Chapter 32: Into the Depths We Go
34 BBY (Before Battle of Yavin) - 2 Years before Canon
Sector/System: Bandomeer
Location: Bandomeer Planetside - Inside 'Meerian Ionite Ventures', current 'Level 8'
'Stepping in to assist these rookies this soon was not expected, but truly needed to get through without losses.' Jack thought to himself, watching the bodies around, and a few black marks on the formerly pristine armor of the Rookies.
"Sorry, sir, walked straight into that one…" Rookie 4 spoke with a bowed head
"Learn from this mistake, so as not to repeat it. I will take point now, so watch my back and try to learn something while doing so." Jack, not mad at all, said, walking past 'Rookie 4' with a hand on the shoulder in passing
And right as Jack did, he shot the few still-moving bodies a second time, all in the head, while walking further.
While walking deeper, it became clear from the rails on the ground that the center path was the path of transport, meaning likely more ambushes the further down they went.
The path of the rails was rather wide, wide enough to have four cars side by side, and still have space to safely walk on the sides, for easy maintenance of the rails.
On the walls above, there were many windows on both left and right sides, and looking up, you could see two groups of fully clad Mandalorians trading fire with enemies further ahead.
[Look sharp, we have no cover around here, both Hound and Wolf are stuck engaging, so any other ambushes are up to us to clean up. I will give you all a choice stay here to guard or move back and support the other teams by splitting up into two groups.]
[If I may? Since it is clear they do not possess much experience, I would suggest going back to support the others and learn on the road by aiding them. Fighting in the open, as is clear in this place, needs a certain set of skills and experience to even have a chance to survive. Even then, those who can. Might not make it if they have … sorry to say, bad teammates.] Jedi Adi Gallia spoke up
Jack watched the Rookies look at each other for a while, likely talking on squad coms before nodding.
[We concur, sir, we just are not ready yet… we will split up and assist the other teams.] Jack heard the sound of defeat in their voices
[Good, you two take the Jedi to the side with Hound, who does not have Jedi support, the others go the way of Wolf and do a double check in case they missed anything, including double tapping any bodies.] Jack said before watching them jog away.
'Glad they know their limits, guess guard duty back home it will be, with extra training.' Jack thought before turning around and observing the area
'Only now noticed that Sera switched with Rin and joined Wolf instead, seeing the Brown armor of hers with Wolf.' Jack thought, looking up slightly at the two fights happening, shaking his head.
— — — — —
Jack's POV:
Looking around, it is clear these rails had some carts go down not long ago. Looking down further, I can spot a few areas with some type of platform or stations and some rocky pillars covered in metal plates for extra reinforcements.
These platforms look to have some small buildings and computer terminal stations, likely for supplies and tools for the maintenance and repair work of the rails and any carts.
Guess if there are any other ambushes, that is where they will be. It will be a long trek down through the open, and it is a longer drop down as well if you fall off the sides, even with the waist-high handlebars to prevent dropping off
Time to move, I started to jog down the rails with my rifle in hand since the pistols wouldn't have the range at this moment to even be of use. In the worst-case situation, I'll use my jetpack, to quickly move to the closest station. However, not knowing if they have heavy weapons or snipers could prove to be problematic, to say the least, if they did.
That is why I decided to use my jetpack in short bursts. I'm going to feel my legs and the sprain on them from the landings each time in the long run, but it's needed to quickly get to the closest cover.
As I'm close to the first station's platform, I come across dead pirate bodies, and just when I knelt to investigate the wounds, I heard the voice of someone calling out.
"Hey! Mandalorian! Over here! It's me from the first level!" I heard this young boy's voice and looked up, seeing the young Meerian who guided us to the command center from 'Level 1'.
"What are you doing here boy?" I did not notice, but my voice sounded a bit like Korar's commanding voice, guess some of him rubbed off on me after all besides the training.
"Modok? Why are you here?" I asked him again after seeing him flinch from my previous, maybe a bit too harsh, words.
"Well, due to us still controlling the command center, we were able to send all the carts downwards, meaning the pirates would have to walk a long way through the open area, so most went through the smaller sides, besides the group at the entrance that you dealt with harshly." Modok quickly started talking
"Easy there, take a breath, so there are no enemies in this rail network downwards?" I asked him after watching him do just that
"Oh! yea! No, there are no enemies at all. Also, we secured the bottom with our people with captured weapons, including two rocket launchers and two of those spinny things that are stuck in place, shooting lots of times." Modok said
"Understood, mind guiding me downwards then? doubt I would be able to catch up with my men otherwise." I asked him, watching two mine carts arrive, and see him get into one of them.
"Sure! Hop on in, we will be down in no time, oh but do hold tight, some areas can be a bit crazy, it is why we normally send half-filled carts up." Modok warned me
"No worries, a bit of speed, that's just what I need." I said in a joking tone, jumping into the other cart, and just when I did, the carts started moving and accelerating
"WHOOOOO!!! INTO THE DEPTHS WE GOOOOO!!!!!" I heard Modok Scream in excitement.
"Hahahahaha!" All I could do was laugh, a pure gut-wrenching laugh, making me shake while holding on to the cart.
— — — — —
While Jack was having a blast, both Wolf and Hound arrived at a crossing where both of their routes combined into one way downwards in a spiral road that ended up in another split down to the bottom in a long spiral road on either side where if Jack saw it would have it remind him of those large mining operations and spiraling roads for big Trucks to drive upwards slowly from his old life.
"Same routes as before," Sera commanded and ushered her group downward with the new addition of troopers from team 3 following.
"Bah! Fine, but I'll have a word with the boss over you taking command." A snarky reaction was given from Rin, who, due to her boredom, started reacting badly to Sera's cold and calculated tone of voice
Sera ignored her and followed Wolf down the right-hand path, while Hound did the same with the left-hand Path, making Rin grumblely follow them.
Just when they passed the spiral way down onto the road, a shot hit the walls close to them.
[Move it, use the crates and pillars for cover!] Sera commanded Wolf, who moved right away while the two Rookies started covering fire for Wolf to move up.
— — — — —
Sera's POV:
I watched Wolf get safely into cover and start trading fire down the road at the pirates while the two Rooks joined them.
I grabbed my rifle and started to do what I do best and had to do on 'levels 1 and 3' before, not at those in front but further down. I could see multiple blockades put in place, so I would have my work cut out for me in this sniper's paradise from high to low ground.
Taking a knee, leaning my shoulder to the wall, holding my rifle up with just my arms again. Taking slow and small breaths, aiming downwards.
Taking my time looking for any enemy snipers or heavy troopers, this is how much I trust Wolf to have my back and deal with the enemies. Even though we have not worked together much, their professionalism and expert training just allow me to trust them. Along with the fact that they are showing rather clearly how willing they are to follow Jack's orders.
All points are in the group's favor, meaning I can do my job without worry and distractions.
*Pfew*
I made my first shot and watched how it hit an enemy's head, popping it like a ball.
I quickly followed it up with a second and a third shot to the different areas, all shots on full blasts, no longer making the bolts close to see-through, but bright and deadly.
I watched and saw something being thrown from the other road, and when I looked, I saw it was a Rodian who screamed while falling into the depths below.
When I looked better, I saw Rin bash two people's heads in, grab them, and throw them over the edge as well after a good beating.
'Note to self, be wary around Rin in a bad mood.' I thought, blinking my eyes before going back to dealing with enemies on my side, using the screaming from Rin's side, distracting my side's enemies who look over to them for easy headshots.
— — — — —
Rin's POV:
Argh!, stupid b*** watch me sell you out to the boss, you emotionless…
I snarled in my helmet, stamping my foot when I heard shooting from their side, making me rush after Hound quickly before I lost even more chances to kill something.
When I crossed the corner, I saw this Jedi pull the boxes from in front of some enemies away, making them stop for just a split second, letting me use my jetpack to rush into them.
I grabbed my knife and pummeled a Rodian on the head before grabbing his shirt and throwing him into the air and roundhouse kicking him to make him fly screaming off the edge, then I rushed into two others using my knife's backside to pummel another one grab the seconds head and bash it on my knee.
I heard the crunching of bone, making me smile. Finally, some fun!
Of course, good things end quickly, and when I had these two thrown off the edge as well, the area was cleared by Hound, who had already moved down to the next barricade where the Jedi as I saw it moved the entire line of boxes Hound used as cover in a slow pace forward.
"Tss, show off." I grumbled and moved after them, hoping to get in close enough to rush in again so I could start smashing more heads.
While I moved behind Hound, putting my knife away and grabbing my pistols to shoot a bit, I saw that the other side, the other Jedi, did the same for Wolf, slowly moving the entire Box line as a moving shield, even switching out a few damaged boxes for newer, undamaged ones.
While moving forward with each shot and kill I made, I started to calm down again.
'So embarrassing I lost my cool, as the former captain of the Chiefs guard, if the chief finds out … she might pull me back and force me through… her training again.' Thinking of this, I felt my face pale from the draining blood due to the dread of it all alone.
Luckily for me, my hands were still steady, hitting all shots, so no one should have caught my small episode.
— — — — —
Back with Sera, who was still in her element shooting anything at long range that was not Meerian or Mandalorian, making things simple since there were no Meerians around and all Mandos were on her side.
'The Rooks with Wolf are not doing too bad, seems they are getting used to the fight, seems the Wolves are taking them along, making them learn on the move.' I thought watching a Wolf say something to one of them before shooting and killing a pirate, then point at the Rook, who followed suit and took out an enemy.
In the meantime, I decided to adjust my position as well, seeing that most enemies are now staying closely behind cover, and those on Rin's side have rushed back to other positions with more cover.
I adjusted the regulator for the gas intake and disabled the mods, turning it into a normal blaster rifle again. Even though I have more mods on it, I have not told Jack yet. I will if he asks or shows interest, but for now time to move further into the Depths.
I moved next to the red-skinned Togruta Jedi Shaak-Ti, if I remember right, and started performing protection detail so she could focus on the hovering and moving of the cover for Wolf and the Rooks.
I also made sure to, in passing of bodies, put another shot into the heads, with the large numbers of enemies around, any surviving would be a problem.
While doing some clean up on anything on the ground, making sure they stayed down, I heard more screaming from the side of Rin. I did not have to check to know she threw more down below.
— — — — —
While Sera switched from sniper mode to rifle, Rin was having a blast.
Flying into enemies with her jetpack, shoulder checking one of the ridge, elbow in another's face, followed by a helmet to the face of a third, a knee between a fourth's legs before a knife hand to the throat. All finished with throwing or kicking them off the ridge into the Depths below.
Oh, this is fun. The moment I start throwing them down below, the others run away like the cowards they are, easy pickings for Hound and those Rookies, the fresh bloods.
I do admit I kinda lost count on the number of enemies I allowed to fly down…
"Raaar!" A Trandoshan showed up, having pretended to have been killed, rushing at me with a sword.
Only for him to drop from full blasts of Hound.
Deep breaths, Rin, deep breaths, in and out, there will be other reptile bastards to fight…
Wait a second… am I starting to turn into a close combat addict? Oh no, can't let this continue if that crazy Korar finds out, I'll be dragged to learn his hand-to-hand techniques… I was horrible at those when I was a kid.
I quickly grabbed my pistols and started joining the fight again while doing clean up on the side, making sure no one else was pretending to be killed, only to jump up and attack in the back.
— — — — —
Jack's Pov:
While they did slowly move down to the bottom, Jack and the young Meerian Modok arrived at the bottom of 'Level 8'.
"Whoo! That was fun!" Modok said voice a bit horse.
"I'll say that was fun, had not laughed like that in a long time." I said in a chipper voice, something rare even for me, due to always having to be stoic and serious sounding or harsh or commanding
Good thing I recorded the entire ride down to rewatch once in a while. I thought such when I looked up and heard screaming.
When Modok and I, with some Meerians guarding the door to 'Level 9', took a look, we saw someone splatter on the ground about ten or so meters away from us.
"What was that?" a pale-looking Modok asked.
"A pirate failing to fly, judging from the sounds above, more are on the way." And just when I finished speaking, between fifteen and maybe twenty meters away, another few dropped onto the floor
'Doubt it was Sera, this has more Rin all over it, guess she got bored? Normally, she would go beat some people up in the name of training or destroy training equipment in the Gym.' I thought watching a few more drops down
Should I move forward, clean up one of the sides, and meet the others halfway, or wait in the Depths for the expected rush of fleeing enemies?
"Sir Mandalorian, we are not too experienced in weapon use or fighting. Did we make good defences?" I heard a Meerian guard ask me
"Mmm? Not really, they are basic of the basic, with the numbers expected to come down in a while, trying to run away from my men, they will not hold them off." I honestly told him that watching him and a few pale a bit and start shaking.
"We still have time to fix some of the basic placements so you have at least some more cover to use." I said, walking to some badly stacked boxes, and leaned slightly against them, making them fall apart, showing me wide open
'We should have, judging from the sand timer that I just reset, about an hour's time left before the first fleeing pirates will come back down, dragging the rest of us here into the fight as well.' I thought, looking around for the best places to put them, including the two spinny guns they call it