Hey, everybody. Back with another chapter. As a reward for your patience in me taking a break to focus on homework, I've decided to give you a double-upload today.
Let's get to it.
Chapter 66- A New Team
(April 19, 2051)
As a Pegasus shuttle streaks through hyperspace on the fringes of First Order territory, Hania Nez makes his way back into the passenger bay after conversing with the pilot and co-pilot. In the passenger bay are two troops of 16 men each from SEAL Team 6. They are operating under Hania's command for this operation, alongside a similar number of Israeli Sayeret Matkal, which are being transported in a second Pegasus. They are on an important mission: launching a strike against Ord Cestus.
The First Order had taken control of Ord Cestus early in the war, and was using the planet not only as a transportation hub, but had also established several factories on the planet. The group's target was a factory being used to produce a new kind of battle droid. The First Order was trying to build up its army in order to be able to either continue its conquest or withstand an eventual Terran offensive, but could not do so fast enough just by recruiting soldiers. So, the First Order had decided to begin producing battle droids to augment their armies. These droids were expected to be remarkably effective, so the Alliance was determined to destroy the factory.
At first, the strike was to be handled by the Hammer Squadron. However, when it was discovered that the factory was actually constructed underground, the air strike was called off and the mission was handed over to special forces. Hania was asked to lead the strike since Anakin was on leave on Earth.
"Alright, boys. Let's gear up. We'll be coming out of hyperspace in 2 minutes," he calls out to the SEALs. The SEALs quickly start checking their weapons and making sure they are all combat ready. Hania also checks his blaster pistols, and ensures his lightsaber is fixed in place on his belt.
Outside, the Pegasus carrying them comes out of hyperspace, followed by the second Pegasus two seconds later. In their cockpits, the pilots take stock of the defensive task force positioned over the planet. They approach the planet slowly, making sure they haven't been detected and plotting a course to try and make sure they stay undetected. Once they are confident they haven't been spotted yet, the pilots accelerate and start their landing approach.
The two shuttles manage to get past the ships protecting the planet. Both shuttles have been painted to lessen their chances of being detected visually. The First Order have managed to pick them up on their scanners, but can't pin down their location just yet. One of the Star Destroyers scrambles a few TIE fighters, but by the time they've gotten out on patrol, the shuttles have gotten down into the planet's atmosphere and disappeared off scanners.
As the shuttles are making their descent, down on the ground, First Order personnel are manning a few anti-aircraft cannons protecting the little bit of the factory that is above ground. As they are watching the sky, they suddenly hear the sound of engines. Then, from out of the clouds appear several updated Komr'k class fighters. The fighters dive down and strafe the cannons with their laser cannons, destroying them all in a single pass. Then, the fighters come around a second time, and instead of strafing, they open their bays, and out come 24 Mandalorian warriors.
Jonathan had been coordinating with Din Djarin for months ever since the Mandalorians committed themselves to the cause of the Allies. The Mandalorians had been training Terran forces while learning how to work alongside them. Now, finally, for the first time, Mandalorians were going to be going on a combat mission with Terran forces.
The Mandalorians descend from the sky on their jetpacks, firing their blasters at the few personnel still on the ground, killing them all very quickly. The warriors land a few seconds later, scanning the surroundings with their weapons to confirm there are no more enemies on the surface. Once they confirm that, one of the warriors activates his commlink and calls up to the two Pegasus shuttles, "This is Mandalorian strike team. Surface clear. Clear to land."
The two shuttles soon descend below the clouds and touch down a few seconds later. Their passenger bays open up, and Hania leads the SEALs and Sayeret Matkal out of the shuttles.
"Alright, gentlemen. I want 4 Mandos and 4 SEALs protecting the shuttles down on the ground. Rest of you, with me," Hania orders.
"Yes, sir," everyone calls out.
"Let's move," Hania orders.
The Mandalorians and SEALs he called for move over to the shuttles to set up defensive watch positions, while the rest of the Mandalorians and Terran commandos follow Hania over to the entrance into the factory. As they reach the entrance, Hania calls out, "Breacher!" One of the SEALs hurries forward and lays breaching charges against the door. Once the charges are set, he signals the team, who all take steps back. Then, the breacher blows the charges, blasting through the door.
Hania ignites his lightsaber and motions forward with it as he moves towards the entrance. The rest of the strike force follows him into the factory.
Only yards into the factory, the team reaches the lifts. Hania orders the team, "Alright. Separate out. Equal teams in each lift. Everyone to different levels. You have the layout of this place. Let's set the charges, and this place will be permanently gone." The goal of the mission was to set explosive charges not only in the reactor chamber, but also along fuel lines throughout the factory. Altogether, that would ensure the entire factory was destroyed.
The three forces that make up the strike force separate out into different teams, each team with Mandalorians and Terrans, and each team taking a different lift. As the lifts set off, each team readies their weapons, ready to fight as soon as the doors open.
In his lift, Hania is with 8 SEALs and 6 Mandalorians. They are responsible for setting the charges in the reactor chamber itself. He holds his lightsaber at his side, its blade humming in the near silence of the lift. As Hania watches the symbols on the display up at the top of the control panel, which show the lift approaching the bottom level, he grips the hilt of his saber tightly.
Finally, the lift hits the bottom, and a second later, its door open. Hania hurries out of the lift, and sure enough, two stormtroopers are guarding the lift, one on either side of the door. With two quick moves, sabers moving so fast that it's a blur, Hania beheads both troopers.
Hania looks back at his men. "Slow is smooth, smooth is fast," he says with a small, cocky grin before leading his men onwards. Some of the men shake their heads a little bit before following Hania.
Soon enough, they enter a production room where they can see a number of stormtroopers standing guard, and workers overseeing a number of machines that are producing battle droid parts.
One of the SEALs raises his weapon and fires at one of the stormtroopers, killing him with a shot to the face. The sound of his weapon going off draws the attention of everyone in the room. However, by the time any of the stormtroopers can even get their heads around towards them, the SEALs have killed two more.
A firefight erupts in the midst of the production room as the few stormtroopers in the room start to return fire while the production crew race for cover. As the SEALs and Mandalorians take cover to continue firing, Hania races forward through the production room, his lightsaber out in front of him and deflecting blaster bolts as he races through the room. As he continues to block incoming blaster bolts, Hania draws one of his blaster pistols from his belt and begins firing at the stormtroopers, bolts flying around the blade of his saber.
It doesn't take too long before the team has cleared out the production room. Without hesitation, Hania motions his team on, and they race towards the reactor chamber.
Throughout the other floors of the factory, the other teams have engaged the guards on their respective floors. A series of firefights have erupted through the factory, with the sounds of laser fire and explosions echoing through the structure.
Down on the bottom floor of the factory, Hania and his team soon reach the reactor chamber. As they enter the chamber and see the reactor, Hania says, "Set the charges! I'll cover the entrance."
The SEALs and Mandalorians move towards the reactor and begin setting the explosive charges while Hania guards the entrance. Charges are set against the wall of the reactor vessel and along the lines leading out of the reactor. With the SEALs and Mandalorians moving very quickly and smoothly, the charges are all set in just a few minutes.
"Charges set!" one of the Mandalorians calls out.
"Alright. Let's move it!" Hania orders. The rest of the team quickly follows him out of the chamber.
On the upper levels of the factory, the other teams have also laid their charges. With the explosives hidden in spots where they will not be easily seen, the teams hope that the charges won't be spotted and removed before the team tries to set them off. As they get a radio call from Hania, the teams hurry back to the lifts.
Within a matter of minutes, all the teams are back in the lifts and headed back to the surface. By the time they reach the surface, it's been less than half an hour since they entered the factory. The team had moved with incredible speed and precision, and got the mission done even faster than the planners expected before the mission.
As the strike team exits the factory, Hania turns to his men. "Well done, boys. You got that done faster than I expected," he says. He pauses for a moment, then calls out, "Lieutenant Walker, would you do the honors?"
Lieutenant Walker, the SEAL carrying the detonator for the explosive charges, nods in response to Hania's call. He holds up the detonator and presses the button for everyone to see.
Immediately, the charges within the factory begin to explode. The reactor is destroyed in seconds, and the fuel lines are ruptured. A daisy chain of explosions begins to race through the factory, amplified by the ruptured fuel lines.
Up on the surface, the strike team can hear the explosions happening under the surface, and floors of the factory beginning to collapse. Hania smiles his cocky smile before he calls out, "Everyone. Back to the shuttles."
Hania leads the strike team back to where the Pegasus shuttles and Gauntlet fighters are waiting for the team. The commandos quickly board the shuttles and strap into their seats as the pilots begin to power up the engines. As soon as the last commandos are aboard, the ships lift off the ground and begin their climb towards orbit.
In one of the Pegasus shuttles, Hania smiles to himself as the shuttle climbs towards space. The mission had gone even better than he expected. The strike force took no casualties, and got the mission done faster than expected. And in the end, they've destroyed a factory that could've allowed the First Order to resume their offensive against the Terran Alliance. Now, they've got the time they need to build up their own forces for an expected counteroffensive in the next year or two.
And, I'll end the chapter there. I know it was a shorter one, but I also chose to write it a bit shorter to convey how quick the strike team was able to carry out their mission.
So, the Mandalorians have started joining the Alliance in combat. We'll see more and more of the Mandalorians in coming chapters.
Now, continuing my explanation of this universe's Galaxy of Heroes game. Here's a list of some of the more basic characters based on the Terran Alliance series: Jonathan Page (3 star unlock, has a ship), Paul Moga (2 star unlock, has a ship), Abigail (2 star unlock, has a ship), Lieutenant Fives (4 star unlock), Echo- Clone Force Five (4 star unlock), Jesse- Clone Force Five (Marquee character, 2 star unlock), Hardcase- Clone Force Five (2 star unlock), Crosshair (2 star unlock). Also, there are 5 Zulu Force characters: Nathan Allen, Alsakan, Colonel Lawrence, Major Sorensen, and Lieutenant Mizrahi. All of them of 2 star unlock, except for Lawrence, which is a 4 star unlock.
I'll continue the list in the next chapter's Author's note.
Next chapter will feature a slight time jump, and be much more laid back. Until it's up, please leave a review, and stay tuned!