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Max Steel: Rebels - One Shots

Chapter 3: Newest Recruits Part 1

Spaceport, Garel City, Garel, Garel System, Outer Rim Territories, Lothal Sector

A pretty standard mission for Phoenix Squadron had brought Sabine Wren back to a familiar spaceport on Garel. However, this mission was slightly different for her, mainly because her backup happened to be someone she knew from when she escaped the Imperial Academy after realizing she wanted out. A fellow Mandalorian by the name of Ketsu Onyo. The two had once been pretty close, both becoming bounty hunters and working together, at least until one job resulted in Sabine leaving Ketsu for "dead." But it seemed like the galaxy had a sick sense of humor because not long after did the two cross paths again.

On prior mission for the Phoenix Squadron, the two former Imperial Cadets reconciled with each other, Sabine convincing Ketsu to work with the Rebellion on occasion, the latter agreeing to help out when asked, but not officially joining the cause.

It was for this mission did Sabine call Ketsu to help out with rather critical retrieval of cargo. Keeping to the shadows, the two Mandalorians worked quietly, slipping by a Stormtrooper patrol. Blasters drawn in the event they needed them, the two friends snuck into one of the Spaceport's rooms and shut the door.

"Okay, we're here," informed Sabine as she took off her helmet for a moment, revealing she had dyed her hair a mix of blue and cyan, "I'm glad you came on this mission, Ketsu."

"Happy to help out a friend," replied the former bounty hunter, removing her own helmet. Ketsu was a human, about the same height as Sabine, with dark skin, very short black hair, a red tattoo above and behind her ears that went around the back of her head, and purple irises, "Though I am surprised your boyfriend isn't helping out."

"Max is following up on a lead, said he'll be here with Steel soon," explained Sabine as she tucked her helmet under her arm, "Now that you've left the Black Sun, let me know when you want your armor repainted."

The artist tapped on the symbol on Ketsu's left shoulder pad, a red marking for the crime syndicate, The Black Sun.

"I appreciate that, Sabine," thanked Ketsu as she glanced at the marking, "But I'm not quite sure I'm ready to join the rebels yet."

"Fine with me," replied Sabine with a shrug, "Lets sneak this cargo out to landing bay."

"Huh, food for the rebellion," noted Ketsu, having opened one of the containers of the cargo they were stealing, inside was nothing but food rations, "I'll admit, this isn't the kind of mission I had in mind."

"Well, it's not always about excitement," answered the mando artist, "Sometimes, it's about helping people in need."

"True, Max is definitely the poster boy for that," shrugged Ketsu, however, she gave Sabine a knowing look, the hero was always willing to help out anyone in need, regardless if they were oppressed citizens, or the families of some imperials, it didn't matter to him, "But next time, pick something with a little more kick."

Sabine gave her a friend an affirmative smile as she pressed a button on one of the walls inside the room, resulting in a larger door opening up. However, this did reveal two Stormtroopers standing guard on the other side. The mando artist gaped in surprise, with one Stormtrooper looking behind himself in confusion when he heard the door open. However, Ketsu was already moving, having placed her helmet back on, she leaped at the trooper, smashing her knee into the imperial soldier's helmet, knocking him out. She then grabbed the blaster of the other trooper, swinging him around to Sabine, who used her own helmet as a makeshift weapon, knocking the trooper unconscious as well.

"Maybe I spoke too soon," noted Ketsu, glad that this mission was becoming exciting.

"Well at least there were only two," said Sabine in relief, however, as soon as she said that, more Stormtroopers entered the landing bay, E11s ready to be used, "ugh, really?"

Both Mandolorians ran for cover as the Stormtroopers began firing on them. Ducking behind some crates, Sabine and Ketsu drew their blasters and began firing back, their blaster bolts striking a few troopers in the process.

"All this trouble, for some food?" Noted Ketsu at the surprising number of Stormtroopers there seemed be just for some food rations.

"Must think Max and Steel would have been here instead of us," reasoned Sabine.

In the Empire, Max Steel had earned himself the reputation for not only pulling off the impossible, but for prioritizing the wellbeing of others, so it would make sense that more troopers would be used for the transport of food. However, things got a little more complicated during the firefight, when a few stray blaster bolts knocked over one of the cargo containers, causing it to open and spill out the food. But with the food was Chadra-Fan child. This prompted a brief pause in fire from both sides, but the Empire quickly prepared to resume firing, with one trooper even taking aim at the child.

"I'll get the kid," stated Ketsu as she readied herself, "Cover me!"

Without another word, the former bounty hunter ran into the fray with Sabine providing cover fire for her friend.

With the Stormtroopers taking cover for a moment, Ketsu was able to get to the child, scooping him up into her arms as she prepared to make a run back to safety. However, one blaster bolt from a Stormtrooper struck her left shoulder pad. Mandalorian armor is much stronger than the plastoid armor used by Stormtroopers, so the bolt on lightly singed the armor. Ketsu quickly returned fire, a shot from her blaster striking the offending Stormtrooper directly in the chest plate.

"Spectre-2, we could use some help in here," reported Sabine to Hera who was waiting on standby to pick up the food, "The mission's gotten a lot more complicated."

"Copy that Spectre-5, but we may have to leave the cargo," informed Spectre-2, "Imperial chatter has some AT-MPs headed for the landing bay."

"How long until they get here?" asked Sabine, maintaining fire on the Stormtroopers while Ketsu rejoined her behind their cover.

However, before Hera could answer, another door into the landing bay opened up to reveal the aforementioned imperial missile platforms. These were much shorter than the usual AT-DPs the Spectres were used to seeing, equipped with a forward facing rotary laser canon on the chin and two missile launchers on either side of the main body.

"Scratch that landing, Spectre-2, they're already here," informed Sabine, realizing that if the Ghost tried to make a landing, it would immediately get torn to pieces by the missiles from the walkers, "This exciting enough for yah?"

"When I asked for exciting, I wanted to live to talk about," noted Ketsu, seeing how they were woefully outgunned with the missile platforms here.

"I'm sure you'll have plenty to chat about," said a familiar male voice into their comm, followed by a familiar roar of a jet engine.

This was accompanied by two beams of cyan energy, one that struck the ground near some Stormtroopers, sending them tumbling away, while the other hit the ground at some other Stormtroopers. Looking up, Sabine and Ketsu saw Max Steel in Flight Mode swoop down around the landing bay, this

"Perfect timing, Max," thanked Sabine, glancing over at her boyfriend.

"Hera filled Steel and I in on the job you two were on," explained the hero as the AT-MPs began to fire on their position.

"We can catch up later," interrupted Ketsu, reminding them of the situation at hand, "We still have some unfinished business, so if you could kindly take care of the platforms before they blow us to pieces."

"Actually, I was thinking of letting someone else handle them," corrected the Ultralink.

Before Ketsu or Sabine could ask who, an explosion erupted from the remaining bay door into the landing area, drawing the attention of everyone. Stomping through the blasted hole emerged a very large droid, standing even taller than the Imperial Security Droids and appeared even buffer, was a green, white, and black walking tank with a cannon for a right arm and two missile launchers on its back.

"Sabine, Ketsu, meet C.Y.T.R.O.," introduced Max, gesturing to the hulking robot.

"How's it going, ladies?" greeted C.Y.T.R.O.," acknowledging the two Mandalorians.

"Introductions after we leave, please?" Requested Ketsu, not wanting to get blown up.

"Right," nodded Max, as he turned to the robot, "Think you can take care of the walkers, big guy?"

"You gotta ask?" replied C.Y.T.R.O. as the rocket launchers on his back flipped forward and launched a volley of missiles at the AT-MPs. The missiles blew the Imperial artillery to pieces, allowing Hera to get in close to get them all out of there.

"Spectre-2, you're cleared to land," informed Max through the comm, informing the pilot to make her quick escape.

Sure enough, the Ghost made a quick swoop in, the ramp already open for them to get on board. The Spectres, with their plus ones raced up the boarding ramp, C.Y.T.R.O. having to squeeze himself through the doorway and moments later, they were flying off. They may not have gotten the food, but the Rebel cause did walk away with a new and heavily armed member to add to their ranks.

End Part 1

Part 2: Ketsu and Sabine thank Max for the assist.