High above the wasted world of Atraken, a flicker of light came out of hyperspace and resolved itself into a Lambda-class shuttle. Inside were PFC Slash, PFC Luke, a Navy pilot, and a pair of Navy gunners.

Slash walked over to his comrade, who was sitting on an ammo crate. "Hey Luke? you ready? we're gonna be momentarily touching down at the starport so me and you can spot for the Dragoons, and send the shuttle to get 'em."

"Yeah, Slash, i got it. i just..."

"Just what?"

"Nothin, man. It don't mean nothin."

(OOC- my next reply is gonna be full of all sorts of fun info...i just have to think of it)

PFC Slash, Dark Dragoons, who STILL doesn't know how to make his ID line

Luke Radios Lambda. " Lambda Two-Nine Come In. This Is PFC Luke."  " What Is Your Status?" Asks Pilot SP-801. " We've Found The Location Of The Dark Dragoons." Says Luke. " They Are At The Co-Ords Of 29.016 Degreese Lat. West, And 18.025 Degreese Long. North. We've Got Some Bad News Though. While Scouting The Area PFC Slash Got Hit In His Left Leg. We Need Medical Attention At The Starport On Pad Two."

Kuin had taken a hold of his boredom and had finally decided to do something for himself for a change.  After a 120 credit tab run at the Downside cantina, he was now regretting the decision.  Imperial Center paid well, but with the recent conflict affecting business, all expense accounts would be very, very scrutinized. Plus there was that incessant pounding in his head....

He sat bolt upright on his bunk and clanged his head against the curved bulkhead.  Once the spots started faded he made his way towards the  loading ramp of the Bargaining Chip.  He checked to see who was outside.  Sure enough, it was the mechanic he had befriended thus far beating on the hull with a piece of scrap metal.  Lowering the ramp, he called out.

"Damn Bahna, what's with all the racket?  Can't you just let a guy sleep in?"

The mechanic took a good look at him.  "One.  It's past noon.  Two, I heard about your night at the Downside.  I suggest a trip to the 'fresher when we're done here.  You reek."

Kuin looked down.  Damn, he even passed out with his boots on.  That must have been a long night.  "Well, what brings you out here?  Other than making sure I'm still alive?"

Bahna took a quick glance around, as if anyone could hide on the cracked expanse of ferrocrete.  "There's a report of an shuttle that came down last night. They landed somewhere to the south. I know you swear you aren't with any military unit, but that group of 'prospectors' you came in with didn't look like the real deal to me.  Figured this might be something you'd want to know about."

"Erm...thanks.  I guess that would put the ship near where they would be.  A couple things.  One, who knows about this?  Two, what are they gonna do with that knowledge?"

Bahna shrugged.  "Only the few of us that heard it talked about at the cantina last night.  The Last Resort was a lot quieter than your party.  I doubt the constable will send anyone out unless he feels it necessary.  The outlier mines report nothing strange.  Besides, all the comm chatter was encrypted.  Not a whole damn lot we could do even if someone was crying for help. Not that anyone is happy about it, but we try to keep out of the rest of the universe's problems as much as possible."

Kuin passed along two credit chits to Bahna.  "Keep half of this.  Spread the word to those few that I'd like to keep this quiet.  Also," he paused to pass over a small bag of NR credits, "I am gonna need a fairly large airskimmer and maybe a couple, three guys who can carry a blaster and keep their traps shut.  And if you know a decent medic, get him on retainer."

"Sure Marius, will do your majesty.  And what will you be doing while I am scurrying about?"

"Can it Bahna.  You are doing me a favor and getting a month's pay or better for it.  Besides, a friend of mine told me I needed a shower." With that, he ran back up the ramp, slapping the button to close it on the way.  Bahna started to say something, thought better of it, and headed back to town.

The outline of a large structure grew ever closer in the night.  No detail was emited in the darkness.  The only light showing itself was the glow of the campfires of the enemy soldiers.  While the organics were subdued by the need the sleep, the droid soldiers were very "alive".  They would have no clue of what awaits them in the near future.

The buzz of the repulsorlift drives hummed over the landscape.  As the crafts came closer, Demi ordered, "Ok, let's make this happen.  TK, you take the right.  Kuin, you guys get the left."  The ULAV and air skimmer pulled away from the chariot and take on there designated targets.

Demi drove the chariot and sealed it up against the enterance to the center.  "Kjerir, you stay here while Shadow and I set the explosives,"  Demi ordered.  The two men departed their lone comrade to fend off the soldiers by himself.

Meanwhile...

"Aim for where they'll be... not where they are!" TK yelled over the laser bolts zooming by.  Slash tooking this in and was now picking off more soldiers than ever.  With TK's luck, the camp he was attacking was slightly larger than the one Kuin was attacking.

While dominating the battle, the opponents introduce some heavy blaster cannons.  Half the cannons were completed in assembly and fired at the ULAV, but with its fast movement, the cannons could only get a minimal of good hits in.  "Aim at thos cannons, Slash, they could really do some damage," TK shouted.

"Aye, sir," replied Slash.  Slash openned up and took out half the cannons.  He and TK continued on this their rampage.

"Mars, you take this station, and you, Luke, take this one," Kuin ordered as he pointed to the gunnery stations with his finger.  The skimmer's run was quite simple.  The only opponents seemed to be infantry until Mars saw a small mech walker coming out of a large tent.

"Kuin, sir, we have a walker on the right side," Mars told Kuin.  Kuin swung the skimmer around so the two gunners could get a good aim on it.  Like the two AT-TEs before, this walker had a slow turning speed.  Kuin used this to gain the upper hand.

As the air skimmer ran circles around the walker, its laser bolts cut through its ancient armor plating like a sword in water.  With its legs cut out from under it, the top fell on the ground... right into the volley of laser bolts.  The walker exploded with the pilot inside.  Now it was on to destroying what ever was left for the skimmer.

Back at the reclamation center...

Demi and Shadow find the center of the structure.  All the guards were busy defending the base from the vehicles outside.  Demi bent down to set the explosives and Shadow kept watch.  A few moments later, "C'mon, Demi, let's get outta here," Shadow suggested to the squad leader.

"Awright, go ahead.  I'm almost done here anyways," Demi told the soldier.  Shadow started to run back to the chariot just as Demi stood up.

The two arrived back at the enterance.  Shadow was five meters ahead of Demi and got in the chariot first.  Just as he got his foot inside, a cannon bolt landed just beneath the chariot sending it tipping at a 30 degree angle.  The chariot returned to its regular position with minimal damage, but Shadow and Kjerir had some broken bones.  Demi jumped in and sped away.  "Ok, guys, let's get the hell outta here!"

The two combatants returned to the chariots side as they all rode off with an army chasing behind.  A moment later, a white light flooded the replusor crafts.  When the white light disappeared, as giant cloud of smoke and flame could be seen where the reclamation center used to be.  The center was long gone...
 
-----------------------
Private First Class Coris "Mars" Swift
-----------------------
TRP/PFC Mars/2SQD/1PLT/1COM/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE [LoR]

Kuin watched the transport carrying the troopers depart the landing pad.  A smaller shuttle was taking the Imperial Center team back towards Etchik.  Basically, he was left alone without any watchers or people to watch over.  First time in a long time for that.

Technically, all that would change tomorrow anyway.  A ship from Cinn's fleet would be back to take possession of the Bargaining Chip.  As requested, a small freighter from Imperial Center's privateer fleet would be delivered to him so he could get off this rock.  Cinn's people would drop off all of his personal effects and he would officially be working for a legal entity for the first time in his life. 

Strangely enough, all that made him want to do was get a drink.  Thankfully, Bahna still owed him a couple for betting that he wouldn't make it out of the wastelands alive.  All the locals knew of the incident was that some leftover ordinance blew up and harmed some of the prospectors.  No one believed the story for a second and the fact that various Imperial intel teams were still scouring the wastelands searching for the people responsible for rebuilding and reprogramming the war droids didn't give the story any more credibilty.  But he was only tasked to make sure the mission succeeded.  Mission accomplished.

Now it was time for those drinks.
 
-----------------------
PRF/LG Fury/VEA/TADATH/VE [SCP][PoC][SotE:HC][SotE:VEA][IOC]
Prefect - Stormtrooper Corps
Administrator - Imperial Center