Chapter 13: Underways

Gideon's POV

Onboard Spirit dropship enroute to Lucrehulk-class droid control ship, Tatooine

10:7:13 (25 BBY)

"Plan clear to everyone?" I ask as I ready myself at the airlock of the Spirit dropship.

"Yes Gideon" came Commander Carter's immediate reply. I take a deep breath, trying to push away my unease and the tidal wave of anger being sent by a woman who could possibly drop kick me across the galaxy.

And don't you forget it came the honeyed, Southern drawl of Commander Emily Jane Shepard, saviour of all sentient life and intergalactic badass. I could feel the wave of amused approval wash over me from her. Damn, she was a quick study. Her amusement was now tinged with a hint of flirtiness, the emotional equivalent of batting her eyelashes at me.

If you're done distracting me I growl at her, trying to get myself under control. Considering how much I am getting affected, I guess I haven't been around any female. And I didn't intend to create a Force bond with her. Her natural leadership and empathy saw to that.

Oh you pooor baby came her honey-sweet voice, in that annoyingly baby voice I completely detest. Honestly, give me warm and husky over high pitched and annoying. Meanwhile, Six came through with an update.

"One minute to drop"

Oh really? came her voice, again, now a low sultry purr. I had to swallow and think of cold showers to calm myself down as I acknowledged Six's report, causing Emily no end of amusement. The real reason she was doing this was because she wanted to throttle me for taking on such risks.

Yes really, cyar'ika I say as I gather the Force and, as the airlock cycles open, utilise it and the explosive decompression to launch me out of the airlock, ignoring her yelp of confusion and embarrassed affection.

The plan was simple really.

Phase 1 of the plan involved launching me onto the Lucrehulk's bridge, providing a noisy distraction and hacking into it's weapon's fire-control systems, engaging the fleet in Tatooine's atmosphere. Then while everyone onboard was aiming at me, Noble team would infiltrate onboard and hit the ship reactor. We would rendezvous near the docking bay and grab a ship/shuttle and link up with the team on the ground.

Phase 2 involved getting everyone to Anchorhead, stealing a shuttle/ship capable of FTL flight and getting the hell of this planet. Phase 2 would be launched as soon as I hit the bridge.

Rocketing towards it, I gather Force lightning between my hands. When I was a few feet away, I unleashed all that energy onto one of the windows of the bridge, smashing my way through and slamming a massive Force explosion through the bridge, tearing apart the entire bridge crew.

As Legion would say, windows are structural weaknesses came Emily's voice, light with amusement as I chucked a primed thermal detonator through the opening door to the bridge and slammed it shut through the Force. I then walk up to one of the ship consoles and utilise my armour's interface spikes to lodge and download the virus my suit's VI had been preparing. Immediately, the hull of the ship began vibrating with dull thumps as the enemy fleet ere engaged by the Lucrehulk's turbolasers.

I disengage the spikes and use a Force push to tear off the door which had warped closed from the explosion and charge through the ship.

A patrol of droids and droidekas (my armour identified them as such and marked them as Tier-11 and Tier-9 threats respectively) engaged me as I went about the place tossing grenades and thermal detonators, raising Cain as I went. I activate my sabres and switch into Form V (I don't know how I knew, I just did). I deflected their blaster bolts using Shien, tearing apart the droids. The four droidekas were still firing at me, so I switched out my right hand blade for my pistol and shot the four of them, the bullets punching through their shields and armour killing them.

"Gideon, this is Noble One" I hear over my radio as I make my way onto a walk way overlooking one of the hangars. I was just going to cause more chaos when the call came through.

"Go Noble One" I reply.

"Infiltration successful, approaching ship engineering, no enemy contact" he says. Good, everything was going to plan.

"Good work, I..." whatever else I was going to say were lost to history as a white armoured blur slammed into me, knocking me off the walkway. I flew across the hangar and slammed onto the floor, bouncing a couple of times. My ears rang and my head hurt from the concussion. I heard a woman's distant scream, but my eyes were feeling heavy. I just wanted to rest. So tired.

GET UP! a roar of rage, pain and fear slammed into me like a tidal wave, jolting adrenaline through my system, causing me to shake my head clear as I staggered upright. I took in the scene before me as seven white armoured figures stood before me.

The six droids my armour helped me identify, being cheerfully helpful as always.

TIER 1 THREAT: IG-100 MAGNAGUARDS.

But it was the white plated cyborg in the centre with the four cybernetic arms carrying activated and multi coloured lightsabres who caught my attention. He was glaring at me with his yellow eyes. My armour identified him too.

TIER 0 THREAT: GENERAL GRIEVOUS.

DUN! DUN! DUN!DUN!DUN!

And in comes *drumroll* General Grievous!

*Grievous glares at everyone as spotlight is focussed on the dark corner he's hiding in while he was in earnest conversation with Skywalker, Kenobi and Dooku, gives author the stink eye, activates lightsabre and attacks author. Author runs off stage, fearing for his life. Moments later, Grievous comes running back, with author chasing after him with his lightsabre active*

R&R!