Star Wars: Heretic Squad

Chapter 1: Observe and Report!

Heretic Squad often ran dangerous missions, it was what they were meant for after all. Right now though, they were resting, and as usual whenever he got bored, Blitz was trying to blow up the ship again. Caleb was so used to this that it was just a casual comment at this point. He arrived at the Engine Room, where he saw Blitz punching troopers, technicians and others to the ground. Shrapnel had arrived with Cannon and Frag. "Shrapnel, go grab Molten, then wait with Jan in the bunks, Cannon, Frag, get him down and restrain him, knock him to the next galaxy if you have to!" Shrapnel went, although begrudgingly, Caleb took out his blaster, a heavy pistol rifle, and aimed his scope at the explosive, it wasn't armed, but had he not gotten there it probably would have been. Blitz always put up a huge fight whenever this happened, but two of his squadmates with their combined strength was much more than enough to restrain him. Caleb ordered Molten, who had now arrived, to help the techs make sure everything was in order. When done, he ordered his men to the bunks. Caleb stood there, his men at attention. "At Ease, you should all know by now that we're a unit, we work together, fight together, die together! Its bad enough babysitting some of you on mission, but now I've heard the reports. Constant arguing, attempting to destroy this ship, again, and none of you even trying to show why I chose you to join this team when I formed it but now-" he was cut off when the door opened, and Thrawn walked in. Heretic Squad stood to attention. "At ease squad," said Thrawn. "I have come with details on your next mission. Observe the holodeck!" he ordered. Cannon had a sharp change in personality a lot, but this one blew the record. He was speechless. The rest of the squad followed that example. At least, Frag spoke. "Who is that? A Rebel, a rebel Spy? What?" Caleb told him to stow it. Thrawn was going to answer it seemed though. "That is a man named Comari Vardan, beside him is a rebel captain named Varedon Brigham. Both played a huge role in running several operations in and out of the core worlds, attempting to learn our routes. Vardan was the higher in rank, and the reason we need you, is because two imperial governors were assassinated 3 days ago by teams under the command of these two men, now, they have the information on our major weapons programme revolving around using new ships, weapons and many other things!" Shrapnel looked at the Hologram, but it was Molten who voiced the response. "How come we're the ones being sent after these two? They seem easy enough to find if you know they did it!" Thrawn looked at Molten, then the rest of the team. "Because they have disappeared, some theorise they led a mass defection from three major imperial academies, including Royal Imperial and Skystrike academies, they had pupils from the core at both locations. We think that, or ISB does, that defection rumours were true. After this, Brigham and Vardan disappeared out of sight from our attempts to track them. With the men and women they convinced to join their cause they lead a mass armarda that has run rampant through several locations. The deaths of these governors, happened soon after, no motive, neither were that important to the empire's big picture. We have no way to piece together any of this but them. Their link to home is this individual: Code named Fulcrum, real identity is a young man named Jeremiah Vizla, a long lost member of the vizla family on Mandalore. Your first objective is to find him and get all of the information he passed to the rebels, we'll arrest him after, the second objective is to destroy that rebel fleet!" Thrawn looked around "Fulcrum has blended in for some time high up in the Imperial intelligence on Mandalore and many other systems, we have no proof that it really is vizla, so for now, when you find him, observe and report only, when you have what you need, bring him in. after that, its an all out war against Vadan and Brigham!" Thrawn finished the briefing. Caleb looked round at his men, helmets on as always, and then put his on, as was official. "How do we know where to find him? This kid ain't gonna simply stay out in the open!" he said. "He appears to be in hiding, with others knowing pieces to the puzzle of his location, along with quite a lot of mandalorian warriors who show him complete loyalty, kill them as well if you must" said Thrawn. Jan looked again at the latest image. "He looks a lot like the others, coincidence or relation?" he asked. "No idea, ISB have monitored him, but he's very good at slipping away, perhaps you'll find out for us," Thrawn said calmly. Cannon spoke next, but this time to Caleb. "Stealth or direct approach boss? We go stealth we learn more, go direct we find out who's pulling the strings faster!" he said. It was Shrapnel who responded. "Right, we go bursting right in, blowing everything up and that won't make anyone suspicious? The only one who'll find that even slightly helpful is Blitz, trust me, it won't do anything to destroy the place upon entry," he said. Shrapnel loved pretending he led the team, Caleb wasn't sure why he hadn't demoted the man yet. Blitz looked at Shrapnel, and there was no mistaking the anger underneath the helmet. Frag and the others who hadn't spoken looked at Caleb now. Thrawn did the same, all but voicing that the decision was his. "We go in direct against those protecting vizla, then we try and to stealth! Heretic Squad, dismissed and prepare for an op!" said Caleb. He motioned Thrawn outside. "I'll need it won't I?" he asked. Thrawn understood instantly. Lord Vader has said to take it, this mission will require its use a lot, particularly against the Mandalorians who serve Vizla, and any other surprises that may await!" Caleb nodded, and returned inside after saluting. His squad were busy loading up all kinds of gear, but they turned to him but he waved them back to work. It was usual for them to talk about the mission. "We've got access to the best ship possible, this should be easy!" said Molten. Shrapnel wasn't so sure. "Seems a bit strange that we were assigned for this mission, Mandalorians are easy enough to kill!" he said. It was Cannon who responded. "They're not, I have friends from Mandalore, apparently the warriors there were able to rival the Jedi of old," he explained. Caleb looked sceptical. He was a man who took things he knew to be real, he didn't know if the Jedi were, he one day wanted to find out. "Does it particularly matter? The mission came directly from Lord Vader himself, so cut the chatter and get to the hanger, Molten get ready to fly!" he ordered. Not long later, Caleb and the rest of his team were waiting in the hanger to board their ship.