Sayahs footsteps clattered ,as the ground beneath his feet had changed from being made of disintegrating flagstones to sheet durasteel, rusting with age.

He turned left and saw Rusty's Temple. The decaying, several story structure obviously had seen better days and old, smashed holosigns were still visible.

The area of town they were staying in had once been the center of an economic boom, and when the bubble burst, the lavish buildings and half-completed structures had simply been either torn down or absorbed into the shantytown which had sprung up there.

The entire district was unofficially called "Shadu's Folly", after a prominent local businessman who had invested heavily in the area during the boom. After the crash, he had killed himself with his deceased fathers ornately carved and electrum-covered blaster pistol, his last valuable possession.

Ironically, after his death, the item turned out to be an ancient artifact from the early days of the Republic, and was sold to a hooded bidder said to reside in 500 Republica for more than the worth of the former locals company and his debts.

Rustys Temple had once been a luxury hotel, catering to the every whim of one, or perhaps two guests. The state of the art entertainment facilities, on which one could watch everyting from gladiator combat to podracing, had lonce since either been sold off or broken down and sold for scap.

The owners were best described as "unlucky" as all of the organics in possession of the property had met premature ends, some in a fairly grisly manner.

Eventually, no one would but the property. That was where the Cybot Galactica droid known to the populace as "Rusty" had stepped in and bought the place for a song.

The disposal of the "cursed" hotel, failed to save the owner, who was killed in the crash of the public shuttle "Inauspicia" later in the same week.

Rusty had given the place his idea of a renovation, gutting the historic building, and rebuilding the insides to his own idea of perfection.
There was a bar in the front, and outside there were several tables, at one of which several Twileks sat, giggling and talking.

Ignoring them, Sayah walked into the bar, also called Rustys Temple.

The inside of the bar was filled with smoke from the pipes and straws being held to the mouths of a medley of species. Music was being piped in from a box above the bar.

Tapping the barkeeper, who was dozing, on the arm, Sayah ordered an imported Corellian ale.

Recieving his drink, he paid and sat at a table outside to wait for the others.

He didn't have to wait long. Squall soon arrived, who Sayah talked with for a few moments, before asking him if he had seen any of the others, to which Squall replied in the negative.

Returning to his drink, Sayah sat back and tried to relax.

Ten minutes later, Rogueboy and Namyr arrived, arm in arm. Sayah snorted quietly into his drink.

Quite apart from the usually transient nature of military relationships, love or even affeection were, based on his own experience, very crippling affections for anyone who so much as lived in a war zone, let alone fought in one. He had learned that lesson the hard way: loosing a very close friend named Lenore.

Looking at Squall, he saw that he apparently saw things the same way, as the trooper went up to Rogueboy and made a humorous comment about their relationship. Rogueboy took it in stride, but Sayah caught a flash of anger in Namyr's eyes, after which she stormed off, declaring she needed a rest. Chuckling quietly, Sayah decided to ignore the pair; after all it was their own business and he had no intention of being percieved again as interfering in their private affairs

-----------------------
TRP/PFC Sayah/1SQD/2 PLT/1 COM/1 RGT/1BAT/Tadath/VEA
[Black League]
SM/Com Sayah/Task Force 1/Eta Squad/2nd Platoon/Red Company/1st Battalion/KBcC Helsa/OFF/Army/RDA(L)
"And we are here as on a darkling plain
Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,
Where ignorant armies clash by night."

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

The room was musty, and smelled like a reek had lay down and died there.

Nevertheless, Sayah cheerfully stepped inside and sat on the moth-eaten excuse for a mattress that was supposed to be his bed.

He had slept on worse beds, some much worse. He would have killed for a mattress on the Corporate Sector planet of Tersa VI. The planet was a damp, swampy hell.

The CIS had briefly occupied the planet, but had been expelled by a full scale Republic Fleet, with an invasion spearheaded by detatchments of the 41 Elite and members of the 501st Legion.

Although the overwhelming advantage at first lay with the Republic, it soon became bogged down in trench warfare, with thousands of lives being spent to take even the smallest cities.

Success was finally achieved near the end of the Clone Wars, with reinfocements being transferred from a myriad of systems.

Since then, the planet has slipped into obscurity, with only the rusting hulks of tanks and the slowly vanishing trenches to remind any of the wras.

Smugglers, pirates and other "undesireables" flocked to the place for a myriad of reasons, causing Sayah to be forced to pay a visit.

Pushing such thoughts from his mind, Sayah closed his eyes and tried to relax.


-----------------------
TRP/PFC Sayah/1SQD/2 PLT/1 COM/1 RGT/1BAT/Tadath/VEA
[Black League]
SM/Com Sayah/Task Force 1/Eta Squad/2nd Platoon/Red Company/1st Battalion/KBcC Helsa/OFF/Army/RDA(L)
"And we are here as on a darkling plain
Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,
Where ignorant armies clash by night."

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

Nice place. The three Raiders had arrived at the door step of a very old building. Very old. Almost ancient. Paint was peeling off the walls, revealing the metal foundation that made up most of it. Graffiti was scribbled all over the walls. One of them in particular stood out to Leon. It was the Rebel insignia. It was probably just some immature punk trying to cause a little trouble. Leon shook the thought out of his head. There was no way Aphamos would be friends with a rebel. No way in hell.

Aphamos walked up to the door, raised his hand, and quietly wrapped his knuckles on the door. Approaching footsteps were heard from behind the door, a shadow blocking out the light that shot out from underneath. Leon expected for someone to call out, "who is it?" But none came. Seems this person isn't to scared of intruders... He must be a pretty intimidating guy then. Leon couldn't have been more wrong.

He expected to see some huge man, or some sort of giant reptilian with huge teeth that could tear anyone apart. Leon tensed up, waiting for what ever it was to open the door. Knowing Aphamos, it wouldn't be pretty. Leon's jaw dropped at the beautiful spectacle before him. It fell another couple of inches when she jumped into Aphamos's arms. Aphamos... I despise you.

Leon was awe stricken. None of this added up. The only woman Leon had ever seen Aphamos with was Rachel. Never in his life did he expect that Aphamos could pull such a... Such a... An Angel! That was the only word that could describe her. Angelic. And it wasn't that Aphamos was a bad looking person... He just didn't seem like the "get a lot of girl" type. Seems like I learn something new everyday, thought Leon with a sigh as he followed LK into the womans house.

Again, Leon was shocked at what he discovered in the Angel's house. Her house was decorated elegantly, everything having a soft, but very fine touch. The carpeted floor was a velvet red, suitable for Leon's taste. Two couches and a couple of soft cushioned chairs with floral designs took up most of the space in the living room. A soft aroma lay in the air, not so strong, yet not so light. Like the rest of the house, it suited her.

"Please sit down and make yourselves comfortable," she said while gesturing to the floral chairs. "Would you like anything to drink?"

Leon nodded his head side to side, LK doing the same. She turned around and walked into the kitchen, disappearing out of sight along with Aphamos. Leon sat down on the couch next to LK, noting how comfortable it was as he nudged his friend with his elbow. "Hey LK, I kinda forgot her name. What was it again?"

"Anabelle," LK whispered back to Leon. "Any idea why were whispering?"

"No."

"Ok," replied LK, still whispering.

Leon couldn't help from grinning at the stupid conversation that had taken place between the two troopers. Anabelle popped her head out from the side of the Kitchen entrance. "Foods ready! Come and get it!"

LK shot up from his chair obediently, and made his way over to the kitchen. Leon stiffened, hoping he would be able to keep a conversation going at the dinner table. He slowly got up, trudging over to the kitchen entrance. The smell of Nerf Steak, and other kinds of foods quickly attacked Leon's nostrils. He had only eaten Nerf Steak once, and when properly cooked, it was delicious. Aphamos was stirring some kind of delicious smelling stew, the contents inside the steel container were a greenish gray. They weren't as attractive as they smelled.

"Feel free to help yourselves. My house is your house," Anabelle said, her eyes quickly flicking between LK and Leon. They both did as they were told, Leon's cheeks a dark red as he did so.

Ten minutes later...

The four were seated around a circular wooden table, a candle placed in the middle. Again, Leon was deprived of his view of the beautiful Anabelle. The stupid candle was separating the two, there for Leon wouldn't really be able to have a decent conversation. He angrily dug into his Nerf Steak, cutting off a small portion and swiftly placing it in his mouth. His eyes went wide. This steak... Was the most amazing thing he had ever had in his life. Tonight was going to be a good night.
 
-----------------------
Raiders
May god have mercy upon my enemies, for I will show none.
TRP/SGT Leon/3SQD/1PLT/1CMP/1RGT/1BAT/Tadath/VEA/[ES2]
And so we go.
I am the one...The one who made the 100,000 post.

"Faithful to the end..."

This stuff is amazing.  Aphamos cut off a chunk of the nerfsteak and took a bite, they medley of flavors soothing, yet at the same time, shocking his taste buds.  The meat was cooked to perfection and contained a sweet and savory taste.  "Did your mother give you the recipe?" asked Aphamos in an effort to start some conversation with the woman he hadn't seen in years.

"Yes, she did," said Annabelle, smiling at the thought of her mother.  As children, Aphamos and Annabelle were good friends; aside from their own parents, they only had one another to talk to during their dangerous time at Nar Shaddaa.  When the Empire took the lives of Aphamos' parents, they also killed Annabelle's mother.  They didn't kill her mother for being a rebel though-they killed her for the sake of killing.  They killed her because of mere affiliation with Aphamos' parents.  He couldn't help but think that it was his fault that her mother had died when it really wasn't.

"Yeah, this stuff is really great," said Leon.  Aphamos looked over at the other stormtroopers as they were eating the food in front of them.  LK was intently chewing on a piece of steak, a faint smile on his face due to the quality of the food.  Leon had his face low and was trying to concentrate on eating his meal, but Aphamos could sense what was really going through his mind.  He sighed, not being too surprised when he got a good glimpse of the trooper face.  He was blushing, and despite the fact that it was fading away, his countenance was still quite evident.

"This meal is truly exceptional," said LK as he dabbed his lips with a napkin.  "The steak is cooked just right and the stew-oh the stew is just fantastic!"  The pitch of his voice was just barely raised at the end of his sentence; this small increase in inflection showed a huge contrast to his normal demeanor which only furthered his view on the meal.

"Thank you," said Annabelle.  "I could never get it like my mother's though.  Her touch just made the meal all that it was."

------After Dinner------

"Thanks for everything," said Leon as he and LK headed to the door.

"Yes, Miss, thank you," added LK.

"My pleasure," said Annabelle.

Leon looked over at Aphamos who was standing further into the room, away from the door.  "You going to stay here?" he asked.  Aphamos nodded, moving back to the kitchen.

"I'll be at the lodging in a few hours," he said as he filled his cup with tea.  The two stormtroopers exited the house and took a left down the dark street.  Hopefully they'll find their way to the hotel.  Annabelle closed the door and walked to the living room, taking a seat on the couch.  Aphamos sat on the chair across from her and took a sip from his cup, glancing briefly at the time.  "Looks like we have some time to chat."

"The younger one is kind of cute," said Annabelle, smiling.  Aphamos raised an eyebrow and took another sip from his cup.  "Bit shy when he doesn't know who he's talking to."

"Either he's shy or you're intimidating," said Aphamos.

"Could be that as well.  Why are you here," she asked.  With just four words she had changed the entire conversation by adding the tension that accusation created.  Always straight and to the point, no wasting time whatsoever.

"Do you want me to leave?" asked Aphamos.

"You know what I mean.  Did they send you?"

"There is no they, and you know that.  There never was a 'they' as far as you're concerned."

"Then why are you here?  You have no business being in these parts."

"You make this place seem like it's dingy and beaten up.  I actually like the classic feel that all the rust gives off; it makes it feel like home."

"You hated home," she said.  He comment had stopped the dialogue mainly due the memories that the word "home" brought up.  Aphamos had never had a "home", and the home that Annabelle was referring to was no more than a figment of his past.

"That wasn't home.  And since you're so interested, we're here for matters regarding our business."

"Take your business somewhere else," she said as she rose from her chair and went to the sink to wash the dishes.  Aphamos finished the rest of his tea and walked to the sink, picking up a towel to dry the dishes.

"We'll leave soon; we just have to pick someone up."

------After Exiting the House------

Aphamos walked down the street, the silence again being broken by the sound of his cane.  He saw two dark figures on the other side of the street, heading in the other direction.  The two figures were walking, hand in hand, and were engaged in deep conversation from the sound of it.  Their voices sounded familiar to Aphamos, and he finally identified the two people walking.

Isn't it past his bedtime?

 
-----------------------
Raiders

~ Wildcard Platoon ~

War is cruelty. There's no use trying to reform it, the crueler it is the sooner it will be over.
--William Tecumseh Sherman--

"Hey LK, I think were lost," Leon said for the hundredth time.

"Leon& If you say that one more time I'm-"

"I think were lost," cajoled Leon, a wide white tooth grin spread across his face.       

"You're so lucky were in the same Squad," threatened LK.

"Yea, yea, what ever you say. So LK& What'd you think of that Annabelle woman?" Leon asked, wanting to know his squad mates own opinion of her.

"She was& Nice. Very good food to."

Leon still didn't get LK. He knew that LK was a clone, but that didn't mean he couldn't have some character. If there was any inside of him, he was good at hiding it. "Nice? Whoa there buddy, that's an understatement. More like gorgeous, even that's an understatement. And it's weird. I don't really like red heads    , but there was something special about her& What ever it was, I liked it."

"Mhm," came the simple response from his squad mate.

Leon scanned his surroundings, looking for any sign of Rusty's Temple. The only thing he could see was a couple of Cantinas and some drug stores that were opened late, their Neon lights flashing brightly in the dim light. The area they were in wasn't exactly trash, but it wasn't all that great either. A couple of speeder bikes were parked outside one of the Cantinas. Leon squinted to get a better look at the Cantina.

"Gray's place." Leon read allowed. "Strange name for a Cantina, but hey, good enough for me. C'mon LK, were gonna go ask for directions."

The two Raider's strolled over to the Cantinas entrance, Leon acting as if he owned the place. He looked positive and cocky on the outside, but he didn't feel that way at all on the inside. Leon felt for his throwing knives, making sure they were concealed beneath his white long sleeved shirt before entering.

The two troopers walked into the bar, arriving in a brighter then usual Cantina. The usual acrid smell of Ciggarilos was non existent; instead, the potent smell of Correlian Ale lay in the air. Leon scanned the bar counter. A few humans along with some Twi'Leks lay seated their, not paying any attention to the two young men that just walked in. Near the far side of the Cantina, a man and woman could be seen chatting to each other, their hands locked across the table, staring deep into each others eyes. Other then that, the place was pretty empty. No one sized the two up, nor did anyone give them any threatening glances.

Leon walked up to the bar counter, taking a seat nearest to the door. "Excuse me! Bar tender! Can I get a little help over here?" Leon called in as polite a tone as possible.

The Bar Tender was surprisingly young, from the looks of it; he seemed to be at least twenty years old. He was a handsome young man, his hair close cropped, and his eyes were hazel colored. He had a strong jaw line and a very good build. Not as good as mine though.

"Yea, you need anything? A drink? Some food?" Asked the Bar Tender politely.

"Heh, no thank you. I was wondering if you could give us directions to Rusty's Temple, that'd be very nice."

"Rusty's? I hope they're not making you pay more then what its worth, they're a bunch of scammers. Anyways, directions. Just go straight down this street for three blocks, make a left and it should be on the far corner of that block."

"Heh, thanks a lot man. Here, you deserve a tip, great service," Leon said with a grin as he threw twenty Imperial Credits onto the counter.

"Thanks, you two have a good night. Hope you can stop by for a drink sometime soon!" Shouted the Bar Tender as the two troopers exited Gray Place.

Yea, if I'm still alive.

 
-----------------------
Raiders
May god have mercy upon my enemies, for I will show none.
TRP/SGT Leon/3SQD/1PLT/1CMP/1RGT/1BAT/Tadath/VEA/[ES2]
And so we go.
I am the one...The one who made the 100,000 post.

"Faithful to the end..."

"I know what you mean Namyr, and it kills me. Sure enough as a slow poison; every time we're on a mission and a bomb goes, or we take fire out in the open. You're the first person I look to, to see if you're injured or worse; dead." Rogue took a deep breath before continuing on, throwing all emotional safety to the wind. "I have a dream and it doesn't include me killing. Once my contract is up and I have put enough money away I plan to buy a farm on Dantooine." Rogueboy said rapidly.

Are you a freaking idiot?

Yeah, what the hell is wrong with you?

For the first time since Rogueboy could remember the two voices were against him both of them saying it's a bad idea. In a sense they were both right Rogue originally did not plan to bring anyone else with him on his dream. Dantooine was a costly place to live in with a relatively small population; small but rich population Rogue mentally amended.

It might be a good idea. A third voice interrupted.

Explain how it might be a good idea? Both voices said in unison.

I could explain it, yet you two will never understand.

Nerf shit, you're making this up

Would I?

This new voice was a refreshing change from the other two; whereas one would always be logical yet unethical, and the other would be a combination of both. This new voice seemed mysterious and it intrigued Rogueboy because it was unfamiliar which means that a new part of him was developing. The next question is; what does this voice herald? Will it benefit him or will he have to ignore it most of the time?

Rogueboy had never told anyone about the voices because he knew that it was just his conscious bickering amongst itself on a conscious level. When Rogue first tuned into the endless bickering he thought he was hearing things and that he should go hear a psychiatrist but from continuous listening he was able to discern the two schools of thoughts and to mentally equip them with characters.

The ethical but sometimes unintelligent voice was depicted as a fat jovial man who had enough heart to go around. Whereas the intelligent but unethical voice was seen as a skinny man, with a pale complexion, and cold eyes. This new voice as of yet was still hooded and had not revealed itself, this was interesting to Rogueboy but at the same time frightening he liked who he was and felt he did not have to change for anybody other then himself.

"Namyr do&you want to come with me? Rogueboy asked staring intently into Namyr's eyes seeking a hint as to what her answer will be.


 
-----------------------
Raiders
Faithful To The End
Heavy Weapons Specialist
He will give them death, and they will love him for it -Gladiator
Eat a hearty breakfast men, for tonight we dine in hell -King Leonidas, 300
Clearly Canadian!

ASL/SSGT_Rogueboy/3SQD/1PLT/1COM/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE [LoR][ES1][CDS][CoR][EW2]

Rogueboy tasted Namyr for the first time without having any sort of mind-altering drug or chemical in him. His pulse picked up and Rogue knew it was a good decision to listen to the new voice. The taste of Namyr seemed exotic much like forbidden fruit Rogue would have been hard pressed to back off if it weren't for Aphamos turning around the corner in his Ralthiur gentlemen's outfit.

BUSTED!

"Uh-oh." Rogueboy said softly in Namyr's ear. "Looks like Aphamos' watching us."

Namyr pulled away quickly and stood staring at her feet with a deep crimson blush on her stunning features. Rogueboy took a step to confront Aphamos about what he had just witnessed, hoping that he did not hear about their plans when their contracts expire.

Rogue felt extremely nervous; Aphamos had the balance of both Namyr, and Rogueboy's career and possibly their lives. In the former Imperial army before the death of the Emperor it was considered treason to have sexual relationships with squad mates because it would create a conflict of interest should something befall one of them.

Nowadays the current leaders of the Vast Empire had amended certain rules to create a slightly more fair system if two squad mates had feelings for each other that was more then just professional one of them would be transferred at the squad leader's request. If however one member of the couple had a position of power over the other; say an assistant squad leader while one is a trooper the assistant squad leader would be demoted and the other trooper transferred.

"Aph...Namyr and...I are expressing our interest in each other." Rogue said deciding that to come clean may perhaps earn Aphamos' trust so that he will not womp out what he just saw.


"Rogue you don't have to pretend I'm an idiot, I know what I saw. Just don't fall in love, and if you do don't do it around me." Aphamos said.

Love; the term was vague to Rogue perhaps one time in his life he may have loved his parents but he was taken from them. Perhaps he may have even loved his first best friend, but he had been forced to kill him. A part of him even loved the corps but that can only stay for a limited time; until Rogue was killed or until he became too old and was forced to retire. Rogueboy may even love his dream and while he has not worked out all the kinks of what it would take to own the property he at least knew what he wanted to do; grow things. The trooper had spent the better part of his life killing things, now he wanted to watch them grow and to take pride in a job well done without having to clean his clothes or armour.

However even should this paradise come to exist in the flesh Rogue would not allow himself to father any children. This was an oath that he swore when he first came to the realization that the enemy were young adults just like him. The lying sixteen year old who would lie so that he could join the army, the eighteen year old who would join so he could search for fame and fortune. The recruiters did their jobs well; selling death to these youngsters for a chance or establishing a name for themselves.

The senior sergeant remembered the first time he had gotten to know an enemy as a human; it was a trench war and Rogue was separated from his squad and was sitting in a small crater. It was nighttime and the red bolts that flew overhead would light up the crater, the orange white explosions that would rock the ground would become very familiar. Suddenly there was movement in the opposite corner of the crate and Rogue fired out with his E-11 taking a rebel trooper in the lower right side of his abdomen. The blow was fatal and the trooper did not have long to live, Rogue was not able to deliver the finishing blow instead he had tried to comfort the trooper and spoke in soothing words. The two of them exchanged life stories in the eerie night; the sixteen year old was born on Ralthiur and ran away from his abusive parents with a friend of his. They signed up on a pirate ship as kitchen whelps until they were boarded by New Republic authorities, mistaken for slaves they were "freed" and had both joined the NR army.

The enemy trooper gave Rogue a message to deliver to his friend, which Rogue never did. It was currently residing at home in a desk under a bunch of crap.

"Rogue, I'm not going to tell Darr. When Rachel and I met...nevermind I'll save that for another time. Just if you do get caught; I never saw this and this never happened today. I'm heading back to the hotel I'll see you guys in the morning." Aphamos said as he walked on in the direction of Rusty's.

Rogue turned to Namyr. "I can't believe what just happened." Mentally Rogue wasn't sure if he was talking about being caught by Aphamos or Namyr's kiss. The Raider's ASL felt nervous and excited, the sensation of knowing your life is taking a turn.


-----------------------
Raiders
Faithful To The End
Heavy Weapons Specialist
He will give them death, and they will love him for it -Gladiator
Eat a hearty breakfast men, for tonight we dine in hell -King Leonidas, 300
Clearly Canadian!

ASL/SSGT_Rogueboy/3SQD/1PLT/1COM/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE [LoR][ES1][CDS][CoR][EW2]

"Rogue, I'm not going to tell Darr," said Aphamos, giving his cane a twirl with his fingers.  I'd be surprised if he hadn't seen it already.  "When Rachel and I met-nevermind I'll save that for another time.  Just if you do get caught, I never saw this and this never happened."  They'll be ruined if they get caught.  "I'm heading back to the hotel; I'll see you guys in the morning."  He nodded at the duo and headed around them; as he walked he couldn't help but think of the situation that they were in compared to the situation that he and Rachel were in.  Forget about her.  You have other people to think about, other people who are more important.

He quietly swore to himself, pulling a cigarette out of his jacket pocket and putting it in his mouth.  He had started smoking when he had joined the army; the stress and pressure that was placed on him in battle forced him to look for some sort of outlet, some sort of addiction.  When he met Rachel, she forced him to quit, but he always carried a pack with him for those times she wasn't there.  Aphamos lit the cigarette and pondered a moment on what he had said to Rogue and Namyr.

"If you get caught, I never saw this and this never happened."

Aphamos' priorities were in a jumble and he didn't know what to do about it.  He couldn't talk to anyone, for most of the matters were private.  Ever since he had joined the squad, he had put his trust into only a few of the members, Rogueboy being one of them.  He would die for the people he trusted and was equally certain that they would do the same for him.  What do you do if your job makes you go against your word?  What do you do if your duty may force you to break your trust?

Turning into the next street, Aphamos saw the illuminated sign that read "Rusty's Temple".  He threw his cigarette onto the ground and stepped on it, putting the small flame out and walking inside of the edifice.  Bright lights littered the interior of the inn as he squinted, his eyes soon getting used to the painful radiance.  How are people supposed to stay here if the have a seizure upon entering?  Finding the stairs, he headed up toward the third floor where he would be rooming with Leon.

Give it one night.


-----------------------
Raiders

~ Wildcard Platoon ~

War is cruelty. There's no use trying to reform it, the crueler it is the sooner it will be over.
--William Tecumseh Sherman--

Aphamos picked up his shoe and took off his other one, placing the pair beside his bed.  His duffel bag was already in the corner of the room and the items inside were still in mint condition.  Opening the door to the closet on the other side of the room, he put his coat on a hanger and placed it in the closet next to some of Leon's clothing.  He refilled the coffee machine with water and beans and turned the coffee machine on, Leon giving Aphamos an odd look.

"You want to drink that stuff right now?" he asked as he was folding a shirt.  "That stuff tastes like garbage."  The coffee was imported from a very famous plant in Coruscant-or at least that's what it said on the package.  Judging by the other factors that surrounded the lodging, Aphamos doubted that it was the real thing.  Well, it's not like anyone is going to come challenge them over it.

"Yeah, I'm going to go to sleep a little later tonight," said Aphamos.  "I have a bit of thinking to do."

"Whatever you say man, just get some rest.  Tomorrow is going to be a big day."  The trooper jumped on his bed and worked his way under the covers, muttering a "goodnight" before he was out of it.

"Goodnight."  Aphamos turned the monitor in front him on and flipped onto the local news.  His coffee had finished brewing and the earthy aroma had circulated throughout the entire room.  He poured himself a cup, not bothering to add any other flavoring to it.  Lets see if this is the real thing.  He took a sip from the cup, waiting a moment for the flavor to sink in.  Almost instinctively, he spat out the liquid onto the floor, wiping his mouth with his hand.  He took another sip, this time swallowing.  No, that's not the real thing.  Actually, I don't know what that is.  He downed the contents of his cup and poured himself another one, focusing on the new now at the mention of their target.

"Admiral Lashiec will be viewing the podracing event this weekend from a reserved seat in the stands.  Recent reports have quoted the Admiral as saying-"  Aphamos had tuned out of the news by now as a picture of the target took up the screen in front of him.  He envisioned his target in the stands, looking down at the race while he was surrounded by his guards.

Tomorrow is going to be an interesting day, indeed.

------In The Morning------

The squad met with one another outside of the lodging the next morning.  Aphamos and Leon rushed out of the building, Leon having a piece of toast in one hand while Aphamos was holding his cup of Corellian Ale.  Damn straight this thing wakes you up.  Aphamos looked over to his left as Darr-Rann and another man walked to up them, the duo being in conversation.

It can't be him.  No, it isn't him.  Hell, it is him.

"Hey Marka," said Aphamos, walked toward his squad leader and former squadmate.  "How are you?"

 
-----------------------
Raiders

~ Wildcard Platoon ~

War is cruelty. There's no use trying to reform it, the crueler it is the sooner it will be over.
--William Tecumseh Sherman--

Leon chomped down on the last piece of toast as the two troopers came running out of the building. They came out just in time to see the Squad forming, along with a new arrival. Leon turned to the left, letting his eyes rest upon the man's face. The first word that came to Leon's mind was "killer."

"Hey Marka," said Aphamos, walking over to his former squad mate.

So Marka's your name huh? Today will show how good you really are at killing...

Leon couldn't help but feel slightly intimidated by Marka. The look in his eyes were intense, full of wisdom, and that of a crazy man. Under his eye's were Tattoo's, one reading "LIFE" and the other reading "DEATH." His scraggly brown hair only added more to the man's rugged appearance. From the looks of it, this man had been through a lot.

Darr-Rann turned towards the rest of the squad. "This is Marka, an old friend of the squad," Darr-Rann quickly glanced to the left, noticing a growing amount of bystanders. "I will fill you in as best I can at another time. For now, I think it is best we acquaint ourselves with the area in focus."

Leon nodded along with a few others.

Darr let out a brief sigh, and then dove into the massive crowd of tourists. The rest of the squad followed his lead, making sure not to bunch up in a group. Leon walked up to Rogueboy who was following Namyr at a distance. As usual, he was staring at her beautiful physique. Leon couldn't help but laugh at his friend's fascination with women. And Namyr.

He had to admit though, she did look pretty fine today. Leon casually nudged Rogue's arm with his elbow, eyeing him with a sly grin. "How's she treating ya Rogue?"

Rogue looked away from Namyr, slightly blushing. "Like shit."

"You two needa get a room already man. Seriously," Leon said with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"Yea what ever Leon. If only you knew what was going on between us," said Rogue with a far away look.

Leon didn't have so much as a clue to what the couple was going through. He still thought that the two were mad at each other, and didn't bother to ask why. He didn't want to push anybody's buttons, let alone his own squad mates. Leon turned towards Rogue. "Well, hopefully one day you'll tell me. I want in on this squad drama," finished Leon with a grin.

"Hehe, one day Leon, one day," Rogue then resumed to staring at the gorgeous Twi'leks backside.

I might as well leave him be, we got work to do anyways. I shouldn't stray off task like that.

Today was the first day of the operation. It would be their job to find all possible back routes, sniper spots, and possible enemy locations.

Let the fun begin...


-----------------------
Raiders
TRP/SGT Leon/3SQD/1PLT/1CMP/1RGT/1BAT/Tadath/VEA/[ES2]
And so we go.
I am the one...The one who made the 100,000 post.
"Faithful to the end..."

The entire squad had now formed outside of the lodging; everyone had eaten and gotten everything that they needed for the day.  Now that Marka was back in the squad, Aphamos couldn't help but think about why he had left in the first place.  Aphamos was a new trooper at the time and Marka was his first ASL-they shared only one mission together and Aphamos was told that Marka had left at the next mission's briefing.  Probably had some stuff to deal with.  At least he's back now.  Aphamos looked over at his squad leader as Darr-Rann signaled for the squad members to gather in a small huddle to the right of the entrance.

"Alright, is everyone here?" asked the squad leader as he surveyed the faces around him.  There was a murmur of approval from the members as he took a quick look around incase they looked suspicious to bystanders.  "Just a few things before we head on our way to the grounds.  It has come to my attention that there is an inner-squad relationship going on at the moment."  Darr-Rann wasn't in anyway indirect when he said this, for he was looking at Rogueboy and Namyr as he gave his warning. 

"You know what you are doing isn't right, and don't you even dare give me that bullshit argument that 'it's love and I can't help it'.  You can damn well control your emotions, and as long as you are with us, you will control them.  I'm going to trust that you will stop the current situation because if you are caught, it's not going to be just your fault.  It's going to be my fault as well."  Aphamos leaned back from the "conversation" that they were having, taking a deep breath and twirling his cane a bit.  As his eyes met Rogueboy's, he shook his head slightly and closed his eyes.  They have to stop.

"And I think that's enough of that," said Darr-Rann.  With those words, the tension of the situation was cut in half with a blade, the troopers all moving away from the huddle for a bit as to let the information sink in.  Aphamos looked over to Leon, the trooper's eyes being wide open and his face carrying a shocked countenance.  Aphamos let out a brief smile before the squad leader resumed with his plan.

"There's really not much to say because we haven't been to the area before," he said.  "It's not that far away, so we'll be walking to the track by foot.  Once we get there, divide up into small groups and scout for about an hour.  You all know what to look for."

A pot full of gold.

 
-----------------------
Raiders

~ Wildcard Platoon ~

War is cruelty. There's no use trying to reform it, the crueler it is the sooner it will be over.
--William Tecumseh Sherman--

Marka had no feelings whatsoever concerning the groups chosen. He barely knew these people anymore, despite some of them being old friends of his. A year of death and solitude changes even the roughest of characters. If Marka seemed void of emotion before, he wondered what people would think of him now. Not a smile nor a frown had crossed his face for some time; he was simply blank and cold. His heart pumped blood simply to see his revenge carried out as often and as violently as possible.

As the teams broke off, Namyr and Darr, Rogue and Aph, LK and Sayah, Marka turned to Leon, sizing him up, mentally assessing him. He seems fit enough for the job he thought, nodding contently. He could feel Leon's eyes upon him as he turned away. He couldn't decide whether to pass it off as suspicion, curiosity or loathing. Either way, they were paired together and they had a common goal that would force them to cooperate. As Darr and Namyr walked past, Darr brushed up against Marka.

"We are trying to keep this mission casualty free, Mark. Keep your fury in check, yeah?" Darr whispered coarsely. It was a testing request, and not one that the newly returned Raider was happy about. Nonetheless, they were his orders, not only from his Squad Leader, but from the higher ups as well.

Leon began making his way out of the alley ahead of Marka, his attention seemingly focused mainly on the guards standing point around the stadium; and for good reason. They seemed overly professional for guards at a podracing event, not even flinching as the breeze blew sand across their faces. Their fingers were rested on the triggers of their weapons, and the holsters carrying their pistols were unclipped, allowing quick access should they need it.
  The two Raiders veered off to the left of the first set of guards they approached, slowly shuffling around the perimeter. Leon glanced back over his shoulder, spotting Aphamos and Rogue doing relatively the same thing in the opposite direction.

"Okay," Leon mumbled, "We have two guards in front of us almost immediately after we have entered the grounds." Marka assumed the statement was simply for good measure, as confirmation, so he didn't feel the need to reply. The tension between the two seemed to be slowly growing with the silence though. He began tracing the outline of his blade, staring up at the grandstand as he got a good view of the seats. Sprouting from the top of the stands was a small tower, with a circular roof, the walls made entirely of glass.

"Do you think..." Marka began, waiting for a moment as he took in the position of the tower, "our target would enjoy the view of the race from there?" He inclined his head towards it, watching Leon's reaction. He simply nodded.

That's going to be tough to get to unseen. Marka made a deep, guttural sound, signifying his frustration. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he kept pace with Leon, taking note of the sentries placed around the shops and entrances. He mentally pictured each one drenched in their own blood as he passed them. A sinister smirk appeared on his face; the first real expression he'd had for a long time.

 
-----------------------
Lance Corporal Marka
- Raider Squad -
TRP/LCPL Marka/3SQD/1PLT/1COM/1BAT/Tadath/VEA/VE
[LoR][ES2C]

"Duct tape is like the Force. It has a light side and a dark side, and it holds the universe together"

Marka and Leon had made their way to the opposite side of the track, subtly scanning the huge grandstand for a means to access the tower on top. They assumed that was where Lashiec would be; sitting in perfect luxury, his feet casually thrown onto a footstool, surrounded by guards and servants, catering to his every need. He probably wouldn't even be watching the race. More than likely his attention would be on the shady deals he had a hand in, and how many credits he was earning by doing little more than making the grooves in his chair more prominent.

"I doubt there is any way we can actually get in there, assuming it is where he will be," Leon mentioned quietly, glancing at the tower, "So I think we should start thinking of ways to lure him out. Perhaps the mission should go down in the aftermath of the race..."

The two had made their way into the stands and had taken seats roughly in the middle, giving them a decent view. There were a fair few people around, checking everything out. At the bookies, there was the Rodian desperate for cash, trying to pick up some tips on who the favourites were for the race the next day. The novelty shops on the outskirts of the arena attracted families; children who saw a scaled model of their favourite racer followed by their lethargic parents, carefully considering the hole each item would put in their pockets. Even supporters of the racers were there already, browsing through personalised merchandise at ridiculous prices, but passing the price off as unimportant in comparison to sporting pride. Marka nodded at Leon's suggestion, liking the thought of it increasingly as he realised that the amount of people who would be there the next day would be phenomenal. It might be easier to abduct someone in a sea of people, if done correctly.

"It sounds good. But, of course, he may not even be up there tomorrow. But it is worth mentioning to Darr when we get back." Leon nodded in response, not making any real effort to start conversation with the returned squad member.

Ten minutes passed by quickly as the two scanned the area they could see, hoping to find some weak point in the set-out of the stadium's security force patterns. The ten minutes were spent in complete silence until a handful of Duros marched their way up the stands, identically dressed in dark grey jumpsuits. Strung around their waists were brown leather utility belts, carrying all sorts of tools designed for construction and repair. Both Leon and Marka kept an eye on them as they came up the centre corridor of the flight of stairs. Their attention was on the tower as well.

Leon leant over to Marka, speaking softly, "What do you suppose they are doing?"

Marka struggled to hear what they were saying, and struggled even more when he realised they were speaking native Duros. He'd picked up a bit of it in his travels before joining the Army, but not enough to completely understand them. Luckily though, the words he understood pieced together enough of the conversation for him to know what they were talking about.

Something... something... tower is unstable? Ah. We can use that. The group seemed to be arguing over the structural integrity of the tower. In fact, now that Marka looked closer at it, it did look somewhat worn. If there was no tower, then Lashiec would have to find somewhere less secure to sit, making the Raiders jobs much easier. If this was the huge PR campaign that it seemed, Marka and Leon had made their way to the opposite side of the track, subtly scanning the huge grandstand for a means to access the tower on top. They assumed that was where Lashiec would be; sitting in perfect luxury, his feet casually thrown onto a footstool, surrounded by guards and servants, catering to his every need. He probably wouldn't even be watching the race. More than likely his attention would be on the shady deals he had a hand in, and how many credits he was earning by doing little more than making the grooves in his chair more prominent.

"I doubt there is any way we can actually get in there, assuming it is where he will be," Leon mentioned quietly, glancing at the tower, "So I think we should start thinking of ways to lure him out. Perhaps the mission should go down in the aftermath of the race..."

The two had made their way into the stands and had taken seats roughly in the middle, giving them a decent view. There were a fair few people around, checking everything out. At the bookies, there was the Rodian desperate for cash, trying to pick up some tips on who the favourites were for the race the next day. The novelty shops on the outskirts of the arena attracted families; children who saw a scaled model of their favourite racer followed by their lethargic parents, carefully considering the hole each item would put in their pockets. Even supporters of the racers were there already, browsing through personalised merchandise at ridiculous prices, but passing the price off as unimportant in comparison to sporting pride. Marka nodded at Leon's suggestion, liking the thought of it increasingly as he realised that the amount of people who would be there the next day would be phenomenal. It might be easier to abduct someone in a sea of people, if done correctly.

"It sounds good. But, of course, he may not even be up there tomorrow. But it is worth mentioning to Darr when we get back." Leon nodded in response, not making any real effort to start conversation with the returned squad member.

Ten minutes passed by quickly as the two scanned the area they could see, hoping to find some weak point in the set-out of the stadium's security force patterns. The ten minutes were spent in complete silence until a handful of Duros marched their way up the stands, identically dressed in dark grey jumpsuits. Strung around their waists were brown leather utility belts, carrying all sorts of tools designed for construction and repair. Both Leon and Marka kept an eye on them as they came up the centre corridor of the flight of stairs. Their attention was on the tower as well.

Leon leant over to Marka, speaking softly, "What do you suppose they are doing?"

Marka struggled to hear what they were saying, and struggled even more when he realised they were speaking native Duros. He'd picked up a bit of it in his travels before joining the Army, but not enough to completely understand them. Luckily though, the words he understood pieced together enough of the conversation for him to know what they were talking about.

Something... something... tower is unstable? Ah. We can use that. The group seemed to be arguing over the structural integrity of the tower. In fact, now that Marka looked closer at it, it did look somewhat worn. If there was no tower, then Lashiec would have to find somewhere less secure to sit, making the Raiders jobs much easier. Further, if this was the huge PR campaign that it seemed, Lashiec would not miss the race even if the tower fell; he couldn't risk looking bad, or perhaps worse in front of the people. Luckily, the idea of sabotage would be overruled by the Duros who argued that it was unstable; a reasonably sound cover story. The only thing that would prove difficult would be getting it to fall, but no doubt someone in the squad would figure it out. Perhaps it didn't need to fall at all... He decided to keep this information from Leon, as his team mate seemed unwilling to share his own thoughts either.
  Standing, Leon inclined his head away from the stands, and began making his way down the stairs without checking if Marka followed. The still seated Raider watched him descend, his fingers starting to curl into fists. You picked the worst person to piss off.

 
-----------------------
Lance Corporal Marka
- Raider Squad -
TRP/LCPL Marka/3SQD/1PLT/1COM/1BAT/Tadath/VEA/VE
[LoR][ES2C]

"Duct tape is like the Force. It has a light side and a dark side, and it holds the universe together"

Rogueboy turned to Aphamos. "I'll be right back, gotta go to the toilet."

Aphamos nodded his reply as he continued watching the races and staring at possible places for the admiral to "hide" in.

The senior sergeant's mind was in turmoil as he headed outside of the stands and into the seller's part of the games. He had trusted Aphamos and he had betrayed him, hell Rogue felt as if the entire empire has betrayed him. Rogue had bled for the idea of freedom in which a republic would not work due to the oversized amount of members an empire would rule much more effectively. While it was not anarchy freedom it was freedom in the sense of being able to sleep at night without fear of having your throat cut.

The thought of betrayal angered Rogue to no ends as he continued walking past rows and rows of hawkers trying to sell their goods. Many different thoughts passed by Rogues head as he walked away from the seats and he continued walking around town aimlessly. Rogue's datapad started to vibrate in his pocket he picked it up and read the message.

===============================================
From: Aphamos

Rogue where the hell are you?
===============================================

Many responses passed through Rogue's head; most of them unpleasant. The ASL had came to a decision and typed up a response before dropping his datapad and smashing it with his foot, before heading towards the starport.

Aphamos was sitting in his seat waiting for Rogue to come back from the bathroom it has been fifteen minutes. I'll wait another couple of minutes before I send him a message. Ten more minutes pass, and Aphamos sent a message via datapad. Twenty seconds later there was a response.

===============================================
From: Rogueboy

I'm leaving don't try to stop me, resign my commission and whatever just can't deal with the fact that every time I try to be happy something gets in my way. I understand it's not fair to the squad or Namyr but I'm going to be selfish on this one. Don't try to track me down it may prove hazardous to someone.
Take care, have fun and try not to get shot.

Sincerely yours,

Rogueboy
===============================================

Aphamos quickly realized that Rogue was planning to desert the army, deserters get shot, and if a deserter escapes the SL gets in a lot of shit. Aphamos pulled out his comlink breaking the com silence that the squad had agreed on unless something important happened. "Darr, we got a fucking problem."

OOC: sorry its short gotta go on the road

-----------------------
Raiders
Faithful To The End
Heavy Weapons Specialist
He will give them death, and they will love him for it -Gladiator
Eat a hearty breakfast men, for tonight we dine in hell -King Leonidas, 300
Clearly Canadian!

ASL/SSGT_Rogueboy/3SQD/1PLT/1COM/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE [LoR][ES1][CDS][CoR][EW2]

I stared at the hololist of ships departing Phu, there were currently none as most ship captains were enjoying the festivities of the race. I let out a sigh of disappointment as I headed outside of the starport. This shit was turning out great, first I get full of rage and make a rash decision, now I'm screwed because I can't leave the planet.

If someone was to ask me why I decided to leave the squad I would not be able to give them a definite answer; at first I was mad at Aphamos for telling Darr about Namyr and I, then I became mad at Darr for his reaction to it. Thirdly I was terribly frustrated with life in general because every time I have a force-damned chance to become happy something ruins it. Am I cursed to a life of unhappiness? What do I need to do to have a chance at a fairy tale ending? A forever after as it were.

To hell with it no point wasting time thinking about what was, is, or could never be. I just wish I had forewarned myself about this so I could withdraw my credits from my account now I'm cut off with two thousand creds to my name. Time to look for some steady work; where do you go to find jobs that someone of my profession fits? The bars, the low down places, anywhere where a businessman may find someone with enough balls (or empty pockets) to kill someone for some cold hard cash.

I couldn't go near Rusty's just in case I might run into a Raider or two I would need to get far away enough to not be noticed yet close enough so that they wouldn't expect me. Tough credentials I think I'll alter my appearance a bit.

The first thing I did was to find a place to rent for the next couple of days about seven blocks down from where the squad was camped out; I rented the place under a pseudonym of Fred Tyler and headed to a local market where I managed to pick up a do it yourself hair dye. The colour was black and it wasn't ill suiting for me albeit my eyes stuck out a little more then they perhaps should have.

The next step was to get a job, nothing too hazardous until I find out what I want to do with my life. I already ruled out joining other sides in the galactic conflict so I will be working for myself. Going back to the squad was no longer a possibility; I cut out the connection as soon as I sent the message to Aphamos.

I headed into a bar perhaps less then a block away. The bar was brightly lit and was more of a club then a bar albeit at this hour it was still early for there to be many clubbers. A few early birds were seated on the stools in front of the bar and a few had tables in the corners. Currently there was no one on the dance floor nor was the music blasting, it seemed as if it was near quiet hour.

I decided to be forward about this to avoid any confusion or false intentions. I quickly crossed the dance floor and headed to the bartender. "I'm looking for a job." I said staring him in the eye not knowing if he will trust me because he doesn't know me.

The bartender was a small man who looked as if he had been in many brawls; a squashed nose from repeated breakings, and numerous scars. The man was dark skinned with a shaved head and green eyes.

The man stared at me before responding. "I ain't hiring." He said before going back to a patron to fill a beer.

I quickly filled his view space again. "I'm a merc looking for enough creds to get off this blasted rock and I could use a little support."

A bouncer moved behind Rogue at a signal from the bartender and quickly put Rogue into a nelson. "I do not know you, I'm not doing you any favours."

I quickly gauged my situation and decided to not use any weapons as I slammed the back of my heel as hard as I could on top of the bouncer's foot, the man loosened his grip and I smashed his face with the back of my head. I imagined myself getting shot with a blaster I wouldn't be the first person to get killed in a brawl nor would I of been the last.

"Stop it." The bartender said before whispering to me. "What kind of job are you looking for?"

I smirked as the bouncer gave me an evil stare before grabbing some ice for his broken nose. "I'm looking for something not to risky and has a steady pay." I responded.

"I got a bodyguard position for an honest merchant available, but he wants a resume so have one written up and I will arrange the meeting. When do you want it?" The cheeky little bartender asked.

"Later on today will be fine, I'll come back in a couple of hours." I said as I headed towards the door, the eyes of several patrons following me.

 
-----------------------
Raiders
Faithful To The End
Heavy Weapons Specialist
He will give them death, and they will love him for it -Gladiator
Eat a hearty breakfast men, for tonight we dine in hell -King Leonidas, 300
Clearly Canadian!

ASL/SSGT_Rogueboy/3SQD/1PLT/1COM/1BAT/1RGT/VEA/VE [LoR][ES1][CDS][CoR][EW2]