Ask Onderon Rat Trap

[Reyna Vernize]

Capital of Onderon | 2400 hours

Onderon's armada, along with its fleet of transports had already been mobilized. The decision to commission an additional fleet of transports from Fondor had been a stroke of forethought on Cassian's part and left the planet well-resourced for any evacuation efforts in the event of another attack. Transports alone were not enough to put the princess' mind at ease when it came to the lives of Onderonians, however, as she sought a secondary method of escape for evacuating citizens.

Ironically, the same bomb that had destroyed the senate building also presented the solution Reyna sought: an undergrown sewer system beneath Iziz that could be fortified and reinforced into bunkers for evacuating citizens. Possibly even for the planet's military, if it was driven back by the invading forces of the Sith Empire or the New Republic.

Nothing was ever easy, and this was no exception. There was a hitch in the plan, and one that had to be dealt with before it could proceed. A group of drug traffickers that had moved in and set up shop beneath the city during the power vacuum and chaos that followed the Sith's invasion. They'd need to be cleared out before any real progress could be made, and Reyna wanted to be the one to do it. With help, of course. She wasn't that naïve and understood that even with the training Altair had so kindly supplied and the limited training she had pursued on her own, she couldn't pull this off alone.

So she waited. Waited for the free worlds lieutenant that had agreed to help her and, perhaps even more crucial than that, had agreed to keep the princess' involvement in tonight's exploits a secret. It remained to be seen whether Reyna would prove to be a help or a hinderance tonight. @Xorism

 

[Surzi Voarvi]

The best op was one where nobody had to shoot anything, everyone went their own way and of course, everyone went home alive. That didn't always happen, so a good soldier always came packing just in case. Lt Surzi was one such optimistic junior officer having been commissioned in the past year.

She'd done a few years with the untamed mercenary group but found herself constantly getting injured in the dangerous tasks that they'd often undertake. The cybernetic arm notwithstanding, whether there was any truth to the idea or not, she felt that a more formal military career would be a form of retirement from that life, with a little bit of action here and there to keep it lively.

Her commanding officer arrived one morning, advising that she was being assigned a top-secret mission. Their stern look was enough that she didn't ask any more questions than necessary, taking the mission pack in hand, reading, and destroying it. She spent the rest of the day hand-selecting 10 of her most trustworthy soldiers who could be trusted and fit in with the mission parameters.

Early the next morning, before the sun had risen on the kingdom, Surzi and her fireteam would rally at a small building just on the vicinity of the former senate building. As they entered, she spotted the VIP contact that they were to meet before the mission - although for some reason the woman wasn't concealing her identity very well.

"If you plan on this remaining a secret, you should probably make it a bit harder to figure out who you are, here take this." Surzi pulled some light combat equipment out of a bag she had carried, on the off chance that this would occur. It wasn't much, but the princess would have some basic armor and a helmet that would conceal her face enough for the mission. They'd try to keep her out of any fighting, but there was no way she'd let the woman walk in unprotected.

"Let's go over the plan together, shall we?"

@llamallove

 

[Reyna Vernize]

A sizable but anonymous donation put down by a private client earlier that day had prompted the owners of the Whale's Tale to close the bar early that evening, shutting its doors for a 'private party'. The establishment's nighttime crowd had been tossed out into the cold without a second thought, grumbling to themselves as they pulled their wool overcoats tighter and slunk down the street to the Cat's Meow, where the alcohol was dull and the entertainment was even duller.

The proprietors of the Cat's Meow would be tickled pink at the change, not accustomed to so many customers in one night, while the Whale's tale sat empty. Unused and unoccupied, with the exception of one patron that sat waiting patiently at the bar: the Princess of Onderon, second in line to the throne of Vernize. This was a very private party.

"Thank you for coming," the half-Sephi broke the silence, dark eyes following the free worlds Lieutenant as she crossed the bar. Reyna had been watching the door and now peered over the other woman's shoulder, through the glazing at the group of soldiers huddled outside awaiting orders. She almost asked if they could be trusted but thought better of it. If they were to meet with success tonight, she would need to trust the lieutenant. That included the lieutenant's judgement, too.
As soon as the woman spoke, Reyna's eyes fell to her own attire. "Is it that obvious?" she asked, fiddling with a strand of loose hair that fell out from beneath the dark hood pulled over her head. The princess had been sneaking into the palace armory for months, stealing old and unused scraps of armor that would never be reported missing. Still, she didn't argue, wordlessly accepting the proffered armor. It would be evident to the lieutenant that Reyna Vernize was a complete novice in both field experience and the logistics of military operations.

"The plan," Reyna repeated, pulling out a rolled up piece of parchment. This was where she had come prepared. She spread the paper out on the bar and shone a glowrod over it, opting not to use the overhead lights in case it drew unwanted attention. "Blueprints of the tunnels," she added in the way of explanation, although Lieutenant Voarvi undoubtedly already knew exactly what they were. "Not in whole, but in part." They hadn't been hard to come by, not in her position. @Xorism

 

[Surzi Voarvi]

Surzi had been wondering what might of happened to the old senate building after all this time. It was obviously difficult for Onderon to move on after the attack on its people, but it struck her just how personal this mission must of been for the princess. They probably weren't all that far from where Cassian had stood defiantly against the invaders, ultimately becoming a martyr and hero of the people. Such stories might have given the common people hope and the like, but it wouldn't bring him back for the people that truly missed him the most.

The soldier almost wanted to ask if the princess would be alright coming along but chose not to. Surzi may have fought in dozens of battles, but she would rather do them all over again than be in the princess's shoes this night. Reyna might never have known, but such strength and determination to lead the way in spite of all this would not go unnoticed by the Lt and her team.

"Those tunnels have not been used in many years, or so I thought." The woman thought about the complications that they might encounter, wild animals, illicit activity or even just the homeless. Whatever was down there would have to be managed, either diplomatically or by force. "I suppose that's why you're so keen to come, to offer the carrot and I the stick?"

Looking over the map she spotted a handful of locations of interest, noting the deadends and possible spots where they might run into trouble. "Those three spots are big enough that they could gather a crowd of some sort, human or otherwise. We'd need to enter from the North side and clear each sector individually, looking for damage and structural issues but if everything goes well, it should be ready for use with minimal work required."

@llamallove

 

[Reyna Vernize]

The dim light of the glowrod cast the pair of Onderon natives as dark shadows against an ill-lit background of alcohol bottles on shelves and windows that dripped with condensation. Unless the Lieutenant's gaze was fixed intently on the woman beside her, the wriggle of the half-Sephi's pointed ears would go unnoticed in the darkness. "Not exactly," she answered, choosing her words carefully. If an offer of reward was all that was necessary to lure these ne'er-do-wells, then that would make their jobs all the easier. If not, well... Reyna wanted to try her hand at something new tonight. Something she had been practicing for months. Even if she ended up falling flat on her face.
Lieutenant Voarvi's cerulean gaze swept over the blueprints with rapt efficiency, and Reyna listened to her subsequent analyzation. The plan was already beginning to come together. They had an idea of where the drug runners—and whatever else might lurk down there—would be hiding out, as well as the best points of entry. The aperture that had formed where Onderon's senate building had once stood or the man-made conduit at the northern docks. Reyna was confident that the powers that be had assigned the right soldier for the job.

"Let's go," she stated in an even voice that lacked any excitement or apprehension. The blueprints were stuffed into a bag, which she slung over her shoulder. Sliding off the barstool, her weapon of choice for tonight's mission would be revealed to the lieutenant for the first time, glowrod glimmering against the cortosis. To the Princess of Onderon, it was more than just a vibrosword. More than just a weapon. It had once been Cassian's, sheathed and hidden from view in the Zeltron's cane, before that masked monster had driven it through the heart of its owner. The Sith would pay for that. One way or another. Reyna would see to it.

She pulled the helmet Lieutenant Voarvi had so kindly provided over her head before they stepped outside, although it sat a little lopsided on her head. With her pointed ears, the princess had a bad habit of not pulling hats all the way on. It would be best, if at all possible, for only the Lieutenant to know her identity. Outside, the striking clock at the center of Yolahn Square sounded the hour: exactly midnight. A black cat, frightened by the peel of the bells, scurried across the cobblestone street in front of them. Turning to the Lieutenant, Reyna whispered, "I hope you're not superstitious, Lieutenant." @Xorism

 

[Surzi Voarvi]

Surzi had seen many things in her time served but wandering around underground and having to determine friend from foe was among the least favorite tasks she had been assigned. At least if you know that everyone is hostile it makes things simple, you blast if they won't surrender. But this one was much more dangerous, not only would they have to comb the complex but they'd have to do it with civilians around.

Just because they were homeless didn't mean they didn't have rights or that the army didn't have an obligation to treat them with the same respect.

It didn't go unnoticed that the princess was bringing along a weapon of her own. Though the woman know none of its history nor meaning, she could innately see that it carried a heavy weight around Reyna's shoulders. Sometimes questions were best left unasked, Surzi pondered.

After they were traveling, the princess posed a question to her about what they had seen. "Absolutely not, we're going to be fine....touch wood." She remarked with a smirk. Under the cover of darkness, they slipped through mostly unseen, anyone who might have caught a glimpse was likely too occupied by their own business and paid them no due.

Not long after they came across the entrance that they'd use for the night. "Corporal Winters, take a fireteam ahead and clear the entry while we hold the position. Radio in and we'll follow." Turning to Reyna, cautious not to call her name accidentally. "You're with me, stay close."

@llamallove

 

[Reyna Vernize]

Their preferred point of entry was the man-made conduit beneath the northern docks, as it was the easiest access point and provided them with the most cover. No climbing gear was necessary to rappel down into the underground tunnel system, and they didn't have to worry about shifting debris left over from the collapsed senate building. They could slip in and out, unseen. Well... maybe not out unseen, but that was a problem for later.

Lieutenant Voarvi's men made short work of the metal grate that covered the conduit, cutting through each bar in a matter of minutes with some type of monofilament wire. Something that might come in handy down the road, the princess observed. All entry points would need to be fortified right away, she also made a note of to herself. Then hand-picked construction teams could focus on the actual tunnels.

"Of course," Reyna agreed, nodding her head in response to the lieutenant's instructions. She had no intention of wandering off by herself, even if she did have high hopes for how the night would turn out.
They hadn't been waiting long when the lieutenant's comlink buzzed, Corporal Winter's voice crackling across a secure channel. "Entrance is clear," was his report. "No hostiles encountered yet."

Reyna waited for Lieutenant Voarvi's sign and than waded into the conduit. The water came up to their knees, coursing through the channel carved out of stone until it was deposited in the sea. She looked over her shoulder at the lieutenant. There was no turning back now. @Xorism

 

[Surzi Voarvi]

The stillness in the air washed over the small group as they made their way deeper into the tunnels. It was a dreadful trek through the water, nothing too bad for a group of trained soldiers but Surzi made a mental note to keep an eye on Reyna, just in case.

The fireteam was the first to make contact with an unknown group, although with just enough luck they managed to evade being spotted. A signal was quickly sent back down the line towards the Lt and the princess, bringing them up to speed. It seemed that a small group of armed homeless civilians was camped up ahead on a small metal platform. The fireteam held back until the rest of them could catch up, but the proceeding was impossible without dealing with this situation first.

From a short distance away, Surzi looked up with thermal binoculars scouting out the hostiles and making quiet verbal notes of where they were positioned. "I'm sorry, but can't risk a firefight breaking out unnecessarily. All teams, take a position and set blasters to stun to engage on my signal. Clean up - prepare for action."

The soldiers moved around into position and divided the hostiles between them, in one fell swoop the entire lot would be knocked out of action without harming anyone. A handful of soldiers would then move in to secure the weapons and escort the citizens out of the tunnels.

Like clockwork, the blasters fired on the Lt's command and the plan was executed flawlessly. Just as quickly as it started, the action was over and the teams lept into action. Surzi returned to Reyna with a neutral expression. "If we encounter any unarmed groups, I promise you that I'll give you a chance to speak with them first, but I won't risk anyone if I don't have to."

@llamallove

Roll: 19/20