Ritvi, her final moments

[Vandarium]

The cave walls easily echoed the sounds around them. The dripping of the water in the distance. The splashes from their cloaks. The heavy breathing.

“We’ll catch up to him, eventually. He can handle himself. Stay focused on the mission, Vode.” Were the words Riiye spoke. The Mandalorian, clad in silver and brown armors, brown cloak and hooded helmet kept the squad together. “He may be gone now, but he won’t be forever.”

Ritvi, robed in a green cloak, green armors and a black undersuit, kept her head. Her breathing would not pick up through the helmet’s vox system, but she kept her cool. The Force swirled around her, as she kept her focus on finding other Hawkwings in the cave system. The pulses came weaker, as she had spent a large amount of Force helping her allies traverse a rapid stream just moments prior.

Ceoh, another in the squad, cloaked in beige, and tans, with beige armor and a hooded helm, stopped the squad. “Hold. There is a jammer here.” He pointed out. “We can take these for use later.”

“No.” Ritvi interrupted, “We blow them up. Leave nothing to chance.” Ahead of her, Riiye nodded, “Ritvi is right, we shouldn’t leave here with anything that could be tracked.”

Keshli, cloaked in greens and tans, a green helmet, and tanned leather armor, spoke up. “Best to destroy them, then.” As she pulled security behind for the squad. She wasn’t a Mandalorian, but the team respected her enough to have her along on this mission. After all, her brother, Rhirk, was Clan, and that alone was enough to trust her.

Ceoh, setting the explosives, fell behind as he rigged the jammer. Ritvi, Riiye and Keshli pushed forward to scout ahead. They found the rubble walls that had blocked them off from Jate’kara. Frustrated, Riiye and Ritvi groaned, and turned back out. “Come on, maybe we can find a way around.” They said, leading Keshli out of the cave system with them. As the three exited the cave system, their helmets shaded them from the sun. “Daytime already…?” Ritvi thought to herself, “There’s no way we were down there that long…” And as she finished her thought, the rush of ion engines roared overhead. A large gunship, covered in silver plating, and sporting three laser cannons, winded the trees around the three.

“Surrender. Now. We have Jate’kara hostage.” A voice echoed into the forest. The three girls were stunned, as they looked up at the ship…

[Vandarium]

The intercom was near deafening as the Hawkwing gunship emitted the man’s voice. “We captured your leader, and he is badly injured. He is bleeding out quickly, and without medical treatment, he will die. Release to us Ritvi Felstar, and we’ll give you the location of your beloved leader.” He taunted. His voice grained on the ears of the trio. Ritvi and Keshli looked at each other, in likely surprise. Keshli stood by, and the two begged Ritvi not to say anything.

Ritvi looked down into the dirt, and then to Riiye. She typed a message into her wristcomm, and then sighed. Her voice came as a shiver as she replied. “I will give myself up.” She said, five words that caused Riiye and Keshli both to become stunned. “In return, you will give me Jate’kara’s coordinates.” She called up confidently.

The gunship was silent. Then, a rope-ladder descended to the ground. Ritvi turned to her team, and under her helmet, she felt determination. “You will go to Jate’kara. You will give him the aid he needs, and you will live.” Ritvi’s voice dropped a bit. She turned to Keshli. “Do you have any explosives on you?” She requested. Keshli’s only response was a nod, as she dug into her bag, pulling out several satchel charges of her own. Ritvi padded her greaves and curiass with the charges, and wired them to a detonator, that she slipped up into her gauntlet.

Riiye, stunned until now, looked to Ritvi, and reached out for her. “Do not do this, cyar’ika… there are better ways.” She pleaded. Ritvi shook her head, and pointed up. “The gunship has it’s weapons pointed to us. If I do not go, it will kill us all.” She pointed out. Keshli and Riiye looked up, only to find out that Ritvi was correct - a couple of guns were already pointed at the trio, essentially holding them hostage.
“Ni cyarir gar, ner riduur.” Ritvi’s words came unsteadily, as she put her helmet against her Riiye’s. She placed a gloved hand on her helmet, taking in the details of her partner’s armor one more time, as she turned, and began to ascend the ladder. Riiye and Keshli were stunned, as the dropship pulled away, with Ritvi in tow.

Keshli and Riiye move deeper into the forest to retrieve Jate’kara… meanwhile…

Ritvi ascends into the dropship. The ship lurches as it begins to leave, and Ritvi removed her helmet. Her blue hair shakes out of it, and she offers a smile to the two Hawkwing troopers pointing rifles at her. She laughs, raising her hands. “Hey, hey, fellas. I’m unarmed. Got any water?” She said, jokingly. She looked around - four doors lead into side compartments of the dropship, as well as one door on the end, farthest away - probably a cockpit, she thought to herself. There were six Hawkwings total in the room with her. Made it clear that this would not be an easy fight… so she resolved herself.

A Hawkwing approached her, and showed Ritvi a datapad. A gruff voice came from his helmet, “Alright. This is where your leader is.” He said, and Ritvi noted the location, tapping it into her datapad, she sends the location to Riiye.

From her helmet, a staticy communication from Keshli came through, “Jate’kara – Ritvi… we’re moving to your location!”
Ritvi put a finger up to her helmet’s comms unit, and began to reply. “Jate’kara… Live with hon-” Was all she managed out.

And with that transmission - the Hawkwings rushed Ritvi. Ritvi did not hesitate, as she pressed the detonator in her gauntlet.

Boom.

The explosion was heard from Veles, the Jedi Temple… everywhere close to the Wildwoods, as wreckage was sent all over a nearby canyon. Thus, ending Ritvi Felstar, and destroying the gunship that would have assaulted Fort Ka’ra.