Chapter 4: Interesting Discovery
Once they reached the rendezvous point, he saw that there were two other ships in the vicinity. A Corellian blockade runner, and trandoshian assault craft, with a few heads of various species mounted on the frontal hull, with multiple small laser cannons mounted on the hull. He assumed that the two other candidates owned more, smuggler esque ships instead of what he saw, though he figured there would be a corellian blockade runner when Mothma offered the mission. When he moved into position he received a transmission from one of the ships.
"The third pilot finally arrives, where've you been slick, we've been waiting on you" the captain of the blockade runner said.
"Ran into a little trouble on the way here. This the rallying point for Mothma's relief mission?" he asked.
"This is where we leave to our inevitable doom stranger. I'd advise you turn back, don't need weak hearted fools botching this contract, it will destroy my perfect record" the owner of the assault ship said.
"Can it Gresham, we have our orders. Guess this is the best time to start so I will fill you in on the current situation. The imperials have strengthened their blockade because a trigger happy band of rebels tried to break it, the rebel fleet is scrap floating in space currently. This makes our mission a whole lot harder. By the way, the name's Fargo, captain of the Gunbuster, the fastest ship in three parsecs." Fargo said.
"That loveable lizard over there is Gresham, captain of the Thrasher. He's been moaning about how this will lead to our inevitable doom, but don't mind him."
"Then let's get this party started, you guys have the planet's coordinates set?" Tos asked.
"We've had 'em inputted into our nava computer for about three hours, of course we have 'em" Fargo said in a slightly mocking tone.
"Then let's go, don't want to breach the blockade all by myself now, so keep up"
Tos powered up the hyper drive after it's cool down was complete, and blasted off towards Kashyyyk, the two other ships close behind. When they arrived at the planet, things were looking pretty bad. About ten Star Destroyers encircled the planet, with a complement of cruisers and frigates to aid in securing the blockade. When Tos saw this, his jaw dropped in sheer astonishment. He knew the planet was blockaded, but he figured that it would be a small blockade, he was hoping for about four or five destroyers, but his hopes were dashed as he witnessed the imperial navy. As the other two ships leaf hyper space, they soon stopped on the port and starboard side of his ship.
"Holy shit, that's a lot of firepower" Fargo said with a slight tremor in his voice.
"I told you! This would be the end! I am running it, better to die with glory than shame. RAHH!" Gresham shouted, his ship going full speed towards the imperial blockade.
"Wait you stupid fool, we need a plan!" Fargo shouted in vain, sighing when the craft showed no sign of stopping.
"Follow him, an opening could occur, and we can't miss it!" Tos yelled.
"Well then, I suppose I will follow as well. It's been a pleasure working with you, even if it was brief" Fargo said, his ship tailing Tos's.
The three ships sped towards the imposing war ships, the trandoshian making first contact. The assault craft opened fire in a blaze of red plasma streaming towards an Interdictor, the wave of fire overwhelming the shields and destroying the gravity well generators. Gresham then attacked a Strike Class cruiser, dealing minor damage to the ship's hull as it turned to face it's attacker. As this was occurring, a nearby Star Destroyer moved from its position to attack the assault craft, swarms of TIE fighters streaming from its hanger bays. Gresham momentarily took some damage as the Strike Class opened fire, disabling the craft's engines. The trandoshian saw the incoming wave of fighters and quickly activated the anti-air defense lasers. Small, but deadly laser cannons all over the assault craft came to life and started to decimate the fighter swarm, shooting down ship after ship. He disabled the cruiser with a couple of focused ion blasts and turned towards the destroyer slowly moving into attack position
As the last fighter was downed he fired every cannon, turret, and turbo laser on his ship at the imposing monster of a vessel, the plasma dispersing once it hit the warship's shields. Tos and Fargo managed to slip past during the confrontation, but did not escape notice as a pair of cruisers gave chase, firing of plasma rounds in short bursts. TIE fighter squadrons were launched and flew towards them, unleashing a barrage of green plasma bolts, which were slowly wearing down their shields.
"These fighters may be weak alone , but are very effective in large groups *static* If we don't take them out, then we can kiss the planet's surface goodbye my friend" Fargo said, his transmission cutting out as a bolt from one of the cruisers hit his ship.
"Glii Va, activate point defense lasers"
"Yes sir, point defense lasers activating"
The laser cannons came to life and started to down multiple enemy fighters, with Fargo's ship doing the same a few moments later. With the combined effort of both ships, they quickly cleared the area of fighters, but were reminded of the cruisers as another volley of green plasma was sent their way. Tos looked back towards Gresham's ship through the rear view port, watching in mild sadness as it was torn apart by the massive volley of the destroyer, and was a bit miffed that the crates were destroyed as well. His ship shook from a volley from one of the cruisers, and he quickly returned to the bridge.
"Sir, that last volley took out our shields, and with the fire power they are packing, one well placed volley will tear us apart!" Glii Va shouted, sweat running down his face and seeping into the cloth parts of his armor.
Tos was about to give an order when an explosion rocked their ship. He panicked, thinking that the hull was breached, but sighed when no claxons sounded off, but worriedly looked out the port side view port, cursing when he saw the blockade runner aflame.
"Damn, they hit me pretty good. My ship is nearly finished, one more volley and I will be floating in the vacuum of space my friend, so best hope that they are terrible shots from here on out" Fargo said, coughing from the smoke in the bridge.
"Just hang in there Fargo, I'll cover you. Head to the planet's surface, we'll meet you there"
Tos ordered the turbo lasers online, and to point them at one of the cruisers. The lasers turned towards their targets, and awaited the command. It was given. Blue plasma bolts flew from the barrels of the turbo lasers, slicing through space like a fish in water. The lasers pounded the first cruiser's shields, inflicting moderate damage to the hull once the shields collapsed, setting the vessel aflame. The second cruiser turned its laser batteries towards them, leaving the blockade runner to increase its speed. It opened fire with a speed nearly unmatched, almost instantaneous volleys of green plasma bolts were sent their way, making Glii Va cry out in terror. Tos banked the ship left, then right, and left again, avoiding the plasma fire, one round clipped their starboard engine, causing smoke to appear in copious amounts.
"We're hit!" the twilek shouted.
"Get those shields back online, now!" Tos shouted.
Glii Va and the twilek rapidly worked on getting the shields back online, but it took an enormous amount of time, something they don't have. As this was occurring, the blockade runner finally reached the planet's atmosphere, and stopped. An imperial frigate moved next to the ship and docked with the blockade runner. A transmission was being sent to his ship, and he put it through, showing the captain of the Gunbuster with a crooked grin, along with an imperial captain.
"Many thanks my friend. I owe you a debt of gratitude, but I won't be able to repay it 'cause the person I owe will be dead soon" Fargo said, guffawing into the transmission.
"You bastard!" Tos shouted.
"Oh don't worry, I will be sure to tell Mothma of your heroic sacrifice. Of how you died with honor and valor. After that though, my imperial friends will be taking her to the emperor, where I think that things will not go so well for the distinguished senator. It was fun working with you, but I got a bounty to collect, See ya" he said, cutting off the transmission.
Enraged, was the only verb he could use to describe the emotion he was feeling. He was deathly still at the command terminal, hands slightly shaking with barely concealed emotion. Due to his mandalorian upbringing, he was taught to honor any deal he made, be it big or small, if not then he would be forced to fend for himself until the lesson sunk in, and he spent enough time in the streets and gutters to last a lifetime. For a person to so carelessly break a contract with an employer, it was an affront to his parent's, as well as his own honor.
"Get a tracking device on that blockade runner, once we are done here, I want to pay our comrade a visit" he said with clenched teeth.
Glii Va nodded and went to a turbo laser terminal, instructing the merc on the task. The starboard turbo laser turned from the cruiser and aimed at the blockade runner, firing off a single shot, which hit the vessel in the engines, causing smoke and flame to fly off the ship into space.
"Tracking beacon has been set sir"
"Excellent, now order our cannons to focus all fire on the remaining cruiser to cover our entry to the planet"
Streams of blue plasma flew from the Charger's cannons, pummeling the shields of the imperial ship. Once the volley was sent, the Charger flew rapidly to the planet's surface, taking one last shot at the blockade runner, who was fleeing the system, but missed. As they flew towards the planet's surface, passing through the atmosphere he pondered on how he was going to deal with the traitorous scum that abandoned the mission.
'Castration was a favorite of my father, got the message across very quick. Although burning the coward's skin is still a possible option, but no, he would have the skin removed, and replaced with the skin off of his shebs' he thought, chuckling slightly when he thought that.
The planet's surface was one of warfare, imposing AT-ATs were approaching a wookie stronghold, with AT-STs in support, and an army of stormtroopers rushing the beaches under the massive metal feet of the walkers. Red plasma bolts were lobbed towards the wookie battlements, the wookies answered with plasma bolts of their own, streaks of green taking out stormtroopers by the dozens. A particularly large plasma round flung from the battlements collided with an imperial AT-ST, setting the walker alight with flames, destroying the cockpit and the pilots, and bringing the metal death machine down.
"So this is what Mothma wanted me to deliver supplies to. Fan freaking tastic." he groaned.
His ship flew past the battlefield and towards the wookie's center of operations, a gigantic tree by his standards, but probably normal sized to the wookies. He landed the frigate onto a landing pad, where a company of wookies were standing, led by a rebel officer.
"Glii Va, have the men deliver the supplies to the rebels"
"Yes sir"
He donned his helmet and exited the ship to meet with the rebel officer, who had a surprised look on his face when he saw the clone trooper armor. Tos walked up to the officer and shook the offered hand.
"I didn't know Lady Mothma had a clone helping the rebellion, but we need all the help we can get. My name is Francis Dibrell, and I am the commanding officer of this army, as well as orchestrator of this rebellion." he said.
"Name's Tos, and I am not a clone trooper, and I don't think there are any left. I am not a part of this rebellion, I'm just doing this for the credits"
"Ah, a mercenary" he said, with a tone that conveyed mild disgust.
"Yea, you got a problem with that?"
"No, no problem at all. I was just hoping that Mothma had 'reliable' contacts when she told us supplies were being delivered" Francis said.
Tos was beginning to become vexed by this officer, but hid his emotions well enough that the man didn't notice his chagrin. He disliked those who despised mercenaries, simply because of the fact that they had no loyalty to a cause, only money. He internally scoffed. Being loyal to a fault will get you killed, as was the fate of so many who eagerly signed up for war.
"Can I just get my credits and go, I don't want to upset the illustrious officer more than necessary with my presence" Tos said.
A wookie with body and head ornaments nodded and pointed to a couple of chests near the landing platform. Tos ordered his men to get the chests onto the ship, urging them to hurry when a particularly big explosion shook the platform beneath their feet. Once the chests were on the ship, he waved at the wookies and wished them well with their rebellion, the wookies roaring in response. He entered the ship and closed the ramp, and made his way to the bridge, sitting in the command chair and lifting the ship off of the platform with a lurch. As he flew his ship into the planet's sky, he looked back at the battle raging on the beach, watching as the AT-AT walkers slowly advanced on the wookie and rebel positions, destroying all in their path. He kind of felt sorry for the rebels. Not because they were oppressed or anything, but because they were fighting a one sided rebellion. He decided that he would help the rebels, just this once on his own volition, free of charge.
He turned his ship around, and faced it towards the beach. He aimed the twin turbo laser cannons, about five of them, at the slow moving metal behemoths known as All Terrain Assault Transports and opened fire. His cannons tore through the first walker like it was nothing, punching holes into the thick armor of the walker, making the mechanical colossus fall over onto its side, crushing a good portion of the storm trooper legion. The ship's cannons focused fire onto the second walker, piercing the thick metal of its sides, killing any soldiers in the transport.
"Hold your fire, don't destroy the last walker completely, the rebels have to have some challenge now don't they" he said, watching the walker struggle to move its metal legs forward.
"Yes sir" the twilek said.
The cannons immediately ceased firing, and the imperials began to rush the rebel positions, seeing as they could not afford to advance under the cover of their giant transports. The intensity of the fight increased, but he didn't want to see the end of the battle, so he turned his ship towards space, and steered the ship past the planet's atmosphere, directly into the awaiting imperial blockade. He wasn't nervous with the sight of the imposing fleet, as he input the coordinates on the tracker into the nava computer, and activated the hyper drive, disappearing into deep space before the imperials could disable his ship.