//------------------------------// // Last Ditch Plan // Story: The Dragon and the Force // by FenrisianBrony //------------------------------// “How’s that working for you, sir?” An engineer asked, leaning back from Spike and twirling his hydrospanner around his finger. “Better,” Spike nodded, stretching his leg out a few times, making sure he was satisfied that the damage the cybernetic had sustained in the space battle wouldn’t hinder him on the planet. “It’s not perfect, but you’ve been kept from the fortifications long enough. Go and re-join your unit.” “Sir,” the man saluted, before hurrying out of the room, leaving Spike to slowly get to his feet and follow after him, exiting the grounded ship that was now serving as their medical centre, and looking around the space port they had found themselves in. It hadn’t taken the Republic forces long to establish the little base they had running around them at present. True to his orders, every ship that had managed to disengage the Sith fleet, and to Spike’s shame there were far fewer than he would have liked, had converged on the abandoned space port from the planets early pioneering days of space travel. Once there, they had immediately reactivated the defensive shield that had once surrounded the base and the nearby terrain, strengthening the power with generators pulled from damaged ships, or by placing new shield generators in weak spots around the perimeter. It had only been two days since they landed, but already they had made leaps and bounds in making the base more defensible, even managing to move some of the ships which still had weapons capability into firing positions. The final lynch pin of the defence was not by Republic design at all, the Sith Interdictor Cruiser that Spike had stolen now sitting in the very middle of the base, all four of its main interdictor generators running at peak capacity, two still in the ships superstructure, while two had now been removed and taken into the Space Ports panic bunker, half a mile beneath the surface. All this served to force the Sith’s hand. They could no longer leave the system via hyperspace, and leaving at sub-light speeds would take weeks at best, as well as forcing them to deviate from the hyperspace lands into uncharted territory, and they couldn’t just bombard the Republic into submission either due to the energy shield. Not that the fact had stopped them from trying of course. For hours upon hours turbolaser slashed down through the clouds, smashing into the shield and the surrounding landscape, before finally, only a few hours earlier, it stopped. That could only mean one thing. The Sith troops had finally landed, and were preparing for a ground assault. If they thought the Republic was broken as they had been in orbit, they were about to realise their mistake. “Sir, long range scanners have picked up large amounts of movement through the ruins of the nearby settlement,” someone spoke into the comms, the voice coming through Spike’s cybernetics. “All civilians fled the day the bombardments started, so it is likely this is the beginning of the Sith attack.” “Get everyone in position along the shields edge,” Spike ordered, flaring his wings. “No one takes a step outside the barrier for any reason. Make them fight to us.” “Aye, sir,” the man replied, before the comms went dead, Spike leaping into the air and heading for the front line. *** Spike roared as he jumped forward, hacking a Lightsaber through the neck of one of the approaching Sith troopers, before raising his cannon, launching a flurry of shots at another squad, forcing them to dive for cover. The shield was still operational above them, the surface rippling as the Sith fighters continued to hammer it with everything they had, but so far they were holding, forcing the Sith troopers to abandon their long range capabilities and engage the entrenched Republic forces in a brutal short range firefight. The strategy was clearly working, as after less than half an hour of fighting, the Sith were already having to climb over the bodies of their dead friends. “Sergeant, get the repeater cannons covering the right flank!” Spike roared, before roaring, flame shooting out at the covering Sith squad, immolating most of them, and sending the other ones fleeing for their lives, only to be cut down as they ran. “They’re giving up! Keep hitting them, don’t let them any more of them get away!” True to Spike’s word, the Sith began to break and flee, first in small numbers, then in whole squads, before finally every trooper was running for the shield. Only after the last trooper had been cut down or made it back through the shield did Spike raise his cannon arm. “Hold! Don’t waste your power packs, we’ll need them next time,” he bellowed, before looking around at the Republic lines. They may have won the day, but with the amount of dead that littered the battlefield, it was hard to get excited. “All sector chiefs, meeting at the unground generators now,” Spike opened a channel to the remaining Republic Forces. “Everyone else, count up our dead and move them closer to the centre, we’ll give them a better funeral later. Sith corpses can be pushed outside the shield, the last thing we need is disease.” Without waiting for a reply, Spike turned and began to head towards the lifts to the bunker complex beneath the dock, ignoring the gazes of the troops around him. As much as he hated to admit it, he had gotten very used to the efficiency of the Special Forces in his time serving with them, and as hard as his new troops tried, they could never hold a candle to them. There was a reason why everyone feared the Special Forces, and why these troops were relegated to a fleet of outdated ships that were only pressed into service because the Republic was desperate. “I swear, some of these men are older than me,” Spike whispered to himself. “That would be impressive,” Moonstone chuckled, appearing beside him. “That would make them, what? Nine hundred?” “Ha ha ha,” Spike deadpanned. “You here for a chat or do you want something?” “Well that’s a fine how do you do,” Moonstone rolled her eyes. “Can I not just chat to you?” “Well when you say things like ‘can I not just chat to you’, it usually means you want to talk about something specific,” Spike pointed out. “What is it? Leroy?” “Is he dead yet?” Moonstone shot back. “Shouldn’t you know the answer to that?” Spike sighed. “I know you’re angry, Spike…” “I’m not angry. If I was, we wouldn’t be doing as well as we are,” Spike shrugged, stepping into the ancient lift and pulling the ‘down’ lever. “I need to speak to my commanders, Moonstone, you can watch if you have to, but it’s probably easier if you just watch from my head, you can be…distracting, sometimes.” “Distracting, thanks,” Moonstone rolled her eyes. “Any reason why you’re having this meeting almost a half a mile underground.” “It’s away from prying eyes,” Spike said dismissively, before finally reaching the bottom, Moonstone fading away as he walked towards the two massive generators. Whatever field they emitted always made Spike feel uneasy, like the magic was slightly dampened in the area. He hadn’t actually found an actual drop in his abilities, but the feeling was still there, and he majorly disliked being here. The only reason he was down here was because what he was about to tell them would probably cause outrage, or outright hate. Finally, after what felt like hours, the four sector chiefs, and the highest surviving ranks from the fleet, emerged from the lift, walking towards Spike and looking around. “Sir? Why did you want to see us?” one of the Captains asked. “Alright, I’m going to cut right to the heart of the matter,” Spike sighed, choosing his next words carefully. “Before I start, nothing I say here is to leave this group, save for what we absolutely have to tell people. We’re never going to win here. Everyone knows that, we’ve always known that. Our aim now isn’t to survive, it’s to take them down with us.” “And how are we going to do that? We’re outnumbered and outgunned, plus they still have their fleet to get away, we don’t.” “Exactly,” Spike nodded. “You won’t like what I’m about to say, but you will all listen. This complex goes half a mile underground, the old mine shafts go four miles below that. If one of these generators were to go critical that deep in the planet’s surface it would cause tremors and localised interdiction fields to fluctuate. But if four were to go critical at the same time…big ships would be caught in a gravity well and pulled onto the surface. We’d destroy their fleet entirely, we’d save the Republic.” “Spike…sir,” the captain asked the colour draining from his face. “If one generator would cause tremors…what would four do?” “Destroy the planet,” Spike replied after a moments silence. “The Mandalorian Wars were ended when a generator was retrofitted as a weapon by an engineer who knew what he was doing, but the principle of the matter is the same. One weaponised generator and four non-weaponised generators should do the same thing. We’re going to create a Mass Shadow Generator gentlemen.” The captains all shared silent glances, before they all started talking at once. “You can’t be serious!” “Do you know how many civilians are on this planet?!” “I will not be part of this!” “The Mass Shadow Generator was a disgrace bordering on a war crime! We can’t do it again!” “Silence!” Spike roared. “I am serious, we will do it again, and the planet has…five billion, seven hundred and eighteen million people on it, not including our soldiers or the Sith forces. This is my plan, I am willing consigning this world to death, because if we don’t, how many trillions in the core might die? This fleet attacks Arcadia? Alderaan? Halpat? Each one of those worlds has a population in the tens of billions, and there is nothing defending them anymore, because every ship is fighting on the front line. We are defending the one backdoor route into the Republic, and I will not allow it to be lost. Do you understand me?” “Spike, I can’t let this…” one of the Captain’s began, before collapsing to his knees, grasping at his throat and struggling to draw breath as Spike extended his hand towards him. “You won’t stand in my way of this,” Spike growled, tightening his grip around the man’s throat. “This is happening, it has to happen. What do you not understand? The choice is between five billion and trillions in the core. Sometimes the only choice we have are bad ones, but they still have to be made.” He released his force grip from around the man’s neck, allowing him to cough and splutter, before Spike extended his hand towards him, offering to help him back up. “This needs to be done. I can’t do it alone, but all of you need to ask yourself if you are willing to sacrifice the Republic to maintain your honour, or if you are willing to sacrifice everything for the Republic. The Republic is the closest thing I have to a home, I will defend it to my death.” “Which this will lead to,” the captain Spike had choked wheezed, knocking Spikes offered hand away and standing up. “No one survives this, not us, not them. We’ll all die committing an unspeakable act.” “That’s the idea,” Spike sighed. “There’s no coming back from this, so if we do it, we do it in the knowledge that we’ll be hated by history, and the people we save will never thank us. If we do this we do it because we have no choice, and because it’s the right thing to do. Who’s with me?” “I am,” one of the captains sighed. “Spike makes a good point, even if I don’t like it.” “I am too.” “Me too.” Finally, it was just the Captain Spike had choked standing apart, his shoulders sagging as his resolve died. “I hate you, Spike. I want you to know that. I’m not doing this for you, I’m doing it for the Republic. Do you understand me? You’re not my commanding officer anymore, you’re not my friend, you’re just fighting my enemies. For that I’ll follow your plan.” “Then we’re in agreement,” Spike nodded solemnly. “Very well then, I am activating my inbuilt black box to record our last official message to the Republic. If anything survives it will likely be this.” Spike sighed, a panel opening in his chest, and a small crystal and gold cube slide out into his waiting hand. Lifting it up, Spike showed all of the captain’s what it was. “This is a Jedi Holocron, very few, if any, non-Jedi ever get to see these, let alone record into one. I am making an exception in this case, by my authority as a Master, before it’s revoked, which it will be after this I am sure. But enough of that. The Holocron will flash copy your mind, I’ve asked it to only copy your knowledge of this battle and this conversation, but I want each of you to record exactly what you want future generations to know. No ambiguity, no room for discussion. I want your words. Who wants to go first?” “I will,” the first captain wheezed, still massaging his neck. Spike nodded, the Holocron floating from his hand to in front of the man. “When you’re ready,” Spike muttered. “My name is Captain Miles Hammle, of the Vessel Yougon of the Fireshot Fleet. As you have no doubt heard, the Fireshot Fleet engaged and was defeated by a far greater Sith force above Vasdu. The consensus was made that there was only one course of action to stop this fleet, the complete destruction of Vasdu would be the consequence. I would like future generations to know that I am against this action, but given the circumstances I feel like I have no choice. From depths of my soul, I am sorry for the act I commit, and while that will never be enough, I feel like it has to be said.” Captain Hammle finished, glaring at Spike as another Captain stepped forward. “I am Captain Veers of the Gestalt. What we are doing here is monstrous, no doubt about it, but not acting is just as monstrous. We need to consider who we best serve, the five billion here, or the tens of billions, if not trillions who will die if this fleet gets through. I choose the lesser of two evils.” “Captain Xenri, Shank. We all stood together on this, some saw the light more than others, but we all made this decision ourselves. No one stood apart, so no one person is to blame.” “I’m keeping my name off the records please, my face too if at all possible. I’m not proud of what we’re doing here, but we do it anyway, for the greater good, for the Republic. That’s all.” Finally, the captains all turned to Spike, Spike allowing the Holocron to float in front of him as he stood up straighter, clasping his hands behind his back. “My name is Jedi Master Spike, Admiral of the Fireshot Fleet, former Commander of the Special Forces regiment. I have always been a radical, I haven’t seen eye to eye with the council for a long time as I see the universe differently from them. They will use this to say I’ve fallen from the light, that Vasdu was a Sith travesty, but I want to make things clear. Whether I’m still in the light or not is academic, we do this for the Republic, not for ourselves. This was my plan, and mine alone. I came up with it, and therefore I take all responsibility. The captains are all helping, but they are not to blame. Let history show that it was I who ordered this. I let Telos die, and now I willingly consign Vasdu to death as well. I will kill them all, Republic, Sith and civilian alike, and pray that I can find some measure of forgiveness in whatever afterlife exists. May the Force protect us.” Spike finally finished talking, the Holocron floating back into his hand, before he replaced it back into the compartment in his chest. “How do we even know that thing will even survive?” Xenri asked. “All things considered I highly doubt such a small object will survive, or be found if it does survive.” “It’s imbued with the Force, something not to be taken lightly. It gives it strength beyond its looks, and it means Jedi can easily locate it in a system, if they know what they’re looking for. Hopefully they will, and they’ll find it. But enough about that, we need to get to business. I want work parties organised to take the two generators from the ship into the deepest point of the mine and activate them, then come back for these two. When they’re ready, we’ll hold out as long as possible on the surface, and when we can’t hold out anymore, we’ll detonate. You’re all dismissed.” The men didn’t need to be told twice, quickly heading for the lift, leaving Spike alone again. He half-expected to see Moonstone appear to chastise him, but she seemed to be staying quiet, although even without her actually manifesting, Spike could feel her confusion about which side of Spike’s plan she wanted to fall on. Cracking his neck, Spike began to walk, passing by the lift shaft and opening a heavy metal doorway, shedding light on the otherwise dark room, and the single occupant within. “Leroy,” Spike growled the single word, the man slowly looking up. The Republic had set up at the Space Port for a variety of reasons, mostly the large landing fields and the pre-built defensive structures, but it was also nearby the planetary defence grid. One of the first things Spike had done after landing had been to organise a team to go to them, and to wipe out the traitors. Only one had survived, Spike personally taking him alive, and hauling him down here, into the dark. His face was bruised and battered, most of his teeth broken, along with his jaw and nose. Spike wasn’t proud of it, but he had needed someone to vent on after the failure in orbit, and Leroy had been that vent. It spoke of the man’s endurance that he was still alive. “Spike?” Leroy managed a grin through his injuries. “Come back to vent some more, eh?” “No more,” Spike shook his head. “My soul will soon be damned, and I won’t have you resting on it as well.” “Oh, so you do think of me when you’re not down here,” Leroy spat a globule of blood towards Spike, the crimson liquid falling short. “How cute, I’d hate to be forgotten.” “You will be forgotten, as will all of us,” Spike sighed, before igniting his Lightsaber. “Former Captain Leroy, for your betrayal of the Republic military, I sentence you to summary execution. The sentence to be carried out immediately.” Before Leroy could gloat or say anything else, Spike brought the Lightsaber down, the blade passing effortlessly through his neck, his head hitting the floor a split second before his body. Spike looked at the corpse for a few more seconds, before deactivating his Lightsaber and turning from the room, leaving the corpse of former Captain Leroy in the dark once more.