Star Wars – The Cybermen
General Bel Iblis was stood over his Command Console, cool and calm as ever. His aide, Colonel Mattahan was dripping with sweat. The droids had appeared, literally out of nowhere and had demanded that they surrender. Reports had suggested that there as many as seven billion of these droids had simultaneously appeared all over Coruscant, rounding up New Republic citizens as hostages. They were humanoid in shape, with their torso resembling that of a super battle droid. The most distinctive feature was the strange handlebar shaped array on their heads- perhaps it was a transmitter of some sort?
General Bel Iblis considered the situation for a few moments and then put all New Republic Military units on alert. They were told to attempt to negotiate with the droids, but were authorized to shoot the droids if necessary. Bel Iblis sent a contact team to meet the formation of droids standing directly across from the Imperial Palace.
Captain Mattuf of the New Republic approached the formation of droids with a protocol droid and a single squad of his men to escort him, leaving the rest to cover them in case hostilities were to ensue. He came to a halt before the five droids standing in front of all the others, and as he would in any military Parade, saluted the centremost droid before identifying himself. "I am Captain Veto Mattuf of the New Republic. My superiors would like to know who you are, what it is that you want, and why you are."
The droids remained still. "Are you able to understand me?" He muttered to his protocol droid T7-A42 "Try asking them the same phrase in-"The lead droid spoke in a dead, monotonous voice, interrupting him. "We are the Cybermen" it stated. "We propose an Alliance with the New Republic".
Captain Mattuf blinked. "I am sorry, but I cannot speak for the New Republic, though I am sure they would take your offer seriously. Would you like to wait for them inside the Imperial Palace?" he offered. "We understand" said the lead Cyberman "You have not been upgraded" it stated. "I'm sorry, what do you mean?" queried Captain Mattuf. "We can give you immortality. A life without pain. Would you not want that?" It questioned.
"Uh… I'm afraid I cannot answer that question on behalf of the New Republic…" he said uncertainly. "You are refusing our offer?" queried the Cyber-leader. "I'm sorry, but until a general consensus has been reached then I cannot accept or deny your offer…" Captain Mattuf told the Cyber-leader uneasily.
"Then you are rogue elements" stated the Cyber-leader, clasping its right hand to its chest before extending it towards the Captain and clamping it on his shoulder "You will be deleted." Bright tendrils of blue energy fluttered spread out from the Cyber-leader's hand and into his body. Every muscle in Captain Veto Mattuf's body spasmed, his skin felt like it was on fire. He managed to vocalise a short cry of pain before he slumped to the ground, dead.
His honor guard were frozen to the spot in shock for some seconds before they were able to move again, bringing their blasters up to fire at the Cybermen. Before they could get more than a few wild shots off the Cyber-leader's honor guard electrocuted them and they too slumped to the ground, dead. The formation of Cybermen, 1005 of them in total, began to march over the bridge with Cyber-leader 00000000000000599714 at the head of the formation.
Bel Iblis watched as all over Coruscant the Cybermen Attacked. The hostages they had taken were being rounded up, probably for hostage negotiations. New Republic troops had opened fire on the Cybermen, receiving strange results; blaster bolts seemed to partially deflect when it hit their armour, only melting a small dint in their armour each time it was hit. Projectile weapons merely bounced off, not causing any damage. The Palace Guards had brought E-14 repeating blasters and Plex-12 portable missile launchers up from the armories. The land speeders carrying the guards came to a halt behind the barricades the New Republic soldiers had set up and disgorged their complement of guards, providing cover for the guards with their blaster cannons.
Cyber-leader 00000000000000599714 deployed a weapon from his right forearm, its barrel extended forward and he pointed it towards the soldiers, firing as he marched in time with his 1004 Cybermen. A red dart-like beam zipped towards the soldiers and hit one of them square in the chest, enveloping his body in a fluctuating red glow for a few seconds before he collapsed, dead. The soldiers fired the E-14 repeating blasters at the Cybermen, pitting and scarring their armour and causing a few of those in the front row collapse as their suits' internal life support systems and power reactors failed. The soldiers kept firing, adding their Plex missiles to the hail of blaster bolts already being fired at the Cyberman. The missiles exploded as they hit the Cybermen, causing them to lose limbs or be destroyed.
The Cybermen deployed the weapons on their forearms and raised them as one towards the New Republic troops, blasting the first few barricades into dust and rubble. They continued firing, shooting down all those who stood in their way. The land speeders took off in an attempt to save their crews from destruction, but the Cybermen targeted their repulsorlifts, leaving them helpless.
Two of them changed course and veered around to make a suicide run and the Cybermen. The first land speeder was destroyed little over halfway towards the Cybermen, but the Second swatted a dozen Cybermen before exploding, destroying them and others nearby. Bel Iblis watched all of this with growing concern and ordered an evacuation of the building as the Cybermen began to Advance into the main Entrance Hall of the Imperial Palace.