XIV: Razor Rendezvous Redux

In orbit of Kothlis, one Corellian corvette, the Razor, held very important information. Stolen from the Imperial freighterSuprosa, this data could turn the tide of the war in the Rebellion's favor. As the Razor attempted to rendezvous with the rest of the Rebel fleet, however, things went bad: the Imperial II-class Star Destroyer Motivator exited hyperspace and began launching TIE Fighters. Things went even worse when the Razor was caught in the Star Destroyer's tractor beams, as its crew attempted to recapture the stolen data before the Rebels could learn anything from it.

Almost immediately after, the Nebulon-B frigateRedemption arrived from the opposite side. Within its hangars lay the famed Rogue Squadron. Launching in Slayn & Korpil B-wing starfighters, they began their assault on the Motivator and its TIE squadrons.

Kol, in his KSE-12a, had left Bothawui's orbit and hauled ass to Kothlis, arriving just as the Rogues were launching. Someone on board the Motivator noticed and called him. "Star Destroyer Motivator to allied vessel, come in."

Kol tapped the button to receive the transmission. "KG-742 to Motivator. Sorry if I'm late for the party. Awaiting orders."

The captain took over. "Captain Briera to KG-742. You're not in a TIE, are you? We can use that to our advantage... act as a vessel sympathetic to the Alliance, try to aid them for a while. As soon as you see a chance to deal major damage, do it."

Kol nodded, deactivating the signal that broadcast his vessel as Imperial-owned. "Affirmative. I'll see what I can do."

He swooped in towards the Rebellion fleet. Thankfully, they hadn't noticed him until now; if they had just a few seconds earlier... "Frigate Redemption to unidentified vessel. State your intention."

Kol smirked, tried to sound sincere. "I'm just a fighter pilot eager to help the Alliance. I heard rumors that something big was going to happen here so I came to check it out."

A few seconds as the voice on the other end processed his lie. "Alright, welcome to the Alliance. You can help by attacking those TIE fighters. Follow Rogue Squadron."

Kol grinned widely; that they believed him seemed so funny. "Roger that." He followed after the Rogues, cut into their communication.

Rogue 3 spoke up. "Alright Rogues, let's form up." Acknowledgements from almost the entire squad. After two seconds, "Hey, who's that behind us?"

Kol still had his grin on. "I'm here to help. Someone on the frigate back there told me to stay with you guys."

Rogue 3 didn't seem too sure. "...Well, okay, if she said so. Stay with Rogue 5." Rogue 5's acknowledgement light winked.

Kol seemed to be extraordinarily lucky today: Rogue 5 was leading the flight that would focus on engaging the Motivator's TIE Fighters. That meant he didn't have to deal any direct damage to one of his own ships; and if he didn't make any TIE kills, he could lie and attribute it to inexperience. Sure, that would have gotten him kicked out of the Alliance, but it was all good: he didn't intend to stay.

Three TIEs flew up behind Rogue 5 and fired. He took a few hits before rolling out of the way, with two other Rogues and Kol following behind him. The TIEs didn't follow for a bit when they had noticed Kol's fighter; last they heard, the only KSE-12a used anymore was in Imperial hands. They were even more confused when the fighter didn't return fire.

A few minutes passed. The Rogues had managed to knock out both of the Motivator's shield generators and were now going for its command bridge. Kol knew he'd have to take his chance soon. He kept his eyes and ears open for something, and thankfully that something came. Rogue 3's voice came over the comm link. "Rogue 3 to squadron, I'm taking too much damage. I'm going to have to pull out, over."

Kol grinned again. He nearly died of joy when Rogue 3 asked for one fighter to escort him back to the Redemption. Kol offered immediately, broke off from Rogue 5 and began following close to Rogue 3.

Rogue 3 felt now was a time to start a conversation. "So, kid, what's your name?"

Kol tried to suppress his chuckle. It was time for the final act. "It's, uh, Kol Kotha. How about you?"

"Wedge Antilles. I've been with the Rebellion for a while now, and let me tell ya, the Imperials do know how to fight. I've been in plenty of battles; lucky I survived them all."

Kol's mind worked at lightning speed, coming up with what he thought to be fitting final words for his performance. "May have been lucky then, but I think your luck has just run out." Before Wedge could even exhale, Kol zeroed in on the back of the B-wing and opened fire. Blast it, he had waited too long; the blue film of an energy shield was still there. His shields were at least one-third recharged; he must have been diverting power from his engines to his shields. That would explain the slow pace.

Wedge immediately turned, opening his fighter's S-foils and returning fire. "What the hell--?!" The force of the bolts smacked Kol's fighter around, though his shields were still strong. He high-tailed back for the Motivator as Wedge frantically warned the others. "Rogue 3 to Rebel fleet, that new recruit's working for the Empire! Take him out before he gets back to the Star Destroyer!"

Kol was too fast, however; a few bolts came his way but none hit him. He switched back on the Imperial identification signal, clearing up all confusion on both sides. The Captain called again. "Captain Briera to KG-742, good work. It appears they won't be so trusting for new recruits from now on. Return to the Motivator for repairs and resupply." Kol acknowledged and guided his ship into one of the hangars.

Kol was attempting to spend his time helping out on-board the captured Razor, but before he could get there, the command bridge was destroyed. The crew lost all control of the Motivator as it began to fall into Kothlis' orbit. Kol tried to grab on to something to steady himself during re-entry.

When Kol woke up again, whether he knew it or not the Razor was no more and the Motivator had about half of its mass buried in the sand of a large Kothlis beach. The data was intact, however, which was all the Imperials needed. Unfortunately, it was all the Rebels needed too.

Some Rebels had managed to survive the crash by hiding out in the Motivator; almost as soon as the ship had stopped shaking they re-started the battle. Kol looked around; it seemed every other Imperial around him was dead. There was one Rebel left, though, one Kol didn't notice until she had a DL-44 blaster pistol pointed right at the back of his head. "Put your hands up."

Kol did so, slowly. He attempted to turn around to see who had snuck up behind him, also slowly; it was slow enough she didn't see it as a threat, judging by the fact Kol didn't find himself face-down, dead like every other Imperial there. "What's your name?"

Kol couldn't bring himself to smirk; pain from the crash and that he was in as much danger now as he had been just before he joined the Imperials. "My real one, or the one someone on the Tyrant gave me?"

She scoffed. "Both."

Kol remained motionless and expressionless. "Kol Kotha, designation KG-742 in the Imperial Navy." He checked her over, saw she was badly injured too. "…How about you?"

"I don't feel like telling you." Kol sighed lightly. The woman tapped him with her blaster. "If you know what's good for you, you'll take me to where the data is."

Kol gulped. "Uhm… sorry, ma'am, but I have no clue where it is. I hadn't been on this ship for five minutes before some jackass blew the bridge sky-high and sent us crashing into whatever you find on Kothlis."

The woman sighed. An Imperial who knew even less than she did would not do. "I have no use for you then."

Kol oddly found that funny. "You so sure?"

She closed her eyes for a short second. "Yeah." When she reopened, Kol was no longer staring down the barrel of her blaster. He pressed an E-11 blaster to the back of her head. "How did you…?"

Kol chuckled. "You can only take your eyes off your opponent when said opponent is an idiot."

She growled. She had, in fact, thought him to be an idiot. He proved her wrong. "Alright, I surrender. Could you help me get out of here?"

Kol sighed, put away the blaster. "Y'know, I think I can. In fact, screw the Empire, I never get to do anything."

The woman scratched her head, confused. She shrugged and followed Kol as he began walking down a hallway.