Preparation and Raid

[childofrebellion]

Cassian pats the shuttle as he gets off, nodding to the pilot before stepping off and starting towards Ops and Draven.

If he reports first then he can find Kay and get some rest perhaps even see if whoever's cooking needs help. As he walks back, he notes the extra movement and wonders which of the possible raids is going ahead.

He gets a few nods but not that many, he's not around that much and tends to keep to himself, its safer in the long run.

Comments

[rebel_droid]

Kay notices that near miss, and he doesn't like it.

The scaffolding is old, and once Cassian is clear of one of the landings Kay takes a moment to rip a hunk of it off, then throws it down at the firing Troopers.

[childofrebellion]

Most of the troopers have scattered including one stubborn one that's focused on them. The scaffolding knocks a few down as some of the Wookie children let out a yell.

Cassian hits the ground and stands between the children and troopers, answering back blaster shots. There's the crackle of comms, theirs and the troopers, "We need to get someplace safer."

The children stare at them and a Bothan gives Kay a thoughtful look.

[rebel_droid]

Kay looks at Cassian, then down at the children.

He does a quick calculation of the best course. The rendezvous point isn't far, and so he spreads his arms out wide to gesture the children to move.

"Alright, little ones, this way." Putting his back to Cassian and the firing, he herds the children along, using his bulk to shield them as best he can.

[childofrebellion]

"Going to the rendezvous with the little packages," Cassian says into his comm as a blaster bolt gets closer than he'd like.

The Bothan says solemnly to Kay before moving where he says, "You don't stand up straight."

"There should be a short cut through the second warehouse down and some cover," Cassian starts slowly moving, the rest of the fighting is just visible through the warehouse and down the street. He turns to look at the children with a quick smile, "No, Kay stands how he likes and we're going to get you safe."

[rebel_droid]

Kay moves them towards the warehouse, shouldering open the door when they reach it and ushering their charges inside.

"Are you some sort of posture expert?" Kay asks the boy, shooing him inside.

[childofrebellion]

Inside the warehouse, the sky is open above them and the space echoes. It was burned out and Cassian puts away his blaster and gives it a quick scan, "There's a room standing this way."

The boy looks at Kay and at Cassian and shakes his head while one of the Wookies makes a sad noise. At that sound, Cassian turns and drops down to his knee to be on the same level as the kids, "Kay doesn't stand like the other droids because he wants to. He can, no one's telling him how to stand."

That gets almost all the eyes turned towards Kay.

[rebel_droid]

Kay takes a step back when all the small eyes turn onto him. After a moment he straightens up, just to demonstrate that he can, then slouches forward again.

"I like to be my own droid."

[childofrebellion]

"And you're my favorite droid. Now we need to be quiet as we go into that room to wait for everyone else," He points to the remains of an office, which still has a roof as it was built inside the structure.

One of the Wookies walks closer to Kay and says something, the boy who stared at Kay translates, "And you want to keep us safe so no one makes us do anything?"

[rebel_droid]

Kay gets the door and looks down at the two children.

"I do. It is better that you should have the chance to be what you want."

[childofrebellion]

The Wookie gives Kay's leg a quick hug before they go inside.

Cassian stands by the door and listens to his comm which is being suspiciously silent.

[rebel_droid]

The hug is a surprise, and Kay doesn't know what to do with it, but when the Wookie lets go Kay ushers him gently to join the others, then stands guard, waiting for their chance to move again.

[childofrebellion]

Suddenly there's the sound of blaster fire from outside and a few of the children crouch down together. One of the few human ones starts quietly singing.

Cassian looks up, he hasn't heard any Tie fighters which is a good sign but comms must be jammed. He starts going through frequencies while guarding the door with Kay.

[rebel_droid]

Kay watches Cassian flip through frequencies and listens to the approaching blaster fire.

"Cassian, I suggest we move and soon. If we are cornered in here the probability of anyone making it out is essentially zero."

[childofrebellion]

"I know, we'll go through here and try to get closer to the rendezvous. Use some of the alleys to our advantage," He glances over at the children then briefly closes his eyes to recenter before walking over to them and keeping his voice light but honest, "We have to find someplace else to be safe." The older child, a young Wook and the Bothan nod and start gathering the children.

Cassian points them towards the back of the warehouse as the noise of the blaster fire gets closer to them. Quietly he says to Kay, "You keep them safe. I'll follow providing cover and seeing if I can get any sense of what's going on."

[rebel_droid]

Kay draws himself up to protest, then instead inclines his head down and then up once.

"Do not die," he warns Cassian before turning to start moving the children towards the back exit.

[childofrebellion]

"I'll try not to and I can be more effective in here. Go,"

The children watch them talk, drifting closer to Kay be safe when there's a boom outside.

[rebel_droid]

Reluctantly Kay goes, leaving Cassian to deal with what's coming while Kay pushes open the back door, checks that the coast is clear, then herds the children out.

"Quickly. We will have you safe, soon."

[childofrebellion]

At some point, the Bothan reaches for Kay's hand, "We'll be safe." Behind the warehouse, there's an odd alley, leftover from centuries of different buildings.

In the warehouse, Cassian finds a good spot to watch the door when a smoke bomb is rolled into the warehouse. He pulls a cloth from his bag to tie around his face while looking for muzzle shots.

[rebel_droid]

Kay takes the Bothan's hand, careful, but firm.

"Of course. It is more Cassian I am worried about."

Going off of the maps from the plans for the mission, Kay leads the children through the winding alleyways, ducking into an alcove when they cross paths with the fighting, covering the children and waiting for the skirmish to go past.

[childofrebellion]

"He's your friend? We're your friends now too," The Bothan says while the Wookie adds an agreement, "My name's Aryem, that's Twen. We're the oldest." Overhead a large gun fires at something. They seem to be in a space too tight for fighting.

Inside the warehouse, Cassian's waiting and as the smoke clears, firing at troopers. When he shifts position, a bolt get him on the leg and he wraps a quick bandage to keep from dripping too much.

As he makes his way toward the alley, staying out of sight, his comm gives a series of beeps, an older code for when there's trouble. He replies with his status and takes up the info on the scattered troopers around him.

[rebel_droid]

"Hello Aryem, Twem. I am Cassian's co-pilot." Kay always feels that's the best explanation for him and Cassian.

This spot is quickly becoming less than ideal, and as much as Kay doesn't want to increase the distance between them and Cassian, his orders are to protect the children.

The need to move becomes imperative when a lone trooper turns the corner and nearly runs straight into Kay.

Before the trooper can react, Kay reaches out and grabs him by the front of his armor, lifting him off his feet and causing him to drop his blaster.

Holding the trooper aloft, Kay spies a grenade on the trooper's belt and reaches out one hand to grab it.

"Thank you," he says, before casually throwing the trooper away. The trooper smacks up against the opposite alley wall and falls into an unconscious slump while Kay considers the grenade.

Activating the device, he sticks it to the wall blocking their path, then shoos the children to a safe distance, using his bulk to block them from the explosion.

The resulting boom sends bricks and dirt flying, and when the dust settles they have a new direction to head in.

"This way," he says, guiding them through the new hole in the wall.

[childofrebellion]

There are a few tears and one ooh at the explosion before the children follow. One of the children sticks their tongue out at the fallen trooper before hurrying along. They end up inside what was a warehouse for clothing, a few crates are slightly open.

Kay's comm beeps relaying the information that mission has been successful but dealing with unexpected reinforcements and to continue heading to the rendezvous.

When Kay explodes the grenade, Cassian uses it as cover to get closer to the other side of the building and out.

He uses the fallen bricks to set up cover for whoever comes through the warehouse. He dropped a motion sensitive bomb to slow them down.

[rebel_droid]

He takes the children through the warehouse towards the exit. They aren't far from the rendezvous point now, but before he takes them back outside Kay wants to make sure their path is clear.

Pushing crates together for cover, he has the children wait for a moment.

"We are getting close. You all will be safe, soon."

[childofrebellion]

There's a smaller explosion and Cassian waits but there doesn't appear to be any movement. Carefully he climbs down and waits before at a slower pace following where Kay and the children went. His leg is starting to ache but he knows from experience he won't truly feel it until the later.

Before Kay goes, one of the smallest children, a little Twi'lek repeats, "Soon."

On the other side of the warehouse, it opens onto a larger intersection where a wrecked cargo transport is upended. Not far away the rendezvous is visible and can just be heard with various languages and sentries keeping watch.

[rebel_droid]

Kay scouts the area and the path they'll need to take from the doorway, then goes back to retrieve the children.

"Alright, we are going to move fast. Everyone stay close and with me."

That said, he leads them on the last dash to the rendezvous.