All of a Sudden, Lasers!
Through the large viewport at the front of the ship's bridge, Penny saw it. A gigantic behemoth of a vessel bearing down upon the Century Eagle, red hot laser blasts streaming out of its cannons at regular intervals. Each shot hit with precision, causing their ship to shake and rumble.
"Quick!" Oscar yelled, "Send us back! Hurry!"
"Are you out of your mind?" Jaune Solo hollered back. "I need every man, woman, and robot ready to fight these Empire dogs. I'm sorry kid but this comes first."
"But what if the multiverse shifts?" Oscar protested. "What if you lose the coordinates?"
"Then we find 'em again," Jaune replied, pulling out a sleek black pistol and inspecting it. "Right now my priority is keeping this ship out of Empire hands and my crew alive. You wanna go home? Help me deal with this crap."
Neo threw her arms up into the air in frustration. Oscar collapsed to his knees in defeat. They were so close.
Another rumble of the ship, followed by the viewports being covered in a sickly blue glow. "They've got us locked!" Schnee-3PO cried. "We're being towed in."
"Good." Penny stood firm. "Oscar! Miss Neo! We must work together to help Jaune Solo and his crew. They have done so much for us, it is only right that we help them in turn."
"What can we do against an empire?" Oscar replied.
"I don't need you to topple the Empire today, kid," Jaune added. "I put out a distress call to the Rebellion. If we can just hold out, we'll have plenty of backup."
"GLAAAAARG!" Rubacca cheered, hoisting a large crossbow-type weapon.
"Ruby's right," Jaune continued. "Once they pull us into their hangar they'll try to board us for capture. They'll be looking for me and my crew, but they don't know who you are. We'll handle the welcome party, you three infiltrate their ship and get to the central control room."
"What then?" Penny asked.
"You leave that part to me." Jaune smirked.
The inside of the Empire's massive ship was a pristine white contrasted by intimidating looking black fighter ship positioned all around. The Century Eagle had been drug right through space and into the hangar where a boarding party was waiting. As soon as the landing hatch was opened, blaster fire erupted.
As the chaos aboard the hangar deck unfolded, Neo and the others slipped out a secret exit behind the ship and carefully snuck away from the fighting. The real issue now was finding what Jaune had called the control center on a ship the size of a city. Jaune had given the group communicator devices to relay back to him, but he was most likely too busy getting shot at to provide much help.
"This place is enormous," Oscar echoed Neo's thoughts. "I don't even know where to begin."
Neo put her hands together and pulled them apart again, pointing in different directions.
"Oh of course you want to split up," Oscar shot back. "Going to try and leave us here again?"
Neo was slightly hurt, but then again if she had her own way out of this world, she most likely would have taken the chance.
"None of us can leave without Jaune's help," Penny added. At least the robot girl stood up for her. "If we split up, we can cover more ground. If anyone finds the control center, please let us know."
Neo wasn't exactly sure how she would use a communicator to alert the others, but she nodded in agreement and headed off.
Oscar took the nearest path and followed it gingerly, stopping every few feet to scan for Empire soldiers. He didn't even know what they looked like, but he was positive his outfit would stand out to them.
He traveled along a series of corridors, each the same glaring white metal as the last, before coming to a door that was different from the others. A foreboding red light pulsed atop it and the display nearby read "PRISON BLOCK 2A."
Not the kind of place I'd like to be.
The sound of footsteps startled Oscar; someone was nearby! Panicked, he slammed his hand on the door's control panel and it whirred open. He managed to get inside before two black armored soldiers carrying large rifles appeared on patrol.
"Is someone there?" a woman's voice called out from down the hall where Oscar had just entered. "I'm a bit thirsty, could I have a drink… or anything?"
Against every instinct telling him to just leave, Oscar approached the voice. The hallway was lined with individual cell doors, and inside the first one he found a woman clad in white robes lounging on an uncomfortable looking metal bench. She had burgundy hair tied up in tight buns and bespeckled skin unlike anything he had seen before.
"You look a little short to be an Empire soldier," she chuckled. "Do you have my water?"
"I'm with Jaune Solo and the rebels," Oscar replied. "I'm looking for the control center."
"Oh!" the woman perked up. "I know where that is! Let me out and I'll take you there."
(She could be lying,) Ozpin cautioned.
At this point, I'll take the risk.
"Ok, how do I open this thing?"
"There's a panel just over there," the woman pointed. "There should be an unlock button."
Oscar glanced over and saw a series of control panels he had missed by the door. Heading over to them, he scanned the console's numerous buttons for anything that might unlock the woman's cell.
"Screw it, I have no time!" he grunted, sliding his hands over the panels, pressing every button his fingers could reach.
He heard a loud clunk as the cell doors began to unlock down the hallway. Yes! Finally something goes my w—
"Block 2A what's going on up there?" a voice buzzed over a nearby intercom.
Oscar noticed a microphone attached to the console. He pressed the button nearby to activate it and spoke into the boom. "Nothing's wrong here. Everything's ok."
"Are you sure? We're showing all cell doors have just been unlocked, three maintenance droids have been called and someone requested six dinner trays."
"Uh… I'm hungry, what can I say?"
"Sir, it's 10:30 in the morning."
Oscar took his finger off the mic and turned back to the woman in white, now standing in the hall freely. "We should probably get going, Miss… uh…"
"Ilia Organa," the woman gave a slight bow. "Princess Ilia Organa."
Even with her advanced sensory capabilities, Penny could not locate any area of high importance within the metal walls of the Empire ship. She felt like she was just wandering aimlessly, when she nearly ran into a group of black armored soldiers patrolling the halls. She froze, unsure of what to do.
"Huh," one of the soldiers inspected her. "What's this Penny unit doing just wandering?"
"You!" the other pointed his rifle at Penny's face. "What is your unit number?"
"Erm…" Penny said the first number that came to mind. "Sixty nine!"
The soldiers exchanged glances.
"Nice." One said.
"Nice." The other followed.
Nice.
"Not sure who let you out, but you're coming with us back to the lab unti—"
A loud alarm began screeching and the white hallways were shrouded in a blood red glow. A voice began transmitting over the ship's PA system. "Rebel reinforcements have arrived. Darth Maiden wants all fighters scrambled to intercept."
"You heard them!" The guard nudged Penny forward. "Unit 69, head to Hanger C and squad up. Time to cripple these rebel scum for good."
Penny nodded and hastily walked off in the direction the soldier had directed. Jaune's friends had arrived, it seemed, but they were no closer to finding the control center. Now she had been enlisted to help the enemy.
She soon came upon a large bay labelled HANGER C and saw a fleet of girls identical to her running towards various fighter ships. They were circular in nature with two large beams sticking out horizontally, which connected to large panels. The entire ship looked like a letter H with a spherical center.
Penny ran to the closest empty ship and climbed in. She noticed a large hand shaped scanner and placed her palm upon it.
"Error. Penny unit not recognized. Please report to the administrator."
Darn.
Hopping out of the cockpit, she noticed the fighter next to her was getting ready to take off. Penny jumped up to the ship and opened the hatch. "Excuse me!" she shouted at the pilot, "I believe you have my ship. I need it back please!" With her free hand she grabbed the girl and removed her from the pilot's chair, jumping in herself.
The control gimbal was a single joystick between her legs, and Penny's sensors did their work scanning and transmitting the information from the ship's panels directly to her overhead display. She took hold of the controls and eased the ship out of the hangar and into the void of space.
The fight had begun; Empire ships just like hers were swarming around other red and yellow ships she assumed to be the rebels.
Flying her ship into the fray, Penny quickly encountered a problem. The ship's lock on targeting system would not allow her to target Empire ships. Smart design, but she could disable the system with a few switches. Using her superhuman senses, Penny began blasting away at Empire ships.
She maneuvered her craft through the fray and picked off fighters one by one, trying also to avoid the rebel's shooting at her.
"Penny Unit 42!" the ship's intercom blared. "You are targeting friendly craft. Return to the hangar immediately or you will be shot down!"
"Come and get me!" Penny challenged, rolling her ship around more laser fire. Her refusal to comply labelled her a hostile target, and soon Empire ships were targeting her as well as the rebels.
She was all alone in the middle of a two sided fight, and both sides wanted her dead.
Another Empire soldier hit the floor as Neo tackled her way through the increasingly guarded halls of the ship. She was close to something big, she could feel it.
An ominous set of black doors led to a gigantic open chamber with a single narrow walkway spanning its length. At the center of the room was a monolithic structure glowing with blue energy. This had to be the command center.
Standing in her way, however, was an all too familiar face.
"Don't be sad, it looks like your little journey ends here." The venomous voice, the sharp black hair and equally dark gown. Cinder Fall glared in her direction, and Neo readied herself for a fight.
"Adorable," Cinder grimaced, "But you're no match for my power."
Neo was tired of hearing her voice. She was tired of seeing her face. Even if this wasn't the Cinder who took Roman from her, she would kill her all the same.
Drawing Hush, Neo dashed forwards, ready to strike. Using her semblance, she created an illusion of her projected attack; Cinder did not flinch. The air was sucked from Neo's lungs as Cinder's fist met her abdomen hard, sending her to the ground.
"A nice trick, but the eyes of a Maiden cannot be fooled."
Neo summoned all her strength and swung Hush upwards, hoping to catch Cinder while she gloated. The vile woman was ready for even that.
A sharp hissing sound, a blade of light, and terrible pain.
Neo fell to the catwalk again, holding the stump where her hand was moments ago. Cinder towered over her, a saber of light, blood red in color, held in her grasp. She moved the weapon to Neo's head and it hummed in anticipation.
She had failed. Neo had come so far, never once stopped thinking of her true goal, but in the end she was never meant to go home. Was this the Gods' punishment for her life of crime? Perhaps her life should have ended all those years ago in the slums of Vale.
Perhaps she should never have taken his hand.
Cinder pulled the blade back, before bringing it down with all her might. Neo closed her eyes, embracing the end.
Sparks flew. The clash of energy crackled and buzzed.
"Neo! Get up!"
Cinder's eyes burned directly into his; The Long Memory, coated in powerful green energy, held back her blade of light mere inches away from Neo's head.
"Neo!" Oscar called to her. "Get up!"
"She's hurt!" Ilia Organa said, pulling the wounded Neo to safety.
"How dare you spoil my fun!" Cinder growled. She pushed Oscar back and retreated a few steps backwards, composing herself. "And you found the Princess too. You're just full of tricks, rebel scum."
"Your fleet is being dismantled ship by ship, Darth Maiden," Ilia snapped. "Surrender and face justice for atrocities your Empire has committed."
"Justice?" Cinder laughed. "I AM JUSTICE!" Her eyes flared up with the power of the Maiden. Oscar took a defensive stance, still holding his glowing cane upright.
Neo, still in pain, had risen back to her feet. She clearly wanted to keep fighting, but her weapon was nowhere to be seen.
"Take this," Ilia handed her a steel cylinder with a large button on the side. "You were meant to have it."
Neo pressed the button and the beam sword erupted to life, its blade a brightly colored pink. With her wound still fresh, she joined Oscar's side for another battle.
"Are you sure you can fight?" Oscar asked. Neo nodded and they both turned their attention to Cinder.
Oscar summoned more magic, leaping high into the air over Cinder and landing on the other side of her near the control panel. She glared back at him before facing forward to fend off Neo's incoming attack.
The laser swords clashed and sparked as they fought; Cinder seemed to have no issue keeping up with both Oscar and Neo's dual assault.
Cinder locked her blade with Neo's and Oscar took the advantage to sweep her legs. She whipped her head around, eyes aflame, and somehow managed to suspend Oscar's cane mid-swing. No matter how hard he tried, he could not overpower the Maiden's strength.
"When you die," Cinder cackled, "I want you to understand how incredibly foolish you were to challenge a Maiden! Yo—"
An explosion in the side of the chamber broke everyone's concentration. A banged up Empire fighter crashed through the walls, its turrets pointing in their direction.
And Penny Polendina was at the trigger.
With a single shot from the laser cannons hitting Cinder squarely in the chest, she was sent flying off of the catwalk and into the void below, screaming as she fell.
Princess Ilia Organa took control of the Empire ship, lowering its shields and activating several self destruct sequences for critical components on board. She then led Oscar, Penny and Neo back to the hangar where the Century Eagle was still standing, surrounded by the bodies of around fifty Empire troopers. Jaune Solo could not have been happier to see them.
With the day won, however, it was finally time for them to return to their own world. Jaune had his crew set up the warp, which was still thankfully locked to the correct sequence.
"I guess this is goodbye," Oscar tried to smile. As much as he was happy to go home, he felt an emptiness inside that he couldn't understand.
"We can't thank you enough for all you've done," Princess Ilia gave a polite bow.
"Yeah you brats are alright," Jaune added.
"GLAAAAAAAAAARG!" was Rubacca's contribution.
"The transporter is ready," Schnee-3PO confirmed, and instructed everyone to move onto specially designated pads that would facilitate the transfer. Each was given new wristbands as well. According to Jaune they helped speed the transfer along, and could pinpoint their home world's sequence from anywhere as long as it didn't shift again.
As the process began, the ever familiar light began to wrap around them.
"Sequence locked. Power is stable at 50,000 TITS."
"Wait…" Jaune paused. "I told you to use fifty, not fifty thousand!"
Alarms could be heard as the light overtook Oscar's vision. The familiar feeling of travel suddenly changed. He felt lightheaded and nauseous. His brain seemed to swell and he felt as if he was falling.
Then, there was nothing.
None of Penny's sensors were working. Something had gone awry in the warp procedure, but she couldn't determine what.
"Are we alive?" Oscar asked.
"I believe so." Penny responded.
Neo shrugged.
They stood amongst a white void, featureless and empty as far as the eye could see.
"Well where are we then?" Oscar's voice became more panicked. "Jaune said he was sending us home! Is this home?"
It clearly was not Remnant. Even if Ironwood had succeeded in launching Atlas into the sky, even if Salem had won and turned the world to ash, there was nothing here. Nothing except the voice of one man.
"Neo? Is it really you?"