Chapter 39: Tav Mi'zya
Thellus Asteroid, Dressel System
The Thellus police had deployed to the streets of New Aroo, establishing security checkpoints all around the sphere. Mithir suggested that they might be able to bridge the kilometres of communication distance between the Marchalcy Field Office and the New Mandalorian Consulate by connecting each police checkpoint via radio. Within forty minutes, the Buli, the Marshalcy Field Office, and the consulate were once again in direct communication. New Aroo was still cut off from the other districts of the station.
In the situation room, all eyes were on the Mandalorian liaison officer, Captain Brett Wren. Tav's ears perked up as he looked across the room.
"I can confirm," Wren said, relief in his voice. "We have captured Ditmas Shar."
Tav sighed in relief. The Protectors did it. It's over. Klayer's dead. Shidar's probably dead. The whole Fort Otrek is dead, our Holonet is still down and we can't tell anyone it's over, but it's over.
Kilar gave a similar weary sigh of relief, tears building in her eyes.
Then, within ten seconds, some Bothans began considering the politics of the situation.
"Sir, are we going to ask the Mandalorians to render Ditmas to us?" Mayer growled, looking in Captain Wren's direction.
Wren looked nervously around the room into the glaring eyes of a dozen Bothans.
Kriff Ditmas Shar. Tav squeezed his eyes tight then opened them."Corporal, there is nothing in the entire Galaxy I care less about than what happens with Ditmas Shar."
Mayer gulped, her fur swirling nervously.
Tav walked around the room to Mithir's desk. "Send word of Ditmas's capture to all police units. The ones around the consulate should remain watchful," he growled wearily.
"Very well sir, sending the update to all units."
"Colonel?" Kilar asked, turning around from her station.
"Yes?"
"We still haven't established communications with the rescue efforts at Fort Otrek," she said professionally.
"No, we haven't," Tav agreed. "It is more than fifty kilometres of solid rock with a thin tunnel connecting the districts. The Maglev station was…" he gulped. They killed Klayer, Gavresk, then destroyed the maglev. They couldn't destroy it first because they wanted to kill us all. They needed to take the maglev in order to shoot us and then continue shooting, even after we had fallen. They needed—
"—I know sir," Kilar stammered. "I am sorry sir, I just—"
"—WE CAN'T WALK THERE, LIEUTENANT!" Tav snarled, his golden-speckled eyes flashed furiously. "SOLUTIONS LIKE THOSE MAY HAVE WORKED FOR ADMIRAL LISKA GYAR, BUT THIS IS NOT THE KRIFFING NAVY!" he yelped.
Warosh's fur swirled nervously. "Colonel, I don't think she meant that."
Kilar's fur fell flat. "Sir, I am sorry. That was not what I was going to say."
Tav looked around the room. Everyone was staring at them, many with agape snouts. "I am sorry Lieutenant," Tav said in an attempt to sound consoling, but it came out as a croak.
"Colonel!" Mizir yelped, her fur flat. "The units nearest to the Consulate are under attack!"
"Magnify on the main viewer!" Tav ordered, walking towards the centre of the room. His fur remained standing on end. "Shtak. Send all available units, Major?"
"Yes sir?" Warosh asked.
"You're in charge while I…" Dress up in RIS armour for the first time in two years and bring some other Marshals outside to shoot at humans flying around with jetpacks. No… Too crazy. I am already getting a court martial. Tav instead hit the intercom button. [This is Colonel Tav Mi, New Aroo is under attack. We need all available units to aid the New Mandalorian Consulate.]
o-o-o
Taniar Trav'nel
Taniar and her boarding team were back on the Melan, still in their armour, ready to jump out into New Aroo's airlock the moment they arrived. This time, they were joined by Master Grar Mik'tiv and her human Padawan.
Ten minutes after Botha'ahir forces secured the Mandalorian ship in the Gal'skar Docks, communications were restored to that section of the station. It turned out that the KHGC terror cells were disrupting Thellus's internal holonet communications using hyperwave transceivers aboard their own docked vessels.
As the Melan circled around Thellus from the Gal'skar Docks to New Aroo, its Y-Wings were busy destroying the docked Mandalorian vessels one at a time. Soon, communications would be back for the entire station. The damage to Thellus's airlocks would be substantial, however, ending this as soon as possible was their top priority.
"Be advised," Captain Uk Biad'tannen's voice came through Taniar's channel. "We have received reports that New Aroo is under attack. The APC is exiting first to provide air defence."
[All right!] the APC turret gunner growled in Bothese, [stand clear.]
Taniar and the Marines stepped to the sides of the cargo airlock, making space for the APC to pull forward.
All right. We are not going to be the first ones out the door then, Taniar thought. Her fur stopped swirling as fast. Taniar blinked in surprise. Huh. I didn't realise I was nervous.
The APC inched forwards but Grar and Tredessa were still staying put, right in front of the massive cargo door.
"Do you need me to speak Basic ma'am?" the gunner snarled in a thick Bothan accent.
"My Padawan can't speak Bothese," Grar explained, "but that is not why we are still standing here. Lieutenant, can I use your comm?"
"Uh," Bithisk muttered uncertainly, unclipping his wristcomm. "Sure."
Grar took his comm and switched to the ship channel. "This is General Grar Mik'tiv to Captain Uk Biad'tannen, do you copy?"
The APC gunner muttered obscenities. The driver began honking at the Jedi with a loud horn.
Under her helmet, Taniar scowled at the Jedi. She had heard rumours of Jedi arrogance and stubbornness, but this was something else. That behaviour is going to put us all in danger.
o-o-o
Ditmas Shar
"I found your helmet sir," Pul said, holding Ditmas's red and black helmet.
Ditmas stepped over a body as he took his first step out of the cell. There was something in Pul's voice. Unsteady? Scared? Sad? Wait. "Where's Baci?" he gasped.
"She… There are Bothan checkpoints everywhere. We were shot at from a hundred directions and came under attack from the Protectors. We killed the Protectors and sent the Bothans fleeing but... But she didn't make," Pul stammered. "She's gone onto judgment before Kad Ha'rangir."
Standing outside the cell, Ditmas collapsed, leaning back against the bars with a clang. Tears welled up in his eyes. Baci is dead. She died breaking me out of prison. My little sister died breaking me out of prison. The dishonour and shame were indescribable. He had not only failed to protect his family; he lost a family member attempting to rescue him after his own arrogance caused him to be captured.
With an angry roar, Ditmas began punching the cage bars furiously with his gauntlets. The bars bent and rattled.
"Ditmas!" Pul yelled. "Ditmas! Stop! STOP!"
Ditmas relented as Pul and another Mandalorian pulled him away under the arms. "We have to kill Gavin Azi'skar," Ditmas croaked. "I have to kill him."
"Sir? You didn't already—"
"HE ESCAPED!" Ditmas screamed.
Pul and all the other Mandalorians remained silent for a moment.
"But I think I know where he must be hiding," Ditmas muttered. "The only logical place in the whole station. The Marshalcy Field Office."
o-o-o
Ditmas was mildly impressed with the smouldering wreckage in the streets of New Aroo. All around, on the streets of the interior of the sphere, the remains of dozens of checkpoints smouldered; all destroyed by aerial bombardment. In a few places, Extinguishers were attempting to put out building fires to buildings. The Mandalorians ignored them as they flew through the smoke in the centre. Like Shriek Hawks who had recently feasted upon prey, these Ditmas and his fellow killers were full. Pushed to the brink of exhaustion from inflicting so much violence.
Let's just kill Azi'skar and get out of here. I can escape with at least some honour that way.
o-o-o
Tav Mi'zya
Honour was not something most Bothans spent much time thinking about. It was not, in any way, shape, or form, part of traditional Bothan philosophy. Traditional Bothan tactics revolved around inflicting as many casualties as possible while taking as few casualties as possible.
It was not enough for these humans to simply be covered from head to toe in some of the best armour in the Galaxy and use blasters so powerful that a Bothan RIS suit would be lucky to resist one shot. As the Mandalorian terrorists slaughtered the Bothans like animals, they continued to fly on jetpacks—outmanoeuvring even the fastest police speeder.
The irony, of how dishonourable and ruthless their tactics were, did not escape Tav as he stared at the screens displaying surveillance footage of the interior of New Aroo. When he was being personally shot at, in a firefight along with his family, Tav did not quite see it. After witnessing scale of the slaughter on the main viewer however, it was all crystal clear to him.
"All surviving units," Tav growled onto the intercom, "fall back to the Marshalcy Field Office and prepare to repel the attackers."
"They are firing sir!" one of the techs yelped.
Tav's fur fell flat as, on the main viewer, barrages of rockets from six different directions rained down on the building. The main viewer turned to static as the roof rumbled and windows broke.
"Sir?" Captain Wren asked suddenly.
"Yes?" Tav asked, taken aback.
"Why aren't we all in armour? We are under attack. They are not going to spare us just because we are dressed in work uniforms."
o-o-o
Tav slipped his blue RIS armour glove on, then clicked his helmet into place. His anger began to subside as he hastily prepared himself for the chaos that was occurring outside.
Kilar was already in a blue Marshal RIS armour suit. The Naval officer's own set of RIS was destroyed on the Ovesk.
"Why…? Something's wrong," Kilar's angry growls echoed from her helmet.
"What is it?" Tav snarled at her tone, his fur beginning to stand on end. I was just getting over being very angry at you.
"Sorry sir," Kilar growled nervously. "It's just…" she twisted her wrist around and looked at it closely. "I don't seem to have a wrist blaster."
"Marshalcy RIS suits don't come with them," Tav snorted. "We mostly only have them for riot control."
"Damn this feels weird," Warosh muttered as he slipped his armour boot on. "I haven't worn one of these in fifteen years."
Captain Wren sighed despondently as he clicked his Mandalorian helmet on. "Hurry up, please. We should have been in armour twenty minutes ago. Sir, we need to set up a kill-zone in the hallway. Defend the situation room at all costs. It is reasonable to assume that is their objective."
Tav flicked on his comm. Static. Damn these suits should have radios, he thought, just in case.
The sound Bothans and humans yelling, along with running footsteps echoed from the hallway. Tav peered out the door. Dozens of Thellus cops and a few Marshalcy special response members clad in blue RIS spilled into the hall. A Thellus human and a Bothan were pulling someone inside on a stretcher. Someone yelled to get the wounded to the sick bay.
"What's the situation?!" Tav asked loudly.
"Colonel Mi'zya?" growled a Bothan wearing a Lieutenant rank on her RIS, confused at the fact Tav was clad in RIS. "Sir, they have taken the parking lot and are circling overhead. If you stand near the doorway, you can hear their demands."
"I wouldn't recommend that sir," Wren muttered.
Tav's fur swirled nervously as he weighed the costs and benefits. If I go to the door, or send someone to the door, they may be shot. On the other hand, we may learn their demands… What are the odds that their demands are something we are willing to consider?
As if to answer Tav's question, the row of windows in the rooms adjacent to the door exploded inwards from rocket blasts hitting the parking lot outside.
o-o-o
Taniar Trav'nel
The moment the airlock door opened the two stubborn Jedi stepped out first. A barrage of shots and rocket fire fell down upon them from directly overhead. Tredessa blocked the shots while Grar grabbed the rockets in mid-air with the force and flung them out of site.
"CLEAR!" Grar snarled. "WE COULD USE THE TANK NOW!"
As the APC rolled down the ramp, into one of New Aroo's hangars, the two Jedi stepped to the side continuing to block shots fired from somewhere Taniar could not yet see. The APC aimed its turret into the air and let off a spray of slugs with violet tracer rounds
A Mandalorian fell from the sky, smouldering, bouncing far higher in the 1/3 g than would happen on a planet like Coruscant.
"Ma'am," Taniar growled cautiously, correcting the Jedi. "Clear means it's clear—as in there are no more threats. You don't…" the normally very bold Bothan's voice died. Her fur swirled nervously as the Jedi turned to face her, saber still ignited.
"Thank you, Sergeant," Grar growled wryly, turning her saber off.
"Be advised," Captain Uk's voice came onto the general channel, "holonet communications have been restored to New Aroo."
Meaning, we blew up the Mandalorian vessel parked on an airlock.
"We are go for rescue operations," Uk growled urgently. "All teams, change of mission, the Marshalcy Field Office is under attack. Provide immediate fire support to the Field Office."
o-o-o
Ditmas Shar
While the bumbling Bothans set up their defences on the ground level, Ditmas and the other KHGC terrorists landed on the roof.
Ditmas dropped in first through a crater created by a series of rocket blasts. Pul dropped in next.
"Clear!" Ditmas yelled from the crater after a quick check around the empty room. This'll be just like the Maglev. A slaughter. Easy. They won't stand—
—Unexpected static came into Ditmas's comm. We jammed the HoloNet communications. That shouldn't be happening.
"Sir!" one of the Mandalorians still on the roof yelled. "A tank is rolling out from a hangar, elevation, 37º."
Shab. Not another one. "All right," Ditmas said into the comm, "they have unjammed the HoloNet which is unfortunate because they can ask for help. On the bright side, we can communicate. How many wrist rockets—"
"—This is Captain Uk Biad'tannen of the Botha'ahir Navy," a Bothan voice snarled into the comm. "We have destroyed all of your vessels docked on Thellus. You are trapped."
Ditmas frantically dialled QP9X. No response.
"Sir two more tanks!" a voice yelled frantically onto the comm. The comm chatter devolved into angry yelling, panicked arguments, screams.
"SILENCE!" Ditmas barked.
"—Have you surrounded," Uk continued. "If you surrender now to our forces—"
"—We need to withdraw now!" a voice yelled into the comm.
"Where to?!" another argued.
"Hijack some civilian ships! Blast out of here—"
"—NOT UNTIL WE KILL AZI'SKAR!" Ditmas screamed.
"JARE!" [Suicidal fool!] someone screamed back in Mandalorian. [I am withdrawing!]
The sounds of jetpacks firing at full thrust echoed through the hole in the roof.
[YOU SOUND LIKE HERETICS!] Ditmas was completely incensed.
Uk's voice now snarled furiously into the comm. "Disengage your jetpacks immediately or you will be fired upon!"
Five seconds later, the familiar sound of Bothan armour piercing slugs rang from the sky.
"Sir, we can't fight the whole building," Pul sniffled. "Besides, I am tired of killing Bothans. This gets more and more skrogged up the longer it goes on."
"Pul," Shidar's voice came suddenly from his wristcomm. "Are you there?"
"Yes riduur," Pul sobbed. "I am sorry for everything. This is just so… I don't even know."
Unbelievable. With a power-assisted kick, Ditmas sent an office chair sailing across the room.
"If you really love me, you will turn yourself in now," Shidar growled sternly.
That kriffing schutta, Ditmas snorted angrily.
The sound of armour piercing rounds continued. A few hit the roof of the building.
"I will tell them that you saved Klaes," Shidar added.
"You what?!" Ditmas yelled, shoving Pul in the chestplate with both hands. Pul stumbled backwards, knocking a desk over as he crashed to the floor.
"Why don't we just try to escape?!" Pul croaked, raising his arm up defensively. "Forget about Azi'skar."
"I FEEL TOO MUCH SHAME!" Ditmas screamed. "I FAILED TO PROTECT MY FAMILY! I FAILED TO KILL AZI'SKAR! YOU KRIFFING…" he took a deep breath. "I DISOWN YOU!"
Pul gasped.
Ditmas gave Pul an angry kick in the ribcage, then left him moaning and sobbing. Kriffing coward. Traitor. Heretic. "You are all heretics," he muttered bitterly into the comm as he stormed across the room. "I won't even kill any of you. You cowards don't deserve to die a warrior's death. You are dead to me anyways."
o-o-o
All of the backwards-looking Bothan letters confused Ditmas as he walked down the empty dark halls. His datapad, which had a map of the building, had been confiscated by the New Mandalorians during his fifty-minute imprisonment. I should have grabbed Pul's off him.
After ten minutes of aimless wandering, he found a stairwell. Perfect. With his armour boots echoing softly off the walls, he climbed down. No one appeared to be on the second level either. He slowly climbed down to the first.
A Thellus cop yelped when Ditmas showed his face in the stairwell door's tiny window.
Ditmas cackled madly at the Bothans and Thellus humans as they frantically adjusted their defensive lines. He kicked the door open and shot the nearest figure in RIS armour.
The defenders shot at Ditmas from both directions, a friendly-fire incident just waiting to happen. One of them snarled "TAKE COVER!"
Then Ditmas screamed. He could see nothing. His faceplate was covered in something. Frantically rubbing his helmet to no avail, he yelled "COWARDS!"
They force me to commit heresy! To fight as Ditmas, not as a Mandalorian! He furiously ripped off his helmet and turned to the door. In the doorway stood several figures in solid black and grey camouflage RIS armour, and two robed figures holding lightsabers. One of them was a young human girl and the other was—
—Ditmas gasped in shock as he locked eyes with the Bothan Jedi. He raised his blaster, then felt a force wrenching it out of his hands. His already sweaty forehead began perspiring even harder. His face reddened and he screamed in fury as his blaster rifle was sent spinning away uselessly into the human Jedi's hands.
She caught it, looking puzzled at the contraption.
Ditmas reached for his blaster pistol holster and grasped at thin air.
o-o-o
Taniar Trav'nel
Despite the death and carnage in the hallway, with dead and injured Bothans and Thellus humans lying on the floor, Taniar could not help it. In the empty air between her head and her helmet, her ears perked up in intense curiosity at the scene unfolding. They didn't even need us. They just let us tag along to protect our hurt feelings.
Well, he was pretty useless once we inked his helmet, so we had this handled, Taniar's other voice told herself. "Positive ID on Ditmas Shar!" Taniar snarled into her comm. It's over. The Jedi got him. The Jedi—
"—You think you are brave because you do not fear death?" Grar growled at the Mandalorian, her fur standing in rage. As she approached the Mandalorian, he began to levitate in mid-air.
Taniar's fur swirled nervously. Okay. This is probably going to be a problem.
"You are too ashamed to surrender, but not too ashamed to murder dozens of beings?" Grar snarled furiously. "You think you are powerful because you can murder others who are less armed than you with ease? YOU KNOW NOTHING OF TRUE POWER!"
Ditmas Shar screamed in agony, writhing as he floated in mid-air.
Taniar's fur fell flat. She had no idea what she was seeing, could not even comprehend what she was seeing, but she did not like it one bit.
"MASTER!" Tredessa screamed, pulling on Grar's arm. "STOP! IT'S OVER!"
Ditmas fell to the ground and collapsed, moaning.
Taniar's fur relaxed and began swirling nervously. She stared down the hallway, completely overwhelmed by the whole situation.
"We need medics in here," Bithisk yelped into his comm. "Lots of wounded. We have Ditmas Shar. I say again, Ditmas Shar has been captured."
Four medics arrived. Taniar stepped out of the way allowing them to pass. "Out of the way, make way for the medics!" she snarled into her comm.
A Bothan in blue RIS wearing a Bothawui Colonel rank removed his helmet and stepped forward from the commotion, giving the medics more space. "I am Colonel Tav Mi'zya," he growled in a thick accent, "thank you for the assist Master Jedi. We would have been goners if weren't for you."
"Where is Grum Azi'skar?" Grar growled nervously. "Did he survive?"
"Yes," Tav said professionally, "he is in Grav'shtarn as we speak."
