Hey guess who decided to do this old thing again! Finished this one up and it is here for you. this takes place before/during the last chapter 'Raw Recruits II' electric boogaloo. Anyways I am writing this intro at 3:00am my time sooo yea enjoy this little thing here; the begining of the Cidadel Ark -ARH.
20 BBY, Coruscant, Jedi Temple War Room.
Shard stood beside Clone Commander Cody and ARC troopers Fives and Echo, who were recently promoted due to their heroism on Kamino.
And if he was honest with himself, he could not have agreed more with Captain Rex's choice. He had promoted Clicker to Marshal Commander for his service as well, and was hoping that they were promoted as a result of their actions. These two had used incredible ingenuity and were one of the top graduating classes that would have been chosen for the Mando training program to become Commandos and ARCs already if Fett had survived.
Shard however, turned his gaze from the two and resumed looking to Jedi Master and General Plo Koon, as he activated a holomap of The Citadel.
"As you are aware, the Citadel is their most isolated and impenetrable detention facility. No one, has ever escaped." He said darkly.
"There's a first time for everything." Anakin quipped.
"Indeed, there is." Obi-wan replied patently.
"Their security has prevented our probes from obtaining recent reconnaissance. So we have been forced to construct a crude map based upon data from the archives." Master Plo continued, activating said map and displaying it on the holopod before them all as Master Kenobi spoke.
"And since the data is extremely old, the map will be difficult to rely on-"
"So we are essentially going in blind?" Anakin interrupted.
"Begging your pardon, General, but how do we know Master Piel is still alive?" Captain Rex asked gravely, his hologram flickering..
"The Separatists won't dare kill Master Piel until they have what they need." Obi-wan said reassuringly to the Clone Captain.
"He obtained coordinates to a hyperspace lane known as the Nexus Route which travels into the hearts of both the Republic, and Separatist homeworlds." Plo continued to the holographic trooper.
"They could prove vital for maneuvering our forces into remote Separatist sectors…" Kenobi continued, before again being cut off by his former apprentice.
"Or, the enemy could use them to slip through our defenses and attack Coruscant." Anakin said gravely.
Shard shook his head in amusement at the pair. They were… an interesting bunch. A damn near inseparable bunch and great friends and fighters, but they could be a handful sometimes.
"These hyperspace lanes are of immense interest to both our sides. It could tip the scale of the war to whomever is in possession of them." Plo said with what was likely a sidelong glance to Skywalker through his goggles.
"That is all." the Kel Dor finished, nodding his head.
With that, the men began to go their separate ways, with Shard himself following his fellow clones out of the War Room and into the hall, before he was nearly knocked over by Anakin's Padawan, Ahsoka.
"Sorry, General!" She apologized, catching his forearm and helping him regain his balance.
"Where are you off to in such a hurry Commander?" He asked, arching an eyebrow under his helmet.
"I was stalled with speeder trouble, and was late to the meeting. Have you seen my master? I want to know what I missed."
"He should be just behind me," Shard said as the doors to the War Room opened and the voices of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker carried out into the hall.
"Ah, there he is. Thank you, General!" She said cheerily as she dashed off to speak to him while Shard chuckled lightly at the energy of youth.
"And how many did you say you needed?" Shard asked.
"How many are you willing to spare?"
Shard raised an eyebrow at Anakin's counter question.
"Skywalker, we have legions of these things serving manual jobs and broken ones simply waiting around to be melted down into lunch trays for orphans. We can spare an entire ship full of-"
"That, that won't be necessary Shard." Anakin answered.
"Just a couple, specially marked so we know they are ours."
"Alright, I'll get a squad or two. Any others you want other than B1s?"
"You have others?"
"Yes, of every variant. I would request B1s or some older OOM series clankers to serve as the crew who does the talking, and the eventual welcoming committee. While we have B2s and BXs hiding in the space not filled with carbon-frozen 'rations'." Shard replied patiently.
"That should be good. And… You are sure that you will mark them so we know not to shoot them?"
"Yes, Skywalker; And make them have a constant open identification signature, and have proper dialogue without the clicking mechanisms, and updated combat programming..."
Seven BX Commando Droids colored with Confederacy VIP yellow stripes and two B2s covered with a small electromagnetic mesh that scrambled targeting systems in the lab boarded the first stolen separatist Sheathipede-class transport shuttle. The second Sheathipede had a skeleton crew of two pilots, a single backup pilot, and two crimson painted security battle droids; the customary crew for a cargo vessel.
A small change, one that should not cause any issues; one real vessel to contain food, the other to ferry troops to the ground. That way, once the attack was initiated the real ship could, without issue, appear once the troops were noticed with the cover story of being attacked by the Clones.
"You sure we can trust these droids to get us into the Citadel?" Fives asked.
Cody turned to face them.
"It's the only way. We are going deep into separatist territory, and the droids won't be seen as out of the ordinary."
"Besides," Shard added.
"We got some of the heavier clankers here if things get messy."
"Have any of you ever been carbon frozen before?" Rex asked, removing his helmet as he approached.
"No, first time. Though things should be safe; food used to be stored like this when people were still mapping out the major hyperspace lanes." Shard replied.
"Yeah, well I would rather not be freezer burned if that's an option." Echo quipped as Jedi Knights Kenobi and Skywalker approached.
"This, was your great plan? Carbon Freezing?" Obi-Wan asked his friend.
"Hey, you wanted to shield us from the lifeform scanners." he reminded his former master as he stepped towards the looming carbon freezing device laid out before them.
"Are we sure this is safe? I do not want to be a wall decoration!" Fives asked warily as he stepped onto his platform.
"Relax Fives, we will be there before you know it." Shard replied, motioning for his troops to get on their respective platforms.
Then, everything went dark as Shard closed his eyes and felt… cold.
Very, cold.
Shard heard a hissing noise and an odd crackling, like eggshells being stepped on, as he stumbled forward and took a deep breath of hot, sulfurous air.
They had landed on Lola Sayu.
He blinked a bit - the servos in his cybernetic eye unresponsive as he saw all -
No, no his vision must be going bad. Because he was sure that Commander Tano had not been assigned to the group.
Must be a carbon dream made real, perhaps?
But, from General Skywalker's reaction, one that was real.
"I must have Carbon sickness, because I could swear that's Ahsoka…" Kenobi began, before Anakin cut him off.
"Your eyes are fine, its Ahsoka's hearing that needs help."
Shard, uninterested in the dramatic dichotomy of the Jedi Master and his Apprentice, slipped on his helmet and activated the small binoculars on his set visor, comparing the terrain to what was recorded in the Jedi Archive File that had been supplied to them.
And, saw the hell that was waiting for them.
Who's idea was this to free climb past Electromines? Shard silently seethed as he sent a scattering of broken rock into Lola Sayu's Sulfur Sea as his foothold crumbled due to an electric shock from one of the mine's many tendril bolts.
The air was full of the howling of the wind - the very wind that, according to the Archive, made Jetpacks useless - as well as the grunting of the Clones as they made their ascent.
"The entrance is just a few more meters!" Kenobi called down to the rest of the pack as he reached up to grasp the one manmade structure other than the explosives: A durasteel ledge that seemed to be part of a small observation deck behind a door.
Suddenly, word went down the line to stop moving and be silent.
And so, the wait began; muscles straining and Shard clenching his teeth so hard he worried they would crack, until whatever moment had happened on the ledge was over.
Probably a guard patrol; it was a prison after all.
As he climbed, he managed to catch a bit of the conversation that carried down between the Jedi Generals and Commander Tano.
Ray shields.
Damn ray shields.
Tano said something, and scurried up to the ledge and disappeared over onto the platform.
"What in the galaxy is she doing?" Shard asked Skywalker.
"Going through the ducts to turn off the door." Anakin said through clenched teeth.
Shard nodded slightly as he continued to climb.
Sure enough, she did as she promised and the door was open, and she began to aid General Kenobi and her Master up to the ledge.
And so, things went without a hitch.
Well, one hitch.
One of Skywaker's troopers nearly lost his footing and fell into the path of one of the electromines, alerting the whole base if it wasn't for Shard sending his electro cable down and catching him by the foot and keeping the wire dead.
Crisis one was averted, but he was sure there were others.
And there was, when the unauthorized opening of the rayshield seemed to trigger an automatic security check as a trio of crimson painted security droids marched down the hall and began firing and reporting the intruders.
Damn, damn, damn.
"Take out their surveillance!" Skywalker ordered, as the two ARC troopers fired on the cameras and recording devices hanging from the ceiling. A good move, though it prompted security turrets to begin squeezing off shots at them from the alcoves of the corridor they had intended to enter.
Shard seized one with his mechanical hand and directed its fire to destroy others before he ripped off the barrel and stabbed it with his lightsaber.
Without warning, a humming sounded along with the crackling of electricity.
"The walls are electrified, go go go!" A trooper called as they made for cover against a sudden plasma blast.
One didn't make it.
The troops tensed before the cell door, before Shard slammed his fist on the access panel, opening the door and allowing the Clones to rush in and kill the Jedi Master's guards as well as his interrogator.
"Secure the entrance!" Skywalker ordered the rest of the troopers and Shard entered, the Jedi cutting the Master down and setting him gently down against the floor and the containment field projector.
"Master Piel, are you alright?" Kenobi asked the scarred Lannik.
"Obi-Wan, what took you so long?"
"At least your sense of humor is still intact." Anakin joked to the master with a grin to Kenobi.
"It takes more than they got to break me, young Skywalker." Piel said gruffly, taking his lightsaber from Kenobi with a slight nod.
"So you have the coordinates for the nexus route?" Anakin asked.
"I got them, all right. Half of them anyway."
"My captain's got the other half; I erased the computers when we were boarded and had both of us memorize part of the intel. That way, if somehow I cracked, The information would be useless to them without the other half." Piel explained.
"Where is your captain?" Shard asked.
"Being held with the other officers, I assume." Piel replied.
"...We're gonna need a new plan for getting out." Skywalker grumbled.
Of course it was a trap. As they left the cell block, commando droids leapt into their path and began a sharp mele. They were dispatched quickly enough. Too quickly, if Shard was honest with himself. Four BXs for their group?
Whatever they were planning, Kenobi did not seem to pick up on the danger himself. And before Shard could warn the layered jedi from his false sense of security, the trap was sprung.
An ear splitting ringing sounded from security speakers, causing everyone's hands to jump to their ears, their weapons being attracted by a powerful magnet. Shard and Skywalker drifted towards the ceiling, their mechanical prosthetics now a liability.
Shard, however, was no fool.
He had spoken to clicker, and he had long ago fixed up his arm for combat usefulness.
Using his arm, he flexed his fingers, causing the gentle, semi rounded fingertips to elongate and sharpen into claws sharp enough and strong enough to punch through metal. He used the pointed tips of his fingers and drove them into the electronic magnet, destroying the machine and apparently cutting power from the high pitched squealing.
All Just in time for a second quartet of commandos to wheel around the corner of the corridor.
Cody and his remaining trooper rushed them, actually managing to take out one, but they were quickly thrown back before the Jedi could provide their aid.
No casualties, this time.
The security over the officers was token at best. Two commando droids, who apparently had not heard of the intrusion into the prison; dispatched with ease by Skywalker and his Padawan.
All of the officers stood as Piel entered, the captain rising with a wave of relief washing over him.
"General!"
"Captain Tarkin!"
'I never thought I'd see you again- and you brought friends." He said, gesturing to Shard and the Jedi.
"Tarkin this is Obi-wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker and General Shard."
Without missing a beat, Tarkin seemed to analyze the situation.
"...Now that you've found us, how do you plan to get us out? If they've locked this fortress down there should be at least ten squads on their way! It's going to be impossible to escape."
Kenobi looked pensive for a moment.
"What if we split up? My team will make a diversion, while Anakin leads the others away. That way, if one of us is captured, if the enemy will only have part of the information and not all of it"
Tarken seemed to apply a… patient, tone, with his superior.
"General Kenobi, I think its better if we stick together. A stronger force will have a better chance of protecting the information?"
"Not in this situation." Kenobi said passively, though the irritation was clear in his voice, and Shard could not help but agree with him; they were wasting time.
"But surely, we would have more strength in numbers rather than divided?" Tarkin offered.
Piel butted in
"Obi-wan has a point. I'll go with him, you go with Shard and Skywalker."
With that settled, the two groups split up; Kenobi somehow distracting the droids and keeping the halls clean for the others, but judging how the building rocked with explosions, Shard figured that it would be sufficient.
Using the map as a guide, Skywalker ignited his lightsaber and carved a great hole in the wall of the fortification while the troops provided cover.
"Everybody in!" He called once the hole was finished, motioning for the two ARC troopers to push it open.
His Padawan entered first, scouting the terrain.
And by the stars, what terrain.
It seemed to be constructed, or at least it had been constructed by people rather than nature or the sulfur ocean. Great spiked rocks and terraces made a maze of walls and caverns, with a distinctly level platform for them to walk on, like a half eaten corridor of stone.
"This is one of the original fortress tunnels!" Fives exclaimed.
"The advantage of old archive data" Echo responded smugly.
"The tunnel's clear!" Ahsoka's voice called from up ahead.
"Looks like Obi-Wan's distraction worked. Things seem to be going as planned." Skywalker confidently said to Shard and Tarkin.
And Tarkin, not missing his pattern, found a flaw in the statement.
"It is when things do not go as planned that concerns me. What then?"
"Its when things don't go as planned that we Jedi are at our best. Trust me." He replied, turning his back to the human.
"I reserve my trust in those who take action, General Skywalker." Tarkin replied to the Jedi's back.
Shard shook his head in annoyance. A strong leader, one who would be good in a state of command. But one who would no doubt be too bullheaded to climb up the ranks if he treated his superiors in this manor.
"Then let me remind you, we rescued you back there. And I reserve my trust for those who understand gratitude, Captain Tarkin." Skywalker replied coldly without turning to face him.
Seemingly satisfied by the Jedi's response, the captain remained silent as Shard motioned for Fives and Echo to lift the large metal cut-out of the wall back into place, the hot metal sealing again and covering their tracks for the moment.
He hoped Piel and the others were doing alright.