Chapter 37: Fallen
Master Krell casually withdrew his lightsaber and smiled. Afshan's fall slowed to an infinite crawl, her eyes lifeless before she hit the ground. Calhava tried to move, his injured hip tormenting him with fire. He cried out and fell, clutching the wound.
"Don't go far," Krell told him. "I'll be back after I deal with the cannon."
A Zeltron guard shot at Krell, who idly deflected it. Limping from his injures, the immense Jedi began finishing them off.
"Major…," Captain Serra's assistant gasped as she tried to crawl. Without legs she could only pull herself. Calhava winced and kicked with his good leg, pushing himself closer to her. With eyes full of pain she whispered. "The cannon controls…they're not in…the control tower. They're separate. To keep them safe."
Calhava didn't want to move. He knew the failure was his. Battered down, Tro down, and Afshan dead. Searing anguish jarred him back to reality. Calhava reached into his utility belt next to his stun grenades. He found a stim and shot it into his neck. The world blurred before he felt warmth growing within him. His heart raced and he immediately felt better, suddenly excited. He shook his head, the blurriness fading. He put his hands underneath him; the pain was agonizing but manageable. Slowly, achingly slow, he forced a leg under him.
"Where is it?" He groaned.
"There," she pointed beyond him, opposite of Krell. He nodded and limped in that direction. Every step sent spikes of pain through him. He winced with every movement until he reached the door and opened it. The room was empty, either the operators fled or joined the battle. The room was a plain, windowless square, and the chairs sat empty. Lights blinked and warnings beeped in the background. He hopped the last few steps to the controls, where sensors displayed the Republic carrier at the limits of its cannon's range. Calhava punched in the coordinates and the computers locked on it.
"I told you not to go far," Krell said from the doorway.
"The ion cannon isn't firing," a pilot pointed out. "What's wrong?"
"It doesn't matter!" Red One answered. "Stay together, we have to hold out as long as we can. We have to give them more time!"
"That carrier's point defense weapons will rip us to pieces," another pilot cried. "That's if we survive the fighters. We have to evacuate!"
"Evacuate? In our moment of triumph?" Maylaine scoffed. "We can do this!"
"Blue One is right," Red One agreed. "Form up and prepare to attack!"
Their ships, damaged and weakened, met the next Republic charge. Zeltron fighters were lost but gave as good as they got, experts in Clone tactics now. The Zeltrons fought fanatically, ramming Clone fighters if they lacked weapons. They Clones desperately tried to eliminate the maka, the largest and most powerful opponent. Their aggression worked against them as the Zeltons picked them off. The maka was rocked, power failing as the engines sputtered. More impacts battered her. The maka's armor saved it but Maylaine knew her time was up.
"Protect Blue One!" Red One screamed. Vultures and Zeltron fighters raced by her window as her comrades tried to keep the fighters off.
"Five more republic fighters incoming!" A vulture droid warned.
"What?" Red One demanded. "Where did they come from?"
Suddenly V-19s exploded as the new arrivals caught the Clones by complete surprise.
"Yee-haw!" A voice screamed in the radio. "This is Borrowed One, we're here to help! The Republic fighters are in retreat."
Cheering erupted from all the fighters as they formed up around the maka. Red One laughed, "I look forward to hearing the story about how you got that fighter Borrowed One."
"The carrier is still coming," someone warned.
"Blue One," Red One called. "Report damage."
"Power at two-third and engines are at half but unless that cannon fires…" she sighed.
"I know," Red One replied. "Keep working on it."
"Would you like a tasty refreshment?" Orbot asked.
"No I do not-!" Maylaine snarled before she thought about it. "Yeah, actually that sounds really good right now. Water please, just water."
Orbot brought her a cool glass of water which she gulped down as quickly as possible. He took the glass away and returned soon after, "Is there anything else I can do?"
"No thank you Orbot," she looked at the sensors and the ship readings.
"I-I don't want to be destroyed alone," Orbot told her.
She winced, "Watch those scanners and assist Vulgh however you can."
"Aye aye, captain!" He said as he swing into the co-pilot's chair.
"Energy surge from the surface," Orbot told her. The ion blasts were white energy rimmed in blue. They struck the carrier, orange light flashing across the face of the ship. The shields fell and the ship listed while cheers flooded Maylaine's ears. She smiled at Orbot who warned her. "The carrier isn't stopping."
"What?" Maylaine double checked before informing everyone else.
"Why did the ion cannon stop firing?" Another pilot asked.
"All fighters form up to attack," Red One said quietly. "I told the carrier to surrender and they refused. Sensors detect the weapons are still functioning, so stay frosty."
"How are we doing?" Maylaine asked Orbot.
"Engines are stable, shields are down port and aft, armor is gone."
"Vulgh prepare for maneuvers," Maylaine said. "Blue One ready."
"What?" Vulgh demanded. "We're going to die!"
"All ships attack, close in to focus on the turrets and engines," Red One ordered.
Down to a handful of ships, they raced through the turbolaser fire until they flew only meters above the surface. Red and blue raced by them as the fighters strafed the surface.
"All ships come about and focus on the engines!" Red One ordered after the first pass.
"V-19s incoming," Orbot warned her. "More are launching from the carrier too."
"Blue flight focus on the engines," Red One said. "We'll hold them off."
Maylaine came about as the fighters peeled off. She signaled the Vultures and they formed up her on her wings. The three ships came in fast and unleashed missiles that exploded with impact. Without shields, the engines were fragile things, fire sputtering while secondary explosions ripped across them. They came around for another pass, engulfing the engines in fire. The dual primary engines flickered out and the starboard secondary engine fluttered.
"Incoming!" Orbot warned her and she evaded immediately. Her smoking Vulture exploded. She came around and saw the battle, where the Zeltrons were obviously losing. With only a single missile left she looked for targets. "Red One, enemies on your tail."
"I know," she replied before she rammed a Clone fighter.
Calhava withdrew his hand from the cannon controls, only able to fire twice. The controls warped and twisted until the machinery was crushed by the force. All that was left was a distorted ball of metal and glass. Pong Krell limped into the room; the door closed behind him.
"What was your plan? Where is your brilliance? Where's your gundark to throw in?"
Krell grabbed Calhava by the neck, lifting him off the floor and pulling him close.
"Did you think you could escape?" He asked. "There's no escape, nowhere to run."
"I know," Calhava pressed a button on his wrist communicator. Grenades exploded on his utility belt as blue light flooded the room and left only darkness.
Maylaine saw the red flashing lights on her console but ignored them. The Maka wobbled while evading. Her shields failed and her engines faded. Miraculously her last vulture survived.
"Which bay are those fighters come from?"
"Uh," Orbot checked. "The ventral bay, the primary one."
"All ships follow me!" She hit the thrusters, not even bothering to see if they formed up. She raced under the belly of the carrier. Maylaine evaded enemy fire, focused completely on reaching that bay. She rolled to dissipate her speed. Even as she turned the bay door closed. She shot her final missile at it, slowing the door as she passed through. Within was a vast bay, intended for captured craft and transports. Her vulture exploded, striking the door as it closed.
Maylaine shot again and again, taking out the control room, sending Clones fleeing. She blasted the craft waiting for fuel or too damaged to fight anymore. The starboard turret fired erratically, explosions rocked the carrier internally. She opened a channel to the carrier.
She lied, "Republic cruiser, I have five missiles ready to fire! Surrender!"
"You wouldn't dare!" A voice replied.
"I'm willing to die for freedom," she declared. "You have failed."
Silence met her and stretched. She grew frantic when doubt began to chip at her resolve.
"Very well Republic ship! We'll burn together!"
"No! Don't! We…we surrender."
"Any ship, report," she demanded.
"This is Borrowed One, their fighters are retreating and the carrier is powering down."
Maylaine fell back in her chair while her Zeltron comrades cheered.