Vanguard

Chapter 18

"Friendly fire"

[Null sector, Separatist flagship Abdominal]

[Few minutes prior to nuclear detonation]

Mar Tuuk was having a difficult time dealing with the Republic fleet and their still unidentified ally as it destroys another frigate with its two massive forward mounted cannons, with General Kronus refusing to help it made things that much more difficult.

He watches the latest victim crumple away after receiving two direct hits from the destroyer when Tuuk orders "Get me Kronus immediately!"

But a droid answers "We tried sir, he's not responding to our transmissions."

"What could possibly be stopping him!? No matter we must prepare for our own ass—"

Another droid suddenly interrupts "Sir! Their fighters are pulling back!"

Tuuk seemed surprised "What? What do you mean?"

"I mean they're fleeing back to their cruisers. Did we win?"

The captain immediately knew something wasn't right, given that this is Skywalker's fleet, and answered "Not yet . . . Skywalker is up to something."

A third droid states "You might be right about that sir, that unidentified vessel launched a missile at us and is fleeing the battlefield; with some haste I might add."

A fourth "Sir their cruisers are now in full retreat."

Something didn't set right with the captain, first their fighters were pulling then their cruisers and now this missile that was closing in on their position; he orders "Give me a visual of that missile . . ."

The droids complied and quickly brought up a holographic diagram of the missile before the captain, a few more moments later a droid analysts comes up by the hologram and reports "There's nothing out of the usual for its purpose but the materials we scanned are not registered on our data banks. In fact the only component we've managed to identify."

The hologram zoomed in on the front of the missile, the warhead, and the droid resumed "The warhead is constructed of a durable metal similar to our durasteel but not only does it act as protection for the mechanism inside, it compresses the initial blast thus amplifying the explosive force exponentially."

"What else is there?" the captain asks.

"We've also detected traces of radioactive elements on a molecular scale; the mechanism however is something we've never seen. From what we were able to determine, the triggering mechanism utilizes those same radioactive elements to ignite an explosion of immense power."

Tuuk has heard enough and realizes the potential danger the incoming missile poses, he quickly orders "Have all fighters intercept that missile and initiate evasive maneuvers!"

The bridge crew acknowledged and coordinated the fleet effort to neutralize the missile before it has a chance to detonate, however the missile was too close and none of the fleet's ship-based weapons were able to accurately hit such a small target, Tuuk realized that this was truly it. And embraced the inevitable outcome before the missile struck the bow of his dreadnaught, then everything was gone in a bright flash.

The initial blast created a small, compressed, and unholy burst of pure energy and force which vaporized the front half of the Providence-class Dreadnaught along with the three Munificent-class Star Frigates in close proximity, instantly killing Tuuk and thousands of droid crewmembers. The ensuing explosion soon sends out a shockwave reaching several hundred miles a minute and literally dismantled the remaining aft section of the Abdominal to the smallest of fragments while overloading the shields of the ships outside of the initial blast radius and virtually splintered those armored vessels apart with tremendous force. The Lucrehulk battleships were then immediately caught in the nuke's electromagnetic pulse, caused by the gamma rays produced from the nuclear explosion creating high energy electrons through Compton scattering, resulting in their shields to fall without a struggle and knocking out all electronic systems leaving the three kilometer warships defenseless and without power.

[Jedi cruiser Savior]

Admiral Yularen along with the fleet had to shield their eyes from the brilliant flash until it dulled and he looked out to see the entire separatist fleet consisting of twenty one vessels, devastated in one blow, shortly after taking a good look at the destruction he quickly realizes the shockwave created from the blast was fast approaching.

He quickly orders the bridge crew "Divert all power to the shields and brace for impact!"

The Venator-class Star Destroyers, one after another, raised their shields to full power and made ready against the incoming wave of tremendous energy. The shockwave came fast and hard rocking the republic attack cruisers violently while overloading the shields of the two remaining Arquitens-class Escort Cruisers, their small stature and less powerful shields had failed, and ripping them apart with brute force, it was sensible enough that a nuclear explosion will not discriminate to all caught in its power.

The wave passed through and Yularen was able to maintain his footing, he then calls out "Damage report!"

A clone reports "We have injuries reporting in on multiple decks! Primary drive two and three are out of power and we have major structural damage along the port and starboard bow!"

Another crewmember adds "Sir we lost the Belfast and the Protectorate, no survivors detected."

The admiral asks "What of the fleet?"

"Reports coming now, they're reporting casualties and major structural damage, the fleet is crippled sir."

Yularen looks out the starboard viewport finding the Vanguard seemingly in perfect condition with no visible damage noted on the heavily armored hull to which he frowned upon and asks himself "My god . . . what have they done?"

[Command center, separatist shipyard]

Everyone watched the destruction unfold and every ship caught in the blast blown into oblivion, every droid, clone, and Jedi all watched in awe and horror.

Kronus watched the devastation and unknowingly released Ahsoka, who was too shocked to even take the advantage at the moment, before realizing that the terrifying force of energy was barreling towards them at great speed and quickly orders a droid "Send all nonessential power to the shields!"

The droids did not respond with their usual acknowledging roger roger and immediately got to work taking power away from anything that the station can survive without such as lighting, gravity control, recharging stations made for other droids, that are most likely dead now, and other miscellaneous functions. The station's shields came to full power just shortly before the wave impacts the facility.

Kenobi calls out "BRACE YOURSELVES!"

The shockwave slammed into the station like the ship collision and the entire facility shook as if a massive earthquake occurred knocking everyone off their feet, and causing Kronus to let go of Ahsoka's lightsabers.

Kronus asks "Report!"

A droid reports "We have significant structural damage throughout the entire station, the destroyer in the construction yard broke off from its docking clamps and was destroyed. There's . . . also another situation . . ."

"What sort of situation?"

The droid turns around facing towards something behind the droid General "Umm . . ."

Kronus looks down at his left hand to find it empty, moments before he hears several lightsabers activating and guns charging, and turns around to see Kenobi, Ahsoka, and the clones armed and ready to take the command center.

Kronus folds his hands behind his back and states "You will not succeed . . . the probability is—" before being swiftly decapitated by Ahsoka's lightsaber.

The clones then open fired killing the droid bridge crew as they attempted to flee and Obi-wan personally dealt with the remaining droids that attempted to fight back. The droids were all scrapped shortly before more clones arrived and secured the room, Kenobi sheathes his saber and looks back at what remains of the separatist fleet, nothing but shattered ships and a shower of radiation that still lingers around the initial blast zone.

He asks in his usual calm tone but the others could sense the dread behind it "What. Was that?"

"One hell of a cruiser buster if you ask me sir" Cody states.

Ahsoka looks out to the droid graveyard answering "I don't know Master . . . but he did save the fleet" upon seeing the venators and the Vanguard still intact.

Kenobi mentions "True but he also has some explaining to do, look more closely."

Ahsoka looks further and finds both of the republic escort cruisers destroyed with no apparent survivors all those men caught in the blast and their shields weren't enough to save them, Obi-wan was right about Longarm needing to explain himself, and gets on her comlink contacting the SPARTAN who should be at the hangar now mopping up the rest of the droid resistance along with Skywalker and the 501st.

"Longarm come in? You read me?" she asks.

Nothing came back except static for a moment before Longarm's voice came through mixed with a swing of a lightsaber "Yeah! I hear you! But I'm a little busy at the moment!"

"You're having trouble with droids? That's weird" she states well aware of the SPARTAN's capabilities.

"Not droids! Skywalker!" he replies dodging another swing.

Tano panicked "What!? Hang on I'm on my way! Don't hurt Anakin!" before she, Kenobi, and Cody headed out of the command center to see what was going on.

[Hangar bay, seconds after initial detonation]

The brilliant flash filled the space around it as the explosion devastated the entire separatist fleet while Anakin and the 501st shielded their eyes but Longarm on the other hand was watching the destruction unfold, fighters being vaporized and warships torn apart by the furious heat and radiation. Once the light died down everyone began to look and first hand saw the might of UNSC power.

Longarm soon calls out "Brace for impact!" upon seeing the approaching shockwave.

Everyone heeded his call and braced for the inevitable impact but it proved futile once the wave hits, slamming into the station and causing everyone to stumble over onto the ground save for Longarm who was quick to magnetize his boots maintaining his footing.

The wave soon passes shortly before everyone started getting back up on their feet and Anakin began to worry for the republic fleet and contacts Yularen "Admiral what's your status?"

"We're fine General, but we lost the Belfast and the Protectorate to the blast. I . . . regret to inform there were no survivors . . ."

The Jedi sighs "Thank you Admiral . . ." and signs off before giving a menacing glare towards the SPARTAN who was still standing where he was watching the droid fleet slowly come apart during the after effects of the nuclear blast.

He growled "You knew . . ." catching the seven foot soldier's attention.

Longarm turns towards him and asks "I knew what?"

"Don't act stupid, you knew that missile could've destroyed this station and our fleet! We lost two ships and plenty of good men!"

The SPARTAN could feel the anger and frustration in the Jedi over the loss of his men, he replies with a cold and emotionless tone "They were acceptable losses, if the missile hadn't been launched then the separatist fleet would've rolled on your ships and there would be no survivors."

Rex steps up taking his helmet off and intervenes "Sir if I may, and as much as I hate to admit this, he has a point. That fleet had us outnumbered."

Skywalker states angrily "It's not about what we lost, it's about what we could've lost. That missile could've easily destroyed everything and he just gambled it on an assumption!"

"You're sort of a risk taker yourself Skywalker . . ."

"I know that" Anakin exclaims before turning to Longarm "But you went too far."

The SPARTAN however analyzes the situation in his head and states "If what your captain says is true then you're not entirely upset with what you're telling me. What's really on your mind?"

Skywalker speaks with newfound hatred and disgust for the SPARTAN "Cain was right, Ahsoka's way in over her head."

Longarm scoffs "Cain? You mean Komari right!? That old man has no clue what he's talking about. What else did he say?"

"That you're a danger to her and I should talk you into leaving her" he then draws his hilt and activates it erecting a blue blade "But we both know that's not going to happen."

Longarm takes a step back putting his hand over the M6G Magnum in its holster over his chest, Rex steps in front of Skywalker in hopes of defusing the situation "Skywalker! You don't want to do this right now!"

"Stand aside Rex . . . this is between Longarm and me."

Longarm adds "So we agree on something, stand aside Captain this isn't your fight."

Rex didn't want to leave one of his closest friends but he had no other choice and backs away along with his men as the two belligerents stared each other in the eyes and visors. No one made a move or even made a sound knowing that the two could kill each other in a second, Longarm could pull his magnum and put a round through Jedi's head in an instant while Anakin could make a single swipe and cut the SPARTAN in half.

Longarm warns his adversary "This is your first and only warning Skywalker, walk away. Don't make me kill you."

"No . . ." Anakin replies with a hiss of hate.

At that instant Longarm draws his magnum faster than anyone could've blinked and pressed the barrel of his gun against Anakin's forehead but the Jedi was just as fast and uses the force to throw the one ton SPARTAN across the hangar towards a pile of stacked crates. Longarm's back slams into the crates causing them to tumble over but he soon gets back up and takes aim once more with his magnum, Skywalker was already charging towards him with great speed that could rival Kelly-087, a fellow SPARTAN-ll well known for being the fastest capable of reaching sixty two kilometers an hour. He fires off the first two shots sending 12.7mm × 40mm M225 Semi-Armor-Piercing High-Explosive rounds downrange towards the speeding Jedi, however to his surprise Skywalker evades both shots with a quick side step to the right with the second round merely grazing his left arm. Skywalker was closing the gap fast and so the SPARTAN quickly holsters his M6G in exchange for the magna-guard electro-staff attached to his left shoulder pad, he pulls it out activating it which resulted in the staff extending itself and the two ends came to life with purple colored electricity, moments before the Jedi swung his saber and collided with the staff's center bar which was made entirely of the lightsaber-resistant phrik.

The SPARTAN's helmet comms unit came online with Ahsoka's voice asking "Longarm come in? You read me?"

He responded "Yeah! I hear you!" Skywalker backs away and swings up high in an effort to decapitate him but he ducks and continues "But I'm a little busy at the moment!"

"You're having trouble with droids? That's weird"

Anakin swings again aiming for the SPARTAN's mid-section but his target quickly jumps back before stating "Not droids! Skywalker!"

"What!? Hang on I'm on my way! Don't hurt Anakin!" she said before getting off her comlink.

'No promises' he thought to himself before delivering a jabbing blow to Skywalker's abdomen with the tip of his staff sending a brief shock of electrocution through the Jedi's body. He watched Anakin take a couple of steps back from the blow before he began his assault swiftly striking his target multiple times across his body before the Jedi finally adjusted to the SPARTAN's speed and began to counter each blow he threw.

The two quickly entered a lock where neither side was gaining ground, Skywalker states with anger "You're too dangerous to be near Ahsoka!"

Longarm began to push with his staff against Anakin's saber as he said "I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for her!" before he shoves the saber aside with his staff, breaking the lock, and deliver a halfhearted blow to his left cheek with his right gloved fist.

The impact, despite how easy the SPARTAN went, dazed Skywalker and was briefly unable to fight effectively until Longarm grabs the back of his neck and throws him against a stack of crates head first allowing the metal boxes to come crashing down on the Jedi. Believing that his opponent was now unconscious, Longarm began to walk away until he was swiftly confronted by Rex and five of his men all aiming their weapons directly at him. He didn't pay any attention to them and started to walk until he was struck from behind by a crate thrown at him, he stumbled a couple of steps before getting his footing back, and looks back to see Skywalker with his lightsaber in hand.

"Ya' know, Ahsoka mentioned you're a stubborn man. And she also told me to not harm you, I suppose you're not going to make things easy."

Anakin said nothing and charged the SPARTAN with his blade ready for the kill, however he watches the seven foot soldier quickly vanish into thin air right before his eyes, he makes a swing at where his opponent once stood but it was an expected miss. The clones backed away not sure where Longarm had gone but soon enough Anakin was dealt a heavy blow to his stomach causing him to keel over with excess bodily fluid dripping from his mouth, his mind raced trying to think of any logical way he avoided detection via the force but it didn't matter to the Jedi once he sees the SPARTAN's black boot materialize in front of his eyes.

He began to painstakingly climb back up on his feet while Longarm watched him and did nothing to stop him from getting back up, once he was back on his feet the SPARTAN asks "You had enough?"

Anakin said nothing and then quickly launched a burst of force energy directed towards his dangerous opponent, throwing the SPARTAN across the hangar once more and into another stack of crates that tumbled over.

Longarm gets back up on his feet with no difficulties and stows his staff back on to his shoulder as he said "Alright . . . I've had enough of this" before drawing his sniper rifle from his back.

Skywalker then realized he was in serious trouble should his adversary land a successful shot, which he would have no problem doing, and decided to dash towards him before he could pull the trigger. Longarm had already lined up the shot with the crosshairs directly on Skywalker's torso as he sprinted across the hangar floor and begins to press his finger against the trigger when his helmet's audio receptors picked up a door opening and footsteps running in.

And then he hears Ahsoka's voice "LONGARM NO!"

He didn't have time to even look at her as Anakin was closing the gap rapidly, he gives a short groan in frustration and tosses his rifle aside sparing the Jedi a fatal shot to the chest, and readied himself for hand to hand combat. Skywalker reaches within two meters of the SPARTAN, who cocked his right arm back to deliver a debilitating blow, and began to fight dirty. He uses the force and throws Longarm high up into the air before brutally slamming him down against the floor, leaving a large dented impression, before he began smashing the SPARTAN into everything from walls and ceilings to crates and other utility equipment.

Ahsoka watched as Longarm was thrown about hitting everything with sheer force and looks down at her former master calling out "Anakin stop!"

But he did not hear her over the chaos he was creating with the human sized wrecking ball until he pulls Longarm up in front of him and began to choke him, the SPARTAN struggled to maintain his breath but he was waiting for this particular moment and draws his M6G again taking aim.

Ahsoka saw the gun and started running with Obi-wan and Cody in an attempt to save the two from killing each other, however they were too late when Longarm pulled the trigger sending a round towards Skywalker's left arm where the bullet grazed across his upper arm forcing him to let go of his strangling grip on him.

The SPARTAN fell to the floor on his hands and knees, letting his magnum clatter against the floor, as he gasps for air. Skywalker however was not intending of ending it with a bullet graze to his arm, he grabs hold of Longarm once more with the force and slams his head down hard against the floor with such force that it knocked him unconscious.

Anakin prepares his lightsaber again this time for the final blow but quickly enough Kenobi, Cody, and Rex swarmed the angered Jedi disarming him and holding him back with Obi-wan stating "That's enough Anakin!"

Rex adds "He's not worth it!"

Soon enough Skywalker ceases his aggression and backs off, he sees Ahsoka rush over to Longarm and kneel down next to him before he orders "Ahsoka get away from him!"

She looks up at her former master and asks with shock "What is wrong with you!? He's on our side!"

"He's a dangerous man! He should be in prison!"

Kenobi asks "Prison? The way you were behaving it looked like you were going to send him somewhere that's more than a prison, report back to the ship and we'll discuss this later."

Skywalker argued "Master!? What about Ahso—"

"I will handle her . . . now is a good time for you to leave."

Anakin glanced at Tano who was looking back at him with a much disappointed look in her eyes, he had nothing more to say and left along with Rex and the 501st, Obi-wan and Cody then came to Ahsoka and kneeled down beside the SPARTAN who was beginning to wake up from his brief moment of darkness.

"Longarm you alright?" she asks with concern.

The SPARTAN-ll grumbled "Rgh . . . yeah . . ." and grabbed his discarded magnum holstering it before he started to slowly get back up.

Kenobi states as he watches Longarm "Careful now, you could've suffered a concussion."

"I'll be fine . . ." he replies rubbing the back of his helmet.

Tano asks "What was all this about?"

"At first it seemed he was pretty steamed about the situation outside."

"Yes, we lost two escort cruisers to the blast. I can't say exactly that I'm thrilled over the destruction of the droid fleet but . . . thank you for aiding us" Obi-wan says gratefully in the end.

Ahsoka gave a gentle smile "We're happy to help Master Kenobi, I just wish we could've done better to save those two cruisers."

"Agreed . . . now to discuss the terms of payment."

Longarm quickly asks "Payment?" he turns to Tano "You didn't say anything about payment."

"It may have slipped my mind. Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine . . . about that payment?"

"Yes we'll transfer the credits over to your account if that is what you wish."

"Uh send it to Ahsoka, she can put them to better use."

Kenobi raised an eyebrow wondering why a mercenary like Longarm would decline the payment, nonetheless he says "Very well have it your way, we'll transfer the funds to Tano and we'll be sure to contact you again if we ever need you again."

The SPARTAN nodded "Looking forward to it" he looks down at Tano one last time and asks "You want to go talk to Skywalker . . . before we head out?"

She looks up at the door hatch Skywalker and his men walked through and gave some thought before she solemnly says "No . . . let's just go . . ."

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