Tanus Solvona, LCPL
Squad specialty story: Combat Engineer
Story: Electrical Systems

Tanus awoke in his room, a pale gray and white cubicle with a refresher at one end and a closet at the other. Tanus got up and walked over to the small computer in his room to see if he had any messages, and it appeared he did:

Lance Corporal Tanus Solvona,
                    You have been scheduled for the Electrical System exam as per your request set two standard weeks ago. The test will begin at 1200 hours. Failure to appear at test time will result in a failing grade and a make-up test will NOT be made.

Tanus closed out the window and got up to go to the bathrooms and take a shower. When he got there, he turned on the water and let the hot water stream down his face. After nearly falling asleep in the showers, Tanus got dressed and headed back to his room and picked up his datapad and began to read the files on electrical systems.  After nearly two hours of studying, Tanus got up and went down to the testing rooms.

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Tanus sat down at one of the desks in the room. In the room with his were two Sullustans and a single Twi'lek. Tanus saw that they were all doing some last minute studying, and Tanus thought that he should follow suit. After nearly twenty minutes, four instructors entered the room, two males and two females. One of their number, a female, stepped forward.

"Hello," she said, "my name is Stella Wor'dosh, and I will be one of your instructors today. Along with me are three of my colleagues."

She gestured to the two men and the woman behind her. Then they stepped forward as well.

"My name is Jaff Boresh," said one of the men.

"My name is Herew Diskar," said the other man.

"My name is Dea Thurmakin," said the woman.

They all stepped back simultaneously, except for Stella, who stood in front of the class.

"You are all on your way to becoming Combat Engineers, and may I say, congratulations. But, there are no easy lessons, especially this one."

Tanus looked at her with the utmost concentration, hanging on every word she said. He was waiting for the lecture to end and for the real test to begin.

"This lesson will focus on Electrical systems and their many properties. After this lecture, a short practical exam will be administered by one of the four of us to see where your strengths truly lie. Now, as you know, electricity flows in a current. Now you all know what your conductors and insulators are, right?"

All four of the students nodded in sequence.

"Good. Now with that being said, can anybody name for me some conductors?"

Tanus raised his hand. Stella pointed to him.

"Water, metal coils, especially gold or silver."

"Excellent. Now who can tell me what some insulators are?"

The Twi'lek raised her hand, and Stella gestured to her.

"Plastics and glass make very good insulators."

"Very good," Stella said. "Now, so we can move on, please go next to, or in front of, the person you want for the practical exam."

Tanus got up and walked up to Stella.

"Oh-ho, it seems we have a daring one."

Tanus nodded, and Stella gave a small smile.

"Follow me."

With that, Tanus followed Stella out the door.

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Tanus was lead by Stella to a workroom not far from where they had begun. Once inside, Tanus saw a small shield generator, a datapad and a lighting fixture.

"These items," Stella said, "are crucial when in the battlefield; you can't do without them. Due to this, it is imperative that you learn how to wire these devices. What I want you to do with each device you see before you is diagnose the problem and fix it. There is no time limit, so take as long as you like. You may begin."

Tanus grabbed a hyprospanner, fusion cutter and goggles from a nearby rack and got to work. He moved to the shield generator first, and saw it was sealed shut. Tanus took the fusion cutter and started to torch the sides of the generator with the red plasma beam. After nearly five minutes of cutting, the plasma finally got through and Tanus pried off the plate. What he found inside was some busted wires that had been fried or cut, and a broken energy motivator. Tanus looked around and found the spare wires he needed and a motivator lying around.

Tanus took out the old motivator with the hydrospanner and installed the new one in just under a minute and a half. He then stripped it of the wiring it had had, and began to place the wires in. First he connected the blue wire from the motivator to the phase converter. Next, he took the yellow and green wired and connect them from the power cell to the cooling devices and the motivator. Finally, he took the red, black and purple wires and connected them from the phase converter and the motivator to the energy distribution pads. He then closed up the generator and flicked it on. The generator blared to life with a hazy blue bubble forming around the table. He turned it off after about 15 seconds and moved on to the datapad.

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Tanus picked up the datapad and flipped it over to begin unscrewing the backing with the hydrospanner. When it was off, he laid it down on the table and saw that the wires were frayed, which may have led to its non-functioning condition. Tanus cut the wires carefully and then took them out, one at a time. After they were out, he took the wires he had found and put them in the exact same manner, much like what he did with the shield generator. After that, he screwed the back onto the device and turned it on, and was happy to see it was working.

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Tanus went over to the final piece, the light fixture. Tanus took it apart and found that the metal discs on the fixture were completely burned. Tanus took of the tops of the fixture and got the discs out. He then found, after much searching three metal discs with which to use. After placing them in and screwing the top back on, he put a light rod into the base of one of the sockets. He flipped the switch and the light blared to life. He turned it off and replaced his tools.

"Finished," Tanus said with enthusiasm.

Stella put down her datapad and walked over to each device. She ran her hand along them and turned around and smiled at Tanus.

"Congratulations, Tanus Solvona, you passed this exam. You can go now."

Tanus sighed in relief and went back to his room. When he got back it was nearly 1500 hours. Tanus went to his room and put his stuff down. Then he went to the showers to get all the grime and sweat off. After that, He went to his room and just sat and read for a while. With an hour, he was asleep with a smile on his face.

Second Story: COMPLETE
Tanus Solvona, LCPL, CE in training

Nice job. It definitely shows you can write about electrical systems and such. It did seem to be just a bit too centered around the facts. Basically, try to liven it up just a tiny bit in your next one. It just seemed like you were basically saying the same thing over and over again. Just check a bit of grammar here and there as well. Nice work again though.

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LCPL Tanus Solvona/1SQD/2PLT/1CMP/1RGT/1BAT//VEA/VE
-Paladin-

+ Advance Recon Commandos {ARC} +

Tanus Solvona, LCPL
Squad specialty story: Combat Engineer
Story: Field Fortifications

Tanus awoke one night with a beeping coming from his datapad. He walked over to it, still groggy eyed; he looked at his chrono on the nightstand, which read 0400 hours. He picked up the datapad and looked at the message:

You are to report to room 397 at 0900 hours for your next exam. Have a nice day.

Tanus threw his head back in exasperation. Wonderful, he thought, two more glorious hours of sleep. Tanus went back to his bed and laid there for less than thirty seconds before falling back to sleep.

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Tanus got up when his chrono blared the wake-up alarm at 0700. He went down to the showers and took a nice, hot shower and went back to his room to dress. After that he grabbed some caf and a roll from the cafeteria and went to the front desk.

"Excuse me, where is room 397?"

The receptionist hit the keyboard once, and the screen showed the entire schematic of the building.

"Down the hall, take the first right then the second left. It will be the third door to your right."

Tanus nodded and walked down the hall to the training room.

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Tanus walked into the room to find a set of large double doors opened at the back. When he walked near them, a man stepped out of the shadows.

"Greetings," he said. "You must be Tanus Solvona. I'm Delva Skorn. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Tanus nodded. "Likewise, sir. Now I take it I'm to go outside and build up a fortification?"

Delva nodded. "Right you are. But, there'll be a twist: I'll be inside that bunker launching small chemical grenades at you. They're harmless, but they should simulate a battle very nicely."

Tanus nodded and followed Delva out to the field; it was a nice day, with the sun shining and not a cloud in the sky. Delva then led Tanus to a trench, which was surrounded with long planks of thick wood and various metal sheets. Delva then gestured to the trench.

"Do you see that trench? Your test is to build up a strong fortification that can at least withstand a hit from a heavy blaster cannon, which I have set up over there," and Delva gestured the cannon, which was 100 meters away, pointed at the trench. "When you're done, I'll stop lobbing grenades and we'll see how well you did. If your wall withstands the hit, you pass. If it doesn't, you have to repeat the test at a later date until you pass it. All your materials are over there, but you can improvise if you want. You may begin when I start lobbing grenades. I'll give you five minutes to get ready."

Tanus jogged over to the trench and hopped down to find a fusion cutter and other tools waiting for him. After five minutes, an alarm sounded and small chemical grenades began raining out of the sky. Tanus then got to work.

The first thing Tanus did was grabbed a piece of wood and a vibro-cutter, and activated the tool. The low hum of the blade told him it was activated. He then began cutting through the wood like butter. Tanus did this several times and began to stick the planks into the ground. Next, he cut more of the planks and began to place them along the front of the others. He took his nail gun and stuck the planks in place. Tanus then took his fusion cutter began cutting through the metal sheets. When he had some sized pieces, he laid them along the back of the wooden stakes for more support when the cannon would be fired at it.

After he did that, he took more of the metal and cut more of it to make large sheets to drape over the top of the barricade. When he had three 2 meter long sheets, he went in front of the barricade as grenades continued to rain down on him. As the deafening explosions sent dirt and debris toward him, Tanus took his nail-gun and secured to sheets of metal to the planks of wood. When he had done that, he went back to the metal and got an idea: he began cutting more of the metal. When he had about the same amount as before, he nailed those into place as well, then took his fusion cutter and stuck them together along the edges, thus creating a double strength metal wall.

When he got behind the barricade to see what he had done, Tanus found that the back looked almost ready to collapse. Tanus then saw what he might need: some blocks of duracrete sitting out of the way. Tanus grabbed to blocks and placed them behind the metal wall for extra support. He then cut more metal (at this point he only had about ten meters left) and placed it behind the duracrete blocks and fused them together. When he finished the barricade, it was about 5 meters long and roughly 1.75 meters high, along with the trench, which was another meter deep; perfect for troop engagements. Tanus radioed in to Delva to stop the bombardment. Seconds later, the chemical bombs stopped raining out of the sky.

Delve came trotting over and looked at the barricade.

"Hmmmm, looks sturdy enough. Now let's see how well it holds."

Tanus and Delva walked over to the cannon, and Delve got behind its controls  and set it to maximum power. Tanus saw in the targeting computer that the cannon had selected the barricade as a target. When the charge was at its maximum, Delva fired a single blast from the blaster's muzzle. The large red bolt sailed through air, and smacked the barricade with tremendous force, throwing up a wall of dust, rock and debris. After ten seconds or so, when the smoke finally cleared, Tanus saw that his barricade, while scarred and dented, was still in working condition. Delva looked over at Tanus and shook his hand.

"Congratulations, Tanus Solvona. Your barricade survived the hit. You may go on to the next exam."

Tanus ran back to the base, with a smile from ear to ear.

Third Story: COMPLETE
Tanus Solvona, LCPL, CE in training

Nice job Tanus. You proved you know how to build a fortification. I just a minor note to the whole thing. You barely mentioned the grenades during your process of building the small wall. It would have been interesting to see how your character reacted to simulated explosions around him. Maybe you could have had the examiner lob a real grenade to sprawl you off your feat for staying in the open too long. Also, that's a lot of metal laying around. I think it came to about 22 meters. That's a lot of metal to be hauling around, and you probably wouldn't get that much on a battlefield. These are just things to keep in mind for later stories. Also, make sure you type the difference between to and two. You have a couple places where you mixed them up.

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LCPL Tanus Solvona/1SQD/2PLT/1CMP/1RGT/1BAT//VEA/VE
-Paladin-

+ Advance Recon Commandos {ARC} +

Tanus Solvona, CPL
Squad specialty story: Combat Engineer
Story: Explosives Deployment

Tanus got up from the floor from his workout routine and started going into his Neija combat stances. It'd been a while since he'd tested them on a living target, but then again, it been a while since he'd done anything to a living target. He got up when got a message on his datapad. He walked over to it and clicked the screen. The message stated, "You've been cleared for your next exam." Tanus looked own to see if there was more. When he saw that there wasn't, he went to take a shower. He let the cool water stream down his body for a while, realizing that this was the first specialty exam he had done on some time. Then he got into a meditative state, and stood under the cooling stream from the showerhead for about twenty minutes or so. When he came back, the steam was billowing everywhere. Tanus finished up and got dressed, then headed out the door.


Tanus headed to the explosives depot, as was instructed by the receptionist for his appointment. He walked in to a massive warehouse, with boxes of every type of explosive stacked, launching fifty meters into the sky. He walked forward, walking around the Binary Loadlifters and Industrial Lifts as he walked towards the back of the depot. When he got there, a man of about fifty turned around to face him. He had jagged scars all along his jaw line and face, and had a severe case of five o'clock shadow. On his left hand was a metallic claw, with five appendages attached. He extended the organic hand to Tanus and shook his hand.

"Greetings, Trooper. My name's Doj Yerrins, and I'll be your instructor for today's exam. Now, when in the field, there are various types of explosives used, both for traps and for construction. The two most common for construction are Thermite detonators, which are used for bringing down concrete walls and such, and CryoBan grenades, which are excellent fire suppressants. However, these two types of explosive devices can be used in open warfare. Thermite detonators are brilliant at blasting through enemy fortifications and armor emplacements, as well as traps. CryoBan grenades create a wave of cold that freezes the nerves in the body, causing severe frostbite; this weapon is in many ways similar to a Disruptor. But any way, we're here to see how you can use these devices in both terms of construction and traps."

Doj Yerrins turned on his heel and walked out the door with two boxes of explosives, one marked "CryoBan" and the other marked "Thermite." They left the warehouse and went to a large patch of land with a sign that read "Test Site A" in big red lettering. Doj set down the crates of explosives and walked forward to a computer and started punching in some commands. Tanus stood there under what seemed to be a hollowed out business building, which rose for floors, with durasteel beams going every angle imaginable. When Tanus looked back, Doj was walking back towards him.

"OK, what we're going to do is go through some trials to see if you know how to set up these explosives properly and use them in a construction situation safely. After that, we'll get the trap portion of the exam. Now, we're going to do the CryoBan grenades first. I left some engine fuel in a pool over there. I'm going to get a flame carbine and light it up. Your job is to put it out. I'm going to keep lighting the fires until you out them all out. Understand?"

Tanus nodded as he started slinging bandoliers with CryoBan grenades in each of it sleeves. When he had to full bandoliers, he nodded to Doj. Doj walked away and fitted himself with a flame carbine and walked up to the second floor. Doj nodded to Tanus and aimed the carbine at the pool of engine fuel. He pulled the trigger, and a jet of crimson flame shot out of the carbine's tip. The engine fuel ignited in a fantastic display, spouting flames 5 meters into the sky. Tanus withdrew one of the CryoBan grenades and set the timer for three seconds. He lobbed the explosive into the fire and ran behind a pile of girders. He then heard the hiss of the CryoBan grenade releasing its chemical agent. When Tanus looked up again, the engine fuel was frozen, and no fire remained. Tanus went to the next site, and did the same thing. At one point on the second to last fire, Tanus caught his arm on fire. He thought of using a CryoBan grenade, but decided not to. No need to lose any limbs, Tanus thought. He dropped to the ground, and when he saw that he wasn't burned seriously, he lobbed the grenade and went on to the final fire.

When all was said and done, Tanus had put out nine fires, and still had about six grenades left. Doj came up behind him with a slight grin on his face.

"Good job, kid. Now, lets move on to the Thermite detonators."

Tanus followed Doj back to the site where they began, and handed Tanus a bag of Thermite detonators. They were about15 cm across, with a red dot in the center that was the activation device. It had an adhesive backing. Tanus looked it over as Doj gave him instructions.

"There is a structure about 20 meters away. That structure has been built specifically for this exam. Basically, you're going to go there and take it down. This is the activation stick. Click it once the detonators are in place. But stand back when you're all done, at least 50 meters away; these things pack a punch. I'll be back here with a pair of binoculars, monitoring you. You can go any time your ready."

Tanus started to head out towards the building, which was effectively a spare with holes where windows should be. Tanus shrugged and put explosives along all of the stress fractures he could find in the building's frame. After he set up eight detonators, he started to head back towards the main site. At 60 meters, he pushed the ignition switch. There was a click, and the building went up in a storm of fire and raining debris. Doj was looking through the binoculars as he came back.

"Nice job. That building didn't have much of a chance anyway; too old and too many fractures. Anyway, let's move on to how these two devices can be used in traps.


Doj walked out with a small computer and two grenades, one CryoBan and one Thermite. He set down the computer and handed each grenade to Tanus.

"OK, now let's rap this up. You now know how to use both of these grenades in an industrial setting. Now its time to test them in a combat setting. CryoBan grenades work well against infantry units, as in humans and such, but they also make great droid neutralizers when ion weapons aren't available. They freeze the components in droids to temperatures well beyond safety zones, making them completely inoperable. Here, take this spade, and dig a hole; you know how to set them off by now so there's no real lecture beyond this. Just when you see the droid walking over the spot where you dug, set off the grenade."

Tanus grabbed the spade and started at a patch of earth roughly ten meters from where he was standing. He then set the CryoBan grenade to the frequency of the remote and put it in the ground, covering it with earth and patting the earth into place. Tanus then got back and waited for his target to arrive. It took several seconds, but from out of the shadows came an old B-2 super battle droid. The behemoth clanked forward, its arm cannon in the safety position. Tanus waited for it to step over the patch he had just dug... and hit the switch. The hiss of the agent releasing caused the droid to step back. Mist rose from the ground where the device went off, blanketing the ground in a bluish-white cloud of cold. When the mist cleared, the frozen husk of a once functional machine laid cold and dead at Tanus' feet. Doj walked over and examined the droid.

"Yeah, that droid won't be working anytime soon. But, we can always use it for scrap. Moving on, the Thermite detonator can be a great anti-personnel and anti-vehicle improv trap, because of its power. Think of it this way: the Thermite detonator is essentially what goes into a Golan Arms KE-6b mine, except its made with 'civilian' use in mind. But, we know that isn't always the case. I'm going to bring out another battle droid. Basically, do what you did for the CryoBan, but just set the remote to the detonators frequency. I'll bring out the droid once you're about 30 meters away or so."

Tanus went back to another patch of earth, doing what he did for the CryoBan grenade, and tuned the detonator to the frequency of the remote. Tanus stepped back and got behind a large rock and waited for the battle droid to come out. Seconds later, another SBD came out of the shadows and lurched forward, heavy footfalls leaving footprint in the earth. Tanus waited until the SBD was over the detonator, and pressed the button. The droid was swallowed in a massive fireball. When the smoke cleared, parts of the droid lay all over the ground, smoking at the joints. Doj walked forward, nodding.

"Excellent job, soldier. You passed the exam. With this knowledge, you shouldn't have that much trouble in the field now. Good luck and Godspeed."

Tanus saluted the man, and Doj returned it. Tanus then turned on his heel and headed back through the depot, immersing himself in the sites and sounds of war.

Fourth Story: COMPLETE
Tanus Solvona, CPL, CE in training

Definite Pass. This was well done, and actually was creative as opposed to some stories I've read recently. Great job.

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CPL Tanus Solvona/1SQD/2PLT/1CMP/1RGT/1BAT//VEA/VE
-Paladin-

+ Advance Recon Commandos {ARC} +

Level 2
Story 1

Luckystar, CPL
Squad Specialty Story: Combat Engineer
Story: Field Fortification

Luckystar was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering what kind of lesson the Field Fortification course would be. She had spoken to her mother Elena a few hours earlier. Her father was on a business trip somewhere on Onderon. She had been surprised by the quality of the TeleComm channel connection. She had expected it to be low-quality given the distance between Onderon and Tadath.

They had talked for what seemed like hours, having not seen or heard from each other in many years because of the bad times on Onderon. Luckystar mentioned her Field Fortification course, which made her mother ask a bunch of questions, most of which she could not answer. She didn't really know what it would be about. All she knew was that she had to build a temporary shelter, from materials she would find on the field. The goal was to make a sort of temporary shield . A few minutes later they said their good byes and good nights before Lucky cut the connection.

Luckystar was wondering what her mother was doing at the moment when her computer emitted a loud beeping sound. She took it off standby mode and pressed the screen's power button. In front of her was a message that had to do with the next day's course. It read :

To: Corporal Luckystar
From: Captain Melnick, CE Trainer
Object: Field Fortification Course

You are to report to the shipyards at 1100 hours tomorrow morning.  Failure to show up at the specified time will result in a failing mark.
Hope to see you shortly
Captain Melnick, CE Trainer

When Lucky finished reading this, she felt a knot form in her throat. What kind of work would he make her do? I will not screw up. I will not screw up she kept repeating to herself.

She quietly climbed back into bed, but only managed to doze as her stress level climbed a little higher. She woke up at 300 hours , wide awake and did not feel like she needed coffee . She slowly got out of bed, greeted R7 and started doing a quick military-style workout.  She knew it was early to begin the day, but she wanted to be ready

After downing a cup of coffee which she had decided to drink for the hell of it, she went down to the gym and did some weight training. Two hours later she headed back to her quarters , opened the door and opened a locker, which served as a temporary armoury. . She took out her armor and undersuit, and  laid them on a work table in the centre of her workroom. She headed towards the livingroom, took her datapad off its stand and looked at the clock. It read 094500 hours. She decided to head out to the shipyards (she did not like to be late), even though she knew she would be a little early.

She exited her quarters , entered the lock code on the door keypad and walked down the hall towards the bank of turbo lifts.  She entered the command to go to the main floor , and,two minutes later ,was heading out to the shipyards.

She walked across the compound to the area where the shipyards were located.  It was a vast area , but she found the spot where she was supposed to be in a very short amount of time. The area had been cleared of ship parts except for a few medium-sized mounds at the centre of the space. They were part of what was once a starship.  The instructor was standing in the middle of the piles of materials , waiting patiently for her .

She approached him slowly and wearily . Looking around her she was glad she had her armour on. The place looked like a real danger zone, but this she assumed was part of training. He saluted her and spoke up after what seemed to Lucky like an eternity.

"You are twenty minutes early, soldier." His face was blank, very much like all the instructors she had  in the past.

" I like that in a soldier. Well then let's get started." He clapped his hands together as he said these words and stood a few feet away from the nearest pile of shipwreck.  "The objective is to build a barricade strong enough to give you and your squad at least a few minutes of cover. You will have thirty minutes to build the barricade. You can start...Now!"

He started his chron., and stepped back off the site. She looked around her at what she had to work with. There were some fibreglass pieces, large slabs of armour plating and other components of a ship that could be very useful to her. She noticed a hole which looked like a crater . I can use that at my advantage  

She took a few large pieces of metal and laid them around the large uneven hole. Next, she cut them into smaller pieces with her vibroblade and jabbed them into the sides of the crater. She let a small gap at the back of her barricade, large enough to let a few soldiers in, yet small enough so that no vehicle could go through.

Next, she made the wall a little higher by attaching long slabs of metal on top of the ones already in place. She attached them with long, slim pieces of a tubular scrap of metal which she twisted quite easily for a perfect fit. She made sure the attachments were strong and that they wouldn't fall off if ever there was an attack on the makeshift shelter.

Aware that the minutes were ticking by , she went to the front of the barricade and started reenforcing it by first , putting a layer of fibreglass and a layer of metal afterwards.

"Fifteen minutes left!" shouted the instructor from one side of the debris field. Lucky quickly but efficiently finished putting the four layers of metal and fibreglass carefully and strategically placing a thick layer of Titanium -A armour plating over the front of the barricade.  She stepped back looked over her handiwork.

"Time's up!" shouted the instructor before walking over and looking at her work.

"Well" he said after a close and critical inspection. "It looks good , now let's see what it can stand up to."

With that he left her standing there while he went to get a Blaster Cannon which he set up and brought halfway across the field.

Lucky jogged towards hm and looked at the barricade again. From this distance it loooked all right to her.

"I'll launch a slug and we'll see if your barricade will crumple to the ground or if it will remain standing."

Lucky gulped as he loaded the Blaster, she stood back to leave him some firing room and looked  straight ahead. A few seconds later a Blaster Bolt was fired directly at the barricade's centre. Lucky watched with uneasiness as it hit the barricade dead centre.

When the smoke had dissipated they walked to the barricade and Captain Melnick carefully inspected the damage the bolt had caused. To her astonishment , there was only a long, shallow dent in the metal.

"I'm impressed" said the Captain. "I haven't seen a job so well done in quite awhile. , you're definitely ready ro move on into your training."

"Thank you, Sir" responded Lucky. She was surprised that she had done so well.

"You are dismissed" She nodded to the captain , then left the shipyards to go to her apartment.  Before heading to her apartment though, she went to the mess hall for a late lunch., before heading up and working on her armoury.

She undid her armour and undersuit, put them back in the locker, then studied up  on her next course which she learned would be Explosives Deployment.     

Yellow by request. You passed. Good job Lucky.



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TRP/CPL Luckystar/1SQD/2PLT/1COMP/1BAT/1RGT/ Tadath/VEAVE [ES1]

-Paladin-
To Embrace the Darkness is to bring about the Light

Level 2
Story 2

SGT, Luckystar
Squad Specllaty Story: Combat Engineer
Story: Explosives Deployment

Luckystar was studying on the general things to know if you’re gonna be using explosives. She had also studied volumes on how to make explosives (both solid and liquid) , what types of explosives there were and their uses. She heard a knock at her door. She went to answer it, saw it was only Alan. She invited him inside , they chatted a little and Alan helped her study for her next exam.

He left about an hour later. Lucky kept studying until her computer beeped , indicating a new message . The message was from her next trainer. He congratulated her for how great she had done on her last exam. And he gave her the details for this exam.

It was going to be in a rocky region a little ways away from the complex. She was to meet him there the next day at 900 hours. Wow, that’s early. Oh well.

That night she went to bed early, to get an early start on the trek to the spot where she would have her exam. She went to bed at 800 hours , and woke up at 400 hours in the morning.

She did a few exercises before filling a bottle full of ice-cold water and heading out. She knew it was very early, but she would stay in the complex until the time was 600 hours, then leave for her exam.

At about 5400 , she decided to leave and walked out of the cool lobby. The air was warm, and there was a light breeze. It was silent , you could easily hear a pin drop. She walked swiftly outside of the compound and headed to a shuttle that was waiting for her. She was to go to one of Tadath’s rocky regions.

On the short flight there, she quickly reviewed her notes , and talked a bit with the pilot. There wasn’t much else to do, given that the flight was short. An hour after lifting off from the Stormtrooper Corps complex, they saw where Lucky would have her exam.

It was a large, flat piece of land with a few small mountains, but many deep caves. The ship slowly descended, and as the ramp lowered itself, a man stepped out of one of the caves and waved to her. He looked very cheerful, too cheerful to be an instructor in her opinion.

After the pilot told her that he would be waiting on the other side of the valley, as to sustain no damage to his ship while she was passing her exam, she walked over to the smiling , middle-aged man, and firmly shook his hand.

They walked back to where he had come from. It was a small shallow cave-like hole. In it was a comfortable chair and a large screen holodisplay.

"I will be watching your progress from here. The place where you will do your exam is in a small , empty city a little ways away from here. There will be a few men watching your progress on site. Any questions?"

Lucky shook her head , speechless. She thought she would be doing it here. and her instructors had always been close to where she did her exams. Oh well .

She walked out of the instructor's makeshift viewing center and started walking towards the coordinates she had been given. She was in full armor , so it was very hot.

As she walked , she made sure she had all she needed. Mainly an array of Thermal Detonators.  She could hear creatures of the dry lands buzzing around her.

A half hour later she arrived to a small, deserted city. She knew what she had to do, so she set to work. She took out 2
Merr-Sonn Munitions Class-A thermal Detonators and 6 Merr-Sonn Munitions V-1 Thermal Detonators. She also grabs two Class-C Thermal Detonators.

The city was five miles wide and 10 miles long. Which was relatively small compared to some cities she had visited. Lucky walked toward the biggest building in the city and placed a
Merr-Sonn Munitions Class-A thermal Detonator at the east corner of the building. It would take put the three buildings nearest to it in addition to the building it was placed beside.

She ran as quickly as she could away from the designated buildings. according to the set time on the detonator she still had a minute left before it detonated.


When it fnally did, there was a small sonic wave which depleted her shields to 90 %. Next on her list was a few smaller buildings for which she used up all of her Merr-Sonn Munitions V-1 Thermal
Detonators.

There was only the seond largest building left to destroy. She jogged to it, avoiding the ruins that were left by the blasts. This one was four stories high. Which was half the size of the first building.

She went inside and planted her detonator on the second floor , in the middle of the hallway nearest the two most important stairwells. this last detonator was set to detonate in four minutes.

She ran out of the building and stopped when she was on its outskirts. She turned around just in time to see a plume of smoke , but mostly dust float up into the sunny sky.

She walked back to look at the damage she had caused , the building was no more. Its foundations were non-existent. Proud of her work, she walked back to the viewing center where her instrucor was waiting.

When she enetered, she noticed taht he wasn't sitting in his chair, but that he was in front of the screen with his back turned to it. on it, she could still see dust floating lazily away from the destruction.

He was smiling. She knew he was a smily person, but she wasn't sure why he was smiling this time.

"Well, you did exactly as you were instructed. That gives you a few more points than if you hadn't."

Not sure what that meant, she started to ak when he stopped her with his hand.

"You passed this exam."


Her face lit up with joy, and she permitted herself a small smile. “Good work, soldier.” he went over to her, and gave her a pat on the shoulder. "I’ll alert the pilot who brought you here to come and get you.”

She stood there, unable to move or say anything. A few minutes passed, and she heard the sound of the small ship approaching. She turned around, just in time to see it land, and lower its access ramp.

She quickly jogged aboard, and sat in the co-pilot’s seat. “Congrats” said the pilot. She just nodded, still unable to believe that she had passed, exhausted she fell asleep, and only woke when she felt the engines rumble , and the ship descend. She opened her eyes to see the Stormtrooper Complex coming closer and closer.

Finally, the engines died, the pilot lowered the ramp , waved while saying “See you nest time.” She did not have the energy to reply, so she just walked out of the ship , and to her barracks. There, she went to her apartment and plopped on her bed, instantly falling asleep.

You passed. Much better use of explosives. Not quite detailed, but you at least know which explosives there are and what they can do. The beginning still felt a little blocky and stiff, so try to work on it sounding smoother next time.

Level 3
Story 1

SGT Luckystar

Squad Specialty Story: Combat Engineer
Story: Bridging and Rigging

Lucky knew this one was going to be complicated. She knew exactly what she had to do, but she was afraid of what the results would be. Today, in four hours to be precise. She would be having her Bridging and Rigging exam. She couldn’t wait, she loved challenges.

For this specific one though, if possible, she planned to do her bridge over a ravine. She put a few things she would possibly need in a pack, which she slung over one shoulder before heading out of her apartment.

She stood outside the Stormtrooper complex , and while she waited for the shuttle, she opened her pack and made sure she had everything. The items it contained included : Fusion cutters, a vibroblade , a blowtorch and a portable weldin ggun.. She knew most of these items were considered primitive, but they were very reliable.

There was a whirring sound that could be heard as the shuttle slowed and came to a stop in front of her. The door opened to reveal a Wookie driving the vehicle. She smiled at him and sat in the front seat, at the right side of the vehicle.

As the shuttle sped silently away from the complex, lucky wondered what kind of challenges this exam would pose.  Sure, there’s be the part where you’d have to try and pass over either a precipice or a hole full of matter. But still....she liked to wonder what lies ahead of her.

They turned out onto a rocky road, where it led them, she was going to find out soon enough. They rode on for a few minutes before the shuttle stopped and the driver opened the door. He motioned to her to get out. She assumed her stop was here.

She climbed down from the shuttle and started walking towards the woods, which were right in front of them. A strong, mean- looking man was waiting for her there. He didn’t say anything. Just nodded , turned around and started walking away.  Lucky hastily  followed him into the dense woods.

They soon came to a clearing , and in that clearing was situated a deep ravine and scattered all around them werre bits and pieces of what was once a brdige. Now all that remained were the front and back ends of it. What was missing was the middle parts. "Your job today soldier , is to reconstruct this bridge. Or atleast make it so a squad and an AT-ST can pass over it."

He moved away , and she guessed she could begin. She  started by going under the pieces that remained standing , and looking at the state of the supports. When she saw the level of damage they had, which was quite minimal , she decided that it was a good sign.

Going back up the steep incline to where the bridge pieces were lying , she took a piece that measured a fair size and a metal plate , went back down to where she had been standing a few minutes previously , and welded the two pieces of support together before putting the plate in place and using the fusion cutters to make it stay in place.

Once she was satisfied with the results, she set her mind on putting the metal supports back together with the welding gun.  as she worked wit hthe gun , strengthening the pieces with the welding torch as she assembled the supports piece by piece , she started to look at the spots where the few concrete pieces went.

Once she located the metal sections for the plating  on the still-hot supports, she grabbed a concrete block and aligned the pieces of metal from the block to the correct side of the supports and fused them together.

When all of the bridge's concrete parts were well in place and the supports had cooled, she got the thick pieces of wood taht would complete the bridge.  using some old technology she had brought with her, she took a portable drill and a box of screws , clipped them to her belt and went down under the bridge one more to locate the holes where the screw would be put in.

After about five minutes of doing this , she was satisfied with her search and went back up. she grabbed a long , thick piece of wood and stepped on the recently-fitted concrete slabs.

She aligned the slab of wood, and omce it was positioned correctly atop the supports, she drilled the screws in wit hthe drill.  A few minutes later, the baord was securely in place and she tested its strength by putting her full weight on it.

She did the same thing with all the other wooden pieces, and was finished an hour later. Her bridge looked allright. It was quite strong , and no pieces of metal were sticking out or getting in their way. She looked toward where the instructor was standing and signaled to him that she was done.

He nodded, but didn't aproach her. Instead  he spoke into a handheld radio , and a few minutes later , the ground shook as an AT-ST approached. It stepped onto the bridge and walked across without any problems. The wood had softened a bit after it had passed over it, but nothing else seemed wrong with it.

The instructor finally approached, looked at what she had managed to do , and simply nodded his approval. he made a hand gesture which signaled taht she was dismissed.  with growing frustration , she walked back to where the shuttle had dropped her off and waited a few minutes before it reappeared.

On the ride back to base ,  it was a different Officer who was driving, but they didn't speak to each other. Once back at the complex, she went to the squad barracks , enetred her small apartment and switched on her computer. A message popped-up as the modem started up. It was about her lesson , she had passed. With a sigh of relief, she checked for any new messages , shut down the computer, and went straight to bed without bothering about a meal.

Much better. You pass. There were some errors in grammar and things here and there, but the info you needed to show was all there. Plus, it seemed feasible.

Baretz Sonok PFC
Course: Heavy Weapons Specialist
Story: Indirect Fire Operations

    I arrived at the training facility at the correct designated time of O-Seven Hundred.  I walked inside, and saw that my instructor was already standing, anticipating my arrival.  So, I walked to him, offering a salute, and stood in front of him, at attention.

“Are you ready, Private?”

“Sir, Yes, Sir.”

“Then suit up.”

    I strode forward to the virtual simulator that was placed in a cornor of the room, and I took a seat, strapping myself into the body covering apparati and, lastly, adorning the helmet, and the sensors automatically locking in on my temples and over my eyes. 
   
    Within moments my senses and mental person submerged into the virtual realism that my exam would be conducted in.  I stood on a war tattered planet, most of the forests around me still remained, but on the nearest horizon I could see fallen trees and bodies.  The radioed command from my instructor came to me.

“In two minutes the scouts aiming circle will fall upon the designated moving force, it is up to you to anticipate the strike, and drop artillery in front of them, or the infantry will surely be killed without a chance.”

    I hustled to the  artillery control unit, and it had been preset coordinations, that streamed across the Field Operative’s helmet.  The two minutes passed, and I prepared to alter the azimuth and elevation of the sights.  Right on time.

“Azimuth, Negative Two point three degrees.  Elevation, Positive, One degree. “

“Affirmative.”

    I responded, then punched in the new angles on the control panel.  Each of the five artillery pieces responded by correcting to the left two point five degrees, and raising by one degree.  It seemed like a small misfire, but at the range of several kilometers it made a very large difference.

“Units on the move, abort fire, moving forty three kmph, thirty degrees south of west.”

“Affirmitave.”

    I pulled up the holographic imaging from my helmet, and looked at the terrain.  To hit a spot five kilometers from their current location the elevation would be changed by two degrees, and the azimuth would have to change twenty three point four degrees, almost the edge of the parallel firing sequence capable by the artillery unity.

    I punched in the new sequence, and waited enough time to allow them to be under the fire when it was falling, and then my finger confirmed the firing sequence on the screen, and the noise suppression on my helmet activated, as each of the five artillery pieces rocketed the explosive shells high into the planet’s atmosphere, just to have them crashing down on the earth, and, hopefully, the enemy convoy.

    The FO was provided with a light land speeder to keep up with the designated targets, but he had to maneuver around the forest line to stay out of their direct line of site.  So, once he arrived I would get a confirmation on hit, or a word of my failure.

    I had time to roll all the lessons through my head, thinking to see if I forgot anything.  I hadn’t, to my knowledge; I was one of the top students on all the paper tests that were given.  The artillery that had been provided already corrected for wind resistance and any moisture in the air that could slow down the shells.

    Moments passed, I doubted myself, for a moment, and I hated the doubt, but when the voice wrang through all doubt left my mind.

“All targets disabled, requesting second volley to silence living soldiers, and demolish disabled enemy vehicles.”

    I sighed with relief

“Roger.”

    My hand happily hit the fire command once more, and the sound of the vicious volley was dulled down once more. I dropped my head low with a sigh, and the false world disappeared from existence as I removed the helmet and suit.  I stood up to face my instructor once more.

“Good Work, Private.”

    I have to be one of the luckiest guys in the Stormtrooper Corps.  Something loves me…a lot.  Not to mention the limitless possibility I have, I mean luck and talent, what a combo?

Well done as well, seemed short, but then I know this is one of the limited subject material topics in the Heavy Weapons field.  Not much you can do with it unless you repeat the same stuff over.  Passed, your next one, Precision Range Shooting should give more content possibilites, good luck.

Baretz Sonok PFC
Range & Vector Calculation

Once again I found myself with a projectile sniper rifle on my shoulders, an attachable bipod underneath.  I was just starting my exam for Range and Vector Calculation.  My eyes were fixed on the target, and the scope I had had the reading scale.  I had a laser on it, that would give me the exact range, but I was suppose to calculate the range myself, first.  So, I read the marks on the scope.  The bars on the scope measured the chest width of the target, and for every bar that could cover from shoulder to shoulder it ranged approximately One Hundred Ten Meters.  The current target could be covered almost entirely by the second, so I wrote down my estimate at One Hundred Ninety Meters, and then I calculated the angle from which the shot would be taken.  This shot solid .50 cal projectiles.  So, the angle from which to take the shot would have a lot to do with drop. 

A fifty caliber bullet moves four thousand feet per second, so the drop is relatively small, when compared to shooting smaller powered projectiles, but it is still relevant, but very small relevancy at two hundred meters, if I fired straight from the bipod it would be aimed at the target’s knee, and would probably hit him in the tendon just under it.  So, I tilted the gun upward toward the brim of the target’s helmet, so that the bullet would fall in the middle of the target’s eyes with the yellow protective goggles being useless.

I then punched the angle onto the datapad, and hit enter.  The angle was called 0 degrees when straight, and adjusted up to ninety for shooting straight into the air, but no shot would ever be taken at that angle, lest a ship were flying over head, and if that were the case, well, I don’t think you’d get a good shot off, but who knows.

I called the angle eleven degrees, and then once I had entered the information, and lined the shot up once more, my finger leased the bullet towards the hologram target, and just as I suspected in a mere instant the head was relieved from the body, and the body was sent flying backwards before it dissipated from existence.  I then hit the laser, as the target appeared back, and the digital reading came across my vision at 

“…196m….13°.....”

I was within allowed error, so, the shot counted, and the vector and range calculation counted.  Each target appeared further back, and eventually I had found myself facing a target that was at the peak of the scopes limits, and I could barely see his head, hidden by a steel wall, I figured, if I missed this shot, I’d still pass, but I wanted the extra say so of being able to say that I hit the impossible shot in the testing center.  It wasn’t a fair range, we had knowledge that the end of the range was located one hundred seventy meters away.  Fifty caliber rounds could go just about that far before losing effectiveness and velocity quickly, but the shot was within the one second limit, the conversion left a bullet traveling approximately 1219 meters per second, so, I could shoot the bullet on a flat plain at head level to me, and it would land that far away, with no wind resistance.  This shot was going to be taken to the north, and synthetic wind was traveling thirty four miles per hour north west, so I was going to have to turn the shot to the right some, and if you were looking through my scope, you’d ask me, what the hell am I shooting at nothing for.

I aimed the shot an entire two meters high of the head that stuck out over the synthetic wall, and just a hair to the right, the head rested near the bottom left of my scope, and I punched the angle in at twenty one degrees, having gotten better at the angles each time I typed one in, and typed in the range at 1.64km.  I realigned the shot to spec, and closed my eyes one last time, as I held my breath.  My finger squeezed, and the head disappeared, and a voice echoed through my helmet

“Excellent Shot, Soldier.  Uploading Phase two.”

The world around me morphed, I was still lying prone, but I was on top of a mountain, the projectile rifle had been replaced with a mortar cannon, folded up, and three mortar shells lined my belt.  Mortars were a lot harder to learn to place in the correct vector, but they all had the guide markers at the base, and the swivel for angels on the frames.  He had three chances to hit whatever target it maybe.  The maximum range on a mortar is reached at a forty five degree angle, enough arch, highest peak, and more room to fall.  The maximum range on the given mortar was just over six kilometers in no wind environments.

With these facts in mind, I looked for the target and it was three point one kilometers away.  It was placed in a mathematically simple angle, and the wind in the area was nonexistent, this wouldn’t be as hard as I had originally anticipated that it might be, but it was showing knowledge for bombing at that range, even though guided missiles, strafing via ship, or orbital bombardment were usually used first. 

I set the  angle to sixty two point five degrees, and lined up the shot with the target.  I smiled at this, and bit my lip.  In every situations that weren’t at max range there were two correct shots, each being the same number plus or minus forty five lest obstructions be in the way, which is why adding the number was used more often than not. 

I thumbed the button, making sure one last time everything was okay, and then my thumb pushed the plunger to the igniter, and the mortar rocketed high into the air, and reigned fire down on the target, and I was happy with my accuracy.

“Only took you one shot, good.”

I heard the voice of my instructor, and then the world faded back to true realism, and once again I took the sensors from my body, so I could return to the barracks, and prepare for the next lessons.

Well done, concepts shown, details.  Passed as well.  Keep the good work up.

Level 3
Story 2

SSGT  Luckystar

Squad Specialty Story: Combat Engineer
Story: Construction Skills

Lucky woke up early the morning of her next Specialty exam and decided to eat a breakfast very high in nutrition. Her exam would take place in one of the simulation rooms this time, and she couldn’t wait to start. Next she did her usual military workout before heading two floors down to the floor where the simulations took place.

Once the turbo-lift doors opened, on the simulation floor, she headed to the receptionist’s desk which was located at the very end of the corridor. As she walked, she noted the two rows of doors which lined the hallway. The plaques beside them told her the numbers of the simulation rooms. There were thirty in total.

When she reached the desk, the receptionist gave her a smile which looked like it could be used in one of those  Colgate commercials.

“How can I help you?” she asked Lucky.

“I have an exam in sim room 10.” Lucky replied in turn.

“You can go right in. The instructor for that exam should be with you shortly.”

Lucky thanked her and walked to room 10. She felt like she was at a doctor’s appointment or something. This was different than the simulation she had done with her squad once. Once in front of the door, she punched in her security code and walked in. She looked around the room, it was dark and had a large screen at the front. There were a few rows of seats with some gear to interact with objects on the screen.

She took a seat in the first row and waited for her instructor to arrive. Luckily she didn’t have to wait long. Five minutes later, a man in his mid-fifties walked through the door , and looked around the room, before setting his eyes on her.

“So, you’re the Trooper I’ll be training?” Lucky simply nodded, not wanting to say anything in fear that she would sound stupid.

“Great! Let’s get to it then shall we?”

And just like that, she would begin her exam. She seated herself in the third row, and put on the interactive equipment, while the instructor was logging into a computer and setting up the simulation.
A small screen winked on in her visor, at the same time , the same image appeared on a much larger screen at the front of the room. Her goal was to fix one of the items there on the screen that needed fixing. Her choices were : a bridge, a facade and a small shelter of which the armour on it had gone out of existence, and in other places was damaged. She chose to fix the facade.

It had a long , deep dent in the middle , the sides were shrivelled a bit as though the metals used on it had been fried , and it looked as though it was going to collapse at any minute. She walked towards it , and looked around her. Right behind it , was a deep trench and in it were scattered pieces of metal.

She made her character walk forwards and interact with the objects. The computer whirred , but that’s all you heard in the room. That , and her steady breathing. With one gloved hand , she reached forward and took pieces of metal that she thought would be useful before making her simulated self walk back and look in a pack for the tools that she would need.

She took , a welding gun , some pliers and a hammer out of the pack and set them beside her while she zipped up the pack. When all her tools were with the spare , metal parts , she began sorting them by size and damage percentage.

When she was finished, she had three piles in front of her. She started with the pile that had the biggest pieces: she would weld them to the facade to strengthen it. With those pieces , she strengthened the back and made some structural adjustments so that it would stand better on the ground.

Next , came the medium-sized pieces of metal. With those, she mainly used to strengthen the front of the facade , but she also used some to provide support to some of the bigger pieces.

Finally came the pile that had the smallest pieces. She would use those pieces to reinforce the shrivelled sides , and to cover the bigger holes.

Once she had welded everything , she waited for the little wisps of smoke to dissipate before truly admiring her work. She found taht it looked good.

“Take off the equipment” the man instructed her. She had forgotten where she was , and was startled when he had first spoken. The screens in her visor winked out , and she took off the headset , the gloves and all the other interactive components.

The man looked at some data on the screen of a computer terminal at the other side of the room. Lucky sat and waited for him to speak. After what seemed like an eternity to her , he dismissed her.

She walked out of the sim room , her face covered in sweat, but she was smiling. She wa sproud of the work she had done in there. She started walking away , when the receptionist at the other end of the hall called her.

She walked towards her, wondering if there was anything wrong. The friendly receptionist motioned for her to take a seat , and Lucky did so , not knowing what was to come.  Five minutes later , her instructor walked out of a room and into the hall. She jumped out of her seat and saluted crisply as he approached her.

“At ease” he said as he held out his hand , smiling.

“I wanted to congratulate you personally. You did great work in there”

“Thank you , Sir!” said Lucky , not daring herself to believe what she was hearing.

He dismissed her , and she walked out of the wing and headed to the mess hall for a weel-deserved lunch.

Haven't been able to read your writting for a while, but you clearly improved tremendously since I last read one of your posts.  Still room for improvement as always for everyone, but passes nonetheless.  Don't be afraid to be creative and have a little fun with them.

Baretz Sonok PFC
Weapons and Electronic Repair
Military Electronics Repair



“When in a tight situation and the blast door protecting you from squads of the Republic’s soldiers has malfunctioned, someone needs to be able to repair the door, and make sure your unit is safe until needed to engage the threat.  That is what this course if for.  If a comlink brakes it will render you alone amongst all of our troopers, and you have to fix it to provide most efficient battle tactics.  This is a course that will make sure that we are never on the losing end of a fight because of outside circumstances such as faulty wiring in comlinks, door malfunctions, or any other random occurrences that could happen in a battle situation.  Good luck, Soldiers.” 


This entire course made me dizzy from all the eye rolling I might have been doing, but I did it, none the less.  I felt like a highly dangerous…janitor.  It took every ounce of my being to not ask why we didn’t have them in our squads already, but I didn’t.  With every day that passed during the course I did gain the knowledge, how comlinks could short out when ion waves passed through them via blaster, grenade, or just randomly.  It was easy to restart a comlink at that point, all that had to be done was simply opening the thing up, pulling out the main unit, and then replacing it, and it allowed the energy to flow through it again, upon releasing the ions trapped inside of it.  The same thing could be said with most droids, when shut down with an ion blast, all that had to be done was to remove the power core, and replace it, but I was no where near the technician to do anything, but the most basic of battle droids, and the lowest maintenance droids.  I couldn’t even begin to start any sort of maintenance to an astromech, or anything of that grade.

When blast doors malfunctioned the most common reason was a stray blaster bolt, and then all that had to be done was to reconnect the wires with the small portable saudering guns we were provided in our repair kits.  Then, it should be, at least, functional afterwards. 

Somehow, I still felt all this random repair knowledge was somehow useless, but I’ve been wrong before.  Not often, mind you, but I have been wrong.  In a combat situation would I really have the time to do these quick field repairs on things?  In the heat of a fire fight, I’d not want to be the guy standing behind to fix a door.  Necessity would  be the guideline.  Did the door need to be fixed now to provide a tactical advantage, or could it be dealt with later?  All of these questions were able to be interpreted personally, and that was the only deciding factor in battle.


So, I showed up the last day of this course, for my final exam on the subject, and I was thankful that it was so close to ending.  I wore both the wiring kit and repair kit on my belt, and walked into class, it was all they told us to come with today.  I walked inside, and took a seat at the large workbench, in front of my instructor, and he nodded his head, and then pointed towards a battle ready E-Web blaster, and I stood up.

“Imminent danger is approaching you and your squad, and your E-Web has suddenly stopped firing.  The enemy isn’t able to be seen, and its your only chance at keeping them pinned down enough not to be overwhelmed.”

Given the course, I had a good idea where to start.  Working on the E Web blaster would have been considered Arms Repair, but the E-Web’s generator that was hooked up under it was exactly the kind of thing that was going to test every knowledge I had of military grade equipment repair.  These were the kind of repairs that didn’t make me feel like a janitor.  I felt like the same artist I had referred to prior, mixing and refining a blend of materials just so that my self expression could be rendered in such a more spectacular way. 

I dropped to my knees, and opened both kits; the tool kit to my left and the wiring kit to my right.  I flipped out the long hydrospanner, and a flat metal rod.  My right hand drove the rod into the metal plate on the front of the generator, and popped off the protective durasteel shielding.  I kept the hydrospanner close, and positioned the small saudering gun close to it.  I checked the inside of the generator, and all the coils looked to be in shape, but I made sure to look every centimeter of it over.  I then shifted my view upwards towards the top of the generator coils, and just where the coils came together and ran upwards into the E Web.  The thing had been fired without cease, and had strained the generator, causing it to overheat, and the heat had separated the three now loose ends.  I also was taught to expect with any overheating device, that the coils probably needed a jump of some sort.  So, I also took the small back up generator from the wiring kit, it was a wonderfully designed mini-generator that looked a lot like the defibulators  medics carried, but this was to revive machines, not people.  I hooked it to either coil, and let it begin charging, while I worked.

I, quickly, picked up the saudering gun, and lifted it to the wires, in a matter of seconds I had reconnected the three of them, and they were making a full circuit.  I then replaced the saudering gun into the repair kit, and pressed the ‘share’ button on the mini generator.  The electricity could almost be felt as the massive amount of stored energy was released into the large generator, and I would the take the insulated gloves to remove both hook ups.  I then stood up, flipping the E-Web back into the ready position, and it powered up as hoped.  All I could do was nod my head with the silent appreciation for the skill I had resented at the beginning of this course. 

“Good Job, Private Sonok, I have a feeling your going to cause the Republic a lot of hell.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

I had passed the last repair exam, and, reluctantly, I have to admit that they are all useful skills to have.  I’m glad I know all of them, and I don’t see why I was so blind to the facts when I first began the course, but I suppose everyone has to make a stupid assumption once in their lives.

Excellent work, love some of the hints of sarcasm in there, and the development of your character from reluctant to accepting.  Passed.

Baretz Sonok PFC
Weapon Systems
Integrated Combined Arms Fire Control Placement

“Troopers, there are hundreds of weapons in this galaxy, and it’d be a shame to limit yourself to using only one at a time.  Sometimes wielding two weapons simultaneously can yield a greater result than wielding one, but never sacrifice quality for quantity.  If you have a sufficient weapon for a given task, then do not cut your accuracy to wield two weapons at once, if it cuts into the accuracy you have with your main weapon.  If you’re in a tight situation wielding two weapons might be necessary to suppress all the units around you, or even to kill multiple opponents at once.  Two blaster pistols are the most well known weapon to use two of in one situation, but other weapons can be used, this way.  Two light repeaters can be used at the same time, if supported by your legs, and you will achieve twice the firepower, however some accuracy will be lost, but not enough to completely forget about the possibility.  One light repeater and a blaster pistol is a great combination, as well.  The repeater could be used to fire suppression and the pistol to sight out enemies and pick them off.  Blaster Rifles can be used only if you have the strength in your arms to keep both straight enough not to be totally inaccurate.  You’ll learn a great number of techniques to provide you with an edge, be sure to keep them in mind, troopers. “

Finally, another field test virtual simulation.  I loved these things, they put me right into the fray of battle, allowing me to have actual field practice without actually having to risk my life to do so. I was already strapped up, and being loaded in.  It was a solo mission this time, no squad to speak or think of, and I was in the middle of a almost coverless planet, with only large boulders every ten meters or so jutting up from the ground.  I was full dressed in the Stormtrooper attire, and making my way gradually towards an extraction point.

The back story was that our squad had gotten split up in a fire fight with a crime syndicate whom was using gorilla warfare from small caverns that lead all through the underside of the planet, because the native species dwelled beneath the planet’s surface.  The empire had sent in diplomats to work out a deal for buying resources, but the crime syndicate wanted to move in on the planet first, so to protect our investments we were sent in to solve the dispute by force, but the Syndicate had a greater knowledge of those caverns, and out numbered our five man squad five to one, at least. 

I moved at a hustle pace, we were all to meet up at a specific coordinate, and by some unbelievable means, our coms were all completely jammed.  Two blaster rifles were in my hand; a T-21 Rifle and an E-11 /H Heavy Blaster Rifle.  With each hurried footstep, my eyes swept back and forth through my vision.  It was night time on this planet now, and my night vision lit up the entire arid surface to a dull green.  Several times I almost unleashed fire on skittering creatures, but I managed not too.  The hike from my coordinates was another standard hour worth of walking, and occasionally I heard broken com attempts, but they always sounded little more than buzzes and white noise.

In the distance I could see the tree line starting to rise, when I reached it there was only forty five minutes worth of walking to do, and we’d be home free to meet up with the ship to take us off world, and regroup. 

Hope never lasts.  As soon as I got to closer I could see the faces of a group of gang members, but they weren’t able to see me yet, either they weren’t provided necessary night time equipment, or they were sent there to die, either case I didn’t have much to worry about.  I corrected my pace to keep me in line of sight of as few as possible.  I held up each blaster pressing each stock to my shoulder, and lining up each shot approximately to the lower left of the two creature’s faces that I could see, and then I pulled off the burst fire shot, and slowly turned right to drag each shot over their faces, and each one would fall with the plasma burn through their heads.  I had activated the sound enhancement, and I could hear the squeaking of Rodian voices on the other side of the trees, and I quickly moved inside the forest, for the cover it provided.

I could hear the scuffling of the underbrush, and I estimated four more people, roughly.  Two taking forward positions towards me, and two remaining back turning on flashlights.  I assumed they were mounted on the rifles, where scopes would be, so I didn’t have to worry about getting picked off between my armor slats, as much.  I kneeled low, as carefully as possible, and slowly slid my head out behind the tree, activating the lowlight vision, so the flashlights wouldn’t utterly blind me.

I held one rifle around the left side of the tree, and the other to mirror it.  I spotted one of the creatures moving towards me, and waited to see his buddy, but the first was closing in quicker than I had hoped, and I had to take the shot, and move further through the trees.  The T-21 rattled off a single shot putting a bottle cap sized whole through his head, and searing his wound closed, blaster fire rained towards my position, and I sprung to my left, deeper into the forest.  I landed on my side, and quickly turned over, remaining prone, under a small bush, after positioning underneath it.  My breath was heavy, but with the com toggled off, it would not be transmitted out of my helmet. With the lowlight vision on, and none of them moving closer to me, that I could hear, everything had gotten almost pitch black, only a smoky outline for most of the trees.  My wrists moved, holding the stock of the guns atop my shoulders, and grasping the triggers with my fingers, I inched through the forest, my eyes still aimed where they were coming from. 

I figured I could take all three of these guys out without much of a hassle, but I couldn’t be sure they didn’t have more people.  I also knew that my armor would protect me from the majority of their blaster shots, but if they did manage to hit one spot several times, it’d eventually brake through.  It had come down to debate how to take these three on, and I was never one for an argument with myself, the first idea came to take them out, and I was going to risk it, I didn’t have time to lie here and think. 

Pure instinct took over, the fear of being killed swarming the mind, and then refocused to a passion for life and hatred of my unknown enemy.  I got up slowly, and flipped night vision back on.  I leaned from behind the tree, and took aim at the brightest spot, that was concealing my vision.  The light faded as the blot had been sent through the flashlight, and into the chest of the man carrying it.  I then spun into the open blasters on both arms, and I pulled the triggers rapidly only half aiming around the other lights, and soon after the flurry of shots, the other two’s bodies pooled on the ground.  I looked down, and a large grey blemish was held on the left of my chest plate.  I had been hit, but only once.  I’d never of done that if I hadn’t been wearing the armor, but, regardless, I had faced down four to my one, and I started my long hustle through the forest, but in my movement, my foot came up and hit a metal object, and the vision seemed to have messed up, but I realized the course was over, and I got up dropping my helmet onto the seat, and looked to my instructor, he nodded his head, and smiled.

“You did quite well with those two rifles, better the first time through than any I’ve seen since I’ve given the course.”

“Thank You, Sir.”

“Dismissed.”

I didn’t respond, I simply took a pace towards the door, towards my barrack, I was nearing the completion of my classes, and a small smile danced over my lips in excitement, for that very fact.  I knew I’d start more classes once I was finished, but every success deserves private celebration.

My bad about the delay in your grade.  This one was extremely well done, and not only details the topic, it explains it clearly an in not complete jargon.

LCPL Baretz Sonok
Light Weapons Qualification

SSR-10 Squad Support Rifle – Giovanni.12-11
DL-87 Deck Clearing Blaster – Riqimo. 2-10
BlasTech A280 Blaster Rifle – Myself.  6-6


It was my first qualification exam, and I was antsy.  Not able to contain my jittery excitement.  I had performed my morning run, taken a shower, and did all of my morning hygenics; shave, brush teeth, do, etc.  Still, I was looking forward to the test, and I wondered which weapons my SL and PL would choose for me.

I walked through the base to the simulation training center, and walked past all the normal doors to the door that said “Exam Room.”  My hand reached forward and turned the knob, and the excitement in my face was suppressed immediately.  Professional, I kept thinking. 

“There you are, Soldier.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“We’re already for you to go.  Suit up.”

I walked to the simulation suit and helmet once again, attaching all the pieces to my body, and in record time.  In a matter of minutes all the wires and armor was attached to me, and I sat ready to walk forward into the false reality once again.


I opened my eyes after a slow pause waiting for my nerves to calm, and I appeared on a mountain ridge.  From my position to the side of a small base appeared to be one kilometer, approximately.  I checked my right hand, and it held the weapon, I had chosen.  The A280 Blaster Rifle it was known to be the best armor piercing blaster available, and I had never had an opportunity to use it prior to today, so I would see what damage it could do.  My left hand moved to where a sidearm would normally be, and it latched around the thick handle of a gun, and I brought it up in front of me, examining it.

I noticed it as the DL-87 Deck Clearing Blaster, as it was dubbed.  It fired shots like a projectile shotgun.  In a forty five degree angle with it’s back edge in the middle of the barrel of the gun everyone inside that arc for ten meters would be hit. 

I then reached to my back, and pulled the rifle in front of me, it took me a second long to remember it, because it wasn’t in my last course, because it wasn’t made or used readily among any major enemies, but in my private reading I had seen it, and this made me grin, widely.  It was the SSR-10 Squad Support Rifle.  It was a sniper rifle, scope already attached.  The zoom on this scope could go up to twenty times magnification, and the rifle could shoot upwards of two kilometers before the bolts were rendered ineffective. 

The com transmission came through, and I paused replacing my weapons where they were, but keeping the SSR-10 out. 

“You are raiding the base that you have, more than likely, seen in the distance.  Your mission is to kill all resistance and take their leader, a twi’lek, into custody.  Approximately, fifty soldiers are inside this building, and you have a datapad with an encryption to shut down security, but to upload it you have to get to the main control room which is on the east wing of the building.  Good Luck, Soldier.”

I checked the energy cells on my belt, and I had two refills for the DL-87 and one for the A280, but the SSR-10 I had none, but the twenty shots I got with it should be sufficient.

I didn’t even move from my position, only lowered myself to one knee placing my left elbow on my right, elevated knee, for support, and dropped the barrel of the SSR-10 into my left palm, and placed my right hand around the handle, and, more specifically, my index finger over the trigger.  This thing could rip a full suited Stormtrooper in half at a kilometer and a half, so my guesses led me to believe, that at a kilometer whatever ground troops I saw were easy pickins.    I didn’t shoot the first three patrols, that I saw.  I let them walk their entire circles, just so I could spot entrance, exit, and most concealed places they moved. 

The second patrol came five minutes after the first, and on the opposite side of the building, and the third came at the same time.  I felt, in my gut, that I was missing a clear fact.  I zoomed the scope back out to five times, rather than ten, and scanned the area.  Then it was obvious, what my gut was telling me.  I had missed three crow’s nests.  Two guards were in each one, and three flash canisters sat at their feet.  I watched them all, waiting to see them speak into their coms, and soon enough it happened, and they replaced it to their side.  I took my first shot, and didn’t wait to confirm the kill moving to the second soldier in the nest with them, and squeezed the shot off.  I then swung to the nest nearest, and fired the same two shots, and repeated it for the third, as well.  Six down and I moved east to take a look at the base from a different angle, it would take me out of view of two of the nests, and probably one of the patrol routes, so my position wouldn’t be as well known, but if I didn’t get in soon they’d know I was here before I wanted them too.  The first patrol came again, and I assumed the same kneeling position and fired the shot towards his unsuspecting right, uncovered eye. 

The shot went through and he fell, just where I wanted him to, it was just after the first turn on the patrol route, and another could round the corner before they saw him, and then I’d take the next shot.  I then moved my sight to the second patrol route, and five minutes later, like clock work, the next patrol came around, and this one was going to be tricky.  With my changed position, it placed a wall in front of him, after his first turn, and then for his third turn I had a shot as he passed between buildings, and I lined the shot up, waiting for his head to pass through my sights, and soon enough it did.  I shot, and the superior bolt seared through the armor covering each ear, and would open them up as they passed through causing a millisecond headache before his life blinked out of existence.  I continued moving to get a better position for the third patrol, that was out of my sights, currently, and I came around seeing one more crow’s nest.  I didn’t wait this time, they had their scope out, browsing the hillside, and I took a shot right through the middle of one’s scope giving him a new nostril that connected to the back top of his spine.  The next shot took longer to line up, as the body had fallen to cover the man from my view, and I saw a foot move towards the flash canister, and I turned my head closing my eyes, and moving straight.  I turned back three seconds later, aiming and taking a shot at the man whom was angled right at me.  My shot went first, and I had hastily shot, hitting him in the right shoulder, so he gun was dropped from the pain, and I fired the follow up shot, through his left pectoral muscle, and he dropped.  It broke his heart that I shot first, I’m sure of it.

I angled for the next patrol now, and he was just coming from the door, and I took the shot early, in my adrenaline fueled state of mind, but he did fall to the ground.  I was moving in now.  I quickly hustled to the second patrol door, swapping the SSR-10 to the DL-87, and I made my way through the hallway.  I found the guard post it housed five men, and I quickly slammed back around the corner with my back to the wall.  My chest heaved with a sigh and I ran around the corner towards them, and, apparently they hadn’t been alerted to my approach, prior.  I got within fifteen feet of them, made sure my gun was pointed towards the center of them, and I fired.  The DL-87 sent shots in every direction, and each of the weak armored guards fell, at least, wounded.  I made short work of them, moving to them, and stomping on their chins, towards their shoulders, and snapping the necks of the ones whom survived the shot, and then I looked over the weapons, and none of them had energy cells that would fit any of my weapons, so I moved on down the hallway.  I took the A280 out in my right hand, and held the DL-87 in my left.  I moved towards the control room, which was said to be positioned on the east wing, which is why I picked this side of the building for my entrance.  I saw a blast door, and figured what I was looking for was on the other side of it.  I ran up to it, and then backed up to the wall across from it.  Duracreet walls were behind me, so I could only strafe left to right.  I had the A280 on my shoulder pressed back.  The DL-87 was pointed towards the middle of the door. 

I waited there for twenty minutes before the doors open, and two men in lab coats opened it.  The DL-87 went off as soon as the air compressors went off, and the men had fallen before anyone realized what was going on.  My A280 zipped across the room, as I marched in, and two guards on either side of the room righted to point their guns at me, but with a shot ninety degree spin, and a second shot I was able to subdue their blasts.  I then saw the five other scientists, and I tongue toggled my com to let my voice be heard.

“Everyone line up there. “  I barked with the static chaser on my voice.

They  were, obviously, frightened and willing to follow my every command, and when they lined up, I stood five meters in front of them, and fired towards the center, they were all killed by the shot from the DL-87 in my left arm, and I then placed it back on my left side harness.  I then moved my hand around towards my back to get the datapad out of the airtight locking pocket, and I then ran wires to the computer, and hit the appropriate buttons for it to run the security program.  Soon enough, the blast doors through out the building would be all reset to only open with the code 6438, and only I knew it.  I trapped every soldier and my target, as well, in rooms that could end up being their graves if they didn’t have something that could brake through the new encrypted pass code, and to my best guesses, they didn’t.  This was a minor bomb facility for some crack job criminal, there wasn’t a decent hacking droid for miles, and the way they memory whipped the droids now a days, they were lucky if it’d listen to them before it would me. 

I then started the trek upwards in the building, taking the DL-87 back out, and holding it in my left arm once again.  I took each step with the racket of my boots against the stone.  I made my way to the highest point of the building, with relative ease, and I found four guards trying to get through the blast doors that protected my prisoner.  I dropped the DL-87 getting their attention, and then with four precise, quick blasts there was four dead guards, and one door that I knew the pass code too.  So, I picked up the DL-87 once again, and marched to the door, I punched in the code with my thumb, and held the DL-87 on the center of the room.  Three men inside, all looked to be ‘important’ figures here, but only one twi’lek, and he was all I cared about.  Two more shots, two more corpses, and I marched in to my twi’lek

“You are under arrest.”

He had the sick desperate fear in his eyes, and I kicked the desk in front of me.

“If you would like to go for the weapon, and die here, fine with me.  If not, then move your ass.”

“Yess, S-s-orry.”

He spoke broken basic, what an uneducated piece of garbage.  All good criminals have to know basic, what was this guy playing.  He was either stupid, or trying to play me for a fool, his accent didn’t mean shit to me.  I dropped the A280 on my right side harness, and my right hand grabbed his leeku, and I guided him through the hallways by them, until I came to my hill again.  I grinned, and then opened my eyes to the subtle black vision of the simulation helmet. 
I moved my hands to unfasten it, and set it back in its place.  That had been a lot of fun, and I looked to my instructor, and stood.

“Good Job, your evaluation will be reported soon.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

Passed, good work on this one.  You should be doing good for the rest of them if you keep this up.  Some personal char stuff, the actual content, etc, all good.

LCPL Baretz Sonok
Medium Squad Support Weapon Qualification

MerrSonn Munitions MRB-10 Medium Repeating Blaster- Riqimo
BlasTech DLT-20a Light Repeating Blaster- Giovanni
BlasTech T-21 Light Repeating Blaster- Myself

If I weren’t in the kind of shape I was in, which is strong for a Stormtrooper, I’d of been weighed down to a hutt’s pace, but I managed to move on at about half speed.  I had a generator back pack on, currently, hooked to the MRB-10 that I carried on my hip.  Either of my other two weapons were strapped, and thrown over each shoulder so they made a decorative ‘x’ on my back.  They had uploaded four separate scenarios, this one being the first.  This was to become accustom to the weight of all three weapons, and then each one individually, as I proved I could use each one at a time.

They let me move at my slow hustle encumbered by the three weapons, that weren’t light in weight or class.  Each one heavier than the last, and then the training officer decided it were time I start the fire fights.

The scenery changed, and I held the MRB-10 in both arms, it was fed from a generator, and this would save my worry about it only getting fifty shots per energy cell, but firing fifty shots in a small ten seconds, if I unloaded it.  I would get, a minimum, of one thousand shots with the generator, and that was if it were low on power when I received it, but I didn’t know the specifics of the generator, so I assumed I had, close to two thousand shots, and would try my best to keep my shots to that few if I could.

As always, I waited just where they put me for the com to tell me my mission parameters, and soon enough the unseen man would answer my wishes, but I’d have time to observe my surrounding first.  I hadn’t conducted a  mission in a true urban environment, the only mission like this before was the slum environment, but I seemed to be dead in the center of Coruscant, and I had only ventured there once, and that was once too much for my tastes.  Coruscant was so busy, and it was hard to keep your eyes on one person, much less know what was happening to you in the indigestion of traffic, pedestrians, and criminals. 

The voice came, finally.

“You are in the district most known for crime on Coruscant, the empire has regained control of the core worlds, and you are going to take care of the planetary disturbances, along with thirty other soldiers.  We estimate that this crime syndicate is over one hundred men strong, but they are ill equipped compared to our forces.  Make your moves wisely, Soldier, their superior numbers could swarm you if you don’t act smart, and efficiently.  You will storm their spice trade operations, and arrest those whom surrender, destroy those whom do not.”

“Roger.”

I moved forward over the rooftop of the building I started on, and looked over the edge of the building.  I could see a fire fight almost a kilometer below me, and I made my way to the turbolift as quickly as I could.  I hit ground level soon, and then rounded a corner, following the green marked units forward.  I circled to flank their attackers, and as soon as the two troopers, and their ten attackers were in view, I held the trigger of the MRB-10 against the back of the metal trigger guard, and burning white plasma launched from the end of the medium repeater in scores, and I guided it  over the criminals, and just like that, the fire fight was over.  They hadn’t been expecting their side to be flanked so soon, and they were trying to pick off our units before back up came.  Luckily, the soldiers were unharmed, because they were fighting evasive waiting for a better equipped soldier to do what I had done. 

I looked to them, and tongue toggled my com to the local frequency, and I looked at them.

“Advancing.”

“Roger, we’ll cover your back.”

“Affirmative.”

I headed the direction the goons had been covering, at a quickened pace, with the weapon on my knee it was no more than a slow jog.  I kept cautious, I had learned in my own days dealing with spice and crime, that caution and cowardice were separated by a small line, and I made sure I stayed on the correct side of it, at all times, but as a great man had once said “Honor has no place among the dead.”

I raised my hand to slow the troopers behind me, as I continued forward, slowly.  I had expected a patrol unit, and I heard their footsteps, I talked on the com.

“At least two men rounding corner in fifteen.”

I raised the repeater once again, aiming towards the chest area where they would emerge, and after the first two came by, two followers walked behind them, they were walking in a diamond pattern, and they were easy targets, but they managed to turn and shoot sooner than my unconcealed followers had anticipated, and I let loose into their ranks, but I heard the gasp of pain in my helmet. 

They were felled rather easily, but I turned and one of my troopers was on the ground favoring his leg, and I walked towards him, and then back to the other, I always sent back the wounded, the wounded weren’t good for much rather than to take more shots, because pain clouded the eyes of normal men. 

“Get him back to the base, I’ll meet up with another group.”

“Roger.”

“Take this.”

The wounded man held the DLT-20a he had towards me, and I looked at him with disbelieving eyes that he couldn’t hit his targets earlier with that.  I nodded my head with gratitude, even though my mind was filled with how inferior I thought him at the moment.

I then remembered what Mooga had said to me once, my hutt boss when I was a smuggler, enforcer, hitman, whatever.

“Never keep all your eggs in one basket.”

It was an old expression, but many smugglers lived by it, and I had an epiphany.  Mooga used to have guards patrol useless roads just to draw the attention of the law enforcement, or bounty hunters.  He unlaced the boot of one of the patrol men, and took the string with him, he had a brilliant idea, toting in the MRB-10 and the DLT-20a

I made it to the road near this one, but not too far off, and I smiled.  I had hoped to find a building like this, and I did.  A large white warehouse, it had plasisteel sliding hangar doors, and looked like upwards of one hundred men could comfortably fit inside, and it was a perfect place for a large smuggeling operation.  The top of the building read

“CORUSCANTI ANTIQUES.”

Yeah…right.

I found a cinderblock, and sat it in front of the door, and then propped my MRB-10 on it so it was angled about torso level, and then I tied the string around the trigger, and left it on the back, so I could pull it with my left hand.  I walked up to the door, and knocked, in code the usual smuggler sequence for buyers.

I then moved back to my rigged cinderblock and repeater.  I flipped the DLT-20a up onto my right shoulder, and pressed the stock to my collar, my finger on the trigger, and my eye to the scope, the string on the repeater in my left hand, and my foot slid under so I could direct the fire of the repeater. 

The door opened, and I was pleased, and now they could all die.  They came expecting a buyer, and they would find a one man army.  My left hand pulled back, and my foot lifted the repeater upwards, the plasma flew, and I saw people with blaster rifles move so they could barely see me, before they shot.  I then picked off both with a well placed shot to the head with my own DLT-20a.  I dropped the string, and hefted the repeater up walking inside, to be with the workers, most of them would be unarmed, but some probably had hold out blasters.  I looked around, no one was heavily armed, and a hold out blaster would never pierce this armor with less then ten direct shots, I assumed, since most blasters took the average of five, and a holdout did less. 

I spoke on comm.

“Command put a beacon at my position, I found the Spice Den.”

My tongue flicked

“EVERYONE UP AGIANST THE WALL, OR I SHOOT ALL OF YOU.”

They complied, I was nine inches taller than the average height amongst them, and I looked mad, only because the Stormtrooper armor has that affect on people. 

In hardly any time at all, the troopers were filling in, and by the time reinforcement criminals could arrive, we’d already arrested the workers, and loaded the spice into crates, that droids were soon to be moving. 

“The Six of you will now hunt down the three men in charge of this operation, by working in pairs of two.  We have estimated locations, and we will create a guide for you.  “

Me and five others in the crowd moved out, the com had triggered only on our frequencies, which could be controlled at headquarters, so, I thought nothing of it.  Me and another man, by my assumption, moved directly North East from our previous position. A picture of an old human showed up in my view.

“VIGOR CLOD
1.6 m
GRAY HAIR
EYES GREEN
167 POUNDS”

Read out underneath his picture.  I had left the medium repeater, in exchange for the T-21 that someone doing the loading had lied down, and I attached it to the generator that still adorned my back. 
In most situations I would of favored the DLT-20a, but I kept in mind this was gauging my use of each of the three weapons, so I had left the DLT on my back, and moved with the T-21 out front.  The criminals that didn’t make it to the spice den before they were aware of our overwhelming presence there, would now be guarding our targets.  This was going to be the hard part, I was willing to wager.

I moved into the streets, my feet carried me in a quick run, and my partner was right behind me.  Our eyes were never uncaring, taking in the slightest details as we ran.  We came to the beacon building, and moved through the door of the forty story apartment building, with one opulent looking penthouse above it, in the slums, all you could assume was rich scum. 

We moved noticed in front of the turbolift were ten men, armed.  My T-21 unleashed before they noticed up, thank goodness.  They were sitting ducks, the quick shots blazing right through them, and with a quick turn, the hallway was rid of any living hostiles.  We moved to the Turbolift, and hit the top floor.

When it opened thirty blasters were aimed right at us, so we pushed back against the wall, and blaster fired shot through the door.  I managed to ease my T-21 around the edge, and just blast randomly, without much danger, and some of the blaster fire thinned down.  Then stopped, completely.  I looked to my comrade, and we nodded charging out of the elevator just as a grenade landed inside,  I shot strafing an entire half of the soldiers, only worried about my half.  We could be dead.  The T-21 was great though, blasting through life and limb alike.  When the blasters had all died down, I had four black stains on my armor where the energy from the gun didn’t penetrate, but had hit.  I should be dead, but this armor was amazing.  I looked to the target, and tongue toggled my voice.

“You’re under arrest.”

Silence fell over and the black of the real world, and the empty helmet came back.  I sat there, hoping that the stunt I pulled hadn’t gotten me a failing grade, but who know, I had survived, at least.

Much apologies on the delay again, anywho passed once again, well done.

Level 2
Story 2

SSGT, Luckystar

Squad Specialty: Combat Engineer
Story: Metal Fabrication

Lucky woke up two hours before she was supposed to leave for her Metal Fabrication course. She got out of bed, dressed into her uniform , and headed out of her quarters  to go eat a light breakfast in the mess hall. When she arrived, there were already a fair amount of people there. She decided to go sit at a table by herself .

When she had finished eating, she put the tray on the rack and put the dishes away , waved good-heartedly at some of her friends , before heading out to the small forest behind the building. 

Once she had crossed the security gate , and was outside , she turned to the northeast and walked a mile before she saw some tress off in the distance. As she kept walking towards them , they got closer and bigger, fast.

When she reached the nearest tree, she situated herself as best she could before walking on towards the clearing.  Ten minutes later , she had reached her destination. It was a large , wide clearing. The sun shone through the big gap above her head, and warmed the lush , green grass.

She sat on the ground and waited for an instructor to show up. He did so twenty minutes later , he was tall , slim , had a shaved head and a serious look on his face. “Gunnery Sergeant Luckystar” he said with a nod of his head. “Follow me.”

He led her a little further , on the outskirts of the forest , and there on the ground were some familiar looking piles of metal . Beside it were some fusion cutters , a welding torch and some  wire mesh and barbed wire. And then , she knew what she would be doing before he said it.

“You will be building a temporary shelter using what you have displayed in front of you. Good luck.” With that, he walked away to sit on a boulder a few hundred yards away. She knew that this was her cue to start working.

She swiftly moved towards one of the piles of metal and carefully looked at what she had. There wasn’t much she could really work with , but then she had an idea.  Using a few curved pieces of metal , she fabricated a rudimentary shovel and started to dig a hole two feet deep and eight feet wide. Just enough to hide at least three men with all their gear.

Twenty minutes later , when she had finished digging , she looked at the nearly perfect square and moved on to the next step for building her shelter. Dropping the pieces of metal back into the pile, she took the wire mesh and the cutters and jumped into the hole.

Working carefully , she unrolled the roll of mesh and made it cover the sides of the pit completely. The soil was soft because of the recent rain storm they had had, which made it both easier and more difficult to work. After all four side were covered with the mesh, she used the cutters to cut off the excess before covering the floor with the remainder of the roll of mesh.

With the excess material , she jumped back out, set the material on the floor and went to go get the barbed wire. She would use the last of the mesh to make the barbed wire and the wire mesh to bond them both together.

Taking the welding torch , she pit on special goggles and set to work welding the two metals together. Ten minutes later, she had accomplished the task of welding the two metals all around the hole.  She now ha no fear that her work would collapse while she put the rest of the metal sheeting on top of the earthy hole.

She proceeded to walk to and fro the pile , bringing a fair amount of metal each time until she had all the metal she needed. Dividing the huge pile into ones according to size, she was able to tell which ones she would be using to cover the hole , and the smaller pieces she would weld together to strengthen the shelter altogether.

She started by taking the longest sheets of metal , and started to build a cover for protection. She left a hole at the front just big enough for soldiers to peek through and shoot, and a larger one at the back so that they could crawl in with their gear and bulky armour.

Once the biggest and largest pile was cleared , she went to the other ones were only the smaller pieces remained. She took them all and welded the sides of the shelter before moving on to the metal where the two halves of the roof joined.  A half hour later , welding torch hot in her hand, she looked at the finished product , satisfied.

The instructor moved towards her and her creation and scrutinized it with the same grave look on his face.

“It frustrates me how creative the soldiers of the new generation can get.  You passed soldier.”

After a final salute, they both parted ways and she headed back to Base for lunch at the mess hall with her fellow soldiers.

Yellow as per request.  Passed and nice job taking me step by step with details.  Good length as well.

Baretz Sonok LCPL
Heavy Weapons Qualification
•  BlasTech V-Web Portable Artillery Piece
•  BlasTech V-90 Blaster Cannon
•  MerrSonn Munitions EWHB-10 Heavy Repeating Blaster

I looked over the area the V-90 Blaster Cannon on my shoulder.  I didn’t see the artillery piece that was suppose to be along this path.  I was ordered to brake rank, and scout this thing out so that it couldn’t bombard the squad any longer with it’s pesky attack.  I stood in full stormtrooper armor, waiting to see it on the horizon, while my squad mate drove the speeder we both occupied.

Then my eyes fell on it, and my finger initiated the nova that would bring the machine, its early demise.  Then, I’d find those operating it, and they’d meet the same fate.  The cannon launched its first blast, and I noticed guards were taking defensive positions.  I dropped the cannon to the ground.  The shield already being peppered with blaster fire, as I spun the EWHB around to take aim on those whom assaulted us.  My fury of blasts cut their ranks, suppressing them until they could be of no more real use, and I looked back to the artillery piece, peppering its own shields with the EWHB, waiting until my shots penetrated to pull out the V-Web, which lied close behind me. 

There was no opposition whom dared raise his head while the EWHB was firing, and that was wise of them.  The speeder pulled to a halt, and my arms quickly moved to the V-Web throwing it over my left shoulder, as I leapt from the back of the speeder, it in my arms.  I dropped to my right knee, taking aim on the generator of the artillery piece, and the flare of the rocket was all anyone could see before the storm arose.  With the destruction of the generator thunder echoed around us, and electricity pierced the sky.  I grinned with my success.

Another blast, and the plasisteel that used to be the artillery piece could only be called debris, and then I dropped the V-Web back into the Speeder.  I lifted the Blaster Cannon, and charged forward towards their base. I didn’t even look back to see what my support was doing, I assumed he’d be watching the vehicle.  My eyes moved, and with the EWHB’s fire gone, the soldiers were standing back up, and I had nine more shots with this cannon in my arms before I had to reload. 

The first soldier I saw, they seemed to be mimicking our armor style, but this beauty in my hands would deliver a molten death, that could only be on par with being hit by a sun.  He’d be dead faster than he knew what was happening, and sure enough the large red plasma of the gun seared through the air, and relieved the man of the worst looking part of him.

The next was a tad smarter, and immediately opened fire, but he wasn’t skilled at all, the bursts missing me, I’m not sure by how much, but a centimeter and kilometer are all the same when they miss.  These bastards didn’t have a choice in the matter, I was here to kill them, and there wasn’t a thing they could do about it. 
I topped the hill, and those morons were standing in form.  I took aim, and with one blast the first was obliterated, and the right side of two was seared from their bodies, and a second shot would put a whole through their other side.  I charged forward, my lust for battle driving me.  I got to the blast door, but they had left it open, I headed in, with death fueling my drive.  It reminded me of the old days, blaster fire, the scent of spice, the intensity of taking on the ‘authorities.’  I am that authority now, but my blaster skills have not deteriorated to the skills of those I had long since lied to rest.

People tell me, something is looking out for me, something has given me an edge when there was nothing but death to look forward too, and I know something is looking out for me.  I am.

I stormed the hallways with unbelievable skill, and my blaster cannon fired its unbiased shots, stealing life from alien, human, men, and women with no regret.  The click of my energy cell was heard as it fell to the ground, my left hand brought the next to feed the hungry weapon, and then my route continued. 

I had emptied their base with only two energy cells, and then battle called, and I ran back to the speeder, my squad mate starting the coils, and off we went towards the battle field.  I dropped the weapon, and grabbed the mounted EWHB blaster.  We arrived to see the fight had started, and we were out numbered by the hundred, but the shields on this thing could take several blaster bolts, I wasn’t worried.

My finger held down the trigger, and divine wrath would bring them all to their demise, my wrath.  I kept the trigger squeezed firmly, as I directed the fire across their numerous ranks. Bolts flew at my direction, but I was keeping them suppressed, I was still away from the battle, I was suppressing from afar, and in that time my squad was picking them off.

Once I got a little closer the targeting could pick up on the hostiles, and it was simply locking on one, firing a burst, and moving to find a new target.  Heavy Weapons were by far the easiest kills, with the exception of sniper rifles, for me.  They packed the power and stamina to shoot for enough of eternity to get the job done, and I could spray relentlessly on my enemies. 

I knew wars weren’t fought on open ground, and never again would I get the privilege of taking almost a hundred men down in laser fire, but it was a wonderful feeling, and maybe one day I could do it again, if the enemies were stupid.  The speeder slit to a halt, just as the enemies armor was topping the hill, and I changed weapons again.  I hefted V-Web onto my shoulder again, and waited for a lock.  I aimed up, and fired.  The shot flew true as the entrance of the repulsor tank was crushed by the massive blow. 

Nothing like some fireworks.  Shot number two, I lowered several inches, and the shot hit just under the tank, letting the explosion throw the repulsors off, and the explosion ricocheted through the machine, until it dropped, unfunctional to the ground.  The rest of the squad was picking off more people, as I took aim at the last repulsor tank, and I grinned, this time I wouldn’t waste the extra ammunition.  I thought back to my familiarizations, and remember that the CSA tanks had a weak spot inside the small turrets, it was so close to the cockpit and the main computer of the craft that if you could get a shell in their, or a blast from any sort of high stopping anti-vehicle blast it would kill the driver, or fry the computer enough you didn’t need to kill him. 

My next shot took a moment to line up, and I anticipated it’s speed, setting my corsairs a fraction above the turret, now moving down a hill.  My shot launched, and I grinned as I saw it.

“Hole in one.”

I spoke, just after the rocket had made its way into the turret, and the shell went off inside of the guts of the machine.  It had got its shots, my virtual squad members might have been killed, but I did my best. 

“Very Gung Ho.”

The voice rang in my ears, and I looked up towards my instructor, as my hands pushed the helmet off.

“You would have been killed in the field.”

“No sir.”

“You would of.”

“I have to disagree.”

“You pass, Barely.”

“I can accept that.”

I turned and headed towards the exit.  Getting closer, and soon this class would be resolved.  I was getting excited.

OOC:

Apologize for the delay.  Passed and I enjoyed this read.  Be sure to post your next specialty in the new format, namely a separate topic.  Good work, and good luck.