A glimpse of a burning galaxy
The sky stretched crimson red, as if stained by the blood of a dying star. High above, a black hole with a faint, sickly yellow outline loomed in the sky above, blocking out the star of a ruined world and casting long, unsettling shadows over the battlefield. Protecting its servants from the burning light of stars.
But even it cannot protect them from a wrathful army.
"Forward!"
The command tore through the chaos like a whip crack, spurring RC-7529, now known simply as Rez, into motion. His legs churned against the broken earth as he sprinted toward the burning ruins of the city, his rifle clutched tightly in his gloved hands. Around him, stormtroopers in blackened and battle-worn armor surged forward in a relentless wave, their white plating stained with ash and blood.
Overhead, the roar of TIE bombers drowned out all but the most deafening explosions as they screamed through the sky, unleashing payload after payload of high-explosive munitions. The blasts illuminated the city in fiery flashes, tearing apart the writhing hordes of abominations that infested the streets. But even as the creatures were obliterated, more emerged from the smoke, their twisted forms unyielding.
Rez kept his eyes forward, his focus sharp despite the chaos around him. The officer's voice barked through his helmet's comms again, driving home the urgency of their assault.
"Push through! Take the streets! Concentrate fire on each abominations—don't let them regenerate!"
The sound of Imperial artillery filled the air, each distant boom shaking the ground beneath Rez's boots. Shells screamed overhead before crashing into the city's fortified outskirts, ripping apart the mutated structures that had begun to grow unnaturally from the ruins.
Rez had seen many battles in his lifetime. He'd fought alongside Jedi generals during the Clone Wars, held the line against Separatist droid armies, and survived countless skirmishes against the Rebellion in the Empire's service. But this? This was something else.
Ahead, the first wave of abominations appeared through the haze—mutated Droidekas, their once-sleek forms twisted into horrific shapes. Their shields, once blue and uniform, now glowed a sickly, pulsating yellow, flickering like something alive. They rolled forward with unnatural speed, their spindly legs unfurling as they fired wild volleys of bright, distorted energy bolts.
"Contact! Twelve o'clock!" Rez shouted into the comms, raising his blaster. "Take them down!"
The front line erupted into chaos as the Droidekas returned fire. Blaster bolts streaked across the battlefield, striking stormtroopers and sending bodies crumpling to the ground. Rez fired a controlled burst at the nearest abomination, his red bolts slamming into its shield. The barrier flickered violently before collapsing, and the creature let out an unholy screech as Rez's shots tore through its core.
"Keep moving! Don't stop!" Rez barked, glancing at his squadmates.
To his left, TK-2128, a young conscript fresh out of training, hesitated for a fraction of a second too long. A mutated Droideka targeted him, its bolts ripping through his chest plate. The trooper collapsed in a heap, his screams cut short.
Rez gritted his teeth, his jaw clenched tight. There was no time to mourn.
The squad pushed forward, their blasters roaring as they concentrated fire on the advancing Droidekas. One by one, the shields fell, and the creatures were reduced to smoking heaps of twisted metal and glowing yellow ichor. But as soon as the first wave was neutralized, a new threat emerged.
"More incoming!" shouted Corporal Jex, pointing toward a side street.
Rez turned and saw them—B1 and B2 battle droids, their once-familiar forms now grotesquely altered. Their limbs were jagged and elongated, their metal exoskeletons fused with patches of organic tissue that pulsed and writhed like exposed muscles. The B1s moved in erratic, twitching motions, their blasters firing wildly in all directions, while the B2s stomped forward with terrifying precision, their arms now ending in blade-like appendages and oversized cannons.
"Focus fire!" the officer ordered over the comms. "One target at a time! Flametroopers, move up!"
Rez dove behind a chunk of rubble as the corrupted droids opened fire, their bolts hammering against the cover. He peeked out, firing a burst that caught a B1 in its distorted head, the droid collapsing in a heap of sparking limbs. Beside him, Jex threw a thermal detonator, the sphere sailing through the air before detonating in a brilliant flash. The explosion tore apart a group of B1s, sending shrapnel and blackened fragments raining down.
"Grenades! Now!" Rez shouted, signaling to the rest of the squad.
The troopers responded immediately, hurling detonators into the advancing horde. The resulting explosions shredded the corrupted droids, but the larger B2s continued to push forward, their heavy frames absorbing the blasts.
"Flametroopers, light them up!" the officer commanded.
Two flametroopers moved into position, their nozzles aimed at the oncoming abominations. With a hiss, streams of searing fire erupted from their weapons, engulfing the B2s in flames. The corrupted droids writhed and screeched as the fire consumed them, their organic components charring and melting away.
Rez stepped out from cover, firing controlled bursts to finish off the burning creatures. His squad followed suit, their blaster bolts cutting through the last of the wave.
As the immediate threat subsided, Rez allowed himself a brief moment to catch his breath. His chest heaved as he scanned the battlefield, taking stock of the situation. Bodies—both human and mechanical—littered the ground, smoke rising from the twisted remains of the corrupted droids. The sound of artillery fire continued in the distance, but for now, their sector was secure.
"Status report!" the officer called out.
"We've lost three," Jex replied, his tone grim. "TK-2128, TK-1756, and… TK-3492."
Rez's jaw tightened. He didn't know their names, but it didn't matter. They were gone, and there was no time to dwell on it.
"Rez," the officer said, his voice sharp, "take point. We're pushing further into the city. We need to clear these streets before the walkers can advance."
Rez nodded, his grip tightening on his blaster. "Understood."
As the squad regrouped and prepared to move, Rez couldn't shake the unease that settled in his gut. These creatures—they weren't just droids. They were something else, something far worse. He didn't know what they were or where they came from, but one thing was clear: this was no ordinary battle.
"Alright, troopers," Rez said, his voice steady despite the chaos. "Stay sharp. Keep your heads on a swivel. This isn't over."
The squad moved forward, the streets of the ruined city were chaos. Fires raged in every direction, their smoke choking the air and painting the city in hues of red and orange. Rez and his squad pressed forward through the ruins, blaster rifles raised and helmets scanning every shadow for movement. Around them, the bodies of abominations lay scattered—warped, twisted machines fused with grotesque organic matter.
Even in death, the creatures exuded an unsettling presence, their limbs still twitching and faint pulses of sickly yellow light flickering within their frames. Rez knew better than to trust that they were truly dead. He'd seen what happened when soldiers ignored the bodies.
Not to mention the unnatural way the monsters regenerated.
"Flametroopers, step up!" barked Lieutenant Drevin, his voice crisp and sharp through the comms.
The flametroopers, their bulky equipment gleaming under the fires' glow, moved into position. They unleashed torrents of fire onto the piles of corpses, their flamethrowers hissing as the flames engulfed the corrupted remains. The air filled with the acrid stench of burning metal and flesh, a smell that made even Rez's seasoned stomach churn.
"Burn everything!" Drevin continued, pointing to a nearby alley where patches of the corrupted techno-organic growths clung to the walls like cancerous tumors. "I don't want anything regenerating behind us!"
Rez kept his blaster ready, his eyes scanning the ruins for any sign of movement. He'd seen the horrors of regeneration firsthand—half-burned abominations clawing their way back to life, dragging soldiers into the dark with impossible speed. Flametroopers were their best defense, but even then, nothing felt certain in this war when it first started.
The squad pressed on, moving cautiously through the ruins. The sound of battle raged in the distance, blaster fire and explosions echoing off the crumbling buildings. As they advanced, a new noise reached Rez's ears—a sharp, desperate chatter over the comms.
"—repeat, this is Platoon 98-Beta! We're pinned down at sector Delta-5, requesting immediate backup! Hostiles inbound—can't hold—"
The transmission cut off abruptly, replaced by a burst of static. Rez glanced at Drevin, who was already pulling up the coordinates on his datapad.
"Delta-5 isn't far from here," Drevin said, his tone grim. He looked at Rez and the rest of the squad. "Sounds like they're trapped. We're not leaving them to die."
Rez nodded. "What's the plan, sir?"
"We'll flank them," Drevin replied. "Snipers, I want you on overwatch. Take out as many as you can from a distance. Flametroopers, you're with me. We'll hit the abominations from behind and clear a path for the platoon to regroup."
Rez adjusted his grip on his rifle. "And the rest of us?"
"You're with Rez," Drevin said. "Get in there and give those troopers some breathing room. We'll cover you from the rear."
"Understood," Rez said, motioning to his squad. "You heard the lieutenant. Let's move!"
As they approached the coordinates, the scene became clearer. The target was a fast food restaurant, or what was left of it. Its garish neon sign still flickered faintly, advertising some long-famous dish for this ruined planet, but the building itself was half-collapsed, its walls blackened by fire and riddled with blaster holes.
Inside, a platoon of Imperial Army Troopers had fortified themselves behind overturned tables and debris, their blasters firing desperately at the horde of abominations swarming the building. The creatures came in waves—mutated B1 battle droids, their limbs unnaturally elongated and covered in jagged growths, alongside larger, hulking forms that might have once been construction droids.
Rez's squad ducked behind cover, taking stock of the situation. The army troopers were outnumbered and outgunned, their defenses crumbling as the horde pressed closer firing wildly into the restaurant.
"Snipers, take position on the high ground," Drevin ordered. "Target the larger ones first. Rez, get your squad in there and break the line. Flametroopers, on me—we'll hit them from behind."
Rez nodded, motioning to his squad to follow. "Stick together. Watch your fire and keep an eye on the flametroopers' arcs. Let's get those troopers out of there."
Rez led his squad into the fray, their blasters lighting up the dim battlefield. The first wave of abominations turned toward them, their glowing yellow eyes locking onto the new threat. Rez fired a precise burst, his bolts cutting through the twisted frame of a B1 that lunged toward him.
"Concentrate fire!" Rez shouted. "Three target at a time!"
His squad responded in unison, their blasters tearing through the advancing creatures. A corrupted construction droid—a towering, four-legged monstrosity—charged toward them, its limbs smashing through debris.
"Thermal detonators, now!" Rez ordered.
Two troopers hurled detonators at the creature's feet. The explosions rocked the street, shattering the droid's legs and sending it crashing to the ground. The squad moved quickly, firing into its writhing remains until it stopped moving.
From above, the snipers began picking off the larger abominations, their precision shots piercing through the creatures' corrupted cores.
"Keep pushing!" Rez called out.
Inside the restaurant, the army troopers held their ground as best they could. One of them, a young officer with a bloodied faceplate, looked up as Rez's squad broke through the line.
"Reinforcements!" the officer shouted, his relief evident even through the distortion of his helmet comm.
Rez dropped into cover beside him, firing at a hulking abomination that had breached the front wall. "You're lucky we were nearby," Rez said, his tone clipped.
The officer nodded. "Thanks for the save. We've been holding here for hours. These things don't stop."
"They won't, unless we burn them," Rez replied. "Get your men ready to move. We're clearing a path."
Outside, Drevin and the flametroopers unleashed a devastating assault on the abominations' rear flank. The creatures shrieked and writhed as the flames consumed them, their corrupted forms melting into pools of blackened slag unable to regenerate fast enough against the molten flames. The lieutenant's voice crackled over the comms.
"Rez, we've got their attention. Get those soldiers out of there while we hold them off!"
Rez didn't hesitate. He turned to the army officer. "You heard him. Get your men and fall back. We'll cover you."
The officer nodded, rallying his troops. The battered platoon began retreating from their makeshift fortifications, moving quickly under the protection of Rez's squad.
Rez fired another burst, his bolts striking down a mutated B2 that lunged toward the fleeing troopers. "Move it!" he shouted.
The abominations continued to press forward, but the combined firepower of the snipers, flametroopers, and Rez's squad kept them at bay. Slowly but surely, the army troopers fell back to safety, their ranks thinning but still intact.
As the last of the troopers cleared the battlefield, Drevin's voice came through the comms. "We've done what we can here. Fall back to the next position and regroup."
Rez signaled to his squad, their weapons still raised as they began to retreat. Behind them, the flames continued to burn, consuming the remains of the corrupted droids and the fast food restaurant that had served as the platoon's last stand.
Rez glanced back one last time, his jaw tight "Let's move," he said, his voice steady despite the exhaustion creeping into his limbs.
The squad moved quickly, retreating through the war-torn streets as smoke and ash filled the air. The Imperial Army troopers they had just rescued were struggling to keep up, their ranks fractured and morale shaken. Rez stayed at the rear, his blaster rifle raised, scanning for any signs of pursuit.
"Keep moving!" Rez shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. "We're not safe yet!"
Ahead, Lieutenant Drevin was directing the retreat, barking orders as the troopers navigated through the rubble-strewn streets. The sound of artillery in the distance was a constant backdrop, but now a new noise began to rise above the cacophony—a deep, rhythmic thud.
Rez slowed, his heart sinking. He recognized the sound. It was the unmistakable cadence of heavy, mechanical footsteps.
"Lieutenant," he said into his comm, his voice low but urgent. "We've got something big coming."
Drevin glanced back, his helmet turning slightly as if he, too, had heard the ominous sound. "Eyes sharp, troopers. Flametroopers, fall back and cover our six. Rez, report as soon as you see—"
The ground trembled slightly, cutting Drevin off. Then, from the smoke-filled ruins behind them, the silhouette of a walker emerged.
At first, Rez thought it was one of the AT-STs, one that was sent to scout the city, but as it stepped into the light, he felt his stomach turn.
It was an AT-ST—or at least it had been. The two-legged walker was twisted and warped, its frame corrupted by the same monstrous plague. Jagged, blackened growths spread across its hull like veins, and its cockpit had been transformed into something horrifying. Where its visor-like viewport had once been, there was now a gaping mouth filled with rows of sharp, uneven teeth. From the corners of its maw, fingers protruded, writhing grotesquely as if alive. Rez could see fragments of flesh—human, alien, and unidentifiable—woven into its corrupted body.
The mutated walker let out a low, guttural growl, an unnatural sound that reverberated through the air like a twisted imitation of life.
"By the stars…" one of the army troopers muttered, his voice trembling.
"Hold your positions!" Drevin shouted. "Rez, take your squad and hold it back!"
Before Rez could respond, the mutated AT-ST opened its mouth. A sickening sound—half mechanical whine, half organic squelch—filled the air as a stream of acid erupted from its gaping maw. The yellow, viscous liquid arced through the air, splattering onto a group of army troopers.
Screams erupted as the acid ate through their armor, flesh, and bone with terrifying speed. Rez turned away briefly, his gut wrenching as the smell of burning flesh reached him.
"Suppressing fire, now!" Drevin commanded, his voice filled with urgency. "Keep it distracted! Rockets, get into position!"
Rez didn't hesitate. "On me!" he barked to his squad, raising his rifle and opening fire.
Red bolts lanced through the air, slamming into the corrupted walker's legs and torso. The creature barely flinched, its mechanical frame far sturdier than Rez had hoped alongside the fact it regenerate.
The walker retaliated, its head swiveling unnaturally as it let out a distorted roar. A spray of smaller projectiles—jagged, bone-like shards—erupted from its sides, tearing through another group of troopers.
Rez dove behind a chunk of rubble, narrowly avoiding the barrage. His heart was racing, but his mind stayed focused. "Keep hitting it! Aim for the legs!"
One of his squadmates, TK-2045, shouted over the comms. "It's not going down, Rez!"
"Doesn't matter," Rez snapped, popping up to fire another burst. "It bleeds, it dies!"
Beside him, Corporal Jex was already coordinating with the rocket team. "Rockets, move up! We need that thing out of commission, now!"
The rocket team—three troopers carrying shoulder-mounted launchers—scrambled into position. One of them took aim, his sights locked onto the walker's exposed joints.
"Firing!"
The rocket streaked through the air, slamming into the walker's left leg. The explosion rocked the street, sending chunks of corrupted metal flying. The walker let out an enraged screech, its damaged leg buckling slightly.
"We've got it limping!" Jex called out. "Hit it again!"
The walker retaliated with another spray of acid, narrowly missing the rocket team as they scrambled to reload. Rez continued firing, aiming for the joints where the walker's movements were most strained.
"Focus your shots on the leg before it regenerates!" he shouted. "We can bring it down!"
The squad concentrated their fire, red bolts hammering into the walker's weakened limb. Another rocket slammed into its side, the blast tearing away a chunk of its corrupted plating.
The walker staggered, its movements growing erratic. It let out one final, distorted roar before collapsing to the ground, its legs giving out beneath it. The massive frame hit the rubble-strewn street with a thunderous crash, sending up a cloud of dust and ash.
"Cease fire!" Drevin ordered, stepping forward cautiously. The troopers held their weapons at the ready, their eyes fixed on the fallen walker.
Rez approached slowly, his blaster raised. The creature's corrupted body twitched and writhed, faint pulses of yellow light flickering across its surface.
"Flametroopers," Rez said, his voice cold. "Burn it."
The flametroopers moved in without hesitation, their nozzles aimed at the walker's remains. Torrents of fire engulfed the monstrosity, the flames consuming its organic and mechanical components alike. The creature let out a final, haunting wail before falling silent.
Rez watched the flames for a moment, his grip on his rifle tightening. Rez glanced at his squad, their armor battered and their faces hidden behind their helmets. He could feel their exhaustion, their fear, but they were still standing.
"All right," Rez said, his voice steady. "Let's move."
The squad regrouped, their weapons raised, as they pushed deeper into the city.
The air reeked of burning metal and seared flesh as Rez and the combined Imperial forces advanced deeper into the city. The landscape around them was a twisted wasteland—streets filled with rubble, smoke rising from crumbling buildings, and the bodies of corrupted droids and troopers alike scattered across the ground. Flametroopers moved methodically, their weapons spewing cleansing fire across the remains of the abominations while occasionally being help by demolition teams for the larger chunks. Every corpse, every piece of debris that could be turned into a new horror was consumed in the inferno.
Rez's boots crunched against the broken duracrete as he marched alongside his squad, his rifle at the ready. The sound of distant blaster fire and explosions echoed through the streets as artillery rained down further ahead and the many dogfights between Imperial and Monsters aircraft in the sky. Occasionally, they encountered another wave of corrupted machines—B1s, B2s, or civilian droids twisted into grotesque forms—but the squad dispatched them quickly, their blasters cutting through the monsters overwhelming their regenerative capabilities.
"Burn everything," Lieutenant Drevin ordered from the front, his voice firm. "No stragglers, no salvage. If it's mechanical and not ours, torch it."
Rez nodded, watching as the flametroopers moved to engulf the wreckage of a destroyed AT-ST, its remains already beginning to twitch unnaturally. The fire roared to life, consuming the corrupted walker before it could rise again.
"This is getting worse," muttered Corporal Jex, walking beside Rez. "Feels like they're everywhere. How are we supposed to hold the line if these things just keep coming?"
Rez kept his gaze forward. "We hold because we have to. And we burn every last one of them. That's how."
The squad continued through the ruined streets, the weight of the battle pressing down on them. Then, through the haze of smoke and fire, Rez spotted movement ahead—shapes that didn't belong to the Solver's abominations.
"Contacts, up ahead!" Rez called out, raising his rifle.
As the figures emerged, his comm crackled to life. "Hold fire! Friendly forces approaching."
Rez lowered his weapon, relief flooding through him as the shapes resolved into a company of Imperial Army troopers, their armor scorched and dented but unmistakably Imperial. They were flanked by a column of vehicles, their massive silhouettes cutting an imposing figure against the backdrop of destruction.
Imperial vehicles—but not just any vehicles. AT-TE walkers and Tx-130 Saber-class fighter tanks, flanked by additional AT-STs and a full company of Imperial Army troopers.
Rez stopped for a moment, his gaze fixed on the familiar vehicles. The AT-TEs moved with their signature six-legged gait, their massive forms steady and deliberate as they crushed the rubble beneath them. The Tx-130s hummed with power, their sleek, upgraded chassis gleaming under the firelight.
Rez hadn't seen these vehicles since the Clone Wars, but here they were—back in action, fully modernized for the Empire's war machine.
The column slowed as the reinforcements approached, and Rez allowed himself a brief moment to take it all in.
The AT-TEs were almost exactly as he remembered them: dependable, powerful, and capable of surviving some of the worst the galaxy had to offer. But now they were upgraded—better. Their once-exposed main cannon was now fully enclosed, protected by thick armor plating with it being controlled from the inside, and their turrets seemed sleeker, more efficient. Rez knew this design flaw had claimed the lives of countless gunners during the Clone Wars, and seeing it fixed gave him a strange sense of satisfaction.
To his right, Corporal Jex gave a low whistle. "They brought back the AT-TEs?" he said, his tone caught somewhere between disbelief and relief. "Didn't think I'd ever see those again."
"Me neither," Rez replied, his eyes lingering on the walkers. "Guess someone up top remembered what actually worked in a real war."
"Looks like they finally fixed that weak spot," Jex said to Rez, motioning to the armored cannon.
Jex smirked. "About time. You remember how many times those poor gunners got picked off during the Clone Wars?"
Rez nodded, his gaze lingering on the walker. "Too many."
"Just Glad High Command began making them again," Jex said.
His attention shifted to the Tx-130 Saber tanks, rolling in perfect formation beside the walkers. The familiar twin-barreled blaster cannons remained, but the top-mounted turret had been replaced with a high-caliber blaster cannon embedded into the tank's structure. It was a smart upgrade—less exposure, more firepower. The tanks were smaller than the AT-TEs, but Rez knew they packed a punch, and their speed made them invaluable in tight urban combat.
As the reinforcements drew closer, one of the AT-TEs slowed to a stop near Rez's squad. The whir of its servos was a sound Rez hadn't realized he missed. The walker's legs adjusted slightly as it came to rest, its massive bulk settling into position.
Rez reached out and placed a hand on the hull, the cold metal familiar beneath his glove. For a moment, he was transported back to the Clone Wars—back to battles fought side by side with these machines, back when the galaxy felt like it made a little more sense.
He glanced at Jex, who was looking up at the AT-TE with a mix of nostalgia and awe. "They saved our necks more times than I can count," Rez said quietly.
Jex nodded. "And they'll do it again."
From the top hatch of the nearest AT-TE, a familiar voice called down. Major Varon, the commanding officer of the reinforcements, leaned out of the hatch, his gray uniform streaked with grime.
"Lieutenant Drevin," Varon said, his voice carrying over the sounds of war. "Looks like we got here just in time."
Drevin stepped forward, saluting sharply. "Major, good to see you. We've been holding the line, but it hasn't been easy."
Varon nodded grimly, climbing down from the walker and approaching the lieutenant. "We've seen the same thing. These abominations don't stop coming, and it's only getting worse. I'm just glad that High Command finally listened and authorized mass production of the old Clone Wars vehicles. Figured they'd be better suited to this fight."
Drevin glanced at the column of vehicles. "Glad they did. We've been dealing with corrupted walkers, tanks, and everything else these things can throw at us. Reinforcements couldn't have come at a better time."
Varon nodded. "We'll need every bit of it. We just dealt with a corrupted AT-ST—thing nearly tore us apart."
Drevin frowned. "Then let's make sure it doesn't happen again. You'll take point with the tanks and walkers. My men can follow behind and clean up whatever you miss."
As the conversation continued, Rez took a moment to inspect the vehicles more closely. The Saber tanks looked more dangerous than ever, their sleek design exuding power. The AT-TEs, meanwhile, were like old warhorses brought out of retirement—still reliable, still ready to hold the line.
"All right, troopers," Drevin called out, turning back to his men. "We're pushing forward with the tanks and walkers. Stay close to the vehicles and keep your eyes open. Burn anything that moves. Let's finish this."
Rez nodded, gripping his blaster tightly as he prepared to march. "Let's move, squad. This fight's far from over."
As the column of tanks and walkers advanced, Rez fell into step beside the AT-TE. The sound of its servos and the hum of the Saber tanks' engines filled the air, a comforting contrast to the unnatural screeches of the abominations they would soon face.
Rez's grip tightened on his blaster as he marched. The vehicles were here, but they weren't invincible. Nothing was.
"Stay sharp," Rez said to his squad, his voice steady. "They're not done with us yet." As he marched into the battlefield.
The battle raged on, its intensity growing as Rez and other Imperial forces pushed deeper into the city. The rhythmic stomps of AT-TEs and the steady hum of Saber tanks reverberated through the shattered streets, their weapons firing in disciplined, precise bursts. Around them, stormtroopers and Imperial Army troopers marched in formation, their blasters cutting through waves of corrupted droids and grotesque techno-organic monstrosities.
Rez ran alongside his squad, keeping pace with the nearest AT-TE. The walker's massive legs crushed rubble and debris beneath them as its main cannon unleashed thunderous blasts into the enemy ranks. Each shot sent shockwaves through the air, obliterating clusters of abominations and leaving craters in their wake.
To their left, a Saber tank rolled up, its twin blasters firing rapidly at a horde of mutated B1 battle droids swarming toward the formation. The droids—once flimsy and laughable—were now nightmarish in their corruption. Their skeletal forms twitched unnaturally, their elongated limbs ending in jagged claws that scraped across the ground or fused with their own blasters.
"Keep them back!" Rez shouted over the comms, his voice strained but firm. "Focus your fire on the clusters!"
The frontlines were chaos. Flametroopers moved methodically, sweeping fire across the remains of fallen abominations to ensure they stayed down. The air was filled with the acrid stench of burning flesh and metal, mingling with the sounds of battle—blaster fire, distant explosions, and the unearthly screams of the corrupted.
Rez ducked behind a crumbling wall, raising his rifle to fire at a mutated B2 super battle droid charging toward the line. Its hulking frame had been warped into something almost unrecognizable, with glowing yellow veins running across its surface and a second, claw-like arm fused to its side.
He squeezed the trigger, his bolts slamming into the droid's torso. It staggered but didn't fall, letting out a guttural screech as it raised its cannon to fire.
"Rockets, now!" Rez barked.
A trooper with a rocket launcher stepped forward, firing a missile that struck the B2 square in the chest. The explosion tore the abomination apart, its twisted limbs scattering across the street.
"Good shot," Rez muttered, rising from cover.
Above them, TIE fighters screamed through the smoke-filled skies, engaging in dogfights with corrupted aerial constructs. The abominations moved with erratic, unnatural agility, their jagged forms darting through the air like predators. The TIEs held their own, their disciplined formations and precision fire slowly gaining the upper hand, but the cost was heavy.
Rez caught a glimpse of a TIE bomber swooping low to unleash its payload on a fortified cluster of corrupted vehicles. The bombs detonated with a thunderous roar, obliterating the enemy position, but not before a jagged projectile fired from the ground struck the bomber. The ship spiraled out of control, crashing into a nearby building in a fiery explosion.
Rez clenched his jaw, forcing himself to focus on the ground battle.
"Movement, 3 o'clock!" shouted Corporal Jex, his blaster firing in short bursts.
Rez turned to see a new wave of abominations emerging from the ruins—a mix of twisted civilian droids and corrupted machinery. Among them were what appeared to be mutated speeder bikes, their frames fused with organic matter that pulsed grotesquely. The riders—if they could still be called that—were barely recognizable as human or alien, their bodies consumed by the Solver's corruption.
"Flank them!" Lieutenant Drevin ordered. "Tanks, focus fire on the vehicles! Infantry, spread out and hold the line!"
The Saber tanks pivoted their turrets, unleashing a devastating barrage on the incoming wave. Explosions rocked the battlefield as the corrupted speeders were obliterated, their riders sent flying in pieces.
Rez and his squad moved quickly, taking cover behind a destroyed wall as they fired into the oncoming horde. Blaster bolts filled the air, cutting through the abominations with grim precision.
One of the creatures—a twisted GNK power droid with spindly, spider-like legs—lunged toward the line, its glowing core pulsating violently. Rez recognized it immediately as a walking bomb.
"Gonk-bomb! Take it out!" he shouted.
The squad concentrated their fire, their blasters reducing the creature to slag just before it could detonate.
"Stay sharp!" Rez called out, his rifle trained on the next wave. "They're throwing everything at us!"
The battle dragged on, each minute feeling like an eternity. Imperial forces pushed forward inch by inch, their superior firepower keeping the enemy at bay, but the cost was high. Troopers fell, their bodies quickly consumed by the flames of the flametroopers or the explosions of thermal detonators to prevent corruption.
Rez felt the strain in his muscles, the weight of exhaustion creeping into his limbs. But he couldn't stop—not now. The sight of the AT-TEs and Saber tanks pressing forward gave him a grim sense of hope. These vehicles had saved his life more times than he could count during the Clone Wars, and they were doing it again now.
"Rez, watch it!" Jex shouted, pulling him back just as a piece of debris slammed into the ground where he'd been standing.
Rez nodded in thanks, raising his blaster to take down another corrupted B1. "Keep your head in the game, Jex! We're not done yet!"
The squad regrouped near one of the AT-TEs, using its massive legs as cover. The walker's main cannon fired with a deafening roar, the blast obliterating a cluster of abominations ahead.
"Lieutenant Drevin," Rez said into his comm. "We're holding, but they're not stopping. What's the plan?"
Drevin's voice came through, strained but steady. "We push to the next sector. Reinforcements are en route, but we need to clear this area before they can land. Stay close to the vehicles and keep burning everything behind us."
Rez exhaled, steadying himself. "Understood."
The squad pressed forward again, the relentless march of the walkers and tanks leading the charge. Blaster fire and explosions lit up the battlefield, the chaos around them unending.
"Keep firing!" he shouted to his squad, his voice cutting through the din. "We hold the line. No matter what."
The battle showed no signs of slowing. The streets were alive with fire and chaos, the sounds of blasters and explosions echoing endlessly. Rez pushed forward with his squad, sticking close to the towering AT-TE as its main cannon fired at distant targets. The Imperial line was holding, but barely.
"Keep it up!" Rez shouted, his voice raw from the effort. He fired a burst alongside other troopers at a group of corrupted B2 droids charging through the rubble, his blaster bolts cutting through their twisted forms. The creatures fell, but more seemed to take their place, their glowing yellow cores pulsing like grotesque hearts.
The Saber tanks and AT-STs continued to hammer the enemy, their cannons blasting apart corrupted machinery with precision. Flametroopers swept through the streets, burning down every corpse and wreck to prevent regeneration. For a brief moment, it felt like they were gaining the upper hand.
"Hold the line!" Rez shouted, firing into the advancing horde. "Flametroopers, sweep the sides! Don't let anything get through!"
To his left, Corporal Jex was crouched behind a piece of rubble, his blaster overheating as he fired shot after shot at a group of corrupted speeder bikes barreling toward their position. One of the speeders exploded in a fiery burst, but the others kept coming.
"Rocket team, take those speeders out!" Rez barked.
A pair of troopers armed with rocket launchers stepped forward, firing at the oncoming vehicles. The missiles struck true, reducing the twisted machines to smoldering wrecks.
Then, the ground trembled.
Rez froze mid-step, his boots shifting slightly on the uneven rubble beneath him. It wasn't artillery fire or an explosion. It was something else—something far heavier. The tremors came again, rhythmic and deliberate, shaking the broken streets with each thunderous step.
"Did anyone else feel that?" Corporal Jex asked, his voice tight with unease.
Before Rez could respond, a shadow loomed over the battlefield.
From behind a crumbling skyscraper, three massive figures emerged, their forms grotesque and unmistakable. AT-AT walkers, but corrupted beyond recognition.
Rez stared in stunned silence as the mutated walkers moved into view, their enormous legs crushing buildings and rubble beneath them. The once-clean lines of their Imperial design were now jagged and warped, covered in dark, pulsating growths that oozed a sickly yellow light. Their cockpits had been replaced by grotesque, skull-like faces, their hollow eyes glowing faintly. The edges of their frames were lined with twisted organic spines, and cables hung from their undersides like exposed entrails.
One of the walkers let out an unearthly roar, its head swiveling unnaturally as it surveyed the battlefield.
"By the Emperor…" someone whispered over the comms.
Rez swallowed hard, gripping his blaster rifle tightly. "Well Kriff," he muttered.
The mutated AT-ATs began their advance, their movements slow but relentless. As they stepped forward, their legs crushed everything in their path, leaving craters in the ground. Small groups of corrupted droids emerged from the rubble around their feet, swarming toward the Imperial forces like a tide.
"Focus fire on the walkers!" Lieutenant Drevin ordered, his voice cutting through the rising panic. "Take them down before they reach the line!"
The Imperial forces responded immediately, every available weapon turning toward the towering monstrosities. AT-TEs fired their main cannons, their shots slamming into the legs and torsos of the corrupted walkers. Saber tanks unleashed volley after volley of blaster fire, targeting the joints and vulnerable areas.
Rez and his squad joined the barrage, their rifles sending red streaks of energy toward the nearest walker. The combined firepower was immense, and the first AT-AT staggered under the assault, chunks of corrupted metal breaking away from its frame.
The walker's wounds began to heal. The jagged gaps in its armor closed as the pulsating growths expanded, regenerating the damage within seconds.
"It's not working!" Jex shouted, panic creeping into his voice.
"Keep firing!" Drevin barked. "Overwhelm it!"
As if things couldn't get worse, the corrupted droid abominations were still attacking. Twisted B1s, B2s, and even monstrous GNK droids swarmed the battlefield, adding to the chaos. The flametroopers and infantry worked frantically to hold the line, burning down the smaller creatures while the tanks and walkers focused on the AT-ATs.
One of the corrupted walkers raised its head, its massive jaw opening unnaturally wide. A stream of acid erupted from its mouth, spraying across the battlefield. The acid struck a group of troopers, melting through their armor and flesh in seconds.
"Spread out! Stay out of its line of fire!" Lieutenant Drevin shouted.
The Saber tanks adjusted their positions, firing from multiple angles to avoid the acid sprays. Another walker raised one of its massive legs, slamming it down with enough force to send a shockwave rippling through the ground. Several troopers were thrown off their feet, and the nearby rubble shifted dangerously.
"We can't hold like this!" Rez shouted into his comm. "We need heavy support!"
Varon voice came through, sharp and decisive. "Command, this is Major Varon. We have three corrupted AT-ATs advancing on our position. Ground forces cannot neutralize. Requesting immediate artillery and air support!"
The comm crackled with static before a response came. "Request acknowledged. Artillery batteries are targeting your location. TIE bombers inbound. Hold the line until they arrive."
Rez exhaled, his grip tightening on his blaster. "You heard the Major! Hold the line and keep firing!"
The battle escalated as the corrupted walkers pressed forward. Artillery strikes began to rain down, the shells exploding against the massive creatures with devastating force. Each blast sent chunks of corrupted metal flying, and for a moment, it seemed like the tide might turn.
But the walkers regenerated faster than the artillery could destroy them. One of the creatures let out a guttural roar, its head twisting unnaturally as it locked onto an approaching Saber tank. With terrifying speed, it lashed out with one of its legs, crushing the tank underfoot.
"TIE bombers incoming!" Drevin announced.
Rez looked up to see a formation of TIE bombers screaming through the sky, their payloads ready. The bombers swooped low, releasing a coordinated strike on the lead walker. The explosions were massive, engulfing the creature in a fiery inferno. For a moment, the battlefield went silent.
When the dust settled, the walkers were gone. Their massive frames lay in smoldering heaps, their regeneration overwhelmed by the sheer force of the bombardment. The battlefield fell eerily silent for a brief moment, the air filled only with the crackling of flames.
Rez lowered his rifle, his shoulders sagging in relief. "They're down…" he muttered.
Jex let out a shaky laugh. "For now, anyway."
Drevin's voice cut through the comms. "Good work, troopers. But we're not done yet. Regroup and prepare to move out. There's still more city to clear."
Rez nodded, his grip tightening on his rifle once more. The corrupted remains of the mutated AT-ATs began to burned fiercely, their grotesque, pulsating growths consumed by torrents of flame as Flametroopers swept over the massive corpses, ensuring that every inch of the abominations was incinerated. Nearby, demolition teams placed charges on the largest pieces of the walkers' wreckage, their goal to obliterate any fragments that could be used for regeneration.
"Clear the area!" a demolition officer shouted. Moments later, a series of deafening explosions ripped through the battlefield, scattering the remains of the AT-ATs into harmless ash and rubble.
Rez stood nearby, watching the controlled destruction with grim satisfaction. "They won't be coming back from that," he muttered, his voice heavy with exhaustion.
Corporal Jex let out a humorless laugh. "Good. One less nightmare to worry about."
As the last of the AT-AT wreckage was destroyed, Lieutenant Drevin gathered the remaining forces. The battlefield was a wasteland of smoldering ruins, scattered droid corpses, and churned earth, but the Empire's banners still stood.
"All units, form up!" Drevin called out, his voice sharp and commanding. "We're pushing into the city center. Stay close to the vehicles, purge anything corrupted, and keep the line moving. We're not stopping until this sector is secure!"
Rez nodded to his squad, motioning for them to fall in. The AT-TEs and Saber tanks resumed their advance, their engines humming as they moved into formation. Around them, stormtroopers and Imperial Army troopers marched steadily forward, their weapons at the ready.
The journey into the city's heart began.
The advance was slow and methodical, the might of the Empire moving like a relentless tide. The streets were a battlefield of fire and ash, with corrupted droids and techno-organic abominations emerging from every shadow.
Rez's blaster barked as he fired into another wave of attackers. A mutated B2 battle droid, its frame covered in pulsating growths, lunged toward the line, its cannon-arm replaced with a grotesque blade. Rez fired a burst into its chest, the bolts tearing through its core. The creature staggered and collapsed, but he didn't stop to watch it fall.
"Flametroopers, sweep the area!" Drevin ordered.
The flametroopers moved in, their weapons hissing as they torched the remains of the droids and the corrupted structures nearby. The air filled with the acrid stench of burning flesh and metal, a smell that had become all too familiar.
Rez turned his gaze upward as a new sound reached his ears—a faint, rhythmic thrum growing louder by the second.
"Look!" Jex shouted, pointing to the sky.
Above, a formation of Imperial LAAT gunships descended through the smoky haze, their sleek frames gleaming in the firelight. The gunships hovered briefly before lowering their ramps, and additional stormtroopers began pouring out, their white armor gleaming as they hit the ground running.
The arrival of reinforcements brought a surge of energy to the weary soldiers. The fresh troops quickly joined the formation, their disciplined movements adding to the Empire's already overwhelming presence.
One of the LAAT pilots called out over the comms, his voice crackling with authority. "Additional reinforcements deployed. Command has authorized a full purge of this sector. Clear the corruption and secure the city center."
Rez watched as the new troopers integrated seamlessly into the ranks. The sight of reinforcements, combined with the firepower of the walkers and tanks, bolstered his resolve.
As the combined forces pressed deeper into the city, the abominations grew more desperate. Twisted droids, corrupted civilian vehicles, and monstrous constructs made from fused metal and organic tissue attacked in droves, their movements erratic and unnatural.
"Contact, left flank!" Rez shouted, pivoting to fire at a group of corrupted GNK droids scuttling toward the line.
The abominations let out distorted, mechanical screeches as they charged. Rez and his squad concentrated their fire, cutting down the creatures before they could reach the formation.
One of the Saber tanks rolled up beside him, its turret swiveling to target a group of larger abominations emerging from a collapsed building. The tank's blaster cannons roared, sending bursts of green energy into the enemy ranks. The corrupted creatures were reduced to smoldering piles of slag.
At the center of the formation, an AT-TE unleashed its main cannon on a heavily fortified structure ahead. The blast tore through the corrupted building, sending debris and mutated droids flying. The walkers moved steadily, their massive frames crushing anything in their path.
Rez wiped sweat from his brow, his helmet's filtration system struggling to keep up with the heat and smoke. Despite the chaos around him, he felt a grim sense of determination.
"We're getting closer," Jex said, his voice tense but steady.
Rez nodded. " The closer we get to the center, the worse it's going to be."
As the Imperial forces pressed on, they encountered another battalion of Imperial Army troopers, their ranks battered but holding firm. The two groups merged, their combined strength overwhelming the corrupted forces in their path.
"Major Varon," one of the newly arrived officers said, saluting crisply. "We've been holding this position for hours. Good to see reinforcements."
Varon returned the salute. "We're pushing to the center. Fall in and support the line."
The officer nodded. "Understood. Let's end this."
The Imperial advance was unstoppable. With every step forward, they purged the corruption, destroying droids, burning wreckage, and clearing the way for reinforcements. The LAATs continued to circle overhead, providing cover fire with their blaster turrets and deploying more troops at key locations.
Rez kept his squad moving, their blasters cutting through wave after wave of enemies. They were pushing back the monsters, one block at a time.
Imperial forces pressed deeper into the center of the ruined city, the massive capital building looming ahead. It was a grotesque monument to corruption—its walls pulsating with dark, organic growths that spread out like diseased roots. The once-proud structure had become an abomination, with jagged spires rising into the ash-choked sky and its surface glowing with an eerie, flickering yellow light.
Rez crouched behind a shattered piece of rubble, his blaster rifle clutched tightly in his hands. Around him, AT-TEs and Saber tanks fired relentlessly at the waves of corrupted droids and monstrous constructs surging toward the Imperial line. Overhead, TIE bombers roared through the smoke-filled air, releasing payloads that sent fireballs erupting into the chaos.
He surveyed the scene, his stomach turning at the sight before him. The entire area surrounding the capital was infested with corruption. Vehicles, buildings, and even the streets themselves were warped and fused with the unnatural growths, forming a hellish landscape.
"No sign of normalcy anywhere," Corporal Jex muttered, his voice filled with unease.
Rez nodded grimly. "This isn't a city anymore. It's a hive."
From the capital building itself, abominations poured forth in endless waves, their twisted forms moving with horrifying coordination. At the center of it all, deep within the corrupted structure, lay the droid brain—a massive, once-centralized AI hub for the city's infrastructure, now completely consumed and corrupted by whatever abomination now controls it.
Reports from the forward scouts painted a grim picture. The droid brain had become the central node of the corruption, acting as both a leader and a factory. It controlled the abominations and spawned new horrors from the remains of anything it could assimilate.
"This is it," Rez said, his voice steady despite the tension in the air. "We take out that brain, we shut this whole thing down."
Major Varon's voice crackled over the comms. "All units, prepare to engage. Tanks, walkers, and artillery, focus fire on the capital building. Infantry, clear the perimeter and secure the outer defenses. Flametroopers, burn everything you find. We are not leaving until this place is ashes."
The Imperial army moved into position, their formation like a well-oiled machine. AT-TEs and Saber tanks rolled forward, their cannons aimed at the capital building's corrupted facade. The first volley of fire erupted with a deafening roar, bright red blasts slamming into the grotesque structure.
The corrupted building retaliated almost immediately. Tendrils of techno-organic material lashed out from its walls, striking at the advancing vehicles like whips. Several Saber tanks managed to dodge the attacks, but one was caught in the tendrils' grasp. The tank was lifted into the air, its frame crumpling as the corruption began to spread over its surface.
"Take out those tendrils!" Drevin shouted.
Rez and his squad opened fire, their blaster bolts tearing through the corrupted growths. The tendrils writhed and fell, dropping the captured tank before it could be fully consumed.
"Push forward!" Rez called to his squad. "Cover the flametroopers and keep the path clear!"
Rez and his squad moved quickly, taking cover as they advanced. The corrupted forces fought with relentless determination, their twisted forms charging headlong into the Imperial assault. Mutated B1 and B2 battle droids, now grotesque hybrids of metal and organic tissue, fired wildly at the advancing troops. GNK droids, their frames turned into walking bombs, scuttled forward before exploding in deadly bursts.
"Take those bombs out before they reach the line!" Rez shouted, firing at a group of scuttling abominations. His bolts hit true, reducing them to smoldering remains.
The Imperial forces fought back with everything they had, but the sheer volume of enemies made it a brutal, grinding advance.
Speeder bikes, now little more than skeletal, techno-organic horrors, darted between the vehicles, their riders firing jagged, bone-like projectiles.
Rez and his squad fired relentlessly, focusing on the swarms of smaller creatures to prevent them from overwhelming the flametroopers and infantry. Nearby, a Saber tank unleashed a barrage of fire at a hulking abomination—a twisted amalgamation of what might have been a construction droid. The creature collapsed under the assault, but not before it hurled a massive chunk of rubble into the tank, crippling it.
"Keep moving!" Rez shouted, firing at another wave of corrupted B1s. "We can't let them pin us down!"
The battle was teetering on the edge when a deep, mechanical rumble cut through the din of the battlefield. Rez looked up, his heart skipping a beat as he saw three Gozanti-class Assault Carriers descending through the smoky haze, their massive silhouettes unmistakable.
Each carrier had two AT-ATs suspended beneath them, their armored frames gleaming in the faint light. The carriers were flanked by squadrons of TIE fighters, their sleek forms darting through the air like predatory birds.
"AT-ATs?" Jex said, his voice in relief. "About damn time!"
Rez allowed himself a small grin beneath his helmet. "They're not wasting any firepower today."
The Gozanti carriers hovered over the thick of the battle, their engines roaring as they positioned themselves above the heaviest fighting. Then, with precise coordination, they released their payloads.
The AT-ATs dropped into the chaos with ground-shaking force, their massive legs absorbing the impact as they landed. Dust and debris erupted into the air as the walkers rose to their full, imposing height, their cannons swiveling to target the capital building and the corrupted forces swarming around it.
"AT-ATs, focus fire on the building and eliminate those tendrils!" Varon ordered over the comms.
The walkers responded immediately, their heavy blasters firing in unison. Green bolts of energy streaked across the battlefield, slamming into the capital building's corrupted facade and tearing through the pulsating tendrils that lashed out from its walls. Each shot sent chunks of twisted metal and organic growths flying, the building groaning under the assault.
The walkers' arrival was a turning point. The sheer firepower they brought to the fight overwhelmed the abominations' defenses, their combined blasters reducing hordes of corrupted droids to slag. The TIE fighters provided air cover, strafing the enemy ranks and taking down any aerial abominations that tried to attack the carriers or walkers.
Rez and his squad advanced alongside the walkers, their blasters cutting down the smaller abominations that tried to swarm the AT-ATs. The Saber tanks and AT-TEs pressed forward as well, their cannons targeting the remaining defensive spires and corrupted vehicles.
"Rocket team, take out that cluster on the right!" Rez ordered, pointing to a group of corrupted droids that had formed a defensive line near the building's entrance.
The rocket troopers fired, their missiles striking true and clearing the path. Flametroopers moved in to torch the remains, ensuring nothing could regenerate.
As the Imperial forces closed in on the capital building, the TIE bombers returned for another run. This time, they focused their payloads on the exposed sections of the building, where the droid brain was faintly visible through the crumbling walls.
"Clear the area!" Drevin shouted. "Bombers are targeting the core!"
The troops fell back as the bombers released their explosives. The payloads struck the capital building with devastating force, each blast sending massive fireballs into the air. The corrupted structure groaned and shuddered as its defenses began to collapse.
The bombardment tore away the final layers of the corrupted building, revealing the grotesque core of the droid brain within. It was a massive, pulsating mass of metal and organic matter, its surface covered in glowing lines of corrupted code. Tendrils extended from its base, connecting it to the remains of the building and feeding on the surrounding corruption.
"All units, focus fire on the brain!" Major Varon ordered. "Take it out!"
The AT-ATs turned their massive cannons toward the core, firing in unison. The combined firepower of the walkers, tanks, and infantry unleashed a storm of destruction on the exposed brain. The droid brain writhed and screamed, its glowing veins flickering as the onslaught overwhelmed its regenerative capabilities.
Rez fired relentlessly, his bolts slamming into the brain's surface. "It's breaking down! Keep firing!"
With one final, distorted scream, the droid brain exploded in a blinding flash of yellow light. The shockwave rippled across the battlefield, sending debris and ash flying.
When the light faded, the corruption began to wither. The abominations collapsed into lifeless heaps, their glowing cores extinguished. The grotesque growths that had consumed the city shriveled and crumbled, leaving behind only ruins.
Rez lowered his rifle, his chest heaving as he took in the sight. "It's over," he said, his voice filled with exhaustion.
"For now," Jex replied, his tone cautious.
The battlefield fell silent, save for the distant hum of Imperial engines. The AT-ATs stood tall amidst the ruins, their cannons still smoking from the fight. TIE fighters circled overhead, scanning for any remaining threats.
Rez turned his gaze upward, staring at the crimson sky and the black hole that loomed above like a harbinger of doom. The battlefield was finally still, but his thoughts churned with unease. Why were these abominations so vulnerable to starlight? The Empire's scientists had tested the theory countless times, but ultraviolet radiation wasn't the answer. It was something else—something primal, as if the creatures feared the stars themselves.
And then there were the black holes. Always positioned perfectly to extinguish the light, to give these monsters the cover they needed. Who—or what—had the power to place them so deliberately? And why?
Rez clenched his fists. If the Empire didn't find answers soon, the galaxy wouldn't just lose worlds—it would lose everything.
Drevin's voice came through the comms. "Good work, everyone. The Major ordered us to Regroup and begin cleanup operations. We've secured the city."
Rez looked around at the battered but victorious Imperial forces. The cost had been high, but they had won. For now, the abominations grip on this world had been broken.
The battlefield lay silent, the chaos of the fight giving way to an eerie calm. The fires had begun to die down, leaving behind a smoldering wasteland of ash, rubble, and scorched metal. The towering AT-ATs stood motionless, their cannons still smoking. The Saber tanks and AT-TEs formed a defensive perimeter, their engines idling as troopers regrouped. Overhead, TIE fighters and LAATs circled, scanning the ruins for any lingering threats.
Imperial soldiers gathered in the shadow of the ruined capital building, their armor battered and blackened from the battle. Exhaustion weighed heavily on them, but there was a flicker of triumph in their postures. They had faced the horrors of these mutants and emerged victorious—for now.
Rez stood with his squad near a destroyed barricade, his blaster rifle slung across his back. The scars of the battle were etched into every inch of his armor, and the weariness in his body was overwhelming. But his eyes were sharp, watching as the troops formed ranks to hear their commanding officer speak.
At the forefront of the gathering, General Varrax, the commanding officer of all Imperial ground forces on the planet, stepped onto the shattered remnants of a podium that had once adorned the city square. His uniform was immaculate despite the chaos around him, the crimson of his cape contrasting with the gray ash that coated the ruins.
His voice boomed across the silent battlefield, carried by speakers mounted on the AT-ATs and relayed through every trooper's comms.
"Soldiers of the Empire," General Varrax began, his voice sharp and commanding. "Today, you have faced horrors unlike anything the galaxy has ever known. You have stood against an enemy that does not negotiate, that does not surrender, that seeks nothing less than the annihilation of all life. And yet, you held the line. You stood firm, and you have reclaimed this world for the Empire, for peace, for order."
He paused, his eyes sweeping over the gathered troops. "This victory is not just a triumph for this planet—it is a message to the galaxy. A message that no matter the threat, no matter the cost, the Galactic Empire will stand as the last and greatest bastion of civilization."
The troops listened in silence, their faces hidden behind their helmets but their attention unwavering.
"This is simply one battle among many," Varrax continued. "As of now across a thousands worlds, this same corruption festers, seeking to spread its cancerous grip to every corner of the galaxy. We must meet this threat with fire and steel, with the unyielding resolve that defines the Empire. Together, we will purge this cancer. Together, we will save the galaxy from the brink of extinction."
Rez's jaw tightened as he listened. The words were stirring, but they were also a stark reminder of the war that still lay ahead.
Varrax's voice grew sharper, more intense. "Let us be clear: this is the true test of the Empire. This is why the Galactic Empire exists. Not for politics, not for ambition, but for survival. To stand against chaos when no one else can. The Republic failed to stop the corruption festering within its own ranks. The Jedi betrayed the galaxy with their lies and their arrogance. And now, the so-called Rebel Alliance seeks to tear us down, to sabotage our efforts to protect this galaxy. They are not freedom fighters—they are terrorists, cowards hiding in the shadows while we bleed to keep the galaxy safe."
Rez glanced at Jex, who gave a slight nod, his expression unreadable behind his helmet. The squad had heard speeches like this before, but this one hit differently. It wasn't just propaganda—it was a rallying cry for survival.
Varrax raised his voice, his tone reaching a crescendo. "The rebels would see the galaxy fall into chaos, would see us stripped of the strength we need to stand against this monstrous force. But we will not falter. We will not be divided. We are the Empire. We are the only thing standing between the galaxy and total annihilation."
The soldiers began to straighten, the weariness in their postures replaced with determination.
"In the battles to come, we will face challenges greater than any war fought before. But we will endure, because we must. The galaxy demands it. History demands it."
Varrax stepped forward, his gaze hard as steel. "And know this, soldiers of the Empire we are the bulwark against chaos and while we draw breath we will fight for in this new dark age…" He gave a dramatic pause looking through the eyes of every soldier's "there is only war."
The final words hung in the air like a declaration of fate, heavy and inescapable.
The troops saluted in unison, their blasters raised high in a symbol of unity. Rez joined them, his movements automatic but his thoughts racing. He didn't know if the speech was enough to prepare them for what lay ahead, but it had lit a fire in the hearts of the soldiers around him.
As the ranks began to break and the cleanup operation commenced, Rez looked toward the ruined capital building, its corrupted remains still smoldering in the distance. He knew this victory was only a small piece of a much larger war.
"Looks like we're in this for the long haul," Jex said quietly, standing beside him.
Rez nodded, his grip tightening on his blaster. "Yeah. And it's only going to get worse."
The Empire's forces began to move, their ranks organized and disciplined as they set to the grim task of purging the last remnants of corruption from the city. Overhead, TIE fighters circled like vultures, their engines humming a warning to whatever horrors still lingered in the shadows.
Rez adjusted his helmet and fell into step with his squad. The war wasn't over—not by a long shot. As of now, thousands of systems across the galaxy were under siege by the same enemy. Many of those worlds had already been destroyed, and from the limited footage he managed to gather before those systems were quarantined, it was clear how. Giant black holes had been used to obliterate entire planets, leaving no chance of survival against this monstrous foe.
But the Empire wasn't standing idly by. In the depths of the Core Worlds, secret Imperial projects were underway to combat this galactic scourge. Chief among them was the reactivation of the ancient and enigmatic Centerpoint Station—a relic of the galaxy's forgotten past, capable of manipulating gravity on an unprecedented scale. The Empire had seized the station and tasked its top scientists and engineers with restoring its functionality. The goal was clear: use its gravitational technology to collapse the black holes or destabilize their influence over the afflicted systems.
Progress, however, had been agonizingly slow. Centerpoint Station was ancient, its mechanisms far beyond the comprehension of even the brightest Imperial minds. Deciphering its systems had become a monumental task, hindered by its esoteric design and erratic functionality. Initial tests had proven disastrous, resulting in localized gravitational anomalies that had destabilized entire sectors. Rumors whispered of unexplainable side effects—ships vanishing into hyperspace tears or planets experiencing sudden tectonic upheavals.
Rez had only heard snippets of these efforts through the filtered streams of Imperial propaganda, but he wasn't naive. He knew the Empire's desperation ran deep. The black holes weren't just tools of destruction—they were calculated weapons, strategically placed to shroud systems in eternal darkness. Their presence wasn't random, and the abominations that thrived within their shadows only confirmed that there was an intelligence guiding this madness.
He couldn't say if the galaxy would survive this threat. The scale of destruction that this war have brought was unlike anything in recorded history not even the time of the old republic was this devastating, and the enemy showed no signs of slowing. But Rez knew one thing with absolute certainty: he would fight. He would give his life if he had to—no matter how agonizing his end, no matter if his name was erased from memory, no matter if it meant leaving his family behind without so much as a farewell.
As his squad advanced into the smoldering ruins, the crimson sky and its ominous black hole loomed above them. For now, he had a job to do, but Rez knew the greater battle lay far beyond their reach, among the stars where the fate of the galaxy was being rewritten.
Because the general was right.
There was no room for sentiment, no time for second thoughts. The galaxy had one truth now.
There is only war.
An ancient Jedi Master jolted awake from his meditation, his small body trembling as his wide, sunken eyes darted around the murky surroundings. His breathing came in short, uneven gasps, his clawed hands gripping the edge of the rock he had been sitting on.
"Fire… death… all-consuming…" he whispered, his voice low and strained.
He closed his eyes tightly, his mind reeling from the vision that had gripped him—a vision unlike any he had ever experienced in his centuries of existence. The Force had shown him many terrible things over the years: the rise of the Sith, the fall of the Jedi Order, and the long shadow of the Galactic Empire. But this… this was different.
He seen the galaxy burns, its stars dimming as if consumed by an endless void. Worlds crumbled into ash, their surfaces overtaken by twisted, pulsating corruption that spread like a plague. Entire armies were torn apart, not by the machinations of the Sith or the hatred of the Dark Side, but by something alien and incomprehensible.
It was Hunger. A force neither Light nor Dark, but something beyond the bounds of the Force itself.
He seen these abominations—machines twisted into monstrous forms, their bodies fused with organic matter in grotesque ways. He had heard the screams of billions and felt the anguish of the living beings consumed by a plague, a horrific fusion between flesh and steel.
Yoda opened his eyes slowly, the vision still vivid in his mind. He struggled to comprehend what he had seen. The Force was his guide, his constant companion, but this vision had come from a place beyond its grasp. It was as if the galaxy itself had been turned against the natural balance.
"Understand this, I must," Yoda murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
He took a deep breath, steadying himself. The weight of the vision was almost too much to bear, but he could not allow himself to falter. The stakes were too high.
"This… plague," he said to himself, "what it is, the Force does not know. A hunger that devours, it is. A foe unlike any other."
Yoda's thoughts turned to Obi-Wan Kenobi, now hiding on Tatooine, watching over the young Luke Skywalker. The boy was the key, the hope of the Jedi, and the one destined to restore balance to the Force. But this vision… this monstrous force threatened to change everything.
"The mission, more urgent it becomes," Yoda muttered, his brow furrowing. "Not only must we stand against the Sith, but against this. A greater evil, this is."
He closed his eyes again, reaching out through the Force, trying to find clarity. He sought the presence of Obi-Wan, hoping to warn his old friend of what was to come.
"Obi-Wan," Yoda said softly, his voice carried on the currents of the Force. "Hear me, you must. Prepare Luke, you must. An Evil rises—one the far greater than the Sith, one the Jedi do not understand. Teach him, guide him, ready he must be. The galaxy depends on him."
Yoda opened his eyes once more, his expression heavy with resolve. The path ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: the Jedi's purpose had shifted. Luke could no longer be prepared solely to confront the Sith or bring down the Empire. He had to be ready for something far worse.
"Old, I am. Much strength, I lack," Yoda said quietly, his voice tinged with the weariness of age. "But fight I will, until no more can I."
Slowly, he stood, his diminutive frame silhouetted against the faint, pale light filtering through the swamp's dense canopy. The burden of the galaxy's future pressed heavily on his frail shoulders, yet he did not waver.
"The Absolute Solver," he murmured, the unfamiliar name dripping from his lips like a curse. His voice carried a resolute edge. "Not just against the light, this threat is, but all life in the galaxy, it endangers."
He paused, his gaze distant as if peering into the depths of a vision only he could see. "Find it, we must. Before more powerful it becomes. Before too late it is. Destroyed, the Solver must be—at all costs."
With a slow, deliberate step, Yoda turned and began hobbling back to his humble hut. The swamp seemed to hold its breath, as if mourning the weight of his words.
But in the far reaches of the swamp, an eerie echo lingered—a faint reminder of the horrors to come. A harbinger of a test that would push the galaxy's will to survive to its breaking point.
Hello, everyone! Bet you didn't expect me to drop a second chapter, huh? Honestly, neither did I! But here we are. I decided to write this because I was bored and wanted to give you all a glimpse of what the overall war between The Empire and The Solver might look like.
I'll admit, writing this was a challenge. This is my first attempt at depicting a large-scale battle between two armies, and I approached it as a way to practice and improve. That said, I'm not super knowledgeable about military tactics—especially in the context of Star Wars—so I'd like to hear your thoughts on how realistic this feels.
Just a reminder: this is still a one-shot, and I don't have plans to turn it into a full-fledged series. My understanding of Star Wars lore doesn't compare to that of the diehard fans, so I'd rather leave that to the experts. However, if anyone feels inspired to continue this story or use it as a foundation for their own work, you're more than welcome! Just let me know first—it'd mean a lot to me.
Anyway, that's all for now. I hope you enjoy this piece and that it brings a little excitement to your day or night! Take care, stay safe, and thank you for reading.