Keeping Order

[Dalyn Solus]

Crouching on a rooftop overlooking the Imperial garrison, the unnaturally still air of Iziz City disturbed only by the hissing snarls of a few angry tooka, Dalyn Solus snarled in disgust behind the T-shaped visor of his helmet. Having lived in the city for several months while preparing to hunt a mighty Drexl during his verd'goten, the Mandalorian had fond memories of how it used to be; a city that never slept. Tradesmen wandering the narrow sidestreets long into the night hocking their wares, the scent of spiced meats cooking and a celebration of life in the central bazaar that was open day and night. Then, in the wake of Lyanna the Unworthy's death, came the crackdowns. A strict curfew. Disappearances - first of those speaking out against the Empire, then their families, and soon whole apartment blocks were being round up on even the suspicion of disloyalty to the Sith. The public executions for "treasonous behavior" on the steps of the Garrison had swiftly doused the fires in the hearts of many Onderonians.

The city he found himself in now was a shadow of what it had once been, a fearful and gutted ruin that wore the remains of the city he'd loved but contained none of its soul; and, like many of the tragedies in recent years, the blame fell squarely at the feet of the Sith and their diseased wreck of an Empire.

Turning away from the sickening sight, Dalyn felt the wind catch on the hand-woven poncho covering his armor, the light pinging of metal on metal hinting at the hidden tools of his violent trade. The architects of the fearful shroud that covered Onderon were gathered for a monthly dinner and meeting within the garrison, and his vode were gathered to remind the people of Onderon that they did not have to live beneath the sting of the Imperial lash... and to relieve several Sith commanders and bureaucrats of their hu'tuunla heads.

Smirking, he activated his helmet comms and pinged his fellow Mandalorian. Time to move.

"Alright vode, who's ready to kill some Sith?"

@Gian Greydragon @Nommie

 

[Radth Kelborn]

Radth Kelborn was waiting in a dark corner somewhere near the Imperial Garrison, waiting in silence for the word to get moving. The warrior is itching to get in there and free the civilians from the demagolka that were comfortably inside. Though if they knew just what hell the team is going to unleash on them they would probably be huddled somewhere like the scum that they are. In all honesty the man hoped that they are frightened for their lives. These poor Onderonians have been suffering under the Sith and their Imperials troops for far too long. Ever since the death of Lyanna the Unworthy, the treatment of the civilians, the abuse that they have suffered has gotten worse and worse possibly each and every day. The behavior of the Sith is completely unforgiveable.


He hoped that by the time the team is done here. That the people know that they do not have to live or tolerate the crushing laws of the Empire or the abuse of the Sith and their officers. That they can stand up to them and help tear the Sith's Empire down until it is nothing more than a smoldering ruin for something better to rise from. To show that even in the dark shroud there is light.


To show the people of Onderon this, the Mandalorians will have to get inside and take down the criminals that are huddled together inside the Garrison for their monthly dinner and meeting. And now with the ping coming through his comm integrated into his helmet. Radth knew that it is now time to move, "I am ready when you guys are, vode." He will reply as Radth armed his rifle.


@Rom @Gian Greydragon

 

[Galaar Rau]

Galaar knelt in the dark, his helmet kept atop his head, as he took in his surroundings with his own senses. This was something his father, and grandfather taught him, as he grew up. His Shriek Eagle Blaster Rifle was tucked closely to his chest, along with his Strill Pistols in holsters on both of his hips, and a bandoleer belt of Power Cells that would separate the larger ones for his Rifle from the ones for his pistols. His spiked Cosmowrench sat in a holster made from Rawl skin that he'd acquired back home, with members of Dalyn's Clan just a few weeks earlier. He also had a darkened green Rawl skin cloak concealing the weapons on his side, with a fang looping it together around his neck, with a thin strip of tempered Bantha leather.


'No amount of circuits can replicate human sense. Force be damned. All of your senses can tell you just as much about your surroundings as a Heads-Up Display. They just tell it to you in words, rather than you using your senses. Take a minute before battle to surround yourself with your surroundings, before you become one with you Beskar'gam. If you don't one more bit of advice from me, grandson, take this away from my lessons to you. It will save your life. Or better still, bring death to your enemies.'

The words of his grandfather rang through his mind. Without his helmet, he felt the still air. He smelt the scents of plasma, blood, and burnt flesh firsthand, with no filters. Feeling them the way he felt them, made him connect to the purpose of this mission. The first step to the liberation of the Onderonian people. They needed freedom. No man should ever be killed for a difference of opinion. If this simple farmboy from Concord Dawn could understand that, then anyone could. He dropped his helmet, and joined @Dalyn Solus closer to the edge of the building they sat upon. He was familiar with Clan Solus, knew them as extended family, after meeting so many praiseworthy warriors,on several separate jobs, even if Galaar didn't know Dalyn by name before this mission, he knew the name Solus as brother, and ally, and he'd extend that friendship to any of those in Clan Solus. He had no qualms with Clan Kelborn, either, and he was vod, as well. As long as he wasn't Clan Ordo, he was as good as any.

The smell of blood, and burnt flesh that surrounded the garrison marked that there'd been an execution recently, and it made Galaar's stomach turn. Once he'd had enough, he dropped his helmet over his head, and joined his brethren. "I's bo'n ready, hoss," he said, not in his usual jovial tone. His accent remained, but the tone had been changed.

@Rom @Nommie

 

[Dalyn Solus]

Clapping Galaar on the shoulder with a grim smile hidden behind his T-visor, Dalyn moved to the edge of the building and made his descent down the fire escape; as much as the moment may have called for a dramatic leap off the edge of the building, he did not yet possess a jetpack and Dalyn preferred keeping his knees where they belong - that is to say, inside his legs and unshattered. Reaching over his shoulder with his left hand, Dalyn grasped the haft of his hammer and pulled it from the magnetic plate securing it to his back with a grunt before walking down the street toward the garrison with the hammer resting lazily against his shoulder and humming under his breath. He knew Iziz like the back of his hand, and it showed in how seamlessly he navigated the ancient twisting side streets, all the while continuing to hum before raising his voice in quiet song.

"The Verde go marching one by one - hurrah, hurrah. The Verde are marching off to war - hurrah, hurrah! The Mand'alor has raised the call, we will not stop til the dar'jetii fall! No world will stay under their thrall when the Clans come marching to ya..."

Coming around a corner at the rear of the garrison Dalyn grinned at the sight of a small side door, meant to allow the servants to enter the old palace through a passage without being seen by the nobles and their attendants. Pulling away the decades worth of vines growing up along the old stone archway, he turned to take in his companions and then shrugged as if to say 'looks like we'll have to let ourselves in,' before raising the hammer and bringing it down on the door handle.

"Knock knock..."

@Nommie @Gian Greydragon

 

[Radth Kelborn]

Upon seeing Dalyn come into his line of sight, the man knew that now it is truly time to move with the other Mando leading the way. The Kelborn finished arming his rifle as he made his way over to the Solus, following close behind the other man. He kept an eye on their surroundings as the trio moved to the back of the old palace. He could not help whistling to Dalyn's little quiet song that came through the comm. As he whistled the warrior observed the small door that was hidden behind the vines, Oh? This is going to be fun. Why not have a little fun by sneaking into the palace through a secret passage way, that by the judgement of decades worth of vines growing in front of the small door, has most likely been forgotten.

He can't wait to see the look on their faces when they realize, a bit too late, that the trio is within their walls. Oh man he will make sure to remember this. As Dalyn looked back to him and Rau, the Kelborn will make a gesture as to say, 'no really? I'd thought we'd knock and wait for someone to answer'

He grinned under his helmet as the lead man brought his hammer down on the door handle, "I think you were supposed to say honey I'm home." He said half jokingly after Dalyn 'knocked' on the door with his hammer. He doubted that anyone inside heard the pounding on the door. It is possibly so loud in there that they won't be able to hear anything. Which suits Radth just fine since they will get the drop on the murderous men in there and it will be far more worthwhile than seeing them panicking as soon as the trio gets in there.

With the door open, and the Mando eager to get to the fun part of the mission. Radth strolled right into the passage. Of course as he walked the man checked for anything that needed to be taken care of. Now the one thing that was interesting that the floors were so clean that anything that was on the walls were reflected on the floor. Like the camera that is just above them where the servant's passage connected to one of the main hallway, "Hold on boys. Got us a little something here." He will say as Radth looked up to the camera. To quietly take it out the device to not alert their prey, he unsheathed his vibroblade and stabbed it through the camera just as it was starting to swivel around.

With that taken care of Radth peeked out. No more cameras. Not even a guard, "You'd imagine with place as important as this that it would be crawling with guards." He will say quietly as he started stalking down the hall with his rifle on his left shoulder and his vibroblade in his right like some sort of pirate. As he walked down the hallway, Radth spotted a guard not that far up ahead. Quietly running up to the guard, Radth put his hand over his mouth to prevent the guard from making a noise as he ran him through with the blade. He looked back to the other two, "It is clear. Come on!" He will say into the comm.

@Rom @Gian Greydragon

 

[Dalyn Solus]

Sauntering down the palace corridor as if he were it's ruler and not an invader, still whistling the tune he'd been working on for the past few days, Dalyn nodded approvingly at the warrior from Kelborn as he shoved the body into a storage closet. Their entrance so far had been quiet, the few security cams they came across either sabotaged or avoided entirely, but the Solus skald didn't expect things to remain that way. The hallways were bound to become more hazardous as they entered the more lived-in sections of the palace turned military garrison.

Turning the corner, Dalyn nearly walked into a pair of guardsmen, his dark armor looming in the reflection of their shocked wide eyes. Leaping forward, Dalyn swept his hammer low and smashed one of the men across the knees, knocking his legs out from under him with the sound of crumpling armor and pulverized bone. Moving with the momentum of his first swing, he pivoted around while pulling the hammer up diagonally across his body to crash against the skull of the second guardsman, showering the opposite wall with blood, bone fragments, and gray matter.

Grinning savagely behind his helmet with his heart pounding in his ears, Dalyn turned to deal with the first downed guard only to feel his smile shift into a scowl at the sight of the man yelling into his wrist-mounted comms for help. Pulling a pistol from his thigh holster, he raised it and fired in one smooth blurring motion, a lance of blue fire burrowing into the Imps chest and silencing his screams with a gurgle.

"Alright vode, this just got interesting! Double time it to the Great Hall, we can't afford for these Sith to escape!"

Pushing himself down the hall with a bark of mad laughter, Dalyn resumed singing as the chorus of booted feet grew louder.

"The Verde go marching three by three - hurrah, hurrah! We won't stop til this planet's free! Hurrah! Hurrah! We Mando'ade are here to say - don't meekly bow, there's another way! Rise up and show those dar'jetii when the Clans come marching to ya!"

@Nommie @Painus

 

[Radth Kelborn]

Well this is starting to get fun. Radth will think as the team progressed deeper into the place. There were not as many cameras as was expected, those that they came across, the warrior made sure to destroy or signal when to move to avoid being detected. But just like the other two, Radth knew that as they get closer to where all the Sith are gathered, that they will run into more guards.

But unlike Dalyn who was acting all cheerful with his song after taking out the two guards. Radth pushed all the emotions to the back of his mind. As was pounded into him while he was growing up. His mind being put to completing their task that they have been sent to complete, "I am right with you Verde." Is all that he will say.

And indeed as they progressed just a little bit closer to the Great Hall. They will come across more guards. Starting with the three that Radth will spot. Leveling his rifle the warrior put a single bolt into each of their skulls, "Now that was exciting." Radth will say as he pulled the bodies into a storage closet. He will then procede to follow Dalyn, shooting another camera when he spotted it. A little more further down the corridor, he will take out another two guards, each taking two bolts each. Now things are starting to get fun.

With how the number of guards is increasing. They have to be close to the Great Hall.

@Rom @Painus

 

[Leandros Solus]

A trail of bodies lined the passageways of the building, the corpses mangled or killed in differing ways; some with bolts surgically placed into their skulls, some beaten horribly by some kind of concussive weapon. Whomever was going around killing the guards as they made their way to their targets was horribly unsubtle about it all. Still, they were here for a singular purpose – the death of the Imperial officers who were making life difficult for the citizens of Iziz. With the death of the Empress, they took the matter of policing the population into their own vile hands. Extortion, imprisonment, outright murder; nothing was beneath them as they sought to restore order and smother any hopes of rebellion among the Onderonians.

Unfortunately, that was not in the interests of the Mandalorians.

Leandros marched down the halls following in the steps of his comrades, ensuring that if anyone decided to approach them from the rear, they would be dealt with by the sudden appearance of the Field Marshal. Wearing his iconic black-and-red armor with the sigils of his station and armed with his typical weaponry, he was here to ensure the job would be done, not because he had no faith in their warriors, but because he just happened to be in the area after laying siege to the Imperial district. His basilisk was back on his ship and his allies were off supporting other efforts to take the planet, so he figured it would do the marauders well to see one of their leaders fighting alongside them.

The sounds of conflict could be heard farther ahead as they approached the room where the officers would presumably be hiding in fear. Rounding the corner after passing by a particularly gruesome scene, Leandros saw the perpetrators: two Mandalorian warriors, gleefully strolling down the halls of the garrison, murdering Imperials and-

And singing?

What kind of psychopath sings anything other than battle hymnals while in glorious combat, if at all? What mockery was this?

Leandros quickly caught up with the two Marauders, appearing seemingly from nowhere as he moved between them. Drawing his dual Quickdraws, he simply chided in with a, ”Stop singing, you mad idiot.”

He pressed forward, weapons raised, as they moved through the passageways. The sounds of alarm and running soldiers indicated that they were well aware of the Mandalorians’ presence, given their lack of subtlety. A guard swung around a corner to engage them and Leandros simply squeezed the trigger of his blaster once, a twin pair of red bolts streaking out and burning a hole through the man’s head. He crumpled to the ground dead like a brick tossed in the water and the trio continued onward.

The entrance to their final destination stood at the end of a long hallway. Three guards crouched behind deployable cover or stood behind walls and around corners on either side of the door. Six guards defending this room versus three Mandalorians, one of which was a veteran of scores of battles. Leandros liked their odds, honestly.

”No mercy!” he cried out, squeezing both triggers of his blasters twice. In the span of a second, eight bolts sailed towards the guards. Two of the six did not move fast enough at the volley of shots and were killed on the spot while the remaining four cowered behind cover. While they were suppressed, Leandros shouted to his companions, ”Onward! Give them no quarter!”

@Nommie @Rom

 

[Dalyn Solus]

Grateful for the mask covering his head Dalyn made a few funny faces at the zealot he called Field Marshall, still humming the song into the mission comm if only to be a contrarian. Sliding his pistol into its holster, the bounty hunter turned soldier took his hammer in a two-handed grip and surged forward, the repulsors on his boots humming in time with the hammer as he near glided across the hallway and pushed up off the ground, his boots finding purchase as he took one, two, three steps along the wall over the deployable barrier. The guards, heads bowed in fear under the onslaught of blaster bolts that had flown overhead, had only a moment to stare before he was among them, his hammer leading the way.

The magnified concussive force of each blow showed in the crumpled chestplates and shattered limbs he left behind with each swing, the sound of their pained screams ringing through the corridor and filling the hearts of any non-mandalorian who heard them with terror. Looking across the hallway at the horrified faces of the remaining three guards Dalyn drew a bloody smile across his mask with two fingers before ducking behind the deployable cover amongst the bodies.

"Curse and swear, Sith beware - the Clans will do what few will dare! Now Lyanna, have a care; fallen is your star low! Up with hammer, out with sword; on we go to fight the war! Mand'alor has given the word - follow her on from Concord!"

Dalyn'd pay for starting a new song, he was sure, but it would be worth it just to hear the Field Marshall splutter.

@Painus @Nommie

 

[Radth Kelborn]

Radth swore that it was a good thing that he was wearing a helmet because with the arrival of the Field Marshal, he truly thought that he and Dalyn are in a world of trouble for the state they left the palace in. And his expression showed it. Well for a second or two. Besides weren't they here to kill some sith? So what if they left the place a little messy because of their work. With all the Sith being in the interior most part of the building it was not like they were going to be found out anyways.

Sheathing his vibroblade, and holstering his pistol. The warrior unshouldered his rifle. Watching as Leandros took down two of the guards, then Dalyn taking down one more. Leaving three guards left. Radth stalked forward confidently as he approached the remaining three guards. As one finally seemed to develop a backbone, with it moving to fire his weapon the warrior put two bolts into the guard's chest before ducking behind cover. When the firing stopped, Radth peeked out from his cover and fired two more bolts at another guard. Now with one remaining guard that cowered behind his cover.

Radth enjoyed watching the guard cower, fumbling with his rifle frantically when the man accidentally shot himself, "Well that was interesting." Was all that the warrior will say after the guard accidentally shot himself.

@Rom @Painus

 

[Leandros Solus]

Leandros maintained his volley of fire just long enough to provide the Marauders time to close with and destroy the enemies guarding the target of their operation. Dalyn jumped into the fray – literally – and crushed a man with his concussive hammer, the bone-shattering crump resonating out from the sheer force of the smack. While this occurred, Radth raised his rifle and took out two of the other guards with two controlled pairs. The final guard, terrified by the swift brutality and relentlessness of the Mandalorians, frantically fumbled with his blaster rifle in an attempt to get a shot off. Unfortunately, the guard, who could not have been more than a mere boy, managed to forget every single tenet of basic rifle safety and fired a bolt into his chest. He crumpled to the ground, gasping and wheezing for air. Leandros approached and gave the dying boy a look. He was clutching his chest and sobbing gently, even though his chest plate absorbed the majority of the bolt. With a scowl, Leandros simply raised his blaster and fired at his chest. The twin bolts lanced through him and he went limp, ending the fight.

Leandros pursed his lips and looked at the singing Mandalorian, thinking for a split-second. ”Something somber would have been more frightening,” he suggested to the bard as he keyed the activation for the door. They slid open with a hiss, revealing a small room with two cowering Imperial officers. Some “Great Hall” this was. Hmph.

”N-no!” one shouted, putting his hands up as if to block the bolt that he was destined to receive. ”We only wanted order!” His compatriot simply shuddered in fear while Leandros raised his blasters. With nothing more than a slight grunt, the Field Marshal squeezed the triggers, both blasters aiming independently at the two Imperials. Four bolts rang out and two bodies dropped, leaving just the three Mandalorians remaining. Leandros turned to the others and gestured towards the door with his blasters.

”Let’s go.”

Their job was done. The Onderonians would no longer have to fear the oppressive policies of the two dimwitted officers smoldering on the floor.

@Nommie @Rom

//end thread