Raptor Squad: Episode V: Breakout!!

The doors to the Lamba-class shuttle sealed shut, and the craft began its long trek to the prison planet of Roardak. Vic sat uncomfortably next to ket, his wrists bound tightly behind his back.

"We need to get out of here," he whispered to Ket.

The young gunslinger just stared ahead impassively. Paranoia crept through him as he sat against the cool bulkhead, watching the compliment of Imperial Navy troopers who sat directly across from him.

Vic tried again, but this time caught the attention of a passing guard. "shut up", the soldier warned, and backhanded Vic across the mouth.

Minutes marched into hours as the silence filled the cabin. Vic tried to lose his binders but to no avail. Next to him, Ket remained unmoving. Finally, Vic sat back against the bulkhead, feeling deflated.

As his eyes wandered around the cabin, off to his left, he noticed a Imperial trooper fidgeting nervously. The man quickly stole a glance at Vic and then looked away just as quickly.

But in that brief moment, Vic saw his salvation. The face he saw turned towards him for that split second was none other than Perfo Kryll, one of Vic's former teammates from the Ivory Brigade. The man didn't turn back however, and Vic tried desperately to make eye contact. This interest brought Ket from his catatonic state and he looked quizzically at Vic.

Vic gave Ket a wide smile, hoping to non-verbally inform the gunslinger that they at least had a minor hope of escape.

But what the young gunslinger saw was a man who he had only known for a few weeks, smiling maniacally at him in the worst of situations. Ket's mind began to race; Was Vic responsible for their capture? Was he in cahoots with the Empire? Ket's neural implants were working overtime and he all of a sudden didn't know who he could trust. Unfortunately, Vic was noticed by another passing guard who took the grinning prisoner and slammed his fist into Vic's stomach.

"You...kaff...are gonna pay for that,"Vic said between clenched teeth. The officer just smiled at walked away.

Vics mind began to wander at the possibilities of escape. There were at least 10 Imperial troopers on the shuttle, against at the most, three men. Not great odds, but he had seen worse.

Time marched on and Vic began to wonder if he had mistakenly identified the trooper. Fear began to creep back into Vic's mind when suddenly the trooper stood up and walked towards him.

Perfo stood in front of him and reached behind Vic, checking his binders. "Wait for my signal," he whispered as something metal was pressed into his hand.

"You there! What are you doing!?" came from behind Perfo. He turned and Vic could see an Imperial officer looming behind him.

"Just checking this prisoners bindings,"he answered.

"Yeah, " Vic chimed in,"Why don't you get this flunky away from me."

Perfo responded with a backhanded slap, and Vic sold it, jerking his head back in mock pain.

"Shut your mouth Rebel scum," Perfo hissed at him.

The officer nodded and walked back to his seat, while Perfo did the same. In his hand Vic could feel the cold steel on the key Perfo had placed there, and now just had to wait for the signal.

It came almost an hour later. Many of the troopers had nodded off, with a small compliment, including Perfo watching the prisoners. As Perfo made his way to the back of the shuttle, he raised his blaster carbine slightly, and fired a deadly round into one of his fellow troopers.

Before anyone could tell what was happening, Perfo had taken another trooper down, and chaos erupted in the small cabin.

Vic quickly slipped out of his binders, and Ket, rolling over on his side was quickly released as well. Perfo had dropped back behind a row of seat and was trading fire with several troopers while Vic and Ket scrambled for dropped weapons.

Lightweight prisoner coveralls were no substitute for blast vests, and Vic and Ket shortly found themselves pinned down behind a row of chairs exchanging fire with a handful of troopers.

Perfo took out the lights, and suddenly, the shuttle was bathed in darkness. Blaster shots ricocheted off the hull, and Vic could hear the small computer voice from the cockpit warning of the ships hull integrity.

Things weren't getting any better. An ambitious trooper lunged at Vic when his blaster misfired and the two engaged in hand to hand. As Vic tried to fight off his attacker, somewhere Ket was ending the lives of several troopers.

Then the shuttle hit something hard. In the darkness Vic was almost sure it was an asteroid or derelict transport, and figured their short lived revolt would soon be at an end.

Snapping the troopers neck, Vic grabbed the blaster that now lay next to him and expected the worst. Light flooded the small room and he heard a voice boom from beyond the cockpit door.

"This is Jax Sheba of the rebellion, throw down your weapons!"

Vic slumped against the bulkhead, not for the first time during the trip. "It's about time," he murmured to himself.

The trip to Teirfon station was a short one. All of the troopers, save for Perfo had been killed, and the shuttle left adrift in space. Upon arriving Jax informed Vic and Ket that he had heard of their capture, and acted as quickly as he could. Being the only members of Raptor Squad that he was in contact with, Jax set up Vic and Ket with false identifications.

Vic took on the Fake ID of one Rodbo Valance, and as a backup, a name that he remembered hearing in the outer rim for some time,"Terminus" Ket pulled Jax aside to make his own arrangements.

Vic, concerned about Perfo's well being, asked Jax what would happen to him. Jax informed him that Perfo was going to be questioned and that from there it was anyones guess as to what the former soldiers future would be. Vic, in no uncertain terms, informed Jax that he would hold him personally responsible for anything that happened to Perfo.

With the loan of a ship, Vic and Ket decided to make their way to a remote planet where no one would likely be looking to find them. After spending hours pouring over a list of possible planets, they decided on an iceball out in the middle of nowhere, a planet by the name of Garnib.

The ice planet loomed large in front of the two as they sat in the silence of the cockpit.

"It certainly is ...white,"Vic said staring.

"And cold no doubt,"Ket responded, setting their course for the planets only star port.

And so it was that Vic and Ket set down on Garnib and, renting a small apartment in a non de script part of the planet, began to make preparations for whatever the rebellion would throw their way. When the Empire had seized them, they had also cleaned out their bank accounts. Vic still had credits in reserve, as did Ket, but it wouldn't last them forever...they needed to start making some hard credits, and fast. It wasn't long before Vic came to a solution for their financial problems, and, as it would turn out, a decision that would change the team forever.