laneys.info Beware of Yankees, drunks, and loose women.

"Orders are, shoot all of them," the sergeant informed as Agata emerged from the narrow avenue to notice Sith troopers level their weapons and fired into every alien in sight. Running and screaming, the Twi'leks dropped in groups and singly as she watched, then noticed the acolyte who had been enjoying one of the locals withdraw his dagger from her neck as she slumped to the ground.

Red bolts ripped through the air and became more sporadic as the troopers disappeared into shops and other doorways as she noticed two other acolytes approach her. Both male, they sported lightsabers and the traditional grey and black robes. She recognized the taller one whose sandy hair waved in the light breeze.

"Tiam," he introduced, then motioned to his comrade. "This is Arcadian."

"Hi," she nodded. "Agata," as she followed their eyes to the younger one, wiping off his dagger as he rose.

"You through playing with that thing," Tiam asked.

Sinister dark eyes turned to them beneath a heavy brow in a state of perpetual disdain for everything around him. "Why," he hissed.

"I've been given an address and wondered if you all wanted to take a ride," she mentioned as she eyed the sergeant strolling into the square and moved to him.

"What are we going there for," Arcadian asked.

"Items of interest is what I was told," she informed as the trooper stopped, black visor turning her direction. "I need a transport, or shuttle to take us north of here."

He nodded and turned as she heard the muffled communications within his helmet notifying him of his unit's progress. Looking back to her, "I have one on the way, madam."

"Good." She turned back to the trio and waited until soon, the whine of repulsors approached to reveal the wide, low speeder truck arrive and stop near them. Moving around to the side entrance, she got in and claimed a seat to notice the sergeant and his squad join them within. Confusion reigned as she wasn't looking for an entourage on this little foray. Sliding the door home, the sergeant sat down as the vehicle lurched and she watched through the windshield as more buildings passed until soon noticing open countryside and sparse trees.

"About a mile from the edge of town," she informed the driver who nodded. Soon, they noticed the ring of small hovels, fenced in by a high stone wall that met at the gate, protected by a foursome of mottled brown, four-legged beasts. She stepped out as the squad filtered onto the dirt road and bordering grass. Growls and barks from the guardians made her realize this place may not be what she had hoped for as she neared the gate, unsheathing her sword.

"What's your name," the smaller, odd acolyte asked from behind and to the left. His low, hissing voice was a bit unnerving.

"Agata, why?"

"What do you do?"

Brow furrowed, she didn't think this was the time for introductions as the sergeant motioned to his men. Suddenly, blaster fire erupted and soon dropped all four of their first obstacles. She watched as no activity or movement within the small buildings made her wonder if the inhabitants were preparing for an ambush.

"Anyone know anything about locks and security," she asked and noticed Arcadian approach, taking out a small pouch and producing a host of small gadgets which he employed as he knelt at the gate. She walked up and watched the silent buildings which still gave no indication of life as Tiam produced a small, handheld computer and pointed it at the compound.

"Fourteen spread among all four buildings," he informed, eyeing the sergeant who nodded.

"What are your orders?" he asked.

"Clean them out once we get in," Tiam directed as he turned to Arcadian. "How's it coming?"

"Only a moment." Several clicks and she watched him rise and push the gate open and step within the patchy grass covered yard. Agata followed and noticed a door open revealing an elderly looking Twi'lek who walked up, surrounded by children.

"What do you wish," he asked in broken Aurebesh. "We have nothing of value here."

"That's not what I was told," Agata glared as a quartet of young stood between her and their elder. Kneeling, she grabbed a female and held the blade of her sword to the small throat. "Care to revise your story?" she grinned darkly, arm across the little one's shoulders and noticed the immediate pleading in the older eyes as his arms reached out.

"Please, don't. We have nothing, I assure you." Frantically, he watched as the troops fanned out and walked to each of the homes, yanking doors open and dragging out the inhabitants, which contained more than they seemed capable.

"Really," Agata continued. "That's not what I was told."

With a flash, Tiam backfisted the Twi'lek as the children screamed, hitting him in the thighs until he knocked them backwards and away. As he fell to the ground, hands went up in defense, "Alright, alright. In that one," he pointed towards the middle building.

"See, was that so hard," Arcadian mocked, leaning over as he replaced his gear into several of the many pouches that lined his belt.

Agata kissed the female on the cheek, then rose as she withdrew her sword, stepped up and plunged it into the elder's chest, then walked away, withdrawing it as she watched the odd one run up excitedly to the target door. Gunfire suddenly erupted and she quickly moved to assist as Tiam and Arcadian joined them. Inside, the darkened interior's modest accomodations surrounded a firefight from a small door within the floor. Noticing a small table, she grabbed it and used it as a shield, allowing the guard and her companions to fire into the unseen enemy. Bolts hit the wall and ceiling as she shoved the table downward at an angle.

Green eyes caught sight of a small, grey cylindrical object fly outward and she quickly brought the table back up to hide behind. "Grenade," she yelled as the others ducked and dodged. Ripping into the rear wall and furniture, the explosion clouded the room, sending shrapnel flying in all directions as the concussion pushed her, the guard and Tiam backwards towards the door. Eyeing the guard, "You have any gas grenades?" she asked.

He nodded, pulled one from his belt as she pushed their shield back up to the darkened entrance. After he tossed it, she slammed the wooden barrier down onto the hole and laid on it. Soon, they heard choking and coughing from deep within the hide until finally, the silence informed them the plan had worked. Rising, she backed and allowed the trooper to descend the stairway. After a few tense moments, he re-emerged.

"They're down," he informed as the sergeant walked in.

"Let's drag them out and check the room," the muffled command.

"I see crates and boxes of what appear to be munitions and weapons," the scout mentioned as Agata stepped from the room and into the daylight as she brushed herself off.

Eerily eyeing Arcadian, their younger comrade glared. "That was fun, let's do it again."

Chuckling, the security expert shook his head. "Where are you from, exactly?"

"I don't know," the hissing reply. "Why, where are you from?"

"A long way from here."

Agata left the squad to their job as she headed back to the gate, noticing the young and several others corralled into the back of the transport as their guard stood nearby. Within her mind, she felt her master's presence.

"Return to me," she mentally commanded.

"Of course, madam." Without thought, she hopped into the driver's seat and started the vehicle. Turning the shuttle around, she gunned her transport back towards the city as the rear door slammed shut. As dust roiled up behind her, the radio crackled to life.

"Driver of the shuttle, we command you to stop."

"You might need to send another shuttle to pick up your squad and a few others," Arcadian informed. "We have to get back to the city."

"Who is this?"

"Arcadian Trask, Sith acolyte. Why?"

A long pause and Agata glanced back to her grinning companion as he then eyed a wounded trooper laying against the passenger's seat. Soon, long minutes eeked into silence as they reached the outskirts of town.

"I guess they got the message," she stated.

"It would appear that way."

"Nice acrobatics by the way," she commended, remembering his hasty entry as she nearly left everyone. Disgusted that nothing that she considered of value was found, the site would support the army's cause.

"Thanks."