Sestooine Rage

"About ten kilometers to the east. I have a speeder out front we can take" Farlak'd gotten up from 'is chair, Kazaar figuring he wanted t'go with 'em. Fat frackin' chance.

"You stay here." It was gettin' kinda tough t'keep the Mandy accent up. With so many frackin' Imp geniuses 'round Kazaar didn't want t'take the risk of exposing either himself or De'Ville t'more questions than they actually had t'answer. He was starting to figure with all th'hell breaking loose th'Empire's finest might not actually ask the fracking questions. Still...not o'risk he wanted t'take. "We'll check it out."

He strode from th'office, Lady right on his heels. Kazaar'd already pulled th'EE-3 carbine rifle he called 'Evey' offa its holster on his back. De'Ville also pulled the SG-4 she was using. No sense in waiting.

The two o'em burst outta the office and into th'humid weather. The stormies were just kinda standing 'round like they were waiting f'orders. Kazaar wanted t'rolls his eyes. Frackers shoulda been on th'move already.

"Let's move, stormtroopers." He ordered as he got into the speeder. Pretty nice one too...big 'nough for most o'the troopers t'get in. "I want two of you to stay back and protect this area. The rest with me."

One Imp (had t'be the commander o'the squad) took o'step forward. "Who are you to give us orders."

Kazaar sneered 'neath his helmet. "The hospital is under attack. There are peoples' lives at stake. Don't be a fracking hu'tuun...move your asses."

Guy looked like he was gonna challenge 'im but four of the stormies (probably th'ones who actually been born with o'brain) got in the speeder. Three more followed. At this point, Kazaar didn't give o'flying frack why they were doing just. Fact they were doin' it...

Kazaar pressed down on the accelerator before th'white-helmeted boss could protest any further. Wasn't like there weren't five others there to protect his ass anyway.

"What's the plan, sir?" One of the stormtroopers actually had o'Mando'an accent too. Must be o'leftover clone trooper from th'Clone Wars. Go figure.

"Secure the building first." De'Ville put in. "Subdue whatever patient is causing problems then make sure the doctors and others are safe."

Kazaar grunted an agreement and wished forra cigar. He then keyed his internal comm. "Gonna hafta ditch these stormies before we make our move. Don't want 'em blasting us in th'fracking back if we get into Imp HQ."

"Got any better ideas?"

"Not frackin' now. I sure as hell ain't in the mood t'track down the ones smart 'nough t'not get their shots. May hafta t'keep up appearances though."

Didn't bother saying unless whatever was going on at th'hospital was gonna spread. De'Ville was right...it sure as frack wasn't Plyridian Fever. So what th'frack was it?

He didn't get th'chance to answer his own question. By that time they'd reached th'hospital. All nine of them leaped outta the speeder and headed for the main entrance. It was unlocked so they burst in pretty quickly, stormtroopers in th'lead with Kazaar and De'Ville hot on their heels.

Crazy fracking thing 'bout it...the lobby was quiet. Had o'nurse standing there with a frackin' weird smile on her face. Seemed pretty foggy too...like she'd just woken up from o'nap.

"May I help you?" Her eyes were tinged with red. Could be o'hangover. Or high on some kinda spice.

"Where's Dr. Niktra."

"Oh...third floor I think. Shall I call him for you?"

Group wasn't 'bout to answer that frackin' question. "Go down on quarantine." The clone trooper ordered. "We don't want whatever is going on the third floor to spread."

They didn't bother waiting 'round for her reply as they raced up th'stairs at double time.

Third floor was o'mess. Blood was all over the walls, floors and door. Th'severed head of o'nurse lay on the main computer console, while th'rest of her body just sat in its chair. 'Nother nurse was down on th'floor, cut in th'neck. She was breathing pretty hard so one o'the stormtroopers (th'medic) got down next t'her.

"She's bleeding bad." He spread some bacta gel on 'er neck. "If we don't get her into a tank, she's not gonna mak-"

That's when all hell broke loose.

Th'prone nurse suddenly nailed th'Imps medic right in th'head. Knocked him back o'bit and knocked his helmet awry. That gave th'nurse 'nough time t'swing the scalpel in 'er right hand right at 'im. Caught th'guy right below th'chin, leaving o'mark but not killing 'im. Nurse looked like she was gonna go for th'Imp's throat but De'Ville shot 'er in then back.

Then it got real frackin' weird.

Nursey turned 'round into almost o'spider-like position and smiled. Her eyes were blood red and blood dripped outta 'er mouth. She started t'leap towards Kazaar and De'Ville but both o'em shot her in the face. She fell to the ground and didn't move.

'Course, 'bout that time the patients who'd "gone insane" burst through th'fracking walls and attacked.

One o'em ripped th'back of one stormtrooper's armor off an' buried their teeth into th'neck. Another swung both arms into an Imps' helmet, breaking th'guy's neck. O'third was shot three times in th'chest but still managed t'attach their mouth to o'stormie's hand. Kazaar dispatched it with another blaster shot in th'face. De'Ville kicked th'fourth in th'face, then used 'er flame projector t'roast it alive. Damn thing looked liked it frackin' liked it. Sure as hell didn't like De'Ville shooting it in its melted face. Didn't matter by then...fracker was dead.

'Course that's when six other patients (who 'parently decided t'go insane right after everyone else did) attacked...

"Heads up!" De'Ville shouted, aiming and shooting, placing the bolts in the bodies of two of the raging Tarkingradians, but barely slowed them down. The six remaining Stormtroopers fell into a defensive formation, backing up the Rebels.

Lilaena ticked the muzzle of her SG-4 up, tagging one of her previous targets in the forehead. The man dropped like a rock, twitching on the floor and causing the insane patients behind him to stumble. Kazaar and the Stormtroopers were making their own observations, and after a few tense moments there was nothing but smoke and the smell of blood still lingering in front of them.

Head shots were tricky, though, and many had gone just wide of their targets. De'Ville took a step forward and leaned over one of the patients they'd just put down. "What the frell is going on in this dar'yaim?" She peeled back the woman's eyelid with her suited hand, revealing a painfully bloodshot orb and cloudy iris.

The troopers were quickly taking stock of their situation and calling for back up, one of them wrapping a bandage around his bitten hand. De'Ville switched to the internal comm. "There may be more. But in this distraction it should be a lot easier to get to our destination."

"Yeah." Kazaar turned towards one o'the Imps. "We're going to go check out the rest of the hospital. The doctor may have said 3rd floor, but it's always possible there are more patients."

"Okay. Do you want back up?" Stormy was prob'ly hoping Kazaar'd give 'im a "no" an' that's exactly what 'e got.

"No point in splitting our forces up even more. Talk to your commander and get orders." Started headin' for th'door. "If you need us, call."

Both De'Ville an' Kazaar took th'hospital steps double-time. Only o'couple floors left before getting t'the roof and things remained pretty quiet at th'moment. Didn't seen anyone else on th'stairs. Imps must've just wanted th'hospital t'be used for patients of whatever plague they were suffering from t'be alone. 'Cept for th'staff of course. Poor damn bastards. Didn't know what th'frack was going on.

They burst outta o'small single sliding door and onto th'roof. Gave 'em a nice view o'Tarkingrad and th'wall surrounding it. Kazaar still couldn't help but notice how th'place seemed like o'fracking ghost town, not o'place of 'least 50-thousand. Fracking weird.

"Look at that." De'Ville pointed up towards th'sky. He stared up, then ordered 'is HUD to zoom in on where she was indicating. Sky looked like it was *shimmering* somehow.

"Ya gotta be frackin' me..." He swore as he stared at th'Force-damned shield the Imps put 'round Tarkingrad. Son of a...Kazaar let loose 'nother oath.

They were frackin' trapped inside th'city.

He scowled before reaching into his belt. The grapple gun he had was one o'the best pieces of equipment th'Alliance had ever given 'im. Saved his ass on more than one occasion too. Kazaar was 'bout ready to fire it towards th'wall (hopefully it had o'blind spot somewhere they could take advantage of) when th'hospital started shakin'. He was gonna swear again when there was o'*rumble* and part o'the building exploded.

Th'part the Imp stormtroopers just happened t'be inside.

Kazaar wasted no time firing th'gun towards the roof of o'smaller building 'cross the way, grabbed De'Ville by her arm (makin' sure she had tight grip on 'er SG-4) and hitting th'recall button.

Their bodies were pulled towards th'other building just as the hospital started collapsing.

What in the seven hells was going to happen next? De'Ville managed to bite back her cry of pain as Kazaar nearly wrenched her arm out of its socket, only vocalizing a mangled grunt as they fell through the air to the other, shorter, building.

They landed roughly, De'Ville rolling up into a crouch once Aurelias released her, and shaking her head as though to clear it. The hospital was collapsing down, and she could hear the patients screaming. Some sounded enraged, others terrified.

"New objective," she said calmly enough, turning her head to view her partner through the suit's HUD. "Find that shield generator and disable it."

"Ya think." Kazaar's response made it sound like De'Ville'd just asked 'im if he wanted o'couple drinks anna cigar. He was gettin' ready to look forra way into the building when 'is partner put a hand on 'is shoulder.

"Check this out." She was pointin' down towards th'rubble of the hospital.

It'd fallen into th'large wall the Empire'd built around Tarkingrad. From what Kazaar could tell, looked like the wall was hardly damaged. Fact...wasn't o'fracking scrape on it.

"Th'frack they do, coat th'damn thing in Beskar. That stuff's frackin' rare. Sons o'bitches ain't in th'mood f'anyone t'get out."

De'Ville gave a shrug. "Who knows." She then grabbed Kazaar pretty frackin' hard by the shoulder and pulled 'im to the ground.

"Th'frack Lady..."

"Shut up Kazaar." She hissed. "Look."

Buncha Imps just showed up. Probably th'rest of th'Imp bucket heads that'd been ordered t'check out Tarkingrad and its 'plague.' Kazaar got why De'Ville'd pulled 'im down. Both o'em were pretty sure they could take out whatever Imp forces were thrown at 'em. But ya combine the Imperials and whatever th'frack plague was running 'round...pretty frackin' smart move t'sit and watch. Creep away when ya can.

The Imperials sure as hell didn't look like they were gonna leave anytime soon. Musta been 'bout 15 of 'em, all standing 'round the remains o'the hospital like o'buncha mynocks lookin' forra power cable t'munch on. Frackers. They were spreadin' out, prob'ly looking t'see what survivors (if any) there were.

Kazaar couldn't hear what was bein' said and De'Ville gave no indication she knew either. Wasn't like ya could read th'lips of stormtroopers anyway. 'Bout that time, another speeder pulled up. An Imp commando got out, followed by three more.

"Looks like our fearless leaders 'ave arrived."

Th'black hats took control pretty frackin' quickly...telling th'stormies t'get their asses in gear an' start searching th'rubble. 'Least that what it seemed like t'De'Ville and Kazaar as they watch from afar.

Lasted 'bout five minutes, Imps were canvasing what was left from th'hospital 'bout as well as they could. Didn't find much: buncha bodies...few blasters...nothing which told 'em what th'frack'd happened.

De'Ville was 'bout ready t'rise, when this time Kazaar caught 'er arm and pointed. There was o'bloodied hand sticking outta the rubble. Looked like it was some kinda statue but then it moved. Frackin' moved. Whoever th'frack it was, they were still alive.

Imps started swarming then, trying t'save whoever it was buried. They sure as hell didn't know what'd happened few minutes before. Then they found 'nother moving creature. And 'nother. Six total, all placed on stretchers as they tried t'figure out what t'do with 'em.

Didn't get th'chance t'figure it out from there. One o'the rescued rolled off th'gurney and got on its hands and knees. An Imp commando got close to it, looked like it was gonna ask if th'guy was alright.

'Bout that time whoever th'frack it was (Kazaar was pretty sure it was o'patient) bit th'Imp in the face. Th'five others sprang into action too. They were movin' pretty fracking quick, wasn't like they were reanimated...naw...looked like they'd always been alive, just resting. Gatherin' their strength or somethin'. Who th'frack knew.

Kazaar wanted t'have pity on th'poor bastards. But they were Imps...they frackin' deserved it.

Then he saw what two o'the attackers were wearing...the pants o'a stormtrooper. Sure as hell looked like one guy'd taken a buncha damage to th'back too. The other one, Kazaar couldn't see but prob'ly woulda bet had had o'hand wound. Which meant whatever th'frack plague was affectin' Tarkingrad was spreadin'.

"Time t'go." He got up quickly an' started for th'roof's door. "Gotta be o'sewer system o'some kind 'round here."

Kazaar kicked down th'roof's door and led De'Ville down o'flight of stairs. They were in some kinda apartment complex seemed like. Which meant there were probably some o'the frackin' plague carriers 'round.

Which made Kazaar's mood even more foul.

She didn't like not taking point, but at this stage of the mission it wasn't worth arguing about. Kazaar would probably utter something profound, like "don't like frackin' females takin' charge when Ah should b'protect'n them." She settled in behind him as they moved down the stairs, her senses sharpened with the Force and her suit's sensors working at full capacity.

"We should look for a -" turbolift, she was about to say, but then the lights flickered and popped off. "Never mind. Imps are cutting their losses, looks like. Whatever this is, someone outside the wall's probably decided its getting out of control."

Kazaar grunted and paused at a landing, scanning up the adjoining passageway. Someone peered at him from a doorway, and quickly ducked back out of sight, calling, "Not sick, not sick!"

De'Ville headed down the stairs again, leaving Kazaar to follow her. "Everything inside the wall is either going to be left to conclude 'naturally'... or we're about to get slagged from an Impstar in orbit. I'm guessing the former, if this is an experiment, but -" She held up her fist to stop him, and carefully took the last few steps to the next landing. She sensed something...

Something angry.

Lilaena eased sideways into the hallway congruent to the landing, blaster rifle at the ready. She fired off three shots, and then backed up. "There are more coming," she said tightly. As Kazaar followed he saw the three bodies in the hallway, two young women and an old man, all downed with blaster bolts to the head.

She headed down the stairs again, trying to figure out how many stories high the building was, and the HUD picked up a lot of hot body signatures closing in on the sound of her blaster rifle.

Kazaar gave o'smirk beneath his helmet. Wasn't 'bout t'let whatever frackers were comin' take him down. Even if he had t'run outta ammo.

He was watchin' everything from his HUD, partially wishing he could feel th'air 'round him. The helmet had 'im missing th'feel of combat but that'd come to him soon 'nough. His own body was gettin' hot with anticipation, knowin' inna corridor like this if there were gonna be more than ten, probably hafta get 'is hands dirty. And he sure as hell didn't mind that.

Actually didn't mind De'Ville takin' th'lead. She had 'nough armor on 'er that if something got by him (fat frackin' chance) she'd be protected. 'Specially with his next idea.

He pulled outta proximity mine an' stuck it on th'wall which'd be near an apartment. De'Ville didn't question 'im, she got th'same notion he did. With th'frackers comin' through walls without checking t'see what exactly was on th'other side...probably wouldn't notice th'mine until it blew up. Here's hopin' they weren't gonna move so fast as t'not get blown up.

They went down another couple flights o'stairs, coming to 'nother landing. De'Ville held 'im up again. Both o'em heard it. Someone (or some frackin' thing for that matter) was runnin' up the stairs. Sure as hell quicker than most things would.

Tossed 'nother mine on th'ground and got into th'pretty wide hall. Kazaar had t'get more mines...only brought seven with 'em. Hafta raid some kinda military surplus store t'get more and Kazaar was pretty frackin' sure Tarkingrad didn't have that. 'Less, of course, th'Imps had o'stash. Wouldn't put it 'gainst 'em with all the crap going 'round.

Some kinda scream 'caused both o'em to stop. Woman ran outta 'er apartment, bein' chased by one o'the plague carriers. Thing was almost on 'er too. Both Kazaar an' De'Ville shot it. Thing flopped on th'floor dead, blood pooling outta two holes in its head.

"Thank you." Dame had blonde hair and was 'bit frailer than she originally looked. Her eyes were filled with tears an' she sure seemed like she wasn't gonna stop shaking. "It was my husband. He just went crazy. I don't know what happened!"

Pretty excitable which made sense inna lotta reasons. "Gotta move. More o'those things out there."

"No you don't understand." Woman was pleadin' and pulling on Kazaar's arm. "My son's sick too. He could die at any time. I don't want anything to happen to him. You've got to help him, please. Help him. Help him. Help him!"

She was startin' t'scream. Like she couldn't get rid o'her emotions. He tried t'pull away but she wouldn't let go. Then he saw 'er eyes. Aw frack...they were turnin' red.

"Go back t'ya son." He tried t'start walkin' away.

"NO!" She screamed, gettin' fully consumed by then. Her face'd twisted into o'mask a hate.

Then she spewed blood outta 'er mouth and onto Kazaar.

Wasted no time after that. He was too close t'shoot 'er but swung 'is left arm at 'er throat.

Th'blades hidden inside the gauntlet above 'is wrist popped out. There were two of 'em on each side o'Kazaar's own flame projector. Something he'd been workin' on f'some time. The blades sliced through th'woman's throat and skull like they were nothin'.

She fell t'the ground and Kazaar swore. Wasn't too happy 'bout killing women.

Didn't get th'chance t'feel sorry for himself. 'Bout that time th'mine he'd placed at th'end of the hall blew and 'bout ten plague carriers burst into th'hall. Didn't stop either, they were comin' right at De'Ville and Kazaar faster than they could react.

Kazaar popped the blades on 'is other gauntlet. Sure as frack wasn't gonna go down without o'fight. Only thing he was thinkin' of came outta 'is mouth before th'things were on 'im was an old sayin' Darvey used t'say:

"Ib'tuur jatne tuur ash'ad kyr'amur!" Frackin' good day f'someone else t'die.

The men and women who'd made it past the mines were dead - at least, they should have been. Lilaena shouldered her blaster rifle and shot at the bloodied creatures, using the Force to help her aim. Head shots were a low percentage shot, hard to make with accuracy, and especially when the person you were shooting at was rushing towards you after being half blown up. That's why police and military personnel were trained to shoot center mass - a high percentage shot with maximum lethality.

For these sick people, however, a blaster bolt to the body just seemed to make them mad. De'Ville plugged three, moving down the staircase in a tactical retreat at the same time. She heard Kazaar's Mando'a and replied in kind in the heat of the moment, "Ke nu jurkad sha Mando'ade, burc'ya!"

The frack?!?

De'Ville's reply in Mando'a caused Kazaar t'almost stop in 'is track. No frackin' wonder she did well in their sparring sessions. Damn lady was o'frackin' Mandy. A Force-damned Mandalorian.

Th'frack was gonna happen next, De'Ville say she used th'Force t'help 'er kick ass?

Kazaar was 'bout t'bite back o'reply 'bout De'Ville speech when he got smashed in th'head by o'speeder. Actually not really, but it sure as frack felt like it. Th'plague carrier's strength was off th'frackin' chart. Coulda dented the damn helmet too but Kazaar was too worried 'bout actually survivin' than asking questions 'bout De'Ville's fracking heritage.

Had four o'the carriers in front of him, spoutin' blood an' trying t'open him up like o'can. Wasn't much Kazaar could do but keep th'vibro-gauntlets open and flail away. Took th'leg off one o'em. An arm on another and disemboweled a third. Lot o'them weren't willing t'go down, just kept attacking. Damned frackers didn't know when t'give up.

Th'fourth one Kazaar was 'bout to take out 'is eyes when he was suddenly grabbed from by th'disembowled plague carrier. Shabuir tossed 'im over his shoulders and into th'nearest wall.

Kazaar saw stars an' reached for th'Twins.

Didn't have o'fracking chance. Fourth monster was on 'em again, screaming some kinda feral yell, charged and sent 'em both into (and through) the wall.

Th'ex-bounty hunter was tossed 'cross th'room again, arms flailing.

He was gettin' up to 'is feet when the plague carrier charged again. Took 'im 'cross the room and slammed 'im into th'exterior window. Momentum took 'em through th'window and out into open space.

It was then Kazaar finally slit th'guy's throat...and fell.

De'Ville dispatched the attackers left in the stairwell, and leapt back up the steps to assist Kazaar, who seemed to literally have his hands full. Too late to stop him going out the window, though.

She cursed loudly as her grasping hands just managed to catch hold of the infected man's feet. Bracing against the inner wall she shouted for Kazaar to grab onto the guy, and judging by the weight she suddenly felt herself supporting he'd heard her over the private comm.

"Just climb up the body," she grunted, shifting slightly to cement her position. "Dammed lucky bastard, that's a four story drop still."

Kazaar made it up th'body despite it bein' pretty fracking slick with blood. He scowled through 'is visor as De'Ville's own helmeted face came into view.

"Wanna tell me where th'frack ya learned Mando'a."

She cursed inwardly, gritting her teeth and quickly transferring her hold from the dead body to Kazaar. The body slid down the outside of the building as he climbed over the windowsill, both Rebels falling down once he got inside.

"How about I tell you if we survive this, vod."

Frack.

Kazaar wanted t'call De'Ville a 'bitch' an' smack 'er upside th'head but then she had t'call 'im her 'brother' in Mando'a. Frackin' hell. Dame had all th'right buttons pushed f'now.

He glared at 'er. "Fine...vod'ika but ya better play it straight...DOWN!"

Kazaar's left elbow caught De'Ville in th'side o'the helmet while his right hand grasped one o'the Twins. Brought it up and shot th'three rage-infected Tarkingradians that'd just burst into th'room right in th'face. Frackers fell down inna heap and lay still.

The ex-bounty hunter smirked as he pulled De'Ville t'her feet with one arm. Didn't apologize, just nodded and led 'er outta th'apartment.

Hallway looked pretty much th'same as it had before...covered in blood, buncha bodies on it. Outside o'that it was pretty frackin' quiet. They slipped down it 'bout as quietly and quickly as they could, without lettin' any more uninvited 'guests' come their way.

"Let's get th'frack outta here." Kazaar's statement was pretty frackin' obvious. "Ain't gonna figure out o'way into that Imp facility in 'ere."

"What are you thinking?" Lady took point as they started down th'stairs again. Quiet so far, which left o'cold pit in Kazaar's stomach.

"Place gotta have some frackin' sewer system or viaduct that brings 'em water. Prob'ly guarded but gotta be somewhere."

They came to th'third floor landing. It was clear.

"Thinkin' if we gotta hit th'sewers, Imps ain't gonna have that too guarded. Just hafta watch out f'any frackin' mines or droids o'something. Empire's finest ain't th'smartest gizkas in th'galaxy but they ain't morons. 'Least not completely..."

Second floor landing was clear too, 'cept forra poor bastard who'd bled t'death on th'landing. Looked like his neck'd been frackin' ripped out by someone's mouth and left t'die.

"Look at this." De'Ville pointed t'the guy's eyes.

Blood red like th'rest o'em. So why didn't he turn? Good frackin' question no one had t'answer to. Either th'guy's eyes went red after he'd been bitten or he'd died before whatever th'frack was goin' on had gotten hold o'him. Force-damned frackin' goofy if ya asked Kazaar...

Which 'course asked again, 'what th'frack was goin' on?'

Both De'Ville an' Kazaar were thinkin' the same thing when they reached th'first floor.

De'Ville was irritated at Kazaar. His attitude screamed that he was upset that she spoke Mando'a, as if somehow he held the copyright on the language. She'd play it straight all right, and he wasn't going to like it much. Whatever clan or heritage he hailed from he obviously wasn't too involved, so why be judgemental of another person who was probably in the same situation as him? A Mandalorian who had joined the Rebellion.

Unless he thought she was pretending, or just parroting off a phrase she'd learned. She wasn't too happy about the hit to push her out of the way so he could take out an enemy, either.

De'Ville covered Kazaar as he crossed the open lobby area of the apartment building on the first floor, following him to relative safety behind a pillar and then covering him as he crept over to the security desk to make sure nothing was hiding behind it.

She double clicked her comm to warn him when she felt people approaching, and he dove behind the desk as a squad of Stormtroopers opened the front doors to the building.

"Stay together. We do a quick sweep for those hunters and then we get out." The squad moved into the lobby, cautious and working well as a team. They would find the two Rebels soon, and it sounded like their pass into Tarkingrad was being revoked.

Frackin' hell. Figured the Force-damned fracking Empire'd show up at the worst possible second. Get th'entire damn apartment complex clear and they show up.

Both Rebels weren't gonna be able t'play o'game of Tabaga-and-Vrelt with th'Imps which they picked th'place clean. Hell, probably weren't gonna be able t'get a lotta time anyway, way things were goin'.

The entryway was set up like o'lotta apartment complexes. Big 'nough t'seat more than o'few residents and potential residents, with a couple desks for workers and o'few offices in back for management. Out back was prob'ly gonna be their best way outta the building. Imps probably had o'few stormies coolin' their jets, more focused on whatever th'frack was outside than inside.

'Least that's what Kazaar woulda bet they'd do. Bucket heads could be pretty frackin' predictable.

His hands first went to 'is blaster rifle, then to th'rail detonator he'd brought 'long. Kazaar was planning on usin' it inside the Imp base (if they ever frackin' made it there) but with 'bout 15 Imps playing their best game of "find th'Rebel spy," fracking time t'use it.

"Get ready." He hissed into th'comm. Then he popped up and fired two rails at two stormies in th'middle of the group.

The charges detonated on impact, and the troopers were dead almost before they knew they were under attack. It was a decidedly not-stealthy move on Kazaar's part, and De'Ville grimaced under her helmet as the Stormtroopers who'd survived his initial onslaught hammered his position with blaster fire.

"What, didn't you have a thermal detonator?" she asked him dryly over the comm, steadying herself behind the pillar while the desk he was using for cover was slowly being blown apart. Standing up, De'Ville stepped out from her hiding spot and blasted at the flanks of the Stormtroopers, buying her partner time to dash to another area of the room before being forced to duck back behind the pillar.

"Nah." Kazaar smirked inside 'is helmet. "Wanted 'em pissed. Means they ain't payin' attention."

Stormies were sure as hell pissed. Forgotten their trainin' and just decided t'hunker down in th'nearest cover and start shootin' at him. Which meant they'd simply gotten behind o'half wall by the entrance.

Ignorin' the blaster bolts screamin' around, Kazaar tossed th'small flash bang grenade towards th'half wall. Th'muffled *boom* caused th'stormies to hold their fire forra bit, giving Kazaar time t'fire another rail charge at th'nearest trooper. Thing caught 'im right in the head, then blew up.

If Lady coulda seen 'er partner's face, she woulda seen o'lazy grin on it. He was pretty amused with 'imself.

"Let get outta 'ere, De'Ville." Kazaar scooped up one o'the stormtrooper's blaster rifles which'd slid over t'his feet. He pulled the ammo charge outta it, put it into his rifle, then tossed it away. Gave 'im a few more shots he'd need going against all th'bastards out there.

The two scurried through th'office towards th'back of the apartment. Wasn't a lot t'see. Offices were pretty normal...few stray desks, couple packages mounded up next to o'large filing cabinet with more cabinets 'round too. Small kitchen area with o'square table, four chairs and o'food storage unit. Plus the door out.

Kazaar stalked up to th'door but De'Ville''s hand grabbed him. "Hang on!" She hissed in 'is ear. Was o'bit ovva pause. "Go to thermal imaging."

He flicked it on. Five stormies were standin' outside. Sure seemed like they were waiting f'something t'happen.

Kazaar had t'smirk at that one. Never o'dull frackin' moment.

He walked back towards where the table was and put it on one of its side. Then he pulled out th'rail detonator. Figured De'Ville was smart 'nough t'get what he had in mind.

She did and ducked behind the table just as Kazaar put two rail charges into part o'the wall near the door.

Explosion shook th'apartment to its core as the wall blew outwards, killin' a couple more o'the Empire's finest and burying a few more in debris.

"Grab th'blasters, steal their ammo and let's get th'frack outta here." Kazaar couldn't help but admire 'is handiwork as th'stormtroopers laid 'round like o'buncha smash ball players who'd just been checked into oblivion. Just with a bit more blood. "This place is gonna be swarmin' with either Imps or plague carriers in o'couple."

He shoved o'few more ammo clips into his blasters, then grabbed a couple thermal detonators. "Let's go Lady, I ain't interested in seein' who gets here first."

De'Ville double checked her power cell, noting how many shots she had left before replacing it in the blaster rifle. "Move your ass then," she retorted over the internal comm. "I'm following your lead."

He grunted, but climbed over the rubble he'd created. De'Ville picked her way across behind him, pausing only to put a blaster bolt into the neck of a half buried, but still alive, Stormtrooper. She brought up the city plans on her HUD, and examined the sewer system's layout. "Looks like our best entry point is a mile to the east - there's an intake set in the street for rain run-off that's big enough to drop down into if we take the grate off."

De'Ville ended up takin' lead, leaving Kazaar to make sure their six was covered as they moved towards the sewer system.

City had gotten real frackin' quiet by then. Streets were empty for th'most part, albeit littered with debris from the explosions and whatever other general hell that'd broken out. From time t'time, the two Rebels would hear blaster bolts going off or some kinda growl-scream from one o'the plague carriers. But for th'most part...pretty damn quiet.

'Bout that time they found the bodies.

Things had been strewn 'cross the parking lot like they'd just fallen and died right there. Buncha them looked like they'd been in line or something but keeled over before they had o'fracking chance. Others had been shot in the head...plague carriers it seemed like. Or folks who weren't interested in gettin' inoculated.

Kazaar scowled. Damn horrific sight.

Things were still pretty frackin' still, so either the plague carriers were smaller than it seemed, or they were busy killing a buncha other people.

"Entrance is just down the alley about 300 yards."

"Good. Ain't interested in hanging 'round this frackin' place that much longer."

Lady's reply was o'kinda snort/Mandalorian curse and Kazaar just smirked. Had ice in 'er veins that was f'fracking sure.

They moved quickly past the bodies and down the alley towards the sewer system. Still wasn't much t'see. Tarkingrad was o'pretty dead town (an' not just 'cause there was some kinda plague running 'round the place either). Fracking place just seemed kinda empty. Not a lotta corporations made their home here, just o'few Mom'n Pop's, couple feed stores, all that kinda crap. Just the kinda place ya'd expect the Empire t'set up shop if they were behind whatever was goin' on.

"Oh you gotta..."

Kazaar peered over Lady's head as they got t'the grate. He was feeling th'same frackin' thing. Instead of being th'normal entry to a sewer system, the Imps had installed o'massive, circular durasteel door. Thing had a real small grate letting sewage run underground but nothing else. Next to it was a smaller, rectangular door which was obviously used by maintenance workers t'go underground. And that was guarded by o'fracking keypad.

"Empire sure as hell looking t'keep peeps out that's f'damn sure..."

"I think I can hotwire it..." De'Ville stated plainly and started towards th'door. "Watch my back will you."

'Course De'Ville had say that. 'Bout that time those plague carriers who hadn't been seen forra while decided to walk 'round a corner, almost like it was out onna leisurely weekend stroll. That feelin' sure ended when it spotted th'two armored figures (who obviously didn't have whatever th'frack was shootin' through its bloodstream) and let outta roar.

Kazaar shot it in th'chest but the damn thing just shook it off and started charging at 'em. 'Bout ten others suddenly rounded the corner too, bloodlust in their eyes.

Th'ex-bounty hunter fired off a couple more bolts, before switching to th'rail detonator. First rail charge caught lead plague carrier in the leg and blew it off. Things hit the ground but kept clawing towards 'im, ignoring the blood that started pouring from its leg. Second rail blew one in half, spillin' a few more on the ground. They got up pretty Force-damned fast and kept moving towards 'em.

"Got it. Inside!" De'Ville ordered an' Kazaar sure as hell wasn't gonna argue.

He leaped inside, tossing his last mine on the ground and De'Ville quickly followed. Just as th'door started t'slam shut, Kazaar's mine went off. Blew up the plague carrier that'd run past it into pieces.

The thing's head just happened t'miss De'Ville and smack Kazaar right in th'helmet just as the door closed, sealing both Rebels inside the sewers.