Chapter Five: The Winning Side
Canlyn did as the captain requested, and kept silent about her fears of a Sith presence. Even so, unease spread among the bridge crew, who increasingly stared at the image of the Imperial transport. The small ship seemed to hang in space, waiting with the patience of a predator.
The captain was trying to communicate with the other ship.
"Imperial transport, this is Captain Mettis of the Brentaal Star. You are in Republic space, in violation of treaty. If you require assistance, please respond. If your systems are functional, please leave this space immediately."
He waited several seconds, then repeated his message verbatim.
Finally, the bridge's holocommunicator activated. A middle-aged Imperial officer appeared.
"Brentaal Star, this is Captain Orzik of the Black Talon. I apologize for the intrusion into your space. Our ship suffered a catastrophic failure of its light speed systems, and we've only just gotten the situation under control." The captain smiled wearily. "Truth be told, it's rather good luck that we didn't crash into an asteroid or a sun."
Canlyn felt the members of the bridge crew relax. This made more sense to them. After all, a tiny transport like this couldn't possibly have planned to take on a Republic battleship.
But most of the bridge crew didn't know about The General.
"Soft things are foolish," Qyzen whispered to her. "Smart hunter knows how to make himself look harmless. Imperials are very smart hunters."
Captain Mettis had not relaxed, but he was playing along with the Imperial's bluff. Canlyn sensed Mettis' wariness, but also his hope - that maybe the Imperial was telling the truth, that perhaps they would avoid a conflict.
"Do you require assistance?" Mettis asked.
"We could use some replacement parts for our light speed engines," Orzik said. "Several connections burned out, and our chief engineer had to sever another just to get us out of light speed."
"Let us know what you need," Mettis said. "We'll see what we can spare."
"May I send our chief engineer to you?" Orzik asked. "He will stay in the docking area, and he understands that it will be under guard. Still, it will be far easier for him to communicate his needs on site."
Mettis considered. "Allow me to confer with my officers." He broke the connection.
He glanced at Canlyn, who shook her head. "I advise against it," she said. It was too obviously a trap.
"I disagree," Lt. Haken said. "Captain, it's only one shuttle – Even if they sneak a military force aboard, we can have troops standing by at the shuttle bay. Our numbers would nullify any threat. And if their situation is real, then this could turn out to be a diplomatic breakthrough."
Mettis mulled it over, nodded.
"Thank you, Jedi. Thank you, Haken." He turned back to the communicator. "Captain Orzik, your engineer may board. Please have him plot a direct course to our shuttle bay."
"Thank you, Captain," Orzik acknowledged. "In these strained times, it is refreshing to meet a reasonable man."
The connection closed down.
"I'm going to the shuttle bay," Canlyn announced.
"I come too," Qyzen said.
"No." Canlyn placed a hand on his forearm. "Go back to Ashara, help her with her task." Guarding The General. "Please, my friend. I have a bad feeling about this."
Qyzen inclined his head. "It will be as you say, Herald."
Captain Mettis stepped forward. "I will join you in the shuttle bay, Jedi," he said. "Haken, initiate a security lockdown the second that shuttle lands. If this is a trap, we're not going to be caught napping."
Canlyn stood beside Captain Mettis in the shuttle bay. A holo projection tracked the path of the Imperial shuttle. A woman's voice came through the communicator.
"Brentaal Star, this is Imperial shuttle. We're starting out approach."
Canlyn, Mettis, and a guard of Republic troops watched the shuttle's approach.
"If their intentions are genuine, this could be an historic day," Mettis whispered.
Canlyn agreed with his statement. She just wished she believed that the Imperials' intentions were real.
Two Troopers in full gear appeared at the opposite end of the shuttle bay. A Cathar lieutenant and a Twi'lek sergeant. The Twi'lek's armor included a "HAVOC" decal. The lieutenant's eyes met hers. His face seemed set in a permanently cynical expression, but she saw a hint of something soften in him – that certain feeling that comes from seeing your own kind in a position of authority. Though Canlyn had been with the Jedi for as long as she could remember, she recognized the same reaction in herself.
"What is that ship doing?" Mettis asked.
Canlyn turned, not to the holo image, but to the opening of the shuttle bay. The approaching ship was no longer moving slowly. It was picking up speed.
On a ramming course.
Canlyn slammed her fist on the wall communicator.
"This is Canlyn Dessan of the Jedi. All hands, brace for impact. All soldiers, prepare to defend the bridge!"
The impact was felt throughout the Republic ship. Screams of men and metal melded into a ghastly cacophony.
The blast had knocked the air out of Canlyn's lungs. Shrapnel embedded in her fur, and she felt pain at the back of her left leg. Luckily, she had been facing away from the explosion, or her injuries would have been severe.
She turned to Captain Mettis. He was collapsed on the floor, moaning, hands covering his eyes.
Canlyn checked her leg. A sharp piece of metal stuck into the calf. She pulled it out, then tore off a piece of her robe to wrap it tightly. She knelt beside him, gently but firmly pulling his hands away from his face.
The skin around his eyes was heavily burned. His eyes were intact, but milky and unfocused.
"I'm blind," Mettis confirmed. He took a ragged breath, doing his best to suppress his own pain. "They'll be boarding," he said. "The men need to regroup, defend. Is that lockdown up yet?"
The air was filled with smoke and particulates, making it impossible to see. Canlyn reached out with her mind, probing for survivors. Many soldiers were alive. Some were injured, all were confused as they stumbled blindly through the debris.
After Canlyn summarized the situation, Mettis replied with brisk authority. "We need to evacuate the shuttle bay," he said. "And I need to talk to the bridge. Are those shields up?"
"I don't think so," Canlyn said. She could sense the passageways to both the bridge on one side and Engineering on the other. She sensed no shield in either direction.
She pressed the wall communicator, but it did not respond. Knocked out by the explosion. She reached for her wrist communicator. It was gone.
"Help me up," Mettis said. He gasped with pain as she helped him to his feet. "We need to head to Engineering. We can communicate with the rest of the ship from there - Get soldiers to reinforce all areas."
Canlyn supported him and began moving through the smoke, using her Force senses to pick her way through the wreckage.
Lt. Haken kept order on the bridge. Troopers were already reinforcing the approach to the bridge, and reports from every section confirmed that the real damage was confined to the shuttle bay.
"Target that ship and fire at will," he ordered. But the Black Talon had moved off at its top sub-light speed. It was already out of range.
"Initiating lockdown," Haken said. He keyed in the sequence to raise the internal shields.
Nothing happened.
He keyed the sequence again, this time taking care to press one key at a time, so that no misread could occur.
Again, no response.
Lt. Cariss, the communications officer, stared in disbelief.
"The lockdown's off-line?" she gasped.
He nodded confirmation. "Open a channel to both Coruscant and the Jedi Council," he told her. "Protocol requires we request immediate reinforcements." Then he smiled at her. "I wouldn't worry. The Imperials may have landed the first punch, but we are still a battleship and they are still a transport. All of the math is on our side."
Cress had acted on instinct. As soon as he saw the Imperial shuttle accelerate, he had grabbed Jorgan and yanked him to the floor.
A good thing. A second later, both fire and metal flew over their heads. Had they remained standing, they would have both been killed.
Whatever the shuttle had been packed with created heavy smoke, eliminating all visibility. Fortunately, Cress and Jorgan had arrived late and were standing near the entrance to the corridor. There was no lack of smoke around them, but they could see the corridor.
Jorgan had a line in his pack. He attached it to himself, then passed the other end to Cress. The sergeant attached it to his belt. Jorgan stayed at the hall as an anchor, while Cress followed the sounds of moans and cries.
Over the next two minutes, Cress gathered about a dozen men who were still capable of fighting. Between them, they retrieved another half dozen wounded. Cress was preparing to go back in when a young Cathar in Jedi robes came through the smoke. She had the ship's captain with her.
"Engineering," the Jedi gasped. "The captain says we must get to Engineering."
"There are still men in there," Cress protested. "We can't just leave them to – "
The Jedi held up a hand. She cocked her head, listening. "More shuttles," she announced.
Jorgan didn't hesitate. "Time's up!" he barked to the men. "Those who can walk, help those who can't. We need to clear this area now!"
The group had only barely reached the lift when they heard the Imperial shuttles land. As they jammed into the elevator, Cress heard the sounds of blaster fire from the shuttle bay. A few scattered blasts of return fire were quickly silenced. Those they hadn't managed to rescue were now dead.
Under the circumstances, they had no choice. But as the doors to the lift closed, Cress couldn't shake the feeling that he was running away.
So far, Zarek reflected, the plan had gone better than he had anticipated. The Republic had been caught completely off-guard, and the ships carrying the boarding party had landed easily. Breather masks allowed them to avoid inhaling the smoke in the shuttle bay, and the groans from lost and wounded Republic troops served only to make them target practice for the Imperial soldiers. The few half-hearted bursts of return fire hadn't felled a single Imperial, and it was not long before the Republic was cleared out entirely.
"Not much honor is gunning down the wounded," Mako complained through Zarek's earpiece.
Zarek took a more pragmatic view. "The dead can't regroup and come at us from behind, or cut us off from our escape," he pointed out. She didn't argue, but her silence told him that she didn't approve either.
Mako directed them toward the nearest ventilation grate, where Cipher and Reyenna took their leave.
"Resistance will be heaviest outside the bridge," Cipher reminded him. "Our asset won't reveal himself until you break through - but once you're on the bridge, the fight should be over. Then just get the lockdown in place and hold the bridge until either I signal you or the shields fall."
"I know the plan," Zarek said. "You take care of yourself, OK? Watch your back." His eyes flicked to Reyenna as he voiced this.
Cipher gave a tight smile, signaling her understanding and agreement. "I always do."
The Republic forces fell back as they approached, evidently consolidating to present the strongest defense at the crucial point. They didn't hide what they were doing - They just kept moving back as the Imperials approached.
That made Zarek suspicious. "If I was in charge of their defense," he whispered to Kaliyo, "I would have some men hide in those side rooms. Just a couple in each room. Then, when the firefight starts, they'd group up behind us and squeeze."
"I've got just the thing," Kaliyo replied. "Keep everyone back. Oh, and you might want to cover your eyes."
She drew what looked like small golden ball out of her pack. She threw it into the center of the room. Tiny golden flecks burst out of the ball. The flecks bounced off the walls and floor, like a child's toy might. But each time a golden fleck encountered a surface with nothing behind it - doors to conference rooms, restrooms, and storage lockers - it attached.
Zarek passed the order down the line for everyone to cover their eyes. As the last golden speck found its target, there was a high-pitched whine that rose rapidly.
Even through closed eyes, Zarek sensed the flash. He heard screams of agony. When he opened his eyes, he saw burned corpses on the ground. Many were still aflame - white flames, reducing the bodies to charred husks literally as the Imperials watched.
Khem Val stepped forward, sniffing at the air.
"Efficient," he congratulated Kaliyo.
"We aim to please."
Kaliyo repeated the trick twice more before the reached the bridge. A small number of Republic troops were flushed out the second time. The third time, no one was there - The screams of the dying must have spooked them out of that plan.
The Republic forces did not budge as they approached the bridge, however. A large force massed by the critical door, with still more troopers perched in doorways. They had effectively turned the final corridor into a death box.
Zarek had been prepared for this. He nodded to Kaliyo, who flung what looked like a silver thermos with all her strength. The highly-trained Republic sharpshooters fired on the object, hitting it mid-air.
Exactly as Zarek had expected. The instant Kaliyo made her throw, the Imperials hit the floor as a single unit. When the Republic blaster connected with the bomb, the explosion was intense. Zarek could feel the heat from the opposite end of the corridor. Many of the Republic troops stationed in doorways never even managed to scream.
"Forward!" Zarek shouted.
The front row of Imperials rose to one knee, firing immediately. Before the Republic troops had a chance to regroup, the remainder had found their feet and charged.
In an Imperial holovid, the Republic defense would have crumbled into chaos at this point. In reality, the troopers' drills and training kicked in. They regrouped quickly, and soon were concentrating fire on the charging Imperials. Without Kaliyo's bomb, they could have picked off hundreds of troops without any of them reaching the bridge.
But the explosion had purchased precious seconds, enough for many Imperials to close the gap. The fighting turned from blasters to more primitive tools, like knives and even fists.
Even so, the Republic outnumbered them. All else equal, Zarek thought it was likely they would have been pushed back.
But no amount of training could have prepared the Republic soldiers for Khem Val. The Dashade emerged from the smoke of the explosion like a demon from hell. As he bared his fangs, several soldiers shrunk back.
"Please…" one young man whimpered.
Khem impaled the trooper with the talons of his right hand, lifting him from the ground. Khem's maw opened wide, and his fangs descended. A second later, the young man's body hung limp.
"Fire!" a Republic officer shouted. All fire concentrated on the monster.
Khem was staggered by the blaster bolts, but between his armor and his own tough hide, he was not felled by them. Meanwhile, the Republic troops were so shocked by the monster, they forgot about the men. The Imperial troops were able to close in on them from behind.
Caught between the ravenous monster and the increasingly determined Imperial assault, the Republic troops wilted. Several threw down their weapons, crying out to surrender.
"Cease fire!" Zarek barked.
Khem had a young woman pinned against the wall. His maw was open, fangs exposed.
"I said stop, Khem," Zarek repeated. "No more meals unless someone misbehaves."
Khem growled, his reptilian eyes flashing with anger. But after a moment, he released his hostage. "I must obey," he grumbled.
Zarek looked around for the Imperial lieutenant. He had fallen to a Republic blaster. Zarek picked a soldier at random.
"Collect their weapons," he ordered. "Keep them under guard."
He turned to address the Republic prisoners.
"Stay down and cause no trouble, and you'll be fine. If you decide to be a hero, you won't be killed. Instead, these soldiers will shoot you in the leg and throw you onto the bridge for Khem."
All eyes turned to the Dashade, who grinned ravenously.
"I don't think there will be any escape attempts," Kaliyo whispered. Zarek was inclined to agree.
The sight of Khem was enough to quell any thoughts of resistance on the bridge. The command crew just stared dully at the invaders, perfect portraits of defeat.
"Who's in charge here?" Zarek asked.
A man stepped forward. "Lieutenant Clovis Haken," he said. "You have our surrender."
Zarek grunted. "Good. Now, set up a lockdown, leaving out shields… Which shields, Mako?"
Mako's voice came through his earpiece. "Leave open Sector H, Shield 7-G. Sector H, Shield 9-Alpha-Omega. And Shields 14 Bravo-Echo in Sections I – J. That should keep the path clear."
Cipher Nine's voice chimed in. "I'll let you know if we need any others dropped when we get to them."
As Zarek relayed the information to Haken, the communications officer looked on with confusion.
"The lockdown system is malfunctioning," she said. "You wouldn't have been able to access the bridge…"
She trailed off, eyes widening with realization.
Haken turned to her. "My apologies, Cariss. The lockdown system is fully functional."
Cariss's face darkened. "Traitor," she hissed.
"A war is coming," Haken replied. "If HAVOC Squad sees the Empire as the winning side, then who am I to argue?"
Haken approached the captain's chair and keyed in a sequence. "Lockdown initiated," he announced. "Lowering the specified shields. Your people will have a clear path to The General."
"Engineering should be around the next corner," Captain Mettis gasped.
Canlyn was too focused on simply supporting him to respond. Jedi are trained to persevere in the face of physical strain, but that does not make them immune to it. Mettis was not a small man, and her muscles protested at his weight.
Aric Jorgan, the Cathar lieutenant, saw her struggle, and offered to take over. She accepted gratefully.
Their progress was slower than it might have been, constrained by the wounded soldiers they had rescued. Cress Va'Shann kept to the rear, watching to make sure no Imperials were following.
"They must have gone straight to the bridge," Cress said. Still, he remained watchful.
The blind captain had them read the wall markings off to him at each junction.
"Engineering should be around the next corner," he said. "The bridge should hold, but we need to hurry."
They rounded the corner to Engineering, only to come to an immediate halt.
A humming, red-tinted sheet of energy separated them from their goal. It was transparent, and the Engineering crew was visible on the other side. They called out to Mettis, to the troops, to the Jedi. But though both sides could see and here, they could not reach each other.
The lockdown had been initiated – just in time for the ship's own systems to be used against them.