Curses in all languages of outrage sounded through the corridor as a figure darted through it. In normal times she would have smirked at their surprised and outraged reaction, but she was late&again.

Hellra literally skied to halt in front of a briefing room, gasping for breath. This would be the first time she would speak to the whole squad, and she wants to make a good impression. Composing her self, and tucking the strands of hair that fell in her face behind her ear, she entered the door activation code. The door opened with a pressurised hiss. Holding her head high, and back straight she entered.

She barely took a few strides before she felt her self-losing balance as she tripped over her own feet. A roar of laughter soon followed. Feeling her face flaming up, she quickly picked her self up.

So much for impression

"Well, we have a mission" she said, her voice cracked slightly.
"You finally managed to get us on a mission?" asked a man, who was in his early twenties. His head glistened in the light, his shaven scalp reflecting the light.
"Yes Gar" sighed Hellra, before she continued.
"We are going to the planet Pzob, " a groan interrupted her, she followed the source till it landed on a black haired man,
"I take it you know what awaits us then on Pzob?" she asked with a smile.
"No vacation, it would be a miracle if we come out clean"

Hellra nodded,
"We have to set a base up, and start setting up a outpost as well, once the area has been secured the rest of the workers can come in and finish it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but everyone here is a combat engineer, except Zafo. Zaf, I'm putting you in charge of the scouting, you would know how to manoeuvre with the vehicles through the environment. The environment it self consists of mist, forests and swamps, making our job as engineers much more challenging."

Hellra pinched the bridge of her nose as she tried to recall any information she might have forgot to say,

"About the inhabitants, there is rumoured that gamorreans clans dwells there, so we will have to watch our backs, any questions?"

Hellra looked around expectantly and waited a few second before continuing.

"Good, you can go, be prepared to leave in seven standard hours, think practical about what weapons you want to tag along, bring your scanner devices and don't forget your CE equipment, dismissed"

Chairs scraped across the tiled floor, and the buzz of voices sounded. Hellra stood arms folded, her thoughts pondering on the mission. 

"Zafo, wait up!" Zafo turned around as he heard his name,
"I haven't readied the squad equipment out yet, mind helping me out with it." Hellra looked at Zafo almost pleadingly dreading what his response might have. His face broke in a slight grin.

"You need to relax, have a drink. But sure, lets have a check on that equipment "


-----------------------
--Corporal-Hellra--
  -Dark-Dragoons-
SL/SGT Hellra/2SQD/2PLT/1CMP/1REG/1BAT/Tadath/VEA[LoR][ES2C][CoR]

Giovanni let out a deep sigh and exited the briefing room. It was back to the old grind. To be honest, he wasnt too excited about this particular mission. From what he had heard Pzob was not the most pleasant of planets, and from experience he knew Gamorreans were the least pleasant creatures he had ever encountered. All this mized in with the 2 new troopers and their new Squad Leader and the probability for huge success or horrible disaster was high.

Walk in the park, he thought to himself. It sure as hell beat moping around Tadath for the next week or two.He needed some time out in the open, even if "out in the open" meant a dense humid forest infested with all sorts of disgusting creatures.

He walked over to Hellra, who was hovering from place to place answering questions and conversing with her squad, but veered off and began to walk towards the exit. There was no time for pleasantries. He needed to pack. Gio nodded to the new recruits on his way out. Garet pointed a finger at him; some kind of gesture he hadn't seen before, but Giovanni shrugged it off.

Once in his room the newly promoted Sergeant opened up his duffel bag and emptied its contents. Not to his surprise, half of the things in there were either contraband or over 100 proof. The contraband he stashed in his closet. He brought out his raggedy old set of Stormtrooper Armor and laid it flat on his bed for inspection. It had almost become a ritual of his since first joining the Dark Dragoons under Afyon a little over a year ago.

Few dings here and there...I'll be fine

He had replaced his mesh underwear as it had suffered some tears and rips on his last mission but other than that all his equipment had been with him since the very beginning.

The tan young man stripped down and stepped into the refresher booth.

------------------ 10 minutes later -------------------

Giovanni ran his fingers through his curly head of hair and put on a pair of boots. There were still several hours until the Dragoons' departure to Pzob, and Giovanni knew just what to do. Sliding across his bed he picked up a Holopad and typed up a message that no one could turn down. He sent it to all the Dragoons and set the pad down.

"DRINKS ON ME"

Giovanni picked up a strange, six-stringed instrument he had picked up during his stay in Cepany and walked out the door. He played a song he had hear in a cantina once as he made his way to the Lounge.



-----------------------
*DarkDragoons*

*Sergeant Giovanni A. Bryden*

FTL/SGT Giovanni Bryden/2SQD/2PLT/1COM/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE/[LoR][ES][1st Class]

Whenever death may surprise us, let it be welcome if our battle cry has reached even one receptive ear and another hand reaches out to take up our arms.

The glass hit the table, empty.

"Seeeee." Zafo said, starting to get a bit loud. "It's not all thaaat bads. Coulds be worses. You know...like...eating banthas or something. It's not like eating banthas..."

Zafo swayed and would have fallen to the ground, if Giovanni had not caught him.

"Woah there," Giovanni said then hesitated for a couple of seconds before continuing. "Come on Hellen, I promise you'll like it."

"Fine..." The Squad Leader said, seemingly very reluctantly. None the less she took a huge gulp. She caughed a little, and her face tensed.

"See?" Giovanni and Zafo said at the same time. "Not all that bad."

-------------------- Forty-five minutes later --------------------

By now, every Dragoon had gotten Giovanni's message and were enjoying a round of drinks together. The squad's line-up had changed rather drastically since their mission on Mimban, even though that was no more than three weeks ago. What better way to get to know new squadmates then sharing a drink before your first mission together? None.

As much as he loved to drink, when Zafo's watch showed four hours till departure time, he began to take it easy. After all, he was an Assistant Squad Leader and had to be somewhat responsible. It wouldn't be to good an idea to show up at the drop ship drunk to the point where he couldn't stand. He was glad to see that Hellen had taken it easy the whole time, he wouldn't like taking orders from someone more drunk than he, even though he'd do it anyways.

"You guys will be fine." Zafo said trying to re-assure Garet and Jennabelle. He wasn't even sure if they were at all worried, but it was something to say. Zafo had met the two troopers, along with Hellen back when he and Gio had paid a visit to the Lancer barracks. He had seen then, and again now that all three were a pleasant bunch. The fact that Hellen was indeed ex-rebel didn't matter at all to him. After all, Zafo was once a renegade bounty hunter which hunted both rebel and imperial targets. It was what the person believed in a stood for now, not then that mattered.

With still about four hours until the Squad was to depart, there was still much socializing, and even drinking to be done...

 
-----------------------
~ZaFo
*DarkDragoons
+ Advance Recon Commandos {ARC} +
ASL/SSG ZaFo/2SQD/1PLT/1COM/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE  [BC] [EW2]
~Keep on Rocking in the Free World

Hellen stood up from the table; she shook her head, why was she feeling so light, like she was floating. Rubbing her face furiously trying to shake of the feeling she turned her attention to the table, she was about to say something when Gio stood up as well, his stature towering over her small frame causing her to make a slight scowl at this.
Everyone just haves to be tall,

"I would like to welcome the new Dragoons to us," began Gio, his voice had a jolly yet steady tint to it. Hellen found her self-amazed at his ability to keep his liquor in. She only had&how many glasses did she get? The only thing she knew was Gio and Zafo had much more drinks in then she did.

She didn't hear the rest of the squad's conversations, lost in her own thoughts. She noticed Squall saying something to Jenny causing the twilek to throw her head back in laughter at him. Zafo was trying to convince Gio to drop his drinks so they could get going, but the black haired man obviously seemed to disagree. She turned around, her eyes searching for the other Dragoons, Dinin and Sam seemed to be off in their own world as well, except for the occasional order of a drink or Dinin commenting on something in which Sam grunted a response in acknowledgment of Dinin's comments. Confused she realised she hasn't seen Garet. Thinking of him bought back a flood of guilty thoughts. Her mind wandered back to Stassia,

They were running out of time, Hellra could have sworn they ran through every nook and corner of the building, and yet not even one officer in sight except for the rebel flies that couldn't escape their wrath quick enough. By now alarms blared through the building emitting from several sound systems in the corridors. Hellen made it her personal job to get rid each one as they chased the halls down.

They halted and raised their guns again at the oncoming figures that flickered into their vision. Hellra shot without thinking, despite the warning shout that Slick gave to her. To her utter horror she shot one of her own accidentally. She bolted from her crouched position forward to see who has fallen to her blaster's shot.

Hellra darted over to Garet who unknowingly and accidentally fell victim to her blaster.

She remember removing his armour as she feverously tried to stop the blood flow, her concentration was broke when a whitely clad figure walked in. Garet who was already dressed for combat walked towards the Dragoons.  She noticed him wince when Zafo made use of him as a pillar. Her eyes followed him curiously as he stepped outside.

"Hiya"
Garet looked up surprised at her, his expressionless face brightened in a smile, why did it seemed to be effort in making that smile?
"Mind if I take a seat?" Hellen, she motioned to the empty spot on the bench next to him, he shook his head. For a few minutes only the rowdy noise from the cantina could be heard. She tried gathering her thoughts; perhaps it would be better is she 'confessed' to him after the mission. It would be bad for the mission and the squad is there was tension and conflict between each other.

"Still hurts doesn't it?' she asked, at first it seemed as if Garet was going to deny but he nodded head. Hellen rolled her eyes.
"What's up with guys and trying to be macho, come one, lets get you to a medical centre, I don't want one of my boys to out and injured at the same time.

Ignoring his protest Hellen pulled him to his feet, she respected his whish to walk on his own, but made sure to stay close. She chose to sip out of the cantina not wanting to disturb the rest of the squad's spirit. She had a feeling they will need much of that for the mission.

"I'm fine, the doc wont be able to fix?" began Garet as he tried grasping for a reason to escape.
"No, I want to you to go for a check up, I wan to know if you're medically up for this"

I owe you this much, I wont have you or anyone hurt because I was irresponsible she thought to her self as she continued to drag Garet to the medical bay in silence.


-----------------------
--Corporal-Hellra--
  -Dark-Dragoons-
SL/SGT Hellra/2SQD/2PLT/1CMP/1REG/1BAT/Tadath/VEA[LoR][ES2C][CoR]

Hellen left Garet at the medical bay and made her way back to the cantina. Their mission was in a little more then three hours and she needed her squad at top notch.

"Okay guys, break it, put your in a bucket of water and take some coffee or something" ordered Hellen recalling how she always had to sober her best friend up before returning home.

"But?" Gio's face faltered as Hellen took his drink along with the rest of the squads, and disposed of it laughing merrily,
"No buts, go take nap or something, we're leaving in more then three hours," The squad got up from the table, most of them grumbling at her as they made their separate ways. Hellen let out another laugh, watching her ASL and Fire team Leader stumble toward their barracks while mumbling about mutiny.

Hours later the squad found themselves onboard the shuttle to Pzob. Most were back to their full sanity, and socialising without the influence of alcohol. Hellen quickly checked her gear for a last time; she swapped her swamp armour for plain Stormtrooper gear. She tucked the few strands of hair that escaped in her face blocking her sight particularly. Something she has gotten used to.

"Guys, quick meeting" she called over her shoulder as she secured her duffel bag. She stood up to face them,
"As soon as we touch down, I want the whole squad to scout the first hundred meters around the camp, Dinin, you and Garet will be assigned to Zafo," getting a affirmative nod from them she turned to Gio.
"Gio, I'm assigning Squall and Sam to you, and Jenny will come with me, any question so far?"  She waited for a few seconds before Jenny spoke up"

"What exactly are we doing, and---"
"And what should we expect?" interrupted Garet the twilek.

"I was about to come to that part," answered Hellen, as she busied her hands with a piece of string that came loose from her duffel bag.

"Lets keep the first day for that scouting." The environment it self it will be more difficult then you think, you wont have a set path, s you will have to make your way through swamps, or try find a way through the dense trees. That's why I bought a few vibrobayonets, for cutting paths " Hellen gestured to a crate next to her duffel bag.

"When the area is secured, Zafo you will take the scouting further with your team, while the rest of us will stay behind to start setting up a base, the most important device I want to get done is the communication devices, and making contact with the base. Depending on how long that will take, I'll see if we will get down to setting the other devices up as well. That's all for now,"

Hellen's posture slackened a bit as she turned around and walked up to the shuttle pilots. She stood behind them with arms folded, her eyes resting on the nearing planet in front of her. It's a small planet, with an almost oval shape with a sickly muck green landscape obscured with a dense fog.

It was a shaky landing, the environment already challenging them, and they haven't even touched down yet. She threw a quick glance around to everyone they all seemed fine. Except for Dinin who looked he was going to be sick as his pale face tinted with a slight green contorted in several expressions.

"Last note, be wary of any possible gamorreans, and remember your bayonets, " ordered Hellen as the respective teams stood in a tight circle around her. Their shuttle just took off, crates and equipment was stacked up neatly on the ground, along with Zafo's prize, his Nightfalcon. It was difficult getting a clear space for the all the equipment, seeing that the ground varied in different ground levels, caused by the large tree roots that grew all over the place. Hellen rubbed her bare hands together, to get some warmth. Her face was cool and clammy with the cold wet air.

"I don't feel comfortable with all our stuff here in the open for all to see, lets cover this before going" within minutes the crates and equipment were hidden by means of large leaves, and bushes. Zafo's Nightfalcon being more of a challenge then the rest took a bit longer but at last the task was done. Gio was hastily tying a red piece of cloth around a stick when the Dragoons met up again.

"What cha doing Gio?" asked Zafo curiously and confused.
"Marking our spot, I don't want to go searching for our camp fooled by our own camouflages" he answered with a grunt. He gave a last tug to the fabric be fore standing up from his kneeled position and spearing the stick with all his might in the ground.

"Good idea" muttered Hellen as she got rid of a vine that reached from a tree above which kept falling in her face.
"Ready to go boys?"
"Yes," answered Zafo and Gio with a nod, and with that the teams split up into different directions.

 
-----------------------
--Corporal-Hellra--
  -Dark-Dragoons-
SL/SGT Hellra/2SQD/2PLT/1CMP/1REG/1BAT/Tadath/VEA[LoR][ES2C][CoR]

Garet stepped out of the dropship last, allowing everybody to get out and set up. The atmosphere from space looked at warmer and humid, but stepping outside was literally a cold blast in the face. It seemed the oxygen levels were lower here, which would be a problem for his breathing. He made sure he had all his possessions before heading over to Zafo and Dinin.

"Hey, you ready?" asked Zafo.

"Yeah, I think I have everything." Garet replied.

"Ok, why don't you two take a couple minutes to get to know this area before we head out."

Dinin and Garet both nodded as they dropped their eqiupment and walked off. Dinin walked right to Gio and said something along the lines of "Did you bring it?" but Garet was too far away to hear. Garet on the other hand went back to the dropship. Close by was Hellra's equipment, as well as the squad equipment. Garet walked to one of the boxes-marked "Medical"-and took out a few bacta canisters. He quickly stuffed them into a bag he had brought for his grenades, and walked away. He was on his way back to Zafo before he started feeling guilty about what he did earlier though: Hellra was standing there talking to Zafo, and the sight of her froze him up.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

"Alright, you going to be ok?" Hellra asked the bed-ridden Garet.

"I'll be fine." Garet said solemnly.

"Good. Stay here, I have to go get the rest of the Squad ready. If those guys keep getting drunk before missions I won't have any soldiers coming back." Hellra walked out as she finished this statement, leaving Garet alone in the medical facility.

Garet had a different agenda than what Hellra had planned though. He wasn't about to sit around and have this one wound destroy his mission. So he got off the bed, downed a nearby Bacta Canister and left. However as he left the room he was in, his wound started to bleed. For some reason his skin tore open again and fell to the ground. The pain was almost overwhelming, but he picked himself up and went back inside. The Nurse had left some treatment clothe sitting on a table for when she returned. So Garet grabbed the roll of it, and started wrapping his chest and back.

"I won't let this affect me&" Garet said top himself as he finished wrapping. He found his armor and gear in the corner of the room he was in, and thankful that he hadn't left without it, put it on as fast as he could. He went as fast as he could towards the hangar, even though he had a little over three hours left.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This isn't going to affect me," Garet said quietly as he strode over to Zafo and Hellra. He casually walked past them and sat down at the nearest tree, trying not to look at Hellra. But the inevitable happened as Hellra started to approach him.

"Garet, I never got to ask you how your medical treatment went."

"It was&" Garet paused, the only indication of his lie, "fine. They gave me just a temporary solution to get through this mission. They said once I got back they could perform more advanced treatments."

"Well, that's good I suppose. I wouldn't want you to get more hurt than you already are&" Hellra let out a little laugh.

"Are you ok?" Garet asked in response.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine why?"

"You just seem a little nervous. Actually, a lot nervous."

"Oh, well it's my first mission as Squad Leader: New people I haven't worked with, I don't really want anything to go bad&" Hellra let out another little laugh.

"Don't worry about it. We won't let you down."

"I'm sure you won't. I have to go now, so, be careful."

"I will. Good luck with Jenny." Garet said as she walked away.

Garet was just about to take out one of the Bacta Canisters when Zafo walked up.

"You ready?" he asked.

"Yeah, sure."

"Alright, well we're just waiting for Dinin. I sure hope he didn't find Gio."

 
-----------------------
Corporal Garet Daimun
Dark Dragoons 
TRP/CPL Garet Daimun/2SQD/1PLT/1COM/1RGT/1BAT/Tadath/VEA [ES2C]

"In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move."-Douglas Adams

Hellen and Jenny stood there for a few seconds, their hands cold, and their feet freezing. Hellen's eyes were closed as she tuned her ears the noises the forest and swamp emitted from various places. A lone song a far-off bird chimed through the fog leaving a echo through the cold mist. A splash not to far them sounded from a near by pond hidden behind the mist and barely visible bushes and branches overhung with vines of all lengths and sizes.

"Crap" murmured Hellen softly barely audible for Jenny to hear through the thick brume.
"What? What's wrong Hell?" asked Jenny concerned.
"I just realised how stupid I am," muttered Hellen as she plunged her self into the wild life and started cutting her path open.

"Maybe& I& shouldn't& have& paired us& two& girls& together, " said Hellra, gasping in between her words as she swung her bayonet with all her strength from right to left before repeating the process again while branches cracked under the pressure of the activated vibrobayonet, and vines, cut from their deep-rooted source in the dank ground, swept past her.
"Well, no help crying over spilt milk," muttered the twilek following Hellen's example and making a path.

Before they got very fast, the sound of shouting could be heard quickly followed by the sound of fluttering birds fleeing the scene. Hellen turned to Jenny, worry reflecting in their eyes.

Hellen was not sure whether she should run back to wherever that shouts emitted from, making her mind up, she broke into a sprint back to their original position indicating Jenny to follow her.

While running her ComLink chimed, she quickly activated it with the side of her hand that were clutching a blaster pistol.
"You have a PFC joining you, drooping him as we speak, over"
"Roger that" muttered Hellen a hasty reply before pushing her full concentrating to sprinting.

Upon arriving in the camp, Hellen slowed her sprint down to a slow jog till she came to a complete halt. The eerie silence unnerved.
"Where is that damn private?" grumbled Jenny, her question was answered as she stepped forward, the barrel of a blaster rifle reaching out of the mist into her face.

Hellen bolted forward reflexively, and pushed the rifle down meeting its owner's face. Green eyes stared back in her face,
"Private First Class Gunnar I presume?" she stated, he gave a affirmative nod.
"Well Private welcome to the Dragoons, now I would have loved to meet you under better circumstances, but&well,"

Another shout this time accompanied with blaster shouts interrupted them. Hellen made a brief gesture towards it.
"We have a situation, take a look in the crate behind you, there is a remaining bayonet, the twilek is Lance Corporal Jennabelle, and I'm Sergeant Hellra. Come on lets go, seems we have encountered those pigs earlier then I anticipated," 
stated Hellen as she fuddled with her ComLink before lifting it t near her mouth.

"Gio, just a heads up on the squad, we have a private who just reported in, I'm following the shouts that came from Zaf's direction, over"


Making sure Gunnar and Jenny were behind her, Hellen made her original bolt for Zafo and his team, while her legs were cramping with the icy cold.

 
-----------------------
--Corporal-Hellra--
  -Dark-Dragoons-
SL/SGT Hellra/2SQD/2PLT/1CMP/1REG/1BAT/Tadath/VEA[LoR][ES2C][CoR]

Garet's Annihilators were doing him good in this fight, and it seemed that Zafo and Dinin weren't doing too bad either. There was the occasional order given out by Zafo during the fight, and the occasional squeal of dying Gamorreans, but other than that no other voices could be heard. It seemed as though there were endless Gamorreans, they just kept coming out of the swamp it seemed.

"All right guys, we gotta' move!" yelled Zafo over gunfire. "Staying in this clearing isn't the best idea!"

Zafo and Dinin had dropped back behind Garet into a small, misshaped triangle to cover all directions. It had worked well until now. The Gamorreans came faster, and in greater quantities, and the fog seemed to be getting denser.

"Where are these coming from?!" yelled Dinin.

"It seems that Pzob has been more colonized& then we thought!" answered Zaf, slicing a Gamorrean's shoulder. "Alright, let's go! Follow me!"

So Zaf, Dinin, and Garet got ready to leave. Zaf and Dinin had already started in the same direction, but Garet had to turn around to follow them. As he did turn around, a Gamorrean jumped at him. In a quick reflex, Garet caught it by the arm and flipped it over his body. The pig let out a squeal as Garet executed it on the ground. Before he left to follow his team, Garet holstered one of his blasters and grabbed the Vibroaxe the Gamorrean was holding. He started running as fast as he could after the splashes he heard coming from Zafo and Dinin, but his injury slowed him down.

Before long Garet had to rest on a large tree. He grabbed a bacta canister from his bag and drained it. It would help him momentarily, but if he didn't move the Gamorreans would catch up. Garet started running again after the now distant dirty-white armor that was his team. He could hear the Gamorrean's footsteps coming up behind him, faster than he imagined. So he turned around to face them.

About five Gamorreans stood in front of him, all holding their Vibroaxes at the ready. Garet was panting from sprinting until hear but the Gamorreans seemed to be fine. One of them snorted, and they started slowly closing in. Garet charged them with all his speed, jumped through the air, speared one, kicked another, and missed his landing. He slid through the mud before throwing himself up with the momentum, and losing his helmet to a tree. His Vibroaxe had gotten stuck in the Gamorrean he speared, so he pulled out his blasters. An axe whistled just past his head coming from the Gamorrean he had kicked. He shot two of them, and ran. More of them would be coming, and he wouldn't stand a chance.

Since he lost his helmet, his sense of direction was severed. He just ran on instinct, and away from the Gamorreans. He was sure that his wound had opened up; he could feel it on his shirt. However, up ahead were lights, and that he though was his destination. Someone up ahead had stepped through the trees and Garet's heart skipped a beat: whoever it was was pointing a gun at him.

"Dive!" the figure yelled, and so Garet did. A blaster shot was fired and a Gamorrean lay at his side. Garet just stayed down in the mud catching his breath. The figure walked up to him and stuck out a hand.

"Come on. Zaf, Dinin, and Jenny already went back to the LZ."

Garet looked up. "Yeah& Thanks, Hell." Garet said as he grabbed her hand.

"We still have a Gamorrean situation at the LZ, so watch yourself."

The lights were the blaster fire up ahead, but Garet was glad he was back.


 
-----------------------
Corporal Garet Daimun
Dark Dragoons 
TRP/CPL Garet Daimun/2SQD/1PLT/1COM/1RGT/1BAT/Tadath/VEA [ES2C]

"In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move."-Douglas Adams

Back behind friendly lines, with several soldiers between him and the fighting, Dinin whipped out his rifle again. He quickly set to work thinning the Gamorrean ranks that thought they were unseen.

Each soldier was taking on more than their share of Gamorreans, but they stood their ground. Some still held their rifles, some had resorted to melee, and some, like Hellra, had switched to a mix of melee and ranged. She was deftly spinning her whip about her in seeming erratic movements, while her pistol subdued any that her whip didn't.

If at any time, a soldier seemed to be over whelmed, Dinin was all too happy to help out by ending the life of another Gamorrean.

However, through the fighting, Dinin noticed that Gio and his group were not there. He could only hope that they had not gotten in too deep, as he sent an energy bolt between the eyes of a Gamorrean trying to flank Garet.

Suddenly, Gio and his group burst through the foliage to Dinin's right. They quickly spun back around, dropped to their knees, and unloaded into the bushes, where the screams of dying Gamorreans could be heard.

Dinin popped off one more shot, then bent to change his power cell. Unfortunately, he had failed to notice the Gamorrean sneaking in the brush to his left, and was almost finished when it charged from its concealment. His hand reflexively dropped to his sword hilt as he rolled between its legs, and, adopting an inverted grip stabbed backwards into the Gamorrean who was still recovering from his swing into empty air. It let out one terrible scream before sliding off his sword and onto his rifle.

A shrill of terror ran through Dinin at that point. His rifle was underneath the mass of a full grown Gamorrean, and he was the only one guarding the left flank. Trying not to let his lack of weapon bother him, he slowly unholstered one of his pistols, and waited for the next Gamorrean that would try to rush him.

Upon arrival in the midst of battle the young Gunnar didn't know what to expect when he came to meet his new Squad Leader, Hellra. He had heard she was sometimes hard on the new guys yet was ready to learn and to teach. He came out of the frey and began fighting as soon as he was ordered to do so. This would be his first opportunity to prove himself in battle and he was quite energetic and ready for the action that lay ahead.

Throughout the chaos of his first real fight and his sqaud leader going down to an injury, Gunnar was afraid for the first time in his life. Not of dieing, but of the possibiliy that he could have helped her and wasn't capable, for the first time in his life he had been overpowered by these foul creatures...

When he finally snapped out of the initial shock of the carnage he was so familiar with, he began shooting anything that wasn't human with his rifle. His eyes glowed with a fiery darkness when he killed these creatures and his fellow squad mates were eyeing him differently from the rest, as if he was odd.

He knew he was different, but how different I don't think anyone would know until time and destiny be told...

The first thing Garet noticed when he woke up was the stench. A mix of the swamp, Gamorreans, and what they were eating. There were about six Gamorreans around a fire, all talking in their native tongue and demolishing what looked like some animal's "Waste Stew".

The second thing he realized was the tree behind him, and the rope around him. The rope seemed unnecessarily tight, but then again Garet thought that it just could've been his injury. He could feel mud over his face after the loss of his helmet; he could also feel dry blood on the back of his head. He could also feel the rope tugging, which was strange to him: Why would a rope just be tugging? The answer came to him in about two seconds.

"Garet& Garet, hey you up yet?" said a familiar, whispering voice.

With a soft moan Garet replied. "Yeah&"

"You've been out for a while. I was starting to think I lost you."

"Where are we?" Another groan.

"I can't answer that. I can tell you that the Gamorreans took us though."

"By the way, who is this? And how do you know I'm here?"

"Oh, you don't recognize me do you? It's me, Giovanni. I woke up about an hour ago, we were still in the forest."

"Ah..." Garet said with a couple coughs. A couple Gamorreans looked over, but none of them moved.

"We need to get out of here." Gio started as soon as they looked away.

"Got any plans?"

"Eh, no." Gio said hopeless. Garet groaned.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Garet had spent almost both of his first two Annihilators in the battle. His wound kept bothering him, and he had to kneel down more than once to catch his breath. He was sure to stick close to Hellra, she was the only one who knew about his injury (besides Jenny), and she was the only one who could help out if he got into trouble.

Two Gamorreans came straight up to him; Garet shot one and kicked the other out of the way, giving him a chance to shoot a third that was coming at him with a vibroaxe. He then turned to shoot the one on the ground, but his Annihilator hit empty. Holstering that blaster, he shot the pig with the other and picked up its vibroaxe.

Suddenly, Garet heard a scream behind him. As he turned around, he has hit by something in the back of the lead. Looking up, he noticed that something was a Stormtrooper being flung around by an electrowhip.

"Hellra?" Garet whispered in confusion. He got up and grabbed the vibroaxe to take action, but before he could do anything the body was flung into a tree. With eyes widened and adrenaline flowing at the sight of this, Garet flung the axe right into the Gamorrean's head. However, with his senses raging, he didn't realize other enemies coming from behind. Garet's attack was repaid when a heavy, blunt object that felt like a branch hit him in the back of the head.

Zafo, who was engaged with two other Gamorreans nearby, saw both of these attacks on his squad. But, a little preoccupied, couldn't help immediately.

"Gio, Gunnar!" he yelled to get some help. "Garet and Hellra are hit! Help 'em out!"

At that, both of the troopers ran to help. Gio went to go help to weakened Garet, and Gunnar went to help the unconscious Hellra. The path was clear for Gunnar, who got to Hellra, picked her up and started walking away with her by the time Gio had gotten to Garet.

Gio had to fight through five Gamorreans lined up for the slaughter before he reached his squad-mate, but made in one piece.

"Hey, Garet common," he said as he bent down and shook his shoulder. "I'm gonna' get you out of here." But before he could do anything, four Gamorreans emerged from the mist and converged around Garet and Gio. "Hang on&"

"Alright you pigs," Gio said. "Let's go." He fired at one, then two before he had the chance to get to him. He was able to push the first one away as it jumped on, but the second (and bigger) had rushed into him from behind and full-on body slammed Gio.

Giovanni would have been fine had nothing been there but ground, but one of the multiple trees happened to be where his body was flying. His body made contact, and his armor rattled as he bounced off. Gio was able to get to his feet quickly, but the Gamorrean was already there waiting. As soon as Gio had focused himself, the blunt side of a vibroaxe hit him in the side of his face, knocking him against the tree again and putting him out of the fight.

Before anyone could realize, two Stormtroopers were being dragged through the mud&
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Garet woke up again to the violent tugging of the rope.

"Get your grubby hands of me, pig!" protested Giovanni as the rope slackened.

Garet, realizing what was happening, was suddenly lively again. "Gio! What's happening?!"

"Get& off m..." Gio was trying to say as his voice was muffled. As Garet tried to move around the tree and look, a dirty, sweaty hand grabbed his head. Garet's breathing and heart rate elevated as the hand pushed down against his head. He tried to grab the Gamorrean, but his hands had been tied behind his back. The next thing he knew, his head was in a bag and he was being dragged by the feet through the mud again. He tried to wriggle his way free, but it was no good.

"Gio, you there?" Garet asked into the void. "Gio? Gio?!"


-----------------------
Corporal Garet Daimun
Dark Dragoons 
TRP/CPL Garet Daimun/2SQD/1PLT/1COM/1RGT/1BAT/Tadath/VEA [ES2C]

"In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move."-Douglas Adams

Garret's voice echoed off the trees around them, making it seem like he was everywhere. With some concentration he pinpointed Garet to be screaming to the left of him, but his voice faded away. His hands and feet were tied, and his head was stuffed in a dirty bag that smelled of dirt and excrement.

"GARET!" screamed Gio. The only response he got was the sounds of his back and neck being dragged through the mud and fallen leaves. He wanted to scream more, but his jaw, possible fractured, was causing him too much pain. His lower back, and left ribs were also injured. His breathing was becoming labored, but he tried to remain calm. The last thing he needed was to lose focus.

Ahead of him he could hear the snorts of his filthy captors. He cursed like all hell at them, but it was no use. The primitive bastards probably dont even speak basic..., he thought to himself.

He began to think about the simulation the Dragoons had gone through under Kairo. He had been kidnapped before, but this time the stakes were very real. Any injury he sustained was permanent, and his chances were looking slimmer the farther they dragged him into the forest.

He began to think of Garet. He hadn't been in the Army for too long and already he had to go through this.

His bag hood was caught on the portrusion of bark from a tree and he got his first look at his captors. There were 3 gamorreans: one carrying his by the rope tied to his feet, and 2 others that acted as sentries in front of the group. He identified the Gamorrean that had dealt him the crippling blow with the axe by the fact that he was the only one wielding a weapon. Giovanni's helmet, cracked with a section missing from the right side, hung lazily from a satchel on his back.

The adrenaline must have been wearing out, because the pain he was experiencing all over his body began to intensify. His head felt heavy, and his neck stiff. He sensed the coppery taste of blood in his mouth. The world around him began to blend into one big brown blob. The smells, the tastes seemed to vanish. The little light there was seemed to vanish. He let his head drop and passed out.

This mission isnt over... We've just had a change of plans. First Priority: Get me and Garet out alive.

-----------------------
*DarkDragoons*

*Sergeant Giovanni A. Bryden*

FTL/SGT Giovanni Bryden/2SQD/2PLT/1COM/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE/[LoR][ES][1st Class]

Whenever death may surprise us, let it be welcome if our battle cry has reached even one receptive ear and another hand reaches out to take up our arms.

    The squad kept keen eyes out for any possible sign of movement from the Gamorreans. Each member with their weapons ready. They were ready for any surprise attacks that may be awaiting them on the path ahead.
    "Hmm, do you think that Gio or Garet would happen to have their com-links on, that is if they aren't busted?" Sam whispered to ZaFo, "If one of them does happen to have it on, we may be able to use it as a tracking device."
    "That is a good idea Sam, but we don't really have the time to tinker around to get a properly working device," quietly replyed ZaFo.
    "You are right but I could try to make one out of my datapad. It really wouldn't be to hard," Sam whispered again, "If we do get ambushed, which something tells me we won't, then I'll drop what I'm doing and I'll start again when you think it is safe enough."
    "Alright, but just make sure you have your blasters very handy," Zafo said quietly.
    Sam started to tinker with his datapad. He started to set up a signal bar to give an idea as to how close they are to Gio or Garet, which ever com-link that he would connect to. Every few seconds, Sam would look up to check for any  signs of Gio or Garet and to make sure he doesn't trip over anything.
    With in twenty minutes or so, Sam finished. He started a search for other imperial coded signals that were not in his group. Unfortunately, there was a chance that he would get someone in the other group.
    "Hellra, could you give me the signal codes for your group I've made a tracking device to hopefully aid us in finding Gio and Garet," Sam said into his com-link.
    "I can't right now. We have stumbled upon a one of our friends, but I'll get back to you on that when I can," Hellra replied.
    "Uh, okay then," Sam replied.
    "Who was that?" ZaFo asked Sam.
    "That was Hellra. I asked for the signal codes for their group, but they were busy. They ran into a gamorrean," replied Sam.
    "They will call if they need any help," ZaFo said, "They can take care of theirselves."
    The group continued on. Sam had locked onto one signal, but he didn't follow it because it could possibly be someone in Hellra's group, but he stored the signal code on the chance that it isn't one of them.
 
-----------------------
TRP/SGT Sandwich Sam 2SQD/1PLT/1COM/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE [LoR][BM][GS]
*DarkDragoons*
"Only the willful can correct the wrongs and perform the miracles of the mind." -- me

"I'm down, I'm down!"
Hellen spun around at the cry, Gunnar was on the ground clutching his arm that was bent in the most awkward angel while staring up at the gamorrean, it's axe ready to stride.

"Hold on!"
She started shooting multiple rounds with her measly pistols knowing how unpractical her whip was, the proof still throbbing in her head and ribs. The blaster shots seemed ineffective, the gamorrean's gaze shifted to Hellen with an intense glare. She backed away immediately on first instinct but quickly got over her scare and stepped in an offensive position.

With a squeal like battle cry the gamorrean bolted towards her, his axe raised to strike. A few feet away, and he swung his axe to her with his whole body weight. Hellen gave a quick duck and rolled away, a smirk etched on her face. The fool used his weight to gain strength, but putting him awfully of balance.  She stood up again ready for the gamorrean with a whip in her hand. Her once clean uniform looked like it was just picked up from mud, and she her self didn't look much better off, her hair was caked dirt and twigs, her face smeared with muck. He took another charge at her; she stood in a slight crouch waiting in anticipation. A few meters away... a few feet... his burly green left arm arching backwards to swing again... NOW! She lashed her whip out towards his feet; it curled around his anckles tightly with the frail end hissing upon his bare skin. A slight tremor bolted through his body as the whip shocked him, Hellen gave a quick tug tripping him towards the ground, while she dropped her right hand whip, her left hand bought another out, as quick as lightning it was curled around the gamorrean's thick neck. Making sure the enemy was kept in a strangle hold she bolted forward, her vibroblade ready. Greenish blood gushed from where she struck him in the neck, paralysing him as well before giving into quick death.

It felt like minutes or hours while she battled the gamorrean but in reality it was seconds. She spun around to see Dinin trying to fend off three gamorreans by means of running around like he was drunk thus confusing them, and making it impossible to predict his movements.
Smart move
"Gun, here! There is some grenades, figure out a plan with them while Din and I try and take care of these guys!" shouted Hellen over the squeals. She threw her backpack at him; he caught it with a grimace of pain etched on his face. Hellen turned nervously and gulped. Three gamorreans against two capable soldiers?



-----------------------
-Dark-Dragoons-
SL/SGT Hellra/2SQD/2PLT/1CMP/1REG/1BAT/Tadath/VEA[LoR][ES2C][CoR]

Zafo's group was, meanwhile, was examining a dead Gamorran, which they had found while going in search of Garet and Gio.

"So, do you want to do the honors of searching it?" Zafo asked, politely, staring at it.

"Yeah, I think I will." Jenny muttered quickly before turning to the dead body and searching through it.

She found a vibroaxe, hunting rifles, and some grenades.

She commented curiously:

"Do you suppose he was killed in the fighting or left to die?"

"Left to die, most likely, well, let's ---"

Before Zafo said anything else, hell's voice came on the transmission and yelled quickly, with sounds of fighting behind her:

"Damn! A lone Gamorran probably set up as a scout for warning. We're checking it for info on where Gio and Garet are. Wait where you are."

"Okay, just tell me what you find when you get there, alright?" Zafo said, in his less orderly tone.

"Copy that." Hell quickly replied before turning off her wristcom.

After a few minutes of waiting, Hell finally came back on the comlink, with her information.

"Alright, here's what we've found." Hell reported in a very clear manner. "It looks like this scout was actually set up for warning to the other Gamorrans who have captured Gio and Garet, but we got the little bastard just in time. I'm sending coordinates of where the ones who have captured our buddies are headed."

After receiving the coordinates, Zafo ordered back to Hell:

"Keep searching for where those Gamorran are having their attacking parties stay, that might give us an idea as to where they're as to our LZ, Got it?"

"Roger, Zafo, good luck." Hell quickly replied before switching off.

"Alright, people let's move out. Looks like about a few clicks up ahead." Zafo ordered as his group moved to the coordinates.

----- 10 minutes later -----

As they got nearer and nearer to the coordinates, they heard loud grunting emitting from a village, the yelling of imperials could be heard over the grunting.

"Is that Garet and Gio yelling?" Jenny asked quietly, staring at the village. They were situated near a hut where the grunting and yelling were coming from. A fire had started and the Gamorrans were taking a break.

"Yeah, I think it is." Zafo muttered quickly before turning his head around to the fire. There was Garet and Gio, in a hut up ahead, struggling, with some bored Gamorran guards watching over them. The rest were gathering around the fire, sharing its warmth, not paying attention to the bored guards, heads facing the fire. Zafo turned back to the group and said quietly, gathering up a plan:

"Alright, looks like there are Gamorrans guarding our guys and there are Gamorrans just sitting around the fire, ignoring the guards. We'll sneak around to the guards, silently take them out and get Garet and Gio out. Alright let's go, people."

Zafo went first, as the group quietly and quickly made their way around till they came to the guard's position. Then the group took out vibroblades, snuck up on the guards and took them out.

"Hey, Gar and Gio, glad to see you two awake and ready. Where's your gear?" Zafo said quietly as he and Jenny quickly untied and released Garet and Gio.

"Well, it's in a bag in here. Anyone found it yet?" Garet replied quickly, while looking at the Sam and Squall, who were searching the bodies and the hut they were in for weapons and ammo.

"Here we are. Your stuff, Garet and Gio, I think you should get yourself back into your uniform and grab your weapons, quickly!" Zafo ordered quickly, keeping his eyes on the Gamorrans outside.

When Garet and Gio were all zipped up and ready, a loud grunting sound was heard outside the hut.

"Oh crap! We've been spotted! Find some cover and kill the bastards!" Zafo ordered loudly as the group (plus Garet and Gio) took cover and started firing.

An intense firefight broke out as the gamorrans carrying rifles and vibroaxes charged their way into the hut. The guys near the door found themselves switching to melee and slashing the gamorrans to their deaths, while the others found themselves using rifles to blast the gamorrans to pieces.
Jenny was one of the ones at the door, but she was also wielding a D-11 blaster pistol (the one sent from her dear lancer leader, Slick) as she slashed off the head of another gamorran. They just kept coming, another and another, Jenny was not used to melee and ranged and she found herself quickly overwhelmed as she took a blow in the arm and fell back to Zafo, who was firing at the door she was guarding with Garet.

"You okay, Jenny? Damn those bastards, I'm gonna kill them. Let me help you patch this up. Take some bacta too." Zafo said, taking out some bandages and bacta.

After taking bacta and getting patched up in the arm, Jenny started walking her way back to the door she was guarding, but Zafo stood in the way and said:

"Look, just cover here with Gio, you look like you're not used to melee and ranged fighting. Then just stick with one."

Zafo went off as Jenny holstered her pistol and vibroblade and got out her E-11 Rifle. She went back to fighting.


 
-----------------------
Lance Corporal Jennabelle
-=DarkDragoonsSquadTRP=- -=Red Lancer 1=-
TRP/PFC Jennabelle/2SQD/2PLT/1COM/1RGT/1BAT/VEA/VE/Tadath

"Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed. The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force. " -Darth Vader