jammed, jagged pieces of metal and tripping over ship components that haven't seen the light of day since the Old Republic. And yet still that rumbling grows louder. Faster. More hungry. Everything around them shakes and rattles: pieces are dislodged from above and fall with loud metal-on-metal clangs.

They turn a corner, twist around another. The first waypoint they made is just up ahead and the moment he can see the dim blue light glowing, Xavier barks over his shoulder: <<"Get ready!">>

Tamsin is out first, followed by Grafn and an unconscious Crev. Kin-Li limps along steadily with Caius right next to him. Then finally Xavier who slams his hand on the opening's frame and yells: <<"Light it!">>

The pair of Mark troopers, keeping to the back of the group, activate their devices with simultaneous efficiency. Immediately, there is a thunderous road of explosions ripping through the tunnels like an echoing beast. Outside, he punches the door closed.

On the surface, hardly anything changes. There is a bit of a shift to some of the more loose pieces that have settled at the top and one section appears to sink an inch or so. But down below, the tunnels cave in on themselves in a fiery cascade. A burial at heap for those left inside.

The Missing Hand's one surviving member on Raxus Prime is going to wish he had been buried with them.