Private The Riflejacks

[Jyoti Nooran]

In the inter-years between the Silver Jedi's withdrawal from Klatooine, and their return, Fort Medina remained active as an independent installation, a home base and training facility for resistance fighters operating in the Outer Rim. Now, Colonel Valkren Calderon and his elite veteran cadre have been invited by Jyoti to help her raise a special kind of unit for future conflicts.

The morning sun had barely risen over the horizon, but already she could feel the beat of sun rays against her pale skin (now generously caked with sunscreen). The Echani wasn't made for the heat. As she took a swig of water, she silently cursed her predecessor for setting the old special warfare school in one of the driest and hottest deserts this side of Nal Hutta.

Of course that was the point. If aspiring commandos couldn't make it here, then they probably had little chance of survival against the nightmarish threats now present in Outer Rim.

She leaned back against her speeder bike as she toyed with the cap of her canteen, watching small groups of young men and women in matching tan fatigues exit the main compound with squinting eyes. They were probably fare about as well as she was in the rising heat, each one growing up on a much more temperate forest planet.

Outside, they shuffled about, slowly coalescing into a single crowd. Their poor attempt at a formation. In the old days, Jyoti may have snapped at them to shape up into actual columns, but as a monitor the Jedi would leave the shouting to one of her military counterparts.

It was more fun that way.

 

[Valkren Calderon]

Valkren sparked the cigarette's ember to life with a flick of his lighter. The commando was sure to do this before the rear bay doors of his 'Arch Angel' dropship lowered to welcome the warmth of Klatooine in. The wind from outside the transport moved through the bay where he and two others stood. The force of the wind sweeping through actually removed the cigarette from his gloved fingers before the commander could even take his first puff.

He’d watch from behind a pair of protective shades as the cigarette flickered away, his eyes now drawn to the sunrise as it crested over the horizon. Their transport circled around the outskirts of Fort Medina, the pilot awaiting confirmation from the facility that they were cleared to land. Valkren watched as the scene out the rear ramp shifted as the bird moved about; Lieutenant Konrad Harris, an Antarian Ranger and previous XO of his team of Radama Raiders, stood closest to the ramp.

Seemed like the older commando was getting a kick out of the pilot’s maneuvers while they awaited their landing. Valk’ couldn’t even sense a hint of fear about Konrad while he stood there, only using one hand to stabilize and prevent himself from flying out the back.

Eventually, the pilot of their boat got the confirmation they needed and at that- they began their descent to the nearest pad.

“It’s been a minute since I’ve been back to Medina.” Another voice came from behind, which prompted Valk’ to glance back towards the cockpit.

Emerging from the co-pilots seat was Kenneth Michaels. Michaels was around the same age as Valkren, and rightfully so had known the commander much longer than their ranger counterpart at the other end of the dropship. Ken was actually a past member of Valkren’s Republic team, the Sabers. Although his time for combat was well behind him, as his right mechanical prosthetic replacement for his arm told well enough, he still found a little bit of enjoyment in being involved in the training side of things. At least Valkren felt like he did ever since he reached out to his old Republic friend to help him out with the rangers.

The transport touched down, rattling slightly as the engines began to power down. While the roar of the vehicle lessened, the trio began their descent down the ramp and towards their destination.

“Yeah- It’s been a minute for me too.” Valkren stated this before walking down the ramp himself, carry kit in hand, which very much resembled his set of Katarn plating.

Jyoti Nooran

 

[Jyoti Nooran]

"WELL EXCUSE THE FLYING FETH OUT OF ME!"​

The ambling trainees all snapped to attention, and a few even gasped as a booming voice reverberated through the sandy field. The source was a Yinchorri, a black and green speckled reptilian standing at nearly nine feet tall. Even if he hadn't spoken, his towering frame and glowering expression would have commanded attention all the same.

After emerging from the shadows of the surface gate, he stormed over to one of the trainees a lanky blonde whose fatigues hung loose on his thin frame. The skinny trainee looked like he could be blown away if a strong enough gust caught his baggy clothes like a parachute.

"What's going on here?! Y'all decide to have a party without me?!"

The blonde struggled to control the shake of his legs as he craned his neck up to the Yinchorri's snout.

"Ah...Ah...sir...we--"

"SIR?!" he bellowed, beating the row of chevrons on over his right sleeve. "Do I look like a fething Sir to you?!"

"N-no, s--no uh..."

"Uh, what?!"

"I uh..."

"You know what, trainee? I imagine this thin desert air may be hurting oxygen circulation to your brain. You know what I think will help jog your noggin? Some burpees. 20 of them."

The trainee tried to stammer something, but words would not come out.

"Make that 40 now! Go!"

On jellied legs, the trainee proceeded with his squat thrusts. Satisfied for the moment, the Dragoon sergeant went down the lines, picking on more trainees that caught his eye.

Jyoti maintained a very solemn expression through all of this, just like the composed Jedi Master she was supposed to be, but every so often the corners of her lips twitched. From their perspective, having a giant monstrous looking lizard man barking in your face was probably one of the most terrifying things they had encountered in their young adult lives, but for the Echani it was straight comedy hour.

Her silver eyes turned to the sky as she caught the descent of a shuttle, feeling a familiar signature within. The sight brought a smile to her face (also allowing some outlet for her laughter). She hopped on her speeder bike, zipping over to the landing site on the strip. As she slowed to a halt, she found Valkren and an associate coming down from the ship. Still on her bike, she gave him a full arm wave, smile growing larger. The wind picked up, causing her tan outer robes to billow around her like a cape.

Valkren Calderon