Hyperdimension Neptunia - Across the Multiverse
A HyperDimension Neptunia Fanfiction by Dumbrarere1
Chapter 8 - Stolen Secrets
"I was beginning to wonder if you'd show up." Master Kiwiiks said as the trio arrived.
"You'd think the newest Knight of our Order and two CPUs would be more punctual…" Master Orgus said with mild disappointment.
"The Esseles was attacked by an Imperial warship commanded by Grand Moff Kilran while we were in transit, but we held them off." Asmund said, telling her what took so long.
"It wouldn't be the first time. The Empire has routinely attempted to goad the Republic into breaking the treaty through minor skirmishes." Master Kiwiiks responded.
"There was also a minor roadblock with Senator Kayl and a ravenous Migrant Merchants Guild, but we straightened that out as well." Andrew said with a sigh.
"Hmm… two events that unfortunately happened at the worst possible time for you, Asmund. Still, it's good to see things work out in the end." Master Orgus said after some thought.
"And here, I thought things would slow down a bit." Neptune said tiredly.
"Anyways, delays aside, we've arrived. What's happening?" Asmund asked.
"You remember Master Kiwiiks and Padawan Kira. This is General Var Suthra and Doctor Eli Tarnis." Master Orgus introduced.
"A pleasure to meet you." Andrew said.
"The pleasure's all mine." Doctor Tarnis replied.
"We're discussing why the Republic secretly built a planetary-scale weapon without consulting the Jedi." Master Orgus said.
"My work hardly qualifies as a weapon. It's the most humane military technology we've invented." Doctor Tarnis countered.
"I want to hear about this in greater detail before I draw that sort of conclusion." Andrew said.
"The item in question is a system codenamed "Planet Prison." With a single activation, the Planet Prison supercharges a planet's ionosphere, turning it into an enormous ion cannon. Any starship entering or leaving the planet will be instantly disabled. Perfect enemy containment, without casualties." Doctor Tarnis explained.
"Two things echo in my mind. Firstly, this theoretical operation doesn't take into account starships disabled in the affected planet's gravity well. Without any means to keep a starship aloft, it'll deorbit within hours with the potential for a great catastrophe, especially if a sizeable starship falls on and impacts an area with a large population. Secondly, if such a system were to fall into the wrong hands, it could be used to trap the majority of the Republic Navy or unarmed civilian ships above whatever planet they're at, leading a mix of my first point and the withering firepower of whichever faction's navy is using it. I'd say that counts as a weapon in my books." Andrew countered.
"Which is why we're here discussing this in the first place. Doctor Tarnis here allowed the Planet Prison's design files to fall into the hands of common criminals." Master Kiwiiks said.
"And I thought gangsters trying to hijack the automated speeder flight trajectories on Coruscant to create mass mid-air collisions was bad…" Asmund grumbled.
"I doubt the thieves even know what they have. Besides, the data is encrypted." Doctor Tarnis said.
"Good, good. Give these criminals a good hacker and a couple days, and they'll crack that data open in no time. That sounds safe to me, and with Black Market operations all over Coruscant in the wake of the previous war, there's no doubt that the data will find its way to the Republic's enemies." Andrew said sarcastically.
"Even the CPUs understand the consequences of this. We have to get that data back somehow." Kira said.
"Our people are pursuing every possible lead." Var Suthra said.
"With all due respect, old friend, don't you think it's time that the Jedi to get involved?" Master Orgus asked. He then turned to the trio. "Master Kiwiiks and I need to talk to the Supreme Chancellor. I need the three of you here finding those design files." he said.
"We won't let you down." Asmund said.
"Good. You stay as well, Kira. Your security expertise may come in handy." Master Kiwiiks said. That's when an agent with Republic SIS ran in.
"General. We have a lead on the thieves." the agent declared with a brisk salute.
"This is Agent Galen with the Strategic Information Service. Agent, these young Jedi and their CPU friends will assist you." Var Suthra introduced, before he, Master Kiwiiks and Master Orgus left to meet with the Supreme Chancellor.
"Tell us what you've got, Agent Galen." Andrew said.
"Thirty-two hours ago, thieves raided a military storehouse. They stole weapons, supplies and data files for the Planet Prison project. The thieves' leader slipped up; showed his face to a security camera. We identified him from our criminal database." Agent Galen informed as he pulled up a holocomm, pulling up the thieves' leader. "Vistis, Rodian Smuggler, staying with the so-called Migrant Merchants Guild. Nasty bunch of criminals. Senator Kayl came forward a few minutes ago and admitted to selling military-grade weapons to them to fund her campaign. She was removed from office and arrested, leaving her Minister to take the role of Senator of Coruscant." he continued.
"Her admitting to selling those weapons was our doing, Agent, when we found evidence of her making these dealings. Anyways, continue." Asmund admitted.
"I see… Anyways, the arms deals between the Migrant Merchants Guild and Vanara Kayl allowed them to overpower the guards at the storehouse and steal the items in question to fuel future criminal operations." Agent Galen said.
"Why would alien gangsters rob a military storehouse?" Doctor Tarnis asked.
"They must know what you're working on." Asmund suggested.
"Impossible. It must be a coincidence." Doctor Tarnis countered.
"The odds of such a coincidence are really rare. I think someone leaked the details of the project to them directly." Andrew suggested.
"It's a huge possibility." Agent Galen concurred."The 'guild' is a violent, well-armed cartel. Invading their headquarters is something only a Jedi could pull off." he continued.
"Oh dear… I really must go sit down… Excuse me…" Doctor Tarnis said. Andrew noted that he was feigning his momentary weakness.
"Agent. Let's use your fancy security network to distract those gangsters. Give my friends and their thief some quality time." Kira suggested.
"When you find Vistis, contact me. Those data files are top priority, but try to recover anything else that was taken from us. Good luck." Agent Galen said. As the trio left, Andrew reminded himself to talk to Asmund when they were out of earshot. They had the opportunity to do so while on the speeder towards the Migrant Merchants Guild's headquarters.
"Something's completely off about this whole thing. Our friend, Doctor Tarnis, seems to be suspect." Andrew said.
"How do we know he isn't what he seems to be? It's a little arrogant to accuse him of anything without evidence." Asmund said.
"My husband's intuition never fails him, I'm afraid. He's very rarely wrong about such things." Neptune said.
"I'm not accusing him of anything quite yet, but I'd like to note that when he claimed he had to sit down, I watched him particularly closely and found that he was actually feigning that momentary weakness he had. It wouldn't surprise me if he left to secretly warn our target that we were coming." Andrew explained.
"Hmm… now that you mention it, Doctor Tarnis did seem particularly suspicious, considering he tried to pass off something big as mere coincidence… I suppose we should watch him more closely." Asmund said.
"Agreed." Andrew replied. They arrived at the headquarters of the Migrant Merchants Guild to find it relatively empty, save for a few guards and Vistis' thieves that they quickly dispatched. Having tagged and recovered stolen equipment, they then focused on finding their target. Following his instincts, Asmund led the trio to a room, where they found Vistis.
"A Jedi… That's all I need. Nothing personal, but I have to kill you." Vistis declared as he took out a pair of blasters. A set of four blaster turrets rose from the ground as well, boxing them in. Asmund activated his lightsaber and ran in, destroying the Rodian's blasters while Andrew and Neptune dealt with the turrets. "Woah woah! I give up! I only work for the guild part-time, I'm not dying for them! You looking for something special, Jedi? Take anything you want. I'll even help you steal it." the Rodian said, scared. Asmund turned on his holocomm and contacted Agent Galen.
"Agent Galen. I believe we found our thief." Asmund declared.
"Get the stolen design files and hurry back. We've had a major security breach." Agent Galen reported.
"Another one? What happened this time?" Andrew asked.
"This holochannel isn't secure. I'll brief you at the Senate Tower. Agent Galen, out." Agent Galen replied, closing the comm channel.
"Wait a minute… You're after those data files I lifted? I knew I should have charged more for that heist!" Vistis swore. "Let's make a deal, huh? I have the data files, but the guild already decrypted them. I already transmitted a copy to my clients. You want the people who hired me. I can tell you who they are, if you promise to let me go." Vistis suggested.
"Betray us, and you'll find yourself the target of a Republic manhunt." Andrew threatened.
"Lie to a Jedi and his companions? Who's dumb enough to try that? Black Sun hired me. They and the Migrant Merchants Guild are rival syndicates, but I work both sides. My deal was to use the guild's slicer to decrypt the data files and then transmit a copy to the Black Sun." Vistis explained.
"Wait… What does the Black Sun want with top secret military data files?" Andrew asked.
"Beats me. What do I care?" Vistis asked.
"Thief = irrelevant. Black Sun = real culprit." T7 said.
"Look, you can take the data files I stole. Just let me go." Vistis said.
"Thanks for the information, Vistis. You're free to go." Andrew said.
"Thank you. I think I'll visit some friends on Nar Shaddaa." Vistis said, before he took his leave.
The trio returned to the Senate Tower and met back with Agent Galen without incident.
"We got your files, but they've already transmitted a decrypted copy to the Black Sun." Andrew announced as he handed the data over to the SIS agent. That was when a tech entered the room
"Krand! Run a full diagnostic! Find out what was in these files!" Galen ordered, handing the data to the tech. "You found our stolen military hardware. Good. We need it." he said as he turned his attention back to the trio.
"You mentioned a second security breach. What happened?" Asmund asked.
"While you were gone, kidnappers grabbed Doctor Tarnis." Agent Galen reported.
"With all the security in the Senate Tower, that shouldn't even be possible." Asmund said.
"I'm suspecting some kind of connection to the earlier theft. I've even noted that Tarnis feigned weakness earlier." Andrew said.
"You suspect he might be more directly responsible?" Agent Galen asked.
"Given the short time between him leaving, us leaving, and his kidnapping, yes. Someone, possibly Tarnis, is playing us for fools, sneaking the Republic's secrets to these scumbags from under our noses in the hopes that they find their way to our enemies." Andrew replied.
"And we're so certain that you're not jumping to conclusions?" Agent Galen asked.
"My intuition is rarely wrong, Agent. When you read between the lines, you pick out things that are out of place. Doctor Tarnis dismissed the original theft as mere coincidence. If it were coincidence, however, the Black Sun wouldn't have had any knowledge of the Planet Prison's existence in the first place. I suspected that someone revealed the existence of the project to the Black Sun and the encryption methods used, and had them hire Vistis to steal the data files and decrypt them… but when I noticed the subtleties of Doctor Tarnis' behavior, I began to suspect he had a part to play in that." Andrew revealed.
"With all that in mind, it makes his kidnapping seem suspect- hang on, call coming in." Agent Galen said, before he accepted a holocall.
"Agent Galen! I've got these creeps pinned down, but they won't surrender!" Kira announced. Her holocall was suddenly cut before Agent Galen could tell her to pull out.
"Sounds like trouble. We should probably help. Tell us where to find her." Asmund said.
"Kira's signal came from the Spaceport. Doctor Tarnis might have noticed your suspicions and may be trying to get his 'kidnappers' to ship him offworld and out of our reach." Agent Galen said.
"If that happens, we'll never know what his involvement was in the theft of the data, if any exists." Andrew said.
"You need to stop them before they escape with Doctor Tarnis. Hurry!" Agent Galen said.
The trio arrived at the Spaceport to see a firefight between the 'kidnappers' and Coruscant Security personnel. Kira was hanging back on the security forces' request after nearly taking a shot to her arm.
"Just in time. These guys get points for courage, but we're a little outnumbered. There's more than a few trigger-happy thugs in that docking bay." Kira reported.
"Listen, Kira. I've done some thinking and connected a few dots, and I have reason to suspect that Doctor Tarnis might be more responsible for the theft of the military data than we thought, which makes this kidnapping a farce. We'll tell you more later when we debrief with Agent Galen, but we have to ensure Tarnis does not leave the Spaceport." Andrew replied.
"So how do we handle this?" Kira asked.
"I say we bust in there, weapons drawn, and see what happens." Asmund suggested.
"Cocky, but a sudden rush with the men we have will knock them off guard. It's worth a shot." Andrew said.
"Just give me a second to paint a target on my forehead. I borrowed a stealth field generator from Agent Galen's office. Makes me practically invisible. I can sneak in first, then as you all rush into combat, I can take a few of them out by surprise. How does that sound?" Kira asked. Neptune had the most obvious Nepu face as she liked the trollish manner of which they would attack the enemy.
"Bold. I think I like that." Andrew replied.
"Great. Now you see me…" Kira began, before activating the stealth field generator. "...now you don't." she concluded, before sneaking in to the hangar bay. After two or three minutes walked by, the men prepared themselves for the rush assault to seize the hangar.
"What are your orders, sir?" one of the security personnel asked.
"Follow my lead, rush in, and do your best not to make yourselves a target. We'll provide support." Andrew replied. He counted down in his head, before rushing in. Asmund, Neptune, T7 and the security personnel all followed suit. Kira was already beginning to attack some of the guards from the safety of her cloaking generator, but an ion pulse knocked the generator out, revealing her position. The firefight continued for some time, the 'kidnappers' unable to keep up with the attack as they fell to lightsabers, swords and blaster fire. Eventually, the leader of the effort to smuggle Tarnis offworld was on his knees.
"Urgh! Jedi scum! I'll kill you someday!" the leader, Zeer, snarled.
"He sure killed my stealth field generator. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted." Kira said. "Isn't teamwork grand?" she asked.
"You handled yourself like a true Jedi." Asmund complimented.
"Wait- I need a holo of that. I want to play it back for Master Kiwiiks." Kira joked.
"Now then… Where's Doctor Tarnis?" Andrew asked.
"You're too late. We've already smuggled Tarnis offworld in another part of the Spaceport while you guys were busy here with your little firefight. You'll never see your little 'doctor' again." Zeer said smugly.
"I see. Give me a minute with this guy. I'll make him talk." Kira suggested.
"If anything, this'll be entertaining." Asmund said with a light chuckle, clearly amused.
"Thing is, we don't even need to question him, when I can read his mind." Kira suggested. Andrew could tell she was bluffing, but Zeer wasn't so wise to it.
"What? Stop this! Get out of my head! Get out!" Zeer shouted in a panic. "You'll find Tarnis in the Black Sun headquarters! Just leave me alone!" he begged.
"Cheap thugs will believe anything. I can't read your mind, stupid." Kira revealed.
"You- you tricked me?" Zeer asked, angry beyond belief.
"Ohohoho! Maybe I can read his mind, maybe I can't. Should I try?" Neptune asked, once again wearing her obvious Nepu face, basically taunting him. Andrew was laughing as a result.
"You- I'll kill you!" Zeer hissed.
"Smooth, you two. Very smooth." Asmund congratulated.
"Me and my security detail will clean this up. Agent Galen will want to hear about this." Kira said.
The Trio returned to Agent Galen, discussing seeing him discussing recent revelations with the Jedi Masters and General Var Suthra.
"I've got bad news, General. The stolen data files not only included the Planet Prison, but also every weapon prototype and research station in existence." Agent Galen reported.
"Our most powerful experimental weapons, and the Black Sun has access to them. How could this happen?" Var Suthra asked.
"Our CPU friend first suspected Tarnis to be involved when he dismissed the theft as coincidence. Andrew noted that the Black Sun should have had no knowledge of the data files or their encryption methods. Slicing blindly would have taken days, instead of less than thirty-two hours. It was also noted that Tarnis feigned weakness and left quickly, in order to discreetly secure an escape from SIS questioning." Agent Galen reported.
"Andrew Hawker may be more like a Jedi Master than we anticipated, if he noticed Tarnis acting oddly." Master Orgus noted.
"But the question is, why? What does Tarnis have to gain by selling this data to Black Sun so readily?" Asmund asked.
"He and the Black Sun could make a fortune selling these secrets to our enemies." Agent Galen replied.
"We must act quickly to secure these other weapons. Where are they?" Master Kiwiiks asked.
"Three offworld research facilities, minimum defenses to give them a low profile. They're vulnerable." Var Suthra reported.
"Master Kiwiiks and I will split up and protect two." Master Orgus said.
"And I'll take the third one." Agent Galen said.
"You three get the fun part: apprehending Doctor Tarnis and bringing him in for questioning, as well as nabbing the copied files from the Black Sun." Master Orgus said.
"We'll be back in time for pudding!" Neptune declared.
"Kira will stay behind, too. WIth Agent Galen gone, her computer talents will be needed." Master Kiwiiks said.
"She can be impulsive, but give her a chance. You'll make a great team." Master Orgus said.
"Eh, she's a bit rough around the edges- headstrong, proud of her talents, and a bit too eager to get into things… but she's resourceful and intelligent in her approach to what she does. I like her." Asmund said.
"She struggles with emotional attachments, as young jedi often do. Be mindful of that." Master Kiwiiks warned.
"We should go. May the Force be with us all." Master Orgus said.
"I'll escort you to your ships, my friends." Var Suthra declared.
"Before I go, I'm putting all my resources at your disposal. There's a special tactical unit in Black Sun territory. Experienced security officers who've been fighting those gangsters for months." Agent Galen said, before handing a datapad with a set of coordinates to Asmund. "Go to these coordinates. Talk to Sergeant Nidaljo. He can help you apprehend Doctor Tarnis and get those copied data files.
"Thanks for all your help, Agent. You've been of tremendous assistance." Andrew said.
"It's been a privilege working with you. Don't underestimate the Black Sun gang. They enjoy killing, and they're damn good at it. Kira's on her way. I'll get her plugged into our security network before I go. Good luck." Agent Galen replied, wishing them well with a brisk salute.
The trio rushed to Black Sun territory. Having gotten behind their lines, they met up with Sergeant Nidaljo, though on not so ideal terms.
"Corporal, get a kolto pack on that man. The rest of you, prep for evac." he ordered.
"Sergeant Nidaljo, Agent Galen sent us. What's going on?" Andrew asked.
"Black Sun happened. They're not a gang anymore, they're an army." Nidaljo replied. "We were securing a perimeter around their base for the three of you when they launched an organized counterattack. They hit hard with military-grade weapons. Killed six of my men." he continued.
"Seven, sir… Jorin's gone…" one of the men corrected.
"We're not equipped for this fight, not anymore… We can't help you…" Nidaljo said, his emotions running wild.
"No need to panic, Sergeant, we'll figure something out." Asmund said.
"All due respect, neither of you have a clue of what you're up against. We've been fighting Black Sun for months. Now, with new weapons and armor, they're unstoppable." Nidaljo countered.
"Thankfully, they're no match for a Jedi, an astromech droid, and a pair of CPUs." Andrew said.
"Look at us- we're half dead. And they didn't suffer a single casualty. There's no hope of victory." Nidaljo said.
"Listen to yourself. If you surrender now, these men will have died in vain. Is that what you want?" Asmund asked. "What about the man inside that base, potentially selling our secrets to the Black Sun, maybe worse. You'd just leave him there? An unchecked and unfettered threat to the very Republic you swore to protect?" he continued. "This is a moment of truth, Sergeant. Do you give up and let evil win, or do you trust in the Force, stand up, and fight?" he concluded.
"I'll go with you… but I won't ask my men to follow." Nidaljo said in defeat.
"You don't have to ask us. The Jedi's right. We can't let these scum beat us." a security officer said.
"Count me in. Always wanted to fight alongside a Jedi." another one said.
"You'll need to take down the base's security network so we can get inside. Once the network's down, we'll attack at the back entrance, you take the front. We'll rendezvous in the base and apprehend Doctor Tarnis." Nidaljo explained.
"May the Force be with us all. I'll see you on the inside." Asmund said.
The trio attacked the front entrance to the base directly and forced their way inside. They'd continue until they got to a security terminal.
"Alright, Teeseven. You know what to do." Andrew said. T7 rolled up to the security terminal and began slicing it, shutting down the security network. Asmund contacted Nidaljo as the security network went offline.
"Security network is offline, Sergeant. You're clear to enter." he said.
"Roger that. Thanks, Jedi." Nidaljo replied. They continued to fight through the base until they reached the final room. Andrew took point and led the trio in, seeing a holocall of a Sith in contact with the leader of the Black Sun on Coruscant.
"Tarnis! We risked everything for you- stealing those data files, faking your kidnapping… this is how you repay us?" the leader of the Black Sun, Salarr, asked. His tone suggested he was infuriated with something.
"You were compensated with enough weapons and armor to make the Black Sun invincible." the Sith, Lord Tarnis, said. Seeing Tarnis' true colors, Andrew swore to himself quietly as he approached.
"Invincible?! There's a Jedi and a pair of CPUs carving up my base!" Salarr shouted. "This is your fault! We should have never trusted a Sith!" he hissed.
"If a Jedi and the CPUs have come for you, Salarr, it wasn't my doing." Lord Tarnis countered.
"I knew you were as suspicious as they get, Doctor Tarnis. I observed your actions and reactions from the moment we met, all the way up to this point, and drew conclusions. But a Sith? That's a new one." Andrew said.
"The name is Lord Tarnis. I've shed that old skin." Lord Tarnis corrected. "When I realized you suspected my involvement in the theft of the pitiful Republic's secret weapons data, I knew I had to make myself scarce, CPU. I tried to make it look like I was kidnapped, but you saw through my deception. Well done." he explained.
"Am I supposed to be flattered?" Andrew asked, unimpressed with Lord Tarnis' choice of words.
"Perhaps not. Regardless, you're too late to do anything." Lord Tarnis replied. "I have no time for this nonsense. Continue your pointless battle. Coruscant's fate is already sealed." he continued, before cutting the transmission. The Black Sun tried to box the trio in, but the man in the rear was shot by Sergeant Nidaljo and the two men with him.
"Surrender, you scum! We've got you surrounded!" he exclaimed.
"This is Sergeant Nidaljo. He's here to arrest you. I suggest you let him." Asmund said as he ignited his lightsaber.
"Black Sun doesn't surrender!" Salarr shouted as he drew his blaster rifle, only to have it cut in half by Andrew, thus rendering it useless. The two men on his flanks were killed fairly quickly, but without a weapon, Salarr could only cower at the sight of a Jedi's lightsaber.
"Okay! Okay! I surrender!" he shouted.
"Good. Spilling your blood would have gotten us nowhere. You can redeem yourself by any means you feel necessary, but you will have to face justice." Andrew said, before gesturing to have the man arrested.
"Black Sun won't forget this any time soon." Nidaljo said as the two men took Salarr into custody. "We lost some good soldiers, but this victory gives their deaths meaning." he continued.
"Your men fought bravely. You should be proud." Asmund said.
"Thanks for leading this mission. Black Sun will have reinforcements here soon. Any sign of the man we were sent to apprehend?" Nidaljo asked. That was when Kira called the holoterminal via the Security Network.
"There you are. We intercepted Salarr's holocall to Tarnis. I know you suspected him of deception, Andrew, but I can't believe he was a Sith!" she exclaimed. "That's not the worst news. The Planet Prison prototype here at the lab? A fake. Tarnis stole the real Planet Prison." she continued.
"Andrew's concerns about the Planet Prison being used against the Republic and Civilian starships is coming true… I never would have expected it…" Asmund said.
"Tarnis played us all like a cheap violin…" Neptune said.
"Trace the holocall, Kira. Use it to locate our Sith's base of operations." Andrew said.
"Already on it. In the meantime, we need you back at the Senate Tower. Kira out." Kira said. With a quick goodbye to Sergeant Nidaljo, the trio quickly left.
Back at the Senate Tower, they met up with Var Suthra and Kira.
"A Sith… Working as my chief scientist. How can I be expected to defend the Republic if I can't trust my own people?!" Var Suthra asked, on the edge of rage.
"Calm down, General, we need to be level-headed about this. What about the men that worked under Tarnis?" Andrew asked.
"Tarnis' entire engineering team vanished, along with the Planet Prison. They're all traitors, too!" Var Suthra exclaimed.
"Lord Tarnis was a master of deception. We can't be certain of anything." Asmund said.
"I'm certain the Sith want us dead." Var Suthra snarled.
"My concerns are more than likely coming true. Tarnis will use the Planet Prison against the Republic, disabling military and civilian ships alike. Any ship unlucky enough to be disabled in the Gravity Well risks falling down on the city. One catastrophic impact after another. It'd be Sacking of Coruscant two-point-oh, and that includes us being isolated and cut off from strategic and logistical assets for months, even years." Andrew hypothesized.
"He could paralyze the Republic by holding us hostage. By starving us into submission and forcing us to leave our wounded without proper medical care, we'd be forced to cede one planet after another to the Sith Empire without a single fight. You're our only hope of stopping him." Var Suthra said, concurring with Andrew's hypothesis
"We'll stop him, General. But, we need to know where he is, first. Running around Coruscant blindly will get us nowhere." Asmund said.
"That's where I come in." Kira said. "I just traced the holocall between Tarnis and the Black Sun's base. Tarnis was communicating from Sector 439." she continued.
"Justicar territory! Tarnis knows we're not welcome there!" Var Suthra said.
"Uhh… what now?" Neptune asked.
"Justicars are paramilitary vigilantes. They took over a sector and cut ties with the rest of Coruscant. And they don't like visitors." Var Suthra said.
"You call them vigilantes? Please, General, explain." Andrew said.
"Many Justicars are ex-Republic Military, who came home to find gangsters controlling their streets. They believe the Republic abandoned Coruscant to crime, so they've taken matters into their own hands." Var Suthra explained. "They're well armed, and highly trained. But they don't concern me. It's the Sith Lord that I'm worried about." he continued.
"You three shouldn't face Tarnis alone. I may only be a padawan, but I can help you." Kira interjected.
"Woah, Kira, are you sure 'bout that?" Neptune asked, unsure of Kira's offer.
"With this much at stake, we'll need all the help we can get." Asmund said.
"T7 = wait here. Asmund + Kira + CPUs = be careful + be fast." T7 said.
"Woah, you've never used Asmund's name before, buddy." Andrew said, looking to T7.
"T7 = can't call Asmund 'Jedi' forever." T7 responded.
"The longer we wait here, the greater the chance of Tarnis getting away. Stop him before he uses the Planet Prison against us. The fate of the Republic rests on your shoulders. Hurry, and may the Force be with you." Var Suthra exclaimed.
The now-group of 4 rushed over to Justicar territory in pursuit of Lord Tarnis. Asmund felt the Force draw him to a particular location, where they found what remained of Tarnis' engineering team.
"A Jedi? Thank the Stars…" one of the technicians muttered in pain.
"I don't see a Planet Prison anywhere… That's not good." Kira mumbled.
"We've been such fools… Tarnis… He's a Sith!" the technician cried.
"If only you had my husband's intuition and Asmund's instincts…" Neptune muttered with a sigh.
"We've come here to help. What happened?" Asmund asked.
"Tarnis tricked us… Said you and the CPUs were going to shut the project down… Told us to bring the Planet Prison here… We thought we were saving the Republic… We brought him the prototype… He turned on us… wanted to kill all of us…" the Technician cried.
"Asmund, give me your holocommunicator for a moment." Andrew said. Asmund tossed it to him and he began to make a call. "General Var Suthra, you there?" he asked.
"CPU? Have you found Tarnis and the Planet Prison?" Var Suthra asked.
"That's a negative. Turns out he tricked his entire engineering team, then attempted to kill everyone. We've got wounded here, can you send medivac?" Andrew requested.
"To think that Tarnis would kill the people working under him so readily, I should have expected this much from a Sith… I'm sending a medivac shuttle to your location. Can you get the wounded out safely?" Var Suthra asked.
"We're on our way to the LZ. We'll see you in a bit." Andrew said, before ending the call and handing the holocomm back to Asmund. "We've gotta move the survivors." Andrew said as he picked up the wounded technician. Kira and Asmund picked up the other two, and they went to the LZ.
"Thank- Thank you." the man groaned.
"Medivac is on the way, they'll be here soon. Do you know where Tarnis went?" Andrew asked.
"Don't know-... He took the Planet Prison…" the technician said.
"Do you have any knowledge about it that can help? Drawbacks, design flaws, anything at all?" Andrew asked.
"Prototype creates a massive heat signature when activated… Run a thermal scan… You'll find Tarnis." the Technician said. "Prison needs time to build up power. Enough time for you to destroy it. Save Coruscant…" he continued. A shuttle landed, and medical evacuation personnel took him and the other two survivors to a medical facility.
"Poor men… They didn't deserve this…" Kira muttered. Asmund took his comm out and contacted Var Suthra again.
"General Var Suthra. I've got a lead on where Tarnis may have taken the prototype." he announced.
"What have you got for me, Asmund?" Var Suthra asked.
"Run a planetwide thermal scan. The prototype will create a massive heat signature as it builds up energy, and it should stand out against the background radiation." Asmund said. Var Suthra had T7 run the scan. He'd stand in amazement at the results.
"We've got something, Asmund. You're not going to believe where your droid tracked the heat signature to." Var Suthra announced.
"Lay it on us, General. What have you got?" Asmund asked.
"T7's tracked the heat signature to the ruins of the old Jedi Temple. He was attempting to use the ruins to mask his attack on Coruscant from the eyes of our agents." Var Suthra replied.
"We haven't much time to lose, then. What's the fastest way to the Jedi Temple?" Andrew asked.
"The fastest route is through a major hazard zone called "The Works" There's an elevator down near your location. If you hurry, you can stop Tarnis and destroy the Planet Prison before it's too late." Var Suthra said.
"Thank you General. Asmund out." Asmund said as he ended the call. With that, the four of them rushed to The Works. They wormed their way through, taking out rogue droids and stabilizing reactors in the process. Finally, they made it to the entrance to the Jedi Temple, finding the ruins guarded by Imperial scouts.
"Imperials?" Andrew asked.
"Must be Tarnis' men! Let's go!" Kira declared as she activated her lightsaber. They ran in and killed the scouts guarding the elevator, then took it up. They'd continue to cut through Imperial forces, before they finally ran into Tarnis, accessing the old holoterminal to call his father.
"I'm departing Coruscant now, Father. The Planet Prison deploys in minutes. The destruction caused by falling starships will mirror that of the Sacking of Coruscant. The Republic will have no choice but to surrender." Lord Tarnis announced.
"You return to me as a hero of the Empire, my son. Our victory is complete." Tarnis' father, Darth Angral, applauded.
"Are you so sure about that?" Andrew asked as they stepped in to face Tarnis.
"What's this, Tarnis? A loose end? For shame." Lord Sadic said spitefully.
"Have you and the CPUs come to die, Jedi?" Tarnis asked, addressing Asmund. He'd ignite a red lightsaber similar to what Vokk had, before approaching the group.
"Die? Perhaps not." Neptune declared, before she entered HDD. "Perhaps it's time you Sith learn that we don't die easily." she continued. Andrew was next to transform.
"Well, that's a new one…" Kira muttered after witnessing their transformation.
"Fighting petty criminals is nothing. Now you face a true Sith." Tarnis said.
"We've already faced and killed one of your kind, Sith." Andrew corrected.
"Channel your rage, my son. Don't let this Jedi and his companions steal your moment of triumph." Darth Angral said.
"Your blood flows through my veins Father. I cannot fail." Lord Tarnis declared. That's when the fight began. Asmund blocked a sudden sweep, followed by a shot of Force Lightning. Andrew ran up and attacked the Sith with unexpected finesse and ferocity. He'd use Slash Wave, one of Nepgear's attacks, to great effect.
"What are you doing, Tarnis? These scum are beneath you!" Lord Sadic exclaimed. His word was enough of a distraction for Neptune to get the final blow in, killing Lord Tarnis.
"Jedi filth! You've killed my son!" Darth Angral snarled, seething in anger. Kira took the time to destroy the Planet Prison, preventing it from firing.
"He'll die for this, Master. I'll personally see to it." Lord Praven declared.
"You've no idea what you've unleashed, Jedi. There's no place in the galaxy to hide from my wrath." Darth Angral said.
"Isn't it the way of the Sith that the strongest must survive?" Kira asked.
"We don't fear you, Darth Angral. Come find us whenever you'd like. We'll be waiting." Neptune said, taunting the Sith Lord.
"I will inflict unimaginable suffering on your people. Billions will die. Because of YOU." Darth Angral shouted.
"We already control your secret weapon facilities. All that power is ours, now." Lord Nefarid said.
"My son's death will be avenged on the entire Republic. And you will bow to me before I let you die." Darth Angral declared.
"Your grudge is with us alone. There's no need to harm innocents in the process." Asmund countered.
"As they die, you will suffer! And I want you to suffer before the end comes! Tell your pathetic Masters that Darth Angral has returned! This time, there will be no mercy!" Darth Angral sneered, before cutting transmission.
"Well, he's just a ray of sunshine, isn't he?" Kira asked. Andrew and Neptune left HDD.
"Seems that way. All that yelling and 'you will suffer' drivel has left me with a bit of a headache." Neptune groaned.
"This isn't good news at all. Seems this Darth Angral is doing more than goading the Republic into breaking the treaty. He's doing it himself. We need to return to the Senate Tower and warn everyone that the security of the Republic's secret weapons projects is already compromised." Andrew said.
"My thoughts exactly." Asmund said in agreement. The Sharicite Fragment appeared before them, and Andrew and Neptune wasted no time in collecting it, before they were off.
They arrived at the Senate Tower to see Var Suthra in contact with Master Satele.
"Bad news everyone. The Republic's secret weapons projects are already compromised. Turns out that Tarnis was the son of Sith Lord Darth Angral." Asmund declared.
"Master Kiwiiks, Master Orgus and Agent Galen are walking into a trap." Andrew said.
"Nobody saw this coming, Master Satele. Not even the Jedi Council." Var Suthra said.
"We've sensed it for weeks, General. If you'd told us of your secret weapons projects, we might have averted this disaster." Master Satele said, basically giving Var Suthra a verbal slap.
"Coruscant is safe, for now, but the Republic isn't. Darth Angral plans to use the secret weapons against the Republic, he'll slaughter billions." Andrew said.
"We've already got Republic comm channels being flooded with threats from that maniac vowing revenge." Var Suthra said.
"Darth Angral has broken the Treaty of Coruscant. We're officially at war. Has anyone faced this man before?" Asmund asked.
"Darth Angral and Darth Malgus both personally led the forces that sacked Coruscant in the last war." Master Satele explained.
"They were furious when the Emperor signed the treaty. Looks like he's back to finish what he started." Var Suthra said. "The Empire has formally disavowed Darth Angral's actions, saying he's gone rogue. It's a lie, of course, but the Senate refuses to authorize a military response." he continued.
"With good reason. Neither the Republic nor the Jedi are prepared for a second war. We would lose. Billions would die." Master Satele interjected.
"And if the enemy turns our weapons against us, billions WILL die!" Var Suthra countered.
"Then it's up to us to disrupt Darth Angral's attacks and secure or destroy the compromised secret weapons. Where do we start?" Andrew asked.
"We traced Darth Angral's transmission to the planet Ord Mantell. He must have a base there. I need you to find it." Var Suthra said.
"If there's a chance we find Angral there, we can end this crisis right now." Asmund said.
"I doubt Angral's on that world, but his spy network certainly is." Var Suthra said.
"Master Orgus senses greatness in you all, and so do I. This mission is yours." Master Satele said.
"I'm going too. Master Kiwiiks left me here to help." Kira said.
"Agreed. Take Kira with you. Train her and protect her like she were your own Padawan." Master Satele said.
"It's an important responsibility I won't take lightly." Asmund said.
"We'll get to know each other. It'll be nice." Kira said.
"I must inform the council of these developments. Travel safely, young Jedi. May the Force be with you." Master Satele said as she ended the holocall.
"All I've ever wanted was to protect the Republic. I was stationed here when the Empire attacked Coruscant. Saw the Jedi Temple destroyed, all those Padawans and Masters cut down by Darth Malgus and his apprentice, Denzion the Merciless… I started these weapons projects in their honor…" Var Suthra said.
"Good intentions alone cannot stop Darth Angral. We need to act directly." Asmund countered.
"How do we even get to Ord Mantell? As long as we don't have a ride, we're stuck here waiting for the end to come." Andrew asked, a little confused.
"I already have one of our best starships waiting for you at the spaceport. Your astromech droid is prepping it for takeoff." Var Suthra announced.
"Yeah! Alright!" Neptune cheered.
"You have our thanks, General." Andrew said.
"And you mine. Now then, there's civil war on Ord Mantell. It's a no-fly zone. Dock at the orbital station there and contact me. Good luck, and may the Force be with you." Var Suthra said as everyone departed. They went to the spaceport and got directed to the hangar where their ship, a Defender-class light corvette, awaited them.
"She's beautiful…" Neptune said in awe at the ship.
"She needs a name, though…" Andrew said.
"I've got nothing…" Kira said.
"Hmm… Endeavor?" Andrew asked.
"Endeavor… I like that." Asmund said.
"Well, then. Guess we're all in agreement. Let's climb aboard and get to it, the galaxy's not going to save itself." Kira said. "Before we leave, we need to get in contact with the spaceport authorities for launch clearance." she continued as they went up the boarding ramp.
"Wow. Nice and roomy, good aesthetics… I kinda like this." Andrew said. They were shown a quick tour by C2-N2, a protocol droid left in their service. before they spoke to Kira on the bridge.
"So. Ground rules? Master Kiwiiks let me do whatever, so long as I wasn't in her way." she admitted.
"Just do what I do, and everything will be fine." Asmund said.
"We make it up as we go… Nifty. Question two, what's my job on the ship? I hate standing around, makes me antsy." Kira admitted.
"I'm sure you can find something. It's a big ship for its compact size, just do what comes naturally." Andrew replied.
"Reprogram the computer to call me 'Master'? Done." Kira said.
"Let's not go THAT far…" Andrew said, wanting to make C2's life simple.
"We'd better get moving. Let's go save the galaxy." Kira said. Andrew accessed the holoterminal and contacted Coruscant Control.
"This is the Defender-class Light Corvette Endeavor to Coruscant Control, requesting launch clearance." he said.
"Launch clearance granted for Endeavor. Coordinates to Ord Mantell have been uploaded to your navicomputer. Good luck, CPU, and good hunting." Control read.
"Launch clearance granted for Endeavor, confirmed. Thank you, Control. We'll see you on the flip side." Andrew said before he cut contact. T7 went ahead and got the ship launched, taking to the skies where they achieved a clear orbit away from incoming and outgoing starship traffic. They entered hyperspace soon after.
"So… we have a Sith Lord and a madman intending on seeing the end of the Republic, either by starving it into surrender or destroying it outright… Does this 'Kurome' person know about this?" Asmund asked, looking towards Andrew and Neptune.
"Unlikely. Vokk mentioned that she hired Denzion - Darth Malgus' apprentice - as an agent to do her will. I think Darth Angral is acting alone here." Andrew said.
"Well, that's fair… Who is this 'Kurome' anyways?" Kira asked.
"A rogue CPU who's been hindering our progress through the multiverse up to this point." Andrew explained.
"Definitely sounds like someone who'd aid the Sith…" Kira muttered. That was when Andrew's N-Gear beeped, indicating he had a call. He took it out and found it was Histoire.
"Histoire? What's going on?" Andrew asked.
"I have terrible news. Arfoire just completed her investigation into the entity fragments. They're from the evil True Goddess that she and the Quartet defeated long ago. Kurome's actions are an attempt to destabilize and destroy dimensions in an effort to resurrect the True Goddess." Histoire reported.
"Great way to turn an already dark conversation head over heels. How much time do we have?" Kira asked.
"If Neptune and Andrew can keep collecting Sharicite Fragments and interdict Kurome's plans, we can delay or even stop the True Goddess' resurrection." Histoire explained.
"Sounds simple. Any good news?" Asmund asked.
"Fortunately, I have just finished teaching Planeptune's Auxiliary CPU the basics, and I'm sending him your way for Andrew and Neptune to continue mentoring him. I hope you treat him well, as he will no doubt be of great help." Histoire said.
"Ah. Glad to hear Asriel's doing well." Andrew said.
"Like Master, like Padawan. It's nothing new, I suppose." Asmund said.
"Thanks for the heads up, Histoire. There's something to note, however." Andrew said.
"What's that?" Histoire asked.
"Kurome has been hiring agents of her own to do her bidding. Here in this dimension, it's Denzion the Merciless, apprentice to Darth Malgus of the Sith Empire. From what I heard, Denzion is not an individual to take lightly, and might be a thorn in our side for some time." Andre reported.
"This does not surprise me, but it is concerning that she'd enlist the help of several agents of her own. She may propagate the True Goddess' return by enlisting agents in one dimension after another, then moving on to the next. A tidal wave of destruction that would accelerate her resurrection." Histoire said.
"You'd think so, but it looks like she's doing this one dimension at a time. She's sticking around in this dimension and aiding the Sith Empire in her own little way, last I heard." Andrew said.
"That does ease some of the worry. But please, make haste. The more Sharicite Fragments you can collect, the more power the CPUs and Candidates here in Gamindustri can recover, making any inevitable fights against Kurome or the True Goddess that much easier." Histoire said.
"Of course, Histoire. See you soon." Andrew said as he ended the call, putting his N-Gear away.
"Well, now we know what Kurome's plans are. Should we let Master Satele know?" Kira asked.
"In time, we'll tell her, but it's best not to flood her with worry. Let's deal with Darth Angral first." Asmund said.
"Agreed. We're coming up on Ord Mantell. Dropping out of hyperspace in 5 seconds." Andrew said. 5 seconds later, they dropped out of hyperspace. That was when Asriel opened a dimensional portal through the wall of the ship, joining them. Asmund and Kira blinked at him, noting how young he looked for a CPU.
"Hey, Asriel." Andrew said
"Hey. Where are we?" Asriel asked.
"We're in a starship currently above the planet Ord Mantell." Andrew explained. Asmund went on to fill the young prince in on what has happened thus far.
"Woah… That sounds troubling." Asriel said.
"Yeah. That's why we're acting quickly to stop Darth Angral. And as Master Orgus predicted, we find more Sharicite Fragments the more planets we visit. We've already got two." Asmund said.
"Alright, Teeseven, no time to waste. Let's bring her in." Andrew said. T7 beeped and chirped in acknowledgement, directing the ship closer to the Republic starbase. Asmund took the time to contact the starbase control.
"Endeavor to Starbase Control, requesting docking permissions. Transmitting docking codes to you now." he said as he tapped some keys on the holoterminal.
"Docking codes read and verified, you're clear to dock. Welcome aboard, Master Jedi." the starbase controller replied. T7 brought the Endeavor in slowly, and docked fairly soon. Andrew then contacted General Var Suthra on the holoterminal.
"General, we've arrived on the Starbase above Ord Mantell." he said.
"Perfect timing. I've just finished coordinating things with my man on the ground there. SIS Agent Ottau followed the signal to a specific location 'll give you the full details. Your T7 Unit can interface with Darth Angral's hyperspace data transceiver and download his communications. Take the droid with you." Var Suthra said.
"T7 = oiled + charged + ready for action." T7 said. Asriel couldn't understand what the droid was saying, however.
"Guess I'll be playing dejarik against myself while you guys have all the fun." Kira said jokingly. Her quip sent Neptune into a fit of laughter.
"Take a shuttle to the surface and meet Agent Ottau. Good hunting. Var Suthra, out." Var Suthra said, before ending communication.
"I've visited my share of seedy ports, but this one's the seediest. Just as well I'm staying. I'll make sure nobody steals our landing thrusters." Kira said.
"Nothing's as simple as it seems, is it?" Asriel asked.
"Chances are, you're probably right." Asmund said, turning to Kira. "Check out the spaceport while you're gone. If this place is as bad as you say it is, Darth Angral might have a presence here." he said.
"Wouldn't surprise me. I'll poke around and see what's what." Kira said.
"Don't make yourself too obvious. This may be a Republic starbase, but if Angral has spies around, may cause trouble. We don't want to attract unwanted attention." Andrew warned.
"I'll keep that in mind. Have fun down there." Kira said, before they separated. Everyone left the ship and headed for the shuttle, only to be intercepted by an overzealous guard.
"Who are you three, and what are you doing here?" the guard asked, drawing his blaster on Andrew, Neptune and Asriel.
"Oh come on…" Neptune whined.
"Stand down, soldier. They're with me." Asmund said.
"Apologies, Master Jedi. Ord Mantell is in a state of civil war, as you probably already know. My commanding officer told me of potential insurrectionist spies looking to cripple starbase operations. I can't be too careful." the guard said as he put his blaster away. "I assume you four and your astromech droid came from the ship that just docked here? The Endeavor, was it?" he asked.
"That's correct. General Var Suthra sent us here because a Republic SIS agent tracked Darth Angral's transmissions to a specific location on the planet below." Andrew explained.
"In that case, let me get out of your way." the guard said, stepping back. With a shrug, they took the shuttle down and met up with Agent Ottau.
"Agent Ottau. General Var Suthra sent us here." Andrew said.
"Ah. The Master Jedi and the CPUs. General Var Suthra said you were coming." the agent began. "Agent Ottau, Republic SIS. Welcome to Ord Mantell." he said with a salute.
"This place seems chaotic." Asriel said, looking around.
"I hope you enjoy warzones. This planet's full of them." Agent Ottau said. "Officially, the civil war is fought between Republic Loyalists and a separatist movement aiming for Ord Mantell's independence. Unofficially, the separatists are funded and armed by the Sith Empire." he continued.
"We've not much time. What have you got us?" Andrew asked.
"General Var Suthra had me send a probe droid to the hyperspace data transceiver's location. I learned two things. First, it's on an island. Second, they don't like visitors. My probe droid wound up getting disintegrated. Make sure that doesn't happen to you, eh?" Agent Ottau explained.
"Yeesh…" Asriel said, grimacing at the thought.
"Disintegrating isn't on my to-do list." Asmund said.
"And here I thought this mission would be simple…" Neptune muttered.
"When you find the hyperspace data transceiver, plug in your T7 unit and download everything you can from its logs. With any luck, we'll learn what Darth Angral's been up to. Be seeing you." Agent Ottau said, wishing them well.
The group walked to the island where the hyperspace data transceiver was, and they noticed Imperial forces guarding it. That was when something unexpected happened, and a large number of the garrisoned troops went running out to check. As it turns out, a Republic saboteur destroyed a communications node nearby, and their actions created a distraction for the group, allowing them to fight on a better playing field. What remained of the Imperial garrison fell one by one, leaving Lieutenant Marcovic alone to guard the transceiver. For a regular Imperial fighting three CPUs and a Jedi Knight, he put up quite the fight, but was eventually disarmed when his vibroblade shattered.
"Name: Marcovic. Rank: Lieutenant. That's all you're getting from me, Jedi scum!" Lieutenant Marcovic said, seething at his defeat.
"Your big talk is wasted on us, Lieutenant." Andrew said, turning to T7. "Teeseven, do what you do best." he said. T7 rolled up to the console and sliced in, downloading all the data he needs.
"Hey- What's that droid doing? Get away from there!" Lieutenant Marcovic shouted.
"Hyperspace data transceiver = operational. T7 = scanning transmission logs." T7 said. After some time, he found something. "T7 = found Planet Prison design + Tarnis communications to Darth Angral. T7 = located design files code-named "Desolator" Darth Angral = creating world-killing weapon using Republic technology." he explained.
"A Desolator weapon… that is not good…" Andrew muttered.
"I have a bad feeling about this…" Asmund said, agreeing with Andrew.
"Teeseven, download everything off of those logs, and I mean everything. Republic Intelligence needs to know about this Desolator, and fast." Andrew instructed. T7 did as instructed and downloaded the files.
"You won't live long enough to tell anyone!" Lieutenant Marcovic exclaimed.
"Oh? Who's going to stop us?" Neptune asked. That's when the rest of the garrison returned, opening fire on the group. Asriel reacted quickly, knocking them down with Star Blazing, which was now fueled with a mix of magic and Share Energy.
"What was that?" Asmund asked, bewildered at the attack.
"That was one of Asriel's attacks." Andrew explained. Looking back, Lieutenant Marcovic was pretty much afraid now. He'd pull a thermal detonator and threatened to kill everyone.
"Everyone, move!" Andrew shouted, as unarmed Imperial technicians and the group ran out quickly, narrowly missing the explosion.
"That was close…" Asmund said, panting. They were approached by Agent Ottau.
"I felt that explosion as I was running in." he said
"We couldn't get all the data, but we've got enough of it to make a difference." Andrew announced.
"Right now, we'll take any success we can get. At least the Empire has one less hidey-hole. I'll put together a team to secure this island for our side." Agent Ottau said.
"Let's get going, General Var Suthra needs the report." Andrew said.
They returned to the starbase to see the guard from earlier in a panic.
"Master Jedi, CPUs! Thank the Force you're here!" he exclaimed.
"What happened, soldier?" Asmund asked.
"The Sith took over the hangar bay where the Endeavor is docked. They've taken another Jedi prisoner." the guard said. "Five of my team are dead, two more were taken prisoner. The rest ran to central command to warn the others. The Sith has some weird crystal I've never seen before." he continued.
"Drat… And I thought we were in the clear." Andrew said.
"Kira's in trouble, and they've probably got a hold of the Endeavor. We need to go back and secure the hangar bay." Asmund said.
"My thoughts exactly. I'll assemble a support team and meet you there." the guard said. With that, everyone ran to the hangar bay. The guard returned with the support team, and they ran into the hangar.
"The game is up, Sith. Let her go." Andrew announced.
"So your master and the CPUs were here all along. Well-played, Padawan. Your lies convinced even Darth Angral." The Sith, Inquisitor Ferav, said as the three CPUs activated HDD, while Asmund ignited his lightsaber. Ferav had what looked to be a Sharicite Fragment in his hands.
"He's got a Sharicite Fragment!" Neptune exclaimed.
"It's two-to-one, Sith. You're outmanned and outgunned. Lower your weapon and let my Padawan go." Asmund said.
"Spare me your pathetic demands. I hold the power here, not you." Ferav said with a smirk, inching his lightsaber closer to Kira's neck. "Imperial intelligence noticed this girl wandering the station and alerted my master. Darth Angral came from twenty parsecs away for a personal interrogation. Unfortunately, we were led to believe you weren't here." he continued.
"Told them you were on Corellia. Suckers." Kira explained with a chuckle. Neptune couldn't help but laugh a bit.
"No matter, we have you now. Surrender, unless you want your Padawan to die." Ferav said, shrugging it off.
"He's lying, he can't kill me. Angral's orders." Kira said.
"Release her. It's your only way out of this." Asriel said as he spawned in a sword that Andrew and Neptune recognized instantly.
"I'll never understand what drives you CPUs to throw your lives away for the weak." Ferav sneered. "You risk certain death to free this girl. Why? Some misguided sense of duty? Friendship?" he continued, essentially taunting them.
"The CPUs accept the responsibility to protect and answer the prayers of others. You Sith only care about yourselves." Asmund interjected.
"Ah, the power of faith, how quaint. Prayer cannot compare to the power of the Force." Ferav said spitefully.
"That's where you're wrong, Sith. The power of Faith can work miracles, the likes of which you've not seen before. We will stop you." Andrew explained.
"You're as dull as you are pointless. Fine. Let's get this over with. When I present Darth Angral with your heads, he'll be most appreciative." Ferav said with a sigh, entering combat stance. Andrew and Neptune summoned their weapons. That was when the station security guards attacked the Imperial troops and Sith Acolytes armed with training sabers, while Asmund and the CPUs dealt with Inquisitor Ferav. Asriel kept him on his toes, using his new weapon. Ferav, unable to keep up, took a sudden hit to the chest from Andrew's blade, killing him. The CPUs left HDD once the battle was over.
"Don't take this the wrong way, but I've never been happier to see anyone my whole life." Kira said as Asmund removed her shackles. Andrew and Neptune acquired the Sharicite Fragment that the now-deceased Inquisitor had.
"That goes double for me." Asmund said.
"Oooh, Kira's got an admirer." Neptune squealed, wearing her Nepu face.
"That's, uh, interesting to hear. Anyways, we've got big problems. Darth Angral wanted to know everything about you. Threatened to kill me if I didn't answer all his questions." Kira said.
"But you resisted, right?" Asriel asked.
"Sort of. Angral left with an admiral to refit an Imperial warship. Sounds like they have some type of new weapon." Kira said.
"The Desolator…" Andrew swore. "So the enemy's new superweapon fits on an Imperial warship… More bad news. If the Desolator planet-killer is a mobile weapon, Darth Angral could command it to perform deep strikes on Republic worlds. Billions will be killed, and he could target Coruscant itself." he continued.
"We should warn the General about this right away." Kira said.
"That's what we were about to do when trouble hit us on the station." Andrew said, turning to the guards. "You men, scour the station, get the civilians and wounded to safety. Try to locate any remaining Sith and Imperial presence aboard." he instructed.
"Understood. Good luck, CPU." the guard said with a salute, as he and his men ran off. Andrew ran to the ship and turned on the holoterminal, contacting General Var Suthra.
"General. It's far worse than we thought. Darth Angral is taking all of the Republic's superweapons tech and combining it into a single, planet-killing weapon called the Desolator." he said as everyone gathered around the holoterminal. "Teeseven has all the data we recovered on the enemy's newest weapon." he continued.
"T7 = transmitting files now." T7 said as he transmitted the recovered data to General Var Suthra.
"It looks like Angral is arming his ship with the Desolator." Asmund added.
"Then it's no coincidence that we lost contact with Agent Galen. The enemy raided our weapon research facilities to build that weapon." Var Suthra announced. "We can't let Darth Angral complete this Desolator weapon, whatever it is. I need your help stopping him. Securing Nar Shaddaa is vital, but there's another target just as important on Taris." he continued.
"You had another superweapon on Taris you neglected to tell us about?" Kira asked.
"I'd rather not say more until you're there." Var Suthra said.
"We can only do one mission at a time, General. What's more important: Nar Shaddaa or Taris?" Asmund asked.
"Nar Shaddaa is the immediate danger, but Taris holds the key to all this. I'm trusting your Jedi instincts on this. When you reach Taris or Nar Shaddaa, contact me. And good luck." Var Suthra explained, before cutting contact.
"Well, this is interesting." Neptune said.
"Whichever planet we go to first, it doesn't matter. We leave the decision in your hands, Asmund." Andrew said.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
-Took my time on this. I've had moments where I didn't feel like writing.
-Asriel Dreemurr may have returned a bit too soon, but I felt that he'd be a quick learner. He's gonna struggle with learning to understand Binary, though.
-Some more minor differences compared to the original plot for the Jedi Knight storyline of SWTOR. My in-lore explanation is that the Shares and presence of the CPUs has affected the outcome of a lot of things in the story.
-That should be all. Cya later.