Vulta Vultures

[Tagal Saxon]

Tagal didn't like to mess with weapons.

He was a smith by trade and by nature and that meant that he liked it when weapons worked the way they were supposed to. It meant that he spent a whole lot of his time repairing weapons so that they fired right the first time, the third time and every other time until the operator either retired to a life of non-violence or had gotten themselves killed.

But it seemed that in order to prove to the investors that the company they were taking the weapons plans from was incompetent... he was going to have to break his own moral code and deliberately break weapons.

The testing was to take place in an arid stretch of land without any living inhabitants anywhere near and that was good for the testing and good for them as well since it meant that the defenses were quite light. Indeed, Tagal cut through the wire fence and lifted up a large portion of it to allow his allies to slip inside.

"Alright, we need to identify the box that has the PIPEs in. Once we know which one it is, I can tamper with them so they pass inspection but still backfire." he pointed to a small rise, "We need video too - does anyone want to be overwatch?"

@Killa Ree @Minuteman75

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

As an engineer, Skuld was absolutely delighted to be working in covert operation to discredit a company that stood in the way of their company's best interests. And she was delighted that it involved making weapons backfiring... all the better. To say she wasn't remotely curious about how it could work was an outright lie. She really, really, really wanted her hands on one of these such weapons; but this time, she would be denied.

Her specialty was ships. More particularly, freighters, though she was not above other types along the lines. They say the greatest of companies began small; such covert operations meant a payoff that rivalled any other company's tactics. She wasn't above stealing ideas.

No matter the danger involved.

However... she was mildly disappointed at the utter lack of security. And...

Kark. She loathed the heat more than anything else. She would have gladly taken a blizzard planet, or one bombarded with space flotsam, over this... eugh. Heat, desert... she was a warm-bodied individual to begin with, but she loathed it above even being in tight spaces and slime.

When she crossed under the fencing, all thoughts of heat vanished. Beneath the black helmet, the Deuc woman wore a smirk that betrayed her excitement.

Her voice was a low murmur when she replied.

"Ja. I will," she assented, tilting her gaze to their companion. To say she wasn't curious was a lie as well... it was interesting to have another being with them, and they hadn't rankled her antisocial ire yet.

Then again, it entirely depended upon their companion's personality.

@Nefieslab @Minuteman75

 

[Rai Fariz]

The third operative silently followed the others, protecting their rear. Despite the seemly lack of proper security, one can’t be too careful in this situation. Unlike his companions, Rai Fariz grew up on a mostly desert world and so more used to the heat. Even covered completely in armor he was fine in it.

This is nothing compared to the cycle of hell training was.

Rai remembered that time like it was last rotation. It only reinforced the confidence Rai felt and displayed in the matter he advanced through the opening Tagal Saxon made for the team. To think this is my first job for Blackwell. Sneak in and screw the competition. I’m a lucky bastard.

The mercenary had to suppress a chuckle that threatens to come out. Once inside, Rai listened to the short briefing by Saxon while checking his blaster for a moment. He heard the woman volunteer and finally commented. “Such a shame we can’t take some of those beauties for ourselves. Oh well, a job is a job.”

Looking toward Skuld briefly he winked at her though his face was covered in a mask. Turning back to the other man beside him Rai added. “Let’s go tear shit up.” Of course he knew they are only sabotaging the rocket launchers but Rai has a passion for colorful phrases.

@Nefieslab @Killa Ree

 

[Tagal Saxon]

Skuld was offering to be their overwatch? Well it was new but he had seen her with a rifle in her hands and he trusted her not to blow them all away considering this part of the mission wasn't actually supposed to involve any violence. Still, Tagal was a paranoid Mandalorian.

"Skuld." he called out to her before tossing her his rifle, "I'll want that back... in the mean time, make sure you keep the others in your sights. We don't want to get into a fight but if it turns into a fight I want it won immediately."

Nodding to Rai, Tagal started to pick his way towards the crates that held the PIPE weapons. There was a single guard guarding the crate specifically and he was sat right on top of it, facing away from them. Further into the compound there were another three guards wandering around on a set pattern. Moving closer, Tagal frowned slightly before stopping behind a large bolder closer to the crate than before.

They needed to get the guard away from the crate but they couldn't be too violent about it - the guard going missing would trigger all kinds of alerts. He gestured to Rai before speaking quietly into his com link.

"We need to distract him and get him away from the crate - any ideas?"

@Killa Ree @Minuteman75

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

She tilted her head towards this... Rai character. A smirk bloomed unseen on her lips, as she gave a commiserating nod. "Ja, is a shame. Maybe later, they surely may not mind taking of useless weapons." Humor laced her words; she liked this character, he seemed the same stuff that she found easier to get along with. But then again... this was business. She was not of a mind to mix pleasantry with it at this moment.

She caught the rifle easily, pleased. Securing high ground was not hard; the simple fact was, it was the warehouse, not the surroundings that they were worried about. After all, who wanted to wander blistering heat and aggressive creatures to come to a guarded warehouse? Not many but the foolhardy.

Well, they certainly seemed to fit the bill.

"Yes. There will be no...problems," she grinned, melting into the darkness with little to show where she had gone.

For now, it was a sit and wait holding pattern. She leveled the rifle over the lip of a boulder some paces away; close enough and high enough on one shelf of rock that she could see the pattern of guard held, as well as the one that guarded what they needed. If the alarm was triggered, she had the high ground; but between the two men, she was best to not be in the midst.

Stealth was not her strongest asset, after all. So maybe they had a bit more hope with the two of them--more particularly Tagal-- disarming the PIPEs and leaving without a trace. She still wasn't above sniping if need be, however.

@Nefieslab @Minuteman75

 

[Rai Fariz]

Rai stayed behind the massive boulder with Saxon. He examined the sight before them and scowled beneath the mask. The simple solution would be to kill the guards. But no my new employers wanted to be creative. Why do people have to be so picky about things?

With that thought Sahminian had to suppress a sigh. While they had identified four defenders, there could be more inside the compound. Not that he feared the possibility but Rai wasn’t foolish enough to discard other alternative means to achieving the objective. When asked for his opinion Rai was silent for a moment then answered with a shrug of the shoulders and said.

“Could throw a rock nearby and divert the dumbass’s attention into that direction. Then again it probably won’t distract him for long. Not to mention the patrol comes around the spot at a certain time.”

Subsequently Rai rubbed the side of his neck in thought before pausing. “Well I could strip from my armor and play the fool who got lost out here in the middle of nowhere. That would get their attention then make a break for it.”

@Nefieslab @Killa Ree

 

[Tagal Saxon]

Throwing a rock was... well it was pretty damn stupid.

But there was literally no other plan from him so he was in literally no position to criticize. Sighing a little bit, Tagal nodded to Rai as he picked up a decent sized rock. Weighing it roughly in his hand, he nodded.

"Skuld - prepare to cover Rai." he told her over the coms before smirking ever so slightly at Rai, "Rai... I'd recommend punching the guard by the crates in the face."

He shrugged.

"Give him incentive to be one of the ones who chases you away."

Once both of his allies were aware of what they were going to be doing next, Tagal pulled back his arm and launched the rock with all of his might. It sailed through the air before impacting a boulder further into the testing ground, smashing the stone into pieces with a rather loud crack.

A crack loud enough to get the attention of every guard on site and have them start to make their way towards the sound. While Rai and Skuld focused on the distraction, Tagal skidded to a stop beside the crate and crouched down beside it as he started to fiddle with the lock.

@Killa Ree @Minuteman75

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

She smirked as she brought the rifle up to her vision, and the sights?

Well, on the guard closest to Rai, of course. "Ja, Tag, Rai, got your back," she spoke, her tones still mildly amused.

But... a rock, really?

She sat, poised, prepared to fire if Rai was compromised by the guard he was meant to assault. But if it were her, it would have been handy to simply squeeze off a shot and duck for cover elsewhere. These guards were lightly prepared anyways, without infrared or any spectrum vision.

These Vulta idiots really would have no idea what hit them... and in a minute, quite literally. Safety off, finger next to the trigger. Now to wait...

@Nefieslab @Minuteman75

 

[Rai Fariz]

Apparently Tagal didn’t hear his alternative plan about playing the lost drunken fool or ignored it entirely. Maybe he wears that bucket head too tight. Rai briefly wondered before leaving it be. Cracking his knuckles Rai nodded at the suggestion to slug the sitting guard in the face.

“Fist sandwich coming right up.” He boasted with full confidence. Crouching Rai presses forward while Tagal threw the rock and alerted every sentry close by. Guess Mandalorians are expert rock throwers too. With the thought out of the way Rai edged closer to the crates.

Once a few feet away he can hear the bored Vulta man comment out loud. “What the hell was that? Probably those kriffing womp rats again.” Without, hesitation Rai tapped the guard on the left shoulder and when the man spin around he threw an uppercut in the jaw. The guard cried out and fell from the crates and Rai sprinted off while the downed man shouted.

“Son of a bitch! We have an intruder. I repeat an intruder.”

Soon the punched sentry was joined by his fellows and pursuing Rai. They started opening fire mid-chase and one of the bolt graze the edge of Rai’s right arm. Hissing in pain he zig zag in the run in an attempt to avoid further hits by laser shots until Skuld pulls trigger.

@Nefieslab @Killa Ree

 

[Tagal Saxon]

Tagal was such an expert rock thrower.

Skuld and Rai had the guards distracted he was certain but he didn't really look up to check. Instead he was already opening the crate and reaching in to work on the trigger mechanism of one of the launchers. He was glad that he had brought his small tools because the launchers were actually surprisingly well-made.

They did, however, had more than a few ways for the trigger mechanism to be tampered with and he knew some ways to make it all just the worst piece of tech to have held anywhere close to your face. He hummed as he worked, 'fixing' one of the launchers before moving onto another one. The mission would likely work if only one launcher failed but he wasn't about to bet the mission's success on the idea that it would be that precise launcher that was used.

So he was messing with as many as he could easily reach.

"How we doing team?" he asked over the coms, "Alright guys - I'm almost done so wrap it up as best you can. We're falling back to the vantage point from before so we can record the demonstration."

Finishing his tinkering, Tagal closed the crate exactly as it had done before and began to crouch run back towards the entrance that they had made.

"Tinkering is done - move move move!"

@Killa Ree @Minuteman75

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

Honestly, this was why she was overwatch.

The moment Tagal and Rai were set to go, she had bided her time. But when they opened fire, she waited. She waited up until Rai had turned left. Like a pack of dogs, they seemed to turn as one... and she aimed.

Fired.

One yelped, accidentally dropping the light repeater into the ground. She aimed again as he shouted a curse at one of the luckless companions, then fired again. The one that had been given an uppercut stumbled, crying out in pain.

So much confusion in a scant few moments, but the last three idiots decided to get the bright idea that maybe it wasn't wise to pursue the fleeing Rai. Far better to raise an alarm.

Right?

She would wait until both Tagal and Rai were out of harm's way. She could hardly resist one more shoulder shot before rolling off her higher position, scrambling down quickly.

"Time to go, then," she sighed over the comms, sounding disappointed. But if their luckless guard of two decided to pursue... well... she wasn't above a little midnight scuffling.

A woman had to have her fun sometime, after all.

@Nefieslab @Minuteman75

 

[Rai Fariz]

Needless to say Rai was occupied worn trying to stay alive as the sentries continued to shoot at him. So when Tagal asked how they were doing, he angrily swore at him while another bolt nearly took his left ear off mid run. Lucky bastard got the easy job.Thought Rai, while wondering at the same what was taking Skuld so long.

He kept running from side to side, using the large rocks all around as cover from being shot to pieces. Suddenly a laser shot from far away flew and wounded one of the pursuers, who Rai earlier punched. When the hostile started yelling at his comrade another bolt caught him, this time ending his life. Of course Rai did not look nor slowed down but quickly enemy fire ceased and he heard panicked voices.

Stopping and hiding behind a bush the mercenary heard the mission was success. Sighing in relief Rai picked up the comm and said. “Not bad shooting lady. I owe you a drink for that one.” Panting from the run, he just made Rai chuckled. Apparently working with Blackwell won’t be boring.

@Nefieslab @Killa Ree

 

[Tagal Saxon]

Tagal made it out of the base perimeter and started heading for a rise further out from the base that would still give them a vantage point from which to see the people as they tested the weapons. He touched his com link as he ascended to the summit of the small rise, opening up the camera case that had been left there.

"Alright people, the testers are going to be showing up any minute now." he reminded them as he set up the long-view camera atop the rise and sighted down it, "Pull back. Remember that they won't start a demonstration if anyone is dead."

Which they weren't yet.

Skuld had pulled her shot rather well and Rai was showing a good level of restraint in not killing anyone for taking so many shots at him it had to be said. He started adjusting the grip on the camera and focused it on the test range.

"T-minus three minutes before the testers arrive gang."

Plenty of time... they were going to hate him weren't they?

"Then drinks are on me."

That might help.

Maybe.

@Killa Ree @Minuteman75

 

[Eva 'Skuld' Stark]

None dead, but plenty wounded or passed out; to some, perhaps, it might have appeared that cowardly raiders had come to try and attack, only to retreat. She made sure until Rai and Tag were out of harm's way with a minute and a half to spare before having to retreat.

"Ja, I'll take you on that drink," amusement flickered on the comms with her heavy accented Basic. "From both of you. Ve may need it." She powered off, and began the long way around to their general rendezvous.

She could hardly wait to see how things panned out for their competition's faulty weaponry. It would be a fine sight indeed.

@Minuteman75 @Nefieslab

 

[Rai Fariz]

Interesting people I find myself with. Rai couldn’t help but conclude to himself. Granted he would’ve preferred shooting his weapons instead of being bait. He felt like a womp rat being chased by lothcats back there. The Sahminian shook his head.

Next time Rai fully intended to prove his skills as a marksman. Well at least I’m getting paid for this. That provided some consultation as he headed for the rendezvous point. Whatever the case is, their job was done here.

/The End