Siege Zone- Commandeered Enemy Transport.
John stood holding his hand to one of the above rails bracing himself as the large Juggernaut tried to pick its way over the uneven ground with its damaged systems.
Over in one corner was a crystal display divided into two maps. What they believed was the internal layout of the base they were heading for, and the area they were traveling in. On this display was a symbol that indicated their progress, they passed the five kilometer line.
The Captain looked at this grimly before turning to look at the assembled crowd…about twenty Special Forces commandoes and five other Jedi besides himself.
"OK men. Remember your objectives. We are going to break into two teams to sabotage key areas of the base. Team one, led by myself, will go and take out the generators to the compound to lower the defenses. Team two; hopefully before team one achieves their objectives, will go after the locking devices and open up the main parts of the base for the rest of our forces. After that any survivors will head to what we believe to be the Commander's chambers. Any questions?"
John shook his head in the negative, being the team leader for team two and thus the only person that really mattered.
"Sir," the intercom buzzed with their pilot, "they are asking why we are returning?"
"Tell them that we took heavy damage and need repairs." The Captain placed his hand on the intercom button in response.
After a pregnant pause of several seconds, the tension rising in the compartment, the troops began to look around nervously.
"They said that we can head for bay 2. I do not know where bay 2 is." The pilot responded nervously.
"We knew this was a long shot." John stated sadly.
"Wait, we are probably in their weapons range we need to keep calm." The Captain replied coolly. Then: "Pilot, keep on going, look at the numbering, maybe we can find it."
After several more seconds. "Got it!" The pilot announced excitedly.
A sigh of relief rippled through the assembled body of troops and Jedi some of them even casting their eyes skyward before making final weapons checks.
John felt the vehicle shiver before beginning to slow down slightly, and then stop completely.
"Ready?" The Captain asked his eyes darting to each person in his team who.
John nodded as well, as did his team.
The Captain pressed the button causing the door to whoosh open.
Flash bombs and smoke exploded from the compartment in an attempt to disorient anyone who was there. The Jedi activated their lightsabers and leapt through in a defensive pattern.
Blaster bolts were fired at the assembled group, who instantly deflected them away.
John spun his saber around furiously across his body just barely keeping the bolts from hitting him. Causing them to spin and glance away plowing into the ground and nailing the droids.
The fire storm was more intense than he expected. He had to work his muscles around powerfully, building up a rapid sweat.
Some of the regular Omega troops attempted to peek through the Jedi's legs and return fire but it was inconsistent, and some of them were mowed down from repeating blasters on the railings overlooking them.
"Men fan out!" The Captain ordered over the tumult as the Omega troopers ran around the lines and began to pour fire into the enemies. Exposing themselves to enemy fire.
John 'felt' another one of the Knights go down being hit from multiple sides, and some of the Omega troops joined her.
The main problem was the heavy repeating blaster raining fire on them. Firing panicked and inaccurately, but still a major threat that needed to be dealt with.
John unleashed a blast of Force energy before disengaging himself from the line. He spun around his lightsaber making a white-blue arch of energy through the air as it plucked a bolt out of the air.
The heavy blaster turned on him now having a precise target to focus its energies. He worked his saber around forcing bolts out of the air holding it diagonally across his body as the blasts were following more or less one path. He grunted as the burst of energy slammed into his blade threatening to knock him off his feet.
He flipped through the air and landed right next to the weapons station slicing it in half with his blade before impaling the soldier manning it with a back thrust.
He had to quickly transition and spin his saber in the air deflecting two more shots, one up high and the other into his opponent.
He heard a yell and looked onto the bay floor. Another one of the Jedi must have fallen but the survivors charged as Omega provided lethal covering fire.
The Jedi clashed with their opponents and fought gallantly, but all were cut down eventually as John winced at the display.
The Omegas continued to fight and fire accurately until everyone of their enemies were dead.
But… an eerie quiet pervaded the bay as John breathed hard in order to catch his breath.
He saw the Captain shake his head ruefully. "Too many died here. And the bay has been sealed off, we have no choice but to complete our mission. John, take this five," he pointed, "I will take the rest."
"Yes, sir," John nodded.
Another section of the base.
John walked carefully along with the other members of his team, their armor creaking making him wince every time.
They had not encountered any serious resistance since the main hangar; John had the nasty feeling it was a trap of their ambush. But since they had survived maybe that would be it as far as enemy forces were concerned.
However, he found this to be unlikely.
His Force sense seemed dulled as if someone had thrown a plastic sheet over his head, he could still see and feel through the Force but it was blurry and subdued.
His lightsaber was off and clipped to his belt, he did not want to make any noise which would have alerted an attacker.
He felt a sudden surge through the Force indicating a threat. Rapidly he ripped the saber out of its holster, turned it on repelling a bolt back at a soldier that ran around the corner head long. Using a Force blast he launched him into the wall knocking him cold.
Two of the soldiers behind him fell from enemy fire before the remainder of the team responded and returned the fire destroying the aggressors.
"That was close." John whispered waving his soldiers on before taking up the rear.
The Generator Room
The Omega Captain came across the door and set up on the other side of it and tried to peer into the interior without exposing himself.
The demolitions man nodded and went on through.
"Wait!" The Captain yelled out.
But it was too late; the soldier was struck dead from three different sides, killing him instantly.
The Captain looked away and grunted sadly, but at least he knew how many enemies he was up against.
He communicated with his team mate, pointing furiously to the side he was facing and he got into position.
He cleared his mind and released his breath calming himself and preparing his body.
He sprang into action, going over the fallen body of his comrade; he brought his weapon up, obtained his target, and pulled on the trigger.
His enemy fell.
So did the one across from the bay but his partner was hit dropping him to the deck.
He dove behind a panel before the enemy could acquire him. Being pinned as sparks flew all around him.
The Gate Room.
John crept around a corner outside the entrance to the gate room. He felt the presence of two guards at the door.
"OK, we have two guards on either side of the door, set up." John whispered to the two men in front of him, they nodded.
The lead palmed the door switch ready to depress it as the other man placed himself so he could clear left. John positioned himself so he could clear right.
The door opened and John ran through, blasters fired, he John swung his saber around in a sweeping arc cutting the armor of one of the soldiers causing him to fall.
One of the Omega's fell from a shot to the leg, another one to the chest finished him off.
His pain hit John full bore through the Force almost causing him to falter. Instead he dove behind one of the pillar support beams with the last of the Omega.
A bolt of high intensity particle energy raged past as John peeked over the boundary nearly getting it shot off.
"Damn it…ok give me some covering fire on my mark." John ordered to his fellow soldier.
John rolled to the boundary and took a deep steadying breath. "Ok…mark!"
Blaster fire was exchanged and John ran out, staying to the perimeter and moving in a half crouch.
Blaster bolts started to try and find him. He drew his lightsaber and deflected any of the lethal ones. But the Omega solider was doing a good job keeping the enemy pinned.
He ran to the main control panel and typed in the commands from memory. Having to duck though to keep from getting tagged by heavy enemy fire, now he was pinned.
He began to fight his way out using the Force to leap into the midst of them closing the distance.
The base was now opened.
The Generator Room
The Captain was still pinned to his position; any movement he made brought another ringing shot followed by sparking and sizzling metal.
He peeked around the corner fast to get a good idea where his enemy was only to be shot at…again.
He breathed, moved around until his body was straight out, and flung himself into a combat roll and came up with his blaster pistol in his hand.
His enemy fired missing him by inches. He fired and struck his enemy in the shoulder, smoke pouring out of the wound.
Placing his weapon in both hands he fired again finishing his enemy off.
The Captain moved towards the control panel and sighed, glancing at the demolitions expert shaking his head sadly. He had to find another way to destroy the facility.
Oh well, he thought before pressing his pistol against the controls and pulling the trigger.
Sparks flew and a warning alarm blared all around him. He checked the readings as the power levels were becoming unstable. The facility's defenses and other systems were failing.
Republic Command Post
The Corporal sat behind his station looking bored as the readouts appeared mostly steady.
Suddenly they flashed red and a barely audible tone went off. His heart rate increased as his eyes flashed across the screen trying to take in the new wave of information.
"Sir! Colonel the enemy's defense systems are going down!" He reported waving his hand in the air hoping he got it right.
The aging Colonel leaned over his side and stared intently at his readouts
"Very good…it begins." He stated before pacing off. "All assault forces begin the attack." He ordered into the intercom at his station.
Outside the Base.
Moments after the order was given Republic gunships, troop transports, and assault speeders moved in on the base.
The soldiers and droids manning the catwalks and external gun emplacements turned around and stared into the darkness at the humming of repulsors and other engine systems.
They were scared at what it could mean; the Republic had never tried to launch an attack on them to this point. What had changed?
Blaster bolts and rockets pierced the veil of night slamming into the facilities armor, causing sparks and explosions to race along the side.
Several men were blasted off their feet and over the side, screaming all the way. Most of the rest were killed instantly.
Republic gunships swooped in low and finished off the rest with blasts from their rotary cannons. They swooped into a hover and moved over the courtyard. Continuing to lay down covering and support fire on the walkways and stairways as the panicked enemies began to scramble. They tried to pick up their weapons and make a stand but many of them were cut down easily.
Cables draped from the sides of the gunships with Republic Omega Commandoes sliding down them raining fire as they went picking off more enemy droids.
As they landed they cut the cables and the gunships peeled off, to be immediately replaced by more of them, carrying regular infantry, as they moved into a low hover and deposited their troops.
Some of them stayed to lay down suppressing fire.
A pitched fire fight was evolving in the court yard with the Republic able to bring in reinforcements faster than the enemy.
Blue bolts knocked off of stairs and chipped stone and metal walls as the enemy fell from the massive fire storm. The Republic forces began to enter the base.
Just Outside the Command Post.
John and his Omega escort stalked carefully down a corridor. Since escaping the main gate room they had again run into no resistance. They were forced to travel on emergency lighting, and John could feel the pitched battle raging on around him, making it almost difficult to concentrate on his task.
John felt an oppressive and malevolent presence ahead. It made him nervous, but he knew he had to go on.
"Be careful up ahead." He ordered his squad mate who nodded at him.
They were supposed to meet with the second squad; he just hoped something had not happened to them.
They rounded the corner and John activated his Saber bringing it to hand and in guard position, behind him his fellow soldier was cut down.
John wrenched around only to have Blasters pointed at him, he spun around again and found a woman in a black flowing dress staring at him with two more guards.
"Now now, we do not want to shoot Jedi Zaun." She ordered with a smile. "As you can see you are clearly outnumbered."
"How do you know me?" John asked, bringing his saber around to point at her and putting his palm out.
"How can I not? John Zaun, son of Galen, Jedi Knight, Lt. in the Republic armed forces." She stated her smile ever growing, "And soon to be my servant."
"Fat chance." John smiled too.
She placed her hands on her hips and positively sneered at him. "As I said you are surrounded. I doubt you are fast enough to beat us all. Its either surrender or die. And if you surrender then I promise you, you will eventually serve us. We have many ways of persuasion young Jedi, to bring you around to our…way of thinking. We know things about you that you yourself probably have not realized yet."
He tried not to think about it but the pit opened up in the bottom of his stomach. He tried not to show it, tried to maintain focus, but he had a nasty suspicion that he knew exactly what she was talking about.
She began to cackle.
Then it happened.
A half formed white sheen appeared between him and the group he was facing, John could of sworn he got a fleeting image of a face staring at him.
Then the Captain rounded the corner and poured fire on the other group, but he was hit for his troubles and knocked to the ground.
John pounced through the mist his Saber in a crossing position as he slashed through one of the guards easily. The other one he stabbed through the throat nearly severing his head from his shoulders.
He heard a lightsaber activate and a red shaft appear, the mist dissipated quickly. He traded rapid one handed blows with his opponent before stabbing her in the stomach causing her to fall onto the ground.
He looked around for other targets only to be shot, twice, in the stomach causing him to yowl in pain. He brought a Force blast to his mind and flung the last of the enemy into a wall. He yelped and crumpled.
John lost his balance and his endurance as his legs gave out from under him, he quickly shut his saber off and let it fall from his hand.
He collapsed on the officer's legs he had impaled almost dropping on top of her but was able to stop his fall.
She smiled at him blood dripping from her mouth. "Well done John."
"Thanks." He grunted sarcastically, thinking of a long lost friend.
Her smile widened and her eyes gleamed. "Do you want to be let in on a secret John Zaun?"
"Sure." He replied.
"He's not dead, well not all of him you know. He cloned himself."
John paled. "Who?"
She smiled. "Death, you innocent."
With that her head lolled over to one side as she breathed out her last breath.
He grunted as he stood walking towards the Captain. He was still alive…barely.
"It was an honor serving with you Jedi Zaun, keep going and you are bound for great things." The Captain grunted, as he too faded off into death.
John groaned, before he too collapsed. He faded off into darkness.