Project Boussh: Infiltration
by scifantasy

Sci cursed. His sensors had registered the energy surges from the High
Palace very clearly, and Corran was able to help him piece the story
together. Group Three-One had completed their objective, the cloning
cylinders were destroyed; however, the group was now in Atner's
custody, and Mike had provided a whole new meaning to the term
"crispyfry." If he was even alive.
*Don't even think about it,* he admonished himself. *The moment you
start to lose faith in your people, you've lost everything. Besides,
you have your own mission to complete.* Sci checked his scanners; the
Rogue and Wraith X-Wings were forming up around him to head to the
caverns. "Wraith Nine, Rogue Nine, Rogue Ten. Tell your astromechs to
get the hell out of Dodge once you're gone and prepare to make a quick
exit from your vehicles. We're going after the head."
A chorus of "Roger" came over the comm. Sci set his shuttle for the
same, and the four broke formation to head to ground.
The three snubfighters landed first, their pilots jumping free in
moments, and the fighters launching again just as quickly. After he
was done flying cover for the astromechs, Sci landed his shuttle,
running out and activating his shuttle's autopilot. Within moments the
four members of Group Three-Three were alone. Shalla broke the
silence.
"Four of us against whatever surprises Atner has in there? You sure
you know what you're doing?"
"Actually, yes. First, we have so many different places to defend that
our teams are spread rather thinly. Second, our other teams have
already breached Atner's defenses, so they are probably already in bad
shape. Third, I'm the only Terran on the team because too many of my
fellow indigenous peoples have a shoot-to-kill mindset when it comes
to Atner. Fourth..."
"We get the point, Lead," Corran interjected.
"Right, that reminds me. No names from here on out. Since both of
you--" he indicated Shalla and Corran--"are Nine, for now, it's
Wraith, Nine, Ten, and Lead. That work for all of you?" Nods of
assent. "All right. Wraith, for now, you take point, and Nine, take
rear."

Moving in a diamond formation, with Sci on the right and Ooryl on the
left, the four approached the High Palace. "Lead, how do we get in?"
"Simple, Ten." Sci pointed at the ropes left behind by Mike's group.
As he grabbed onto a rope, a lump caught in his throat. Mike and the
others..."No!" he whispered softly.
"What was that, Lead? Ooryl did not hear you."
"It's Four and his team. We can't let Atner keep them for long."
Shalla was already climbing. "We won't, Lead."

Once inside, the four infiltrators surveyed the damage done to the
High Palace. "Ooryl does not want to see the cleanup bill for this
place."
"Yeah, it'll probably send the country's economy for a nose-dive.
Probably easier and cheaper to blow the place to smithereens and start
from scratch." Sci looked around. Mike's team had been quiet enough,
but apparently Josh and his Ewoks made up for them. The walls were
scorched, fires were burning hither and yon, and bodies of
stormtroopers lay in piles all over the courtyard.
"Remind me to have a talk with Five about his destructive tendencies,"
Sci mused. Then he ducked as he heard a blaster shot ring out. The
four drew their blasters, but there was no sign of any hostility. Sci
looked questioningly at Corran, who shrugged. Ooryl raised a hand,
pointed towards a door in the north-west part of the courtyard. Sci
gestured to Corran, motioning him forwards. Corran nodded and drew his
lightsaber, leaving it off for the time being. As he approached the
door another shot recoiled and Corran's lightsaber sprang to life just
in time to deflect it back.
Sci waited for a second, but no more shots were fired. Running
forwards, he reached the door and looked inside. The smoking remains
of an automated blaster turret proved that one of Sci's assumptions
was wrong; not all of Atner's defenses were neutralized.

Atner stared at the image from the holocams, frowning. His time
studying his opponents had paid off, as he was able to identify the
three non-Terrans as Nelprin, Qrygg, and Horn. However, the fourth,
the one leading the group, he couldn't recognize. This vexed him. He
thought that he knew all of the outsiders, and this one couldn't be a
Terran, or he'd have a full life history stored in his database. Who
was this person?
Well, no matter. He'd have his medics do an autopsy to determine the
identity. Atner turned and left the room. He had prisoners to attend
to.