Reach of the Empire IC

[Shlambate 2,679]

The Inquisitor dismounts the Varactly and ties it up it once more. Making his way to the gathered Task Force he listens to their next course of action. "The Walker is the priority. The Pirate Queen herself is an unlawful force user and must be dealt with immediately, if the pilot is indeed one of Fitzsimmons men we must track it down and take them alive." The Fourth brother would anouce to the group as his familiar cool presence washed over the group as soon as he arrived.

[Rimsen 1,368]

,,On it, Sir!"

As Evon makes his way down, he discovers an abandoned subwater speeder. ,,I guess we were the only one not aware of the true nature of the place. Task Force, I found an available vehicle." 

,,Time is of the essence. If anyone left in the tank, they don't have much air with them, for sure! Anyone can drive this thing?"

[bsmith23 696]

4 hours ago, Rimsen said:

,,On it, Sir!"

As Evon makes his way down, he discovers an abandoned subwater speeder. ,,I guess we were the only one not aware of the true nature of the place. Task Force, I found an available vehicle." 

,,Time is of the essence. If anyone left in the tank, they don't have much air with them, for sure! Anyone can drive this thing?"

"I'll take the stick."

[P-47 Thunderbolt 4,160]

Hale walks up, now in somewhat ill-fitting scuba gear, I'll hitch a ride on the back, cramped enough inside as-is.

He then turns to his squad, Luks, you're with me. The rest of you stay up here, I don't think you'll all fit in this clown car.

Edited October 30, 2019 by P-47 Thunderbolt

[Shlambate 2,679]

Drogos boards the submarine and takes a seat inside, he wasn't one to pilot such things so he would meditate until he was needed once more."My Pilot..."  He addresses Somar, "You can awaken me from my meditation with the phrase 'We have our Target'." he then started his deep meditation. 

[Rabobankrider 3,409]

"Aw this is going to be so bad, I can tell" Den mutters under his breath as he follows the others down to the sub. Unsure of what he use he would be here, but if nothing else he was a set of extra arms when needed. 

[Edgehawk 3,158]

The task force drops down into the murky waters of the cenote, visibility reduced by the tannins which have leached into the water from the lush vegetation of the crater’s interior, giving it a reddish-brown hue. Diving down, the bottom indeed consists of a layer of fallen leaves, and the sediment stirs to further limit their line of sight. 

The disturbance reveals a faint current however, and following this they soon pick up the trail of the much larger AT-TE, which is apparently still on the move! Unlike the tactical enforcer they are hunting, the Recon Submersible “Cambarus”  is designed for submarine environs, and quickly closes the distance. 

[Edgehawk 3,158]

“Lieutenant Patral. While the rest of the task force is conducting underwater operations, take Banshee Squad and secure Imperial operations in the crater. The Tusken presence has outlived its usefulness. Remove it as you see fit.” 

Cani recognizes the voice of Lieutenant Govern, Tactical Officer aboard the Intrepid.

[SithArissa 912]

"Gladly Lieutenant, might I request orbital bombardment once our forces are clear? The sandstone huts are an eyesore." 

[Edgehawk 3,158]

“We’ve still got TIEs in the air. They should suffice for the encampment. There are flame projectors and other ordnance in the Stormcrow’s weapon locker.” The officer’s tone suggests approval.

“Thank you, lieutenant. I knew you would not be squeamish about what needs to be done.”

[Rimsen 1,368]

Evon turns off the radio for a moment and turns to the present members of the Task Force in the bongo: "Maybe because I'm the new guy, but I wonder this is how you always wrap up the operation? Leaving ashes and cinder behind?"

[bsmith23 696]

Once Somar brings the sub within sensor range of the AT-TE, he states in a deep voice, "Inquisitor, we have...(dramatic pause)...our Target.".  😊

[Rimsen 1,368]

Inner monologue: ,,Finally, I need to focus... Tuskens are not your concern Evon. They were an obstruction. Yeah. That's right."

[Shlambate 2,679]

Drogos stirs as the words are spoken, he unfolds his legs and walks immediately to Somar in the cockpit. Once there he addresses him directly, "Good, we have found the AT-TE. Now follow it, we need to see how many traitors I may have to interrogate."  He voice sounded with such menace that if they weren't confirmed traittors of the Empire one would almost feel bad for them, Almost.

[P-47 Thunderbolt 4,160]

Oblivious to what is going on above the surface without his comlink, Hale, after seeing the AT-TE, swims to the front of the sub. He taps on the window to Somar, signalling his intent. Stay here, I'll go on ahead and make contact.

After confirming the message, he swims off to the AT-TE, swimming around to the front, where he knocks on the window and signals to the driver, Permission to come aboard?

The driver signals back, directing Hale to the back of the AT-TE. He swims around to the back where the platform used to deploy AT-RTs below the vehicle has just been lowered. Hale swims up and pulls himself into the AT-TE.

Edited November 2, 2019 by P-47 Thunderbolt

[Edgehawk 3,158]

The Imperial operations within the crater are not expansive, consisting of a flight platform, a platform for the armored cav test unit, and an engineering platform. Cani and the Banshees are able to quickly secure the facilities, finding the weapons locker mostly cleared, and two men in labcoats bearing Sienar Advanced Projects Laboratory emblems. The men are unconscious, and have been bound and gagged. The shriek of TIEs in the sky above reminds them of their next duty, on the encampment platforms above.

Hale scrabbles aboard the rear of the AT-TE unceremoniously, via the makeshift lock, and finds himself being scrutinized by five troopers. They are all armed with ion disruptor rifles, casually aimed in his direction.

”Welcome aboard, Master Sergeant... and no funny tricks with those gauntlets of yours. You demonstrated yourself to be a true warrior up there, a leader.. and ours just went for a swim he isn’t likely to return from, after that last shot he took. We have a very lucrative proposition for you, one that you should consider very carefully.”

[P-47 Thunderbolt 4,160]

Hale pulls the mask off his face and shakes his head regretfully. Oh, I am so sorry you said that. I'll pretend this never happened if you listen to me. I'm going to give you a second chance. As far as the rest of the taskforce knows, you were just following poor Fitz's orders. That means that you can put down those weapons and leave with me. Give us all you know and you just might get fresh start with the Empire. Where do you think you're gonna get in this thing? The big boys are rated for vacuum, but were never meant for underwater operations. Your only chance is to come with me.

[SithArissa 912]

Approaching the primitives sorry excuse for homes, Cani opens fire with the auto cannon on her Zalaaca. Its plasma bolts ***** through stone and flesh alike, burning away the blight that was alien life from the galaxy as it burned their homes. Cani felt nothing for them. They weren't human so there was no need. They didn't feel pain, or any emotions, like real humans did. A small flash of light as a heads up display appeared on the walkers dashboard distracted Cani from her work.  

AI integration of performed task 47% outside of accepted parameters - Failure

"EMPEROR **** IT. This bloody thing!" 

Once again the AI subroutines that were in this particular prototype were unwieldy. No matter what she did they weren't  able to keep up with the speed of the Zalaaca and the spontaneous nature of superior human actions. It was getting to her she had to admit. Quite straining.  

Edited November 7, 2019 by SithArissa
So many typos....

[Rimsen 1,368]

,,Somar, can you brings us around the walker? I'd like to glance in the cockpit. Hale boarded and the walker is still going.

Something must be off.

What do we have on board? Maybe we can pressure them too."

 

Edited November 7, 2019 by Rimsen

[Rabobankrider 3,409]

"You've got me on board, that might do something" Den would joke with a dark chuckle. Falling quiet to think for a moment, he gestures to the control with his hand. "Perhaps we can give them a bit of a nudge with this thing? See what it shakes loose". It may be a foolish plan, but it was the first thing to spring to the soldiers mind. 

[bsmith23 696]

Somar surveys the path ahead to pull in front of the walker, hopefully avoiding panicking the driver. He pushes away Den's hand.  "No touchy..."

Edited November 8, 2019 by bsmith23
grammar

[Rabobankrider 3,409]

Den would shake his hand as he quickly withdraws it from the controls. "I never get to drive" he mutters in a sullen tone as he slumps back into his seat. "Whatever we do, can we do it fast? I don't want to get stuck in a tin can with you lot if things go wrong, no offence". 

[Rimsen 1,368]

Evon turns to Den with a mischievous grin: ,,Don't worry! If something goes wrong you won't be stuck here, the current will rip apart the bongo and our corpses will feed the fishes."

Edited November 11, 2019 by Rimsen

[Edgehawk 3,158]

“I don’t think you fully appreciate your own situation,” the trooper counters, continuing: “I made you an offer, because you do your own stunts, and I like that. We don’t need you, and if your presence doesn’t keep that sub from firing... well, you won’t be sharing our precious air you seem so concerned about, for long.” 

A faint scratching, almost a tapping sound, can be heard coming from the forward compartment. It is barely discernible from the myriad noises accompanying the heavy walker’s underwater progress, but Hale can’t shake the feeling it means something. The troopers do not appear to have perceived anything untoward in the sounds.

Aboard the submersible walker “Cambarus,” the two intelligence agents hear the strange patterns of sound as well, picked up and isolated by the sub’s powerful sonar array. But what do they mean? Even Den and Ral feel like they should recognize something in the sounds, perhaps from SCAR training or Skystrike, some sort of emergency code perhaps..?

Meanwhile, the pilot eases the sub around in front of the heavier walker with little difficulty, but the AT-TE shows no signs of slowing down or heaving-to!

Far above the cenote, the Tuskens never have a chance to mount an effective counterattack. A few slugthrowers go off, flashing from the rifle slits, but the walker’s munitions quickly incinerate the primitive shelters and all within. When the Banshees mop up, they discover a collapsed tunnel leading into the rim of the crater, but the carnage reveals that few if any managed to escape that way. There is still no sign of the massiffs they had seen earlier, so it is possible the small tunnel simply leads to their den. Excavating the tunnel will take time, if that avenue is to be pursued. 

The flight of TIEs screeches through the sky above, nimble fighters circling like vultures, awaiting orders.

[P-47 Thunderbolt 4,160]

Hale grins at the traitor, Your funeral, pal. He reaches up to put on his mask, but the trooper shoves the barrel of the disruptor rifle into his shoulder. Where do you thi- Hale springs into action, trying to twist the man around and put the second mask over his face, but the trooper jabs him with the butt of his rifle. Sensing that staying any longer would be unwise, Hale lets go and dives through the open hatch, slipping under the AT-TE and laying flat against its belly. "Kriff! You idiot, why didn't you grab his arm! Twist his arm behind his back, make him drop the rifle, then go for the throat."