At the same time Fox had just begun searching and his team moved out, searching for anything out of the ordinary. They could not find anything close by so they moved into the more dangerous forest.
Suddenly a loud roaring was heard and Fox saw one of his men dissappear into the shrubbery. He pulled out his blaster and moved towards it, when suddenly a large creature was on him, saliva from it's mouth dripping on his neat uniform. He tried to pull up blaster to bear but it was knocked aside and the creature began to tear at his clothing. He felt for his cap which had fallen onto the ground next to him and pulled out the knife which he always kept hidden in there. He then stabbed at the creature and roaring in pain it let go and ran away. two troopers ran up to him, firing shots into the bush in the hopes of hitting the fleeing creature.
"Are you alright sir, private tarrak was killed instantly".
"I'm o.k.".
"there's no trace of them in the area, perhaps one of these creatures got him".
"Yeah, right. They can handle themselves. I'm still suspicious, Garrotte was too desperate for us not to get involved", Fox looked the scanner's image over, "Look, what's that".
"probably sewage tunnels, I think...". The officer never finished his sentence as a blaster shot hit him in the back and sent him flying. The whole area erupted into blaster fire, the SOF troopers firing blindly at unknown targets and within seconds it was all over. Fox lay unconscious, a shot having hit him in the right shoulder, blood oosing out and turning the ground a dark brown colour.
"O.k. the corridor's clear", yelled Karath and the three men ran as fast as they could. The whole pirate complex was a series of underground tunnels, finding the way out without a map would be nigh on impossible. As they passed the corridor they came into a twin crossing which led both ways. Suddenly two pirates appeared out of nowhere, but before they could do anything they were shot down and Karath stepped over to one who had apparently survived the shot to the chest.
"Where do these ways lead".
"I can't tell you", replied the young pirate nervously, little more than a kid.
"Then I'll just have to kill you, I feel sorry for the guy who'll be forced to clean you up", said Karath cooly and pushed the gun hard up the pirates head.
"Err...one leads to the control room, the left one and err the right one leads along a series of tunnels and out, now let me go".
"Not on your life", smiled Karath enjoying the fear in the young man's face much like his parents must have been when they were ruthlessly killed by pirates and just as he begun to scream he was silenced by a quick shot".
"Quick you go, I have some unfinished business", said Karath darkly.
"No...My parents were murdered by pirates as well you know" replied Brent eagerly.
"I'm not leaving you two kids here to fend for yourself", grunted Shagrin.
"O.k. then but we'll probably die".
"What, they've escaped!", "How could you let them". Janor screamed angrily and closing his hands in a pincer movement summoned the force to strangle the nearest person.
"I take it you finished the search party at least".
"Of course my lord", said another pirate bowing before Janor and hoping that he wouldn't descide to kill him as well.
"Get all your men ready and scour the entire area, one of them's a slicer and if they got to the control room they could ruin everything. Send twenty men there at once".
"Yes my lord".
"Damn, we got several people coming right towards us", yelled Shagrin,"Seal the door behind me, I got a plan". The door closed and Shagrin dissappeared.
"Come on Brent, we have less than a minute before they get in!", shouted Karath and trained his blaster on the door.
"Look, this is pretty secure, you want me both to steal all their plans and set this thing to self destruct".
Karath smiled,"Yes", he said innocently. The door started crumbling as repeated blaster fire blew straight through it. Then it stopped and there was a large boom as the whole corridor outside exploded, rocking the control room.
"Open up, it's me", shouted Shagrin from outside and when it was opened Karath found himself staring at a pile of charred bodies, on top of which stood Shagrin.
"What happened, asked Karath.
"You know the torturer stole all our equipment, I went back and took my Thermal detonator off him and then threw it back at the closely packed pirates", Shagrin smiled brightly.
"O.k. it's finished, this place'll blow in ten minutes", just as Brent finished his sentence the room started flashing bright red and a loud mechanical voice said,"Ten minutes to silent destruct".
"C'mon let's go!", shouted Shagrin and the three of them ran, along the corridors shooting anyone who came in their way, Karath hoped that the silent countdown would kill all the pirates in the confines of their secret base.
"Damn, they've set of the self destruct", grimaced Janor.
"Are you sure sir, I haven't heard anything", replied Janor's second in command.
"That's because you're weak, get my private craft ready".
"There, final corridor", smiled Brent looking down at the map he had downloaded from the main computer. Several blaster shots came from behind and Brent was knocked down. Shagrin turned and taking out his repeating blaster began firing on the three guards coming up behind them.
"There, o.k. we're out", shouted Shagrin and dragged Brent the final distance.
"Damn, it's locked", replied Karath.
"Use this", whispered Brent hoarsely, "it's the key".
"What did he say", Karath asked".
"He has a key I think".
"O.k. search him, we have 'bout twenty seconds left". They found they key after around ten seconds searching and put it in the old rusted iron lock.
"Damn it won't turn", yelled Karath desperately.
"Keep trying".
"Bloody hell!".
"keep trying".
"WOHOOOOO", Karath yelled as with three seconds to go they jumped out and dragged Brent along the bumpy ground.
"BOOOOOM". They were sent flying by the massive explosion and landed in some shrubbery. Looking up Karath could see a small craft dissappear into the sky above them.
Fox watched as three men moved towards him, one being carried on a makeshift wooden stretcher and pulled his blaster to bear with his left arm, although he doubted he would hit anything specially having lost so much blood to his wound which bled far more than it should have. But when they came closer he recognized them as Brent Shagrin and Karath. On seeing him Karath instantly rushed over to help.
"What happened to you ?".
"Me, what about you ?, all my men were killed when we got ambushed by some pirates".
"Yes, we just killed them", smiled Karath, "I'll tell you about it some time".
"C'mon we gotta get home", said Shagrin," It looks like both you and Brent could do with some medical attention".
"Look, it wasn't my fault. It was your men who were so incompetent that they couldn't take care of three simple soldiers", pleaded Garrotte and was kicked in the face by Janor.
"All my men, my entire operation destroyed because of you Garrotte. All your fault. And now you will be punished".
"No,plea Crack". Garrotte was hit on the back of the head by a large crowbar and he fell motionless to the floor.
"Throw him out through the airlock", smiled Janor evilly".
Karath, Brent and Shagrin stepped up and bowed in front of the chief minister for the society of Freedom, and where each awarded the highest honour for their courage and bravery in defeating the largest pirate operation for many years single handedly. Karath looked around at his two fellows, their new uniform resplendant in all the glory of having been spotlessly cleaned.
"Well, done men I am proud of you all, you are something every man and woman who fights for our society's freedom and prosperity", The crystal officer spoke, "I am also promoting Karath Grak to silver standing, and Kainin Brent I am giving you command of our first Riot assault bike squadron.
"Shagrin Maractol, I am promoting you to XO for the unit Karath will be commanding, wiping your wrongly made record and awarding you 50,000 credits in damage for the years of your life lost because of platinum Garrotte who I think you would be happy to know was found floating dead in orbit earlier this week.