A Very Dusty, Backwater Detail (Open to Pubs)

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Korriban wasn't supposed to be this boring, but oh, it was. The Sith world had been captured by the Republic in the war that suddenly seemed much more recent than it really was. Jaelin wandered through a massive valley flanked by statues of Sith long dead at either side. Rubble covered the main path, and the occasionally Tuk'ata could be seen scurrying about in search of food.

The First Sergeant wondered not for the first time as to how he had been given this detail. He shifted the rifle in his hands and tilted his head toward the group of excited researchers that he was supposed to keep guard over. There had been talk of Sith remnants hiding within the tombs, and while Jaelin dismissed that as dramatic rumors started by troublemakers, he wholly believed in the dangerous wildlife the planet was host to.

"So how do you want to do this Professor?" He grumbled to a Nikto at the head of the group. The alien glanced at him curiously, and shrugged.

Jaelin fought back the urge to frown and waved about with one free hand toward the men given the same task as himself. "Alright then lads. Pick a scientist and keep an eye out. Lamps on at all times when we enter the tombs. Keep things tight; no wandering off from the main group. If you find yourself lost feel free to pop one of the flares given to you at the beginning of the tour, and we will come get you."

He was met with a low murmur that seemed to come from the entire group. The detail was small, six soldiers, all of which Jaelin had been serving with on the desolate world since the Republic liberated the world. Boring detail indeed.

 

[Rox Jun]

Dust. Dust. Dust and more dust. That's all Korriban seemed like it was. Supposedly it was one of the most dangerous detachments for Non-Clone personnel but so far all Rox had heard of were several rock slides and a small team going missing in one of the uncharted tombs. That's why you didn't go in those ones, those ones were bad. This tomb, however, was already mapped by a scouting team and was supposed to safe. The Amaran had every inch of trust in the scouts but some days they missed detail.

"You know... I really did expect more action than this. The most I've done other than escort duty was fix some light fixtures in the lower Academy." Rox's MOS was rather well known. He was a mechanic and engineer. Therefor he was rarely deployed on field duty unless their was a staff shortage... Which there seemed to be now. As he walked through the dust he kept his rifle cradled towards his chest with a hand around the grip. Like many of the troops he had cloth wrapped around the joints of his army to prevent particle infiltration.

"No complaining though... I like the quite." That much was true, he was attached to the 24th Engineering Corps of the G.A.R not the Galactic Marines.

[member="Jaelin Nekovich"]

 

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"I think we all did. Just make sure the coat kids don't trip over a rock or anything and things should be green." Jaelin quipped as they approached on of many cavern openings. The inside was already lit with the faint red glow of a lantern, and illuminated the ancient flooring and decorated walls in bright red light. Jaelin strode in first; his rifle tucked under his arm, and his lips pressed into a thin line.

It was certainly beautiful in a savage sort of way. The architecture caught his eye, and the paintings depicting worship of a throned figure were amusing to look at. They did little to ease Jaelin's internal torment however. Coruscant had fallen to the Sith. No one really talked about it, but it was always there, always looming over the tiny detachment stationed on this
wretched world.

The scientists were busy categorizing, translating, and recording old pictures. This left the soldier to do little but stand about in the uncomfortably red light.

"How long do you think it took them to take it?" Levinsky asked out of the blue.

Jaelin turns to the dark skinned man and locked eyes with him. "About as long as it took for your old man to trick your mom into putting out." The First Sergeant said gruffly. "So from what I've heard, about two days. Maybe three....what do you think Sergeant?" He tilted his head toward the Amaran.

[member="Rox Jun"]

 

[Rox Jun]

Despite regulation the Fox-creature was helmetless. It was one of those rules that went unobserved on jobs like this, in places like this. His ears visibly flicked toward, however spoke, and went a tiny drop of water hit the ground. It was almost like an early warning system. "I reckon four days at the most, three days at the least. It was probably some tough concrete bush. Urban warfare does not equal a happy camping trip." He was the only alien out of the soldiers. He was one of the few alien soldiers deployed here actually.

"The Clones probably had the worst of it, as per usual. Poor guys." Everyone knew the Jorin Clones in service was the G.A.Rs softening mitt. A large number of troopers whose sole purpose was to push when conscripted and volunteer forces wouldn't. Rox by this point had flicked his shoulder light on to peer further into the dimly, red lit tomb. The whole place mad him to his stomach as if a thousand needles were being pressed into his skin. It made him want to do nothing more than leave, however, patrol was patrol.

"The Mandos are getting aggressive too... What ever happened to being friends during the Sith War?"

[member="Jaelin Nekovich"]

 

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"I hear they didn't even divert the fleets. Triple Zero just isn't important anymore lads."

Jaelin slung his rifle over his tan camouflaged shirt and went to help one of the scientists lift a large red rock. He grunted as he pulled up as much as he could. The rock gave way and rolled to the right, and continued further down the ramp-way leading into the tomb until it was swallowed by the inky blackness. Something stirred; a bit of hissing and the soft put-put-put of feet echoed through the cavern.

The Nikto scientist sucked in a breath, and Levinksy's rifle snapped up.

'It's just a Tuk'ata pack. Won't mess with us. Keep at it." Jaelin snapped and waved an arm downward. The Nikto sighed, and Levinsky lowered his rifle.

"Figure the clones got slotted. Then again, we're dealing with the bathrobe brigade, and they aren't too merciful when it comes to civvies." Jaelin continued as he set his weight back against the wall; arms folded over his chest. "And the collateral damage...gods, it's probably wrecked. Wonder when they're going to ship us back there."

The soldier went quiet for a long moment and sucked in his lower lip.

Waste of time.

He paid no heed to the scientists milling about the cavern, and jerked a thumb out toward Rox. You know they're going to send us. Or they'll ship us out deeper into the Rim to fight that other Sith group. maybe if we're lucky the Chancellor will just firebomb this place. Then we won't have to worry about the war, heh."

[member="Rox Jun"]

 

[Rox Jun]

"I don't think the Saber Jocks are that bad. Then again, I've never been deployed into an active combat zone." He gave a soft, melodious chuckle as he lowered his rifle. He could smell the Tuk'uta from here, a danke, rotted type of scent which sent shivers down his spine. He reached down the barrel and thumbed the safety, the sound of it being deactivated with a low hiss. He was nervous and in so making a couple of the scientists close to him nervous.

"I just want to be back on Amar. With my feet up on a beach." He was most certainly out of place on this deployment, with these men. It was obvious that he was the kind of trooper who enlisted to serve the Republic in the Core Worlds and never expected to be shipped to Force-Knows-Where in caves full of hungry wolf-like creatures.

"You think the Sithies are gonna come back for this world?"

[member="Jaelin Nekovich"]

 

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"I have met a few. Some are good, some are bad. All dress oddly. The Padawans,their students, don't piss them off. They lift things with their minds and try to control yours." Nekovich droned on from obvious experience. He had a look of boredom mixed with the occasional cautious look down into the cavern. To say the least; Jaelin wasn't a fan of Korriban. "Ah, a green boy then? I figure you never thought to be in a place like this signing on as an Engineer."

The soldier pushed off the wall and began to pace back and forth across the top of the ramp. His emerald eyes narrowed as tried to make out shapes in the inky din, but it was to no avail. "You weren't a combat Engineer either were you? I was a Eleven-B. CQC guy when I signed on. Been about....Thirteen years since I joined up. Damn."

He clapped his hands together and made just about every scientist in the cavern flinch. "Aye, thirteen years. I've had two tours and a lot of little engagements along the hyperspace lanes. It's all instinct, though, I really doubt we'll see any contact here."

Levinsky slipped down to sit right on the ramp. He tilted his head down into the dark, and narrowed his dark eyes. "Maybe a dog or two but nothing really dangerous. He grunted, and fell back into his solitary thoughts.

Jaelin nodded in silent agreement and continued his pacing. "So you should be fine...Sith coming back here? Aye, they will with all the power their gaining, though I don't think it will be for sometime." The Nikto turned up from a painting he was taking pictures of and gave Jaelin a hard look. "--Or perhaps not. I cannot be for certain."

[member="Rox Jun"]

 

[Rox Jun]

"My credentials pale in comparison... Lets see... I worked for Naboo's Navy, if you can call it a Navy, as a mechanic. Then I went home to Amar; I got offical schooling. Then I heard about the Togorians at the hands of the Old Sith Empire, enlisted, went through BT. I was then deployed to the Nemodian Garrison, then the Umbarian Garrison, and now I'm here. They classify me as a 'Combat Engineer' but, I have no combat training besides the basics in assault you get in BT."

He seemingly had no issue spurting off the fact that he was less of a soldier than the men who now surrounded him. However, he heard the sounds of clacking claws in the black near by and instantly raised his rifle in the general direction with surprisingly good posture. At least he knew how to shoot a gun.

[member="Jaelin Nekovich"]

 

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"Didn't know the Naboo had a navy." He grunted and strode further down into the abyss. Something growled, and Jaelin froze. He held his arms out wide and whistled, and another growl came from farther down. "See, told you, they're scared of us."

The Nikto and his associates turned to stare at the little scene. Jaelin clapped his hands together; further riling up whatever was down there in the darkness. It became a cacophony of noise, yet, nothing came out to snatch him up.

"Alright Nekovich, you're scaring the kids here!" Lavinsky yelled through heavy laughter. The clapping ceased, and so did the growling. Satisfied, Jaelin backed up to the researchers and only dared to turn his back once the red light of the flare shone on him once more.

"They're no harm so long as we don't drive them all the way back to their den. Should be fine, eh jumpy?" The First Sergeant flashed a wide grin at Rox. The Nikto looked like he wanted to say something, but he remained silent and went back to his work.

"So, Sergeant." Nekovich strolled back to his previous location, rifle swaying from its strap, and crossed his arms over his chest. "What's your plan if the anti-Jedi put boots on the ground?"

[member="Rox Jun"]

 

[Rox Jun]

"Well. If Sith are on the ground the logical thing to do would be to get the hell out of the way and let the Jedi handle it. We'd only get in the way." Rox knew he would be little match for a Sith. He had never seen one in his entire life, however, the stories told were hardly comforting things. "I'll stay with the infantry and return fire upon enemy infantry when told to do so." His ears feathered back so lightly as the skittering feet got closer once again.

He gaze though fell back on Jaelin once more with what could only be described as a canted head. "What is your plan should Sith boots hit the ground and move towards us?" His muzzle then pulled back into a fanged grin. His teeth long enough that they shined in the dark when the light fell upon them.

[member="Jaelin Nekovich"]

 

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”Get in the way? You believe what they say about Jedi being gods, don’t you?” Jaelin chided as the scientists all seemed to get up as one. The four other soldiers flanked them on either side, rifles raised. Nekovich strolled up to the front and thumbed the safety on his weapon. The dull hum of its power core coming to life reverberated throughout the cavern.

“I’ll tell you my plan.” Levinksy cut in as he strolled leisurely down the ramp. “You either keep a distance and douse them with automatic fire, and you charge them while they’re not looking. Sith go down just like everyone else.”

The First Sergeant nodded in silent agreement. He tossed a flare further down into the chasm. The eerie red light illuminated a huge ornately decorated room. Pillars jutting from the floor to the ceiling were in long rows running from one end to the other. No wild animals could be seen. The scientists went back to work with an air of giddy excitement, and the soldiers returned to their overwatch.

”My plan is to put down the ones that get close, and do whatever needs doing.” He reached up and ran a black gloved finger through his short hair. ”And I figure Fleetops will tell us that much.”

Nekovich lowered himself down on his knees to stare at an old picture painted unto one of the pillars. It depicted what looked to be a red skinned woman being sacrificed on a dais. ”The Sith were tribal people before the Jedi found then, or so I’m told.”

He felt a buzzing in his forehead, and snapped up to his feet; rifle trained on of the pitch black tunnels that led away from the room. He waved a hand toward it. ”Possible contact. Something is over there.”

[member="Rox Jun"]

 

[Vala Melina]

Jedi Padawan Vala Melina wasn't quite sure why she was sent here. It was under the vague description of 'Go and you will discover your mission there' along with 'There you will discover more about yourself and come back with a reward.' As much as she respected the Masters' wisdom, sometimes she wished they wouldn't speak in such high and none descriptive language and give it to her straight. Then again that's probably they way their visions get told to them too. Vala wished she would never have visions or predictions of the future. They always seemed to cause more trouble than not.

She clad in simple earthly tone robes that hung baggily scrawny girl. She stepped out of the shuttle and onto the red soil. If it was red from the iron in it, from all the Sith blood spilled on it, or from the permanent presence of the dark side that tainted it she didn't know. Vala adjusted her hood a little and walked among the scientists toward the tomb they were investigating. Another thing she thought strange was how they sent her unaccompanied by another, more senior Jedi. They must have a lot of faith in her if they thought she would be okay going to the homeworld of the Sith. Her Force connection wasn't the greatest, she was just a Padawan after all, but she didn't need Force senses to feel the dark side presence as she entered the tomb. She could sense the men and women working inside, diligent but all held a small sense of fear. The things that happen on this planet are by no means a secret. She just hoped her presence would get their hopes too high for she was by no means a Jedi Knight. She didn't even have a lightsaber, a double edged vibrosword hung from her belt. That wouldn't stop her from protecting these people though.

Vala approached the soldiers but before she could even utter a word they focused all of there weapons down the tunnels. One of them mentioned something about possible contact. Seeing that they may be in danger, she quickly ran to them, drawing her sword with a light hum as it activated. The speed forced her hood off, revealing slightly unruly brown hair speckled with blonde held back by a red bandanna in a ponytail. She blue eyes were focused down the tunnel as she tried to reach out with her Force senses to find the threat. She stood next to the soldiers, ready for what Korriban had to offer.

[member="Jaelin Nekovich"] [member="Rox Jun"]

 

[Rox Jun]

Contacts? Why me...
The Amaran hissed and brought his own rifle up in the directly Nekovich's aimed. The rifle felt oddly heavy in his hands, its cold metal and ribplas almost becoming like stone within his hand. He could even feel fear racing through his spine and causing his fur to stand under his standard issue republic armor. If Jaelin looked, he was even shaking.

His head turned, however, towards the Jedi Padawan as soon as her sword was drawn and sparked to life. He had expected a lightsaber. A brilliant blade of color that served as a rallying banner for troops nearby to the Jedi. Rox was one of the many soldiers who was always encouraged by the sight of a friendly lightsaber. No, Jedi were certainly not gods but they would certainly even the playing field against any foe they faced. This did not mean all Jedi were morally upstanding however. Some went so far into the light and aimed to avoid attachment to the point they viewed soldiers (clones in particular) as pawns, as men only having their service and nothing more. Rox for some reason doubted this was that kind of Jedi...

"Tell me when to light 'em up First Sergeant."

[member="Vala Melina"] [member="Jaelin Nekovich"]

 

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Jaelin wasn't sure what had caught his attention, but he had learned to stand ready when he felt something was amiss. He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes as he tried to peer further into the inky blackness. Nothing came from it, and the sound of boots scraping the ground caught his attention. Out f the corner of his eye; he took a good look at the Jedi--the Jedi with a vibrosword no less. A Padawan then.

"Nice of you to join us Master Jedi." He mumbled through the eerie quiet. He began to lower his weapon; when a loud snap-hiss sprang up shot through the cavern. A single red light shot out of the darkness, arced past him, and cleaved straight through one of his men. The soldier didn't have the time to scream as he was cleaved in two.

"Shab, Sith. Open up!"

The scientists panicked and made a mad break up the cavern. Levinsky was the first to fire. The stream of blue plasma was joined by Jaelin's own, and that red light came back into the darkness and made off further into the tunnel, batting bolts back that got to close on its way--and then it was gone.

Jaelin cursed, and passed a cautionary glance down at the unlucky soldier. There was no rescuing him. With a sigh, the First Sergeant turned to the remainder; which was Levinsky, himself, Jun and this Jedi. "We'll mark this tomb as unsafe. There's a kill order on any Sith in the tombs." He motioned with a nod of the head toward the tunnel. "Scouts said this damn place was green..."

[member="Rox Jun"] [member="Vala Melina"]

 

[Antares]

Upon the planet of Korriban Antares's shuttle landed and he exited in the following moments. The scientists upon the planet were going to be researching things in the tomb, and the Jedi Knight that knew little of the Sith's actual origins was curious. It'd be a learning experience that he'd transfer over to his Padawan. Unfortunately, she hadn't come along with him, but he would document as much information as he could upon the information the scientists found.

Looking around the encampment, his black robes blew out around him as the repulsors underneath the ship died down. He didn't even blink as the sand and the rest flew around his face, he just continued on to one of the caverns that he sensed people were in. Some of the soldiers who were still around the encampment directed him to where the group had went and he inclined his head to them.

Pulling his datapad out of his robes he started to go into the cave just as he heard the sound of blaster fire, surprise through the Force, and then he was on his way, replacing his datapad and running into the cavern as several of the scientists ran out. It took him longer than necessary, but he entered and saw the dead trooper near [member="Jaelin Nekovich"] and he bit his tongue when he saw the wound. But he stil folded his hands behind his back and walked deeper into the cave and stopped next to the First Sergeant and he watched him for a moment. Mostly to see his response to seeing a Jedi Knight.

What was the word?

"Sit-rep Sergeant." He said after he had gotten a look at the rank bar on his shoulder.

[member="Rox Jun"] - [member="Vala Melina"]

 

[Rox Jun]

All Rox could do was watch in horror as one of their merry band was suddenly cleaved by a lightsaber. He didn't have time to raise his rifle, nor react in anyway before Jaelin and his comrade opened up.... By the time Rox exited his stunned state and returned fire. The Sith was down the hall and vanishing deeper into the tombs.

The Amaran then hit the ground next to the fallen soldier and stated to, rather in vain, to perform CPR on their fallen man-in-arms. It was no good and he figured that out right as Jaelin's voice hit his ears. With a disgusted look across his muzzle he stood and looked down the cavern. A low sigh emanating from his startled lungs. "Shouldn't we call in reinforcements? We have no clue how many of the slag-sucking Saber Jockies are down there." He motioned with his rifle.

As on que a second Jedi arrived and then asked for a Sit-Rep. Normally Rox would have acted much more politely to a Jedi but right now, he was working off shock. "Sith in the Tombs, downed or man here, we were about to head down eliminate them."

[member="Antares Windu"] [member="Jaelin Nekovich"] [member="Vala Melina"]

 

[Vala Melina]

Though Vala tried to sense what was in the darkness, she could also feel the eyes of the soldiers on her. She could sense their hopes dampen a little with the sight of a sword instead of a lightsaber but she didn't let it get her hopes down either. One of the men mumbled a greeting to her but before she could correct him she heard the all too familiar sound of a snap hiss of a lightsaber activating. She turned to see a red blade spring out of the darkness. Suddenly it flew and struck the man standing next to the soldier who greeted her. She saw the man turn into two halves of one. The blade then flew back to its master in the darkness. The men open fired and Vala ran to catch up but the Sith was too quick and disappeared into the shadows.

She stopped. It was no use. The Jedi Padawan couldn't sense a Sith in a tomb bathed in the dark side. It felt strange, like it was part of the soaked into the very building. It wasn't active like a person but it was willing to hide its masters. Vala gave a disgruntled sigh. She turned to see the soldiers trying to heal their comrade but her eyes were cast downward for she knew the truth. She walked up to the group and looked up to find another Jedi. An actual Jedi Knight with a lightsaber. It was one she knew. "Master Windu," she greeted, "It's good that you're here. I too was assigned here."

[member="Antares Windu"] [member="Jaelin Nekovich"] [member="Rox Jun"]

 

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Jaelin took the moment to stare back into the inky blackness. He ejected the power pack in his rifle, and just as quickly slammed in a new one. "He's running, and the corners are small. Just pop him with the incidenearies Nekovitch." Levinsky grumbled as he shifted from one foot to the other. He was antsy.

Nekovitch tilted his head forward in a silent nod, and turned once more as an unfamiliar voice asked for a Sit-rep. Ah, another Jedi. Jaelin let go of his rifle and let it hang from the sling. "Like Jun said, contact with Sith. Only saw the lightsaber; no clear numbers. My team is going to move and put him down. If you want to join us, Master Jedi, feel free." The First Sergeant gave another slight tilt of the head, and turned toward Jun. "Like I said, surround the bathrobe, and he'll go down Jun...nothing we can do for the man now." He gestured toward the severed; still smoking corpse. Damn shame.

Levinsky tossed a canister and Jaelin caught it with one hand. He pressed a gloved hand against the activation matrix, and the upper end of the canister burst into sharp red fire. He heaved the flare up over his shoulder, and threw it far into the cavern. It went on and on, falling lower than expected and revealed that the hallway was not a hallway at all. It was a staircase leading down into another circular room; now painted in the eerie red light.

"Jedi, I am First Sergeant Nekovitch. this is Corporal Levinsky-" He motioned to the dark skinned human at his right. "-...and Sergeant Jun." He motioned toward the Amaran. "We'll be cave diving this evening. Find the Sith, put him down, get the Gunney here a proper burial, and get back to the research."

He took hold of his rifle and flicked the safety back on; a loud whir rumbling from the weapon. "If we wait for reinforcements, he'll just disappear into the catacombs. Everyone clear?"

[member="Antares Windu"] [member="Vala Melina"] [member="Rox Jun"]

 

[Antares]

He didn't say anything for a few moments after he had asked for the situation report from the Sergeant. But then it looked as if someone else was going to be giving him the answers he had asked for. Before the being could even finish, Antares's eyes widened and he grounded his teeth together. "I didn't ask you." He said softly, and yet firmly at the same time when his head slowly turned around to look at [member="Rox Jun"].

Antares hadn't even noticed the other Jedi that was there, it wasn't a shock, this was a Republic affiliated planet now, but he didn't think another Jedi would be there. And then she began speaking of being sent there, what? Not to mention, she knew who he was. "Do I know you? We haven't met." He said watching [member="Vala Melina"] and waiting to see her response. It occurred to him that she was just a Padawan who probably heard his name around the Temple, or saw him training students upon Coruscant one day. But then maybe not.

"I'm Jedi Knight Antares Windu." He replied to [member="Jaelin Nekovich"] after long last and he unclipped his lightsaber from his utility belt hidden by his outer robes. It was a silver cylindrical object and he ignited the aqua blue beam, pointed towards the floor and started to walk forwards as the staircase was lit up. "Move out." He said, apparently taking command and already descending down the steps.

 

[Rox Jun]

Rox actually curled his vulpine features back in a snarl at that, the way Anteres addressed him, even the way he carried himself. Everything about had just the normally docile trooper's rage alight. Especially for the fact that Rox is a Sergeant and the Jedi had addressed for a Sergeant, not for a First Sergeant.

As Anteres walked toward Jaelin. The Amaran spoke, his voice laced with vehemence yet still polite. It was all passive aggressive. "Sir, if I may beg your pardon. I am the Sergeant here," he motioned to his ranking insignia which indeed was a flat Sergeant. The Fox-like creature then pointed at Jaelin. "He is a First Sergeant... Not the Sergeant as you stated, I hope they at least taught Jedi the ranking structure of the G.A.R. However, and therefor, I ask you to address him as such and address me as such or at least by our last names and give me the respect I deserve... Because last I heard Jedi no longer hold the temporary rank of General in the army... Which means we, him and I, outrank you."

[member="Antares Windu"] [member="Jaelin Nekovich"] [member="Vala Melina"]