Log:Log:The Irregulars - Deep Breath

Deep Breath

Location: Metalorn
Participants: Sapphira, Dyannah Nerus, Rip Recker, and Nova Korell.

[Sapphira] Metalorn is not a place most people would have visited if they'd had the choice. If they were lower class wage workers who were born and bred here? Then sure, they know it. If they were others who tried to run from their own lower class wage worker background only to land on this one? Well, they'd know it too. Outside of that ... bupkiss. It's like a depressing(er) Corellia, without the hype and fame. They don't make ships here, nothing so sexy. Here is just industrial parts. Wigets that make the gallaxy turn. Sweatshops, the most of them.

It is toward this planet that the 'lil Backstitch chugga-chuggas, currently set on autopilot while the operatives in the back review what's in front of them.

Sapphira offers a verbal information dump. "Right, so we'll be dropping in at around midnight local time," she informs the other women. She herself is dressed in her black-second-skin-of-a-shadowsuit. "Target is here." The 3-D holoprojection of the planet zooms in to one particular coordinate that looks like all the others across this world. "It's an oxygen-bottling factory, one of many owned by BreatheDeep which, our intelligence reports, has a hefty Eff-Oh contract that started at the beginning of last year. They're bottling oxygen for TIE suites, at least that was the last we heard."

The image changes to show a straight-from-above shot of the factory. Small perimeter with basic cheap fencing, rail lines running into it, several large gates, and a large landing pad some distance away form the main building.

"Part of the contract stipulates that all this happens under Eff-Oh military command, so there's likely to be some troopers working the site. Not their crack troopers, natch, but troopers none the less."

She continues. "The main levels and above are almost all administrative and R&D. Production happens a couple hundred feet underground, since oxygen is wicked flamable. So the goal here is to put this factory out of commission, see if we can't tighten some of the Eff-Oh's TIE use in this sector." She now moves those bright greens back and forth between Dy and Nova. "So ... how do we wanna do that?"

[Dyannah Nerus] The brightest things about Dyannah's appearance are her face and hair illuminated by the light from the holoimage of the factory. She hovers over the image a moment, eyes narrowed as she examines the perimeter and the number of personnel outside the factory. "First thing to come to mind would be posing as some sort of subcontractor, second, posing as temporary hires. Those are the low key approach ideas. Otherwise, a diversion of some sort while we go in the back way."

[PASS ( +79)] Nova Korell's Knowledge: Tactics @ (100) diff. [FAIL ( -65)] Dyannah Nerus's Knowledge: Tactics @ (100) diff.

[Rip Recker] "If it's a distraction you ladies want, I'm your man. Explosives are a passion of mine." Rip says, stepping into view after being shrouded back for a bit. He's tall and heavily armored in black and grey plastoid that's confined beneath a larger long coat. His weapon, and the extent of his explosives, are not plain to see. He's not wearing a helmet for now, his hair long and dark, and his beard thick. Rip Recker is handsome, gruff, and oddly still for a man who sounds as old as he does.

[Nova Korell] Nova, awoken from a nap for the briefing, is both yawning and trying to pull on her choice in sneaky attire as she watches and listens. This isn't proving easy, since she's still clearing sleep from her eyes and can't quite tell if she's holding the undersuit to her armor inside-out. She brushes at them, frowning at the map. "Good idea, Dya. We could get in in plain clothes, and work from there. Nothing's more boring than guard duty, so I doubt these troops will be too alert. And as explosive as oxygen is under pressure, we could probably figure out some way to take advantage of that, and save on explosives. Wouldn't be hard to set off a nasty chain reaction." She smiles wryly. "Obviously, we'll want to be out and long gone before that happens. But for getting in quietly, I'd suggest the side gate, here. Not many troopers, and we can handle the surveillance with the right fake IDs. It also means we can use it to get out quickly, if it comes to that." That said, she takes a better look at the undersuit, realizes it /is/ inside-out, and begins correcting that.

+Chance roll by Sapphira - (50/50) Fail! (45)

[Sapphira] Sapphira listens to the ladies, nodding along at what they're saying. "Okay-AH!" She jump-scares (not literally jumps) at the sudden appearance of Rip from the shadows. She squints, narrowing her eyes at him. "I forgot you were here..." she says slowly, staring at the man as if trying to puzzle something out. Her nose wrinkles in concentration, and she draws her lips into a tight pout. Think, Sapphira, think! At last, she slowly lowers a hand to point one slender finger in Rip's direction.

"....Rhett," she finally guesses. "I know you're one of the R-ones. I'm going with Rhett."

Satisfied with her guess, she turns back to business, using a remote control to zoom the holoprojector in to the gate Nova has designated. "We've got about seven hours from landing until the plant opens for business," the redhead reports. "So not a lot of time to make up or scare up some fake IDs. We could try to get lucky around the landing zone and pick off a worker or four, or one of us can try to sneak in close enough to gunk up the survaillence before the rest move in." She looks around the group. "Thoughts?"

[Dyannah Nerus] Dyannah gives Rip a nod acknowledging him before returning her stare to the holoimage. She mutters, "I hope he gives a damn, frankly." Eyes still on their objective, "Probably gunking up surveillance. We /could/ badge through if they are not paying attention but how high are the odds of that?"

[Rip Recker] "Well, if we're not making a boom beforehand. Just tell me where you want me. I can shoot, and can wait, and.. I can sit pretty too." The last point is delivered with an extended index finger and accompanied with a charming smile. Rip seemed amused, and not as serious as the others. He nods back at Dyannah, and doesn't correct Sap about his name.

[Nova Korell] "The facility is very rear-line," Nova observes, nodding casually to Rip. "Still, even low-grade FO troops can turn into a serious problem; we'd be outnumbered more than eight to one even on a skeleton shift. We want to keep them out of the loop if at all possible." She takes a second look at the map. "We might have a chance if we can get hold of some worker uniforms and IDs. Have to switch the images, though. If we have to just sneak in, best we go over or through the fences, or slip in with the freighter traffic at the LZ. The place is congested and busy enough we might be missed."

[PASS ( +79)] Rip Recker's Pilot @ (120) diff.

[Sapphira] Sapphira gives Rhett a thumbs-up. He's Rhett now. This will be the name she remembers, surely. "I like the freighter traffic," Sapphira says after another few seconds of quiet contemplation. "Rhett, can you land us as close to the LZ as possible without garnering any attention? There's some abandoned industrial park a few blocks over from it, that should do."

Sapphira doesn't know it yet, but Rhett the Beard will do a stellar job of landing the Backstitch. She zips her shadowsuit up to he rneck and pulls on her black cap. "Alright. So we're over a fence, sneaking aboard some of the speeder-trucks or trains moving into the facility. Once we're in, I'll break off from the main group and find the security office. You guys get Rhett over there down into the lowest levels, where the oxygen is being bottled and stored. Set up some fireworks, and by the time you're topside again I'll have fudged up some sort of exit plan. Sound good?"

Hope so, because here they go! Rhett lands the group perfectly in the abandoned industrial park, and in the dark of midnight they're able to move quickly and quietly to the perimeter of the LZ.

First step is getting over, around, under, or through that fence. Without getting noticed. Even from a distance, no doubt they can all see the occasional swinging of a tac-light beam troopers patrol the darker areas around the main loading and unloading cargo area, which is lit by bright flood lights.

[PASS ( +73)] Sapphira's Move Silently @ (120) diff.

[PASS ( +62)] Dyannah Nerus's Hide @ (120) diff.

[PASS ( +61)] Nova Korell's Move Silently @ (110) diff.

[PASS ( +16)] Rip Recker's Hide @ (120) diff.

[FAIL ( -1)] Rip Recker's Escape Artist @ (100) diff.

[PASS ( +52)] Dyannah Nerus's Escape Artist @ (100) diff.

[Dyannah Nerus] That bright pink face needs a cover, Dyannah stuffs the stocking mask into her pocket while she sorts through the tools she is going to be taking to the fence and through it. The wire cutters are specially made spring loaded to be small but as powerful at a one meter handle would be. She fills the sleeveless vest over her black swoop suit, pats her pockets and heads out the ramp to wait for the others. Crouching down, she watches the distant movement of the guards, black shadows against the widely spaced lights running the perimeter.

[Rip Recker] Rip has wire cutters. Now, Rip had wire cutters. They broke on the wiring and he growls. "Who the rekk uses bronzium wiring on a goddamn fence?" He tucks the broken tool back into his jacket and turns to look back from his hiding spot, defeated. Sad beard. He rests himself against cover and waits until the fence is cut before going through!

[Nova Korell] Adjusting the tint on her visor, Nova steps down the ramp to join Dyannah, making sure her carbine is ready to go. <Testing, testing... can everybody hear me?> she wonders, checking the comlinks. <Good choice, Dya. Beats trying to climb that fence, for sure.>

[PASS ( +20)] Sapphira's Climb @ (120) diff.

[PASS ( +24)] Sapphira's Acrobatics @ (120) diff.

[PASS ( +12)] Sapphira's Spot @ (120) diff.

[Sapphira] Just as Nova gives her very wise observation of Dy's activities, here comes Sapphira. Leeeeerrroooooyyyyyy Jennnnnkiiiiinnnnnnnnns. She hits the fence at a run, putting her tiny little slipper-clad foot perfectly through the hole. Climb. Climb. Climb. Quick and breathless, but then she's dropping over to the other side, landing in a crouch that even she seems surprised that she managed. She stands tall then, taking a half-step backward as if it might make the difference between being visible and not so visible. The position has the simultaneous role of blocking Dy's activities from any pesky eyes that might be looking their way from the LZ.

There are none because it's night shift and nobody over there gives a fuck.

<<There's a truck they're loading on the eastern side. It's far enough away from the main lights that we might be able to get in.>>

[Dyannah Nerus] They are through. Dyannah itches her cheek looking head at the railroad cars that are stopped in the middle of their tracks. <"Well. Feet get moving."> she says over coms. "We'll wait for the high sign from you Sapphira. We'll be outside the back entrance doors so Rip can let those demolitions rip."

[PASS ( +27)] Rip Recker's Demolitions @ (100) diff.

[FAIL ( -1)] Rip Recker's Run @ (85) diff.

+Chance roll by Sapphira - (50/50) Success! (56)

[FAIL ( -3)] Nova Korell's Run @ (120) diff.

[FAIL ( -59)] Dyannah Nerus's Run @ (120) diff.

+Chance roll by Sapphira - (50/50) Fail! (11)

+Chance roll by Sapphira - (50/50) Success! (77)

[PASS ( +55)] Sapphira's Run @ (120) diff.

[PASS ( +59)] Nova Korell's Move Silently @ (120) diff.

[Rip Recker] Rip moves after Dyannah, attempting to be tactical but coming up short. Instead of staying near her, he disappears a second later, falling hard into a ditch where he grunts and lays there. <<"I found the ditch. This affords great cover. Also; ow.. my knee.">> Crawling along the ditch, Rip adjusts his explosive rig to keep it from prematurely triggering and killing them all.

[Nova Korell] After a quick crawl under the fence, Nova comes to her feet and dashes for the speeder truck Sapph just mentioned. Trouble is, the ground isn't even over here, and there's castoff junk all over; by the looks of the place, no one much cares if it's cluttered. She catches her toe on a large, fairly heavy piece of metal that once help up an long-gone awning and goes sprawling. The fall knocks the breath out of her, and she freezes on the ground, going silent. Her gasping can be heard over the comlink.

You summon a Stormtrooper Private and it appears in the room with you!

[FAIL ( -16)] Rip Recker's Hide @ (100) diff.

Rip Recker slides his Modified DL-44 - 14383 out of its holster, bringing the weapon to bear.

[PASS ( +76)] Sapphira's Spot @ (120) diff.

[FAIL ( -31)] Dyannah Nerus's Hide @ (120) diff.

[PASS ( +37)] Dyannah Nerus's Hide @ (100) diff.

[FAIL ( -15)] Rip Recker's Hide @ (120) diff.

[Sapphira] <<Alright guys,>> Sapphira somehow missed the ditch, and she's now currently pressed up against one of the freight transports that's being unloaded into that target eastmost freight speeder. She peers around the corner, eyes sweeping the situation. <<We've got two guys loading up the transport speeder, and a third sitting in the passanger seat of the speeder. If we're quick, we can get in before the next guard rounds over here ... guys?>> It's only then that Sapphira realizes she's alone. She turns around to peer into the darkness from wence she came.

What she sees is a single Stormtrooper on patrol. However, he's turned from his accepted route and is walking along the dark, tac-flashlight on the end of his blaster shining on the ground in front of him as he tries to make his way. He must've heard or seen something over here. Something...

A few more steps will bring him right up to the ditch and right onto Dy and Rip. Whatever will our heroes do?!

Nova Korell draws her Combat Knife - 18728. Dyannah Nerus slides hers Caelli-Merced Series III out of its holster, bringing the weapon to bear.

[PASS ( +17)] Dyannah Nerus's Charm: Seduce @ (120) diff.

[Dyannah Nerus] If they live through this mission they will be known as the 'All Thumbs Gang' as they fumble their way forward, tripping, stumbling and still, somehow, get to the next obstacle a trooper seated athwart a speeder.

"Goddess of compassion and mercy," Dyannah mumbles to herself dusting her knees off that will be sporting some bruises.

Over com, <Do you see him Nova, Rip? I'm no good at hand to hand. If I stun him it will light the night up. What can you two do?"

[PASS ( +60)] Rip Recker's Bluff @ (100) diff.

[Rip Recker] "HEY!.. YEAH.. YOU.. TROOPER! SHINE THAT LIGHT OVER HERE.. We had a part bounce off that speeder. Goddamn thing costs twenty-five kay to replace. I can't see nothing over here.. help a guy out, yeah?" Calls the crazy demolitions Corellian who stands up in the ditch moving like he's trying to find something. "Hurry up, kid! I ain't got all night."

[FAIL ( -39)] NPC: Stormtrooper Private (19443)'s 14 @ (100) diff.

[PASS ( +4)] Nova Korell's Move Silently @ (100) diff.

[»ATTACK« ( +22)] Nova Korell's Sport Knife hits NPC: Stormtrooper Private (19443). <30 WP/30 SP> (116 Difficulty)

+Chance roll by Sapphira - (50/50) Success! (65)

[Nova Korell] Nova almost hates to do it: She might've been this poor soul not that long ago, and he does seem to want to help. But there's the mission to consider. Sliding her combat knife silently from its sheath, she creeps closer... She's on him from behind with a sudden lunge, her left arm tightening around his throat to choke off his air supply while her right thrusts the knife up and in through a weak seam in the breastplate. Blood runs down the blade, spilling over her gauntlet and the knife's hilt. She slowly lowers the corpse to the ground, wiping the knife and her gloved hand on the trooper's armor. <One down. We're clear for the moment.>

[PASS ( +75)] Sapphira's Move Silently @ (120) diff.

[PASS ( +2)] Sapphira's Hide @ (120) diff.

[FAIL ( -20)] Sapphira's Throw @ (120) diff.

[Sapphira] Indeed they are clear for the moment. While the trooper had approached Rip at the sound of the shouting, keen to help the man before he could see him, that spirit of comraderie and assistance was snuffed out as quickly as his life. Which isn't that quickly at all. Just because your lung is collapsed and filling with blood doesn't mean you're not feeling it. Every second of it. The man, on the ground once Nova lowers him there, seems to try to cough and sputter, to shout or say something. But he's drowning in his own blood, and as he tries to breathe it only fills up his helmet and dribbles out the bottom. The regurgitated blood gets sucked back in as he gasps, and he chokes on his own life essence right there in front of them. It takes about 30 seconds from start to finish.

<<Oh, there you are,>> Sapphira says over the comms once she hears Nova's voice. <<Well, they're almost done. Get over here. I'll distract them, you guys climb on board the freight speeder thing and hide.>> To that end, Sapphira picks up a broken bit of asphault from the ground and goes to hurl it to the opposide side of the loaders, to distract them to look that way. She throws it, but miscalculates. It bounces off the hull right in front of her and smacks her in the face in retaliation. <<Shit! My eye!>>

The action draws the attention of the loaders, who now come to investigate. But Sapphira is already moving quietly away to hide.

Either way, it cleared up their path to the freight speeder. It just means Sapphira's going to have a devil of a time getting on the thing herself.

[FAIL ( -31)] Rip Recker's Hide @ (120) diff.

[PASS ( +58)] Dyannah Nerus's Hide @ (120) diff.

[PASS ( +36)] Rip Recker's Profession:smuggler @ (120) diff.

[FAIL ( -7)] Nova Korell's Move Silently @ (120) diff.

[PASS ( +2)] Nova Korell's Climb @ (120) diff.

[Dyannah Nerus] The safe haven of the the speeder freight car (?) beckons and Dyannah is all for getting out of the open where she feels like she has a lit target on her back. Quietly, oh, so quietly, she pulls the side panel back and clambers in. Not her most graceful of moves but she is not performing here, she wants to be safe.

<Come on in, there is plenty of room for more.>

[Rip Recker] Rip watches the trooper die with a cold, expressionless look. "Sorry, kid." He takes the helmet off them and casts it into the field, then turns their light out before hoisting their F-11D up, tossing the sling over his shoulder so the weapon hangs against the lower portion of his back. An approving nod is afforded to Nova, but he has no words for her as they close the distance to this speeder.

Rip follows Dyannah in, and finding that he was incapable of hiding like the smaller operatives might have, he has to pull a large box over the top of him and sit pretty in the darkness. Dyannah might have heard his muffled sigh as he waits.

[Nova Korell] Nova follows... and kicks a loose piece of duracrete she hadn't seen in the dark. It clatters away across the lot. <Frell...> Rather than dwell on it, she ducks around to the cab, finds the inset service steps on the side, and clambers up on top of the cargo box, lying still. Hopefully they'll go true to form and not look /up/...

[FAIL ( -31)] Sapphira's Climb @ (120) diff.

[Sapphira]

It won't take too long for the workers to come back grumbling about "Where the hell is HG? Chasing this crap is his job."

RIP HG.

The last few crates are loaded. One, in particular, seems to give the men some difficulty. "Heavier'n my mother-in-law's ass, come help me." And with such ceremony, Rip makes his way on to the transport. The two men get in, seal up, and prepare to get underway.

But where oh where is Sapphira? She's nowhere to be seen ... at least, not until the last second, when she runs to the transport and tries to take a note out of Nova's book. She gets a foot planted on the back bumper of the transport ... just as the two men punch the accelorator. Nova will get a close-up look of Sapphira's bright greens going wide in shock and surprise as the transport literally yanks itself from under her grasp. She ends up sprawled on her ass on the asphault, left literally and figuratively in the dust. <<Right,>> she reports over her comms. <<I'll get working on that extraction.>>

The group will find the ride to the factory uneventful. The workmen park the transport along a line of others, and get out to go check in their inventory. The factory loading dock won't be unloaded until morning, and the group basically has the run of the place. They can emerge from their hidey-holes and make their next moves as soon as they are ready.

[FAIL ( -42)] Dyannah Nerus's Hide @ (120) diff.

+Chance roll by Sapphira - (50/50) Success! (80)

[FAIL ( -6)] Dyannah Nerus's Disable Device @ (120) diff.

[PASS ( +34)] Rip Recker's Demolitions @ (120) diff.

[PASS ( +77)] Rip Recker's Hide @ (120) diff.

[FAIL ( -10)] Nova Korell's Move Silently @ (120) diff.

+Chance roll by Sapphira - (50/50) Success! (72)

Rip Recker flicks the safety into place on his Modified DL-44 - 14383, sliding the weapon away.

Rip Recker centers his gravity as he brings his Sonn-Blas F-11D blaster rifle to bear, preparing to fire!!

[PASS ( +8)] Nova Korell's Disable Device @ (120) diff.

[Dyannah Nerus] There is not anyone in sight but that does not help Dyannah deal with the fact that the surveillance camera code is not responding to her hack to take it down. The camera's red eye sweeps the platform. Dyannah is tucked into as small a ball as she can, <"Okay, I think I have lock on how many times a minute it sweeps the platform. I'm not able to get it down. Want to try Nova?> A pose of some thirty seconds and the Zeltron's rolled R's are back on com, <"Rip, right. At my mark, you can run for the entrance."> Ten more seconds pass, <"Mark!">

[PASS ( +33)] Rip Recker's Run @ (105) diff.

[Rip Recker] Rip makes it inside at the mark and runs like a natural athlete through the hatch to get inside. He has to pause for a moment, looking over the place in silent aw before getting to work. He brushes the side of his coat wide and pulls up his satchel case FULL of Mk IV explosives with dual purpose high yield. He has shaped charges as well, but those were more for breaching than blowing drek up.

Explosives are set all along the oxygen rich injection tubes to create a maximum yield. When it was in place, Rip took a moment to sync the charges to his detonator and smirked. <<"Alright, beautifuls.. this will make a big goddamn boom. I'm ready when you lot are, yeah?">>

[Nova Korell] Nova does indeed notice Sapphira's attempt to get on board... and she does try to grab the redhead's hand as the vehicle takes off, but misses by millimeters, close enough that their fingers brush! <Sapph... are you all right? Do you copy?> Once inside, she has to forget her worries and focus on the job. Sapph will have to take care of herself; they've already pushed their luck to the breaking point tonight. She moves to take a look at that surveillance system... and within moments has it disabled. <It should just look like a holocamera malfunction. Probably common enough in places like this. But let's not stick around for the repair party!> She has to smile inwardly at the sound of explosives being set. <Ready to go here. We should be clear all the way to the door.>

[PASS ( +43)] Sapphira's Disguise @ (100) diff.

[PASS ( +47)] Sapphira's Move Silently @ (120) diff.

[Sapphira] Is Sapphira alright? She doens't answer for quite some time. In fact, while Rhett lays all the explosives, and while Nova and Dy see to the inner workings of the factory, Sapphira is MIA. Perhaps this is it. Perhaps she'll go down in history as a legend, still wandering the streets of Metalorn, sneaking into houses and stealing little trinkets to the great fear and joy of the next generation of the working poor.

But no, this is not the end. None of them know it, but just as Rhett and his beard are returning to the ladies, a figure steps out from one of the other parked freighter speeder transport thingies. At first blush, they're caught; it's a worker drone here, albiet a small one with clothes slightly too big. But then the be-hatted head lifts, and there is Sapphira's bright green eyes and obnoxious shit-eating grin. "C'mon," she informs the group. "I stole this transport here on the end. We're going out the eastern gate. Just tuck into the back and try not to make too much noise, yeah?"

[Dyannah Nerus] Hand over her heart, Dyannah snaps, "I'm going to be singing a Zeltron opera at the top of my lungs especially if you decide to ever scare me like that again." Checking for Rip's tall form in the shadows of the platform and the shorter slender Nova, she nods, climbs on the transport and tucks in. "I'm telling you Sap, no more scares," she hisses, then gets small and quiet.

[Rip Recker] Rip climbs into the back and slumps over. Chuckling, he holds the detonator in his hand, the red light blinking in the dark until he tucked it beneath his coat. He doesn't have much else to add. He thought the mission went pretty well, even if he couldn't hide worth a drek, or run, or do much else but prep bombs and make a Corellian mess of things.

[Nova Korell] The fear is eating at Nova the entire time. She's good at pushing it aside to focus on getting things done, that's all. But when that figure steps from the speeder, she's as surprised as anyone else. And when those green eyes come up and meet hers...

Nova rushes forward and wraps Sapphira up in a hug. "Thank the Maker you're all right," she whispers. "I thought we'd lost you." But there's still an exit to make. She clambers into the back, ducking behind a cargo case. "Everybody good to go?"

[PASS ( +21)] Sapphira's Drive @ (120) diff.

[Sapphira] Sapphira offers a low chuckle, returning the gesture warmly with Nova even as she grins at Dy. "Now that's something I'd like to hear, I think. Unless it's like one of those space angel songs, the kind that lure pilots to their deaths. In which case, save it." A clap on the shoulder for Rhett, and then Sapphira climbs into the pilot's seat of the transporter-speeder thing, and the group is off.

When they're safely away, Rip finally gets to live out his deepest desires for the day and PUSH THE BUTTON! There isn't a big explosion, but it's more like the ground beneath the factory burps. It bulges upward, cracking and straining against the asphault foundations and the thick stone walls, before settling down in a decline for a moment. Along the way, the factory itself is first hoisted upward, then dragged downward. It all collapses into a heap of smoldering rubble, collapsing down into the depths of the lower floors.

The destruction is both contained and absolute.

The mission is complete.