As Kuvira donned her TIE Pilot suit, Baatar gave her a small kiss on the cheek before heading to his shuttle. He'd be taking command of their forces on the ground while she would join Darth Vader in her TIE Interceptor. As Kuvira got into her cockpit and started up the fighter, she switched on the communications.
"Black One, this is Black Two," she said into her comlink. "Awaiting your orders, my lord."
"Focus on the enemy fighters while I handle the escort frigates," Vader ordered. As they launched from the Devastator, two Recusant-class destroyers arrived to engage the Star Destroyer. Captain Corsin raised the shields and prepared to scramble the ship's own fighter complement. Looking at the Besadi fleet, Kuvira saw the majority was made up of Separatist ships left over from the Clone Wars. Most of them were poorly maintained, displaying the Hutts ridiculous frugalness, but the flagship, a Providence-class carrier/destroyer, was far better maintained. In addition, there was an odd assortment of transports and CR90 corvettes. From what Kuvira had learned of the galaxy, such a flotilla would be an especially powerful pirate fleet. But instead of Vultures and other droid starfighters, all the fighter craft were manned.
As Vader headed for a Munificent frigate, Kuvira held back. Spotting a Cloakshape and a Z-95, Kuvira shot the wing of the second, sending it crashing into the first. As her first two targets exploded, she saw a trio of 'Uglies,' makeshift starfighters made from whatever useable parts a scavenger could find in a junkyard or the wreckage of a battlefield. Given how most of these parts were from different models, often different manufacturers, Uglies were hard to maneuver as well as mechanical nightmares prone to breaking down at the worst moment.
As the makeshift starfighters attacked, Kuvira easily evaded them. An Ugly's engine burnt out and it crashed into its wingman, blowing both apart. As that was going on, Vader slipped under the shields of a Munificent and hit its hyperdrive with a proton torpedo. The frigate exploded and knocked out the shields of a Recusant. The Devastator moved forward, its arsenal of turbolasers firing rapidly at every target it could. One of the corvettes was blown in half by a direct hit, while the shields of a Munificent quickly buckled as the frigate was engulfed in flames. The unshielded Recusant was quickly blown apart before its shields could come back online. A barrage of missiles were fired at Vader, and the Sith Lord used his powers to send them flying off course. Swerving through explosions, Vader spun his fighter, firing its laser cannons quickly and destroying half a dozen Cloakshapes.
"Lord Vader, the enemy flagship is approaching bombardment range," Captain Corsin informed them through the comlink. "The Devastator will not be able to stop them, in time."
"Handle the rest of the fleet," Vader ordered. "Kuvira, follow me."
"Yes, master," she replied to her Sith teacher. The two fighters flew toward the Providence, dodging various attackers and laser blasts. Kuvira sensed a Z-95 coming up behind her and dropped her fighter back, quickly shooting down the enemy before it could recover. Vader spun his ship around, facing the two Cloakshapes behind him, and quickly blowing one up. Damaging the second, Vader let the Cloakshape fly past him aflame, crashing into the starboard shield regulator. The resulting explosion disabled the starboard-side hanger shield, creating a dangerous vacuum which sent many of the crewmen within flying out into oblivion. Kuvira followed her master into the hanger before the blast door slammed shut.
"Oh no, you don't!" Kuvira yelled at the sight of the remaining pilots and crewmembers within the hanger. Opening fire with her cannons, Kuvira quickly destroyed every remaining ship inside the hanger, while obliterating any crewmen who couldn't retreat into the hallway in time. As she landed, she saw Vader had already leapt out of his own fighter, lightsaber in hand, chopping the wing off a returning starfighter. As the crashing ship smashed down and exploded, Kuvira followed her master, drawing one of her lightsabers. As the two of them charged toward the bridge through the corridors, Kuvira Metalbent various panels off the walls, first using them as shields, and then as blades to slice the crew apart. She pulled a ceiling panel off, but in the process broke one of the electrical cables, sending it falling toward her and Vader. The Sith Lord held it up with the Force, forcing Kuvira to deflect several blaster bolts before they were out from under it.
"Be mindful of a ships' internal systems when you fight within it," Vader stated as he killed the remaining thugs in the area.
"Understood, Master," Kuvira affirmed as she followed his lead. Vader, quite familiar of the internal design of Providence carrier/destroyers, took the lead. All the sudden, they were immobilized by a set of ray shields. An annoyed Vader looked to the energy projector, and crushed it with his mind, freeing them. As they continued, four destroyer droids, or Droidekas as they were properly called, rolled in from both directions and started firing from behind their shields. Kuvira quickly deflected the shots fired at her, while Metalbending one of the legs of a droid, causing the Droideka to fall on its side. Crushing its power core with her Metalbending, Kuvira watched as the droid exploded, and she charged forward. Before the second could reactivate its shields, Kuvira chopped it in half with her blue lightsaber. Vader simply sent forth a powerful Force blast that shattered the droids facing him.
As they reached the end of the hallway, a set of heavy blast doors cut off the bridge, with ray shields covering the doors themselves. Vader tore large panels off the corridor and slashed the cables within, quickly shutting down the shield. Kuvira Metalbent the doors open, with Vader deflecting the blaster bolts. Kuvira pulled her second lightsaber and charged in, deflecting various shots and chopping a Nikto's head off. She cut a Klatooinian in half and stabbed a Weaquay, while Vader bounced one blaster shot after another back at his attackers. Vader cut a Gammorean in two before stabbing the next green porcine brute. As the last of the thugs fell, Vader and Kuvira looked upon the Hutt in the middle of the room.
Durga was smaller than the average Hutt, being only a hundred years old when his race was considered old at seven centuries. His skin was much lighter than his father, Aruk, and he had a distinctive birthmark: a purple blotch over his right eye. He raised a pistol but Kuvira yanked it out of his hand with the Force, while Vader yanked a small remote out of his hand.
"Don't make me laugh," Vader stated as he crushed the device. "Your kind is too full of yourselves to self-destruct a ship while onboard it."
"What do I have to lose?!" an exasperated Durga asked. "You destroyed my home, my business, my clan!"
"And it's all your own fault," Kuvira threw back at Durga. "You've been slaving across the galaxy, along with other such crimes, for too long!"
"All successful civilizations do so, just under different names!" Durga retorted. "I've seen your planet, it's what all your elemental tribes do, regardless of what they claim." The Hutt then turned to Vader. "Of course, it was only a matter of time before the Empire turned its gaze toward us, regardless. That is why you killed my father, the one person who ever believed in me!" Kuvira, deciding she could end the battle early, went to the comm station and spoke into it.
"Attention, pirate flotilla," Kuvira spoke into an open channel. "This is General Kuvira. Lord Vader and I have captured Durga the Hutt. Any payment he promised you is not forthcoming. Retreat from my world, and you will not be pursued." At that moment, Durga laughed at her.
"These are not simple mercenaries," the Hutt chuckled. "Most of them are servants of my family...whose own families you destroyed on Ylesia and Kor Besadi. In addition, we're being helped by some Rebels who want to topple your Empire, Darth Vader, and as such are rescuing some imprisoned revolutionaries down there."
"Then after we end you, we will head down and destroy them," Kuvira boasted. Then, they heard an explosion from elsewhere on the ship.
"This ship doesn't have a self-destruct," Durga explained. "Not a conventional one. That explosion was the hanger and your only way out. In addition, this ship is now on course for Republic City. The impact and explosion will kill Avatar Korra and anyone Teroenza and his pets haven't handled. You are coming along for the ride!"
"But you aren't," Vader retorted, stabbing his lightsaber into Durga's chest. The Hutt quickly died, to which Vader turned to Kuvira and ordered her to follow his lead.
As Asami led her father and the others to shelter, she decided to start a conversation with Captain Avarik and his squad.
"So, how do your helmet radios work?" Asami asked. "I am an engineer and I'm fascinated at how it could be miniaturized."
"The technical specifications of our equipment are classified," Avarik stated, his mood impossible to ascertain through the filtered voice of his helmet. "Also, our comlinks are not 'radios' as you understand them. In fact, most of our technology is beyond your current comprehension." Before they could continue, one of the troopers looked through his binoculars.
"Sir, the Besadis have taken a bunch of prisoners, ahead," the trooper stated. Asami was surprised, as, despite the distortion, the voice was clearly that of a woman. Looking through the binoculars herself, Asami saw about three dozen people restrained in forcefields erected within a police station, including Tahno and the other two Wolfbats. Turning to face her, Avarik asked Asami if she knew how to operate forcefield controls.
"Yes," she confirmed. Avarik explained the plan as Hiroshi prepared to help his daughter rescue the captives.
Tahno hadn't been so terrified since the Obsidian Knight and his Army In White had come to Republic City in his childhood. That night, white-armored soldiers with frowning helmets used strange weapons to make his mother explode into a pile of ashes before clubbing him unconscious with it. When he awoke in the hospital the next morning, he learned his father, one of the White Lotus sentries on Air Temple Island, had been strangled to death by the Obsidian Knight. In the orphanage he'd been sent, Tahno met the Firebender Shaozu and Ping the Earthbender. Both had also lost their parents to the mysterious attacker who killed Avatar Aang, and their bond allowed them to become the greatest Probending team in Republic City.
Until Avatar Korra joined the Fire Ferrets. Tahno had resented this but after Korra restored the bending that Amon had deprived them of, he couldn't hold onto his jealously any longer and resolved to be better. Now, though, Korra was nowhere to be found, and alien beings had attacked Republic City, restraining his team and many others. His thoughts were interrupted by the lights going out, to the confusion of both the prisoners and the aliens. An explosion ripped through a wall, the aliens yelling in their language and start shooting their weapons at the opening. Something zipped back in and knocked the first three individuals onto the floor, dead. Then, smoke bombs went off and new people entered the room. In noises that were vaguely familiar, the newcomers ran through the room, sending red flashes into the confused aliens, killing them quickly.
"Don't worry, guys, I'll get you out of there," a familiar voice said in front of them. Looking closer, Tahno realized it was Asami Sato, accompanied by, upon closer inspection, her father. He'd clearly been left worse for wear after his time in prison. As she ushered them out, Deputy Chief Saikhan was restrained deeper in the building as he heard battle approaching. Something was tossed into his room, and a large bang, accompanied by a blinding light, overwhelmed him. He vaguely sensed his captors falling swifty to his rescuers, who grabbed him and dragged him out toward the courtyard. He felt his cuffs torn off and he ran out.
"Chief, calm down, we're alright!" one of the younger officers stated. As he processed that he was free, he saw Asami Sato in front of him. As he thanked the young head of Future Industries, he saw her father was also there.
"Normally I'd have you in cuffs, but I'm just trying to understand what's going on," he stated.
"Well, these creatures are space aliens," Asami stated, to which a tabloid reporter yelled 'I knew they were real!' "Korra and Mako have returned to handle-""The Avatar is back?!" one of the officers exclaimed.
"Yes, and she's made some new friends, who are here to help us," Asami continued nervously. "The people who rescued you are Captain Avarik and his protection squad." At that moment, the strangers emerged from the ravaged police station. They were even more intimidating than the odd collection of aliens and animals Tahno, Saikhan, and the others had seen so far. Even Saikhan hadn't seen someone so intimidating since Amon. The black armored soldiers with bizarre weapons seemed somewhat familiar but an explosion in the distance interrupted his thoughts.
"Sir, do you need our assistance?" the leader, Avarik, asked into his helmet. "Understood, sir." Avarik turned to one of his subordinates. "Callixte, get up there and provide some sniper cover."
"Yes, sir," the other one responded with a woman's voice. While they, and the other people who Avarik was protecting, didn't say anything, Asami wasn't sure who the denizens of Republic City were more afraid of: the aliens attacking or the black-armored soldiers the Avatar had entrusted to protect them. Only she knew who these people ultimately served, and she kept quiet. The situation was terrifying enough.
As Korra, Mako, and Krennic fought through the horde in their way, they came to the Republic Council building. Seeing numerous beasts in addition to the thugs, with a T'Landa T'Il leading them, Korra wasn't sure if President Raiko and the other leaders were still alive, so Krennic tapped into the communications.
"Hutt encryption is so easy," he mentioned. "Okay, Raiko and the other bigshots are hiding in the executive safe room within. Including a fast-talking reporter who is broadcasting."
"I will handle the guys out here, you and Mako rescue the people inside," Korra ordered. "Hopefully, Raiko will start understanding he needs to do as I say, not the other way around." As Mako and Krennic headed toward the capitol building, Korra charged the Besadi lines. With most of the enemy distracted, Mako and Krennic sped through the thugs, hitting them with fireblasts or with shots from Krennic's pistol. As they reached the entrance to the safe room, Mako saw a terrifying beast ripping through the door. It was half the size of a rancor, and apart from its dripping fangs and sharp claws, it was covered in spikes. It ripped one of the guards within in half, before grabbing a Metalbender and crunching the top half of the man's body in its mouth. A Waterbender in formal clothes dodged an overhead attack and froze its arm into the shattered floor. Before he could go on the counterattack, the Waterbender, already having a bandage on his forehead, was knocked backward with a smack from a Gammorean who prepared to bring his axe down on the man.
Before the aliens could continue their attack, Krennic shot the Gammorean in the back while Mako leapt forward and sent a fireblast at the creature, which he believed was called a Terrentatek. The monster grabbed a piece of debris and tossed it at Mako. Blowing the chunk of masonry apart with his Firebending, Mako drew his lightsaber. Slashing at it, the Terrentatek was unphased by the cracks to its hide, swiping at the Firebender. Narrowly dodging it, Mako swung at the creature's left wrist, slicing its hand off. It knocked him back with a kick, snarling as it did so. Seeing that the crack in its shell had widened, Mako slashed at the Terrentatek's weak spot again, destroying the whole plate. Before the monster could recover, Mako sent a lightning bolt flying into the gap, blowing the Terrentatek's insides apart.
"And it's down, folks!" a familiar voice yelled in the background as the monster dissolved. Looking over, Mako saw the familiar face of Shiro Shinobi, the distinguished reporter who was also the most famous Probending announcer in the world. "I've seen some matches in my time, folks, but that's one for the history books!" he continued into his microphone. Mako heard this guy hadn't even stopped his commentary as the Equalists were about to shock him into unconsciousness, and now he believed it. "What is this, is our savior someone I know?" he asked, genuinely puzzled. "It's Mako, captain of the Fire Ferrets! He hasn't been seen since-""Okay, knock it off," Krennic interrupted, grabbing the reporter's microphone. "You are starting to be exceptionally annoying."
"Is that you, Detective Mako?" asked the president.
"Yes, Raiko, and Korra's back with me," Mako bluntly stated. Everyone except Krennic was shocked, as Mako had neither been particularly deferential to him, nor had he addressed him properly. "These people are aliens," he continued, pointing at the various dead thugs around them. "This is Director Krennic, one of the friends we have made. If you want to survive, do exactly as I say." President Raiko, his wife, Poppy, and even Shinobi seemed hesitant before they heard a roar in the distance. Looking closer, Mako saw who the other two figures were. The first was Desna, Korra's cousin, though his twin sister was nowhere to be seen. The second was Prince Wu, the heir apparent to the fallen Earth Royal Family. Desna tried to stand up again but fell back down, his right leg broken. Shinobi helped Desna up even as he carried his broadcasting equipment in his backpack. At that, the people they had saved began to follow Mako and Krennic to safety.
"So, you're the famous Mako," Wu started. "A lot of people thought it was crazy that a guy like you could wind up with the Avatar, and thought it was only natural you and Korra broke up."
"A lot of people are stupid," Mako retorted, immediately disliking this exiled prince. He had the air of a rich fool who didn't think about anyone else. "Korra and I are back together."
"That's wonderful," he said, oblivious to Mako's disdain. As they continued into the courtyard, Wu continued talking. "So, could you get her to come to my coronation next month? It would really help remind people I am to be king." All the sudden, a blaster shot hit Prince Wu like a lightning bolt. The heir to the Earth Kingdom exploded into a pile of ash, with only his skull somewhat intact. Mako and Krennic pushed the others into cover, before hearing something through their earpieces.
"You got the sniper?" Krennic asked loud enough for the VIPs to hear as another shot rang out. "Good work, Corporal Calixte. Too bad you weren't here sooner." Mako looked over at Wu's skull, now all that was left of the man who would be king. He was relieved at this. As Baatar said before they deployed, perhaps it would be best if Prince Wu didn't survive the battle. Now, he wondered how Korra was doing against the rest of the Besadi ground forces.
As Korra charged the enemy, she encased herself in an Earthbent shield, stopping the blaster shots. Metalbending a car door, she turned it into a massive disc flying at a group of Rodians, slicing them apart. Jumping out of the way of a rocket, Korra saw a group of Klatoonians and Metalbent the copper in their blood. Using one of them as a shield from incoming blaster fire, she ripped out a large amount of blood from the other thugs, fashioning it into sharp rods. Korra skewered several thugs with the resulting spears before hearing a great commotion.
"You should appreciate this, Avatar," the T'Landa T'Il leading Besadi forces boomed to her. Looking closer, Korra could see the Rhino-like being had a heavily scarred throat, and had a device held close to his neck. In addition, one of his horns had been broken long ago. "I not only came here to see you die, but I also brought the rarest and most valuable animal I ever acquired for the Besadi arena: the Gorog." At that moment, a truly gargantuan creature smashed through a nearby skyscraper, abandoned for its proximity to the spirit vines. It was three times bigger than a Rancor, holding its fists in front of it like an ape. Its three-fingered hands were massive, but its arms marked it as truly unusual. Instead of biceps, there was no muscle whatsoever between the shoulders and elbows. They didn't even have skin in its place.
As the Gorog roared, it charged at Korra, who Airbent herself quickly out of the way. Noticing they were close to the bay, Korra Waterbent a massive tidal wave into the creature before freezing it in place. Looking for a weakness, Korra wasn't sure where to start. No doubt its bones and muscles would be too thick to easily cut through even with two lightsabers. Before she could continue strategizing, the monster broke free and swept its left arm at her, forcing her to fly away with her Airbending into the spirit vines. The magical plants had only become bigger and more pervasive in this part of Republic City during Korra's absence. No doubt another thing the foolish and ungrateful would blame her for. As the monster charged forward, it smashed through several abandoned buildings, roaring the whole time. Remembering her Spiritbending, Korra reached out to the vines. At first, the plants retreated from her. As she dodged another attack, an impatient Korra used some of the Force techniques Vader had taught her regarding this, and the vines obeyed.
One vine wrapped itself around the Gorog's left foot, and Korra sent a lightning bolt flying at the creature's head. It screamed in pain, blinded in the right eye, but it continued flailing at her, breaking free of the vine wrapped around its leg. At that moment, Korra had a crazy idea. Commanding the vines to wrap themselves in the right arm's muscle gap, she summoned a tidal wave and froze the whole left side in place. Launching herself into the air, Korra formed a massive ice shield around herself. Fashioning it into a drill head, she went flying at the creature's chest, spinning the whole way. Ripping into the monster's right side, Korra tore through the Gorog's heart, shredding it in an instant. As the Avatar landed gracefully on the other side, the Gorog fell to the ground with a soft whimper. Seeing Mako, she ran up to her boyfriend and hugged him, relieved he was safe. When she opened her eyes, she saw several world leaders.
"It has been sometime, Korra," Desna plainly stated, looking somewhat surprised.
"Indeed, Desna," Korra replied to her cousin. "Where is Eska?"
"She is visiting our mother, while I am here as part of a trade summit," he answered, removing his bandage and applying healing water to the cut beneath. Looking behind him, Korra immediately scowled at the sight of President Raiko.
"This is quite a surprise but a welcome one," he said in an apparently sincere tone. A lesser person might have believed this facade. "It is a relief to see you again, Avatar Korra."
"And here I thought I was nothing but trouble, doing far more harm than good, Raiko," Korra bluntly stated. "At least, that's what you claimed when you told me to leave Republic City, last year."
"Things change, as do circumstances," Raiko said, trying to appear gracious instead of insulted. "Clearly, circumstances have changed for the entire world." As the group Asami had been leading came into view, Deputy Chief Saikhan called out to the president, while Shiro Shinobi rushed forward asking a dozen questions of Korra and Mako about the situation. Before they could answer, they heard a sonic boom, and looked above to see a massive starship falling out of the sky.
The Gorog was the best thing in Force Unleashed 2, so I decided to include it. Next chapter, the Cloud-Riders rescue the prisoners on the Boiling Rock, Kuvira faces her own great challenge, and Darth Vader returns to Republic City.