Log:Rebels: Robrains

Rebels: Robrains

OOC Date: January 26, 2025
Location: Geonosis - Unknown Hive Complex
Participants: Rieve Selki, Jon Korbix, Ben Relor, Zalon Bo, Cin'cirad Rook, Runsa Zhal, Galen Dawnstar, Vega, Yuun, Wil Larolia and Reverberate as GM

Lieutenant Ben Relor, despite his title, is a seasoned Rebellion operative. He's led teams on many highly dangerous missions...he just has a tendency to talk back (or worse) and get demoted. But he's incredibly passionate about the cause, liking to get out in front of the action as quickly as possible. One thing's for sure: it's not likely to be boring with him leading the charge.

Intel for this mission is rough, but Ben does his best. During the initial briefing, he gathers the team around the rough hive maps he's managed to acquire, holoprojected by his beauty R5 astromech, Five. "Here's the deal: these hives are a labyrinth of narrow tunnels and old droidworks. It's dark, it's cramped, and it's probably crawling with security measures -- automated or otherwise. It's gonna suck." He rubs the side of his nose, dread on his features for a moment. "But that's too bad for us. It's the only way down."

"We've got rough locations for the equipment. We get in, we disconnect it, and we get out. Simple in theory, but if you're ever been on a mission like this, you know it never goes to plan. So, stay sharp." Using the maps, Relor divides the operation into phases: entry & navigation, identifying the CAP equipment, and disconnection and extraction. He'll assign everyone roles based on their skills. In a nutshell, they'll be first using the maps to find the safest and quickest route into the droidworks, moving as quietly as possible to avoid triggering alarms or automated defenses. Once inside the droidworks, they'll split into smaller groups to locate the equipment based on the maps, and use signal markers to flag the equipment for extraction. And finally, they'll disconnect the equipment from the hive's power systems without triggering alerts, then ensure safe extraction paths are established to carry the equipment out.

"We're gonna be up against a lot," Relor continues. "Try to disable rather than destroy any of the droids -- we don't wanna set off a chain reaction that wakes up the whole hive. Watch your footing down there, and be quick about it. This isn't a sightseeing tour. Get it done, and don't linger. And if this place starts to fall apart, we're out. I'm not losing anyone over some droid parts. And if we can't take it, we break it. This shavit isn't falling into enemy hands."

As for Ben himself, he'll take the most dangerous, reckless jobs during this mission...because that's how he prefers things.

Ben's plan had been, for the scanty information that is available for Geonosis, quite well set. From sifting through the heavily redaction filled records of the Clone Wars, which had been undoubtedly doctored post hoc by Palpatine's administration.

Frankly it was miraculous that anything had survived The First Galactic Empire's network of bureaucracy.

Moving through the old hive, which had been generally abandoned since Palpatine had ordered orbital strikes and atmospheric bombing runs. Some old OOM and B2 battle droids here and there, even a scant collection of hostile locals unwilling to talk to intruders to their salvaged 'home' away from the hives they'd abandoned.

A few mishaps here and there had resulted in delays. Some of the party with pressure wraps around an ankle or knee from poor footing or a bad landing. Ben himself with bandages around his head and nearly covering an eye from a door that had to be blown and that had exploded 'wrong' showering his features with shrapnel. Lt. Jye himself was going to need time in bacta get one of his pinky fingers from his own misadventure.

Sira's armor had dents that made breathing hard at times and would require quite a bit of paint.

Several of those run-ins with the locals having been caused when a tunnel was wrongly chosen, or a system panel hadn't been properly re-wired. But what can you expect when the tech here was decades old and designed by minds as different as the Geonosians?

Ultimately after what felt like days of caving, in what was far less, they had found not only a central assembly direction section. It might have been the primary. Several large droids mounted to the walls, chained like ghosts to a haunted house. But with the success of their works, Galen, Zalon and Vega in particular; they had the units. Small things, not as weighty as their importance would have demanded. Barely the size of a human adult's fist.

It was when they had the Cognitive Assembly Processors that things became wildly 'off script'.

Emergency lights had come online and klaxons ground to life as if they'd been choking on dust. Panels had opened and droids had begun to poor out. Many simply fell over, incapable of functioning. Falling apart. But many more were still as deadly as they had been. Lines of OOMs, but behind them the sounds of B2 Supers.

And behind even those... A ratcheting rolling sound was coming.

The team had been ordered to withdraw by Ben Relor. The glory was getting back to the surface. The goal was to get the CAPs back to Organa's hope. Survival was icing. Now it was the retreat back to the surface and the dust-off.

"Don't thank me yet, Cee-Tee," Relor growls at Rieve -- because just what he feared is coming to pass. What Ben cares most of all is the safety of his team. If he can get some of the CAPs back to the surface without dying, then that's what he'll do. But not at the expense of other Rebels' lives.

"MOVE IT! THIS IS THEIR WORLD, NOT OURS!" Ben can be VERY loud when he wants to, and his raspy voice can be heard over the din as he grimaces, pressing his wounded head. He's also limping a little from missing a jump earlier. He's not in great shape. But he and Five will try to herd the team as best they can.

If mission failure had a look, Jump Jye embodied it. Limping, bleeding, bruised, all around kriffed up, but still breathing. Despite his many.. misadventures, the aging Resistance veteran joined the rest of the crew and did his best to at least run in the correct direction. He'd been running since he was a kid, so surely...

Carbine tucked to one side, he stayed quiet, not that he could hear anything anyone said above the ringing in his bleeding ears.

Sira was definitely thankful for her armor when that explosive had set off in front of her. The dings and she would need a touchup on the paint, but she didn't mind too much. It was the fact that it dented it in hard enough to make breathing a bit of a pain now and again that was her bigger annoyance. At /least/ she didn't twist an ankle or something. Staring toward the droids and hearing them sets her teeth on edge, the sort of slight growling noise coming from her helmet.

<"I /hate/ these guys. I haven't fought them since the Clone Wars."> It was a bit tight to be using the rifle in here, at least for her taste and considering the length of the slugthrower. Sira's head turns toward Relor and she instead chuckles, letting out a sigh that was a tad painful, <"Yes it is, kid... Yes it is."> And she's drawing out a pistol in case she needs to use it on the run.

The first part of the mission is completed and Zalon's there to help it along. He fulfills his functional role on the team as an advisory, but in a pinch is present to provide actionable expertise in the form of is assisting with bringing the archaic data systems online and readying them for use. The arrival of many ancient battle droids beginning to pour into service results in Zalon Bo, Padawan of the Jedi Order, calling out to the team, "Back to the surface! Support each other, but keep moving!" The Jedi Order's mandate notes that the Jedi were not there to fight a war; but can engage in the defense of themselves or others, function in an advisory role, and act as the counter to potential Sith involvement in missions. In his role Zalon has been tasked with memorizing the route back from the target area within the hive and therefore when the CAP units have been retrieved and their egress begins, Zalon Bo moves to the front.

The snap-hiss of his lightsaber offers an emerald beacon for those that trail after to follow and he keeps it raised high. Despite utilizing the lightsaber's beam as a guiding light, it is the peculiar rounded blaster pistol that the Lasat holds in his right fist that seems to function as his primary means of aggressive defense. It barks shrilly as it spats a lancet of blue energy toward a B2 Super Battle Droid that twists its arm about to engage its wrist cannon and the bolt impacts with the things chest, exploding brilliantly on impact. The heavily modified pistol seems to pack quite the punch though that's unsurprising given the nature of weaponry employed by his master's people.

Not really contributing a whole lot to anything, Runsa opts to provide assistance in the least heroic of ways by providing Herr Jump Jye with a shoulder to support himself on as he limps along. With her arm around his waist so that he can provide covering fire by taking the weight off a little. She has her lightsaber in her other hand, of course. Periodically igniting it to present a defenseive screen of hissing blade when/if they're fired upon.

"We'll be fine." She says with certainty to Jump. Even smiling despite the grim, even dire, situation of their aggressive retreat from the depths of those tunnels. "Keep one foot going infront of the other."

Galen finishes up with the control panels along with the other Jedi that were on the mission with him and he glances over at the others when he hears the clanking. "That escalated quickly." He shifts his F-11 on it's sling to toss it behind him so it settles across his back as the ratcheting rolling sound approaches. Reaching down to his belt he pulls his saber from his belt toggling the blade with another snap-hiss a fiery orange blade springing out as he moves towards the tail end of the group to provide a defensive screen of his own, "I've got the trail end lets keep this moving towards the exit."

Tunnels and needing to steal electronics?

That sounds like a job for a Gremlin! Thankfully the Jedi just got one out of prison. Her first big trip out since being freed is not going one hundred percent to plan, but bleeding isn't too bad and it feels good to be lucid!

Vega is careful as she extracts her little parcel that needs delivering with a bit of ease and a soft humming like she does to all things electronic. Once that is done and safely stowed away she hurried back off in the direction that others were heading, "I see nothing has really changed." she quips to Galen.

Yuun having arrived later in the mission, Yuun was able to quickly catch up with the team who is here. Seeing fellow Rebels and Jedi, the dark skinned Jedi moves to help bring up the rear, careful to not loose his footing. THough when he hears to get moving he quickly asses the situation and moves with the team not trying to move too quickly so to stay with the group.

Wil is dashing. He is handsome and charming. He is a good pilot, a crack shot, and a fantastic captain.

He is not great at infiltrations. Slipping down walls being climbed, missing jumps. At least his computer expertise and skill with a blaster didn't fail him.

That doesn't matter right now as they're trying to escape. With Battle Droids, old ones, coming online. He draws his blaster, moving with the team and hoping to hell that rolling sound is just a misplaced cart and not what his knowledge of history says it might be.

Through the passage entrance from the primary design and designation chamber, a trio of CAP systems in their possession, the expedition was becoming a decathlon to survival.

"Look! Jedi!"

"Blast 'em!"

Old programming still in place, the off-white bodied combat droids shuffled and kicked through the bodies of those who had fallen victim to time and neglect. Blasters raised and the the red emergency lighting becomes pulsing like some Corellian dance club when their fire begins to streak after - the report of their blasters a mixture of malfunctioning growls and high pitched shrieks due to the similarly old and neglected tibanna canisters periodically misfire or simply don't work.

Some work too well, overpressured tibanna converted to high yield plasma by cohesive light within the blaster systems actually destroying several of the wielders and the final shots blowing massive hunks out of the stone walls, showering several of the rearguard in dust and stone chips.

The return path, such as it was, could follow several points of transit. The shafts taken, and the prior dangers encountered or more direct escapes upwards through passages cut by the insectoid species who built this place.

Straight up might be faster, but it was uncertain.

And some of the information on the Maps that Ben had acquired, even though from credible sources, had been bunk.

Thanks, Emperor Palpatine and the ISB.

Ben is sweating and panting, the heat and the adrenaline making an absolute mess of him. "GO, GO, GO!" That raspy yell of his roars over the sound of the droids as he lags behind, trying to let as many of the party escape before following. "HEAD BACK THE WAY WE CAME! WE DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING STILL IN THOSE PASSAGES!" He doubles over to cough for a moment, a nasty smoker's hack that catches up with him sometimes when he's screaming with all his might.

Despite all that, no one can accuse Lieutenant Relor of laying down on the job." He lifts an ion grenade and lobs it -- it doesn't do all he'd hope for, but several of the OOMs don't like getting hit by ion much. It barely matters to him: he's trying to be a distraction, first and foremost. His droid Five will help guide people along as best he can, in the meantime.

Ben is sweating and panting, the heat and the adrenaline making an absolute mess of him. "GO, GO, GO!" That raspy yell of his roars over the sound of the droids as he lags behind, trying to let as many of the party escape before following. "HEAD BACK THE WAY WE CAME! WE DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING STILL IN THOSE PASSAGES!" He doubles over to cough for a moment, a nasty smoker's hack that catches up with him sometimes when he's screaming with all his might.

Despite all that, no one can accuse Lieutenant Relor of laying down on the job." He lifts an ion grenade and lobs it -- it doesn't do all he'd hope for, but several of the OOMs don't like getting hit by ion much. It barely matters to him: he's trying to be a distraction, first and foremost. His droid Five will help guide people along as best he can, in the meantime.

Rieve exhales and moves rather fluidly as that bright ionic explosion erupts ahead of him, his previous life as a dancer and fencer... amongst other things certainly allow for the lightly armoured rebel to move swiftly a few moments after the eruption and close the gap with those approaching droids. Rieve's whirring blade slices through those metallic and malevolent sorts. The whirring blade slicing through metal and the internals within, sparks and smoke, and another swing soon sees those he faces put down and rendered junk. The spy shifts with ease, at least for now, his guard is up for all can change on the whim of fates and such. The blue-haired Hapan sems intent on buying time, though his gaze does shift to the impressive droideka... and even he feels a shiver trickle down his spine.

Jump Jye is certainly appreciative for the support the Duros Jedi Knight is providing, but truly, the older man is a burden and knows it. Concentration on the task at hand, the /simple/ task at hand, running, is a struggle for the old officer. He breathes heavy and has to resort to walking, the pain too much for the moment. He was certain they were targets. "Thanks, but if you need to press on..." Implying his feelings wouldn't be hurt.

<"You got it. back the way we came it is!"> Sira calls out with a chuckle at the edges of her words, following Relors direction. As she sees the people starting to move, further weapons being drawn at the grenade thrown she lets out a bark of a laugh.

<"Not bad! Good thinking on targets, Kid."> Sira doesn't stop moving toward the path back the way they came at an easy go. She places the top of the slide against her leg mid-step, shoving down in a quick motion to jerk the slide back and release it with a snap to chamber the first round. Her other hand pressing against Jump Jye's back as she helps encourage him forward along with Runsa's help.

Amidst the moving she turns her head a bit, raising the pistol and firing off three shots in quick succession toward the oncoming droids. Aiming at one of the B2s. The first shot hits it high in the torso, the next shot /PIiiING/ing off the armor while the third hits the same spot to cause the B2 some issues but clearly not enough to stop it. <"Yep... Just as tough as I remember them.">

The team continues in their extraction and Zalon keeps a steady, if not grueling pace. He seems to acknowledge the old adage that a team moves only as fast as their weakest or slowest, which means that he does pause to glance back from time to time to make certain that none are left behind. The bubbled shield of a droideka rolling into position and deploying results in his heavy blaster pistol rising. A series of blasts impact on the droideka's shield causing it to falter, but the unit itself continues to be operational. That droideka is single out from among the droids with a point of the padawan's lightsaber directing itself toward the unshielded droideka and Zalon calling out loudly with a voice that powerfully rebounds from the cavern walls, "Bring down that rolly-droid while its shields are down!" He keeps moving to the best of his ability though, as per the orders he's been given. He forges ahead, trusting in the Force to guide him.

"Nonsense." Runsa says of any notion she'll leave the aged soldier behind. In the darkness it's difficult to see her expresion, but as soon as the blade of her lightsaber slides free of the curved hilt her face is illuminated in the bright cool light. She's smiling, genially, softly, but gripping her weapon ready to knock away any blaster fire that comes in their direction. Ushering him along with her free arm around his waist to continue providing support. "If we start taking fire, you keep moving and I'll provide you cover. Follow the droid, Five." She points the R5 out with an extended saber blade. "I'll be right behind you." Despite blasters and shouting, the Duros is extremely calm.

Galen sighs a bit as everybody turns to start being a big dang hero... The old Jedi turning to do the same, "Well. Looks like they still don't like the Jedi." He shakes his head in response to Vega's question, "Nothing's changed really." He steps forward and slices one of the OOMs down with a flick of his saber before he steps back with the rest of the team, "Keep heading towards the exit folks. If we get surrounded we're not going to make it out." With a glance upwards he shakes his head, "Don't think we can cut our way out through the top do you?"

While Vega can be absolutely silly at times, that all melts away when the Droideka start rolling out. She loves those rolly polly guys, but when she and others aren't on the receiving end of it.

She finds a higher point to stand and then her hand shoots out, like she's trying to grab something through the Force and she does.

The Droideka is snatched up by an unseen force that sends it hurling back into the droids behind it before Vega's hand jerks the other way, like she's directing a symphony of violence, "GET CLEARED OUT!" the Jedi calls.

Vega looks to Galen, "If push comes to shove we could cut through something. But lets move." she tells him.

As the fighting commences, Yuun is calm. It's been a while since he was last on Geonosis and now back into the thick of things. Seeing some of their team moving away and others fighting, "Those fihting keep up, we dont' want to get seperated." he says as he ignites his lightsaber which comes alive with a snap-hiss after he hits the activation stud on his weapon.

The droids. Why, oh why, does Wil come on these things? It's so much safer on the Adept Hammer. He gets to sit in a chair, he gets to look fantastic, and he gets wo watch Star Destroyers explode. Down here? Here he's running like a mynock out of an asteroid cave, he's shooting at angry old droids. Worst of all, he's not HITTING them.

He fires twice with his Very Large Pistol, and the shots go wide, pinging into the wall as he swears and keeps booking it. "No more ground missions, Wil. Should just call in an airstrike," he mutters as he runs.

The defensive action down the corridor from the oncoming droids, several felled by the fighting withdraw - but their numbers seem countless. Even with the members of the droid forces that have failed or collapsed under the weight of decades.

Naked duurasteel chassi'd B2s stalk forward with their right arms converted to blaster mode - repeater fire chattering in concert with the shrieks of the smaller droid blasters and the throaty chug of the destroyers heavier guns spinning up.

As everyone gets into the corridor, the sheer volume of blaster bolts striking the open wall behind them actually causes stone to super-heat. The glow bright enough to hurt when directly looked at and the heat chasing the rebel team like hunting hounds.

Their backtrack comes to a juncture maneuvered before - a series of platforms in the long dead assembly. A place where some had been banged up by miss-steps. Getting across requiring resorting to rudimentary, or even professional gymnastic, training. Jetpacks.

Or running the long way.

It's pure chaos in here, but ain't that par for a course for a Rebel mission? Especially one that Ben Relor's in charge of. But maybe it's good there's so many Jedi here to help out, because the sheer amount of fire being volleyed at the team might have gotten overwhelming otherwise. And when one of them, Yuun, manages to save Ben's skin with his deflections, Ben looks somewhere between relieved and deeply embarrassed. "Thanks," he barks gruffly at the Jedi, then turns to shout at the team again. "LET'S GET OUT OF HERE! YOU CAN BE HEROES ON THE SURFACE!" Despite his own words, he brings up his modified wrist laser to try and shoot the B2s, and totally misses -- too busy trying to run away at the same time.

Meanwhile, Five is still leading the charge -- he has a light activated to make himself more visible and is chirping and bleeping away so that the team can hear him above the din.

Having felled a droid or two, Rieve moves to retreat. One could imagine the pain of being rollered by a wall of droids. His blade is sheathed and with a laisezz-faire salute towards the droideka, the Hapan turns on his heels. "They probably aren't open to understanding... alas!" The very words offered to Galen as he takes three steps forward, activates his jetpack and is lifted into the air with some measure of grace. Across and over! Landing with a gentle bending of the knees, Rieve turns to eye the surroundings and beckon those now behind onward, looking ready and poised to do what's needed. "That's the spirit, no one left behind... we can ache when we're in orbit!"

The bright blue of the lightsaber's presence inspired little for the hurt officer. Since the Resistance, he had been around 'robes' for most of his life! What it did instill was a sense of security and safety, and that was good. Appreciative, again, of Runsa, he showed some grit and began to push on with more 'umph'. Sweat beaded down his face, but god damn it, he was going to make it out of this mission like he did all of his other ones.

"Understood," is all he could manage to say to Runsa.

As they came upon the platforms, she sees The older Officer starting to make his way around the long way ans she lets out a SIGH. <"Of couse. The long way, right."> She looks back behind herself a couple times, nearly tripping over her feet in the process but catching herself as she looks back to Lt. Jump Jye. Her hand moving back to his shouler, grabbing it and helping push him forward.

<"Next time,"> She lets out a haggard gasp as the armor digs into her side, <"If you decide to come along on one of these Lieutenant... Maybe reconsider?"> She lets out a harsh chuckle, looing back behind herself before leting loose with one of the rockets from her kneepad. The rocket turning 90 degrees and zipping down the assageway. It barely misses one of the droids. Maybe it'll slow them down...? She doubted it.

<"DON'T GET SHOT, KID!"> Sira calls out to Ben with a fruther chuckle.

It's no surprise that Zalon Bo proves to be a nimble climber or acrobat. The platforms prove to be little hindrance to his movements or pace, calling out as he leaps with seemingly effortless ease from one to the next. He doesn't give orders, because it's not his place. He can give advice though and he has a pearl of wisdom for everyone, Jedi included technically speaking, "Keep moving and if you take fire, get behind a lightsaber!" The towering alien leaps from one platform to another with little pause. When he lands, he gathers his legs beneath him and springs for the next. Though he does pause at one point to hang the heavy blaster pistol from the back of his utility belt and with it latched there he's capable of focusing on the strength and precision of his leaps.

"If you require help, call out!" Zalon calls out upon landing on another platform and he pauses long enough to assess the situation around him. 'Your eyes can deceive you', he seems to hear in his mind. He takes the brief pause as time to consider not only what his eyes reveal, but also what the Force can show to him as well. The quiet hum of his lightsaber joins with the sound of others exerting themselves against one obstacle or another. His eyes close briefly and the Lasat extends a hand toward Vega, offering her an anchor to grab hold of as she's guided toward a safe landing.

Galen's moved to a defensive form his saber humming as he holds it in front of him watching the droids before he starts to slowly back away with the rear guard of the team, "Time to move folks." As he glances around spotting Vega attempting to get over his hand darts out as he catches Vega with the Force and gives her a bit of a push/float over to towards Zalon, "Zalon catch!" Once Vega's safely across Galen turns to run his foot slipping but the Force enhanced speed making up for his lack of natural running ability.

As expected the droids open fire on the backline of retreating Rebels and the blue blade of Runsa's lightsaber dances around her to deflect them away. Up and over, down and around, batting one of the blaster bolts meant for Sira back at the one who'd fired it.

She doesn't stick around to see if it brings the droid down, however. Right back to Jump with a hand guiding him up and around the long way. She doesn't tell him she could probably hurl him across the gap, possibly to save him his dignities, but she does continue to provide security in the fighting retreat. "See? Everything's going exactly to plan."

There's no mistaking the lite teasing, but it's good natured despite the grave circumstances. A clipped nod is given to Sira, blade ready at her side to provide a cover if needed.

Rule One of Fight Club is don't piss off the Droideka. Vega should have crushed it, but she didn't have enough anger stored up for that. And it returned to bite her later in the shape of a blaster bolt. Damn you hubris!

She presses a hand over the wound and breathes out in a hiss as she runs after the group. She wasn't going to make it and she knows it. Momentary panic sets in before she has this weird out of body feeling, "Oh!" she looks up to see who has her. Whew, it's Galen. She gives him a bloody thumbs up before she finds Zalon's offered arm and drapes from it for a few seconds, "Thanks big guy." she drops down to the ground to crouch with her lightsaber and try to not be a complete mess!

Yuun smiles to Wil, "No prob, you would do the same for me." he says as he gives a quick glance to him as his lightsaber flashing in controlled and precise movements. Allowing the force to flow through him, as he moves with the group doing his best to keep the incoming fire from hitting any of his allies.

Allowing the force to sense the others around him, he can feel the force being used to help others or get Vega up on a catwalk. Yuun keeps backing away doing his job to help but when Wil tries to jump, he felt danger and quickly turns sideways. He throws his left hand out towards Wil while keeping his right hand on his lightsaber in a guard. Allowing the Force to guide him, he catches Wil within the Force and lifts him to the catwalk. "Keep going, I'm right behind you." he calls. Still a calm smile is seen on his face, did he know of Kit Fisto or something?

Wil forgoes shooting for the moment, concentrating on escape. He is not very good at it. He charges and jumps, trying to clear the gap.

Instead he makes it about halfway before he starts to fall.

Luckily, one of the Jedi catches him with Space Magic, and hucks him to the other side, where he lands roughly, stumbling. "Thanks. Wow, that was almost..." He has a mortality moment before he remembers the murderous squad of droids, and he starts running again.

"Everyone alright?" Ben looks back to see how the team is doing. If Runsa needs help with the other Lieutenant, he would give her a hand, though she seems more than capable by herself -- busy saving Mandalorians and all! But when he realizes one of the CAP units has been lost, frustration comes over his features. "Dank farrik. We were so close..." Ah well. At this point, it's about getting out alive. Following Five up ahead of him, Ben ducks down and moves low through the corridors, sticking to the shadows. It's not /always/ about noise and explosions for him. He's supposed to be a scout!

Rieve pauses as he stops moving again, having gotten ahead, he's now waving his fellow rebs through. "That's the spirit... oui! One foot ahead of the other!" Though even he speaks and unholsters his chunky sidearm, his gaze is surveying the area behind them. It's hectic, he flinches once or twice as a shot pings one way or another. But even so, he eyes the surroundings behind them and spots it. A thin support column. Taking aim, Rieve levels his weapon at it and fires off a single shot at it. "TAKE DOWN THAT COLUMN!" The simple order is given, a delightfully accented bark as he holds his ground for the moment, waving past a few more.

Jump Jye has made it to the point where they can hide, and maybe.. just maybe.. let the storm that's chasing them pass. He finds, what he thinks, is a good hiding spot, but it's low to the ground. So he lowers down slowly and POP.

"DANK...REKKING...FARRIK!" His back. That was it. He couldn't move and he was stuck in this position half squatting, half bent over. Why did he come to this hell hole?

"I used to be good at this stuff," He grunts to Sira, wincing until finally, his pain releases him and he just falls. "I don't know what happened.." He knew he was old, but he didn't feel it until it was time to do young stuff. "Ugh..just leave me behind. Maybe I can find some dignity in being a distraction or something.." He pushes himself up, wary of his back wanting to act out again.

As Jump starts try move, in an attempt to hide, Sira had her hand still on his shoulder. Until... He's not there under her hand anymore. Her attention had been split to the droid still coming up behind them. <"Sith spit!"> Cin'cirad calls out as she sort of hop-hop trips and then trips over the bit of rock Jump Jye was trying to use as a hiding spot. One of her durasteel kneepads hitting the rock with a TONK as she slides on the ground.

Picking herself back up she looks back at the Lieutenant who's now yelling about his back, <"Oh you gotta be KRIFFING kidding me!"> Picking herself back up she scrambles toward Jump. <"OH SHUT THE KRIFF UP! You think after all this, I'm leaving you to die? Man you're selfish. Get moving!">

The Commander hauling him back up to his feet and trying to pull Jump Jye back into the shadows and keep moving. While also keeping herself between the droids and the elderly lieutenant. <"I swear I'll shoot you myself if you say you're going to find dignity in being a distraction. Kriffin'... I outta... I... Just keep moving!">


As the journey leads the team into the tunnels, Zalon Bo's lightsaber blade collapses with the sucking hiss of the weapon disengaging. Now that it's made safe to perform his next action, Zalon's large hands move to draw the hood of his earthen hued robes up and over his purple and darker purple head. He slips into the shadows of the tunnels with his hood now raised and with that he seems to blend in quite well with the subterranean passages. While there's something to be said for the Lasat's light footfalls and his prehensile toes stretching out to grip at the stone floor of the passage, or the way that he practically contours himself to the walls when necessary, or the hand signals he relays or quiet advice he passes from one ear to another with the occasional, "Hold here," or "There's a patrol ahead," or hurriedly motioning others into an alcove in the tunnels. One thing holds true: all the while the Jedi's hood is up and thus there is a greater than zero chance that has had a direct effect on the large alien's ability to slip throughout the Geonosian tunnels quietly and unseen.


Damn Super Droids are trying to snipe people in these caves and Runsa is having none of it. "Keep him moving." She says unto Sira in reference to Jump and steps out with her blade coming up swinging, "I am one with the Force and the Force is with me." There's always blaster fire in these harrowing escapes, but that's all harmlessly wizzing past her and those under her charge. 

No, there's one droid out there who's got it out for the Rebelorian.

She doesn't wade into anything, but positions herself with her toes curled into the grating of the catwalk for stability when she spies the lumbering Super Droid taking aim with one of it's massive arm mounted blaster rifles. "Jedi."

It fires at Sira, but the beam catches the sweep of Runsa's brightly illuminated lightsaber in a weaving cross slash that sends it, not at the droid, but at the catwalk beneath it's feet. Super heating the metal, weakening it, and presenting a precarious situation where it's own mass becomes it's downfall.

No waiting around to find out how 'that' plays out, the Duros Jedi runs along the catwalk to catch up with the others. A glance to Ben, "Everyone is alive and we have two remaining. You're doing good, Lieutenant." A serious glance, head bowed slightly, "Get us out of here. What's the plan?"

Rieve presents a pretty good plan, even if Runsa is willing to hear out whatever Ben comes up with. She nods to the Hapan and steps out from behind cover with her hand extending outward with her greyish-green fingers spread. Concentrating and grabbing hold of the damaged section of catwalk. The metal rends, bends, and snaps as she coils her hand into a tight ball. The support beams creak and groan and pull forth from the wall with a spray of rock as crashes down to provide just the kind of distraction needed for all these sneaky sum'a'bish's to get outta here.

Galen's looking around for a solid hiding spot now that they're starting to get into the sneak stage until he hears Rieve's command to take out a column... Turning towards it he throws his lightsaber the blade spinning as it slices into the column before he returns it to his hand and toggles the switch deactivating the humming blade with a protesting squeal before he melts into some shadows and hiding spots like the elder scout he is.

Vega gives a dip of her head to Zalon and Galen before she moves with the rest of the group. While she's trying to look for covering folks, she's also trying to not get another wound. One per mission. That's all she's allowed!

"I'll swing in if anyone needs saving." she states. Then she finds a bit of shadow and just...vanishes. Like walking against the wind type stuff.

Where did the lightsaber wielding Gremlin go? No one will know until she inevitable finds trouble again.

Having been slowed down a little bit Yuun makes it up by quickly catching ujp with the others, his lightsaber extinguished for now and clipped to his belt, his robes wrap around him like a cloak. Sensing where the others are and keeping to the shadows, at one point it looks like the shadows reaches up and swallows him, though he finds a place where the group is waiting to make sure everyone is safe and still moving.

Wil, safely across now, resumes running. He twists back as he sprints, pulling the trigger on his blaster once, doming a battle droid.

"Take that you kriffing clanker!"

This hasn't been his day, it seems. "Never getting off that damn ship," he mutters, resuming his harried flight.

"'Preciate your presence here, Runsa." When she asks Ben Relor for The Plan (tm) to get them out of here, he does his darndest to squint through the smoke and light and grime for anything he may have missed. This has already been a helluva mission; surely he can help make the retreat a bit easier? But no...no chance cubes for Ben. It's just too thick and dark and confusing in here.

"We stick to the path up." It's the very one Runsa is covering, along with Galen and Rieve. He cups his hands around his mouth and shouts in that raspy vocal fry to everyone: "ONE FINAL PUSH! WE'RE ALMOST OUT!" That may or may not be true -- he actually has no idea. But whatever, it's what he's saying! And as before, Five is leading the way with his light. Ben gives the droid a little pat on his flat-top dome. "You okay, buddy? Keep going!"

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing... What? Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing. Rieve's ears are bleeding. But his wonderfully accented voice rings out all the same, damn does it sound odd when his ears are clogged with blood. Kinda stuffy. Kinda... reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! But no matter what! Rieve is there grinning his gorgeous smile, that gap-toothed Hapan beams. Sure he looks dusty and there's blood trickling from his ears, but hey, focus on the smile and those bright blue eyes shrouded by the helpful visor of his helm. "Come on, that's the spirit... we're almost there!" Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee go his ears. Reeeee! A dusty pat here, a chivvying push there, Rieve is herding and helping. And his ears? Oh they go reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. "I swear mes ami, I shall buy us all a drink back home... home is where our hearts are yes?" Chivvy chivvy chivvy! Onwards!

"Wouldn't miss it for all the tea on Gatalenta." Runsa deactivates her lightsaber, but does not yet clip it to her belt. They're not out of here and she may yet need it to ward off any buzzards spitting lasers at her Rebel charges. She says this with an easy smile, bowing her head as Ben gives the order to charge forward and upwards, "Sound strategy." She claps him on the shoulders and moves a few steps back to Sira and Jump, offering her hand for the aged Soldier.

"Age is not a defining characteristic of capability, soldier." She says this deliberately stern, "On your feet. Once more into the breech and you'll have stories to tell your grand children of the day you defied the hardships of this mission, but the passage of time itself." Grey-ish red eyes cut to Sira, unspoken 'protection pact' betwixt the two ladies? "Stop getting shot at." She says to her, but it's clearly a tease. Hand motioning out in a sweeping motion towards the path Ben is paving for them.

Maybe that stretch is all he needs. Or it's this young whippersnapper Commander or the Jedi Knight screaming at him. Whatever it is, Jump gets back on his feet, ears ringing, and runs. It's fast...

...for him.

Heavy footfalls carry him toward their escape and the look on his face is focus, determination, and sheer farkling will. "Ahh, I still have it.." He tells himself, that second wind feeling good.

The collapse brings ringing to the ears of Zalon Bo and his eyes close in response to it. A hand blindly feels along the tunnel wall, trying to both keep himself upright and keep himself moving forward. Each step finds the ringing subside a little more. He attempts to work his jaw in an effort to subdue the loud whine until the point that it begins to more resemble the lower whine of static. A glance to his back finds the path obstructed and time bought. His eyes close again and he pauses, collecting himself and centering himself within the Force itself. A peaceful mind is a clear mind.

His eyes open and he begins to push forward, scrambling over dislodged earth and stone that was shaken loose from the collapse. He pauses in order to send a glance to his left and then up. He seems to study the wall for a moment or, more specifically, the rusted grating that blends quite well with the subterranean wall while in the gloomy darkness. Once more green fills the tunnel as his lightsaber snaps and hisses to life. Three quick strokes find the grating sheared away by the lightsaber's blade, followed by the resounding clang of metal falling aside. "Over here!" he calls out to the team, gesturing through the grating that appears to lead from one tunnel into another and, thankfully, the air seems just a little less foul this way.

Sira winces, not that anyone can see - ya helmet - as the vibration and noise make the speakers in her helmet cut for a second to compensate before coming back. Turning to find Lt. Jump starting to move again. <"I swear I'm going to double PT on the ship when I get back."> She mutters as she looks back toward the others. Her eyes scannning over the people and then the rubble as she starts to follow after at a bit of a jog. She leans a bit too much to one side, clipping one of the thigh plates before she catches herself.

<"For the love of..."> Then back toward the Lieutenant and she's jogging to catch up to him, then helping urge him on with a push to his lower back as she's running behind him. Her turn to start being a bit louder, like Relor but less scratchy sounding. <"I swear to god, you damn yougin'. Move your shebs! Move! MOVE!"> She gies a thumbs up to Runsa as she passes, <"You betcha. Make sure not to take one yourself while you're eating our dust."> A snort and a chuckle added to the end fher sentence-- THEN BACK TO JUMP.

<"I swear to all that's right in the Galaxy, if I manage to beat you out of this tunnel, I will let your CO know. He will know /exactly/ how many miles to put you through over the next month. Ever-DAMN-Day!"> And she's still pushing Jump. Of course, Jump seems to be having no problem keeping up... FOR ONCE, as she makes her way toward the way Zelon is direction.

Vega's not above committing smol crimes. She's got about a dozen things that she wants to murder...so those will have to wait for now. Or Rey will frowny face at her. She keeps in the shadows for as long as she can, then pops out and does some really well timed flips with her saber in hand. Does she get shot? No. So that's the good part. "Keep moving!" she calls out as she presses her hand back to the wound and wobbles after the group. Because she's fine.

Totally fine.

The vibrations of the damn explosions rocks him, but Yuun has done this plenty of times. He coughs as he stumbles but he doesn't rush the exit yet, checking on the teh others, "Come on, we dont' got all day!" he calls out as he begins running towards the exit still moving within the pack. Moving quickly Yuun starts to pick up speed, again trying not to leave anyone.

Galen slides out of the shadows having moved through for a while to avoid the droids. His deactivated saber still in his hand he looks around to see which direction the team is moving. As Zalon points them in a direction that seems to have fresher air Galen starts to run keeping an eye on the others with him to make sure they're kept safe as well.

The sound goes so loud that Wil can't hear it, he can only feel it. It's not a fun time. He's going to be screaming at subordinates because he can't hear them. Maybe he can take a few days of leave and go somewhere fun. Like Nar Shaddaa.

For the moment, he just forces his aching muscles to keep moving. His tired legs to keep running. He's never going on a BEN RELOR mission again.

Or if he does, he's going to sit on the Adept Hammer and aim turbolasers at the target.

The skies are darker not because evening is setting in, but for the smoke and dust pluming from air vents and flight openings in the spires of the hive reaching for atmosphere.

As well as the growing sink-hole as the structural damage caused by Rieve's keen eye, continues to build a rolling rumble. As if the planet was crying out in pain and insult for what was taken from it on this day.

The further darkening comes from the shape of Geonosians lifting from other hives to try and discern this chaos and horror levied against them. Those in the air scattering or pointing in shock at the sight of the old pre-civil war U-Wings sweeping down with bays opening to beckon the rebel team inside. Side guns out and ready should the geonosians attempt to hinder.

Prepared to snap hatches and boost for atmosphere at a moments notice.

Two CAPs instead of three. But better than the one that the Verpine had requested.

By the time Ben's back on the ship, his lungs are an absolute wreck. Coughing, sputtering, gasping for breath. Five rolls up to him and bleeps out a series of deeply consternating sounds. "Shut up, Five, just shut up! I'm not gonna quit -- *COUGH, COUGH* -- smoking, okay?" But man, if it doesn't take him several moments of being hunched over and eventually spitting into a cloth he took out of a pocket before he can finally breathe again.

Once he's semi-functioning, he straightens up to take stock of the team and his mission. Everyone's here -- mostly in tact -- that's the important part. But only two CAPs. Was it worth it?

He sighs -- looks like it's gotta be. "Good work, everyone. Drinks're on me." But first, he's gonna light a cigarette, because some people never learn.

"Lieutenant," comes the deep rumble of Zalon Bo's voice yet it carries with it his usual warmth, "for your safekeeping". The CAP unit is held out then while the padawan's lightsaber remains unignited, but ready to be brought into action in defense of himself, Lieutenant Relor, or any of the others passing by in their bid to board the U-Wings and extract to safety. The technological device is handed over with a slight bow of the padawan's head and then once more the Jedi returns to protecting the extraction zone with his lightsaber prepared to leap into action. He gestures some toward the U-Wing's open bay door, calling out for them to keep moving and that he's prepared to defend their backs should the need arise. When his time comes, he slips the lightsaber back to his belt and climbs aboard as well. He doesn't escape the mission unscathed however, because when he hurriedly steps aboard the transport he gives his thick forehead a good bashing on the ship's hull.

Vega looks into her robes at the end of the ordeal and realization dawns that she lost her CAP. "Damn it." the white haired woman whispers as she finds a place on the ship to sit and then broods. Because yes, you can brood even at this height!

Ears still ringing, Reive follows up at the rear and boards the ship that'll take them home. Turning to view the growing destruction, Reive is starting to think that perhapsing that single pillar was a really bad design choice for the Geonosians. "The hole, it gets bigger..." He opens his mouth and attempts to pop his ears. Well. That doesn't work. So he does the next best thing and gives Ben a thumbs up. "I CAN'T HEAR A THING!"

Jumping into the U-Wing Yuun looks around and smiles, "Well that was fun." he chuckles as he senses everyone is on board and for the most part everyone made it back in one piece if not brusied or injured.