Checking incoming messages for the first time while on her mission, Riverche noticed numerous distress and urgent messages starting from a little after 0600 that morning. She had failed and now her allies needed her help. Ran through her mind as she gathered her belongings. Fearing that she may be to late, she set out to investigate the source of the closest signal, about 100 km away in a valley near the outskirts of Estle City. She should arrive just as the sun is setting.
The setting sun behind River highlighted the small training outpost in the valley below that once served as training grounds for SCEPTER and Arcona. The small yard once used for various training exercises now housed encamped soldiers ready to fire at the trapped forces inside. The large, antique doors facing the yard silently stood close, scared from the recent skirmish. The wall surrounding the yard had crumbled in multiple places under the force of the invasion. The broken windows boarded up from the inside blacked the view of the outside world. Not happy not knowing what was on the inside, River dug out her data pad and went to work hacking the security system of the base.
The main communications array was still down, but she was able to use her close range position to establish a link to the computer system on the base. They were still trying to connect to the main system using the same algorithm as the rest of SCEPTOR, so entering the system was not a problem. The security feed showed the insides were still intact and that the survivors had eradicated those that had breached the facility. They were mainly focused near the entry hall facing the yard weapons drawn. Both sides locked and waiting for a break.
Riverche typed a short message to the trapped soldiers before starting to put her datapad away. Buzz, buzz. Glancing at the messages, in the last hour Celahir had tried to reach her over twenty different times. “Not now, busy” she typed before turning the device off again and putting it away.
She carefully made her way to the wall surrounding the yard. Leaning against the wall, she took a deep breath and pulled out her supply of flash grenades. Hope they got the message, Riverche thought as she prepared to throw the first grenade through a hole in the wall.
Running from one break in the wall to the next, River throw grenades into the mix of intruders. One by one they lit the yard in flashes of blinding light. As the last one flooded the area, the main lights of the yard flicked on filling the surrounding area in extremely bright light. The antique doors swung open to let the small flood of SCEPTOR soldiers enter combat with the blinded enemy. Riverche rounded the wall blaster drawn.
Before the enemy had time to react, more then half of them laid lifeless at the feet of the soldiers. Riverche was firing into the crowd of enemies, near the hole in the wall she had used to enter the yard, when one of them decided to rush her. Under the sudden force of the brute, River flew backwards into the wall. She could feel the pressure of a sharp stone pierce her back just under her right shoulder blade.
As she pushed away from the wall, Riverche droped her pistol. Without warning, she firmly thrust her fist into the brute's chest just below his wind pipe. He swung wildly as he stumbled a little gasping for air. Catching himself, he strongly thew his fist at Riverche's face and chest area. Tasting the familiar taste of blood, Riverche took another couple of swings at the brute. Looking her square in the face, he took a deep breath and charged at the defiant Miraluka. Moments before he would have connected, Riverche took a step to the side. Unable to stop, the brute ran head first into the sharp stone sticking out of the broken wall. His lifeless body slide to rest leaving a streak of blood behind.
A familiar hiss of a lightsaber came from the battling group in the center of the yard. A tall figure with his back towards Riverche held the weapon. Raised and ready to drive it into an unsuspecting victim. Riverche quickly picked up her pistol. Her first shot, slightly off, hit the arm holding the saber. The light went out millimeters away from the victims neck. The saber hit the ground as the soldier turned to engage his would be assassin. At the same time the soldier's palm forcefully connected with the assassin's nose, the second shot hit the left side of his back just below the shoulder blade.
The battle quieted just as fast as it had started. The enemy laid in lifeless heaps scattered throughout the yard. Only one of the dead wore a SCEPTOR uniform. The sudden quietness was soon interrupted by the sound of an approaching transporter. “Lights!” A soldier wearing an officer's uniform shouted from the yard.
As on queue, the lights in the yard switched off allowing the night to creep in. “Here!” The officer said handing River the abandoned lightsaber. “Incoming, get ready!”
The group, as one, moved back to the steps in front of the antique doors. The ship turned slightly revealing the Arcona logo as it landed outside the wall. Before touching ground, the loading ramp started to slide open to reveal the faces of the members of the Soulfire Strike Team. Relieved, the soldiers holstered their weapons and scattered to start the clean up process.