SWR E1 – Fallen Heroes
Ezra walks into the 'living room' and sits on the sofa. Kanan, Sabine and Hera are already there, examining a holomap of a planet.
"Where's this?" Ezra inquires as he sits
"Garacor. Important imperial production facility. The only parts of the planet that aren't city are the oceans and the odd desert Island. We've got the one big one covering most of the western hemisphere and the cities cover most of the rest, although they are interspersed with some more oceans." Kanan replies as Zeb walks in. He indicates a point on the hologram and the map zooms to show an Imperial structure by the sea as he continues, "this is the main Imperial data vault, and Fulcrum's given us intel on information on Darth Vader being stored there. We need to go in, secure the data and then leave ASAP. Got it?"
The others all nod and he continues, "We will all insert from the beach and sneak up to the building. Sabine and Zeb will enter the sewers to reach the power generator on sub-level 2. Ezra, Chopper, and I will enter through the service landing pad door and Ezra will go through the vents to enter the main data-control room. As soon as the power goes off, we'll breach the control room and chopper will take the hard-drive with the data on. We go out while the base lacks power and then meet up at the ghost, which Hera is going to park underwater."
"Status of the local population?" inquires Sabine
"They are currently rioting against the Empire so most Imperial soldiers are out trying to quell the riots, leaving the buildings less defended than normal and the garrisons depleted. As in REALLY depleted."
"Can the ghost even go underwater?"
"Of course it can," replied Hera, surprised.
"So when we get down, we'll put on dive gear and then swim to the surface." Comments Ezra
"Exactly. Let's get moving
The crew get up and head back to their rooms as the ghost drops into the atmosphere. It descends rapidly, then slows just before it hits the water. The only sign of the ghost's descent into the water is a series of ripples and a small trail of bubbles. The ghost touches down on the bottom, sending silt floating out from where it was displaced. It sinks like a stone and impacts the bottom with a dull thud, silt billowing out from the seabed where the landing gears hit the surface. Hera storms down the ladder and berates Chopper.
"You told me you would take it in slowly. If the landing struts have been damaged at all, you will be off operations for a month AFTER you repaired them." she yelled.
Sabine and Zeb were doing their final checks, while Kanan and Ezra were putting on their masks and weight belts. Chopper was in a special droid dive bag, protecting him from the elements that would destroy his circuits.
"Let's get moving" orders Kanan as they finish putting on the dive gear.
The hatch is open and the water laps up the ramp almost to the flat centre section. They walk down what little of the cargo ramp is unsubmerged and enter the water. It is surprisingly warm.
"Why is it so warm?" inquires Sabine
"Probably oil being transferred from underground mines. They keep it warm so it doesn't freeze in the pipes" replies Ezra. "Of course, now that there are so many of them, they don't actually need to heat all of them up, but, knowing the Empire, they probably didn't even check."
They swam silently in the deep blue ocean. Here and there, an eel or small fish would flit in and out of the beams of light coming from their helmets. Fluorescent-cyan kelp drifted in the current, fluttering occasionally as something brushed it. Eventually the water shallowed as they neared the shore.
"Eyes forward guys. Approaching the beach," said Kanan.
The 4 rebels and chopper landed on the beach and slowly waded their way up to the sandbar. A pair of tie fighters skimmed over the water's surface far to their direct left, spray flying up behind them.
"Looks fun" commented Sabine, "Hey, next time we go somewhere peaceful for a break, why don't we hook up a surfboard to the phantom and get it to drag us behind it?"
"We don't do that because at that speed you'd probably break all your bones when you fell off" replied Zeb.
"spoilsport" she grumbled, smiling under her helmet
They made their way up the beach to the outer landing pads, leaving the dive gear hidden behind the sandbar. 2 guards patrol the first one, a heavy turret guards the second. Zeb sneaks up and rips the guard on the turret off and whacks him over the head, while Sabine and Ezra tackle the other 2 simultaneously. No alarms went off as they edged their way up to the side of the building. A lone guard stood by the door.
"Wow, they must really be stretched thin by these riots," exclaimed Zeb as he entered the underground tunnels. "A single guard."
Sabine climbed in after Zeb and closed the hatch while Ezra sneaks up on the guard. He whistles and then punches the guard, knocking him out cold instantly.
"Piece of cake" he quips.
Kanan, chopper and Ezra enter and walk until they find an air vent, at which point Kanen boosts Ezra up into it.
"Try not to get lost," Kanan says.
"Fat chance of that. I'm not the one who has to find their way around without being able to read signs," Ezra shoots back
They split up and Ezra climbs through the maze of vents as the other 2 groups get into their respective positions.
"Is everyone in position?" asks Kanan.
"Spectre 4 in position"
"Spectre 5 ready"
"Spectre 6 ready"
"Execute assault"
There is a faint shudder and the lights go off as the generator is destroyed. Kanan charges into the control room, lightsabre drawn, while Ezra drops into the room from the vent, shooting with his blaster. Within seconds, the room is clear, 2 guards and 2 technicians down.
Ezra blasts through the protective glass and chopper flies out. He grabs the data card from its slot and flies back in. Total time since destruction of generator: 27 seconds
"Good time people. Let's make our way back to the beach."
The crew run from their various positions and meet outside.
"Got the data?" inquired Sabine.
"Course. Was there any doubt?" replied Kanan as they made their way back down.
"Uhh, yeah." Commented Zeb
They made their way back down to the sandbar, only to find their dive gear missing. The only things left were their dive boots, which they'd kept on during the assault because they had good grip and it saved time that would be otherwise spent removing them.
"What the hell?" started Zeb as they turn to look at the building.
"Stay Alert!" snapped Kanan just before blaster fire erupted around them. "CONTACT REAR"
The rebels dived to the landward side of the sandbar as a squad of dive-troopers emerged from the water, firing as they went.
Sabine popped her head up. "I bet you guys are as bad at shooting as… ah!" She exclaimed as a round glanced off her helmet.
She ducked back down, "I take it back. You guys can shoot"
Zeb leaned over and fired a single blast, catching a trooper in the head. Three of the other 5 immediately fire on Zeb, singeing his fur.
"Karabast, that was close. Hera, we might need some air support." He curses.
"Negative Spectre 4. I'm still underwater. It'll take a few minutes to get the ghost warmed up and then I'd have to leave immediately to prevent water getting in." Hera replied.
Kanan jumps out and lands in between 2 troopers and cuts one down. Focused fire from Sabine and Zeb take down another 2. Ezra rushes the one on the far left and stabs him. The final one fires a 3-round burst from his DLT-19, scorching the air beside Ezra as the lasers narrowly avoid hitting him. Zeb finishes off the last one with a shot to the abdomen.
"Well, that wasn't too hard" Ezra said jokingly. "What happened to needing air support?"
Chopper beeps and Ezra rounds on him.
"Shut up Chopper. You did nothing to help"
"Shhh…" orders Kanan. "What's that"
They hear a faint humming sound. Imperial dropships.
"I have a visual!" Exclaims Sabine, "They're moving in fast!"
3 AT-ST Walker dropships fly in from the sea. They flew low, practically touching the water, sending up spray and a fine mist trailing in their. The rebels flee back into the building and enter an elevator as the dropships unload a deadly cargo of 3 AT-STs and 15 Stormtroopers. They shoot upwards.
"So, do you want to tell us what your plan is Kanan? Sabine inquires.
"I saw something when we were in the command centre. A message from the Tector-class Star Destroyer Resolute, confirming transition of most of their garrison of Stormtroopers and other personnel to help deal with the riots. The ship is running a skeleton crew."
"And…"
"I was thinking it would be rude to refuse a free Star Destroyer. And a Tector-class at that."
"What's so special about a Tector-class Star Destroyer?" asks Ezra
"They're more heavily armoured, and can take and dish out a severe beating, more so than most other Imperial Star Destroyers. It's got a protected power plant too, but lacks a ventral hanger. It's the kind of ship we need when challenging the Empire directly."
"Nice."
They reach the top of the building, where there is an unguarded shuttle, which they board and launch. There wasn't a pilot or crew member on the ship, nor were there any weapons in the racks. The shuttle shoots up to the Resolute, ignored by the Ties that occasionally flew past. The city lights sparkled below them, with black swarms in the streets. Here and there, an AT-AT stomped its way between buildings, rain shining off its back. They watch as a fire breaks out across the back of one of them, from a Molotov thrown from a building. They wait for a request for codes as they approach the Resolute, but nothing comes.
"They must be really badly stretched if they don't request codes," Sabine points out.
The shuttle lands in an empty hanger. The corridors are deserted, armouries cleared. The only sounds are their footsteps and the odd groan of metal. Bunks lie empty, canteen clear. The ship appears devoid of life. A pair of troopers guarding the bridge are the first Imperials the rebels encounter and are quickly stunned. They stack up on the door.
Kanan taps his head twice and Sabine nods. She gets behind Ezra on one side, Zeb behind Kanen on the other. They all make the OK sign and Kanan hits the door button.
They storm in, blasters firing. To the left, Zeb guns down 2 Stormtroopers, Sabine another 2 and a deck officer to the right. Ezra and Kanan each get a deck officer in the pits, another by the window. A Stormtrooper in the command pit fires a couple of rounds, which are deflected back by Kanan. The rest of the crew are no where to be found.
"Spectres, sound off!" orders Kanan.
"Spectre 4, clear left."
"Spectre 5, clear right."
"Spectre 6, clear centre."
Chopper burbles that there were no hostiles behind them.
"Spectre One, all clear. Spectre 5, main control. Spectre 4, secure the door, then go take control of the main batteries. Spectre 6, get the communications and ship statistics. I've got the other weapons."
The crew head to their selected spots.
"Spectre 5, move around to point 67 when ready and prepare to accelerate to break atmosphere"
"Copy"
"Flank secure," says Zeb as the bridge doors slam shut and lock.
The star destroyer slowly turned over the city, engines flaring slightly as they burned energy. Below, thousands of people crowding around a stranded Imperial transport cheered as the star destroyer turned to go.
"Star Destroyer Resolute, return to position Immediately!" an officer ordered over the comm.
"Spectre 6, which Star Destroyer sent that?"
"ISD-II the Retribution, to out left side" Ezra replied. "Its standing by over the harbour."
"Spectre 4, give them our reply"
"Copy that commander," Zeb replied with a grin as he turned the port batteries to face the Retribution and unleashed a full 16-round volley into the side of the Retribution. Its shields weren't up and the rounds tore straight through to the reactor core with pin-point accuracy. A chain reaction started as all high-energy systems imploded, creating a wall of fire as all of the main turbo lasers blew up, accompanied by the ship's bridge and one of the engines.
Fire burst from its hanger and the ship split in 2, dividing at the reactor core. Chunks of it splashed down into the sea with fiery elegance as the fires were extinguished. The resulting cloud of smoke hid them until they vanished under the sea. A still-glowing engine fell and caused an eruption of steam as it heated the water around it.
Sabine watched as the stern crashed into the sea. and whistled, "Beautiful."
"OK Sabine, punch it!" exclaimed Kanan.
"Kanan. Do you feel that?" asked Ezra.
Kanan looked at Ezra and felt his fear, then felt it himself. The disturbance in the force.
The cold…
Notes:
I misspelt Kanan as Kanen. Should be corrected now.
Is what Ezra says in reply to Kanan too harsh? I think it might be too harsh.
Also, when I say "pits" or "command pits" I mean the 2 lower sections on a star destroyer bridge on either side of the main walkway. Here I a good example:
. /2013/02/super_destroyer_