The Tuskin Raid

Markosian City
Tarthos


Kano sat in his office, a stack of folders sitting on the desk before him. As we picked up each folder and scanned through the contents he let out a sigh. Boredom was rushing throughout the and getting the entire team down. The Sergeant had been trying to counter the boredom with some extra training but it wasn't enough for his team, they were fighters and craved the fight for life.

The folders all got pushed to the side of the desk and Kano leaned back in his chair, resting his fet on the desk. After thinking for a few seconds the Templar looked over at his helmet sitting on the corner of his desk then a thought crossed his mind. Kano pushed a small button on the desk and activated the direct link to Quaestor Fremoc Pepoi.

"What is it Kano, kinda busy right now."

"I need permission to take a ship and go on a training operation with the Raptors."

"What kind of training operation is it?"

"Well you remember the time we went to Raxus Prime and we hit that bounty hunter camp, something like except we will be going to Tatooine to play with the Tuskin Raiders."

"Alright, we got nothing else going on now. Make sure you bring my team back. Pepoi Out."

As the comm silenced Kano was already sending messages to all the members of the Night Raptors to inform them of the time and place they were to meet.
An hour later the Templar stood on the entrance ramp of a black and blue Firespray-31 attack craft as the team began to show up. Kano held his helmet tucked under his arm as he called out to his team.

"Alright Raptors, we have a mission. We are going to test the new armor I have designed for the team. This will be about a 3 week mission, maybe more or less, not entirely sure yet. So right now you all need to get to the armory, grab the new armor that is waiting for you, and pick up whatever else you might need. Keep your load light, this ship don't have the room for pointless junk. You all have 30 minutes to be suited up and on the ship. Dismissed."

Roxas is so excited he rushes past the rest of the team and get geared up and back to the ship before the launch preparations have even begun.

Araxis felt the rush of excitement flood his body, his mind racing as thoughts of Tatooine came back in vivid detail. So, it's finally time to return... Araxis thought to himself as he exited the briefing room towards the armory. He watched as Roxas flew past everyone in hopes that being first would get him some sort of extra recognition, but Araxis knew better. The armory was one of those places that, even in the dimmest of times, never looked anything less then beautiful. However, standing there in front of the tools of war, Araxis thoughts betrayed him, thereby not allowing him to enjoy the full potent beauty.

"Sir, your armor" said the Armory Keep handing out the armor to he and his fellow Night Raptors.

"Indeed..." Araxis replied looking at the armor for a few moments, he enjoyed the ideas that went into their protection, but at the same time... it just never felt right compared to what he placed on himself all those years ago. Moving himself out of the line, Araxis grabbed himself a standard armory saber, some thermal detonators, a few other accessories, and found himself shuffling to the loading zone.

As he walked, he felt brief pains in his head, as if his mind was attacking him. Dropping into a wall, Araxis knew that such a display would be showing weakness, but he couldn't help what was happening. I still remember that day... I still remember the look... the smell... the pain he thought to himself once more, I will find that thing... that Rodian one day, and he will suffer. Channeling his calm, saving it for a future battle, Araxis stood with the assistance of the wall, and continued on his way to the loading zone.

Arriving to see only Roxas standing there, Araxis knew he should have taken more time in his preparation work, but alas, what was done... was done. It was time to get his mind ready, so Araxis began his meditation a couple of feet away from Roxas, awaiting the arrival of Kano.

"You sure are carrying alot of stuff", Roxas said to Araxis as he approached, "you aren't gonna tire your self out are you?" Roxas said playfully. "It's best to be prepaired" Araxis replied with a smirck. "Yeah, better safe than sorry, though I haven't seen action in so long I thought it would be good to make it a challenge", Roxas said as he tried to calm himself for the action to come.

After a few minutes the rest of the team showed up, walking lazily as if the hadn't slept. "Hey, Get In Gear, You bunch of downers!" Roxas yelled trying to exite the rest of the team.

Hangar Bay
Markosian City
Tarthos

Kano watched as the team made their way back to the ship. Some had already changed into the new light armor while others carried it along with their various weapons. After they all climbed up the ramp the Sergeant placed the helmet over his head and sealed its interior off from the world. The slight hiss was blocked out by the sound of Kano's boots clinking across the metal floor and to the cockpit. He grabbed a hand mic and clicked the ships interior intercom on.

"Welcome on board. This mission is to test the new light armor. It is required to be worn at all times starting now. We will be arriving on Tatooine in several hours. I suggest you all use this time to meditate on the upcoming events or clean your gear. I myself will be doing the later of the two so do not bother me."

As the intercom clicked off Kano activated the link between his helmet's systems and the ship. As the words 'CONFIRMED LINK' flashed over the HUD Kano leaned back and set the coordinates for just outside of Tatooine.

As Roxas went through his gear his comrades kept telling him that he didn't grab enough gear and he just replied "I have a blaster, armor, grenades, a small survival pouch, a knife, and a comm link. I don't need anything else, with all the junk your carrying your gonna die of heat exhaustion." They all informed him that he was impulsive and didn't selsct the right gear, but he just laughed.

As the ship arrived to the destination that Kano set, the team gathered their gear and prepaired for their leader to give them their orders.

On board the transport, approaching Tatooine

Quo sat on the transport adjusting the straps on the new armour, trying to get it to sit comfortably, though he wouldn't really have time to find out in the heat of battle, or by getting some training in before they approached the Tusken Raiders. This was not the best way to start the exercise, with a lack of use on new equipment, and a sense of unpreparedness seeping into his being.

He looked to Kano. "Boss, have you got the latest feedback results from the testing on the armour with you?"

"Yeah, it's on the datapad. Here" He threw it across to the Guardian, a look of slight humour crossing his face, "Fill your boots. If you got any questions don't hesitate to keep them to yourself" he laughed.

Quo flicked the data pad, taking in the information that flashed across the screen before him.

"Are you and Araxis related?" smirked Roxas

"I don't think so, though I'm open to offers on the relationship front" he said winking at Araxis. "Anyway I may be spoken for, you see with me and Kano it was love at first fight, wasn't it Boss?"

The troop laughed out loud, and the tension building was dissipated slightly. Quo returned to the datapad in front of him, determined to have as much information available to him as possible, as he knew from experience that even exercises could go terribly wrong without being prepared as fully as possible.

"About 30 minutes to touchdown, time to start checking weapons, supplies, and equipment before we get there. It's a good habit to get into, and may well save your, and maybe my, life at some point. Any of you newbies have any questions ask either me, or one of the more experienced members of the squadron. Take your time, no need to rush, just get things right, and you know they won't let you down when the time comes."

Quo settled into his own routine of checking and double checking his gear, whilst surreptitiously checking on the new guys, making sure they weren't doing anything that may have a knock on effect later.

They were heading into the unknown again, should be interesting.

Quo Wing-Tzun
Guardian

The ship lands on the outskirts of Mos Eisely the dust flying in the air, the team is ready for what awaits them. The door opens, heat of the dessert planet rushing past them, the group set up their temporary command center/camp for this mission, making sure to be prepaired for anything and everything. Some of the team set up guard positions until Kano is ready to breif the group on their orders for this mission. Each member feels that they might be alittle exposed to attack, but their guard positions are effective at veiwing every possible position of on coming attack. Roxas, who has never been to Tattooine is astounded that people actually live in such a desolate place, figuring that the only means of survival would most likely be moisture farming. After a while Kano walks out of the ship and stand in disbeleif that the team was able to set up the camp so well, and commends the team for their works and explains that they shouldn't let it go to their heads.

Night Raptors Camp
Tatooine Desert


Kano turned and walked back into the ship hoping that the blunt sarcasm about the so called camp would sink in with the team. As he made his way up to the cockpit the Templar activated a screen with an birds eye view of the area. The Tuskin Raider camp he was looking for was less than 2 hours walk from their current location. Kano activated the comm inside his helmet.

"Roxas, I want you to head towards the Tuskin Raiders camp. Get a good look at the layout and an estimate of how many are there. Do not engage. Once you have the info radio myself and then stay in that position until the rest of the team arrives."

Kano clicked the comm off before his apprentice could respond. Deep inside he knew it would be hard for Roxas to be that close and not act. It would be a true test of how well he can follow orders as well as self control. Kano clicked the screen off and opened up an audio recording saved within his helmet. The voice spoke in Mando'a.

"Brother, I am alive. Raiders. Tatooine. Tracker activated."

With his orders, Roxas grabbed his gear and a headed for the camp. The words echoing in his mind as he walked the path, "I can only recon" he said to himself. When he got almost to the outskirts of the camp he decided to look at his datapad that contained a map of the area, looking for a good vantege point to veiw the Raider encampment. After a few minutes of suveying the area he found an enormous cliff that would provide the perfect vantage point and climbed it, taking a couple hours. Once he reached the top he crawled toward the edge and grabbed his binocu;ars from his gear and began veiwing the encampment.

The encampment was massive! It was like a large town in the middle of the dessert. The outside was nearly a hundred small huts and in the center was a gigantic building surrounded by a large wall that was covered with hundreds of gun emplacements that looked to be scavenged, with several more posted around the town. Roxas wanted to see inside the main building of the camp, but it was covered with a makeshift roof. Roxas began counting every Tuskan he saw and analized their guard routes. He then made a map of the encampment and of the Raider's guard routes.

Roxas clicked on his comm link "Kano, I have extensively studied the Raider's camp, and have concluded that there are around 300 Tuskans and I have comprised a map of the camp and of the Raider guard routes, I'm sending it to you now. Roxas." He clicked off his comm link and held his position, but kept watching the encampment, for any changes.

Night Raptors Camp
Tatooine Desert

Kano listened to the message from Roxas and then checked exactly where he was located. They were at the correct location. Kano reactivated his comm and sent a call out to everyone in the team.

"Raptors. Now it is time I inform you of the ream mission here. This is a rescue mission. My brother and a fellow member of our Clan is being held inside that Camp. It is our job to get in there as quietly as possible, get him, then get out. The Tuskin Raiders will then be dealt with via our ship and some well placed shots. Roxas, stay put. Everyone else get your kit and lets move out to his location."

Kano checked that his Westar-34s hung in their places and that his saber hilt was secured in the clamp in his lower back. He walked out and was the team waiting for him, everyone looked ready to save their fellow Clan member. The Mandalorian activated the speaker on his helmet and called out to the team.

"OYA! Lets hunt."

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Tatooine Desert

Roxas sat waiting for the team to notify him that they were in position. It had been hours since he made the call and the suns had already began to set. An eerie glow cast itself over the desert world and made all the shadows seem as if they were alive. Roxas kept his eyes on everything that could potentially be a threat. A noise crept up from behind the Protector and as he turned to see what was there something struck him in the face, knocking him unconscious.

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Tatooine Desert

Kano, moving with the rest of the Night Raptors activated the comms in an attempt to link up with his apprentice. After several attempts to reach him and no answer the Templar looked at his team.

"It seems we may have two targets to rescue."

Rang sat silently, in the dark, meditating and wondering how to get out of the encampment he had been brought to. He knew that he had little time to attempt to escape or it would be his life he would pay with. He thought to himself either way I've got to get out of here or die trying. First he thought on how he could unbind himself from the shackles in which he was placed. He sensed that soon the Tuskan Raiders would come to get him and so he stood and lay in wait in the corner near the door so he could grab the guard from behind when he entered the room. That was when he had heard prisoner in the Tuskan tongue, he assumed the position to attack. As the door swung open he noticed they shoved in a limp body. Rang sat in silence and noticed a human face but one that he had never seen before. The man wore the armor of a Mandalorian, he knew that at least for now they were on the same side. He pulled the body to the bed and laid it there waiting for the man to awake.

(Flashback: A distant place filled with darkness, pain, and rage. Roxas being severaly torchered, beaten with stun sticks and stabbed with blades. Locked away for days without food.Roxas feels a burning sensation on his face as if he is being hit with a torch.)
Roxas wakes up in excrutiating pain. "Ow, ner kovid." (translation: ouch my head) He looks around the room and sees a man dressed in Mandalorian armor, " Tion gar gai?"(translation:what's your name?) Roxas asked. The man stood up and said " I'm Rang Verda."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Roxas Buurenaar." After a secound , like the gears in Roxas's head clicked, "Did you say Verda?"

"Yep, have you heard of me?" Rang replied. Roxas says, "No, but I know Kano Verda, infact I came here with him."

Just then the door flies open and Raiders run in with gaffi sticks and starting beating the two Mandalorian senselessly. As the Tuskan grow tired more enter and take their place, and they continue the beating. Eventually this group leaves and the two prisoners are left lying on the floor. Roxas looks up and ignoring his pain he laughingly says "That's it? You bunch of cowards hit like newborn jawas."

Rang looks over and angrily says, "So you came with my big brother to rescue me, huh?" Roxas looking back "If that's the case he didn't breif us on it, I was ordered to take up a position outside the encampment and gather information."

The room goes silent as the two lay on the ground trying to rest before the Raiders come back.

Due to the Night Raptors Closing, and Kano's resignation. This run on is over.