[3 BBY]
[Dreadnaught-Four, Outbound Flight Project - Taskforce Vigilant Wanderer, Imperial Fifth Fleet, Unnamed System, Nearing Wreck-site Outbound Flight, Utegetu Nebula, Unknown Regions]
My lightsaber burnt in its smoky purple light, shadows twisting around me as the blade sliced through armoured beast flesh with mild difficulty. Moments later my armoured fist connected with its skull, smashing it into the bulkhead of the starship as I pressed the space between me and it with the force to create a concussive blast of energy. While the creatures might not shine in the Force, I was trained in fighting such creatures in this life and in the last, and so forward I went with my bodyguards to investigate these beings. And truth was…deadly in what we were encountering for what I knew to be essentially just attack dogs by design.
We had suffered no casualties so far amongst my organic troopers as we ruthlessly moved through the Dreadnaught and aimed to secure the access-points into the cylinder proper. Yet the sheer ferocity and survivability of the creatures was concerning when combined with their coordination. We were moving in purge teams, utilising heavy firepower in constricted spaces;- and yet, like now, some of these things were making it through the firepower my squad was laying down. The corpse of the six-legged beast that looked a cross between a lizard, a hairless wolf, and with an insect exoskeleton would have overwhelmed any standard salvage team by now.
'Worse they seem to be able to survive outside atmosphere for at least a while' I noted to myself as everything went quiet once again. Also…ambush predators apparently. They came out of nowhere in a group of three or four, along with several large insect…things…to distract as they spit acid. Because of course the ugly flying horrors spit acid!
My gungan-derived, buckler shield rose up on my 'free' hand, as it allowed me perform scans to confirm the creatures were, in fact, dead. Heard the voice of my nearby captain on comms "I'd advice against attempting to breach into the primary Sir. This has taken far too much time, and the dreadnaught section has not been full scanned or secured"
'Unfortunate, but true' I had to admit, letting out a breath. Braika's daughter was correct after all "You are correct Captain Chorn. We will secure the connections and purge the ancillary before pressing towards the data-vaults"
Tapped my comms, tac-net wide "All Squads, Plan Drekel-02 in effect, clear and secure this ancillary vessel only for now"
I deactivated my lightsaber, checking displays and the tactical situation; yes, four hours and twenty-nine minutes after seizing the bridge and we'd only gotten down to the breach-points to the cylinder. After the hours needed to board, then reach the bridge, we were starting to approach the limit for when my initial forces would still be truly effective. Instead we'd switch to securing the locations nearby, locking them down with droidekas and other such droids while we purged the outer structure that was the dreadnaught.
"Master?"
"We shall return to the flagship and replan how to gain access to the data-vaults Apprentice" I answered Tionne, unhappy, but pushing that away. A rapid access to the data-vaults, power them up, and then withdraw. The fact there was wildlife aboard the starship, and far more than even I was comfortable with, precluded actual salvage in my mind. At least of salvage in this system, by this taskforce. No, if I could grab the data in the vaults, I'd call it a win and then get the hell out of here after sharing it with the Chiss. Sadly that was going to take time, now wasn't it?
{Twenty-seven standard hours later…}
I sat in my ready room, the holo-image of Admiral Ar'alani in front of me as we had to discuss the ongoing situation with the wreck. One I'd be returning to again, personally, to help do a further breach into the infested depths of the colony ship. Something I wasn't happy about, but that was something you just had to deal with in this life as I spoke to my blue-skinned opposite "…it's not going to be easy. The inner colony cylinder appears to be heavily infested with unknown xeno-life. Entities that we have no records matching as I've said before"
She nodded, or at least her image did "Yes, and no Force presence as stated, and confirmed by our experts in such matters. Your advanced probes?"
"Sent in two squads of commando droids, supported by flamers. Lost nearly half" was calm, but less than happy, answer "There's atmosphere in there, but it isn't standard for either of our species. The difficult lies in what seems to be several of the hydroponics bays, or rather gardens or even a park structure, was laid near the library systems. Wherein lies the access systems to the data-vaults"
"You believe these creatures are created not a result of a breakout of specimens reproducing?"
"Yes" was my answer, though her tone indicated she believed that was the situation as well "Something that has been introduced since the crash, not from before, at that. We now have the reactor in the command dreadnaught active, and combined with the salvage generators the data-links are showing it was unlikely to be a situation of the colonists. As your people's interviews with the survivors confirm"
I paused, shaking my head "Our joint medical teams are researching the bodies recovered, but…these things do not seem natural. They are engineered, most likely, and they have grown active in response to our arrival"
Ar'alani was looking speculative "Active spread attempt? No usual salvager would survive against them?"
"Hmm, yes, yes I believe so. Or at least a lure to bring them in. We encountered no resistance initially, and while I am aware there was no atmosphere in various sections, but the attacks are…strange for mindless beasts" then sighed, drumming the fingers of my right hand off my desk "This is possibly an experiment of some sort. The question is if the experimenter remains aboard. Or if the data-vaults have been accessed"
Because that was a very solid reason for why the Vong would want to access this vessel since it hadn't crashed into a planet like it was supposed to. It was for the same reason that we wanted too, probably even moreso as it might give insight for the invaders into higher level politics and secrets they wouldn't know about as outsiders. Such things would make infiltration efforts all the easier, and they were clearly doing that over the galaxy to be able hit and fade as they were. But that was largely in the hands of the ISA or Naval Intelligence rather than my bailiwick.
My Chiss opposite was just as concerned clearly enough, showing that a fraction, hands together under her chin, a frown on her face "That is a concern. You believe this to be the work of the Far Outsiders"
It was a statement rather than a question, but I treated it as one "Yes, of their agents. What reports we mutually discussed indicate biotechnology of such types as here, albeit not exactly what we have seen, and your own Defence Forces report sightings of their forces over recent years. It is speculation…"
She nodded "But I agree that raising our alert status is advisable"
'Good' I thought, because the last thing I needed now was disagreement from our allies "Along with breaching into the data-vaults regardless of damage to the vessel. I propose to breech the hull in specific locations near the vaults…that would allow us to vent the atmosphere in where the hydroponics lie regardless of damage that will inflict on the Outbound Flight"
"Timeline?"
"Two, three, standard days to lay charges as needed and for teams to circumvent the protections. Simply blasting away with the turbolasers would wreck the things we wish access to"
She gave a nod of assent "You have my agreement on such a task then"
[Yorik-stronha Silent Shadow, Unnamed System, Utegetu Nebula, Unknown Regions, Seventy-four hours later]
The yorik-et raced towards it prey. Pleasure-pain and joy-rage raced through the warriors aboard, for a challenge was at hand. Too often they, the warriors who served the glory of Yun-Yammka had to skulk in the darkness, following the guidance of the servants of his sister, Yun-Harla, The Trickster. Wise they were, that such cloaked deeds were needed, but now a prey of interest lay before them.
Imper-iallzz with their Jee-daaii! The Chi-issss!
Few Jee-daaii unlike the two great hunts of several cycles past, but warriors and vessels, strong ones to take skulls from! The Shapers would be happy even!
For this prey, some amongst them, hunted the scent of the Chosen Race amongst the stars, amidst the void between stars, aware of…something. How much the warriors did not know, for it was not their lot to need to know, but they knew enough. The hunt was on, for hunters and hunted, the roles uncertain, but the blood to gloriously spill!
Oh, such pain all would feel! Such glory and sacrifice!
The live vessel undulated and surged through the void-between-stars, hunger and eagerness of their creators almost filling them as those warriors seeking their first scars roared in unison within holds. Flesh and bone would be torn and broken, bitten and knitted, soon!
No fleets or vessels filled with naught but blasphemies and abominations of metal, but instead with foes of life worth taking and breaking. Oh, there were blasphemies present, as there ever were in this heathen place, but suffering and blood would cleanse souls this day where so often, far too much, the righteous rage against mechanical blasphemies was all there was. No, this day the priests called for flesh to be torn, and sacrifice to be given forth to the True Gods!
Flesh and bones came forth from the void-between-stars with bowels filled with primal bloodlust as the fleet charged forth towards the foe…