Jeerota gave a salute as Alan left the barracks, and turned to Verlock. “A simulation? I’ve only been through one of those in basic and it didn’t turn out to well.” Jeerota groaned. “I’m going to head to bed early to be well rested. Hopefully this time I don’t die with the first shot...” he said turning to his cot and preparing for sleep. He tossed and turned for about an hour running the simulation through his head several different times both excited and nervous at the same time.

Crash. He woke to the sound of Verlock knocking over his E-11 which Jeerota had left carelessly out the night before.

“Sorry” Verlock whispered.

Jeerota stretched and sat up slowly wiping the sleep from his eyes. “What time is it?” he asked. Verlock gave him a shrug and continued getting ready. Jeerota got up to his feet and followed Verlock’s example thinking it better to be early than late.

Jeerota stood in the simulation room looking at the terminal and wondering how it worked when Alan came into the room. He gave him a quick salute and nearly dropped his E-11 to the ground. His nervousness showing even behind his helmet. When he recovered from his clumsy move he heard Alan finishing their orders.

“... Should you be shot and killed then you will leave the simulation” said Alan.

“Sounds like fun” replied Verlock.

Killed. Jeerota sighed quietly behind his helmet unsure if he really wanted to be a scout trooper anymore. Alan smiled and simply said the word “begin”.  With that the room shimmered and they suddenly found themselves in a dense forest. Jeerota looked around half-dazed by the forests stunning beauty and half scared to death by being killed. Even if it was only a simulation Jeerota didn’t like the idea of dieing.

“The rebel stronghold is this way” said Alan as he pointed “let’s keep it quiet, look out for rebel booby traps and for any rebel patrols.”

Jeerota fanned out about fifteen feet from Alan’s right and looked in the distance trying hard to keep pace and move quietly at the same time. Basic training had gone by so fast and he wished that he paid more attention to the lectures his drill sergeant had given. He paid close attention to the ground below him looking carefully for loose ground or taunt ropes that may lead to his certain capture. Suddenly something caught his eye in the distance. About four or five hundred yards away sat a small structure that seemed fortified.

“Sir..” Jeerota whispered under his breath.

It was obviously too quiet for the sergeant to hear as he kept moving forward. Jeerota tried again, but he was still to quite his nerves getting the better of him. He sighed and sped up a bit towards the sergeant trying to get his attention.

Thud. Jeerota fell into a pit that had been covered by leafs. The noise must have been loud enough for the sergeant to hear because within a few seconds two white helmets peered down into the hole.

“GK are you alright?” Alan asked staring down at Jeerota from behind his helmet. Jeerota nodded getting to his feet slowly only his pride had been damaged.

“Secure the perimeter” Alan ordered. Verlock nodded and left Jeerota’s sight. Jeerota sighed.

What a great way to start...

Verlock brought his blaster to his shoulder in what seemed like slow-motion, gripping the handle tightly, before squeezing the trigger. The recoil that Verlock normally felt seemed to have to have dissapeared, the noise almost nulled. He saw one of the tongues of bright red light fly towards one of the New Republic soldiers, hitting him in the chest, above the heart, leaving a hole an inch across there. The enemy went down shrieking, the rest of his squad following equally as fast. Alan turned to him and GK.

    "You guys okay?"he asked, studying them.

    "Yep," answered Verlock.

    "Yes," said Jeerota.

    "Right," Alan continued. "We have to get away from here. That noise is going to bring every enemy around right to us. Form up into a patrol column. Verlock, take point." Without another word, the three formed up into a rough column, with Verlock at the front, Alan in the centre and GK bringing up the rear, and then set off at a brisk pace.

      It took a while to get through the dense undergrowth, with the twisting vines and the curtains of ivy making the routes almost impassable. After a while of walking, when the trees were thinner, Verlock slowed down so that Alan came up to his side, and then picked up the pace so they could talk.

      "So...sir..."

      "Yes?" Alan queried.

      "What exactly do we have to do sir?"

      "What we have to do, Private, is recon this encampment, and if the situation arises, take out the commander."

      "Alright......and do you know if we're close?"

      "You tell me, get out your map. I think this stronghold is grid reference G435 675. Look for a landmark.....that outcrop should do..."

      "Sir, I found our position....  we're about a kilometre away. We're going in slightly the wrong direction. It's......this way."

      "Right," said Alan. "GK?" he called over his shoulder.

      "Yes sir?" said Jeerota as he came running up. Verlock looked him up and down. Jeerota seemed very capable and able, if a bit clumsy. Verlcok hoped nothing would happen while here. Even though it was only a training sim, it felt as real as anything verlock had ever experienced. Should you be wounded then the simulator will ensure that you experience the pain....... Verlock just hoped he didn't get hit. He was brought back to the present by the sound of his voice being spoken.

      "......then, after you come back GK, depending on what you see, you and Verlock 'll head off, observe enemy movements for a while. See what's going on, see what kind of guns they have and the like. So, now GK, you go off recon the base as I said, and get back here where we'll be waiting. Understood?" It was only now that Verlock realised that Alan was talking to them both. He answered along with GK.

      "Yes, understood."

      "Good, well GK, get going." Without another word, Jeerota hopped up and ran in the direction of the base, his blaster drawn and ready. Alan turned to Verlock.
   
      "Right Verlock, you're doing a goood job. Both of you. I have a feeling that Iron Horse is going to be a great squad......

Alan listened as Jeerota provided a comprehensive list of the weaponry around the base.  He stored the information to memory.  Alan had never run this simulation before, but had been told that it was a very difficult one and a good test for a squad.  Getting to the base had been easy and they had gotten a listing of the weaponry the base had.  The elimination of the commander was a secondary objective and Alan knew that if they left now the simulation would end and tell them they had passed but that was too easy.  Jeerota had raised a very valid question and Alan also pondered on it Why is the outpost so heavily defended?  Alan wanted to make sure that there were no loose ends and the commander not being eliminated was definitely a loose end, besides which, he was also interested in discovering why the base was so heavily defended.  Alan had been in tighter spots before in his career but right now, he couldn’t think of one.  We have to get into that base somehow thought Alan to himself, but how?

“Let’s find a weak spot in their defences” said Alan, knowing that they had to do something.  He led the squad around the perimeter of the base.  Verlock and Jeerota followed wondering what it was that Alan was planning.  Alan skirted around the perimeter noting how heavily defended the base was and that all access to the base was guarded.  Spotting a side entrance to the base he noted that there were only two guards on duty, however, any attack on them would alert the base, unless.  Alan’s brain went into overdrive as he started to formulate a plan.  He looked around the walls of the base, making sure that no other position had a clear view of this entrance.

Alan looked at both Verlock and Jeerota and said “Ok, who’s a good actor?”

Verlock and Jeerota looked at each other with a look of puzzlement and then back at Alan and both queried “Sir?”

“You heard me, who’s a good actor?”

“Well” said Jeerota unsure what to say.

Alan never let him finish what he was going to say “good job GK, you’ve just volunteered”.

Jeerota gulped slightly, clearly unsure as to what it was that he had just volunteered to.

“Ok listen up, this has to good precisely according to plan or our mission here could come drastically to a close” said Alan.

Velock and Jeerota nodded, listening intently.

“GK, I want you out of your uniform.  You’re going to run up to the guards and tell them that you are being chased by a madman and that he is going to kill you.  One of them will stand guard over you whilst the other one comes to the forest to investigate your claims.  We will take care of that guard quietly.  Once he has been taken care of, I will distract the one that is guarding you, when he has his attention on me then you can eliminate him with your knife”.

Jeerota’s eyes widened as the plan unfolded.  A lot could go wrong and he was being thrown in at the deep end.  Verlock looked sympathetically at him and wished him all the best.

“Everyone clear as to how this is going down?” queried Alan as he looked intently at both of his troopers.  It was vital that this went down correctly.

Verlock and Jeerota nodded.

“Good, then let’s get it done” said Alan.  He hoped his troopers could handle this, especially Jeerota but he had faith in both of them.

Alan watched Jeerota dash off into the clearing and over to the guards, flailing his arms around like a mad person.  Alan smiled whilst he heard Verlock try to stifle a laugh.  Alan had not planned on Jeerota being naked for the assignment but it did make him look that much more insane and hopefully more plausible to the guards.  At least the guards should assume a naked mad man would be of no danger to them.  Alan watched and smiled as one of the guards started moving towards them.  Excellent thought Alan this plan is going down perfectly.

Alan leaned over to Verlock and whispered “I’ll distract the guard, you take him out”.

Verlock nodded as the guard drew closer.  When Alan was certain that the guard was fully enveloped in the dense bushes and could not be seen by the second guard, Alan stood up before him and said “do you know where the Imperial cantina is, I seem to have gotten lost?”

The guard looked stunned at seeing an Imperial before him but his weapon was soon pointed directly at Alan.  Verlock, upon seeing the guard’s interest focused on Alan, sneaked behind him and slammed the butt of his weapon heavily on the guard’s head.  The guard dropped down instantly.

“Good work Verlock” said Alan as he kneeled down to check on the guard.

“Thank you Sir” replied Verlock.

Alan felt the guards neck and felt a pulse.  He’s still alive pondered Alan.  Grabbing the guards head, he twisted it violently and heard an audible crack.  Satisfied the guard was dead he let the guard's head drop onto the ground.  Verlock looked on, stunned at the seemingly senseless killing of the guard.

“Was that really necessary Sir?” queried Verlock.

Alan looked up at Verlock and replied “never forget that he is our enemy Verlock.  What would have happened if he had woken up before we were finished?  He would’ve alerted the guards and we would all be dead.  Suppose we tie him up and he somehow gets free, then we are equally all dead.  Now help me hide the body”.

Verlock grabbed the arms of the guard whilst Alan grabbed his feet.  Together they moved him to a particularly dense part of the forest and covered up his body.

“Let’s get back to Jeerota” said Alan “he’ll be wondering where we are and maybe getting nervous.  I don’t want any hiccups, especially when this plan is going flawlessly”

Verlock and Alan returned quickly and quietly to the perimeter of the forest.  Peering through the forest Alan’s heart sank as he neither saw Jeerota or the guard.  What the hell thought Alan to himself.  He knew that things had been going too well.

“What do we do know Sir?” queried Verlock.

Alan spied the empty door.  He wondered where Jeerota had gone, had he been discovered as an Imperial.  Alan didn’t know but what he did know was that the door was now unguarded.

“Only thing we can do Verlock, we have an open invitation to the base and we have to take it” replied Alan.

“But what about Jeerota?” asked Verlock.

“Right now, he’s on his own.  We will keep our eyes peeled and hopefully will run into him within the base.  Now let’s go” said Alan.

With that Alan and Verlock left the safety of the forest and headed into the base.

Alan waited to find out which way Verlock thought they should go when suddenly a voice rang out through the quiet air.

“Halt! Stay there!”

Damn it thought Alan.  He listened intently, trying to ascertain how many there were and how far away they were from Alan and Verlock.  That information could prove useful if Alan and Verlock were to attack and survive.

Alan shuffled to the side to try to see what response that would get and also to help him figure out how many guards they were dealing with.

“I, I said halt!  One more move and I’ll fire” the guard stated again.

Alan could tell from the nervousness in the man’s voice that he was alone and probably inexperienced.  This should be easy thought Alan as he got ready to strike.  Then there was a scuffling sound behind them.  Alan didn’t know whether the guard was being joined by reinforcements or not but he couldn’t risk the mission coming to a close now, they had to attack, even if it meant using their weapons.

Alan whispered one word to Verlock, “attack”.

Alan rolled on the ground and manoeuvred around so that his roll brought him to his knees, his weapon raised at the guard’s position.  Alan was impressed by the speed that Verlock showed in also getting into a position of attack.  The sight before Alan was one that he had not expected to see.

“What the hell” said Verlock as he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

Before them, lay a guard face down on the ground, a knife protruding from his back.  Standing over him was an Imperial trooper dressed in full stormtrooper armour.

“Who are you trooper and what are you doing here.  This is a training mission for the Iron Horse squad only” said Alan, obviously annoyed that this trooper was gate crashing the squad’s first outing.

“I’m Private Ken Alibeck and I’ve just been assigned to the Iron Horse squad.  I was told by the Platoon Commander that the squad was running a simulation here and was ordered to join” he replied.

Alan had been expecting more troopers to be assigned to the Iron Horse squad but he had not expected it to be so quickly.

“Welcome to the squad Ken, I’m Alan, your Squad Leader and this is Private Verlock” replied Alan.

“Hey, welcome Ken” said Verlock.

“Thanks” replied Ken as he looked around and then asked “where’s Private Jeerota?”

Alan was impressed that this trooper had clearly done his homework into finding out about the squad before joining the simulation.

“We don’t know yet Ken” replied Alan.

“But we’re going to find him, right Sir” said Verlock.

“Right” replied Alan, “now which way?” he asked as he looked at Verlock.

The three of them moved quickly to the wall and Alan looked closely at the keypad.

“Verlock, see if you can get this open” said Alan, “Ken and I will cover you”.

“Yes Sir” replied Verlock as he set to work on opening up the door.

Alan and Ken kept watch whilst Verlock worked.  Alan wondered if any other troopers would suddenly appear.  He was looking forward in seeing Ken in action.  So far the Iron Horse squad was shaping up well and with what he had seen so far, Ken was going to fit in just well.  His pondering did not last long as Alan heard the door sliding open.  Turning around he saw that the door was indeed open.  Ken was right, it was a garage of some sort but what was inside it attracted his attention the most.

“What the hell” said Ken as he suddenly noticed what was inside, “what the hell is it?”

Verlock looked inside and with a droll sense of humour he replied “it’s a tank”.

Alan held back a laugh but smiled inwardly before saying “we can all see it’s a tank but have you ever seen one like this before?”

Verlock inspected it closely before replying “no Sir”.

“Ken?” queried Alan.

“No Sir, I haven’t” replied Ken.

“Neither have I” replied Alan.  He inspected the tank before continuing “That worries me.  This place could be some kind of advanced research base and this tank an experimental project.  It would explain why it is so heavily defended.  Ken, access that terminal over there and download the schematics for that thing”.

“Yes Sir” replied Ken as he hurried over to a terminal and started to download the schematics.

“Sir” said Verlock in a concerned voice “there’s someone coming”.

Alan rushed over to assist Verlock in closing the door so they wouldn’t be detected.  The door was jammed and the guards were getting closer.  He wasn’t sure if they had spotted the open door or would even bother investigating.  He hoped that they would assume someone was working on the tank and carry on past.  His ears strained to hear anything from what the approaching guards were saying.  They were too far away but he heard that some of the voices were agitated.  Then he picked up on some words which concerned him greatly, words like Imperial and spy and execution.

“Ken, stay here and get those schematics downloaded, Verlock and myself have to check out something, we’ll be back shortly” said Alan.

“Yes Sir” replied Ken, slightly concerned at being left on his own, but he turned his attention back to the terminal and getting the schematics for the tank.

Verlock and Alan moved quickly and quietly to the guard’s location.  Then they spotted them.  Two guards stood with weapons raised and pointing at a clothed Jeerota.  Alan knew that they had to act fast if they were to rescue Jeerota and find out what had happened to him.

"Ken, have you downloaded the schematics from the base's computer?" queried Alan

"Yes Sir" replied Ken.

"Excellent, wipe the computer's memory banks, I don't want them having the ability of creating anymore of these monstrosities" said Alan as he looked at the impressive tank.

"Won't they just look at this one and figure out the schematics from this one?" queried Verlock.

"Yes they would, if we were to let them keep it and I don't intend to let them have it" replied Alan.

"So, let me get this straight" said Jeerota, "We are going to kill General TronZel, destroy this tank and escape with our lives.  And I still haven't got a gun"

Alan smiled and replied "who said life as an Imperial soldier was going to be easy.  Ken, you think you can destroy this thing?"

Ken looked at the tank and whistled, he had briefly looked at the schematics, but what he had seen was not looking good.  Still, he didn't want to let his squad down.

"I'm sure I can do Sir" replied Ken, "but it will take some time".

"Right" replied Alan.  He didn't want to spend too long in this base.  They had caused many disruptions already and they surely would be found out sooner or later.

"Verlock, you stay with Ken and keep him covered.  Get on the comms if you get into serious trouble" said Alan.

"Yes Sir" replied Verlock, wishing that Alan had defined what exactly serious trouble comprised of.

"GK, you've got the access codes for levels one and two.  Let's go see what we can see and maybe we will be able to either get to level four or we might even be so lucky as to come across General TronZel" said Alan.

"Yes Sir" replied Jeerota, gulping slightly as he remembered that the first floor was mostly barracks and sneaking around without being spotted was not going to be easy.  "And my gun Sir?" queried Jeerota, obviously distressed at going into a possible combat scenario without a weapon.

"Here" said Alan as he handed Jeerota his E-11 blaster rifle.

"What about you Sir?" queried Jeerota.

"I've got this" replied Alan as he un-holstered his DL-44 heavy blaster pistol.  "Let's go" ordered Alan.

Jeerota and Alan were about to leave when a figure appeared at the doorway.  Immediately everyone dropped to their knees and raised their weapons in anticipation on the upcoming firefight.  The shadowy figure emerged into the light and Alan was releved to see that the figure was dressed in Stormtrooper armour.  Another trooper thought Alan as he started to see the numbers growing in the newly reformed Iron Horse Squad.

"Whoa, don't shoot" said the trooper as he was suddenly faced with weapons pointed at him.  The troopers seeing that he was a fellow trooper lowered their weapons.

"Just been transferred to Iron Horse?" queried Alan, knowing immediately what the answer would be.

"Yes Sir, Private Anival Velasquez reporting for duty" replied Anival.

"Nice to meet you private" replied Alan as he quickly introduced Anival to the rest of the squad.  "Anival, stay here with Verlock and Ken, guard this position.  GK and I will be back shortly".

"Yes Sir" replied Anival as he looked over at Verlock and Ken.

With that, Jeerota and Alan ventured out into the unknown leaving Verlock, Ken and Anival the difficult task of destroying the tank.

Verlock eyed the technician clambering up the side of the tank. His rifle was at his shoulder, just in case the tech tried to run like the other one.

    "Ken?" called Verlock, spotting the open metal shutter in front of the door.

    "Yeah, what?"

    "Should I close the shutter on the door? Just in case?"

    "Yeah," replied Ken, his head apearing at the hatch. "We don't want more trouble." Verlock nodded before moving to the keypad beside the door. It was then he noticed the guards body lying on the ground outside. He hesitated for a moment. Could he risk leaving the safety of the garage for the outside?


That body couldn't be left out there but..... he didn't want to join it.

    I cant leave it out there... what if someone finds it? Ill just be quick...
     
        Verlock left the safety of the garage, and the noise of Anival shouting at the guard, to get the body lying out on the path. Verlock looked out at the jungle past the edge of the camp. It looked like Kashyyk. He had seen pictures of it when he was young. The rebel body was sprawled on the ground, two holes in his back that continued through his chest and out the front of his torso. Verlock grabbed an arm and began to drag him back towards the garage, cursing under his breath.

      Boy, this guy is fat-

        But he never got to finish his sentence. A foot on the ground made him look up - straight into the eyes of another guard. Verlock's body went into action mode. Quickly, he dropped the body, running full speed back to the garage, zig-zagging to avoid the bolts. He leapt the last couple of metres, pain erupting from his ankle as he did.

        He had been shot.

        Anival, who had seen the whole thing, slammed his fist down on the keypad, closing the shutter with an almighty crash, shooting the pad as it did so, causing it to explode.

        "That shoud keep them out for a while," he murmered, as Verlock studied his leg. There was a large, black hole in the piece of armour that covered his calf muscle, blood oozing from it. Slowly, carefully, he removed the plate, finding a jagged wound in his ankle. He tried to move his foot.

          Nothing.
   
          It had severed his Achilles Tendon. He couldn't move his foot, or his leg. Now, they were really up the creek without a paddle.

          "Great," said Ken, eyeing Verlock's leg. "Look what you've done now genius! How are we going to get out of here? There's going to be a whole unit of soldiers out there soon! And,-" Ken looked around the room for a moment, before turning back to him. "-and yeah, there's no other way out! Now we're stuck in here, and we'll never get out!"

          Verlock knew he was telling the truth. There were probably more guards out there now, all of them knowing there were three stormtrooper in the garage, with a hostage. His suspicions were confirmed by a strong rap on the garage door.

          "Come out with your hands up!" came a voice from the far side of the shutter.
   
            "Well, no marks for originality," chuckled Verlock quietly, but he stopped when he saw Ken attempting to clamber out of the tank at him, being held back only by Anival, who was obviously trying to avoid conflict. It was then that Verlock had, or at least thought  he had, a good idea. "Wait, Ken, I have a plan!"

            "What is it? Blow all of our brains out with our pistols? Oh thats right! You don't have any!" The enemy techie chuckled at Ken's loss of control. "Shut your yap, you!" snapped Ken down through the hatch. The chuckling stopped."

            "Ken?" asked Anival, obviously thinking.

            "What now?!"


            "We should oughtta listen to Verlock's idea. It might just be a good one."

              "Fine," relented Ken, who had obviously calmed a bit.

              "What if," began Verlock, "we used the tank to get outta here? They wouldn't be able to see it if we used the cloaking device!"

              "Great idea," said Ken, in the most sarcastic voice Verlock had ever heard. "Did you not hear what I said earlier? They'll just activate the self-destruct!"

              "What if we destroy the generator?" quipped in Anival. Ken sat back, thinking.

              "Good idea Anival. Ken, would you be able to shut down the power for a few minutes? It could give us the time to escape and destroy the generator before they can organise!"

              "And what about Alan and GK? They'll be trapped in there!" retorted Ken.

              "Well, lets just hope we can et in there fast enough!"

              "Well I'm not going," stated Ken defiantly.
 
              "Have you got a better idea!?" roared Verlock. There was another rap on the door.

              "Open up or we'll break the door down!"

Alan and GK left the other troopers to work on the tank and moved to the entrance of the main building.  Alan kept watch whilst GK entered in his codes.  He hoped that the codes still worked.  He didn't see any reason for them not to as the rebels would still be under the impression that GK had been executed.  True enough, the doors slid open and GK and Alan quickly entered the building.

Alan's eyes nearly popped open when he spotted rebel soldiers patrolling the corridors in a number that he couldn't even begin to count.  Alan could tell that GK was equally surprised.  Maybe he had been given a tour of this floor when it had been quiet.  Alan quickly moved himself and GK into the shadows of a nearby door.

"This is never going to work Sir" said GK, "there are just too many rebels".

"Have you never heard of an old Corellian custom which says 'if you can't beat them, join them'" replied Alan.

"Well I've heard of it Sir but is it really Corellian?" queried GK.

"Yes it is" replied Alan.

GK shrugged and then asked "Corellian or not Sir, what exactly does that have to do with our current predicament?"

"Watch and learn GK, watch and learn" replied Alan.

GK waited and watched to see what exactly Alan had in mind.  Whilst he waited a couple of rebel guards walked past their hiding place.  GK lowered himself and tried to get even further into the shadows.  Alan on the other hand called out to them and asked "excuse me but do any of you have a light?"  GK looked up at Alan in surprise and then back at the soldiers approaching them and he suddenly understood.

The soldiers that arrived at GK and Alan's position were suddenly met with two heavy fists directly at their faces.  They did not stand up long and were soon on the ground unconscious.

"Ever wanted to be a rebel GK?" queried Alan as he started to remove on of the guard's outfits.

"Not really Sir" replied GK as he started stripping the other guard "but I guess there's always a first time for everything".

Alan and GK left the safety of their hiding place and moved to the elevator.  The other guards nodded at them and left them alone.  This is going to work thought Alan to himself as GK entered his codes into the lift and it took them up to level two.  Alan and GK wandered slowly around the second level, Alan deep in thought as to how to get up to the fourth level.  He had hoped that they would have come across the General on either the first or second floors but that was wishful thinking.  His concentration was shattered when alarm klaxons started blaring.  What the hell? he thought as he looked around to see what the disturbance was.  He moved quickly to the balcony and was able to look down at the garage that he and GK had left.  His heart sank when he spotted it was surrounded by armed guards.

He spotted someone at the front of the guards barking an order for them to come out with their hands up.

"Wait a minute" said Alan.

"What is it?" queried GK

"Him, the one issuing the orders, is that the General" replied Alan.

GK squinted at the person that Alan was pointing to and true enough it was indeed the General issuing the orders.

"Damn it, if only I had a sniper rifle" said Alan.  He looked around and GK had vanished.  Damn it, now where has he gone to thought Alan as he looked back at the General.

"Why are you not at your duty station soldier" a gruff voice announced.

Alan glanced over his right shoulder to see a large looking rebel officer.  Why is nothing ever easy thought Alan.

As they rammed the wall they heard a wierd grinding noise underneath the tank and the vioce of men screaming and running firing.



Alan and Gk turned around slowly  "hmmm, you see" said alan

just then gk saw the tank burst out of the walls  and he cut what

alan was saying.  "we came to get back up, because the tank has been taken by two Storm troopers.  We also heard a transmission

sayin that there were more trooper in the forest, and they have pummels they came to take out the general and take the tank"


when Gk finished he was breathless



The rebels eyes widened and went to the window and siad" the
general is down there" when he was close enough they went up to


him and pointed the blaster next to his head.  "Now tell us which one is the general and I wont blast your brains out" threatened Alan


"Can I shoot any body I want?" asked Anival. "No just anybody

firing at us" replied Verlock.  "Well your no fun" complianed Anival as he shot a rebel running away. "Let block the entrance to the


building" suggested ken.


" H-h-he's the twilek" stammered  the rebel at that Alan pushed him over the window "lets get down there" as a minute later they


were arriving at the entrance when all of a sudden the tank came to the door the hatch opened and they hear a familiar voice "get

in" it was Ken as they got in Alan told Verlock and Anival who they


were lokking for they found the twilek oddly enough coming striaght at them Anival aimed and fired.

They had been running for a while before Verlock noticed the excruciating pain in his ankle. The adrenaline had taken over until now. Now, it hurt like hell.He stumbled at first, then fell flat on his face. Luckily he had his helmet on or else he would have tasted the ground. He lay there for what seemed like an eternity, before he felt two hands beneath his armpits, lifting his front off the ground, and dragging him towards an empty tent. He fell forwards onto the blanketed interior floor of the tent, grunting with pain. The wound hadn't seemed this bad earlier. he rolled over onto his back, using all his effort to do so. Alan burst in through the tent door, his rifle ready.

    "Verlock?" he said, removing his helmet. "What's wrong? You just fell on the ground-" He stopped asw Verlock turned his leg so Alan coul see it. A large, sharp piece of white armour had been digging into the wound, widening it, and making it deeper. Blood was flowing from it freely, dripping to the ground. Verlock gritted his teeth and pulled his calf armour off, revealing snow white skin surrounding the wound. "Oh shit...." murmered Alan. "Jeerota, do you have any medical supplies?" GK came running over, fumbling at his belt. He pulled out a small plastic package. Ripping open the cover, he unravled the bandage on the inside, which surounded a small Iodeine bottle. GK pulled the cork from the neck of the bottle, and emtied it's contents into the wound. He then wrapped the bandage around Verlock's leg, pulling it tight and securing it with a pin.

    "Right," said Jeerota. "Let's see how that does ya. Stand up and see." Verlock propped himself up on his arms, then tried to move onto his feet, but his leg collapsed under him. This wasn't going to work. Alan sighed.

    "I knew something had to go wrong. It was all going to perfectly." He dropped down onto his hunkers, rubbing his eyes as he did so. "This is just a big mess..."
 
    "Alan?" questioned Verlock, knowing what he had to do already. Alan looked up, his face bleak. "Alan... it would be best..."
Verlock sighed, drawing his pistol. "It would be best if some of got out, rather than none of us."

    "Verlock no... you don't have to, we'll get out."

    "You won't," replied Verlock, removing his helmet. "I'll see you on the other side." And before Alan could stop him, he had raised his pistol to his head-and fired. Verlock's vision fuzzed and went black, then white, and then he saw a grey metal ceiling. He looked around. The rest of the squad were in special rigs, suspended in the air, moving as if in real life. Verlock trudged over to a chair that was sitting beside the control box, and waited for his squad.

Ken shuddered, shaken by Verlock's 'death.' He knew in his mind that it was a simulation, but he was filled with a certain dread all the same. Was it suicide? Summary execution? He glanced at Anival to see if he showed any reaction, then remembered the helmet was in the way.

The squad left the tent, and Alan led them toward the side door, mentally bracing for the expected firefight.

Alan ordered his squad to assume another tactical formation. "Alright, li'l Horseys, let's form a wedge. I'm point, Ken's left, Jeerota's right, and Anival's rear. Stay loose, or they'll try to get us all with one grenade."

Iron Horse immediately formed up, staying a few yards apart.

Jeerota opined, "I wish we'd been able to get a shot off at the wall with that stealth tank."

Ken agreed. "Yeah, we could be in the jungle by now, halfway home."

Alan wasted no time cutting the conversation short. "Well, you're not. Just keep your eyes peeled for rebels." Ken and GK grunted their understanding, and not a moment too soon. The side door came into view, and so did the squad of rebels sent to guard it.

Alan signaled for the squad to split up and engage, then scrambled to cover before he ate any blaster bolts. The rest of the squad followed suit. "Let's kill 'em quick and dash outta there before they reinforce this exit!"

Alan fired the first shot, aiming for the chest of the enemy Sergeant. His training as a marksman was evident when both bolts sailed cleanly into the rebel's chest. The rest of Iron Horse opened up on the eight remaining soldiers.

Each trooper got his fair share of the action, and the two last rebels were in retreat when Anival saw movement out of the corner of his eye. "Sergeant! There's more on the right side!"

Alan looked over and saw that another rebel squad was attempting to keep them from escaping. They had failed to defend their base, but they still had plenty of fight left in them. Alan grinned and shifted his blaster rifle to take a bead on them.

Iron Horse fell back towards the exit, exchanging heavy fire with the pursuing rebels. Whenever a trooper moved from the sparse cover, they drew heavy fire. Ken ran behind a small truck and swore. He glanced around himself in time to see a blaster bolt spend itself against Anival's armor at an oblique angle.

"Sergeant, this isn't working!" Ken yelled, on the verge of panic. "We're moving too slow, they're going to flank us!"

"Calm down," Alan growled. "I just got an idea. Jeerota, use your frags to make a smoke screen. Once they're off, we dash out while they can't aim."

"You got it," Jeerota replied. "Frag out!" Two grenades flew out from his hand in rapid succession, landing closer to Jeerota than the enemy. The inexperienced rebels are momentarily confused, wondering if this trooper is just a terrible grenadier. As soon as the ground is torn up by two explosions, they realize what's happening.

Once the rebels' line of sight was destroyed, Iron Horse ran for the side door. Ken, the track and field star, sprinted ahead of his squadmates. Alan saw the dangerous situation Ken was creating for himself and said, "Hold on, Ken! Don't get too far-"

Before Alan could finish his command, Ken had broken past the last cover until the door. The private thought he was home free, until red blaster bolts streaked right-to-left across his field of view. He skidded to a clumsy stop, dropped low, and snapped his head left and right. He saw only three soldiers to the right, so he went prone and returned fire.

Anival saw it first. Two consecutive shots slapped straight into Ken's right shoulder, and Alibek writhed in silent agony. He stopped returning fire, instead crawling back towards cover. Velasquez reached the last tent first, and began returning fire. Alan and Jeerota arrived moments later and opened fire on the rebels, who were receiving reinforcements.

"Ken's hurt," Jeerota shouted, "I'll bring him back here!"

Alan shook his head. "No, you've exposed yourself enough for one day. There's only four of us, we have to fight smart!"

Verlock flicked through cycles of first-person streams, showing images of his squad battling with Republic Guards. And they were heavily outnumbered. He switched to Alan's view. His squad leader was splitting his squad up, sending GK to the right, and Anival to the left.

    "What the hell are you doing?" Verlock turned around, and saw the engineer that had been at that station untill a few minutes before.

    "Umm..... I was just umm.... checking on my squad.... I don't want them to get hurt."

    "Well, get away from here, because you can't help them. And with that little stunt that you pulled, shooting yourself, I think that you'll be packing your bags. So get out of my sight." Verlock eyed his toes, but an idea came to him. He faked a laugh, and returned his gaze.

    "My uncle is going to be angry with you when he hears this. Not letting Kadann's nephew go back onto a mere simulator?" The engineer grinned.

    "Don't take that approach with me sonny. They all do."

    "How do you know I'm lying?" The engineer became slightly uneasy, but it passsed like summer rain, and he straight away regained his calm.

    "Troooper, return to your seat or I shall call some-" but he never got time to say what he wanted to, because Verlock had crossed the space between them, and was now holding the engineer's neck in one powerful hand.

      "Now listen here, you runty piece of shit! You'll let me back in that simulator, and not tell a soul about it or else they will find you with a knife sticking out of your back, six feet down in Bantha crap! Now, which will it be?" He shook the engineer to waken him up from what seemed a daze. "Well?" The man gulped.

      "Where do you want to be inserted?"

      "Wherever Alan is." Verlock hopped off the podium, and climbed into his sim. rig, tying himself in place tightly. The engineer fiddled at a keypad for a second, before giving Verlock a thumbs up, and flicking a switch. The room shivered, and went black. Suddenly, Verlock was standing beside Alan, behind a large tent. Before Verlock could say anything, his squad leader had turned around and unched him straight in the face.

      "Oh, sorry trooper, I didn't see you there." Alan peered around the edge of the tent, before diving back in as a bolt grazed his helmet. "What's your name trooper?"

      "Private First Class Verlck Macross reporting for duty."

      Alan stopped dead, and turned to take a second look. Verlock removed his helmet to authenticicate his arrival.

      "Verlock......" began Alan. "I cant be.... how..... what happened?"

      "Bit of a long story sir, I say we leave it 'till after." Verlock glanced up, and saw Ken propped up against the tent across the path. Blood was trickling down his armour to the ground, and he appeared to be half asleep. "What happened to him?"

      "Shot in the shoulder. I think they're trying to incapacitate us, rather than kill us. We have to deny them that chance." There was a pause, in which Alan peered around the corner again, and let off a blast of fire. "So Verlock...what made you come back?"
 
      "Oh well, I thought it would be better if none of us got out rather than all of us."
 
      "And how did you get back in? How did you get past the controller?"
 
      "Meh, I made him an offer he couldn't refuse."

      "Eh, guys?" It was Ken. "I hate to break up the re-union, but there is a battle the far side of that tent!" Verlock nodded in silent agreement, and donned his helm again.

      "Which way commander?"

Anival fell back whilst the rest of the squad provided covering fire.  Slowly, each trooper started falling back whilst the rest of the squad provided them with covering fire.

This is going to work thought Alan as the squad started nearing the doorway and their exit from the base.  His excitement was soon turned to dread when he noticed that the rebels had changed tactics.  Instead of trying to wound or disable them, the rebels seemed to be forming up.  Oh hell thought Alan as he realised that the rebels were about to attack and leave no-one alive.

“Let’s move people!” shouted Alan as he helped Ken to his feet and supporting him, started to move as quickly as he could to the exit.

“But Sir” replied Verlock, “the strategy is working”.

“Take one look at them, they’re about to” said Alan.  He never got to finish the sentence as suddenly the rebels started to move quickly towards them, blaster bolts flying all around them.

“I see your point Sir” replied Verlock as he fired back and started moving.

The squad was close to the exit and GK and Anival had already made their way through the doorway.  Alan suddenly noticed that around Ken’s belt was a thermal detonator.

“Verlock!” shouted Alan.

“Yes Sir” replied Verlock as he joined Alan.

“Take Ken and get him out of here” replied Alan.

“Yes Sir” said Verlock as he moved to Ken’s side and started to assist him through the door.  Before Ken left Alan’s side, Alan took the thermal detonator.  This will do nicely he thought as he fired back at the rebels.

Seeing the Verlock and Ken were safely through, Alan activated the detonator and left it down inside the door.  He quickly exited himself as blaster bolts rained down around him.  Several seconds passed and the detonator exploded.  The doorway was gone and with it, any chance of the rebels getting them.

“We did it!” exclaimed GK.

Alan smiled and suddenly the simulation terminated.  “Well done guys, you’ve shown that you can cope well under pressure, now go get some rest”.

With that the squad started to file out.

“Verlock” said Alan.

“Yes Sir” replied Verlock.

Alan waited until all the troopers were gone before saying “I don’t agree with your decision of committing suicide but I am glad that you returned.  It shows me how dedicated you are to the squad.  But out there in the real world I never want to see you pulling a stunt like that, not while I’m in command”.

“Yes Sir” said Verlock as he exited the room.

The squad was shaping up nicely and little did Alan know that there were many more troopers waiting in the barracks for their next mission.

The End.