Wrong Place, Wrong time

[JDF]

Concord Dawn. Why was he sent here again? Oh right, because he was to familiarize himself with all of the faction's main worlds. He was on his way to the Mandalorian base that housed the huge garrison of personnel that protected the planet. His speeder was running low on fuel so he stopped at a resupply station to, well, resupply. He rented the landspeeder from a vendor outside of the spaceport and was supposed to bring it back by the end of the day. As he was filling up his speeder's tank, he ran through a mental checklist of what he had planned for the day.

"First, actually get to the base and report to whoever was the commanding officer at the moment. Second, get a tour of the base. Third, observe training of new recruits and-" An explosion cut him off. The sound was so loud that the windshield on his speeder cracked. Then the shockwave came. He was pushed backwards flying into the refueling station windows, smashing through shelves. Jaycob picked himself up, taking little shards of glass from his armor and flicking them to the ground. The clear sky was suddenly painted over by thick black smoke. Bystanders walking among the streets screamed and started running in all different directions. Jaycob unplugged the fuel hose from his speeder's socket and hopped inside. When he tried to turn it on, it didn't start. All systems were down: engine, radio, headlights, and even the clock on his dashboard. The HUD inside his helmet was empty as well. It was just a visor. He jumped out of the vehicle and ran around to the storage compartment. At first it wouldn't open, but he eventually pryed it open with a crowbar lying on the ground. The trunk broke open to reveal a variety of weapons. His custom JDF-1457 Repeater, his "Gratia" blaster pistol, and a few thermal detonators. He slung his repeater behind his back, holstered his Gratia pistol, and slid the thermal detonators into his belt. He tried using his helmet comms again and failed.

"There could be only thing that could cause this...an EMP" he mumbled and ran through the streets to where the smoke originated from. Looks like he won't be returning the speeder back at the end of the day.


@Dav Wren

 

[Dav Wren]

Dav had been sent to Concord Dawn a few days ago. Allegedly he was here to familiarize himself with the comings and goings of the place. His return to the fold had been not all that long ago. But things were much the same as they'd been here a decade ago. It was the same rough-and-tumble mining world.

He could read between the lines. Vizsla didn't trust Skirata and he was here for a sit-rep. The local miners knew it when he walked around, he could feel it in the way they glared at him. Dav didn't care because the best had risen to the top.

Vizsla ruled through Mandalore himself. It was as he'd always known: only his House could return Mandalore to it's rightful place. Some malcontents wouldn't like it, but that was just too bad. Let them glare at me, he thought, and if they want to step up they'll get smacked right back down.

Mandalore had laid it out plainly: he'd had enough of the in-fighting. Skirata, Fett, Kryze and Ordo needed to realize who was in charge. The one who wanted to unite them and return them to glory. Others talked while Vizsla acted.

The black-armored man mulled over all of this as he strode through the mining town. He returned the stares that were just shy of outright challenges through his visor. They knew he saw. He also saw them back down. He didn't even need to touch the rifle slung across his back, his pistol or his knives.

It happened fast like it always did. An explosion shook him even before the boom punched him in the gut. He staggered back as if he'd been drinking hard. It was at that point Wren realized his helmet's HUD was non-functional.

People were scattering all around him now. No screams of fear here on a Mandalorian world. Just the raised voices of people gathering their family and friends in. They knew what was happening, some kind of trouble, and they'd been through it before.

The civilians gathered their important ones and went to safety. He went the other way towards the now billowing smoke. Dav Wren wasn't a farmer or a blacksmith like those streaming around him. He was a warrior.

@Jacob Flores

 

[Bailey Arterius]

Bailey had landed her YT-2660 here earlier this morning, she had received intel that someone she was looking for had come back to check on the dominion for a while. Or whatever he was doing.

The day had been slow, trying to talk to people wasn't easy, which was fine, as Bailey didn't like talking to many people that much anyways. She had been trying to get a hold of her friend but it seems as though he's changed all of his information, yet again. Which makes sense, why would a mercenary stay on the radar?

Nonetheless, she was getting bored and was looking for some excitement in her life once again. Smuggling almost seems like a chore nowadays. She was on her way back to her ship when she heard the large blast coming from nearby, she could see several store front's windows shatter as she crouched down her arms over her head.

"Crink" She muttered to herself as she slowly stood back up from a crouched position. Her headsets HUD was down and now had little to no chance of contacting Priest the easy way. "Someone's gonna steal my damn ship" Quickly getting up and jogging the short block to the landing zone her ship was luckily, still mainly intact. But nowadays, when is her ship not falling apart? Rushing inside it didn't take long to realize most of her systems were down and she would have to do most everything manually if she can even get it to fly.

Sealing the doors shut was a convenience she remembers everytime she's forced to do it herself in a true hands on experience. Rushing into the middle of the ship she quickly picked up her S-5 and holstered her DH17. Quickly going into the cockpit, pretty much all of her systems were down. She could make the backup generator run to keep the doors sealed and open as she gets out to hopefully go find her compatriot.

Strutting out of the ship checking one last time to make sure it would definitely not be worth the hassle to try and steal it, she looked at the somewhat calm chaos. These people know what they're doing, it's just a matter of finding everyone they need. And this is just what she's been missing. A little bit of action.

@Mirdala Priest

 

[Mirdala Priest]

Sh'ehn Priest ~ Concord Dawn

Exiting the C-class SPINE (@Darasuum ), I unsealed my helmet and pulled it off. The hanger was dull with random buzzes and mechanical equipment in the backdrop. Clipping the bucket to my utility belt, I made my way down the corridor, eyes scanning for a particular bay. I was wearing my CCT MKII, my VBP-17 snug between my right hip and ribcage.

Coming up on my intended Bay, a woman exited in front of me. Stunned, I blinked, the situation more awkward than I anticipated.

"Uhh, Bailey?" As she turned, I allowed my face to show just how uncomfortable I was with the blind meeting. "I'm kin to Mirdala, Ah got your messages." I scatched my head, nervous tick. "You Bailey?"
@Bailey Arterius

 

[JDF]

While running, the only thoughts that came to Jaycob's mind were:
"Who could've done this?"
"Where did they get this military grade weaponry?"
"Where is it?"

As Jaycob got closer to the smoke, he realized that he was headed towards the direction of the base that he was supposed to get acquainted with. He also started seeing more Mandalorians in armor instead of civilians running from the fire.

Jaycob stopped at the front entrance of the military base named Fort Exile. To no surprise, the shield generator, turbolaser batteries, and anti-infantry turrets were not functional. Seeing this made Jaycob realize something, he was (technically) unarmed. His blasters were offline and he was pretty sure his thermal detonators weren't going to work either. Luckily, he still had his knuckle plate vibro blade. However, he would have to manually pull it out of its socket. Until the power came back, he would have to make due with what he had. Others would most likely have to do the same.

 

[Dav Wren]

Dav reached Fort Exile at a jog, on the way cursing as he found his blasters inoperable. The EMP had been close enough and pervasive enough to knock out the more robust systems on his weapons. At the moment his rifle was little better that a durasteel club.

But he'd used it that way before and he was no stranger to using his heavy-bladed boot knife and even heavier fists and feet. At least he saw another armored Super Commando just ahead. Fighting what he presumed to be multiple enemies alone with just knives and clubs was pretty much suicide. Wren approached the other Commando in his black, red and buff armor.

"Any updates on what just happened?," Wren asked without preamble.

@Jacob Flores @Mirdala Priest @Bailey Arterius

 

[Bailey Arterius]

Bailey stared at the stranger suspiciously. He seemed awkward to say the least,
"Yeah, that's me" I smiled at him.
"I'd guess Mirdala got himself into a bit of trouble?"
I looked over the supposed kin's features. Some similarities between the two were apparent. Others...well not so much. Her attention was quickly thrown back to the current war of sorts as an airspeeder was thrown down the street and into the side of a building.
"He doesn't have anything to do with...well this, does he?"

 

[Mirdala Priest]

Sh'ehn Priest
Concord Dawn

"I'd guess Mirdala got himself into a bit of trouble?"

"Fell off the grid, 5 years back. I've been crashin' at the Homestead since I got stationed on Sundari, year ago." Stuck my thumbs in my jumpsuit pockets and shrugged. "Got uour messages, thought maybe you knew somethin' we didnt."

Looking around at the confusion clouding the near vicinity, I waved a hand in the air incredulously. "And what has got this place all riled up?"
@Bailey Arterius

 

[JDF]

What looked to be another Commando emerged from the smoke and came up to Jaycob asking what had happened. He replied

"I know just as much as you do. Nothing. Help me get this blast door open will ya?" He gestured toward the main blast door that led to the lobby of the base. It was blocked by a metal beam. Jaycob took a moment to observe the other man's armor. Black and red. What house could that be? The only one that came across Jaycob's mind was House Ordo. They had a black color right? Anyways, Jaycob could hear the banging on door from the inside, so he knew there were survivors on the other side. He was determined to get the door open with or without this other man's help and ,more importantly, his technology.

 

[Dav Wren]

The other Mando knowing nothing more than himself wasn't surprising. That happened during the fog of combat when intel became scarce and you went around blindly. Without a word Dav moved to help the other man. He would've even if wasn't Vizsla by his colors but it earned him a few points in Wren's mind.

His own armor was vague on purpose. Out in the galaxy you didn't know who held what grudge against whom. It'd served him better to wear simple black that'd been worn down to dull grey here and there. Dav Wren was just another gun-for-hire out there.

Wren grabbed ahold of the metal beam and heaved against it. He grunted with the effort of moving more than his own bodyweight. Finally he dropped it with a loud clang that reverberated against the duracrete. He motioned to the other man towards the door and stepped back while drawing his knife.

Yes, he heard the cries for help. No, they didn't move him with sympathy. Dav had no idea if there were some of the attackers among them. For that matter he had no clue if they were all waiting with weapons held ready.

But they needed to get this door open and he'd moved the heavy beam just enough to get past it. Whoever had caused all this was probably still somewhere past the main doors. Maybe these people knew something useful and he'd be sure to ask. Dav Wren had never been accused of being sentimental.

@Jacob Flores @Bailey Arterius @Mirdala Priest

 

[Bailey Arterius]

"Don't know, i'd assumed you knew what was going on. Everything's down including my ship, no ones getting out of here right now."
She ran her hand through her hair as she considered the different options she'd been presented with,
"Do you have any idea what might be happening? Or what to expect?"

 

[Mirdala Priest]

"Nooop." Unhooking my helmet from my belt, I slid it on. HUD's down.

"Correction, electro-magnetic-pulse. This is Concord Dawn, probably something they were workin' on went wrong." Noticing a couple mando'ade attempting to mount an apparent rescue, I nodded in their direction, guiding Bailey's attention.

"Wait a sec!" I said as she started to rush off like a bleeding heart. Disconnecting the DS-23 I handed it to her. "Good thing about slugthrowers, gas operated, not electrical." It didn't fit right over my armor anyhow.
Hand close to the sawed off grip of Cerberus, I moved to assist in the rescue effort.
@Bailey Arterius

 

[JDF]

Once the metal beam came off the door, the smoked flew out through the cracks. More yells became clearer and Jaycob was certain they weren't hostile. The door was forced open and a flood of soldiers came running. Some fell onto the ground gasping for air and coughing.

"They must've inhaled a lot of smoke" Jaycob said "Call for a medical transport" he called out to the man who helped him open the door in the first place. He then felt childish for asking such a stupid question. An EMP had just struck. There would be no communication to the outside. Jaycob tracked down a soldier who was able to walk towards the clearing and questioned him.

"What the hell is going on here?"

"All I know is that-" he was cut off by coughing "-is that whatever weapon was just used knocked out most of bases systems and caused the main power reactor to overheat and explode." The man started to cough up blood and Jaycob decided that it was enough. The questions of who and where remain to be answered. Jaycob changed view from the wounded and towards the two Mando's running towards them.

@Dav Wren @Bailey Arterius @Mirdala Priest

 

[Dav Wren]

"How am I supposed to call out," Wren stated flatly. He smacked his rifle stock to remind the other one about the EMP. His comm systems were just as useless as the weapon. Besides that, he wasn't here to play rescue, he was here to make sure whoever did this didn't create further casualties or damage.

He listened to the soldier's account and took stock. Whoever set off the explosion probably knew about the collateral damage. Some kind of military background, then, though that could be a lot of people on Concord Dawn. But it told Dav he wasn't up against total amateurs.

Dav glanced back to the smoke billowing out of the doors and wasn't greatly worried about smoke inhilation. His armor still had passive filtration systems built in that had no need of electronics. It wasn't indefinite but he had no intention of being in there too long. There was the problem of limited visibility.

But the attackers likely had the same problem thanks to the EMP taking down any thermal vision and such electronics. It was going to be an old-fashioned sort of fight. Maybe they had slug throwers or other projectile weapons but his plate would stand up to most of that long enough for him to get in tight.

Wren saw the others coming and turned back to the one he'd come with.

"Friends of yours?"

@Jacob Flores @Mirdala Priest @Bailey Arterius

 

[Mirdala Priest]

Yup just as I thought, wait - what!

Ignoring the victims rushing out, coughing and stumbling around me, my mind locked on 'they.'

"Now hold up Vod, 'they'? Like, as in, what? Terrorists?"

Holstering my sawed off shotgun, I placed my hands on my hips in consternation. "On our moon. I'll be."

Sh'ehn Priest​

@Bailey Arterius

 

[JDF]

Jaycob took off his helmet and clipped it to his belt. He turned towards the group and said,

"This may not be the best time but, I'm Jaycob Flesio. Commando for House Vizsla. I'm sure all of you are as confused as I am but if we work together, I think we'll be able to find answers and contribute our findings to the Mandalorian Dominion as a whole. Perhaps we'll get a promotion too." He smirked. Hopefully the group would be more helpful than his pep talk. All in all, he was interested in finding out who these people were. After all, they were on Concord Dawn so that must mean they're affiliated with the Dominion. Since they were with the Dominion, they were all on the same side...or were they?

 

[Dav Wren]

"Oh good," Dav said aloud with voice dripping sarcasm "Maybe Mand'alor himself can heap honors on your corpse when this lot puts a slug through your skull."

Flesio was right, it wasn't the best time at all to remove his bucket. Blasters might be down for a while but slugthrowers weren't. Thick as his young head seemed to be in Dav's estimation, it wouldn't stop a solid projectile.

"Besides, I assume you are human like me and can't breathe smoke. Your helmet has filters, or at least I hope so."

Wren turned to look at the other armored Mando'ade present. He hoped and prayed that was sarcasm. Otherwise he was stuck with a young glory-hound and a fool and was going to die. His voice became as expressionless as his visor.

"Unless somebody spilled caff on the computers, I assume that was terrorists."

@Jacob Flores @Mirdala Priest @Bailey Arterius

 

[Bailey Arterius]

I chuckled at the guy's remark towards priests cousin before coughing due to all the smoke. Backing up I asked the question "How long until systems are somewhat functional again?"

I studied the man in armor, seemed a little less than average in height, though he was well built, looked well equipped. The other man was taller, kind of scrawny looking. Hopefully intelligent.

"So what's up with all the smoke exactly?" I asked, kind of unable to figure it out, due to well, the fact that everything inside was smokey.

 

[Mirdala Priest]

I didn't know how to answer Bailey's question, I wasn't exactly an electrician. My Tacitical Reconnaissance Computer (TRC) was down, otherwise thermal optics would've been nice.

Well, I wasn't an electrician, but I was a Scout Legionairre. Time to clock in.

Guy was right, about the smoke filters built into our helmets. Drawing my sawed off shotgun, I squeezed through the door, between civilian engineers and maintenance workers trying to get out. Once inside, although the smoke limited vision to a couple feet in front my face, it was easy moving in the direction of the fleeing civilians.

 

[JDF]

Jaycob frowned as he didn't get the response he thought. He put his helmet back on and made his way into the smoke. Luckily, the smoke filters in his helmet still worked but, it still had no power. Obviously, Jaycob didn't know when the power would be back. He hugged the wall to feel where he was going. With one hand scraping the wall and one hand ready to strike with his knuckle plate vibroblade. After around 20 yards he was stopped abrupty. He had bumped into another blast door. There was a crack about the size of one person to fit through. He poked his head through the crack and nudged himself inside. The thick smoke only let him see about 2 feet in front of him. There were flares and glowsticks spread throughout the room. Blasters and various armor plates were also on the ground. After a while of aimless wandering, Jaycob kicked something. It rolled to the adjacent wall and left a semi-loud clunk noise. As Jaycob came closer, he discovered that it was a Mandalorian helmet. It belonged to the average CCT. MK II armor set that was given out in plain opaque colors to new commandos joining the Dominion. The visor was cracked and there was a red design on the inside.

"Why would someone design their helmet on the inside?" He thought. He yelled out to the rest of the group to come to him. Once they were gathered, he handed the helmet to @Dav Wren to inspect. While taking his hand off of the helmet, Jaycob realized that the red design wasn't paint. It was blood.

"Thoughts?"