Jonathon Gaines did not frighten easily, and more often than not would never even flinch when something came at him. However, when a thermal detonator goes off less than twenty feet away from you, you kind of have to show some level of surprise. Jonathon dove back as the explosive went off, sending fire and debris into the air. He heard a violent crash as the sewer walls began to cave in. Dust and rock filled the air as most of Candy squad was thrown off of their feet. Unfortunately for Jonathon, he wasn’t fast enough. The shockwave lifted him off the ground, sending him into the floor. The armor absorbed most of the impact, but still made Jon feel a little bit dizzy. He got up, holding his head, and looked around. Despite the severe amount of coughing, no one was injured to badly, save for a few bloody lips. Brace, Jon’s good friend, was lying on the ground. He managed to prop himself up and wiped his lip, seeing that his lip had been cut open.

“Huh,” he managed to say, after which he spit out the blood in his mouth. “It’d been so long since I’ve seen blood that I forgot what it looked like.”

Jonathon helped him up and gave him a look over; as the squad’s medic, Jonathon couldn’t afford to be off on judgment right now. He went in his kit and found a small vile of bacta cream. He opened the top of it and put a small dab on his finger and started reaching for Brace’s face. Brace smacked his hand away. Jon put on a rather dirty look.

“Hey, if you don’t want bacta, its your call. But if you feel like having raw sewer water get in that wound and get a rather nasty infection, I won’t stop you.”

Brace sighed, as wiped the dab with his own finger. “Fine, but at least let me do it.”

Jonathon walked away and went over to the other to make sure they were all okay. When it was all over, Detric Zalga called everyone around him.

“All right. Well, now that we know what the Imperials’ plans are, we know how to stop them. We have two priorities now. One is two stop the Imperials from poisoning the water supply. The second is to get the scientists out – alive preferably.”

Detric called over Uzen to look at his data. Jonathon went back over to the others to make sure that they were perfectly all right. Despite the fact that he had only been a member of Candy squad for a few months, his father being a doctor had prepared him for most of what he saw in his medic training. Just as Jonathon finished his rounds, Detric called them back over.

“Okay, security has picked up movement heading up to the roof. I’m going to guess that it’s the Imperials and they’re going on a supply run. Let’s meet them up there and give them a Candy squad welcome. Move out.”

Detric ran past them, Uzen in toe behind him. Jonathon was next, and the rest of the squad followed soon after. His legs were pumping, and Jonathon was running on pure adrenaline. Here we go again.



Candy squad came up to the roof just as the Imperial gunship was taking off. Somehow, they had managed to make it up there silently. They took up positions, A280s and heavy blasters off all types bearing down on the Imperial squad. Detric broke squad comm silence with one order:

“On my mark, shoot to kill.”

Travias crouched behind a desk. He hated blind fire, waste of ammo. So he fell back to an undamaged durasteel console, and set up his rifle there. He tried to sight on the enemy, but they, like his comrades, were dodging behind new cover, firing randomly.

He coolly slid his combat scope into position, then fired a three-round burst at a desk that fire was coming from.

The powerful A-280 punched holes in the flimsy metal desk, but missed. The enemy kept firing.

Travias realized he had to move. He dove to another shred of cover as the console began to melt from laser fire.

There, he popped up again, and got hit in the shoulder. "Damn it!" he yelled, "I'm hit!"

*********************

PVT Laure Orda heard the rifleman's yell, and ducked over to the injured man. She, as a backup squad medic, crouched, attaching a bandage and some bacta to the man's shoulder, and taping it there.

"Good to go,"

"Thanks, doc." The other sprinted over to another piece of cover, as did the Lance.

She blind-fired his A-280 around a corner, towards the Imperials.

Lasers blasted chunks out of the floor; the walls were marked with hundreds of blaster burns, and the room was filled with carnage. Broken and burning desks clouded the room with smoke and smell, making it hard to pinpoint the other side except from their muzzle flashes.

Orda stood straight up and fired an entire clip a few inches above a muzzle flash, then ducked, reloaded his rifle, stood again, and fired just below.

"Geez, this is insane," the private thought sadly. "I didn't sign up for this. Thought I was gettin' into easy college. Ahh, shit."

She dove from his cover, rolling away, then from it, to try to throw the enemy off. The desk she had been hiding behind melted.

She rolled into new cover, to find one of his allies. "Heya doc," said a voice- Travias couldn't recognize it. "I'm almost out of ammo."

The Private handed the other a couple clips. "Oh yeah, and they hit me in the leg."

Orda crouched, peered at the blaster burn. "What the hell? How'd they hit you in the knee?"

"Lucky damn shot. Patch me up, doc, I gotta move. They're startin' to find me."

To emphasize the remark, a trio of blaster bolts hit the desk, sizzling the metal as they impacted it.

Orda sprayed the injury with bacta- the soldier winced. "sorry!"

She slapped a bandage and some tape on it. "Fixed your knee, hopefully. I dunno how long that will hold under intense stress."

"Thanks doc," the other said, rolling to new cover.

Detric watched as the members of Absolut squad turned around and returned fire. But he didn’t much care; all he cared about was making sure that they didn’t get to the water supply. Duracrete and steel fragments littered the air and ground as the firefight soon burned into a vicious stalemate just to keep the other side from taking any ground. Gaines was busy running back and forth between the wounded, firing his DL-44 as he ran for cover and for his fallen comrades. Detric slammed a fresh cartridge of ammo into the blast chamber and stared down the sight. Okay, you rat bastards, give something. Anything. Detric saw an arm and fired sending a cascade of energy bolts towards a Stormtrooper, hitting a shoulder and hearing a scream. Detric looked up and saw what appeared to be the medic running towards the wounded trooper. Detric swung his rifle up and opened fire, but the medic managed to duck just as the bolts would have hit her helmet. He cursed and started to fire again on cover, hopefully to drive them out. Then, out of the corner of his eye, Detric saw movement: they were Stormtroopers, and they were making a run for the stairs. His eyes widened as he realized what was happening. He swore as he turned around to Uzen and pointed to the door.

“Uzen! They’re making their move! Take Hoffman, Trevers, Pottes and Denex down to the water treatment room! Do NOT let them anywhere near that machine! GO!”

Uzen got up and grabbed the handful of soldiers that would be his team and made his way for the door, strafing as he went and covering his men. Detric turned back to the firefight just as a blaster bolt struck the duracrete wall behind him. He brought the rifle back up and looked down the sight. C’mon, show me something to fear.



Brace Trevers’ heart was pounding. As they raced down the stairs after Absolut squad, who was three flights of stairs ahead of them, Brace somewhat his inward request for an actual firefight. As he ran down the stairs and looked down, he could see the white armor of the Stormtroopers making a b-line for the water supply room. Brace took out his Power-5 and aimed, firing off a shot that struck the wall next to the head of one of the Stormtroopers. The Stormtroopers looked up, and their eyes met. Brace could tell his eyes were full of rage, just as his own. But they both knew that there was a job to be done. The Stormtroopers turned around and ran after his squad. They hit the floor running, opening the door and leaving Candy squad behind. Uzen picked up the pace and hit the floor; Brace was right behind him. They blew past the open door and into the sewers, looking around for any trace of their quarry. Brace looked up and saw a small flash of white turn around a corner. He ran off, and Candy squad was soon behind him. Uzen was sprinting now, keeping up with Brace step for step on the other side of the sewer. Brace stopped at the end of the path and leveled his rifle to fire, but what he saw wasn’t a retreating force: it was a lone Stormtrooper with his rifle raised. Brace widened his eyes as the Stormtrooper pulled the trigger. Brace widened his eyes as several blaster bolts pounding into his chest, shredding armor and tissue. As he fell to the ground, dying, Brace could only hope that Candy squad made it in time.



Uzen watched as Brace went down. His horror soon turned to rage as he turned the corner and let out a furious yell and opened fire with his rifle, shredding the door to pieces that led into the treatment plant. He jumped over to the fallen soldier. He put his fingers to his neck to check for a pulse, but Uzen already knew that there wasn’t one. He lifted his fingers and commed in to Detric.

“Detric, Brace Trevers was hit on the way down tot the water treatment plant. He… he didn’t make it.”

There was silence on Detric’s end; Uzen could only guess that he was trying to take in the information and not let it cloud his mind in the battle. Then he answered.

“Then don’t let his death be in vain. Get in there and give them hell. Kill every last one fo them.”

Uzen nodded. “Understood. Uzen out.”

Uzen turned to the squad; they looked horrified that one of their own had just gone down right in front of their eyes. Uzen knelt down next to Brace’s lifeless body. “Be at peace brother. We’ll give them hell for you.”

Uzen looked back again and saw that the horror on the faces of the troopers had turned to cold determination and rage. Despite what had happened, that was what Uzen needed from his men right now. He jumped over to the door and ran into the room. He could see Absolut squad taking their positions around the treatment plant. He kicked over a desk, and in turn most of Absolut squad turned to look at him. Candy squad all rushed in and took cover around various desks and cubicle walls. Uzen raised his rifle and said two words:

“For Brace!”

Candy squad shouted the same words in a loud chorus of anger and regret. And in unison, Candy Squad pulled the triggers on their rifles, lighting up the room in a cacophony of red light.

The reports of deaths were coming in thick and fast. At some point Chase had stopped hearing the names, and even the squad they were from, he just got the sickening feeling that another life had been taken. He didn't want anyone else to die, he wished he could just finish the mission and leave, but what would never happen.

More bolts ripped apart from the walls Chase had hid behind, and he quickly realised how revealed he was. Almost confirming that, a blaster bolt from somewhere across the roof ripped through his shoulder, and he hit the deck screaming in pain.

"Sir! you ok!?" He heard Kortax cry "I'll call Alexis!"

"No its fine, just keep those guys pinned down!" Chase shouted back, pushing a hand down on his injured arm. It hadn't hit him that deeply, or at least he hoped. It was bleeding quite badly, but he could still move it, which appeared to be a good thing. He'd never been shot before, and he hoped he never would. Not the time to be lingering on it though.

Holding his rifle as best he could, he let off a volley of shots across to where the few remaining members of Candy were. The wall broke to pieces, and he heard someone cry out. It didn't seem like a cry of pain, so he kept firing at the remaining pieces of the wall, slowly working his way along. Yanking a grenade from his pocket, he threw it across to the decimated wall, and watched it rip what was left of it clean from the ground. He used the shock effect from the grenade to finally be able to rise his head, so he had a look around.

He could see two or three NR soldiers hid behind the stairway on their left, shielding their eyes from the blast. Without thinking he fired a volley of shots at them. In his blind rage, his aim was far from perfect, and given the chance to kill all three, he simply managed to get one of them in the kneecap. The other two quickly dragged him further behind cover while Chase juggled with ammo cartridges.

The war cry carried out around Chase’s team up on the roof, strengthening their morale and keeping them strong as they continued firing on the remaining Candy members. Alexis finished bandaging Elara on the leg, which she reminded not to get it infected to make the wound worse. She then saw Chase’s confusing and undecidable that usually made a squad leader bewildered, watching him letting off a volley of fire and a grenade to destroy the wall cover and continued to fire blindly into the remaining Candy troopers while being wounded. Alexis knew what was going on in his mind, even though she had put her revenge aside for the squad, Chase wanted that revenge more than she did, and he would do anything to get it, that was his personality, she read him better than Alema did, her husband was also like that, so stubborn.

    “Sir, it’s Sparks, we’ve poisoned the water supply but bad news, Harvey got killed by the Candy assistant squad leader Uzen and now we’re even with the water supply being anti-toxined, we’re trying very hard to deal with them here, I think we’re gonna need backup.”

    “Backup is not an option, Sparks, we’re busy enough taking care of Detric’s team, alright? Throw a grenade or something, you’re a stormtrooper, you’ve got a brain, so use it to get yourself out of there and find out where the water supply was anti-toxined. We need to reverse it, so I think we’ll need to flush out the water cache that the plant has now and retoxin it, but that’ll be worthless if Candy squad decides to treat it again, so take care of your end and I’ll take of mine, understand?”

    “Got it, Sir, we’ll get right on it.” Alexis listened to Spark’s reply on the other end before being told: “Alexis heard about the sergeant’s name from Harvey, that was my intention, you don’t need to thank me, just doing what squadmates should be doing for each other.”

    “Well, still, I have to thank you anyways. “ Alexis thanked with a smile on her face that she hadn’t shown since Alema’s death.

     Chase keyed off the comm. conversation and turned to Alexis, waving her over, said allowingly:

    “Now, get my shoulder fixed up before it gets infected, alright, Alexis? Thanks for waiting patiently.”

    Alexis did so, thinking about the near but yet so far success of the mission in her mind. Your sacrifice wasn’t vain, Alema, we’re almost complete with the mission. But for the squad, I think we should put our revenge aside for now, but we shall have him suffer for it soon.



   
    Sparks calmed Harem down from another death as he drived back Uzen from flanking the two, as he relayed to Chase the situation and received his orders, he suddenly had a plan.

    “Harem, keep calm, we’ll get Uzen back for it, but not on him that is, on his mate Pottes. Judging by his furious eyes, he doesn’t like to see his mates get killed. So we have his weakness in our hands, let’s use it to find out where they are anti-toxining the poison and flush it, alright?” Sparks explained his plans, comforting Harem to keep her in the battle. She nodded and Sparks commenced the attack with covering fire to Uzen and Pottes’ position, he could feel Harem’s shaken hands, but they still did their jobs as Uzen and Pottes’ position was up in smoke.

    Then Sparks reloaded and fired blindly to confuse the two Candy troopers even more, as they coughed and shed tears from the gas’ effects. Sparks took up the intative and gestured Harem to grab Pottes, while he aimed at Uzen, who knew that the jig was up and was led out of the room for interrogation.

    “I’ll never tell you fools where to reverse the process, you’ll kill innocent lives just to get your way.” Uzen resisted stubbornly as with one nod by Sparks, Harem squeezed on Pottes’ shoulder wound and shot both her kneecaps to force her on her knees.

    “You’d never kill her, you’d never….” Uzen looked horrified at their eagerness to do so.

    After that Sparks convinced Uzen, taking out his datapad: “I’ll let her live and you two go to your squad leader on the roof if you tell me where they’re applying the anti-toxins and how to flush the water cache.”

    “There’s a man in this room here, his name is Devon Blastone, he’ll work you through the process, just let her go and we’ll never bother you again, please.” Uzen showed to Sparks on the datapad map of the complex as he begged for mercy, Sparks didn’t take it in one bit as he told his final words before execution:

    “I’m sorry, but that’s just too much of a risk, I’ll let you, Corporeal, go back to report to your sorry ass mommy of a squad leader though. As for her, she has to die for us to have no interruption in our retoxining.”

    Sparks relieved Uzen of his weapons, kicking him away back to the rooftop as he ordered Harem to shoot Pottes dead, and she did, quite angrily, wasting at least a whole clip before Sparks could calm her nerves down. Now their next action was to get to the room that Uzen talked about and tried to reverse this whole process while Chase, hopefully, can annilate or force Candy squad to retreat.

Detric looked around at the roof. Somehow the Imperials had managed to make it by them and down the stairs, and based on Uzen’s description of the situation, it seemed they were going for the plant engineers. Detric sneered a little bit at that notion. IF they want to get to the engineers, they are going to get through the facility itself, and that won’t be easy. And those engineers are no slouched either. I hope those Imps are ready for a fireworks show. Detric went for his pistol and grabbed the spare ammunition and tossed it all to Uzen. Uzen looked up at Detric with a sense of awe.

“Can’t have my men running around unarmed. Men, arm up and get ready. We’re going in.”

Detric was first, followed by Gaines and Uzen, then by the others. They went down the stairs and into the sewers. They had to get there way back into the main facility. Detric turned on his helmet light and looked to the left and right; no one was around. He assumed the Imperials were already making it inside, or were on the inside already. As soon as he started to step, he heard the klaxons blaring. Detric didn’t have time to think about anything anymore; he broke off into a run.



The door to the interior was blown off of its hinges and carbon score marks went down the hallway; a firefight had already begun. Detric stuck his head out with Uzen aiming over his shoulder. He looked down to the left and saw the bodies of two troopers, caught unaware by the attack. Red lights streamed down the hallway, lighting up the shadows of Candy squad. They ran forward and fanned out in cover positions. We have to do this right, and we have to do it right the first time. If they get to the engineers or the technicians before we do, we’re doomed. Detric pulled out his datapad and tapped into the base’s security net. From what he saw, the first three security checkpoints had been breached, and from that Detric wagered that everyone along those passageways were dead. He pulled up his rifle and checked his ammo; he still had plenty of shots. Detric knew that he would need everyone of them. He made his way down the hallway, Candy squad flanking his movements.

Detric made sure that his movements were calculated; if he slipped up just once, it was all over. As he made his way further down, passed bodies and shattered glass, the sound of blaster fire became more and more loud. And it soon became apparent to Detric what the source was: it was Absolut squad, but contrary to what Detric had first thought, it was not a slaughter. Detric pulled out his datapad one more time and tapped into the cameras. What he saw startled and pleased him. The engineers had taken defense in one of the many technical rooms, with the technicians holed up in the room behind cover. There were several bodies on the floor, presumably those of the scientists and personnel, but the engineers were holding their own. But Detric didn’t want to chance for how long. Detric turned to the squad.

“Okay, the deal is that the engineers have managed to keep the rest of the Imperials at bay for now. And for safety’s sake, I don’t want to leave them alone much longer. The room behind the Imperials has been blown out, presumably so they can sue it as cover, and a few of them have. I say we get in the back way and crash the party. Gaines, Vla’ask, you two take point. Uzen and I will stick behind you. The rest of you, create a diversion. Get creative.”

As they fanned off, Detric turned and looked at Luchivik, who had taken command of the rest of his men. Behind the wall, they had good cover, which was just what Detric needed. Luchivik looked over to Detric, who nodded and gave him a thumbs-up. Luchivik nodded and gave his men the signal. As Detric turned around, he heard the burst of blaster fire and swearing down the hall. Detric smiled. I’m going to enjoy this. As the Imperials started to draw fire from two positions, the remainder of Candy squad came in from behind and dropped behind a line of computers, both shattered and not. Detric brought his weapon up across his chest and offered a small prayer. When he was done, he looked over at Uzen and the others: Uzen’s eye danced with rage, while the others were filled with cold determination. Detric looked up and let out a deep breath. Then, with all the strength and anger he could muster, he stood up and opened fire, firing at the back’s of the Imperials. One of the Stormtroopers went down in a hail of blaster bolts and rage. Detric moved on to the next one, but they had ducked and went for cover. That’s right you bastards. Hide. Right now, that’s the only thing that may let you live long enough before I fill your skull with plasma.

Gaines knelt behind a corner covered in muck, swamp water and other horrible substances he didn't want to think about. The engineers had made a run for it which was just as well because they might need them a bit later repairing the facility.

He looked at the indicator on his rifle which told him he only had thirteen shots left in his energy pack. Ejecting the pack out onto the floor it slid away across the corridor a tiny hiss came from the loading compartment as the gasses cooled down the weapon. Gaines slipped another power pack into the holder and slapped the end of it to make sure it was secure.

Looking around for the rest of his squad he noticed a few down the corridor. A few crouched behind him. He was right at the corner which meant he'd be the one who'd have to go. Glancing around the corner he could see the body of a dead imperial. There was nothing else.

"Can't see anything sir," he said into the mouthpiece hovering by his chin.

"Right they've stopped firing too. Get ready to go."

Gaines stood up and was just about to leap around the corner when a hand rapped around his neck and pulled him back. He struggled for a moment think the enemy had somehow impossibly gotten behind him when he heard the sound of blaster fire. Lasers flew shot past in front of him. He put his thumbs up to the trooper behind him not wanting to turn around in case the enemy ran around the corner. He leaned out and began firing. When a spattering of fire hit the wall beside Gaines he pulled back.

"Looks like they're regrouping," Gaines said

"Right they're in a group, lets get 'em then," Gaines heard over the com then watched as a frag flew down the corridor.

OOC:

Im going to have to ask everyone to ignore Jenns last post for now, there is an issue with it

Kortax ducked under another barrage of gunfire, suddenly realising it was happening far too often. In his blind panic, he had failed to realise bunching the squad back together was a very bad idea. Now they were just being circled, and very soon, were being blown to pieces.

Looking around, they didn't have much room to work with. The engineers had done a pretty good job of barricading the place. There was a circular table forming the center of the room, very similar to the one back in the outflow control room. The main bulk of Absolut had taken positions there, with one or two just outside, letting off covering bursts of fire whenever they had a gap.  All the doors had been barricaded with furniture, seemingly from a staff room, except for the door immediately behind them, where the engineers had made their escape. They could get out that way, but they risk an ambush. Then again, if they stayed where they were they would inevitably be taken down.

"Elara! Sparks!" Kortax called to two of his troopers outside of the inner table. "Both of you get a detonator ready. On my call, Elara will throw hers over at Candy, and Sparks will throw his through the doorway behind me. The moment Spark's detonator goes off, we charge through the debris. Everyone clear?"

The looks on the squad's faces confirmed that they all beleived running through a detonator blast was madness. The beads of sweat across their foreheads however also confirmed that they had'nt had any better ideas, so Kortax didn't bother explaining the method behind his thinking. The detonators would, if they were lucky, kill some Candy squad members, but would at least cause them, and possibly the poised for ambush engineers, to have to dive for cover, and that would give them a short timespan with which to escape and regroup. The squad was in disarrary, and everyone around them, including his own troopers, knew it. He just needed a few minutes to gather them up, explain whats going on and whats going to happen, and how it will happen. He hoped that would be enough to pull them through the dark patch. He waited till a gap in Candy's fire.

"Everyone ready?"

OOC:

I hope this one is better than the last one.

Alexis holstered her E-11 rifle for the A280 heavy repeater that Harvey had been carrying that she picked up from his dead body with ammunition; she knew she had to revenge him, revenge him and Alema with the deaths of the two squad leaders, that way they’ll rest in peace. For the difference between her and Alema was the way they dealt with this situation, Alema never wanted to chase her murderers till they were dead, but Alexis did, no matter who it was for. One of the reasons she keeps her revenge aside for the squad is that she regrets being different from Alema, Alema was so happy, so optimistic, while Alexis was very bluesy, so for her mental health to be able to endure the losses of squad members, she had to sacrifice her little revenge scheme for the rest of her squad, and she finally figured that out as she watched these people die, especially Alema’s death moved her to this decision the most.

Alexis came back to reality then as a hand patted on her shoulders, it was Kortax’s, they were just out of the tech room and into the next one when they met some resistance from the technicians and the engineers, but they didn’t put up much of a fight as they weren’t so highly trained as the Absolut squad was, not as in cover as much as the Absolut squad was as they quickly retreated after a bit of battle. Kortax comforted Alexis as she wounded the rifle arm of the last standing engineer, forcing him to retreat:

“Hey, Alexis, you okay, you have a lot of tears on your face, god, if Alema was still alive to see that, what a weak little human you are.”

“Weak is a word I would rather not tempt to use, for Alema’s father was weak, weak to see that without strong action, the Empire can get any better and it ‘ll be more divided.”Alexis replyed pure-heartedly as if trying to express something, but then turned to ask, feeling the tears tumbling down her face: “So what’s our plan, Kortax, what are we doing?”

“Well, these guys won’t pose that much of a threat, but Candy squad will be coming, and these guys will retreat soon, we have to go on the offensive soon, otherwise we’ll be very passive and never get anything accomplished except lose more men. I know you guys are all sad in your own way, Alexis being the only one expressing her sorrow, but we have to do this for Chase, so let’s get to it, shall we?” Alexis heard him say, gathering the squad together, before quickly explaining the situation and his plan:

“Alright, from what we know and have gathered, these technicians and engineers have managed to anti-toxin the water supply, and they are led by a man named Devon Blastone, he’s the one that can help us dump this whole water cache and retoxin the water supply, but we have a problem, and that is Candy squad. It’s the only remaining force in this complex and if they aren’t dead, the water plant personnel won’t give up their resisitance, just like taking candy from a baby. So I say we quickly annialiate them, alright? So, my team will be me, Charlie and Tarnok, suppressing the incoming Candy squad in this room, we’ll fake them into thinking we’re still in battle with the engineers in this room. While this is happening, Sparks will take the rest of the squad to the previous room and flank them from behind by removing the barricade on the side entrance of that previous tech room, understand me?”

The squad yelled in agreement as Alexis led the squad in yelling the war cry to heighten their morale, while Alexis set off with Sparks, wishing Kortax luck, he did the same and they went off into the previous room, hearing blaster fire and footsteps coming their way.



Candy squad was also making their way over to the tech room that Absolut was once in, but with no luck since the front and side door were checked to be barricaded and silent, plus they heard blaster fire come from the room besides this one, so they assumed Absolut must have retreated and met resistance. This led Candy squad to walk slowly to the next tech room and possibly get to annihilate a whole bunch



“They’ve taken the bait, squad leader, we’re going in for the kill, suppress them as hard as you can, squad leader, we wish you luck.” Alexis heard Sparks report quietly on the comlink as he led the squad carefully behind Candy squad’s back. Alexis heard Kortax respond as they were back behind the wall, where around the corner was Candy squad

“I wish you the same, Sparks, good luck, you have my permission to shoot and kill them all.” Blaster shots were heard, and Alexis was ordered by Sparks to take a peek over as soon as Candy squad went inside the room. She could see Candy squad was being suppressed for now, but it wouldn’t be long for them to take advantage with the numbers. She relayed the info to Sparks quickly and he signaled for a frag grenade from her as she threw it down by the Candy group outside the room. The final battle begins, I feel as excited as a general seeing his men in victory, for this mission we have sacrificed too much for this, and they must pay for it, with their lives.

When Uzen's ears stopped ringing, he noticed that his squad leader, squad medic, and pretty much everyone besides him was laying flat on their backs, trying to prop themselves up or coughing violently.

He could hear almost an echo on the other side of the door, past the hallway. He was either hearing things, or the Imperials had also taken some damage from the grenade he had kicked back.

Uzen was so sure the grenade would blow his foot off that as soon as he made contact with it, he dove out of the way. His futile effort seemed to have paid off. The concussive blast had dazed him, but he was still on his feet.

As soon as he could get his bearings, he ran over to his squad and tried to help. Keeping his head low, he grabbed Gaines and dragged him safely around the corner. Detric collected himself and grabbed onto Nor, and the rest did likewise with whoever they could grab.

"So much for the element of surprise," grumbled Detric. The stress of battle was taking a toll on him, as with the other members of Candy squad.

"So what's the plan boss?" asked Uzen. He wasn't as livid about Pottes, but he still wanted revenge.

-------------

Gaines didn't have to look at himself to know that he was doing okay. His breathing wasn't constricted, and his head wasn't feeling light anymore. His vision hadn't blurred, and he could move without any pain.

If that grenade had exploded just a meter or two closer, however, things would have been much different. The scattering of the shrapnel would have shredded them to bits. The force of the blast increased exponentially the closer the grenade came to them. It would have added insult to an already ghastly injury.

He hovered around making sure everyone was okay.

They all had stern looks on their faces, like they would rather be home right now than fighting imperials in cramped spaces and having close brushes with death seemingly at every turn.

They all knew, however, that if they didn't stop the imperials many more people would suffer. They were willing to trade their lives to save several.

Detric grabbed on to Jacbsan and lifted himself up, using both the trooper and the wall as support. The blast from the detonator hadn’t harmed so much as it had knocked him senseless. In truth, he was angrier with himself than he was with the Imperials. Damn, I should’ve seen that one coming. Detric got up and slouched against the wall, rifle braced against his chest. He cracked his neck and looked around at his squad; they all seemed to be all right, but given their current opponents, Detric didn’t want to take any chances.

“Squad status. Is anyone dead or dying so we can toss you in the med lab?”

Gaines seemed to answer for all of them. “No. We’re all okay, save for getting the wind knocked out of us and maybe a few cuts and bruises. Beyond that, we’re okay to move. Whenever you’re ready boss.”

Detric bounced back off the wall and looked at his men; they had done well so far, and knew that they would only impress him further. He grabbed his rifle and checked to be sure that he had enough ammo. He looked over to Uzen, who nodded in grim agreement. Detric knew as best as any of them that it was time to end this little game.


Nor Jacobson had seen quite a bit in his days as a soldier. He had fought in many campaigns to rid his world of the Empire when he was younger. But somehow these Imperials were different. They were more determined, and they sure as hell weren’t liked the other dregs he had fought years before. He looked around at the other squad members and was relieved to see that they were alive, albeit somewhat shaken. But he knew what was at stake, just as the rest of them did. And he knew that if it were required, he would give his life for the Republic he had sworn to protect.

Detric was getting tired, and as Nor could tell, so was the rest of the squad. These Imperials had a mission, this much was true, but so did Candy squad. Detric waved his hand forward for the squad to move out. Nor took point along with Hendal as they made their way down the corridor. It was blown out from the explosion of the detonator, with broken glass and shattered pieces of wall littering the floor. It seemed very clichéd, but it was the perfect setting for a gunfight, and Nor gathered that soon there would be one.



Soon the squad was under fire, and they had managed to shut the door off from a portion of Absolut squad. Now, Candy squad had a chance to turn the battle around. Blaster fire raged from both directions as holes filled the walls around the two squads, dancing in a deadly red light. And Candy squad had to hurry, because they knew that the rest of Absolut squad would not be far behind.

Private Liason Travias had been ignored by the imperials, or so it had seemed. He was still alive, at least. He fired from a decent piece of cover, a large blackened piece of cement. He would peek out of cover at random points, then fire his rifle.

"Damn, this is takin' too long," he muttered angrily. He fired again, sending futile red death down the hall towards the equally-entrenched Imperials.

He reached for a grenade on his belt, but thought again. Grenades were limited and he wanted to get permission or the perfect moment.

He inhaled, preparing to go at the pop-up-and-shoot method once more. He exhaled, and began firing. Travias wanted a drink. Anything would do, water would be fantastic. He promised himself, he would get something to drink after this- and he'd make sure it had alcohol in it. And then he'd treat everyone still alive to one too.

Shots ricocheted off the walls, cover, the broken doors on either side; the hall way became a very dangerous place to be. It also shook Travias back into survival mode.

"Hell, no one would even notice a grenade now."

He reached for his belt again, but thought once more. He figured one more time, then pulled the grenade off his belt and pulled the pin. He grasped it, preventing the crude timer inside from ticking down. He waited until the fire reached its fullest, knowing it as a tell-tale sign that they would need to reload, and duck. Travias then popped up, firing one-handed with his right hand, and side-armed the grenade with his left.

It flew to the other wall, bounced, and rolled to a stop.

"Payback," Travias muttered, peering through his scope, having watched the grenade's flight. He fired, and the grenade exploded.

The grenade had come close, but Absolut got lucky. The grenade had rolled itself just under one of the tables near to the squad before erupting, throwing the battered remains of the computer desk up into the air, causing it to crash into the wall behind sending pieces of wood crashing into the squad. The effort the table had taken to be shifted had absorbed most of the grenades energy, sparing Kortax and the rest.

"Everyone okay!?" Kortax called over the temporary silence. He regretted speaking so loudly considering the blast had called a cease fire, now Candy knew where they were more accurately, and the shots resumed.

"Yeah we're fine" Sparks replied " Apart from I got a frickin piece of wood in the forehead. Hurt like hell"

"Stop whining soldier and start firing" Kortax smiled.

He surpirsed himself that he was finally able to smile, it had been at least an hour since his mouth had last twitched apart from to speak. He assumed that the heat of the action had caused the ice encasing him to melt, the real Kortax was beginning to emerge again. Being leader hadn't been so bad yet, at least no one else had died.

"Sparks, take your pick of two troopers, and be ready to move back out behind us, we'll try and flank around them again"

Sparks nodded, pointing at Alexis and Charlie, before shuffling their way across their cover. At one point Charlie wandered too far, and would of lost a hand if Spark's hadn't pulled him back. The panic and adrenaline of the moment was effecting everyone. This wasn't a squad that was heavily battle experienced, they were fresh, with new weapons, a new planet, and most importantly a new leader.

With a pat to Sparks shoulder, Kortax got the hand signal to know they were ready, and led an Absolut charge. He unloaded a clip of appointments to the Grim Reaper into the corner of the room housing Candy, causing them to cower behind it, before rising to his feet and rushing towards them. A grenade from behind him found its way right into the middle of their bunch, causing them to scatter in every direction shortly before the explosion. Another handful of laser clips followed, and one of the Republic soldiers was hit in the leg, another in the shoulder, but no dead. For a split second, Kortax was glad he hadn't caused anyone else to die in this god forsaken place. Then he realised that any one of them could of been the one that killed Chase, and he fired again. And again, and again, and again.

Alexis fired on the pinned Candy squad troopers in the corner with her A280, lead by the unsure squad leader Detric, they all had shock, fear, death in their eyes, it wasn’t their first time fighting the imperials probably, but it was their first time fighting such an experienced and well-equipped imperial squad that called themselves Absolut squad. She watched as grenades threw at them in desperation attempts to break the pin, with them either close to separating the squad then getting kicked over by one of the squad members or missing them by a mile, and blaster rays flying everywhere, causing machinery to stop running in bursts of sparks looking like fireworks, and cover to be destroyed, blown to pieces, torn away, or just covered in blaster fire holes or grenade indentations. The whole room smelled of smoke and reaked of blood as Alexis made the enemy bleed their shoulders or arms or legs even side with her blaster fire, bandaging any wounds in her squad. Come on, guys, keep up the fire and we might get them all zipped up in a body bag with the water supply poisoned. Alexis supported her teammates in her mind, praying for their safety arrival home, her revenge with Detric and Uzen dealt with while she lives on, so that she is able to come say goodbye to Alema for the last time, for she had made a promise to Alema to do so in her last moments.

“Alexis, you okay? You’re firing very accurately but you’re doing two things at a time, I think, you keep trying to find a chance to kill the squad leader, he’s had like three medic calls, I think, already. You’re doing what you’re supposed to and chasing after your vengeance at the same time.” Elara said with some caring and sincerity as she fired along with her, hitting another Candy trooper flanking at them in the rifle hand, causing him to drop his rifle, and Kortax to plant two rifle blasts in both his knees.

“I’m fine, just enjoying the view and hoping we all get out of here alive. And it’s not just the squad leader, there’s also the assistant one, he killed Harvey, and Harvey’s family won’t accept that, I won’t accept that.” Alexis replyed definite and sure of it, clipping the assistant squad leader in the leg hanging out as he peeked out to check the situation.

“Squad, communicate by comlink only, and in whisper, they can hear all our calls now they’ve surrounded us here in separate positions that are not easy to penetrate. And someone get a medic over here, Uzen’s leg is hurting him, he’s got quite a deep wound.” Alexis heard the bare whisper from Detric for she was the closest to the corner Candy squad was stuck in with Elara, and she relayed the situation to Kortax, in a quick message, with discretion:

    “Squad leader, comm only order has been made by enemy, and a medic is getting to patch up Uzen’s leg, now’s Tarnok’s chance, over.”

“Harem, you have my permission to wound the medic in the side, make it serious.” Kortax answered with more anger than he could control. It was still a stalemate for the two squads, but with Kortax’s plan to wound all the remaining Candy squad members, they could break the stalemate with weak Candy troopers who deserve a shot to the head. Weaken and then go for the kill, just like a rankor, last time I fought that darn thing was with Shakka, it was hard to kill, and so will Republic troopers be, especially this one that has prepared so long for an assault by Imperial troopers, even if their morale is pretty low, their will to fight is still strong, but it’s high time that they payed for their sins. Alexis reflected on her enemy throughout this entire mission as she saw once Harem had permission to go, she quickly fired two shots on the medic’s side, wounding him deeply with a hard scream by him that filled the entire room in the other pains of Candy squad like a symphony.

Spark ran as fast as he could to the nearest covering position. He fired a couple shots at a nearby Candy squad member, only to realize that he had already been shot in the side of the head by Kortax. Well, at least now we know he's dead. Spark continued to move, he was only a few feet away from the barricade he had figured would be his final resting place if by some chance he didn't make it out alive.

“Spark, GET DOWN!!!” one of his squad mates yelled. He didn't care who it was, he was almost there. 

come on, almost there. He jumped, hoping his momentum would carry him the rest of the way. Everything seemed to be going in slow motion in those next few moments, he didn't even remember landing. He struggled to get up, but something just below his hip hurt. This is the end.

Harem was watching in horror, it was like watching a holo-vid come to life. Just a moment ago Spark was running towards the nearest barricade, but now he was on the ground, squirming. This can't be happening, it just can't be. She wasn't going to believe it, her eyes had to be deceiving her. What had just happened was impossible.

“Spark!” Kortax yelled, firing off a couple shots. It was impossible what had just happened. In those next few moment though the world seemed to stand still to him, as well as the whole squad. Damn it, he better not be dead. Although he knew the truth, he didn't want to accept it.

“Harem, Aleiha, come in, are you guys alright?” Kortax said though the comm, hoping one of them would respond. Unfortunately, no answer.

I should have waited, I knew it was a stupid idea. Spark stayed still, it hurt to much to move, but it didn't matter anyway, he would die here. 

Kortax continued to fire, along with the rest of his squad. He didn't know what to think now, everything they had worked towards had only brought death. That's the thing about war, it's unpredictable. He continued to fire, bringing down another Candy member.

Harem continued to stare at the lifeless body. Spark....I.... No forget about it, if he was here right now he would want you to fight, he would tell you to mourn later. Without a second thought she pulled her blaster back up to aim, and fired without mercy. Absolut had lost to many lives today, and it was time Candy learned how it felt. “This one's for Spark”