Anothet chapter for you my dear readers. You can also check my own fanifction (link in the comments). Have a good reading)
Some ridiculous one hundred and fifty-seven light years remained to be overcome to reach the destination, when an audible signal sounded in the cabin of the Relentless, announcing the activation of the normal hyperdrive protection systems. The automation unceremoniously jammed the light barrier breaking system, stopping the FTL movement of the Imperial Star Destroyer.
- Battle alert, - 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 clearer. However, Alexander assumed something similar.
Right on the course, with the generators of gravity funnels deployed, hovered an interdictor cruiser of the Immobilizer 418 type. And next to it, in the airless space, slowly turning its nondescript hulls, two Mark-I-type attack frigates were creeping out to rebuild before a classic linear battle. Artillery. It always works. The fact that enemy fighters have already slipped out of their hangars is already a fact that does not even need to be voiced.
And even more so, it is not worth saying that the gunners of these ships took aim at the "Inexorable".
- Raise the deflectors, - Alexander ordered, putting his hands behind his back. He did not feel excitement. On the contrary, he felt some enthusiasm. Because he had been waiting for a long time for the occasion when he would have to cross turbolaser shots with the enemy again.
The disposition for him, it would seem, looked extremely unsuccessful.
One Imperial Star Destroyer escorting a caravan of five Star Galleons with only three CR90-class corvettes covered. And all this against a minesweeper, two attack frigates and their aircraft. Approximately equal, if not for the fact that this is an ambush. And therefore, there must be - heavy artillery - somewhere nearby.
- Guns for battle, release the air wing, - the ship's captain continued to give orders. - Escort to take measures to protect the supply ships. Helmsman - heading for the starboard attack frigate.
- Sir, - a voice came from the right pit. - On the right, the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser, Type MC80, has been discovered.
And here is the flagship of all this rebellious filth.
- Inform the Stormhawk of our disposition, - Captain Mor said. - Identify Immobilizer 418.
- It's the Black Asp, Captain, - came the report. - Captured by the enemy a few years ago and renamed to—
- Don't talk nonsense, Lieutenant, - Alexander grimaced. - I'm not at all interested in what the Republican renaming is. The Black Asp and all of its crew members are defectors. We must capture this ship at all costs. The rest don't bother us - to destroy everyone. Postpone the execution of the previous order. Speed up the engines, go straight to the Black Asp. Escorts and convoys are diametrically distant from us. Let the Marines and landing shuttles know that they will have something to do soon.
And this must be done very, very quickly, since the enemy is clearly not an idiot, since he was not located on the main routes in hyperspace, but went to the side, to the regional branches along which the formation of Blight and Astorias was moving. They had to correct the course on the orders of the Grand Admiral, to whom intelligence whispered 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 plotted this new course, along some almost backwater hyperspace routes, which are unlikely even to be used by smugglers. But at least this made it possible not to waste time on a flanking maneuver. However, Mor and Astorias were not yesterday's cadets and immediately corrected the Grand Admiral's plan, dividing the escorts into two detachments. And Alexander headed the first of them, the smallest.
He took a pretty big risk by putting his ship in the crossfire of two assault frigates at once. They are clearly beaters, while it is the Star Cruiser that should deal a serious blow to the right flank of the Star Destroyer. The rebels are well aware that they will squeeze the lone Relentless from three sides and beat it properly, after which they will either destroy it, Or they will force you to surrender. That's what it's all about.
Alexander did not consider tactics or strategy to be something great and accessible only to a select few. Everyone is able to show flexibility of mind and correctly place accents. He did not believe that the rebels were idiots and allowed him to get close to the minesweeper cruiser just because he thought that a "one" was not able to properly shoot at the Black Asp. They understand everything perfectly. That is why they are now tightening the ring around the "Inexorable" , the noose. To allow a minesweeper to turn off its gravity projectors and escape the course of an Imperial Star Destroyer is to defeat the whole point of the ambush - the Imperials will instantly overcome the speed of light, both the destroyer and his patrons. And the whole event of setting a trap will be in vain. Therefore, the approach is extremely simple - the Black Asp will now take the blow, hold out until three other ships surround the Relentless. The minesweeper will endure until the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser, coming from the rear of Mor's ship, demolishes its stern deflectors and destroys its engines. That's it, after that, "Inexorable" will not go anywhere else.
This plan is good. No, it is really good. And it has every chance of success.
He would have had it if not for the circumstances.
The Rebels believe that they have stumbled upon a single Star Destroyer, three Corellian corvettes, and five Star Galleons. And once they get rid of the Relentless, the others are no longer a significant threat. Well, they won't get to the transports anyway - even the pilots of the A's and X-wings will think a couple of times to give chase, leaving the battleships face to face with the entire Star Destroyer's air wing.
And the first surprise awaited them before the first TIE fighters from the lower hangar appeared. The Ashkas poking under the bottom of the Relentless were met by the rapid-fire guns of the Corellian corvette, which had already been thrown off its mounts. Two Republic interceptors, intent on «easy prey» in the form of TIE fighters and interceptors flying out of the hangar, were swept away by the corvette's rapid-fire artillery. seeing the situation that had developed with their comrades, they scattered, coming under anti-aircraft artillery fire and allowing the Inexorable air wing to move on to attacks and pursuit.
- Only TIE bombers and reconnaissance ships remain in the hangar sections, - the watch commander said.
- Distribute the fire of the onboard turbolasers and ion guns to the attack frigates, - Captain Mor ordered. - The medium turbolasers are to fire at the Black Asp. Are the landing ships ready?
- Yes, sir, - came the reply.
- As soon as we are in the immediate vicinity of the minesweeper cruiser, call back the interceptors to escort the boarding groups, - the commander of the Imperial Star Destroyer ordered. - The bombers leave the hangar and go in a wide arc to the tail of the port attack frigate.
Their squad did not include ships equipped with gravity projectors. And if any of the enemy starships tried to escape, the Imperials would not be able to prevent them. Therefore, landing troops on the Black Asp would not only - distract - the crew of the latter, forcing them to fight boarding groups, but in the long term would allow them to quickly capture the ship and use it for their own purposes.
- As soon as we reach the point two-nine-seven, a turn of one hundred and eighty degrees in the plane relative to the real course, - Captain Mor ordered. Simply put, the Inexorable, having reached a distance of one kilometer from the minesweeper, will turn stern towards it, exposing strong shields to the enemy's not the heaviest guns - twenty quadruple laser cannons, extremely effective against small aircraft. But they will - gnaw - through the deflectors of the Star Destroyer for a very, very long time. On the other hand, the Mon Calamari star cruiser and two assault frigates coming in from the stern, left and right hemispheres, will remain in the range of the enfilade and turret artillery, as well as the onboard batteries. The Corellian corvette located under the bottom will cover from attacks from the lower hemisphere, and the SFU of its own air wing will hold out until the approach of the main forces. After that, the Republicans will have a hard time. Very hard.
The Star Destroyer's triangle, having described a turn, smeared first with its bow guns, then with its entire side on the Black Asp frozen in space, after which, having worked out its engines, it seductively exposed its stern with working engines to the minesweeper's gunners, demonstrating with all its strength disdain for the enemy left in its rear hemisphere.
- The landing has begun, - the watch commander said.
- Oh, that's fine, - the Captain Mor smiled, watching the green turbolaser bolts tear through the vacuum as they rushed toward their targets. No, he couldn't handle all the Republicans who wanted to profit from him alone. But he didn't need to. sent two squadrons of A's after the Star Galleons and their cover. How predictable.
The captain watched on the tactical screen as the TIE interceptors with angled wings crashed down on the pair of X-wings that made up the Immobilizer 418's air wing. Two squadrons against two enemy squadrons. An even battle.
Ahead, two TIE fighters were approaching the New Republic assault frigate. One of them, falling abruptly to the side, went along the side of the frigate, pouring its guns on it, as if attracting attention to itself. The second, having engaged in battle with the X-wing, whirled in a dance of death. But these are all details of the battle.
A salvo of nine medium turbolasers, whose linear-elevated three-gun turrets turned to the left, were able to push through the shield aboard the assault frigate in one place with their continuous fire. The next volley of batteries literally burned a black hole in the enemy's hull, subjecting the deck of the ship to decompression.
Republic starships formed a gigantic hemisphere around a lone Star Destroyer, and in this bowl, streams of shots darted from wall to wall, up and down, a dizzying firework display.
The battle was gaining intensity.
Instead, their blackened skeletons float slowly through the battlefield in halos of burning oxygen flowing from the holes. In some places, turbolaser discharges tear entire plates of armor from the hull, eventually turning them into metal balls hardened in the cold of the vacuum. evaporating everything that came across on the way.
And three enemy ships, confident in their strength and impunity, drawn by an unflattering opinion of the intelligence of a Star Destroyer commander who had exposed his ship to fire from four sides.
- Marines and Special Forces report that they have gained control of the minesweeper's main hangar, - came the good news from the watch commander.
- Send reinforcements to them in assault shuttles, - Captain Mor ordered.
The crew of such a ship as the Black Asp is about two and a half thousand sentients. The number of marines - trained, among other things, to fight on the decks of ships and space stations of stormtrooper - is almost ten thousand people. And two hundred are already on board the enemy ship. Now a whole battalion will be added to them... What is the ship's crew hoping for ? Any adequate captain, finding himself in such a situation, would instantly give up trying to hold the imperial ships and begin to solve the problem with boarding teams. But the New Republic clearly understood that the quantitative advantage was in their hands. Therefore, there is nowhere to hurry - after the capture of the "Inexorable" , they will be able to knock out the landing party and maintain control over the ships.
It was tempting to try to capture all four Republic ships, but Captain Mor did not set himself any impossible goals. He was well aware of what his task was: to escort the transport ships with personnel and spare parts to the base of the Katana Fleet. controlled by Grand Admiral Thrawn - then you can think of some other goals.
Now his main task is to remove the obstacle in the form of a Republican ambush. Under no circumstances should he call for help from the ships guarding the Dark Force.
Seven minutes have passed since the start of the battle. Two main caliber turrets have been disabled, one of the medium turbolaser turrets is jammed, the starboard turbolaser battery has been blown to shreds, and there are holes in the bow.
And as long as the opponents are tied down in battle and feel victorious, they will not contact the nearest reinforcements, hoping to take all the glory of the destroyers of Imperial ships for themselves. And they do not intend to negotiate - otherwise they would have contacted the Relentless from the very beginning.
Grand Admiral Thrawn and his sorties have enraged the New Republic so much, and now they are thirsty for blood. Well, they will get what they want. Today they will be drunk with their own blood so that there will be no more thirst.
- Torpedo attack!
Four «wishbones» fired homing proton ammunition at the same time. Imperial Star Destroyers usually have very powerful shields, which can be used as single torpedoes as midge bites.
- The second fighter squadron is to eliminate the enemy, to prevent a second salvo, - the captain of the Inexorable ordered.
The New Republic fighters spat out eight more proton torpedoes before the first salvo reached their target. However, this did not save them from the revenge of the TIE interceptors, who literally tore the hulking ships apart.
Three proton torpedoes were intercepted and destroyed by the Star Destroyer's laser cannon crews, but one broke through. It exploded in the upper left lobe of the station's shield. The hitherto invisible protective shield suddenly turned milky white in an attempt to dissipate the energy of the explosion. Sparks flew from the projectors, and a clot of plasma swept across the hull, scorching the gray armor of the ship's hull.
- A penetration in the superstructure on the living deck! Oxygen leak! Three crew members overboard! - reports poured in. Alexander, intently watching how his anti-aircraft gunners were firing and directing their green spears of red-hot plasma against the courses of eight torpedoes at once, suddenly thought who were these three goons who found themselves in the living quarters during the combat alert. They were supposed to be at auxiliary combat posts. Alexander did not devote much time to properly discipline them. The crew, although consisting mainly of veterans of the Imperial Navy, but the proportion of recruits is unacceptably high. As soon as the battle is over, having arrived to protect the Dark Army, you should arrange an investigation and a reprimand. Muzzling the shift watch with training alarms so that they feel on their own skin that they are not on the front line of the battle does not mean that they can openly engage in nonsense.
Six proton missiles were shot down. These shells are powerful, but compared to cumulative missiles, they have a slower velocity, and therefore are better destroyed from conventional weapons. A cumulative missile has a smaller explosive charge, due to which it is popular for the most part in SFU combat.
The next two rockets hit in different parts, but in roughly the same area. Flames blazed, the deck almost escaped from under your feet, and a hole three decks deep opened in the center of the ship. The air began to evaporate. Pieces of half-molten, twisted armor flew to the sides like metal fireworks. leaving in their place blackened pieces of sheathing, with crooked sharp edges.
- Emergency alarm! - the intercom rumbled to the rhythm of the sirens howling. - Hole in the middle section! Decks one through three are depressurized!
- If another rebel mutt damages my ship with his Hutt torpedoes, - Alexander barked, turning to the watchmen, - I'll gather you on the hangar deck and make you repair the destroyer without a spacesuit! Did you express yourself clearly?!
- Yes, sir! - came a harmonious but unpositive chorus of voices.
One of the frigates decided to turn around under the bows of the Relentless to hide its riddled and blackened side from its turbolasers. But it was a very bad idea.
A green fiery rain of plasma fell on its stern, burning and melting the metal. The engine nozzle mounts could not withstand it, and the turbolaser batteries were crumpled. Those on board the attack frigate did not give up trying to fight back, but the advantage was far from on their side. where he was most vulnerable, after which she safely sent a stream of crimson revenge to his stern. The explosions of proton torpedoes also shook the strike frigate from stern to bow and the sentients on board. The crew first tried in vain to hit the bombers, then switched to the fighters covering them. Some of the guns of the ship as it continued to rotate decided to get even with the seemingly wounded Star Destroyer. But despite the black wound in its very heart, the Star Destroyer, although it was an easier target, its shields stood firm, while the frigate no longer had such protection. The gunners, whose tails were twisted and properly treated with the verbal support of the battery commanders, switched to shooting the ship with heavy charges. The reduced rate of fire was more than compensated by the severity of the ship's damage.
With each passing minute, there were fewer and fewer working guns on board the attack frigate. A blinding explosion broke out on the port side of the station. It must have shorted out. That's good, it will be possible to land troops after the battle and...
A blinding flash literally vaporized what had once been an ugly starship of the New Republic.
- Minus one, - Alexander said calmly. - Report on the situation!
- The convoy reports that they are holding the line, destroyed two enemy fighters.
- On the Black Asp, the second wave of troops has occupied the engine compartment and the cabin. A battle is being fought for gravity generators and artillery decks.
- Send a third wave of troops, - Alexander ordered.
- We lost seven fighters and three interceptors, two bombers are damaged. It is necessary to strengthen the protection 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 left in total, they are attacking our landing ships...
- Put all fighters and interceptors in defensive order, - the commander of the Relentless ordered. - Rotate the destroyer thirty-seven degrees to the starboard plane. The port side is to engage the starcruiser, the starboard side is to continue destroying the frigate.
- Gravity arms are folding! - exclaimed the watchman. - Two of the four... A star cruiser and a frigate change course...
- Where does he carry the Stormhawk! - Alexander cursed in impotent anger, clenching his fists and teeth. What does Astorias allow himself to do?!
- The landing force has made its way to the first generator!
- Fix the trap! - shouted Captain Mor. - Don't let those brats 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 that their reinforcements were too far from the scene of the battle, and the best option was to simply escape, abandoning the doomed minesweeper ship and saving the other two starships.
But... It wasn't like that.
The Stormhawk exited hyperspace five minutes later than expected, almost immediately materializing in front and to the right of the battlecruiser trying to fly away. The Republicans, pulling in fighters and interceptors, managed to fire a volley at the hull of the new participant in the battle, causing explosions to bloom on its armor and charred areas of the plating appeared. It didn't help much.
Because the rest of the ships of the squadron appeared from hyperspace, consisting of... three Udar-class medium cruisers.
Alexander blinked. And where, one wonders, are the twelve Tartan patrol cruisers, eighteen CR90 corvettes, and the rest of the Star Galleons?
- Captain Astorias of the Stormhawk apologizes for the delay - he sent the escorts with cover directly to the Dark Forces base, - the watch commander said. - He suggests not wasting time on trifles and capturing the remaining rebel ships to clearly explain to them the reason why they should no longer ambush the Imperial fleet.
- Tell Morgoth that the Black Asp is almost in my hands. Let him be jealous.
But the commander of the Stormhawk did not envy his colleague and his success. At least on the air.
He simply directed his ship and its escort to attack the starcruiser.
***
THX-0297 somersaulted out of the lightsaber's line of attack, spraying its owner with a burst from his blaster rifle. With his other hand, he returned the helmet to his head with a practiced movement.
The scarlet blade easily parried a burst of the same color of shots, after which the stormtrooper felt something intangible pick him up and, against the will of the man, pull him towards the energy weapon put forward, like a spear. They were separated by only five meters, but according to his imagination, 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 screamed into his body. He had never experienced these feelings himself, but the one who was his genetic donor did. Colonel Selid had gone through the Clone Wars and knew how dangerous the Jedi or their opponents could be. Commander of the base known as "Mount Tantiss" , fought against the Jedi when they were declared traitors. Selid never doubted that this was the case. Not then, almost thirty years ago, whenhewas a young boy who got into the army in the volunteer units, not at the moment whenhecopied my mind to create something more out of himself. The stormtrooper did not know whether the colonel had changed his mind just before his death. But he knew that he thought the same way as his genetic donor. And since THX-0297 himself did not change his mind, it is unlikely that the colonel himself could have done it.
However, this is no longer important. It does not matter at all.
At the moment, the stormtrooper was only interested in his own survival. But this is secondary.
The primary measure for each soldier of the Stormtrooper Corps was to complete the task and save the life of the senior in rank. No orders were given to him, so the soldier in snow-white armor moved on to the next capital directive.
After assessing the situation, which took him a fraction of a second, he realized that it was necessary to protect the Grand Admiral. The adjutant did not matter - he was not the commander. And the stormtrooper realized that he would not be able to cope with his task if he died.
Therefore, before the energy weapon could dig into his insides, THX-0297 fired another burst into the face of the black-robed man, forcing him to change the position of his lightsaber to protect his head from the fatal shots.
At the same time, the enemy released him from his invisible grip, which the stormtrooper's brain defined 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 him. that the enemy possesses skills that are beyond the reach of a typical sentient and can at least grab and carry them without resorting to their limbs or devices directly. Also, while completing the somersault, the stormtrooper realized that his opponent had a superhuman reaction that allowed him to parry blaster charges. And this already increases 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 had tried to hit the enemy with blasters along with the red-haired assistant commander. But he didn't see the point. If he understood it, then the others did. After all, the Storm Trooper Corps is formed from typical representatives of the human race.
He did not think that the Grand Admiral and the gray-skinned humanoid were non-humans soldiers. He did not care about this.
He had the task of saving the life of the commander. And for this he had to defeat the man in black.
He heard a scream and saw a red-haired woman, despite her frail physique, literally throw a cage with some animal in the direction of the Grand Admiral. The commander got up from his seat, caught her and placed her on a chair behind him.
And in the hands of a woman appeared ... lightsaber.
THX-0297 froze hesitantly for a moment. Another Jedi? And yet she was the Grand Admiral's aide-de-camp?!
Ally or enemy?! Attack or cooperate?
Its directives did not provide for cooperation with the Jedi. This required a direct order.
And at the same time, the stormtrooper saw that the gray-skinned humanoid, rushing towards the enemy with a scarlet lightsaber, with inhuman dexterity managed to go into close combat, attacking him with a knife. The enemy, hitting him in the face with his hand, kicked him away from himself, and then threw him aside with the help of an invisible force, intending to knock down the soldier himself in snow-white armor.
THX-0297 jumped to the side.
Coming out of the rift, he opened fire on his opponent, seeing that the Grand Admiral was doing the same. Nevertheless, the woman with the lightsaber rushed to attack, strangely moving away from the enemy, as if she was trying to go around and pin him to that place... Where was the Grand Admiral!
The stormtrooper did not waste time clarifying the situation. He did not need it.
The standard equipment of an Stormtrooper Corps soldier includes flash grenades and thermal detonators. THX-0297 only had a rough idea of the capabilities of this weapon, because he had never, unlike the E-11 rifle, used it in practice. At least not personally. But he had Colonel Selid's memories, as well as the embedded knowledge that stormtroopers receive during their training. And he knew for a fact that Grand Admiral Thrawn had instructed the ysalamiri around the cloning cylinders to be located so that the entire mountain would be cut off from the invisible energy of the Force used by the Jedi. But judging by what he had already seen and known about the Jedi, the clone with the red lightsaber clearly had no difficulty in handling it. It turns out that there are only two possible answers: either the ysalamiri lizards are not so effective, or Colonel Selid purposefully cleared part of the mountain from them so that the threatening object could demonstrate all its combat qualities. He will need to reflect this logical conclusion in your report.
The clone trooper clearly realized that the destructive or disorienting power of this ammunition could both help him defeat the enemy and contribute to the death of his allies. Therefore, using them at the moment is risky and, moreover, contraindicated.
So, you need to come up with 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 shifted towards the semicircular terminal.
THX-0297 had at least one option. He could rush at the enemy, let them pierce him with a lightsaber and at that moment detonate either a thermal detonator or a stun grenade. Yes, he would die, but with a high degree of probability the Grand Admiral would be saved.
However, this is the most extreme of options. He is a stormtrooper, not just a private, he is the elite of the Imperial Army. He must act as efficiently as possible.
While the red-haired woman crossed her lightsaber with the man in black, the stormtrooper had already come up with a plan. He knew how to proceed.
Approaching the motionless gray-skinned sentient, he removed a sling with a pair of throwing daggers from his belt.
stormtrooper are trained to fight with knives. But it was not equipped with this type of weapon. The colonel said that the THX-0297 is a «demonstration model». Its task was to show its effectiveness as a person, and not as a combat unit.
The soldier believed that this was the wrong approach, a logical error of Colonel Selid. He was a stormtrooper. Even if he did not take a vow of allegiance to the Emperor, he knew its text. But he did not consider this saying to be something correct. There is also a mistake in this oath.
- I am an stormtrooper. My skin is my armor. My face is my helmet. My name is my number. - The last part about the Emperor's agent was considered insignificant by THX-0297 - the Emperor is dead, and he himself was created to serve the Grand Admiral. This means that this part of the vow of service is invalid.
But this is all unnecessary information at the moment. THX-0297 felt that he was starting to get irritated. He got too much from Colonel Selid. Unnecessary thoughts. Stupid thoughts. Thinks too much. Don't do this. An stormtrooper must reflect on the effectiveness of the task assigned to him. It should not be otherwise.
It is an incorrectly created stormtrooper. Defective. Such an stormtrooper must be destroyed. You must complete the task, prepare a report and request your own disposal.
But first, the task.
THX-0297 saw that the man with the red sword threw the red-haired woman aside, hitting her in the face, and then slammed his fist into the chest. The woman, like a rag doll, flew a couple of meters, dropping her weapon, which was extinguished on contact with the floor. She fell backwards at the Grand Admiral's chair. And something about this flight did not please the stormtrooper. And it wasn't supposed that the body would fall to the floor here. Most likely, it was supposed to be imprinted into the wall. But something affected the invisible Power of the unknown and refracted the flight. Ok. Remember.
The man in complete silence (where is his light blade?!) held out his hands in front of him, directing them in the direction of the Grand Admiral's hiding place, located a couple of meters from the chair in which he had been some time ago.
The unknown seemed to shake his hands and fell off them... Lightning?! Is this person generating electricity?! But Ho-o-o... Okay, let's remember this feature of it. The man emitted electricity in the direction of the Grand Admiral, but for unattainable reasons, it did not reach the point of encountering an invisible sphere through which it could not penetrate. Something strange.
And this puzzles the enemy. He clearly does not understand what is happening. He looks at his hands. He does not know what to do. He tries to attack again. The lightning once again does not hit the Grand Admiral. But he hits the leg of the unknown with a well-aimed shot.
For the first time in all time, he screamed gutturally, which caused him to step aside. It seemed that his pain and horror could be felt right now. A strange feeling. Must be remembered. THX-0297 rushed forward, taking advantage of the lack of weapons in the enemy's hands, pouring him with a blaster. But he, apparently realizing that he had fallen into a trap (WHERE. IS. HIS. SWORD?), With the help of his invisible power, he tore off the nearest terminal, or rather a computer complex, and threw it at the soldier. THX-0297 could not dodge, and therefore collapsed to the floor, crushed by the wreckage of computers. Information appeared on the visor that both his legs were broken and internal bleeding began due to a ruptured artery. Threat to life. And he doesn't have bacta with him. Problem. He need to complete the task faster than he dies. But he lost his rifle! While the unknown, convinced of the impossibility of his attack with electricity, decided to throw the Grand Admiral with the wreckage of another computer array. He tore off the parts one at a time and threw them towards the Grand Admiral's hideout every time he tried to attack him.
The stormtrooper, thanks to the night-vision system built into his helmet, noticed that the red-haired woman was moving across the floor. Very slowly, very slowly. No, she was not injured. She was trying not to attract attention. Why? Wanted to attack? Why was the Jedi attacking the Jedi? Why did this woman throw the Grand Admiral a cage with some animal and a blaster? Is she an ally? Presumably. But these actions prove nothing.
And suddenly he realized what this woman was trying to do. She was approaching her lightsaber. And she had already covered a meter...
Unfortunately, something caught the attention of the unknown. He stopped bombarding the Grand Admiral with his equipment, reached out his hand towards the hilt of his sword, and the latter slid across the floor towards him. As if he was so carried away by his goal that he did not notice what was happening.
THX-0297, tracing the trajectory of the lightsaber, saw that the scarlet beam of the blaster literally hit the outstretched hand of the unknown - the Grand Admiral was on top. The weapon fell, but unfortunately rolled on 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 a name, but they can talk.
THX-0297 saw that the fingers of the red-haired woman were folded into a well-recognizable pattern. Once again. He answered. Why repeat it three times? He's a stormtrooper, he's not stupid, he understood perfectly well for the first time.
«Distract attention».
The issue of this woman's loyalty has been resolved. The battle gesture language of the Stormtrooper Corps is not taught to the enemy.
No problem. Distract.
THX-0297 tore four projectiles from his belt. He placed them next to him. He looked at the woman. She looked at him. THX-0297 quickly put his hand on the eyepieces of the visor. She nodded in response.
The stormtrooper, seeing that the enemy had already taken possession of his weapon and was backing away, deflecting the shots aimed at him by the Grand Admiral, wrenched the initiators of the explosive reaction out of the thermal detonators with two precise movements.
But this does not mean that he cannot roll shells on the floor.
- GRENADE! - he shouted at the top of his lungs. The unknown man froze for a moment. The stormtrooper noted that he was already six meters from the Grand Admiral. And only three meters from the stormtrooper himself.
THX-0297 tried.
He threw the first thermal detonator into the face of his opponent with all his strength. It didn't turn out very well - the stormtrooper saw a note of contempt on the face of the unknown. He moved his new blade behind his back, without looking at the shots aimed at him. And the ball of the thermal detonator flew towards the Grand Admiral.
The Stun Grenade and its commodity, pushed away from them with all their strength, exploded as soon as they were under the feet of the Grand Admiral, distracted by shooting, deflecting shots and controlling the spheres of thermal detonators. A snow-white flash, followed by another and annoying, literally maddening sound.
Thanks to the visor of the helmet, 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 inhumanely. But in an incomprehensible way, the unknown person felt the approach of threat.
And he put his lightsaber in the direction of the woman running towards him.
And then darkness fell before the eyes of THX-0297.
***
The rebels' wake, still pressing on the starboard and bow hemisphere of the Relentless, which inevitably threatened the Imperial Star Destroyer with heavy damage, began to disintegrate. Seeing new opponents, the Rebel ships made a - sudden - turn, directing their bows towards the arriving ships of the Empire.
They understood perfectly well that control over the vector of exit from the system was lost for them. All that remained was to accept the battle, and now they were in a clear minority.
- Mon Calamari battleships again, - the chief mate muttered, approaching Morgoth. - Sir, it seems to be our bad fate to fight these passenger liners.
- What difference does it make who to fight if it's the enemy? - Captain Astorias phlegmatically remarked. - Medium cruisers take care of an attack frigate. Don't almond - we don't need this iron. But the MC80... Destroy his air group and start destroying the firing points. Prepare a landing.
In the old days, the Empire didn't really need starships, so boarding was not as widely used as it was to capture important prisoners.
If there is such a possibility, the ship must be captured. Choosing between a fairly battered attack frigate and a Mon Calamari cruiser, the lot falls on the second. The difference in armament between them is orders of magnitude, but in the number of crews... Yes, it is, but a battleship is always preferable. The Rebel Assault Frigate is actually an analogue of a medium or heavy cruiser, but the MC80 is something equal to a Star Destroyer. There are much more reasons to grab it.
- Concentrate artillery fire on the Star Cruiser, - he ordered. - How much air power do they have left? -
- Two squadrons on the cruiser are interceptors and bombers, the frigate has six X-wings.
A little less than half the air wing of the Stormhawk itself. But Morgoth also has squadrons of TIE fighters from three medium cruisers - an overwhelming superiority.
Small aircraft of the Imperial Navy soared around the Republic starships. The bow deflector of the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser turned pink from turbolaser fire and laser cannon fire, and then slowly began to thin out, unable to withstand the onslaught.
The Stormhawk's ion cannon gunners immediately took advantage of the breach in the shield and unleashed their full force on the enemy. Streams of blue and white energy washed away the armor from the enemy ship, reinforced by turbolaser hits, and burned out the gun nests. as if playing with it.
Moreover, the advantage was by no means on the side of the victims, which is why the star cruiser was already blooming with short-term fiery bouquets.
The bow guns poured green fire on Mon Calamari's creation, and a wide smile spread across Captain Astoria's face. Under the blows of plasma energy, the cruiser's deflector shields collapsed, and now the ship's hull was blackened, the paint burned and the armor melted. Then ion discharges danced on the rounded sides, and a dozen turbolaser shots completed the destruction that had begun. which whipped the MC80 from the hole. Morgoth looked around.
- We haven't won yet. Keep firing.
The focus of the gunners shifted to the right "wing" of the enemy ship, where the blisters of the star cruiser were located.
The New Republic ship, MC80, and Stormhawk fired at the same time, concentrating fire on each other's superstructures. The invisible hemisphere protecting the stern of the Imperial Star Destroyer turned a pale pink, and then blue bolts of ion cannons struck through it gunners, who were thrown into space when the eight-gun turrets burst.
The Stormhawk fired a salvo at the New Republic ship, destroying the bow deflector shield and leaving ugly black burns on the enemy's hull, and in some places even damaging the shell. Surface ion blasts moved to the squat deck superstructure with the agility of Javes sniffing ownerless droids. The Republic's starboard guns targeted the Star Destroyer's starboard batteries and peeled off the starboard deflector shield. The deck floated beneath Morgoth's feet, and the gravity compensators shut down. The enemy's turbolasers vaporized the skin sheets. Emergency sirens howled, lights flashed as air flowed through the holes into space.
Astorias grabbed the handrail.
- Fix the artificial gravity generator! How did this even happen?!
- The engine of the downed enemy bomber destroyed the equipment, - the watchman reported, making an effort to hold on to the edge of the nearest monitor. Fortunately, the technicians worked, putting the spare generator to work. The captain gently touched the surface of the deck, feeling some lightness of his steps. It was understandable - the auxiliary artificial gravity generator did not have enough power to compensate for the loss of the main one.
- To the gunners to increase their vigilance! - he ordered.
- Minimal, Captain. Except for the generator, nothing was damaged for this blow.
Morgoth nodded in satisfaction.
- Helmsman, list ninety degrees to the right along the major axis. Let's put them on the starboard side. Gunners, a full salvo with the port side on the attack frigate, with the starboard - on the Mon Calamari cruiser.
This is a tactical maneuver that the captain observed in a report from the Clone Wars. For example, the Republic Star Destroyers used their turret artillery, but at the same time, they took most of their ships out of range of fire from the enemy's turbolasers. And all because they were oriented to fire in the lower hemisphere and in the plane. With the Mon Calamari, everything will be exactly the same. His artillery is scattered throughout the body surfaces 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 get on board, leave the hangar. Stay under our belly.
To deprive them of command is to deprive them of Morle. The Rebels only think of themselves as career soldiers. Most of them have a shorter service life than a mossy cabin boy aboard an Imperial Star Destroyer.
The situation was conducive to a risky triumph.
The attack frigate only sluggishly fought off the besieged triangle of medium cruisers, mercilessly beating the Republic ship. Honestly, it's even a pity to look at it. Holes from bow to stern, artillery is almost destroyed. The engines, of course, are still functioning somehow, which is an undoubted plus for the rebels - they can maneuver, exposing the hull to more and more attacks.
- Offer them to surrender, - Morgoth sighed, seeing his Star Destroyer fall on the starboard side with all his might, thrashing against the strong armor of the Star Cruiser.
The bombers left the hangar, but now they are invisible to the crew of the MC80 - the enemy's aviation has already been defeated and does not offer resistance. Having reached the necessary point, the "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 the upper deck of which streams of heavy turbolaser fire rained down, began to turn on its own, falling to starboard. The bombers did not miss their chance, discharging half of the missile supply into the blisters of the enemy ship, causing a massive explosion that literally opened the hull in this part. after which he began to slowly turn around, exposing the undamaged side, and as a result, he found himself with a deflector collapsed by bombers to the Stormhawk hanging over him.
Morgoth's gunners did not hesitate. The bombers, having emptied their ammunition canisters, could no longer carry out the task assigned to them, but this was no longer necessary. The turbolasers of the Imperial Star Destroyer mercilessly shredded the flattened superstructure, turning it and all the plating around it into huge black scorch marks. In some places, the plating gave way and flew into pieces and melted balls of metal, which over time would cool and turn into something unimaginable.
After another salvo from the Stormhawk, the surface of the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser was adorned with an eerie garland of explosions from bow to stern. Heavy batteries exploded, the plating swelled in bubbles, and Imperial shells continued to shatter the insides of the wrecked ship. Space sucked oxygen, but the fire still did not subside. as if it was torn off in a collision with asteroids.
Another salvo literally turned the second "wing" of the ship inside out, depriving it of most of its protection. And after it, the sultan of the explosion, quickly dissolving into the airless space, indicated that the cabin of the Republic ship, along with a significant part of the rooms next to it, had ceased to exist.
Morgoth sighed. Now it's up to the simplest thing... Finish off the «wounded». Its engines are still intact - for the most part, and some artillery has been preserved. But the hull is so torn apart that it will take a lot of time to capture. And to stay here, where other enemy detachments may arrive...
- Captain! - he heard the chief officer shout joyfully. - The assault frigate has surrendered! -
- MC80 asks to cease fire and rescue the crew! - the watch officer immediately added. - Their life support system is seriously damaged, the emergency systems are out of order, there are many wounded.
- Well, it's not up to them to decide now. Contact our Star Galleons and their escorts, and let them move to the frigate and MC80 to repair the damage, - Astorias did not believe the enemy in the slightest about the state of the ships. walked to the communications bay, opening a communication channel with the Relentless. - Captain More, the frigate, and the cruiser have surrendered. I send repair teams to them to assess the damage. I believe that they can be taken with you. The tactic of - fishing with live bait - has fully justified itself.
- I'm happy for you, Captain, - the hologram of the commander of the second Star Destroyer said. - I see your damage is not very significant. The Black Asp is now ours again, more than a thousand prisoners have been captured. I suggest that you get out of here to the base of the Dark Army and get down to the task.
- I have no objection to that, - Astorias grinned. - Alexander, two, one, the score is in my favor. -
- Don't turn up your nose, Morgoth, - his comrade advised. - One fully serviceable ship or two scrap metals? We'll have to see who wins. We'll go back to Tangren, and if you've got your 'wounded' ones, we'll see what Thrawn has to say. I'll send a report to the Chimera as soon as the position of the captured ships is clear. But, - Mor smiled wryly, - good work, captain.
- Mutually, - Morgoth said with a slight smile. - I'll bet you. If it turns out that Thrawn knew about the ambush here and sent us here to deal with them on purpose, you'll have a thousand credits.
- I don't accept it, - the commander of the Inexorable said with a serious face. - I'm one hundred percent sure of that. Well, take care of the trophies, I'll organize a combat escort and start collecting the downed pilots.
***
- YOU'RE GOING TO KILL LUKE SKYWALKER!
As soon as she threw the ysalamiri cage away from her, the phrase nearly cost her her life, bursting through her head like a turbolaser shot.
her teeth as she felt the world around her begin to float with the Force she'd avoided for so long.
But it had to work. An ordinary sentient cannot stand up to a Force-sensitive. At least not in such small numbers.
Overcoming the pain and disorientation caused by the words of Palpatine's last order pounding into her head, the girl rushed to attack Luke Skywalker.
She fought this madman, knowing that she would either win or fall.
She felt the full power of the creature, knowing full well that the Skywalker standing in front of her, if he hadn't been as insane as C'baoth himself, would have finished her off more easily and quickly, without throwing her like a doll.
The girl ran at him, ready for the last battle of her life, barely distinguishing the blue and white blade aimed at her. And she knew she didn't have time to brake.
This monster will finish her off, because even when blinded, he continues to feel the Force and the sentients around him. A desperate dash that will cost her life...
Suddenly, Luke Skywalker jerked. The direction of his weapon shifted to deflect the throwing knife flying at him.
The girl was almost next to the madman, and for a moment Mara Jade saw that a throwing blade was sticking out of his chest. An ordinary knife wielded by the Nogri. The same Nogri that she hardly felt alive. But she saw that Thrawn's staggering bodyguard was now sitting on his knees next to the stormtrooper, squeezing a sling with throwing knives.
The mad Skywalker screamed in a way that hit his ears. But it hurt him a lot harder, even though he had lifted Rukh with the Force and was now strangling him like his father, a pair of crimson blasts fired by Grand Admiral Thrawn struck the clone in the back.
Mara found herself next to the enemy, dove under his blade, kicked him under the knee, throwing the opponent off balance. Skywalker began to fall on his leg.
She felt her back hit the floor, but her arms continued the attack started by her legs. She twisted the wrist of the hand holding the lightsaber that had been disabled when the clone fell.
At the time of falling to the floor, she raised her head so as not to hit the back of her head.
- YOU'RE GOING TO KILL LUKE SKYWALKER!
Her grip almost unclenched as the new order nearly drained her of her strength, spreading pain throughout her body, literally squeezing her eyes out of their sockets.
- I'm trying, you old bastard! - She cried, shedding tears in pain.
Luke Skywalker punched her in the chest, nearly suffocating her.
But he could not continue his attack, as he was burned by another shot from the Grand Admiral. The clone continued to wheezing as she felt the weight of the lightsaber hilt in her hands.
His thumb rested on the convenient activation button. With a hiss and a characteristic hum, a snow-white blue blade jumped out of the hilt. Mara, without a swing or posturing, aimed the tip of the weapon at the area of Luke Skywalker's head.
- YOU'RE GOING TO KILL LUKE SKYWALKER!
- you! - Mara Jade hissed, looking into her opponent's mad, aurodium glitter, and plunged the weapon into his silent mouth with undisguised pleasure.
The lightsaber pierced the larynx with almost forgotten ease, penetrating the brain and exiting the back of the victim's head, digging into the floor of the Throne Room.
Mara Jade felt her body leave life, the pleasure she felt as she saw the corpse's eyes roll...
And how light it became in my head and consciousness, after the Force left the body lying next to me.
After deactivating the weapon, the girl stretched out on the floor with relief, feeling that nothing was pressing on her mind anymore. Smiling, she closed her eyes, as if basking under the rays of a local star on the beach of some tropical planet.
She did not realize how long she had been lying like this, enjoying the silence in her thoughts. But when she opened her eyes, she saw the Grand Admiral standing next to her. Chiss looked at her with interest, as if trying to find an answer to an unspoken question...
- It helped, - she said gratefully. - Even if it's not real...
- You're wrong, Mara Jade, - Thrawn said, pointing to the corpse beside her. - It's real. It's made from the cells of his arm, which Skywalker lost in Cloud City on Bespin during a duel with Darth Vader who is his father. But this is not important at the moment.
- And what then? - Mara wondered, clutching at her outstretched hand, wrapped in a snow-white glove. Rising to her feet, she looked around. There were already stormtroopers in the room, commanded by Grodin Tiers. He abruptly supervised the first aid of Rukh, in whose body Mara Jade felt multiple fractures and damage to internal organs. who had helped her was now lying on a stretcher carried into the turbolift... It seems that everything is over.
- You have carried out Palpatine's final orders, Hand. You have freed yourself from his mental control, but this is only the beginning. Remember this battle, Mara Jade, - the Grand Admiral said. - This is the kind of monster
Luke Skywalker will become when he comes to serve the Emperor Reborn.
It looks like she'll have to resume training. If she wasn't finished off by a newly created clone with an insane mind, then what would be the outcome of the battle with a fully trained Jedi... Palpatine's apprentice.
Mara felt that she felt very, very cold, and a sucking feeling of impending trouble appeared inside her.