TFX Weapons fire projectiles that can't be deflected by lightsabers, only armor. Just a tip!

Chapter 5: Stealing the IPV's

-Ross Kelly-

The inquisitor walked towards the supply crates and ignited his lightsaber. Kanaan, tensed and then relaxed as Zeb placed a hand on his shoulder. Stormtroopers went ahead of the inquisitor and prepared to fire.

"Shh...Ross has something planned, Kanaan", whispered Zeb.

"Surrender!", ordered a stormtrooper.

Ross removed a frag grenade from his armor, pulled the pin and spoon, counted 2 seconds, stood up quickly, and hurled it.

"Have some candy you - YIPE!", cried Ross as was fired on.

He was met with a barrage of fire, and was hit several times. Cursing, he fell down from the force of the shots. The stormtroopers saw the grenade, but it was too little too late.

"GRENA-", the stormtrooper's yell of horror was cut off by a loud explosion, which set off alarms.

Ross grunted and stood up. Several stormtroopers lay dead in front of the crates but the inquisitor still approached. Kanaan leaped at him, and started dueling with his own lightsaber. Ross watched the 2 stand off.

"So! CALEB DUME! We meet in person!", said the inquisitor.

"That was once my name", replied Kanaan, striking at the inquisitor.

Blaze roared and threw a crate at some stormtroopers who were approaching. Ross turned back to the fight at hand.

"Will Kanaan be alright?", said Ross.

"Ignore that!", shouted Zeb. "Let's clear the hangar!".

"Roger!", said Ross.

Angel squadron opened up on the remaining stormtroopers in the hangar, engaging them in mid range combat. One by one, stormtroopers were picked off. Suddenly, there was a scream. More like several. Stunned stormtroopers and Angel squadron members turned to see 3 imperial navy soldiers running and screaming from a side entrance, being pursued by Koby, who was covered in blood.

"It's going to get us!", yelled one of the troopers.

"IT?! I AM NOT AN IT YOU FUCKER", shouted Koby.

Screeching, she grabbed a trooper, and ripped him in half.

"IN THE NAME OF THE FORCE!", yelled a stormtrooper.

Horrified stormtroopers fired at Koby. Koby yelped as she took a few shots, and hid behind an armored dolly. On her tail were Spectre and Sprite squadrons, who added to the mess in the hangar. Stormtroopers, confused by the battle, took cover on the other side of the same dolly as Koby.

"Sprite 6! Behind your dolly!", Chessa yelled to Koby.

Koby whirled around, and kicked the dolly backwards, knocking down the stormtroopers. Suddenly, an air vent grate fell down from the ceiling. Sabine, Ezra and Kathy dropped down from it. While Sabine and Kathy joined in the firefight, Ezra rushed to Kanaan's aid, and proceeded to drive the inquisitor back.

-Koby-

Firing her rifle, Koby pinned down 3 stormtroopers and then nailed a fourth right between the eyes. Picking off the remaining troopers one by one, she advanced. Suddenly the clashing of lightsabers grew closer.

"You're weak, BOY!", shouted the inquisitor.

"Not as weak as a Sith coward like you!", retorted Ezra.

Koby watched the fight that was making it's way near her. The inquisitor was dueling both Kanaan and Ezra with ferocity. Pulling out her energy dagger, she snuck to an area behind the inquisitor. Kanaan and Ezra picked up their offensive. Koby was waiting right behind a barrier. Intently watching, she worriedly noticed that the 2 Jedi were outmatched by this inquisitor. She prepared a trap. Nodding to Kanaan, she prepared to leap. Slowly, Kanaan and Ezra fought the inquisitor closer and closer to Koby.

"You can't trick me!", said the inquisitor, kicking Ezra in the face. "I know that there is a trap behind me!".

Koby quickly repositioned. The inquisitor slashed at where she had been hiding, but was flustered to discover she had moved. Miffed, the inquisitor shoved Kanaan away with the force, slamming him into a barricade. Dazed, he watched as the inquisitor disarmed Ezra.

"No!", shouted Kanaan.

The inquisitor put a foot on Ezra and prepared to slash into him.

"Nobody can stop me from killing you now, boy!", he said.

"Tell that to me!", shouted Koby, stabbing at the inquisitor's leg.

The inquisitor had sensed her presence, but it was far too late now to stop her. Koby sunk the knife deep into his calf.

"You LIZARD!", he shouted.

Koby started clawing at the inquisitor while Ezra and Kanaan gathered their senses. The inquisitor felt fearful for a moment, then felt terrified. Koby went for his throat. Remembering he had a lightsaber, he managed to get her off of him. Laughing madly, he sliced Koby's abdomen and hurled her backwards using the force.

"UNGH!", yelled Koby as she slammed into a wall, near Jackson and Teal.

The inquisitor ran at her. Thinking quickly, she drew her pistol and started shooting at him. He attempted to deflect the shots, but the bullets shattered on impact with his saber. A shot connected with his chest, right near his heart. The inquisitor grunted and fell dead. Dazed, Koby crawled behind a crate and collapsed. She checked her injuries. Bleeding had stopped, but she was no longer in any condition to fight aggressively, or really, at all. She whimpered. A concerned Jackson ran to her, while Teal suppressed an enemy E-WEB turret that had been deployed.

"Sweetie are you okay?", he said.

"No...", replied Koby honestly. "It hurts to move.".

Jackson quickly assessed her injuries. He gasped as he saw the extent of the injuries from the blaster fire. Her chest armor was riddled with pits, blaster marks and scores. Her arms were badly burned in some places. Her left leg was shot in a tendon. Then there was the horrible slash from the lightsaber across her stomach. He pulled her closer to him and he began administering first aid. Kix, halfway across the hanger, noticed that Koby had been injured.

"Hang on Koby, I'll get to you!", he shouted over the waning sound of gunfire.

Thankfully, the firefight was starting to tone down. The inquisitor had been killed. The last of the garrison had either escaped the station, or had been killed. Koby sighed and relaxed as Jackson gave her some shots. The drugs took effect and Koby passed out.

-Jackson-

Cradling the drowsing Koby, Jackson carried her to Kix, who proceeded to give her a blood multiplier, and applied several medicines. While this was happening, the rest of the strike team was busy sifting through everything in the hangar. Blasters, explosives, food, fuel, medical supplies, everything was there. The teams now turned their main attention to the 2 IPV's that were nearby. Ezra ran over to check on the few members of Sprite and Angel squad who were protectively around Koby and Kix.

"Is everyone alright? What of that soldier who killed the inquisitor?", asked Ezra.

"No. We have a few small injuries, which is nothing, but...Koby. Koby got messed up horribly", said Christie sadly.

She nodded over to Koby, who was now being bandaged up. Ezra stared, teared up, and started apologizing.

"She didn't know what the inquisitor could do...but if it wasn't for her I would have surely died. I owe her my life", said Ezra.

Sabine approached Ezra, helmet in hand.

"These IPV's have been modified. They have hyperdrives. Chopper is clearing them of any possible tracking devi...", her voice trailed off as she saw Koby.

Sabine covered her mouth. Ezra walked to Sabine and informed her of what had happened. Sabine teared up slightly. Koby growled in her sleep as Kix started suturing up her injuries. She blearily opened her eyes. Turning to Kix, she started speaking in her native tongue. Whispering to Kix, she asked something, but Jackson couldn't hear it clearly.

"Cah, Koby-lana", replied Kix.

"Haro h'ak-ara...", Koby asked.

"Cah", said Kix. "Taro t'ak-ill".

She smiled and fell back into a dazed sleep state. Confused, Ezra asked what she had meant.

"She was asking if she killed the enemy", replied Kix. "She also wanted to make sure that you were okay.".

This struck a chord with the members of Spectre squad. An almost complete stranger had put her life on the line to save Kanaan and Ezra.

"Chop says the ship is clear!", said Zeb. "Ross says that he can pilot one and I think I can get the other. Choose which ship you want to go with after we load them up!".

Sabine sat near Koby, as the other members prepared the IPV's to be launched. Blaze also was nearby Standing up, Sabine walked to Blaze as he was preparing a shield generator.

"Blaze...is it?", Sabine asked.

"Cah...I mean, yes", replied Blaze. "What can I do for you sweetie?".

"How do I say thank you to Koby...I want to do it in your language though", said Sabine.

Blaze smiled and turned to face Sabine.

"Where is the thanks coming from? Your heart or because you just want to thank her?", asked Blaze.

"She saved my close friend and someone who is like a father to me", answered Sabine.

"So it's from the heart. That would be: Hana ta-h'a jarta. That stands for I thank you from my soul", said Blaze.

Sabine thanked Blaze, who then loaded the shield generator onto an IPV. Jackson watched from nearby, making sure that no more stormtroopers were approaching. She approached Koby, who was stirring again as Kix checked on her. Kix chatted with Sabine.

"May I say something to Koby?", asked Sabine.

"Of course", replied Koby, who cut off Kix.

Kix sat down and started doing some medical work on Koby's burns while Sabine prepared what she was going to say.

"To start off...you saved 2 very important people. They're important to me. I wanted to thank you", said Sabine.

"Not a problem sweetie", said Koby. "I did it because it was right.".

"It struck a chord with me, Zeb, Ezra and Kanaan. It was so...selfless", further explained Sabine.

Koby nodded.

"Your speech is very heartfelt. You care for your friends", said Koby. "I care for mine too. They're all my family. We all mess around and play but when it's time to be serious I wouldn't want to have anyone else by my side fighting, no matter what happens.".

"Hana ta-h'a jarta", said Sabine.

Koby smiled, and hugged the young Mandalorian girl.

"You're welcome", Koby replied.

The IPV's had been loaded. Suddenly the sound of ships exiting hyperspace was heard. Zeb ran to a viewport.

"This is Spectre 2. Message, over!", said Hera.

"Go ahead Spectre 2", said Kanaan.

"Enemy Victory II class frigates have entered Vergesso. They are are about 1000km out and closing fast!", she said.

The soldiers in the hangar sprung to action. They had less than 10 minutes before the ships would be on top of them. Chopper, having programmed the IPV's with the coordinates, sped out of the hangar and back to the Ghost. Kix and Jackson picked up Koby, and moved her into the medical bay located in one of the IPV's. Ross was already warming up the first one, and Zeb was starting the other. Sabine and Ezra ran out the hangar, sprinting back to the Ghost, followed by Kathy and Blaze. The other members of Sprite and Angel squadrons boarded onto the IPV's.

"This is Spectre 2! I have Spectre 4, 5 and 6, as well as Sprite 4 and Angel 4. We're departing!", reported Hera.

"This is Angel 1. We are also departing now. Chopper programmed our IPV's with the coordinates so we are good to go", said Ross.

"Specter 4, also departing", reported Zeb.

The 2 IPV's exited the hangar. Ross cut the shields and set all power to the engine. Zeb also did the same with his ship. Tie fighters were approaching fast. However, it was too little too late. The 2 IPV's jumped into hyperspace.

-The Empire-

Admiral Konstantine was not thrilled at all to hear of the raid in Vergesso. Even angrier would be grand admiral Thrawn. Then there would be Vader. This was not his day.

"Were there any devices aboard the 2 stolen corvettes that could be used to pinpoint the location of the rebels?", asked Konstantine to one of corvette pilots, who had managed to escape the station.

"No. They had hyperdrives installed but the ships were just for patrolling Vergesso and surrounding systems. Their trackers are only useful for short range", reported the pilot

"Damn it. I will have to report this to lord Vader", grumbled Konstantine.

There was more troubling news, however that Konstantine had yet to hear. A captain of the garrison from the station walked up to him.

"We have more bad news. We faced off with unknown enemy forces who are far better trained than our forces. One of the soldiers managed to kill...the inquisitor", said the captain.

The bridge of the Victory II frigate grew silent.

"What?! How?", asked Konstantine.

"With a pistol of unknown origins. It seems to be a type of slugthrower that is far more advanced than any we have ever seen or encountered. In fact, these new forces are using slugthrowers and energy weapons that are more powerful than any we have ever encountered. The inquisitor never had a chance admiral. None of us did", said the captain, with a sad tone.

"I will inform lord Vader and the grand admiral immediately!", said Konstantine.