Chapter 1: First Strike
Location: The Absolution
Three weeks ago...
Standing on the bridge of the Resurgent-class Star Destroyer, Capitan Phasma watched the blue tunnel of hyperspace fill the viewports. Assigned command of the vessel, she had been ordered to proceed to the MZX32905 system. Located near Bimmiel and Lorrd, the star system had only been given a designation, not a proper name.
"What's our ETA?" she demanded, the helmet distorting her voice.
"We should be dropping out of hyperspace momentarily, Capitan," informed one of the technicians.
"Good. Establish contact with the Supremacy."
Clasping her hands behind her back, Phasma eagerly awaited for the Supreme Leader to finally present himself.
"My good captain," a voice said, filling the bridge.
Turning around, she beheld the disembodied head of a humanoid being of undetermined species. Though it was a mere hologram, it was detailed enough to convey the being's appearance. His face having been disfigured, suffering a burn to the left-side of his face, while a large furrow was prominent on his bald head.
"Sir, we are due to arrive in the MZX32905 system shortly."
"Excellent. Once the Absolution has arrived in-system you are to begin a search of the asteroid field at once," he ordered, "Locate the habitat of Darth Vectivus and recover the man being held there."
The woman was perplexed, the order hardly being worthy of the time or resources that were being expended.
"You believe I am incorrect to dispatch someone of your caliber to recover a single individual?" he questioned, as if reading her thoughts.
"No, Supreme Leader."
"Make no mistake, the woman holding him is extremely dangerous. Not unlike yourself."
"Is that why you've placed your personal guards under my command?" the Parnassian warrior asked.
"This is not something that should be left to chance."
"Captain, we're about to emerge from hyperspace," a voice notified.
Turning towards the viewports, she watched as the elongated stars reverted back to their normal appearance.
"Scramble all fighters," she ordered, "Locate that habitat."
"Phasma..., I want you to bring Lumiya to me alive. She'll prove to be a useful tool."
"And should she resist?"
"Then kill her."
Location: The Home
Fifteen minutes later...
The Xi-class light shuttle pulled into the asteroid habitat's docking bay, allowing the passengers to disembark. The hanger was spacious enough to hold several star ships, though only a sleek-looking vessel occupied the space. It reminded her of the Naboo yacht whose chromium she had salvaged to fashion her armour. Cradling her modified F-11D blaster rifle, Phasma marched down the boarding ramp, her black armorweave cape flowing out behind her. Behind her were five of the Supreme Leader's bodyguards, which had been modelled in a way that invoked imagery of the Emperor's Royal Guards.
"Spread out," she ordered.
The Praetorians did as instructed, passing by the captain as they spread out from the hanger bay. Phasma lingered near the shuttle, allowing the sound of emergency klaxons filling her ears. Detecting the TIE/sf fighters that had been launched from the Absolution, the habitat had initiated an emergency alert. Stepping forward, the commanding officer of the FN Corps immediately found herself assailed by an enemy. An electrified whip came slashing down from the rafters, the tip of the weapon making contact with her helmet. What might've been a lethal strike was defused by the armour, which had been polished to reflect radiation and deflect blaster bolts. Twisting her body, Phasma fired her blaster one-handed at the woman hiding in the rafters. She wore a tight-fitting bodysuit of silver and black, while the lower-half of her face was concealed behind a veil. A triangular headdress had been fitted over her head, while a tattered black armorweave cape flowed out behind her. Identifying her as Lumiya, she immediately unleashed a barrage of blaster bolts at the woman. Forced to drop over the side of the railing, she landed in a crouch and gave her wrist a flick. The weapon shot outward striking against her breastplate, but the damage was negated by her armor. Swinging the lightwhip around her head, she lashed out again, prompting Phasma to shield herself with her cape. Slowly, the two women circled one another, seeking out any opening they could capitalize on.
"YOU WILL NOT TAKE HIM!" Lumiya roared.
"The Supreme Leader shall not be denied," she retorted.
The Dark Lady of the Sith stopped in front of the shuttle, lashing the duracrete floor with her whip. Distracted by the Stormtrooper captain, she failed to notice a sixth Praetorian Guard march down the boarding ramp. Armed with a Bilari electro-chain whip, the guard swung it in a wide arc and ensnared the woman's neck. The faceless guardsman gave the weapon a yank, causing Lumiya to be pulled backwards. Landing on the floor, Phasma quickly capitalized and launched herself on top of the older woman. Drawing back her right arm, she punched her in the face with every ounce of her strength. When she didn't move, the younger woman stood up, her body visibly shaking with rage.
"Pathetic," she spat, "Get her onboard, and make sure she's secured."
The Praetorian obeyed, dragging the woman up the boarding ramp and into the shuttle. Retrieving the blaster she had discarded, she made her way deeper into the asteroid habitat. She passed through the complex's spacious rooms, though anything of value had been removed. Entering one of the halls, she encountered two Praetorians stationed outside the infirmary. Marching past them, she stepped in the room that housed a Bacta tank filled with a crimson liquid. The silhouette of a humanoid floated inside, but the fluid made it impossible to identify. Studying the computer terminal, she realized that the process was far from completed. Raising her left hand, she activated the comlink that was the built into to her helmet.
"Absolution, get some engineers down here."