Chapter 35: Unhappy Surprise, Further Down
34 BBY (Before Battle of Yavin) - 2 Years before Canon
Sector/System: Bandomeer
Location: Bandomeer Planetside - Outside 'Meerian Ionite Ventures'
After getting the news about even more new prisoners, thanks to Lark his past, allowing it to happen at all.
But to say those on the ground are pleased, not so much.
Just outside of the mine, both Butch and Korar are watching as shuttle after shuttle arrives with small groups of captured Republic personnel.
While others flew back up with freed slaves for medical checkups, before being sent home on Bandomeer from Hensh, they were taken.
"I'm telling you that boy keeps getting worse and worse." Korar grumbled
"It could have been worse, no women involved to cloud his mind…right?" Butch said before looking at his heavily sighing fellow commander
"Tell that to that moron, taking their commanding officer, a woman, to the command ship!" Kurar said, barely able to keep from cursing up a storm
"... Of course he did…why am I not surprised, sigh." Butch sighed, hearing this.
"Alpha 2, send word to the Valitas to send the people with loose bunkbeds and any beds they can get from any of the captured ship's rooms. We are going to be needing a hell of a lot of cots." Butch commanded his team's second in command, who got to it right away
The rest of the Alpha team was seen escorting the first groups of new prisoners into the first level of the mine, where they would be split into two sides, men on one side, women on the other. With erected barriers as a divider from the captured pirate ships.
While Bravo had spread out in that level as guards, two on the ridge and two from Alpha near the tunnel leading to the command center, which also leads further down the mine.
Having handed over the duties to free the slaves from the cages on the second captured ship to the team of Rook, who two-man free the slaves while the others assist the freed slaves unable to walk onto the shuttles.
Along with all the activity of building fortifications just outside with multiple Deathwatch groups and Armed Meerian Militia who came up from 'Level 8' after the cleanup, and no one sane would try to escape.
[That fool never asked us or cared to discuss, just deciding on his own as if we are not even here.] Kurar growled to Butch over private coms
[...] Butch wisely stayed silent
[... these actions will get people killed someday, and it won't be him, I'm telling you now!] Kurar kept going
Butch wanted to say something, but noticed the twitching fingers going into his well-known Teräskäsi fighting style, also known as the Steelhand fighting style by those who are not Mandalorian. He decided to stay quiet or he would have to deal with that most likely.
[Oh! How I wish for the Heir to be back to deal with his stupidity, or the Chief for that matter, it would make what happened to you're boy Ordo look like child's play, because if I get my hands on him…] Kurar finished in a gleeful tone
[I'm sure either of them will, whoever gets to him first.] Butch answered him, deciding finally speaking would be best and not letting him finish his words. Because Butch knew Korar would do what he said, if he said nothing, he wouldn't act on it
[What to do… that fool used the last teams of Deathwatch we had in reserve, meaning we can't split off to try hitting other mines now, since both our teams need to guard the new arrivals… all because he had to get a woman… sigh, one of these days I will castrate him so he can think with his brain if he has any at all.] Kurar told Butch, sounding way too gleeful near the end
This, in turn, made Butch stay quiet again, having cold chills across his body, as if it were about him, he silently prayed to the ancestors that either the Heir or the Chief would get to Lark first; otherwise, he feared the worst-case scenario would happen.
[I wonder how the Heir is doing now?] Butch saying such, got Kurar to focus again.
[Around 'Level 15' most likely, if what the Meerians talk about is right. They killed everyone, and 'Level 9' had been blocked off, so doubt any would be left on the other levels down, and if there are, they will be dealt with soon enough.] Kurar told Butch in an honest reaction, finally back to the here and now
[Sigh, we will see, we will see…] Butch said after sighing in relief, watching Korar no longer focused on what he would do to Lark
[Korar… how about you do a solo mission? I take care of things here, while you gather information from that singular mine not hit by pirates? We need more information, and with Lark above, I doubt he will share much in some childish attempt to get back at us for beating him up in the name of training.] Butch questioned Korar after a short silence.
[... It will not be taken kindly by Jack or the Chief if I did… but the Chief is at home, and the heir is down in the mines… Just so that you know, things will not be pretty; I will do as I please, like in the old days. It will make Deathwatch pale in what they do since they mainly just shoot to kill or blow shit up.] Korar rubbed his hands and said
[I can only buy you enough time for maybe a day, stating you locked yourself up on the bridge of the captured pirate ship with the many Meerian slaves on board, ignoring everyone around.] Butch stated
[That is more than I expected, better be off then.] Korar said, walking away to do whatever
Butch looked at his back for a short moment before giving out orders again about getting the cots and beds from the captured ships.
— — — — —
Talking about Jack, while everything happened on the surface, he and his man were going further downhill, much faster than before.
[Room Clear!] 'Wolf 1' reported
[Room Clear!] 'Hound 1' reported soon after
[Good, last rooms on this blasted level taken care of. Good thing we got a map with all these criss-cross hallways and splits on this obnoxious level.] Jack said, looking at the map
[We managed to check the floor, everyone will resupply oxygen and recharge weapons in the resupply room, marked 'O2' with a small side room with a lightning bolt for energy supply, same thing as before.] Jack began speaking
[Hound, you stay guard our way forward while the rest of us resupply, then you resupply when we get back.] Jack ordered
[Copy that!] Hound answered, getting in position
[After that, we will continue down the 'Levels' in quick order till 'Level 20', from there we will resupply and continue or return to the surface depending on the situation. I asked the Meerians to keep us in the loop, in case we are needed on the surface to fight off any attacks. Now then, move out!] Jack informed his men, followed by the order to move.
After Hound got in place to cover any potential attacks from below, Wolf, the Jedi with Jack, Rin, and Sera, left to do a quick resupply run at the room in question, which is positioned every five to ten levels, depending on how big the levels are.
After a quick resupply, followed by Hound, Hound 3 reported that he received com chatter from the pirate's frequency that had been silent for the longest time.
[Sir, listen to this.] Hound 3 reported, putting what he received over the shared communication line
— — — — —
[Come in, anyone… Report, damit.] A man's tired-sounding voice was heard.
[We are stuck on 'Level 20', we locked ourselves in at the supply and oxygen room… whatever it was is here again…] The voice of the tired man was heard again
[Many lost, some lucky ones injured… these things are strong, fast… anyone left… Leave… the mines while you can.] The voice
[This is Jackal Gratua Gryphen, of Mandalor. I read you, explain what you can, then stay put, where you are, and you will walk out here alive.] Jack quickly answered the man
[Mandalorian? Hahaha! *cough* *cough* Greatest news I heard in forever, these beasts are like some sort of attack dog, tough skin, spikes on their backs and shoulders. Black as the darkest nights, piercing red bloodshot eyes, and one even has these orange eyes as if they are molten lava from Mustufar… I fear that is the leader, till now we thought only one was around… There are five in total… the orange-eyed and four red-eyed beasts…*coughing fit*] The man started explaining in a clear voice, trying to sound as clear as he could, ending in a large coughing fit that kept going for a while
[Understood, we have Jedi with us, they know the beast, we will be there soon, Mandalorians out.] Jack told him and closed the call, looking at the Red-skinned and White striped Jedi Master Shaak Ti.
"You heard it as well. more than one of those beasts, Kiddo, thanks for following us this far, I need you to get to the surface, we need heavy weapons, more explosives, Ion blasters won't cut it." Jack spoke to Modok, who, after hearing the pirate, started shaking
"Find Butch or Korar, commanders of Alpha and Bravo, tell them to prepare 'Full Extermination loudout' gear, then get it back to us… Do you understand?" Jack asked the boy kneeling in front of him
"... *gulp* Yes, sir, 'Full extermination gear' coming up as quickly as possible." Modok saluted Jack and started sprinting back the way they came from
"He disappeared off the radar, sir." Wolf 1 spoke up
"Hidden passages, Meerians are smarter than I expected, and not add them to any maps either… we will wait here for better gear. Get some shut eye, and eat some rations bars while you can, before we hunt, we need to be as rested as we can be." Jack told them, reentering the Oxygen room and pulling off his helmet to the surprise of all around, specifically the Jedi, besides Master Gallia, who had already seen Jack's face
Jack soon sat down, leaned against a wall, grabbed a ration bar from his belt, and started eating and drinking from a small canteen. All just before closing his eyes temporarily.
"Hound, take first watch, hack the door to the lower level, and shut it. Then, after the sand counter we received is empty, you reset it and call Wolf to replace you. At least one Jedi stays awake as well. The others rest while you can." Jack ordered.
Soon enough, everyone sat down to rest, and Hound 3 had closed the door to the next level with a simple hacking of the door terminal.
'And now we wait, hope the kido can quickly return with the gear… I fear we will need everything possible…' Jack thought before calming his breath and trying to get some light sleep
— — — — —
Modok had never run as hard as he did before, knowing the beasts were able to get out of the lower levels all the way to level 20 made him so scared that he ran as the wind.
'Full Extermination Gear!... Full Extermination Gear!... Full Extermination Gear!' Modok repeated the name of the gear requested out of fear of forgetting
Level 14… Level 13… Level 12, soon one level after the other, he passed, but he never stopped to rest, no matter how many Meerians tried to stop him to ask what was wrong.
Only one man along the way heard Modok mumbling and reported on it right away.
[This is Bordus, Level 12. Modok is rushing to the surface, something about Full Extermination Gear, I have no idea what that means. But was he not with the Mandalorians?] Bordus sends back through communication he had with the command room
[Understood, we will inform those at the surface, keep your eyes open, and do not go lower than Level 12 for now.] The old voice of the Meerian in the Level 1 command room was heard through his ear.
In the meantime, Modok kept running and running, Level 10… Level 9… Level 8
Modok ran and ran out of breath, but was not willing to stop.
After a few hours of rushing through zigzag routes of hidden passages only known to Meerians, Modak finally rushed through a hidden entrance into Level 1, barreling into a Mandalorian standing guard near the tunnel to the command room.
"Full Extermination Gear Requested to Level 15 STAT!..." Modak yelled out, soon passing out from exhaustion
"You heard the brat, seems he did not know we already got the news." Butch stated, having multiple crates being carried by the Meerian Militia
"Bring the kid to the command room for rest; he earned it. Send all this to the Heir on Level 15, and do not waste time, this is you're people's only chance to get rid of what is further down." Butch stated watching the Meerians show grim faces, some even pale
"No worries, they will get it, or we will never return." the leading Meerian man stated, thumping his fist against his chest
Watching them disappear out of sight made Butch's fingers itch.
'That is enough firepower and explosives to blow up a cruiser… what in Mandalore's name needs so much?' Butch wondered, walking back outside to manage the building of fortifications and to hope and wait for Korar's return.