Log:The Irregulars: For Your Ears Only

Don't call us nosey. We prefer inquisitive. The Irregulars and team establish a listening station on Corellia.

OOC Date: June 15, 2021
Location: Corellia
Participants: Irregulars: Jax Greystorm, Nerys Greystorm as Self/GM. The Mercs (Yay Mercs!): Avery Ihala Kora, Hadrix Kora, Hahtavi Kora, Valeska Jaivon

[ Nerys Greystorm (Nerys)]

The mixed team of Irregulars and mercenaries had been messaged to rendezvous for mission onboarding not far from that farmhouse on Plympto where they had met once before. The designated dropship was a GAT-12h Skipray Blastboat. Once again, as the group converged, Jetpack was waiting at the entry ramp to the ship. It was tight quarters, but the team would make due. In addition to the team, the ship was manned by a pair of armored figures. The pilot, a large man in powered armor, who was introduced as Mayhem, had remained within the cockpit for the duration of the flight. The second figure, smaller, in lighter scout trooper armor, bearing a rather nasty looking sniper carbine, had not identified herself, and remained stationed not far from one of the weapons control stations. Jetpack made it clear they would serve as ground support, but would remain with the ship to provide overwatch and extraction of the team once the job was finished.

Based on the specs which had been transmitted to the team, the drop point was approximately three klicks from the point where the station would be set up. Jetpack, as she hopped down from the ship, adjusted the backpack of sorts that had been secured to her back. It contained the tech they would need to establish the station. With no room for anything else, her weapons had been arrayed around her person. A bowcaster was held at low ready in her off right hand, that silvery baton on her left thigh, an ID10 droid maglocked to the backpack, its single eye pulsing idly. Along the side of the backpack, A D-49 was secured, one of the ID10's hands resting on the blaster's barrel. Once the team had disembarked the ship, the gunboat had lifted off, flying low and slow. Should anyone look back that way, their last view of the ship would be their sniper overwatch taking a knee at the partially open onramp, weapon at the ready.

The terrain was going to make those three klicks a trial. The area into which they had been dropped had once been an industrial area. Once, in the days before the seemingly endless corporate wars which had decimated more of Corellia than any who did not actually call the planet home would know. Now, the remains of the factory district had fallen to rot and ruin. Tumbled down buildings, precarious overhangs of decaying duracrete, and the ever-present and insidious creep of green growing things that seemed determined to reclaim the landscape. "The last time I was here," came Jetpack's amiable voice along the team's internal comms, "We were racing against the clock to prevent a rakhgoul outbreak. Fun times. Keep on alert, we'll follow the route as best we can. Let's keep to cover, signal if you catch wind of any enemy presence." The designated site for the listening station was one klick beyond the former industrial center.

[ Avery Ihala Kora (Avery)]

Override nodded politely to the team aboard the drop ship, introducing himself with his callsign before getting into position for the ride. The trip was short and sweet, to the ground, out of the bay, and on the move, the infiltration team hurrying along to their target position. The silver Mandalorian had brought along his normal gear, E-11 Carbine and Blastech A280 slung across his back, but this time he carried a X-8 Night Sniper. Not normally a pistol person, this one afforded him silence in attack, something he hoped he wouldn't need but wanted to have just in case.

He kept near the rubble of the former industrial buildings, using the fallen down factories and what not as cover while they proceeded. The HUD on his Y-visor helmet marked areas of interest as they moved, most of what he saw was carrots... lots and lots of carrots. As they moved farther along, a trail of smoke was noted in the sky. Decently off in the distance but it doesn't appear to be from the direction the team was headed. He decided to mark it on their shared HUD, just in case. <<"Smoke, over there.">> wrist button pressed to send the signal, <<"Just as a heads up.">>

[ Valeska Jaivon (Val)]

Naga is what you would call a tell go-getter. You tell her where to go and there she goes. You tell her what to shoot and it's shot. The last time she had been a thorn in the First Order's side, it was as a gun for a smuggling run that caught the Order's attention but not enough for them to send the right number of bucketheads. Needless to say, the run went off with barely a hitch and she got paid a little extra that day.

Trotting down the ramp of their transport, Naga is keeping towards the middle of the group, her Dl in her hand at her side. It's the weapon she's most familiar with. The one she's the deadliest with. And with any luck, it will pop off as the quietest gun she has. Her helmet turns slowly from one side to the other; her body turning as she walks to look behind them and her feet carrying her in a backwards gait.

<"Can't say I had the pleasure. Certainly can't say I'm having it now, either."> She looks over in the directly Override points out and puts up a hand. <"This place has been stripped to the bone. Scrappers? Scavengers?"> She's having Mandalore flashbacks.

[ Hadrix Kora (Had)]

Knives, blades, sword, daggers... They said this was a stealth operation and Hadrix was more than willing to oblige the need for quiet. Throwing blades were strapped along his bandoliers, thigh plates, jambeau, everywhere, ready to be cast out while a long vibrodagger his held underhanded in his right.

<<"Last time I was here I was fighting pirates and some cephalopod alien.">> looking towards Nerys and the bowcaster she's opting to use. Head lifting and cocking slightly. Everyone is pulling out bang sticks - but he's opting to keep to blades stained or painted matte black. By the shake of his shoulders the big man being called Akk-Dog today begins to melt into the shadows - angling towards the direction indicated by Avery's visual recce.

Gripper was still mounted on his back, snug against the wookiee cannon Hadrix still had slung and Clankah, try as it might, marches with Hadrix - not quite so adept at keeping unseen.

[ Hahtavi Kora (Haht)]

<"Last time I was here, the Guild was pushing out slavers and cartel. We kicked their shebs right off planet."> Hahtavi, his boots maglocked to the ship's deck until they disembark, turns his T-visored helm to look in Hadrix's direction, <"Fun times.">

He himself is carrying a rifle, his usual armor with jetpack, a medpac, and not much else. Traveling light, besides various smaller items on his utility belt such as a small water canteen. 'Basilisk' has on a tactical rig for his rifle but he can let it go and use his hands without dropping it as needed. Once they are down, he unlocks his mags and hops down, his boots crunching on the old, broken plascrete. <"Basilisk copies, over."> Keep to cover and signal contacts. Got it.

Hatavi moves a little ways ahead then pauses by a broken plascrete wall, rifle now in his hands as he takes a good look around and waits for their team lead to take or assign point.

[ Jax Greystorm (Jax)]

The armored figure with a t-visor helmet who wasn't a Mandolorian answered to the code named 'Corsair.' Corsair had twisted his head to look at Mayhem at the cockpit and then back to Jetpack, << Are you sure?>> When she'd introduced Mayhem as the pilot. Then proceeded to find a place to sit during the trip. He appeared to be sitting there quietly and almost as if he's asleep in his armor. Fun fact he was meditating as Jax hated having other people fly him places and Mayhem had nearly crashed him once or twice over the years. Then as they drew close to their destination he rised and checked his equipment, a fancy looking series three and a Sonn-Blas Z6 Riot Cotnrol Baton. Then he spoke up, <Override, I have a MD and a Scomp in my kit if you find the need of them.>

[ Nerys Greystorm (Nerys)]

"What's the worst that could happen?" had been Jetpack's reply to Jax's question, as the ship has departed for parts know. But now, now they were walking, eyes alert, and mostly weapons out. As the various members recounted their exploits on the planet, she continued, "And who said you couldn't have a good time on Corellia?" There was amusement in that distorted voice. There was very little in the way of pleasant scenery, save, well, for Avery's plum find of carrots. Grab 'em if you want 'em! All around the old district grumbled and stirred, in that way of old places. The creak of rusted metal, the whistling of wind through glassless windows, the sounds of ground dwelling animals eking out a living on whatever they could find.

"Scavengers?" Jetpack spoke onto the comms, "Possibly, or, just the few people still stupid enough or downtrodden enough to try to make a living out here. When you get away from the big cities and their big city money, this is what you're left with." Jetpack, deviating from the straight ahead course, moved to walk them around the shell of what looked like it might have been a shuttle complex. A big old building with a crumbling down ceiling and no interior structural members to hold up what was left. So, on the one hand, they weren't risking a building coming down on their heads, and on the other, they now had to climb over a debris field of rebar, duracrete chunks and broken glass.

[ Avery Ihala Kora (Avery)]

They move smoothly through the rubble, an eye kept to the horizon where the smoke twists upward. <<"Could be. Folk try to live anywhere they can these days, anywhere that won't get them killed, I suppose.">> When they turn the corner off the straight line, the old broken down shell of the shuttle complex gets a low whistle and a long appraisal from the Slicer. <<"No jetpacks, eh? Time to start climbing.">> With a deep breath, Override begins the ascent, moving uncertainly over the broken rebar and cracked surface of the crumbling building. It doesn't seem he chose his footing that well as, after placing a foot on a particularly deteriorated part, the entire thing slides away and he finds himself in near freefall headed one way to where they came.

Fortunately, a hand reaches out from nearby to snag him before too much sliding and dropping had occurred. Override looks up to his savior and, though hidden, flashes a grin at Valeska. <<"Thanks.">> With her help, he gets his hold on the caving in side once again and proceeds to maneuver, more carefully, up the rest of the building.

[ Valeska Jaivon (Val)]

<"I'd be more worried about scrappers than scavengers anyways,"> Naga comments idly. <"Scavengers denotes a certain measure of desperation. Scrappers are more opportunistic and territorial."> Speaking of territory, it just got a bit more treacherous to navigate. Naga is making her way up the pile of debris, taking her time to find a handhold here or a foothold there. It's arduous. Tedious, even. Especially in armour she's still adjusting to. But she's making fine progress.

That is until she hears the scuffling next to her. Twisting at her waist, she sees the silver Mandalorian flailing and about to tumble down. Her hand whips out and catches his forearm, pulling back towards the pile and giving him an encouraging slap on the back. <"Too used to flying, hot shot? Must be killing you to stay grounded. C'mon. Up we go.">

[ Hadrix Kora (Had)]

Able to only focus on his own climb when others falter, Hadrix keeps at his pace to make his way up and over the rubble presented here. Grumbling to himself as he nearly topples himself twice while trying for the attempt.

<<"Easy.">> <<"Don't lecture me.">> grumbling in momentary debate with Gripper over private comms as they ascend, the big man shakes his head slightly and blinks a HUD icon to have Gripper detach and move ahead on recon, the small viper-style droid lifting silently and moving up. Akk-Dog keeping to the task at hand now, trusting others rather than delaying or dwelling.

It's a bite of a tab to switch to squad comms <<"ID10 detached and moving for recon. Prepare to receive data when it's pertinent.">>

[ Hahtavi Kora (Haht)]

It would be SO MUCH easier if they could use their jetpacks. But no, that would draw too much attention. So they must go the slow route and as quietly as possible. Only, when it comes to the part where they must climb and maneuver in tight spaces? Large men in bulky Mandalorian armor sometimes have difficulty. Hahtavi's armor isn't a set of Skyripper with nice climbing hooks like he used to use. Dreadfinger is much heavier.

So it is that he has a hard time of it when he must ascend an especially large steeply slanted slap that he is unable to find a way around. Kriff. He studies it, walks back and forth a couple of times, and then just grits his teeth behind his helmet and does his best. Armored gloves are not the most ideal to set fingers into cracks and there's no handy rebarr sticking out at this point. Up he goes, boots carefully placed, but maglocks doing no good against plascrete to lend him better traction... and then he slips!

There is an unheard grunt and then the sound of armor sliding against broken concrete as Hahtavi slips and starts to fall! <<"Osik!">>

[ Jax Greystorm (Jax)]

Corsair waits till the other begin their ascension before he starts his own. Corsair climbs like a Kowakian Lizard Monkey in battle armor, somehow graceful but so annoyingly you might want to shoot him. As Hahtavi starts to slip, Corsair throws out a left hand to catch Basilisk and slow down the Mando long enough for his mag boots to engage. << I got you, Basilisk.>> Once the Mando is set again, Jax continues his crawl. << Careful of antipersonel mines. I haven't seen reports of the First Order using them on Corellia. I recently encountered them on Cardia in a No Man's land.>>

[ Nerys Greystorm (Nerys)]

The climb up as been easy enough, with a little help from their friends, and the team might have felt like kings, as they reached the pinnacle, if their kingdom had been anything to write home about. Spoiler Alert: It wasn't. Now, it was time for the descent, and that meant gravity. Gravity on loose rock, in armor. "I should have grabbed a piece of metal and just sledded down," was Jetpack's 'too little too late' comment,a s she started down the slope, stepping and sliding on down to the relative safety of the flat ground.

Ahead, the road seemed clear, the overhand from a tilting roof providing some cool cover in the Corellian sun. Because it was day. Nighttime was better for sneaking, nighttime was worse for trying to work when you needed light to see and torches would light you up like beacons. "We're at about the halfway point now, once we get out of the district we should be smooth sailing." Please, ignore Jetpack crossing her metaphorical fingers.

[ Avery Ihala Kora (Avery)]

Once they reach the pinnacle of the climb Override takes a look over the other side, a grimace hidden from the world present on his face. He looks to Jetpack as she slips over the side, riding fairly gracefully down the wall to the ground below. He started off as well, working his way down the wall before he felt it beginning to crumble underneath him again. <"Screw this..."> comes the quick comment before he launches himself off the wall, arching toward the ground only to slow in the last few meters. The gravbelt on his armor flares to life and slows Avery's descent, allowing the silver Mandalorian to touch down safely on the blessed dirt below. He breathes a sigh of relief and looks back up to the wall they scaled. <<"Remind me to get in some climbing practice.">>

[ Valeska Jaivon (Val)]

At the top of Garbe Heap Mountain, Naga puts her hands on her hips and looks around. <<"Wow. Would you look at that,">> she says in awe. <<"I hate it.">> Time to make her way down. Easy peasy lemon-- KRIFF!

First step and an section of... stuff... gives out under her. Tumbles backwards, catches herself, trips, and falls forward. This is going to hurt! Inside her helmet, Naga shuts her eyes tightly and waits for impact, but the earth-shattering kaboom never comes. Instead, she feels an arm wrap around her and she's daintily floating like a dandelion seed. The crimson helmet looks up. <<"I'm noticing a pattern. Is every one of you going to get your turn catching me?">> Clearly, she'll need to learn jetpacking sooner than later. <<"Thanks, Akk-dog.">>

[ Hadrix Kora (Had)]

Sonograph imagery appears on HUD systems. Directional indicators pointing towards a building to the east and a digital read from Gripper is added: Indications of potential multiple sources, audio suggests beings moving under weight being distributed between numbers. Personal extrapolation - heavy weaponry or large equipment if salvagers.

Hadrix himself had checked descent and rather than turning about to move down, Valeska's form is locked onto as she fell. The big man having caught her mid air with a hard jump that had placed the other within the anti-grav field.

<<"They're after something when they catch you. I'm just a nice guy.">> a light bonk of his helmet against hers before his visor is on the location Gripper had indicated.

[ Hahtavi Kora (Haht)]

Corsair gets a Mandalorian helmet turned his way as Hahtavi's saved from what might have been a nasty fall, <<"Thanks. Much appreciated. Especially the part about the mines.">> No one needs to get a blast out of this trip. His boots and gloves get purchase and he starts up again. This time he manages to get up to the top and carefully over it...

Just in time to start sliding /again/. <<"For love of ... ">> Thankfully there's are pieces of bent rebar sticking up as he goes and Hahtavi manages to grab some of it, stopping his uncontrolled descent. Without that awful scraping sound this time, thank you very much.

With slow, cautious movement he makes it the rest of the way down without mishap, increasingly watchful of trip wires or possible mines. Just in time for his HUD to light up.

[ Jax Greystorm (Jax)]

Corsair takes a moment to look at the scenery at the peak. He keeps his own council at the scene. It was not easy coming home after several years to war scene. That's what Jax has done over time and time again of late. Then he starts to slide and climb down more through the use of the force than his own physical skills. He drops to the ground standing in the shade for a moment.

[ Nerys Greystorm (Nerys)]

Jetpack paused, as she got to the bottom of the debris mountain, well, not a mountain, but not a mole hill, reading the report from the ID10 droid. That gave Jetpack pause, and she reached back to tap the slumbering droid on her back. Bitty disengaged herself from her maglock, the hand she had on the D-49 tugging it free from its clamp as she got ready for business. Smol droid was small, and the heavy blaster was longer than she was. So, it was two handing it like a shotgun, and legs pulled up to brace the butt of the weapon.

"Our reports indicated that the area was supposed to be completely abandoned. Let's go and make sure it stays that way." Jetpack was nothing if not efficient. And business was business. Sorry Corsair.

[ Avery Ihala Kora (Avery)]

Avery's Y-visor turns to peer at Hadrix as he and Val make their way down. <<"If preventing her from getting injured is 'after something', I guess you're right.">> he replies, shaking his head lightly from side to side before shifting away from the wall a hair. After all assembles at the base of the tumbled down factory, Override nods to Jetpack and crouches low, moving with surprising stealth through the assorted rubble and refuse. He was as shocked as everyone else, maybe even more so when their footsteps clank out behind him while he moves like a shadow.

Eyes back forward he begins scanning the area ahead, HUD once again searching for any signs of travel or personage in the area. Strangely enough, he notices the tracks of some transport before his targeting computer does, the markings leading toward the building ahead. They may have attempted to hide the tracks but did a fairly poor job at it. <<"Heads up...">> Override says while punching in the signal to send the tracks into everyone's visuals. <<"Got tracks here.">>

[ Avery Ihala Kora (Avery)]

With the tracks spotted and the group approaching the building at a rather quick pace, Override decides it pertinent to be as unseen as possible. As such, the Mandalorian Slicer shifts to the side, keeping to the shadows and working closer toward their target with as much stealth as possible. His silenced X-8 is out and held, not ready to attack, only ready to defend.

[ Valeska Jaivon (Val)]

Back on the ground, alighting like a clumsy bird, Naga stumbles a bit on her feet when Akk-dog releases her. Catching herself on a broken slab of concrete, she makes quite the kerfuffle before righting herself once more. No one saw that, right? Right. They are all surely too busy looking at all the indicators on their HUDs.

Naga narrows her eyes and glances over to Corsair, giving the armoured man a bit of a nudge. <<"You mentioned mines earlier. What's the likelihood these unexpected guests have other nasty surprises in store? More so, I'm curious how this was missed in the reports. Did they just get here?">>

Mention of tracks shuts her up and Valeska quickly ducks down behind the slab she nearly face-planted into, pressing her back against the concrete, pistol in hand, and cautiously looking over her shoulder towards the direction they tracks are going.

[ Hadrix Kora (Had)]

Akk-Dog's passage isn't as quiet as he'd like. As if every other step there was a crackle of metal against broken glass or a scrape of his heavy boots making Hadrix grimace within his helmet until another indicator clicks on his HUD and is fed to the others. <<"Touchy, aren't we Over McZapfingers?">>

Alert - Hostile presence found. Gripper's camera feed showing a half dozen stormtroopers within the office building, crate stacking, four with their buckets off and only two with weapons prepped.

<<"The regs I could cite... All of them will be in for reconditioning if we don't deal with them and brass catches sight... Things have gotten slack.">> the big man suddenly slipping into shadow and cover as he begins making his way towards the office building, following Gripper's path.

<<"Jetpack, catching ID10's feed? Neutralize or ignore?">>

[ Hahtavi Kora (Haht)]

This is not Hatavi's day. He must have pissed in the wrong pot and the 'verse hates him for it. He is a man who can move pretty quietly and knows stealth but there's just so much drek and he's having a hard time not tripping and falling on his face in the jumbled up rebar, broken glass, was that razor wire? At least it's not a trip wire.

His attempts to stay hidden and behind cover aren't as ideal as usual. In fact, something has caught his attention while he's listening to the others over the comes. His helmet turned to the side, Hahtavi comes to a full stop as he stares off at something. Then he ... side steps out of the path from the others and takes a few steps to go check something out.

A moment later his baritone speaks over their coms, <<"Oh, I just found some goodies. Sloppy boys. There's a speeder broken down over here filled with crates of Imperial ordinance. Might not be too stable, this rig, over.">>

Let's just hope their coms are secure and can't be picked up. Right?

[ Jax Greystorm (Jax)]

Corsair simply stands there as he attempts to use the force to protect him. Spoilers the Force is s cruel mistress tonight. Corsaie considers for a moment. << I would to attempt to discourage them from this area if they're not storm troopers. >> Then he looks at Val and turns his head slightly, << Intel is never accurate and often out of date.>> Then at the mention of regs from Akk-Dog. << Lax regs aren't a bad thing for us in this situation. Nevermind talking to them. Though I could attempt to bring assets in. I've done it before. I'm sure Akk-Dog could be persuasive too. >> Jedi got to attempt to jedi. Granny Grump Greystorm would not be happy with her baby boy.

[ Nerys Greystorm (Nerys)]

Alas, but they were indeed stormtroopers. Gripper's scan ID was not, sadly, a ruse. And Jetpack came on the comms. "Eliminate the contacts. And if there is ordinance out here, there may be ordinance in there. And I would like, very much not to be blown up today. And if we can salvage the supplies for later retrieval, all the better." She moved, low and slow, coming up and around the edge of the building, before she called back, "There's an old access door back here, we should be able to make entry into the building."

Within the building proper, the stormtroopers continued to load the ordinance from the downed cargo transport. This was clearly not going at all as they had planned, as anyone who got close enough could perhaps pick up on their communications. No helmets meant audible arguing. 'This was supposed to be an easy job.' 'Break into the armory and make off with the goods.' Whose idea was it to take this transport?' 'When were they going to get paid?' yada yada.

[ Avery Ihala Kora (Avery)]

<<"That's /Mister/ Over McZapfingers to you.">> Mr. Over McZapfingers replies, shifting closer to their destination while his eyes scour the building for any sign of life or resistance in their quest. It's not hard to spot the contacts between the building and the group, the gleaming white armor of Stormtroopers standing out stark against the other colors of the area. A slow smile spreads across Over McZapfinger's face and he holsters the X-8 in favor of his E-11 slung across his back. <<"Gotta love some payback.">> He remarks, squeezing the trigger to launch the first in a series of plasma bolts at the bucketheads.

The first bolt slides wide, brushing a Trooper's leg to slam into the crate. Avery sucks in a quick breath, not intending that result at all, before he lines up a second shot and it scores a solid hit directly in his target's back. The white armored individual stumbles forward with the impact of the blast, injured but not dead. <"Kriff....">

[ Valeska Jaivon (Val)]

If there's anything Naga learned very quickly when it came to constantly and consistently wearing armour, it's that those without helmets are cut off from their comms. And those who are cut off from their comms cannot ask for backup as quickly. Naga spots one of the troopers with a bucket on his head and grins under her own bucket. Granny Grump Greystorm would be /very/ proud of her goddaughter.

Poking her head up like the most murderous of gophers, Valeska fires off two shots. Only one gets to hit and the other -- plunk. Into the crates. Cursing, she tries to duck back down, accidentally firing off a third, useless shot in the process.

[ Hadrix Kora (Had)]

<<"Copy. Engaging and eliminating.">> Akk-Dog is moving like a flash, careful steps at first until he can find an open firing lane before he explodes forward. Gait stretching out as a flick of a wrist puts two stars between his fingers. Two bounding leaps and a twist to his side carries Hadrix over rubble while his left arm snaps out.

Polymath, warlord, tactical genius, J'ah'ak of All Trades at times. The first of the ring of blades sinks between the thigh plate and the groin. The big man hits the ground, still running when the second hits the abdomen plates, cleaving through and setting the stage for the overhand movement puts his blade between the clavicle and shoulder blade of his target.

<"Best surrender now."> There's blood on his mind now.

'Do what you were made for Nine-Oh-Four!'

Those old voices, goading the thing in the basement.

[ Hahtavi Kora (Haht)]

Great. A fire fight is NOT what they were supposed to get embroiled into here, not if they want to remain undiscovered. But, it's not Hahtavi's call to make. He hears their orders come through over their coms. <"Basilisk copies, over."> Unlike some of them, all he has is his rifle he was hoping not to have to use. Some things just can't be helped. Like firing at Stormtroopers carrying Imperial ordinance. Pucker up and here goes!

Hahtavi foregoes cover and steps right up behind two of the troopers moving crates in an effort to be certain of not hitting the bloody ordinance. He fires into one's back at almost point blank, then fires into the other's face - both of them wearing helmets. They may not be killed but they flop and drop and that's good enough to start. He kicks their weapons away from the bodies if he sees them and keeps moving.

<<"Two more down.">> It's getting messy fast, <<"If anyone can possibly jam their coms for even a moment, that'd be real handy about now.">>

[ Jax Greystorm (Jax)]

Jax takes off at a run and allowing the force to flow through him as it guides his steps. He does a parkour move as he runs up and leaps off a little pile of debris doing a backflip to land in the remaining troopers as blaster bolts fly around him from the team of Irregulars. He lands in a crouch and grabs the Z6 baton extending it in his right hand as it flares to life. He snaps the baton around to bring it down on of the troopers torso and the trooper being familar with the weapon dodges. Then a second swing and finally a third striking the trooper as an electrical discharge goes through the trooper. << There are reason to never remove your helmet on the battlefield. Even an undiscplined Merc knows this.>>

[ Nerys Greystorm (Nerys)]

The team of Irregulars and mercs (Not Clan Kora! Plausible deniability!) came in like wrecking balls, blaster fire, and bowcaster bolt biting into armored bodies, blades and batons whirling and downing a full two-thirds of the troopers went down, leaving only a pair, and one badly injured to do more than swing wildly and entirely ineffectively at the big man sticking blades into him. And then there were feats of running and jumping derring-do, and Nerys' voice came across her personal comms with Bitty, in answer to some chirping from the droid. "No, you cannot. He already has a droid." For now the ordinance seemed mostly undamaged. Let's hope it stayed that way.

[ Avery Ihala Kora (Avery)]

The blessed sound of blaster fire and the thuds of their enemies hitting the ground. Around him the team opens up, weapons blazing, bucketheads falling, white armor crashing to the ground. At Hahtavi's recommendation, Override begins to jam their commlinks... until he notices the wave they're broadcasting on doesn't even reach past the immediate area. In fact.... he zooms his optics in on one of the crates, First Order markings all over it. These guys were actually /stealing/ from the Order! Oh well, two birds one stone he thinks, standing as he levels his carbine at one of those returning fire.

The bolt that strikes the Stormtrooper sends him flipping head over feet, the armor once again making that satisfying clattering sound when it hits the ground. With a grin, Override strides forward to the one that was injured before, the Trooper reaching painfully for his weapon. <"Too slow..."> he comments, placing the barrel of his E-11 against the thief's helmet and pulling the trigger... he moves no more. <<"That oughta do it.">> Override remarks, glancing around the immediate area to see if anyone might have noticed the three seconds of blaster fire that spelled doom for this lot.

[ Valeska Jaivon (Val)]

Naga pokes her head back up once more and all the targets are gone. <<"You get all the fun. Everyone okay?">> It was definitely a shorter firefight than the ones they're used to and that's a welcome change. Coming out of cover, Naga points her barrel towards the ground. <<"Jetpack, how much further to the set-up point?">>

[ Hadrix Kora (Had)]

Fist meets pure beskar, the crunch and clang audible before Avery puts the last standing Trooper down and Akk-Dog removes his dagger with a twist of his hand to open the wound and send the poor shab to the ground in a heap. <<"ID10 mark crates for later extraction.">> whether the Irregulars intend to immediately move them or not.

He says nothing more, but he's breathing heavy by the lift and drop of his shoulders. Deep breaths, head moving as if he were speaking to himself before he kneels casually, vibrodagger still humming as the big man neatly slices through flesh and bone... rather than acting more savagely, removing the head with helmet still on and hooking it to a very particular stringer belt on his hip.

Trophy taking still. But a far quieter form of it.

[ Hahtavi Kora (Haht)]

Now the fight is essentially over, Hahtavi goes around and /makes/ sure people are humanly dead. Any of them that are suffering serious wounds and not dead yet who might blow the ordinance after they leave, or send out an alarm, the Mandalorian is killing. No loose ends. Not as grisly as Hadrix taking a head with the helmet still attached - but then they decapitated enough bodies back on Mandalore recently.

When he's finished, Hahtavi goes to helping secure and conceal the crates with brush, or whatever is to hand for later pickup.

[ Jax Greystorm (Jax)]

Jax stands there as he puts away his baton and sighs before removing his helmet clipping it to the side. He looks right at Hadrix and says, "This is not the time for trophies." He says putting the weight of the force behind his words. He figured their would be hell to pay later but mission first.

[ Hadrix Kora (Had)]

Something at the core of him is halted, head tilting to one side before Hadrix looks down at his stringer. No expression to be seen for the helmet covering his face, but the bionic glow in the right branch of the visor flares. Gripper pauses and turns to look at him, bobbing slightly.

<"No time... for Trophies."> its a struggle that he eventually loses and the helmet with head are deposited on the ground with a casual unhooking from their place on the stringer. The big man looks up, head cocking to the side again. Confusion palpable from him.

[ Nerys Greystorm (Nerys)]

Jetpack, who came in far enough to survey the bodies, reached down to police her round, and pulled the bolt from the now dead trooper. The downside to using a weapon like that? It left traces behind. Blaster fire was so much cleaner. Neither her voice, nor her movements betrayed any displeasure or censure towards any of the actions of the team. Not the point blank headshot, or the cranial trophy. But what she felt and what was required were two different things, and she moved to stand beside the now unmasked Corsair. "These sorts of gestures identify us. That is not within our mission parameters." And then, as she reached out a hand to rest on Corsair's armored arm, she spoke again, more softly, "We need to go, Corsair." They were on a schedule and running out of time. "Leave the bodies, we can mark the area and send a ship back to retrieve the ordinance later. We've got about a quarter klick to do. Double time we can get there in no time." The expended bolt was tucked away into a pocket along her thigh, and she made to help with the covering of tracks (surely the retrieval would come before the bodies started festering, right?), before she headed back towards the door. They did not have long now, if they kept to the path, to arrive at the designated set up point.

The setup point, when they arrived, was a collapsed old mine shaft, much too old to have seen use in the last few centuries. But useful for tucking in equipment you wanted to hide. And, bonus, the ground was clear, save for scrub and other cover, and there was no climbing involved.

[ Avery Ihala Kora (Avery)]

As he stands from inspecting the ordinance, shaking his head at the lot of explosives this group was going to take, he spies Hadrix doing Hadrix things, claiming a grisly trophy from one of the downed Troopers. Override shudders and begins to step away... until a separate voice enters the mix followed by Hadrix's voice over comms repeating the same thing. Avery turns to see the big Mandalorian unhooking the head from his stringer and dropping it to the ground. The Y-visored helm cants and he looks back and forth from Jax to Hadrix, a hidden eyebrow lifted high behind his helm. <"Oooookaaaaaaay..."> Comes the long and drawn out word, deep emerald eyes behind the darkened visor watching Corsair for a few before Jetpack comes up to speak with him.

Thoughts remain at the back of Override's mind as the group continues on their way, hoofing it with haste toward their designated set up location. One established and the equipment is placed, Override pulls the cord from his armor to attach into the terminal, the UCI interface over his wrist projector coming to life. He leans against the mine shaft wall and goes to work, securing the system from prying eyes and hands, setting in security protocols that should allow safe operation of their listening device and keep it out of the wrong hands.

[ Valeska Jaivon (Val)]

Watching Akk-dog in his actions, Naga has to turn away once she realizes what he is doing. A'Verde or not, she cannot stomach that. With a deep breath, she attempts to settle her stomach before she gets sick in her own helmet. That would be unpleasant now /and/ later. She catches Corsair's suggestion and Hadrix, to Naga's surprise, agrees. Oh... well. There's at, anyways. Good of Hadrix to take another's suggestion on the battlefield into suggestion!

They make it to their destination and while Naga is holding a perimeter, she cannot help but glace over to watch Override do what he was trained to do. She's never actually gotten to see him really ply his trade and it's mesmerizing to say the least.

[ Hadrix Kora (Had)] It doesn't feel right, no memorabilia of the field. It was a good kill, a clean kill. No matter. No time for trophies. That left long behind and when Sliceface O'Computerboi is setting to work getting equipment in place - Akk-Dog takes on part of the training he was conditioned for all his young life.

War.

Guerilla tactics coming to mind and det-charges being pulled from pouches - det-tape lines are buried and set with pressure triggers. Conventional above-ground AP mines with trip lines... and because he does oh so love them so very much... A thermal detonator rigged to the post itself. Nothing to be taken if the First Order finds it, likely no one left to report if they find it. Just the blast crater to tell the tale.

<<"Denial charges in place. Locations marked for HUD transfer.">>

[ Hahtavi Kora (Haht)]

Aye the mission is what matters. Hahtavi saw Hadrix hack the head off and even though he's from the Ragelands himself and seen many such trophies collected at home, he's not there. He's on a op. So he takes no such trophies and keeps pushing to get things secured before moving on. Doing so he misses 'Corsair's comment to his Al'verde and Hadrix's very uncharacteristic reaction.

Though maybe as they move out, Hahtavi might notice Hadrix doesn't have it later. If so, no comment. Got more important things to keep his mind focused on. Like moving quietly, sticking to cover, not tripping over things and not getting shot.

When they get to the mine shaft, Hahtavi takes up a perimeter position behind cover to watch their six while Avery gets to work on what the slicer does best. Talk to electronics. Hahtavi stays frosty, alert, and silent while others do their jobs.

[ Jax Greystorm (Jax)]

Jax takes his helmet and places it back on his head hiding his face. He says two words, <Cresh Mern.> Well two Aurbesh letters. As they move into place Jax finds himself a point to provide back up and let the team work. He nods his head at the setting up of demolitions. <Those usually end poorly for me. I worked with a Princess that was a demo expert. She fat fingered a grenade once or twice. So thank you for the quality set up.> Then as the extract, Jax reaches into his utility belt and produces a plain well used fixed handle blade and holds it out to Hadrix, <Accept this as a trophy of appreciation for not blowing me or my family up. We have a long history of allies blowing us up.>

[ Nerys Greystorm (Nerys)]

With only a minor hiccup along the way, the team had made it to their destination point. The job had been done, and with luck, a bit more in the way of ordinance would soon be added to the New Republic's coffers. because who looked a gift horse in the mouth? Once the job was done, there was nothing left, but to make their way back to the rendezvous point, which lead them further away from the old factory district and not back. And this time, when the ship touched down, Mayhem stepped out of the cockpit to leave room for Corsair to fly them back. Some thing were not worth risking twice.