A Left Turn at Albuquerque
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters that I am about to mangle around for my own amusement, sadly all canon Robotech and Star Wars characters remain the property of Harmony Gold, Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd respectively, I am merely borrowing them and make no profit from their use. So please keep the legal attack dogs, also known as lawyers, firmly muzzled and on a leash as I have no money to give to anyone.
Author Note: The events of this chapter begin just a couple of minutes after the end of the last chapter so don't expect a meeting between the REF and the Rebels in this chapter. That's not going to happen for quite some time to be honest as the REF still must find out about the Empire, that said Empire is evil and that there is a small but growing rebellion against Imperial tyranny. A few other things also must happen before they can think about getting involved, even covertly with the rebellion.
Chapter Four
Rebel Alliance Headquarters
Yavin Four
Senator Mon Mothma stared in utterly dumbfounded shock at the two Jedi standing across the table from her. Besides her Admiral Raddus, General Draven and even General Syndulla were equally as shocked by the information that had just been imparted to them by the rebellions resident master-padawan pair. She could not recall the last time that she had been this surprised by anything, not even the outbreak of the Clone Wars had shocked her this much.
"Master Yoda is still alive," she repeated finally finding her voice. Of all the things Kanan and Ezra could have told her she had never expected to be told that a) the last Grand Master of the Jedi Order had survived the terrible galaxy-wide slaughter that was Order 66 and b) that he had chosen to come out of his nineteen years of exile on some obscure planet to offer his wisdom and guidance – gained over his centuries of life and his deep connection to the Force – to the rebellion. Something that would be extremely welcome as despite the Emperor's best efforts to stamp out all records of the Jedi knowledge of the ancient master's wisdom and deeds still reverberated strongly in the consciousness of many galactic citizens.
"Yes," Kanan confirmed, though his face was composed he was inwardly amused to see – so to speak as while he was blind he could still see after a fashion through the Force – the normally confident and composed leader of the rebellion so utterly shocked. Through their bond he could sense Ezra's own quiet amusement over the situation, especially over the fact that Hera seemed as gobsmacked as everyone else to learn that Master Yoda was still alive. He inwardly winced as he realised that he'd never told Hera about Yoda being alive, just that whenever they'd visited the old Jedi Temple on Lothal – well before its destruction at the hands of the Inquisitors Seventh Sister and Fifth Brother – a Force spirit had aided them. Which was true, well from a certain point of view at least, as Master Yoda had never been physically present only heard or seen in visions and the same kind of telepathic communication he and Ezra often did with one another when the use of commlinks was out for one reason or another.
"And he wants to help us," Mon Mothma asked seeking clarification.
"Yes," Kanan answered again patiently as he guessed that this news was hard for the Mon Mothma to process given she was likely under the impression that most, if not all the Jedi Masters, had, like Master Billaba, died during the one night of chaos and bloodshed that was Order 66.
"While I agree that Master Yoda being alive is momentous and most welcome news I must ask why now," General Draven said. He was even more shocked than Mon Mothma by the revelation that Yoda still lived as he'd even got the slightest hint from anywhere that gnome-like Jedi Master had survived. "Why does Master Yoda want to help us now after hiding for nineteen years? And incidentally where has he been hiding?"
"There has been a disturbance in the Force," Kanan explained. "A great change is coming, whether it is for good or ill cannot be truly determined just yet. But it is this change that has prompted the Grand Master to end his exile on Dagobah and offer his assistance to the rebellion."
"An offer we will accept," Mon Mothma answered knowing the rebellion could always use more Jedi.
"Dagobah is nearly halfway around the outer rim from here," Draven pointed out, "getting there undetected by the Empire will not be easy, especially given the increase in patrols by lighter Imperial forces following the recent introduction of the Raider-class corvette."
"The Ghost can easily make the journey without being detected by the Empire," Hera pointed out.
"I will feel more comfortable sending a different ship," Draven answered. "No offense General Syndulla but the Ghost is quite well known as a Rebel craft in Imperial circles and has a sizeable bounty on it. Flying such a well-known rebel craft so far through Imperial controlled space might be too big a risk to take on a mission as crucial and sensitive as retrieving Master Yoda. Especially now that the Empire knows your ship is able to mask its signature."
Hera frowned and started to open her mouth to object but before she could speak Mon Mothma held up a hand to silence her. "What would you suggest, General?" she asked, shooting the now annoyed Twi'lek an apologetic look.
"I suggest that we send one of our U-Wing transports on the mission," Draven answered inwardly hoping that Mon Mothma would agree to it as then he could send a pilot who'd ensure the mission would be completed promptly and expertly – by someone specifically trained for such covert missions. Someone like Captain Andor, though he would no doubt be ordered to allow one or both Jedi to accompany the captain on the mission.
"While a good idea in principal I think I should remind you Draven that a U-Wing doesn't have the fuel capacity to reach Dagobah from here and return in one go," Hera reminded him though she was also aware the Draven had ulterior motives for his suggestion. "The Ghost does. If a U-Wing was sent it would have to stop somewhere for refuelling increasing the risk of detection by the Empire."
"Which would present too much of a risk of the Empire learning Master Yoda is still alive," Kanan added. "And if that happened then you can bet that Darth Vader and half the Imperial fleet would be after the ship faster than you can say karabast."
"Point," Draven admitted reluctantly acknowledging that both General Syndulla and Knight Jarrus had good points. Especially about Vader as the mysterious dark warrior – who they knew from the reports of their resident Jedi to be a Sith Lord – that was the Emperor's chief enforcer would indeed come running – and bring a fleet of Star Destroyers and the elite 501st Legion with him – if he learned that the Jedi Grand Master was still alive and moving to join up with the rebellion. "Still taking the Ghost is a dangerous risk."
"Most things with the rebellion are a risk," Hera reminded him. "Until intelligence can get its hands on some ships with longer legs than U-Wings the Ghost is the best ship we have for such a mission." Not that I would let anyone other than myself and my ship take Kanan and Ezra to Dagobah, she thought inwardly smiling at the scowl that appeared on the former Republic Intelligence – later Imperial Intelligence – operatives face as he knew she was right. Both turned to the former senator from Chandrila for a decision.
"Take the Ghost," Mon Mothma said after thinking about it for a few moments. "When can you be ready to leave?"
"We're ready now," Hera answered knowing that aside from Kanan, Ezra and Sabine – the two Jedi because they were in the room with them and the Mandalorian explosive expert/artist because she'd soon be returning to Krownest with her brother - the rest of her crew would already be aboard the Ghost.
"Then the three of you may go," Mon Mothma said in clear dismissal. "Good luck on your mission general and may the Force be with you."
"Always," Kanan and Ezra said in unison in the normal response a Jedi would give to that statement whereas Hera just nodded politely back. Then the three of them turned and left the room heading right for the Ghost.
Ghost
Fifteen Minutes Later
"So why are we going to Dagobah? From the navigational chart description its nothing but an uninhabited, uncharted mudball."
Zeb's question hung pregnant in the air of the cockpit of the heavily modified VCX-100 light freighter that the Lasat had long called home. Next to him Rex, who was filling in for Sabine while she was away in Mandalorian space, looked as interested to know the answer as Zeb. Especially as it hadn't escaped the old clone troopers notice that neither Kanan nor Ezra had been surprised by the knowledge of their destination. Which, given his long association and experience with Jedi, meant to him at least that it was probably them who'd said they had to go to Dagobah to Hera and the rest of the rebellion leadership in the first place.
Of course, that didn't answer the question as to why they were going there.
From her position in the pilot's seat Hera sighed. She'd known that sooner or later either Zeb or Rex would ask why it was they were going halfway across the galaxy to a supposedly uninhabited mudball of a planet – uninhabited if you didn't count it as being the hiding place of the Jedi Grand Master. She was just glad that the former honour guard had refrained from asking until they were in hyperspace.
"We're going to pick up someone from there," Hera replied.
"Who?" Zeb asked wondering who they could possibly be picking up from a planet that was not only located in the rear end of nowhere but which – according to reports – almost entirely swamp.
"Kanan," Hera said looking over at the co-pilot's seat inviting the older of the two Jedi on the crew to explain. Kanan sighed. Though he couldn't see her he didn't need to to know that Hera was somewhat mad at him for not telling her sooner that Master Yoda still lived. No doubt he'd get an earful about that later at least till he explained that a) he hadn't known where Master Yoda was until Ezra told him and b) wouldn't have told any non-Jedi or non-Force user that the Grand Master still lived without Yoda's express permission first.
"We're going there to pick up Grand Master Yoda," he answered drawing shocked gasps out of both the Lasat and the clone. Even Chopper whirred and warbled in surprise to learn that not only was Yoda alive but that they were going to Dagobah to pick him up.
"General Yoda is still alive," Rex repeated shocked and amazed by the revelation. "But…but how I heard he was killed attempting to kill the Emperor just after Order 66." Though if he was honest with himself he'd always taken the news that Yoda had been killed with a pinch of salt especially as it came from Commander Fox and the Coruscant Guards – who hadn't been that well-liked by the rest of the clone army given their elitist attitude. And he personally had never forgiven Fox for how he and his men had first chased Ahsoka during the temple bombing mess and how they'd cold bloodedly shot Fives dead before the other clone could warn them all about the biochips that had made it impossible for any of his brothers to disobey Order 66 no matter how much most if not all of them had wanted to. Hell, he would have suffered the same fate at the others if Kix hadn't investigated himself afterwards and found out the truth, told him and took out his chip, before vanishing without a trace. Presumably kidnapped and killed so he wouldn't be able to inform both the Jedi Council and the Republic Senate of his findings.
"I don't know the details," Kanan admitted. "But it was just meant to appear that way to the Emperor as neither he nor Vader would have ever stopped looking for Master Yoda if they'd known he still lived. I didn't even know myself that Master Yoda was alive for sure until a few years ago, when I first heard his voice on Lothal four years ago I honestly thought he was a Force Ghost.
"Apparently he has been living in exile on Dagobah for the last nineteen years. Just like Master Kenobi has been hiding on Tatooine," Kanan continued.
"So, why's he decided to come out of exile now," Rex wondered aloud before mentally putting two and two together. "Does it have something to do with the distortion in the Force that knocked you and Ezra senseless?"
"That's part of it," Ezra answered. "But something else is happening, something is coming that could potentially be far worse for the peoples of this galaxy than the Sith and the Empire. But hand in hand with that is something that presents us with the potential for a great change for good as well. It's to help us all navigate this that has prompted Master Yoda to return from exile."
Hera frowned. "I'm not sure I like the sound of that," she commented. "You saw this in your vision I take it?"
"Among other things," Ezra replied rubbing the back of his neck again. "As I said earlier the vision was fragmentary and out of order. Though there was something odd at the end of it."
"What do you mean Ezra," Kanan asked turning slightly in place as if to look at his padawan even though everyone present was fully aware of the fact that he was blind.
"There was a voice," Ezra answered frowning as he remembered, "female, ancient, wise and powerful beyond anything I've ever felt in the Force before. I don't know who she was but she knew me or at she knew what I was. She called me a Jedi."
"What else did she say," Kanan questioned with a frown that was both puzzled and concerned. A sentiment that was shared by everyone else in the cockpit.
"She said that our fate is now tied to the fate of the Children of Earth," Ezra answered, "but to be warned that the Children of the Shadow will soon follow them and bring with them the evils of a twisted legacy. She also told me that these Children of the Shadow want to destroy not just those who use something called protoculture but all who can touch the Force regardless of if they're lightsiders like us, darksiders like the Sith or like the Bendu walk the middle path."
"Did she say anything else about these Children of the Shadow and Children of Earth?"
"The former she said they're the creations of the fallen Celestial, whatever that means. The latter though she said something really cryptic."
"Which was," Hera asked just beating Kanan to the punch.
"That they are the origin, the future and the past."
"Can you recall anything else," Kanan asked.
"Not really though, and I am just guessing here, I think that Master Yoda may have had the exact or nearly exactly the same vision as what I had. I don't know how that's possible."
"Master Yoda did have the strongest gift of prescience in the Order so it's fully possible that he did," Kanan answered. "It was one of the reasons why repeated Supreme Chancellors in the Republic often sought his counsel on any number of issues facing the galaxy. If Master Yoda had the same vision that you did then it could well be what has prompted him to decide to break his long exile."
"Whatever has prompted Master Yoda's decision I'm glad he's made it," Hera said. "The rebellion could sure use his wisdom."
"Not to mention his skills as a military tactician," Rex added remembering that Yoda had been one of the top generals in the Grand Army of the Republic and not just because of his extremely high rank in the Jedi Order. Yoda had, like Generals Kenobi and Skywalker, had the knack for planning battle strategies that could be guaranteed to send the Separatists and their army of clankers packing.
"That too," Hera agreed. "Still I will admit that the very name Children of the Shadow fills me with a profound sense of apprehension."
"You're not on your own Hera," Ezra replied getting concurring nods from everyone in the cockpit. "You're not on your own."
Horizon-T Dropship
System M-77677
Sometime Later
Colonel Angelo Dante felt like there were rattlesnakes performing a mating dance in his stomach as he sat patiently in the troop bay of one of the many transport – or T-configuration – Horizon dropships that were normally docked in the SDF-3's lower most hanger bays. All around him a full platoon of REF marines and engineers – as well as the android Janice – also sat patiently in the expansive troop bay. He didn't doubt that every single one of them – well except for Janice – was as nervous as he was about the mission that Admiral Hunter had assigned to them.
He thought back to the mission briefing. After some truly heroic work on the part of the engineers and damage control crews all the ships in the fleet had their hyperspace fold drives back online. The restoration of space folding capabilities meant that they could now leave this place, a place where they'd already been attacked once without warning or provocation, or they could have if it wasn't for one small detail. They were in a completely different galaxy to their own and thus had absolutely no idea of where anything was and space folding blindly into the unknown was not always a good idea.
Thus, they needed a map and hence why the admiral had ordered this mission. A mission that would see them boarding the derelict alien warship that Razor Squadron had been investigating earlier in the day. Once there they were to locate the alien warships computer core and download all its astronavigation information as well as any communications logs, language files and so on that they could find. The astronavigation data especially would enable them to jump to a safer location, hopefully somewhere quiet and out of the way until they could at least get their bearings properly and start working out how they could get home. If they could get home that was if they couldn't then having some idea of the galactic lay of the land so to speak would give them some idea of where it might be safe to settle down and build a colony.
In theory, the mission to the alien derelict was a simple one. Angelo however fully expected things to go wrong as the Terran race hardly had the best track record with derelict alien spacecraft. The SDF-1 still surprising them by opening fire without warning upon the Zentraedi – thereby starting the Robotech Wars – was a case in point why he intended to be extremely careful aboard the derelict. And he intended to make sure all the men and women under his command for this mission were just as careful.
"Colonel Dante we're approaching the derelict vessel," Lieutenant Commander Leon Bennett's voice abruptly said over the comm unit from where he was piloting the transport. The rest of his squadron formed up around the Horizon-T in standard escort formation.
"Very well I'll be right there," Angelo replied into his helmet pickup before standing up and leaving the troop bay. In a few moments, he was stepping onto the transports small and cramped cockpit. "Report commander."
"We've located an airlock on the most intact sections of the ship," Leon reported. "Sensors indicate that it is compatible with our ventral docking port."
"Can you tell if there is any sort of atmosphere onboard?" Angelo asked even as he smiled at the knowledge that the airlock was compatible with the ventral docking port, which in normal operations would generally have an Alpha fighter or other space fighter be it non-transformable or veritech docked to it as a last-ditch defender for the generally vulnerable Horizon-T as unlike the B and G configurations the T was unarmed relying entirely on speed and armour to protect it from hostile forces.
Leon carefully checked the sensors. "Negative there is no longer any atmosphere onboard," he reported after a moment. "It likely leaked out into space through the hull breaches when the ship lost life support."
I suppose a breathable atmosphere being present onboard would have been too much to hope for, Angelo thought with a resigned sigh even though the lack of atmosphere was hardly an obstacle to completing their mission. One of the improvements with CVR-4 armour over the older models was it had a small built in oxygen supply and a rebreather system that would convert the carbon dioxide they exhaled back into oxygen for up to seven hours. Just he hated using it as it tended to make his throat drier than the Sahara Desert after a while.
"Are we picking up anything else?" he asked.
"Yes, sir we are picking up very faint energy signatures on board but they're too weak for our sensors to localise."
"Probably just a little bit of juice left in some battery powered emergency lights then," Angelo replied knowing that even their latest sensors – based as they were off those of the Robotech Masters – had their limits. Despite what it sometimes seemed like robotechnology was not all-powerful after all. "Have you located the computer core?"
"Negative."
Oh great, Angelo thought with a mental sigh. That made things more complicated as it meant they'd first have to find a terminal, restore power with one of their emergency generators, and then Janice could trace the dataflows to the ships main computer core. While that sounded simple in practice it could easily mean them having to tromp through numerous sections on a badly damaged alien warship comparable in size to a Tokugawa-class battleship. What fun that would be. Gah wish we could bring some Cyclones with us but we have no idea if that ships corridors are big enough to accommodate Cyclones in cycle mode let alone battle armour mode, he thought.
"How long until we dock," he asked.
"Two minutes sir."
"Understood," Angelo replied before heading back to the troop compartment where everyone looked up at him eagerly. "We're about to dock, get ready. Sensors confirm that there is little to know atmosphere onboard the alien ship so everyone make sure your armour is sealed and oxygen supplies and rebreathers on."
His words set off a flurry of activity as all the marines and engineers began checking and making sure theirs and each other's armour was ready for the mission ahead. Then the marines checked their weapons – all of them being armed with H-260 Valiant pulse particle rifles, H-90 Gallant pistols and a mixture of plasma and neural shock grenades – while the engineers and Janice made sure their own Gallants were ready and that they had all the tools and so on that they'd hopefully need aboard the vessel. Angelo for his part made sure his armour was sealed and ready before grabbing his own Valiant.
"Colonel Dante we're docking now," Bennett said over the comm a few moments before a few dull thuds echoed through the hull of the dropship as they locked onto the hull. "Stand by extending boarding collar, everyone braces for explosion."
Angelo and everyone braced themselves as a faint humming sound came from next to the airlock door leading to the bottom hatch. Angelo knew from experience that a laser would be currently cutting through the outer airlock doors of the alien vessel. A moment later the humming stopped replaced by a whooshing sound and he knew a foamed explosive would be being pumped into the chamber beyond, though that too stopped after a moment.
For a second more silence remained. Then with a concussive rumble the dropship shook violently as the boarding explosive was detonated ripping apart the doors on the other side of the airlock. The blast dissipated and the airlock door leading to the hatch opened, letting in a thick puff of smoke.
"Let's go," Angelo said as he raced forward, everyone following closely behind him making a clattering, clanking sound as heavily armoured boots echoed on the deck. Within seconds he was stepping through into the interior of the unknown vessel, magnetic souls on his boots automatically activating as he left the influence of the Horizon-T's own AG field.
It was immediately obvious to Angelo that the alien ship had no artificial gravity active as debris from the destroyed door hung suspended in the air. Well what little he could see as the corridor was pitch black. Though not for long as two engineers tossed two small tennis ball sized objects into the air, objects that immediately lit up and filled the corridor with light. "There should be a terminal around here somewhere," Angelo said. "Let's get moving. Carter, Petersen stay here and guard our exit. I doubt there's any danger onboard this dead hulk but there is no point in risking it."
"Yes sir," the two indicated marines answered already moving into positions on either side of the breached airlock.
"The rest of you follow me."
Unknown to Angelo Dante there was indeed danger aboard the derelict Republic star destroyer. Several dozen meters away and two decks down from the breached airlock a group of droids – secreted aboard the ship by the Empire as a last-ditch security measure should rebel insurgents or pirates board the vessel for its remaining stored munitions especially the tabana gas cartridges and proton bombs/torpedoes – were activated by the violent breaching of the airlock door.
Sensors glowing blood red the Imperial Sentry-class battle droids first automatically activated an emergency holonet homing beacon – a beacon that would summon the closest Imperial forces to this location to apprehend the rebels or pirates that were attempting to salvage something from the ship. Then all eight began moving heading towards where their analysis programs indicated the blast that had roused them came from intending to subdue and delay the intruders until the Empire arrived to take them.
Ten Minutes Later
Sheesh this is depressing, Angelo thought as the boarding party came upon a large open room. During their journey through the ship they'd seen many bodies floating lifeless in the zero-gee. Most of them had been wearing white armour though one or two had been wearing blue uniforms. All of whom had appeared as male humans, each with identical facial features indicating their nature as clones, clones whose bodies if a little mummified had been almost perfectly preserved by both the lack of atmosphere and the fact that the interior of the ship was as cold as the surrounding space.
The room they'd come into was no different to the rest of the ship so far. Dozens of lifeless, identical bodies again some in uniform others in armour floated in the darkness. While clones were nothing new to anyone of the boarding party the fact that so many were identical to one another and all male was starting to give just about everyone in the investigation party the creeps. As not even the Robotech Masters had ever made clones completely identical to one another, even among triumvirate siblings there had always been some subtle variations like different hair colours and even sometimes completely different genders.
"Colonel Dante I believe I have found a computer terminal," Janice abruptly said the sound of the android's voice breaking the eerie silence of this place making everyone jump a little.
"A little warning next time please Janice you nearly gave me a heart attack then," Angelo replied turning to look at the android to see she'd moved to what was obviously a computer terminal, one that was like the rest of this vessel dark and lifeless.
"My apologies."
"No harm done. What have you got?"
"As I said it is a computer terminal but it currently lacks power," Janice replied.
"Well let's see what we can do about that," Angelo said. "Shepard get your butt up here and get this terminal started up."
"Yes sir," the young engineer replied immediately jogging up as best as he could in the non-existent gravity. Moving to the console the young engineer squatted down before opening a panel on the underside of the console and carefully scanning what was within. "Yes, I can restore power to this stand by."
Angelo nodded and watched as the much younger man, who honestly reminded him of Louie Nichols just without the extremely dorky glasses and incredibly annoying habit of dropping bits of trivia at the most inopportune moments, slipped off the backpack he was wearing over the top of his armour and removed both some tools from inside, some hyper-conductive wire and a cylindrical object about two feet long. He watched as the combat engineer carefully wired the cylinder – which he knew to be a micro-fusion generator as unlike the Masters they didn't use protoculture to power everything only really mecha and the most energy-hungry systems on their starships – into the terminal.
"Okay here goes everyone cross your fingers," Shepard said as he pressed the button to start up the generator, which immediately whirred obediently into life. For a moment, more nothing happened then the terminal hummed back to life, screens flickered once then came alive as it did all the lights in the room. And so, did the rooms gravity plating as with a crashing sound that made everyone wince all the bodies and other bits of floating debris in the room came crashing to the deck.
The sentry droids froze as their sensors abruptly registered a power surge. Immediately they began scanning looking for the source of the sudden upsurge in power generation aboard a ship that should be derelict. Within seconds they'd determined that the surge was coming from a crew lounge area several dozen meters away on this level.
Tactical analysis programs activated as the droids considered the new information. After a moment five of the eight droids changed direction and began advancing towards the source of the power surge while the remaining three continued towards the intruder's vessel.
Angelo blinked rapidly to clear the bright after images caused by the lights suddenly coming on from his vision. That had not been expected at all and from the shocked look on Shepard's face the engineer hadn't expected it to happen either. "Everyone alright," Angelo asked smiling when he got universal agreement from the rest of the boarding party. "Excellent. Janice can you see what you can get out of the computer please?"
"Yes Colonel," Janice answered moving up and carefully scanning the terminal. After a moment, she located what was according to her scans a data port that she could interface with – though bizarrely it was below the level of the keyboard. She had to wonder what the purpose of that was. She gave the A.I equivalent of a shrug and squatted down before holding out her right hand. She deactivated that hands holographic overlay and retracted her finger tips to expose her interface jacks, which she immediately plugged into the alien computer. Even considering her partially Haydonite computer systems it only took her a few moments to decipher to alien computer language and discover something rather curious.
"That's strange," she commented.
"What is it?" Angelo asked.
"While these computer systems are very advanced they're analogue systems," Janice replied, "nothing at all like the quantum matrix processing systems we ourselves use or even the advanced digital system still used aboard some of the older ships in the REF fleet. I am having to adapt my data filtration systems to compensate… done. I have gained fully access to the ships databanks; internal system security appears to be very primitive by our standards."
"Can you download their navigational database?"
"I am already doing so. I am also downloading all engineering and tactical data though I do not know how useful the latter will be as if I understand this time indexing right this vessel, the Kimbala, has been derelict here for nineteen years, six months and eleven days."
"Still the data could prove useful," Angelo commented surprised to learn that this vessel had been abandoned here for so long. From what he'd seen of it so far while the hull was compromised in numerous locations – and that the bridge had been destroyed – the basic spaceframe of the ship was still sound. Thus, it wouldn't really take that long for a properly equipped shipyard to repair and refit the Kimbala back into active service with the navy of whoever had built her.
"My thoughts exactly, Colonel," Janice agreed. "Data download complete. Disengaging link."
"Excellent. Shepard decouple that generator then we'll head back to the ship."
"Yes sir," the young engineer acknowledged. He was just about to squat down again so he could begin shutting down then decoupling the micro-fusion generator from the console when the rhythmic pounding of heavy metal feet on the deck caught everyone's attention. Almost in unison everyone turned to look across the room to the other entrance…
…in time for a nightmare to come through.
It was large standing two and a half meters tall and half as wide as it was tall. Surprisingly slender metallic arms and legs ended in a large vaguely triangular torso that appeared to be made of a dense metallic armour. A head with two glowing red eyes and a muzzle like snout rose from the top of the torso. One of the things hands ended in a large clawed hand while the other ended in a huge double-barrel energy weapon of some kind. It was obviously some kind of machine.
And it wasn't alone. Four more identical metal monstrosities walked into the room behind it and began spreading out into a line. The strange machines whirred and clicked to one another as though talking in some bizarre electronic language that none of the boarding party could understand. For a few moments, the five machines kept up the electronic chattering before as one raising their gun arms and opening fire, sending a torrent of dense red and white plasma bolts flying right towards the boarding party.
Only to miss by a mile as the marines and engineers training kicked in the moment the machines raised their weapons, prompting everyone to take cover so the bolts hit nothing but wall of metal backed chairs and the console sending up plumes of smoke and sparks.
"Well this is depressingly familiar," Angelo groaned as he leaned out of cover, raised his Valiant to target the closest drone and opened fire sending a full burst of five blue bolts of super-compressed charged particles at the attacking drone. The thing took the salvo high in its chest and staggered back emitting an electronic squeal, that if Angelo didn't know better would have seemed like a scream of pain, before dropping to its knees for a moment.
Only to quickly get back up as to his surprise it started to recover. Not about to give it a chance to recover fully he fired another full auto burst of charged particles, raking along the things torso and head turning the latter into a sparking mass of semi-molten metal. This time it went down for good spraying sparks and smoke. One down four to go, Angelo thought before diving back into cover as one of the other drones sent a storm of bolts his way kicking up sprays of sparks, smoke and molten metal as they hit everything but him. A burst of charged particles from the Valiant of another marine slammed into the drone that had just fired him, demolishing its head and right arm dropping it to the floor as a smoking wreck.
The remaining three drones didn't last long after that as well-disciplined fire from multiple directions tore into them. In seconds, it was over with all five of the intimidating but otherwise surprisingly easy to deal with drones reduced to shattered, smouldering masses of metal and burning circuitry on the deck.
"Well that was bracing," Angelo said getting back to his feet. "What were those things? Some automated security drone left over from whatever battle this ship lost?"
"Possibly," Janice agreed. "But I will need time to translate and assimilate the data I downloaded before I can give a concrete answer on that issue."
Angelo nodded in understanding. He started to open his mouth to order the boarding party to return to the transport – they could leave the micro-fusion generator here as the things only had enough helium three fuel for an hour or so's continuous use and they were hardly classified REF technology, beyond the metal used in the casing there was no robotechnology employed in the generator – but before any sound could emerge from his lips his helmet comm unit crackled to life.
"Corporal Petersen to Colonel Dante," came the voice of one of the two marines he'd left to guard the transport over the helmet speakers.
"This is Colonel Dante what is it Corporal," Angelo asked.
"Sir I have to report that we've just been attacked. Carter is down, repeat Carter is down."
"Is he alright?" Angelo asked.
"I'm not sure sir. He was hit hard in the torso by two salvos of some type of plasma bolts, they've almost completely punched through his armour. Commander Bennett's just taken him aboard the transport."
"What attacked you Corporal."
"Armed drone's sir, two of them sir. We took them down."
"Drones! Big bipedal things with a nasty gun on one arm?"
"Yes, sir how'd you know?"
"Five of them just attacked us here. Thankfully no casualties. We're returning to the transport now. Tell Bennett to prepare to disengage as soon as we're aboard."
"Yes sir."
Angelo signed off with Petersen before speaking again. "Alright everyone back to the transport double time," he ordered.
"What about the portable generator sir," Shepard asked.
"Leave it, it's not worth risking anymore of our people if more of those droid things show up."
"Sir might I therefore suggest that rather than leave it here we set it to overload," Shepard replied. Angelo frowned thoughtfully as he considered the suggestion. Overloading the generator would certainly take care of anymore of those drones should they be onboard as the generator would – once it reached critical overload – explode with the force of a ten-kiloton bomb. Which would certainly destroy the Kimbala as he doubted this ship was built strong enough to withstand such a nuclear detonation within the hull.
"If we set the generator to overload how long would be have before it blows?" he asked.
"Twelve minutes sir," Shepard replied. "We will have just enough time to get clear of this ship before it blows."
"Alright we'll do it," Angelo ordered after a moment more of thinking about it. "The rest of you start heading back to the transport now. Shepard and I will follow as soon as the overload is set. Everyone clear?" Nods came from all around. "Then get moving."
As Janice and the rest of the boarding party began filing out of the room, the marines being sure to stay alert just in case more of those drones showed up to challenge them, Shepard squatted back down next to the generator. Angelo stood protectively over the young engineer, like the marines being sure to keep his Valiant ready to fire upon any mechanical menace that came along. With one eye, he watched as Shepard ran through the sequence necessary to set the generator to overload.
"Done the overload is set," Shepard said standing back up as the micro-fusion generator began emitting a faint but growing – and very ominous sounding – whine.
"Alright let's get out of here ourselves."
"Right behind you sir."
It didn't seem to take quite as long to get back to the waiting transport. Within what had to only really be a couple of minutes Angelo was leading the young engineer back aboard their waiting Horizon-T. As soon as they were aboard he hit the button to close and seal the hatch before activating his helmet comm unit.
"Colonel Dante to Commander Bennett. We're all aboard cast off," he ordered.
"Aye sir casting off now," Leon Bennett answered from the cramped cockpit a microsecond before the magnetic clamps holding the transport to the side of the Kimbala released with a slight jolt. A moment later he heard the faint rumbling of the transports ion fusion engines start and Angelo knew that they were now pulling away from the derelict warship.
Walking through the transport, nodding politely to the various members of the boarding party that he came across who all politely nodded back, he made his way to the cockpit. "How's Carter," he asked as he stepped into the cramped room.
"He's not good sir," Leon admitted as he guided the transport away. "While his CVR armour dissipated the worst of the blasts it didn't do much for the blunt force and thermal trauma. He's got a bad burn and at least one broken rip. I've put him in the auto-doc for now but we really need to get him to the SDF-3's medical bays. I've already radioed ahead to tell them to have a medical team waiting for us in the landing bay."
"Excellent work commander," Angelo replied with a smile before glancing out of the viewports in time to see the transport clear the edge of the diffuse asteroid field and begin moving towards the distant shapes of the SDF-3's battlegroup. "How long until we get back to the ship?"
"About ten minutes sir," Leon answered with a smile eager to get back aboard Admiral Hunter's flagship and hoping that the next time he got to fly he would be back in his veritech. Angelo smiled back, he wasn't psychic but he knew pilots and knew that the younger man couldn't wait to get home and eventually back into the cockpit of his Super Shadow fighter.
He didn't blame him for wanting to get back. He wanted to get back himself, get debriefing done and then retire to his quarters for a nice hot bath. Deciding not to go back into the troop bay, Angelo pulled down one of the spare jump seats at the back of the cockpit and sat down to wait. He was just starting to let himself relax when a flicker of pseudo-motion not far from the fleet caught his eye. He glanced over…
… in time to see eleven alien ships, including three triangular vessels that were each almost as big as the SDF-3 herself, appear out of nowhere and begin approaching the fleet. He resisted the impulse to groan in annoyance.
There went going off duty anytime soon.
Authors Notes: Well another chapter bites the dust and left on a nice big cliff hanger too. I did consider having the fight with the newly arrived Imperial fleet happen in this chapter but ultimately decided against it as the chapter was getting long enough as it was and I want to do this next epic clash of the titan's justice. As for who is commanding the Imperial fleet I will just say that I'm bringing one of my favourite Imperials from the old Legends canon into this fic and we'll leave it at that.
Before anyone asks about Janice being along with the boarding party remember that in this story the Deucalion is with the battlegroup and thus was not left behind in the Milky Way to be rescued by the Icarus with Janice the only survivor. Far more of the science vessels crew – among them Exedore – are alive and it was Exedore who suggested Janice accompany the party that boarded the Kimbara since she was the best qualified person they had to find a way to access a completely alien computer system. Doctor Lang agreed with him so Rick sent her along on the mission.