The Clone Wars Rages [Republic] [IC]

[kreenlover]

The battlefield has fallen quiet, the droids no longer firing on your position.
Most of them have been destroyed now; its only a few left holed up in the cliffs ahead.
But they have turned the field ahead into a killing ground; each step exposes you to a mine, to laserfire, or to shrapnel.
There is little way to take them out short of bringing down the entire cliff.
However, the heavy cannons have not yet arrived, so it falls to the 108th to pin the droids until they do.
The makeshift mess hall is loud as usual, and has a happier air than most places. The clones eat, shoveling down as much food as they can while talking with their friends and comrades.
A few non-clones are scattered around the area, but most of them are sticking to themselves. Despite the more informal tone of the 108th's command structure, or perhaps because of that, there are many who still view the clones as little more than 'wet droids', glorified walking cannons.

[Philistine]

A human figure clad in gray and indigo Trooper armor crouches behind a rock, occasionally popping its head up to observe the droid positions through its electrobinoculars and then popping back down to tap information into its bracer computer. From a few steps away, he can be heard muttering to himself in a deep, rumbling basso voice while he works.

[Sir Grave]

The black clad mercenary, whom a few of the soldiers know as Sgt. Edge, stares across the battlefield through his helmet's narrow, blue visor. He stands perfectly still, rifle in hand, silent. The few who know him have never seen his face, never seen him eat (though they know he does, just privately) and basically always keeps to himself.
He has stood there, not moving at all, for at least twenty minutes.

Using the Force to sense surroundings.
[roll0]

[DoctorFaust]

Far away from the front lines of the battlefield, a Cathar is just finishing work on a new Arrow-23 speeder. He pulls a panel off of the shield housing unit and shoves his hand down in the cavity to withdraw a spent power cell. Gripping it tightly in his claws, he carefully lifts it out of the unit and places it on the ground beside him. He then turns to a nearby clone and calls, "Trooper! Can you bring me the cell from over there?"

[Lord Raziere]

The zabrak, Rindel meanwhile is sitting nearby just constantly checking his communications scanner, wanting to always be alert for any droid communications that could be useful to hear, those droids on the cliff could be up to anything, to Rindel's mind. They might be calling up reinforcements of their own or making their own plans, and if they were, they had to be ready.


using communications scanner to intercept any enemy signals.
[roll0]

[kreenlover]

The day passes uneventfully, the repairs on the Arrow-23 going well, and everything mostly silent.
The hulking form of the modified Medstar-class Daybreak, the 108th's preferred carrier ship looms behind you all, its massive modified shield generators spreading the blanket over the camp.
The heavy cannons stationed around the site continue to fire at the cliffs intermittently as the TX-130T's maintain the perimeter defense. A LAAT/C takes of, flying low to avoid being shot at by enemy missiles.
Shift change is about to start when there is movement.

The man in the indigo armour spots movement on the cliff face.
Snapping the macrobinocs back into place he can see a commando droid rapidly retreating back into one of the tunnels, carrying a transceiver dish.
A moment after it disappears the tunnel entrance is obliterated by a cannon shot.

At the same time across the camp a zabrak gets something on his scanner.
A garbled message, scrambled and coded. And only part of it is successfully recorded. The encryption is an older one and he quickly cracks it.
"*crackle*...rders. New direc...*ccccrk*...ed. Data secu...*skreeee*...ander critically dama...*reeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEE*...Over"
That is all he can capture.

[Lord Raziere]

Rindel's eyes widen. He comes running to General Ars, throwing a quick salute as he comes in sight of him.
"General. I think you need to hear this. Its not much but, I think I might have picked up something important on the comm-scanner."
He plays the recording, holding it out so he can hear it better.

[kreenlover]

The Gotal Jedi looks up from a projection of a lightsaber as the Zabrak walks in.
"That is indeed important. Do you have any thoughts in it?"
His voice is deep and calming. While many would see a Gotal as a fearsome looking creature the Jedi seems to exude harmlessness and friendship, at least while not on the battlefield.
It is a combination of a life spent protecting the weak, trying to understand the trials of those who cannot stand for themselves, and his species natural telepathy.

[Sir Grave]

Edge, aware of the commotion going on behind him, went to his for a lack of a better term "soldier instincts." Either a distress call...or a trap... He still didn't budge from his position, however...

Distress, or trap? Use the Force to search my feelings![roll0]
EDIT OH YEAH NATURAL 20!

[kreenlover]

In the meantime General Ars turns and keys in a command on his bracer computer opening several comlink channels.
"All independent operators and squad leaders report to the mobile command center immediately"
He motions for Rindel to follow him as he sweeps out across the camp and towards the round command center. A few have already gathered.

There is a...there is something there. Something out there in the Force coming down on this place like a crashing wave. It is coming soon, and it will change things. It isn't a monumental change, it won't forever alter the galaxy, it won't change the nature of the Force, but it will be big. It will affect thousands, no, millions, and will...
It is coming, and almost seems to be as a challenge. Its a wave of potential, a change, a charge coming towards you. Everyone here will be sorely tested in the coming weeks.
And it doesn't appear to be either a trap or a distress call, although its closer to the second.

[Sir Grave]

Edge finally moves, walking towards the General. "Sir, if I may..."he says, voice masked by the helmet, "Something's up. I don't know what it is, but it's heavy. We need to prepare for the unexpected."

[DoctorFaust]

A few moments after Lophen finishes repairs on the Arrow-23, his comm squawks to life and begins relaying the message from General Ars. "All independent operators and squad leaders report to the mobile command center immediately."

Growling to himself, the Cathar scoops up his rifle and begins making his way towards the command center. After a minute or so of running, Lophen makes it to the command center and dashes up to the main room, saluting a few of his superiors as he runs past them. After taking a moment at the top of the stairs to collect himself, Lophen steps carefully into the room.

[Lord Raziere]

The Gotal Jedi looks up from a projection of a lightsaber as the Zabrak walks in.
"That is indeed important. Do you have any thoughts in it?"
His voice is deep and calming. While many would see a Gotal as a fearsome looking creature the Jedi seems to exude harmlessness and friendship, at least while not on the battlefield.
It is a combination of a life spent protecting the weak, trying to understand the trials of those who cannot stand for themselves, and his species natural telepathy.

Ridndel quickly follows him, talking out his thoughts as he goes
"They're hiding something. What I can make out is "Orders. New Directions. Data Secure or Security. Critically Damaged." I think they have new orders, to do something else...and that they either have important data secure or they were saying that data security has been breached, that something important was damaged, and that they either going to start moving, perhaps maybe because the data or machine they were protecting is vulnerable, and they need to take it back to some base to get repaired where it will be safe....and I'm thinking its the latter option, because I think they were holding the cliffs position before to protect the data, but then we brought in the big blasters and now something important got hit, so its no longer feasible for them to hold the data here, its no longer safe. So I'm thinking, and this just a hunch, that they're going to start moving soon, and that we will need to start following, intercept them, capture whatever it is they're protecting and get a look at it. Think thats reasonable?"

[Philistine]

The gray-armored figure rises to a half-crouch and scuttles back toward the command post at Ars's summons. He straightens as he approaches, pulling off his helmet to reveal a male Human - but even from several steps away he clearly has darker skin and finer features than any clone trooper, and while of a size with the clones he looks a bit less... robust. He strides into the CP as the Zabrak is briefing the General, apparently on an intercepted communication, and quickly comes to a conclusion.

When the other halts to ask a question, Raym jumps in. "I just had eyes on a commando droid with a high-power transceiver up on the cliffs," he says, nodding back the way he came. "I bet that's where your message came from. So I've got the coordinates for the hole it popped out of and back into, though that entrance got pasted by heavy ordnance right after," he finishes with a gesture toward the data unit built into the armor of his forearm.

[DoctorFaust]

Lophen nods a greeting to Raym as he walks in, and then speaks up himself. "Sir, with respect, could Rindel play the transmission for all of us, if he has it recorded? And if necessary, I just finished repairing the new Arrow, so we can send a team in in that."

[Lord Raziere]

Lophen nods a greeting to Raym as he walks in, and then speaks up himself. "Sir, with respect, could Rindel play the transmission for all of us, if he has it recorded? And if necessary, I just finished repairing the new Arrow, so we can send a team in in that."

"Its not even that much."
He plays the recording again:


"*crackle*...rders. New direc...*ccccrk*...ed. Data secu...*skreeee*...ander critically dama...*reeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEE*...Over"
"What? Its not as if this is classified info or anything. There is barely anything on it. I only came to my conclusion by extrapolating what little I could."

[DoctorFaust]

"That last part could easily be 'commander critically damaged'," Lophen rasps. "I can't make out anything beyond that and what you already said."

[kreenlover]

"All fair assumptions, at least about what it could be saying. As for whether or not we'll need to go after them, well, thats another question. I doubt that they'll even be able to leave the cliffs without being 'pasted' by our cannons. Perhaps then it is instead a request for aid"
He motions everyone over to the holo-table and pulls up a scene of the battlefield.
"Sgt Raym, could you input the data on where the droid came from?"
As the marker appears on the cliffs the Jedi leans in closer to inspect it.
"It seems to be right dead-center on the cliff. Likely that tunnel leads back as far as it can,or likely at least provides access to the safest place within.
"And I think that maybe even the droid showing itself could have been part of the plan. If they wanted us to seal the tunnel then perhaps they are hoping it will allow them to out wait us until reinforcements arrive. What say you gentlemen?"
Many of the clone sergeants and corporals around the room shake their heads or nod as they discuss things among themselves, but Ars is obviously talking to five of you.

[Sir Grave]

"The clankers wouldn't hole up if they weren't protecting something valuable sir. I'd say we have an objective on our hands: storm them."

The words are said with confidence, but in his mind, he was uncertain. The current battle was in their favor, but what of the crashing wave he felt? Is this scenario not what it seems? What was coming?

"... That's all, General."

[Lord Raziere]

"Well, if thats the case, then we will have to somehow sneak in and catch them by surprise. If we go and blaze our blasters too early they'll be willing to put up a lot of resistance to hold their position- probably tight tunnels and darkness, not ideal conditions to fight them in if the droids have built in thermal vision. if even a single droideka is down there holding a choke spot..."
Rindel left the rest unsaid, knowing how difficult that could be get through.

[DoctorFaust]

"Then it sounds like we would want to send in a small team, if anyone is sent in at all."

[Sir Grave]

Edge listens to both of his associates, nodding in agreement. "I... have a feeling that securing whatever they have won't be the end of it, sir. They're likely to send reinforcements in answer to this message we scrambled. And... I wouldn't be surprised if it's more than a few platoons of Battle Droids."

[Philistine]

"Numbers won't count for much in tight tunnels," Raym counters in a cool, precise Alderaanian accent. "Pick the right spot, and one squad can stop a whole battalion. For a little while," he smiles grimly. "Of course that cuts both ways. A small team will want all the droid poppers they can carry, and heavy weapons support too if possible."

[kreenlover]

"I can give you access to as many 'droid poppers' as you can carry, and we'll coordinate the artillery and heavy weapons as you request"
He looks up from the map to stare around at all of you.
"There is of course no doubt that it is you who are going in. You're the independents, the ones who best know how to operate in these kinds of situations, since we don't have any ARC troopers or commando squads on hand. In the tight tunnels I have a feeling that it would not be easy for the clone troopers"

[Sir Grave]

"Ready and willing, sir."
Hopefully, the Generals precautions would be enough to prepare for what's coming. It still failed to ease Edge's concern.
But Edge is a soldier to the last. Whatever the universe throws at him, he'll be ready to meet it head on.

[DoctorFaust]

Lophen salutes the general, muttering, "Yes sir."
Taking a step away from the table, he silently begins making a mental list of the heaviest weaponry that he's been trained with, and can get his hands on.

[Philistine]

"I have a feeling it won't be easy for us either, General," Raym says wryly. "But if I'd wanted easy, I would have stayed home on Alderaan. At least this will make a nice change from overseeing ration distribution."

"So. I'm not much good with anything bigger than these," he continues more seriously, gesturing toward the blasters holstered on either hip. "But these are pretty handy in close quarters. And the helmet offers a light-enhancement mode in case the clankers are keeping the tunnels dark. Let me just requisition a bandolier of EMPs, and I should be ready."

[kreenlover]

"Of course. I think we can likely spare ten EMP grenades each, and depending on the other weapons we might be able to spare those too. You'd have to talk to, well, let me call him over. CT-5037!"
"Yes sir!"
A clone sergeant steps smartly up, saluting the general.
"Can you set these gentlemen up with whatever they need? Or, whatever we can afford to spare"
"Of course sir"
"Good. Now, while you work on the battle plan I'm going to go inform the troops"
As the general walks out the quartermaster looks around at the group.
"What'll you be needing?"

[Sir Grave]

The mercenary nodded to the clone, as a fellow soldier. He went over his inventory quickly in his mind: armor, helmet package included vision enhancers and night vision, six grenades: 3 frag, 3 ion, GAR standard issue heavy blaster pistol, and the heavy blaster rifle he acquired in his time serving under General Kota. It's all he ever really needed...
"I'm all set," he said.

[Philistine]

"I'll take a bandolier loaded with droid poppers, Sergeant," Raym nods, smiling. "And keep a handle on the supply situation until I get back, right?"

[kreenlover]

"Of course"
He leads the group into the armory and hands out the droid poppers, waiting for more requests.

[DoctorFaust]

"Just my DLT-20A back for me. Which vehicles are we allowed to requisition, by the way?"

[kreenlover]

"There is a new speeder that has been built that is available, an Arrow-23. There are also several BARC speeders and the General could likely free up an LAAT/c"

[Lord Raziere]

"Hmmm."
Rindel considered his options. He really should've gotten an ion pistol when he had the chance. But he doubt he would specifically need it when he already had a normal one. He instead said:
"I'll take a few EMP grenades myself. Other than that anything that could help me see in a potentially dark cave might help. Of course, I'd prefer something like night vision over a light but I'll take what I can get."

[DoctorFaust]

"Yes, I know about the Arrow. I just had to replace some faulty components in its shield generator. I believe that will fit everyone, so unless any of you have objections..."

[Sir Grave]

"Yes, I know about the Arrow. I just had to replace some faulty components in its shield generator. I believe that will fit everyone, so unless any of you have objections..."
Edge's response was brief.
"No objections."

[Philistine]

"No objection here," Raym shrugs. "Do we want to take a BARC or two to act as outriders for the Arrow? And is anyone else trained on one?"

[Sir Grave]

Edge looked to Raym. "I haven't learned to ride vehicles yet. Though that might be a good idea..."

[kreenlover]

The quartermaster rummages around a bit and pulls out sets of nightvision goggles for all those present, then salutes.
"Thats all you should need. The sooner you get at those clankers, the sooner we can go home!"

[Sir Grave]

"The battle field is my home, soldier. But we'll scrap 'em and leave nothing but a junk haul."
Edge turns to the rest of the team. "We doing this or not?"

[Philistine]

Raym makes a last quick check of his equipment, patting the pistol, sub-repeating blaster, and paired bandoliers loaded with grenades and spare power packs criss-crossing on his chest, then dons his helmet. "Let's get to it," he says, and turns away. Swinging his leg over a BARC speeder, he settles in at the controls and brings the bike's powerful repulsors to life. As it rises from the ground, he steers it around in a tight circle to bring it alongside the big Arrow.

[kreenlover]

The engines of the BARC speeder thrum beneath Raym as the others hop into the Arrow.
General Ars walks over to see them off.
"Shall I order a bombardment until you get to the cliffs? Or just intensify sniper fire?"

[Philistine]

"I'd rather the snipers," Raym's voice is distorted by his face mask. "I'm afraid an artillery barrage at this point will only show the Sep forces where and when we're coming."

[Sir Grave]

"I'd rather the snipers," Raym's voice is distorted by his face mask. "I'm afraid an artillery barrage at this point will only show the Sep forces where and when we're coming."

Edge nods. "Snipers."

[Lord Raziere]

"Sniper of course."
Rindel said as he got into the BARC Speeder. He puts the night vision goggles on right above his eyes and double checks his pistol, ready to go.

[Sir Grave]

Edge looks at the arrow, skimming his hand across the surface. "...Passenger side," he says to the cathar. He hops in the passenger's side, propping up his heavy blaster rifle. "You drive."

[DoctorFaust]

With the flip of a few switches, Lophen brings the new speeder purring into life. "Right, thanks. There's a grenade launcher mounted above, and there should be a few strings of grenades lying around, if you want something heavier."

Grasping the controls, Lophen brings the speeder up and around while slowly bringing secondary systems to life. "Shield is in the green, cannons are in the green, engines are in the green, we're ready to go. Punch it Rindel."

[Sir Grave]

With the flip of a few switches, Lophen brings the new speeder purring into life. "Right, thanks. There's a grenade launcher mounted above, and there should be a few strings of grenades lying around, if you want something heavier."

Grasping the controls, Lophen brings the speeder up and around while slowly bringing secondary systems to life. "Shield is in the green, cannons are in the green, engines are in the green, we're ready to go. Punch it Rindel."

"Hm... 'walk softly, and carry a big gun.' I think I'd like to use something heavy..."
Edge switched to the gunner's seat, swiveling the mounted weapon to test it. "Nice." He nodded to Lophen. "We are go."

[kreenlover]

As the others nod the affirmative the engines of the speeders hum, ready. The comm channel clicks twice, the order to 'go' and there is a sudden hail of blasterfire from the foremost fortifications. There is another double click and the shield goes down as a shuttle launches towards the sky.
The signal for your group to go.
The speeders lurch forwards, a burst of speed putting them beyond the range of the shield as the shuttle, just a decoy, passes by safely. Another double click and the sniper fire slows as the shields rise again.
The river churns to the group's left as the speeders whir along the ditch, shielded from view by the walls of the river valley. Finally enough distance has passed for them to come back up onto the plains. Now it'll be an approach hard by the cliffs. Although, for the moment, its waiting for the go signal from base.

[Sir Grave]

"... smooth ride," he said to the cathar. "Stay frosty." No one could see, but he closed his eyes...

Use the Force to sense surroundings.
[roll0]

[Sir Grave]

"... smooth ride," he said to the cathar. "Stay frosty." No one could see, but he closed his eyes...

Use the Force to sense surroundings.
[roll0]

Okay, that roll gets a force point...
[roll0]

[DoctorFaust]

"I don't do frosty," Lophen says with a smirk. Once more, his hands dance over the control panel of the arrow, and it begins to gain in speed ever so slightly. "Diverting discretionary power to engines. Race you there, Rindel."

[kreenlover]

The command comes, and the speeders leap into motion. Driving forwards they are suddenly interrupted as someone spots something far above.
Looking up everyone can see a, well, a box, part of a shipping container, falling down. As it goes it gains speed, then crashes into the shield, making it flicker and shudder.
And then the turbolaser blasts start to fire.
The shots rain down on the fortifications as an oddly shaped freighter blasts down through atmo, V-19 Torrents trailing after it, to little effect, too far away to hit it.
As it completes its pass and moves to touch down the five other shipping containers on its back blast open, the containers raining down.
And then the turbolaser rotates away so that the ship can drop the first of its payloads, a gunship. As that darts away from the Torrents the freighter continues to drop vehicles, this time Hailfire droids that immediately start towards the base, firing missiles as they go.

For reference the ship looks something like this:
http://media.battlestarwiki.org/images/4/4e/Colonial_movers.jpg

[Sir Grave]

Edge looks back as they speed away. He knew something like this would happen... He just wasn't sure what form it would take. He speaks into his comm. "Command! Orders?!"

[DoctorFaust]

Lophen flicks on the targeting computer, an aiming reticle blooming to life on the front screen. "Holding fire until your order, Command! What the hell do you want us to do?"

[Lord Raziere]

"I don't do frosty," Lophen says with a smirk. Once more, his hands dance over the control panel of the arrow, and it begins to gain in speed ever so slightly. "Diverting discretionary power to engines. Race you there, Rindel."

"You bet I will."
Rindel responds as he begins speeding as well.


The command comes, and the speeders leap into motion. Driving forwards they are suddenly interrupted as someone spots something far above.
Looking up everyone can see a, well, a box, part of a shipping container, falling down. As it goes it gains speed, then crashes into the shield, making it flicker and shudder.
And then the turbolaser blasts start to fire.
The shots rain down on the fortifications as an oddly shaped freighter blasts down through atmo, V-19 Torrents trailing after it, to little effect, too far away to hit it.
As it completes its pass and moves to touch down the five other shipping containers on its back blast open, the containers raining down.
And then the turbolaser rotates away so that the ship can drop the first of its payloads, a gunship. As that darts away from the Torrents the freighter continues to drop vehicles, this time Hailfire droids that immediately start towards the base, firing missiles as they go.


"Hm."
Edge and Lophen were busy going "Orders?" like idiots. He however was more concerned with his survival. The freighter, combined with a gunship and those droids.....meant that even if they gone back to base, they wouldn't stand a chance. There was nothing but soldiers and a jedi in that base, and the team here in the speeders was not much better. Which meant....that if they gone back there, they'd only die along with everyone else getting bombarded by two ships and attacked by droids! Which means....
"Leave them! We won't make much difference back there, either they will manage to fight them off somehow...or they don't either way, we have our mission, lets carry it out. The droids have something important...and we need to get it, we can work out what we will do after that, but now, focus!"
He then drives the speeder away from the attack and towards the mission objective. Someone has to take charge around here.

[Sir Grave]

I've got a bad feeling about this...
Unfortunately, he saw Rindel's point. There was nothing more they could do. He had tried to warn them already to prepare. All that mattered now was their mission.
"...Then lets go."
As they continue speeding, Edge muttered something his general often said.
"...May the Force be with us..."

[Philistine]

Raym hadn't participated in the others' little "race" - he'd simply kept up as best he could, stretching the limits of his reflexes as his BARC slid across the ground on the flank of the big Arrow-23. He nearly wrecked the bike as he looked up at the commotion of the incoming Separatist attack, glancing back down only just in time to hop over a large rock outcropping; then had to wrestle with the controls to avoid porpoising out of control when his mount once again dropped down to a bare meter above the terrain.

By the time he has time to think again - at least, time to think about anything other than keeping himself from becoming a greasy scorchmark on the landscape - Rindel seems to have already taken charge of the situation. Raym finds himself nodding agreement, though probably nobody can see it. "Ten to one, those Seps are after the same thing we are," he adds over the comm. "But they'll know what it is, and where it is - and they won't have to fight their way down to it. We'd better hurry." With a twist of his wrist and a clenching of his teeth, his speeder leaps forward over the plain.

[DoctorFaust]

"Ah, sithspit, fine! We go in and do the damn mission as fast as we can, and we get back even faster." Baring his fangs, Lophen slaps the control panel of the Arrow in frustration. "Assuming there is anything to get back to."

[kreenlover]

"This is command. All field squads-"
There is a pop, and the comm channel dissolves into static as the first wave of hailfire missiles strike home.
The speeders swerve and dart across the ground before coming up at the bottom of the cliffs.
Hopping out the team stacks against the cliff, hiding themselves from fire by the droids.
The closest opening is about ten meters up. The one that they're looking for is another 10 meters beyond that.

[DoctorFaust]

Lophen takes a quick look through the scope of his rifle, scanning the cliffside for hostiles.

Perception check, I think this would be?.
[roll0]

[Philistine]

Raym looks upward, comparing the view with the coordinates he'd logged earlier on his bracer computer. "I don't suppose anyone brought along a brace of Ascension guns?" he asks dryly. "I suppose the BARCs can get us up there, though I don't know how we'd secure them once we got to the tunnel mouth."

[Sir Grave]

"No ascension guns. Would have been smart though."
Edge examined the cliff face, looking to see if it was climbable. "Either you use the speeders, or it's time to get a good exercise. Up to you. Me, I'm climbing."
Edge carefully begins to scale up the cliff, wasting no time, being quite deliberate.

Just did a bit of editing.

[DoctorFaust]

"Then I will follow. It would not do to split the group in hostile territory." Lophen lets his rifle hang by its strap and grabs ahold of the cliff face. "We should just be careful not to be seen."