Hyperdimension Neptunia - Across the Multiverse
A HyperDimension Neptunia Fanfiction by Dumbrarere1
Chapter 15 - The Circle of Fate
The Endeavor quickly approached Voss, and Asmund contacted Master Satele the moment they were in orbit.
"Master Satele, we're in orbit above Voss." he announced.
"Be wary when you reach the surface. Voss is a strange world, and the Mystics will watch your every move." Master Satele warned.
"Who are these 'Mystics', beyond what we already know?" Andrew asked.
"They reject the idea that the Force has both a light and dark side. They claim to follow a "neutral" path, both in their politics and in the Force. Despite their claims, I fear the Mystics have more in common with the Sith than us." Master Satele explained, giving a low-down on their culture and philosophy.
"Why's that?" Asriel asked.
"The Mystics use the visions given to them by the Force to control the lives of ordinary citizens. Like the Sith, they use the Force to dominate others." Master Satele said.
"The Mystics are prophets who shape the direction of Voss society. The Emperor wants to wipe all life in the galaxy. Hardly the same thing." Scourge said.
"The dark side is subtle and insidious, as you well know. The Emperor did not begin his conquest of the galaxy by declaring his true intentions." Master Satele said.
"Eh… I have to go with Lord Scourge on this one, Master Satele. The Mystics might be closer to the Sith, but I'm sure it's more complicated than that." Andrew said. "Whether the Mystics see the threat to their existence, and that of the galaxy, as we do and move to help us is a question for another time." he continued with honesty.
"Man, all this talk about "Mystics" is making my head spin…" Neptune groaned.
"We'll be careful while we're down there, Master." Asmund said.
"A Jedi must be ever vigilant. But the Mystics are not your primary concern." Master Satele said.
"So, about our target, Lord Fulminiss. Has Republic SIS given us any word about him?" Andrew asked.
"Watcher One says that Lord Fulminiss is somewhere the planet. We haven't uncovered the Emperor's plan to destroy Voss, yet, but hopefully things will become clear as you progress." Master Satele said.
"Lord Fulminiss created the creatures you faced on the Emperor's Fortress. Be wary." Scourge warned.
"Do we have anything that can help us locate him?" Asmund asked.
"Fulminiss is communicating with the Emperor through an encrypted communications relay. We've detected several signal scramblers outside the planet's capital city of Voss-Ka. Disable them, and we can track the comm signal to his location." Master Satele said.
"You can count on us." Asmund said.
"If you act quickly, we should be able to disable all the sensor scramblers before Fulminiss knows what's happening. Then we can find him." Master Satele said.
"We're approaching the Voss-Ka spaceport. We'll be on the ground in just a moment." Kira reported from the bridge.
"We'll alert you once we're finished." Andrew said.
"May the Force be with you all." Master Satele said, ending the holocall.
Geralt of Rivia was riding on horseback with General Tullius and a small force of ten men. A small detachment of Stormcloak forces being led by Ulfric was with them in support. They were in Cyrodiil, near the border with Skyrim, hoping to meet up with Yennifer and Ciri before it was too late.
"Man, this is such a drag… My sword-arm is going to grow flabby…" an Imperial whined.
"If it helps, Imperial, you can attack a tree… or a bear." a Stormcloak said jokingly. That's when Geralt spotted something, and raised his fist to halt the meager force.
"What is it, Geralt?" an Imperial, Hadvar, asked as Geralt hopped off his horse. He walked forward just enough Yennifer and Ciri chained to a broken cart, the Imperial driver and horse both dead and tossed to the side of the road. Ciri looked like she was toughing it out, despite the signs of torture at the hands of a Thalmor Justiciar that stood before them.
"The Thalmor killed the Imperial getting Ciri and Yennifer to Skyrim…" Geralt said.
"An Imperial soldier, butchered by the gods damned Dominion… It was only a matter of time before the Great War started again." Ulfric said as he hopped off his horse.
"Losing a soldier is one thing, but I'll be damned if I let innocent people die on my watch." General Tullius said.
"Bring your forces in, in case things get ugly. My boys will flank around and surround the Thalmor." Ulfric suggested.
"As I was thinking, Ulfric." General Tullius said. Geralt got back on his horse and followed the Imperial general closely behind.
"Halt, Imperials. This business is for the Dominion to sort out. I suggest you move along." The Thalmor Justiciar said as Geralt and General Tullius got close, trying to intimidate them.
"You kill one of our soldiers and attempt to intimidate officers of the Imperial Legion, Justiciar. What will your masters in the Dominion say for breaking the terms of the White Gold Concordat?" General Tullius asked.
"My masters have ordered for these two prisoners to be interrogated and executed. I must follow my orders. Now, stand aside." the Thalmor said. It was mostly a lie, of course, as the Dominion hasn't ordered it.
"Your "prisoners" are hereby under the protection of the Empire. I order you to stand down and release them at once." General Tullius ordered.
"Perhaps I wasn't as clear as I ought to be." the Justiciar said, before blowing a sharp whistle. Out of the trees, a number of Thalmor soldiers arrive to counter the Imperial forces. "This business is for the Dominion to sort out. Move along." he demanded. He was unaware of the Stormcloaks lurking in the trees searching for elven blood.
"Defying the orders of the legion and breaking the mutual agreements set by the White Gold Concordat is an act of war. I give you one last chance." General Tullius said as he and Geralt dismounted, before they both drew their swords and shields to declare their authority. "Stand down, and release them at once." he demanded. In an instant, sparks flew from the Justiciar's hand into the horse that Geralt rode on, killing it instantly. The Imperial soldiers quickly dismounted, drawing their weapons. The Thalmor drew their weapons in response.
"The Dominion will not take kindly to interference. This will only end in blood." the Justiciar said, before ordering his men to charge in.
"Charge!" Geralt ordered, before rushing in with the Imperial soldiers. The Stormcloaks rushed out from behind the trees and smashed into the rear of the Thalmor formations, leading to a cataclysmic decimation of the enemy forces that evened the odds. During the chaos, Geralt and General Tullius broke the chains that bound Ciri and Yennifer to the broken carriage, allowing the two of them to join the fight. Yennifer used her skills in magic against the Thalmor Justiciar that tortured her and Ciri, somehow managing to keep him off balance despite the pain she was in. Ulfric pulled out his warhammer, smashing the skull of a Thalmor soldier that dared to approach him, whilst an Imperial watched his back.
"Take this, Thalmor scum!" a Stormcloak archer shouted, as he released an arrow. The arrow flew swiftly into the neck of his target, and the Thalmor soldier fell to the ground. Geralt, using his strength and skill as a Witcher, began to slay numerous foes with his steel sword while Ciri, having grabbed an elven sword off a dead Thalmor, joined in. The years of training gave her the finesse needed to beat the majority of the Thalmor soldiers. Surrounded, decimated, and with their backs to the hillside, the moderately-sized Aldmeri force began to collapse.
"This is for the shit you put me through!" Yennifer shouted, before snuffing the life out of the Justiciar. With little cohesion left, and the Justiciar they were fighting under now dead, the remaining twelve Thalmor soldiers surrendered., to the cheers of Imperial and Stormcloak alike.
"Thanks, Geralt…" Yennifer said, panting. Ciri ran up to him and hugged him tight, glad to be alive and out of the mess she was in.
"Any time, Yen." Geralt replied. Yennifer looked him down with a smirk.
"I didn't realize how well the Imperial garb suited you." she joked.
"We're down a horse. Three men will have to walk on foot with the prisoners in case they try to flee. This'll give you three some method of transport until we reach Riverwood." General Tullius said. Two Stormcloaks and an Imperial volunteered, handing over their horses to Yennifer, Ciri and Geralt. Upon mounting, everyone made the slow trek back across the border and towards safety.
On Voss, Asmund and the group, having disabled the scramblers, were busy tracking Lord Fulminiss' signal, when they ran into a Voss Commando named Tala-Reh.
"Outsiders. Why are you here?" she asked.
"Who are you?" Asriel asked.
"I am Tala-Reh. Your friend wears Jedi garb. Sith's sworn enemy. We want none of your war. I search for Fulminiss. Do not interfere." Tala-Reh said, warning them.
"What business do you have with him?" Asmund asked.
"You fear I am his ally. I am not." Tala-Reh replied. "I seek Valen-Da. He is a powerful Mystic. I am sworn to protect him. Three days ago, Valen-Da left the Mystic temple with Lord Fulminiss. Neither have been seen since." she continued.
"As it turns out, we're looking for him as well. Fulminiss is attempting to destroy all life on Voss. If he is successful, the deaths will lead to a greater catastrophe. One that will destroy this entire galaxy. We're here to stop him." Andrew said.
"You wish violence upon Lord Fulminiss." Tala-Reh surmised.
"If it comes down to that, sure. But we'd rather find a peaceful means to end his efforts, first." Asriel said.
"Your actions might harm Valen-Da. That must not be. Leave." Tala-Reh said. That was when a particularly deranged Sith Acolyte ran up with his lightsaber drawn.
"No! Get back, you foul monsters! You want to peel the flesh from our bones!" the acolyte shouted.
"Whaaaaa?" Neptune asked, confused and shocked by the odd statement. A number of other deranged acolytes joined the man, drawing their lightsabers.
"This might be trouble…" Kira said.
"It's okay, calm down. Nobody's here to peel off your flesh." Asmund said, trying to reason with the deranged acolytes.
"The beasts want to feast on our innards! Kill them before they chew out our guts!" the acolyte said, before they all charged in. The CPUs didn't have time to transform, before they were overwhelmed, thus they were forced to resort to fighting in their normal forms. Asriel used basic fire magic to keep the deranged acolytes at bay, while Andrew and Neptune attacked with their swords. Tala-Reh joined the battle by shooting at whatever Acolytes came too close. The battle ended soon after, all the acolytes dead.
"That was rather unnerving…" Andrew said.
"Can someone tell me what just happened?" Asriel asked.
"Called us monsters. Mad with terror." Tala-Reh said.
"You know how to handle yourself in combat." Asmund said.
"As do you and your companions. Your martial skill is impressive." Tala-Reh said.
"Still, what's going on? Why were they acting so off?" Asriel asked. Tala-Reh picked up the acolyte's holo.
"Here, a holorecorder." she said, before playing back the last holocall.
"Welcome back, Lord Fulminiss. The ritual preparations are complete. Is this Voss going to be our first test subject?" The now deceased acolyte asked.
"Valen-Da is still useful to me. The same cannot be said of you." Lord Fulminiss said, before going to attack his acolyte's mind.
"No! Please dont- Ahg! AAAAAAAGGGGGHHH!" the acolyte screamed in terror. "The monsters! I can see them! They're everywhere! They're all around me! No! No!" he continued to cry out.
"That answered that rather quickly…" Neptune said, horrified at what she just witnessed.
"So, Valen-Da was still alive when this holo was made." Asmund said.
"There's more." Tala-Reh said, resuming the recording.
"We're done here. Take me to the Shrine of Healing." Lord Fulminiss demanded.
"The journey is long. We must go now." Valen-Da said. That was where the recording ended.
"Well, we know where he's going. If he makes it to the Shrine of Healing, he could inflict the same madness upon those at the shrine as he did to his own acolytes." Andrew said.
"Tell us where we can find the Shrine of Healing, so we can stop Lord Fulminiss." Asmund said.
"Fulminiss is dangerous. We should work together." Tala-Reh proposed.
"Good idea. We will have a better chance if we team up." Andrew said.
"The Shrine of Healing is sacred, a place of ancient power. Fulminiss can cause great harm there. The journey to the shrine is arduous. I will make preparations." Tala-Reh said. She handed Asmund a datapad with a set of coordinates. "Here, the location of my supply camp. Meet me there, we will continue our mission." she added, before making the preparations.
The group met up with Tala-Reh at her supply camp.
"We're here. Ready to enter the Shrine of Healing and stop Lord Fulminiss?" Asmund asked.
"I cannot. The Shrine is forbidden to me. Make the pilgrimage alone. The guardians will open the shrine." Tala-Reh said. Andrew raised an eyebrow, but understood her words. That's when a question crossed his mind.
"If Fulminiss seeks to destroy all life on Voss, what at the shrine would help him do that?" he asked.
"I do not know. Only those chosen may go to the shrine. Only they may make the pilgrimage. The Mystics have decreed it. I must wait here." Tala-Reh responded.
"It was worth a shot. Regardless, we've got this. We will be back, once we've finished." Andrew said. With that, the group made the pilgrimage. They arrived at the shrine and stood before the inner sanctum guardian.
"Outsiders. The mystic Valen-Da told us you would come. You may enter the inner sanctum of the shrine." the guardian said. Asmund and Andrew both bobbed their heads and entered. They didn't see Lord Fulminiss, but something far worse awaited them inside.
"Monsters! Demons! Nightmare creatures come to feed on our flesh!" a deranged healer shouted.
"Oh jeez, not again…" Asriel said.
"The first time was scary, now it's just getting old." Neptune chided.
"AAaaaaaaaaaah!" the deranged healer cried out in terror, before he and everyone else charged in at once. Asmund pushed them away, before activating his lightsaber. Lord Scourge used Force Lightning on them, while Asriel used his fire magic. The battle was short, but in the end, they were forced to kill the healers. They continued to the main chamber, taking out threats along the way, until they were fully inside. That was when a vision of three long dead Mystics appeared before them.
"End your slaughter. We will not harm you." Laeras-Wu declared.
"We have no quarrel with you, but we must find Lord Fulminiss." Andrew said.
"Gone." Shanatka-Lo said.
"We taught Fulminiss the healing ritual. He perverted it." Hanar-Ye said.
"Corrupted, it rips open the mind. Violence and slaughter are unleashed." Laeras-Wu explained.
"A madness plague… so that's how he intends to do it." Andrew said.
"Do what, exactly?" Shanatka-Lo asked.
"Lord Fulminiss came to Voss for the sole purpose of wiping out all life on the planet, Mystics and all. The healing ritual you taught him provided him with the means." Andrew explained.
"Then you are our only hope. Valen-Da left a message in the corner." Hanar-Ye said, before he and the other spirits led Asmund and the group to the corner where the message was left. Asmund picked it up and tried activating it, but failed.
"How come this holo won't activate?" Asmund asked.
"Take it to Tala-Reh." Laeras-Wu said.
"Before you go, there is a vision you must see. Close your eyes, Jedi. Focus." Hanar-Ye said. Asmund did as asked and he collapsed. In his mind, the vision played out, with him and the CPUs standing before the Emperor.
"You harness… immense power. But you lack the purity of will to direct it! I will not be contained! I cannot be redeemed! Death is all that remains! And YOU will not kill me!" the Emperor declared in a tired, worn out fury.
"This vision proves we will meet again. I look forward to our final confrontation." Asmund said in his mind.
"You hasten to embrace your extinction." The Emperor said, before the vision faded and Asmund regained consciousness.
"What the heck happened, Asmund? What did you see?" Kira asked.
"I saw myself and the CPUs… We struck down the Sith Emperor… He was talking to me, as a result of his defeat." Asmund said.
"Then you saw the same thing I saw more than three hundred years ago. We are rapidly approaching our final confrontation with him." Scourge said.
"Our task is done." Shanatka-Lo said, before the spirits vanished, returning to the Force.
The group returned to Tala-Reh, having finished up in the Shrine of Healing. Someone was there with her.
"Outsiders. I am Commander Phraken-Nal. Tala-Reh told me of your mission." Phraken-Nal said.
"It's worse than we thought. Lord Fulminiss used a Sith ritual to drive his apprentices insane. At the shrine, he learned a technique to make it even more powerful… and then turned it on the healers within the inner sanctum. They turned on us when we entered… There was nothing we could do…" Andrew reported.
"This is known. We have reports. You killed the priests in the Shrine of Healing." Phraken-Nal said.
"We do not blame you. You walk the path of Valen-Da's vision." Tala-Reh said.
"We have reason to believe that Fulminiss will use these combined rituals to create a madness plague, in order to destroy all life on Voss." Andrew explained. "Fortunately, Valen-Da left you a recorded holomessage in the shrine. The Mystics had us bring it to you." he continued.
"Outsiders. Your mission is done. Go now." Phraken-Nal said.
"Wait. They helped us. We may need our help again." Tala-Reh said, before decrypting and playing back the message.
"Tala-Reh. Know my vision. Lord Fulminiss in a dark cave. Strange symbols adorn the walls. A corrupted ritual unleashes a plague of madness that drowns Voss in blood." Valen-Da's message began.
"The Outsider was right. Only a Mystic could have foreseen the contents of this message." Phraken-Nal said.
"You, the Jedi, and the CPUs stand with us. Against him. Meet us in the Nightmare Lands. The Dark Heart." Valen-Da's message continued, before it ended.
"What is this "dark heart?" he's talking about?" Asriel asked.
"The center of the Nightmare Lands. A legendary place of danger and evil." Tala-Reh said.
"The Dark Heart is hidden. We have no maps. The Voss shun the Nightmare Lands." Phraken-Nal said.
"The Gormak know the Nightmare Lands. Their king has maps." Tala-Reh said.
"I thought the Gormak were little more than warring tribes." Asmund said.
"The Gormak King explored the Nightmare Lands. It made him strong. Now, many tribes follow him." Tala-Reh said.
"Sounds like it won't be as simple as walking up to him and going "Your Majesty, we and the Voss ask for your assistance to stop the destruction of all life on the planet. May we borrow your maps?"" Neptune said.
"The Gormak are violent beyond reason. Anyone not Gormak who does not follow Gormak King face death. Many Voss Commandos died protecting Voss-Ka from them." Phraken-Nal said.
"Regardless, there is no time for caution. We must make haste and grab those maps." Andrew said.
"Scouts watch the Gormak. I will speak with them. Wait here, Outsiders." Phraken-Nal said, before going to speak with his scouts. He returned soon after. "Tala-Reh. Outsiders. I have spoken with the scouts." he announced. "The maps are in the King's Vault at Gorma-Koss. The vault is unassailable. An army of Gormak protect it." he continued.
"Commandos entering Gormak territory would draw them away, thin their numbers." Tala-Reh suggested.
"Tala-Reh is right. If you can create a distraction, we can get inside the vault and get those maps." Andrew said.
"Valen-Da has decreed you must go to the Dark Heart. I must heed his words." Phraken-Nal said. "Tala-Reh will lead a squad of Commandos against the Gormak. You will infiltrate the King's Vault at Gorma-Koss." he continued.
"This will work. As Andrew has said, we don't have much time. Let's get going." Asriel said.
The group traveled to the Gormak heartlands. Asmund scanned the horizon, looking at the Gormak hordes. That was when the Voss Commandos drew them away. The CPUs activated HDD, and charged in with Asmund, Kira and Lord Scourge. With the Gormak forces divided, the group easily disabled the ray shield generators, then made their way inside. Asmund contacted Tala-Reh.
"We destroyed the shield generators, and have made our way inside the King's Vault." Asmund said.
"We've suffered heavy casualties. We will occupy the Gormak as long as possible." Tala-Reh said.
"Don't take too many risks, Tala-Reh. Make a fighting retreat and get out of there as soon as possible." Andrew said.
"No. We leave, you'll fight Gormak reinforcements." Tala-Reh warned.
"We're inside the vault. Hold out a little bit longer." Asmund instructed.
"We will battle until the end." Tala-Reh said. "Get the maps, rendezvous at the Voss camp at the border of the Nightmare Lands." she added, before ending the holo call. The group then went deeper inside, cutting down any Gormak in their path, until a sentient beast and two Gormak soldiers stood in their way.
"I taste your power. It will not save you." the beast said.
"What is that thing?" Neptune asked, shocked by the image in front of her.
"Some kind of guardian beast. Highly sentient, and very deadly." Lord Scourge surmised.
"That's one way of putting it." Kira muttered.
"I am born of the Dark Heart, spawned in the shadows of unspeakable power by my master… Sel-Makor!" the guardian declared. "At his command, I feed upon these Gormak, corrupting them. Devouring them whole, I transform them into agents of Sel-Makor's will." it continued.
"Whether or not you're from the Dark Heart doesn't matter, you cannot kill a CPU." Andrew declared.
"Foolish deity. This is his world. Soon, he will rise from the Dark Heart and claim it! Like the Gormak, you will be eaten alive! Swallowed whole! Your bodies will be transformed. Mutated." the guardian said. "Inside my stomach, your flesh will rot, and your mind will write, until you are vomited out; reborn as a slave of this world's true master." it declared.
"Ugh… I do not want to go out like that!" Asriel groaned. Asmund, Kira and Scourge activated their lightsabers. That was when the battle began. Kira was beginning to find herself on the defensive, and so Asmund and Scourge both used Force Lightning while the three CPUs used Trinity Strike. The massive Gormak Guardian began to collapse under the strain of the attacks, and with a final strike from Asriel, the twisted creature was dealt a mortal blow.
"That was something…" Neptune said.
"Yeah… For a moment, I thought it was the end." Kira said, panting. The CPUs left HDD to conserve some strength, before Andrew collected the maps.
"Let's get back to Tala-Reh, and finish this quickly." he said.
They quickly went to the Nightmare Lands checkpoint by speeder, before they met up with Tala-Reh.
"We have the maps… With these we should be able to find the Dark Heart before it is too late." Andrew said.
"My squad was slaughtered. It was good that their deaths were not in vain." Tala-Reh said, relieved to hear of their success.
"It's unfortunate that so many had to be sacrificed for the greater good. I hope that they at least died well." Andrew said.
"I do not blame you. They died serving the will of Talen-Da. Like my husband." Tala-Reh admitted. Asriel felt a slight bit of sadness at the mention of the Voss Commando's husband's death, but quickly shook it off.
"You remind me of him, CPU. Strong. Fierce. An instrument of Mystic will." Tala-Reh said, before going on a slight rant. "Behold! Patron of Glory! Eyes afire with righteous might! Skin, bathed in the warm blood of the enemy! Witness the glory and blazing fury!" she declared. Asmund could tell that the mini rant wasn't a rant at all, but a form of poetry.
"From the way you normally talk, I would never have guessed your species could be so expressive." he admitted.
"We know great depth of emotion. We reveal our true feelings through poetry. This verse honors my husband. Many songs were written celebrating his death." Valen-Da said. Asmund, deeply interest, asked her to recite another verse.
"His wrath rains down like fire from above. Bodies encircle him like a pyre. His hand never falters. His courage never wanes as the hordes overwhelm him. His last thoughts turn to his true love. He feels no fear. No pain. The chill of death cannot cool his passion. The hero burns eternal." she said, continuing the poem. "Sounds better in Voss. Basic lacks nuance." she said, having concluded the poem.
"It's rather beautiful. Thank you." Andrew said.
"I- You are welcome. We must go. Valen-Da waits for us. The maps reveal the location described in his vision. We confront Lord Fulminiss there." Tala-Reh said. She warned of the predators and twisted wildlife, before she and the group departed for the Dark Heart. It was a long journey, and they had to fight many of the predators that Asmund could tell were twisted creations of the Dark Side, before they made it to the Dark Heart where Fulminiss and Valen-Da were.
"They are here." Valen-Da said.
"Who? What are you talking about?" Lord Fulminiss asked. That's when he noticed the group. "Ah. the traitorous Lord Scourge, the Jedi who defied the Emperor, and the CPUs. I'm surprised to see you here." he said. The CPUs quickly transformed.
"Valen-Da told us where to find you. He foresaw our confrontation." Andrew said. Tala-Reh stepped forward soon after, and that was when the Dark Heart shook in an explosion of dark side energy.
"Betrayed! The Mystic. Rend his flesh. Kill them all. Complete the ritual! Unleash the plague!" the dark side entity known as Sel-Makor spoke as it fueled Fulminiss.
"I don't know what kind of game you've been playing, Mystic. But after I dispatch these interlopers, I'll deal with you!" Fulminiss declared.
"You forget that the CPUs cannot be killed. You're wasting your time." Asmund said as he drew his lightsaber.
"Kurome has a keen interest in the CPUs. I am only too happy to bring them to her." Fulminiss said, before he drew his lightsaber as well. "For the Emperor!" he declared, rushing into battle. The CPUs summoned their weapons, before Asriel charged in with Asmund. The battle that ensued resulted in flashes of light, as Force-based and share-based attacks, as well as melee attacks, lit up the otherwise dark ruins that housed the Dark Heart. Fulminiss was deadly and precise with his attacks, but he would find that he couldn't break through their defense. The battle came to an abrupt end when Asriel ducked under an attack and drove the Trinity Blade up through the Sith Lord's chest. Fulminiss slumped over, dropping his lightsaber, before falling to the ground.
"Outsiders. A victory well earned. My vision nears completion." Valen-Da declared. Andrew and Neptune noticed that the Sharicite Fragment didn't appear when it should have.
"Wait… Where's the Sharicite Fragment?" Andrew asked.
"The Dark Heart overpowers the Fragment. A final victory is required." Valen-Da said. "I dreamt of the Dark Heart. Secrets revealed. The core is alive. Intelligent. A being of pure evil. Will without a body. Sel-Makor." he continued, walking towards the dark entity. "Unchecked, corruption will spread beyond the Nightmare Lands. Sel-Makor must be destroyed. If not, Voss will be consumed." he said.
"Sel-Makor's corruption would completely undo our victory here on Voss. It would start the Emperor's ritual all on its own." Scourge said.
"So how do we destroy this dark entity?" Andrew asked.
"I accompanied Fulminiss so Tala-Reh would follow. Only she can destroy Sel-Makor." Valen-Da explained.
"Fool. Sel-Makor is Death. Darkness. No Voss can destroy." Sel-Makor boomed.
"If anyone has the power to defeat Sel-Makor, it's Asmund." Kira said.
"Your part is done, Outsiders. Claimed the maps from Gorma-Koss. Defeated Fulminiss. Tala-Reh would not be here without you." Valen-Da countered.
"Honored one, tell me what I must do." Tala-Reh said, nervous but full of courage.
"Descend the steps into the maw of Sel-Makor. Confront the evil within. Destroy it. Cleanse Voss." Valen-Da explained. "You will not survive. Sacrifice will herald a millennium of peace between Voss and Gormak. Thus is my vision fulfilled." he continued. Neptune and Asmund were visibly shocked, knowing that a friend they made would have to sacrifice herself to stop Sel-Makor.
"You're asking Tala-Reh to make the ultimate sacrifice." Asmund exclaimed.
"This is my destiny. My actions will save all of Voss." Tala-Reh said, gladly accepting the responsibility laid before her.
"No! Violation. Defilement. Extinction. This must not be!" Sel-Makor boomed, trying to mislead everyone. The dark entity then spoke to Asmund directly. "Jedi. Cast the Mystic into the maw. Rewards. Power. Sel-Makor offers them to you. Like the one who came before." it said, trying to tempt Asmund.
"You cannot tempt me, Sel-Makor. You must be destroyed." Asmund said, resisting Sel-Makor's corrupting influence the same way he resisted the Emperor's.
"Hurry, Tala-Reh. Time grows short!" Valen-Da said.
"We respect your decision, Tala-Reh. I won't interfere." Andrew said.
"The Republic won't forget what you have done for us, Tala-Reh. Be strong now." Kira said, trying to encourage Tala-Reh before she makes her descent into the heart of Sel-Makor.
"I serve the will of the Mystics, as did my husband. Our names will be joined forever in song." Tala-Reh said. She began to glow brightly in light side Force energy as she made her descent, acting as a shield against the all-consuming darkness. Upon her entry, Sel-Makor began to writhe, causing localized seismic activity.
"No! Die! Despair! Suffer! Rahrr! Argh! Aaaaah!" the dark entity shouted, trying its hardest to kill Tala-Reh before she can complete her mission. Sel-Makor's attempts were in vain, and soon, it would be completely destroyed, purifying the Nightmare Lands and killing the tainted wildlife that walked within. That was when the Sharicite Fragment finally appeared above the corpse where the dark side entity once sat, and Andrew and Neptune collected it.
"It's done, then. Sel-Makor is destroyed, and we finally have the Fragment." Asmund said.
"Yes. It is done. Tala-Reh's sacrifice heralds a new age of peace for this world." Valen-Da said. "Thank you, Outsiders. You acted with the devotion of a Voss, and with the foresight of a Mystic." he continued.
"You'd better spread the story about what happened here to every corner of this world. Tala-Reh deserves that much, at least." Asmund requested.
"Poems will be written. Families will sing her praises. She will be honored." Valen-Da declared. "The Outsiders who helped shape the future of Voss will not be forgotten, either. The Mystics will spread word of how the Jedi helped save this world." he continued. "I return to Voss-Ka. Goodbye, Outsiders." he said with a bow, before taking his leave. The CPUs left HDD soon after.
"We should head back to the Endeavor and report our success." Andrew said.
"Yeah, I need a break… especially after that nonsense with Sel-Makor or whatever…" Asriel said with a shudder.
"Yeah, I agree with Asriel. That mess was particularly nasty." Kira said.
Everyone returned to the Endeavor, and Andrew contacted Master Satele.
"Master Satele, we stopped Lord Fulminiss. He created a madness-inducing plague to turn this planet's inhabitants against each other." he announced.
"If he'd succeeded, Voss would've exploded into mindless violence. The entire planet would be a slaughterhouse." Asmund said, lacking better words to describe the close call they had.
"The brutality of the Sith knows no bounds." Master Satele said. "On the upside, your victory left a good impression on the Voss. Failed Mystics are being sent to us for Jedi training, and our ranks are being bolstered, whilst their Commandos have volunteered to assist the Republic where it counts. I applaud you for a job well done. I knew it wasn't easy dealing with their people." she continued.
"The Voss are rather strange, but it worked out well for us. We needed their help, and the Voss Mystics needed ours." Asmund said.
"It shows true strength to admit to needing help from others. I hope strength enough for what I must ask of you." Master Satele said. "One of our missing Jedi has resurfaced, and the news isn't good. Warren Sedoru has attacked and boarded the Republic flagship Valiant." she reported.
"What is Warren after?" Andrew asked.
"The Valiant is commanded by Admiral Dabrin, one of our top military leaders. He's inflicted heavy casualties on Imperial forces. Dabrin possesses knowledge of the Republic's war plans. If the Imperial military gains that information, they'll crush us." Master Satele said.
"You're missing the point. The fallen Jedi serves the Emperor's agenda. We must learn his mission." Scourge said.
"We found Leeha and Warren, but no sign of Master Braga. Maybe Warren knows where to find him. Perhaps, he even knows what the Emperor's next target is." Andrew theorized.
"Not everything missing should be found, but using Warren to find our next target is a sound strategy." Scourge said, neutral about what he just heard.
"The Valiant is drifting out of control at these coordinates. Liberate it, save the admiral, and learn the Emperor's plans. Hurry. The Valiant's crew cannot hold out much longer." Master Satele said, before ending the conversation.
The Endeavor jumped out of Hyperspace, making its approach to the Valiant.
"Republic flagship Valiant, this is the Endeavor, do you read me?" Andrew asked. There was no response. "I repeat, Republic flagship Valiant, this is the Endeavor, do you read me?" he repeated. The ship's comms came to life.
"Endeavor? Finally, someone got my distress signal. This is Petty Officer First Class Elsa Forlhask of the Valiant. I've lost contact with the bridge, and there are Imperial Marines all around, being led by a Sith. I've locked myself in my quarters, but I don't know how long I can stay hidden." a feminine voice said through the comms.
"We're on our way to dock, Elsa. Stay hidden, and we'll clear the ship." Asmund said.
"Alright. I'm counting on you, Master Jedi." Elsa replied, before a large clang took over the comms, followed by the sound of blaster fire. That was when contact was lost.
"We'd better hurry. It sounds like we don't have much time." Kira said.
"Doc and I will stay behind and guard the ship." Sergeant Rusk said.
"T7 = will manipulate network + use security systems against Imperials." T7 said. The ship shuddered once again as it docked.
"Alright. Let's get cracking." Andrew said. The group disembarked and scoured the ship, taking out Imperials in their path. They managed to find Warren with a few Imperial Shock Troopers in Engineering, holding Elsa, the admiral, and a few other crew members hostage. Upon their approach, the shock troopers executed the few crew members, before opening fire on Asmund and Andrew. Asriel used Shocker Breaker on the Imperials. All that was left was Warren Sedoru, who continued to hold Elsa and Admiral Dabrin hostage.
"Another step, and the Admiral and Petty Officer die." Warren declared.
"What happens to us doesn't matter. He's going to destroy us all. Kill him!" Dabrin shouted.
"How can he destroy us all? It's only one ship." Asriel said.
"He did something to my mind… Made me reveal the security codes for our entire fleet." Dabrin admitted.
"This flagship belongs to the Empire. Stay, and their blood will be on your hands." Warren declared.
"Warren, listen to me. The thoughts, decisions and actions you're making are not yours. You're a puppet of the Emperor, you've got to break free of his influence!" Andrew said.
"No. No more pretending to be something I'm not. I'm finally free." Warren said.
"Being under the control of the Emperor is not freedom." Kira said, using her own experiences to her advantage.
"Youth won't save you! My master gave me all the strength I need to finish this…" Warren said.
"Oh great, it's like fighting Esbern and Delphine when they were under Kurome's influence, all over again." Neptune said.
"Only one way to break the Emperor's influence over him… We're going to have to fight." Asmund said.
"I was thinking the same thing." Andrew said as he, Neptune and Asriel activated HDD once more. Asriel knocked Warren off balance with a share wave, before fighting with all his strength. Kira leaped in to assist. The battle ended quickly as Asriel's downward slice wounded him slightly, destroying his lightsaber.
"Why do you insist on being a slave? With your power you could do - BE - anything!" Warren said. "You could rule worlds. Crush all enemies. Have any woman you want!" he declared.
"You are right about one thing. With this power, I could do anything. But I choose to serve the light, and nothing will change that." Asmund said.
"That's the council talking! Think for yourself!" Warren exclaimed. "I've tasted real power! I will never return to the Jedi!" he continued, yammering on like a madman. "This war is nearly over. Master Braga will lead the Empire to victory on Corellia! Billions will die!" he said, finally exposing the next target.
"The Emperor doesn't care about the war. He will destroy this galaxy, and you with it. No rebirth, nothing." Andrew said. Warren chuckled in response.
"I wonder if Braga knows that? Doesn't matter. Let it all burn." he said.
"The knowledge in this man's head could destroy the Republic. He's a traitor. We can't let him live." Dabrin declared, whilst Elsa held him at gunpoint.
"Last time I checked, Jedi weren't executioners." Kira said, countering Darbin's comment.
"We can't risk him escaping and telling the enemy what he knows. There's only one way to be sure that doesn't happen." Dabrin said.
"You want us to kill a defenseless prisoner? Like the Sith? I won't let it come to that. He was our ally once, and I hope he will be again." Asmund said. "Lock him up, until other Jedi come to claim him. Understood, Admiral?" he asked.
"Weak as ever. This is why the Republic always fails." Warren said. That was when Elsa picked up a rifle from a dead Imperial Shock Trooper and knocked him out.
"That felt good." she muttered.
"I'll keep this traitor aboard on my terms. The ship's medtechs will sedate him until your people arrive." Dabrin said.
"That's good enough for me." Andrew said.
"There are still pockets of Imperial resistance on board, but with your help today, we have a surefire way of regaining complete control of the Valiant." Elsa said, ordering two security officers to take Warren into custody.
"If this information about Corellia is true, our forces are in danger. We'd better mobilize everything we have." Dabrin said. "I'll inform High Command. You inform your Council. Good luck." he added.
"The security teams and I will take it from here, you should hurry to Corellia and stop the Empire's plans." Elsa said.
"Glad to be of service to the Republic. May the Force be with you." Asmund said before he and the group departed.
As the Endeavor sped away from the Valiant, Andrew contacted Master Satele.
"Admiral Dabrin and his flagship are safe, Master." Asmund reported.
"We also captured Warren alive, but… you'll find he's changed." Asriel said.
"We were able to help Leeha Narezz. We will find a way to help Warren." Master Satele said.
"Warren revealed Master Braga is on Corellia. He's the Emperor's secret weapon in the war there." Andrew reported.
"The Republic is sending everything it has to Corellia. If Master Braga is aiding the enemy…" Master Satele said, thinking about what was going on.
"It's quite clear that the Emperor cares little about keeping Corellia. Through Master Braga, he will cause the deaths of billions. A bit insulting that he has one of our Masters doing his dirty work, though." Asmund said.
"Find Master Braga and stop this madness. Set course for Corellia immediately." Master Satele said.
"We're already on our way." Andrew said, instructing T7 to activate the Hyperdrive.
The Endeavor left Hyperspace and made for the planet below. There were Harrower Star Destroyers and Terminus Destroyers engaging various Republic ships, and fighters from both sides were engaging each other. On the ground, tanks, walkers and infantry were duking it out in various sectors of the city. The Endeavor took a little bit of flak coming in, but they made a safe landing at the Coronet City Spaceport. Asmund contacted Master Satele soon after.
"We're on Corellia, Master Satele. From what we saw flying in, the fighting here is intense." he said.
"Corellia is in a state of total war. The Republic and Empire aren't holding back anything." Master Satele said.
"You're telling me. It makes the civil war on Ord Mantell look like a playground." Andrew said.
"The losses are staggering, and not just military. Thousands of civilians die every hour." Master Satele said.
"And each death brings the Emperor closer to his goal." Scourge said.
"Which is why we cannot retreat. If the Republic pulls back, the Empire will exterminate every living being here." Master Satele said.
"Our enemy doesn't need a planet destroying device. The war itself will deliver what he needs." Asmund said.
"Master Tol Braga is aiding the enemy. He knows how to hurt us. How to block our efforts to save this world. Removing Master Braga from the Emperor's control is the key to victory." Master Satele said.
"It's a big world. He could be anywhere." Asriel said.
"He commands legions of Imperials and Sith. He cannot do that from hiding. Only a handful of Jedi remain alive on Corellia. I'm sending reinforcements from the Outer Rim, but they're inexperienced. We need strong leadership to win this battle." Master Satele said. "Asmund, I'm naming you and the CPUs the supreme commanders of Jedi forces on Corellia." she continued.
"We'll resolve this crisis with as few casualties as possible." Asmund said.
"Corellia must not fall. Your mission is two-fold: direct our forces to aid the Republic military's efforts, and personally find Master Braga." Master Satele said. "Until reinforcements arrive, rally those few Jedi on already on the surface. My contact, Captain Rikdine, will help you locate them. I'm sending his coordinates. May the Force be with you." she said, ending the holocall.
The group walked to Captain Rikdine's coordinates, seeing him talking with soldiers that have recently left the Corulag Military Academy and just deployed to Corellia. To his right was Nodru, having recently been made a Jedi Knight. He was helping to direct Republic technicians and soldiers to their posts, and acting as Captain Rikdine's adviser to the Jedi Order.
"I want those shield generators online yesterday! Move it, Privates!" he ordered. The soldiers saluted him, before rushing to follow their orders.
"General Rikdine. Master Satele sent us in your direction. We're the Supreme Commanders of all Jedi forces here on Corellia." Andrew said.
"I knew you would make it!" Nodru exclaimed.
"This Sith-Pureblood Jedi Knight has been helping to keep the Privates in line, and is my direct line to the Jedi Order. It was through him that I learned of Master Satele's decision to name the Jedi Heroes of Tython and the CPUs the supreme commanders of all the Jedi on Corellia. Personally, I'm glad you're all here." General Rikdine said.
"How's it feel to be a fully-fledged Jedi Knight, finally?" Kira asked.
"Honestly, It's… I've never felt more happy and successful than I have when Master Kiwiiks brought me to the Jedi." Nodru replied with full honesty.
"You've certainly earned your position amongst the Jedi. It's good that you're here with us." Andrew said, before turning to General Rikdine. "So, what's the situation on the ground?" he asked.
"You couldn't have come at a worse time. The Empire has been in a deadlock with CorSec and Republic military forces since the renewed war began, but with the arrival of that new Sith Lord, they've gained the upper hand. They've steamrolled further into Corellia before we could stop them. It gets worse from there." General Rikdine reported.
"We'll deal with that once we've rallied the Jedi on this planet. Master Satele said you could help with that." Asmund said.
"I've sent more of your people home in body bags than I want to count. There aren't many of you left. The shuttles bringing your reinforcements will arrive shortly, but until then, you should gather those that remain. Other than Nodru here, I have coordinates to the last known locations, and that's the best I can offer." General Rikdine said.
"You've done well, General. We'll take it from here." Andrew said.
"This location will serve as the rallying point for your forces. As the reinforcements arrive, they'll come here. Take the intel on the Jedi you're looking for. I hope you find them." General Rikdine said, before returning to his duties.
"Good luck, you guys. I'll wait here for your return. May the Force be with you." Nodru said.
They went and gathered the Jedi Knights that were on the planet one by one, including Bengel Morr, telling them to rally at the coordinates. The next person was rather surprising. The individual in front of them, whom they thought was a Sith, threw their lightsaber at the group. Andrew and Kira ducked to avoid getting hit and went for their weapons, when they noticed two Imperial ISS-7 Battledroids behind them get destroyed.
"Well, this is an interesting development." Scourge mused.
"A familiar face." Asriel said.
"The Jedi Knights and CPUs. I hoped we would meet again. You changed my life on Tatooine, and I never had the chance to thank you." Lord Praven said with a genuine smile. "The Empire sent these ISS-7 battledroids to crush Corellia's resistance fighters. When I learned of the attack, I came to save these people. It's a strange thing… saving lives instead of taking them. But it feels right. I'm stronger than I have ever been." he continued.
"You've come along way since Tatooine. It's good to have you with us, Lord Praven." Andrew said, returning the smile.
"Just Praven… That title doesn't hold meaning for me anymore." Praven said. "Holding compassion instead of anger, peace instead of negative emotion... You have no idea how liberating these feelings are." he continued.
"Master Satele has named the CPUs and I supreme commanders of all Jedi forces on Corellia. Rendezvous with our reinforcements at these coordinates right away." Asmund said, handing Praven a datapad with the coordinates.
"Understood. I'll see you there." Praven said, taking the coordinates and leading the resistance fighters to safety, before making his way to the rendezvous point.
With all the Jedi gathered, the group returned to the rendezvous point to meet up with their forces.
"All Jedi reinforcements are present and accounted for." General Rikdine announced as the Jedi reinforcements gathered. "General Var Suthra is requesting you on a priority channel. Patching him through now." he continued, opening a holochannel with General Var Suthra.
"Hello, my old friends. I understand Asmund and the CPUs are supreme commanders of the Jedi forces here." General Var Suthra said.
"That's correct, General. Glad to have you here." Andrew said.
"Captain Kirk and Arrow Squad are being routed to Corellia from Ord Mantell, but they will be late. We'll have to continue the fight without them." Var Suthra said.
"What can we do for you, General?" Asmund asked.
"Master Satele has informed me that you're looking for a Jedi Master helping the enemy. i have a base camp in Labor Valley. Bring your people to my position." Var Suthra said.
"I'll make sure everyone gets on the next transport. You don't need to worry." Nodru said.
"We'll see you there, General. May the Force be with you." Andrew said, before cutting contact. "I always wanted to say that." he added jokingly.
The group arrived at Var Suthra's position, walking up to him.
"General, our forces are on their way." Andrew reported.
"Glad to hear it. Watcher One has field agents bringing us the latest intel on Master Tol Braga. In the meantime, we should form a battle plan to drive the Empire from this sector. It's running riot here." Var Suthra said. "Magremme Thrakus is one of the chief suppliers of the Republic's war effort. She owns half the facilities in Labor Valley." he added.
"The Empire "appropriated" my weapons factories. They're stealing billions of credits worth of firepower." Magremme said.
"Not for long. Just point us at those weapons factories, and our forces will do the rest." Andrew said.
"I hope so. Those factories have been in my family for generations." Magremme said, displeased with the current state of her properties on the planet.
"I recommend devoting all Jedi forces to removing the enemy from those weapons factories. We certainly need munitions more than the Empire." Var Suthra said, before getting a buzz on his commlink. "It's a priority signal from the Supreme Chancellor. Excuse me…" he said, before taking his leave.
"There is more to this than weapons, you know." Magremme said.
"Why do I get the feeling that I won't like what I'm going to hear?" Neptune muttered.
"Just hear me out, CPU. The Empire has also seized my company's base of operations. I want it back." Magremme said.
"Okay…" Neptune muttered.
"If you were to allocate forces toward liberating my corporate offices, I'd be extremely grateful. And I do mean that personally." Magremme said.
"Why would the Empire raid your corporate offices? That doesn't make sense." Asriel asked.
"I've never really trusted Corellia's banking system. I convert all of my company's monetary reserves into precious resources. Many are hidden beneath the offices. The Empire hasn't found my resources yet, but given enough time, they will. There's no telling what they'll do with all that wealth." Magremme said. "I run a multi-trillion credit corporation. If you help me, you won't be disappointed with your reward." she continued.
"Yep. Called it. I did not like that at all." Neptune said.
"You're trying to bribe us. Are we really that dense to you?" Andrew asked inquisitively, displeased with her offer.
"Of course not. I'm just being realistic, here. My offer still stands, but you are free to choose as you'd like." Magremme said, still insinuating the bribe. That's when the Jedi forces arrived.
"Your forces are ready for duty, supreme commanders." Nodru said.
"Never seen this many Jedi in one place. Blasted impressive." Var Suthra said, returning from his call with the Supreme Chancellor.
"Clearly, General, you've never been to Tython." Asmund said with a smirk.
"Maybe I need to stop by sometime. Now then, if we're going to retake those weapon factories, your people need to go now." Var Suthra said.
"Alright, people. The sooner we can retake those factories, the sooner we can start giving the advantage to the Republic and beating back the Imperial invasion force. Be swift. Be cunning. And if you must, be deadly. Trust in your comrades and in the Force, cooperate with each other, and believe in yourselves, and you can pull this off. May the Force be with you." Andrew said. Magremme rolled her eyes at the choice to take the factories instead of her offices. The Jedi Knights all bobbed their heads and departed for the factories. That's when one of Watcher One's field agents approached.
"General Var Suthra, Jedi Knights, CPUs. I just learned that the Jedi traitor Tol Braga sent a strike team to Labor Valley." he reported.
"Tol Braga is a good man. What he's doing right now, is the Emperor's doing." Asmund corrected.
"With all due respect, Master Jedi, I couldn't care less why he's trying to kill us." the field agent countered.
"Give us a low-down on the situation." Andrew said.
"The Empire have taken a chemical refinery, with the hopes of turning it into an improvised bomb. The explosion will release a massive toxic cloud, which will kill everyone here and drift into adjacent sectors. Potentially millions of fatalities." the field agent reported.
"Point us to this chemical refinery. We'll stop this improvised chemical weapons attack in its tracks." Asmund said.
"We still don't know which refinery the Sith have, but we do know which chemicals they're gathering." the field agent said.
"Point us at the pipes, then. As we shut them down, monitor flow direction, pressure, and pump station activity, then we can locate the exact chemical plant." Andrew said, quickly hatching a plan.
"A sound plan. Here's the locations of the pipes that we think are supplying the chemical weapons attack. We'll alert you when we find the right facility." the field agent said, handing over a datapad. The group took the datapad and went to the coordinates of each pipeline and shut them down. Then they contacted Var Suthra.
"General. Has the chemical plant been located?" Asmund asked.
"Stand by. Agent Helver is collecting the data. Did you run into much trouble out there?" Var Suthra asked.
"Nothing we couldn't handle." Neptune said.
"Toxic smoke, killer droids, enemy patrols… the usual." Asmund said.
"Is it me, or have you grown a sense of humor?" Var Suthra asked.
"I think Doc may be rubbing off on him." Andrew said.
"Hang on, we're getting something… One of the chemical plants was siphoning off accellerite. We found our Sith Bomb Makers." Var Suthra reported. "I'm sending the coordinates to you and your strike team now. They'll meet you inside. Hurry!" he continued. The group rushed to the Chemical Plant where the bomb was being placed, before fighting their way to the controls, disabling the accellerite inflow pumps.
"General, we've retaken the chemical plant. The bomb was never finished, and we averted the improvised chemical weapons attack." Andrew announced.
"After all our time together, I never expected anything less. Your Jedi army sent the Empire packing. Every weapons factory in that sector is now ours, and we're turning the munitions against the Empire's invasion force." Var Suthra reported. "Even better, we did it without any casualties amongst your people. It's a rock-solid victory!" he continued.
"Good to hear they're safe. This whole ordeal must be hard on them." Andrew said. "Word of the wise, though, keep a closer eye on Miss Thrakus. She tried to bribe us into ignoring those factories and instead focus on trillions of credits worth of precious resources beneath her corporate offices." he warned.
"Did she now? I'll pay close attention to her, and I'll have spies listen in on her next holo." Var Suthra said. "Republic forces are currently battling in the Axial Park sector. The fighting is heavy, and another of Watcher One's field agents have reported plenty of Sith activity." he continued.
"Well, we know Master Braga isn't here." Kira said.
"I already have people in Axial Park at these coordinates. I'll alert the other Jedi to meet you there. Var Suthra, out." Var Suthra said. The group began to make their way to Axial Park when they got a holocall.
"Congratulations. You saved all my weapons factories, at the expense of my company's assets." Magremme said. Her tone of voice showed disappointment. She was unaware, however, that SIS had tapped into the holocall. "The Empire stole all our precious resources. My company lost billions to those scum. I offered you enough credits to make Asmund the richest Jedi in the order, and you squandered it away." she said.
"Save it, Miss Thrakus. You attempted to bribe a member of the Jedi Order, and you failed. I will not allow myself to fall prey to greed and selfishness." Asmund said rather calmly.
"Perhaps, but know that you and your CPU friends should watch your backs. Farewell, Jedi." Magremme snapped, before ending the call.
The group arrived at the coordinates in Axial Park, to see the meeting place in disarray.
"Gentlemen, please, this arguing solves nothing." Nodru said.
"There shouldn't be any argument. The Republic is here to save the people of Corellia. Period." Senator Jol Zackin said, looking towards Colonel Brint.
"We're here to win a war, Senator! What good is saving people if we lose the entire blasted planet?!" Brint asked rather harshly.
"We can easily do both. We CPUs and the Jedi Order have come to save Corellia's people and beat back the Imperial invasion." Andrew said.
"If only everyone felt that way." Jol said.
"Colonel Brint reports to General Var Suthra. Senator Jol Zackin is a leader of Corellia's government. They both want our help." Nodru said.
"The Empire sent extermination patrols to our medical evacuation sites. Those murdering scum slaughtered our wounded." Brint reported. "Now the Empire's rewarding the killers with parties and medals. They're celebrating in plain sight, taunting us before they're shipped back home! We need to strike back before that filth leaves Corellia! Put some fear into the Empire!" he continued.
"We won't make any decisions without hearing the Senator's request." Andrew said.
"Thousands of Corellian citizens are being kidnapped and forced to serve against their homeworld. We have to free them!" Jol said.
"Those "citizens" are being "kidnapped" from your prisons! They're criminals!" Brint said.
"No. They were in custody awaiting trial. Innocent until proven guilty in the court of law, and we cannot abandon them to the enemy." Jol countered.
"You'd think there was enough bickering right about now…" Asriel said with a sigh.
"We obviously cannot focus on both missions at once. Which mission would you recommend, Nodru?" Asmund asked.
"Honestly, the Force is telling me to side with the Senator on this." Nodru replied.
"Same here." Andrew said.
"Supreme commanders, we've received advanced combat gear from Balmorra. If you commit my men to my cause, we'll equip you to better face the enemy." Brint said.
"And again with the bribery. People here have no class." Neptune chided.
"I agree with the CPU, this is outrageous." Jol said.
"I'll report this General Var Suthra myself." Nodru said.
"Your revenge will have to wait, colonel. I'm committing all my forces to rescuing the civilians." Asmund said.
"But what about the wounded?!" Brint asked.
"You can leave the wounded to us." a familiar voice said. Andrew turned to see Phraken-Nal enter the room with a small force of Voss Commandos at his back.
"Phraken-Nal. Glad you could make it." Andrew said.
"Valen-Da and other Mystics had a combined vision. Corellia would lead to the death of all life. Sith would turn cities to ash. Stars running black. Told us to come here and help Republic. If Sith fail to destroy planet, but Republic fail to stop invasion, Corellia would become a staging point for Imperial invasion of Voss. Neither can be allowed." Phraken-Nal said.
"Alright… Tell your men to join our forces and protect the landing zones from those butchers. The more soldiers we save, the better." Brint said.
"As the Mystics will it." Phraken-Nal said, taking his leave with the other Voss Commandos.
"I'll provide the coordinates to the Imperial slave camps. We'll have transports standing by to evacuate our people once they're free." Jol said, sending Asmund the coordinates, before taking his leave.
"I will communicate your orders to our people right away." Nodru said.
"Our science advisor and SIS bureau chief are waiting for you. They have information on that rogue Jedi you're after." Brint said. He took his leave, and the group went in the back. They'd be shocked to see Doctor Godera and Watcher One, both having pleasant smiles.
"Haven't seen you since Darth Angral became a cloud of random molecules. Glad you joined the festivities. This gathering is long overdue." Doctor Godera said.
"I haven't properly thanked you in person for the merciful offer you gave me, CPU. It is good that you are here." Watcher One said.
"This isn't quite a celebration, since people are dying out there, Doctor." Asmund said.
"As long as it's the right people dying, that's not a problem for me." Doctor Godera said.
"What have we got?" Andrew asked.
"The doctor's probe droids and my field agents have been looking for Master Tol Braga. They found enemy activity in two buildings bordering Axial Park." Watcher One said. "Teams of Imperial engineers, alongside Imperial shock troopers and Sith, are setting up turbolaser towers in the buildings' topmost floors on Master Braga's orders. They're camouflaging the weapons from view." he added.
"Whatever they're planning, it's designed to be a surprise." Asmund said.
"The turbolasers are codenamed "Firestorm." An adaptation of the technology from Darth Angral's Desolator supereweapon. Lethal and focused." Doctor Godera reported. "Those turbolasers will make Axial Park a literal inferno. There would be no survivors." he continued.
"Oh, boy, here we go again…" Asriel said.
"This was anticipated. The Emperor admired the work Lord Tarnis did on the Republic's secret weapons projects." Scourge said.
"The Emperor wants to inflict maximum casualties here. We need to take out those weapons fast." Andrew said.
"Demolitions and transport have been secured. All we need is a small commando group." Watcher One said.
"That won't be a problem." the voice of Ironfist said.
"Ah, Ironfist. Glad to hear you're with us." Andrew said.
"You too, CPU. Special Forces Fireteam Kedalbe is ready for another round." Ironfist said.
"Republic military transports can't get off the ground here, but there is an Imperial assault shuttle on display at a starship museum nearby. The enemy doesn't know the Corellians have it, and mistake it for one of their own. You'll fly directly to your targets." Watcher One said.
"Impressive plan, Watcher One. Let's put it into action." Asmund said.
"We'll handle the explosives, Jedi. Let's stick one up the Empire's rear! For Clan Ordo, and for the Republic!" Ironfist shouted.
"Get to the shuttle. Stop the Sith and the Empire before they turn this park into a giant cookout. Good luck." Doctor Godera said.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Wooo, this was a heck of a chapter. And I finally got within my 10k word quota this time.
As you can tell, I reimagined the Voss ending a bit to have them side with the Republic soon after, thus the Voss Commandos on Corellia.
A number of characters our heroes met are all joining together for the reimagined Battle of Corellia.
The chapter name this time is a direct shoutout to the Loganverse KOTOR fan films, made by Jenks, DarthYcey, Kevin Smets, etc. They've been mentioned many times, but I cannot recommend them enough for their humor and creativity.
Not much else needs to be said here. Keep Nepping! Cya!