Faction Call Us Space Cowboys (OPA, Criminals, Scoundrels, Sector Rangers)

[Jeekan Da]

Kirdo III-

Galtea's hand rested on the holster of her blaster and squinted into the dimming sunlight. Mudflats and dirt formations stretched as far as her eyes could see and she nodded. That would have to be the direction. The trail of the speeder bikes led away into the distance. Farther than she could travel on foot. And by the look of it, more than she could handle on her own. Though why these slaver cartels would head off into the desert, she had no idea. It was away from their ship. Maybe they had a base out there. If that was the case, she was going to need back-up.

She turned and jumped over the side of her own speeder and pulled up the comms. "Sector Ranger SEO Galtea Garn to Outer Planet Alliance authorities. I've tracked a gang of slavers to this desert on Kirdo III. Requesting backup before continuing pursuit. I marked their trail. Can set up camp here until back-up arrives."

Galtea unloads some survival gear from the speeder and starts a fire before taking a seat next to it. She sets up a beacon, activates it, and takes a seat next to the fire, her rifle across her knees, waiting. In the distance, a cloud of dust faded away as the sun slipped behind the horizon.

As the light vanished and the stars began coming out, Galtea went over her case. The slaver ring she had tracked from the Core had led out here to Kirdo III. The ship had taken a long, circuitous route through the Inner Rim and Outer Rim before finally setting down here. It baffled her why this world. Perhaps the remoteness? The isolation? The general lack of interest and curiosity from the greater galaxy?

It would be something to look into once she had backup. Maybe this was the heart of their operation. Or perhaps it was a staging zone. Only time would tell.

 

[Eldin Daine]

For once he was eating, not drinking. Eldin had rediscovered the taste for food and his body was thanking him for it. Space rations be buggered, he could cook, although not the greatest but enough to produce meat and three vegies. Besides, everything else was just trimmings. He pushed his plate back and fell back into the seat, his stomach felt swollen and his head felt sleepy and he decided to give into food coma. Resting his head against the back wall, he closed his eyes. lately, he was not so frightened of sleep, something had changed in him yet to be discovered, but he was not really looking for the answers to that, he just had been enjoying dreamless nights.

He had no idea how long he had been dozing when the comms chimed waking him up. A groggy head, and stiff legs walked to the panel to catch the message from Galtea Garn Sector Ranger. Welp never heard of them, but she called for the OPA authorities and he was about to click off cause he was not one of them when she mentioned slavers. It seemed that OPA space was rife with them these days and that really ticked Eldin off. After spending much time and many missions to clean them up, they just seemed to continue to pop up like mushrooms.

The co-ordinates followed the message which he transferred to the navi computer.

He was not far from the system, about two hours after re-entering OPA space from Kessell.

Kirdo III, hot dry and mud weird combination. His YV-666 Rusty Bucket skimmed over the surface of the planet toward the camp location, the lights on his ship blaring the way ahead. Out of the cockpit window, a small dot on the horizon possible a camp fire or something else but either way that was the signal. "Sector Ranger Garn. Sheriff Daine of Bespin approaching", to reassure the woman a friendly approached. He started the landing cycle.

 

[Ka'cee'nuruodo]

The dull pain which seemed to last eons, but in fact was only meticulous seconds cast a shadowy fog over Kacee's addled mind. He squinted into the setting sun as he slowly began to come to. He had made a mess of things at some no name watering hole and now he was strapped to the front end of a speeder by hands and feet. He had been drunk, nothing unusual. But, he faintly remember sticking his nose in somewhere it quite simply did not belong.

A gaggle of goons had been harassing the serving girl. Kacee couldn't help but feel for her. That and something in his drunken mind said "Hey man, scare of those three burly pirates and she'll definitely sleep with you!" Kacee sized them up, bloated his ego, and made approach. When he got to the table he hadn't the faintest idea what to do next. He stood their awkwardly as they gang groped the poor woman, then realizing, kharking with heavily armed pirates was tantamount to suicide, attempted to walk away.

To late.

He had been spotted, just as he was trying to nonchalantly turn around and escape the situation. A heavy green hand rested upon his shoulder and spun him round. "Buy me a drink Blueberry!" The pirate yelled, spraying spittle and blasting Kacee with rancid poodoo breath. Kacee's hand started with the slightest of tremors towards his pocket. He reached in and fumbled around for credit sticks, but, in his drunken stupor found the grip of a blaster.

He withdrew the gun and looked down at the now empty holster. "Feth," Kacee squeaked. "Trynna play hero are y'u?" The pirate bellowed. Kacee squeezed the trigger a moment to late. The Gammoreans hand shot forth like a viper and forced the blaster upwards causing it to release it's laser harmlessly into the roof. Last thing the Chiss remembered is a meaty left fist colliding with face. Now he was trussed up to some speeder like a pig on a spit, heading to...

Destination unknown...

 

[Elias Vati]

Location: Kirdos III - Approaching Sector Ranger Galatea Garn's encampment
Equipment: Survival Equipment, A320 Blaster Rifle​

Elias was a bit late but he made a lot of preparations before pulling up behind Ranger Garn. He drove his speeder to her location, with his necessary equipment. This was her op and Elias respected that but going out this far out into unknown territory it was wise for another sector ranger to tag along and it would make the galaxy safer taking out one extra slaver gang. As darkness fell upon the desert planet he could see a lit fire in the distance, definitely had to be her. The sound of Elias's speeder became more noticeable as he approached Galtea's camp. "Ma'am." He said acknowledging her. The two were already aquatinted and felt no introduction was necessary. "I'll do what I can to support you. Promise I won't get in the way." He said to clear the air over his presence, the Sector Rangers were still pretty new leaving a lot in the way for ambitious upstarts but Elias had no such impulses.

"I hadn't heard from anyone else before coming here. Though I believe there'd be more rangers coming in if we wait here a bit longer." Elias said as he took his rifle off the speeder to inspect it, in case sand got stuck in anything. He sat leaning back against it and started snacking on some of his rations. Wasn't long until Elias looked up to see the empty sky of the desert planet. There were stars as far as they can see. It felt different, especially considering he spent his whole life in the Core, most notably on Corellia and Coruscant. It was enough to make him smile and the color of the illuminating flame blending into the night sky added a whole new feel to it.

He eventually looked down to see Galtea review the data on the op and started to share his thoughts. "It seems too much of a coincidence that these guys are based in the Outer Rim. Away form the Core in OPA space? That can't be a coincidence. They're waiting for us here."

 

[Delila Castillon]

Noah Corek | Kirdo III , Unknown cavern system


After agreeing to Corek's terms for training his mercenaries, it seemed she was given a wide berth to teach as she saw fit. After getting down much of the basics she had decided there was no way anyone was going to learn by sitting around the overly manicured grounds of Corek's house. Far too sheltered of a location if you asked her.

That had brought them out to Kirdo III for two weeks of training. Scouting caverns, spotting patterns, tracking in the desert, building shelters for extreme environments. Kirdo III had been picked for its extreme nature and desolate expanses - if they suddenly decided to fire off some blaster practice there would be little in the way to being harmed.

The sun was blazing high as the wind picked up on their march, moving in a single column towards a cavern system still kilometers ahead. Delila had a shemagh wrapped tightly around her head and neck to keep sand from scouring her face raw - not to mention gaining too many new freckles. Heavy pack rested on her back, blaster rifle in hand. Just because she was the instructor Delila refused to take an easy way out. There was a point to prove in her eyes.

Herself and Corek brought up the rear of the column, 'sitting back' a bit and letting the rookies gain a bit of experience navigating in a faceless desert. So far they were on track despite the slow pace and frequent stops.

"I hope we reach the caves by nightfall, planned on using them as home for the night."

 

[Noah Corek]

Tags: Galtea Garn - Eldin Daine - Ka'cee'nuruodo - Elias Vati
Noah had more than agreed with Delila Castillon when she wanted to move the training of this test squad for his mercenary company away from Alderaan and get them somewhere that they'd sweat a lot more and they had found the perfect environment in Kirdo III. Hot, dry and raining only once in a decade the place was a perfect spot for a desert training exercise. And so that was the reason Noah, Dells and the twenty members of the training squad were now marching through the desert.

The training squad was built the way that Noah was planning on making all infantry squads in his mercenary. You had the command element of the squad, a squad leader, a comms operator and Aurek and Besh fireteam leaders, each armed with with an AR-01 from Hekler'Kok, with the team leaders having an UGL-01 attached to their rifle.

The rest of the squad where split between two eight-man fireteams, named Aurek and Besh as previously mentioned. Each fireteam consisted of a medic with a AR-01, a designated marksman with a BR-01, a automatic rifleman with a LMG-01, a assistant automatic rifleman with a AR-01, a combat engineer with a AR-01 and three riflemen with AR-01's.

Along with their weapons the squad was each dressed in a pair of desert camo fatigues, blast vest and helmet combo, with the helmets equipped with a pair of flip down electrobinoculars, and a pack filled with everything they needed. 'Everything they needed' included ammunition, extra water and rations, survival gears and more, with the combat engineers packing a few extra kilograms of explosives and the necessary materials to detonate them.

Noah himself wore the same exact uniform as the squad leader and carried the exact some gear in his pack, having also nagged Dells for an extra shemgah for himself for himself. Unlike the squad he however carried his own personal weapons which included his knives, axe, sidearms and rifle.

He nodded at Dells words as they trudged onward through the desert. "Yeah...been here years ago and had some dealings with the locals and they're not too friendly to outsiders. Something about the Empire coming here centuries ago..."

 

[Delila Castillon]

"Never been here, never heard of this place. Hopefully we don't run into any locals dressed like this."

Feet sunk slightly as their group was being lead up a dune by the trainee mercs. She remained quiet as they worked on climbing up, the sun high in the sky and offering no relief in sight. Rifle shifted slightly on her back as she crested the top. Breeze was a welcome relief yet it was just as hot and drying as the sun itself. As the trainee mercs were consulting one another on direction, Delila figured she would stop and observe.

Macrobinocs were dug out from her pack and the scarf was slightly loosened and unwrapped so she could see better. The scarf had been with her for years, rescued when the Crimson Dahlia was tragically lost. Every time she wore it there was also a touch of nostalgia, Xin Boa and herself tended to use the thing in their more quiet moments. Smirk graced her features at the thought of one particular memory, macrobinocs now covering her eyes.

Body slowly tilted around, taking in the landscape. She passed over a section of cliffs and immediately zoomed back upon catching movement. It looked like sentient beings. Many of them. Judging by the dress she didn't suspect locals. Pirates? Smugglers?


"Catching movement on the cliffs up ahead. Do pirates come here often?"


Noah Corek

 

[Noah Corek]

"Maybe unfriendly isn't the right word? More like not trusting. They're nice enough people, they just don't experience outsiders much so they're wary sometimes. Kitonak is what they're called."

He grunted in annoyance as he trudged up the dune. Deserts were one of Noah's least favorite environments to fight in, sand was often hard to get a good footing in, the land provided no shelter or sustenance and deserts were one of the hardest environments to keep a weapon operating in. 'Thankfully,' Noah thought to himself 'We won't be seeing much fighting here.'

He observed the trainees and stood next to Dells before chuckling. "Reminds you of boot camp doesn't it?" He threw a grin over at her and observed her actions with the scarf and understood it, it was an item that was sentimental. While Noah's people weren't know for sentimentality he had always been different and it was because this reason that buried at the bottom of his own pack was a childhood item from each of his children, for good luck.

He watched Dells body language change and his own head swiveled over to the cliffs and observed the figures. "Definitely not locals...you'd be able to tell if they were. Wouldn't be surprised if pirates did, it's remote and the locals aren't an issue." He scanned along the figures until he found something that perked his interest: A line of people collared and shackled to one another and being forced along. "Slavers..." He growled out and then whistled to the trainees and pointed towards the cliffs.

Delila Castillon

 

[Jeekan Da]

Noah Corek Delila Castillon Elias Vati Eldin Daine Ka'cee'nuruodo

Galtea stood up as the first two back-up agents arrived. An OPA Sheriff and another Sector Ranger, based out of the Alliance. She slung the rifle back over her shoulder and held out a hand to shake with them as they arrived. "Good to have you both. Elias, meet Sheriff Eldin Daine, Outer Planets Alliance. Sheriff, this is Ranger Elias Vati."

She took up her electobinoculars and scanned the dark horizon in the direction of the speeder. "I don't think anyone else is coming. As for waiting for us here in OPA?" Galtea quirked half of a smile. "Nah. This isn't like the Alliance. No centralized government out here really. Local worlds mind their own affairs. Just about everything is volunteer-based. Easy for any sort of gang to slip into the Outer Rim and set up shop before the Judges or Partisans get word of it."

She kicked dirt onto the fire and stomped the rest of it out. "My guess is this is an out of the way world with not many visitors. Perfect place to hide. Now, we've got a couple speeders and a ship. The gang's speeders leave a trail in the mud that we can follow. I asked a friend in space traffic control to let me know if anything takes off for space in this direction. Nothing yet. Means there's probably a base or medium-term camp here."

"What are your two's thoughts?"

 

[Delila Castillon]

"Looks like we're going to give them a practical lesson."

Corek had already gotten the attention of the trainee soldiers and Delila silently pointed towards the cliff. There was some consulting amongst them as one trainee continued to watch the cliffs. Delila hadn't taken her sights off the cliff either. It seemed to be a semi-permanent encampment, at least if some of the age markers that she could identify could be trusted. It was quiet on the planet and the slavers had grown emboldened in their confidence to conduct business.

"Lets split up. One column follows myself and one column follows Corek. We both slink along the opposite sides of the cliff, hopefully staying out of sight until the last moment. On Corek and I's signal we move in to attack. We'll need to be careful and not kill any civilians...I'd also advise capturing a slaver to interrogate for more information. I guarantee their activity has spread beyond this sector."

Delila took her ten trainee soldiers and began a column on the starboard side of the camp. They were going to have to swing out wide, tuck along the cliffs and stay in the shadows and dunes. Being out of sight was key, the minute the slavers saw them they would pack up and leave.

Noah Corek

 

[Eldin Daine]

"Good to meet you Ranger Elias".

Eldin nodded and shook hands with the pair of them, happy he could be of some help out here. It was a change from the usual busy back home on Bespin and it was a chance to get his hands dirty, something he much preferred to do then sit behind a desk. This group of pirates were not on the OPA radar, Elias could have a point but Galtea seemed to have some more information about them and on the situation but between them, much made sense. "I take it that is what pulled ya all the way out here", it was the same for Eldin.

"I suggest we go in with caution, if this is a hide out they will have a look out and see us comin' a mile away. Any way around that?". They could track the speeder bikes for a while, get the direction but the closer they got to the hide out the more dangerous.

"If this is a medium term thing like ya say, we need to stop them before they move on, and they are probably part of a big plan too". He said lifting his hands to his hip.


Noah Corek | Delila Castillon | Elias Vati | Ka'cee'nuruodo | Galtea Garn

 

[Noah Corek]

"Well you know what they say: hands on training is the best type of training. And this will be one hell of a hands on training exercise."

Just like Dells he observed the trainees observing the cliff and they began to discuss amongst themselves. He turned his head away from them and back to the cliff. From the few slavers he could see they were lightly armed and armored, carrying blaster rifles and pistol with a few wearing what looked like salvaged Stormtrooper chest pieces but the majority wore no armor at all. Reaching for his utility belt he pulled out a trio of suppressors and threaded on on his rifle and the other two on his pistols. He hand one of his pistols to Dells grip first before turning to the trainees.

"Suppressors on you rifles. We're going with Dells plan but modifying it a little bit. Try to take out as many of the slavers as quietly as possible, it'll make our job easier when it gets loud and it'll ensure less chance of civilian casualties. And like Dells said, take one alive at least and two if possible."

Noah gave a sharp whistle to his own group of trainees and led them to the opposite side of the cliff from Dells' team. Reaching the cliff itself they used it to hide themselves as the moved as quietly as possible along it.
Delila Castillon

 

[Delila Castillon]

Noah Corek

The trip to the cliff and hiding themselves underneath was arduous. Delila had expected no less, the terrain was horrible and environment harsh and unforgiving. They kept themselves in a narrow column in case they were sighted, it would make it harder for the slavers to take out all of them. Dells advised the cadets not to underestimate the slavers, as they had much to lose.

Picking two cadets to watch their backs as a lookout, the rest of them began the slow stealthy climb up the cliff. The goal was to get close enough to launch an aggressive surprise attack on the base carved into the rock.