There was nothing else you could do.

…

There was nothing else you could do.

This is all my fault.

There was nothing else you could do.

…

Really. You have to let it go.

My team is almost dead because of me. I can't let that go.

The twins would have ID you. You did what you had to do to maintain your cover.

I should have done something else. What I did do didn't work and now we're in this mess.

Maybe so. But that. Doesn't. Matter. What matters right now is getting your head clear and getting everyone out of this.

If I hadn't shot Sprend…

Then Sam would have.

…

That attempted hostage taking probably saved Damaria's life, you know.

Yeah. I guess.

Everyone is still alive. Your cover is in tact. In fact, it's reinforced. Now just wait until dark, use your fusion cutter and get Damaria (who is still alive, thanks to you) out, free Sprend and Tor (who are concious, thanks to you), pick up Dash (who didn't die in the dessert, thanks to you) and regroup.

…

There was nothing else you could do.

…

What a mess.

Last time I show up late for an emergency mission. (More on that later…)

I hopped in the van (“Why is the van pink???”) and followed the tracker Tor was mending for me. It didn't cut out once on the long journey out into the middle of nowhere. I guess he was able to fix the short.

It was probably around midnight when I found the team holed up in a cave. They looked pretty rough. Guess they aren't used to camping. There was a newcomer with them; a guide named Sam. Seemed pretty handy. Guess he enjoys the outdoors.

No one was in a very talkative mood, which was fine by me. It was a long drive and I needed to pee like a bantha.

The next morning we were heading to a place called Spectacle Rock. (Turned out to be more like a Death Mountain, I guess.) I don't know if we had arrived there, or were still en route, but we saw from a distance the wreckage of a convoy we were chasing. No one seemed happy about this. I think it was a bad thing.

From what I gathered, there were some survivors, but they were few and hostile. The group stood around and talked and talked and talked about how to approach the situation. All the while the sun was getting higher and higher. (I wasn't raised in a desert, but I know enough to get out of the way when the sun gets that high.) If those were imperials shooting out from the convoy the best thing would be for me to sneak over there, identify myself and get information. So, that's what I did.

It was at least 5 minutes before anyone noticed I had gone. I think they might have been put out by my quick decision. Times like this make me think that I don't know how to play well with others.

I kept them informed on my movements as best I could for as long as I could, and when I couldn't risk any further sounds, I flicked my comm to “open” and snuck up on the cargo carrier. When I was close enough, I lifted my empty hands and hailed the trooper, telling him I was approaching. He quickly levelled his gun on me and told me to identify myself. I told him that I was here to help. And he believed me. I told the others it was safe, and they made their way down into the area. (Fortunately I know enough to never say “I told you so.”)

There were many, many people and many of them were injured beyond our help. We made some show of giving aid, but I knew our main goal was to get the location of the hidden mine. Damaria and I were talking with one soldier when Sprend went to open a door. That when things got very shitty.

Suddenly a pair of Twi'leks throw off their rags and identify Sprend as a rebel. I recognize them as the ISB tails from my arrival on Bin Prime and my mind shifts into hyper-hyper-hyper mode. I see the 6 of us fighting against the 40 survivors, all of whom are trained, undercover Imperial Soldier, just like the Twins. I see us losing horribly. Bloodily. I see my cover blown. I see the faces of my family who I have forever failed. My heart seizes and threatens to stop all together. And then I see a way out.

I shift my Tangle Gun from my back, and silently ask Sprend to forgive me.

Step 1. Ensnare Sprend
Step 2. Berate Twins for fouling my cover
Step 3. Tell them Sprend is my captive and I need him to stop another attack on the Secret Mine
Step 4. Get secret mine location and get out of there. No fuss, no muss (relatively)

I aim the gun at his back, take a breath, and squeeze the trigger.

Of courses Sprend's senses kick in, trying to warn him. He begin to turn just before impact. The Tangle Bolt deflects off his back, pitching him forward, and shooting off harmlessly into the trees.

Frak.

Things keep moving, but none of them are good. Sprend is getting beat upon and is unconscious in no time. Something happened to Tor, and he was out like a light. Dash took some mighty damage as well, which pained me greatly. I hardly know the kid, but… he's just a kid. Damaria raced forward to stim Sprend, but one of the Twins took him out again. The Sam guy turned out to be pretty pro-Imperial and took up arms against us.

We were being decimated. I needed to regain control of the situation. A new, equally desperate, plan took shape in my mind, just as a dust storm kicked up. 'Please read my mind, please read my mind, please read my mind' I just kept thinking over and over as I threw down my Tangle Gun and lunged for Damaria from behind. With one arm I held her firmly. I placed my other paw over her face and demanded that the rebel scum lay down their arms. (If only they would stop fighting! I can save this all if they would just stop fighting!)

Over the din and the storm no one heard me. One of the Twins came at Damaria, but when she saw that I had her captive, she focussed on Sprend instead. And then it was over. I saw Dash swoop off on a speeder. I whipped out some magnacuffs and sloppily secured Damaria.

She was taken with the rest of the slaves (who were real slaves, not fighters pretending to be slaves) and locked up in a cargo bin. Tor and poor Sprend were secured and slumped in the shade. The clean up began.

Frak frak frak.

I tried to tell the Twins that another attack on the Mine was believed to be imminent, but they didn't pay me any heed. The sun was starting to get very hot, and the imps were hunkering down to keep watch. I took this opportunity to slip away. I contacted Damaria and make sure she was ok. Dash had apparently activated his comm jammer (thank the moon), and just in time (I watched one of the Twins find our long range comm, try it, then blast it in frustration). I broke through however and Damaria was ok. She had found some kind of reporter in among the slaves. Whatever. I knew that Dash was in rough shape, and he was the only one not accounted for. Damaria said she had been in touch with him, and gave me his location. I told her I was going to leave a cache of water and meds for him, and told her the approximate location.

Using the brightness of the sun to my advantage, I was able to slip away from the convoy wreckage without anyone noticing. I found a nice shady rock and deposited the water and meds. I suddenly remembered the small, paper wrapped package I had with me. I knew he would think of it as 'just a cookie' but I knew it meant more than that, and I left it for him. I'll probably explain it to him later.

I snuck back into camp with no one the wiser. Next step was to secretly stim up Tor and Sprend. I knew Dash didn't need the Stim from his med kit so I had pocketed that. I also had my own personal stim on me. I went over to the slumped prisoners, and made some show of checking their persons, secretly injecting them both. Then I tossed a water jug near them, and left them to regain consciousness together.

Then, after I had done everything I could do, I found myself an out of the way shady area and collapsed. I was drenched with sweat and feeling just a little light headed. Wolves are not natural desert dwellers. I drank some water and promptly puked it up. I drank some more, and kept it down. My brain was a wreck. My emotions were a wreck. This was a very, very bad mission.

But there's nothing more to do right now. Can't move until dark. Just wait until dark. Just wait until dark. Just wait until dark.

Don't ask me what's going on. I'm just doing as told…\
I regained conciousness just ask dusk was settling. 'Time to move' my brain said. The body wasn't listening. 'Time to move, not have a breakdown' the mind urged. Stupid body still wouldn't listen. 'There's only one way of escaping. You've got to move on it. Don't do it for yourself. Do it for everyone else.' That seemed to have worked.

I slipped onto my feet silently. The sunlight was fading fast. Finally. Have I mentioned how much I like the cover of darkness? I slipped into the growing shadows and readied my gloves. There was a lot of work to be done.

The plan had been communicated through our ranks. Now with the moon on the rise, it was time to make our escape. First, Tor and Sprend. They were where I had left them, resting in their chains, watched by a lone guard. They were in very rough shape, but better than earlier in the day. They noticed me approach, but gave no sign of it. The gloves were powered up before the guard could even turn around. One quick motion and he tumbled into my arms, out cold. I flicked on my fusion cutter and freed the two of them.

They regained their feet, but barely. I gave Sprend a hand up, though he didn't look at me. Don't blame him.

When they felt ok on their feet, I ghosted ahead to the bin where our supplies had been stashed. No one on lookout here. Fusion cutter came out and the bin was open in no time. Just as I was about to go back for the other two, a guard came around the corner, wiping his hands on his trousers. I guess nature's call was strong this evening. He managed to get out a surprised grunt before the gloves did their job. Things were moving quickly now and there was no time to pause.

I helped Sprend and Tor open the bin, then skirted back to the cargo bin where Damaria, the reporter and slaves were. Three guards. Frak. 'No time, no time, no time, just go go go!' I hear some commotion over my shoulder near the bin where the other two were, the notice a flare light up the sky. I casually walk past the first guard, gloves humming with energy. At the last moment I turn and lunge for his jugular. His eyes light up with surprise and a short gurgle escapes his lips.

The other guards looked shocked for just a moment. I see them raise their blasters in slow-motion. Just as slowly, my arm coils, then thrusts the flailing guard in my paw towards the closer one. The two collide, and land in a heap. I crouch and dodge as the third guard blasts once, twice a third time at me. Then I spring at him, hands out stretched. I land on him and the shock of my gloves fill his body. He's out before he hits the ground.

I regain my feet and move quickly towards the cargo bin. A second flare goes up, and I hear a tumult of voice not far away. The second guard has gotten to his hands and knees. I use my momentum to kick his head upwards. His helmut comes off as he flies backwards, smashing his head on the metal cargo bin. He hits the ground and doesn't move again.

My heart is pounding as I cut the chain holding the cargo bin shut. Everyone is quiet inside as I open the doors. I quickly signal Damaria who gives the command to charge. A small sea of slaves pour from the bin, crying out in whatever their own native tongue is. The cacophony is astounding. The troopers who came to investigate are soon run over.

Brown Fox gains: Natural Rouge…and a rank in Deception

I connect with Damaria and the reporter just as Sprend and Tor come into view, loaded with our gear. The distant voices are now growing louder which can only mean we're almost out of time. We make our way clear of the cargo bin, Damaria helping Sprend and myself help Tor. A pair of headlights then wink on and the vibro van quickly pulls up to us with Dash behind the wheel. We fling the door open and load in, grabbing any of the fleeing slaves that we can.

Damaria asked if “it was set” and Dash responded to the affirmative. “Good” was all the she said as she slid the side door shut and hopped into the passenger seat. Dash then made good on his name and floored it. Tor winced over every leap the van made, for one of two very good reasons, I'm sure.

Just moments after we were clear of the scene, the Human League appeared, massacring everyone left. Dash and Damaria looked tense. Only after the three crates exploded did the relax slightly. Then they only looked sorrowful.

Dash pulled over to where his new, stolen speeder was hidden, and we regrouped. Sprend was talking about going to the cave and stopping Sam. Then we saw lights in the distance and the secure comm crackled, with a hail for Damaria. She responded with an 'update to the plan' (frak, these people and their secrets!) and someone named Vao responded.

Soon we're awash with living Twi'leks. They're helping the wounded, and sorting through the wreckage site. I stick close to Damaria the whole time and offer whatever assistance I can. We, with Dash, meet with Vao. I stress to him the importance of reacquiring the mining equipment from the Human League, and he agrees. Meanwhile he believes an attack on the mine now would be ideal. I can't help but agree with him. Sorta.