The plan has been thought out well. Or so everyone had thought, and hoped. Kyle and the mercenary captain, Connor Slazor had reached their tower and had been kneeling there for the past twenty minutes, with one of them having a scoped rifle, which they used to observe the building. Overlooking the household of the deceased senator. Kyle impatiently taps a fingers along the top of the outcropping that made out the edge of the stone structure. He thinks to himself why Jan picked him to do this part. She's more of the surveyor than him. Instead, she had chosen to stay back at the safe house. 'What is up with her?' he thinks to himself. 'It's not like her to skip out on something like this.'
Another speeder flies by, bringing him out of his thoughts. He feels a gaze upon him. Cocking his head to his right, he found that Connor looking at him questionably. "Ya right, man?" Kyle nonchalantly nods, moving his left hand up with electrobinoculars to his eyes. He turns his head with them, scanning over the building. Still no sign of what they are searching for.
"Still no sign of one. I just hate it when they disappear like that." It makes Kyle uncomfortable that an entire platoon of Stormtroopers could just disappear like that. Where could they have gone? And how did no one spot them? He recalls how the senator spoke of no one knowing of the Imperial presence, except a select few, including the senator. And why could only so few know of them being here? How did the entirety of the military forces of the system not even know? That confuses him. It just couldn't be possible. Then again, he had originally thought the same about random people getting the force. How wrong he was about that, thanks to Galak Fyyar's experiments. And still, some Reborn remain. The last he had seen of them was on the last battle of Cairn station. The numbers he met there were a little worrying. Especially since he remembered there being many of them before and during the attack on the academy.
In the distance, he hears a ship come out of hyperspace. Moving his eyes up, he catches a glimpse of a small freighter. Nothing to worry about, as long as it isn't a Star Destroyer, or any other Imperial ship. Even a TIE fighter would bring some bad news with it.
Another civilian speeder speeds by. By some miracle they haven't been spotted and reported as suspicious yet. They aren't exactly very inconspicuous about their placement. Anyone who flies by above them could easily see them, with a rifle. And what they thought, well Kyle easily figures out what. They could most likely be taken in. Or if the Imperials have hijacked the military's comms, then they could come for them.
"We should move" Kyle suggests. "We're too easy to spot here. And in the open."
There was no answer, and when he looks over to scold him for not listening, he could see that Connor is still searching through the scope. He is about to tap him on the shoulder, or rather push him. But then Connor speaks with a smirk to his face.
"Got one. Twenty-fifth floor." The electrobinoculars fly up to Kyle's eyes, and he kind of regrets that since that hurt a bit. But he is more focused on what Connor saw. And right on the said floor, there is the perfect target. A Stormtrooper captain. The orange shoulder pauldron showing off his rank.
Kyle grins, lowering his hand down to the ground to grab the launcher next to him. Loaded into it was a grapple hook. Connor seems to have stored this in the safe house, along with many other handy items. Out of the corner of his eye he spots the mercenary captain standing up. With no grapple hook of his own. How he is going to get over, Kyle has no clue.
The ex-Jedi levels out his launcher to a balcony on the floor just above. They want to make as little noise as possible. And with allies being scarce here, they have no surveillance. Teevo is on standby with a civilian speeder for pick up, and the other two are waiting back at the safe house, working on something which they rather not share with Kyle nor Jan. And Connor wanted to keep Leon away from the fight, in case they try a hasty escape with his leverage. Kyle hates it when people he works with keep so secretive. Then again, he isn't necessarily working with them. More like Jan promised to pay them for their service with them.
When he is sure the coast is clear, even though he has no way of actually knowing physically but by using the force the best he can, he risks it and fires the hook. It goes sailing through the air, hitting the railing. Before the rope dangles too far low, he quickly reels it in full until it is fully straightened. He gives the launcher to Connor, who put the weapon on his back for later. But not before taking the rope out of it and planting the other end into the ground via a spike. Then, with a clip that was amongst the handy items, Kyle clips onto the rope, stands onto the outcropping, and pushes forward with his feet. Seriously, Connor seems to be prepared for anything.
Kyle speeds along the length of thick wire, keeping watch on the floor he aims to land on. So far, no one has spotted them. That could be a good thing, but when it comes to the Imperial Remnant, it could also be a trap. They know Kyle and Jan are here on planet when they attacked the place. They should be on the lookout for Kyle and the others.
Next to him, he hears the sound of small jets. Casting a look over, he sees how Connor plans to get over the large gap between the buildings. Which in turn furthers Kyle's thoughts on how prepared he is. Of all the things Kyle believed he had, none of them included jet-boots. He shoots through the air at a slow enough speed to stay right by Kyle's side. And surprisingly enough, the jets only make a quiet hiss.
As they come to the building, Kyle senses a presence nearby. Ahead is a stormtrooper, his back to the balcony and just past the doorway. Kyle lowers his hand towards the stun baton he keeps on him, but Connor is faster. He zooms by, his jets roaring. The stormtrooper turns to see them, and Kyle feels a sudden urge to shout at the mercenary for his stupidness. Until he sees him do a backflip inside, uppercutting the trooper with the back of his heels. The white-armored trooper is sent flying back, hitting a concrete wall with a smack. And a rather loud one at that. Just to be sure, he whips out his pistol. But Kyle is fast enough to stop him.
"Are you insane?! Or do you want to bring the fight to us?!" Connor shrugs uncaringly, and tries to lever his arm down. But Kyle holds it in place.
"Does it look like I care? Besides, I could use a challenge." Kyle glares at him until the merc sighs with defeat. Kyle releases his wrist, and Connor holsters the blaster. They both glance down at the unconscious trooper. And both have the same idea. "Well, he ain't gonna need that armor no more."
"Not just yet. But we will. Get him to the balcony, and I will go below." The captain rolls his eyes, then began dragging the trooper away. Kyle goes the opposite way, to the elevator. There are a couple of other troopers on the floor, but only down the opposite end to the elevator of a two-way hall. Not close enough to have heard the commotion. Kyle quickly darts down the opposite way, using the force to quicken his pace to unnatural speed, then calls the elevator. It is right there, waiting on the other side of the door. And nothing inside the elevator. He quickly goes in, and pushes the button for the floor below.
The mechanical doors slide open, but he does not go out right away. He can sense someone coming. With haste, he flips up to the ceiling, grabbing hold of whatever he could find, waiting. A few seconds later, someone came in. He smirks to himself, for it is the target. He closes his eyes, focuses, and pushes the 'close door' button. The door closes, surprising the trooper. Before he can reopen it, Kyle drops down, hitting him on the back and knocking him out. He falls forward against the door.
"That was easy" he says to no one in particular. He goes on with the plan, and begins unarmoring the trooper, taking it off piece by piece. He didn't undress himself first, for if he were to be discovered, that would be awkward. Then again, so would being caught undressing a stormtrooper.
Somehow, he is lucky enough that no not be caught as he undresses himself, then puts the suit under the armor on himself. Followed by the armor. It feels weird to be in this armor again. Brings back memories. Memories he would rather forget. Of when he himself was in the service of the Empire as a stormtrooper. Before he defected. He stops himself from putting the helmet on. For some reason, he is reluctant to do so. To be seen as one of them. It feels weird that part of him feels like the armor fits well. "Let's just get this other with" he thinks to himself, placing the helmet over his head. The clunky armor armor is a nice fit for the ex-stormtrooper. He tests it out, rolling his shoulders and moving his legs about. A bit heavier than he could remember. The shoulder armor is made to give more free movement then other armors would, but that means it's less thick. The blaster he is used to, as he has used the E-11 on multiple occasions.
Once ready, he picks up the trooper that now has his usual attire on. Because what could make it more awkward than carrying around a nude, unconscious body. He pushes the button for the above floor. Hopefully those two troopers weren't there anymore. By odd luck, they aren't. This plan is going very, very well. Which is unnerving at the same time.
He hurries along to the balcony. Just as he comes to it, a civilian speeder rises, the side door opening. Kyle puts the trooper in first, but before he himself hops in, he gets a transmission. He listens in, and it happens to be the someone who is contacting the captain. "Captain TL-862, report to your squad on Platform 5. Copy?" Kyle remains silent for a short moment, careful of what might happen if he says the wrong thing.
"Well? Ya goin' to answer?" Kyle glares at him through the helmet. He still didn't like this guy, but he is right. He has to answer. He replies into the active comlink, trying his best to sound like a trooper. Now he wishes he had not knocked out the captain, so he could actually know what he acted like.
He speaks into the comlink, trying to disguise his voice for some reason. "Yes, I copy. I will be there shortly." There is a slight pause. Kyle holds his breath, thinking he said something wrong. Then, the reply comes.
"Good. Command out." When it cuts out, Kyle sighs with relief, bending forward with his hands on his knees. That was close. Too close for comfort. He leans back up to find Connor with his helmet off and giving him a questioning look, one brow raised. Kyle turns away, with the mercenary still in his view.
"Get ready to follow wherever we go." Out of the corner of his eye, he see him nod. Then he goes on his way, running off.
There had been lots of running. Who knew that Platform 5 is near the top, not the bottom. He arrives right on time, as other troopers begin pouring from two nearby elevators. They stand at attention, waiting for their captain's orders. Who they don't know is Kyle Katarn, their enemy. And he hopes to keep it that way. He stops in front of them, but not facing them. Instead, he faces the platform as a hum is heard. A large transport shuttle rises and touches down, lowering the ramp. In the opening is another trooper, waving them up.
"Go!" Kyle commands, and they start marching up in a fast but orderly fashion. Seeing a squad of stormtroopers under his command brings back memories of his Omega exercise. How he became an Imperial hero at the time. For how he saved some of his men in a raid on a rebel base. And when he suspected he had the force.
He is last onboard, or so he assumes. Behind him another squad comes aboard with two Shistavanens in front of them. In cuffs. He suddenly feels the urge to help, but for the sake of the mission, he must sacrifice these two to save the city. And perhaps the planet.
He stands to the front of the shuttle just before the cockpit while everyone else sits. The shuttle jolts and groans a bit as it lifts up. Everything goes well. Until a stormtrooper decides to open his mouth. "Are you all right, captain? You seem tense." He swivels his head to the trooper. Not being able to see faces makes him feel unnerved slightly more. But the force helps him. He can sense the unease the trooper feels. Obviously, this trooper knows the old captain well enough to have some suspicions. "This about the attack? Still shaken up a bit?"
Kyle knows what he mean. When he, Jan and Leon had come to the building. Which gives the perfect cover for why he is acting differently. He nods curtly. The trooper seems satisfied as he shuts up. For a few seconds. "I'm sorry about Cole. He was a friend of mine as well. And I promise, we will find those responsible." Kyle feels a small ping of guilt. Sometimes he forgot that stormtroopers are actual people that have feelings. They just believe in things other do not.
The rest of the trip is silent, besides some chatter. None of it concerning him. The ship shudders while the shuttle comes in for a landing. When the ramp lowers, Kyle is quite surprised to see where they are. Not too far from the council building of the city, in a factory area. Multiple squads of stormtroopers are strewn about, hiding amongst the shadows. Yet not a single TIE fighter, Imperial shuttle or any Imperial vehicle. Now he understands how they managed to hide.
His squad pours out from the ship, he follows along. While his squad moves on, he is approached by a trooper like him, with the orange shoulder pauldron. But this one has a repeater. "Artie, you are needed." Kyle is stunned for a short moment. He expected a more menacing name than Artie, but then again it could easily be just a nickname. Nonetheless, he responds to that name and follows along. Neither speak as they go to the largest building. He must have gone through three separate lifts before they reach their destination. Then, the captain stops. And turns, cocking his weapon. Two other troopers come in with E-11 blasters aiming at him.
"You're smart, but not smart enough. Rebel scum." The captain pauses before continuing. Kyle can imagine the smug grin on their face. "We know more than you think. You are too late. Already, we have enough to replace what we lost." Kyle rolls his eyes. Why are they always talking like I know what they mean?
He opens the comlink to Connor, hoping he picks this up. "Look, I have no idea what you are talking about...So why don't you enlighten me."
"First, you tell me where Artie is. Then I might give you a quick and merciful death." Before either can respond, there are footsteps nearby. One of the stormtroopers whirl around to aim at a fourth trooper on the scene. He has some scorch marks, from something.
"Hey, there's a, uh, shuttle outside with some guys who aren't authorized." Now all of them are looking at the new figure on the scene. Or, more so the large scorch mark on his chest. The trooper rolls his head, and quickdraws a blaster pistol, firing on the two lower rank troopers. Kyle lifts his rifle while the captain is distracted, and fires. The trooper throws off the helmet, revealing a familiar Mandalorian face.
A smug smirk appeared on Connor's face, his pistol held high with his head. "Told ya that armor would be useful." Kyle rolled his eyes, taking his helmet off as well. Then he remembered what the captain had said.
"We know more than you think." He started to run, not bothering to wait for Connor to figure it out. And he follows along.
"Hey, what's goin on?!"
"We need to get back! They know where the safehouse is!" Hearing those words, Connor starts to go faster. Then hangs a left, confusing Kyle.
"Teevo's this way!" Just as Kyle thought, it could be a while before the garrison here realize what has happened. And it certainly did. By the time they are halfway along their way, alarmed shouts are heard ahead. Connor unleashes a volley from his pistol to three troopers to their side. Kyle does the same as he passes by. All the guilt he felt before is gone, replaced by the adrenaline of a fight. He puts his gaze forward when they pass the side hall. Blaster fire flies by, sizzling in the air and his hair. He rotates his head back, firing the rifle in one hand. The recoil is massive, the rifle kicking up with every blast. And the bolts aren't very accurate, hitting the walls near them. Bolts from ahead hit the troopers. Kyle knows it's Connor firing, and is very impressed by his accuracy. The troopers fall one by one, either dead or mortally injured.
They take some more turns, run into more troopers, blaster fire is tossed back and forth. Scorching metal walls. Blast doors shutting near them in an attempt to slow them down. They leave a trail of bodies writhing in pain or still with death.
Connor stops outside, and Kyle skids to a halt, yelling in surprise to have almost fallen off a catwalk with no railing. "Well, where is he?!" Connor points his blaster to a speeder flying in at a fast speed, maneuvering to avoid any fire that might be directed at it if someone spotted it. When the distance closed, blaster fire came from below. It comes to the catwalk, it's side door hissing open as it approaches. Connor jumps in, but just before Kyle has a chance, blaster fire swarms the speeder. Teevo is forced to move away, the door still open.
"Stop! Traitor!" As is turns out, the others haven't realized he was never a stormtrooper. He looks back to the open speeder, blaster fire coming from all around. He calms his mind, and after a deep breath, takes a leap. A long leap, the force guiding him. Connor stares in awe as the force-user lands inside before him. The door shuts and shoots off, blaster fire still coming at it.
"We need to-"
"I know," Teevo cut in. "Your partner called. They are under attack."
The padawan swipes a saber down, directing another stormtrooper blast at the one who fired it at him. Leon continues to swing and twirl his lightsabers back and forth. But his defensive skills are lacking, with some bolts getting past. Just a few, but a few is enough to do some damage. One of them hit one of the two of Connor's crew that stayed behind, hitting him in the shoulder.
The cry of pain is enough to send Leon forward to prevent more pain onto his allies, darting into the fray. Swinging his weapons back and forth. Slashing at troopers, leaving deep burning cuts in their armor and flesh. Some of them lost hands and legs below knee level in his quick attacks. Screams and yells of pain fill his ears, fueling the voice inside to stop. But anger is overtaking. He is not fighting to defend himself and others, but to kill.
Only did Jan's voice stop him. But it is more like a scream. A call for help. He stops fighting, only to see all the troopers dead. Helmets with heads still in them, lying away from the bodies. Cut-off limbs. Smell of burning flesh. He looks over his arms, finding his tunic singed along the sleeves. He feels strange, seeing the death he has caused. Though it soon goes away to Jan's call.
Leon finds her on the roof of the building next to the safe house. An Imperial shuttle on the building also. And with it, four stormtrooper captains and a black-armored Shistavanen. With a black tunic and black cloth pants. Two black shoulder pauldrons, knee guards and elbow guards. A black belt with a clip for a saber on each side, but only one holding a saber. Black leather shin wraps that reach his knees and leather fingerless gloves. One of the troopers is taking Jan aboard the shuttle, and the others start to leave. Leon takes this as a chance of surprise, and leaps up, spinning his sabers. The hum is what gives him away, and the Shistavanen shoots a hand in his general direction, force-pushing him away. Using the force to guide him, Leon manages to grab hold of the ledge. He launches himself up, landing in a stance that has his arms up before him, sabers held in reverse grip and his legs at an angle with one knee bent. His hands continually readjusting on the hilt.
A dark smirk appears on the wolf-man's face. He takes his own saber from his belt, spinning it in one hand. "Finally, a worthy challenge" it says with a dark, gruff tone. His yellowed eyes narrow, then he lifts his armed hand up, keeping the other at his side. Holding the saber, he activates it. A normal red blade comes out, followed by crossblades...then he turns it horizontal to the ground to activate the other side. Another saber blade comes out, being a half longer than the normal blade. Never has Leon ever seen a saber like this, and looking closely he can see it is entirely custom made. "Come and show your worth."
Leon complies, being the first to strike. He sends a force blast as a distraction, sending his adversary back. Although only by half a foot. The padawan charges forward afterwards, swinging both sabers from one side. His opponent raises the long side against him, blocking the attack. Then spins it the opposite way, hitting his sabers away from the Shistavanen. Then he uppercuts with his other hand, his claws slashing through Leon's tunic. A grunt of pain escapes his mouth.
Leon's opponent scoffs, lowering his saber and deactivating it. "You are no Jedi. Only a mere boy who wants to become more." He begins to approach, malice and evil burning in his eyes. Leon expects death. Instead, the wolf-man halts. Leon looks back, seeing a familiar speeder. From it Kyle jumps out, then it lands next to him and the other two come out.
"Ah. She told me much about you, Jedi pretender." Kyle glares at the dark side user. From behind it, another Shistavanen runs out. The young female. And, to everyone's surprise, puts her arms around the black-suited warrior.
"You?!" Kyle questions rather loudly. Everyone but Leon have their mouths hanging open. But he suspected as much.
"Yes. Me. He promised me great wealth and power...And love." Of course. Swoon a desperate woman, and the likelihood of her joining your cause is higher. She stands in front of the Shistavanen, her back to him. "And besides, who wants to be a servant?" The one behind her grins.
"Indeed...For a servant has a limited usefulness." He leans in, his mouth next to her ear. "Much like yours." her eyes widen, but it is too late. A gasp escapes her throat as his saber protrudes through her chest. Then deactivates. She falls forward, her eyes still open in shock and pain. Her arm splayed out away from her with an open hand. Her chest no longer moves. Before they can react, he creates a large force blast, blowing them all away. As Leon recovers, he moves his head up and finds the Imperial shuttle closing and lifting off, then beings to fly away.
Kyle jumps into the civilian speeder, and attempts to follow. Leon's face fills with horror as two TIE fighters come from nowhere, sweeping by and firing a volley and the speeder. An explosion follows, and the speeder spins out of control in a downward spiral, a trail of some following.
Here you go. Another chapter. A few changes in the past chapters, mostly revolving around tense and descriptions on Connor I left out.
Also, for those who read my Homefront fic, I updated that at the same another chapter. Hope you enjoy, and leave a review, please.