Tech (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
tech_nically) wrote2022-11-06 09:32 pm
tech_nically) wrote2022-11-06 09:32 pm
Entry tags:
Memories
I - Evaluation - A training session turned deadly.
II - Retrieval - A mission isn't without its complications.
III - Countdown - Objective; remove inhibitor chips.
II - Retrieval - A mission isn't without its complications.
III - Countdown - Objective; remove inhibitor chips.
I - Evaluation
[You nod at Hunter and move around the barrier as Hunter and Echo rise from their cover to draw the droid's fire. After seeing one take Wrecker down, you know you do not want to get hit by those blasts. Once the droids have turned their attention, you run to Wrecker's side.]
Wrecker, are you all right?
[Thankfully he's already trying to crawl out of the range of crossfire, groaning as you come to help him get to cover. He's tough, but sometimes he pushes his luck too much.]
...I felt that one.
[You haul him back around the barrier as you see one of the droids begin to turn its attention back in your direction with shots sounding too close for call. Then both droids redirect fire to some point above, on one of the defunct towers and you know Crosshair's drawn their focus. A momentary reprieve for you, but not ideal for him.
Things begin to get even more heated as additional droids are brought up and join the firefight. It's incredibly one-sided, and the entire squad is pinned down. You hunker against the barrier, watching as shots continue to rain dangerously close by until you and Wrecker hear Hunter whistle from across the way. He goes through a few hand signals and the tactics callback makes perfect sense in this situation. Wrecker throws his arms up in annoyance as you shake your head. You know what's coming next.]
Aw! I hate hand signals! [Typical.]
Perhaps if you memorized them.
Why don't you memorize them!
I have! What we did on Felucia.
Why didn't you just say that!
[Wrecker flashes Hunter a thumbs-up and moves into position. You watch as the others get ready as well, set to move out and draw off the droids' fire.
Echo emerges first, sprinting around the outer edge of the active field. He's fast, and as the droids slowly turn to track him with their weapons, Wrecker comes in from behind, tackling one of them down. You make your move as Echo leaps on the back of the other droid that begins to turn Wrecker's way, ramming his scomp-arm into the base of its neck to bring it down. He can get pretty vicious with it, even though that's hardly what that attachment was meant for. Wrecker predictably begins to pound at the droid. You grab a hold of his fist before he can bring it down again.]
Reprogramming this thing will be pointless if you crush it!
You better be right about this!
[He holds the thing down as you set to work, opening the back panel of the droid to do some rough rewiring so you can attempt to sync up your bracer computer with it. Nothing too complicated- but there will be some disadvantages. Still, any advantage you can get outweighs the risks.]
Done. Let him go.
[It's not the most ideal position but you have to be close to maintain control. The droid rises with you on its shoulders, your legs the only thing really holding you in position as you tap at your computer to set the droid forward to start firing on the other ones. Its blasts easily take out two other droids, and as more converge upon you both, you hang on as you direct it to attack with its fists, knocking them back.
You carve a path through the crossfire while the rest of the squad serves as distractions until you can get a clear shot or rely on brute strength in Wrecker's case as he rams into droids and flings them against the others. Of course he's prone to getting caught up in his bashing, and you have to get him to focus as another droid bears down towards him. The droid begins to wobble beneath you as you frantically tap at your keypad.]
I can't sustain the connection!
[You barely manage to fend off two more droids before yours takes one shot that sends it stumbling, and the next sends it back and you with it.
...you're on the floor, disoriented as you gasp for a breath.
Wrecker calls out to you, but that fall was hard and you can barely lift an arm. So far as you can tell, there's only one droid left but it's still enough to be a problem. The others are keeping it from firing at you while your down, but training blasters are useless against it otherwise.]
Wrecker, knife!
[You hear Crosshair shout, and you know he's got things covered. Crosshair never misses a shot, and what he does next is nothing short of impressive as the impact of his shot hits at just the right angle to send Wrecker's knife spinning right into the remaining droid's head. And just like that, it's over.
There's no fanfare, no congratulations from anyone in the observation deck. Wrecker and Echo help you to your feet and all you can think is that this is by far the worst training session you've all ever had.]
II - Retrieval
What we need is a diversion!
[You hear one of the two interlopers speak up, related so far as you can tell, sisters, perhaps. After the same target and now you're all forced to hunker down and try to get out of here together in one piece.
As she explains her plan you keep firing, picking off security droids, but more just seem to keep coming.]
We need an army to get out of this. And we happen to have one.
[She means the deactivated Separatist droids all along the conveyor line being moved to be melted down.]
If you activate those Clankers, they'll start shooting at us. [Echo's concerns are understandable, as these were the very droids the Republic has had to fight in the war, and his experience with the Separatists has been particularly personal. Yet you know it doesn't quite work that way.]
Not if we're controlling the droid that's controlling them. [The woman explains as she sets to work on the droid's head while Omega, your smallest squad member, holds it. For all Hunter's concerns as she'd thrown herself into things earlier, you still think the young clone handles herself pretty well when given the chance.]
An excellent idea.
[The woman finishes up with a "That should do it!" and Omega flips it over. The droid's optics flicker, its monotone voice sputtering out weakly.]
Can...not transmit...
[Omega looks at you, concern etched on her face.] It didn't work!
[Looks like you're up. But you're confident about this task. Slicing into one droid is easier than multiple ones by far, and you've dealt with Separatist droids before.]
It will. Once we boost the signal. And this will help me access the program.
[You plug in one device and then plunge a data rod into the underside of the droid's head and set to work. An opportunity's been presented, and since you're both here for the tactical droid you make the best of the situation. You estimate that you should be able to copy the data while you slice into its programming. Omega meanwhile tries contacting Wrecker- come to think of it, you haven't heard from him since he'd rebooted the power for the systems.
The other sister is getting impatient.] Brilliant plan, Trace! Really, one of your best.
We just need a little more time!
[Time which is quickly dwindling as the sound of more police droids can be heard amongst the increase of blaster fire. But there's something else too, an almost gleeful shout from above. You don't have to look to know what's going on. Wrecker's finally rejoined you, and doing what he does best, by the sound of things.]
Hang on... Data exchange is nearly complete. [You watch the download finish up just in time, snatching up the data rod.] Done!
What is happening...
[Trace grabs the head from Omega.] Activate battle droids. Command them to attack all police droids.
Affirmative.
[You all look back towards the droids, watching as antennas extend and claws release countless numbers of them in various states of being, whole or missing limbs, but they all activate and rise jankily. They may seem unwieldy but you know what damage they can do with focus and numbers.]
Command sequence. Your target is factory security personel.
[The droids leap from the conveyor belts, some landing on the police droids, the heavier B2s opening fire with their built in blasters, joined by B1s fortunate enough to still have their weapons while those without bodily throw themselves into the fray. You catch Echo and one battle droid aiming guns at each other before the droid turns upon realizing him to not be a target. Echo sounds a little stunned.] Never thought I'd see battle droids helping us.
That's our cue. [Hunter continues to lay down cover fire as he rises from behind the console.] Move out!
[As the others move past you, you pass off the data rod to him.] Mission accomplished.
Nice work.
[You hustle out, but even outside of the factory things are still hot, the group met with a hail of shots from more police droids, likely part of the called reinforcements. Hunter doesn't even have to relay orders as the squad easily falls into covering each other. Even with one less, it doesn't completely throw everyone off. You and Wrecker work on covering the rear as police droids emerge in pursuit, trusting the others to clear the way until Trace and Rafa's ship gets here. Thankfully the battle droids start to make their way out of the factory, providing adequate cover for everyone to make their escape as the ship pulls up, and you all make a run for it. Their droid flies you up and out, and for a moment you can catch your breath.
The model of ship isn't one you're familiar with. Pieced together from others, probably. It's much larger than the Marauder. As Echo and Wrecker have a seat up front, you remain with Hunter and Omega at the rear with the sisters.]
All that work, for nothing. [Trace sounds dejected, and for good reason. During the escape, she'd lost the tactical droid head, destroyed in the crossfire.]
[Omega looks concerned as well. She'd gotten a handle on her energy bow rather quickly, but sometimes learning by experience is the best way to do things, and technically she is one of you.] Whoever Cid's buyer is isn't going to be happy.
Let me get this straight. You knew how dangerous the information in the tactical droid head was but you didn't know who you were giving it to?
[Rafa's already proven to have no problems with getting up in Hunter's face about matters, but even as she addresses him, you know she has a point. Eyes may be on Rafa and Hunter, but you watch Trace. Her feelings about the situation are plain on her face, troubled that they won't be able to deliver.
Hunter's response is expected.]
We're being paid to acquire and deliver, not ask questions.
[He's not wrong. But you wonder if this whole matter is right. Trace speaks up again, and her words make you think.]
Our contact needed that information to fight back against the Empire. They're trying to help people and make things better.
[While you knew the reason for the value of a tactical droid head, this puts things more into perspective. You look towards Hunter. This was a mission, and the only reason the squad had been sent out to pull it off was to get paid. It's been a lot harder making ends meet when you were no longer attached to a military providing your pay and meals. It's not your call to make, ultimately, and you know it's not an easy one. But you'll stand behind Hunter, whatever he decides.]
III - Countdown
Rex apparently has different opinions than you do on the matter.]
This will do nicely.
I would no longer call this medical bay a sterile environment. [There are probably a number of regulations that this place falls short of, and the more you get a look at things with your torch, the less positive of an opinion you have.]
Do you prefer to use the facility on Kamino?
[...an excellent point.] This will do nicely.
[Echo steps over to the console. Despite the rest of the ship being powered down, the medbay should still have a backup source to access.] I'll calibrate the surgical pod.
[Lights begin to flicker on as the system comes to life. The screen on the console begins to load up, and the chamber of the surgical pod starts to brighten, providing most of the ambiant light in the small room. You take out the device you've made once you've set the rest of your things aside, turning to Wrecker who sits at the edge of the pod bed.]
Time to get scanned, Wrecker.
Let's...get this over with.
[He clutches the right side of his head, grunting through the pain. That it's been more frequent of late has been concerning, but then that's why you're all here, after all, resorting to such drastic measures such as sneaking into Scrapped Guild territory to make use of the abandoned Jedi cruiser.
You prepare the device as Hunter removes Wrecker's pack to set aside with the rest. Omega hovers worriedly by him before stepping back as you begin the scan, watching the screen of your datapad. She has her concerns, and for good reason. You're here to remove the inhibitor chips from your heads and the only successful proof you have of the procedure is Rex.
Something pings your scanner then.]
I think I've found something... Ninety degrees from his right orbital floor, below the parietal and temporal intersection...
[Wrecker pulls the device off, shoving it at your chest.] Get...that...away from me.
[That...is troubling. You imagine your look mirrors Omega's own as you both stare wide-eyed at Wrecker. He's wincing in pain as he holds his head once again. Omega steps towards him, gently resting a hand over him. She looks up at you and the others.]
Something's not right.
[Wrecker groans even louder as the pain seems to be spiking. You wholeheartedly agree as Rex suggests that things need to be sped up. You nod at Echo and he starts warming up the pod for the procedure as you continue to monitor Wrecker.]
You boys got lucky. Very few clones were immune to the effects of Order Sixty-Six. It's...rare.
[As Rex speaks with Hunter behind you, Wrecker continues to flinch against the pain that seems to be increasing steadily, and you glance briefly at the other two as you wonder that this is really the best place for this conversation. Rex and Hunter step back, but you can still catch their words.]
The Regs attacked the Jedi on Kaller. I didn't understand why. We couldn't save the Jedi. At best we helped the padawan escape.
[Wrecker's clutching his head in both hands now. Best you inject him now so he'll be out for the procedure.]
Relax. This won't hurt a bit.
[His hand stops yours, grasping your wrist, but he doesn't meet your gaze. He's just being difficult about this. Wait, no-
His other hand's suddenly around your neck. Breathe- can't breathe-
That's not the Wrecker you know
Those eyes
That focus]
You're in direct violation of Order Sixty-Six.
[He's moving
Your feet leave the floor
Things blur
He let go-
the wall-]