Objective: Board and assault the Avatar of War
Allies: Romul Saxon | Fenn Stag | Shakka Bralor | Runi Kuryida | Kaz Krayt | Gwyneira Krayt | Vulcan Krayt | Sergeant Omen | D I M A | Others
Enemies: Marlon Sularen | Kralmus Orr | Tor’r Tal’Verda | Vorm Ren | Others
Equipment: Si'kahya beskar'gam, Rekr variant, ENCL-16 Purity blaster rifle, ENCL-12 Repentance Blaster Pistol, Beskad, a variety of grenades
A chorus of alarmed shouting and yelling rang out as the giant insectoid beast rampaged through the Mandalorian positions, clicking and screeching as it sought desperately to satiate its ravenous appetite by feeding on the armored warriors of the Enclave. The Mawite
Dar'manda astride the beast fired as well, only adding to the chaos caused by their entrance. What had once been a steady and controlled advance by the forces of the Enclave had come to a grinding halt. For the moment all they could do was hold and regroup. Many
Jorir turned their heavy blaster cannons upon the branch, spinning barrels blazing with light and heat as they poured fire upon the monster's thick chitinous hide.
Varik could tell almost immediately that his own weapons wouldn't do a great deal against something as big and powerful as that. He instead rallied the non-
Si'kahya warriors near him, among whom stood warriors of clan Awaud.
"Listen to the Akaan'alor! Heavy weapons focus on the beast, the rest of you help keep the hordes from advancing! Stand strong, vode, and give them nothing! Make them bleed!"
This seemed to settle some nerves and refocus the Mandalorians. Brave and skilled though they were, most of these warriors weren't
Si'kahya. They did not all have the training, the intensity, the
edge of those who had undergone that particular trial and earned the right to be one of the Enclave's elite. They would fight and die gloriously, though, and the reassurance of one of their own, one who had become
Si'kahya, gave them confidence. The ranks began to reform, and the advance of the marauders slowed as return fire became more focused.
Varik fired a burst of blaster fire into the chest of one Mawite, then ducked away from the oncoming blow of another. He retaliated with an upward blow to the raider's chin with the butt of his rifle, sending the man sprawling. Varik finished him off quickly and refocused on the tactical situation. The insect monster was still nearby, rampaging about as the forces of the Enclave focused on bringing it down. Nearby he spotted the body of a fallen brother, a
plasmag rifle on the ground beside his corpse. He turned his helmeted gaze upon the Mawite beast once more, and then sprinted forward to retrieve the weapon. Once it was in his hands he darted off again, heading toward the Branchlurker.
The
Si'kahya moved quickly and purposefully, brushing aside a marauder here, vaulting over a crate there, drawing closer to the rampaging insectoid. He fired up his jetpack, launching himself into the air, and jetted forward. He launched a concussion rocket from his wrist gauntlet, aiming for the beast's head. He didn't expect it to be seriously hurt, but he wanted it disoriented, even if only momentarily. Firing thrusters and reverse boosters in quick succession, Varik swung through the air around the monster, scorching the armor on and near its head with the small hidden blasters concealed in his armor.
Hopefully the creature would swing its head to look at him as he passed in front of its big, ugly face. If this thing wanted to eat, then the Mandalorians had something for it.
One last burst from the thrusters on his jetpack propelled Varik in an upward arc, moving laterally in across the front of the Branchlurker, out of the reach of its claws. He disengaged the thrusters, allowing his momentum to carry him upward and onward. As his momentum carried him up he aimed the plasmag rifle at its head, he prepared it to fire. The weapon began humming, going quickly from low to high intensity, as its capacitors filled with energy. It had a two-second charging period which, if he had timed it right, would finish at the apex of his movement arc. Out of the corner of his eye he noted a rocket streaking in his direction. He resisted the urge to fire his jetpack up once more; it might help him avoid the rocket entirely, but it would mess up his shot. No, this thing had to die.
The timing was just about spot-on; the charging completed, and just as gravity was about to reassert its control over Varik, he fired. A blast of super-heated plasma launched from the end of the plasmag rifle, aimed squarely at the Branchlurker.
Hopefully it would be enough.
As soon as firing finished the Mandalorian commando fired up his jetpack once more, but it was too late to completely avoid its blast now. It exploded, buffeting Varik with heat and shrapnel. The rocket's shockwave sent him tumbling through the air, hurtling toward the ground. He frantically fought to regain control of his flight path; in the end he managed to steer himself toward Enclave ranks, but he could only somewhat mitigate what was coming. He landed hard, bouncing and sliding along the deck. His armor dispersed much of the damage of the impact, but he found himself gasping for air as the wind was knocked violently from his lungs.
Back on your feet, he urged himself silently.
The fight's not done yet.
Westenra Mina
