(Before Darr's last post)


Squall's armor had now been caked in blood from the prisoner
hed had just successfully evacuated.  The newly arrived officer seemd to want vengence for the acts committed against himself, so he joined up with the squad momentarily.

"Aren't you taking a huge risk with your life after taking that torture from the hostage situation?" Squall asked the officer.

"I'll be fine, heh, I was a trooper before, far better ranked then yourself I'm sure, so don't worry about me," said the officer, demanding that the enemy soldier strip off his armor and give it to him.

After he had suited up, the officer fell into formation with the squad, and they moved forward towards the door.  Squall to the left position on the door as Aphamos took the right.  With a flash and a bang, the squad ran into the next room, but what a deadly decision it was.  Blaster fire immediately broke out.  The room, being almost entirely marble hadn't helped them out any; blaster fire was reflecting off the walls, and had nearly taken out one of the squad members.

The entire squad had dropped to the ground.  Squall kept his blaster aimed at a man who was screaming from the effects of the flashbang.  Squall let off a few shots, dropping the man to his knees.  With one more quick shot to the head, the man was dead.  Another hostage lay up against the wall with his arm loosing blood ever so quickly.  Darr had taken out another enemy soldier as the squad moved to secure the room.

"Squad, secure the perimeter," said Darr.  His voice sounded a bit raspy, as if he was running out of air or coming down with a sickness.

"I've got one over here!" yelled Squall as he put his carbine to the head of a soldier who had seemed to make it through the firefight.

"Hands behind your back," said Squall.  But, within a split second, the weakened soldier picked up a pistol and let off a few shots in Squall's general direction, catching him in the shoulder.  Squall kept his ground, and let off 3 shots into the soldiers body, immediately incaptacitating him.

Squall fought the urge to drop the carbine and call it quits, but it wasn't the first time he had taken a shot, and this decision he had just made was a careless one.  Most of the decisions made by the trooper were careless, which was one of his many weaknesses, acting without thinking the entire situation through.

"I've taken a hit, but I'm fine," yelled out Squall.

Silence had come to the room, giving Squall a sigh of relief.  They had cleared out another floor, but what was waiting for them above?  More hostages begging for their lives?  More people to save?  The enire mission seemed chaotic to Squall, but he would fight for those that were in service with himself.

-----------------------
Squall Lionheart
Sergeant
*-Raider Squad-*
+ Advance Recon Commandos {ARC} +
----------------------
TR/SGT Squall/3SQD/1PLT/1COMP/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE [LoR] [EWI] [WM]

Prior to entering the complex


Rogue picked up his data-pad and read the message that came in, it was from his girlfriend, it simply read; "I need some time." Rogue sighed, and started pounding on the keys. "Do you actually need some time? Or do you want to break up with me?" Rogue really liked this one, and was maybe thinking about making it last longer than the others.

Aphamos looked up and saw the pained expression on Rogue's face. "What's up?" He asked, Rogue kept his face straight, his eyes seemed to pierce through Aph, yet they looked unintelligent, almost dead, a chill ran up Aph's spine.

Rogueboy mouth opened, but he didn't want to hear the words they spoke. "I'm pretty sure my girlfriend is going to break up with me." This seemed to have caught Darr's attention and he looked up his eyebrow raised questionably. Rogue understood the question, it was one of three everyone seemed to ask after hearing of a near break up; how long, why, did you see it coming. Rogue didn't feel like holding a conversation, he felt pretty shitty, I need a drink. "Two months, didn't see it coming, don't know why, and don't want to talk about it." Rogue laid his head against the wall seeking solitude with a nap, they have been killing and getting shot at for over five hours, and he didn't know how much he could take of it, already his head and arm hurt.

Everytime Rogue closed his eyes the image of an average height female, with long black curly hair, an olive complexion, eyes the colour of a does, and a seemingly gentle face would cloud his mind, Let it go, man, you knew it wouldn't last, you're a trooper expendable, a number with little significance. Shut up, stop thinking, go to sleep you need it. Darr was looking at Rogue as these emotions flickered on his face. "Rogue I still need to give you that talk." Rogue let out a sigh. Kill me now.

The shuttle stopped outside of the Shade building, a blaster was pressed into Rogue's hands an encouraging pat on the back, and he was pushed outside the shuttle, the squad formed up and Darr pointed at Rogue. "I need to talk to you." Rogue got up and walked a couple of feet from the squad. Darr started speaking. "Some men, when they've lost too much become fey. They don't know it, but already the gods of the dead have touched them. Their memories dwell so much with those who have crossed over that in their inner heart they wish to cross as well and therefore place themselves upon the path unknowingly. Rogue, have you become fey?"

Rogue shook his head. "That's madness."

Darr laughed. "The whole universe is mad right now, we are fighting a war less than fifty parsecs from here, and most of us don't know what we are fighting for, the question is do you want to win?"

"Of course I want to win, if I don't our men will die, or be disbanded which would be the equivalent of a death sentence."

Darr grinned. "Glad to hear it now form up."

 
-----------------------
Raiders
Faithful To The End
He will give them death, and they will love him for it -Gladiator

TRP/LCPL_Rogueboy/1SQD/1PLT/COMP/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE [LoR][ES-FirstClass][CDS]

Not this shit again Rogue thought to himself as blaster fire tore through the entrance of the lift, Rogue was lying on his stomach  as acrid smoke filled the air.

MEANWHILE

Daminga repeatedly pressed the button for the lift but to no avail. He turned towards Al'Zhen and said. "I guess we're going to take the stairs." No sooner did he finish his sentence than a loud chime sounded. The lift's doors opened, smoke exited the lift and Daminga was forced to take a step back. The lift was filled with stormtroopers and blaster marks.

"Daminga is that you?" Darr's voice came from the lift.

"Yes, Sir! Along with Private First Class Al'Zhen, recently transferred from drill."

"Get in the elevator, I have an idea." Darr let off an evil grin.

UNDERGROUND

"I can't believe you let the Imperial dogs get away." Thomas bowed his head in shame. "You will watch this lift with this squad, if they should return pin them down and call for reinforcements." With that the terrorist leader departed.

Thomas wondered how he managed to get caught up in this, he was a farmer by trade and until very recently was a successful farmer until Imperial stormtroopers came through, they burned his farm to the ground and killed his wife, saying she was a rebel sympathizer. Which was absurd, his wife may of had different ideas from the Imperials but she wasn't connected with the rebels...was she? Thomas scorned himself for an unworthy thought, its what the Imperials want, they want me to doubt someone I truly loved, and I shall see them in hell before I let them win this battle.

All of a sudden there was a chime, and Thomas and his squad turned towards the lift tube, the doors opened and it was filled with smoke, smoke so thick and grey that the eyes could not pierce it. Thomas picked up his comlink and was about to call for reinforcements when he second-guessed himself.

This could be a diversion to scare us, maybe their coming through the staircase, if I call for reinforcements and they come from somewhere else the punishment could be more severe.

A weight crashed into Thomas's chest, not enough to knock him down but enough to let him know something hit him. Instinctively he reached down and picked up what hit him, bringing to eye level he saw that it was a grenade.

The first grenades went off and the Raiders charged through the tube lift. It was a brilliant idea, smoke the lift and use its cover to toss in a couple of grenades, and than charge. The Raiders entered the room blasting and the enemy was too stunned to react. Rogue closed in on an enemy and hit him with the back of his rifle in the face, he than proceeded to charge the back of another terrorist. The terrorist slowly turned around and pointed his blaster at Rogue, Rogue's eyes opened wide and his footing slipped as a bolt tore through where his head was only seconds ago. Rogue had slipped on fresh blood, and landed into a corpse which was killed by the grenade, he looked up and saw that the terrorist who almost killed him was scythed down by a hail of gunfire.

OOC: In case you didn't understand Thomas was a terrorist and we are now clearing out the underground tower, or at least where the lift exits.


-----------------------
Raiders
Faithful To The End
He will give them death, and they will love him for it -Gladiator

TRP/LCPL_Rogueboy/1SQD/1PLT/COMP/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE [LoR][ES-FirstClass][CDS]

As Aph moved off toward Darr, Daminga couldn't shake the feeling he had as the watched Rogue slit the prisoner's throat.  It was too much like the beasts on his home world, the way they merciless killed everyone in their path.  Sure, he had done the exact same thing himself in situations that it needed to be done in but he had never once looked the dieing man in the eye as he drew his last breath.  Daminga would have felt like an executioner rather than a soldier doing his job. At this point a tap on the shoulder from Al'Zhen interrupted Daminga's thoughts.

Darr and Aph had reappeared at the corner and were motioning the squad forward.

Just forget that shit, Daminga thought to himself,  It'll only put you and the squad in danger. 

The squad rounded the corner and headed out in the same "V" formation as before.  They had gone about 150 meter down the tunnel when Darr threw up his hand again as they neared an intersection of passages.  Daminga instinctively dropped to the ground and pointed his rifle toward the intersection.  Darr crawled forward and was about the stick his mirror out and around the corner when two men walked past him deep in conversation. 

"You actually heard that?!" asked the one.
"Yea, the boss says that they'll never make it out alive down here," replied the other, "But what I don't get is how they got down here in the first place.  I mean, yea, they might be storm troopers but they're not that tough."

Hearing this comment Rogue snorted softly.  Aphamos threw him a warning glance, to which Rogue nodded his understanding or apology, Daminga wasn't sure which.  The two men were by now past earshot of the squad.  Darr waved them forward to his position and started handing out orders.

"Ok guys, we're not sure what we're completely dealing with here and we don't know how deep this thing gets or anything like that.  Aphamos, I want you to take Rogue and Al'Zhen and follow those two.  Try and see as much as you can as quickly as you can.  Squall, Daminga and I will continue to follow one of these tunnels.  We'll meet back here in 2 hours time.  Get ahold if you see or hear anything or if you run into trouble.  Let's move gentlemen."
 
-----------------------
Raiders
TRP/LCP Daminga/3SQD/1PLT/1COM/1RGT/1BAT/VEA/VE/Tadath


And when he gets to Heaven,
To Saint Peter he will tell,
"One more soldier reporting sir,
I've served my time in hell."

"Come on you sons of bitches! Do you want to live forever?" Sergeant Daly, USMC, Belleau Wood 1918

I love this part, here is where children grow up into men, I'm watching Aph as he is lying prone on his stomach, helmet on, blaster bolts occasionally being fired out  charring up the gray wall. I had my helmet off, there was no point it would be an extremely lucky shot that would remove my brains, by lucky I'm talking about me being a successful musician with my tone deaf voice. Fat chance, I pull out a cigarillo and light it up and take a long haul, close my eyes and slowly exhale, there are few things as relaxing as a smoke.

A blaster rifle in one hand, a cigarillo in another, a man sitting with his back against a wall, a stormtrooper helmet alongside him, like a forgotten relic. I wonder, not for the first time of course but why did I join the stormtrooper corps? I obviously don't have an answer, ever since I was released from the clutches of Zorba I have changed, drastically. Before Zorba and my imprisonment I was a child, fascinated with the universe full of promise, born to a well off family, all you need is three idiots and your life is changed forever, that's not entirely true after Zorba I could of gone back to my family a grown man with a blood lust, in a business where killing is frowned on. I could kill a man or a creature simply, or make it wish I killed it, eventually when my contract is up, I will re-enlist again and again, until finally I'm an old man and I am turned down for re-enlistment. What happens than you ask? Simple, I go home to a family that I don't know if it still exists, go home an old man; frail, weak, obeisant to anyone with a blaster pointed at my throat.

This is my sacrifice for living a life I enjoy a lifetime of dodging blasters, perhaps getting hit and dying, if this is my sacrifice I will gladly take it, a man who fears death is a man who fears life, but I can't take the death by old age. I'm not a man to abide a slow painful death, I will do anything to speed up the process.

I finish my cigarillo and put it out on my hand, an old habit since being a gladiator, always in the same spot. The skin bubbles up from the intense heat, I grit my teeth, pain is a friend, not to be enjoyed to the point you deliberately self-mutilate you, but pain always let's you know when your alive, and right now I feel alive.

Aph is going over on the comlink requesting Darr to send someone over with a grenade or two, one of the troopers should have something left, if not we are going to have to post two men here and move on. I look down the hall and see a silhouette in white armor, it could be an enemy we aren't expecting anyone, I should put two shots in it's chest regardless, I raise my gun at him, the figure stops. If he reaches for his gun he'll be dead before he could get a decent shot off.

"I'm a new recruit, my name is Mak'Tur Josu I was transferred to the Raiders."

I lower my blaster rifle, yay another green recruit that does not know the difference between the pin or the explosive, hell for all he knew we could have been enemies, regardless of the white armor. I yell an encouragement to the recruit.

"Did you bring any beer? This shit is FUBAR."

I watched as the recruit cocked his head.

"What does FUBAR mean?"

I let out a groan.

"It's Huttese, at least tell me you brought your standard gear? Which should contain a few grenades."

Mak starts searching through his kit, I stare in disbelief.

"What the hell is it doing in your kit, are you retarded? Keep it accessible at all times, it may save your life out there."

Mak looked up to me, and I could see that already he felt like he failed. Aph spoke up.

"Don't worry kid, we'll make a man out of you yet, now be a sweetheart and try to bang them off that corner over there, than we will rush them while their stunned, I'll give you the honors of being first through."

I laughed as the recruit visibly wilted, and pulled the pin out of his grenade, I guess the academy's improved since I went through it. Mak threw the grenade at the corner, it missed the corner we spoke of but it still went in the room. A loud bang resounded, a scream followed but I was already rushing through the door on the heels of Mak, pulling on my helmet, my breathing becoming rapid as the thrill of the kill descended on me. Mak paused at the door frame, I hesitated before raising my boot and planting it in his back, he flew through the doorway and landed on his stomach, I ran in the room screaming.

"Drop your guns you sons of Massiffs, or I will kill you."

Immediately one of the workers dropped his blaster, meantime the other one was being stubborn, but he was to stunned to do much and Aph quickly went behind him and planted a foot right below his knee dropping him to the ground, he than put him in a tight choke hold with one hand, while holding the man's blaster hand in the air.

"Drop it, or I'll snap your damn neck."

The man complied. I looked around the room, clumps of dirt were stacked in a pile in one of the corners, I love this job.

-----------------------
Raiders
Faithful To The End
He will give them death, and they will love him for it -Gladiator

TRP/LCPL_Rogueboy/3SQD/1PLT/1COM/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE [LoR][ES-FirstClass][CDS]