Jedi and Clone

Predator

Hoth: 21 BBY
Separatist WT Compound
Commander Axe

The snow storm was picking up again as they finally crested the ridge and reached the base of the compound. The tauntauns were below in a sheltered area. They had refused to go near the caves. Axe flicked his small visor down and scanned the area.

"All clear," he whispered as a droid unit moved past.

Rigger nodded and turned to the wall. He quickly unscrewed a few bolts from the panel and lifted it off. Warm air blew out and created steam. Irel and Patch slipped inside, with Axe close behind them. Rigger replaced the panel as he came in.

Axe flicked his visor back up and turned to Irel. She slid her goggles on top of her hair as they started to fog up. "How in the blazes do they keep it so warm in here?" She muttered.

"I don't know. We'd better not ditch our gear though. We'll want it when we get outside." Axe waved a hand and started forward again.

As they crept along, he noticed Irel's hand clenching occasionally. She caught his gaze and instantly relaxed her hand, looking away. Hm. I wonder what that's about, he thought.

They rounded another corner. Rigger pointed up to the ceiling, where a large ventilation shaft hatch was. "It might be good to get up where the droids can't see us," he pointed out.

Irel nodded and reached a hand to the hatch. It swung open immediately and she jumped up inside. Rigger made a cup with his hands and helped Patch up. Axe went last, helping Rigger. Rigger and Patch turned and stretched their arms to him. Axe clasped their hands and let them pull him up. Irel secured the hatch behind them.

"Ok, where to now?" She asked as the hatch clicked shut.

Axe tapped a few buttons on his wrist cuff and a projection of the base appeared. "According to R3's maps, the armory is here and the development center is there."

"We should check out both. General Tiin will want to see everything," Patch pointed out.

"All right. Rigger and Patch, you check out the armory and get all the images you can. Axe, you're with me. We'll head to the development center. Meet back at our entry point when you've gotten your intel," Irel ordered. Axe quickly uploaded the maps onto Rigger's cuff as well, before following Irel.

"So, what do you think the Separatists are building?" She asked when the others disappeared from view.

"Honestly, I have no idea. Those ion disrupters on Yur Loke's dreadnought were new. It could be more things like that or it could be more versatile weapons to be used by droids on the battlefield," he replied. Axe shuddered to think what they might find.

"They certainly chose the perfect planet to test things on. No life forms other than animals and they seem to stay a good distance away from the compound," Irel pointed out. "I wonder why there was no blockade or anything."

"They must keep this place under the radar, even with their own." They fell silent as footsteps clattered in the hallway below them.

Irel crawled up to a vent and waved him over. Between the cracks in the hatch, Axe could make out several battle droids. "We've received a warning from Count Dooku," one of the droids was saying. "An admiral from Dantooine lost a lot of intel. This base might be compromised. Keep an eye out for intruders."

"Roger, roger," several voices said in unison. Their metal feet clanked away.

"At least they don't know we're here yet," Axe sighed. "Maybe we should check in on Rigger and Patch."