Escape from a Separatist prison!
Carrying information about secret
routes into the heart of the
Republic and Separatist home worlds,
Shinobi Master Edmund the Echidna was captured
and imprisoned in a fortress known
as the Citadel.
Leading an elite strike team,
Espio the Chameleon and Shadow the Hedgehog
rescue Master Edmund and his officers.
Now the Shinobi have split up to evade
Separatist forces as they attempt
to escape the Citadel...
Shadow and his group were still heading through the caves when he activated his commlink "Emerl, are you and your badniks ready to go?" he heard beeping "Alright, get the ship fired up. We'll meet you at the pipeline exit after you've picked up Espio assuming he's still on schedule".
Espio and his group were sneaking through the large vents of the citadel. Every five feet there were slots on the walls with arrows pointing to either side of them. They came across a passage going downwards and another going upwards "This should get us near the landing pad" Espio before climbing upwards. Espio reached another vent which he stopped at and activated his commlink "Emerl, send the shuttle to the rear landing platform" "We've already been given the go-ahead by General Shadow, sir, assuming you are still on schedule" he heard Gamma say, "The trick will be if Shadow arrives on time". Armand climbed passed him to a higher vent when he saw a probe bot "Probe!". Espio and Edmund jumped up the shaft to catch the probe which the former managed to cut in half. They waited a second when doors began to come out of the wall slots. "Security doors. Move, or you'll be cut in half" Espio got between two of them and looked down to the others. Most of them were safe except for a dog clone who was trying to climb up from one of them. The door closed in front of Espio then he heard the door behind that one close along with scream. Espio lowered his head respectfully when a green lightsaber cut through the door and Edmund climbed through. They started cutting through the other doors as the remaining clones climbed through after them, Espio noticed Armand looked shaken.
Zazz was in the Citadel command centre when a Swatbot came up to him "Dimitri insists that you speak with him, Commander" "Well, let's not keep him waiting" "He's already waiting, sir". He entered his office where a hologram of Dimitri was already waiting "Dimitri, my lord, how unexpected" he said nervously. "You may cease the propriety, Commander Zazz. I understand there is a problem with the Shinobi prisoner" "An incursion team attempted a rescue, but the situation is taken care of". Dimitri looked sceptical "Are you in possession of the information the prisoner is carrying?" "Uh, not yet. But I will soon have it" he looked at the floor. "You are aware that this information will tip the scale of the war to the side who controls it. Perhaps this is a matter that requires my presence" "No, my lord" "Then find them. Get the information then kill them all". The moment the transmission ended Zazz grabbed the Swatbot by the throat and pushed him against the wall "Don't ever surprise me with a message from Dimitri. I need tie to prepare" "Yes, Commander".
Amy was leading the group through the tunnel. At the back a probe bot was sneaking up on Mighty when Shadow suddenly jumped down from a hiding spot and cut it in half. He smirked before falling the others. Finitevus was examining the tunnel "I'm beginning to admire the design of this fortress. It's rather formidable to evade" "How can you admire such a horrible place?" Amy said with slight disgust in her voice. "You reveal your short-sightedness. This ordeal only demonstrates how effective facilities like the Citadel are. Pity it ended up in Separatist hands and not ours". Amy stopped as he walked on, Shadow stood next to her "He has a point", Amy looked at him in surprise, but he didn't notice. "Okay, Snips. Keep following the tunnel. I'll catch up" "Where are you going?" "Espio isn't here so I'll protect the flank". Amy smirked "I guess it's a good thing I came after all" she led the group.
Rob was in the war room showing Merlin and Master Harry Mole. He showed them a hologram of the citadel "We've received a coded transmission. Apparently they've split up into two groups. The rendezvous points are the landing field behind the tower where Emerl will pick up Espio. Then the pipeline exit where he will pick up Shadow" "And what if thing's don't go according to plan?" Merlin asked. Rob crossed his arms "Then we would have to send an entire fleet to get them out of there".
Finitevus was waking with Fang while watching her. "I am concerned that the Shinobi have elected this child to lead the group" "I've served with her many times, and I trust her, Captain" Fang said defensively. They turned a corner and hit a dead end.
The shuttle arrived at the landing platform outside of the Citadel. Emerl and the three badniks walked out and saw a Swatbot walking towards them. "That doesn't look like General Espio" the Pawn said worryingly, "We'll have to improvise" Omega said. The Swatbot looked to Emerl "Your arrival is long overdue. Where have you been?", Emerl beeped "Even so, the odds are three to one that you are a traitor. We will take you to interrogation below". Emerl beeped innocently as Gamma kicked him "Move it, gizoid", Emerl beeped "Don't talk back to me. I'm in charge!". Once they were away the Swatbot took out a holo-disc which showed Zazz "We have captured the shuttle that infiltrated our defences" "Good. Guard the shuttle and we'll lure the Shinobi into a trap".
Amy was wondering what do next when Mighty heard something behind them. He looked back the way they came and saw an Omega "Look out!" they all took cover as it started firing. Shadow then appeared and took out the Omega, but Metals charged at them carrying shields "What happened. Why didn't you blow the wall? That part of the plan was your job" "I thought it was a dead end" Amy said as the two of them deflected blaster bolts. Shadow glared at her "If Master Rob really assigned you to this mission, he would have briefed you on the plan". Amy took a backpack full of bombs and placed them on the wall. She kept one however and threw it back towards the Metals destroying them. The wall then blew open allowing them to continue.
Armand was staring at the landing platform from the vent "The shuttle's there but there's no sign of Emerl" "Something might have happened. We'll have to make our way to the other side and get a better view. This could be a trap". Espio and his group sneaked around the platform to a lower level where they found a line of Extreme Gear boards. He activated his commlink "Shadow, come in", a voice came over, but it wasn't Shadow "I must commend you on your escape tactics. But in the end, it was easy to predict your every move". Gammas and Metals appeared and surrounded the group.
Shadow was traveling through a path on the cliff side, they eventually reached a pipe "This should lead up to the top of the ridge, where Emerl will pick us up and get us out of here. Don't use your lights and make sure your weapons are locked. The slightest charge could ignite the whole thing". Shadow opened a hatch on the pipe, "I hope somebody tells the badniks that" Finitevus said as he and the others entered and climbed up.
Espio had their hands on their heads and entered the command centre. Zazz smiled "Welcome back", Espio raised his eyebrows "I must say you're not at all what I pictured for someone with such a soft voice". Zazz ignored him and stood in front of Edmund "I want your half of the information. Give it to me now, or I'll start executing your men". Edmund didn't acknowledge him so Zazz took out a pistol and walked up to a dolphin clone at the end of a line. "Tell me" "Don't do it, sir" the clone said defiantly, Zazz immediately shot him in the head. Zazz stepped forward to the next one but "Sir, we have located the other group, our badniks are closing in on them". "Take them to the interrogation room. Torture them slowly". They were led out of the command centre, after a short time walking a familiar trio of badniks came up to them "We'll take it from here" Omega said. The two badniks nodded and the prisoners were handed over. Once out of sight Emerl appeared "Good to see you, Emerl. I was wondering where you'd been. Let's get back to the shuttle".
Shadow's group were now on a railing in another pipe, they all had to cover their faces because of the gas. Finitevus looked frustrated "How much longer are we going to wander through this tunnel in the dark?" "Haven't you learned to trust me yet, Captain?" Shadow asked. "You may have earned my trust, General Shadow, but my faith in your comrades is still lacking". Shadow turned his head to him "You lack faith in the Shinobi?" "I find their tactics ineffective. The Shinobi code prevents them from going far enough to achieve victory, to do whatever it takes to win, the very reason why peacekeepers should not be leading a war". Shadow glanced at him but didn't say anything, "Have I offended you?" "No. I've have found that we sometimes fall short of victory because of our methods" "Well, I see we agree on something". "I think I found a way out" Amy told them, she pointed to a ladder leading to a hatch. Amy went first "It's clear. But I don't see Espio or Emerl anywhere" she went out but suddenly a group of badniks came out form behind the rocks and fired at her "We've gotta go!". "There could be a full battalion of badniks out there" Finitevus said, "Better than hiding in a fuel line" Shadow said as he climbed up. The two Shinobi covered the others as they climbed out and ran from the other side of the pipe. Amy threw a bomb back down the pipe before she and Shadow followed the others. Once in cover she detonated the bomb destroying the entire pipe along with the badniks. Shadow smirked "Alright, time for plan B" "There's a plan B" "There's always a backup plan. We'll head to Espio's position".
Espio's group made it back to the landing platform, he saw cannons up on the walls around it. They headed to the shuttle which was being guarded by two Pawns "Where are you taking these prisoners?" "We're transferring them aboard the shuttle from Citadel to point Tarron" Gamma answered. They then heard the Pawn's commlink activated "The prisoners have escaped with reprogrammed badniks. Let no one on board the shuttle" Espio quickly cut the badnik in half alerting the cannons which fired on them. They all took cover, but the reprogrammed Egg pawn got shot. Shadow and his group arrived as more badniks marched onto the platform "Sorry I'm late" Shadow said as he got next to Espio. "How nice of you to join us" Espio said. Finitevus was on his other side "We need to launch a full forward assault and take that vessel" "If we don't take out those cannons then there won't be a shuttle". "Well, whatever we're doing we better do it fast" Shadow said pointing at a trio of Pawns on boards flying passed. They fired on the group but once they got close enough Shadow jumped up, destroyed one and boarded another. Mighty was covering Ray who threw a grenade at a group of badniks. Edmund used the Force to crush the remaining board riding Pawns. A group of shield wielding Metals appeared, Ray threw another grenade destroying most of them but one that survived climbed the wall and took control of one of the turrets. Mighty got on his commlink "General Shadow, a badnik is manning one of those turrets. They're gonna blow up the shuttle.
The cannon then shot down Shadow causing him to fall to the ground injured. "This is our only chance to stop it" Ray ran out and picked up one of the Metal's shields. He ran to the shuttle but Mighty saw the cannon aim at it "Ray, look out!". The cannon fired right as Ray was next to the shuttle destroying it in a massive explosion. Part of the debris launched forward and hit the cannon destroying it. Everyone one got blown back but Mighty stood back up and looked in shock "RAY!". More badniks arrived "We have to go now!" Espio yelled. Everyone ran except for Mighty who saw Ray's damaged flight goggles lying on the ground. He stared at them for a moment before following the others. As Espio ran he activated his commlink "Master Rob, I'm afraid we've had a situation with the shuttle", Shadow then ran next to him "By 'Situation' he mans big explosion. We're gonna need a rescue" "It will be done. I'm sending our cruisers now".
The group was hiding in a cave with them all resting except for Mighty who was on look out. Espio stood up "We'll need to hold out until the Council sends a ship". Mighty stepped inside looking solemn "This landscape is almost impossible to cross. How are we going to get to the rendezvous point?". "That is the trap of the Citadel. It was designed so it would be almost impossible for fugitives to get off the surface, even if they escaped the tower". Shadow smirked "Well, lucky we're not just any fugitives". They headed out but Mighty took one last look at the Citadel.