The destination was a mere hundred and fifty-seven light-years away when a sound signal echoed in the bridge of the "Inexorable," indicating that the standard hyperdrive protection systems had been activated. The automatics unceremoniously cut off the system for overcoming the light barrier, halting the hyperspace travel of the Imperial Star Destroyer.
— Battle stations, — the commander of the "Inexorable," Captain Alexander Mor, calmly ordered.
Commander of the ISD-I "Inexorable," Captain Alexander Mor.
As soon as the 'one' was thrown into real space, the situation became clear. However, Alexander had anticipated something like this.
Directly in their path, having deployed its gravity well generators, hovered an Immobilizer 418-class Interdictor cruiser. And alongside it, in the vacuum of space, slowly maneuvering their drab hulls, two Mark-I class assault frigates were spreading out, preparing for a classic line battle. The tactics were more than familiar — outflank, force the dispersion of fire, pull apart the starfighter wing, overwhelm the deflector shields, and destroy the turreted artillery. It always works. The fact that enemy fighters were already launching from their hangars was a given, one that didn't even need to be stated.
And it certainly went without saying that the gunners of those ships had the "Inexorable" in their sights.
— Raise deflector shields, — Alexander ordered, placing his hands behind his back. He felt no anxiety. On the contrary — a certain enthusiasm. Because he had long awaited an opportunity to once again cross turbolaser fire with the enemy. And now, the chance had come.
The situation appeared, on the surface, to be extremely unfavorable for him.
One Imperial Star Destroyer, escorting a caravan of five "Star Galleons" with the support of only three CR90 corvettes. And all this against an interdictor, two assault frigates, and their fighters. The forces… were roughly equal, if not for the fact that this was an ambush. And, consequently, there must be some "heavy artillery" nearby.
— Weapons to bear, launch the starfighter wing, — the captain continued to issue orders. — Escort — take measures to protect the supply ships. Helmsman — set course for the right assault frigate.
— Sir, — a voice came from the right pit. — A Mon Calamari MC80 star cruiser has been detected on the right.
And there was the flagship of all this rebel scum.
— Report our disposition to the "Stormhawk", — Captain Mor said. — Identify the 'Immobilizer 418'.
— That's the "Black Asp," captain, — the report came. — Captured by the enemy several years ago and renamed to…
— Don't talk nonsense, Lieutenant, — Alexander frowned. — I am completely uninterested in what the Republic renaming represents. "Black Asp" and all its crew members are defectors. We must seize this ship at any cost. The others do not concern us — destroy them all. Cancel the previous order. Push the engines, we're going straight for the "Black Asp". Escort and convoy — get away from us in opposite directions. Inform the marine corps and landing craft that they will have something to do in the near future.
And it needed to be done very, very quickly, since the enemy was clearly not an idiot, having positioned itself not on the main hyperspace routes, but veered aside to the regional branches, along which Mor and Astorias's formation was moving. They had to correct their course by order of the Grand Admiral, who had been informed by intelligence that the enemy had decided to hunt down those who had been inflicting one defeat after another on them for almost two months. Thrawn's flagship navigator charted this new course along some almost backwater hyperspace routes that even smugglers rarely used. But at least it allowed them to avoid wasting time on a detour. However, Mor and Astorias were not fresh cadets and immediately adjusted the Grand Admiral's plan by dividing the escorts into two detachments. And Alexander headed the first of them, the smallest.
He was taking a considerable risk by putting his ship under the crossfire of two assault frigates at once. They were clearly herding, while it was the star cruiser that should inflict a serious blow on the right flank of the Star Destroyer. The rebels perfectly understood that they would squeeze the lone "Inexorable" from three sides and give it a good beating, after which they would either destroy it or force it to surrender. That was the calculation.
Alexander did not consider tactics or strategy to be something grand, accessible only to the chosen few. Everyone was capable of showing flexibility of mind and correctly prioritizing. He did not believe that the rebels were idiots and allowed him to get close to the interdictor cruiser simply because they thought the 'one' was incapable of firing properly at the "Black Asp." No, they understood perfectly. That's why they were now tightening the noose around the "Inexorable." To allow the interdictor to deactivate its gravity projectors and move off the course of the Imperial Star Destroyer would mean to ruin the whole point of the ambush — the Imperials would instantly overcome the speed of light, both the destroyer itself and its charges. And the whole operation of setting the trap would be in vain. Therefore, the approach was extremely simple — the "Black Asp" would take the hit now, holding out until the other three ships surrounded the "Inexorable". The interdictor would hold out until the Mon Calamari star cruiser, coming from the rear of Mor's ship, would knock out its aft deflector shields and destroy its engines. That's it, after that the "Inexorable" would be going nowhere.
This plan was good. No, it was really good. And it had every chance of success.
It would have, if not for the circumstances.
The rebels believed that they had come across a single Star Destroyer, three Corellian corvettes, and five "Star Galleons." And once they got rid of the "Inexorable," the others would no longer pose a significant threat. Well, they wouldn't be able to reach the transports anyway — even the pilots of "A-wings" and "X-wings" would think twice about chasing after them, leaving the capital ships face to face with the starfighter wing of an entire Star Destroyer.
And the first surprise awaited them before the first TIE fighters emerged from the lower hangar. The "A-wings" that had ventured under the belly of the "Inexorable" were met by the rapid-fire guns of the Corellian corvette, which had already been released from its moorings. Two Republic interceptors, who had intended to take advantage of the "easy prey" in the form of TIE fighters and interceptors emerging from the hangar, were swept away by the fire of the corvette's rapid-fire artillery. The others, seeing the situation that had unfolded with their comrades, scattered in all directions, falling under the fire of anti-aircraft artillery and allowing the starfighter wing of the "Inexorable" to proceed to attacks and pursuit.
— There are only TIE bombers and reconnaissance ships left in the hangar sections, — reported the duty officer.
— Distribute the fire of the side turbolasers and ion cannons on the assault frigates, — Captain Mor ordered. — The medium turbolasers are to fire on the "Black Asp." Are the landing craft ready?
— Yes, sir, — came the reply.
— As soon as we are in close proximity to the interdictor cruiser, recall the interceptors to escort the boarding parties, — ordered the commander of the Imperial Star Destroyer. — Bombers, leave the hangar and fly in a wide arc to the tail of the left assault frigate. Do not attack until they attempt to maneuver.
Their detachment did not include ships equipped with gravity projectors. And if any of the enemy's starships attempted to escape, the Imperials would not be able to stop them. Therefore, landing troops on the "Black Asp" would not only "distract" the latter's crew, forcing them to fight with the boarding parties, but also in the long run allow them to seize the ship faster and use it for their own purposes.
— As soon as we reach point two-nine-seven — a one hundred eighty degree turn in the plane relative to the current course, — Captain Mor ordered. In simpler terms, the "Inexorable," having reached a distance of one kilometer to the interdictor, would turn its stern to it, exposing its strong shields to the enemy's not-so-heavy weapons — twenty quad laser cannons, extremely effective against small aircraft. But they would "gnaw" at the deflector shields of the Star Destroyer for a very, very long time. On the other hand, the Mon Calamari star cruiser and two assault frigates, coming from the stern, left, and right hemispheres, would remain within the range of the enfilade and turret artillery, as well as the side batteries. The Corellian corvette located under the belly would protect from attacks from the lower hemisphere, and the small craft of their own starfighter wing would hold out until the arrival of the main forces. After that, the rebels would have a very hard time. Very hard.
The triangle of the Star Destroyer, having described a turn, first fired from its forward guns, then with its entire side at the "Black Asp" frozen in space, after which, having worked with its engines, it temptingly exposed its stern with its engines running to the gunners of the interdictor, demonstrating its contempt for the enemy left in its rear hemisphere with all its might.
— The boarding party is away, — reported the duty officer.
— Well, that's wonderful, — Captain Mor smiled, watching the green turbolaser bolts tear through the vacuum, rushing to their targets. No, he would not be able to cope with all the Republic members who wanted to profit from him alone. But that was not necessary. The enemy, tempted to collect the entire "harvest," sent two squadrons of "A-wings" after the "Star Galleons" and their cover. How predictable.
The captain watched on the tactical screen as TIE interceptors with angled wings crashed into a couple of "X-wings," which formed the starfighter wing of the "Immobilizer 418". Two squadrons against two squadrons of the enemy. An even fight. Which the interceptor pilots were unlikely to win with a crushing score, but that was not what was required of them.
Ahead, two TIE fighters were targeting a New Republic assault frigate. One of them, sharply veering aside, went along the side of the frigate, showering it with fire from its guns, as if drawing attention to itself. The second, having engaged in battle with an "X-wing," whirled in a dance of death. But these were all details of the battle. The most interesting thing was the confrontation between the large ships.
A salvo of nine medium turbolasers, whose linearly elevated three-gun turrets had turned to the left, with their continuous fire, managed to break through the shield in one place on the side of the assault frigate. The next volley of batteries literally burned a black hole in the enemy's hull, subjecting the ship's deck to decompression. A fountain of human bodies and debris flared up and almost instantly ceased — the rebels were desperately fighting for the survivability of their ship.
Republic starships formed a giant hemisphere around a lone Star Destroyer, and in this bowl, from wall to wall, up and down, streams of fire flew — a dizzying fireworks display. A standard scheme for capture and crossfire. This is taught at the naval academy in the first or second year.
The battle was gaining intensity.
Large ships, unlike small craft, do not die immediately after being hit. Instead, their blackened hulls slowly float through the battlefield in halos of burning oxygen leaking from the breaches. In some places, turbolaser discharges tear entire plates of armor from the hull, eventually turning them into metal balls hardened in the cold vacuum. In other places, shots pierced the ships through and through, vaporizing everything in their path.
The "Inexorable" shone with lights like a festive sign, as if inviting one to explore what was hidden behind the shop window. And three enemy ships, confident in their strength and impunity, driven by a disparaging opinion of the mental abilities of the commander of the Star Destroyer, who had put his ship under fire from four sides. Well, let them indulge their vanity.
— Marines and special forces report that they have gained control of the main hangar of the interdictor, — came the joyful news from the duty officer. — They are advancing along the decks and corridors. They encountered strong resistance.
— Send reinforcements to them on assault shuttles, — Captain Mor ordered.
The crew of a ship like the "Black Asp" was about two and a half thousand sentients. The size of the Marine Corps — stormtroopers trained, among other things, to fight on the decks of ships and space stations — was almost ten thousand people. And two hundred were already on board the enemy ship. Now they would add another entire battalion... What was the ship's crew hoping for? Any adequate captain, in a similar situation, would instantly abandon attempts to hold back the Imperial ships and start solving the problem with boarding parties. But the New Republic clearly understood that they had the numerical advantage in their hands. And therefore there was no need to rush — after the "capture" of the "Inexorable" they would be able to knock out the landing party and retain control over the ships.
It was extremely tempting to try to seize all four Republic ships, but Captain Mor did not set himself impossible goals. He perfectly understood what exactly his task was — to deliver transport ships with personnel and spare parts to the base location of the "Katan Fleet" under escort. And only after the Dark Host was moved to the territory controlled by Grand Admiral Thrawn — then it would be possible to think about some other goals.
Now, his main task was to eliminate the obstacle in the form of the Republic ambush. Under no circumstances were they to call for help from the ships guarding the Dark Forces. Under his and Astorias's command, there were enough forces to deal with what was happening and emerge victorious from this imposed battle.
Seven minutes had passed since the start of the battle. On the "Inexorable," two main caliber turrets had been disabled, one of the medium turbolaser turrets had jammed, the right side turbolaser battery had been torn to pieces, and there were breaches in the bow. Nothing critical — it could have been worse, considering the enemy's superiority in the number of capital ships and their dominance in aviation.
And while the adversaries were engaged in battle and felt like victors, they would not contact their nearest reinforcements, hoping to take all the glory of destroying Imperial ships for themselves. And they were absolutely not going to negotiate — otherwise, they would have contacted the "Inexorable" from the very beginning.
Grand Admiral Thrawn and his sorties had specifically enraged the New Republic, and now they were thirsty for blood. Well, they would get what they wanted. Today they would be drunk with their own blood so that there would be no more thirst left.
— Torpedo attack!
Four "wishbones" launched self-guided proton ammunition simultaneously. Imperial Star Destroyers usually have very powerful shields, to which single torpedoes are like mosquito bites. But eight of them aimed at the same point would overload the shield's power supply. For some time, the shields would weaken, or even disappear altogether, and they would have to be restored. That was the calculation.
— Second squadron of fighters — eliminate the enemy, prevent a repeat volley, — ordered the captain of the "Inexorable". — Anti-aircraft artillery — barrage in the attack sector. Double your vigilance!
The New Republic fighters spat out another eight proton torpedoes before the first salvo reached its target. However, this did not save them from the revenge of TIE interceptors, which literally tore the clumsy ships to pieces. However, the threat did not diminish.
The laser cannon crews of the Star Destroyer managed to intercept and destroy three proton torpedoes, but one still broke through. It exploded in the left upper lobe of the shield station. The previously invisible protective screen suddenly became milky white in an attempt to dissipate the energy of the explosion. Sparks flew from the projectors, and a blob of plasma rolled along the hull, scorching the gray armor plating of the ship. Emergency sirens sounded.
— Breach in the superstructure on the living deck! Oxygen leak! Three crew members overboard! — reports poured in. Alexander, intently watching his anti-aircraft gunners fire and send their green spears of incandescent plasma to intercept the courses of eight torpedoes at once, unexpectedly wondered who these three slobs were who had ended up in the living quarters during the battle alarm. Definitely officers from the relief watch. This was not right — at such a time they should have been at auxiliary combat posts. Alexander had not spent enough time to properly drill them. The crew, although predominantly made up of veterans of the Imperial Fleet, had an unacceptably high proportion of recruits. As soon as the battle was over, having arrived to guard the Dark Host, an investigation and reprimand should be arranged. They needed to torture the relief watch with training alerts so that they felt in their own skin that just because they were not on the front line of the battle, it did not mean that they could openly do nonsense.
Six proton rockets were shot down. These shells were powerful, but compared to cumulative rockets, they had a lower speed, and therefore were better destroyed by ordinary weapons. The cumulative rocket, on the other hand, had a smaller charge of explosive substance, due to which it was mostly popular in small craft combat. Unless it was a ship-based strike rocket, of course.
The next two rockets hit in different parts, but in about the same area. Flames flared, the deck almost slipped out from under their feet, and a hole three decks deep opened in the central part of the ship. Air began to escape. Pieces of half-melted, mangled armor scattered in all directions, like metallic fireworks. The explosions uprooted the medium turbolasers, leaving blackened pieces of the hull, with curved, sharp edges, in their place.
— Emergency alarm! — the intercom boomed in time with the wailing of the sirens. — Breach in the middle section! Decks from the first to the third are depressurized! Emergency parties urgently arrive at the scene.
— If another Rebel cur damages my ship with his Hutt torpedoes, — Alexander growled, turning to the watchmen — I will gather you on the hangar deck and force you to repair the destroyer without a spacesuit! Am I clear?!
— Yes, sir! — came a united, but not very positive, chorus of voices.
One of the frigates decided to turn in front of the "Inexorable" to hide its riddled and blackened side from its turbolasers. But this was a very bad idea.
A green fiery rain of plasma fell on its stern, burning and melting the metal. The supports of the engine nozzles could not withstand the impact, and the turbolaser batteries were crushed. Those on board the assault frigate did not give up their attempts to fight back, but the advantage was far from being on their side. A squadron of TIE bombers, taking advantage of the chaos, sneaked up (how do they do that?!) from the stern of the enemy ship, where it was most vulnerable, after which they successfully sent a stream of crimson vengeance into its stern. The explosions of proton torpedoes shook the assault frigate from stern to bow and those on board it. The crew first tried in vain to hit the bombers, then switched to the fighters covering them. Some of the rotating ship's guns decided to get even with the seemingly wounded Star Destroyer. But despite the black wound in its very heart, the Star Destroyer's shields were firmly in place, while the frigate no longer had such protection. The gunners, whose tails had been twisted and properly processed with verbal support from the battery commanders, switched to firing heavy charges at the ship. The reduced rate of fire was more than compensated for by the severity of the ship's damage.
With each minute, fewer and fewer working guns remained on board the assault frigate. A dazzling explosion flashed on the left side of the station. It must have been a short circuit. That's good, it would be possible to land troops after the battle and...
A blinding flash literally vaporized what was once, albeit ugly, a New Republic starship.
— Minus one, — Alexander said calmly. — Report on the situation!
— The convoy reports that they are holding the defense, they have destroyed two enemy fighters.
— On the "Black Asp," the second wave of the landing force has occupied the engine compartment and the bridge. There is a battle for the gravity generators and artillery decks. Fierce resistance...
— Send a third wave of the landing force, — Alexander ordered.
— We lost seven fighters and three interceptors, two bombers are damaged. It is necessary to strengthen the defense of the lower hemisphere — the corvette has lost two turrets and cannot cope alone... The enemy from the "Black Asp" still has ten fighters and interceptors in total, they are attacking our landing craft...
— Transfer all fighters and interceptors to defensive formation, — ordered the commander of the "Inexorable". — Turn the destroyer by thirty-seven degrees to the right in the plane. The left side to engage the star cruiser, the right to continue destroying the frigate. Inform the boarding parties to intensify the attacks on the gravity generator compartment. They must not...
— The gravity sleeves are collapsing! — exclaimed the watchman. — Two out of four... The star cruiser and the frigate are changing course...
— Where is the "Stormhawk" dragging its heels! — Alexander swore, clenching his fists and teeth in helpless anger. What was Astorias allowing himself to do?!
— The landing force has broken through to the first generator!
— Restore the trap! — Captain Mor shouted. — Don't let these scoundrels escape! Not now!
On the tactical display, another red cone of artificial gravity came to life, crossing the retreat trajectory of the enemy ships. It seemed their reinforcements were too far from the battle and the best option was to simply escape, abandoning the doomed interdictor and saving the other two starships.
But... not so fast.
The "Stormhawk" exited hyperspace five minutes later than the calculated time, actually materializing in front and to the right of the fleeing star cruiser. The Republicans, pulling their fighters and interceptors towards themselves, managed to fire a salvo at the hull of the new participant in the battle, which caused explosions to blossom on its armor and charred areas of the hull to appear. However, this did not help much.
Because following it, the remaining ships of the squadron appeared from hyperspace, in the composition of... three medium cruisers of the "Strike" class.
Alexander blinked. And where, one might ask, were the twelve Tartan-class patrol cruisers, eighteen CR90 corvettes, and the rest of the "Star Galleons"?
— Captain Astorias from the "Stormhawk" apologizes for the delay — he sent the escorted with cover directly to the base of the Dark Host, — said the duty officer. — He suggests that we not dwell on trifles and capture the remaining rebel ships in order to clearly explain to them the reason why they should no longer ambush the Imperial fleet.
— Oh, really? — Alexander smiled sardonically. — Tell Morgoth that the "Black Asp" is practically in my hands. Let him be envious.
But the commander of the "Stormhawk" did not become envious of his colleague and his success. At least, not on the comm.
He simply directed his ship and its escort to attack the star cruiser.
***
THX-0297 tumbled away from the attack line of the lightsaber, showering its wielder with a burst from his blaster rifle. With his other hand, he returned the helmet to his head in a practiced motion. The visor habitually lit up with icons.
The crimson blade easily parried a burst of the same color shots, after which the stormtrooper felt something intangible grab him and against his will pull him towards the forward-pointing energy weapon, similar to a spear. They were separated by some five meters, but in his mind, he had to cover this distance in a few meters.
The stormtrooper had a good idea of what would happen to him if a lightsaber pierced his body. He had never experienced these feelings himself — but the one who was his genetic donor had. Colonel Selid had gone through the Clone Wars and knew how dangerous Jedi or their opponents could be. The base commander, known as "Mount Tantiss," who had died next to him, had fought against the Jedi when they were declared traitors. Selid had never doubted that it was so. Neither then, almost thirty years ago, when he was a young lad who joined the army in "volunteer" units, nor when he copied his mind to create something more from himself. The stormtrooper did not know if the Colonel had changed his mind before his death. But he knew that he thought the same as his genetic donor. And since THX-0297 himself had not changed his mind, it was unlikely that the colonel himself could have done so either.
However, that no longer mattered. Absolutely didn't matter.
At the moment, the stormtrooper was only interested in his own survival. But that was secondary.
The primary goal for every soldier of the Stormtrooper Corps was to complete the task assigned and save the life of the superior officer. He had not been given any orders, therefore the soldier in white armor moved on to the next written directive.
Having assessed the surrounding situation, which took him fractions of a second, he realized that he needed to protect the Grand Admiral. The adjutant did not matter — he was not a commander. And the stormtrooper understood that he would not be able to cope with his task if he died.
Therefore, before the energy weapon pierced his insides, THX-0297 fired another burst at the face of the unknown person in black clothes, forcing him to change the position of his lightsaber to protect his head from the deadly shots.
At the same time, the enemy released him from his invisible grip, which the stormtrooper's brain identified as "Use of the Force." What the Force was, the stormtrooper did not know. The colonel's memories could not answer this question either. But the stormtrooper was not going to look for it. He was satisfied with the understanding of the fact that the enemy possessed skills that were not available to a typical sentient and could, at the very least, grab him and move him without using his limbs or devices directly. Also, completing the somersault, the stormtrooper realized that his opponent possessed superhuman reactions that allowed him to parry blaster bolts. And this already increased the danger of this person by orders of magnitude.
The stormtrooper could have explained his actions to others — the Grand Admiral, the adjutant, or that gray humanoid who was trying, along with the red-haired commander's assistant, to hit the enemy with blasters. But he didn't see any point in it. If he understood it, then so did others. After all, the Stormtrooper Corps was formed from typical representatives of the human race.
The soldier did not think about the fact that the Grand Admiral and the gray-skinned humanoid were non-humans. He didn't care.
He had a task — to save the life of the commander. And to do this, he had to defeat the man in black.
He heard a scream and saw how the red-haired woman, despite her fragile physique, literally threw a cage with some animal towards the Grand Admiral. The commander, getting up from his seat, caught it and put it on the chair behind him. A blaster appeared in his hands, which had been attached to the cage a second earlier.
And in the woman's hands appeared... a lightsaber.
THX-0297 froze for a moment, hesitant. Another Jedi? And at the same time, she was the Grand Admiral's adjutant?!
Ally or enemy?! Attack or cooperate?
The directives embedded in him did not provide for cooperation with Jedi. This required a direct order.
And at the same time, the stormtrooper saw that the gray-skinned humanoid, darting towards the enemy with the crimson lightsaber, with inhuman agility, managed to go into close combat, attacking him with a knife. The enemy, hitting him in the face with his hand, pushed him away with his foot, after which, with the help of an invisible force, threw him aside, intending to knock down the soldier in white armor himself.
THX-0297 jumped aside.
Coming out of the roll, he opened fire on his opponent, seeing that the Grand Admiral was doing the same. Nevertheless, the woman with the lightsaber rushed into the attack, strangely moving away from the enemy, as if trying to go around him in a circle and press him to the place... where the Grand Admiral was!
The stormtrooper did not waste time clarifying the situation. He didn't need it.
Standard gear for a Stormtrooper Corps trooper includes flash grenades and thermal detonators. THX-0297 only had a vague idea of the capabilities of these weapons, because he had never, unlike his E-11 blaster rifle, used them in practice. At least not personally. But he had the memories of Colonel Selid, as well as the implanted knowledge that stormtroopers receive during their training. And he knew for sure that, according to the instructions of Grand Admiral Thrawn, ysalamiri around the cloning cylinders had to be placed so that the entire mountain would be cut off from the invisible energy – the Force, used by the Jedi. But judging by what he had already seen and knew about the Jedi, the clone with the red lightsaber clearly had no difficulty in using it. It turns out, there are only two possible answers: either the ysalamiri lizards are not that effective, or Colonel Selid deliberately cleared part of the mountain from them, so that the threatening object could demonstrate all its combat qualities. This logical conclusion will need to be reflected in his report.
The clone stormtrooper clearly realized that the destructive or disorienting power of these munitions could both help him defeat the enemy and contribute to the death of his allies. Therefore, using them at the present moment is risky, and moreover – contraindicated.
So, it's necessary to figure out another way out of the situation.
The woman with the lightsaber rushed at the man in black, at the same time as the Grand Admiral moved to the side of the semicircular terminal. The correct decision is additional protection and the ability to call for support from the lower levels. Whoever this being with a crimson lightsaber may be, he needs to be stopped here and now.
At least one option was available to THX-0297. He could rush at the enemy, let him impale him with a lightsaber and, at that moment, detonate either a thermal detonator or a flash grenade. Yes, he will die, but with a high probability the Grand Admiral will be saved.
However, this is the most extreme of options. He is a stormtrooper, not just a regular, he is the elite of the Imperial army. He is obliged to act as efficiently as possible. So, the issue should be approached in a different way.
While the red-haired woman crossed her lightsaber with the man in black, the stormtrooper had already devised a plan. He knew how to act.
Having approached the motionless gray-skinned being, he removed a belt with a pair of throwing knives from his belt. He estimated their weight. They fit.
Stormtroopers are trained in knife fighting. But he was not equipped with this type of weapon. The colonel said that THX-0297 was a "demonstration model." His task was to demonstrate his effectiveness as an individual, not as a combat unit.
The soldier believed that this was the wrong approach, a logical error by Colonel Selid. He is a stormtrooper. Although he did not take an oath of allegiance to the Emperor, he knew its text. But he did not consider this saying to be something correct. There is also an error in this oath. A conflict of loyalties. A critical one at that.
"I am a stormtrooper. My skin is my armor. My face is my helmet. My name is my number." THX-0297 considered the last part about the Emperor's agent to be insignificant – the Emperor is dead, and he himself was created to serve the Grand Admiral. So this part of the oath of service is invalid.
But all this is unnecessary information at the moment. THX-0297 felt that he was beginning to get irritated. Too much had come to him from Colonel Selid. Unnecessary thoughts. Stupid thoughts. He thinks too much. It shouldn't be like this. A stormtrooper should think about the effectiveness of completing the task assigned to him. Otherwise, it shouldn't be. Never.
He is an improperly created stormtrooper. Defective. Such a stormtrooper should be destroyed. It is necessary to complete the task, prepare a report and request his own disposal.
But first - the task.
THX-0297 saw that the man with the red lightsaber had thrown the red-haired woman to the side, hitting her in the face, after which he punched her in the chest. The woman, like a rag doll, flew a couple of meters, dropping her weapon, which went out when it touched the floor. She fell on her back near the Grand Admiral's chair. And something in this flight didn't sit right with the stormtrooper. As if the trajectory of her flight should have been more elongated, and it was not supposed that the body would fall on the floor here. Most likely, it should have smashed into the wall. But something affected the invisible Force of the unknown and refracted the flight. Good. Let's keep that in mind.
The man, in complete silence (and where is his lightsaber blade?!) put his hands forward, pointing them towards the Grand Admiral's shelter, located a couple of meters from the chair where he had been a while ago.
The unknown seemed to shake his hands, and... lightning?! came from them. This man is generating electricity?! But wa-a-ait… Okay, we'll keep this feature in mind too. The man emitted electricity towards the Grand Admiral, but for some incomprehensible reasons, it didn't reach him, as if hitting an invisible sphere through which it could not penetrate. Something strange.
And that baffled the opponent. He clearly doesn't understand what's going on. He looks at his hands. He doesn't know what to do. He tries to attack again. The lightning does not hit the Grand Admiral once again. But with a well-aimed shot, the Grand Admiral hits the unknown in the leg.
He screamed hoarsely for the first time, causing him to step back. It seemed that his pain and horror could be felt right now. A strange feeling. Must remember. THX-0297 rushed forward, taking advantage of the absence of weapons in the enemy's hands, pouring blaster fire on him. But he, obviously realizing that he was trapped (WHERE. IS. HIS. BLADE?), using his invisible power, tore off the nearest terminal, or rather a complex of computers, and threw it at the soldier. THX-0297 could not dodge, and therefore collapsed on the floor, crushed by the debris of the computers. Information appeared on the visor that both of his legs were broken and internal bleeding had begun due to a torn artery. A life threat. And he doesn't have any bacta with him. Problem. You need to complete the task faster than he dies. But he lost his rifle! While the unknown, having made sure that his attack with the help of electricity was impossible, decided to bombard the Grand Admiral with debris from another computer array. He tore off the parts one by one and threw them towards the Grand Admiral's shelter each time he tried to attack him.
The stormtrooper, thanks to the night vision system built into the helmet, noticed that the red-haired woman was moving on the floor. Very slowly, very leisurely. No, she's not wounded. She does this in order not to attract attention. Why? Does she want to attack? Why is a Jedi attacking a Jedi? Why did this woman throw a cage with some animal and a blaster to the Grand Admiral? Is she an ally? Presumably. But these actions prove nothing.
And suddenly he understood what exactly this woman was trying to do. She was approaching her lightsaber. And has already overcome a meter...
Unfortunately, something caught the unknown's attention. He stopped bombarding the Grand Admiral with equipment, stretched out his hand towards the hilt of his lightsaber, and it slid along the floor towards him. As if he was so carried away by his goal that he did not notice what was happening. Is he a stormtrooper too!?
THX-0297, tracing the trajectory of the lightsaber, saw that a scarlet blaster beam literally hit the outstretched hand of the unknown – the Grand Admiral was on top of things. The weapon fell, but unfortunately rolled along the floor towards the man in black.
The stormtrooper heard him growl with anger. A strange, hoarse, guttural roar. No, not a stormtrooper. Stormtroopers don't have names, but they know how to talk. This is some kind of animal that...
THX-0297 saw that the fingers of the red-haired woman had formed a well-known pattern. Again. He answered. Why repeat it three times? He's a stormtrooper, he's not stupid, he understood perfectly the first time. "Distract attention."
The issue of this woman's loyalty has been resolved. The combat gesture language of the Stormtrooper Corps is not taught to the enemy.
No problem. Distract, then distract.
THX-0297 tore four throwing munitions from his belt. Placed them next to him. He looked at the woman. She was looking at him. THX-0297 quickly put his hand to the eyepieces of the visor. She nodded in response. She understood that she should close her eyes.
The stormtrooper, seeing that the enemy had already taken possession of his weapon and was backing away, deflecting the shots fired at him by the Grand Admiral, with two precise movements turned the initiators of the explosive reaction out of the thermal detonators. A detonation is not needed here. Only distraction. He was lying on his stomach, because he could not swing properly.
But that doesn't mean he can't roll the shells along the floor.
— GRENADE! — he shouted at the top of his lungs. The unknown froze for a moment. The stormtrooper noted that he was already about six meters away from the Grand Admiral. And only three from the stormtrooper himself. So, the count is in seconds. Fractions of a second, if you try.
THX-0297 tried.
He threw the first thermal detonator into the enemy's face with all his might. It didn't turn out very well – the stormtrooper saw a hint of contempt on the unknown's face. He transferred his new blade behind his back, without looking, parrying the shots fired at him. And the ball of the thermal detonator flew towards the Grand Admiral. And right behind it – the second one.
The flash grenade and its buddy, pushed away from him with all their might by the stormtrooper, went off as soon as they were under the feet of the Grand Admiral, who was distracted by the shooting, reflecting the shots and controlling the spheres of thermal detonators. A snow-white flash, followed by another, and an irritating, literally maddening sound.
Thanks to the helmet visor, THX-0297 saw that the woman, covering her eyes with her hand, jumped up and rushed at the enemy, who was roaring very loudly and inhumanly. But in an incomprehensible way, the unknown felt the approach of the threat.
And he held his lightsaber in the direction of the woman running towards him.
And then darkness fell before THX-0297's eyes.
***
The wake of the rebels, who are still pressing on the starboard side and the front hemisphere of the 'Inexorable', inevitably threatening the Imperial star destroyer with heavy damage, began to break up. Seeing new opponents, the rebel ships made an "all-at-once" turn, directing their bow parts towards the arriving ships of the empire.
They perfectly understood that they had lost control of the exit vector from the system. It only remained to accept the battle - and now they were in the clear minority.
— More Mon Calamari star cruisers again — the first mate muttered, approaching Morgot. — Sir, it seems this is our bad luck to fight against these passenger liners.
— What difference does it make who we fight if it's the enemy? — Captain Astorias remarked phlegmatically. — The medium cruisers should deal with the assault frigate. No need to be delicate - we don't need this iron. But the MC80... destroy its air group and start destroying the firing points. Prepare boarding parties.
It's nothing for them to capture both ships. In the old days, the Empire did not really need starships, and therefore boarding battles were not used so widely, only for the capture of important prisoners. Now, Grand Admiral Thrawn's instructions were more than transparent.
If there is such an opportunity, the ship must be captured. Choosing between a badly beaten assault frigate and a Mon Calamari cruiser, the choice falls on the second. The difference in armament between them is by orders of magnitude, but in the number of crews... Yes, it is significant, but a line ship is always preferable. The rebels' assault frigate is actually an analogue of a medium or heavy cruiser, but the MC80 is already something equal to a star destroyer. There are much more reasons to seize it.
— Concentrate artillery fire on the star cruiser, — he ordered. — How much aviation do they have left?
— Two squadrons on the cruiser – interceptors and bombers, the frigate has six X-wings.
Slightly less than half the size of the 'Stormhawk's' air wing. But Morgot also has TIE fighter squadrons from three medium cruisers – a significant advantage.
Small flying vehicles of the Imperial fleet soared around the Republican starships. The nose deflector of the Mon Calamari star cruiser turned pink from turbolaser fire and laser cannon shots, and then slowly began to thin, unable to withstand the onslaught.
The gunners of the ion cannons of the 'Stormhawk' immediately took advantage of the gap in the shield and unleashed all their power on the enemy. Streams of white-blue energy washed away the armor from the enemy ship, reinforced by hits from turbolasers, they burned out gun nests. Despite this, it seemed that it was impossible to survive in such a hell, but the Imperials were in no hurry to destroy their enemy, as if playing with him.
Moreover, the advantage was by no means on the side of the victims, which is why the star cruiser was already blooming with short-lived fiery bouquets.
The bow guns poured green fire on the creation of the Mon Calamari, and a broad smile spread across Captain Astorias' face. Under the impact of plasma energy, the cruiser's deflector shields could not withstand and collapsed, and now the ship's plating was blackening, the paint was burning, and the armor was melting. Then, ion discharges danced on the rounded sides, and a dozen turbolaser shots completed the destruction that had begun. The watchmen joyfully greeted the fire that lashed out of the hole in the MC80. Morgot looked back:
— We haven't won yet. Continue the shelling.
The gunners' focus shifted to the right "wing" of the enemy ship, where the blisters of the star cruiser were located.
The ship of the New Republic, the MC80 and the 'Stormhawk' fired at the same time, focusing their fire on each other's superstructures. The invisible hemisphere that protected the stern of the Imperial star destroyer turned pale pink, and then blue discharges of ion guns struck through it. A network of lightning spread across the plating, two heavy turbolaser turrets on the starboard side exploded, and Astorias noticed through the main porthole at least two gunners who had been thrown into space when the eight-gun turrets burst.
The 'Stormhawk' fired a salvo at the New Republic ship, destroying the nose deflector shield and leaving black, ugly burns on the enemy's plating, and in some places even damaging the shell completely. Surface ion discharges moved towards the squat deck superstructure with the speed of Jawas sniffing out abandoned droids. The guns on the right side of the republican targeted the batteries on the right side of the star destroyer and peeled off its deflector protection from the right side. The deck floated under Morgot's feet: the gravitational compensators turned off. The enemy's turbolasers evaporated sheets of plating. Emergency sirens wailed, the lights flickered as air flowed through the holes into space.
Astorias grabbed the handrail.
— Fix the artificial gravity generator! How did this happen?!
— The engine of a downed enemy bomber destroyed the equipment, — the watchman reported, making efforts to hold on to the edge of the nearest monitor. Fortunately, the technicians worked, putting the backup generator into operation. The captain gently touched the surface of the deck, feeling a certain ease in his steps. And it's understandable – the auxiliary artificial gravity generator did not have enough power to compensate for the loss of the main one.
— Artillerymen, increase your vigilance! — he ordered. — Report on the damage.
— Minimal, captain. Nothing was damaged except for the generator during this hit.
Morgot nodded with satisfaction.
— Helmsman, heel ninety degrees to the right along the major axis. Let's expose the starboard to them. Gunners, full salvo with the port side at the assault frigate, with the starboard side at the Mon Calamari cruiser. Increase speed – we are closing in on it, tilting the ship in a spiral so that our superstructure hangs over its upper hemisphere.
The captain had watched this tactical maneuver in one of the reports from the Clone Wars. This is how the Republican star destroyers used their turret artillery, but at the same time, they took their ships out of the firing sector of most of the enemy's turbolasers. And all because they were oriented to fire into the lower hemisphere and in the plane. It will be exactly the same with the Mon Calamari. Its artillery is scattered all over the surface of the hull or in blisters on the "wings". And at the same time, it has a limited elevation angle, and therefore...
— Bombers, get ready, — Astorias ordered. — As soon as we "stand on the side" - leave the hangar. Stay under our belly. We will align over them - strike at the bridge and deflector field generators.
To deprive of command means to deprive of morale. The rebels only imagine themselves to be career military personnel. Most of them have less time in service than a mossy cabin boy aboard an Imperial star destroyer. They only need to be shown that resistance is useless - they will surrender.
The situation called for a risky triumph.
The assault frigate only weakly defended itself from the medium cruisers that had besieged it in a triangle, mercilessly beating the Republican ship. Honestly, it's even pitiful to look at it anymore. Holes from the bow to the stern, the artillery is practically destroyed. The engines, of course, are still functioning somehow, which is a definite plus for the rebels - they can maneuver, exposing the hull to new and new blows.
— Offer them to surrender, — Morgot sighed, seeing how his star destroyer, leaning on its starboard side, was hammering with all its might at the strong armor of the star cruiser.
The bombers left the hangar, but now they are invisible to the MC80 crew – the enemy's aviation has already been defeated and does not offer resistance. Having reached the required point, "number one" began to turn to the right around its axis. A minute later, it was clearly above the star cruiser. And at that moment, the bombers made their move.
The star cruiser, on whose upper deck streams of heavy turbolaser fire fell, itself began to turn, tilting to the starboard side. The bombers did not miss their chance, unloading half of their missile supply into the enemy ship's blisters, causing a massive explosion that literally opened the hull in this part. Streams of air, debris from structures rushed outward. The ship froze, as if it had been punched in the gut, after which it slowly began to turn, exposing the undamaged side, and as a result, it turned out with a deflector destroyed by bombers towards the "Stormhawk" hanging over it.
Morgot's gunners did not hesitate. The bombers, having emptied their ammunition cassettes, could no longer fulfill the task assigned to them, but this was no longer required. The turbolasers of the Imperial star destroyer mercilessly slashed the flattened superstructure, turning it and all the plating around it into huge black burns. In some places, the plating gave way and scattered into pieces and molten balls of metal, which would eventually cool and turn into something unimaginable.
After another salvo from the 'Stormhawk', the surface of the Mon Calamari star cruiser was decorated with a gruesome garland of explosions from bow to stern. Heavy batteries exploded, the plating swelled up in blisters, and the shells of the Imperials continued to destroy the insides of the damaged ship. Space was sucking out the oxygen, but the fire still did not subside. The armor was bent and torn from the frame; the star cruiser looked as if it had been stripped by a collision with asteroids.
Another salvo literally turned the second "wing" of the ship inside out, depriving it of most of its protection. And following it, a sultan of explosion quickly dissolving in the airless space indicated that the bridge of the Republican ship, along with a significant part of the premises next to it, had ceased to exist.
Morgot sighed. Now it's up to the simplest thing... to finish off the 'wounded beast'. Its engines are still intact - for the most part, and some artillery has been preserved. But the hull is so damaged that it will take a lot of time to capture it. And to stay here, where other enemy units may arrive...
— Captain! — he heard the joyful exclamation of the first mate. — The assault frigate has surrendered!
— The MC80 is asking to cease fire and start rescuing the crew! — the watchman chief immediately added. — Their life support system is seriously damaged, emergency systems have failed, many wounded. They are asking to remove the crew and consider them as prisoners of war! The ships are combat-ineffective and are not suitable for further service.
— Well, now it's no longer their decision. Contact our "star galleons" and their escort - let them move to the frigate and MC80 to repair the damage, — Astorias did not believe the enemy about the condition of the ships in the slightest. Most likely, they are trying to somehow wash off the shame of defeat. The captain crossed the bridge, walked to the communications compartment, opening a communications channel with the 'Inexorable'. — Captain Mor, the frigate and the cruiser have surrendered. I am sending repair teams to them to assess the damage. I believe that they can be taken with us. The "live bait" tactic fully justified itself.
— Glad for you, captain, — said the hologram of the commander of the second star destroyer. — I see that your damage is not very significant. The 'Black Asp' is ours again, over a thousand prisoners have been captured. I propose to get out of here to the base of the Dark Host and begin the fulfillment of the task assigned.
— I have no objections to that, — Astorias chuckled. — Alexander, two - one, the score is in my favor.
— Don't get cocky, Morgot, — his comrade advised. — One fully operational ship or two scrap metal? Here you need to look at who won. We will return to Tangren, if you bring your "wounded," we will see what Thrawn says. I will send a report to the 'Chimera' as soon as the situation with the captured ships is clear. But — Mor smiled crookedly — good job, captain.
— Mutual, — Morgot replied with a slight smile. — I propose a bet. If it turns out that Thrawn knew about the ambush here and deliberately sent us here to deal with them, you owe me a thousand credits.
— I won't accept it, — the commander of the 'Inexorable' stated with a serious face. — I am a hundred percent sure of it. Well, take care of the trophies, I'll organize combat security and start collecting the downed pilots. It seems that after our return, Lieutenant Colonel Astarion will have something to do.
***
"YOU WILL KILL LUKE SKYWALKER!"
As soon as she threw the cage with the ysalamiri away from her, this phrase almost cost her life, bursting in her head like a turbolaser shot.
Mara gritted her teeth, feeling how the world around her began to float from the Force that had overwhelmed her, which she had avoided for so long.
But she had to act. An ordinary being is not able to resist a Force-sensitive. At least not in such a small number.
Overcoming the pain and disorientation caused by the words of Palpatine's last order, hammering into her head, the girl rushed to attack Luke Skywalker.
She fought with this madman, understanding that she would either win or fall.
She felt all the power of this being, perfectly aware of the fact that Skywalker, standing in front of her, if he were not as insane as K'baoth himself, would have finished her off easier and faster, without throwing her around like a doll.
The girl ran at him, ready for the last battle in her life, barely distinguishing the white-blue blade aimed at her. And she understood that she did not have time to stop.
This monster will finish her off, because even blinded, he continues to feel the Force and the beings around him. A desperate dash that will cost her her life...
Suddenly, Luke Skywalker twitched. The direction of his weapon shifted to deflect the throwing knife flying at him. This is her chance!
The girl was practically next to the madman, and for a moment Mara Jade saw that a throwing blade was sticking out of his chest. An ordinary knife that the Noghri wielded. The very Noghri that she practically did not feel as alive. But she saw that Thrawn's swaying bodyguard was now sitting on his knees next to a stormtrooper, clutching a belt with throwing knives.
The mad Skywalker yelled so that it hit her ears. But it was much more painful for him - although he lifted Rukh with the Force and now, like his father, choked him, a couple of crimson charges fired by Grand Admiral Thrawn hit the clone in the back.
Mara was next to the opponent, dived under his blade, kicked under the knee, throwing the opponent off balance. Skywalker began to fall on his leg.
She felt herself hit the floor with her back, but her hands continued the attack that had been started by her legs. She twisted the wrist of the hand holding the lightsaber, which had turned off when the clone fell.
At the moment of falling on the floor, she raised her head so as not to hit the back of her head.
"YOU WILL KILL LUKE SKYWALKER!"
Her grip almost loosened when the new order almost deprived her of her strength, spreading pain throughout her body, literally squeezing her eyes out of their sockets.
— I'm trying, you old bastard! — she shouted, bursting into tears of pain.
Luke Skywalker punched her in the chest, causing her to almost choke.
But he could not continue his attack – he was burned by another shot from the Grand Admiral. The clone continued to wheeze when she felt the weight of the lightsaber hilt in her hands.
Her thumb lay on a convenient activation key. With a hiss and characteristic hum, a snow-white blade sprang out of the hilt. Mara, without a swing or posing, pointed the tip of the weapon at Luke Skywalker's head area.
"YOU WILL KILL LUKE SKYWALKER!"
— Go to hell! — hissed Mara Jade, looking into the insane eyes of her opponent, full of aurodium shine, with undisguised pleasure, she plunged the weapon into his distorted mouth twisted from a silent scream.
The lightsaber, with almost forgotten ease, pierced his throat, penetrating into the brain and exiting the back of the victim's head, digging into the floor of the Throne Room.
Mara Jade felt life leave the body, what pleasure she experiences, seeing the corpse's eyes rolling back...
And how easy it became in her head and consciousness, after the Force left the body lying nearby.
Deactivating the weapon, the girl stretched out on the floor with relief, feeling that nothing more was pressing on her mind. Smiling, she closed her eyes, as if basking in the rays of a local star on the beach of some tropical planet.
She didn't realize how much time she lay like that, enjoying the silence in her thoughts. But when she opened her eyes, she saw the Grand Admiral standing next to her. The Chiss was looking at her with interest, as if trying to find an answer to an unspoken question...
— It helped, — she said with gratitude. — Even if it's not the real one...
— You're mistaken, Mara Jade, — Thrawn said, pointing to the corpse lying next to her. — The realest of all. He was created from the cells of his hand, lost by Skywalker in Cloud City on Bespin during a duel with Darth Vader. Just before he found out who his father was. But that's not important at the moment.
— Then what is it? — Mara was surprised, grabbing the hand that was extended to her, covered in a snow-white glove. Getting to her feet, she looked around. There were already stormtroopers in the room, commanded by Grodin Tiars. He was giving curt orders to provide first aid to Rukh, in whose body Mara Jade felt multiple fractures and damage to internal organs. The stormtrooper who had helped her was now lying on a stretcher being carried into the turbolift... It seems that everything was over.
— You have fulfilled Palpatine's last order, Hand. You are free from his mental control, but this is only the beginning. Remember this battle, Mara Jade, — said the Grand Admiral. — This is exactly the kind of monster Luke Skywalker will become when he goes to serve the Reborn Emperor.
It seems that she will have to resume her training. If she wasn't finished off by the just created clone with a crazy mind, then what will be the outcome of the battle with a fully trained Jedi... A student of Palpatine.
Mara felt very, very cold, and a gnawing feeling of impending trouble appeared inside.