The mission began under a veil of white silence. Snow fell in thick sheets, muffling sound and cloaking the world in an endless frost. The small strike team trudged through calf-deep drifts, their breath forming clouds in the bitter air. Cloaks and armor were painted in muted grays and whites, blending them into the blizzard like ghosts. Their target was a Black Sun relay station guarded by the base of the mountainside. A frozen outpost feeding encrypted transmissions to orbiting ships.
Destroying it meant cutting off enemy coordination in the sector. But the outpost itself was moderately guarded, ringed with manned turrets and outfitted by hired guns that were well equipped against the cold. How trained they were against others that were heavily trained in all manner of things. Cassian wasn't the one to ever be cocky or to underestimate someone, yet he was eager to take the fight to these rabble.
The team advanced carefully as frost clung to their visors. Their gloved hands numbed against the cold metal of their rifles. The snowstorm was both shield and enemy concealing them, yet threatening to swallow them whole.
Every step closer meant greater danger. The glow of the relay's towers loomed faintly ahead, lights blurred by the storm. Their mission was simple, infiltrate, sabotage, and vanish into the snow before the Black Sun ever knew they were there. But in the frozen silence of that world, even the smallest mistake could turn this strike into a desperate fight for survival. There was a rally point near the base of the mountain close to the station, that was their destination.
Cassian glanced towards team lead, as his voice sounded off in their comlinks directing the squad to spread out, as the searchlights began to reach them. Yet their beams were distorted due to the snowfall, personnel froze immediately every time the light came near. Taking in a deep breath, holding their breath just as a small measure, by the far off chance that something else could be seen in the force forsaken blizzard.
It would be dumb luck if they were found out by the air they breathed.
Through the haze the rally point was near. Cassian looked over to the relay station as it became much more clearer. The steel fence was iced over and covered in frost.
A distant sound rang out, one of the hired guns somewhere beyond the fence cursed, the sound faint in the storm. The squad stayed low, hearts beating a little quicker than normal, waiting for the noise to settle back into silence.
The approach was almost complete. One more stretch of frozen ground, they would be at the rally point. Everyone would take their positions, the power to the facility would be cut and their strike would begin quick and swiftly.
Destroying it meant cutting off enemy coordination in the sector. But the outpost itself was moderately guarded, ringed with manned turrets and outfitted by hired guns that were well equipped against the cold. How trained they were against others that were heavily trained in all manner of things. Cassian wasn't the one to ever be cocky or to underestimate someone, yet he was eager to take the fight to these rabble.
The team advanced carefully as frost clung to their visors. Their gloved hands numbed against the cold metal of their rifles. The snowstorm was both shield and enemy concealing them, yet threatening to swallow them whole.
Every step closer meant greater danger. The glow of the relay's towers loomed faintly ahead, lights blurred by the storm. Their mission was simple, infiltrate, sabotage, and vanish into the snow before the Black Sun ever knew they were there. But in the frozen silence of that world, even the smallest mistake could turn this strike into a desperate fight for survival. There was a rally point near the base of the mountain close to the station, that was their destination.
Cassian glanced towards team lead, as his voice sounded off in their comlinks directing the squad to spread out, as the searchlights began to reach them. Yet their beams were distorted due to the snowfall, personnel froze immediately every time the light came near. Taking in a deep breath, holding their breath just as a small measure, by the far off chance that something else could be seen in the force forsaken blizzard.
It would be dumb luck if they were found out by the air they breathed.
Through the haze the rally point was near. Cassian looked over to the relay station as it became much more clearer. The steel fence was iced over and covered in frost.
A distant sound rang out, one of the hired guns somewhere beyond the fence cursed, the sound faint in the storm. The squad stayed low, hearts beating a little quicker than normal, waiting for the noise to settle back into silence.
The approach was almost complete. One more stretch of frozen ground, they would be at the rally point. Everyone would take their positions, the power to the facility would be cut and their strike would begin quick and swiftly.
Twilights Edge - 2
The rally point was little more than a frozen hollow beneath an overhang of ice, but it gave them shelter enough to crouch low and make final preparations. Cassian's breath fogged his visor as he knelt in the snow, eyes fixed on the lattice of steel and floodlights ahead. The relay station loomed like some frozen predator, silent save for the occasional crackle of a comms dish rotating against the storm.
The squad leader raised two fingers, then drew a sharp line through the air. Power first. Then turrets. Then the strike.
Cassian adjusted his rifle, the familiar click of the charge pack sliding home grounding him. He could feel the storm pressing down on them, smothering, almost alive. Every heartbeat seemed louder than a blaster shot. Yet beneath it all was the steady hum of resolve. This was why he was here. To strike first, to carve out breathing room for the Republic, for Naboo, for everyone depending on men like him to hold the line.
The slicer in their squad, helmet streaked white with frost, shifted forward on hands and knees, disappearing into the snowbank as he began to crawl toward the utility conduit buried along the fence's edge. His job: cut power, dim the lights, open the way. Cassian and two others fanned wide, each step measured, each boot sinking silently into the snow. A searchlight swept past again, distorted by the storm but still blinding in its intensity. Cassian froze, lowering himself until the snow kissed the front of his armor. The light paused for a heartbeat, then moved on.
Comms crackled faintly in his ear, the slicer whispering: "Almost there… fifteen seconds…"
Cassian exhaled slowly, letting his breath vanish into the storm. He checked the position of his squad, dark figures in the white, waiting, ready. The glow of the station's perimeter dimmed. One by one, the floodlights flickered, guttered, then died. The fortress of light became a husk in the storm, blind and vulnerable. A shiver ran through the squad, not from the cold, but from the sharp pull of adrenaline.
The last floodlight died with a faint sputter, and in that single instant of silence, everything broke loose.
A flare of red lanced through the storm, a blaster bolt hissing past Cassian's shoulder. The first shot was wild, fired more out of panic than precision, but it lit the darkness like a signal flare. Alarms howled across the compound, muffled but unmistakable beneath the storm's howl.
"Contact!" someone barked over comms, voice jagged with adrenaline. Cassian rolled into the snow, blaster rifle snapping up as he fired back into the half-seen silhouettes scrambling along the station's fence line. His bolt found one, the merc crumpling in the snow, weapon clattering uselessly against the steel barrier.
The turret emplacements came alive, grinding as they searched for targets. Their optics struggled in the storm, but the thunderous whump of a repeating cannon tore through the white haze, stitching the ground with glowing red impacts. Snow exploded around the team in blinding bursts.
"Scatter!" the squad leader barked, his voice calm even as chaos erupted.
Cassian sprinted sideways, boots slipping on the ice, heart hammering. A bolt carved through the air where he'd just been. He dove behind a snowbank, pressing his back against the icy cover, chest heaving. He caught sight of two teammates vaulting the fence in the confusion, charging toward the nearest comms tower. Another lay prone, firing steady bursts to keep the turrets pinned. The storm became a battlefield in miniature, shapes moving in whiteout, muzzle flashes slicing brief arcs of light, shouts and curses carried half-swallowed on the wind. Every breath burned cold in Cassian's lungs. Every trigger squeeze echoed like thunder.
Above it all, the relay's great dish continued to turn, rotating with mechanical indifference, as though mocking their attempt to sever Black Sun's reach.
Cassian's hand tightened around his rifle. They couldn't just fight, they had to finish this.
"Push them!" he growled into comms, rising from cover, sighting the glow of a turret's power core through the snow. His first bolt missed. The second struck true. A violent explosion tore the emplacement apart, showering the storm with shards of molten steel.
The firefight was theirs to win, or die in the snow trying.
Sibylla Abrantes
The squad leader raised two fingers, then drew a sharp line through the air. Power first. Then turrets. Then the strike.
Cassian adjusted his rifle, the familiar click of the charge pack sliding home grounding him. He could feel the storm pressing down on them, smothering, almost alive. Every heartbeat seemed louder than a blaster shot. Yet beneath it all was the steady hum of resolve. This was why he was here. To strike first, to carve out breathing room for the Republic, for Naboo, for everyone depending on men like him to hold the line.
The slicer in their squad, helmet streaked white with frost, shifted forward on hands and knees, disappearing into the snowbank as he began to crawl toward the utility conduit buried along the fence's edge. His job: cut power, dim the lights, open the way. Cassian and two others fanned wide, each step measured, each boot sinking silently into the snow. A searchlight swept past again, distorted by the storm but still blinding in its intensity. Cassian froze, lowering himself until the snow kissed the front of his armor. The light paused for a heartbeat, then moved on.
Comms crackled faintly in his ear, the slicer whispering: "Almost there… fifteen seconds…"
Cassian exhaled slowly, letting his breath vanish into the storm. He checked the position of his squad, dark figures in the white, waiting, ready. The glow of the station's perimeter dimmed. One by one, the floodlights flickered, guttered, then died. The fortress of light became a husk in the storm, blind and vulnerable. A shiver ran through the squad, not from the cold, but from the sharp pull of adrenaline.
The last floodlight died with a faint sputter, and in that single instant of silence, everything broke loose.
A flare of red lanced through the storm, a blaster bolt hissing past Cassian's shoulder. The first shot was wild, fired more out of panic than precision, but it lit the darkness like a signal flare. Alarms howled across the compound, muffled but unmistakable beneath the storm's howl.
"Contact!" someone barked over comms, voice jagged with adrenaline. Cassian rolled into the snow, blaster rifle snapping up as he fired back into the half-seen silhouettes scrambling along the station's fence line. His bolt found one, the merc crumpling in the snow, weapon clattering uselessly against the steel barrier.
The turret emplacements came alive, grinding as they searched for targets. Their optics struggled in the storm, but the thunderous whump of a repeating cannon tore through the white haze, stitching the ground with glowing red impacts. Snow exploded around the team in blinding bursts.
"Scatter!" the squad leader barked, his voice calm even as chaos erupted.
Cassian sprinted sideways, boots slipping on the ice, heart hammering. A bolt carved through the air where he'd just been. He dove behind a snowbank, pressing his back against the icy cover, chest heaving. He caught sight of two teammates vaulting the fence in the confusion, charging toward the nearest comms tower. Another lay prone, firing steady bursts to keep the turrets pinned. The storm became a battlefield in miniature, shapes moving in whiteout, muzzle flashes slicing brief arcs of light, shouts and curses carried half-swallowed on the wind. Every breath burned cold in Cassian's lungs. Every trigger squeeze echoed like thunder.
Above it all, the relay's great dish continued to turn, rotating with mechanical indifference, as though mocking their attempt to sever Black Sun's reach.
Cassian's hand tightened around his rifle. They couldn't just fight, they had to finish this.
"Push them!" he growled into comms, rising from cover, sighting the glow of a turret's power core through the snow. His first bolt missed. The second struck true. A violent explosion tore the emplacement apart, showering the storm with shards of molten steel.
The firefight was theirs to win, or die in the snow trying.
Sibylla Abrantes
