Episode 21 – Siege of Thule
The Dark Reaper! An ancient Sith Superweapon capable of annihilating entire armies! Twice destroyed by Jedi forces, the Sith Empire now strives to rebuild this terrible weapon and unleash it on the Republic! With proof that the Dark Reaper is being rebuilt in the Thule System: Grand General Galen Marek begins rallying Republic Forces for the inevitable invasion of the Thule System, hoping to put a stop to the Dark Reaper before it can be activated!
In high orbit over Mygeeto…
The Falon Grey along with its escorts were in high orbit over the frozen world, the Grey Squadron pilots walking into the Falon Grey's hangar, their newest addition RX-24 or "Rex" floating amongst them.
"This is terrific! Me, an ordinary pilot droid now a recognized pilot for the Republic! An ace even! And I've only ever flown once before!" Rex said excitedly.
"Well you passed the simulations with flying colors. You even beat out Whisker's record for speed and maneuverability with an A-Wing." Cut Up complimented.
"Well this isn't a simulation, Greys, although it might as well be one." Jaina said as they started heading towards their fighters. Rex's fighter was a modified Z-95 Headhunter with the typical Grey Squadron livery of grey patches with black outlines but the cockpit had been modified for Rex with the removal of the pilot's seat, replacing it with a number of interface connections that would allow Rex a combination of automated and manual controls, increasing his overall response times. His astromech was an R6 droid with alternating patches of blue and orange.
"Ah there's nothing like the mundane tedium of the one mission that every fighter pilot, beginner and ace alike, must perform at least once every so often, the mission that is nothing more than an excuse to jump in the cockpit and joyride in your fighter…patrol duty." X3 commented, Jaina smirking and chuckling in amusement.
"Yeah but it beats having to go headfirst into combat, that's for sure." Jaina said as she reached her X-Wing.
"I thought you liked a little danger?" X3 replied with a smirk as she climbed into her cockpit.
"Excitement yes. I can do without the danger." Jaina said before a number of deck officers ran up to the squadron fighters.
"General Solo, ma'am! Mission's been scrubbed!" one of the deck officers reported. Jaina immediately stood up in her cockpit.
"I beg your pardon?" she asked, a little perturbed.
"Orders from command ma'am. Grey Group is to rendezvous with the First Fleet at the Yavin system." The deck officer replied.
"On whose order?" Jaina asked, leaping down from the cockpit and landing in front of them.
"Mine."
"Ten hut!" X3 ordered, the squadron and deck hands saluting as Jedi Master X2 and his Kaleesh Padawan Ronderu approached the squadron.
"At ease, Grey Squadron. I apologize for the interruption and the canceling of your mission, Jaina but something's come up. I'm assuming command of Grey Group and Grey Squadron for the time being." X2 said as Jaina bowed to the Jedi Master who returned the bow.
"It is technically your Squadron, Master, but a little advanced notice would've been nice." Jaina said.
"Unfortunately the situation didn't give me enough time to inform you. I'm here under orders from Galen Marek. He wants Grey Squadron at Yavin in under a rotation. Something big is about to happen and we've got front row seats." X2 explained as Jaina gave an understanding nod.
"I understand Master. Is there anything you can tell us about the mission?" Jaina asked but X2 shook his head.
"Afraid not, but I know Galen's overseeing it personally and whenever Galen gets involved, you know there's something about to happen. It's a good ol' fashioned Starkiller Op. just like in the old days of the Rebellion." X2 replied with a smile.
"As I recall, most of the 'Starkiller Operations' from the Rebellion era were big ones like the Battle of Yavin, the Battle of Endor, Liberation of Coruscant, etcetera." Jaina replied.
"Which should give you a clue as to the importance of this mission. I can tell you that you'll be working with your grandfather, your uncle, and Galen's son Kento for this." X2 commented as Jaina smiled.
"I look forward to it." Jaina said, X2 nodded with a smile, turning towards his son and noticing his lightsaber.
"I see you've started carrying your lightsaber again Xavier." X2 said but Xavier pulled what appeared to be his lightsaber from a holster, showing that it resembled a blaster now.
"Shows what you know. This is my blaster." Xavier replied, handing his father the weapon.
"Son, I watched you build your lightsaber. I'd know its design anywhere." X2 commented, examining the lightsaber.
"It's a cover. The grip and scope are both fakes. Less likely to be identified as a Jedi until it's too late. Besides, it might come in handy in cutting doors open." Xavier explained, holstering the "blaster."
"A clever strategy. One that I adopted during the Galactic Civil War while Master Kota was training me. I hope your gambit pays off eventually." X2 said, turning and leaving for the bridge.
"So do I." Xavier mumbled.
In the Yavin System…
Republic warships from across the galaxy were gathering near Yavin. Mon Calamari Cruisers of the MC80 varieties along with old Imperial-II Star Destroyers as well as Republic-class Star Destroyers all gathered near the Star Dreadnaught Lusankya. Other smaller vessels such as CR90 corvettes, Nebulon-B Frigates, MC30 Frigates, and even two or three Nebula-class Star Destroyers flew amongst the capital ships but they didn't go as noticed as the larger Star Destroyers and cruisers. To former Imperials, it was eerily similar to watching an Imperial fleet on maneuvers only now the ships were literally more colorful, the mundane grey color of the Empire replaced with brighter colors of red, blue, green, and yellow, depending on the fleet assignment. On the bridge of the Lusankya, Anakin Skywalker stood near the front viewport, watching the ships and fighters as they traveled around the busy space. As he watched, Kento approached the former Dark Lord, his hands behind his back.
"You know I've never understood why you like standing here so much." Kento said to his former master.
"There's a certain beauty of watching these ships on patrol. During my years as Vader I would sometimes deactivate my helmet's audio receptors and watch them in blissful silence. I suppose it is one advantage of being in this armor again. I can once more watch these silent beauties glide through the stars." Anakin mused.
"Never thought about it that way. But then again, you've got a thing for starships." Kento said as Anakin looked towards him.
"Perhaps. So why are you here? Shouldn't you be organizing your men?" Anakin asked, Kento shrugging.
"I put Ailyn in charge of it. I offered to pay her extra so she's fine with it." Kento replied.
"Shirking your duties as a General?" Anakin asked, almost condemningly.
"Not shirking, Master, delegating. I know my men, Master. I trust them and they trust me. By the same token I consider Ailyn my second-in-command and advisor." Kento corrected.
"Your implicit trust in Vel is admirable. It seems you've taken after me in that respect. One of the reasons the 501st respected me so much and were willing to defect from the Empire when they learned I had done the same, was because I wasn't afraid to join them on the frontlines of a battle, to interact with them and lead them personally. I earned their respect and loyalty and they in turn earned mine." Anakin explained as Kento laughed.
"Yeah I never get tired of hearing about dad's reaction to when the 501st approached him in one large group, dropped to one knee and swore their loyalty to the Rebellion and the Republic…R2-D2 even recorded a holo of his expression. Priceless." Kento said, Anakin letting out a chuckle.
"Indeed. It was amusing, wasn't it General?" Anakin asked, turning to see Galen standing behind them. His arms were crossed over his chest and he was smirking slightly.
"Oh hey dad. Don't mind us, we were just talking about you behind your back." Kento said as Galen glanced towards him.
"Better to go into this with laughter than with anger I suppose." Galen mumbled, a concerned expression on his face.
"What is the matter, Galen? Something troubles you." Anakin said as Galen nodded, holding up a datapad.
"With good reason. You said that the Dark Reaper had a power source right? A device designed to absorb and store vast quantities of living force energy to power the weapon? Well we've just received reports from Republic Intelligence. Several of our spies within the Sith Empire have reported that four of their prisons have gone silent but that the Sith were not concerned with it. We sent scouts to investigate but the prisons all appeared to be completely devoid of life, like everyone within them just suddenly dropped dead." Galen explained, he and Kento sensing apprehension from Anakin.
"They have their power source for the Dark Reaper. They've fed their prisoners to it." Anakin said as Kento glared at them both.
"Good thing I decided to go behind your backs and break Ailyn out of that prison on Malachor, huh?" Kento asked but Galen glared at him.
"Don't get cocky, Kento. Besides, we don't know the status of the Reaper itself." Galen said.
"So what are we waiting for? Every second we spend yapping, the closer the Sith get to deploying the Dark Reaper." Kento said as Galen looked at his son.
"We're still waiting on General X2 to arrive with Grey Squadron, Luke said he'd be on his way with some extra Jedi support, and we're still waiting for the Mandalorians to arrive." Galen replied.
"Grey Squadron? That's Jaina's command isn't it?" Kento asked, Galen giving a nod.
"Don't get too excited, son. You'll be working different parts of the battle." Galen replied as one of the bridge officers approached.
"Sir, we're picking up multiple hyperspace signatures. It's the Mandalorians sir. Boba Fett's starship is requesting permission to dock with us." The officer reported.
"Excellent. I better go meet him. Care to join me, Master?" Galen asked, Anakin giving a nod.
"I would indeed." Anakin replied as he and Kento headed for the hangar.
…
The Slave I touched down in the same hangar as the Mynock. Ailyn was seated on a crate outside the freighter, cleaning one of her rifles, when she saw the familiar starship touch down inside. She quietly glared at the ship for a moment before going back to cleaning her rifle. Galen, Anakin, and Kento entered the hangar just as Boba emerged accompanied by Sintas, Venku, and two other Mandalorians.
"Mand'alor. Welcome aboard the Lusankya." Galen greeted, bowing to the Mandalorian. Kento and Anakin did the same.
"Typically we Mandalorians greet each other with Su'cuy." Boba replied, extending a hand which Galen shook firmly.
"Translated: So you're still alive?" Ailyn said as she joined the Jedi, earning a few glares from the Mandalorians as she stood next to Kento with her arms crossed over her chest.
"Still letting that old wound fester huh?" Kento asked softly but got no reply.
"So what is our target?" Boba asked, removing his helmet.
"Thule system. Sith are preparing an ancient superweapon to use against us. We're going to need help taking the system and stopping the weapon." Galen explained.
"If the Sith are allowed to bring this weapon online, it will immediately kill everyone within a certain radius, their life force ripped from their bodies and used to power the weapon. It's an army killer. Shields and armor are rendered useless against the machine as there's typically no one left alive to stop it." Kento added.
"So no chance of fighting back. It just wipes out the army and moves along?" Boba asked.
"That is correct." Anakin replied. Boba looked over his shoulder at the Mandalorians next to him, all of them nodding.
"Alright, we're at your disposal on one condition." Boba said as Galen arched a curious eyebrow.
"And that would be?" he asked.
"I want one of my men assigned to each of your Generals and Admirals as advisors. Men that I will choose." Boba said as Galen thought for a moment.
"Might I inquire as to why?" Galen asked.
"You might." Boba replied simply.
"Oh for crying out loud, just tell the man, Boba." Sintas groaned.
"I like to be kept informed and there is a level of distrust among my men in regards to the Republic. My decision to join Mandalore with the Republic was…not the most popular move I've made. This is mostly a formality to ensure we're not thrown away as cannon fodder." Boba said as Kento scoffed.
"The day the name Mandalorian becomes synonymous with cannon fodder is the day Mustafar freezes over." Kento said, Galen nodding in agreement.
"You know my tactics, Mand'alor. You know my track record. You know I don't just throw away lives. But I will grant you your request." Galen said as Boba nodded.
"Good. My men and I've been wondering how long it would be before you asked us for help. It'll give us a prime opportunity to test some new weapons we've been developing at MandalMotors." Boba said, pulling out an imagecaster.
"This sounds interesting. Are they for sale?" Galen asked.
"They can be. Contracts can be arranged." Boba replied as he activated the imagecaster and started projecting an image of what, at first, appeared to be a flattened version of a Canderous tank with an elongated turret section. The turret section's guns were the same size but also had a top hatch with a small E-WEB attached to a ring on the topside. Unlike the Canderous however, the turret section was locked in place and was meant to be a high speed combat tank.
"This is our newest creation. The Kad-class Fighter Tank. We designed them after the Empire's old Saber-class Fighter Tanks. Fast, maneuverable, well shielded, and well-armed." Boba explained.
"Those will come in handy." Anakin commented as Boba switched off and pocketed the imagecaster.
"Now then, as to the men who will be assigned to your Generals." Boba said as Galen put his hands behind his back in expectation.
"The Generals and Admirals leading the attacks will all be Jedi. I'm the ranking officer and will be coordinating all fronts from aboard the Lusankya. Grand Master Skywalker and Master Skywalker will be coordinating orbital operations for the first half, Grand Master Skywalker assuming orbital command for the second half. Master X2 will be leading an attack on Sivvi, the moon of Thule, while Kento leads the 501st and the majority of the ground troops for the initial landing on Thule itself. Master Skywalker will then take charge and lead the assault on the capital city on Thule where the Reaper is being built. Those are the officers involved with the major combat operations." Galen replied, Boba giving an understanding nod.
"Fair enough. I'll be working directly with you then. I'll leave Skywalker to his lonesome. I trust his judgment." Boba said simply.
"I find your lack of faith in Galen's abilities, disturbing." Anakin commented.
"Call it a matter of personal experience, Lord Skywalker. I trust you not to throw away our lives. Besides, I plan to join you on the ground when the invasion starts." Boba explained.
"Alright." Galen said as Ailyn rested her arm on Kento's shoulder.
"Guess I'm with scruff, right?" she asked but Boba glared at her.
"Guess again." He replied, earning a scowl from her.
"With respect, Mand'alor, and please don't blast me for asking this but, why? Ailyn's been my trusted friend and advisor throughout this war. My men know and respect her." Kento said as Boba put his hands behind his back.
"I want her working on the front lines with another of your Jedi Generals, specifically that girl of Solo's. You'll be working with Venku Skirata here." Boba said as Kento shrugged.
"Ah, Kad. Alright, fair enough." Kento said as Venku approached the Jedi, giving him a nod.
"Bresha Skirata will be working with the Jedi X2. I understand he has a grasp of our language." Boba said as Galen gave a nod.
"He was born and raised alongside the clones of your father on Kamino. He received the same training as they did. Mando'a being one of the things he learned." Galen replied.
"One question, I assume Mirta's been left at home, correct?" Ailyn asked, not at all eager to see her daughter on the front lines of a warzone.
"Yes, she's home with the rest of our men. We had to leave some men and women behind to protect Mandalore." Boba said.
"We even swept the ships for stowaways. I've also got the Orade clan watching her." Sintas replied as Ailyn nodded.
"Good." Ailyn replied simply.
"And that, I suppose, about covers it." Galen said as one of the 501sts came running up to him.
"Sir, Grey Group has arrived and Generals X2 & Solo are arriving. General Skywalker has also just arrived with the Jedi reinforcements we requested." The trooper reported.
"Signal the leaders to come aboard the Lusankya, we'll hold the briefing here." Galen instructed, the trooper saluting and running off.
"Mand'alor, if you would join us in the briefing room." Galen said as Boba nodded, giving orders to his entourage in Mando'a before they followed after Galen. Anakin lingered around long enough for he and Fett to be the last ones to follow after Galen.
"There is one other thing. We have uncovered information that might interest you and your people, regarding an old enemy of yours." Anakin said, handing Fett a small flatholo, Boba looking at the holo for a second before he snapped his glare back up to Anakin, a look of clear anger on his face.
"You have evidence to back this claim up?" Fett asked, suppressing his anger as best as possible. It wasn't Anakin he was mad at, but what the evidence implied.
"The evidence will be on Thule. I will take you to them, personally." Anakin said as Fett gave a nod, the two starting to head for the turbolifts.
…
Half an hour later, the Republic Officers, Mandalorian commanders, and Jedi gathered in the Lusankya's briefing room, a large round theater-like room intended for mass briefings. Galen, Anakin, Luke, and Boba Fett all stood near the front while X2, Kento, Jaina, and the rest of them sat scattered along the rows of seating. Galen then approached a podium that sat near a holoprojector at the front of the room.
"Alright ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please!" Galen said, the troops quieting down immediately.
"I'll start by saying this. Those of you who served under me in the Rebellion will realize the severity and importance of this mission when I say that this is, as the Rebels used to call, a Starkiller Operation. Those of you who don't know what this means, allow me to cite a few examples of some previous Starkiller Ops. The first was the Battle of Yavin which saw the destruction of the First Death Star, another was the Battle of Endor which saw the end of the Second Death Star and also saw the death of Emperor Palpatine, and yet another example was the Liberation of Coruscant which saw the rise of the New Republic we now fight to protect. Like the previous aforementioned missions, this is no less important." Galen explained, noticing the grim expressions on some of the faces of the audience members.
"Recent intelligence implicates the Sith Empire of attempting to rebuild an ancient Sith Superweapon known as the Dark Reaper. The Dark Reaper was built over four-thousand years ago and defeated by the Jedi. During the Clone Wars, the Reaper was rebuilt by the Confederacy of Independent Systems and subsequently destroyed by the Republic, specifically at the hands of our very own Anakin Skywalker who is considered our expert on the weapon. Now our intelligence indicates that the Sith are rebuilding this terrible weapon yet again. To give you an idea of its capabilities, the Dark Reaper is, in essence, an army killer. It literally sucks the life right out of you and uses that energy to power itself and its weapons. To our knowledge there is only one way to destroy this weapon and that is to destroy it before they can bring it online." Galen explained, one of the officers raising their hand. Galen motioned for the officer to stand up.
"Sir, what do we know about the status of the weapon's construction? How far along are they?" the officer asked.
"Unfortunately that is still unknown to us. All we do know is that they are rebuilding the weapon on Thule. Whether it is operational or not is a mystery." Galen explained, the officer sitting down as another stood up.
"Do we know what kind of resistance to expect?" the officer asked.
"Our scouts have reported in as having spotted at least twenty Sith Destroyers on station within the Thule System. More may be there before we arrive. In regards to ground resistance, we'll have our work cut out for us." Galen explained as a hologram of the Thule system appeared, Thule and its moon of Sivvi being highlighted in green with twenty red triangles encircling the planet and moon.
"When we enter the system, the capital ships will engage the Sith Fleet, attempting to draw them away from the planet or punch a hole in their lines. The fleet will be coordinated by General Skywalker here for the first half of the battle." Galen said, motioning to Anakin who nodded.
"Grand Master Skywalker has been assigned as Wing Commander for the mission and will be coordinating the fighter squadrons. General X2's will be in charge of invading the moon of Thule, Sivvi. Sivvi will be our immediate objective for the first ground battle. The Sith have Thule protected with a planetary shield generator, being emitted from Sivvi. Once the shield is down, General Skywalker and Mand'alor Fett will lead the 501st Legion and a large contingent of Mandalorian soldiers to the surface of Thule in a direct assault on the capital city of Kessia in an effort to destroy the Reaper before the Sith can bring it online." Galen explained as Anakin rose to his feet.
"Should the Reaper come online, all ground forces are to withdraw immediately, save for myself. I am the only one who knows how to fight the Dark Reaper should it become active." Anakin explained.
"There is also a secondary objective to this mission. The Empress likely has some of her top agents assigned to working on the Dark Reaper, protecting it. Expect plenty of Dark Jedi protecting it, however if one of the Empress's Hands should be encountered, great pains should be taken to avoid them and to allow for one of the Jedi Generals to face them. We wish to take them alive if at all possible." Galen explained.
"Are there any questions?" Luke asked but no one moved or spoke.
"Alright then. Report to your stations, and may the Force be with us." Galen said as the officers started dispersing.
Meanwhile in the Thule System…
Darth Sheelal, Darth Talzin, and a hooded Darth Vandal stood on the top of a Dominator walker with a small observation platform attached to the top as the walker maneuvered through the ancient and ruined streets of Kessia, Thule's capital city. As the walker maneuvered, they saw a light in the distance, a soft white glow beneath a huge and black dome shaped structure. A hologram projector then activated behind them, the three turning and kneeling before the hologram of Darth Akul accompanied by a masked Darth Stalker who had his arms crossed over his chest.
"What is thy bidding, my Master?" Talzin asked.
"There is a great disturbance in the Force." Akul stated.
"We have felt it." Sheelal replied.
"The Republic and the Jedi are aware of our plans and a fleet gathers near Yavin. They mean to attack Thule. The Reaper must be ready before their arrival." Akul ordered.
"The Jedi do not know what they will face when they arrive." Sheelal said reassuringly.
"That they do not. They will soon bear witness to the full power of the Dark Side." Akul said as Vandal gave her sister a glare for a moment before bowing her head.
"It will be done my Master." Vandal replied.
Near the Thule System…
Kento sat in the cockpit of the Mynock, his hands on the controls and a determined expression on his face, R4 plugged into a droid interface behind him while an armored Mesh'la Skirata sat in the copilot's seat, Venku stepping into the cockpit but not saying a word as the Mynock flew through hyperspace towards Thule. Boma Company was sitting the fight out, having not had enough time to recover from the battle on Rhen Var so the Mynock was filled with Mandalorian Supercommandos and 501st Legion Stormtroopers.
"Venku, how good of a gunner are you?" Kento asked as Venku glared at him.
"You're joking, right?" Venku asked.
"I want the best gunner we've got on the guns." Kento said as Mesh'la glanced at him with a smirk.
"You just want to get me alone in the cockpit, don't you?" she asked as Kento leaned away from her while giving her a thwarting glare.
"Mesh'la." Venku said with a thwarting glare of his own while shaking his head before turning back to Kento.
"I've already put two of my best gunners on the turrets." Venku said as Kento shrugged.
"Just thought I'd give you the option." Kento said as the hyperspace alarm started sounding.
"Alright this is it!" Kento exclaimed as he pulled back on the hyperspace throttle, the Mynock dropping out of hyperspace accompanied by the Republic and Mandalorian fleet. Before them was Thule and it's moon, guarded by twenty Sith Destroyers plus their assorted escorts and fighters. On the bridge of the Lusankya, Galen and Boba both looked out towards the sight as Galen put his hands on the edge of the holotable showing a tactical view of the surrounding space. In space, Luke, with R2-D2 in the droid socket of his X-Wing, emerged from his meditation.
"All wings report in." He ordered. He immediately began receiving orderly responses from the various squadron leaders. Red, Green, Blue, Gold, Bronze, plus a number of Mandalorian squadrons. He then heard Jaina report in for Grey Squadron, Wedge Antilles report in for Rogue Squadron, and Anakin report in for Black Squadron.
"Lock S-Foils in attack position." Luke instructed, his X-Wing's S-Foils opening.
"May the Force be with us." Galen said calmly. In her X-Wing's cockpit, Jaina flew in formation with the rest of Grey Squadron.
"Stay frosty Greys! They're coming!" Jaina said calmly. X2, Ronderu, and Bresha were both stationed on the Falon Grey, waiting to ride down with the landing teams for Sivvi and leaving Jaina in charge of the squadron. Ailyn was, begrudgingly, riding shotgun with Porky in his Y-Wing, manning the turret. Up ahead, they could see the clouds of Sith Fighters on intercept course, several Attack Cruisers close behind them.
"Accelerate to attack speed! All fighters you are free-to-engage!" Luke instructed but Kento sensed a familiar presence amongst the enemy and his eyes widened.
"Negative-negative! Pull up! All fighters pull up! They're going to send their cruisers against our capital ships!" Kento ordered as the Mynock quickly veered away, several other fighters doing the same.
"Repeat that, Mynock? Are you sure?" Wedge asked, not believing Kento's claim.
"Jedi instincts! Sith Lord that attacked Rhen Var is in charge of the defenses here! I sense his presence! Look the cruisers are already on intercept courses! They're not going to slow down! They're gonna hit!" Kento exclaimed. On the Lusankya, Galen saw the strategy being used by the Sith and his eyes narrowed.
"All fighters! Disengage the cruisers and focus on the fighters! Capital ships, concentrate all your fire on those cruisers! Leave their fighters to ours!" Galen ordered as the Lusankya's turbolaser batteries started firing away. The Sith Cruisers suddenly came under fire by the Republic and Mandalorian warships, the firepower of the cruisers ripping them apart while ignoring the larger Sith Destroyers as they entered firing range. On the Sith Flagship, Darth Sheelal laughed maliciously as he watched the cruisers begin their suicide runs.
"Prepare yourselves Jedi. You won't be winning this one." Sheelal said. However he began to grow increasingly nervous as he saw the cruisers disappearing off sensors at an alarming rate, not a single cruiser successfully pulling off its suicide run.
"What?!" Sheelal asked in alarm.
"Sir! The Republic adapted to the strategy! We've lost the bulk of our cruisers! We've got Republic fighters and capital ships closing in!" one of the bridge officers reported.
"Impossible! How can they-…" Sheelal said before sensing something amiss within the Force, a presence that seemed to wash over the entire ship. He noticed hesitation and doubt in the faces of the Sith Troops and immediately realized what it was.
"It's him! He is here!" Sheelal said as he realized who he was up against. The Legendary Leader of the Rebellion, the Starkiller himself, Grand General Galen Marek. This made Sheelal angrier still as he glared out the front windows as Republic and Sith fighters lit up the space around them.
"Watch it Grey Ten, you've got one on your tail!" Porky exclaimed as he spotted Rex with a Sith Fighter chasing after him.
"I've always wanted to do this!" Rex exclaimed cheerfully, his flight visor flipping down over his photoreceptors before taking his Z-95 around towards one of the Mandalorian Battleships as it pounded away at two Sith Destroyers, the Sith fighter chasing after him and firing but the droid pilot managed to evade the attack, quickly flying close alongside of the battlecruiser, gliding across the hull as the Sith Fighter pursued but was suddenly shot down by the turret on Porky's Y-Wing.
"Nice shot back there! You interested in becoming my fulltime tail gunner?" Porky asked Ailyn who quickly turned the turret forward and shot down two more Sith Fighters with a single shot apiece.
"You interested in a broken neck?" Ailyn replied simply as she started firing the turret at a Sith Destroyer's surface guns as they flew past it. Grey Squadron and Rogue Squadron were helping to clear the path towards Sivvi, Grey Squadron's two Nebula Class Star Destroyers helping to lay on the heavy fire support. Jaina was lining up a shot on a Sith Bomber when she saw green laser fire fly past her. Her astromech started beeping in alarm.
"Where did he come from?!" Jaina yelped as she noticed a Sith Fighter behind her, similarly designed to the old Imperial Shadow Droids but with the transparasteel cockpit bubble on the front and a Dark Jedi at the controls. The Dark Jedi was attempting to shoot her down but Jaina quickly swerved clear.
"Watch it Grey Leader! You've got one on your tail!" X3 exclaimed.
"Thanks for the update!" she replied sarcastically as she attempted to evade the fighter but to no avail, the Sith managed to keep Jaina in his sights. She then instinctively flew towards a Republic Nebulon B Frigate, flying past it when she detected another presence in the force, one that she knew very well. Suddenly the Sith Fighter exploded in a ball of flames as Luke's X-Wing flew past.
"Thanks Farm Boy!" Jaina said, using Luke's call sign. Luke was smiling in his X-Wing cockpit as he formed up alongside of her.
"Keep sharp, Sticks! Two inbound from that Destroyer!" Luke said before a metal wall suddenly flew up and past in front of them, firing a pair of light turbolasers at the approaching Sith Fighters while forcing the two X-Wings to veer off in opposite directions.
"Dah! Mynock! Watch where you're going!" Jaina hissed as the Mynock righted itself for a moment before performing a barrel roll, blasting the two Sith Fighters out of space.
"Sorry Princess!" Kento grumbled, trying to keep the freighter on target.
"He's gotta get a dedicated pilot for that thing." Jaina mumbled.
"I heard that!" Kento snapped back as he brought the Mynock around. R4 was even beeping something in a series of low tones.
"Great I'm getting sassed by a droid! I can sell you for parts you know!" Kento grumbled. At the same time on the bridge of the Lusankya, Galen stood in front of the holotable, his hands behind his back and eyes closed as he meditated, using Battle Meditation to bolster the Republic's forces while weakening the Sith's own. Boba and a Republic Admiral were monitoring the battle via the holotable, both issuing orders to their respective forces. Meanwhile the Falon Grey and its escorts were headed straight towards Sivvi but a pair of Sith Destroyers were blocking their path.
"We need that path cleared! All batteries, concentrate fire on the nearest destroyer!" X2 ordered as the Falon Grey and both of its Nebula Star Destroyers focused their fire on their target while Grey and Rogue Squadrons along with Luke and the Mynock flew towards the second Destroyer.
"Alright Greys you know the soft spots! Aim for the shield generators on the back of the command towers! Grey Six, set up your run on their bridge!" Jaina ordered.
"On it! Keep us covered back there, Vel!" Porky replied as Vel gave a quiet nod, spinning the turret towards the back, firing away at a couple of pursuing Sith fighters. At the same time, the Mynock, Wedge, and Luke flew around towards the back of the Destroyer, targeting a spherical bulge near the back of the command tower while the rest of the squadron fighters were distracted by Sith Fighters. Wedge was looking through his targeting computer readout.
"Target locked! Firing torpedoes!" Wedge announced as he and Luke fired off a volley of Torpedoes and the Mynock fired a trio of concussion missiles, the projectiles bypassing the shields and slamming into the shield generator, causing a soft blue hue to appear over the Destroyer for a moment before flickering out, the shields collapsing.
"Now Grey Six!" Jaina ordered as Porky assumed position for his bombing run.
"Roger! Beginning my approach but I've got bogeys on my tail!" Porky said. Vel was doing her best but there were too many fighters for her to take out all at once.
"Hang on Grey Six! I'm on my way!" Luke said but before he could, another voice came in over the comms…
"Ladies and gentlemen make sure your seatbelts are fastened!" Rex exclaimed as his Z-95 flew in, firing at the Sith Fighters and blowing four of them out of the sky.
"Nice shot Grey Ten!" Jaina complimented as X3 chuckled and shook his head.
"Gotta admit, never thought I'd actually appreciate having a droid on the squadron!" X3 commented as Porky lined up the Y-Wing for his bombing run.
"You're all clear, Grey Six!" Party Girl said as Porky began his bombing run, firing off a pair of high-yield Torpedoes, the torpedoes smashing into the Destroyer's bridge and causing it to explode, the Destroyer veering off course as a result. At the same time, the other Destroyer broke in two in the center, having been destroyed by the constant bombardment from Grey Group's Destroyers, allowing them the hole they needed to get to Sivvi.
"This is General X2, we're beginning our invasion of the Thule moon." X2 reported to Lusankya.
"Acknowledged, General. We're counting on you!" a Republic Admiral on the flagship replied before X2 turned towards Bresha and Ronderu.
"We best be getting to our transports." He said, the three quickly taking off running for the turbolifts, as they ran, X2 could sense consternation from Ronderu.
"Something wrong, my young Padawan?" X2 asked.
"My father is here." She replied simply.
"Darth Sheelal? I'm not surprised." X2 said as they stepped into the turbolift, the doors closing behind them. On the flagship of the Sith Fleet, Darth Sheelal angrily slammed his fist against a holotable in frustration. His strategies were being countered almost as soon as he could attempt to implement them and his forces were floundering under the effects of Galen's Battle Meditation.
"Curse these Jedi! So this is the strategic power of Battle Meditation!" Sheelal hissed as he glared out the front viewports towards the Lusankya where he sensed Galen Marek's presence.
"Milord! The Republic have broken through our lines and are beginning to invade the moon!" one of the Sith Bridge Officers reported.
"Send out a general distress! Bring in as many ships as we can to repel the Jedi and prepare for ramming speed!" Sheelal ordered, angrily, alarming the officer.
"R-Ramming speed?!" he asked, fearfully.
"We're going to cut off their heads!" Sheelal said, glaring at the Lusankya. The Sith Destroyer suddenly broke formation, moving at increasing speed towards the Lusankya. At the same time, Galen opened his eyes, a determined glare on his face before silently storming towards the front of the bridge.
"General?" the Republic Admiral asked, confused. Boba Fett quietly watched as Galen calmly raised his hand towards the Sith Destroyer as it approached. Sheelal had already run to his fighter in a secret hangar bay near the bridge and launched, coming about to admire his strategy with a malicious laugh. Galen closed his eyes, as the Destroyer continued to pick up speed. Boba watched with quiet interest as the Sith Destroyer suddenly started to veer slightly off course, the destroyer turning just enough to safely miss the Lusankya, allowing the Super Star Destroyer and a couple of Republic warships to pound the Sith Destroyer with turbolaser fire, causing it to explode behind them. In his starfighter, Sheelal was furious as he flew towards Sivvi, a pair of Sith fighters forming up as escort. Back on the Lusankya, Galen calmly returned to the holotable, returning to his Battle Meditation as one of the bridge officers ran up.
"Sir! The Sith lines are in disarray but we're detecting additional Hyperspace signals! More Sith Vessels are inbound!" the officer reported.
"We'll hold the line. We need to keep the space around Thule clear so that they cannot interfere with our mission. For now, redeploy the fleet to blockade Sivvi and have General Skywalker and his troops standing by to begin landing on Thule itself." Galen instructed, his eyes still closed and his hands behind his back. Meanwhile Grey Squadron flew in low over the surface of Sivvi, the fighters taking out gun emplacements on the surface but avoiding a hillside base around the shield generator, it's anti-air defenses being too strong for a bombing run but the Republic knew this as Krayt Gunships flew in low over the battlefield to a predesignated landing area. The landing area was the center of a large but shallow crater on the surface of Sivvi with the shield base situated at the top of a hill that overlooked both the landing area plus a larger crater that was more recent and deeper. The land between the two craters was virtually impassible by even foot soldiers. The gunships touched down, deploying large groups of Republic troopers and Mandalorian Supercommandos led by X2, Ronderu, and Bresha.
"Forward men! FOR THE REPUBLIC!" X2 yelled, activating his lightsaber as he led them in a charge, the Republic Troopers letting out a battle cry as they charged, the Mandalorians following after them, some of them singing a war song. Ronderu was running ahead of them at a high speed, her cloak flapping wildly as she ran, hunched forward with her arms at her sides for less resistance. Her hunting mask was fully metallic now with a fully functional rebreather installed to protect her from the void of space if necessary. Sith Troopers were already rushing towards them with Sith Destroyer Droids and light anti-infantry tanks amongst them, running down the hill towards the approaching Republic/Mandalorian forces, both sides opening fire at each other. As Ronderu got close to the front lines, she suddenly activated her lightsabers, leaping into the air, and landing in the center of a dense crowd of Sith Troops, quickly beginning to cut into them with vicious skill. X2, Bresha, and several other troops had taken cover behind a large boulder, X2 deflecting blaster shots with his lightsaber while Bresha took potshots with a scoped blaster pistol.
"That girl of yours is a real adenn solus." Bresha commented, firing a shot straight through the head of a Sith Trooper.
"Look again! That's not anger she's fighting with!" X2 exclaimed with a small smile of pride. Indeed, Ronderu's expressions were readable despite her mask. Her eyes were relaxed and almost remorseful as she unleashed on the Sith Troopers, masterfully deflecting blaster shots and cutting down large numbers of them, spinning her lightsabers in a style almost reminiscent of her great-grandfather. Bresha couldn't help but let a chuckle escape.
"Mandokarla!" she said as a pair of tracked Republic vehicles rolled up and opened up two large bays on their backs, extending large turbolaser artillery cannons from the back. They resembled old Rebel MPTL-2s but with the aforementioned turbolaser artillery cannons instead of the torpedo launchers.
"Cannons are in place sir!" one of the Republic troopers reported.
"Target the base doors and fire at will!" X2 ordered, the artillery cannons adjusting their positions before firing off two shots of glowing blue, superheated plasma into the sky that rained down on the base gates, impacting the doors with a bright blue explosion.
"Report!" X2 ordered to the artillery spotter nearby as he looked through a pair of electrobinoculars.
"Direct hit but no good! The doors and walls are shielded!" the spotter replied.
"Keep firing! We'll keep them boxed in if anything!" X2 ordered as the Sith Forces started falling back.
"And how exactly do you propose we take down those shields?" Bresha asked as X2 ducked behind the rock with her, deactivating his lightsaber.
"We take a little side trip." He replied as he motioned for her to follow, he and the Mandalorian Medic quickly ducking down and headed towards one of the impassible sides of the hill where the base resided.
"What exactly is your plan?" Bresha asked as they started climbing the rocky terrain towards the side of the base. It wasn't particularly steep but there were countless large rocky spikes and formations that stuck out every which way, making the climb more difficult but X2 was able to climb via force jumps while Bresha used her jetpack for short hops between points.
"This base has all the hallmarks of an old CIS Base from the Clone Wars. Some of it has been brought up to modern standards but I'm willing to bet that it still has its old flaws." X2 explained as Bresha's target scanner swiveled down over her right eye, looking the wall over.
"I seem to recall some of my clansmen talking about the Thule Campaign from the Clone Wars. They said the CIS was holed up here." She commented as they continued their climb.
"They recalled correctly. See, look there. There's an exposed bit there where the two sides of the walls meet at the corners. Droids never could figure out how to secure those areas. Just need a nice strong hit and the whole circuit powering the wall shields come crashing down and the walls shortly after them." X2 explained before looking back to Bresha who had her arms crossed over her chest, looking at him with her head cocked slightly to one side.
"What?" he asked, confused.
"Can I keep you?" she asked, catching him off guard.
"Let's uh…let's focus on our mission okay?" he asked, a little flustered from the question. Bresha smirked beneath her helmet as they both resumed climbing. As they did, X2 suddenly heard the scream of a starfighter overhead and the presence of a Sith nearby. He quickly looked up in time to see a Belbullab fighter fly overhead, bearing Sith colors as a dark figure leapt from the cockpit, flying towards them.
"Watch out!" X2 exclaimed as Darth Sheelal landed nearby, his stolen doublebladed lightsaber in hand and activated. X2 quickly activated his lightsaber in time to deflect a swing from the Sith Lord who was chuckling menacingly beneath his helmet. Bresha quickly took to the sky, firing a few shots from her blaster at the Kaleesh Sith Lord who managed to shove X2 back in time to deflect her shots.
"Bresha! Go! I've got this!" X2 yelled, Bresha hesitating for a moment before turning and flying off towards the base, not even stopping on lower ledges while X2 and Sheelal exchanged blows. X2 quickly slid back, dodging a swing as X2 pulled a blaster pistol, firing it at the Sith Lord who deflected the shots while charging towards X2 who quickly blocked the attack.
"I take it that you're the father of my new Padawan." X2 said as he and Sheelal glared at each other through their lightsabers.
"And you are a puny Jedi whose lightsaber I will add to my collection." Sheelal said as X2 narrowed his eyes.
"I don't think so." He replied, subtly holstering his pistol before rearing back his empty hand and unleashing a powerful Force Push, forcing Sheelal backwards and down towards a lower ledge, the Sith Lord glaring up at X2 as he drew his pistol again.
"I am Jedi Master X2, a veteran of the Clone Wars, Galactic Civil War, and member of the Jedi Council! And I'll tell you right now, I do not fear the likes of a man who so desperately wants to be like his grandfather but is nowhere even close! I faced the real Grievous once before back in the day and I will say, you pale in comparison to the real thing!" X2 said as Sheelal narrowed his eyes in anger before beginning to nimbly clamor up the sides of the hill towards him, X2 firing his blaster at the approaching Sith Lord before switching to his lightsaber just in time to deflect an attack from Sheelal.
…
Back at the landing area, Jaina, Xavier, Ailyn and the rest of Grey Squadron had landed and were hurrying to the front lines.
"Rex, Whisker! Grab a tank!" Jaina ordered, igniting her lightsaber.
"Okay!" Rex replied, enthusiastically, quickly sliding inside of a Kad Fighter Tank as Whisker followed him, the droid pilot quickly interfacing with the tank controls while Whisker took the top gun. Soon, Jaina and the rest of Grey Squadron had reached the front lines, Ronderu now on the defensive, helping to protect the other soldiers by deflecting blaster fire away from them. Jaina had just arrived, X3, Ailyn, and a couple of other Greys taking cover in a series of natural rocky trenches behind the two Jedi.
"Ronderu, where's your Master?" Jaina asked, deflecting blaster shots alongside of the Kaleesh Padawan.
"I sense he is still alive but I know not where. However I sense he has engaged my father in battle." Ronderu replied, a look of consternation on her face.
"Then we must hope that Master X2 emerges victorious over him." Jaina replied as Ailyn noticed something at one of the far corners of the base. Her helmet's scanner swiveled into place over her right eye, allowing her to see a figure clad in Mandalorian armor doing something at the corner of the base.
"Hey Solo! Heads up I think we're about to get into the base fairly soon!" Ailyn exclaimed. Over at the corner, Bresha was standing within the walls' built in shield barrier and was knelt at an exposed corner panel, occasionally glancing down the hill, seeing the flashes of light as X2 and Sheelal continued their duel. She then returned her attention to the wall, removing a few thermal detonators from her belt, attaching them inside of the exposed panel with a synchronized timed charge set to start on her command. She then turned and took off, using her jetpack to fly away from the wall and fly low over the rocky terrain before landing on one of the ledges and pressing a button on her left gauntlet and kneeling down as a holographic display on her gauntlet started ticking down from ten seconds. She quickly put a hand to the side of the helmet.
"X2! Ba'slan shev'la!" she exclaimed, her words ringing through over X2's comlink loud and clear. X2 heard the alert while he and Sheelal continued exchanging saber swings.
"We probably should take this elsewhere, Sheelal." X2 said but the Sith Lord wasn't about to move.
"I think not, Jedi scum! You die here!" he roared. Suddenly there was a huge explosion at the corner of the Sith Base, the blue glow around the wall flickering away as the shields collapsed, the artillery shells smashing through the gates into the base, blowing them off their hinges and clearing the path for the Republic forces to enter. Sheelal let out an angry roar before throwing X2 backwards with the Force but X2 quickly righted himself in midair, landing in a backwards slide and launching himself into the air where he was caught by an airborne Bresha who carried him off towards the landing area, leaving Sheelal behind as an avalanche caused by the explosion at the wall started barreling towards him. Sheelal growled in anger again as he turned and started fleeing down the hill, pressing a button on his belt. As he ran down the side of the cliff, he soon heard his fighter approaching him, the Belbullab flying down with its cockpit opened, allowing Sheelal to leap up and land in the cockpit, clear of the avalanche and snarling in defeat. From the landing area, X2 and Bresha both watched the Sith Lord take to the skies over Sivvi before jumping into hyperspace, fleeing the battle. Back at the gates, Republic forces were storming the Sith Base, Rex and Whisker's tank being at the front with Ronderu and Jaina riding the sides, deflecting blaster fire with their lightsabers before rolling clear of the tank and beginning to cut down Sith Troopers while X3, Ailyn, and the Republic/Mandalorian troops stormed into the base behind them. The artillery barrage had stopped. Jaina then spotted the bunker leading into the shield generator control room, the exterior of the generator itself being too far within the base for the artillery tanks to hit.
"X3! Ailyn! Ronderu! This way!" Jaina called out, the four quickly heading towards the bunker, running inside, entering a large chamber where the shield's power generator was housed.
"Let's get started on demoing this place! Ronderu and I will cover you in case we have company." Jaina ordered as Ailyn looked towards the ceiling.
"Hey, Solo?" she said.
"Yeah?" Jaina asked back as Ailyn drew her blaster rifle, aiming it towards the darkened ceiling.
"We've got company!" she exclaimed, firing a few shots into a dark part of the ceiling. The blaster bolts were suddenly deflected by a pair of red lightsabers. Jaina and Ronderu both turned towards the hole and narrowed their gaze to see Darth Talzin, smirking down at them. Talzin immediately leapt down from the rafters, landing between the two Jedi who quickly deflected an attack from the Sith Lady before leaping back, waiting for Talzin to make a move.
"Well-well we meet again, little girl." Talzin said to Jaina with a grin as Ailyn kept her blaster trained on the Sith.
"You…you're the chakaar from Mustafar!" Ailyn hissed as Talzin smirked at her over her shoulder.
"Pity Lord Fenrir didn't get you the first time. Guess now's my chance to finish you off." Talzin said as Ailyn removed her helmet, dropping it to the ground.
"Kid…step aside." Ailyn said softly, not taking her eyes off of Talzin.
"Ailyn, go!" Jaina ordered but Ailyn stood firm, holstering her blaster at her side.
"I've been waiting for this opportunity for months, Solo. Besides, this chakaar owes me for robbing me of some rotten and partly used internal organs and I intend to make sure she pays for them." Ailyn said as she pulled out what appeared to be a blaster pistol with a long barrel but held it by the barrel and pulled off the grip and trigger to reveal neither had been permanently attached and that the blaster barrel was actually a standard issue Sith Lightsaber, the ones given to all of the Empire's Dark Jedi outside of the Empress's Hands.
"Vel?" Jaina asked, nervously.
"Got the hilt from a dead Sith di'kut on Dxun. The crystal from another di'kut on Rhen Var. I wanted a rematch on more even grounds, dar'jetii." Ailyn said but Talzin grinned.
"Oh this should be good." She chuckled.
"You even know how to use that thing?" Jaina asked but Ailyn smirked.
"I've got a good teacher." She said as Jaina blinked in surprise but held her ground. They then heard an explosion from the opposite end of the room and saw several Sith Troopers storming in through a destroyed doorway.
"Ronderu! Cover X3!" Jaina ordered as she noticed X3 quickly ducking behind one of the generator coils with his blaster drawn and firing at the approaching Sith. Ronderu quietly nodded and flew off, moving at high speed towards the Sith, cutting into them.
"Now it's just the two of us against you." Jaina said as Ailyn smirked.
"Just remember I'm the one getting paid for her head. I am not sharing the bounty on this one." Ailyn said before they both moved towards Talzin who blocked their attacks. Ailyn's skill with the lightsaber surprised Jaina but the young Jedi Knight quickly noticed there was something off about Ailyn's style, something peculiar. After several seconds of intense swordplay, Jaina quickly realized what it was. Ailyn wasn't using the Force at all! She was using raw sword skill against Talzin and would seize every opportunity that both of Talzin's blades were blocked to try and punch Talzin but would withdraw before the Sith Lady could react, one move even creating an opening long enough for Jaina to nick the Sith Lady in the leg. Ailyn wasn't using a particular sword form but seemed to be using a mix of forms while incorporating some freestyle moves of her own. At the same time, X3 and Ronderu were facing off against the Sith Troops, Ronderu keeping X3 from harm while the young Captain ran around, setting charges between the shield generator's four massive power coils. As he did, he suddenly paused, some of his old Jedi instincts kicking in and he quickly drew his blaster again. He turned to where Jaina and Ailyn were facing Talzin. Talzin suddenly created a shockwave with the Force, shoving both Ailyn and Jaina backwards. She then grabbed hold of one of the coverings on the large coils and ripped it off with the Force, exposing a large spinning set of mechanical blades, arcing with electricity as they spun. She then tried to force Ailyn and Jaina into them with the Force but Ailyn quickly activated her Jetpack while Jaina stood firm against the Dark Jedi's efforts. Talzin was suddenly forced to abandon this attack when X3 began firing at her from behind another coil, forcing her to deflect the blaster shots. Ailyn quickly joined in with her own barrage of blaster fire while Jaina rushed in with a swing, the Dark Jedi quickly leaping back into the air. X3 stopped firing and went back to work, setting the last charge as Ailyn holstered her blaster and raised the lightsaber but Talzin was attacked by blaster fire yet again as X2 and Bresha burst into the room, both firing blasters while X2 had his lightsaber ready. Talzin snarled in frustration as she bounded around them and fled out the door. X3 and Ronderu suddenly blew past the four of them.
"Charges set! RUN!" X3 exclaimed as they all chased after Talzin who had disappeared ahead of them, Jaina calling Ailyn's helmet to her hands with the force, tossing the discarded Mandalorian helmet to its owner who put it on while putting away the lightsaber. As they exited the bunker they emerged in time to see a Fanblade Fighter taking off from a nearby platform, Talzin at the controls as she took off.
"Don't stop!" X3 yelled as they all started signaling the Republic and Mandalorian troops to move just as the timers on the detonators inside the bunker reached zero, the entire bunker billowing fire and smoke as the shield generator was ripped apart by a chain reaction caused by the destroyed power generator, the giant emitter array exploding with it. The Republic and Mandalorian Troops cheered as they saw the planet Thule overhead turn a noticeably darker shade of black as the shield around it collapsed. X2 grinned up at the sky while pulling out his comlink and holding it to his face.
"X2 to Command! The shield is down! I repeat the shield is down! You may commence the invasion!" X2 reported.
"Roger that, General. General Skywalker, General Marek, you're all clear." One of the Republic officers replied.
…
Jaina and Ailyn were heading towards where the fighters had landed, Ailyn walking with her blaster drawn. The Republic and Mandalorian troops behind them were regrouping, preparing to leave to assist with the invasion on the planet overhead but the fleet had the Sith's own forces in check for the time being so they weren't in too much of a rush.
"So when you said you had a good teacher…" Jaina said, detecting slight hesitation from Ailyn to answer.
"It's not Scruff if that's what you're worried about." She replied as Jaina blinked slightly.
"It's not?" Jaina asked as Ailyn stopped in her tracks and Jaina quickly deduced who it was.
"Your father?" she asked as Ailyn glanced away, confirming Jaina's suspicions.
"I'm not looking to become a Jedi. But it damn well helps to know how to use a lightsaber." Ailyn replied as Jaina gave an understanding nod.
"So that's where you got that style from. I didn't recognize any known forms, at least not any consistent ones." Jaina said as Ailyn gave a nod.
"That's right. It's my own style. Keeps the enemy guessing." Ailyn explained.
"Well…it worked." Jaina said as she and Ailyn continued on towards the fighters, leaving X3, Ronderu, X2, and Bresha behind. Bresha had her helmet tucked under her arm.
"We'll go warm up the transports for you dad." X3 said to X2 who smiled approvingly.
"Good. Oh, and Xavier. You did good out there. Not just in the cockpit but on the ground too. Your mother would've been proud of you." X2 said as Xavier gave a sad smile and nodded appreciatively, absently straightening the red jacket around him before continuing on to the fighters, Ronderu following him.
"So…widower?" Bresha asked as X2 nodded.
"Her name was Shara. She was a bounty hunter and Rebel. She died three years ago at Cato Neimoidia." X2 said as Bresha gave a sympathetic glance.
"I know the feeling. My husband died five years ago. We'd been married since we had come of age. Xavier your only kid?" Bresha asked but X2 shook his head.
"My only son. I have a daughter, Ferroda." X2 replied as they started for the gunships.
"Nice. I've got two girls. Both adopted. Mesh'la and Ka'ra." Bresha said as she reached into her armor and pulled out a small photo screen of the Twi'lek and Wookiee in question.
"They're adorable. Lovely names. Beautiful and Stars in Mando'a if I'm not mistaken. Although…haven't I seen the Twi'lek before?" X2 asked as Bresha pocketed the screen.
"She's flying copilot with Marek on that Mynock of his." Bresha replied as X2 chuckled.
"I see. She was the one Kento kept trying to avoid. He tries to be a gentleman, you understand." X2 said as Bresha laughed.
"Oh I doubt Mesh'la's any threat to him." Bresha commented as X2 looked at her, curiously.
"Uh…Miss Skirata, forgive me but, what exactly are your intentions?" X2 asked as Bresha paused and turned to look at him with a thoughtful smile.
"I dunno. Maybe we could discuss any 'intentions' I might have over a pint when this battle is over?" Bresha asked, mildly catching the old clone off guard.
"Well, I suppose so but I warn you, I have built in alcoholic metabolizers so it takes a lot to get me drunk. One of the benefits of being born in a tube I guess." X2 said as Bresha smirked and chuckled coyly.
"Uh, if you're trying to scare me off with the fact that you're a clone, you're not going to get anywhere with me. Clan Skirata is full of clones from the Clone Wars so I'm used to seeing a lot of duplicate faces. And as to the alcohol…I've been known to be a heavy drinker myself." Bresha said challengingly as X2 smiled and shrugged.
"I suppose it's a challenge." X2 said as Bresha stepped onto one of the gunships, looking at him with a smirk.
"I suppose it is, just…remember,ke nu jurkad ti Mando'ade, burc'ya!" Bresha said as X2 smiled, putting his hands behind his back.
"Oh I don't cross swords with Mandalorians out of sheer self-preservation." X2 said as Bresha smirked at him, putting her helmet on her head before the doors to the gunship slammed shut, the gunship taking to the sky to regroup with the Falon Grey, neither of them noticing the disapproving glare they were getting from Xavier as he zipped up his red jacket.
In Kessia…
Darth Vandal stood observing the reconstruction of the Dark Reaper, her hood still over her head as a holoprojector activated behind her, showing Darth Akul seated upon her thrown.
"Sivvi has fallen, my Master, and Lords Sheelal and Talzin have fled. The Republic is beginning to deploy their invasion army directly to Thule." Vandal reported without turning towards the hologram.
"I suspected this would happen. Lords Sheelal and Talzin have actually followed my orders perfectly. Continue the defense of the Reaper until its completion." Akul instructed as Vandal turned towards the hologram of her sister.
"And what of the Son of Starkiller? I sense him here upon Thule's surface as we speak." Vandal stated but Akul smiled at her.
"You are not allowed to kill him. He may still prove…useful, to our plans." Akul said as Vandal narrowed her gaze in frustration but bowed her head regardless.
"It shall be done, my Master." Vandal replied.
End Episode 21
Next week, the exciting conclusion of the Season 1 Finale.