Reunited! With the help of the Babylon Rogues,
Captain Fang rescues his old friend,
ARC Trooper Ray, from the Black Arms.
The Separatists' loss of Ray's strategic algorithm
provides a chance for the Republic to
turn the tide in the Battle for Azuria.
However, Ray's horrifying experience behind
enemy lines leaves lingering questions of
his true loyalty and uncertain future….
In the war room of the Azuria Republic base Merlin was giving a briefing "We have more than a dozen active battlefronts on Azuria, and we are losing nearly everyone. But if Admiral Kragok can no longer anticipate our moves, we now have the opportunity to retake the planet". "I can improve your chances" Ray entered now wearing his goggles and blue scarf. Fang turned to the Shinobi "Eh, excuse me, Generals" he went up to Ray "Ray, I'm sorry, but I just don't think you're ready for battle yet" "I'm not a liability, Fang. I'm the best chance we have to take back Azuria". Fang didn't say anything, "If the trooper has a plan, I'd like to hear it" Merlin said. Ray stepped forward and plugged the tool on his robotic hand into the holo-unit "While Master Merlin leads a team to retake the assembly complex, the Rogues will escort me into Kragok's new comm vault, which, according to the current intel, is now located on this Separatist Egg Carrier above Azuria. Once I'm plugged in, I can feed Kragok strategies, but this time, you'll know every move before he makes it". Merlin examined the hologram of the Egg Carrier "And you are certain that if we get you onboard that ship, that you can convince Kragok's army to do what you want?" "Absolutely. Unfortunately, I've been doing this for a while, but this time I can help bring about a Republic victory instead of defeat".
The group were getting ready by the shuttle "Coconuts, is everything ready?" Rutan asked, "Yeah. I'm still not sure how we're gonna land on that ship". Fang was next to him "Don't worry. Ray's got a plan" "That makes me feel so much better" he replied sarcastically. Fang raised his eyebrows "What do you mean by that?" "To be blunt, his mind belonged to the Separatists until we unplugged him. We don't really know where his loyalties lie" "Yeah. Well, I know. Now, get moving" Fang ordered. They all entered the ship and took off. Storm looked excited "Please tell me we're blowing something up". Shadow smirked "Sorry, Storm, this is strictly stealth" "Uh, I hate that word". Ray plugged into the control console "As soon as I plug in, I'll send a signal to the command ship" "What type of signal are you gonna send? Nothing that'll give us away, right?" Rutan asked, "As far as the badniks are concerned, we're just gonna be another one of their shuttles coming in for landing". Rutan shrugged "And the regs think we take risks". The shuttle left the atmosphere and flew towards the Separatist fleet. "Sending the signal now" they waited a few seconds when "Roger, roger, Shuttle TC-159. You may approach and land". Storm grunted "I'd still rather blow it up" "I think you'll get your chance" Coconuts responded. The ship went underneath the Egg Carrier and attached to a docking hatch.
A squad of Republic gunships flew towards the Separatist base with a group of fighters behind them. The fighters dived down and bombed the anti-aircraft cannons for the base allowing the gunships to get close.
The Rogues entered the comms vault "Coconuts, can you rig an interface?" Ray asked, "I assume that's a rhetorical question". Shadow nodded "I'll check the entrances". On the bridge Kragok was watching the attack on the surface "Contact Marmolim. I want to use the algorithm to calculate the best possible counterattack". Ray plugged his arm into the vaults main drive "Alright, I have access to everything and good timing. I just scanned a strategy request Kragok sent to the Black Arms". Coconuts shook his head "Wait. You can't just send a signal from here. We have to make it appear as if your signal is originating from Marmolim. Otherwise, they'll know we are here".
The gunships flew over a glass roof of the base. Espio and Merlin jumped out through the glass and landed on two containers standing over a large army of badniks. Merlin calmly looked down on them "My name is General Merlin of the Shinobi Order". Espio stared at him confused as he continued "At this point of the Clone Wars, I have dismantled and destroyed over 100,000 of you type one badniks". The badniks began looking at each other wondering what was going on. "I'm giving you an opportunity to peacefully lay down your weapons so that you may be reprogrammed to serve a better purpose than spreading the mindless violence and chaos, which you have inflicted upon the galaxy". The badniks all paused then "Blast them!" the badniks afraid up forcing the Shinobi to deflect "Well, I guess it was worth a try" Espio said sarcastically. Clones rappelled down led by Jet and Cat, they fired on the badniks.
Kragok was waiting when a Swatbot came up to him "We have the new strategy, Admiral. Mobilize all troops on Azuria to the assembly complex. The Republic will not send reinforcements. They will put all their faith in the Shinobi". Kragok chuckled "Give the order".
Coconuts checked his writs device "I've intercepted a transmission. Kragok is ordering all of the badniks to the assembly complex". Rutan stepped up to Ray "Alright, what're you trying to pull?" "Don't worry, that's what I told him to do". Fang was confused "But our troops will be vastly outnumbered" "Not when I send them a feedback pulse that shuts down all the badniks". Coconuts stared at him sceptically "How do we know that's what you're really going to do?" "We have to trust him" Fang said. Shadow nodded "Fang is right. Ray, we're all counting on you". Ray started working while Shadow got on his commlink "Master Merlin, I know this sounds crazy, but it's about to get a little more crowded where you are" "We have our hands full as it is. What's your plan?". Shadow glanced at Ray "Well, if it makes you feel any better, it isn't my plan. Ray is drawing all the badniks to your position, so he can neutralize them all at the same time".
Espio and Merlin with the clones destroyed the remining badniks in the room "Well, there wasn't as many as I thought there were going to be" "I just received word from Shadow. he says we're about to have more". Espio smirked "I see Shadow's being as insightful as ever" "I was told not to worry" "You shouldn't. If I know Shadow, we've got the easy part". The doors opened and hundreds of Pawns entered the room and surrounded the group. Merlin raised his hands "We have the easy part" "This just means Shadow's plan is going well" Espio said with complete faith in his old apprentice. They raised there lightsabers ready to fight when the all the Pawns suddenly shut down and fell over.
Kragok watched this on his screen "What? What was that?" he yelled at the Swatbot, "We monitored a powerful energy surge that overloaded the badniks circuitry. We are tracking the origin of this pulse now".
Shadow's commlink activated "I am pleased to report that we are in control of the assembly complex, and all of the fronts are falling to the Republic thanks to Ray's plan" "That's good news, Master Merlin. We're on our way back to the base". Shadow smirked "Good job, Ray". Rutan laughed "Well, I guess you actually are on our side" "Was there ever any doubt?" Ray replies, "Some" Coconuts answered. Fang smirked "Come on, brother. Unplug and let's get out of here".
Kragok was watching the badniks shutting down "The algorithm has never been wrong before. How could we have missed this?" "The source originated onboard this ship" the Swatbot said. Kragok stared back at the base footage "Dispatch security robots. As for the base, total annihilation".
The group were about to leave but Ray clutched his head "Wait, I just scanned a new order from Kragok. He's initiated a countdown. There's a bomb hidden at the assembly complex, but it's big enough to destroy most of Azuria. I don't know if I can stop it". Shadow ran out of the room "General, where are you going?" "If Ray can't stop the detonation, perhaps Kragok can!". Coconuts got on his commlink "General Merlin, this is Coconuts. We've discovered a bomb in the fusion reactor. We need someone to go down there and disarm it" "I'm on my way".
Merlin ran towards the reactor room "Jet, start evacuating your men out of the complex" "Yes, sir". He entered the room and saw the bomb next to the reactor. He walked over but a red ray shield appeared around it "Ray, I've found the bomb. Tell me the sequence to shut it down" "I'm decrypting it now. I have to hurry before Kragok knows we're here. The fist number in the sequence is three". Merlin used the Force to press the controls behind the shields "Next is… one". Merlin kept working as Ray told him the codes.
Ray was almost done when he was suddenly electrocuted, he screamed. "They're onto us. We have to go" Coconuts said, Fang pulled Ray out of the console "Ray? Ray are you there?". Fang picked up his commlink "General Merlin, Kragok took out Ray. We can't get you the last number in the sequence. Sorry, General, you'll have to disarm that bomb without us" "Don't worry about me, Captain. Just get your men out of there". They left the vault and saw Omegas at the end of the hall.
Kragok laughed "The loss of the clones at the shipyard will seal the Republic's fate. Dispatch more units to deal with the infiltrators on the ship and prepare our landing craft for our next assault" "As you command". They walked towards the door which then opened revealing Shadow. He ignited his lightsaber and cut the Swatbot in half an used the Force to crush all the badniks in the room. Kragok pointed his metal claw at Shadow which fired and electric net at him. Shadow jumped over it and put the lightsaber to his throat "Tell me the sequence to disarm the bomb!" "Never. Dimitri would kill me for loosing Azuria". Shadow moved closer forcing Kragok to step back against his chair "And you think I won't?" "You're a Shinobi. I know you-" he cut Kragok's robotic hand off "I don't have such weaknesses! Now, let's try that again" Kragok could tell by the look in Shadow's eyes that he wasn't bluffing.
Merlin was waiting next to the bomb "Merlin, if you can't stop the detonation you must leave now!" he heard Espio say, "Negative. I still have a chance to stop this. Even if it's down to my best guess". He then heard Shadow "How about I take the guesswork out of it, Master? Admiral Kragok was king enough to give me the final number himself. Try seven". Merlin used the Force and selected seven, the ray shields and the bomb shut down.
Shadow had his back to Kragok but still held his lightsaber to him "Good work, Shadow. The bomb has been disarmed" "You both owe me one now". Kragok moved out of the way of the saber and tried to punch Shadow but he dodged the attack and pushed Kragok against the chair before stabbing him through the chest. Kragok groaned in pain before falling to the ground dead. Shadow stared at him coldly before going over to the chair and pressing a hidden button. A detonator came out of a slot which Shadow picked up and he was suddenly back to normal "Storm's gonna love this. Admiral, it was a pleasure" he ran out of the room.
The Rogues were fighting their way through the corridor. Storm suddenly handed Rutan his blaster and threw a smoke bomb out into the corridor "What's he doing?" Fang said confused. "Time to release the Storm!" he ran out and started tearing the badniks apart with his hands "I honestly feel bad for those badniks" Rutan said to Fang. Storm made it to the final Egg Pawn who froze "Could you please surrender. It'd look good in my rep- Oh, not the face!" Storm crushed it. Fang helped Ray up, Jack went down a different corridor than the rest "I'll buy you guys some time". Storm sighed "He's gonna try and top me. You watch". He started placing metal discs around the walls. The others reached the infiltration point where they met Shadow. They then saw Jack running towards them, still throwing discs on the walls "You miss me?". Once reaching them he turned back the way he came and took out his sniper. Dozens of badnik started running down the corridor. Instead of aiming at them, Jack aimed for the closest disc and fired. The blast ricocheted off the disc hit a badnik then hit the next disc. This repeated all the way down the corridor destroying all the badniks. Storm looked in shock, Rutan nudged him "Relax, Storm. You'll top him next time" "No he won't" Jack said giving a rare smile. They made it back to the shuttle and flew away form the fleet. Shadow smirked "I've got a surprise for you, Storm". He handed him the detonator which got Storm excited "Oh, seriously? I get to blow up the whole stinking thing?". He took the detonator and began to cry "This is happiest day of my life" he pressed the button causing the whole fleet to go up in balls of fire.
Later at the Republic base Merlin, Espio, Shadow and Armand were standing in front of Fang, Ray and the Rogues "Captain Fang, Corporal Ray and Clone Force 3 8 21 3 11, you have all done a great service for the Republic. Thanks to your courage and effort Republic shipyards will soon be up and running again". Espio smiled "You've got some medals coming your way" "Thank you, General" Fang said. The Shinobi walked away, Fang smiled and glanced at Ray before heading towards the barracks. Ray headed towards the hanger but he then then noticed the Rogues stayed where they were "You coming?" "Not really our thing" Coconuts said. "Accolades" Jack said, Storm nodded "We're just in it for the thrill". Rutan smiled at Ray "You sure it's your thing?" "What do you mean?". Rutan chuckled "You have a different path. Like ours. If you ever feel like you don't fit in with them, well, find us". The Rogues went towards their ship. Fang exited the barracks carrying something under his arm. He then saw Ray staring at the Rogues ship, he sighed stood next to Ray "Those are some of the finest troopers I've ever fought alongside". He put his hand on Ray's shoulder "Ray. You and I go way back. If that's where you feel your place is, then that's where you belong". He handed Ray what he was carrying, Ray turned it over and it was revealed to be the case with the Chaotix medals. Ray smiled and nodded thankfully to Fang. He went over to the Rogues and then saluted Fang. The Rogues then stood behind him and saluted as well.