Stewart-Power got a rude awakening by a corpse landing on top of him. It was a pirate, and the blaster hole in his chest was still smouldering.

"Good, I didn't miss anything" Thel said to himself as he propped himself on his elbows.

He must have said it out loud as he received a few raised eyebrows from the pilots closest to him. Except for Ruwe, who instead let out a short, pitched bark that could mean anything. By the time Thel pushed the pirate off and stood up, he immediately ducked back down for cover after he realized what was happening.

Hunter's group has successfully flanked the pirates, and the crossfire was forcing the pirates to retreat. Unfortunately the rest couldn't advance until the pirates retreated fully, for risk of getting caught in the crossfire. Apparently the pirates knew this and where taking their time in retreating.

The explosion had knocked a large number of decently sized rocks from the ceiling. They would of provided good fire cover too, if they weren't on the other side of the cavern. The roof above them also looked as if it would collapse at any time. It would be an unpleasant surprise for anybody in cavern at the time, not to mention anybody underneath the collapse.

Thel was still picturing what would happen when a blaster bolt sizzled centimetres above his head. He looked over and layed some suppressive fire in the direction of the shot, he was rewarded with a cry of pain. That's when Thel noticed that the level of firing had gone down, and that there was only one E-Web turret left still operational. The other was a smouldering pile of machinery.

This was good because it meant that the turret could only fire in one place at a time, and with two attacking fronts, and five metres (fifteen feet) to go, the odds were now in Nazgul's favour. And although there was two or three men operating the, one, gun now Thel had no doubt the pilots would be continuing on soon.

Before anything else happened, Drac stood threw to grenades, and everyone else ducked. Except for the pirates who were operating the turret. Before Drac threw the grenades he shot the roof above the pirates the grenades effectively mixed in with all of the other rocks that had fallen.

With the turrets gone, the pirates retreated at full speed, which was probably a worse fate then surrendering as most of the pilots just cut the pirates down as the fled. Some of the smarter pirates tried to cave in the tunnel they were fleeing into, but ultimately shared the same price as the rest of their fallen comrades.

Thel felt no pity for the pirates he partook in cutting the mass of fleeing pirates down. In fact he felt exhilarated more then anything at the chance to chase down the cowards who plagued the Galaxy. Though not a cold-blooded murderer himself, Thel still thought of it as his duty to kill anyone that would threaten the peace and security of an Imperial Citizen.

And for those reasons, Thel led the charge into the narrow corridor leading to the next section of the base.

OOC:

Alright, 536 words this time. PM if you have any tips (as usual). Continue on, and if I messed anything thing up, It's calles EDIT!

They had wasted seven more pirates before they were half way, through the first floor of the building. Goth got four with a grenade G' tossed him. The other three were shot down before they knew what hit them.
Then they came to the place where the other half of the strike team had their first firefight. Following the trail of pirate bodies to the lift, Goth and the SC left two more in their wake.
As they approached the lift, the doors opened and three pirates come out and started checking the area.
Goth and the SC ducked behind a corner and didn't get spotted.
Goth noticed loud talking in the lift as, the largest of the pirates walked back and waved those still standing inside to proceed.
Driver and Goth took that moment to retreat down a hall unseen.
Five pirates were escorting five men in New Republic uniforms.

'Target spotted.'

Whispered Goth.
The group were coming down the hall toward them. Goth looked at G' and gave a nod. Then stepped around the corner.
The group was caught by surprise as Goth opened fire, dropping two of the pirates.
The third charged Goth as the Nazgul SC came around the corner, killing one of the two pirates in the rear.
One of the Advisers had a pistol, and was so surprised he shot one of his NR friends by accident.
The pirate charging Goth had produced a wicked looking blade from somewhere and tried to stab him. Goth blocked the stroke with his M-5, then blasted the pirate with it.
The remaining pirate got off a shot that hit the wall just in front of Nazgul's SC. G' put a blaster hole in his chest.
The adviser with the gun was making apologies to his friend, who was only grazed, then dropped his weapon as he saw both Nazgul pilots pointing their blasters at him.
As the advisers surrendered G' sent a TXT to the squadron that the target had been acquired, and they were moving for rendezvous.
Goth checked the advisers for any more weapons and found none.
Now they had to get the NR Advisers to the transport alive.
'How ironic', Goth thought to himself.
Escorting the prisoners with the SC in front and Goth behind, they stopped just inside the front door.
Driver sent a message to the Falcon above, which sent out the combat shuttle for pickup. Then he blasted two pirates coming down the street toward the door.
Three pirates came around the corner from the rear, Goth blasted one with his M-5 and the other two ducked into a room.

'Get down!'

Goth shouted to the advisers, as he killed the pirate who stepped into the open.
While Goth was waiting for the last one to stick his head out, the combat shuttle landed outside.
Goth sent a few shots of covering fire down the hall, then helped G' to get the prisoners on board.
The troopers who dismounted from the shuttle helped keep the area clear of more approaching pirates.

Luckily Goth hadn't seen anyone else he knew.

After loading the prisoners, Goth turned to his SC,

'Time to find the rest of the team.'

As the shuttle took off, Nazgul 1 and 3 went back into the building, to find the rest of the strike team and get off this rock.

With a scream of fury Lady Gi'rloma charged Slasher, she drew a wicked looking sword from the sheath at her side, and swung it around her head in a wide arc, intending to decapitate Slasher with her first blow. However Slasher moves quickly ducking her attack he slashes at her in a counter-attack, however she easily deflects the strike, and laughs at Slasher saying,

“Is that all you have little one? Your father, Gray Knight Intolak fought better than that.”

She attacks again, this time feinting toward his left side, then whirling the blade around in a strike that would have taken a good chunk out of his leg had Slasher not met it with his own sword, pushing the blade aside and slipping around his opponent.

However Slasher is not able to capitalize on this because Lady Gi'rloma whirls her blade slashing toward his chest in an attack that threatens to bisect him. Slasher whirls out of the way, blocking the strike with his own weapon, and the two combatants back away from each other, each one looking for any weaknesses. Lady Gi'rloma is the first to speak,

“Do you really think you can defeat me son? I have years more experience than you in sword fighting, and the Vast Empire has made you soft. You will fail.”

Slasher begins to circle his opponent, and as he reaches one of the guards, he reaches down, retrieving their shield as he responds.

“You have not seen me in 50 years, you know nothing of what my condition is. Your time as leader of the order has ended.”

With another scream Lady Gi'rloma charges, swinging her sword, however this time Slasher stops her strike with his shield, forcing her to move very fast to deflect his counter-strike. The continue their circling now, very close together, each one probing the other's defenses, looking for an opening that they can exploit.

15 feet away, Albino turns from the last of the other enemies which he has been fighting, and looking over at Slasher fighting, he sees one of the pirates coming up behind Slasher, preparing to thrust at him with a spear of some sort, acting on instinct, Albino yells to Slasher,

“Slash, BEHIND YOU!”

at the same time rushing to engage the opponent, Slasher dodges out of the way just in time, however the pirate is not going to be denied, whirling around he stabs out with the spear...

-----=====-----

Slasher hears Albino's yell, and whirls out of the way however his opponent is just a moment to slow, and as finds herself impaled upon Slasher's blade as she looks down in disbelief, Slasher whispers,

“I told you so,” and as Lady Gi'rloma staggers back and collapses to the ground, Slasher sheaths his sword. Turning to face Albino, Slasher is shocked by the sight before him...
-----=====-----

Albino is stopped his tracks he looks down at the spear protruding from his chest, looking back up at the pirate, he gasps,

“Aw Ferglutz.”

before falling to the ground. The pirate reaches out and grabs the spear, pulling it from Albino's chest, he turns to go back after Slasher, but stops suddenly, looking down at the blade protruding from his own chest, and as the pirate collapses, Albino, who had struggled up to his knees, falls forward unconscious.

-----=====-----

Slasher looks at Albino, lying there on the ground, bleeding from many wounds, and screams,

“NOOOO, ALBINO!”

Rushing to his friend's side, Slasher sees that there is nothing he can do for him here, and that he needs medical attention immediately if there is to be any chance of his survival. Lifting up his friend on his back, Slasher carries Albino out of the room, moving through the building, he meets a few pirates, but they take one look at his face and flee in terror. As Slasher exits the building he looks around and sees that the shuttle has landed to pick up the prisoners, this means that there must be at least one medic on the asteroid now, and Slasher yells at the top of his lungs through the minimal atmosphere,

“MEDIC, MAN DOWN!!!!! MEDIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Hearing his call, a couple of soldiers from the shuttle come running toward him as he sets Albino on the ground, the two medics drop to their knees beside the fallen pilot, and one of them begins to rummage through his bag saying.

“He looks bad Senior Chief, He's probably gone already I don't know if there is much we ca-” 

He is cut off by the other medic who yells, “I've Got a PULSE!” immediately the medic turns back to Albino, checking the extent of the injuries, he speaks into his Helmet comlink as he works to stabilize the patient telling the shuttle pilot to standby and wait to take off, that they have a critically injured patient coming as soon as they can stabilize him.

Goth and Driver come running around the corner of the building, they heard Slasher yelling for a medic, and had correctly inferred that something had happened to Albino, as the run up, Driver says, “What happened Slash?”

“I'm not sure, one second he was yelling at me to watch my back, and the next when I turned he was on the ground, I think one of the pirates got him.”

The medics interrupted and said, “We've stabilized him Ensign, we're gonna need help with the stretcher to get him to the shuttle.”

“Of course, Goth, Slasher, help them, and Slasher, you should probably get that injury looked at.”

Slasher is not sure what Driver is talking about until he looks down and sees a nasty gash in his side.

“I don't remember getting this...”

One of the medics calls Slasher over and quickly applies a field dressing to his wound, advising him that he needs bacta treatment, and should be evacuated. However Slasher is emphatic,

“NO, I can still fight, and they need me here, I'll get treatment when we pull out.”

“Roger that, let's get this guy to the shuttle.”

Slasher picks up one end of the stretcher, and Goth picks up the other, and they move him onto the shuttle, the two medics working constantly to try and get Albino completely stabilized.

As the shuttle lifts off Slasher and Goth turn to Driver, and are met with a very determined look in their Squadron Commander's eyes, and he tells them.

“Let's raze this 'roid, I don't want anything left.”

“Yes sir!”

OOC:

a little over 1100 words, my opponent is dead, Albino is out for the rest of the story, story ends with AWOL check, final post goes to one of the FLs, the XO, or the SC. let's post guys, don't want anyone to be AWOL

Rocketman holds his ground when the explosion happened he rolled to the left to avoid the debris. He than noticed that it opened a hole up in the wall and saw two pirates head into the hole.

[I\] Well there's only two of them might as well follow them to see where they go.[/i]

He goes into the hole and finds that it leads into a empty room with a door at the other side.

[I\] Well they are pretty fast to have gone through that door already might as well keep following them. [/i]

So he runs to the door and checks the door to see if it is open and finds out that it is locked.

[I\] Well they are not making this easy for me I could blow it open with a grenade.[/i]

So Rocketman places the grenade in between the knob and the door and sets the timer for ten seconds and finds cover.

[I\] I hope this works because I don't have anything else to use.[/i]

Boom!!

Rocket goes to see if he can open the door.  He see that the doorknob was completely destroyed and kicks open the door open and runs into the room and immediate takes cover because he is being shot at.  He peeks around the corner and counts his enemy's he sees that their is five of them.

[I\] Theirs not a lot of them this should quick.[/i]

Rocket peeks around the corner and fires three shoots and hits three of the pirates and he gets back into cover. He ducks around again and fires five shoots and hits the other two, and noticeds that his air tank is running empty and runs the find one of the dead pirates so he can refill his air after getting all of the air of the pirates and has enough air for a hour he checks the room and finds that their is a computer in the room.

[I\] Let's see what they have been up to.[/i]

Rocket starts to check out files on the computer and finds nothing use full just supply logs and heads back to the team to see where they are.  He starts to run back through the door and through the hole in the room and back to the place where the turrets where and finds they have both been destroyed. And finds that his squadron had already moved ahead he keeps running to catch up to them  he decideds to checks the bodies that are still whole to see if he can find anything useful on the and finds just a couple maggs of ammo. And continues on his way to link back up with the squadron. He finds them just ahead of the room with the turrets.

[I\] Well that was a waste of time. What I am wondering is why they would have a room like that on this level of the base. Oh well not my problem pirates do wied things as it is I hope though that their is not much more off them. I wish that I found something on that computer though.[/i]

[ooc\] 518 words this is my post sorry it took so long.[/ooc]

===Just After Armoury Explosion===

Stewart-Power smirked, although it looked more like a wink on him. He smirked because at least this explosion didn't knock him out. That, at least, was a relief. But, they still had the matter of dealing with the retreating pirates.

According to the specs, the Atmospheric Generators where a few 'rooms' ahead. There was also a fork in the road there too, and unfortunately, Thel couldn't remember which way to go. When Nazgul actually arrived at the fork, most of them went right. While some of them, including Thel, went left. After a few moments of reorganizing, all of the Nazgul distraction team was going down the right corridor.

The next room they entered was similar to the cavern where they first got ambushed. except this room was smaller and the hum of machinery could not be mistaken. The actual generators were lined along one wall, with the controls on the other.

A few pirates had run in here in desperation, along with the mechanistic, who were for the most part, hidden behind the machinery. A hail of blaster bolts erupted from both sides but the battle was all one-sided, all the casualties were pirates and the few mechanics brave enough to fight.

The distraction team was ordered to line the prisoners up, and then execute them. Nazgul didn't have the time or resources to bring prisoners. Thel felt no remorse as he cut down pirate after pirate.

They still in the process of setting whatever explosives they still had, mostly grenades, when driver sent a TXT over the Nazgul channel:

'Main objective complete, fall back to your fighter’s men. Then we'll torpedo this rock into space dust.'

With all the explosives set, Thel stood up, and started off for his ship. He had guessed that most of the pirates had gone into the room that he, and a few others, had almost gone down. He hoped the distraction team wouldn't get ambushed, without cover, when they passed the corridor.

Luckily, there was no ambush, but some pilots did shoot at a pirate that walked around a corner. The pirate scurried off and although this happened a few times, other then that, there was no serious resistance as Nazgul headed for the landing pad where they first entered the base.

===Landing Pad===
There were scorch marks on the deck, and it seemed that a blaster flight had occurred, but other then that the pad was relatively untouched. Thel's Avenger was still in good order, the same as it was when he left. All around him the other TIEs were taking off and arming torpedoes and running systems checks and everything else that needed to be done before they could commence bombing the asteroid.

Thel lagged slightly behind a bit because he was having problems arming his torpedo tubes, but with them armed he lifted up and fell in with the rest of Nazgul for a systematic bombing of the pirate hideout.

He thought he saw the room with the generators explode, but he couldn't be sure with all the other explosions going on at the same time.
After the Asteroid was thoroughly demolished, Thel set of for the convoy through the asteroid field.

OOC:

Alright, only 537 words this time. I'm sure this is just the first of many bombing stories! Continue on from where you like.

This story is now completed, awesome job everyone, final tallies of words will be completed within the next week. Also, begin thinking of what our next story should be, send any ideas or requests to Hunter.