Sorry if my last chapter was a little short. Honestly, I hate it when I post a chapter that is shorter than I think it really is. But I hopefully I can make it up to you guys with a very lengthy chapter this time.
Warning: this chapter contains horrific and somewhat gory material; viewer discretion is advised.
Disclaimers are the same as before, enjoy.
Chapter 8: Nightmare in Space
July 7th 2019, 20BBY
Outer Rim
2000 hours
Normal point of view
Space, the final frontier. A vast unexplored area of the universe with countless possibilities for explorers of all galaxies. But it also serves as a place where one can conduct immoral experiments, experiments which often lead to unforeseen complications.
One such place is a Republic medical station called the Blackwing. At four times the size of the standard Haven-Class medical stations, this station was the home of a top-secret project kept hidden from the republic military and Jedi order.
Unlike the normal stations, this one was armed with six medium turbo laser cannons should the separatists find the station and attack it. In each of the port entrances, republic ships of all kinds and several Acclamator assault ships belonging to the clone battalions that were the stations security force.
Inside the station, blood was splattered all over the walls, blasters laid scattered across the floor along with pieces of clone armor. Panels on the walls and ceilings were hanging by a thread and the sounds of groaning echoed through out the station.
Running for his life a lone clone trooper with a blood splatter across his chest plate raised his rifle the moment he heard the groaning. He scanned the area and found no hostiles. Breathing with relief he continued towards the communication center of the station.
The moment he arrived, he set his rifle by the console and quickly found the frequency he was looking for. "Mayday, this is CT-902 Chainblade to anyone out there. I need immediate assistance, there's been a leak. The virus has escaped, everyone is dead. I repeat, everyone else is dead. Send immediate assistance, the station must be…" he said franticly before he heard the clanging of a set of pipes.
Picking his rifle up, the lone trooper raised his rifle and fired off several shoots taking down whatever was heading towards him, the transmission still being recorded when the blaster fire ended and the trooper screamed.
Back on Coruscant in the range, Robert and Ahsoka were just putting the finishing touches on Ahsoka's Huntress armor. Like the Hayabusa armor, the Huntress armor could shift, making it easier to remove when the armor wasn't needed and also featured magnetic straps for weapons like the DC15 or ACR. However, unlike Roberts helmet, Ahsoka's helmet could shift and covered her lekku. Painted in the color of the Praetor suit, Ahsoka and Robert sparred with each other, testing the systems of the armor to ensure that they were operating at full capacity.
Blocking an uppercut punch from her boyfriend, Ahsoka then attacked with bicycle kick landing it on Roberts chest. But Robert grabbed her leg and threw her to the ground. When it looked like Robert was going to knock her lights out, he offered his hand to Ahsoka and pulled her up to her feet. "You certainly know hand to hand combat, Soka. You'd give the White Ranger a run for his money." Robert complimented as Ahsoka removed her helmet.
"Thanks. I pick up on things quickly, all those hand to hand fights you were in, I paid close attention." She responded removing her helmet. "Still have to see if the shields work on this." She added. "I won't be testing it with one of my own guns and risk killing you, so we just have to wait until battle." Robert said.
"Hopefully it can also with stand a blast of Rhydonium exploding. I know my armor did." A voice said and the two turned to see Gregor a clone commando standing in the door way of the Range's sparring room. He was thought to have been killed at the battle of Sarrish, but he was revealed to be alive after Colonel Meebur Gascon along with D-Squad crashed on Abafar where he was found to have amnesia and was working as a dishwasher.
Fortunately, R2 and Gascon were able to help him regain his memory and were able to bring him back to the republic just before the Separatists could destroy the Valor Space Station with captured Republic cruiser which was loaded to capacity with Rhydonium. He was then transferred to the Dragoons along with the Colonel and since then have become valuable allies in the war.
"Don't you know how to knock?" Robert asked. Ahsoka sighed silently, she was hoping to surprise Robert with the items she bought a few months ago and please her boyfriend. "Sorry about that, but General Skywalker wants you two ready for departure in two hours. We're going to the outer rim." The commando responded.
Two hours later, the duo were aboard the Retribution and were talking about earth. When Ahsoka asked about Roberts other friends, he took out a photo of him with four other girls. Two of them were Japanese one with copper brown hair and amber eyes wearing a leather jacket with a floral dress underneath her jacket with silver pendant around her neck. The second girl had light red eyes and salmon pink hair dressed as a cowgirl with a pair of prop Smith and Wesson Schofield revolvers in dual holsters. The third girl was Swedish with dark blue eyes and light blue hair wearing a black Gothic Lolita outfit. The last girl was of German-Japanese descent with dark brown hair and blueish-grey eyes wearing a white sexy nurses costume.
In the center of the picture, was Robert dressed as a COG soldier. Each was about a few months older than Robert and in the background were other people dressed in other costumes behind them. "These are my other friends, this was after I went to Hope County and just in time for an anime convention in New York. That's Kasumi Hano, Hitomi Endo Hoffman, Marie Rose and Honoka Akagi. They've been my friends since elementary school." Robert began pointing to each girl in the photo. "Other kids used to tease me about not knowing my dad, but they didn't, they respected me. We used to do everything together. Camping trips, hiking and other activities. Hell, people used to call me the 'Young Hugh Heffner' since I was with them all the time."
"They-They all have large 'you-know'." Ahsoka said with embarrassment pointing to their women assets. "All I cared about was their friendship, not their boobs." Robert corrected. "I miss them, if I were home right now we would be planning our next hiking trip."
"I'm sure you'll see them soon." Ahsoka assured.
"I have a feeling it will be sooner than later." Robert responded before he put the picture away and the two headed to the bridge.
Moments later, they arrived to find Anakin, Halberton, Treadshot, Rex, a holographic image of Killian and to their annoyance Tarkin standing by the holotable. "You two are late." Tarkin reprimanded. "Excuses us for having a conversation dick-less." Robert responded.
Tarkin was about to make a comeback, but Anakin stopped him. "Look, why don't we all just calm down. Admiral Killian, tell us what you intercepted." Anakin asked the Corellian Admiral.
"Two days ago, we picked up a transmission from a remote region in the outer rim." Killian said and then played the transmission. "From what we can gather the transmissions origin claims to be from the research station, Blackwing but there is no station with that name in our records."
"I heard about the Blackwing," Halberton said. "Rumors are that it is a research station being used to create a biological weapon to counter the enemy Terror Troopers." he added. "BOW's? Great, that's all we need." Robert cursed.
"It could be worse. We could be dealing with xenomorphs or more of those brainworms." Barney joked as he, Max, Lincoln, Lee and Ray entered the bridge. "Humor aside general, we haven't been able to get a response from the station. Admiral Tarkin here sent a scout team ahead to investigate the station, but we haven't heard from them and no other transmissions…" Killian began before they were interrupted by a new transmission coming from the station.
"Can anyone hear me; my friends and I are stuck aboard some space station. Everyone is dead, we armed ourselves with unknown rifles and need immediate help. I say again we need help!" A girl called over the commlink. Robert gasped when he heard the voice. "KASUMI!" he shouted, but Kasumi didn't hear him.
"You know her?" Tarkin asked confused. "She's an old friend and if she's there than that means the other are there too." Robert said before pressing a button on his gauntlet. "Treadshot! Have Alpha, Bravo, Delta and Gamma platoons prepare for immediate combat. Make sure troopers with the DP-23's are ready, and get some medics. The moment we reach the stations location I want Gunships ready for immediate medevac. And tell Ryder to meet me in the armory." Robert shouted into the commlink. "I lost one friend in my life, I won't lose anymore." He said before leaving the bridge and headed to the armory.
The moment Robert left the bridge, Ahsoka went after him. After what he told her about his friends, it was clear that he wanted to save his friends and she wanted to do everything she could to help him, leaving Anakin and the Admirals on the bridge.
The moment they left, Anakin contacted Rex and ordered him to get the gunships ready for take off like Robert did and brought up the readout of the station. He needed to know what they were walking into.
Roberts point of view
When I left the bridge, I could sense Tarkin's immediate thought that I would let my emotions over the safety of my friends compromise the mission. He's damn wrong. Saving Kasumi and the others, it was not going to compromise the mission. Like Grace and Jess, they were like sisters I always wanted to me and I wanted to make sure they wouldn't die, like Courtney did.
I walked into the armory and found CT-2186 Ryder, the newest member of the Dragoons loading a FN P90 with a fresh magazine before he put the weapon down and slid a FN G40 grenade launcher underneath a FN-SCAR L which he had equipped with an ACOG scope. Slung over his back with his standard DC15s was a FN SLP semi-automatic shotgun with a red dot sight mounted on the rail.
Unlike most troopers, Ryder had been trained to use the weapons my world uses at his request after learning just how powerful they were. Trained by the Expendables, he knew how properly handle and maintain weapons from FN Herstal, Colt and other companies.
"Checking your equipment Ryder?" I asked startling the trooper who almost dropped the rifle. "Just checking the weapons. I heard that some weapons can get a spent casing stuck in the ejection port in a fire fight like you did on Geonosis, sir." The trooper responded saluting me.
"You don't need to be so with me trooper. I told you, just call me Robert." I told Ryder who dropped his hand.
"Can you blame him? You're his superior officer and leader of the dragoons." A voice called and we were soon joined by Shoda who had an Styer Aug with a M900 weapon light and a red dot sight slung over her back, a MP-133 shotgun with a six round box magazine in her hands and a pair of Berretta 93Rs strapped to her waist, Revy with a HS VHS assault rifle, her new favorite automatic slug-thrower which she modified heavily, sporting a holographic sight and a forward hand grip in her hands and her cutlasses at her sides.
"Well, soldier boy here needs to grow a fucking spine or he won't get anywhere in the army." Revy said, taking a whiff of her cigarette and blowing out a mouthful of smoke towards the rookie trooper. "Hey, cut me some slack Two-Hands. I always wanted to serve alongside the Lone Wolf, all I just want to do my part and serve the republic." Ryder answered, waving his hand in front of his face to avoid the smell of tobacco.
"Just keep your cool and whatever you do, don't let your guard down." I assured the rookie before I grabbed a KSG-25, the Punisher, Morita and Pulse rifle before heading to the hanger bay. "Hang on girls, I'm coming for you." I thought before leaving the armory and headed for the hanger.
Revy and Shoda were the only members of the Lagoon crew that were with us for this mission, Dutlas, Benny and Rock were investigating a rumor that Maul and Savage were alive and amassing a large amount of man power for some unknown purpose, knowing Maul it would be so he could have his revenge against Obi-Wan, and probably me since I was the one who severed Savage's left arm before he could kill master Gallia during the recent skirmish on Florrum.
Honestly, I couldn't blame Maul being considered dead by his former master after being cut in half would make anyone angry, but to slaughter who knows how many people and Jedi just to get Obi-Wan was something I wouldn't do, even if I weren't a Sith.
"Hey, you got a minute?" I heard Ahsoka call out from behind and saw her jogging up behind me, her armor still in its chest piece mode with a XM8 with a fifty-round magazine attached to her back. I stopped in my tracks and waited for Ahsoka to catch up with me. "You seem to be very concerned about your friends, especially Kasumi. Why is that?" She asked.
"I used to have a crush on Kasumi, but that was before I found out she was lesbian." I admitted, shocking Ahsoka. "Look, I love you Ahsoka. But they are like family to me and I won't lose any more people I call family." I stated clenching my fist.
The next thing I knew, Ahsoka took my helmet off and kissed me right on the lips for a brief second. "I know. Besides, after what you told me I really want to meet these girls." Ahsoka replied. "Then let's get them the hell off that station." I said and the two of us entered the hanger.
"Alright people listen up. We don't know what we're walking into so I want everyone to be on their toes and keep your eyes open for anything out of the ordinary. Remember your training and you'll come back alive. I DO NOT want to lose an entire platoon to enemy fire!" I shouted to the troopers who were in the hanger and boarded one of the gunships.
The ship lurched forward and I could tell we dropped out of hyperspace. Shoda came up to me with a duffle bag. "If your friends are on that station, they are going to need a change of clothes." She said.
The doors soon closed the moment she, Revy, Gregor and Ryder boarded the gunship and in no time at all, the gunships left the ship and the fleet stopped. "Admiral Halberton, maintain a safe distance from the station. Whatever is on that station is bad news. I don't want what ever it is to get onboard the rest of the ships." I said over the commlink.
"Roger that Lieutenant. Be advised, Admiral Tarkin has ordered us to retrieve the stations data so command can continue their 'research' whatever it is." The Admiral responded.
"Copy that." I said and shut off the commlink.
"Attention passengers, we are approaching our destination. Please remove all personal belongings from the ship and please wait until the vehicle has come to a complete stop. Thank you for choosing dragoon air for your travels." The pilot joked over the commlink.
"Cut the flight attendant crap, Wing-Dagger." I said to the pilot as the gunships landed and the trooper piled out and scanned the area. "All clear." Treadshot said.
I glanced around the hanger and was appalled by what I saw.
All over the floor were blood stains of various species. Blasters scattered across the floor with pieces of clone armor and a few limbs, the walls littered with scorch marks. I knelt down and checked one of the discarded blasters as the gunships headed back to the fleet and went to get Echo and Gamma platoons. The blaster I held had its power pack removed, as did the other blasters nearby.
"What do you think sir?" Ryder asked. "There was a firefight here. They were shooting in all directions. Something was heading towards them, something hungry. Whatever it was, its long gone." I said. Treadshot was about to speak when an explosion from outside the station was heard and we looked back to see Wing-Daggers gunship explode into a ball of fire. Other gunships were shot down and very few made it out of range of the station's turrets.
"Blake, tell me no one else is on this station but us." Anakin asked. "I wish I could general, but I'm reading four life forms heading our way now." Blake answered and the doors to the hanger bay opened. The men, Shoda and Revy raised their weapons and I was about to follow suit before I felt a presence I hadn't sensed since last year. "Hold Your Fire!" I shouted.
The men lowered their weapons and no sooner had they did and to my relief I watched as my friends entered the hanger, wearing nothing but skintight bodysuits which were torn in several places armed with DC15c's. "Kasumi, Hitomi, Marie, Honoka. Thank God you four are…" I began but was interrupted with Kasumi pointing a blaster in my face. "Who the hell are you and how do you know our names?" Kasumi demanded.
I took off my helmet and showed my face to them. "Its me Robert." I said.
Kasumi's point of view
I thought that this guy playing a trick on me when this armored figure said he was Robert, but the moment I saw his face I knew it was him. "ROBERT!" Marie shouted and ran forward and jumped into his arms. "I thought I wouldn't see you again." She said crying.
"Hey, I told you that no matter what happens we'll always be in each other's hearts." Robert responded breaking the hug and wiping the tears from Marie's eyes. "I'm just glad you guys are alive. But what the hell are you doing here?" he asked.
I lowered my gun and explained everything.
Two months ago, the four of us were coming back from a swim at the local lake when our car broke down. Our phones were out of power and now people have to pay to more for electricity, some new law that the President passed without the approval of Congress and the only people that didn't have to pay were politicians that were known to have possible connections to criminal organizations.
We were two miles from the nearest gas station and it was already dark so we started walking. Next thing we knew, Marie was dragged into the woods and we followed her only to be surrounded by lizard men who then stunned Honoka and Hitomi with some kind of taser before they ganged up on me. I was able to fight back, but they soon quickly forced me to the ground, tied me up and gagged me along with Marie and the others and then knocked me out as well.
Next thing I know, I woke up and found that all four of us were in some kind of leather restraints forcing are arms together, are legs strapped with a belt or something, a muzzle like object over our mouths and were in a cell of some kind. The same lizard men then appeared in front of us, speaking in some unknown language and for a second, I thought they were going to eat us.
They never had the chance because they were killed by other lizards, these ones wearing some kind of armor. Then they stunned us and everything went black again. Again, we woke up to find ourselves in some kind of cell only this time we weren't secured with those weird kinky stuff and were wearing some kind of jumpsuit.
For days we were observed by scientist types and they were disappointed that we didn't show any sign of what they were looking for. They were about to kill us when something broke loose and began to kill everyone in their path. We would have been left to die if it had not been for a clone trooper who called himself Chainblade and we were safe for a time being but as the days went by, the number of survivors dwindled until it was just me and my friends along with Chainblade.
Knowing that we were the only civilians left on the station, he gave us weapons and told us to run. We left him and soon we heard a blood curling scream and knew that the trooper was dead. That soon brought us up to the present and our reunion with Robert.
"Sounds like you guys were abducted by Trandoshan's, but the question is how did they find earth? The only one's who know its location are me and the Expendables, Jess and Grace." Robert surmised. "Well, how are we going to get home?" Hitomi asked.
"Well first thing, you guys go to the women with the AUG and get some new clothes on. Can't have you worried about covering your chests in combat." My friend said and we went over to the girl with green skin and black diamond tattoos on her face. What did we get into?
Normal point of view
To say that Robert was relieved that his friends were alive made him a happy man. Unfortunately, it appeared that Kasumi and the others weren't the ones who activated the stations defenses which meant that someone else was on the station.
The moment his friends had changed into the clone armor that Shoda had modified for her own body, Robert gave his next orders. "Alright listen up, we can't bring in anymore back up until those cannons are shutdown. General Skywalker will take his platoons and secure the cargo hold, the rest of us will head to the command center and get any intel we can find and sweep the area for other survivors. Two-Hands and Shoda will be in charge of Alpha platoon, Bravo platoon is under my command. Keep your fingers on your triggers and shoot only if anyone fails to identify themselves." The Lone Wolf ordered before turning to his friends.
"I know you've been through hell, but we could use your help." He asked.
"After not seeing you for almost a year, we're just glad to be spending time with you." Honoka said and the others agreed and the platoons entered what could only be described as the doors to hell.
All around them was very quiet, the bits and pieces of clone armor and body parts filled the air with a sense of dread but the press on. Each member kept their fingers on the trigger of their weapons, ready to attack the second the enemy attacked, who ever the enemy was.
"I don't like it, there's no sign of any wrecked battle droids. Just torn limbs and bits of armor, where the hell are the bodies?" Dutch asked as he scanned the area ahead of the group with the smart gun. "That's just it. The moment we were let out of our cell, the troopers didn't say. Its almost as if they were hiding something." Hitomi answered.
"This place feels like Hadley's Hope after the Xenomorph infestation occured, lots of carnage and blood. Only we haven't seen any bodies. Xeno's or potential hosts." Honoka said nervously shaking as she turned around pointing her rifle at the rear.
"Come on girl, we have professional soldiers with us, many of whom are veterans. We couldn't be safer." Marie assured her Japanese girl. "Don't let your guard down. What ever is here is still around." Robert said before the group came to a stop.
"Anakin, take Alpha and Delta platoons along with your men and secure the cargo hold. Take Blake with you, see if there's a terminal in the there and try and shutdown the turrets. Something tells me that the hanger bay is a no go now. Revy, Shoda take Bravo platoon, head to the prison cells and look for any other survivors. Some one else must know what happened hear and what the hell was going on here. The rest of us will head to the command center and see if the computers recorded what happened. Keep you fingers on your triggers and shoot anyone who fails to identify themselves." Robert ordered.
Soon the group split up and Robert, his friends, Ahsoka with her armor activated and gamma platoon were on route to the command center, finding more and more pieces of clone armor and limbs as they traversed the station.
Soon they approached the command center and were about to enter when Honoka tripped. "Why can't abandoned stations stay in one piece? Those grates nearly made me fall." She complained. As she got up she saw what she tripped over wasn't a lose grate, but the body of Chainblade, his entrails ripped. Seeing the sight, she nearly screamed before Kasumi covered mouth.
"Damn, this isn't good." Ryder said as he shown his light over Chainblades body and saw the damage done to his brother. Hitomi soon vomited after she turned away and Robert knelt down and checked the body. "Blasters don't tear open armor like this. Something tore the guy to shreds." He deduced.
"But how is that possible, the armor is made a plastoid-alloy." One of the other troopers said.
"Which is weird right. I mean look at him." another trooper said prodding the dead body with his foot. "Something scrambled his insides."
"Misfire?" another trooper asked.
"Doubt it, maybe something like Rakghoul attacked him, those things have sharp claws." Ryder suggested.
"Whatever did this, is on the loose and might have spread to the rest of the station. Let's get to command center and lock it down. I don't want whatever did this to get us." Robert ordered and quickly contacted Anakin and Revy of their find.
"Guys, we found the body of Chainblade. He's dead, but something tore through his armor and disemboweled the guy. You guys find anything like that?" Robert spoke into the commlink.
"Not where we are. Cargo hold is secured, but we got another problem. Looks like the station has unmanned T.I.E fighters, over two hundred of them on standby orders to launch the moment the station is attacked. Blake is working on shutting them down, but I think the turrets should be our priority." Anakin said.
"Tell Blake to get the turrets offline and worry about the fighters later." Robert responded to Anakin.
"Revy, Shoda you guys find anything?" Robert asked. But there was no reply. "Two-Hands, do you copy?" Robert asked. Again, no reply came.
"Ahsoka, take Gamma platoon and the others and head to the command center, Bravo platoon isn't responding so I'm going after them." Robert said to his girlfriend, who nodded. He was about to leave, when Kasumi stopped him. "I'm going with you, this is a two-person job." She said.
"Agreed." Robert said, truthfully, he didn't want to bring his friend with him, but it was hard to argue with her so they moved quickly, leaving an almost jealous Ahsoka behind.
In no time at all, Robert and Kasumi arrived at Bravo platoons last known location. This time, they found bodies of dead civilians along with clone troopers belonging to Bravo platoon and stations security. "These guys were also torn to shreds. What the hell are we dealing with here?" Robert asked himself before he spotted Gregor, Revy and Shoda running towards them. "You're going to need to look at this, I think we found the cause of the problem." Gregor said panting.
"Why? What did you find?" Robert asked.
"You wouldn't believe us if we fucking told you. Better you see this shit for yourself." Revy said and led the two to what they had found. None of them hearing the soft groaning of something hungry for flesh.
Revy's point of view
You'd fuckin think that the separatist terror troopers were messed up, but this is more messed up.
Shoda, Gregor and I found something that was fucked up it would make the Jedi sick to their stomach's, not that I could blame them. There are some things in the galaxy no one wants to find. But Robert, he's different. Sure, he hates that civilians are killed in war for no reason, but he isn't one who would lash out at the person responsible, not like I would.
The second we arrived at the sight of what we found, the rest of the platoon we were in charge of seemed to have vanished. I didn't like it, troopers don't vanish unless they were perusing another lead to what ever happened here.
"Its right behind this door. But thing is sealed up tight than a pair of skivvies in a knot." I told the kid and his friend. "Alright, then let's get this door open." He replied and began to punch in the access codes for the door. Blake had given us the access codes after he found out the turrets were still online.
"I don't know about this. It looks like the stations personal tried pretty hard to lock it down." Gregor said with concern.
"Then that means they were hiding something." Robert responded and the doors slid open. "Shoda, take point." He ordered.
Shoda did and entered with her shotgun ready while the rest of us followed.
What we found was nothing we had expected to find. Inside the room, placed in the center of some kind of altar was a black orchid, with vein like vines spreading all across the floor and heading out of the room to other places. "A fucking plant. Why would people be worshiping a plant?" I asked and scanned the room with my rifle. Something didn't feel right.
"Don't know, but these guys seemed to be worshipping the thing like it's a god." Robert said getting my attention and I saw a couple of black robed dead guys with blaster holes in their heads circling the plant. "I got a bad feeling about this." Kasumi said nervous.
"Girl, you have a bad feeling about everything. You had a bad feeling about…" Robert began before the commlink crackled. "Lieutenant, anyone can you hear me?" A trooper called over the commlink.
"What's going on trooper?" Robert asked.
"We got contacts… lots of 'em… but they're not droids… they're just tearing through us… what the? Oooooohhh noooooo!" The trooper screamed before the commlink went dead. "Trooper? Do you copy, over?" Robert shouted into the commlink but there was no reply.
"Revy, Shoda, Gregor get your asses to their last known position and find out what…" Robert began before he turned around and noticed the plant started to pulse rapidly like a heart. "What's it doing?" Kasumi asked. That's when it happened.
Right behind the plant, the door was ripped open and exiting the door was a Whipid. The guy had bite marks all over his body and his eyes were pale white. Before any of us could figure out what happened, the alien ran right towards us and slammed into Gregor, knocking him to the ground and attempted to bite him.
I was about to shoot the bastard, but Kasumi beat me to it and with a single shot to the head, downed the crazed furball. "What the hell just happened?" she asked. "It's like he was…" Robert began before calls over the commlink from Ahsoka indicated that we had a lot of hostiles heading our way.
No sooner had she suggested that we leave the area, more people ranging from Bothan's to humans and clones swarmed through the open door ahead of us all with the same intention. "RUN LIKE HELL!" Robert shouted and let loose a burst of fire from his Morita at the bastards.
"Don't have to tell me twice!" I shouted and exited the lab/altar or whatever the fuck the room is called and fired my own weapon at the approaching horde, covering the others while they exited the room firing their own weapons at the approaching. "There's too many of them!" Gregor shouted lobbing a grenade at the bastards.
The grenade exploded and blew off the legs of several of the hostiles, but they just kept coming. More came pouring in from behind us and we were cut off. "You guys better duck." Robert said and I quickly pushed Kasumi to the ground as he unleashed a powerful Force Repulse, disintegrating a vast majority of the horde and knocking several of them into the wall.
"FALL BACK TO THE COMMAND CENTER!" he shouted firing long bursts of weapon fire at the unknown hostiles killing several of them at once while covering us. Running from a fight isn't something I like doing, but yet these things weren't like droids.
What the hell was going on here.
Normal point of view
While Robert and the others were dealing with the unknown hostiles, Ryder had found something very disturbing in the stations data logs. Turns out the station was attempting to continue Darth Scabrous's work on creating the ultimate super soldier and his quest for immortality using a formula devised from the mind of Darth Drear a thousand years before Scabrous's time.
They were using dead Terror Troopers recovered from battles all over the galaxy and brought the bodies to the station. Sadly, for the scientists running the project had used the last of the Terror Trooper bodies and soon began to abduct the crews of freighters, transports and other worlds around the outer rim to continue their work. They even got their hands-on Roberts friends and planned on using them as test subjects when the outbreak occurred.
Apparently, one of the specialists they had on the force began to hear voices after studying the orchid they had been using to help produce the formula and had infected himself and began to kill and infect anyone who got in their way. Anyone who was infected turned in minutes or died.
At first, the clone security was able to hold of the infected, but everyday their numbers would grow from the people they eat. The strength was equal to that of a Wampa. The biggest concern was who authorized this project and why no one was informed about this.
"So that means we have a zombie infestation?" Ahsoka asked confused.
"Yeah, that sums it up. We need to evacuate and destroy the station, contact the Lone Wolf he…" Ryder began until the sounds of weapons fire echoed towards the control room. His boots skidding on the floor, Robert fired his KSG at the incoming horde while Kasumi and the others quickly ran to the control room. The moment the others were ahead of him, Robert sprinted towards the control room. "CLOSE THE DOORS NOW!" he shouted and Hitomi hit the door control and the doors began to close.
The others made it through and it seemed for a second that Robert wasn't going to make it, but at the last second, he jumped through the closing doors before he would have been crushed like a melon. "Bravo's dead. WHAT THE FUCK DID WE WALK INTO?!" he shouted, slamming his fist on the now closed door.
"What happened out there?" Treadshot asked.
Robert soon explained the loss of Bravo platoon, the plant and its 'vein's along with the encounter with the undead. "Bio weapons. Living weapons are never the way to win a war, you lose control of those things you'll kill yourself or untold numbers of innocent people." Honoka said, being the Resident Evil fan, she is.
"Tell me that Anakin was informed of the situation?" Robert asked.
"We just got in contact with General Skywalker now." Ryder said.
Grabbing the commlink from the trooper, Robert contacted Ahsoka's master. "ANAKIN! DO YOU READ! WE GOT A CLUSTER FUCK SITUATION HERE! THE BASTARDS IN CHARGE OF THE STATION WERE CONDUCTING BIOLOGICAL EXPERMIMENTS AND WHO THE HELL KNOWS WHAT ELSE! TELL ME YOU HAVE THE TURRETS OFFLINE!" he shouted.
"Turrets are down, but those fighters have been activated. Did you really have to yell, I could here you with out the yelling. Now, what did you find?" Anakin asked over the com. Robert than explained everything that had transpired in the time since the groups had split up.
"I can't believe that someone would actually conduct experiments like what you described. The plant you mentioned is known as the Murakami Orchid, its been said that it's a force sensitive plant and can speak with anyone it comes in contact with. Tell me you destroyed the plant?" Anakin asked
"No, I didn't get the chance to destroy the plant. There were too many Zeds, they may be easy to kill but they would have overwhelmed us. We don't have enough firepower to take out all of them. I got them banging on the door and I don't think it will hold much longer." Robert replied as the horde banged on the door.
"We already contacted the fleet. Our fighters are engaging the stations fighters, but I don't know how long until they can get gunships to the hanger for evacuation. To make matters worse, the station has shields and the shields are powerful enough to withstand the combined firepower of ten battle groups." Anakin said.
Robert was about to respond when the Zeds began to rip open the main door and pour through the opening. Igniting his Lightsaber, Robert leapt over the holotable and began to hack off the heads of the infected and sent them flying back with a strong push of the force. "This station has a reactor right, if we blow the reactor then we blow the whole station and destroy this damn plague." Robert said before reaching out with the force, grabbed one of the zombies and sent it flying into several others that were starting to get up before sending a torrent of force lighting into the undead, shocking them so much that they literally exploded with messy results.
"That's impossible, that sounds like a one-way trip, no one in their right mind would blow up the reactor, you'd have to be crazy." Anakin said. "You forget who you're talking to. I'm a person who can make the impossible, possible. Just get the others to the hanger bay and hold out for extraction." Robert said before looking back towards Gamma platoon.
"Ahsoka, take my friends and Gamma platoon back to the hanger. You'll need to hold your ground until the gunships arrived. I'm going to blow this place to hell." Robert said before removing his bandolier and handed the KSG-25 to Hitomi. "Aim for the head, that's the only way to put these bastards down for good." He added, not noticing the reanimated Wookie behind him. Luckily, Revy did and with a burst from her pistols downed the Wookie while Ryder aimed his Scar and fired at two more Zeds taking them both down. "Ryder, delete the data we found, it can't leave this station." Robert said to the rookie before turning to his friends.
"Kasumi, no matter what happens make sure you and the others live to see another day. I'd hate to explain to Rally how I lost four friends in one day." Robert said before running towards the approaching horde with his original sabers in hand and began to hack away at the undead. "DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME! GO, NOW!" he shouted back to the others who were entranced by his sheer brutality on the horde.
"You heard him, we have to go now." Shoda shouted as she led the others back to the hanger while Kasumi and the other girls, with heavy hearts left their friend behind, believing that they would never see him again.
By the time they reached the hanger, Anakin, Rex and about half of Alpha and Delta platoons had already set up a defensive position and a field of fire for the undead. "Where's Robert?" Anakin asked his padawan and Ahsoka explained that he went to blow up the reactor.
"He's got guts, I'll give him that, but he can't do it alone." Anakin said looked towards the Redemption and the other ships. "Ahsoka, go help him out. We'll be alright, the boy you love needs your help more than we do." he assured his Padawan. Ahsoka nodded, and pressed a button on her gauntlet and her armor soon covered her beautiful body and detached the M8 on her back and ran back down the corridor to the location of the boy she loves.
Back with Robert, the descendant of Revan was being swarmed by hundreds of Undead, these ones redder and bloodier then the others. He had followed one of the vines he spotted in the room with the orchid and had found some kind of heart like biomass and it was clear that whatever it was, made the zombies stronger and deadlier than before.
Knowing that these types of undead would overwhelm the others, we destroyed the heart but at the same time unknowingly drew all the undead nearby to his location. Standing his ground, he unleashed hell on the brainless horde with his pulse rifle, firing in short controlled bursts maintaining his accuracy and putting down the undead, ending the suffering the people had endured before they had turned.
The moment he had exited the area where the heart was, he moved forwards downing any zombie he came across with complete brutality with either his guns, his sabers or the force. He had spent two magazines of his pulse rifles remaining ammo supply and was about to reload his second to last magazine when a Twi'lek zombie with an appearance similar to Hera came at him like a Banzai charger knocking him to the ground and making him drop his weapon and the magazine which was only inches away from a nearby droid shaft.
The zombie had its hands wrapped around his throat and tried to bite him. Despite his armor's shields, if the zombie somehow got his helmet off, they would have a clean shot at his neck. With all his strength, Robert pushed the zombie off him and grabbed the magazine, quickly loading it into his rifle and turned around to fire when a shot rang out and nailed the zed in the head.
Turning around, he saw Ahsoka in full armor, her M8's barrel smoking. She had just saved his life. "Baby, you're the greatest." He said before the two then heard the moaning of another large horde heading their way. "Two of us and hundreds of them. I like these odds, time we end this nightmare." Robert grinned under his helmet and aimed his rifle towards the approaching horde.
(Nightmare, Avenged Sevenfold begins)
Some of the horde came towards them running like mad men while others slowly shambled towards the young couple. But did they piss themselves, no.
The moment they were in range, the two opened fired with a volley of 4.7mm and 5.56mm weapons fire, tearing through the approaching mass with the desired results. Moving towards the approaching horde, the duo continued to mow down the approaching horde with the brutality of the Terminator.
Pausing to reload her rifle, Ahsoka spotted a group of zeds with detonators primed and ready to explode in their hands running towards them. Quickly, she pushed the suiciders back with the force just as the detonators exploded taking any undead near them straight to hell.
"Nice push." Robert joked before he loaded his last magazine for his pulse rifle, attached it to his back and unleashed .308- and 12-Gauge hellfire with his Morita. "Reactor isn't to far from here, lets haul ass before they overrun us." He added before he pushed another swarm of zombies with the force into a supply closet before he took a grenade, primed it and threw it into the closet before closing the door as the grenade exploded killing all of the infected he had pushed in.
Back in the hanger, Kasumi and the others fired their shotguns at the approaching horde, while Dutch fired off short bursts from the M56 ripping the undead to shreds, while Ryder launched a grenade from his FN40 blowing a group of five zeds to bits while Revy and Shoda fired their own rifles at the approaching Zeds. "You doing ok Revy?" Shoda asked her crewmate.
"I got weapons and I got hostiles trying to eat us. I tell you, I am feeling alive." Revy said before ejecting her VHS's empty magazine and rocked in a new magazine. "LETS KILL'EM ALL!" she shouted firing her weapon at several more zeds but failed to kill any of them. "Robert told us to aim for the head. If you can't do that Two-Hands, you'll get yourself killed and waste ammo." Ryder said before he unleashed a buckshot meal from his shotgun at the horde, downing them each with a head shot. Unfortunately, several troopers from Delta and Alpha platoons and Anakin's platoons were overwhelmed were either pulled apart or joined the ranks of the undead.
"HOLD YOUR GROUND! DON'T LET UP!" Rex shouted, firing his dual DC17's with the precision of a professional gunslinger and downed ten Zeds at once. "I'm going to be a father and I won't let you undead bastards make my kid grow up with out a father." he declared and lobbed a detonator at the approaching horde, killing a dozen or so zeds.
Soon the moans of the horde were drowned out by the sounds of several gunships entering the hanger. The moment they landed, the doors of the lead gunship opened up and revealed Barney with a MK48 machine gun in his hands with an ammo belt coming from the backpack on his back and shouted. "GET DOWN!"
Ducking down, the surviving troopers watched as the Leader of the Expendables and Roberts uncle unleashed a barrage of 7.62x51mm rounds at the undead while Jess and Grace fired their CM901 and HK417 at the horde covering the troopers as they retreated into the gunships.
"Where's Robert?" Barney asked without letting his finger off the trigger.
Meanwhile, Robert and Ahsoka had just arrived in the stations reactor room and began to overload the reactors. They had finished overloading the first reactor when the undead broke through the door of the control room and shambled towards them. "GET TO THE OTHER TERMINALS! I'LL HOLD THEM OFF!" Robert shouted and fired his rifles shotgun barrel at the horde downing zed after zed while he began to fall back towards the door his girl ran out of.
"Reactors are overloaded. We got fifteen minutes to find the nearest escape pod!" Ahsoka shouted from control room. "Roger that!" Robert responded and the two ran like bats out of hell towards the nearest escape pod.
(Nightmare Ends)
The moment they reached the escape pod bay, they realized that the only way they could launch the pod was for one of them to stay behind. They couldn't find another pod bay and time was running out. "Get in the pod. Once you're clear activate your armors homing beacon." Robert said and shoved his girl into the pod.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Making sure you live to see another day. I'll be right behind you. don't worry about me." Robert said and slammed his fist against the panel launching the pod and sending his lover away from the threat. He then pressed a button on his gauntlet and aimed his rifle at the incoming horde. "Come on, Come on." He said.
Inside the pod, Ahsoka activated her beacon and in a minute a gunship picked her up and brought her back to the Retribution where Tarkin and the others were waiting for her. "Where's Robert?" Barney asked. "He's still on the station. The pod could only be launched from the terminal. He…he stayed behind." She said sadly.
Suddenly an explosion rocked the ship and Admiral Halberton reported that the station was destroyed. The entire crew in the hanger held their heads down with sorrow until the sound of twin thrusters could be heard and landing right in the hanger, was the Barbatose. "DIDN'T I COULD TELL YOU I CAN MAKE THE IMPOSSIBLE, POSSIBLE?" Robert said from inside the armor.
"You son of a bitch. I thought you died." Barney said as he walked towards his nephew. "I knew the Barbatose was fast enough so I activated its autopilot and had it break through the escape pod bay roof and used it to escape just in time." Robert admitted, rubbing the back of his head after removing his helmet.
He then turned to Tarkin. "I don't know what you bastards were doing, but the data on the station was gone. Everyone onboard is dead. Whatever you wanted, is not worth the losses we endured." He spat towards the admiral, before walking away and headed for his quarters. The nightmare was over, but else where in the galaxy a new nightmare was about to begin. A nightmare of revenge.
HAPPY EARLY HALLOWEEN!
So, four new characters arrived and are all friends of Robert. Know what game they come from, I'll give you a hint, it's a fighting game.
Did this chapter leave you wondering what come next, make you jump or make you scared. I can tell you I used the plot of two Star Wars books which are related in terms of plot and came out years ago. Know which ones they are? Leave your answers in a review and the weapons you want me to have the new girls use as the story continues.
Please leave a review and tell me if you want me to give the other members of the Expendables and Roberts friends Spartan armor and I will see you next time.