Nar Shaddaa - Black Stars' Territory - Candrog's Hideout

[Sara Soto]

Blaster fire soared over Sara’s head as they exited the hall into the West Wing of the building. Sara reared around the corner the three were hiding behind and fired a quick series of shots before ducking behind the corner.
" ‘Preferably a way with less blasters‘ my ass!” Sara yelled, commenting on Tseneca’s hope.
Tseneca ignored her comment, but quickly contacted H6 and Firi, who were currently dealing with rooftop snipers and assisting the others on the ground.
“You two! Get over to the west wing and deal with this patrol!”

“Got it!” Firi replied over the comlink with a crack of blaster fire of her own.

Lucas came next to Sara, then taking the blasters over his head and angling them around the corner, and began to fire. He kept this up until he only had three left in his grasp, the others being shot out.

Sara came out of cover at ground level, lowering her profile and messing with their aim. Firing and hitting one in the leg.
She ducked back down, seeing Firi and H6’s speeder rise in front of the window, Firi opening fire on the patrol.

Sara Soto

[Kyp Durron]

Kyp tossed a thermal detonator past the wall he had taken cover behind. Searing hot shots shots of plasma filled the air near him. Too much to work his lightsaber against. The rate of enemy fire had changed from a few stray shots to a full torrent. It simply wasn't coincidence that all of sudden the enemy troops had gotten their act together. Kyp took in his surroundings but couldn't see where it was going to come from. "We're going to leap frog back!" Kyp screamed over the blaster fire and noticed Dex was the first to make a break for a further piece of cover.

"Allison, get fire on those speeders!" Finally simply out of necessity Kyp picked up a blaster and fired around the corner catching a merc moving to a new cover. With Dex back now in cover Kyp motioned to Jonas to go next. Kyp expended the rest of the blaster's energy but quickly slapped home a new cartridge. One by one the crew was getting to the new cover but too slowly. "Allison, go!" Kyp said as he ignited his lightsaber and stepped from the relative safety of the wall. As always Kyp couldn't explain how his lightsaber found the blaster bolts, it just did. In the flurry of motion Kyp caught a glance of what he was worried about.

The mercs had begun a cover fire tactic to keep their buddies movement hidden from the crew. A story above the mercs had set up an E-Web and Kyp could see snipers moving into position. He was out in the open and already at his breaking point. He was too far away from cover to simply make a break for it. With very few options left Kyp just hoped that someone had a bead on the E-Web.
_________________
Jedi Master Kyp Durron
Jedi High Council Member
Wields an Azure Lightsaber
Pilot of the Modified RZ-1 A-Wing Interceptor Vigilance

"No change comes without conflict. Perhaps my destiny is to be the irritant that forces the discussion, the blister that lets you know your boots don't fit."

[H6-32]

H6 watched with enjoyment as the speeders fell, slid and exploded on the ground just mere meters away from the second team. He didn’t understand how so many have fallen to the Siren Songs of Iego, all it sounded like was a series of high audible noises, but it was effective in all meanings of the word. Tseneca yelled at the two from her location, “You two! Get over to the west wing and deal with this patrol!”

“Got it!” Firi quickly replied, ducking under the haze of a volley of blaster fire. H6 quickly began to veer the speeder towards Tseneca’s location, located due to the signal comlinks briefly transmitted. He looked down, seeing a rooftop sniper, one of his primary objectives. He angled a blaster pistol at the being and fired several rounds into it. After a brief and reassuring scream, he didn’t move. Laying dead. He certainly enjoyed this mission, he’d already surpassed his kills from the last mission, one with the sniper and another when he was scouting around. Silently killing the latter one from an alleyway.

H6 pressed the accelerator, bringing the XJ-6 up to the window, where blaster fire lit the hallway. Firi took aim and opened fire.

H6-32

[Dex Fashiir]

The moment Dex saw the speeders hailing down from Firi's supernatral powers, he wondered what in the galaxy he'd gotten himself into.

He had ducked for cover, watching as Kyp directed them through evasive motions. Dex must have been the first to see the snipers gather on the roof, but Kyp saw them too. "Watch it!" He yelled, even as Allison shot the soldiers that surrounded them.

But long range shooting, that was one of the things Dex was good at. He hoisted the long barreled crossbow he'd filched from the leapers armory. "Cover me." he hissed to Allison, and took aim at each of the roof snipers. Adjusting his scope, he took mark, and shot. Each blast hit the men square, and each blast was fatal, he knew.

He took out each one before they could hit Kyp, standing uncovered in no man's land, and finally they were out. Allison had done well to keep him covered while he concentrated, but he swiftly pushed the bow back into place on his back, and took hold of the smaller blas tecs he carried with him, joining her so Kyp could make it back to safety...

[Clare Velez]

(Candrog)

Candrog watched the videos over and over again, trying to defy his own eyes. The surveillance device had shown Clare whispering, ”I will make this right,” to an unconscious Badim Soilding, then later cowering next to his cage the rest of the trip. He planned for this betrayal, though. He stood and exited his chambers, rubbing his chin as he wondered about the security threat that had progressed all the way from level One to level Thirty-Three. Uncomfortably close.

He noticed Clare in the center of the room, she was more-than-likely standing there for over an hour, though he could be wrong. He examined her from her feet to the top of her head, then focusing onto the collar around her neck. She hopefully hadn’t figured out it’s true purpose, as it was a disguised Advanced Slaving Collar, able to control a slave through forced electrical pulses through the victim’s spinal-column. He used this device often to get uncooperative slaves to do his biddings in his chambers. It was a highly expensive device and far more illegal.

He smiled, making a ploy to her that he was happy to see her.
“Send him in,” Candrog order a guard from a comms device on his desk.
“Sir, what about the intruders?”
Candrog scoffed silently at the guard and repeated, “Send him in, and then deal with the intruders.”

After answering a quick question made by Clare while trying to hold back his insecurity in the situation, the main attraction had arrived. The doors to the illustrious hall opened and two guards escorted Badim, he hid himself underneath his cloak at the sight of Clare. Clare shrugged, trying to mask it as a shiver. When he was close enough, the guards became lazy and shoved him next to Clare and left as fast as they could.

Badim Soilding

Clare Velez

[Badim Soilding]

Badim cursed as he fell on the ground next to Clare. He waited, half-hoping Clare would repent and help him up. But after a moment, he straightened himself on his knees, not bothering to stand on his feet. He felt his binders grip around his wrists, seemingly getting tighter and tighter as the adrenaline coursed through him.

When the large doors closed hollowly, sending a echo that pounded against Badim's ears, the infamous Twi’lek Candrog De‘lotre stood from behind his desk and announced, “Clare, you have brought Badim Soilding before me. The last remaining element of Dirod’s Order, the last remaining piece to dispose of,” he paused, opening a compartment in his desk and retrieved a blaster, then promptly tossed it towards Clare, who gripped and readied it, “This blaster will bring an end to Dirod’s order,” he gestured Clare, she took the blaster and pointed it at Badim’s head.

Badim turned to her, not phased by the blaster, staring past it and into her eyes, trying to see the real Clare behind it.
“Badim?” Candrog asked, “I am an honorable being, and I allow you some final words, should you choose.”

Badim continued to stare at Clare, remembered all they had been through together: Nar Shaddaa, Nal Hutta, Rhen Var, Denon and Clare's played romancing, “I have nothing to say,” Badim replied, holding back spit in his mouth.
“So be it,” Candrog said with a bit of disappointment in his voice, “Clare, kill him.”

Badim Soilding

_________________
"No One Deserves To Die, Except For Those Who Do."

[Jonas Eisley]

The sound was beautiful, just as all hope was lost, the sound energized his body. The pilots of the speeders, however, it had meant instant death. For Jonas, he had heard the sound before. It reminded him of the abyss of Iego, rock bottom of the universe. He gained strength, perhaps a dual message by the angel, which graced Nar Shaddaa's skies. Jonas breathed hard as he dropped below the next cover. He tossed the drained blaster pistols and aside, pulling the bag from its concealed location. He tossed the anti-vehicle turret to Alisson, while setting up the stand. She hoisted it onto the pod, allowing him to click the final piece into the gun. A moment later, red bolts streamed from their location and attacked the remaining speeder pilots.

"Jonas!" Dex called out, the first syllable of his name, Jonas had already hit the ground, hard. A blaster bolt seeped through where he had been standing and impacted harmlessly on the otherside. His Nar Shaddaa native-brother had done well, the rifle pivoting and adjusting to the snipers in adjacent buildings. His precision was noteworthy, perhaps the years working for Drekka had prepared him for exactly this type of violence. The accuracy was amazing, nothing short of perfect. Bodies hailed from the heavens, often the violent thuds reminding their opponents of what they were up against.

Their eyes travelled to Durron, whose lightsaber moved in pure blur. Jonas felt honored to be fighting along side the Jedi. Even outside the Order, he was legendary. His name would set fear in the hardest of criminals, whose souls were pitch black with rage and violence, controlled by greed and aggression.

[Sara Soto]

Sara watched as the speeder sank and sped back towards the other team. She peeked around the corner, seeing fifteen dead corpses in blue armor. She stepped over the bodies and opened the door to the prison block, seeing a guard dropping his blaster as he surrendered. He quivered as Tseneca, Lucas and herself paced towards him.
At the sight of Tseneca and Sara, some of the prisoners began to chant at the two. They stopped when Sara shot one of them in the leg, showing that they meant business and to Shut The Frak Up. Lucas used the Force and pinned the guard up against the wall while the Sara and Tseneca checked the other cells for Badim. Over the forty cramped cells, there was no sign of Badim except a small pool of blood in the walkway and an empty cell. Tseneca shook her head to Lucas.
“Badim Soilding,” he asked as he turned his head to the guard, still pinned to the wall, “Where is he?”
“Th-they just took him away five minutes ago!”
“Where is he?” Sara asked more forcefully this time.
“C-Candrog’s Hall!”
Sara waved Lucas over to the empty cell. This man wasn’t going to be killed, just take a Timeout while they went to Candrog’s Hall to rescue Badim. Lucas tossed the man in the cell, Tseneca locking the door. The man calmed down, realizing he wasn’t in danger, that he was almost glad to have cooperated with the three.
They ducked into another maintenance shaft, Lucas closing the grate behind them. The three sat there, almost contemplating on how close they were to finding Badim, but how far they were now.
Tseneca brought out her handheld device, bringing up the schematics to the building again. She pointed to the location that could be Candrog’s Hall, if sheer size was a factor in the decision.
“It’s huge, almost like a ballroom. Seems like a place for an illustrious crime lord like Candrog to hang out.”

“Where is it?” Sara asked.

“Four floors up.” she quickly answered. She pocket the device and began to make her way through the shaft, following the path she quickly memorized. Lucas went next, then herself.

I left some room for you to post with Firi, Jess, blasting away and such. Again, no attack-y attack-y the hall til I say, gotta get something deep in with Clare and Badim

Sara Soto

[Firi'Taknik]

Firi's face and hands were torn and bloody, painfull from the burns she'd received when the turret gun had been shot off the speeder. Even so, as H6 steadied the speeder to the window, she fired with blasters in both hands.

The shooting was heavy, but she worked to take out more than a couple of the mercenaries blocking Tseneca, Sara and Lucas's exit from the west wing cell block.

The three emerged from the block, also taking on the opposing group.
They were terrebly outnumbered, but H6 still kept the speeder steady.

"this isn't working!" Firi yelled. "H6! in a five count, I want you to pivot the speeder in through the window."

"Inqury.: Pardon me?"

"Just... trust me."

Amid the firing, Firi made eye contact with tseneca, who seemed, automatically, to know what was about the happen.

"Back!" The older woman yelled, ushering Lucas and Sara back into the cell block. "Get back!"

Firi ducked down under the aft seat of the speeder. "4..3...2....Now!"

With the order given, H6 rammed the speeder through the west wall of the building, using the window as a weak spot.

[Tseneca Lowry-Fink]

It was as if Tseneca knew exactly what firi was going to do seconds before she was about to do it.

"Back!" She yelled, still shooting at the barracade of Candrog's soldiers. "Get back!" She shoved Lucas and Sara back into the cell block, flattening them against the wall as Firi and H6 rammed the speeder into the window like a battering ram.

the force knocked a huge hole in the wall, and the sock reverberated underfoot like a menace. The speeder hopped and skidded to a halt inches from the cell block entrance, but the impact had done what they needed it to do... Candrogs men lay dead or unconscious under fallen durasteel and drywall.

H6 took out three more that continued to swarm, but an uneasy silence rose from the dust even as Tseneca helped Firi out of the wrecked speeder.

"Nice work." She said, and the three became five. With the hall clear they continued their way to Candrogs Hall, four floors up.

[H6-32]

H6 watched as the speeder slammed into The Black Stars mercenaries. Certainly by Firi’s order, but by his accord. He skillfully angled the speeder to crash through the window of the West Wing, momentarily seeing a glimpse of fear in one of the mercenaries eyes. How he enjoyed it. He laughed as he crushed their pitiful bones to dust, denting their elegant armor to mere slag. The speeder crashed through the hall and into the cell blocks itself, creating a large hole that H6 was proud of.

Tseneca walked over and helped Firi out of the crashed speeder. H6 began to bring himself out of the speeder, when he noticed a crawling Black Stars Mercenary, trying to get away. How he enjoyed his squabbling and wasteful retreat. H6 took his blaster out and fired at the blue armored fiend, his armor scorched black from the fire he had taken.

“Analysis: We can never have any nice speeder can we? However, on a more joyful note, I count fifteen kills by my hand. Any knowledge or information where I can find any more?”

“There’s a barracks over there full of these bastards if you wanna take a crack at it.” Lucas humorously replied.

“Gratitude: Excellent, I shall return there once we retrieve Master and ensure the death of Clare.”

H6-32

[Clare Velez]

Now was the time. In an instant she shifted her aim from Badim to Candrog. She gripped the blaster and aimed it expertly between his eyes. The B1 and B2 Battle Droids scattered throughout the room jolted, aiming towards her. Until Candrog waved them off. “Now, what is this?” he replied and flared his arms about frantically, but something was odd about it, it seemed almost jokingly. She shook the thought out of her head and kept a loose aim on him.

“You’re finished, Candrog, your best assassin has turned on you,” she said. Then continued with a sly smile, “But I’m an honorable woman, and I allow you some final words, should you choose.”
“Yes, I do,” he quickly answered, reaching for another compartment in his desk. Clare hesitated, straightening her aim. Candrog raised his hands up to Clare slowly, meaning no harmful intentions, “I was hoping to save this for later, but seeing the situation... I thought I’d give it to you now.”

Clare squinted her eyes as she concentrated on a small device in his hands and as he pressed a button on it with a flick of his thumb. She extended her arm to straighten her aim, but it didn’t respond. She tried to move, but she couldn’t do anything but breathe and think. Her face turned to panic as she found herself trying to fight her own body, as Candrog directed Clare’s arm back towards Badim‘s head.

She couldn’t believe it, no matter how much she prepared for this, Candrog came out on top. Badim was going to die. She began to weep and beg Candrog to stop this madness, but he laughed, enjoying it thoroughly. Her eyes watered and she cried louder as she knew what she had to do to save Badim, and to redeem herself. She pushed with all her willpower and might passed the collar’s control, and pushed herself to place the blaster to her chin.

Badim Soilding

Clare Velez

[Kyp Durron]

Kyp had pressed as close to the cover as possible when Firi had sung. He had to admit they had a fairly wide set of skills on board the Blight Leaper. Speeders and mercs rained from the sky, leaving their team to the ground threat. They were definitely attracting most of the attention. Jonas, Allison, and Dex each took turns firing from their cover. Kyp returned his lightsaber to it's clip and joined them, supporting with a blaster pistol. The four of them continued to fire against the torrent of mercenaries. Kyp had caught a glimpse of Firi and H6 crashing into the building, obviously on purpose. Kyp was sure the rest of the crew was there and having more success. Expending the rest of the blaster's energy Kyp reached into the bag to retrieve another cartridge but found nothing. “Poodoo!” Kyp exclaimed as he pulled his lightsaber from it's clip once again. The fire around them was slowly shifting as the mercs began to move into flanking positions. Kyp stood from his cover and immediately saw dozens of things he didn't like.

In the courtyard mercenaries had found their way to the crew's three and nine. No doubt they'd eventually become surrounded if someone didn't do something drastic. Before Kyp could surge forward, his eyes managed to catch a large object swooping in like a bird of prey. Painted blue on it's wings and bristling with turrets the freighter swung in low and fired all it's batteries on the now fleeing mercenaries. Laser turrets blazing, the ship swung around the building, and made the run again only this time a lift to it's cargo bay was lowered. Standing on the platform was someone Kyp wasn't prepared to see again. As the person let go and plummeted to the ground Kyp's fears were confirmed. In the morning light of Nar Shaddaa, Kyp clearly saw the gleam of metal on the hunter's hand. The right hand.
_________________
Jedi Master Kyp Durron
Jedi High Council Member
Wields an Azure Lightsaber
Pilot of the Modified RZ-1 A-Wing Interceptor Vigilance

"No change comes without conflict. Perhaps my destiny is to be the irritant that forces the discussion, the blister that lets you know your boots don't fit."

[Cerrinea Wyndaru]

Cerrinea attached the prosthetic hand to her wrist with a satisfying clank. Though not upgraded in anyway it would definitely do the job. Anything was better than no hand at all. Sitting in the corner of her room was the now repaired and lightened armor. She kept the jetpack but had opted to remove some of the less necessary plating. She'd be facing off against a Jedi Master, again. This time she was going to be better prepared. From the armory she had again opted for a vibrosword but this time removed the sonic generator and power cell. She wasn't ready to lose her left hand yet.

Kael had taken the task of piloting the Archangel while she had been preparing. To Cerrinea he seemed a little too eager to get on board. She had installed a fail safe to shut down the reactor if he choose to double cross her. Perhaps he was truthful and she still did owe him for saving her life. A short burst of static cut through the silence in her room. “Hey Captain. We're here. Already getting word of an attack in the Corellian Sector.”

Moving to the intercom station she pressed the button for the bridge, “Bring us in close enough to see who it is. I want to make sure we are going after the right person. She felt the ship turn as she began testing the connections on her new hand. She imagined moving her fingers just as she would for her left hand. Each digit moved with no problems and the unit had a firm grip. With the prosthetic in working order she began to don her armor. First came the breast plate and back plate. Each clamped together forming a relatively safe cocoon around her vital organs. Next she strapped on her greaves and knee pads. Lastly came the phrik wrist guards and her leather gloves. With each piece of armor she felt less and less like herself and more like a weapon.

With all her armor on and secured she moved to the cargo bay not occupied by her co-pilot's A-Wing. Kael called down from the bridge as he banked sharply to the right. “Cleaning the deck,” he said as the laser turrets resounded through the hull. Obviously he had seen their target. Stepping onto the platform Cerrinea quickly pressed the button to lower it. Kael would be able to close it after she had left. The lift had reached it's limit as they had made the first pass. Cerrinea clamped her right hand around the durasteel piston as the Archangel made the next pass. Coming around the far side of the building Cerrinea let go and plummeted to the ground. The Archangel had another go at the ground troops the Jedi and his companions were fighting. It'd give her some breathing room to fight Durron. She flipped her feet over her head and positioned them facing the ground. With sudden jolt of thrust and fire the jetpack ignited on her back and slowed her decent to land behind the group. As she landed she noted their weapons and faces. All except for Kyp's was a face of bewilderment. The Jedi Master lifted his lightsaber into a defensive position and stared at her full of the same determination as their last fight.

The Jedi Master used his left hand and motioned to the building, “Go ahead, I'll catch up. Me and this bounty hunter have a score to settle.”
_________________
Cerrinea Wyndaru
Arkanian Offshoot/Human Hybrid
Bounty Hunter/Mercenary/Smuggler
Captain of the Class 720 Freighter Archangel

[Sara Soto]

Sara pushed herself past the last set of stairs, following the team as they saw the entrance to Candrog’s chambers. Two guards stood at attention on either side of the door, Lucas quickly used the Force and silently dealt with them, tossing them out the window. Sara instantly ran towards the large door and pressed herself against one side, Tsenece taking the opposite as before, Firi positioning behind her. Lucas fell in behind Sara as H6 stood in front of the door boldly.
“Careful, H6,” Lucas cautioned as he readied his lightsaber, “Took me enough time to repair you last time.”

“Query: Do you have doubts about my abilities to dodge enemy fire?” he replied, almost with a distasteful tone in his voice.

“No,” Lucas said, relaxing his hand as he prepared to use the Force again to blow the doors open, “Just worried I’m going to be the one dragging you back to the ship for repairs.”

With that little squabble finished, the team began to hear Clare crying within. Sara feared they were too late, but why was Clare crying over this? She cleared her head, yelling, “Do it!”

Sara Soto

[Badim Soilding]

Badim saw the action Clare was taking and grabbed her wrist with both hands, still tied together. Her arm hung in the air between the two as Clare fought herself. He stopped her movement, holding onto the wrist forcefully, but caringly, still feeling her trying to put the blaster to her chin, “Clare…” he whispered, “It’s alright.”
Clare shook her head, continuing to try to force the blaster to her chin, “No-o! I-I don’t want this! Th-this isn’t how it was suppose to happen!” she said as she continued to cry for him, her arm quivering in the air as it jerked back and forth.

“No!” Candrog yelled and pressed another button on the remote. Clare let out a bloodcurdling scream as she began to feel either pain from the device or control slipping away.

“I want you, Badim! I don’t want this to happen!” she cried as she fell to her knees, trying to divert all the control she could to her arm, “I-I-I love you! P-please, I don‘t want you to die!”

Badim lowered his head, hearing her plea was difficult to deal with. He thought back to when they first sparred together. The confident smirk she had with her vibroblade, her broad shoulders… How strong she was--is, she still is. She was strong enough to force control to her arm, to sacrifice herself. It was hard to decide, both of them were willing to sacrifice, but neither were willing to loose the other. He forgave her, she couldn’t tell him what she had planned, it wouldn’t be convincing enough. It was a ploy she had planned, for how long, he didn’t know. But it seemed Candrog was already far ahead of her, going as far back as her receiving the collar, maybe even farther. He knew she had the best of intentions, but now it was his turn to try and save her. But the only way to do so, would possibly ruin her forever.
He shook Clare’s arm, pulling the blaster as hard as he could towards himself. Clare continued to cry and whelp as the blaster got closer to his forehead.

The barrel was just over his scalp when the doors to the hall opened to a hail of blaster fire from… the crew?
Badim took advantage of the situation; grabbed Clare by the waist and charged her towards one of the pillars in the hall, hearing her blaster going off over his head. He ducked behind the pillar with her and away from the firefight.
She continued to cry as she forced all her strength to release the blaster, it was still hard and she needed Badim to help remove it as blaster fire continued between the crew of The Blight Leaper and Candrog’s robotic bodyguards. Her body quivered and twitched as she fought herself.
“Tseneca!” Badim yelled as he tried to hold and calm Clare, “Shoot Candrog’s hand!”

Alright, so you guys can post your attack on the room now: Take out the B1 and B2 battle droids and make a non-lethal hit to Candrog, please. (When the fight is over, I‘ll make another three posts, then we can leave the room and such)

Badim Soilding

_________________
"No One Deserves To Die, Except For Those Who Do."

[Sara Soto]

Sara entered the room, gazing at the ancient Trade Federation Battle Droids and Super Battle Droids. But her sight didn’t follow them for long, as she concentrated her aim on Clare, aiming for her center, before Badim grabbed her at the waist and took her behind a pillar. She figured a one-on-one was happening between the two. She watched Clare’s blaster discharge three shots while she was taken behind cover, where Badim would deal with her she assumed.

Sara dove for cover, shooting at the B1s, allowing H6 and Lucas to deal with the heavier B2s. She hid behind a pillar, diving in and out of cover, disabling or destroying a B1 with nearly every shot. Five out of the thirty B1s and two of the six B2s were already downed before she heard Badim yell over the blaster fire, “Tseneca! Shoot Candrog’s hand!”

Sara realized she was taking cover behind a pillar, directly adjacent to the one Badim was taking cover at. She peered over, to see Badim with his arms around Clare, while he rocked. It seemed as though he was…comforting her? She shook her head, popped out of cover and fired at another droid, dropping it and hearing it scream as though it were actually alive. She noticed H6, expertly dodging the superior, brick sized firepower coming from the B2s…laughing?

Sara Soto

[H6-32]

H6 laughed at the pitiful attempts at the seventy year old battle droids, they had insufficient targeting systems installed to counter H6’s maneuverability. The cumbersome droids shifted their cannon sized blasters from side-to-side in a fruitless attempt to hit H6. H6’s processors were in overtime, calculating the droid’s actions while projecting paths for him to take.

His photoreceptors magnified, zooming in on critical parts on the B2’s body, cross-referencing brand names along with several black market items. He detected several weak points in the droids capabilities and acted on it. He raised the blaster Master had given him and fired a computer aided, perfect shot into the droids central processing cluster, with all the black market items and upgrades in it’s systems, it was sure to cripple the droid. An explosion came from the blast point, leaving a scar on the droid’s surface and sparks flying from within the hole.

The droid sputtered, lowering it cannon as it tried to divert processing functions to it’s backup systems. But with all it’s aftermarket parts, most were removed to place the upgrades in. It froze, then fell backwards with a large thump. Unfortunately missing the sprawling Candrog De’lotre.

H6-32

[Lucas Pallanén-Davad]

H6 made a great ally. Despite his height and mass, the droid was able to move and counteract much faster than the older Clone Wars models. Even though they were modified, to see them in action, stirred something inside Lucas. For the Jedi, these droids had slaughtered hundreds, if not thousands, of their kin. Only to have their clone companions turn on them under Order 66, an executive command issued by the Chancellor himself. Lucas moved his lightsaber, the droids were predictable, but their numbers and the constant barrage of blasts kept Lucas moving at full speed. He wondered about the great opening Battle of Geonosis, a monumental beginning to the war which had split the galaxy generations ago.

Tactics and training had been provided to most padawans and students, with the intention, that never again would a Jedi be prone to easy defeat by droids. The artificial nemesis, despite lacking the creative ingenuity of flesh-and-blood organics, were superior in their lack-of-self-preservation and accuracy. To walk and attack without fear was a powerful offensive, and Lucas could sense why these droids had served as a bodyguard unit.

Droids would park themselves in front of Candrog, and where one would fall, another would take its place. With the constant barrage of blast bolts, Lucas would not be able to maintain the upper hand for much longer. "H6, I need a moment."

"Suggestion: Now is not a good time for a moment."

Anakin Solo probably would've said the same thing, and Lucas had put this type of concentration off, and now, it was biting him in the ass. Building the Force within himself, Lucas shot it outwards. The B-2s froze, before being tossed across the room and into the opposite wall. They were only phased for a second, maybe two, but it was long enough for H6 to make the appropriate shots. Three B1 battle droids approached, their arms extending a powerful personal shield. Candrog decided this battle would be forfeit, and the droids were only buying him time. Having reached such conclusion, the plump Twi'lek attempted to make an exit, and in the distance, Clare screamed out.

"She is still alive?" Lucas demanded, almost furious that Badim was taking so long. "H6, finish her off, or find out why Badim is keeping her alive. Get him out of here.."

Tseneca arrived, and as Lucas turned to face her, a pile of droids were left smoking behind her. Her eyes were fixed on the target, briefly making contact with Lucas, before she entered a dash. A premonition brought Lucas to his knees, just seconds before Tseneca's feet left the ground. Using Lucas as a boost, she assailed high into the air, her blaster ringing out four times. Lucas looked upwards, watching the first three shots impact the B1 battle droids, consecutively bringing them to complete and utter demise. The fourth shot was a little more nasty, and Candrog's entire hand, where he had been clutching something, disappeared in a loud pop. The twi'lek's physical scream was blood-curdling, just as Tseneca touched the ground.

"Nice wor-" Lucas started, but a new sound entered their ears. It sounded as though a large coin was rolling against the ground. It wasn't long before a new problem appeared. It was another ancient battle droid, one that Lucas had seen his father tinker with in an antique collection. It was worth nearly three hundred thousand credits in a shitty, shot-up condition. This droid, however, looked as though it had just been released from the factor assembly line.

Before Lucas could reach out with the Force, the deflector shield went up. A droideka.

[H6-32]

H6 acknowledged Lucas’ command. It was the least he could do, with the absence of Master, Lucas seemed a likely substitute for his repair skills…until Master is secured of course. H6 calmly nodded and paced toward the pillar Master would call cover, it was anything but cover, it was open and vulnerable to attack. H6 jerked his head every now and then, dodging shots from one of the B1 battle droids as he made his way to Master and Clare.
After Clare’s scream, it was logically on everyone’s mind why Master was keeping her alive, or why he hasn’t dealt with her just yet. As he rounded the pillar with his blaster pointed, his processors sparked and jittered in excitement at the sight of Clare being…hugged!?! He disapproved immensely, Master should have been strangling her, not hugging her!

“Disapproval: Master! Why are you not killing her!?” he asked as he pointed his blaster at the struggling Clare.

“Stand down, H6!” Master yelled as he held Clare tighter. His processors processed Master’s body language: Care was at it’s roots, along with the desperate, fearful look in his eyes as he tried to calm Clare.
“Master…I…” H6 muttered in response, his programming kicked in, he obeyed his True Master, “Answer: Yes, Master. But I wish to know why Clare is still alive--” H6 cut himself off, his vision concentrated on the collar around Clare’s neck; studying it’s curvature and elegance, not to mention the faint sparks erupting from it. His processors cross-referenced information on it, revealing it to be a Black Market Slaving Collar, “Retraction: Nevermind, Master. I understand completely now.”

H6’s audible sensors picked up a new noise among the blaster fire, he matched it to sounds implanted in his memory core, as part of his translator matrix to recognize alien languages. But it served as a duel function to detect new threats before they were visible.
“Excitement: Oh, one of those dreaded Droidekas are arriving. Master, do I have your permission to engage?” he asked eagerly. Master just waved him away as he held Clare’s crying and pained head against him.

H6 turned to see the droid with it’s deflector shields engaged, lighting up as Tseneca and Sara’s blaster bolts pinged off it’s surface, while Lucas deflected it's blaster bolts with his lightsaber. H6 noticed the droideka's armor gleam underneath, his photoreceptors picking out a deadly modifications to it, quadruple laser cannons, four on each arm.

H6 imagined a large grin on his face, then charged at the droid to begin dismantling it.

H6-32

[Lucas Pallanén-Davad]

The deflector shield was a marvel of the time, and even Jedi were quick to flee when these types appeared on the battlefield. Lucas backflipped behind a column, as he heard H6 approach. "I want this one left, moderately intact." He said, specifically loud enough for Tseneca and Sara to hear. "Please," Lucas added, flicking his lightsaber, successfully adjusting to defense. There was little he could do here....

[Tseneca Lowry-Fink]

There was little anyone could do in that situation.

"I don't think we'll have a problem keeping it in one piece." Tseneca yelled, joining Lucas behind the pillar as the droid took turns raining blaster fire down upon them. "It's the other way around thats the trick."

H6 was engaging the droid. "What the hell are we going to do!?" She cried out.

Lucas reached out and caught a blaster bold with his lightsaber as it sizzled centimeters from her face.

"No frakking idea." Lucas groaned.

[Dex Fashiir]

The group made their way to Candrogs main hall, leaving Kyp behind to deal with his bounty hunter.

They shot at the mercs still assaulting them as they raced to help the others in the upstairs rooms, Dex shot double fisted. popping them off one by one.

They broke into the hall in time to see an enormous, shielded battle droid.

"What the hell is that!?" Dex cried. Firi was crouched behind a large potted plant, she shook the loose ends of her hair out of her face and looked up at him.

"Dex!" He ran over to her, Jonas following closely at his heels while they took cover. It was H6 that was shooting at the droid one on one. Dex could make out the movements of the others as they took cover, the sharp glow of Lucas' lightsaber as he deflected shots.

Dex looked at Firi, noticing now the blisters that formed on her face and wrists. "What happened to you?" He asked taking her wrists in his hands.

She kept a sharp eye on the droid, then looked at him, her liquid amber eyes soft. "Its alright I'll be fine--"

Suddenly a shot ricochetted toward them and caught Firi in the back before he could pull her out of the way. She cried out, and Jonas pushed them against the wall before more damage could be done from the droid battle raging only a few feet in front of them.

"Firi?" Dex held onto her, pushing her up.

"It's not bad..." She squeeked. In fact, the bolt had scorched a hole clean through her tunic and the pale flesh below.

"We have to do something!" Jonas said as the huddled together.

"There's nothing to do..." Dex answered back, watching the droids as they combated each other...

[Kyp Durron]

The others quickly ran off leaving Kyp alone with the hunter. Even under layers of armor and clothing Kyp could feel the change of mood for his opponent. It was definitely personal. He would test the water anyways, "What do you want?" Kyp twisted his lightsaber in his right hand and clearly heard it's familiar and comforting hum.

"You took my hand from me. Now I'm going to take your life. I'm sure someone out there will want the head of the destroyer of Carida." The voice emanating from the helmet sounded distinctively synthetic. It was as if the hunter didn't want his true voice to be heard.

Kyp decided to egg on the hunter with a pun or two. An angered opponent was an opponent who'd make mistakes. "Well for it's worth your weren't very-" Kyp paused and sensed a tensing in the bounty hunter's stance and demeanor. "Handy for Nico. We'll find her eventually."

"I don't care for your quarrel with Nico. I did what I was hired for. Now it's out of my own prerogative. When I'm done with you, you're friends will pay as well."

"Glad to hear it. Where I may fail, they'll surely succeed. You'll meet your end one way or another." The two of them stood silent for a moment before Kyp noticed a slight flinch in the hunter's stance. In under a second he ripped his blaster pistols from their holsters and began firing. Kyp easily deflected the bolts and dodged the more wayward shots. Kyp surged forward and as he suspected the hunter launched into the sky. Shots rained down on Kyp from above in a never ending torrent. In all the red Kyp barely caught the sight and sound of a wrist rocket coming straight down onto him. Leaping from his scrap of cover Kyp dodged the impact by mere feet.

The hunter landed on the other side of the courtyard and holstered both pistols. The blaster rifle, distinctively an E-11, was pulled from a magnetic holding on his back. With a great deal of distance between Kyp and the bounty hunter he had no choice but to go on the defensive. Charging in would be suicide. The hunter realizing this kept the fire up before stopping to release another wrist rocket. The rocket screamed into cover the near Kyp and was enough of an incentive to move. Before Kyp had even moved to the next piece of cover he saw a thermal detonator plop down behind it. Poodoo.

The hunter's timing had been off and the detonator blew harmlessly, taking a large section of duracrete with it. Nevertheless Kyp had still be left out in the open. Deflecting the crimson bolts of plasma Kyp began to realize he was running out of options. Around him his cover was slowly dwindling. He'd be out in the open and eventually the bounty hunter would get a shot in. Kyp dove over a bench and rolled, narrowly avoid a rocket careening over his head. "That's it." Kyp said to himself, growing tired of being on the defensive. Reaching out with the force Kyp snagged the bench he had dove over and tossed it as hard as he could at the hunter.

From the hunter's crouched stance he only had a split second to dive out of the way. Kyp was already speeding headlong on a collision course for the now recovering bounty hunter. Before Kyp could make his killing stroke the hunter once again shot into the sky. Same old, same old. Kyp diverted most of the forward momentum into vertical momentum by jamming his feet down mid stride. Sailing in the air the hunter didn't have enough time to fire before receiving a hard kick to the stomach.

Kyp heard a satisfying grunt escape his helmeted opponent. As the hunter flipped back, he noticed a quick ignition of his jetpack, which Kyp imagined he had done to right himself as much as possible before impacting the hard ground. Kyp again touched down and sped headlong towards the dazed hunter. Before Kyp reach his downed opponent he began standing, hand clutching his side. As the feet flew by Kyp prepared his lightsaber for a final blow. At the last moment the hunter pulled free a vibrosword and swung low, almost taking the Jedi Master out at the feet. Luckily the motion of his arm moving had sent Kyp up and over to land on the other side of the hunter.

Each stood still for a moment, gauging each others well being. Kyp was sure his opponent was fine. If he survived this encounter he have one hell of a bruise on his stomach. The hunter taking the initiative rushed in only to have to block a strong downward vertical strike. Kyp pushed downward and back, unlocking the two blades. He quickly followed up with two high horizontal strikes before the hunter flipped backward by planting his prosthetic hand behind him. He had dodged the third but almost caught another as Kyp swung at his back and again once he was righting himself.

Kyp took the opportunity and delivered a firm roundhouse kick to the hunter's chest sending him flying back. Kyp noticed the hunter recovering and threw his lightsaber sideways, looking to cleave him in half. Either showing how fit he was, or how stupid he was, he jumped over the lightsaber only to catch a force push. The hunter careened through a thin duracrete wall. Kyp pulled his still active lightsaber back to his hand with a satisfying smack. This time Kyp attacked from the sky, coming down onto his enemy with his lightsaber held directly perpendicular to the ground. Before Kyp landed the hunter scraped across the ground by igniting his jetpack and stood back in the direction from which Kyp had came.

Fire and energy blasted from the hunter's pack as he closed the distance. It seemed as though he was gliding across the ground. Kyp swung his lightsaber as hard as he could and in turn released searing hot plasma from it's protective shield. The plasma made contact with the hunter but only harmlessly scorched the armor on both his chest and forearm. The hunter came in with a high strike to which Kyp countered easily with a horizontal swing that forced the hunter's blade into a high unprotected guard. Kyp struck his lightsaber's hilt into the hunter's mask shattering the material with ease. Kyp spotted a brilliant white underneath the helmet and a glimpse of a pair of eyes before the hunter streaked off into the sky. Who the hell was this person?

The same freighter that had cleared the mercenaries streaked through the sky and barn swallowed the hunter only meters off the ground. Whoever was piloting that thing was either insane or really good. Kyp flicked off the power to the lightsaber and attached it to his belt. It would be his opponent's lucky day. Kyp cursed himself for not having the Vigilance nearby but quickly discarded the thought. The freighter would most likely outgun him then he'd be on the run. Kyp stared into the sky as the ship disappeared, "Till next time." For now he knew the rest of the crew was still in harm's way.

Kyp proceeded back into Candrog's hideout, if one could call it that. It was hard to hide such a large building. Kyp would simply follow the dead bodies to find the crew. He hoped that all of them were safe and unharmed. Most of the crew felt betrayed by Clare. Kyp felt nothing of the sort. He knew that to be betrayed he would have to trust someone. Only a few people had earned that privilege.

Part of Kyp thought back to his experiences thus far. Perhaps he shouldn't have come along with the Leaper and her crew. He was bringing more problems than he was solving. This bounty hunter was only growing more determined and may eventually grow desperate. He didn't want their deaths on his hands as well. Regardless Kyp knew he had to stay. He knew that two of the crew needed his help and that one was skirting dangerously close to the darkside.
_________________
Jedi Master Kyp Durron
Jedi High Council Member
Wields an Azure Lightsaber
Pilot of the Modified RZ-1 A-Wing Interceptor Vigilance

"No change comes without conflict. Perhaps my destiny is to be the irritant that forces the discussion, the blister that lets you know your boots don't fit."

[H6-32]

H6 sighed loudly at Lucas’ request for keeping the droid intact. He would have enjoyed tearing it to pieces, but Lucas was one of Masters friends, and though Master’s commands came first, he saw Lucas wanted the droid, so he complied. He turned the Tseneca, Lucas, Sara and the late arrivals and nodded to them, signifying to hold their fire on the droid. They did.

H6 walked up to the droideka casually, dipping his arms inside it’s deflector shields as his hands began to take apart critical systems. With the one arm he unplugged the power to the blasters, with the other he unplugged the motor core skillfully.

The battle had calmed after this point, it was the null in noise that disturbed H6’s processors. He almost felt grieved at the end of the battle, and thought about heading to the barracks Lucas had mentioned. But before he could put that thought into action, he noticed the entire crew, including a partially burned Firi heading towards Master and Clare. He instinctively moved in front of them as Kyp came into the room.

H6-32