Steal from the Rich [Waste Ranger Mission]

[Hiro]

"You know what's down here with us, don't you?" Jereph nervously laughed, expecting to get hammered down if he lies. With words thought out, he answers "It's best you don't know until we get there. Your nerves won't be shot that way, nor will you freak out beforehand." That response was obviously not relaxing, but he didn't have time to explain everything. "Just trust me. Come on, we need to help the, before it's too late."

Ramos onthe other hand was freaking out. Ironically, she had a phobia of Rakghouls. In her mind, she was too vunerable even with the force on her side, and the lightsaber. All they needed is one mistake and she was infected like that. There is no cure down here, nothing to save you but weapons and yourself. "I wish the lights down here worked still." Finally, another scream came that was way too close for comfort. It pierced her ears, and that meant they were here. The saber emitted light through the tunnel section, and that was their way of knowing. Six deformed, hideous human figures ran towards them on all four legs, screaming with excitement.

"AUGH.. We need to kill these before the ones behind us catch up!" She yelled through the ringing in her ears, stopping in her tracks. Unlike the strategy with the goons, jumping in will get her bitten.

 

[Minuteman75]

Run, run, run was that Sei could think about when a hideous scream was uttered this time on their front. The former cop stopped in her tracks when Ramos pulled an object and suddenly a light shaped into a blade like form flashed into existence. If Sei had time, she would be taking into account that Ramos was wielding a lightsaber, but its light revealed a more pressing matter. Six humanoid creatures were rushing their way toward them. Gulping down the panic threatening to come, Sei narrowed her focus into fighting back.

As Ramos was telling her that they need to kill them, Sei was already targeting at the closest one to her. She fired several shots straight for the fiend's center mass, bringing it down within seconds to a dead screeching halt. Then she went after next one, but she wasn't alone, Ramos' gang join in. Together they unleash a barrage with their guns into the five other monsters.

 

[Rune]

"Just trust me. Come on, we need to help them, before it's too late."

More hesitation on his part.

This guy, Jereph, who he just met, was asking him to trust him. This is, of course, after he had stalked him and then escorted him down into the sewers to be "safe". Now there were animalistic screams permeating from the tunnels ahead and no sign of Ramos or anyone else. To any sane individual this would have all the markings of some kind of trap or abduction or worse.

Rune just nodded and pointed.

"Sure. You first."

No, he didn't trust him. Not even a little.

 

[Hiro]

Rune wouldn't need to trust him much longer for unexpected reasons. The screaming became unhandleable as they went into the lighted corrider. Horrible figures awaited as Rune got his terrifying answer. "Ramos!" He yelled to grab the attention of the advancing abominations. It was the wrong thing to do because as soon as he yelled, one charged him and lacerated three jagged lines on his face. Jereph of course fell backwards screaming.

Ramos did not have the time to process it and protected him, slicing apart the Rakghoul. "If you are the reinforcements, then where is..Jereph.." As savage as a former jedi for obvious reasons, she lashed out at the nearest freak.

 

[Minuteman75]

Sei had her focus on killing the creatures that were attacking her and Ramos' group that she didn't notice Rune and Jereph coming in from behind the Rhakghouls until one of the monsters turn around. Jereph screamed as the admonition scarred him. Ramos jumped and kill the fiend and then turn to Rune asking for her man, Jereph. She seem to realize what happen when she took her anger out on the last Rhakgoul and killed it. Creel sighed they had survived this encounter, but more of the freaks were coming up from the rear.

"We need to keep moving now." Sei said to Ramos awhile restocking on her ammunition. The former police officer noticed that she will running out if she keeps shooting all of it. All the more reason for them to run again.

 

[Rune]

"We need to keep moving now."

Jereph was holding his face, muffling screams of agony. Rune glanced around, the other creatures had been dealt with. He looked down to the man on the dirty sewer floor. It wouldn't be long now. Rune had been taught about these things. At first he and many others just considered Rhakghouls to be horror stories, taught to young Sith to keep them in line. But soon enough, venturing the Galaxy with his Master, they had visited entire planets overrun with the things. Planets devoid of any other life, considered dead and uninhabitable by most. Darth Maiar thought it a fitting training regimen; survive the hoard for a full day. He would drop Rune onto the planet and then come pick him up the next day, if he made it. He did, though, barely.

Rhakgouls.

They were very real and very dangerous.

He pulled out his lightsaber for the first time and ignited the blade, letting the blue light illuminate the small area. Then, he flipped the hilt around and plunged the tip of the blade into Jereph's chest. The squirming and muffled screams stopped, the body lay lifeless. Now just the distant echoes of the approaching monsters remained. It was an eerie kind of almost-quiet.

The Miraluka extinguished the blue blade and tucked the saber back into his sash. He then turned to Ramos and Sei.

"Let's go."

 

[Hiro]

No sooner did the battle end than when she turned to talk to Jereph. There were ways to treat it, being people that lived with the problem. It only worked once, but she was willing to try it no matter the cost. So when a blade pierced his chest, she was overcome with emotion invisible with the mask. There was no single word to express what she felt. Confusion, fear, stress, oh a lot of stress, but a lot of anger.

Ramos rushed over to his side, slapping Jereph's bloodied face. "Wake up. Stay awake, look at me." There was no response from the dark, so Ramos slung him over her shoulder. "I know where safety is, so try not to reiterate what I'll say." It seem to have came from a much colder side to her. Whatever happened, Rune messed up. "Plus there are traps."

And onward to darkness they continued.

 

[Minuteman75]

Though Sei didn't really know Jereph but she saw that Ramos was concerned about his condition. Sei understood such things more than she cared to. Ramos holding unto her wounded companion as they walked painfully reminded Creel of too many friends and comrades she lost over the years. She somberly let the head bandit led them on, finding herself moving beside Rune. The Corellian spare glance at him for a second. This is the third time tonight she had found this guy in the middle of some trouble and handle himself well.

Of course his manners could improve still the galaxy was for the most part not a polite place to live in to begin with. She gave a silent nod of acknowledgement to Rune. Whether he returned the gesture or not it didn't matter, what important is that she recognize that this stranger who probably had no reason to get involve with this affair did so to help people. In the back of her mind Sei hoped they all reach sanctuary soon.

 

[Rune]

Rune simply motioned for Ramos to lead the way. As he started to walk, Sei came up beside him. She nodded towards him, most likely in recognition of what he had just done. Rune nodded back. He didn't really feel all that great about what he did. The Miraluka did it because as far as he knew, there was no coming back from that. Jereph was gone. Only a Rakghoul would return in his place. Leaving him alive put them all in danger and he couldn't allow that, not if he had the ability to prevent it.

He didn't really care if Ramos despised him for it. It had to be done. Hopefully, in time, she would come to see that.

For now, he simply walked along, wondering why in the world he was still following these people?

 

[Hiro]

There was no glorious entrance to safety when they got there. In fact it looked like a wreck. One beaten down collection of scraps and bearings was all that protected them. Turns out Rhakghoul aren't unstoppable after all. She knocked on the door, and to their surprise it shook, looking ready to fall over. "Jereph's dead, don't bother with a password." Well that's one hell of a password. The door swung open as she stepped inside. A hand motion invited them in, but it wasn't overly happy to have company.

 

[Minuteman75]

Well to be honest with herself, Sei expected a better entrance and security for that matter. She was beginning to wonder how this band survived with gangs gunning for them on the surface and dealing with rakghouls down here. These water bandits sure had skill and knew their way around no doubt of that but they seem very desperate. Once she got a chance to talk with Ramos, Creel knew she had to tread carefully in how she negotiate with the leader on an possible alliance with the Rangers. Jereph's death was affecting Ramos deeply, she most likely won't be in the best of moods.

Sei understood the woman's grief all too well but she still had an objective to complete. Following Ramos inside, Sei cleared her throat before stating.

"I'm sorry for your lost Ramos I truly am."

She paused, thinking about what she could say next without offending Ramos.

"Take time to grieve, I have a proposition involving your whole band and those I represent but that can wait.
Looking at Jereph's corpse she added sympathetically

"It it means anything...I know what you're going through I been there myself."

Sei bit back her lip from saying anything else, memories of the war back on Corellia and what cost her personally, tore at her soul.

 

[Rune]

It was truly some sort of miracle that this band of rebels had lasted this long. His unique vision gave him a better understanding of the layout of their base, the depth and structure of it. Shapes came easy to him. It wasn't much, not even all that secure, but it was structurally sound. He thought that must have counted for something especially out here, where resources are scarce. Rune was making note of the exits, the number of the bandits, their visible weaponry. Habit... more or less. It was during his brief "inspection" that the female, Sei, spoke up. Rune was sitting nearby, close enough to overhear, but far enough away to not bother Ramos.

"I'm sorry for your lost Ramos I truly am."

Rune chewed his bottom lip. She wasn't the only one that felt that way.

"Take time to grieve, I have a proposition involving your whole band and those I represent but that can wait.

This caused him to sit upright. What? She intended on finding this group from the start? Represent? Who did she work for? An avalanche of questions fell upon him.

"... been there myself."

Lost in thought, Rune only caught the last bit of what Sei had said. He started to move, but stopped himself. He was going to ask her ... aggressively who she worked for, but at the last second he reconsidered. He needed to be careful down here. He was outnumbered, outgunned, and in unfamiliar territory. He couldn't upset Ramos anymore than he already had. She was probably looking for a reason to fill him full of holes. Rune was going to have to play nice... for the moment.

 

[Hiro]

She kept walking, allowing Sei to follow her to a bar. Not many were allowed to have off duty even though there was little on duty they ever did. Maybe the bandits weren't as strong as others exagerated, maybe this wasn't the biggest head quarters they had. Either way, Sei at least found them and that counts for more than some think.

"Yes, losing a fiance is.. rather hard on me. It'd be hard on anyone, honestly. But I'm a leader, and that requires biting a bullet sometimes and shrugging off pain to get things done now, and then I can mourn." Sounds like she would love nothing more but to have a reason to drop Rune. He never let her say goodbye, after all. "But you've helped enough for me to at least believe i should trust you. What is the organization you, represent?"

 

[Minuteman75]

Following Ramos to the base's bar, and unaware of Rune's reignited paranoid Sei paid more attention to the leader's respond. The first part about Jereph being Ramos' fiancé made Creel feel very uncomfortable. But she refuse to let it distract her from hearing the rest of what Ramos had to say, thinking. Hmm...to the point and staying focused despite her loss, I respect that I really do.

"Very well Ramos here it is. My name is Sei Creel, I'm with the Waste Rangers if you have heard of us. We learned about what your band been doing to get the decent folk here water despite the gangs hoarding it all. I was sent to find you and see if you're interested in joining forces with us. Like you we want to help people and are willing to fight to do so.

As allies we rangers can provide assistance and bring further resources to your operations, trust me we got the means to do so. All we wish is that you keep it up and we will be there to help if you want it."

Finally she stopped and waited for the bandit leader to give her reply.

 

[Rune]

The "Waste Rangers" eh?

Rune thought about what Sei was explaining. Eventually he leaned back against the grimy wall and pulled on leg up onto the crate he was sitting on. He wrapped his arms around it and leaned forward again, resting against his thigh. He decided to keep quiet and just listen for the moment. The more information he took in, the better his options would be later on.

 

[Hiro]

She sipped, slowly dulling out to get that balance of wasted and grief so she could think a little better. "We've had to fend for ourselves with only each other to watch our backs because we're alone up there. Sorry if we aren't all that impressive-" A large crashed happened in the background as multiple people assured it wasn't an attack. Ramos sighed, drowning out frustration as well with the glass.

She paused, thinking up the words. "This isn't known to be the biggest or most adept base, but it's hidden well and hasn't even had a scout party go near it. It was also the closest. But getting away from that subject, the Waste Rangers sound like they want their help." She smiled weakly at a few passing bandits carried Jereph away to probably a morgue. "And I feel kind of helpless right now. I would like an alliance with the Rangers like you want."

 

[Minuteman75]

For the first time in these hours, Sei smiled. After what she been through in this episode, the former police officer was glad something gone right for a change.

"I'll call my folks and let them know about this good news. Thank you Ramos you may sell yourself short but remember there a reason why we search for your gang. Where you lack in equipment and numbers you have made up for it with commitment and inspiring people up there who are sick of being bullied. I seen it in the eyes of many in this city as they speak of your gang's actions when I walking the streets earlier.

Not to mention you're really ticking off the gangs and they can't even find ya. That's most impressive."

Nodding to her in appreciation, Sei use her communicator and told the rangers of what happen. Once finished, she turn attention to Rune who had sat by himself. She walked to him looking him face to face before stating

"I owe you too stranger, you got involved when it would been so easy to turn away and did it with great skill. If you're interested the rangers could use someone like you. Even if you don't want to can I at least know your name or what you prefer to call yourself?"

 

[Rune]

"I owe you too stranger, you got involved when it would been so easy to turn away and did it with great skill. If you're interested the rangers could use someone like you. Even if you don't want too can I at least know your name or what you prefer to call yourself?"

She was right, he hadn't told anyone aside from Jereph his name. The Miraluka nodded and, for the first time, pulled his hood back to reveal his face.

"I am called... Rune."

He offered a hint of a smile, but shook his head.

"I appreciate the offer but I've got some... debts to settle first."

Rune turned his head away for a moment but suddenly turned back to face Sei.

"BUT... once I'm done, maybe I'll come find you and the Waste Rangers. It would be nice to belong somewhere again."



Sei's objective had been completed. She found the group of bandits and convinced them to join up with the Waste Rangers, her own group of comrades in arms. Rune made his own way off of the planet. He decided the running wasn't going to get him anywhere he wanted to go. He'd have to return to his past and deal with the demons there before he could look forward and move on. Thanks to Sei and Ramos, he learned that he couldn't keep running. He would need to face his fears.