Private Way of Lives

[Kei Amadis]

"Pipes it is," a nighttime swim.

Over the next few hours, the small group spent preparing, swapping a few wild stories about missions along the rim. One particular story about rescuing a senator from falling down a jawa garbage chute had a few of the wildcards grinning.

Amadis sat more quietly, studying the factory closely. It had been a long time since he was on a mission, he'd missed them. Time to start. Making their way around the side of the factory toward the pipes. At least they had helmets, the warden armor was dependable and should keep them dry. The Epicanthix was timing the searchlights, the patrols, and how much time they would have on a small wrist device.

"Remember your training, stay calm, focused, and close by," Amadis told Kal one more time. "Might need this." Kei offered over a high-tech rebreather, allowing Kal to breathe underwater, there was Jedi training to do the same, but they hadn't covered it yet. It was designed to easily adapt to the helmet.

Cloaking generators on. All the group disappeared one by one. The Helmet's hud would keep track of their positions so they didn't get separated.

Timing was everything

The searchlights of the factory were rotating every minute, and the patrols near the pipes were about five minutes apart. That gave them five minutes to get in them, and seal them behind them, they could count it by the rotation of the searchlight. Five Rotations remained.

Waiting for just the right time. They made their move for the man-sized pipes, flashes on the HUDS of where each team member was, the searchlight rotating above and around showing them the minute counting down. Amadis soon reached the pipes looking about for his padawan, "anyone see anything?" The communicator beeped quietly from one Ranger, "all clear so far."

"Which one shall we cut?" Another team member asked. Which one of these man-sized pipes didn't have water? A jet of water would give their position away… Was there a way to tell from the outside, from the water flow, from how empty they sounded? Maybe Kal had an idea? A cutting torch started up awaiting instruction, or was there another way to get in without letting water out?

One Searchlight Rotation had passed, which left 4 till the patrol returned.

Kal Harris

 

[Kal Harris]

He lightly knocked on each of the pipes noticing the sound would stop in some of them but one of them it kept going making him flinch worrying hed made to much noise he sent on his communicator "One of them doesent have water in it knock on them lightly and in the ones with water there wont be an echo"

 

[Kei Amadis]

One more rotation of the searchlight, meant three were left before the Patrols return.

Over the HUD all the team was still visible, even cloaked as they were. Kal showed intelligence and Amadis gave a firm nod to the team. They began to cut into the most empty pipe Kal had selected. Under the helmet a grinning Amadis was happy, Kal was showing how to get things done again without his force abilities, a way of living that would serve him well in the coming years. Now it was time for the opposite.

~No distance between you and the water. Reach out with your force sense.~ Amadis's faint voice spoke to his apprentice's mind. The flow and rush of water were unmistakable within the pipes. Two out of the three anyway, the chosen pipe only had drips inside and moisture across the bottom.

It was cut into with a laser torch and the side came away, the rangers needed no instruction, they were already heading in. The pipe was damp up to ankle level, but no rush of water like the others. "Watch your spacing." Came the call from a ranger inside. One wildcard got to work sealing the pipe up again, things were going well… until with a snap the cutting tool shorted out. There were some colorful galactic slang muttered under the ranger's breath.

Two rotations of the searchlight remained till the patrol's return.

"Patience," Amadis told the group, "you have time." Not much time, better they were calm than excited. What was that feeling? Orange light in the pipes came on, and a hatch could be heard moving upward. "Kal lead them forward. Stay with them and stay out of sight." This pipe was about to get a whole lot damper.

Maybe Kal's ability to sense water had been perfected, or would he be taken by surprise? Thankfully they all had their rebreathers, did they have their flippers was the question? No water yet but it was sure to start soon.

Kal Harris

 

[Kal Harris]

He went in to the pipe moving quickly when he sensed the water getting closer he said "Get ready!"