Log:What Lies Beneath

What Lies Beneath

OOC Date: January 8, 2016
Location: Serenno
Participants: General Hux as GM, Booker, Duke, EM-1710, Kylo Ren, Rika

The estate, like those of lords of yore, extends as far as the eye can see. The immodestly-named Castle Dooku is a manor house with a few architectural affectations towards being a fortress, but it would be unlikely to withstand a siege of any sort.

The most recent Regent of Serenno, Bron Dooku, died during a meeting of the planet's Assembly, shot in the face by NV-1268 at General Hux's command. For some reason, no one has been eager to take up his mantle.

The Castle is not going anywhere, so taking it has a low priority - until an air transport left from a civilian starport with this as its most likely destination.

Now there is a race. The dropship reaches the base an estimated fifteen minutes ahead of the civilian craft.

Objective: Sweep the Castle, take prisoners who are familiar with the Estate, find any hidden repositories of any sort.

After a desultory exchange of fire with a few militia at the windows, the door shatters open from a volley from the dropship's gun, and Delta Squad is into the entry hall, a vast, marble-floored, mirror-walled affair. There are gunmen up the broad, central stairway, shooting down from above, and alcoves that would be ideal to hide an armed reception party or two.

The heavy, carven doors shatter, and Delta Squad does what they do best; storm the entrance in a hail of blaster fire. Rikahas taken point, leading from the front. She leaps throug the debris, laying down supressing fire as she goes, a ghostly figure in white armor fading into the dust, limmed in her own fire. "Delta Squad, Storm, Storm , Storm!" Husky voice nearly a snarl as she charges.....

BK-8642 is towards the front of the invading party, having lost a recent bet with another member of Delta Squad. He can be up front with their resident point man though and as the dropship's boarding ramp hisses downwards he is one of the first to put boots on the ground. A stray blaster bolt whips noisily past his head and impacts the ship. He continues moving. Debris scatters and explodes outwards. He continues moving. A glance is given upwards at the stairway. There's no need to announce contact. They need a proper foothold. He continues moving. His body angles for one of the nearest alcoves and with his carbine locked to his shoulder intends on firing at anything that prepares to fire back.

Not on point, EM-1710 is hanging a little back and to the right even if she's with the first team. No sense letting the markswoman be the very first through the door. Moving forwards her blaster rifle is raised and her sharp eyes can beneath the helmet. This is likely to require some closer quarters engagements then her last op, but EM is a trooper like any other beneath the sniper training and her standard F-11 only backs that up.

The sharpshooters up the Grand Stairway are more accurate than the ones on the militia ground-level alcoves. The mirrors come alive with images of stormtroopers charging the room, some of them distorting as stray shots burn spots in the mirror and melt glass.

Rika has led the way in, closer to the stairs than anyone else and followed by at least half of the squad, taking advantage of her suppressive fire to get past the first blasts of the sharpshooters. One careful militia shot does down a stormtrooper near the vanguard, who falls to the ground as the rifle shots blow a hole in his armor.

Booker's detachment moves on the defenders in the alcoves. After a sharp exchange of fire, the first of the room's three alcoves belong to the First Order.

The main body of the squad is into the room. There are still sharpshooters above and two alcoves with live enemies, one to the left and one to the right. A wide double door to the middle of the room has not yet opened.

RK-8801 tests her Run skill at a 100 difficulty.

 +SUCCESS+ (20).
 

The Order trains its troopers well, superbly fit and disciplined. Delta Squad is not different. They MOVE, charging through the blaster fire and dust, firing as they go. Rika does not hesistate. Even as she runs she signals, Emma takes the right hand alcove and half her stick take the left. The trooper split, flowing like water toward their objectives. The tall valkyrie leads her stick, pounding up the stairs. She snarls as the fires into the group of defenders. "For the Order!!!!" Her bellow is amplified by her voder, echoing in this grand ruin, amidst death and fire.

BK-8642 tests his Throw skill at a 100 difficulty.

 -Failed- (-21).
 

Inside there was chaos and a cacophony of violent warfare brought to Dooku's famous house. Outside, a light breeze swayed the golden grasses that clash against the black boots of Kylo Ren. The black wings of the command shuttle complete their upward folding after that combat drop, with gunners taking a defensive position so as to provide cover fire. There's a moment of hesitation before Kylo is moving at a brisk walk towards the breaching point the soldiers so mercillesly fought their way through. Debris is stepped over or beside, and within moments he's looking upon the chaos of battle within. Already, he could tell the First Order would soon be the new Lord and Master of House Dooku.

Booker looks to the small contingent behind him, briefly focusing on the wounded trooper in the background of the alcove. Someone can settle that but in the meantime he needs the others to provide a suppressive base of fire for the movements of the others. That leaves him to look towards the remaining alcove after peeking quickly out to check on the other swaths of white-and-black troopers. Rather than head for the stairs, he heads for the remaining leftwards alcove with his rifle surprisingly down and held in one hand. In his other, he readies a small concussive grenade. Once at the entrance, in it goes without any fanfare. The explosion that results is loud and impressive, a sudden thunderclap followed by heat, smoke, and launched marble. In goes a fellow trooper and then BK-8642 as well.

Overhead, the ceiling buckles noisily. BK-8642 looks at the trooper ahead of him and reaches for their side to abruptly pull and then push them back into the hall toward the others before the entire left side begins to collapse. Load-bearing the left side of the hall no longer is, with BK-8642 disappearing.

EM-1710 tests her Ranged:blaster rifles skill at a 105 difficulty.

 +SUCCESS+ (45).

Sharpshooter vs Sharpshooter, EM goes to work. Firing off a bolt at one of the men on the alcoves her bolt catches him right between the eyes and the body tumbles from the right-hand alcove to the ground below with a heavy thud that probably would have killed the man again if he hadn't had a smoking hole where his brains used to be. No words from the trooper, she just advances and takes aim at her next target, finger easing on the trigger.

The stair's sharpshooters are overrun by Rika's team's charge. The left side of the room's collapse eliminates any threat from there, though it also seems to have knocked Booker aside. He is not readily visible in the chunks of masonry, but the shuttle outside's scanners confirm that "He's still alive" over the comm channels. Emma and those troops still at the door have the right alcove in their sights.

That leaves Kylo with only the wounded or dead soldier beside him as the double doors in front swing open in unison, and the militia reinforcements arrive. The first line of three drops to a crouch, and the next three aim over their heads. They open fire at Emma's group of soldiers by the door - and incidentally, at Kylo Ren.

The soon-to-be-prisoners were initially Kylo's concerned. After all, he had information he needed and prisoners were an easy way to get that! But he's distracted by the sudden flight of a blaster bolt that whizzes by his helmet. A second bolt arcs for the Knight and is dissipated in a flash of sparks by the Knight's hand. A third bolt meets the same fate, dissipated into nothingness with a cloud of sparks falling around them. Before another is sent his way, Kylo's right hand rises quickly, upturned into a fist. The central and foreward member of Serenno's militia lines is pulled into the air, before arcing towards a nearby wall in what seems to mimic Kylo Ren's hand gestures.

RK-8801 tests her Ranged:blaster rifles skill at a 80 difficulty.

 +SUCCESS+ (52).

Her Center team overruns the Militia atop the stairs. But the tramps of boots and crash of doors alert them to more targets. Rika takes in the situation at a glance, one down, Booker out of sight, but alive. No time now, more eenmies on the way in. She hooks to her team, making visual contact, then signals her intent. As one they turn the railing, shooting down on the enemy. Her fire is precise, quick, she takes one man in the back of the head, dropping like a sack. The Trooper beside her, shorter, broader, Seven. Takes her man, burning out his heart in a perfect short. He slumps forward, trailing smoke.

BK-8642 is still alive. Those within his fire team are dragging the trooper clear of debris after lifting a portion of masonry partially pinning him down. It's better than being left for dead and Booker settles with grunting a thanks and then gesturing ahead. He stumbles and clutches his sides with his left hand, focuses on the ground in front of him as the sounds of battle daze him further. There is pain. He clamps down harder against the plating, feels, and his right hand holds the carbine aloft before he props it further with his other hand's fingers at its collapsible foregrip again. He moves to follow the rest of his team at a slow, hobbling gait. He doesn't readily notice Kylo Ren ahead, but the Knight stands out, and he stops. The lone stormtrooper looks around, holding his side again.

DK-4077 tests his Melee:simple weapons skill at a 100 difficulty.

 +SUCCESS+ (82).

DK-4077 tests his Melee:simple weapons skill at a 100 difficulty.

 +SUCCESS+ (78).
 

It's lucky for Booker that a far superior soldier has come along for the ride. DK-4077 likes taking prisoners. A lot. It gives him something to squeeze information out of later. The intel soldier detached the stun baton from his leg plate and flips it out, the weapon activating with a satisfying arc of electricity. With a series of deft movements, two of the enemy combatants are quickly dispatched, sent falling to the floor in erratic convulsions.

EM-1710 tests her Ranged:blaster rifles skill at a 100 difficulty.

 +SUCCESS+ (29).

Nice, smooth, precise. EM-1710 works her way through the sharpshooters firing down on Delta one by one until they're all felled. The sudden and violent display of force power makes the sniper stop for a moment, a shiver down her spine. First time the 'Shiny' trooper had seen that ever. Guess the stories about the force are real. Taking a breath behind her helmet the markswoman pushes up with the rest of the team.

With the death of most of his comrades, the last standing militia soldier at the central double doors drops his weapon and holds up his hands. The two hit with the electrified stun baton are still recovering, but they're doing a lot better than the ones whose blaster burns will never heal.

There is no more resistance in the house proper; the staff are terrified, and brought out to line up against the building. When the puddle-jumper aircraft becomes visible in the sky, it veers away, but a few TIE Fighters break it into its component parts with high-powered laser cannons.

The most knowledgeable people of those up against the wall are likely Lanley, the steward of House Dooku and the old groundskeeper, Skit, who looks old enough that he was probably too aged to serve even in the Clone Wars.

Kylo lets the Stormtroopers set to their work and begin the immediate questioning. Important people were stubbourn and obstinant. Lowering himself into an almost-kneel, Kylo stays where he's at as the men and women, and droids, are rounded up. He had two perfectly good people right there. Men who were willing to die for their Lords. That kind of loyalty certainly piqued his interests. So, meantime, he begins to speak to one of the first few wounded in the breach. "House Dooku is something from the rest of this world's masters. Tell me," he says quickly, keeping an even tone.

Displays of the Force are, if not normal to Rika they are somethng she has dealt with before. She leads her stick down the stairs, where they see to their fallen and wounded. The fallen tropper is taken Away and she perosnally attends to Booker. "Well fought, Trooper. We did well." The husky voice is softer now, not the roar evinced in Battle. She helps him out the shuttle awaiting, glancing back at the interrogation.

Emma eventually jogs up beside the other troopers, nodding her head and falling into position. Currently her armor and her weapon don't distinguish the sniper from any other trooper, only those that were paying attention to her actions would likely realise her roll. She stands silent, watching beneath her helmet as the troops move in to secure prisoners.

DK-4077 tests his Search skill at a 120 difficulty.

 -Failed- (-40).

BK-8642 tests his Search skill at a 130 difficulty.

 -Failed- (-39).
 

Booker uses his offhand's fist to strike his rib cage, steeling himself through the lingering pain. The rush of adrenaline does well to keep it at bay but now that is subsiding and revealing the sweating, exhausted, and excited husk of a man in white-and-black and slight red. "As to be expected, it seems. But. It's not over." The others have secured the area, sure, but they have not completed all of their assigned objectives. The emotionless helmet turns to look at RK-8801, and then the Knight of Ren, and then he shifts into the background to begin assisting with searching for any hidden repositories - which is better than digging around in the collapsed alcove. He ends up near to DK-4077 and pushing open the doors to what appears to be an aviary. His blaster lifts as he looks within, then steps further. "Interesting..."

DK-4077 moves along with Booker and says, "You know, you're supposed to avoid collapsing ceilings and such. Tends to be bad for your health, after all." Duke is still clutching his stun baton as he moves through the aviary with his fellow soldier. His cold eyes review his surroundings from within the confines of his helmet, "These birds seem strangely large to you, BK?"

The militia soldier Kylo Ren questions looks terrified, but he only stammers, "Orders - to protect- his people." The man's eyes look a bit wet. "'e was a good man," he pleads, trying to justify his resistance to the last.

The line of prisoners against the wall are questioned briefly by their guards, one of whom says over the comm, "These people are useless - except for the old ones."

In the aviary, a remarkably-intelligent looking creature that resembles nothing so much as a griffon, turns its head from side to side, examining the two stormtroopers. It paces, then fluffs outs feathers, raises its wings, and darts its hook-shaped beak towards the injured trooper - towards BK-8642.

"They were shooting at me. That was a problem. It was the immediate answer," dryly mutters Booker. He walks more slowly in order to look around at their surroundings. "RK-8801 said we fought well. Minimal losses, house personnel captured, that means I like my answer." He remains holding his blaster carbine but at the low ready. The question posed in his direction has BK-8642 look at his partner-in-crime, pause in order to look around again, and then slowly nod his helmeted head. "Overly large," he agrees. There's movement at his right flank. He turns towards it. The large creature is already darting in his direction and he manages to squeeze off a shot. It goes wide. He breaks contact by falling to his side. "Contact! Large, angry contact!" Another shot goes off, if only to keep some distance as he scrambles awkwardly, painfully really, to his feet.

"Perhaps," says Kylo, bringing a gloved hand to the man's neck, "But I am not. And good men die just the same." Kylo's hand tightens around the man's neck, and strong, gloved fingers begin to prepare this poor militia slave for whatever purpose awaited him and his Lord-Master the 'Good man'. It didn't take long--The man's body convulses and his ankles kick a bit at the floor helplessly. Vain attempts at sucking at air yield no life-giving oxygen, and the man slowly dies. When at last the final sucking sound echoes and the last twitch of his leg is kicked, Kylo Ren stands and begins to walk towards the others in a hurried, angry-pacing. "I want," he says, pausing for effect, "That vault." The cold, icy words are aimed at the civilians that were being prepared.

DK-4077 slowly marches towards the giant griffon thing that's attacking his comrade, still clutching the stun baton in his hand. "Find cover, Booker." Duke lifts the baton above his head and begins to wail on the bird as best he can.

After Booker leaves, evidently well enough to work, Rika stands at Parade rest. She watches the interrogation in progress. Behind the anonymous mask of her helmet, she winces at the Militia trooper dies. She knows her cause is just, and their enemies little dserving of mercy. But that is one hell of a way to go.

The prisoners are shackled and herded aboard the Upsilon shuttle that brought Kylo to Castle Dooku, though they are likely to be uncomfortable even if the Knight of Ren doesn't choose to invade their minds or kill them one by one before even reaching the Finalizer.

Delta Squad loses only one trooper, though Booker is injured, whether he admits it or not. 'An excellent performance,' you will hear in debriefing. With luck, there will still be some prisoners to help interrogate later. Whatever secrets the Dooku family hid, you will find them.

Sooner or later.