Hell or High Water

[Roona Osmari]

Location: Iria Enclave, Bimmisaari
Time: Afternoon
Weather: Rain, storms​

​

Having been voted the least threatening and intimidating of the group, Sergeant Osmari left all of her weaponry in the care of her fellow Radama Raiders so that she could venture further into the Bimm village called Iria. The Colonel and the rest of their soldiers would be welcome to enter the village, but they would not be allowed to wander freely with their weapons present, this much they had learned as they had visited other enclaves that lined the forest world. Most of their day had been spent traveling, but now it seemed they were making progress.

But even from their spot at the edge of the village, the devastation would be quite apparent.

What was usually a peaceful place had been ravaged by faceless raiders. Much of their food stores had been emptied, and some of their buildings burned to the ground. These nameless marauders had even trampled down the crops here, leaving very little behind for the peaceful natives. The diminutive Bimm were unfamiliar with such careless destruction, and many settlements on this side of the mountains had been hit recently. The Silver Jedi were known here on this world, as Bimmisaari had been included in their influence before.

And even though the Order’s reach had yet to extend this way again, the Bimm had not known where else to turn for help. So, the Antarian Rangers had been quick to act.

“When did this happen?” Roona questioned the village elder.

“Not even a day ago,” He replied, rubbing weary eyes. “We tracked the raiders into the mountains, it’s a dangerous way.” A small finger pointed into the trees on the other side of the village.

After thanking the elder, Roona made her way back to the rest of the Rangers. Her eyes were on the tall form of Colonel [member="Valkren Calderon"], but her gaze was purely professional at the moment. Since their mission to the ice-planet, Roona had kept to herself – not that she was necessarily avoiding the Colonel, just avoiding situations where they would be left alone. The chat they needed to have had been left up in the air, for Roona was worried that he would deliver her bad news. Perhaps he would say that he was transferring her away from the Raiders, or that he was disappointed in her performance of late, or that he wished to end things between them…

“We’re getting closer. They spotted the hostiles moving into the mountains to the north.” Roona indicated the path – if you could consider it much of a path – into the thick woods.

 

[Valkren Calderon]

The colonel stood and waited for the return of Echo, their team's designated marksman and probably one of the best sharp-shooters on this side of the galaxy.

At least, that's what Valkren honestly believed.

"Where the bloody hell is that girl?" Lieutenant Konrad Harris spoke up, pacing back and forth on a small pathway between some rocks.

"She'll be here." The colonel's response was simple, lifting a hand off of the assault weapon he was brandishing to adjust the grey beanie on his head. Opposed to their usual full suits of combat armor, the rangers were all sporting more civilian-type clothing items underneath their tactical webbing and protective vests. Valkren, like some of his counterparts was sporting a new specially designed jacket underneath his own chest rig, helping a good amount with the horrid weather that was present during this mission.

"These places make no sense to me, ya' know? Damn criminals walk up into the villages, take whatever they want. Run off, then come back whenever the same damn place has been resupplied to just do it all over again, and yet they do nothing 'bout it." Specialist Jim Lowder raised his voice to help pass the time while they waited. The specialist was laid out across one of the rocks that rested around the edge of the village, his heavy repeater resting across his chest and his hood pulled above his head to shield him from the rain.

"They're a peaceful people. Been that way for generations, probably will continue to be that way." Corporal Reese Baker responded to his teammate and friend, sitting on the rock directly next to him, the balaclava used to keep his face warm was pulled down to let a burning cigarette gain access to his lips.

"I'm just confused at how they haven't been wiped off the face of the planet yet." Specialist Lowder responded to his teammate's answer with another statement of his own.

"It's cause of people like us, Johnny. They have a need, and the rangers have an answer."

"Yet the Jedi get the credit for it."

Valkren remained silent after this statement, tapping his gloved fingers along the upper receiver of the assault weapon as he watched and waited for Sergeant Osmari to return from the pathway that led to the village elders. He knew that many rangers felt as if they were taking a back seat to the Jedi of the Silver Order. However, being in an officer position in the special forces branch of the rangers, it gave him a much wider view of operations they conducted. Even if the Jedi were the forefront of their missions, Valkren knew the respect that those Jedi held for his rangers.

They were the backbone of this force, and would be on call as long as there was darkness to fight.

Eventually, Echo would make an appearance once again, and Valkren would signal for the small group of rangers to regroup on her position as they approached. Calderon offered up her own protective vest with one hand, the other still on his weapon. He heard her words, and then looked to the 'path' she was informed about.

"Right, then we move up the path until we catch their trail again. The storm's limiting what we can see up-hill so we'll most likely have to hunker down and wait it out before engaging. Specialist Lowder will take point, followed by myself, and then Sergeant Osmari. Everyone else will fall in behind, copy?" Valkren glanced around, gripping his rifle once more with both hands after being relieved of Echo's kit.

Once he was sure everyone knew the plan, he nodded, clambering over one of the rocks to take a wide birth around the village as to not upset the elders. They'd begin their climb, and search for their enemies.

[member="Roona Osmari"]

 

[Roona Osmari]

As the Colonel held out her protective vest, Roona reached out to retrieve it. She slid into the vest once more and secured it around her form. Listening to Valkren speak, she gave a nod of agreement. Needless to say, they didn’t want to rush into anything – especially an enemy engagement. With her own rifle in hand now, she fell in behind the Colonel as they made their way around the village. Her eyes flickered up towards the sky momentarily; the heavy rain didn’t seem to want to let up just yet. A gloved hand rose to wipe her forehead, moving a few strands of wet hair away from her face.

It wouldn’t be an easy trek into the mountains, that much was certain.

The terrain was loose and muddy, what foot prints that had been left behind were quickly being washed away. But as they reached the narrow path of worn dirt, it was evident that this way had been used. Some thin foliage was broken on the side of the path, and there were a few twigs littering the ground. Their enemy had the advantage at the moment; they were likely already seeking shelter from the retched weather, Roona thought to herself.

And as if on cue, there was a sudden flash of lightening followed closely by a loud clap of thunder.

The sky seemed to open up; as if it hadn’t been pouring already. This wasn’t good. Roona couldn’t deny the pang of dread in the pit of her stomach. Weather like this was dangerous for many reasons. . Pausing for a moment, the sound of rushing water drew her attention. She supposed that the nearby river was likely spilling over the bank. Green eyes focused on Valkren’s back, watching as he made his way before her. The dread she felt was replaced with worry.

However, she was forced to place this sense of worry behind her other thoughts. She needed to concentrate on the mission at hand and stay aware of her surroundings and keep from slipping into the mud. Thinking back to the other villages they had visited, she remembered something.

“There is a cave system near here, if I recall correctly.” Roona called forward, “If we can find the entrance, we may find our thieves.” Squinting, she held her hand up to shield her eyes as she gazed up the mountainside. She even brought the strong scope of her rifle up for a brief moment, but dropped it back down, the onslaught of rain still made visibility difficult. “But at the moment, I can’t see a thing.”

[member="Valkren Calderon"]

 

[Valkren Calderon]

Lowder kept advancing upwards, with Valkren close on his heels, although giving him enough room incase the specialist was to slip and fall in the mud. Calderon soon heard Osmari's words in-between deafening booms from the storm. Cover would be needed, even if the enemy they were searching for was not in the caves, they'd need to hunker down for the night if they couldn't find the trail again tonight.

"Copy. We find the cave system, we find our bad guys!" The officer had to yell so he's people would hear him, even their communicators were being shotty' in the current weather.

"Can't see a damned thing!" Konrad blurted out, lifting his hood over top the beanie that kept his head warm. No kidding, the weather was not on their side today. Plus, if the ranger team happened to run into their enemies any time during this storm, they'd be caught fighting uphill. Valkren had no doubt that the 'Radama Raiders' were a capable fighting force, but anyone caught in a bad position in a firefight, no matter the training or skill level, could fall easily.

After at least another hour or so of trekking through the rocky and wet terrain, going in to particular direction but up, Valkren was getting ready to turn his team around and head them right back down to the village. At this point, the commando wasn't even sure if Lowder was still on the path, as the rainwater and rocky terrain had made anything that seemed to be a 'path' nothing else but rough terrain. The levels of danger were giving the usually stone-faced colonel a kind of anxiety within him. His whole point in starting his military career with the Republic at the age of eighteen was 'embracing the unknown,' but today the unknown gave him a sense of fear.

Just as he began to open his mouth to issue an order of retreat, Lowder's voice came through the storm, his rifles flashlight visible as he flickered it once up ahead to an object.

"Boss! Looks like a cave to me up here!"

Valkren knew everyone was cheering inside as he moved up to the specialist's position. Even if their 'bad guys' were in the caves, it was shelter from the storm. Both Valk' and Lowder approached the mouth of the cave slowly, rain restricting their view severely until they grew closer to the entrance. After the pair flashed the lights of their weapons inside, it was clear that this was no cave system. The group of rangers entered, with Valkren leading to check further in. A thin trail of water that traveled out their previous entrance told him that there was an exit just ahead, and there was. The cave seemed to just be a tunnel, digging straight through their side of the mountain and up into the storm again, but it still worked with Valkren's idea.

"The cave system must be another hour or more up this mountain, I doubt our missing enemies are still traveling in this poodoo. We bunk here tonight ladies. Clark, Baker, you both have first watch on the other opening to this cave. Osmari and I will take first watch down at the entrance. The rest of you get some shut eye, we'll wake you to switch guards."

After this, Konrad ushered the others deeper in the center of the tunnel, eager to get some much needed rest after being exhausted from the storm. Baker and Clark both jogged to the other side of the cave, where flashes of lightening could be seen illuminating the crest that led to the second opening. Valkren looked to Roona for a moment, before going to the mouth of the cave where they first entered at, propping himself in a sitting position with his rifle across his lap.

Something inside of him just wanted her to sit directly next to him, but these 'childish dating' thoughts were ushered away by his newly-found fear as he looked out to the raging storm.

[member="Roona Osmari"]

 

[Roona Osmari]

Pushing on, she stared up at their destination, watching as the mountains were momentarily illuminated by a brilliant flash of lightning. A moment later, Lowder’s words reached them. Inside, there was a great rush of relief – Roona was sure that it was a feeling shared by all of them out in the storm.

Following after Lowder and the Colonel, she was thankful to reach the rocky entrance to the cave. It soon became clear that this was simply a tunnel, it did not lead into any caverns, but right out to the other side of the mountain. But at any rate, it did offer them shelter from the rain. Roona, for one, was content to stand just inside… even if only for a short while. As the team broke away, she watched over her shoulder as Clark and Baker made their way to the other side, and the others left to hunker down.

A rock formation obscured them just so, leaving her with the feeling that she was almost alone with Valkren on their end of the tunnel. Instead of taking a seat right way, she stood near the mouth of the cave for a few moments, watching the downpour.

“It used to rain like this on Ossus,” She spoke without realizing it. Blinking, she turned to glance at Valkren. “It kind of makes me homesick.”

With a soft sigh, she came to sit down next to the Colonel. At first, there was a small gap between them, but once she was sure that the rest of the Rangers had settled… she moved close enough for their shoulders to touch. Her green eyes shifted to study Valkren’s face, and she felt the longing set in, she wanted to be close to him. There were certainly times that she wished to be in his arms, but these were feelings that she hadn’t even dared to voice to Valkren. After all, she didn’t want him to thinks he’d gone completely soft.

But, his hand was just within reach. So close.

Slowly, her hand ventured over and settled atop his. Roona hadn’t been quite able to resist. Her thumb rubbed the top of his hand gently and then moved to retreat back to her lap.

“If we had some drinks, maybe this would count as a date?” She mused aloud; voice lowered so only Valkren could hear. There was a shiver of nerves inside, the covert nature of their relationship made things difficult. Sometimes she had to wonder, were they even dating? Roona was a bit scared to know the answer, especially now that she felt close to the Colonel.

“I guess we have to take what we can get.” She said, glancing down, but the corner of her mouth pulled up into a slight smile.

[member="Valkren Calderon"]

 

[Valkren Calderon]

Valkren reached up and removed the beanie that kept his head warm, just as Roona brought up her comparison of the rain to Ossus.

The colonel hated to think of the operation that took place there, but he couldn't even begin to imagine what feelings Osmari had about it..It was her home after all. There was nothing that could be said or done about it now, but the pain was still obviously there.

In some way, though, Valkren could almost see how it made Echo stronger.

The operator remained quiet for several moments, glancing from Osmari's features to the flashing strikes of lightening as they cracked through the sky. His face seemed to remain stone-cold, not many emotions despite the storm that was raging inside of his head. He was confused, he hadn't felt a kind of worry like this since his time in the Republic, during his first moments of deployment with the marines. It was a unnatural feeling of fear, one that made him expect something bad was looming over the horizon.

Then, warmth. Roona's hand made contact with his own, bringing his complete attention from the mouth of the tunnel to her position, directly beside him. There was his peace in the storm. He still couldn't comprehend it, how one person that fought along side him in almost every mission he had been deployed to, could bring him so much peace.

He wasn't complaining.

The feeling slipped as her hand began to retreat back to her position. Valkren did what he could to save it, reaching out and grasping onto her hand with the hand she had previously gone to.

"Maybe..Maybe we should take a vacation here soon. Have some dates that aren't in a foxhole?" She was right, most of the time they spent together was in cover in the sight of hostile guns. Maybe they could afford to take some leave?

[member="Roona Osmari"]

 

[Roona Osmari]

Roona was pleasantly surprised when Valkren’s hand closed around hers. A smile found her lips, and she angled a quick glance over her shoulder. The darkness inside the cave was quiet, save for the sound of sleeping (and snoring) men. Returning her gaze to the Colonel, her green gaze grew wide as he mentioned the possibility of taking a vacation.

“You know, I think that would be fun.” She nodded and gave his hand a squeeze.

Though she could not use the force like the Jedi, she had felt the slightest inkling of anxiety. But, she couldn’t tell whether or not this feeling originated from Valkren, or perhaps, from deep within herself. No matter her serious composure, she felt a measure of nerves from time to time. However, the close proximity to Valkren, and the feeling of his palm against her own eased the feeling. Leaning slightly against the Colonel’s sturdy side, she let her eyes drift back out into the storm.

The drops of rain fell heavily upon the side of the mountain and continued to pour over the mouth of the cave before them. Free time would be difficult to come by, so if they were granted leave, Roona knew that they would need to make the best of it. Life was unpredictable, even more so for soldiers. Every mission could be the last, a thought that lingered in the back of her mind. For her own part, she didn’t want to waste a single moment. But, important questions remained…

“Where would you like to go?” She asked, interested to know the answer. “Somewhere warm?”

There was a soft flutter within, and she looked fondly at Valkren – a rare moment where her feelings were displayed for him to see.

“You name the place and I’ll go.” Roona grinned, a sentiment that was very true… whether she was on the battlefield or off.

[member="Valkren Calderon"]

 

[Valkren Calderon]

As she looked up to him, her hand intertwined with his, the worries vanished.

"Somewhere warm sounds great.." The smile on his face remained while his thoughts traveled to somewhere tropical, laying out or exploring with Roona by his side.

"Somewhere with blue water, and wildlife that doesn't want me dead." Valkren let a chuckle escape at this, the idea of them being somewhere without a hostile presence was almost comical. That didn't mean he wouldn't enjoy every moment of it, though.

His eyes traveled to the back of the tunnel where his team had retreated to, before looking back to Echo. His feelings were overtaking his judgement, that being obvious as he leaned in to deliver a kiss to Roo's forehead, the water from the downpour outside not seeming to bother him. The protocol the rangers followed was also broken with this movement, bringing these relations into an actual operation.

Yet, it felt right.

Maybe if they got away from this all, they could actually enjoy a vacation.

[member="Roona Osmari"]

 

[Roona Osmari]

Roona’s lips curled into a smile as Valkren responded to her question. She drew a deep breath, imagining some place far away. The galaxy was vast; they would surely find a nice planet that fit the bill.

“A place without rancors, then.” She said and a small chuckle escaped. “Got it.”

Turning slightly, she was surprised to see the Colonel leaning in. Roona’s eyes widened and then softened as she felt him place a kiss on her forehead. During the brief moment of closeness, her hand squeezed his, and she took in his presence with a deep breath. Roona had the urge to keep Valkren close, even closer than they were at the moment. But breaking protocol even further would be dangerous. Still, the thrill of it made her heart beat faster.

Resuming their watch, Roona let her eyes drift away from Valkren and back to the opening of the cave. But she let her hand remain linked with his. The rain continued to fall through much of the night, and the rumbling thunder clapped above every now and then. Roona didn’t mind, it was even a bit nice.

As the hours wound into darkness, it was time to switch with their comrades. After all, the two of them did need some sleep. Reluctantly, she separated her hand from Valkren’s and nodded towards the middle of the cave. Kneeling gently next to the first two soldiers, she gave their shoulders a light shake, just enough to wake them without startling them too badly.

“Your turn,” She nodded towards the mouth of the cave, and the two men rose. She watched as they walked wearily towards their new destination, weapons in hand.

Of course, she could have bunkered down in their place. But it did seem a touch crowded here in the middle of the cave. As Roona squinted, she spotted a secluded tunnel up a head. Ducking in, there was just enough room for two. She flashed Valkren a small smile before she settled in, an invitation that he could sleep at her side if he wished.

[member="Valkren Calderon"]

 

[Valkren Calderon]

Valkren smiled at the statement about rancors, letting a chuckle escape as his vision went back to the rain. Roona's mention of rancors was all too real, considering some of the wild life the rangers had come into contact with during their operations. However, he had yet to see a rancor in any kind of standing.

He preferred to keep it that way for now.

Suddenly he felt Osmari take up from their position near the mouth of the tunnel. His eyes immediately went to follow her figure as she moved further into the tunnel. As the colonel saw her get the attention of a pair of their comrades, he'd scoop up his rifle and push himself up from his sitting position.

Once he passed the two groggy rangers, he'd stop just as Roona turned to him. Her smile said it all, an invite that Valkren was happy to receive and accept. Calderon moved to her, setting his weapon to the side. He'd pull off the beanie from his head, reaching up for a second to run a gloved hand through his hair. After a while of glancing toward the entrance where they just were, he'd slide down next to her.

"You know why I didn't call for you when we went to Niflheim, right?" He asked, moving to remove his gloves. His hands were getting numb.

[member="Roona Osmari"]

 

[Roona Osmari]

Needless to say, sleeping on the floor of a cave tunnel was not the picture of comfort. But, the rocky surface was fairly level, making it as comfortable as it could be. Curled on her side, she watched as Valkren lowered himself down next to her. Sea-green eyes met his, her gaze laced with warmth. Roona couldn’t deny that she wanted to be closer, but this would have to suffice.

But as the Colonel spoke, Roona’s eyes shifted away.

Turning onto her back, she let her gaze focus on the ceiling of rock above. Whether she meant to or not, her expression hardened just slightly. Roona knew this conversation was coming, and despite the fact that they’d just talked about going away together, there was an unsteady feeling within. Thinking back to the events of Trandosha didn’t help, and she blew out an audible breath. The sergeant did remember that day, when she hadn’t received the call to the briefing room with the others – she could still feel the sting.

“It’s…” She swallowed hard, “Because I messed up on Trandosha, isn’t it?”

As always, she would be the first to blame herself. Though she still avoided his eyes, she realized that it wasn’t fair to put words in his mouth. Turning her head, she let her gaze find him again.

“Tell me,” She whispered, voice softer this time. “Please.”

[member="Valkren Calderon"]

 

[Valkren Calderon]

"What?" Valkren almost exclaimed this too loud, hushing himself after the shock. A smile hid behind his gloved hand covering his mouth. After calming down, the colonel moved his gaze back to Roona.

"Are you kidding me? Four of the highest trained rangers got stuck on Transdosha with no way of contacting their team or command? I'm pretty sure we karked up on that one. Jeez, I was more embarrassed that the 'best shot in the galaxy' and a bunch of padawans had to come save us."

He taunted her in a playful manner, giving air quotes to the 'best shot in the galaxy,' using what he usually describes her as the joke. He'd rest his head back onto the rock, wincing slightly from setting his head back too quickly, a common mistake whilst sleeping outdoors.

After his joke, he'd shift around on the closest thing they had to a bed. "I didn't want you to come to Niflheim because I saw you take that round on transdosha. You came to that planet and I put you at risk, so I was afraid I'd do it again if you deployed with us there."

Now that, to Valk atleast, was truly embarrassing. He had let his feelings force a change in the structure of their team, and it could have very well jeopardized the entire mission if the sergeant had not come around before the briefing.

[member="Roona Osmari"]

 

[Roona Osmari]

Feeling sheepish, Roona covered her face with the palm of her hand, a smile just barely visible. That mission had been pretty chaotic, she remembered that much. Humor was a good way to lighten the mood; Valkren had a knack for using it just at the right time. It was something that Roona admired; comedy wasn’t quite in her comfort zone.

As the mood turned serious once more, her eyes widened slightly as she listened to Valkren. His words made her heart ache slightly, Roona’s features softened once more.

“I… I didn’t know that you saw it happen,” Roona said, truthfully. She understood now. After all, she couldn’t even imagine how she would have felt had the situation been reversed. Admittedly, she did worry about Valkren when they were on missions, especially when she couldn’t be there with him. Her hand rose again to rub her forehead, and then dipped down to the side of her neck. The silence hung between them for a moment, until Roona rolled onto her side again to face him.

“I don’t want you to worry about me,” She said, sliding her hand into his once more. It was much easier said than done, she knew. “I’m just another soldier; I’ll follow your orders until the end.”

Their situation was atypical, their relationship was complicated. But at the end of the day, she was still under his command. Moving closer, she let her chin rest near his shoulder, and she craned her neck slightly to kiss him on the cheek -- a quick, covert movement. “You should get some rest, Valk.”

Roona settled close to his side, enough to feel his warmth, but not quite enough to arouse suspicion if the others happened upon them.

[member="Valkren Calderon"]

 

[Valkren Calderon]

'Just another soldier.'

The words only conflicted in his mind more. No matter what, his soldiers under his command were always of high importance on his list, especially during combat. There were few situations when the objective came before their lives, if it came to anything like that he'd risk his own life to complete the mission before their own.

But..What if he 'cared' for one more than the rest? He had no answer for it, what he would do in a dire situation. His thoughts stopped as he found her lips on his cheek, her head soon returned to his shoulder. Although still in their uncomfortable kit, this was about as 'cozy' as things got for him in recent, but he wasn't complaining. Her presence helped, a lot.

His eyes shut, drifting off to the sound of rain and booming thunder with Roona by his side.

Slipping into sleep was peaceful, for once. Waking up this time around however wasn't.

"Colonel!"

"Boss! Boss!"

Valkren was stirred awake, sun beaming through the open hole on the end the voices were coming from. He could see Konrad kicking his legs up into motion to carry his rifle toward the entrance. Something was happening.

Two gunshots rang out close by.

Not blaster fire..Sounded like slugs.

The colonel put a hand on his partner's side, speaking up as he moved into a crouched position by her. "Roona, wake up. Something's going on."

He lifted up his own assault ripper, moving out the entrance and into the sunlight. No more rain, no more clouds, visibility couldn't be more perfect. Now, they could see their enemy. Three 'pirate-looking types' in a mix of odd non-matching armor pieces. Some were obviously ripped from Sith soldiers, others seemed to be from ranger plating. Some of the pieces, like one of their facemasks, Valkren couldn't even identify.

These three vagabonds were standing around the mouth of their cave, down the hill just a couple of yards. Each was equipped with assault weapons that seemed to be firing slugs. The two shots? Warning shots. Apparently they had caught the two rangers on watch duty this morning off-guard. Both Baker and Lowder were in crouched positions behind rocks, Baker had seemingly only managed to get his side arm out and direct it towards their enemies in the standoff.. Lowder was holding his own assault ripper hip-level in an attempt to intimidate the approaching hostiles. Harris was there in cover now too, yelling constantly for the enemies to drop their weapons. Everyone was yelling the same thing, and Valkren could do nothing more but the same.

He shouldered his weapon once moving slightly into the open, yelling out and issuing orders as loud as he could while everyone stabbed their barrels in each others' directions.

Valkren couldn't see it, but a fourth enemy raider was creeping atop the mouth of the cave, ready to attack the group from the side.

[member="Roona Osmari"]