The Adventures of Epsilon Squad

[Scorch8015]

Rune, I hope that you'll think I do as great a job with the next chapter, and hopefully, I'll be able to update soon since I start spring break Friday. That's going to be awesome even if it isn't spring yet...

Ky'ram, I could see about doing Ky'ram's perspective on things next chapter, lol, and I am glad that you thought the chapter was good, and I hope that you'll enjoy the next installment:)

[Vlet Hansen]

good episode, good episode...

[Scorch8015]

As always, thanks so much for reading and reviewing. I'm glad you thought it was so good, and hopefully you'll enjoy the next installment as much.

[Scorch8015]

Author’s Note:  This chapter is written from Ky’ram’s perspective, so hopefully nobody gets too confused by that.

Puzzles

“I can tell you that the agents at Republic Intelligence certainly don’t deserve a raise for the job that they have done for us this time around,” commented Rune. We were all lying on the stone floor of a cave on the largely uninhabited world of Corintha. Corintha was a planet of little importance on a galactic scale, or so all our searches on the Holonet had revealed, and the Republic would probably not have taken any interest in it if it weren’t for the fact that it had one city that contained a factory that wad churning out legions upon legions of battle droids for the Separatists. That was why we were here: it was my squad’s mission to infiltrate the factory and destroy the equipment that produced the droids. Then, we were supposed to escape the factory and return to the transport we had hidden in the cave.

As far as I was concerned, it wasn’t the worst first mission that the squad could have been landed with by any stretch of the imagination. However, it would have been nice if Republic Intelligence could have provided us with schematics of the factory.  Of course, as Tracer, our squad cynic, would say if he could hear my thoughts, very little was nice about the life of a clone…

“Tell me about it,” I answered Rune dryly. “I think whatever Republic Intelligence Agents get paid now, it is too much.”

“It would help if they had been able to provide us with the schematics, especially given that they want us to be done with this mission in less than two days from now,” said Sextus, and I started, not only because it was rare for him to express an opinion at all, but because it was even odder for him to make a statement that in any manner could be perceived as a criticism of those in authority. “It’s hard for us to complete our mission quickly if they don’t provide us with the data that we need. It’s difficult for us to do our job when they don’t do theirs.”

As most of his analyses were, Sextus’s assessment of the situation was correct. In an army, everyone relied on each other, and if one person slacked off, then everybody else had to work double or triple duty to compensate for the lazy deadweight. In an army, if one person fell down, he was likely to send a row of people tumbling down with him. In an army, mistakes rippled rapidly through the ranks.

I didn’t want to think that the sloppiness of Republic Intelligence Agents might result in the deaths of my squad, and I didn’t want to think that either. Promising myself that I would find a way to ensure my squad’s survival despite the incompetence of the Republic Intelligence Agents, who clearly hadn’t been trained since birth to be perfect at their jobs as we had, I reminded them all, “The reason we were created is so that the Republic would have elite soldiers they could trust to perform complicated missions like this.”

“No, Sarge.” I could tell by the way that Tracer shook his head that he was feeling his most downbeat at the moment. “We were created because the citizens of the Republic didn’t feel like dying in their own war.”

“Nobody’s going to be doing any dying tomorrow,” I countered. “That’s an order, mind you.”

“Well, if it’s an order, we have to obey.” Over the helmet comm, I could hear the wryness in Tracer’s voice that had replaced the bitterness that had dominated it before, and I suspected that his smirk had eased slightly.

Silence fell over our comms for awhile, and then Tracer announced, “I was able to hack into the factory’s computer and download copies of the schematics.”

“You can do all that from your helmet comm?” I asked, feeling my eyes widening with astonishment. Even though I should have learned that nothing was impossible with tech when I was dealing with Tracer, it was still hard not to be surprised by the feats he could perform in a minute that most sentients couldn’t figure out how to do in hours.

“Yeah,” replied Tracer, and I could hear the satisfaction lacing his tone, as he sent copies of the schematics to all our helmet screens. “Once you get past the triple helix firewalls, it’s pretty simple.”

“By simple, I trust that you mean ‘so challenging to comprehend that beings could have their minds explode when it is explained to them,’” chuckled Rune. “Really, Tracer, one day we are going to wake up to discover that you have rebuilt all our comlinks into cargo loaders or something.”

“Hush, Rune,” Sextus cut in impatiently. “We have an infiltration to plan, in case you’ve forgotten.”

“The difficulty looks like it will be getting into the factory,” I began, frowning at the screen of the layout of the building. “There is an ion fence surrounding it for starters.”

“If Tracer can find a way to disable the charge temporarily, then I can cut a hole through it, and we can enter the premises without attracting too much attention,” suggested Sextus.

As I nodded my approval, Rune added happily, “Especially if the patrolling droids are the scrapnel waiting to happen kind that can only roam around saying ‘roger, roger’ as we lob their heads off.”

“Those droids exist just so we can shoot them and feel superior,” Tracer snickered.

“Yes, I am sure that somewhere inside their empty skulls they know all about our psychological issues and want to do all they can to help us recover from them, which is why they want us to destroy as many of them as possible.” I allowed myself a brief smile, and then I continued, “Now, to return to the matter at hand, which is, of course, how we can go about obliging them by wiping out a whole factory of them, once we get past the fence, there’s still the problem of breaking into the factory itself.”

“The factory has no windows, so hoping through one of them is not a possibility,” remarked Tracer.

“I could blast through the doors,” proposed Rune, sounding as delighted as ever by the prospect of reducing architecture to rubble.

“No, Rune.” I shook my head. “We need your ordnance to blow up the equipment when we get inside. You’ll have to wait until then to get your explosive fix, ner vod.”

“Pity,” Rune sighed. “I hate delayed gratification.”

“I’m sure some of the chemicals on the equipment will make pretty colors as they explode,” I told him.

“True.”  I could see Rune’s beam in my mind’s eye. “I wouldn’t want to miss that fireworks display just to knock down some silly door.”

“That’s settled, then,” I said. “We can’t use Rune’s ordnance until we have entered the factory and need to destroy the equipment.”

“Sadly, that still leaves us with the minor problem of entering the factory,” observed Tracer.

“Not for long,” Sextus responded. “I think I might have come up with a plan for that, too. The factory has a smokestack from which it releases fumes produced when the droids are manufactured. Maybe we can use that smoke stack as our point of entry.”

“How?” I pressed, arching an eyebrow, even though I knew he couldn’t see it under my helmet.

“We can use our rappel lines to climb down it, just as we can use our rappel lines to scale the walls up to the roof,” explained Sextus.

“You do know, Sextus, that the fumes flowing up the smokestack are toxic, don’t you?” demanded Tracer.

“Our helmets and armor are supposed to filter out toxins like that,” I reminded him. “It’s the best idea we have, so we’ll have to go through with it.”

“I guess we’ll be finding out if the companies that fulfilled the armor contract for the GAR are as full of osik as Republic Intelligence is,” muttered Tracer.

“It’s a good thing that my helmet blocks out extremely strong light, or else I might be blinded by the brightness that always emerges from your lips,” Rune commented.

“Let’s not worry about the quality of our armor now, Tracer, since it’s something that we can’t control,” I agreed. “Let’s focus on planning a way out of the factory.”

“I’ve already come up with a solution for that problem,” announced Tracer. “On the floor of the main factory, there are drains. We can tear off the tops of them and slip inside before Rune’s explosives go bang if we hurry. The drains lead straight to a river about a kilometer away from our little cave where the factory likes to dump the liquid toxins and chemicals from their manufacturing. It will be easy enough to follow the drains to the river, and then to hike back here. In fact, I’d suggest using the drains to infiltrate the factory, but since they are barely big enough for us to slither through with our packs on, there is no way that Rune can fit through with the ordnance that we need.”

“We’ll escape through the drains, then.” I nodded. “Is everyone clear on the plan?”

“Yes, Sarge,” the other three chorused in unison, and, suddenly, I was flooded with affection for these men. I knew that every one of them had their own special talents, and that it was my job to deploy their skills to our best advantage. I knew that they would follow my orders even if they disagreed, and I knew that I would do anything in my power to keep every one of them alive. For better or for worse, that was what it meant to be a sergeant .

“Try to get some sleep before our big night,” I told them all now. “I’ll take the first watch, and wake Sextus up when it’s his turn.”

[Ky'ram Parjai'Kote]

I love it...

42 out of 10...

You nailed Ky'ram...

[Scorch8015]

As always, a big thanks for reading and reviewing, Ky'ram, and I'm glad that you think I did a good job keeping Ky'ram in character when he was the one doing the narrating, since that can be harder to do:) Anyway, thanks again for reading and reviewing. I really appreciate it and look forward to hearing from you again in the future.

[Rune]

Another great job vod'ika. Poking fun at Tracer is just as amusing as ever.
I say run with this story, I want to hear how it turns out. Oh, another thing, what if you switched personalities each one? Then we could get some Sextus and Rune POV, as well as some more of Ky'ram and Tracer.

[Scorch8015]

Thanks again for reading and reviewing, ner vod. I'm glad that you thought I did a good job with this, and that you had a laugh at Tracer's expense I could continue with this story next chapter, and then maybe move onto another episode in their life, although that would mean that you guys would have to put up with my pathetic attempts at writing action sequences, lol, but if you are brave enough to read them, I'll be brave enough to write them. I think that switching perspectives every chapter could be cool. Maybe I'll try doing Rune next, and then Sextus. Anyway, hopefully you'll like the next chapter as much, and thanks again for reading and reviewing. I really appreciate it and look forward to hearing from you again in the future...

[Vlet Hansen]

nice job, I think you've really done a good job of developing the squad's personalities...

[Scorch8015]

As always, thanks very much for reading and reviewing, Vlet, and I'm really glad to hear that you think I did a nice job with this chapter, and, since I'm having quite a bit of fun writing about these characters, it's great to hear that you think I am doing well portraying them. Anyway, thanks again for reading and reviewing. I really appreciate it and look forward to hearing from you again in the future.

[Scorch8015]

Author’s Note: This time we get to see things from Sextus’ perspective, so try to contain your delight, and sorry in advance if my action sequence isn’t too great…

Infiltration

It was exactly midnight by standard Corinthian time, and I was standing outside the ion fence surrounding the factory my squad was meant to infiltrate. As I stood there, keeping the noise of my breathing as low as possible even though I knew that my helmet filtered out such sounds, I was very conscious of the fact that Ky’ram and Rune were hiding in a ditch to my rear, and that a droid patrol was scheduled to sweep the area in precisely two minutes.

“Tracer,” I hissed to the squad technician, who was pulling and cutting various wires in the box that controlled the ion charges in the fence. “Hurry up.”

“I’ve only got two hands,” grunted Tracer, twisting a wire. “I can’t go any faster than I am, and if you keep bugging me, I’ll cut a wrong wire, and then we’ll both be electrocuted.”

“If you don’t hurry, we’ll be shot in exactly a minute and a half when the droid patrol marches by,” I informed him tersely.

“Don’t blow a major blood vessel,” snorted Tracer, stepping back from the fence. “I’ve killed the charge, so you can put your durasteel knife to the fence without having a very shocking experience if you get my drift.”

Rolling my eyes at Tracer’s particular, stupid brand of humor that was as grating as Rune’s without having any of its morale-boosting benefits, I whipped out my knife and began cutting through the fence, trying to be both swift and silent at the same time.

When we had only thirty seconds before the droids came by, I finally finished slicing a hole through the fence. Motioning to the rest of the squad, I crawled through it with Tracer on my heels. As we hid ourselves against the wall of the factory, Ky’ram and Rune slipped through the hole in the fence and raced over to join us. They had just settled in beside us when the clattering sound of marching battle droids reached our ears, and, an instant later, a squad of droids came around the corner, their heads rotating from side to side as they searched the area for threats.

They made such easy targets, but I couldn’t switch into my sniper role right now, unfortunately, I thought as the droids marched by our hiding spot, the leader calling out in a tinny tone, “Perimeter patrol reporting in. Perimeter secure.”

“Droids must have a very different definition of ‘secure’ than us,” remarked Rune lightly. “I for one wouldn’t call for elite soldiers sent to destroy everything in a factory a sign that the perimeter is secure.”

“They only think that the perimeter is secure because they haven’t seen us yet,” Ky’ram explained absently, as he decided that the droids were far enough away that it was safe enough to emerge from hiding, and we followed him as he moved along the wall to the part of the building where the belching smokestacks stood.

“I figured that out for myself oddly enough,” Rune answered. “Honestly, Ky’ram, you’re not the only one around here who can think, you know.”

“Prove that you can think by being quiet, then,” Ky’ram said. “The more you talk, the more chance that we will be noticed.”

“How?” That was from Tracer. For once, he had decided to support Rune. “We’re on a secure link, and nobody can hear anything outside our helmets.”

“Don’t push our luck,” Ky’ram responded, as we reached the smokestacks. After that, we were too busy pulling out our rappel lines and scaling the wall to talk, and I was glad for that. Dealing with the constant banter and chatter produced by Rune and Tracer would drive me insane long before the war with the Separatists ever could.

When we finally reached the top of the roof, we pulled our rappel lines up after us and then extended them down the smokestacks. As we prepared to climb down the smokestacks, with Ky’ram and Rune going down the one on the right, and Tracer and I going down the one of the left, Tracer commented, “Wonderful. Now we get to see if the Republic’s kit is more effective than its information, not that that requires much.”

Listening to him as I began to scale my way down the side of the smokestack, trying to tell myself that it was impossible to smell the toxic emissions drifting past me as I went down, I cursed the fate that had led me to be beside Tracer again.

“Well, I can still breathe properly,” Tracer announced from slightly behind me as we groped down the smokestack, and I hoped that we didn’t make enough noise to declare our presence yet. “That’s nice.”

“If you stop talking, I won’t assume you’re dead, I promise,” I muttered, and, for once, Tracer took the hint and closed his mouth for the remainder of our journey down the smokestack.

“Rune and I have reached the bottom of our smokestack.” Ky’ram’s voice flooded the comm channel.

“So have Tracer and I, sir,” I answered.

“Excellent,” Ky’ram said. “We’ll be throwing a surprise party for the Sep droids in three, two, one, go!”

At Ky’ram’s order, we leapt out of our smokestacks. Ky’ram, Tracer, and I had out our guns to cover Rune as he laid explosives. As the droids running the assembly lines made frantic calls to the droids on patrol duty, the three of us shot them. It was too late, though, for the message had already been delivered, and as Tracer bent over to open the drains on the factory floor for our escape, droids poured into the factory.

“Hurry up,” I told Rune through gritted teeth.

“Stop acting like you are the explosive,” replied Rune, as Ky’ram and I opened fire on the line of droids.

As the two droids we were aiming at clanged to the ground, Rune looked up from the explosives he had rigged and said, “Mission accomplished. We have two minutes to bang out of the factory before it goes bang.”

“Better hurry then,” Ky’ram concluded, shoving Tracer and Rune down the drain, and gesturing for me to follow them. Obediently, I crawled down the drain as fast as I could, and as I began to move along behind Tracer and Rune, I heard Ky’ram hopping down the drain after me and shutting the drain after him. As we hurried away from the factory as fast as we could when we could only slither, I thought that this was what it meant to be a Republic commando: always on the move with your squad as adrenaline pounded in your ears.

[Rune]

You're too self-depreciating vod'ika, your action sequences are very nice! Some great writing here, but don't be afraid to give the characters that were suggested to you by Ky'ram and I some downsides too.

Keep up the good work!

[Scorch8015]

As always, thanks so much for reading and reviewing, Run'ika, and I'm glad that you thought that the action sequence was good. I'll try to give you two some more flaws sometime soon, lol, and thanks again for reading and reviewing. I really appreciate it and look forward to hearing from you again in the future.

[Rune]

If it helps, I tend to base my characters off of myself or people I know well, Rune being myself. I tend to talk when I'm nervous and not know when to shut up.

[Ky'ram Parjai'Kote]

Yeah, flaws + Ky'ram = stubbornness, occasional ignorance, and occasional cynicism

Should help...

[Vlet Hansen]

good chapter, don't worry if the action isn't the best ever written, the story managed to do as well as ever...

[Rune]

Seconded.

[Scorch8015]

Rune, it sounds like a good idea to base characters off people you know, because it probably makes them more real in your mind, and when something is more real in your mind, you can make it seem more real when you write about it. Maybe next chapter we'll get to see some of Run's nervous chatter, lol. I'm glad that you think the story still managed to do well even if the action wasn't the best ever written:)

Ky'ram, yeah, that does help, thanks. Maybe I'll try to show some of those during the next chapter.

Vlet, I'm glad that you thought it was a good chapter even if the action scene wasn't the greatest ever:) Hppefully, I'll improve as I write more of them...

Everyone, thanks very much for reading and reviewing, as always. I really appreciate it and look forward to hearing from you again in the future.

[Jotunn]

Darn, Scorch, this is way good. I only wish my stuff was as immersive and richly detailed as this!

[Scorch8015]

Jotuun, thanks so much for reading and reviewing. I'm really glad that you think this is so good, and that you found it so immersive and richly detailed, although I don't think that my work is better than yours, because I really like your story so far Thanks again for reading and reviewing. I really appreciate it and look forward to hearing from you again in the future.