Hoth's Open Terrain

A smile crept up Aidan's face and he knew it. He listened to the briefing of course but he couldn't help it. Alliance Marines apparently were a rare sight these days. His partial black armor was suited for men with his particular skillset. Doing away with his thigh guards and shoulder plating, Aidan would be able to move swiftly through a firefight. That wasn’t his problem, however. While perfectly ready for combat, it looked like it was bombarded with blaster fire and concussion grenades. Which was true, of course, but compared to most of the soldiers here, he looked fresh off a mission. There were a few scratches and dents on his chest plate, a long scar that ran through his left gauntlet, and that one dent on his right kneeguard from that high knee to an Imperial officer's head still remained. He wasn't completely underdressed for the occasion though. Aidan wore a clean black sweater and tactical pants underneath. A sharp-dressed man, he was indeed. He looked around. Everyone else looked like they were either lucky or they knew how to dodge anything from blaster fire to the wrath of a woman. But would looking sharp help when a forty-foot wampa keeps you for dinner? Yes. Because burial garments were overrated to begin with. But what would really help is to know everything about these creatures. It's been a while since Aidan was stationed in Hoth and he wouldn’t say that it was his favorite memory with Foxtrot, but he knew that if they wanted to protect wampas, they would have to think like the men that hunted them.

But if you wanted a chance against big bad Unkajo, you go to Aidan. Partial armor, dents, scratches, and all.

=Pok the Zoologist=
Hearing Ali Hadrix , Crystaall Sehefadu, Jan'ika Fett , Pok put what they said into consideration. With Ali and her forces that included Sylas , Way Too Many Characters , @kaytra , and @aidan , it seemed the need for Wampas to act like a sort of "army" to help take on the poachers seemed to no longer be a need. Looking over at the two Imperial Knights sent by Xeonon Solomon , and the Saarai-kaar himself with some of the other Jensaarai nearby himself, the large Yuzzem addressed them.
"Ok, after some thought, we'll forget about taming Unkajo. Seeing as we got ourselves a decent bunch here, I think we can create a decent force to take on the poachers. Though I think it be best to separate into two teams. One team to approach the Echo base from the surface of Wampa valley to take on the poachers, and one to do a surprise attack from beneath the valley by sneaking into Echo base from there within the caverns. Just remember to avoid harming any of the Wampas in the area. This includes Unkajo!"
Pok told the whole group, then spoke one last time.
"Speak now on which team you wish to be on! Surface team or cavern team!"

=Garwig Gil Ga'Mesh=
Knowing the caverns would be likely to have many Wampas there and chances were high that permafrost crystals could be located in the caves, the Saarai-kaar spoke out.
"I'll be a part of the cavern team! Both to keep the Wampas at bay and to help with any permafrost crystal searching."

=Lynda Jarvio=
"I'll be on the surface team! I want to make sure everything there goes fine without much trouble."

=Ursi Krak'jya=
Standing beside her master, Crystaall, the bothan girl waited for her master to say which team she'll be a part of.

=Countess Isabella Valentina=
"I'll be with the cavern team! My cryokinesis abilities will probably be of help in forming any ice with the caves."

=Jinx Meenku=
"I'll be on the surface team! Chances are I'll encounter more military machines on that team, so I'll be with them to help slice into any of the weapons to hijack them."

=Enbilulu Ishum=
"I'll be on the cavern team! Just in case if there's any military machines on that path too so the team will have a slicer to hack into the said weapons."

=Dorothea Greennut=
"I'll be on cavern team! My abilities to calm animals down will be of help in the caverns to keep the Wampas away."

=Aeisha Kharn=
"I'm on surface team! My ability to change into my more powerful form will help mow down any enemies in the valley!"

=Ragno Araneus=
"I'll be on surface team! I have a feeling I'll be more needed there than the cavern team."

=Zal-Divar Zarich=
"I'll be on the cavern team! Both to help fight any possible poachers there and help in the search for any crystals we pass by."

=Maahes Rech=
"I'll be on the surface team! I'll help them with any of the injured in the battle in the valley's surface!"

That said, Pok turned to hear from everyone else announce what team they'll join on.

*Crystaall felt the grip of Ali's hand through the nerve muscles of the dull metal arm, and gave a sigh of relief. She felt at peace with her close by, though she still wondered why Garwig did not throw out any suggestion. He acted as much of a puppet as the others within the Order, and she began to question her own position with them. She trusted him, but something felt wrong with her friend. Even before Bespin.*

Aidan liked the idea of a frontal assault. He also liked hunting down in the elements. He just wasn't sure about the safety of everyone else doing both. The in-helm scanners were great but not in the heat of battle. Screamers, grenades, and remotes fit snugly on his belt. His new SSK-7 blaster pistol sat holstered on his right leg. And his machete, ever faithful and sharp, rested across his back on its sheath. He would definitely need them, screamers most especially. But everything else is out of his control. He’s just going to have to trust everyone else to react accordingly whether a poacher fires a direct shot or a wampa breathing down their neck. He nearly found himself reliving that fateful day when he lost seven brothers. It's been a while for him since he found himself in this very armor. Only, he doesn't have seven brothers this time. He was with thousands of faces he doesn't recognize along with a face that continuously changes. And that face is his only friend. The chances for a bloodbath are considerably lower this time around, but he won’t risk it. These men may not be his battle brothers but he would watch their backs no less. He was once paid to dispense justice and order with a few men. Now he they asked him to expand peace with more soldiers. And like with that last mission, he will not fail. He turned to Ali Hadrix.

“All ready when you need me, Ma’am. Just say the word.”

Asha looked down at @kaytra from the open cockpit of the gunship. She frowned slightly, miffed that the vessel was not expected to see use, despite the armor the poachers had brought with them to the planet. "I'll keep the engines prepped anyways, just in case," Asha replied, sending Kaytra off with a friendly casual salute. As the other pilot returned to the rest of the platoon, Asha looked back down at the datapad in her hand and continued reading the book she had begun during the hyperspace voyage from the Armada.

Ali kept Crystaall Sehefadu's hand in hers, not wanting to let go. Crystaall's concern for Garwig Gil Ga'Mesh had not been voiced, and Ali hadn't caught any sign of distress on the Jensaarai woman's face. Had she known anything was amiss, Ali would have brought it up, so any issue could be dealt with before the operation began. Ali looked over shoulder to spot Leftenant Kaytra standing beside her, reporting her readiness status. Ali nodded to both her and @aidan, who voiced his own report a moment later. Ali gave Crystaall's hand a firm, final squeeze, tugging on it gently to get the woman's attention. As Crystaall turned her head towards Ali, the Mandalorian woman planted a small kiss on her lips, leaving a faint smear of her red makeup on Crystaall's lower lip. Ali smiled at her, then gently releasing Crystaall hand, against both of their wishes, and pulled her helmet onto her head, sealing it in place.
Gear up, folks, we're moving. Ali gave the warning through her helmet's vocoder. She hated the affect the device had on her voice, which she thought to be plenty attractive. Dismissing the concern of her own vanity, Ali glanced out of the corner of her HUD, where Sergent He'gai's had spoken to her from. "We may have a problem." The Quarren admitted, his facial tendrils flicking back and forth in an expression of worry and concern. Ali rapped sharply on the side of her helmet with her knuckles, a gesture that said, "comlink, now." She waited for He'gai to pull on his own helmet, the modified mouth piece protecting his facial tentacles . Ali opened a private channel between her and the Quarren. What is it? What's wrong? Ali had no clue what could possibly have come up; any GALCOM emergency alert would have come to her before He'gai, and their own mission had yet to even begin. Suddenly, Ali had the urge to look around, which she did by scanning the 360° scope of her HUD. No Sylas. What the hell is going on? Ali asked herself.

Ali felt her jaw clench, her hands balling themselves into fists as anger rose to the back of her throat in the form of her own stomach acid. She swallowed with difficulty, feeling both betrayed and embarrassed as she listened to He'gai's information on Sylas. For the moment, Ali disregarded the fact that poachers had been found already so close to the hangar. The man had deserted them, taken off at what he thought was the best time for himself to do so. The man was little more than a criminal after all, and Ali felt like an utter fool for letting herself trust him. She'd been skeptical of Jonn all through Bespin and on Tatooine, though he had proven himself on both accounts that he could not only hold his own, but that he deserved the trust of the men and women who relied on him, and whom he relied on. But now he had revealed himself to be the scum she had seen him to be on Bespin. He had to bail, but why now? On Hoth, of all places, one of the most remote and desolate worlds in the galaxy, and Jonn chooses now of all places to take off? Ali gritted her teeth, the anger rising as heat on her neck. Suddenly she remembered the vessel Consuela had sought Ali's permission to retrieve during the course of the mission. Could Jonn have possibly known? Was he thinking he'd use it to escape?
Ali used her override codes to pull the image data Bandak's helmet had taken of the body outside. She shook her head, responding to He'gai's private text with venom in her voice. I saw his face on Tatooine, it's not him. He must have killed the man, then taken his clothes, which would explain leaving the weapons and gear. No point taking one only to be identified by the other. The speeder bike must have been the poacher's as well. Ali felt her shoulders tense and she felt the sudden urge to punch something that would hurt her. She forced the anger away as she heard Crystaall's voice asking her what was wrong. Pulling off her helmet, Ali looked over at her, chewing on her bottom lip as she thought of a decent response, her lipstick smearing slightly. She gently wrapped her arm around Crystaall's waist and pulled her close, her lips brushing against the nape of Crystaall's neck. "Smile like I'm telling you something intimate." Ali whispered, "I don't want everyone losing their osik. Sylas took off, killed a poacher and stole his speeder bike. I don't know where he is, or where he's going." Ali faked a grin and lightly bit Crystaall's neck before pulling away. Ali's neck and face were flushed red, but with anger rather than arousal, as she would have had it. However, no one picked up on anything amiss as Ali pulled her helmet back over her head and spoke further with Sergent He'gai. "You are leaving, now. Take a team, find Sylas, and when you do capture him, unless he puts up a fight. Then kill him." Ali felt her lip curl into a sneer as she gave the order, not at all bothered by it. Killing Jonn wouldn't steal any sleep from her night, considering he'd turned out to be a lying, two-bit criminal. She returned her attention to the platoon as they finalized their gear checks. They had brought plenty of anti-armor weaponry with them in the form of shoulder fired rockets and under-barrel grenades, but Ali couldn't help but feel they were packing a bit light. Thankfully, Leftenant Bonafeld would be maintaing the gunship's readiness level. The vessel would be called upon, though only in the most dire of circumstances as long as the weather kept up.